Warnings: I am about to delve into Jaden's past. And there is a long, snivelling apology at the end of this thing, so consider youseflves warned.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh GX, or anything, really.


Year Two: Descending Light


" I have just about had enough of this shit."

Linda jumped back, surprised by the vulgarity. Jaden blinked, and then looked away sheepishly.

" Sorry, Miss Ackhart."

" Please, call me Linda." She said, flushing slightly. " There's no need to apologize. The situation...sometimes, an exclamation or two is necessary."

" Yeah, speaking of the situation..." Syrus piped up dryly. For all the fuss Miss Fontaine and her three assistants had made over him, the small boy had gotten out of the hospital with a few minor burns and an order to stay away from the duel shockers Zane had employed for the rest of his natural life. Syrus hadn't even had to blink before agreeing.

" Yes?" It was a testament to how much Syrus had grown, Jaden decided. The boy didn't even blush at the attention from the pretty woman.

" How exactly was your country permitted to create a satellite that can brainwash people?"

" Yeah, I was wonderin' 'bout that too." Hassleberry said, raising an eyebrow.

Linda looked down at her folded hands.

" I'm aware of how it looks, but I assure you, the government and the royal family had the best of intentions when the satellite was in its planning stages."

" Wouldn't this kahnd of thing...Ah dunno, vaholate some kahnda code or sumthin'?" Jesse asked from his seat next to Jaden. Without drawing attention to himself, Jaden shot a glance at the two duel spirits in the room. Ruby Carbuncle and Winged Kuriboh were, for once, not fighting. The fact that they had forgone their usual rough-housing ritual to listening to what the humans were saying did not sit well with the Slifer.

" Oh, of that I have no doubt. We have obviously gone against some kind of code here when we created this thing, but we were so focused on the future and good it could do that we overlooked things like that." Linda bit her lip. " That's not something I'm especially proud of."

" Article Three." Jaden said, reaching for another glass of orange juice. He didn't notice all eyes turning to him in surprise. " 'Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.' Article Four: 'No one shall be held in slavery or servitude ; slavery and slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.' Article Five: 'No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.' Article Twelve: 'No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interferences or attacks.' Article Eighteen: 'Everyone has the right freedom of thought, conscience and religion.' Article Nineteen: 'Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this includes the rights to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.' Article-"

" Jaden?" Syrus asked, looking shocked. Jaden didn't look up from the glass he was gripping so hard his knuckles had turned white.

" Article Twenty-Eight." He continued, undaunted. " 'Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.'" Abruptly, his head snapped up. " Article Twenty-Nine: 'Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.'" Apparently done, Jaden got to his feet. He marched to where Linda sat, her face pale and her jaw slack. He leaned down to look directly into her eyes.

" 'Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge, now, therefore, the General Assembly proclaims The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.'"

By this point, every jaw but Jaden's had hit the floor. Jaden himself was glaring daggers.

" Misgarth joined in 2017. I was ten-years-old. The construction of this satellite violates at least eight articles of the UDHR, and I didn't even mention the very first article: ' All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.'" Jaden's glare went poisonous. " If there is one thing I cannot stand, it is people who think that they can 'fix' the world by taking away people's freedoms."

And just as suddenly as he'd stormed over to her, Jaden turned away from Linda, his face still dark with rage. He went over to the desk that sat on the wall opposite to the bunk beds, and started rustling around in it. He could hear Syrus panting, probably very put off by the heavy atmosphere Jaden had created. Jesse and Hassleberry seemed to have been struck dumb by his outburst. At any other time, Jaden was sure he would've been embarrassed, but at the moment, he was far too angry to care.

" Listen up." He snapped. Linda jumped to attention. " Here's what's going to happen. I am going to stop Sartorius and the Prince. I am going to kick the Light of Destruction right out of them both. I am going to make sure that they never even see these keys. And then, you are going to go to your government, convince them to disable that satellite and bring it down to be used for scrap metal." His fingers closed over the object he'd been rooting around in the desk for.

