Before we begin today, just wanted to say a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who has favourited and followed the story. We are officially over a hundred people on both in just under three weeks which is amazing! Seriously, thank you to all of you so much!
Anyway, the rest of the messages will be at the end so I hope you enjoy!
Staying in the Background
Early Days – Promotion Exhaustion
"Hey Dimitri, are you in there?" I called out, knocking on the copycat king's door for the third time. I'd gone straight to his room when I got back to the dorm. After the long week I'd had, dealing with Alexis and worrying about Logan, I just wanted to hang out with a friend, but it seemed he wasn't in. With a sigh, I headed towards the common area to get some grub only to almost walk into Bastion as he was leaving his own room.
"Oh, Ren! I thought you were out."
"I just got back," I told him. I'd been to the card shop again buying more packs of Dark Revelation. Didn't get anything I wanted though. I wanted to see Sadie too, but it seemed she wasn't working. However, I met Dorothy. And let me tell you she is an absolute charmer. "I don't suppose you've seen Dimitri?"
"I heard him leave a little while ago to look for someone to duel," Bastion said. "He may still be around the dorm."
"I'll have a look. Thanks, man." I turned to walk to the Ra common area only for Bastion to fall into step with me.
"I don't suppose you'll mind if I join you?" he asked. "I've just finished my research for the day and truth be told, I wouldn't mind a chance to stretch my legs."
I know I show have said no, but truth be told, there wasn't really a reason to. All I was doing was going back downstairs. What issues could arise from that? "Sure, it's a free country."
"Excellent. So, are you feeling ready for the exams?" Immediately branching into a conversation about academics. I should have expected nothing less. I found that when I talked to Bastion, he was very quick to talk about school or duelling. He seemed a little at a loss when it came to other topics.
"You mean the promotion exams? They're still a little over a month away," I said, raising a questioning brow. "Don't tell me you've already gone over everything."
"One can never be too prepared. Besides, this is an opportunity for many who didn't do well during the entrance exams to move up a rank. I think if you paid attention to your surroundings every once and a while, you'd see just how much of a big deal this is to people." At this point, we'd just walked into the main common area. It was a large space with a lot of simple sofas spread out for people to get comfortable in. "Look over there."
I followed Bastion's gaze to the corner of the room where I spotted a group of my fellow Ras sat around a table with the textbooks from Crowler's class spread out among them. They were concentrating intensely, a few of them jotting notes on pads of paper.
"People have already begun studying up. This exam is one of the most important for freshmen as it weeds out those who deserve to be a rank higher, giving people another chance to improve," Bastion explained. "The theory part determines the knowledge they have gained since enrolment and the practical is to assess their duelling ability. Those who show significant improvement will be moved up in rank. As you can assume, a lot of people in the Slifer dorm are eager to do well. Even those currently in the blue dorm are stressed. Those who perform too poorly will be demoted."
"That seems a bit harsh for just a month and a bit of work," I said, questioning the logic of such an early test.
"The duelling world is a harsh one," Bastion replied. "One must be prepared for anything thrown at them."
"Hmm… well all the power to those who want to go to the blue dorm," I said with a shrug.
"Do you not want to have the promotion?" Bastion asked with genuine curiosity. "You are quite skilled. I'm surprised you wouldn't want to rise to greater heights."
"Are you kidding me? Obelisks get way too much spotlight. I rather like my quiet life in the background. What's wrong with being comfortable?" When I said this, Bastion chuckled. He tried to pass it off as a cough, but I heard it. "What?"
"You really don't pay attention to your surroundings, do you?" he said with a grin.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, my brow furrowing. Was there something going on I didn't know about?
"Nothing at all," Bastion said, holding up his arms defensively. That was clearly a lie. However, before I could question him about it, there was an explosion from outside, making the guys studying look up in annoyance. "Why it seems there is a duel on. Let's take a look." Bastion quickly made his way towards the main doors, leaving me to follow in his wake.
"Okay, but we're not done talking about this!" I called out fruitlessly.
We came outside just in time to see the ending of a duel between none other than Dimitri and a fellow Ra. The holographic visage of a Cosmo Queen; a female monster with purple skin, a flowing red robe and a strange headpiece I assumed was a crown; had fired off a scarlet orb of energy that struck a defenceless Dimitri in the chest, knocking the teen to the ground, his life points falling to zero.
"Ha! And that's game!" his opponent laughed overconfidently as the holograms faded from the field. "That was too easy! Are you really a Ra?"
As Dimitri got back to his feet, he shot his opponent a dirty look. "Of course I am!" he shot back, his eyes unusually sharp and filled with malice.
"That you should stop duelling like a Slifer!" the other guy laughed. "And stop the stupid impressions!"
Just as it looked like Dimitri was about to do something he would regret, Bastion stepped forward. "That's enough," he said, his voice firm and commanding, taking natural command of the situation. "The duel is over, there's no need to escalate things."
Probably seeing that he was outnumbered in this instance, the other Ra gave a shrug before heading back inside. He seemed like a nasty piece of work but there were bigger things on my mind.
"Are you okay?" I asked Dimitri as I walked over to him.
The way he looked at me at that moment, I was reminded of the teen I'd seen in the anime. His eyes were down, and he looked tired. Whatever deck he was using, he'd probably been working on it for a while. However, just as quickly had I seen the look, his smile returned. "Yeah, it was just an unfortunate game, that's all," he said, waving off his defeat. "I'll win next time. Yeah… next time."
He wanted to win. Desperately wanted to win. He'd come to Duel Academy with such expectations only to have them squashed by people who had a 'connection' with their own cards. I wanted to say something to him. Offer some kind of help but I froze. This was a part of Dimitri's development. He would continue to lose and lose and lose until finally, he would steal the deck of the King of Games and duel Jaden, only to lose again. He wouldn't learn either, going from imitating Yugi to imitating the hero user. Maybe I could help him after his canon story was done? But by then would it be too late?
Dimitri made my decision for me, clapping me on the shoulder and heading towards the dorm. "Man, after that, I'm pooped. I'm gonna take a nap. I'll catch you guys in a bit." He didn't give us a chance to respond. He was already through the doors.
"Give him some time," Bastion said, coming over to me with his arms crossed. "From what I hear, he's lost a lot of matches recently. I'm sure he's just frustrated."
"I hope so…" I really did. I wanted the best for Dimitri. I hadn't expected it, but we had become friends. If he put effort into his own cards rather than other people's, he may be able to get better.
Unfortunately, I knew better.
In no time at all, a month had passed. Once again, life became quiet for me. I went to school, did my homework, and got the odd duel in between. It was bliss. Alexis was no longer hounding me; Bastion had been too busy studying to chat and the Slifer boys were all over the place, so I rarely saw them. Yeah… bliss. I was completely okay with this. It's what I wanted after all. Logan was also behaving himself. From what I had heard, he'd been duelling against Obelisk students on a regular basis. There was no problem with that in my book.
As long as he didn't take things too far. As for myself, I was more worried about Dimitri. The poor guy had been losing more and more. He came back to the dorm with bags under his eyes. He tried to make things seem like they were fine, but it was clear he was bothered. I knew I had to stay away, to let him become what he had to, to fit the canon. But it hurt to do so. Like Bastion, he had begun shutting himself in his room for long periods of time, working hard on his cards to try and find the perfect person to emulate.
