State of the Meta

by Yung Warrior

A self-insert in which a competitive player from 2016 finds himself warped into the world of GX. Between adjusting his deck to make up for the inverted power creep, making grades, and saving the world, there's much to do, but all good players know how to adapt to their circumstances. SI-OC, 1st Person POV.

70. Duel-lusions of Grandeur

Chapter 70: Duel-lusions of Grandeur

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

I enjoyed a leisurely awakening. After a long, hot shower, I drank clear water and hot coffee in the room while reading through a complimentary magazine. It appeared to be a celebrity gossip tabloid, which normally wouldn't have interested me very much. However, in this case it was rather diverting to read about the scandal of local mayor "Goblin of Greed" caught cheating on his taxes. The long sleep helped to balance me, and I felt comfortable approaching Sonata for guidance on what to do with Sartorius.

"Shouldn't we wait until after we've rescued him first?" She shrugged, twirling her aquamarine hair between her fingers.

"No. Once Sartorius is freed, we no longer have any leverage over Aster. I just know he's going to pull some cowboy shit the moment we're free and clear out of the city." My voice was low and groggy as I pulled a blue long-sleeved shirt over my frame. "Maybe I should just let Sartorius go free…handing him over to Kaiba just doesn't sit right."

"Is that really an option? Kaiba has practically infinite wealth and resources. If you won't hunt Sartorius down, then Kaiba will find someone who will after he fires your ass. And something tells me Aster won't be singing your praises even if you do help Sartorius out. He'd probably give you some spiel about how it was your duty to do the right thing and virtue is its own reward." said Sonata.

"Funny how doing the right thing often aligns with whatever one's self-interest happens to be at the time." I chuckled at first, but thinking about it more caused my mood to darken. "Sartorius has everything coming to him. The guy was going to blow up the earth."

"He was under mind control-" Sonata began to protest before I cut her off.

"Fuck that! At some point people have to be held accountable for their actions. If it had been me under mind control and not him, somebody would have pulled my plug by now. And yet I'm supposed to welcome him back to his old life with open arms?" I whined.

"That is the essence of forgiveness, yes." Sonata noted with slight humor.

"If Sartorius were to fight again, I don't know who could beat him. His ability to manipulate fate is too strong. If he used that power, I wouldn't be able to win, no matter what cards I drew. He would screw me! So why should we allow another liability to stay around when we can't even control him? It's too dangerous!" I countered, pulling my pants up.

"You're very comfortable playing judge, jury and executioner. How would you like it if someone were so callous about your own life, Jamie Lancaster?" Sonata pointed the mirror at me, and I didn't like what I saw. "Isn't it better that Sartorius lives to atone for his misdeeds? Killing him, directly or indirectly, doesn't solve anything."

"And if I do, then Aster will want revenge on me." I realized. Aster would never let something like that go, and there would be no peaceful resolution. "But what about Kaiba? He's the biggest question mark out of this whole situation."

"If Sartorius is to live, he will have to be somewhere beyond Kaiba's reach, and very few places like that exist." She scratched her chin. Talking to Sonata about this was helping me a lot. The truth of the decision and its consequences seemed much clearer than before. "And we don't know if Sartorius is even alive. Yubel might have cut the knot for us already."

As I ruminated, Sonata said, "We can talk about it some more later, before we depart this evening. Just think about it. You know what the right decision is, you just need to find the courage to choose it."

"…Why does everything have to be so damn complicated?" I groused – my temper would level off after I ate some food. Dimly, I remembered that I always had the option of staying in the background when I first arrived in this world, but I just had to get involved…

"Speaking of complicated, you'll be very interested to hear about a certain type of card in the castle's vaults." Sonata grinned, catlike.

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just say you're in for a lot of reading, Jamie."

My eyes lit up in understanding. "Now that's interesting…we'll have to stop by these vaults and take those cards back with us. My finder's fee for discovering Pendulum monsters should be quite substantial…let's swing into action!" Shaken from the internal fog, the prospects of more money and power drew the world in a sharp, vivid clarity.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Zane and Aster had also slept soundly, although Aster waited until he could hear Zane snoring before finally allowing himself to rest. He did not like sharing the room with another person. It was difficult for him to trust anyone so close to him as he slept. At least out in the desert he could set his sleeping bag far away from the others. Being so close to Zane now made Aster uneasy…something about the way the Kaiser's eyes would shine as he lovingly handled the chains and collars, the ear-splitting grin he wore in combat, the delight he took in vaporizing the Skilled White Magician. It was different than the time Aster faced him. "Did I cause this change in him?" Aster wondered. Out of all of them, Zane was the one who seemed most comfortable in the savage landscape of the dark world, where strength was law. "I am still superior to him." Aster repeated to himself often, although his conviction in that though had wavered over time. He pondered whether Zane held any grudge against him for that humiliating defeat.

In the morning, Zane was up first. Aster frowned – it looked weak to be the last one to awaken. They silently got ready for the restful day up ahead – rest punctuated by anticipation for the next nightfall. Already tense, the silence did not help Aster's nerves. He jumped again when Zane reached past him to grab his bag, causing the navy-haired duelist to smirk. "You should relax, Aster. The hotel has a hot tub, you know. Erin likes it, perhaps you should join her."

Ignoring the implication of that remark, Aster indicted, "Sitting in a hot tub won't solve my problems, and it won't solve yours either. Why aren't you nervous? We could die here, at any moment, and no one will come to save us."

"I know – it's wonderful." Zane smiled.

"What?"

"I love it. No more school assignments, no more media appearances, just fighting. Our mission is clear, and we have a plan to achieve it. And I have so many duels ahead of me…I am happy." Zane said, and for a moment Aster saw a glimmer of Jaden in him, in the childlike joy he took in dueling. But it was only a glimmer, and the difference was soon apparent – Zane did not just take joy in dueling, he took joy in domination, in crushing the enemy until there was nothing left, in the sheer thrill of soaring above and beyond death's yawning abyss. "And if I die, it will be a glorious thing. On my feet, defying the enemy to my last breath."

"Death is to be feared, and those without the proper respect for it will regret their glib attitudes when judgment awaits them. We'll see what your words are worth when your time comes." Aster disagreed vehemently. He knew what death was – its pale shadow had marked his life from a young age. "Do you even care about rescuing Jaden and Sartorius?"

