Getting a Nice Gift!

Yeah, so she totally kicked my butt.

About 6 to 7 times…. in a row, but that's not important! The most important thing is that my plan totally worked. Logan is feeling a hell of a lot better now. I guess total victory can do that to a person. I could do without the victory laughs though, there really annoying. When I win, I'm definitely going to hold it over her redhead for as long as possible. I might even through in a victory dance or two just cause!

But I gotta admit it, Logan, both of them were totally right. My nerdy ass is totally starting to fall in love with this game.

It's surprisingly good! Huh who knew.

"And Intress is going to attack your Ekuud with a Frost Blight. And since I casted Song of Focus this turn, along with her Torrent Krinth giving another little boost making the total damage 30. Coding Ekuud making me the winner again." Logan tells me with a gigantic smile across her face.

"That's 8 in a row, lets go baby! Whhhhhoooooooooohoooooooo!" and with a yell of victory even her ancestors would be proud of she decides to take future me's plans and starts doing a little victory dance in front of the table were playing on.

Now normal if this was the two of us before playing some random board game or something I'd be a bit salty. Especially since she's showboating a little, but now after everything that's happened it's hard to no be happy for her.

Okay maybe I'm a little salty but I'm mature enough to push it down. And I'm also kinda distracted by the game we just finished playing.

After I convinced her to teach me how to play, we headed down to the school's cafeteria. Along the way she wouldn't stop talking about how much fun this was going to be. Now to be fair I didn't think she was going to be wrong but after playing a bit I didn't think she was going to be this right. Even though she's kicking my butt in these 3v3 matches I'm having a blast!

"Hey Logan I got another question" I tell her trying to bring her focus back to me over her celebration.

"Yeah, sure hit me with it." She says as she plops back down into her seat with that same gigawatt smile on her face. I won't lie it's pretty easy to see why everyone thinks she's the hottest girl in school. She got the curves, the looks, the hair, is just a great person, and the assets to tie it all together. I'm betting that rumored school fan club she supposedly has isn't actually just a rumor.

Too bad she has such an annoying face though. Wait! Nolen, focus please, ask her your question dumbo.

"Okay so, if I understand this right the reason your Frost Blight did so much is because you casted that Song of Focus, right? Giving your girlfriend a speed boost so you could gain that extra damage boost of… what is it ten?"

"I…whatdoya…. she's not… Intress isn't… she's not my girlfriend okay!" Logan whispers to me stuttering in anger. Blushing at my little teasing quip.

"Yeah, right sure. Now my question?" I ask teasingly.

Hey I said I wasn't going to judge her okay. But teasing? Well, she shoulda figured out that was an impossible ask to not do. I'm her best friend, comes with the territory.

Also, her stuttering face makes me mentally laugh. What can I say it's hilarious to look at.

After taking a quick breath she responds "Yes and when you add in the other extra 10 damage from the ability her and her battlegear share you get 20. And then the attack which you get the last 10 from. And bingo bongo your Ekuud got toasted. Especially after I hit him previously with those 2 Velocitrap's dealing that first 20 damage to it."

That makes me hum in thought. "So, you can stack the same abilities on a creature? Interesting."

She nods her head. "Yeah, it can make things pretty fun. Especially since your opponent won't know what battlegear you have until they attack the creature. Well in most cases. I'm pretty sure there are some battlegears that's tart face up but I don't have any of those."

"Really that's cool. So… you casted that 'music' thing to make it possible to deal max damage to my creature."

"Yeah, it was the last battle so I just went for the win. Also, it's 'mugic' not 'music' important distinction."

"Oh, right sorry mugic my bad."

She shakes her head "No it's cool you'll get the lingo in time I promise. You get used to it pretty quick. Wanna go again." She asks as she pick up her cards and starts to set up for another game.

While she does that, I take a look around the cafeteria one more time. I remember the cafeteria from my old life to being big but not having a lot of space for anything but students getting food. This cafeteria is somewhat the same but with some obvious additions. It feels like there's more space in general and I'm pretty sure that it's bigger overall. There is even a cool outdoor patio addition with wooden tables and chairs with big umbrellas in the middle of the right outside some double-sided doors. Overall, it's pretty nice way better than what I used to have when old me went here.

But the bigger surprise to me is how many other kids are playing Chaotic to. As my eyes roam the cafeteria all I can see is small groups of kids playing the same card game that me and Logan are playing over here in the corner.

