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)

18. Chapter 18

Hello everyone! Hope you have all been well! It's been a while. A fair amount has happened since the last time I posted. Had three interviews for a job I haven't heard back from yet, saw the family again, had to take the car to the garage. Again. It's been... eventful...

So before I begin, I again want to say a massive thank you to everyone who wished me well over the last few weeks. You have no idea what it meant to me so thank you!

In other news, the story has hit another target with 766 favs and 927 followers! Woo! That's fantastic! A massive thank you again to all of you who have supported the story up to this point! The next target is a 1000 for both. And, if we reach that goal, I am happy to say that I will get a piece commissioned for the story. So, to that end, I would love hear what moment or which characters from the story you would like to see.

On that note, on with the story! Fair warning, this one is very story driven.

---

Staying in the Background

Clash of Ideals – Burning Old Flames

As Sadie and I returned, we found the others were waiting for us by the academy entrance. The girls wasted no time in swarming Sadie, checking that she was alright. Me and the rest of the boys watched silently as the older girl thanked them for worrying about her. Bastion came over to me and I gave him a quick rundown of what happened, easing his worries. He relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief. Logan wasted no time in telling me about his victory. Had to say, I was more than happy to know he had wasted Harrington so quickly and surprised to hear he'd done it without his beloved Judgment Dragon. Guardian of Order, huh? Still going for the whole protector vibe then. Still, it worked well with his deck, so I couldn't be too snarky.

Unfortunately, since the sun was already beginning to set, we didn't have the time to go to the beach, so we decided to make a day of it in the new term when the weather was better. With that sorted, we all went our separate ways and I returned to the blue dorm. I was a little disappointed but overall just happy Sadie seemed a little better.

Once back, I went to go and grab some of that sweet, sweet Obelisk quality grub before heading back to my room. After everything that had happened today, I wanted nothing more than to kick back, relax and go over some new strategies.

Oh, mother fucker.

It seemed Lady Luck had other plans for me. For waiting for me outside my door was none other than mister personality himself, Harrington Rosewood. He was still wearing his tennis clothes which made me believe he'd come straight here from the sports centre. He had his head down but the moment he heard my footsteps, he looked up and saw me, and gave me a beaming smile.

Ugh. I'm getting a serious case of Déjà vu.

A brief memory of Chazz waiting in the exact same way played through my mind. I was at the corner and quickly looked around to make sure no one would jump me. There was no one else around. That was good at least.

"Hey there," Harrington called, his tone strangely cheerful. "Remember me? We met earlier."

I said nothing. He was blocking my door so I couldn't just walk in and I doubted it'd be a simple case of walking around him. It seemed I only had one option. I turned and walked away. Harrington didn't get the message.

"Hey, wait up! I want to talk to you," I heard him call. I quickened my pace, not wanting anything to do with this arrogant ass. I wouldn't be able to justify my actions if I had to interact with him for a long time. But alas, Harrington wasn't tennis captain for nothing. He easily caught up to me and stopped me. "C'mon bro, we have some things to talk about."

"Not interested. Excuse me." I turned again, but Harrington quickly blocked me off once more.

"I'm sure this will interest you. I want to talk about our mutual friend Sadie."

My eyes narrowed.

"You're into her, aren't you?" he continued, hitting the nail on the head. "I saw the way you chased after her. And why wouldn't you? She's a great girl. However… And here's the thing… I'm gonna have to ask you, bro to bro, to back off."

My fist tightened, my anger growing steadily. "Excuse me?" I growled.

"It's nothing against you," he said, oblivious to my growing agitation. "It's just that… well… I've come to see that I made a mistake."

"A mistake…?" I seethed.

"Yeah. I did something horrible to here. I see that now. I want to make things right between the two of us. We were… good together. And I really think that – Hey!"

I'd finally lost my cool, my hand was already at his collar before I knew what was happening. I had to push my whole weight against him, pinning him to the wall. It wasn't the easiest thing to do considering that Harrington was taller than me, but my anger saw me through.

"Horrible?" I growled. "That doesn't even begin to describe it. I don't know exactly what happened between the two of you, but I've got a very good idea. What you did to her, it's unforgivable. I don't care what you think, and I'll only say this once; stay away from Sadie. She isn't one of your fucking tennis trophies and she doesn't need you messing with her head."

Harrington's face went red as he looked down at me, his charming façade shattering in an instant. "Get your hands off me!" he cried, pushing me away. "You made a mistake, kid. I tried to be a good sport, and get you to back off nicely, but if you won't play ball, I'll just have to do this the hard way."

"You want a fight?" I asked.

"Ha, no. Why be barbaric? There are so many other ways to play the game. You have no idea what I can do."

"No, Harrington. You have no idea what I can do." I knew his words to be bravado. Harrington never struck me to be a man of action. Meet his threats with some of your own, and he would back down. Maybe there was more to him than I thought. I'd learned a lot about the other GX characters since coming to the academy, their pasts, their likes and dislikes. Harrington undoubtedly had his own story to tell as well. But I didn't want to hear it. Harrington, in my eyes, had no redeeming qualities.

As I predicted, seeing his attempt to intimidate me had failed, Harrington clicked his tongue before turning away in a huff. "Well… I said my piece. We'll just have to see where this little love war of ours goes."

I didn't reply, allowing him to have the last word in this confrontation. I refused to justify him. He walked away, leaving me alone in the corridor. I waited a moment, just in case he decided to come back, but he didn't. With nothing else to do, I finally returned to my room.

Once back in the safety of my own abode, I let out a calming breath. I felt hot, the anger that had been boiling calming to a light simmer. What was it about Harrington that made me so angry? Well, that was a stupid question. It was obviously his connection to Sadie. However, that wasn't justification.

"I could have handled that better," I admitted, wiping my hand down my face. I sat down on the bed and allowed myself to fall back against the covers, taking a brief moment to enjoy the relaxation. The question now was what was the cause of Harrington's sudden 180 in attitude. I thought he was hooked on Alexis. Maybe that slap had put him off. Heh, just remembering the look on his face at that moment made me smile. Of course, now that he'd set his sights on Sadie again, it would only cause her more heartache in the long run.

Worst of all, there wasn't exactly a lot I could do. Until Harrington did something to me, it wasn't my place to get mixed up in Sadie's business. But at the same time, that didn't mean I couldn't look out for her in my own way. Taking out my PDA, I quickly sent shot her a text.

Do you want to walk to school tomorrow?

---

Logan's roommates were out when he got back to the dorm. He didn't have to wonder where they were. They'd been spending the last few days holed up in the library until late. It worked out for him since it gave him time to work on his other project. Recently, he'd been making notes of everything he could remember from the main series.

After talking to Ren, and after everything that had happened recently, he'd decided to refresh his planning. When he had initially reincarnated, he'd made sure to note down everything he could remember about the story events and the character's personalities. However, none of that had been useful so far. And as Ren had pointed out in the infirmary all those weeks ago, his plans could easily be countered. As such, he had begun coming up with a new game plan. He had been planning on asking Ren for some contribution, but he seemed to have his hands full these days.

"You did well today, My Saviour," Lumina said, suddenly appearing at his side. When the others were gone, it gave her time to freely appear. "You are improving."

"Thank you," Logan said, his voice a little distant as he took out his notepad.

His answer must have been too dismissive as she immediately frowned. "Is something the matter?" she asked with genuine curiosity. "I would have thought your victory would sate your duelling appetite."

"I just have a lot on my mind," he replied.

Lumina gave a quizzical look as she peered between Logan and the notebook. He hadn't been trying to sound down, yet it seemed the duel spirit had picked up on his tone. Contrary to when they had first encountered each other, when Logan had been so filled with joy to know something he'd always wanted was in front of him, he now felt a little uneasy around the spirit.

He knew she was hiding things from him. It was unlike the relationship Jaden shared with Winged Kuriboh or even the one Chazz would have with the Ojamas. From what he could tell, she kept her cards close to her chest. And while she was supportive, she didn't give him specific guidance, allowing him to make his own decisions, even if they didn't go as planned. No matter the result, she'd be adamant it all went towards his so-called 'growth'.

And yet she didn't say what he was growing for. Something was coming, and she wouldn't say what it was until he was 'ready'. But how could he ever be ready if he didn't know what he had to be ready for? It was driving him crazy! He wanted answers damn it! Not like he'd get any answers if he tried.

"You are upset," she finally said.

"No… it's nothing," he said as he took out his pen.

