I wake up in a sleepy haze, feeling possibly the most comfortable I ever have. Until, I realise the warm cover around me is an actual living person, rather than an inanimate object. I open my eyes slowly from my sleep and find myself facing the chest of a half-awake Zane. One arm is under my neck comfortably and the other wrapped around my shoulders, his head resting lightly on his pillow.
"You're awake." He murmurs softly, and I mentally smack myself in the head for noticing how much lower his voice is.
"Mmhmm…" I mumble and turn slightly in his arms. "I know its Saturday, but what time is it?"
He unwraps an arms from me and turns to his bedside.
"Almost one." He answers before turning back to me. "Sleep well?"
I nod and stretch the tension out of my limbs. "Very well, but my sleeping patterns are going to be all over the place."
He chuckles lightly, and starts stroking my hair.
"I have a meeting with Chancellor Shepard and your brother at two, I'm not sure whether I'll be able to look him in the eye." He tells me. My eyebrows raise naturally.
"Huh?" I say stupidly.
"I've just slept next to his very beautiful little sister in my room, I'm not sure how he'd feel about that." I blush for more than one reason. One, the compliment, two, how I know my brother would react if he heard that.
"At least you phrased it politely…" I mumble to myself and he smirks again. "Though actually… I think I may tell him… about us, if that's okay?" I put forward the idea doubtfully.
"That's understandable. I can see why you'd want to tell him." He replies thoughtfully.
"With what we went through, its just comfortable for me to tell him. I mean I can lie to him easy enough to be honest, but I want to tell him before he leaves." I explain to him.
"Of course, it's up to you. I won't stop you." He says. "We should get up." He doesn't move from his tight grasp around me.
"Mmhmm." I say, unmoving as well. "I'm going to start craving food very soon." At my words of food, we both start to climb out of bed. I grab my coat and my shoes, pulling them on after straightening out my ruffled clothes, and pull my luckily neat-ish hair up into a ponytail.
"It's gotten darker." I hear Zane as he leaves his bathroom, changed, coming towards me with his obelisk blue coat over his arm.
"What has?" I ask.
"Your hair. Since you first came." He remarks.
"Yeah, there was an unusual amount of sun at East academy, and the result of a lame prank some girls decided to pull." I chuckle nervously.
"I like it better like this." He says shortly and I pick up a few pieces of my ponytail. What used to be quite a bright azure, had now darkened to that deep sea colour, duller and a lot more suitable for me. Not as dark as Zane's hair, but darker nonetheless.
"Thanks." I say, before moving towards the balcony.
"Luckily no one really comes by this way at any time. So if you ever need me…" Zane says almost nervously. Almost.
"I'll come, don't worry." I say with a smile. I puts a light hand on the small of my back and pulls me towards him and kisses me, my arms laying around his neck to keep close. After we break away he places a last light kiss on my lips, and I pull away reluctantly to climb onto the tree limb. Once I climb down safely, he turns away as I jog off back to the girl's dorm.
"Hey, Azure!" I turn my head as I walk into the courtyard. It's Mindy and Jasmine.
"Hey guys, Alexis up yet?" I ask.
"Yep, we got her up at 10, though she seemed awfully grumpy." Jasmine says, almost in a mood herself.
"Oh don't be hard on her guys, we both had a late night." I try to explain for my friend.
"Speaking of late nights, why were you coming from the Boy's Dorm?" Mindy asks suggestively. Damn she has no idea how close she is.
"I went to visit Tom, I got a letter from mum and thought he'd want to see it." The easiest excuse passes through my lips and the girls bring me into the girls' dorm.
"I'm hungry, let's go eat."
The day passes easily and soon it's falling dark. I pull my coat on ready to meet Zane. I pull myself out of my large window easily, and slide down the draining pipe. As I get to the port, I narrow my eyes as I see an unusually feminine figure walking to the lighthouse. Alexis?
"Zane?" Alexis wonders as she sees Zane standing on the pier. "Hello? What are you doing out here?" She asks an unmoving Zane, I strain to pick up her words from so far away.
"Nothing. I just felt like being alone." He answers neutrally.
"You know, I thought once your brother enrolled here, you'd feel like that less, not more." Alexis answers, and even as she says it my brow creases. It makes me wonder, how long has Zane had these conflicted feelings?
"Maybe that's because my brother shouldn't be here." Zane answers sharply. His words almost shock me, and I think about going up to them, but change my mind almost immediately, and head back to the dorm.
I knew Zane had troubled feelings with Syrus. And I know it's because he thinks Syrus isn't a capable duellist enough. Which is true to some extent, I just didn't think he was so adamant about it. When we'd talked about it before, he seemed to have some idea of what to do, but I'm starting to worry what exactly that is with this aspect of thinking. I curl into my bed quickly and wish myself to sleep, as the night leaves me with the feeling of hanging of a cliff.
