Growth
Everyone is back in the classroom, the professor began teaching again. The duel was over Adam was furious deep down not because he lost, but to whom he lost to. He knows that he's going to have to put up with Zack's annoying I'm better than you attitude. Adam tries his best to pay attention to the lesson at hand, without making eye contact with Zack. The professor hands out worksheets for the class to work on, it has various different spell cards on it and you have to fill in the blanks, like what does this card do and what type is it. They work on them until the bell rang for lunch they make their way to the cafeteria which is on the same floor.
"Hey, Adam are you ok." Starr asked as they walked to the cafeteria.
"No, I'm not!" He blurted out. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to raise my voice at you."
"Yeah do that again and I'll smack you." She joked.
"I'm not mad per say, I'm just annoyed and frustrated, I could have lost to anyone at this school but no, on the first day I had to lose to that prick, and now I wont be able to live it down."
They walk into the cafeteria and stand in line. A couple of Obelisk students bump Adams arms as they walk by.
"Watch what your doing satellite loser."
"Really your going to say that, to the dude that has been standing here for a while now." Adam flinches towards them, they jump back "get out of my face before I beat your asses."
Zack walks in shortly after, he sees Adam as he walks by and stops, he looks at him and shrugs his shoulders and walks away.
"Ugh…..I hate that arrogant bastard, I cant wait to get a rematch."
"Mate chill out." Starr stated. "You lost deal with it, all you can do now is learn from your mistakes and keep improving."
"Ya, your right." he agreed.
They got their food and sat down next to Uzo who already close to done eating his food.
"Guys, what are these things called, they are so delicious." Uzo asks.
"They're called tots." Adam replied.
"Im going to get me more." He said as he left.
The cafeteria is bubbling with different conversations, people introducing themselves making clicks, there are some who are sitting alone. Uzo comes back to the table and the conversation continues between the group, but Adam not as talkative like he usually is, he still frustrated about losing. After some time the bell rings and the students make their way back to class, they continue working on their worksheet with light chatter in the room because the professor allowed it, as long they don't get to loud. Adams's almost done with his and out the corner of his eye he see he sees Uzo eating something.
"Yo Uzo let me get one." He whispers.
While chewing Uzo goes into his pocket and pulls out two tots and puts them in Adams hand and he gestures to Starr as saying give her the other one. She takes the tot from Adam and they all simultaneously ate one. The warm crispy potato taste so good the all let out a hmmmm. A slifer red student in front of them turn around and sees Uzo eating another one.
"Psssst, hey let me get one?" He asked in a low tone.
"No," he whispered back. "I only share with my family and my friends and I don't know you."
"Come on please they didn't have anymore when I got to the cafeteria."
"That's not my problem so stop asking."
"Ok fine, be that way."
The kid turns back around.
"Excuse me professor this kid behind me is smacking on some food and its really disturbing."
"Is this true Mr….Ihejirika."
Uzo shakes his head yes and then mean mugs the kid in front of him whose's looking back at him.
"Please come down here and throw them away and you bet not eat another one on your way down."
Uzo gets up from his seat and walks down the stair and is now standing it front of the professor who is holding the trash can up. He goes into his pocket and take out the last of his tots and looks at them with with puppy dog eyes then looks at the professor.
"Nice try, but that wont work on me. Now hurry up and throw them away." While he gently shakes the can at him.
He quickly pops one in his mouth and throws the others aways. The professor almost stops him from eating one. He sends him back to his seat.
"Let this be a lesson for all of you if you are caught eating in this auditorium you well help the custodians clean this room, understand."
Everyone nods their heads yes. While Uzo was still walking to his seat mumbling in Swahili, he stare downs the kid that snitched on him, as he passes a swift motion of Uzo hand smacks the back of the head of the student, at seeing this Adam and Starr laugh.
"Tell on me again, and I'll skin you like a lion." He threatened.
The kid minded his own business after that. People started turning in their worksheet and the class starts to get louder because class was about to end.
"Class may I get your attention for a second, the school is throwing a welcome party for all the students so we will be having a bon fire down at the beach it will start at 6pm. There will be hot dogs, burgers, shrimp kabobs and many other foods, so show up and have a good time."
