Chapter 1

"Alright, class dismissed" the teacher said, "And don't forget to do study for the quiz… if you forget, I'll make you do bunny hops with dumbbells!" she glared seriously as her students left for the day

"Man, Miss. Swann is so freaking sexy" A male student said

"She is very beautiful, but she kinda scares me…" Michael said

"Not to mention she comes up with some of the most random punishments" Leon added, chuckling slightly

"I so want to go out with her" the first student replied as he fantasized about being with their teacher

"Trust me man, I really don't think that's a good idea" Michael shook his head

"And give me one good reason why it's not…."

"Well I know one…" Leon said, "I heard the last guy from here that tried to ask her out, she made him squat hop fifty laps around the whole school campus while dragging a tire"

"Plus I heard a rumor that she got jumped by a punk last year… and she was about three seconds away from tearing this dude's arm out of his socket" Michael added, "From what I hear, if those cops hadn't shown up, she probably would have literally taken this guy's arm home with her!"

"Damn, that is so hot"

"And you're such an idiot" Leon shook his head

"I don't care, I'm gonna go for it"

"I'll alert the paramedics" Michael sarcastically replied, Leon laughed

The teenagers went their separate ways, Leon and Michael walked home together, laughing at those jocks

"I can't believe those idiots" they laughed

"Miss. Swan is a very beautiful woman…"

"Yeah, she is" Leon agreed with Michael

"But I think I'm more scared of her" Michael admitted

"She can be pretty scary" they laughed again

"Hey, wanna grab a bite to eat?" Michael asked

"Sure, I'm kinda hungry" Leon pointed to an Arby's

The two teenagers sat down after ordering their food. Five minutes later, their numbers were called and they got their meals

"So what's going on bro?" Leon asked as Michael took a bite out of his roast burger

"Not much, what's going on with you?" Michael swallowed his mouthful before speaking

"I've been thinking about starting a DM team and maybe start competing in the league"

"Well, good luck bro"

"And I was kinda hoping maybe you'd join my team bro" Leon proposed, Michael stopped and didn't respond for a few moments

"Sorry bro, you know I quit playing" Michael said as he took another bite

"Why did you anyway?" Leon asked, "I mean, DM used to be all you would talk about… then four years ago outta the blue, you told me you weren't going to be playing ever again" Michael didn't say anything, "Did something happen?"

Michael still didn't answer him

"Bro?"

"I'm sorry bro… but I really don't want to talk about it"

"Come on bro…" Leon placed his sandwich down, "It's been four whole years… and you haven't said a thing about it since" Michael looked at him, "Just tell me what really happened…"

Michael stayed quiet as memories of that day played in his mind

"Sorry Leon… but I really don't feel like talking about it"

Leon sighed in defeat and went back to his food. It had been four years since Michael went to that tournament, the DCA told everyone it was the result of a power surge that caused a serious mechanical failure which led to building being turned into a roaring inferno. Michael was a little crispy, but William, his father, had lost the use of his legs and had been confined to a wheelchair ever since. It was after that day, that Michael had told him that he was never going to play Duel Masters. Leon respected his decision, but he knew his brother well enough to know that there was something more going on here…

Leon wanted to know the truth… he wanted to know what really happened that day…

"I'll leave a spot open for you…" Leon said, "In case you ever change your mind"

"Thanks bro…" Michael said

"So, we still on for tonight?" Leon asked "It's Thursday, that means Brawl… I hope you're ready for this" Michael's expression changed to a small smile

"You're on bro… I gotta run a couple of errands"

"I'll catch ya later bro" Leon said as he and Michael did a fist bump

"Take care Leon, I'll see ya tonight" Michael said as they went their separate ways

Flashback

"It was a tragic day here at the LA Duel Dome…" a female reporter spoke into her microphone, "Where just hours ago; the entire stadium was turned into a roaring inferno" the camera turned to the ruined stadium, small plumes of smoke could still be seen, "Fire fighters are still working to extinguish the remnants of the fire as rescue workers are still searching for any people who may still be trapped"

