"We should start back," Alexis said as she stuffed the last of her sandwich.

I agreed but we had one more thing to discuss, "What about the cards and spirits?"

Of course, the moment I asked—those ungrateful little shits—had the nerve to start whimpering again, "I will burn every single one of you personally if you start crying again in the next half hour. Got it?" I said with the sternest voice I could muster and the whimpering stopped, "Good job."

"Jeez Mira, remind me to not get on your bad side," Jayden said as he drank the last sandwich down his throat.

"Oh please, we have been tiptoeing around this issue for the past fucking hour because every time I say one word about it they start bawling their eyes out," I fired off at the monkey, I was pissed already about having wasted my whole afternoon, now? I wanted to buy a flamethrower.

Alexis put a hand on my shoulder, "Calm down," her voice quietened down as she turned to Jayden, "She is right we have to decide. We are building decks with them but what sort of deck? They are a random jumble of archetypes. Bastion, any idea?"

His lips twisted, and I could see beneath that discomfort of having to deal with basically magic he was trying to be helpful, "I suppose they could work in Mira's deck since her deck's a very level independent deck, [Relinquished] is a level one ritual monster, he hardly requires anything. And her two new boss monsters, [Envoy of Beginning] and [Envoy of End] are also level independent."

He was trying to be helpful, helpful in convincing me to strangle him.

"Yeah, Mira has brought [Relinquished] out every duel she can use those dark and light monsters," Syrus threw his two cents in.

I sighed and pulled out my deck, started spreading it out on the ground, "Let me ask you. What do you people see here?"

"Your… deck?" Jayden unhelpfully added.

"Bastion you are always going on about balance and formula right? Tell me. What do you think will happen when I splash random monsters into this deck?" Bastion's lips twitched into a frown.

Finally, after a few minutes of waiting Bastion opened his mouth but was stopped by Chazz, "Her deck would be ruined."

"Thank you, Chazz, yes my deck would be ruined, Nine of my cards search ritual cards, Nine of my cards search cards that search ritual cards, Six of my cards are ritual cards, and Five of my cards draw cards. A third of my deck exists for ritual cards. I can not splash things randomly otherwise my gimmicky ass deck would be fucked," I elaborated to them all, they were being stupid if they thought I would add anything from that pile into my deck.

"Wo! Wo! Calm down, Mira," Jayden said and then looked at my deck again, "Yeah they weren't thinking. But none of us can work them into our decks, mine is Elemental hero-based, Alexis is Cyber, Chazz is Chitonina, Sy is roids…" Right Syrus, he can be the lamb.

"Syrus, show me your deck," Jayden's mouth stopped as I collected my deck and asked for the Midget beside him.

"Eh?" Syrus was not expecting to be brought into the conversation so he jumped.

"Let's get moving while we do. Syrus. Your Deck," He swallowed before complying, "Fine. Please be gentle."

"I will be, but let's get walking."

———

——

—

"You can not be serious, Syrus Truesdale. This is your deck?" The sun was past its peak, three the clock said some time ago and I would bet it was now five.

"Yes," Midget tried to stand his ground as we approached the Ra dorms, it was halfway between Obelisk and Slifer and so a good enough compromise.

"And you live with Jayden?" He meekly nodded, "You know the only good cards in your deck?"

He shook his head, and I nodded, "I would say you have nine good cards but no, in reality only three cards are any good."

"What? Only three? I knew it, let me guess one of them is the [Power bond] right?" For your deck? No.

"Mira, why don't you come inside then we criticise his deck," Bastion said and Jayden nodded.

"I am going to head back," Chazz said and hastily added, "I need to think of a few things."

I nodded at him, "You know what? It has already been a long day. Let's meet again after school tomorrow in a class and we can discuss things there."

He nodded as I handed Syrus his deck back, "We will be discussing your deck tomorrow and bring every card you have both inside and outside your deck. Got it, Truesdale?" He nodded meekly. Good.

"Bye then."

—————————————————————

"Do not forget to bring your assignments, tomorrow kids…" Crowler said as he concluded class and the crew started gathering at my desk, well mine and Alexis but who is counting her?

Everyone started taking seats that had been duly abandoned by our classmates. Crowler who noticed us came over, "And what is this meeting about?" He asked, his arms crossed, "Why have the best duellist minus Syrus (Hey!) Gathered here?" Crowler didn't even flinch as the rodent next to him shouted. Credit where credit is due, the man had a thick skull.

