A/N: Hi everyone, and welcome back to my story! I apologize for not updating for some time, I was occupied with school and other things. To begin things, this chapter is two years into the future from the prologue, which I hope you all understood. In the prologue, the main character, Ayano Suzuki(this chapter, I introduce her fully), was on her way to Duel Academia. This chapter is the start of the third season of GX, so in the next chapter, after you read this one, is when our beloved transfer students will probably enter(shoot, spoiler x_x). Okay, with that said, I hope you all read this and comment, I'd like to know how I'm doing. I think this story's better than my other GX story that I took down. xD Disclaimer time!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, but I do own this story and the OC(s).

Enjoy!

That Nostalgic Silence

Chapter One: The Silence

Pitter, patter, pitter, patter. The sounds of rain echoed down the empty road as I ran down it, tightening my jacket around my shivering frame. I hated rain, and no matter what perspective I saw it in, it just didn't work with me. Without the slightest clue where I was on the island, I ducked under a rickety staircase, curling up under the shelter. The wind howled, the rain falling hard in an unsteady beat. I sighed heavily; it was going to be a while before it stopped.

And then I heard their voices: "God, where is that whore? I'll pummel her for spilling juice onto my uniform!"

"She went this way, I'm sure of it!"

"Let's look around the area!"

My breath hitched, and I froze. Avaron, Erin, and Hiroko, the three girls that constantly bullied others here at Duel Academia, had followed me. Their voices were absolutely clear, so they weren't too far from where I was taking shelter from the rain. They were planning on ganging up on me, to make me pay for accidently spilling apple juice on Avaron. Could this day get any worse?

"Hey, I think I heard shuffling from behind the stairs!" I heard Hiroko's shrill voice call, and felt sweat roll down my neck. They were so close, so close… I prayed they didn't find me, even though it was obvious to anyone who looked through the gaps between each step. However, their footfalls were coming towards the stairs, and before I knew it, I was yanked by my Obelisk Blue uniform collar by Hiroko swiftly. She dragged me out, and yelled, "Ha, I found her! This little bitch was hiding behind the stairs, as I thought!"

I struggled against her grip, and felt myself almost choke when she threw me aside. I landed roughly on the wet ground, mud splattering on my body. I felt weak, since I wasn't exactly used to being so cold and wet, and I'd used up a lot of energy looking for a shelter and running away from these stupid girls.

"Well, what do you have to say, huh?" Avalon snarled, bending down to look at me. They were all wearing rainproof coats, and I was left there to lay in the cold with only a thin jacket. "You completely ruined my uniform!" Technically, I didn't, but she was one to overreact and get revenge.

"I have nothing to say," I answered, but as I tried to stand up, I was pushed back into the mud.

"You retard! Outcast, How dare you answer so nonchalantly!" Erin shouted, and I winced at her voice. She used that name, huh...

I decided to taunt them. "Wow, I didn't know you knew such a big, interesting word."

That earned me a punch to the face. Apparently, I wasn't used to getting punched either, because I almost cried out as they lashed out at me. I could hear fragments of curses and screeches from each individual, but couldn't decipher them all to make sense. All I felt was pain multiplied by the hard rain pouring down. After a while, it subsided, and when I opened my eyes, they were gone, leaving me here to wallow away. I knew somewhere I was bleeding, but that didn't mind much. These outer wounds would eventually heal, but I had inner wounds that were worse.

My hearing was blotted out as I lied there silent, in a bloody, bruised mess. I could no longer hear the rain that I despised so much, no longer hear my jumbled up thoughts, and I could definitely not feel the throbbing pain that racked my body. I like this deadly silence; it was as if the end was befalling me, and I could finally rest in peace. However, I knew that wasn't the case, and that when I woke up from passing out, all that silence would be broken, and the pain would come back. I was used to this cycle, though, ever since I arrived at Duel Academia.

But I would think about all that later; right now, I wanted to enjoy this silence.

"Ugh…" I groaned, scrunching my face up with eyes closed. When I did open them and dispelled the sleepy haze by blinking rapidly, I was in a light gray and white room I knew all too well. "Professor Ayukawa's office, huh?"

