A Shaky Start

[Takuto Starwind]

"So much for my grand entrance," said Takuto, sighing as he caught sight of the shore in which he would fine tune his dueling skills. It was just his luck that he had received his acceptance letter into Duel Academy late due to a mailing difficulty... though he should have anticipated that, considering he was a traveler, constantly on the move. It would have been all fine but even after taking the next earliest ride to the Duel Academy that he had to undergo by himself and the boat's captain, he had missed the first two classes of Shadow Science, which had been his first choice. Hoping the letter to the Prof. Morrison of the Shadow Science branch had reached his destination, Takuto stepped on the shore.

It was already getting dark and he was wondering whether he should consider going to the Slifer's Mess Hall for a bite. Considering the unwanted attention he was bound to attract at coming at so late an hour, Takuto slowly stopped to view his surroundings. Nearby where the Slifer Dorms, which where exactly has he heard. "No point in going to my room since I'm not tired," said Takuto. Even though most of his luggage was already in his room, Takuto didn't feel like unpacking and felt like exploring near the shore, away from the lights of the Dorms and under stars.

Slowly walking with his head up at the sky, Takuto muttered, "The stars are bright here at least, not lost under the lights of the city." Quickly bringing himself back to reality, he began thinking about his predicament. What if he was not accepted into Shadow Science? He guessed he could go to another class, but that one really piqued his interest. He sighed once again and laid himself at the grass, thoughts pacing back and forth.

"This was a shaky start indeed...." said Takuto.

[(anyone feel free to join )]

[Zephyrus Dunavant]

“Indeed, it was.”

The sudden agreement came from the most unlikely of sources. Zephyrus was the Obelisk dorm advisor and the assistant headmaster of Duel Academy. He rarely left his office, choosing usually to ignore human contact whenever he could. It wasn’t that he was a social misfit—nay, he was rather adept at navigating all of the twists and turns of human interaction. He simply disliked the way conversation often went. He would inwardly cringe whenever they would try to fill the air with convoluted small talk about his day or his hobbies. He hated the awkwardness of trying to talk about his family or his career. Being at home in his desk, reading through dozens of books a day, or perfecting his duel deck that he would hardly ever use seemed a more worthy pursuit of his time.

The life was not a particularly satisfying one, but nothing really was. Zephyrus had, by 19, already developed a cool blasé that most people twice his age had not experienced. Maybe age, in fact, would temper his expectations and help him, but for now, he found that he was difficult to please and few things rose up to the task. Not the least of which were Slifer slackers.

Not that Zephyrus was inherently biased against Slifers. He knew that some of them were very capable duelists who simply, for whatever reason, chose not to apply their significant talents towards their schoolwork. He knew that there were a significant number of them that could probably outduel his Obelisk students, but Zephyrus ran his house a little different than his predecessors. By definition, he included the top percentile. It was a complete meritocracy, and if a student lacked the skill, he could find himself on the wrong side of a Zephyrus boot on the bum.

Zephyrus had gone to the academy himself, and he knew the ins and outs of the dormitory system. He was a four-year alum of Obelisk Blue, and his position within the house was never even threatened. He reigned as Kaiser practically as soon as he stepped foot on the campus, and he had earned his place of prestige as an incredibly gifted duelist during that time. He even went into the career everyone expected him, and won a major tournament as a professional. But that life wasn’t for him—it failed to interest him, it failed to entice him. Being the assistant headmaster failed to entice him either, but he was at least out of the annoying glare of the public spotlight.

That was why, to anyone else, it may have been a shock to see the eccentric Obelisk advisor out near the pier. But for Takuto, he could only see the distinguished, handsome gentleman with regal presence and indescribable majesty approaching him. To many, this form of physical quality seemed to intimidate them. Zephyrus was, in fact, very subtly intimidating, in the sense that so many people found themselves subconsciously comparing themselves to the picture he presents and finding that they fall short.

“I assume,” he began, his smooth voice effortlessly charming—hardly like anyone would expect of a practical hermit. “That this is your first day.”

