Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh! GX.

Exam time! So what do I do? Study, work on final projects, and cry in a corner? Heck no, I write a new chapter and try not to go insane! :D

Chapter 4: The Nature of Tragedy

Alexis' POV

Dear Ms. Rhodes and Mr. Yuki,

It has come to my attention that your BioBands are malfunctioning. Please report to the Chancellor's Office and wait for instruction. If he cannot remedy the problem, I will send for Axel to bring you to my lab for repair. Do not waste time, as it is a factor in the database for your standing in this Academy.

-Professor Viper

I reread the message to avoid looking at Jaden. He was sitting beside me, fiddling with the damaged BioBand on his wrist as the sunlight wasted away. Chancellor Shepherd had spent hours following the instructions that Viper had given him, but had gotten nothing but the occasional spark. The BioBands refused to even unlatch from our wrists and instead clung stubbornly to the burnt flesh around them.

It was almost funny how lucky Jaden was. He hadn't said much since we'd arrived, retreating into himself once Shepherd looked at him with concern. Now that the Chancellor had gone to contact Axel, we were alone and he was more interested in something broken than the friend beside him. I stewed in sulk as the sun continued to set.

"Alexis?" he said. His head was angled down, but his hands had gone still around his wrist. There was thought I could not fathom in his shadowed frown.

"What?"

Jaden turned to look at me, and I was stunned by the depth of his eyes. He lifted his hands and gently cupped mine, bringing them into his lap. His fingers ghosted over the marks of electricity, sparking heat in my cheeks. "I'm sorry."

I was at a loss for words.

Jaden continued, sighing into my light scars. "You're right, we're friends. I'm just not used to having to rely on you guys, you know? I mean—I do. I really do. You're more important to me than… no, I think you know."

He laughed, but it was low-pitched. His hands stopped and fell around my skin, but he was still smiling. "I told Jesse before I told you guys because he didn't know Zane. It was easier to talk when I didn't have to look at his friend or brother. I didn't mean to make you mad, but I can't take it back."

Seeing Jaden serious stilled me and tore the blush from my cheeks. I moved my hands up so that they took his, rough from dueling and mischief. "You're right. You can't take it back."

He cringed. I gripped his hands harder.

"I don't want you to," I continued. "Just don't make the same mistake twice. The Jaden I know is pretty good at messing up, but even better at making things right."

He was touched. "The Alexis I know is awesome. Thanks."

I smiled. We were still holding hands, pouring over each other's scars and whispering when Chancellor and Axel walked in. Shepherd raised his eyebrows and beamed at us, but said nothing when we disengaged and rose to face the transfer. Jaden's arms were crossed, but he was less tense around the shoulders.

"Come on," was all Axel said.

Jaden made a joke about leaving him hanging, Axel ignored him politely, and I had the distinct impression that I had missed something. Before I could decide if it was worth questioning, Axel was out the door and Jaden was pulling me forward.

"Where is Professor Viper's lab anyway?" he asked. I slid out of his grip and set my own pace, rubbing where he had touched me.

"Out in the woods," Axel replied. He kept his sentences short. "There's an old animal facility there. No other place has enough equipment."

That was all he said for the rest of the journey. Jaden tried prompting him to speak for the first ten minutes, and then got the hint to shut up. He turned to me instead and began whispering what had happened between them, about the duel that almost had Syrus dumped into the ocean. My mouth twisted as I listened, reevaluating the quiet transfer that led the way.

Axel had always been the most mysterious of the boys. It was true that Jim was the strangest with his missing eye and pet crocodile, Adrian the elitist, and Jesse the kindest, but Axel had left a lacking impression on the student body. In spite of being one of the few African-American students on campus, he had the tendency to disappear in the crowd.

"How long have you been Viper's lackey?" I asked, cutting Jaden off. He looked mortified.

If Axel was surprised, he did not show it. "Viper has been my teacher for a long time, but I am not his lackey. What I did to test the BioBands was my own decision."

