~Rise and Fall~
9
A/N For anyone who is reading/has read "Spirit Caller" or any other of my GX stories...
This story is NOT CONNECTED.
This is a completely separate story from my other GX Stories.
It is its own story.
Enjoy^^
Mia was awakened from a peaceful sleep by the sound of murmers in the hall. She couldn't quite gather all the details...but one thing stood out. "Abandoned Dorm." Her eyes snapped open and she quietly crept to her door and pressed her ear against it to listen.
"Did you hear? Jaden Yuki and Syrus Truesdale were caught hanging around the Abandoned Dorm."
said the whispers.
"Yeah, and I hear that now they have to participate in a Tag Duel together in order to determine the fate of their enrollment into the school!"
"Yeah, and I hear they're gonna be shived up against some real pros!"
"Serves them right for breaking the rules."
What!?
Mia blinked.
Jaden and Syrus were at the Abandoned Dorm!?
I don't recall seeing them...
Something didn't smell right about this... She narrowed her sharp blue eyes and hurried herself to get dressed and pay a certain someone a visit.
XXXXX
"NO." Chazz huffed with arms folded over his chest.
"And why not!?" Mia huffed, "Is this little temper tantrum still because I screwed you over twice now!?" she sighed, "OKAY~ I'm sorry I freaked you out the other night, all right!?"
"It has nothing to do with that!" Chazz stated, "And I don't care- I already got over that."
"Then what!?" Mia huffed, "WE were at the Abandoned Dorm too!"
"Yeah." said Chazz, "And WE were smart enough NOT to get caught!" he stated, "Why would I want to help those two losers out of something that has nothing to do with me?" he blinked, "They're YOUR friends not mine." he scoffed.
"Wh-What!?" She blushed, "Th-That's not it!" she stated, "I mean..." she blinked, "It's not like we're friends or anything..."
"Oh?" Chazz blinked with a raised brow and an amused grin,"Then why do you think we should help them out of their own mess?" he questioned.
"Well I mean...it's only fair." she stated. "We were there too, fooling around no less so if they get in trouble...shouldn't we?"
"Yeah." Chazz blinked, "If we got caught." he stated, "Which we didn't" he shrugged, "Honestly...the only way I wanna help those two losers is by helping them get expelled!" he smirked.
"What!?" Mia gasped, "Expelled!?"
"Oh yeah~" Chazz smirked, "If they lose this duel they get expelled..." he snickered, "In fact, I'm gonna go find and see if he will let me in on that duel to Wipe Jaden Yuki out!" he left as he walked out and shut the door behind him, "Good luck, Mia~" he said, laughing harder down the hall leaving her alone with a million thoughts running through her mind.
XXXXX
Mia arrived to a cliff side scene on her way to the Slifer Dorm.
She thought maybe she could get the whole story if she had the chance to talk to Jaden and Syrus herself.
She sighed, stopping short when she noticed their room mate Chumley standing on the cliff side looking down and talking to someone. It sounded like Jaden and Syrus were down there...
And it sounded like they were dueling.
However Chumley wasn't the only person she noticed.
"Alexis?" the brunette blinked.
"Oh, Mia..." said Alexis as she noticed the new Mia approaching and making her way to her side.
"What's going on?" she asked, "Why are Jaden and Syrus at risk of being expelled?"
The blonde blinked and let out a soft sigh.
"I'm sorry..." she blinked, "But I'm afraid it's my fault."
"What?" Mia blinked, "But why? What Happened?"
Alexis sighed once more and looked down at the two Slifer males below as she went to explain to her fellow Obelisk class mate was was going on.
"You remember that night near the Abandoned Dorm?" Alexis asked, "When we pranked Chazz and his friends for trying to prank you?"
"Yeah?" the brunette blinked.
"Well shortly after you and Zane left, I stayed behind a little while so that I could pay my respects to my brother." she stated, "But some things happened and I wound up snatched away by some weird masked man." she stated.
