Chancellor Sheppard's office was a moderately large room. Carpeted a bright blue with the letters "DA" imprinted in the centre. At the very back of the room there was a large, light brown desk with a computer on top of it, located to the left side, and a pile of paper located to the right. Behind the desk there was a comfy seat, black in colour, and a large window, which gave a good view of the sea surrounding the large island. Lastly, fixed to the left wall was a large plasma-screen television, which was used to hold two way conversations.
Sheppard was currently sitting behind his desk, a pleasant expression on his face. In about an hour the students would be arriving, and another exciting and unforgettable year would begin.
Sheppard however didn't know how right he was. For just as that thought ran though his mind a message came up on his computer screen, telling him of an incoming message.
"On screen," he said, before the plasma television switched on, showing a rather tall and regal looking woman with long red hair and eyes, wearing a long black dress. Next to her stood a man, wearing a grey business suit and black tie, with a head of blond hair and dark golden eyes.
"Chancellor," the woman began, "sorry for calling without warning like this, but there is an important, and very urgent matter, which needs to be brought to your attention. My son, Haru Yuki, is starting his first year at your Academy."
"I fail to see how that could be a problem, Mrs Yuki," Sheppard said, before finding the student file of Haru Yuki on his computer, "it says here that he scored high marks in his written exam, and did exceptionally well in the entrance exam held this morning. There's even a recommendation he be moved to Obelisk Blue as soon as humanly possible."
"You misunderstand me Chancellor," the woman said curtly, "the matter I speak of concerns something Haru has in his possession, a Duel Monster card, by the name of Yubel, and whilst he has it none of your students are safe."
"How so," Sheppard asked, curious.
"The card, Yubel, from what we have gathered from watching a few of Haru's duels over the years, hurts anyone who does something that harms, upsets, or angers Haru. All of those he has duelled against whilst having it in his possession have been injured, and because of that Haru has grown up without any friends, because after a while everyone was too afraid of what would happen to them to even come near him."
"We first found out about it," Mr Yuki continued, "when one of his friends was rushed to hospital and Haru claimed he got injured because of Yubel apparently doing what she considered to be 'Her Job'. We then became aware that more incidents like the previously mentioned incident had occurred, starting from when Haru got Yubel on his eighth birthday."
Now Sheppard's interest was peaked, then again he was always interested with people who were connected with "Duel Spirits"—it was one of his many interests.
"You didn't know sooner?"
"Our jobs require us to work late," was the response given. "However, we did have our suspicions when Haru kept talking to his cards, but in the end we put it down to his age, after all it is not uncommon for children to have an imaginary friend.
"When a competition hosted by Seto Kaiba, for children to design their own cards and hopefully get a chance to send them into space to receive cosmic energy, we'd thought we'd found the perfect way of getting rid of Yubel." Mrs Yuki continued. "However, though he entered the card design competition, he refused to send Yubel into space, and to this day hasn't given a reason."
"So you want me to take away something precious to him?" Sheppard asked, after a moment's pause. His eyes closed as he let what he had been told sink in.
"We only have his best interests in mind," Mr Yuki said firmly.
Did they really have their son's best interests in mind? Sheppard wasn't so sure. He had just been given one side of the argument; luckily the other would set foot upon the island in a short while.
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention," he said abruptly, "but if you'll excuse me I must get ready to greet the new students."
"We appreciate your time Chancellor," Mr and Mrs Yuki both said before the line went dead, leaving Sheppard alone with his thoughts. He just hoped his talk with the boy, Haru, would give him further insight into the story that had been told.
However if it came to it Sheppard wouldn't hesitate to act. The safety of the students, after all, was his top priority.
"So, may I ask what you would like to talk to me about, Chancellor?" Haru asked, after he'd been led into the large office, and the door had shut.
"Please, Haru, have a seat," the Chancellor offered, gesturing with a hand to a comfortable looking couch in front of his desk.
Haru was about to accept the offered seat, but a warning from Yubel made him stop.
"If it's all right with you, Chancellor," Haru said, "I'd prefer to stand; after all I have been on a plane for the last couple of hours, and my legs need a stretch."
"Very well," Sheppard said, not letting his disappointment show. "No doubt you are wondering why I've called you here."
