Cerce frowned slightly as he glanced back at the portrait. He wanted to tell himself that he hadn't sensed anything... Surely the portrait itself couldn't be dangerous? Ken emerged from the kitchen, carrying a glass of orange juice that slopped against the sides as he traipsed across the spacious apartment. Before Cerce knew it, the juice had been thrust into his hands. He gave it a tentative look before setting it down atop the countertop gingerly. Ken eyed him warily over his own glass.

"Sorry," Cerce said. "Won't be a minute." He disappeared into the kitchen, and presently, the noises of pots and pans moving around could be heard, as well as the sound of running water and a chopping knife. A sweet, tart scent seemed to roll through the apartment as he reappeared, carrying a large teapot.

"I can't start a day without green tea with lime and honey," Cerce explained, pouring himself a cup and dropping a few ice cubes into it. He waited patiently until they melted and cooled the tea down before bringing it to his lips and drinking it eagerly. He drank two more cups of tea before giving a contented sigh and storing the teapot back in the kitchen. He then snatched his bag from the ground and moved towards Ken's room, shutting the door briefly. The sound of running water could be heard from the sink in Ken's bathroom before he emerged once more in his clothes - miraculously unwrinkled - from yesterday. Cerce fastened the clasp of the bag around his shoulder, ran his hands through his bangs easily, and strode to the door before turning back to Ken.

"Well?" he demanded imperiously. "Lead the way."

Ken stared blankly at Cerce for a minute. Making tea so quickly? Clothes still neat and pressed? "Lead the way?" He hadn't even gotten time to get dressed himself!

Who or what put the gung in this kid's ho? Ken thought as he grabbed his riding suit again. Sage is gonna eat him alive for sure. I know it.

Ken disappeared with the riding suit into the bathroom and closed the door just enough to let his voice be heard.

"Uh, Cerce, I want you to know that it's good you're so eager," Ken called out. "But the whole demanding attitude, and the eye-rolling, and what not, has gotta stop. The person I'm taking you to is my Superior, goes by the name Sage. Hot lady who hides behind the shadows as far as the Chosen is concerned, but is not afraid to let you know what's on her mind. And if you come off like that to her, not only will Sage blackball you, but she'll personally have you stripped, flogged, hung, drawn, and quartered. You make nice with her, and she'll be your best friend. Piss her off, and..."

Ken emerged from the bathroom, in the full riding suit and helmet, and grabbed his D-Wheel and bag.

"... well, let's just say she's that if you piss her off, there'll be no place in the world safe enough for you," Ken continued.

Ken wheeled the bike out the open door, where Cerce was waiting.

"Well, let's go." he said, smiling widely.

Cerce frowned slightly. Him, demanding? The nerve! He bit back an angry reply and tossed his head. "Your superior is a woman?" he asked, interested in spite of himself. Ken gave an affirmative grunt as he wheeled the D-Wheel down the hallway to the elevator.

"Why do you ask?" Ken replied, pushing the button for the ground floor. With a mechanized ding, the elevator reached their floor and the metal doors slid apart.

The green-eyed man smiled with genuine pleasure for the first time in what seemed like a lifetime. "Because," he replied, "if she's a woman, I guarantee I'll charm the attitude right out of her."

Ken laughed as he stepped into the elevator. Pressing the button to go to the main lobby, the elevator screeched closed.

"You!?" Ken chortled. "Charm an attitude out of Sage!? Cerce, I hate to tell you this, my man, but Sage is damn near impossible to charm like that. She's an empath, meaning that while she can't sense thought, she can sense emotion. And, she can use that to see through people like a stained glass window. She knows when people are feeding her a line."

The elevator screeched to a halt and the door opened again. Ken and Cerce walked out of the elevator and out into the lobby. Tossing Cerce the same helmet he wore last night, the pair exited the building, and Ken propped up the backrest on the rear of the bike.

"Sage isn't so much a superior anymore, so much as a friend and colleague, I suppose," Ken continued. "Let me give you some advice, Cerce. You're never gonna 'charm the right attitude out of her.' But, if you wanna make points with her, there's only one surefire way to do it: Play it straight. Don't feed her any charming crap; just be honest, keep your cool, and show respect. And if anything, don't come off too full of yourself, like with scoffing or eye-rolling. That's something she CANNOT stand. Just do that, and you'll have no problems at all."

