Once again, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any spin-offs. If I did, the complete story of the Abandoned Dorm would have been told.
Chapter Nine: Dueling with Heart
Chazz grumbled as he sat in the ruins of his yacht. In his dehydrated state, he pictured Jaden's face grinning at him and challenging him to a duel. "Just one more duel, that's all I want," he muttered, activating his duel disk. "I'd wipe that ugly grin right off your face!" Chazz chucked his water bottle at Jaden's image. "Wait, no!" he leaned over to grab and fell into the murky water. As he sank deeper, he cursed Jaden for pushing him into his predicament.
Chazz woke to the sound of an annoying voice. He looked around for the source and saw he was in a dark, metallic room. Puddles of water filled dips in the floor. Chazz was greeted by a strange man wearing a silver mask and covered in long, green seaweed (1). In the stranger's hands was a deck of Duel Monsters cards. Chazz knew from the stranger's voice that he was not the one who woke him up. "Hey, wait a second. Those are my cards!" Chazz yelled as he noticed his empty duel disk.
"Oh, certainly, how crude of me," the stranger started to hand back the deck, but he dropped the cards in the closest puddle. Chazz struggled not to completely lose it at the guy. The klutz tossed Chazz a card. "That card more than makes up for it."
Chazz looked down into the smiling face of Ojama Yellow. "What? Some no-name? This stinks!" He moved to toss the card in the same puddle.
"Stop!" the stranger interrupted. "That is the card that will change your life."
"Give me a break!"
"I'll give your far better. Another chance to beat Jaden," the stranger revealed Chazz talked in his sleep and had figured out Chazz's loss to Jaden. Between the stranger and Jaden's voice in his head, Chazz declared he would spend whatever it took to be the best and defeat Jaden; he had the money to back up his talk. The stranger, amused, shot down Chazz's declaration. "No amount of money can buy your way to the top. You must earn it, if you can. And that is precisely what we're going to find out. Good luck, young duelist." As the stranger finished, water shot out from the ceiling, drenching Chazz and filling the room. "Remember to hold your nose," the stranger said as he walked away and Chazz was submerged by the water.
Chazz felt himself propelled away. He shot through the water and surfaced next to an ice cap. He pulled himself out of the water and looked around. The landscape left much to be desired in terms of hospitality. Only one building could be seen, so at least he was in some civilization, even if it was low-rent. Pushing the stranger out of his mind—at least until he could exact some kind of revenge, legal or otherwise—Chazz ventured toward the building. He knocked at the door and yelled to whoever was inside, but no one answered. "Is anybody home?" he called.
"Oh they're home," a soft voice to his left answered. A man with receding bushy brown hair and glasses sat in front of a fire. A duel disk adorned his left arm. He'd obviously been there a while. He looked tired, and stubble was growing on his face, the sign of someone who'd gone a while without shaving. His brown coat had also seen better days. "But you'll need forty cards to for them to let you in. I'm afraid that's just it works here at North Academy."
North Academy? Chazz had always heard about Duel Academy's rival. So this is where it was. The camper gestured for Chazz to sit with him as he explained his plight. North Academy hid cards around the frozen island. Prospective students had to find forty cards hidden in the glaciers and ice cliffs as a fortitude test before being allowed entry. But the camper had found only thirty-nine cards, and he had no energy left to find the last card.
"Great, then you don't need the other thirty-nine," Chazz took out his credit card to pay the man. The sooner he had forty cards, the sooner he could get inside and call for a ride home.
"No!" the man refused. "Besides this fire and tattered coat, these are all I have! They're priceless!" He pulled away and held his duel disk close to himself. Fed up with the camper, Chazz stormed off to find his own cards.
He pulled an all-nighter collecting cards. Grumbling about North Academy's policy the whole time, he collected the cards he needed and returned to the entrance. The camper was still at his fire when Chazz returned. The camper congratulated him on collecting forty cards and went on about how he would be fine until winter came. As Chazz listened to the man ramble on and on, the voice of the Slifer girl rang in his head. He remembered her extending a hand to him after he lost to Bastion. Even though you lost, you still fought a good duel. And one loss is not the end of the world. You can still bounce back. The girl thought she could pity him. Well two could play at that game. "I didn't just find forty cards," Chazz bragged. "I found forty-one. So you get to enter too."
He attempted to give the camper the Ojama Yellow card the stranger from before had given him. Try as he might, he could not hand the card over. The transparent figure of the card appeared before Chazz. "You can't give me away! We're pals, chums, best friends forever! You know, BFF!" the bizarre alien creature insisted.
"We are not!" Chazz yelled at the spirit.
"What's going on?" the camper asked.
"Don't you see it?" Chazz asked.
"See what?"
"Aw, boss, you're the only one who can see me," the yellow creature wiggled in front of Chazz's face. "If we're going to be partners, you need to stop being so uptight." Chazz told him to get lost, but Ojama Yellow just ignored him and went on to ask the student to help find his lost brothers. Ultimately, Chazz had to give the camper a different card and told him to get inside.
Once the camper was gone, Chazz resumed grumbling to himself. Why did he give the loser a card? He really only had forty, and now he was one short. Stupid Slifer girl. He could hear her and Jaden laughing in his head. He punched the ground in frustration, and next to his hand was another card. Chazz smirked and added the card to his deck.
"Alright open the door," Chazz stood at the entrance again. "I got your forty cards right here." He held up his duel disk as proof. A laser shot out from the top of the door and scanned his duel disk. Upon confirmation of his deck, the doors opened wide, and the duel disk activated.
Chazz walked into the campus of the school, not impressed with what he saw. Inside looked like an old western ghost town, and no one was in sight. The dump was beyond lame.
A door burst open, and the camper was thrown out of the building. Chazz ran to make sure he was okay. He appeared dazed, but otherwise unharmed. Several people filed out of the building, all wearing the North Academy uniform consisted of a dark grey, green, or brown coat with the school logo. Chazz quickly found himself surrounded.
The guy who seemed to be in charge introduced himself as Czar, the top student of North Academy. Czar sat in a rocking chair and explained North Academy's Duel Gauntlet. A new student starts at the bottom student and works their way up; where they lose becomes their rank. If they don't lose, they duel Czar, the fiftieth and best duelist. The camper had lost his first match.
Chazz smirked at the students. "So I got to win fifty times and that's it?" he asked. The other students were in disbelief at his attitude. They refused to believe Chazz would dethrone Czar, but Chazz was determined to prove them wrong. He made quick work of all the lower-ranked duelists, leaving only Czar and his four friends.
Impatient to get to Czar, Chazz challenged the other four to duel him all at once. All four summoned two Marauding Captains on their first turns. Chazz only summoned Giant Rat in defense mode and set two cards. The four students ridiculed Chazz for his weaker monster, and Chazz admitted he wouldn't have had him in his deck before, but he learned the need to make the best with the cards life dealt him.
"Aw, that's so nice of you, boss," Ojama Yellow danced in excitement at Chazz's words. "You're talking about me, huh?"
"Actually, I wasn't!" Chazz swiped at the annoying yellow thing. "You're still just as annoying and revolting and non-existent as ever! Got it? You're a disgusting yellow gremlin, and I don't like you so quit bugging me!"