"Is it because the Rhodes girl left the match before its conclusion?" she asked, moving so that she was floating above his head. "You have your sights set on her, correct?"

"Yeah, I do. I… I like her a lot."

"May I ask why?"

It was such a simple question, and yet Logan found himself struggling to answer. He was starting to feel a little hot under the collar. Not because he didn't have an answer, but because he couldn't pick a singular reason.

"Well… I guess you could say she was my first crush," he replied awkwardly. "I was a kid when GX first came on. It's what got me into gaming. And when watching it, Alexis was always so cool. She was pretty, kind, smart and not afraid to speak her mind. I guess she kind of became an ideal for me when I started paying attention to girls. Maybe that's why it never went well for me…" The faces of a few girls flashed through his head from his past life. In his head, he remembered them smiling, although that wasn't how they were when they talked to him. He shook his head, banishing the bad memories. "Anyway, now that I'm here, I realised that I finally have the chance to go after my dream girl."

"I thought you wished to form a harem?" Lumina asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Well, yeah. But the main girl first, right?" Logan said, his smile growing as he thought about the future and the good fortune it could bring him. And then the events of earlier played through his head and a fresh wave of disgust washed over him. "First… God… I sound like a pig…"

Lumina said nothing. She merely stared at him impassively. "It is natural to want to be loved," she finally said. "Especially when it was neglected to you previously. My Saviour, if you care for the Rhodes girl, I suggest you take action. While she does not currently seem interested in romance, it is never too late to gain someone's attention. That said, maybe you should focus on others. Do you harbour feelings towards anyone else?"

Logan gave a small, self-deprecating chuckle. "There are plenty of people who I find attractive," he admitted. "But I doubt anyone fancies me."

"You should have more faith in yourself," she said. "You never know who may have their eye on you."

What was that supposed to mean? And why was her tone so much more playful than normal. "Is there something else you're not telling me?"

"Nothing that is related to your mission," she said kindly. From her expression, it was clear she found something humorous, but he knew better than to ask again. He wouldn't get a straight answer anyway. "I know you are frustrated by the lack of information I have given you," she said, her tone returning to normal. "However, I do this not because I do not trust you, but because you should have the chance to enjoy your school life. While you can."

"'While I can'? What's that supposed to mean?"

"You will see in time," she said as cryptically as ever. "You are almost ready. I can sense your growing power. And soon… your resolve will match."

With those words, she faded, once again leaving Logan with more questions than answers.

"I hate it when she does that…" Logan groaned, returning his attention to his notebook. And yet, as he started writing down all that he remembered, Lumina's words continued to play through his head. "Just what's wrong with my resolve? I know exactly what I want." He paused as he tapped his pen against the paper. He wanted to write, but the words didn't come. He tapped his pen again.

"Well… I suppose I've kind of put my plans on hold recently. And while I'm closer to the guys, I'm no closer to Alexis. I haven't done anything to deserve getting a spirit key either. Or even be in the school duel… Wait, what are my values again?" Now that he thought about it, he hadn't made any progress recently, had he?

Well, that was depressing. Maybe Ren had been too much of an influence on him? The other reincarnate's policy of non-interference had infected Logan as well. He had been hopeful that now he and Ren were somewhat on the same page, they would be making greater strides, but Ren seemed more preoccupied with Sadie. As such, Logan had now felt he was falling behind. While his duel with Harrington had been a test, there was so much more he could be doing. And he should do it soon before he found himself left behind.

---

The next morning, I found myself once again at the intersection between the girl and boy Obelisk dorms. I sat at one of the benches overlooking the lake. The water, as always, was beautifully crystal clear, even this early in the morning.

I stifled a yawn as I stretched out my back, relishing in the feeling of it popping. There is nothing like a good back pop in the morning to make you ready for the day. A few other Obelisk students walked by, on their way to early morning clubs who spared me a passing look, but it was otherwise peaceful. Last night, Sadie and I agreed to meet here. While she had seemed a little hesitant at first, because she needed to go to the shop first, she eventually caved when I promised to bring her one of the good chocolate croissants from the Obelisk caf. Never underestimate the power of French pastry.

As I looked out across the lake, I found myself mesmerised. This area truly was like a little oasis. The gentle breeze, the beautiful view, and the sweet scent of the grass all had a calming effect that almost had me falling back to sleep. But as I stared out across those waters, my head began to feel a bit fuzzy. Maybe it was the early morning air, the salt on the sea breeze or the fact I'd been up till two in the morning messing with my cards, but I just zoned out, my mind going completely blank.

It was so faint, but it was there, like a call on the wind. In the middle of the lake, there was a dark shape hidden under the surface. It didn't move but it was there, muddying the water like an omen. And as I stared out at that shape, I heard the quietest beat.

B-B-B-Dum…

"Ren?"

"Argh!"

My body jolted as someone reached out and tapped my shoulder. I spun around to find Sadie staring at me, her lips a thin line as she struggled to contain her laughter.

"You okay?" she giggled. "I've never seen you so jumpy before. Why are you so close to the edge? Going for an early morning swim?"

"Huh?" I looked down and sure enough, I was standing right by the lip of the water, the bench I'd been sitting at metres away. Looking back out at the water, the dark patch was gone. When did I get here?

"Ren? Is everything alright? You look a little pale…" Sadie's amused tone quickly faded when I didn't reply.

Doing my best to shake off the strange feeling in the pit of my stomach, I flashed her my best smile. "I'm just a bit tired," I said. "You caught me day dreaming, huh?" She didn't seem convinced but shrugged it off and gave me a gentle nudge. "You are so weird sometimes."

"Hey, it keeps me interesting," I laughed.

"That's one word for it," she laughed again before her expression became utterly serious. "Did you bring them?"

"They're in the bag," I said, gesturing towards my saddle bag over by the bench.

An uncharacteristic squeal of joy escaped Sadie as she practically flew over to my bag and immediately removed the sealed paper bag from within. "Come to mama," she said happily as she took out the first pastry and took the first bite. "Ah, it's so good! I still can't believe Ms Fontaine won't put these on the breakfast menu at the girls' dorm."

"Well, she is a fitness nut," I reasoned as I joined her at the bench, hoisting the bag back over my shoulder. "The butter and chocolate can't be good for you to have on a daily basis."

"Some things are worth it," Sadie said, her eyes wide and focused. I guess she was a bit of a foodie. You learn something new about people every day. As she had another bite, I took a moment to admire her. Once again, she was dressed in her Obelisk Uniform, the sleek outfit nicely hugging her figure. Her hair, which was normally done up in a ponytail for work, hung freely. It was easy to forget just how different she looked when out of her shop uniform.

She turned back to me and paused, giving me a funny look. I quickly realised I'd been staring and felt my cheeks heat up. "What? Is there something on my face?"

"No," I said far too quickly.

Her confused glance quickly became a smirk. "Oh? Is there something you want to say to me?" she teased.

"Nah. It'd only go to your ego," I deflected.

"My ego? Look who's talking," she laughed before taking another bite of her breakfast.

We continued to joke and laugh like this as we began our walk toward the academy. I was glad that she seemed more like herself today. After yesterday, I was worried she might be a bit more down in the dumps, but she seemed fine. Guess my worries were unfounded. Maybe today would be fi- Wait! No! I didn't finish that sentence! I didn't jinx myself! I am not tempting the universe! No! Not today sir!

"Sadie! I thought that was you!"

Oh, son of a bitch!

It was as we were passing the Obelisk Boys' Dorm that it happened. We had almost walked clear of the building when we heard him call, the voice immediately sending a chill down my spine. Sadie had stiffened too, her expression briefly becoming one of panic. We both turned to find none other than Harrington standing in the doorway. He was dressed in his tennis uniform, a sports bag hanging over his shoulder. He shot us, specifically Sadie, a dashing smile as he walked down the steps.

"What a coincidence running into you here," he continued. "I wanted to say sorry for the way I acted yesterday. I interrupted you and your friends and probably ruined your day. I was really worried about you after you ran off. It's good to see that you're okay."

Sadie, on her part, showed very little emotion as she looked the tennis prodigy over. Her eyes darted over him, probably trying to work out if he was being genuine or not. I didn't believe this act for a second. After his impromptu visit yesterday, I could see right through him. He was trying to win Sadie back and get back in her good graces. I would bet my deck he'd waited by the door on purpose for her to walk by. Probably knew she'd be working today.

