I'm back with a new chapter! Been a busy week but I finally managed to finish it. Gonna do my author's notes and replies at the bottom this time since I want to get right into it. Hope you guys enjoy!
*Update 15/02/2022: For some reason, the site isn't updating chapter 14 and it can't be accessed through the main page. You can access it by going in through my profile.*
Staying in the Background
Clash of Ideals - Fickle Alliances
"Please, allow me to leave! If you have applied the cast, I need to go – Argh!"
"Calm down Mr Misawa, you are only going to hurt yourself more."
"Listen to the teachers, Bastion. Struggling is only going to aggravate your injury."
Bastion groaned as he sank back down onto the infirmary bed. He was surrounded by Professor Sartyr, Nurse Fontaine and Sadie. After Ren left, an academy vehicle had quickly come by and helped bring Bastion to the infirmary. Nurse Fontaine had been waiting for them when they arrived and quickly set about checking Bastion's leg.
Just as Bastion had believed, his leg wasn't broken. Nurse Fontaine said he should be back on his feet in a couple of weeks. After she applied a boot cast, Bastion had immediately tried to leave. The teachers tried to stop him, but he kept struggling. It was around then that Sadie arrived and tried to help calm him down.
"But the match-"
"We'll make sure you get there," Sadie said. "But you'll only make Ren worry if he sees you're still hurt. I swear, you freshmen all have too much energy."
Bastion was about to rebuke her when he paused and thought about his actions. "You are right…" he groaned, his shoulders slumping. "I just feel so useless right now."
"Don't be like that," Sadie said reassuringly. "Just let Nurse Fontaine do her job and we'll get you to the arena in no time."
"Thank you, Sadie," the teacher in question said as she took a step towards the Ra with a clipboard in hand. "Mr Misawa, while I can clear you to leave right now, I don't want you doing anything to aggravate your injury, understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," Bastion said quietly.
"Alright. I just need you to sign these release forms and then I'll get you some crutches. You may have a little trouble with them at first but you'll learn to use 'em quickly enough. Here, take these." She handed Bastion the clipboard and a pen before going over to the desk and opening a drawer.
As Bastion hastily began filling out the form, Sadie took a seat down next to him. "It could be worse, y'know?" she said soothingly. "You could be like that person." They both turned their eyes towards the drawn curtain. While neither of them could see the bed's occupant, they could see their figure and hear their stunted breathing. "I wonder what happened to them?"
Bastion remained quiet, knowing that the person behind the curtain was in fact a girl Ren had recovered from the Abandoned Dorm. Although she was yet to wake up from the events. Of course, it wasn't like he could tell Sadie that. Ren had wanted to keep Sadie away from the supernatural and Bastion agreed. While he was still somewhat sceptical about Ren's story, Bastion could tell that Ren had told him what he believed to be the truth. And if he wanted to keep quiet, he would respect his wishes. At least for now.
"I don't know. But we have more pressing matters." He quickly filled out the rest of the form before attempting to stand on his own. He wanted to seem strong. He didn't want people to pity him.
"Be careful," Sadie warned, quickly going to support him but Bastion held up a hand.
"I'm fine," he said, giving a small smile. "C'mon. If Crowler has found tough opponents, he'll need all the support he can get."
The two of them got up to hand in Bastion's form. However, little did they know, behind the curtain, the girl's hand began to twitch.
"Why is she duelling with him?" Logan seethed under his breath for the umpteenth. He was sat in the column of seats directly behind Ren and Alexis, watching as they duelled against the jokes that were Weevil Underwood and Rex Raptor. Alexis had just drawn her next card and was taking a moment to check the condition of the field. e
He had been surprised when Ren had shown up alone, Lumina having told him that Bastion would be his partner. His fists were clenched so tight that they were turning white.
"Lumina, are you there?" he called mentally. She answered immediately, appearing over his shoulder. This was easy to do considering he was sitting at the end of the aisle.
"What is it, My Saviour?"
He only felt calling her as Jaden was also facing away from him, so he wouldn't be able to see her. Chumley was stood at the top of the pews, staring down at the match and too preoccupied to give him a second glance. He couldn't see Chazz, but he doubted the arrogant Obelisk could see spirits just yet.
"What's happening? Where's Bastion?"
"The Ra was injured this morning during his normal routine," she answered succinctly. "He is currently receiving care in the infirmary."
"Then why is Alexis here? I thought you'd tell me if there was a change."
"I am sorry My Saviour, however, your original plan was that if The Other couldn't find a partner, he should fight alone. As for the woman, I do not know when she came to this decision. However, this development does not surprise me."
Logan's eyes went wide. "What do you mean?"
"I have observed The Other. Over the last week, since you revealed your involvement in this challenge, he has grown progressively closer to those around him. This girl must be one of the people he has become connected to."
"But she hates him." He had seen the way she looked at him during the first few weeks of the academy. The scorn she had for him had made him laugh at the time. After learning Ren's true identity, it had also given him some comfort in knowing that he didn't have a rival.
"Hated. Past tense. I would assume that after the events regarding the dorm, they have grown close. Just like he has to everyone else."
"But he wanted to be a background character. He was trying to avoid them! How did he gain their loyalty? Why is she helping him?"
Lumina shook her head. "Perhaps you should ask him yourself."
Turn 7: Alexis – 7000LP – 5 cards in hand – 1 face-down card on the field (Shares 3 monsters and 1 active continuous spell and 1 face down with Ren)
Alexis looked at her cards and felt a plan taking form. The field was currently stacked against them. Their opponents were former pros who had quite literally pulled themselves from the gutter to become a champion level tag team. She and Ren faced a deadly combo. Weevil Underwood controlled the abomination of nature, Metamorphosed Insect Queen that created tokens each turn. Meanwhile, Rex Raptor possessed a Super Conductor Tyranno. This monster was particularly dangerous as in exchange for its ability to attack a turn, that dinosaur could tribute a monster to deal 1000 points of damage to their life points. If this weren't bad enough, Weevil had used a two-card combo of DNA Surgery and Insect Barrier to stop them from attacking. Not only that, but Weevil also already had an Army Ant Token and an Insect Monster Token on the field ready for tribute.
On the bright side, their opponents couldn't hurt them through battle damage either. Thanks to Ren, they now possessed their own near-impenetrable shield courtesy of First of the Dragons. It was a powerful fusion monster that couldn't be destroyed in battle with anything except a normal monster. Not to mention that it was unaffected by monster effects. That meant that Rex and Weevil would need something almost as strong as the legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon to take it down. However, it wouldn't protect them from Tyranno's burn effect.
Their other recourses were Ren's other two monsters, Darkblaze Dragon and Keeper of Dragon Magic. They also had two turns of Swords of Revealing Light left to stop the pros from attacking. A solid defence to be sure, but they'd never get anywhere holding back. Fortunately, she had just the cards.
"Okay, I know you guys are pros, but you'll find that I'm no pushover. I'll show you the pride of Obelisk Blues. First, since it's my standby phase and I'm sharing my partner's cards, the countdown on Future Fusion goes to one."
"Yep, which means, come my turn, you'll be facing my Five-Headed Dragon," Ren said with a smirk. Alexis nodded in approval. She got the feeling they were going to need all the confidence they could muster.
"But for now, you'll have to settle for me. That's why I'm activating the spell, Fusion Recovery. With it, I get back my Blade Skaterand I'll borrow my partner's Polymerization." Ren handed over his spell with a smile. Rex and Weevil seemed less happy if their frowns were anything to go by. "And now that I have those, I'll activate Polymerization. I fuse the Blade Skater I just got back with the Etoile Cyber in my hand. Come forth, Cyber Blader (2100/800)!" Alexis's two dancers appeared at her side before disappearing into a swirling portal. From it emerged her ace fusion monster.
The beautiful cyber warrior gracefully slid onto the field, spinning around before taking her place next to Alexis. However, the moment it appeared, DNA Surgery took effect, and it became more insect-like, gaining fly-like eyes and wings. Rex seemed intimidated by the warrior turned insect, but Weevil merely smiled. "Is that it? What is some ballerina supposed to do?"
"You'll see." She turned to Ren. "Can I use Darkblaze?"
His eyes darted from his dragon to Alexis's hand, and he nodded. "What's mine is yours."
"Great. In which case, I normal summon Cyber Petit Angel (300/200)." A small, pink, circular monster appeared on the field. It had a pair of blue wings and a shining halo over its head.
"It's weak," Weevil sneered.
"But so useful. You see, when this card is summoned, I get to add a 'Cyber Angel' monster from my deck to my hand." As she fetched the card from her deck, she noticed Ren's eyes widen. He must be surprised she had the Cyber Angel archetype. In fairness, they were fairly new. She'd gotten lucky recently when buying a booster box and acquired most of the cards. She had been testing them in practice matches with her friends Jasmine and Mindy, but she supposed now would be their real test. Still, it surprised her Ren had heard of them. He seemed too obsessed with Dragons. Oh well… there were bigger insects to swat.
