Well, since the overall reception of mine and Shadgirl2's first fic was positive, I figured I'd post that other one she and I wrote! I honestly have no idea how this one got started; Shadgirl2 just told me she wanted to write something about after graduation, and we sat down, and this is what happened. The plot, technically, belongs to her, but I changed it some with the parts that I wrote. Shadgirl2 didn't say exactly where this was going, so I was playing it by ear. Like last time, I'm cleaning it up, and there may be OOCness. Oh, and spoilers are a definite. I wasn't sure about the genre, so...yeah, that's open to debate. Anyway, enjoy! Shadgirl2 and I don't own Yugioh GX.
Manjoume walked quickly through Rio de Janeiro, glaring down every street he passed. His target had to be around here somewhere, and Manjoume was determined to find the guy before he could leave town again!
Manjoume was a successful Pro Duelist, but you wouldn't know it from looking at him now. His clothes were tattered, his black hair wasn't combed, and, frankly, he could use a bath. Honestly, Manjoume probably should have cleaned up first, but he didn't want to risk his target getting away again. He had been following this guy around the world, trying to catch up with him and always arriving at the moment the guy left the country. Then he had to track his cell phone and find out where he was now and fly off to that country. Really, it wasn't easy catching this guy.
Finally, Manjoume saw who he was looking for. "There you are!" he said, storming up to the man. "I've been looking all over for you, Judai! It's been two years since we dueled last!"
Yes, Manjoume had been desperately searching for Judai for the sole purpose of attempting, yet again, to defeat him in a children's card game. So far, he was 0 for eight—he hadn't won a single duel against his rival.
"Huh?" the brunette turned. Compared to Manjoume, he was looking great: his black shirt, blue jeans, and red jacket looked brand new when compared to Manjoume's clothes. The sad part was Judai traveled the world—he didn't really have a home, whereas Manjoume was filthy rich and had houses in five different countries. "Oh, hey, Manjoume! How's it going?"
"A lot better if you would stay in one place for more than three minutes, you idiot!" Manjoume snapped. "Do you know how much trouble I went through just to find you!?" As an afterthought, he added, "By the way, you better call the Kaiser."
Judai cocked his head. "Huh? Why?"
"Something's seriously wrong with Sho," Manjoume said casually. "But I didn't come all this way just to tell you that! Duel me! I'm gonna make you pay for everything you did at Duel Academy! And those duels we had in the first two years after graduation! You made me look bad! Repeatedly!"
It had been four years since graduation, and Manjoume still wouldn't let all his losses at Duel Academy drop, which just led to more losses for the Pro that he wouldn't let drop; it was an endless cycle.
"Hold on a sec, Manjoume," Judai said, pulling out his phone to call Kaiser Ryo Marufuji. He wasn't really a king or anything, but everyone called him "Kaiser." It was his nickname at Duel Academy, and it was his Pro name now. Manjoume gritted his teeth.
"Well, hurry up! I've got another appointment to get to!" Which begs the question: Would he have skipped that appointment if he hadn't found Judai at that moment? Or will he if he can't duel Judai right now?
"Hello?" Ryo's voice answered on the other end of the line.
"Hey, it's Judai. Manjoume said I should call you. Is Sho all right?"
"That depends on your definition of 'all right,'" Ryo answered cryptically.
Worried, Judai asked, "What do you mean? What's going on?"
"Well, Sho's fine, physically. But, lately, he seems to think he's you for some reason. He talks like you, acts like you, and I think he even thinks like you. Every time I ask him why, though, he shrugs it off and claims he's fine, the same way you would. I don't know what to do."
Stunned, Judai took a moment to answer. "Uh...where are you? Maybe I can stop by and see what's up."
"Domino City," Ryo answered. "There's a title match today between Johan and Sho."
Off to the side, Manjoume scowled. "The idiot isn't even paying attention to our duels. Sheesh!"
"Hey, I resent that," Judai said to Manjoume. "Anyway," he continued into the phone, "I'll be there as soon as I can." Judai put his phone away and ran off to see about getting a ride to Domino, totally forgetting about the rich man who wanted a duel with him.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going!? Get back here and duel!" Manjoume yelled angrily.
"Sorry, Manjoume!" Judai called over his shoulder. "I gotta go check on Sho!"