The groups range from big ones with 15 to 20 kids around one table to others only having 2 people on them like ours. Hell, some kids even have laptops with them, and after a quick peek at one, I can see there playing some sorta online version of the game on it to.

"Chaotic is pretty popular huh?" I ask Logan as I turn back around to her.

"Hmm?" she responded after setting back up the battle board. "Oh yeah, it's insanely popular. It's probably the most popular card game in the world right now. Or I wouldn't be surprised if it was, I mean."

"Really now. That's a surprise you think it's more popular than Yu-Gi-Oh or Pokémon?"

She snorts "Than Pokémon no way but that's gonna be hard to beat anyway. But the hecks Yu-Gi… whatever that word was. Is that a new game?" she asks as she shuffles her attack deck together again.

Okay now hold up here what now?

"You haven't heard of Yu-Gi-Oh before?' I ask her in disbelief

"No can't say I have sorry." She looks at me apologetically before a ring from the bell screeches across the school once more. Logan looks up to the clock hanging in air a good distance from us. After squinting a little to check the time she lets out a loud sigh.

"Sorry I gotta get going, 'curfew' is almost here. Ugggghhhhhh! This blows I'm sorry but I really gotta go." She looks at me with sad eyes as she packs up her cards that she let me borrow to play with.

"It's okay I get it your parents are…something. We can play again tomorrow if you want, or we can head into town and get me my own cards to play with. No offenses but I'm defiantly not a deninen player." I tell her.

She gives a small laugh but the sad annoyance leaves her eyes. "Sure, either sounds awesome and yeah there something sometimes alright." She lets out another sigh "Sometimes there too much of something. But parents am I right?" she says with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Hahaha yeah there something I guess." Though I'm pretty sure were thinking different things right now. But she doesn't need to know that.

"Yeah, but anyway sure we can totally do either tomorrow. And since it's Friday I'll get to hang out longer. Also, their called Danian's not whatever the heck you just word vomited." She says with a small giggle to her voice.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm not a fan of insects okay. Regardless or not if their bug people."

With a quick laugh she finishes packing up her cards and putting them carefully back into a tin that she keeps in her backpack.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow okay. When you get home maybe you should look up tips on the website. Then you might actually win one loser." She says teasingly to me

To that I simply respond with a perfectly strong rebuttal of stick my tongue out. And with another laugh she waves as she heads out the building. Heading back to her house, which I should be doing right about now to.

Heading back home… to my father. Wow that's going to be weird for a bit isn't it?

.

.

.

Eh I'll get used to it.

As I sling my backpack over my shoulder once again and head for the same exit Logan just took, I take one last look around the cafeteria. Some other kids took the bell as the sign to head out to it seems based on the goodbyes I'm witnessing. Almost half of them are packing up to head home or whatever teenagers do after school. Others just wave some goodbye and keep playing Chaotic.

Hmm this game is really popular here isn't it. I think to myself as I head outside the school of my now second childhood.

And Logan had no idea what Yu-gi-Oh was either. Maybe that's another difference between this world and my old one. I should look into that more. But first I need to solve a little problem I have just though of.

How the hell do I get back home?

Old me would know how, but this is my first time living in that house I don't know they way there from school yet. So, what to do here. The bus came in from the left so that seems like a good direction to start walking I suppose. As I look around, I see other kids riding bikes or skateboards away presumably to their homes. I even spot an odd scouter or two. Others just take their cars back home.

"Well, no time like the present. Get tough and get moving, right Rodrigo." I whisper out loud.

Just as I start heading down the road towards what I hope is the correct way home, a small pack of cars pulls up to the school. I can see some of the kids who were just hanging around waiting head to the cars and get inside. Guess those are their rides home.

Honk, Honk!

"Campfire over here!" shouts the now known voice of my father.

There in a nice-looking silver car is my father with his head out the window beckoning me towards him. With a small smile I head over to the side door and toss my book-bag into the back seat and slide into the seat next to him.

"What was that didn't feel like waiting for me today" my dad asks me with a similar smile on his face. From his tone I can tell he's trying to tease me a little.

"Sorry I didn't know if you'd be coming today with how you were called in." I tell him.

"What and miss this nice little bonding time we get. Hah never." He responses while messing up my hair.

