Dr. Crowler
Once the sun went down and the stars had begun to twinkle in the infinite black of heaven's field, Dr. Crowler lurked around the island in a tight, black, suit, zooming from bush to bush as fast as a black blur. He made sure to dodge all the street lamps lighting the way. Whenever Campus Security came by, he rolled around in thick puddles of mud and hid under a bush to avoid being seen by their hi-tech NVG 18 quad night vision goggles. They even had K-9 units patrolling the jungles, their German Shepherds sniffing around for dens in case students were hiding there and smoking Blue Dragon or searching for potential hiding spots for Duel Gangs. Crowler dashed for a nearby ferry that was on its way to deliver food and other comforts to the girls on their island at the center of the lake. Once onboard the boat, he sniggered and hid inside a crate. In just a few more moments, he was going to expose Jaden Yuki as a peeping tom. They would surely expel him for this. And never again would he have to deal with Jaden's defiance again. The boat's engine rumbled and the water behind the boat bubbled. He was on his way to getting his revenge.
Jaden
"Pass me another marshmallow, Evan!" Jaden said. He, Chumley, Evan, and Syrus were sitting around a campfire outside of their dorm, deep in the woods in a nice spot by a cliff that overlooked the dark seas below. The waves gently crashed against the rocks and the wind calmly whistled in the leaves of the trees above them.
Evan laughed and reached into a bag, tossing one to Jaden who caught it with ease. He stuck the marshmallow into a stick and held it over a fire until it turned golden brown. Syrus in the meantime was making a mess with the smores he was trying to make. The chocolate oozed out of the graham crackers and stuck to his fingers. Chumley handed him a bottle of cold water and poured it on his hands to wash the gunk off.
"Thanks," Syrus said, rubbing his wet hands on his jeans. Now that class was over and the weekend had begun, the students were free to dress as they pleased.
Jaden blew on his marshmallow and ate it. Then he said to Evan in a rather sticky voice: "Nice duel earlier, Evan. That was nothing short of amazing. So where did you get that cool Number Card?"
"A girl gave it to me."
"A girl?" Chumley said, his grilled cheese sandwich just inches from his mouth. "So some chick gave the card? What for? Did she like you or something?"
"I don't know. Before I could even thank her, she just vanished into thin air. She said her name was Priscilla. Does that ring the bell to any of you guys?"
"I haven't seen any Priscilla around here," Syrus said, holding another marshmallow over the fire.
"Don't look at me," Chumley said, finally biting into his sandwich. "There's got be like tons and tons of girls around here. All I can say is, ya should have kept your eyes on her and not the cards."
Evan smacked his forehead. "Aw, yeah. I forgot. So, are any of you guys going to head to North Point?"
"Not my scene," Syrus replied sadly. "There's lots of parties and stuff going on out there. I mean, I'll head over there to try out the beach and maybe dine at those cool restaurants, but Friday nights, you can count me out."
"Come on, Sy," Jaden said with a laugh. "Don't tell me you've never got your game on out on the dance floor before."
"Well, I lost a Duel to Zane when we were kids and he made me do the German Dance in front of passing strangers."
"I don't even want to know," Evan said. "Well, I kind of like it here, too. Night clubs and stuff like that were never my kinds of places to be either."
"It sure as hell shows," Chumley said. He started adding butter to the frying pan to make another grilled cheese sandwich.
"What do you mean by that?" Evan asked.
"I mean you've got such a pale look to ya. Not to mention you've got Happy Birthday Snookums written on your deck case, so that means you've lived a sheltered life."
"You mean it really shows?" Evan said, slouching in his camping stool.
Chumley opened a can of soda. "Yup, it really, really shows. I mean, what good is boasting that you've got a really cool Number Card if you're acting like a mama's boy."
Evan scoffed. "Aww, come on Chumley, Sky Pegasus isn't that rare of a card. I saw some guys using it earlier today."
"Still that's your Sky Pegasus. It's unique because it belongs to you. Now take good care of it. Jaden says cards can form a loving bond with their masters if you trust them right."
"That's right," Jaden agreed.
"A loving bond…" Syrus whispered. He looked at his PDA to check the time. "Uh, guys. Can you excuse me for a moment? I've to check something out."
"Sure, just be careful if you head southward. The girls are playing catch with Huon, and if he sees you in their turf, he's going to show no mercy."
