Staying in the Background

by Emblemfan1

Ren Cambell awakes in the GX universe. However, why should he get involved with the plot? Everything's going to be fine anyway if he stays away from the protagonists, right? He's just a background character in this world. He's got a second chance to live his best life. Become a pro duelist, get a girlfriend and get rich off card games. Wait... Who's that other guy? (Self-Insert/OC)

17. Chapter 17

I'm baa-aack! Hello again everyone. I am sorry for the long absence. Unfortunately, there was a rather tragic event going on in my life recently that slowed my writing. I never stopped, it just was hard to find inspiration. Thank you to everyone who sent me messages to check on me. I really appreciate it.

Before I begin, I just want to give a shout out to West who I've been told has been ill. I hope your recovery is going well and I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Also, my friend Bakuganman has just posted a new test chapter of a crossover between Yu-Gi-Oh GX and Date A Live. I've given it a read and it is quite interesting. He'd love to get your feedback on it so be sure to give it a look if you're interested in something new.

Anyway, without further ado, on to the story.

---

Staying in the Background

Clash of Ideals – Like No One Ever Was (AKA:Bad Ex-periences)

It was at dinner that I heard the news. The obelisk blue cafeteria was abuzz with activity as students feasted on the exquisite feast the chefs had created. The air was filled with the noise tingling scents of gourmet food and the good cheer of students eating it. I was enjoying a rather fantastic plate of perfectly cooked hake and chips when the students behind me mentioned a certain charcoal haired obelisk. They tried to speak privately, but their voices were so loud it carried just far enough to my table.

"Hey, did you hear about Chazz?" the first asked, his voice muffled by food.

"No, what about him?"

"Some guys saw him leaving the dorm with his things packed in a bag. Apparently, he gave Crowler the business too. It's why he's been in a bad mood."

My eyes darted across the room in search of the Obelisk Head of House. He normally ate his dinner with us before taking the opportunity to walk among his students, particularly those of high social standing, and discuss recent events with them. A ploy to make his name known outside the academy and in high society no doubt. Graduates do tend to speak fondly of school days. If you're the teacher they remember, it could lead to opportunity. However, the flamboyant doctor was nowhere to be seen. His seat was empty at the end of the room.

"I heard there was a boat at the harbour this morning? Do you think he took it?" the first boy continued.

"Who knows, man. It seems odd that he would just leave. He was doing well, right?"

"Eh, who understands people? Maybe he just didn't think he'd hack it in the end of term exams?"

Their conversation dissolved into other topics, mainly girls but I was now hearing every third word. Chazz had left? That was fantastic! I suddenly felt a little lighter, a portion of my worries clearing. If Chazz was on his way to North Academy, then the plot was somewhat back on track. Soon enough, he should return to Duel Academy; just in time to join the battle against the Shadow Riders.

It was as if a weight was taken off my shoulder as I took another bite of my food, taking great pleasure in how it tasted a little better than a moment before. It seemed things were starting to look up. I quickly took out my PDA and sent Logan a message. We'd agreed to keep each other updated and this seemed like something he'd want to know.

As I finished typing out my message, a new text came through from Bastion, asking if I wanted to join him for a study session at the library the next day. With the exams coming up, it would be good to get as much practice as possible. He said he'd already gotten Dimitri to agree to come along. Apparently the two were sitting together for dinner. He asked me to invite Sadie if she was available.

Immediately, I was reminded of the two other issues on my docket. Dimitri's character arc was coming up soon, the one that would see him becoming a would-be thief. I wanted to avoid that at all costs. The thing that he needed to do was build and rely on his own deck. However, he seemed insistent on avoiding that no matter what. My attempts to help him so far had been unsuccessful.

And then there was Bastion. He had been acting strange recently. Even now, why not just ask Sadie to join the study sesh himself? It was like he was avoiding her for some reason. I'd planned on confronting him before but had been interrupted by a certain duel spirit. I really didn't want any more issues on my plate, especially when my friends were involved.

Either way, I sent out the invite to Sadie. I got a reply soon after saying she was up for the study session. I quickly finished off my food and headed back upstairs and continued work on my lockdown deck. If my duel with Zane had taught me anything, it was that it wasn't completely ready yet. I wasn't happy with its searching power and my last hand had bricked. There was so much more I could do with it to make it more effective.

It was going to be another long night.

---

"Ren. Earth to Ren. Hey, are you in there?"

"Zzzzz."

"Ren, wake up!"

My head snapped up from the desk, my eyes heavy and vision blurred. Sadie was glaring at me whilst Bastion and Dimitri looked on humorously from behind their books. The four of us had met up early that morning to get a jump start on studying. At least that was the plan. We all met up on time, but by the time we got to the library, it was packed! The sounds of hushed discussions and the turning of pages filled the air. After a bit of searching, we finally managed to find a large spare table at the edge of the room, which we quickly claimed.

The others set about taking out their books and jotting down notes. I started off doing the same… until my lack of sleep caught up with me. As I skimmed the contents of my books, my eyes grew heavy, and I was forced to try and rest my head on my hand. Things get a little fuzzy after that. Next thing I know, the blunt end of a pen is being shoved in my ribs and I'm waking up with a start. I shot an annoyed glare over at my attacker and she stuck her tongue out at me.

"Was that necessary?"

"You were starting to snore," Sadie deadpanned, returning to her notes.

"Huh? I don't snore."

"Yes, you do," Dimitri and Bastion said together, not even looking up from their work.

"Traitors," I grumbled under my breath.

"Why are you so tired?" Sadie asked as she jotted down something in her notebook. It seemed a career in counterwork had made her very adept at multitasking. "What time did you go to bed?"

"I don't know… sometime around two," I mumbled. She heard unfortunately heard me.

"In the morning? Are you insane? What were you doing?"

"Studying."

Bastion let out a huff of air as he struggled not to scoff. Both Sadie and I turned to him, Sadie questioningly and me pleadingly. "Something to say?" she asked. I shook my head, looking him straight on.

Don't do it. Don't you do it.

"Umm… that is to say…" The teen genius struggled for words, however, his lack of an immediate answer only seemed to cement the conclusion in Sadie's mind. She turned back to me. I kept my head down, pretending to be engrossed in my textbook.

"You were working on your cards, weren't you?" she said flatly, hitting the nail on the head.

"…Yes… But I had good reason."

"More important than the exams?" She leaned back in her seat, gesturing for me to give her an answer.

I'm getting ready for an invasion by dark forces that will undoubtedly threaten our lives and I need to be prepared. However, I can't tell anyone this as I have future knowledge and my only confidant is a guy who has a power and harem complex.

"No," I groaned. I was ready to accept my fate.

However, she only let out a sigh before reaching over and placing her hand on my wrist. It was warm and soft, and the contact made my cheeks heat up. "You've got to take better care of yourself," she said softly. "It's not healthy for you to stay up that late. You need your rest. Promise me you'll take better care of yourself."

She looked at me with those big, shiny eyes. It was unfair, she already knew had to tug my heartstrings. My shoulders sagged as I squeezed her hand. "I promise."

She gave a bright smile before we both returned to our books. However, I suddenly felt a chill. One of those chills when you know someone is watching you. I looked up to see Dimitri staring between Sadie and me. "So… how long have you two been dating?" he suddenly asked.

Sadie and I froze. We shared a look. Her cheeks were quickly turning red, and I could feel the heat on my own. My words failed me. We hadn't exactly had time to discuss the state of affairs between the two of us yet. We'd had a date that had gone well, but that was hardly grounds to apply labels. If her reaction was anything to go by, Sadie was having similar thoughts.

"We've only been out once," she said as calmly as she could. She gave a short cough into her hand before continuing. "We're just seeing where things go."

"We are?" I asked, feigning surprise. She stepped on my foot for that. What is it with the women in my life and physical violence?

"Sorry, I'm just a bit out of the loop. It's just a bit weird seeing you two act like those lovey-dovey couples from my mum's romcoms," Dimitri said with a shrug. "You guys keep seeming to forget you're not alone."

"We're not that bad, are we?" Sadie asked. "Bastion, Ren and I don't do that, do we?"

The Ra jumped in his chair having been called upon. He peered around the table before clearing his throat. "Well… I wouldn't exactly say there haven't been some awkward moments when we're together as a group."

"I suddenly feel ganged up on, what about you?" I said to Sadie.

"Definitely. How very rude," she agreed playfully.

"There are only four of us at the table," Bastion said dryly, shooting us a wry smile. "In order to be 'ganged up on', there needs to be an odd number in the opposition's favour. If anything, we've reached a stalemate."

"Yeah, yeah," I waved off. "Always the pedantic one, aren't you?"

"I try," he shot back, giving me a mock bow.

We shared a quiet laugh before returning to our study, however, the mood was a little lighter. Now and then, Bastion would ask Sadie a question about the first-year material, and she'd explain her take on it. Being a second year, she was able to tell us about her experiences and what she thought might appear on the tests. However, I was more interested in their interactions.

