I'm back everyone! Man, it has been way too long. How are you all doing? So, as some of you may have guessed from my silence, I got the job I was after so I've been ridiculously busy recently. You'll be glad to know, or maybe unhappy, that I am doing well. However, I have never given up on writing and I tried to do a little bit each night. I'll try to keep up the pace but I, unfortunately, can't make promises this time.
Now, I've pretty much had this chapter planned since the beginning. It is something I have thought about many times, and somehow, that made it all the harder to write because I wanted it perfect. Hopefully, you guys will like it too.
Usual messages at the end :)
Staying in the Background
Clash of Ideals – Be Yourself
What is better? The lie of a smile, or the truth of a tear? Ask anyone, and you are likely to receive the answer, 'the truth, of course.' The world is a much better place when people tell the truth after all. However, when put in the situation where they must confront the smile, so many accept it lest they be drawn into trouble. As such, those actors bottle their feelings, letting them fester until they finally explode and do something stupid or, more commonly, self-destructive. The entire process is unhealthy, addictive and, unfortunately, a vicious cycle. So, when Bastion and I got Dimitri back to his room and he suddenly started smiling… well… there were a few red lights.
"Um… you doing alright, buddy?" I asked as he took a seat down on his bed. Dimitri's room was a bit odd. Most of the room was completely clean and spotless. Then there was his desk. It was so full of notes and papers that you could barely see the wood beneath. As I eyed the desk, I also saw notes on how the people he copied acted and quotes they had used in their duels. No one could say he wasn't committed.
"I'm fine," Dimitri said. He unclipped his deck box from his belt and held it up in front of him with both hands. "I mean, I'm disappointed, sure. But what's one more loss? I've learned something new. Something to apply later. Turns out Cyber Angels don't fit me. Just like every other style I've tried. On to Ancient Gears."
'He was copying Alexis's deck? Huh, that would mean he copied her quirks too.' The briefest image of Dimitri talking like the Obelisk Queen briefly flashed through my mind. Matching her mannerisms, or what he thought were her mannerisms and duelling like that. I was both intrigued and scared at the same time. When did he even have the time to find her cards?
Bastion used Dimitri's momentary silence to sit down next to the copycat duelist. He placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's okay to be upset you know," he said as comfortingly as he could. "A loss like this is disheartening."
"Heh, it's nothing I'm not used to…" Dimitri said quietly. For a moment the smile dropped, his real feelings seeping through. But just as quickly, he rebuilt his wall and stood up, putting distance between himself and us as he walked over to the wardrobe in the corner of the room. From it, he removed a large case and opened it.
Bastion and I couldn't help but gasp. The case was absolutely filled with cards, Seto Kaiba style. It was positively lined with stacks of cards, each one neatly labelled and split off from the others so that the cards wouldn't mix. I immediately spotted a deck with my name atop it and realised it was the deck he had used in the promotion exam at the beginning of the year. However, there were other names too, some I recognised and others I didn't. Among them were Mako Tsunami, Joey Wheeler, and Espa Roba. Hell, I even spotted Zigfried Von Schroeder. Now that was a name I hadn't heard in a while.
"There are so many," I said, stepping forward to take a closer look. "You made all of these?"
"Yeah. Each one an attempt to try… to try and find my own style I guess." He gently placed his Cyber Angel deck within an empty slot in the case, sealing it in with a strap.
"Hmm? What do you mean?" Bastion asked.
Dimitri didn't answer his question. He merely kept staring at his cards before finally, he closed the case. "Nah, it's nothing." He turned back and flashed us both a smile. "Just me rambling. Hey, let's get out of here and go and find the others. We should have an end-of-term party. How about we go to the Obelisk Dorm? I missed it the last time you guys had a party." He didn't leave us time to argue. Pushing his case to the side, he led us both out of his room and led the way out of the dorm. All the way, he spoke rapidly and quickly, discussing our plans for the break and what we should do for a party.
Each time Bastion and I tried to switch the conversation back to him and how he was feeling, he quickly changed the topic. We couldn't get in a word edgewise. Dimitri was trying to avoid what happened. Trying to ignore his own feelings. I knew because I'd done it too. I still did it. He was a ticking time bomb. And, unfortunately, I knew when he would detonate.
The next few weeks once again flew by. We spent the last week together as a group. While it was mainly Sadie, Bastion, Dimitri, and me, we were sometimes joined by Alexis and the Slifer trio. Logan made the odd appearance, but he kept his distance from me. On the bright side, he at least made small talk when he had to but made no attempt to reconcile over our disagreement about Dimitri, neither did he discuss any other canon event with me. Then again, I didn't either.
In terms of Dimitri, despite trying to get him to open up, Bastion and I failed to get him to open up about his feelings. The most we got out of him was that he had extra homework to do over the holidays on duel theory and how to put a strategy into practice. The poor guy continued to put on a happy smile, but we could see the truth. And we tried to help, we both really did, but he kept his walls up high. We could do nothing but resolve to keep an eye on him and help if things got dire.
In other news, Sadie and I decided to wait until after the break to tell the others the news that we had become a couple. With everything going on, it didn't seem like the right moment. Of course, we didn't exactly hide it very well. We pretty much spent all our time together outside of eating and sleeping. I was almost certain Bastion had caught on. The way he kept side glancing us when we were together as a group spoke volumes. He was being an excellent wingman in some ways. He kept excusing himself when we were all together, often giving a flimsy excuse to where he was going. Normally to get a jumpstart of assignments. Maybe I should have spent a bit more time with him. He seemed a bit put out as well recently. Maybe he didn't get the grades he was after? Didn't seem likely.
Either way, the break came around quickly after that. Like many of the other students, I went home for the holidays. I knew Jaden, Syrus and Chumley would be staying on the island, but Logan was also leaving so I felt it was safe to go. And with Jinzo already taken care of, those three should have an enjoyable time.
For two weeks I spent time with my family, telling them all about my time at the academy. Leaving out some key facts of course. They weren't exactly happy to know I'd almost been expelled but were more than impressed that I defeated two pros and made it into the ranks of Obelisk Blue. They also quickly found out about Sadie. Not because I told them. No, no. My mother got nosey and looked over my shoulder while we were texting.
That was a fun interrogation, for that was exactly what it was, but they were happy for me. It was good to see them too. I had missed them during my time at the academy. While Christmas was fun, it was also a little sad too. It was the anniversary of my re-awakening in this world and as always, memories of my past family filled my mind. It made me feel guilty being with such a loving family when all I could do was pine for other people. Sad as it was to say, I found myself wishing the break to end quickly.
Thankfully, as all things do, time passed quickly. Christmas flew by, relatives were seen and then it was New Year. A few days after that, I was back on a boat to the academy. I returned with a few new goodies in tow and a small sense of relief to be back on the island. It felt good to be back with everyone. Bastion had apparently spent the break renewing his love for science, conducting experiments alongside his family, which was apparently a tradition of theirs. Sadie had finally gotten the chance to relax. She was apparently quite the bookworm and had spent most of her time catching up on her reading.
Dimitri, for his part, quickly got through his extra work and apparently spent the break cooling his head. When I went over to the yellow dorm to greet my two favourite Ras, I found Dimitri in the main lounge, a grin on his face and a fresh set of booster packs in front of him. He greeted me with a grin and a one-armed hug, his first words a joke about my fringe looking like drapes. I'd decided to let the front of my hair grow out a bit, the tips of my hair now coming down to my fringe.
He seemed in a better mood, which was a good sign. We'd regularly messaged during the holiday, a little so I could check in on him but mainly to keep in touch. After the first few days, the tone of his messages changed, becoming more positive. I really hoped he'd be able to keep that positivity. And if he refused to listen to my advice about making his own deck, then I'd have to make sure he never had a reason to steal Yugi's deck. But there was still time before I could put my plan into motion.
For a couple of weeks, things seemed normal. There were brief rumours of a 'giant' targeting the blues and stealing their cards, but they were just as quickly quashed. Funnily enough, it was around the time those rumours died that there was a new rumour about a great flash of golden light in the forest. It didn't take much to work out that Logan had taken on the 'Duel Giant'. And since I saw Brier and Beauregard walking around the academy, I supposed it had all worked out for the better.
A week after that, Sadie asked me to help out with a stakeout to discover who was stealing the special Golden Eggwich from the shop. Now, I knew this was a canon event. I knew who the thief was. I knew this entire episode would end with someone, preferably Jaden, duelling a Tarzan wannabe. It would resolve itself, and quite frankly I didn't exactly want to get involved. But I couldn't say no to Sadie. So, that night, I found myself sitting in the card shop's employee breakroom.
There were eight of us. Me, the Slifer Trio, Sadie, Ms Dorothy, Alexis and Logan. The four slifers sat on the floor, discussing possibilities of who the thief could be whilst Ms Dorothy went around offering snacks. Sadie, Alexis and I sat at the table. The girls made small talk about their breaks whilst I made alterations to my decks, casually listening in on the Slifer's conversation.
"It could be a ninja," Jaden suggested excitedly.
"Or maybe an ex-student looking for revenge?" Chumley guessed.
"Guys, guys, it's clearly the chicken looking for its stolen eggs," Syrus chimed in.
"Maybe, but I reckon it's an ape-man," Logan said with a sly smile.
I shook my head. 'Wow, spoilers much. He really can't help himself.'
My thoughts were interrupted when I was suddenly, and viciously, poked in the ribs. I turned to my attacker as she smiled sweetly. "I zoned out again, didn't I?"
"Yes. Yes, you did," Sadie chuckled. "Do you and Buster Blader need a moment again?" she asked, gesturing to the card in my hand. I'd been holding it for a long time.
"Well, he is easy on the eyes. And look at that armour. Woo wee."
"You're such a dork."
We shared a laugh before both of us noticed the look Alexis was giving us. Her eyes darted between us, riddled with suspicion. Sadie and I looked away awkwardly, however, it seemed Alexis's curiosity was piqued. "Um… Is there something going on-?"
"Did I hear someone mention the Buster Blader?" Dorothy suddenly asked, interrupting the Obelisk Queen's train of thought.
"Yeah, we did," I quickly said, eager to change the topic of conversation. Sadie and I still hadn't told anyone about our relationship. We were waiting for the right time and wanted to do it ourselves. "Why do you ask Ms Dorothy?"
"Well, we were officially going to announce this next week, but I see no issue with telling you now. The academy is going to be hosting a special exhibition on the King of Games decks. All his cards will be on display, including Buster Blader. It will be the first stop on a long tour." The moment she said this, the others immediately lit up with excitement.
So, it's finally happening. It's time for – Wait did she say 'decks'? Plural?
I looked over to Logan and he seemed just as confused. He glanced my way, possibly hoping I had an explanation. "Excuse me, Ms Dorothy, but when you say decks, do you mean more than one?"
"Of course," she said cheerily. "Originally it was only going to be a replica of Mr Muto's deck from Battle City, however, the word is the organisers were encouraged to do something more exciting by a man in America. So, after getting permission from the King of Games, Industrial Illusions and Kaiba Corp paired together to recreate all the decks that Mr Muto used throughout his duelling career. From what I heard, Mr Muto was hoping that by putting these decks on display, it may help inspire the next generation and teach them about deck building. It will be a full display of all of his cards, except those Egyptian God cards. I've also been told there will be two decks that have never been seen by the public." I couldn't help but wonder why she knew so much of what was going on behind the scenes. Then again, if I remembered correctly, she was, possibly, romantically involved with the chancellor. Maybe he had told her?
Once again, the others began to murmur in excitement whilst I was left gobsmacked, my right eye twitching. 'There's going to be… more than one deck? That's not what was supposed to happen! What the hell brought this change on? All of Yugi's cards on display? That will be a disaster! Wait… no… More rare cards must surely mean more protection. Dimitri will never try to steal the deck if there are guards more capable than Crowler. Maybe the whole situation will resolve itself? Just this once? Please? Oh, who am I kidding… Chances are there will be more thieves… Oh shit! Will Exodia be there?'
"All of Yugi's decks," Jaden said in awe, his eyes distant as he undoubtedly imagined seeing them all. "I am so pumped! We've just got to see them guys! I wonder what those special decks will be? Ms Dorothy, where do we get our tickets?"
"You can get them from the shop next week after the announcement. You will have to be quick though. I suspect the tickets will go fast."
"We'll be first in line! Won't we guys?" he said, addressing his fellow Slifers. The three of them nodded before they fell into a conversation regarding the upcoming event.
"The King of Games' decks… Sounds pretty exciting. What do you two think?" I asked, turning back to the girls. They seemed less enthused than the boys but still seemed intrigued, Alexis more so than Sadie.
