I got to borrow my brother's laptop again. Finally, he is busy with other thing, so I can borrow it for a few days. However, he'll be busy again soon, so the next update will take a long time again. I still don't have the money to buy a new laptop :(
For now, here's the chapter.
STREET – SHOPPING DISTRICT – CAPITAL – CANTIDEL EMPIRE – ARC-V
Grace is staring at her reflection in the mirror. She turned left, right, and turned around to check on the clothes she is trying on. It's a long sky-blue colored dress with floral frills. She smiled with satisfaction. She has decided. This dress is perfect. She quickly changed back to her own uniform before leaving the fitting room. When she came out, she was welcomed with her older sister thumping her right foot while crossing her arms and made that typical look whenever her patience was wearing thin.
"Sorry Big Sis. I'm done for real now." Grace said meekly.
"Good. Let's go home already." Gloria sighed, relieved that she can finally return after 3 hours accompanying her sister shopping. It's not like she hates shopping itself. She also loves shopping. But when it comes to her sister trying out clothes, she would prefer to give it a pass.
"Is it really necessary to try out that much dresses?" Gloria asked Grace after they left the shop.
"Cantidel has so many pretty dresses that I've never seen before. Can you blame me wanting to try out all of them? It's not every day we can see pretty, unique dresses." Grace argued while clutching her shopping bag closely to her chest.
"Rather than dresses, let's focus on coming up with a new strategy for our Duel. Now that we got Link Monsters, we can try to form a new combo." Gloria slapped her sister's back as they walk. While there's still no particular movement from Apophis' side, it's better for them to be prepared. The enemies must be smart enough to analyze the Lancers' duelings from the past records. If they keep using the same strategy and tactic, it'll only a matter of time the enemies will find the way to counter them.
"I know. We'll start tonight before we sleep, Sis." Grace replied. She may not show it, but she's excited to come up with a new combo with her sister.
"Oh, Tyler Sisters!"
The said twins turned to the voice calling for them. Not far ahead of them, Sora and Yura were approaching. Amusingly, Sora was holding two shopping bags on both sides. From the looks of it, it's not difficult to guess that those bags were heavy. Sora's face showed it. Yura, on the other hand, was walking gracefully without really holding anything.
"What's this? Are you two on a date?" Grace asked teasingly, giving Sora a pitying look, which Sora answered with a groan.
"Does this look like a date to you?" Sora emphasized by moving the shopping bags he was holding.
"The shorty lost in three rounds Duel against me. We made a bet that whoever lost must treat for a whole day." Yura answered while smirking at Sora.
"Girls sure is merciless when it comes spending a guy's money..." Sora mumbled. He can't believe that he just lost a whole lot of cash for a whole month within one day.
"You two can enjoy your date, we're going back now to try making new combo." Gloria told them, gently pushing Grace's back to continue walking. However, they stopped when the twins noticed Sora was staring at them.
"What?" Gloria asked.
"I know you're twins and all, but you two seems to have strong codependency." Sora commented.
"What do you mean?" Grace asked.
"It is as if separate, you're incomplete." Sora answered, which earned only more confusion from the twin sisters.
"Huh?"
"Well, you both compensated things the other lacked. From what I see, neither of you can comprehend being by yourselves. You said you're Tag Duelists, right? You always duel together. Then does that mean that you are unable to duel on your own?" Sora explained. Ever since he was still studying at Academia, Sora noticed that the Tyler Sisters are inseparable. They have always been the most famous Tag Duelists at Academia, especially after they defeated most of the Resistance's Spade Branch duelists. Sora commended their skills. However, at the same time, Sora felt they're being too dependent on each other.
The Tyler Sisters went silent at that. Grace, especially, seemed far more perturbed than her older sister. It was only from a whack that Yura gave to Sora that they stopped the uncomfortable silence. Sora cried out in pain and then complained at the sudden whack, asking what did he do to deserve it, but Yura just ignored him.
"Forgive him. He went out of line there. Please just forget it. Excuse us." Yura told the sisters before dragging Sora by his right ear, again, ignoring the boy's cry of pain while walking.
The two sisters were left alone standing on the street. Again, they went quiet. Gloria, however, was quick to snap out.
"Let's go back. It's almost time for dinner." Gloria told her sister.
