A/N: Edited for some corrections, particularly with my use of quotation marks, commas and periods. Still not grammatically and typographically perfect though --- AND added disclaimer because I forgot to n.n;

Thank you to all those who reviewed my story!

This story is base on chapter 16 of the YGO GX MANGA (not anime). In the manga, Ryo and Fubuki – the top students of Duel Academia – were sent to America to study. In this chapter, Ryo returns to Duel Academia along with two American students from America Duel Academia.

Fubuki stayed in America saying he was going to study more… but Asuka believes that he stayed for the beautiful people there. (My Japanese is rusty)

Ryo is still called Kaiser Ryo in the manga while Fubuki is called King Fubuki. Also, Misawa has a huge crush on Asuka.

Also, I don't know if Ryo, Fubuki and Asuka are as close as they are in manga as they were in anime (I hope they would be though). I'll just have to wait for more chapters to see.

Disclaimer: YGO GX not mine

"Persuasions"

by: Chibi Viki

Ryo Marufuji stared out of the window from his luxurious bedroom in Duel Academia. Even after spending time in America, the school had not reassigned his room to anyone else. Feeling the comfort of his part time home, Ryo sighed with relief. Finally he can relax even for just a moment.

Then, there was a knock on the door.

Ryo growled in irritation. Not again.

He remained quiet hoping that whoever was knocking would think that he was not inside and just go away. Ryo had to deal with his "fans" all over the school for the whole day. His retreat to the comfort of his room had not stopped them from pestering him any further.

But the knocking on his door persisted. Realizing that whoever it was that was knocking on his door would not go away on its own, Ryo finally made his way to the door and confronted this undesired visitor.

"WHAT?!" he growled as he opened the door.

The visitor was surprised by his angry growl just as Ryo was surprised to see who it was.

"If this is a bad time, I'll just come back later and ---"

"No! Asuka!" Ryo cried out as he grabbed her arm stopping her from leaving, "I'm sorry… it's been a tiring day."

Asuka Tenjoin simply smiled as if she were expecting something like this from him.

Ryo opened the door wider and stepped aside to usher her in. "Please come in."

She muttered a short 'thank you' as she stepped into his room nonchalantly. He gently closed the door as he watched her make her way across the room and on to the balcony. She sat on a plush chair and looked back at Ryo as he made his way to her.

"It's been a while," he started, "how have you been?"

She smiled all the more as she remembered just how much fun it had been to duel and win against most of the students in her batch… and even against some seniors.

"I enjoy it here," she replied, "and you?"

Ryo gave her a small smirk. Though students in America Duel Academia were considerably tougher than the ones in their school, there was just something about it that made him feel so out of place.

"It's okay I guess."

Asuka arched a brow. "Okay? You don't sound so sure."

This time, Ryo gave her a genuine smile. The tone of her voice usually meant she knew that there was something else to what he said. This was something he truly missed.

"Homesickness."

She laughed at his frankness. Who knew that the great Kaiser Ryo Marufuji was prone to something as common as 'Homesickness'?

"But apparently, that isn't a problem to your brother," he added.

He heard her sigh. Part of him knew that that was what she came for… to ask about her brother who did not come home with him from America.

"How is he?" she asked rather sadly with a hint of loneliness from her absent brother.

"Let's just say…" Ryo started, "… that he's twice the trouble there than here."

Asuka laughed once again, "That is SO like him. He said he was going to stay in America to study even more but… it's Nii-san, we're talking about. I'm sure he stayed there for all the pretty girls."

Ryo sat on the plush chair on the opposite side of Asuka. "Yeah, that's him alright. He's been chasing skirt there like mad. I get embarrassed just walking around with him sometimes."

"Ryo-san is such a good friend," she said warmly, "even though Nii-san embarrasses you, you still stick with him."

A slight blush was on Ryo's cheeks. Such compliments were rare to him after all.

