Chapter 9: Get Back Up
Summary: No matter how many times you stumble and fall on the path to improvement, just remember to
"Duel!"
Jaden's Hand- Elemental Hero Clayman, Elemental Hero Sparkman, Draining Shield, Polymerization, Wroughtweiler
Zane's Hand- Cyber Dragon, Monster Reborn, Different Dimension Capsule, Mystical Space Typhoon, Limiter Removal
Jaden draws Elemental Hero Avian. "I'll go first, and I'll start by summoning Elemental Hero Avian in attack mode!"
Elemental Hero Avian Atk / Def: 1000 / 1000
Jaden then sets Draining Shield. "Then I'll set one card and end my turn!"
"My turn. Draw." Zane draws a second Cyber Dragon. "I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your set card." A vortex of wind and lightning collides with Draining Shield destroying it.
Jaden winces. "H-he got me."
"Now I summon Cyber Dragon in attack position."
Cyber Dragon Atk / Def: 2100 / 1600
Jaden looks surprised. "You summoned a Level 5 monster with no tribute?!"
Zane looks on impassively. "When you have a monster on the field, and I don't, Cyber Dragon's effect allows me to special summon it. I attack Avian with Cyber Dragon. Evolution Burst." Cyber Dragon attacks with a stream of fire, destroying Avian.
Jaden's LP: 8000-1100=6900
Syrus looks on in dismay. "My brother really is ruthless."
Takashi has a look of interest. "So, you use Cyber Dragons Zane." He feels a pull from the spirits of certain cards back in his dorm. "They call out for you. But I need to get a read on you before the time comes."
"Now I activate my spell card, Different Dimension Capsule, from my hand." A sarcophagus with an ancient clock on the front rises from the ground. "With it, I get to choose one card from my deck…" Zane grabs Power Bond. "I put this card in the Different Dimension Capsule, removing it from play. In two turns I can add it to my hand." Zane puts Power Bond in his pocket as a card enters the sarcophagus, which then sinks into the ground as Jaden looks on impressed.
"So, you get to pick any card from your deck?" He rubs a finger across his nose. "I can't wait to see what's coming!"
Syrus looks on in worry. "That card… It must be…"
Takashi sorts through cards from this era in his head. "If you're playing a machine deck like your brother, considering you also gave him a copy of it. Jaden will have his work cut out for him if he doesn't get rid of the capsule before two turns are up."
"I end my turn."
"I can see why they call you the best, Zane. On your first turn, you set up defense, offense, and preparation… Everything into your strategy. My heart's racing!" "My turn! Draw!" Jaden draws Pot of Greed.
"I activate Pot of Greed to draw two cards." Jaden draws A Hero Emerges and Hero Kid. "Next, I'll play Polymerization from my hand! I fuse Elemental Hero Sparkman and Elemental Hero Clayman from my hand to Fusion Summon Elemental Hero Thunder Giant in attack mode!
Elemental Hero Thunder Giant Atk / Def: 2400 / 1500
"Now I'll activate Thunder Giant's effect! By discarding one card…" Jaden discards Hero Kid. "I can destroy one monster on the field with less original attack points than him. Vapor Spark!" Thunder Giant sends a burst of electricity at Cyber Dragon destroying it.
Chumley lets out a cheer at this. "G-Great job, Jaden!" Syrus looks on with a little shock.
"Bro…"
"Okay, let's go. Time to charge the castle while it's defenseless. Thunder Giant, attack him directly! Voltic Thunder!" Thunder Giant blasts Zane who doesn't even flinch, retaining his calm look.
Zane's LP: 8000-2400=5600
Jaden sets A Hero Emerges "I set one card and end my turn."
Syrus looks in with a serious bust conflicted expression. "Bro's also amazing. But…"
Takashi rubs his chin in thought. "Getting a Cyber Dragon off the field was good, but if he doesn't stop the capsule from opening, it might not matter."
"My turn. Draw." Zane draws his third Cyber Dragon "Since you control a monster and I don't, I'll use my Cyber Dragon's effect to special summon it."
Cyber Dragon Atk / Def: 2100 / 1600
"Then I activate Monster Reborn from my hand! I bring my destroyed Cyber Dragon back from the graveyard and onto my field!"
Cyber Dragon Atk / Def: 2100 / 1600
Zane flips a card in his hand to reveal Polymerization. "The. I'll fuse them. I summon Cyber Twin Dragon!" The two Cyber Dragons merge to form a two headed Cyber Dragon.
Cyber Twin Dragon Atk / Def: 2800 / 2100
Chumley now looks worried. "2800 attack points?" Zane overhears the question.
"And that isn't all. During my Battle Phase, Cyber Twin Dragon can attack twice."
