Staying in the Background
Clash of Ideals – Aftermath
In my previous life, I had never been forced to spend an extended amount of time in a hospital bed before. All those people who spoke of the boredom and monotony, they forgot to mention the arse ache from sitting in the same place for an extended period of time. I had spent a day and a half sitting in the infirmary, and I was more than ready to try and make a runner. Unfortunately, Nurse Fontaine was keeping a close eye on me and cut off all my escape routes.
Once Logan had left, I had been told that I had slept for two days after the events of the Abandoned Dorm. I was starving the next morning and ravenously ate the piss poor food the infirmary had to offer. That was the only time I didn't complain. Mostly every meal was bland and boiled. I was told it would help my recovery and ease my stomach. I said it would be the thing that killed me.
On the bright side, at least I got plenty of visitors and I didn't have to go to class. Jaden and the other Slifer's came during the lunch break. The three were ecstatic to see that I was okay. Syrus, bless him, was almost in tears. They told me that while the teachers were aware of their actions, no punishment had been issued yet. They were probably waiting for me to give an account so that they could issue their decision once they had all the facts.
After that, we chatted animatedly about what transpired at the dorm and spoke of our experiences. Of course, regarding my duel with Nightshroud, I had to be deliberately vague about their identity and my knowledge. I was more interested in Jaden's experiences. He told me how he won using Elemental Hero Mariner to circumvent Titan's boss monster. It was a well-earned victory. Worryingly, the hero duellist seemed much less enthusiastic than normal. He hid it relatively well, but his excitable demeanour was somewhat curbed.
I wanted to ask if he was okay, but I never got the chance. The four of us ended up talking all the way until the bell. They made a promise to visit again soon. I fell asleep after that, only to be risen when someone touched my arm.
"I'm sorry to wake you, but I thought you might want to know what you missed in class today and get your homework," Bastion, my former dorm mate said. He was sitting at my bedside, a small notebook in his hands.
A smile tugged at my lips as I rolled my head to the side. "You know, a few moments ago, I was having the most wonderful dream. I was leaning back on a beach, a cold cider in my hand and was working on my tan. Now, here I am, back in a hospital bed and the first thing I hear; you have homework."
"Well, those weren't my exact words but that is the gist of it," he said with a smirk. "And we are underage, we shouldn't be drinking cider or any alcoholic beverage for another few years."
"True. Disappointingly true." Man, I missed Strongbow.
"So how are you faring?" Bastion asked, leaning back in his chair.
"Oh, I'm on the mend," I said, scooting myself up in the bed. "Honestly, the worst thing about all this has been the food."
"Yes, I'm afraid not even science can explain why food becomes terrible when served to someone in recovery." We both shared a laugh. "So, tell me, how is it that you were hurt? Jaden and the others seem to know something but are being fairly tight-lipped about it."
That was probably wise on their part. Not a lot of people will be likely to take someone's word that they were involved in a shadow game. But then again, in this world, Duel Monsters is a game that is drenched in mysticism and magic. Bastion was one day going to be a part of great battles that his belief in science would not be able to explain. Maybe it was for the best that he learns the truth now so he could prepare. If he even believed me. I just had to entice him.
"Honestly, I don't think you'll believe me. The whole thing… It hardly seems real."
"Oh really? I must admit, you have piqued my interest. You don't seem like the type of person to lie."
I smiled and told him all that happened at the abandoned dorm. On Bastion's part, he remained quiet throughout the tale, regarding me with a neutral expression. He looked sceptical at certain parts, mainly the orb of darkness that swallowed us up and sent us to the shadow realm, but he didn't rebuke me. As I finished, he leaned back in his chair and let out a heavy sigh.
"That is… quite the story," he finally said.
"It's true. Every word," I said, watching him carefully to gauge his reaction.
"While your story does have its holes, I cannot deny the injuries that you have suffered. Furthermore, the girl you mentioned is also in the bed next to you. By the law of Occam's Razor, when you eliminate all other theories, the simplest explanation is the often correct."
"Well, it's good to hear that you don't think I'm crazy," I chuckled.
"Now I didn't say that," he chuckled. "Does the faculty know?"
"I've been told they are going to be talking to me soon. I suspect they have an inkling, but I'll know more later."
"Ren, this is a serious situation. There are rules about the abandoned dorm. Since you were there… they could expel you." The seriousness of his tone was damning.
"I know," I said, looking away from him. "We'll see how it goes."
"Hey. If you need any help, I'm more than willing to lend a hand. I don't know what they will have to say to you, but if it comes down to it, I'm sure I can say a word in your defence. Professor Sartyr would defend you as well, I'm sure."
"As much as I appreciate that, you don't need to trouble yourself," I said good-naturedly. It would be bad if Bastion did anything that could jeopardise his place in the canon. However, he shook his head.
"It would be no trouble at all. We're friends, aren't we?" That made me pause. It was a cliché line, especially in a Yu-Gi-Oh universe where the bonds of friendship could literally change fate, but at that moment, it had truly shocked me. Yes, I considered Bastion my friend, but to hear him say it like that… I just wasn't expecting it.
Before I could reply, he clapped his hands on his knees and stood up. "Right, let me know what happens in regard to the dorm. I should probably head back for the day, but I will be back tomorrow to check on you and bring you tomorrows notes. Speaking of which." He opened his notebook and tore out a couple of pages, placing them on the table to my left.
"Thank you," I said, finally finding my words. "I… I really appreciate it."
He smiled. "It is no worry. Is there anything I can bring you on my next visit?"
I racked my brain before a few ideas popped into my mind. "I don't suppose you can go to my room back at the blue dorm and grab the duffel bag next to my suitcase?"
He quirked his brow but nodded his head nonetheless. "I can do, by why do you want that?"
"I've got something I want to work on," I said with a smile. "And hopefully it'll keep me from going more insane in here."
"More insane? Things must be bad," he said with a smirk. "You didn't seem to have much before."
"Oh, what a comfort you are," I said sarcastically. He chuckled before leaving with a wave. Once again, I was on my own. My encounter with Bastion still fresh in my mind, I realised how happy hearing that the genius teen had my back had made me. It made me feel a bit bad though. I'd spent so much time trying to avoid him, just because he was a main character. Was it so bad to associate with him? Nothing seemed to have changed for him plot-wise. Logan's words played through my mind again.
Tell me, what is it you want out of this?
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.
