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Post by David Frost on Oct 25, 2009 22:01:55 GMT -5
It was at that point when David blinked at Jugan and then muttered a sigh while rubbing the bridge of nose. "Jugan... That's not the point I'm making." he told the other student, a snappish and slightly exasperated tone entering his words. "Come on, I know you better than this. We both know that the "dark and serious" thing isn't your style. In all the time that I've known you, you've never ONCE given one rip about what other people thought of you. Something is eating you and it's affecting the way you duel. I mean... Look!" he exclaimed while gesturing to Jugan's field. "Even when you were at the height of your silly manliness, even with all the posing and the shouted slogans, you would've gotten out one of your ace monsters by now. Hell, you would probably be on the verge of beating me like you have so many times before."
For a moment, David had the unthinkable idea of giving Jugan one free tum to let him gather his forces, but it was immediately discarded as soon as he thought of it. For one thing, Jugan would never forgive David if he ever found out about it. And for another, and as much as David hated to admit it, he respected Jugan too much to do something like that. Jugan might have been an irresponsible, loudmouthed, and silly fool of a guy... But he and David were still friends, damn it! And like any good friend would do for his good friend... David would crush Jugan with everything he had rather than show him pity. As a token of respect.
"All right... Grane, Baldyr, and Munin... Finish him off."
And so they did.
With a communal roar that shook the Duel Arena down to its core, the three Rune Beasts charged at Jugan and inflicted the final punishment of the Duel. Baldyr mauled the Slifer with tooth and claw, Munin slashed at him with long and curved talons, and Grane sought to pummel him to the ground under the fury of his back hooves. The three attacks came together and collided with Jugan with a tremendous amount of force, an explosion of dust and kinetic energy bursting out from where he stood.
And then it was all over.
As the holograms of the duel faded into nothingness, David deactivated his Duel Disk and then glowered at Jugan like an older brother chastising his young sibling. Despite the fact that the two of them were roughly the same age. "That was....sad, Jugan. Pretty sad." the Obelisk stated matter-of-factly. "So are you going to tell me what's bothering you or do I need to beat it out of you?"
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Post by "Jugan" Kannouteki on Oct 25, 2009 22:16:05 GMT -5
""Even when you were at the height of your silly manliness, even with all the posing and the shouted slogans, you would've gotten out one of your ace monsters by now. Hell, you would probably be on the verge of beating me like you have so many times before." Jugan heard what David was saying, and just looked off to the side. He was busy bracing for the end of the duel. When it came, part of the Slifer was relieved that he didn't have to embarrass himself any more. The other part of him was just sad. Sad that he'd played so pitifully and sad that he'd lost by such a wide margin. "So are you going to tell me what's bothering you or do I need to beat it out of you?" Jugan sighed and saw down on the side of the Duel Arena. He held up two fingers. "Two thousand. That's what you call nearly beating you. I've payed attention to every time I've dueled you. That's the closest I ever got to winning.""I guess I wanted to see if I was right. When you were about to brush me off before we started, I had a thought. When I was a kid, I never beat my older brother." Jugan sighed and took his coat off of his shoulders and removed those silly glasses of his. "Back at West, I lost to most of the people I dueled. I can't beat you after seeing your cards so many times, and I can't even beat my roommate. Everyone I know is getting better at this, but I'm staying in one spot." Jugan rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm the only one who's not improving. Between hearing voices when I'm alone in the room, and getting the feeling that someone's watching me, and losing more and more... I'm getting a little depressed." Jugan sighed and laid back on the Arena floor. "Something big is about to go down. I can feel it in my bones. And what scares me is that I won't be ready for it."
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Post by David Frost on Oct 25, 2009 22:56:25 GMT -5
Ah... So that was it. David should've figured that Jugan would've thought about that sooner or later. To be honest, the guy just seemed so dense in the head that it was kind of a surprise that he was acting like this now. But even so, it was only natural that Jugan would start having doubts eventually. It proved that he was human.