"Oh my god!" said Mia, "Are you okay!?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." said Alexis, "But around that time Jaden and Syrus were exploring the Dorm with Chumley, and they wound up dueling that man." she stated, "I guess someone had seen them go to the Abandoned Dorm and now they are being punished for it." she sighed, "Now they have to Duel in a Tag Team Match where they will be expelled if they lose and it's all because they stayed around to help me out! I tried to get them out of it, I even tried to be Jaden's partner instead since the whole thing was my fault...but it's already been decided."
"I see..." said Mia.
Dammit...I should have stayed.
She thought to herself.
I don't know what I could have done...but...
"Remember guys!" Chumley called out, "This is just practice for your upcoming Tag Team Match, so take it easy!" he stated, "Though...I'm not really sure If Jaden knows how to take it easy..."
"That's probably a good thing..." said Alexis.
"What do you mean?" asked Mia. She and Chumley had the same question.
"It means, I know ." Alexis stated, "And he's not going to be pitting them up against any push overs." she blinked, "Both Jaden and Syrus are gonna have to duel their best...otherwise..." she sighed, "...They'll both be expelled."
Mia blinked and fidgetted nervously.
"Let's duel!" she heard Jaden say.
"Yeah, yeah..." said Syrus, "Let's duel."
It was a standard duel thus far.
Nothing too extravagant.
Jaden threw down and average monster, Avian and played a face down before Syrus made his move.
Syrus played a monster that had more attack than Avian, but failed to use the special ability it provided, and so wound up walking right into Jaden's trap.
"Oh boy...isn't dirt just the coolest~?" said the bluenette in his own embarassment as he drew shapes into the earth beneath his feet.
"Sy...don't crack yet..." Jaden blinked, "It was just one mistake."
"Yeah, the mistake was coming to this school." Syrus muttered., "I know I'm no good...I don't belong here."
Mia held heavy eyes on the blue haired boy...but remained silent.
More than anything, she knew that feeling. Exactly the feelings Syrus was playing through himself...
And it hurt her to watch as she closed her eyes in faded memory.
"It's not like you're any good...you have no place here!"
The sharp tones echoed in her memory while her mind's eye held a distorted image of a young girl with a flippy brown bob...hugging her knees, hiding her tearfilled eyes from the world...
xxxxx
"Just be there and look pretty, Baby~ That's all you need to get by~"
"Mia...Mia...?"
Just a simple motion showed her reaction.
"That was a good duel...with just a little more practice, I hope you'll duel me again, at Duel Academy!"
xxxxx
"Mia?"
The brunette gasped as Alexis's voice cut through and opened her eyes to the real world once again.
"Mia...are you okay?" asked Alexis.
"Oh...uh...yeah." she said softly, "Nothing to worry about..." she said with arms folded over her chest, "So...what's happening now?" she asked.
"Well..." said Alexis, "It looks like Syrus is finally playing in the duel now, rather than the dirt." she chuckled.
She was right.
Syrus did manage to step his game up just a little by activating Polymerization.
By fusing his Steamroid and Gyroid, he created a monster known as Steam-Gyroid.
Not a bad summon, not in display or in attack power-
And Syrus wasted no time wasting Jaden's Avian with it.
"Would you look at that." Mia blinked, "That wasn't too bad..."
Maybe Duel Skill runs in the Truesdale Family after all...
"What'd you think of that!?" said Syrus, "Had enough practice!?"
Mia cracked a small smile and let loose a light chuckle at Syrus's excitement. But Jaden didn't take that hit laying down..No.
Rather, he took it laughing.
Just as Syrus did in the turn before, Jaden too, also activated Polymerization. He fused together his Elemental Heroes Sparkman and Clayman, creating a beast called Thunder Giant. Not only did this monster over power Syrus's, he had a special ability to boot. Thunder rained down as the beast appeared. Which was Mia's kind of storm-
And she was completely star struck by it-
Syrus's train went up in smoke, and Jaden then threw out his Burstinatrix which is what was used to wipe Syrus out after his Thunder Giant used his actual attack.
The bluenette layed in defeat.
"And that's game!" said Jaden, "That was a good duel, Syrus."
"I don't know about that." Syrus sighed, "I didn't put up much of a fight, Jaden..."