"Sho's fine for now! So what if he's been acting a little weird!? It's not like he's dying or something!" Taking a step forward, Manjoume continued, "Come on! I got kidnapped twice while looking for you!"
Judai only heard half of that before he was out of earshot.
"Hey! Are you listening!? Hey!" Manjoume bellowed.
Irritated, Manjoume ran after Judai, hell-bent on getting that duel.
Meanwhile, in Domino City, Johan was standing before his opponent, really wishing that it was actually the person he was told it was and not a replica of his best friend. Sho was wearing his old Slifer Red jacket, black jeans, and a black turtleneck shirt, just like Judai had been the last time they'd seen him. It was a little unnerving, really, especially since Sho kept talking like Judai. Heck, the deck wasn't even Sho's!
"Sho, this isn't like you," Johan said. "Why are you doing this?"
Sho cocked his head, giving a very Judai-esque look. "Huh? What do you mean, Johan?" he asked, his tone reminiscent of their old friend.
"Sho! You're starting to freak me out! Quit it already! I thought you were all about respect, not fun!"
"But duels are supposed to be fun," Sho said, rubbing the back of his head. "You know that, Johan."
Feeling that his friend had completely lost his marbles, Johan said, "Sho, please remember! You're the one who always says it's important to respect your opponents! Judai thought that duels were just fun! Snap out of it already!"
"I don't know what you're talking about, Johan. I'm fine. Really," Sho said, smiling. "Let's have a fun duel!"
Johan was sweating now—Sho had definitely gone totally insane. What other explanation was there?
A helicopter landed outside the duel arena—when you're rich, you can land your chopper wherever the hell you please. Manjoume and Judai climbed out. "You owe me a duel for this," Manjoume said to Judai.
"Thanks, Manjoume!" Judai said, charging into the building and leaving Manjoume behind.
As Judai ran down the hall, he heard a familiar voice. "Judai!? Is that really you!?"
Turning, Judai saw Hayato, Jim, and O'Brien.
"Great!" Jim said. "We sure could use some help with this one, right, mate?" He turned to O'Brien for confirmation. O'Brien nodded.
Judai walked over to the three of them. "Hey, guys," he said. "Hayato, O'Brien, what are you doing here?"
"Jim said there was a problem with Sho, and he wanted me to investigate," O'Brien said.
Jim nodded. "That's right. Sho has had all of us worried recently. Even Ed's here somewhere, and he had a match in Canada today!"
"I was worried, too, so I came to help. What's gotten into Sho, anyway?" Hayato asked.
"That's what I'm here to find out! Where is he?"
Manjoume stormed in. "Judai!" he complained. "Isn't it a bit rude to leave me, Manjoume Thunder, behind all the time!? Anyway, the match should have started by now."
"So he's dueling Johan?" Judai asked. His two best friends dueling each other in a title match... That sounded interesting. Wonder who's going to win...
Jim nodded. "That's why we're waiting here. We can't interrupt the match."
At that moment, Johan came out of the arena, looking glum. "Oh, man. He got me good! But now what? He still thinks he's Ju—" Spotting Judai, Johan said, "Judai!? Oh, wow! Am I glad to see you!"
"Hey, Johan!" Judai grinned at his friend. "So, Sho beat you?" Judai wasn't surprised—Sho was a good duelist. He just needed to have more confidence in himself.
"Well, I wouldn't say Sho did!" Johan said.
"Huh?"
"More like his Elemental Hero Shining Phoenix Guy did!" Johan said, putting heavy emphasis on the name of the monster.
Ed walked up behind the group. "Sho just isn't himself these days. His signature card is Elemental Hero Terra Firma," Ed said.
"What!?" Judai asked, eyes wide. "What happened to his roids? Since when does he use Elemental Heroes?"
Johan answered, "Since he started this act last year!"
"Yeah," Jim said with a nod. "What's worse is he started calling some kid who looks up to him his little brother! Then he taught him to respect his opponents and duel with a roid-cyber deck! That kid calls him 'Aniki' now."
Judai just stared at them. There was no way they could be serious. If Sho was doing that, wouldn't somebody have stuck him in the nut house? Or called Judai sooner? Or both?
"Judai," Ryo said, coming over. "Can you please talk to Sho? I'll take you right to him."
Still stunned, Judai nodded. "Yeah, I'll talk to him. He's acting like..." Honestly, Judai didn't want to finish that sentence. It was way too weird.