The bell rings and people start to leave to go to there dorms and some just hung around the school. Adam and his friends are talking in the corridor.
"Ok guys," Adam announced. "I need to get to work, Starr can you save me a seat at the bon fire?"
"Sure thing mate," as she gives a two finger salute and winks at him.
Uzo and Adam high five each other, Adam walks away from his friends and walks to the maintenance room. He's in front of the door and knocks on it, Sly opens the door and she's a little surprised.
"Wow your early." She said.
"Well my dad always said: "It's better to show up early than being late," and when he said that it just stuck." He replied.
"That's a good rule to live by." She reasoned, as she leans on Adams locker.
Adam puts on his work attire and he realized that Sly was looking at him intensely, he just stares back confused.
"Is there something on my face?"
"No, but just let me give you a heads up, whatever your dealing with don't let it effect your work habits."
Adam shakes his head in agreement. The maintenance door slides open, Chip walks through and notices Sly all up in Adams face.
"Sly stop doing that your going to freak out the kid."
She pulls back and walks to her locker. Adam sees Chip with a toolbox and his hands have black soot on them. Chip walks over to his locker and puts his box inside and takes a seat on the bench that's behind him.
"Ok kid today your job is to fill up the truck that's in front of the school. What you need to do is fill the truck up with the grills and the boxes of food, there should be a dolly inside the back of the truck and all you have to do is untie it. When your done doing that find Tim, he's the one that's going to drive the truck to the beach so you can unload it. There's also a sled on the back that should make it easier for you to unload, another thing if you finish your job early come find one of us to see if we have anymore jobs, if we don't you can go home and still get paid for your full hours of work, alright that's it get to work."
Adam nods to all the instructions and walk to the truck. He pulls out the ramp that it had and sets it up, he grabs the dolly and starts to pack the boxes on top of each other. He decides to put the grills on the truck first, he has a little trouble carrying them not because there heavy, but because they were bulky and he had to hold them at a weird position. After a little while he got all the grills on the truck and decides to take a little breather, so he sits on the edge of the truck he sees students hanging out around the school and dueling, some are heading back to their dorms, he sees Starr and Uzo walking to their dorm they wave at him and he waves back. Some students are giving him weird looks as they pass by, but he just ignores them as he gets back to work, he begins loading up the truck with the boxes. He almost done until he hears a familiar voice that makes him cringe, he turns around and Zack is standing at the bottom of the ramp.
"So this what they got you doing satellite." Zack asked.
"What do you want Zack?" He replied already being annoyed by his presence.
"Oh, nothing really I just knew if I showed my face it would really piss you off, just the thought of you losing to me sets you off, but Ill get out of your hair so you can get back to work."
He waves goodbye as he walks away, at this point Adam is bowling with anger he loads the last of the boxes puts all his tools away and locks the back of the truck, and begins to search for Tim. He finds his cart in front of some restrooms, the door to the mens room opens. Tim walks out with a mop in hand he looks up and sees Adam standing there, he flashes a smile at the boy and waves hello.
"Hey Tim the truck is set and already go." Hey said in an angrily fashion.
He nods to what he said, then he gestures at him as if saying follow me. They both walk to the back of the school, Tim opens the door that leads to the outside, what amazes him is the big beautiful box garden that's right in front of him. He sees lettuce, cabbages, tomatoes, yams, and many other fruits and vegetables. Then Adam focuses his attention on Tim who has his arm spread wide open and is grinning from ear to ear.
"You made this?" Adam asks.
He nods his head yes, then gestures at Adam to come closer. Tim walks to a nearby table that have some seeds on them he grabs a bag and rips it open, he grabs Adam and stands him in front of a box dirt, Tim motions his hand in an underhanded throw he pours seeds into Adams hand and he did what Tim did. After seeing that Tim takes out one seed and puts it in Adams hand, then he points to the seed then to Adam. Now Adam has this confused look on his face, and Tim keeps pointing at the two. Then Adam finally gets it.
"Are you saying I'm the seed."
He nods his head yes then points to the box of dirt.
"So now I'm living in dirt?"