From all perspectives, Bastion seemed to be completely comfortable in Sadie's presence. There was no sign they were arguing or that Bastion held any resentment towards the older girl. Maybe I had been reading too much into things before. By all accounts, it seemed they were just as good a pair of friends as before.

That was good. That just left me to focus on Dimitri. For once I had a plan. My first friend at the academy was busy jotting notes. Although considering I could read upside-down words, I noticed they weren't exactly notes on the lessons, especially since I saw the words 'ancient' and 'Crowler', written in his margin. There was a pile of notebooks next to him as well. I noticed that each was titled 'Duelist Guide' and each was numbered. He must have already felt comfortable with his knowledge for the exams and was therefore using his time indulging his extracurricular activities.

However, before I could say anything, someone tapped me on the shoulder. "Fancy seeing you guys here," a familiar voice called.

We turned to find Alexis, Jasmine and Mindy standing over us. Each was carrying a saddlebag filled with recourse materials. Alexis stood with her hand fastened around her bag whilst Mindy gave us all a small wave. Jasmine did not attempt to be civil. Rather, she stared at us with hard eyes, a bored and uninterested frown on her face. What was her problem?

"Oh, hey there, Alexis," Sadie greeted, giving the three a wave of her own.

"You guys cracking down on studying?" the Obelisk Queen asked.

"Yeah. Gotta hit the books if you want to make the grade," Sadie groaned, tapping her pen against the desk. "Unfortunately…"

"Yeah, studying can be a pain. But it's every student's bane. Speaking of which, do you mind if we join you? It seems everywhere else is full."

"Sure, pull up a chair," Sadie said good-naturedly. "Oh! If it's alright with you guys that is."

"I don't mind at all," Bastion replied.

"Um… sure…" Dimitri said, his voice a little high and his cheeks flushed. He was avoiding eye contact with the three girls. It seemed he was a bit shy.

All eyes fell on me. Well, this put me in a spot. I had wanted to start putting my plan into action. That was out of the window now. With little else I could do, I shrugged. "The more the merrier."

"Thanks." Alexis was about to sit down when Jasmine reached out and pulled her back and whispered something in her ear. I couldn't hear what Jasmine was saying, but from the look on Alexis's face, it was something she wasn't happy with. "Feel free to go elsewhere then," Alexis snapped back. She was quiet, but her voice had risen ever so slightly.

Jasmine's jaw dropped, her eyes wide and darting between her friend and us at the table. Without giving her a chance to reply, Alexis took the seat next to me. Mindy was quick to follow her suit, taking the seat next to Dimitri. The poor guy momentarily froze when she sat down. He gave her a look out of his side-eye, and she noticed, giving him a small wave. He shakily returned the gesture before returning to his own revision. The dark-haired girl stifled a giggle before taking out her books.

The angry redhead watched us all in disbelief before wordlessly taking the seat to Alexis's left. With that, the seven of us began to diligently study. Well, I say diligently. Most of the material I already knew. The benefit of having a past life of experience meant that revision was just a small refresher. Instead, once I was satisfied that I'd gone over what I had to, I took a quick look around the table.

Everyone had their heads down. Their expressions mixed from satisfaction to exhaustion, to pure dismay, however, each was focused on achieving their goal. It… was nostalgic. It brought back memories, both good and bad. Faces shifted, the scenery changing before me. In my mind's eye, I was sitting in a booth, surrounded by my closest friends. One of them would have their head in a finance book whilst the another would offset his studying with a joke that could be deemed inappropriate. Even after university, I stayed in contact with them. I missed them a lot.

Shaking my head, I was once again back in the academy library. My gaze shifted to Alexis. Her head was down and her pen moving rapidly. I remembered my promise to her; to help her investigate the abandoned dorm. While there wasn't much I could do without revealing my otherworldly knowledge, I actually was interested in the lore surrounding the academy.

Maybe the library had some books on the history of the island? Oh, and perhaps books on occult knowledge. Best also look into ancient history as well. Maybe there was some mention of the shadow games?

Excusing myself, I began my search in the history section. There were a few books on the academy which I quickly snatched up. There were also a few on Egypt and I took those as well. Coming back to the table, I sat them down and began reading. The others gave me a weird look seeing the subject matter, especially from Alexis who looked at the material with a dubious stare, but I just gave them a shrug and tried to engross myself.

However, I found myself disappointed. There was nothing on the abandoned dorm in any of the books regarding the island. Interestingly, when I checked the publishing date, they all said they'd been edited two years prior. Definitely a cover-up on the academy's part. There was mention of an 'old' dorm that was deemed unfit before the new Obelisk dorms were built in one passage, but nothing other than that, not even mention of who the dorm head was. As for the books on ancient Egypt, I found passages that alluded to 'games' played by kings, but nothing else. Especially nothing on the shadow games.

As it does, time soldiered on and eventually, my legs and ass were screaming at me for movement. Not to mention that due to the high number of people all stuffed into one place, it was frightfully hot. I'd long since shed my Obelisk coat and rolled my sleeves. It had gotten to the point where I wanted nothing more than to run out of the room and never look at a book again. Thankfully, it seemed my fellow studiers were beginning to have similar desires. They shuffled and pulled at their collars uncomfortably. Dimitri had also shed his blazer and looked like he was about to faint.

"Why don't we call it a day?" I suggested, closing the book I was reading on Egyptian rituals.

"Yes please," Mindy moaned, also closing her notes. "I need to get out of here before I fall asleep."

"Aw, but we're only just getting started," Bastion interjected. The dark looks we all gave him immediately made him shrink back. "But perhaps some fresh air is needed," he added nervously.

With that, we all packed up and escaped the musty, hot library. As we walked back out into the luxuriously cool island air, Sadie let out a satisfied sigh. "At least that's over with."

"For today anyway," I groaned.

"Don't remind me. At least it's only for another week."

Mindy's eyes suddenly went wide as she turned back to our little group. "Hey guys, I just had, like, the best idea. Tomorrow, we should just take the day to relax."

"Umm, Mindy, that is a bad idea," Alexis interjected. "We should be taking every opportunity we can to study."

"No, no; hear me out. We've all done nothing but revise for ages. We need a break. A chance to rest our minds, or whatever. Oh! We should play tennis. Or go to the beach. Or both!" She looked around at our unenthusiastic expressions and pressed on with her argument. She turned to Bastion. "Bastion, you're like a genius, right? Isn't there some sciency stuff to back me up?"

The Ra's eyes widened upon being called on and looked down in thought. "I suppose there is a correlation between regular breaks and a boost in the output of productivity. However-"

"See, even Bastion says it's a good idea," Mindy interrupted.

"That's not what-"

"So that's two in. Anyone else?"

The rest of us shared a look. It was clear we were all unsure of going through with it. Finally, Jasmine spoke up, looking toward Alexis. "It… would be nice to take a break. It's been a while since we… hung out. It'd be nice to just take a day to chill. Don't you think that'd be nice, Alexis? Tennis in the morning and then hit up the beach and catch some rays. There may be some boys too."

The Obelisk Queen did not seem too enthused. She stared at her friends through half-closed lids before giving a sigh and looking over to the rest of us. "What about you guys? You up for one last day to relax?" As she asked us, Jasmine's expression soured.

I honestly wasn't too sure about this plane. I'd definitely be down for a beach trip, however, tennis was not my idea of a good time. I'd never been very good at it. Not in this life or the last. Not to mention, there was a very good chance we'd run into someone I wanted to avoid more above all else. However, it seemed not all of my friends shared my hesitancy.

"Hell yeah, I'm game!" Dimitri cried a bit too enthusiastically. "It'll be good to finally have a day off for once."

"Yes! Nicely said… uh…" Mindy trailed off, her eyes narrowing as she stared

"Dimitri… My name is Dimitri…" he said dejectedly, his bravado waning as his body sagged. Poor guy.

"And you three?" Alexis asked.

"Well… tennis isn't my thing," I said warily.

"Then just come for the beach," Mindy interceded. "You don't have to play. Just chill."

Jasmine turned and muttered something under her breath. Her eyes were narrowed and a fowl scowl ruining her features. While I couldn't hear her, I was sure her remark was something scathing. She'd been fairly transparent about her dislike of me. From what I remembered; she was like this to anyone who initially got closer to Alexis than she would have liked. She was normally quick to warm up to people though. If the game media was to be believed anyway.

"C'mon Ren," Dimitri pleaded. "It'll be fun. We could all use a break after all."

"Well…" I looked over to Bastion and Sadie, but neither of them seemed very sure either. Bastion was normally level-headed. He'd know it was better to study than play tennis.

"I suppose… it would be nice to… have a break… And I could use the exercise."

I trusted you, Bastion! Why have you forsaken me?

It was then that I realised Sadie had been very quiet throughout this entire interaction. Her head was down, and she was avoiding eye contact with the rest of us. "Umm… you guys should go ahead without me," she finally said. "I've got more I want to go over and there's some work I need to plan."

"Oh, come on Sadie," Mindy pressured. "It'll be fun. You're always working so hard. Be a little selfish. Let's enjoy our youth, girl."

