Okay, so I regained interest in this story after scrapping it. Some quick editing later, and it's ready to make a comeback.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh GX, Duel Monsters, or any elements that sound like Maximum Ride. I only own this idea and any original characters or cards I create.

So, let the story begin!

It was a cold night on the choppy sea. The stars were out, and the moon was full.

The only thing foreign in the water was a large cargo ship. No one was on the deck, and everything was quiet.

Still, this wasn't any average cargo ship. Down in the hold were tons of cages and dog crates of all kinds.

However, the crates weren't carrying animals.

They were carrying people.

Or at least what appeared to be people at first glance.

Many of them looked like a cross between humans and animals. One appeared male with fox ears and a tail. Another looked like a lynx, but its eyes were human-like. The rest were apparent mistakes, such as having a patchwork of scales and fur all over their bodies.

However, in one cage sat a boy who looked out of place compared to the rest of this sad scene.

For one thing, he appeared utterly human. He could have been a regular fifteen-year-old boy, though he had this look and aura that made him seem older. His hair was brown with a lighter brown patch on the top and looked like it hadn't been cut or adequately washed in a long time. It was dirty-looking and messy, reaching past his shoulder blades. His skin was pale with a tan sheen, like a summer tan that had almost completely faded. He was thin, almost sickly looking, wearing white hospital scrubs that were baggy enough to cover up how underweight he was.

What connected him to this sad scene was the set of wings on his back. They were the same color as his hair, built like falcon wings, and stretched about thirteen feet at full length.

He was in a large cage, sitting with his knees to his chest, head in his arms. Next to him was a small black deck case, which held a Duel Monster deck, but he had to keep it hidden when the scientists came to check on them.

He couldn't remember how long he had been there. He had memories of happier times. Memories of a place where he felt safe and protected.

Those memories were faded and blurred to the point where he almost thought they were all lies his head was feeding him.

Ever since these monsters had him, he'd been poked, prodded, injected with chemicals, electrocuted, burned, starved, and nearly beaten to death every day. He had lost track of how long he had been there, but he hadn't been broken into submission just yet.

When the scientists loaded all the mutants onto the ship, he had memorized the fastest way to the deck. He knew where the cameras were and all other possible escape routes.

All he had to do now was be patient and wait for his moment to fight back.

They had been at sea for two days, and the scientists had left him and the others alone, much to his surprise. They were either getting used to the boat or observing how the mutants responded to a change in environment.

Either way, it was only a matter of time before they returned.

He heard the sound of the door to the cargo hold opening. Quickly, he hid his deck on the back of his waistband and waited for them to come his way.

Soon, a male scientist stepped in front of the cage. After unlocking the door, he led the boy out by the arm. They were joined by a second scientist out in the hall before heading toward Deck D.

When they reached the intersection, the teen stopped, and the scientists turned to look at him. The brunette lifted his head, dark brown eyes focusing on the two people in front of him. In the next instant, both scientists fell to the floor, unconscious.

The brunette proceeded down the hall to his left, heading for the top deck. He moved quickly but carefully. The cameras would alert his captors of the escape, so he had to avoid them.

He was about halfway to his destination when, upon reaching Deck B, he had the misfortune of stumbling upon two other scientists. Before he could hide or backtrack, one of them spotted him.

"Hey!" He called, getting the other's attention.

Refusing to surrender, the brunette spread his wings in a threatening manner. Snarling in defiance, he rushed forward inhumanly, knocking out the scientists with a well-placed kick and punch.

The brunette then took off again after folding in his wings, forgetting caution since he had already been seen. As he reached the last hallway, the alarms went off, meaning the rest of the workers had been informed of his escape.

That didn't stop him.

He kept going until he was finally out on the deck. He sprinted towards the rail and jumped over the side, just as the bridge was swarmed with dark-suited men.

Snapping his wings open, he gave them several strong beats to gain altitude.

Once he was high enough, the teen flew away from the boat. He stayed high to keep out of shooting range, being careful not to operate in the moonlight and risk being seen.

He heard whistling sounds that came awfully close. He realized they were shooting at him when he felt a burning sting on his right upper arm and wing.

He felt four more stings, but he kept flying. He zig-zagged, dove, and soared, changing up his flight pattern, avoiding almost every shot.

Eventually, the ship was just a tiny speck behind him.

Before he could breathe a sigh of relief, he started to feel dizzy. He also felt something warm and wet on his shoulder with an intense burning feeling.

'Oh no.'

One of those bullets did more damage than he thought, especially if the pain in his wing making itself known was any indication. The adrenaline must have dampened the pain until it wore off.

Clutching at his shoulder, he knew he wouldn't stay airborne much longer. To make matters worse, he was out in the middle of the ocean and had no idea which way was land.

When he glanced to the east, he saw an island with some buildings. Knowing that was his only chance of survival, the brunette turned in its direction.

He wasn't sure how long he flew since he was more focused on trying to stay in the air. Soon enough, though, the island was right in front of him.

His vision blurred as he descended toward what he assumed was the main building. The bleeding hadn't stopped, and he could feel it all along his arm.

He landed as best as he could, but the fatigue finally caught up. His knees folded under him, and he fell to the ground, wings retracting on instinct.

He struggled to get up, but his body wouldn't listen. He couldn't move.

Despite his consciousness slipping away, he could see the sky was growing brighter, which meant dawn was fast approaching. The brunette tried in vain to get up, to get moving, but all the fight had left him. The days of bare minimum sustenance and lack of care for his injuries finally took their toll.

'I'm sorry, guys,' He thought, faces of loved ones flashing through his mind as the darkness claimed him. 'I tried, but I couldn't make it.'

Okay, so the first chapter is redone. The others will come along soon.

Read, review, and stay tuned!

Keep up the fight, Team USA! Make us proud!