" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

Your POV:

Syrus: Okay Aniki, keep your eyes on the ball !

"Can someone please explain to me why the hell we're playing baseball ?! I thought this was a school for card games ! I don't remember signing up for that ! Whatever, I'll just hit the ball and be done with it."

Bastion: H- Hold on ! Time out ! Sorry, I got into some deck construction debate, and lost track of time.

Yellow: can you throw ? We need a fresh arm.

Bastion: Sure.

Yellow: Pitcher change, get in here !

"... Fine by me. It's a Ra showdown then."

Bastion: Trust me, I've done all the calculations. Get ready for some heat, 'cause this one is coming red-hot.

"Oh you're going down."

Bastion: Down the base pads, perhaps. Now then, give me your best shot. But I don't want to hear any excuses after you make a fool out of both yourself and the ball. That is, if you can see it all.

"Grrrrr... Just you wait, in no time I'll find the perfect way to counter your balls !"

Crowler: Damn it... The paradox brothers couldn't beat him... Chazz couldn't beat him... I need to find someone who can beat- GAAAAAAAAH !!

"Uhhhh... Sorry ! Seriously, for once that I hit the ball correctly, it has to hit someone... Huh ?"

Crowler: YOUUUU !! Well of course !! Who else could cause such intense pain ?!

"I have a few ideas, but I don't think the timing's right... It's-"

Bastion: My fault ! I was the one who threw that ball !

Crowler: Huh ? Signore Misawa... ? Of course ! Here I was, struggling to find a new accomplice, and here it smacks me right in the face... well, the eye, actually, but that's really besides the point.

Bastion: Dr.Crowler, please accept my apologies.

Crowler: No, no no no ! I've been meaning to have my contacts refitted for ages, and now I have the perfect excuse... And the perfect new protege.

"... ... Can we have the ball back then ? We're still in the middle of the match."

Crowler: You slackers caused enough trouble, now shoo ! Shoo shoo ! Argrrrrr !!

"Fine, fine... Hey, does that one counts as being caught ?"

Syrus: I think we need to redo the pitch...

Crowler: ... Never mind those two dropouts. It's time you started consorting with those more your class, don't you think ? It's time you start consorting... With me.

Chazz: Yo, foot rub, iced tea, now.

Blue: Get it yourself.

Chazz: Huh ? What was that ?!

Blue: Doesn't he know ? Guess not.

Chazz: Know what ?!

Blue: Chazz, where do you think you're sitting ?

Chazz: My seat.

Blue: Sorry, but that's not your seat anymore. Now move !

Chazz: What are you talking about ?! Of course this is my seat ! It says so right here... Hah ?!

Blue: Sorry Chazz, but you were moved way over there !

Chazz: Now way ! This is... All wrong ! I don't belong over there with those losers ! Dr Crowler ! Tell them this is a mistake ! Tell them I belong up here !

Crowler: But you don't, and you haven't since you lost that one duel to... Who was it now... Ah, yes, I remember, Y/n L/n... A SLIFER RED AT THAT TIME !! Which is why tomorrow you'll duel Bastion Misawa, and if you lose to him as well, the two of you will switch dorms !

Chazz: Y- You mean... I'll become a Ra Yellow duelist ?!

Crowler: Yes, very good, now if only you could duel as well as you listen.

Crowd: AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!

Chazz: I WON'T BE A RA !!

"Okay, okay, I'll admit. I absolutely suck as baseball, what about it ?"

Bastion: Look, I play like I duel. With formulas.

Bastion: See ? I find that science, statistics, geometry, they play a role in everything we do in life.

"That's... That's a derivative, right ? Besides, I don't think the 'Ignore air resistance' parameter works here, Bastion."

Syrus: Wow... Do you really have a formula for everything ?

Bastion: Ahahaha...

Bastion: Annd here we are.

Syrus: And where's that ?

"... ... Hell..."

Bastion: Not quite. This is my lab, my workshop, or my bedroom if you prefer.

"Dude, there are formulas everywhere on the walls ! And... Even on the ceiling ?! Listen, if you need to write stuff down, just ask for paper sheets !"

Bastion: It's just... I work better when I have everything available at a glance. That area over there is about Schrodinger's cat. That is the number of Avogadro... And that's butterfly effect... Well, in short, anyway.