"Deck improvements…on that note I wanted to show you something, Doctor," He nodded as I dug out my card, "I present to you the latest addition to my deck, [Chaos Emperor Dragon," I said as I held out the card for the man who's dignified face cracked to a million pieces and so did Bastions, I forgot to tell him didn't I?

"But…there is only one [Chaos Emperor Dragon] in the world…." Now that was good, he rubbed his hand over the back checking for irregularities, "This is…real isn't it?"

"Yep, It is. The card is on par with a God's card Rarity," I answered.

"And she got it in a freaking well can you believe that?" Alexis said in a voice that was barely a whisper.

"Don't tell anyone, professor. It's for when things go to hell," I said and he nodded, "Well, I guess the [Black Lustre] still has some use then if you are not going to use [Chaos Emperor]. Good luck with your work. And you two Slackers. I will skin you two if my Obelisks are hindered."

He started walking off but I could see that his hands were trembling, he was playing it cool in front of his students.

"Why did you show him?" Alexis elbowed me, I rushed my hand forward and blocked her with my left hand, "He game he [Black Lustre.]"

"Wait Crowler did?" She froze as she took a deep breath.

"Yep, it's part of his prized collection right? I heard he won it from a tournament," Jayden asked.

Finally, Bastion.exe had rebooted and his lips started shaking, "That's…why is no one paying attention…" I stopped him.

"He materialised in front of me in the well and I accepted him into my deck," Yep. One hundred per cent reality.

"What…?"

I ignored the lordling, "So, guys. I was thinking last night since Duel spirits are real. What about shadow duels?"

"What about them…you couldn't be suggesting that those are real, could you? Then those duels in the Battle city?" Bastion stopped as each word harboured a new realisation in him.

"I am not just suggesting, I am damn sure they were," I said almost offhandedly, leaning back into my chair, "Well nothing for us to worry about. Who would come after children right?"

"Now Syrus about your deck…"

—————————————————————

"You are kidding me," I gave Jayden, Midget and Alexis the most deadpan face possible.

This is good.

"You three got involved with a shadow duelist! The same fucking night!?" I shouted again, "What made you think going to an abandoned dorm rumoured for having been shut down due to shadow duels was a good fucking idea!?"

Outwardly I was pissed as hell, inwardly I wanted to jump for joy because I was now going to be able to grill the spirits for info about them without coming off as an up-and-coming shadow dualist myself. Ahhhh good times.

"Agh, whatever, so what do you three want?" I said as I lay down on the grass, Bastion was with us and Chazz was…I have no clue.

"So, you know that I kinda ran away from you yesterday?" Syrus said and I remember that it did happen when I was forcing the 'well' cards onto him.

"So, mind giving my deck a tune-up?" I looked him dead in the eye and decided I could not be bothered, "Your deck is fine. I thought about it last night everyone makes their deck. And it is stupid to force a deck down someone's throat. Just practise and you will be fine in the tag duel."

Yes, I just gave the 'believe in yourself speech' or was it 'be yourself,' I don't care.

Now about those rejected cards, meh, everyone thinks that I tried hard to make them work, I don't care what happens to them now.

As for why I am sure Jayden will win, well, I have not seen any deviation from the anime except that three-boat duel, so it should be all fine.

—————————————————————

The tag duel happened, and Jayden won, as expected. I say Jayden won because he carried the game. From the first card to the last. Syrus was so utterly irrelevant that I forgot about him till he managed to pull off a good fusion play and help him win.

But that's all in the past.

I sat in the class with Alexis and our—still not sure—two lackeys spectating. I was expecting the shadow riders' plot to kick off any day now and having gilled the spirits I learned nothing more than what wagering souls was about.

Now, why was I waiting for the Riders? Well two answers, Camula and Banner. First, for her vampiric immortality and the second for any other form of it, he had found.

Well, as I crossed my legs and waited for Crowler to start class Chazz entered the class and took his seat. He had learned to keep his mouth shut around us. Possibly the fact that we were both girls he had a shot with—totally—and are beautiful had a hand in that matter. But around his peers, he was like a king. "Ice tea and feet rub," I admire that about him, back in my previous life my school certificates were all forged.

"Get it yourself," His lackey said. Wait what? Oh right, his character arc was about to start. Good luck oh Chazzy-way.

"Doesn't he know?" The attention of the entire room was drawn to them, "Guess not."

"What's the big idea?" Chazz stood up and asked.