"Disgusting, maybe," one of the duelists said as he drew, "but little and yellow? Get your eyes checked." It dawned on Chazz that again, no one else saw the annoying creature hovering next to him. Or at least they pretended not to. "Now back to the duel, I play The Allied Forces!" His spell increased every warrior monster's attack points by 200 for every warrior and spellcaster on the field. So each Marauding Captain received 1600 extra attack points. The first Marauding Captain destroyed the Giant Rat, and others went in for the charge. Chazz played his Rat's ability to summon Gyaku-Gire Panda. Originally, the Panda only had 800 attack points, but its ability gave him 500 attack points for every monster on the opponent's field. Eight Marauding Captains equals one very angry and powerful Panda. Chazz then activated his Ring of Destruction and targeted his Panda. Each player would take damage equal to the Panda's attack points when it was destroyed. Except the Chazz. He then played his Ring of Defense to protect himself from the damage while everyone else was wiped out. "You go bye-bye!" he said as the hologram of his Panda exploded and wiped out the other four duelists.
"Alright, granny, out of the rocker! You're up!" Chazz challenged Czar.
"Yeah, and you're going down," Czar said as he readied his duel disk, "because now it's the Czar against the Princeton. And there ain't no way I'm going to get shoved off my throne by you! Get ready for a battle royal!"
Czar started the duel with two Fiend Sanctuaries, and then he tributed the tokens to summon Zoa and set two cards. Chazz was irritated to draw Ojama Yellow. He summoned the critter in defense mode and played two face-down cards, hoping to find some way to ditch his annoying companion. Czar took the opportunity to activate his face-down Metalmorph and equip it to Zoa so he could summon his Metalzoa. His other face-down was Call of the Haunted, and he used that to revive the regular Zoa. Zoa destroyed Ojama Yellow and Metalzoa attacked Chazz directly. Czar had the advantage of knowing Chazz's deck from watching the other duels, and Chazz didn't have a single monster strong enough to take out either opposing monster. Chazz was ready for Metalzoa's attack though and activated Infernal Tempest to remove all the monsters in both duelists' decks and graveyards. He then activated the card left at the camper's fire—Chaos End—which destroyed all of Czar's monsters on the field. To finish his combo, Chazz activated Return from the Different Dimension to summon as many of his removed from play monsters as possible. A quadruple attack from his monsters wiped out all of Czar's LifePoints.
"Well done," the stranger from the boat applauded Chazz's victory.
"How did you get into the school?" Chazz asked, wary of the guy.
"Why, you let me in, of course," the stranger removed his mask to reveal the camper from the entrance. When did he leave? Chazz had lost track of the guy while he was dueling the other students. Not that he cared much. "I'm this school's chancellor. The name's Foster. And the camp outside, the sub out at sea, it was all just to get to you, young duelist."
"To me? What for?"
"Because you have a gift, Chazz," Chancellor Foster answered, "and I sensed it as soon as you handled that Ojama Yellow card."
"I hate that stinking card!" Chazz insisted.
"You might now, but you'll learn," Foster smiled. "Hopefully in time for the School Duel. You see, Chazz, you're now the best duelist at North Academy. That means you'll be our representative in the School Duel."
"So I'm going up against someone from Duel Academy?" Chazz was intrigued. Maybe he could finally get back at Jaden for humiliating him.
"That's right," Foster confirmed. "We had chosen Czar at first, but clearly he's not nearly as good as you are. Besides, to tell you the truth, I never really liked him."
Chazz smirked as the other students bowed him. This was where he deserved to be. Sitting at the top as the best. "So what punk am I dueling?" he asked.
"A Duel Academy first-year. A girl called Mana Gardner." Chazz took a step back in surprise at the chancellor's words. The image of the Slifer girl standing before him flashed through his mind. Her blue-green eyes full of nothing but pity. He would be happy to teach her not to look down on him anymore. And once Chazz defeated her, Jaden was next.
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Mana's staff appeared in her hand. She sighed in relief as she gazed at the bright blue base and the golden orb at the top. Mahad had been pushing for her to be able to summon it at will, and Mana had finally succeeded. She had to admit casting her spells was easier when she had it, but she couldn't just carry around randomly. At least now she was making progress.
Mana longed to ask her dad about everything. She and Atem had puzzled together some reasons about why they suddenly could see Duel Spirits and why Mana was able to do magic, but it was all speculation. Mana didn't want to ask over a letter—it would worry her parents in between waiting for letters to arrive. It was better to ask in person, even if that meant waiting for the next time she was allowed to go home. It wasn't like anything really bad had happened. The only major incidents were the Abandoned Dorm and Jinzo, and the Muto siblings had handled them just fine.
A pounding on her door broke Mana out of her thoughts. It was finally the day of the School Duel; one of the guys was probably at the door to let her know North Academy had finally arrived. She opened the door to find Syrus standing. "Is North Academy already here?" she asked him.
Syrus shook his head. "No, but your dad is," he said. He noticed the staff in Mana's hand. "What's that?" he pointed.
Mana forgot she was still holding it. "Nothing, just a cosplay prop," she fibbed and tossed the staff onto the top bed. She grabbed her deck and duel disk. "Let's go. You want to meet the King of Games?"
Syrus nodded and they headed to the harbor where a KaibaCorp helicopter had landed. A crowd of students had gathered around to see the newly arrived guests. Mana and Syrus elbowed their way to the front of the crowd. Once she got through, Mana flung herself at the familiar tri-color haired man. "Dad!"
Yugi returned his daughter's embrace. "Surprised?" he chuckled.
Mana pulled away and looked into the amethyst eyes of her dad. Atem really did inherit Yugi's looks, though Yugi's eyes were rounder, and the blonde in his bangs didn't flare up as much as Atem's. He was toned, muscle built up from handling the inventory of the game shop back home. He wore his signature black tank top and blue pants with his choker and bracelets. "What are you doing here?" she asked.
Yugi gestured to his companions. Mana hadn't even noticed Tea and Kaiba were with him. "Kaiba told us you were going to be Duel Academy's representative, so we came to support you. Remember I came to watch Atem when he was the rep?"
Mana remembered Yugi going to Duel Academy two years ago, but Tea had had a ballet show at the same time, and Mana had opted to go watch her mom perform instead of Atem's duel. In hindsight, if she had gone, she probably wouldn't have been able to hide her identity this year.
"You're doing well, Squirt-gun, though I don't know how you ended up a Slifer Red." Kaiba affectionately ruffled Mana's hair. He looked the same as always with his brown hair hanging in his deep blue eyes. He towered over her, but he was taller than most people. He wore his favorite white sleeveless trench coat over a black long-sleeve shirt and black pants.
"Uncle Seto, I chose to be in Slifer," she smiled at her uncle's teasing. "Besides, didn't Slifer beat Obelisk in Battle City?"
"As I recall, they destroyed each other," Kaiba narrowed his eyes at her. Mana grinned.
"We're so proud of you," Tea hugged her daughter. Tea's shoulder-length brown hair was tied back in a ponytail, (2) and she wore a short pink dress with a white sweater.
Mana returned the hug before gesturing to her friend. "By the way, this is Syrus. Syrus, I'm guessing you already have some idea who these guys are."
Syrus just stood there star-struck. The world's two best duelists stood before him, and everyone else in the crowd had the same expression. Before Syrus could say anything, a voice asked about the crowd, "What's going on?" A familiar brown-haired Slifer elbowed his way to the front. Stars appeared in Jaden's eyes once he saw Yugi and Kaiba. "Whoa, Yugi Muto and Seto Kaiba?" he exclaimed.
