And thus the story of the Duel Force comes to an end, at least for now. There will be one three more DF books down the line, and I have a sequel planned, but for the time being, things are going to change. Next up there will be three books each focusing on only one or two of my DF characters, and introducing new ones: Yu-Gi-Oh! DE, about Rocky, Yu-Gi-Oh! DA, about John and Karen, and Yu-Gi-Oh! Reaper, about Max, with a special featuring Sarah's Duel Force in their first adventure sprinkled in there. There will be at least one more special later on, but we'll get to that when we get to it.
As for this chapter, yeah this whole "going their own separate ways" thing is pretty cliche, but with everything that I needed to set up, I felt it was important to show. There were a couple of ideas here which I planned to expand on more than I did. I tossed around the idea of Tucker at college as a setting, but that got thrown out instantly. I also toyed with a whole book with Jen as career woman Pro Duelist, but it didn't pan out to anything worth writing a whole book, or even a special, about, so the concepts for it got reallocated to Books Seven and Eight.
Chapter NineteenThe Parting of the Ways
Rocky
I put my hands in my pockets and walked through the door out onto the stadium floor. The sky was nearly dark, and I could just make out the earliest stars peeking through the twilight. I walked a few yards out and just stood there for a few minutes in silence.
“Robert Stone?”
I didn’t jump. I wasn’t startled. I’d known that he was there in the shadows since I’d stepped through the door. I turned to face the man. He was tall and gangly, wearing a ragged t-shirt under a long white coat, like a lab coat. He wore tattered jeans, and thick, square-rimmed glasses.
“Yeah,” I answered. “What can I do for you?” My posture seemed relaxed, but I was prepared to defend myself at a moment’s notice, just in case this man wasn’t who I thought he was.
“They call me the Dueling Professor,” he replied, “or ‘Prof’ for short. I’m a member of the Duelists Elite. I heard you were looking for us.”
“I am,” I said. “How did you find out?”
The man smiled, “We have our methods. If you really want to join us, then be at the Checker Township Airport, tomorrow at eight A.M., gate nineteen. A plane will be waiting to take you to a testing sight. You’ll be tested, and if you pass, you’re in. If you fail, you’ll never get another chance.”
“What if I don’t make the plane?” I asked.
“Then you’ll be too late in more ways than one. This is your only shot. Make it count.”
I nodded, “In that case, I’ll be there.”
“Good,” the man said, looking up at the sky thoughtfully. “From what I saw today, I can tell that you’re exactly the Duelist that we need.”
The man smiled an arrogant smile, and a pendant beneath his shirt glowed brightly. It was so bright that I had to look away. When I looked back, all that was left of the man was a few wisps of smoke.
“Well that’s creepy.”
I looked up at the stars. There were already more of them.
Well, this could be it. I’ve been looking for years for a way to help people using something that I’m good at, and now I’ve found it. It’ll be rough, and it’ll be dangerous, but it’ll be worth it.
Sarah
I waited with the others until it was time to leave. When we finally made our way outside, I stood with Jenna, Amanda and Kris as we waited for the bus.
“Well,” I said, “it looks like John still wants to disband the team, so as of now, we’re the Duel Force.”
Jen
I was waiting for the bus with the others when Christopher walked over and asked me a question.
“Can we talk?” he asked.
I was surprised and more than a little confused, but I said, “Sure.”
We stepped over to the side, and Christopher said, “I’m not one to avoid a subject, so I’ll just say it. I want you to join my team, Team Beatdown.”
Now I was even more confused, “Why?”
“You’re one of the best Duelists I’ve seen,” he answered, “and you’re probably the greatest strategist I’ve met in years. My team mates on Team Beatdown are strong, but none of them are what you would call strategic geniuses. The entire team could benefit from your help. I need your answer by tomorrow. We leave next week for a five month tournament tour along the west coast.”
“What about travel expenses? And School?”
“We’re fully funded through sponsors. Every expense paid. And we’re internet schooled. It’s easy, flexible, and it’s some of the best education available to the world.”
I was speechless. I was also very tempted. My parents wouldn’t have a problem with it. Not after I told them what Christopher had just told me, but still, I wasn’t sure. It’s not every day that some guy you barely know asks you to drop everything.
“I-I’ll have to get back to you.”
“Alright,” said Chris. “Your cousin knows how to get a hold of me. But remember, I need to know by tomorrow.”
John
“So, Tuck,” I asked, “why not college?”
“I dunno,” he answered, defensively, leaning back against the Kaibaland Columbus building’s outer wall, hands in his pockets, “I just don’t wanna go yet.”
“Oh come on, you’ve dreamed of being the first guy in your family to go to college since you were five, and I know you’ve been saving up. What’s going on?”
“Nothin’ okay?” he snapped. “Now drop it!”
I wasn’t messing around anymore. In fact, I was really getting worried.
“Seriously Bro, what’s wrong?”
He glared at me, but he finally leaned in closer to me and said, quietly, “Fine! My dead beat dad found my savings account number cheat sheet. He emptied my college fund and used it to go gambling.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. And since he had the code, he didn’t technically do anything wrong. He took everything I have, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“So what are you gonna go?” I asked.
“Nothin’. I have no money, and God knows I won’t get a scholarship.”
I sighed, “You don’t need to worry about it. I’ll think of something.”
“See,” Tucker said, “this is why I didn’t want to tell you. I wouldn’t feel right if you gave me the money or somethin’. It wouldn’t be fair.”
“Your dad taking your money wasn’t fair either,” I said. “You’re like my brother. Leave everything to me.”
The bus ride home was uneventful. Everyone else fell asleep, but I couldn’t. I was too excited. I was on my way, and Karen and I were finally (more or less) on the same page about our relationship. I couldn’t think of anything better than that. The only thing missing was Hiro. I looked out the window at the stars.
I really wish you could have stuck around longer pal, I thought. You know what though? I’ve got something better than one permanent friend. I’ve got Karen, and my best friend Tucker, plus all of my friends in the Duel Force. Even though we’re all going our separate ways, we’ll never really be apart.
I looked out the window and saw a familiar figure standing atop a building a good ways away, off the side of the highway. Max stayed in view long enough to nod, and then he disappeared again into thin air. His final goodbye. I glanced around the bus at my friends, leaned my head against the bus window, and drifted off to sleep.
Jen
The next day I called John, asking him for Christopher’s number. I had to give Christopher an answer today, one way or another. I lay back on my bed and stared at the ceiling for hours, thinking. Finally I decided to call and hope the answer would come to me.
I dialed.
“Hello?”
“Christopher?” I said. “It’s Jen”
“Hey,” said Christopher. “You got an answer for us?”
“Yeah,” I replied, still unsure of what I was going to say, letting my instincts guide me. Before I knew it I was smiling, and the words just slipped out, “The answer’s yes.”
Tucker
It was about three months later. John and Karen had already left for Duel Academy, and Rocky had long since disappeared to go join up with the Duelists Elite. I woke up one morning, and I saw an envelope stuck under the pane of my window. I opened it. Inside was the rest of John’s Grand Championship prize, plus some extra. It would be enough for me to get by at college. John had been right. He’d taken care of everything, and as much as it could have hurt my pride to take his money it didn’t, because, after all, what are brother’s for?
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