Chumley recoils. "O-Oh, no…"
Alexis speaks up for the first time since the duel started. "The second attack will be a direct attack on Jaden."
"Not good!"
Syrus looks down shaking in frustration. "This is how my brother duels. In the name of victory, he calculates everything. No one stands a chance. Not even bro…"
"Cyber Twin Dragon attacks Thunder Giant. Evolution Twin Burst!"
Jaden holds out his hand. "I activate my facedown card A Hero Emerges!" Syrus and Zane looked surprised. "My opponent picks one card from my hand when they declare an attack. If it's a monster card, I can Special Summon it. Lucky for me I only have one card in my hand. And it's a monster card! I summon Wroughtweiler in defense mode!"
Wroughtweiler Atk / Def: 800 / 1200
Cyber Twin Dragon shoots two beams, one hits Thunder Giant, the other Wroughtweiler destroying them both.
Jaden's LP: 6900-400=6500
Jaden flinches at the attack before throwing out his arm. "When Wroughtweiler is sent to the graveyard, it's effect activates! I can add one Elemental Hero, and one Polymerization from my graveyard, back to my hand. For my Hero I'll add Elemental Hero Clayman!" Jaden adds both cards to his hand. Zane looks on impassively.
"I end my turn." Jaden, not being able to hold in his excitement anymore gets a wide grin, his whole face radiating joy.
"This is fun! This has been a really awesome duel, Zane!" Zane cracks a small smile, seeing Jaden's excitement and calmly replies.
"Yes. It's fun for me, too." This shocks Syrus to his core.
"Huh? Zane?" Alexis gives Syrus a happy knowing look. While Takashi is starting to put the pieces together.
"So, this is the real Zane Truesdale. I can now see why the spirits in those cards call out to you." He closes his eyes with a small smile, sending out a feeling of reassurance to the spirits of his Cyber Dragon cards.
"It's my turn! Draw!" Jaden draws Pot of Greed. "I play Pot of Greed and draw two cards!" He draws Elemental Hero Bubbleman and Winged Kuriboh. "Now I'll use Polymerization and fuse Bubbleman and Clayman from my hand to Fusion Summon, Elemental Hero Mudballman!"
Elemental Hero Mudballman Atk / Def: 1900/3000
"And I'll summon him in defense mode!" The spirit of Winged Kuriboh hovers by his shoulder giving a happy chirp Jaden turns to him and grins. "Of course I'm going to need you too buddy. I set monster facedown and end my turn!" Jaden sets Winged Kuriboh.
Chumley is excited by the play. "Yeah! With 3000 defense points, Cyber Twin Dragon's two attacks won't matter! And even if he manages to boost it enough to destroy Mudballman, his other facedown can buy him more time! Jaden's not out of this yet!"
Syrus still looks concerned. "But on Zane's next turn his capsule releases the card he had stored away."
Takashi looks on with a serious expression. "I'm sure Power Bond is the card he sent away, and Jaden never managed to get rid of it. If he doesn't have the right cards to get a combo going, you can make it another turn, Jaden."
"My turn. Draw." Zane draws De-Fusion. "Since it has been two turns, I now can retrieve the card hidden in the capsule." Zane pulls Power Bond out of his pocket and adds it to his hand. "Jaden, this might be the end for you."
Jaden stares back at Zane confidently. "Yeah, I can't wait to see how it will turn out."
Zane looks at him with his impassive stare. "I see. You're using all the power at your disposal. Thanks to you, I've been able to use all the power at my disposal, too." Zane closes his eyes and smiles. "I pay reverence to your duel."
Syrus looks absolutely shocked at this. "Zane… He's acknowledging bro's skill at dueling?"
Jaden smirks. "Zane, those words sound more like they're meant for Syrus."
Takashi silently nods. "So that's the lesson he was trying to teach you."
Syrus gains a look of understanding on his face. "Of course… Zane's way of dueling consider's the opponent, and devises strategies for all ensuing possibilities. Whereas I, on that day…"
Syrus thinks back to the day his brother banned him from using Power Bond. He was dueling a school bully who had been making fun of him. But the moment he had started winning, he became the bully, insulting his opponent, acting superior and demanding his bully bow down before him. And in his feeling of superiority, he almost walked into a trap, before his brother had stepped in, bribing the bully with a rare card into forgetting the duel and the bet they had made where the loser would have to obey one demand from the winner.
Syrus looks down in shame. "I mocked my opponent, put too much faith in my cards, not respecting my opponent or their cards. It was a duel in which I completely ignored my opponent."
Zane yells to his opponent. "Let's go, Jaden!"
Jaden yells right back. "Bring it!"