"I'd be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind," Haru said.
"Well I've seen your entrance exam," Sheppard began, "and I must say it was most interesting."
"I'm sure there were more impressive duels," Haru said, both he and Yubel wondering what the bald headed man was getting at.
"You needn't be so modest," Sheppard said, "your match is worth the praise. However, what I find most fascinating is the monster you won the duel with…Yubel wasn't it?"
Eyes narrowing, Haru nodded curtly. It was never a good sign when people started asking him questions about Yubel.
"So?" Haru asked
"I'm just worried. Haru, that's all." Sheppard said, sighing, "I've heard stories about it from your parents…"
"No!" Haru shouted, his eyes blazing with anger, "I won't give her to anyone. I won't send her away. You can't make me. No one can."
"I'm not going to try, Haru." The Chancellor insisted. "I would never force any person to part with a Duel Spirit, especially when that person has a bond the strength of which I have never seen before."
"What do you mean?" Haru asked, his curiosity obvious. "You've seen people like me before? People that can see spirits?"
Sheppard nodded, a far off look appearing in his eyes, before he spoke again. "However, I've never seen a bond this strong before."
Once again the confusion was evident upon Haru's face, and Yubel couldn't help but share it.
"It is obvious to someone who watched your entrance match as close as I have," Sheppard said simply. "I couldn't destroy something like that."
"So what are you going to do?" Haru asked.
"Nothing," The Chancellor said, "but if a situation arises that forces me to do something I won't hesitate to do so."
"I won't give her up without a fight," Haru warned.
"I don't expect you to," Sheppard said, "but let's hope it doesn't come to that."
"I take it that's all?"
Sheppard nodded.
Without waiting for permission Haru turned on his heel and walked out of the door.
As the door closed Sheppard sighed, in both relief and exhaustion. This was certainly going to be an interesting year; he just wondered whether Haru would be able to overcome the challenge that would await him at the years' end.
Luckily enough chances for him to be tested, along with everyone else, had already been set up.
Now all Sheppard could do was wait.
Opening one of his desk doors he pulled out a small black box, before opening it, with a trembling hand.
Inside, sat on red velvet, were seven golden keys, which seemed to glow with power. Then suddenly all around Sheppard a voice, old, raspy, and mad, spoke, and Sheppard's eyes narrowed in anger.
"Soon they will ride out of the darkness, the beasts will rise, and I shall have my wish."
Haru wasn't sure how, but eventually he'd found himself in the Ra Yellow dorm—It was a large dorm, painted a pale yellow in colour and the living quarters as a whole were very comfortable. Then there was the dinner, which was simply fantastic, the head of the house seemed to think that the quickest way to get people to like him was through their stomachs, and whilst that may not have been true if it meant that Haru got good food, he wasn't going to comment—sitting in one of the many comfortable yellow armchairs, next to a flickering orange fire, staring up a the large portrait of the, most magnificent and powerful of the three Egyptian Gods, The Winged Dragon Of Ra.
"So," someone asked, startling Haru, "what did Chancellor Sheppard want?"
Haru turned his head to the side to see a tall boy with black hair approaching him, something none of the other students had done yet.
"You're Bastion Misawa, the one who scored the highest marks on the written exam, right?"
"Indeed," the mathematics genius said, "and you're Haru Yuki, correct? Not to sound rude or anything, but what did the Chancellor want, if you don't mind me asking?"
"To tell me not to kill any of you," Haru said in such a serious voice that Misawa couldn't help but think it was true, and indeed, depending on how you looked at it, it was.
"Any other reason, other than asking me a question everyone in this room wants to know, for talking to me?"
"I thought you would hold a good conversation," Misawa said honestly.
"Not interested," Haru said after a moment's thought, before he went back to staring at the portrait.
"Some other time then?"
"I doubt it," Haru muttered to himself.
With that Haru rose from the chair and walked out of the room, aware that all the eyes in the room were on him.
"Why do I get the feeling that I'll make a lot of enemies quickly?" Haru asked aloud.
"Maybe because you will," Yubel said.
"It's your fault," Haru said.
"Would you have it any other way?"
"Nope."
"Me neither."