"I can see why people would be excited. Yugi is quite the celebrity," Sadie said. "However, at the end of the day, they are just some cards that will be behind glass. They won't even be used in a game. In fact, once the whole 'tour' is over, those cards will probably be sent to a warehouse or put into storage. They didn't even have to collect the cards. They could have done a video display."
"But it's duelling history," Alexis reasoned. "Something like that should be observed first-hand. Even if they aren't really his cards, their mere image is something that is inspiring. Ren knows all about that."
"Huh? Say what now?"
"Well, your decks are filled with 'Yugi cards'. Clearly, you use them in homage." She smirked at me. She knew exactly what she was doing. Well… I'm made of tougher stuff than that.
"They are not Yugi cards! They just happen to be useful cards that the King of Games uses too. It is not homage. It's strategy."
Okay. Not that tough.
"Of course it is," Sadie said comfortingly. "We all believe you."
"Really?"
"No." Her voice was like honey, and yet stung like nettles.
"Oh Sadie, why you have forsaken me?"
"Sorry, but the evidence is against you," she said with a shrug.
"Summoned Skull, Buster Blader, Mirror Force, Black Skull Dragon," Alexis listed off on her fingers.
"Okay, but who doesn't have Mirror Force?" I asked. Behind us, Syrus and Chumley raised their hands. Damn traitors. "That was a bad example." The others laughed at my dismay; our morale was high before we heard the loud sound of the metal shop barrier being pulled open.
"It's the thief," Jaden whispered excitedly, jumping to his feet. "Get the lights."
"Uh… that was a long one…" I groaned as I entered my room, immediately going to collapse on the bed. Everything had gone as it should tonight. Damon, the duelling Tarzan, had been revealed to be the thief, drawing Eggwiches in order to practice his drawing skills. He'd been living out in the island's wilderness for a year to 'become one with nature.' Jaden had duelled him, showed him a better path and as a result, Damon would be re-joining the school. At least he would once he got a haircut and a shower. And went through some paperwork with the chancellor. And with all the drama over, we had all gone back to our dorms. Well, except Sadie, who had decided to stay a little longer and help Ms Dorothy set up for the next day.
It was all hunky dory. At least, on the surface. I was a bit surprised Logan hadn't tried to interfere with the duel. He'd remained on the sidelines with the rest of us and watched Jaden duel. However, he didn't seem completely there. It was clear what was on his mind. It was on my mind too. Something else had changed in the timeline. A seemingly small change, but one that was entirely noticeable.
In our previous world, Yugi's decks wouldn't stand up in a major competition. With a few exceptions, he played one copy of each card and the archetypes were so varied, that it would be hard to get what you needed. However, here, his cards were legend. He possessed some of the rarest cards in the game. Having so many decks on display… seemed foolish. It would only serve to invite the wolves. The market price of a Dark Magician alone in this world was astronomical. Believe me, I'd checked.
The other issue I had was Alexis. After Damon's reveal, she seemed a bit down. From what I vaguely remembered from the show, she had been hoping Damon was somehow related to the student disappearances at the Abandoned Dorm. How she came to that conclusion from someone stealing sandwiches, I'd never know, but nonetheless, she seemed down.
"Now that I think about it, she's been distracted in classes too," I said to no one in particular. Ever since the term started, it seemed that Alexis had had something on her mind. We'd messaged a couple of times over the break and I knew that, surprisingly, she'd been helping Mindy with her duel skills. It seemed odd that she would suddenly be interested in duelling but maybe she wanted to get her grades up? Unlikely but possible. There was also the possibility that she was taking the time to learn the particulars of this surprisingly complex children's card game to capture her attention of Logan.
Nah. That's just crazy.
Anyway, I had other reasons to be concerned about Alexis's state of mind. I remembered our conversation on the tennis court. How she wished to return to the Abandoned Dorm. If she chose to do so, I would never be able to stop her. If I'd learned anything since coming to the academy, it was that once Alexis set her mind to something, nothing would stop her until she'd achieved what she wanted. If she did decide to go, I had to make sure she was protected. She didn't know what was hiding there. She didn't know who laid in wait there. No matter what, she couldn't go alone.
For now, there was something else to think about. I now had a time limit. In a week the tickets to view Yugi's deck would go on sale. I had to make sure that Dimitri got one. In the show, it was his public defeat against Syrus that drove him over the edge. If I eliminated the catalyst for his thievery, it'd give him more time to change his ways. Or it could lead him to explode in a worse way. Preferably the former. Who knows, maybe seeing Yugi's cards, rather than playing them, would give him the inspiration he needs?
Dimitri had so much potential. I knew he did. With the amount of effort he put into his duelling, he deserved to do well. He was just too obsessed with the strategies of famous duellists. So much so that he didn't consider making one of his own. Now that I thought about it, I didn't know why Dimitri was so focused on recreating other people's decks. He dreamed of becoming a famous duelist. Surely, he knew he'd have to develop his own someday. I'd have to ask him.
A large yawn escaped me, the events of the day finally catching up with me. "But… I'll ask him tomorrow. For now… the sweet embrace of sleep." I didn't even bother changing my clothes. I was out like a light.
Two days after our night-time excursion, it was announced Yugi's decks would be coming to the academy. The hallways were a buzz with excitement as people anticipated seeming the cards of the most famous duelist on the planet. Everyone wanted to be the first to see it. And who could blame them? From their perspective, this was the opportunity of a lifetime. A personal peek at the play style of a legend. For anyone who wanted to be a professional, this was a must-see.
The moment Bastion and Dimitri heard about it, the three of us agreed to be there on the first day. Step one accomplished. Now I just had to make sure Dimitri actually got the ticket. Thankfully, I had the inside track. After much badgering, pestering, and the promise to bake her cake (for some reason), I managed to persuade Sadie to tell me the exact time the tickets would go on sale at the shop.
That was how, at seven in the morning on a Friday, the three of us found ourselves outside the shop waiting for the shop to open. I was feeling a bit giddy, bouncing on the balls of my feet as I expectedly watched the door, ready for it to open. If this was successful, step two of my master plan would be complete. However, not everyone was as giddy as I was.
"I know we want to get these tickets, but did we have to get up so early?" Dimitri asked in between a large yawn. He stretched out his back and there was an audible crack. "Ahh… so much better. That's been bothering me for the last hour."
"Well, you want to get the ticket, right?" I asked.
"Yeah, but we didn't have to be up at six. We've been waiting here for almost an hour," he groaned.
"I must agree," Bastion cut in. "Surely we had better things we could have done in the meantime."
"Wouldn't you normally spend this time drawing cards down by the cliff?" I deadpanned.
"It's good exercise. And it gets a duelist ready for the day."
"Uh-huh. Sure. Whatever you say. Anyway, the reason we are here so early is to beat the crowds. It's clear you guys have never had to line up for something before, but you need to get there early. We're lucky we didn't have to camp outside the shop."
"The school would have been locked," Bastion pointed out.
"And you don't own a tent," Dimitri added.
I shrugged. "Details."
There were a few other people waiting in the hall with us, other early risers who wanted to be the first to secure their place in the event. Not as many as I would have thought though. We'd gotten here first and others slowly trickled in over time. But, if memory served me right, there were a lot more people when Syrus duelled Dimitri in canon. In fairness, we were early. Very early. Most people were probably only just getting up. But it'd all be worth it.
Sure enough, a few minutes later, we heard the click of a lock and a loud clang as the metal grate was pushed open by Ms Dorothy. The moment she saw us, she smiled warmly and gestured inside. "You boys are awfully early. Not that I can't blame you. It's very exciting. Please come in and form an orderly line at the counter."
She walked back inside, and I immediately pushed Dimitri forward. "After you, bud. C'mon, times a wasting."
"Hey, calm down, we're first in line, there no need to rush," Dimitri protested as I led him into the shop. Bastion was given me a weird look, but I pretended not to notice as he followed after us.
They had redecorated the shop for the event. Different posters had been plastered up around the shop, each one displaying Yugi Muto in a different pose. Most of the images were from his golden age, wearing his Domino City high school uniform. Some were more recent, with Yugi either wearing a black tank top or dark blue leather jacket, reminiscent of his old uniform. I noticed that in almost all the images, Yugi used the KaibaCorp mass production model despite owning the more powerful third-generation model. I guess it was like him to prefer to use the simpler things.
The shelves that normally contained magazines and other reading material had been moved to the far ends of the shop. It left a space in the middle that would be large enough for two people to duel. Those unfortunate enough not to beat the crowd would have to duel for their tickets. In another life, that would have been Dimitri. Not today.
Sadie was manning the counter. She greeted the three of us with a wave and a smile. "I thought I'd see you guys here first."
"I told you what we were doing," I pointed out.
"Hence my point. So, who's first?"
"This guy." I clapped Dimitri on the back. He shot me an annoyed look as he stumbled towards the counter
"Hey! But in fairness, I'm actually really excited about this and really want to go first so thanks." I watched, my foot lightly tapping as Dimitri paid for his ticket. I could practically hear my heart thump Sadie took the cash and handed over the slip. The relief I felt as he took it was immeasurable. As Bastion and I got our own tickets, I couldn't help but grin. Just a little longer and all would be in the clear. Just a little longer…
Logan wandered the crowded halls of the academy, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He had decided to go and get his ticket for the big event. He had to admit, it was surprising to hear there was more than one deck going on tour. He couldn't think of anything that would create such a change to the timeline either. That was two unexpected changes now. First Nightshroud's female host, and now this. There was too much going on that he didn't know about. And just what was going to happen with Dimitri? From what he'd seen, his friendship with Ren had made him a little more confident, but at the same time seemed to make him more emotionally vulnerable. He remembered hearing through Syrus that Dimitri had been quite depressed after failing his practical exam. He was honestly surprised that the Ra hadn't already flown off the deep end. Ren was desperate to save Dimitri from his fate, yet the Ra wasn't making it easy for him.
Logan had tried asking Lumina her thoughts on matters, but the duel spirit only said it was natural for changes to occur when there were oddities introduced to a predetermined chain of events. It was just a fancy way of saying she didn't know. That had actually been their first conversation in a while. She had told him she'd be returning to the Spirit Realm over the break. Something about checking on the state of things. He didn't see her again until he got back to the island.
However, when she appeared, she seemed distracted. As he told her about his break, Logan knew she was hardly listening. There was something going on in her head. Something had changed, but Logan didn't know what.
"There is something going on with her," Logan mumbled absently, going to turn the corner. But just as he reached it someone came around from the other side. It was so sudden that the Lightsworn user almost walked straight into them. "Sorry," he spluttered quickly.
"Oh, Logan!"
He snapped to attention. The person who he had almost collided with was none other than Mindy. The raven-haired beauty stared before giving him a wide smile. "It's good to see you. It's been a while. How have you been?"
"I've been good," he laughed awkwardly. Why was his mind going blank now? "Just been working mostly. No rest for the wicked and all that."
He hadn't said anything funny and yet she giggled regardless. Maybe she just had a good sense of humour. "I can imagine. You seem like a hard worker." She paused, seemingly trying to work out what to say before her eyes went wide. "Oh, have you heard about the King of Games exhibition?"
Bit of a weird thing to suddenly bring up. I didn't think Mindy had that much of an interest in Duel Monsters. Maybe she knows because of Alexis?
"Um yeah. I was just on my way to get my ticket."
Her face lit up as she clapped her hands together. "That's actually perfect. I was just on my way to get my own. Hey, here's an idea. Why don't we go together?"
"Really?"
"Well, I was going to go with Alexis and Jas later, but there's no time like the present, right?" she said. Not wasting any time, she reached out and grabbed Logan's wrist, pulling him in the direction of the shop.
"Hey, wait!"
"Aw, don't be a wet blanket. C'mon," she laughed. Her good mood was infectious and sure enough, Logan found himself smiling as well.
"Oh, and Logan," Mindy called, bringing the Lightsworn user out of his thoughts. "Since we're getting our tickets at the same time, why don't we go and see the event together too?"
Logan found himself stunned silent. Was… was Mindy asking him on a date? No, surely not. They barely knew each other. But then again, he did save her from Wheeler. But was that enough to earn her affection? He hadn't been much use in any other regard. And he had been trying to get with Alexis too. It was odd that she would be interested in him. But still, this was the first time a girl had shown any interest in him, in this life and the last. He'd be an idiot to say no.
"Of course! That would be fantastic!"
The smile she gave him made his heart race and cheeks heat up. But if this really was a date, he'd have to make sure the exhibition went ahead as planned. Even if it meant he came to clash with Dimitri.
It was already getting dark by the time Dimitri got back to the yellow dorm. After parting ways, Ren had gone back to the blue dorm whilst Bastion went to the library to get a start on the new semester's material. The winter season caused the sun to set quickly, meaning the sky was a dull grey. Not that Dimitri minded. Truth be told, he preferred the weather like this. Sure, on the island the sights could be breathtaking, but he felt that there was more truth from a cloud-laden sky. Everyone had things to hide after all. Even nature refused to bare its full self sometimes. It was strange but he found comfort in that.
