Red-Eyes and the White Ghost

The Ghost of Duel Academy had struck again. Having sneaked into the Duel Academy base for the umpteenth time, he was merely wandering around. He had no idea what the students had begun to call him, to him he was merely observing the Academy's teachings. He was by a large tree, where he noticed a bag. He grabbed it, looking through it before placing it on the ground a few feet away from the tree. He then began to walk away from this specific area of the academy.

"What the hell are you doing?" a young boy said in an agitated manner. Curiously, he was puffing on a cigarette, but he seemed to be no older than fourteen or fifteen years old. "You don't just look through people's stuff." He muttered as he slung the duffel bag over his left shoulder. It was as soon as he had appeared that the boy turned around and began walking off. However, he stopped to reach for his phone. Grabbing it from his back pocket, he plugged in his headphones and began listening to some sort of song.

"I'm looking around." Andrei replied, towering over Ken. "You are student?" he asked, grabbing the cigarette from Ken. He took in a puff before snuffing out the cigarette. "Little kids like you shouldn't smoke."

Ken snatched his cigarette, he cursed as he flicked it into a bush. Sighing, he looked the man dead in the eyes. "Not sure if I heard you right..." Ken said pointing at his earphones, "But grown men like you shouldn't be wandering around a kid's school. That's kind of creepy don't you think?"

"Grown man? I'm barely an adult. I have friends that go here." he responded. "That was your bag? You use Red-Eyes?"

"I do." Ken said as he grabbed his phone again. He paused his song and turned around. "Why does that matter?"

"I do as well." Andrei said as he began to activate his Duel Disk. "Would you like to duel me?"

Ken sighed. "Why not. The quicker you kick my ass, the quicker I can go to my dorm." He grabbed his Duel Disk and inserted his deck. "I hate these things... This was way simpler back home."

"You shouldn't assume that you'll lose." Andrei responded. "You go first."

"I'm gonna lose since I don't even have my *real* deck." Ken said as he drew his five cards. *Yeah... This is gonna be fun.* He sighed as he looked at the semi-useful hand. "I'm gonna Set one monster." He said as he laid down one card face down in one of his five Monster Zones. "And I'm going to activate Red-Eyes Insight, you know what it does." He discarded his declared Spell card and searched his deck for one Red-Eyes Spell or Trap card. "It's Return of the Red-Eyes." He yawned as he looked at his opponent. *Maybe this is that Ghost guy.* He thought as he analyzed the man. "Now, I'm gonna activate Dragon Shrine, so I'm gonna send one Red-Eyes Black Dragon from my deck to the GY. Since it was a normal monster, I can send one more. So I'll send a second one. And I'll Set one card." Ken smiled, he was actually kind of excited now. "I'm done now so, your turn."

"Alright. I'll draw, and activate Dragon's Shrine. I'll send Black-Eyes Flare Dragon, and since its effect lets it act like a Normal Monsters, I'll send another Flare Dragon to my Graveyard. I'll set one card, and end my turn." Andrei said, quickly powering through his turn.

Ken drew one card and looked at his opponent. "Drew, and I'm gonna play Red-Eyes Baby Dragon in Defense position." Ken sighed. "I'm done."

"I'll draw, and end my turn." Andrei said, quickly ending his turn.

Ken drew again, and smiled afterwards. "Ok, now we're getting somewhere. I activate Return of the Dragon Lords to summon one Red-Eyes Black Dragon from my GY. Then, I'll attack you with Red-Eyes." Ken watched as his monster prepared it's attack. *There's no way this is gonna land.*

The attack went through, bringing Andrei’s Life Points down to 6800. He drew his next card, and activated it. “I’ll activate Red-Eyes Fusion, sending Red-Eyes B. Dragon and Summoned Skull to my Graveyard to Fusion Summon, Archfiend Black Skull Dragon! I’ll attack your Red-Eyes B. Dragon.”

"Getting antsy..." Ken said as he yawned. "It's just a card game, no need to yell bro. I'm activating Return of the Dragon Lord's second Effect. So by banishing it, Red-Eyes stays alive." As the card disappeared from Ken's card zone, his face tensed up. "Ya know, now that I think about it. You kinda sound like that *Ghost* guy."

Andrei didn't respond. "Either way, the Black Skull's effect activates. I shuffle Red-Eyes Black Dragon into my deck, and you take 2400 damage, bringing you down to 6800 Life Points. I'll end my turn." he said.

