The True Slifer Red 2
Chapter 2
-Jaden-
Gulping nervously, Jaden opened the door as he heard the other students starting to file out, "I…um…it's good to see you both again sirs?" Jaden tried not to look as nervous as he felt but he knew it was a futile endeavor.
"Again?" Kaiba narrowed his eyes in scrutiny, Jaden paling at the imposing presence the wealthy man had.
"I won a card design contest you held years ago sir!" Jaden snapped to attention, hoping it was the correct choice.
"Wait, was this that 'if there are Aliens we might as well teach them how to duel thing'?" Yugi slapped a palm to his face, the King of Games not the least bit on edge around the owner of Kaiba Corp.
"It was a valid argument, and you know it Moto." Kaiba huffed before nodding at Jaden, "And yeah, I remember you now. Gotta say, I was surprised that a kid won my contest. I expected an Industrial Illusions card designer or at least a retired one to do so." There was something behind the man's tone, but Jaden wasn't sure what it was.
"Either way, I'm sure you're wondering why we asked to speak with you." Yugi shook his head, working to get the conversation back on track.
"It's about the card that Moto here gave you." Kaiba snorted as Jaden slumped sadly.
"I'm gonna have to give it back, aren't I?" he asked dejectedly, "Should have known it was too good to be true."
"The opposite actually." Yugi gave an amused chuckle, "I was going to say that while it wasn't the card that I had intended to give you, I still think that you should keep Slifer."
He stared blankly at the king of games before he managed to get out "Um…Moto say what now?" which caused Kaiba to let out a bark of amusement.
"You have seen Duel Spirits before, yes?" Yugi asked him calmly, the man's tone only conveying endless patience. When he nodded hesitantly, still missed having Yubel around him "Well Kaiba and I can see them too. I'd intended to give you a card I have with a minor spirit, Winged Kuriboh. I figured that would be a good first partner for you."
"But then why give me Slifer instead of Winged Kuriboh?" Jaden asked in confusion before he could stop himself.
"Because Yugi is as absentminded as that idiot Wheeler most of the time." Kaiba answered with an amused snort "He picked up the card without looking and handed it to you face down but didn't bother to check and grabbed the wrong card by mistake."
"But one that seems to be rather fortunate at any rate," Yugi said quickly before Kaiba could continue "as I feel that you will be a worthy bearer for Slifer."
"For a few years at any rate." Kaiba said with a rather predatory grin that made him shudder.
"Why only a few years?" he asked in confusion.
"Because," Yugi said with a slightly exasperated sigh "Kaiba plans to duel you on the day of your graduation with each of you putting up your god card on the line in a winner take all match."
"Sweet." He said with a grin, eagerness overcoming his nerves as both of the pros looked at him in confusion. "Look at it this way," he explained "If I win then I get two god cards and my career in pro dueling is sure to take off, if I lose then Slifer goes to a better duelist while it may still help in the pros as people will see that Kaiba actually wanted to duel me himself.".
"A win-win for you all around," Kaiba deduced with a snort "not bad kid. I do have a question though, why did you use a deck that you clearly aren't comfortable using?"
At that question he looked down and sighed, having hoped that he could have hidden that fact away. "Growing up I wasn't exactly…popular," he began "people were afraid of me because I had an incredibly powerful duel spirit that would attack anyone who beat me in a duel as she thought it would make me happy. You remember that extra card I asked to be added to the capsule to be put through those cosmic rays?" when Kaiba nodded after a moment's thought Jaden continued "That was her. She was calm and caring most of the time but if I was even slightly sad, then she'd snap and attack what she thought was the 'source'. I'd hoped the rays would help her get control of herself. We'd heard stories people say that Duel Spirits can bring their cards to whoever they wish to wield them."
"Many can, yes." Yugi nodded, at least confirming that notion.
"But something went wrong, and she never came back." Jaden sighed, "With her gone though, people noticed I didn't have my 'freak powers' anymore and started stealing all my cards. My dad went out and bought me the cards to make this E-Hero deck but…" Jaden choked up as he clenched his fist, the topic still painful after all these years "my parents died in a car crash a few years later. I've tried getting other cards since then, but they always get stolen. People at least leave the Hero cards alone since they were the last thing that I got from my parents, but I only ever managed to hide one other card from being stolen."
"If you had the choice, would you prefer to keep them safe and reserved as a way to remember them?" Yugi asked gently as Jaden nodded, "Well, the helicopter for the island doesn't leave until tomorrow so you can come with me. My grandfather's shop isn't that far away so we can get you some new cards. It would reflect poorly on me as your sponsor if I sent you to the academy with a deck that didn't match you."
Blinking in confusion, Jaden looked between the two pros, hoping one would explain "Sponsor? I don't remember anything like that being mentioned."
"Yugi presented an idea to me," Kaiba explained "to allow several pro duelists to select students at the academy and 'sponsor' them. For some it could be simply a title, others help pay tuition, some offer advice, training or cards. It's all dependent on the person who's acting as a sponsor. I'm also having an old Dorm repaired before you get there."
"Are you sure it can be fixed in a day?" Yugi asked skeptically.
"You've never seen my workers," Kaiba deadpanned "they're faster than Wheeler on caffeine.
"Wait," he said as he realized something "if I now have Slifer, and Kaiba apparently has Obelisk…who has Ra?".
"Noticed that did you?" Yugi asked with a small smile "That card is held by Pegasus to study. Now let's get going…it's time for me to go home.".
-Moto Game Shop-
"Grandpa?" his sponsor asked hesitantly as they entered the small shop "Are you here?".
"Yugi?" the old man behind the counter asked in surprise "Is that really you?"
"Hey Grandpa," the suddenly nervous king of games replied hesitantly "I…I'm home."
"Welcome back Yugi." The old man said with a smile, the kind of look only a family member could give when they understand one's situation better than anyone could believe. "But I hope you're done disappearing for months at a time." Said look quickly turned into a stern gaze as the supposedly fearless king of games whimpered and nodded.
"Grandpa," Yugi said after calming down "I'd like you to meet Jaden Yuki. I'm sponsoring him at the Duel Academy, and he needs a new deck.".
"What's wrong with his current one?" the old man asked in confusion which quickly left once they explained the situation. "Hmmmmm," the old man said, walking around him, inspecting him and causing him to sweat nervously "do you have any cards besides your basic cards such as pot of greed and your Hero cards?" Solomon Moto finally asked.
"I have this." He admitted as he drew out his five headed dragon card "It was a gift from the only teacher I had who didn't turn a blind eye to the people who would attack me. He didn't duel anymore so he gave me his favorite card as a way of saying good luck."
Nodding Solomon Moto turned to Yugi and said "Yugi, go to the back room and pick up the two boxes with the red sticker on them.".
"Okay," Yugi said hesitantly "but why?"
"Occasionally, my supplier will overstock my orders of booster packs," Solomon explained "they also know it would cost them more to try and recall a single fox, so they simply let me have them as I do sponsor their business. I'm giving you a couple of boxes and will let you select a few of these cards and, in return, you will work here during your summer vacations and will also promote my shop when you turn pro."
"You got a deal sir," he said with a grin as he shook the man's hand "I won't let you down."
"I know you won't," Solomon said with a smile as Yugi brought out the two boxes filled with booster packs "I get the same feeling from you that I got when I started training Yugi and Joey. You'll do great things Jaden, I know it." Nodding eagerly, Jaden went to a table and set down Five Headed dragon, reaching into the first box as his fingers found a pack that he felt a pull towards. Time to build a deck that would take Duel Academy by storm.