I smelled a lie. "So you just naturally like to make people believe their friends are in danger?"

Axel looked at me then. "I understand that you just lost someone. Do not confuse me with Zane Trusdale."

I flushed and made to retort, but Jaden stopped me with a quick wave of his hands. We spent the rest of the trip in huffy silence. The animal facility came into view once my blistered feet had gone numb. Decrepit and ancient, throngs of ivy clung to the crumbling brick like parasites. The night drained any color from the building, leaving it large, decaying, and oppressive. A shudder ran through the group, and I moved a step closer to Jaden. There was something of the abandoned dorm in this place.

Axel rubbed his arms and turned back. He opened his mouth, glared, and then shook his head, gesturing us forward. The keypad next to the rusty door looked worse for wear, but glowed when Axel entered the entry code. Groaning, the doors dragged open into more darkness, silent and oppressive. Jaden whistled.

"Looks like a haunted house instead of a machine room," he chuckled. His hands were shaking.

Axel grunted. "Viper is one man. There is only so much he can fix."

The transfer disappeared into the building without another word, leaving Jaden and I alone on the outside. I moved forward, but Jaden caught me, frowning into the darkness. His head tilted to the side, listening intently to something unheard, and I realized Winged Kuriboh must be talking to him. Jaden shifted his weight and let me go, whispering, "Remember when you tried to stop Syrus, Chumley, and I from entering the abandoned dorm first year?"

"I was thinking the same thing."

He smiled. "Let's stay together this time."

He reached out and I accepted his touch. With one last breath, we marched hand and hand into Viper's den. Our eyes were slow to adjust to the darkness, guided only by Axel's combat boots against the dirt floor. Every once in a while, the transfer would swipe the grimy walls with his hand, in search of a switch. When he failed to find one, he drew a flashlight from his belt and led on, face grim. "Viper must have redirected the power."

Jaden's hand was growing tight around mine. "Hey, Axel, what kind of guy is Viper?"

"What do you mean?"

We continued for several hushed feet as Jaden fished for an answer. Dust lined the entire hall, the air, and diluted our thoughts. I coughed.

"Something feels weird here," Jaden offered. "This is gonna sound crazy, but hey, Duel Academy is like that. I can see duel spirits, and Winged Kuriboh does not like it here."

Axel snorted, but made no comment to disprove Jaden. I glared at the back of his head and supplied, "Trust me, we've had all sorts of strange things happen here. Jaden's ability is tame in comparison to shadow games and evil cults."

"I am aware of what has happened here," Axel replied. He came to a quick halt. Jaden and I blinked and nearly collided with him. The transfer flashed his light ahead, showing another large door at the end of the corridor. Mesh and metal had been chewed away, leaving gaping holes in its structure. I grabbed Jaden tighter this time.

"What happened here?" I demanded.

Axel reached for a pad on the wall and fiddled with it. Spot lights came on in the room ahead, illuminating an overgrown dome forest. Trees, brush, and vines climbed the Plexiglas walls and broke through, raining dirt overhead constantly. "I already said. This used to be an animal testing facility. Your spirit is probably reacting to the animals inside."

"This can't be safe," I complained. Jaden looked around in curious agreement, inspecting the wildlife.

Axel swept his flashlight to the right, illuminating a domed walkway. I felt my apprehension wilt, but remained frowning. We made our way to the path, opened the well-oiled doors, and ascended to the lifted bridge. The path above the forest was clean on the inside, but the outside was so thickly coated with leaves and dirt it was impossible to see outside. We were guided by the filthy light filtering through and the glowing strips along our path. Our footsteps echoed far into the distance, preceding us.

Jaden's grip was growing more and more slack the further in we moved. His lips were tight and eyes were distant, head tilted. Kuriboh was obviously chattering a mile in a minute, sent into overdrive by all the dangerous wildlife underneath us. It was the first time I did not feel a twinge of jealousy about his ability. No doubt Chazz and Jesse would have it even worse with their deck full of enthusiastic partners.

