Chapter 60: Teardrop
(Jamie Lancaster POV)
With the good comes the bad, and vice-versa. Rarely is there a moment of sublime victory in life, but neither is there a defeat without a silver lining. Love and hate sit adjacent to each other, and the difference between a hero and a villain is who writes the history.
The party lasted well into the morning, most everyone rapt with joy not just at the planet's continued survival, but at the undiminished possibility of the future, of their dreams. Students from all of the duel academies, Industrial Illusions and Kaiba Corp employees…all found common humanity for a short time, their various petty grievances forgotten temporarily.
I couldn't enjoy it as much as some others did. My friends and I were saddened, confused, and to some extent angered by Jaden's disappearance. Was he dead? In a different dimension? Who the hell knew? The only one who seemed to have any idea was Aster, who was more upset by the disappearance of Sartorius than anything else. Although I knew he was possessed and didn't act from a place of full agency, I found I couldn't care very much about Sartorius in comparison to Jaden. At any rate, Aster refused to drink with the others and spent the night sequestered in his cruise ship. "If he were truly dead, I would know. There is much to think on, and alcohol will only cloud my vision." Was all he said before retreating to the cruiser, drawing up all entrances so that he wouldn't be interrupted.
"Damn, and here I was hoping he would party with us!" Bemoaned Mindy, who clearly had other designs for the silver-haired celebrity. She then went off to play poker with the girls while I went to take shots with Zane and Chumley, putting the matter out of my mind for the time being.
There was an array of mixed feelings, but Jesse was in the throes of despair, refusing to leave his room once he heard of Jaden's absence. After safely bringing Atticus to the infirmary, Chazz stayed in to look after him. It was a noble gesture, but I was hoping he would stay out so I could ask him about what happened to Mackenzie. Then again, he wasn't likely to tell me anyways. Maybe Alexis could get him to talk. Not much of a partier anyways, she also stayed in to look after Atticus.
It felt great to have our relationship in the open. She wanted to be discreet because she didn't want Atticus finding out for some reason. I don't know what could be so bad about that, but apparently, she decided it was no longer a factor. In the rush of things, I felt like we hadn't had much time to ourselves. I had a lot on my plate, but that didn't mean I could take her for granted.
"Maybe I should tell her the truth about me…who I really am." I thought, lying awake in my bed with a nagging hangover. But fear continued to hold me back. Would she reject who I really am? Would she hate me for holding so much back from her when she trusted me with everything in her life? For how much older I am than her? "I've already wronged you, Alexis." I thought sadly. To take things to the next step with her felt so right at the time – was it because my desire overpowered my morals, my rationality? Maybe I should have lived as a monk, would that have been right? Telling one person was tantamount to telling everyone, such things never stayed secret.
There were a thousand things to do, and I needed to have support. "What the hell am I supposed to do?" Maybe things would have been better if I just ignored my past knowledge and left everything well enough alone. If I lived as an island, a loner, then the events of the plot would have continued unimpeded. "It's funny how the world is harmed more by visionaries than by those who follow their own selfish desires."
And yet, what is a vision, a dream, besides the fulfillment of selfish desires? I wanted to rise in the ranks of Obelisk Blue. I wanted to fight the good fight, so as to feel like my existence had purpose. I wanted to win Alexis' affection, to earn Zane's respect, to surpass Kaiba. These desires are what I live for, but also cause suffering to myself and others. Is it possible to follow my heart without hurting other people?
My introspective musings were thankfully cut short by a text message. Cold dread filled my heart when I read the words.
Seto Kaiba: Come to Crowler's office, alone, tonight at 7 PM. Don't be late.
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The rest of the day was quiet, most people still passed out from the parties the night before and only stirring in the afternoon. I arrived at Crowler's office on schedule, wondering what the meeting was for. I asked Kaiba about it but he refused to elaborate, leaving me on read.
I entered the office to find Kaiba sitting in Crowler's chair, his fingers steepled. Placid, cold eyes pierced through me. "Shut the door and lock it now."
