Train woke Nikki up the next morning. They had stayed in a hotel for the night, so Nikki would get to the plane on time. She had bought change of clothes the night before, because she was sick of uniforms, and she wasn't going to wear one at Duel Academy. She knew the colors for the ranks, and she didn't care which she got.
"Are you sure you have everything?" Sven asked as Nikki held her bag of things, Reaper on her back.
"Yup, and I'm taking Reaper with me, I still have to get to know him, and plus I need to be ready in case Creed shows up." Nikki said.
"Alright, but what if they don't let you?" Train said sipping from bottled milk.
"I'm a part of Chronos and if they have questions, I'll give them a number to call." she said, her purple eyes dull with barely any emotion.
"We'll have to work on being normal during one of your breaks." Sven said as he put his hat on.
"I'm fine the way I am. There's nothing wrong with not wanting to hurt people." Nikki said as she tied a rope through one of the holes in the blade of Reaper.
She tied it so that she could keep her hands open to carry her bags. She only had three, and could carry them herself. She put her new belt on, it had a card holder for her cards. She didn't mind it since it was black, one of her favorite colors, along with red. She loved her deck even though she's only used it once.
They walked outside, and Nikki heard movement from the ally next the the hotel. She walked over and noticed a young boy, he looked like a younger version of Train. He was beat up, and looked a little thin, but he was pretty cute. She walked over to the young boy, he was about seven years old, and she felt bad that he was left on the streets.
"Young boy, what's your name, how old are you, and who did this to you?" Nikki asked pulling the boy to his feet since he was sitting on the ground.
"I-I don't know." he said quietly.
"Then how about you come with me. You shouldn't be left on the streets, you might get killed." she said.
"WHAT! YOU CAN'T TAKE HIM WITH YOU TO THAT SCHOOL YOUR GOING TO!" Sven yelled stomping one of his feet.
"Yes, I am. He needs a home you two are barely getting by on your own. At least with me, he'll get food, and clothes." Nikki said.
She took the boy shopping for clothes, and got him a white shirt with a hood, a short sleeved, blue, jacket, and black shorts along with shoes. She found a small bell and bought ribbon. It didn't take long for the two older men to realize that Nikki had dressed the boy up like Train, when he had been turned into a kid.
"Since you're taking him in, are you going to name him?" Train asked trying not to burst out laughing.
"Hum, I'm thinking, Rail Elliots. Sven, you said my last name was that right." Nikki said looking at the old man.
"Yes, Elliots is your last name. But how are you going to get him on the plane." Sven said.
"Simple, I'll get him a ticket, since I have one already." she said holding it up.
At the air port, Nikki got the ticket for Rail, by making up a sob story, saying that they don't have any family that can care for Rail, while their mother is sick. They let Rail onto the plane, and she knew she'd have to tell the made up again, once they got to the school. Sven and Train told them good bye, and watched them get on the plane.
Nikki noticed Jaden, the guy she had meet the other day. He waved for her to come over, she looked at him with a strange face, but went over with Rail following her closely. She stood in the aisle, and looked at him, with her emotionless face.
"You're Nikki, right?" he asked.
"Yes." she said.
"Well, are you going to stand there all day?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" she asked him.
"Sit, the plane is going to take off soon," he said, "And who's the kid?"
"Oh," she said sitting down next to him, Rail sitting in the seat next to her, since it was three seats a row, "This is my – huh- younger brother, Rail. Our mother is sick, and we don't have any other family to take care of him. So I'm bring him with to Duel Academy."
"Oh, well, when we get there, I want you to meet my friends." Jaden said.
"Who ever said I wanted to meet them." Nikki replied.
Jaden looked at her strange. She seemed like she didn't want to even make friends, even though that's what dueling was about, making friends and rivals, along with having fun. She took it seriously, like she was trained to be serious about everything.
"I guess you don't have to, it's just that friends are good to have around." he said.
