I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of its spin-offs. If I did, Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos would have had more back story in Waking the Dragons.
Chapter Six: Rumors and Secrets
Mana and the guys were walking to their next class when they came across some Obelisk Blues talking. "What are you guys talking about?" Jaden asked them.
The Obelisks noticed them and walked away without a word. "Seriously? Makes it hard to believe what Atem and Alexis say about not all Obelisks being jerks," Mana grumbled.
"Yeah, whispering behind our back and then strutting off," Syrus added.
"Duh, you guys, they were talking about the Duel Giant," Chumley said.
"Duel Giant?"
"Yeah, some ginormous guy who's been challenging all the Obelisk Blue students to duels and winning. By the way, the scary part is he only comes out at midnight."
"Yeah, I have heard about that! He takes their cards too!" Syrus exclaimed.
"Yep, he makes them play with an ante," Chumley continued. "You know, when you put up your best card, and when you lose you have to hand it over?"
"That's despicable!" Mana yelled. Yugi had told her about Battle City's ante rule—Kaiba's way of trying to get all three of the Egyptian God Cards. Yugi had only dueled the Rare Hunters—thieves who stole cards from other duelists—but he hated that Kaiba had made that the rule. Yugi taught Mana and Atem to respect other duelists' cards and to never accept an ante duel. "Forcing duelists to give up their cards is just wrong!"
"Isn't it also illegal?" Syrus asked.
"Sure is," Chumley answered, "which is why he duels in disguise. He wears all the blazers of all the Obelisks he's beaten.
"That duelist better hope I don't find him," Mana said. "If someone thinks they're going to take my Dark Magician Girl, they have another thing coming!" She punched her palm to emphasize her point.
"Oh, Jaden, my boy," Dr. Crowler butted into their conversation.
"He's being nice; something's wrong," Syrus said.
"How would you like to have no homework for the rest of the year?" Crowler asked them. "All of you! Well, if you help me, that is. So what do you say?"
"All right!" Jaden answered.
"Wait, what do you want us do?" Mana asked. She never forgot her and Atem's suspicions that Crowler had been setting Jaden up for expulsion. "We have enough on our plate; we can't blindly take on other projects or favors."
"Oh, it's nothing, really," Crowler drawled on. "I just need you to go on a kind of field trip."
"I love field trips," Jaden answered. "Where are you taking us, teach?"
"All around campus," the professor answered. "I need you to find out who's been having these illegal matches. You know the one; they call him the Duel Giant, I believe."
"Sure, the guy that's been whupping your dorm!" Jaden grinned.
Crowler's grin vanished. "I, I don't keep track of such things. Good luck, Jaden!" With that, the head of Obelisk Blue took his leave.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Mana said. "I don't trust Crowler, even if he really wants this duelist stopped. I say we just walk away."
"Doesn't Crowler really not like you?" Chumley asked his roommate.
"Maybe," Jaden answered, "but how can I turn up no homework, a field trip, and a big duel?"
"By saying no," Syrus answered.
"Do you even know how to say no?" Mana asked.
"Yes?" Jaden looked at them innocently. Mana slapped her palm against her forehead.
"So how are we going to find this guy?" Syrus relented.
"I still think this is a bad idea," Mana protested.
Jaden could not be persuaded though, so the group prepared to face the Duel Giant. As they discussed how to find the guy, they stopped at the duel arena. There an Obelisk and a Ra were dueling. Their LifePoints were about even, but Mana could tell the Ra was nervous. He was short, about the same height as Syrus, and his dark green hair hung in his eyes. He seemed to doubt himself as he thought about what move to make. Jaden noticed the Ra had the spell Earthquake, which would end the duel in his favor because of his Mad Sword Beast's effect. If he played it.
The opposing Obelisk pushed for the Ra to hurry up, and his friends ridiculed him as well. Succumbing to the pressure, the Ra went for the attack without activating his spell, which led him right into the Obelisk's Reinforcements trap. The increased attack of the Obelisk's monster, and the difference eliminated the rest of the Ra's LifePoints. He sank to his knees in defeat.
"A classic case of stage fright," Bastion said as he walked up to them. "Brier has tremendous skill, but he hasn't been able to handle the pressure of dueling in public like this."