I complied immediately, the weight in his tone stirring trepidation within me. "Sit down."
The blinds were drawn. "What's going on, sir?"
"I will be the one asking questions here. You will be answering them only after you place your palm on this tablet." Blank, numb fear overpowered all other thoughts with white noise. Kaiba produced a tablet that was ahead of its time in terms of sleek design – it looked much like an iPad. It was plugged into the wall.
"The application currently running on this machine is a lie detector developed by my R&D team. I'm told it's one of the best on the market – I've even licensed it out for testing to the Domino City Police Department. You will place your right palm openly on the screen for the duration of this conversation. If you try to escape, I have agents planted inside and outside the building." Kaiba explained slowly, each syllable sounded out exactly.
"What?! What the hell is this? I didn't do anything!" I protested. His intense gaze cowed me, and I knew I had no choice but to put my hand on the lie detector. "How? How does he know?"
The machine took a moment to read my various biological signatures. Once it did, Kaiba spoke again.
"The questions will begin with this – what is your real name?"
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The interrogation felt like it lasted days. In reality, about five hours had passed before I had finished telling him everything. It was late in the afternoon now. Kaiba's questions were well-worded and left me no room to hide, though I tried. Every part of my internal world was exposed to the harsh, fluorescent light. He knew everything…everything! By the time it was all over, I was shaking, crying, a pathetic creature.
Kaiba's expression remained unchanged throughout. "The questions are at an end. You may remove your hand from the machine at this time." It was numb from staying in one position so long. He then stood suddenly, striding over to the mini-fridge in the corner to procure a water bottle. "Drink."
I did so greedily. I was so hungry, so thirsty, so exhausted. What was going to happen to me? What will become of my life? Do I have a future? Is this really the end of everything? The water sharpened my hunger and weariness.
"So, this is the duelist who almost defeated me." Said Kaiba. It was the first thing he had said to me all night that wasn't a clinical order or a question. "You are a fascinating specimen, -" He said my real name.
"Please…please don't use that name." That wasn't real anymore. It can't be real! The memories came rushing back…how it happened, how I died! That pain! I won't relieve that pain!
"Very well. For all intents and purposes, you are Jamie Lancaster now anyways." He acceded. "I know what it's like not to have a name. Once, I was known only as Seto. I don't even know who gave me that name. Was it my real mother? Was it the people running the orphanage? I don't know. I only earned the Kaiba surname when I had proven myself to Gozaburo. I also know what it is to choose a name, to impose it upon the world via your own will."
"What are you saying?" The numbness wouldn't leave my head, and I spoke on autopilot.
"We are similar, in some ways. But I could not imagine what I would do in your position…it is an impossible choice."
"They won't care…they'll judge me." That, I realized, was what I feared. Bearing the weight of their scorn, of their disappointment, of their anger. "What do they know about it anyways…huh?! What would they know about calling strangers mom and dad, having to scramble to learn a new world, when the gods treat you like a plaything?"
Kaiba cut in with a neutral tone. "It is remarkable. There are maybe ten duelists in the world who could match me on the dueling field as you have. And yet, you crave the approval of these children because of some residual affection you hold from watching a television show. How could such a strong duelist be such a pathetic person?"
"Fuck you! You don't know anything!" I shouted.
"They will not love you – so what? IIt's something you could never attain because your identity is built on a lie. It was a waste of time from the very beginning. Loyalties are fickle and easily swayed, and all the important battles are fought alone anyways. Why do you care about them liking you anyways?"
"I thought…if they could accept me, I could suppress my doubts and accept myself." Simply being liked by others, to be a rock other people in the community can rely upon…it was not fulfilling because then they would only take my efforts for granted. It was built on a false foundation. "But the only way I've ever felt satisfied is through striving to become something greater."
Kaiba nodded knowingly. "You desire to gain strength and thought that you could drag them to great heights along with you. A waste of effort. Some people don't have it in them to be great and they never will. Some people will resent you precisely because you want something greater than mediocrity."
