Edit: 29/11/2018
Whew... finally managed to find time to sit down and re-edit these chapters. Hard to believe that I've started writing this story four years ago. Kinda crazy just to begin to recall just how much has happened in that time and it's so surreal. Even looking at my writing style; it's changed loads from the teen I was back then.
So I've committed myself to at least two hours a day over the next three days in reformatting and updating these chapters the best I can. After I've done this; I'll be working on Chapter Seventeen for you all and I WILL. Have this Sly Cooper deck ready and another plot-filled chapter for you all so we can finally start moving into one of the two major arcs for this season. (Yes, as in plural. I want to add a new arc of my own before we hit the Society of Light and into season two!)
So for now, just enjoy the updates and the tweaks in the chapters from here... all the way up to chapter sixteen! =^.^=
~ETK~
~Professor Jaden Yuki, Reporting!~
(Ra Yellow Dorms: Jaden and Jenny's Room)
7:35am.
Apparently the (not so) magic number.
The irritating sounds of the newly-bought alarm clock blared throughout the room; going completely unnoticed by its two lone occupants as Jaden and Jenny continued to sleep through the piercing cries of attention it gave. It had been roughly a month after the whole affair between Alexis and Syrus but (to Jaden's secret ire and Jenny's teasing delight) it was still the most talked about duel in Duel Academy history, up to this point. Unfortunately, just because you were the most talked about duelist; it didn't mean that you were exempt from any coursework. And so, after an incredibly long night of studying, the pair of Ra students buried their heads into the books until it was well past midnight; before they decided to sneak into the main kitchen and made themselves something light to eat before making their way back towards settling down for the night.
Jaden soon discovered that Jenny was a pretty decent cook and the two of them took a majority of the time swapping recipes with one another they had experimented with or had learned over the years. Who knew?
Half an hour later, the clock cried out for attention once more. However, finally having enough of the noise disturbing him from his sleep, Jaden grabbed one of his pillows and carelessly threw it at the alarm clock; shutting it up with a large thud as it smacked against the wall and fell behind the dresser beside the main bed.
Poor thing.
"'s'too early." he mumbled half-consciously as his body willed itself to sit up, as if on reflex. Jaden let loose a long yawn as he stretched his body before his hand scratched his scalp and tried to smooth down some of his errant locks of hair that stuck up comically in a few places. After sitting there for two minutes, allowing a few moments to get his cognitive process and bodily functions working to a decent enough degree, he finally heaved himself up onto his feet and entered the bathroom...
... only to find that is was already occupied.
"Kyaaa!"
Jaden's attention turned to find the source of the noise and his eyes soon locked on the only other occupant of the room. However, it took a moment for his mind to kick-start and very soon found himself blushing as his eyes refused to turn away from hers. As it were, his eyes roamed the frames of water that poured down from the shower and moved to soak her luscious crimson hair; idly noting that it reached down to just above the small of her back. His eyes darted back to her amber orbs that were widened in shock and contrasting nicely against the hair and the bright blush on her face as his eyes caught the movement of one errant droplet as it moved to travel down her creamy neck.
He watched, spellbound, as the droplet moved in between the valley of her breasts and under the arm that rested across to prevent her modesty from being ruined further; yet found himself admiring the evident swell and firmness of them as her arms pressed further against them. From there, the droplet continued to travel downward over her taught and flawless skin and over the firm abs that was beginning to show a little bit of shape as it danced between the forming muscles...
Before finally diving between the crossed thighs and into uncharted territory that soon had his mind short-circuit.
Jenny, on the other hand, didn't know what to think. She hadn't expected Jaden to waltz in the bathroom while she was taking a shower but soon chided herself for being so clueless as to forgetting to locking the door as she showered. Now she stood there, embarrassingly noticing how Jaden's eyes were fixed on hers and how he slowly took her nude form in like he was dying of thirst. Her blush deepened since she noted he was only wearing boxers and a white t-shirt as his nightwear and saw the obvious tent that formed in his trousers and (much like he had) found herself unable to tear her gaze away.
"..." Jaden was speechless as his blush reached new levels after finally understanding where her eyes were situated and how his body reacted to the sight of his naked female roommate. Soon as his mind finally processed once more, his eyes shot open as he shout out of the bathroom before shutting the door behind him. He leaned back against the door while he panted for breath. "J-Jen, I'm so so sorry! I-I didn't know you were in here!" Jaden apologized quickly as he sank down to his butt and buried his face in his tucked knees, trying and failing to removed the image that was now burned into his memory.
If anything, it woke him up.
"I-It's okay, Jay. It was my fault for not locking the door behind me when I got in." she replied, nervously. Sighing, she also fell to the shower floor and tucked her knees up in a position similar to Jaden's (not that she knew) as she let the water try and burn her blush away. She knew that she would be kidding herself if she didn't expect this to happen and she admitted that a part of her was happy that he responded so strongly to the sight of her naked. She shuddered as she thought it was too soon for something like this but she was still a growing female with her own set of sexual needs and let her hand rest slowly over her sacred spot as she recalled just how much he reacted.
"Still, I should've checked if you were in there!" he apologized quietly through the door as he clenched the hems of his t-shirt and curled further into a ball. His head snapped up a few moments later when the door unlocked behind him and was pulled open a little bit for him as he saw a nervous amber orb appear from behind it.
"Jay? I-I.. y-you can.. come inside, if you want.." she whispered slightly, having felt guilty for causing this incident unintentionally. Her mind immediately snapped out of her perverse thoughts and soon settled on the brunet and how he must have felt about this and she chided herself since she knew he had issues with this kind of thing. She was more surprised with herself by willingly doing this for him but deep down; she just... wanted to be selfish? Selfless? Show him that she isn't upset? She held out her hand through the crack of the door and kept her eyes locked on a trembling Jaden as he hesitantly took her hand.
He let himself be guided back into the very room he just swiftly exited and screwed his eyes shut as to not try and peek at the naked girl in front of him. However, that decision was taken from him when he felt his eyes gently being opened by her and saw her orbs staring directly into his with nervousness and vulnerability. He took a small step back and noted how she no longer hid herself from him but still held her elbow in nervousness as she let him slowly roam over her body.
Of course, as much as I'd love to write more about this scene; it's a little early and we need the story moving forward!
*Bzzzt!*
Jaden sighed in equal parts relief and annoyance as he moved out of the bathroom and leaving Jenny to resume her shower as his PDF went off. Thankful for the reprieve from the events that just expired, he moved over to the dresser and soon skimmed through his messages. "Odd, what does the Chancellor want with me so early in the morning?" he wondered out loud as he pressed the accept call button.
"Jaden? You there?"
"I'm here, Chancellor. I should thank you for calling when you did." he nervously spoke, moving back to his mattress and curling tight into the corner and curling back into his quilt. "What's the problem, sir?"
"Well, I've gone over the results of your entrance exams and it seems that you're able to be promoted to Obelisk Blue, if you wanted. While I understand that your exam score was only eighty-nine percent, the remaining marks on your duel with Crowler was more than enough to push you over the threshold and into the new ranking!" he beamed in delight.