"I now activate the ritual spell, Machine Angel Ritual! I use Darkblaze Dragon and Cyber Petit Angel as a tribute to call forth my new monster, Cyber Angel Dakini (2700/2400)." As the spell activated, an altar rose from the ground, fire burning atop of it. Darkblaze and Cyber Petit Angel both dissolved into the flames. The alter then burst open to reveal the warrior. She was a blue-skinned warrior with four arms and gold armour. She had long red hair and wielded scimitars in two of her hands and a long staff in the others. As she took the field, she sent a harsh look towards the insect/dino duo. Much like Cyber Blader, it quickly gained insect-like features.
This time, Weevil did seem intimidated. "Okay, that one is more impressive," he admitted. "But it is still too weak, and you can't attack while my barrier is in play."
"Oh, but we haven't gotten to the best bit yet. When Dakini is ritual summoned, you have to choose a monster from your side of the field to send to the graveyard."
"That's your big play?" Weevil laughed. "Fine with me, I'll just send my Insect Monster Token to the grave."
"Are you sure?" Alexis asked with a hint of a smirk.
"Read the fine print, dude. You have to send a monster to the graveyard," Ren said. "Tokens don't go there."
As realisation dawned on the insect user, his eyes widened in horror. "No!"
"That's right. You have to choose between your Insect Queen or Super Conductor Tyranno," Alexis said. "So, make your choice."
"Well obviously we're keeping my Queen," Weevil declared, puffing out his chest proudly.
Rex shook his head. "Weevil, I know you're attached to that card, but we should keep Tyranno."
"No! My Queen is clearly superior!"
"Think it through. Tyranno is better equipped to defend us. We need him. Plus, we still need his burn effect."
"But…" Weevil looked like he was about to argue before shaking his head. "Fine. We shall send Metamorphosed Insect Queen," he relented. The monster in question let out a scream before it disintegrated, becoming nothing more than dust in the wind. "Are you happy now?" Weevil shouted at us. "You destroyed a beauty of nature."
"We took out the fuel for my nightmares," Ren shot back.
"Eh hem."
"She took it out," he hastily corrected.
"Thank you," Alexis said with a smile. "And it only gets worse from there. Cyber Blader's effect now activates. Since you have three monsters on your field, all your card effects are now negated."
"What? No!" Weevil screamed.
"Impressive," Rex remarked, nodding his head.
As they spoke, Weevil's face-up spell and traps turned grey, rendering their effects null and void. And since DNA Surgery was negated, all of their monsters returned to their original forms. "We're only going to get one attack in, so I'll make this count. Dakini, attack the Insect Monster Token!"
The four-armed warrior let out a stern war cry as she jumped in, chopping the weak, hundred defence point egg-looking token in half. However, the attack struck with such force that it sent out a shockwave that blew back Rex and Weevil's hair.
"Oh, and when this monster attacks a defence position monster, you take piercing damage," Alexis declared proudly. (Rex and Weevil: 5400LP)
"You'll pay for that!" Weevil cried, his face going red.
"Calm down, Weevil. It was a good move," Rex said, shooting the teal haired duellist an annoyed glare.
"I… You're right…" He didn't sound convincing. It was quite clear he was extremely irked by the chain of events.
"Sorry to interrupt," Alexis cut in. "But since you only have two monsters now, Cyber Blader's effect changes, so while your cards have their effects again, her attack is doubled. The fusion monster let out a cry as her power soared (2100-4200 ATK). Unfortunately, this also meant DNA Surgery took effect again and all the monsters on the field became insects once more. "Since I can no longer attack, I'll end my turn. Of course, that means Dakini's effect activates, allowing me to add Machine Angel Ritual from my grave back to my hand. That's all from me."
The crowd let out a cheer as Alexis lowered her disk, their excitement palpable. In one move, she had turned the tables on their professional foes. No one would have expected it, especially after all of Weevil's bragging about their unbeatable strategy. Now it seemed to have fallen apart at the seams.
At least that's what the crowd believed. Alexis was observant and while Weevil was raging about their setback, Weevil remained calm. Strange considering he'd been known to be hot-headed not too long ago. "That was a really good move," he complimented. "I can see why you academy kids are so highly regarded."
"Um… thank you…" She was honestly unsure what to say. While Rex had a better reputation than Weevil, it was hard to escape the past. It was weird receiving praise from him now.
"Now let's see if I can turn this around," Rex said, drawing his card.
Turn 8: Rex – 5400LP – 4 cards in hand – 1 monster on the field and one face-up spell card (Shares 1 monster, 1 continuous trap and 1 continuous spell with Weevil)
"For starters, I activate the spell, Twin Twisters! By discarding a card, I can destroy two spell or trap cards on the field. So, I'll take out those pesky swords… hmmm… and the girl's face down for good measure." Twin tornadoes blew across the field, wiping out Ren's Swords of Revealing Light and Alexis' facedown, which was revealed to be Negate Attack. With Ren's spell gone, the glowing swords vanished from the field, giving Weevil and Rex free reign to attack. "Secondly, since my Big Evolution Pill is still on the field until the end of your next turn, I'll use it again to normal summon my Dark Driceratops (2400/1500) without tribute!" On his field appeared a large, green, four-legged dinosaur. It had a pair of brown feathered wings and plumage along with a beak. It let out a loud roar as it landed on the field with a loud 'thud'. "And with a third monster on the field, our cards may be negated again, but your Blader loses its power boost." As he said that, Cyber Blader slumped. (4200-2100 ATK)
"Now, Super Conductor Tyranno, clean your teeth with Cyber Angel Dakini!" At his command, the cybernetic dino charged forward and swallowed up the powerful warrior in a single gulp. (Alexis and Ren: 6400LP)
"No, not Dakini!" Alexis cried.
"And it only gets worse from there," Rex said with an animalistic grin, clearly getting into the fight. "Dark Driceratops, take down Cyber Blader!" The feathered dinosaur charged forward, ready to chomp down on the red-suited ballerina.
"My Blader!" Alexis cried out in alarm.
"I got you!" Ren called. "I activate my trap, Dimension Guardian! It protects Alexis's monster from being destroyed in battle and by card effects!"
"But you still take battle damage," Rex said with a grin. Driceratops did manage to bite down on Cyber Blader's arm, but the warrior kicked off the larger beast, although she grasped her arm in pain afterwards. (Alexis and Ren: 6100LP)
"Thanks for the save," Alexis said, looking over to her partner.
"Hey, you'd do the same for me I'd hope," he replied with his normal smirk.
"That's disappointing," Rex said, snapping the teams' attention back to their opponent. "But we'll get you next time. For now, I'll be setting a facedown and calling it a move."
"Then it's my turn again," Ren said, raising his duel disk. "And like Alexis, I'm bringing my A-game. My draw!"
Turn 9: Ren – 6100LP – 3 cards in hand – 2 monsters, 1 continuous spell and 1 continuous trap on the field (Shares 1 monster with Alexis)
As I drew my next card, I felt the familiar rush of battle anticipation flow through me. Even though the stakes for this duel were high, I was beginning to have some fun. Weevil was just as much a brat (and I was being polite) as I remembered him. Rex however had definitely mellowed and seemed like a decent guy. Not to mention that Alexis seemed to be going all out. Her last move had me in awe. I didn't realise she had her Cyber Angels so early in the canon. Well, if she was going all out, I certainly couldn't let myself be eclipsed by her, could I?
"Well then guys, it's now been two turns since I activated Future Fusion. That means my fusion monster gets to come out and play. Come forth, Five-Headed Dragon (5000/5000)!" Above my head, a portal burst open with a loud boom. From within, coming closer, a titanic silhouette could be seen emerging. First came the heads. One was made entirely from fire, the second resembled a water leviathan and was entirely blue, the third had black scales and looked demonic, the fourth had metallic scales protecting its neck and finally, the fifth, middle head was white and had several horns growing from the top of its head.
Then came the body. It was gigantic, easily dwarfing the also tall First of the Dragons, sharing the same colour as its middle head. As it appeared on the field, it unfurled its large wings, sending out a large wind blast that swept the entire audiences' hair back. Now, normally, this beasty was exclusively used by the Yu-Gi-Oh universe's villains, it was terrifying enough, but today it would help save me from expulsion. I was lucky Rex hadn't destroyed Future Fusion with Twin Twisters. He seemed more interested in removing our potential traps though, putting faith in Weevil's defence. He probably hadn't expected me to be able to save Cyber Blader.
Weevil looked upon the beast with a bead of sweat falling down his brow. "Well… it is certainly big. Are you compensating for something?"
"Just my inflated ego and uncharacteristic charm."
"He's not lying," Alexis groaned, rolling her eyes. "He does have a big ego."
"Oi, words hurt," I said. "But probably not as much as this. Five-Headed Dragon, take down Super Conductor Tyranno!" Opening its five jaws, my dragon unleashed a powerful energy beam. Rex's Tyranno tried to meet it with his own beam, but it was easily overpowered. My dragon's blast eclipsed the dinosaur, vaporising it in its entirety. (Rex and Weevil: 3700LP)
"What are you doing?" Weevil practically screamed at his partner. "You're costing us the duel!"
