Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monster GX Fan Fiction ❯ The Darkness of Destiny ❯ Home Is Where The Heart Is ( Chapter 3 )

The Darkness of Destiny

 

Chapter 3

 

Home Is Where the Heart Is

 

A pair of black iron gates creaked open, granting Alexis a prime view of what a Champion's salary could afford. Aster's home wasn't a mansion, in the literal sense, but it was still beyond what anyone could afford working a day job. It rose three stories and stretched back a ways too. Alexis knew Aster's father was dead, but she never knew about the rest of his family. If they weren't around, she couldn't help but wonder what the vast complex was for. The limo pulled up in front of the oak doors, and Aster climbed out, waiting for Alexis to grab her suitcase before walking up to the doors. A tall man in a grey suit bowed as he opened the door for them.

 

“Ah, Master Phoenix, welcome home. I witnessed your duel earlier tonight, marvelous victory, the little wretch didn't stand a….oh.” The man stopped as he noticed Alexis scowling at him behind Aster. “Master Phoenix, do you intend to offer shelter to all who lose to you? I'm afraid this place wouldn't be quite big enough,” He chuckled.

 

“Don't worry, Sean, I just wanted her to say hi to Sartorius,” Aster replied. Alexis' eyes widened slightly. Aster and Sartorius were still friends after the Dark Light fiasco two years ago? Sure, his manager was merely possessed, but that wasn't a sort of thing you just waved off. She hadn't forgotten what he had done to Duel Academy - barring what she didn't remember during his control over her, which was still fragmented.

 

“Ah. Master Sartorius is in the lounge watching his programs. I've already served dinner to him, if you'd like I could prepare something else for you,” Sean nodded. Aster hung his coat up on a coatstand and shook his head.

 

“Nah, don't worry, we have leftovers and a microwave, don't we?” He replied. Sean rolled his eyes; Aster knew full well Sean thought that microwaved food was atrocious.

 

“Of course, Master Phoenix,” He muttered. Aster nodded and began to walk down the hall of the manor. Alexis followed, feeling a little out of place among the luxury. Aster was by no means going to be mistaken to rich, but he was certainly doing well for himself. Aster led Alexis to a large, carpeted room. A large TV was on a cabinet on the far wall, a VCR/DVD system - and what looked like a PS3 - on the shelf above it. The TV was tuned to David Letterman.

 

“And the number 1 sign the U.S. Military is falling apart…” Letterman read.

 

“Look who's in charge,” A voice muttered. Alexis jumped slightly and turned her head. Aster had sat down on a sofa in front of them, and Sartorius, sitting in a recliner in the corner, had escaped Alexis' eye when they had entered. Sartorius more or less looked the same, although his hair was a foot or so longer. He had also donned a black sweater and blue jeans as opposed to the white, retro-fitted Obelisk Blue blazer Alexis remembered from her second year. He actually looked normal, but Alexis knew better.

 

“Look who's in charge, there ya go Paul.” The orchestra played as Letterman wrapped up the Top Ten. Sartorius looked at Aster and smirked.

 

“Why do you always do that, you know it creeps me out,” Aster asked. Sartorius chuckled.

 

“Question asked, question answered,” He replied. He nodded at Alexis, turned back to the TV, and did a slight double take. “But it appears some things are yet beyond my sight. Welcome, Ms. Rhodes. It has been a long time.” Sartorius stood and extended a hand. Alexis took it with a slight hesitation. “Tell me, what brings you here?” Alexis shrugged.

 

“I don't know, ask your client,” She sighed, jerking a thumb at Aster. Sartorius raised an eyebrow and looked down at the duelist in question.

 

“So, Aster, what's going on?” Sartorius repeated. Aster stood up and turned around.

 

“Alexis just started her career in the pro leagues, but she hasn't gotten any sponsorship deals. I was thinking you could help her out,” He explained. Alexis's jaw dropped.

 

“Now hold on a minute, I am not just going to let you drag me into…”

 

“Absolutely not,” Sartorius interrupted, glaring at Aster. “Don't get me wrong, Aster, she's an excellent duelist, but I don't just give out money to duelists. I have quite a few promising talents lined up for me, so she'll have to wait.”

 

“Come on, Sartorius, you saw her duel at Duel Academy, you know she's good! Give her a chance!” Aster shot back.

 

“It's not a matter of skills, Aster, it's a matter of protocol, if she wants to prove herself I'll watch a duel, but she's-“

 

“She's still in the room,” Alexis huffed. Aster blinked and turned her way as Sartorius bowed his head and cleared his throat.

 

“Ms. Rhodes, could you please excuse us for a moment?” He asked. Alexis nodded.

 

“Yeah, you got a bathroom?” She replied.

 

“Down the hall, third on the left,” Aster told her. Alexis put her suitcase against the wall and left, and Aster watched her go. Sartorius sighed and shook his head.