The Obelisks continued to ridicule him. As the Ra stormed away, Mana felt a weird sensation as the defeated duelist looked ready for revenge. "I felt it too," Dark Magician Girl's voice rang in her head. Mana looked to the side to see Winged Kuriboh had appeared on Jaden's shoulder.
"So what's the crew up to these days?" Bastion's voice brought Mana back to reality.
"We're looking for a giant," Syrus answered.
"A giant?"
"Yeah, the one who's been beating all the Obelisks."
"Yes, I've heard about this titan," Bastion's cheery expression darkened.
"Speaking of giants," Mana noticed the defeated Ra walk up to a very large Ra Yellow student. The guy was probably the biggest she had ever seen. "That guy might match the size of the duelist."
"Who, Beauregard?" their Ra friend asked. "Please, he's no Duel Giant. He's not a duelist; he's at the Academy studying to design games, not play them. I know him. He can hardly duel."
Jaden seemed to have an idea and took off running. "Wait up!" the other Slifers called after him as they ran to catch up.
He led them to Beauregard and the small duelist. The energetic Slifer waited no time in challenging Beauregard to a duel and accused him of being the Duel Giant. Brier denied Jaden's claims and led his large friend away, leaving the Slifers standing around awkwardly.
That night, they hid out on campus waiting for the Duel Giant. The guys hid behind one of the signs while Mana climbed a nearby tree and watched from above. I wonder if there's a spell I could do for this. On second thought, I'd better not. Knowing my luck I'd blow us all up. Mana's magic training had had mixed results, and she couldn't practice with other people around. Normally she'd practice at night, but Jaden's agreement to catch the Duel Giant had thrown a wrench into that routine. Why do I let them talk me into things?
They heard a scream, and the guys took off running. Mana swung down from the tree and raced to catch up to them. They found the Obelisk from earlier that day knelt on the ground in defeat. "He took my best card," the student said sadly.
"Which way did he go?" Jaden asked. The guy pointed and the Slifers gave chase.
They caught up to a very large person wearing several Obelisk Blue jackets. Mana couldn't even see his face through all the layers. "Hold it!" Jaden called to the duelist. "Caught you big guy! Not so quick on your feet, huh?"
The guy faced them without a word. Jaden wasted no time in challenging him to a duel. Winged Kuriboh appeared on Jaden's shoulder, and after listening to the little furball, Jaden offered him up for the ante rule. Mana hoped the duel would turn out all right. She knew Winged Kuriboh was not only Jaden's spirit partner, but also that it came from Yugi. Jaden had mentioned he ran into Yugi—literally—on his way to the entrance exam and Yugi had given the card. I hope you know what you're doing, Jaden. I don't want to tell Dad you lost his card in a stupid ante duel.
The mystery duelist's giant theme carried into his cards as well. He used Giant Orc combined with Second Goblin, which kept a 2200 attack point monster in attack position. Something isn't right here. Mana slipped from the group and climbed a nearby tree. With the height advantage, she spotted a familiar green-haired small duelist hiding behind the nearby rock. He gave instructions through a wireless headset. As Jaden inflicted damage to the Duel Giant with Rampart Blaster's effect, Mana leapt from the tree and tackled the Ra Yellow student from the arena. "Got you!" she yelled.
At the same time, Rampart Blaster's attack knocked the blazers off the Duel Giant, revealing Beauregard. "You can stop with the charade. How about the real Duel Giant come out?" he called.
"I already got him," Mana called back as she pulled Brier out from behind the rock.
"When did you do that?" Syrus asked.
"When you were busy staring at the Giant Orc," Mana answered.
"How did you guys know?" Brier asked.
"I saw how mad you were at those Obelisks," Jaden explained. "Then when I saw this big guy was your friend, it started coming together."
"But I lost that duel, why would you think I could beat all those Obelisks?"
"Because I heard you were a great duelist; only problem was you had stage fright. Which cleared up why the Duel Giant only came out at night and used a radio transmitter."
I have to give Jaden credit; he figured it out long before I did. Mana let go of Brier as Jaden finished his reasoning. If only he put those smarts into getting better grades.