"O-oh, yes. Let's go…" Grace replied uneasily. She tried not to look shaken, but she couldn't push it away.
She couldn't push away what Sora told them.
LIBRARY – THE BROTHERHOOD HQ – CAPITAL – CANTIDEL EMPIRE – ARC-V
This place is wider than Noboru Gongenzaka has imagined. Row after row of neatly lined up books with their spines facing outward, colour coded with dots, fiction section arranged in alphabetical order, young adults section, children's section with low shelves and floor cushions, comfortable leather arm chairs, tables for quiet study, muffled stillness, librarian at help desk, coarse cheap carpet on the floor, computers for doing book searches, computers for surfing the web, all of magazines, shelves of CD's and movies, and washrooms.
And yet, for such a wide library, he was the only there. Not that matters to him. Gongenzaka picked two books from one of the rows and comfortably took a sit on one of the sofas. He opened the first book. It's a guide to use Magic and Trap cards along with its strategies. Just by holding the book formed a small lump on his throat. He thought he had prepared himself, but obviously he still has some doubts. But he must do this for the sake of his friends.
"I never thought you're a type who likes to read books."
Gongenzaka lowered his book, his eyes met with Lechter who was holding a book himself and greeted him with a smile, which Gongenzaka returned with a polite bow.
"It's not like I hate reading books. I just prefer doing things in a practical way." Gongenzaka answered.
"Then why are you here? The fact you're here means you have a problem that cannot be solved using practical way. And your eyes are telling me that you're having a battle with yourself." Lechter said. He hit the mark when he saw Gongenzaka's face fallen. Gongenzaka tightened his grip on his book and look away in shame.
"Sorry if I crossed the line. I didn't mean to offend you." Lechter apologized, sitting on the sofa across Gongenzaka.
"No. It's okay. Just as you said, I'm having a trouble with my dueling." Gongenzaka admitted.
"Your dueling? What's wrong with it? I think your Steadfast style is unique and strong." Lechter asked. He has seen Gongenzaka dueling several times during his stay at the HQ and he also watched from the records provided by Reiji to better understand each other as comrades. A Deck that can build a strong defensive frontline and attack at the same time. No average duelists capable using the full potential of the Deck as well as Gongenzaka does. And so, Lechter was confused what's troubling Gongenzaka so much about his dueling.
"The Steadfast Dueling. It has always been the pride of the Gongenzaka dojo for generations. I've been using this style and Deck ever since I first started dueling. Never once I feel ashamed using this dueling. That feeling still hasn't changed." Gongenzaka looked down at the book he was holding. Lechter followed his gaze and now realized that the Superheavy Samurai user was holding a guidebook on how to use Magic and Trap cards. Superheavy Samurai Deck would crumble if any Magic or Trap is added to the Deck. Gongenzaka must be aware of this crucial fact, so why would he be reading a guidebook on how to use it?
"But...this kind of dueling only work out because it's not a Tag Duel. In a war like this, the possibility of being dragged into another Tag Duel is high. When that happens, unless whoever is going to be my Tag partner is using the same Steadfast style like me or continuously banishing any Spell and Trap from Graveyard." Gongenzaka could never forgive himself if that happens. He can't make them do that. That'll be no different than him being useless, being a burden to his partner. That is not a manly thing to do. Partners must help each other.
"So you're considering to change your Deck? Or to abandon your Steadfast dueling?" Lechter questioned, now knowing the root of the problem.
"I don't want to. But this is the only way so I won't become a burden to my friends. It'll take some times until I can get used to a new style using Magic and Traps, but I'll–"
"I've heard enough. Forget it." Lechter cut him off. He won't let Gongenzaka continue. The Blue-Eyes user pulled Gongenzaka to his feet. For someone who is already at old age and smaller than Gongenzaka, the Superheavy Samurai user found Lechter's strength beyond his.
"Lechter-san?"
Gongenzaka was at loss when Lechter stopped at the second row bookshelf from the entrance. The senior duelist was looking at the books, trying to find particular books while mumbling the book should be around here.
"Lechter-san, what are you doing?" Gongenzaka inquired again.
"We're going to look for a monster that can help you in a Tag Duel without sacrificing your style." Lechter answered without looking at Gongenzaka, still searching for the book.
"Such a monster really exists?"
"There has to be at least one."