"Hey, calm down man. It's just a duel."
"No! I refuse to lose to children! This is exactly why we split up in the first place!"
"We 'split up' because you let fame go to your head! You know exactly what happened!"
Alexis and I shared an awkward look, neither of us entirely sure what to say in this scenario. It felt more like we were watching a couple's spat than two former colleagues arguing.
"This is…" she began.
"Uncomfortable," I finished. Even the students in the audience were avoiding looking at the two as they fought. With no end to the argument insight, I guess it was up to me. "Excuse me," I called out. "If you two are done, I'd like to continue with my move." The pair stopped arguing long enough to send one last glare at each other before looking away. At least they had stopped arguing. "Anyway, since you only have two monsters now, Cyber Blader's effect changes." The female warrior once again had its attack points boosted (2100-4200 ATK). Unfortunately, with her points now boosted, Weevil and Rex's card effects were back in effect. All the monsters on the field gained insect-like qualities and were now subject to Weevil's barrier. "I now activate Keeper of Dragon Magic's effect. I'm sure you remember. I show you a fusion monster, and I revive one of its materials in face-down defence mode. So, here's King Dragun, and welcome back Divine Dragon Ragnarok." The spectral dragon briefly appeared on the field before flipping facedown. "To end my move, I'll activate the spell, Emblem of the Dragon Destroyer to add Buster Blader from my deck to my hand. And I'll throw down a face down. That's all from me."
The audience was less impressed with my move. There were a few claps, mainly from Jaden and Syrus, but otherwise, they were unawed. Or maybe they just liked Alexis more than me. Yeah… actually thinking about it, that was probably it.
"Ah, so the girl is the scalpel of your team, using defined strategies whereas you are the mallet, striking with nothing but brute force," Weevil sneered.
"Hey, I've got my own strategies. Alexis is just a hard act to follow," I justified, feeling a little attacked.
"Oh, I'm sure," he said, his eyes flicking over the Obelisk Queen. Her eyes narrowed, her features tightening. She was not happy. Rex also shot his partner a dirty look, which Weevil ignored. "Now, let me show you how a real pro makes his move. My Insect Queen is going to be avenged." Weevil drew his card and smiled.
Turn 10: Weevil – 3700LP – 2 cards in hand – 1 monster, 1 continuous trap and spell on the field (Shares 1 monster and 1 facedown with Rex)
The teal haired duellist gave a moment to check the card Rex had placed before taking hold of a card in his hand. "I play Pot of Greed!" Thankfully, he saved us the explanation and drew his two cards. Eerily, his toothy grin grew. "Ah, one of my favourites. I activate the spell card, Eradicating Aerosol! This handy spell card destroys all insect monsters on the field. And don't forget, with my DNA Surgery, all monsters on the field are insects!"
From the spell emerged a tan hand holding a large can of bug spray. It pressed down on the nozzle and let out a blast of green smog. It quickly spread out across the field and our monsters, including Five-Headed Dragon and First of the Dragons, began to cough and wheeze before ultimately decaying away. The only monsters left on our field was Cyber Blader, who still had the protection of Dimension Guardian, and my facedown dragon. Since Rex and Weevil no longer controlled any monsters, Cyber Blader's attack points dropped back to normal. (4200-2100 ATK)
"Sorry, but you appear to have missed some," I said with a smirk. Weevil began snickering, making a pit form in my stomach.
"Did I? From my hand, I activate the effect of my Parasite Paranoid! This little beauty becomes an equip card that I can attach to one of your monsters! So, your Cyber Blader is about to get a little bug." Alexis and I gasped as a long blue monster resembling a tapeworm appeared and leapt across the field, attaching itself to the warrior woman. However, not much happened. "Now, normally my parasite would turn your monster into an insect, but since it is already one, that is irrelevant. However, I just needed an insect with an equip card for my purposes. I activate the spell card, Cocoon of Ultra Evolution!"
'Oh no…'
"This card allows me to tribute an insect from either side of the field that has an equip card. That will then allow me to summon an insect monster from my deck, ignoring its summoning conditions. So, I'll call forth my ultimate creature. Or should I say… perfectly ultimate."
Parasite Paranoid began to spew a continuous stream of silk webbing that ensnared Cyber Blader, wrapping it in a golden glowing cocoon. We waited with bated breath as the cocoon hardened. After a few moments, there was a loud crack as the shell began to break, a large red eye staring out at us. Then, the cocoon burst open, parts of it scattering around the field. However, I didn't have time to think about that. In the place where Cyber Blader had been, there was now a gigantic green moth. As it unfurled its massive blue wings, wisps of green dust fell.
The sight of it made me shudder. I'd never liked moths. Not in this life, nor in my previous one. I wasn't scared of them. That honour went to snakes. I just found them profusely irritating. Always finding a way to get in the room, bothering me when I'm on my electronics late at night. Eating my good shirts. Fuck moths…
Nonetheless, Weevil just kept laughing. "Children, say hello to the Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth (3500/3000)!" The beast let out a shrill shriek as it took to the air, flying over to its master's side. "Oh, and I'm not done. Thanks to my 'partner' I have another card to play. I activate Monster Reborn! With it, I'll be reviving an old friend. Rex's Super Conductor Tyranno!" The cyborg dinosaur rose once more, letting out a titanic roar.
"Not that thing again…" I groaned.
"I thought dinosaurs were supposed to stay fossils when they died," Alexis said, lightly biting her bottom lip.
"Not in this game," Rex said before turning to Weevil. "I see you finally came to appreciate my dino's."
"Only for their attack points," the bug duellist huffed. "Tyranno, attack that face down monster!" The beast opened its maw and fired off a single laser. My facedown dragon was gone in an instant. We were now defenceless. "Now go my Great Moth, attack those fools directly!"
The giant moth flew other to us, cascades of its emerald dust raining down on us. It beat its wings rapidly, creating a whirlwind that caused our hair to fly back. The poisonous green dust washed over us and our life point gauge plummeted. (Ren and Alexis: 2600LP)
"Hahahahaha! Now that's how you do a move. It's such a shame you can't fight back. But with our defences, this duel will be over very soon. You'd better not mess this up, Rex." The dino duellist didn't grace his statement with a response. "I end my turn. Your turn, girl."
Alexis said nothing as she drew her card, but her demeanour became colder.
Turn 11: Alexis – 2600LP – 3 cards in hand – 0 cards on the field (1 face down shared with Ren)
Before she made her move, she cast a quick look over to me. Our eyes met and she nodded. "I'll set a monster and play a card facedown. That's all."
As the cards appeared, Weevil frowned. "That's it? After your last move, I was expecting so much more from you."
Alexis didn't rise to the verbal bait. She merely looked back at me and nodded.
"Not talking? How rude!" Weevil cried madly. "We'll finish you this turn, and then move on to take back our careers! And then I'll be in the spotlight once more!"
"Weevil! You need to calm down! This is just an exhibition match after all,"
"Right… exhibition…" Weevil trailed off, immediately calming down. He didn't meet his partner's eye.
Wait a minute…? Does he not know…
"Anyway, it's my turn!" Rex cried, apparently oblivious to the looks Alexis and I were giving him.
Turn 12 – Rex – 3700LP – 1 card in hand – 0 cards on field (shares 2 monsters, 1 continuous trap and spell with Weevil)
"I start by activating Weevil's Cocoon of Ultra Evolution's second effect. By shuffling an insect monster from our graveyard back into my deck, I can draw a card." Weevil fetched Pinch Hopper from his grave and handed it to his partner. After a quick shuffle, Rex drew his card. "Nice, I now activate the spell Double Evolution Pill! This card lets me remove dinosaur and non-dinosaur type monsters from my hand or grave to special summon a level 7 or higher monster from my deck!"
Oh, not again. What this time?
"I chain with my trap!" Alexis suddenly called out. "I activate Hallowed Life Barrier. By discarding a card from my hand, all battle and effect damage dealt to us this turn becomes zero. Not only that but our monsters can't be destroyed either. Looks like we won't lose this turn after all." That last bit was pointed towards Weevil. The stout duellist bared his teeth in frustration. Rex was not deterred.
"All I'm hearing is that I still get my monster. I remove the Serpent Night Dragon in my hand and Gilasaurus in the grave to call forth Overtex Qoatlus (2700/2100)!" With a horrible squawk, a large purple Pteranodon flew onto the field. Its neck was elongated and had a bulbous glowing sack growing underneath its razor-sharp beak. Unlike normal Pteranodons, its wings were not connected to its arms and instead grew out of its back.
"Since there is no point in attacking, I'll just end my turn there. But don't count us out just yet."
"Then it's my turn," I said with as much confidence as I could muster. Things weren't exactly looking good. Three powerful monsters, two of which had over 3000 points and we only had a facedown monster to our name. A lot rode on this draw. And yet Alexis didn't seem worried. She watched me curiously, waiting to see what I would do. Made a hell of a difference to when she scowled at me all the time.