"And that's Jaden," Mana chuckled. "Jaden, close your mouth; you're jaw's hanging wide open."
"So you're the friends I've been hearing so much about," Yugi narrowed his eyes at the two boys. Mana rolled her eyes. Yugi always like to playfully intimidate any friends she or Atem made. He always said that if people were going to be impressed with his title, he might as well have some fun with it. Tea always said it was practice for when Mana brought home her first boyfriend.
"Dad, don't tease them," Mana chastised Yugi. Before they could say anything further, a submarine docked. Mana recognized the North Academy logo on the sub and turned her attention to the visiting students. It was time to see who she would be facing.
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Chazz waited impatiently as he watched the two chancellors exchange greetings. No one had noticed him yet, though with his new black coat and dark clothes, he'd blend in nicely until it was time to make his appearance. He scanned the crowd of Duel Academy students, gauging their attitudes and looking for his opponent. His gaze stopped cold when he spotted the Slifer girl standing next to a tri-color haired man. He first thought it was Atem Muto, but then he realized it was the King of Games himself. How did the heck did she know Yugi Muto? Atem wasn't around, and he was sure she barely knew him as well. Next to Yugi was Seto Kaiba. Kaiba being there made more sense than Yugi. Kaiba founded and owned Duel Academy and North Academy. (3) Jaden and his shrimp of a friend stood nearby as well.
The chancellors finally finished exchanging their pleasantries. Chancellor Sheppard gestured for the Slifer girl to step forward. "Here is our representative, Mana Gardner-Muto."
Muto? Chazz kept his expression disinterested as he looked at the Slifer girl. There was no way she could be a Muto. You know Yugi Muto's first Egyptian God card was Slifer the Sky Dragon, and Slifer beat Seto Kaiba's Obelisk the Tormentor, right? Chazz remembered what she said that night they met. She went straight to Yugi's legacy, almost like she knew it firsthand. Maybe she really did. I'm saying Slifer the Sky Dragon is more powerful than Obelisk the Tormentor. By that logic, you Obelisks are weaker than you think, and you shouldn't underestimate us Slifers. He should have paid more attention then. He might have figured it out then. Chazz would not make that mistake again.
"So you're not the slacker you pretend to be," Chazz sneered as he stepped forward.
"Chazz?" Mana stared at him, visually shocked. She composed herself. "So it looks like you were able to bounce back."
"No way!" Jaden looked back and forth between Chazz and Mana. "Since when did you transfer?"
"Since I stopped getting the respect I deserved here," Chazz scowled at the Slifer. His North Academy classmates chimed in their agreement.
"Jaden, calm down," Mana rolled her eyes. "He's been gone for weeks. It's completely plausible for him to have joined North Academy in that time."
Yugi chuckled and nudged Kaiba. "He kind of reminds me of you, Kaiba."
Chazz's scowl turned into a smirk. It felt good to be given props from the King of Games. And if Yugi Muto was already comparing him to Seto Kaiba, Chazz was on his way to being the best.
Before Kaiba could say anything in response to Yugi's comment, wind blew fiercely around all of them. Chazz's blood ran cold when he recognized his family's helicopters. Their arrival meant his brothers were there.
"Hi, Chazz!" Jagger called to him.
"What's going on, little brother?" Slade asked. "Mind if we drop in?"
"Why are you here?" Chazz demanded from his brothers.
"Why else? To celebrate your big dueling victory!" they said as the exited the helicopter. "You are going to win, aren't you, Chazz?"
Camera men exited the other helicopter and filmed the brothers as they spoke. The head cameraman directed his crew while explaining to the chancellors that the duel would be broadcast around the world. "Hold it right there," Kaiba interrupted them. He glared at the elder Princetons. "You may be able to pay for a camera crew for your own events, but this is a private campus, and you are guests here. You can't broadcast the students and the duel without my consent, and I won't grant it unless the duelists participating agree to it." Kaiba looked between Chazz and Mana. (4)
Chazz struggled to keep his face calm. Of course his brothers would want to broadcast his duel. He was grateful for Kaiba giving him the appearance of a choice. He could say no, but Jagger and Slade would never let him hear the end of it. Chazz looked to Mana. He could see it in her blue-green eyes that she didn't really want to do it either. Maybe she would say no. When neither said anything, Kaiba turned back to the Princeton brothers. "I'll give them until the duel is supposed to start. If either of them says no, the camera crew will not film. If they do, you will face the wrath of the Kaiba Corporation."
The crowd broke up to prepare for the duel. Chazz went to one of the locker rooms with his brothers. They confirmed his suspicion that they paid for the camera crews so the world could see Chazz was on his way to becoming the best duelist in the world. It was their world domination plan. Jagger was supposed to dominate the financial world, Slade had politics, and Chazz was meant to be the best duelist. Jagger and Slade covered their areas. But Chazz wasn't the best duelist yet; he'd lost to Jaden and Bastion. Being the best meant never losing a duel. His brothers went on to berate him for running away from Duel Academy and them. "Why didn't you agree to the camera crew?" Slade finished their tirade with a question.
"I was busy gauging my opponent," Chazz fibbed. It wasn't wrong. As much as Chazz wanted to say no, he couldn't. His only hope was that Mana would say no before the duel started. "I've never dueled her, and I haven't seen her duel. I watched to see if she'd be rattled by the crews or by dueling me."
"So you've known her but haven't seen her duel?" Jagger asked. "Didn't you know she's Yugi Muto's daughter?"
"No, I didn't," Chazz spat. "She introduced herself as Mana Gardner, she doesn't look like Yugi or her brother, and she was a Slifer slacker."
"You're the slacker of this family!" Slade yelled. "You always have been! But this is your chance to turn it around. You defeat the daughter of the King of Games in front of the whole world, and you'll prove that we're still supreme!"
"That's right!" Jagger placed a briefcase in front of Chazz. "And the dueling cards in this briefcase are going to help you do just that. They're the most expensive out there, so you have no excuse to lose. Don't let us down, Chazz. Don't let the Princeton name down. It's all on you."
Chazz struggled to keep his hands from shaking. They thought it was so easy. They thought just buying cards made their decks better. Chazz had been dueling better since he joined North Academy, and it had nothing to do with expensive cards. He'd done it on his own. But Jagger and Slade would never understand that. What happened to the brothers who played with him when they were younger, who helped him through every problem he had? They had been inseparable back then. Then Slade and Jagger came up with their world domination plan, and they didn't take anything less than perfection. Their happy days together came to an end.
Chazz excused himself and headed for the bathroom. He had to win and prove himself to his brothers. He looked at the cards North Academy gave him. They put their faith in him not because of some agenda, but because they truly believed in him. Foster gave him these cards to honor the school, and they taught him that money doesn't solve everything. Chazz was torn between his brothers and his desire to duel as himself. Alone in the bathroom, he let out his frustration at his situation, blowing of steam before his duel against Mana Gardner. Or Mana Muto, whatever she called herself. He would win. He had to.
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Mana, her parents, Jaden, and Syrus met up with Atem in the hallway of the main building. Kaiba had left to keep an eye on the camera crew to make sure they obeyed his rules. Mana suspected Kaiba wanted her to win so she could throw a wrench in the elder Princetons' plans, though officially he had to be neutral. "Are you nervous?" Yugi asked.