 

“Aster, really, what's gotten into you?” He asked, muting the TV. “Ever since I agreed to book you against Alexis you've done nothing but question my decisions. What's going on?”

 

“Look, she's a good kid, or woman, whatever, who's trying to make her start in the world. Why can't we help you, you know we have the money even if she is a failure,” Aster replied.

 

“It is not a question of money or dueling prowess, Aster, I just worry for your safety, in all factors. You don't know what you could be getting yourself into, this isn't…” Sartorius trailed off as Aster's eyes widened. He looked away in disgust as Aster marched to the cabinet housing the TV. On the left was a small drawer that was kept locked at all times, Aster had the only key. But it had been left ajar, telltale screwdriver marks on the edge of the door. Aster growled and flung the door open, reaching inside and pulling out the deck of Tarot cards that focused his friend's power.

 

“Damn it, Sartorius, you promised!” He roared, slamming the cards on the coffee table. Sartorius sighed and collapsed on the sofa, clutching his face in his hands. “You promised me you wouldn't use your powers for personal gain!” Aster reminded. Sartorius scowled and took the cards from the table. His powers of foresight could never truly be “turned off”, but when he didn't focus them into his cards, they became only premonitions and immediate Sight, nothing like what he had been capable of under the Dark Light's control. He had had Aster lock the cards away after being freed from the Dark Light to remove the temptation to use the divination for his own benefit.

 

“Aster, please, you've never done anything like this before, I was only trying to protect you!” Sartorius protested.

 

“We've been friends for years, don't you trust me to make my own choices? You aren't my father!” Aster snapped.

 

“Well considering your history with father figures, maybe that's in my best interests!” Sartorius shot back. Aster visibly flinched, and Sartorius quickly regretted the words. “Aster, I didn't mean that, forgive me,” He pleaded. Aster regained his composure and glared. Sartorius knew full well his psychological Achilles' heel, but he had never thrown it in his face like that.

 

“No, don't deny it, it's true. My dad died, Mom killed herself, and the less said about D, the better,” Aster muttered. “It's true, I haven't had a parent around a lot. I've had to learn to handle myself. I'm eighteen years old Sartorius, and I've spent about half of those years fending for myself. So trust me to make my own decisions.” Sartorius bit his lip and nodded.

 

“Alright. I'm not making any promises, but if she proves herself I'll hire her,” He said.

 

“So how do I do that?” The two friends looked up as Alexis walked back in the room and sat down on an easy chair beside the sofa. “If I have to duel one of you, forget it, for a multitude of reasons,” She warned. She noticed the Tarot deck in Sartorius' hand and decided not to ask.

 

“Not at all, Aster has had his duel, and I only do it for recreation now,” Sartorius assured her. “There's an open opponent tomorrow in the Kaiba Dome, anyone who wants to challenge him can sign up.”

 

“I know that guy, Theodore Thompson, right?” Aster asked. Sartorius nodded.

 

“Correct. Defeat him and I'll arrange a stronger opponent. If you can defeat them, then you can consider yourself my official client, Ms. Rhodes,” He explained. Alexis nodded.

 

“Thanks. Well, if one of you could give me a ride back to town, I have to find a place,” She said, picking up her suitcase.

 

“Nonsense, if only for one night you shall stay here,” Sartorius corrected.

 

“What?” Aster gasped.

 

“Did you put him up to this, I told you I don't take charity,” Alexis warned, glaring at Aster.

 

“No, it is my decision, Ms. Rhodes. I don't want a potential client to think poorly of me. Tomorrow you shall find your own accommodations but for tonight, mi casa e su casa,” Sartorius nodded at Aster. “Aster, show her to the west wing quest room. And if you need anything else Ms. Rhodes, tell Sean and he'll get it for you.” Alexis gave the two an odd look, but left the room.

 

“What do you think you're doing?” Aster hissed as Sartorius unmuted the TV.

 

“You make your decisions, and I'll make mine,” His manager replied with a strange smile. Aster shrugged and followed Alexis out of the room. Sartorius looked back at the Tarot deck in his hands, and stood up to put it away again.

 

“I should never have taken these accursed cards out,” He berated, opening the drawer. A small jolt of static electricity hit him, and Sartorius flinched slightly, cursing and wringing his hand out. He put the deck in the drawer and looked down at his hand. Something on the carpet caught his eye, and he knelt down. When he had flinched, two cards had slipped from the bottom of the Tarot deck and fallen to the floor. Sartorius picked the first up.

 

“The Moon,” He whispered, looking at the card. “This card represents a powerful light shrouded in darkness.” He looked at the other card on the carpet and frowned. That was odd…

 

“The Lovers…right-side up it means old affection that will be renewed….upside-down, it shows new love that will not be easily swayed…but…” Sartorius' expression grew even more troubled. “This card landed…sideways, so the path has not yet been chosen…how is this possible?” He picked the card up and stood, looking at the deck. He reached out a shaking hand, and drew the top card. He lifted it to eye level and gasped, stepping back and letting the card free itself from his hand.