"Fubuki is a good friend despite his misdemeanors."

Asuka rested her chin on her hand and looked out the window. "I still wish he came home though."

She shifted her legs not realizing that her skirt was running up her thighs as she unconsciously slouched on the chair. Ryo, of course, couldn't help but notice.

"I don't want to you to take this the wrong way, Asuka," he began, "but isn't your skirt a bit too… short?"

Asuka shifted her attention back to him tilting her head slightly to the side. "This skirt? This is school regulation uniform. I didn't change anything."

Ryo furrowed a brow. If Fubuki did come back with him, he was sure his friend would have a field day looking at the girls with such short skirts. The old school regulation skirts were longer, almost touching the knee. But now, they barely leave the thigh.

Seeing Ryo looking intently at her skirt, she knew what was going in his mind.

"It's okay," she said almost laughing, "I'm wearing gym shorts under this so no one gets past my skirt."

"Ah, no that's not…"

"Nii-san would've enjoyed seeing all the other girls in such short skirts," she continued, "Sometimes I can't help but think that the school chairman is a pervert who likes seeing young girls in very short skirts – not to mention the body hugging shirt and jacket."

Ryo couldn't help but laugh. Laughing – it's been a while since he genuinely laughed.

"Maybe it's a good idea to have left Fubuki behind."

"Heh, Maybe."

"By the way, Asuka, this is the first time I've seen you in uniform."

Asuka smiled back. "Even nii-san didn't get to see me wearing this."

"I'm sure a lot of boys are chasing after you."

Asuka paused and looked at him curiously with her head slightly titled once again. Her brow furrowed and a slight frown was on her lips as she asked, "Why would boys want to chase me?"

This time, it was Ryo who paused. Actually, he was rather surprised to hear such words from her considering her brother was like THAT.

"I meant, I'm sure a lot of guys are vying for your attention."

"Well, a lot of them are asking me for a duel if that's what you're asking."

Ryo quirked a brow, "No one has asked you out for a date? Or given you love letters or gifts or something like that?"

Asuka blinked at him a few times. Well, she did remember receiving letters asking her to meet someone somewhere at sometime… and some even asked her directly. But she always thought they were challenging her for a duel so she always took her duel disc and card deck with her and ended up dueling with them. But… a date? Love letters?

She explained this to him and he ended up laughing hard.

"F-fubuki would be overjoyed when he hears this," he said in between laughs, "now I know why he was so confident about leaving you on your own."

Asuka's features darkened, "HEY! What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Does he know about this?"

"Like I would even tell him! He does all the talking when he's on the phone with me!" she cried out with a cute pout on her face as she looked away from Ryo.

Like a light bulb turning on, an idea popped into Ryo's head. "Say, Asuka," he started with his voice full of mischief… truly it has been a while. "Do you still want Fubuki to come home?"

"Huh?"

Phone call to Fubuki Tenjoin in America Duel Academia from Ryo Marufuji and Asuka Tenjoin in Duel Academia Japan.

"Hey, this is Fubuki Tenjoin and I'm still sleeping, call me tomorrow."

"Oi, Fubuki! It's me! She's here too."

"RYO! Hey!"

"Nii-san!"

"ASURIN!!"

"STOP CALLING ME ASURIN!"

"So did you miss me already, Asurin?"

"I said STOP CALLING ME ASURIN!"

(in the background) "Hey, Asuka, don't slouch! Your skirt is riding up."

"Ah! Nii-san, hold on a minute." (ruffling sounds)

(in the background) "Why is your skirt so short anyway?"

(in the background) "I told you, this is school regulation skirt. There's nothing I can do about i.t"

"Sorry, Nii-san."

"What was that all about?"

"Nothing. Anyway, how have you been? Ryo-san and I were just talking about you."

"Ah, same old same old. There are lots of beautiful people here, Asuka. I'm sure you'll enjoy it here."

