The Path of a True King
Chapter 1- An Inspiration from Years Passed
The seconds hand on the clock passed by the number twelve in its smooth and elegant way of moving in a circular motion on the face of the clock which hung upon the brick wall behind the counter in the ice cream parlor.
A pair of violet-eyes stared intently at that clock watching as the minute hand struck twelve and the hour hand pointing to the six. Six o' clock…
"…She's late…"
The violet colored eyes belonged to the blonde haired young man who sat at the booth in the corner of the parlor, away from the prying eyes of the public and the sensitive ears of the gossiper. He calmly picked up the glass on the table in front of him, filled with a brown carbonated liquid, and lifted the dull glass edge to meet his lips as he sipped the iced liquid. A moment later, the sound of a little bell jingled above the front door to the parlor, the sound caught the blonde's attention. He lifted his gaze from his cup to a young woman approaching him.
"Sorry I'm late Jack," said the young woman trying to catch her breath, a nervous tone hinted in her voice. She took a seat at the table in front of him setting aside her green bag and adjusting the thick pair of glasses she wore in front of her eyes.
"For a minute there I was starting to get worried. But, knowing you, you probably got side tracked, again…" the young man, Jack, said as a smile appeared on his lips. He rested his arms on the table, crossing in front of him in a relaxed and casual manner.
"I did get side tracked," she admitted, a bright smile gracing her lips, "there was this cute notebook on display down a few blocks. I couldn't help but to stop and look."
"Typical Carly…" Jack stated slowly shaking his head and smiling. "Never early…even if it was her who scheduled to get together."
"I know…" the young woman, Carly, said as she looked down at the table, her cheeks lightly flushing in embarrassment. "But, like I've said before, it's hard being me…"
"Nobody's life is ever easy," he said in a lower, solemn tone casting his gaze upon the glass cup which he wrapped his fingers around. He was speaking from an experience all too familiar to him. As of a couple years ago his life had been changed dramatically with the loss of that turbo duel at the Fortune Cup. That loss had awoken him to the bitter reality of life and it was then he had to learn to cope with that loss and not to dwell on the past…
"Come now," Carly said in her cheerful reaching out her right hand and placing it on Jack's hand in a friendly manner, "let's not get so depressed about that. I established this get together so that you and I could have some fun. And gosh darn it; we're going to have some fun!" She had tightened her grip on his hand to show that she meant what she said.
A smile crossed his lips as he looked up from the glass to the girl who sat in front of him. She wore a smile on her thin, pink lips that was both cheerful and warming to see. He knew he would never tire from seeing the emotion she had so perfectly perfected in the couple of years he's known her.
"You're right…" Jack said with a light smile as Carly took her hand back. "I have no right to get depressed over something at a time like this." He picked up the cup again and brought the edge of the cup to his lips to take another sip from the glass.
A young lady approached the two sitting in the booth; she looked to be in her late teens, about seventeen or eighteen. By the red shirt, dark pants, and white apron it was apparent she was an employee at the parlor. In her left hand she held a pad of paper; she reached down into her apron to retrieve a pencil and held it in her right hand. She wore a perky smile on her lips and spoke in a cheerful tone.
"What can I get you?" the brunette waitress asked Carly.
"Oh, um…I'll take a Cherry Coke," Carly responded looking up at the young girl who jotted it down on the pad of paper, she adjusted her glasses pushing them back onto the bridge of her nose.
The waitress then told her that it would be a couple minutes and with a polite bow of her head she started off for the two big swinging doors that led to the kitchen in back.
"She didn't seem to be all that comfortable," Carly had observed looking over at Jack who set his cup down on the table.
"I could tell by the way she smiled, she really isn't that perky off work," he added quietly. It was something he was starting to realize, the people who put on acts to make themselves look good and the people who were naturally that way.
"So," she said changing the subject, she never did like to gossip about people, "I was thinking that we could head over to the park after we're done here."
"I don't mind," he said with a slight shrug of his broad shoulders, "Crow has been nagging me to get out of the shop and do something; he suggested I go to the park with the foster children."
"That sounded like it would've been fun. Getting to hang out with all those children who look up to you as a big brother," Carly said a smile crossing her lips. She hardly knew what it was like to live with siblings. After the death of her parents, she had grown accustom to being the only child living with her grandparents. She had made friends with a few girls here and there throughout grade school and high school, but none of them seemed to fill that place in her heart were a true sister would be…
"Would you like to go if I were to take them to the park?" Jack inquired to know.
