Susano-o: MASSIVE WARNINGS FOR ABUSE IN THIS CHAPTER! SERIOUSLY I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE READ THESE BUT YOU NEED TO SEE THIS ONE!

Sekhmet: I hate this chapter so much. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. It's cursed so bad that it's very uncomfortable to read.

Susano-o: Yeah and the original version was even worse before we trimmed it down, it was uncomfortable to write and then reread so we had to fix it. Well at least we finally get more of Rose's backstory. I had some inspiration from what Kouta Hirano said about Heinkel Wolfe in Hellsing when I made Rose so that explains something you'll learn about her. Also one character is a straight up Steven Universe reference.

Sekhmet: I don't have much else to say. This is probably the worst time I had writing a chapter. It's just so uncomfortable.

Susano-o: Even worse than the Spirit Day chapter, but now on with the show.

Duel 33: The Beginning of The End

"Attention troops!" Hassleberry yelled to the group. "We have a very important day today!" He yelled. "Today the civilians are coming here to see the school! And we will make sure they have a good day!"

"Hassleberry," Alexis said calmly from a couch. "It's parent's day, not shore leave."

"Yeah, no big deal." Yuko said, though she looked a bit more prim than usual.

"Umm Alexis," Syrus asked. "No offense, but you've been hanging around here a lot more than normal, any reason why?"

"Atticus has this insane idea for me and him to become dueling singing pop stars," Alexis explained rolling her eyes. "Called Bro-Bro and Sissy of all things."

Yuko fake gagged. "That's one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard."

"I know," Alexis deadpanned. "He refuses to stop, luckily he wouldn't dare try anything today after that whole adventure in the Abandoned Dorms, mom and dad still think he just went abroad for a semester and didn't tell them."

"Privates! And Corporal," Hassleberry yelled. "We need to get this place in tip top shape before Twelve Hundred Hours!"

"We've been doing that." Yuko said, now revealed to be holding a broom.

"Has anyone seen Rose?" Alexis asked. "I haven't seen her all day."

"Not since last night, no." Yuko said.

"What in Tarnation!" Hassleberry yelled. "If the Sarge thinks she's gonna get out of cleanin' duty she's got another thing coming I tell you hwat!"

"Hwat?" Yuko asked herself.

Hassleberry stormed out of the room. "That girl ain't right sometimes I tell you hwat!" He yelled walking to Rose's room.

"I'm sure she's fine. It's Rose we're talking about here." Yuko said.

….

Back in her room Rose was not fine, she was freaking out about parents coming. Her relationship with her orphanage nuns was strained, honestly her moving out was the best thing she could have done for herself. She wasn't sure who they were going to send to this event, but she knew it was unavoidable as they still technically had guardianship over her till she turned 18. She finally snapped out of her spiralling thoughts when she heard a banging on her door, with a sigh, she got up and went out to help set up.

….

Yuko stood at the docks, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the boat. Her parents were coming today, and she was gonna be there like a good child. She coifed her hair, trying not to look like she's hosting three gods in her soul.

Hassleberry had worn his best uniform, it was quite a shock to see him in actual sleeves, pants, and shoes rather than his usual less form fitting outfits. He had also tied his hair so it laid down his back rather than wildly flailing around his head.

Alexis simply went as she normally did, not having much to change since she spent the most time getting ready in the mornings. She did add a bit more makeup and some pantyhose to cover up for her short skirt.

Bastion went as normal too, but Tania had opted to wear actual clothes rather than her standard gym clothing, though her shirt was still sleeveless to avoid tearing it with her muscles.

Syrus has come as he had, though he put in a little extra work to look nice. His hair stuck up a little less, and his jacket was nice and ironed out.

Chazz hadn't changed anything, though at the behest of everyone, he had washed his coat as it was reeking from weeks of unwash.

Rose had done nothing, in fact she looked slightly more unkempt than normal, Alexis had tried at least fixing her messy hair but was rebuffed with a glare.

