Staying in the Background
Clash of Ideals – The Talk
The two of us sat staring at the other. We were finally alone. There was no one else to hear our dirty secrets. The nurse, whoever they were, wasn't here and the only other person in the room was unconscious. We were sizing the other up, both trying to work out the other's ambitions. I could hear my heartbeat against my chest. I had known this was unavoidable but I hadn't expected it to be so soon.
"You want to talk? Why didn't we do this from the start?" Logan asked, shuffling forward on his own bed. "You've clearly known who I was from the start. Why didn't you say anything?"
"Truthfully, I didn't trust you," I stated with a shrug. "You haven't exactly been very subtle in your desire to include yourself in the canon. It was worrying."
"And doing that was wrong?" His tone was icy.
"Not at all. I guess it's natural to want to be a part of a series like this. High school setting, easy to progress, and everyone is impressed if you happen to know how to chain two card effects together. It's the ideal environment for anyone who wants to live out a power fantasy. But you made it clear that you don't just want to integrate with the plot. You want to take over." He gritted his teeth as he listened to me rattle off my reasons. "In all honesty, I wouldn't be so bothered if it weren't for the fact you were trying to replace Jaden."
"I'm not trying to replace him," Logan growled.
"Please, you tried to get him expelled that night at the girls' dorm."
His eyes narrowed. He opened his mouth to counter and then closed it, unable to rebuke it. And then his brows furrowed in confusion. "Hang on, how do you…? Wait, it was you that night!" It seemed he'd had no idea I was the one who stopped him from taking the incriminating picture on the edge of the lake all those weeks ago. "And in the locker room… you weren't feeling sick at all. You were just there to intercept me from taking Crowler's letter!"
"You were trying to mess with the plot," I stated. "You cannot just replace Jaden. He is literally the most important person on this island. We both know who he will go on to become. It is his power that will save the world."
"Don't treat me like an idiot," Logan snapped, his face tinting red.
"After the stunt you pulled, no. I am finally going to speak my mind," I rebuked, my voice rising ever so slightly. "You went half-cocked into a canon event after trying to remove Jaden from the entire situation and ended up getting yourself and Alexis kidnapped with no help. You could have been killed."
"That wouldn't have happened if-"
"If what?" I interrupted. "If the scenario was different? News flash, you set it up. If Titan hadn't caught you? He was expecting more people to show up. Didn't you think he'd want hostages? Seriously, what was your end goal here?"
"I-It doesn't matter," Logan said, looking away from me.
"I'm going to take a guess," I pressed. "Was it to try and impress Alexis? Classic save the damsel from the villain, earn her affection ploy? Start the harem protagonist process? You do know polygamy is illegal in Japan, right?" His silence told me everything. Closing my eyes, I let out a small sigh. "Look, I don't mean to be a dick. It's just that I can't understand. Why have you gone out of your way to do all this? It doesn't make sense. If you were looking to help the main characters, you could have easily done so while remaining on the sidelines."
He stayed quiet for a moment before turning back to me. "I want to be the hero," he said simply. "Don't you realise how much good we can do in this universe? We can solve every issue before it becomes one. With our foreknowledge, we can make things better. Save people." His motives sounded noble but was he just telling me what he thought I wanted to hear? I got that he wanted to be a hero, but the actions he had taken thus far did not match with the vision he was trying to sell me. "Don't you think we should be helping people?" he asked, pressing me to agree.
"Look, it's not that I don't want to help them. It's that I don't think we should." I tried saying it carefully, but the look he gave me would make you think I'd smacked him. "Just listen for a minute. You are right that we know what is going to come. We also know that the people who exist here will be able to deal with any threat and come out at the end stronger for it. They don't need us."
"But they get hurt in the process," Logan tried to reason.
I shook my head, not meeting his eye. "Pain comes with growing up. If we were to stop them from having those experiences, they will never become the people they are supposed to be."
"You really think that?" he asked in disbelief. "That's cruel. We can make real changes here. Why aren't you more excited about that?"
"Excited?" I cried, finally raising my voice and startling the Lightsworn user. "You need to understand that we now live in a world where demons, monsters, magic, sentient alien light and eldritch fucking deities are real. An absolute fact that cannot be disputed. They lurk around every corner. One wrong move and we lose so much more than our lives. So no, it does not excite me. I am terrified! There is a reason I want to stay in the background."