"I'll be fine, I promise," Syrus said, disappearing into the woods.
"What's with him?" Chumley asked. "Syrus usually wants someone accompanying him to the outhouse cuz he's afraid of the dark."
"He's maturing, little by little," Jaden said. "How's about another marshmallow?"
Alice
"Well, come on, Alice," Mindy called from the bedroom of Enora's luxury suite on the second floor of the chateau. "Don't keep us waiting. Let's see your new dress."
"Okay. Here goes," Alice said. She came out of the closet wearing a short, red, glittery party dress that revealed her shoulders and chest. She gave a twirl and her friends clapped and hooted with glee. Her black high-heels clopped loudly on the ground.
"Looking hot!" said Jasmine, who was zipping up Mindy's gown. "I say she's all set to go."
"Yeah, well I'm not," Alyssa said, still preening herself in the mirror. A pink towel was wrapped around her chest as she applied makeup to her face.
"Didn't you say you'd be ready five minutes ago?" teased Alexis, already wearing a white, lacy, cocktail gown and her purse was slung over her shoulder. "Come on, Alyssa, the train's leaving soon."
"I'll be right there, give me a second." She gasped. "Hey, did any of you guys see that just now?"
"What's going on?" Enora asked. She was at her desk getting her things ready for the student council meeting.
"I saw someone peeking into the window just now."
"You serious?" Alexis darted over the bed and looked outside. There was nothing. The lanterns on the wall outside of each door were shining brightly, as were the round ceiling lamps going down the hall. Over the railing, she could see the moonlight shimmering on the lake below. The water was so clear she could see the lights of the underwater suites glowing from beneath the surface. If there was someone out there, she would have seen them by now.
"You don't think it's a boy?" Alice asked, hiding in the closet.
"Are you kidding?" Enora said, getting up to look out the window too. "The Obelisk Blue girls' dorm is one of the most secure places on the island, second to the card shop and the bank. If there's a peeper out there, he's a dead man walking. Campus Security has drones with thermal imaging, snipers in the mountains who are former Navy SEALS, K-9 units, operators in ghillie suits, you name it."
"What's keeping them from staring at us?" Mindy asked.
"They form a mile-wide perimeter outside our estate and the drones are so high up, they're in space. Think of the operators as a moat around our castle. Under orders of the Commander, my father, they're not allowed within the perimeter. Believe me, he knows who's snooping around."
"Well, that's good to know," said Alyssa. She finished putting on her dress. "Well, now all that's left is for Madison, Kami, Kylie, and Wisteria to come out of the showers." She looked at the clock on Enora's desk and couldn't help by eye her Black Luster Soldier - Sacred Soldier shining brightly on the top of her deck. "Hmm, it's seven-thirty. If those girls don't get out of the shower by eight o'clock, we're leaving them behind."
"Yeah, I agree," said Alexis. "But then again, it's the grotto. I doubt anyone wants to leave that place."
Meanwhile...
Like a puff of smoke, Crowler slipped around through the trees and stopped right in front of the gates to the bathing springs, a grotto inside of a cave with a tall gazebo of limestone right in the center. He could hear the girls laughing and splashing from within. He set the GPS to this location, hoping to lure Jaden to this spot, making him think Alexis was waiting for him. He heard footsteps and crouched down in an awkward position, but for one so tall, he was very athletic and flexible, so it didn't bother him. He was as still as a rock. Along with the footsteps, he heard giggling. Five young ladies wrapped in towels were getting ready to wade in the pool, one was just in her underwear, making Crowler go bright red.
"Let's not spend too much time in there, girls," she said. "I want to catch the next train to North Point. I'm in the mood for some dancing."
"Oh, you'll get plenty of it," said her friend. "We're gonna rule the night."
Crowler shut his eyes so as not to look at the girl and waited for her and her friends to disappear behind the gate. When it closed he breathed a sigh of relief and his device started to rumble. The student was here. His plan was finally coming to fruition. He was finally going to expel Jaden once and for all. He got his camera ready and held it up.
"I've got you, at last, Slacker!"
The bushes across from his rustled. This was it. He was here. "I'm coming, Alexis!" Syrus Truesdale said coming out of the vegetation and into the light.
Crowler was shocked. So much so that he jumped out of his hiding place and screamed at the top of his lungs. "WHAT! YOU'RE NOT JADEN!"