Jaden leaned closer, his voice strained. "Something's up."

The fact that I couldn't use my duel disk became ominously clear. We distanced ourselves from the transfer, staying a good fifteen feet behind when the end of the walkway became clear. The platform did not descend to the ground as it had in the front, instead it opened into two routes on the left and right that encircled the dome with a single, closed gate in the center. The metal was solid and polished, gleaming against its dirty surroundings.

"Viper's up here," Axel explained. He did not mention the equipment. I stepped in front of Jaden, who was paling. His brown eyes were fixed on something beyond that door; his hand was nearly limp in mine.

Axel entered the last code and the bridge shook. The door heaved upwards, its spikes teeth in the ground. Jaden stepped forward. "Axel."

The transfer turned back, arms crossed. "You are wasting time."

"Probably," he answered. "Does Viper have a duel spirit?"

Axel looked honestly perplexed by the question and uncrossed his expression. "Why do you ask?"

"Umm," Jaden replied. Oh no. "Not to insult your teacher or anything, but there's some bad news up there. Like, duel monster bad news."

He didn't look convinced by his own words, but concern flickered briefly on Axel's face. "I do not believe Viper can see duel spirits. But you should not worry; he is a very powerful duelist. I doubt he is in danger."

The transfer picked up his steps regardless. Jaden and I shared looks before plunging ahead, struggling to keep pace with Axel's wide strides.

"What does Kuriboh feel?" I asked.

"Nothing. Something. I don't know," he replied. Jaden let go of me to wipe his hair back. It was clear Axel was listening by his squared shoulders. "He's not sure what he feels; just that something really weird is up ahead. It could be just some animals, or even the signal from the BioBands, but I don't think so. I can feel something, something familiar. Can't you?"

I stopped myself from reminding him I couldn't hear duel spirits and listened. Faint sounds of electricity, running water, and equipment floated through the walls, in sync with our footsteps. Sounds crept like spiders around us, forcing us to move faster, kicking my heart out of beat. Axel was almost jogging now, assuring, "We'll see soon enough. The room is just ahead."

It came into view before he had finished. There was no door in the archway, just an orange glow that bathed the walls. Axel calmed at the sight as Jaden tensed, but we carried on and crossed inside. The lights came on.

Jaden and I jumped. Axel might have smiled. A deep, stern voice called from the left of the room, "You three are late. The motion sensor lights have been off for some time now. Let this be a lesson for tardiness."

Professor Viper was seated at the head of an enormous console, to the left of a giant, orange tube. Strange plasma floated in the glass like a lava lamp, emitting heat and energy in utter silence. Jaden stepped away from it as Viper laid a proud hand on the container, illuminated by the buzzing machines behind him.

"I didn't know you liked the 70s, Professor," Jaden joked. His eyes were glued to the plasma. Viper's face shadowed in disappointment.

"How sad," he said. "I would have thought Duel Academy's best duelist would recognize what this is."

Jaden made a face between disgust and annoyance. "A lava lamp?"

Viper's laugh was low and heavy. "No, Jaden Yuki. This is a representation of the duel energy of this island. Every time students duel, it creates more plasma and reads its consistency as a result. The more powerful the students' enthusiasm and energy, the more brilliantly it glows. Would you like to see yours?"

"I'm good."

I took a step forward, examining the material. It pulsed and twisted with life. "So this is why the bands glow orange at the end of duels."

Viper turned to me. "Very good observation, Ms. Rhodes. You truly are fitting of your Queen title."

Somehow, it felt like an insult. Axel drifted to the back of the room while we talked, observing the various energy charts posted on the wall. I watched him for funny business out of the corner of my eye, highly aware of Jaden's growing discomfort as he stared down the duel energy.

"So, can you fix our BioBands now?" Jaden asked. With no small effort, he pasted his gaze onto Viper and held out his wrist. The man nodded. I had never seen him smile so often in all the months of classes we shared.

"Of course, just sit down here and we'll see what the problem is."

