A/N: Will Alicia and the others be able to save Raiden from the darkness? Find out now!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh GX. I own my OCs and people own the OCs they submitted. Please R&R but do not flame. I also don't own any songs I may mention.
Chapter VIII
Falling From the Stars
Minutes ticked endlessly as the sounds of night surrounded Duel Academy. Eleven out of thirteen warriors rolled peacefully in their sleep, unaware that one of them was losing himself further in the darkness, and the other was crying her endless tears for him. The digital numbers flipped from 2:59 to 3:00 and all thirteen warriors were suddenly wide awake as a bright light consumed their dorms.
Dream Realm
"What's going on?" Emerald cried as she rubbed her eyes.
Alicia wiped the remaining tears off her face and tried hiding her red rimmed eyes from Virgil. A low laugh was heard and they looked in Raiden's direction. His eyes were shielded from his locks as he walked across the forest clearing's floor. Turning suddenly, Raiden faced the other twelve, sneering slightly. Automatically, most felt the urge to pull the ones they cared about behind them.
"Raiden… what are you doing?" Kiyoshi asked slowly.
They all looked shocked, except for Tyler, when Sorrow appeared next to Raiden. Only this time, she seemed far older than before. She looked around their age, her once child form now that of a stunningly beautiful teenager. Her hollowish black orbs closed as she wrapped her arms around Raiden's waist and her cold lips met his cheek. An inhuman snarl escaped Alicia at once.
"Raiden Aloysius has decided to join me." Sorrow said with a giggle. "Isn't that right, darling?"
"Right," Raiden nodded, "I don't need you pathetic weaklings as friends. I have Sorrow now."
Alicia's hands clenched into fists, so hard that her nails dug into her palms, and blood trickled down her hands and fell to the ground, while her cerulean blue rim expanded, taking over the ice green of her eyes.
"Dammit, Raiden, stop this!" She shouted loudly. "Sorrow is trying to kill us!"
Raiden simply stared at her with blank eyes. The warmth from them was now gone.
"Maybe…" His voice came out in a whisper, "Just maybe… I want you to die…"
Alicia cringed as if he had slapped her like he had Tyler. Staggering backwards, Alicia felt Virgil wrap his arms protectively around her waist, and pull her close from behind.
"Maybe… I want every single one of you to dissolve to nothing in the shadows." Raiden continued.
Sorrow nuzzled her face into his shoulder, obvious admiration on her face as she listened to his words.
"Who are you?" Rae and Matt demanded in unison.
"Why, I'm Raiden, of course. Who else would I be?" He sneered at them.
"No!" Arya cried, "You can't be Raiden! Raiden would never want to see us hurt! Raiden would protect his friends, not want to kill them!"
Lilly nodded fiercely, "Raiden would sacrifice himself for us!"
Hazel stared intensely at him, "He would love us like a family member would."
"Please, Rai, don't do this." Noah begged.
"You… you're supposed to be my best friend." Matt continued with pain in his eyes.
"You're supposed to understand me too. The only one who understands me." Kiyoshi whispered.
K'van spoke slowly, "You're supposed to be our friend; not our enemy."
Rae gritted her teeth, "You're supposed to be my bubby!"
"You're supposed to help your friends!" Emerald cried out.
"You and I may not get along at times, but you're still my pal!" Virgil shouted.
Alicia was still silent.
Finally, Tyler whispered one last thing, "You're supposed to be in love with my sister…"
Time seemed to stop.
Sorrow growled fiercely before stepping away from Raiden. She raised her glowing palm and instantly everyone was sent flying to the ground or into trees. Groaning in sheer pain, they forced themselves to stand up.
"'What have you done now?" Alicia sang loudly to Raiden. "I know I better start tryin', you know that there's no denyin', I won't show mercy on you now. I know I should stop believing, I know that there's no retrieving, it's over now. What have you done…?'"
She leapt to her feet and shifted to her Amazon Archer form, getting ready to attack him. Raiden smirked as he sang in unison with her.
"'What have you done now? I, I've been waiting for someone like you, but now you are slipping away. (What have you done now?) Why, why does fate make us up from? There's a curse between us, between me and you. What have you done? What have you done? What have you done? What have you done? What have you done now? What have you done? What have you done? What have you done? What have you done? What have you done now?'"
Alicia fell silent as he continued to sing. She tried to land a blow on him, but Raiden was much faster than she remembered. He evaded her attacks, still singing mercilessly.
"'Would you mind if I killed you? Would you mind if I tried to? 'Cause you have turned into my worst enemy, you carry hate that I feel, it's over now. What have you done?'"
Dodge after dodge; blow after blow.
"'What have you done now? I, I've been waiting for someone like you, but now you are slipping away. (What have you done now?) Why, why does fate make us up from? There's a curse between us, between me and you. What have you done? What have you done? What have you done? What have you done? What have you done now? What have you done? What have you done? What have you done? What have you done? What have you done now?'"
Alicia sang passionately, evading his strikes, and she tried to knock him off his feet.