"Go, Ren!"
"You've got this!"
Alexis and I turned to see Sadie and Bastion in the bottom row of the stands. The Ra was on crutches with Sadie supporting his arm but they both were cheering and showing their full support.
"Yeah! Go, Ren!" My head swivelled up towards the middle of the crowd where, much to my surprise, Dimitri was standing tall, much to the annoyance of those beside him. He, Bastion and Sadie continued to shout out cries of support. I knew the latter two were coming, but to see Dimitri as well certainly did raise my spirits. Quickly more people joined the career, voicing their support. Even Jaden and Syrus were up at the side of the arena, cheering up a storm.
"You'd better not let them down," Alexis said from beside me, a thin smile on her lips.
I smirked before turning back to the seething Weevil and smiling Rex. "Right. It's my draw!"
Turn 13: Ren – 2600LP – 3 cards in hand – 1 set card (Shares 1 face-down monster with Alexis)
I took a quick look at Alexis monster and found myself pleasantly surprised. "Wasn't expecting that. Doesn't really fit her theme," I mumbled to myself before shrugging. "Oh well. To start off, I play Pot of Greed. That's two more cards for me and a whole lot of trouble for you. Because one of those cards was Heavy Storm!" The wind began to pick up around me until it became a gale force."
"Not so fast, I activate Overtex's effect!" Rex cried. "I can destroy a dinosaur on my field and negate the activation of your spell card! I'll destroy Overtex itself!" The sack under its beak began to pulse red before it erupted, taking out Rex's dinosaur in an explosion so fierce, it disrupted the winds put out by my spell. "When my Overtex is destroyed, I can add an Evolution Pill card from my deck to my hand. I'll add a second Double Evolution Pill."
"That's fine," I said as he added the card to his hand. "Truth be told, I'm kind of glad you activated it then."
"What?"
"But more on that later. I set two cards face down and then flip summon Alexis's monster. Say hello to Morphing Jar (700/600)." Alexis's card flipped to reveal a blue urn. Its lid slowly slid off and in the darkness of its interior, you could see a large eye and a wide toothy smile. "When this little guy is flipped, we are all forced to discard our hands. But in exchange, we draw five new cards."
This was the most dangerous part of this move. Everyone's hand was pretty much empty so I was giving them back their options. But I needed to do this. I was at my best when I had my recourses. It was the reason I included so many treasure cards in my deck. Some people in this world would claim I didn't trust in my deck enough. I say sod off to them. If I can draw cards from my deck to give me the best possible advantage, I was going to do it. Some may call it luck, I call it the skill of foresight. And as I drew my new hand, I noticed one particular card and my eyes briefly drifted over to Bastion.
This move is for you, man.
"To start this off, I activate one of my face downs, Reasoning. You declare a level and then I draw cards until I draw-"
"We know what the card does," Weevil interrupted. "Level seven."
"Hang on, shouldn't we discuss this?" Rex asked. "We need to be careful here."
"He's been using high-level monsters all game. The chances are that his deck is overloaded with powerful monsters. We should say seven."
"But-"
"No more discussion, we say seven!" Weevil cried furiously.
I drew my card and smirked. This time, my eyes briefly flicked to Dimitri. "Sorry, but it's level one." I showed them the card and watched with glee as Weevil's face paled and Rex's lit up with nostalgic curiosity. "Say hello to Black Dragon's Chick (800/500)." A red egg burst onto the field. No sooner had it appeared did it crack open, allowing everyone to see the glowing red eyes within. In this time period, it should have been called Red-Eyes Black Chick but in this timeline went with the modern name. Oh well, I'm not losing sleep over a name.
"Now kids grow up fast these days, so I use his effect. I tribute him, to call out the legendary Red-Eyes Black Dragon (2400/2000)!" The egg burst open, and the creature inside could briefly be seen before light surrounded it. It grew at an exponential rate, easily coming to tower over Alexis and me. Within moments, the legendary dragon took its place behind us, letting out a challenging roar.
Across the field, Rex's eyes grew wide as he looked upon the dragon. "Red-Eyes," he gasped. I couldn't quite tell what he was thinking, but there was a twinge of sadness in his expression. I couldn't dwell on that. I had a duel to win. Either way, I peered over to Weevil. "Summoned Skull is in here too." I took pleasure in his flinch at the name of the monster that kicked him out of Duellist Kingdom.
DNA Surgery took hold once more, transforming my dragon into an insect but I didn't care now. "I'll now normal summon The Dark – Hex-Sealed Fusion (1000/1600)!" The next monster that appeared on the field was a monstrosity, much like Weevil's Insect Queen. It appeared to be a round living blob with machinery embedded in its body. However, there were horrid crimson tentacles growing out of the skin, wriggling like maggots. The audience took an immediate dislike to the monster, voicing their disgust.
"And you called my queen horrid," Weevil grimaced.
"Yeah, well what he doesn't have in looks he more than makes up for in its effect. By tributing it and another material, I can summon a dark fusion monster from my extra deck. So, I'll be using it and my Red-Eyes to fusion summon one of my long-running staples, Black Skull Dragon (3200/2500)!"
Hex-Sealed fusion cracked open, its tendrils snaking out and ensnaring Red-Eyes and pulling it into a swirling portal. Within moments, bone covered dragon took centre stage, landing on the field with a loud thud.
"And I'm not done there. I now activate my other face down, Monster Reborn! Revive, Buster Blader (2600/2300)!" My warrior's sword fell from the sky, embedding itself in the field. A moment later, Buster Blader burst from the ground, taking his weapon in hand and resting over his shoulder.
"Finally, I activate Premature Burial. At the cost of 800 life points, I can revive one more monster." Alexis's graveyard slot began to glow (Ren and Alexis: 1800 LP). "Revive, Cyber Blader (2100/300)!" A magic circle appeared on the ground, from it emerged Alexis's ace, her arms folded as she took her place standing shoulder to shoulder with Buster Blader. Since there were two monsters on Rex and Weevil's field, her attack points immediately doubled. (2100-4200 ATK)
I smiled as I looked at my field. I had my own ace, Alexis's ace and a fusion resulting from the cards Dimitri and Bastion had given me. Sure, I could have used Hex to summon Dark Paladin, but this felt more poetic. I just wished I had a card to represent Sadie. I suppose since it was because of her that Alexis had come to help so, in that way, Cyber Blader represented her too. I guess? It definitely wasn't Morphing Jar. Eh, I'm finally looking too much into the cards I control. I'm going native.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
My mind was jolted by the slow clapping of Weevil. He gazed upon my monsters with a mocking grin. "My, my. Very Impressive. However, no matter how strong your monsters are, you seem to have forgotten, my card combo is still in play. First of all, DNA Surgery turns your monsters into insects. And then, my Insect Barrier prevents them from attacking." As he said that, my four monsters changed, gaining insect-like features.
"You really like to hear yourself talk," I said, rolling my eyes. "But you're right. That is a problem. It's a good thing I kept this little gem." I gestured to my final face down, the card I had set the last turn. I'd kept it in reserve all this time waiting for the perfect moment to activate it. And now that I had my arsenal, the time had come. "I activate my face down. Look familiar? It should, it is DNA Surgery after all."
Weevil's skin turned one more shade paler. While we both controlled a DNA Surgery, as I had activated mine second, mine would be taking precedent.
"I'm sure you remember what it does. I declare a type and all monsters become it. So, since I've had enough of this insect horror fest, let's go with dragons." No sooner did I say that all the monsters on the field changed again. Black Skull Dragon returned to normal whereas Buster Blader and Cyber Blader both gained leathery wings and a tail. Morphing Jar… well it's a jar. It didn't really change on the outside.
As for Weevil and Rex's monsters, Weevils Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth grew scales, and its head became draconian. Its fluffy wings became leathery, and a long tail grew from its back. As for Super Conductor Tyranno didn't get much change except the wings that burst from its back. All in all, we now had a field full of dragons.
"Looks like that barrier of yours is useless," I smirked victoriously. "Oh, and since you now control dragons, my Blader's effect takes hold, boosting his points by 500 for each one on the field, plus the dragons in your graveyard." The gems on my ace's sword glowed as his power rose. (2600-4100 ATK). Rex's grave lit up, showing the holographic image of Tyrant Dragon before it flowed over to Buster Blader's sword. That must have been the card he discarded to activate Twin Twisters. It was the only way I could see it being in there.
"Very clever," Rex remarked. "These Academy kids are really something, aren't they Weevil? Weevil?" He looked over to his teammate to see him sweating nervously.
"I won't lose. I can't lose. Not after everything I've gone through," he muttered to himself, albeit a loud mutter.