" Or so help me," he held up the cellphone, " I will get my mother on the phone so fast you will get whiplash, got it?"

Silence reigned. And then, Hassleberry gave a snort.

" No offence, Jay, but that ain't very threatenin'. What 'xactly do ya think your mom's gunna do?"

From the look of surprise on Jesse's and Syrus' faces, as well as the blank look Linda was giving him, Jaden could only assume they were thinking the same thing.

" Umm..." Linda opened her mouth to speak, but Jaden cut her off.

" My mother is Lieutenant-Colonel Sachiko Yuki." A triumphant light gleamed in his eyes. " United Nations Peacekeeping Force."

" Sachiko Yuki?" Hassleberry exploded, his eyes huge. " Sachiko 'The Tank' Yuki? One of the most decorated officers in the Pacific Coast stabilization mission?"

" That's 'Kaa-san." Jaden offered with a shrug. The he paused. " Wait, how do you know my mother?"

Hassleberry had slumped down against the table. He looked completely shell-shocked.

" Mah sisters mentioned that on their first mission, they absolutely loved the superior officer who was in charge."

" Your sisters?"

" Tricera and Brachia."

Jaden felt his own eyes widen.

" Sara-san and Kia-san." He muttered. " I knew your last name sounded familiar. Those two went with 'Kaa-san on that recon mission two years ago. I was surprised they let anyone so young out on the field so soon."

" Cera and Chia graduated with top marks." Hassleberry explained, still looking very shocked. He spoke as thought he didn't quite know what he was doing, as if the act of talking was nothing more than instinct. " The military academy said they coulda had their pick of where ta go. They chose the Blue Berets."

" Your mother is a Peacekeeper?" Syrus said slowly, clearly trying to digest the information.

" Yes."

" What about your dad?"

" Otou-san's a diplomat. He's the reason 'Kaa-san joined the UN. I mean, her military career in the Marines was going just fine. But then she met Otou-san, and when she found out he was going into the UN to act as a diplomat, she decided to follow him and make sure he was safe." Jaden gave Syrus a look. " I mean, you came to my house for Christmas. You musta noticed how we spent most of the time with my aunt and her family."

" I thought your parents were just really busy." Syrus said, pouting.

" They had a last minute assignment given to them. They barely made it home for New Years."

" Jaden..." Jesse said softly. The Slifer avoided his friend's eyes, afraid of what he might see looking back at him.

" Look, we're getting off track. The point is that this," he gestured to the cellphone, not taking his eyes off of Linda, " is an emergency phone my mother gave to me. I can have her at my location within 48-hours with just one phone call, and if I tell her what you've told me, it'll be 24-hours, and with a group of Peacekeeping soldiers in tow. I can guarantee that another group will be dispatched and headed for the Misgarth Kingdom following that. This is the point I'm trying to make: Either you bring that satellite down, or I will."

Jaden tucked the cellphone into his pocket, making sure that the distraught Linda could see it.

" And if I bring it down, then the military will be involved."

" Sarge, ain't that a little harsh?" Hassleberry asked as Jaden stormed towards the door.

Jaden paused, and leaned his head against the doorframe, breathing deeply.

" Otou-san has a scar on his left arm. It's from a bullet he got when he was trying to talk down a hostile military officer who'd decided to cut her losses and start taking hostages. She'd already shot three children in front of him to prove that she was serious. She shot at him to make him be quiet. It grazed him, but he didn't stop talking. While he talked, the two other children in the building managed to sneak out. When she realized what he'd done, the woman pointed her gun at my father's head. That was when my mother and her soldiers came in. The shot missed. It hit his arm instead." Jaden reached up and touched his own left arm. " Otou-san told me that he'd never been so terrified in his entire life, but he knew he had to keep talking until the children could get out. He told me that no matter what, you have to do what's right in life, even if you're scared out of your mind. My father took a bullet, doing what was right. My mother has scars all over her body and medals in her room, proving that she's always done what's right. I'm their son. I'm the son of a man and woman who have literally gone to Hell and back, simply to do what is right."

