Chapter 40: My Elemental Hero Academia
(Jamie Lancaster POV)
Most of the living room hadn't even finished their first drinks by the time it was over. The Kaiser was a paragon of Obelisk Blue, an exemplar of skill, technique, and more than anything else, honor. Despite his cold and aloof nature, he had become a role model for his peers, and now he was on both knees, stung speechless by this complete and total defeat.
"Wha…what happened?" Alexis gaped, uncomprehending of the situation's reality.
"There's no way…the Kaiser shouldn't lose like that!" Jasmine hissed, and funnily enough, she gave me a glare, as if this was my fault somehow. She was unwise to make her dislike of me so obvious. It was amusing in the past, but over time it had become irritating, and my patience had limits. I had a feeling that she was comparing me to Zane, perhaps rueful that I was not the one humbled in defeat this day.
"God damn it, Truesdale, I was really banking on that attack going through." Adam grumbled as he forked over a bill to a smug-looking Obelisk who decided to pay school spirit no mind and bet on Aster.
"It wasn't even close…Aster had an answer for everything Zane did." Erin grimaced. "It kinda makes you wonder if he really does have some sort of special power. It wouldn't be the first time we've seen something like that."
As usual, Erin's initial assumptions struck close to the truth. She was a sharp one. I was more interested in Aster's demeanor. I remembered in the canon series that he was moreso an arrogant prodigy who bandied about the words Destiny and Fate as a way to hype his image. But this Aster was different - he seemed to really believe what he was saying. If he was a true zealot, how would this affect things moving forward? Could he still be an ally, or would he simply become another foe on the horizon, like Chazz?
"Everything is getting worse all the time…" I wish Sonata was here. I really wanted to talk to someone with my guard down for a change. Perhaps, after all of my battles against duel spirits, I was wrong to trust one. But I wanted to let someone into my heart again. Even amongst those on the island I call friends, I could never be completely open. Alexis was the one I had to be most careful with, since I had chosen get into a relationship with her. It wasn't fair to keep my heart guarded from her when she shared hers with me, but I still couldn't let myself trust. "Why can't I trust them?"
I noticed that many of the Obelisks were looking at me expectantly. "How do you think you'd fare against Aster, Lancaster?" The snake Seika asked with faux innocence, shit testing me whiel she played with her short black hair.
I pounded the rest of my beer to give myself a few extra seconds of thinking. I expect I'll found out how I stack up to Aster soon enough. "Mister Phoenix is clearly very talented. Seeing him fight has given me much to think on, and more importantly, it has inspired me to train even harder. All I can hope for is to be as ready as possible, should the day ever come when mister Phoenix and I find ourselves on the dueling field." I replied diplomatically. Seika nodded and got off my case. People milled around and talked for a while before slowly trickling out to parties or back to their rooms. Alexis and the others went over to the Slifer dorm for a party while I retired early, citing a faint, vague feeling of sickness.
"Zane…" I thought of my friend. "I hope this time you are able to stay on the right path. Atticus, please get through to him somehow." I thought of how the Kaiser smiled and even laughed at times during out practice games, only for those memories to morph into images of the man he would later become, a man who enjoyed his opponent's pain, a man who spat on honor and worshipped at the altar of victory. "I won't let that happen. And if you do give into wrath, Zane…don't be surprised when my own wrath flares in kind."
XXxxXXXxxXxXXXXXxxxX
Atticus got to Zane's apartment to find the Kaiser on the couch, a blanket over his head and a half-eaten tub of mint chocolate ice cream in his hands. Kitchen Nightmares played out on the television, Zane's eyes dully focused on the screen.
"Good lord, he acts like a girl who just got dumped by her boyfriend." Atticus thought, wisely not voicing that opinion. Zane did not acknowledge Atticus' presence at first, determinedly shoveling hefty spoonfuls of ice cream into his mouth.
"Uh, Zane? What's going on, big guy?" Atticus slowly closed the door, having let himself in once he realized it was unlocked. "You really should lock your door, man."
Zane shifted, causing the blanket to slip off of his head, revealing that he was wearing pajama pants and a Domino City Community College sweatshirt. Otherwise, he continued to ignore Atticus.
Atticus set his bag down and took a seat on the couch. "Listen man, it was one loss. Just one! You'll survive. You weren't gonna be undefeated forever. Hell, even Yugi Moto's lost a game or two in his career, it's nothing to be ashamed of." Although now that he thought of it, Atticus couldn't recall a public occurrence of Yugi actually losing. If the King of Games ever did lose, Atticus didn't know it.
