Chapter Text
[?]
Oleander opened his eyes only to find that he wasn't in his room; instead, he found himself standing in an eerily familiar black void. Gulping, he hesitantly started to walk, his footsteps echoing in the shadowy expanse.
The purple-haired duelist, however, stopped walking when he saw something in the distance; squinting his eyes, he saw what appeared to be a white dot in a rectangular shape. It was at that moment that Oleander felt the ground shake in a rhythmic thump.
Turning around, he saw another thing in the dark, some kind of large creature with piercing yellow eyes, its body crackling with purple sparks. The monster was making its way toward Oleander at a rapid pace, letting out an inhuman shriek that caused the purple-haired duelist to snap out of his trance and make a break toward the white dot.
With labored breaths, Oleander did his best to ignore the fatigue that afflicted his legs; looking over his shoulder, he could see that the creature was slowly catching up to him; looking in front of him, he could finally identify the white dot; it turned out to be a wooden door.
Mustering up his remaining strength, the purple-haired duelist braced himself as he crashed shoulder-first against the door, causing it to open and Oleander to fall on the floor. Looking back, he saw the creature was just about to reach the door when it suddenly closed itself.
The monster banged on it a few times, but luckily for the purple-haired duelist, the wooden door held strong, and eventually the creature gave up, its booming steps eventually disappearing as it went back into the darkness.
Lying on his back Oleander did his best to recover himself; allowing the tension to drain from his body, he started to analyze the new room he was in. It was some sort of corridor similar to those of the Central Academy.
Getting up, he wiped the sweat from his forehead before making his way through the corridors; even though the immediate danger was long gone, he was still on.
"̶!̴u̸o̵y̶ ̶r̶o̵f̵ ̷e̴r̶e̸h̸w̶y̵r̶e̴v̷e̸ ̵g̶n̵i̴k̴o̷o̸l̷ ̴n̸e̵e̶b̸ ̸e̷v̵'̴I̸ ̸,̸c̵r̷a̴Z̴ ̸e̷r̷a̸ ̴u̴o̴y̸ ̴e̵r̷e̵h̷T̶"̵ A distorted voice spoke, making Oleander snap his attention around.
Standing before him was a female humanoid figure; she was wearing what looked like a modified version of the Obelisk Blue uniform that the girls wear, with the skirt reaching all the way to her kneecaps. But those things went unnoticed by Oleander, who focused on her face, or rather lack thereof.
Where her face was supposed to be was scratched out, making it impossible to identify her.
"̴c̴i̸t̷s̸i̸d̴a̴s̴ ̶e̶r̶o̵m̴.̷.̵.̷d̸r̶i̴e̶w̶ ̴g̶n̵i̷t̸c̴a̴ ̵n̸e̵e̷b̶ ̴e̵v̵a̶h̸ ̶u̸o̸y̶ ̸̸t̵n̵e̸d̶i̷ "̵ She placed a comforting hand over Oleander’s shoulder.
“I’m fine.” The purple-haired duelist responded in a dismissive tone, “Now if you excuse me, I have stuff to do.” He was about to turn and leave when she tightened her grip on his shoulder.
"̸.̸u̵o̵y̵ ̷t̴u̸o̴b̶a̴ ̶d̴e̷i̴r̶r̴o̷w̶ ̷s̶i̸ ̵e̴n̷o̸y̴r̵e̸v̶e̶ ̸,̴n̶o̴ ̴̴g̴n̸i ̵s̴'̸t̷a̷h̶w̴ ̴e̷m̶ ̶l̸l̸e̶t̵ ̸,̵e̶s̸a̵e̵l̴p̸ ̶,̶c̵r̸a̷Z̵"̴ She said, her voice filled with worry.
“Not this again,” Oleander groaned in frustration as he removed the figure’s hand from his shoulder.
