All around was darkness, nothing but black. The only light displayed was by the street lights that were on. Apart from that were the small headlights from the passing automobiles as they zoomed across the road. Even in the dead of night, it seemed that people were still at work. And the city was the prime example of that. The darkness still blanket the city as downtown the buildings still had their lights on.
The scene now changed to show the bedroom as inside was a person sleeping as heard by the snores. From the snores, it meant that the person had a busy day and was due for some well-deserved rest. And typically a day like this would require the person to just relax. Unfortunately, that's not the case for this individual. The sun now barely peaked as a tiny bit of orange was coming up, and at that moment, the alarm on the stand next to the bed went off.
"Ugg!" said the person as they had the covers over their head. They reached their arm out as they tried to find the off button for the alarm as the sound was getting louder. "Where the hell is the off switch?!" grunted the person. They soon found it as the alarm turned off.
"God damn it." said the person as they now sat up.
It was revealed to be a young man as his eyes were still trying to wake up. He looked at the time as it read 5:00 am. Upon first glance, he thought about going back to sleep as he fell back on the comfy mattress. It seemed to work, but after 2 minutes, the boy's body was now fully awake as he knew there was no point in going back to sleep as he let out a loud yawn.
"Time to get started." muttered the boy as he now sat on the edge of his bed. He saw the phone next to the alarm clock as he grabbed it and pressed a button. "Hello, room service. I'll take 2 of your continental breakfast."
"Of course, we'll have them sent up to your room, Mr. Champion." said the woman at the front desk.
"Time to move." said the boy as he got up and made his way to the bathroom in his hotel room.
He then entered the room as he began to take a shower as it was his morning routine to start his day. After about 20 minutes, he now stepped out of the stall as some steam appeared and fogged up the mirror. Once drying himself off, the boy began to get himself ready as he took care of his appearance by combing his hair and applying some conditioner that was given to him by a friend. Once that was set, he exited the bathroom to find that the cart containing his breakfast had already been delivered to his room. He then went to the closet as a knock was heard from the door.
"It's open." responded the boy. The door handle then turned as in came a person.
"Good to see you're up already." responded the girl who was a young woman about the same age as the man. She saw the boy as he had a shirt in his hand.
"It's one of the many things that I have to do." said the boy as he had a shirt over his head and pulled it down over his body as it fit him. "So, what's on the agenda, Juniper?"
"Glad you asked, Isaac." said the girl as she was the agent to the current World Champion of Duel Monsters.
The boy had started his pro career about a year and a half ago. And just three months ago, he became the champion as he beat the previous person to obtain that rank. From that point on, Isaac's professional life as a pro was filled with tons of things.
"So right now, it's currently 5:30 am. At 6, we have a talk show to do. Then at 7:15, we need to make an appearance for an interview. Next thing at 8:30, we need to be at the airport for our flight to Baltimare. After that, we have an appointment at 1:00 pm for a podcast. At 3:00, sign some autographs. Then comes the night activities, 5:00 we have the party to attend. Tons of people and celebrities will be there. From there you have the duel that you're supposed to take part in. Once that event is done, there's the afterparty which should start at around 11 or so. From there, we then head back to the hotel where the bus will be waiting to pick us up to take us to our next destination. And if my calculations are correct, we should get to the next city at about 2 or 3 in the morning." said Juniper as she had her tablet in her hand and was going over the schedule that she had that listed all of her client's responsibilities.
"That's it. It seems like a light schedule," stated Isaac as he sat on the bed.
"Well, I was able to hold off 2 more interviews as I told them that our whole week was booked," stated Juniper as she got an email on her tablet and responded to it. Isaac smiled at the girl who he made his agent as he was happy that she helped him to manage his life as a pro.
"This is why I'm glad to have someone like you by my side." chuckled the boy.
"Just doing my job, Isaac." said the girl playing with her glasses. Isaac then kissed her on the cheek as he winked at her as it got Juniper to blush at her client.
"Now sit down, and let's have breakfast. Can't start the day without any energy," said Isaac as he sat down at the table as Juniper joined her friend as the two began to enjoy their meal and each other.