"I'm sorry you had to see that, Atticus. It was an embarrassing performance." Zane finally acknowledged his longtime friend with an apology.
Atticus knew Zane was in a bad way with those words. The Kaiser rarely ever apologized – he was a man of pride, like so many duelists. Something about the game attracted confident people who wanted to be the best. For him to say something like that clued Atticus in to his friend's mindset in a big way.
"Hey, it's alright. You're the Kaiser, the best duelist of our class! You'll bounce back stronger." Atticus said with attempted buoyancy.
"I failed. I'm a failure. He knew everything about me, everything, before the duel even started. How can I compete with that? Do I even belong in the pros?" Zane moped, leaning back into the couch and staring at the ceiling fan.
"Come on man, Aster Phoenix may be a rookie too, but he's been in a pros a little longer than you have. That experience may have made the difference. He just had good draws, that's all." Atticus slowly took away the ice cream from him. Zane would get sick if he ate any more of that.
"No, no, no. He knew. It was destiny. God chose him to win. God didn't choose me. God hates me." Zane muttered like he was in a trance.
"Oh for the love of Ra, God does not hate you just because you lost a card game once. Phoenix just says that crap to build his image and intimidate his opponents. Pro wrestlers do it all the time." Atticus was a big fan of Edge back in the day. "Are you really gonna let him live in your head rent-free? That's not the Zane I know." At this point, Atticus was just trying to talk Zane down from the metaphorical ledge by appealing to his ego.
"What happened to my ice cream?" Zane suddenly wondered, looking around for the tub.
"No. No more ice cream. You need to pull it together here, buddy." Atticus scolded lightly.
"But I want ice cream." Zane pouted.
"You can have ice cream after we talk this out, okay?" Atticus talked slowly, treating Zane like a small child. "This isn't the first time you've lost a game, right? You've lost to Jamie during practice, isn't that right?"
"Yeah…but that was different." Zane responded obstinately.
"How is it different? Your life points hit zero both times, didn't they?" Atticus said a bit sarcastically as he neared his wits end.
"Well, that wasn't a pro game. And whenever Jamie won, it was always close. It was never this bad." Zane was seemingly inconsolable. Something about Aster's eerie, detached demeanor had fucked with his head something fierce. Or was there some supernatural energy at play here? Atticus was all too familiar with that. But he couldn't tell if that was it or if Zane was just being a drama queen.
"Well, maybe you need to go back to the drawing board and think of some new strategies. Maybe try some new card ratios." "Like normal people do." Atticus added mentally. "You can turn this into something positive. You have to, or else it'll weigh you down forever."
This actually seemed to get through to Zane. His dull eyes suddenly focused as an idea occurred to him. "Perhaps I have grown too predictable…it may time to go back to the dojo." He postulated.
"Huh? The Cyber Art Dojo?" Atticus said in surprise.
"Yes….the place I first received the Cyber Dragon cards. It's a remote gym where young duelists learn the game. I spent a year there as a boy – I could afford to since I skipped a grade in school. It was before we met, but that was where I learned how to play the game." Zane explained, never having a reason to do so to Atticus before.
"No kidding! No wonder you were so good, even as a kid!" Atticus was just happy that Zane was devising a plan of action, even if he didn't fully understand what the end goal was. "So you think there's a way to upgrade your deck there?"
"Yes, indeed. I was told that the Cyber End Dragon was the strongest of its kind, but even as a child I knew that something lied beyond it. Something beyond the power of most Duel Monsters cards. And now that the boy has become a man, I intend to find out what my teachers were hiding from me. And then, I will seize that power for myself." Zane muttered.
"What teachers?" Atticus asked, not picking up on his friend's dark thoughts.
Zane quit slumping, sitting upright now. "Sheppard used to teach at the dojo before he became Kaiba's administrative lackey. Once upon a time, he used to be able to duel as well. I wonder if he has returned to the dojo as well, now that Kaiba's shitcanned him."
"Wait, Sheppard used to duel? Then why didn't he take up arms against the Shadow Riders?" Atticus questioned. He was remarkably comfortable with the subject considering he used to be a Shadow Rider himself.