"Yes, I do. Jaden is a strong opponent, and I want to see what he can do with his new powers. Likewise, I never got the chance to test myself against Sartorius. His ability to manipulate fate would be quite interesting to duel against." Zane replied seriously.

"Is that really all that dueling is? An endless cycle of pointless battle?" Aster felt like he was talking to a brick wall, and was vaguely aware that Zane must be feeling the same way about him.

"What is the point of any game, but to play it well and win?" There was finality, and some danger in Zane's voice.

"Good to see you're in it for the right reasons." Aster walked past Zane and they both went to breakfast, the silver-haired duelist not interested in any more debate. Both wondered what they were going to do with their day off.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxxXxxXxx

Erin had returned from the hotel's sauna by the time Jesse had woken up. He was a heavy sleeper who liked to rise late, much like Jaden, although Jesse normally did not get to indulge this habit growing up on the family farm. The teal-haired boy had requested several stuffed animals from the front desk, and to both of their surprise the Dragonmaids actually had a lot to choose from, so Jesse was passed out beneath a zoo of fluffy horse, bear, and kitten pillows. Erin was a bit more minimalist, although she did end up stealing one of Jesse's stuffed dolphins after he started snoring. She could rest easy knowing that there wouldn't be any awkwardness or untoward behavior from him.

"Mornin'…." Jesse's groggy voice sounded – he woke up as Erin opened the door.

"Good morning!" Erin had grown to like Jesse over the course of their journey. "Hehe, you snore pretty loud! But don't worry, I had no trouble sleeping after so long on the road."

"Yeah…I used to get up real early during harvest season, but if I'm left to my own devices I like to sleep in. Just feels nice, I don't know." Jesse slowly extricated himself from his cocoon of blankets and got ready to take a shower, a concept unfamiliar to most Duel Monsters players.

"Jaden's the same way. That kid was always running late for class." Erin half-chuckled, but stopped when she saw the sad expression on Jesse's face. "Come on, he's gonna be fine. Say, I was wondering. You haven't known Jaden that long, but when you were talking about him during that meeting last night…you sounded really…you know…" She trailed off, wiping sweat away from her brow, her sapphire eyes searching.

"I think I love him. I don't know why, but from the moment I first saw him, there was some kind of deep connection. At first, I thought it was because we could both see duel spirits…but Chazz can see them as well, and I never felt that way towards him." Jesse pondered, having never given voice to these thoughts before.

"It is difficult to imagine being attracted to Chazz." Erin half-joked, but Jesse did not laugh.

"I think it was because of pure he was. Jaden, I mean. He's totally untethered from…the regularness of life, I suppose. It wears you down, how boring everything is. As far back as I can remember, I was helping out on the farm – feeding the horses, milking the cows, mucking the stalls, baling hay and changing the rushes…I thought that listlessness and drudgery was all life could be. Jaden is the only person I've met who has been able to hold onto the sense of wonder a child has. I want more of that in my life."

"The regularness of life…I think I understand, Jesse. Thank you for sharing that with me." Erin repeated, something about the statement resonating with her. "It's funny, I'd give anything to have a normal day at school now."

"You're going to graduate soon, right? What do you want to do afterwards anyways?" Jesse, not wanting to get too steeped in sentimentality, diverted the subject to more banal waters.

"I don't know…I wanted to compete in professional surfing, but I don't think it's going to happen…I haven't heard back from any of the sponsors I contacted." Erin admitted.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Jesse pat her on the shoulder.

Erin smiled sadly. "It's ok, it was always a long shot anyways. It's something to worry about when I get back. That was part of why I agreed to come on this mission. I wouldn't have to think about the future as long as I was doing this. And it was a chance to do something good. Jaden, he's someone worth rescuing."

"I just hope he's the same guy I remember. There is something evil in the air here…" Jesse shivered.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Before the match was to start, Crowler found some technical difficulty with his microphone intermittently cutting out from the speaker, causing a ten-minute delay. Chazz used the opportunity to take a leak and smoke one more dart to soothe his nerves. Beyond the arena, Chazz gazed beyond the shoreline, seeing a heavy thunderstorm slowly breaking up as it approached the island. The place could get some brutal monsoons, Chazz remembered that. But it seemed the sky would stay blue, at least for today. Vaguely, the black-garbed duelist could make out a rainbow in the distance.

Chazz's normally pinched expression grew sad as he thought of Jesse. "I hope you make it back alright, man." He was one of the few who Chazz felt truly comfortable around. And a part of him even hoped that Jesse succeeded in finding love with Jaden. Though Chazz was not gay himself, and he certainly had little regard for Jaden, there was something pure about the quiet way Jesse loved him. Even if Jesse died out there, it would be a good death, in the pursuit of a noble ideal. In comparison, Chazz could not help but feel a bit ridiculous, fighting in some spectacle of a tournament for the sake of nothing but his own ego. He didn't even care that his duel energy was being harvested as a resource to power Kaiba's gate, so long as that bottomless pit within him was fed and satiated for a time.

"Hey, it's Chazz! Shouldn't you be getting back to the ring? You're almost up again!" A bubbly voice stirred Chazz from his thoughts, a woman's voice that lacked Alexis' lofty sensibility or Jasmine's simmering anger.

"Huh?" He turned to find Mindy, the other one of Alexis' two goons from back in the day. Her grey eyes were alight with a bubbly optimism that caused Chazz to feel suspicious. At the sight of her, he momentarily wondered whatever happened to those two jerkoffs that used to follow him around when he was in Obelisk Blue…what were their names again? He decided that he didn't care.

Mindy's hair was almost the same shade as his, a soft ashy black. She clearly took better care of it than he did, her ponytailed locks showing a rich volume. She wore the old style of the Obelisk Blue girl's uniform, with the skirt. Squinting at her, Chazz silently nodded at her and moved on his way.

"Hey, what's with the silent treatment? We used to hang out in middle school, remember?" She prodded. Chazz paused, wondering why she was attempting to make conversation with him, especially as he was about to do battle with one of her comrades.

"So, you must be another member of the Obelisk Force these days…" Chazz assumed.

Mindy shrugged. "Yeah, but I'm not that good…I'm ranked 78th out of 100. I try, but Jamie is very hard on us. Still, I was in the battle against the Light, and I fought just like everybody else."