"What is it I want?" I questioned, rolling over in my bed. There, I spotted my PDA on the desk. I hadn't messaged Sadie yet. Maybe now would be a good time to talk?
"How have you been faring?" Zane asked.
"I… I don't know," Alexis answered honestly, holding her left arm. "I still haven't quite processed it, to be honest."
She and Zane were stood at the foot of the island lighthouse, where the two would commonly meet to discuss recent events that happened on the island. Zane often came here to think, or brood as Alexis deemed it, and the Obelisk Queen began joining him. Alexis found this the time where Zane was his most, well, talkative. Away from the eyes of those who would judge or undermine him, he was free to be more himself. Of course, he still maintained his aloof air, but Alexis knew his attention was on her.
In this instance, the two friends were discussing the events that had transpired at the
"That's understandable. What you went through was traumatic," he replied, as blunt as ever. Alexis nodded but otherwise remained silent. The two were in the school uniforms, meaning they had very little protection from the cold sea air. She couldn't help but wish she brought a jacket. Finally, Zane broke the silence.
"Do you really believe that you were in the Shadow Realm?" he asked, getting to the heart of the issue.
"I think so," Alexis said, nodding her head. "When I woke up and saw that purple mist, it was like I could feel my life being slowly ebbed away from me. And the duel that Cambell and Evans had with that woman, the damage was real. You should have seen them. They were almost killed." She could still see Ren's burned and blistered skin and hear the staggered breathing of the Lightsworn user after losing almost all his life points. Over the last two nights, she'd had the same dream of being trapped within that endless void forever, unable to ever see her family again.
"And yet they are alive, as are you. If you hadn't had stepped in, the game would have been lost. It does put some perspective on certain aspects though."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"The game of Duel Monsters has long since been rumoured to be stooped magic. Maximillian Pegasus based the game on ancient carvings after all. During the Battle City Finals all those years ago, there were many strange events that happened. Participants were supposedly hospitalised from sickness but what if it was something else?"
It was true, a lot of the Battle City final matches were censored, the focus being put on the participants duelling skills rather than their words. However, there were many matches, particularly those where Ryo Bakura and Marik Ishtar were duelling, where those playing seemed to take real damage. Hell, during the semi-finals, Joey Wheeler had collapsed just as he was about to win, making Marik Ishtar the winner by default. The official cause was that he had been overcome with exhaustion, but to anyone watching, it didn't seem that way. Could the great duellists of the last generation really have been involved with such horrible magic?
"It isn't like you to engage in something like this," Alexis said, the ghost of a smile on her lips.
"In the face of the inconceivable, one must be ready to accept even the most outlandish of possibilities."
"Who said that?"
"Heh, I did." Alexis could have sworn he'd smirked, but when in a blink it was gone. "The girl who was recovered, do you know who she is?"
"No, I've never seen her before. The teachers are being tight-lipped as well," she said morosely. She had wanted to question the girl about her connection to the dorm events but had been unable to due to her current condition.
"Do you think she has a connection to your brother?"
"I don't know," she answered, her eyes focused on the ground. "On the one hand, if she is one of the missing, maybe there's hope that Atticus can be found too. On the other… If he faced the same things she did and was thrust into the shadows…" she trailed off, the thought too painful for her.
"I'm sorry," Zane said after seeing her reaction. "I know how difficult this is for you."
"It's fine," she dismissed. "I'm fine."
She wasn't fine.
Zane nodded but said nothing as both obelisks turned to look out at the crashing waves. Alexis's thoughts turned to her missing brother, wishing for just one shred of his presence so that she could have some hope again.
"You know, normally when I give a guy my number and they don't ring, I assume they're not interested," Sadie said as she took a seat at my bedside. Her smirk told me she wasn't being completely serious. It was Sadie's day off from the card shop so she'd said she'd drop by to see me. Since she was still on academy grounds, she had to wear her Obelisk uniform. It was the first time I'd seen her in clothes other than the ones from the shop
She looked good. Really good, filling out the clothes nicely. Her hair, which I'd only seen in a ponytail, now hung freely down to her back, but the two strands of hair remained that framed her face. When she'd first walked in, I almost did a double-take. Glad I didn't. That would have been embarrassing.
"In fairness, I think I've got a pretty good excuse," I quipped, sitting up in the bed.
"That is true, I suppose. Oh, I just don't know what to think," she said dramatically, nursing her head with her arm.
"You know, you missed your opportunity to work in theatre," I laughed.
"Who says I didn't try?"
Speaking of nursing, Nurse Fontaine had come in an hour before and removed the last of my bandages. I'd be able to leave the next day and boy was I excited. I could move more easily today but it was still a bit sore. Still, it was a miracle I could move the way that I could. Kaiba Corp truly had wasted no expense on outfitting its schools' medical services. Say what you want about Seto Kaiba but he cared for his students.
"So, what exactly did you do to get stuck in here?" Sadie asked, leaning back in her seat.
Ah, now that was the million-dollar question. I was more than happy to tell Bastion the truth, but that's because he would soon be involved in the supernatural. But Sadie, she was innocent. She didn't need to be weighed down by knowing there were things out there that really went bump in the night. Well… maybe I could tell a partial truth. Things would probably come out about the abandoned dorm anyway.
"I got hurt at the abandoned dorm," I told her, quickly continuing as I saw eyes go wide. "A guy in class went missing. I heard from someone that he'd headed towards the dorm and me and some friends went to investigate. I got hurt when we were looking around. The dorm is pretty unstable."
"Why didn't you go to one of the teachers?" she asked, her eyes narrowed in such a way that made me feel uneasy.
"Stupidity and adrenaline," I said with a shrug. "Logan was friends with the people I went with. We didn't think, we just went."
"And in the process, you got hurt," she deadpanned.
"Yes, but we found Logan and Alexis and managed to get them to safety," I countered.
"That's great, but it what would have happened if you had gone alone, or your friends hadn't got you back here. Think about your parents. Do they even know you're in here?"
I winced.
Nope. Hopefully, they never would.
Gently, Sadie took my hand in her own, lightly stroking the back of the skin with her thumb. It tickled and yet her skin felt so warm. "I'm glad you were able to help, but you need to be more careful. We're still just kids, we don't need that kind of responsibility."
