Disclaimer: see chapter one

Chapter 49: The Truth

Yusuke was packing his things, while Syrus and Chumley were watching him with envy and disappointment that their best friend will leave them.

"Oh man! I can't believe that you're going to be one of those Obelisks, Yusuke," Chumley pouted.

Yusuke sends a genuine smile at the koala looking teen, "Don't worry, Chum, I'll come and visit you guys anytime I want." He insured. "And I'm pretty sure that Jaden will do the same, when he's in Ra."

"That's good." Syrus sighed with happiness.

Just then, Jaden came bursting into the room, "Hey guys!" he said, cheerfully

"Jaden!" Syrus gawked, "What are you doing here?!"

"I came to say this one message," Jaden said, "I live here! I'd rather stay in Slifer, 'cuz it's my home!"

"Really!" Syrus ran towards Jaden and hugged him. "Oh come on, Sy!" Jaden cried in desperation

Yusuke chuckled at this, realizing that Syrus would never let go of Jaden.

Standing outside the Slifer Dorm with their suitcases and saying goodbye to the Slifer Red students was one of the most difficult tasks that Yusuke, Kagome, Kelly, Catherine and Kira, had ever done. "Bye Professor Banner! Bye guys! We hope we can see you guys another time!" Kagome said.

They all nodded. "We hope that you four get settled easily into the Obelisk dorms. Good luck…" Professor Banner finished.

Syrus and Chumley looked at their friends sadly. "We'll see you in class, guys. I hope that you're happy with your new dorm!" Kagome, Kelly, Ryoko, and Kira did the hugging with Syrus and Chumley, while Yusuke and Catherine didn't do any hugging, because it wasn't their thing, "Thanks guys…and don't worry. I'll come visit often." Kagome said.

"We'll miss you all!" Kagome said.

Picking up their suitcases, they headed off towards the direction of their new dorm, with Kelly and Ryoko going to the other direction. It was a while until they made it to the Obelisk Dorms.

Yusuke and Kagome dropped their suitcases, dug their heels to the ground and pushed the wooden doors. Light hit their faces and they forced their visions to adjust to the harsh luminosity. What they saw were many Obelisks staring at them.

"Damn it, don't these guys have anything to do than stare at us like that." Yusuke muttered. Looking around, he spotted Kari and rushed towards his sister, "Hey Kari!"

She greeted him, as the girl followed, with a nod and a, "Hey."

Just then, they saw another one of her dear friends approaching them. "Alexis!" Kagome greeted

"Hey, glad you guys can make it." Alexis did a double take. "You guys really should get out of those Slifer uniforms. The other Obelisks think you're Slifers."

"Yeah, good point, Alexis," Yusuke said, looking at himself and laughed nervously.

"Where do we get our uniforms though?" Kagome asked.

Alexis grinned; "Follow us," she said, as she and Kari walked ahead with the Slifer clad duelists followed them.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Knock – Knock

"I wonder who could that be," Syrus walked towards the door and opened it. He was surprised to see Ryoko, behind it, still in her Slifer uniform. "Why are you here?!" he asked, "Didn't you get promoted to…"

Syrus was cut off when Ryoko grabs his wrist and pulls him away from door, "Come on!" Jaden dashed to the door and spotted Syrus being drag away from the dorm, "Hey Sy, where are you going!?!" he called out.

"How should I know!?!" Syrus wailed as he's being dragged downstairs and to the back of the dorm. "Okay what's the idea, Lyon!?!" Syrus yelled, glaring at the pigtailed girl

"Tell me why you threw the match like that," Ryoko snapped, "I knew that you were stupid, but even you knew that playing that Power Bond Spell Card would guarantee you the win!"

Syrus yanked his wrist from Ryoko's grip, "It's none of your business!" he snapped. Next thing to happen is Syrus having his arms pinned to the side and his back being slammed to the wall.

Syrus met with Ryoko's fierily brown eyes glaring at his frightened gray ones, "Listen, you little pipsqueak, the reason why I'm not in Ra now is you!" Ryoko snarled

Syrus furrowed his eyebrows, "Why me?"

"You didn't duel me at your fullest that's why," Ryoko said. "Did you think by letting me win, I'll go to Ra when I didn't deserve it in the first place? I have to duel someone at their full potential if I'm able to go to the next rank, you know. Now tell me, why did you throw the match or I'll throw you off this cliff!"

Syrus flinched at this, knowing that Ryoko would do it, "My brother, Zane, he told me that I wasn't good enough to play that card." He said

"Wasn't good enough?" Ryoko repeated. "What do you mean by that?"

"Back at grade school, when Yusuke, Keiko and I were kids, there was this bully, who used to pick on other kids. This bully and I dueled and the loser has to run nude in the school. During the duel, I drew Power Bond and was confident that I would win." Syrus sniffed as a tear came from his eye and Ryoko noticed it, "As I was going to play it, Zane came in and stopped the duel. He gave the bully a card, instead of making a fool about of myself. The reason why my brother stopped the duel was that, when Power Bond was played and I attacked the bully would have activated Spellbinding Circle. That would stop my monster's attack and I would have taken damage equal to my monster's original attack points and lost, if he didn't interfered. Since then, I started have insecurity issues with everything. I can tell that Zane thinks that I don't belong here and he's right. I didn't pass my field test and I barely passed my entrance exam for this school. I stink in mostly everything, video games, dueling, spelling bees and you…"

Syrus was interrupted when he felt a very painful slap across the face, "Would you please stop your whining already, Truesdale!?!" Ryoko yelled, bring her hand down and Syrus rubbing his cheek, "Ever since, I've met you from Sarayashiki Junior High, you've been whining and complaining on how much you stink in mostly everything. To tell you the truth I'm getting pretty sick of it. Sometimes I wonder how Urameshi or Keiko could stand it, without slapping you! Second of all, how can you think that Zane thinks that you don't belong here!?! You're not him! Who are you to judge on what people are thinking?"

"Don't know but it's there," Syrus said. "Zane says almost nothing to me, except for lecturing me. Besides I don't know why am I tell you this, when I know that you really don't care."

"For your information, I did care," Ryoko scolded to Syrus's surprise, "I wondered why you were always whining and complaining about your gaming skills. It's because of your brother."

Syrus nodded, "But I really don't hate him for it though." He said.

"That's not the point, idiot," Ryoko said. "What you need is a confidence boast for when you play Power Bond."

"A confidence boast?"

"That's right," Ryoko said. "I'll even help you."

"YOU!" Syrus yelled, "Why would I want YOUR help and why would YOU want to help me!?!"

Ryoko places her hands onto her waist and gave Syrus a stern look, "Because just in case that I'm paired with you in another dueling exam and you happen to draw that card. Plus," Ryoko placed her hands onto Syrus's arms and pinned them to the sides. He carried him up and got her face closer to his, which was making the blunette a bit nervous, "If you don't play Power Bond, when it's time, then I'll literately kill you, myself. I'll rip your head wide open, get out your spine and use it as flossing. Do I make myself clear?" she said, in a low and deadly voice.

Syrus nodded meekly, while thinking that Ryoko is really scary when mad.

Author's Note: HAPPY NEW YEARS!