Once the pair finished their breakfast, they then began to start their busy day. Isaac put on his signature clothes which consisted of a black V-neck t-shirt with white hemming, black shorts with gray pockets held on by red straps. His shorts were tight around his calves. He wore a long black hooded jacket with red hemming, gray pockets with white hemming, and red flannel flaps that are held down by a series of yellow buttons which he sometimes wore like a cape. On top of his head was the same cap he had gotten for his 18th birthday as well as the Dark Magician necklace that he too received that day as it hung around his neck.
After taking a look in the mirror, and getting a thumbs up from Juniper Montage. The pair then grabbed their luggage and put it on the bus that would meet them in the next city as it began to drive there. As for the young pair, they grabbed a taxi and now zoomed into the current city to handle their affairs. It took about twenty minutes to get to the address as the pair now stood in front of the TV station. They both entered inside as they were greeted.
"Ah, here they are." said the host.
"Juniper Montage." said the girl shaking the hand of the host. "And this is my client." pointed at Isaac.
"Ah, the World Champion himself."
"Please, just call me Isaac." said the boy as he preferred it that people addressed him by his name than by his title.
"Well, then, Isaac. Let me say it's an honor to have you make an appearance on our daily talk show. I tell the viewers and the audience will be ecstatic." said the man.
"Well, then let's get the show started. Don't want to keep them waiting." smiled Isaac.
Juniper then began to lead her friend to the makeup department as the woman began to apply some to the boy to make him presentable and camera-ready. Once he was set, the tech team put a small mic in Isaac's shirt so that all could hear what he said when he was on the air. He was then brought to the backstage area where he waited for his cue as he saw the small screen that the engineers were watching as it played the morning show. The host was doing his usual gig as he welcomed the folks and did the news segment.
"And now that the boring stuff has been taken care of. Why don't we get on with the next part of the show, what do you all think?" asked the man as his response from the audience was cheers. "In that case, for everybody watching and in the studio, we have a special treat for you all. Our special guest is none other than the duelist how became the World Champion just three months ago. So everyone put your hands together for none other than the Duel Monsters World Champion, Isaac!!!" said the host as he stood up from his desk and clapped with the audience.
Isaac knew that was his cue as he came through the curtain and was given a warm reception. Some of the females let out some screams at seeing the young and handsome boy. He waved to the audience as he approached the stage and shook the host's hand as he sat down on the chair while the man returned to sitting behind his desk.
"They love you." said the host as the cheers were still going loud for Isaac as he couldn't stop smiling or laughing.
"I mean, let's be honest. Who doesn't love me?" joked Isaac as he and the host cracked up as the audience and the females made even more noise. Soon things quieted down.
"So, first off, I want to say thank you for coming on here to the show. I hope it wasn't any trouble."
"Oh, it was no trouble at all," said Isaac with an honest tone. "Hey, between me and you and everybody else, I'm glad to be here. Why? Cause I get to see many of my supporters and loving fans!" said the boy as he looked at the audience as they made noise once again. They soon started to chant his name as it was thunderous.
"You certainly know how to charm a crowd." joked the host. "And speaking of crowd, I want to ask you something, how is it being in that type of environment? Cause I can imagine, there's some pressure on your shoulders when you're dueling for millions and even more watching at home. Is it not?"
"No, you're right. It is a lot of pressure when it comes to performing. Even my pals, in the Big 5, sometimes get a bit nervous about performing. But you know, it's part of the job that we love. And we go out there and we do it not so that we can show what we possess, but more so on the fact that we want to entertain you. We want to give you guys something, to either escape your reality for a few seconds or just to put a fun duel." said Isaac.
"And I want to circle around this, the Big 5, your pals with. What it's like having such legendary duelists as friends?" asked the host.
"Well, for one, I'm the new guy. So you know what that means," said Isaac as the host and the studio audience laughed at his joke. "Um, it's just like any group of friends that you have in your life. You laugh together, make jokes, take personal jabs at each other, I will say though the intensity can get a little bit heated between all of us when it comes to facing each other in duels. But at the end of the duel, we all know we're friends and that we have a competitive spirit. So it's all in good fun."
"Moving on, I want to ask you. You've been on the pro circuit for well over a year at this point, can you tell us what was it like during that time? And did anything change when you became World Champion just three months ago?" asked the host taking a sip from his mug.
