Hey all! Sorry for taking so long again. Life and my other projects are taking up a chunk of my time. But this explores Zane's descend into Madness. I hope its a tad different from Canon.
The days for CDA were business as usual. Tests, pop quizzes, and rumors abound. The sounds of Jerome, Ian, and Amelia proclaiming to be part of some Society of Light was ignored over Aster's defeat at Jaden's hands. Many wondering where the teen was at. But for one other, all they could focus on was their older brother.
Syrus sat in the Slifer Dorm, scowling as he read the latest Duel Magazine. After Zane's loss, he had slipped from the pros to the minor league. He was the butt of everyone's joke which made Syrus mad. He knew his bro was better then this! That duel with Aster had shaken him something bad.
"Zane...come on, bro, you can make a comeback, I know you can..." Syrus said, not seeing Bastion or the GX crew standing at the door.
"Poor guy...his only bro has been knocked down a fair amount." Bonnie said, crossing her arms.
"Oui...he is in the minors and from what zhe news are reporting, it may be his last duel..." Anthony said, quietly so Syrus didn't overhear.
Sadly for him, three annoyances did overhear.
"If I was that twerp, I'd change my last name so as not to be associated with him." Ian said, making the group look at him with a scowl.
"Zane didn't trust the Light and is now paying for it." Amelia said, snickering.
"Now there is someone lamer then you, Syrus! And its your own brother to boot! But don't worry, you all can avoid his fate if you just join the Light." Jerome taunted.
That tore it for the rest of the group. Many of them shoved the three away, Alexis scowling at them. The three shivered seeing the rest doing the same. They scrambled away, Alexis walking up and taking the magzine from Syrus' arms.
"Just ignore them and this, Sy. The news always hypes things up to get money. I'm sure Zane will make a comeback."
"Indeed. Zane has overcome many challenges. This is just another."
Syrus smiled, but there was still a look of worry in his eyes. Where could his brother be?
EODGX
The night had come to the city. Zane standing in a duel arena, one smaller then the Kaiba Domes. The seats were barely filled and the people that did fill them were bored with his performance. The duel had been...lackluster for the lack of a better term. He had tried to play his usual way, but...the memories of Aster's monsters beating his kept on coming up and making him second guess his plays.
Now, here he was, down to a mere hundred and fifty life points, no monsters in play, no traps set...wide open for an attack. To make matters worse?
It was his opponent's turn.
The lone monster his opponent had lashed out, knocking him away and his counter dropping to zero. The commentator groaned.
"And its all over folks. Zane Truesdale has lost the duel...and more then likely his dueling career."
Zane walked back to his area, the crowd jeering at him.
"I want a refund!"
"Talk about a hard fall from grace. So lame."
"Maybe he should change his name to Lame Truesdale."
Entering the hall, Zane clenched his fists, barely keeping his anger in check. He had never been afraid of dueling before, but ever since Aster...
Zane shook his head to clear those thoughts away. Unfortunately for him, one of the crowd members had one last parting shot at him.
"The King must have let him draw because he felt pity for that kid."
Freezing up for a second, Zane grit his teeth. It was very hard of him to take that step away from the door. As he walked to get his stuff, his mind thought back to the man who had first sponsored him. He had been...disappointed with his string of losses. So much so that they had dropped him entirely. A surge of anger was felt, but Zane squashed it down.
He had no one to blame but himself. During his entire trip down memory lane, he had reached his locker room. Mindlessly, he gathered his things up. Sealing them in his suitcase, he left. As he was leaving the arena for the final time, he was stopped by a voice.
"Trouble, mister Truesdale?"
Zane looked to the origins of the voice, seeing a man in a cloak and top hat, a pair of glasses glinting in the light.
"Who are you?" Zane demanded.
"My name is Shroud. Saruyama Shroud." The man said, a southern accent noticeable. "I'm a manager of fine duelists like yourself...however, my methods are a tad more, shall we say, frowned on."
"Look, what is that you want?" Zane asked, tired.
Shroud chuckled, tipping his hat.
"You don't mince words, Mister Truesdale. What I want is you to be at the top of your game again. I see potential in you, son. I saw that same sort of potential six long years ago with a young boy with golden eyes."
Zane's eyes went wide. Jaden?! How did this man know about Jaden!?
"I see I caught your attention. Yes, its true. I helped that boy get over his losing streak. I can and want to do the same thing with you, Zane. Turn out this streak of bad luck you've been having...maybe even get revenge on Aster?"