Ken hopped onto the D-Wheel and started it up.

"Moment of truth time, Cerce," Ken said. "Let's get this party started."

Ken looked on as Cerce hopped onto the back seat of the D-Wheel. As soon as he was aboard, Ken took off and made his way down the side street. Passing through the light morning traffic in the town, the two made their way to a small cafe in a square in Satellite, "Cafe La Geen." Ken drove by and pulled up to a toy store in the square, called "Sage's Game Shop." Ken pulled around into the alley at the side of the building to avoid being seen by anyone else.

"This is the place," Ken pointed out. "Sage runs this shop and has a dueling arena downstairs. She's got it set up for us so that we can begin your test duel. One second."

Ken got off the D-Wheel and walked up to the side entrance.

"I gotta warn you, Cerce. Sage seems a little... eccentric. So pay this no mind."

Cerce gave Ken a somewhat puzzled look as Ken knocked on the door a few times. A moment passed, when the eyehole opened.

"Password, please," came a gruff voice from the other side.

Ken rolled his eyes at the thought of what he'd have to say. Sage seldom changed her password at all, and it was always the same ridiculous two lines. He sighed heavily as he licked his lips.

"Sushi and o-sake, served with sukiyaku!" Ken recited, sighing heavily. He turned to Cerce and gave him a disapproving look. "See what I mean?"

The door opened to reveal a tall woman with a large bust, green eyes, and black hair down to her shoulder blades.

"Well, good morning Ken! And you must be the young prospect I heard so much about! " she said happily, her voice no longer gruff, but smooth and sultry. "Quite a looker, if I do say so myself. My name's Sage. Pleasure to meet you!"

Cerce smiled with sincere warmth. The woman looked like an eccentric, all right, but there was nothing wrong with that. After all, many people considered him an eccentric for reading books instead of just viewing holobooks, didn't they? Something about this woman gave him the impression of safety - perhaps it was the absence of a glowing aura of danger, or her friendly tone.

He raised one eyebrow slightly in an attractive dubious expression and extended his hand, taking her slender one as they shook hands. "I'm Cerce Ontarre," he replied. "It's nice to finally meet you, Sage," he continued, giving her a glance. "Ken has told me a lot about you and the nature of your work, as well as how you do your best to help the Arbiters. I'm certain that we'll get along well."

"Oh, well aren't you something!" Sage said, beaming. "Tell me, are you single? I'd be surprised if you were; a nice boy like you should have women dripping off you! Come on inside."

Sage led Cerce inside, while Ken followed behind.

That's the way, kid, Ken thought as they went inside. Damn, almost forgot.

Pulling out his phone, he pressed a button on the side, and his D-Wheel made a small chirping sound.

"Anti-theft mode... engaged."

Can't be too careful nowadays, Ken thought as he walked inside.

Sage knelt down and got close to Cerce's face. She stared deep into his eyes with a piercing gaze.

"Now just lemme have a look at you hun," she said reassuringly. "No need to worry, I'm not gonna bite or anything. Just think of it as having your palm read."

Sage muttered under her breath. Only a few "hmm's" and "ah-huh's" came from her mouth as she concentrated on Cerce profusely. Ken observed from behind, looking carefully on as Sage examined him. She had done the same with Ken when he first became an Arbiter four years ago. It almost felt like she was probing his very soul.

"Well, kiddo, you seem serious, and honest enough," she said standing up. "But I would like to see you afterwards. I have some things I wanna discuss with you. Now then, I think a duel's in order. Shall we head downstairs?"

"Sounds like an idea to me," Ken said, as they made their way towards the stairwell. "You're in for a treat, Cerce. Sage's shop is one of the few game shops left in Neo-Domino City with an actual duel arena. Sure, there are duel disk spaces in the shop, but this is a rarity. I think you're gonna like this."

Cerce kept his face calm and emotionless as Sage's piercing gaze fell upon him. All these "kid"s, "boy"s, and especially "kiddo"s were becoming quite trying, but he had simply decided to follow the plan he cooked up last night. Arguing with Ken and Sage or losing his temper would accomplish nothing, in fact, it could even be detrimental. If he was to have respect from the other Arbiters, he would have to start with these two.