"I... I'm both baffled by the fact you did all of that... And extremely concerned. Why are we here for ?"

Bastion: Well, most of these I've already memorized, and as you can see, I'm running out of space, so...

Syrus: So what... ?

Bastion: So, mind helping giving a "Big Bang" to my room ?

"Seriously bastion, why did you have to also cover your ceiling with formulas ?! And how did you actually manage to do it ?!"

Bastion: If I tell you it was at 2AM, does it makes it any better ?

"At least it certainly makes it more believable... GAH !! Paint in my eye !!"

Syrus: Huh ? WA-

Syrus: You do realize, this means war, right Aniki ?

"H- Hey, you know I wasn't... Put that bucket of paint down now !"

Bastion: That's enough you two, give me that pain-

"Hah ! You missed ! Huh... ? On second thought, bullseye. Ahahahahahaha !!"

Bastion: Grrr... Funny, is it ?!

*SPLOOOSH*

"Gh... Well, we weren't going for painting the floor as well, but now... It's a brawl !!"

Bastion: Bring it on !

"Thanks god that was water-based paint, 'cause otherwise, I'm horrified at how long making the stains go away would've taken..."

Syrus: Thank you for treating us to Ra Yellow food, Bastion !

"Yeah, the food's about the only thing I miss by staying in the red dorm."

Bastion: You should drop by more often then. You're a Ra Yellow, so you already have access to our Cafeteria.

"... Speaking of dropping, what were you talking about with Crowler earlier ? He seemed rather happy, and I've learned it's never a good thing for me."

Bastion: Actually, he wants me to take a test to change dorms to Obelisk.

Syrus: is that why you were cleaning your room ? Because you're switching dorms ?

Bastion: Uhhh...

"Well, you're probably the top student in Ra yellow after all, it was just a matter of time before you moved up.

Bastion: Again, you flatter me.

"I mean it. You got first place in the entrance written exam, and taught that proctor a lesson. Honestly, looking back, it's almost a wonder you weren't put directly into Obelisk."

Bastion: Well, if anything, I suppose you can have my old room if you ever decide to join Ra Yellow for real.

"Ahah ! Looks like the gang's getting split up, huh ?"

???: Got it, Chazz ? I can't hear you.

Chazz: I said yes, I understand.

Slade: Well you had better. The Princeton brothers have a plan, and your brothers are following through with their ends of it.

Jagger: And you had better following through with yours, Chazz. Just think of it, little bro. The worlds of politics, finance, and Duel Monsters. If we control them all, then we will control the entire world. So be the best.

Slade: The future of the Princeton family depends on it. It depends on you.

*Click*

Chazz: ... ... "Be the best"... How can I be the best with lucky punks like those guys out there ? Hm ? What's this ? Bastion's heading to the Slifer red dorm for the night ? Then... His dorm room will be all empty...

Dorothy: Wake up, wake up ! Y/n ! please hurry !

"Hrmgnn... yes... Huh ? Miss Dorothy ? What happened ? Did the truck run out of gas again ?"

Dorothy: Now's not the time for jokes ! I was at the dock unloading some goods near the shore, then I saw them. Cards tossed everywhere !

"Cards tossed ? And your first reflex was to look for me because... I mean, I don't remember calling dibs on any cards laying around in the ocean."

Bastion: I have a bad feeling about this...

"That's... Ring of destruction... And Vorse raider... correct me if I'm wrong, Bastion, but aren't these cards you use ?"

Bastion: It's my own fault. This deck was in the desk we moved in the hallway yesterday when we were painting.

Syrus: Now your deck's totally ruined ! Who would do something like that ?

"And your dorm duel is in what, less than an hour ? We need to rebuild your deck ASAP now !

Bastion: ... ... ...

Crowler: Signore Misawa, you've made it ! Oh, and I see you brought some... friends...

Chazz: I hope you duel better than the company you keep.

"The company already kicked your sorry butt, so you probably shouldn't be wishing that. But on another note... yeah, if Chazz's the one you have to duel, I guess the mystery of your deck getting thrown into the ocean just resolved itself."

Crowler: Pardon ?

Chazz: I don't know what he's talking about, Dr Crowler, I didn't do a thing.

Alexis: Oh, is that so ?

Syrus: Huh ? Alexis ? Big bro ?