"That last part won't happen, Shroud. Jaden destroyed him when that fool called him out." Zane snapped making Shroud chuckle.
"True, true. But I can give you back your titles, Zane...make those naysayers eat their words. Course...we'll have to start from the bottom. Tell me, you ever hear about underground dueling?"
Zane swallowed hard. Something in him wanted to refuse the offer, to go on his way, to just...recover. But the anger and rage he had been feeling since Aster beat him festered and grown. It was able to drown out that tiny voice in his head. He wanted to hear the man out.
"What do you have in mind?"
Shroud's smile was sinister.
EODGX
Zane had waited a week for the duel. At his run down apartment, he waited, never leaving, never answering any calls from his family, not a peep from him. Finally, there was a knock. Opening it revealed Shroud. Zane followed the man to his car. A quiet drive took them to the seedier part of the city. Approaching a building, the car came to a stop. As they got out, Zane saw two men standing in front of a door that was made entirely of steel. The door was opened and revealed a stone staircase. Traveling into the darkness, Zane soon emerged into a large room. All around were people wearing masks, holding glasses of wine, lit only by candlelight. In the center was a duel arena, but there was a steel cage around.
"Attention folks! Tonight we have a special event for you! A no holds barred, no means of escape duel. That's right! It's a steel cage match!"
The announcement got many oohs and ahhs from the people sitting.
"Now, entering the ring, from parts unknown, its the undefeated cage king, Mad Dog!"
A large man with brown eyes was led in, scars covering his shoulders, chest and face. He had green hair in a spiked up fashion wearing nothing but pants. He gave out a roar, striking several poses before settling down.
"And now for his challenger. The first Central Duel Academy student to grace our arena and former Pro League duelist, Zane Truesdale!"
Zane took a deep breath and walked in. All around him, he could hear the patrons whispering. Commenting on how he had finally hit rock bottom and dueling in the underground. Zane felt his anger swelling, but he struggled to keep it down. Anger wouldn't win a duel. Instead, he focused on his opponent.
Shouldn't be too tough...idiot doesn't seem to have had any training whatsoever. Zane thought.
He gasped a little when he saw two men in suits and masks walk up to Mad Dog. They attached several black rings with spikes and red dots in the center around the arms, neck, and legs. Wondering what they were, Zane felt cold steel close in on his neck. Grunting in shock, he looked to see another two men with the same devices attached to him. Outside the cage, Shroud stood.
"Don't concern yourself with those. They just make the duel have a little more shock value to em." Shroud said, seeing Zane's confusion. "Now, the rules. You're forbidden from leaving the cage until the match is over. Don't let your guard down either. Mad Dog is as dangerous as they come..."
Zane touched the strange metal device, his ears suddenly hurting as a voice called out.
"That's wight poopy head! My mommy says I'm weally stwong!"
"Mad Dog?! You sound like a demented five year old!" Zane shouted in shock.
"Hey now, words huwt you know! I'm gonna chew you up and spit you out like last week's bweakfast! So soggy!" Mad dog said, his child-like voice really getting on Zane's last nerves.
"Alright, let the match begin!"
Mad Dog: 8000/Zane: 8000
This is it! Zane thought to himself, his disk deploying.
"Me First!" MD said, drawing his opening hand and then one more. "No backies! I pway Acid Swime in defense mode!"
(Acid Slime – LV/***, Attribute/WATER, ATK/800, DEF/1000, Type/Aqua/Effect.
When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, inflict 800 damage to your opponent.)
A tiny monster appeared. It was blue in appearance, a maw of razor teeth in the center of its arms or legs. It growled at Zane before settling down. Zane grimaced, knowing that monster could deal effect damage once destroyed. MD placed a card facedown, ending his turn.
"That all? Alright, watch this. I'll start with a card facedown, following that, I play Different Dimension Capsule."
(Different Dimension Capsule – Type/Spell/Normal.
Select 1 card from your Deck and remove it from play face-down. During your 2nd Standby Phase after activation, destroy this card and add the removed card to your hand.)
"Here's how it works. I chose one card from my deck, place it in the capsule, and in two rounds, I get it back. Now I summon my Cyber Dragon. Since you control a monster and I don't, I can play it right from my hand, leaving me able to Normal summon. So come forth, Cyber Dragon Core!"