"̷n̷o̵ ̶g̶n̵i̷o̵g̷ ̷s̶'̴t̴a̵h̶w̸ ̸e̶m̶ ̸l̶l̷e̶t̵ ̸,̶e̷m̶ ̷o̶t̷ ̶k̶l̴a̷t̸ ̵,̸u̴o̵y̶ ̵t̷u̷o̴b̸a̸ ̵d̵e̵i̶r̴r̸o̴w̶ ̴m̴'̷I̸"̶ She pleaded while clasping his hands together.
“You want to know what’s bothering me?” The purple-haired duelist got real close to the figure's face. “You’re bothering me, every time you come pestering me about the same thing over and over again.” He jabbed a finger at her. “So pick that concern and shove it up your ass; I don’t need it.”
With a final huff he turned around and started to walk. The figure shouted something, but Oleander couldn’t care less; he had more important stuff to take care of. Reaching his destination, he pushed the door open and…
[Central Academy Main Building - Card Shop - 12:30 PM]
Opening his eyes, Oleander found himself staring at the ceiling of the employees break room. He lay there for a few more moments before he sat up on the couch. Looking around, he spotted two empty bento boxes sitting on the wooden table.
And that’s when he remembered he and Sadie having some lunch before he decided to take a nap, groaning while rubbing his eyes. Oleander dragged himself to a sink to wash his face. Turning on the water, he splashed his face a couple of times before picking a towel to dry himself.
But once he looked at the mirror, he felt his blood running cold and the color drain from his face; behind his terrified reflection stood a monster he was all too familiar with.
Starving Venom Fusion Dragon was standing behind him, and Oleander couldn't do anything but stand there utterly paralyzed by fear. Slowly, he turned around, his body shaking from head to toe, yet when his gaze turned to the room behind him, he saw...nothing.
Quickly turning around, he stared at his reflection again, but this time the mirror only showed his confused, albeit still shaken-up, expression. Letting out a sigh of relief, he fixed his hair and made his way out of the break room.
Now in the card shop, he saw Sadie leaning on the cashier, making some small talk with Blair and Shinji, but the trio stopped to look at Oleander, and their expressions became slightly worried as they saw how shaken up he was.
"I had another one of those dreams." He bluntly stated as he made his way closer to the group and took a seat on the stool that his coworker so graciously offered him.
"That's the third one in a row." Shinji stated as he extended his hand to fix his friend's purple locks, without much success. "Don't you think it's high time you paid Nurse Fontaine a visit?"
"And what exactly am I supposed to tell her?" The purple-haired duelist arched an eyebrow. "That I need some medication for some bad dreams?"
"Maybe she can prescribe you something to make you sleep better?" Blair innocently chimed in, which served to soften Oleander's expression.
"The problem is not the quality of sleep; I'm waking up feeling refreshed." The purple-haired duelist bit his lower lip as he mulled over his words. "What's bothering me is the content of the aforementioned dreams."
"And besides, something weird happened when I woke up." He declared while looking over his shoulder and toward the break room. "When I was washing my face, I saw none other than Starving Venom standing behind me."
"What do you mean by "it was standing behind you"?" Sadie spoke slowly, trying to wrap her head around the bombshell that was dropped.
"I saw its reflection behind mine," Oleander responded truthfully. "But when I turned around, there was nothing, and it also disappeared from the mirror."
"Dude, I think we are dealing with the classic case of a Duel Monster Spirit." Shinji declared with a grave expression.
"Duel Monster Spirit?" Blair repeated what was just said, "What are those?"
"A Duel Monster Spirit is, as the name implies, the spirit of a Duel Monster card." Shinji started to explain as he pulled a Monster Card from his deck. "Torrey believes that every Duel Monsters card is inhabited by a spirit."
"Shinji, I really don't think it's time for you to explain you and your occult club buddies crackpot theory." Sadie bluntly stated, "Oleander is clearly going through something, and those fairy tales won't help in solving his problem."
"It's not a "fairy tale", Sadie." Shinji countered, sounding positively insulted, "We have a mountain of evidence to back up our theory."
"Okay, let's say for a moment that we are indeed dealing with a Duel Monster Ghost, or whatever they're called." The employee motioned to her purple-haired co-worker, "What exactly can you do to help him?"