I smiled at her. The same one I'd practised in the mirror. The same one I wore in the majority of my encounters at this school. She didn't understand. She could never understand. And I didn't want her to. Out of everyone I had met here, she was the only one truly unaffected by the plot and the horror that afflict this island. She would live her life and while I didn't know what fate would have installed for her, I knew she wanted to teach. She was living her life, saving money to achieve that dream. And I wanted to help her achieve it without any trauma. That was also what I wanted, right?
"You're right," I said. "Next time I find myself in a dangerous situation, I'll make sure I've got a teacher on call."
"That's all I ask," she chuckled. "But in all due seriousness, Ren, just be careful. Please?"
"Trust me, the food in this place is enough reason to stay out of this place," I quipped. "But thanks for caring."
"Of course. I still need to give you a tour of the island after all."
We both grinned as our eyes locked and we stopped talking. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her head slightly turned to the side. It was finally just the two of us. She didn't have to run off to do her job, no one else was around to interrupt. We could finally just sit and talk about-
"Ah Ren, I just came to check in again and- Oh, is now a bad time?"
Both Sadie and I looked to the door where Bastion was sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, my duffel bag under his arm. Sadie and I turned towards each other before quickly averting our gaze.
Yes man, it is a very bad time. You'd think I'd learn not to jinx myself.
"Bastion, good to see you. Thanks for coming to visit," I said trying hard not to grit my teeth. "This is Sadie."
"We've met," she said, smiling kindly. "I've sold you a fair few card packs recently."
"Yes. I've been trying to gather the right cards to defeat a certain rival," the resident genius said.
"I wonder who that could be," I sighed.
"Suppose you'll find out," he said with a smirk, walking over. Looked like I had a rematch in my future. Oh, joy. "I brought you your cards," he added, placing the duffel bag down at my side.
Sadie sighed, nursing her brow with her hand. "Even now, confined to a hospital bed, you're obsessed with your precious cards."
"What can I say, I'm obsessed," I said with a shrug, opening the bag and thumbing through the cards. "Besides, recent events have shown me I need to upgrade."
"Upgrade hmm?"
"What is it with boys and their cards?"
Bastion looked proud but Sadie merely rolled her eyes. Two very different perspectives there. It occurred to me that I had both sides of those who played duel monsters here. Those who played it with genuine love and passion for the game, and those who were forced to be involved in the game because it dominated this world's dynamics.
With Bastion in the mix, the conversation dissolved into random topics as the three of us killed time. Learned a few things about Bastion, like that his family were all as academically gifted as him and that he was the younger of two siblings. While the rest of his family already had scientific careers, he pursued the science of duelling. This had interested me as from what I remembered, very little outside of an odd episode in season two revealed Bastion's motivations for wanting to be a duelist.
Before I could ask him to go further, Nurse Fontaine walked into the infirmary carrying a box. "Oh, it seems you have some visitors," she said with a smile.
"Hello, Nurse Fontaine. Please tell me you've got some good news for me. I need to get out of here!"
"Well then I have some good news. You'll be released the day after tomorrow."
"Yes!" I cheered.
"However, I want you to be careful. Don't do anything too strenuous," she lectured. "We want you nice and relaxed.
"I'll make sure he gets his rest," Bastion interjected.
Fontaine nodded. "It seems like you have a good friend. Just to let you know, your inquiry will be held once you are back in your classes. This is your new uniform. I thought you might want a new one considering your previous one is now filled with holes."
"Thank you," I said, bowing my head. "I appreciate it." The teacher nodded before turning and leaving again. It seemed she was more than happy to leave me alone in my present condition. Either she had faith I'd be okay, or she was terribly irresponsible when it came to her job. It was probably the former.
With the teacher gone, Sadie tapped my arm. "There, I bet you're happier now."
"Oh yeah, I'm more than ready to stretch my legs," I beamed.
"But you heard her, you need to remain rested," Bastion cautioned.
"Yes mum," I said, shooting him a smirk. "Hey, when I get out of here, how about we all meet up at the Blue-Eyes Café?"
One of the things I'd discovered a few days into my tenure as a student was that the main academy building housed a few cafés where students could chill. These in addition to the card shop served as the main student hangouts. The Blue-Eyes Café in particular was a bit of a student hot spot, although the prices were expensive, it undoubtedly had the best menu. It actually offered the famed Blue-Eyes Coffee that Jack Atlas loved in 5Ds. I hadn't tried it yet, mainly due to how expensive it was, but considering everything that had happened, I wanted to splurge.
"That could be fun," Sadie said, a smile gracing her lovely features.
"The Blue-Eyes Café…" Bastion said a little apprehensively. "I suppose we could. I'll have to be careful on my budget."
"C'mon, it'll be fun," I urged, giving him a light nudge.
"Well… Alright then, why not?" he finally relented.
"Hell yeah! Hey, we should invite Dimitri too." As soon as the words left my mouth, Bastion flinched, his expression darkening. "What is it?" I asked.
"Ren, there's something you should know. Dimitri hasn't been doing so well," Bastion said gravely. "Ever since his loss to you, he's become a bit of a recluse. Outside of lessons, he spends all his time in his room recreating different decks from the pro league, always to disastrous consequences. I tried talking to him, but he brushed me off. I must say, I'm worried about him."
It seemed Dimitri was heading full-on towards his fate from the show. Once it was announced that Yugi's deck was going on tour, his fate would be set. Maybe… maybe it wouldn't be bad to prevent it. I'd said it before, but the episodes Dimitri was in originally were just fan service for fans so they could see Yugi's cards in action again. I could try to talk to him and avert those events. Just once wouldn't be bad, right?
My thoughts were broken when Sadie tapped my shoulder. "Dimitri is your friend, right?" she asked.
"Yeah. My first friend at the academy. We… we haven't spoken since the promotion exam though." I know not a lot of time had passed since then, but things had been left on an awkward note with Dimitri actively avoiding me during my final night at the Ra dorm.
"Why don't you try and reach out and bury the hatchet?" Sadie suggested. "It seems like he needs someone to talk to. You'd want someone to reach out if the situation was reversed, right?"
"Yeah… that is true," I admitted. "I'll send him a message to see if he wants to meet up. If he says no, I'll try and reach out."
Sadie smiled and patted my arm, apparently approving of my decision. "Good. Just don't duel him. By the sounds of things, it won't do him any good." She let out a sigh, shaking her head. "I don't see why people can't talk about their feelings at this place. It'd make things so much simpler."
"Yeah, don't I know it." We shared a laugh before Bastion coughed, once again awkwardly making his appearance known.
"I have to agree," he said. "Maybe if we offer to help Dimitri with his duelling, he might come around."