As I wake I roll over in bed and find the screen on my duel disk flashing. I pick it up in its condensed form quickly.
Come see me this morning when you wake up
Z x
I blink a few times at the message, sitting up in bed. I quickly rummage around for my school skirt and blouse, pulling on some low denier navy tights and my jacket. I braid my washed hair from last night quickly before leaving, taking a quick glance at my clock. 6:12.
I find his balcony easily, and curse sharply as I try to climb a damned tree in a short skirt.
"Who knew you swore so much…" I look up awkwardly and see Zane leaning on his balcony with a smirk on his face.
"Enjoying the view perhaps?" I say to him, cursing once again as I try to keep my dignity.
"Perhaps." He answers, before using his tall frame to lean over the balcony and take my hand to pull me over safely.
"Hey." I say softly, and he kisses me easily.
"Hey. Were you there last night?" He asks, and I nod honestly.
"Only at the start, I decided to leave though, don't think I want to explain us to Alexis just yet." I say shyly. I miss out my unusual feelings of what he said. He nods but doesn't reply, with his arms around me as usual. I lean up to kiss him eagerly again, and we kiss and talk for perhaps an hour more. After pulling away from a kiss I end up burying my head in his chest. His lips find my hair gently, and I groan and stop myself swearing again as my duel disk starts ringing. I pull away and accept the call.
"Azure? You won't believe what has happened!" I hear Alexis' irritated voice on the other side.
"Alexis, what do you mean?" I reply, my brow creasing.
"Jaden and Syrus have been reported for being at the abandoned dorm that night. They got out of being expelled, but they've been put into a tag team to duel in order to stay in duel academy!"
"Are you serious? How were they found out? Surely all of us should be in trouble? I mean, maybe bias of obelisk blue but Chumley was there as well!" I say, almost immediately outraged. I take a glance at Zane, and his face looks troubled.
"Apparently faculty saw them entering." She replies.
"Damn Crowler." I mutter.
"Regardless, someone has to take Syrus' place. Both belong here but if this is Crowler I have a feeling Syrus won't be able to handle this." Alexis says, and I know Zane is listening in.
"I know. I'll go to Chancellor Shepard directly, maybe I can get Hunter to support it as well." I tell her.
"That's what I was thinking. We can say you were there and that as the last tournament finalists you and Jaden should be the ones to duel together."
"Okay, I'll head there now." I finish, and hang up.
"Did you hear all of that?" I ask, turning to Zane. He nods. I move towards him and place my hands on his chest. "Don't worry Zane. I will sort this out. Syrus will stay at this school and he will learn to be an amazing duellist. It'll just take time."
"Okay." He mumbles, before kissing me gently, letting his tongue swipe over my lips before and climb over the railings.
"…I should be the one to duel with Jaden!" I hear Chumley's voice as I step through the threshold.
"No Chumley. Surely it should be me Chancellor." The Chancellor's eyes widen as I walk strongly into his office. "I went there as well, and it makes sense that the last tournament's finalists should be the ones to duel for these stakes. Besides, they were there for Alexis, if they hadn't gone there a lot worse could've happened."
"No Azure, that's rubbish, it was my fault. I led them to the abandoned dorm because I wanted to check out the a.. the abandoned cafeteria!" The chancellor chuckles.
"That's a ridiculous excuse Chumley. Please Chancellor, it only makes sense this way, we should all be involved in the punishment, and therefore should be able to choose who battles in the tag team." I say rationally.
"Look, I realise the stakes are high, but the team up has been set. Syrus is Jaden's partner and I'm sure that he'll do fine." He ends it with that sentence, but I look at Chumley dubiously.
"Azure! Did you get it?" Alexis comes running up to me.
"No. Chancellor Shepard refuses to change his mind, no doubt Crowler's influence." I grumble.
"Come on, let's go and find Jaden." Alexis sighs, and we walk towards the Slifer dorm.
"…this is just practice for your upcoming tag team match, so go easy!" We hear Chumley's voice over by the cliffs. "Of course, I'm not really sure Jaden knows how to go easy."
"That's probably a good thing." Alexis says.
"Alexis, Azure! What do you mean?"
"It means, I know Dr Crowler is not going to be matching them up against any pushovers." Alexis replies.
"That's for sure." I agree. "Not only Syrus but Jaden as well will definitely be stretched."
Alexis nods.
"Alright Syrus! Get your game on buddy and let's have some fun!" Jaden says enthusiastically.
"Sure fun. I mean we might as well squeeze some in, before we get kicked out of here." Syrus says glumly.
"What was that?" Jaden says sharply.
"Oh- er nothing." Syrus replies hurriedly.
"Then let's duel." Jaden says determined.
"Yeah yeah… let's duel." Syrus mumbles.
"Here I come Syrus! Sweet! I summon Elemental hero Avion in attack mode! And I'll also throw down a face down. Your go."
