Chapter Text
The new transfer student sitting in front of Chancellor Sheppard made the man feel troubled. It wasn't just the fact he was eerily handsome, like a painter's masterpiece. Nor the fact Sheppard hadn't seen him blink, move, or even breathe in thirty minutes. Mr. Kaiba had already informed him of Andy's special situation. Not the weirdest thing the Chancellor had encountered in his long life, but it did make the top ten.
"Mr. Chrome, a few things to keep in mind. Blinking and breathing are a key part of being human." Andy's cold blue eyes, slightly shadowed by his long, dark gold hair, stared deep into the chancellor’s, sending a slight shiver down his spine.
"Ah, basic biological functions. Apologies, and thank you for the advice."
His gray sleeveless vest, a Deck holder over where the heart would be, began rising and falling steadily, perfectly mimicking human breathing, and his eyes started blinking at five-second intervals. "Anything else you would recommend, Chancellor Sheppard?"
"A few things. But before that, Mr. Kaiba was adamant that you are to start as the lowest-ranked Slifer Red. Is this okay with you?" While Mr. Kaiba was his employer, and a pay cut from defying his orders would hurt, Sheppard valued the students and their opinions over everything. Even if they were only prospective students.
"Affirmative. The Maker is correct; my Duel record is too abysmal for anything more. It will also allow me to gather the necessary experience to compile my Deck better." As he patted the holster over his chest, Sheppard rubbed his eyes as something seemed to fill the room momentarily.
"Are you feeling functional, sir?" Andy asked, tilting his head curiously.
"Ah, yes, sorry. My eyes seem to be playing tricks on me. Must be the long hours."
"Ocular sensor problems are something I can relate to, sir," Andy replied, opening his Deck holder and pulling out a card, which he handed to the Chancellor. "Since receiving White, my ocular and audio sensors have made her appear randomly. Of course, always in appropriately sized spaces."
Sheppard blinked in shock, closely studying the monster card in his hand.
"You can see Monster Spirits?"
"No, sir. It is merely a glitch in my software that neither my creator nor I can remove. As I am not technically alive, there is no way I can see spirits." Andy took the card back before gently returning it to its box. Watching his hand pat the holster, Sheppard was willing to bet that movement wasn't deliberate.
"I see." Folding his hands, Sheppard closely studied Andy, wondering what this new school year would bring. "Mr. Chrome, are you aware that certain parts of the island are off-limits? They can be especially dangerous for students with—” He hesitated briefly. “—glitches like yours."
"Affirmative. I will keep that data in mind, sir. Is there anything else?"
"Yes,” Sheppard said, reaching under his desk to grab a metal suitcase, opening it and showing its contents to Andy.
“Firstly, here is your uniform, Duel Disk, and DPDA, Dueling Personal Digital Assistant. Now don't lose that, you will need it to buy booster packs, receive critical information, and contact any friends you might make on this island." Reaching under his desk, Sheppard placed a metal suitcase on top of it.
Standing up, Andy carefully took the DPDA and the jacket out. Putting on the jacket, Andy was unsurprised to find that it fit perfectly. He adjusted the collar and zipped the front about halfway up, then studied the Duel Disk.
"A fine model. I just need to fine-tune it to my body's electronics to study the Field and graveyard more easily. Oh, and don't be concerned. I have very strict programming to prevent my cheating."
"Young man, the thought didn't cross my mind for a second." Sheppard took back the case and, holding out a hand, gave Andy a warm smile. "Now, I have been told your trailer is already at the Slifer Dorm. Did you have any questions before heading out?"
"Three. The first is who the current top freshmen are. Second, how much are card packs, and third, am I allowed to Duel a faculty member?" A light appeared in Andy's eye when he asked the last question. It was brief and vanished just as quickly, but Sheppard was sure it was there.
This year is certainly going to be interesting.
…
Download at 100%. All files have been downloaded.
‘Downloading public records of the two-hundred eighty-seven students’ was deleted from my to-do list. Standing outside the Chancellor's office with my new uniform, I took out my DPDA, opened the cover, and established a wireless link to the device. It was time to turn to an important matter.
"I need Duel points."
According to the Chancellor, depending on which dorm you first start in, the initial Duel points varied. As a Slifer Red, the lowest ranked, my current amount was fifty, the average for a Slifer. A Ra was seventy-five, and Obelisks were worth one hundred. “Since a regular booster pack is fifty points, and rare packs are a hundred, the smart maneuver would be to Duel one Red and then nine Blues.”
"Sorry? Did you just say the smart move would be to Duel nine Obelisk Blue students?" The person whom my sensors had already picked up spoke. Turning my head, I studied the student who spoke. She must have heard my plan as they rounded the corner.
Aesthetically speaking, I believe humans would call her beautiful. Long, dark blonde hair largely trailing the upper nape of her neck; a physique that spoke of a healthy diet and regular exercise; and clear yet strong-looking hazel eyes. However, based on her posture and the slight glint in her eyes, I concluded that I had hurt her pride.
“I apologize if I upset you, ma’am. But it is imperative to find a means to get some booster packs to increase the power of my Deck.” Scanning her face and bringing up the newly downloaded files, the file was displayed in my sight within a nanosecond.
NAME: Alexis Rhodes
DORM: Obelisk Blue
DUEL POINT VALUE: 275
YEAR: 10
PREFERRED DECK(s): Cyber Girl series / Cyber Angel archetype
ACE MONSTER(s): Cyber Blader (Fusion), Cyber Angel Dakini (Ritual)
SIDE NOTE: Entered the Academy at the start of Grade 8 alongside elder brother Atticus Rhodes (Grade 10)
“What? No faith in the cards you have now?” she asked, leaning forward to study my face. Uncle Peg had been inspired when designing my face, so it might be a little abnormal. “That's not a very good quality for a Duelist.”
“That statement is incorrect. I have an understanding with my Deck.” Resting my hand on my Deck holster, my glitch reappeared as a growl sounded. Oddly, the weight in my chest had lightened considerably since the glitch had manifested. “But like me, we need to grow.”
We stared at each other briefly before Miss Rhodes broke our eye contact with a small smile.
“Well, no better place for that than Duel Academy. I'm Alexis Rhodes, Freshman in Obelisk Blue. Been here since middle school, so I should know.”
I gently took the hand she offered, being careful with my grip.
"My name is Andy Chrome, and I am a first-year student in Slifer Red." The Chancellor had warned me about the rather unsavory ways other dorms treated Slifers.
"So Andy, what do you want to see first? My schedule is completely free this afternoon."
Factually, I didn't need a guide; with a complete map of the school already in my database, I almost certainly knew this school's layout better than its faculty did. Yet, Alexis Rhodes might be a reliable source of information for humans, especially considering her ranking. And I had to admit to curiosity; this offer was highly odd.
“Thank you for your offer, but why make it to a Slifer Red you just met? Are you not busy with other things?”
She raised her eyebrows. “You don’t know? Chancellor Sheppard asked me specifically to show the new transfer student around. And yeah, it does seem kind of weird, but he said you had special circumstances.”
Ah. Now I could see the logic: while I was unlikely to encounter trouble or difficulty myself, having a well-known and well-respected student guiding me would further decrease that likelihood.
"That is true. I was not informed, but that makes sense. Then I leave it to you, Miss Rhodes."
She looked at me with some bewilderment. “Well, at least you’re polite. I guess we’ll start at the card shop. This way.”
~o~
The entirety of the Slifer Red dorm stood outside, staring at and chattering about the new feature on the cape. Three military choppers had arrived early that morning, carrying with them a shiny silver trailer as tall and half as wide as their entire dorm building. Solar panels covered the roof, and the Kaiba Corporation logo was painted on its side. For much of the day, people in fancy coats with a lot of fancy gear had poured out of the helicopters, running in and around the trailer and setting things up.
Now that they were gone. The students took the opportunity to crowd the trailer, gossip flowing out of the crowd.