After uttering another muttered sigh and feigning an eyeroll (for the sake of his image), David stuck his hands into the deep pockets of his Obelisk jacket and headed over to where Jugan was sitting and sat down beside him. "Jugan, I'm about to tell you something that may seem basic right now, but it's helped me get better more than anything else." he began while he rummaged around in his pocket to find a toothpick and stuck it in his mouth. "Rather than worrying about knowing your opponent's cards, you should be concentrating more on your own. Think about it. You're going to be coming across opponents that you've never met and be seeing them play cards you've never even heard of before. There's no way that you can predict what type of Deck they'll be playing or what cards they'll be using. The only thing that you can do is take whatever they can dish out and then find a way to give it right back at them. And the only way to do that is to know exactly what your Deck is capable of and how to use it when the time is right." he continued while chewing thoughtfully on the toothpick. The expression on his face seemed more aloof than caring, but that was just the way it was between guys. And when two people knew each other for as long as David and Jugan had, that sort of thing became natural before too long.
"In other words, you need to know your cards even better than the back of your own hand. Better than you even know yourself. And trust them to pull through for you a lot more than you were doing today." he finished on a stern note, his brow furrowing a little as he shot a little glare at Jugan.
With that said, David laid his back down on the Duel Field floor and rested his arms behind his head. He seemed to be choosing his next words carefully while being bored at the same time. "If I were you I'd back to the dorms and have a little heart-to-heart with your Deck, so to speak. Go over each card you've got and then try to think of all the ways they can help you gain the advantage in a Duel. Consider all the possibilities that could happen.... Because they will happen sooner or later."
That was it. Simple as that. No talks about bigger strategies or more powerful monsters... Simply because they weren't needed. Another one of the lessons David learned the hard way was that best strategies were often the ones that you came up with yourself. And David figured that Jugan wouldn't be any different.
"So... Tell me more about this strange stuff you've been seeing." he told Jugan quietly. His face didn't seem like it, but he definitely hadn't missed what Jugan had said about strange dreams, hearing strange stuff, and feelings of being watched. He wasn't too thrilled with the concept... But maybe there was more to Jugan than met the eye. And if that was so, then David needed to hear everything about it to be prepared.
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Post by "Jugan" Kannouteki on Oct 25, 2009 23:15:37 GMT -5
Jugan nodded in response to everything David said. He needed to know his deck better. He needed to formulate his own strategies and test them out. It made sense that David was the one point all this out to him. After all, it was Daivd who had given him the idea of making the XYWYZ deck in the first place. And it was David who had given him to of his most valuable cards: The A-Summon Drone and the Super Union spell card. "Have a heart-to-heart with my deck, huh?" To anyone else, the phrase would've made a metaphorical sense. Leave it to Jugan to take the phrase literally. "I'll have a chat with my deck when I get back to my dorm room." Jugan's grin grew even wider as he prepared to sit up and take his leave. "So... Tell me more about this strange stuff you've been seeing." Jugan looked at David with a quizzical look on his face, but shrugged and kept talking. "Well, it's weird. Everytime I'm about to do something crazy or manly, some voice calls out to me and makes me think about it twice. When something does that to me, you know something's up. And as for the weird dreams, they vary a lot. But I distinctly remember when I was a kid, I had a nightmare about a monster. It crushed my arms and tore out my innards. It was a Gene-Warped Warwolf, if my memory serves. S'why I wrap these bandages every morning, makes it easier to relax." Jugan tapped his left forearm in emphasis. "The nightmares started coming back only recently, but I started hearing the voice... lessee... It was back at West. When you helped me put together my deck.""Why do you wanna know all this?"
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Post by David Frost on Oct 26, 2009 0:56:17 GMT -5
David could only shrug at Jugan's question from his spot on the floor. "Call it intuition. But something is telling me that what you're experiencing may be loosely tied to what I'm looking for."
