"I don't get it, why are we waiting here?"
Syrus looked over at Jaden and frowned. He had been forced to practically drag his new friend from the helicopter to the docks, where they were now watching a dingy barge be unloaded. "Because all our suitcases are on the ship, Jay. Remember, we had to pack everything ahead of time?"
Jaden grinned, scratching his head. "Oh yea, totally slipped my mind. Besides…" He took out his deck. "This is the only thing that really matters, and I never go anywhere without it."
"I hope underwear and t-shirts are a close second Jaden, because I don't think you'll fit in mine."
The sailors were just beginning to unload the first of the packs. And by unload, both students realized this meant throw things onto the dock, not caring if anything was broken or if a bag fell in the water. Slifer students were rushing over, desperate to grab their possession and head to the dorms.
"Hey Syrus, I thought you said that this boat was for all Silfer Students."
"It is." Syrus said, not taking his eyes away from the growing pile of duffle bags and luggage.
Jaden frowned. "Then why is there an Obelisk Blue student here?" He pointed to the far end of the docks, where a light brown haired man stood; wearing an altered White blazer. The ends had been extended, and the coat now hung to his knees. Next to him was a young girl dressed in a silfer, her dark hair billowing slightly.
"I don't know." Syrus said.
"Well, I'm going to find out!" Jaden said with a laugh, racing over towards the pair.
"Jaden! You can't….your bag….oh, wait up!" Syrus cried out, chasing after his friend.
&&&
"How was the copter?" Arliss asked, watching the clouds pass lazily overhead. "I hope it wasn't too rough on ya."
"No, it was good." Vanessa said. "Never been in a helicopter before…it was really fun. It's not like a plane…with a plane it's so….I don't know how to describe it. IT's just different with a plane." She blushed. "Sorry, I'm babbling."
"I don't mind none." Arliss said smoothly, his fingers working through his hair to straighten it and place the wayward bangs back in place. "I like it when you babble, find it charmin'."
Vanessa scrunched up her nose. "You find babbling charming?"
"Yup. Love listenin' to you talk. Kinda like how people always say they enjoy listenin' to the British talk, or us southerners drawl on. To them, and to us, it's just talkin'. But to you all, it's like some strange form of music."
Vanessa blushed harder, her face almost matching her blazer. "It just sounds more cultured."
"You obviously have never seen an episode of COPS." Arliss stated. "Seen more proud southern men give my fair home a foul name with their behavior. But back to the point, I enjoy listenin' to you, love your babbles. It's a charmin' little quirk."
"A quirk?" Vanessa asked.
"In the nicest sense of the word."
"Hey!"
The two looked over to see another silfer duelist running towards them, carelessly shoving people out of the way. Arliss grimaced, just for a moment, before a small smile fell upon his face and he wrapped an arm around Vanessa. The girl let out a squeak as he pulled her flush against his side. His fingers gently massaging her side for a moment, making her quiver.
The boy panted, resting his hands on his knees, before he bolted up and held out a hand. "Hey man, names Jaden Yuki! Who are you, and what are you doing on the Silfer Dock? Is this some kind of strange ritual, or are you a lost? Oh, I know, you are dating this irl huh?"
Arliss looked down at Vanessa and smirked. "Now his babbling…?"
"Jay….I told you….to wait…for me!"
Jaden rubbed the back of his neck, shifting from foot to foot. "Sorry Sy, I was just stooked to meet this guy. Syrus, this is…uh…whats your names again?"
"This fine lady is Miss Nessa Fox."
"Vanessa."
He ignored the correction of his pet name for her. "And I am Mr. Arliss Lockehart."
"Arliss?" Syrus asked. "Are you the guy that jumped into that duel?"
"If I wasn't, then I must have a doppelganger."
"A doppel-whater?" Jaden asked.
"A double…a clone…" He sighed. "Like the card."
"OH!" Jaden cried out, flashing a grin. "Now a remember…hey, that was a funny joke!" he elbowed Syrus. "I thought you said that all those Obelisk duelists were snobby and had no sense of humor."
"Well…uh…what I meant…"
"As fun as it is talkin' to you boys about my actions durin' that there duel, I am curious as to why you chose to come stormin' up to us."
Jaden thrusted his hands into hispockets, rocking back and forth on his heels. "Just wanted to find out why you weren't at your own docks, getting your luggage."
"Already moved in, Jaden." Arliss replied. "Crowler brought me in early, let me get all set up."
