A/N: OK guys, this one is longer again and has more of the 'spiritual' aspect I guess... I hope lol. This is where you get a good look into Jodi's past as see what has her to ... hurt? Anyway, there's only one more after this one but I'm not sure when I'll get it out. Again, I'm gonna try really hard to get it out ASAP. In the meantime, I really hope you guys like this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh GX or any of the characters.


All eyes turned to the center of the arena when Chancellor Sheppard spoke. The smile previously occupying Jodi's face quickly vanished when she caught sight of the boy beside him.

"No...." She whispered in horror. "Not here."

Turning to her with a questioning look, Jesse frowned when he saw the look on the girl's face beside him.

"Hey Jo, what's with the face? Do you know this guy?"

Jodi swallowed hard, her eyes not leaving the blonde boy down in the arena. Oh yes, she knew him all right, she knew him very well.

"His name is Aiden King." She whispered, her voice shaking slightly. "He-... I used to go to school with him."

Jesse, feeling he was missing something very important, looked over Jodi's head at Jim, who was observing their conversation with a serious look on his face. Jesse, who had taken up a protective, brotherly role over Jodi since their ordeal at the Slifer dorms, placed a hand over hers which was resting in her lap, trembling slightly from thoughts unknown to him.

"Hey, if he's one of those people who treated you badly, you don't have to worry about him. It's called the past for a reason; it's all over now and now you've got us. If he causes you any problems, then he'll have to deal with us. OK?"

Jodi nodded numbly but said nothing. Jesse and Jim again exchanged solemn looks before the blunette placed a protective arm around Jodi's shoulder.

Together, the three looked back down to the arena. Apparently, the boy with Chancellor Sheppard was a new student and he'd come just in the middle of a dueling day the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor had set up. The boy, apparently named Aiden, was going to duel as a sort of introduction. He looked like a perfectly well-mannered, kind-faced and gentle looking boy to Jesse, but then, looks could be deceiving.

Aiden was matched up with a Obelisk Blue student and ended up beating them badly. Jesse and Jim both knew this meant he would be entered into Obelisk in a short time. When the blonde was finished his duel, he smiled and waved modestly at the applauding crowd. His gaze was lazy and observing as he roved over the faces, but when he reached where she was sitting, his eyes locked onto Jodi's and brightened with intensity, causing the girl to gasp loudly and stare back at him with a look of horror. The boy's smile widened as he gave a wave that was very obviously directed at her. His face seemed happy and his smile seemed genuine, but something in his eyes gleamed a with cold, mocking malice that chilled both boys along-side Jodi to the bone.

When Aiden's gaze had moved on to the Chancellor who was congratulating him and telling him to take a seat, Jodi sunk low in her seat and hugged herself tightly, something both Jim and Jesse had learnt meant she was withdrawing from them and the rest of the world. Removing his arm around her to place his hands on her shoulders, Jesse looked into Jodi's eyes and made sure she heard him.

"Don't do this Jo." He said firmly. "Don't let him get to you like this, that's what he wants and you don't want to give him what you want do you? He hurt you once, don't let him do it again, don't let him know he had that kind of power over you. I've seen how strong you can be, don't lose that strength now!"

Jodi's face was blank and she didn't speak, but something in her eyes told the boys beside her that she heard everything Jesse had said, she simply couldn't reply.

With a heavy sigh, Jesse pulled Jodi into a tight hug, then sat back in his seat and took her hand in his while he sat back to watch the rest of the duels. On her other side, Jim frowned deeply and wrapped his arms around Jodi, pulling her close to him.

"He's right Jo." The boy whispered softly in her ear. "Don't let him have that kind of power over you. We're here for you and we care about you, and that should mean more to you then the pain he caused. Make it mean more."

Jodi remained silent, but with the comfort of her two closest friends, she closed her eyes and sunk into Jim's arms as her free hand also took hold of the one Jesse had given her.


Jodi frowned as she listened to the assault of questions being fired at her by her friends. None of them were questions she wanted to answer and she did her best to ignore them as they walked away from the arena and down the long, empty hallway leading outside to the dorms. No one had missed the scene that had taken place once the Aiden boy had been introduced, but they all felt that it had been best left to Jim and Jesse to handle as they were both along side her, and seemed to be the only two who could truly get through to her. Now however, they were alone and away from everyone else and the group could finally talk to her without the loud noises and complications of other people being around, and they wanted answers.