"Well, I'll say this right now, I was blessed with what I was given and was able to make the most of it. For the first few months, yeah they were tough, but not to the point where I was struggling to get my name out, but more so on the fact that not many people were interested. Yeah, I know shocking, right?" said Isaac to the audience as they laughed again. "But again, as I said, blessed. Blessed that was I offered a chance to perform at a big-time venue. And keep in mind, I never once asked my pals in the Big 5 to help me, cause I didn't want to abuse that relationship that I had with them and for people to think that, 'Oh, he's only relevant because he's buddy-buddy with them'. No, I want people to know who I am based on my skills and merits. My whole life, I've never had anything handed to me. And I wasn't gonna start now. Everything that I have, I've earned. I'm proud of who I am, I'm proud of my heritage, my familia."
"And sorry for cutting you off, but that big-time venue you were invited to. Mind explaining what happened and sort of the mental aspect that was going through your mind?"
"Nah, you're good. That big-time venue where I sort of got people's eyes on me. Tons of duelists were invited to partake in this event, and then they came to me and they told me how the card was going to be structured. So I was scheduled to compete on the lower card, just because I was still a newcomer into the circuit despite my skills." stated Isaac. "And I didn't complain or whatnot, I just did the job that I was asked to do. I was already paid for coming, but I wasn't just gonna half-ass it and take my check. I wanted to give the people here their money's worth. So I went out, did what I did and won my duel."
"But it wasn't until that I got back to my locker room where I was approached by my agent and she told me that the crowd was still chanting my name through the duel that was up next. So, I turned on the screen in that locker room, and sure enough, the crowd was hot and loud. So much so that they liked my match more than the main event. Not to brag or anything, but that's a statement. No matter how you look at it, that's a statement. And then the rest just fell into place. It's being in a relationship, you've had plenty of those, right?" asked Isaac to the host and audience.
"Oh, yeah, it's how I met my ex-wife." joked the host as Isaac and the audience chuckled a bit.
"That's a good one. But seriously it was a relationship. When you're single, no one wants you. But then you hook up with a good one and all of a sudden, everyone is calling and talking." said Isaac.
"And speaking of relationships, what's the word? A guy like you, how do you not have a girl? Am I right ladies?" asked the host to the audience as all the girls show their love towards the young man.
"I guess I'm just not attractive enough," said Isaac with a sly smile.
"You're amazing Isaac!" shouted a girl.
"No, no. You're amazing!" said Isaac as he pointed back at the girl as the audience clapped even more. "But again, unfortunately, I have a fiancé. Sorry ladies looks like I'm taken."
"All the good ones are." said the host as he and Isaac laughed.
"Well, listen we'd love to have you back on our show."
"I would love it too, anytime that I'm in your city. Shoot me a call and we can work things out. Again, I can't do it all myself, which is why I'm blessed to have my agent. Juniper, why don't you come out and take a bow?" said Isaac as he called for the girl behind the curtain. Juniper then emerged as the audience gave her applause as she waved to the crowd as they showed her love for being Isaac's agent. Isaac then stood up as he approached the girl and grabbed her hand as he twirled her around as it got Juniper to smile and blush a bit.
"Everyone give it up for the World Champion and his agent." said the host as he did his job of cutting off the broadcast as they went to commercial.
Isaac and Juniper were now backstage.
"You didn't have to do that?" said Juniper.
"Hey, you deserve as much of the credit as I do. We're a team, we can't do it without the other." smiled Isaac.
Juniper returned the smile from the boy as they now left for the next item on their agenda. It was currently 7 as they had 15 minutes to get to their next appointment. They made it with 5 minutes to spare as the pair walked into the place. The person in charge greeted them both. They then sat down and began to answer questions. They ranged from his early life to where he currently was. Isaac even answered some questions about some of the adventures that he went through high school, excluding any incidents that involved magic. They asked him to explain the contents of his deck, to which the boy went into great detail on why he had each card in his deck and how he always talks to it as he believed their spirits to be alive. The person just nodded as he played along with Isaac's line of thinking and moved on.
Once the interview was done, the boy and girl now grabbed another taxi as they raced to the airport as they had to board their flight. Thankfully they had their luggage already on route to the next city as the two only had their backpacks for security to check. There were even some fans that recognized the boy as they asked for a photo to which he obliged without hesitation. Even some of the guards wanted a photo with the World Champion. So after a few photos and signing some autographs, the pair now raced forward as they got on board. Their plane now soared high in the sky.
Isaac took a seat across from Juniper as the girl was on her tablet and handling some business.