Brier lashed out as everyone thought it was over. He was fed up with everyone making fun of him for being timid and small. They laughed at him and kept him from concentrating. Then when he met Beauregard, he saw the big guy was in the same boat. So they decided to get back at all the duelists who gave them a hard time. The costume was so they wouldn't get caught breaking campus rules with the ante.
"The ante rule is never the answer!" Mana lashed back at him. "By doing this, you've made yourself no better than the jerks who made fun of you in the first place!"
"Why do you care in the first place?" Brier asked. "It's not like they're your friends either."
"Because you don't mess with someone's deck!" Mana fumed. "Every duelist has a bond with their cards, and to take that bond away is despicable!"
"Okay, Mana, we get your point," Jaden intervened. "Besides, Brier's secret is out, so he doesn't have much of choice in what's next unless he continues this duel. Out in the open."
Brier looked panicked. "Out in the open?" He shook head to push away his anxieties. "I guess you're not giving me any choice."
Beauregard continued to hold the cards and duel disk while Brier looked on and gave the commands. They summoned Goblin King and then special summoned two Half Goblins, and the Goblin King received 1000 attack points for every fiend monster on his field, bumping him up to 3000. The King destroyed Rampart Blaster and the Giant Orc attacked Jaden directly. Brier also insisted Winged Kuriboh was still on the line.
Jaden turned things around with his Sparkman and Spark Blaster—he switched the battle positions of every monster but Goblin King. Then returned Clayman to his hand and fused it with Sparkman for Thunder Giant. Thunder Giant's ability destroyed the Giant Orc, and then he attacked one of the Half Goblins. Jaden finished the duel by splitting Thunder Giant back into Sparkman and Clayman and destroying Brier's remaining monsters.
Beauregard insisted he be the only turned in. Brier was his only friend, and he didn't want him expelled. Mana was touched by how he would give up his dream of being a game designer for his friend. They're just like Dad and Uncle Joey. "Hold on, guys."
"I'm not turning either of you two in," Jaden said. "I know what it's like to be made fun of. Everyone gets a dose of that sometimes. We're cool."
Brier looked at Jaden in shock.
"I only said I'd turn you in so that you'd come out." Jaden explained. "You know, duel me in the open, and realize that you could. It was a close duel, Brier. You should be proud."
"I guess you're right, Jaden. I did play well, and in front of people. Maybe I can do it again."
"Of course you can!" Jaden insisted. "I just hope it's not in front of me." Everyone laughed at that. "Now get out of here, before Dr. Crowler catches you."
The two Ras left, leaving the Slifers to decide their next move. They realized that since they didn't catch the Duel Giant, they would have to go back to doing homework. Including everything for the classes they missed while looking for him. I suppose things could have ended worse.
The next day they faced the wrath of Dr. Crowler. "So let me get this straight: you found the Duel Giant, beat him, and then he was able to escape!"
"Yep, that's what happened, teach," Jaden insisted as the four of them scrambled to do the home the disgruntled homework. "Last I saw he was headed up a beanstalk or something."
Crowler grumbled. "And you're saying you didn't use the illegal ante rule, but all the Obelisks did?"
"Did they?" Jaden continued to play innocent. "I heard they all just lost their cards. . . temporarily?"
Crowler continued to grumble and pushed their homework load into overdrive. Why do I let these guys talk me into things? Mana sensed they weren't going anywhere anytime soon.
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Mana was at the card shop with the guys. She was browsing the card packs while Jaden and Syrus discussed the sandwiches. Jaden really wanted to draw the Golden Eggwich, but there was only one—and Jaden hadn't drawn it in weeks. Mana rolled her eyes at his enthusiasm. Mana didn't see the appeal in the sandwiches. The few times she tried, she had mystery fillings that she would rather completely forget. Jaden managed to draw the Golden Eggwich multiple times; once he let Mana have it in an attempt to convince her how great Sandwich Day was. She admitted it was delicious, but it wasn't worth the effort and chances it took to get it.
Mana looked over to the guys just as Jaden had chosen his sandwich and taken a bite. Judging from his expression, he didn't get the Golden Eggwich. "Grilled tongue? Bleh. . . ." Jaden said as slumped to his knees in defeat.
"And this is why I don't do sandwich drawing," Mana said as she walked over to her friend. "There're too many nasty surprises I don't want in my mouth. This is more up my uncle's alley." Knowing her uncle Joey, he would be all over the idea of surprise sandwiches.
