Note: This story is a request for ThunderousViktory. Any OCs in this fic belong to her.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX

Prologue

Hasselberry hated sitting still. It was weird, he just liked to be on the move.

So naturally, he hated sitting on his own on the beach. It gave him too much time to think, and then he ended up dwelling on his problems. But his friends were busy today, each in their own way, and he didn't want to bother them.

It seemed that lately, they had all grown up a lot. Not obviously, from an outsider's point of view, but to each other, it was noticeable.

Jaden had matured, Syrus had more confidence, Alexis was independent, Chazz had moved to the Obelisk dorm …

Everyone had, in their own way, changed. Hasselberry liked to think it was for the better.

He himself had changed very little. Perhaps he had stopped hanging around with Jaden and Syrus so much. He had certainly stopped being so dependant on them, Jaden especially. His 'sarge' wasn't around as often as he used to be, and Hasselberry was surprised that he didn't mind so badly. Perhaps this was what he himself needed. A chance to be on his own.

So why did he hate it so much?

They had had a beach party but when the others retired, he had remained here. Why?

It was as if he knew there was something here for him today. Something that was calling for him, screaming his name.

And yet, there was nought but silence on the beach. The moon was in the sky and he knew that he should really get to his dorm, but he didn't want to. It felt wrong, like there was still something here that he needed to do.

With a gentle sigh, Hasselberry stood up and stretched his arms. He began to walk slowly along the edge of the water until he came to a patch of rocks. Sighing again, he began to climb them. In the back of his mind, he patted himself on the back for being able to climb the rocks so easily.

The sharp stones cut into his flesh but he managed to get himself easily over the top of the rocks, and he began the somewhat shorter journey down the other side.

This was a part of the beach that few people went to, mainly because it involved climbing over the jagged rocks to reach it. But the sand here was soft and white, untainted. There were shells here on this part of the beach, and Hasselberry often wondered if there would be coral or something under the water. He had never bothered with swimming to find out. Perhaps he should.

But not now.

Because right now, there was something new on the beach. Something that took Hasselberry's breath away and caused him to freeze.

Not something. Someone.

Lying on the beach, half in-half out the water, there was a girl.

She was bathed in the ocean from the waist down, though she was completely soaked. She must have washed up on the beach.

Hasselberry hadn't heard of anyone washing up on Duel Academy's beach, save for Zane and that was a rare, special circumstance. So he was certainly surprised to see this female lying there, unconscious.

He didn't know why, but he somehow thought that this was the reason he had remained here. Maybe Aster Phoenix had had a point, back in his first year here at Duel Academy. Maybe it was destiny.

Hasselberry knew that, destiny or not, he had to rescue this girl. He rushed to her side and fell to his knees in the sand beside her.

There, he took a minute to take in the girl's appearance. And it stunned him.

She had pale skin, and a scar that began at her ear and ended at her shoulder blade. She was wearing a dress in the style of the Native Americans, and a knee-length brown cloak. Matching her sense of dress, her feet were covered with moccasins.

The girl's hair was baby blue, with jade highlights. It was very long, flowing down her back to reach her knees.

Hasselberry didn't have to look at her any longer to know that this girl was beautiful.

He shook his head vigorously. He couldn't think about that sort of nonsense, he had to get her to the infirmary. Reaching over, he placed two fingers on the girl's neck, just to check - it was almost pointless, seeing as her chest was rising and falling steadily with her breathing.

A pulse was there, seemingly healthy. She seemed okay. But he had to be sure.

Gently, as if the girl was made of glass, Hasselberry lifted her off the ground and into his arms. She didn't weight very much. She wasn't tiny in size, but she wasn't tall, either. Medium height, and very pretty.

She didn't wake up, and he realised that she was unconscious. She may have hit her head or something, or passed out from shock, but he had better get her to the nurse. Not to mention that he had to tell someone about her.

There was no boat anywhere in sight, or a raft or anything that could have carried the girl. She was just here.

And she needed care.

Hasselberry adjusted his arms so that he could carry her comfortably, and then began his journey to the infirmary, wondered what he was going to tell the school nurse about the mysterious girl he'd found on the beach.

Please R&R