Brad heard that people liked to talk about 'good weeks' and 'bad weeks'. The most recent one for him was neither. More accurately, it was both.
After the duel in the library, Brad had spent more time with Nathaniel. The two had hit the disks and the gym, although not quite in equal measure. To Brad's joyful surprise, Nathaniel was no slouch in physical fitness, although there was a small gap between the two. Whereas on the dueling side, the difference in skill could not be more apparent. The count was 6 wins for Nathaniel and 0 for Brad. It was more than a little discouraging but Nathaniel's upbeat attitude and insistence on showmanship over victory really spoke to Brad.
He had another friend in Angelo but, for whatever reason, Brad had not seen hide nor tail of the self-styled (if unsuccessful) lady's man. He wasn't sure if the guy was actively avoiding him or if he just had awful luck. Considering his standing duel record against Nathaniel, he was alright in assuming the latter.
The one other thing that had been of dubious good was his relationship with his family. After retelling the event with the invaders, Angela had almost strangled him through the phone. He assured her that he had done everything to stay out of trouble, which only slightly calmed her down. Two days later, the cards he had sent home had arrived and his little siblings couldn't have been more excited. Cathy loved Dark Magician and Doug was a fan of all things Dragons. He couldn't use the cards himself so he figured that the least he could do is help the two youngsters out with making their own dreams come true. As if rewarded by some divine being, the rest of his goods came through so he could return to his high-protein diet.
But all of that was the week that had passed. Today was a new day for Brad to enjoy a new experience. As he entered the classroom, he made up his mind. He needed more friends and to spread the joy of dueling. That was Nathaniel's creed and now, it was Brad's as well. Eyes scanning the classroom, he couldn't help but notice someone sitting alone. They were not wearing the uniform of any particular dorm and seemed to be exuding this intense negative energy. This was someone who needed a helping hand.
"Howdy!" smiled Brad, approaching Tsukiko. "Is this seat taken?"