“It's gotta be a roach motel, though not sure it’s big enough for all of them in the dorm,” Chumley said, munching on a grilled cheese.
“All the windows are tinted, I can't see what's inside,” Syrus said, hopping up and down and trying to catch a glimpse inside.
“Should we try going in?” Jaden wondered aloud, moving towards the door.
“I wouldn't advise that.”
The group jumped back as Professor Banner suddenly appeared behind them, Pharaoh meowing in his arms in what might have been laughter. “Well, it's nice to see everyone has good reflexes.”
“Professor Banner, what’s up with the trailer?” Syrus asked.
“It's the residence of our newest Slifer, one Andy Chrome,” the man explained.
"What? If we have the budget for a super sweet pad like this, why do we still eat what Might-Be Fish?" Jaden asked after recovering from the scare, jerking a thumb at the trailer behind him.
"Hey, I like Might-Be Fish. It tastes different with every bite." Chumley licked his lips and patted his stomach, wondering when dinner was.
"Chumley's iron stomach aside, I agree with Jaden. Why’s someone who can live like this staying in Slifer Red? And is he looking for a roommate?" Syrus asked, willing to bet everything he owned that there wasn't a roach, rat, or a roach-rat to be found in the trailer.
“According to Chancellor Sheppard, he has a skin condition that requires careful treatment on a daily basis, and his patron arranged for a private space for that purpose. It is equipped with all the resources he needs to preserve his well-being.”
“So, like, a private hospital? And he lives there?” Jaden asked, frowning at the trailer in new understanding. “I mean, kinda sweet, but what a bummer.”
“Aw, man,” Syrus agreed.
“Indeed, and I believe it would be unwise to call on him while he settles in. But not to worry, you will all have a chance to meet him tomorrow." Still wearing that same smile as the students still studied the trailer. "Although, I will warn you that he is likely to have social awkwardness. I am told that he is largely unused to interactions outside Duels."
That only raised more questions, but any further questions fell on deaf ears as Banner focused on making dinner. And so the gossip continued.
~o~
"And this is the Obelisk Blue dorm for girls.”
Walking through the woods, Alexis gave a little wave at the veritable mansion where she was staying. The best students got the best luxuries, clearly, and the beautiful lake surrounding the dorm on three sides only made it better.
"Ah, interesting. Its design must be based on the Château de Chenonceau en France. And the lake is picturesque." Andy said, studying the dorm with eyes Alexis thought didn't miss anything. She had shown him everything the school had to offer, from the School Store to the fully functional gym to the Duel arenas. But Andy didn't show a single emotion or any sign of caring.
Oh, sure, he asked questions. He was very polite to Miss Dorothy, and he always paid attention to what she showed him. But there was never the slightest change, either in his expression or voice. Honestly, it was unnerving. Like he wasn't…alive.
“I'm sorry, Miss Rhodes.”
“Huh?” The apology snapped her out of her thoughts, and she turned to see Andy staring down at her. Huh, he is about as tall as Zane.
"I have noticed my demeanor makes you uncomfortable. It was obvious by your posture and eye movement." Okay, he definitely doesn't miss anything . “During my formative years, I wasn't around too many people. Therefore, my emotional intelligence is sorely lacking. Being alone does that, I suppose.”
It might have been her imagination, but it seemed like something was in his voice. Something almost wistful.
“What do you mean alone? The Chancellor mentioned you had special circumstances, so it was just your father and uncle.” Growing up, Alexis could honestly say she was never alone. It didn't matter if it was school or home, she was always around someone.
“Affirmative. My life wasn't bad; it just lacked stimuli. So my experiences are very limited. That makes emotions hard for me to understand. I am very sorry.”
Taking a step back, Andy bowed deeply, causing Alexis to panic, hoping no one was watching.
“Oh, no! Please stand up, come on.” As Andy rightened himself, Alexis carried on. “I’m sorry too. I should have said something myself. But it would have been rude if I just said that you seemed kind of—”
"Robotic?” Alexis winced at the blunt and accurate guess. His tone didn’t shift at all, though. “My emotional aptitude is severely underdeveloped and can be a detriment to my skills as a Duelist. The Academy is the place for me to grow.”
"So, Dueling doesn't excite you?"
Andy took a moment to consider his answer. "Dueling has my mind racing, electricity surging through my body, and a sensation I can't quite grasp the word for.” He paused. “Not a bad feeling."
He looked around the area, tilting his head some as he started moving away from Alexis. She followed him to the lakeshore, where he was staring almost without blinking at the water’s surface.
“It’s very different seeing things with my own eyes than through secondhand sources,” he said quietly, moving an arm and watching as his reflection did the same. Alexis looked between him and the lake a few times, and as Andy showed no sign of moving away, she spoke up.
“Would you mind waiting for a few minutes? I want to grab something from my room while we’re here.”
“By all means,” Andy answered. Alexis nodded and walked off.
For several minutes, he was alone in the still of the eventide, taking in the reflections on the water of the early moon, the buildings, the trees, and his own flesh. Despite logically knowing the science involved, there was still something oddly transfixing about what he saw.
The peace broke when Andy heard a slightly high-pitched voice behind him.
“You there, Slifer! What are you doing near the Obelisk Blue Girl dorms?”
"Waiting and watching the lake,” he answered, not turning around. “What are you doing here, sir?”
"My business is my own! And it is Doctor Crowler to you, Slifer. That should have sunken into your brain after being at this school for two weeks."
"I have been at this school less than five hours, sir,” Andy said, looking away to get a look at the man now that he knew it was a professor. His first thought was not to bring up his file but to ask, “What's your doctorate in?"
“Dueling! What else would it be in?!”
“From a first-time analysis of your attire: clown drama, sir.”
As the man’s face reddened, a choking laugh only audible to Andy came from the nearby bushes. It was like a gasp of fear and laughter all at once.
“YOU!!!” the professor raged. Then he blinked, some of his anger turning to bewilderment. “Wait, what did you mean when you said you've only been here five hours?”
"Exactly that, Sir."
"Doctor!"
“Doctor Sir. I am a new student here,” he said, extending his hand politely. “My name is Andy Chrome, and it has been interesting to meet you.”
“I don't shake hands with people from the Red Dorm. Who knows what diseases could be festering in that shack?”
Andy tilted his head. “My trailer is next to the dorms and kept immaculately clean.”
Dr. Crowler stared at him blankly before pulling out his DPDA and tapping away. After a few seconds, his eyes went wide and bloodshot. The next second, he charged back toward the academy’s main building, a cloud of dust in his wake.
Andy tilted his head, but a rustling in the bushes drew his attention to where Alexis was returning.
“Andy? You are now my hero, and I will bury you with dignity.”
“Thank you?” he said, confusion bleeding into the standard response.
“Anyway, it’s getting kind of late. I’ll go with you back to the Slifer Dorm.”
~o~
Sheppard exhaled through his nose as he stared at the Duel record that Crowler had stormed into his office about. His anger issues had been a problem for a while, but they had only worsened since his loss to Jaden Yuki a few weeks prior.
“Dr. Crowler, I am well aware of Mr. Chrome’s circumstances,” Chancellor Sheppard said, frowning. “His patron arranged things with me personally, and I am not at liberty to share any further details. But due to his circumstances, it was considered more practical for him to earn his place here after his trailer was set up.”
“WHO THOUGHT IT WAS ACCEPTABLE TO ALLOW HIM TO COME TO THIS ISLAND WITHOUT WINNING HIS ENTRANCE DUEL FIRST?! WHOSE IDEA WAS IT?!”
“Mine.”
Sheppard sat up straighter, and Crowler paled as the office’s television monitor flashed to life, displaying the face of one of the most powerful men in the world. The Academy’s owner, Seto Kaiba, stared at Crowler with his typical cold, calculating, and condescending expression. Crowler bowed at the waist but didn’t dare to speak, not even to apologize. Sweat poured down his back like rain.