(Asuka sighs) "I can't believe you'd choose staying there for that instead of coming home. But then again, it is you…"

"Hey! I also stayed to study, you know!"

(Asuka laughing)

"Sure you are…"

"About your skirt…"

"What about it?"

"You know what… nevermind. Could you put Ryo on the phone?"

"Sure" (muffled sounds)

"Fubuki"

"Hey Ryo!"

"What do you want?"

(pause) "Ne… just how short IS Asuka's skirt?"

"Pervert!"

"Hey! Don't misunderstand! As her caring and protective older brother, I SHOULD at least know what she's wearing to school everyday and do everything I can to save her from being harassed!"

"You're the one harassing her, baka."

"You just enjoy seeing her skirt riding up like that."

(pause)

"Don't worry, all the girls are wearing the same kind of skirt of the same length. Asuka said she's wearing gym shorts and –" (pause and muffled sounds) "—hold on a sec, Fubuki."

(in the background) "Hey, Asuka, what's that?"

(in the background) "Hm? Oh these? Misawa just passed by and gave them to me."

(in the background) "Misawa?"

(in the background) "A classmate. He's the boy I've been hanging out with and ---"

(in the background) "That's very thoughtful of him."

(in the background) "Yeah, he's nice. He's been giving me stuff lately. I'm going over to his place tonight and --- "

"ASUKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!"

(loud click)

"Hey, Fubuki! Hello? HELLO?!"

America Duel Academia.

Fubuki Tenjoin answered the phone on the end table beside his bed that had been persistently ringing all night.

"Hey, this is Fubuki Tenjoin and I'm still sleeping, call me tomorrow," he hurriedly muttered but as he began to slide the receiver back to its place, the voice on the other end caught his attention.

"Oi, Fubuki! It's me!" said the gruff voice, "She's here too."

Fubuki suddenly sat up with a jolt. "RYO! Hey!"

"Nii-san!" cried another voice.

"ASURIN!!" he cried out merrily.

"STOP CALLING ME ASURIN!"

"So did you miss me already, Asurin?"

"I said STOP CALLING ME ASURIN!"

Fubuki mentally laughed. He enjoyed teasing his little sister in any way he can.

Meanwhile, in the background, he could hear Ryo speaking. "Hey, Asuka, don't slouch! Your skirt is riding up."

"Ah! Nii-san, hold on a minute," said Asuka. Fubuki heard ruffling sounds which could only be his sister trying to straighten out her skirt. A mental image formed in his mind in which Asuka was wearing a skirt that reached down near her knees.

"Why is your skirt so short anyway?" he heard Ryo say.

"I told you, this is school regulation skirt. There's nothing I can do about it," Asuka replied.

Skirt so short? Ryo never complained about the skirts of the girls in their school being short before. In fact, to Fubuki, they were still quite long. So that means, either Ryo was just being protective or… Asuka's skirt really was THAT short.

"Sorry, Nii-san." said Asuka as she returned to the phone.

"What was that all about?" he asked rather worriedly. He was worried for many reasons. Was her skirt really THAT short? If so, knowing how much of a beauty his sister was, then there was no doubt that a lot of guys would be trying to find chances of looking up from under it because that's just how hormonal guys their age were.

"Nothing. Anyway, how have you been? Ryo-san and I were just talking about you," Asuka replied nonchalantly.

Hearing her say such words melted most of his worries. She and Ryo were talking and it sounded as if they had been together for a long time. It brought back some memories from when the three of them were hanging out together during summer vacations.

"Ah, same old same old. There are lots of beautiful people here, Asuka. I'm sure you'll enjoy it here."

Asuka sighed. "I can't believe you'd choose staying there for that instead of coming home. But then again, it is you…"

"Hey!" he cried out rather offended, but laughing a bit at the same time. In his defense, he added, "I also stayed to study, you know!"

Asuka laughed too.

"Sure you are…" she replied sarcastically.