[Takuto Starwind]

Moving his head very briefly at the source of the sudden and unexpected intrusion, he turned his head back as it was. In those brief seconds he realized that it was an Obelisk that seemed rather composed but slightly intimidating for some reason. The latter couldn't be explained but Takuto doubted that it was simply because of the fact that he presided in the Obelisk faction of the Duel Academy. Other than that, it seemed that he was also slightly older than him, at most by three years.

Shifting some of his curiosity as to why someone else would be here at this time at night, he quickly dismissed the thought, as it was useless trying to figure it out without an adequate amount of information. This habit was one that had formed in his childhood, for his parents were rarely around when needed and had to therefore consult the vast wisdom that their library housed for any inquiries he had. Ironically, this habit did not clash at all with some of his beliefs... though most would consider mere illusions.

It was his first encounter with anybody from Duel Academy and Takuto could not help but feel slightly irritated, because not only did the Obelisk intrude upon his private conversation with himself, but he seemed to lack basic manners. Not wanting to prolong the silence any longer than needed between them, he decided to respond.

Slowly getting up as he had been searching the night skies for constellations and possibly other objects of interest that most people would scoff at, he properly introduced himself to the Obelisk, "Pleasure to meet you, I'm Takuto Starwind and you assume correctly, though it would not have been much of an assumption depending on the amount of time you were hearing me."

[Zephyrus Dunavant]

“Don’t mind me,” he mused pleasantly as he got the sense that Takuto felt his privacy was violated, “I was just passing by.”

The assistant headmaster did not teach any classes, largely because he would never have the patience to actually lead a class in lecture, but also because he was much too unreliable. While he demonstrated extreme brilliance whenever he brought the initiative, Zephyrus could hardly be called on to deliver on a day-to-day basis. He moved as the wind did, with almost irresistible albeit whimsical force.

The boy quickly introduced himself as Takuto Starwind, a name that he found rather amusing if only for the unusual juxtaposition. Normally, Zephyrus disliked it when people offered their name too easily or too eagerly in conversations. If Zephyrus did not like the way the conversation developed, he would often refrain from mentioning his name. Besides, once people got on a first-name basis, he noticed that the conversation often changed. Some of his best conversations were the trivial, capricious ones that anonymity and circumstance afforded. But this time, he let it slide and offered his own name in response.

“I’m Zephyrus Dunavant,” he replied, refraining from introducing his title. Zephyrus had already went against his nature to offer his name, and he figured that adding his title would just be putting too much out too soon. After all, he did not want to scare the boy before he barely met him. The whole time, however, he had been measuring up the new student in his mind. The assistant headmaster had greeted many students at the academy before, especially those within the Blue dorm. Besides, most students changed their behavior to be more… proper… after they find out that they were speaking to a staff member. That annoyed Zephyrus to no end, not to mention it was insulting to his intelligence, as if he wouldn’t know about it.

“So what brings you to duel academy?”

[Takuto Starwind]

Giving a slight smile, he realized that "Zephyrus Dunavant" had caught on to his hint. For some reason he always could not stop himself from subtly scrutinizing strangers for their bad etiquette, since he could not help but to take it a bit personally. Nevertheless, he decided to drop the matter and consciously forgave Dunavant, for he was not at fault and Takuto believed that he was simply venting on Dunavant because of his bad beginning in Duel Academy.

Though he was certain that he had heard the name Dunavant once in Domino City, though whether it was from a fellow citizen or in a text he read he could not recall. Shrugging it off as a trivial matter, his mind began to wander once again back to the skies. Choosing to go on about as he was, as all necessary formalities had been settled, he laid back down on the ground to look at the stars leisurely before giving Zephyrus a response.

"Just going along where fate blows me to... A scout found me and here I am, honing my dueling skills while doing my other passion... stargazing." Takuto could have gone on of course, but then he would not be able to stop himself... how could he explain how he felt at the idea of how can humanity could never hope to know the vast space that is always above our very own heads? For some reason looking at the stars always calmed him and left him in a pondering state.

