Tuning back to where last left off, Athena had just begun a duel against one of Roku's former student's, Kaze, who came to the Duel Sanctuary to take this supposed Legendary Deck that the caretaker kept somewhere within this place. Not appreciating the arrogant bullying type, the girl with shaggy long black hair tipped copper red challenged the new face in order to protect Roku and the pride of this historic site.
Unfortunately, so far, the duel seemed to teeter towards the favour of Kaze, who chose this moment to threaten his former teacher once again to the tune of another lightning crack from the storm brewing outside.
"Roku! Once I've defeated this pathetic student of yours, I will truly be the master of this dueling sanctuary, and the Legendary deck you hold so dear will be mine, (Places two cards face-down) and then I will be unstoppable!"
Athena cuts into his boasting with an annoyed and aggravated air:
"Oh spare me your melodrama, ninja-boy; it got old before you stepped through the door...Look, I dunno why you have such a strong beef with Master Roku or why you're that desperate to get your paws on this super-strong deck, but if he says you shouldn't have it, you ain't gettin' it, get me?"
Kaze hmphs with a small sardonic smirk, before warning the teenager with a frown,
"It would be wise to rethink this duel and quit now. Trust me, do not stand in my way...for if you do, I will show no mercy, and you will feel my wrath!"
"Tch, your threat means nothing to me...for I've had bigger loudmouths dish out worse and more graphic. (Grim smirk) It doesn't matter how many times my opponent curses me: I'll give my all and won't back down 'til the end!"
That caused the young man with grey irises to raise a brow in slight surprise, while Jamal smirked proudly from hearing such words from one of his best friends.
"That's right, Addy: Show this nimrod how strong you are!"
Tiffany meanwhile, was feeling more nervous than prosperous, and asks the elder in the room,
"So, this Kaze...how good an ex-student was he?"
"He was the best student I ever had, until the darkness filled his heart and corrupted his spirit."
He then glances over Athena's form, mentally noting,
Which will make this duel particularly interesting, for he will be battling against someone who seems to wander the world with darkness worn on her like a cloak, protecting her light...
"Now let's cut the dramatic chit-chat and get it on! I Draw! First, by lowering Dododo Warrior's Attack Points by 500, I can summon him straight to the field!"
On that note, an axe-raiding viking warrior jumps to the field, Level Six with 1800 Attack Points. Kaze comments with an amused smile,
"You have no idea what you're doing, do you? If you had tributed Gagaga Magician to summon Dododo Warrior, it would've come to the field with more Attack Points than my Blade Armour Ninja."
The boy with dreadlocks standing on the sidelines was wondering similarly.
"The jerk kinda has a point: Why would Addy summon Dododo alongside Gagaga if she knew they would be weaker?"
It would be Astral who found the answer:
"Athena...did you do that just to protect your magician?"
"...Maybe. You got a problem with that?"
He smile slightly with close eyes and replies,
"I do not," making Athena smile a little herself before she moves on with her turn.
"Cool. Alright, next, I activate from my hand, Full Force! With this spell, neither one of us takes damage during a battle between our monsters, but yours will meet their end! Dododo Warrior, attack Blade Armour Ninja with Dododo Axe!"
The viking-like warrior leaps into the air with his weapon at ready to chop down on the ninja...
"I activate my Trap, Armour Ninjitsu Art of Freezing!"
A shot of paralyzing light shoots to cloak Dododo Warrior, stopping him mid-swing!
"When there's a ninja monster on my field, this Trap not only stops your attack, but it binds your so-called friends so they can't change battle modes!"
On that note, both the warrior and spellcaster were bound by glowing chains, causing Athena to grit her teeth while looking at her monsters with worry shining in her red irises, while Astral notes in a mutter,
"That is not good..."
"Your efforts to stop me are in vain! You're going to fall and Roku's Legendary Deck will be mine!"
The girl calls back with a neutral expression,
"To quote my grandpa, 'those who live in houses made of glass shouldn't toss stones', Kaze...I place one card face-down and end my turn!"
"Hn, in that case, I Draw! I activate the Spell, Spy Attack! By sending one monster from my hand to the Graveyard, I gain the ability to look at a face-down card on your field. Aqua Armour Ninja: Sneak into the enemy's domain and reveal his tactics!"