But despite the happy conversation they were having, Asuka's skirt issue was tugging on Fubuki's mind.

"About your skirt…"

"What about it?"

"You know what… nevermind. Could you put Ryo on the phone?"

"Sure." There were muffled sounds at Asuka's end of the line as she traded her place with Ryo. Fubuki knew that if anyone could do anything about everything, it's Kaiser Ryo.

"Fubuki"

"Hey Ryo!"

"What do you want?" Ryo asked rather flatly and impatiently.

There was a pause in Fubuki's end of the line. He was unsure of how to go on asking about the matter to his friend without sounding like an idiot.

"Ne… just how short IS Asuka's skirt?"

But Fubuki really was just an idiot.

"Pervert!"

"Hey! Don't misunderstand! As her caring and protective older brother, I SHOULD at least know what she's wearing to school everyday and do everything I can to save her from being harassed!"

"You're the one harassing her, baka."

"You just enjoy seeing her skirt riding up like that."

There was a pause on both ends. Fubuki was enjoying the moment that he had just teasingly accused Kaiser Ryo for a lecher.

"Don't worry, all the girls are wearing the same kind of skirt of the same length."

Fubuki felt a bit relieved. At least he knew that his sister wasn't a whore – not that she would ever be for that matter. She's not like most girls who would go about chasing boys. She was not shallow like them. She was smart, strong and confident. Dueling was her life and she was not so easy like the rest of them. Oh no, not his sister. Her virginity will last until the night of her wedding day – if she ever gets married. And hopefully if she does, it would be Ryo. Yeah, he can live with that.

"Asuka said she's wearing gym shorts and –" Ryo paused. Fubuki could hear some muffled sounds on the other end "—hold on a sec, Fubuki."

Now what's going on? He thought.

In the background, Fubuki can hear them talk.

"Hey, Asuka, what's that?"

"Hm? Oh these? Misawa just passed by and gave them to me."

There was ruffling sounds, as if Asuka was carrying plenty of something – like flowers? A bouquet of flowers?

"Misawa?"

Misawa?

"A classmate. He's the boy I've been hanging out with and ---"

Classmate? Boy she's been 'hanging out with'?

"That's very thoughtful of him."

Thoughtful? These words were giving Fubuki just one suggestion. Though he was alarmed, he felt like there was no need to panic. Asuka was Asuka. She wasn't like any other girl who would --

"Yeah, he's nice. He's been giving me stuff lately. I'm going over to his place tonight and --- "

-- or would she? She said she was going to his place TONIGHT AND---?? Finally, Fubuki's brained with his overactive imagination finally snapped.

"ASUKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!", he roared and without much thought, he put the phone down and dialed the number to the school's travel department.

He was going back to Duel Academia Japan even if he had to swim all the way there! There was no way he would allow his sister to be touched by a boy she barely knew!!! It was one thing to walk around campus with a really short skirt (in his mind was a micro-mini skirt that would slide up and show her panties whenever she bent down; he ignored the fact that she was wearing gym shorts underneath, that it was school regulation skirt and that it was worn by most female students and the truth is it really wasn't THAT short) but it was another thing to be sleeping with someone who wasn't even at a legal age!!

"Wait for me, Asuka! Big brother, King Fubuki Tenjoin, WILL COME TO RESCUE YOU FROM THE EVIL CLUTCHES OF THE DASTARDLY BOY, MISAWA!!!"

Duel Academia Japan

"Won't he be asleep if we call him right now?" Asuka asked Ryo who had just dialed the number to America Duel Academia and was just waiting to be connected to Fubuki's phone. They were both seated on plush chairs near the balcony similar to the ones in Ryo's room.

They were both in Asuka's room. The night before, Ryo suggested something odd to which Asuka could still not figure out. He said that he'll get King Fubuki to return to Duel Academia Japan without fail. This was really weird for Asuka. She had done everything she could to convince her brother to return but without much luck. He was just enjoying himself in America too much to return.