"Stay in the background? You're a hypocrite!" Logan shouted back. "If you really wanted to stay away from the plot then why even come here? Why come to the place that is the epicentre of all that you are afraid to fight?"
His question made me pause. Why had I come here? Early on I thought it would be cool to come and meet the characters, but over the years I had been very back and forth on the idea. Some days I was completely opposed to the notion, looking at other duel schools only to completely switch my thinking and convince myself I could avoid all the hassle. What a great job I had done so far. The truth is, in the end, I just felt drawn here, like it was the place I had to be. I'd settled on it without really thinking about it. In fact, why couldn't I remember signing up...?
"Well?" Logan interrupted my train of thought.
"It was for the opportunities." Yes, that had to be it. "Duel Academy offers far more chances to accel in this world as a duellist than any other school. I just thought I'd be better at avoiding the others."
"Bullshit," Logan growled. "If you really wanted to do what you say, you should have gone somewhere else, and left this place be. In fact, why don't you leave now? Nothing's stopping you. Transfer somewhere else."
My anger once again began to flare. "And leave you to your own devices? After what you pulled? Hell no. Get this through your head. You fucked up. If we hadn't found you when we did, who knows what Titan would have done to you and Alexis."
"I would have figured something out!"
"Sure, you would. And I'm Seto Kaiba. Let's focus on the facts here. You were in over your head. If it weren't for the fact Alexis got dragged in with us, we'd both be stuck in the Shadow Realm right now. Or worse, in the thrall of Nightshroud! Don't tell me you would have thought of something when it's clear to anyone you messed up!"
"I messed up? What about you?! What's with your deck? During that duel, I saved your sorry ass so many times that it made my head spin!"
"My deck? You literally went for one of the most overpowered archetypes of this time period! And, the archetype is based on light! You know, the evil entity responsible for at least two years of horror! Even if one of them was indirect. Oh, and as if you weren't egotistical enough, the Lightsworns are supposed to be saviours. Is that what you view yourself as? You don't even have to do anything!"
"At least I haven't based my deck on Yugi's!"
"I use some of the cards he does because they are useful. That doesn't mean I based it on his!"
"You're acting like a child!"
"You are too! We're teenagers again! Our hormones are out of control! Of course, we'll act childishly!"
We glared daggers at each other, both of us willing the other to make a point so we could rebuke it. Logan was right, it was childish, but the stakes were high, and it seemed we were as stubborn as each other. Put two hard-headed people alone in a room and they were bound to clash.
My eyes briefly grazed the closed curtain to my right. I could see the unmoving shadow of the mystery girl. I was surprised that all our shouting hadn't woken them up. In fairness, it seemed that all we had done so far was shout at each other. What would a Yu-Gi-Oh protagonist do in this situation? Probably challenge him to a duel and hope that they get their message across through their cards.
That was stupid.
Silence descended between us. He couldn't rebuke me because he knew I was right. Then, surprisingly, Logan began to chuckle.
"What's so funny?" I asked, quirking my brow.
"Sorry. It's just that, I was thinking, if we'd been reincarnated into a Disney universe, we'd be singing this argument."
I stared dumbly at him for a few moments before the image he presented entered my head. I could see us both wearing stupidly colourful outfits and walking over a scenic backdrop as we sang out our feelings. It was just so random. And then I started laughing too.
"Yeah, could you imagine what that would be like? It'd be horrifying. I'd take shadow games over that any day."
"Same."
We both shared a laugh before another, slightly more comfortable silence descended. Maybe it was better to be diplomatic. Try and understand where he was coming from.
"Look," I started, "for argument's sake, if you had free reign, what would you do?"
Logan eyed me warily before answering. "I'd target the points in the story that mark a change in the dynamic. The first year is the most solid. Not much needs changing. As such, I'm working on integrating myself into the main cast. That way, it provides the best opportunity for me to get to where I need to be. With the Shadow Riders, Nightshroud, Camula, Titan and Amneal are the real danger. Tania is strong but at least she won't hurt anyone. The Dark Scorpions and Abidos, well, they're jokes. Kagemaru is the biggest threat. I've got a few ideas how to handle him. The real issues will be in the second and third year."
"I agree," I said with a nod.