He offered Jaden his office chair and pulled out a panel from the computer desk. Jaden hesitated, looked towards me, and then took a seat. Viper took his hand without consent and held it down on the scanner. Images of the BioBand appeared on the screen, scanning error reports and broken sections. It beeped and buzzed enough to set my arms alight with goose bumps and drain the dread from Jaden's face.

Viper hummed. "It's a simple enough solution. It seems that your duel with Mr. Trusdale shorted the synchronizing chip. Has he been appropriately punished?"

Jaden's face went white, and I stepped forward, voice flat. "He's dead, Sir."

"Oh," he said. He opened another drawer and pulled out slender, metallic scalpels. Jaden was stone as the Professor operated on the BioBand, flicking through tiny gears with adept hands. "That is the way of life; it can be taken at any given moment. I'm sure you two understand that more, now. It is a good lesson."

Heat rushed through my chest. "With all due respect, Sir, Zane's death was not a life lesson. It was a tragedy."

Viper was not phased. "Zane Trusdale's death was brought on by his lifestyle. There is nothing tragic about destroying your own heart."

I took several steps forward, only to be stopped by Axel's hand on my shoulder. I shook him off and slammed my hand against my chest. "Sir, Zane was a dear friend of mine and Jaden. He was a brother to Syrus and well respected at this school. You can't say that his death means nothing to us."

"I do not mean that," Viper replied. He drew away from Jaden's wrist and flicked the BioBand closed. "I just meant to correct you on the nature of tragedy. Mr. Trusdale was in control of his life and death. Tragedy is when life is stolen without a chance to be fought for."

He stood and clicked a few buttons on the keyboard, restarting the scan. The BioBand displayed green on all fronts. "I had a son, once, Ms. Rhodes. He was killed in a car accident when he was very young. That is tragedy."

His face was neutral as he spoke, but his words tore the argument from me. Jaden looked settled and sympathetic were he sat. The room was quiet down to its shadows once more.

Viper opened another drawer and took out his duel disk. "Let us test if this worked, Mr. Yuki. There is no point in repairing yours as well, Ms. Rhodes, if there are still bugs."

I watched him with sinking regret in my chest. Vanishing into the floor or being mauled by wild animals seemed like a better option than facing the professor. His aloof, strict attitude in class, the stiff way he stood, and the distance he held from the rest of the staff and students made sense. Even his rigorous examination fell into place, and I touched the glowing glass gently. I had misjudged Viper. He was only trying to prepare us for the world.

Jaden stood, rubbing at his wrists. The information didn't sit well in his face either, but the uncertainty did not leave his steps. He shrugged at me and deployed his duel disk, reaching for his deck. There was no hesitation as he walked into the room with his hands in his pockets. Jaden clearly had no doubts facing Viper.

I wasn't sure if I should be insulted or not.

Viper's dueling arena was neat and orderly. The duel station was round and well-defined in the center of the cylindrical room, lined with a few run down machines and worn chairs. Viper shuffled his deck as he waited; unbothered by the bomb he had dropped on us. Axel gravitated towards his side of the arena, and I stood by Jaden.

They deployed their duel disks, Jaden giving an uncertain cheer when his lit and registered points. Viper warned him not to get excited, that there could still be problems with the measurement stage, and a chill crept up my legs. The professor was all too pleased to be dueling a student at dusk, in the outskirts of the island in the middle of an abandoned testing facility. Some of Jaden's apprehension crept back into me in time for Jaden to draw, and then immediately groan.

The duel had started.

He looked at me. "Jesse still has Polymerization."

In which Jaden learns continuity is a bitch. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and are ready for what's coming-because trust me, it's gonna be a wild ride. I really appreciate all of your comments and will take time to reply when exams are over. So thank you very much!

I do have a question for you. For those of you who are familiar with my other works, would you like me to wait until this story, Golden, is finished before starting up Without You? I am considering publishing one chapter of Without You for every two chapters in Golden, but have no made an final decisions. Please tell me what your thoughts are on the subject!

Thank you for reading!