"It certainly is an idea," I said, feeling a little guilty I hadn't already gone through with that train of thought.
Bastion nodded before getting up. "Well, I should be off. I need to work on some work for class. I'll see you two in a couple of days."
"See you later, man," I said, giving him a light-hearted wave as he left the room.
"Nice to properly meet you," Sadie called out after him.
"You too!" came the reply.
Sadie and I shared a look and laughed again. This hadn't gone the way I wanted it to, but it certainly seemed like we'd bonded as a group. However, before we could speak more, Sadie got up too.
"I should probably get going too," she said politely.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I'm glad that you're doing okay, Ren. I'll see you soon. Don't get into any more trouble," she said mischievously.
"Haha," I said sarcastically, slapping my hand against the bed. "Like I'm going anywhere."
"Oh, I don't know. I'm sure you'll find some way." She flashed me a wink before heading out, leaving me speechless. Once she was gone, I turned my gaze to the cards in front of me and reached out for my deck box on the side table.
"Okay boys, looks like it's just you and me tonight."
The cards, obviously, didn't respond.
"No! Please, stop! Help me! Oh, dear God, help me!"
"Jaden? Hey, Jaden, are you alright?"
"Huh, what?"
"You were shaking," Syrus said, his eyes filled with concern.
The hero teen's head snapped up to see Syrus and Chumley staring at him. He looked down at his hand, finding that it was indeed trembling. He clenched it into a fist.
"It's nothing," he said quickly, flashing them a smile. "Just excited about the movie."
The three teens were in their dorm room. They had come here after school and started a film, but Jaden had quickly spaced out. It was Spider-Man 2 with Tobey Maguire. It had come out earlier in the year and had quickly become one of his favourites. But tonight, Jaden just couldn't concentrate. His mind kept going back. Back to that void. The pained cries of Titan echoed in his mind, the sight of him descending into the inky black of the shadows. It had plagued his dreams the last few nights. He had had a duel the other day against a fellow Slifer, but he'd barely been able to focus on his plays. He'd managed to win, but not with the typical flare that had some people may have come to expect of him.
"Are you sure, man?" Chumley asked. "After what happened, it's understandable if-"
"It's fine. I'm fine," Jaden quickly interrupted, standing up. "I just need some fresh air is all. I'll be back in a little bit." He made his way over to the door.
"We can come with you if you want?" Syrus called out.
"Nah, man. I'll be okay," Jaden said half-heartedly. "Back in few." Without waiting another moment, Jaden closed the door and hurriedly made his way down the stairs. He didn't stop walking until he'd reached the bottom of the hill that was overlooked by the Slifer Dorm. There, he took in great breaths of the salty air. The cold air flowed through him, calming the whirlwind of thoughts that had been assaulting him.
"I had to do it," he whispered to himself. "I had to get to the others. If I hadn't…" He didn't finish the thought. It was too frightening for him.
When he'd decided to come to Duel Academy, he never thought something like this would happen to him. He'd been taught that duelling was for fun. To improve yourself and build connections with those around you. It shouldn't need to be used for self-defence, or to hurt people. He'd always wanted to be a hero, like the characters he saw as a child. Flying around in flashy costumes, saving the day and taking down evil.
In Duel Monsters, hero monsters weren't the strongest, but they were versatile. In the right hands, they could overcome even the most dangerous of opponents. He'd learned that as a child from a certain pro. The one who had initially inspired him to use hero cards in the first place.
"Koyo…"
As the name left his lips, Jaden felt like he was calling upon a ghost. Of course, he knew that the former national champion wasn't truly gone, but he may as well have been. He hadn't opened his eyes in a long time after all.
"Ugh!" A sudden pain assaulted Jaden's head as the Slifer brought his hand up to his face. This always happened when he thought about his mentor. Why did it cause him this kind of pain? It sometimes felt like there was something he was forgetting but every time he got close to remembering, it was just gone.
Yugi was his hero when it came to duelling and the level of skill he wanted to achieve, but Koyo was the one who had taught him how to duel. Taught him to love the game.
"Man, I could really use your advice right now," Jaden whispered, clutching at his hair. "I don't know what to do."
"And with that, you are free to go Mr Cambell," Nurse Fontaine said, taking back the form I had just signed.
"Don't take this the wrong way, Ms Fontaine, but I am so glad to be out of here," I said as I stuffed my duel disk and cards back into my duffel bag. I took special care with a set of red sleeved cards that had a rubber band wrapped around them. I made a mental note to pick up a new deck box from the store later. My last days in the infirmary hadn't been eventful but at least they'd been peaceful. I'd sent a message to Dimitri asking if he wanted to meet up with some others to go to a café. I was genuinely surprised when he replied saying he'd be up for it. After Bastion's description of his recent behaviour, I'd been expecting a bit more fight out of him. Either way, I was glad that Dimitri was coming out. We were all planning to meet outside the main building. I didn't want anyone to have to wait around for me to be discharged so I said I'd meet them outside.
"I get that a lot," she chuckled. "Stay safe out there. I wish you luck with the inquiry."
"Thank you," I said, nodding my head. With my release forms signed, I made my way out of the infirmary. Or at least I would have done if I didn't walk straight into someone coming in. "Oh sorry," I said quickly.
"No, I should have…" she trailed off. We both paused. Alexis was in front of me. The two of us hadn't seen each other since the incident at the abandoned dorm. She hadn't come to visit me during my time here. Couldn't say I blamed her. She must still be trying to make sense of what happened. For a moment we were silent, neither of us knowing what to say to the other. Thankfully, Nurse Fontaine came to our rescue.
"Alexis, what are you doing here?" she asked, greeting the girl with a smile. "Is there something I can help you with?"
"Yes Ms Fontaine," the obelisk queen said, stepping into the infirmary. "I was wondering if the girl from the incident the other night has woken up?"
"I'm sorry dear, there's been no change," the woman said regretfully.
"I see… Thank you." She turned to leave, and I followed her out. I was expecting our paths to part there but much to my surprise, she waited for me outside the room. "Hey."
"Hey," I replied, giving a lazy wave. "Good to see you're doing alright."
"Likewise." We fell into step, walking down the long corridor towards the stairs. The silence between us felt unusual. She clearly had something she wanted to say and I had no idea how to react as she hadn't given me one dirty look for me to quip about.
C'mon, I know that you hold stuff back, but this is ridiculous! Please say something!
