Chapter Seventy-Two

72

Ain't No Rest For The Love Sick!

The night ran far from peaceful despite the stars being out the skies echoed with the sounds of Bastion's screams...

"I hate hearing Bastion suffer all night and not being able to do anything about it..."

"If you can really call it suffering..." Connar mumbled softly, "Though I suppose it would also depend on your definition of the word..."

"Yeah no joke." said Chazz with a knowing chuckle, "They've been doing it all night..." he scoffs, "Though I suppose they duel for who gets to be on top- by that logic they've been dueling it all night too." the ash haired male pauses as his joke was cut off by yet another scream-

"...And by the sounds of it? Bastion has been losing all night too."

"How long can it go on, Truly?" Professor Banner questioned, "You students and your vigor...you have energy like bunnies-"

'Yeah well I'm sick of hearing it!" said Jaden, "We've GOT to do something!" Though before Jaden could march in like a Valiant night on horse, the mechanical sound of a draw-bridge sounding gate came open...and through the darkness, making his way into the moonlight...Bastion Misawa staggered out...with his cheeks flushed.

"Bastion!?"

with Jaden's lead the crowd moved to gather around the Ra yellow student as he stumbles to his knees, unable to speak nothing more and a few discerning moans.

"Hold on...did...she dump you!?"

"That's right...she did..." the male sighed softly, "I'm crushed..."

"You're not crushed- you're lucky!" Said Chazz, only to be greeted with a swift fist to the bicep by a pink haired tigress and a glare from Alexis Rhodes.

"What!? I'm just saying- hey you all heard the same screams I did!"

"I don't understand..." Said Banner puzzlingly, "She seemed so smitten with you..."

"I know... we were to be married~" Bastion sighed, "...But she decided I wasn't duelist enough." he sighed, "I wasn't good enough for her and she's left me forever...she says she wants a...Champion..." he whined, "A Duelist who can give her a match that she'll always remember..."

"Well...if it's a Champion she wants...I've won more than a few tournaments back in my day." said Connar, drawing shocked and surprised gasps from the crowd...aside from Chazz who seemed hardly phased by this fact at all. But then he's run in the same circles as Connar for a time so information like that probably wouldn't surprise him anyway- considering.
"What!?" Connar huffed, "You ALL have met my father right? Did you think he didn't make me play in tournaments and compete on occasion? Come on!" she sighed.

"Even if that's true-" said Alexis, "That Amazon lady said so herself that she wouldn't duel girls."

"That's true..." Connar sighed, "So there goes my shot out the window..."

"Well you know...I'm a Champion too." said Chazz, "If you're meaning the literal term." And with that he was met with the grimaces of the crowd, sparking an ignition in his irritation, "What!? I played in the same tournaments as Connar and Zane have!" he huffed, "I Placed!"

"Placed or not like Hell will I allow it!" Connar huffed, with a fist balled as she glared at him with her piercing blue eyes.

"ALLOW ME!?"

And there they go...squabbling again.
Alexis chuckled to herself as she watched the two go at each other.

You know...things would all be easier if Chazz wasn't so dumb and just opened his eyes...

"Never mind any of that right now...we'll deal with her later." said Jaden helping Bastion, "Come on...let's take him back to school...he needs to rest."

XXXXX

It was strange to see the Academy days go by normally after that whole fiasco in the woods...in fact Connar was surprised her father hadn't called her up about the new collesium suddenly standing on his island...

The Ra student moped around the halls, gazing with meloncholy out at the distance through the school windows...his lips still red from when he and his beloved amazon last kissed...

He looked miserable.

"Wow...is Bastion still wigging out over that girl?" Jaden questioned softly as he walked alongside Alexis through the halls.

"Yeah...I had no idea that Bastion had fallen for her so hard..." she responded.

"Yeah, really..." Jaden sighed.

The group of students crowded around at one of the Duel Fields on Campus. It was time for an intervention!

"What do the lot of you want?" came the broodish question of the Ra Yellow student as he came to meet them, as requested.

"A duel!" said Jaden, "To cheer you up!"

"I can't, the boy sighed, "It's just too soon for me..."

"Oh come on, Bastion!" Jaden huffed, "You've gotta move on man!"

"I can't duel without my Tania..."

"I hate saying this, but...she's probably dueling without you." said Jaden.

"No...she would never! Not MY Tania!"

"Oh Gag me." Chazz gruffed before met yet again with a balled up fist from a pinkette who seemed none too happy about his tone-

"It's one thing to show tough love..." she hissed at him, "It's another thing to just be an asshole."

"Are you kidding me right now!?" Chazz hissed back.

"This is about Misawa! Not about you! Stop being such a dick!"

"A WHAT!?"

Initialling yet another squabble between the two undertoned by an all too knowing giggle under Alexis's breath.

"You don't understand- WE HAD PASSION!"

"Uh...excuse me what?" Jaden Mumbled.

"Well I suppose passion is one thing to call it..." Chazz muttered. Normally Connar would have swatted at him...but...even she knew when he was right. As he stated...she heard the same sounds he did that night-

"When I first dueled Tania...there were fireworks. You saw how how monsters danced together...it was beautiful...majestic!" he sighed, "If I can't have that feeling again when I duel...well it's all over then." he said with sunken shoulders, "My life...dueling...it's all finished."

"But Bastion..." Zane spoke up softly, "She's a Shadow Rider...we have the world to say.. we need you." he stated, "And you're saying, you're done?"

Bastion nodded.

" As much as you may require my deck...until I can prove to Tania that I am a worthy man, my dueling days are through. Now. And Forever."

"Okay I'm gonna go to the bathroom and hurl." Chazz muttered.

"Just duel her again!." said Jaden, "Go and ask her for a rematch."

"A Rematch?"

"And don't take no for an answer!" Jaden beamed, "You're a tough guy- and I'll even be your wingman!"

XXXXX

Night fell deeply with the sprinkling of stars in the sky and the sounds of crickets and ciadas alike echoing through the surrounding trees. The Slifer students were tucked away each into their dorm rooms... while Connar and Chazz chatted over their PDAs, each one unable to sleep, Jaden and his friends argued light heartedly amongst themselves in their room where the light still shone through the cracks.

"Jaaaaadeeeeennnnn..." Syrus whined, "Aren't you going to go to bed already?"

"Not yet." replied the spirited boy as he shifts through his cards, "I'm working on a strategy to help out Bastion...just call me cupid!"

"A strategy?" mumbled their room mate, Chumley, "How about a Good Night's Rest?"

There was a loud thudding across the creaking boards of the dinky dorm, disturbing all of its patrons, Connar and Chazz included, each of them peeking outside to see Bastion pounding on Jaden's door.

"Jaden, open up! It's me!"

"Bastion?" Jaden's muffled voice came through the door before pulling it open and peeking outside, "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"The rematch!" Bastion huffed, "Why aren't you ready yet!?"

"...You mean NOW!?"

To Be Continued...