"I see." Actually, Chazz was impressed she had even made it to number 78 – he expected she would be in the bottom five. Mindy must have improved somewhat from the training. The way she was so open with him, her body language…it made him wonder…

He tried to lighten his expression. "Listen, I've gotta go. But maybe we could catch up sometime. We could talk a walk, or grab some coffee." It was risky, but he didn't care.

Surprisingly, she smiled. "Sure, why not? I think you'd have some interesting stories to tell from the past few years."

Suddenly, Chazz felt an unfamiliar buoyancy in his heart. He could feel the heat of the blood coursing through his veins. The sun seemed brighter, and the smells of the island seemed sharper. Could it really have been this easy all along? "Uh, ok…here's my number." He grabbed his phone and input hers. Then, he dashed to the arena floor before he had the chance to say anything stupid.

Mindy smiled down at the new contact in her phone. "He's not as unapproachable as he looks…I'll give him a chance. If he screws it up, then that's on him. Either way, he'll be true to himself." She had always had a bit of a crush on the strange boy, despite his lack of social skills and frequent pig-headedness. There was something in his fierce individualism that spoke to Mindy, who had always struggled to break out of the background.

As Chazz walked back to the arena, Jim and the islanders greeted him coolly. "You're almost late, the match is going to start in two minutes." Jasmine chastised him reflexively. Chazz ignored her, which surprised Jasmine as she expected some sort of crude retort. Indeed, the Black Thunderbolt was less erratic than usual.

Bastion, despite being Chazz's opponent, remained even-keeled and polite towards him. "You seem to be in a good mood. I suppose you're feeling confident about your chances?"

"Perhaps I'm in a good mood for another reason. Not everything needs to be about dueling all of the time." Chazz's smile widened.

Bastion's lips quirked upwards. "You are a curious sort, Princeton." Cautiously extending his hand, the black-haired Obelisk added, "May the best man win."

"Oh, I shall." Chazz accepted Bastion's handshake nonetheless.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"And with that, let the second round of the semi-finals commence! The game will be between Bastion Misawa of Central Academy and Chazz Princeton of North Academy! Both duelists, take your places on the fighting stage!" Crowler announced over punctuated chants of "CHAZZ IT UP" from the audience. As the audience was moving back to their seats after the intermission, Kaiba had descended the observation tower. He strode purposefully towards the West Academy contingent, walking past concession stands, carnival games, and grassy clearings. He found Viper, Axel and Pierce sitting at a picnic table by the bleachers, hunched over in discussion. When Viper saw Kaiba approach, he hastily silenced himself, sitting up straight. Pierce awkwardly paled in Kaiba's presence, while Axel kept calm, although he was clearly exhausted from his recent match.

"There he is! Just the guy I was looking for!" Kaiba approached them with a jaunty wave, the grin on his face creepy and threatening. Ignoring Axel and Pierce, Kaiba fixed Viper with a paralyzing stare. "Your boys put up a good fight, Viper. Well done. We appreciate your contributions to the tournament and look forward to future contests with your best and brightest." Although his words appeared ingratiating, Kaiba was truly taking pleasure in drawing out the moment of his adversary's humiliation. "I believe there was only one last detail to take care of."

"What detail is that?" Viper played dumb.

"Oh, you want to get cute with me? Do you really think that's a good idea, after the discussion we had a few days ago?" Kaiba didn't care in the least about preserving Viper's dignity in front of his son, or his students.

"Handling the beast is dangerous. My men are currently in the process of securing it in a safe box that will restrain its energy. If you would please allow us to finish the securitization procedures, mister Kaiba…it would be for the student's safety." Viper clasped his hands, rubbing his palms together.

"So you don't have it with you?" Kaiba turned to Axel. "Show me your cards. Now."

Axel, somewhat panicked, turned to Viper for guidance. The pointy-haired headmaster nodded smoothly, and Axel quickly turned over his deck. Thumbing quickly through the cards, Kaiba could not find Uria. After thrusting them back in Axel's hands, he searched Viper and Pierce's cards as well, only to come up empty on those fronts as well. "The Sacred Beast is not with us, mister Kaiba, it is in the process of being secured, as I already stated. Would I lie to you?" The slightest hint of a smirk crept into Viper's expression and tone, although he dared not express any more than that.

"I would like to inspect this sealing process. Where is it happening?" Kaiba asked through grit teeth.

"Why, just in the central command tent, at the epicenter of the West Academy camp. I apologize, but my troops are not to let any outsider in, so as to maintain the integrity of our internal controls." Viper shrugged apologetically.

Kaiba nearly exploded in rage, but held himself back at the last moment. Hearing the announcer call the next tournament match, he decided the matter could wait – Viper's ships had no way of leaving the harbor without Kaiba or Crowler's direct approval. Leaning in closely (while avoiding Viper's spiky hair), Kaiba growled lowly, "If I don't have Uria in my possession by the end of the day, I will rain a shitstorm down on you the likes of which has never been fucking seen before." With that, he turned about-face and stormed back into the tower. As he left, Viper let out a long sigh of relief.

"Our time is running short. We need to reconvene with the others while we can. Let's move out, I'll handle communications with the securitization team." Viper wiped some sweat from his brow as he stood, Pierce and Axel following swiftly behind him.

Kaiba stalked towards the West Academy camp with a determined glare. "There's nothing that prick could possibly do to defeat me…but why do I feel like he knows something I don't?"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxxxXxxXXxx

"The king! The king is on that horse, look at him!" The spirits would hastily whisper to each other in the streets as Jaden cantered by. The hood had done little to conceal his identity – the dark, potent allure of his energy was unmistakable to all those who could perceive it. But luckily, Jaden didn't care too much about stealth – he was the hunter and had nothing to hide, unlike some.

The thought that Jamie was lying to him, manipulating him in ways both subtle and overt towards some invisible goal, made Jaden's blood boil with an anger he didn't even know he had. Jaden ruminated on everything he could remember Jamie saying to him, trying to discern the man's true objectives through hazy memories. He also dwelt on what to do with Blade Knight and Jamie, but until he heard Jamie's side of the story he could not travel far down that line of thought.