"Thank you."
Okay, wasn't expecting that.
"Excuse me?" I asked. Were my ears blocked?"
"Thank you. For the abandoned dorm," she said, keeping her gaze away from me. "I've said it to Jaden and the other, but I didn't get the chance to thank you for coming to save me."
"Oh. Well… You're welcome, I guess. I suppose I should thank you too. Logan and I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."
She nodded, keeping her attitude all business. Finally, she looked my way. "I was wondering, could you tell me more about what happened before I woke up? How did you come to duel that girl?"
Oh, that conversation would take a while and would need to be careful what I said. Alexis was smart. Smart and intuitive. A dangerous combination for someone who had secrets like me. It was obvious she wanted to talk about the shadow duel and the implications it could have for her brother. And it was a conversation I was not prepared for. It was unfair. I had the answers to all her questions, and I couldn't tell her. Not that she'd believe me anyway.
"It's a long story," I said. "Unfortunately, I can't really talk right now. I've got plans. Could we schedule another time?"
"No." The answer was so resolute I flinched. We were just about at the stair when she turned and blocked my path. Her eyes were sharp and as cold as stone. "I need to talk to you about this and you have a bad history of running away. If we don't talk about this now, then we never will. And I… I…"
No. Don't get emotional. Oh god, I don't know what to do in these situations!
As calmly as I could, I reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. She flinched from the contact but said nothing. "Look, I'm not ready to talk about it yet. If you want to talk about it, then we will. But please, just let me have one afternoon with my friends first. I kind of need to decompartmentalise everything that happened, y' know?"
She paused, mulling my words over before nodding. "You're right. Sorry, I shouldn't have ambushed you like this. This is just important to me."
"I can see that," I said, removing my hand quickly. I checked my watch. It was almost time to meet up. "Look I need to go, but if you send me a message, I'll be happy to meet up whenever." She said nothing as I walked by. As I got to the top of the stairs, I looked back. Alexis's back was to me, her head down in contemplation. Call me sentimental, but I couldn't just leave her like that.
"Hey," I called out. "I promise I won't run."
She looked shocked for a moment before the smallest of smiles spread across her lips. "You'd better not. You owe me for saving your life."
"Actually, I think we're even considering I was originally there to save you," I chimed, hurrying down the steps.
"You were there for Logan! You didn't even know I was there," she called after me.
"Details!"
I hurried down the steps, making my way to the entrance. After all the craziness of the last week, I just wanted to spend some time with friends doing some normal school activities. And then, as I walked through the main doors my hair was whipped back by a massive explosion.
"Pfff, figures. I wonder what shit is going on this time?"
Surrounding the entrance was a crowd of students, some in uniform, others in casual clothing. From the exaggerated smoke and general murmuring, I could only assume that someone was duelling.
"Please don't be someone I know. Please don't be someone I know. Please don't be someone I know," I chanted as I approached the crowd.
"Ren? Over here!" To the left of the crowd, I spotted Sadie and Bastion waving. Dimitri wasn't with them.
"Hey guys. What's going on here?" I asked.
"What do you think? A duel," Bastion said like it was obvious.
"And you are watching because?"
"Have you really not seen, Ren?" Sadie asked.
"No."
"Then you might want to take a look," she said, pointing to the crowd.
Oh, don't be a cliché, don't be a cliché.
Standing up on my tiptoes I looked over the crowd to see the combatants. On the right, I was surprised to see Chazz. He stood with a confident smirk on his face with his arms crossed. Towering to his side was a large fiend with an insect-like body. I recognised the creature as Infernal Incinerator, one of Chazz's early aces. In its hands was the Axe of Despair.
The other was… oh no… the other was Dimitri. His field was near bare except for a copy of Jinzo. Hmm, was he copying Espa Roba this time?
"Why is Dimitri duelling Chazz?" I cried.
"We don't know. We just arrived ourselves," Bastion said. "I must say, I cannot comprehend what brought about this situation."
"We should try and get closer," Sadie urged, walking forward. Bastion and I shared a glance before following. We gently pushed our way through the crowd until we were close enough to hear the two duellists.
"This is pathetic!" Chazz laughed. "You thought that you could beat me using a hand-me-down strategy? News flash, dork, Espa Roba didn't have psychic powers, and neither do you!" Dimitri grimaced, a cold bead of sweat running down his brow, but didn't grace him with a response. "Nothing else to say? Fine. It's time I crush you like the runt you are. Infernal Incinerator, attack Jinzo!" At his command, the lumbering fiend opened its maw and spewed a torrent of flames that engulfed Dimitri's monster, reducing it and Dimitri's life points to ashes.
Dimitri fell to his knees, his head bowed towards the ground as Chazz stood over him laughing. "Hahahahaha! I can't believe you really challenged me. That was the easiest duel I've ever had!" The other people in the crowds began to laugh too. It was times like this that something as ridiculous as this would remind me that I was living in an anime world. People lived by the law of the strong. If you wanted respect, you had to keep winning. And unfortunately, Dimitri was known to lose.
That didn't stop my blood from boiling.
"Hey! Leave him alone!" I cried, marching forward and standing in front of Dimitri. My intervention only served to make Chazz smile.
"Ren?" Dimitri called in confusion.
"Well look who it is. We were just talking about you," the Obelisk sneered.
"You were?" I glanced back at Dimitri. He wouldn't meet my eye. "Only good things I hope."
"We were just saying laughable it is that you couldn't even make it in the blue dorm two days before cracking under the pressure," he sneered. It seemed he didn't know the circumstances of my absence this week.
"Well, y' know, there was this horrible smell in the dorm that made me really woozy. Hmm, you know what, I can kind of smell it now. Is that your cologne?" Okay, not my best one. Chazz got pissed regardless, his eyes narrowing and nostrils flaring. At this stage in the canon, it did not take much to push him over the edge.
"Oh, you think you're clever. How about you step up? I'll happily take down another wimp," he growled, raising his duel disk.
Now normally, I would stay away from main characters. I definitely didn't want to duel them. However, in this instance, I could make an exception. In the grand scheme of things, Chazz was still a larva almost ready to go through an evolution. The catalyst for that though was a fall from grace. And I was more than happy to contribute to that.
"I'm game. It just so happens I've got some new strategies I want to test out anyway." I put my bag on the ground and went to fetch my duel disk when Sadie grabbed my arm.