I shove off his hand "Okay, okay my and now chill out dude. Let's get out of here, I'm starving right now."

"Oh, starving are you. Well, we can't have that now can we. We better get you home then. Wanna pick up a pizza on the way home I gotta head back to work so I can't cook you anything? Also, when did you start saying dude?" he asks me with a laugh.

"Since just now duuuddddeee." Dragging out the word to make him laugh a bit.

"Well okay the dude. Let's get going is that ayes to the pizza?" he says with a growing familiar tone.

"Who says no to pizza. I'm not stupid. Come on let's hit it."

"Hahaha okay pizza it is. Buckle up well head over to Domino's and get you a large. And I'm thinking I'll get me something as well."

"They have salads there if you want something to snack on while you're working." Never underestimate the snack value of a salad it can work wonders I tell you.

"Eww no I'll take some wings or a small pizza. I'm going out to eat I'm not gonna be healthy." He says as he pulls out of the school and starts to head down the road to the right.

"So how was school today, Campfire. Did everything go okay?"

"Yeah, it was great nothing I couldn't handle, I was just bored most of the day. And I totally aced a quiz I had for history today."

"Hey that's great good job." He tells me with a smile over to my direction. His eyes quickly go back to the road. "So, anything not boring happen today?" he asks me.

"Oh... uh well yeah, I got into this new card game called Chaotic. Me and Logan were playing it after school and it was a blast. I'm a definitely a fan now. I'll need to head to the store and get some cards for myself." I answer

"Hey that's great You sound pretty excited about it was it that fun? Also do I know Logan or is this anew friend of yours?"

"I guess I am excited yeah. And you know Logan she's the redhead. Lives close by."

"Ahhhhh right now I remember. Logan… Logan Daniels! You used to hang out in middle school. She and her family moved right before you started high school. They live a bit farther down the street now. If I'm remembering correctly."

"Yep, that's her." Hmm so she moved didn't know that. "She and I were talking after class and she ask me if I had ever played. Then one thing led to another and we ended up playing for a while."

As my dad pulls in to the drive thru of Dominos' and places his order quickly, he opens up the side compartment in between our seats and garbs some cash from his wallet that's placed inside. After he hands the cash to the register, he grabs our food and then places the unhealthy combo on my lap.

"Well, that's nice of her. I'm glad you had some fun today. I won't lie I was a bit worried about you. You usually have volleyball practice after school so I wondered what you'd do to pass the time until I came. But I'm glad you found a new hobby."

I nod enthusiastically "Yeah me to I had way more fun than I expected. I need to get my own cards so I can kick her butt!" I exclaim.

I can already imagine it now me dealing the final attack in a close match. The look on her face will be sweet and I'll relish every second of her defeated expression.

"Hahahahahah well I'm sure you will but first we need to destroy this food how's that sound." My dad says with a small thoughtful look on his face.

"Sounds great."

"I bet it does Campfire. I bet it does." He tells me. With that same thoughtful expression on his face.

The ride over is quite with only the songs on the radio filling the void. I forgot how different older music is, kinda strange to think about but I'll get to experience a bunch of 'new' songs again. Thankfully the silence is short lived as we return home after 10 or so minutes of driving. I open my side door and exit with the food in my hands keeping the it steady so we don't have to worry about me dropping it.

No reason to waste good food, right?

Our two person dinner is a rather quick affair cause after eating a couple of wings and a slice or two of his small pizza he shives the rest of it into the kitchen fridge before heading back to me and giving me another small head pat.

"I got to head back now try not to burn the house down while I'm gone alright." He tells me jokingly. Wowzers dad let's try not to bring your death into existence with jokes okay. Knock on wood and all that jazz.

"Don't worry that'll never happen." I tell him seriously.

He completely ignores that with a small chuckle "Good now I'll be back around 9 maybe 10 okay. Don't leave the house and if a stranger comes what do you do?"

"Beat the shit out of them or bail out the nearest window with post haste."

"Good man. Love you bye."

"Love you to dad." I won't lie that's probably never going to get old to say. And I'll say it with a smile every time.

As he returns the same smile her opens the door and head back into his car and after a few short seconds I hear him pull out of the driveway. Off to his unknown job, that's safe which is all I really care about.