After taking a moment, Sadie turned and tugged on my arm. "We should probably get going," she said. She showed no sign of anger or annoyance. Just a flat statement to end the interaction.

I nodded and we started to walk when Harrington hurried out in front of us. "Hey, if you're on your way to the academy, why don't I join you? It'll be a good chance to catch up."

"No thank you." Sadie walked around him, dragging me along with her.

"Maybe later then," we heard him call out. He didn't seem dissuaded in the slightest. If anything, from the determination of his tone it seemed he'd taken the rejection as a kind of personal challenge. I'd give Harrington this, he was persistent. He also hadn't bothered to acknowledge me. How rude.

"Hmph…" Sadie gave a small huff once were far enough away. "After everything he did, he really thinks he can just patch things up like that."

"He is a piece of work," I agreed.

"You're probably wondering why we were ever together," she suddenly said, shooting me a look out of her peripheral.

"I… I won't lie and say it didn't cross my mind. He does come off as a bit of an ass."

She gave another huff, her eyes on the path ahead and yet unfocused. "He wasn't always like that," she said. "He used to be… sweet."

'They all do,' I thought darkly. The faces of a few of the girls I knew in my own time flashed through my head.

"I know how he is now, but he wasn't always like that," Sadie continued, her tone soft and wistful. "I met Harrington towards the beginning of my first year at the academy. I was still fresh off the boat and to be honest, completely lost. It was hard to strike up a conversation when everyone is so obsessed with a card game that it was all they talk about. I felt really out of place. Not to mention that I had to quickly take a job at the shop to help pay for my tuition. There wasn't a lot of time to socialise.

"And then, one day, Harrington walks into the shop. He was practically having a meltdown and went straight for the card catalogues. You should have seen him; he was so frantic. I took pity on him and asked him what was wrong. You see, he was failing in his practical duel assessments and was at risk of being kicked out if he didn't improve his grades.

"He said he'd found duelling hard because he'd never taken an interest in Duel Monsters. Heh… he claimed it was a miracle he'd gotten through his first year. I could… relate to him. I wasn't interested in the game either. I was there because of the teaching program, and he was there because of the connections that could be built for his family.

"I ended up suggesting some cards that could help him, but once I'd done that, he asked if I'd like to hang out after my shift. What can say? He was a sophomore, and I was an impressionable freshman. That afternoon, we talked for hours. Now don't look at me like that, I know what he's like now, but back then… he was kind, and actually had a decent sense of humour. We shared a lot of opinions and I guess it was exciting, at the time, to have a 'older' guy interested in me."

Her voice grew softer like she was reliving the memory in front of her. Her eyes were growing watery, and I was worried she was about to cry. However, she merely shook her head and continued.

"We ended up spending more and more time together. We helped each other with getting to know the game. We decided to use burn decks to finish opponents quickly. And, eventually, he asked me out. I was over the moon. We were happy for a while. We did practically everything together. It will sound stupid, the thoughts of a young and naïve girl, but I really thought we'd end up… together.

"But that all changed during the mid-term break. He invited me to visit his home for a few days. You wouldn't believe the size of his house. It makes the Obelisk Dorms look like summer houses. It had a giant garden with a professional tennis court in the back. His family seemed nice too. At least… they did at first. When I first arrived, they welcomed me with open arms. His mother was particularly vocal about how happy she was to have me there. Harrington was ecstatic too. He kept showing me off to his parents and the work staff. Apparently, I was the first girl he'd ever brought home. It was cute seeing him so bubbly. But then… on the night before I went home, I happened to overhear a conversation between Harrington and his dad." Her expression became pained as she closed her eyes and bit her lip.

"Harrington doesn't know I heard them, but they were arguing… about me. His father was telling him that he should leave me. As old fashioned as it is, he didn't think I was right for him. It'll surprise you, but Harrington tried to defend me. But he didn't dissuade him. His father just kept telling him that as the heir to a prominent sporting goods company, he needed to be with a woman of good social standing, and not just a… shop clerk…

"He told him that while our relationship was fine for the time being but he should 'enjoy' his 'freedom' and time at the academy while he could because when he graduated, he wouldn't have any more time for fun. Harrington kept trying to defend me, but he wasn't as… as confident. I ran away after that. I didn't want them to know I was there. But looking back on it… maybe I just couldn't face Harrington.

"The next morning, Harrington seemed the same as always, and I hoped that maybe he had stood up to his father. But when we got back to the academy, something changed. He became distant and kept coming up with excuses whenever I asked if he wanted to hang out. At first, I thought he was just busy with his club activities. This went on for a while until finally, I decided to surprise him by meeting him after his training. But he wasn't at the courts. And he wasn't in his classroom either. But on my way back to the dorm, I heard his voice a little into the trees. I couldn't hear what he was saying, but I knew it was Harrington. As I edged closer, I saw him… I saw him…"

She was beginning to get emotional. Her eyes went a little red as tears began to well. I placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to tell me."

"I know. But I want to," she whispered solemnly and wiped her eyes. "He was with another girl. A first-year who I thought was my friend. They didn't know I was there at first, but when Harrington finally noticed me, he pushed her away and began making excuses. But I refused to hear them. I ran. Ran all the way back to the girls' dorm where Harrington couldn't go. I stayed in my room for the next couple of days. I didn't even go to classes. Eventually, Nurse Fontaine came to talk to me and helped me get through the tears. The rest is history. I broke up with Harrington through a text. I couldn't face him. I later found out he'd been taking his father's advice too literally and had been enjoying himself a bit too much with many of the academy girls. I guess I didn't matter to him as much as I thought."

A silence fell over us as Sadie finished her story. Her tale had guided us to the academy doors. We stood just before the doorway, the two of us seemingly waiting for the other to speak first. The past she had with Harrington wasn't unique. It was unfortunately a story as old as time when it came to romances. But this was the first time someone close to me had experienced such a thing. The emotion in her voice, the sad look in her eye and the tremble of her hand. It made me angry and sad all at the same time.

I wanted to take her hand. I almost did, but stopped myself, afraid that she wouldn't want the contact after such a personal story. "I'm sorry that happened to you. You… he… Harrington should never have…"

"Harrington did what his father wanted. Nothing more. Maybe it'll turn out well for him in the long run. I don't know." She turned to me and flashed me a smile before she reached out and wrapped her arm around mine. "What I do know is that I'm happy with the way things are." Again, I felt a heat on my cheeks as she stared at me. However, before I could say anything, Sadie quickly let go of my arm and walked a few steps forward. "I've got to get to the shop. After classes, we should grab Bastion and Dimitri and have another study sesh. Exams are right around the corner."

It was a little disheartening how quickly she'd changed the mood, but I suppose they were currently more important. "I'll send them a message. I'm sure they'll be up for it," I said.

She smiled, nodding her head. She turned to the door but paused. Cocking her head back, she said, "Once exams are over, we should go out again. You and me I mean."

My grin returned in full force. "I'd like that."

With a final smile, she headed in, leaving me to my own devices. I ended up deciding just to go to the classroom. I could get some solo revision done before the morning classes began. The end of term exams couldn't come soon enough.

---

"You want what?" Alexis asked in disbelief.

She, Jasmine and Mindy were on their way to the main academy building, walking around the lake that separated the boy and girl blue dorms. As normal, the three of them made idle conversation but strangely, it didn't seem like Mindy was that invested. Normally, she and Jasmine would lead the conversation whilst Alexis chimed in when she had something to say. Today though, Jasmine seemed to be completely alone in talking about… what was it again? A boy in the class? Anyway, halfway through Jasmine's monologue, Mindy came out with the strangest request. Strange for her anyway.

"Can you give me some pointers on my duelling?" Mindy repeated seriously.

Alexis blinked rapidly, still trying to work out if there was something wrong with her ears. Mindy had never really shown an interest in duelling before. She had some skill, but the game never really seemed to completely appeal to her. It sometimes made her wonder why Mindy had decided to come to the academy in the first place. Now, here she was, asking for pointers. It just didn't seem likely. Even Jasmine was surprised, her voice dying as she looked at her best friend in utter confusion. She opened her mouth a few times to speak, but no sound came out.

"Why… uh… what brought this on, Min?" Alexis finally managed to ask.

"Oh, I just thought it was time to improve my grades, y'know?" the girl replied innocently.

"Your…grades?" both Alexis and Jasmine repeated, sharing a look of disbelief.