"Okay, how about we answer some fan mail?" asked Juniper.
"Sure," said Isaac as he leaned back.
"First one is from a girl named Sarah. She's ten years old and asks, "Will I ever be as good as you?" asked Juniper.
"Of course, as long as you work hard and put in the effort. Then you can do anything you set your mind to. Just remember, to never give up, and even if it seems like it's not gonna work out, hang in till the very end." said Isaac as Juniper wrote down his response and sent it.
"Next question: What advice would you give in picking your deck, or signature monster? This comes from a boy named Thunder Bolt, he's 7 years old."
"Honestly, just go with what catches your attention. Your signature monster doesn't have to be something strong or has a powerful effect. Just find a card that you resonate with."
"Next one, Isaac, will you marry me?" said Juniper as she read another email.
"Sorry, but I have a fiancé. However, I love you, my supporting fan and I know you'll find someone who likes you as well. And hopefully, things will work out and the two of you can live a happy life." responded Isaac.
And so it went as halfway into the flight, Isaac and Juniper responded to Isaac's inbox as it was filled with tons of emails from his fan. Asking him questions for advice on dueling, Duel Monsters, to just in general advice. Soon the flight attendant came down the middle.
"Sorry to interrupt, Mr. World Champion."
"Isaac, please."
"Yes, Isaac. Would you or your agent like anything? A preferred drink of choice, snacks?" asked the flight attendant.
"A simple lemonade for me," said Juniper.
"Sir?"
"Apple juice. And two cups of water," said Isaac. "And nice dress, really makes you look pretty."
"Oh, thank you." said the girl turning a bit red as she left to fetch their drinks.
"Can't help to give girls compliments," said Juniper with a raised eyebrow and sly smile.
"Hey, everybody deserves one. As a way to make their day better," responded Isaac.
The pair continued to answer some more emails when five minutes passed. The flight attendant came back with their drinks as Isaac pulled out a 100 dollar bill and gave it to the woman as a tip to which she was shocked and happy. After some time, all the emails had been answered as the pair could relax for a bit. Isaac looked up at the screen in front of him as he saw a replay of a game that occurred the previous night.
"And what a shot, with only 4 seconds left, Ms. Rainbow Dash scores the winning goal for her team!!" shouted the broadcaster as the camera changed to show Rainbow being drenched in soda by her teammates and lifting her in the air as they showed their appreciation for her. The girl waved to the crowd as she was soaking in the moment of her team winning the championship match.
"Same old Dash, still likes to hog the attention." said the boy as he saw the girl. Time had allowed the two to grow as her body had undergone some changes and was now more developed in certain parts, but yet she was still the same girl he remembered from high school.
"I already sent Rainbow a gift basket from you saying congrats," stated Juniper.
"Appreciate it, Juniper."
It wasn't long till their place started to descend. The pair got off the plane and grabbed their backpacks as they exited the airport. They then had half an hour to reach the place where the podcast was being held as they caught another taxi. They arrived in time as they were greeted by the people who ran it as they ran down how the format of the podcast would go. Soon they all entered the both with Juniper standing off to the side, usually getting some water for Isaac whenever he needed it. It took about an hour and a half, as Isaac and Juniper thanked the people for allowing them to come on. With that, they kept on rolling as the next thing on their agenda was going to a warehouse. The boy and girl arrived at the place as upon entering there were tables filled with stacks and stacks of Isaac's photos. They saw the people who were in charge as they were putting out some more photos that the boy would need to sign as this was for all the people that bought and asked for a signed print.
"Hey Mark," said Isaac as he greeted the person who was in charge of sending these prints to the people.
"What's up Isaac." said the man shaking the boy's hand.
"So what are we looking at today?"
"Well, let's see your last record for 2300 prints was 70 minutes. Today we got 3000 prints." said the man as he and his two assistants were unloading the rest of the prints as they stacked them up. "Now we got plenty of markers here."
"Time to start the fun part," said Isaac. "Juniper, don't forget to time."
"It's currently 3:02 pm." said the girl.
"I'll admit this is the most that I've ever done." chuckled Isaac as it got the other adults to laugh a bit as the boy now grabbed one of the black markers and began to autograph each one.