My own dinner doesn't last very long I destroy most of the pizza pretty quick. The three surviving pieces I also decide to put in the fridge. While it's open, I quickly check its contents. All normal things you'd find in a fridge. Milk, eggs some bottled water, fruits and vegetables, American style cheese, some freshly cut watermelon, and other bits and pieces of regular refrigerator items.

I close the fridge and sit down back on the kitchen table.

What do I do now, I can't help but ponder. For the most part this seems to be a complete regular copy of my old world. The only three things that stick out to me are the Yu-Gi-Oh thing, my dad being alive, and me being in the past. That's not a lot of information to work off of is it.

Then again do I really need to learn what this world is? I mean I still have some questions about the old/this worlds version of me but besides that, this life is pretty great. Sure, having to go through high school again kinda sucks balls but it's totally manageable. And hey being a kid isn't so bad right? At least I don't have to pay taxes right now. That's already a huge W in my book.

Fuck taxes dude.

Also, I'm not sweating my ass off in some god-awful shit hole. Wondering which building would be my last one.

All-in-all this second chance looks pretty damn good.

So why not live it?

"Give it your all or not." Our squad's old oath we'd say it before and after every deployment. Even getting it tattooed on our arms as a sign of faith or something. It helped set the mood and I won't lie it always gave me confidence boost hearing everyone saying those words, it may just be me saying them now but the strength they give me is the same.

"Okay now what the hell I'm I going to do now." I got a bit of time before shut eye. I gotta find something to preoccupy my time. After thinking for a couple minutes, I remember Logan mentioning something about a website for Chaotic.

"Seems like a good idea. Now where the hell is the computer in this place?"

After a quick search around the premises, I discovery where my father keeps what I presume to be the family computer. It's in a neat little corner in the living room. And man, I totally forgot that computers use to look like this. It's so bigger than what I remember.

I know that for its time it's actually a good computer, but in the future, I'm so used to the slick designs of my time that this thing just looks ancient to me techno future ass.

"Okay dinosaur let's get working towards some sweet victory." Despite my jokes about the about its age the computer works fine and effectively. And after quickly typing out 'Chaotic website" into the search bar I easily find the thing Logan was talking about.

On the top of the screen hangs a black and red symbol with the words Chaotic right in the center of it. The symbol is mostly just two circles trapped within one another but there cut off by the words Chaotic stopping them from ever being complete.

Right below that symbol hangs the words ENTER THE CODE. I guess that explains those codes on the bottom of the cards. I guess you can have an online collection to as well as in person cards. That's pretty cool.

The other things on the screen look more like blue tabs I can press with the words, Collect, Create, Trade, Forums, Portal, Play! All lined up in a row right next to the Chaotic symbol at the top of the page.

'So, I guess that's where Logan got the story from." I say as I eye the Forums tab. After debating for a couple seconds, I decide I'll follow her in that aspect as well. It doesn't seem like I can try the others until I get my own cards. As I drag my mouse over so I can click on the Forums tab. As soon as I do though a small window pops up and reads Can't do this action without a registered Chaotic account.

"Well duh Nolen come on of course you'd need an account." What kinda website doesn't make you have an account especially when you come from.

Making an account only takes me a few short minutes, all I need is a strong password, linking the account to my email (which is thankfully the same as my old one) and a username. After a quick debate with my inner self, I decide to go with ChaoticVanguard. A pretty lengthy one but it just barley fits in the bar.

"Always gotta be the first into action ain't that right Issy." If Isobel was here, she'd punch me in the face for calling her that but since she isn't well freedom rains and all that. We'd always compete for being the vanguard position in the squad. We both like busting down the doors into the breaching buildings, so we often had fights about who got to go first.

It seems like a good name as any, and I think it sounds kinda cool. So there done. After hitting the register button at the bottom of the window it only takes a few seconds before another window pops up with the message Account created good luck and get Chaotic!

"Well now that's done let's get searching."

HOURS LATER

"Hey Campfire I'm back and I got presents!" my dad shouts from the entrance way.

"Hey welcome back, that was fast1" I shout back to him. Man, he wasn't gone very long guess he finished work early.

As he walks over to me, he gives a puzzling look "I was gone for 4 hours?"

"What really!" and I swivel my head over to the clock at the top of the computer screen and sure enough I can read that it's now 9:32. We got back home a bit after 5'oclock so yeah that's about 4 hours.

"Wow sorry guess I didn't notice. Time really flew by there." I tell him.