"Evidently he either lacked the strength or the will to do so. He placed that burden on his schoolchildren instead." Zane replied sharply. He didn't speak of it at the time, but with time, the Kaiser began to think poorly of his old headmaster and his refusal to fight. In his world, there were warriors and bystanders – to be one or the other was fine, but to stand in the middle was loathsome.
"What will you do if you find Sheppard there?" Atticus felt like he was playing twenty questions with how many he was asking of Zane.
Zane was standing now, a new fire in his eyes. "I will ask him why he didn't live by the principles he taught me. I will ask him why those principles have failed me when I needed them the most. And then, I will ask him to show me the dojo's secrets." Then, he turned to his old friend. "I want you to come with me, Atticus."
The request caught Atticus completely off-guard. "Huh? What are you saying? You know I can't, I have classes. I'm already a year behind you, bro." The Red-Eyes duelist said with gentle humor to obscure his confusion.
"It shouldn't take long. I'll order the plane tickets now. And besides, what's a few days of classes anyways? You're a smart guy. I've heard you're one of the top five duelists in Obelisk. Aren't you an officer in Jamie's little club?" Zane pressed.
"Yeah, I am. Who told you that, anyways?"
"Syrus. I gave him a call a little while ago. He's been promoted to Ra Yellow. I couldn't be more proud of him." Zane said with a small smile. "It's the duty of big brothers to give their younger siblings something to chase after, right? I must keep improving as well."
"Hehe, yeah, Syrus is starting to come into his own, that's for sure. But I don't get why you need my help for this." Atticus responded.
Zane shrugged. "It'd be like old times. I haven't got to see you much since your recovery. I thought this might be a good opportunity. The two of us, on a grand adventure."
Atticus had to smile – Zane didn't show his warm side to many. "I really appreciate that man, but you know I can't. For now, my place is the island. Besides – " He thought of Mackenzie. "- there's a girl whose caught my eye there."
"Ha! I should have known." Zane said. "In that case, I'll see you when I return to the island. Once I have my new powers, I'll need someone to test them against. I'm sure Jamie will appreciate the chance for a good fight, though I doubt he will like the outcome."
"I'll let him know that." Atticus smiled, glad that Zane seemingly was back to his old self. "Best of luck in your journey. And be careful." Zane knew what that meant.
"I know. I still remember that duel with the shadow rider, I believe his name was Titan. I've seen what happens to those who surrender to their darkest impulses. I won't let it happen to me, I'm smart enough to know it could happen. I know it's something I'll have to struggle with, but I won't become like that man."
Atticus nodded solemnly. Zane strode over to his cabinets and silently poured two shots of whiskey. Handing one to Atticus, they drank the liquor to seal a trust.
"Thanks for talking with me, man. It's funny – as kids we're always taught not to fear failure, but I never took that lesson to heart. In a way, it's comforting to know that there is still a ways to go on my path. I can dream of greater heights again."
"We've still an ocean of paths before us – we have the right to dream."
The two friends talked the night away before Atticus flew back to Central Academy the following day.
XXxxXxxxxxXXxxxxxxx
(Jamie Lancaster POV)
On Monday, I went about my routine, doing schoolwork and exercising mechanically, all the while waiting for Aster Phoenix's interview with Dueling Network. I went to sleep before the interview actually happened, since it was rather late at night. I watched it on my laptop, enjoying a quiet morning alone in my room as the late summer breeze swept through the open window. There was something about the early morning I always loved – I suppose it represents the start of something new, a clean slate of sorts.
The interview was posted on DN's website. The reporter seemed rather excited, while Aster Phoenix's expression was as placid as ever.
"Mister Phoenix, it's a pleasure to have you on again. Congratulations on your victory last Friday. I am always amazed at how you seem to know what to do at every turn. Truly, you're an incredible talent. How do you do it?" The reporter gushed, stopping just short of sucking him off right there in the studio. No, I wasn't jealous or anything, why do you ask?
"Thank you, that's kind of you to say." Aster replied casually, his posture perfect, yet relaxed. "I suppose I just try to do my best to keep up with the meta. I have faith in God, faith that He will show the right way on the dueling field."
"You certainly are not shy about integrating your faith into your public persona. I apologize if this is a silly question, but are you a Christian? What denomination are you?" The reporter asked.
"No, that's quite alright. I am not a Christian. I realize I may come off that way to those who are unfamiliar with me. I actually worship the Lord of Light." Aster said calmly.