"Yeah, it's just that…" She sighed and looked back towards the academy. That wasn't like her. Normally I was the gloomy one. "I'll think about it. Just in case, what time are we thinking?"

"Maybe meet around eleven for an early start. Stay for a couple of hours and then head to the beach?" Mindy suggested. "Oh, we should invite Logan, Jaden and the others too. I'm sure it'll be more fun with them."

Ah, that was the reason then. No matter the universe, it seemed some things were the same. If someone comes up with a 'random' idea, there's normally a motive being it. I find that that normally, it's whatever they say last or tack on. Some people can't help themselves. In this case, Mindy wanted an excuse to hang out with Logan. It seemed my suspicion was right, and someone had a crush.

Although, why she had one on Logan of all people was lost on me.

Regardless, the majority of us gave a nod before going our separate ways. Bastion and Dimitri headed back to the Ra dorm, whilst I accompanied the girls towards the blue dorms. Alexis, Jasmine and Mindy took the lead whilst I fell into step with Sadie. She was being uncharacteristically silent. She kept her eyes forward on the path and avoided looking toward me.

I gave her a small nudge with my arm, pulling her out of her little trance. "Hey, are you alright? You seemed a bit off back there."

"I'm fine," she said quietly, forcing a half-hearted smile. She finally glanced at me and sighed. "That wasn't very convincing, was it?"

"No, not really."

"Yeah. I never was the best at hiding my feelings. It's just that… I try to stay away from sports facilities. Too many bad memories."

"Oh… I'm sorry for bringing it up. If you want, we could talk to the others and-"

She shook her head. "No, don't do that. They shouldn't have to change their plans just for me. Besides, maybe it's time I got over my stigma. Hopefully, everything will be fine tomorrow."

"So you think you'll go?" I asked.

"Maybe… We'll see how I feel. I will admit, I certainly wouldn't mind going to the beach with everyone."

"You mean you want to see me in trunks, right?" I joked.

Finally, she laughed before lightly punching my arm. "Ha, you wish, smart ass. Either way, we'll just have to see how tomorrow goes."

"It'll be more fun with you there," I said, giving her another nudge.

"Well, that's a given," she said, her tone a little lighter. "As I said, we'll see."

We continued to make idle chatter the rest of the way, although I couldn't help but feel like she was keeping something back. She was obviously distracted, and she was only reacting to the topics I brought up, without much contribution. I wanted to know what was bothering her, but I didn't want to pry. Then again, who was I to criticise about having secrets?

---

The sun was just beginning to set when Sadie finally got back to her room. She could see the beautiful hues of pink and orange out of her window. Not for the first time, she found herself grateful she had the opportunity to live on a tropical island. Even if the days were getting a bit colder now that it was so close to the holidays.

Her room was as she left it. It was neat and tidy, everything put away in its proper place. Much like the other rooms in the girl's dorm, Sadie's was a fairly large room with a comfortable queen-sized bed and a long desk against the wall. With her friends' prior conversation still on her mind, her eyes subconsciously darted to the built-in closet beside her. Slowly, she opened it, catching a glimpse of the sealed item hidden within.

She told herself not to, but inevitably she reached in and took out the black leather racket bag. The leather was cracked in places, and it had probably seen better days. In truth, she didn't know why she kept it. She didn't dare take out the actual racket. Just looking at it now was enough to bring back bitter memories. She grit her teeth as she threw the tool back in the closet.

"Stupid…" she admonished herself. She didn't need those thoughts in her head right now. It was then that all the grogginess of the day caught up with her. All her limbs felt like lead, and her body felt sticky with sweat. Thankfully, her room was nice and cool, the benefits of leaving a fan on while out. The cool air was such a relief.

Shedding her uniform, she walked into the bathroom. She was in desperate need of a soak and after today's long study sesh, she felt like she deserved it. While there was a large indoor Onsen for the girls' use, Sadie preferred the bath in her own room. It was private and she always felt a little self-conscious around some of the 'bigger' girls.

The hot water splashed against the sides of the marble white tub, filling the room with wisps of steam. When she added the bath foam, the scent of coconut filled the room, immediately putting the second year more at ease. She watched with a sense of satisfaction as the bubbles spread out. The water was always warm here. Another of the many benefits that the Obelisk Girls had. Here, everyone got in regardless of actual skill just because of their gender.

Working in the card shop, Sadie saw the general attitude of the students. The Slifers, who were so desperate for good cards that they scrounged whatever cash they could for a chance to move up in rank. The Ras, who often grew comfortable with their position and settled. They probably had the closest to the normal school experience. They bought packs sparingly, more focused on the individual cards to supplement their decks. And then there were the Obelisks. The majority of blue students came from rich families and got in on scholarships. Some of them had more money waiting for them than Sadie would have in her life. And yet, they spent what was effectively their pocket change on as many packs as they could get their hands on. It'd be okay if they needed them, but she heard them talking in their groups. They didn't want them, they just wanted to see the other students struggle. It made her angry hearing them.

Once the bath was half-filled, she stepped into the hot water, relishing the warmth as her skin submerged and the goosebumps prickled along the rest of her body. A satisfied sigh escaped her as she eased herself into the tub.

"Ahhh… This is honestly one of the best things in life," she murmured, closing her eyes in pure bliss, sinking lower until only her head rested above the water. However, she did not feel fully relaxed. There was an itch at the back of her mind. Her eyes kept darting towards the door. Old memories began to surface that made her heart sink.

"Why am I thinking about him now?" she groaned. "I'm so stupid. The others were so enthusiastic, and I just let the past get the better of me. Uh… If I did end up going, I'd just end up bringing down the mood. But… it should be fun with Ren and the others. We haven't done anything as a group since the tag duels. And it would be fun. But tennis… there's a chance…"

'No!' She shook her head furiously, dipping her head down until her lips were on the water's surface.

It had been a long time since then. It was time to move on. Maybe it would be alright to go with everyone to the tennis courts. It was unlikely he'd be there. And… she wanted to hang out with everyone. She couldn't avoid the past forever. She had her own life to live.

---

"Hah!"

Thwack.

"Hah!"

Thwack.

"Hah!"

Thwack.

"Hah!"

Thwack.

It went on like this.

I sat on the sidelines of the tennis court by our bags and watched as Alexis and Mindy engaged in a back-and-forth match. Both were good at tennis, far better than I could ever be. Jasmine was serving as an umpire for their game. Meanwhile, Jaden and Syrus, and Bastion and Dimitri were also playing matches. Chumley hadn't joined us today. Apparently he was catching up on some school work. The girls had gotten Ms Fontaine's permission to use the courts when they got in last night. We were able to saunter right in and get started. Had to say, I was glad that word of my match with Zane hadn't gotten out yet. I didn't feel like being swamped by the two Slifer boys asking for details. I was actually surprised Bastion hadn't already told them. The guy really was a bit of a gossip.

Each of us was dressed in our academy sports kit. The boys were dressed in a white and blue tracksuit with clue shorts while the girls wore a white variation of the same kit. Not for the first time, I had found myself amazed by just how wide the academy's sports arena was. It was like a stadium! A big open space filled with artificial grass that could be set up for almost any sport Nurse Fontaine felt like teaching. However, this amazement was replaced by disappointment.

Sadie hadn't arrived. I'd sent her a text in the morning, but she didn't send a reply. She could have been called into the shop, she told me that happened sometimes, but after her reaction yesterday… Well, it wouldn't surprise me if she didn't turn up at all. And I couldn't even focus on worrying because of who was sitting next to me.

"Do you think Harrington will show up?" Logan asked, tapping his feet against the ground.

I stared at him in disbelief. "What are you talking about?"

The two of us were sat against the wall closest to the others. Logan was taking a break after playing a rather one-sided match against Jaden. Unlike me, Logan was pretty good at the game. He said he had learned to play early on after he regained his memories. Something to bond with his new family.

I, on the other hand, couldn't control the ball for shit. I couldn't aim, couldn't return and couldn't control the strength I put into my swings. My serves went wide almost all the time. I was already regretting my decision after a couple of matches with Bastion and Alexis. I was utterly owned, and my spirits crushed.

The Lightsworn user kept his gaze fixed on the others, more specifically Alexis and her friends. "Harrington. You know, the tennis captain who had a thing for Alexis."

"I remember," I said, keeping my tone neutral. I had a horrible feeling about where this conversation was going.

"Do you think… it would be okay to take Jaden's place in that duel?"

There it is. Another of his hair brain schemes to try and get in Alexis's good books. I could already feel the incoming headache But I could play along. "And what would you accomplish with that?"

"Well… I just want to beat him, ya know?" he said. "The guy's a creep. I want to give him a piece of my mind."

"Uh-huh. And it has nothing to do with the fiancé duel?"

He turned a little red, keeping his gaze away from me. "I won't lie, that is a small bonus."

"'Small' my ass."

"Hey man, who doesn't want to look suave in front of a beautiful girl. I just wanted to see what you thought about the idea."