"Helicopter inbound!" Hassleberry suddenly yelled causing all the people waiting for their parents to look up. "VIP's incoming!"

The helicopter touched down on the nearest landing pad while the ferry pulled into the marina. The gangplank extended, and after a few minutes, parents came down to greet their children.

"Tyranno!" A large woman who seemed to tower over both Rose and Tania yelled as she swept Tyranno up in a hug, lifting the poor boy off the ground and making everyone wince at the sound of his back cracking. "It's so good to see you!" She yelled as a man who barely looked five feet even, who had Tyranno's facial features, laughed behind her.

"Umm, I think we have found the second pillar women," Syrus joked to Yuko. Yuko stifled a giggle, and fully suppressed it when she saw the next pair of people get off the ship.

"Okāsan! Otōsan!" She cried, and ran towards a meek looking woman and a taller man in a business suit.

"Yuko!" The woman, Yuko's mom, said, as the two hugged tightly. Syrus' parents hadn't come ashore yet, so he tentatively approached the three.

"Oh, Dad, this is Syrus, the boy I've been talking about!" Yuko said proudly. Syrus waved a little.

Yuko's father looked at the poor boy with an acidic glare that could make the mightiest man bow their head. Without changing looks he outstretched a hand. "So you're the man who's made my daughter so happy." He said, a kind voice betraying Syrus' expectations.

"Y-yes sir." Syrus stammered, shaking his hand.

"Good. You keep doing that." He said.

"Yes, it's very nice to finally meet you in person!" Yuko's mom said with a smile. This made Syrus feel a lot less uncomfortable in the moment.

Bastion met his parents with a quiet hello and a smile, they responded in turn in a very formal tone, Tania seemed a bit nervous to meet them and stuck to Bastion's side.

Chazz's mom seemed to be fussing with his hair and doting on him, while Chazz was grumbling about it, he was leaning into it and his shoulders seemed to bleed tension as he did.

"Syrus sweetie!" A woman called. Syrus turned around to see his parents, a man and a woman of average height, the mom sharing his hair and the man with similar glasses.

"Mom, Dad!" He called out, and then took Yuko's hand. "Yuko, these are my parents!" He said, and started to pull her towards them. Yuko waved goodbye to her parents and went along.

"So this is who you're smitten with. She's lovely!" The dad said. Yuko bowed deeply in greeting.

"Ah yes, you're Yugi's sister?" His mom asked.

"Yes." She replied.

"It's a delight meeting you. You've made Syrus very happy, and I thank you for that." She said.

Alexis hugged her father tightly with a shout of "Daddy!" as her mom grabbed her from behind in a three way hug. Their laughter sent a pang of hurt through Rose's heart but she tamped it down with a grimace as Alexis pulled her parents over to meet her.

"Mom, Daddy this is Rose," Alexis said taking Rose's hand and was met with a questioning eyebrow, until she saw the looks Alexis's parents were giving her.

"Ah, it's nice to meet you," Her mom said giving her a tight smile.

"Nice to meet you too," Rose responded with her own tight smile to hold back her acid tone.

Her dad nodded curtly. "My daughter has told us a lot about you," He said vaguely.

"Yeah I guess so," Rose said rubbing her back of her head, clearly she wasn't or hadn't made a good impression.

Before they could respond another women entered the conversation, a tallish women dressed in a nun uniform. "Hello Starlight," She said smiling at Rose.

Rose winced under her breath. "Hello Mother White," She strained, letting go of Alexis's hand as the Mother Superior hugged her.

"Oh it's been so long since I saw you," Mother White said smiling as she ran her fingers through Rose's hair. "You moved out so quickly I didn't get to say goodbye."

Rose looked clearly uncomfortable with the hug and touching as she extracted herself from Mother White's grip. "Yeah," She said looking away. "I just felt it was time for me to move on, and I had the income to do so."

"So you're Rose's guardian?" Alexis asked taking Rose's hand, but Rose shook her off.

"Mother Superior," Mother White corrected. "The head of the orphanage that Starlight here lived at," She said smiling. "Her regular guardian didn't want to come."