"I'm sure you'll get over this slump soon, Jaden," Syrus tried to console his friend.
"Better a bad draw here than during in a duel," Alexis chimed in as she walked up with a sandwich.
"Oh, so you took the Eggwich to have lunch with me?" Jaden asked as he stood up with a grin.
Alexis flushed red at his statement. "I did no such thing! I was just practicing my draws!"
"Sure, you were" Jaden drew the sentence out as he teased the blonde Obelisk.
"It's true, Jaden," Dorothy took Alexis's side. "She didn't draw the Eggwich. In fact, during the last five weeks, no one has. At least, no one I know. Someone must be sneaking in and stealing them." Dorothy went on to apologize for no one getting the Eggwich, but Jaden and the others insisted it wasn't her fault. Their fearless leader decided that they must stakeout the sandwiches and find whoever was stealing the Eggwich.
That night, Mana, Alexis, and the guys were in the back room of the card shop waiting for the sandwich thief. Jaden dominated the card games the guys played while the girls tried to do their homework. When Mana finished, she tried to discreetly practice her magic. She sat in the corner and tried to make her pencil levitate. She succeeded for a few seconds, but grabbed it as the guys turned to look at her. She tapped it against her book like she was still studying. Mana didn't want the others to know about her magic; if she didn't trust Dark Magician Girl, she wouldn't believe it herself. It was better to seem normal, especially since she couldn't get most of her spells to work anyway.
"Who wants some stakeout snacks?" Dorothy asked as she carried a tray of rice balls into the room. "Here, dig in," she urged. "They're my own special pastries. We have strawberry, chocolate, and lemon custard as well."
Since the rice balls all looked the same from the outside, Jaden suggested they draw for what they want. "Okay, this challenge I can get behind." Mana agreed. "I'll go first. I want chocolate." She looked over the pastries and pulled one from the center. She took a bite, and the sweet, rich taste of chocolate filled her mouth. "Mmm, definitely chocolate," she said.
"Wow, on the first try," Chumley said. "You've been holding out on us."
"It's not that hard; it's a one-in-three chance," Mana mumbled as she finished her pastry.
"Okay, I want strawberry," Jaden pulled one from the side. He took a bite and grinned. "Strawberry!"
"Way to go, Jaden," Syrus congratulated.
"It's good to know I've still got it," Jaden grinned. "You know, for when we get that Eggwich back. I can almost taste it already."
They heard a noise quickly turned off the light and hid in various places throughout the room. Mana and Alexis each hid in a locker, Dorothy hid under the desk, and the guys hid under the table. After a couple of minutes, the guys crept to the door to look through the glass. Mana opened the door to her locker enough to see a muscular figure pull up the door to the shop and move towards the sandwich box. It reached into the box, felt around for a minute, and then pulled a sandwich out.
Everyone took this as their cue to jump out and catch the thief. Dorothy flipped the light on, and everyone else blocked the thief's exit. No longer hidden in the shadows, the thief could be seen in full view. He had long, wild dark-brown hair, and he wore no shirt or shows, just a frayed pair of pants. He was very well-toned, possibly the most muscular guy Mana had ever seen. Mana thought he might be even more built than her dad's friend Rafael.
The thief gave a Tarzan yell and grabbed one of the shop's rolling carts. He pushed it full-force into the door, and it smashed through the metal, creating an opening big enough for him to escape. The students gave chase, but when the thief made to the ledge of the building, he gave another yell, grabbed a vine, and swung away.
Jaden quickly led them to circle around to cut the thief off. Dark Magician Girl, do you know where he went? Mana mentally called to her spirit partner.
I cannot go much beyond where my card is in your world, the spellcaster's voice rang in her head. He is too far out of my range.
It's okay. I shouldn't ask you to intervene on everything.
I am here to help you as I am able. Remember we are bonded.
They cut the thief off at the waterfall. He quickly began scaling it by the protruding rocks. "Damon!" Dorothy's voice rang out as she struggled to catch up to the students.
"You know him?" Jaden asked.
"Take your time to answer," Chumley interjected. "I need a break."
"Yes, I know him," the shop owner answered, "and he knows better than stealing!" She turned her last comment towards the thief.