Huh, it was funny in a way. A little while ago, he probably would have gone through with this half-cocked and ended up making things worse for himself. At least now he was asking for input. A sign of growth? Or was he just nervous because this involved Alexis?

I looked over to the three girls again, my eyes lingering on the Obelisk Queen. It was obvious why Logan and so many other boys were interested in her. I couldn't deny I was attracted to her as well. However, what many people missed was that at this point, Alexis had no interest in boys. She was in love with duelling. The thrill that came from being on the edge of victory and defeat and finding a way to overcome the odds, where a single draw could decide the outcome. I could understand that passion. It was something I'd come to love as well.

From what I'd seen, Logan didn't quite understand that yet. Which meant he'd more than likely end up with his feelings hurt. However, he was stubborn, and me saying that would just strengthen his resolve to try. My eyes flitted across to Mindy. She kept stealing glances over here in between serves. It appeared Logan was oblivious to the girl's sudden crush. Then again, he didn't strike me as the observant type. It'd be so much easier for the both of us if he were.

"Well…" Logan pressed, looking at me expectantly.

"Go for it."

He let out a sigh. "Look, I knew you'd say that, but I've got a goo – Did you just say, 'go for it'?" he asked bewilderedly.

"Yep." I flashed him a small smirk, taking a little joy in his slack-jawed expression. "Don't get me wrong, I have no interest in deviating from the canon. But the duel with Harrington adds nothing to Jaden. It was just the start of a ship. And speaking personally, it would be fun to see Harrington be destroyed by Judgment Dragon."

Logan suddenly went quiet, his head cocked to the side as if listening out for someone who wasn't there. "I… I think I want to move away from Judgment Dragon."

"Really?" I asked, my eyes going wide. I never thought I'd hear those words.

"Yeah. I took your advice and went to the shop and bought some packs. I found a few cards that went well with my deck. Actually, one of the reasons I want to duel Harrington is to test out some new moves."

"Well… colour me surprised. You're learning," I remarked, giving him a small punch in the arm.

"Yeah, yeah. I just thought my deck needed an upgrade," he said, turning away again.

"Sure you did," I laughed. "Either way, you probably don't have to worry about that until after the break."

"Maybe," he didn't sound convinced.

The two of us fell into a comfortable silence as we continued to watch the others play. For a moment, the only sound around us was the rhythmic hit of balls against rackets. However, there was another matter I needed to discuss. "Did you know Eve Pechman is awake?"

"First I've heard of it," he said, although he didn't sound too bothered about being out of the loop. "Did you go see her?"

"Yeah. But I didn't learn anything. She's got amnesia."

"Convenient…" he spat.

"Are you going to talk to her?"

He shook his head. "What good will that do? She doesn't know me. I don't know her. If anything, it'd just confuse her."

I couldn't counter that. In this matter, both Logan and I were useless. We didn't have prior experience with her. There was no connection. I'd already told her what I knew from our brief interaction when Nightshroud possessed her. That hadn't jogged anything, and I didn't know what would. It was probably a matter better left for Zane. He seemed to be the one with a personal connection to her. If anyone could help her regain her memories, it'd be him.

"I suppose you're right," I finally said.

Again, there was another comfortable silence. I'll admit, it was nice not to be at each other's throats for once. I could get used to this. Eventually, the game between Bastion and Dimitri ended and Logan decided to challenge the teen genius to a game, leaving me by my lonesome. At least for a couple of minutes. Soon enough, Alexis's own game finished, and the Obelisk Queen decided to take a break and joined me by the wall.

She slid down wordlessly and fetched a bottle of water out of her bag, taking large gulps from it before letting out a refreshed gasp at the air.

"You're not going to get any better sitting here, you know," was the first thing she said once she recaught her breath.

"And who says I want to get better? Tennis is a crap game"

"Well, that's not the attitude to have," she jested. "With how competitive you are, I would have thought you'd be fighting for the opportunity to get better. Jaden hates it too and yet he's still playing."

"Well, me and tennis have never got along and that's not about to change now," I discouraged, swiping my hand from side to side.

"I suppose everyone has their weaknesses," she mused thoughtfully, looking back over to the matches. "How are you doing by the way?"

"I'm good."

"Really?"

"Yes… why?"

"It's…" she shook her head. "It's nothing. I was just curious about the deck you were using against Zane."

Oh no. Bastion had said she had concerns about my new deck. I didn't think she'd confront me on them. Well… at least not for a while.

"In what way?" I asked.

She was quiet for a moment, considering her next words carefully. "It's just… it's not like you," she finally said. "It's got too much emphasis on controlling your opponent."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Not necessarily. Everyone's got their own strategies. But normally a person's deck reflects them. But when I saw you duel Zane… I don't know, it just didn't seem like I was watching you duel."

I let out a small laugh. "So that's what you were worried about. Well, please don't. It was just a new strategy I was testing out for the future. It's not like I've given up on Buster Blader. He's still my main guy."

"Uh-huh," she said with a frown. She did not sound convinced, but it seemed she wouldn't press me further. But now that I had her alone, now would be the perfect opportunity to talk about the other matter on my mind.

"I don't suppose you've heard about the girl from the abandoned dorm?"

Her posture stiffened. But then she nodded, surprising me. "Zane told me. She's awake, right."

"Yeah. But-"

"I know. She can't remember anything. As I said, Zane told me." Of course he did. The guy was pretty wise. He must have anticipated Alexis's train of thought and nipped it in the bud before she'd do something she'd regret. "I suppose he was worried that once I found out she was awake," she continued. "I'd go and confront her. He probably wasn't wrong. I'm still planning to go and see her, but I don't want to scare her."

"That's probably wise," I said.

Silence. Again. This was getting old. I was about to say something when the Obelisk Queen once again beat me to it. "I forgot to say thank you."

"Hmm? For what?"

"For trying to keep your promise." She saw my confused look and smiled. "Those books you were reading in the library. From what I saw, they were related to the Abandoned Dorm. Heh, don't look so surprised. I only know because I looked through the same books on the academy's history. That was why you were reading them, right."

"Yeah… that was why." I don't know why, but I suddenly felt embarrassed, like a guy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. I suppose I wasn't exactly subtle but still, some mystery, c'mon…

She nodded before chuckling again. "I appreciate it, but trust me, you won't find anything in the library. It's like anything related to the dorm was removed."

"Well, I suppose the academy doesn't want anyone to go snooping," I said, saying the only excuse I could think of.

"It feels like more than that though," Alexis mused. "There are too many coincidences to be ignored, and they all surround that dorm. I want-" she shook her head. "I need to know what's going on. I can't help but feel it's connected to my brother."

"That's still a big leap," I said cautiously. I didn't want to upset her. Again.

"Maybe, but my instincts tell me it's true," she continued. "Haven't you ever had a feeling that you couldn't ignore?"

"I'd be lying if I said I hadn't," I replied.

Alexis paused, seemingly struggling with what she wanted to say. It was a little nerve-racking for her to be like this. I reached into my bag and pulled out my water bottle. I took a quick sip to ease my nerves while I waited for Alexis to find her words. What she came out with I couldn't have expected.

"I want to go back."

I almost choked. Water went down the wrong pipe and I immediately began coughing. Alexis, thankfully, gave me a good thump on the back to clear the way. This wasn't like her. She was supposed to be the cool rational one. That was something Jaden would say! There were too many risks! Thinking of all the ways it could go wrong boggled my mind. The dorm was surrounded by dark magic. It was connected to the Shadow Realm. Not to mention Banner's secret lab was sitting beneath it. What if he was there and discovered her? He'd do anything to keep his identity secret.

"You can't be serious," I spluttered. "Alexis, you know what happened to me and Jaden. I doubt they'll give you a trial after showing the entire school the potential consequences. You're talking about the risk of expulsion."

"I know. But I have to do it. I didn't get a look inside last time. Maybe If I go back, I'll see something that might give me another hint. You found that picture. Imagine what I could find if I went in with a trained eye."

"You'll more than likely won't find anything," I pressed.

"I won't know unless I try," she snapped, glaring at me. "Look, I plan on going alone. Maybe after the break. I need to think some things through first. I only wanted you to know to get your thoughts."

"I think you're insane," I shot back. "We almost died there. Alexis, if you go back you could get hurt."

"That's a chance I'm going to have to take." It was clear from her tone that she was set on this. However, she seemed disappointed. I knew there was nothing I could say that would dissuade her. Was this my fault? Had giving her that picture ignited this adventurous spirit within her? She certainly wouldn't have done this in canon. If anything, her early exposure to magic had piqued her interest as she now had a line of inquiry to help her find Atticus. Of course, she'd follow it. And that meant if anything happened to her, it'd be on my head…

"Look, Alexis… I don't think-"

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late."

My headshot around as Sadie ran up to us. Unlike the rest of us, who were in our academy sports uniforms, Sadie was decked out in a professional tennis uniform. A pink polo shirt and white shorts as well as a proper pair of trainers. Her long hair was done up in a neat ponytail that swayed with each step. It was a captivating sight, one that made me freeze.