A ninja dressed in blue shifts in sight long enough to dash onto Athena's face-down card, before disappearing in an explosion of smoke, causing her to cough from the fumes while Astral hms with a frown,
"Unlike you, Kaze seems to have no problems sacrificing his monsters."
"Now, show me your card..."
The face-down flips up to the man's view...
"Interesting..."
Roku mutters while looking over at Athena,
"...Be careful, dear," before turning to the following exclaim:
"Did you get Addy to do all this cleaning, Roku?! Heha, impressive work, my friend!"
He and the two other teens in the room turn around to meet the smiling face of Homare, who comments amusingly,
"I can barely get the boys to straighten their rooms!"
Adam, who came here with his grandfather and his other sibling, smiles awkwardly and chides back,
"Oh come on, grandpa, we're not that bad, are we?"
Roku smiles upon seeing the other elder:
"Homare?! Hahaha, long time no see!"
Tiffany and Jamal's focuses were on the younger men entering the room, eyeing the redhead with a particular nervousness.
"Guh! Adam, Terry!"
"Ah-heh, heeeey, Terry, what's up?"
The young adult with the black tamed mullet sends a smile and nod to the two, while the one with the asymmetric cut red hair was focused on his younger sibling with a stern glare.
"Oh hell no, this better not be what I think I'm seeing...Athena Fujina!"
Said girl jumps from the address, before turning around to face her older brother with a stoic expression.
"...Terrence."
"Didn't we have our discussions about you and Dueling?! Whadda ya think you're doing?!"
"Calm down, young man."
Terry stops berating his sister to look down at Roku with a calmer confused air, who in turn addresses the other with a similar air his grandfather had before he and the two brothers came to the Duel Sanctuary.
"You cannot stop Athena from being who she is anymore than you can stop the wind from blowing."
"Uh..."
"And as a growing duelist, your sister needs your support."
The redheaded male turns to look at his dueling sibling with a new air, while she in turn relaxes her gaze to reflect determination and a distant sadness from the silence that had been between these two for a long while now.
"...He's right, bro. I don't want anymore negativity between us...but if you're gonna keep pushing, I'll push back harder until one of us topples over. And honestly...I don't give a damn anymore."
"Addy..."
Astral then cuts in to move the girl's attention back on the battle:
"You must remain focused, Athena."
"Uh...(nod) right."
She turns to face Kaze again as he comments with a smirk,
"How nice of your family to gather like this. They're just in time to watch you suffer, a bitter defeat! Go, Blade Armour Ninja: Attack Gagaga Magician! Go Electro-Magnetic Sword Strike!"
The sword cuts down across the magician's chained torso, before they disintegrate into pixels, leaving Athena to cringe as her Life Points drop to 1900. But her opponent wasn't done:
"Swift like a hummingbird, Blade Armour Ninja whirls around as I use its Overlay Unit to attack again! Bid farewell to your friend Dododo Warrior!"
A diving attack from above brings down the viking warrior, invoking a further drop of the girl's Life Points to 1500...
"Thanks to my Spy Attack, I know that your face-down is Gagaga Back, which can resurrect your monsters in exchange for 600 Life Points each. Use it, little gnat; save your precious friends!"
Jamal calls out in protest,
"Don't do it, Addy! It's not worth the 1200 loss when you're already that close to zero!"
Tiffany nods in agreement, worry dancing in her eyes...
"Now let's really test the limits of your foolish devotion! I reveal the Armour Ninjitsu Art of Rust Mist Spell Card! As long as I have a ninja monster in play, the Attack Points of each monster you summon are sliced in half!"
Athena curses quietly, before Kaze inquires in a mocking fashion,
"Are you still willing to do whatever it takes to honour your little friends, even when they're rendered weak and useless?"
"...Considering that I've come close to dying more than once protecting a friend or some random, innocent kid from being literally beaten to death, then yes."
That answer made the room go quiet with a chilled air, and Athena drew in a deep breath as she thought aloud about her time as an underground fighter.