"Who is that guy?" Jaden voiced.

"How do you know that boy?" Alexis asked.

"Is he someone from your old school?" Syrus added.

Blair, having been else where during Jodi's reaction to Aiden, gushed dreamily. She couldn't believe that someone like him, whom she had talked to after his duel, could be so bad. He had seemed to nice and polite and she was sure this was all a huge misunderstanding. As far as she knew, Jodi knew this boy very well from a long time ago. Perhaps they were friends? Perhaps the older girl could introduce them?

"I think he's really super cute!" Blair gushed. "And he's an awesome duelist! He's not really the reason you were upset is he? Are you sure he's really as bad as you think?"

"Why does it seem like you're afraid of him?"

Jodi frowned at the last question Jaden had asked and picked up her pace. She really didn't want to answer their questions and she really wanted them to stop. Still more kept coming from them all and they seemed to have a never-ending supply. She wasn't ready for them and she didn't want to bring up the truth of the answers when everything in her life had finally come together so perfectly. It just wasn't fair.

It wasn't until the group had nearly reached the doors that lead outside that Jodi halted in her tracks, causing her friends to to the same, and sunk back into their number. Suddenly their questions were a lot less terrifying then the image before her.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? Long time no see, Jodi."

Jodi tensed and stared at the boy in front of her with narrowed eyes.

"What do you want Aiden?" She replied softly, her voice shaking slightly with the effort.

Aiden smiled innocently.

"Oh, come now, I'm hurt. Aren't you happy to see your old friend?"

Blair gave Jodi a soft nudge to the ribs.

"Yea Jo, aren't you going to say hi? I thought you guys were old friends or something."

Jodi snorted humorlessly.

"Hardly." She replied venomously. Aiden's innocent smile turned to a smirk.

"What's wrong? Not excited to see me? Well, I'm very excited to see you. I've missed you Rosy Nose."

Jodi glared at Aiden while Blair cooed dreamily and the others looked confused.

"Rosy Nose?" Blair repeated. "That's so cute!"

Jodi growled angrily.

"No it's not!" She snapped. "Don't call me that King!"

Aiden laughed, one that most people found enchanting but sent unpleasant shivers down Jodi's spine.

"It's nice to know you still recognize your superiors. I knew I had a slight... control over you, but King? I like the sound of that. Why don't you bow down before your king?"

Jodi growled at the blonde's poor humor. Damn it all to hell! Why did his last name have to be King?

Jim's voice finally broke the girl out of her reverie.

"Why don't you shut your gob you arrogant little bludger."

Jim turned then to look at Jodi.

"What does he mean Sheila?" He asked curiously. "What's with the nick?"

"Nothing!" Jodi spat angrily. Aiden's smirk widened.

"I'll tell you what it means." He replied tauntingly. "It means loser. Geek. Out-cast."

Aiden walked up to Jodi and stopped a few feet in front of her.

"You've definitely changed a lot since the last time I saw you, I'll give you that. No more defects I see."

Jodi flushed deeply as the others all stared at her in confusion.

"What does he mean by that Jo?" Jim questioned curiously.

"Nothing..." She whispered softly, her face heating up more then ever. Again Aiden smirked.

"Tut, tut Jo. Didn't you tell your friends anything? How can you live such a lie, pretending to be something you're not?"

The others looked more confused then ever and Jim furrowed his brows.

"What do you mean a lie?" He asked, looking instead at Aiden for answers this time.

Aiden gave a small laugh and looked Jodi up and down.

"She's lying to you because what you see and whatever she's told you isn't really true; she's not who she says she is."

Jim frowned deeply and looked at Jodi.

"Jo?" He questioned softly.

Jodi averted her gaze away from them all and looked at the ground. Aiden, seemingly enjoying himself immensely, spoke again.

"By the way, that's not her real name either. Her real name is; Roseleigh Jordan Taylor Abbott. And she didn't always look like this."

Aiden looked positively giddy with delight as he began circling Jodi and picking out her flaws.

"Once upon a time, this vision of loveliness looked much different then she does now. Limp, stringy hair, braces, a plain, boring face, short stubby limbs, big ears, not to mention flat as a board all over."