Eerily, I'd sometimes see him standing on the sidelines of my duels around the dorm. He be watching with eagle eyes, but when the match ended, he was always gone before I could talk to him.
I kept telling myself, 'After he puts back Yugi's cards, you can help him'. But that was another few months away, and he was likely to keep spiralling in the meantime.
A few days before the exam, I went to speak to him. I had to do something. But before I could knock on his door, I was interrupted by Professor Sartyr.
"Ah, Mr Cambell, I was just looking for you," he said, a friendly smile adorning his features.
"Good afternoon, professor," I said respectfully. "Can I help you with something?"
"Yes. Could you please come with me?" he said, gesturing towards the stairs.
I looked towards Dimitri's door but sighed in acceptance. He probably wouldn't answer anyway. He never did these days. "Yes sir," I replied, following the man. He guided me upstairs to his personal office. As he allowed me inside, I was immediately taken aback by the wonderous amount of smells that came from the room. The intoxicating scent of spice-filled my nose, and my mouth began to water. He wasn't even cooking anything!
The room itself looked like any old study with a desk and a bookcase lining the back wall. From my position, I could see that many of the titles had something to do with cooking. I was so mesmerised by the room, I didn't notice Sartyr stroll by and take his seat at the desk until he'd cleared his throat.
"Please, sit," he said, gesturing to the second chair in front of the desk. As I did so, Sartyr pulled out a few sheets of paper from his desk. "Mr Cambell, I am pleased to say that since your arrival at this school, you have proven to be a model student," he said with a smile.
"Thank you, sir." He was complimenting me but why was I feeling a sense of dread?
"Your duel record is impeccable and you have an excellent attitude to learning. Ahem, aside from forgetting to keep your phone on silent every now and then." Thank Alexis for that. I had to refuse over thirty duel requests that day and then I still had to duel her! "Anyway, I am pleased to say that I have put you forward for being promoted to Obelisk Blue."
My jaw dropped. Not because I was shocked with happiness. No, I was filled with despair.
'No! Not that! I don't want to be promoted, dammit! They get all the attention. Let me keep my obscurity!'
"Umm… sir, I'm honoured for the opportunity, bu-"
"Oh, you are more than welcome," Sartyr interrupted. "I do believe you are part of the top two freshmen Ras. I have offered a similar position to Mister Misawa, but he turned me down, and after all the work I put into getting the paperwork drawn up."
"Paperwork?" I repeated.
"Oh yes, it took hours. But if I could help my students improve, I'm more than willing to do it."
"You were doing it for hours?" my voice was getting weaker.
"Quite so. It's all been cleared. The only condition is that you pass your practical duel test in the upcoming exams."
"Cleared?" I was squeaking at this point. Nonetheless, Sartyr continued to nod his head.
"Oh yes, my boy. I must say, you have made me very proud. It has been a pleasure to be your head of house this last month. Alas, it seems you are ready to leave the nest."
'Stop talking like I've already left! Please Professor Sartyr, I don't want to go!'
"Sir, I really think I should-"
"Continue prepping for the exam, I completely agree," he said with a happy smile.
'NO! Let me speak!'
"Sir, please-"
"You are an excellent student, Mr Cambell. Thank you for coming. You may leave." Standing up, the man guided me from my chair and out of the door, not even leaving me a chance to refute. He closed the door to his office behind me, not giving me the chance to tell him my true thoughts. It was like he knew I wanted to refuse and just wanted an excuse to justify all those hours of paperwork.
'Son of a bitch! I will not be a blue! I am in the perfect position for me. I don't want it! What did he say? I just have to win the promotion exam? Easy then. I lose and my life continues the way it is. I just have to make it look convincing. Okay, maybe I'll piss off Alexis again but who cares, I don't plan on interacting with her again for a looooong time. One loss. Just one loss.'
The next week, I found myself sitting at my desk, a finished exam paper in front of me with more than thirty minutes to spare. It pays to have been reincarnated from another universe. I get all my prior knowledge, including everything related to Yu-Gi-Oh, meaning I finished the largest section on the test in under a quarter of an hour. That said, I made sure to go over it several times to make it look like I was struggling. Hey, just because I planned on failing the practical, it didn't mean that I was going to sacrifice my education. That would be stupid.
About halfway through the test, Jaden boisterously came charging in, interrupting everyone before Professor Banner called him down to grab his exam paper. Once Jaden sat down and started, soon falling asleep with Syrus, I took stock of what should have happened. At this point, Jaden should have encountered Dorothy and got in her good books helping her push her van up the hill, which meant he should still receive the cards he will need to beat Chazz in the practical exam.
By the look Alexis was sending the Slifer, she was clearly already worried about his wellbeing. From the stories Jaden told us of his first night at the academy, he and Chazz had already established their rivalry. Meanwhile, Logan was seemingly still staying out of trouble. As I looked down, I noticed that he had finished his test and was making no effort to hide it. He was resting his head in the palm of his hand with his eyes half-closed. Every now and again, his neighbours shot him a very dirty look.
When I first arrived on the island, I was ready for hell to immediately break loose. Logan had put himself in the optimum position to interfere. He was in the Slifer dorm. He was in the room next to Jaden's and by the sound of things, was his friend although I barely saw them interact. And finally, there was Professor Banner. I looked down to the Slifer Red Head of House. Just as I remembered him, a tall and lanky man wearing a white shirt, black trousers and a necktie. His black hair was tied back in a ponytail. His eyes seemed to be closed and yet I knew he could see every single one of us.
For that man was a Shadow Rider. Sent to infiltrate the academy and earn the trust of the chancellor and students so that when the war for the Sacred Beasts came, he could take us all by surprise. I felt sorry for him in a way because I knew what his motives were. I also knew he would have something of a change of heart towards the end and try to help save the world. However, he was also the man who led many students to their deaths at the abandoned dorm.
He was undoubtedly a villain. So, if Logan was in his dorm, with perfect access to the unsuspecting man, why had he done nothing? It had taken me a while to work out, but I finally came to a conclusion. He was waiting for the keys to be handed out. If Banner were to disappear now, people would be suspicious. No one would know his true affiliation either so if Logan was known to have approached him last, his would come under the lens of inquiry. I suppose he had some sense after all. Still, I had better keep an eye on it.
As we hit the ten-minute mark, I let out a tired yawn before going over my answers one last time. Finally, the bell sounded, and Professor Banner went around collecting everyone's exam papers. Once he was back at his desk, Banner turned to the class with his cat-like smile.
"Alright class, the written exam is now over," he said, his voice laid back and calming. "So please walk, do not run, to get in line for today's new rare cards."
"They're here?" the student to my left exclaimed, standing in excitement. Everyone's eyes went to the door, the only thing keeping them from rushing to the card shop to get much-needed upgrades for their decks.
"Oh, dear."
It was all the professor could say before every single student ran, not walked, out of the class, some scrambling over me in the process as they desperately tried to escape the aisle. Me, I stayed where I was. There was no point in going anyway. Crowler will already be there by now, ready to snatch every new card to give to Chazz. Besides, I was fairly happy with my deck as it was for the minute.