"A little," Mana admitted. "I'm glad Uncle Seto gave us a choice about the TV crew and time to think about it. I don't know if I'm ready to duel in front of the whole world."
"Oh, come on, Mana, you gotta do it," Jaden pushed her. "How often do you get to duel in front of the whole world?"
"Jaden, I'm not like you," she answered. "You always find the fun and silver lining in every situation. I see the whole world watching me uphold Dad's legacy."
"Mana, you don't have to uphold my legacy," Yugi put an arm around his daughter. "Just duel with everything you have. I'll be proud of you no matter what."
"Thanks, Dad, I know," Mana leaned into his hug as they walked down the hallway. "Making you and everyone else proud is all I want."
"Man up, Chazz," they heard a voice from the bathroom as they passed. "Come on! Show them that Chazz Princeton is no slacker—that you're worthy of the Princeton name. That you . . . you can win, and that you can keep winning!" Mana recognized Chazz's voice. "Over and over!" he continued. "That you're the best! You've got to do your part, Chazz! You've got to show them that you're supreme! It's your duty! It's the plan! Now go and win! Go and win! Go and win!"
Mana felt her heart squeeze at Chazz's plight. Hearing him sound so desperate, she wanted to hug him and tell him it would be okay. She wasn't formally introduced to Chazz's brothers, but she suspected they were behind Chazz's anxieties. They probably saw her as nothing more than Yugi's daughter, and Chazz defeating her would push the Princeton name higher into fame.
"I'd like to give those brothers of his a piece of my mind," Tea said as they crept away from the bathroom. They didn't want Chazz to know they'd been eavesdropping. He probably wanted to keep an outburst like that to himself. "I mean, where do they get off telling their little brother he's a slacker? Because he lost a couple of duels? He's apparently good enough to be a representative for this duel! Doesn't that count for anything?"
"Mom, you're starting to sound like Uncle Joey," Atem interrupted her rant. The siblings grinned. Their mom might be a ballerina, but those who angered her seldom did a second time. Tea was very protective of those she cared about, and she expected a certain amount of etiquette and comradery between friends and family. As far as she was concerned, family and friends stood by each other no matter what.
"Maybe I will do it," Mana surprised everyone. "If I go through with the broadcast, and I win, I'll prove to the whole world that the Heart of the Cards always pulls through. That's if I win, and I don't let the cameras get to me. And it'll prove to Chazz and his brothers that winning isn't everything."
"It sounds like you're dueling more for Chazz than yourself," Yugi commented. "I remember when I dueled Rebecca after Duelist Kingdom. She needed a lesson very similar to this back then. Though, I surrendered that duel."
"Speaking of Duelist Kingdom, there's something I need to talk to you and Mom about," Mana said.
"We'll give you guys a minute," Syrus picked up on Mana wanting to talk just with her family, and pulled Jaden away. "We'll make sure to save you guys some seats."
Mana smiled as she watched them go. Her friends were the best. "So what is it?" Yugi asked.
Atem and Mana looked at each other. "Have you guys ever seen Duel Spirits?" Atem asked.
"I met the Dark Magician Girl in the spirit world when she asked Atem and me to release Timaeus, and later I met the other Legendary Dragons or Knights, whichever you want to call them," Yugi answered.
"And I spoke with Dark Magician Girl in Noah's Virtual World, but I don't know if that was actually her or the world's programming," Tea chimed in. "Though it definitely seems Dark Magician Girl likes us."
"Well, we've been seeing them here," Mana explained. "We ran into a bit of shadow magic earlier in the year, and Dark Magician Girl and Black Luster Soldier saved us. We've been seeing their spirits off and on ever since."
"And you're wondering why?" Yugi reasoned. His children nodded.
"Jaden sees Winged Kuriboh also," Atem added, "and he was involved in the same incident."
"I never had that particular power, but even I never fully understood the Millennium Puzzle," Yugi answered them. "I doubt Atem fully knew either. I think Rafael did see spirits, but I don't remember for sure."
"There's more," Mana made her staff materialize. Now that she knew how to do it, it was a snap. "I've been learning magic from Dark Magician, though I started calling him Mahad."
"That's probably from me," Tea answered her daughter. "It's never been much, but occasionally I was able to use a power of light when I or the guys were in trouble. (5) I never really figured out how to use it, but it's been there. If Dark Magician can teach you to use it, then it's more than I ever learned."
"If you two are worried about it, I can ask Ishizu or Pegasus later," Yugi offered. "They might know something we don't. And I'll ask Rafael for sure if he saw the spirits of his Guardians or not."
"Thanks, Dad," Mana smiled as she made her staff disappear. She looked at the time. "We'd better head to the arena before I forfeit to Chazz. If that happens, I don't think Uncle Seto would let me live it down. Oh right! I need to tell him about the Dueling Monkey we met!"
"Dueling Monkey?" Tea raised an eyebrow at her daughter.
"Yeah, Jaden, the others and I met him right after Chazz left; we were actually looking for Chazz," Mana answered, "and we came across a monkey escaping from a lab. The scientists had taught him how to duel, and they named him Wheeler!"
Both of her parents snorted. Atem had already heard the story, but he was still amused. "Kaiba's never going let Joey live that down," Tea laughed.
"Neither is Tristan," Yugi added. "Mana, make sure we're there when you tell Kaiba." He grinned.
Mana waved to her parents and brother as they went to sit with Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley in the front of the audience. Mana walked to the center of the arena where Chazz and Kaiba were waiting. "Chazz has agreed to let the duel be broadcast," Kaiba said as she took her place. "What do you say, Mana?"
She looked to her opponent. In his eyes, she could see he was begging for her to say no. She wanted to, but she also had to prove to the brothers that she wasn't scared. She had her family and friends supporting her, and she had the Heart of the Cards on her side. Mana straightened her posture, standing proud as she answered her uncle. "I'll let them broadcast the duel. I won't turn away from a challenge." The cameramen quickly activated their equipment, and the audience began yelling their approval. Kaiba left the stage to keep an eye on them. Mana heard the North Academy students yelling "Chazz it up!" as they cheered. Really, Chazz? Did they come up with that, or did you?
The chancellors announced the start of the School Duel. Dr. Crowler took the stage to introduce the participants. "First up from Duel Academy, we have Mana Gardner-Muto! The daughter of the King of Games himself!" The crowd cheered for her. Did Dr. Crowler really have to add that last part? Crowler continued with his introductions. "And her opponent—"
"Get off the stage," Chazz interrupted Crowler. "I'll introduce myself, you scrub." Crowler went into an indignant rant as he tied himself up in his microphone's cord and fell off the stage.
"Dr. Crowler, are you all right?" Mana leaned over the stage to check on her professor.
"Ignore him, because it's Chazz Princeton's turn now," her opponent stood confidently. It was hard to imagine he was breaking down earlier in the bathroom. Chazz knew how to keep up appearances. "But then again, I don't really need an introduction. After all, everybody here knows who I am. Or do you? See, Chazz Princeton has changed! Sure I used to be a classmate of yours, but when I left here, I left my old self as well! Now you're looking at the new and improved Chazz! The North Academy Chazz!" he raised his fist in the air as he spoke. Wow, he really is like Uncle Seto. Mana smirked as Chazz talked. He would do just fine as long as he dueled his own way instead of letting his brothers dictate his life. "And I'm here to . . ." Chazz raised his arm and let the North Academy students finish with their "Chazz it up" chant. Got to give him props for being dramatic. Chazz found his place at North Academy, and win or lose, Mana was happy for him.