He chuckles and shakes his head no, and coughs a little. He takes a deep breath a raspy deep voice come out.
"You are the seed, the dirt is all the things your going to have to go through to survive and become come who you are. You'll have to make the decision, do you want to give up and not sprout, or take in all the nutrients all the crap that this world is going to give you to learn and adapt so you can grow and become stronger. Its ok to be angry, but don't be angry to be angry, use that anger to mold you into something new and something better, now come we still got work to do." As they leave the garden.
They get to the truck and Adam meditates on the words that Tim had spoken. He knew he had to change if he ever wants to prove himself. He noticed that Tim was coughing a lot as they drove. They drive down to the beach and Tim backs it up so Adam can unload it, he opens the truck up and attaches the ramp and unties the sled and begins loading up the sled. The truck is finally unloaded and everything is in the proper place, Tim and Adam drive back to the main school building.
"Hey Tim I want to thank you for the advice you gave me earlier I really needed it."
He just nods his head as in saying your welcome.
They pull up to the school and get out.
"I will see you tomorrow." Adam said as he waves goodbye.
He smiles and waves back. Adam gets to the maintenance room which is open and gets changed and heads his way back to the beach. He can smell the food in the air as he gets closer to the beach, his mouth is watering just thinking about the shrimp and other food. He makes it to the beach he gets him a shrimp kabob and start looking for his friends, after a minute or so he sees Starr flagging him down, he makes his way over there. Uzo of course is already on his third plate of food and they're sitting around a campfire two other people were there but they were talking amongst themselves. Adam grabs a seat and sits next to Starr on her right side.
"So how was your first day of work?" She asked.
"It was very interesting, I learned so things that's going to help me in the future." He replied.
"You also did a very good job doing it."
"How do you know?" He asked puzzled.
"Because were eating, you brought all the food and without you we would be starving now."
"Mmmmhmmm." Uzo chimed in.
"I guess I should also thank you as well." A mysterious voice appeared behind Adam.
Adam turns around in his chair and sees a medium size girl, with light green eyes, and curly auburn hair that goes to her shoulders, she has a plate of food in her hands.
"May I sit here?" She asked.
"I don't see why not, nobody else is." Adam replied.
"Could you hold my plate for a second while I go grab a chair."
"Yeah I can."
She hands him the plate of food and she leaves, out of the peripheral of Adams eye he sees a wondering hand making its way over,Adam smacks Uzo's hand.
"Oww! You didn't have to hit it that hard." Uzo said.
"Bruh, you should already know that you shouldn't eat some one else's food." Adam scolded.
"But it looks so delicious and smells so good, I just wanted a taste, I'm still a growing boy you know." He replied
Starr laughs. "Your already tall mate, you don't need to get any taller. Adam remember yesterday when he hit his head on the door henge."
They both laugh while Uzo pouts to himself, the girl come back with a chair and sets up right next to Adam. She sits and Adam hands her back her food.
"Be happy I had to save it from a hungry wild beast." Adam joked.
She chuckles. "May I say your funny, and a fine fella."
"Huh? What does that mean." He asked.
"In Ireland It means that your good looking, that's where I'm from Dublin Ireland. Not to be rude but aren't you the kid that lost in todays duel?"
Adam buried his frustration. "Yes that was me, the name is Adam Walters."
"Well Adam its nice to meet you, I'm Fiona McGovern, I thought your deck was very interesting were did you get it."
"Well that's a long story that I sorta don't want to get into."
Everyone around the campfire introduces themselves and they start talking and joking around. They make s'mores and other campfire treats, until someone asks if they want to play a game the group agrees to play. Bobbie gets up and hands everyone a cup and fills it up with soda.
"The game is called, never have I ever. Now this game is supposed to be played with alcohol but being under the age limit we will drink soda. Now how you play is easy someone will say this statement never have I ever, then they will say something that they never had done, seen, or heard. Now for the rest of us if we have done the thing they said we drink, and for the ones who didn't don't, and if no one has done it then that person that said has to drink. Pretty easy right alright lets play I'll start us off. Never have I ever flipped over a table."
Starr, Adam, Uzo, Sarah took a sip from their cup.
"Ok Sarah its your turn." Bobbie said.