He turned to look out the window, seemingly trusting that I would not bolt for the exit or try to hurt him. "What choice do you have but to live? Even if you die again, you may just come back somewhere else." He continued. "There is nowhere for you to escape. You must continue to fight."
"Why? What for? What good comes from fighting destiny? The events of the show have continued despite everything I've tried to do." I bemoaned.
"So what?!" Kaiba yelled at me. "Giving up is impossible, unless you want to die like a dog! Is that what you want? Is it?" His piercing stare stirred me from my woe and turned it to anger.
"What if I told you it was still possible to reach the summit? Yugi is still the king of games, but someone must succeed him. I've tried my best, but I cannot defeat him. He has the will of the gods on his side, so attempting to surpass him is a futile effort. But if I train the next king of games…then it will be the Kaiba legacy, my legacy, that will endure into the future. This is how I surpass him!"
I never imagined I would hear those words from him, but I knew it was true as well. Yugi was blessed with lineage, providence, and the ability to alter fate itself. To defeat him would be to make the winds change, to stop the tides, to make the sun rise in the west. "You cannot believe I have a chance against him."
"Of course not. That's why I said next, and not current. If you join me, and surpass me…you will be the undisputed strongest besides Yugi himself. And thus, when Yugi finally retires, or dies…" He paused for a long time. "My legacy and strength will live on in the next generation. My name will finally eclipse his in every respect, for I will be the forge which tempers the next champion's steel!"
He extended a hand to me.
"I don't know who the real Jamie Lancaster is. I'm not sure if I know the person in front of me, but I know that I chose you to be my intern because I saw something different in you. I saw someone who is like me. Someone who can reach that summit! If that potential still exists, then get up and prove it to me now!"
Giving up is impossible. Living as my old self was not an option, nor was being an impostor. To live in a shonen anime series means getting stronger or getting left in the dust. In the pursuit of strength…can I find my true self?
I disliked Kaiba, but I also craved his acknowledgement, even respect, though I knew I would likely never obtain it. The hand hovered out to me, showing promise and…something else? Regardless, there was no other option. I didn't have a chance without access to Kaiba's wealth and resources.
"What if I told you that I wanted to leave KaibaCorp and forge my own path? What if I told you I wanted to destroy you for all of the times you've belittled me? What then?" I snarled, mainly just to see what he would say.
"We need each other. I need someone to take the mantle of King of Games to cement my legacy. There is no one else I find agreeable. You need my help because your enemies are vicious wolves who want you utterly decimated. If you fail, you will die screaming. But if you succeed…you will stand at the summit, where there are no clouds to obscure your vision." I had never seen this expression on him before. Was it…understanding? Kinship?
What will happen the day I walk my own path, out of his shadow? "I will defeat you someday. But for now…I will continue working for you. Just keep in mind, the day will come when I walk my own path, and you will know that I am my own man!" I would never be satisfied otherwise.
Seto smirked. "I was always taught to keep my enemies close by."
I shook his hand.
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"Guys are so weird." Sonata said in a humdrum tone as we left the building. "You keep things interesting, Jamie."
"I need to eat and sleep. Then, we need to work on the first of the five hundred problems before us." I said numbly. There was so much, and every time a problem seemed to be resolved, two more would spring up in its place. It was all tiresome… and I didn't even know if it mattered.
"Watch out." Sonata warned me, and indeed I almost bumped into Jasmine as I walked down the pathway back to the Obelisk Blue dorms. It was late in the afternoon and the island was bathed in an orange glow from the waning sun. "It's like her hair." I thought.
"Lancaster…are you alright? You don't look so good." Jasmine asked with abject wariness. Come to think of it, this was the first time I've seen her in quite a while. Not since before she was brainwashed, I think.
"I'm fine." I said curtly and turned to continue on my path.
"Hey, hold on!" Jasmine called. I stopped and glared at her. "I, uh, just wanted to say…sorry for any trouble I caused. They brainwashed me. I promise I had no choice in it. I know there's been trouble between us in the past, but I don't want any of that shit in my life anymore. Ok?" The words tumbled out of her, strung together thinly.