He screamed so loud that all the girls in the garden plaza outside the chateau heard him and came running to investigate.
"A BOY!"
"IT'S A BOY!"
"SECURITY! SECURITY!"
"What!" shouted Crowler. "I'm not a boy! I'm a man!" He slapped his hands over his face and scampered away. "You don't know me," he said before slipping off the edge of the lake and falling in with a loud splash. He was gone, but, Syrus wasn't so lucky. He curled up into a ball as the girls pounced on top of him like wolves to a wounded deer. They grabbed his limbs and held him to the ground as a girl with ropes came by and tied his wrists and legs.
Just then, he heard the sound if expensive club slippers stomping toward him. He looked up and saw Alexis, Jasmine, Mindy, and Alice looking down at him with displeasure in their eyes.
"Hey, he's the boy who hangs out with Jaden Yuki," Alice said.
"That' he is," said Alexis. "What the hell are you doing on our island, Syrus? How did you get here?"
"I took one of the rowboats," he replied with a squeak.
"So much for that perimeter," Enora coming down to see all the bruhaha taking place down there. "A rowboat, eh? How did they not see you?"
"Who?" Syrus asked.
Enora frowned. "Campus Security. At night they have our dorms locked down tighter than a virgin in Vegas. You're very sneaky little guy, my compliments. But don't go thinking that means you're off the hook. The punishment for a boy sneaking into the girls' living quarters of any dorm is severe. They're going to kick you out of the island in the morning, bub. I hope a few panties and some ass crack was worth getting expelled from school."
"No, no, no! You've got it all wrong!" Syrus declared, trying to prove his innocence. "Look, Alexis invited me here."
"I would do no such thing!" Alexis said at once. "He's a liar. Take him to Officer Tomsko."
"No, no, it's true! I have the note right here." He tried to reach for it, but his hands were tied.
Alice had to get the note for him. "It's a love note all right," she said. "Wow, check this out. There's a map that details a secret passage in the lake that leads to a hidden cave on our island. No wonder Syrus made it through here undetected. Alexis? Did you write this?"
Alexis swiped the letter from her hands and read it herself. Her eyes got narrower and narrower and her brow sank deeper and deeper until she formed a furious scowl. "Syrus, first of all, I have no idea about this secret route to our dorm. And secondly, my name isn't even spelled right."
"Uh oh…"
"And check out the address on the back of the note," Jasmine pointed out. "It's addressed to Jaden Yuki."
Syrus felt his chest fall to pieces. He lost his breath and he felt his eyes bubbling with tears. "So you don't love me, Alexis?"
She shook her head. "No. Not only did I not write this, but it also wasn't meant for you."
"Aww, I can't even get a fake love letter."
Alexis smiled. "Aww, I'm sorry, Syrus."
"Aw, I just knew he wouldn't be that kind of person," said Alice. "It was all a big misunderstanding, wasn't it, Syrus?"
Syrus looked at her and nodded. "Uh, yeah. Thanks for understanding, guys."
"So what do you reckon we should do with him?" Enora asked.
"Let's escort him back to shore," said Alexis. "Clearly someone was trying to troll Jaden and Syrus got caught in the middle."
"I don't buy it," said Jasmine. "What if he made this as an excuse to come here?"
Alexis rubbed her chin.
"You know, she has a point," said Enora. "What if this a sob story just to make us go easy on him."
"But I'm telling the truth!"
"Vat is going on down zere!" shouted Helga, the Dorm Supervisor.
"Down! Down!" Alexis said. "Alice, Jasmine, Mindy, help me!"
They bent Syrus over and sat down on top of him. Then they smiled like little angels as the hallway shook with giant footsteps. A very tall, stout, and muscular woman looked down at them from the railing on the second floor of the chateau. She wore a long, black, maid outfit with a frilly white apron. She looked like Huskee of the Dragonmaids if she had scarfed down a whole table of cakes. Her nose was pink and round and she had beady brown eyes. A mole could be seen right by her left nostril.
"Vell, vat are you three doing making so much noise this late at night?" She wrinkled her nose at the sight of their party dresses. "Hmm, going to North Point to party, I see. Vell, don't come back late. And I better not catch you bringing boys to this island. If I do, I vill take you to my office and punish you, am I clear?"