“If I were in your shoes, seeing only his Dueling record, I suppose I would have the same reaction, even if I was talking about my own boss,” Kaiba said, his tone casual with a trace of mockery. His gaze was draconian, slightly amused by the wind-up toy caught in his claws.
He paused, just to make Crowler sweat more. The discomfort almost made Kaiba smile. Almost.
“I’ve already invested a lot of time and resources into Andy Chrome, so I intend to make the most of him. But if he can’t even pass the entrance Duel, I won’t think twice about revoking my support. Since you’re so determined, I’ll let you arrange it yourself. But I don’t want you facing him yourself if you can’t even beat a D-Minus student.”
Anger surged back into Crowler’s face, but not nearly strong enough to break through his fear. Or his love of a paycheck.
“I expect it done by tomorrow.”
And with that, the monitor shut off. Both men present sighed in relief and, wiping the sweat from his face, Sheppard gave a stern warning to his Vice-Chancellor.
“Dr. Crowler? In the future, please refrain from chastising someone before you know who they are. I have no intention of coming to your defense if you repeat this mistake.”
Crowler shuddered and, retrieving a handkerchief, mopped at his forehead. “Very much noted, Chancellor Sheppard,” he said, slowly regaining his bravado. “Well, it seems I have a Duel to arrange. And I think I have the perfect opponent in mind for Mr. Chrome.”
“I trust you’re not thinking of Zane Truesdale.”
“Ahahahahahaha!” Crowler laughed. “Oh, come now, Chancellor. Even if he does have Mr. Kaiba’s endorsement, matching him against the Academy’s best student on his first day? Unthinkable. No, I have someone else in mind.”
Crowler continued chuckling as he left the office and pulled out his DPDA. Zane was overkill, not worth considering. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t stack the odds toward seeing another slacker kicked out.
…
Sitting in my trailer, I had my entire Deck laid out on the table in front of me. All forty cards in rows, perfectly spaced from each other. I had gathered every single card here myself with help from Mr. Muto. He had allowed me to do work for him for a year while I adjusted to my new skin, and most of that money had gone straight to card packs and a few outfits. Dozens of other cards lined the wall, accessible and returnable when I needed them.
Tomorrow was my first actual day at the Academy, so it was time to fine-tune my Deck. I first selected a Spellcaster that my Maker favored.
“ Lord of Dragons is a decent card, but without the right support, it isn't very compatible with my Deck right now. I can still use Lady of Dragons with cards I have, running strategy 2X. And the ratio of spells, traps, and monsters is still within the acceptable range.”
Talking to myself was something I had picked up from my Maker and Mr. Muto, both of them accomplished Duelists. I placed Lord of Dragons into a slot in the wall, displaying him for future consideration. As I looked back at the table, White (as I had taken to calling my glitch) roared in protest at what card I had her next to.
“I know you dislike it, but at the moment, you two are my biggest powerhouses. Besides, you’re both Dragons, and he was a gift.”
A low growl came from the card as I continued to study my Deck. I was weighing the benefits of adding a second copy of one card when my DPDA rang.
“Mr. Chrome, this is Dr. Crowler. Your entrance match has been arranged: tomorrow morning, at eight o'clock sharp, you will face Chazz Princeton in the Academy’s primary Duel arena. If and only if you can win, you are officially a student of Duel Academy. My personal advice is don't unpack your bags quite yet, and be on time. Lateness will be equal to forfeit.”
The call ended before Andy could respond. He made a mental note of the instructor’s rudeness before pulling up the relevant file.
NAME: Chazz Princeton
DORM: Obelisk Blue
DUEL POINT VALUE: 275
YEAR: 10
PREFERRED DECK(s): [Temporarily Redacted due to Scheduled Duel]
ACE MONSTER(s): [Temporarily Redacted due to Scheduled Duel]
SIDE NOTE: Third son of the Princeton family, after National Diet Minister of State Slade Princeton and Dragon Hoard Investments CEO Jagger Princeton.
"Hmm, so the software stops even already downloaded files. I will give Maker this: he is thorough."
And speaking of thoroughness, the skin covering my fingers was more complex and careful than most of my body, as it would see the most wear and tear. Hence, I could not simply plug them into the computer as they were, and more often than not, it was faster to do things manually than to peel off the skin, even if its fourteen-hour lifespan was presently nearing its end. I was still uncertain if that was an intentional aspect of the design.
Moving from my table to across the room, I booted up the computer, pulling up the file on the elder Princeton brothers. By judging those closely related to him, I could form a basis for the type of Deck he used.
“Computer, do a web-wide search on any article containing the following keywords. Princeton, Family, History, and Brothers. Also, prepare my chamber.”
“Yes, Andy. Gathering all relative articles. Shall I have them sent directly to your chamber's screen?” my computer asked. It was in charge of the daily maintenance of my trailer and any minute repairs I might need. Plus it was a wonderful tool for my Duel preparations.
“That would be most efficient, yes,” I said, stripping off my clothes and hanging them neatly. Then I stepped inside a dome-shaped chamber easily the size of three people as it started to fill with a green liquid. It would soon submerge me completely, and the thought occurred that a normal human would be completely put-out (I believe was the right term) by being stuck in a chamber with no air.
“Here is every article with the keywords you requested.”
Over a hundred tabs, articles, and interviews spread across the screen. It would have taken a normal human at least two days to read all this. I had precisely thirteen hours until my Duel, plenty of time.
Using what I knew so far, he most likely ran a Power Deck. Those I had more than enough experience with. As I studied article after article, an odd shaking occurred in my hands. I stared at them, but after a quick internal diagnostic showed nothing wrong, my reading resumed.
Intriguing.
~o~
“Jaden, wake up!”
“No, mommy, not the herring!” Jaden shouted, still half asleep as he fell out of the bed. A thud sounded through the room as the freshman hit the floor.
“I am not even gonna ask,” Chumley muttered, turning back over to sleep some more.
"Syrus, what gives? We still have at least two hours before class, and I can't get good grades without good rest." Pushing himself with a yawn, Jaden gave a drowsy glare at his best bud.
“Because a lack of sleep is holding you back,” Syrus deadpanned before waving his arms. “But that's not it! Chazz is Dueling that new kid, and if Chazz wins, Andy gets expelled!”
"WHAT?!" Like a storm, Jaden was out the door already halfway out of his clothes, uniform gripped tightly in his teeth. "Lead with that next time!"
"Jay, wait! You change clothes in the bathroom, not outside, and the Duel doesn't start for another hour!" A blur ran right past Syrus to the shared bathroom down the hall.
“On second thought, lead with THAT next time!”
“Good, more time for some shuteye,” Chumley rumbled.
~o~
“Chazz is doing what?!” Alexis asked her friend, slamming her hands on the table, breakfast plates shaking from the impact. The other girls look down in surprise at her outburst.
"Dueling a new student," Jasmine said again. "Apparently, if the Slifer doesn't win, he won't be allowed to attend school here."
"Shame. Saw him from the window when you brought him over. He was easily a solid 8," Misty noted dreamily, her fork idly stirring scrambled eggs on her plate.
"Girls, focus. When is it supposed to happen?"
"In about half an hour." Rushing to her feet, Alexis was all but running through the front door. This reeked of Dr. Crowler, especially with that incident yesterday. A great Duelist, yes, but the good doctor was also overly emotional. Swinging the doors open, Alexis ran into what felt like a brick wall.
“Ah, Miss Rhodes, impeccable timing,” Andy said, gently catching Alexis before she could hurt herself. “Do you have a moment? I had a few questions about Mr. Princeton. For instance, would you say he is more of a left-brain or right-brain person? Also, is he fond of spicy food?"
Her response was to grab Andy by the jacket and start shaking him. Not the answer he was looking for.
"Are you fond of your face? You do know you're Dueling Chazz Princeton in half an hour, right?"
“Twenty-eight minutes to be more precise," Andy responded, unconcerned about her shaking him, his eyes briefly turning to the Duel Disk hanging from his left arm. “And yes, I got this face from my uncle, I am fond of it.”