Both duelists activated their duel disks. "It's time to duel!" Mana yelled.
Chazz started the duel with his Masked Dragon (1400/1100) in defense mode. "That'll do for now."
"Then it's my move!" Mana said as she drew. "I summon Ebon Magician Curran (1200/0) in attack mode. Curran, attack his Masked Dragon!" Black magic destroyed the dragon.
"You've taken my bait," Chazz smirked. "I activate my Masked Dragon's special ability!" Mana grimaced. She knew he could summon another dragon when it was destroyed. The problem was knowing what dragon he'd summon, or if he'd just use it as a tribute on his next turn. She could tell Chazz knew exactly what monster he wanted. "Come out, Armed Dragon LV3 (1200/900)!" A small orange and black dragon appeared on Chazz's field.
Where did Chazz get the Armed Dragon cards? Armed Dragon was a rare monster; Mana never heard of a duelist using them, but she remembered it from the stories Pegasus sent her. It would grow really big if she couldn't stop it. "I'll set one card face-down and end my turn."
"Let's go, Mana! Come on! Mana it up!" Mana heard Chancellor Sheppard cheer for her above everyone else. She face-palmed at his attempt at using Chazz's cheer. Chancellor, that's not how the Force works. What did I do to get that reaction of him? Then it clicked. Chazz must have gotten his dragon from North Academy, and Sheppard wanted the dragon defeated. Defeating it was her key to victory.
"Great, now I can start ending you," Chazz said as he drew. "Since it's my standby phase, Armed Dragon's effect activates. By sending a card to the graveyard and sacrificing his LV3 form, I can summon Armed Dragon LV5 (2400/1700) directly to the field." Mana braced herself. "Armed Dragon LV5, rise!" The little orange dragon morphed into a large black and red dragon with silver scales running along its chest, arms, and tail. It was definitely a monster Mana did not want to meet it in a dark alley, no matter what Joey and Tristan had taught her. "Armed Dragon, attack her magician!"
"I activate my face-down card!" Mana countered, "Waboku!" The monks in pale blue robes neutralized the dragon's attack.
"Then I'll just have to use his special ability," Chazz scowled. "By discarding a monster to the grave, I can destroy a monster of yours who attack points are equal or less than the one I tossed. So if Flying Kamikiri #1 (1400/900) goes to the graveyard—"
"Then Curran gets destroyed," Mana finished. "And Waboku only protects me from battle damage.
"Exactly," Chazz smirked. "You're not the Slifer slacker you pretend to be. Go, Armed Dragon! Shrapnel Blast!" Chazz ended his turn by setting a card.
"Did it ever occur to you that I chose to be in Slifer?" Mana asked as her monster was destroyed. "I may not be the smartest duelists, but I've worked hard to get where I am. I had to beat Bastion and Jaden to get here." Chazz flinched at her words. She had defeated the duelists who humiliated him before. "My turn! I activate Pot of Greed to draw two cards. Then I'll play the spell Ancient Rules to summon Dark Magician (2500/2100) from my deck!" The purple-robed spellcaster appeared on her field. Mana heard her brother and parents cheering at his arrival. "Next I'll summon White Magician Pikeru (1200/0) in attack mode." The little magician with pink hair and dressed in white appeared next to Dark Magician. "Now, Mahad, destroy his Armed Dragon with your Dark Magic Attack!" Dark Magician fired energy from his left hand, engulfing the large dragon.
"Thanks, because now I can activate my trap card," Chazz revealed his face-down card. "Call of the Haunted! This lets me bring any monster I want from my graveyard, and you can guess which one I'll pick. Armed Dragon LV5, rise!" The dragon reappeared on Chazz's field. The North Academy students resumed their cheering for their representative.
"I'll play one card face-down and end my turn," Mana relented.
"Get ready for me to mop this low-rent Duel Academy floor, with you, Mana!" Chazz yelled as he drew, "'Cause now I'm using Armed Dragon's special ability. I'm discarding Despair from the Dark from my hand to the graveyard, and since it has 2800 attack points, your magician's heading to the mystic cemetery! Now Armed Dragon, destroy Dark Magician with Shrapnel Blast!"
"Hold it right there, Chazz!" Mana activated her face-down. "I play Dedication through Light and Darkness! It lets me sacrifice Mahad and summon a stronger spellcaster! Come forth, Dark Magician of Chaos (2800/2600)!" Dark Magician evaded Armed Dragon's attack and shifted to his chaos form. "And since Dark Magician of Chaos was summoned, I get a spell back from my graveyard. I'll take my Pot of Greed!"
"Whatever," Chazz muttered as he stared down Mana's chaos mage. "My Armed Dragon still has his attack to use, and now I'm going to use it. Go Inferno Roar!" Armed Dragon destroyed Pikeru. Mana's LifePoints dropped to 2800. Chazz laughed as he set a card. "And now to take this duel to the next level. The highest level." Mana had a bad feeling where Chazz was going with this. "It's time to upgrade my Armed Dragon LV5 to LV7! Now won't you join me, Mana, in welcoming the ultimate and all-powerful, the level 7 Armed Dragon (2800/1000)!" The dragon grew taller, its tail grew longer, and more silver scales and spikes adorned its body. This duel just got a lot harder! Mana thought as the North Academy students kept cheering.
Mana glanced around the auditorium. Chazz's brothers seemed like they couldn't tell if they should be happy or not. Why wouldn't they be happy? He's winning! At least for the moment. Sheppard tried his edited version of Chazz's cheer for Mana again, but he was quickly drowned out by North Academy. Chancellor, I appreciate the sentiment, I really do, but it's not helping. I'm not really sure what it's doing. "What's wrong? Did all your big talk and hard work run away?" Chazz mocked her.
"Stay strong, Mana!" She heard her brother's voice over the crowd. That's right; I'm not facing Chazz alone. Mana looked to her friends and family sitting in the front row. There wasn't an ounce of doubt on their faces. She glanced to Uncle Seto, standing up by the head cameraman. Anyone who didn't know better would think Kaiba didn't care one way or the other about who won. But Mana saw in his eyes the belief that she would win. If Yugi and Kaiba could agree on something, then it was bound to happen. Mana wouldn't let them down.
"Cool dragon, Chazz," Mana smiled at her opponent. "I give him props for being big and intimidating, but size isn't everything!" she said as she drew her card. "You've given me a challenge, and I'll answer it. That's what makes this a good duel. When both players have played their cards to the fullest, no matter the result, there are no regrets."
"You're so naïve, Mana," Chazz sneered. "All that matters is winning! There's no satisfaction in losing! No one cares about who loses! And that's why you won't be a champion! You don't have the drive to win! I do! I have a sense a duty, and a plan to achieve it! And that's why I'm going to beat you! I'll beat anyone in my way! I can conquer anyone! You got that? I'm going to conquer the whole world!"
"There's more to dueling than winning and losing," Mana answered Chazz. "My uncle once thought the same way you are, and my dad taught him differently. I'm going to show you the same thing in this duel." She examined the cards in her hand. "I play my Pot of Greed to draw two more cards. Next I'll summon Summoner Monk (800/1200) in defense mode." The monk appeared next to the chaos mage. "Then I'll use his effect to discard a spell and special summon Gemini Elf from my deck." The twin elves held hands as they appeared on the field. "Finally I'll equip Dark Magician of Chaos with Book of Secret Arts, raising his attack points by 300! Go, my chaos mage, attack his Armed Dragon with Scepter Strike!"
