Disclaimer : I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX

Chapter 13

Another Member Of Sorts

"There's too many" the girl cried, feeling the sting of her life points dropping vastly.

"Fall back" Zane shouted, all the duellists doing so.

The members of the SODMP turned their speedboats around and started heading back the way they had came - back to the school. They had no choice. They'd get killed if they stayed here any longer.

Of course they didn't retreat right back. They went a short distance and then stopped and stood up on their boats. Jesse, Alexis and Aster had their own boat, while Zane and Chazz shared one. One that was sinking, since there was a damage to it and water was seeping in.

"Quick, jump on!" Alexis shouted, steering his boat in front of theirs. Without a second thought Chazz leaped across the short distance and onto the girl's boat. It rocked about violently for a moment and the two feared it might capsize, but luckily it steadied and Alexis pulled it back into form. At the same time, Aster was using his boat to pick Zane up.

The three boats - five duellists in total, three weary and two exhausted - sat motionless and waited for the Lords to catch up to them. Their boats were slower but not by that much. Not by enough.

Indeed, it was mere moments later when they saw the first boats come into their line of vision. The five determined students activated their duel disks and got ready to draw their first cards. They might be tired and sore, but there was no way to back down now. If they did, the Lords got to the island.

The Lords wanted Jesse's cards, but by now, some of their members were in the water. They probably - little to no doubt about it - wanted revenge, too. Even if they defeated the SODMP here and now, they would take Jesse's cards and continue on to Duel Academy. They would know what to look for, what would cause most pain to the duellist that had gotten away from them - Jesse Andersen, of course - and the rest of the team. If they reached the school, they got to Jaden and Kasumi.

And this was the only thing that Jesse cared about.

The Lords approached, and one drew a card. Without thought, the five SODMP members simultaneously drew their own cards.

"Duel!"

Meanwhile, the one that the Lords would put in danger was putting his deck into his duel disk. Jaden could see them now. Well, he couldn't see the people, but he could see figures - one that he recognised so well, since he'd know the outline of Jesse's profile anywhere - and monsters in the air.

At least it wasn't a physical fight. It was a duel.

And that meant only one significant thing.

He could help them.

There was still pain, and Jaden just wanted to sleep. His stomach was burning and the pain in between his legs was just plain searing. How could anyone feel this pain and just get up and duel?

Jaden didn't know, but he did know this: he was going to do it.

Jaden pushed the speedboat forward, wishing its stupid engine would make it go faster than this too-slow-to-be-satisfactory pace.

As he got closed, he stopped the boat and drew a card. He was behind the SODMP, who were so focused on their battle that they had neglected to notice Jaden.

Well, he had ways of changing that.

Right at that moment, a monster - which Jaden didn't know, but it's attack points were set at one thousand five hundred, heading straight for Chazz. And Chazz had nothing to defend himself with. This was a direct attack.

Or it had been.

"I summon Elemental Hero Neos!" Jaden shouted, and Neos appeared - as a spirit, of course.

This wasn't a proper duel ,and Jaden had guessed that the actual rules weren't applying. He had guessed correctly.

You didn't need to sacrifice monsters to summon out higher level monsters, you just had to have them in your hand. He couldn't help but wonder if spell and trap cards worked properly.

Well, he'd worry about that in a minute. For now …

"Go Neos! Take that thing down!" he shouted, and Neos headed straight for the monster that was ready to attack Chazz.

Chazz was waiting for the pain, but it never came. His life points took no damage.

Chazz realised why when he saw Neos floating above him.

"Neos?" he gasped, and the other members of the SODMP looked up in disbelief. The Lords paused, too, taking a minute to look at the boat that was behind the others - a newcomer. A brunette boy that, truthfully, didn't look well enough to be out here. His cheeks were flushed and he was obviously sweating after one draw and summon. He wasn't in good health.

For the Lords, that just meant he was an easier target. They recognised him, of course. Jaden Yuki. Jesse Andersen's little lovebird.

At least they got the satisfaction of destroying them together. Jaden was said to be a great duellist but he didn't look up to it.

The SODMP, on the other hand, were shocked. Chazz and Zane just looked at him in confusion. Aster and Alexis looked worried for him - surely he was still in pain, why was he here? And Jesse …

Jesse let out a cry of surprise when he saw his no-longer-pregnant lover standing there with his duel disk activated on his arm.

"Jaden, what are you doing here?" Jesse shouted over to him.

"I'm not letting you do this without me!" Jaden shouted back.

As the two stared at each other, the battle continued. But the other four members of the SODMP were careful not to let anything near Jesse. Since he was probably too stunned to do very much presently.

Jaden realised that they were standing two on a boat - and Jesse's had to be faster than his, his was barely going.

So he took his boat closer to his lover's and then jumped over to join Jesse.

Jaden got down on his knees as the boat swayed unsteadily. Damn it, he shouldn't have done that! The pain was worse now, causing him to wince and grit his teeth so he wouldn't cry out.

"Jaden, are you okay?"

Jesse was kneeling down beside him.

"I'm fine. It just hurts a bit" Jaden whispered, trying not to let his pain show through his voice.

"Jaden, you've got to get out of here!"

"No!" Jaden glared, not shifting his gaze away from Jesse's beautiful green eyes. "I'm not letting you go again, no way! I don't need you to protect me, Jesse! I can look out for myself!"

"For the love of …" Jesse growled, taking hold of the brunette's arm. "Jaden, you just had a baby! You can't risk it, go back to Kasumi!"

"She's with Miss Fontaine!" Jaden said. At least, that was his intended plan. "Jesse, listen, I'm here now. I can duel just fine, now come on."

Jesse hesitated but realised that he couldn't forcibly send Jaden away now. Not without literally carrying him back to the island, which would involve Jesse turning this damn speedboat around and going back to the school. There was no point.

"Okay. We'll do it together, Jay" the slightly taller of the two said.

Jaden just nodded, and the two stood up.

They positioned themselves so they could both duel, and each drew a card.

Jesse summoned a Crystal Beast, still unhappy that Jaden was in this danger, but somehow feeling better. With Jaden here, Jesse had more confidence.

Jaden just smiled and then turned to the Lords.

Yes, he was in pain. Yes, he wanted to lie down and sleep.

No, he wasn't going to.

He pointed at the opposing team.

"It's time to get your game on!"

Please R&R