It was like a cold splash against her skin, feeling the tingle. A feeling that would only make sense to anyone whose sensed a spirit before. She didn't see what the card was, but she knew what she felt. Who was this girl, she was wielding a card like that and also seemingly completely oblivious to what it means? Julia gave a gentle smile. "You won't win that way." She didn't really expect the girl to take it too seriously just yet, but if Julia had to guess from her actions, her spirit was unamused of being treated more like an option than anything especially valued. "You'll never draw it. Just having good cards isn't enough. You have to trust your deck." She doubted the girl would really take it seriously, but she gave her best input. Julia already feeling like she could immediately guess what was going to happen. That card spirit might be strong, but it also had a certain....pride to it. Most likely, it recognizes her potential that she could be good if she was able to really develop. "You might know mechanically the differences between you and your opponent, but the weight behind your cards is completely different." Julia stood aside, now taking an interest to see how this girl would duel, sitting at the side while folding her arms, already able to take a guess at what was going to happen.
Spoiler: Receptionist "Good morning! How can I help you?" The woman's voice seems loud compared to the silence which fills the room without it. The lobby is devoid of people aside from the smiling receptionist, so there is no lack of seating.
(Nah, I think I misunderstood the first post.) "I'll head over then, thanks." Adam nods and moves to follow Julia's footsteps, before looking back at Rene. "Don't bother watching my match - it'll be such a one-sided affair it won't be worth the effort." With a grin, he departs for the Arena.
"Yeah, good morning." Felicia greets back in a rough manner, and looking around, her confusion only grows. "I'm supposed to have my placement duel here?" She asked in a curious tone, bringing out her phone, and showing the receptionist the email she got. "Was there a mistake in the system? I don't see anyone else dueling here."
"What's that supposed to mean?!" the brunette snaps, definitely offended now. "Of course I trust my deck, lady!" She crosses her arms and huffs. "It's gotten me this far, hasn't it?!" The girl glares at Julia as the professor takes a seat. Insulted, she storms off to join the growing group of students. As she watches people filter into the stands, Julia's phone buzzes with a message listing the duels she is to oversee and judge. Takashi is facing an Umimaru Kuroki and Adam Le Fey is against one Haunani Wen, but none of the other names seem familiar to her. [Do you want me to skip ahead to the duels?]
The professor grins at Adam before turning to address the next person in line. ----- Arriving at the Duel Arena, Adam sees a small crowd already formed, with about fifteen minutes left until the first matches, including his own, begin. Spoiler: Arena He spies Professor Julia Meri sitting in the first row of the stands, but Adam doesn't recognize any of the other faces.
(Maybe just after a brief conversation.) Julia couldn't help herself. She laughed. It didn't help make things better, but it seemed like her instinct was going to be proven correct. She desperately wanted to keep an eye on how this plays out, though as her phone buzzed, she saw a few names she had taken interest in. Takashi would likely prove to be a serious duelist. She was sure of that. And Adam was also on the list, who should definitely make a good showing. Approaching one of the staff, she gave a few simply words watching the red haired girl run off. "Get me her name and keep my updated about her performance. I have 10,000 yen on her opponent. 15,000, if the reason she loses is because she can't draw what she needs." Takashi she hadn't sensed anything especially strong from his approach, but she also hadn't actually had a chance to witness his deck. It would likely become more apparent when he wasn't part of a crowd if he had anything noteworthy. With his match prepped to begin soon, it should be exciting. Though, as if in time with her thinking about him, she could spot Adam approaching the arena, and determined she could at least sneak a few brief minutes in before the exams got underway for the one she still had the highest expectations of.
Adam looks around the crowd for a moment, smirking up at Julia as he sees her getting ready to watch his match. Please, dear God, don't let this be the one match I lose. The young man approached the professor. @Arachna "I hope you'll be betting on me, teach - for the sake of your wallet." He smirks confidently.
Briefly glancing at the message, the receptionist brightly replies. "No, that's correct! There's a handful of duels the President wanted to see personally, so he asked that they be scheduled here. That way he can fit them into his busy schedule. Well, I say 'here,' but they'll be held at the duel field a few floors up. You can wait here, or go straight on up to the seventh floor!" The perky woman busily types. "Did you need anything else?"
"The president?" Felica was surprised that she'll have such an important guest for her first duel in the academy. Though she wasn't phased, as she's used to crowds watching during tournaments. She was a little curious about who else the president of the academy had his eyes on. "Can I wait in the seventh floor?" She asked in a curious tone, aiming to gauge who the top dogs of the academy will be.
"Careful. I just lectured one person today about relying on one good card." Her tone was friendly and maybe a bit teasing. Obviously, the rest of the staff wasn't aware of the fact she was....friends with his mother and father, or they would likely have got someone else to do it. But all in all, her typical attitude wouldn't even be that out of the place. "But seeing that cute face makes my day." She didn't even try for subtlety. Not that anything ever came of it other than just some light teasing. "I'm almost tempted to arrange it to make sure you get into yellow. But you'll shot for the top, won't you? Either way....I'll definitely be seeing more of you soon." Her face shifted, along with hers, into that more focused kind of coaching. "Don't stay too dependent on trying to get your boss monster out if you need to change tactics. Quintent magician is powerful, but five spellcasters on the field at once is difficult. Later, you should get a hold of something like Necro Fusion, so you can summon through the graveyard for an easy summon into the mid to late game. But until you can get a hold of better cards, just remember that every monster in your deck can be an ace. Don't get too hung up on trying to get one combo off, if it's going to do more harm than good. And remember what I taught you. Your best weapon is reading how your opponent and making sure they can't read you."
