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31_days2008-08-04 10:38 am
immicolia.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2008-08-04 10:38 am
[August 4] [Yu-Gi-Oh! GX] Transition
Title: Transition
Day/Theme: August 4 - collateral damage
Series: Yu-Gi-Oh GX (technically, the time between GX and 5Ds)
Characters: Edo Phoenix, Emeralda
Rating: G
(I might have actually written this a few days ago, but with this theme firmly in mind XD)
----------------
At twenty-five, Edo Phoenix comes to the realization that he's obsolete.
Well, perhaps not quite obsolete. It's more a case of "evolve or die" and as he stands in the Senrigan Group's private box in a shiny new duel arena, watching a pair of motorcycles whip around an oval in some high-speed parody of the game he knows and loves Edo knows that he cannot, will not, be able to manage evolving. It will require too much, a complete overhaul of his deck. Diamond Guy's effect would be rendered useless. Dread Guy he wouldn't even be able to summon….
And the thought of cutting out any of his Heroes as superfluous makes him sick to his stomach.
Beside him Emeralda is explaining the Group's grand plans for turning Edo Phoenix, legendary pro duelist, into an equally legendary pro on the D-wheeling circuit and he finds himself turning in and out as she drones on. "…plans to work together with I2 to come up with some new support cards, Speed Spells of course, maybe a few others. And the instant this synchro-summon addition to the rules was announced there's been work on coming up with an addition to your D-series along that line…."
There's a childish portion of Edo that wants to slap his hands over his ears and run. Pretend that none of this exists. Head back to his penthouse, take a couple pills, and sleep until this whole stupid riding duel fad blows over. Because that's all it is, that's all it possibly can be.
(And Edo still remembers years ago when Mike had smiled that sleazy grin at him and said quite simply that the public wasn't interested in regular stand-up duels anymore. They want gimmicks and costumes. But Mike couldn't have been right. Not about that.)
A few moments silence and Edo suddenly realizes that Emeralda has stopped talking; frowning at him expectantly and she must be waiting for a response of some sort. A nod, a brisk agreement, even a curt mutter of, "That's fine," would do. Edo knows this.
Except his throat is locked up, eyes still glued to the cycles going round and round on the track below, and it takes everything in him to choke out a harsh, barely audible, "No."
"Edo?"
Two deep breaths (because there's no going back, not now) and Edo turns away from the scene below to look Emeralda in the eye. "I'm not interested. I'm not going to change my entire style, my entire deck just to keep up with the next big thing."
"This is hardly an ignorable sidebar, Edo. This is the next evolution of the game. Attendance for standard duels on a professional level is dwindling. If you want to stay on top…."
"I don't want it that badly. I'm not changing my deck."
Emeralda studies him for a moment before turning her attention back to the window and the action below. "I don't need to remind you that your contract with us is up in a few months. We're more than willing to negotiate an extremely generous salary on top of the prize money from your tournament wins, if…."
"If I do what you ask and become a D-wheeler like a good boy, I know." A wry smile twists Edo's lips and he shoots Emeralda a sidelong glance. "You've never offered to up my salary before. Senrigan really wants to keep me in its stable that badly?"
"You're a household name, Edo, a prodigy all grown up. The crowd loves you and they want to see you keep growing and succeeding." Emeralda pauses long enough to shoot a small smile back in Edo's direction before continuing, "It's just good business to give the public what it wants."
"And I can't do that," Edo murmurs in reply, his eyes once again turning to the oval below; watching blankly as one of the cycles screeches to a halt, a plume of smoke declaring its loss.
Day/Theme: August 4 - collateral damage
Series: Yu-Gi-Oh GX (technically, the time between GX and 5Ds)
Characters: Edo Phoenix, Emeralda
Rating: G
(I might have actually written this a few days ago, but with this theme firmly in mind XD)
----------------
At twenty-five, Edo Phoenix comes to the realization that he's obsolete.
Well, perhaps not quite obsolete. It's more a case of "evolve or die" and as he stands in the Senrigan Group's private box in a shiny new duel arena, watching a pair of motorcycles whip around an oval in some high-speed parody of the game he knows and loves Edo knows that he cannot, will not, be able to manage evolving. It will require too much, a complete overhaul of his deck. Diamond Guy's effect would be rendered useless. Dread Guy he wouldn't even be able to summon….
And the thought of cutting out any of his Heroes as superfluous makes him sick to his stomach.
Beside him Emeralda is explaining the Group's grand plans for turning Edo Phoenix, legendary pro duelist, into an equally legendary pro on the D-wheeling circuit and he finds himself turning in and out as she drones on. "…plans to work together with I2 to come up with some new support cards, Speed Spells of course, maybe a few others. And the instant this synchro-summon addition to the rules was announced there's been work on coming up with an addition to your D-series along that line…."
There's a childish portion of Edo that wants to slap his hands over his ears and run. Pretend that none of this exists. Head back to his penthouse, take a couple pills, and sleep until this whole stupid riding duel fad blows over. Because that's all it is, that's all it possibly can be.
(And Edo still remembers years ago when Mike had smiled that sleazy grin at him and said quite simply that the public wasn't interested in regular stand-up duels anymore. They want gimmicks and costumes. But Mike couldn't have been right. Not about that.)
A few moments silence and Edo suddenly realizes that Emeralda has stopped talking; frowning at him expectantly and she must be waiting for a response of some sort. A nod, a brisk agreement, even a curt mutter of, "That's fine," would do. Edo knows this.
Except his throat is locked up, eyes still glued to the cycles going round and round on the track below, and it takes everything in him to choke out a harsh, barely audible, "No."
"Edo?"
Two deep breaths (because there's no going back, not now) and Edo turns away from the scene below to look Emeralda in the eye. "I'm not interested. I'm not going to change my entire style, my entire deck just to keep up with the next big thing."
"This is hardly an ignorable sidebar, Edo. This is the next evolution of the game. Attendance for standard duels on a professional level is dwindling. If you want to stay on top…."
"I don't want it that badly. I'm not changing my deck."
Emeralda studies him for a moment before turning her attention back to the window and the action below. "I don't need to remind you that your contract with us is up in a few months. We're more than willing to negotiate an extremely generous salary on top of the prize money from your tournament wins, if…."
"If I do what you ask and become a D-wheeler like a good boy, I know." A wry smile twists Edo's lips and he shoots Emeralda a sidelong glance. "You've never offered to up my salary before. Senrigan really wants to keep me in its stable that badly?"
"You're a household name, Edo, a prodigy all grown up. The crowd loves you and they want to see you keep growing and succeeding." Emeralda pauses long enough to shoot a small smile back in Edo's direction before continuing, "It's just good business to give the public what it wants."
"And I can't do that," Edo murmurs in reply, his eyes once again turning to the oval below; watching blankly as one of the cycles screeches to a halt, a plume of smoke declaring its loss.