He turned to look back and lost his grip on the rocks. He plummeted the length of the waterfall and landed with a splash. When he came up for air, Dorothy commented on his change from when she knew him, and Damon spoke with as few words possible. Mana thought he sounded like a stereotypical caveman. Dorothy explained that Damon used to be an Obelisk Blue student who always visited her in the card shop and drew sandwiches. Unfortunately, he was never good at it. Damon also explained—in his own bizarre way—that he had high test scores at the Academy but never did well in actual duels. That also came down to his inability to draw what he needed. Then he decided to put himself in tune with nature to become better at drawing cards. So he left the Academy to live in nature and hone his skills. But the true test of his drawing skills was being able to draw the Golden Eggwich. So he began sneaking into the card shop and drawing the Eggwiches.
"Damon, we understand," Dorothy said when he finished and teared up a little bit.
"Maybe you do, but I don't," Mana said. "It's a sandwich."
"Look, I don't think you're a thief anymore, but I like the Eggwiches as much as the next guy," Jaden interjected, "so let's duel! If I win, you stop swiping them; if you win, they're all yours."
Seriously? Mana sighed in exasperation. Maybe Mom is right, and I do need more female friends. She looked to see Alexis had her palm on her forehead. If was official; the girls had lost all vested interest in the need to catch the thief.
Damon's deck completely revolved around being able to draw. He would predict the next card either he or Jaden drew, and then the effect would put Jaden at a disadvantage. How is he doing this? He doesn't even know what's in Jaden's deck? If Mana didn't know better, she'd guess something along the lines of the Millennium Necklace, but not even a Millennium Item had this power. It came down to Damon's draw again—if he guessed it correctly, Jaden would lose the rest of his LifePoints.
For once, Damon was wrong. I guess that takes out the possibility of some weird mystical power helping him. Though I guess I shouldn't talk because I am learning magic from my card spirits. Mana relaxed when things weren't over for her friend. He dropped down to 100 LifePoints, but he was still in it. Though the duel was showing everyone that while Dorothy may sell cards, she knew absolutely nothing about how Duel Monsters worked.
Jaden tried to convince Damon that it's impossible for him to correctly guess every draw—he's only human. The Slifer pulled victory from defeat with his last draw. He fused Avian and Burstinatrix for Flame Wingman, and the Flame Wingman took care of the rest. Damon's LifePoints dropped to zero, and Jaden grinned in victory.
As soon as he lost, Damon lost the caveman voice. The whole persona he built that year in the woods fell away, and he cried upon realizing he didn't need to be some nature-dude. He just had to be himself. He hugged Dorothy tightly as she consoled him.
The next Sandwich Day, Jaden and Damon went to make their attempt for the Golden Eggwich. Before they could make their pick, Alexis claimed victory and the Eggwich. "Hey, Alexis, want to trade?" Jaden asked. "I got something green-ish?"
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Mana was sitting in the Slifer dining hall for dinner when Professor Banner called for everyone's attention. He introduced a new student named Blair Flannigan. Syrus and Chumley were disinterested—the latter because he wanted to keep eating and the former because he thought Blair would take his sidekick gig. Mana rolled her eyes at them before looking over the new student. He was small, and he looked down at the floor nervously. The large hat the boy wore kept Mana from seeing his hair or much of his face. Blair seemed to be even more timid than Syrus.
Jaden wasted no time in greeting the new student. He went into a cheery pep talk about how Slifer was the best dorm until Banner explained every transfer student started in Slifer. Blair scored high enough on his exam that he would probably be moved to Ra within a few days. While the professor explained this to Jaden, Blair pulled away from the overeager student and hid behind Banner. He really seems shy. Mana wondered if there was some way to make the new student feel more comfortable. Even if he was only there for a few days, they could still be friends after he moved.
Jaden's ridicule of the situation led Blair to being moved in with Jaden. All the guys looked at him in shock. Jaden really did it this time. "Welcome to Slifer Red, Blair," Mana moved to shake Blair's hand. "I'm Mana Gardener; I live right next door to them. I know these guys can get a little crazy, but I promise you they're cool."
Blair nodded and accepted Mana's handshake. "What's a girl doing in Slifer Red?" he asked.
"I chose to be a Slifer," Mana explained. "It's more fun here with my best friends."