The truth was that he had no idea if that was true, but the timing of them was something he just couldn't ignore. The fact that these weird nightmares Jugan was having started coming back only a few days after the Tablet of the Seven Attributes was found broken at the Domino Museum was the first warning sign. And the second was that he seemed to be feeling a "presence" ever since David had helped him put together his Deck. Usually duel spirits didn't show themselves to people unless the person was destined for something, based on what David knew of them. And now Jugan was leading David to believe that one was with him even now.
Coincidence? I think not.
"All right... Since you leveled with me, that means I gotta do the same with you. Remember that weird stuff that happened back West Academy a few years ago? Back when students were claiming that a Vampire Lord was turning everyone into zombies and having them attack the school? This... is going to sound a bit like that time." David muttered thoughtfully as he sat back up and turned his head towards Jugan. He spoke a little hesitantly at first, but mainly because he wasn't sure if telling his friend what he knew was the right thing to do. If he did level with Jugan, then he could be putting the Slifer on a dangerous path that he might not be able to get away from. But if he didn't, and his suspicions were right about him, then David was going to need Jugan's help for... whatever it was that was coming.
Jugan had been right about one thing. There was something big coming. And now it seemed that Jugan was now somehow involved with it.
Knowing that, David took a deep breath and resigned himself to the fact that he had no choice but to tell Jugan his real reasons. He had already told the other boy that he would, anyway. And he was never the type to go against what he had said. "The real reason why I requested a transfer to Duel Academy was so I could do some investigating into the events surrounding the Tablet of the Seven Attributes. I don't know how much you know about it, but it was found destroyed at the Domino Museum. The police are looking into it now, but I doubt they'll find anything useful at this point."
He paused in order to let his words sink in and to buy him time to choose his next ones carefully. What he was about to tell Jugan now were the probably the ones that would decide his fate from now on. "That tablet contained a legend that described the never-ending war for supremacy between the six Elemental Attributes and the Divine Attribute. Picture monsters or spirits that are the very embodiment of the elements that make up the game of Duel Monsters. We're talking things that could probably overpower the three Egyptian Gods in Yugi Mutou's Deck." He paused again to let his words sink in for Jugan before continuing. "Not only that, but the tablet also stated that those Attributes were sealed inside of the tablet itself. And now that same tablet is nothing but a pile of rubble somewhere in the museum's basement. So that leads me to believe one of two things. Either the spirits that might've been trapped in there were destroyed with the tablet... Or they're now running loose in our world. And what I've found out so far leads me to believe that they definitely aren't gone."
There. He had said it. The proverbial bomb had been dropped. Now David could only surmise that one of two things were about to happen. Jugan would believe what David was telling him and see that it made a small bit of bizarre sense with what was happening to him. Or he would think that David had gone looney and had fallen off his rocker. Either way, it was now Jugan's choice to make.
"So that's why I came to Duel Academy." David continued with a tired sigh tinging his words. "Based on what I've found out through my... "sources"... It seems that whenever something weird involving Duel Monsters happens... Duel Academy is usually somehow involved, either directly or indirectly. I figured this would be the best place to start looking for information and to... find those who might be able to help stem the tide of... well, whatever is going to happen. I don't know what it is yet, but I know it's going to be big. Bigger than probably this world has ever seen."
He turned to face Jugan fully and to fix him with a level stare. It was to show Jugan that he knew what he was talking about and that he certainly didn't think he was crazy about the stuff he knew. "The fact that you've started having these nightmares again and that you've been feeling a weird presence around you at times... Well, let's just say that I don't really believe in coincidences."
