Hero

Author's Note: This story contains boy/boy situations, so if you don't like that kind of stuff, don't read. It also contains spoilers for Yu-Gi-Oh GX. So if you don't want to know ahead of time what's going to happen in the anime, don't read. Otherwise, enjoy the story and R&R.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of the Yu-Gi-Oh Series.

Pairing: Judai x Edo, Judai x Sho

Summary:

During a routine trip to Duel Academy, Edo Phoenix discovers what being a true hero really means.

…

Chapter 1: Reverence

Footsteps, rhythmic and poised, echoed softly in the equally poised hallway. The sounds were light on the air, creating an illusion of silence as the sole individual crossed the pale red carpet. As he walked past, marble pillars, polished so excessively that he could see his reflection in them, presented themselves. They lined either side of the crimson tapestry, standing erect with the posture of a soldier, only hunching over at the ceiling where the structures ended in elaborate architecture. The floor was sparkling white and stretched far into the distance, the end barely visible at the foot of a glassy staircase of three steps; the only darkness that crept into the sanctuary was that of his own shadow, projected radially over the pristine expanse in the shape of a pentacle. The faint smell of chestnuts entered his nose as he drew closer to his destination, reminding him of his days as a child, stories of which he refused to abandon…The warm greetings of townsfolk as they sipped tea late into the afternoon, the torrid sunlight that beamed overhead as he looked upon the clock tower, and the smile of his father that never faltered.

A sudden chill came over him, and he gripped his sides instinctively. He was well aware that the act would prove pointless however, as the sanctum was a haven without doors or windows that could be shut to keep the wind from making its presence known. He did so regardless…It gave him some sense of repose. He ascended the staircase, finally arriving in a much brighter room. Four glowing spheres were suspended high above, casting a blue hue over the otherwise glimmering walls. Each radiating orb was arranged perfectly so that together, one atop another, they formed a miniature cross. At the center of the room, there was a man, a transparent table and chair.

"You're early…Edo," the seated one said calmly, though a hint of expectedness rang in his voice.

The youngster did not reply. He did not think his superior was waiting for a response. From the looks of things, he was too preoccupied mixing the cards atop his table, as if Edo had not come in unannounced at all.

"Something interesting happened…I visited Duel Academy recently…"

"Duel Academy? Why did you go there?" The boy brushed strands of his silvery hair out of his eyes.

"The truth is often most unexpected." He united the cards into a single pile, and with a fluid motion, scattered three from the top horizontally in front of himself, and with a second, placed an additional one above them. With his left hand, he lifted the card furthest from himself, as well as the leftmost closest to himself, and turned them face up. A jester of sorts, sporting a tightly-wound headdress and fife, adorned the face of the latter. "Fate is an unequivocal concept, Edo. One is only susceptible to destiny, yet the power that climbs beyond my prediction is still seeking to precariously manipulate my Wheel of Fortune. That is…Yuki Judai's power." He examined the premier tarot.

The teenager again did not say a word. He waited patiently for an answer to his original question, but was beginning to suspect that it would never be answered, given his manager's riddle-talk.

"Yuki Judai, represented by The Fool…He holds the key to unlocking the secrets of my Wheel of Fortune…The key that will allow it to spin forever."

At last, Edo spoke, "Judai has that ability? Why would he-?"

"That is a mystery," the elder interrupted. "But I have no intentions of playing detective…Go to Duel Academy at once. If Yuki Judai is to become one with our cause, we must react to the fool's journey with haste. Already my fate begins to spin out of control." He frowned, flipping over the next card. "The upright god of death who brings destruction. What change will be wrought?"

"So I must return to that school again, Saiou?" Edo's speech resembled that of a child's whining. He hated the Academy with a passion.

"Something wrong with that? You do not agree?" Saiou slurred wickedly, not unlike a hissing serpent.

The boy relented. "Fine, I'll go. Afterwards, I'll have nothing more to do with that wretched place!" Straightening his tie, he proceeded out the room.

Saiou was intrigued. He flipped over the final card of his spread. It was The Hierophant. "So Yuki Judai is not alone. Edo Phoenix, you too share the same path." He shuffled the four cards on the table back into the deck, and began mixing again. A single tarot card fluttered away from its brethren and the diviner's gaze followed its descent closely until it had landed on the floor, at which time shock struck.

"The Lovers!"

…

Under the cover of darkness, the vehicle sped through the clouds, its propellers slicing through the billowy substance as if it were a heated knife on butter. The plane veered from side to side repetitively due to turbulence, but remained relatively steady thanks to the pilot's excellent skills. A hatch in the plane's side was open, two figures making preparations within.

Edo put on his gloves and adjusted his tinted goggles so that he could see properly. He put weight down on both feet to check that the board he was standing on was secure before locking his boots into place with the straps on the board's edges.

The hatch operator inspected the athlete's gear, nodding when he was certain that everything was set. He let out a loud yell that was drowned out by the whipping of the propellers outside, "Are you ready?"

Edo gave the man a thumbs-up. "Might as well have some fun!"

"GO!"

Launching himself forward, the teen drove himself off the aircraft's ramp and into the open atmosphere, his shielded eyes meeting the night sky. Although much of the heavens had been blanketed in shadow, they still carried a rare beauty that Edo longed to experience; the sky was an intricately woven network of tiny pinpoints of light, charming and exquisite, much like a fireworks display.

Steadying the board, Edo roared loudly as he fell, the blurriness around him flying backwards in a violent storm. He shifted quickly to slow his momentum, gaining more control over his plummet. He could identify the smoke that arose from the island below. It was unmistakable, practically bursting forth from the volcano that rested on the opposite side of the landmass as the Academy.

"YAHOO!"

He was hooked on the rush of adrenaline. His senses flared. At that moment, he lived up to his name. Rising from the ashes, the firebird soared onward. Defeated previously by Yuki Judai, he would return to the cinders. There he would be birthed anew.