"Sorry, that's just how it goes sometimes. Battle! Cyber Blader, attack Super Conductor Tyranno!" The deadly ice skater raced forward and leapt high into the hair. She twirled and twisted through the air with grace before kicking out her feet, using her skates to slice a deep gash into the dinosaur's neck. It let out a gurgle before exploding. Seemed like the wrong effect but I suppose this was a kid's game. No blood (Rex and Weevil: 2800LP). With one less monster/dragon both Cyber Blader and Buster Blader lost some of their attacking power. (4200-2100 ATK) (4600-4100 ATK)
"Now, Buster Blader, take out that moth with Destruction Sword Flash!" My swordsman leapt into the air, his weapon crackling with energy as he held it at a downward angle. It flew through the air, its sword piercing into the side of the Ultimate Great Moth's now scaly hide. The moth let out a cry before it too exploded. (Weevil and Rex: 2200LP)
Only one attack left, and Black Skull Dragon already had its maw open with dark plasma charging. "I'm staying at this academy," I said, just quiet enough that only I could hear. "Black Skull Dragon, end this! Strike them directly!"
With this final command, my dragon reared back its head and unleashed a torrential blaze. It flowed like a wave, washing over the field and striking Rex and Weevil at the same time. Whilst Rex stood his ground, excepting the loss gracefully, Weevil took an unfortunate step back and toppled over backwards. (Weevil and Rex: 0LP. Ren and Alexis win!)
The crowd was initially silent as the holograms of our monsters faded from the field. However, then they began to clap and cheer. Students and teachers alike rose from their seats to congratulate us on our win. At the front of the stands, Bastion and Sadie shot me ecstatic smiles as they clapped, which was a little awkward for Bastion given his crutches. I turned to where I had seen Dimitri. He was still there, applauding along with everyone else. He met my gaze and hesitated before giving me a thumbs up. I wholeheartedly returned the gesture. Hopefully, this little ordeal would be the first step in repairing the friendship that had been strained between us.
I then turned to Alexis. She too was taking in the crowd, although with a cooler demeanour than I had been. When she spotted me looking at her, she gave a small smile. "Well done, Ren. Looks like you'll be sticking around for the foreseeable future."
"And I'm all the happier for it. Thank you, Alexis. If it hadn't been for you, this probably would have gone very differently."
She shook her head. "I'm just glad I was able to repay you in some way. Besides we do have a deal after all."
"So you keep reminding me," I chuckled. Before we could continue our conversation, Weevil let out a wail as he slammed his fist against the ground.
"I was so close! This was supposed to be my comeback! How am I supposed to come back from this? Beaten by school children? No one will want to be a sponsor now!"
For his part, Rex tried to comfort his tag partner, going over and resting a hand gently on his shoulder. "Hey, it's okay, man. There will be other opportunities. Besides, a loss is one thing, acting up because of it is another. Calm down a little, alright? It's just a game after all."
"It's not just a game!" Weevil snapped, rounding on Rex. "I've staked my entire career on this 'game'. I used to be the best! And then after one loss, I became a laughingstock! You used to feel the same! We were champions! We stood at the top of a pillar that other duellists could only look upon in awe. How are you so calm about all this?"
Rex seemed taken back by the outburst but quickly regained his composure. "I'm calm because I managed to break the chains I trapped myself in. Fame was great but it came with its own hardships. People expect more and more from you and I think we both cracked under the pressure. I learned to let go and be happy with myself. Didn't you, Weevil?"
The smaller pro looked upon his partner with a mix of confusion and envy. His eyes flicked from Rex to Alexis and I, and then the crowd who was now watching with great interest. He turned his head away, his teeth bared in an angry grimace. Rex sighed before removing his hand and standing back up to his full height.
It was at this moment Crowler finally decided to step in. For the first time today, he was beaming with a toothy grin, probably delighted two of his Obelisks wouldn't be punished after all. "The match is over. Ren Cambell and Alexis Rhodes have fought the odds and come out victorious. As stated, Mr Cambell's expulsion is hereby revoked, and he will be free to continue attending this prestigious academy! Give them another hand everyone."
The audience began to clap again, although it was more restrained this time. Maybe it was because they had just finished their first round of applause, or maybe it was because it was Crowler who had asked for it, but either way, the noise in the arena was distinctly quieter. However, the Obelisk Head's words had struck a chord with the Dino Duelling pro as his eyes widened in horror and he looked back at Weevil, who was doing his best to seem small under Rex's glare.
"Expulsion? I thought you said this was an exhibition match?" he asked, his voice taking on a sharp tone. "I didn't agree to get kids expelled."
"You would have refused if I told you the truth," Weevil said quietly. "I wanted us to duel together again. We were near unstoppable as a team. I knew that if I gave you a good enough reason, you'd be willing to take up your cards again."
"Why do you always do this? You haven't changed at all! I was an idiot for thinking this would go any differently!"
"Wait, Rex-"
"Enough, I'm done. I can't do this anymore. It was bad enough the first time but I can't do this again. We're through, this partnership is over. I… I just can't with you anymore…"
Weevil's eyes went wide as he looked from Rex to the judgemental looks of the students around him. He was trapped in a ring of angry and disapproving looks. With nothing else he could say, he quickly turned and scuttled out of the arena as fast as he could. It was going to be an awkward trip back for him and Rex, assuming they had come together anyway.
Once Weevil had fled, Rex let out a solemn sigh before walking over to Alexis and me. "I'm sorry things turned out this way. When Weevil originally told me about this, he said it was just an exhibition match. I had no idea you were fighting for your school careers. For what it's worth, you both have some talent. If you keep up with your studies, I'm sure you'll both be able to make it in the pro circuit."
"That's very kind of you to say," Alexis said, nodding her head in respect.
"Yeah, thank you." My response was a little more awkward. I still couldn't get over just how different this guy was from the original series. It really hammered home just how many years had passed and how he had matured. It made me wonder how different Yugi and his friends were now that ten years had passed.
"Again, I'm sorry about Weevil. He used to be a good guy, but he let things go to his head and he never really got over the loss of his fame. He came to me a week ago and told me all this stuff about his time 'away' had changed him and that he wanted to do better. He said he'd booked this gig to teach students about tag duels. I shouldn't have believed him… but he was my friend once and I wanted to see the good in him." He paused briefly, sighed and then looked us both in the eye. "Look, I know I'm not much of a role model, my past is probably just as bad as Weevil's… but if I can teach you anything, don't let those around you dictate the way you play this game. The pressure of being a pro can be damning. People can be toxic. Don't listen to them if they demand you to change. They should just change their attitude."
That was… profound… Really wasn't expecting something like that out of Rex Raptor of all people. Alexis and I shared a surprised look before we both gave him a respectful bow.
"Thank you for your wisdom," we said together.
Rex nodded before looking towards the arena exit. "I guess this is where I leave. Good luck with your studies. Best of luck for the future." With that, he turned and made his exit. I couldn't help but wonder what he would do now? It didn't sound like he'd be going back to duelling. Maybe go back to working in museums? Either way, it had been cool to finally meet an OG character. Hopefully, I'd run into him again at some point.
With Rex's departure, Crowler continued with his role of official. "Mr Cambell, Ms Rhodes, please clear the field. It is time for the second match to begin."
Alexis and I quickly made our way off the field, passing Jaden and Syrus as they walked up. "Good luck guys," I said, shooting the two of them a thumbs up.
"You'll both do great," Alexis agreed.
"Ha! We'll show you guys what a couple of Slifers can do!" Jaden cheered.
Syrus nodded nervously, his gaze lingering on the top levels of the crowd where Zane was watching like a hawk. The kid was under a lot of pressure, not only having to fight for his own school career but also having his older brother, the guy he equally looked up to and feared, watch him. Analyse him. I just hoped he'd be able to pull off the victory he'd managed in the canon.
The Disciplinary Committee directed Alexis and me over to the seats at the side, not allowing us to join Sadie and Bastion in the crowd. So, the two of us were left to sit in awkward silence as Jaden and Syrus took the duel field. Things from there progressed as in canon. The Slifers' opponents were the Paradox Brothers, a pair of tag duelling twins known to be the best tag duellists in the world before their loss to Yugi and Joey at Duellist Kingdom. My memory of the specifics of this duel was very hazy but I felt confident in my friends' victory.
Alexis on the other hand didn't have my knowledge and was visibly tense as the brothers summoned Kazejin to their field on the green-robed brother's first turn. "They'll be fine," I whispered, trying to ease her nerves. "The two of them have been practising like crazy for this. They'll be able to handle anything these guys throw at them."
"I know. And I don't doubt that Jaden will do well. But Syrus-"
"Hey, that guy has a lot of potential in him. And if this duel doesn't force some of it out of him, nothing will." Alexis didn't initially reply, instead choosing to stare at me with this confused expression that made me feel a little self-conscious. "What?"
"I just can't figure you out," she said. "There are times where you're so uninterested in the things around you that it's frustrating. Then you take things seriously and act with this passion that I don't see from most Obelisks. And then the times you just seem frustrated for no reason."
"I'm just a complicated individual. I didn't realise you'd been paying such close attention." Just how long had she been watching me? That's dangerous behaviour to take up.
"Your frown is sometimes audible," she said, looking back to the duel. "Your duel with Jaden the other day was quite something to watch though. Have to say, I was expecting Jaden to win." My head shot round to her, my eyes bulging and any snappy quip I could come up with forgotten.