If only he could sense their energy signatures…then, it would be a simple matter to warp directly to their location through a portal projection. However, the hundreds of thousands of spirits within the city walls threatened to overwhelm Jaden's senses. If Jamie was among them, he would have to be found the old-fashioned way. There was also the possibility that the crafty Obelisk Blue student was masking his duel energy…

His mount's hooves clopped loudly against the cobblestone pavement as Jaden approached a bazaar. Even in the early hours of the morning, many spirits were always out and about – some didn't even need sleep at all, which caused many businesses to have unusual hours as some employees required more rest than others, depending on what type of monster they were. Slowing to a canter, he trotted through the heavy traffic and tried to look for any humans, or those who resembled humans. Keeping his horse steady while maneuvering through the throng of spirits in the marketplace proved to be a trying task, and eventually he focused on simply escaping the noise. Through the din, Jaden overheard a few stray pieces of conversation that piqued his interest.

"The intruders blew a massive hole in the walls. They killed one of the Skilled Magicians and crucified the other quite viciously." An M-Warrior 1 spirit reported to his compatriot, M-Warrior 2.

"Dreadful. Still, worried people tend to spend a lot of money, so it's good for us!" M-Warrior 2 chuckled as he manned a weapons shop. Furrowing his brow, Jaden finally got out of the bazaar and saw a trail of smoke rising from one of the main gates. Speeding up, he raced towards the site of the skirmish. The sky was beginning to lighten somewhat from purple to deep blue with the arrival of dawn – for once, it appeared as though the clouds would dissipate enough for some sunshine to poke through.

As Jaden approached, he clearly saw the damage – someone had melted a hole through the concrete wall big enough to drive a train through. Already, many warrior and rock-type monsters were assessing the damage and conducting repairs. The breach was a matter of primary concern, especially since Yubel had curtailed passage in and out of the city recently.

The work site was lined off by yellow tape, causing Jaden to dismount. Deftly stepping over the barrier, Jaden turned to a nearby member of the Goblin Pothole Squad and asked, "What's going on here?" wanting to verify the idle talk he had just heard.

"Some travelers had a disagreement with the customs officers, milord," One of the goblins nervously answered before pointing to a crater in the wall. "Skilled White Magician is still alive, but Skilled Dark Magician is missing. Well, either missing, or…"

"They vaporized him until there was nothing left." Jaden finished contemplatively. "And the intruders haven't been found?"

"No, your majesty. They ran through that hole and lowered their duel energy to the minimum to avoid sensors. Whoever it is, they've got some experience." The creature took off his yellow hardhat and scratched his head.

"Is Skilled White Magician here now?" Jaden looked around, but it was hard to find one spirit amongst the diverse construction crew.

"Yes, sire. The field medics are having a look at him. He's been roughed up a fair bit but they expect him to pull through." The goblin pointed to a nearby white tent, which had a red plus sign emblazoned on the flaps. Jaden thanked the spirit and continued on his way. Even on the job site, spirits would stop what they were doing and move out of his way. As he approached, Jaden was stopped by another spirit – a woman with bubblegum pink hair and a ruffled white jacket.

"Your majesty, I apologize. We did not expect a royal visit –" Counselor Lily started, but Jaden raised an open palm to silence her.

"What happened?" He had grown more and more comfortable taking an authoritative tone the longer he was in this strange place.

"Skilled White Magician is sleeping now, but he gave me as detailed a report as he could manage. Let's sit and I'll tell you everything I know." With no tables or chairs close by, they sat in the back of an empty ambulance, which at least provided some insulation from the harsh desert winds.

Jaden drank in the story, more and more pieces of the puzzle fitting together. He could no longer deny the truth when she spoke of one duelist using Cyber Dragons and the other using Destiny Heroes. "So it is them after all!" Jaden blurted out, startling Lily.

"You know these humans, sire? If so, then why did they attack our people?" Lily asked, alarmed. "And besides those two, there were three other humans. I didn't get a good description of their appearances."

"I'm gonna find out. I have a gut feeling about who they could be." Jaden frowned. "Unless they have some sort of contact in the city already, they would have to stay at a hotel. I don't see how they could have that preexisting contact, so I'm gonna start looking around at any inns." He stood and prepared to disembark, his black shirt whipping in the wind.

"Forgive my boldness sire, but what do you plan to do with these brigands once you find them?" Lily broached.

Jaden turned to her with an inscrutable expression. "I just want to have a little talk with them. One of them, specifically."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxxXxXxxXxxXxxx

Glancing up in the stands, Chazz's grey eyes widened as he saw Slade and Jagger making their way through the rows, each carrying cans of beer. "So, my beloved brothers made it after all…I wonder what the holdup was." Chazz felt his breathing grow hurried and his posture stiff as the pressure of their gaze made itself known. "Fuck…now that they're here I definitely can't afford to lose…"

As Chazz placed his shuffled deck back into the duel disk, he was suddenly assailed by a vision of himself in the Obelisk Blue coat, standing across from a yellow-clad Misawa on the dueling field. "What the hell is going on?" Blinking, Chazz focused and saw that Bastion was indeed wearing blue as he was supposed to.

Bastion arched an eyebrow. "Are you quite alright over there?"

"You know Bastion, I can't shake the feeling that you and I were meant to duel at some point…I don't know why…" Chazz took a deep breath and shook his head.

"What, like destiny? Not everything has some grand cosmic importance." Bastion dismissively waved the notion away. "Although for what it's worth, I was the one who was initially supposed to duel you, that day Jamie was promoted to Obelisk Blue."

Chazz's fingers coiled into a fist. "What?!" His mind spun as he pondered what could have happened that day. Could he have won? Maybe if he had been able to dump their cards into the sea that night…how did Lancaster know he was going to be in the Ra dorm at that exact time? For so long, it had been maddening for Chazz. In many ways, that day had set his life on a different course.

"Yes, it is true. But Jamie wanted to make Blue as soon as possible. He was rather hotheaded back then, but he's mellowed out a bit in the time since. And I made Blue myself, so I suppose it's all a wash at the end of the day. I am not a man ruled by emotion, but the idea of knocking you down a peg does bring me a certain level of excitement." Bastion drew his opening hand. "And I have plenty of data on your playstyle…"

Remembering that day and the great humiliation it brought made the veins in Chazz's temple throb. The hatred he bore for Jamie Lancaster burned just as hot now as it did then. He imagined the wolf sinking its teeth into the lion's neck, but the vision brought no satisfaction, for Jamie was not the opponent in front of him. He always seemed to be just beyond Chazz's reach…

"I'll show you that my strength cannot be reduced to mere numbers!" Chazz barked, and the duel began.