"Yeah… we don't believe that for a second," Jasmine cut in. "Sorry Min, but with you, it's almost always got something to do with a boy."

"A boy? What? No! That's not it. I just want to improve my grades… and stuff…" she trailed off, shifting her gaze between Alexis and Jasmine. Even the Obelisk Queen didn't believe her. She had known Mindy for too long. Knowing the game was up, Mindy's shoulders sagged. "Okay, you got me. But I really do want to get better."

"Why though?" Jasmine asked, quirking a brow.

"Well, I noticed he seems to be into strong players." Alexis noticed Mindy's gaze flicker over to her before refocusing on Jasmine. "I figured if I can up my game, I might be able to get him to notice me…"

Alexis stared at Mindy quizzically. She didn't seem to be making anything up. The blonde couldn't exactly say she related with her friend's desire to get better, but at least she was taking more of an interest in the game Alexis loved. Plus, Mindy was one of her best friends. It was only right to do what she could.

The Obelisk Queen had noticed that Mindy had been acting differently recently. Her head was more in the clouds than normal. If a boy was involved, she also had a good idea who it was. Quite frankly, she wanted to support her.

"Alright. I'll help you."

Mindy's face brightened immediately, a radiant smile spreading across her features. "Really? Oh Alexis, thank you! You are, like, totally the best!"

"Wait, I do have a condition," Alexis cut in. "You need to take this seriously. I don't want you to do this half-heartedly. We'd both be wasting our time otherwise."

"Of course! I'll take it super seriously!" Mindy cried, pumping her fists.

"Then I guess we have a deal," Alexis said with a small smile. "So are you thinking about changing up your deck?"

"Huh? Why would I need to change my deck?" Mindy asked, falling into step alongside Alexis, leaving Jasmine to follow them from behind.

"Hmm… let's just say your deck could use some fine-tuning," Alexis said as politely as she could. She could already see that helping train Mindy may be a monumental task.

"Can we start today?" Mindy asked eagerly.

"Actually, I have something to do today," Alexis said.

"Oh? What are you up to?"

The Obelisk Queen paused before answering. "I'm just going to visit someone."

---

I am not in the mood for this. I am not in the mood for this. I am really… really not in the mood for this. I just wanted a quiet morning. Just one. I wanted to study in peace and process everything going on with Sadie. THIS IS NOT WHAT I NEEDED! Kill me. Kill me now.

Why am I bitching? Simple. I'd been studying quietly, minding my own business. I'd gotten in early, the first guy in the class. I hear the door open. I think it's Bastion. It's not. It's my fellow reincarnate. He seems down. I call out to him. We've been doing better recently. I want to be friendly after all. Don't need him going off the deep end again.

Oh… the landmine I stepped on.

The moment I let him talk, he went into a long tirade about all the things he felt hadn't been going well for him. I genuinely tried to listen at first. I really did. But he just wouldn't stop talking!

"I want to get better too," he rambled. "Recently I feel like I've been falling behind. Ever since the duel with Chazz, it's like I've been in this funk. I mean, I know I'm still winning duels, but it doesn't feel right. And it doesn't feel like enough to get noticed to be a key keeper."

"Yeah. That's crazy…" I deadpanned; my eyes half glazed over.

He'd been talking like this for a solid ten minutes. TEN MINUTES! NON-STOP! My answer may have seemed non-committal and disinterested, but you can only listen to a person talk about themself for so long before it all starts going in one ear and out the other. I was barely able to get a word in as he laid out his new plans for ranking up. It was something about taking the next promotion exam to get into Ra. I don't know. I was only able to get a small word in before he switched topics.

He'd gone through a small dozen now. He definitely hadn't noticed I'd zoned out. I was catching every few words. I'm pretty sure he mentioned something about strategizing, but he seemed to be doing a bit better with his deck building from what I've heard so I didn't see why we had to do that. I was more focused on my notes, not gonna lie.

"And then there's the whole Alexis situation," he went on, switching it up once again. "I can't think of a way to get fully back in her good books."

"Have you tried talking to her?" I asked, still only half listening. It felt like we'd had this conversation before.

"She's always with her friends. It never feels like the right time," Logan said, setting his head to rest against his palm.

"It will never feel like the right time. You need to make your own opportunity, otherwise, it will just turn into a regret." It was an automatic answer on my part, something I'd been thinking about myself in terms of my own romantic situation. However, my response seemed to satisfy the Lightsworn user.

"You're right. I need to confront her directly. Set it all out there. I've been focusing too much on her. Maybe if I get this out of my head, I can focus on getting ready for the Shadow Riders," he said with new determination.

It was the sudden sense of dread that snapped me back to attention. Something about the word 'confront' was setting off the alarm bells in my head. "You make it seem like you're about to go to battle," I said nervously.

"Love is a war," he declared with a wide smile.

"Bit early for 'love', isn't it?" I grimaced. "It's a bit clingy."

"Hey, this is an anime world. Feelings catch quick," he reasoned before slapping me on the back. "Thanks for listening to me. I feel like I was able to work through some stuff. I know I've been a pain but I value your input. I know we covered some plot stuff now-"

We did?

"- but I think we should meet up soon and have a proper sit down. Every day we get closer to the shadow games, y'know."

"Uh, right. Hey, just remind me, what did we-"

"It's also good to have someone to talk about this stuff properly. I've been… uh… having a few trust issues recently, and it's nice to be able to plan ahead," he interrupted again.

"Yeah. About the-"

"Hey, we should have another party soon. That'd be a great opportunity to work on building connections with the others again. It'd be cool to go to the blue dorm again."

"Logan, just wait a minute. What-"

"Oh! We should talk about the Dimitri episode too," he went on, finally making me pause.

"What about Dimitri?"

"Well, his whole episode will be coming up pretty soon after the break, right? Now I know you're close to him, but I think that's why I'll-"

"Forget about it."

"Huh?" For the first time in the long ten minutes he had been prattling, he went quiet. I was seething, my hands trembling in quiet anger.

"We don't have to worry about Dimitri," I stressed. "I'm going to be helping him with his deck. If all goes well, he won't steal the deck."

Logan's face fell. "What? But that means there won't be a duel! It's, like, one of the best duels in the series. Aren't you the one who doesn't like to change things?"

"I'm trying to take a page out of your book and change things for the better," I said, my tone cold. "In this situation, we can help him be better. I… I want to help him. Besides, the duel with Dimitri was only fanservice. It does nothing to help Jaden's character."

He looked at me strangely. "It is literally written that he steals Yugi's deck. Everything else has happened as it should have done, even if we try to change it. It's his fate."

"Not here. Not now," I shot back. "In this one instance, I refuse."

Logan's eye twitched. "You refuse? Aren't you being hypocritical? I thought we were going to talk these things through. I thought you wanted to help him. You just said the duel isn't a big event. What's wrong with using the whole event to serve a purpose? ."

"A purpose?" I growled. He was starting to piss me off. He really still didn't get it? "Haven't you learned anything yet? The people of this world are not just characters in a scripted television show! They have their own thoughts, dreams, worries and regrets. I don't want Dimitri to have something like theft hanging over his head!"

To his credit, Logan did look a little bashful. "Maybe I didn't word that right," he admitted. "But my point still stands. We should take this opportunity to prove our strength and help Dimitri with his whole stigma towards using other people's decks."

"Your strength you mean. And don't pretend you're interested in him. Besides, it would be better to try and help him outside of a duel. Raise him up so he never commits a crime to feel guilty about."

His hands balled into fists, slightly trembling in anger. Yet he looked sad. Had I missed something.

"You haven't been paying attention at all, have you?" he finally said. What the hell was that even supposed to mean?

We glared at each other, neither of us giving an inch on our positions. Maybe I was being harsh. I was feeling overly irritable. Still, though, he couldn't keep treating the people of this world like characters in a game.

Before either of us could continue our 'discussion', we heard the door slide open and Bastion walked in. "Oh, you two are here early. Good morning chaps." He paused when he noticed the scowls on our faces. He looked between the two of us before furrowing his brow. "Is everything alright?"

"It's fine," Logan said quickly, turning his back to me and beginning the walk down to his seat in the front rows. I watched him sit down before taking a seat myself. Within moments, Bastion was by my side.

"Did you two have an argument?" he asked quietly.

"Something like that."

"Anything you want to talk about?" he asked.

So much.