Ken drew a card, and his poker face suddenly disappeared. "Heheh, it's about to get real." He said as he smiled. "I'm gonna tribute my Red-Eyes Baby Dragon, and my Red-Eyes Retro Dragon to the GY to summon a second Red-Eyes." Ken yawned again. "I'm sending both of my Red-Eyes on the field." He said as he pointed at his Dragons. "To the grave, and I'll Special Summon Red-Eyes Ancient Black Dragon from my deck." As a flash of light appeared, signifying that the Summon was successful, he smiled. "Since I Summoned him, I can destroy one monster you control, and along with that you take damage equal to its attack score. I'll destroy Black Skull." Ken smiled. *What's he gonna do now?*

Black Skull exploded, bringing down Andrei's Life Points down to 3600. "Continue." Andrei said, a monotone expression on his face.

*I honestly could care less if he activates something and wins, I did enough.* Ken thought. "Now I'm gonna attack you directly with my Red-Eyes Ancient." The huge dragon prepared its attack. "Well, counter it." Ken said. "You're supposed to win."

Andrei's Life Points catapulted down to 600 Life Points. "I don't think you understand. I like coming back from the brink of defeat." he said. He drew a card and looked at Ken. "Now, I'll activate Critias' Field from my hand. Next, The Fang of Critias and my set Mirror Force are sent to the Graveyard to bring out Mirror Force Dragon. Now, I end my turn."

Ken sighed, looking at the Twin Twisters in his hand. *This is useless now...* He thought as he looked at the new monster. He drew a card and sighed again. "I summon Red-Eyes Baby Dragon in Defense Position. I'll end it there." *Well... This guy has kinda made me look stupid.*

Andrei drew a card and sighed. "I'll activate the effect of Omni Trap in my hand. I'll show it to you, and now I can treat it as Bottomless Trap Hole. After that, I'll use another Fang of Critias, sending it and Omni Trap, which is treated as Bottomless Trap Hole to the Graveyard. Now I can Special Summon Bottomless Cavern Dragon. His effect, banishing all monsters on your field and in your hand. Say bye to your Ancient Black Dragon, and the Baby Dragon. Now, I gain 4200 attack. And I will attack you directly with both my monsters."

Ken shrugged a small his Life Points were reduced to zero. "Congratulations, you beat a Slifer." He said while clapping sarcastically.

The Duel Disk's deactivated, and Andrei shook his head. "You're not a very good duelist. I see why you're in Slifer." he began. "And don't tell me it's because of a bad hand, or that this deck isn't your real deck. It doesn't matter what the deck is, only how skilled the duelist using it is."

"In this school, is there no prize for me winning the duel? It's not like my homeland, which is when you win, you get a card from your Opponent."

Ken smiled. "You have some nerve, I got you down to six-hundred LP..." He smiled as he approached the man. "But I'll admit... That was really fun." Ken reached into his back pocket, and pulled out not one, but *two* Red-Eyes Ancient Black Dragons. "I got two more from my uncle, he sent them to me from my old deck. They'll serve you well, trust me."

Andrei took the cards, placing them into his bag. "You only got me down to 600 Life Points because I let you." he responded snarkily. "I'm going to leave now."

Ken sighed. "At least introduce yourself. I'm Ken Kirimoto."

Andrei looked down at the younger boy. "My name is Andrei Sokolov. Is that all?"

Ken looked at the stranger. "What's with the attitude? Did I *do* something?" He stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked the man in the eyes. "Honestly, I've tried to be somewhat friendly towards you. What's up with you?"

"You have done nothing. I'm only late for a meeting with a friend." he responded. "Can I leave now?"

Ken sighed again. "Sure, but one of these days..." He hesitated to say it. "Can... Can you... Can you get me out of here?"

"Out of the academy?" Andrei asked, confused. "Like out of here forever?"

"I hate this place!" Ken yelled. "After my dad... Shit!" He said kicking a tree. "My uncle enrolled me here and I hate it! I like Dueling and all, but I want to Duel at my leisure. I want you to teach me about Red-Eyes." Ken had settled down now, his emotions had gotten the best of him. "Sorry about that..." He said exhaling.

Andrei was still somewhat confused. But...he felt some sympathy for the boy. "Alright, I'll take you out of here one day. I'll help you with understanding Red-Eyes better." he began. "I promise you that."

"It's a promise then?" Ken said as he extended his fist in a calm way.