"Oh dear, it appears our favourite Slifers are going to miss out," Bastion said, walking over to me. He was looking over to where Syrus and Jaden were sleeping peacefully. I couldn't help but feel a little bad for Syrus. It was shown in the anime how desperate he was to pass.
"We should wake them up before they miss out on the new cards," I said with a grin.
"I'll take care of it," Bastion said. "I hear you have the chance of a promotion."
"Don't remind me," I groaned.
"You should meet this challenge head-on. People are recognising your talent. You should be honoured."
"If that's the case, why didn't you accept the offer?"
"You know my reasons," he replied with a smirk. "I will not move up until I feel I am ready for the challenge." Why did he have to sound so cool? It had to be the accent. Makes everything that comes out his mouth sound so sophisticated.
"Have you ever considered a field in public speaking?" I jibed.
"Oh no, that business is much too cutthroat for me," he said good-naturedly. "I'll see you later. Hopefully, we will have something to celebrate tonight."
"Yeah, haha."
'Not bloody likely.'
I watched as he went over to Jaden and Syrus before I turned and head off towards the gymnasium where the practical exams would be held. In the distance, I could hear a roar of disappointed cries and general outrage. It seemed Crowler had gotten to the new cards already. It looked like everything was on track.
The last thing Chazz Princeton had expected today was for Dr Crowler to approach him in a trench coat and offer him a mountain of the newest rare cards. And yet, here he was, gazing up the stairs at the cards attached to the inside of his teacher's coat.
"So, what's the catch?" Chazz asked. From the limited time he'd known Crowler, he knew the 'good doctor' always had a selfish goal.
"Catch? Oh, there is no catch. Actually, this is an opportunity," Crowler said, his words slathered with honey. "I want you to use these rare cards to put some upstart slifers in their place. I'm sure you know Jaden Yuki and Logan Evans."
"Oh, I know them alright," Chazz said with a grin.
So, this was a personal vendetta for them defeating him in the entrance exam. Chazz had already duelled Jaden and despite being interrupted, he was certain the victory was his. However, Alexis had been there too, and she seemed to have been drawn to the Slifer's abilities, as lacking as they were. Just the thought of the gorgeous blonde made his heart quicken. If he proved he could best Yuki twice, she may be more inclined to see him for the powerful man he really was.
On the other hand, Logan Evan's was making an infamous name for himself among the Obelisk ranks. Ever since his embarrassment at the hands of the Kaiser, the Lightsworn user had been targeting any blue student who crossed his path. It had become like a vendetta. He would love the opportunity to put him in his place.
Love or pride. Both are worthy reasons to fight, but Chazz considered himself a bit of a romantic. And setting the record straight with Jaden would just be the icing on the cake.
"I'll more than happily take on Jaden," he sneered. "He ain't nothing compared to me."
"Excellent," Crowler grinned.
"But all this means nothing since we're not in the same dorm. According to the rules of the exam, I couldn't duel him if I wanted to."
Crowler shot him a toothy grin. "Oh, you need not worry about that. Leave the matter to me."
"Um… Doctor Crowler?"
All eyes turned to the Chazz's two cronies, who had been standing by almost forgotten. Taiyou, the one who had spoken, was a tall boy with dark hair that flopped down at one side, framing his cheek. It almost seemed blue in certain light. A small pair of spectacles rested on his nose. The other was Raizou Mototani. He was the most muscular out of the three boys and possessed a square jawline. His spiky brown hair pointed straight up towards the heavens in defiance of gravity. Like Chazz, they both wore the Obelisk uniform.
Crowler regarded Taiyou with a questioning gaze. It seemed like he wanted to say something haughty but held his tongue in front of one of his precious blues. "What is it my boy?"
"If you're going to allow Chazz to duel Yuki, I want to face Evans. He's been making a mockery of us blues and its time someone taught him a lesson." Taiyou spoke bravely but his high voice made it sound like he was quivering. Of course, Chazz admired that he was willing to speak up on such a manner. Normally he would just stand behind him and agree like any other lackey. To come to this decision on his own took some balls.
Crowler, on the other hand, seemed less impressed. He regarded the Obelisk up and down. "Hmm… it would certainly be opportune to strike at both at the same time. Do you have a plan to overcome his dragon?"
"Believe me, sir, I have the perfect card ready," Taiyou said with an uncharacteristic smirk.
The practical exams began an hour after the theory, giving students the chance to do final edits to their decks. The exams were set up so that you would randomly face a member of your dorm. That way it was fair as you wouldn't be able to plan a counter to their strategies if you knew them well. As such, so you couldn't make last-minute changes, students received a message through their PDA when it was time for them to duel.
Similarly, to the entrance exams, everyone had to sit in the seats lining the gym and when you were called, you went to the specified duel field. In the stands, I found myself surrounded and tightly squeezed into my seat. It would be a nightmare getting down to the gym floor. And yet, despite near suffocating from the lack of room, that wasn't my biggest problem
"All these people. All these seats. And yet, how is it, that I end up sat next to you?" I groaned, nursing my face with the palm of my hand.
"The feeling's mutual."
Alexis was to my left, her gaze locked forward and unmoving, not even daring to turn my way. Her frosty demeanour was doing nothing to improve my mood. I thought that after our last encounter, I wouldn't be seeing her for a long time. Unfortunately, it seemed that we had both come into the same row of seats without noticing the other. By the time we ran into each other, it was too late for either of us to turn back. Other students had quickly filled the aisle and we were forced to sit next to each other.
Over the past month, we really hadn't interacted. The odd 'hello' is we passed each other in the corridors, but we pretty much didn't speak. On the bright side, she was no longer looking at me like she wished I was dead so that was a positive. Either way, I wasn't keen to get in her good graces. She had her life, I had mine. Unfortunately, that just made this interaction painful.
As the exams began, we sat in silence. Neither of us dared say the first word. For me, I just felt awkward after everything that happened. As for her, well, I couldn't fathom a guess. Finally, just as I'd had enough and was about to say something, she beat me to the punch.
"I hear you're up for promotion," she said without turning her head.
"Who told you that?" I asked, my curiosity peaking.
"Jaden. Bastion told him. He told me."
"Of course he did," I groaned. For a guy who was supposed to be the cool and quiet genius, Bastion was proving to be quite the gossip. Again, silence fell between us. Again, Alexis broke it.
"Aren't you happy about it? It's a big honour."
"Oh yes, so everyone keeps telling me. I'm thrilled." Sarcasm dripped from my tone. "I am so looking forward to the opportunity to frolic with the academy's elitists."
"Not all Obelisks are like that, you know." We both refused to look at each other directly. It made this little 'chat' feel very ingenuine.
"Maybe. But I don't want to find out. I'm completely happy where I am, thank you," I said, crossing my arms and leaning back into my seat.
She didn't reply to this, but I knew her gaze was on me. Probably trying to figure out what I was trying to do. It looked like she was going to say something but thankfully, at that moment, her PDA dinged, calling Alexis to the field. She sighed before rising to her feet.
"Good luck, I guess."
"Thanks. You too."
With that, she was gone, and I was alone. If I remembered correctly, Bastion was sitting with Syrus somewhere close to the front. At this point, Jaden was probably with them. I didn't remember Chumley being present at this point in the scene, so I assumed he was probably back at the Slifer dorm. Part of me kind of wished I had chosen to find them before the exam. It would have at least given me something to do. But alas, the lonely life of a background character called. They had their own roles during this event. Even if it was just giving commentary.