The two monsters appeared, roaring. The first was the larger, sleeker and shiner dragon. The second monster was smaller, several wires coming off it and a weak roar coming from it. Zane smirked, stating that thanks to his Core, he could gain a spell or trap card, so long as it had Cyber in its name. A single card was chosen, Zane adding it to his hand.
"Attack me! Double Dog dare ya!" MD taunted.
Zane frowned. If he attacked, he'd take eight hundred points of damage. MD would only take four hundred thanks to his Core. He couldn't risk it. MD smirked then.
"Did I scare you? Well, this make you even more afraid! I weveal twap card, Last Machine Acid Virus!"
(Last Machine Acid Virus – Type/Trap/Normal.
Tribute 1 WATER monster. Check all monsters your opponent controls, your opponent's hand, and all cards they draw (until the end of your opponent's 3rd turn after this card's activation), and destroy all Machine-Type monsters. Inflict 500 damage to your opponent for each monster destroyed by this effect.)
"Here's how it works. First, I twibute a water monster like my Acid Swime. Then I check your hand and field. If it has any machines, like your two dwagons, they're all destroyed."
Zane frowned, watching his two monster rust away. MD cackled madly.
"It gets worse! You lose five hundred life points for each Machine destwoyed!"
"What?!" Zane gasped out.
Zane: 7000
At the decrease, the odd devices came to life, blue arcs of electricity jumping all over his body. Zane let out a cry of pain, dropping to his knees. MD and everyone all laughed or cheered, seeing the former Pro League member on his knees.
"Shroud! What is THIS?!" Zane demanded, panting hard, sweat on his brow.
"Like I said...the collars add a bit of shock value to the duel. Each and every time you or Mad Dog there lose life points, you get shocked. Careful now. This is one duel you don't want to lose."
"You! BASTARD! You lied to me, you fucker! I will make you pay!" Zane spat, making the man tense up.
Shroud saw a ghostly image of Jaden behind the man, only the whites were completely black and the golden eyes glowing. The exact same words had been said and Shroud never forgot how Jaden made him pay. The boy had mauled his left leg in a duel to become a free duelist. It was why his career as a Underground Pro was done for. Stepping back a bit, Shroud nearly collapsed due to his bad leg.
"My, you certainly got his tone of voice down pat...but you don't have his power." Shroud muttered.
Aloud, Shroud pointed out that Zane was being unfair. He had given Zane exactly what the man had wanted. A sold out arena, fans cheering for his victory. The man had given all things Zane had wanted and then some. He wanted Fame, but there was a price to be paid. Nothing in life was easy or free.
"Shucks, if it was, there would be no more strife, war, famine...all our problems solved. But this isn't how it is. So now...fight for your life."
Zane grunted, scowling. Shroud sighed.
"Go on, Zane. You don't want to disappoint your public anymore then you have do ya?"
All around the two, the crowd started to boo and hiss, one even demanding a refund. The memories of his last defeat fresh in his mind, Zane turned back to MD, scowling.
"Bring it on." He said with gritted teeth.
"Oh it is bwung!" MD said, drawing.
Looking at the card, he smirked. Turning it around, he revealed it to be Contingency Fee, an image of a briefcase being slashed open by a ninja on it..
(Contingency Fee – Type/Spell/Effect.
Your opponent must draw cards until they have 6 cards in their hand. Then, gain 1000 Life Points for each card they drew.)
"This spell makes you draw until you have six cards. Then I gain a thousand life points for each one. But don't forget my Machine Virus! For each Machine you drew, it destroyed and you take damage!"
"Shame then that I didn't draw any." Zane said, showing the cards.
MD: 11,000
"Then I'll take care of that! With Cawd Destwuction! With this spell, we both thwow out ouw hands and dwaw a whole new hand! Six for you and three for me!"
Zane scowled, tossing the six cards into his grave. Drawing a new hand, Acid Virus activated, Zane revealing the hand. MD's eyes gazed over the cards before his expression got wide and a smirk appeared on his face.
"You have fouw monstews! And they're all machines! You know that means! You take two thousand points of damage! You're gonna get a big owie!"
Zane grunted, his dragons being destroyed. The collars came to life, the blue lightning even bigger then before.
Zane: 5000
"ARGH!" Zane roared, collapsing to his knees.
Panting hard, Zane wondered what he was thinking, putting his life on the line for such paltry stakes. MD seemed to sense this because his voice echoed all around him.
"We're not done just yet, little man! I pway pot of greed, which allows me to draw two more cards.