Rose hissed at that and Alexis quickly took over. "Oh right," She said smiling and taking a step to put herself between Rose and Mother White. "Well, we should go meet the rest of our friends parents," She suggested, jestering to where Tyranno's mother was trying to practice amature chiropractic work on they rest of the group.

"Of course," Mother White said smiling as she took Rose's hand and started pulling her towards the group. "You should introduce me," Rose glared but allowed herself to be pulled.

Yuko looked over and was somewhat bristled to see what looked like a possessed nun trying desperately to hide it practically hovering towards them, dragging Rose behind her. "Oh hey Rose. I didn't know you were raised by nuns."

Rose hissed as Mother White's turned to give her a smiled. "Oh she didn't?" Mother White asked. "What did I tell you about lying?"

"I told them I lived in an orphanage," Rose explained. "The catholic church never came up."

"Now Starlight," Mother White said camly. "A lie of omission is still a lie," She explained raising an eyebrow, Rose cringed.

"Right, I'm sorry mother," Rose said quickly.

"So this is why Rose's past never comes up." Yuko thought, and she bristled again. "I just don't understand people sometimes."

Tyranno's mother quickly grabbed Rose in a massive hug. "Oh you're the one my little Tyranno has been talking about!" She yelled happily. "It's been so long since he's met someone who could keep up with him!"

"Thanks," Rose said with a smile as she went to meet the rest of her friends parents.

"Hello," Mother White said with a smile to Yuko. "So you're my Starlight's roommate?"

"Yes, ma'am." Yuko said with a greeting bow.

"Oh that's wonderful," Mother White said smiling. "So you probably know all about the wacky adventures she's apparently been on?"

"I've been right there with her." Yuko said.

"Oh interesting," Mother White said getting a bit closer. "So, I'm sure you also know what she's been doing in her off time as well?" She asked.

"Well, not always. I don't consider it my business to know every move she makes all the time." Yuko said warily.

"Well then," Mother White asked. "You know who she spends her time with though right?"

Yuko didn't like where this was going. "Yeah, With our group, why?" She asked even more warily.

Mother White looked over at Alexis. "Is she dating that girl over there?" She asked.

"Guys I need help." Yuko thought.

"Kill her." All three replied at once.

"Never mind." Yuko thought.

"What would happen if I said yes?" Yuko asked, clearly uncomfortable.

"Yuko, come on, the group's moving on!" Syrus said, pulling her along. Yuko gladly let herself be pulled along and even pretended that Syrus was stronger than he was, glad to be out of the conversation. Mother White simply smiled and followed, making sure to take Rose's wrist like she was still a child when she had the opportunity.

As the group made their way to the Red dorms, a lone figure emerged from the helicopter. "Hello Aster," Sartorius said with a smile.

"Hello," Aster said nursing his still injured side, being thrown off an arena hurts.

"Come along," Sartorius said waving him along. "We need to meet with the Chancellor."

Aster nodded and followed along, not sure where Sartorius was really going with this part of the plan, his reputation with the school had plummeted after his comments so him establishing a foothold in Duel Academy was impossible at this point. -But he would trust in Sartorius and Destiny to see him through to the light.

….

Business at the Red Dorms was nice and stable, if a bit topsy turvy due to all the parents around.

"So here's our room," Rose said opening the door to let the parents in. The parents hummed and hawed at the cramped but cozy room. Junko, Yuko's mom, seemed very amused by the triple bunk bed.

"Oh what are these?" Mother White asked looking at their shelf full of Shadow Charms. Yuko could see Rose's face go chalk white.

"They're art projects. We do them in our off time." Yuko quickly said.

"Well they certainly don't look like them," Mother White said grabbing the Emerald Tablet and skimming it. "Oh dear me this is wholly inappropriate," She gasped reading the contents.

"Well, they're only art projects. That one in particular is just a recreation and modernization of an ancient artifact. They don't have any malicious intent behind them." Yuko said.