"That's sweet! But truthfully? I'm happy where I am, sir." Jaden nodded, smiling slightly as he closed his eyes. He made a mental note to rub it in said doctor's face the next time he saw him.
"Of course. Now, I'm curious as to your sleeping arrangements. I take it you're sharing a room with another student, since I haven't heard from you since the beginning of term?"
"Yeah but you're not gonna believe this; it was Jenny Andrews who offered to share a room with me. I said that I'd go with Bastion if it was easier but..." he shivered. "She was adamant that I stayed in her room."
"Hmm. You realize that in all good nature that I cannot allow that Jaden. Regardless of your celebrity status, co-sex dorms and/or rooms are forbidden for the obvious reasons-" Jack began before a slight shuffling sounded on the other end.
"It was my idea, Chancellor. I didn't really allow him any kind of response since I knew complications would arise."Jenny defended on the other end of the line. "Trust me Jack; he's done nothing to betray my trust in him or has he made any advances or sexual connotations or hints towards myself. I trust him completely, sir."
"Interesting." he mused, chuckling to himself. "Well, since you're so passionate about standing up for him and his innocence; I'll have to have a word with Kaiba to get his views on this matter. However, given his connection with Jaden, I can see it being no problem at all. But if the circumstances do change, I will be informed immediately." he ordered, his voice leaving no room for arguments or disobedience.
"Hai." Jenny sighed as she turned to the stunned Jaden as he watched her; now wearing some underwear and a bra to hide her nude figure from him, she smiled and handed the PDF back to him and kissed his head softly before getting dressed once more. Stunned by the comforting gesture, a small smile appeared on his face as he listened in.
"I originally just called to see how you were keeping. Very well played last month, might I add? I was thoroughly impressed by the duel between you and Miss Rhodes and it's already the most popular duel of the year, so far! Also, I have a proposition for you." Jack trailed off teasingly towards the end of the sentence, earning his perked attention.
"Huh?" Jaden asked.
"As much as you dislike the man, Dr Crowler has been a long-standing member of the staff here at Duel Academy. He has been teaching here for nearly twelve years and he has been one of the most sturdiest professors here when others have come and gone over the years. I had not long come out of a meeting with him and I'll admit that he was looking a bit worse for wear, so I've given him a month-long vacation to recover. With this in mind, we're lacking a teacher for Dueling Techniques." he explained. Jaden's eyes widened slightly as his now-functioning brain caught on to the hidden meaning and grinned a little.
"Let me guess; seeing the footage from a month ago, combined with my professional status and my alter persona; you want me to be the temporary replacement teacher for the lessons, right?" Jaden asked, bubbling with excitement at the opportunity.
"Now I know this is very unusual a request to make to a student but I would be grateful if you could last a month, at most, in teaching the rest of the students. Of course, you'll be compensated in return for your efforts and I strongly believe that the quality of teaching would improve. As an added bonus, you can schedule the lessons however you want!" Jack beamed as he swung around in his chair much like a silver-haired duelist that Jaden knows.
"However I want, huh?" Jaden pondered as a few thoughts ran around his head. "Alright, I'll bite... on one condition."
"Of course, Jaden! What is it?" Sheppard asked, thrilled and relieved that he agreed to the favour.
"I want you to tell me who came up with the idea. I want the honest truth or I'll refuse." Jaden bargained, grinning like a madman at the sweating face of the Chancellor.
"O-Of course! It w-" he began before his vision disappeared as a new one took his place.
"Hello, Jay."
"Tell me why I had an inkling you'd have something to do with this, Lex." he teased playfully, earning a smirk from the female Obelisk. "So what makes you think I'm teacher-material?" he asked honestly.
"I'll be straight with you, Jay; if there's anyone out of the students who could possibly do this, it'd only be you. You've proven to me and many other students that you're much more experienced than Crowler is and... well? You're a damn sight better to look at than his ugly mug. You're quite easy on the eyes and I do enjoy a good view to go with my studies, you know?" she teased, adding a wink for emphasis, winning a heartfelt laugh from the brunet.
"Well. How could I possibly refuse after such an honest and heartfelt answer like that?" he commented. "Chancellor, I'll accept the offer. However, you'll need to accompany me to the lesson to explain everything and I want everyone there in an hour and a half, okay?" he requested as his thoughts rushed through his head at a hundred-miles-an-hour.
"Thank you for helping me out, Jay; I am in your debt." Sheppard bowed as the screen cut off.
"Well, this should be interesting to watch. I don't think you've been this excited in a long time." Yubel commented with a playful grin as she appeared in the room, sitting cross-legged on Jaden's bed. Noting his position in the corner, she slowly tucked her wings into herself and crawled over and slid herself in the blankets and curled up into his side. Jaden smiled at his long-time companion and wrapped an arm around her and took a moment or two to relax with her and absorb her warmth and presence.
"You're telling me!" he replied, rubbing his head. "Man, what am I gonna... oh." he paused as an idea flashed into his head. "I think I know exactly what to do." he grinned, putting the Cheshire Cat to utter shame. Yubel looked up at the tone of his voice and she decided that she liked that devious smile of his. It was when he had an idea that would be incredibly amazing or disastrously wrong but still thoroughly enjoyable either way.
"Do what, now?" Jenny asked as she appeared out of the bathroom, having now mostly dressed herself in her uniform sans the leather jacket. She noted how Yubel appeared and how close she was to Jaden and gave a soft smile and nod to the duel spirit; who gave one in kind to the redhead for her calm composure and understanding.
"Just get dressed and make your way to the classroom in half hour, Jen. You're gonna be in for a real treat!" he beamed as he moved from his position on the bed (having given Yubel a quick peck) before he rushed past her, closing the door behind him as he quickly took a shower. Jen stared at the door a little longer before she shrugged and made her way towards the bed.
"Okay, what's going on Yubel?" she asked as she switched the hair-dryer on and brushed her hair, noting how much she hated her hair long because of the constant care she needed to take of it. She had thought about cutting it shorter but she did recall a conversation about Jaden liking long hair as he enjoyed playing with it.
"You'll find out." Yubel mysteriously smiled, flashing her pearly whites as she soon vanished from sight and left the sole occupant to finish drying her hair.
~ETK~
(Timeskip: Duel Academy Lecture Hall)
Having taken both Jaden's and Yubel's hint, Jenny soon made her way to her regular classroom and bounced her leg in anticipation of what the surprise could be. She heard nothing from Jaden after the call and she was wondering what happened that would require him to disappear for so long but she decided to be patient and allow herself to be surprised. She had bumped into Alexis a few minutes before hitting the classroom and noted that she was practically glowing in delight and had asked her if she knew what was going on with Jaden. Like Yubel, she grinned and simply refused to answer the question directly and told her to wait.
This had been forty minutes ago.
And she was now bored.
She was about to scream in paranoia before the class door opened as Chancellor Sheppard took measured steps into the room before standing in front of the desk out the front of the class. Everyone soon hushed down as Jack looked over the students and saw the clear-cut separation of red, blue and yellow. Shaking his head to dispel his thoughts be smiled as he clasped his hands behind his back.