"Yes, ma'am," said Alexis. "Sorry, sorry. We were just getting a little excited. That's all."
"Yeah, sorry," said Alice. "Damn, she's huge!" she whispered to Alexis.
"And you girls are very heavy!" whined Syrus. He struggled to breathe and hold up their weight.
"I beg your pardon!" snapped Jasmine.
Helga smiled. "Vell, have fun and be safe. Remember, don't come back late. It's ze weekend but you're still in school. Good night, my darlings." She walked away.
They stood up and Syrus collapsed to the ground, breathing for air.
"So what do we do now?" Alice asked.
"I know what we can do now," Alexis said, mischievously tapping her foot on the ground. "We could use this opportunity to use Syrus as bait."
"Bait for what?" Enora asked. "Uh oh, Alexis, you've got that crazy look in your eye."
Alexis crossed her arms and smiled with cunning. "Bait to lure Jaden Yuki down here and find out if his duel against Crowler was just luck."
"You want to duel Jaden Yuki?" Alice asked.
"Damn right, I do." She checked her watch. "Yeah, we've got time before we head out. I'm going to make this duel quick."
Jaden
The hour was getting late and the marshmallow bag was now empty.
"Still no sigh of Syrus," Evan said, stoking the fire. Red and yellow embers took to the air. I wonder where he went to in such a hurry."
"Must have gone to the bathroom," said Chumley. He was falling asleep on his lounge chair "I told him eating all that chocolate would upset his stomach."
"I guess," Jaden said. His PDA started ringing. "What's this?"
"Got a message there, Jaden?" Evan asked.
Jaden didn't answer. He just kept on reading the message. Then he closed it and sighed. "I'll be right back guys. Sy's in trouble."
Jaden left Evan and Chumley behind then went to the docks to take a boat. He followed the map on his PDA and rowed to a tunnel near the rocks that was well hidden behind vines and the roots of a nearby tree. As Jaden approached the cave, bats flew out, startling him. He ducked and kept his head down until they were all gone, then continued rowing into the cave. He followed all sorts of creepy twists and turns. It was pitch black in there. He heard water dripping from stalactites deep behind blocked off chambers of the cave.
Ooooo something hooted.
"Ah, it's you," Jaden said as a little creature appeared before him. It was a Winged Kuriboh. "Hey, pal, do you know the way out of here?"
Oooooo Kuriboh went and he turned and slowly glided into the cave. Jaden rowed after it and in no time at all, he found the exit, which led him right out into the docks of girls' dorm, perfectly hidden behind vines. Once he found the dock, he was met with the glow of tall, black, iron lamp posts. And right there on the concrete dock were Alexis, Alice, Jasmine, and Mindy, standing together, waiting for him in anticipation. Syrus was on the ground like a beaten dog with his wrists tied up.
"Nice dresses," Jaden said, rowing closer to the dock. "Going out to North Point, huh?"
"We were until we found your friend Syrus," Mindy said with a frown.
"Yeah, he was snooping around our dorm," Jasmine said, tapping Syrus's back with her foot.
Jaden felt disappointed in his friend. That was just low. "Is that true, Syrus?"
Syrus didn't say anything.
"I can't help you if you don't speak up," Jaden snapped. "What's going on? What were you doing here, Syrus? Not only is that against the rules, but it's also just sick!"
"No! You don't understand!" Syrus cried out. "I wasn't doing anything, honest!"
"Well, we're gonna have a serious talk when we get back to the dorm, Syrus. Sorry for all the trouble, girls. I promise this won't happen again."
"Damn right it won't," said Alexis. "See you're in our turf too, Jaden. You broke the rules."
"What? Now, wait a minute that's just not fair! You brought me out here! You can't expel me for that!"
"Hold on a minute," said Alexis. "We won't turn you in...yet. I challenge you to a duel, Jaden. If you win, we let you two leave. Lose, and we're both turning you in to Campus Security!"
"I guess I've got no choice in the matter," Jaden said with a sigh.
Alice untied Syrus and he scampered onto the boat. Alexis then walked to a ledge overlooking the lake and stood there as she waited for Mindy to hand her duel disk over. It was blue and white and embossed with silvery scrollwork. And when she activated it, a sword-shaped blade colored blue and outlined with white formed from it.
Jaden, never leaving his duel disk behind, strapped his on and stood up. "All right, Alexis, it's time to get your game on!"