Mother White ignored her and turned to a pale Rose. "Now Starlight, what have I said about this sort of thing?" She asked smiling.

"Don't deal with the devil," Rose sighed looking up.

"Wait, you can't blame her for that. I did them. I've had a fascination with the ancient past for forever. Don't blame Rose for something I did." Yuko said. She'd never faced down such an intimidating person like this, but Rose was clearly uncomfortable and that would not stand.

Mother White looked at Yuko. "Ok then," She said setting the Tablet back. Yuko visibly relaxed.

"Yuko, can I see you outside for a second?" Junko asked.

"Sure mom." Yuko said, and the two walked out of earshot.

"You're not involved with anything dangerous, are you?" Junko asked.

"Mom, I would never lie to you. I swear they're just art projects, nothing more than trinkets. I brought one home over summer break, remember?" Yuko said.

"You did." Junko said.

"And it hasn't done anything, has it?" Yuko asked.

"I suppose not. Alright, I'll believe you. But you better not be lying to me." Junko said. "I thought we put all this behind us ten years ago."

"We did." Yuko said, and the two rejoined the group.

The rest of the day was spent with Yuko running damage control while Rose seemed to be clamped up tighter than a virgin daughter. When another parent talked to her she was able to speak normally, but anytime her mother talked she went dead silent. All this was at the concern of Junko, who by days' end was sure that her darling daughter was involved in some sort of illegal activity.

"So then the Sarge sent him flying off the edge of the arena!" Hassleberry laughed having just told everyone the story of Rose's duel against Aster, fight beforehand included, much to Rose's horror. "Never seen a person fly that far before!"

Yuko automatically chimed in before Mother White could say anything. "Oh that Hassleberry, he has the craziest dreams, right Rose?" Yuko said.

"Umm," Rose said nervously as her guardian's eyes burned a hole in the side of her head. "Yeah."

"Yeah she was super angry," Syrus said not hearing the lie due to a conversation with Bastion. "She blew up the TV when she heard his comments."

Yuko gripped his thigh. "That was a movie, remember?" Yuko said, desperation clear on her face.

"You all seem to have some wild fantasies," Bastion's father said chucking. "And here I thought duel monsters would be wild enough."

"Yeah, sometimes it's hard to tell fact from fiction around here. You'd be surprised what rumors come up when you're a great duelist like Rose." Yuko laughed a bit too loud.

"So what was that whole Sexual Tyrannosaurus thing Bastion emailed us about?" Bastion's mother asked. "And how did it end up with our son engaged to an adult women?" She asked side eyeing Tania.

"Honestly even I'm not sure. The part with Tania is true, but the rest is a mystery. My current theory is that the first bit was a meme that got out of hand." Yuko said, pulling whatever she could out of her ass.

Mother White was looking at this all with a critical eye before wiping her mouth. "Starlight," She said making Rose cringe. "Could you show me to the restrooms?" She asked smiling.

Rose gave a jerky nod before standing out and leading her guardian out.

"Hey what's wrong with the Sarge?" Hassleberry ask.

"You haven't noticed? After all the damage control I've been doing? She's been terrified of her nun mom finding out about all the crazy stuff that happens here and I've tried to explain as much of it as I can away!" Yuko said through grit teeth, her parents conveniently caught up in conversation with another pair of parents.

"Woah easy there Corporal," Hassleberry said nervously held up his hands. "I don't even know half of what you were talking about remember?"

Yuko pinched her brow. "Sorry. But the point is, she's probably getting told off by her mom and I've failed to keep the rumors in check."

"Corporal some of the stuff you and the Sarge have done have become legends here," He explained. "You think your duels haven't been spread across the world? I was told by at least forty people before I came here that you and Sarge were two people to watch."

"I don't care what happens or is told about me. Rose has been vastly uncomfortable all day because of Mother White. I'm just trying to lessen it a little." Yuko said.

"Guy's," Syrus said from Yuko's other side. "Rose has been gone for a while."

Yuko almost swore under her breath. "I gotta go find her."

"I'll come too," Hassleberry agreed.