 

“It can't be…the Wheel of Fate!” He cried, staring at the card as it fell to the ground. “Somehow the course of Destiny has been altered! But how?” Sartorius' eyes widened, and he looked back the Lovers and Moon cards in his hand. “Aster….what have you begun?” He growled and placed all three cards back in the drawer. “This is not my fight, Aster will deal with it on his own,” Sartorius whispered, trying to convince himself. He took one more look at the deck and shut the drawer.

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

The door of apartment two fifty four slammed shut, and Zane shook himself off, taking off his coat and hanging it up on the coat rack, moving it over the heating vent. After a long walk home, he had gotten splashed by a car speeding through a puddle. His clothes clung to his body, and he quickly walked into the bathroom, ripping the clothes off and leaving them on the floor for the time as he stepped into the shower. He turned on the hot water and sighed slightly as it burst onto him. He let the steam build and the water clean the puddle water from him, then turned on the cold.

 

“Damn bastard,” He muttered, looking at the dark Duel Disk on his arm. He wasn't sure if the thing was waterproof - the normal Duel Disk MKIII was, but this was Shroud's work - and he didn't want to find out the hard way. He kept his arm towards the back out of the spray, taking his other hand and shaking it off a bit before taking his deck from the disk and reaching to put it on the back of the toilet out of the curtain.

 

For the umpteenth time that night, Zane wondered why he had interfered with Alexis and Aster's affairs. He hadn't seen either of them in over two years, and in Aster's case, that wasn't quite long enough. On the one hand, he was somewhat grateful - it was his untimely defeat at Aster's hands that set in motion the events that would lead him to his true calling. On the other, more important hand, Aster had handed Zane his first true defeat. Zane had more or less forgotten the nobodies he had lost to afterwards, but Aster stuck in his mind. The boy - now man - that had nearly destroyed his career.

 

“Why did I care anyway?” Zane muttered to himself, grabbing a bottle of shampoo. Alexis had been his friend at the Academy, but that was years ago, they hadn't spoken since and they had both moved on. He had become one of the best duelists the world had ever seen, and Alexis was…well, he wasn't sure. But he was sure she would barely remember him now. So why did he care? That was, unfortunately, the million dollar question Zane didn't have the answer to.

 

“And look what it got me. Working for that damn bastard again, and for what?” Zane snarled, slamming a fist into the teal tile of the shower. He was once again in cahoots with Shroud, and he wasn't going to be escaping anytime soon. And what had he gotten out of the deal? It wasn't like Alexis knew what he had done for her, and besides, what more would she be able to give besides gratitude? Zane turned off the shower and stood silently for a moment, his eyes closed.

 

“This isn't my business,” He growled, reaching for a towel.

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

“Just use the intercom button, it connects directly to Sean,” Aster said, waving to the phone by the bedside. Alexis nodded and sat down on the bed. For a guest room, it was quite luxurious, complete with a TV, a bathroom and a queen-sized bed. She had stuck her suitcase in a corner and decided not to unpack on the ground it was only going to be one night.

 

“Yeah, thanks,” She replied. “Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to shower and change before I go to bed, so…”Alexis waved her hand, Aster nodded and headed for the door.

 

“Hey, just one thing,” He said, turning in the doorframe. “What happened to everyone else?” He leaned against the doorframe while Alexis thought for a moment.

 

“Hassleberry's in his third year, but he's still a Yellow. Blair-“

 

“Blair?” Aster interrupted, frowning. Alexis nodded, remembering Aster had never met her - he had been busy with Sartorius and Jaden when the grade student had returned during the GX tournament.

 

“Right, you don't know her. Anyway, Bastion came back, but he has to repeat a year since he missed the first half of the third and the end of the second. Syrus graduated with me. He was promoted to Blue at the start of the third year, but stepped down within a month, I'm not sure why. I haven't seen him since leaving the Academy,” She finished. Aster pursed his lip.

 

“What about Jaden? I haven't heard of him entering any of the leagues,” He said. Alexis's face clouded, and Aster got the sudden feeling he had slammed his foot into his mouth.

 

“Long story, and it doesn't have a happy ending. Besides, I'm not up for it right now,” She replied. “Good night, Aster.” Aster was a little put off by the blatant dismissal, but nodded and closed the door. He shoved his hands in his pockets and started off to the kitchen for a snack.

 

“What did I say?”

 

Notes

 

“Sean” has his name pronounced like Sean Connery or Sean William Scott.

 

Sartorius' divinations may not be the actual readings from Tarot, but work with me. The fact his readings are even involved should tell