"Not just now. Thank you though," I said, flashing him a small smile. He didn't seem convinced but began getting ready for class by taking out his notebooks. I appreciated that he didn't pry. I really wished I could be more honest with him, but I couldn't tell him my worries about the future. I couldn't tell anyone.

Only Logan. And the bridge between us seemed to be burning.

---

Class passed by quickly enough. My little 'chat' was at the front of my mind pretty much the entire time. It occurred to me that we hadn't been working that well together. Sure, we were keeping each other in the loop with the things going on around us, but we weren't exactly 'a team'. In fact, if I had to summarize our partnership, it would be distant acquaintances.

I suppose it was nice that I didn't have to worry so much about him messing with the plot. Other than the Jinzo mess things were still proceeding normally. Even with Chazz's victory, it seemed that it was fate for him to leave the academy. Maybe fate would always reset itself back to something that resembled its original course.

Hmm… maybe… I was being too harsh. It had been better being civil with each other. And without Logan doing anything to throw me into a panic, I'd been able to get on with my peaceful life. My main worry at the minute was Dimitri. As I said to Logan, I wanted him to do well. He deserved to be happy. And after what happened at the start of the year, I suppose Dimitri had become something of a… ahem… sore topic for me.

Unfortunately, I never got the opportunity to talk to Logan. As soon as classes ended, he was out the door. I tried shooting him a text to talk things over again with cooler heads, but he never replied. He didn't even come back from the break. That was an immediate red flag for me. Professor Sartyr, the professor of the following class, mentioned that he was feeling sick, but I believed that as much as I believed pigs could fly. He was probably just sulking. I noticed Mindy looking a tad disappointed as the afternoon rolled around.

At the end of the day, Bastion and I head over to another first-year classroom. During lunch, I sent Dimitri a text asking if he wanted to work on his deck. He eagerly agreed. That was how the three of us found ourselves at the card shop that day. There were a few other people there and Ms Dorothy was already waiting for them at the counter with a welcoming smile and delightful laugh. The heavy-set woman made it a point to make every student feel like her shop was a third home for them, after the dorms that is.

Sadie was set to work today, but I couldn't see her. I assumed she was in the back room getting ready for her shift. As such, the three of us began checking out the packs. Bastion's knowledge of cards was unparalleled and he knew just which packs would include the cards that Dimitri was looking for. The copycat duelist himself had also been gathering information on Crowler's duel style and had even asked the good doctor about how he established his deck balance. I was a little surprised to hear Crowler had so graciously helped Dimitri, but Crowler did seem to be acting more like a teacher these days. He was probably just happy to hear someone wanted to use his precious Ancient Gear archetype. Who was I to assume?

As for my part, I offered advice on what cards he should use to make up for the lack of knowledge on Crowler's exact deck recipe. With the packs that Bastion and Dimitri picked out, he managed to find a fair few of the Ancient Gear monsters. He still lacked certain powerhouses such as Golem, but he had the start of a deck. I tried offering substitutions, but Dimitri was hesitant, insistent that the deck be 'authentic'.

During this time, Sadie came out of the staff room and Ms Dorothy went in to take a break. When she noticed us, she briefly came over to greet us. When she saw our joint task, she rolled her eyes but still offered Dimitri some advice on some cards she had seen Crowler use and how they would help the Ra with his strategies. He seemed much more eager to accept her advice than mine.

As the three of us worked, we suddenly heard a gasp come from behind the booth we were sat at. Turning, we were welcomed with the unpleasant visage of Harrington walking into the store. For once he was wearing his uniform. Much like Zane's, his coat was white, showing his position as a senior. With him, he carried a beautiful bundle of tulips.

Without casting a look at any of the people gawking at him, he approached the counter with a charming smile that personally made me feel sick. And I wasn't the only one. The moment she saw him, Sadie's face scrunched. Nonetheless, she took a deep breath and looked the tennis prodigy in the eye.

"Hello and welcome to the card shop. How can we help you today?" Sadie said monotonously.

"Sadie, it's good to see you," Harrington started. "I was hoping we could continue our conversation from earlier."

"I am happy to assist you today. Is there anything, in particular, you came in for?"

Harrington wasn't deterred by her clinical response. "I brought you these," he said, showing her the bouquet. "I know they're not much, but I hope you like them."

"It's against store policy to accept gifts," she said, pushing them away. "If you are looking for cards, I can recommend something for you." Her words were cordial, but her tone was utterly dead.

"Maybe I can give them to you after your shift."

"I'm always on duty. The card pack of the day is Flaming Eternity. It was released recently and has proven quite popular with those looking for a change. Even when they have a good thing going."

"Sadie, I know I hurt you. It was wrong of me. I've regretted it ever since." The words seemed genuine, and they actually made Sadie's expression soften. "You were the most important thing to me, but I allowed something my dad said to get into my head. He has this horrible way of making me feel small. I just wanted him to be proud, but I never should have betrayed you. I am so sorry. While I know you can probably never forgive me, I hope we can at least be civil with each other."

Sadie paused, Harrington's words opening a crack in the mask she had built. She looked down before turning her head to avoid his gaze. As she turned, our eyes met. Her gaze lingered, enough that Harrington was able to follow it and see me and the others. His expression soured before shaking his head and looking back to Sadie.

"What do you say?" he pushed, once again offering the flowers.

Sadie turned back to him and let out another calming breath. "I'm sorry, sir. If you do not have business with us today, I must ask you to leave. Others are waiting for service."

A brief look of disappointment crossed Harrington's face before he shook his head. "I guess this just wasn't the ideal setting," he said. Despite Sadie not accepting the flowers, he still laid them down on the countertop. "I'll win you back yet though."

"That's nice." Did I imagine it, or did she sound like Mrs Brown? That show didn't come out till 2011. "Have a good day."

With those words, the tennis prodigy turned on his heel and walked away. As Harrington left, the other students in the shop began to murmur, each of them being nosy and trying to work out what the connection was between Harrington and Sadie. The shop clerk herself waited until Harrington was gone before picking up the flowers that had been left behind. She stared at them sadly before taking them into the backroom.

It surprised me that Harrington would do something so personal publicly but then, maybe he was relying on that to push Sadie. Before I could think more on the matter, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Bastion was giving me a look that spoke of his worry before silently gesturing with his head towards the door of the staff room. It was clear what he was indicating.

"You sure that's wise?"

"Logically, no. But I do not believe this is a matter where analytics should quantify the decision."

Dimitri looked between the two of us before nodding his head. "She may want someone to talk to."

"It's alright, Ren. Go," Bastion pressed, once again gesturing to the door.

With their encouragement, I got up and made my way over. Ms Dorothy noticed me but did not attempt to stop me. She must have noticed a change in Sadie's demeanour and realised I was just checking on her.

I knocked twice. "Sadie, it's Ren. Are you alright?"

There was silence for a moment before I heard her call out. "Come in, Ren."

I entered the small room. It was a surprisingly long room with a large table in the centre. To the right of the room were a couple of lockers, a sink and cupboard, and a vending machine. Sadie was standing over by the sink placing Harrington's flowers into a jug of water.

"It seemed a shame to let these die," she said sadly. "Ms Dorothy will like these in here. She was just saying the other day how she wanted to do something to make the place look nice."

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Not particularly. He's been doing this all day." She brought the flowers over to the table and placed them in the middle. "Every moment he gets, he comes to try and tell me how sorry he is and that he wants to get back together."

"Why the sudden change? I thought he had a thing for Alexis."

"Apparently after Logan beat him, he said that he never should have given me up. It persuaded him to try and 'win' me back."

"Ugh… Of course he did." How is it that even when Logan isn't trying to mess with the plot, he still causes more issues? I mean, come on… Give me a break!

"I've found ways to avoid him so far, but I won't be able to do that forever. If he keeps it up, I'll have to report him to the teachers," she said. "I don't care what he claims, I don't want him back in my life." She sat down and looked at the flowers, reaching out to brush her hand against the petals. "Y' know, now that I think about it, in those last weeks of our relationship, he bought me a lot of tulips."

I stayed quiet, letting her know I was listening. She didn't seem overly upset with the encounter, but neither was she happy. I walked around to the other side of the table and sat opposite her. Again, she had gone quiet. "Do you want to know what I think?" I asked, taking another look around.

"What?"

"This place could use some posters," I said. Sadie looked a little taken aback by the sudden comment, but I continued. "If Ms Dorothy what's to add a spot of colour, posters would be the perfect thing. She got any bands she likes. Hell, maybe even some motivational quotes. Oh! The hanging cat is a classic. Right there on the door so you can return to work with a smile."