"There was a time where I was as numb as the cold waters of the arctic, and yet...not so numb that I'd completely forget moments of compassion, caring for people other than myself. During a tag fight, I did most of the heavy lifting, and took the more severe hits for my temporary partner. If I saw someone getting unfairly jostled around by some punks after a day of searching for a spiritual painkiller, I'd interfere without a second thought to the add-on injuries...And during Duel Fist, if there was an opportunity to step in and use my own body to shield my monsters, I'd take it. Why? (Bitter chuckle) Because I simply didn't care about my own life. I was, worthless in my own eyes."
The girl's family and friends on the sidelines could only stare with shock from her words, before she shakes her head and adds with a grim smile,
"But that was then, and this is now. Maybe there's a small part of me remaining that still doesn't care about my own life, but one thing that's never changed, is my willingness to act as a human shield for those who need it. No one, not even you, Kaze, will ever persuade me to think otherwise. (Holds out her hand) I activate Gagaga Back! When Gagaga Magician's destroyed in battle, this card allows me to bring him back along with any allies who perished with him."
Said monsters rise from the hex symbol that opened from the Graveyard, before Athena shuts her eyes and braces herself.
"Now for my penalty: 600 points of damage for each one of my monsters brought back."
(Bzzzzzzt)
...The girl with red irises didn't flinch as she's zapped by electric currents from both her spellcaster and warrior, before she kneels down on one knee to gulp in a breath or two as her Life Points settle to 300. Her brother Terry exclaims,
"Uh! Addy!"
Adam mutters just as concerned,
"She's barely holding on with 300 Life Points..." Tiffany wonders,
"What now?"
Kaze then cries out,
"You may have revived your monsters, but now the power of Rust Mist slices their Attack Points in half!"
With that done, Gagaga Magician was now sporting 750 Attack Points while Dododo Warrior's dropped to 1150!
"Your move, little gnat."
Athena rose to her feet with little to no issues, glaring neutrally at her opponent who then asks,
"Are you feeling foolish yet? Your monsters have been weakened and you're hanging on by a very thin thread. Hehuhuh, the bond you have with your monsters has made you weak."
"Hmph, spoken like someone whose obviously walked around with no one to call a friend."
Kaze grits his teeth slightly from the accusation, but the girl kept pressing.
"Come on, admit it: That's why you're saying friendship's for losers, right, because you don't have any?"
"Why would I bother relying on anybody than myself? I'm strong enough to stand on my own! I'm certainly not befriending any of my monsters! The old man's teachings are nonsense: Dueling is about controlling your monsters and bending them to do your will!"
Athena felt something in the back of her head buzz from the tone Kaze was using, recalling another individual whose heart had long wallowed in darkness and continues to this day.
(Flash)
"Tch, friends are just potential backstabbers. What I've got is flunkies, minions, people who respect me and know to never cross me."
"Out of fear, you mean?"
"Same diff, Berserker, same diff...Fear is the strings I use to control my people, and they know to either follow my orders, or face total annihilation."
"You, paint quite the vivid picture, Trilos."
(Flash)
"...That's not what Dueling is about, and you're a fool to ever, and I mean ever, think the way you do right now!"
"You talk a big talk, like you're full of fire. But you're nothing more than a candle in the wind, desperately trying to hold on...Soon, you will be extinguished."
"This 'candle' is about to turn into a wildfire, fueled by your words of hate! I Draw! (Looks at the card) Oh yeah! I activate the Gagaga Bolt Spell Card! With Gagaga Magician on the field, he gets to destroy one of your cards! Target: Blade Armour Ninja!"
Said spellcaster lunges forward and slams his body against the ninja warrior, who falls back before disintegrating into pixels from the power, much to Kaze's anger.
"Why you little...!"
"Not done yet, 'cause now you're wide open to a direct attack from Gagaga! Do your thing, my friend!"
The magician continues forward, and slams his bound body against Kaze, who falls backwards through the air as his Life Points drop to 3250...
"Seeing as we're on a roll anyway, Dododo Warrior can swing in for a direct attack too!"
Said viking warrior charges forward, but that was when his target rushes back to his feet with a growl.
"I don't think so! I activate Aqua Armour's ability from the Graveyard! By banishing this card, it stops your monster's attack!"
Dododo Warrior slows to a stop...but Athena smirks before informing Kaze,
"You wish! Dododo Warrior has the ability to cancel out all Spell, Trap and Monster Effects when he attacks!"
"What?!"
"Your Rust Mist and Aqua Armour Ninja's ability do jack! Show 'em your resolve, Dododo!"