"Alright. Let's see." Syrus replies.
"Hey what's that smile about? You got something?" Jaden shouts, and I noticed as well the hope in Sy's eyes.
"Well um yeah I think so. Patroid, attack mode! Go siren smasher!" Syrus says.
"Not so fast, I got a trap!" Jaden says. "Negate attack!"
"Aw man, I should've guessed that your face-down was a trap." Syrus says regretfully.
"Duh, Sy walked right into that one." Chumley says.
"This isn't a good sign. No way will they stand a chance in a tag match if Syrus plays like this." Alexis says.
"Sy, don't crack up yet, you just made one mistake that's all!" Jaden tries to cheer up his friend.
"Yeah, going to this school." Syrus says bitterly and I narrow my eyes. That's exactly what Zane said.
"No Sy, you just forgot to use Patroid's special power is all. He lets you check out one of your opponents face down cards once per turn! You could've seen my trap!" Jaden continues.
"Yeah, I know I'm no good, I don't belong here!" Sy wails.
"Wow, slow down there, I didn't mean anything like that!" Jaden says startled.
"I know you didn't Jaden. I know you were just trying to help, it's just that…" Syrus mumbles.
"No you're right Sy! I shouldn't butt in, we're opponents right now! And from here on out, we better act like it!" Jaden answers. Jaden continues to summon Sparkman, destroy Syrus' monster and deal his life points down to 2600. It was not going well for Syrus.
"Can I crack up now? I just got nailed on both of our turns! I can't win." Syrus says.
"Of course you can win Syrus! You just have to believe in yourself." Alexis argues.
"She's so right!" Chumley adds. "Don't give up Syrus, that's the first thing they teach you in freshman duelling class. I should know, I had to take it twice!"
"You're right." Syrus says with a little bit of confidence. "I can't give up the match so soon. Especially since I'm not just duelling for myself, but for Jaden! And the best thing for me to do for him right now, is to take him down!"
Something inside me leaps up at his inspiration, maybe I'll have something to work with. Especially if Chumley and Alexis keep the support up as they're doing.
"I'm putting down the spell card, Pot of Greed! And now I'll use its magical charm and draw two additional cards from my deck!" He draws too cards and I study his face closely. He looks as though he's remembering a tough memory.
"Hey, You alright there Sy?" Jaden yells.
"I'm going to play, this spell card!" He holds out polymerisation and fuses gyroid and steamroid to create the steam gyroid. He manages to attack Jaden and take down some life points, but Jaden counter attacks. He uses polymerisation his next turn and summons thunder giant, and destroys steam gyroid using it's special ability. And his monsters finish the rest off. As soon as the duels over, I jump down and walk straight over to Syrus.
"Azure… what?" Syrus mumbles as I take the cards in his hand and sift through them. There it is, Power Bond.
"Great duel Syrus! Huh… power bond? Why didn't you use it? You would've doubled Steam Gyroid's attack points and had one tough monster! Though on second thought for my sake, I'm glad you didn't use it."
"You don't understand, my bro says I'm not good enough to use this card." Syrus says, snatching it back.
"Syrus, you've got to stop thinking about how good of a duellist everyone is, when was the last time you duelled, not caring whether you won or not?"
"No, I'll never be good enough, and it's clear you'll never win the tag team battle if I'm your partner!" He runs off.
"Sy wait!" Jaden says.
"I guess practice doesn't always make perfect huh Jaden, at least not in Syrus' case." Alexis says, coming down.
"I don't get it he's such a cool guy! I just wish he could see what I see. The only thing holding him back is himself." Jaden says. Unfortunately I don't think that's true. "I mean he had this primo card to play, and why? Cos some brother of his said not to!"
Alexis' face goes into shock, whereas I keep mine calm.
"What is it guys, am I missing something here?" Jaden asks clueless.
"Yeah, that brother of his goes to this school." Alexis says.
"I don't think goes to this school is the best way to describe him Alexis." I say, chuckling.
"What are you talking about?" Jaden asks again.
"You've probably heard of him too. Hello, third-year obelisk blue and top duellist at the academy? Winner of the tournament last year? He's the big man on campus! Zane! And he really is as good as his reputation." Alexis says exasperated.
"And though it pains me Jaden, as I know what you're thinking, better than you. He's leagues away from pretty much everyone here. I'm scared to duel him." I say, trying to stop what I can already see is going to happen.
"Well, whatever, it doesn't sound like he's very good to his little brother. I'll duel him to find out!" Jaden finishes, and my internal groan is loud enough to drown out the waves.
I've been busy way too long, and I definitely don't have a good enough excuse for you guys so I'm terribly sorry. However, I hope you can enjoy this chapter despite the long wait, I should be able to update more regularly, but please bear with me, real life has been keeping me too busy lately (sad face). Anyways, please enjoy this chapter, Read and Review as always, Feedback is always welcomed!