Lechter stopped when he finally found the book. From the torn condition and fading image of the book, it was old. Fortunately, it's still readable. Only then, Lechter finally turned to Gongenzaka, looking at the young one straight in the eyes. Gongenzaka couldn't turn away from those eyes. Just from that glance, Gongenzaka understood why people respect him so much. The air of a man who had gone through the darkest tragedies yet still manage to stand up high without looking back at the past. A wise man with true insight.
"Noboru Gongenzaka, if you're proud of your dueling then stick to it. You can't abandon it, not when you've reached this far using that style. You've been using it for years. I doubt it's all right to just let it go. That dueling also your father, your family's pride, is it not? If you throw it away then it would be an insult to your family, especially if you didn't even try to make an effort to find the solution. I won't permit it." Lechter told Gongenzaka, motioning at the said Deck in Gongenzaka's belt. He knew that while still doubtful, Gongenzaka has almost completely given up in searching for alternative way. And he won't let Gongenzaka fall.
"From the moment I began dueling, I always put my dueling on the line. My dueling is something that I will never give up no matter what. But it's not because it's my pride that I will not give it up. It's because I cannot give it up, that's why that dueling is my pride."
Lechter stated, placing the book on the table. He stared at the book fondly. It brought back certain memory. He won't say it now, but what he said a moment ago, it was something that he quoted from a duelist much senior than him.
His respected teacher, leader, and sworn friend.
TYLER SISTERS' ROOM – THE BROTHERHOOD HQ – CAPITAL – CANTIDEL EMPIRE – ARC-V
Gloria nodded in satisfaction at herself. She just finished the new combo for her and her sister's Deck using their new Link Monsters. The enemies won't expect this. She's 100% positive this will work out for them. She glanced at her twin behind her, sitting near the opened window. She also hoped this will cheer her up. Ever since they came home from shopping, Grace lost her cheerful energy. She just returned to their room and dropped her shopping bag on the floor like it's nothing.
Meanwhile, on the side of the said girl, Grace was staring at the sky. She's not really staring at anything because her mind was thinking of something else. She was wondering about what Sora told her and her sister this afternoon. Those were the words she had been avoiding for long times. She tried not to think about it. She tried to forget about it. But the damage has been done. Now, she couldn't take them out from her mind.
"Grace, I think I come up with a new strategy that will improve our offensive moves. Let's try it out." Gloria urged her sister, showing her the cards, but to her disappointment, Grace didn't look eager or even remotely interested. She hoped she was wrong, but Grace quickly confirmed her fear.
"Sorry Sis, but I'll train by myself tonight." Grace replied.
"What?"
"I said I'll train by myself today. It's not good if I'm being too dependent on you." Grace avoided her sister's gaze and walked as fast as she could to the door, but Gloria stopped her by grasping her arm tightly. Even so, Grace didn't spare her even a glance.
"Grace, are you bothered by what Sora told us? Just ignore him! There's nothing wrong with being Tag Duelists! The both of us are doing just fine the way we are!" Gloria argued. This is the one topic she never wanted to talk about with her sister.
"But we won't be together forever. In the end, in the future, the time will come we must part ways. That's why it's better for us to start learning to duel on our own from now on." Grace said, forcefully freeing himself from her older sister's grasp.
"No! We'll always be together, Grace! I will never leave you behind!" Gloria argued. She was trying to be assuring, however, there's desperation in her voice that gave out her insecurity.
"You can't be sure of that!" Grace lashed out, shocking Gloria. "Whoever is first, eventually one of us will leave the other... Just like Mom and Dad..."
Grace dashed out from the room after saying so without looking back, and Gloria was too stunned to even try of stopping her younger sister. The older twin's knees gave up on her from the shock, and she slowly fell down to her bed. She covered her eyes and her lips quivered as she recalled a certain nightmare.
Unbeknownst to her, a figure was lurking in the shadow outside the window.
NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW:
Swarm of Parasites – Geist spread Parasite Fusioners into the Brotherhood HQ, controlling some of its members including Grace. Gloria confronts her sister, determined to free her from the parasite.
Sorry I couldn't write much for this chapter. I decided to split this part into two. The second part is the next chapter. It'll take a longer time to update if I write it into one, and I think I've been absent long enough for this chapter.
Please don't forget to review this chapter!