Jaden turned to look at the gathered company. His bangs fell over his eyes, shadowing them. A strange power hummed in the air. The room suddenly seemed a lot smaller than it had a moment before, as if all the empty spaces and dark corners had been filled in the blink of an eye. Everything felt squished, pressed too tightly together. It made the air harder to breathe; it made thoughts harder to get a hold of; it even made watching Jaden harder, because, somehow, Jaden seemed different too, as if all the blank spaces inside of him were getting filled up too, far too fast. He was blurry around the edges, some kind of aura radiating off of him like a cloak. He seemed at once to be darker and brighter than anything in the room.

" My parents might not have been around much to raise me, but they did teach me this much." Jaden turned his eyes on Linda, who took a shuddering breath and then held it.

" Freedom is not a privilege. It is not a gift. Freedom is a right, and anyone who tries to take that away must be stopped."

And without a glance backwards, Jaden opened the door and walked out, leaving behind a stunned group, frozen in the wake of those powerful, golden eyes.


" They have a brainwash satellite."

" Uh-huh."

" A brainwash satellite."

" Yes indeed."

" A satellite that brainwashes people. They have one. It exists."

" Lia, Ma'am, I don't know how ta make it aneh clearer."

"..."

" ..."

" ...Are you for friggin' real?"

Syrus sighed.

" Afraid so."

Lia said nothing. Instead, she dropped her head onto the back of the chair in front of her. And then repeated the action. And then repeated it again.

" You're gonna get a massive headache." Jasmine warned as she sat down beside the brunette. Lia gave muffled sound of pain. " What was that?"

" Brainwash. Satellite."

Mindy hopped over the above row of chairs to land next to the Ra girl.

" I know sweetie, I know."

Lia gave another muffled whimper.

Behind her, Atticus looked out on the scene with the air of a hawk, his eyes narrowed and sharp as he took in Jaden and the Prince on opposite ends of the field.

" What's going on?" He asked at length. Hassleberry opened his mouth, thought for a moment, and then closed it again. Beside him, on the very edge of her isle seat, Linda was pressing her fingers to her mouth, trying to stifle her gasp of fear as Prince Ojin's eyes glowed dangerously in the low lighting of the duel arena. Linda's own eyes were rimmed with red.

" Brainwashing satellite. Good Sartorius gave Jaden and Aster keys. Jaden's gonna free the Prince whose country created it." Syrus paused, running over the facts in his head to see if he'd forgotten anything. " ...Jaden's royally pissed and I don't think this is gonna be a nice, friendly match."

Alexis, who had just taken the seat beside Jasmine, gestured with her head towards Linda.

" Oh." Syrus blinked, looking at Linda like he'd forgotten that she was there. " This is Linda Ackhart. Linda, these are our friends."

" Pleased to meet you." The redhead said softly.

" Alexis Rhodes." The blonde put her hand out to be shaken. " The sour looking guy behind me is my brother Atticus. These girls are my friends, Jasmine, Mindy, and Lia."

" Jasmine Makita, nice to meet you."

" Minna Bedau. Please call me Mindy. Everyone does."

" Enchante, je m'appelle Ottilia Shanner. M'appelez Lia, si vous plait." Lia murmured, clearly distracted by the goings-on down on the duel arena.

" How sweet. You travel around with your own cheerleading section?" The Prince taunted, smirking at Jaden.

" Do ya see pom-poms anywhere?" Hassleberry snarled, shaking his fist at the royal. Beside him, both Syrus and Jesse face-palmed.

" That's exactly what he wants, Hassleberry." Syrus muttered.

" It seems I've touched a bit of a nerve." Jaden's opponent gestured carelessly towards the angry Ra boy. " Wouldn't you agree?"