"'I will not fall, won't let it go. We will be free when it ends.'"
Raiden added his own voice, harmonizing, as he jumped out of the way.
"'I, I've been waiting for someone like you, but now you are slipping away. (What have you done now?) Why, why does fate make us up from? There's a curse between us, between me and you…'"
Sorrow struck Alicia in the back. Gasping, Alicia flew backwards, landing roughly on the ground. For a split second, Raiden's eyes widened in worry.
"Kill her, now." Sorrow ordered.
He responded slowly, walking to the limp figure. Raiden stood over Alicia, suddenly armed with a blade, which he held against her throat. She felt dread go throughout her as the cold blade lightly grazed her throat.
"P…Please…" She begged. "Come back… Rai…den…"
"Kill her. Make her feel the pain that you felt the moment she betrayed you." Sorrow hissed in his ear.
Virgil growled and tried to rush forward, but Emerald and Tyler snatched his arms, holding him back.
"Wait." Tyler whispered.
Raiden froze as his eyes stared down into her now cerulean ones.
"Any last words, Alicia Anne?" Sorrow asked the whimpering girl.
"Yeah…" She whispered softly, her voice cracking.
Sorrow glared intensely as Alicia replied.
"I'm falling from the stars…"
Her words seemed to have an affect on Raiden. As if they had broken a spell on him, Raiden dropped the blade, and staggered away from Alicia's limp form. Sorrow let out an enraged scream before she tried lunging at Alicia. Eleven animals blocked her, throwing her to the ground, before they all attacked with claws, teeth, talons, and strength.
"Raiden…" Alicia staggered her way towards said boy, who was huddled against the trunk of a tree, crying heavily. "Raiden, look at me." She collapsed next to him, trying to stop the blood from falling on him. "Raiden." Alicia tilted his chin with her fingers.
Raiden shut his eyes, "I'm a monster! I almost murdered you!"
Alicia wrapped her arms tightly around him, "No… I knew you wouldn't hurt me. I saw that you were still alive… somewhere in that cold shell. And I'm… I'm sorry… for everything…" She brushed Raiden's damp bangs out of his face. "I should've told you the truth in the beginning."
"A-Ali…"
"And now the truth is falling from the stars." Alicia added quietly.
Sorrow's screams were closer.
"Raiden, I lo-"
A shredding sound echoed through the night; cutting her off. Blood splashed forward and covered Raiden's torso.
"ALICIA!"
She gave one last gasp, blood splattering out her mouth, and she saw the blade being pulled back out of her torso. Sorrow sneered, holding the blade, and watched Alicia fall forward onto Raiden. Blood continued to pour profusely from the wound as Raiden held her.
"No! Ali!" He sobbed.
The light was fading from her eyes, "Raiden… I… I'm sorry…"
Raiden was hysterical, "No, don't say that! We'll save you, Ali, I promise!"
A howl of pain erupted from Tyler. In one instant, Sorrow had the white timber wolf sinking her teeth into her neck, trying to rip her throat out. Sorrow escaped a split second before she died. Weak, the other warriors surrounded Raiden and Alicia, Tyler howling towards the moon.
"Dammit!"
Hazel knelt down next to her everything-but-blood sister and placed her palms on the wound. She started to chant in another language, the others watching her hands glowing green, and the skin starting to mend itself back together.
"I can't… keep… this… up… I need…more… life…force…" She grunted inbetween chants.
Matt closed his eyes and placed his hand on Hazel's shoulder. Her strength increased somewhat. Getting the same idea, the others hastily touched a part of Hazel, lending her strength.
"Don't you dare die on me, Alicia Anne, or I will make you regret it!" Hazel threatened.
Alicia gave a weak smile.
"Raiden," Hazel glanced at Virgil, fighting back the guilt. "I need you to kiss Alicia."
Virgil looked away painfully.
Raiden nodded, wiping his eyes, before he brushed Alicia's bangs out of her face. She looked at him the moment before he lightly pressed his lips to Alicia's.
"It's working!" Rae cheered.
Light illuminated from Alicia's body before engulfing the entire realm in which they stood.
Reality
"We're at the gazebo." Rae stated.
Alicia was passed out in Raiden's arms. Everyone else was completely healed as well. Lilly and K'van hugged happily while the girls all hugged Hazel. Noah and Kiyoshi silently placed hands of comfort on Virgil's shoulders.
"Raiden," Virgil said slowly, "Look… I know that… when it comes to Alicia… we hate each other… but we're still friends… no matter what… so in the future… if my girlfriend asks you… you have my permission to kiss her… and if she leaves me for you… remember I won't keep a grudge… It's Alicia's choice."
"Understood," Raiden nodded.
"Infirmary. Now." Hazel ordered.
Everyone started to head for it instantly. Matt kept a firm grip on Hazel's arm, to prevent her from collapsing, and she leaned on him for support. He blushed faintly, and Rae noticed, laughing silently.
Infirmary
"Not again," Ms. Fontaine groaned slightly. "Okay, all of you, get in a bed, now!" She barked.