I turned my mind to my upcoming game. Who would my opponent be? Hopefully someone strong so I could really sell my loss. I couldn't take any chances. I just could not bear the thought of being a blue. They had all been portrayed as pricks in the anime. It painted a bad picture. The line between pride and arrogance was a fine one and I had no time for those who fell on the wrong side.
Finally, after another five minutes, my PDA beeped. "Showtime," I said, rubbing my hands together.
Retrieving my duel disk from my bag, I excused myself and made my way down to the field. As I walked across, I spotted Alexis's game. It seemed she was dominating her opponent with not only Cyber Blader on her field but also Cyber Prima; another warrior woman in a silver bodysuit and long platinum-silver hair. She wore a red mask and possessed numerous gold hoops around her body.
Across from her, I was surprised to see Bastion engaged in his own duel against a Ra I recognised as a guy called Brier. He was a small kid who I knew would soon go on to become half of 'shadowy' duelist called the Duel Giant. Considering he and his partner, Beauregard would be targeting Obelisk Blue students, I had yet another reason to avoid the promotion.
I was the first to reach the arena, my opponent apparently taking their time getting here. Our duel proctor, Professor Sartyr stood ready. When he saw me, he smiled, clearly expecting me to justify all his hard work. Or maybe he was genuinely proud. Honestly, I was still pissed he'd kicked me out of his office without letting me say my piece.
"Umm… so where's my opponent?" I asked.
"Right here," said a familiar, disinterested voice.
'Oh god no.'
I turned around to see Dimitri walking towards the arena. However, he seemed different from normal, telling me he was in 'character'. Like myself, he wore his yellow jacket open, exposing the black shirt beneath. His hair was also different from its normal spiky, gravity-defying grandeur. Instead, it was combed over to the right… like... my own. Hang on.
'No… he didn't?'
Dimitri walked past, giving me a nod before taking his place across from me. "I'm ready to go."
"Excellent. This duel will serve as a promotion duel for Ren Cambell. In the event he wins, he will be moved up to the Obelisk Blue Dorm. Let the exam begin!" After a quick roshambo, which Dimitri won, we both activated our duel disks.
"DUEL!" (Ren: 4000LP/Dimitri: 4000LP)
"I'll go first. Man, I hope this doesn't make me stand out," Dimitri said, drawing his first card with a distinct lack of interest. "I'll begin by summoning one of my favourites. Come, Lancer Lindwurm (1800/1200) in attack mode." On his field appeared the very familiar green dragon wielding a silver javelin.
'Mother fucker!'
"I'll set two cards facedown and end my turn."
"Now, that was interesting," Bastion said as he returned to the stands. His own exam had ended rather quickly. It seemed his opponent suffered from an acute case of stage fright and therefore made a number of misplays that led to Bastion's decisive win during his third turn. A little disappointing but that is, how they say, life.
When he returned to his seat, he found Jaden and Syrus waiting for him. "Hey, nice match, man," Jaden said, clapping him on the back.
"Why thank you." Bastion gave the hero teen a nod. No need to relish in a victory. It would only go to his ego and serve to muddy his calculations in his next match. Better, when duelling, to remain detached. To see the problem from above and easily make countermeasures. "Are there any interesting games on?"
"You just missed Alexis's," Syrus said. "She got a perfect win!"
"Yeah, she's tough," Jaden agreed with a competitive smile.
"That is a shame, I would rather like to challenge her myself. A look into her strategies would have been beneficial," the Ra lamented.
At that moment, Jaden's PDA beeped. "Looks like I'm up," Jaden said, his smile infectious. Not for the first time, Bastion found himself in awe of Jaden's love of the game. "Wish me luck." He raced out to the field, Crowler already waiting on his assigned court.
"Hey, is that Ren over there?" Syrus asked. Bastion followed his gaze over to the left side of the gym where their friend's match had just started. "Do you know his opponent?" Syrus asked.
It took Bastion a moment, but he managed to recognise the other Ra using the familiar dragon. "I believe that is Dimitri."
"Dimitri? Really? He looks so different."
"He must be in character," Bastion observed. "Dimitri is a something of a copycat duellist. He copies the deck of an individual and uses their strategies as if they were his own.
"Who do you think he's copying?" Syrus asked, apparently oblivious to the obvious.
"I have an inkling."
"Dude, are you copying my deck?" I asked, jaw hanging open. I knew that this was a likely scenario at some point but right here in the middle of an exam? C'mon, have some tact.
Dimitri shrugged. "Your deck? I've been collecting these cards for years. It cost an arm and a leg to do so," he said, matching my own vocal nuances. I didn't really sound that bored, did I? "C'mon, make your move. I want to get out of the spotlight quickly."
I shook my head; he'd already gotten completely into character. But this put me into a bit of a dilemma. I had planned on losing this duel. But now I was stuck. From what I remembered, at this point in time, there were only three Ra yellow students I couldn't lose to. Brier and Beauregard, the two who became the Duel Giant. Their resentment of losing led them to decide to terrorise the Blue Students. Jaden would stop them, and they'd get better. The other was Dimitri. One line of his always stuck with me from the Anime. 'Why can't I ever win?'
He had to keep losing. At least until after he stole Yugi's cards. His desperation needed to keep growing until he committed the crime. It was canon. An undeniable established fact that had to happen. Of course, of all people, Dimitri had to be my opponent, and I had to play a part in his downfall.
My teeth grit and anger swelled within me. This was cruel. Dimitri was my friend. I wanted him to have a win. It would do wonders for his confidence. It might help him get on the right track. But he still had a part to play. And now I had to make sure he got to play it. As for my promotion, well my backup plan was to refuse in the same way Jaden had. Dimitri was another matter I could not avoid. I silently cursed whatever cosmic force had brought me here as I drew my first card.
"My turn. I begin by activating Reasoning. You select a number from one to twelve, then I draw until I come across a monster. If it's a different level than what you called, I get to summon it."
Dimitri smiled. "I know what it does. I have the same card in my deck."
'He's going to make this easy for me, isn't he?' I mentally groaned. I get the feeling before the end of this duel; I was going to have a reality check about my personality.
"Level six," Dimitri declared.
My first draw was a trap, Dimension Guardian. The next, annoyingly, was my Summoned Skull, a level six monster. "Unfortunately, you were right," I said as I sent both cards to the graveyard.
"I thought so, it seems we are using similar cards. A bit unoriginal if you ask me. You should try coming up with your own strategies," Dimitri said, shrugging his shoulders and parroting the advice I'd given to him when we first met, which he had ignored I might add.
"Oh, you are one to talk about being unoriginal." It seemed he'd been paying more attention to my duels than I thought. "In which case, I'll T-set and end my turn." A face-down monster and set card appeared in front of me. He knew my strategies, but there was some hope. A lot of my cards were expensive and rare. There was no way he could have made a perfect recreation.
"Back to me then. I draw!" He took a moment to look at his cards before his grin grew. "I activate Emblem of the Dragon Destroyer! With it, I'll add my ace, Buster Blader to my hand."
'You do what now?'
Dimitri fished the card from his deck and showed it to me. Sure enough, it was the dragon slayer he possessed. Again, my jaw hung open.