"Good morning, students! I am aware that many of you would be wondering what could be so important to warrant my presence in person, correct?" he asked rhetorically but still getting nods from most of the students. "There have been a slight change of plans in the teaching schedule and I felt that you all should have the right to know what is happening behind the scenes, so to speak. I've discussed with Dr Crowler about how things were proceeding form him and he mentioned that he was feeling a little stressed. Regardless of popular opinion, Crowler has been a great contribution to the Academy and I have decided to grant him a four-week vacation leave. However. Because of this, we have an open space for teaching staff." he explained, getting a stir out of the students as they chatted among themselves.
"Wait, Crowler's gone for four weeks?"
"Blessss!"
"Oh man, I thought he'd never leave!"
"What a godsend!"
"I'm already enjoying the lessons now!"
Jack had overheard some of the comments being made and sweatdropped from hearing from the students how relieved they were now that Crowler was on leave and how the atmosphere of the room already seemed to have lightened slightly. "After several discussions with members of staff and several nominations from students: I am pleased to announce that we have found a substitute teacher who will take the classes for the duration of a full month; up until Crowler returns. Without further ado, let me introduce to you, your new temporary teacher of Dueling Techniques!" he grinned as he motioned to the door.
The door soon opened up and everyones' eyes were glued to the figure that was walking slowly yet purposefully up to where Jack was standing. The first thing they had all noticed on this person was the long-length black jacket that doubled as a trench-coat,with white trims on the hems and collar; followed with a plain white t-shirt and jeans and finished off with a pair of matted black combat boots. Everyone looked on and was stunned at how serious this guy looked and how similar a set-up it was to Kaiba himself...
Well. It would if it wasn't for the ridiculous brown paper bag he had over his head, completed with a kid-like drawing of a smiley face and spikey brown hair that looked wild. It earned a few laughs from the students and even Jack had to stifle a chuckle or two to keep the charade up a little longer.
"Are you serious!?" Chazz yelled loudly, rising to his feet as he was one of the few students who didn't find humour in the little show. "Like this clown could be better than Crowler if he resorts to wearing a damn paper bag on his head!"
"I'd be careful with that tone of yours, Chazz. I could easily slap you with a detention if you insult me again." the voice spoke out, stunning everyone who recognized the voice. Deciding that he kept everyone in suspense long enough, Jaden grinned as he tore the paper bag away from his face; allowing his face to show to the rest of the students in the room.
"JADEN!?" a good number of other students yelled in complete shock, while Alexis simply cried with laughter. Jenny was busy impersonating a fish at this point and even Bastion looked shocked at the surprise before him. Jaden span around on his foot and knelt down as he went jazz-hands on everyone with a little musical interlude.
(Also, a shout out in chapter seventeen whoever PM's me the reference to this and gets it right!)
"Yo!" he grinned as he walked around to the front of the desk. "Now, I'll get the questions out of the way. Chazz?" he asked, knowing that the ravenet Obelisk would make a remark on this new development.
Now pick up that phone.
"How the hell are you teaching us!?" Chazz yelled, stunned.
Hehe. Called it.
"I've been told that someone had uploaded a video of myself and Alexis from last month when we had our "Fairy Tale" duel outside the Obelisk Blue dorm, in regards to avoid expulsion. Alexis had went on to suggest to Chancellor Sheppard that I should try my hand at teaching while Crowler is currently on leave. That? Plus having been told I can run my lessons however I want was the clincher in all honesty... among some other things." he shrugged nonchalantly but earning a smirk again from Alexis as she teasingly blew a kiss his way.
"So, Professor," Jenny grinned widely, all eyes turning to her. 'Man, that sounds awesome calling him that!' "How do you intend to run your lessons for the next month or so?" she asked, much to the interest of the students.
"That, dear Ryu-chan, is a good question!" he grinned as she poked her tongue out in response. "Unlike Crowler, I believe that you get a better understanding for learning techniques through practical means." he explained. And already, he's gotten a huge reaction from the students as they cheered and clapped in response to the fresh change of pace in teaching.
"So, this is what'll happen. I have kindly asked Chancellor Sheppard, along with Professor Banner and Miss Fontaine to help me with this lesson. All those in Slifer Red will follow Professor Banner to the Gymnasium for your lesson. Miss Fontaine will take the Obelisk Blue students to the Exhibition Hall down by the docks, while Chancellor Sheppard takes the Ra Yellow Students back to the Ra Yellow dorm." he explained, getting more stirring in the class. "Professor Sartyr will help out as well but he will be focusing on providing refreshments."
"All of you will be placed into a tournament for each rank. It is a knockout tournament, so the winner of each dorm category, along with second, third and fourth place winners, will have early access to the new booster packs; which I believe are due in today." he mused as he fished out a few of said packs as proof, plus getting a bigger reaction as chaos reigned throughout the classroom.
"Silence!" Jaden yelled, shutting everyone up in an instant. "I'm gonna love doing that!" he chuckled. "Now, as fun as this may seem, there is a reason why we're doing this. As you keep facing your opponents, I want you to keep an eye out on your opponent's moves and cards. I want you to visualize and predict what move they'll make next, while trying to prevent your opponent doing the same with you. One of the key rules of dueling is to have fun but it's also knowing your opponent's deck better than they do." he explained, getting several nods from the students as he reached into his blazer and pulled out three new booster packs.
"Now, these packs I'm holding, have been personally delivered to me from Pegasus, himself. Before anyone bothers accusing me of theft, I should tell you that Pegasus is my official sponsor in the Pro Circuit and he regularly sends me these as a bonus." he smirked as several gasps resonated. It was a fairly common misconception on who Jaden's official sponsor was since he had tie-ins with many of the world's top-ranking duelists and everyone knew about his ties with Kaiba and Yugi; so hearing that Pegasus was also in the scene and was his sponsor was shocking news to the rest of the students.
"The winners of each category will receive one pack as a prize; each one containing brand new, unreleased cards which only just been designed. Also, I'll open the opportunity for you to trade cards you don't want for the cards I have in my possession... and I have a lot." he replied. "Seriously, I have two full briefcases of cards, thanks to Pegasus." he dead-panned but smiling hearing the laughs he got in response. He smiled as he saw the determination fire up in everyone's eyes. "That's what I like to see; the drive to push yourself further than anyone else!" he continued as he pocketed the packs. "Any more questions?"
"Who will we be facing?" an Obelisk student asked.
"We have a list of names for everyone in each dorm and have run them in the computer and randomized the results. You will be given a number and you'll duel when the number is called. I've spoken with the other teachers and they have agreed to cancel the lessons for today so that this tournament can go ahead." he explained, getting several cheers in response.
"One last piece of information," he continued, crossing his arms as he began pacing back and forth the stage. "There is an imbalance of students in the dorms; thirty-four in Slifer Red, thirty-five in Ra Yellow; myself included, and thirty-four in Obelisk Blue. Therefore, I ask that the following students remain behind for further explanation." Jaden explained as he pulled out a sheet of paper and placed a pair of black-framed designer glasses on his face.