It was hard not to let the rage out. I wanted to yell at her, partly because of how Kaiba had just spent the last five and a half hours eviscerating me. But I thought better of it and suppressed these dark instincts. "Yeah, sure."
She seemed surprised that I didn't have more to say. "Oh, uh….cool. So I am still on the Obelisk Force, or…?" She must have expected that I would kick her out. I should kick her out. But then…it doesn't matter. I just need to focus on one thing at a time.
"As long as you meet the expectations outlined in our charter, then yes. If someone surpasses you, you will step aside for them without any…complaining." I almost said bitching. "If you want to quit of your own volition, you are free to do so. Any other questions or concerns that don't require my direct input can be handled towards Alexis." I moved to walk away again.
"I can't believe you and Alexis are…I hope you're treating her right." I couldn't determine what her tone was…was it concern? I hardly cared.
I faced her head-on and smiled wide. Clenching my fists, I began to flex my energy, first in small bursts and then in a continuous wave. Although I was exhausted, I had not stressed myself in battle today. Therefore, I was still able to bring forth my full power in a frankly petty display of intimidation. It was something many powerful duelists who had some connection to the spirit world were capable of.
"I like to think so. I care for her a great deal. She's a strong and kind person, and I want the best for her in life." The aura, invisible to all but the two of us, flared higher behind me, taking the shape of a dark blue lion that bared its fangs at her. "Anyways, I think there should only be friendship and peace between us. I'm told the power of friendship is quite something."
Otherwise…the threat was implicit, though she quickly read into it. I don't know what she expected. There is nothing I could have said that would have alleviated her concerns because she just takes everything I say in the worst possible light. "Is there anything else I can help you with?" I asked.
She was sweating profusely, feet rooted to the spot. Finally, she scampered off without another word, and I was free to continue on my path.
"People will always judge others without knowing what is in the other person's heart." I mused to Sonata once Jasmine was far away.
"…Some situations don't have a right answer. I don't know what I would do in your shoes, so I can't say much more. I think it's hard for you and Jasmine to understand each other since neither of you are willing to take the first step. I wonder what she would think if she knew the whole story about you." Sonata said, somewhat passive-aggressively.
"We can't do anything without hurting someone else in this world. All I know is that when the shit hits the fan I wouldn't trust her with my life, and that wouldn't change if she knew my story." I replied, definitively wanting to end the matter. "Alexis, now that would change. She won't be happy.
"If you really care for her, then you should tell her."
I sighed…"Yeah…but I don't know if I can handle losing her on top of everything else. She won't understand, but she deserves to know. At the end of it all…I will."
She nodded. "It'll be hard, but it's better to tell the truth. I'm going to return to the spirit world for a while. Maybe there I'll find some information about Jaden and Sartorius."
"Thank you." I smiled briefly at her. "That would be a huge help. I know I don't say it enough, but I appreciate you a lot. It's good to have someone I can really trust."
Her returned smile made the weight feel a bit lighter. "You don't have to say it. I'll see you soon. For now, we will fight on our own separate battlefields. I'll see you again soon.
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Next, I paid a visit to Adam. His DuelTube channel had gained thousands of subscribers overnight after he posted his video of Jaden's duel against Sartorius. It was a fierce and gripping fight. Most impressive of all was that Jaden seemed to be controlling his dark powers fairly well. Perhaps the risk of the Supreme King wasn't as bad as I thought. Of course, the first order of business was determining what exactly happened to Jaden and Sartorius. Adam seemed confident that they had survived somehow – could they have ended up in a different dimension? That was what happened to Jesse during the middle of season three if memory served. Maybe that's what was going on this time.
I couldn't speak to Adam for long, as he had a phone interview coming with a reporter from the Daily Duelist. He had profited greatly from filming the video and many traditional media outlets were clamoring for the scoop on the world-shaking battle. Adam had also briefed the details to Yugi, Kaiba, and Pegasus.