Aiden picked, poked, and prodded as he continued to circle Jodi, making sure to empathise his point on every pass. With every word he spoke, Jodi's embarrassment only increased and this only egged the boy on.

"But that's not the best part. The best part is; every time she used to blush, her nose would turn the brightest shade of red imaginable. It was hilarious! I'm telling you, Rudolph the red nosed reindeer had nothing on this girl."

"Shut up Aiden!" Jodi hissed through clenched teeth.

Aiden stopped in front of her again but he wasn't finished yet.

"And that deck of yours! Comprised of cheap cards and rejects that no one wanted anymore. How lame and pathetic could you get? But then, I suppose you couldn't really help it could you? It wasn't your fault your parents are poor was it?"

Aiden turned towards the others then with another smirk.

"Don't let her appearance fool you. This girl is the biggest, most pathetic loser you'll ever meet."

Aiden looked back at Jodi.

"I'm surprised you even managed to upgrade your wardrobe, let alone your deck, which I'm told is very powerful now. Wonder how that happened?"

By the tone of his voice, everyone listening could tell that Aiden knew exactly how Jodi had done this, as well as the fact that he felt a deep resentment towards the girl for it.

Jodi's fists clenched at her sides and trembled slightly due to her paramount embarrassment and mortification. She felt everyone's eyes burning into her and wanted more then anything to run away from them forever and never have to look back. It was Jim who finally spoke again as no one else seemed to be able to. Either that, or they simply had nothing to say.

"Is this true Sheila?" He asked quietly, unable to decide what to call her now.

Jodi's eyes squeezed shut to keep back the assault of tears.

"Yes, it's true, all of it!"

Jodi's eyes shot open then and she glared at Aiden with burning hatred through glossy eyes.

"It's because of him and everyone like him that I transferred from my old school to come here. Most everyone from that school were the people I grew up with and they all made my life a living hell! I came here to get away from them all!"

Aiden's smirk widened into the most obnoxious look imaginable.

"Guess it's true what they say, you really can't escape your past."

Aiden leaned in then and pressed the side of his face to Jodi's. She shivered as he whispered in her ear, a threatening hiss that almost sounded snake-like.

"I don't care who you are, or who your family knows, you'll always be an ugly, defected loser to me. And I'll make sure everyone knows it."

Jodi's tears finally over-flowed down her cheeks and her fists shook with the overwhelming need to strike the boy. Not being able to take the embarrassment and abuse any longer, Jodi finally pushed past Aiden and ran.

"That's right Rosy nose!" The blonde called after her. "Run! Just like always, run away!"

Jim stared at Jodi's retreating form with a completely stunned expression -- much the same as the rest of the group. There was a silence all around until finally someone spoke up.

"Wow... I really don't like him anymore." Blair said aloud with a frown.

Everyone turned to the boy in question, who was starring at them all with the same arrogant smirk. Jim immediately felt his blood boil.

"What's wrong with you?" He yelled angrily. "You got a few screws loose in your head or something? What makes you think you can talk to people and treat them like that?"

Aiden was unfazed by Jim's outburst.

"Ah, the angry boyfriend speaks. Don't you think you're a little late? Shouldn't you have stopped me long ago? Defended your girlfriend? Comforted her? Stopped her? Or are you realizing how un-worth it she is now that you know the truth?"

Jim growled angrily and lunged at Aiden but Jesse quickly stepped between them and grabbed Jim to hold him back.

"Jim no!" Jesse said firmly. "He's not worth it buddy! What's important is finding Jo and making her feel better. He'll get what's coming to him soon enough. But right now, we have to find our pal."

Jesse paused before speaking again a little awkwardly.

"I mean, Jo, or..."

"Jo." Jim said firmly. "She wanted us to call her Jodi so that's what we'll call her."

Jesse smiled and nodded.

"Right. Jo it is. Now, let's go find our chum!"

Everyone agreed and ran off in the direction Jodi had disappeared to. Jim hung back and turned to Aiden.

"You're gonna pay for hurting her like that." He hissed dangerously.

Aiden snickered.

"Oooo. I'm shaking in my boots cowboy."

Jim scowled at the boy before finally turning and running after his friends.


