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Promises, Cards, Noodles, And Bonds
Chapter 1: A Somber Heart Needs a Warm Meal
The night sky bloomed in a starry expanse, providing a lonesome someone a path of starlight as she ventured deep into the woods. In her hands bared a rose, as red as lost blood.
Today was the night, a night of remembrance for the girl named Alexis Rhodes.
It has been three years since her brother disappeared from this very academy. She could remember the day she and her family got the news. She remembered the grief her parents went through as they tried to process what they were told; they refused their condolences, lashed out at their incompetence, and begged for salvation for their lost son.
Yet nothing came except for the comfort of their daughter. Who took it upon herself to realize her lost brother's dreams and her own.
"I'll follow Atticus dream! I'll become a professional duelist!" Alexis declared. Amidst their tears, her parents could see the glimmer of hope in her eyes.
It was an easy promise to make. Even before her brother influenced her, she always wanted to become a duelist. Now, she has her family's ever-so-fleeting approval.
She remembered the grueling trials ahead as she went to Duel Academy Prep Classes and the try-out duels right before the new school year started.
And then she remembered what her parents told her right before she left for the island.
"Do it for Atticus."
These were the memories that kept Alexis pushing forward.
Yet, despite her determination, the road ahead was long, unraveling, and uncertain.
She has, so far, made no progress on her brother's disappearance. The faculty wouldn't answer her questions. Any records she searched for were either deleted or restricted. And Zane, Atticus' best friend, knew nothing of what happened.
While bearing no progress, Alexis could at least honor her brother by visiting his former dorm and planting a rose by the doors; in respect of his memory.
The cold and brisk air brought a chilling wind; it made Alexis shudder, but she will not turn back.
She has disappointed her parents already with the lack of progress...But she will not disappoint her brother.
So Alexis continued walking despite the stinging cold that impeded her journey.
Alexis coughed and sniffed as she finally made it. The abandoned dorm, once a beautiful mansion for an elite class of students, is now a dilapidated mess of shattered walls, and broken windows. Age and time have weathered this manor into a mess of junk and scrap, with the only modern developments being lines of hazard tape wrapped around the rusty iron gates. A warning sign that no student should enter.
"Finally made it..." Alexis grumbled as she rubbed her nose, now reddened by the bad weather.
Of course, a mere sign wouldn't stop Alexis from fulfilling her promise. But a common cold might.
"I hope I'll find you...Brother...But for now, this rose will have to do..." She said as she pushed open the gates.
No response came from the gate, besides the slight jostle of rusted metal against rusted metal.
"Damn it..." Alexis tore down the yellow tape before she pushed again.
The gate wouldn't budge; it was locked, not through lock or key but through the heavy rust around its hinges, clasping it tight and sealing it shut.
She tried again, this time by throwing her shoulder against it.
Nope, nothing, besides a nasty bruise and a growl of frustration.
A sigh etched out of Alexis' sore throat. Perhaps it was time to return to the dorm.
"No." Alexis shook her head. She will not give up. A rusty gate won't stop her from honoring her lost brother.
And so, with a rub of her hands, Alexis grabbed the gate bars and began to climb over. The process was slow, cautious, and arduous, but she made it to the other side and into the courtyard after a near fall, dirtying her bare arms and legs with specs of dust from the time-worn gate.
After the hurdle, Alexis took a deep breath as she grabbed her rose, ready to honor her brother. That was until she felt nothing but lint in her skirt pocket.
"Don't tell me..." She turned around.
There it was, the rose, on the other side of the gate, just out of reach. The rose must've snuck out of Alexis' pocket when she climbed over.
"Damn it!" Alexis stomped.
Alexis once again scrambled over the gate to get the rose; this time, as she reached the other side, she misjudged the placement of her foot and fell straight to the ground. Alexis just laid there, letting everything sink in.
Her clothes were dirty, her arms and legs were riddled with bruises, and her nose was runny and stuffy, all of this just because she wanted to honor a promise she foolishly made.
"DAMN IT!" She shouted as she slammed her fist to the ground. Completely at her wit's end, Alexis would snatch the flower and push it through the gate bars, shaving off a couple of petals. For the third time, she climbed over the annoying obstacle, this time without difficulty, as if her luck seemed to understand that they were at the mercy of Alexis' growing frustrations.