She stared at me in utter disbelief before breaking down laughing. "Maybe. Personally, I was always a fan of the dogs playing poker."

"Oh, a bit of a gambler, are you?" I teased.

"There are some good gambles," she laughed. She reached out and placed her hand atop my own. We spent a moment like that before there was a knock on the door.

"Sadie? Is everything okay?" we heard Ms Dorothy call.

"It's fine. I'll be out in a moment," she replied. We watched Ms Dorothy's silhouette move away from the door before Sadie turned back to me. "Best get back to it. My shift ends in a couple of hours. Do you want to walk back together?"

"I'd like that. I was planning on going to the library anyway. More last-minute revision to do and all that."

"I'll see you in a bit then," she said with a smile, giving my hand a small squeeze. With that, she let go and with a final look head back outside. I followed quickly after, returning to Bastion and Dimitri who were both still sitting at the booth table.

"How'd it go?" Bastion asked as soon as he saw me.

"She'll be fine," I told him with a smile. "When it comes to her, there's no need to worry."

---

Alexis stood outside the infirmary door collecting her thoughts. At her side, Zane let out a deep sigh. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Not really, but now is better than never."

"Okay. Just remember, be patient with her. She's been through a lot."

Zane waited until she nodded before opening the door, and leading Alexis into the room. The space was as she remembered it; small and filled with four beds. A picture of a horse hung over each. At the far right of the room was the person she'd come to see. Eve Pechman sat up in her bed when they entered, the first Harry Potter novel in her hands. When she saw the two of them, she gave a small smile. Alexis couldn't help but notice the differences in her demeanour from their initial meeting. Her long brown hair was messy and slightly covered the right side of her face, giving her a clumsier look that violently clashed with her darker persona. While her skin was pale, it showed some sign of being out in the sun. She knew that Zane and the teachers had regularly been spending time with her; taking her on walks around the island to give her some exercise.

Having spent some time in the infirmary, she was now wearing normal clothes. A simple white top and brown dress that she was sure Nurse Fontaine had provided. It looked good on her. She could certainly see how she could have gained her brother's attention.

"Zane, it's good to see you." Her voice was soft and somewhat quiet. Alexis noticed Eve's eyes dart to her nervously as she shrank away.

"It's good to see you too," Zane said, his voice surprisingly less… monotonous… than normal. "Eve, this is the person I wanted you to meet. This is Alexis Rhodes. She is Atticus's sister."

Eve turned to look at the Obelisk Queen, her eyes scanning over her. Her posture immediately grew a little tighter, her shoulders tucking into as she avoided eye contact. "It's… it's nice to meet you."

"You too," Alexis replied, suddenly feeling extremely self-conscious herself. This was her brother's amnesiac girlfriend. Zane had said it would be good for the two of them to meet, but just seeing her face had emptied Alexis's head of all the questions she wanted to ask.

Zane, on his part, looked between the girls and sighed. Gently, he led Alexis over to Eve's bed and offered her a nearby chair. "Why don't the two of you talk for a little bit. I'll go and get us some drinks." After a final look between them, he turned and left the room, leaving both Alexis and Eve in awkward silence.

It was clear that neither of them wanted to make the first move. They were strangers. Unlike Zane, they shared no prior collection. Alexis found it kind of ironic that for his talk of taking things gently, he had thrown both of them into the deep end. Then again, Zane had never exactly been subtle when dealing with these kinds of things.

Eve was clearly quite shy. While she had put down her book to be polite, she was now just sitting awkwardly with her hands on her lap. Alexis knew that if this conversation was going to go anywhere, she'd have to be the one to open the dialogue.

"I'm sorry that this was suddenly sprung on you," she said kindly. "I know that all of this must be strange for you."

"No, no. I…uh… I wanted to meet you," Eve said quickly. "Zane speaks highly of you. I also wanted to say thank you for helping to find me."

"You don't need to thank me for that. I didn't do much." Not exactly true but she couldn't help herself but say it.

"But you were there. And I honestly can't thank you enough."

She was so honest, that it kind of threw Alexis for a loop. Especially after this girl had tried to kill her, even if it wasn't exactly her at the time. "You're… you're very welcome. How have you been holding up by the way? It can't be easy in here."

"It's… not the most ideal," she admitted. "The teachers have been helping me catch up on what has happened the last couple of years, and I've been told I'll be going home during the winter break."

"That good, right?"

"Maybe. I want to see them. To get a sense of who I am. But as terrible as it is to say, I'm also kind of dreading it. I don't know them anymore. What if I don't get along with them anymore?"

It may have sounded like a silly worry, and Alexis couldn't begin to understand why she might feel that way, but it was a legitimate worry for Eve. When you couldn't remember your past, it must be terrifying to think that your family may not accept you.

"You shouldn't worry about that," she finally said.

"Hmm?"

"Believe me when I say that just having you back will make them far happier than you can imagine. Just knowing you're alive, will bring them great relief."

Eve looked at her strangely before her eyes went wide. "Sorry… I didn't even think…"

Alexis shook her head. "It's fine. Seeing you… it gives me hope that Atticus is still out there too. So, I should thank you in that regard."

Eve went quiet, seemingly too stunned to talk. Finally, she shook her head and smiled. "Y' know, I'm not sure if I'm coming back to the academy after the break. The chancellor says I'm welcome to come back to finish my first year, but my parents are against it. They want me home. But… something about this place, it speaks to me."

"The infirmary?" Alexis asked, trying to lighten the mood. Fortunately, Eve did laugh.

"You're a little snarky, aren't you?"

"Unfortunately, I've been hanging out with someone recently and I think his sense of humour is rubbing off on me."

"Heh, that may not be the worse thing," Eve chuckled. "You must like his jokes if you're using them."

"Hmm… No. Honestly, he irritates the hell out of me. But he is a good person." They both shared a laugh.

"I think… I think I want to trust this feeling," Eve said once their laughter had died down. "I want to stay. I'll just have to talk my parents into it."

"Well then, I hope to see you at the girls' dorm in the new year then," Alexis said with a smile.

"I… I don't suppose you could tell me a little bit about Atticus? Zane's told me a few things, but you're his sister and… well…"

Alexis chuckled at her nervousness. Even she had to admit it was cute, in a way. "I'll tell you anything you want to know. If nothing else, it's important to keep his memory alive."

The two of them ended up speaking for a long time. As they did, they were blissfully unaware that Zane was standing outside the door, a thin smile on his face.

---

After our little excursion in the card shop, Dimitri, Bastion and I head off to the library. As I told Sadie earlier, the three of us wanted to get in some last-minute revision before the exams in the coming weeks. I wasn't too worried. Prior life experiences were a blessing. I still needed to brush up on certain historical differences between this world and my old one but that was coming in time.

I noticed that Dimitri seemed a little nervous about his studying. Most of the books he had brought back to our table were on duelling theory and strategies. However, he didn't have his own cards out while he was reading them. It did make me wonder what deck he would be using for the duel practical. I doubted his current Ancient Gear build would be ready in time, so he'd have to use another. On my part, I was planning on using my Horus Lockdown deck. It would be a good test to iron out some of the deficiencies I'd found when facing Zane.

After a couple of hours, it was time for me to go and see Sadie. Bastion and Dimitri decided to stay a little longer but asked me to say 'hi' for them. I practically raced down the halls. Sadie had mentioned that Harrington had been coming to see her at different points during the day. It would make sense for him to try to see her after her shift.

Fortunately, I arrived just as Sadie was exiting the shop and Harrington was nowhere in sight. She was back in her Obelisk uniform, her work uniform stored safely in her backpack. When she saw me, her face lit up.

"Right on time. You get everything you needed to done?" she asked as I joined her.

"Pretty much. Feeling as ready as I'll ever be. Who was work?"

"It was boring after you left. Ms Dorothy did like the flowers, but she said no to the cat posters."

"Such a shame. They really would have livened things up."

"She must be more of a dog person," Sadie laughed.

"Nah, I don't think so," I laughed. I could remember all those scenes where she looked after Pharaoh. She was definitely on team cat. Such a shame. Man, I really miss my dog…

"You willing to bet on it?" Sadie asked as we began to walk.

"I thought you only took 'good gambles'," I said, giving her a small nudge.

"True. But I'm feeling confident."