"W-Wait! You wear glasses?" Syrus shouted, stunned. Everyone else were shocked, yet again, from seeing a new side of Jaden they had never seen before and several of the females swooned from how dashing Jaden looked; much to the combined ire of Jenny and Alexis.
"Yeah, I do. I have to take my contacts out every so often and today is one of those days." he smiled as he heard the female swoons. "From Slifer Red: Syrus Truesdale, Chumley Huffington. From Ra Yellow: Bastion Misawa, Jennifer Andrews. From Obelisk Blue: Alexis Rhodes, Chazz Princeton. You six will be accompanying myself and Zane Truesdale towards the Ra Yellow Dueling Hall, as you will be doing something a little more difficult." he explained.
"Why don't they get to take part while the rest of us do?" another Obelisk retorted snobbishly.
"Because these six have the highest academic marks for their respective dorms and several members of that line-up have, either, already dueled me or have been receiving tutoring from myself. Therefore, I know that they are capable of handling this task that I'm setting out." he explained, calming the student down before anything bad could happen. "Please keep in mind that this is much more difficult than what you all will be undergoing but believe when I say that this will greatly benefit you and give everyone a fairer chance in winning." he finished, smiling.
"No more questions?" he asked, getting no response. "Very well. Once the tournaments are over, you're all dismissed for the day. For tomorrow's lesson, I want everyone to bring some kind of food or drink as tomorrow's lesson will just be us chilling out." he smiled as the disbelieving cries and cheers rang out throughout the classroom. "Now, mush!" he motioned, flapping his hands as everyone began filing out of the room, while the six remaining students made their way to stand in front of Jaden.
"I must admit that this was the last thing I expected when I woke up this morning." Bastion quipped, crossing his arms in front of him. "I can say I'm pleasantly surprised to be taught by a fellow Ra student."
"Are you kidding!?" Jenny bounced in delight. "Being taught by a professional duelist; the Elemental King, no less, is a dream come true!" she beamed with delight.
"Speak for yourself!" Chazz snapped irritably as he huffed. "Like this slacker could be better than Crowler!"
"You wanna make a bet on that, Chazz?" Jaden slurred his words slyly as he smirked at the, now on edge, Obelisk. "I'll give you one shot against me in a duel. You can borrow any of my cards to add to your deck while I use someone else's deck to play with. If you beat me, you can keep the cards you borrowed off me. If I win, however, you'll apologize to me and I get the right to boss you around as my 'Teacher's Pet' for a week." he offered.
"Deal!" Chazz yelled quickly, much to everyone's shock. Jaden smiled like the bird that got the canary as he spun on his heel.
"Alright then," Jaden replied as he walked behind his desk and placed his two suitcases on the desk and punched in the codes. "Let me see your deck and we'll go from there." he explained as he pulled out several cards and fanned them expertly on the desk before everyone.
~ETK~
It had taken everyone half an hour before Chazz would finally settle on a decent deck-type and Jaden made sure to fine-tune it the best he could to make this duel a fair and fun fight. Everyone had now made their way down to the main examination hall; watching as both Jaden and Chazz both stood on either end of the dueling stage, preparing themselves for the duel ahead. Jaden smirked as he was watching Chazz shuffle his deck before placing it in his duel disk.
"I'm ready to go! Who's deck will you be using?" Chazz asked, toning his voice down but still keeping a hint of arrogance in there per usual.
"That's an easy decision, if ever I had one. Jenny? Mind if borrow your deck for a bit?" he asked politely. She bounced up on the stage and slowly walked over to where Jaden stood before fishing out her cards from her duel disk and handing them over.
"No probs, Jay!" she smiled in response, noting how Jaden pulled a few more cards out of his pocket before adding them to the deck before shuffling it once more. Satisfied, he handed them to her to cut once more before placing the deck in his customized duel disk and watched as the lights flared to life.
"Cheers! Now, I want you guys to pay close attention to the duel. Watch as I take into account all the possible moves my opponent makes as I begin to understand the cards I'm using. Most people blame their decks for not winning, while they deny the fact that they're the ones that are lacking." he explained seriously. "Zane, as much as you may already know all this? I would ask you to pay attention to this duel as well."
"Right." Zane nodded. Jaden nodded back in response as he turned his focus back to Chazz and smirked.
"Let's Duel!"
~Chazz: 4000~
~Jaden: 4000~
"I'll kick things off!" Jaden spoke up, drawing a card. "I'll summon my Red Eyes Black Chick in defence mode. I'll place two cards face down and call turn. Your move." Jaden smiled as a small red egg appeared on the field. The shell began cracking before the top broke apart, revealing a small black dragon with red eyes as two cards appeared behind it.
(Red Eyes B. Chick: Dragon / Effect / Dark / 1* / 800 ATK / 600 DEF)
"Now, I can activate this little fella's effect: thanks to my Chick being sent to the graveyard, I can special summon my Red Eyes Black Dragon from my hand!" Jaden countered as the baby dragon glowed before splitting into two orbs of dark energy, before they morphed into a replica of the sacrificed monster; only this time, it was bigger and more badass. Joey would be proud seeing such a play.
(Red Eyes B. Dragon: Dragon / Dark / 7* / 2400 ATK / 2000 DEF)
"Woah! That was a cool move!" Jenny smiled as she saw her mentor put her deck through its paces.
"Incredible..." Syrus awed.
"Totally lishous!" Chumley add his two cents.
"A level seven monster from a level one? It's like he knows how the deck works." Alexis smiled as Jaden continued to impress her. "He's covering his defences well."
"My draw!" Chazz yelled. "I'll play my Magical Mallet! I can shuffle all the cards I don't want back into my deck and draw the same amount of cards." he explained as he discarded three cards before drawing three cards after shuffling his deck. "Well, whaddya know? Another Magical Mallet!" he smirked as he shuffled two cards into his deck. "Just what I wanted to see! I'll play my Ancient Rules and summon one of Jaden's cards; Chaos Dragon of the Endless Tundra, to the field in attack mode!"
A blizzard permeated throughout the room as the ground beneath them began to tremble and shake as a fierce storm rose up, shielding everyone's eyes from view from the new imposing figure that flew onto the field. The gargantuan dragon roared ferociously as his booming voice scattered the blizzard away, revealing itself to the others. Its whole body was a glacial blue and white, complete with light-blue eyes, while his wings were large enough to span the entire stage.
(Chaos Dragon of the Endless Tundra: Dragon / Water / 10* / 4000 ATK / 4000 DEF)
"Say wha!?" Jenny jaw-dropped as her sights landed on the large dragon.
"Jaden had that card in his possession?" Alexis asked in disbelief. "Just for that, I wanna see just what he has got in there!"
"Z-Zane! That's just as powerful as your Cyber End Dragon!" Syrus cried out in alarm to his older brother.