"I don't know." The Obelisk Blue confidently answered, "But what I do know is that a friend is dealing with something clearly supernatural, and I will give my all to help him."
"Say what you will about him." Blair once again chimed in, "But you can't say that he isn't determined."
Shinji and Sadie bickered for a bit more, but Oleander had simply tuned them out as he immersed himself in deep thought to ponder whatever the hell was happening to him. Be it his sudden change in mood when he summoned the dragon against Chazz or the dreams that plague him nonstop, all those occurrences can be more or less traced back to one culprit, one card in particular.
Starving Venom Fusion Dragon.
"I need to see a professional on the matter." Oleander spoke, causing his coworker and best friend to stop bickering. "I need to see Professor Banner."
[Slifer Red Dorm - Professor Banner’s Office - 13:00 PM]
Standing before the wooden door that led to the office of Professor Lyman Banner was a lone Oleander; his friends offered to come with him, but he refused because things tend to get messy when Duel Monster Spirits get involved.
… On that note, he should keep a close eye on the occultism club to make sure that Shinji doesn’t become a victim when those idiots summon Jinzo.
Getting back on track, the purple-haired duelist mustered up the courage to raise his fist and knock on the door; a few moments passed before shuffling accompanied by a meow was heard, and not long after, the man himself peeked out of the door.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Hemlock.” The alchemist greeted his student with a friendly smile. “How may I help you?”
“Good afternoon, Professor Banner.” Oleander greeted the man with a polite bow. “I have some problems, and I believe you’re the only capable person that can help me.”
"Pray tell, what seems to be the problem?" He tilted his head to the side. "Perhaps you need help with perfecting my fried shrimp recipe?"
"No, it involves..." He bit his lower lip before finally speaking: "Duel Monster Spirits."
In a blink of an eye, Banner's smile faded, and his eyes, which usually remained closed, had opened themselves just enough to spot the red-colored iris. Pursing his lips, the man opened the door before looking left and right, satisfied with the lack of possible onlookers, before urging Oleander inside his office.
Setting foot inside the office, Oleander took a good look at the place; strange apparatus and paraphernalia littered most surfaces, books open to pages depicting strange symbols, and a faint, albeit noticeable, smell of catnip hung in the air. The place could be best described as an organized mess.
"My sincerest apologies for the state of my office." The alchemist lamented as he closed the blinds, "I'm not used to receiving visitors."
"I will be honest; I kind of like this place." Oleander answered truthfully. "It vibes with me."
"So nice to see a younger generation take interest in more esoteric forms of science." The alchemist responded with a soft smile, "Would you like some tea?"
"Considering the topic we will discuss, that sounds like a good idea." The purple-haired duelist took a seat on a chair that sat in front of a wooden desk.
"Then sit tight while I gather the necessary components." The Slifer Red Headmaster made his way to a cupboard and started to rummage through it.
"Just watch out not to make a potion that will turn me into a frog," Oleander joked as some tension was drained from his body.
"Modern media did a disservice to alchemy indeed." Banner lamented by shaking his head in a downtrodden manner, "Alchemy is not all about making potions, you know."
"Yeah, I know it's all about making the elusive Philosopher's Stone." Oleander lazily turned his head to see that Banner was staring at him with a bit of a shocked expression. "Surprise, surprise, I actually pay attention to your classes."
"I shouldn't be surprised; you're one of the selected few that actually turn in their assignments." Banner turned his attention to the kettle as he turned his stove on.
"How long have you been studying alchemy?" Oleander's gaze swept around the office, his eyes passing over various objects that seemed to come straight out of the pages of Harry Potter.
"Good question." Banner hummed to himself while looking up at the ceiling, deep in thought. "I've been conducting my studies for so long that I've lost track of time." He answered truthfully.
“Although I would love nothing more than to sit with you and discuss alchemy all day long, I would like to know about your little problem.” The alchemist peered over his shoulder. “And how it is tied to Duel Monsters Spirits."
Oleander then went on to not only explain the strange dreams he's been having for the past few days but also retell how he saw Starving Venom Fusion Dragon's reflection in the mirror standing behind him.