"Ah, I see. Forgive me, I haven't heard of that religion. Could you tell us more about it?"
"It's a small, but growing faith. I joined the church shortly after my parents died. I fear I cannot describe it adequately in this short a time frame. I implore you and the viewers of this program look into it, though." Aster deflected.
"Oh, I'm planning on looking into it, alright." I thought grimly. "Your boy Sartorius is fucked the minute he sets foot on this island, Aster."
"Changing gears a little, I've heard that you'll be out of the country this week. Is your upcoming trip for business, or is it a personal matter?"
Aster considered the seemingly simple question longer than expected. "I suppose it is a personal matter." He said stiffly.
"How interesting! So what do you have planned? Some island getaway with a secret lover or what? C'mon, spill!" The reporter began to spin tabloid headlines.
"Oh, nothing fun like that, I assure you." Aster replied demurely.
"You are a tough nut to crack, mister Phoenix. We'll be right back after the break!"
I set the computer down. I had seen enough. Aster wasn't going to say anything interesting – nothing I didn't already know, besides. Although he seemed to be a bit more polite here than he was in canon.
XxXxXxxXxxXXxxxxXxXX
I found Jaden at one of the school's duel arenas. He was sparring with Bastion, who appeared to be on the back foot. I stood in the entryway for a minute, watching Jaden defeat Bastion with a direct attack from Elemental Hero Great Tornado.
"Gotcha! That's game, Bastion." The red hero grinned, making his trademark gesture at his opponent. No, not the middle finger, it's this thing where he points his index and middle finger at his opponent. I don't know, man.
"As usual, you are a hard one to pin down, Jaden." Bastion took his lumps with dignity. "One day, I'll develop a formula for your deck that works."
"I'll be waiting when that day comes, buddy! Did you like that, Jamie?" Jaden turned slightly, and I caught the corner of his eye.
"I only caught the end of it, I'm afraid. I have no doubt it was a spirited performance as always." I said politely. "The both of you would be a welcome upgrade to the Blues."
"I've thought about that." Bastion said with a sigh as he deactivated his duel disk. "I may finally apply next term. A lot of seniors are graduating, and many spots in the Blue dorm will open as a result. It may be time to see how the blue coat suits me."
"It'd be great to have you, man. What about you, Jaden?" I already knew the answer, but I felt the need to badger him anyways.
"No way man, I hear you're running a tight ship over there. The Slifer dorm is way more chill! Besides, red's my favorite color!" He chuckled. "What's up?"
"I was hoping to have a word with you, actually." I said, and he nodded. Bidding Bastion farewell, we began to walk and talk. For a few minutes, we made some banter about how his viewing party went, before arriving at the point.
"I've never seen anything like that happen to Zane. I mean, that was bad. Worse than my first game against him, that's for sure. Have you ever beat him like that?" Jaden asked.
"No. It was always closer than that, at least. Aster never lost control of the match for a second. And I doubt that this will be the last we hear of him, either. Did you see his interview with Dueling Network?" I replied as we walked down the main pathway leading away from the school.
"I did. It was really boring, he just deflected the reporter's questions the entire time." Jaden yawned.
"Well, except for the part where he's coming back to the island this week. And I think I know why." I said seriously.
"How? Did you talk about it with Kaiba?" Jaden asked.
"If I told you, I would be violating my nondisclosure agreement. But I can say that I got this info from a reliable source." That reliable source being my knowledge of the canon series. However, the growing awareness that I was working for Kaiba in some capacity was proving to be a convenient excuse for my intel being what it is. "He's coming for you. He wants to duel you again, and this time he won't be using some testing deck."
"How do you figure?" Jaden scratched his head.
"He seems to hide it in zealotry, but Aster is as prideful as they come. And he has a certain hangup when it comes to Hero monsters."
"What? You mean he's got a problem with me using Heroes? What could be so wrong with that?" Jaden was genuinely confused.
"I'm sure you've heard, but Aster's parents were murdered around ten years ago, only a few months after the Battle City finals. His father was the card designer Riser Phoenix." I had to admit, it was a little amusing that his father shared the same name as that shit-tier villain from High School DxD – I wonder if Syrus knows about this? "A splinter cell of Rare Hunters were initially suspected, but no conclusions could be found based on the available evidence. The killer is still suspected to be at large, and we don't even know the motive." Or at least, the motive was never revealed…I did as much research as I could into the topic, and I couldn't find much. The amount of missing information seemed suspicious, but I couldn't determine why. Was I misremembering something from the canon series?