Alexis did not have the same issue. "Hey there. We were wondering where you were."

"I got a call from Miss Dorothy asking to come in. We had to discuss an event coming up next term. Sorry, I should have let you know but I turned my PDA off to keep the charge. Boy, you guys are going to be in for a surprise though."

"Oh? something good?"

"You'll find out. I'm sworn to secrecy," she laughed as she set her bag down next to the rest of ours. She seemed in better spirits than yesterday, much to my relief. Her evasiveness had me worried before, but now, more than anything, I was just glad she seemed okay.

"It's good to have you join us," I said, flashing her a smile.

"It's good to be here," she replied. "You not playing?"

"Well…"

"He's moping because he's… a bit heavy-handed," Alexis cut in, hiding a chuckle behind her hand.

"Oh, well you know, some people are only good with their cards." The two of them laughed, making my cheeks burn.

"Why is it that whenever you guys get together, I become the butt of the joke?" I asked.

"You're just an easy target," Sadie quipped.

"And you make it easy to tease you," Alexis agreed.

Both shared another chuckle. "It's alright, tough guy," Sadie laughed. "I can show you a few tricks to improve your game."

"You play tennis?"

"I used to," she said, a frown briefly marring her features. "It was… a long time to go. But that's boring. First of all, I need to get a racket and then I can show you how a real pro plays."

"Oh, you're going to get slaughtered," Alexis said. If I didn't know better, I'd say she was looking forward to me getting my ass handed to me. She was being good-natured, but I got the feeling that she just trying to distract me from the topic of our conversation. Fortunately for her, I couldn't very well talk about going to the abandoned dorm in front of anyone else. But it would be a talk we'd be continuing. And soon. Once again, another thing to add to my to-do list. That thing just kept getting longer and longer.

Once Sadie fetched a racket, the two of us engaged in a quick match. And when I say quick, I do mean quick. Sadie played like a professional. Her serve was so fast that I couldn't keep track of the ball. It flew by me before I knew what was happening. I managed to return a few balls, but I quickly found myself more focused on her. Her moves were so graceful, that my eyes were drawn to her. Her laugh as she played was like a bell that delighted the ear. Pretty soon, Sadie was three games up and I had nothing to my name.

"I think you've won. Can we take a break now?" I asked, letting my racket go slack in my grip.

"Oh, come on Ren. We just got started. Best five out of seven?"

"What on earth did I ever do to you?" I puffed.

"Three scares about your health come to mind," Sadie replied, shooting me an amused glare. "Now, let's go. You can serve first," she said, tossing me the tennis ball.

I tossed it gently in my hand, feeling the weight. "Do you think you could take it easier on me?"

"No chance," she laughed, getting low and ready to move. "Bring it on tough guy."

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you!" I tossed the ball up and smashed it as hard as I could. The ball flew across the court, but Sadie returned it easily enough. Maybe it was me wanting to impress her, but for once, I actually managed to strike up a rally with the second year. However, after a few strikes, Sadie went for the kill shot. The ball went wide and, in my panic to rally, I threw my arm out wide. Somehow, I managed to strike it, but wildly. My ball went wide, flying across the field over to one of the other courts, right towards Alexis. She wasn't watching, she was engaged in a game against Jaden.

A sense of déjà vu stinging me, I cried out her name to warm her of the incoming projectile. She turned just in time to see it, but not with enough time to react. Thankfully, before she could be hurt, somebody dashed in and used their own racket to strike the ball out of the way. It flew harmlessly out of the court was, landing on the other side of the field. Alexis's 'saviour' landed in a crouched position in front of her, head down like a gallant knight who had just protected his princess.

"Alexis!"

"Are you alright?"

Jasmine and Mindy rushed over to the Obelisk Queen to check that she was alright. At that moment, the newcomer turned and flashed the girls a charming smile, his pearly whites practically gleaming. My heart sank when I got a good look at him. He was tall and fairly handsome. His long brown hair styled into a mullet that came down just past the base of his neck. "Yeah, do you need me to take you to the nurse?" he said, his voice eerily similar to a certain blue hedgehog.

By now, the others had noticed the interruption and gathering around the four. I cast a quick over to Logan. The moment he saw the newcomer, his expression went from one of excited expectation to anger. He recognised him just as I did. It was Harrington Rosewood, the third year who had a crush on Alexis. The one Logan longed to defeat.

In the series, he was depicted as an arrogant ass who was absolutely woman crazy and had an unhealthy infatuation with Alexis. As he approached her, and I saw his cheeks growing rosier, I saw nothing to suggest he was any different here. Of course, Jasmine and Mindy were going ga-ga over him as they stood behind Alexis. I could practically see hearts forming in their eyes.

However, there was someone else who had reacted to Harrington's appearance. Sadie, who had moved next to me, had gone rigid and was noticeably paler. Her free hand was clenched tightly I was worried she would pierce the skin. "What is he doing here?" she growled, her tone dangerously low.

"Wait, you know him?" I gasped.

She didn't answer. She merely kept glaring at the third year, her fist trembling.

"Thanks for the save," Alexis said, giving Harrington a grateful smile. "I appreciate it."

"Oh… well it was my pleasure. Couldn't have anything happening to you now. I'm just glad I came in for some solo training," he laughed, nervously scratching the back of his head. It didn't seem like he'd noticed the rest of us were staring at him. His attention was transfixed upon the blonde. "I'm Harrington. Harrington Rosewood. If you're feeling a little lightheaded, I'll be more than happy to carry you to the nurse."

Ugh… What a poser.

He held out his hand towards the now uncomfortable girl. However, before he could touch her, Sadie suddenly rushed forward, slapping away his hand. "Back off, Harrington," she seethed. "Go away."

The tennis captain was initially shocked by the interruption but quickly regained his wits as he beamed his classic smile. "Sadie? Wow, I didn't see you there. It's been a while."

"Not long enough," she growled. "Thanks for helping Alexis. Now get lost."

Woah, why was Sadie being so aggressive? She had never been like this before. And this attitude towards Harrington. The cogs in my mind were beginning to whir. Her initial reluctance to come today, her surprising skill playing tennis and now this aggression towards Harrington. There was an obvious answer. An answer I didn't even want to consider.

"Hey now, I'm just being courteous. You always said you wanted me to be more like that, right?" Sadie's eyes narrowed dangerously. Harrington continued, seemingly enjoying the sudden interruption, "It's been a long time since we were together. I get it if you're not over me, but-"

"Over you? Oh, I'm over you. I was over you the moment I found out you were doing behind my back!"

The atmosphere was quickly becoming awkward, and the implications of their arguments were abundantly clear. After listening to the two of them, my head was starting to spin, unpleasant images flashing through my mind.

They were an item? How…? Sadie was actually attracted to this guy? Oh god, what does that say about me? No, wait, that's way too egotistical. But seriously, him?! He's just… He's just… Ah, I can't describe him without gagging!

Bastion flashed me a look, clearly having similar thoughts to me. He'd quickly picked up on Harrington's sliminess as well. I gestured towards Sadie and Harrington with my head, and he nodded. We were both ready to step in if things took another turn.

"Hey, that was a long time ago. I'm a changed man. I've had time to think about myself and I've realised what I did was wrong. I'm just trying to be friendly here."

"Be friendly somewhere else and leave my friends out of it," Sadie snapped. "Go away, Harrington."

"Why? I'm captain of the Tennis Team. I've got to keep on top of my game. I always train at this time. If you can't stand the sight of me, maybe you should just leave. But there's no reason for your friends to go." He eyed Alexis as he said that. The blonde did not look impressed. In fact, now, everyone looked downright angry. It was clear the first impression Harrington had gained was now long gone. Logan looked ready to kill the bastard and for once, I didn't feel like stopping him.

Sadie looked ready to smack Harrington, her trembling hands were extremely noticeable now. If someone didn't stop her, she was likely to do something she'd regret, and I wouldn't put it past Harrington to report her. I took the moment to step between the two. Sadie's eyes went wide whilst Harrington's good-natured smile faded, glaring at me as I stood between him and the two girls.

"Hey, Bro, we were having a conversation. Could you step out of the way?" he growled, gesturing for me to move with his thumb.

I stood my ground, glaring at the older student. "You're making my friends uncomfortable," I said simply. "Please leave us alone."

"Oh? You think you're a big man?"

"Next to you?"

His eye twitched. "What was that?" He tried to look at Sadie but I moved to block his view. That was a mistake. With that action, things seemed to click for Harrington. "Oh, I see. Hey Sadie, is this your new guy? Way to pick 'em." Once again, the features of those around us darkened, and Harrington didn't even notice. "You look familiar. Hmm… I got it! You're that first year who almost got expelled, right? Ha! So, she's gone for a delinquent! I guess she wanted a change of pace! I suppose she couldn't do better." He began to laugh. It was deep, haughty and unpleasant on the ear. Man, I really wanted to punch this guy in the jaw.

SMACK!