"Dealing with the Society of Light will be tricky. I think the most effective way will be cutting off Sartorius's resources, his followers. Duel Chazz after he's been converted and break the mind control early. The society won't spread amongst the students. Alexis and Bastion will be safe, and Sartorius will be without his foot soldiers. He'll have to come to the island directly to get what he wants and then it's just a matter of dealing with him. As for Yubel, a similar strategy. Stop her resurrection before it starts. I'm hoping we can contact someone higher up on the academy food chain and tell them what Viper is doing with his Bio-Bands. They investigate, maybe Kaiba gets involved. Viper wouldn't stand a chance and Yubel won't get the energy she needs to restore her body."
"And Nightshroud?" I asked. He paused, looking momentarily confused.
"Admittedly, I've struggled with that one," he finally said, quietly.
A tired sigh escaped me as I rubbed my eyes. "Well, you've certainly thought most of that through. But do you really think it'll all work?"
"What do you mean?" Logan asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Don't get me wrong, your idea about stopping Chazz before he starts converting the school could work. However, Sartorius has the power of divination. Our presence in this timeline already rewrites the script of history. He may see what you plan to do and act accordingly. Furthermore, what happens if he comes after you? Sartorius has the power to control fate in duels. The only reason Jaden was able to beat him was due to his own innate powers that defy destiny. In a game against Sartorius, you could very easily lose. And then the Light of Destruction will have a servant who will be more than willing to reveal all the details of the future so that it can counter it. As for Viper, you could tell anyone what he does, but they won't believe you until there is evidence. And by the time you have that proof, Viper will go on the run, crank up the Bio-Bands and Yubel will still be revived before anyone can do a thing."
"But…" Logan began, visibly deflating.
"You're right that this first year provides the best opportunity to integrate yourself. But that's just because most of it is filler. I remember the big events of the series because that's what they were, big. They were exciting and they stick with a viewer. But I couldn't for the life of me tell you about the smaller occurrences. Especially in the later seasons. I bet you're the same." He looked away so I took that as confirmation. "The Society of Light and Yubel aren't dangers you can face on your own. Jaden, Aster, Jesse, Zane and the others will all be necessary. Seriously, if you watched the series, you must know all this. Why did you try and get rid of Jaden in the first place? You must have known you were risking the world."
"Admittedly, it wasn't my best idea," Logan said quietly. "For some reason, I feel so on edge around him."
"And that justifies trying to replace him?" I asked, shaking my head. "As I said before, he is the main protagonist. The only one who can fight the magical threats the island faces because he has his own magical qualities."
"Okay, I get it. Trust me, I won't be doing it again," he groaned. His posture shifted and he seemed uncomfortable. "Hey… before… in the duel. You said that Diablos had been out for years."
"Yeah. I think it came out in a structure deck in… I want to say 2017."
"2018," Logan corrected. "I know this may be a sensitive topic, but when did you… you know?"
"Die? Wow, way to make this even more uncomfortable."
"I don't want to know how. I know… I know it can be… anyway, I want to know when."
"Okay… well it was November in 2021." You never forget your first death. And just a month from No Way Home too. Gonna have to wait another seventeen years for that now. Why does all the good stuff have to be in the future? "Why do you want to know?"
"Well, it's just that I'm from 2018."
"What? I just assumed we were from the same time period. So, when did you reincarnate here?"
"I regained my memories in 1994," Logan said.
"At Christmas?"
"Yeah."
"Like me then." I looked down thoughtfully. So, we had died in different years but had reincarnated at the same time. What had brought us here? The Gentle Darkness? The Light of Destruction? Some other extra-terrestrial force? Every time I learned something new, it just gave me more questions.
"Hey," Logan said, breaking my train of thought. "What were they like, those three years? Did much happen?"
"Uhh…"
A major fire has engulfed the medieval cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.
A new global pandemic has overtaken the world.
People flood supermarkets in toilet paper shortage scare.
UK announces Lockdown.
Second Lockdown Announced.
Third Lockdown announced.
"Yeah… it was fine. It was all good. You… uh… you didn't miss much," I said way too quickly, my voice a little shrill.
"That's good. Uh, why do you look horrified?"
"No reason," I squeaked. I shook my head, banishing the thoughts. "There is something else you should know."
"What's that?"
"That girl," I said, gesturing over to the closed curtain. "It's possible she may be like us."
His eyes went wide as he looked over to the bed. He looked between me and it. "What makes you think that?" he asked.
"I found this." I reached towards where my pocket would be and stopped, the only thing on my chest were bandages. "Where are my clothes?"
"Gone. Remember, it had a massive hole in it. Your stuff is over there.