Jaden was hailed as a hero the world over when the story broke through to the mainstream. Adam, on the other hand, saw some mixed responses. Some people were grateful that he captured the duel and escaped with his life, while others criticized him for profiting off Jaden's possible death. Alexis fell in the latter camp and regarded my former coworker with frosty distance. Without Jaden, our network of friends was fracturing. I still hadn't told any of them the truth about me. I rationalized it as not wanting to divide us further, but inwardly I knew it was cowardice.
Meanwhile, the higher ups were spending a lot of time closeted in conference rooms, making discreet plans that were tightly under wraps. Kaiba, Pegasus, and Crowler seemed to be in video conferences with the headmasters of the other four great duel academies as well as big names like Yugi and Ishizu. Classes resumed as normal, although there probably wasn't a lot of learning in them. I was just going through the motions as I thought of what my next move should be.
Aster, Zane, and Chazz had also spoken to Kaiba and Pegasus at least once, although none of them told me what for. Whatever it was, it convinced them to stay on the island for the time being. Jesse was questioned about what exactly happened between him, Chazz, Atticus, and Mackenzie. This I did learn about – he dueled and defeated the Nightshroud spirit within Atticus, and turned over the card to Pegasus' care. From there, Industrial Illusions would think on how to destroy it. If it took Nightshroud off my hands I didn't care how they did it. What concerned me more was Mackenzie. Chazz apparently was able to beat her, but a demonic force was able to spirit her away afterwards.
"Tragodeia…" Although that particular demon had no personal business with me that I knew of, it still had some pretty nasty designs for the dueling world as a whole and would have to be stopped. "They've gotten one half of Ma'at out of Chazz's dragon, but they would need the other half from Jaden's Winged Kuriboh. If Jaden is in another dimension, they might search for him as well, if only to obtain that duel spirit from him. Either way, I figured I hadn't seen the last of the blond bastards.
These issues gnawed at the back of my mind while the next few weeks blurred by. I was spending more time with Alexis, which was nice. The Obelisk Force meetings had also been going easier – most of the members seemed to be getting along a little better than before. Facing a real threat had put their personal squabbles in perspective, and practice had a quiet, focused intensity that it lacked before.
Before I knew it, two months had passed. It was a few minutes before an ordinary Thursday night meeting, with almost all of the Obelisk Blues either studying or training in the common areas. Taking a break, Alexis and I were catching a few minutes of The Bachelorette – a favorite show of hers and a guilty pleasure for me – on the big television in the atrium. The Obelisk Force had set up a small betting pool to see who the lucky guy would be at the end of the season.
"I'm surprised you're into this, Jamie." Erin chuckled, sitting next to Jasmine on the big couch.
"Heh, he puts up with it." Alexis laughed lightly.
"Right, that's it." I coughed, not wanting to admit I found the show enjoyable on a base level as well, although Erin seemed to know somehow.
"Can we switch to Iron Chef after this?" Zane lounged in a nearby recliner, sitting in on the meeting out of boredom. Nearby, Aster sat at a wooden table reading what appeared to be either a religious or philosophy text. Although his expression was of strict focus, his loosened posture signaled that he was relaxed as well. It was nice to see him – although we were not friends per se, he was a formidable duelist and a solid ally to have.
"Sure, you can throw it on while we're in the meeting. It's good to have you around again, Zane. People don't watch Food Network as much when you're not here." Alexis joked, curled up in a blanket next to me.
"We'll round everyone up after he gets here…" I glanced at the clock. Tonight was a special meeting, as we were initiating a new member of Obelisk Blue. The swinging of the big wooden double doors at the front caused heads to swivel. "Ah, there he is!"
Blue was a good color on Bastion. Like me, he decided to go with the solid blue fit with white accents, although unlike me he got the uniform with the billowing coattails while I stuck with the standard shirt and blazer.
Many of the Force stopped what they were doing to congratulate or cheer for our new member. "Congratulations, man." I grinned as our group went over to greet him. "Lookin' sharp!"