"Syrus, I need you to stay here and keep doing damage control. Is that alright? Yuko asked. Syrus nodded, and the two walked off.

Junko watched the two leave with a sigh. "Atsuo, I'm worried about Yuko. She's been so frantic today. I think she might be involved in something dangerous. "

Atsuo, who had been silent throughout the whole debacle, finally spoke. "No, our daughter is fine. Have you not seen what she's been doing?"

"What do you mean?" Junko asked.

"All the stories we've been hearing are true. But because that nun makes her friend uncomfortable, she's been lying about everything we've heard to make her friend feel better. She's doing exactly what we've taught her, sticking up for her friend." Atsuo explained.

Junko took in this new information, and instantly felt relieved. Two seconds later though, she realized something. "Doesn't that mean she faced down a bunch of dangerous people!?"

…

"You demon child!" Mother White screamed through the walls. "How many times have I told you to keep your freakishness to yourself!"

"I wasn't trying to do it!" Rose's pleading voice shouted back. "It just happened!"

"Don't take that tone of voice with me!" Mother White yelled back. "I raised you better than that!"

"You barely raised me at all you abusive cunt!" Rose screamed before a smack was heard.

"I told you not to speak to me that way!"

The door slammed open and Yuko saw Mother White holding Rose by her wrist in a lock as she tried to punch the older women in the face. "Fuck off!" Rose screamed. "I'm not fucking 6 anymore!" She screamed. "I'm not dealing with your punishments anymore!"

"Well if you're going to act like a child then I'm going to treat you like one!" Mother White yelled back trying to bend Rose's arm at an unnatural angle to force her into submission.

"Get away from her you bitch!" Yuko screamed, and in a weird twist of limbs and force managed to forcefully separate the two and put herself between White and Rose.

"I would highly suggest," Mother White said smiling darkly. "That you stay out of this," She suggested. "This is between me and Starlight."

"No. No one hurts my friends like this, no matter what." Yuko said, her rage bubbling up.

"It's not hurting, it's punishment," Mother White corrected. "Legal in the state of Colorado, and poor Starlight here needs a lot of it."

"No! You won't hurt my friend anymore!" Yuko said.

Mother White's smile went tight. "She's a little demon spawn who needs to be put in her place, did she even tell you how she ended up in my care?"

"I don't give a fuck. She could be responsible for genocide and she'd still be my friend." Yuko growled.

"Well you are close," Mother White said. "She murdered both her parents and burned her house down, or more closely, her entire apartment building," She explained. "Killing over 10 people that night, so you see why my little Starlight needs a reminder every once and a while when she starts acting naughty."

"I get it. Now I'm supposed to break down and start saying "no you're lying, that's impossible!" So you can push me out of the way, right? You're a lot dumber than I thought if you think that just because she MIGHT be a murderer I'm gonna let you continue to kill my friend." Yuko growled, guarding Rose even more.

"I'm not killing her," White said in shock at the suggestion. "I'm helping her," She said before looking at Rose again. "Oh Starlight, what else have you been lying to them about?" She asked making Rose cringe and hide her face.

"You're killing her inside, that's for sure. A wretched creature like you is not worthy to serve a supposedly all loving all forgiving god." Yuko spat.

"Oh you poor summer child," White sighed. "You really don't know anything about her."

"Don't have to. Friendship transcends everything, and if you want to get to her, you're gonna have to get through me." Yuko said.

"Fine," White said walking away. "I know when I'm not getting through to someone, I suppose I'll take my leave then," She said opening the door. "Goodbye Starlight, for now," She said pushing through the throng of parents to go back to the docks.

Yuko was so ready to sic Eraser on her that she didn't stop guarding Rose until someone shook her out of it.

"Sarge you ok?" Hassleberry said.

Rose groaned. "This wasn't exactly how I planned to start talking about my past," She muttered punching a wall.

"You don't have to." Yuko said, rubbing her forehead.

