This fic is sort of sad, but not entirely. It's more or less bittersweet. Anyway, it's not meant to have pairings, though there might be hints of some. If there is more than one, you can use your imagination to choose whichever you like. I don't care if you wanna take it as het or yaoi or whatever. I don't really write yaoi, but w/e you wanna think. Anyway, hope u like!

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Chapter 1:

Alexis groaned as she got into the car. Today was the cursed day that Atticus taught her how to drive. She wondered why she had agreed in the first place. Oh, yeah, because he wouldn't leave her alone until she had agreed. Anyway, here she was, stuck in the car with Atticus and Jaden, who had actually asked for lessons.

"Ok, sis, the first thing you need to do is buckle up." Atticus instructed, clicking his seat belt, "Then, stick the key in the ignition…"

Atticus started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Jaden asked, clueless.

Alexis moaned. "Ignore him."

"Now, check your mirrors and seat adjustment. Undo the brakes and…press lightly on the gas."

She sighed heavily, but did so. However, she didn't press too lightly on the gas. The car lurched forward, causing her to scream.

"It's cool, sis," Atticus assured her, "You'll get the hang of it. Now, go down that road."

"Atticus," Jaden pointed out, "She's not ready for the road…"

"Aw, bull crap." Atticus said, waving it off, "Driving is easy. Besides, this is Duel Academy. Duh, Island? No one will be driving."

"But, I think it's too narrow. Wait, isn't that the road by the cliff and the dorms?"

"Who's the expert here?" Atticus snapped.

"Um, Atticus," Jaden said meekly, "may I remind you that you've gotten fifteen tickets for speeding and traffic violations in the past month?"

"Jaden, my dear boy," Atticus sighed, "don't dwell on such frivolities. It's a simple misunderstanding, that's all."

"Would you shut up?" Alexis asked, becoming stressed.

"Alexis, my dear sister, I'm only trying to explain to Jaden that--"

"I don't care!"

"Atticus, please stop," Jaden said.

"Jaden, this is a sibling thing, stay out of it."

"Atticus, if you would just stop being so--"

"Now, listen here, Alexis," Atticus raised his voice to talk over his sister,

"I think--"

"Would you two stop fighting!"

"Jaden, shut up!"

"Alexis, if you would just listen to me--"

"Listen to you?! HA! You know you wouldn't even--"

"Would you just shut up and watch where you're going?"

"Jaden, I already told you to--"

"If you don't stay out of this Yuki, I'll come back--"

"Don't make me pull over and--"

"ALEXIS!!!!"

THUMP

The car came to a stop.

"Wh-What was that?" Alexis gasped, hyperventilating, tears in the corners of her eyes. "Dammit, Atticus, I'm never driving again!"

"Now, calm down…"

"You guys," Jaden interrupted, with a pale face, "I think you just ran someone over…"

Alexis and Atticus froze. Slowly, Alexis opened the car door, sickness filling her stomach. She rounded the side of the car to the front. Her heart stopped when she saw a back clad figure lying in a pool of blood on the ground.

"Oh, God, please no," she whispered, kneeling down by him. "Please, God, tell me I did NOT just run Chazz over."

She gently rolled him over, and felt for a pulse. There was none.

Numbness washed over her as she crumpled down beside him. Her head fell in her hands.

"I just killed somebody."

Jaden rounded the car and stared. "I'll call 911."

"I'll get the nurse," Atticus ran off towards the school.

Jaden knelt down by Chazz as well. "Lex, it's not your fault…"

She didn't say anything, only shook her head.

"You couldn't possibly see this coming…"

"Jaden," she choked, "I didn't hate him. I never meant…"

"I know, I know. It's Ok."

"No, it's not! He's dead! I killed him! Oh, God, I'm sorry!"

She laid her head on Chazz's cold chest, and cried. Jaden placed his hand on her shoulder, trying to reassure her.

"They can fix him," he told her, though he didn't specify who 'they' were.

"No, no, they can't! Nobody can…Oh, God, please don't let him die, please! Please bring him back…."

Jaden crawled closer to her, and slid his arms around her. "I-I-" he swallowed hard as he overcame the shock himself, tears sliding down his cheeks, "I'm sorry, Alexis."

They clung to each other in grief, sobbing over Chazz's body.

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"Ugh. Where am I?"

Chazz sat up, then looked around. His gray eyes widened at the scene before him. Everywhere he looked was foggy darkness. It surrounded him, holding him back in a tight, restraining way. He felt numb all over, except for a dull, throbbing pain in his head. He felt a bit strange, sort of different; however, he couldn't place his finger on what it was.

He realized that he was suspended in the air somehow. Was he dreaming? Yes, it had to be a dream. But, wait; he didn't remember going to sleep. The last he remembered, he had been crossing the ridiculous, useless road by the dorms, muttering to himself about those worthless Ojamas and that loser Jaden. Well, that and something very heavy had crashed into him. He vaguely remembered being in a lot of pain, then blacking out.

"Ugh. Where am I in my dream anyway? I guess I must be unconscious. But, why do I feel so cold?"

He shivered and, in an attempt to warm up, hugged himself. He tried to sigh, but then found he couldn't breathe. Panicking, he tried to find a way to wake himself up. He found he couldn't.

He hugged himself tighter, then rested his chin on his knees. He soon realized why he felt different. His heart wasn't beating. Did this mean he was dead?

He laughed nervously, then said to himself, "No, I'm not dead. That's ridiculous. This is all just a crazy dream, and I'm gonna wake up soon…anytime now…"

His voice echoed in the emptiness as he drifted into a state of mental nonexistence.