"Thank you all. It's been a long road, but I'm finally in Obelisk Blue. Although I admit most of the resistance has been self-inflicted." Bastion chuckled with polite self-depreciation. "It seems the best way to get to the next level is to take up the blue coat. Plus, it's nice to be closer to Jasmine." He turned to smile at her, and she gave him a peck on the cheek.
Bastion was now the third-seat in the Obelisk Force. While Alexis and I had the top two spots, Erin and Jasmine were four and five respectively. Due to being out of commission for a while from his injuries, someone needed to fill in for Atticus. Luckily, I was spared from considering who to raise to the top five once Bastion told me he was applying for promotion. There was no doubt he would continue to stay in the top five for the rest of our years in school.
"Alright, let's get started with the meeting. Aster, try not to cause too much trouble while we're not looking." I said as Zane switched the channel to Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
The silver-haired duelist silently looked up from his book. Suddenly, he shot a piercing look my way. I felt a piercing probe of light energy search my own aura, its presence cold and unfamiliar. It seemed to be…searching for something. Does he know? How, if so? Utilizing my own duel energy, I squashed the feeler and returned his look evenly.
"What is it, do I have something in my teeth?" My tone was light as our wills quietly clashed for a moment. I could not for the life of me determine his intent or why he was doing this here and now. For as long as the tense moment was, it seemed to go unnoticed by the others.
"Pardon me, I was just concentrated on my book. Have a good meeting, you guys." Aster took a deep breath before returning to his text. Dropping it for now, I turned and left.
"Jamie Lancaster…" Aster pondered, once again thinking about the D's portentous words. "Could he truly be an agent of chaos? His aura is bizarre, alien…is it possible he is privy to cosmic secrets which I am ignorant of? For now, my destiny is tied to these islanders as I try to find Sartorius, and I must be content with that until our paths diverge. I know he is still alive out there, somewhere….where are you, my friend?"
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(Seto Kaiba POV)
"A tournament? What's your angle this time, Pegasus?" Kaiba questioned, drinking whiskey on the rocks while sitting half in shadow. It felt good to drink again, but it felt better to be a free man. That the charlatan Sartorius actually succeeded in stealing a game from him was bad enough, but to be brainwashed afterwards...it was intolerable. He told no one, but part of the reason he was looking forward to finding Jaden and Sartorius was to punish the latter for his nerve.
Another day, another video conference. Pegasus, Yugi, Crowler, Ishizu and many others sat in on the call. After the interrogation, he informed the necessary parties about Lancaster's true identity. On one hand, it was a relief to know that he wasn't a duel spirit, or some kind of demon. Indeed, he was very human. Even now, Kaiba wasn't sure what to do with him. He played on the boy's (man's?) desire to reach the summit, but that would only placate him for so long. It was a dangerous game the two of them played. Their mutual understanding engendered a respect of sorts, but they also knew how to hit the other where it hurt. "I must not underestimate him."
"It will be a suitable smokescreen for our true aims. The recovery of Jaden Yuki and Sartorius is paramount, and to do so we will need to experiment with extra-dimensional breaching. I have agents researching such matters, but it would not do to draw attention to it. Our enemies in this dimension and the others will be drawn towards a grand spectacle, while our true talents will infiltrate the spirit realm to search for the two of them." Pegasus explained, dropping the flamboyance for once to speak an even tone of cool steel.
"You gathered duelists from many countries to fight against the Light. I take it that some of them want to test how effective their dueling programs have been." Mokuba surmised, sitting on the other side of the room. He typed furiously on a laptop, his dark blue eyes darting over the screen.
"Very much so. A dueling Olympics, if you will. There's never been a tournament between all of the world's duel academies before. It could be interesting, and profitable as well." Pegasus replied.
"I'm more worried about the spirit realm. A mission like that has all sorts of unknown risks. I don't want to send any of the kids, but we can't afford to step away from here for long. Besides, we don't know if Jaden Yuki and Sartorius are even there." Yugi voiced his concerns.