For once, Dimitri walked a little taller, a small grin adorning his features. He had to admit, it had been a while since he'd felt so good. Sure, he'd have another setback, but it was just another learning experience. And, thanks to a lucky online auction, he'd finally completed his Ancient Gear deck. He was looking forward to surprising Ren and Bastion with it.
He would have done it earlier, but he hadn't had the opportunity. And besides, Ren was busy making goo-goo eyes at Sadie. Something had clearly happened between the two of them. They were trying to hide it, but it was obvious they were an item. He'd seen the subtle looks between the two of them when they thought no one was looking. It was cute, in a nauseating kind of way. He knew that Bastion had noticed it as well. In truth, he couldn't help but feel bad for the other Ra, especially since…
Dimitri shook his head. He and Bastion had agreed not to talk about it. They wanted to respect their privacy. When they were ready to tell them, they would. In the meantime, Dimitri would just focus on his excitement for the coming exhibition. Sure, he'd acted annoyed that he'd had to get up so early, but honestly, he was grateful Ren had taken the time to make sure they could all see the event together. If it weren't for him, he'd probably have forgotten about it until the last minute.
He was going to go straight to his room, but just before he reached the stairs, his stomach gave a growl of protest, demanding sustenance. "I suppose it has been a while since lunch," Dimitri mumbled. He could smell the succulent scent of Professor Sartyr's cooking from the common room. It was cheating. The Obelisks may have had the nicest dorms, but the Ras had best chef. At least that's what they told themselves.
From the spiciness that tickled his nose, Sartyr's speciality curry was on the menu. Dimitri's second favourite meal. The best would always be the chicken katsu curry he'd had on his second day at the academy. It was utterly fantastic. He'd have it whenever he could. Another grumble from his stomach persuaded him to stop thinking about food and actually go and eat. It took him a moment to walk into the cafeteria. It took only slightly longer to get himself a bowl. He sat down, but before he could even take a mouthful of the delicious substance, someone took the seat next to him with a loud 'thump'.
"Hey there buddy," the unfamiliar Ra said. He was an older student; his hair dyed an unnatural red. He wasn't wearing his uniform, instead opting for a black shirt and grey trousers.
"Hi…" Dimitri nervously put down his fork. No one had approached him in this way before.
"I hear you managed to get your hands on a ticket to the King of Games display next week," he continued, his tone ominous.
"Yeah… I got it this morning… I'm sorry, who are you?"
"Ha, where are my manners? I'm Kenzo. Kenzo Kano. I'm your sophomore. Don't worry, I already know your name."
"You do?"
"Sure. Everyone in this dorm knows you. They talk about you all the time." He gestured out to the others sitting around them. Each of them was side-eyeing him but the moment Dimitri tried to meet their eye, they avoided his gaze, isolating him.
"Only… only good things I hope, ha ha…"
"They laugh at you," Kenzo said bluntly, making Dimitri freeze. "They think you're pathetic. A no-good loser who couldn't even beat a Slifer. And who could blame them? When was your last win again?"
"What's your point?" Dimitri snapped, his hands curling into fists.
"You're making us look bad. All of us. And that's not good. The Obelisks still look down on us and there is a rising power in the Slifers. Our dorm is becoming a laughingstock. And you are the clown that everyone sees. That everyone associates with us. Misawa is strong, but no one pays attention to second best. And your buddy Cambell was all too quick to move to the blues. That leaves you as our most famous, or infamous, duelist. When they look at the Ra dorm, they think of you, and that reflects badly on all of us."
Dimitri was beginning to shake, his skin burning hot as he tried to keep his emotions in check. Hazing was nothing new for him. Having it done publicly was much harder to deal with. "I'm here to learn, just like the rest of you. We all want to be the best."
"The difference is 'we' stand a chance of being it," Kenzo replied, once again gesturing to the cafeteria. "Whereas you… you'll never stand a chance. You know why I started this? Any one of us could beat you. It wouldn't be hard. Especially when you couldn't come up with an original strategy to save your life."
"W-What?" Dimitri stuttered, rising from his seat. The Sophomore followed.
"You're nothing but a copycat. And a bad one at that. You take the decks of competent duellists and turn them into jokes."
"I'm… I'm just trying to find my own style."
"Bullshit. You're nothing but a thief! You will never be a great duelist!"
"Enough! I don't need to hear this!" Dimitri cried, turning and making for the door, leaving his uneaten dinner behind. All the while, Kenzo called out after him. Taunting him for his inadequacies.
Dimitri didn't stop moving until he was safely back in his room, locking the door behind him. Only once he was safe, only once he was away from prying eyes did he let the hot tears sting his cheeks. His legs turned to jelly as he collapsed against the door, muffling his cries with his arms. He didn't know how long he stayed there weeping, but when he'd calmed down enough, he looked towards his desk.
Slowly, he approached it and looked at all the spread-out notes. His research. His dedication. His life. It was all a lie!
In a fit of hot rage, he swept his arm out across the desk, sending papers and free cards flying, sprawling across the floor.
"What's the point?" he wept. "It doesn't matter what I do! I've worked so hard! I've put in the effort to understand! But it is all… WORTHLESS!" His fist slammed into the wood of the desk. And then again. And again. Dimitri was desperate to take out his anger on something. "All those dreams! All those hopes! What was it all for? What was I even thinking? I can't be like the great duellists!"
He stopped, taking deep, calming breaths. He wanted so badly to be like the heroes he had seen on TV. Those duellists who were able to put everything into their plays and come out on top, even when the odds were against them. To be like Yugi Muto, who even when facing the fiercest of monsters, never backed down. To be like that… it would make you invincible…
You can be invincible too.
Dimitri's head shot up. He looked around the now messy room. No one. He was sure he heard a voice… It was so quiet and yet so alluring. Like a soft whisper on the ear.
No… he was just tired. His mind playing tricks on him. But what if he was right? It was like, suddenly, inspiration had wormed its way into his mind. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his ticket.
"I've been too focused on merely recreating and copying," he mumbled raggedly. "Maybe to be the best… I need to become the best."
Once again, time passed by surprisingly quickly. I spent the remaining days hanging out with Bastion and Dimitri discussing the display. Bastion was incredibly vocal about his excitement and intrigue in getting to look at such 'legendary' decks. Dimitri was… was surprisingly more sombre about the event. In fact, he had been strange for the last few days. Quiet, more reserved. It was almost like he was back after the promotion exam. Often, we'd ask him a question and he wouldn't reply; he'd merely be staring off into space, whispering something under his breath.
Bastion had picked up his strange behaviour too. As we did before, we tried asking him what was wrong only to receive the same answer. He'd give us a wry smile and say, 'I'm fine, don't worry.' I wanted to believe it, so I didn't press the issue. Still, it didn't stop me from keeping my eye on him.
The day before the expedition, I found myself in the card shop watching a duel between two students I didn't know, who were both after the final ticket. I'd stopped by to get a few card packs and see Sadie, although, I wouldn't lie and say I wasn't interested in who was duelling. Just double checking in case Dimitri had lost his ticket and was trying to get a new one. Thankfully, everything seemed on track with my plan.
My last step was to copy the canon and get Bastion and Dimitri to join me on a night excursion to see the cards early. Some would say it'd be easy to keep track of him if I just organised a sleepover or something, but then he could sneak off during the night. By sneaking in to see the decks, I could keep track of him, see his reactions and manage him. And with Bastion as added support, we could both act as shoulders for him if worse came to worse.
As the duel reached its midway point, I turned and walked over to one of the free booths. With nothing to do until Sadie had finished with her work, I took out my main deck and gave it a shuffle, drawing a test hand. I immediately grimaced. The hand was good, don't get me wrong. But as I looked at my Summoned Skull, Mirror Force and Swords of Revealing Light, I became increasingly aware of just how many of the same cards I used as Yugi. Maybe I did use too many of his cards?
"Pff… Nah… All this 'Yugi Card' talk is just getting to me," I grumbled as I went through the motions. I practised my opening hand over and over, tuning out the sound of battle in the background. I sat there for some time, drawing, playing and resetting. But, through it all, my mind was distant, unfocused. I suddenly remembered that morning on the lake all those weeks ago. Again, my mind went fuzzy.
B-Dum, B-Dum, B-Dum
I felt like I was drifting away, my mind getting further and further away. I felt a strange duality. Both hot and yet so cold. Weak, and yet powerful. Calm, yet filled with rage. The beat grew louder, and louder and louder until it was all-encompassing.
And then, I felt something around my neck. Everything stopped, and with a jolt, my senses returned to me. I was back in the card shop, although it was remarkably quieter than before. Someone was pressed against my back, their arms over my shoulders.
"Daydreaming again?" a familiar voice asked, their tone laced with mischief. "You know, someone might think you're ignoring them. You didn't even hear me call out your name."
A small smile graced my lips as I reached up and took Sadie's hand. "Well, daydreaming has its benefits. This is quite nice."
"It's been a long day," she sighed. "This is also surprisingly relaxing." We stayed there a moment longer before Sadie gave me a squeeze and let go. "So, what were you thinking about?"
"Well… uh… You know… it's slipped my mind…" I racked my head, but I just couldn't remember. It was like a flippant dream. I looked down at my cards, at Buster Blader in the centre of my makeshift field.
"Really? You sure it wasn't something embarrassing?" she asked cheekily.
"Would I tell you if it was?" I replied, gathering up my cards. It was then that I realised how empty the shop was. "Where has everyone gone?"
"Where do you think? The duel ended. They went home. Did you really not notice?"
"I guess I was just in my own little world." Although I was unsure that was the right way to put it. I noticed she had swapped back into her academy uniform. "So, are you ready to head out?"
"Ready whenever you are," she chimed, gesturing towards the shop entrance. We'd fallen into the habit of walking back together after she finished work. It was a nice change to my normal routine. Sadie would tell me about her day and any funny events that happened to happen during her shift. My favourite was when Crowler had apparently come running in being pursued by Banner's cat, Pharaoh. The good doctor had probably had tuna for lunch and the tubby cat had caught a whiff of it.
As we went out into the setting island sun, Sadie suddenly let out another chuckle. "Something funny on your mind?"
"Just something I've noticed recently," she laughed. "Your habit of daydreaming seems to be catching on. I've noticed quite a few of our friends have adopted your habit of looking off into the void."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. Bastion's nowhere near as bad as you but he's recently been a bit airheaded."
"Really? That doesn't sound like him."
"Hey, everyone has rough patches. Alexis has been a little spacy too. She keeps coming into the card shop with Mindy. Mindy's become a bit of a regular customer. She never used to come in either. She seems happier too. Alexis though, I have to call out to her a few times before she notices me. She's been like it in the dorms too."
"Hmm…" Training with Mindy not going well? Or is she thinking about Atticus?
"But Dimitri's probably been the worst of the three. Sometimes even worse than you," she added, poking at my side.
"Dimitri?"
"Oh yeah. He's been coming into the shop a lot over the last week. Always when Ms Dorothy is manning the till though. He has a quick chat with her and then goes over to the side and begins muttering to himself. I kept trying to talk to him, but it's like he could barely hear me. The few times I managed to get his attention, he always stayed elusive, barely replying. He's been really weird actually."
"Weird? H…How so?" I'm getting a bad feeling.
"Well, Ms Dorothy said he's been too excited about the coming exhibit. He's been asking a lot of questions about it apparently. The cards are actually already on the island, y'know."
"I would have thought so given that the exhibit's tomorrow," I chuckled.
"Ha ha, very funny, smart guy," Sadie said dryly, nudging my arm. "Anyway, they arrived a few days ago. I've been helping a little with the set-up for the display."
"Really? You didn't mention that before. So, you've already seen the cards? I'm jealous."
However, she shook her head. "No, nothing like that. Just helping with the cases. But there's been a few times I've left the hall and I swear I've seen Dimitri hurrying away."
I stayed quiet, the cogs of my mind running with possibilities. I kept coming to the same conclusion and tried to dismiss it. I just couldn't accept it. Unfortunately, Sadie voiced the thought I was trying to avoid.
"I know it's stupid, but it was like he was casing the display hall." She laughed. "I know, it's silly. Maybe I've been watching too many heist movies."
"Maybe…" I faked a laugh. I had to. I needed Sadie to believe her 'silly' thought was just that. A thought. Because, in all likelihood, she was absolutely right. My left hand twitched.
'Something's wrong. He said he was fine. He's been happy. Why is he casing the display hall? He has no reason to! Dimitri, what is happening with you? You were doing well, weren't you?'
We parted ways at the Obelisk Boys dorm. I waved Sadie off until she turned the corner. I waited for a second in case she came back, and then booked it over to the Ra dorm. All the way, I kept trying to come up with explanations for Dimitri's behaviour. I told myself, 'You're making mountains out of molehills. He was just over-excited. He's not fallen to canon.'