"You know I love kids. I would be more than happy to tag along," Carly said with a giggle. Despite the fact that she was indeed twenty-years-old she still acted like a child, on some occasions she would pout if she didn't get her way.
"Great," he said in a relieved tone, a grin crossing his lips, "I know I can't handle all of those kids on my own. How does Saturday sound?"
"Sounds great to me!" she exclaimed with a beaming smile upon her thin lips.
The clock struck seven; the yellow sun now lingered on the horizon in the western sky… The street the parlor was located on was practically deserted.
The door to the parlor opened outward and out walked the tall young man; he stepped aside and held the door open for the shorter dark haired young woman as she followed right behind him carrying her green camera bag over her shoulder. She gave him a pleasant smile before he let the door swing shut. She adjusted her glasses as he stood next to her. She looked up at him before speaking.
"Well, shall we get a move on?" Carly asked thrusting her right thumb in the general direction of the park.
"Actually," Jack started, "before we head to the park, I would like to take you somewhere else." A light smile crossed his lips as her facial expression became inquisitive.
"Somewhere…? Like where?" she asked.
"You'll see…" he said smiling before turning and walking down the concrete sidewalk in the opposite direction of the park.
"Wait!" she shouted running to catch up with him. For a tall guy, he sure did walk fast. "Slow down!" She finally reached his side, struggling to keep up with his pace.
"If we slow down we won't get there in time," Jack said simply keeping his pace constant despite the girl struggling to keep up with him.
Carly decided that there was no use in trying to get him to slow down; after all, he was the "master of faster". She tried her best, despite how short she was compared to him, to match his speed.
"I can't keep up with you," she said giving up after five blocks of attempts.
"Here," he said. He stopped for a moment and stooped down in front of the reporter, the coattails of his white trench coat swooping downward creating a minor gust of air, "get on." He was offering to help her by carrying her on his back.
"But…I don't want to hurt you, I'll be fine-" she started before she was cut off.
"You won't hurt me, trust me…" he said as he glanced over his shoulder with a single violet-eye.
"I-if you say so…" she said unsurely and nervously.
She slung the strap of her camera case across her chest, that way it would be less likely to fall off. She then approached him from behind and wrapped her arms around his neck, trying not to choke him; he then wrapped his strong arms around her legs locking them between his biceps and his body as he stood back up. He shifted a little to get her into a comfortable position on his back, but he was careful not to overdo it.
"You ready?" he asked with a light smile on his lips. This was his first time in a long time he had carried her on his back.
"Mm-hm," she replied as she leaned forward, tightening her embrace on him a little more. He then proceeded to make the trip on foot to the place he had decided to take her.
It was nice not having to strain just to keep up with him. She breathed a silent sigh of relief as she rode upon his back; she looked over his left shoulder and watched as the concrete beneath them seemed to pass by faster from farther up. The motion stopped as the young man came to an intersection. He paused at the curb and looked both ways, making sure the road was clear to cross. Seeing as there were no automotives, he proceeded to cross the road covered in black tar with various white and yellow lines.
As much as she wanted to break this silence between them, she decided to keep her peace. She lowered her eyes from the street ahead to the white coat he wore practically every day… A soft smile crept its way across her lips upon her nose catching his unique scent, she moved her nose closer to his collar and inhaled softly trying not to make it seem so obvious. The one aroma that stood out the most was the detergent that had been used to wash his clothing in, the second was the faint aroma of the cologne he was wearing, and the third scent scheme was that of his hair, obviously the shampoo he had used when he showered last. All three of those different aromas combined created that one unique scent that she couldn't put the true name to, but the only name she could put to it was Jack. She enjoyed being this close to him, she enjoyed being able to inhale his lovely aroma…
"So how was America?" Jack asked trying to strike up a conversation with her, knowing that she had been on a trip to visit her relatives and grandparents for the past couple of weeks.
"It was all right. Nana and Papa are in good health for being in their late seventies," Carly said with a slight surprised tone in her voice, "and some of my uncles' have gone to Canada to hunt."
"Why such a large distance just to see and kill wildlife for the fun of it?" he asked trying to make the best sense out of it as he could. For one, he was thankful he had been born and raised as a duelist, not someone who was hot on killing animals for sport. America was a crazy place, from what he understood, and from what he's picked up from her numerous stories about her childhood, her uncles' would have to be the craziest men ever to walk on the face of the earth…
"I don't know," she replied honestly with a slight shrug of her shoulders, "maybe just to get out of the country for awhile and enjoy the summer the way God intended for us." She paused momentarily before speaking again. "Have you ever been to Canada?"