"Ok hmm lets see, never have I ever broke someone else's duel disk.
Uzo is the only one that took a sip.
"Uzo you got to tell that story, what happen." Adam asked
"The quick version of it is that he was annoying me and I jumped on it a couple of time and smashed it." Uzo chuckles.
"SAVAGE!" Adam yells, everyone laughs.
"Ok never have I ever killed an elephant." Uzo said.
No one drinks.
"Well since no one drank you have to drink Uzo, next try to think of something others have done." Fiona stated.
He shakes his head. Its Starr turn to go.
"Never have I ever stole something."
Everyone Drinks from their cups.
Its Adams turn.
"Never have I ever been in a relationship."
Everyone else takes a sip.
"Wait," Bobbie starts. "You have never had a girlfriend?"
"Nope." Adam replied.
"What about your first kiss have you had that yet." Fiona chimed in.
"Nope, let me just say this my life has been pretty boring nothing fun or interesting happens to me."
"I highly doubt that," Fiona expressed, "my turn yes. Hmm lets see never have I ever cheated in a duel."
Nobody drinks but, Sarah cracks under the pressure and guilt and drinks.
"When did this happen?" Everyone asks.
"Back when I was a kid," she replied. "I had a neighborhood friend that always beat me and I got tired of it so I stacked my deck so I could win. When they found out that I did it they stopped hanging around me, they called me all kind of names so I was lonely most of the time that's when my parents got promoted and we had to move."
"I bet you learned your lesson huh." Fiona blurted out.
"This chick is really getting on my nerves." Starr whispered to Adam.
"I think she just straight forward than most people." He whispered back.
"Ok its back to me," Bobbie announced. "Ok this one is totally off the wall, never have I ever seen a murder."
"Really Bobbie out of anything in the world you choose that." Starr said.
"I know but I know nobody was going to drink so I guess I have to drink now."
Just as he was about to take a drink he sees Adam already doing it.
"You do know how to play this game right Adam?" Bobbie asked.
"Yes." He replied.
Everyone begins to asks questions about what happen.
"And you say nothing interesting happens in your life." Fiona points out.
"Because I don't consider it interesting."
They just keep on asking questions, and he is getting annoyed at this point.
"Fine if I tell you guys the story will y'all back off."
They agreed.
"Fine, it happened when I was five years old I just started first grade. Now I wasn't out going, I was very shy but there was this one kid who always talked to me even though I never spoke back to him. He did this for a couple of days, until I spoke back and I cant remember what I said but I knew it was funny because it made him laugh. Ever since that day we became great friends, over the next couple of months he was slowly building a deck out of random cards and I was doing the same, he wanted to become a top tier duelist, I did it because it was fun, he was my first best friend and my first rival. A week had gone by when he told me his dream we were dueling in front of the school and he saw his older brother across the street waiting for him, his brother came everyday to pick him up so we put our duel on hold for the next day. So Alex that's was my friends name waited on the corner for the light would turn green, at this time his older brother got a phone call and turned around so his back was facing Alex. The light turns green and Alex walks across the street, he waves goodbye to me and that's when I saw it happen, the loud sound of rubber tires screeching trying to come to a complete halt, the sour smell of burning rubber, the loud crash of metal and human flesh connecting. His older brother turns back around because of the loud noise but it was all to late. Alex's body was four feet away from where the car struck him, his brother runs to his side screaming his name, the women gets out her car she keeps saying "oh my god," over and over and over again. My mom is by my side I didn't even notice when she got there, but she called my name I turned and looked up at her my face full of tears but I wasn't making any sound. The paramedics came shortly after that and took him to the closest hospital my mother followed them because I asked her to, we waited in the waiting room the rest of his family showed up his mother was hysterical, wait no that probably not the right word, more like devastated like any parent would be. The doctor told the family that he suffered too much internal bleeding and said he probably only has about an hour. They go in and visit and the family allows me to join, they say their goodbyes but stay in the room, he calls my name and I approach him he just smiling we talk for a little, then he says "I have something for you," he goes into his backpack that his brother brought for him and gave me his deck the next thing he said shocked me, "go out there and become a top tier duelist." He flat lines chaos begins people calling for the doctors I get shoved out of the room and they try their best to revive him but nothing worked my mom walked me to the car I didn't speak she didn't speak, we got in the car, as soon as she started the engine I started crying crocodile tears and I cried all the way home. I didn't go to school for a couple of days, weeks later I hear his brother was depressed and he attempted suicide, after that the whole family moved. There Fiona now you know where I got my deck from and now you guys see why I'm so protective of it."