"I draw!" Bastion declared, shaking Chazz out of his reverie. "I summon Gozuki (1800/1000)!" The bull demon hoisted its wooden hammer high as it thundered onto the field. "I'll then use Gozuki's effect to send a zombie from my deck to my graveyard." Dumping Necroworld Banshee, Bastion was quick to use its effect. "Necroworld Banshee (1800/200) can banish itself from the grave to activate the field spell Zombie World directly from my deck!" At once, the battlefield was wreathed in smoky purple mist, the foul stench of rotting corpses rising from the spongy earth. "I'll set one card face-down and end my turn."

"I draw…" Chazz muttered. "I'll start by activating the field spell Ojama Country!" Under the tournament regulations, two field spells could exist on the field simultaneously. The violet mist around Chazz's part of the field vanished, and around him rose odd-shaped homesteads and rounded structures. They were rather ugly to look at, but Bastion suspected the field spell would prove to be a unique problem in itself. "I'll then use this card's effect, discarding one card from my hand in order to special summon an Ojama from my deck. I play Ojama Blue (0/1000)!" The little gremlin walked out of one of the houses, squinting suspiciously at Bastion with puckered lips.

"And unfortunately for you, the card I discarded was the Ojamagic spell, allowing me to add Ojamas Green, Black and Yellow from deck to hand!" Chazz now held some sort of hand advantage over Bastion, although the Ojamas were questionably useful.

Bastion silently tracked Chazz's moves, but was startled to find his Gozuki growing weaker while Ojama Blue was bulking up. "Ah yes, the other effect of the field spell."

"That's right!" Chazz cackled. "When an Ojama is on the field, Ojama Country switches the attack and defense points of all monsters, which makes both of ours even! Now, I'll attack!"

Ojama Blue launched towards Gozuki like a cannonball, screeching out "ATATATATATATATA" as it let loose a barrage of punches and kicks. Gozuki was able to block the blows, until one slipped through and smacked the bull across the chin. Simultaneously, Gozuki landed a hit on Ojama Blue, causing both monsters to blow up.

"Interesting, both of them will get something out of this exchange. Chazz must have opened with a lot of Ojama cards if he couldn't swing over Gozuki." Jasmine noted as Chazz peered through his deck and Bastion plucked a card from his own hand. Alexis sat up with a groan and took a long swig from her water bottle. She drank the water a bit too quickly and started coughing, causing Jim to chuckle and pat her back with a consoling "Easy there, girl".

"Gozuki's destruction allows me to summon a zombie from my hand – rise, Changshi the Spirdao (2000/0)!" For a reanimated corpse, the monster was well put-together, wearing a flowing russet robe and a host of jewelry, medallions, and bracelets. Bastion summoned it in defense mode to hedge against the Ojama Country effect.

"When Ojama Blue is destroyed by battle, I can summon two Ojamas from my deck! Come forth, Ojama Red (0/1000) and Ojama Pink (0/1000)!" Realizing he couldn't overcome Bastion's zombie in battle, Chazz summoned the silly creatures in defense mode as well. "I'll set a card and pass…"

As Bastion's turn began, spectral white streaks of energy gathered around his monster. "I'll use Changshi's effect to send a zombie from my hand or deck to the graveyard." Bastion sent Doomking Balerdroch. "Now, I'll summon Crow Tengu (1400/1200) in attack position!" The bipedal avian's feathers were a deep purple, and it wielded a wooden staff imbued with magic. "I'll attack and destroy Ojama Pink with Crow Tengu!" With a piercing cry, the bird sliced up the three-eyed Ojama with one pass of its talons. However, since Changshi's stats were reversed from Ojama Country, it had zero attack points and couldn't swing over Chazz's Ojama Red.

"When Ojama Pink is destroyed, I can force each of us to draw a card, then discard." After they each fixed their hands, Bastion switched Changshi to defense mode and ended his turn.

"I see little bro is still using those ridiculous Ojamas…" Slade frowned, the two men sweating in their suits from the island sun. "If he chooses to weaken himself, then he has no right to complain about losing games."

"Somehow, it seems to work for him though. He must have won his quarterfinal match and the preliminaries with them. His adversaries probably don't prepare for the Ojamas." Jagger noted, stroking his beardless chin in thought.

"Well, I bet Misawa did. He works for Kaiba in research and development. The guy loves numbers even more than his boss loves that damn Blue-Eyes White Dragon. So we'll see how Chazz does against someone who actually knows what they're doing. And if he can't produce, then we can always give him a little talking to." Slade smirked at the prospect, and seemed to hope for it.

"Unfortunate that our conference call ran late, or we could have got here in time to boost Chazz's deck with our cards. I called him a few days ago with some suggestions, but I don't know if he listened. We'll see if it matters." Jagger was less overtly cruel than Slade, only caring for the bottom line.

As Chazz drew, his ears were overwhelmed by the sound of creaking bones and haggard breath. Behind Bastion, the Doomking Balerdroch (2800/2000) rose like a serpent, its empty black eye sockets staring right at Chazz. "Since a field spell card is out, Doomking will be coming back every turn in defense. So get used to him!"

"Whatever. I'm glad you have monsters on the field so I can play this! The spell card Soul Exchange! This lets me sacrifice a monster from each side of the field at the cost of my battle phase. I'll sacrifice Balerdroch and Ojama Red to summon Light and Darkness Dragon (2800/2400)!" The crowd erupted in oohs and ahhs at the sheer beauty of the dualistic monster, especially in contrast to the Ojamas. Even Bastion, who had already seen it, was momentarily struck silent at the grace of the dragon's soft plumage, and the way it transitioned into hard scales on the other side. Now that there were no longer any Ojamas on the field, Ojama Country's stat-reversing effect was no longer active. However, the point was moot since Chazz couldn't attack. "I end my turn!"

"Draw." Bastion tried to use Balerdroch's effect to bring itself back from the graveyard, but it was immediately negated by Light and Darkness Dragon's effect, bringing its attack to 2300. Since Bastion didn't want any more of his effects to be negated, he switched Crow Tengu to defense mode and passed.

"Bastion can wait it out. Balerdroch will try to summon itself back every turn, and Chazz will have no choice but to negate that." said Jasmine.

"True, but Chazz now has time to accumulate resources." Alexis brought up, flexing her fingers as the duel energy slowly began to flow through her again, rejuvenating her by the moment.