She saw that?
"Y'know, I think that duel was the first time I saw you smile honestly," she continued, her eyes a little distant.
Before I could ask her what she meant, there was an explosion from the duel field. The Paradox Brothers had just called upon their ace monster, Gate Guardian and used it to destroy Syrus's Steam Gyroid, dealing the first damage of the match. Seeing the titanic beast in action was actually pretty terrifying. It was a giant made up of three parts and with 3750 attack points, it was easily the biggest obstacle in Jaden and Syrus's path.
Our conversation died down as we both intently watched the duel. Every now and again, Alexis would make a comment about the duel that made me cringe as it delved into the cliché anime side character simple observations. I tried to stay quiet mostly. I took the most interest when the brothers summoned Dark Guardian. That card was an anime exclusive and didn't have an OCG or TCG equivalent. It showed that there were cards in this world that really did only exist in this reality. I would have to be careful in future if any more cards like that showed up.
The duel ended in spectacular fashion with Syrus fusing Jaden's Elemental Hero Tempest with his UFOroid to summon UFOroid Fighter to deal the finishing blow to the Paradox Brother's life points.
Once more, the crowd began to applaud and holler and Chumley ran down from the stands to congratulate his roommates as they basked in their victory. For once, it really seemed like things were going right. Hopefully, things would remain this way for a long time. However, in the excitement, I caught a figure quickly moving towards the exit. As they left, I caught a glimpse of a red jacket and a shock of dark hair that was tinged blue.
"Heh, someone's not happy."
"Very well done to all of you! That was a fantastic show!" Bastion practically cried, clapping me on the back. The seven of us; Me, Bastion, Sadie, Alexis, Jaden, Syrus and Chumley, were standing to the side of the arena. At this point, we were the last people there. Everyone else had quickly left once the festivities had come to an end. I had hoped Dimitri would come over as well, but it seemed he had left with the others. Regardless, the mood among the majority of us was fairly positive. Only three of us were frowning.
"Thanks, man," Jaden said, his voice a little dejected. "Although the win was kind of ruined by Sheppard forcing us to write ten whole pages on why entering the abandoned dorm was wrong."
"Yeah. So much for no punishment," I agreed, my own shoulders slacking.
"At least your parts don't have to rhyme," Syrus cut in.
The others chuckled at our predicament. "C'mon guys, it's only ten pages. You'll be done in no time," Alexis said, ever the proactive student.
"You can't talk! You don't have to write anything!" I cried, shooting her an accusing glare. "In fact, you got praised for stepping up."
She laughed awkwardly, taking a step back and raising her arms up in mock surrender.
It was true, despite Sheppard claiming we wouldn't be punished if we won our duel, we were still forced to write a long essay to be turned in by next week. Meanwhile, Alexis had received a reward of bonus DP for stepping in to help a fellow student.
"At least you will be here to write it," Sadie chimed in optimistically. "I hope you thanked her."
"I did, don't worry," I replied, my faux bad mood dissipating.
"It was no issue," Alexis replied.
"Hey guys, we should do something to celebrate," Jaden said, pumping his fist. "It's not every day we win a duel against pros."
"What? Like a party?" Syrus asked, cocking his head to one side.
"Yeah! Don't you guys agree?"
"That certainly sounds interesting. I would be happy to attend such an event," Bastion said with a small smile.
"If we're talking about a party, I'm all in," Sadie agreed before turning to me. "We could use the Obelisk Dorm."
"I thought girls weren't allowed to enter the dorm?" I asked.
"That's only past eight and in the rooms. You know, in case anyone was to get up to shenanigans. As long as we don't do anything stupid, we should be able to chill for a bit in the commons area."
"Oh, cool. In which case I'm all for it," I said. "You up for a celebration, Alexis?"
She seemed momentarily surprised that I had even asked her. She looked around the group before nodding. "I certainly don't mind."
"Sweet!" Jaden cried. He quickly pulled out his PDA. "It's one-thirty now. Why don't we meet up at three outside the blue dorm?"
"Sounds good. That'll give us time to get ready too," Sadie said, looking over to Alexis. It seemed that even in this world, girls flocked together when getting ready to go out. Although, for some reason, it felt weird for me to think about the two of them interacting in a social setting.
"We'll catch you guys in a bit," Jaden said as he began to walk away with Syrus and Chumley. "Looking forward to trying some of that Obelisk food."
"We'll see you later too," Sadie said, giving me a nudge. "I'm glad you're sticking around. Now, perhaps we can finally talk about that 'tour'."
"I'd really like that," I said, grinning like an idiot.
"Eh hem," Alexis coughed, catching both of our attention. She wasn't looking directly at us and her expression was the picture of neutrality. "If we're gonna do this, we should probably head back now," she said to Sadie.
"I suppose you're right," Sadie relented. "See ya in a bit." She gave me and Bastion a wave before heading off with the Obelisk Queen. Both Bastion and my gaze lingered on their retreating figures. Looking carefully, I noticed that Bastion's cheeks were ever so slightly tinged red. Had the girls prompted that reaction? Hmm… I wonder if he had a crush on Alexis like in the manga? That would explain it. Finally, the girls turned the corner, and it was just me and the resident genius.
"Do you need help getting back to the dorm?" I asked.
"No. I should get used to walking with these. No better time to practice," he said, putting on a brave face.
I shrugged my shoulders. "In which case, I hope you won't be opposed to me walking with you. Y' know, just to keep you company."
His brows raised before a smirking. "I wouldn't be opposed to that."
We started the walk towards the Yellow Dorm. Bastion couldn't take the stairs, so we had to find a lift on this floor, something I didn't even know the academy had. Where was this when I sprinted up all those steps? As we walked, I tapped Bastion's shoulder.
"Hey, I know things didn't exactly turn out the way we wanted but thank you for everything you did this week. If it wasn't for you, I don't think I'd be anywhere near as ready for that fight as I was."
"Yes, while it was a shame that I wasn't able to assist in your duel, I am just happy that there will be more opportunities for us to work together. I must say I grew fond of our sparring sessions. You have pushed me to improve my strategies. And you have been a good friend. It would be somewhat lonely around here without you."
"Only somewhat?" I asked, chuckling.
"You know what I mean," he laughed.
"Yeah. Yeah, I do."
We ended up talking smack all the way back to the Ra dorm.
I got back to the Obelisk Dorm around two. Colour me surprised when I found none other than Logan waiting for me outside the door. My good mood immediately disappeared as I walked over to him. There was no way to avoid this, it would happen sooner or later. May as well be now.
"So you won," Logan said as I approached. He sounded off, his voice lacking its normal pompousness.
"I did."
"I thought you would," he said with the hint of a smirk. "You've taken too much of a liking to this place."
"So what if I have?"
"Well, clearly you don't plan on sticking to your policy of non-interference. So, maybe you've come around on my way of thinking? Perhaps we can work together now?"
I stayed quiet, eyeing him up. He waited somewhat patiently, his right hand at his side and fingers tapping at his leg. I looked around. There was no one close by. "Let's talk around here," I said gesturing to the side of the dorm where we wouldn't be visible to anyone who happened to be coming in. I didn't give him a chance to voice an opinion as I had already started moving.
I rounded the corner and waited for him with my arms crossed. He was quick to follow. "Okay, I don't see what we can discuss here that we can- AHH!"
"Ugh!"
The moment Logan had rounded the corner I threw out my fist, landing a hit to the side of the cheek that sent him sprawling back. He looked up at me with wide eyes as I shook my aching right hand. This was the first time I had ever purposely hit anyone but if anyone deserved it, it was this guy. I just wish I hadn't hurt my own hand in the process. Movies make this stuff look easy…
"What was that for?" Logan shouted, his eyes watering as he nursed his swelling cheek.
"That… was for almost getting me expelled," I growled, continuing to ease my hand. "And you deserve so much more. You know, I actually felt a little sympathy for you after our chat in the infirmary. But you seem determined to subject you will on the world."
"Look-"
"No, for once, you're going to listen and hear my words. This world is not a game. The people here are real. You cannot view them as pieces in a grand scheme because they are not. And they're never going to respond, at least not truly respond, in the way you expect. You are loving in a fantasy if you think that for even a moment."
"I know!" he suddenly cried, his face turning red. He avoided my gaze. "I… I know."
"And yet you still pushed."
"Yes. I didn't mean any harm by it."
"No one ever does."
"It's just… those guys… they are the heroes of my childhood. I wanted to be near them, to interact with them and become legendary like them. I never really belonged in my past life. No one around me played Yu-Gi-Oh and I was the social outcast. I just thought… that here… I'd have somewhere I belong."
"That doesn't line up with your actions. This just sounds like another lie."
"I'm not lying!" he practically screamed. "I'd never lie about that. Do you have any idea what it's like to idolise a game meant for kids in high school? It's lonely! No one understands because no one's willing to give it a try. You just become the kid people have to associate with because it's sociable. No one wants to get to know you because you're the only one still playing kids games."