Everyone was staring at Adam, he didn't realize that tears were going down his face. The group just sat in silence for a little bit, until Fiona spoke.
"Well this party just got a little dull didn't it. I know what will cheer everyone up."
"What's that?" Uzo asked.
"A duel." Fiona replied.
"I would," Uzo countered, "but I'm to full to do anything."
"That's ok I can face you next time, the person I wanted to face was Adam but I can tell his heart wouldn't be in it. So that only leaves Starr."
"Hey what about us?" Bobbie and Sarah said in unison.
"You guys are Slifers and you don't seem very interesting, unlike those three next to me. So what do you say Starr you in?"
"Uh, I would love to but I didn't bring my duel disk." Starr replied.
"Oh don't worry I can find you one." She countered.
Fiona gets up and ask one of the teachers if she could borrow their duel disk. The teacher happily agrees and said he would even watch the duel.
"Oye Starr, I got you a disk." Fiona yelled.
Starr begrudgingly gets up from her seat and takes the disk from Fiona.
"Ok, lets get this over with." Starr said.
Many students and teachers turn their attention to the duel that's about to begin.
"Duel." They both said.
Starr: 4000
Fiona: 4000
"I'll go first." Starr said as she draws her card. "I set a monster facedown, and set two cards, and end my turn."
"So far she has a nice defense." Uzo said.
"Yeah that's true but the face she made at her hand I guess she wished it was better." Adam stated.
"My turn," as Fiona draws her card. "I activate my spell card Moray of Greed this lets me shuffle two water monsters from my hand back into my deck, then I draw three cards so I'll send Gishki Abyss and Gishki Shadow into the deck and I'll draw three cards."
"God dammit, Starr in big trouble." Bobbie announced.
"Why is that?" Uzo asked.
"It's a fast pace ritual deck," Adam stated. "Almost every monster in that deck can be used as a eight star monster if you ritual summon Gishki monsters. Not only that they are fish and water monsters meaning you have more drawing power and you can recycle your grave often, there are a lot of spell cards that support fish/water types. The down side of the deck is that its complicated, there are so many steps involved using it so if you forget something then your screwed for that turn. She has to be a Obelisk to use that level of a deck."
"I summon Gishki beast in attack position," a monster appears on Fiona's field (LVL4 ATK/1500 DEF/1300) "and attack your facedown monster." The monster did as it was told the facedown monster flips face up.
"Ha you attack my Gyroid but it stays on the field because of its effect, once per turn it cannot be destroyed by battle." (Lvl3 ATK/1000 DEF/1000) Starr said.
"Interesting I set one card facedown and end my turn." Fiona replied.
Starr draws her card. "Bugga I cant use this yet Ill just have to hold out with Gyroid." She says to herself. "I end my turn.
"I draw," Fiona began. "I summon Deep Sea Diva then its effect kicks, when this card is normal summoned I can special summon 1 level 3 or lower Sea Serpent-Type monster from my deck and I'll special summons Gishki Vision," (Lvl2 ATK/700 DEF/500) " and since my Diva is a tuner monster I'll tune her and Vision to synchro summon Armory Arm." (Lvl4 ATK/1800 DEF/1200) "Time for battle beast attack Gyroid,"
The monster lunges at the defense position monster swiping it with its webbed claws, of course the monster not destroyed because of its effect.
"Now then Armory Arm finish that thing off."
The monster flys towards it target ready to smash it.
"I activate my trap," Starr stated. "Supercharge lets me draw two cards if I control a roid monster, but my monster is still destroyed.
"I set one card and end my turn." Fiona replied.