I managed to keep up this positivity until I made it to the Ra dorm. It seemed I was spending more and more time there. Not that I had time to dwell on it. I'd tried ringing Dimitri on the way in but go no reply. I'd then tried Bastion, but I got sent straight to voicemail.
"Why is it that when I need something, no one is around?" I growled as I tucked my PDA back into my pocket.
I was ready to bash my fist against the door until someone heard me. Thankfully, it didn't come to that. By chance, Beauregard and Brier, the two former halves of the Duel Giant happened to be entering the dorm. What they had been doing I really didn't care, but they were kind enough to let me in once I told them I was there to see Dimitri.
The moment I was through, I raced up the stairs to his room. I stopped in front of the door and took a brief moment to catch my breath. I went to knock but froze before my knuckles could touch the wood. What was I even going to say to him? I'd come here based on a hunch. And an elaborate hunch at that. Maybe I was letting the knowledge of my past life get to me and Dimitri really wasn't planning on taking the cards.
Either way, this was my responsibility. At least… I believed it was. Finally, I knocked on the door.
And then I knocked again.
And again.
No response.
"Hey, Dimitri? You in there? I've got a proposition for ya." Oh, that sounded dodgy.
No reply. With nothing else to lose, I tried the door handle. Much to my surprise, it opened as I turned the handle. I didn't hear any movement from inside. After a quick look to make sure no one was watching, I quickly went in, closing the door behind me. I was immediately hit by a chemical scent that made me cringe, my nose wrinkling to stop the stench. Still, I pressed on.
"Hey, Dimitri, you here? Sorry about coming in. Your door was open," I called out. Still nothing. My chest tightened as I ventured further in. The curtains were drawn, and the room was cloaked in darkness. I still couldn't hear any movement or noise from within. Not even a snore. "Guess he's not here," I mumbled. I contemplated leaving, but something pushed me further in. Sure that Dimitri wasn't inside, I quickly fumbled for the lights. But when they came on, I felt my body run cold.
Unlike the last time I was here, Dimitri's room was a complete mess. Papers were strewn across every surface. They were predominantly deck lists and pictures. Pictures of the King of Games. Press pictures, pictures from tournaments and even some of him at his home at the Kame Shop. He must have pulled them from online and newspaper clippings. Others were quotes, famous speeches of Yugi's that he had made in his more public appearances. Dimitri had even made notes on his tone and emotional range for added authenticity. The deck lists that were plastered to the walls also had notes. Pros and cons, powerful cards, use of ritual and fusion and even which ones had aged best. There was one that had multiple highlighted areas.
I plucked it from the wall and read it through. My hand shook before I scrunched up the paper and stuffed it into my pocket. I looked back at the rest of the room, finding the worst thing of all. In the centre of the desk was a sheet of cardboard with an inverted triangle in the centre. The hole was surrounded by a golden ring. A can of spray paint lay next to it.
My worst fears had been realised. This entire room… it was evidence. Evidence of the crime Dimitri planned to commit. Most likely in the midst of committing. But why would he leave it all out like this? It was like he wanted to get caught!
"No… no time to think about that. I have to stop him."
I turned on my heel and hurried out of the room, ensuring the door was shut so no one else would be able to see inside. With no more time to lose, I hurried back out of the dorm and raced toward the academy. With any luck, I'd be able to stop Dimitri before he got to the cards.
And then, just as I got to the academy gates, my PDA beeped.
He'd gone in through the crack in the front pillar. It was a well-known trick for students who felt like skipping classes. It led to a small hole in the wall in an old closet that looked like it hadn't been used for years. Dimitri was grateful for the lack of spider webs. The constant coming and goings of students made scared off any bugs. Or arachnids for those picky.
Either way, it got him into the academy and past the guards. Next came the vents. Again, the storage room provided by means of a loose grate that he easily moved away. Slowly, he made his way through the vents, following the path he had mapped out over the last week. It had been easy enough to do. You could see the vents as you walked the hallways. The vents themselves were cramped, dark and cold. Dimitri only knew where he was going by following his counting. Every little movement was precise lest he make a clang against the metal that would alert any passing security to his presence.
Soon enough, he was at his destination, the display room. However, he couldn't make his move just yet. There were voices from within. Familiar voices. Coming to another grate, Dimitri peered in to see Crowler speaking to some men in uniforms. They were discussing the decks and the security put in place. Dimitri waited with bated breath, his heart thumping in his ears. One wrong move and he'd be discovered. He couldn't help but nervously pull at the green scarf he'd draped around his neck.
"Nice work boys," Crowler said, not looking up from his PDA. "Great, great work. Is the security key set up?"
"Not just yet. We can do it in a moment," one of the workers said.
"Fine, fine, fine. Let's do it now, quickly. Come, come, come." He quickly gestured to the door, waiting for the workers to open it for him. Dimitri waited until he heard the heavy slam before attempting to move the grate. Surprisingly, it came off easily.
"This school's security is crap," Dimitri chuckled as he carefully crawled out into the room. A dim light illuminated the many cylindrical containers that were set out throughout the room in a perfect circle. There were around twenty in total, each one with cards spread out and a small plaque that explained the history of the decks and their playing style. As he walked into the centre, surrounded by the most powerful decks in duelling history, he suddenly felt cold, guilty.
To his right, the decks from Yugi's early days. His eyes were immediately drawn to the deck from Duelist Kingdom that earned him the title of King of Games and the cards from Battle City, quite possibly Yugi's most famous deck. Even if it was just a recreation, it made Dimitri feel small in its presence. However, no matter how famous, those weren't the cards he was here for.
The Ra turned his attention toward the middle case. The cards were set out neatly, showcasing the key cards in the strategy. The plague on the case detailed Yugi's use of this deck five years prior at the fifth KC Cup where he took the competition by storm.
As Dimitri approached the glass, he saw his reflection. It made him pause. His long green scarf drooped down his back unceremoniously. The painted pyramid on his chest had gone fuzzy where the paint had annoyingly spread. He was a poor imitation. But that was fine.
He didn't have time to think about it. Taking the screwdriver from his pocket, he smashed it against the glass, protecting himself as it shattered. He paused, ready for an alarm, but nothing happened. It seemed the alarm hadn't been set just yet.
Not knowing how much time he had, he wiped away the glass and snatched up the cards and just as quickly as he got in, he was gone, shifting along the vents to make his escape. He didn't stop moving, running until he was back out into the cold night air. It gave him a chill as he fetched his hidden pack and made for the coast by the Slifer Dorm. It was the furthest from the main building and the safest place to hide.
His heart thumped as he raced along the tree line towards the Slifer Dorm, making sure to stay to the shadows and avoid any late-night security agents patrolling the grounds. Not that there would be any. The security really was shit. As he weaved through the trees, he checked his PDA. By the time he was out into the open air, it was done.
Finally, as he came to the cliffside, the smell of sea salt permeating his nose and the crash of wave dulling his ears, he allowed himself to catch his breath. His entire body shook, his hands still clutched around the stolen cards. He faced the deep blue of the water and looked out towards the sea horizon marred with darkness.
"I… I did it…" he whispered in disbelief. He began to chuckle before looking to the deck. He fanned it out, taking a good look at each individual card. The monsters, the spells, each one painstakingly chosen and connected in a way that Dimitri knew he'd never understand. He removed his duel disk from his pack and strapped it to his arm. Hesitantly, he inserted the cards into the deck slot. For a moment, he felt powerful. More confident and in tune with what was around him. And just as quickly, that feeling was gone by two words.
"Hello there."
He froze. There shouldn't have been anyone here at this hour. Had security found him already? He inclined his head, looking over his shoulder to see a familiar person in casual clothing. He wore a black jacket with a grey t-shirt and blue jeans. His clearly dyed purplish hair swayed with the wind and the duel disk strapped to his arm shone in the light of the moon. But all things considered, he cut quite the dashing figure. Logan Evans' lips curled into a smile as he looked upon Dimitri, making the Ra feel small.
Dimitri stayed quiet, afraid that if he were to say something, everything he had envisioned would fall apart. He kept his head turned away, hoping that Logan would leave quickly. It was too fast for news to have spread. And why would Logan know? It would be shameful for the academy to admit they had lost something akin to a treasure. If a student were to find out, news of the academy's incompetence would surely run rampant and damage their reputation. He was still in the clear.
That hope was dashed in two seconds.
"I know what you did." It felt like Dimitri's heart stopped. The Lightsworn user seemed to take that as a sign to continue. "You see, I was just out for a walk. Trying to settle some nerves before a big date, y' know? Anyway, I decided to drop by the academy, and who should I see sneaking out… but you."
Shit, shit, shit.
"I followed you… And when I saw you looking at those cards… well, things just clicked. You took one of the decks, didn't you? You stole one of the King of Game's decks."
The game was up, but he needed more time. A single question went through Dimitri's head; 'What would Yugi do?'
His grip on the cards tightened. Everything he had researched over the last week flooded his mind. Every video, every newspaper quote and every tournament appearance. He took a breath and then turned to face the Lightsworn user. "Stole?" he repeated, his voice much deeper and tone as wise as he could make it. "What do you mean? This is my deck." For added effect, he inserted the cards into his duel disk and raised it high.
Surprisingly, Logan's grin grew. It was like he had been expecting that answer. "Oh really? And I suppose you want a duel to prove it?"
A sly grin spread on Dimitri's lips as he shook his head. "No. There is someone else I am waiting for. A more worthy opponent. Our battle will be legendary."
Logan's eyes went as wide as dinner plates. His mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again. "Excuse me?" he finally said. "First of all, you just butchered a good meme."
"A what?"
"Secondly, you think I'm not worthy? You're the one who stole those cards! And… and you know what? That… is not even a good Yugi impression. His voice is way deeper. Oh, and another thing,-"
"That's enough!"
Both sets of eyes swivelled to the cliff hill where Ren looked down on them. Unlike Logan, he was dressed in his Obelisk uniform, the hem billowing out to his left with the wind. His duel disk was attached to his arm and a frown on his face.
"What are you doing here?" Logan called out, his tone even more irritated than before.
"I was invited," he said as he walked down the path. He held out his PDA. "I can guess why you're here." The two of them shared a look. Dimitri could tell there was something unsaid between them. Ren was always complaining about Logan, but he never said exactly why he was so pissed off with him. In this, somewhat, private setting, Dimitri could see the animosity between the two of them.
"I'm taking care of this," Logan growled. "This is my fight."
"He's my friend," Ren said simply. "And I'm sorry Logan, but if you want to do this, you will have to go through me first."
Logan went silent, his eyes darting between Ren and Dimitri. The Ra watched them with intrigue, staying quiet to see which of them would blink first. Finally, the Lightsworn user turned away. "Fine. Just don't lose."
Ren nodded before making his way past Logan and taking his place on the rock opposite Dimitri. Logan took his own place behind the Obelisk, his head down and teeth grit.
"Dimitri, what are you doing?" Ren called out, snapping the Ra back to attention. "This isn't you. That deck doesn't belong to you. What were you even thinking?"
"Hmm, all shall become clear if we duel," Dimitri replied, maintaining his impression. "I have been waiting for you, Ren Cambell. It was fate that we should duel here. May the heart of the cards guide us both."
"Oh, don't even try that with me. I don't think for a moment you believe it!" Ren suddenly snapped. His hands closed into fists. "I tried to help you. I really did. I never wanted it to come to this."
Dimitri's eyes narrowed. "You're saying 'I' a lot for someone talking about helping another person. Listening is just as important as talking. Now, it is time to duel!"
The briefest flash of anger pass Ren's face before he shook his head and raised his disk. He reached behind him towards one his deck boxes. Paused. Then reached for the second and inserted it into the device. "If that's how you feel, then I shall do what I must."
Dimitri nodded before activating his duel disk. "You will try."
"DUEL!"
"I'm taking the first move!" Ren cried, drawing his first card and leaving Dimitri no room for argument.
Turn 1: Ren - 4000LP - 6 cards in hand - 0 cards on the field
"I normal summon, Keeper of Dragon Magic (1800/1300)." The monster to rise onto Ren's field was a warrior wearing blue, draconic armour. As it took the field, it swirled the long spear it held around its body.
"Your dragon deck? Why aren't you using Horus? You could counter all his spells!" Logan called out.
"Don't be a back seat duelist! I have my reasons. Anyway, when this is summoned, I can discard a card to add Polymerization to my hand. Of course, that is only the start of this move. I active my monster's effect! By showing you my Black Skull Dragon, I can resurrect one of its materials from the graveyard in face-down defence mode. So, I'll resurrect the card I just discarded, Summoned Skull (2500/1200)!"