[Zephyrus Dunavant]

The Dunavant name had been an illustrious one. Aside from Zephyrus winning the only major tournament he had ever entered in the professional ranks, his sister was arguably the best duelist in the world. He was, almost, surprised that the boy did not immediately offer up ‘Adelphie Dunavant’ the second that he had volunteered his name. Zephyrus was, after all, almost universally known as the Widowmaker’s less famous and less accomplished older brother. Though he didn’t mind the moniker, he still breathed a refreshed breath when the boy did not bother to mention his sibling.

“Of course,” Zephyrus breathed softly. He didn’t feel like bothering someone who had more interest in looking at the stars than speaking. He took a moment to glance up towards the heavens himself, figuring he could always brush up on the astrology that he learned as a child. The late October sky offered a refreshing number of constellations. Perhaps his favorite, though, was one that crossed the Meridian earlier that very month.

“Did you find Pegasus?” he asked the boy, as his eyes trailed through the stars to land on the constellation in question. The stars simply twinkled much brighter when out on the island, away from the bright city lights and bustling people that were too busy to notice them. On the island, a lot of people decided to reconnect with nature, either through long hikes through its impressive veneer or—much like the Slifer was doing—gazing up at the stars. There was just so much to see and enjoy, even late in the evening.

But there had been something bothering the assistant headmaster about the boy, and it had been bothering him ever since he saw—or heard, rather—him. The way he spoke to himself, or his ‘interesting’ name, or how he was just ‘discovered’ by a scout. Zephyrus obviously had an in-depth understanding of the administrative and bureaucratic work behind Duel Academy, and he himself had been one of the people in charge with admissions, so he knew of most students well before they arrived. He, also, like most people, hated when others obscured the truth from him (it was just as bad as lying in his eyes)—the only difference was that Zephyrus was much harder to fool…

“And the truth would be nice,” he smirked. The words may have come across as terribly intrusive from someone else, but the effortless, sensible way that Zephyrus said it made it seem like more like friendly ribbing than anything impolite.

[Takuto Starwind]

Still laying down when he thought he had heard something from Zephyrus, Takuto was about to question him before he quickly led the conversation, if it could be called one, to the stars overhead. Pleasantly surprised, Takuto was even more so by the question Zephyrus had asked.

Takuto gave a small chuckle and said, "Pegasus? I had the opportunity to learn the constellations long ago but choose not to undergo the classes for I believed it is was for the best to find my own constellations, as strange as that may seem." Indeed, he had steered clear of such texts involving such information, since to Takuto thought they did nothing short but to explain an image at a given time. Space was ever-changing, and Takuto hated when something so free and out of the grasp of humanity was rationalized in order to feign dominance.

It wasn't too long before however, he heard him say, "And the truth would be nice." At first Takuto's attention was too divided to fully grasp the meaning of Zephyrus's words. The only logical point of interest he could have been addressing would be his story into how he came to be in Duel Academy in the first place. At once he realized he have some sort of authority within the academy to have knowledge about the new duelists. Takuto remained as he was, thought it did make him think when he had met the Duel Academy scout.

It was a few weeks ago, where he was traveling with no real sense or purpose in Domino City. Ahead of he saw a duel in the process, a man dressed very well dueling against a kid around his age, though it was apparent that the kid was in a very bad position. Despite it being in the afternoon there was nobody around so Takuto hid from view to see the duel. He was thoroughly enjoying himself until the conclusion, in which the kid had fallen and was crying.

Running over there, the man stood nearby holding in his hand a card in his hand. Apparently that man played with very high stakes, which is how he now had in his possession the kid's favorite card. Of course Takuto felt he had no choice but to duel him, which Takuto narrowly managed to do so, if it had not been for a certain card. Shaken, a wallet dropped from the man's vest and his identification indicated he was a scout from the Duel Academy. Imposing card antes while scouting was forbidden Takuto knew, but after the man had dueled Takuto the man said that he would never again subject kids to his malicious duels and would recommend Takuto for the Duel Academy....

"Let's just say the scout had seen the light after taking a trip outside his world," said Takuto.