"So you just came down here for the view?" Syrus asked.
"That, but formost to talk to this fine lady." Arliss said, giving Vanessa a squeeze. "Hadn't seen her since she won her match, and wanted to make sure my new friend was all settled in. Volenteered to help her get all settled in and all." He looked down at the girl in question, who was chewing on her lip. "Ain't that right Nessa?"
"IT's not a problem." She said softly. "I don't mind moving in myself…"
"Nonesense." Arliss said, letting go of her. "Now, you stay here with Syrus and Jaden, and I'll get all three of your bags."
"You don't have too…" Syrus began.
"Thanks a bunch man!" Jaden exclaimed, giving Arliss another rapid handshake. "I think you and Iwill get along just fine."
"Oh, maybe." Arliss said, his whole body language suggesting that Jaden's comment was way off. He strode over to the sailors and began to talk with them.
Vanessa looked at Jaden and Syrus shyly, smiling ever so slightly. "So…you both Slifers too?"
"Yea." Jaden said, sitting down on the dock's edge. "We both sucked at the written portion."
"But atleast you did well on your duel exam." Syrus said. "I think Doctor Crowler only made you a Silfer because he's mad you beat him."
"You…You beat doctor crowler?" Vanessa stammered.
"Yea, no biggie." Jaden said, his voice alone letting Vanessa know that he was telling the truth.
"Seems like a big deal to me. I almost didn't beat my proctor."
Syrus nodded. "Oh yea, I remember that duel…you ended up beating him with a shadowstalker…"
"Shadowslayer." Vanessa snapped, both boys flinching at the cold hard tone she used. Vanessa herself seemed surprised by the way she reacted, and gave them a watery smile. "Sorry…didn't mean for it to sound so…"
"Don't worry about it!" Jaden said, swinging his legs back and forth. "I would be mad too if someone mispronounced one of my cards' name." He lookedover at her. "That was a wicked cool card though…you wanna trade?" He began to fish around in his deck box. "I got some killer spells and traps…"
"No thanks." Vanessa said quickly.
Jaden seemed crestfallen. "You sure?"
"Yea, it doesn't seem like your type of card." Syrus admitted.
Vanessa shrugged. "It isn't….but Arliss gave it to me…it wouldn't be fair to just…give it away." She looked over at Arliss, who had placed his hand on the first mate of the boat's shoulder. "Wonder what they are talking about."
"Sure they are just having a friendly chat." Syrus said.
&&&
Pain
The first mate swore he could feel the bones in his shoulder cracking as the strange duelist squeezed just a bit harder. The sailor was not a weak man, not by any short means. He ate right, he did 500 pushups a day, he could bench 200 pounds. Once, while on shore leave, he had been attacked in an alley by 3 men, and cleaned all of their clocks. He was not a pushover.
So why was it that this young duelist was making him almost cry?
"Now, I know Miss Fox did not leave her bag open, with her undergarments hanging out…and I know she did not pack a pair of panties that had greasy fingerprints on them." Arliss' voice was low, his face not betraying his rage. To anyone watching, it seemed like he was perfectly calm, even chipper. "So what happened there skippy? Did ya see her pink bag and figure you would tug a few out? Thought it was fine to use her garments for your own sick needs?" The first mate whimpered as Arliss increased the pressure. "And let me guess…some of her jewelry was 'lost'…what with the poor way it was packed and the rockin' of your boat."
"I didn't…"
"That's right." Arliss hissed. "You didn't. You better pray you didn't…because if you did, or if any of your mates did, I will personally not only recover said items, I am goin' to collect the insurance payment for said items…and you don't want to know how I collect things." He plastered a grin on his face and turned to Vanessa. "Vanessa, could you come here?"
"What are you…"
"Did I give you permission to speak, boy?" Arliss growled, letting his thumb grind into the sailor's muscles, making the man whimper.
"What is…what happened to my bag?" Vanessa asked, kneeling down to look it over.
"It seems that while grabbin' some other items, our dear Mr…" Arliss looked at the first mate.
"Gibbs."
"Gibbs, accidently pulled on your duffle too hard, and it popped open. He tried his hardest to put everything a-way, one or two items might have slipped out. Would you please check while I have a word with Mr. Gibbs and the captain?"
Vanessa nodded, and began to look over her belongs as Arliss pulled the first mate over to the captain.
"MR. Gibbs, who is this…"
"Lockehart." Arliss said. "I believe that tells you enough."