"So far, three people have been reported dead and dozens more were rushed to the hospital for injuries"

End of Flashback

"Hey guys, I'm home" Michael said as he shut the front door

"Welcome home sweetie" Lisa welcomed her son home

"Hey little buddy, how was school?" William rolled up in his wheelchair

"I'm doing alright" Michael smiled as he slipped his backpack off, "School was more of the same… except this time Miss Swann is threatening to make us do bunny hops with dumbbells" Lisa and William burst out laughing

"That woman has a twisted sense of humor…" William chuckled

"Yeah, well I don't think she's joking" Michael said, "Remember what I told you about the last guy who asked her out from my school"

"Did she seriously make him drag a tire and squat hop fifty laps?" Lisa tried not to laugh

"Oh yeah, he was sore for a week" Michael laughed as he remembered him groaning throughout the hallways for that entire week

"So is Leon coming over tonight?"

"Yeah"

"So what's he been up to lately?"

"He's thinking about starting a DM team…" Michael placed his bag down as he went to the kitchen to get a glass of water

"Really?" William looked at his son

"And he really wants me to join…" he said as he took a sip of water

A silence followed for a minute…

"You haven't told him, have you?" Michael didn't answer his mother's question

"I think you should tell him…" William rolled up next to his son, "It's been four whole years"

"And what am I suppose to tell him…" Michael placed his cup down, "That what really happened that day was like something out of an anime… that I ended summoning real creatures and that they destroyed that whole place!" Michael's fist became tighter and tighter, "That everything that happened that day was my fault!"

"Michael, none of that was your fault!" his father grabbed him by the hand

"Tell that to the people who died that day…" Michael said coldly before heading up to his room

"Michael, wait…" Lisa called out before her son closed his door

Lisa turned to her husband

"What are we going to do?" Lisa asked as she sat down on the couch

"I don't know…" William moved next to her, "It's been four years and he still can't let it go"

"What happened back then was just terrible… and I know he's been pretty broken up about it…" Lisa grabbed his hand, "But I think seeing you in that wheelchair is what's really getting to him"

William lowered his head

"Seeing all those people get hurt was bad enough, but I think the fact that somebody that he loves got hurt trying to protect him is what's really tearing him up inside"

"All that guilt… over something he had no control over" William whispered

Flashback

Michael groaned as he woke up to find himself in a hospital bed

"How are my husband and my son?" Michael heard his mother's voice

"Your son has some burns and scrapes, but he's more or less unharmed" the doctor replied, "He's got some minor head trauma, but he'll be alright"

"And my husband?"

"I'm afraid your husband is in worse shape... I'm afraid the trauma he suffered damaged the nerves in his spine and legs" the doctor said, "I'm sorry…"

"You don't think he'll make it?" the fear of losing her husband was present in her voice

"He's been stabilized and we think he'll make it, but I'm afraid he won't be able to walk again… he'll have to spend the rest of his life in a wheel chair" the doctor lowered his head as Lisa broke into tears

Michael lay there as the reality of what had just been said sunk into his mind. Tears formed in his eyes as he covered his head with the blanket and cried

End of Flashback

Michael sat on his bed, his legs tucked in close to his chest, his face buried into his knees, tears rolled down his face as the memories of that day continued to play in his mind. It was his fault that all those people got hurt… his fault those people died… his fault that his father would never walk again

And yet, not a single person blamed him for what happened… not even once… no one had said a single bad thing about him

Suddenly a knock came at his door…

"Michael?" he heard Leon's voice, "You in there bro?" he slowly opened the door to see Michael sitting on his bed pretty normally

"Hey Leon" he smiled at his friend

"You ok over there?" he asked, slight concern in his voice

"Yeah… you ready for this?" Michael got up to walk out into the game room where the Wii system was

"Bro… are you crying?" Leon noticed tears in his eyes

"Who's crying…? I just got something in my eyes" Michael wiped his face, "Stupid thing won't come out"

Leon just looked at him…

"Come on… let's do this" Michael smiled sincerely at him, "You ready?"