'Where the hell did he get that? Is Dimitri actually loaded? Actually, that would make sense. There had to be some way he was able to collect all the cards he needs to replicate the decks of others. I'd have to ask him about it later when I'm not so annoyed.'
"I summon Mirage Dragon (1600/600) in attack mode!" Dimitri continued. The yellow dragon with blue hair appeared on his field, letting out a low growl as it glared at me. That would be an issue. I now couldn't activate traps in the battle phase. "Next, I'll set a card and attack with my Lindwurm! Destroy his monster!"
His dragon roared before tossing his javelin, skewering my facedown monster, which was Masked Dragon (1400/1100) and sent it up in flames. "And when my monster battles a defence position monster the-"
"It does piercing damage. Yes, Dimitri, I know. I have the card," I deadpanned as my points decreased (Ren: 3300LP). "However, as I'm sure you know, Masked Dragon has an effect when it's destroyed in battle. I get to summon something to replace it. I summon Lancer Dragonute (1500/1800) in defence mode. From the flames of Masked Dragon's body emerged a green dragon similar to Lancer Lindwurm, however, it lacked the armour and wielded a long lance.
"Clever, now my Mirage Dragon can't attack without doing me damage. I guess I'll end my turn with a face down."
"Then let me show you a real move," I drew my card and a small smile crept onto my face. "I play Pot of Greed."
"What does it do?" Dimitri suddenly called out.
"NO! I already used that one!" I cried, making Dimitri flinch. "You can copy my deck, but you will not copy my jokes." Well, they were actually the modern internet's. But in this universe, they were original, so they were effectively mine.
I drew my two cards and felt a plan beginning to form. But first, I needed to remove that Mirage Dragon. "I summon my own, original, Lancer Lindwurm (1800/1200) in attack mode." A doppelganger of the javelin wielding dragon flew onto my field. I had no spell destruction cards in my hand so I would have to take a chance with his face downs. "Battle! Lindwurm, attack Mirage Dragon!"
"Not so fast, you activated my trap card! A Hero Emerges! Normally you'd have to choose a card in my hand, but since there is only one, you have no choice." A portal appeared above Dimitri as the copycat duelist raised his hand towards the sky. "Warrior who bares the bane of dragons, descend upon this game and slay all who stand against you. Come forth, Buster Blader (2600/2300)!"
I gawked as a copy of my ace took to the field, emerging from the portal and swiping his oversized blade from side to side before bringing it to rest on his shoulder. It was a surreal feeling seeing my own ace be used against me, especially since I didn't have him in my hand.
"Did you just rip off my summoning chant?" I cried incredulously, my patience nearing its end.
"What are you talking about, I said it for the first time in my entrance exam," Dimitri said. "It was a bit of showboating but despite the fact I don't like standing out I just had to say it. I'd been waiting to do it for years."
"I told you that in confidence!"
My guilt was ebbing away. That said, I was now in a bit of trouble.
"Anyway, my Blader's effect allows it to gain 500 attack for every dragon on your field and graveyard. With three, he gains 1500!" His warrior let out a cry as the gems within his sword began to glow. (2600-4100 ATK)
"Great, figures something like this would happen," I said with a sigh. "Well, it's still my turn. You may have summoned a new monster, but my Lindwurm can still attack Mirage Dragon!"
My dragon raised its javelin and prepped to throw.
"I activated my second trap, Kunai with Chain! Now, I could normally use it to change your monster to defence mode and boost my own monster's attack, but I think I'll stick with the extra attack points this time." The familiar chained weapon appeared wrapped around Mirage Dragon's talons, boosting it power (1600-2100). "Counterattack!"
Mirage Dragon opened it maw and unleashed a stream of rainbow coloured plasma, disintegrating the thrown javelin and continuing its path until it struck my own Lindwurm, blasting it apart. I let out a grunt, shielding my eyes as the blast overtook me as well. (Ren: 3000LP)
"Sorry Lindwurm," I said as I looked back towards Dimitri, who was grinning victoriously, the cracks in his act showing now that he had the advantage.
"It appears this is over," he said. "Next turn, my Mirage Dragon will destroy you last monster, and then my Blader will finish you!" As if to make his point, his Buster Blader lowered its blade and pointed it directly towards me, its eyes shining menacingly.
It was true. If I did nothing, Dimitri would beat me on the next turn. I wouldn't be promoted, and Dimitri would get the win he's wanted since the beginning of the academy. A win-win. Again, the urge just to give up dug at me. But what would that mean for the future? If he won, Dimitri's confidence in his copycat style would grow. And he'd just keep on doing it. With his win, he may not even steal Yugi's deck, because he'd have more confidence in the deck he's currently using. He wouldn't learn anything. Sure, the short term was nice. But in the long term…
There was a flash of dirty blonde hair in my mind's eye.
No, I'd already impacted one character's development for the worst, and I hadn't even met her. I knew Dimitri would get better eventually if he stuck to the current path, and then I could help him once his canon role ended. My resolution strengthened, I straightened up and stared Dimitri in the eyes.
"This duel isn't over yet. I activate Swords of Revealing Light!"
"What? I didn't know you had that!" Dimitri cried, briefly breaking character.
Suddenly, hundreds of glowing swords made of light appeared in front of Dimitri's monsters. They cowered from their glow, backing away.
"Now for the next three turns, you can't attack," I explained, my tone all business.
"Good move. But you've only bought yourself a little time," Dimitri said, his demeanour returning to a copy of my own.
"We'll see," I said grimly.
As Ren's duel began, Logan Evans had received a beep on his PDA. The Lightsworn user had been looking forward to this. An opportunity to show everyone his skill. He had been certain that he had done enough to earn Crowler's ire so that he would send Chazz after him instead of Jaden. At first, the Obelisk blue students he'd defeated came to him, but then, he flipped the script, seeking them out. If Crowler was anything like he was in canon, he would want to punish him for making a mockery of his Obelisks.
That hope was dashed when he entered his court. Yes, there was an Obelisk student there, but it wasn't Chazz. To make matters worse, when he looked to his right, it seemed the canon match up between Jaden and Chazz was starting. Again, he was so close and yet so far.
"What're you lookin' over there for, you Slifer Slacker?" his opponent jeered, trying to prompt a reaction from him. "I'm your opponent."
"Forgive me," Logan said, slipping into the charming image he'd been trying to cultivate. "You're just not who I was expecting. Am I not supposed to be facing another Slifer?"
"It seems your winning streak against us Obelisks has given you the right to test yourself," the teen said, his southern accent very poignant. "Doctor Crowler pulled some strings to give you a real challenge."
"And he couldn't explain this himself?" Logan asked, looking over to where the head of the blue dorm was explaining to Jaden why he was facing Chazz.
"He's a busy man."
"Uh-huh. And what's your name?" He genuinely couldn't remember. There were so many side characters in the games that he didn't remember all of them. His small spectacles and hair that flopped over onto one side of his face were familiar, but it didn't spark anything. He couldn't have been very good.
For a moment, the teen looked annoyed, his face turning a light shade of red. "The names Taiyou Torimaki! Remember it, Logan Evans, because I'm going to be the one to get revenge for all the other Obelisks you've been beating."