Ren's Keeper spun its staff in the air before plunging it into the ground. A portal opened in the ground, and from it emerged the classic archfiend. It let out a roar before it knelt down, its body turning into a set card. It was a powerful card. But something about what Logan had said threw Dimitri off. Why wasn't Ren using his Horus deck? He was duelling against a deck made by the King of Games? Surely he'd have a better chance with a deck that acted as a hard counter? Still, he stayed in character.
"Ah, the Summoned Skull," Dimitri said, trying to sound as nostalgic as possible. "A fine creature. It has served me many a time." He thought Ren might rebuke him, but instead, he stayed silent. He had expected Ren to call out his acting, but he remained eerily quiet.
"I'll set a card face-down and end my turn," he finally said.
"Um… Uh… A worthy move. To bolster your defences and keep the field advantage, whilst also preparing for your next move. Truly, this academy is teaching you well. As for my move…" he drew his first card and took a look at the hand he had amassed. He had a good batch of cards. He was glad he was using a deck that had good synergy.
Turn 2: Dimitri - 4000 LP - 6 cards in hand - 0 cards on the field
"Your move was strong, I will say that. However, allow me to show you what a true duelist can do when they believe in the heart of the cards." Ren's eyes narrowed, but Dimitri pushed on regardless. "I shall begin by activating the spell card, Ancient Rules. This allows me to call forth my friend, Dark Magician (2500/2100)!"
Finally breaking through their masks, the two other boys' jaws dropped in awe as the legendary magician took to the field. A portal opened up in the ground from which he emerged. He was a handsome man, wearing ornate amethyst robes and wielding a sceptre ordained with an emerald gem. He emerged with his arms crossed, an impassioned frown on his face.
"There he is," Ren gasped. "Even is this is a copy, he is just… wow…"
Logan said nothing. He merely glowered from his place on the sidelines.
"He is indeed impressive," Dimitri agreed. "However, as powerful as he is, a master magician is nothing alone. I now activate the spell, Bond Between Teacher and Student! When Dark Magician is on the field, I can call forth his student, Dark Magician Girl (2000/1700)!"
The next being to emerge was a one of the most beautiful duel monsters Dimitri had ever seen. A gorgeous blonde in form-fitting blue magician garb. She rose gracefully to be beside her mentor, flashing the wink towards Dimitri's opponents that honestly made the Ra a little jealous. The fantasy of every boy in this world and the envy of the girls, the Dark Magician Girl made both Ren and Logan's jaws drop in utter awe.
"Wow," Ren gasped. "She is so much prettier in real life than on a screen."
Dimitri could only assume he was talking about official broadcasts. Logan nodded his head dumbly behind the Obelisk. Dimitri could have sworn he was drooling.
"She has beauty and brawn. Especially when paired with her teacher. You see, the second effect of my spell allows me to set another card from my deck. A card I shall activate immediately! Go, Dark Magic Twin Burst! With the power of this card, my Dark Magician gains power equal to the attack of any Dark Magician Girl on the field and in the graveyard."
Dark Magician Girl closed her eyes, her expressions calm and serene as a pink aura surrounded her. Slowly, that aura spread, flowing into the Dark Magician where it changed from a burning pink to a mystical emerald. (2500-4500 ATK)
"Now go, Dark Magician, attack Keeper of Dragon Magic! Dark Magic Attack!" At that moment, Dimitri had never felt so strong. As the sorcerer rose into the air, his sceptre brimming with power, Dimitri momentarily felt like the strongest person on the island.
And he felt like that all the way up until iron chains wrapped themselves around the Dark Magician, yanking him back down to the ground.
"Nani?" Dimitri cried. He followed the chain trapping the magician back to Ren's Keeper of Dragon Magic.
"Yeah… sorry to rain on your parade but I saw that coming," Red deadpanned. "You're using one of Yugi's decks. And while the Dark Magician is, honestly, incredible to see, you can be sure he'll turn up within the first few turns. It's why I had my Kunai With Chain ready. It switches Dark Magician to defence mode and boots my monster's attack power by five hundred points." (1800-2300 ATK)
"Uh… Right… Well, that was most impressive. It seems the heart of the cards…uh… guided you well."
"It had nothing to do with the heart of the cards."
Okay, this was going nothing like he had been expecting. Dimitri had been hoping he'd be more passionate about this duel. Instead, he sounded more disappointed, maybe even sad. His posture was completely rigid and nothing like how he'd seen him duel before. It was throwing Dimitri off his game. Normally his opponents gave him stuff to work with. He had to keep it going. He just had too.
"You did well to stop my first attack, but while your monster is now stronger than my magician girl, she can still destroy your set Summoned Skull. Go, Dark Magician Girl! Attack with Dark Burning Attack!"
The blonde beauty raised her wand into the air as fiery pink magic flared. With a fierce cry, she unleashed the torrent of spiralling energy. It ripped across the field, tearing up the set archfiend and removing it from the field. Ren didn't even seem distressed by the loss.
"I'll set a card face down and end my turn. It's your move." As he said those words, the aura that had been surrounding Dark Magician faded away. (4500-2500 ATK)
Turn 3: Ren - 4000LP - 5 cards in hand - 1 Face-Up monster and 1 Face-Up Trap card on the field
"I'll admit, it's pretty cool to see classics like those live," Ren admitted, not looking up from his cards. "However, it's nothing I haven't seen before."
"Oh really?" Dimitri asked.
"You have the skill to use the cards, man, but you don't evolve past the strategies your copying. It's why you lose. People know how to counter you the moment they see the deck you're using." Dimitri remained quiet. Yugi wouldn't rise to the bait so he couldn't either. That's what he told himself at least. When he continued to stay quiet, Ren gave a sigh. "I guess talk is a lost cause. Maybe this will get through to you then. I'll start by activating Keeper's effect again. I show Black Skull Dragon and revive Summoned Skull (2500/1200)."
Once more, the fiend rose from the grave before flipping face down. "And now I activate the spell card, Monster Gate. I'll tribute my set Skull and draw cards until I can summon a monster. Now then, let's see what MY deck gives me."
He drew two cards, Bottomless Trap Hole and Dark Bribe, both of which that went to the grave. However, as he drew his third card, a purple portal opened at Ren's feet, golden light shining through. "Looks like I got exactly what I needed," Ren said with a smile. "Come forth, Buster Blader (2600/2300)!"
From the portal emerged the armoured warrior. He leapt out, landing in a crouched position at Ren's side. Next came his sword, falling from the sky and embedding itself in the ground at the dragon warrior's feet. Buster Blader reached out and brandished the blade, hoisting it over his shoulder in preparation.
"Your ace monster?" Dimitri asked. "A worthy creature. Yet another similarity between us I see."
"We have our similarities, Dimitri, but choice of cards is not one of them. Now while I'd love to take down the Dark Magician, first I've got to deal with every boy's first crush. Sorry about this." Dimitri was unsure if he was talking to him, or Dark Magician Girl. "Go Keeper, attack!"
The dragon-garbed monster twirled its spear around its body before throwing his weapon with all his might. The female magician let out a heart-wrenching cry as the spear skewered her abdomen. She instantly disappeared into pixels. (Dimitri: 3700LP)
"Dark Magician Girl!"
"Don't worry, she won't be going alone. Buster Blader, attack the Dark Magician!"
At his command, the armoured warrior jumped high into the air and brought down his sword upon the ensnared magician. Wrapped in chains and defenceless, the Dark Magician stood no chance. With one hefty cleave, the ultimate magician was sliced in two, shattering into pixels.
"No! Dark Magician!" Dimitri cried. "He's gone…"
"Don't worry, he was never yours to begin with. Ugh, I'm sounding like Jaden… Either way, I'm setting a card and ending my turn."
Dimitri took a pause to look at his bleak situation. Ren now controlled two monsters with over 2000 attack points between them. His face down was undoubtedly a trap too. Ren liked to be crafty. It was definitely going to be a card to throw off Dimitri's strategy.
But he couldn't allow himself to be dissuaded. Not before this was done. Not before he'd experienced this to the fullest. And as he drew his next card, a smile grew across his face. The perfect card to turn things around.
"That was… was a good move. But there is more to duel monsters than powerful monsters. For starters, I shall activate the spell card, Unexpected Dai. While I don't control a monster, I can special summon a level four monster from my deck. I summon Queen's Knight (1500/1600)."
The next monster Dimitri summoned was a blonde female warrior in crimson armour adorned with card suits. As she appeared, she bashed her blade against her shield, letting out a resounding clang.
"And with her on the field, I shall now summon King's Knight (1600/1400)." Dimitri's second monster was a warrior wearing golden armour similar to his female counterpart's. He possessed tan skin and a finely cut blonde beard, looking every bit the regal king.
"And it only gets worse from there. When King's Knight is summoned while Queen's Knight is on the field, I can automatically summon my Jack's Knight (1900/1000)." And just like that, the third card musketeer emerged. A young man in blue armour adorned in card suits like his compatriots. Silky blonde hair fell down the sides of his head and he looked out sternly at Ren's monsters.
"I know what you are thinking," Dimitri continued, not giving Ren the opportunity to speak. "These monsters are not strong enough to defeat your monsters. At least, not on their own. I now activate the spell card, Polymerization! I fuse my Jack, King and Queen's knights together to create a monster of great power. Come forth, Arcana Knight Joker (3800/2500)!"
The three musketeer knights disappeared as one into a swirling portal. After a few moments, golden light began to shine before a new knight emerged. It bore striking resemblance to Jack's Knight, only now he wore regal black armour and robes. As he emerged on the field, he drew his sword and clashed it against his large shield. The monster practically emanated power. He'd used up all the cards in his hand, but Dimitri now possessed the strongest monster on the field.
"Good card," Ren remarked, shielding his eyes from the knight's golden gleam.
"Indeed, this card served me well during many a battle," Dmitri said calmly, making sure to look at his new monster with nostalgic respect. "However, he will not be alone. I now activate my trap, Eternal Soul!"
Behind Dmitri, a stone tablet rose until it towered over Ra. Inscribed on its surface was an epitaph of the Dark Magician. "With this trap, once per turn, I can special summon my faithful servant from my hand or graveyard, so rise again, Dark Magician (2500/2100)!"
The tablet began to glow, its surface rippling like water before the legendary magician passed through, re-appearing on the field with his arms crossed. As he came to land beside him, Dimitri smiled. "And with his return comes more trouble for you," he explained. "For you see, with Eternal Soul on the field, the Dark Magician is unaffected by your card effects."
"Of course it is," Ren griped, rolling his eyes.
"Now go, Arcana Knight Joker! Slay his Buster Blader!" At Dimitri's command, the card-themed knight leapt into the fray, Buster Blader meeting him in the middle of the field. The two monsters traded blows, steel clashing steel. Each mighty blow sent sparks flying. But it was a hopeless battle. Deflecting one of Buster Blader's blows with his shield, the knight thrust his sword through the dragon slayer's chest, bursting the monster into pixels. (Ren: 2800LP)
Dmitri wasted no time in giving his next command. "And now, Dark Magician, attack Keeper of Dragon Magic! Dark Magic Attack!" The spellcaster opened fire immediately, raising his sceptre into the air as magical energy gathered around the gem. With a frightful cry, the sorcerer unleashed a powerful blast that collided with Ren's monster, causing an explosion that kicked up dust that engulfed Ren's side of the field. (Ren: 2600LP)
Dmitri couldn't stop his smile. In one move, he had decimated Ren's field, destroying his ace monster and taken out almost a quarter of his life points. He could hardly believe it. He felt a rush he hadn't felt in a long time. He was glad he was getting to experience this now. "You have fought well, however, the heart of the cards is with me in this fight."
"Is that so?"
It was a simple question, but it immediately made Dimitri freeze. The dust cloud was beginning to disperse and within, Dimitri could make out two shapes. Ren… and Keeper of Dragon Magic. "What? Impossible!"
"Poor choice of words. You knew I had a face-down after all." The cloud cleared, allowing Dimitri to clearly see what had happened. Ren now had a face-up trap on his field, one Dimitri was unfortunately familiar with.
"When you attacked, I activated my Dimension Guardian," Ren explained. "Sure, I took some damage, but my monster was saved."
"But… but if you had that, why didn't you save Buster Blader? It was stronger!" Dimitri cried in disbelief.
"Attack points aren't everything, Dimitri. The right card can turn anything around," Ren said, the hint of a smirk on his face. He was still keeping his emotions in check, but it seemed he may have finally been beginning to enjoy himself. "Now, are you done?"
Dimitri grit his teeth. Ren knew he couldn't do anything else. "Yes…"
"Then it's my draw!"