"Indeed. Summoning a level ten monster on your opening go is nothing short of spectacular. Jaden may have bitten off more than he can chew." Zane commented, nodding towards his brother.
"Now, Chaos Dragon, destroy his measly dragon! Daiyamondo Dasuto!" Chazz ordered as his hand swiped towards his opponent. The large water dragon raised its body and pulled its head back as it inhaled deeply: before snapping it's head down towards the other dragon on the field and blasting it with fine granulated ice and flash-froze it. Taking a swipe at the dark dragon, it smashed into pieces and disappeared from sight in and glittery display; as if it wasn't worthy of its time.
~Jaden: 4000 - 1600 = 2400~
Battle damage from Attack difference
"I'll play two face downs and end my turn! You know, I'm still waiting for you to put me in my places, Professor!" Chazz taunted with a smirk on his face, leaning on his legloves as he casually dismissed him with his hand. "I'll admit that summoning a level seven was good but..."
"Yeah yeah, laugh it up while you can. Last time I checked, this was only turn two. Then again, I didn't even need that last time I beat you." Jaden smirked in response as he drew his next card, reacting to the burn noises coming from the sidelines and the look of fury in Chazz's eyes. "Alright, I'll play my Card Destruction. We'll discard our hands and draw the same number of cards."
"What's the point? You only had one card!" Chazz chided, smirking at his 'teacher's' stupidity.
"Not really. Y'see, thanks to my Eclipse Wyvern now chilling in my graveyard, I can remove a dragon-type card from play." Jaden smiled as he placed the chosen card in his jacket pocket. "Now, I'll play my newly drawn Card of Sanctity. We'll draw until we have six cards." he explained as he watched Chazz's face twist in anger.
"I understand that was a brilliant move in drawing a completely new hand for himself while discarding potentially devastating cards that Chazz may have been holding," Bastion spoke up, "But I'm still not sure what he was planning when he removed that monster from play."
"It's his effect." Jenny began explaining to her fellow Ra. "I know the combo he's going for, as he's shown it to me several times. You place the Wyvern in the grave and remove a dragon from play. He's waiting till he draws my Lightpulsar Dragon." she smiled, earning everyone's attention from the duel to the redhead.
"How come?" Chumley asked, hearing the conversation and finally finding a moment to join in from speaking to Syrus most of the time.
"By banishing a Light and Dark dragon-type from your graveyard, you can special summon it from your hand, still leaving you your normal summon. However, when Eclipse Wyvern is banished from play, that's when Wyvern's second effect kicks in. When it's removed from play, the card Jaden removed earlier comes back into his hand, giving him a free card." she giggled as she saw the light bulbs switch on in their heads.
"That's a totally lishous combo!" Chumley awed.
"Impressive, indeed!" Bastion nodded in acknowledgement.
"Now I'll play a spell card I managed to slip into this deck as I was shuffling it; Unnatural Selection! I can call out the name of a card, at random. If I have any copies of the card in my deck, I can add them all to the top of my deck. I'll choose... Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" he yelled out as the deck began scanning for the three cards.
"W-What!?" Chazz pointed at him, yelling. "You mean to tell me that you've got copies of Kaiba's dragons!?"
"Technically, no. See, it was a present I got from Jaden's mentor when we were waiting for the ferry to arrive. He took us to his grandpa's card shop and gave us some free booster packs. I just so happened to draw a Blue-Eyes from it and he decided to give me cards to complete the set." she explained, noting the confused look on Chazz's face. "If you're wondering who his mentor is... it's the 'King of Games', himself, Yugi Moto. Bastion and Syrus was with us and they can vouch for me." she added, stunning the others.
"Yeah! He helped build a deck for me after pulling out Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl!" Syrus added.
"Everything they've said is the genuine article. He had even introduced us to his fiancé, Téa Gardner. Turns out that she's quite the philanthropist." Bastion chuckled light-heartedly. "Jenny and Syrus asked, nay demanded, that we have a group photo."
"Seriously!?" Chazz asked as Jenny flipped out her phone and showed him the picture of the nine of them.
"Back to the duel, please?" Jaden interrupted, raising his voice dramatically. "I'll summon a monster face down in defence position before playing my Book of Taiyou, allowing me to flip summon my Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter. Thanks to his flip effect, I can destroy one card on the field... your left face down!" Jaden chose as it revealed his Mirror Force, destroying it. "Now, I need to send the top three cards from my deck to the graveyard." he explained as he sent his three dragons to the graveyard.
Meanwhile, a flash of light appeared on the field before a figure burst oout and landed in front of Jaden; a white canine with pure white fur and piercing blue eyes as it crouched down and started growling lightly.
(Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter: Beast / Effect / Light / 2* / 200 ATK / 100 DEF)
"Pffft! What a wasted move! You bring your almighty dragons to the deck and they're now sitting in the graveyard! What a joke!" Chazz laughed loudly at Jaden's stupidity.
"C-Chazz does have at point... but I'm curious to how is he so good at using her cards." Syrus asked the others, earning at round of shrugged shoulders or shakes of the head.
"Beats me. All I know is that he's not the kind of person to count out of at Duel just yet." Alexis replied, smiling inwardly at seeing such at great exhibition match. "I'm curious as to why Jaden is focusing on getting all his cards in the graveyard, though." she wondered aloud.
"Mainly because my cards focus on reviving monsters in my graveyard and even removing them from play. I'll admit, its an unusual method of play but it's damn effective, to say the least." Jenny explained, smiling as her hands crossed underneath her bust. "Then again, it's no surprise he's playing so well with my cards."
"Why's that?" the blonde asked the redhead in response.
"Because it's Jaden who supplied over half the cards for that deck, himself. He fine-tuned it for me and you can see the results for yourself." she grinned, allowing her teeth to show for all to see.
"Hah! No wonder then." Alexis shook her head, smiling in defeat as she should have expected that response from her fellow female student.
"Now that I have at least one Light and Dark-type dragon monsters in my graveyard, I'll remove my Chick and my Wyvern from play to special summon my Lightpulsar Dragon from my hand!"
A small orb of stellar energy faded into view as it began drawing light matter into the orb, increasing in size, until it began morphing into a definite shape. The glow died down to reveal a white and blue-armoured dragon that had a crest in its breast plate, containing vasts amount of stellar energy. Chazz's face turn into a smirk as he raised his face down.
"All that effort for nothing! I play my other face down trap, Freezing Point! I can discard from my hand to destroy all your monsters, thanks to my Chaos Dragon!" Chazz cackled as all of Jaden's monsters were sent to the graveyard. "Not so good now, are you?" he taunted.
"What? Just because you destroyed my monsters, it doesn't mean that my turn's over, you know?" he winked, riling Chazz up. "You see, now my Lightpulsar Dragon's effect kicks in; I can special summon a level five, or higher, Dark dragon-type monster from the graveyard. Since its the only one in have in there, I think I'll chose my Red Eyes Black Dragon!" Jaden smiled as he watched the monster take its place on Jaden's field once more, allowing said dragon to roar at the stronger dragon in defiance.