At Duel Academy, Nikki took Rail's hand so she wouldn't loss him. She went to were freshmen went, and went to check what rank she got into. She went up to the deck, where a man that looked like a ugly woman sat. He looked at her, they both remembered each other from the other day.
"Nikki Elliots, I see you brought a weapon to school." he said.
"Is there something wrong with that. I'm sorry if it's apart of my job." Nikki said.
"What job might that be?" he asked.
"I'm a part of Chronos, a organization that own 2/3s of the worlds economy, and is bent on world piece, you cross us, you end up in heaven." she said with an emotionless and serious voice.
"I-I see, well you got Slifer dorm, and will be rooming with the other only girl in that dorm." he said, then noticed Rail next to Nikki, "Who is this? I didn't see him the other day."
"This is my little brother, our mother is sick, and we have no other family that can take care of him. His name is Rail Elliots, and if you have questions, I can give you a number to call, a couple to tell the truth." she said.
"Huh, that's fine, I just don't want trouble from him." he said.
"Alright." Nikki said taking a red uniform and PDA from him.
After she found her way to the dorm, with Rail holding the end of her shirt as he walked behind her. She noticed that he has hardly said anything since she's found him, only that he didn't know who he was. She found he room, and noticed a girl with blond bangs, black and purple hair, the purple outlining the black, with purple eyes.
Next to her was a blue with light blue hair with gray eyes, wearing glasses. And another older looking guy with shaggy black hair and red eyes, he seemed like the person that would hid in the shadows and attack you when you didn't see it coming.
"HI! You must be my room mate, I'm Sugar Baby Moto, but you can call me Sugar. This is Syrus, and the guy over there, is Duke." she said standing up and pointed to each of them.
"Huh, I'm Nikki Elliots, and this is my brother Rail Elliots." Nikki said looking confused.
She had been told, she was only rooming with this Sugar girl, not these two other guys. Rail stepped behind her, and clung to her shirt even more. She turned to him, being careful not to hit him with Reaper. He looked at her, he seemed shy now that she had cleaned him up, but his right cheek was still swollen from when she found him.
"Hi, little guy. How old are you?" Sugar asked bending down to look at Rail.
"Huh, ask Nikki." Rail whispered.
"He's shy, having a hard time adjusting. But he's seven." Nikki said.
"So cute. But where is he going to sleep? The bunks a three person, but Duke's moved in." Sugar said looking around.
"It's alright, I can share the bottom bunk with him, Sugar Baby." Duke said with a slight bow to Rail.
"Nikki, can we go and see more of the school?" Rail asked pulling Nikki's shirt.
"Sure, but let me change first. Then we'll look around." Nikki said looking at the brown haired boy.
She changed into a red dress she had, since she said she would refuse to wear the school's uniform. Rail gave her a small smile, when Jaden knocked on the door. Nikki looked, and Jaden gave her a goofy smile. Nikki placed Reaper on the top bunk since Sugar slept on the middle bunk.
"Wow, Nikki, you settled in quick." Jaden said.
"I have to be able to, if I want to be able to know more about the place." she said heading for the door.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Any where but here." she said.
Once outside, Rail walked beside Nikki, since he didn't know where else to be, he felt strange being taken in like that. But Nikki seemed to care enough. Sven had warned him that Nikki isn't used to being open to people, so it would take her a while to actually get use to having him around.
Just then a boy with black, spiky hair, dressed in black came and shoved Rail into the railing of the walkaway. Nikki was quick to help him back onto his feet, but his right cheek hurt again, since the guy's elbow hit it.
"Hey, you can't do that to him." Nikki said grabbing the guy by the jacket.
"He should watch where he's going then." the boy said.
"You don't touch the boy, if you do, I'll kill you." Nikki said showing him that her hand, which turned into a blade.
"The Chazz doesn't care if he's threatened by a newbie." the boy said pushing her hand out of his face.
Nikki was now angry, Rail was her new little brother, she wasn't going to let this boy get away with hurting him. She grabbed his arm and flipped him over her shoulder, and he landed in front of Rail, who looked surprised. Her purple eyes were full of rage.