"And when I turned around there was nothing." The purple-haired duelist finished his explanation with a heavy sigh as he sipped on some tea. "I will be honest with you, professor; I'm starting to get scared."
"A natural human response when presented with something that cannot be logically explained," Banner commented as he settled some tea for his cat.
"So, what now?" Oleander apprehensively asked, "I don't know what to do, and the last thing I need is for one of my best cards to turn out to be some sort of malefic spirit."
"Could you please show me the card in question?" The alchemist settled his tea down. "I would like to see it up close and personal."
Nodding, the purple-haired duelist reached into his holster and pulled the card in question and handed it to the Slifer Red Headmaster.
Holding the card just inches from his face, Banner analyzed it intently, his gaze periodically shifting from the card to Oleander then right back to the card. Seemingly satisfied, he settled the card down but didn't return it to his purple-haired student.
"At a surface level the card looks like any other; however..." Banner cupped his chin. "I couldn't help but notice the uncanny resemblance that you share with it."
"What do you mean by that?" Oleander pressed on.
"It is difficult to put a finger on it, but you two are very much alike." He leaned against his chair and looked at one of the windows. "Even if the resemblance in question doesn't apply appearance-wise."
"Now that you mention it, something happened when I summoned Starving Venom against Chazz." Oleander picked the card and stared at its artwork. "As soon as the card was placed on the field, I felt a sudden rush of euphoria, like all of the frustration was gone in an instant."
"So you believe that the dreams, the visage in the mirror, and the sudden change in mood during your duel against Mr. Princeton can all be tied to this card?" Banner idly tapped his fingers on the wooden surface of his desk.
"It's my only lead." The purple-haired duelist somberly declared as he placed Starving Venom back in his holster.
"I will not lie to you, Mr. Hemlock; this is a most curious situation you brought to my doorstep." The alchemist hummed to himself, "What's the first thing you know about Duel Monster Spirits?"
"Only that they've been around ever since Ancient Egypt."
"Actually, the first records of Duel Monster Spirits date back to the city of Atlantis." Banner chimed in with a knowing smile, "Professor Hopkin's discovery shook the theories to their very core."
"So, how does that help me?" The purple-haired duelist arched an eyebrow.
"I'm merely gauging how knowledgeable you are on the subject." Banner's smile then took on a more prideful air to it: "And while it is severely lacking, you at least are not ignorant to it."
"Mr. Hemlock, what would you say about some private lessons on the matter of Duel Monster Spirits?"
"So you're really going to help me?" Oleander stared at him with his eyes full of expectation.
"But of course, not only is it my duty as a professor and your headmaster." Banner then turned to face the various alchemical paraphernalia that littered his office. "But also as a researcher."
“So, when are we going to start?” The purple-haired duelist shot up from the chair he was sitting in, feeling pumped up.
“Do you have any plans for this weekend?" Banner asked as he opened a drawer to pull a small notebook and started to go through it.
Ten minutes later the door to Banner’s office opened, and from it a very satisfied Oleander emerged. The purple-haired duelist exchanged a few more pleasantries with his headmaster before going on his merry way, leaving Banner to his own devices.
Now alone in his office, Banner let out a sigh of relief as the very atmosphere became a lot lighter. What a peculiar situation he found himself in, one of his students coming up to him looking for some aid regarding a possible spirit plaguing him.
And Mr. Hemlock’s ace monster, the titular Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, was a sight to behold; even if Banner himself lacks the ability to perceive Duel Monster Spirits, he could still feel the killing intent oozing from that card.
Yet the killing intent was more akin to a dog protecting its owner rather than a malicious one. Humming to himself, he walked toward a bookshelf and started to go through some books, eventually landing on a tome in particular, picking it up, and cleaning some dust off its cover, revealing the book's title.
A Comprehensive Understanding of Duel Monster Spirits and How They Affected The Today’s World
By Professor Rebecca Hopkins
[Slifer Red Dormitory - Cafeteria - 13:13 PM]
Oleander hummed to himself as he sat down at a vacant table to enjoy some coffee he had recently brewed, feeling content. In a few days he’d finally get to work on solving his issue, and if everything went well, he would finally have a good night’s sleep.