Starr draws her card and smirks. "I activate the spell card Dark Hole it destroys all monsters on the field," a black hole appears above the field and destroys all the monster on each players field. "Then I'll use the spell card power bond on Ambulanceroid and Rescueroid which are in my hand and fuse them together to bring out Ambulance Rescueroid,"a vehicle appears on the field, (ATK/4600 DEF/1800). "Next I'll summon Expressroid, its effect activates, when its normal summoned I add two Roid monsters from my grave to my hand, so I'll get Gyroid and Rescueroid back to my hand. Next I activate the continues spell card solidarity, if I only control one type of monster in my grave then all monsters on my field gain 800 attack. (Ambulance Rescueroid ATK/5400 DEF/1800) (Expressroid ATK/1200 DEF/400) "Then I activate my trap card Blast With Chain on Expressroid it gains 500 more attack which makes its attack 1700. Now Expressroid attack her directly."
Expressroid charges at Fiona and strikes, she braces for the impact of her life points decreases.
Fiona: 2300
"Ambulance Rescueroid," Starr continues. "Finish this and attack directly."
"I don't think so," Fiona states. "I activate my trap card Defense Draw, the battle damage I would have took becomes zero and I draw a card."
"I end my turn." Starr states.
"On your end phase I activate my trap Aqua Mirror Meditation, this lets me add two Gishki monsters from my grave to my hand and Ill get Gishki Vision and Gishki Beast. And because you used Power Bond this turn you also take damage equal to your monsters original attack."
Starr: 1700
"I was hoping to finish you off that round." Starr states.
"Well to bad laddie,"Fiona replied while drawing her card.
Fiona smirks at the card she drew. "Well this is game over she says."
Starr is puzzled. "What do you mean by that I have two monsters on the field one with a whopping 5400 attack and 1700?" She questioned but sounding a little arrogant.
"Well let me just show you, I will discard Gishki Vision to the grave to get Evigishki Soul Ogre from my deck to my hand. Then I activate the ritual spell Aqua Mirror I send Gishki Zielgigas to the grave and ritual summon Evigishki Soul Orge(LVL8 ATK/2800 DEF/2800), then I use Aqua Mirror effect in the grave, I shuffle Aqua Mirror back into my deck then I get to add one Gishki ritual monster from my grave to my hand and that will be Gishki Zielgigas. Now I activate Evigishki Soul Ogre effect, I discard 1 Gishki monster so I send Gishki Zielgigas back to the grave to target 1 face up card you control and shuffle it back in your deck so say goodbye to your Ambulance Rescueroid."
Starr's monster disappears from the field. "Bloody Hell." She replied.
"Now to get this game over with," Fiona continues. I summon Gishki Beast, Soul Orge attack Expressroid." Soul Orge swings its giant webbed claws at the monster, Starr braces herself for the impact. "Gishki Beast finish this duel attack her directly." Beast slashes her life points to zero.
Final
Fiona: 2300
Starr: 0
"I told you she was going to lose, your buying me lunch tomorrow." A random student stated.
"Yeah alright, hey girl are you in Obelisk blue? You have to be with that strong of a deck." Another student asked.
"I actually missed played a couple of times during my dueling exam so I'm in Ra yellow, but its not completely my fault I did get the deck that day."
All the ones that heard that reply was stunned in silence, even some of the teacher that were there were shocked.
"Well, if I can get everyones attention," the chancellor announced. "We hoped you all had fun tonight but it time to head back to your dorms,but don't worry about the mess we'll have our staff clean it up and be in class at 9am tomorrow I abide you all good night."
Starr gave the duel disk to its rightful owner and catches up to Adam.
"So how does that lost feel." He asked
"Like alcohol on an open wound." She replied.
"I do remember someone told me to get over it and learn from my mistakes." He said joking/sarcastically.
Starr lightly punches his arm. "You jerk." As she giggled.
"This first year of school is going to be interesting isn't it?"
"It sure is." As she leans on his shoulder as they walk to the dorm.
Back at the school the teachers assembled in the chancellors office.
"So we're all in agreement on the matter?" Chancellor Yuki asked.
"For the most part we're agreed, but why so soon?" A teacher replied.
"I believe this is what the school needs and I believe this opportunity would push the students into greater heights, so please trust me this will be good for all. Make the call."