(Red-Eyes Black Dragon: 2400 ATK)
"I'll chain a pretty new spell card from Pegasus' special stash, Heart of the Dragon King; I'll have to pay a small fee but I'm cool with that. Now, if a dragon-type monster was sent to the graveyard this turn, I can special summon them back onto the field. Guess what that means?, Chazz-chan?" he smirked devilishly the stellar dragon returned to the field, along with three bursts of white energy; also delighting in the pale complexion on the ravenet's face as he found himself staring down five full-sized dragons from across the stage.
~Jaden: 2600 / 2 = 1300~
Heart of the Dragon King: halves LP to special summon all destroyed Dragon-types this turn
"N-No way!" Chazz yelled as everything clicked. "All that for nothing!?" Chazz fumed as he began stamping his foot, leaving the watchers to sweat-drop.
(Lightpulsar Dragon: Dragon / Light / 6* / 2500 ATK / 1500 DEF)
(Blue-Eyes White Dragon: Dragon / Light / 8* / 3000 ATK / 2500 DEF) (x3)
"Now that everything's been cleared up, I can finally explain my Wyvern's last effect! Now that it's removed from play; I can add the card I removed a while back, to my hand." the brunet explained as he took the card out of his jacket pocket and added it back into his hand.
"First, the Elemental King... now possibly the Dragon King? I haven't seen anyone use dragon-types like this since Kaiba, himself." Zane commented as he watched Chazz get schooled. "You can really tell that he's just like his mentor." he smiled.
"Y-Yeah..." Syrus replied, happy just to talk with his brother.
"Like Jaden said, Syrus; watch how he anticipates his opponents moves while using your deck to its fullest potential. Maybe you'll learn the difference between using a card and playing a card." he hinted, watching his younger sibling's eyes widen as he turned his attention back to the field.
"Have you finished, already!?" Chazz yelled, embarrassed with himself for thinKing he had the upper hand in destroying Jaden's monsters but now seeing it was all part of the ra's set-up.
"Nah, not really." Jaden shrugged, laughing at the response he got. "Now I'll activate my newly added card's effect: by banishing dragon-type from the field from play, I tribute my Red Eyes Black Dragon to evolve him into my Red Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon!"
The black dragon roared while changing into another form of Red Eyes; unlike its predecessor, metallic secretion poured through his skin before setting around his frame in an armour. His wings took a metallic view as red veins began forming on his body.
(Red Eyes D. M. Dragon: Dragon / Effect / Dark / 10* / 2800 ATK /2400 DEF)
"Not again!?" Chazz yelled in disbelief as Jaden turned to Jenny and the others and grinned playfully.
"Now I want everyone's attention on me since I'm gonna jump the gun a little bit and pull out a Exceed summoning!" he grinned as he watched her face light up in pure joy. "For those who don't know about Exceed Monsters, it's basically stacking monsters on the field to summon an XYZ monster in its place. Watch and I'll show you what I mean." he explained to the others as their faces were blank. "I'll stack my three Blue-Eyes White Dragons to exceed summon my Thunder Break Dragon!" Jaden yelled, lifting his hand to the sky.
The three dragons roared as they all flew up into the sky, disappearing into the holographic clouds above them, as another dragon-figure flew past them and took their stead. Once it landed, it flapped its wings as everyone got a good look at the new monster. Surprisingly, it was a human-form monster which had a grand red and gold armour covering a majority of his body and fully engulfing his wings. In his right hand was a large sword made of pure energy that hummed in anticipation.
(Thunder Break Dragon: Dragon / XYZ / Effect / Light / Rank Eight / 3200 ATK / 2600 DEF : Three, Level Eight, Light Dragon-type Monsters.)
"Kick his ass, Jay!" Jenny whooped as she watched her mentor take control of the game and was awed at the potential she was seeing in her deck. She allowed a warm smile to grace her face as her hands clasped together and stared at her idol and closed her eyes; silently thanking whoever allowed her this opportunity to personally know him and to know that there's more to him than what people can see. She blushed slightly remembering the events from this morning...
Yet she knew, deep down, that she had already fallen for him.
Hook. Line. And sinker.
"You got it, Ryu-chan!" he responded in kind, noticing the serene expression on her face and smiled to himself. "Now, I promise you this won't take too long... maybe." he motioned to Chazz, who was literally pulling his hair out at the roots.
"JUST GO ALREADY, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" he snarled as his dragon decided to take a small nap, waiting for proceedings to move forward. "It doesn't matter what you do as you have no monsters strong enough to take out my Chaos Dragon!"
"Oh?" Jaden asked. "You sure about that? My Thunder Break Dragon's effect activates. If there are any XYZ material attached to this card; my three Blue-Eyes', then this card gains four hundred attack points for each card attached to him. So if my maths are correct? It makes his attack higher than yours!" Jaden smiled as a white aura surrounded his dragon; everyone watching as his points rose.
(Thunder Break Dragon: Atk: 3200 + 1200 = 4400)
"No way!" Chazz screamed. "I was suppose to win!"
"No, Chazz. You're supposed to learn." Jaden chided, his face turning serious. "Rule one of dueling: have fun while you play. Rule two: anticipate your opponent's actions and counter. Rule three: never underestimate your opponent, which is exactly what you've done. Now, Thunder Break Dragon, destroy his Chaos Dragon of the Tundra! Thunder Break Slash!"
The new figure nodded as his wings snapped out and sent him soaring into the air, allowing the aura around him to glow brighter before corkscrewing into place and snapping his wings out once more. Falling backwards, he drew the sword parallel with his body before corkscrewing again and watching as the sword pierced the large dragon, and sliced it straight down the middle; destroying it.
~Chazz: (4000 - 400) = 3600~
Battle damage from Attack difference
"It's over! You have no defence, and no way of stopping me! Lightpulsar Dragon, Red Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon; attack Chazz directly and finish this!" he yelled as the two dragons flew up in tandem, swirling around one another as if they were a double helix. Curving downwards from the peak of their ascent, they both began glowing in their respective attributes and collided with Chazz as they brought the duel to an end.
~Chazz: (3600 - 2500 - 2800) = 0~
Direct Attacks to Life Points
"Class dismissed." he finished as the holograms disappeared, receiving a round of applause from the others as they all made their way over to a disheveled Chazz. "Now do you believe I can do a better job than Crowler can?" he asked.
"..." Chazz paused as he began thinking between the pros and cons of the situation. Crowler was head of dorm and he has a PhD in Dueling. He has more experience in teaching and... that's it. Jaden, however? He's a pro circuit duelist and has been since he was thirteen. He's the apprentice to the King of Games, spomsored by the man who created the game and is one of the few people who holds a soft spot in the usually cold Kaiba. Plus, has only ever suffered one official defeat; to the main man, himself. He's a Ra Yellow, sure. But overall? He clearly just shown him that has a better grasp in dueling from his career and is generally well-liked by the students; namely the female Obelisks.
"Well?" Jaden prompted.
"Alright." Chazz replied, defeated as he allows himself to sit on the stage and drop his head from humility . "Thinking about things; you're the better choice than Crowler is, even if you're a temp. I'm... sorry." he apologized, startling a few people.