" Two things." Jaden snapped, his face as dark as Atticus' had been only an hour ago. " One, shut the hell up. Two, start dueling before I decide to start using my fists to settle this."

Ojin, for a moment, finally dropped the smug smirk in favour of looking taken aback.

" You wouldn't dare."

Jaden merely glared.

" Listen, Your Highness. I have not had a good week. I've got a bunch of people on my ass to save the world – again, might I add- slowly but surely the whole school is getting sucked into a cult that worships what I'm starting to believe is an apocalyptic god, and I have end of the year exams coming up. I need some kind of stress relief and you're starting to look more and more like a punching bag as time goes by. So either throw down a card and start this thing, or pray to whatever deity you worship in Misgarth that you have the name of a good plastic surgeon, because I am two seconds away from fucking you up good!"

Ojin blinked.

" But-"

" I said throw a card down! Now!"

Without further instruction, Ojin scrambled to put his deck into his duel disk. Up in the stands, Alexis winced.

" Jesus, I've never seen Jaden this pissed off before." Down below Sparkman shimmered into existence.

" He's been on edge fo' awhahle now." Jesse said softly. Absentmindedly, he let his thumb stroke over the spot just behind Ruby's right ears as she sat up on his lap. To most of the people around him, it looked like he was running his thumb through thin air. He blinked in surprise as Alexis reached down and gave Ruby a pat on her head.

" What a pretty spirit." The blonde had moved and was now sitting behind Jesse. The boy from North raised a brow. Alexis flushed slightly. " I couldn't see too well."

" Ah." There was a shimmering behind her, and a thin girl in a red and green body suit with pink hair settled down beside the blonde. She cooed happily at the sight of Ruby and beckoned to the cat-like creature with her fingers. Soft whirring noises came from her and Ruby jumped into her arms. Jesse watched his spirit go.

" She's calling her a cute little kitty." Alexis grinned. " Tutu, leave the poor thing alone. If she wants to watch the duel, let her."

More whirring noises. Jesse frowned.

" Ya...can understand what she's sayin'?"

" I'm the only one."

Both flinched back as a bright column of light exploded out from Ojin's side of the field.

" Oi, translators. Somebody tell me what the hell just happened."

Jasmine threw an arm around Lia's shoulders. The younger brunette wasn't so much scowling as she was pouting, but no one in the group would dare point that out.

" Ojin used his Trap Booster card, and discarded one card. That allowed him to activate any trap card in his hand. He chose Call of the Haunted, which let him call a card back from the Graveyard. He called back his Satellite Cannon."

Lia gave her a pained look.

" You wanna know what I just heard come outta your mouth? ' Overly-complicated-long-winded-contrived-plan-banking-on-too-convinient-cards-with-too-convinient-powers-why-don't-we-just-rush-him-and-kick-his-ass-the-old-fashion-way?'"

" Yes." Mindy agreed with a smile. " That is essentially what she just said."

" It's my Satellite Cannon." The Prince declared proudly. Jaden raised a brow.

" You say that like I give a crap."

" You're rather rude."

" Says the guy planning on brainwashing most of the world for an evil entity that has taken up host in the body of a psychic." Jaden blinked. " Oh god, I just realized what I just said."

" All in favour of committing ourselves to a mental hospital say aye." Syrus said, not taking his eyes off the duel.

" Aye." The three girls behind him chorused in agreement.

" And who would save the world, huh?" Alexis asked, pinching the bridge of her nose. Jesse nodded.

" She's got a point."

" Hey, crazy idea here. How about the teachers and other adults actually do something for a change." Lia grumbled. She was looking very put out at the moment. She seemed somehow paler than usual, though not in the same way as the members of the Society. She seemed almost sickly. There was even a light sheen of sweat gathering on her brow. Her hands were twisted up in the white hoodie she was wearing, bunching the material at her chest.