Alexis: i saw you, Chazz. This morning, by the water. You dumped them in and ran off. I normally wouldn't snitch, but you don't mess with someone's deck.

"I must say, I didn't think you could even sink that low, Chazz."

Chazz: Oh, come on. Who's to say I wasn't throwing away my own cards ? I guess Bastion and I just have similar decks, that's all.

"... ... So you're saying that, the day before you and Bastion have a match that'll have you retrograded if you lose, Bastion's deck mysteriously disappeared, and you were seen throwing an extremely similar deck in the ocean, but you keep saying you didn't do anything ? I've seen kids with better lies than this."

Chazz: Lie ? No one calls me a liar, and no one calls me a thief !

Bastion: Fine, then you're not. Let's just have our duel, shall we ?

Syrus: But how ? Even with Aniki's reserves, we couldn't build your deck back together in such a short time.

Bastion: A good duelist always has a spare deck... or a few of them. Your "Aniki" already showed it to you. But he's not the only one to have fail-safes !

Bastion: And each one of them is as powerful as the next !

Chazz: yeah ? Well you can go ahead and have your six stinking decks. 'cause all I need is this one ! Now let's start this !

Bastion: I thought that you would never ask, Chazz. You're just a problem to be solved, a theorem to be cracked ! You're finished !

Chazz: So bring it on.

Both: DUEL !

*4000/4000*

Chazz: Hope you're ready, 'cause here comes the hurt ! I summon Chthonian soldier !

Chazz: Then a card face-down, and that'll do it for now.

Bastion: Oh, will it now ? I summon Hydrogeddon, in attack mode. Rise, Hydrogeddon !

Bastion: Now, attack Chthonian soldier, with Hydro Gust ! Destroy him !

*SCHBROOOOOOOOM*

*4000-→3600*

Chazz: Gh- ! Thanks, you just activated my Chthonian soldier's special ability ! It causes you to take the same amount of damage to your life points that I did !

*4000-→3600*

Zane: Not bad.

Syrus: Bastion really walked right into that one...

"And now, Chazz just went running into this one."

Syrus: Huh ?

Bastion: I also activate a special ability ! You see Chazz, when Hydrogedon successfully destroys a monster by battle, i'm allowed to immediately summon another one from my deck. So rise, Hydrogeddon ! And, my battle phase still continues ! Meaning I can now wage a direct attack against you, Chazz. So go, Hydrogeddon ! Hydro Gust !

Chazz: GAAAAAAAAH !!

*3600-→ 2000*

Chazz: Gh.. Hrrrrnng... You'll pay for that ! I activate my trap card Call of the Haunted ! With it, I can summon one monster from my Graveyard ! And the monster I summon is... That's right, Chthonian soldier ! Next I activate the spell card Inferno Reckless summon !

It allows us both to summon in attack mode, monsters from or hand, deck and graveyard that have the same name as the ones we have on the field !

Alexis: It makes no sense. No matter how many of these Chazz brings out, they won't have enough attack points to win against these Hydrogeddons !

"... By themselves, yes... But this is Chazz we're talking about. He must have something up his sleeve."

Chazz: I activate the equip spell card, Chthonian alliance !

Chazz: The monster equipped with this card gains 800 ATK points for every monster that has the same name as him. That brings his attack points total to... Well you're the math nerd, i'm sure you can figure it out.

*1200-→3600*

Chazz: Attack ! Chthonian Soldier !!

*SCHBROOOOOOOOOM*

*3600-→1600*

"Uh-oh."

Syrus: Bastion's life points have gone down by more than half ! He's losing the duel !

Bastion: Bravo, Chazz. Good show, but it will be short-lived ! Rise, Oxygeddon !!

Bastion: Now, attack the 1200 attack points chthonian soldier, with vapor stream !

*SCHBROOOOOOM*

Chazz: Geh, forget ? When my soldier's destroyed, you take the same damage as me ! Some wise bid you are !

*2000-→1400*

*1600-→1000*

Bastion: My turn's not through. Next, My Hydrogeddon Will attack another of your soldiers !

*SCHBROOOOOOM*

Chazz: That damage is still going all back to you, loser !

*1400-→1000*

*1000-→ 600*

Syrus: Why does Bastion keep attacking ? he's only hurting himself !