"Chazz where are you sitting?" Another blueberry asked him, "My seat?"

"Sorry but that's not your seat anymore, it's Bastion's," He said.

I could see the lips turn and the rage ignite, he did not like being treated that way, "Says who?"

"Look at the name," The blueberry pointed out, and as Chazz turned his face turned red hot, "What are you talking about, look…" He paused and his name was gone, replaced by Bastion.

Oh, this was going to be some drama.

Panic settled in his movements as he turned towards his last hope, not knowing it was that very hope that had turned on him, "Professor Crowler! Tell them this is a mistake…my seat is right here."

"Oh Chazz, you have to sit amongst your equals, and since you lost to who was it? Yes, Jayden, you will sit in Bastion's place and he will be in yours. And if you lose to him this Sunday in a promotion duel? Permanently." Crowler said and Chazz paled.

And everyone in the room descended on the laughingstock of the day.

I nudged my partner, "You know what would be super fun?"

She looked concerned, she knew I was about to do something that would be horrible mischief, "Oh come on, I am just helping a friend." And repaying the [Lustre] soldier favour, after this Chazz I won't even come to your funeral.

"Fine," She said in resignation.

I stood up from my seat, "Hey Chazz! Come on! You are just one row down from us."

The boisterous laughter coming from the rest instantly froze and the first comment I heard was, "Isn't that an upgrade?"

Then I laughed, "Obviously it is."

Then Bastion entered the room, "What is going on here? And why am I being moved away from my friends?"

I gave him my widest smile, "So you just got hustled Bastion, you sitting in Chazz's place and he got yours."

"Well, that most certainly is not where I want to be…" He was cut off, and both of us were,

"I…I WILL NOT BE A YELLOW!" He shouted and ran out, the whole class started laughing again and I just sat back down.

"What a fool, I had taken control of the situation so well. He would have gotten off scot-free. With his reputation intact. But I guess his ego couldn't take it," I said to Alexis but did not suppress my volume.

I had an opportunity to look like a good friend who got pissed at his foolish one, so I took it.

I am such a bitch. I love it.

———

——

—

It was the crack of the eleventh hour and nature weaved a beautiful symphony away from all the hustle and bustle of the dorm. But I was not out here to enjoy it. I was here to take advantage of Chazz one last time before he fucked off.

I had seen Bastion's deck before, and I remembered it, well not fully, but I was willing to bet that neither did Chazz.

Why? Because I was going to swipe Bastion's cards with replica cards. Similar quality just no nano chips.

I walked slowly to the Ra dorms after confirming that Chazz was still in his room. Well, I didn't know that I just knew that he had not left yet. How? I started employing the homeless spirits, I just sat down and was real with them.

They weren't all that useful in my duelling but as tiny spies. Good things. On a side note, I remembered that I did not find any Ojamas but meh, probably something about Chazz being Digi-destined for them.

Arriving at the Ra dorm I found myself slightly baffled at the utter lack of security and especially the lack of locks on the windows. I entered Bastion's room through the window and swapped the cards from the deck that was kept in plain sight.

I had put them all in a plastic wrapper, I was betting on Chazz not checking the cards in a hurry and just grabbing the plastic and lobbing the cards over.

I took the cards and vanished out and as I slipped out I saw a figure with very Chazz-like hair sneak by. Well, get fucked Chazz.

———

——

—

"No one calls me a liar and no one calls me a thief," Chazz proclaimed to an empty stadium with the only residents being the Slifer duo, Blonde, Zane, Crowler and Bastion.

"Fine, then you are not. Let's just have our duel shall we?" Bastion said as the picture of calm, but you make out the unevenness of his voice.

"But how Bastion? You don't have your deck," Jayden asked.

"A good duelist always has a spare deck. Or a few of them, you saw all of my different formulas. Well, they were all of my different decks!" He ripped off his jacket in a dramatic reveal and said, "Each one! As powerful as the next!"

Then I walked in, I made sure to wear heeled boots for the dramatic clicking they made on the floor as well. All eyes turned to me as I walked in with one hand on my waist and the other holding the strap of a deck holster, "Then I guess you don't need this deck?"

"Mira?"

"What?"

Ah, I am a bitch.

I tossed the deck to the wiz kid, "Catch Bastion. I had a hunch so I swiped your cards with replicas."

He caught the deck and as soon as he did he opened it, "My cards, just as I left them. Tell me, do you have eyes and ears everywhere in the academy?"