"That's horrible! And he would have only been seven or eight when that happened. But what does that have to do with hero monsters?" Jaden continued.
"Right, I should probably explain further. Riser Phoenix created a one-of-a-kind set of hero monsters known as Destiny Heroes. Furthermore, he is credited with the creation of the Legendary Planets, a series of nine cards that includes your Elemental Hero Terra Firma."
"No kidding! I always figured Terra Firma had something special to him! So what's the deal with these Destiny Heroes? Are they stronger than the Elemental Heroes?" Jaden said, a bit defensive that his favorite cards might have been powercrept.
"Hmm…." I almost wasn't sure how to answer it. Some of the Destiny Heroes were extremely good – Diamond Dude became a key piece in many combos circa 2008, and Disk Commander nearly spent a decade on the banlist in both America and Japan. Malicious is an amazing combo piece in its own right, and Destiny End Dragoon holds up pretty well as a boss monster. "They have unusual effects, but for the most part they work better as an engine rather than a fully realized deck concept. Your heroes have a wider variety of fusions and fusion support. But the cards themselves aren't what make Aster dangerous. He is a master of the game and won't be making any mistakes. Furthermore, he's really good at mind games."
Jaden was taken aback by how stone-faced I was. "So, you think he wants to duel me for sure, huh? Well, I'm not scared of him, even if he did beat Zane. You never mentioned what his beef is with me anyways."
"I'm sure he'll make some tirade about it, but basically he thinks you aren't worthy of using heroes because you aren't using them for the same noble reasons as him." It really was a ridiculous way of thinking, but that's what Aster believed. I'm sure Sartorius did a lot to twist his mind so that this would seem a reasonable course of action.
Jaden was almost outraged now. "What the hell? He doesn't think I'm heroic enough to use heroes? How crazy! Does he go after people who use reptiles if they aren't actually reptiles? I can use whatever cards I want! And even if I abide by his criteria, I fought against the Shadow Riders last year! Professor Banner was committing crimes against nature, and Kagemaru was going to destroy the planet! How is stopping them not heroic?"
"Don't ask me." I spoke a little louder to head him off. "Here's the main point. Do not duel him. It's a bad idea."
"Huh?" Jaden looked at me with bewilderment. "You tell me all that, and then you say not to duel him? It would be such a fun challenge, and I can't just stand by and let him slander me!"
He had a point. If Aster went after me like that, I would fight him, no questions asked. But I know that Jaden will lose if he does duel him. But he won't die, and he'll grow stronger in the long run…what should I do? Is the best course of action really to let the canon timeline proceed? Or am I playing into the designs of destiny, of the Light? I told myself I wouldn't be a pawn of destiny - I refuse to!
"Or do you think I can't handle it?" Jaden followed up with a piercing question. "Do you think I need to be shielded from this man?"
"No, that's not it at all!" I protested, trying to keep my voice under control. "That's not it at all. He has some kind of supernatural power, this is no normal duelist. I am just advising caution."
"Well, I appreciate the heads up. But I'm not a normal duelist either. Professor Banner made that clear. If Aster Phoenix comes to this island, I'll duel him." Jaden said. So my action essentially did nothing but bolster his resolve, even when I wanted nothing more than to change his mind. Why? Why does he insist on this?
"If what you say is true, Aster Phoenix is coming here to defeat me, to demoralize me so much that I won't use my favorite cards anymore. Well, he's got another thing coming! I won't let him or anyone else smash my dreams! I'm gonna be a hero!" Jaden stared skyward with tremendous, unusual intensity.
I failed again.
XxXxXxXxxxxxXXxxXxX
The week passed, and I felt my frustration and stress beginning to reach a head. The idea that I might have under the sway of destiny, despite everything, was really starting to mess with my head. Without meaning to, I started to become more irritable and withdrawn.
"So, Aster Phoenix is returning to the island after all. Now I am convinced that there is some sort of ulterior motive at play. I refuse to let any more interlopers use my island as their staging ground. Are you certain of his purpose?" Kaiba rasped over the phone on Thursday night.
"Yeah, he's some got some grudge against Jaden Yuki. From what I've seen, Aster is no mastermind. I think that someone else is pulling his strings, whether he knows it or not."
