Courting Solona

It had been about two weeks since the Jinzo incident and Solona's duel against the Elder One. For the first week, Solona had been confined to her hospital bed while Daylen, Theorn and Dorian had kept an eye on her. Solona had been released after that week when Winter Break finished and the students returned. Solona had always been in the watch of all Dorian in case the Venatori made another move. After Solona had woken up, Daylen had told her about the loss of her cards and she had been quite upset about losing some of her cards but at least her Blue Eyes cards were safe. They were the first cards of the new reprint of the Blue Eyes White Dragon. Kaiba had the original ones but Solona's cards had a different design so they weren't as valuable as Kaiba's versions.

Most of the students were in PE class with Miss Fontaine who was having the student in pairs and playing Tennis against other pairs. Jaden and Syrus were playing against Jasmine and Mindy. Alexis was paired with Sereda and was playing against Aedan and Daylen. Neria and Theorn were paired together and were playing against Faren and Kallian. Solona still wasn't allowed to play as Dorian had told her to keep it easy.

"I'm bored." Solona complained as she sat at the side watching her brother play tennis.

"You've only just recovered from that Shadow Duel." The spirit of Urthemiel said. "Do you want to injure yourself again. Besides, you're still not over the fact that you've lost some of your cards."

Solona sighed, she was still upset about losing a large number of her spare cards. After she had woken up in the hospital, Daylen had told her that the Elder One spirit had blasted her which ended up destroying her two spare decks which held her Red Eyes cards along with deck she used at the entrance exams. She still had one copy of Red Eyes Black Dragon as well as her Blue Eyes deck but she was sad as some of those cards had been given to her by her dad before he vanished. "I just wish I could be doing something."

Meanwhile, Jaden and Syrus were having trouble facing Jasmine and Mindy, mainly because Syrus kept on getting nervous and ended up missing the ball when he panicked

"Oh come on." Jaden complained. "Will someone tell me what tennis has to do with Dueling?"

"Everything." Mindy replied. "Taking turns, thinking on your feet and the more you play..." Mindy paused as she hit the ball which then went towards Jaden "... the better you play."

"Well then, in that case." Jaden said and then he hit the tennis ball with his racket, the only problem was that he hit the ball very hard and Jaden widened his eyes when he saw where it went. "Uh oh, Solona look out incoming!"

Solona widened her eyes as she saw Jaden's tennis ball fly towards her but before it could hit her, something or rather someone knocked the ball away. Solona then looked at the person who knocked the ball away; it was a young man with brown hair and wearing a Tennis uniform for the tennis club of Duel Academy. "Uh, thank you I guess."

"Sister, are you all right?" Daylen called as he ran over along with Theorn and Neria, they had all seen the ball nearly hit Solona.

"Do you need me to carry you to the school nurse?" The man who knocked the ball away asked

"No thanks." Solona replied. "I'm fine. Honestly guys, every time something happens to me you panic."

"Well you did get hurt in those Shadow Games." Jaden said as he ran over

Jasmine and Mindy were staring love stuck at the guy while the guy had a look on his face at Solona, a look which Solona and Daylen didn't like.

"Sorry." The guy said when he saw Solona's look. "I've never had the pleasure of saving a pretty girl like you."

Daylen glared at the boy.

*'If this guy messes with my sister then he messes with me.'* He thought angrily.

"Hey wait; did anyone see where that ball went?" Theorn then asked

It was Neria who answered the question when she looked behind. "Uh oh." Was all she said and then Jaden turned to see a very angry looking Dr Crowler who had Jaden's Tennis ball in his eye.

...

Later Jaden was with Dr Crowler in the nurse's office as Miss Fontaine was placing a cold cloth over his eye where the ball had hit.

"Look, I'm really sorry about the ball." Jaden apologized. "Is that all right."

"No it most certainly is not!" Crowler growled. "You just hit a teacher."

"Hey to be fair I wasn't even the one who hit the ball at you." Jaden said. "It was the guy who hit it away from Solona and it was an accident."

"Yeah but you still caused it!" Crowler growled. "And on top of that you nearly hurt a student of mine who is still recovering."

Jaden groaned. "Look if you're going to punish me just do it. I won't play tennis again; I don't even like the sport."

That got Crowler smirking. "Don't like Tennis huh, then I've got the perfect Punishment for you, the Tennis team leader, Harrington Rosewood will whip you into shape."

...

Later, Solona and Daylen were walking along the corridors of the academy building "Poor Jaden." Solona said "Why is it every time Dr Crowler is involved he gets into trouble."

"Well Crowler really hates Jaden." Daylen said. "He did humiliate him in the entrance exams"

"Well Crowler should just learn that Jaden won fair and square." Solona said

Daylen's eyes then narrowed.