I laughed at how quickly he caught on, "Just a few around key areas. Ever since that Perverted Midget prank at the girl's dorm, I started keeping them open."

"Mira you too?" Chazz asked with a stricken look, I just shrugged, "No favourites between friends Chazz, if it's any consolation. If all his decks are just as good as each other? Then I am damn sure you can crush him."

"Oh crush him I will and then you! Come on Bastion! Let's duel!" He shouted as he took his side of the arena, Bastion for his part smiled at me, "You really needn't have bothered. I was not going to use it anyway. And I look forward to proving you wrong about his chances."

I shook my head, "Good luck to you two," I said as I walked over to stand next to the remaining Quad.

"So? Are you joining me in complaining about Chazz?" Alexis said as I stood next to her, she was smiling too but she hid a righteous rage behind it, "What do you mean?"

"You saw him right?" I shook my head.

"Someone stole Bastion's deck and that someone was me, but I only did it for safekeeping," I turned to one duelist, "Bastion! You forgive me for swiping your deck right?"

He laughed, "More than that, I will help you with your deck and make you dinner! Now let me duel!"

"See? Bastion doesn't care about me stealing his deck, you shouldn't either," I ignored the date invite as I was not going.

She palmed her head, "That's not what this is about! This is about getting a wanna-be deck thief to justice. No one messes with someone's deck and gets away with it!"

"Alexis, you know something? Bastion knew that it was not his deck that went into the water," She stopped and even Zane was now fully focused on us, "He had his cards signed with formulas after all."

"So that's why he was not worried," She realised. Yep, I nodded, "He was probably counting on the thief to be a fool and use it sooner or later and then catch them. Besides, it was kept in plain sight like it was intended to be stolen. Also, ask yourself this, why would he be carrying his six decks on him and one left out in a room with still drying paint?"

"Mira!" Bastion interrupted me from behind his Water dragon, "I am starting to wonder if you did it to help me or to expose all of my countermeasures to the world. And now would you watch me destroy Chazz or not?"

"As I said already, I don't discriminate between friends," I rolled my eyes at him, "Well you should be watching to learn my deck then."

"What? The fact that Water Dragon makes the attack points of all Pyromaniacs zero?" Be nodded, "So you know the card?"

I shrugged, "One of my opponents tried to use it against me, I just showed him a bigger Dragon."

"Aye, now Water Dragon! End this Duel!"

The water flowed out flooding Chazz with a tidal wave of water.

Chazz-0

"A well-played duel Chazz but not well enough." He commented and Chazz shouted back, "Pure luck. You drew a lucky card and stumbled into the win!"

"Perhaps. But luck favours the prepared and I was prepared to beat you with a half dozen other cards as well. Sorry, you would have lost the duel one way or another. But deny it if you want, just like you denied trying to throw my cards into the water had it not been for Mira," Bastion truly had a disappointed face as he said the last part.

"Yeah? Well, prove it," Come on Chazz you just look desperate, like a villain in his third-act breakdown.

"If you insist," He said as he pulled the deck box cover and flipped it open, there was a formula on there too.

"I fished it out of the water. I suppose you could have done it but the maths would have been wrong and it's not," Oh cold burn, well if I did it, I won't have even understood the equation, to begin with.

"Chazz, you lied, you cheated and still lost! You deserve to be demoted."

"This can't be…" Chazz curled up into the ground. And we all ignored him.

"Well, Bastion Misawa, welcome to Obelisk blue," Crowler said as he walked up to him.

"No. I must decline that invitation," His eyes were sharp as he gave a sidelong look to the doctor.

"What? What for?" Crowler asked.

"When I first arrived at the island I swore I would only move up to Obelisk blue when I was the best freshman duelist in the class. Maira, Jayden and Alexis, of all the new freshman duelists in the class you three are still in the way," He said with such seriousness that I almost forgot we were talking about Yugioh…ugh what has my life come to.

"Wanna settle this right now? Seeing you two duel made me want to get my game on." Jayden spoke up, he had been too involved in the duel to talk to us when I and Alexis were fighting or maybe he just didn't want to be dragged into it. Uncharastically smart, I must say.

"Sorry not now," Bastion declined, "Why not?" Jayden asked and I could almost answer for him.

"Because he has a lot more formulas to crack before that, right?" Bastion smiled, "Yes, a lot of work is left. You are a good duelist Jayden and I plan to be ready."

—————————————————————