Supreme: hey, peeps! I'm here with chapter 10 for ya!
Zane: finally…
Supreme: I didn't take that long to update! (compared to some other updates ^^')
Zane: no, I mean I can finally stop sleeping on the couch!
Supreme: oh, yeah. Zane had to sleep on the couch for like three days. He had bed bugs, and his new bed wouldn't come in until Saturday! Ha, ha!
Zane: shut up! Anyway, Supreme King of Awesomeness does NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Enjoy
XxX
"Aw right!" Jaden yelled, pumping his fist in the air. "It's day two of the Atticus expedition!"
"I hate this…" Zane grumbled. Now don't get ahead of me here. He's mad because… it's the return of the chauffeur! Jaden was riding on his shoulders.
"Jaden's gonna pay you later, right, Jay?" Alexis said to her childhood friend from ten years ago.
"Uh… yeah, sure…"
"Err-rah!" Zane growled as he ninja-ed Jaden off of his back.
"What was that?" Alexis asked.
"What was what?" the tallest of the three asked.
"That sound you made when you threw Jaden off."
"I dunno." Jaden stood up and brushed off his clothes. He ran up to them until he was standing on Alexis's right side, staying away from Zane, who stood at her left.
"I don't understand why we need to go at night," Jaden said. He, Zane, and Alexis were giving permission to look for Atticus three hours after curfew, yes, but they were restricted from one place in particular.
"Because, dear Jay-Jay," Zane said mockingly, "if Crowler sees you with his precious Obelisks, he shall have a royally popped vein."
"That's one way to put it," Jaden said, chuckling along with Alexis.
"But we're going at night to come… here…" Alexis answered, stopping in front of the abandoned dorm. "If people saw us going here in broad daylight, we'd be kicked off the island for sure."
"Alexis," Zane started, "we aren't supposed to be here." Alexis looked at him.
"I know. That's why we're here at night."
"This is where Atticus went missing, Alexis."
"Zane… I know."
"We're gonna get in serious trouble if we're seen here."
"I just wanna pay my respects to Atticus." Alexis began walking toward the dorm.
"Alexis Samantha Rhodes, get away from that dorm this instant!" Zane screamed in a fatherly tone. The blonde whipped around to face him.
"… What…?" she muttered. Tears were barely brimming at the edges of his eyes. The blunet turned his head away from her.
"I… I can't lose you, Alexis," he murmured.
"… 'Lose me'…? Zane, what are you talking about?" Zane faced her again.
"You know exactly what I mean. You know that Atticus went missing here a year ago." Tears were forming at the edges of Alexis' eyes, but the tears were already spilling from Zane's. He gave a pained smile. He let out a humorless laugh. "I… I've been through so much loss… too much loss. I've lost Travis… I've lost Shannon and Riley… I lost Sandy before I even got to know her… I lost little Ruban." Zane glanced up at Alexis. He didn't even realize his eyes wandered to the ground beneath him. "I lost my best friend at this very dorm… I lost my best friend. I lost your brother." Alexis' jaw clenched.
"Zane, I'm pretty sure it wasn't your fault," Jaden told the older boy. The male Obelisk simply shook his head.
"I know it wasn't my fault. I just wish it was. It would make it easier for Alexis to blame it on someone."
"Zane, I would never blame you whether it was your fault or not," Alexis said.
"I know, Alexis. Trust me, I know," Zane told her, nodding slightly. "But you know the damaged done to my life. I lost Travis, my older brother. I lost Shannon and Riley; the triplets in the family along with me… close as can be." Zane let out a pained laugh. "Sandy died at child birth. Ruban got sick and died a few days after his first birthday. Two years ago, Syrus almost died from leukemia." Zane looked Alexis directly in the eye. "And Atticus went missing. I… I can't lose you too. For all I know, you could disappear like Atticus. I could never see you again. Alexis, you're like the little sister I never had, the sister I've always wanted around, but never could because my real sisters are… Well, you know the story, right…?"
"Zane…" Alexis spoke. Zane ran his right hand over his hair and ran it through his hair.
"I love you, Lex. You're my surrogate sister. I can't lose someone so close to me. I wouldn't be able to take it. I especially can't handle the fact that this stuff is happening to the people I love most. Why can't it just happen to me? Just put me out of my misery, right?" Zane said, his voice shaking.
Zane moved backwards, still looking at Alexis. He stopped after a few steps with his hand still in his hair.
"I don't wanna lose you, Alexis. Please, Lex, please, don't go in there," he murmured. Alexis opened her mouth to say something, but her voice was stuck in her throat. Tears fell from her eyes as the blonde backed away. "Alexis, please…"
"I'm sorry, Zane…" the younger Rhodes mumbled. She took off running around toward the back of the dorm.