They visited for a while before Mana returned to her room for the night. I think Blair will be fine here, she thought as went to bed.
The next morning, Chancellor Sheppard called for an assembly of the school. "Now the big match-up against our rival school, North Academy, is coming up. Last year Zane, our student rep. whupped them good, and the year before Atem did the same. This year I want to win the school duel again!"
"Hey, Blair, did you know Zane's my brother?" Syrus whispered to the new student.
"Really?"
"Yeah, he's pretty cool," Syrus bragged, "but Mom says I got the looks."
"Now we still haven't decided who's going to represent us this year," Sheppard continued, "so if you keep hitting those books and dueling hard, you may be the one who gets the honor!"
"All right!" Jaden shouted. "Did you hear what he said? It could be me in this match!"
"Get real, Jaden," Mana shot him down. "Yeah, it could be any of us, but it'll likely be Zane or Atem again."
"How come?" the overeager student asked.
"Because he's amazing," Blair said as he stared at the two candidates. Mana wondered which student he was referring to.
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"Amazing? What does that got to do with it?" Jaden fumed as they walked outside when classes had finished. "It should be about who's best!"
"Zane did beat you in a duel, Jaden," Syrus pointed out.
"And Atem is his main rival," Mana added.
Before they could discuss it further, Jaden and Mana spotted Blair running off somewhere. They told the others they had to check something out and when after him. They wound up at the Obelisk Blue boys' dorm in time to see Blair climb a tree. What is he up to? The two Slifers raced up the tree to follow their wayward classmate. Jaden leapt onto the balcony to get a closer look; Mana stayed at the tree to hide in the leaves. From her vantage point, she could see Blair take out a deck of cards, look at a few, and then rub his face against the deck itself. What the heck? Jaden backed away as he saw the same thing.
"Come on guys," Mana heard Zane's voice. "What do you say we chill upstairs?"
She looked down to see Zane, Atem, and some other Obelisk students returning to the dorm. Jaden turned to see them to and ran into the room to grab Blair. Through the window Mana saw Jaden pull Blair hard enough his hat fell off. Long dark blue hair broke free. She's a girl! But why is she pretending to be a guy?
Blair grabbed her hat booked it out of the room. Jaden only made it to the balcony before he was caught by the Obelisks. "Hey, Atem, look who we caught hanging out in your room."
This is Atem's room? Mana was very grateful for the leaves and tree branches covering her. The guys noticed the cards Blair left on the ground. "He was also digging around in your cards.
"Oh boy, look, it's not like that," Jaden tried to plead with them. "See there was this guy, well girl—" The Obelisks weren't having any of it. He tried to leave, but they held him by his jacket. They prepared to drag him to Dr. Crowler's office.
"Guys, leave him alone," Atem stopped the others. "He's a friend, so lighten up."
Zane looked over the spilled cards. "Atem's right; let him go."
"What?" Jaden looked at the top two students in confusion.
"Do you want us to reconsider, Jaden," Zane asked. "Or do you want to leave?"
"Leave's good," Jaden booked it out the door.
When he passed by the tree, Mana tried to get his attention. "Jaden!" she hissed, but he didn't notice her. He walked on, and Mana couldn't climb down the tree without the Obelisks noticing her. Guess I'm going to be here a while.
When the other Obelisks finally left the room, and Atem and Zane came out onto the balcony. "I know you're there, Mana," Atem called to her. "Don't worry, we're not going to bust you. Besides, I get to choose who's in my room during the day."
Mana sighed and swung onto the balcony. "I swear Jaden and I weren't intentionally trespassing."
"I figured," Zane showed her a hairclip he'd found in the room. "Unless this is yours, and I'm guessing it's not Jaden's."
"That's definitely not Jaden's style," Mana chuckled. "I am sorry. I'm pretty sure I know whose it is."
"So do we," the boys said. Mana thought it was funny that they were actually in sync for once.
"Well I'm going to go find Jaden," Mana leapt back into the tree. "Thanks for not turning us in! And good luck on the School Duel! I know whichever of you gets it will do great!" She climbed down and headed towards her own dorm.
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That night, Mana and Jaden discussed with Blair what happened. "Listen, you two," Blair insisted, "the fact that I'm a girl has to stay a secret."