"Details," Ryo muttered, "It doesn't matter what he's doing. If it's you, he'll drop everything."

This was no surprise to Asuka, after all. She and her brother were very close indeed, and Ryo was an addition.

Finally, a click on the phone finally confirmed that the call had been received.

"Hey, this is Fubuki Tenjoin and I'm still sleeping, call me tomorrow," said a groggy voice on the other end.

Before Fubuki could put down the phone, Ryo immediately cried out, "Oi, Fubuki! It's me! She's here too."

"RYO! Hey!", the voice now seemed lively. It looks like the Kaiser woke up the sleeping King.

"Nii-san!" cried Asuka as she leaned closed to Ryo.

"ASURIN!!"

Ryo gave the phone to her and watched Asuka's eye twitching to which he let out a soft chuckle. As much as he hated to admit it, he actually enjoyed watching the siblings tease each other. But it saddened him to know that he can never be the same way with Sho, his own little brother. It would just be – weird.

"STOP CALLING ME ASURIN!"

Asuka took the phone with her as she sat back on her own seat. Her face clearly suggested that she was currently irritated with her brother's teasing.

"So did you miss me already, Asurin?"

"I said STOP CALLING ME ASURIN!"

Ryo noticed Asuka's skirt starting to climb up her leg again. It was something he was waiting for and was counting on as part of his plan.

"Hey, Asuka, don't slouch! Your skirt is riding up," he said rather loudly.

Asuka didn't notice it until Ryo pointed it out. Actually, she never noticed that before until Ryo pointed it out last night. How long has her skirt been riding up her leg without her noticing it? Well, not like anyone would see anything. Not with the gym shorts she was wearing underneath anyway.

"Ah! Nii-san, hold on a minute." Pinning the receiver between her ear and her shoulder, she straightened her skirt.

"Why is your skirt so short anyway?" Ryo asked. His voice was once again loud, but not too loud, just loud enough for Fubuki to hear on his side.

Asuka groaned. How many times must she explain it? "I told you, this is school regulation skirt. There's nothing I can do about it"

Finally finishing her work, she returned to the phone. "Sorry, Nii-san."

"What was that all about?"

She could hear the hint of worry in her brother's voice, but she knew it was really nothing for him to worry about and decided to move the conversation to something more interesting than her short skirt.

"Nothing. Anyway, how have you been? Ryo-san and I were just talking about you."

"Ah, same old same old. There are lots of beautiful people here, Asuka. I'm sure you'll enjoy it here."

Asuka sighed and slapped her forehead. "I can't believe you'd choose staying there for that instead of coming home. But then again, it is you…"

"Hey!", her brother cried out. He sounded offended yet he was laughing. It'll take more than that to truly offend the King. "I also stayed to study, you know!" he quickly added defensively.

Asuka rolled her eyes and laughed. "Sure you are…" she replied.

"About your skirt…"

Again? She thought rather irritatedly. It's not THAT short. It really isn't! Yet it's not that long either, but still…

"What about it?"

"You know what… nevermind. Could you put Ryo on the phone?"

"Sure."

Asuka was relieved that her brother had finally gotten over the subject. At least, she thought he did. She looked at Ryo who immediately understood that the King now wanted to talk to him so he took the phone from her hand and placed it to his ear.

"Fubuki," Ryo started just to let Fubuki know that he was now on the line.

"Hey Ryo!"

"What do you want?", Ryo asked rather flatly and impatiently as he always did.

There was a pause in Fubuki's end of the line to which Ryo didn't really think much of. His friend was an idiot and he was sure that whatever he would say next would be something idiotic.

"Ne… just how short IS Asuka's skirt?" Fubuki asked casually making him sound like someone who wanted was expecting for some phonesex action.

Ryo was right. His friend was an idiot.

"Pervert!" the Kaiser cried out flatly.