"Alexis!" Jaden yelled. He looked at Zane, who was staring at the girl's retreating back with hurt, shock, and regret in his eyes. Jaden let out a frustrated sigh and took off after Alexis. "Alexis, come back!" Jaden rounded a corner around the giant dorm. It led to the back of the dorm where Alexis was leaning against the wall. She had her legs hugged up against her chest. She cried silently.
The site broke Jaden's heart. He walked closer to the sobbing blonde. She hadn't noticed him yet. The Slifer walked next to the Obelisk Queen. He kneeled down next to her.
"Lex…" he whispered. The mentioned girl gasped, just noticing his appearance.
"J-Jaden… what… what are you…?" she started. Jaden cut her off.
"Sh," he said. He sat down next to her. The brunet ran his hand over his friend's hair. The blonde looked at him with puffy, red eyes before breaking down and falling against Jaden's chest. Jaden wrapped his arms around her the second she leaned against him. "Sh, quiet… quiet, it's gonna be alright."
"No, Jaden, it won't…" Alexis mumbled. "I never realized how much pain Zane's been through. He lost all, but one, of his siblings. I'm being selfish by not listening to him. I never realized that I could very well go missing and cause him even more pain!" Jaden hugged her tighter and pulled her closer to his chest.
"You're not being selfish, Lexi. You just wanna pay respects to Atticus. Zane understands that, but, at the same time, he doesn't wanna take a risk coming to the dorm with the potential of losing you. I kinda see where's he's coming from. I mean," Jaden paused to let out a humorless laugh, "if I lost you… I'd go insane. I can't, I really mean can't, lose you, Alexis. You mean too much to me."
"Zane probably hates me now…" Jaden snickered.
"Zane won't hate you. I know that for sure." Alexis' crying seemed to have calmed and slowly but surely stopped. She leaned closer to Jaden, loving the warmth his body was producing. The Slifer King rested his head on top of her head and rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "Do you still wanna pay your respects?"
"I do," Alexis answered. She looked up at Jaden, who was looking down at her. "I wanna go alone though." Jaden stood up and offered a hand to her. Alexis accepted without hesitation.
"That's fine. Just don't go missing on me, got it?" Jaden said playfully. He winked at her, causing the blonde to giggle.
"I'll try my best." Jaden walked up to her and hugged her. He rubbed his hands up and down her back. Alexis hugged back and rested her head on his shoulder. They separated after a few seconds in each others' arms. Jaden kissed Alexis' forehead. Alexis blushed and hugged him again to try and hide it.
"Alright, be careful," the brunet said after they separated for the second time. The blonde queen nodded and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. Jaden smiled. "I'll go find Zane, and you go and pay your respects." Alexis nodded again and turned. She walked off in that direction. Jaden walked back the way he came over here.
Not five minutes later, he found his way back to the front of the dorm. He saw Zane sitting against the wall of the dorm with one leg stretched out completely with the other up a few inches from his chest. His arm was resting on the propped up leg. He was facing forward but his eyes were glazed over. He held shock and hurt in his eyes.
Jaden walked up to the Obelisk and sat next to him.
"You okay?" he asked the older of the two. Zane looked up at him and opened his mouth to speak, but the words got caught in his throat. Fresh tears fell from his eyes. Zane fell against Jaden for support as he cried. Jaden didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around him.
"I don't wanna lose her, Jaden," the blunet muttered.
"You're not gonna." Zane calmed down faster than Alexis. He gave a pained smile.
"I'm pretty sure she hates me right now…"
"Dude, are you kidding me? She thinks you hate her." Zane looked at Jaden in shock.
"I could never hate Alexis." Jaden let go of Zane and leaned back against the wall of the dorm.
"You two oughta know each other by now, don't cha think?"
"I suppose." Zane stood up and brushed off his pants and jacket. He offered a hand to Jaden, who smiled and accepted it. The blunet helped the Slifer up.
"Thanks," Jaden said. Zane smirked.
"Don't," he said. "I should thank you for… comforting me when I needed it." Jaden smiled and scratched the back of his head.
"Just call us even, man." Zane's smirk grew.
"Agreed," he told the boy. The Obelisk stuck his hand out. Jaden stared at it before smirking himself and grabbed it. He pulled it up and jerked it down in one fluid motion. "Don't go breaking my arm, Jaden."
"Sorry, Zane," Jaden apologized.
"Let's head back to the dorms," Zane said.
"I'll go get Lexi." Zane was about to nod, but…
"AAAAHH!" someone screamed.
"That was Alexis!" Zane yelled. Jaden nodded in agreement.
"We gotta find her!"
"Question: where'd the scream come from?" Both of them stood there. Realization smacked them in the face.
"Inside the abandoned dorm," they both said, shaking their heads. They ran to the dorm in search of the blonde. Zane sped up, and Jaden tried to keep up with him. He was about to run up next to him, but he tripped on something.