"Not so fast," Chazz snickered. "I activate my Blast with Chain! It gives Armed Dragon LV7 500 extra attack points. More than enough to take your mage!" Dynamite appeared in the dragon's claw, and it roared, shattering the hologram of Mana's chaos mage.
"I'll end my turn with a face-down card."
"Not bad, Mana, but you're slow compared to how my dragon's going to take out all your monsters," Chazz taunted as he drew. "Watch this! I'm using my Armed Dragon's special ability! Now by discarding a monster from my hand, I can all monsters you have out with equal or fewer attack points!" Mana heard the audience muttering in awe. If she didn't do something, Chazz would wipe her out this turn. "I discard Armed Dragon LV5, so all your monsters with 2400 or fewer attack points will be completely wiped out! Go! Serrated Sonic Discs!" The dragon fired discs of energy from its stomach and destroyed Mana's monsters.
Mana flinched as her monsters were destroyed. All the Duel Academy students gasped as she was defenseless. Again Sheppard tried to cheer her on, but it only spurred North Academy's "Chazz it up!" chant. "It's not over yet, Chazz!" Mana challenged him.
"Yes it is," Chazz answered her. "It's time for you to go bye-bye! Armed Dragon LV7, attack Mana directly with Dragon Talon Terror!"
"Not today, Chazz!" Mana revealed her face-down. "Negate Attack stops your dragon and ends the battle phase!"
"It'll take a lot more than that to destroy my Armed Dragon," Chazz sneered, "and a lot more than any pathetic monsters you might have."
"I wouldn't mock my monsters if I were you," Mana countered. "After all, some of my monsters are known for defeating world-champion duelists." She grinned as she looked to Yugi. He grinned back and gave her a thumbs-up. "It's my turn now!" Mana flipped over Dark Magician Girl. Good to see you, partner.
The translucent figure of her friend appeared next to her. "I am here for you," Dark Magician Girl said as Mana pondered her options.
"Oooh, she's pretty," a nasally voice drew Mana's attention to her opponent. Next to Chazz floated a bizarre yellow creature in a red speedo. She recognized the spirit as Ojama Yellow. "Hey, boss, do you think we could be friends with her. I'd love to spend more time with her!"
"Get lost!" Chazz yelled at the Ojama. "If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you, got that?"
"I got it, boss. Sorry," the little creature hovered sadly behind Chazz.
"You know, you should be nicer to your Duel Spirit," Mana chastised her opponent.
"He's not my Duel Spirit!" Chazz yelled as he tried to chase Ojama Yellow away. "Wait, you can see him?"
"As clearly as my partner next to me," Mana gestured to Dark Magician Girl floating next to her. Chazz's eyes rested on her spirit partner, registering her presence. "I know Ojama Yellow might not seem like much compared to her, but you shouldn't underestimate his potential. Especially since you have a gift like mine." Chazz narrowed his eyes as he spoke. "Anyway, it's my move. I'm going to set a monster and end my turn."
"If you think putting your monster face-down will save it, you even more hopeless than I thought," Chazz said as he drew. "Armed Dragon LV7, attack her face-down with Dragon Talon Terror!"
"Big mistake, Chazz," Mana said as her monster was revealed. "When Old Vindictive Magician flips up, she destroys one monster on your field. Now it's time for your Armed Dragon to go bye-bye!" The old hag fired her magic at the dragon; both holograms shattered. The audience cheered at Mana's upset. It was time to turn things around. "I play Graceful Charity! This lets me draw three cards as long as I discard two." Mana re-examined her hand. Things were definitely looking up. "Next I summon Magician's Valkyria (1600/1800) in attack mode." The dark-blonde spellcaster appeared and held her hooked staff aimed at Chazz. "Valkyria, attack Chazz directly with Mystic Scepter Blast!" Chazz's LifePoints dropped to 2400, almost even with Mana's 2600. "I'll set a card and end my turn."
Chazz struggled to get up, but he refused to give in. "I play a spell," he said. "Graveyard in the Fourth Dimension! This baby lets me take two monsters from my graveyard and shuffle them right into my deck. Sure it has to be a special kind of monster, but it's just the kind of monster I need: my Armed Dragons! Oh, and I happen to have another one in my hand as well. I summon the Armed Dragon LV3!" The little orange and black dragon appeared in defense mode on Chazz's field. Chazz ended his turn with a face-down.
"Don't think I'll let that dragon grow up again!" Mana yelled as she drew. As she thought through her next move, she heard Chazz mutter to himself. His tension was higher than when the duel started, and Mana thought she heard him say "I'm trying." Of course he was trying. There was no way someone could fight a duel this intense and not try. Chazz was giving it everything he had, just like Mana was. "Chazz, I want you to know that no matter what happens, I'm honored to have dueled you today," Mana said.
"Yeah, you will when I prove that I'm the best duelist," Chazz kept his arrogant appearance up, but it didn't fool Mana. "I'll show everyone when I win this duel.
"You'll have to wait until your turn," Mana challenged as she ordered her Valkyria to attack the little dragon. "Mystic Scepter Blast!" The green magic shattered the hologram.
"Thanks for that," Chazz smirked. "Now I can play my trap: Graveyard of Enkindling! And since a monster was destroyed in battle, it lets up both take a monster from our graveyard and summon it to the field in defense mode. And I choose another Armed Dragon, and he's Level 5." Mana once again stared down a large red and black dragon. She gulped.
"Well I'll bring back Summoner Monk," Mana resurrected her companion. "Make your move."
"Gladly," her opponent sneered. "Here goes. I activate the spell card Level Up! This lets me level up a monster, and I choose Armed Dragon, now LV7!" Mana grimaced as she faced the strongest form of Chazz's dragon as Chazz laughed hysterically. "It's past time for you to duel; now it's time for you to go bye-bye!"
"That's it, baby!" the head cameraman yelled. "The whole world's watching you shine!"
"Then keep it rolling, because you ain't seen nothing yet!" Chazz demanded. "Next I'll throw the equip spell card Armed Changer! Now simply by discarding another equip spell card from my hand to the graveyard, I can activate this baby and equip it to my dragon!" A sliver set of claws materialized on the dragon's hand. "Now Armed Dragon, attack! Dragon Driller!" The dragon shoved its claw through Valkyria, shattering her hologram. Mana's LifePoints dropped to 1400. "And now Armed Changer's effect activates. See, when he takes down a monster in battle, it lets me bring back a monster back from my grave to my hand, just so long as it doesn't have more attack points than the monster it destroyed. And I think I'll bring back Masked Dragon." Chazz took the card from his graveyard. "But he won't be around for long, because now I'm going to use Armed Dragon LV7's special ability!" Summoner Monk was obliterated by the dragon's effect. Chazz laughed as Mana was defenseless again. "Tell you what, if you surrender now, I promise not to embarrass you on global TV! Oh wait, I already did!"
"Who said anything about me giving up?" Mana stood tall. She refused to let anyone see her sweat. "I may not have won every duel I've ever fought, but I've never backed down from a challenge. If I didn't face every challenge head on, I couldn't call myself a duelist. I always fight until the end, so that way, no matter if I win or lose, I have no regrets. As long as I give it my all, it's a good and enjoyable duel."