We continued to push and joke with each other as we walked through the academy's halls. Both of us were in a fairly good mood and it was nice to be able to talk like this. It all just reminded me why I felt such a kinship with Sadie. Not only was she level-headed, but she was funny too. Plus, she wasn't obsessed with a card game, which meant I felt a lot more at ease with her than some of the others. Sure, I enjoyed discussing Duel Monsters as much as the next guy, but sometimes I just wanted another conversation topic. Then again, maybe Jaden was getting to me. The dude literally had the game on the mind all the time. Try having a conversation with him about the maths homework and he would undoubtedly find some way to change the topic into attack values.

Unfortunately, our good mood was ruined as we walked out of the corridor to find you know who waiting for us. Harrington was stood again the closest effigy. He was still clad in his Obelisk uniform, but I noticed that he now had a duel disk equipped to his arm. "Ah, so you two are together again, I see."

"Is that an issue?" Sadie asked, her tone betraying no annoyance. "I don't believe you're the one in charge of my social circle."

"I'm just trying to look out for you Sade," he said, his words laced with false care. "He isn't a good match for you. I've seen the type. He hides things. Give it some time and you'll be kicking yourself that you didn't listen to me."

I could say nothing in response. He was right. I was keeping things from her. And I knew I would keep doing it. But unlike him, I did it to protect her from the darker forces this world hid. However, Sadie looked from Harrington to me and shook her head.

"I don't need you to look out for me. I never have. And in terms of who I can trust, I'd trust Ren any day over you. Everyone has their secrets. His have never hurt me."

"Not yet," Harrington shot back with a smirk.

I couldn't stand and listen to this anymore. My anger was steadily growing, my eyes feeling irritable as I glared at Harrington. "If you have an issue with me, you can say it to my face."

"To your face, huh? Well then, lover boy, I'll say my piece. I know Sadie won't want me back, but I won't make any progress while you hover around her. So, I put to it that we have a duel."

"A duel?" I repeated. "I told you, Sadie is not a trophy. I won't play a duel for that."

"Oh, you misunderstand. The terms of this duel are that if I win, you leave Sadie alone. If you win, I'll leave you guys be. Sound more appealing?"

"No," I said soundly, throwing the tennis pro for a loop. "Why would I risk that? It makes no sense. Plus, you lost to Logan yesterday. I can tell you now you don't stand a chance against me."

Anger flicked through Harrington's features as he began to shake. Maybe I was sounding cocky, but quite frankly, I just wanted this to be over and for him to piss off. However, Harrington's pride spoke volumes as he raised his disk. "So, you're saying you have no pride? Don't you want to fight for a girl?"

"No."

Harrington's face was turning red as he balled his fists. It looked like he was going to say something else when Sadie stepped forward. "I'll take your challenge," she said uncharacteristically.

"Wha?" Why was she taking him up on his challenge? Sadie, no! You're supposed to be the level-headed one here. Don't duel him. It'll only encourage him.

"You'll duel me?" Harrington asked, his confident attitude suddenly faltering. "Um… You know what, alright. I've come a long way since when we trained together. I'm confident I can beat you. Hell, I'll even let you have the first move."

"Whatever." Sadie turned to me and held out her hand. "Can I use your duel disk?"

Still a little shocked, I complied with her request, taking out my duel disk from my backpack. Yeah, I had it with me. Sue me. "Why are you doing this?" I asked.

"I want him out of my hair," Sadie admitted, taking my disk and strapping it to her arm. "If we walk away, he'll just keep coming back. He has too much pride in himself. If we beat him, he'll keep his word."

"How can you be sure?"

"It's just a feeling."

With that, she turned back to Harrington and inserted her deck. "Are you ready? Let's make this quick."

"Brave words," Harrington said, activating his duel disk. "But you're right, this will be quick."

"Duel!"

I put some distance between myself and Sadie, watching from the sidelines as the two of them drew their opening hands. As Harrington said, Sadie took the first move. And as she drew her first card, I noticed her entire demeanour change. Her eyes narrowed and her attention focused on the cards in front of her. It was just like when she had duelled Chazz.

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

Before she made her move, Sadie looked across the field at Harrington and let out a sigh. "Harrington, I want you to know that when I was with you, I actually was happy."

The pure honesty in her voice made Harrington's smug demeanour falter. He seemed unable to meet her gaze as he looked towards the floor. "Well… I'm glad to hear that…"

"But you weren't good for me. And I wasn't good for you. During those first few weeks, I kept telling myself that maybe I had done something wrong. That it was my fault. But as more time passed, I realised it was never going to work out anyway. You are far too eager to please your parents… and sad as it is to say, they never would have accepted me."

"That's… That's not true…" He didn't sound convincing.

"You have your life, and I have mine. And I think we should keep it that way. That's why I'm doing this. I activate the continuous spell, Dark Room of Nightmare." She didn't bother to explain what it did. I assumed that Harrington already knew. That spell was particularly devastating in burn deck in this era. Whenever your opponent took effect damage, it'd burn them for a further three hundred points of damage. "Now, I activate the spell Ookazi," Sadie continued, not missing a beat.

Harrington's eyes went wide as the ground beneath him erupted, flames washing over him and burning him for eight hundred points (Harrington: 3200LP). Harrington didn't even have time to recover as Sadie's continuous spell began to glow and his own duel disk shocked him, coarse blue bolts of electricity striking at his arm. (Harrington: 2900LP)

The tennis prodigy let out a grunt as the bolts ceased. However, Sadie appeared to be far from done. She was already reaching for her next card. "I'll now activate my second Ookazi," she declared, making Harrington turn pale. The same series of events replayed itself. The ground underneath Harrington's feet exploded in a fiery explosion before more electricity shot through his body. (Harrington: 2100LP) (Harrington: 1800LP)

Still, Sadie wasn't done. "I now activate the spell, Hinotama to deal you five hundred more points of damage."

"No way," Harrington gasped as he looked up. All at once, small meteorites rained down on him, pelting his field and kicking up a field of dust. When it cleared, Harrington was on his back, dirt now smearing his uniform. Unfortunately, for him, Dark Room of Nightmare now activated once again, draining more of his points. (Harrington: 1300LP) (Harrington: 1000LP)

"This can't be happening. I really hate duelling," I heard Harrington groan. He made no effort to push himself up. It was like he had already accepted his fate. None of his former bravadoes remained.

"I'm sorry Harrington. I really hope you end up happy, I mean that. But right now, I'm seizing mine. I play my final card, Poison of the Old Man. It has two effects, but I'll use the one that deals you eight hundred points of damage." From Sadie's new card poured out a green mist that spread over to Harrington's field, enveloping his form in smog. (Harrington: 200LP)

It was over. I couldn't believe it. One turn. That was all it took. As the effects of Dark Room of Nightmare activated, more lightning coursed from his duel disk into his body, draining the last of Harrington's life points. (Harrington: 0LP. Sadie wins)

Harrington didn't get up. He remained on the ground, looking up at the sky with a look of… acceptance on his face. I waited at the sidelines, more in shock than anything as Sadie approached the fallen teen and stood over him. She watched him for a moment before offering out her hand.

Harrington looked at it, probably expecting it to be withdrawn or the gesture to be a trick. However, slowly, he did reach out and take the hand. Sadie pulled him up and then let go. The two stared at each other for a moment before Sadie turned away, walking back to me. No words were shared. No talk of the promise they had made or reminiscing of the time they had shared together. Sadie just walked away, leaving Harrington with cast down expression and teary eyes. She didn't even watch him as he turned and left.

Had to say, in that moment, I actually felt a little bad for Harrington. Yes, I still hated his guts, but at the end of the day, I suppose he was just a guy trying to find his own… yeah no. I can't defend him. I really, really can't. He probably did have some good qualities I hadn't seen. I guess I could empathise with what Sadie had told me about his family. But after the stunts he had pulled over the last couple of days, I never wanted to see him again. I'm just not wired like Jaden or the other Yu-Gi-Oh protagonists. I can't just make friends with my enemies.

Once Harrington had left my sight, I turned back to Sadie. "He's gone."

She nodded but maintained her silence.

"That was… impressive. That burn deck of yours is… wow." It amazed me that there was someone this strong who wasn't made a key keeper in the series. It made me wonder why Sheppard hadn't chosen her to be a key keeper in the first place. I mean, the real reason was 'plot' but seriously. Maybe Kagemaru had Palpatined the selection process and chosen people with the highest amount of duel energy to fuel the keys? It would make sense. He needed a high amount of duel energy to break the seal on the Sacred Beasts.