Said monster struggles before bursting free from the chains, his Attack Points rising back to 2300!
"Attack Kaze directly!"
"Dododo Axe!"
The monster's weapon is tossed like a boomerang to hit Kaze right in his torso, who drops to his knees with heavy breath as his Life Points descend to 950.
"Ha! You see? That's the strength that comes from believing in your friends and having their backs no matter what! I place one card face-down and end my turn."
After setting down the card, Athena turns to send a small smile at Astral.
"Heh, not bad for a rookie like me, eh?"
He nods with a small smile of his own, before both focus up front with serious expressions as the girl goes to berate Kaze's attitude further.
"You choose to use your monsters as no more than tools, but look where that's gotten you. I choose to see my monsters as friends, allies, those I can count on like they can count on me. I'll never toss them aside for a slight advantage. We advance together! Master Roku's teachings are spot-on: Respecting your deck is the only way to get far in the Dueling World."
Kaze struggles to his feet while bitterly retorting,
"Whatever. So you lucked out this time. You think that proves something? Mark my words, little gnat: One day you'll look around, and your friends are gonna be gone! It's just gonna be you all alone, with no one to rely on and you're gonna be scared, and you're gonna wish you weren't so foolish as to depend on someone else!"
That's when Athena spots it: A flash of red energy in the ninja's eyes.
Uh! Wait...Is it, possible, that Kaze has-
"And now, it's my Draw! I activate a Spell Card...The power of this Spell allows me to destroy every Ninjitsu Art on my field!"
"And why would you do that?"
"Because doing so allows me to draw two new cards from my hand..."
With Art of Freezing and Rust Mist gone, Gagaga Magician and Dododo Warrior were free and had their original Attack Points restored (1500 and 2300 respectively)...Yet, Athena was feeling cautious with this new turn.
"What are you tryin' to pull now?"
"When you have monsters on your field but I don't, I can summon Earth Armour Ninja to the field..."
On that note, a Level Five ninja with 1600 Attack Points cloaked brown with metal armour jumps to Kaze's side of the field.
The girl with red irises hms with a frown while the being with mismatched gold and white irises mutters,
"This strategy worries me..."
"You and me both, Astral..."
"Next, I activate the Armour Ninjitsu Art of Revival Spell Card from my hand! This allows me to summon one ninja from my Graveyard, so say hello to Flame Armour Ninja!"
The warrior cloaked in red returns to greet the field once more, before Kaze adds,
"And when it is successfully summoned, its Level increases by one. Huh."
He holds up his right fist...and both Astral and Athena would gasp when they see a very familiar numeral symbol imprinted on his wrapped hand (twelve to be precise)!
"His hand...! He must have a Number Card!"
"Aw come on, really?!"
Kaze's body is enveloped in the red/purple aura that warranted the sign of the Number's control over his desires.
"You tried hard, girl, but now, you're finished! I'm going to crush you! I overlay Earth Armour Ninja and Flame Armour Ninja!"
Both ninja monsters shift into orange-brown and red streams of light respectively, before diving into the golden galactic vortex...
"With these two monsters, I build the Overlay Network! I XYZ Summon, Number 12: Crimson Shadow Armour Ninja!"
The Number Monster that came to the field, Rank Five with 2400 Attack Points, was a ninja enveloped in various red-shaded armour, ankle-length, thick orange-red hair, and held one of three long blades in its right hand with a dangerously-sharp tip!
Athena's POV
Damn, that is one crazy-dangerous looking Number!
...And...their guise...
(Flash)
I'm backed into a wall, eyes wide with fear, staring up at...that monster, the red, something from elsewhere in this universe.
(Flash)
Gh! (Shakes head) Get a hold of yourself, Athena! You're...
You're not there anymore. It can't hurt you...yet, why didn't it?
How did I escape from that monster?
Kaze's confirmed-to-be-irrational boasting cuts into the new questions that were stirring into my brain.
"The Crimson Shadow has shown me that true power is about rage and might! Strength above everything!"
I mutter to myself with narrowed eyes and some sadness in my tone,
"This Number's really corrupted his heart. He doesn't seem to be fully aware of what he's saying anymore...Hah, okay, this is where the fight really begins."