That made Logan chuckle. "Revenge, huh? Bit simple. I suppose all you side characters are though." He'd said the last part under his breath. However, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Ren Cambell duelling Dimitri and his blood began to boil. "I hope you put up more of a challenge than your fellow blues." He said, his voice sharp as he rose his duel disk.
Taiyou smiled. "Oh, believe me, you won't beat me like the others."
The test examiner, seeing that both boys were ready nodded and after the customary game of roshambo, it was decided that Taiyou would go first.
"DUEL!" (Logan: 4000LP/ Taiyou 4000LP)
As Taiyou drew his first card, Logan noticed the smile on his face. "I'm not pulling my punches. I'll start by summoning my Lord of D. (1200/1100) in attack mode!" On his field appeared a tan-skinned man draped in bone armour made from the remains of many dragons. A blue cape fell from his shoulder which as the monster was summoned, he gave a swish. Logan's eyes narrowed. This was only going one way.
"Now, I activate the spell card, The Flute of Summoning Dragons! Since my lord is on the field, I get to special summon two dragons from my hand! Come, Curse of Dragon (2000/1500) and Blackland Fire Dragon (1500/800)!" A golden horn in the shape of a dragon's head appeared in his lord's hands. The monster brought it to his lips and blew a loud war cry. Suddenly, two purple portals on either side. From one emerged a small, green, western-style dragon while from the other came a winged, serpentine dragon made from bone with small bits of sinew connecting each part.
"Dragons, of course. How cliché," Logan said, looking at the ensembled monsters without much care. Why was it that every mob used some sort of dragon in their deck? Admittedly, he did too, but at least his was a boss monster. It was necessary. That's what he told himself anyway.
"I can't attack, so I'll end my turn," Taiyou said cockily. "Let's see what you've got you Slifer Slacker."
As Logan drew his first card, the student in the arena let out a collective gasp. Logan turned his head to see that on the other field, Chazz had summoned his VW – Tiger Catapult and XYZ – Dragon Cannon.
"Their duel is going quick," Logan murmured. "But no one will be interested in them soon." He looked at his hand where his trusty Judgment Dragon was already waiting. Soon, this Obelisk would face the same fate as all those before him. Judgement would come.
'Oh, I like that. Could be my catchphrase. Every hero does need one.'
"That was a good move," Logan complimented, turning his attention back to the duel. "Summoning three monsters in one turn is very impressive." For this time period anyway. "I don't know how I could follow such a move. I suppose I could start by summoning Jain, Lightsworn Paladin (1800/1200)." The white armoured knight rose onto the field, unsheathing their blade in readiness. "From there, I'll activate Foolish Burial, allowing me to send a monster from my deck to the grave. I'll send Ehren, Lightsworn Monk." He could have sent Wulf, but then he would have been summoned automatically and to call his dragon, Logan needed as many Lightsworns as could get in the grave.
"Now Jain, attack Curse of Dragon!" The paladin gave a nod before rushing forward.
"Are you crazy? My dragon is stronger!" Taiyou cried in disbelief.
"Attack points aren't everything," Logan said with a grin. "When Jain attacks, their effect activates, granting them an extra 300 attack points until the end of the damage step!" (1800-2100 ATK)
"What?"
A golden aura surrounded Jain as they leapt into the air, bringing their sword down upon the bone dragon. It let a shriek before shattering into pixels. Taiyou grimaced as his points fell. (Taiyou: 3900LP)
As Jain returned, the aura surrounding them dispersed. (2100-1800 ATK)
"With that, I'll end my turn with two face downs. Of course, due to Jain's effect, I must now send the top two cards of my deck to the grave." As Logan pitched his cards, he took satisfaction in seeing that the cards were Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter and Gragonith, Lightsworn Dragon. That made three Lightsworns. Just one more, and if he pushed this mob further, he'd have the last one soon enough.
He kept his gaze on Taiyou, the Obelisk shooting him a foul glare. "You may have destroyed one of my strongest monsters, but I'm not done yet."
"Curse of Dragon was one of your strongest cards?" Logan asked, trying to stem the urge to laugh. That was pitiful! And he calls himself an Obelisk. He has no hope of avenging his fellow dorm members!
"Yeah! So what?"
"Nothing, it is a fine monster," Logan managed to say, nursing his brow with his free hand. 'Why couldn't I have duelled Chazz?'
"It's my draw!" Taiyou cried. His frown turned into a wicked grin. "I tribute my two monsters to summon Tri-Horned Dragon (2850/2350)!" His other two monsters disintegrated before a hole opened in the ground. From it emerged a terrifying blue, wingless dragon with yellow claws and spines running down its back. True to its name's sake, three large horns rested on top of its head.
"This is my best monster!" Taiyou cackled, clearly thinking he'd done something impressive. "Attack his paladin!"
His dragon charged forward with an open maw filled with sharp and menacing teeth. However, before it could chomp down, a glowing barrier of light erected itself around Jain, protecting them from harm.
"What? Where did that come from?" Taiyou asked in shock.
"I activated my face down, Lightsworn Barrier," Logan explained facetiously as the holographic card beside him shone brightly. "At the simple cost of two cards from the top of my deck, your attack is negated." Logan's grin grew when he saw that one of the cards was Rinyan, Lightsworn Rogue. That made four. Judgment Dragon was ready.
The barrier shone even brighter, and the Tri-Horned Dragon was forced back, landing painfully in front of its master. Taiyou's face turned scarlet, his body twitching in anger. Logan couldn't resist the urge to taunt him.
"I'm sorry, it was a good move. But as you can see, I was more than prepared," he said, flashing the Obelisk a false smile.
"Oh, and you think I'm not. Everyone knows your strategy thank to your duel with that Ra! You rely too much on your boss dragon."
"What of it?" Logan asked, his patience thinning at the mention of the only person he'd duelled at the academy he'd been unable to truly defeat.
"So, without your dragon, your nothing! I activate Prohibition!" he slammed the card into his disk, cackling as it took effect. "I declare the name of a card, and then, as long as this card is on the field, you can't use that card at all. And I'm declaring your precious Judgment Dragon!"
For the first time since the duel started, Logan looked down in surprise as the ace in his hand darkened, becoming unusable. "Oh, so it's going to be like that, is it?" Logan asked, his voice coming out as a low growl.
There was another round of gasps. On the other field, Chazz had just destroyed one of Jaden's monsters using his VWXYZ – Dragon Catapult Cannon. It seemed that all eyes were still on Jaden. No matter what Logan did, he couldn't escape the hero duelist's shadow.
"Hey, we got a duel over here!" Taiyou called out, snatching back Logan's attention. "I activate Dragon's Gunfire! You may have escaped my monster, but you've got nothing to stop this from hitting you with 800 points of damage." From the card emerged a large fireball. It flew across the field, striking Logan head-on, engulfing him in an explosion. (Logan: 3200 LP)
"Ha! Take that!" Taiyou laughed. "You're not all that tough."
"Oh, I'm sorry, was that your big move?"
"Huh?" Taiyou watched as the flames dispersed to see Logan standing in the centre completely unfazed.
"All that for not even a quarter of my points. I'm disappointed. Some of your fellow Obelisks had done a lot more to me at this point," he said with a dispassionate smirk.