"Gag me," Chazz scowled at her sentiment.
"It's true, Chazz," Mana hoped he would understand what she was trying to say. "You and I are more alike than you think. No matter what your brothers tell you, you should fight with everything you have and not let a few losses bother you."
"What do you know about my brothers?" Chazz demanded.
"I know you're dueling for them, and they're the ones pushing for you to win, pressuring you, even bringing this whole set up so the world can see you defeat the daughter of the King of Games," Mana answered him. "I admire you for fighting for your family, but how do you think that makes me feel when they don't even see me as my own duelist? I'm just a means to an end to them; I can see it in their eyes. And they're not the first ones to see me that way either. It's why I took the name Gardner when I joined Duel Academy. And you should be able to duel as yourself. Not as the Princeton family duelist, but as Chazz, the duelist who took North Academy by storm! Look at how you're dueling now! You've been dominating the whole time! It's taken everything I've had to keep up! Look, our families may define how other people see us, but I refuse to let that define how I see myself! I may be the daughter of the King of Games, but first and foremost I am Mana Muto! Who will you be, Chazz?"
With that, Mana drew her card. She smiled at her card. "Chazz, do me a favor and don't hate me when this is over. I summon Silent Magician LV4!" (6) The young magician in blue and white robes appeared on her field. Everyone gasped at her appearance.
"You can't have a LV monster!" Chazz's eyes widened as he recognized the spellcaster.
"What do you call this?" Mana smirked. "Now I'll activate Double Spell from my hand. By discarding a spell from my hand, I can use a spell from your graveyard. And I'm going to help myself to your Level Up! Now Silent Magician grows to LV8!" The magician grew into a graceful woman with long white hair and blue and white robes. "Next I'll reveal my face-down card. Monster Reborn! Say hello again to Dark Magician! And to finish my combo, I activate the spell Bond Between Teacher and Student! Since I have Mahad, I can summon Dark Magician Girl from my hand!" The master and student magicians stood on either side of the Silent Magician. "Go, Silent Magician, destroy Armed Dragon with Silent Burning Attack!" The magician's white magic engulfed the dragon and shattered the hologram. "Now, Dark Magicians, finish Chazz off with Double Dark Magic Attack!"
Mana heard the cameraman yell to cut the feed, but one look at Kaiba changed his mind. They wanted to broadcast the duel, and Kaiba made sure they did all of it. Kaiba may not have approved to begin with, but always made sure every duel he sponsored was fair to both players.
As the magic hit home, Chazz fell to his knees in defeat. "And that's the power of magic," Mana said as she struck her victory pose.
All of North Academy voiced their disappointment as Chazz lost, while everyone from Duel Academy cheered Mana's victory.
"You loser. You dog." Chazz's brothers marched up to the arena and berated him. "You've disgraced yourself. You've disgrace the Princeton name. You are no brother of ours anymore."
"Just give me another chance," Chazz begged his brothers.
"Another chance?" Jagger repeated. "Do you know how much we spent on this duel?"
"The cameras, the rare cards, which you didn't use!" Slade added.
"I'm sorry. I thought I could win this by myself." Chazz watched the floor as he spoke.
Jagger grabbed Chazz by the collar. "Yourself?" Slade repeated. "When could you do anything by yourself?"
Mana's temper flared, and she marched right up and slapped Slade across the face. The sound of her hand hitting his face echoed through the arena. "Let him go," she demanded from Jagger. "Yeah, he lost this duel, but how could he win when the two of you obviously didn't have any faith him in? You guys care more about your stupid money and appearances than you do about your own brother!"
"Do you have any idea who we are?" Jagger asked.
"You're going to pay for slapping me," Slade glared at her, his hand covering the cheek she'd slapped. "We will have you crushed."
"I don't care; you deserved it," Mana refused to back down.
A hand on her shoulder ended her staring contest with the elder Princetons. Her parents and brother stood on one side of her, Yugi's hand on her shoulder. On the other side stood all her friends from school, Jaden and the gang, Bastion, Alexis, and even Zane. "I think my daughter has proved her point," Yugi said. "Now let him go."
"Why defend him?" Slade asked. "He's a nobody now. Disowned by us, and the whole world. I mean, the cameras caught enough of it! He got schooled! He got mopped up!"
"What duel were you watching?" Mana yelled at him. "It was close! There were a couple of times I thought he'd actually beat me! And he fought the duel on his own terms, and used his own cards. And that makes him a far better duelist than you will ever understand! I'm pretty sure you're the only ones here who see Chazz as a failure!" She gestured to the entire audience. "What's your guys' cheer for him?" she yelled. The entire crowd erupted in the "Chazz it up!" cheer. Jagger shoved Chazz away. Mana marched up and put an arm around him. "You fought a really good duel, Chazz." He looked surprised at her, but he didn't pull away.
"Just so you know, the cameras didn't get most of it; they got all of it," Kaiba's voice rang from the top of the auditorium, quieting the entire crowd. "Don't you two forget you're in my territory. You wanted this duel broadcast; I made sure the entire duel was broadcast." Kaiba glared at the two brothers. "And while they may not still be broadcasting, they are still recording. If you think to take repercussions against one of my students for winning the duel and standing up for your brother, which I might add is your job, I will make sure everyone in the world sees this conversation. Now get out of my school!" With that, the elder Princetons left the arena.
Everyone gathered at the harbor to announce and award the prize Mana earned in the duel. Mana stood next to Chazz while they waited. "I guess this is good-bye," she extended her hand to him. "I'm glad you found your own path, and I am truly honored to have fought against you today. I hope we can do it again sometime."
Chazz looked away before meeting her blue-green eyes with his gray ones. "I'm not going back," he said as he accepted her handshake. The other North Academy students gasped. Chazz turned his head to them. "Look, guys, I don't belong with you."
"Then where do you belong," one with a Russian accent asked.
"Right here," Chazz turned to completely face them. "Duel Academy was always my home."
"But you're our best duelist, Chazz!" Russian guy pleaded. "You sure?"
"I am," Chazz answered, "if Chancellor Sheppard will have me back, that is." He looked to the two chancellors.
"Well you were one of the best duelists we had," Sheppard answered. "How could I say no?"
"Just don't blow this opportunity," Kaiba warned him. Mana smiled at her uncle. Yugi was right; he could never just come out and directly say anything encouraging. But his actions always spoke louder than his words.
Crowler began the awards ceremony then. "Can I have your attention please? And now, to present the prize in this year's match between North Academy and our esteemed university, I give you the most beautiful woman on the island: Miss Duel Academy!"
Say what? Mana slid away from her uncle and closer to her dad and Chazz. Reading Kaiba's expression showed he didn't know much about the Miss Duel Academy thing, and he wasn't sure if he should be annoyed or not. Mana preferred to stand far away if Kaiba exploded. She didn't have a water gun to douse him if needed.
A woman with brown hair in braids and glasses rose from a trap door on the stage. She wore a short peach-colored dress, and Mana was surprised to recognize Dorothy. Who/Why/How is Dorothy Miss Duel Academy? Why do we even have a Miss Duel Academy? "Will the winning chancellor please approach the stage?" Crowler called. Sheppard was ecstatic as he trotted onstage to Dorothy. He leaned in closer to her, and she planted a large kiss on his cheek. Chancellor Foster cried from the back of the audience. Seriously? Chazz and I dueled our hearts out for some kiss? Mana looked to see Kaiba rubbing his forehead. He was probably thinking the same thing, but he couldn't deny the two chancellors did do a good job of running their respective schools. Mana rolled her eyes as the ceremony came to an end.