"So this is the monster that's been feeding off of Kaze's anger..."
I send a quick nod over to Master Roku, and caught sight of my brother Terry's face, who actually seemed real interested in this duel, making me smile slightly on the inside...
"Prepare to crumble in the wake of true power! Crimson Shadow, attack Gagaga Magician!"
Uh! Shoot!
Astral calls,
"Athena, quickly, your Trap Card!"
"Right! I activate my Guts Guard Trap Card! This allows me to stop Crimson Shadow from attacking Gagaga, and switch targets to Dododo, and he in turn is protected from being destroyed in battle!"
My magician shifts out of the way for my warrior to block the incoming sword, while I held an arm up to shield myself from the impacting power as my Life Points drop to 200...
"Kh, now you finally know what true power looks like!"
I growl at Kaze before moving to rest on one knee so I could collect myself, but not before shouting,
"True power? Don't make me laugh: That was just a tantrum blast from an angry toddler!"
Looking down, however, I felt a familiar fleeting feeling of self-doubt very, very slowly creep into my spine.
"Still...I may be safe now, but it's gotta be this next turn for me that I swing a comeback...otherwise-"
"Addy, hang in there! You've got this!"
I glance over at Tiffany, who was looking at me with a beseeching determination, making me feel a bit stronger.
Tiff...
I then notice Grandpa and Jamal exchange a few words I couldn't decipher, before my best guy friend suddenly heads out of the room with a smile.
Huh? Jamal?
I wouldn't have much time to wonder, when Kaze suddenly taunts,
"What's wrong? No peppy line about hugs and sunshine?! No rousing speech about chumming it up with your monsters?!"
Grinding my teeth, I bark back while rushing to my feet,
"Shut up! It's obvious the only way to get through to you is a good boot to the head, which I'm more than happy to deliver!"
But I must've gotten to my feet too fast, for I suddenly felt a wave of dizziness threaten to overtake me, forcing me to set a palm on my hip to steady myself before using that same free hand to rub my eyes.
Dammit...
"Do not let his words anger you to the point of distraction, Athena. Remember that you are not alone: You have got your friends behind you."
I turn to look at Astral, before recalling what Roku said to me the other day.
(Flash)
"...When you learn to make that fear your own, and when you master how to tame it, only then will you truly be able to move a monster."
(Flash)
...To move a monster...Move, with a monster.
I suddenly found myself gazing around the room at the wooden statues of the Legendary Duel Monsters, my imagination putting colour and life into their bodies, with Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl both sending me comforting smiles...
"I understand that when your back is against the wall, you may feel outnumbered...but you are not. When you have friends, you are never alone...You can do it."
...He's right. I've allowed the feeling of being overwhelmed to take over my sense of reason in dire situations for too long.
It's time to grasp Fear's hand, and let it guide me to Bravery.
My gaze locks with Gagaga Magician and Dododo Warrior:
"I'm with you two to the end...You guys with me?"
They each send me a nod, making me smirk in good nature before I turn to say to Astral,
"You're absolutely right. As long as I remember where I stand, and who's still with me when the road gets rough, nothing's impossible...Now to put this rising determination to good use, and take this ninja wannabe down!"
"...Addy!"
"Hm?"
I turned around to the sound of Jamal calling for me, and saw him toss me a small bundle.
"What the-"
"Duel Fuel!"
Catching the surprise bundle, I open it up to find...several squares of Mochi!
"Aw sweet! You're the best, Jamal!"
He just sends me a grin and thumbs-up, while I gobble down the rice treats, feeling more fired up to win this match.
"Oh yeah, I'm ready to carve my path to victory! I Draw! (Looks at card) Oh-hoh, you're in big trouble now, ninja-boy...I now activate the Spell, Decrease! This card allows me to lower one of my monster's Levels by two, so now Dododo Warrior's matching Gagaga Magician at Level Four! Then, I can overlay both my friends to build the Overlay Network, and XYZ Summon Number 39: Utopia!"
I felt my heart flutter with that old feeling of Joy as my main Number came to join the battle...
"Everything is set up. You can do it."
"You bet I can, Astral! Go, Utopia: Attack Crimson Shadow Armour Ninja!"
Utopia's blade comes spinning into view to be grabbed by his hand...
"Go, Rising Sun Slash!"