"Oh no you don't. You heard what Nurse Fontaine said. Nothing strenuous," she lectured, her expression strict.
"I doubt playing a card game will cause me to become seriously injured," I said with a smile. Ironic given that a card game was how I came to be in the infirmary in the first place.
"Nope, not happening." She gently moved me aside and glared at Chazz. "Unfortunately, Ren is still in the middle of recovery. Can I be your opponent?"
Wait, what?"
Chazz looked from me to Dimitri to Sadie and began laughing. "What is this? Do you need someone else to fight your battles? You're even more pathetic than the Ra! At least he was brave enough to fight on his own!"
"I fight my own battles," I growled at the Obelisk. I again went for my duel disk only for Sadie to snatch it out of the bag and equip it to her wrist. "Sadie!"
"Rest!" she shushed me, pointing for me to go back over to where Bastion was waiting anxiously.
"But-"
"Uh uh! Go!"
I was speechless. Actually speechless. I picked up my bag and helped Dimitri to his feet. We walked back over to Bastion.
Figures that the only time I want to duel a main character I get side-lined. Was this some kind of cruel irony?
"Fw-cra!" the resident genius quipped, making a whipping motion with his hand.
"Hah, hah. You are hilarious. Laugh it up. Are you alright Dimitri?" I asked the quiet boy.
"Yeah…" he said dejectedly. He still didn't look at me. Instead, his eyes were locked on Sadie as she and Chazz took their places across from each other. He was acting strangely. Just what was going on with him? Why was he acting so strangely? Even in the anime, he didn't act this dejected.
Before I could push him on the matter, Chazz's laughter cut through the crowd. "Don't feel bad when I beat you," he laughed. "As much as I was looking forward to knocking Cambell down a peg, I think this will be more fun."
"Uh-huh," Sadie said, inserting her deck into the disk.
"After this duel, how about you hang out with me? I'm sure I can show you a better time than those wimps."
"Sure, if you can win," Sadie said disinterestedly. Around them, the crowd began to jeer and catcall, intrigued by the sudden bet. "Let's start."
"Fine."
"DUEL!"
"Well never let it be said I'm not a gentleman. Ladies first," Chazz said, activating his disk, gesturing for her to take the first move.
"How kind." Sadie drew her first card.
Turn 1: Sadie – 4000LP – 6 cards in hand – 0 cards on the field
"I activate the spell, Wave-Motion Cannon," she said. On the field appeared a metallic cannon with various dials and valves. For now, it floated peacefully beside Sadie. But if given time it would become a dangerous card for Chazz.
And the Obelisk knew it. As soon as the cannon appeared, his eyes narrowed and his posture became rigid. During Sadie's main phase, she could send that cannon to the grave and inflict a thousand points of damage to Chazz for every one of Sadie's main phases that it had been on the field. If Chazz didn't get rid of it quickly, he would lose in a matter of turns.
"I'll set a monster and then end with a face down," Sadie said succinctly. Two more cards appeared on her field as Sadie lowered the disk.
"A solid opening move," Chazz commended, forgoing his normal cockiness now that he was facing an attractive girl. "Now let me show you what a real move. My draw!"
Turn 2: Chazz – 4000LP – 6 cards in hand – 0 cards on the field
"I like your opening move, but that cannon has to go. I play Heavy Storm!" The moment he activated the spell, the two duellists were engulfed in a terrifying tornado that tore through the field. The violent winds blew away not only Sadie's cannon but also her face down, which was Ring of Destruction. It seemed Sadie was running a burn deck. However, despite the loss of her recourses, Sadie did not seem worried. Her stoicism was admirable.
"I'll follow that up by summoning one of my favourites, Chthonian Soldier (1200/1400)!" Chazz's monster was a barbaric warrior in rusty silver armour. He wielded a large, curved scimitar in one hand and a shield in the other. "I'll then equip my soldier with the spell, Black Pendant. Boosting his attack power by 500!" A necklace appeared around his warrior's neck with a large dark gemstone in the centre. (1200-1700 ATK)
"Soldier, attack her face down!" With a fierce battle cry, his monster charged forward and brought its sword down upon Sadie's set monster. However, the card did not give. Rather, the monster flipped, revealing a giant, beige koala bear.
"The monster you attacked was Des Koala (1100/1800)," Sadie explained calmly. "Unfortunately, your soldier isn't strong enough to destroy him."
Chazz grimaced as his life points fell a mere fraction. However, since his soldier wasn't destroyed, its effect didn't activate. (Chazz: 3900LP)
"My koala has a flip effect. You take 400 points of damage for every card in your hand. That's 1200 points," Sadie continued. Her tone was completely neutral, like an instructor running through a set of instructions. The cards in Chazz's hand began to glow before he was overcome with a red aura. He grimaced as his life points depleted further. (Chazz: 2700LP)
I could have laughed seeing Chumley's favourite monster used to deplete Chazz's life points by more than a quarter. The fluffy koala seemed a lot more threatening in the hands of someone who knew what they were doing.
I wasn't the only one impressed either. Bastion was watching the duel with wide eyes. He was analysing Sadie's tactics. In some ways, I supposed they were like his. Focused and to the point, just without the showmanship. I could see why he was enraptured. For me, her stoicism reminded me somewhat of Zane. The only difference was that I knew her attitude came from disinterest in the game.
With nothing else to do, Chazz set a card and then ended his turn.
Sadie drew her card without saying anything and looked at her hand with interest.
Turn 3: Sadie – 4000LP – 4 cards in hand – 1 card on the field
"I set a monster and play a face-down card. End turn." She played her cards and then lowered the duel disk, waiting for Chazz to make his move.
The Obelisk in question seemed disappointed, his eyes darting to his face down. Clearly, he had hoped she'd set it off or do something to counter. Sadie's playstyle was a direct counter to Chazz's. At this point in time, he liked playing tricks and used his opponent's strength against them, either by stealing their monsters or forcing them to take the same damage as him to lower their points enough for him to take out in one fell swoop. Sadie wasn't giving him that. She was controlling the duel and leading it in accordance with her whims. Scowling, he drew his next card.
Turn 4: Chazz – 2700LP – 3 cards in hand – 1 monster, 1 equip spell and 1 facedown on field
When he saw his card, a smile spread across his lips. "I summon Snipe Hunter (1500/600) in attack mode!" Chazz's new monster was a small, purple imp wielding a laser gun with roulette attached. "This little guy has an effect. I can discard a card and roll a dice. If the result is anything except one or six, I can destroy a card on your field. I target that koala!" As he discarded the card, the fiend let out a little laugh and spun the roulette of his gun. The crowd waited with bated breath as it spun, finally landing on a two. With another giggle, the imp shot out an energy beam that pierced the beast, shattering it into pixels.
