The Princeton and the Pauper

Welcome To Duel Academy

One warm evening, Maria had just finished packing up whatever she needed. She had passed the Duel Academy entrance exam and now she was preparing to arrive at her new home away from home. Getting her essentials into her suitcase and overnight bag, she looked over at her deck, gazing at her monster cards, Wingweaver among them. She treasured this card ever since receiving it that very Christmas and it was the one Christmas, she would never forget. Looking to her left, her comfortable clothes were laid out for tomorrow, consisting of pastel colours. A sigh escaped her lips as she took a moment for one last look of her bedroom.

A knock on her bedroom door snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Maria, honey, may I come in?" Her mother asked from behind her bedroom door.

"Yes, Mom."

Her bedroom door opened to reveal her parents entering. From the looks on their faces, Maria could tell that this would be the last time, they would see their daughter, although she promised to remember to write to them during her time away.

"Hey sweetie. How are you feeling about tomorrow?" Asked her mother.

"Excited and a little nervous combined into one." Maria answered as honestly as she could.

"Maria, listen to us." Her father took both his daughter's hands. "I know being far away from your family might be a new experience for you, but there's something, your mother and I want you to know. No matter the distance, just know that we'll always be there for you in your heart. Just remember this, dear."

"Thanks, Dad." Maria pulled both parents into a hug.

"We're gonna miss you so much." Her mother was on the verge of tears. "Oh, our little girl."

Breaking their family embrace, Maria turned to look at her deck. Placing it in her deck box, she put it in her handbag, which would be her hand luggage. Her Wingweaver was also in her deck, acting like a guardian angel.

"I wonder what Duel Academy holds for me."

Her mother wiped a tear from her eye, putting on a smile. "I promise you, it's such a nice place. I bet you'll make lots of great friends there too."

"Better not be any boys though..." Her father added under his breath. That earned him a slap upon the shoulder from his wife. "What?! I'm looking out for our little girl."

"Don't worry, Dad. I know how to handle boys in case of any funny business." Maria laughed. She knew how protective, her father was when it came to boys, especially if she would befriend them or...find love? Her father meant well but sometimes, she wished he could take it easy.

"That's what I like to hear. Anyway, it's getting late, so you better get some sleep. You've got a ferry to catch tomorrow."

The caramel haired girl nodded, having finished up her packing. Bidding her parents goodnight, Maria burrowed herself under the covers and laid her head upon her pillow. Looking to the moon outside her window, she pictured what would be in store for her at Duel Academy before her eyelids betrayed her and she drifted off to sleep.

~~~

Standing on the deck of the ferry, Maria was among the other students, waving goodbye to their families as the boat began to set sail to its destination. She didn't stop waving to her family until the ferry left the docks and was now on open sea.

Duel Academy was a well known and dedicated school, created and owned by Seto Kaiba that would train duelists to a pro level, so they would ideally enter the Pro League. Located somewhere in southern Japan, it was unofficially referred to as Central Academy as it had four main subsidiaries in the north, south, east and west.