Each time Isaac finished one, he would lift his hand for one second. In that second, one of the assistants would take the top photo that was signed and start a stack. By then, Isaac was already signing the next one as he lifted quickly for the assistant to slide it out as he went right back to signing. As for the other assistant, once there was a good stack of signed prints he would bring it to one of the boxes and fill it up. The transition of Isaac finishing one print and signing the next was in the blink of an eye, so if you blinked he would already be on the next one.
"This is a lot," said Isaac to the people. "If my shoulder gets tired, we'll have to stack them higher." joked Isaac as he looked at everybody while still keeping the rhythm of the pattern of how he was signing. "Welcome to my life." stated the boy as this time it was directed towards the fourth wall.
"It feels like I started strong out of the gate, maybe too strong. I don't know, maybe we'll have to stop for a Gatorade halfway, and possibly change markers," said Isaac to Juniper as she chuckled at her client as 22 minutes had passed as he was already done with 1/4 of the prints.
"Alright new table," said Isaac as the clock read 3:24 pm.
"How are you feeling, Isaac?"
"Low on fuel and we're probably going to need to change markers soon, Mark." responded the boy as he was halfway through the 3000 prints.
"I got you covered, Isaac," said Juniper as she went to fetch some water to rehydrate the boy. The scene now fasts forward as Isaac kept on signing as every now and then Juniper would feed the bottle of water herself to Isaac while still signing the stacks.
"The biggest thing our fans ask is where can we get an autograph? And uh, the fact that they spend their time and hard-earned money to come to the live events. Just the fact that it's there and if they like it, they can buy it. If not, they don't have to." said Isaac to the audience. "I do want everybody to know that every single one of them is signed by me." Isaac kept on signing as he was now 3/4 of the way done with the prints. "This is the part of the job that-- is a lot more difficult than performing. There's not a lot of glory in this room, but-- this is the extra mile that means something."
"When we finish this table, that'll be 2300." said the man in charge. "So, we'll see if we beat that record."
"It's a damn shirt like you said Mark, I should probably change it to 'About to give up' instead of 'Never give up'." chuckled Isaac as the assistant and Juniper all laughed at the boy's joke. Isaac was starting to slowly feel the effects of his arm and shoulder as he kept on signing.
"We need a tire change," said Isaac as the marker he was using was now running low. He grabbed another one as the assistants were grabbing and stacking the signed prints and putting them in boxes. The time was now 3:52 pm. "2300, right? The record has been broken," stated Isaac as he surpassed his time limit from last time.
"What'd you do last time? 70 minutes." asked the man.
"About," said Isaac still signing.
"Well, you're 16 minutes ahead of pace." said the man putting more of the signature prints from under Isaac to sign the next one in a fast session.
"This marker is kicking ass, I'll say right now," stated Isaac as the sound of the object could be heard throughout the whole time Isaac signed the prints.
"Final stretch." said the man as the pair moved onto the last table filled with stacks.
Isaac then found his second wind as he began to push forward. This was one of the times that he was glad that he had so much energy and drive that not only translated to him on the dueling field, but also to his life outside of the arena. He reached the final stack as he pushed to finish it. Isaac got to the last print as he now only signed his name, but added a bit more to it.
"Lucky number 3000 for her," said Mark as it was for a small girl.
"I want everybody to know that the last print, I always add a little bit more. To give the person something nice to know that they waited all this time for me to sign theirs," said Isaac to the fourth wall. He added some extra marks for the last print to make the person who received feel special for being the final one.
"Time?" asked Isaac as he finished signing.
"4:17 pm," said Juniper.
"Good work, Isaac. An hour and 15 minutes to sign 3000 prints," said Mark as he had his assistants put the final autographs in boxes and seal them.
Isaac blew on the marker as he flexed his hand for a bit to release some of the tension. "Gentleman, thank you. Always look forward to this." said the boy as he now began to walk with Juniper following him.
The pair then exited the warehouse as they left Mark and his team to ship the prints to the people who ordered them.
"Well, you finished earlier. Which means we have time to get some food," stated Juniper.
"You picked out a spot?" asked Isaac.
"Already taken care of," smiled Juniper as the two headed to a nearby restaurant.
The two entered the establishment as they sat at a table. It was a small place as there was a bigger place to eat at the arena where Isaac would be performing later tonight. While it was nice to be there, Isaac never forgot his roots and knew that eating at a less popular restaurant was just as good as any. And to be honest, the food tasted better rather than eating small portions or overpriced food, not that he couldn't afford it.