"What's this…?" he whispered. He picked it up, and his eyes widened. He stuck it in his backpack and ran up to Zane.
When they reached the core of the dorm, a man clad in black with a mask on stood there. Jaden growled lowly.
"Where's Alexis!" he demanded. The man laughed darkly. Zane growled.
"You better tell us where she is!" he yelled. The man smirked and pointed to a far corner in the room. The two academy boys gasped.
"Alexis!" they screamed. The blonde didn't respond. She was unconscious and lying in a coffin.
"What did you do to her?" Jaden shouted.
"Oh, don't worry about her. Her soul is simply in holding… for something far worse," the man said. "You may duel me for her soul if it means so much to you."
"I'll duel you," Zane growled lowly. "No one messes with my sister."
"Oh, please, you two aren't even related." Zane smirked.
"I know. I consider her my sister. She's just that much to me."
"Fine, we shall duel."
"No," Jaden said sternly. He stood next to Zane. The older student looked at him. "I'll duel you."
"I'm gonna duel him, Jaden. I'm getting the glory for this duel. You can have the spotlight some other time," Zane said.
"Yeah, well, I wanna duel him."
"You're not gonna duel him." The two students started arguing about who was going to duel him.
"Will one of you duel me already!" the man yelled. Jaden and Zane stopped arguing and looked at him. Jaden sighed.
"Fine, your duel," he said.
"Yes!" said Zane.
"Wait, what's your name?" Jaden asked.
"My name is of no importance, but you may call me T," the man said.
"Okay, Mr. T," Jaden said.
"I thought Mr. T was black," Zane said.
"He is. Doesn't he have that Mohawk afro thing goin' on?" Zane nodded.
"Yeah, and-"
"Can we duel yet?" T shouted. Zane looked at Jaden, who shrugged.
"Alright," Zane said. He pulled out his deck. "Jaden, do you mind if I use your catch phrase."
"Oh, please do," Jaden said with a smile.
"Well, then," Zane said. He threw his deck in his duel disk. "Get your game on!"
"Whoa, where did that duel disk come from?" Jaden shouted.
"Um… TV convenience…?" The two shrugged and let it go.
"Before we begin… maybe I should change the scenery to something like… oh, how about the Shadow Realm!" A dark fog surrounded the entire room.
"The what?" the academy boys asked.
"The Shadow Realm…"
"What's that?"
"It's this!"
"I don't get it," Jaden mumbled.
"This is the Shadow Realm! It's very threatening!"
"I dunno," Zane said, looking around, "it kinda looks like my dad's meatloaf surprise gone wrong."
"If you lose this duel, your soul will be devoured by the dark beasts that reside here!" T yelled angrily.
"Eh, I've been through worse," Jaden said.
"What's worse than the Shadow Realm?"
"My dad's singing…"
"…"
"…"
"Um… duel?" Zane suggested. T nodded once, and the coffin Alexis was in closed and sank in the ground. Jaden growled.
"I'll go first!" T yelled, drawing his card. He cackled darkly. "I activate the spell card Terraforming and use it to add the field spell Pandemonium to my hand. Next, I'll activate Pandemonium!" The dark and dreary scenery didn't change at all but was still really creepy. "Lucky for you, I don't have any monsters I can summon so I'll set one card and end my turn."
T's Field
LP—4000
Hand—4
Monster(s)—0
Spell/Trap—Pandemonium (field spell)
Graveyard—Terraforming
Card(s) Removed from Play—0
"Why did you tell me that?" Zane asked. T didn't answer. Zane sighed. "Anyway, I draw!" He smirked. "I activate Heavy Storm to destroy every spell and trap on the field! That includes your field spell!"
"No!" T yelled. He spells and traps got blown clean off the field.
"Now I activate Power Bond!" Zane yelled. "I'm using it to fuse my three Cyber Dragons in my hand to create…!"
"Dat-ta-da-da!" said Jaden.
"Now rise, Cyber End Dragon!" A giant mechanical dragon rose from the ground. Its three heads roared at T. "Thanks to Power Bond my dragon's points double!"
"As in 4000 big ones!" Jaden yelled enthusiastically.
"Exactly," Zane said, smirking. "Now attack!" The three headed beast formed three spheres of light in front of themselves. "Go! Super Strident Blast!" The dragon blasted T with the three spheres which turned to giant beams of light.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" T yelled as his life points depleted. Zane uncharacteristically pouted.
"I thought he had something up his sleeve. That was boring," he mumbled.
"Talk about anti-climactic," Jaden said. Zane nodded. "Whoa, cool effects… He's really getting into scaring us with this Shadow Realm thing."
"I know. I mean, look at those holograms! They actually look like something that could eat us! And sacrificing himself for the sake of it is serious dedication," Zane said.
"He should work for a movie company rather than duel."
"He's better at this than he is dueling."