“That was sarcasm!” Letting his jacket go with a deep sigh, she briefly wondered if his relatives were like this. “You do know Chazz was the top student at his Duelist Prep school, right?”
"Affirmative. And he is one of the top freshmen here as well."
“How can you be taking it so casually that your expulsion is on the line?”
Andy stared at her as though she had said something silly. Then he said, “Were you not informed that my enrollment is still unofficial?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“With my unique circumstances, I was allowed to come to the island without completing the process. But I have not yet won an entrance Duel, so this is only natural.”
Alexis blinked twice slowly as she digested this information. Then her indignant anger was back.
“And they’re matching you against one of the school’s best Duelists for it?”
“Hence my coming here to ask you about Mr. Princeton,” Andy said as though it were obvious. Alexis cradled her face briefly before walking off and beckoning him to follow. She was starting to think carrying around a bottle of headache medicine would be a good idea.
“If this is your entrance Duel, then I shouldn’t give you too much help, but since this is Chazz, I’ll answer what questions I can. But come on, Crowler will expel you in a second if you’re late for the Duel."
"Thank you very much. Now, do you know if he is lactose intolerant?"
~o~
“Any chance you know if he wears boxers or briefs?”
“Andy, do you plan on asking me anything about how Chazz Duels?”
Andy's response was another head tilt that Alexis was getting used to, albeit grudgingly. For the entire walk here, it was nothing but odd questions that didn't have anything to do with Dueling. But from Andy’s stare, she wondered if she was missing something obvious.
“I apologize for not explaining my intent: I’m building a psychological profile of Mr. Princeton based on his traits and history. A Duelist’s Deck indicates who they are, and the inverse also applies. As I cannot ask about his Deck directly, I must approach from the other direction.”
Alexis processed this slowly.
“OK, assuming I believe you,” she began, looking around to make sure nobody could overhear her, “what would you learn from what kind of underwear he wears?”
“Clothing shows the priorities of the person. Every garment is a balance of comfort, practicality, and aesthetics. Comfort is passive. Practicality is cold. Aesthetics are vain. How the three combine paints a solid picture of someone’s priorities. And as almost nobody other than the wearer sees their undergarments, they are the least affected by the bias of others’ perception.”
Despite her blush from the subject matter, Alexis understood the reasoning.
“OK, if clothing tells that much, then what can you tell from my gloves?” she asked, showing her arms.
“By default, gloves are made for practicality and aesthetics. If comfort is your lowest priority, you lack confidence, focusing more on how you appear to others. Practicality is second: the gloves lack fingers, meaning you’re not overly concerned about hygiene, but you favor the reinforcement on your arms. Coupled with how they cover nearly half of your arms, that says that you wish to cover as much of your body from potential harm as possible. Finally, the sharp aesthetics reinforce your uniform while subtly enforcing a sense of strength or toughness.”
By this point, the only reason Alexis hadn’t stopped walking was that Andy himself hadn’t slowed down throughout the explanation.
“Altogether, it seems you’re trying to shield yourself from the perception of others, thinking that they’ll focus more on your body than you yourself, so you try to give them something else to focus on. At a guess, you wish to be seen more as a strong Duelist than an attractive girl."
Alexis couldn’t help it; her jaw fell open, and she stared at him as they entered the academy.
“All of that just from a pair of gloves?” she asked.
“Coupled with my experience with you yesterday, but yes.”
Alexis slowly shook her head, suddenly a lot more understanding of why Andy wasn’t worried at all about Chazz. Then she blinked.
“Wait. You can tell all that but can't understand when someone is being sarcastic?”
“It is the bane of my existence,” he deadpanned. Before anything further could be said, an announcement echoed through the building.
“Will Candi Drone and Chazz Princeton report to the Duel arena for Deck shuffling?”
“Ugh,” Alexis sighed at the likely deliberate misnaming, but as they neared the arena, she decided it was better to take no chances. “All right, Andy, the arena’s through there. Get going, don’t give them any excuse to expel you.”
“I will go wait on the field, then. It will give me time to finalize a starting strategy.”
They walked through the tunnel, Andy heading to the field and Alexis heading for the stairs leading to the bleachers. When they exited, she paused, gaping openly. She knew the notice about this Duel had gone out to the whole Academy, but she hadn’t expected the stands to be completely full.
Shaking her head, Alexis changed destination. Rather than to the section of stands her fellow Obelisks had claimed, she climbed up to the front row and made a beeline for where the headmaster always sat.
“Chancellor Sheppard, this is ridiculous! Why are you letting Dr. Crowler make such a spectacle out of this?”
“Miss Rhodes, I would not be allowing this for any given student,” Sheppard replied firmly but with a small smile. “But Mr. Chrome has unique circumstances. And I assure you, this is not abusing him for those circumstances. I request that you save any further chastisement for after the Duel, please.”
Alexis stared at him, still confused. But as it became clear she wouldn’t get anything else out of him, she moved up the stands. And as a couple of familiar faces in red caught her eye, she changed her course once more.
"Hey, guys, room for one more?"
"Alexis! Good to see ya,” Jaden said, waving casually while Syrus blushed and Chumley looked away. “You know anything about this new kid?”
“I was the one showing him around yesterday,” Alexis said, sitting down with a frown. “He’s polite, but it’s easy to tell he grew up in a hospital. But I didn’t know he hadn’t passed his entrance exam yet. This has to be some kind of revenge play by Crowler.”
“Oh? What did he do to offend Dr. Crowler?”
All present looked to see a yellow-jacketed boy settling into his own seat beside them.
“Bastion Misawa, right?” Alexis asked.
“Second-best student here,” Jaden said with a grin.
“I can’t deny it,” Bastion grinned back. “But about my first question?”
“Well…”
It was lucky that most of the students began cheering as Chazz entered the arena, as it masked the sudden burst of laughter Alexis’ answer produced.
~o~
Chazz took his sweet time, making a show of waving at all his fans and actually taking a few laps around the arena. Andy carefully studied the clock on the wall, then Chazz, tilting his head all the while until the 'Elite Duelist' finally stepped onto the arena.
“Mr. Princeton. I’ve heard much about you,” Andy greeted him neutrally.
“Same here, Slifer slime, and none of it was good,” the Obelisk sneered. “I’m gonna enjoy booting a loser like you out of the academy myself!”
"What does 'booting' mean? I am not familiar with that terminology."
"It means I am gonna kick you out of the academy, loser."
"But only the Chancellor can do that—oh. Is the smack talk starting already?"
"Now, now, gentlemen, shuffle your Decks and begin the Duel." Humming to himself, Crowler almost skipped off the stage.
"But I already won by default," Andy said, causing the esteemed Vice-Chancellor to miss a step and crash down to the arena floor. A very sudden coughing fit echoed over the sudden silence that descended over the arena.
“Wait, what?!”
"You are three minutes late, Mr. Princeton. By Mr. Crowler's own words, anyone late automatically loses. A shame; I was looking forward to seeing how you would Duel." Andy said, putting his Deck back into a holster.
“What are you talking about?” Chazz demanded, his bewilderment shared by most everyone else in the room. It was at that point that Crowler hauled himself back onto the arena, glaring at Andy.
“Firstly, Mr. Chrome, I will remind you again: it is DOCTOR Crowler. And secondly, that qualification applied only to you. Mr. Princeton has already shown that he belongs in this Academy several times over with his performance in class and Dueling record. You, however, have not earned your place here. And if you were enough of a slacker that you could not arrive here on time despite the stakes and the proximity, that would be proof enough that you have no place here to earn.”
“I see. That is logical. My apologies for misunderstanding,” Andy said as he took his Deck back out. Crowler blinked at the abrupt acceptance but regained his composure quickly.
"Okay, I love this guy," Jaden laughed, wiping a tear from his eye as the rest of the group smiled.
“Small wonder that Dr. Crowler doesn’t agree," Bastion said, fighting his smirk while Alexis was bent over coughing in a very unladylike manner.