Funnily enough, the one who hit him wasn't me. Or Sadie. Or even Logan. Alexis had stepped out from around and straight up slapped Harrington around his stupid smug face. The third-year was left in shock as he held the now burning red mark on his cheek. All the while Alexis glared at him, her eyes were as sharp as razors and her hand still up from her initial assault.

"Shut! Up!" she stormed, leaving the rest of us to look on in utter shock as the normally calm Obelisk Queen raised her voice. "You have no right to come in here and start running your mouth! While I appreciate the save, the day I need anything else from you, it will be the end of the world! Now please leave me and my friends alone!"

The third-year looked from her to me and Sadie completely slack-jawed. He tried to say something, but words failed him. I'd be worried he might report Alexis, but then again, he practically worshipped her and would want to try to get back into her good books. However, the prideful Obelisk he was, he couldn't let such an embarrassment define this interaction with her. "Hey, hey now. Let's not be too hasty. I'm sorry if I was rude. Sometimes my mouth gets the better of me. I'd love to join you guys. If you're playing tennis, I'd love to join you." The looks we all gave him told him it was a resounding 'no'. "Or how about this, we have a duel. If I win, I get to stay. If you win, I'll leave and never bother you again."

"Why do we need to duel for that? Just leave before you embarrass yourself."

Harrington's features tightened and looked like he was ready to argue when Logan stepped forward. He must have seen this as his chance. "If it means you leave, I'll take that challenge," Logan interrupted. "I'd more than happily teach you a lesson."

Harrington turned to the Lightsworn user and looked him up and down, regarding him like this was the first time seeing him. "At least someone has some backbone. You're a Slifer, aren't you? I think I've seen you around. In which case, let's make this quick."

"Oh, I plan too."

As the two combatants went to fetch their duel disks, the girls immediately flocked around Sadie to check if she was okay. She was still shaking, her features contorted in anger as she struggled to keep her emotions in check. I tried to talk to her too, but Bastion caught me by the shoulder and shook his head.

"Not right now. Give her a moment to process this," he urged.

I guess he was right. When it came to boy trouble, it was better to talk to other girls than it was to guys. But still, I wanted to check on her. I had so many questions stacking up in my head that I didn't even know which one I wanted to be answered first. So much for our last fun day before exams. This had quickly become a disaster.

Dimitri, who had mostly been quiet up until now, came over and placed his hand on my shoulder. "Are you doing alright? That guy was a jerk."

"I can deal with jerks. I'm more worried about her," I chuckled solemnly. I turned my gaze to the copycat duelist. So many things had gone wrong today. Maybe now I could get something right? The timing wasn't ideal, but if I didn't do it now, I probably wouldn't. "Hey Dimitri, I forgot to ask, how's your new deck going?"

He paused, looking a bit nervous. This topic was like thin ice for the two of us. He must have been worried I'd try to lecture him again. "It's going… slowly. A lot of the cards are hard to find."

"Maybe I can help you?"

His eyes widened, staring at me like I'd just told him pigs could fly. "Help me?"

"I know I haven't been the most supportive in the past, but this is important to you, right? I just want to lend a hand."

"I'd… I'd appreciate that," he said with a big smile.

Before we could say more, Harrington and Logan returned with their duel disks attached. The two of them moved to stand on either side of the tennis court closest to us. The rest of us gathered up at the sideline as the two of them shuffled their decks. Sadie, who had come to stand next to me, gave a shiver as she stared daggers at the senior student.

"Why did he have to come today?" I heard her murmur underneath her breath. "We were having so much fun…"

"We could always cut this short and go to the beach," I suggested. "Who cares about that dick?"

She said nothing, leaving my statement hanging awkwardly.

On the duel field, the two combatants finished shuffling their cards and activated their duel disks. "I hope you're ready, Slifer. I'll have you know that I'm just as skilled as the Kaiser," Harrington said, his smarmy smile growing. As he said that, Sadie's eyes narrowed, and her scowl deepened. Syrus also started paying more attention now that his brother had been brought up.

"I somehow doubt that," Logan dismissed, drawing his first five cards. His entire disposition was very cold but filled with confidence. He seemed completely focused on his objective, obliterating Harrington. For once, he cut a pretty gallant figure.

"Oh? In which case why don't you take the first move. It won't change the result," Harrington said. His words were charming, but his brow twitched with irritation from Logan's disregard for him.

"How kind, but I'll be making you eat those words. It's my move!" He drew his first card, and with that, the game began.

Turn 1: Logan - 4000LP - 6 cards in hand - 0 cards on the field

"I'll activate Solar Recharge," he said, beginning with one of his favourite spells. "I'll discard Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid to draw two cards. However, I must then send the next two cards of my deck to the grave." I watched Logan's grin grow wider as he saw his next two cards. I immediately knew what he'd drawn. It seemed Judgment Dragon would be making an appearance after all, despite his prior statement. I didn't know whether to be disappointed or ecstatic.

"I'll now summon Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress (1700/200)," Logan continued. Logan's new monster was a beautiful woman within a flowing white robe adorned with golden trimmings. Her long, raven hair was held in place by a headpiece and veil that came down her back. She held a golden sceptre in her right hand that glowed a gentle blue.

"I'll set a card and end my turn. However, Lyla's effect now activates, sending the top three cards of my deck to the graveyard."

By our side, Mindy let out a cheer to congratulate Logan on his opening move. We all gave her a strange look and she quickly stepped back, her face flushed.

As the Lightsworn user discarded his top cards, Harrington let out a laugh. "Wait, she sends your own cards to the grave? I can see why you're a Slifer. Didn't anyone tell you, you can't win without a full team?" It seemed he didn't know about the Lightsworns. A bit of a surprise given that most of the Obelisk students had a grudge against Logan. His strategy was pretty infamous at this point. Then again, Harrington didn't strike me as the kind of person to pay attention to anything that didn't align with his interests. He had no idea what was coming.

Good. I wanted to see him beat. For what he had said. For what he had done, I wanted to see him pay. On his knees in defeat as all his bravado was robbed from him. My whole body felt hot with boiling rage. My only regret at this moment was that I wasn't the one duelling. I could just imagine his face as Buster Blader cut through him, or having Horus cut off his spells, the lifeblood of his deck and leaving it impotent. However, this wasn't my duel. It was Logan's, and for once I was vying for his victory. I took a deep breath and focused on the game.

"Take your move," Logan said calmly, finally passing on the baton.

"Heh. Whatever you say. I was just trying to offer some friendly advice. Now then, I'll show you a real play."

Turn 2: Harrington - 4000LP - 6 cards in hand - 0 cards on the field

Harrington laughed again as he saw his first card. "It seems lady luck is shining down on me. I'll be taking the first point of this match with Service Ace!"

'So, he's using his anime deck,' I mused. 'Weird… up until now, the only cards I've seen either exist in my old world or just have their anime effects. Start of a trend? Nah, doubt it. Still, pretty uncreative and lazy. Are the Ultra Athletes not a thing yet?'

"First of all, I take a card from my hand, then you have to guess whether it's a monster, a spell or a trap," Harrington went on to explain. "If you're right, you're golden. If not, you'll be taking fifteen hundred points of damage." Harrington took a moment to select his card before holding it up for Logan to see. "So, what is it, freshman?"

"A monster," Logan said without hesitation.

"Oh, are you sure?" Harrington asked, waving the card around slyly. "There's still time to change your answer."

"I'm sure."

If it were possible, Harrington's grin grew a little larger. "Sorry, it's a trap! My Receive Ace. Now I remove it from play, and you'll lose a third of your life points!" From his spell, a large blast of energy shot out at supersonic speed. It flew across the court in the blink of an eye, blasting the ground in front of Logan and enveloping him in a plume of dust. (Logan: 2500LP)

"Oh no!" Mindy cried out, not even hiding her worry. I suppose it was nice Logan had someone looking out for him. Now if only he'd notice her. In fairness though, the others all did show varying degrees of concern for Logan. Even Alexis winced when Harrington's spell hit home whilst Jaden called out some encouragement, telling him to 'stand strong'.

At my side though, Sadie's expression grew grimmer. "He's still using those strategies," she groaned. "He just doesn't change. I should never have…" she trailed off, refocusing on the match.

"You know his strategy?" I asked. Maybe I shouldn't be probing but there were so many questions I now wanted answers to. Shoot me, I couldn't help myself. This time, I managed to get an answer.

"I helped him build his deck," she said monotonously. "He was never really any good at duelling. His parents only sent him here to rub shoulders with other elites. He was failing his second-year practical exams. I worked together with him to develop his strategies. He's coasted on them ever since, rising higher in the ranks because no one is quick enough to stop him from taking their points. He likes to play mind games and bait his opponent too, forcing them to make mistakes."

So, Sadie had helped him with his cards? Well, considering the emphasis on burn damage, it made sense. Sadie liked to play that way too. For Harrington, someone who probably didn't enjoy Duel Monsters but needed to be good at it, a burn deck would fit perfectly.

The dust cleared, revealing Logan to be slightly staggered but standing firm. Using his right hand, he flicked the dust away from his shoulder. "I'm not impressed," he said cockily.