LP 4000
"Good luck, Jaden," Alexis said. "You're going to need it."
They tossed a coin. Jaden was going to start first. Meanwhile, Professor Crowler was watching from the rocks nearby.
"Ah, they're going to have a duel," he whispered. "Alexis is one of the best students in my class. Heh! Jaden doesn't stand a chance. Teach him a lesson, Alexis!"
Turn 1
"All right, then, First, I discard Elemental HERO Captain Gold to add the field spell, Skyscraper to my hand. Next, I set a card face-down and summon everyone's favorite golden boy, Elemental HERO Sparkman!"
Sparkman flew out of a lightning vortex and punched the air, grunting and growling. The light from the lanterns flashed on his golden armor.
ATK/1600 DEF/1400
"That ends my turn."
Turn 2
"Oh, is that all, Jaden?" Alexis said. She drew and grinned. "I use Graceful Charity, drawing three cards and discarding two. Next, I summon Cyber Petit Angel! Now, I add a Cyber Angel to my hand. Next, I use the spell, Machine Angel Ritual! I sacrifice two Cyber Angel Idatens to ritual summon the all-powerful Cyber Angel Vrash!"
Jaden and Syrus yelled and shielded their eyes from the bright flash illuminating from Alexis's side of the field. When it died down, they both saw a giant angel in a pink and white leotard with translucent green wings on her hips. She wore a tall, ceremonial pink hat and had long, dark blue hair that brushed against her buttocks. Behind her was a golden halo, which she could use as a devastating weapon.
ATK/3000 DEF/2000
Jasmine jumped and high-fived Mindy. "Yeah! She summoned her best monster on her first turn!"
"You guys are in trouble now!" Mindy teased.
"Wow," Syrus croaked. "Three-thousand attack points."
Alexis giggled. "Oh, it's only going to get worse, Syrus. When Cyber Angel Idaten is used as a tribute, all ritual monsters gain 1000 extra attack points. And I have two, meaning Cyber Angel Vrash's attack increases to 5000!"
"Oh, man!" Jaden yelled, watching the ATK point display rising up. "She's so strong."
"You haven't seen anything yet, Jaden. Cyber Angel Vrash! Attack his Sparkman!"
Vrash's halo started glowing and then the green orbs illuminated. A loud, metallic humming sound erupted from the halo and then it fired green lasers at Sparkman.
"Awww, Jaden!" Syrus cried. "This is it!"
"Hold on, Alexis! I activate my trap card, Sakuretsu Armor! Not only does it stop Vrash's attack, but it will destroy her, too."
Sparkman crossed his arms over his chest and he was covered in radioactive armor. But the girls were not at all worried.
Mindy burst out laughing. "Uh oh, someone hasn't been doing his homework lately."
"She's right," Alexis replied with a cold smirk. "When a trap threatens to destroy Vrash, I can shuffle a ritual monster back to my deck, such as this card. Cyber Angel Natasha, which I discarded with Graceful Charity. Then, Vrash negates and destroys the trap. Sorry, Jaden!"
Vrash's attack ripped right through the Sakuretsu Armor and tore Sparkman to shreds, creating an explosion that sent a mushroom cloud rising up into the air.
Crowler struggled to stay afloat in the waves, but when finally got control of himself, he started laughing as Jaden's Life Points plunged to 600 Life Points with one powerful hit. Then, Alexis commanded her Cyber Petit Angel to attack. It fired a bright yellow beam, striking him in the chest. Jaden grunted and fell to his knees. Now his Life Points took a drop to 300.
"Uh oh, you're Life Points don't look so good," teased Mindy.
"Alexis, you're the best!" Jasmine said, playfully slapping Alexis in the butt.
"Jaden…" Alice whispered. "Is he really going to lose?"
Turn 3
"Well, are you impressed?" Alexis asked.
"Impressed? I think I'm in love."
"Aren't you sweet? Well, it's your turn, buddy. Get moving."
"Right. I draw! Okay, I activate Pot of Greed and draw two extra cards. You're good Alexis. Really good. They don't call you the Queen of Obelisk Blue for nothing. Let's see if I can't turn things around. First, I summon Elemental HERO Liquid Soldier!"
Jaden's duel disk hummed as it rendered a hero in midnight blue spandex and he wore a distinctive type of helmet colored light blue as were his gloves and boots.