“Well, then,” Crowler said, raising his voice. “This Duel will be between Obelisk Blue student Chazz Princeton and prospective Slifer Red student Andy Chrome. Due to special circumstances, this will serve as Mr. Chrome’s entrance Duel. Standard rules apply: each player begins with 4,000 Life Points and 40 cards in his Deck, and the challenger chooses which Duelist takes the first turn. Understood?”
“Yes,” both Duelists answered.
“Then begin when ready!” Crowler said, returning to the edge of the arena. The two students stepped forward and exchanged Decks, shuffling quickly. Neither spoke, each focusing on the other’s hands, but no foul play occurred. They swapped cards again and returned to their sides of the arena.
"Are you ready, Mr. Princeton?" Andy asked, his Duel Disk coming to life as the light turned red.
"I should be asking you that, Slifer Sludge!" Activating his Duel Disk, Chazz eyed Andy with a face that said he was already the victor. Drawing five cards from his Deck, Chazz's smile grew wider at the strength of his hand.
Across the field, Andy also drew his hand, CPU running at top gear as the electricity ran up and down his support column. This is what he was made for.
Turn 1: Andy 4,000/Chazz 4,000
"I will start things off, Mr. Princeton." Drawing a card, Andy glanced at it for a second before putting it into his hand. "First, I activate the Continuous Spell Card, Card Trader . During my Standby Phase, I can shuffle one card in my hand into the Deck to draw a new card."
“Bad hand, Slug?” Chazz mocked, wearing an ugly sneer.
“No, it's very decent for a starting hand. Oh, wait, trash-talking.” Andy went dead silent as he studied Chazz before pointing at the Obelisk. "Your clothes have food stains on them, that means you're a messy eater."
The whole stadium shook for a second as the audience fell to the ground. All of them, from the reds to the blues, felt instantly that was the worst trash talk they had ever heard.
"Chancellor, do we have a class on trash-talking?" Banner asked, picking himself off the floor and adjusting his glasses.
“Let's have a faculty meeting to talk about it.”
“That was terrible,” Chazz deadpanned, covering a small ketchup stain on his sleeve and causing Andy to tilt his head. "And I am not messy, sleeves are basically napkins."
"That's incorrect, but let me finish my turn. Next, I will play three cards face-down, and then set a monster in Defense Mode." As he spoke, four cards appeared in front of him.
“Hmph, don't you know setting a card is for cowards?” Chazz huffed. “You’ve either got a lot of traps or a lot of bluffs. We’ll see which it is. It’s my turn now.”
Turn 2: Chazz 4,000/Andy 4,000
He drew a card and smirked as he played it.
“First, I’ll play Pot of Greed to draw two more cards. Then I’ll summon my Chthonian Soldier in Attack Mode!”
The armored demon materialized. Andy tilted his head before nodding to himself. A decent monster with a nasty effect. But I am prepared.
“I activate my Trap Card, Cloning , to create a Clone Token with the same qualities as your Chthonian Soldier on my Field,” he said. Chazz's Soldier writhed for a moment before splitting into two, one of which moved to stand on Andy’s Field, baring fangs and sword at the original.
“Annoying, but not as bad as I was expecting,” Chazz huffed. “Next, I’ll play two cards face-down and activate Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy another face-down card! I choose the one on the left!”
“You targeted my Dust Tornado . I Chain it to destroy your first face-down card,” Andy answered.
On both sides of the Field, a cyclone whipped up and blew away a pair of Trap Cards. But it seemed Chazz was suffering more from the exchange.
“My Sakuretsu Armor !” he snarled. “I’ll get you for that. I’ll play one more card face-down and have my Chthonian Soldier attack your face-down monster!”
“I reveal my last Trap Card, Shift . Your Soldier now battles my Clone Token instead.”
Two Chthonian Soldiers clashed on the Field, and an exchange of claws and horns quickly led to both shattering into golden light. Chazz glowered for a moment but then smirked.
“That’s all your Traps out of the way, and I’m ending with way more cards than you. Before I end my turn, I’m playing Monster Reincarnation . I send Mefist the Infernal General to my Graveyard to get my Chthonian Soldier back. Your move.”
"Quite clever to use that clone to destroy that Soldier. Now he doesn't have to deal with that pesky effect it has," Bastion noted as Jaden leaned over the seat.
"What was its effect?" Chumley asked.
“Any battle damage involving the Chthonian Soldier is dealt to both players. In other words, it would hurt Andy as much as it would hurt Chazz.”
“Ouch,” Chumley grumbled.
Turn 3: Andy 4,000/Chazz 4,000
Andy drew without a word, then nodded in satisfaction. "I activate my Card Trader."
“Still, this guy is kinda boring," Chumley said, watching Andy draw a new card only to set another monster face-down. "It's like watching someone banging a rock against a shell."
"Yeah, he can't win this Duel unless he attacks," Syrus said, wondering what kind of strategy this was.
Others around him had to agree. Since the first turn, Andy had been playing only defensively. Even when he had a chance to attack directly, he played another monster in Defense Mode. They stirred more when he activated his own Pot of Greed, but all that led to were two more cards in his back row. This was Duel Monsters, for crying out loud. Where was the excitement?
"An apt comparison, to be sure. However, it brings to mind one question." Bastion carefully studied the field, a chill lingering at the base of his spine. Something was coming. "What is in the shell?"
"Let's hope we find out before it cracks in half," Alexis added, slightly worried about Andy.
Turn 4: Chazz 4,000/Andy 4,000
“I hope you don’t think having your monster in Defense Mode will keep you safe. First, I’ll play my Chthonian Soldier again. Then I’ll activate Call of the Haunted to Summon back Mefist the Infernal General!”
In quick succession, the armored soldier appeared and was joined by a menacing armored knight atop a black horse, carrying a massive halberd in his right hand.
“Then I equip Mefist with the Axe of Despair , giving him another 1000 Attack Points!" A large battle axe seeming to ooze with evil and rage appeared in Mefist's left hand.
1,800 ATK→2,800 ATK
"Now, Chthonian Soldier, destroy the monster he just set!”
The wicked soldier charged, and Andy made no move to activate his face-down cards. The monster struck but soon stepped back from the three-eyed woman in dark clothing.
“ Witch of the Black Forest ’s Defense Points are equal to Chthonian Soldier’s Attack Points. My monster is not destroyed, and I take no damage from your soldier’s effect,” Andy summarized.
“But you’ll take damage from Mefist’s effect! When he attacks a monster with lower Defense Points than his Attack Points, the difference goes straight to you!”
The knight speared the witch, who screeched as she shattered. Fragments blew back against Andy, who stood there unflinching.
4,000→2,400
“You just lost almost half of your Life Points,” Chazz said smugly.
“But when Witch of the Black Forest goes to the Graveyard, I can add a monster with 1500 or fewer Defense Points from my Deck to my hand. I choose Lady of Dragons ,” Andy explained, showing off said card before putting it in his hand. "Also, you spend a terrible amount of money on hair products."
Though Chazz’s hand moved to touch his hair, he still seemed nonplussed by the trash-talking attempt. The audience had mixed reactions, some groaning again, but some Obelisks nodded in silent agreement. Unseen by most, a figure walked out from a nearby hallway, moving along the top of the stadium towards a few familiar faces, eyes locked on the Duel done below.
Turn 5: Andy 2,400/Chazz 4,000
Drawing a card, Andy nodded to himself as he selected his plan.
“I Summon Skilled White Magician in Attack Mode.”
A staff-wielding sorcerer clad in white appeared on his Field. Orbs on his chest and both shoulders shining for a moment before fading.
“Then I’ll activate my Set card, Double Summon , allowing me one additional Normal Summon this turn,” he continued. “This also adds a Spell Counter to my Skilled White Magician.”
The orb on the magician’s right shoulder lit up again.
“I’ll use my second summon to play Lady of Dragons. While she is on my Field, you cannot attack any Dragon-type monsters I control.”