"It's a muddled mess," Rose muttered. "I don't even remember how the fire started, I just remember a lot of screams a winged shadow, Mother White always said it was the devil himself come to meet me."

"I don't know. I've seen the devil and he doesn't look like that." Yuko said, slumping against the dressers.

"So is that way you freaked out at Aster?" Syrus asked.

"Yeah," Rose nodded with a pained look. "Masked Heroes were made by me and my dad together, it's the last thing I have left of him."

Yuko grabbed Rose and helped her sit down as she continued to talk. "The orphanage got free schooling from some upscale ritzy school, so the orphan kids stuck out as easy targets, which lead to a lot of fights," She chuckled bitterly. "Yeah there's a reason Chazz and Aster make me go from 0 to 1,000,000 pretty quick, stuck up rich kids are my kryptonite," she laughed and sniffled. "So Mother took a special interest in making sure I behaved."

"That's a load of crap and you know it. She almost beat you because she didn't like the rumors going around about events we couldn't control." Yuko said.

"She knows about them, I told my actual guardian Amanda," Rose explained. "These aren't rumors, she knows because she made her tell, and that's not all," Rose muttered rubbing her face hard. "I am lying to you guys, was lying to you, and did lie to her."

"If this is about the murder of your parents thing, I don't care if you did. You're still my friend." Yuko said.

"No," Rose muttered. "There's more than that."

"Well you're still gonna be my friend after this. Come at me with your dark secrets." Yuko said.

Rose bit her lip. "I'm intersex," she whispered. "Down below," She said vaguely gesturing to her lap.

Yuko looked at her. "That's it?"

Rose blinked. "You know that means I'm not fully a girl right?" She asked nervously.

"So?" Yuko said.

"And I've been in the girls dorm, you know for girls," She continued.

"What about it?" Yuko said, trying to convey that this was NOT an issue.

"...I'm an intersexual lesbian who burned down a building and killed people, with a short fuse and an explosive temper," Rose explained. "You can see why she thinks she needs to help me."

"Help is not an applicable term to this situation. If she nearly beat you over this, then she's a worse person than I thought." Yuko said stubbornly.

"It's not that big of a deal," Rose muttered looking away. "Just let it go, I'm old enough now to handle her if she tries anything again."

"You almost got beat for something out of your control. You don't just let that kind of thing die." Yuko said.

"She's not gonna kill me," Rose whispered.

"I don't believe that for a second." Yuko said.

"She hasn't killed me before."

"She's clearly a psychopath. One too many whacks and you're gone. And I won't let that happen. Not as long as I'm around." Yuko growled.

Rose sighed. "Just let it go," She muttered. "I moved out, I don't need to see her again till I turn 18 and finally don't need a guardian anymore."

Yuko grumbled But got silent. The room was completely eerily quiet until she spoke again. "You know, my brother's boyfriend tortured and killed people over less grievous offenses." She hoped this would entice Rose to ask and distract from the horrid mood.

"...I just want her to stop," Rose finally whimpered.

Yuko had lost it, but not in a Dreadroot or Eraser way. She lost it in an Avatar way. She got up and waded her way through the crowd of parents until she found hers. There was no aura that accompanied her, only dead eyes.

"Mom, where's the nearest phone? I need to make a few calls." Yuko said, devoid of emotion.

Within hours, campus police had shut down the marina and had begun a search for Mother White. In half a day, regular police had shown up on the island and by sundown she was arrested for child abuse. Within two weeks, Mother White was sentenced to 25 years in prison for repeated abuse of a minor, and with Rose providing physical evidence and past accounts, there would be no bail.

Best of all, because of the nature of the case, barely anyone of consequence outside the courtroom knew what exactly went on, so Rose's secrets were kept locked away in court files.

…

"Well I'm not sure about this," Crowler said looking at Sartorius. "After all you seem a little old to be starting as a freshman."

"I'm only 17," Sartorius said showing his ID, much to Crowler's shock. "And I have a check with three years worth of tuition sighed and ready for you right now."

"Well then," Crowler said taking the check. "Welcome to Duel Academy!"