"I activate De-Fusion from my hand! I separate my Cyber Twin Dragon back into two Cyber Dragon's! Then I activate my spell card Power Bond from my hand! This card lets me Fusion Summon a Machine-Type Monster. I fuse my two Cyber Dragons on my field with the one in my hand. I summon Cyber End Dragon in attack position." The three Cyber Dragons merge into one three headed Cyber Dragon.
Cyber End Dragon Atk / Def: 4000 / 2800
"The effect of Power Bond doubles its attack points."
Cyber End Dragon Atk: 4000x2=8000
Chumley looks on in shock and awe. "8000…"
"When this monster attacks a defense position monster, it deals piercing damage, meaning that the difference between my monster's attack points, and a defense monster it destroys defense points, is dealt to you as damage."
Jaden looks on, determined. "If he attacks Winged Kuriboh I'll take no damage, and if he attacks Mudballman I'll still have 1500. So, I can at least buy one turn, maybe two if I'm lucky." He is broken out of his thoughts by Zane's next declaration.
"Now I'll activate my spell card Limiter Removal! This card lets me double the attack of all Machine-Monsters on my side of the field this turn." Jaden's eyes widen.
"But that means?"
Zane throws his hand forward. "Yes, my Cyber End Dragon's attack points are doubled again!"
Cyber End Dragon Atk: 8000x2=16000
Chumley and Syrus gasp seeing the new attack points.
"S-Sixteen thousand!"
"I didn't even know attack points could get that high!" Alexis and Takashi eyes widen before gaining a look of understanding while looking at Jaden's facedown monster.
"I apologize if this seems like overkill Jaden, but considering you own a Winged Kuriboh, I can't guarantee a win by attacking your facedown monster. With this victory is assured. Cyber End Dragon, attack Mudballman! Eternal Evolution Burst!" Cyber End Dragon lets out lasers for each of its mouths blasting through a disintegrating Mudballman and consumes a determined looking Jaden in the blast.
Jaden's LP: 6500-16000=0
Winner- Zane Truesdale
Jaden falls to his knees and after a few moments looks up at Zane with a smile. "That was a fun duel."
Zane gives Jaden a small smile before turning to walk away. He gives Syrus a silent look before walking away, with Alexis chasing after him. Once walking beside him, she asks, "How was it?"
Zane still smiling says, "That's a nice "bro" Syrus has."
Watching them walk away Jaden smiles. "You've got one amazing brother."
Syrus turns to Jaden with a grin. "And a cool bro, too!" Jaden gives Syrus a look before they both start laughing. Takashi walks up to Syrus.
"So, Syrus, do you think you figured out what your brother wanted you to learn." Syrus looks up at Takashi with a confident look, with a determined nod he says.
"Yeah, I think I do. I promise Takashi, I'm going to take the lesson to heart and prove to myself I can stand beside you guys." Jaden smiles at Syrus' growing confidence, while Takashi puts his hand on his shoulder with a small smile.
"I know you will. Anyway, I'll have to catch up with you guys later. I need to go do something." Waving goodbye, Takashi takes off after Zane.
/RFSXPL/
Catching up to Zane and Alexis, Takashi calls out to them. "Alexis, Zane!" They both stop walking and turn to see him. Alexis gives him a curious look.
"What's going on Takashi?" Coming to a stop Takashi smiles at Alexis.
"I was actually hoping I could talk to Zane about something." Alexis gives Zane a look, silently asking if this was fine. Zane nods with an impassive look. Alexis looks back at Takashi with a smile.
"Well in that case I'll let you guys talk and head back to my dorm." She waves walking off. "Have a goodnight, guys!" Zane turns away from Alexis' retreating form, giving Takashi his attention.
"What did you want to talk about." With a look of understanding on his face, Takashi asks.
"Syrus talked about a lesson you wanted him to learn. You wanted him to start respecting his opponents and I think he got the message." Zane nods with a small proud smile before going back to his usual neutral expression.
"I believe he did too. But I know you didn't chase after me just to tell me that." Takashi nods with a lopsided smile.
"Wanting to cut to the chase, that's fair. You really love your brother, don't you?" Zane's look turns inquisitive, wondering where this is going.
"I care for Syrus, yes. What's brought this on?" Takashi sighs.
"It's just, you might want to tell him that more." Zane's eyes uncharacteristically widen as he looks at Takashi with shock.
"What?" Takashi looks off to the side scratching his cheek in embarrassment.
"Man, I hate this." He turns to look Zane in the eye with a serious look. "I'm not trying to pretend that I fully understand your guy's relationship, or that it's my place to put myself in the middle of it, but…" Zane having got over the shock looks at Takashi curiously, wondering where this is going.
"But?" Taking a deep breath to steady himself Takashi pushes on.
"But Syrus is my friend, and I can see how much he's hurting and how complex his feelings for you are. On one hand, he idolizes you, but on the other hand, that idolization makes him feel like you're a bar that he has to measure himself by, not just as a duelist, but as a person."