Turn 5: Ren - 2600LP - 4 cards in hand - 1 face-up monster and 2 face-up trap cards on the field
"To start this off, I'll activate the McGuffin, Pot of Greed," he said, drawing his two extra cards. His word choice was weird but having known him this long, Dimitri knew Ren liked to take the piss out of overpowered cards. He still used them of course but he was a bit of a hypocrite. Nevertheless, Ren's smile grew as he added his new cards to his hands.
"I now activate Keeper's effect once more, reviving my Summoned Skull!" For the third time, the legendary fiend rose in a glorious display of lightning before flipping face down. "I now activate Polymerization!" Ren cried, hoisting the spell aloft. "I fuse my face-down Skull with the King of the Swamp in my hand to summon another of my favourites! I call on the dragon of demonic lightning, Black Skull Dragon (3200/2500)!"
Summoned Skull flipped face up whilst the swamp monster appeared next to him and took the form of Red -Eyes Black Dragon. The two disappeared into a swirling portal. After a moment, purple lightning crackled as the familiar black, bone-armoured dragon emerged. At the call of its name, it let out a terrifying roar.
"The Black Skull Dragon. What memories that card brings back," Dmitri said, doing his best to maintain the persona, however, his deep voice cracked. Ren didn't grace his comment with a response.
"I also summon Divine Dragon Ragnarok (1500/1000)," he continued, summoning the ethereal, serpentine dragon to the field. Ren's field now had the monster advantage. And because he had left them all in attack mode, Dimitri had a good guess as to what was coming next. Sure enough, Ren pulled another card from his hand.
"Now, I activate the spell, United We Stand and equip it to Keeper of Dragon Magic, empowering him with eight hundred attack and defence points for every monster I control!" A golden aura surrounded the blue armoured mage, boosting his power. (2300-4700 ATK/1300/3700 DEF)
"Go, Keeper, destroy Arcana Knight Joker!" Ren roared, thrusting his hand forward. The draconic mage leapt into the air, its spear spinning it drew a magic circle in the air. Each motion carved a spell into the very foundations of the sky. When it finished, the circle began to glow ominously. Thunder cracked before lighting exploded from the spell, great bolts raining down the card-themed knight. It tried valiantly to protect itself, but its shield quickly cracked, incinerating the fabled knight in a great display of power. (Dimitri: 2800LP)
"No!" Dimitri cried as his strongest monster was wiped from the game.
"I'm not done. Black Skull Dragon, obliterate the Dark Magician!" Ren didn't let up. His fusion monster charged up a blast of electrified plasma before discharging it at the Dark Magician, once again blowing it off the board. (Dimitri: 2100 LP)
The explosion was so powerful that it forced Dimitri to cover his eyes to protect them from the light. However, when he looked back, he found himself face to face with Ren's remaining monster. Before he even had time to cry out, the dragon opened its maw and unleashed a blast of white light. It smacked into Dimitri head-on, knocking him off his feet. And while there was no physical pain, the attack had certainly hurt his pride. (Dimitri: 600LP)
Their work done, Ren's monsters returned to him, lining up in front of him protectively. Their maws and staff still steaming from their attacks. Ren himself stood tall, his expression one of sadness as he looked down on Dimitri's fallen form. It was a look Dimitri had been seeing a lot recently. He hated it.
Please, don't look at me like that. Don't pity me…
"I end my turn," Ren said unceremoniously, lowering his arm. "Make your move, Dimitri. This is what you wanted, right? To use Yugi's cards in a duel. To be the King of Games."
"That's not-!" Dimitri managed to stop himself from going further. The sudden turn of events had almost caused him to break character. All at once, every loss, every setback, it hit him. His legs suddenly felt like lead. It was hard to stand, he felt light-headed. And suddenly, everything he'd wanted to achieve tonight seemed pointless. Lowering his duel disk, his head fell. "I can't do this…" he said in his normal voice. "I just can't…"
"Hmm?" Ren's head cocked to the side.
"His voice…" Logan gasped.
"I'm sorry Ren, I really am. I didn't want things to work out like this. This was… This was supposed to be…" He couldn't finish the words, but still, he needed Ren to understand. So that when this was over, he wouldn't just think of him as a thief. He took a breath.
"I never told you why I started to duel, did I?" It was strange to say but neither of the two boys interrupted so Dimitri continued. "During the Battle City finals, my dad came home one day with a whole pack of cards. They were old, even at that point but he challenged me to a game. I didn't really know the rules at that point, but my dad taught me as we played. I barely knew what I was doing and I made misplays, but I won. I realised later that my dad had let me win, but the excitement, the joy I felt, it was real. I was so happy. I think that… I think I've been trying to recreate the feeling ever since…"
An awkward silence fell over the cliff face as the others waited for him to finish. He'd planned on revealing his motives after the game, but this was too embarrassing. "This was all pointless. I see that now. I'll surrender and give back the deck… I knew I'd be expelled. I just wanted… one last duel." He remained on his knees, head down, hot tears falling as his emotions got the better of him. "I feel so useless. I thought if I took it, I might finally be able to win. Yugi has always been my hero. I thought if I could perfectly emulate him, I might finally be able to feel that joy again. He had a connection with those cards! I thought if I used them too-"
"You're wrong about that!"
Dimitri's head shot up. Surprisingly, it wasn't Ren who had spoken, but Logan. He stepped forward, taking a stand next to Ren. "This wasn't pointless! If something is important, it is never pointless! If you have a goal in mind, you should do whatever it takes to achieve it! Yeah, okay, this was a pretty messed up way of doing it, but… well… uh…"
"You didn't plan that through, did you?" Ren asked.
"Shut up, it's hard coming up with stuff off the drop of a hat," Logan pouted. "Look, Dmitri, I know we don't really know each other but believe me when I say that I know how it is to feel useless. To feel like nothing you do will ever amount to anything. But keep going! If you give up, you just prove to everyone who ever put you down that that's where you deserved to be. Keep fighting, never give in!"
"That's easy for you to say," Dimitri mumbled. "You have a custom archetype, natural skill and good grades. What setbacks have you had?"
Logan's mouth opened but he didn't reply. His fists clenched and his face turned red. It looked like he was trying to hold something back. Thankfully for him, Ren stepped forward, saving him from saying something he'd probably regret.
"Dimitri, I can't tell you how sorry I am. I've been… I've been a terrible friend to you. I saw you were hurting, and I kept telling myself everything would work out. And by the time I realised I should have helped… it was too late. However, Logan is absolutely right. Your efforts haven't been pointless."
"Huh?"
"Dude, you probably know more about this game than most of the teachers. Every strategy you have seen, you know exactly how to use. You're like a duel chameleon. Seriously, you are incredible."
As Ren continued to lather on praise, Dimitri couldn't help but feel his spirits rise. Only to immediately deflate. "But I still lose," he whimpered.
"Of course you do," Ren said, his words hitting like a slap to the face. "Dimitri, you definitely have the skill to become a great duelist, but the reason you keep losing is that you refuse to adapt. Right now for instance. I've seen Yugi duel. Watched him duel hundreds of times. I know his moves, his strategies. People get on at me for using the same card Yugi does. As much as I hate to admit it, they're absolutely right. I do use 'Yugi cards'. They're useful. However, I have never tried to be him. My point is, I know what Yugi can do. Show me what you can do! Show me how Dimitri duels!"
Dimitri remained kneeling, looking at me like I had told him pigs could fly. I didn't know what was going through his head, and quite frankly, it wasn't my place to guess. Whatever was going through his head, whatever the decision he was coming to, it was his business. However, I refused to remain silent. Now that Dimitri had finally laid down his act, I could finally speak my mind.
"Let's finish this duel, Dimitri. You claim this will be your final duel at the academy, then throw everything you have at me! Fight! Show me what you are truly capable of!"
"Laying it on a bit thick, aren't you?" Logan whispered. I ignored him.
Dimitri stared at me a moment longer before slowly getting back up on to his feet. He looked down at the stolen cards and let out a long breath. "Okay… I'll fight. And… and I'll do it as me. Although with no cards in my hand, I don't know what I can do."
"Hey, believe in the heart of the cards." I couldn't help myself. With Dimitri back on his feet, I wanted to lighten the mood. Nonetheless, he grimaced.
"Man, it really does sound cringey when you say it like that."
Oh, but it's fine when you do it?
I kept my tongue held as Dimitri drew what may very well have been his final card.
Turn 6: Dimitri - 600LP - 1 card in hand - 1 face-up trap card on the field
"No way." He stared at his card in shock before shaking off, a new, honest, look of determination growing in his eyes. In his normal voice, he called, "I activate Card of Sanctity."
I could have laughed. As Dimitri takes the first potential step on a new path, the deck of the king gives him the card he needs to seize a new opportunity. This truly was an anime world. Fuckin' poetry.
We both drew our cards and Dimitri's grin grew. "I'll now activate the effect of Eternal Soul once more, bringing back the Dark Magician (2500/2100)!"
The tablet behind him glowed and immediately the legendary magician returned to the field. It had been nostalgic and exciting to see him at first. Less exciting now that he'd come back to use against me a third time. Still, I was interested to see what Dimitri's strategy was.
"I now play a very special card, Dark Magic Attack! I can only use this card when Dark Magician is on the field, but with it, I can destroy all your spell and trap cards!" As he spoke, I felt a chill. Why? His tone was eerily similar to Logan's when he used Judgement Dragon's effect.
I grimaced as the Dark Magician primed his sceptre and let out three blasts, destroying all the cards that had been empowering my Keeper of Dragon Magic, instantly bringing him crashing back to his normal strength. (4700-1800 ATK/ 3700-1300 DEF)
"With those out of the way, I'm finally getting rid of that nuisance! Dark Magician, attack Keeper of Dragon Magic!" The magician steadied his gaze and suddenly thrust his hand out towards my monster. There was a moment where everything seemed to be distorted before Keeper clutched at his head and shattered, his mind crushed. (Ren: 1900 LP)
While it was bad I had lost my fusion recycler, I was surprised when Dimitri went to grab another card from his hand.
"I'm sorry to tell you, but I'm not done," Dimitri continued. Strangely, while he spoke with his normal voice, his tone was now similar to… Alexis? What? "I now activate the quick play spell, Secrets of Dark Magic!" the Ra cried, rising the card high into the air as two ornate chalices rose from the ground that spewed purple smoke. "Get this, by tributing the Dark Magician, I can ritual summon a magician with the power to decimate your field!"
The legendary sorcerer was engulfed by the smoke, swallowing him whole. After a couple of seconds, a dull glow began to emanate from within. And then an azure magic circle appeared on the ground. It spun rapidly, creating a maelstrom that blew away the smoke, revealing Dimitri's new monster.
Beside me, Logan's eyes went wide, his mouth gawking. "What is that?" he gasped.
I was a little surprised he didn't know the monster until I remembered that Logan has died in the middle of 2018, whereas Dimitri's new monster had come out in my world at the end of that very year.
At first glance, it appeared to still be the Dark Magician. However, his robes were different. More extravagant and ornate. Black in colour with amethyst trim. His skin had turned blue and his hair gold. His arms remained folded but his sceptre levitated in the air in front of him, a permanent magic circle encircling the gem of the staff. Its mere presence left made my monsters shiver.
"Ren, meet the Magician of Chaos (2500/2100)!" Dimitri said, his voice, while not as impressive as his Yugi persona, beginning to sound more confident. "And let's not forget, it's still the battle phase. Magician of Chaos, strike down Divine Dragon Ragnarok!"
His new monster did as commanded. The magic circle surrounding its sceptre glowed brighter before letting out a torrent of magical flame. It swallowed up my dragon rendering him to ashes. (Ren: 900LP)
As the attack came to a stop, my gaze turned fierce. I could hear my heart pumping in my ears and was beginning to feel a familiar rush. "That was a good move, but I still have Black Skull Dragon," I reminded him, my dragon letting out a grunt of recognition.
"Heh, is that so?" Dimitri replied his tone now once again similar to Yugi. It was strange, he was definitely using his normal voice, but as he spoke, I was getting the vibe of different duelists. It was like he was switching on the fly. Was this the conclusion he had come to? Almost like he could hear my thoughts, Dimitri's grin grew larger. "I shall play two cards face down and end my move."
"That was impressive Dimitri, but are you sure you wanted to do that? You know how dangerous I am when I have cards in my hand," I poked, slightly shaking my right hand for emphasis.
"Maybe, but there's something I want to test, so I want you to be at your strongest," Dimitri chimed. "Give me your worst."
"Heh, that's more like it. Just remember, you asked for it!" I cried, ripping the top card away from my deck.
Turn 7: Ren - 900LP - 7 cards in hand - 1 face-up monster on the field
Thanks to Dimitri, I now had options. However, they'd do me little good if I didn't circumvent his Magician of Chaos. It was going to be a pain in the ass. I knew its effect. Once a move, when I activated a spell or trap, he could destroy a card on the field. I'd have to be careful what I played. Thankfully, Dimitri had given me a lot to work with.