Chazz? Apologize?
"It's fine. You've learnt the lesson I wanted to teach you so no hard feelings, yeah?" Jaden smiled as he walked over and sat down next to Chazz, surprising everyone (including the ravenet himself). "Now, did any of you notice the way I played in comparison to how Chazz played?"
"Y-You knew when to play the cards, not just use them! You knew that Chazz would have cards to stop you but you have cards to stop his momentum and allowed you to control the pace!" Syrus yelled, smiling as he finally understood what his brother meant. Jaden glanced over to Zane and saw him smiling at his younger sibling. Zane locked eyes with the brunette and nodded in acknowledgement, receiving one in kind.
"That's correct." he smiled, ruffling the cyanette's hair. "Anything else?"
"Chazz simply summoned his biggest monster and tried to take you on with brute force." Alexis began. "Yet, you knew how your cards worked and you knew the different combinations you could make with the cards; making you virtually impossible to beat. Even though you used sixteen cards in the matter of two of your turns, you were able to completely overpower his dragon and leave the field clear for you to attack him directly after triggering your opponent's defences with the cards you knew you could retrieve from the graveyard, right away." she explained, smiling as she did.
"An excellent explanation, Miss Rhodes." he grinned at the blonde. "That's precisely the point I wanted to make: there's no room for hesitation in Duel Monsters; it's a game that's meant to make you think on your feet and think several steps ahead of your opponent while manipulating them to your liking so that you can land the last strike. Of course, people will say that it's a lucky draw but the truth is that... it's all about the 'Heart of the Cards'." he smiled as he turned nostalgic from having his mentor explain to him the exact same thing.
"The more you duel, the better the bonds you make with your deck and the better you begin to understand it. In doing so, you're more than able to look past the obvious combos and pull of something so spectacular that your opponents will end up baffled and defeated. This is what I want to teach you guys and I'll make sure that I'll be drilling this into your heads until it becomes second nature to you guys." he finished, watching their faces brighten up remarkably.
"Yessir!" Alexis, Syrus, Jenny, Chumley and Bastion responded, determined.
"Now, Chazz? Since I've won the duel and now officially my pet," he smirked, earning a groan of defeat as Chazz forgot about the stipulation in favour of the duel. "I want you to run and grab us food to eat. I skipped breakfast this morning." he explained as his stomach rumbled.
"Whatever." he retorted without heat in his voice as walked off to do as asked.
"Oh, Chazz?" he called, stopping the teen from fully leaving.
"What?" he snapped, just wanting to hurry up and grab the food from the canteen before to hey love run out from the other students nabbing it all.
"The cards I lent you? You can keep 'em." Jaden grinned as Chazz's eyes widened in shock.
"R-Really?" he asked, hopeful that Jaden wasn't pulling a prank on him right at the last second. He'd honestly admit that they were extremely powerful cards and he loved the thrill of trying to duel with them despite their difficulty.
"Yeah. I'll admit that Pegasus himself said that those cards are one of the hardest decks to play with for relying so much on top-end monsters; and that even he cannot play it efficiently enough for use. It will be a huge gamble to pull off but I honestly think you have something in you that might just be the first person to look deep into the Heart of Chaos and tame it. I hope you won't disappoint." Jaden grinned, stunning everyone with the news that Jaden was entrusting Chazz with a deck that even Pegasus can't use.
As for Chazz? He was floored. He had ridiculed him, mocked him, caused so much grief for Jaden and yet... he was giving him support? He believed that he could be the first person to master this deck and do what no-one else has done before. He was stunned by the faith and the belief Jaden had in him and it allowed one of the rare moments where everyone could see a true smile appear on his face.
Jenny had to admit, Chazz's true smile was pretty handsome.
"Yessir!" he grinned before sprinting off; much happier than he was.
"You sure about that, Jay?" Alexis spoke up, cautioning him. While she knew better than to distrust his motives, she knew what Chazz was like and was still wary about his arrogance.
"Yeah, I have a good feeling that he can be the ones to control the Chaos." Jaden smiled as he dismissively waved. "Now, you guys are officially free to go. Of course, you can stick around for food." he offered.
"I'm staying!" Jenny replied immediately. "Deck, Jay?" she asked. Jaden nodded as he pulled out the deck and handed it over to her, added cards included. "I'm curious," she continued, pocketing her deck. "What's the real reason for teaching us? I mean, you obviously chose us for a reason." she deduced, earning the attention of the other students. Jaden sighed as he took off his glasses before running a hand through his hair.
"Too damn perceptive." he replied, getting a small giggle from said girl. "Alright, at least wait until Chazz comes back before I tell you guys. It'll save me from having to repeat myself." he explained, getting several nods from the students as they all sat down, chatting among themselves.
~ETK~
It had been a surreal four weeks for everyone at Duel Academy as November was nearing the doors of the school. With the absence of Crowler in the school, shouting and moaning about the Ra Yellow and Slifer Red students, the atmosphere was much lighter than usual.
On a side note, everyone immediately noticed a difference in attitude in one Chazz Princeton. From his old arrogant and cocky self, everyone was still in shock at how much more mellow he seemed now. His usual associates didn't like the change and soon ditched him but Chazz didn't care; he was spending a bit more time around the others and also asked Jaden to help him from time to time to run through some mock duels and to help tutor him and tune his deck.
In which, he was becoming a strong powerhouse in dueling with a deck that was close to Zane for raw power.
And the cause for all this change?
One temporary substitute teacher in Dueling Techniques; Jaden Yuki.
Speaking of said teacher, the rest of the students were chatting among themselves as they waited for their lecturer to make his appearance. Unlike Crowler, Jaden told them that they could sit wherever they wanted and with whoever they wanted, much to their delight as the three dorms intermingled with one another. Chancellor Sheppard often stepped in and observed, pleased with the interactions between the three dorms.
"Alright, guys!" Jaden called out, wearing his usual black and white uniform. "Settle down as I have an important announcement to make to you guys." he spoke up, hushing the students as they paid full attention.
"Now, as mentioned four weeks ago, I was only acting as a substitute teacher for you guys and it's time for me to step down and be the student I was meant to be." he grinned, earning a few chuckles. "As of tomorrow, Dr. Vellian Crowler will resume his duties as lecturer and things will return to normal. Now, we've had a crazy month, right?" he asked, getting a chorus of 'yeah's' in response.
"Well, I hope that you've all taken to heart everything I've taught you these past four weeks and show Crowler just how much you've improved your games by. For the record, I never thought I'd enjoy teaching this much but I want to say thank you for giving me the opportunity to get to know you all better and I'm honestly proud of each, and every one, of you. Thank you." he warmly smiled, bowing in respect. In an instant, there was an uproar of applause, cheers and whistles as they applauded him on a job well done.
"I've had a word with several members of staff about an idea I've had. They were all for my idea so we'll be hosting a 'Fancy-Dress Duel Monsters Tournament' that'll take place in a week's time!" he smiled as everyone pumped up. "So, get yourself fitted out as your favourite duel monster and take part in the tournament. The winner will receive a once-in-a-lifetime prize: an exact replica on my very own deck!"