The next standby phase, Balerdroch tried to revive itself again, but Chazz's dragon shone a bright light that kept the zombie below ground for the time being. Realizing he needed to go on the offensive quickly, Chazz summoned Lancer Lindwurm (1800/1200) to the field, the beast's spear sharp on both ends. "Now, I'll attack your Changshi with Lancer Lindwurm!" Chazz cackled. With no more Ojamas on the field, Bastion's zombie had zero defense points, allowing the dragon to strike for maximum piercing damage. Bastion skid backwards as he took the blow with some difficulty. (Bastion 2200/Chazz 4000)

Chazz ruthlessly pursued, Light and Darkness Dragon blasting away Crow Tengu with a laser fired from its maw. "He'll need to keep summoning monsters in defense mode for at least another turn. Since most of his zombies have low defense points, I should be able to win next turn!" Chazz thought. His stress level was mounting, and he wanted the game over fast.

"Come on, babe! You've got this!" Jasmine hollered to Bastion's slight embarrassment. Collecting himself, he drew once more. Light and Darkness Dragon kept negating Balerdroch's summoning effect, but now that it was only at 1300 attack points, Bastion could do something about it.

"I'll pay that back with interest, Chazz! I summon Mezuki (1700/800) from my hand!" The horse demon clasped a blunt, bone-handled axe in its mannish hands. "Attack and destroy the Light and Darkness Dragon!" Without further delay, Bastion's zombie cleaved the dragon in two, its light and dark halves cleanly separated before vanishing. (Bastion 2200/Chazz 3600)

Surprisingly, Chazz didn't seem too upset at the loss of his ace monster – in fact, he seemed pleased by it. "I'm glad you did that, Misawa. I'm not a duelist who puts all of his stock in one big boss monster, and I can still keep on fighting! I'll use Light and Darkness Dragon's effect to destroy all other cards on my side of the field. Then, I can summon a different monster from my graveyard!"

Chazz's Ojama Country and Lancer Lindwurm evaporated in dark mist, which swirled around the black-clad duelist as the shadow of another dragon rose behind him. "I can summon back the card I discarded with Ojama Pink's effect – Dragonic Knight (2800/2300)!" The dragon squat on its hind legs, clasping a sword and shield in its armored claws. It leered down at Bastion with glowing yellow eyes. With a gulp, Bastion set a card and ended his turn.

Chazz drew with a flourish, smirking at his next card. Bastion grit his teeth, "Now that your Light and Darkness Dragon is gone, I can bring back Doomking Balerdroch in defense mode!"

"I'll chain Mystical Space Typhoon, allowing me to destroy the Zombie World field spell!" Chazz responded, the two duelists' ears overwhelmed with the sound of howling winds. When the keening gales subsided, the porous mud beneath their feet was returned to the scuffed tiles of before. The sunshine seemed bright and the blue sky vivid as they emerged from the violet mist. Now that there were no longer any field spells in play, Doomking Balerdroch wouldn't be coming back.

Although Chazz could have attacked Mezuki for damage, putting that card in the grave would give Bastion a follow-up play on his next turn. Plus, he never got tired of taking down that Balerdroch. "Dragonic Knight attacks!" With a swipe of its sword, Chazz's monster struck apart the zombie's ones and sent them scattering to the four winds. "I set a card and end my turn. Next turn, I'm gonna make sure your zombies stay dead, Misawa!"

"Damn…he's bloody relentless!" Jim whistled lowly.

"Chazz has always been a good fighter…not as good as he thinks he is, but still…I guess he's always had something to prove." Alexis sighed.

Bastion drew, his expression somewhat mollified. "By sacrificing one zombie monster, I can bring out Daidara-Bocchi (2900/2500) from my hand!" Offering up Mezuki, Bastion's side of the field rumbled as a black-skinned cyclops rose to full height behind him. Burgundy ropes were wrapped around its muscular limbs, and bone-white helm sat atop its unblinking yellow eye. "And now, I'll use Mezuki's effect in the graveyard, banishing itself to revive Doomking Balerdroch!" Slithering besides the giant, the skeletal serpent refused to lay down. A thick white mist surrounded Daidara-Bocchi, the giant gaining 200 attack points for every other zombie on Bastion's field.

"Now, I'll attack!" Bastion's giant reared back a titanic punch, the blow shattering Dragonic Knight's armor and causing a circular shockwave to ripple through the air above Chazz's head. His black coat flapped noisily, Chazz hissing at the immediate direct attack from Balerdroch. The strike from the zombie's scepter caused Chazz to fall ungracefully on his rear end, and many members of the audience laughed at him. (Bastion 2200/Chazz 500)

"Goddammit, I knew Chazz was going to screw it up somehow!" Jagger cursed in the stands.

"He needs constant supervision, or else he gets soft. Speaking of soft, where is that fruitcake Chazz likes to pal around with?" Slade mused.

"Anderson? Good question…I wonder if he's involved in that mission Kaiba sent the Lancaster boy on." Jagger pondered. Although Jamie Lancaster's whereabouts were unknown, it had to be some pressing business for the Obelisk Force leader to miss a tourney. The only reason Kaiba wouldn't trot out one of his prized show ponies was if his skills were needed in a real fight. And the same was true of Anderson…perhaps his discretion was more suited to the mission than Chazz's recklessness.

"Yeah, go get him, babe!" Jasmine's cheers had grown louder, and the Northern contingent had grown quiet as Chazz struggled to rise from the undead's onslaught. Bastion struggled not to smile, not wanting to get too far ahead of himself. Wisely, he kept his mouth shut – no matter what he said, Chazz would take it as some sort of slight.

"I wasn't sure whether to factor in Light and Darkness Dragon in my calculations…I'm glad I did. Still, Chazz tends to pivot quite effectively, so I should be prepared for anything." Bastion thought. Before Jamie left, they had discussed all of Chazz's various archetypes and how they blended together. Although they couldn't quite pin down Chazz's exact decklist, they could make educated assumptions. From a mathematical perspective, the odds of Chazz digging himself out of this situation were quite low. "I won't be undone again by that damnable heart of the cards…why doesn't anyone ever talk about the brain of the cards? The heart is such a fickle thing by comparison."

Chazz tried to get up quickly, only to stumble and fall again. "Why must I suffer these humiliations again and again, when I am the one trying the hardest to be king of games?" Doubt crept into Chazz's mind. There were still so many who were stronger than him. The goal never seem to get any closer. "Are my efforts truly meaningless?" He glanced up towards his brothers, but for no longer than a second, as he did not want to meet their gaze. "No, I cannot afford to lose my fighting spirit now!"