The woman's green eyes flicked slightly as if she were probing his very soul. Not for the first time, he felt a tiny prick of impatience and discomfort, but mastered it, gazing back rather imperiously. Sage straightened suddenly, brushing herself off. "Well, kiddo, you seem serious, and honest enough," she said. Ken gave a small sigh of relief while Sage began to lead them to her game shop, and Cerce's next Duel.

With a casual elegance, Cerce rose and trailed after the two of them. He liked Sage instinctively - she was a woman after his own heart, after all - and he wanted to trust her, but he wasn't sure if it was too early to be sure. Then the woman was pushing aside a door, and they were moving down a flight of stairs.

"I wouldn't mind all that 'kiddo' stuff, Cerce," Ken whispered as they walked down the stairs. "Sage is a fair bit older than both of us. She's like that with everybody."

"Now then!! If we're ready," Sage said, grabbing the last door. "TA-DAAAAAAAAAAAAAA~!"

Ken looked at the old looking duel arena with an amazed glance. Though the technology seemed out of date by today's standards. it was very well taken care of. It was complete with stadium seating and lighting, and plenty of space.

"Gentlemen, I present you with the KC DuelTek 760, one of the last of its kind!" Sage boasted proudly. "I know what you're thinking. Museum piece, right? Well, let me tell you, this machine has been maintained constantly, using the most up to date Solid Vision generators available. So?! What do you think!? Pretty cool Huh?!"

Cerce restrained from rolling his eyes with great difficulty, and decided that it wasn't worth bursting Ken's little bubble and telling him that he was the one who needed to stop saying "kiddo". They moved down the stairs until Sage stopped and yanked open a door with a melodramatic cry that brought a faint smile to Cerce's face.

The arena was well-lit, orderly, and spacious, with an elevated dueling stage and marked boxes for the two Duelists. The fact that, according to Sage, such a classy, vaguely historique arena had been married to up-to-date Solid Vision technology only made Cerce's approval of the place climb even higher. Surprisingly enough, he found himself interested in the upcoming match - something he wouldn't have imagined possible after yesterday's events.

"It's gorgeous," Cerce said, turning and giving the large area a fuller glance with cool green eyes. "You must have dedicated a lot of your time to work on maintaining a place like this." He pivoted back to his original position, and his expression became much more serious.

"Anyways, Ken," he said, crossing his arms. "I think we should start our match now. Is there anything specific I should know about the match, rules, or the consequences of its outcome?"

"Sounds good to me, I guess," Ken said, pulling off one of the two deck boxes he kept on his belt. "Very simple! You duel yourself stupid. Don't hold back, don't give up, just come out swinging with all you got. Strive to win, but regardless of the outcome, your overall performance is what will be judged during this match."

"To make sure it's a valid judgment," Sage added, "This duel will be judged from dual perspectives: Kenny-boy here, who will be your opponent, and yours truly, the humble spectator with the opera glasses viewing from the balcony!"

"Gimme five minutes to get ready, Cerce," said Ken, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "I need to prepare properly for this. I only duel people in this riding suit if it's a riding duel. Get prepped, I'll be right back."

With that, Ken popped out into one of the nearby washrooms. Sage approached Cerce quietly now that he was by himself.

"Cerce, hun, can I talk to you for a second?" she said, walking Cerce over to the Red duel station. "Now, heaven forbid I should sound like a mother hen, but I'm getting the strange sensation you have a little animosity towards Ken. Is that about right? And remember, hun, I'm an empath, so I know when I'm being lied to."

Cerce frowned and cross his arms. "Sage," he replied, "I appreciate your concern, and I'm flattered that you've taken so personal an interest in me, but I'm getting slightly tired of all this coddling. I'm not a child, and I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, and there's nothing between me and Ken. "

He tossed his head back, green eyes flashing with impatience. "I wouldn't dream of lying to you, especially when there's your gift to consider. However, if I'm going to join the Arbiters, we're going to have to work together, and you're going to have to trust me." The woman nodded slightly, her expression intent. "Of course, of course!" she muttered. "It's all too true!"