"No," he answered shortly after she imposed her question.
"I've been there before…once, when I was a little girl. The family traveled up to my Uncle Rick's cabin in Ontario, I remember sitting on the tire swing in the shade of the oak tree near the lake…on calm days I could see the white sandbar on the other side of the lake. I also remembered fishing with my uncle, I never would catch anything, but I enjoyed spending time with him, he would make me laugh with all of his stories about his childhood and what Uncle Dave, my father, and him would do with the other neighbor kids…" her words seemed to stop there as her thoughts trailed off. She lowered her eyes back down to the pavement below, fondly remembering the times she had spent with her favorite uncle, and if she could, she would go back and re-live all those times.
"Carly," he spoke, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"Hm…?" she said upon looking up.
"Do you want to return to America…for good?"
"Oh Jack," she started before giving him a gentle, friendly hug, "I know that I've said millions and millions of times how much I miss my family. I'm twenty-years-old now living in Japan, I have a job and caring friends. Out of my four years of living here in Neo Domino, I've managed to develop such a strong and close friendship with the most unlikely person of all, Jack Atlas. I know you're probably sick of hearing this, but I'll never get tired of saying it, I'm really glad we're such great friends Jack. And we have proved that point through the couple of years we have known each other, through thick and thin, we will always be there for each other, no matter what."
"So, you're saying you won't leave Neo Domino, because of our friendship?" he asked as he came to a stop at another intersection.
"Well, yeah. I mean, I don't want to risk losing such a friend, because I won't know what I'm missing out on, whether it was a new and exciting adventure, or a really good scoop," she said as he stepped off the curb and onto the road. "But if worse comes to worst, and I have no other options, I would have no other choice but to leave this city, and my friends, behind…I don't want it to reach that point, not now, not ever. Even though it may not feel like it, Neo Domino is my home; I'll make it my home."
"Your home may be here, but where's your heart?" he questioned, pointing out an obvious fact.
Truth was Carly didn't know where her heart was… Some days it would be back in America, other days it would be here in the city, but where it truly lies was beyond her at the moment. However, she did know one place where her warm, caring heart was…right here in this relationship she had with the duelist she called her friend. The size of her heart made it possible to keep all the love she had for her family and friends, it would be impossible for her to choose who she would have her heart finally rest with…
"I don't know where it is, Jack…" she admitted truthfully, her fingers finding the collar of his jacket. "I love my friends just as much as I love my family."
The thought slowly progressed to the back of both their minds as a calm silence filled the void between them. It seemed like time had sped up when Carly had slipped away into her thoughts, one minute she was flipping Jack's collar back and forth and the next she found herself being stood back on her feet. Jack had lowered himself so Carly could get down from his back without hurting herself. When she had both feet planted firmly on the metallic flooring, she found herself gazing across a very familiar view, the sparkling ocean down below which had been tinted a soft orange color due to the setting sun. She blinked her aquamarine-eyes feeling as though she had somehow gone back in time a few years ago to the first day she got to know Jack as a different person; that same young man now stood before her with his hands resting on the railing, looking out amongst the ocean. A gentle smile crossed her lips as she realized just how much he has changed… She adjusted the strap to her camera bag as she approached is side, hearing him exhale the salty ocean air.
"You know what today is, right?" Jack asked as he looked over at her. Carly shook her head not having the slightest idea of what he was referring to.
"How could you forget?" he asked. "How could you not remember the day you, Carly Nagisa, a simple reporter, inspired me, Jack Atlas, a riding duel has-been, to create and follow the path of the true Jack Atlas?"
"How could I not remember?" she asked looking up at him through her thick spectacles. She reached out her right hand and placed her hand on top of his left. "Because I've been too busy watching that same Jack Atlas grow and become the type of king everybody loves, one of the first stepping stones of his path to true greatness." A smile took form on her thin lips.
"This day, in our history, marks the third anniversary to the start of a great friendship between a duel king and a reporter," he said returning her smile.
He turned to her and opened his arms to her, welcoming her to share a hug with him in remembrance of this day. She reached out her arms and wrapped them around the young man, accepting his warm, friendly hug. In return, he wrapped his muscular arms around her skinny midsection, hugging her like times before.
"The old Jack died in the battle with Yusei. Now it's time for the new Jack Atlas to live!" Carly recited her lines from all those many years ago this day.
"There is no path of the King…there was never any path of the King. But if there's no path, I'll just build one by my own hands. The path of the true Jack Atlas," Jack recited the words he once told his assistant Mikage.