Taiyou grimaced before taking the final card in his hand. "I'll set a card and then end my turn. It's your move, Slifer Slacker. Let's see what you can do without your dragon."
"If you think I rely solely on my dragon, you're dead wrong," Logan said as he drew his next card. "I just prefer to use him because he provides the fastest route to victory. Don't think for one moment you can outrun the inevitable. Dread it. Run from it. Your judgement will arrive all the same." He may have paraphrased a quote from a great movie, but this guy would never know. Plus, it sounded awesome so who cares. "You were wrong to fear my dragon. He would have made this quick. I sacrifice Jain to summon Celestia, Lightsworn Angel (2300/200)!" As Jain disappeared, the heavens above them opened up, allowing a ray of sunlight to cover their field.
For the first time, the crowd's attention was brought to Logan's duel as a literal angel descended from the heavens. She wore a long white silk robe under white and gold armour. Her long blue hair tied up into a ponytail that came down to her hips. Being an angel, she was exceedingly beautiful with a gentle expression. In her hand was a long spear with a circular attachment under the tip that looked like a dream catcher.
Taiyou was at first caught up in the monster's appearance before shaking his head. "She may look impressive but she's still weaker than my dragon!" he cried.
However, Logan shook his head. "She doesn't have to be. Since she was summoned by tributing a Lightsworn, she can now destroy two cards on your field! And all it costs me is four cards." As he sent the cards to the grave from the top of his deck, Celestia rose into the sky, her spear now floating in front of her. She began to chant in a language that was probably long lost before her ponytail came undone, allowing her hair to flow freely. Suddenly, from the spear, two beams of light shot down, destroying both Taiyou's dragon and his face down, which was Justi-Break.
"My cards!" Taiyou panicked. "Wait, why didn't you destroy Prohibition? Don't you want your dragon?"
"I won't need it for this," Logan said with a smirk as the graveyard slot began to glow. "Now, since a copy of Lightsworn Sabre was sent to the grave by an effect, it comes straight to the field and equips to Celestia!" The glowing rapier burst from the ground, coming to rest in front of the angel. Discarding her spear, the angel took up the weapon. (2300-3000 ATK) The other cards that had gone to the grave were Lyla, Lumina and a spell that didn't matter. There were now seven Lightsworns in his graveyard. That would be more than enough.
"Oh, but because you have been so rude to me, I'll think I'll play a second copy from my hand!" This time, the sabre fell from the heavens, landing in Celestia's free hand. She crossed the two blades in front of her before holding them down at her sides, ready to fight. (3000-3700 ATK)
"3700 attack points!" Taiyou panicked, clutching his head.
"Aw, and you were so sure of yourself. I suppose you were right though, I didn't beat you like the others. Your fellow Obelisks were a lot stronger than you. Let's hope you didn't make any promises you couldn't keep." Logan said, tilting his head to the side with his eyes closed and grin wide. "Now, attack him directly!"
With a nod, Celestia charged forward, using both of her blades to slice into Taiyou. The Obelisk let out a cry before falling to his knees (Taiyou: 200LP). "I… I'm still in this," he declared, sounding a little like an anime protagonist. Oh, how he was about to get a reality check.
"I think we both know that isn't true. You wasted all your cards on the first move and have no cards in your hand. It doesn't matter what you draw. This is over. Judgment has come." That felt so cool! Definitely not cringey. "We could go to the hassle of giving you your next turn, but I'd rather end this now. I activate my final face down, Glorious Illusion! With it, I can revive a Lightsworn from the grave. Now any of them could finish you, but as I said, you've been rather rude. I choose Gragonith, Lightsworn Dragon (2000/1600)!"
From a glowing portal emerged a large white dragon with a golden mane and tail and large, angel-like wings. On its head was a glowing horn like a unicorn's. While it projected a heavenly appearance, the look on Taiyou's face was filled with dread.
"Now this dragon is more than powerful enough to finish this, but for every Lightsworn with a different name in the grave, he gains 300 attack and defence points," Logan explained, relishing the dismal expression on his opponent's face. "There are six other Lightsworns in my grave, giving him a boost of 1800!" The horn on his dragon's head glowed brighter as power coalesced within it. (2000-3800 ATK)
"No! Not like this!" Taiyou called out fruitlessly.
"It's done. Attack," Logan said calmly, showing no emotion. His dragon reared back its head and unleashed a stream of holy lighting, striking Taiyou and knocking him back. Not that anyone saw this. Because at the moment Gragonith attacked there was a blinding light from the other field and a large, feathered wing appeared over Logan's test field, obscuring the finishing move from view. (Taiyou: 0LP. Logan Wins)
Angrily, Logan turned to see the Winged Kuriboh lv10 tanking the attack from Chazz's Catapult Cannon. The light grew brighter before both monsters were wiped out. He looked to the audience; all eyes were on Jaden's duel. No one had seen him finish his Obelisk first.
As the official for his duel read off the results, Logan glared at his fellow Slifer. He was determined to take the spotlight. Some way, somehow. Up in the crowd, he caught sight of the dirty blonde hair of Alexis Rhodes, sitting on her own in the stands, watching the duels with intrigue.
By now, if things had gone his way, Logan would have already interacted with her. He should have defeated Zane, taken on Jaden and earned her interest. And yet at every point, he'd been upstaged. Well, no more.
The next canon event was the abandoned dorm, and he already knew how to stop Jaden from being where he needed to be.
As Dimitri drew his card, we were both momentarily blinded by the light from Winged Kuriboh as it destroyed Chazz's Catapult Cannon. I took solace in knowing Jaden would win his duel without interference and the canon was preserved. Now I just had to deal with this, refuse a promotion and go home for some much-needed sleep.
"Wow, that was impressive," Dimitri said, again momentarily breaking character. "But I know how to upstage that. I sacrifice my Lancer Lindwurm to summon my Summoned Skull (2500/1200)!" I gawked lightning rained down and the familiar fiend took the field, purple bolts crackling down its claws.
Seriously, where had Dimitri gotten all these cards so quickly? It had taken me all my reincarnated life to gather my deck and I was still making improvements. It irked me that he'd been able to gather them in what was probably under a week. If he didn't have them already.
"With your swords in play, I can't attack so I'll end my turn." As he said that, some of the glowing swords on his field dispersed.
Wordlessly, I drew my next card. It was Raigeki Break. It would definitely be useful later but it wouldn't get me the win. For now, though, I needed to take care of his Mirage Dragon.
"I'll set a card and then tribute my own Dragonute to summon Luster Dragon #2 (2400/1400)." The green, gem-adorned dragon appeared on my field, towering over me.
"That wasn't wise, now my blader gains more attack points," Dimitri pointed out as the gems on his buster's sword glowed brighter. (4100-4600 ATK)
I didn't justify the statement with a response. "Luster Dragon, attack his Mirage Dragon!" I declared, thrusting my hand forward. Letting out a roar, my beast flew forward, past the swords and slammed its tail on top of the yellow bodied dragon, crushing it. (Dimitri: 3700LP)
"Good move," Dimitri said, good-naturedly. Interestingly, he didn't seem too worried he'd lost his trap protection.
"Thanks," I replied stiffly. "I'll end there with a face down."
"My move then. Damn, I really don't want to stand out, but I guess I have no choice. It's tough to stay in the background." As he kept talking I could feel a vein in my head beginning to throb.