ATK/1400 DEF/1300
"Aww, sweet," Jaden said, noticing his monster's attack points rising. "Since we're in the water, Liquid Soldier gets the field power bonus."
"For what good that will do," said Syrus. "He's only got 1900 attack points now, and Alexis's Cyber Angel has 5000. We're done for, Jay!"
"Not true, Syrus. First, I activate Liquid Soldier's effect! I can revive an Elemental HERO from my graveyard, so come on back Elemental HERO Sparkman! Next, I attack your Cyber Petit Angel with Sparkman!"
Sparkman flew and zapped the little creature until it exploded. Alexis grunted, shielding herself from the attack.
"Yeah! You got her good with that move, Jay!" Syrus cheered.
"Yup. Now, I lay a card face-down and end my turn."
Turn 4
Jaden 300 LP
Alexis 2700
"I really hope you're not planning to use that face-down on Vrash, Jaden? No matter what you do, it's over."
"Say goodbye to Duel Academy boys!" Mindy jeered as Jasmine stuck out her tongue and gave a V for victory.
Vrash charged up her green laser and launched it. The beam zoomed towards Liquid Soldier. Everyone held their breath. This was it. Until...
"I reveal my face-down card, Mirror Force!"
Alexis scoffed. "And I'll just shuffle one of my Idaten's back to my hand to negate and destroy it," said Alexis.
"Sorry, but I'm way ahead of you, Alexis."
"Huh?"
"From my hand, I activate the effect of Ghost Ogre and Snow Rabbit! When your Vrash activates her effect, Ghost Ogre and Snow Rabbit will negate the effect and destroy her."
"OH NO!" Alexis yelled.
Vrash screeched and exploded, leaving her field empty.
Turn 5
"Now it's my turn!" Jaden declared. "First, I use the effect of Miracle Fusion! With this card, I banish Elemental HERO Liquid Soldier on my field and Captain Gold in my graveyard to summon the one and only, Elemental HERO Sunrise!"
Alexis shielded her eyes as though the light of the rising sun had flashed in her face. She heard something swoop over her, creating a fierce wind, causing her to hold down the hem of her dress. She looked up and saw a hero in red and yellow armor and a blue cape. He was hovering in front of the moon. "YAH!" he shouted and he soared back to Jaden's side of the field and stood by him triumphantly.
ATK/2500 DEF/1200
"Awesome to have you here, man!" Jaden said, jumping so he could high-five the monster.
Thanks to the miracle of Solid Vision Technology, the hologram had a physical form, so Jaden could actually touch it.
"Now, Elemental HERO Sunrise gains 200 extra attack points for each different attribute I got, which increases his attack to 2700. That's just the amount of points I need to take you down. It's been fun, Alexis. Go, Elemental HERO Sunrise, attack her Life Points directly!"
Sunrise soared toward Alexis. He stood in front of her and raised his fist until it was enveloped in flames. "RRYAH!" he shouted, punching her in the stomach and knocking her flat on her back.
"Alexis!" cried Mindy.
"Uh...what just happened?" Jasmine said, feeling as though someone had stabbed her in the gut. She had never seen Alexis lose before. To make matters worse, it was against a Slifer.
Alice covered her smile with her hands. "Wow...he's amazing! Alexis gave everything she had and it still wasn't enough to beat Jaden."
Alexis rubbed her sore stomach and stood up. "Well, Jaden. You beat me. A deal's a deal. You're free to go."
Jaden chuckled. "Thanks. That was a really close game, Alexis. You almost got me there."
"Yeah, but next time I will come out on top, Jaden. Have a safe trip back to your dorm."
"And you have fun at North Point. Take pictures!"
"Ha-ha-ha," Alexis said sarcastically as she turned and walked away with her friends.
"That wasn't right," said Jasmine. "If you ask me, we should have turned them in."
"Well, nobody asked you," Alexis said, looking back at her.
"Alexis? Come on."
"Forget it. Come on, let's go get Alyssa and the others. North Point awaits."
Jaden, meanwhile, sat down on his boat and rowed Syrus into the cave to avoid being seen by Campus Security.
"Just what were you doing over there, buddy?" Jaden asked.
"I got invited over there," Syrus tried to explain. "But it turns out the letter I got was for you. Someone was trying to troll you, Jay."