I opened my mouth to speak, only to shut it again. Truth was, I had felt that way. I was lucky in school that I eventually found a group that understood my love of the game, made me feel like I belonged. But I won't lie it had been lonesome for a long time. But it didn't sound like Logan had had that reprieve. And yet…
"There's something I need to ask you. Bastion was originally supposed to be my tag partner for that duel. But this morning, literally the hours before the match, he fell and hurt his ankle. When I found him, he told me that the reason he had fallen was that he'd been blinded by 'golden light'. Your Lightsworns give off that same kind of light when they're summoned. Did you purposely try and sabotage the match?" It was something I'd been thinking about in the back of my mind since the morning. No matter how bright the sun is, it doesn't just spontaneously produce a glare that would cause the phenomena Bastion described.
I watched Logan's face as it went through a range of expressions. Confusion, realisation, annoyance and finally anger. He briefly glanced over his shoulder before rounding back on me. "I had nothing to do with that! My entire plan relied on you going to ask one of the core characters for help. Why would I sabotage my own plan?"
"That's true I suppose…" I relented. As stupid as his plan was, I couldn't see why he would so suddenly deviate from it unless he was bullshitting me.
"I was honestly surprised when you turned up at the arena alone," he continued. "Even more so when Alexis turned up. Of all people, I never expected her to help you. I need to know… How did you do it?" His tone was remarkably softer than it had been before.
"How did I do what?"
"Connect with them? The main cast I mean? When we arrived, I had this whole plan about how I'd establish myself among them. And while Jaden, Syrus and Chumley seem to get along with me, I'm not exactly a big part of their group. I'm definitely not close with any of the others, let alone Alexis. And yet, you didn't even want to interact with them and somehow, you've managed to make them all like you. I just don't get it. I did everything Jaden would do and still failed. I just… I just don't get it."
Now, I don't know what it was, maybe his sad attitude or the fact I hadn't really seen this side of him before, but I took pity on the guy. With a groan, I took a seat down next to him on the grass. "Let me ask you this, have you interacted with any of them outside of a canon capacity? Like, just talked about life? Took interest in their hobbies? You know, the stuff any normal person would do?"
He took a moment to think back before shaking his head. "No, I don't think so."
"Well, there's your answer. It links back to what I said before. They aren't just game or anime characters. Here they are real people, with their own desires and thoughts. If you're going to treat them like static pixels, they will never respond to you in the way you want." I can't believe I had to explain the basics of human sociability to him but that was the way this day had gone. "Look, for what it's worth, I'd say that the only good thing that has come out of this week is that it has allowed me to get closer to Jaden and the others. I've learned more about them, taken an interest in their pasts outside of the canon. Did you really think that Jaden's relationships with his friends were based on the stuff that was only shown on screen? They hung out in between. Did things normal teenagers do. Why don't you start with that?" I'd hoped that having positive interactions with the main cast would help his attitude a little. However, he shook his head again.
"It may be too late for that. They've already established their groups. It's going to be difficult to integrate with them now."
I let out a sigh, looking up at the towering dorm above me. I needed to nip this Logan mess in the bud or else it would come back to bite me later and I'd just be going through this entire process again. And then it came to me, a way that we both get what we wanted, with only a little annoyance for me going forward. Eh, no plan was perfect.
"Okay, look. In truth, since the infirmary, I have been thinking about what you said, about how we can help the people here. And… maybe… it wouldn't be such a bad thing."
His face lit up. "You mean-?"
"Wait. There are still things we can't change. Things that… unfortunately do need to happen. But I suppose there are other ways we can intervene. In a small capacity mind you. And in order to do that… we should work together." I saw that he was about to say something so I quickly continued before he could say anything. "Bear in mind, this partnership will go on as long as we can both agree. We don't go behind each other's back and we keep the other informed on the stuff that goes on around us so that we can keep track of what's going on. Can we agree on that?"
"Yeah. Yeah, that would be good," Logan said a little too eagerly.
"Good. Now," Oh I'm going to regret this, "The others and I are going to be meeting up later for a party. If you want, and you don't do anything stupid, I suppose it will be alright for you to come along. We can work on you actually becoming friends with them."
His eyes widened, nodding his head in disbelief. "Why would you do this for me?"
"Because… Because I do know how it feels to be alone. And, as much as I tried to fight it, this place, this academy helped. Maybe it can help you too."
"I don't know what to say."
"Then don't say anything. The party starts at three."
"Cool," he beamed. "I'll be sure to come." He made to get up but I quickly grabbed his arm.
"Before you go, is there anything else I should know. Any other plans you've set in motion?"
For once, Logan actually looked bashful. "Well… there is one thing."
I already regret this…
"What the hell?" Chazz growled as he looked at the message that had just come through on his PDA. It was from Crowler of all people and read like this:
Dear Mr Princeton,
Due to the decline in your recent duels, your place in the Obelisk Dorm is up for review. In two days, you will have a duel exam against Logan Evans of the Slifer Dorm. In a result of your victory, you will remain in the halls of Obelisk. In the event of Mr Evans victory, the two of you will swap dorms.
Please prepare your deck with care.
Dr Crowler.
Chazz's grip around his PDA tightened, wishing that he had enough strength to crush the device. His anger had reached its tipping point earlier where not only had that upstart Jaden managed to survive his expulsion duel, but Ren Cambell of all people had partnered with Alexis! He didn't deserve to share the same space as her, let alone duel alongside her.
And now, he was at risk of being demoted to being a Slifer! He wouldn't have it! This was all wrong! He should be the one at the top of the mountain, the one that all other freshmen strove to be. And yet here he was with people clearly inferior quickly rising in the ranks, overtaking him!
What would Slade and Jagger say? He shuddered to think. They'd been putting so much pressure on him recently to achieve their joint dream of domination over the three 'worlds' of power in the world that he couldn't think straight. But he knew one thing. He would not be a Slifer. That mangey, roach-infested dorm would never be his home.
"I'll beat him," he declared. "I have to win."
A few hours later, Bastion and I were sitting in my dorm room enjoying the bottles of fancy lemonade we had managed to swipe from the Obelisk cafeteria and watching the "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" on the big TV. Let me tell you, everything they serve here is the nectar of the gods. I cannot get enough of their food. And I didn't initially want to be here, ha! Past me is an idiot.
It had been a good night. Everyone had been surprised when they found out I had invited along Logan but had mostly accepted him. Alexis was still rather cold towards him. She spent the entire time avoiding him and politely finding ways to avoid talking to him. I wasn't really surprised given their limited interactions so far.
Taking my advice, he'd really hit it off with the Slifer boys, already having something of a repour with them. I took particular interest in that he had primarily gotten along with Syrus. I didn't hear a lot of their conversation, but I did hear mention of 'brothers' so I assumed they had talked about sibling bonds or something along those lines.
While I had spent time interacting with everyone, I had spent most of my time talking with Bastion and Sadie. The three of us seemed to have formed a bond as tight as the bond between the Slifer Trio. Our group did get some looks, having two girls, four slifers and a ra in its makeup so people predominantly left us alone. A couple of the more ambitious boys tried to come over to flirt with Alexis and Sadie, but they seemed to back each other up in turning them down. As the night continued, the two of them also seemed to get quite close. Every now and then, I'd catch them giggling about something, but they'd never tell me what about.
Of course, at some point things got competitive and we ended up having a mini beer pong tournament using the soda we had 'properly' bought. We played in teams of two. Jaden and Chumley, Logan and Syrus, Alexis and Sadie and me and Bastion. Have to say, it got fairly intense at some point. Bastion, the master of calculations that he was dominated his turns, almost always getting his balls in the plastic cups. Even on crutches, he spun long-winded calculations as aimed his throws. His rival, surprisingly, was Chumley, whose own ball throwing skills were so good, he started doing trick shots as he got the balls in. In the end, Jaden and I got phased out as the battle between them raged numerous games, neither willing to give up until there was a clear winner between them.
I also shared a few words with Logan, checking up on him to see how he was doing. Having dropped his haughty, faux gentlemanly attitude, he seemed a little more in place, like some weight was off his shoulders from pretending to be something he wasn't. Have to say, I was rather annoyed when he told me that he'd gotten Crowler to put him in the promotion exam with Chazz. However, I knew that duel was coming up soon and in Bastion's condition, he wouldn't be able to duel himself. So, in some twisted way, this worked out. As much as I hated to admit it. I still didn't trust Logan, not after everything he'd done. But I suppose I could at least try and give him the benefit of the doubt. At least for now.
Soon enough, it got close to eight and the girls had to leave. We wished them both goodnight and went back to playing lemonade pong for a little while before the Slifers all went home too, exhausted from the day's events. That left me and Bastion once again. Rather than having him go home in the dark, I told him he could stay the night in my room on the overly large couch.
"Hey Ren, I've been meaning to ask, have you not unpacked yet?" Bastion asked, gesturing over to my still full suitcases in the corner.
"Yeah, I just haven't had time yet. Been busy in fairness," I said with a shrug.
