I want to get 100 reviews on at least one story.
The guys and I had spent a total of almost three hours away from Zora. I think that did the trick because when we got back, we didn't see any cars or loiterers hanging around the workshop. That Akiza girl I met at the bar kind of got to me. She wanted to have success in her life but doesn't believe she can get there. I hope she found something inside herself from my little talk with her.
"So gentlemen, did my idea go over well with you?" Jack bubbled verbally. "At least I was brave enough to come up with something. You guys didn't object to it."
"The only reason we didn't object to it was because it was the only idea out there," Crow protested. "I wasn't going to certainly do anything that would've gotten us kicked out or arrested."
"Your logic stands true," Atlas stood by in agreement. "What about you, Yusei? Did you change your tune when we got in?"
"I'm not going to say yes or no in regards to that," I tried to diffuse the situation. "I did manage to talk to one of the dancers. She was pretty, in my opinion."
"If you do see her again, just don't let her sink her claws into you," Jack yawned from atop the stairs. "She could be a spy for all we know, trying to get a better knowledge of our plans for the upcoming grand prix."
"Where are you going?" Crow spouted.
"I'm going to sleep, Mr. Carrot Top," the former champ zinged. "If there's one thing I believe in, it's getting a good night's sleep." His soliloquy ended right there and he sauntered up to get his rest.
"Carrot Top?" the Blackwing duelist quizzed. "Touché, Jack. Touché." He stretched his arms out and followed Jack's lead to hit the sack.
"I'll go to sleep soon," I informed my friend. "I'll just do some…..stuff for a little bit."
"All right bud," Crow yawned. "Take it easy."
My watched showed twenty minutes until eleven o'clock as I stood in the kitchen, piling together various meats and vegetables into a small hoagie bun. Usually, whenever my mind was restless, I like to have a hearty sandwich. Calms me down. My mind was still stuck on that girl from the club. Was Akiza really content doing what she did? She said she wanted to be a duelist but didn't have anyone to help her progress. My friends and I didn't have any formal training and we have our reputations as turbo duelists. I demolished my hoagie in a few bites and called it a day right there.
As I slumbered away into a deep sleep, a late-night thunderstorm rolled in. On most occasions, I wouldn't even notice the rain come through until someone pointed it out to me. This night, in particular, was different. What jarred me from my slumber was a series of urgent knocks at the front door. I rolled onto the floor and slowly shuffled my way to the door, still hearing the knocking. As I passed Jack's doorway, a bottle flung past my face and shattered on the wall to my left. Good thing on my part that the bottle was empty.
"Get the frickin' door, somebody," Jack commanded. "And if you don't, I won't hesitate to throw another empty Jack Daniels at you." I shook my head in the darkness that covered me from his view and continued to shuffle my way to the front door. Eventually, after shuffling for several minutes (teetering between consciousness and sleep), I undid the locks, pulled the door open, and got an unexpected surprise.
Before me stood Akiza, shivering like crazy, a backpack on her shoulders, an umbrella in one hand, and her only source of warmth and shield from the rain was a lightly tattered USC hooded sweatshirt.
"Akiza, what are you doing here?" I yawned questioningly. "Come inside. It's raining out there." I guided her indoors and relocked the door. She handed her backpack and umbrella off to me and I took them to the rack where we kept out helmets. The dancer slowly took in the sights around her as she slowly stepped down the ramp.
"Is this a workshop or something?" Akiza pondered aloud as I came back to her.
"It is," I verified her assumption. "Our landlord was nice enough to let my friends and I crash here. The only thing we have to be careful of is making her mad whenever we're working."
"You don't say," she commented back.
"How and why did you find me here?" I asked right to the point.
"Well, right before you and your friends drove off, I managed to snap a picture of your ride on my camera," Akiza explained. "After my shift was over, I gathered my things together and walked a good distance towards the city before one of those security cops stopped and gave me a lift. His face kinda struck me as odd; he had a scar that resembled stitches. Anyway, I showed him the photo of your ride and he brought me here."
"Well, that covers the how," I listed. "Now the why."
"I couldn't get the conversation you and I had out of my head," she continued speaking. "You were the only person that was willing to talk to me and not ask me put on a show. If you say you can duel using cards other people don't want, I would sure like to learn about dueling from you."
"Well, I'm not sure what I could teach you, but I'll give it a shot," I replied with an air of confidence. Her eyes lit up and she wrapped her arms tightly around me.
"Thanks a million Yusei," Akiza said in gratitude. "I won't disappoint you." I slipped out of her grasp and silently dashed upstairs. She didn't wait too long as I came back with a hand-knit blanket and pillow in my hands.
"What are those for?" she wondered.
"You should get some sleep," I told her, handing her the blanket and pillow. "You had a rough journey getting here."
"That's understandable," the dancer agreed. She turned her head around and saw a couch right behind her. After undoing the bun and letting her hair unfurl, Akiza got comfortable as I stuck the pillow (plenty fluffed) under her head and laid the blanket over her.
"Anything else I can do for you?" I asked her.
"Nothing that I can think of," she waved off. "This is more than enough."
"In that case, get all the sleep you can," I responded. "If you need me, just look for a door next to a pile of shattered glass. And for your sake, try to avoid the shattered glass."
"I'll keep that in mind Yusei," Akiza chuckled warmly. "Good night."
Well, what do you all think of the follow-up? Did everyone seem like their normal selves or was there anyone out of their element? If you all want to see something out of the ordinary, just tell me what. Hope you're all enjoying this thus far. Keep on reading.