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Post by "Jugan" Kannouteki on Oct 26, 2009 18:20:21 GMT -5
"That tablet contained a legend that described the never-ending war for supremacy between the six Elemental Attributes and the Divine Attribute. Picture monsters or spirits that are the very embodiment of the elements that make up the game of Duel Monsters. We're talking things that could probably overpower the three Egyptian Gods in Yugi Mutou's Deck." He paused again to let his words sink in for Jugan before continuing. "Not only that, but the tablet also stated that those Attributes were sealed inside of the tablet itself. And now that same tablet is nothing but a pile of rubble somewhere in the museum's basement. So that leads me to believe one of two things. Either the spirits that might've been trapped in there were destroyed with the tablet... Or they're now running loose in our world. And what I've found out so far leads me to believe that they definitely aren't gone." Jugan stared at David and blinked a few times. This was... different. "David, forgive my lack of manly terms but... and I really have no other way to word this..." Jugan cleared his throat, and with the most serious face ever stated very plainly. "Frost, you's a jive fool.""Is what I would be saying if what you said didn't make a modicum of sense." Jugan's grin returned. "Look at you, David Frost! Not even eighteen yet and on the verge of breaking an old-as-dirt mystery!" Jugan jumped up and pointed straight at the ceiling, in a typical 'manly' pose. "AND THAT MY FRIEND, IS MANLY!"A few seconds passed and Jugan's stance returned to normal. "So, about this bodiless voice. What's up with it?" Jugan tilted his head as he looked at David. "And how exactly am I involved?"
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Post by David Frost on Oct 27, 2009 19:38:17 GMT -5
For a few seconds, David could do nothing but sit on the floor and stare blankly at the "manly" pose that Jugan had struck. Yep, he was certainly feeling like his old self again! Whether or not that was a good thing was something David wasn't sure of yet, but in the end he decided that it didn't really matter enough to ponder about. "Well... Thanks for the compliment. I think..." the hooded Obelisk replied to Jugan, a small but exasperated sigh leaving his lips as he turned to look absently at the main entrance. He seemed to be trying to choose his words very carefully before speaking.
"Keep in mind that I've really got no way of knowing for sure, ya know. Whatever it is that you've been hearing must be pretty good at hiding itself because I can't really feel anything else around you. I'm not doubting your word or anything.... Just saying." he began carefully. His gaze wandered from the twin doors to look at Jugan squarely. "But it sounds like that you've got a little friend that's following you around. A duel spirit, based on what you've told me. As for why it's chosen to follow you, I can't say. It's reasons are its own."
With that, David stood up from his spot on the floor and stretched his arms over his head as if he had a kink in his back. In reality, it was a habit of his for whenever he was doing some pretty heavy thinking. Jugan knew it well enough since he had seen David do it so many times back at Duel Academy West. And the only reason that the silver-haired teen ever seemed to have for doing heavy thinking was when there was something strange going on. "However..." he began slowly before turning to face Jugan fully. "I'm going to go out on a limb and tell you this, too. Based on what I've seen and experienced... Duel spirits normally only reveal themselves to people who are destined for something. And who also possess the affinity to see and hear them, obviously."
A brief pause followed to let his words sink in. "And... Again, I can't be sure... But it seems a bit ironic to me that these nightmares you've been having would surface again at around the same time that the tablet is found broken in the Domino Museum. It could be related, but then it might not be. Either way... It seems you've now got the potential to do some great things, Jugan."
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Post by "Jugan" Kannouteki on Oct 29, 2009 12:53:48 GMT -5
Jugan blinked at David for a few minutes. "Duel... spirit? That sounds kinda lame." Jugan laughed. "Me? Be destined for great things?" Jugan laughed loudly, like he always did.
"WAY TO STATE THE OBVIOUS, DAVEY-BOY!" Jugan struck another 'manly' pose and started shouting. "DON'T YOU KNOW THAT WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BADASS SLIFER RED, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT ME!? THE PURE PARAGON OF MANLINESS, A SYMBOL OF MASCULINITY! I AM A TORCH THAT SHINES WITH A ROARING, MANLY FLAME, THAT I SHINE ON THROUGH THE DARKNESS AND DURING THE ROUGHEST DOWNPOURS! WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM!? AS IF I COULD BE DESTINED FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN GREATNESS!"