"His manager, Sartorius. As if you could mean anyone else." Kaiba smirked - even though I couldn't see him, I knew he was smirking. "So, you believe Sartorius has some dastardly plan? Let's hear it, Lancaster."
"If you want my opinion, I think that religion of theirs is bad news. A sense of spirituality is one thing, but Aster and his manager are deep into it."
"Hmph. Let the idiots pray to the sky if they like." Kaiba wasn't big on religion – shocker! I myself was a Christian in my old life, but my experiences this past year have put my faith on the back burner. There would hopefully be time to work that out later. Either way, I was used to Kaiba's acerbic nature by now, and did not rise to his words. You'd think that Kaiba would put a little more stock in this sort of thing considering he's literally seen gods and demons walking the earth, not the mention the bevy of supernatural powers granted by the Millennium Items and such. I guess his memory was short, or maybe the drugs were finally starting to addle his mind to some degree. "Only weak people rely on such dreams."
"If dreams were horses, then beggars would ride." I repeated an old proverb that my father, not Tobias but my true father, back in my old life, was fond of. The statement also got me out of having to explicitly agree or disagree with Kaiba's rude dismissal of religion.
"Ha! I've never heard that before. Where'd you hear that one, Lancaster?"
"Something my dad used to say." I mumbled.
"I see. Anyways, for now I want you to observe Aster Phoenix's duel with Jaden. If you cannot be there, get good intel from someone you trust. Or someone you trust the most I should say. I have heard rumors that Aster has unique cards." Kaiba snarled. "No power should be allowed to exist in this world without my knowledge. I want point totals, attributes, effects – everything."
Fighting chills, I replied, "As you say, sir."
"Good….good. You haven't disappointed me yet, Lancaster. I expect a high standard from you. Have you battled Mackenzie yet?"
"The right opportunity hasn't made itself apparent, sir. I will soon."
"Create the right opportunity. Waiting around for too long under the guise of "planning" is foolish. Fortune favors the bold."
I had to admit he was right about that, at least. He was wrong about something else though. A power does exist without the White Dragon's knowledge – mine. And the day he learns about the nature of that power will also be the day I defeat him.
(Aster Phoenix POV)
His private plane was set to leave for Central Academy Island in the evening, so Aster visited his parent's graves in the afternoon. It was a mockingly sunny day. Clear blue sky stretched as far as the eye could see, only occasionally punctuated by white cloud wisps. The cemetery was out in the country, with no skyscrapers to obscure the view.
He still wore his suit done up as always – Aster disliked wearing casual clothes in general, but he would especially never were them here. Never here. At the hill's bottom rested a sleek black sports car, bound for the airport after this brief sojourn.
Aster rested a fine bouquet of white roses – the finest money could buy – on the graves of his mother and father. "I swear to you that one day justice will be served. Today will dawn a new age of heroes. Your finest creations will now see the light of day, father."
There was more he could have said. He could have stood on that hill until the sun set and rose again, and on a few times he did, speaking words he wished he could have said to people who will never hear them.
"In heaven, you'll see them again." Sartorius said to him as a child, but the words always rung hollow. Such words seemed a comforting illusion, no matter how hard he tried to believe them. Such things were for the night, and Aster wanted to exist in the light of day.
"God has blessed me with many things, but justice….all I have seen of justice has been made with my own two hands." That would always be a fundamental difference between Aster and the eternally patient Sartorius, but he never voiced this. Aster left for the airport shortly thereafter.
XxxxxxxXXXxxxxXxxxxxxX
(Jamie Lancaster POV)
Aster arrived on the island in the dead of night, and where he stayed, I did not know. The only notification I received was as I was leaving my ten o' clock class with Professor Hibiki. Syrus told me of how Aster challenged Jaden at the stroke of midnight over a Skype call (how he obtained such information was a mystery I intended to solve) for the following morning.
Why was I left out of the loop on this? I guess, from their perspectives, this seemingly wasn't any of my direct business. I intended to make it my business, as what happened from here on could determine the fate of this planet, and my life as well. I rushed down to the Obelisk duel arena, making it there the same time as Mackenzie, oddly enough. It appeared she was locked out of the loop as well, a fact that brought me some small comfort. I spoke little to her as we made our way to the dueling floor, not trusting myself to say anything in front of her.
Each entrance to the arena was blocked by small clusters of bodyguards, clearly in Aster's employ. "Excuse us, may we pass? Our friend Jaden about to duel in there." I asked hastily.