They scrambled for a bed immediately, fearing the redhead. Raiden gently laid Alicia down before getting in his own bed. Ms. Fontaine came around, and started checking all of them, making a couple yelp as she jabbed them sharply.
"If you lot get anymore reckless, I swear…" She never finished her threat as she left the room, locking the door behind her.
"And I thought Crowler was scary." K'van joked.
Lilly scrambled from her bed, and climbed into K'van's, cuddling up to him. He smiled at her before leaning down to kiss her softly. The others left them to their moment and jumped slightly when the doors rattled.
"Emi! Let us in!" Jesse hissed from the other side.
She cart wheeled from her bed and quickly unlocked the door. Jaden, Jesse, Tyranno, Syrus, Alexis, Blair, Jasmine, Mindy, and Aster all crept inside, quickly relocking the door. Immediately they rushed the bedsides of their friends or significant others.
"You okay, Arya?" Tyranno asked, running a hand through her red Mystical Elf-like locks.
"Yeah, Ty, I am." She smiled as she hugged him.
Aster and Jaden both sat on either side of Emerald, both checking for bumps and bruises, while she sweatdropped.
"What are you guys even doing here?" Emerald demanded.
"Sy explained everything." Jaden interjected. "And we came to make sure you guys are alright."
Tyler gave Syrus a look. He happened to be sitting next to her with her arms wrapped around him tightly.
"What? They were worried… and Hassleberry threatened to hang me from a tree by my underwear if I didn't!" He whined.
Arya smacked Tyranno's arm, "No bullying Syrus!" She sternly said.
"Yes, ma'am." He sighed.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" Jasmine squealed as she huggled Kiyoshi affectionately.
Noah blushed slightly as he pulled Blair into his lap. She giggled slightly and Noah saw Alexis giving him an approving smile from across the room, where she was running a hand through Virgil's hair, giving him a small talk under her breath. Mindy sat down next to Raiden, gently holding his hand, and talking to him about how worried she had been. Hazel was nodding off against Matt's shoulder, his fingers locked together as his arms were wrapped around her slim waist. Jesse was holding Rae and scolding her for being so reckless.
"I swear, Maria, if you ever scare me like that again…" He whispered roughly.
"You'll do what?" She dared him with her hazel eyes.
Jesse blushed faintly, "This." He then leaned down to capture her lips with his.
Matt visibly twitched.
Emerald blinked before she realized she was holding both Jaden and Aster's hands. Both boys were staring each other down over her head. Sweatdropping again, she sighed, and looked at both of them.
"What's going on?" She demanded.
"Nothing." Both boys lied.
Emerald glared, "Aster… Jaden…"
Sighing, they both looked away from her.
"Em, they both like you." Arya giggled.
At that obvious statement, both boys collapsed sideways off the bed. Emerald blushed intensely.
"Fine… who do you like more, Emerald?" Aster sighed as he brushed his suit off.
Emerald looked between him and Jaden; torn.
"I… um… well… oh!" She collapsed backwards, hiding her burning face with a pillow.
Noah stepped in, "Emi, you're gonna have to figure it out."
Blair nodded, "Just like Noah and I did." She leaned up and pecked him on the cheek.
"Haha. Bat-Boy's blushing." Raiden teased; despite the fact he thought they were an odd couple.
"Hmm… seems Alici's in the same situation." Noah noted. "Virge and Rai both like her."
"Just like Aster and Jay both like Emi." Arya added.
Emerald whined muffly, "This sucks!!"
Alexis continued to run her fingers through Virgil's white blonde locks. Her lips were only a few inches away from his ear.
"Virgil… you have to let her go…" She whispered wisely.
"I know…" He whispered back, "That's what hurts the most."
Alexis placed her hand on his knee, "It's the right thing to do, Virge."
Virgil nodded, "I know, Lexi, I know."
"Hey, it's still kinda night time, let's get some sleep." Syrus said, "Butterfly's dead on her feet!"
Lilly snuggled up to K'van and they fell asleep. Soon, everyone was cuddled up to someone and they were all asleep too. Noah and Blair, Arya and Tyranno, Jesse and Rae, Matt and Hazel, Syrus and Tyler, Jasmine and Kiyoshi, Mindy fell asleep huggling Raiden's arm, and even Alexis had fallen asleep next to Virgil. Jaden and Aster had Emerald inbetween them, both with their arms wrapped around her tightly. The only sounds were that of Alicia's deep breathing.
Raiden's eyes reflected the moonlight, "Ali…" He whispered, pulling his arm free from Mindy's hold. He gently covered the dark haired girl up before climbing into Alicia's bed. "Alicia…" He timidly lay down next to her and pulled her sleeping figure close. "Ali, I love you, and I'm sorry…" Raiden started to cry again, only this time silently.
Alicia murmured in her sleep, "Rai…den…"
End Chapter
A/N: Aw! Fluff everywhere! And I finally got a pairing for Alexis! Can you figure it out? Please R&R!
Syrus Fanatic 4-Ever