Fighting through sharp pain in his lower back, Chazz stood tall and drew. Oddly enough, it was the exact card he needed… "I activate Pot of Avarice, shuffling back five monsters in my graveyard in order to draw two cards!" Chazz put back Lancer Lindwurm, Ojama Blue, Ojama Red, Light and Darkness Dragon, and Ojama Pink.

Bastion frowned. "I know three of his cards are Ojamas…what could he do with those?"

"I activate Ojamatch! This spell lets me send an Ojama from my hand to the grave. Then, I can add another Ojama, as well as an Armed Dragon, from my deck to my hand! Finally, I can go on to normal summon one of those monsters!" Chazz discarded Ojama Black to add Ojama Red and Pile Armed Dragon from his deck to his hand. "Now, I'll summon Ojama Red (0/1000) to the field!" The hyperactive red goblin zipped around the field, steam coming out of his ears.

"And when he's normal summoned…" Bastion surmised.

"Yeah! I get to summon up to four Ojamas from my hand to the field! Come out, Ojama Yellow (0/1000) and Ojama Green (0/1000)!" Jumping out of Chazz's hand with a "BONK" sound, the Ojamas struck Power Rangers-esque poses on the field before kneeling in defense position.

"And now, I can summon Pile Armed Dragon (2800/1000) from my hand by discarding a level seven or higher dragon!" A sphere of deep orange light particles formed in front of Chazz, a honeycomb pattern on its surface. Mere moments after the sphere formed, it burst apart and formed the shape of the metallic dragon, silver blades running up and down its ridged scales. A high-pitched whine emanated from the three-pronged drill attached to the dragon's right forearm.

"I'll then use Pile Armed Dragon's effect! By sending an Armed Dragon monster from my deck to my graveyard, I can increase my monster's strength by 300 points for each of the sent monster's level stars." By pitching Armed Dragon Thunder LV 10 to the graveyard, Chazz boosted Pile Armed Dragon by 3000 points, its total strength maxing out at 5800.

"Damn, that's a lot of power! One hit from that and it's over!" Jim was impressed at how quickly Chazz kept bouncing back into the game from the precipice of defeat.

"Attack the Doomking Balerdroch!" Chazz began to cackle as his dragon bore down on Bastion's zombies. He laughed last however, for Bastion had a battle trap ready.

"I play Half or Nothing! This card gives you a choice, Chazz – either your Armed Dragon's attack points are cut in half, or you can end the battle phase right now." Of course, it was an obvious choice – half of the Armed Dragon's current strength was 2900, which was still enough to beat over Balerdroch. Nonetheless, the reduction was enough for Bastion to survive at least. Although it grew sluggish and somewhat clumsy, the Armed Dragon was still able to make contact with its drill, breaking apart Balerdroch once more. (Bastion 2100/Bastion 250)

Chazz was visibly nervous as he set the last card in his hand. "That's all I have, then…" At the end of the turn, Armed Dragon returned to its original attack points of 2800, and Daidara-Bocchi was stronger than that at 2900, even without the boost it got from other zombies on the field.

"Perfect. He won't be able to summon another strong monster with his lack of resources. I'll dispose of his dragon next turn for sure. I just need to beat over those Ojamas as well…hopefully I draw another good monster." Bastion thought, but it was not to be. He did not find a strong beater in his next draw. "Tch, fine…I attack Pile Armed Dragon with Daidara-Bocchi!" The black-haired Obelisk certainly couldn't complain as he watched the one-eyed titan beat the piss out of Chazz's dragon, the Ojamas watching on in horror. Still, he felt uncomfortable giving Chazz any room to breathe, especially as he still had monsters left on the field still. (Bastion 2100/Chazz 150)

As Chazz weathered the blow, he had to admit Bastion was far stronger than his initial estimation. He had never paid the man much mind before. Sure, Bastion was a rigorous student, but his mundane personality and views on dueling had caused Chazz to dismiss him. As he stood on the edge of defeat, Chazz had to admit that he had underestimated his enemy…again. Trusting in himself and his deck, Chazz found another miraculous draw.

"I summon the tuner monster Debris Dragon (1000/2000)!" The tiny dragon looked like it would grow up to become a beast of legendary power, but for now was shackled by the limitations of youth. Nevertheless, its ability was highly useful. "When this card is summoned, I can revive a monster with 500 or lower attack points from my graveyard! Come back, Ojama Red!" Although it wasn't obvious, the jittery red beast was light-attribute, as were the rest of the Ojamas.

"Now, I tune the level two Ojama Green and the level two Ojama Red with the level four Debris Dragon for a level eight synchro summon! Cast down heavenly judgment, Light End Dragon (2600/2100)!" Somehow, the synchro material provided by the Ojamas coalesced to form a creature of angelic beauty and grace, its four white wings armored with gold pauldrons. The dragon's serpentine body flowed through the air smoothly, and a glowing green jewel crowned its head.

"A synchro summon…impressive, but the monster doesn't really suit you, Chazz." Bastion said with gentle humor.

"You of all people shouldn't be lecturing me about which cards I'm supposed to be using. It's enough to win, that's all! Attack!" Chazz's dragon fired a beam of holy white fire from its mouth. "And when this card battles, I can force it to lose 500 attack points in order to weaken your monster by 1500! Go, shining sublimation!" Pouring its own life force into the stream, Light End Dragon immolated Daidara-Bocchi, and Bastion's field was clear. The flames parted around Bastion, who found himself momentarily stunned by their intensity. (Bastion 1400/Chazz 150)

"I end my turn!" Chazz barked.

Bastion couldn't believe how close the game had become. "I need to get over 2100…wait, but if I attack, then he'll use his dragon's effect again. I need to destroy it another way…yes, this is perfect!" "This is the end, Chazz! I activate Monster Reborn!" His blue coat seemed to brighten as turquoise light emanated from an Egyptian ankh behind Bastion. "I summon Crow Tengu from the graveyard!" In a puff of dark mist, the bipedal bird emerged with a caw. "And when Crow Tengu is summoned from the graveyard, I can destroy another attack position monster on the field! With this, your dragon will be destroyed and you'll have nothing left to defend yourself with!"