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Alexis wept heavily the entire ride to the hospital. Jaden sat in the backseat with her, his arms around her, trying to contain her heaving sobs.

"He'll be Ok, I promise you," he told her, "Why, I bet right now they're working to revive him. It can be done. Miracles happen."

"Jaden, I won't rest until I'm sure…"

"Don't worry," he told her, even though he was not sure of his own words. "I promise you, he'll be Ok."

They arrived at the hospital and went into the waiting room, hoping to gain some information on Chazz's condition. Atticus sat with his head hanging, staring at the floor.

"This is all my fault."

Jaden and Alexis looked over at him, surprised that he'd finally spoken.

"No, it's not. It's nobody's fault. These things happen," Jaden attempted to console him.

"If I had been a better teacher, then I would've been paying attention. And if I'd been a better brother, I'd have gotten a real instructor for you, sis. I'll take the entire blame."

"Atticus, no. It's my--"

"Ok, enough of the Blame Game." Jaden told them, "What's done is done. We can only go forward from here."

All were silenced by the younger slifer's words of wisdom. No one knew what to say. It was so out of character for him to offer such good advice--that had nothing to do with trusting in yourself or dueling.

"You're right," Alexis finally admitted.

At that moment, a nurse stepped in the room. All eyes looked up at her. She was carrying Chazz's black trench coat and his deck.

"Well?" Atticus asked nervously.

She shook her head sadly and held the coat out to Alexis. Shaking, Alexis took the coat and put it on. She sniffed the collar. Even though it had been washed to get the blood off of it, it still smelled like Chazz.

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That evening, Jaden sat alone in his room, staring at Chazz's deck. He sighed heavily, feeling sad. He leaned back in his seat and thought to the first day he'd met Chazz; how long ago that seemed! Chazz had always been so miserable. Jaden wished he could've done something to make Chazz's life easier, or at least, more fulfilled. Well, at least Chazz had friends who cared about him, right? Only, Chazz had never accepted this.

While continuing to look at the cards, Jaden heard a tiny whimper. He turned around, expecting to see Syrus, but instead saw Ojama Yellow with tears coming out of its little eyes.

"Jaden," it whined, "the boss…."

"I know."
"Jaden, you gotta do something."

"I can't do anything," he said, smiling sadly, "I'm sorry."

"No, you got it all wrong. I know where the boss is."

"We all know. The Happy Dueling Grounds…"

"No, Jaden," Ojama Yellow shook its head and wiped away its tears, "He's lost. He's in the Shadow Realm. That's where duelists who have a close bond with their monsters go before moving on to…to…."

"Really?"

Ojama Yellow nodded. "And for a short time, if we hurry, we can get him back. I can find his soul, but I can't find my way back. I need someone to help me. If I don't have someone who's close to the Boss help me get him back, then I'm worthless."

"What about your brothers?"

"They can only help me find his soul and hold onto it. They're with him right now. Only another human can help bring him back."

"But how?"

"You'll have to go to the Shadow Realm, I guess."

"But, I can't--I have no way--"

"Please," Ojama Yellow begged with teary eyes, "Do it for the Boss."

"Ok. I'll do whatever I can. Maybe Alexis should help too. After all, she feels really bad about what she did, and I might need her help. I mean, she's his friend too."

"All right, Jaden. But we have to hurry. We have to start tonight."

"How will I find a way to the Shadow Realm?"

"I guess you'll have to lose your soul…"

"But that's pointless! Then two souls will be lost…I mean, how can I find my way back so I can save him?"

"You have to go in to get him out," it explained, "My brothers and I have to use all our energy to sustain his soul, but maybe that Kuriboh of yours can keep a line open so you can travel back. Normally, Duel Monsters can't rescue anyone from the Shadow Realm. So, I guess you will need Alexis. And maybe Atticus can help you get there, since he was once a Shadow Rider."

"Man, this is gonna be a lot more complicated than I thought," Jaden said, his head spinning, "But I'll do it for Chazz's sake! I'll risk anything to get him back."

"Good luck, Jaden."

"Thanks, I'll need it. It's sort of amazing how everyone comes to me with these sorts of problems. But I think I can handle it."

"Of course you can! After all, you defeated the Shadow Riders and Kagemaru in the first place. You can defeat the shadows again."

With that, Ojama Yellow started to fade. "Bye, Jaden, I have to go attend to the boss now. It's all up to you."

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Ojama Black and Ojama Green wandered the Shadow Realm frantically.

"I can't find him anywhere!" Ojama Green cried.

"I wonder if we're too late," Ojama Black said.

"Don't say that!" Ojama Green reprimanded, "There's still hope. I believe if we try hard enough, we'll find the Boss."

"Ugh. This Shadow Realm is draining me of my energy." Ojama Black muttered, "If we don't find him soon, then we're gonna end up kicking the bucket."

"This stuff is so powerful…" Ojama Green whined, waving at the fog, "I don't know if we can do this."

"Shame on both of you!" Ojama Yellow scolded, appearing, "After all the Boss has done for you, and this is how you repay him? By wimping out like a couple of chickens? We have to do this for the Boss. We have to save him. Jaden has to have some time to get here, and if we don't find the Boss, number one, Jaden won't know where to look, number two, he won't be able to find the Boss, and number three, the Boss will leave the Shadow Realm quicker. So let's go!"

The other two Ojamas looked in shame at the yellow one. They followed him off, disappearing into the fog, wishing they could find their master, but strongly doubting they would ever see him again.

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Hope you liked it! Please review, and see you next time: )