All the North Academy students waved good-bye to their friend Chazz. Mana was touched by how sad they were to see him go. Before they got too far away, they gave one last cheer for Chazz. As they departed, Sheppard had to bring up one bit of bad news for the prodigal student. Since he had dropped out and was transferring back in, he had to start at the bottom in Slifer Red. Chazz was not happy about it, but Jaden led the charge in making Chazz feel welcome at Slifer, at least until he was able to move back up to Obelisk.
Mana hung back with her family, Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley as everyone else went back to their dorms. "We're proud of you, Mana," Tea said and held her daughter in a hug.
"I should advise you against actually hitting anyone you disagree with in the future," Yugi commented, "but you handled not only the duel but the Princetons very well."
"Oh, they had it coming," Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Those two are despicable. I'm surprised Squirt-gun didn't do more to them. Though I'm sure if Wheeler had come, he would have thrashed them. I wouldn't have objected to it."
"Oh, speaking of Uncle Joey," Mana interrupted Kaiba. "I have something I think will amuse you, Uncle Seto. Earlier this year, my friends and I met a Dueling Monkey. He was part of a research project and he escaped. His name was Wheeler!"
Mana grinned at Kaiba struggling to keep his face calm. There weren't many times she had seen her uncle laugh, even all the pranks she had pulled on him when Uncle Mokie was babysitting her and Atem only brought the occasional smile or chuckle. Kaiba soon completely lost his composure and bellowed with laughter. The guys just looked at her nervously; seeing Seto Kaiba completely loose it laughing was a rare occurrence, and they weren't sure how to respond.
When Kaiba finished laughing, Yugi ducked into the KaibaCorp helicopter and grabbed three frames. "Before we go, I got some things for you guys," he said. He handed one of them to Syrus. "Syrus, Mana tells me you really like Dark Magician Girl, so this is for you. Don't expect her to go out with you though," he grinned.
Syrus turned the frame to see it was a poster of Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl, and Yugi had autographed it. Syrus's jaw hung open as he took it in. Mana nudged him as he continued to stare. "Thank you so much!" he bowed in appreciation to Yugi.
"And this is for Jaden," Yugi handed him the next frame, "since you're so proud of being in Slifer Red to the point you turned down a promotion."
Jaden flipped the poster to reveal Slifer the Sky Dragon, also autographed by Yugi. "Whoa, this is totally sweet!" he exclaimed. "You're awesome!"
"Glad to hear it," Yugi chuckled at Jaden's enthusiasm. "In truth, I just like getting stuff for fans occasionally, especially ones dedicated to pursuing their dreams. Plus I hear a lot about you guys when Mana writes home. Chumley, this last one's for you." Yugi pulled out a final poster and handed it to upperclassman.
It wasn't signed by Yugi, but it was a poster of Big Koala, Des Kangaroo, and Master of Oz, and it was signed by Maximillion Pegasus. "This is an original artwork made by Pegasus himself," Yugi explained. "I asked him about these particular monsters, and he was delighted to have a new project to work on, since I told him it was for a gift. I want to say he finished it in a week."
"I don't know how to thank you," Chumley stared at his poster in awe.
"You don't have to," Yugi assured him.
"Believe me, you don't," Atem chimed in. "If he knows a fan really well, he always makes sure to give them something to show his appreciation."
"We've got one last thing for you guys," Tea grabbed a bag from the helicopter and handed it to Mana. "We didn't know what kind of food you'd get tonight with the School Duel going on, so we made you some grilled cheese in the helicopter. They're still warm, so enjoy your own little celebration tonight." She grinned at them.
"Grilled Cheese? Are you serious?" Chumley grabbed the bag from Mana and pulled out a warm sandwich. "You guys are the best! Thanks Mrs. Muto!"
As Chumley dug into his sandwich, Mana hugged her parents and uncle. "Thanks for coming," she said. "And thank you, Uncle Seto, for making sure Chazz's brothers didn't interfere with the duel too much."
"Squirt-gun, you didn't need me," Kaiba ruffled her hair. "You didn't need any of us. You've come a long just being here."
Yugi and Tea boarded the helicopter. Mana turned to see if her brother had anything he wanted to add, but he just waved to them. He had spent more time with them today than she had, so he was probably good until they went home for break. Before he got on, Kaiba turned to Atem. "Half-pint, make sure they stay in line. I don't know she's made it this far without one of her usual pranks. Keep it that way." With that he boarded his helicopter, and the adults went home.
Atem rolled his eyes at Kaiba's nickname for him before grabbing a sandwich from the bag. "Why did Kaiba call you Half-pint?" Jaden asked with his mouth full.
"Because he's a smaller version of Dad," Mana answered, maneuvering so that the guys were between her and her brother. "He's called Atem that since we were little and his brother, Mokuba, would babysit us."
"Anything else you want to add, Squirt-gun?" Atem circled to group to catch his sister, but she pulled away.
"I'm not afraid to admit I sprayed him with water whenever I got the chance," Mana grinned. The other Slifers stopped eating and stared at her. "Like I said, Uncle Mokie babysat us a lot, and that was sometimes at Kaiba mansion. I don't remember exactly when it started, but I once accidentally sprayed Uncle Seto with the nozzle-thing they use for washing dishes. I thought it was so funny. After that I made it my goal to get him every chance I had. He started calling me Squirt-gun because of that."
"Wait, this is coming from the person always telling us things are a bad idea?" Jaden asked.
"Hey, there's a difference between pulling a harmless prank and getting expelled," Mana retorted. "I do think anything that can get us expelled is a bad idea."
Everyone laughed as they finished off the grilled cheese. Their fun day came to a close, and they all returned to their dorms.
1. I can't tell for sure if it's supposed to be seaweed or some kind of wig. See episode 24.
2. See Tea's hairstyle in a couple scenes of Dark Side of Dimensions.
3. They never actually say if Kaiba owns the other branches, but I'm presuming that since Kaiba owns the central one, he probably owns the others and has each chancellor run it as they see fit, though he will occasionally drop into see how things are going.
4. I have to wonder how no one considered the need for permission to film and broadcast people. I don't know what exactly laws are, but permission is a big factor. Plus it gave a reason for Kaiba to bully Jagger and Slade.
5. This is a complete guess on my part; in the Pyramid of Light movie, when Tea enters the Puzzle to help the guys, she's floating around and emitting light until Anubis grounds her. Plus she was the one that started the chain at Duelist Kingdom to keep Pegasus out of Yami's head after Yugi collapsed. Tea's usually on the sidelines, so we don't get to see her fight much, and it gives me a reason for why Mana will have magic.
6. I'm going with the real-world cards instead of what Yugi used in The Final Duel. It's easier to work with. And Silent Magician wears blue and white in the cards instead of black and red.
Thanks for reading! I'm sorry this a day later than I promised, but this ended being my longest chapter to date. It was 18 pages! Next up will be the start of the Shadow Riders arc. It will be twisted slightly from the canon, and I promise those who want to see Atem duel will get to see more of him in the upcoming chapters. Let me know what you guys think, either by review or messaging me. I love to hear from you guys.