He nodded to a chair to my left where my cards, duel disk and whatever else that had been in my pockets were resting. With some effort, I leant over and plucked the slightly burned, folded up picture. I was surprised no one had taken it or looked at it. "Look at this," I said, scooting closer and passing the image.
Logan took it and gently unfolded it. As soon as he saw the image, his eyes bulged. I was initially worried he wouldn't recognise the girl since she had been wearing that mask during the duel, but it seemed they were unfounded. "Where did you get this?" he asked after a moment of silence.
"It was in the abandoned dorm. I don't know if you remember, but there was originally supposed to be a picture of Atticus on his own. That was in its place. What do you think?"
He looked once more between the closed curtain and the picture before handing it back to me. "I mean… it's possible. If two of us are here, it's not too far a stretch to say there are others."
"Those were my thoughts as well," I said, nodding my head.
"Hang on," he interrupted. "Remember, we've been here for ten years. Who's to say that something we've done hasn't influenced other people in ways we couldn't see? Yes, this wasn't supposed to happen, but maybe as a result of something we've done, she came into contact with Atticus here at the academy, leading her to be taken by Nightshroud."
"How could anything we've done have caused this?" I asked calmly. I was genuinely curious about his thoughts. It's not like I could talk about this with anyone else.
He shrugged. "Well, there is the butterfly effect. The idea that even the smallest actions of can cause ripples that massively distort the future from what someone knows." As he spoke, my mind drifted to Alexis and Dimitri. My actions had already distorted their past somewhat. According to Alexis, Atticus had been at that junior tournament too. Maybe he had met this girl there? Had that caused the change? The two could have hit it off, stayed friends and ended up entering the academy together. But then, why wouldn't Alexis recognise her?
"There are too many things we don't know…" I said, more to myself than Logan.
"Hey, why don't we work together?"
"Huh?" I was startled by the sudden proposition. Considering the mutual dislike we had shared thus far, Logan was the last person I had expected to offer an alliance.
"You're right, there are too many things we don't know. But think about it, if we work together, we can overcome anything that is thrown at us. We can create a better future." He offered out his hand, a smile on his face. "Join me. We can work out the best possible effect our actions can have and become heroes together."
The offer was tempting. And for that matter, it would be nice to have someone I could talk to about all the worries I'd had over the last ten years. But…
"I'm sorry, but I can't," I said, turning away.
Logan once again looked like I'd struck him. He seemed hurt I'd refused him. "Why?"
"Look, maybe we could fix some things, but we have no idea what doing that could lead to. Just because something seems good in the short term, it doesn't mean it will lead to an overall positive result. For now, things seem to be back on track. I know with near certainty that if we do nothing, the world will be saved, and everyone will be able to go on with their lives. But if we interfere and fail, then that could spell disaster. It's not that I don't want to be involved. It's that I'm making the choice not to be so that more people can be safe."
"Nothing is certain!" Logan suddenly cried, gesturing over to the curtain. "Look at her! We have established that she is an aberration, reincarnate or not. Her existence here has already changed things. Our interactions have changed things! Don't think I haven't noticed you getting chummy with the main cast despite your claims to want nothing to do with them. You seem particularly close to Alexis and Bastion."
"Chummy, harassment, same thing. Okay, yes, I'm friends with Bastion but I'm pretty sure Alexis hates me."
"Oh, and why is that?"
"Well… uh… She may have had an informal interaction with me years ago that I didn't know about."
He smiled. "See, everything we do causes waves. This is our reality now. You can't go around using the canon as your safety blanket forever. I've decided I'm going to keep trying and live my best life so that at graduation, I can at least say I did everything I wanted to. Tell me, what is it you want out of this? What will you have in three years?"
I opened my mouth to answer, but couldn't find the words. It was like my mind had gone blank. Logan sighed and shook his head.
"If you don't know, then you had better work it out. You are not going to be able to remain on the sidelines forever. When the Society of Light comes to the island, are you just going to stand by and watch as your friends are taken into a cult, losing their sense of self? If the academy ends up in that alternate reality, and duel ghouls stalk the corridors, how will you look away then? You may as well just give up on that idea because it will never last."
His argument left me speechless. Once again, we were looking at the other. However, before I could respond, Nurse Fontaine finally returned from whatever she had been doing. Nurse Fontaine was extremely pretty. She wore a variation of the standard Obelisk Blue girls' uniform, consisting of a white jacket with blue trim, a pink skirt, and heeled boots. Her red hair had one bunch that stuck out over the right side of her head. When she saw me, her eyes widened with surprise.