One clean cut own the middle, and Number 12 was taken out, while the trajectory of the attack hits Kaze and his Life Points drop to 850. I call over with a smirk,
"Keh, bet that stung, huh Kaze?"
"Rrrgh, you worm...you're nothing! You will not defeat me like this! By using one Overlay Unit, Crimson Shadow returns to the field!"
But seeing the Number revive only made my smirk grow:
"Thought you'd do something like that, which is why I had this Spell ready, Revenge Attack!"
"So when your monster attacks but fails to destroy its opponent in battle, Revenge Attack activates and increases its power."
"That's right, Astral: Utopia's Attack Points rise to the tune of 1000 before coming in for another swing!"
Kaze exclaims with a gruff growl,
"It what?!"
I just laugh at his expression before turning to watch Utopia's strength rise to 3500...while also noticing a new light casting onto the field.
Hm? Where's that sunlight comin' from?
Unless...it might be Utopia's doing...I think.
I sense Astral hover close to me, and we both look at one another before nodding firmly, and announce with raised hands,
"This is where we win the duel!"
"Go, Utopia!"
"(Both) Attack with Rising Sun Slash!"
Our monster tosses his blade downward in a boomerang, taking the blinding light with it to destroy Crimson Shadow in a flash of golden yellow!
"This can't be! Aaaaaaaaggggghhhhhhh!"
Kaze would fall soon after, his Life Points skydiving to zero, making me victor of this duel...
I then watch as Astral extracts Number Twelve from the man's being, the numeral symbol twelve vanishing in a burst of light.
Glad that's over...
"Addy!"
"Hm?"
I turn around to smile-smirk at my approaching BFFs, and quirk,
"Hey guys. Not bad, eh?"
"Not bad?! That was great!"
"Better than great; it was awesome!"
We laugh a little, and I catch Astral giving me a small nod and what I think might have been a proud smile on his face. For reasons unknown to me, it made my heart flutter seeing that expression coming from him, and I quickly glance away from his eyes while fighting back this ridiculous urge to...blush.
What the hell's wrong with me? I've, never felt flustered like this before...
...No, not flustered. Something else...but what?
"You definitely pulled off another close call there, Addy."
I snapped out of my confusion to Jamal's voice and reply with a slight stutter coming down from that brief...whatever that was,
"H-Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess it was another one of those close-type duels, huh?"
"Any closer and you'd be sprawled on the floor."
I widen my eyes from his tease while Tiffany giggles a bit, before I smirk at him annoyed and hold up a mock fist.
"Oi, watch it, wise-guy; them's fightin' words!"
That just made the three of us laugh more...until my ears pick up on the sound of someone breathing heavy in a raging manner. I turn back to where Kaze was...and saw that he was on his feet once again, readying his katana while standing in front of what I now can identify as the Blade Armour Ninja wood carving.
What is he...Uh! No!
I wasted no time, and quickly ran over just as the blade came swinging down...
(GRASP)
"Addy!" "Athena, no!"
Luckily, I was fast enough to reach Kaze, and made one of those ballsy moves involving using my bare hands to stop the incoming blade, catching it between my palms! Course, what I didn't completely account for was how I gripped the sword, which would cost me some cutting into the skin of my right palm, thankfully none too deep, my blood dripping onto the floor between out bodies.
Kaze seemed a bit frazzled at first when he catches the dripping crimson from my hand, but shook it off before barking at me gruffly,
"Get out of the way and release my sword!"
"Screw you and get this through your head, you crazy: Destroying all in your way's not gonna make that anger boiling in your heart go away like that!"
I grit my teeth as I thought of my own experience in going against the world.
"Don't act like you're the only one who's been betrayed by our own species, because that's a load of bull...We all run into that problem at some point in our lives, some minor, some severe...But just because one bad experience hinders your trust in the world, doesn't mean you have to let it cloud your judgement entirely. That's an easy way to make too many enemies...and push you that much closer, to ending up as another dead body on the streets."
This time, something seemed to click inside Kaze's brain, and there's a pause...before he reveals,
"I was betrayed once by my friends...I had nowhere to turn. So I came to Roku, to find a new direction...He spoke about respecting my monsters, and trusting them...but...Uh! I, lashed out in anger..."