"I see why you prefer to eat mainly at common places," said Juniper as Isaac pulled out a chair for her to sit down as he pushed it in and then sat across from the girl.
"Just because I'm the World Champ, doesn't make me any better than anybody else. I'm still just a regular old boy," said Isaac as a waiter came to serve them. The pair ordered their food as they began to discuss the rest of the day's activities.
"Right so after this, we head over to the arena and get started. From there it's the party and the duel you'll be putting on. Once that whole event is done, next is the afterparty and then it's back to getting on the bus which will take us to our next stop." stated Juniper.
"Then we got time," said Isaac looking at his watch as the food arrived with 30 minutes to spare. The young man looked at his watch as it reminded him of someone.
"Say, how's..."
"She called while you were signing. She just wants to make sure that you're doing your job. And to not worry about her." said Juniper.
"I appreciate it, it's just... I can't not think of Twilight and our future plan of getting married," said Isaac.
"I understand, Isaac. But right now, both of you are busy doing your things. You're a pro and the World Champ, she's finishing up her studies and in two months is already going to start her business as a card designer." stated Juniper. "Nothing is perfect. Life is about the management of problems. And whoever manages their problems the best, has the best life." said the girl to the boy.
"Still... speaking of, any word from the others?"
"Rainbow said thank you for the gift basket. All the others sent some emails as they're busy with their responsibilities."
"We really have all grown up. Crazy to think that it's been that long since we graduated," said Isaac as he now realized how much time makes a difference. Eventually, he put it to the side as their food arrived.
Once paying for their meal, as well as a big tip, not to mention taking a few more photos and signing, the pair now left. They were now heading towards the arena as they entered the backstage where tons of cameramen and reporters were all on the side as they arrived on the red carpet. Some began snapping photos while others tried to get his attention as Isaac and Juniper kept on walking. They entered the room as it was a sea of fancy suits and dresses. Some belonged to the high society as indicated by the expensive pieces of jewelry.
Upon entering, Isaac was approached by several people wanting to shake the hands of the World Champ. Even the rich snobs heard of the boy as he was one of the many bets that admittedly gave them excitement and joy watching in a duel. Some promoters approached the pair asking if Isaac could make an appearance for an event, to which Juniper handled it. She knew how to attend to her client's needs and only agreed to do the ones they had time for in their busy schedule. Others she put on a waiting list. So the party went for another hour or two as it was time for some entertainment. Everyone looked out of the room's windows as they saw the arena below along with the people in their seats who paid to see this event.
Juniper grabbed Isaac as the two of them headed downstairs to prepare. They entered the private room as she closed the door behind him.
"So who's my opponent?" asked Isaac.
"Nothing too big, just a local duelist," said Juniper as she showed off the profile of the person on her tablet to her client.
"Alright then," said Isaac as he sat down on the couch. The boy sat down as he felt some tension in his shoulders brought his hand to rub them.
"Allow me," said Juniper as she saw her client's issue. She was next to Isaac on the couch as she put her tablet down and began to rub the boy's shoulder.
"Thanks, Juniper," said Isaac with his back turned to the girl.
"As I've said, I attend to your every need and desire." stated the girl as she worked her hands to soothe the pain from her client's body.
"That's why I'm glad to have you." smiled the boy. Juniper then stopped after a few minutes as she asked Isaac how he felt as the stress was gone. "Thanks,"
"Just doing my job." said the girl pushing up her glasses.
"And like always, for doing these special jobs, you get a special reward," said Isaac as he pressed his lips to hers as it lasted for a few seconds. He then pulled back and gave a wink as Juniper couldn't help but turn red. She did admit, that being Isaac's agent was worth it for small displays of affection like that.
"Well, I'll leave you to have a few moments to yourself." said the girl as she got up and exited the room.
Isaac smiled as he reached into the deck box on his belt and opened it. He then pulled out his deck as he looked at it. Isaac took a deep breath before saying.
"You guys still there?" asked Isaac to his deck. For a while, nothing happened. Then some light began to flash as soon the boy's two magicians appeared before their master in quite a while.
"Master."
"Mahad, Mana. Nice to see you."
"I've missed you, Isaac," said Mana wrapping her arms around her master. She nuzzled her cheek against his while planting a kiss.
