Spirit Caller
Chapter Eight
8
What Makes a Duelist?
The two stumbled in together causing a lot of unnessacary noise.
"S-Sorry I'm late!" Connar called out, louder than she meant to. From up in the seating, she heard Chazz slam his hands on his desk.
"Will you be quiet!?" he hissed," Some of us are planning to pass this test!"
"Test!?" Connar gasped. She completely forgot there was an exam today.
"SHHHHHH!" the entire class shushed her and she blushed deeply.
"Oops..." She muttered to herself and groaned softly hiding her face behind her hand.
Stupid dream...
she thought to herself.
It's got me all sorts of out of wack today...
She sighed as Professor Banner motioned for her to come down.
"Jaden has already received his exam, , I suggest you hurry now and do the same."
"...Yes sir..." She muttered while her surrounding class mates began snickering all around her.
'Come get my exam' he says...
she sighed.
I'll be lucky if I will even be able to finish this exam...
She glanced up at the clock.
Judging by the time... they're about 20 minutes into this thing already...
Part of the reason she was late was not only on top of over sleeping from her restless night, but as she and Jaden arrived to the school they met a woman who was struggling to push a truck up the incline to the school. Jaden was a gentleman and helped her out, and Connar worked as a guide to help them be able to move until they reached level ground again. Of course, she'd never snitch, so she took her punishment with dignity.
"Man...I can't believe I actually passed that exam~" Connar beamed and sighed in a happy relief
I was lucky.
she thought to herself.
The exam was pretty easy.
"Man, I wish I could say the same." Syrus sighed.
"Maybe next time studying might do you better than an all night Slifer Seiance, Sy~" Jaden snickered.
"Him!?" Connar blinked,"What about you?" she giggled,"You slept right through the exam! I wouldn't be surprised if you fail."
"Nah, not likely." Jaden laughed as he stretched and yawned from his nap,"I may flunk now and then...but I never fail~"
"Say...come to think." Connar blinked and glanced around the barren classroom,"Where is everyone?"
"Good question." said Jaden,"I wanna get out of class as bad as the next guy but this seems like an extreme extent..."
"You don't know much, do you?" Bastion Misawa chimed in, attracting the attention of the three Slifer friends,"Everyone wants to be first to get their hands on the new shipment of cards to soup up their decks before the upcoming field exam." he explained.
"New cards!?" Connar blinked.
"So then...why aren't you going, Bastion?" asked Jaden.
"Oh please. One misfit card and my deck's delicate balance would be completely thrown off." he stated.
"Mine, wouldn't!" Said Syrus.
"So then what are we waiting for Sy?" said Jaden."Let's get going, you coming Connar?"
"No thanks." said Connar,"My father says if a Duelist can't trust in his or her own cards, then they are hardly worth the title."
"Suit yourself." Jaden shrugged,"Catch you later, let's go Sy!"
"Right!"
Connar and Bastion stayed behind, watching the two boys dart ahead to the card shop.
"So...your father sounds like quite a serious duelist." He stated, startling Connar.
"Oh...you don't know the half of it..." she muttered.
If I'm not careful, I might say too much...!
"S-So, Misawa!" she chimed, trying to change the sibject,"You sound like a pretty serious duelist yourself!" she shated,"You trust your deck so much you don't want to risk anything throwing it off balance, I think that's awesome!" she smiled sweetly.
"Ah...No need for the last name formalities..." he said slightly blushing. He must feel embarassed to be called in honorifics.
It came with Connar's raising, so she sometimes forgets that not everyone talks the way she does.
"Yes, well." he coughed and cleared his throat,"My Formulas are always perfect, of course I wouldn't want to risk anything." he said,"So then shall we head to the Duel Field for our field exams?"
"Yeah that's probably a good idea...: she chuckled reaching around to check on her deck holster that...wasn't there.
"Uh-Oh..." a pale expression covered Connar's face.
"What's the matter?" Bastion blinked.
"Uh...I uh..." she gulped,"I...forgot my deck."
"Oh my..." said Bastion,"That's certainly not good at all." he pondered a moment,"If my calculations are correct, I doubt you will be able to run all the way back to your dorm and still make it to the Duel Field in time."
"Yeah...you're right." she whimpered softly and dropped her head down in defeat.
I can't believe I forgot my deck!
She thought to herself.
I know exactly where it is too!
She sighed.
She had left her deck next to her on the small nightstand she had shipped from home.
"I could loan you one of my decks if you want." said Bastion.
"What? Bastion...are you serious?"
"Of course I would expect it back." he explained as he slowly unfastened his Ra Yellow jacket and opened its flaps, revealing to Connar, his six card holsters,"I carry six decks, each formula carefully calculated, No matter which you choose, there's absolutely no way you could lose!"
"Wow, that's...really cool, Bastion."
Connar was touched by his kind offer. Perhaps he was much nicer than she had thought he would be for being top of the first year class. But she gave him a gentle smile and slowly shook her head from side to side.
"That's really nice of you Misa- I mean, Bastion, but I'm afraid I must politely decline."
"But...are you sure?" he blinked,"You would be putting your grade at risk."
"Maybe so." she said,"But My father also says, A Duelist should play and win with their own cards." she explained,"And someone important once told me, that there's no way a duelist could bond with a deck that's not their own."
"Hmmm." Bastion gave a smile and an understanding nod,"Very well but then...are you sure you're not worried?" he asked,"How did you do on your written exam then?"
"Oh, I aced it." she said nonchalantly,"Perfect score."
"You don't say!?" Bastion seemed shocked to hear this,"You scored perfect despite being late? I saym I might have an intelctual rival on my hands..."
"Yeah, well..." she scratched her cheek and chuckled awkwardly,"Let's just say I received a strict...education."
It seems being an heiress has his benefits as far as education is concerned...
She sighed and went quiet for a while.
"Hmm...so I see." he chuckled softly,"Well then, if you insist on going without, shall we head off then?"
Connar nodded.
"At the very least, I can cheer for my friends to do their best."
"Very kind of you, haha." he chuckled,"Hope I count too!"
The two laughed lightly together as they walked down the hall toward the Duel Field.
To Be Continued