"Hey! Don't misunderstand! As her caring and protective older brother, I SHOULD at least know what she's wearing to school everyday and do everything I can to save her from being harassed!"

"You're the one harassing her, baka."

"You just enjoy seeing her skirt riding up like that."

There was a pause on both end. Ryo was feeling uneasy about being indirectly called a pervert.

"Don't worry, all the girls are wearing the same kind of skirt of the same length."

Ryo really didn't know what else to say at that point. He might be a genius when it came to dueling, but something like this was Fubuki's forte. The King always got back at Ryo this way.

"Asuka said she's wearing gym shorts and –" Ryo paused. There was a knock on the door to which Asuka answered "—hold on a sec, Fubuki."

As soon as the door closed, Asuka came into Ryo's view. Ah, just in time, he thought.

"Hey, Asuka, what's that?" he asked quite innocently. But the truth was, he already knew what it was.

"Hm? Oh these? Misawa just passed by and gave them to me."

Asuka showed him her prize: some handouts, lectures and other miscellaneous paperwork from class that morning which she failed to pick up.

"Misawa?" even though Ryo acted as though he didn't know the guy, the truth was he had already met him earlier. He knew him as one of Sho's friends and he also knew that he had a crush on Asuka.

They bumped into each other by accident. As Ryo made his way to the Obelisk Blue Women's dorm that afternoon, he saw Misawa pacing in front of the building not knowing what to do. Will he be kicked out or teased if he went in?

This was his first time to enter the girls' dormitory but what scared him all the more was the fact that he was in Obelisk Blue territory. They were not the type of people to tolerate students from other houses.

Ryo confronted him, of course, and told him to be a man. But it was more along the lines of, "If you want to give something to Asuka, then go to her room and give it to her personally".

Of course, he never mentioned anything like this to Asuka.

"A classmate." Asuka replied, "He's the boy I've been hangout with and ---"

She was just about to say that they were also hanging out with Judai Yuki and Sho, but for some reason, Ryo cut her off. She didn't really pay much attention to him though because the subject was really unimportant right now – to her at least.

"That's very thoughtful of him."

Without really thinking, she replied. "Yeah, he's nice. He's been giving me stuff lately."

A lot of stuff, like extra pens, books, unused relatively new memory cards and -- Suddenly, like a piece of rock hitting her head, she remembered the card catalogue which Misawa lent her a few days ago. She had completely forgotten about it until now. She must return it immediately before she forgets again.

But Fubuki was still on the phone and she didn't want to miss the chance to talk to him; and Misawa could already be on the way out of the building, there was no way she could catch him before he left. She has another class in a few hours followed by PE, both of which Misawa didn't attend. It'll be evening when she finishes. Well, the Ra Yellow dorm was on her way back anyway so...

Talking more to herself than to Ryo, she added, "I'm going over to his place tonight and --- "

What she didn't know was, Fubuki heard her over the phone. Before she could finish her sentence, she heard her brother cry out her name and a loud 'click' on the phone.

"Hey, Fubuki! Hello? HELLO?!" Ryo cried out. "He hung up."

"He hung up? That's unusual…"

The Kaiser grinned, "Not really. I think we just got through to him and he is on his way back here as we speak."

Asuka, once again, looked at him curiously with her head tilted to the side and a brow quirked upwards. She didn't know whether Ryo was just joking or whether to take him seriously at that moment. Oh well, they'll know in a few days when her brother finally returns to Duel Academia.

-End-

A/N: I couldn't bring myself to make it look like it was Judai, instead of Misawa, who Fubuki had mistaken as Asuka's boyfriend. In the manga, Judai kept borrowing stuff from Asuka while she just started to borrow stuff from Misawa so it's more in-character to say that Misawa would give Asuka some stuff since he has a huge crush on her.

I actually like the manga more now. If only they retained the Asuka-Ryo-Fubuki friendship part but I have yet to find out.