The captain nodded quickly. "Yes…I was told by the other captains…I wished to inform you that your other packages…"
"Are already on the island. I know, I already checked. What I wants to know, is if my package from this boat is ready to be brought off."
The captain frowned, and leaned in. "Mr. Arliss…I am afraid that, with the stricter rules placed on us by the school for the Slifer belongings…your package can't be delivered here. I would be willing to make a late night trip…"
"Using more of my money?" Arliss said. "You tryin' to cheat me boy?" He glanced at the first mate. "Mr. Gibbs here is learnin' why you don't cheat Arliss Lockehart. I suppose you want a lesson too?"
"What are you talking about…"
Arliss leaned in close. "I know that you and your boys like to steal from these kids. You know that if they say a word, the school will believe you over them. But what you don't know is, that I am very, very good friends with Doctor crowler. Would you like me to give him a ring, let him know what I saw? I am sure, when I press upon him that after this, I don't feel safe about my belongings being on your fellow captains' boats, he will be imposing new, stricter rules on them as well." Arliss licke dhis lips. "Wonder what those captains will say to you for mucking up their operation…"
"What do you want?" The captain hissed.
"Everything you stole…not just from this voyage either. I want everything you have taken and kept on this ship in a crate and on this deck in 5 minutes, or there will be hell to pay." He was about to continue, when he heard Vanessa call out to him, letting him know that she was missing some panties, as well as some earrings her mother had given her. "Well, seems like this is her lucky day, as you will be able to look for her. Why don't you hurry and get those things for me? Mr. Gibbs and I need to go have a chat while I inspect my package."
"We can't unload…"
"I am merely checkin' on it Need to make sure you ain't robbin' me either." Arliss said in response. He pushed Mr. Gibbs forward, the man trembling, eyes pleading the captain to help him. "5 minutes."
&&&
5 minutes and 2 seconds later
"I am sorry about the mix up Miss Fox." The captain said, gritting his teeth as he handed her the rest of her belongings. "I can't imagine how these got lost…but I hope everything is cleared up?"
Vanessa smiled, putting the earrings in her pocket. "Yes. Thank you sir."
"Hey captain guy!" Jaden called out. "what's in the box?"
The captain watched in anger as his men wheeled a small crate, roughly the size of a tv, onto the dock and set it next to them. Inside were dvds, electronics, cash, jewelry, as well as clothing and other odds and ends that had been 'misplaced' during their journeys to and from the academy.
"Mr. Lockehart had some…personal items that were left behind when the Obelisk Blue boat set sail from port. We agreed to bring it to him."
The three duelists nodded, and were about to ask where Arliss was, when the sound of an engine reving caused everyone still on the dock to turn their head and listen to the strange noise coming from the barge. The captain frowned, and began to mutter something, calling out to the sailors to stop whatever was happening.
"What is that sound?" Syrus asked.
"I don't know Sy, it sounds like…"
Jaden was cut off when the noise grew louder, and from the boat's haul, a motorcycle burst forth, pulling a wheelie and flying off the boat and landing beside them. Perched upon it sat Arliss, sporting a grin.
"Well don't be just standin' there, gapin' at me Nessa!" Arliss laughed, reaching down and securing both her bag and his new crate of goodies to the luggage rack that was attached to the end of the cycle. "Hope on, I'm goin' take you to the Slifer dorm in style!"
"I don't know…" She said, backing away. "Not really into motorcycles…"
"Come on, I must insist. With your bag all messed up, and with the excitement of the day, I would never expect you to walk that long way to your dorm…it's clear all across the other side of the island!"
"I'll ride with you!" Jaden said, pushing Vanessa away. "It's a long walk for me too!"
"You need the exercise." Arliss replied, gently shoving Jaden into Syrus' arms, both falling back.
"What about Vanessa?" Syrus asked.
Vanessa looked over at the short duelist. "W-what do you mean, 'what about Vanessa?' Is there something wrong…?"
Syrus' eyes tripled in size. "I mean…I was going to say…well…"
"He thinks you're chunky." Jaden offered.
"Arliss?" She looked over at him.
Arliss sighed. "Totally wrong, you are quite charming. Couldn't get any sexier."
Vanessa frowned, looking up the trail. "I could use to loss a pound…" She began to jog up the trail, leaving Arliss glaring at the two slifers.
"Uh…oops?" Syrus asked.
Arliss glared at the two of them and took off, leaving the two coughing from the exhaust.