"Oh, and the best part is I can use this effect more than once! I use the effect again and target your set monster!" Again, the roulette spun, this time landing on a five. The beam shot out again, destroying the set monster, revealing it to be a UFO Turtle.
"And now, with your defences gone, I attack you directly!" Chazz cried, thrusting his hand forward. At his command, both his monsters charged forward with their weapons raised. Snipe Hunter struck first, shooting a beam of dark energy through Sadie's abdomen. She let out a small cry as the attack drained her points. (Sadie: 2500LP)
Chthonian Soldier attacked next. The monster went to strike. However, everyone was so focused on the attack that they missed Sadie. Her hand went towards the duel disk like she was going to activate a card, but at the last second, she moved her hand away. The sword slashed her chest and she nearly fell to the ground. (Sadie: 800LP)
"How about that? Are you impressed yet?" Chazz gloated as he crossed his arms
As she recovered from the attack, Sadie stood up tall, her eyes just as determined as ever. And she smiled.
"Nope."
Chazz snarled, his true attitude finally showing. "I end my turn.
Sadie smile faded and her business-like persona returned as she drew her next card.
Turn 5: Sadie – 800LP – 3 cards in hand – 1 facedown card
"I start by playing Ookazi, making you take 800 points of damage."
Chazz's eyes went wide as the ground beneath him ruptured, engulfing him in an explosion. (Chazz: 1900LP)
It was at this point that the attitude of the crowd changed. Up until this point, they had almost unanimously been rooting for Chazz. But now, slowly, they were crying out to support Sadie. Oh, how the tables turned. Everyone loved an underdog.
"Let's turn up the heat some more," Sadie continued. "I'm tributing both your Chthonian Soldier and Snipe Hunter to summon Lava Golem (3000/2500) to your side of the field!"
"You do what?" Chazz gasped as the ground once again erupted underneath him and his monsters. Both creatures were burned away as a lumbering giant made of flowing magma towered over the panicking Obelisk. Almost instantly, a metal cage trapped Chazz under the giant, preventing him from escaping.
"That golem can only be summoned by tributing two of your monsters," Sadie explained. Furthermore, during each of your standby phases, you take a thousand points of damage."
"But I now have a monster with 3000 attack points," Chazz countered, putting on his best act of defiance."
"That's why I am activating the continuous spell, Level Limit – Area B. With this card active, all monster level four and above are changed to defence mode!" As the spell took effect, the Lava Golem lowered its posture and crossed its arms, rendering the high-powered monster useless. Chazz was left helpless to do anything. And maybe it was just the glow of Lava Golem, but he looked red with anger.
"You think this will stop me?" he barked. "I'm the top-ranking Obelisk Blue freshmen!"
"Congrats," Sadie said dispassionately. "I end my turn Mr Top-ranked."
Turn 6: Chazz – 1900 – 1 card in hand – 1 monster and 1 face down on the field.
As Chazz drew his next card, his expression changed, an evil smirk spreading across his face. "Well what do you know, I got just what I wanted," he said.
"Well done. But first, you take damage," Sadie said. Drops of molten magma dripped down upon the Obelisk, reducing his life points even further. (Chazz: 900LP)
"It doesn't matter. Not when I have this. Mystical Space Typhoon! Say goodbye to your spell!" A smaller whirlwind ripped across the field, destroying Sadie's Level Limit Area. Chazz was now free to attack. "I switch Lava Golem back to attack mode and attack you directly! It's over!"
The golem rose from its crouched position and threw its fist forward. And yet, Sadie kept her cool. "I activate my face down, the continuous trap, Nightmare Wheel, stopping your attack!"
"NO!" Chazz screamed as a large, spiked wheel fell upon the golem, its fist fell falling to the ground before it could reach Sadie.
"Now, I think you have to end your turn," Sadie said. Chazz didn't grace her with a reply so she just took it as confirmation it was her move.
"She's incredible…" I heard Dimitri mumble next to me, his eyes fixed on the game. "You've really surrounded yourself with strong people." He seemed a little out of it. His eyes were a little glossy and his hands were clenched into fists. I was going to say something, but I was interrupted as Sadie drew her card.
Turn 7: Sadie – 300LP – 1 card in hand – 1 Continuous Trap on the field
"First of all, since it's my standby phase, thanks to my trap, you take 500 points of damage." The wheel on Golem's back began to spin, throwing lava all over Chazz once more. (Chazz: 400LP)
"Now, I could end my turn here, but because I'm worried you may keep talking, I'm just going to finish this now. I summon Solar Flare Dragon (1500/1000) in attack mode." On Sadie's field appeared a long serpent made of flowing flames. Fun fact, this was the card that got me into Yu-Gi-Oh in the first place. It was my first one. It made me feel really nostalgic seeing it in action now.
"I end my turn," Sadie continued. "And now my dragon's effect activates, burning you for another 500 points. Good game."
Sadie's beast opened its maw and sent out a single ball of flame. It wasn't the most impressive sight, but it did what it intended. Chazz was blown off his feet, falling before a crowd of onlookers. (Chazz: 0 LP, Sadie Wins)
The crowd was left speechless as the holograms faded. Chazz looked back to Sadie, but she had already turned away from him, walking back over to us with a pleasant smile on her face. Bastion and I looked at her with awe.
"That was…" Bastion began.
"Something…" I finished. "I thought you said you didn't like to duel?"
"I said I wasn't interested in it, not that I wasn't good," she corrected with a smirk. "There's a difference."
"A big one it would seem," Bastion remarked.
Is it just me or are his cheeks getting red?
"You haven't heard the end of this!" Chazz suddenly cried, making us all look back to him. His face was red too, but from rage. He jabbed his skinny finger towards us. "I'll get you back!" Always one to have the last word, the disgraced Obelisk stomped away, a small gaggle of boys, probably his followers, ran after him. How long they would stick with him after this was yet to be seen. It was cruel what would happen to Chazz, but it was a lesson he would have to learn. This was just the beginning of his journey.
With the drama finished, the students began to disperse. I could hear a few of them as they left, whispering about Chazz's defeat and his standing at the academy. Already the wheels of gossip had started turning. Even focused on a children's card game, this was a high school nonetheless.