"Could this night get any worse?" Alexis grumbled under her breath.
It seemed like the night sky heard her despite trying to whisper her words.
*CRASH!*
Alexis felt a raindrop on her head, then another until it devolved into a downpour.
"OH COME ON!" The unlucky girl shouted as she quickly dived to the Abandoned dorm's entrance, hoping its shadow could provide some coverage from the storm.
Alexis was out of the rain, but the damage had already been done; she was completely soaked, and her hair, once smooth and elegant, was now a wet mess of wild frazzled strands.
"At least I can FINALLY put this stupid flower here..." Alexis grumbled. But then she got a good look at the rose. Its petals were wilted from Alexis' carelessness. She couldn't use this rose to honor her brother; it'd be more of an insult to his memory, not a sign of respect.
Frustrated, Alexis slammed the rose to the ground.
"DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT!" Her words rang through the forest, toned out by the rushing wind and pouring rain.
After she screamed, she slouched in defeat. "You're such an idiot, Alexis..." She cursed.
"Looks like..." She let out a cough before she rubbed her reddened nose.
"I got to find another one..." Alexis finished weakly. With all the lousy luck her night had been going, Alexis sincerely doubted the storm would end anytime soon, so she might as well wade through it.
The girl quickly left the abandoned dorm, sneezing and coughing as the rain pelted her from above.
Alexis hugged herself as she slumped down against a tree trunk by the path, shaking and coughing as she hugged herself. The storm only got worse when Alexis left the abandoned dorm. Now damp, tired, and sick, the unlucky girl decided to take a break by nestling herself underneath the shade of a tree.
"The R-Rose bush is j-just halfway there..." she told herself before getting up.
But as soon as she tried to stand up, her muscles ached in protest. Her mind was set on treading through the terrible weather, but her body forced her to sit down.
"God...I couldn't even honor my brother right..." Alexis lamented with a tired sigh. Before she knew it, Alexis dug into her knees, trying to fight back tears.
"I really am a failure, aren't I? I knew I couldn't keep my promises..." The unlucky girl admitted.
As she began to beat herself down for her failures, she within the wind, thunder, and rain...Whistling?
Yes, it was whistling. From the far distance came a merry tune despite the depressing rain and somber twilight.
Not only that, but she heard the sound of wheels slogging through the mud, followed by the clanging of boots and spurs going through the same torment.
With these sounds came light, just peeking out from the corner of Alexis' eyes.
"A Ramen Cart?" That was all she could say...For it was precisely what Alexis saw.
It was a godforsaken ramen cart. It had a little roof overhead and a table that nested three different wooden bowls: one for noodles, one for broth, and one for bowls and utensils. The roof bared several flags, providing potential customers privacy and a cover from the rain. Over the entire cart was a giant lantern that dangled like an angler's light as it illuminated the driver's path.
The one who pulled the cart was just as peculiar. It was a slifer red boy, noted by the edges of red and white peeking out of the large brown apron. He was shorter than Alexis, barely edging her up to eyes, mitigated solely by the tall cowboy hat that covered his wild mane of long dark red hair. The boy's boots jingled and jangled as its spurs jostled whenever the boy took a step.
That was until he stopped right in front of Alexis. The cart seemed to ache in protest, wanting its owner to ignore this fallen girl and continue on its journey.
He looked down at Alexis. His hat couldn't mask the deep shade of green that glinted.
"You look like you've been dealt a bad hand," the boy remarked. The boy's voice reeked of the deep south, yet it oddly had a note of gentleness, like the calm strum of an acoustic guitar.
"Tell me about it..." Alexis grumbled as she wiped away the tears from her face.
Her response made the boy continue, "You headin' somewhere in particular?" He asked.
Alexis hugged herself as she shivered, "Now? anywhere that's warm." She answered back. She will not give this stranger her real reason for coming out here.
"I can give you a ride...The wagon ain't no pumpkin carriage, but..." The boy then pressed a button on the cart's handlebars. The cart sputtered and whined before it shifted and turned. The bowls sunk into the cart's bulky base before a small, flat pillow took its place, converting the ramen cart into a Rickshaw Wagon.
"It certainly beats walkin' in the rain." He shrugged.