“But you don’t have any,” Chazz deadpanned as the blonde sorceress appeared. Her hair blew in a nonexistent breeze as she stood beside the Magician.
“Not yet. Now I Flip Summon my face-down monster: Morphing Jar .”
“Morphing Jar?!” Chazz exclaimed as the pot appeared, and a one-eyed grinning specter spilled out of it. The monster cackled as its shadowy form split in two and lunged at the two Duelists’ disks. "Why are all your cards annoying?!"
“I prefer the term effective. Now since both our hands are already empty, we each simply draw five cards from our Decks,” Andy said, taking the dislodged cards into his hand. Chazz barely glanced at his new cards, waiting to see what would happen now.
“I end my turn.”
Chazz blinked at the sudden conclusion: Andy had played three monsters in Attack Mode and drawn a full hand of cards, and he had done nothing with them. Not to mention what effect that Magician might have. ‘What’s a Spell Counter again?’
He shrugged it off with some effort; this Slifer kept breaking his rhythm, and it was really starting to get to him. Chazz scoffed and gave his new hand a proper look. Then a predatory smile spread across his face.
Turn 6: Chazz 4,000/Andy 2,400
“Now it’s my turn. And draw!” he declared. Then he grinned even wider. “Perfect. I’ll end this Duel right now! I play another Chthonian Soldier, then activate Chthonian Alliance ! This gives my first soldier 800 more Attack Points for every Chthonian Soldier I have, so it gets 1600!”
1,200 ATK→2,800 ATK
“Your Chthonian Alliance gives my Skilled White Magician a second Spell Counter,” Andy said as the mage’s left shoulder began to glow as well. “And I activate my Trap Card, D. Tribe . This causes all monsters on my side of the Field to become Dragon-type until the end of the turn. With Lady of Dragons in play, you cannot attack any of my monsters this turn.”
As the card activated, a change spread through Andy's monsters. The Magician and Lady grew horns, scales covered their skin, and claws grew from their hands and feet. And Morphing Jar’s teeth became fanged, its eye turning reptilian, and the jar itself gaining a pattern of scales. As soon as the changes finished, Lady of Dragons held out her hands, and a wall of light stood before her and the other monsters, protecting them from harm. Chazz growled angrily as the Morphing Jar cackled behind the wall, seemingly mocking the Obelisk student.
"Come on! What is the matter with you?! Are you a complete dunce?! All you're doing is stalling! No wonder you’ve never won a game of Duel Monsters!” Chazz barked. A cackle erupted from Crowler as the students broke out in murmurs. Sheppard frowned slightly as Banner patted Pharaoh, the cat growing softly as he watched the Duel.
Andy blinked. “How are you aware of that?”
Now full-blown conversations were sweeping through the crowd as Andy confirmed it.
“Don’t you know? Every Duelist’s record is public knowledge. You’ve Dueled 68 times and lost every one!” Plus, Crowler told me, but let's keep that private.
“Incorrect. My record is 67 losses and 1 draw,” Andy corrected. "Though the draw makes me feel…off."
“Whatever! You should never have made it into Duel Academy; nobody’s allowed in without winning a Duel!”
"Geez, even my record is better than his," Chumley muttered as Alexis silently glared at Chazz. Yes, a Duel record was public knowledge, but still, outing someone in front of the entire school was low. Even for Chazz.
“I suppose I’ll simply have to defeat you, then.” That quiet statement shut the crowd right up. Some silently marveled at the statement, while others openly mocked him for a fool.
“Fat chance, Slifer Slime! No, you’re not even a Slifer. You're nobody!”
Andy tilted his head, giving no response for several seconds. Then he straightened. “Now I see. You’re insulting my Duel record because you’re trying to make yourself feel better about the fact that I outplayed you. In other words, you’re wasting time trying to make me care about your emotional state. Is it my turn now?”
“OUCH,” Jaden said, wincing at the barb from Andy. “I didn't understand half of that, but what I did…ouch.”
“Tch,” Chazz scoffed. “I’ll play two cards face-down and end my turn.”
“This will be interesting. Chazz has the advantage on the Field, but what does Andy have in his hand?” Bastion wondered. That chilling feeling was now across his entire back. Whatever was about to appear would be soon.
And although he didn't say it, Jaden felt the same thing. His instincts were telling him that this Duel was almost over.
Turn 7: Andy 2,400/Chazz 4,000
“I draw. I activate Card Trader once more.” Andy studied his hand for a moment.
"Let me guess. You're gonna set another face-down—"
“I activate the Spell Card Heavy Storm to destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on the Field.”
“SAY WHAT?!” Chazz yelled as the winds started to blow. He snarled as he looked between his back row and the cards in his hand. “I’ll Chain my Secret Barrel and Emergency Provisions ! You lose 200 Life Points for every card you control and in your hand, and I’ll send two of my cards to the Graveyard to gain 2000 Life Points!”
Andy: 2,400→400
Chazz: 4,000→6,000
A hexagonal disc flipped over, reflecting Andy and his Field and blasting him with light before shattering into light along with the Chthonian Alliance, leaving Heavy Storm to blow away the remaining three cards. And with Call of the Haunted gone, Mefist the Infernal General shattered and returned to the Graveyard.
“You may have gotten rid of my General, but I’ll get you back! When Axe of Despair is sent to the Graveyard, I can Tribute a monster to put it back at the top of my Deck, so I’ll sacrifice one of my soldiers!”
The Equip Spell slid out of the Graveyard as Chthonian Soldier slid in, and Chazz glared up at Andy, though the latter’s eyes were focused on Skilled White Magician. More specifically, the jewel glowing on his chest.
“Almost, but not yet. Next turn, I’ll show you what my Magician can do with three Spell Counters. I set two more cards face-down and change all three of my monsters to Defense Position. That ends my turn.”
Turn 8: Chazz 6,000/Andy 400
“Chazz could have gotten 4,000 Life Points from Emergency Provisions, but he settled for half purely to recover Axe of Despair,” Bastion said, frowning.
"Chazz may be a jerk, but he isn’t a bad Duelist. What could he be planning?" Alexis asked, while Syrus and Chumley were glued to their seats. The entire stadium was leaning forward now, all of them could tell the Duel was nearly over.
“I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but you’re about to lose this Duel!” Chazz snarled, drawing his card. “I equip Axe of Despair to my Soldier. And now that he has 2,200 Attack Points, I sacrifice him and the last Soldier in my hand to play Infernal Incinerator !”
The ax-toting soldier vanished in a burst of fire, allowing a monstrous monster to emerge. Its body was that of an oversized insect with six powerful legs, and its head split into a fanged maw with flames in its teeth and a humanoid torso that seemed unnaturally fused to the rest of it.
“This monster gains 200 extra Attack Points for every monster you control, and I count three!”
2,800 ATK→3,400 ATK
“I activate my Trap Card,” Andy said blandly, one of his Set cards popping up and causing a green haze to levitate all monsters on the field. Most people would have been at least surprised by a monster with over 3,000 Attack Points, but Andy's system was used to the phenomenon.
"What are you doing?" Chazz demanded as his Infernal Incinerator was slammed back to the field, now crouching in Defense Mode. Andy's monsters, meanwhile, landed back in Attack Mode. "What happened to the monsters?"
"Heh, our new student sure can knock someone off balance," Sheppard chuckled, wondering how he would handle the Slifer's way of Dueling. Crowler, meanwhile, was rubbing his hands through his hair so fast that Banner was wondering when it would catch fire.
"For an elite Duelist, your knowledge is lacking. Zero Gravity changes the battle positions of all face-up monsters on the Field: Attack to Defense, and vice-versa.”
He scowled, then scoffed. “Well, whatever. Even in Defense Mode, Infernal Incinerator is stronger than your monsters! Next turn, I’ll start wiping you out!”
“There won’t be a next turn, Mr. Princeton. You’re out of cards.”