"To start things off, I'll be activating one of my favourites, Future Fusion! I'm sure you know how this works. I show you a fusion monster and then send the required material to the graveyard. In two turns, I get my monster."
"I'll chain that with Magician of Chaos's effect," Dimtri called, taking the bait. "Since you activated a spell, I can destroy any card I choose, and the one I select is Black Skull Dragon!"
The chaos magician's staff glowed brighter before a thin stream of light shot from it, piercing through the heart of my dragon. There was a moment of calm before my dragon imposed. I raised my arm to protect myself, the gust threatening to knock me back, but I managed to hold my ground. He still hadn't stopped my spell.
"You may have quelled that dragon, but I have more! So, I'll show you my Five-Headed Dragon, and send five dragon's from my deck to the grave." I fished the necessary dragon's from my deck and placed them into my graveyard slot before taking another card from my hand. "Since you've shown me a new monster today, I'll do the same. I'll activate the spell, Dragon's Mirror! With this, I remove monster's from my graveyard to summon a dragon fusion monster!"
Dark mist rolled over the field and from it emerged a golden mirror. Following it, two familiar monsters rose from the fog. "I remove from play King of the Swamp and my Red Eyes Black Dragon to call forth a monster that will be sure to leave an impact!"
My two monsters were sucked into the golden mirror. There was a moment of silence before the glass cracked and a new monster broke free. It was giant with purple rocky scales. Cracks ran over its body from which hot magma could be seen running. It opened its emerald eyes and let out a ferocious roar.
"Meet Meteor Black Dragon (3500/2000)!" I cried victoriously.
"How long have you had that?" Dimitri cried, his eyes wide.
"Picked him up in a pack a couple of weeks ago," I explained. I refrained from mentioning I'd blown my money for that week buying a load of packs. I swear I'm not obsessed. "Anyway, Meteor Black Dragon, attack Magician of Chaos."
My monster reared back its head, a flaming comet growing within its maw. Letting out a sound similar to cracking thunder, it unleashed its attack. However, Dimitri did not seem phased.
"You've activated my trap card," he said, his tone again similar to Yugi's. "The reflective power of Mirror Force!"
"No!"
I'd been tricked. Just as I used Future Fusion to bait his Magician's effect, he'd use that effect to lull me into a false sense of security. It was too late now. The magical barrier had already risen. My dragon's attack clashed against it, shattering the barrier into pieces. Those pieces hovered in the air briefly before flying out and striking my dragon, slicing it to ribbons. In an instant, my dragon was gone.
"So much for your new dragon," Dimitri called, his tone normal again. "Bit anti-climactic."
"I still have cards to play. For one I'll activate Premature Burial and revive Buster Blader (2600/2300) (Ren:100 LP)" A portal opened in the ground and from it emerged my ace monster, his sword drawn and ready for battle.
"Buster Blader? Why not revive your dragon?" Dimitri called.
I let out a small chuckle. "You'd just use your magician's effect to destroy it next move. Besides, Buster Blader is the heart of this deck. In a duel like this, there's no way I'm not going to call him back." Almost as if he reflected my thinking, the dragon warrior nodded his head approvingly.
"It sounds more like you're serving him up on a platter. But to each their own." His words were harsh yet he sounded excited.
"For now I'll play three cards face down and end my turn," I said, the holographic cards appearing at my feet. "Your move."
Turn 8: Dimitri - 600LP - 2 cards in hand - 1 face-up monster, 1 face-up trap ard and 1 set card on the field.
Dimitri paused to look at his hand. I watched his face go through a range of emotions before he turned back to me. "Ren, I'm sorry I didn't understand what you've been trying to tell me all these months. Maybe if I had listened, we wouldn't be in this situation."
"Maybe…" I admitted. "But I should have done more."
"Once this duel is over, I'll return the deck and accept all the consequences that come to me. But I want you to know, that right now, I'm having so much fun."
"I'm glad," I said, smiling honestly. "Now show me what you can do."
"With pleasure. To start, I'll activate a little card known as Double Spell. I discard a spell and help myself to one of yours from your graveyard. So, I'll think I'll be using your Pot of Greed." He drew his two cards and his smile grew even brighter. "And since a spell was activated, Magician of Chaos's effect activates. This time, I'll take out one of your face downs. Hmm… how about the one on the left? Once again, the sceptre unleashed a blast of mystical energy that incinerated my trap. I couldn't help but grimace. The card Dimitri had destroyed was my own copy of Mirror Force. I'd been relying on it for a definite turnaround.
"I now reactivate Eternal Soul to revive Dark Magician (2500/2100) one more time." Once more, the Dark Magician rose from the grave, putting the eternal into Eternal Soul. Loved the card but it was becoming a bit of an eye sore.
"And now, because I control two spellcasters, I can activate this, Magic Gate of Miracles!" As he spoke, an ornate wooden gate appeared above him. It opened and two wooden hands sprang out and waved. I immediately felt a chill run down my spine. "First of all, I switch your Buster Blader to defence mode. And then, I can take control of it!" The hands reached across the field and took hold of the dragon warrior, dragging him over to Dimitri's side of the field where he took a knee.
"That was a cheeky trick," I growled.
Dimitri merely shrugged. "You told me to be myself. I thought about it, and I realised something. My strategy is other people's. If I can use their own cards against them, then I can throw them off. And so, I'm going to turn my game on and activate Fusion Recovery." As he spoke, his tone shifted, becoming that of a certain Slifer Red's. "With this, I'll be returning Queen's Knight and Polymerization to my hand." He eagerly fetched the two cards from the grave. "And now, I'll activate Polymerization! I fuse your Buster Blader with the Dark Magician to summon a monster of ultimate power!"
The two monsters disappeared into a swirling portal, their powers melding until a new monster emerged, one I was very familiar with. In appearance, it bore resemblance to the Dark Magician, only now he was garbed in robes similar in pattern to Buster Blader's armour. His sceptre now looked more like a spear than a magician's weapon of choice.
"Meet Dark Paladin (2900/2400)!" Dimitri cried victoriously as the magician took the field.
"You could say we know each other," I growled.
"Then you should know his effect. Much like Buster Blader, he gains five hundred attack points for every dragon on the field, or in the graveyard. And with your deck, that's fatal for you." A golden aura surrounded the sorcerer, its strength rising dramatically. (2900-6900 ATK)
"Oh shit," I grimaced. Seeing Dark Paladin brimming with power like this… it was utterly terrifying.
"It looks like this is the end, Ren. Dark Paladin, attack him directly!"
At his command, Dark Paladin pointed his spear towards me, dark power already brimming at its tip. In one fell swoop, it fired a torrent of magical energy in the shape of a dragon. I had but a single moment to act.
"I activate my face down, Waboku!" I cried out. A second before the attack hit, a clear barrier rose up around me, the attack splitting around it, leaving me free of harm and forcing his magician's attack to crash into the rocks behind me.
As the attack ceased, I let out a breath and relaxed. At that moment I realised my hand was trembling and a wide grin was spread across my face. As I looked across the field, I saw that Dimitri was the same.
"That was a good move," he said. "Should have guessed you'd still have a trick up your sleeve."
"You're not so bad yourself. Switching up your styles the way you have been, it's hard to keep up with you. Do you see now what you're capable of?"
He nodded. "I think I'm starting to get a clue. I've got so many ideas. So much I want to try…" he trailed off, his eyes growing a little sad before he shook his head and returned his gaze to me.
"Dimitri?"
"Heh… I really wish… I could have had this feeling sooner." There was a sombre moment of silence between us before Dimitri nodded his head. "There's nothing else I can do now. Make your move Ren. I've just shown you what I can do. Now show me what you are capable of."
Despite what I was feeling. Despite what I feared may happen to him… I couldn't refuse Dimitri. At this moment… he was finally facing me as a true duelist. Maybe he wasn't using a deck of his own, but he was finally playing as himself. I would also face him as a duelist.
And as I went to draw my card, I got a strange feeling, like a guiding hand pushing me forward and the clink of armour rang in my ear.
Turn 9: Ren - 100LP - 2 cards in hand – 1 set card and 1 face-up continuous spell on the field
Since it was the standby phase Future Fusion's counter went to one. Next turn, Five Headed Dragon would be summoned. I didn't plan on waiting that long. First of all though, I had to get around a couple of nuisances.
"To start off, I activate the spell, Raigeki!" It was a card I had included after the duel with Weevil and Rex. I didn't want the possibility of being swarmed by powerful monsters again.
All at once, enormous storm clouds gathered overhead. Thunder boomed and lightning cracked, the bolt seemingly coming together on a central point in the clouds.
"I won't let you!" Dimitri cried. "I activate Dark Paladin's effect! I discard a card and negate the activation of your spell!"
Dark Paladin rose his staff into the air and unleashed a wave of energy, instantly parting the storm clouds, rendering my spell null and void.
"Sorry about that buddy, but I can't have you destroying my monsters," Dimitri called.
I merely smiled. "Oh, don't worry, I had hoped you'd do that."
"What?"
"But more on that later. For now, I'll activate Card of Demise. This handy spell lets me draw until I have five cards in my hand. However, in five turns, I lose my entire hand." Dimitri gawked, knowing he'd been tricked, however, he quickly recovered. "Not so fast, Magician of Chaos's effect still activates. This time I'll destroy Future Fusion." My spell shattered, but I still took the much-desired cards into my hand.
"You may have stopped Five Headed Dragon from coming, but you won't be able to stop this! Go, Mystical Space Typhoon! I'll be using this to take out your Eternal Soul trap!"
"No!" Dimitri gasped as the familiar blue typhoon tore through the field and crashed into the stone tablet, the fierce winds demolishing the fragile relic. However, as the chunks flew through the air, they struck out flying toward Dimitri's monsters.
"When Eternal Soul is destroyed, all your monsters go with it, right?" I called.
Dimitri grimaced before throwing out his arm. "I activated my own copy of Dimension Guardian! With it, I'll protect Dark Paladin from harm."
The stone pieces continued their path of destruction, easily piecing Magician of Chaos and destroying the ritual monster. Dark Paladin was protected by a magical barrier that the stone pieces stuck and collapsed to the floor.
Dimitri let out a sigh of relief before looking back to me. "What now, Ren? I still have the strongest monster on the field, and I know there is nothing in your deck stronger than him."
I couldn't help but smirk. "Oh really?" Dimitri's smile dropped. "I'll now activate Emblem of the Dragon Destroyer! With it, I'll return Buster Blader back to my hand." Once more, I took my ace out of the graveyard and added him to my hand. "And now, I call upon the power of Monster Reborn! Come forth, Dark Magician (2500/2100)!"
For the umpteenth time this game, Dark Magician rose from the depths, only this time, he appeared on my side of the field. The legendary sorcerer was a lot more awe-inspiring when he was on your own field, let me tell you that. I could now see why Dimitri kept summoning him. Of course, he wouldn't be here for long.
"Now, I activate my second copy of Polymerization!" I called out, raising the card aloft.
"No way!" Dimitri cried, his eyes going wide in shock.
"What?" I heard Logan indignantly shout beside me.
Once more, Buster Blader appeared on the field before both he and Dark Magician disappeared into a spinning portal. From it emerged a sorcerer identical to the one on Dimitri's field.
"I call forth, Dark Paladin (2900/2400)!" I called out triumphantly, my secret weapon hitting the field and raising his spear challengingly towards his mirror image. Immediately, his effect took hold and a golden aura surrounded him, boosting his power for every dragon in my graveyard. (2900-6900 ATK)
"Man… you really do have a lot of Yugi cards," Dimitri gasped.
"Look who's talking." I couldn't help it. It had to be said.
Dimitri smiled wryly before shaking his head. "However, if you were hoping for a draw, you're out of luck. My paladin still has Dimension Guardian equipped to it. It can't be destroyed in battle."
"Oh, I know."
"Huh?"
"I still have one more card to play. Go, Creature Swap!"
Dimitri's eyes went wide before a laugh escaped him. "No way… You lucky bastard."
"I'm not that fond of believing in the heart of the cards, but I'll put my faith in treasure cards any day of the week. I take it you know what my spell does?"
"Yeah," Dimitri laughed. "We both select a monster, and then they switch fields. And since we both have one…"
"You get my paladin, and I get yours, equip cards and all." At once, our monsters spun around the field clockwise, both taking the other's spot on the field. "Battle! Dark Paladin, attack!" I called out.
Immediately both our monsters leapt into battle. Their battle was spectacular. They attacked first with their spears, the two weapons clashing against each other in a clash of sparks. The two leapt around each other, attacking with magic and slashes whenever able before finally, both charged as one. They both thrust their spears. My paladin was faster. His spear thrust through Dimitri's paladin's chest. There was a calm silence before the mirror copy went limp and shattered, leaving Dimitri defenceless.