Alexis only gave the boy silence, unsure of his motives. With all the bad luck she experienced tonight, Alexis had every right to be suspicious of the mysterious stranger.
The boy seemed to read Alexis' mind, "Look, I know I'm a total stranger, but I can't leave a mademoiselle out here on her lonesome, especially if she's under the weather." The boy then looked up to the sky, catching raindrops on his tan face.
"Literally, in this case," He remarked as he flashed a half-grin.
"Name's Lance, Lance Yonder." the boy, now known as Lance, offered Alexis a hand.
Alexis stuck her hand out but hesitated as her fingers brushed against his. Lance's hands were rough, calloused by years of hard work.
"Don't worry...My food bites, but I sure don't." He reassured her, flashing the same half-grin that showed off a bit of his teeth.
Alexis furrowed her brow. "This whole day has been a disaster...I bet you want something from me in return," Alexis folded her arms in protest.
Lance raised his hands defensively, trying to show that he meant no harm. "Not at all! Ma Mère told me always to help a mademoiselle in need..." As he spoke, his southern accent broke into a gentler French tone as he peppered in several words in the language. It was like Lance was trying to sound more eloquent, yet his words were authentic, as if he had been born French but raised in a barn.
Alexis just curved her brow as she realized how bizarre the situation she was in. She's been offered a ride on a transforming ramen wagon carted by a French cowboy.
"Alright, fine..." Alexis then tried to get up by herself, refusing to take Lance's hand. but Alexis' fatigue and sickness thought otherwise. She coughed and sneezed before being forced to use the tree she slumped against as support.
"Ugh damn it!" Alexis growled. She couldn't muster the strength to get on this weirdo's cart. Is she really this weak?
"Hm, it's worse than I thought. Perhaps the ride can wait...Looks like you need more than just a carriage to head out of here..." Lance pressed the same button on his cart's handlebars and reverted the rickshaw wagon to its ramen cart form.
"How will a bowl of noodles help me right now?" Alexis grumbled impatiently as she pushed herself off of the tree trunk. She stumbled and almost fell but managed to gain her footing, thanks to Lance's help.
He looked at Alexis guiltily before, and without warning, he took off his duster and draped it over her shoulders. Alexis' nose wrinkled; Lance's jacket smelled sharply of herbs, flour, and rainwater, but at least it made her feel warm, so she didn't refuse the help.
"Heh, you're talking about Yonder Family noodles! The best noodle shop on the island!" He claimed confidently. The French cowboy guided the grumpy Alexis to a seat before he skipped excitedly over to the opposite side. The spurs attached to his boots seemed to jingle with the same excitement. Stacks of steam bellowed around the cart as Lance opened the buckets containing the key ingredients to his shop, a golden broth, freshly cut noodles, and various thinly sliced condiments and toppings.
"That's because it's the only noodle shop on the island..." Alexis pointed out.
She heard Lance scoff, "Well, I bet this will change your tune..." He claimed before he cracked his knuckles.
Lance poured a ladle of golden broth like a twirling waterfall; with his other hand was the bowl, It followed the stream's trail, flawlessly catching every drop.
Then, a big white ball of noodles was carefully added into the bowl, instantly unraveling into a nest of white as they dived into the steaming broth.
"You look like a veggie girl, or do you want something a bit more heavy?" Lance asked as he started to slice some green onions into thin rings. Alexis only gave Lance a frown as an answer.
"Something heavy, got it," Lance replied, thinly dicing a stem of green onions while his eyes were still on Alexis. He then added a hard-boiled egg, some fishcake slices, and a thick pork flank into the bowl, turning the ramen dish into a proper hearty meal.
"Bon Appetite, mademoiselle." Lance presented with a bow and a gift of chopsticks.
Alexis gulped at her meal. Its flawless presentation took her aback. Despite the visual feast before her, Alexis would start cautiously. She slowly plucked out a string of noodles and, after a couple of breaths, took a bite.
Her eyes widened. It was an explosion of savory goodness, yet with a slight edge of heat that made her mouth tingle. It had a tint of herbal freshness that complemented the beefy richness of the broth, and the subtle saltiness was a nice finishing touch to the meal.
Alexis couldn't hold it in; she let out a delighted moan. Her face then flushed a deep shade of red.
Lance flashed another half-grin, unsurprised by Alexis' reaction to his cooking.