Andy’s matter-of-fact declaration sent a wave of doubt and unease through the stadium.
“Hey, Alexis? Your friend knows he has almost no Life Points left, right?” Syrus asked. “And Chazz hasn’t taken any damage yet.”
"Not to mention Andy's facing down a monster with over three thousand Attack Points. He’s only got that Jar, that Lady, and that Magician. Speaking of, does anyone know what those Spell Counters are?" Chumley asked.
"It means that Andy has a very powerful and very rare card in that Deck," a deep voice said behind the group, causing them to turn as one to see.
"Bro? What are you doing here?" Syrus asked, startled to the point he nearly fell out of the seat.
"I heard about Chazz Dueling a Slifer, and I was interested. Now, I'm glad I came. This is a grave error in judgment." Zane said, folding his arms. “Why isn’t that Slifer in Obelisk Blue?”
Everyone in earshot, a good couple of dozen people, turned to him. Zane 'The Kaiser' Truesdale said a Slifer Red with a losing streak of over five dozen Duels was supposed to have been in Obelisk Blue?!
“What do you mean?” Syrus asked, thoroughly confused. “Andy is losing the Duel.”
"I don't think so, Sy,” Jaden muttered as Bastion nodded with him.
“Your friend is right, Syrus. Losing in Life Points, but not in cards. Since I started watching, Chazz has been marching to the beat of that Slifer's drum. Andy is leading him exactly where he wants.” Zane couldn't help it, he grinned. “That Red is playing his cards.”
Turn 9: Andy 400/Chazz 6,000
"Mr. Princeton, it's time for my victory." Placing a hand on his Deck, Andy felt that familiar current racing through his body. All the logic, numbers, and strategies in the world couldn't change one part of Duel Monsters. What card do you draw next? But Andy didn't have to wonder as a familiar glitch roared long and proud in his ear.
He drew the card without a glance.
“First, I activate Skilled White Magician’s effect.”
The Skilled White Magician raised his staff high to the air, the three glowing orbs detaching themselves from his body. Swirling around, the orbs formed a glowing inverted triangle with the Magician in the center. Then a great light enveloped him, causing some of the onlookers to turn away.
“When he has three Spell Counters, I can Tribute him to Special Summon Buster Blader .”
The light shattered to reveal the formidable figure of the legendary dragon slayer. Completely covered in dark blue armor trimmed with red and brandishing a massive sword with a gold hilt, Andy’s new summon caused the crowd to go wild.
"He summoned what?!" Crowler shouted, grabbing the edge of the arena as his jaw dropped. Chancellor Sheppard beside him clenched his fists in excitement.
"I knew it," Zane whispered, narrowing his eyes.
"That's awesome!" Jaden shouted, eyes practically shining at the sight of Buster Blader.
“Buster Blader?! Why does a nobody like you have such a super rare card?!" Chazz demanded, taking a step back. The number of times that card had appeared in public could be counted on one hand, and all of them by the King of Games himself.
“I am lucky to have an uncle at Industrial Illusions,” Andy stated, taking another card from his hand. Unknown to any but him, his bodily systems were currently going through an unknown phenomenon. Every single part of his body—the bio-reactor, the CPU, even the electrical circuits—felt like they were on fire. However, it wasn't detrimental so far. In fact, everything seemed to be running at maximum potential.
“Next, I will activate the Equip Spell, Big Bang Shot . Buster Blader gains a further 400 Attack Points and deals piercing damage.”
A blue flame wrapped around Buster Blader's sword as he hoisted it up. A shout of victory rose from him as the Equip Spell activated.
2,600 ATK→3,000 ATK
"If you don’t know the term, piercing damage means—"
"I know what it means! Mefist has the same effect!” Chazz snapped. “It doesn't matter anyway; even with your ace monster, you don’t have enough Attack Points to finish me! I’ll find a way to crush you on my next turn!"
"Negative on two counts, Mr. Princeton. Firstly, Buster Blader is not my ace, and I never said it was. Secondly, as I already said, you have no next turn."
Andy raised the card he had drawn. A massive roar seemed to shake the stadium; only a few students and faculty members heard it. Unseen by most, Winged Kuriboh appeared above Jaden's head, squeaking in joy at the sound of an old friend.
“There is a dragon that devours magic, the bane of Magicians, and the sworn rival of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon .” For the first time in two days, and perhaps in his entire life, there was clear emotion in his voice as Andy summoned his partner.
“I sacrifice Morphing Jar to summon my ace monster! White-Horned Dragon !”
The cackling jar spirit faded, and the ferocious form of Andy's ace monster appeared on the Field with a mighty roar, sending students recoiling from the force. Its body was red and black aside from its shining horn and polished claws, and everyone present noted the stark similarity between this beast and a certain red Sky Dragon.
Then, before anyone could react further, energy shot out of Chazz's Graveyard straight towards Andy’s dragon, swirling around its horn.
"What's happening?" Chazz shouted in surprise.
"My Dragon's effect is happening. I told you, White-Horned Dragon devours magic. When it is summoned, I can banish up to 5 Spell Cards from your Graveyard, and my Dragon gains 300 Attack Points for each. By banishing your Pot of Greed, Monster Reincarnation, Mystical Space Typhoon, Axe of Despair, and Chthonian Alliance, my dragon gains 1500 Attack Points.”
2,200 ATK→3,700 ATK
“WHAT?!”
“Mr. Princeton, let me make this clear. This is indeed the first Duel I’ve ever won. But that doesn’t prove that I am weak, only that the ones whom I have Dueled until now are stronger than me. And the sole reason I exist is to change that. Now, Buster Blader, destroy the Infernal Incinerator with Destruction Sword!”
The warrior lunged forward, rearing his blade back, and swung it down to decapitate the crouching monster. Its body exploded, and Chazz’s Life Points dropped from the hit.
6000→4,800
“Lady of Dragons, attack him directly with Dragon Soul Strike!”
She put her hands forward, glowing with power, and a serpentine spirit flew out and burst into another fiery explosion as it struck Chazz.
4,800→3,300
“And now, White-Horned Dragon, end this Duel with Horn Drive Buster!”
The glow that had been in the dragon’s horn built in its mouth. Then, with a mighty roar, the energy beam shot forward and enveloped Chazz.
"Duel operation over. Status: Victory." With that and a shout from Chazz, the stadium went dead silent.
3,300→0
But before the hologram faded, White-Horned Dragon very clearly reared back and roared its victory to the heavens. Then as Andy disengaged his Duel Disk, the stadium exploded into cheers as the students shouted their hearts out at the upset. As everyone continued to cheer, Andy looked thoroughly confused at the crowd before shrugging and walking towards the fallen Chazz. Looking up, slightly out of it, he saw Andy's hand reaching down.
"A good Duel, Mr. Princeton. I look forward to a rematch." Glaring at the blank face, all Chazz felt was rage as he slapped Andy's hand away and stormed off.
“We’ll meet again, Slug!” he called behind him.
…
“I know, we have a second period together,” I muttered. Puzzled by Mr. Princeton's outburst, I slipped my Deck back into my holster. Walking off the field, the students were already starting to leave their seats, all talking about the Duel. But I couldn't stop looking at my hand. It was acting funny again. How strange.
“Andy, that Duel was awesome, man!”
I turned to see a brown-haired young man in a red jacket coming towards me. A small group of people followed behind, Miss Rhodes among them. The file came up at once.
NAME: Jaden Yuki
DORM: Slifer Red
DUEL POINT VALUE: 75
YEAR: 10
PREFERRED DECK(s): Elemental HERO archetype
ACE MONSTER(s): Elemental HERO Flame Wingman (Fusion)
SIDE NOTE: Passed his entrance exam by defeating Vice Chancellor and Obelisk Blue headmaster Dr. Vellian Crowler, who was using his Deck ( Ancient Gear archetype ) rather than a standard testing Deck
Interesting. Beating Dr. Crowler would have taken no small measure of skill. I noted that Duel Point Value does not reflect skill. Elemental Heros as well were an interesting choice; Uncle Peg was working on an Elemental Hero the last time I saw him.