" Hey." Jesse whispered, leaning over towards her. The girl gave him a surprised look. He hadn't interacted with her much, mostly leaving her to her own devices. " Ya okay?"

Lia opened her mouth to answer, but was cut off as the stadium shook. Blue light blinded the group in the stands for a moment. Down below, Jaden watched Sparkman vanish with a set of dangerously narrowed eyes.

" Shit, these holograms are sumthin' else. You folks here at DA sure know how ta put on a show." Jesse said appraisingly. Lia didn't respond. " Lia?"

" Honey?" Jasmine said, alarmed.

Lia was hunched over, her fingers so twisted in the material that the hoodie was starting to ride up over her ribs. Sweat dripped from her haggard face and her eyes were squeezed shut.

" Lia, let me see." The redhead demanded. The younger girl shook her head. Jesse was horrified to see two tears slide down her face. " Lia, let me see."

" Lia." Alexis whispered. The girl looked up, her face scrunched up in pain, and her hazel eyes pleading. Her fingers went slack, and then fell nervelessly from her shirt as though she was a puppet and someone had cut the strings hold her up. Her entire being seemed to collapse, slumping forward into Jasmine's waiting arms. The hoodie shifted and Jesse had to swallow hard.

A dark smear of blood lay on her collarbone, vibrantly red against Lia's pale skin.

A third explosion rocked the stadium, blue light exploding outwards like a bomb.

" It's over!" Ojin declared, the very picture of smug victory. A picture that, seconds later, shattered as Jaden took a step out of the billowing smoke, the hazy image of a card hovering just to his right.

" Hardly." He whispered, and Lia cried out in the stands as, for a split second, the air around the duelists shimmered silver.


So...

I'm sure you all have questions. And I have an answer. I don't know if you'll like it, but it's the truth.

And that answer is Life happened.

There was an apartment, and it needed cleaning. Then there was furniture to move up systematically. Then there were supplies to buy, packing to do, schedules to juggle. And then school actually STARTED, and there were half courses and papers and exams and I just never seemed to have any time, or if I did, I couldn't work on this because I would get hooked and I had to use the next day to work on class work. I just...I never seemed to have the time to work on this.

And as thoroughly ashamed of myself as I am about taking this long to update, I knew I couldn't give you guys any less than my absolute best after the shit I've pulled. I've been gone for going on a year. And now, I'm gonna try to make it up to you.

This is the first of 13 chapters left in Yea Two. Approximately every hour on the hour, I will update. Come the end of these chapters, I will then post 11 extras, ranging from 10 Truths to Alphabet drabbles to just plain whimsy thigs. The catch is that the 11th has to be inspired by you. I have an idea, but if you guys could give me prompts, then I'll write them.

Again, I'm sorry for taking so long with this. I'm sorry things got so hectic. I'm sorry to have failed you as an author. I humbly beg for your forgiveness, and that you don't abandon this series because I promise, things are just getting good, and Year Three Parts 1 and 2 will have a grand pay off.

I'd also like to announce that I will be doing Yugioh D's, though probably not to the extent of GX. It will be more of a buffer fic to get me into the sequel I have been planning for going on a year now. Yeah, that's another reason I got distracted. There's more of this to come.

Ackhart is a Saxon name meaning firm-hearted and unyielding. It seemed to fit Linda.

I got the UDHR lines from the interwebs.

'Sachi' means bliss, and 'Sachiko' means 'child of happiness'.

I have a paper with the names of Hassleberry's sisters on it somewhere, but I'll try from memory:

Tricerea (Cera, pronounced 'Sara')

Brachia (Chia, pronounced 'Kia')

Lohrin (pronounced Lauren)

Alberta (Allie)

Well, I think that's all. I'll see you in an hour for the next one.

I'm sorry again, and Lia will be back here soon. I'l really too ashamed of myself to even bring her here.

Love,

MoS