The ramen was so good it tempted Alexis to take another bite, then another, until she started to chow down. Once Alexis finished the noodles and toppings, she brought the bowl to her lips and drank the broth, rejuvenating her sore throat with its warm and zesty flavor.
She sighed, not out of fatigue nor despair but satisfaction.
She felt...Happy.
Who knew a delicious meal would make her feel better? She felt her muscles soothed and her nose wasn't as runny as before. A far cry from how she was before she had this delicious meal.
"That was...Amazing," Alexis complimented earnestly.
A slight smirk etched out of the corner of Lance's lips, "Told you it was the best on the island," He winked.
"That made me feel much better, thank you," Alexis admitted, "How much do I owe you?" she asked.
Lance held his hands up before he shook his head, "Nothing, you're my first customer after all," He admitted. Alexis curved a brow, "First customer?"
The boy gave a lazy shrug, "Hard to spread my master's teachings when competition is free stuff." He lamented as his smirk was now forced.
"And I can't sell my food to my kin at the Red Dorm," Lance shifted his eyes momentarily, clearly agitated about something. "Guy didn't even pay for it; pulled the seniority card on me," he hissed.
Alexis frowned at Lance's woes. The Obelisk Girl Dorm had a team of high-class chefs who cooked their meals, but it was nothing compared to Lance's; their food felt mass-produced, it lacked the passion that Lance's noodles had. It made her wonder if there were other aspiring cooks on the island.
A somber sigh escaped from Lance's lips, "It's a damn shame, because I promised Ma Mere and Pa that I could turn things around,"
Alexis paused "...Promise?" She muttered.
Lance tilted his head, hiding his eyes with the brim of his hat, "...Yeah, Both of them said that I shouldn't become a duelist, but I promised them if my noodle shop could work at the academy, then I could duel just as well...But..." He opened up a little compartment. It contained several deck boxes ladened with dust from lack of attention or use.
"So far, I couldn't even get a single duel going; boys at the red dorm think I'm too weird or something," he lamented.
"Why do I even try...I should probably give up..." He admitted in a whisper, just loud enough for Alexis to pick up. He sniffed loudly but forced a canine-flashing smirk as he lifted his head to show Alexis he was fine.
But Alexis could see behind that forced half-grin was someone who thought he was a failure. It was an all too familiar feeling that Alexis had experienced just moments ago...The drowning belief that you failed the people you promised to, that sinking despair that only puts you down; the only difference is that Alexis was given a helping hand...But Lance had no one.
Unless...
"Eh, sorry about that. I caught myself whinin' about my life and hey!" Lance poked his head out just out of the cover of the ramen cart.
"Rain's gone, and your bowl is empty. Y'all want to saddle and get back to your dorm?" He offered.
Alexis peaked to see that. Indeed, it did stop raining. The clouds departed into a starry night sky.
Alexis was more or less free to hitch a ride with Lance and go their separate ways. They'll forget about this whole interaction and probably never see each other again as they return to being lost in the scuffle at Duel Academy.
After all, Alexis was the most popular girl in the academy, and Lance, despite his delicious food and good first impression, was ultimately a nobody, someone to be put on the sidelines and forget about.
But..."No," Alexis replied.
Lance curved his brow, "Pardon?"
"I...I know what you're feeling right now," Alexis suddenly said. Lance lifted his head, confused but silent. Alexis took it as a sign to continue.
"I also made a promise to my parents...To honor my brother by becoming a duelist, like he would have wanted..." Her eyes drifted elsewhere, too ashamed to properly look forward, to face her failures head-on. The girl winced as the bad memories began to open some old wounds.
"But I've lost my first duel here...And when I tried to honor my brother...I couldn't even do that right." Alexis tensed up, her muscles strained as she felt a hot tear down her cheek.
"Before you met me...And helped me; I wanted to quit, to get out of here, and admit to my parents that I couldn't do it..."
"So, I get it, we both feel like giving up...But don't. Otherwise, every promise we'll make afterward will be meaningless." Alexis finished as she pushed away from her seat. She opened her eyes before taking a deep breath, feeling like an enormous weight was lifted off her shoulders.
Lance stood in silence, taking in all that Alexis said. He tried to speak, yet nothing came out.
So it was Alexis who pushed forward.
"Do you want to duel?"