Chapter 56. A small bit of history

Later that night in the nurse's office, Jayden looked over at Atticus resting peaceably on his bed. Alexis right by his side, still combing his hair to make sure he was real. “It’s been a real, far out day.” Jayden muttered while playing with his own key dangling on his chest. “This is what we signed up for Jayden. You can give up your key if you’re unsure about handling the pressure.” Zane spoke up while holding two glasses of water, giving one to Alexis.

Jayden shook his head in response. “No, it’s not that… Rakki was acting strange after the match.” Syrus nodded in agreement. “Yea, he seemed upset about something.” Bastion thought while placing his finger to his chin. “What would he be upset about? Alexis, you were there right?” Everyone turned to Alexis for answers. She thought out loud while staring at her sleeping brother's face. “He seemed normal during the duel. A little unhappy, but not especially more than normal.” She muttered in thought, avoiding talking about his Achille's heel she learned in his last Duel with her brainwashed brother. Jayden chuckled while nodding. “Yea, he is always a little mad all the time. Like Chazz.” “What’chu say!?” Chazz yelled back while smacking Jayden, causing the young teen to smile and laugh.

Alexis then came to an epiphany. “Hang on! He seemed strange right after the duel! He told me to get a better look at Atticus as soon as the duel was over.” Zane hummed in thought. “If he did recognize Atticus immediately, why would he be upset about saving him?” He asked nobody in particular, leaving the question up for any answer. “Perhaps he’s jealous.” A voice suddenly spoke up, causing everyone to look towards the door.

Banner with a slightly upset expression walked inside while closing the door behind him. “What do you mean by that professor?” Syrus asked while tilting his head. Banner let out a sigh while taking a seat on the other end of Atticus, looking at the passed out young man. “Now you must all promise that what I say, can never be spoken outside these walls.” Banner explained in a strangely serious tone of voice. Everyone nodded in silence. Banner let out a sigh before explaining. “That boy… Just before enrolling here... Has no more family…”

“Oh no…” Jayden muttered in a somber tone, understanding more of Rakki’s nature. Alexis felt her stomach drop at the news, hardly listening to Banner’s further explanation of ‘saying too much’. “I’m sorry children, but that is all I’m allowed to say. In fact, I may have said too much. But I can tell he never told anyone, and I felt it would be better for you not to pry too much…” Zane nodded with his arms folded, his usual scowl deepened as he spoke. “No, we understand professor… I appreciate you telling us.” Banner nodded while looking back at Atticus’ sleeping expression for a moment.

Getting back inside my dorm, Blair latched onto my side helping me walk through the limping. I still didn’t have all my energy back, and for some reason my leg fell asleep halfway back to the dorm. “Thanks Blair.” I sighed while removing my Duel Disk and jacket. After that, I turned back to my bed to see Blair’s saddened expression, alongside all the rest of the girl spirits hovering around my bottom bed. One look at Dark Witch’s eyes explained what they had done. “They told you…” Blair jumped a bit, but nodded her head silently after some time.

I sighed at all of their worries, but didn’t hate it. It was something that I didn’t know I missed until I met all the girls in this universe. Knowing that someone cared for my well being again. “When did they tell you?” I asked while leaning against my desk. “On our way back…” She mumbled while avoiding eye contact. “I wondered why you were so sad, so…” She continued, but stopped before explaining which spirit told her. Not that I cared which one did, I was gonna tell her sometime, but I guessed none of them knew that.

I spat out my gum and moved over to the bed, towering over the shivering Blair. I avoided her and got under my covers. Blair didn’t look at me as she started to get up and move to her top bunk. I grabbed her arm and dragged her under my covers. She gasped in shock while I glanced between the surrounding girl spirits and her. “None of you think of leaving me… You’re all mine, so you can’t leave…” I frowned at them all, even making the assumption I would take them explaining a small secret, I didn’t want to talk much about, as grounds for abandonment.

I wrapped my arms around Blair and pushed her into my chest while the rest of the spirits materialized and piled around me. Dark Witch removed my pillow and placed my head on her lap, petting my hair gently to lull me to sleep. Dreamsprite hugged me tightly from my other side, nibbling my neck for some reason. Goddess of Whim went around Blair and wrapped her arms around both Blair and I. Spirit of the Breeze, light as a feather, rested on top of Blair and I, keeping us both cool despite the human/spirit dogpile. Unhappy Maiden was last, taking her spot by resting her head on my lap, curling her body in the fetal position to avoid sticking her legs out of the covers. I slowly drifted off while looking at Dark Witch’s calming beauty. “Stay…” I mumbled while her face blurred in my almost dreaming state.

The next morning, I woke up from a nightmare. Gasping for breath, the lingering image of my mother swaying back and forth in my mind. However, Dark Witch’s calming gaze hovering above mine, letting me know everything was ok. “Nightmare?” She asked while coolly stroking my hair. I gulped my dried mouth, only nodding to answer her. It was then that my Pal Kuriboh appeared with a bottle of water. He chirped as Dark Witch took the bottle from him with a smile. “Here.” She said while moving her body to the side of me, still keeping her lap beneath my head. She then took a swing of the water from the bottle, and pressed her lips against mine.

I instinctively drank the water while our lips touched. Dark Witch smiled after a few more moments of enjoying our kiss. “This way you don’t have to sit up.” She said, explaining her excuse to continue as she took another mouthful of water. After enough times and the water was gone, we continued kissing, helping that nightmare fade away into obscurity.

Dark Witch and I finally stopped our embrace with each other when stirring could be felt under the sheets. When Blair mumbled and grumbled her awakening, Dark Witch took my head and embraced it into her chest. All before fading away back into her card on my desk.

Soon enough, the rest of the spirits gave me quick kisses before fading away all while Blair was still trying to unearth herself from my mattress. Just as Unhappy Maiden gave me a quick peck, Blair burst out of the sheets. She glanced at me while rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and in my better mood I gave her a quick kiss on her forehead. “Morning.” I said with a small smirk. Blair stared at me as her face lit up a deep shade of red. She ducked below the covers, and grabbed onto my stomach while hiding herself like a gopher.

I scoffed at her strange mannerism, and pulled the covers off while getting up. “C’mon, let’s get ready before Jayden breaks down our door again.” I said while quickly changing into new clothes. After I was done I took my gear, and the other assorted spirits and left our room. “I think it was…” I mumbled while looking at a particular door. I then began pounding on the door. “Ah!” “Oh my goodness!” I heard two distinct voices yell out in surprise, making me chuckle at their distress.

I heard footsteps approach the door before it slowly opened, showcasing Jayden in his PJ’s. Jayden upon seeing me had his eyes almost bulge from his sockets in surprise. “Just thought you might like to see what that’s like on the other end.” I announced before leaving, a sly way of making sure he wouldn’t bust in my room and see Blair changing. I didn't want to take the chance of her moving out of my room, or worse, the island.

Breakfast was a bit different. Mostly for the fact that Jayden was silent. I frowned at his lack-luster demeanor. “What’s up with you?” Jayden jumped a bit at my question, and sheepishly scratched the back of his head. “Oh, I just had a nightmare last night. Didn’t get much sleep. How bout you? You feeling better from last night?” The moment he asked, Chazz and Syrus glared at him like he just stepped on a landmine. Chazz always seemed a little on edge so I ignored him. However Syrus, the nervous type glaring at his role model was a strange sight, but I just shrugged it off.  “Yea, much better.” I said with a slight smirk while resting my hand on Blair’s thigh.