Setting his mug down, the purple-haired duelist settled his mug down and reached for his holster; removing Starving Venom Fusion Dragon's card from it, he then proceeded to stare intently at the card's artwork. Part of him was hoping that the card didn't have anything to do with the nightmares, but it's like he himself said to Banner, what other leads did he have?
And speaking of the alchemist, while Oleander acknowledged the risk of seeking the leader of the Shadow Riders for help, it was indeed dangerous; at the end of the day, he was the only reliable source to help with his peculiar problem.
And who knows? Maybe Oleander can find something about the man that will give the Key Bearers a leg up or perhaps a piece of evidence that exposes who he truly is. That would be a nice change of pace.
However, Oleander was staring so intently at the card that he didn't notice when a certain Slifer Red with a Kuriboh-shaped hair sat across from him.
"What's up, bro!" Jaden loudly announced himself, startling Oleander and causing him to drop the card.
"Oh... Jaden, it's just you." Oleander let out a sigh of relief. "Sorry, I was focused on something and didn't see you there."
"Yeah, you were staring at that card for a while," he remarked, picking up the card and wagging it. "Is everything alright with you, bro?"
"Yup." Came the quick response as Oleander quickly snatched Starving Venom's card from Jaden's hands and promptly shoved it in his deck holster. "Just caught up with some things, but enough about me. What are you up to lately?"
"The gang and I are thinking of gathering in the cafeteria at night to tell some spooky stories." Jaden said the last part while wagging his fingers.
Oleander stopped mid-sip as he stared Jaden dead in the eyes for a few seconds; Jaden and his friends gathering in the cafeteria to tell some spooky stories sounded oddly familiar...
And that's when a lightbulb, metaphorically and literally, lit itself above the purple-haired duelist; what Jaden was referring to was the setup for the episode where Crowler hires a guy called Titan to essentially scare Jaden off the academy. If memory didn't fail, the plan kind of backfires as the creep ends up kidnapping Alexis, forcing Jaden to enter the Abandoned Dorm.
Which leads to a whole other shit-show that has Jaden and Syrus having to duel against the Paradox Brothers to fight for their spot in the academy. The more Oleander thought about it, the more he was convinced that Sheppard was terrible at his job. No wonder the guy "steps down" in Season 2.
...Granted, Crowler becomes the new chancellor, which isn't much of an improvement, but that whole mess is beside the point. What does count is that Oleander will make sure that none of that happens; just this once, he will take Jaden's place and become the star of the show, because neither Syrus nor Alexis deserves the stress that Crowler put them through because of his wounded ego.
"Oleander, you good, bro?" Jaden waved his hands inches from Oleander's face, slightly concerned by the purple-haired duelist's thousand-yard stare.
"Sorry, I was zoning out for a second there," Oleander said with a smile. "But can I participate in that gathering of yours?" He asked while taking an inconspicuous sip from his coffee. "I do have some rather bone-chilling Brazilian folklore to share."
“I had no idea you were from there!” Jaden said with all the excitement of a child. “Can you teach me how to speak Spanish?”
Oleander’s smile then completely crumbled as he visibly cringed, and that reminded him that while Jaden had a heart pure as gold, he wasn’t exactly the brightest knife in the crayon box…
"Jaden, don't ever say that again." The purple-haired duelist once more settled his mug down to place a comforting hand on his fellow Slifer's shoulder. "Brazilians absolutely hate it when you do something like that."
"My bad," Jaden responded truthfully with an awkward smile as he rubbed the back of his head. "But yeah, the gang would love to have you!"
"Then it is settled; I will join you people tonight." The purple-haired duelist said with a sense of finality as he downed the rest of his coffee, and he then got up from his chair and yawned, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have stuff to do.”
"See you around, bro!" Jaden waved Oleander off as he watched him leave the cafeteria.