"Nope. Mister Phoenix has expressly denied any and all spectators. He is a professional, and does not allow free viewership of his matches under any circumstances. A few friends of Jaden Yuki were allowed to attend since they witnessed Aster's earlier meeting with mister Yuki. They are mister Truesdale and the misses Reid and Dorothy. The school's headmaster, Crowler, is in there as well. No one else is allowed in or out until the battle is concluded." The guardsman explained brusquely.
"What do you mean? My tuition helps pay for these facilities! Aster Phoenix isn't even a student here, so why does he get to use the arena as he wishes?" I protested.
"I have to wonder about this as well. Wouldn't mister Phoenix profit from charging admission, if he is so adamantly against free viewings of his dueling?" Mackenzie asked more calmly than me.
"Aster agreed on this arrangement with mister Yuki, and since it is a personal matter, the National Pro Agency does not allow him to charge admission, else he surely would. As for the usage of the arena, we filled out all the necessary paperwork and Crowler signed off on everything."
What? Crowler was able to sign off on something like this without telling Kaiba? Shit, now I have a problem on my hands. If I tell Kaiba about this, Crowler will surely get some kind of punishment for it, since Kaiba expressly asked me to keep track of Aster Phoenix's movements on the island. Unless he didn't give Crowler that same order? But why would he do that? Bah, this doesn't make any sense!
"So there's no way we're getting in?" Mackenzie asked again, batting her eyes at the guards. Though some color seeped into their cheeks, they stood firm and refused to let us pass. They then proceeded to direct us from the premises.
"Unbelievable!" I spat as we walked away from the arena, away from the match that would decide a great deal of things moving forward.
"I know how you feel, I was looking forward to seeing Phoenix use his real deck. Destiny heroes, I believe they are called? Still, I have to wonder why he wants to fight Jaden, specifically. Jaden never told me what Aster said to him on that Skype call." Mackenzie commiserated, as if we were comrades.
"We'd like to know that as well." A posh voice sounded. Behind us stood the rest of the crew – Bastion, who called to us, along with Alexis, Kenzan, Jasmine (I guess), and Atticus (who I still had to meet with regarding Zane's current condition).
"I don't know why Jaden has that guy's attention, but it probably isn't a good thing." Alexis worried.
"From what I've heard, Aster seems to have some sort of grudge against Jaden. He wants to prove that he's the better Hero user or something." I affected a dismissive tone.
"What? Could it really be something so petty? For Ra's sake, Aster might be good, but that doesn't give him exclusive usage of Elemental Heroes. Could you imagine if Joey Wheeler came after me because we both use Red-Eyes cards? How absurd." Atticus rightly protested.
"If he wanted to duel Jaden seriously, he should have done it the first time. Instead, he cobbled together forty cards from eight packs and fought at far less than his maximum power. It is all highly illogical." Bastion murmured. Sometimes I had to look at his ears to check if he wasn't actually a Vulcan from Star Trek. Sadly, I could never do the "Live Long and Prosper" thing with my hand.
"It is absurd, but Aster has the money and power to make even his most ridiculous whims a reality. He even has divine providence, if the rumors are to be believed." I relied grimly.
"Don't tell me you believe that, Jamie." Alexis gave me a long, meaningful look. Despite the fact that she was the one who wanted to keep our relationship a secret, she had the subtlety of a sledgehammer at times. I purposefully averted her gaze with a peevish look while Jasmine looked between us.
"All I'm saying is that he's not to be trifled with." I followed up in stilted fashion.
"It shouldn't be a big deal. If Jaden beats him, the matter is settled. If Aster beats him, then the matter will also be settled. Isn't that how it goes with these contests of male pride?" Something about the way Jasmine said "male pride" irked me, but I didn't dwell on it. Bastion looked a bit uncomfortable.
"I don't think that's all there is to it." I said cryptically.
"I'm sure Jaden will tell us what this is all about when the game is done." Mackenzie spoke up from behind me. I jumped, alarmed by her voice. Why did I let her get behind me?
"Are you alright, mister Lancaster? Sorry if I startled you." She said sweetly, her arms behind her back.
"I'm fine!" I yelped. "I'm good. Sorry." I amended further, toning it down a bit.
