I don't own yu-gi-oh

Adding Salt to a Wound

Jo once again exited the dueling dome-the sounds of Atticus moaning in the background bring a smile to her face-and head out into the sin-written, polluted mound of concrete that, was also known as Domino City. The dirty smell of people and dirt meet her nostrils as her face met with the wind. The scent, although not pleasant, was indeed very familiar and filled Jo with the desire to duel. The desire to once again take control of fate itself and prove that she was in fact the one in control. With these thoughts in mind she turned-surrendering her hair to the wind- and head for the underground.

It didn't take her long to find and defeat a couple mindless slugs who dared to call themselves duelists. It wasn't hard for her to find opponents-as one of the only girls in the underground dueling ring, mindless drowns were drawn to her like flies to a flower, or in this case a Venus flytrap. Only a few seconds into any duel, and Jo made it quite clear that she was someone to be taken seriously. Not that she was a perfect duelist, she had her fair share of loses, some of which had left scares-real scares-but that was the risk of an underground duel, a risk that she quite enjoyed. Pushing herself to the limit, having control over some type of pain in her life, and trying to disprove her own mortally, was the fuel that filled Jo desires to belong in the underground, unlike Zane who just wanted to win. But then again, maybe Zane's desperate desirer to win came from an emotional source similar to her own. Actually, Jo was sure it did, and it was this fact that had first drawn her to the Cyber duelist.

Jo thought about the first time she had meet Zane, as she walked down the street to the café; it was right after she had first been taken to the underground. Something had happened when their eyes meet. Some sort of understanding between the two duelists that neither could understand. It had been this understanding that had caused them to activate their duel disks and bring out their decks. Jo smiled as she thought back to their first duel, she had been sure that she was going to lose. Not an under loses mind you, she knew she was going to be a worthy opponent, but it was very clear that his skills far surpassed her own. That was why it had shocked her when the duel had ended in a draw. At first, she thought that Zane had gone easy on her for some unknown reason, but as she got to know him that thought quickly evaporated. Zane would never go easy on anyone in a duel; it just wasn't his style. So why did their duels always end in draws? Jo know she should have lost to Zane, and Zane know it to, so why did fate seem to interfere? It was the need to answer this question that had made Zane and Jo come together, and for that, Jo was grateful. She would never tell the stupid robot, but she couldn't imagine life without him. She know Zane would beat her one day, but she was grateful that fate had brought about this stalemate long enough for them to get to know each other. They were permanent parts of each other's lives now; weather they liked it or not.

Jo saw the familiar doors of the Bean Scene and rushed to get inside as raindrops started to fall. Jo was one of those very select few that loved when it rained, so long as she was not the one in it. The rain had just started to really pour as she pulled open the doors and was instantly meet with a wave of comfort that came at seeing the familiar 'Friends don't let friends go to Starbucks' sign, and a certain teal haired individual.

"Hey, Truesdale," she greeted as she seat down at the tiny breakfast-nock table and smiled as she spotted a piece of cake on the table. She hadn't been serious when she insisted that he replace the cake that he had eaten, but Zane was never one to leave debts or threats unpaid. "That cake wouldn't be for me now would it?" Jo asked as she raised her eyebrows at Zane.

"No it's for the other girl I own a piece of cake," Zane said with an eye roll. "Of course it's for you." Zane smirked as he watched Jo seat down, he would never tell the ice queen to her face, but he really enjoyed her company and was glad that their fight last night had been resolved. Although, Zane stilled wonder what the whole thing had been about. Why did she freak out so much about crossing in front of that graveyard? Zane thought to himself. I've seen her cross in front of graveyards before, so it had to be something about that graveyard. She said her mother died, I wonder if that is where she's buried? I bet it is. Zane thought to himself as started back up into Jo's eyes.

"I'm going to have the egg salad sandwich," Jo said as she placed her menu down. "What are you going to have?"

"Chicken salad sandwich," Zane replied quickly covering up his thoughts. The last thing he wanted to do was bring up the graveyard incident and have Jo bite his head off again. One thing that Zane had quickly learned about Jo was that she was not the kind of girl to piss off. Normally she was a pretty easy ongoing person with a good amount of sarcastic charm, but when someone was stupid enough to fire off her temper, they truly learned what it meant to be in hell. Zane smiled at this thought, as long as he wasn't the one on the resaving end, he thoroughly enjoyed watching meaningless maggots squirm under her wrath.