Afternoon found Jodi down on the beach under the shelter of a huge bank that conveniently jutted out far over the beach below and acted as a sort of shelter. This was good because sometime after she'd arrived on the beach, the skies had broken open and unleashed their mutual sorrow. The downpour was heavy and could only be rivaled by the same downpour cascading down Jodi's cheeks.

Several times throughout the afternoon Jodi had heard her friends voices calling her name before fading away again. Sometimes the voices were far away, sometimes they were closer. But in each case, they had always faded away and never seemed to find her.

It had been a long time now until Jodi had heard any voices and she wasn't entirely sure she missed them. She wasn't in the mood to hear any voices or see any other faces. She was intent on being alone and had she felt anyone was getting close to her, she would have ran again.

A breath of air blew past Jodi's lips at this thought. Run. It seemed to be all she was good at. When Jodi Abbott ran, no one seemed to be able to catch her. Still, it was much more fun running just for the sake of it rather then because she had to. The latter wasn't any fun at all.

For hours and hours, the rain continued, long after Jodi's own tears had stopped. She watched the storm brew before her with no emotion. She knew she should go back to her dorm, knew that people were probably looking for her and perhaps -- dare she think it? -- worried. But she quickly discarded all thoughts before they raised her hopes too high. If they had been so close to her earlier and hadn't been able to find her (surely she wasn't hidden that well), then they couldn't possibly care that much. So then, why should she bother revealing herself and causing herself more pain just to make them feel better? She simply couldn't find the justice in that.

The rain was coming down so hard when the sky began to darken that no sound could be heard besides the storm, including a scatter clap of thunder now and then, and nothing could be seen more than a few feet in front of you. Jodi found herself thankful for the sweater she'd put in her backpack and also that the storm didn't seem to bring the usual bitter chill that they often did. Of course, it wasn't pleasant, but at least it was bearable. Besides, she liked the rain and loved storms, so there wasn't much to bother her.

Hours after she'd arrived at her spot, Jodi turned on her PDA and checked the time, discovering it was getting late. She saw that she had many messages but didn't bother to check them as she knew who they were from and could guess the general idea of them. She wasn't in the mood to deal with her so called friends just yet. So called, because they hadn't even defended her.
Jodi stopped those thoughts before they went any further and turned bitter. What had happened hadn't been their faults and there was little they could have done. They couldn't stop Aiden from saying those things because if he didn't say it then he would have later anyway. Also, it was human nature to be curious and she couldn't blame them for being. She had also confirmed that what Aiden had said was true, including when he had accused her of lying, so how could she have blamed them for wanting to know the truth. Besides, they'd obviously chased after her and gone looking for her, but she admitted now that she was well-hidden and made it damn-near impossible to find her, especially in the storm.

Jodi sighed heavily, knowing her friends were worried about her and that that was exactly what they were -- friends. She also knew that they were her chance at a new and better life and they deserved more from her. However, she wouldn't be able to enjoy said life if she was stuck in the past. She'd have to got over what was, and also to get past Aiden. Things with him would have to be ironed out and it had to be done ASAP. If not, all the trouble her God-father and his brother had gone through would be wasted. Perhaps her friends could help her?

Picking up her PDA again, Jodi made to send Jim a message, but before she had the chance to send it, several bumps outside made her gasp and jump.

Squinting past the edge of the over-hang, Jodi could see several shapes through the storm but couldn't pick them out. She also heard muffled voices but couldn't pick them out either. It was obvious that the figures had either jumped or fallen off of the ledge onto the beach and had landed right in front of her spot. Crawling to the edge, Jodi squinted at the figures but still couldn't pick them out.

"Hello?" She said loudly, her voice cracking slightly, due to lack of use for so long and from the raw emotion that had possessed it earlier.

"There! Did you hear that?!"

Jodi watched as the figures seemed to turn and approach her. Getting down on their hands and knees, they crawled in under the ledge with her, causing her to move backwards against the wall to let them all in.

Her heart sank a little in guilt and sympathy when she noted that the figures were her friends, all soaking wet and looking exhausted.

"Finally!" Jesse said with relief, not seeming the least bit angry or annoyed upon seeing her. "We've been looking for you all afternoon! We were really worried about you Jo!"

Jodi's heart gave a little leap of joy upon hearing the nickname. It was almost as if nothing had happened at all. Jodi almost managed to convince herself that it hadn't, but Jim's words reminded her painfully that it did.