"But what for, Blair?" Jaden asked.
"Yeah, I'm mean it's not unheard of for girls to be Slifer," Mana added. "I don't have to be the only one. Besides, you could be in the girls' dorm if you really wanted."
"Look, if we're going to keep a secret, we should at least know why we're keeping one," Jaden reasoned.
"No!" the disguised student shouted. "You don't need to know why! Nobody does! You got that?"
"Fine, but if you're not going to tell us," Jaden smirked, "you at least have to duel me!"
Mana rolled her eyes. Of course Jaden would turn the situation into a duel. He took any opportunity to duel someone. "Seriously, Jaden?"
"How will that solve anything?" Blair asked.
"'Cause in a duel, the truth always comes out," Jaden explained. "So get your game on!"
"Fine, but if I win you keep quiet without me having to explain myself," Blair agreed.
"Hey, this duel will tell me anything I need to do," Jaden said.
"How do we end up in situations like this?" Mana asked no one particular. "Well I'll go watch from the top of the cliff then. At least there I can sit down." She walked up the path and found Syrus and Chumley watching. "What are you guys doing here?" she asked the guys as she sat down next to them.
"We hadn't seen any of you since you ran off earlier," Syrus explained. "So we came looking for you. What are they going to duel about?"
"I can't tell you unless Jaden wins," Mana answered. "Those are the stakes. I'll just say that we found out something Blair doesn't want people to know, and if he wins, Jaden and I keep quiet about it no questions asked."
"And if Jaden wins?" Chumley asked.
"Blair tells why he needs to keep his secret," Mana answered.
"Which secret of hers are you referring to?" Zane asked. He stood behind the Slifers with Alexis and Atem.
Well those three are definitely getting along. It seemed they were always together. Or at least every time Mana saw them. "I think you already know what I'm talking about," she answered.
"So everyone here knows but us?" Syrus asked.
"Blair's not a guy," Atem explained. "She's really a girl."
"Obelisk security cams showed her in our dorm," Zane added.
"But what they didn't show was why she went to all this trouble," Alexis finished.
As the spectators discussed Blair's reasons, the duel started. Blair started off with the monster Maiden in Love. Jaden summoned Avian to attack the Maiden, which depressed Syrus and Chumley. The Maiden's special ability kept her from being destroyed by battle, and she put Avian under her love spell with a Maiden Counter. Mana saw a vision of Avian lovingly comforting the Maiden. Oh, great.
Blair continued her love combo with Cupid's Kiss. She sent her Maiden to attack, and after she failed to destroy Avian, since he had the Maiden Counter, Blair took control of him and attacked Jaden directly. That's going to make things difficult. Jaden tried summoning Sparkman to destroy Avian, but Blair's trap forced the Maiden to block the attack. Maiden cast her spell on Sparkman. Mana saw Avian reprimand Sparkman for attacking the Maiden and Sparkman falling in love with her as well.
"How do I get a Maiden Counter?" Syrus asked with hearts in his eyes. Chumley agreed with him.
"Uh, guys? Try and remember that it's just card you're looking at," Alexis sighed.
"Try and remember who you're talking to," Zane said. "When Sy and I were growing up, he used to claim he was going steady with Dark Magician Girl."
"Is that so?" Alexis chuckled. "Did she break your heart, Sy, or did you just decide to see other monsters?"
"Syrus doesn't have a chance with Dark Magician Girl," Mana rolled her eyes. "The main competition for her heart is the Pharaoh that saved the world from the Shadow Games. No one can compete with that."
"Says who?" Syrus said indignantly before turning his attention back to the duel.
Blair used Happy Marriage to increase Maiden's attack points by Avian's, and then she attacked Sparkman. Once Sparkman was under Blair's control, she had the two Elemental Heroes attack Jaden directly. He survived with only 400 LifePoints. "Face it, Jaden, you can't beat me. I'm dueling for love!" Blair said as she took her hat off and let her hair down.
"Doesn't she mean dueling with love?" Atem asked.
"Don't tell me you haven't put the pieces together yet?" Alexis teased. "Think about it, guys. She puts on a disguise, tricks her way into our school, breaks into your room."
"She's in love!" Syrus exclaimed.
"Big-time, and she's in love with you, Atem," Alexis chuckled.