Crow Tengu brandished its staff high and shot a bolt of cursed magic towards the Light End Dragon. The blast seemed to be successful, a pillar of smoke erupting on Chazz's side of the field. At any rate, the holy energies glowing from the dragon's presence seemed to disappear.

"Yeah, it's over!" Jasmine jumped, but Alexis grabbed her shoulder, silencing her classmate with a shake of the head. Jim clucked, "It is over, Jasmine…but you might not like the result."

Bastion was shocked to see an even deeper shade of dark power emerging from the site of the explosion, pitch black and shimmering. "The brightest light casts the darkest shadow…that is the nature of the quick-play spell Duality." Chazz explained with an odd calm. "This card lets me tribute a light or dark monster in order to summon a monster with the opposite attribute from my hand or extra deck. So, when your Crow Tengu targeted my Light End Dragon, I could use this spell to swap it out for Dark End Dragon (2600/2100) and eliminate your target in the process." The black dragon emerged from the smoke with a toothy grin.

Bastion hung his head, having no choice but to admit defeat. He had no way of overcoming this new beast, nor of protecting himself. Still, he refused to surrender – he had some duelist's pride despite his expressed affirmation towards rationality. Bastion silently ended his turn.

Drawing, Chazz immediately activated Dark End Dragon's effect, reducing its attack points by 500 to dispatch Crow Tengu. Then, it was as simple as attacking directly. Dark End dragon ended the game with a shot of black flame, roaring in victory before the hologram dissipated. (Bastion 0/Chazz 150)

"The victory goes to Chazz Princeton of North Academy!" Crowler nearly squawked like a bird, as he did not expect another sudden reversal from the black-haired rogue.

"The king in the north!" Chazz's people chanted.

"Blast it!" Bastion's fist hit the ground in frustration, but it only served to hurt himself, so he decided to get up. "Bloody hell, Chazz. I didn't think Ojamas and dragon cards could work like that. Well played, chap."

Bastion and Chazz shook hands. "You're not half-bad, Misawa. You deserve to have that blue jacket, for what it's worth." Chazz's words surprised Bastion, who expected some stock insult. "My brothers arrived at the beginning of the duel. I'd like to speak with them before the finals." He added curtly as both of them caught their breath.

"Of course." Bastion nodded. "I suppose if you fought like this two years ago, you may still be in Obelisk Blue today. But then, you may have been so strong either. I suppose we'll never know. But do take care not to underestimate Alexis. She is more powerful than I, and has improved the most out of any of us."

"Yeah, whatever." Chazz realized that Bastion was obligated to talk up his fellow Blue. As they moved down the staircase, Bastion added with a smile, "I don't suppose you're going to share why you were in such a happy mood before the match."

"No, I don't think I will." Chazz replied with a smirk. His insecurities had grown quiet and still.

Bastion shrugged good-naturedly. "Very well, keep your secrets."

"There will be a thirty-minute intermission before the final round between Alexis Rhodes of central academy and Chazz Princeton of the North!" Crowler announced. An air of foreboding hung over the stadium, and not all of it seemed connected to the tourney.

Chazz walked past Alexis. Alexis was fully healed from her fight against Axel, and had her full duel energy reserves ready to meet Chazz's own powers. "If Adrian and Viper are really up to something, then we can't afford to waste all of our power on this game, Chazz."

"…Unfortunately, you're right. But I'm going to fight with everything I have anyways. We are allies of a sort, but I will prove that I am the strongest. That has always been my primary goal. Besides, Adrian and Viper are weaklings, surely you've sensed it. Our abilities are far beyond such scum."

"I don't know…" Alexis cast her eyes down. "Chazz, what would you do if you did become the strongest?"

"…I have to talk to my brothers. I'll see you in the ring. And if you hold back, I'll demolish you." Chazz did not know the answer to that question, for he had spent his entire life chasing that singular purpose at the expense of everything else.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

"Alright, are we ready?" The five of us had gathered in the lobby after a nice long day of rest and relaxation. House Dragonmaid and a few of the other staff escorted us to the back of the hotel. We went outside and into the gardens, deeply hidden in green hedges and an array of flowers. In the center of the garden was a stone statue of the monster White-Horned Dragon, an electric light installed in its head to illuminate the paths. The evening sky was turning from orange to blue, and oddly enough it looked like it would be another clear, starry night.

"Here it is." House Dragonmaid parted the southern hedge wall to reveal a door. "This will lead to an underground tunnel that will take you to the castle vaults. The walk should take about twenty minutes. There a few branching pathways, but if you keep going straight you should be fine."

"Excellent. Thank you again for your services. I will recommend this place to anyone who might come to the city. Me personally, I don't plan to come to the spirit world again. But feel free to keep my card on file just in case." I half-joked.

"Ah yes, about that. You still need to check out, Jamie-sama." House Dragonmaid said with contrition.

"What? I thought I paid already."

"Well yes, but we need you to sign the receipts, and hopefully sign up for our email messaging list if you'd like?" She added sweetly.

"I guess you should've did that earlier, Jamie." Jesse shrugged.

I sighed, scratching at my brown hair with an annoyed expression. "Fine. You guys go ahead, I'll be right behind you. This should only take a minute."

"Are you sure?" Erin asked. "We can wait."

"I don't want to wait any longer, Sartorius and Jaden could be in danger right now. We had to rest up today to be ready for battle, but it's go time now. I say we move on." Aster suggested, causing me to grow suspicious. Jesse and Zane shrugged in mild agreement, and Erin decided to go along with them after all.

"Alright, just make it fast, Jamie." Erin seemed worried, but shot me a quick smile and a thumbs-up before they entered the tunnel.

I quickly walked back inside and pulled out my wallet as House booted up the register. "You gals really are all about the bottom line, aren't you?" I griped as I quickly signed the receipt.

"We apologize for any delays. Maybe next time, I can take five percent off of your room. I must say, you're rather wealthy for such a young man. I suppose this Kaiba fellow pays rather well?" She ventured, smoothing out her apron.

"It's one of his few redeeming qualities." I replied before the front doorbell rang.

"Ooh, a customer!" House Dragonmaid squealed in delight. With mild curiosity, I turned around to see who it was…and the face of Jaden Yuki looked back at me.

"Hey, just the guy I was looking for!" Jaden said with a wide smile, but something immediately seemed off. "I was hoping we might have a quick chat, Jamie…or whatever your real name is."

A/N

Hope you enjoyed. As always, thank you for your patience and continued readership.