[A few hours later at the cafeteria…]
“...and then when he reached his home, he felt something moving in his leg,” Sect said in a menacing tone as he held the lantern close to his face. "He removed the bandage, only to see his wound filled with cockroach eggs!”
"Oh, come on!" Syrus said before he gagged and covered his mouth.
"I think I'm gonna pass out..." Chumley spoke next before falling backwards.
"When did the cockroaches have time to lay eggs?" Oleander questioned, being more puzzled than revolted.
"Eh, I've seen worse things on the internet." Jaden shrugged in, utterly unfazed by Sect's story.
"And that's a wrap!" The freshman declared as he settled the lantern down, "What did you guys think?"
"Sect, we are telling scary stories!" Syrus slammed his hands on the table and pointed an accusatory finger at his fellow Slifer Red "And not gross stories!"
"Hey, take it with the Koreans." Sect raised his hands in a defensive stance. "I didn't come up with that."
"Honestly, Syrus, you should be thanking our friend here." Oleander leaned back on his seat while placing his feet on top of the wooden table. "He told one of the tamer versions."
"That was a tamer version?!" Chumley repeated, utterly bewildered by what he heard.
"All I will say is there's one version involving a girl's tampon." The purple-haired duelist allowed his words to hang in the air.
"Man, Korean people have some sick folklore!" Jaden said with his usual amount of optimism, "And here I thought Japanese people had some out-of-pocket stuff."
"Speaking of folklore, I believe it is my turn," Oleander declared as he placed his hand on top of the deck and yanked a card. "Let's see how many stars my monster has..."
Flipping the card over, the lantern's light illuminated it, revealing it to be Jaden's Winged Kuriboh; seeing the card caused Oleander to let out a melancholic sigh.
"And here I was thinking I was about to tell some scary things." He shook his head as he placed the card on a small pile of monster cards. "Ah well, maybe next time."
"Thank goodness..." Syrus and Chumley spoke at the same time, utterly relieved by the result Oleander drew.
"Well, since I can't exactly tell a scary story, I will tell a pretty interesting one." Grabbing the lantern, Oleander brought it close to his face, casting an odd-shaped shadow behind him. "Do you guys know the story of the Pink Button?"
"What's that?" Sect questioned.
"It is a Brazilian folklore that tells the story of the titular Pink Button." A smile appeared on the purple-haired duelist's face. "Legend speaks of the animal transforming itself into a handsome young man who would go to parties in order to seduce young ladies."
"After getting them pregnant, he would abandon them as he reverted back to his animal form." Setting the lantern down, he scanned the people gathered there. "The legend also speaks of him always wearing a fedora, because they say the little hole that the animal had remains in his human form, reeking with the smell of fish."
"That wasn't scary at all," Chumley declared as he yawned.
"I'm trying to do my best, Chumley." Oleander said in an annoyed tone, "Besides that, the urban legend was so widespread that people actively started killing Pink Buttons." He rubbed the back of his head in an awkward fashion.
"What?!" Everyone spoke at the same time.
"And it wasn't one or two people killing them, oh no." The purple-haired duelist shook his head. "We are talking about groups of up to six men armed with shotguns and hunting rifles going to the Amazon Rainforest to gun down those animals."
"That's horrible!" A mortified Sect declared.
"Yeah, they had to stop it because the Pink Button became an endangered species." Oleander smacked his lips with a sense of finality.
"Now I'm bummed out." Chumley visibly deflated, earning a sympathetic pat on the back from Syrus.
"My, what are you youngsters doing at this hour?" A new voice spoke.
Everyone's attention turned to the cafeteria's door only to see Professor Banner walking in, his cat Pharaoh sleeping soundly in the alchemist's arms.
"Hey, teach!" Jaden waved at the man, "We are telling some spooky stories; care to join us?"
"Spooky stories, you say?" The Slifer Red Headmaster hummed to himself, "Sure, I think I have one or two bone-chilling tales to share with you youngsters."
Crouching down, Banner released his cat, who promptly scurried off somewhere, before reaching forward and drawing a card from the pile. Smirking, he flipped the card, revealing it to be the Level 12 F.G.D.