"I agree, the students should be kept safe. They have seen too much danger already. But Zane Truesdale is no longer a student. He lives to test his battle prowess and for the prospect of the ultimate fight. Perhaps he will find it in the spirit world." Crowler proposed nervously.
"We know that the barriers between the realms have weakened over the past two years. I wouldn't be surprised if those two have breached what remains of the walls. When light and darkness clash, chaos is the natural result." Ishizu's smoky voice sounded over the sat phone.
"True, but this phenomenon will also make it easier for us to go there as well. I have been in contact with a theoretical physicist named Eisenstein who claims to have the infrastructure in place to build a gateway between the realms. The trouble is it will need to be charged by massive amounts of Duel Energy. The tournament may help keep the station charged." Pegasus explained.
"We have talented duelists who can accomplish this task. Tell this Eisenstein to give us exact parameters as soon as possible. As for who should be on this mission, I agree that Truesdale is a fine candidate. Lancaster will do as I say. I have leverage over him." Boasted Kaiba.
Yugi nodded. "It's good to hear that he's a human, albeit one with unusual circumstances. I trust him enough for this. After all, he has performed admirably in battles with the Shadow Riders and the Light. He is secretive, but actions speak louder than words. Perhaps he will draw out Blade Knight as well. This whole body swapping situation is quite bizarre."
"He seems like a sweet boy to me. Well-mannered. Why, he looks a bit like you did at that age, Seto. Perhaps a bit shorter and the eyes are different, but..." Ishizu smiled, the comment irking Kaiba somewhat.
"The party should be small so they can move quickly and quietly. I propose Aster Phoenix as well. We know he's strong and he is motivated to rescue his friend Sartorius. However, he lacks strong ties to us. If it comes down to Sartorius or someone else…" Pegasus paused. "I believe Jesse Anderson to be a good choice as well. He is loyal to me and wants to rescue Jaden. From what I gather, he is in the same league of power as the other three. Chazz is stronger than Jesse, but is much more of a liability for reasons we are all aware of."
"Aster's Light energy may help power the portal as well. I agree with all of these. Perhaps one more member will be enough, but I'm not sure who right now. We can discuss it later. It's already been a long night. For now, we'll make the arrangements with Eisenstein, plan the tournament, and brief those four on the mission.
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(Jaden Yuki POV)
They continued walking through endless expanses of purple desert, the sky shifting from muted black to grey to crystal clear on rare occasions. The stars were not the same though, and two moons hung in the sky. "An alien world…but why?" Jaden wondered aloud, not for the first time.
"Chaotic phenomena occur when the forces of light and darkness clash." Sartorius, his walking companion, said calmly. After they woke up, Jaden could hardly believe his former enemy's change in attitude. It really was like a demon had been purged from him. In this new world, Sartorius was placid, speculative, and eager to atone for what he saw as his own crimes. It was clear to Jaden now that Sartorius really had been possessed by the Light of Destruction, and his true personality was nothing like what he had shown over the past year. It was a hard thing to adjust to – Jaden was ready to fight him again after they both woke up in this strange land, only to find Sartorius marveling at his own consciousness, as if he had woken up for the first time after a long dream.
Not knowing what else to do, they both began walking, hoping to find some sign of life or civilization to get their bearings. It was awkward at first, but over the past few days the two duelists got to know each other. If nothing else, the mutual struggle of hunger, thirst and fatigue was a bond all its own. Jaden's young heart inspired Sartorius to live on, while Sartorius' deep sorrow and regret spurred Jaden's sense of empathy. Despair was never an option.
Their duel energy was utterly depleted and was slow to replenish, but it was enough to keep them nourished temporarily. The two vessels, bound by strings spun by fate, were seemingly kept standing by the whim of the gods more than their own wills. It was a blessing and a curse to slowly realize that their lives were prolonged not by their own ingenuity, but by the fact that the gods weren't through using them yet.
Two suns would poke through cloudy curtains of purple for a few dim minutes at a time, but otherwise it was always dark. It was difficult to tell the time, with everything stretching into a blur after a while. But finally, after days or perhaps weeks, they stumbled upon a camp, the unmistakable lights of little bonfires giving shape to tents and battle equipment. "At last." Sartorius wheezed dryly.