"Now," Cerce said, giving her a calculating, catlike glance. "Ken is a competent Duelist, I gather?" he asked. Sage bobbed her head exaggeratedly. "Yes, yes," she replied. "He's young yet, but he's not lacking in the talent department."

A slightly haughty look came across Cerce's face. "Good," he said coolly. "I was hoping that was the case..." He turned away from her and strode towards the marked box at the far end. I already disillusioned Isabelle, he mused, pivoting around and sliding his deck out from his bag while Ken reappeared.

He can't possibly be any more difficult.

"It's not that I don't trust you, hun," Sage continued. "It's just that there's something about him that you need to know. And--"

Before Sage could say another word, she heard the bathroom door open.

"Oh well..." Sage sighed, disappointed. "I'll tell you after. Knock 'em dead, Slugger!"

Sage winked at Cerce before she ran off up to the balcony to watch. Ken reappeared from the bathroom, wearing a regal blue and white kimono instead of his riding suit. Rather than a hardcore biker, he now had an air of dignity and civility. Cerce gave him a quizzical, disbelieving look.

Ken stepped up onto the blue platform and placed his deck in the deck zone as the arena platform slid into place above the main Duel area. Cerce brought his deck up to the main platform, which also rose into place.

"Well, here's where the party gets crazy," Ken said. "Let's rock!!"

KEN - 4000
CERCE - 4000

Each drew a hand of five cards each.

"I'll get things rolling," Ken said, drawing one more card (6). "I summon The Six Samurai - Nisashi in Attack Mode! (5)"

In a flurry of lights, a muscular Samurai warrior in green armor appeared on the field, with a sword in each hand (1400/700).

Ken tossed two cards from his hand face down on the board in front of him, which appeared holographically on the arena floor (3).

"Next, I set two cards face down. That'll do for me. Now let's see what you got!"

"Interesting move," Cerce remarked, drawing his sixth card while surveying the field, grateful for the absence of any particularly powerful auras of danger. "I don't know what you have in mind, but I'll respond in an appropriate manner," he continued, selecting one of the cards in his hand and slamming on the playing field (5). "I'll summon my Violet Warder in Attack Position!" he declared, watching as a burst of purple light expanded across the field, revealing a lithe, graceful swordsman clad in similarly-colored robes wielding a longsword in a focused and intense stance (1900/1600). Ken frowned slightly, unsure as to why Cerce had summoned a Warrior-Type monster when his Deck was obviously composed of Spellcasters.

"Next up," he added, selecting another card, "I'll activate Spell Burial from my hand (4)." A bright green Spell Card materialized behind his monster, depicting a series of Spell Cards tumbling into an open grave. "With this card, I can send up to 2 Spell Cards from my Deck to the Graveyard," he explained, sifting through his Deck. "I'll send Sorceress Decree and Spirit-Summoning Staff," he decided, briefly showing two cards to Ken before sending them to the Graveyard slot with a mechanized click.

"And now," Cerce said, smiling slightly, "it's time to reveal to you one of the most powerful cards in my Deck... It doesn't pay to underestimate her, I promise." He selected yet another card from his hand with slim fingers and revealed it to Ken, depicting a black-clad witch against a gold-white background. "By removing one Spell Card in my Graveyard, I can Special Summon this card directly from my hand." He placed the card on the playing field while a curtain of golden light burst forth, heralding the appearance of an elegantly-clad female dressed in tight black robes that emphasized her curvaceous body, unadorned except for a silver insignia on the left breast (3). "Rise, my Sorceress Apprentice!" Cerce declared, watching approvingly as the black-clad witch straightened and swung her staff in a graceful, menacing arc (1800/1200).

"Now, then," the man remarked conversationally, his green eyes cool, "I think it's time I demonstrate my Sorceress' magical talent, don't you think...?" His tone hardened as he declared his action, saying, "I'll activate my Sorceress' ability - once per turn, she can perform a minor magic and switch the Battle Position of one monster on the field!" The green-armored samurai stumbled backwards and crossed its arms defensively at a fierce glance from Cerce's monster. "It's time for the finishing touch," he said. "I'll attack your Nisashi with my Sorceress Apprentice!!" The black-clad witch brandished her staff, sending a barrage of black lightning bolts speeding towards Ken's monster.