"You will say you're sorry to him, and that you'll never harm him again, or I'll break your spine in two." she said in a dark and cold voice.
"I-I'm s-sorry, kid." he said as Nikki let go of him.
Rail looked at Nikki, as the boy ran away. Nikki got down on one knee and looked at his even more swollen cheek. She now didn't have any emotion in her eyes like she just had. He guessed it had to do with the fact, she didn't open up a lot, and had been hidden from the world most of her life.
"I'm fine." he said with a smile.
"Are you sure?" Nikki said.
"Yes, it's making the vision from my right side a little funny, not blurry but I can see the lump, but I'm fine." he said.
Nikki sighed, "Alright, lets at least get some ice on it, to get the swelling down." she said.
"Alright, you're in charge." he said taking her hand.
Nikki was trying to find the way to the infirmary, when she bumped into a girl in a blue uniform, with long blond hair, and brown eyes. The girl was quick to apologize to Nikki.
"I'm looking for the infirmary, do you know where I can find it?" Nikki said trying not to show emotion.
"Yes, it's this way. Follow me, and I'm Sabrina Moto." the blond said.
"I'm Rail, and Nikki's my older sister. Some guy with black spiky hair elbowed me in the cheek, so we're getting some ice." Rail said with a big grin.
"It's nice to meet you. And did the guy refer to himself as The Chazz?" Sabrina asked.
"He did." Nikki said.
"That's my brother-in-law, Chazz. I'm sorry, he thinks he's better than everyone." Sabrina said.
"It's alright, Nikki taught him a thing or two." Rail said.
Just then Sabrina stopped in front of a door, "This is it. Miss. Fountain should be in." she said.
"Thank you. You were a big help." Rail said with a big smile.
Nikki caught herself smiling at the fact Rail was actually opening up to people. She thanked Sabrina as well, and the door opened, and there was a woman with short red hair, in a pink dress in the blue uniform. She smiled at the sight of them.
"Hello, you must be freshmen, how can I help you." she asked.
"Rail, here, needs a ice pack. Chazz, made his already swollen cheek, worse." Nikki said using her hand to jester to Rail.
"Oh my, what a cute little boy, with those big golden eyes, and the crazy brown hair. Is he your little brother?" Miss. Fountain asked.
"Yes, he got his eye color from a past family, that we never meet. It's just me, him and our sick mother." Nikki said.
"So cute. Well, I'll get that ice, and you can continue on you're little tour of the school." the nurse said.
She went over and got a small bag of ice, and wrapped it in a towel, and placed it on Rail's cheek. Rail smiled at the nurse, and took hold of the ice pack. Nikki couldn't believe that she was caring more and more for Rail by the minute.
Soon it was time for the dorm dinners, but it turned out that Slifer's dorm master went missing the year before, so the only one that could stand in until they got a new one, was the woman that owned the card shop at the school, named Dorothy.
Jaden got her to sit with him, and his friends, Sugar, Syrus, Duke, and Chazz. Both Jaden and Rail, were eating the food like it was the last time they would eat. Nikki could understand Rail, he was living on the streets up til this morning, with little food. Jaden on the other hand, she didn't get it.
"Jaden, slow down, or you'll choke." Sugar and Syrus said.
"I can't help it. I was in a duel already today with a freshmen, and dueling makes me hungry." Jaden said shoving rice into his mouth.
"Miss. Dorothy, may I have some more food?" Rail asked the woman as she walked by the table.
"Sure, anything for someone as cute as you." Miss. Dorothy said taking Rail's plate and bowl.
"Wow, it seems that Rail can hit it off with any woman." Sugar said with some of her grilled fish hanging out of her mouth.
"Sugar Baby, speak without food in your mouth." Duke said in a polite tone.
"Duke, tell me, why are you so polite to Sugar Baby?" Nikki said.
"I've sworn to protect her with my life." he said.
"I see, so you'd kill, as long as Sugar's save." she said.