"He's not worth what you put yourself through." He said with a frown. "You're better then this, stronger then this, I know you are! You heard him say it himself, he thinks he's got some kind of control over you. How does that make you fee Jodi? How does it make you feel to know he's right? To know you let him do this to you?"

Suddenly Jodi's face contorted in anger and she shot a savage glare at Jim.

"Excuse me?" She shouted angrily. "Let him? Let him? Who the hell do you think you are?! Do you really think I let him do this to me? Do you think I let him make me feel this way? NO! I don't! I can't help it, I just do!"

"Excuses." Jim said bluntly. Jodi flew into a rage.

"How dare you?! Why the hell did you come only to make me feel worse, why don't you people just leave me alone and brood in peace?! Why do you have to make everything worse?!"

Jim starred at Jodi with a knowing face.

"Do you feel angry?"

"No shit! Of course I'm angry! How can you even ask that?!"

Jim gave her a small smile.

"How angry?"

"I'm furious! I'm livid! I'm-"

Suddenly Jodi stopped in her rant, finally having realized what Jim was up to, she smiled, then closed her eyes and screamed loudly, causing everyone but the Australian boy to cover their ears. When she stopped, Jodi laid her head back against the inside of the bank and sighed in relief.

"Feel better?" Jim asked softly. Jodi opened her eyes and looked him him, a smile gracing her lips.

"Yea, much. Thanks."

She then looked around at the others and gave them a sheepish smile as they all rubbed their ears and smiled back.

"Sorry guys... Hope I didn't to deafen you."

"What?" Jaden asked playfully. Everyone laughed. Jim leaned back against the wall as he starred at Jodi.

"I know it'll hurt to relive the past, but I think you need to talk to someone about it, let it all out. It doesn't have to be us, but you should talk to someone. You'll feel better when it's off your chest."

Jodi starred back at Jim for a moment, then looked up at everyone and took a deep breath before curing their curiosity.

"When I was a kid, as you now know, I wasn't the most attractive kid you'd ever seen. If that wasn't enough, my parents were dirt poor and barely had enough money to buy what we needed. It wasn't so bad when I got a little older because I got a job to help, but by then the damage was done.

See, I didn't even get braces until my God-father had found us again. He'd lost contact with my parents until I was almost ten years old. When he found us, he felt so horrible for the state we were in that he loaned us some -- or rather, a lot -- of money. My parents refused it but he insisted, it was that bad.

Anyway, I got my braces but things didn't change much. In fact, if anything, they got worse. Now they had something else to tease me about. It didn't take much, but the thing they loved to bug me about the most was how strange they thought I was. I used to watch them duel, learn from them, get as much experience I could without actually dueling -- no one would duel me anyway. When they used to throw cards away, I would pick them up and keep them, trying to build a deck of my own. One day, Aiden, the worst one out of them all, caught me going through a wast paper basket for a card I'd seen him throw away. That did it. He never let me live it down since.

One day, I was so upset that I came home crying and fell into my mothers arms. My parents knew I got teased at school but I never told them the extent of it so they didn't know how bad it was until that moment. As it happens, God-father was there at the time and saw the whole thing. He never could watch someone else in pain and always wanted to help if he could, when it came to children he was that much worse.

God-Father took me out of my school and brought me and my family far away to a place where no one knew us. My mother and father went to work for God-Father and I was home schooled. He put me in a place where insecure girls went when they had problems. I spent every waking moment there when I wasn't being schooled. I wasn't allowed to ever see myself or to so much as own a mirror. They made sure I ate healthy and taught me that your worst enemy is yourself. They didn't put me on any diets, or pills, or drugs, or do anything to me at all They simply made sure I ate, taught me to value myself, and let my body take it from there.

Finally, five years after my move, one of the ladies I had come to love and respect most gave me a gift. It was wrapped in fancy paper and beautiful ribbons and bows. I started to cry because before I even opened it, it was already the most beautiful thing anyone had ever given me. When I did open it, I pulled out the tissue paper and saw that it was a mirror. When I took the mirror out, I looked into it and thought for sure that it was some kind of joke. I looked up at the woman to see her smiling at me. She brought me to a room then filled with mirrors of every shape, size and design, a room that contained nothing but mirrors.