"Oh, Mr Cambell, you're awake. I'm sorry I wasn't here but I just had to step out to take an important phone call. How are you feeling?"
I cast a quick look to Logan, who had already turned away, leaning back into his bed. "A bit sore, miss. But at least I'm alive."
"And we are all very glad for it," she said cheerfully. "You will, unfortunately, need to remain here for another few days to ensure your injuries fully heal, but you should be ship-shape in no time." Her features turned solemn. "Just to let you know, there will be an inquiry that you will have to face in light of your actions. It is understood that there were extenuating circumstances, but rules are rules."
So, it seemed I was to face punishment for my actions. Fair enough, I had expected as much. Maybe Crowler would put in a good word for me since I was in his house. "Thank you for letting me know," I said sincerely.
She nodded before turning to Logan. "Mr Evans, you'll be happy to know you have been cleared to leave in the morning. It seems the worst of your injuries have already healed. You will be free to resume classes on Monday."
"Thank you. I couldn't have been in better hands," he said, flashing the teacher a charming smile. Ugh… really dude? And right in front of me?
Ms Fontaine smiled but said nothing in return. I noticed that she didn't say anything to Logan about facing punishment. Why was that? Either way, Logan and I couldn't talk any more now that Ms Fontaine was back. She had sat down at her desk and began reading.
Logan and I shared a look before the Lightsworn user leaned back into his bed and again turned his head away from me, closing his eyes. I leaned back as well, struggling to find a comfortable position that didn't make my body ache. When I finally did, I turned once more to the curtain. I had so many new questions in my mind, but maybe I could get at least one answer.
"Ms Fontaine," I called out, making the woman turn to me. "The girl that was found-"
"I'm sorry Mr Cambell, I can't say much about her. Headmaster's orders."
"I see. I was just wondering if you knew her name?" If she had been a student, it stood to reason that Ms Fontaine knew her. She had been here when Atticus and Zane originally enrolled after all.
She seemed to think it over briefly before a small smile graced her lips. "That shouldn't be a problem. Her name is Eve. Eve Pechman."
Logan was released in the morning. We didn't say a word to each other as Nurse Fontaine went about her business discharging him. Before we walked out, he gave me one last look before shaking his head. Then he was gone. He probably considered me an enemy now, at least more than he did before anyway.
His words from the previous night still had me reeling. He was right, I would never be able to stay on the sidelines forever. Even if I avoided the plot, I'd eventually be dragged into it anyway when I had to fight to keep my sense of self. I was in Obelisk Blue now. Chazz would come for all the blues to convert them to the society eventually and I can't allow myself to be taken into the Light's collective. It was just another battle on the horizon. Another war.
Was it really impossible to have the normal life I wanted? It seemed that ever since I'd arrived here, I've been mixed up in one ordeal or another. Maybe I should never have come to the academy. Logan's question played through my mind.
"What do I want here?" I mumbled, staring up at the ceiling like it would give me the answer.
"Coward!"
The moment Logan has left the main academy building, he had made his way back to the Slifer Dorm. His roommates were out, so he had the opportunity to let out his feelings. His body shook with anger. He couldn't believe the idiocracy of his fellow reincarnate. He'd been hopeful after discovering Ren's origins that the two of them could work together, but now it was clear they weren't going to agree on anything. Now he had another obstacle in his way, one who was desperate to preserve the plot.
BAM!
He slammed his fist on the one desk in the room, his teeth bared. "Doing nothing is the safest option? Bullshit! Things have already changed! We need to be active! He's just scared! Why can't he see what we could do?" Logan had so many plans, ways in which he could make the characters' lives in this universe better. He knew that if given the chance, he could accomplish what he never could in his former life. He could make a difference. However, some of Ren's words had stuck with him. The teen had had a point, without interference, the series would proceed as normal and the world would be saved.
Logan wasn't needed.
'Just like before,' he thought.
"No! I was brought here for a reason! There must be something I'm meant to do!"
"That is well said, Saviour."
Logan's heart skipped a beat as he heard the smooth and mysterious feminine voice. His head shot around only to be blinded by golden light. Eclipsed in the centre was the figure of a woman in a long dress with two long tassels descending down her back.
"He was right to put his trust in you," the woman said, her every move graceful. "For you will be the one to beckon this world into a new era of peace."