"Well, that's good to hear. You see, while we're waiting for one game to finish, I figure we could occupy ourselves with a game of our own. I've wanted a piece of you ever since I've arrived, and now is as fine a time as any, wouldn't you agree?" She said sinuously, and I was certain the innocent-sounding request masked a darker intention.
"Ooh, that could be a lot of fun! I'd love to see you two get after it! In a duel, I mean, hehe." Atticus let out a freudian slip, maybe? He is a strange one.
"I daresay it's a better idea than standing around in a hallway. What say you, Jamie?" Bastion urged. Jasmine smugly looked upon me with high expectations.
I frowned. Fuck. If I turn down the match, I look like a pussy in front of three Obelisk Force officers, and I'll probably make Mackenzie suspicious of me as well. Why did she want to duel now anyways? Was it to gauge my abilities? I had to make a choice, and quick. In the end, my relentless desire to prove myself prevailed.
"I accept your challenge. Perhaps outside would be best?" I suggested. I hadn't used the fullest extent of my strength in quite some time – not since that fight with the duel spirit on the hotel rooftop this summer. Time to see what she is made of, and me as well.
She gave me an enigmatic smile. "Thank you. I'm sure you won't regret this."
I sure hope so.
XxXxxxXXXxxxxxxxx
(Jaden Yuki POV)
Jaden couldn't be more excited! Not only did Aster challenge him to another duel, but now he was using his one of a kind cards, the Destiny Heroes created by Riser Phoenix. Which heroes would be stronger? Which were cooler? He couldn't wait to find out!
Aster stood opposite him in the main academy duel arena, normally reserved for official school functions. Erin, Syrus, Miss Dorothy, and Crowler were the only witnesses of the match – Aster was adamant that no one else be allowed entry. Jaden didn't mind much either way, although he did feel bad that his other friends couldn't watch, for they surely wanted to.
"Hehe, I'm getting excited! Let's get started!" Jaden was not a deep thinker, but he couldn't help but notice how he and Aster were nearly perfect opposites. Aster's cold blue eyes were weighted by purpose and self-importance, while Jaden's brown ones were alight with boyish exuberance. Aster stood ramrod straight, showing how perfectly tailored his silver suit was, while Jaden slouched casually in his well-worn red jacket and black t-shirt.
"Jaden Yuki," Aster intoned. "Before we begin, let me ask you – why do you duel? For what purpose are you training to become a duelist?"
"Ummm…." Jaden scratched his chin. "Well, I just like to have fun, and this how I do it. Dueling makes me happy! And I think it can bring people together. I didn't know most of my friends until we dueled for the first time." He smiled, thinking of his battles against Alexis and Bastion, Jamie and Zane.
Aster's glare could wither flowers and brown grass. "I see. Thank you for your candor."
Jaden wasn't really irritated, as he was used to this type of attitude. "You got a problem with that, bro?"
"And do you have a dream as well?" Aster ignored Jaden's question, instead asking another of his own.
"Yeah! I'm gonna be the next king of games!" Jaden pointed a thumb at himself, confident and vibrant.
"As I thought." Aster responded coldly. "A child through and through. And yet you use hero monsters…
"Listen buddy, I've risked my life to defend this island and save lives! I've been in real fights before! I've got nothing to prove to you!" Jaden protested.
"It is not to me you have to prove yourself. In this fight, you will be judged before God."
"Gee, aren't I lucky?" Jaden snarked before preparing for battle.
A/N
Hope you all enjoyed. I've been waiting to use that title for a while lol.
I think it does the story well to linger on the quieter character driven moments in these "setup chapters" for lack of a better term. I enjoy writing them, and they're also easier to write in spurts, which is what I've been doing lately. It's harder to keep track of duels when writing this way. Luckily, in a month I will be relatively freed up once more, and my pace should improve as a result. I do plan on going on vacation for five days at the end of April, though. Maybe Denver around the 20th, lol. That being said, I really appreciate your maturity and patience with me. We'll see two duels in the next chapter, Jaden vs Aster and Jamie vs Mackenzie – I am excited to write both, as they are both tremendous opportunities to shape every character involved.
By the way, if you have a MyAnimeList account and are interested in what series I'm currently watching, or you'd like to discuss Anime/Writing/Anything with me, by all means hit me up on that site! My username is Yung_Warrior and my profile pic is the same as my current pic (the pure Saiyans from DBZ with my bois Vegeta, Goku and Bardock at the center). Peace and we'll see you soon!