"Well this is great." The helicopter didn't have enough fuel to take Arlene, Bryon and Fay all the way to Duel Academy, so they landed on the very island that Bryon and Arlene had been stuck on.
"Don't be so negative, ARLENE!" Bryon replied cheerily. Currently, the three of them were making another means of transportation to Duel Academy. "It's just like old times!"
"Whatever you say. I'll get some food." Arlene wandered off, trying to sift through her thoughts in the hopes that it would make things clear.
I can't even believe that Hamon made me confused about my friends. Saying Adela and Michael had...Michael... The three of them had searched the Begia base but found no signs of Michael. Their only leads were the bodies of two Begia guards, both of whom had been shot. Did Michael kill them as well? Arlene quickly shook her head to try and clear her thoughts, but instead managed to bring up the past. Bryon telling me I'm an amateur...Ethan getting infected...Fay losing and "dying"...snap out of it! I just don't know anymore! Arlene found that her feet had taken her so far away from the others she could no longer see the beach they were on. She sunk to her knees and buried her head.
Duel Academy Island had changed. There were no longer any students left to roam the island, replaced by Begia members. The main building of the island was being used to store the children needed for the Fate cards, as well as the students of the island whose Fates had been sealed. Hayden was quietly reflecting about his stay on Duel Academy.
Why did Hamon change? When he came back from Egypt he was different. Suddenly obsessed with Duel Monsters. He taught us all how to duel and everything. Then he used children... Hayden gave an involuntary shudder and felt the top of his shoulder, as if checking to see whether or not something was there. Then I just had to stay here. It was either that or remain in the giant test tube. A strong blast of wind swept by him, momentarily bringing him away from his thoughts, but soon he had delved back into his mind. Hamon asked me to check the island. Use that device. He wouldn't tell me what it was for, but it kept flashing everywhere I went. Same for Adela and Clayton... Hayden clenched his fists. Caleb...why is he here? His thoughts were interrupted by his phone ringing.
"Hello, Hayden speaking."
"Yeah, hi." Hayden recognised the voice almost immediately.
"Oh. Caleb."
"Yeah, it's me. Listen, I need you to do me a favour and let me borrow your Balance Warriors..."
"Fuck off."
"Hear me out, will you?"
"Just use your own deck to kick the ass of the five year old you're going to duel."
"Actually it's Arlene Ramirez." Hayden snorted.
"What, you only just found that out? You're a bit slow."
"Shut up! Are you going to lend me it or not?"
"No way in hell. Just duel her with your Union monsters." Hayden hung up.
I can't believe three kids are going to try and shut down the Duel Academy Operation. Didn't they remember we have tracking devices on that Britt girl? I don't see why Hamon's making a big fuss of them. Fay's lost a good number of times, Bryon's deck doesn't even come close to being able to win, and Arlene... Hayden smirked as he remembered dueling her. A nervous wreck at the sight of Dark Kirud? I doubt we'll have problems there.
"Arlene! You finally came back!" Neither Fay nor Bryon had noticed that Arlene was in a worse mood than before she'd left. "Sit down, sit down!" Arlene reluctantly did so. "So, what's for eating?"
"...What?" Arlene was vaguely aware that someone was talking to her.
"You FORGOT to get FOOD?" Bryon stared at her in disbelief. When Arlene said nothing, Bryon got up and left, presumably to look for food.
"Arlene? You okay?" Arlene burst into tears.
"I don't know what to do anymore! I think that something's right and that everything else is wrong, and then suddenly everything's turned on its head! I thought we were the good ones, I thought we'd never do anything THEY did!"
"Arlene, what are you talking about?"
"Oh come on, Fay! Bryon set fire to the dorms twice, Adela's killed someone, so's Michael and..." Arlene stopped, not wanting to talk about what Hamon had said about Fay.
"And what?" Arlene shook her head, causing Fay to get angry. "AND WHAT?"
"...And all those dark emotions in you." Fay looked extremely angry.
"You're kidding. YOU'RE KIDDING! I have dark thoughts and that makes me EVIL? What the hell are you thinking? There's no-one on the planet that doesn't think dark thoughts at some point!"
"What about the Fate cards?" Arlene's voice was almost a whisper, choked with tears.
"When I told you about the Fate cards you were okay with it! You said so what!"
"I can't help it!" Arlene sobbed. "All of these thoughts have been in my head and I need to sort them out! People on our side have killed..."
"I can't believe what I'm hearing." Fay clenched her fists and after a few moments of thought punched the ground. "What brought all of this on?"
"Hamon and Ethan."
"You trust your brother when he's infected? You TRUST Hamon more than us? You take his word over ours? Look, you can't see the world in just two colours, because it isn't like that. We are not solely evil or solely good, and you have to learn to live with that." The silence was punctured much later by the sounds of Bryon coming back, though he also fell silent after hearing what Arlene had to say.
"The boat's ready." There was no celebrations from Bryon and no comments from Arlene. The three of them simply looked on at the pale moon and boarded the raft after getting it started, and made their way slowly back to Duel Academy.
The second arc is done! To commemorate the event, I've put together a little sequence to some music. If you're not really into that kind of thing, then just sit tight for the next part. If you're curious, read on! The music is "In the Light" by Full Blown Rose and can be found on the Elektra Soundtrack, or just type it in to youtube and listen to it.
(Instrumental Opening)
We see the dark blue ocean illuminated by the moon. We then focus on the raft, with Arlene staring out at the sea.
Winter winds have gone and faded
Arlene is staring up at the moon. We can only see the back of her.
I told the skies of thoughts of grey
A close up of the back of Arlene's face, with her hair being whipped to and fro by the wind.
Tears upon my pillow laying, a child lost to pain
We see flashes from Arlene's memory: Fay, Adela, Ethan, Michael. We still cannot see her face.
I'll pray for better days
We finally see a close up of Arlene's face as the final face flashes in Arlene's memory: Bryon, which cuts to...
Lift me up, lead me from this place
A flashback to the duel between Arlene and Bryon when the dorms were burning. We see Arlene collapsing to the ground.
Let your love be mercy on my face
Bryon standing by the cliff, then stepping off it. We then see a shadow of Ethan which leads to...
Rising up, I changed before your eyes
Flashback of Ethan being infected for the first time, and staring maliciously at Arlene.
Out of darkness, standing in the light
Flashback of Hamon talking to Arlene. We cut back to Arlene in the present. The camera goes up to the moon and...
Heaven hoped you'd come and change me
...comes back down on Michael and Erick walking along a dirt track.
Out of that, just make me whole
Close up of Michael's face, we see a mix of anger and sadness in his eyes.
Lift me up, and recreate me and help me overcome
Michael stops and punches the ground, then holds his fist in his other hand.
Myself, lead me from hell
A single tear falls from Michael's face as he stares at the ground, overcome.
Lift me up, lead me from this place
We see Michael staring at a green test tube with a small girl contained inside. He tentatively touches the glass.
Let your love me mine, see on my face
Michael hammers on the glass and is restrained by nearby security guards.
Rising up, I change before your eyes
A split screen of Michael and Arlene staring down at the ground.
Out of darkness, standing in the light
Continued split screen of Arlene and Michael. The two look up at the sky, the music fades and then fade to black.
Tada! Liked it? Didn't like it? PM me if you want to tell me your thoughts about it, otherwise see you next chapter.