He drops his grip from his katana, and I release the bladed end to allow it to clank to the ground entirely, moving to hold my injured right palm in my other hand. My eyes were on Kaze's kneeling and defeated-looking form, his tone taking a pained drop.
"I just...I can't do it. After what I've been through...I just, can't. I dunno how to trust, anyone..."
I felt a sympathetic frown grace my lips:
"Kaze..."
That was when Master Roku stepped over to us and softly clapped the other's shoulder with a chiding smile.
"You can still learn how, my boy. It is never too late for that."
The man who radiated ninja looks at the elder in surprise, before bowing in respect.
"Master..."
I smiled slightly, adding in my own thoughts,
"He's right, and if not him, take it from me: Turning your back on the world doesn't do a lick of good for anybody. It's better to face it with your head held high. Show the haters that you can make your mark no matter what they'll try to do to stop you."
Kaze looks up at me with a somewhat awkward smile, likely not used to hearing advice from someone younger than him.
"Per-haps you're right..."
Small Time Skip
Once the stormy clouds were gone to give way for the rays of the sunset, we'd all be standing outside the Sanctuary ready to go and part from Master Roku and Kaze, the latter now dressed in a simpler ninja garb.
"Kaze is going to stay here and continue his training."
I nod with a smiling smirk:
"Sweet! I'll be sure to remember to swing by sometime in the future for a new duel. Maybe you can even show me some of your moves with that katana of yours."
Kaze smiles slightly and replies,
"We'll see. By the way, I'm sorry again for the injury on your palm."
I hold up my bandaged right hand with a casual wave:
"Oh this? Nah, I'm fine; just a shallow cut. Partly my fault for grabbing your blade the wrong way."
Everyone sweatdrops from my brush-off, before I'm suddenly meeting eye-to-eye with my redheaded brother, who was giving me one of his famous stern expressions.
"...So, despite my campaigns, you've been dueling behind my back, have you?"
I muster up a neutral expression and bravely reply,
"Yes, I have...Are you going to ground me?"
"...No."
What?
My face shifted to express shock, while Terry gives me an apologetic smile.
"I, finally understand that trying to put a saddle on the wild stallion that's my sister is impossible, and not the right way to help protect you...You can duel all you want, Athena."
"Really?"
"Really really. Just, promise me you'll work on being more careful so we can keep any trips to the hospital to a minimum?"
Terry...
I give my older brother a big hug, surprising him, and I reply in a sincere whisper,
"Promise...and, thank you."
With that out of the way, I turn to Jamal, who gives me a big grin and exclaims,
"Awesome! No more bro-dodgin'!"
I laugh a little with him while Terry shoots us an annoyed smirk, before Master Roku cuts in to present something to me.
"I want you to have this, Athena."
"Hm?"
I turn to see that he was holding out...a deck of Duel Monster Cards.
"Uh! Is, that what I think it is...?"
"This is the Sanctuary's Legendary Deck. I think you and the monsters in it will get along splendidly."
"Really?"
"Really."
My eyes connect briefly with Kaze, remembering how much he really wanted it behind his old burn of anger, but he merely smiled and nodded, giving me the further green light to take the deck from Master Roku's hands to hold in my own.
Wow, this is so unbelievably awesome...!
Jamal was pretty excited for me too:
"Nice one, girl! You'll totally power up your deck with these bad boys, and just in time for the World Duel Carnival!"
"Ah! That's right!"
That caught the Sanctuary keeper's attention:
"Ooo! Are you planning on entering a Dueling Tournament?"
Smirking, I nod to Master Roku and reply,
"I'm definitely goin' for it! Me and my monsters are gonna mark our place among the greats! Right, Astral?"
...That's when I clue into the absence of the blue-skinned being from beyond this world.
"...Astral?"
Must've dived into the key...Wonder why?
Astral's POV
I had retreated back inside Athena's pendant at around the time she, her family and friends were making their way out of the Dueling Sanctuary, and could sense a new wave of excitement radiate into this temporal space from her being...
As much as a part of myself wanted to join her in the good feeling...I unfortunately have yet to fully overcome my own issues regarding what had brought us to the shrine in the first place.
It seems Athena has gotten her confidence back...That is a good thing.
If we are to defeat Kite, we must both believe we can win.
...I must work on that.