"What are you talking aboput?" laughed the brunette, "Sure I was able to pull through in the end, but you made some pretty sweet moves." he stated, "Still though, I gotta ask." said Jaden, "What was that one card you drew...but didn't play?"
Mia blinked as she watched the scene below.
Admittedly she was curious about that too...but was too lost in her flashbacks to really pick up all of the details.
Jaden swiped away at Syrus's hand and let out a gasp.
"Power Bond!?" he stated, "Why didn't you use it!?" he asked, "You would have doubled Steam Gyroid's attack-" he said, "You would have had one tough monster!" he blinked, "On second thought, for my sake, I'm glad you didn't use it."
"You don't understand." said Syrus, "My brother says I'm not good enough to use it..." he sighed, "And I probably never will be..." he clenched his jaw and tore away in a dash.
"Wait, Syrus!" called Jaden.
But the he was already gone.
Chumley took off after him while the two Obelisk females stood sharing a glance before moving down to meet with Jaden.
"I guess practice doesn't always make for perfect, huh?" blinked Alexis.
"Yeah..." said Mia as she glanced toward the direction she watched the the smaller Truesdale run, "At least...not in the case of Syrus it seems..."
"I don't get it." said Jaden, "He's such a cool guy...I wish he could just see what I see."
"That's true..." said Mia.
"Huh?" Jaden blinked towards Mia and watched her blush.
"I-I mean...h-he's nice-er...whatever!" she huffed and folded her arms over her chest while averting his gaze as Jaden let out a light hearted chuckle.
"I mean..." Jaden blinked, "He had this primo card all set to play." he stated, "But he doesn't use it."
"Huh?" Mia blinked, "But...why?"
"...Because some brother of his said not to."
Mia let out a sharp gasp.
His brother?
Mia blinked.
Zane?
"What's the matter, Mia?" Jaden blinked, "Do you know something?"
"Yeah." said Alexis, answering for her, "That brother of his goes to this school." she blinked.
"...And you've probably heard of him, too." said Mia.
"What are you talking about?" asked Jaden.
"Hello!?" said Alexis, "Third Year Obelisk Blue and Number One Duelist at this Academy?" she stated, "He's the big man on campus!"
"She's talking about Zane." said Mia, "Zane Truesdale."
"And he really IS as good as his reputation." said the blonde, "Just ask Mia, even she dueled him."
"Yeah, and I almost beat him! I wouldn't say he's that good!" the brunette male huffed and folded her arms over her chest.
"Yeah...but you didn't." said Alexis.
"Yeah-But I'm gonna!" said Mia.
"I don't know Mia...according to Zane you may have won once in that match duel...but ultimately he ended up taking the gold."
"Hmph." she pouted.
"Well I'll tell ya, ladies, it doesn't sound like he's very good to his little brother." said Jaden.
"Yeah..." Mia said softly, "I wonder what happened between them..."
"It's better if you don't pry..." said Alexis.
"Oh, I won't pry!" said Jaden, "I'll duel this guy to find out what's up!"
"Hey!" said Mia, "Don't you go beating Zane Truesdale before I do, you got that!" she huffed, "We got a score to settle him and me!"
"You two aren't listening!" said Alexis, " Nobody messes with Zane!"
"They do when their tag team partner isn't dueling up to snuff because of him!" said Jaden, "And besides-" he beamed, "I wanna see how I stack up!"
"Well get in line!" Mia huffed.
"Here's an idea-how about you and I duel to see who duels him!" said Jaden.
"Uh, No thanks, Slifer, I'll pass!" the female huffed.
"Hey come on~" laughed Jaden.
"Look Jaden I'm all for us having a smack down, I just don't think now is the time to worry about that, don't you think?"
"Yeah...I guess you're right...Sy and I don't have a lot of time to prep...we gotta go find him."
Clearly these two are not going to listen to me...
Alexis sighed and cracked a small smile.
"...You go get him then." she said.
"All right!" said Jaden.
"Look out, Zane!" said Mia. Both of them stood at the water's edge and thrusts their fists into the air, making their declaration at the same time-
"WE'RE COMING FOR YOU!"
To Be Continued...