I could practically see the steam coming out of Harrington's ears as he took hold of his next cards. "We'll see how you handle this then," he growled. "I summon The Big Server (300/800) in attack mode." Harrington's monster rose onto the court, but it was a little strange. It was basically a cyborg tennis player. His legs were cybernetic and armoured whilst his right hand had been replaced with a tennis racket. He wore blue shorts and an orange polo shirt. Bushy black hair hung down his back, pinned by a cyan bandana wrapped around his head.

"I'll take it further by equipping him with the spell, Giant Racket!" As he activated his card, a large racket appeared behind Harrington's monster, strapping itself to his back. "With this, once per round, my Big Server can't be destroyed by battle, and I'll take no damage from the battle."

'More anime exclusive cards,' I mentally groaned. 'Please let it just be this guy and no one else.'

"Oh, and did I forget to mention, my Server can attack you directly!" Harrington laughed as he threw out his arm. "Show him what you're made of!"

From his pocket, The Big Server pulled out a large, metal barbed ball. In one fluid motion, he tossed it into the air and spiked it towards Logan. It flew straight past Lyla and struck the ground at his feet, leaving a small, smoking impact crater. (Logan: 2200LP)

"And now for the fun part. When my monster deals damage, I get to add another copy of Service Ace to my hand. You get to draw a card too, not that it will matter." The two took their new cards and looked over their hands. However, before Harrington continued, he gave Logan another look over before smiling. "You know, I have to say, you've got guts taking me up on my challenge. I can tell we're like kindred spirits."

Logan's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'm nothing like you."

Harrington only laughed. "Sure you are. I can see it. You're driven. I bet you take what you want so you can make it to number one, am I right?" Logan remained silent but he looked away, not daring to look his opponent's way. Harrington continued, "Don't be ashamed. People like us, we're winners. It's only right that we strive for the things we want out of life. Maybe your motivations are different, but at the end of the day, it's all about that pleasure. And when you're not satisfied anymore, you keep striving forward, leaving the old behind."

Beside me, Sadie went rigid. As Harrington spoke, she began taking sharper and more audible gasps of air. I looked over to see that her eyes were beginning to go puffy, redness surrounding them. Her body began to tremble, his fists uncurling and just going limp at her side. "I can't hear this," she whispered. "I just can't…" Small tears were beginning to well as she turned and made a beeline for the exit.

At that moment, all my anger at Harrington dissipated. My only concern was her. It felt like my legs were moving on their own as I ran after her. I didn't even bother to see if any of the others were following. All I knew was that I had to go after her and do whatever I could to stop her tears.

---

Logan watched Ren run after the girl from the shop. While he didn't really know her well, their main interaction being at the party at the Obelisk dorm, he had seen how his fellow reincarnate cared for her, so he wasn't surprised by his sudden departure. What was a little disheartening was when Alexis, Bastion and Dimitri followed. Mindy looked like she wanted to follow as well, probably to help, but Jasmine stopped her. Now, only the two obelisk girls and his fellow Slifers remained.

While he was grateful, they had stuck with him, he had wanted to show off to them the others, prove his worth to be part of the whole group so to speak. After his duel with Chazz, he'd be lying if he said he hadn't been feeling a bit inadequate. He had wanted to win this duel without taking any damage. However, his face down, Lightsworn Barrier, was useless against direct attacks.

Harrington, on the other hand, watched Sadie leave and laughed like he'd told a bad joke rather than render someone to the edge of tears. "Oops, I guess I struck a nerve. She always was a bit sensitive. Shame that Alexis is gone too though. I kinda wanted to show off. What a bummer. I guess I'll just have to end this now!" Harrington cried taking his next card. "Since I have it back, I'll go ahead and serve up another Service Ace! You remember how this works, right? I choose a card from my hand, and you guess its type. If you're right, you're fine."

"And if I'm wrong, I'm screwed," Logan growled.

"Look who's learning," Harrington laughed as picked out a card from his hand and held it out in front of him. "So then, what do you think?"

The Lightsworn user stared at the outheld card, the gears in his head spinning. However, he was distracted, Harrington's earlier speech was still fresh mind. He couldn't stop thinking about it! His free hand tightened into a fist. Just how could Harrington compare them?

'Focus!' he thought angrily. 'Harrington is the ass of the Yu-Gi-Oh universe! His words mean nothing! I mean, everyone hates him! The guy is an egomaniac who's only interested in girls. He's a downright terrible person who uses his cards to abuse his opponents, embarrassing them without giving them the chance to fight back. He… he… he's right…'

Everything he had said, Logan knew he'd been guilty of doing the exact same. In the past, he'd acted just as badly as Harrington had. He'd stomped over others and crushed their spirits, flaunting his own power just because he had it. He'd thought that by showing strength, the main cast would flock to him, just like in the show. He'd acted like he was the protagonist of a game, destined to take centre stage. That had been his mistake. The same mistake he continued to make.

"Heh… I'm a bit of an idiot…"

Then, he felt a sudden feeling of warmth flow through his left arm. He looked down at his hand and the card he had drawn through The Big Server's effect. Lumina's card art stared back. She didn't emerge in spirit form as Jaden was present, but he knew she was offering her own support. She definitely had her own agenda, but as far as he could tell, she did want to support him. He just wished she would be more honest with him and tell him about this goal he was supposed to achieve. It was frustrating being so in the dark.

"Hey, are you still in there? Don't tell me this little brain teaser has stumped you?" Harrington called, interrupting his thoughts. "Are you going to pick a card or not?"

Right, time to focus. He looked towards the card still in Harrington's hand and took a breath. A one in three chance. Even if he got it wrong, he'd still have life points left. As long as Harrington didn't have another burn card, he'd be fine.

"It's a spell," he finally said.

Harrington's brow raised before giving a shrug. "Huh, you're right," he said, showing the card to be a copy of Smashing Ground. Logan smiled as Harrington removed the card from play, his life points remaining safe. "Well, it's a shame but I can finish you off next move. I'll just set this card for now." He placed his last card facedown and gestured for Logan to make his move.

"Next move, huh?" Logan mused as he drew his card. "Unfortunately for you, I already have everything I need."

Turn 3: Logan - 2200LP - 6 cards in hand - 1 monster and 1 face-down card on the field

Harrington's cocky smile faltered, his eyes going wide. "That's… that's quite the bluff. However, you won't scare me."

"It's no bluff. But perhaps it will be better if I just show you. I'll start by activating Charge of the Light Brigade! I send the top three cards of my deck to the grave and add a Lightsworn monster from my deck to my hand. The monster I choose is Shire, Lightsworn Sprite." He sent his top cards to the grave and retrieved his desired monster. "Oh, and one of the cards that just got sent to the grave, it was Wulf, Lightsworn Beast (2100/300). And since it was sent there from the deck, it is summoned to the field." The familiar white wolfman rose from the grave. He twirled his spear around his body before pointing it directly towards Harrington.

"That's… a powerful monster…" Harrington admitted. "But with Giant Racket, I will still manage to survive."

"Patience is a virtue. I'm getting to that," Logan said. He turned his attention back to the cards in his hand. With the cards that had already been sent to the graveyard, he already had enough to call out Judgment Dragon, more than enough life points to use its effect and could then summon Lumina for the required attack to finish Harrington. The exact same strategy he'd used against Crowler in the entrance exam. It would be easy. But then he'd be the same person he was at the start of the year.

Ren, while trying to stay away, had continuously evolved his deck and strategies. He hated to admit it, but he was getting stronger whilst Logan felt he was falling behind. So, in order to move forward, he would evolve too. And he had just the monster to do it.

"Now, as I have two light monsters on my side of the field, I can special summon something new! One that will provide light even in the deepest darkness!" Both Lyla and Wulf began to shine as golden light surrounded them, particles of the glow rising into the air and coalescing into a new form. After a few seconds, the glow began to subside revealing Logan's new creature.

It was a warrior covered in dazzling white armour with golden energy coursing through it. Lightweight, fin-like wings were on its shoulders and back, allowing it to fly. A streamlined helmet covered its head, obscuring its eyes. Blinding light flooded from its form, making it seem almost divine.

"Wh-What is that?" Harrington cried as he held up his arm to protect his eyes.

"Meet the Guardian of Order (2500/1200)," Logan said, a bright smile on his face. "He's one of the newer additions to my deck, and the monster that will be your doom. But before I get to him, I'll be activating Lyla's effect. I switch her to defence mode and destroy your Giant Racket!"

"What? No fair!"

Despite his cry, Lyla knelt down and brandished her sceptre. It crackled with light before sending out a beam that struck the extra addition to Harrington's Big Server and destroyed it.

"Next up, I'm activating my Mystical Space Typhoon and taking out that face down!" The familiar blue typhoon ripped across the field, tearing apart Harrington's lone facedown, revealing it to be Magic Cylinder.

The Tennis pro turned white as a sheet as he realised what was about to happen. "Hey, hang on man. Let's talk this out. I know I was a bit of an ass but let's let bygone be bygones. Why don't we relax?"