"Get ready, everyone; things are about to get interesting." Oleander spoke as he adjusted himself on his seat.
Upon sitting at the table, Banner proceeded to tell everyone about the Abandoned Dorm, Central Academy's exclusion zone, while Sect and Chumley were absolutely terrified; the same couldn't be said for the other three.
Oleander and Jaden were interested in the tale, but the same could not be said about Syrus, who looked downright depressed when Banner mentioned the place.
"An abandoned dorm in the middle of the woods where a bunch of students disappeared." The purple-haired duelist mused, "How the hell did you guys manage to keep that under wraps?"
"That's Kaiba Corp. for you, Mr. Hemlock." The alchemist shot back. "When you are the biggest corporation in the world, censorship becomes as easy as the very act of breathing."
"And you just admit it without a shred of shame." The purple-haired duelist points out.
"Denying it would serve no purpose other than insulting your intelligence." Banner then got up and snapped his fingers, which caused Pharaoh to come running and jump straight into his arms. "But I'm afraid I have to cut this gathering short; the promotional exams are in a few weeks, and you youngsters need to rest."
"Don't need to tell us twice!" Chumley hurriedly declared as he and Sect started to gather the card.
A few minutes later the group started to leave the cafeteria while Sect, Chumley, and Jaden were all talking about the stories they told. Oleander looked back to see Syrus lagging behind a bit, his gaze fixed on the ground as he hugged his sides.
"Man, this Abandoned Dorm sounds like some spooky stuff," Jaden giddily declared as he turned to face the group. "What do you guys say we end the night on a high note?"
"No," Syrus said firmly, getting the attention of the group.
"Come on, Sy, we will only get a quick–"
"Jaden, I put up with a lot of stuff that you do." Syrus balled his fists tightly. "But I will not go anywhere near that accursed place, and this is non-negotiable." He squinted his eyes. "Am I clear?"
"Y-yeah, Sy," Jaden nodded with a nervous smile and a forced laugh.
"Sorry, Ja, it's just..." The diminutive Slifer let out a huge sigh.
"It's okay, Sy, I know that I can be a bit much to handle sometimes." The Kuriboh-haired Slifer said as his smile became a lot more genuine.
"Heartwarming bromance aside, I'm not ready to hit the hay just yet." Oleander's gaze turned to the docks. "I think I will go for a little stroll." He paused briefly. "Preferably, alone."
He then waved at the group before making his way to the docks, occasionally looking over his shoulder to see if Jaden's groupie had entered their rooms; once out of sight, his casual stroll immediately broke into a mad dash.
If he's quick enough, he will be able to get Crowler in the act and hopefully have something to stop him from making Jaden's life a living hell.
[Central Academy Outskirts - Docks - 2:45 AM]
Amidst the heavy fog, a lone figure stood. Doctor Vellian Crowler was fidgeting a bit on the spot; beside him stood a silver briefcase filled with money. He didn’t want to resort to such drastic measures, but that slacker simply left him with no choice!
His plans failed one after the other; even his attempt at getting Alexis to report him for trespassing in the girls dorm failed because of that purple-haired slacker. If he wants to play rough, then Crowler would play even rougher. After he was done with Jaden, he would see a fitting punishment for Oleander for getting in his way...yes, Crowler would give him a mountain of homework of titanic proportions...yes, that would teach him.
The fog suddenly got a lot denser, and not long after, heavy footsteps were heard. Gulping, the Obelisk Blue Headmaster did his best to stay his ground as he saw two silhouettes appear in the fog. As the two figures got closer and closer, their features became clearer and clearer.
The one on the left was wearing a black trench coat with some sort of apparatus strapped to his chest and left shoulder; his face possessed a strong jawline, which was adorned with a silver mask that left the bottom half of his face exposed. On top of his head was a black fedora.
The one on the right was also wearing a black trench coat; however, unlike his partner, whose was pure black, his was adorned with dark blue trim lines that ran on his shoulders and chest. His left hand was adorned with a glove that was a one-to-one copy of the ones used in Duelist Kingdom; he had a malicious smirk plastered across his pale face.