"Yes, I must say, your style of Dueling is most unusual at the Academy," a yellow-jacketed boy added, his eyes gleaming attentively.
NAME: Bastion Misawa
DORM: Ra Yellow
DUEL POINT VALUE: 180
YEAR: 10
PREFERRED DECK(s): Unknown
ACE MONSTER(s): Unknown
SIDE NOTE: Passed his written entrance exam with the highest marks and is the current top-ranked Ra Yellow student.
Studying his chest, my sensors made out at least six Deck holders under his jacket. Yet another interesting Duelist; two Decks was uncommon enough, but six? How intriguing. I took the chance to scan the other two Slifers with him.
NAME: Syrus Truesdale
DORM: Slifer Red
DUEL POINT VALUE: 50
YEAR: 10
PREFERRED DECK(s): Unknown, most likely Machine-type.
ACE MONSTER(s): Unknown
SIDE NOTE: Younger brother of Zane ‘the Kaiser’ Truesdale.
A machine-focused Deck. The concept did intrigue me. However, they wouldn't have matched well with White. Kin of the Kaiser, most likely some self-esteem issues. Perhaps the talent is inherited. I should Duel him in my free time.
NAME: Chumley Huffington
DORM: Slifer Red
DUEL POINT VALUE: 50
YEAR: 12
PREFERRED DECK(s): Koala archetype , Beast-type monsters
ACE MONSTER(s): Big Koala
SIDE NOTE: Son of Kumazo Huffington, a skilled Duelist ( Drunken archetype ) and owner of a sake company. Though a mediocre Duelist who has failed the final exam twice, he remains persistent. He also has tremendous talent for artwork.
Success is paved with failure, let's see how he does this year. Hold on, Uncle Peg mentioned him. Mr. Huffington is now very interesting.
"Why are you all smiling? Did something happen?" I asked, curiously studying their faces.
“Dude, we’re happy because of your Duel! It was awesome!”
“It excited you?” Again, that stirring in my chest. What was this?
“Umm, yeah, man. From how your hand is shaking, you're excited too.”
"Intriguing." Staring at my hand, I concluded that perhaps this phenomenon might very well be excitement. Would have to encounter more to be certain, though.
Then a tall young man with an imperious look came up behind them all.
NAME: Zane “The Kaiser” Trusdale
DORM: Obelisk Blue
DUEL POINT VALUE: 400
YEAR: 12
PREFERRED DECK(s): Cyber Monsters with Fusion supports
ACE MONSTER(s): Cyber Dragon , Cyber End Dragon (Fusion)
SIDE NOTE: The top-ranked student at Duel Academy has been on a winning streak since the start of his second year. Is slotted for immediate status as a Pro upon graduation. Close friend of the Rhodes siblings .
My Deck isn't quite ready for him, but soon.
“I’d be interested to learn who you’ve been practicing against if you’ve never won until now,” he said, skipping any pleasantries.
“I apologize; I am not at liberty to say,” I answered.
“I expected as much. But how were you able to play Chazz like that? As far as I know, you have never seen him Duel. Did Alexis tell you?” he asked, side-eyeing his friend.
"Yes and no. I asked no questions about Mr. Princeton's Deck, but about the person. That coupled with information I gathered on his brothers. Those first two turns of a Duel with him were crucial for studying. By the end of his second turn, I grasped he was using a Low/Mid-tier Power Deck focusing on damage output. Little need for back row clearing beside the odd monster or spell-destroying card."
"And those were out within the first two turns, brilliant. What about the rest?" Mr. Misawa asked.
"Chazz Princeton is from a moderately wealthy and powerful family. Plus, being in Obelisk meant his ego was quite large and fragile. That led me to fill in the gaps, he needs a flow to play, so I stopped it.”
“Obelisk Blues have fragile egos?” the elder Mr. Truesdale repeated.
“Don’t challenge him, Zane,” Miss Rhodes warned quietly. That elicited a few raised eyebrows, and he folded his arms as he stared at me.
“Does that go for me as well?” he pressed.
“Tell me, Mr. Truesdale. When was the last time you lost a Duel?” I asked in return.
“I haven’t lost since my tenth year.”
“And would you be able to roll with it if you did? Even if the opponent mocked you for it?”
He scoffed. “I would never lose to someone like that. You showed today that anyone who focuses on mocking their opponents never reaches the top.”
“I concede that disrespectful Duelists with the skill and drive to defeat anyone they stand against are uncommon. But Seto Kaiba is living proof that they can stand at the top of the world.”
He blinked slowly.
“One of my teachers used this analogy. Going too long without failing and not preparing for the possibility is comparable to putting on a suit of armor and declaring yourself invincible. You’re strong against most challengers, but if someone is skilled and ruthless enough to cut through your armor, you’ll be in too much pain to think straight. And the proof is clear: Seto Kaiba was so certain of his victory that he fell comatose when he lost to Yugi Muto.”
Mr. Truesdale blinked again, his posture relaxing some.
“You raise a fair point,” he admitted quietly. “I haven’t had any reason to change in a long time.”
The tense atmosphere lasted until Mr. Yuki approached me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
"Come on, save the psycho talk for later! We need to get back to the dorm for a party!" he said, walking forward and dragging me along.
“Why?”
“To celebrate your win, man.”
“Oh. That's right, I won a Duel. I won a Duel.”
The tension slowly bled out as the others, including the elder Mr. Truesdale, followed us.
“Yep. How does it feel?" Miss Rhodes asked with a grin.
“Like I want more." Another roar sounded in my ears unlike any before it.
“That’s the spirit!” Mr. Yuki cheered. Then he blinked. “Oh, yeah, speaking of spirits, that White-Horned Dragon is one sweet monster!”
“You keep saying ‘sweet.’ Why?” I repeated in confusion.
Miss Rhodes sighed.
~o~
“Chancellor!”
The man looked back to see a very frazzled Crowler jogging up to him. He smiled softly, waiting patiently for what he had to say. Crowder panted for a few moments, hands on his knees, then looked back up.
“Who did he lose to?” the teacher asked breathlessly.
Sheppard’s smile remained in place as he turned around.
“If I find you’ve leaked any more of Mr. Chrome’s information without my permission or his, you will be terminated on the spot. But almost all of them were to Mr. Seto Kaiba himself.”
A panicked squawk came from behind him.
“Almost?” the man asked hesitantly.
Sheppard looked back, his smile widening.
“Fifty-eight. The remaining nine losses were to Yugi Muto.”
Crowler sunk to his knees, white as a sheet.
“Your prejudice against anyone with a red jacket or smart mouth is a liability, Vice Chancellor Crowler. You’re blinding yourself to the fact that all students in this Academy have potential. If your loss to Jaden Yuki did not make that sink in, I hope this will.”
Chancellor Sheppard walked away without another word, still smiling broadly, and it was a good five minutes before Crowler recovered enough to get back on his own feet.
…
Sitting on top of my trailers, I studied the starry night sky. Mapping and making new constellations was a favored pastime that seemed to ease my CPU after a long day. Or after hours of welcome parties by rowdy teenage Duelists. Speaking off, leaning over my trailer, I watched my fellow Slifers and Mr. Misawa snoring around a burnt campfire; Miss Rhodes and the elder Mr. Truesdale had returned to their dorms. Grins had abounded throughout the party, making it clear that I needed to work on my expression more.
"Get your game on, Andy!" Mr. Yuki said, punching the sky in his sleep as a line of drool leaked down his face.
“More grilled cheeses!” Mr. Huffington shouted, scratching the younger Mr. Truesdale's head, who had crashed from a sugar rush on his stomach. Leaning back and looking up, a light sensation spread through my reactor as I looked up. White was currently flying through the sky, roaring her supremacy every once in a while. And the Winged Kuriboh was chasing her.
"Maybe I should put a Kuriboh card in my Deck."
Chapter End