"Nah, he's doing just fine."

Syrus: Huh ?

Zane: Bastion's playing smart. The Chthonian with the equip spell has 3600 attack points. Bastion would have to summon an incredibly powerful monster to destroy it. Unless, however...

*3600-→2000*

Syrus: Wait, I see ! Unless he takes out the other Chthonian soldiers, and lower the big one's attack points !

"You could say it's a bad for a good. He's letting Chazz chip away at his life points so he can go for the head."

Bastion: Last, I will place a face-down card, and that will do for now.

Chazz: Will it ? I wouldn't be so sure, wise kid ! I'm sacrificing Chthonian soldier, and all the cards in my hand, to summon Infernal Incinerator !!

Chazz: Didn't see that coming, did you ? AHAHAHAHAHAHA !! Better bring out your calculator, 'cause if you don't find a formula to beat this guy down this turn, you're toasted ! Face it Bastion, you don't stand a chance against the Infernal Incinerator. Especially since its attack points increase by 200 for each monsters on your side of the field !

*2800-→3400*

Chazz: Now, Infernal Incinerator, attack with Fire storm Blast !

"Regardless of which monster Chazz attacks, if it connects, Bastion's out !"

Bastion: I activate my trap ! Amorphous barrier !

Bastion: When I have three or more monsters on my side of the field, this trap negates my opponent's attack, and ends the battle ! But nice try, Chazz.

Chazz: So what ? One turn, that's all it buys you, then you'll be all mine.

Bastion: I'm afraid there won't be a next turn ! I activate the spell card Bonding H2O !

Bastion: Now I sacrifice two Hydrogeddon and one Oxygeddon, and summon Water Dragon !!

Bastion: And since the number of monsters on my side of the field decreased, so does the attack power of Infernal Incinerator !

*3400-→3000*

Chazz: Doesn't matter. My monster's attack points are still higher than yours.

Bastion: Better double check your work. Because I've already done all the math !

Crowler: All the math ?! You mean that...

Syrus: Bastion had all of this planned all along from the very start ?!

"... No, he just said he did math..."

*3000-→0*

Chazz: No, his attack points !

Bastion: Indeed, that's Water Dragon's special ability ! You see, when he's out on the field, the attack points of fire-attribute and pyro-type monsters automatically become 0. Now Water Dragon, attack !! Tidal Blast !!

Chazz: AAAAAAAAAHHHH !!

*SCHBROOOOOOOOOOOM*

*1000-→0*

"I must say, gotta love how realistic that holographic water looks."

Bastion: A well played duel, Chazz. But not well enough.

Chazz: Pure luck ! You drew a lucky card and stumbled into the win, that's all !

Bastion: Perhaps. But luck favors the prepared, and I was prepared to beat you with a half-dozen other cards as well. Sorry, you would have lost the duel, one way or another. But deny it if you want, just like you denied throwing my deck into the ocean.

Chazz: Yeah ? Prove it !

Bastion: Well, if you insist. Here, a card I fished out.

Bastion: With a formula I wrote on it. I suppose you could've written it, but then the math would've probably been wrong, and it's not.

Bastion: Chazz, you stole, you lied, you cheated, you lost. You deserve to be demoted.

Chazz: This... This can't be...

Crowler: Signore Misawa ! Congratulations and welcome to Obelisk Blue.

Bastion: I'm very sorry, but I must decline that invitation.

Crowler: Come Mai ? But what for ?

Bastion: When I entered Duel Academy, I decided I would only enter Obelisk Blue after I become the number one student in Ra Yellow. And of the entire dorm, I think Y/n is the one standing on top.

"Daww, you're gonna make me blush. Is that an invitation or something ?"

Bastion: It is, but for later. I have a lot of work to do before I duel you. Many formulas to write, theorems to solve, equations to balance. You're a good duelist, Y/n, and I plan to be ready.

"Man, what a compliment it is from someone like you."

Chazz: Gh... He didn't have to prepare at all against me... He won... With just one day's notice.

Bastion: Don't you worry, soon my dorm room's walls will be filled with new strategies and we will have our duel. Just be prepared for it to turn out like that ball game. You know, the one where I struck you out ?

"Only difference being, I suck at baseball. But Duel Monster, that's something else ! Until then !"

Bastion: Until then it is.