"G-gentleman," Crowler began, trying and failing miserably at keeping the sense of authority his voice usually carries, "I thank you two for coming at such short notice."
"Who is the poor sod that needs to be taught a lesson?" The silver-masked individual spoke, his deep voice sending a shiver down the headmaster's spine.
"A-ah, Slifer Red Student by the name of Jaden Yuki." With trembling fingers he reached for his regal blue blazer and pulled a photo of the student in question, which was snatched in a blink of an eye.
"What, that's the target?" The man wearing the glove laughed, "Man, easiest job in the world!"
"Is there anything else you require of us?" The silver-masked individual asked as he took a look at the photo.
"Yes, I would like you two to lure him to the Abandoned Dorm." Crowler then removed a map of the island with a spot in the forest marked.
"Where's the cash?" The man flexed his gloved hand.
Nodding fervently, Crowler quickly picked up the briefcase and opened it, revealing the various bills that were neatly organized in their container. Satisfied with what he saw, the silver-haired man closed the briefcase and picked it up.
"By the time we are done with the pipsqueak, he won't be able to so much as look at a card without wetting his pants." The silver-masked man ominously declared as he extended a hand.
Tentatively, Crowler reached forward and shook the man's hand, but upon doing so, he noticed what seemed to be a flash in the fog, something that didn't go by unnoticed by the duo.
"Did you see that?" The gloved one asked.
"It's nothing." The silver-masked one spoke, "Come on, we have a job to do."
With that, the duo once more walked into the fog, disappearing as fast as they appeared. With a heavy sigh, Crowler picked a piece of fabric to wipe the cold sweat off of his forehead, and not a second later he started to giggle to himself.
"That slacker is done for." The Obelisk Blue headmaster 'graciously' sang as he skipped on his step away from the docks.
Silence permeated the place before it was broken by the sound of someone letting out a long-winded sigh, peeking from his hiding spot. Oleander made sure that the cost was clear. He was expecting Crowler to hire Titan, but he wasn't expecting Panik, of all people, to be making an appearance.
Wasn't that guy sent to the Shadow Realm or whatever by the Pharaoh during the Duelist Kingdom?
Regardless, he now had to double-time to reach Alexis before they did.
[Central Academy Outskirts - Abandoned Dorm - 3:33 AM]
Standing before the Abandoned Dorm was Alexis Rhodes; in her arms she held a bouquet, and with a somber expression, she gently settled down before placing her hands behind her back and bowing her head.
She was so focused on her mourning that she didn’t notice the two tall figures approaching her. Titan extended a hand forward and–
“Alexis!” Oleander shouted from the top of his lungs, “Get down!”
The blonde whipped around to see the two creeps and managed to dodge just in time before they could grab her. Titan balled his fists as he growled in frustration.
"Oleander!?" She asked, sounding out of breath, "What's going on here!?"
"I was taking a stroll through the docks and saw those creeps." The purple-haired duelist hastily explained as he helped the blonde back on her feet. "I decided to tail them, which led me here."
"I knew there was someone there!" Panik concluded with a click of his tongue. "If you were there, it means you heard too much."
"Who the hell are you two creeps?" Alexis growled as she turned her hateful gaze toward the duo.
"We are the harbingers of your doom." Titan declared ominously as he pressed a button in his suit, causing the gemstone on it to go from a dull blue to a vibrant red.
"I am Panik." The man in question declared with a cocky grin as he mimicked his partner's actions, "And we are about to teach you snot-nosed brats not to meddle with grown-up business!"
"They are here because of Jaden." Oleander turned to face the blonde with a grave expression. "I don't know what it is, but it can't be good."
"If you two think I will allow a friend of mine to be hurt," Alexis glowered as she activated her duel disk and assumed her dueling stance. "Then you are sorely mistaken."
"Good thing I brought my own toy to this." The purple-haired duelist declared with a smirk as he activated his duel disk and assumed his stance, "Time to show them the true meaning of fear."
Duel!
To be continued…