"I'm so proud of you!" Carly said with an energetic smile.
"It wouldn't be at all possible if I didn't have such a caring and encouraging person for a friend. I'm really honored to call you my friend," he spoke to the flattered young woman whose cheeks had turned a noticeable crimson color as his words sank in.
She laughed nervously trying to cover her flushing face; she reached back and rubbed the back of her head, "Now you've gone and made me blush!"
"After all these years, there has to be a way I can repay you for your generosity," he said.
"No, no, no, no!" she protested against the idea.
"Tell you what," he said, going on with the idea, "how about I take you out to the ice cream parlor after we bring the kids back froth the park."
"And maybe watch the sunset?" she added, deciding that it might not be all bad having him do something nice for her.
"Then I'll treat you to dinner," he smiled.
"But-" she was about to protest.
"It's all right Carly. I don't mind spending a few more coins on a meal, as long as we enjoy it," he insisted.
She smiled at him before they turned their attention to the ocean again. A moment later, the silence was broken by the dark haired girl shifting her weight to her left leg.
"So…" she started slowly as she looked back up at the duelist. "The path of the true Jack Atlas…how do you think it'll go?"
"Well," Jack started out thoughtfully as he shifted his weight from one leg to the other, "I believe it will start soon…very soon…"
Carly raised her brow in surprise, "You really think so?"
"I know so," Jack stated, "but there are certain factors that depend on it…"
"Really…? Like, say, you step on a bug in the next thirty minutes. Will that factor?" Carly asked completely oblivious to the randomness of her sentence.
Jack couldn't help but to smile a little at Carly's question. It wasn't quite a factor he had in mind, but it could have a big possibility.
"No, not quite like that…" he said as he pushed her forward again.
Carly giggled after finally realizing that she had just asked a random question. "Of course it wouldn't factor on those types of scales. One thing goes wrong, everything goes wrong…that would be just your luck…"
"I'm talking about factors like if I get a job, if I get married and have children, if I live in a house or an apartment, if I get divorced, and all that other stuff…" Jack said naming just a few examples that came to mind.
"Well, what do you want in life?" Carly asked as she neared him.
"What do I truly want?" he rephrased the question with emphasis on the word truly. He was surprised that someone was finally asking him.
"I-if it's not too much to ask…" the reporter added nervously. "Y-you don't have to if you don't want to…" She gazed up at him through her glasses; she could make out the far-off look in his eyes as he stared off across the ocean.
"It's the first time someone has asked me that…" Jack spoke softly closing his violet-eyes, the tone in his voice becoming serious. "My whole life I've never heard one person ask me what I truly wanted in life…"
Her arms found their way around his bicep, just like times before; she neared him, the right side of her face resting against his arm. "Well," she started out slowly, "here's your chance to tell someone."
He shifted his weight between each of his legs, trying to find comfortable position and buying some time to prepare himself. "No amount of fame, glory, or any of that could make me feel…loved. I want to obtain that certain someone who knows me on a personal level, and then one day be wed. I want to have a family; I want to be a father. I don't care how many children God decides to give me, as long as I can love them and care for them, I wouldn't mind if I have a dozen. I just want to be the father that…I never had…" he said in a softer tone. "I want my kids to grow up knowing that their father was always around, always there for them, always caring about them, and always supporting them… I want the want the chance to show the world just what kind of man lies beneath this tattered and worn exoskeleton. Even Jack Atlas, the ex-King, can move on down the path he has chosen and make something out of life. That's what I truly want in life."
"Jack…" his name escaped her lips within a whisper. The truth be told, she was impressed. In the back of her mind she suspected that there was more to him than what he was letting people know.
"Jack," she spoke again as she peered up at him through her spectacles. Upon receiving his attention, her usual perky smile appeared on her lips; she tightened her embrace on his arm, "I wish you the best of luck. I hope your lifelong desire come true."
A smile crossed his lips as he stared off at the horizon again. For some reason, telling Carly his desire in life made him feel…hopeful. And her optimistic attitude gave him the feeling that he could do anything if he just focused on it and was determined to achieve his goal… As he thought of all the things he could achieve in the future that would promote goodness and wealth in his life, a question came up… He looked over at the reporter who stood beside him, the side of her face resting against his arm, sort of relaxing after a long day. A relaxed sigh escaped her throat as she gazed off over the ocean, appearing to be in light thought herself. What would become of Carly when he would be living the life he's always dreamed of? He thought. Most importantly, how much would he be contributing to the prosperity of her life?
To Be Continued...