"Thanks…" she said quietly.

"I know I keep asking this, but are you okay?"

"I will be. This just feels like a real end," she said. "There wasn't much closure the last time I said goodbye to Harrington. "Thank you for letting me use your duel disk." She handed me back my disk which I took and placed back in my backpack.

"Anytime."

She went quiet and I took that as my sign to shut up too. Finally, she spoke up. "We should head back. It'll be dinner soon."

"Okay. Do you still want to walk back together?"

She nodded her head and so we began the route back. We were quiet most of the way until Sadie finally spoke up. "Have you ever had a girlfriend before Ren?" she asked, putting me on the spot.

"Um… no. Came close a few times, but it never worked out." That was the truth. I had terrible luck with girls in my past life. Never really cared enough in this one. Until now that is.

"I see." She went quiet again for a moment. "Any crushes though?"

"Is there a reason you're poking into my love life?" I asked a little defensively.

A smirk graced her features, a sign she was trying to take her mind off what just happened. "Well, I was just thinking, you know about my love life. I wanted to know more about yours. Let me guess. You have a crush on Alexis?"

"Hah, she hated me until pretty recently."

"That's not a no."

"It's also not a yes."

"Uh huh…" she teased.

"I do actually have a question for you?" I said.

"Oh? Go on."

"Did you even shuffle your deck in that duel?" It was bugging me. Her hand was too good to be true. I didn't see her do it before the duel. On another note, I wanted to change the subject too. You shouldn't talk about other girls with the one you like after all. That was just a minefield.

Sadie, however, didn't seem too impressed by the question. "That's seriously what you wanted to ask me?" Disappointment practically oozed out of her voice.

"You can understand my scepticism," I said with a shrug.

"No. I really can't," she groaned. She refrained from answering my question.

"So, what are you going to do now that you're free of your ex?"

"You ask that like my plans are going to suddenly change from a stupid duel," she laughed. "What I plan to do is the same as before. I'm going to work hard, pass my exams and go on to be a teacher. If you mean generally, I like to take that on a day-by-day basis. But I will tell you this. After all this, I'm tired of playing games and dancing around issues. I think that if something needs saying, you should say it."

The way she was looking at me, it was pushing the issue between us. We were coming up to the lakefront now leading towards the boy's dorm. The sun was setting, and the sky was filled with a beautiful cascade of orange and pink which reflected on the water's surface, typical of this tropical island, even in winter. The scenery would have been perfect if it weren't so damn cliché.

"Are you sure now is the right time?" I asked cautiously. "After what just happened-"

"Ren. Stop talking."

"Mrgh?!"

Smoothly, she leaned forward and grabbed my coat collar, pulling me towards her as she planted her lips against mine. It took a moment for me to realise what was happening and a moment longer for my brain to catch up with my body.

Before I knew it, I was kissing her back, the two of us sharing the moment in the beauty of the sunset. When we finally parted, we were both left breathless and red-faced.

"As I said," she said a little embarrassedly, "no more dancing around the issue." She stopped and took my hand. The intimacy of this moment was electrifying and yet so frightening. My face heated up and butterflies began to fly in his stomach. How could she be so confident right now? After what just happened!? Is it just my general lack of experience with girls? And isn't it too soon after... after what happened with Harrington?

"Ren, I like you, I really do," Sadie continued as if answering the flurry of questions in my mind. "If you're up for it, I'd like to see where things go from here. I know we've only had one real date, but quite frankly, it was one of the better dates I've had."

"Only one of the better ones?"

"Eh, a helicopter wasn't involved."

"There's a helicopter available at the academy?"

"It wasn't here."

Just who the hell has she been dating? Really starting to feel inadequate here. She's got to be teasing me, right?

"Getting back to the point," Sadie continued, leaving me no room to question her surprising revelation. She was blushing now, her face turning a deep crimson. The stall in her speech must have finally gotten to her. "Are you up for this? I know it's a bit sudden, but I wanted to get it out there."

"No, no, I'm really glad you did," I said honestly, gently squeezing her hand. "I… I like you too. I would love to see where this goes and… uh…" Dear lord my mind is going blank. What would an anime protagonist say? AH! I've never done this before! "Look, this isn't going to sound the greatest, but I've enjoyed the time we've spent together already. You've pretty much been there for me since the beginning of the year and seeing you at the shop is definitely the best part of my day. You're smart, compassionate, gorgeous, a good kisser aaaaand I'm rambling now."

"I don't mind," Sadie grinned. "Please, do keep saying how great I am."

"Ha! In all honestly, with all the craziness that's been going on, you are probably the best part of my academy life. I want to take this further too. But, a second date would be the best way to start."

Sadie's grin grew. She nodded. "Let's do it now then. You go to the Obelisk caf and grab some of that fantastic food, I'll go and get a blanket. We're having a picnic. Sound good?"

"Sounds perfect."

---

The next couple of weeks passed by as a bit of a blur. Between studying, brushing up on duel strategies, hanging out with Bastion and Dimitri and spending evenings with Sadie, the days just passed by too quickly. Sadie and I kept our budding relationship between us for the time being, although I half suspected Bastion had worked it out. He never said anything, but I noticed his sidelong glances toward Sadie and me when we were together as a group. He was also normally the first one to leave coincidentally enough.

Nothing ended up being resolved with Logan either. In fact, I'm pretty sure he had started avoiding me. He wouldn't reply to my messages, and I could barely get a word out of him if I did manage to corner him after class. Thankfully, Alexis also hadn't yet followed through on her decision to go back to the Abandoned Dorm. Not that I knew of at least. She did seem happier though.

Actually… both she and Mindy seemed to be in a better mood recently whilst I hadn't seen anything but Jasmine's scowl. Something was going on there, but it wasn't my place to pry into their private lives. At least not unless I get drawn into it. Again…

When the exams finally did come along, we no longer had time to hang out again. I found the exams easy enough. I put a little more effort into it this time around. History was probably the hardest subject since I had to make sure I didn't mix two different versions of events. But as all things do, it came to the last day of the tests. The only thing on the agenda, the duel practical exams.

As planned, I made use of my Horus Lockdown deck and made fairly short work of the test. Once I was done, I waited out in the foyer for the others to finish. Bastion came in first, a confident grin on his face.

"Did you do well then?" I asked as he joined me against the wall.

"I did," he said proudly. "I made use of my Magnet Warriors this time. I thought they would do best here. And yourself?"

"It went off without a hitch," I told him. "Now we just have to wait for Dimitri."

"He'll do fine," Bastion said with absolute certainty. "He's worked extremely hard for this. And with our pointers, he'll have no issues."

"I certainly hope so." I truly meant it. I wanted this win for him. It killed me a little that we weren't able to watch the duels. I'm sure Dimitri would have loved the support.

It was a few minutes later that we saw Dimitri exit the exam hall. We both went to greet him when we stopped. We could tell something wrong immediately. Dimitri's posture was sunken, his shoulders slack and all vitality gone from him. As he close, I could see that his eyes were wet with unshed tears. His duel disk hung loosely from his hand. I almost thought that the duel ghouls had come early.

We hurried towards him, his disposition already revealing the outcome of his duel. And as he said the two words I dreaded, I knew that history was, unfortunately, very much on course.

"I lost. I... failed."

---

And there you have it. I hope you guys enjoyed it. It was pretty hard writing this chapter as the overwhelming majority of it had to contribute to the story and set seeds for later on. I tried to add to Harrington's story a bit and also experimented with a long chain of dialogue to tell a story. I hope it came off well.

Now, the duel was pretty (extremely) short this time but the next one will be a lot longer because we have finally reached the point of the story I have been looking forward to the most. In fact, I've been planning it since the first chapter. So I'm really looking forward to finally writing it. By the way, do you think Sadie shuffled her deck?

Anyway, hopefully, the next chapter will be out faster than this one. It, unfortunately, depends on how this job interview has gone. Wish me luck!

Also, just a reminder that Staying in the Background now has a discord server. There is a permanent link for it on my Wattpad page. I go by the same name as I do on here. It would be great to see you all :) Everyone on the server is really nice and friendly. I've also been replying to the guest reviews through that medium. If you are a guest reviewer and would prefer to me to reply via the story as I normally do, just say. I want to make everyone included :)

As always, please don't forget to fav, follow and leave a review so I know how I can improve and what's going well. Also don't forget to leave your thoughts on what image I should get commissioned.