"That was… intense…" the Ra remarked. Despite having lost his best monster, he still smiled brightly. "I still have life points, man. And you're out of cards. Is it my go?"
I smiled and shook my head. "I still have one final card, Dimitri. I reveal my face down, Call of the Haunted."
Dimitri gasped but quickly regained his composure, slightly lowering his head but still smiling. "You got me."
I nodded as I retrieved the appropriate card from the grave. "Rise, Black Dragon's Chick (800/500)" Dimitri laughed as the baby Red Eyes took to the field, letting out a small burst of flame as it appeared.
"You've got to be kidding me," he laughed. "I take it you sent that to the grave with Future Fusion?" I nodded my head and he laughed again. "I regret giving you that card now."
"If you hadn't, I might not be here," I said, chuckling. "Thank you again for that."
"What are friends for? Now… finish it."
I nodded before turning to the small dragon. "Black Dragon's Chick, attack him directly and end this duel."
The dragon obeyed. Opening its maw, small wisps of dark fire gathered before it unleashed the embers toward Dimitri. They washed over the Ra, and despite taking the remainder of his life points, he stayed standing with a small grin on his face.
(Dmitri: 0LP. Ren Wins.)
The duel done; the holograms faded. The waves calmed and even the breeze seemed a tad gentler. But Dimitri remained standing, his head held high. And while his eyes still glistened, his smile beamed brightly.
"That was a good duel. You really are incredible," he said, his tone lacking any animosity.
"Me? Did you see what you were doing back there?" I half-heartedly laughed. "Not gonna lie, you threw me for a loop when you started switching your style on the fly."
Dimitri looked down at his duel disk, the stolen deck nestled safely within. "I thought it would be a good idea at the time… I know its still kind of copying, but if my issue is predictability, then maybe I can throw them off their game by leaving them guessing and using their own cards against them."
"That'd be a good strategy." I walked over to him and threw my arm over his shoulder. "Maybe next time, don't steal to come to an epiphany."
"I'll keep that in mind," he chuckled nervously. Maybe I was trying to joke about this too soon.
"Uh, guys…"
Logan's call snapped us both back to reality. We turned to him only to see he was looking up at the cliff top. He did not look happy. A chill ran down my spine as I followed his gaze only to see almost half the student body staring down at us. Slifers, Ras and Obelisks alike gazed with looks of awe and surprise. Immediately, they began to clap and applaud, shouting out cheers of support for Dimitri and me.
It was at this moment that Zane, Alexis, Bastion and the Slifer Trio came out from the corner, Jaden looking a strange mixture of bummed and excited I didn't know was possible. Zane started to say something, probably something along the lines of canon, but I wasn't listening. I was still focused on the people shouting out their cheers.
They had seen everything. They had seen me win against one of Yugi's decks. They had seen me use Dark Paladin. They had heard me give a motivational speech about 'being yourself'. They heard me admit to using Yugi cards! Ugh, the cringe was unbearable.
Nooooo! Not again! I should have let Logan handle this and talked to Dimitri after…
"Ugh… my life is over…" I groaned, my head in my palms.
"Hey man, it was a sweet duel. I would have killed for the opportunity to go up against the King of Game's deck." Jaden walked beside me as we made our way to the display. For once he had been early for a school event. We'd met on the walk-in. I'd been surprised to see him out of bed before ten but then again, something like this was surely important to him.
His had gone ahead of Syrus and Chumley and I was going to meet Sadie. However, my excitement was hampered. After last night's festivities, I was mentally and physically drained. My PDA had been going off constantly with duel requests from people like Jaden who wanted to test themselves. It was Alexis all over again.
The aftermath of the duel went by as a blur. Zane gave a speech about how all duellists should always give their all, but with their own strength, not others. He spoke of the price of stealing, but that due to the good show Dimitri and I had put on, no one would say a thing.
After that, Zane took the deck and returned it to the exhibit with Jaden, Bastion, and the others. Due to Zane's trust with the faculty, he could tell them any bullshit about how they got the deck back and Crowler would believe him. He was probably just relieved he wouldn't be fired and didn't question anything.
Surprisingly, and maybe thankfully, Sadie hadn't been part of the group that had seen our match so she didn't know that the exhibition she'd worked hard to help arrange was almost ruined. Hopefully, she wouldn't find out. I just knew I'd be getting an earful.
"You know, you did a good thing," Jaden continued, "I haven't seen Dimitri that happy in a while. I think you really helped him."
"Yeah, but it was partially my fault he was even in that situation." I was glad Dimitri had discovered something in himself that he liked, but I couldn't help but feel guilty. I knew there was so much more I could have done. With my foreknowledge, with my position, this could have been avoided…
Jaden shook his head. "You can't think like that. You did try to support him, right? You renewed his love of the game. Don't do yourself down focusing on the past. Learn from it, man. You can't change the past, but the future is made to be changed."
I stopped moving and stared at Jaden, my eyes wide and mind blown. Jaden stopped too, looking at me in absolute confusion.
"What?"
"I'm sorry… that was just so insightful."
"And that's weird?"
"I mean, and don't take this the wrong way, it's just weird coming from you."
"Ha, well I do have my moments," Jaden laughed before gesturing for me to keep moving. "Now c'mon man, I want to see the decks!" He began walking faster with me struggling to keep up.
In fairness, he was right. There was nothing I could do about the past. It was set in stone. However, Jaden had also been wrong. His future was written. Kagemaru, Sartorius, Nightshroud. All their plans were already in motion. They were inevitable. And when they came, I'd have to fight. The war of shadows would come to Duel Academy soon enough, and I was still far from ready.
But I could worry about that another day. As we came to the exhibit hall, who else would we run into but Sadie and Dorothy manning the ticket and souvenir booths.
"Well hello boys," Dorothy greeted warmly, giving us both a wave. "You're certainly here early."
"I just couldn't wait another minute," Jaden said, practically bouncing on his feet.
"You're not the only one," Dorothy said looking towards the doors.
"Oh?" I looked over, the event doors were open, but I couldn't see anyone. I couldn't imagine many people would be up too early. I knew for a fact both Bastion and Dimitri were planning on coming later on. The latter was spending a little time clearing away the evidence from his room. If a teacher saw that… well…
"Tickets please," Sadie asked, her hand outstretched. After handing over our slips, she marked the back of our hands with a stamp. As she applied my mark, she let her fingers linger and smiled. "I'll catch you inside in a bit, yeah?"
"Really? I didn't think looking at cards would be your idea of a good time."
"True. But you like it though."
We both smiled, ignorant of the looks Dorothy was giving us. Finally, as Jaden and I were about to head inside, Ms Dorothy stopped us. "Hang on boys, don't forget your complimentary card packs." Reaching behind her little stall, she pulled out four packs, handing us two each. "These are being handed out to the first hundred people to enter. Each pack contains cards used commonly by the King of Games. Ren, dear, you'll probably really like them."
I practically deflated. "I don't use Yugi cards," I groaned.
"Oh really?" Jaden poked. "That's not what I heard."
"Uh… well… ugh… let's just go inside." I'd check out the packs later. Yugi used so many different archetypes it'd probably be hard to find something I could use. Maybe the odd spell?
Giving the two ladies a wave, we made our way into the event hall. The room itself was rather grandiose. Great banners of Yugi Muto hung from the walls, each showcasing him in various duelling positions, in almost all of them he wore the mass-produced KaibaCorp duel disk but I did notice a couple of him wearing the third generation disk. The room was organised with the displays in a circle with each display showcasing a different deck. Some of the displays were more high-tech than others, with holograms being used to show the cards that either couldn't be replicated or that Industrial Illusions refused to supply; basically the Egyptian God cards and pieces of Exodia.
And, just as Dorothy had mentioned, there were two other people in the room. And who should they be but Alexis and, surprisingly, Jasmine. As we walked in, the Obelisk Queen turned and gave us both a friendly wave. Jasmine also gave a smaller wave but she only side-eyed us as she did so. At least it was better than her normal haughtiness.
"Good morning, I'm surprised either of you is up," Alexis remarked.
"Well, we wanted to beat the queues," I remarked with a shrug.
"You just wanted tips for your deck," Alexis smirked.
"Is it so hard to believe I actually want to see the display?"
"Yes."
"Ugh… and yourself? Want to beat the queues too? And did Mindy not feel like joining you two? You guys are normally always together."
"Something like that," Alexis said good-naturedly. "As for Mindy-,"
"She's got a date," Jasmine growled. "She'll be coming by later." She was clearly thrilled about her friend's happiness.
"You don't approve?" I asked.
She shrugged but otherwise refrained from giving her opinion. Thankfully, Jaden came to rescue us from the now awkward conversation. "C'mon guys, enough talk about who or isn't here. Let's check out these decks! Duelling history right here!" Without waiting for us, he immediately made his way over to the first display containing the Yugi's Duelist Kingdom deck. Alexis and Jasmine followed after him but as I made to follow, something caught my eye.
It was a display in what would be the middle of the circle. What made it stand out from the others was that it was double the size of the other cases. Enraptured, I made my way over to it. Inside the case were two decks, one similar to Yugi's normal play style of using the Dark Magician, and the other a deck that utilised cards such as the magnet warriors, Silent Swordsman and Magician, and the infamous Gandora, Dragon of Destruction. These must have been the cards Dorothy had mentioned last week.
I could hardly believe it. I immediately knew these decks, and the purpose they had fulfilled. I was looking at the cards utilised by Yugi and Atem in their ceremonial duel to test their readiness to separate.
I couldn't believe that these had been included, that they had been known to be included. But then I read the description, and it became clear:
'While never used in the public domain, the inclusion of these decks was requested personally by Mr Muto. He explained that these decks were developed during a deeply personal time in Mr Muto's life. He hoped that the inclusion of these cards would be a reminder for those that there will be times in our lives when we may lose those closest to us. However, it is not truly the end. They are not forgotten. They live on in us. The lessons, the memories, and the joy they brought us and that came from them live on in our hearts and allow us to move forward.'
As I finished reading and looked back at the cards, I could almost feel the emotion that came from them. I could never hope to imagine how difficult it had been for Yugi and Atem to part as they did. The time they had with each other, the bond they nurtured and the things they learned from each other. Yugi now walked alone carrying those. To share even a glimpse of the thoughts he had on that moment, it was serene.
Placing my hand up to the glass, I closed my eyes and whispered, "Thank you."
I stayed there for a moment longer, looking at the cards until I felt a tug on my sleeve.
"Hey, you alright?" Alexis was suddenly at my side. "You're looking a bit sad. Is it about last night?"
I shook my head, giving her a bright smile. "Nah, just thinking about the past and future I guess."
"Really? That seems odd for you." She looked to the display case and cocked her head. "Hmm… never seen him use these before. What made you come over?"
"It just caught my eye," I lied.
"Hmm… fair enough." She paused briefly before speaking again. "Sorry, but I've got to ask. Yesterday, why didn't you use your Horus deck? I know you didn't know exactly what you'd be going up against, but Horus seems like the smarter choice. So why your dragons?"
"Truthfully, I did consider it," I said honestly. "But… it was just a feeling. Here… duels aren't just a game. They're a way of communicating, you know? I wanted to get through to Dimitri, and I didn't think I could do that with Horus."
Alexis was quiet for a moment, merely staring at me before a small smile spread across her lips. "I see. Thanks for answering. I'm gonna go back over to Jasmine. Catch you in a bit."
"Yeah, see you."
She walked away, leaving me once again alone with the display. However, this was only for a moment as once again, someone appeared at my side. "You know, you're supposed to walk around the displays," Sadie said, gently brushing up against my arm.
"Well, hello there. I thought you were manning the stall?"
"I still am. I just came to check on our patrons. However, I do have a quick question for you," she said, smiling a little too sweetly.
"Um sure, you know I'll answer if I can."
"Good. Good. So, what's this I hear about Dimitri stealing one of the decks?"
I knew it!
And with that, I have finished my longest chapter to date with over 20,000 words. In this story anyway. I really hope you guys enjoyed it.
Now, before I continue, I'm sure most of you have heard about the passing of the one and only Kazuki Takahashi. It is a terrible thing to have happened, but his memory lives on through everyone who will ever pick up a deck. He managed to bring together a community of thousands and that is a beautiful thing. May he rest in peace. This chapter goes out to him.
Now, I, unfortunately, haven't had the chance to reply to reviews from the last chapter but I want you to know that I have read every single one and I am so thankful for everyone's feedback. I'll be sure to reply to everyone once I've gotten some much-deserved sleep. I am utterly exhausted.
Please don't forget to fav, follow and leave a review with your thoughts. I am really looking forward to seeing you guys next time. The next chapter already has a name.
So I will see you in The Blair Affair.
Until then, I'll have to love you and leave you. Until next time.