"And I say that you should stay away from that guy." Daylen said. "I don't like the way he looked at you."

"Agreed." Solona said. "I bet that he is one of those boys who thinks he can get whatever he wants." Daylen couldn't help but agree.

"SOLONA, DAYLEN!" A voice called and the two of them saw Syrus running toward them. "Do you know where the Tennis club meets."

"On the Tennis courts where we played today." Daylen answered. "Why?"

"The most unfair thing ever." Syrus stated

...

Syrus took the Amell twins to the Tennis courts where Alexis, Jasmine, Mindy, Neria and Theorn were watching as the tennis team leader was pushing Jaden around while Jaden kept on complaining about having to do tennis.

Neria looked at the tennis team captain.

"So who is this guy?" She asked

"We found out for you." Mindy said. "He's Harrington Rosewood; he's from the Rosewood Sporting Goods. Wealthy and fit, he's the perfect man, he's boyfriend material."

Theorn disagreed, Harrington seemed to enjoy tormenting Jaden and Harrington laughed when Jaden tripped over a tennis ball.

"Is it over?" Jaden asked

Harrington laughed.

"Come on, no pain no gain." He said. "You've got to build those muscles; you need to sweat to become a threat. If you don't pick up the pace then you're never going to win the race."

"All right!" Jaden groaned. "Enough with the rhyming I get it."

"There's no I in teamwork." Harrington chuckled

Neria shook her head.

"This guy is nuts." She said

"Agreed." Theorn added

"He seems to be a bit obsessed." Jasmine added

"Let him obsess over me." Mindy said dreamily completely ignoring what had been said.

It was then that Solona and Daylen came in.

"So what is going on then?" Solona asked

"Well after Crowler took Jaden he forced him to play tennis as punishment for hitting the ball in his face." Neria said

"But it was Harrington who did that." Daylen said

"Crowler said that Jaden caused it." Theorn replied

Solona then saw Jaden getting tired.

"All right I think that's enough." She said and then she left and was followed by her friends.

Jaden then hit the ball back and then saw Solona come onto the field.

"Hey Solona, you okay?" He asked

"I'm fine Jay, and you can stop with the tennis, I think you've had enough." Solona replied

Harrington looked at Solona.

"So then, I was just kicking this guy's..." Harrington was cut off by Alexis

"I was looking for you Jaden." She said. "Banner has had a report on Chazz."

"Banner told me when I found him earlier." Solona added

"So he's okay then" Jaden said

Harrington glared at the teens.

"TIME OUT!" He shouted and everyone turned to him as he stomped over. "You can't talk to a first round pick like Solona or Alexis. So stay away from my Obelisk Pixie."

"Obelisk Pixie?" Syrus questioned and an image of a small Obelisk the Tormentor with fairy wings entered his mind which he quickly shook out.

"Excuse me!" Daylen growled. "But don't talk to my friends like that."

"Yeah and Jaden can talk to whoever he wants to!" Solona hissed

"I'm warning you!" Harrington hissed at Jaden. "Step away from the beautiful girl." Harrington missed the glare in Solona's eyes and what Solona and Daylen had said earlier. "You're way in over your league, don't make me get all athlete on you!"

"Shut up Rosewood!" Harrington looked around and saw Laxus standing behind them with a irate expression on his face.

"Hey chill out we were just talking." Jaden insisted and then he decided to use his new nickname for Solona. "So you were saying Sol."

"Sol?" Harrington questioned. "Is that some kind of pet name, who's it short for."

"Solona." Jaden replied

"Right this huddle is over!" Harrington ordered

"Good so get lost!" Daylen ordered

Harrington smirked. "Oh don't run away, you know your sports. When a huddle is over, you don't run away."

"So you want a tennis match." Jaden questioned

"No I want a Duel." Harrington said. "And the winner become Solona's Fiancée"

"Wait hold on." Solona gasped

"Oh I just love weddings." Mindy gasped

"Yeah but I'm not sure about arranged ones." Jasmine added

Alexis and Neria shook their heads.

"Well I don't know the stakes but I never back down from a Duel." Jaden replied. "So get your game on."

"Hold it!" Daylen shouted. "My sister is not some trophy to be won." Then he looked at Jaden. "Jaden you do know that Fiancée means that you have to marry my sister."

"Wait what?" Jaden questioned

"That's right!" Daylen growled. "My sister is not a trophy and you don't put marriage on the line in a duel! I duel you so I can teach you not to mess with my sister."

"Fine, but when I win, your sister will be all mine, now we duel on the courts in about an hour." Harrington laughed

When Harrington walked away, Daylen turned to his sister "Don't worry sister, I won't let that idiot place his hands on you."

