Chapter 74. You got this one.

The next day I woke up together with the Spirits, Dark Witch hugging my head into her chest, suffocating me as I slept, Dreamsprite latching her entire nude body onto me like a koala bear, Spirit of the Breeze shrinking herself down resting in my hair, Unhappy Maiden curled up on top of Dreamsprite, and Goddess of Whim grabbing my entire arm.

Blair slept peacefully as I took her into the dorm last night, and Dark Witch quickly helped Blair up to her top bunk. The original one she was supposed to be sleeping in, Dreamsprite helped keep her that way using some of her power to help her in a deep rest while the rest of us got rowdy. “Morning~” Dreamsprite said, moving herself to allow the Maiden atop her solely onto me instead. Both red-headed girls looked to me with much different expressions, but the same eyes.

“You know I’d like that too, but I can tell that classes are gonna start soon.” I yawned, stretching my legs as both girls frowned. (Unhappy Maiden already frowning the whole time, part of her charm was her pout she wore at all times) “Aw c’mon! I even had to give Blair a dream of what we were doing to keep her asleep! I worked hard last night!” Dreamsprite whined lightly banging her head against my chest in fake outrage.

I scoffed at her, but it was another voice that spoke. “Now, now. You already had some time, and we were already stretching it by only letting him sleep for three hours. Humans need plenty of sleep to function. They are not like us, that only ‘rest’ and not ‘sleep’.” It was Dark Witch, gently patting my head as she held me tighter, her calming words almost lulling me back to sleep. “I know…” Dreamsprite groaned, rubbing her head against me as she spoke, her butterfly-like wings fluttering behind her.

I slowly began to smile looking at Dreamsprite’s pout, a surprised stare soon turned to look back at me. Unable to stop my lips from raising themselves, the feeling of warmth accompanied from my smile. “Morning everyone.” I said, pulling Dark Witch closer, allowing my arm to be wrapped around her waist enough to push Dreamsprite closer, my other arms wrangling in Goddess and Maiden. ‘I’m still guilty… Smiling and being happy are still things I don't deserve… But…’ I couldn’t finish my thoughts, a head leering at me from above on the top bunk alerted me to someone feeling left out.

At breakfast, Blair was still latched onto my side. “What’s gotten into him?” Chazz asked, noticing Blair’s grouchy demeanor. “Small roommate fight. Speaking of.” I said, glancing between Jayden and Syrus. “I’m just saying Jay! Please keep your clothes inside your bin! I keep finding your underwear in my batches of laundry!” Jayden held his arms in surrender, laughing a bit awkwardly, trying to defuse the situation. “Sorry, Sy. I just get the hampers mixed up sometimes…” “It’s not just that! You always copy my answers for the homework! The teachers are catching on, and I’m about to get in trouble again!”

While they continued arguing, mostly Syrus listing off reasonable complaints, Chazz looked back over to Blair and I. “What did you do?” He asked, looking specifically at me. I sighed, wondering how to phrase the predicament. “Blair… Wanted me to wake him so we could… Talk last night, but I just let him sleep instead.” Chazz looked at Blair with a ‘What are you complaining about?’ look, frowning in disbelief that sleeping in was a problem. He then shuddered, stuffing down more of the food before gulping his glass of water to chase it down. “This dorm is full of crazy people…”

I scoffed at the accuracy of that statement, but a sudden slamming of the front door opening proved to me that this entire school was littered with crazy people. “Gentlemen! You gotta see what just emerged at the docks!” Bastion yelled to us, Tania right behind him. “He looks so cool when he’s serious~” I rolled my eyes while standing up, Blair still gripping onto my sleeve tightly as we left.

At the docks, and meeting up with Alexis and her two friends we could see a giant submarine docked just at the bay. “What the hell…?” I muttered in confusion, not remembering this arc. “Whoa! Cool sub!” Jayden yelled, his eyes sparkling in excitement. We all then watched as the hatch at the top of the sub opened up, and revealed a large man in his 30s or 40s. “Avast ye land lovers! I be the admiral!” He screamed, the speakers he was using causing a feedback that screeched into our ears.

“Oh god. I think I just got tinnitus.” Chazz groaned while holding his ears to stop the sound from hurting him further. “Well at least you won't have to hear his embarrassing way of talking anymore. I think I’m getting second-hand sea sickness.” I muttered, taking out a piece of gum in my agitation. Jayden laughed at my comment while Blair stuck her head against my side, using me to block out the annoying noise, and the feedback while she was at it.

“Ugh, what is he even doing here?” Jasmine asked while rubbing her temples. “No, the real question is what are we doing here?” I asked, turning around to leave. However, as I did, ‘the admiral’ spoke up again. “I have set sail to challenge one of ye to a Duel! A bilge rat known as Rakki Ichido!” I paused, and scratched my ear to make sure I heard him correctly.

“Is he a shadow rider Tania!?” Bastion quickly asked. Tania hummed and shook her head. “I for one, didn’t meet any others outside of the masked one that gave me this gauntlet. I’m sorry sweetie~” She pouted while lifting Bastion up to rub her face in his chest. “Be careful Rakki, he might be a shadow rider.” Alexis whispered to me as I turned around, proving that it was indeed my name he spoke.

I glanced at Jayden and Syrus’ worried expressions and nodded at them, a grin forming on my face. “If you want Rakki, you got him!!” I yelled, getting the admiral's attention. “And he’s right here!!” I yelled, dragging Jayden in front of me. “Huh!?” Jayden stammered in confusion while Alexis smacked me. “What do you think you’re doing!? You throwing Jayden under the bus!?” “Actually it was under the sub-Ow!” I retorted back, but was hit again, Blair giggling at me.

I sighed while the admiral yelled at Jayden to come aboard. “Jayden, you’re the one saying you haven’t been getting to Duel as much as you like.” “Don’t do it Jayden, you need to let Rakki get the pulp beat out of him like he should.” Jasmine said, giving her helpful ‘advice’. Jayden then looked back at me, and I frowned under his strangely pondering gaze. ‘He’s thinking… He never thinks… I don’t like it when he thinks…’

Jayden could see buried down in Rakki’s eyes, nervousness. ‘He must still be unsure if he can Duel Shadow Riders after losing to the vampire…’ Jayden could understand, when he was younger, he wasn’t always great at Dueling. Though it was a foggy memory, he still knew he used to lose a bunch before he discovered the Elemental Hero cards. It was difficult to break the cycle of losing. Jayden had seen that in Syrus as well. ‘He needs to get his mojo back, but not when the stakes are his life.’

Jayden then nodded at me with a big smile, placing his hand on my shoulder in a sign of comradery. “It’s ok, you can rely on me, bud.” I frowned at his sudden gesture. ‘What is he on about?’ I thought as he turned around. “Ye best be Dueling! Or I’ll send the anchor down with ye friends to Davy Jones!” Jayden’s expression turned serious as he yelled back at the admiral. “That’s right!! Rakki Ichido!! Stepping on!!”