As we watched the others go, Sadie tapped me on the arm. "Where's your friend?" she asked.
My head snapped around. Dimitri, who had been at my side during the duel, had vanished. We looked around, trying to spot him amongst the faces but it was pointless. He was long gone.
"He must have slipped away when we were distracted with the match," Bastion said. "But why would he do that?"
"And why did he duel Chazz in the first place?" Sadie added.
There was no point in replying. I didn't know the answer. But there were ways to find out. At that point, my PDA buzzed from receiving a message. Taking it out, I saw it was from the copycat king himself.
All it read was, 'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come. I'm just holding you back.'
My grip tightened around the device and I stuffed it back into my pocket. "He's gone," I said sadly. "I don't think he's coming back either."
Sadie and Bastion shared a look before nodding grimly. Together, they came over and both placed a hand on each shoulder. "I'm sorry Ren," Sadie said regretfully. "I'm sure he'll come around."
"Indeed, just give him time," Bastion said, repeating his advice from the last time Dimitri had gone off on his own.
"Bastion, sometimes 'time' is the last thing anyone needs," I said, lowering my head.
The sun was beginning to set over the island, the lavish golden rays permeating the cracks in Crowler's office blinds. The professor had spent the day writing up an itinerary for the inquiry of Ren Cambell, Jaden Yuki and Syrus Truesdale.
Normally, the good doctor would be absolutely elated at the possibility of getting the two Slifers expelled. However, in light of his involvement in getting two innocent students kidnapped by a madman, Crowler had had a change of heart. He still absolutely abhorred Jaden and Syrus, but it felt wrong to do it now in the face of what they had faced.
"That should just about do it," he mumbled, neatly tapping the paper in the desk to straighten them. Crowler planned to put it forward that the boys had merely acted as anyone else would when they suspected their school chum was in trouble and that they should be let off with a warning. They were still first years, and it could be argued they didn't know of the rules regarding the abandoned dorm. Just as he let out a satisfied yawn, there was a knock at the door.
"Who could that be at this hour?" Crowler groaned, annoyed that his impending rest had been interrupted. "Come in."
Much to Crowler's surprise, the one who stepped into his office was Logan Evans. He seemed calm and confident, his lips curled into a smirk. "Doctor Crowler, thank you for seeing me," he said, his tone ominous.
Crowler felt like his collar had tightened around his neck. Why had Logan chosen to come here at all times? He had spent a long time with Titan. Everything had been quiet so far but what if the mercenary had revealed Crowler was his employer. His goose would be cooked. "M-Mr Evans. How can I help you?" he asked a little nervously.
"We'll get to that, sir. But first, let's talk about how I can help you."
I'm back!
Hello again everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and New Year and that you all enjoyed the holidays in general!
First of all, I wanted to say sorry as I wanted to get this out yesterday but life got in the way, so it's a day late. Not the biggest issue but I made a commitment and missed it so I felt like you guys deserved an apology.
So this chapter mainly worked as setup for the future of this arc. Multiple threads have been planted which I'm really looking forward to exploring in detail. Also, I really wanted to show Sadie's deck. I really enjoyed writing her playstyle as it is different from the other characters. She is unconventional in that she goes directly for the opponent rather than fighting her way through a wall of monsters and making flashy plays. Her playstyle is also dangerous for her as depending on who she is playing, she could lose fairly quickly. Anyone with a beatdown style deck could easily beat her whereas those who like the long game face more of a challenge. Her own attitude during the duel is fun too as it was all business, no overexaggerating for the sake of showmanship.
Now,a few of you may be annoyed I didn't go into detail about Logan's 'mysterious' visitor but I will get to them very soon. For now, we're going to be working towards the expulsion duels. This is done a lot in Yu-Gi-Oh GX fanfic but it's one of the arcs I really enjoyed in the anime as it brought back the Paradox Brothers and really began Syrus's character development. Obviously, I'm not going to have Ren face the brothers as that is a bit redundant, however, I would love to hear your thoughts on what kind of challenge you think Ren will face.
Also, a massive thank you to you all as we are officially over 300 favs and follows! Got to try and reach 500 next! Fingers crossed!
On to messages! Woo!
To the Guest who was wondering what will happen to Dimitri: Time will tell on that one. Dimitri will be popping up a little bit through this arc but their interaction, or limited interaction, in this chapter will be a focal point going forward for Ren.
To Iceasaurus: Your analysis is pretty spot-on on that one. Your evaluation of their arguments and their faults is correct.
To Middernacht: I can't say too much about your theory unfortunately without spoiling things but I can say you're on the right track.
To the guest wondering who the woman who approached Zack is: I can confirm it is one of those possibilities you wrote down.
To West: Once again, always a pleasure to read your analysis. I'm really glad you enjoyed the last chapter. I'm also glad you were able to spot all the little things in the chapter that helped define the characters. I hope you enjoyed this chapter just as much :)
To JustaRandomGuy: I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter and I enjoyed reading your review. To answer your question on physical violence, I am currently undecided. It may become more prominent as things in the story get darker between the seasons but at this point in time, things are still a bit tame. Obviously, I may change things here and there but we'll see how it goes. As for your pitches, Monarchs are a deck I want to include too at some point and they will definitely get the spotlight they deserve. You may have noticed I've planted seeds in this chapter for future chapters focusing on the side characters, especially Dimitri. I did also include your idea for Bastion in this chapter, so shout out to you for that interaction! And for the politics in the blue dorm, that will come, but I've got to first of all integrate Ren into the dorm first, something he hasn't done yet. BTW, loved the Danny Devito meme reference :)
To Peter Kim: Your wish will come true in time, that duel is definitely in the cards.
To the Guest who mentioned Blair: Don't worry, Logan will not be doing that. He is going to try to go for the harem ending, but Blair is not in the cards.
To the Guest who mentioned Sartious's game plan: That is a good idea. I can't say too much about what is happening for that part of the story but it is certainly an idea.
To Blackdrake: Thanks for your review! I'm really glad you gave the story and chance and I'm happy you've enjoyed it so far. You are right, they will have to find middle ground at some point, but the question is how long will it take? Hmm...
To Evan: Here is the update you requested :)
To the Guest who wanted more: Here is more. Hope you like it!
As always, don't forget to fav, follow and leave a review. I would love to get your feedback! Hope you all have a fantastic week and I'll see you all soon!