"Will do, professor." The staff member says, unable to resist a look down at Julia's cleavage before scurrying off. ----- [Adam approaches as seen in Tjf's post.]
Adam feels himself blush as she calls him cute, looking away from her and pretending to scan the crowd. "Of course. I like to be on top." Merde! "I mean, I like, um, winning." Great job, Casanova... "I'm looking forward to seeing more of you, too." Mon Dieu, just send me to the fucking Shadow Realm at this point. Taking a deep breath, he lets the embarrassment fall away as he gets into his zone, listening to his old teacher's advice and taking notes. He may be arrogant, but he still knows he can never stop improving. "Thanks, I'll try to mix things up. I've been working on a strat with Pot of Greed/Dark Magician lately - it won me a couple of underground games back in Saint-Denis." @AnonYMooseBoG Adam keeps watching around the arena, looking for signs of his opponent.
"That's right!" The receptionist grins. "Try not to let the pressure get to you, dear. It isn't every day you get to duel in front of one of the most powerful men in the city!" She laughs sweetly. "You sure can! Just take one of the elevators behind me up. Good luck!" The elevator is as clean, modern, and empty as the rest of the building has been so far with most of the staff elsewhere on the campus assisting in the many other entrance duels taking place. As the metal box reaches the seventh floor and the doors slide open, Felicia is met by an older version of the duel fields often seen at tournaments. Spoiler: Tower Duel Field No one else seems to be on the floor yet, though a handful of comfortable chairs and couches line the walls of the large room. ----- After ten minutes, the elevator dings as the doors open once more, revealing a lone, black-clad boy behind them. Spoiler: Elevator Occupant He walks into the room, undisturbed by the eerie emptiness.
"I'm looking forward to seeing it. It's nice to see what you can come up with on your own." She didn't want to get chewed out for stalling for too long when she still had other students to attend to, so she began to make her walk towards the arena to help get things underway. @AnonYMooseBoG
"Thanks, and don't worry, I'm more than confident enough about enduring pressure." Felicia smiles, thanking the receptionist before heading to the elevator. I wonder what the others will be like. She thinks to herself as the elevator stops at the seventh floor. "First one here?" Felicia said to herself as she finds the place empty, though she is a bit surprised at the old model for the dueling area. "Oh well, as long as it works." She shrugs, heading to an empty seat. She crosses her stocking-clad legs, careful not to cause her short skirt to ride too high up her thighs. And as another person finally arrives, Felicia gives him a careful look. I'm not the only one thinking about surveying my opponents. I suppose I can't go all out during my first duel... but then again, maybe that'll also help... aaargh, no use thinking about it right now. We'll just have to see how it goes, don't we, partner. She thinks to herself, thinking about her cards as she waits for the duels to begin. Unless someone approaches her.
Spoiler: Perception Roll 74-20(situational)=54 weak success Without knowing what Haunani looks like, this proves a difficult feat. However, he does hear a passing group of male students call her "hot," so that would be something to go off of if most of the people here weren't so attractive. [I feel kind of bad for doing that, but I don't feel like I can give you much more unless you ask around or something.]
(No problem - I meant more that he was watching for someone to approach the ring ) Hot, eh? The young man smirks as he overhears the description. "Hey." He calls out to a random student, not aiming for anyone in particular. "Do you know if Miss Haunani is here already?"
Tenma gulps slightly. Yes, he has been taught that lesson QUITE well in a number of ways over the years. It was also pretty clear she intended to continue those lessons when she could... but that was part of the deal, wasn't it? ----- "Excuse me, ma'am," he replies, struggling to keep eye contact since he had learned that his looking down in front of a woman as busty as the pink haired professor could be interpreted as him staring at their breasts instead of his own feet... and not necessarily by the woman in question he was looking at, "My sister and I are looking for the botanical gardens for our duels. Do you happen to know which way we need to go?"
As Julia nears the main duel field, a staff member in a white uniform hurriedly hands her a pair of empty, similarly white duel disks and a microphone. Spoiler: Duel Disks "We're ready to start whenever you are, Professor!" The man beams, excited for the proceedings. Julia knows that she's just supposed to call the names for the first round of matches, including the ones Adam and Takashi are in, but there's nothing wrong with a little embellishing speech if the mood strikes, is there? "Hm? Yeah, she's right over there." A boy in a green sweatshirt points at a handful of people gathered around a scantily dressed girl in a jacket with an...odd hairstyle a short distance away. Spoiler: Haunani Wen She seems to talking animatedly. However, as Adam sees Professor Meri walking to the center of the arena, he realizes he may not have much time to talk.