The crazed man drew his two cards, revealing one of them.
"I summon to the field in defense, my cwone swime!"
(Clone Slime – LV/**, Attribute/WATER, ATK/0, DEF/0, Type/Aqua/Effect.
When this face-up card is selected as an attack target, you can send this card to the Graveyard to select 1 "Slime" monster in your Graveyard. Special Summon that monster in this card's same battle position, and switch the attack target to that monster.)
The monster that appeared was a green humanoid slime monster, kneeling down with its 'arms' crossed its chest. Zane panted, standing up as MD placed two cards facedown and ended his turn. Drawing, Zane's DDC appeared and the card inside was given to him. Adding it to his hand, he checked over the card he drew and saw the card he had gotten was Future Fusion.
Perfect! Just what I need to turn this all around! The man thought.
"I play Future Fusion! This allows me to send Fusion Material monsters from my deck to the grave to get a Fusion monster! Sadly, it can't attack!"
"Its not even gonna show up! I weveal my twap cawd, Jammew Slime!"
(Jammer Slime – Type/Trap/Counter.
Discard 1 "Slime" monster. Negate the activation of an opponent's Spell/Trap Card, and destroy that card.)
"By sending a slime monstew in my hand to the gwave, I negate your puny spell!"
From the trap a blob of slime shot out and consumed the card. Zane snarled, watching as MD drew a card.
"I discarded Dwaw Slime so its effect activated, allowing me to dwaw. But not to show you that I'm too heawtless, I reveal my other twap, Despised Weality!"
(Despised Reality – Type/Trap/Normal. Activate only during your opponent's turn. This turn, your opponent can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower monster from their Deck. If they do, draw 2 cards. If not, you take 1000 damage during the End Phase.)
"This twap allows you to bring out a level fouw or lower monstew. But if you do that, I get two cards! Chose not to summon and I take a thousand points of damage!"
Zane scowled, knowing that not summoning would deal him more damage. Two cards was nothing.
"I bring forth my Proto-Cyber Dragon!"
The tiny machine appeared, MD drawing two cards. Zane then ordered his Proto to attack the clone slime. MD just smirked, Zane realizing too late he had fallen for a trap.
"You activated my Cwone Swime's effect! When its attacked, I can send it to the gwave and then summon anothew swime monstew! I chose my Acid Swime!"
The clone vanished and in its place was the blue Slime. Zane couldn't stop the attack, the blast destroying the slime. A mild shock came from the collars, making him cry out.
Zane: 4200
"Still...standing." Zane said, hearing the laughter all around him. "I'll...set a card and end.
"Not fow wong! Time to knock you on your tushie!" MD said, drawing. "I've been waiting aw match fow this! I pway Swime Base!"
(Slime Base – Type/Spell/Normal.
Special Summon 1 "Slime" monster from your hand.)
"Thanks to this spell, I can summon a swime monstew fwom my hand. Get a woad of this! It's my Muwtipwe Swime!"
(Multiple Slime – LV/*****, Attribute/WATER, ATK/1500, DEF/2000, Type/Aqua/Effect.
When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon 3 "Slime Tokens" (Aqua-Type/WATER/Level 1/ATK 500/DEF 500) in Attack Position.)
A large rhino of yellow slime appeared, roaring. It glared hatefully at Zane's monster, the crazed loon chuckling.
"Not done yet! I pway Swime replication!"
(Slime Replication – Type/Spell/Normal
Select 1 "Slime" monster on the field and Special Summon another from your hand or deck.)
"This spell lets me pway another Muwtipwe Swime!"
A second Rhino appeared, roaring. Zane's eyes went wide at another Slime Replication Spell. MD cackled as a third Slime beast appeared roaring. Seeing the shocked look, MD went on the attack. The first Slime beast tore through Proto like paper. Gasping out, Zane staggered from the pain of shocks.
Zane: 3800
"Now doubwe twouble! Both my swimes attack you directly!"
"Wrong! I reveal my other facedown, Power Wall! Now, I toss out fifteen cards to reduce the damage I take in half!" Zane snarled, sending his deck to the grave.
(Power Wall – Type/Trap/Effect.
Activate only when you take battle damage from a monster. Send any number of cards from your Deck to the Graveyard, and the damage is reduced by 100 points for each one.)
Zane: 2300
"Big whoop! I pway one finaw spell! Swime-Plosion!"
(Slime Explosion – Type/Spell/Effect.