The student began getting hyped up as the information processed in their heads, making Jaden and a few others laugh at their child-like excitement. "Second place will receive a premium pack of booster cards which was generously donated to us by Pegasus Crawford and Yugi Moto, themselves. The only rule? If you wanna take part, you gotta dress up! Keep an eye out for the fliers that'll be placed throughout the Academy for more details." he paused as he sighed. "Now, seeing as I've got nothing else to announce... for the final time; class is dismissed!" Jaden grinned as he fist-pumped, getting another round of applause from the students before they all left.
~ETK~
(Timeskip: Jaden's and Jenny's Room)
While everyone else were out celebrating and socializing for the evening, Jaden had decided to head back to his dorm room and have some time with his duel spirits. Jenny had been asked by a few girls of Ra Yellow to join them for a little bit of girl-bonding and allowed Jaden full access of the room for whatever he wanted. Jaden was currently lying down on his mattress as he smoothed his Wroughtweiler's fur, who laid beside him.
Avi, Nick, Marc, Jack, Jason, Dwayne and Wolf were all sitting on the floor as the guys all continued to play a lad's game of poker. Several laughs were heard as the guys mucked around, enjoying themselves as they rarely get the chance to catch up with each other. Trix, Kiyomi, Ayumi and Stephanie were all talking to themselves about this and that, enjoying their girly get together over in the corner with several cups of coffee in hand. Danny and Yubel were currently absent due to a favour Jaden asked of them and knew they'd be back a little later on.
Jaden smiled sadly as he heard the interactions going on in his room as he began reflecting on his past; one of his bad habits when he finds himself in a group of people and without anyone talking to him. It was thanks to these guys that he was here, now, living his life as carefree as he is. Sure, the numbers grew as time passed by but he was grateful for them. They were the only family he truly could depend on and it made him incredibly happy.
Of course, he couldn't forget about Yubel and everything she's done for him as well. Being blunted with the news that he held the spirit of the King of Gentle Darkness is no easy thing to swallow but she took the time and effort to train him the best she could in controlling his powers. He still has a ways to go but he was incredibly happy of all the friends, spirit and non, he had made: his heroes, Yubel, Haou, Yugi, Téa, Joey, Mai, Pegasus, Kaiba, Mokuba, Sheppard, Bastion, Syrus, Zane, Chazz, Alexis, Jenny... he was grateful to them all for keeping him out of his reclusive tendencies.
"Jaden, sweety? Are you alright?" Ayumi asked, snapping him out of his thoughts as he saw his spirits turn to him. Even his Wroughtweiler whimpered for his master. "You're crying."
"I-I am?" he asked in bewilderment, placing a finger on the corner of his eyes to find a small drop of moisture on the end of his finger. As if on cue, Ayumi pulled him into her chest and gently rocked him as the dam, holding his emotions back, broke. He soon began sobbing in her arms as she whispered sweet words of comfort to him, trying to calm him down.
"Damn, man," Dwayne spoke up, shaking his head. "I gotta give it to my man, Jay, for holding up so well, despite everything he's got ahead of him, ya dig?"
"You said it." Avi replied, taking a swig of his drink.
"Ya know, I'm glad we've been there for him. Seeing him become as awesome as he is? I think that's payment enough." Nick smiled warmly.
"I'll second that." Stephanie spoke up as she and the other girls made their way towards the group. "He's a strong kid with a lot of heart. He's a real inspiration, you know?"
"Hear, hear!" the others replied as they dedicated a toast to the big 'J-Man'.
"Jaden, my dear... don't hold back. Let me be your support for now." Ayumi soothed as his sobs gradually softened to whimpers before he calmed down completely. She gently lifted his head to find that he had fallen asleep from the crying as she gently kissed the top of his head. It was then that Jenny opened the door and stepped in, sensing the mood.
"Hey guys. Is everything alright?" she asked as she took off her jacket and shoes. Most people would be freaked out by the number of people in the room but she had gotten to know Jaden's duel spirits much better over the past few months, as well as getting acquainted with her own dragons.
"Jaden just needed to release his pent-up emotions. He literally cried himself to sleep, Jen." Ayumi explained as Jenny's face softened.
"Poor Jay." she whispered, concerned for her room mate as she knelt by him and gently scratched his head for comfort.
"As much as I'd like to stay and help, I have the night-shift, tonight, so I have to go get ready. Do you think you can stay with him, just for tonight, my dear?" she asked as the other spirits nodded in agreement.
"Sure thing. You can leave him with me for tonight; I'll make sure he's alright." she offered, winning warm smiles from his heroes (and a lick on the cheek from his Wroughtweiler) before they all vanished; leaving herself, Jaden and Yubel. "Will he be alright?" she asked.
"He'll have his moments of weakness where he'll reflect on his past and everything he's gone through. You know the childhood he's had isn't exactly normal and it gets to him from time to time. All he needs is someone to be there for him and comfort him." she explained. "Even though he's much more comfortable with us, we'd prefer it if you'd be the one to do so for tonight. Believe it or not, you already hold a dear spot in his heart." she warmly smiled as the redhead's face blushed slightly.
"B-But... he can't possi-"
"You'd be surprised. You're not the only one, I should mention. He also has begun harboring feelings for Alexis, as well. I'll leave you with this parting advice;" Yubel started as her form faded. "Polygamy is unheard of but it's still acceptable."
Jenny simply stood there as those thoughts processed through her head before she turned her gaze towards the teenage Yuki, who was stirring slightly before he turned to his side and continued to sleep. She softly smiled as she knocked off the light and made her way to her bed, only to stop mid-tracks. She turned her head towards him before she made her way over to his sleeping body and knelt down in front of him. She lifted the sheet up and grabbed his hand, slipping in front of him. She placed the arm over her waist as she gazes up at his face, noticing the warm smile he had. She softly giggled as she kissed his forehead before snuggling closer into him and falling asleep.
~Chapter End!~
~Original Card List~
Chaos Dragon of the Endless Tundra
(Dragon / Water / 10* / 4000 ATK / 4000 DEF)
Unatural Selection (Spell)
When you activate this card, declare one card name. If present, all copies of the selected card are placed at the top of your deck.
Heart of the Dragon King (Quick-Play Spell)
By paying half your life points, all Dragon-type monsters that was sent to the graveyard this turn are special summoned to your side of the field. This card's effect can only be used once per duel.
That was a pretty intense chapter and I'm honestly happy with how it went. The edit took me a lot longer than anticipated but I'm glad the chapter feels a lot tidier and a little longer as well. The shower episode has change and I'm keeping it as it is now since its two members of the opposite sex in a compromising position and teen hormones are a powerful thing!
So, I'm still gonna be working on the edits for the remaining chapters but if it's like this chapter? It's gonna be worth the wait! :3
Since its now 7:12am, I'm clocking out for sleep and another edit session in six hours or so. Ja mata ne!