Jaden was aware of three horses speeding confidently towards them, but did not have the energy to do anything about them. Passively, the two waited while the mounts encircled them. "Halt, travelers!" A human-sounding voice sounded out from a hooded rider. Through hazy vision, Jaden recognized two duel spirits accompanying the hooded one - Jinzo and Skilled Dark Magician. "We are emissaries of Yubel, the great samsara and mistress to the Supreme King of Darkness. State your business encroaching on our camp!"
"Yubel…" The name sounded really familiar to Jaden, but any attempt to plumb memories for recognition always ended in shadowy mist. "I know that name…"
"Yubel sits the throne of the dark dimension, regent for the Supreme King of Darkness. Does that jog your memory some?" Jinzo mocked, as Yubel's name was known and feared throughout the realm. The fact that these two humans didn't know about Yubel was the odd part. Unless they weren't from around here?
Skilled Dark Magician cocked his head. "Hot damn, you boys look like shit warmed over. Where are you from?"
"Uh...uh...we're from…" Sartorius stammered. "You know...out west."
"We have seen a lot of refugees from out west after the Siege of Endymion." The hooded one, who appeared to be the leader of the outriders, spoke up. "Many have found work in our camps. A variety of positions are available...cooks...scouts...pages for the high-ranking officers...and infantry of course. Are you two duelists?"
"We are. And we're like, really strong!" A bit of pep entered Jaden's tone. "I don't know who these guys are or what they're about, but we need to get some shelter and nourishment while we find a way home. And this Yubel person...who is that? I need to find out!" He thought.
The hood came down to reveal a slim dark-skinned human with bright purple eyes and vivid white hair tied into a bun. This was no mistaking this one for a duel spirit. "My name is...Jesse, and this guy is Saiou." Thinking fast, Jaden jabbed a thumb over to Sartorius. He looked surprised but adapted quickly. "What's your name, pal?"
"I see. Well, you're not the first humans who have found their way here...willingly or otherwise. My name is of no importance. I shed it long ago. Call me the Vagabond." He glanced over to Jinzo and Skilled Dark Magician.
"Get these two bathed and fed. Tomorrow morning, we'll make for the castle again to prepare it for master Yubel's return." White wisps of hair fluttered in the wind as the Vagabond cantered back to the campground.
"He seems familiar too, somehow." Jaden thought as the remaining two spirits led them on.
A/N
Hope you all enjoyed.
Thanks for waiting through a fairly long break, I've been focusing on other things lately. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all, and a happy new year as well. I appreciate all of your feedback and readership after so long.
We have setup for two plotlines for this arc, a tournament arc and a mission to rescue Jaden, which I believe will be a good way to spread the focus out since there are so many characters. GX has never had a proper tournament arc, and in this case we can expect to see many conspiratorial interests and schemes at play as well as the duels themselves. The mission to rescue Jaden seems to involve Jamie, Zane, Aster, Jesse, and someone else. Who do you guys think the fifth person will be? Regardless, we have an arc that will certainly be different than canon season 3. I actually have to rewatch season 3 sometime, it's been a while.
I'm interested to hear you how you guys found the character work with Jamie this chapter, it was difficult to write but now someone besides Sonata knows the whole story about him. Kaiba has told his trusted confidants Mokuba and Roland, and we can be fairly confident Yugi, Pegasus, and the Ishtars know as well. None of the other students know so far, but their reactions will probably be stronger since they know Jamie personally. Also, you guys know this but I think it bears repeating: I believe it is more important for Jamie to be dramatically interesting than it is for him to be likeable. I know some people disagree with me on this, but I feel confident in this direction.
As far as Great Teacher Wheeler goes, I really appreciate the positive feedback I've gotten. It's a lark and a side project but I'll be sure to update it as ideas occur to me. I mainly wanted to get some Joey out there because he's a great character and very underrated. Thank you as always and I'll catch you next time.