"Well, that's no good. A man's room is an expression of who he is. You need to make this place your own."
"It can wait until the morning."
"Ha, knowing you, you'll just find another excuse not to do it. Let's do it now," he said, already reaching for his crutches.
"Now?"
"I don't see why not. C'mon."
I looked from the TV to the bags that Bastion had already made his way over to. The guy was already surprisingly dextrous on those crutches. "Well alright then," I said with a shrug.
For the next thirty mins or so, the two of us set about taking my stuff out of the bags and placing it around the room. Well, I mostly did the moving, Bastion offered his own thoughts on where things should go. Obviously, there were a few 'sensitive' materials I had to make sure Bastion didn't see. My notes on the future of course. Anyone who would think of something else clearly had a bit of a dirty mind. Only one suitcase remained untouched. The heaviest one, and that was because of what was inside. I hastily moved it over to the closest before Bastion could see the contents.
When we were finished, my room was comfortably set up. I had photos of my family on the mantle under the TV. My manga and book collection were all messily arranged on the bookcase, something Bastion had gotten on at me for. My school notes and textbooks were also stacked on my desk along with two open notebooks, one for classwork and the other for deck recipes and strategies I wanted to try. My cooking utensils were neatly put away in the kitchen area and the last of my clothes were put away.
After it was all done, Bastion and I stood by the door and looked upon the room proudly. "How do you feel?" the Ra asked.
"Like I'm home," I beamed.
Night had long since descended over the island as Nurse Fontaine packed up her things. The night nurse would be here soon to relieve her of her duties and keep watch over the infirmary's one patient. After a long day, she was looking forward to a nice warm bath back at the girls' dorm. She could use a good soak.
However, just as she picked up her handbag, there was a loud, groaning gasp that came from behind the drawn curtain of one of the beds. Fontaine was quick to act as she dashed over, drawing back the curtain to see its occupant, Eve Pechman, sitting up in bed in a panic. Her eyes darted around the room frantically and she began pulling at the IV line attached to her arm.
The moment she saw Fontaine, she tried reaching out for her. "Wh-Where am I?"
"Shh, it's okay," Fontaine said soothingly. "You've been asleep for a long time. You're back at Duel Academy. You're home."
"Duel Academy?"
"Yes. It's me, Nurse Fontaine. I was your Head of House two years ago. How much do remember, Eve?"
"Eve?" She seemed confused. She lowered her head, racking her mind.
"Yes. That is your name." She didn't respond to that. "Eve… How much do you remember?"
"I… I can't remember anything… I don't even know… I don't even know who I am…"
So there we have it. That is the end of this little Expulsion Arc but the Clash of Ideals is far from over. There will be a lot more in coming chapters that will test both Ren and Logan's ways of thinking at the academy, starting right away with the next chapter.
Have to say a massive thank you for everyone's support for the last chapter, I was really worried how Alexis's inclusion would go over but it seems to have been overwhelmingly positive so I couldn't be happier.
Now, before I move on to replies, I just want to say don't expect a chapter next week as I'm taking a week off from writing as it is my birthday and I want to take the time for rest and relaxation. And to play Pokemon Legends Arceus, but that's an added benefit :)
Also, so that my Author's Notes won't get massively long, I'm going to be taking the advice of Pokefan12 and look into starting a forum or at least a page where I can reply to guest reviews and keep you guys updated on the story progress. That way no one will have to scroll through massive AN sections to either find the start of the story or their own individual reply. I know I don't have to reply to everyone but I feel like I have to because you guys took the time to share your thoughts, so I should take the time to reply and show my appreciation.
On that note, here's an overly long reply section :D :
To JustARandomGuy: Thank you very much! Reading your review honestly made my day! Sorry I could only reply now. Got to say, I can't blame you for surreptitiously living your dreams as a protagonist. Who doesn't want to be in an isekai situation, am I right? On to pitch time! 1: Backgrounds on the Shadow Riders will be expanded. I plan on giving them development as I do every other character so expect to see some delving into messy personal history, mwhahaha. 2: I see your point with this one and I have been very back and forth on the matter. I've got two game plans for Chazz currently and I'm basically going to go with my gut when it gets to it. 3: Have to say, that is an interesting deck. I've never used Insektors before so it would be interesting to look into them. 4: Joey may possibly be showing up at some point. Can't say when though. Looking forward to the next Pitch Time!
To Malguss123: Thank you, I'm glad you liked their inclusion and that you enjoyed this chapter. I'm also glad you are enjoying the development of Ren and Alexis's friendship and that it is coming off as natural. Been working hard to keep it that way.
To Peter Kim: In fairness, Cyber Dark Dragons aren't a bad shout as they work well with Ren's current style, at least when Power Wall is involved. You're right that I need to be careful in who they go to as I don't want to disrupt the natural flow that is going on right now. Personally, I do see the Cyber Dark Dragons being imperative to not only Zane's character but also Syrus's. But, we'll see how things progress.
To E: I know this didn't exactly go far into what happened but there were hints if you noticed them. I'm glad you liked the Ren and Alexis moment too. While Chazz's reaction wasn't completely expanded upon here, I'll be delving into it more thoroughly next chapter. You are right that Ren wouldn't have gotten more serious without Logan's 'help'. Logan accidentally ended up strengthening Ren's resolve with this one.
To A Synchron Fan: Always good to hear from you. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter and all the interactions I put in between the characters. Sadie and Ren's date will be coming up very soon and we'll see how things go from there. Can't say too much about Dimitri but you are definitely picking up on the right things. Now, your analysis of Logan last chapter is pretty spot-on, as you saw in this chapter. Ren is certainly willing to try and give Logan the benefit of the doubt, but that doesn't mean he trusts him. Alliances always become strained when the two sides aren't on equal footing and they rush into things.
To West: I'm very glad the last chapter was your favourite to date! It just means I'm going to have to try harder to top it! In fairness, you are definitely right about the emotional trigger being Ren's key to getting himself invested. In Chumley's case, while he did view it as a filler chapter, the main reason he didn't get himself involved is that he didn't see any need to. Chumley's character journey in GX is perfect. The guy isn't a duellist and yet he put his heart into something he loved and got rewarded for it. Once again, I also cannot exaggerate enough how much I love that you notice all these little details of information that go along with the characters. It is really, really impressive! I love reading your analysis of the characters as they are almost always spot on and it's reassuring to know I'm on the right track. I'm also really happy that you liked Rex and Weevil's backstory and that you took notice of their interactions. I can't say too much on spirits unfortunately without spoilers, Neither Buster Blader nor Lumina but I do like your takes on them. Looking forward to your next review!
To Evan: Originally, I'll admit, Dark Paladin was going to appear in this chapter, but I wanted to change it for the more poetic ending I had here when Ren had the support of his friends and those who helped him prepare (so to speak). Buster Blader the Dragon Destroyer Swordsman will appear in time. Not really a spoiler as it is a given. But it will appear in time. Ren doesn't currently have that card. As for Kuriboh, I like the idea but it would make him too much like Jaden and Yugi for my liking. (Despite his 'Yugi' cards)
To Kismet and Karma: Thank you :) I'm glad you liked Rex and Weevil's inclusion. Canon is also definitely out the window at this point, even if it isn't quite obvious yet.
To Blackdrake: I'm really glad you liked the inclusion of Rex and Weevil. It was fun writing their different appearances, personalities and duel styles when coming up with the chapter. Weevil almost definitely cheated in his game with Rex. Logan was definitely pissed. Things may be coming around a little now that they are on somewhat better footing with each other. For however long that lasts. Thanks for pointing that out about his Zombie deck. I'll be sure to take what you under consideration. Truth be told I just wanted to establish his link to his manga counterpart.
To Middernacht: We'll see in time, mwhahahaha
To the Guest to pointed out Logan can point out the cliche development: That will happen at some point. I do enjoy my satire. As for a spirit for Ren popping up in front of Lumina, that would be funny, I will admit.
To xyz10: Thank you very much :) Thanks for letting me know. I'll make those changes soon.
To pokefan12: Thank you very much! I'm so glad you are enjoying the story! I'm also happy you are noticing all the little tricks and hints I put in for the twists. As I said above, I'm going to look into your suggestion for making a forum for the story, maybe on Tumbler or DeviantArt. It would certainly make the process easier. Also thanks for your defence from The Black Knight.
To GuestWithIdeas: I'm glad you enjoyed the portrayal of Rex and Weevil! I put a lot of time into thinking about their histories and what they could have been up to for ten years. As for Logan, he has somewhat started his own character journey but there will be more to come. Let's just say a punch to the face is the least of his worries, mwhahaha.
To the Guest who realised Logan would have been Ren's Weevil: Yes, yes he definitely would have been. That is a very accurate assessment.
Anyway, that's all from me for a couple of weeks. I wish you guys all the best and I hope you all stay safe out there. Wishing you all the best :D
Please don't forget to fav, follow and leave a review. This story is nothing without all the wonderful people who leave their thoughts! Thanks again for everything!