[Zephyrus Dunavant]

So he was being cryptic.

Zephyrus never understand the appeal in being so circumloquacious in answering questions, as it never served much of a worthy purpose. Did they really feel like they were being smart or witty by saying as little as possible? Did they feel like they were outsmarting the other guy? As far as he could tell, no sensible person with more than half a brain would believe that Takuto said all that he knew about the ‘duel scout,’ and Zephyrus certainly was more than sensible and had much more than half a brain. He found the effort to be poorly done and in poor taste.

While making his own constellations may have been cute, his evasiveness certainly wasn’t. Trying to deflect questions from someone who could have him expelled with so much as a signature was certainly not something that the boy should be attempting to do, and if he was trying to get on Zephyrus’s good side, his smug reply was certainly not the way to go. It just dripped of an arrogance beyond his ability to back it up. As someone most anyone would describe as extremely witty, Zephyrus found the Slifer’s attempt at misdirection an insult to his intelligence.

“Did you point out your own constellations to him while he took his trip?” Zephyrus responded coolly, turning his own words against him. He was calling out his arrogance on two fronts; the first in attempting to mislead Zephyrus with an intentionally vague and useless response even after he explicitly told him to explain himself, and the second was the he would invent his own ‘constellations.’ Constellations were such because they have centuries of myth and history behind them. Any two year old could doodle and find shapes amongst the stars, but that didn’t make them ‘constellations’ in the slightest.

“And,” he continued, his voice turning deathly icy, as if capable of sucking the warmth and life out of others’ hearts. He had limited patience for someone who wanted to waste his and everyone else’s time with idiocy. “While you’re telling me that story, you can also tell me what actually happened—in other words, the truth, as I asked.”

[Takuto Starwind]

Takuto sighed as he realized at that minute some of worst suspicions that he had tried to keep at bay. First of all, Zephyrus probably thought of him as something no more than a fool because of his responses. This actually suited him just fine since he was entitled to his opinion and nothing he could do would be able to change it. Takuto guessed he would have to look elsewhere to find someone with a similar train of thought. Second, it seemed that Zephyrus was more than just a student for his increasing persistence on Takuto's enrollment confirmed his suspicions on him being part of the Duel Academy staff somewhere near the top, according to the manner in which he spoke.

It was clear from his reaction that Dunavant liked things clear and laid out- as in he didn't like being kept in the dark or vague responses. Also, from his various questions which where steadily assuming the form of commands he was one that was accustomed to be treated rather highly. This made Takuto think back, for he knew he had heard "Dunavant" before but not with Zephyrus as a first name. Could he be lying about his name?

For someone who was "just passing by" he sure seemed to be engaged into this conversation thought Takuto. He could even consider it an interrogation, as the Obelisk was giving him to time ask Takuto his own questions before Zephyrus launched a fresh wave of his own. This was certainly one-sided situation in which he was being forced to divulge some information about himself to a complete stranger, for he had reason to believe that he was not all that he had presented himself to be.

"No, he made his constellations from his own free will," said Takuto in a nonchalant manner. So what if he made his own constellations? Weren't the widely accepted constellations nearly everyone knew about mere mnemonics designed to locate stars? Takuto liked to think things from his own perspective, in a different angle, no matter how strange it seemed. He was starting to feel tired, though he was not finished as he had yet to answer fully Zephyrus' question.

Springing up to his feet in order to face Zephyrus, Takuto gave and maintained a short bow while he explained his story to Zephyrus, explaining at the end that he would be unable to identify the scout, for he had only noticed the Duel Academy logo in his wallet and did not see his face due to the shadows that hid it. It was by Takuto's own skills that made him pass the qualifying exams. Takuto then ended by saying, "And you should really properly introduce yourself next time, for this was information I couldn't have just revealed to anyone....Sir."

Though he may have overdid it with the bow, Takuto left it that and started walking past Zephyrus, for he had to go to sleep on order to ask Prof. Morrison whether he made it in the class. "And now if you may excuse me, I have to see someone about a class tomorrow in the morning and I would like the time I have left to sleep."