The rain started to pour down very heavily as the two dark clad duelist conversed about their duels earlier that day as the continued to enjoy their lunch. Between the two of them, they had already accumulated a large amount of points. One thing about underground duels that had helped them achieve this quick accumulation was that they were fast and intense. The two fully enjoyed telling each other about the details of their duels. Jo told Zane about how she had avoid a very near loss by using a move she had learned from watching one of his duels, and Zane shared his experience of brutally bumbling a few would-be duelist into the ground. Neither of them really paid attention to the darken clouds outside, or thought to take the flashing lightening as a sign of trouble. In fact, the first time either of them took notice of the storm was when Jaden and the rest of the Academy crew came rushing through the doors, drenching wet, and ran right up to their table.

"Where Syrus?" Jaden asked with concern written all over his face as he started at the two underground duelists.

Back to when Jo had just walked out the door for the second time…

"Ouch, ohhhh that really hurt," Atticus complained as he cradled his hurt foot. He know that signing Zane and Jo up for this contests was risky, but he never thought he would be put though actual physical pain. But then again the fact that Jo had actual done something to get back at him, proved-to Atticus anyway-that she was not the kind of person who allowed other people to push her around, and that was always a good thing in Atticus's book. Although now, he was going to have to rethink the whole 'wearing sandals thing;' he didn't think his poor feet could take any more abuse.

"Well you did kind of deserve it," Alexis said with a sight snicker. She knew her brother's heart was in the right place, but it was somewhat nice to see him surfer a little for his meddling. Maybe, this will teach him to stay out of people's love lives, especially mine!! She thought with a sigh.

"I going to pretended I didn't hear that," Atticus said with a fake little pout, which caused the everyone to break out in a quick little round of laughter, well almost everyone.

The smallest and quietest member of the crew was not laughing at all. The only thing that Syrus could think about was going after his brother. Syrus knew that Atticus meant well, but he wasn't too confident about this whole love plan. Therefore, the youngest of the Truesdale clan decide that he was going to go follow his brother into the underground arena and see just what was so addicting about these underground duels. After experiencing one first hand he just couldn't understand why Zane-or anyone for that matter-would purposely put themselves though that. Syrus said a quick goodbye to his friends after making plans to meet up with them for lunch and head out to trial Zane. He had only quietly told Jaden that he was going to follow his brother. Jaden had just smiled, said he understood and to be careful, and wished him luck.

It wasn't hard to spot him out among the crowd of people he meet on the street. In that striking black trench coat of his, Zane stuck out like a box of donates at a weight watcher meeting. Syrus decided that the best plan of action was to trial Zane from a few yards behind. Although he had to be careful, if Zane found out that, he was following him…he didn't even want to think about the kind of older brother torture that he would be put though. Zane had always liked his privacy, even from a very early age, and evading that privacy was pure suicide, but for now, that was a risk Syrus was willing to take.

Syrus had to run to keep up with Zane's long strides, but despite his small size, Syrus was doing a great job. He was able to keep up with Zane for a good 20 minutes, until Zane came to a stop in front of a run-down old building and stepped inside. Syrus waited for a few minutes before running up to the same building and pulling open the door. Syrus had expected to walk into some kind of chamber, but instead found himself in a staircase, a very old, scary looking staircase. Syrus had half a mind to turn around and run the other way, but he built up his courage had started down the stairs.

He continued to stride down the stairs until he came out in an underground stone camber. Syrus shuttered as he looked at his surroundings, the camber he came out in looked like an abandoned sewer. There were grate arches of stone that broke off in all directions, and a musty, mildewed odor filled his nose. The stonewalls were covered in a slimey, wet green moss that made Syrus's stomach turn. However, what really sent chills up Syrus spine was the random shrieks of pain followed by a merciless laughter that would seem to come from all directions. But what was even more bloodcurdling than the screams was how suddenly the cut off, as though the produce of the cry was eradicated. Wreathe the execution was permanent or not, Syrus really didn't want to know.

Syrus bite his lip as he realized that he had no idea which tunnel Zane had gone down. Fear instantly ran up and down Syrus body as he realized that if he wasn't careful he could become horrible lost in this marble labyrinth. Syrus closed his eye and listened vigilantly; relief swiftly washed over his body when he detected footsteps coming from the tunnel on the far left. That has to be Zane, Syrus thought as he turned and raced down the passageway, giving no consideration that when in a labyrinth a Minotaur could very well behind any corner.