Tribute 1 "Slime" monster you control. Inflict Damage equal to the monster's original attack points to your opponent's Life Points.)
MD tributed one of his Multiple Slimes. The explosion that resulted from such an action sent Zane sliding back, before the electrical shock kicked in as his life points fell dangerously low. Panting and feeling his muscles spasm, he dimly heard Shroud over the whispering laughter.
Zane: 700
"Oh Mister Truesdale, I told you that you had to start at the bottom. It doesn't get any lower then this, son. You reached the bottom of the barrel. Only one place to go from here."
"Yeah, out! I'm done, Shroud. To hell with your world! I won't be part of it, now open that fucking door!" Zane snarled, turning to face the man.
"Impossible. Match isn't done yet. If you want out so bad...you need to do one thing and that is win."
"I CAN'T! If I draw a machine, he destroys it with his Slime monsters or virus! It's hopeless!"
"Actually, my virus twap wan out last turn, so you're safe...fow now!" MD called out, but was ignored.
Here, Shroud started chuckling.
"What have you got to lose then, Zane? Your reputation is gone, your pride too. Even your friends have abandoned you."
"THAT'S A LIE! I KNOW THEM! THEY NEVER ABANDONED ME! I HAD JADEN'S RESPECT!" Zane all but shouted, charging at the cage and grabbing Shroud much to his shock.
The man saw the same insanity in Jaden's eyes long ago. Seeing it again in Zane's...it sent a shiver of fear over his spine. But keeping his calm, Shroud just chuckled again.
"And would you still have it if he saw you here...after all you went through. He'd be ashamed that he ever knew you, Mister Truesdale. Face it...you are all alone. You need to let go of your past...lock up the Zane you used to be in this steel cage. You only have me."
Zane's eyes were full of tears. He knew it wasn't true. Everyone hadn't deserted him...he had deserted them. But he couldn't back out now...nor could he afford to die to this filth. Letting go of Shroud, Zane walked back to his spot, the tears now flowing.
"Forgive me..." He whispered, looking at his deck.
"I have to go potty, can you hurry up and lose like the good little bitch you are?" MD interrupted.
Hearing MD's annoying voice finally snapped free the Zane that had been begging to be let out. The Zane Jaden saw a glimpse of in the Grad match one year ago. It was now free...and it was PISSED.
"So...you want excitement?! HERE!" Zane roared, drawing.
The card he had drawn was exactly what he needed.
"I play Cyber Dragon Zwei in attack mode!"
(Cyber Dragon Zwei – LV/****, Attribute/LIGHT, ATK/1500, DEF/1100, Type/Machine/Effect.
If this card attacks an opponent's monster, it gains 300 ATK during the Damage Step only. Once per turn: You can reveal 1 Spell in your hand; this card's name becomes "Cyber Dragon" until the End Phase. This card's name becomes "Cyber Dragon" while in the GY.)
Zwei was a smaller Cyber Dragon with a pair of wings behind it. MD smirked then.
"You fell fow my twap! Go, Slime Trap Hole!"
(Slime Trap Hole – Type/Trap/Normal.
Activate this card when your opponent summons a Level 4 or higher monster. Destroy the summoned monster. Then increase your Life points by the total ATK of all monsters on the field times two.)
Zane watched his dragon become consumed by slime and dragged into a hole. When it blew up, several bubbles came out and surrounded Mad Dog. Giggling insanely, MD explained.
"When a monstew is destowyed by my twap, I gain life points equal to all monster attack points times two! So I gain six thousand life points!"
Mad Dog: 17,000
"Aw, too bad! Looks like you lose." MD taunted.
"Wrong! I play Power Bond! This let's me fuse monsters to make a fusion machine! However...as you can see, I only had one monster in my hand, Zwei. As you stated, you lost the effect of your Virus last turn, I was safe. But now...now I can utterly destroy you! Thanks to my Cybernetic Fusion support, by paying half my life points, I can fuse cards that in my grave! Thanks to my Power Wall play last round, I have a total of twenty five monsters in my grave!"
Zane: 350
One by one, each machine appeared behind Zane. Smirking, Zane banished each and everyone of them, making everyone gasp in shock. Even Shroud seemed shocked.
"What you doin'?! Where youw monstews go!?" MD demanded, making Zane chuckle.
"That's easy...they're being used to make my most powerful Machine-Type fusion...meet...CHIMERATECH OVERDRAGON!"