Mana tried not to laugh as her brother's face flushed slightly red. "Is this seriously the first fangirl you've dealt with?" she asked.
"Most girls don't go this far!" Atem hissed. His sister bit her lip to keep from laughing.
Meanwhile Jaden figured out how to bypass the Maiden's special ability—using a female monster. He summoned Burstinatrix to snap the other heroes out of it. Mana saw her chastising the boys and they quivered in fear of her. Mana wasn't sure which was funnier—her brother's embarrassed expression or Burstinatrix striking fear into the hearts of Avian and Sparkman. Jaden's Burst Return card let Burstinatrix call the others back to his hand. Now that Avian was back, Jaden could fuse for Flame Wingman and wipe out the rest of Blair's LifePoints.
The spectators walked down to the duelists as the final attack hit. Blair promised to tell Jaden the truth, but Jaden declined, saying he and the spectators had already learned enough. Blair looked to see Atem and the others. "Atem, you're here!" she blushed. "Well then, I guess you know. I'm the one who snuck into your dorm room. Not Jaden. I've been in love with you ever since I met you."
"At the national tournament," Atem said. "I was pushed into entering by my uncle, and I ended up winning."
"Yeah, we met right after you won the championship match!" Blair grinned as she blushed. "It was then that I made a pledge: that I would do anything to be with you. I remember you said if I trained really really hard, I could get into Duel Academy like you, so I did! And now that I'm here," she spread her arms wide as her excitement grew, "We can get married!" Mana though she looked like her Maiden in Love in that pose.
Atem stepped back and flushed bright red. "Ha, get married, that's a good one," Jaden laughed. "You could honeymoon in the cafeteria. Dr. Crowler could give you away!"
"I'm not joking," Blair pouted.
"Blair, that's not how love works," Mana decided to take pity on her brother and help him. "You can't just sneak into someone's heart. Think about your Maiden. She used magic to trick the men into falling for her, but once the spell was broken, they were gone, and she was alone. Magic can do a lot of things, but it can't make people truly love each other. True love only comes from honesty and trust."
"Yeah right!" Blair shouted. "You just want Atem for yourself! You're just trying to get rid of me!"
"No, I do not!" Mana cried out. "There's nothing like that between us!" He's my brother!
Atem pressed a hand over her mouth before she could say more. "Blair, I'm flattered; I really am. But I don't feel the same way. I don't feel that way about anyone. And I'm not looking for that either. Right now I'm focusing on my only passion: dueling." He let go of Mana and handed Blair her hairclip. "I think this belongs to you." Blair looked ready to cry. "I'm sorry."
"It's time for you to go home," Zane chimed in.
"Wait why does she have to go?" Jaden asked. "Because you guys say so? Hello! She's a student at Duel Academy, and a good one!"
"Jaden, she has to go," Atem insisted.
"What because she might dethrone you two?" Jaden grinned.
"She has to go because she's only in fifth grade," Zane said.
Jaden's grinned dropped. "In fifth grade?" all the Slifers shouted at once.
"So then you're saying that I almost got beat by a girl who's only ten years old?" Jaden shouted.
Blair stuck her tongue out at him. "Ten and a half, if it makes you feel any better," she grinned.
The next morning they saw Blair off on the ferry. She promised to be back as soon as she was old enough. Jaden teased Atem, but Zane pointed out the two of them would be long gone by the time she returned. The joke turned on Jaden when Blair professed her love for him and called him her 'sweet prince.' "Wait, she's supposed to like Atem!" Jaden said, dumbfounded.
"She does like Atem," Mana said.
"But apparently she loves you," Alexis finished.
"Good luck," Atem patted Jaden on the back before walking away with Zane.
Everyone else took off, leaving Jaden to panic over what to do about being the center of a young girl's heart. "If only they had cards to counter this."
I know the Maiden in Love episode came after the King of Copycats, but that part ended up being a chapter's length on it's own, so that'll be the next chapter. Also I shifted Blair's crush to Atem because I felt I neglected him this chapter and thought it would be funny to have Blair accuse Mana of having feelings for him. Zane didn't have much of a reaction to Blair's crush, so it was fun to write Atem being kind of flustered.
I hope you liked this! Please tell me what you think!