"You think so? Who?"
As he and Syrus disappeared into the cave, Professor Crowler groaned, trying his best not to relive the moment when his most beloved student had lost.
"I'll get you, Jaden, just you wait!" he grumbled. "As soon as I get back to shore." He heard military com chatter coming from the woods. "Uh oh!" He took a deep breath and ducked under the water.
Alice
They made it to the station just in time. Once the sleek magnet train approached, they got inside with other students, who were well-dressed for a night of dancing at the clubs in North Point, which was a two-hour ride from the academy and for a while, all they saw around them was dark jungle and employee facilities. Then, they saw a warm glow haloing the jungle canopy. The city was close. When they arrived, Alice felt like she had stumbled into a dream. It was a very large city with towers and expensive hotels built right along the white sandy beaches of the island. She saw a giant ferris wheel in the distance and the city was glowing in all sorts of colors making it look like there was an iridescent filter in front of the whole thing. There were tourists down there as well as a few locals, which were the 1% of the world. The sons and daughters of billionaires, or youngsters who made money being influencers on popular social media platforms.
"This is amazing!" Alice said, her hands pressed to the window.
"Oh, this is going to be a night to remember!" cheered Alyssa.
The train stopped and they all got out. They went down a flight of spiral stairs that were lit with bright blue neon and then they stopped in front of a fountain with a statue of a Blue-Eyes White Dragon to take pictures. Alyssa, being the most playful, turned around lifted her dress as she stuck her tongue out, causing all her friends to laugh. They then headed into a nearby club that was exclusive to Obelisk Blue students. Being underage, they could only help themselves to water, apple cider, and soda. Madison was most displeased. Security was tight here, unlike back home where she faked her ID and easily got into bars to drink her fill with all sorts of exotic drinks.
"You look a little glum, Alexis," Mindy said.
Alexis sighed and smiled as she gave a wave of her hand. "Aw, forget it. I'm just bummed I lost that duel. Damn it, I was so close, but Jaden...I don't know. He seems to always get what he needs to get out of bad situations."
"Ah, you'll get him next time," Kylie said.
Kami nodded her head. "Yes. You're a great duelist, Alexis, one of the best. When you guys go head to head in round two, I guarantee the outcome will be different."
"I don't know," said Alice. "Jaden is what I call special. He's a different kind of guy."
"Oooo, special huh?" Mindy said with a tease. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you liked the guy."
"Hurk! What? No, no, you're wrong!"
Alexis giggled, finding her reddening face cute. "Hold still, you," she said, fixing her bow. "I swear, if I have to fix this thing again, I will staple it to your head. But you know something, girls. Even if I did win, I would never have turned them in."
"Really?" Wisteria asked, her steak halfway into her mouth.
"Yeah. I don't know why, but this place seems a lot more interesting with them than without them."
"I think so, too," said Alice. She got out of the booth and took Alexis by the hand. "Come on, a little dancing will get that glumness out of you."
"Huh, wait?"
"Come on, Alexis!" Mindy agreed, getting out of her seat. "Come on and shake that ass. Let loose! Otherwise, you're going to brood over this loss all night."
"Okay, waaaiit!" Alexis yelped as Alice and Alyssa grabbed her by the hands and yanked her out of the booth, dragging her to the dance floor.
For Alice, this was the perfect way to end a long and exciting week. She was surrounded by new friends who were starting to grow to become sisters. And she made it to the Red Arrows, which would hopefully help her achieve her goals and make her parents proud.
Dear Mother,
What an amazing week this has been. I've made many new friends, met plenty of rivals, and I learned so many wonderful things. I want to thank you so much for allowing me to come here. I'm having the time of my life. I've joined a really cool team, which I will tell you more as the days go by. Everyone on this island is special, each in their own way. They all form their own bonds and even grown to become family. I know I've already formed my family here. I love my friends. And as I write this, I can't help but think about what new adventures await me next week. What new challenges will I face? Who will I meet next? How far will I on this long road to being the duelist you've always wanted me to be?
Well, as dad always says, "Good things come to those who wait." And I am in no rush to see the days go by here. I love my school. I love my friends. And I love my beautiful Sacred Phoenixes. I have a feeling that so long as we're together, anything is possible. Until we meet again, mama. Take care.
Love,
Alice
Wings of Cerulean