"Oh, but this does relax me," Logan said, his tone calm and jovial. "You let yourself get carried away when by the sounds of things, you had a pretty amazing person in your life already. You should never have let her go." His eyes widened, taking an involuntary step back. Logan couldn't help but get in one last jab. "And by the way, I'm more of a badminton guy. Now Wulf, strike down The Big Server!"

The wolfman spun his spear around his body before leaping forward, thrusting his weapon forward, piercing Harrington's monster straight through the chest. The cyborg sportsman let out an anguished cry before shattering into pixels. (Harrington:2200LP) The third year let out a sharp cry as he stumbled back.

"And now, Guardian of Order, end this! Attack with Light of Order!" As Logan threw out his hand, his monster rose higher into the air and began carving patterns of light into the sky, creating a magic circle in front of it. Once the circle was complete, the Guardian punched its creation, shattering it. The shards of light that remained rained down upon the terrified third year. They bombarded Harrington, striking him, the ground and court alike, obscuring him in a plume of dust. Logan and the onlookers watched on with bated breath as the cloud cleared, revealing Harrington, on his back, defeated and stripped of his bravado. (Harrington: 0LP, Logan wins)

His holograms faded and the duel disk deactivated. The Lightsworn user spared one last look at the dazed tennis player before turning and walking back over to the slifers… to his friends.

"Wow, that was a sweet match! Congrats man!" Jaden said, meeting him first and throwing an arm good-naturedly around his neck. "That Guardian of yours is awesome! Part of a new strategy?"

"Something like that," Logan admitted. "I've been doing a bit of experimenting recently. Trying to find new ways to make use of my recourses."

"Cool! I've got to take you on sometime!" Jaden said.

"That was such a good duel! You've got some real skill Logan," Mindy said, quickly walking over to his other side. Her face seemed a little red. It was a bit warm out. "You are deffo someone to watch out for."

"Thank you," Logan beamed.

"You're…alright…" Jasmine said reluctantly. Logan noticed how her eyes darted between him and Mindy. Why was she doing that? He remembered she had a thing about Slifers. Maybe she didn't like it that Mindy was close to him?

"Um… guys. Maybe we should go after the others?" Syrus asked. "Sadie seemed pretty upset. The others knew her better, so I didn't want to intrude but…"

He trailed off, but it was clear to the rest of the group what he meant. The others would be better at making them feel better, so they didn't want to get in the way. However, that didn't mean they couldn't lend a hand.

"We should go," Jaden said. "Maybe we can't help, but just showing we care will be enough, right?"

Logan shared a look with the others before they all nodded. "Let's go after them," the Lightsworn said. They all shared a small smile before the five of them hurried out, leaving Harrington behind.

However, as they left, they missed Harrington's dazed words.

"Never should have let her go? Maybe…"

---

Sadie kept running until she was sure she had lost Ren and the others. She didn't want to face him right now. She didn't want to see any of them. No… that wasn't true. She wouldn't lie to herself. She swore she wouldn't do that again a long time ago. The truth was she didn't anyone to see her weakness. She had cried of Harrington once. She had thought herself stronger than to do it again now.

She had already made it out of the main academy building and was swiftly heading towards the edge of the island. She wanted to be somewhere she felt safe. Coming to the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean, she sat down under the lone tree on the edge. Only then did she allow herself to break down, hot tears burning her cheeks as buried her head into her knees.

"Why am I crying? I knew he what he was… Why does it hurt so much hearing it again?" She remained there for some time, sniffling into her knees until she heard soft footprints on the grass. She didn't look up to see who it was. "How'd you find me?" she asked, doing her best to sound normal.

"You showed me this place on our date. I knew you'd either come here or the beach. This seemed more secluded." Ren said. She didn't dare look at him, but she could tell from his tone he was concerned. Of course, he was. He always seemed more interested in other people than himself.

"Nice of you to remember," Sadie chuckled dryly.

He didn't reply at first, the only sound between them was the whistle of the wind and the light crashing of waves against the rocks below. Finally, Sadie felt something brush against her arm and someone slump down next to her.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said.

"I understand," Ren said, his voice a little distant. Sadie tilted her head, stealing a peek at him out of the corner of her eye. He was looking up towards the sky, his expression unreadable. It suddenly occurred to her that he had come alone.

"What happened to the others?" she asked. "I thought I heard them too."

"We split up to look for you. I've already sent them a message to let them know you're safe."

"Sorry for making you all worry," she mumbled, an ache of guilt forming in her stomach. "It was childish of me to let him get to me."

He shook his head. "You can't help how you feel when confronted by someone from your past. Especially, someone… you were close to."

"Yeah… About Harrington…"

"You don't have to say anything," he interrupted. "I won't lie and say I'm not interested, but it's none of my business. Don't tell me just because circumstances demand it. You'll feel anxious about doing so later."

"Speaking from experience?"

"Something like that. Let's just say I've had my fair share of heartache."

"Fair share?" It was rude, but she couldn't help but laugh. "Had a lot of relationships, have you?"

"Well… crushes. I wasn't the most popular and too nice for my own good. But the issue with nice people is that others view them as easy to be used."

Sadie looked at him curiously. He was funny; sometimes he would act so childishly, like a man trying desperately to cling on to his youth. And then there were other times where he seemed so serious, his attitude and expression like that of someone far older. Maybe it was one of the reasons she found herself interested and drawn to Ren. He was unlike the other academy students she had come to know over the course of her time at the academy.

"You're so weird," she laughed, her heart feeling just the tiniest bit lighter.

"Wow… you try to comfort someone, and they just insult you…" he groaned. His tone dripped with familiar sarcasm, but his eyes flickered with mischief. "Why do I even bother?"

"Because you're a good person. An idiot… and a little reckless… but a good person." She raised her head and leaned into Ren, resting her head against his shoulder. She felt him tense but quickly relaxed, leaning into her as well.

"You're a good person too," he whispered.

"Oh, I'm the best," she chuckled.

"Heh… that's true."

The two remained there for some time, enjoying the feel of the sea breeze as the sky turned a deep shade of orange and pink. Sadie soon found her earlier sadness ebbing. She wished she could truly enjoy this moment, yet her memories of Harrington poisoned the moment, eating away at her under the surface. She wished she could say more to Ren. Discuss more with him. Maybe this morning she might have been willing to. But until she sorted out these feelings about Harrington, she would wait. It wouldn't be fair to Ren until she had her head straight.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked, stirring her from her thoughts.

"A little. I guess I just needed a little time to cry."

He nodded before taking another look at the setting sun. "Sun's going down. We should go and find the others and let them know you're doing okay."

"Okay."

He got up first and offered her his hand, helping her back to her feet. Sadie could still feel the sting of tears on her cheeks and suddenly became extremely aware of how messy she may look. Rubbing her eyes, she turned her head slightly. "Thank you." Casting away her shyness, she flashed him the brightest smile she could manage. "Let's go back," she said keeping hold of his hand and taking the lead. "And Ren... Thank you for coming to find me."

He smiled, squeezing her hand as the two of them walked back hand in hand.

"Anytime."

---

Harrington returned to his room late, his hands clenched in anger. He'd been shown up, embarrassed and beaten. This was supposed to be his year. His final year to sow his wild oats. Everything had been so much better a year ago. He had respect, good grade and a girlfriend.

Ever since the… 'incident'… he had been on a slow decline. His grade average was slipping and his luck with the ladies was… well it wasn't what it once was. The first third of the school was almost up. This was his last chance to live his best life. He just needed a reset and to keep his eye on the ball.

"That's it! What was it the freshman said? I never should have let Sadie go? I'll just have to win her back. I mean, she obviously is still in love with me! And who could blame her? And if that other freshman gets in the way, I'll just have to show him that with Sadie, the ball is always in my court."

---

And that's that. I hope you guys enjoyed. This is actually the first part of a two-part chapter. You can probably guess where the next one will be going, haha.

Now I know I said previously that there wouldn't be any anime exclusive cards, but seriously, I couldn't find a good deck for Harrington and I ignored the UA archetype as they were lots of different sportsmen rather than just tennis. It was honestly really difficult finding a new deck, so I stuck with his old one.

Today, we had some exploration into Sadie's backstory and also a quick peek at one of Logan's new strategies. Guardian of Order isn't the only new addition to his deck. There are more.

Now you will probably notice that this AN is a little short. Maybe lacking a few replies. Well, that is because... the discord server is finally up! Woo! I've already got the link-up on my Wattpad profile because I can't post it here annoyingly, not even on my profile. My username on there is the same as on here. Just search my user name and you'll be able to find it. The first replies for guest reviews from the last chapter are already up :)

Anyway, I shall see you all next time. Hopefully it won't take another month to write, haha.

Don't forget to fav, follow and leave a review as I would love to hear your thoughts. Looking forward to seeing you all soon and stay safe out there.

*Forgot to say, if you don't use Discord, let me know and I'll reply as normal in the chapter.