Jugan took a deep breath before continuing. "IT'S PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME, WHO GO BEYOND THE IMPOSSIBLE AND KICK PROBABILITY'S ASS TO THE CURB! WHETHER THE PATH IS IMPOSSIBLE, OR EVEN LAUGHABLE, WE ARE DESTINED TO WALK THIS PATH! IF THERE'S A WALL IN OUR WAY, WE TEAR IT DOWN! IF THERE IS NO PATH TO BE SEEN, WE BUILD IT WITH OUR OWN TWO HANDS! THE HEAT OF CREATION BURNS IN OUR HEARTS AND IN OUR SOULS! WE DON'T NEED TO BELIEVE IN OTHERS TO BELIEVE IN OURSELF! WE BELIEVE IN OUR OWN MIGHT, THAT BELIEVES IN US! OUR SOULS ARE THE ONES THAT RIP THROUGH HELL, HEAVEN, EARTH, FATE, IMPOSSIBILITY, AND RIGHT ON THROUGH TO TOMORROW! JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK WE ARE!?"
((... I am extremely proud of this post.))
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Post by David Frost on Oct 29, 2009 20:53:08 GMT -5
IT'S PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME, WHO GO BEYOND THE IMPOSSIBLE AND KICK PROBABILITY'S ASS TO THE CURB! WHETHER THE PATH IS IMPOSSIBLE, OR EVEN LAUGHABLE, WE ARE DESTINED TO WALK THIS PATH! IF THERE'S A WALL IN OUR WAY, WE TEAR IT DOWN! IF THERE IS NO PATH TO BE SEEN, WE BUILD IT WITH OUR OWN TWO HANDS! THE HEAT OF CREATION BURNS IN OUR HEARTS AND IN OUR SOULS! WE DON'T NEED TO BELIEVE IN OTHERS TO BELIEVE IN OURSELF! WE BELIEVE IN OUR OWN MIGHT, THAT BELIEVES IN US! OUR SOULS ARE THE ONES THAT RIP THROUGH HELL, HEAVEN, EARTH, FATE, IMPOSSIBILITY, AND RIGHT ON THROUGH TO TOMORROW! JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK WE ARE!?"
Oh Gods... As David watched Jugan strike yet another "manly" pose and point his finger straight up at the ceiling, he was suddenly overcome with the strange sensation that he had just created a monster. He couldn't even remember the last time he had seen Jugan become this fired up about anything before! So great was Jugan's enthusiasm, so bright was the passion for adventure burning in soul, David almost thought that fireworks were going to start erupting in the background behind Jugan at any moment now! And to be perfectly honest, he wouldn't have been the least bit surprised if that had actually happened at that moment.
A moments of silence passed between the two friends. Jugan was still in that ridiculous pose and David could only sit there blankly staring at him. After another short while, David finally turned away from Jugan and heaved a mildly exasperated sigh before coming to his feet. His hands were already pulling the white hood of his Obelisk jacket as he started to head toward the door. "I think we're a couple of fools, to be honest." he said as he descended down the steps of the Duel Field. "Here we are... A couple of snot-nosed teenagers getting ready to take on forces with powers beyond most human comprehension. And we still don't even know what's going to be happening in the future. If anything at all. Sounds pretty foolish, doesn't it?"
The words might've seemed pessimistic at first, but there was a wry bit of amusement in David's voice as he spoke them. One could almost picture the smirk he had on his lips just by the sound of his voice, despite the hood that covered most of his head from view. It made him sound like he was relishing the coming challenge rather than fearing it. In his own "milder-than-Jugan" kind of way, of course. Jugan.
In a way, that was probably the biggest difference between the two friends. Jugan was the passionate idealist, blazing ahead and clearing the path with nothing but the power of his own two-hands. David was the practical realist, considering what may lay ahead and then judging his actions around them. But just because he was a realist in that respect... It certainly didn't make him a coward, either.
Just when David was about to pass through the Duel Arena's main entrance, the boy suddenly stopped walking and glanced at Jugan over his shoulder. His expression seemed serious, almost even dire when he looked at Jugan in the eyes. "I know what you're thinking right now, but please don't do anything rash. We need a lot more accurate information before either one of us should start marching off into battle. And remember to go over your Deck... One card at a time. You'll need them and your wits to be at their best for... whatever is coming."
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