Syrus followed the passageway down a few hundred feet at the least, until it came out into a sort of cavern. "Zane," Syrus called out as goose bumps arose on his arms, "are you here?"

"Now what would a minuscule, little infant like you be doing way down here in the underground?" A devilish voice hissed behind his ear as a huge shadow fell over him.

Someone help me, was the last thought Syrus had, as he became another victim of the dueling gangland.

Back at the Café'…

"Why in the world would I know, or for that matter care, where Syrus is?" Zane asked as he glared at the red-coated duelist.

"You mean you haven't seen him," Jaden asked as an even more hopeless look appeared on his face.

"No I haven't," Zane snapped. "Why, should I have?"

"Yes," Jaden shouted desperately. "He wanted to find you, Zane, so he followed you after you left the dueling dome. We were suppose to meet for lunch a hour ago, but Syrus never showed up, and we haven't heard from him since. I think he must be in some kind of trouble, serious trouble."

"That little runt followed me," Zane annoyed as fury filled his face.

"Yes he followed you! Now can we get back to the fact that he may be in trouble!" Jaden sobbed as trepidation filled his face.

"May be in trouble," Zane laughed. "Oh, he most certainly is in trouble, Jaden."

"A shrimp like Syrus doesn't last long in the underground ring," Jo added on to Zane statement.

"Well the little runt had better grow a back bone down there, because I really don't have the time to go to a funeral any time soon," Zane said as he crossed his legs and folded his arms.

"Is that all you can say, Zane," Alexis asked as dread filled her face, "don't you even care that Syrus may need you right now?"

"Syrus got himself into this mess, now it's his job to get himself out." Zane muttered as he took another bite of his sandwich.

"Can you at least tell us where we can find him?" Chazz asked the black clothed duelist.

Jo and Zane glanced out each and slightly debated weather or not to tell the others were the entrance to the dark arena was. It was an unwritten rule of the underground that, expect for the ones they brought in for prey, outsider were not welcome in the lightless haven. On the other hand, Syrus was Zane's brother and, where as Zane, didn't mind tormenting Syrus himself, he still had a problem when other people dared too. Syrus was his to agonize, and torture; as his older brother that was Zane's blood right. The two underground came to a silent conclusion.

"The entrance to the underground arenas is located at 666 Bloodlust Lane," Jo muttered.

"666, how cliché," Bastion whispered as the gang hurried out the door.

Jo glanced up at Zane and wonder what he was going to do. If any odd person off the street had looked at Zane's face, they wouldn't have been able to tell that the teal haired teenager was having a very deep inner struggle. But Jo was not any odd person; she noticed the dilated pupils and the way Zane had started to drum his finger on the table, signs that he clearly was having some kind of inner debate. "Don't do anything too rash, Truesdale."

Zane stood up and dropped some money on the table to pay for his half of the bill, and then pulled up his collar as he headed out into the storm.

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Well here is chapter 6; I hoped you all liked it. I would like to thank all my reviews, especially Acantha-chan who I thought left some really great advice. I tried to do what you said and have a little more writing and less dialogue, because in reality that's how I wanted my story to go. It just turned out to be easier said then done, so you guys have to tell me how I did. I also tried to make Zane a bit more 'hellish' as Kaiseress phrased it, because I thought she made a good point too. I also would like to say that I don't have a beta reader so if you guy see any grammar mistakes or anything else that needs to be fixed please tell me so I can fix it, because I will go back and fix it.

I also was really nervous about describing Jo's dueling skills, when it comes to OCs that can become a slipper slop. I wanted her to be a good duelist, a little better than average, but I don't want to turn her into a Mary-sue. Please tell me how I did and if I should go back and change it. I also wanted to make it quite clear that Zane and Jo tying in their duels was kind of suppose to be a destined fluke that brought them together (kind of like two halves of a whole; neither better than the other kind of thing). Please tell me how I did with that; I know it's kind of treading on thin ice with the whole Mary-sue thing, but I do plan on having Zane beat Jo near the end of the fic. I would also like to tell Kaiseress that Zane will stop being Hell Kaiser, but it will be more towards the end of the fic. Oh, and it want be 'boom' he's exactly how he was before, it will be more of an emotional and life changing kind of thing. Well, please review and thanks for reading!