"I've missed you guys too. I know things have changed, I don't talk to you guys as often as I did when I was still in high school." said the boy to his friends.
"And we understand, Master. Your life has now changed since becoming a young adult. And me and our comrades understand that you have other responsibilities that you need to uphold. It's natural of growing up." stated Mahad.
"Well, I miss him," stated Mana getting as many snuggles as she could before they disappeared for however long.
"Still, I should at least try to talk to you guys a bit more. Our bond is strong and still is, it's just... my life is busy," said Isaac as he grabbed Mana's arms and took them off his neck. "I recently became champion and now I have to do my duty that comes with it. I just don't want us to drift apart, you and all our the monsters in my deck."
"Isaac, you have your life to live. So don't worry, we'll always be here if you need us." smiled Mana. "Besides, we could never forget about our cute master." stated the girl as she went back to hugging him.
"I appreciate it, Mana," said Isaac as he stroked the girl's hair and smelled that familiar vanilla scent that he loved.
Isaac then stood up as he looked at his magicians. He gripped his deck tightly as he closed his eyes. Both Mahad and Mana then disappeared back into their master's deck as the boy slotted it into his duel disk. At that moment, Juniper opened the door and saw her client was ready to perform. Isaac had the hooded jacket as he hung it on his shoulders like a cape as he began to walk with the girl towards the arena. He was making his way to the stage as the sounds of the crowd were loud. Isaac then got onto the stage as he activated his duel disk and projected a gold card tray.
"It's time to duel!!"
The duel ended as Isaac managed to emerge the victor, but he had to give props to his opponent for putting up a fight. Once it was over, Isaac now made his way back to his room as he splashed some water on his face. Juniper entered the room as Isaac was wiping his face with a towel. Once he was dried off, the two were now on their way to the afterpart. As usual, it was filled with food and drinks. The pair enjoyed themselves making sure that the other didn't overdose on the alcoholic beverages that were being brought out as they had still had things to do. It was about midnight when the pair started to leave the party as they arrived at where the bus was waiting for them. They got on board as the bus driver then started down the road. While it may have been dark, the pair was still up as they were going over what they had to take care of in the morning.
It was about 1 in the morning as the bus was still driving. Isaac had fallen asleep about 20 minutes prior as his head was against the window. The bump from driving woke him up for a bit as he let out a yawn. He blinked a few times as he looked outside to see darkness and some greenery passing by. He turned his head to the left as he felt something. Seems Isaac wasn't the only one who fell asleep as Juniper was also exhausted as she was leaning on the boy with her head on his shoulder.
Isaac just smiled as he pushed up her glasses from falling as he kissed the girl on her forehead and she had a happy smile. He then turned back to rest his head against the window as he drifted off to get some sleep before they arrived at their destination. It was about 3 in the morning as the bus stopped as the driver pushed a button next to him and it made a ring sound to which Isaac awoke too. Outside was still dark as in a few hours, the sun would be up and then the pair would have to start their day again.
"Hey, Juniper. Juniper." said the boy as he tried to wake up the girl. She was fast asleep as she snuggled a bit more on Isaac's arm. "Wake up." Isaac tried to get the girl to awake but she was fast asleep. Seems she was exhausted from all they did.
Isaac just smiled as he grabbed Juniper and carried her in his arms as he exited the bus. He then saw the hotel just a few feet away as he entered inside and laid the girl in her room as he tucked her into bed and placed her glasses on the table next to her. He gave one last smile as he was glad to have her by his side. Isaac then went to go grab their bags as he thanked the bus driver for his job and gave him some cash as he wished the pair the best of luck. He then made his way back to the hotel as he talked with the receptionist to finalize their check-in. He made sure to drop off Juniper's luggage in her room as he set the alarm. With that, he quietly exited the room and made his way to his as he flung his luggage on the floor and placed his backpack on the chair.
"3:30 am, the sun will be up soon. Thankfully, we won't have anything early in the morning. But we still need to get up by 7." said Isaac as he set his alarm and prepared to get whatever sleep he could get. "Just another normal busy day in the life as a pro. Well, time to get some sleep." stated the boy as he flopped on his bed and within a few seconds felt his eyes drift as he was now fast asleep. While he was sleeping, Isaac thought back to what Juniper said to him in the restaurant.
"Nothing is perfect. Life is about the management of problems. And whoever manages their problems the best, has the best life."