"I don't sound like that!" I cried out. I noticed Sartyr giving me a weird look and promptly calmed myself.
"Anyway, I activate Polymerization! I fuse the Summoned Skull on my field with the King of the Swamp in my hand to summon Black Skull Dragon (3200/2500)!"
His skull disappeared into a swirling portal alongside the blue swamp monster and from it emerged the black, skeletal dragon, steam rising from its fanged maw.
Dimitri waited for me to say something, but I remained silent. "Aren't your surprised?" he asked after a couple of seconds.
"At this point, not really. Just a bit depressed." Seriously, where had he gotten these cards so quickly?
"Oh, well I end my turn." Again, more of the swords disappeared, leaving only a three.
"Draw! I'll set a monster, change Luster Dragon to defence and play one more card face down. I end my turn." This was moving along faster now. It seemed there wasn't a lot either of us could do. But after the next turn, sparks were going to fly.
Dimitri took his move and looked at his new card with a grin. He still had a facedown he'd set a while ago. He'd set it before activating A Hero Emerges so it was possible it was a spell. He also didn't seem too worried that I had three face downs, especially now he didn't have Masked Dragon's protection. "I'll pass this go and hand it back to you," Dimitri said, breaking me from my thoughts. Finally, the last of the glowing swords vanished and Dimitri's monsters relaxed. It was now open season.
I took a breath before I drew my card and surprise, surprise it was my own Buster Blader. Could have used him a few turns ago. Never mind. What's done is done. I didn't need him now. "I pass."
Dimitri's brow quirked but shrugged. There was a smile on his face. He knew he had the chance to win this. He drew his card. "I activate United We Stand! I equip it to my dragon," he declared. A golden aura surrounded the black dragon as its points soared by 1600. (3200-4800 ATK)
"And finally, I activate Monster Reborn! Revive, Mirage Dragon!" From the depths, his yellow dragon rose, its gaze focused on me.
"Not so fast, I activate a trap!" I cried. "Bottomless Trap Hole!"
"No!" Dimitri cried.
"Since you summoned a monster with over 1500 attack points, it's destroyed and removed from play!" His dragon plummeted back into a newly formed hole in the ground, disappearing permanently.
For a moment, Dimitri seemed indecisive. He had lost his trap protection. He seemed to weigh up the options, probably wondering what I would do. Finally, he shook his head. "I attack with Buster Blader!" His warrior rushed forward, aiming for my Luster Dragon.
"You activated my trap! Go, Mirror Force!" It wasn't the most skilful card, but it got the job done. As Dimitri cried out his disbelief, his Blader connected with a translucent barrier surrounding my monsters. There was the unmistakable sound of shattering glass before shards of the barrier flew onto Dimitri's field, destroying all his monsters and leaving his field bare.
My friend looked around at his field before taking the last card in his hand. "I set a monster and end my turn," he said a little dejectedly. He knew what was coming.
Regretfully, I drew my final card. "I'm sorry Dimitri," I said honestly. "I activate my final face down, Raigeki Break. I discard a card and destroy a card on your field." Lighting rained down from above, striking his set monster, revealing it to be Marshmallon. The little guy was fried and destroyed.
"I switch both my monsters to attack mode and then attack." My Luster Dragon stood up whilst my set monster was revealed to be Divine Dragon Ragnarok (1500/1000). It was a long, ethereal dragon with no wings. Together, my two beasts let loose a blast of plasma, striking Dimitri directly without any fanfare. (Dimitri: 0LP. Ren Wins)
As the holograms faded, my heart sank as Dimitri fell to his knees. "No… Why can't I ever win…?" he said, punching at the floor in frustration. I grit my teeth hearing those words. I knew the answer. It was because this world put stock in believing in your own cards. If you had faith, your deck would respond. It was cruel, especially since if this were my world, Dimitri may have excelled.
I walked over to him and offered him my hand. "That was a good duel. You surprised me when you used my cards. I wasn't expecting it."
He looked at my outstretched hand for a minute but didn't take it. Instead, he stood up on his own. "I thought you didn't want to win?" he said, his voice sharp. "You've been complaining about how you didn't want the promotion."
I didn't have anything to say to that. I couldn't well tell him it was his destiny to lose for a little while longer. "I changed my mind…" It was all I could say.
That answer didn't satisfy Dimitri. Gritting his teeth, he pushed past me and made his way back to the stands. I watched him go but made no attempt to follow. I told myself he was just angry. That he would come around. That I'd done the right thing in preserving the canon. And yet, why did it feel like I'd just lost a battle?
Before I could collect my thoughts, someone walked over to me and held my hand up high. I was expecting it to be Sartyr, coming to congratulate me on the win. Much to my horror, it was Crowler!
"Congratulations to Ren Cambell for passing his promotion exam!" he announced into a microphone, his voice booming around the arena. He had a devious smirk on his face despite his plan failing with Jaden. He was scheming something. "From this point on, he will be an Obelisk Blue student and wear its colours proudly."
"Um… wait, Doctor Crowler," I tried to interrupt. "I don't want the promotion."
He looked at me warily before shaking his head. Putting the microphone aside, he whispered, "Of course, you do. The position comes with a lot of perks. And, I'll have you know I'm looking for some fresh talent. Some special cases I put my chips into have fallen short recently. I think you would make an excellent replacement. Be proud my boy, big things are happening for you."
'He's trying to turn me into his next toady!' I internally cried. 'I will not be used in his plans against Jaden. I've got to stop this, or I'll never escape!'
"Doctor Crowler, please listen -" I tried to say voice my displeasure, but Crowler was already back on the mic.
"Everybody let's hear it for our newest Obelisk! Give him a hand! His dreams of success are coming true."
One by one, the students in the stands rose and began to applaud. Within moments, the entire arena was applauding me on my 'success'. All the while, I was having a panic attack.
'This is my worst nightmare! I don't want to be in Obelisk! Please! I don't want to stand out! I'm a background character dammit!'
Hey everyone! Once again, I just want to say thank you to everyone who has favourited, followed and reviews the story! I was honestly not expecting so many people so quickly! This story wouldn't be what it is without all of you.
So on to a few replies:
To PeterKim: Sorry I forgot to mention you in the last chapter. I have read all your reviews and have thought about them when it comes to the story. Obviously, I also have my own preferences and some things from an overarching story point of view need to be in place. Either way, thank you very much for all your reviews! I hope you are enjoying the story.
To the guest who asked if I would be including other characters who come from our earth, At the moment I'm not planning on it but we will see how the story evolves.
To Middernacht: Red Eyes is mainly in the deck as a personal preference of mine. I love the card and I really wanted to use it in a way that wasn't connected to Alexis, as that is done a lot in other fanfics. Also, I have no plans on using my own cards. I'm planning on sticking to real cards in the TCG, give or take a few that will have their anime effects in order to keep the plot rolling.
Also a massive shout out to all of you who have reviewed and left your thoughts. I try to reply to all of you but please forgive me if I miss a few. Please know that you are all appreciated!
That said, I'm finally getting to a point where I can start skipping to the juicier bits in the GX story, but first, we have the abandoned dorm to get to.
Once again, please don't forget to Fav, Follow and Reveiw! I always love to hear your thoughts! Until next time!