"K-killing, no. He'll just scare them off." Sugar said swallowing her food.
"I see, I guess he was taught differently." Nikki said before hitting Rail's hand away from her food.
"Ow, how'de you even know, you weren't looking." Rail asked rubbing his hand.
"You're bell. I didn't put on you so you would look more like Train, but so I could hear where you are." she said looking at him, "And don't even think about removing it. I put it on you for your safety."
Dorothy came back with more food for Rail, who thanked her and ate it pretty quick. Nikki sighed when he started to hit his chest since some of the fish got stuck. She got looks from everyone, and then she sighs again.
"That's not what you do." she said slapping his back.
Rail gasped for air, then swallowed the fish. He then burped, and sighed, rubbing his stomach. He seemed like he was ready to go to bed. She could tell because he leaned on her shoulder and his eyes were drooping. She smiled a bit, before pulling the young boy on to her lap. He moved a bit to make himself comfortable, by laying his head on her chest, and resting his arms on his stomach.
"I think it's time for you to get him to bed." Duke said.
"I know, just let me finish my meal first." Nikki said carefully eating her rice.
Once done, she slide her arms around Rail's legs, and his lower back, and welling she stood up, she gave his a quick and gentle bounce that made his head lay on her shoulder rather then fall back. Everyone was a little shocked that she could even carry him, sleeping. But then they didn't know how heavy her weapon was.
"We'll be in later." Sugar said.
Nikki only nodded and carried Rail outside, and walked slowly up the stairs. But just as she got to the top, she noticed a hole at the top of the stairs, she turned a bit, and a couple strands of her long brown hair were cut. She looked up at the roof, but she felt the air move, and was quick to jump as high as she could before a she or Rail got harmed. She could tell Creed was some where near by, she just couldn't tell where.
"Creed, not play games with me." Nikki said loud enough for him to hear.
She heard him chucking from above, she looked up and there he stood on the roof, "Nikki, I will make your power mine." he said.
"Over my dead body." she growled as she placed Rail by the room door, and out of Creed's sight.
"So you think, because I killed one person you loved, I won't kill a new one." he said.
Nikki didn't have the time to get Reaper, and get Rail in the room, before his next attack, so she turned her hair into a blade, that would only move on her command. She left the sword moving, but couldn't tell were it was, since it wasn't in it's other form.
At last second, she barely manged to dodge it. She back flipped onto the side rail, and jumped onto the roof and attacked Creed, but he blocked her attack, so she turned both of her hands into blades, and tried to attack him, with all three. But he could make his chi blade block all three at once.
She gave up and jumped back, getting some space between them, even though it was no use. Nikki bite her lip, she didn't want any one to panic, then she noticed the beach behind the dorm. She ran and jumped, she noticed there was a cliff, but she didn't care, she was trained to do this kind of stuff. She landed on her feet, and Creed followed her.
"Trying to run?" he asked swinging his chi blade.
Nikki managed to dodge, "No, just moving the fight, so no one gets hurt." she said as her hands turned into a shield, and blocked his next swing.
She had a little trouble fighting him, since she didn't even have her weapon, and she was pushing her limit with her powers. She hardly ever used them, and she didn't want to pass out on the beach. Her left hand turned into a sword, and she moved as fast as she could, and managed to hit Creed in the shoulder.
"You win this round, but I'll be back." he said.
Panting, Nikki walked slowly up the steep hill up to the dorm. She noticed Duke, waiting at the top. She looked at him from the corner of her eye. He had his arms crossed, and he didn't look happy.
"You didn't think about putting Rail in bed before going to the beach." he asked.
"I couldn't and leave it at that." she said not stopping to keep talking to him.
Once she reached the door, she noticed that Rail, wasn't by the door, she looked around. Duke walked up behind her, and told her that he had moved Rail inside, and moved her weapon, so she could sleep. She realized he knew that she was fighting. She could barely climb into the bed, so Duke let her sleep in his bed with Rail.