"Kuri, kuri!" Winged Kuriboh squeaked.
"Oh, hey," Jaden said to the fur ball. "What's up, fuzz ball?"
"Jaden, who are you talking to?" Zane asked.
"My duel spirit," the Slifer said. Winged Kuriboh flew over to the end of the fog. He clawed at it. "Oh, hey, it's an opening."
"Let's get outta here before these holograms get to me." The two ran over to the opening. Jaden jumped through it.
"Ow, my butt!" he groaned.
"Watch out!" Zane called before he jumped out. Jaden rolled out of the way, and Zane landed with a thud. "That definitely hurt…" A soft groan was heard.
"Alexis!" Jaden said with realization. He ran over to Alexis' coffin and pried it open. The blonde stirred but otherwise didn't wake up. "Lexi, it's time to wake up." Jaden patted her cheeks. Zane stumbled over to them. He stood next to Jaden and grabbed Alexis' shoulders.
"Come on, Alexis," he said softly. "You… you need to get up now…" Alexis didn't respond. Zane eyes watered. 'I can't lose her…' He shook her slightly. "C-Come on, Alexis… Now isn't the time for games…" The girl didn't respond. Tears spilled from Zane's eyes. "Lexi… you gotta wake up…"
"No…" Jaden murmured. Tears poured from his eyes. He grabbed Alexis' shoulders. "Lex, wake up!"
"Alexis…" Zane mumbled. He slowly dropped his head and folded his arms on the side of the coffin. He sobbed quietly into his arms. He shook with fear and sadness.
"Why are you crying, Zane…?" a feminine voice asked. Zane looked up and saw Alexis, who looked like she just woke up.
"Lex…" Jaden hugged Alexis and nuzzled his face in her neck. Zane just stared at her. Alexis hugged Jaden back and stared at Zane.
"Is there something on my face?" she asked. Zane smiled slightly and shook his head.
"No, not at all… I'm just happy we saved you in time…" Alexis smiled and gently pushed Jaden off of herself.
"Let's get back to the dorm." The boys nodded and helped her out of the coffin. The three of them ran out of the Abandoned Dorm.
"Are you okay, Alexis?" Jaden asked when they got outside.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks, you two," Alexis said. Jaden and Zane nodded. Zane looked off in the distance and groaned.
"The sun's gonna come up soon," he said.
"Zane, get outta here!" Jaden yelled.
"What? Why?"
"You've got a reputation to keep up! Go!" Zane growled but ran off to his dorm anyway.
He quickly and quietly climbed up the tree by his balcony. He pried open the balcony doors and flung his shoes off. He hopped in bed and yanked the covers over his head.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Jaden asked again.
"I'm fine, Jay, really," Alexis answered again. Jaden nodded and hugged her out of the blue.
"Please, never do that again." Alexis smiled and hugged him back. She nuzzled her face in his neck.
"I'll do my best…" Jaden smiled and kissed the top of her head.
"You need to get back to your dorm." Alexis sighed.
"I know." They broke away and held each other at arm's length. Alexis sighed again. "I guess I'll get back to my dorm." Jaden nodded. Alexis let go of his arms and started walking away.
"Oh, Alexis, wait!" Jaden called. The Obelisk queen turned around and saw Jaden running toward her. The Slifer pulled out a picture in a frame. "I tripped over this when Zane and I were looking for you. I thought I'd keep it and give it to you." Alexis gasped and slowly took the picture from him.
"Atticus…" she murmured. The picture was of Atticus with his arms crossed over his chest and smirk on his face. His signature was at the bottom. Alexis looked up at Jaden. "Thank you so much, Jaden." The Slifer scratched the back of his head and smiled.
"It was no big deal." Alexis shook her head and quickly leaned forward, kissing the brunet square on the lips.
"Thanks you, Jaden." Jaden smiled and hugged her one last time.
"Again… no big deal…" Alexis smiled and started walking toward her dorm. Jaden smiled wider and began walking to his dorm.
Alexis entered her dorm quietly, careful not to wake anyone. She pulled off her shoes and sat on her bed. He placed the picture of Atticus next to the picture of her and Jaden when they were kids.
'I sure owe a lot to that lazy Slifer…' she thought. She smiled again and lay down in her bed. Alexis pulled the covers over herself and tried to get as much sleep as she could before class.
XxX
Supreme: and that concludes chapter 10
Zane: I think this is the longest chapter for this story
Supreme: it is. Over 3 thousand words…
Zane: … Yay…?
Supreme: anyway, REVIEW!
Zane: it will make us very happy
Supreme: sorry that Zane was OOC in this chapter
Zane: I think maybe it was to get the chapter to make sense. Of course, I'm just guessing!
Supreme: … anyway, REVIEW!
Jaden: our little friend will be happy if you click him.
REVIEW BUTTON: click me! Click me!