Suddenly, the door opened, and I turned my head to see who just came in. My eyes widened slightly when my honey gaze locked with a chocolate one. Asuka Tenjouin had just entered the room, clad in her uniform and with a small smile on her face when she came to sit by my bed. I didn't even notice a vacant seat was there. I was too busy gaping at her beautiful appearance and arrival. Why in the world would she be here?

"How are you feeling, Ayano-san?" she asked, watching me. I broke out of my stupor instantly.

Instead of answering, I questioned her back, my brain still disbelieving that she was here. I mean, she was Asuka Tenjouin. "Why are you here?"

She looked kind of taken aback, but answered strongly nonetheless. "I found you after the rain had stopped lying motionless in a muddy mess. I took you to Professor Ayukawa afterward, and she tended to you. She's out right now, and I just stopped by to check up on you, since class ended. The teacher let you off the hook, since I gave him a note from Professor Ayukawa."

I stared at her for a moment, the information sinking in. She continued. "What happened to you, though? I don't take it you wandered into the forest and got beat up by trees, or fell down countless times in rough dirt."

After a few seconds of my silence, I replied. "I was ganged up by three girls because I spilled apple juice on one of their 'leader'."

"What? They beat you up?" she furrowed her eyebrows. "You settle problems like these with duels here."

"Well, it seemed they didn't want to duel. They chased me to what I'm guessing was the Osiris Red Dorm, and beat me up. End of story, thank you."

Asuka made a weird face at me, and I gazed at her from the corner of my eye. "Well, at least it wasn't too serious. Professor Ayukawa said you'd be out in a few days."

"Ah…" I sunk more into my pillow, and felt my head pounding. "Well, I have nothing much to offer you for helping me out but a thank you. You should probably get going, though; it's bad hanging out with the outcast." After being at Duel Academia for exactly two years, I'd somehow created a title for myself. The Outcast, or how Avaron's group had said it, was what people called me when I passed by. I didn't care, though; I was only at Duel Academia to study and duel, not make friends. My family back home was counting on me, after all.

"Now why would I care about that? You were hurt." Her question surprised me, and for a moment, I thought she really didn't care about that. But people are capable of hiding and lying, no? "Besides, I watched last week's dueling practice, and you were pretty good. You looked passionate about dueling, even though it was a test."

Being complimented by the Queen of Obelisk Blue? You don't get that everyday…and did she just change the subject somehow to dueling? Amazing… "Thanks, but I'm not that great. I've failed so many of Professor Chronos' tests that I think I've created a record."

She laughed at this, a sound of happiness that I hadn't heard for a long time. A bubbly feeling was building in my chest, and for some reason, I wanted to make her laugh again. She was the first person in years to have talked to me like a normal person. And perhaps she really was concerned about me being beat up, even though I'd heard she cared more for studying and dueling with her friends. "I think you duel well." Suddenly, the bell rang, and Asuka slowly got out of her seat, towering me. "Well, I guess I have to go to my next class. Say, when you're up and running again, you wouldn't mind having a duel with me, right?"

I blinked, and contemplated the idea. We were supposed to duel at this school, and besides the teachers and practice students, maybe a duel for fun would be a nice change. A grin rose to my lips, and I nodded. "That would be nice, uh…"

"Asuka is fine, Ayano-san."

"Then Ayano is fine, Asuka." A pretty smile touched her face again, and with that, she left the room gracefully. I stared at the door for a while even after she left, and finally relaxed back into the comfy white bed. I brought a calloused hand up to touch my lips, traces of a smile still there.

What was this feeling, I wonder?

Calamity befalls those who have done much bad in their lives, or perhaps none at all.

Within misfortune, sad things happen, and different forms of pity follow.

Today, I had a dream after Asuka had left.

A terrifying eye watched me from behind glass.

Eerie orange liquid flowed in the shrouded background, and I couldn't move, no matter my stuggle.

I didn't like this confinement.

Then a possessing voice filled my ears.

"Don't interfere with my plans," it said within the darkness.

Then sickly sweet, dark laughter echoed.

"But you will die soon, even without my action."

The laughter howled through the night.

And something inside told me that those words were true.

End A/N: Done! And I think I did a pretty okay job. I hope you all liked it, and review. Stay tuned for what happens next, and until then, bye! :)

Thank you for spending your time on this story!