I remember walking up to one mirror and seeing the whole of myself for the first time in nearly my whole life -- We'd never owned a mirror before.

I had long ago had my braces removed, so in place of my old, crooked teeth were perfect, pearly white ones. My eyes were no longer dull and lifeless, they were now vivid, vibrant and green. My hair had gotten long and now reached my mid-back. It was thick and beautiful and shone brightly. My skin was flawless and clear, not dirty and flawed like it had been before I arrived there, due to lack of care and poor hygiene. Best of all though, I didn't look like a flat board anymore because I'd filled out. All of these things happened naturally and would have no matter what; that's what the ladies told me.

I was so overwhelmed once they'd convinced me that this was really me that I cried in their arms for hours. Not long after that, God-Father told me it was time to forget my past and move on. He said he was going to enroll me in a public school, one that was better then my old one and had good, kind students.

I knew that there would be nasty people here, just like there is everywhere, but I also knew that if God-Father said I would be happy and safe, then I would be. So, I packed up my stuff and said goodbye to all the girls at the facility I'd called home. One of the things they'd discovered I was really good at -- besides running -- was dueling, and that's why God-Father thought I'd fit in so good here.

In the end, I guess, you could say the story had a happy ending. My parents still work for God-Father and have most of the debt paid off so we're doing OK. His wife brought me shopping and paid for a new wardrobe for me, along with all my school stuff and a bunch of other stuff she insisted was a gift to me. God-Father's final gift to me was my new deck. I have hundreds of cards and copies of other cards from other decks that I'd collected over time, and I found that I could duel with most any deck, but this one was mine, my own; I'd earned it he said. That's when he told me I had to fill it and complete it myself. It's because of him and his brother that I am where I am.... and I can't believe I almost ruined all their time and effort by allowing that jerk to tear me down again. I hoped he wouldn't recognize me. Obviously he did."

When Jodi finally finished her story, everyone remained quiet for a while until they processed everything that she'd said. Alexis was the first to speak.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, who's your God-Father? He must me pretty powerful to be able to guarantee you a spot here."

Jodi gave the girl a weary smile.

"I wouldn't tell you this if you were anybody else but I know I can trust you guys -- God-Father doesn't want anyone hurting me or threatening me so he doesn't like the public to know he has someone so close to him. He can guarantee me a spot here because his brother owns DA."

Everyone gasped loudly.

"You mean Seto Kaiba?!" Blair asked in shock. Jodi nodded.

"His brother, Mokuba, was childhood friends with my parents. They lost contact shortly after I was born and they dubbed him my God-Father. Him and Seto are the reasons I was here. I don't think Seto really cares much for me either way, though Mokuba says he does, but I know he loves Mokuba very much and he'd do just about anything for his brother. I guess that's a big part of the reason I'm here. But whatever the reason, I'm grateful."

Once everyone had gotten over their shock, they all did their best to comfort Jodi and assure her that she was safe and welcome where she was now.

The rain had finally slowed to a light drizzle and so the others, save Jesse and Jim opted to go back to their dorms. After hugging the girl and making sure she was OK, they left the three alone. Jodi looked round at the two boys and smiled gently.

"If it wasn't for you two, I think the shock of seeing Aiden today would have made me withdraw completely... and if that had happened, I really don't think I would have came out of it..."

The two boys smiled at her and Jesse reached over to give her a tight hug.

"We'll always be her for you Jo, no matter what. What that jerk did to you is the past, and we'll help you forget."

"That's right." Jim added. "You've got us now, and that bloke is nothing but ancient history."

Jodi let out a small laugh and pulled the two boys into one big hug, silently glad that they weren't wet anymore.

"Thank you so much you guys. I'm so glad I met you."

After talking for another little while, the three moved out form under the ledge and walked through the darkness back to the dorms. One on each side of her, Jodi walked with the two boys as both their arms encircled her shoulders. She laughed in her head as she thought of how quickly she would have denied the fact had anyone told her even a year ago that such a thing would happen. She was walking beneath the arms of two gorgeous boys while they escorted her back to her dorm, each caring for with the love of a brother at least. Her friends were all beautiful, wonderful, intelligent people and they all cared for her very much -- nothing like what she was used to from anyone other then family.

Perhaps somethings weren't too good to be true.