"Apparently." He says. "What were you doing that distracted you so much?"

"Oh! I was just making my Chaotic account so I can play online. But I got lost looking at the forums for cards and strategies and stuff." I answer

Man, time really flew bye there. I didn't even notice it been so long that's crazy. I was totally focused on looking up rules and strategies and the like I didn't even bother to look at the clock. I even ended up finding some other people to chat with. No long-lasting friendships were formed but I did have a couple of good conversations. Especially with someone named ChaotiKween.

She may have bad taste in tribes (the affiliation of creatures and mugic I learned) but they sure know their stuff.

"Well, that's good cause in case you missed it I have a little gift for you."

I look back up to my dad with a surprised eye raise. "A gift really?" I question.

"Emm Hmm." My dad says with a head nod. "Now do you want it or not?" and I see the return of that silly little smirk on his face. Man is that what I look like when I do that? Benny was right I do have a punchable face during those moments.

I resist the urge to do so as I respond "Well I don't know it's not poison, is it?" I banter back to him.

He gives a heartfelt laugh before responding "No. No it's not poison. Let's just say it's a reward for good behavior." He tells me with a wink. And he puts out a hand that he was hiding behind his back.

Inside his outstretched palm is a single pack of Chaotic cards. Covered in a pitch-black wrapping with the only decoration being present on it being the Chaotic symbol.

"I decided to stop by the store on the way back. I though you should get your own cards yourself. But I though you deserved a little something. The cashier told me these pure black ones are a bit special." My dad tells me with a smile and hands me the card pack.

"Wow thanks dad. I appreciate it." I won't lie I'm having some difficulty fighting back my tears. I always wanted at least one gift from my dad before I came here and after my first day, I already get one. This ones to you little me to those young forgotten dreams.

"Well, aren't you mister manners Campfire. And your very welcome." He tells me. "Now come on you going to open them or what?" He asks.

"Yeah, you bet."

After ripping open the pack somewhat carefully, don't want to damage the cards inside now do we, I find 9 cards inside. I know thanks to some searching in the forums that most packs contain 4 commons, 3 uncommons and 2 rares. And usually, 1 of the rares may or may not be swapped for a super or ultra-rare.

So, as I place the cards in the palms of my hands, I flip them over one at a time. "Let's see I got A Dragon Pulse, 2 of Elixir of Tenacity, Gauntlets of Might, 3 of Ash Torrent, a Melody of Malady mugic, and a creature named Lyssta."

"So, you think these are any good for what I paid it better be." My dad asks questionably.

I look at the cards for ab it longer. These are a gift from someone who I shouldn't have ever been able to meet let alone receive something from. Truth be told I have no idea if these cards are any good or not and really, I don't actually care.

"Dad, I can honestly tell you, these are the best."

And as I hold up my now new favorite creature of all time. I just have this strange feeling that I'm more than a little right. I can tell, she and I are going to kick some major code.

"Let's get Chaotic."

Chapter End

And boom done with another chapter ladies, gentlemen, and all who choose to be. sorry for the delay in getting this one out there but school and personal life have been kinda busy over here on my side.

My sister is a very recently new mom and her baby just got sick (nothing major she's just being a worry wort) but basically the whole family went into emotional support mode for her and her husband.

And I had to take a surprise quiz that was recently added to my class with no prior warning so that was fun. I think I passed but I have no idea yet.

Oh, and I had a neurology appointment today. So that was another little fun thing I had to do this week as well. It went fine by the way I'm okay and I was just being a worry wort myself lol.

But seriously thanks once again to everyone who is sticking with me and this story so far. I greatly appreciate it. I'm having a blast here so you guys liking what I'm doing is a big confidence booster here.

Also, for some clarification here when I talk about Battlegear, mugic, and Attacks they'll look like so. I think that makes it easier to read and write for everyone involved. Creature names will appear as normal.

Also, another side note yes, I know Lyssta was not released with the Dawn of Perim. But she is by far my favorite creature so…. Sorry not sorry. She'll probably be the only exception to this well see in card form but when it comes to Chaotic itself. There will be a few surprises thrown in there.

But that's for later before I leave you guys, I just wanted to let you know I also started a DnD story here to. It's only one chapter long right now but I'm also really excited to work on that as well check it out if your interested.

Until next time folks Peace Out!