Pausing and seeing he still has Zane's attention, he keeps going. "He feels like he has to live up to these expectations that I don't think you ever set for him. He always talks down about himself and gets anxious in high stress situations because he always feels like he like he's disappointing you in some way. I can tell you're a more private person, but I just…"
Takashi closes his eyes, thoughts warring in his head, split between wanting to help a friend that is hurting, and feeling like he's overstepping and out of line by getting involved in the first place. His eyes snap back open when Zane puts a hand on his shoulder, giving him an encouraging look to keep going. With renewed confidence, he says what has been on his mind since his talk with Syrus yesterday.
"I just think you should maybe remind him sometimes, that you love him and are proud of him! I know you care about him, and deep down he probably knows it too. But I think he'd be so much happier if could hear it from you directly!" His mind spoken Takashi starts taking deep breaths to calm his racing heart. Zane takes his hand off Takashi's shoulder and gives him an unreadable look.
"You gave me a lot to think about Takashi. I'll take your words into consideration." With a sigh of relief feeling a weight be lifted from his shoulders Takashi gives Zane a small, relieved smile.
"That's all I can ask." Takashi gives a small bow. "Thank you for hearing me out, Zane." Lifting from his bow he waves to Zane as he begins taking off back to the Slifer Dorm. "Have a goodnight, Zane!" As he watches Takashi leave Zane smirks thinking to himself.
"You're making good friends Syrus." Zane closes his eyes with a satisfied look and before opening them as, he turns around and walks back to his own dorm. "Treasure them little brother." His mind flashes to Atticus. "You never know if they'll be taken from you."
/RFSXPL/
The next morning, the five involved in the Abandoned Dorm incident were called into the Chancellor's office. With his students standing before his desk, Sheppard lets out a hum.
"So, the disciplinary committee has come to a decision. Takashi." Takashi steps forward. "You were given permission to enter the dorm by Seto Kaiba himself, and were in your room until then. So, you will receive no punishment, just a simple request to alert the staff if something like this happens again, so we can be there to assist." Takashi gives a small bow.
"Yes sir. I should have alerted staff; I simply panicked and ran off without thinking." Sheppard nods.
"It's quite alright my boy. Next, Alexis." Takashi takes a step back as Alexis steps forward. "You were kidnapped and held hostage; we would like to once again extend our sincerest apologies that this happened to you on campus." Alexis shakes her head.
"It's not anything you had control over sir, but if it helps, I do accept your apology." Sheppard nods.
"It does help. Now the only rule you broke was curfew, and considering what you were doing it for, the kidnapping, and your exemplary school record, it had been decided to leave you with a warning, and to set a time for you to go there to pay your respects to your brother with Dr. Fontaine going as an escort to prevent anymore incidents, while still allowing you to go." Alexis nods, accepting this.
"That sounds fair sir. I appreciate the staffs understanding." Sheppard smiles at her.
"You're welcome, and I promise we are still making active efforts to find your Atticus. Next; Chumley, Jaden, and Syrus." Alexis takes a step back as a sheepish Jaden and nervous Chumley and Syrus step forward. "You three broke curfew and skirted the rules by walking on the dorm grounds instead of going into the building itself until you heard a fellow student in trouble. Does that all sound right?"
Jaden nervously chuckles "That about sums it up." With a stern look Sheppard continues.
"The good news is considering the events of that night, suspension and expulsion was off the table." The three boys look ready to celebrate when he keeps going. "However, a punishment still needs to be given, under Dr. Crowlers supervision, you three will be made to study the academy rule book cover to cover, and then be quizzed on it." The boys deflate immediately dreading the class and quiz to come.
"Afterwards, I will expect a minimum of five papers each, on why what you did was wrong and how you'll strive to be better. The class on the rules with Dr. Crowler will be held every Friday after school for the next 3 weeks, and your paper will be turned in to me by the end of next week. Am I understood?" The boys have looks of dread and defeat at this point as they let out a collective exhausted sigh.
"Yes sir." Sheppard's stern face goes back to his normal jovial look.
"Alright kids, you are dismissed."
/RFSXPL/
After the meeting with the Chancellor the day passed by without incident. At the end of the day, the boys lay down in their room for bed, blissfully unaware of a muscular man with a familiar hair style approach the island by rowboat.
"It's time for you to come home, Chumley."
Jaden vs Zane happens with a minor tweak to fit the 8000 life points I established. Afterwards Takashi attempts to play family therapist because Syrus's crippling lack of self worth terrifies him. No duel with the Paradox brothers happens, don't worry I have plans for Syrus to shine on his own in about 4 chapters. Also hey what's better than two chapters of family drama? THREE chapters of family drama!