(Chimaratech Overdragon – LV/*********, Attribute/DARK, ATK/?, DEF/?, Type/Fusion/Machine/Effect.
"Cyber Dragon" 1 or more Machine-Type monsters
This monster cannot be Special Summoned except by Fusion Summon. When this card is Fusion Summoned, send all other cards you control to the Graveyard. The original ATK and DEF of this card are each 800 x the number of Fusion Material Monsters used for its Fusion Summon. During each of your turns, this card gains 1 attack for every Fusion Material Monster used for its Fusion Summon.)
"Normally, I can summon Chimeratech with only two machines, my Cyber Dragon and another. But...I'm not in a really forgiving mood today."
"Your monstew have no attack powew, it weak!" MD said, making many people think Zane lost it.
Here, Zane smirked. Using a child-like voice of his own, Chimeratech Overdragon gained eight hundred attack points times the number of fusion material he had used. Zane had used twenty-five monsters.
"Uh, lemme see...eight times twenty-five is...a bunch of points?" MD asked dumbly.
"YES! A whopping twenty thousand attack points!"
Overdragon – ATK/? → 20,000
"That's a lot of points." Shroud said fearfully.
"Oh but it gets better! Due to power bond, my dragon's power is doubled again!"
Overdragon – ATK/20,000 → 40,000
"Uh oh!" MD whimpered.
"Uh oh?! That's all you have to say!? WELL, LET ME GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO BE REALLY AFRAID ABOUT!" Zane thundered. "MY DRAGON GAINS AN ADDITIONAL ATTACK FOR EACH FUSION MATERIAL I USED! SO HE HAS TWENTY-FIVE ATTACKS! ALL! AIMED! AT! YOU!"
"Mommy!" MD whispered.
Zane did not hesitate. Ordering his overdragon to attack, the dragon roared, sending out a blast of plasma at the first multiple slime. It was shredded to pieces by the hot beam, Mad Dog crying out as he was shocked for the first time.
Mad Dog: 0
Shroud was about to congratulate Zane, but the roar of the dragon silenced him. Once more the dragon unleashed its attack, once more, Mad Dog was struck. Flying into the cage, he gained another shock, screaming and crying out. That's when Shroud heard it.
Laughter.
Crazed, joy-filled laughter. Looking around, he saw the source was not from the crowd...but from Zane himself. The man's eyes widened in shocked amazement as the dragon just continued to attack, over and over again. Mad Dog screamed and screamed, pleading for help. For his mommy, for anyone. But Zane just kept up the attack.
"I NEVER FELT MORE ALIVE! THIS...THIS IS WHAT TRUE DUELING IS ALL ABOUT! OVERWHELMING YOUR ENEMY AND MAKING THEM CRY OUT FOR MERCY BUT SHOWING NONE! WHY DID I WASTE MY TIME RESPECTING MY ENEMY?! I SHOULD AND WILL CRUSH ALL UNDER FOOT!" Zane shouted through his laughter, the attacks from his dragon still going.
By this time, Mad Dog had gone silent, his eyes blank and flesh smoking. Finally, with one final attack, the dragon blasted Mad Dog out of a hole and clear across the makeshift duel arena. Many of the patrons dove out of the way, staring in shock and terror.
"Oh god..."
"What have we done..." One whispered in shock.
They had done this to him...they had mocked, ridiculed, and spat on Zane Truesdale. Now...they see what they had created. It made them all sick to their stomachs. But it was too late now. They had unleashed the genie from the bottle.
Shroud himself was staring, but with pure, unadulterated joy on his face.
"Zane Truesdale...you have been reborn." He said with pride, Zane standing tall over Mad Dog's corpse...for that it all was now.
No one saw the streak of tears that flowed. They only saw the crazed smile.
EODGX
Several days later, everyone at CDA was treated to a shocking sight. It was Zane, back in the minors, only...different. He had on a black overcoat with white trimmings and sharp edges, a black belt with a star on it and a cruel, sinister look on his face.
"Zane Truesdale has done it! He defeated...no, DECIMATED his opponent! I don't know if its because of the new wardrobe, but it looks like Zane Truesdale is back on top!"
Syrus watched it all, concern on his face. This...this was not his older brother. Syrus vowed to make his brother return to his senses...before he did something regrettable.
Unlike in canon where Zane doesn't seem to care about what his friends and family thought of him, I wanted to show that he's still the same under all the insanity...but he just thinks its too late for him. He already sold his pride as a duelist and will never get it back...