Logan looked upon the woman with utter shock before his lips twisted into a smile.
"I knew it."
Hey everyone, I'm back with a smaller chapter this time but one that is no less important. I hope you guys enjoyed it!
While we didn't have a normal duel in terms of using cards, we had a duel of wills. One that I will leave up to you all to decide who won. Both Ren and Logan have been somewhat rattled by the other, but have left with a slightly better understanding of the other, even if they don't agree with the other.
Now, this is just the start of the new arc, expect a lot more action in future. However, I do have to say that with Christmas coming up, I'm going to take a break for a couple of weeks so I can spend time with family. I'll be back before you know it though.
On to messages:
To the guest wondering who Ren's father exactly is: He is a low-level employee of Industrial Illusions who is one of the people who gives the okay on what cards will be created. The cards he gave to Ren at the beginning of the story were cards he himself was given for doing a favour for a co-worker, which may or may not be elaborated on in a future chapter.
To Peter Kim: Thanks for the fanfic suggestion. I'll give it a look :) As for First of the Dragons, I admit, I love that card so it will possibly be making appearances later in the series. I use it myself in one of my real decks. And don't worry about Ren's deck, he will be getting an upgrade soon. As for Alexis, I can confirm she wasn't jealous in this situation. She just didn't trust him with an unconscious girl. Thank you again for your reviews!
To JustaRandomGuy: Thank you very much for your review! I'm really glad you are enjoying the characters and how they interact with each other. I try my best to make it seem natural and I'm glad it's working. Thank you as well for your pitches. I can confirm a few things but can't give too much away. Ren's relationships with the characters are going to evolve a bit in the following chapters, so expect a few more interactions with Alexis and Chazz, particularly about recent events. As for Ren vs Chazz, I can't say too much about that, unfortunately, sorry. And finally, I have actually considered including a Demise ritual deck at some point. I can't say when but when it comes to which archetypes to include, I do try to look at all avenues. Thank you again for your support!
To Malguss123: Thank you for your review! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter! Expect a lot more interactions between Ren and Logan in future.
To A synchron fan: Thank you very much for your review! I'm really glad you are enjoying the story! I hope that this chapter matched some of your expectations for the type of conversation Ren and Logan would have. I hope I can meet your expectations in future chapters!
To the guest who was surprised by the progress of the story: Thank you for the review, I'm glad that you have enjoyed the story so far.
To West: Thank you again for your review and for taking all that time to write it. I really appreciate it. Your analysis is once again fairly spot on and I'm really happy you enjoyed all the nuances in each of the matches as well as the characterisation of Jaden and Alexis. I will say the only thing you were a little off on is that Atticus is himself. No one has reincarnated as him. I just thought that maybe he didn't use Red - Eyes before becoming Nightshroud. I like to think that the reason he views Red-Eyes as his partner in season 4 is that he views it as similar to him, trapped in the thrall of Nightshroud due to its evolved counterpart, Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon effectively being a corrupted version of it. Once again, thank you for your review and all your support! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
To Middernacht: You are very welcome :)
To the guest who referred to the poll: Thank you for your review. Don't worry about future cards being used. I'm going to be careful with them as I know that they can make or break a story if they are just used as a way to give an automatic win.
To Mr. T: Thank you for your review. Logan will be a very focal point of the story and he will go through many phases, but it will all be for the sake of his development.
To the guest who quoted Ren: It was a terrible idea on his part, but in fairness, he wasn't expecting to fight a main villain so quickly. He will see this as a learning point.
To Noone: Thank you for your review! I'm glad you're liking the current relationship between Ren and Alexis. I really wanted to do something different to other authors who make Alexis very quickly friendly to oc characters. I thought it would be an interesting dynamic. Also, Ren is definitely a main character in denial, haha.
To AGuest: They are Yugi Cards, haha.
To the guest who commented on Logan's decision to use Lightsworns: Thank you for your review. As you probably saw, I included your idea about talking about Logan's deck. Thanks for the suggestion :)
To the Guest who spoke of Logan's stigma about the characters: You are absolutely right, that is Logan's current attitude and it will be something he has to overcome.
To everyone who has reviewed who I may have missed: Thank you all for taking the time to leave your thoughts, you have no idea how much it means to me. I do try to reply to everyone but I worry about missing people. No matter what, know that it is appreciated :D
So that's all for now, I will see you all in a couple of weeks! I wish you all the best! I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays and that you all remain safe.
Until the next time!