"Why can't he hit on me?" Mindy complained and Theorn and Neria sweat dropped

"Just make sure you win." Solona ordered

...

Later, Daylen and Harrington were on the Tennis courts which had been cleared so they could duel.

"Don't worry my sweet Solona." Harrington said. "Soon you'll be all mine and I'll protect you."

"All right enough talk about my sister." Daylen groaned. "Let's just duel."

To the sides on the benches, Solona, Theorn, Jaden, Syrus, Alexis, Jasmine and Mindy all watched the Duel while Mindy still had a dreamy look on his face.

"I can't wait for the wedding Solona." Mindy said

Solona glared at her.

"I'm not marrying anyone Mindy!" She snapped. "I don't like Harrington and I can't marry my own brother."

"That's right so leave her!" Alexis snapped as well. "The only reason I haven't walked out of here is because I want to see if the rumors about Harrington being as good as Zane are true."

Daylen and Harrington activated their Duel Disks.

"**DUEL!"**

**Harrington: 8000**

**Daylen: 8000**

"Since you challenge me I'll go first." Harrington said. "And I'll start by activating the spell card Service Ace, now I pick one card in my hand and you have to guess if it's a spell trap or monster, if you guess wrong then you lose 1500 life points." Harrington held up a card in his hand "Now guess."

"I've got a one in three chance." Daylen said to himself. "I say that it's a spell card."

Harrington laughed. "Wrong, it's a monster so now you take damage." A ball appeared which was batted by a racket which struck Daylen in the chest.

**Harrington: 8000**

**Daylen: 6500**

"I'll throw this card face down and end my turn" Harrington finished

"My move." Daylen said and he drew his card 'Since he didn't summon a monster I can attack him directly, but that face down must be a trap so I guess I should get rid of it. "I'll start with the spell card Cost down so now by discarding one card, all monsters in my hand decrease by two levels. This allows me to summon out my spirit Healer in attack mode." A female spellcaster wearing white robes with a red cross on the chest appeared on the field (level 5 Attack 2300 Defense 2100) "And next I'll play the spell card Mystical Space Typhoon which destroys that face down." Harrington gasped as his face down was destroyed. "Now my Spirit Healer will attack you directly." Spirit Healer sent a powerful blast from her hands which hit Harrington.

**Harrington: 5700**

**Daylen: 6500**

"And now it's my main phase two my Spirit Healer's effect activates, now I gain 500 Life points for every card in your hand." Daylen added and the three cards in Harrington's hands glowed as Spirit Healer absorbed the energy and gave the energy to Daylen.

**Harrington 5700**

**Daylen: 8000**

"I'll throw this card face down and end my turn." Daylen finished

Harrington growled. "I'll start by activating Pot of Greed to draw two cards. Next I play the spell card Smash Ace, now I pick the top card from my deck and if it's a monster, then you take 1000 points of damage and the card goes to my graveyard." Harrington drew his card and it turned out to be a powerful monster. "It looks like I drew my Blowback Dragon, now you lose 1000."

**Harrington: 5700**

**Daylen: 7000**

"Now I activate Monster Reborn so now I can summon back the Blowback Dragon which I discarded." A mechanical dragon with a cannon on its back appeared on Harrington's field (Level 6 Attack 2300 Defense 1200) "Now I use my dragon's ability so now I toss a coin 3 times, if it is heads 2 of those times then I can destroy one of your cards." Harrington tossed his coin and to Daylen's dislike, the coin landed on Heads, Tails Heads so Blowback's ability activated. "Now I can destroy your Spirit Healer." Daylen's Spirit Healer was destroyed which left him wide open. "Now Blowback Dragon, attack him directly." The cannon on Blowback's back fired a shot which hit Daylen.

**Harrington: 5700**

**Daylen: 4700**

"Now I'll throw one card face down and end my turn."

Daylen groaned. "My turn." He said. "I'll start with my own Pot of Greed to draw two more cards, then I play the spell card Mind Blast, so now by giving up 500 life points I can take control of your Blowback." Blowback Dragon came to Daylen's side "And now I'll summon my Apprentice Magician in attack mode." A small spellcaster appeared on the field (Level 2 Attack 200 Defense 200) "And now both my monsters will attack you directly."

Both of Daylen's monsters attacked but Harrington smirked. "Sorry but I play my trap, Destiny Board. Now at each of your turns, I get a spirit letter, so you better hurry and finish this Duel."

But even with the trap Daylen's monsters still attacked

**Harrington: 3200**

**Daylen: 4200**

"Now I place a card face down and end my turn." Daylen said. 'I need him to summon a monster next turn or my trap will fail.' The second spirit letter of I appeared

"My move." Harrington laughed. "And I summon my Twin sword Marauder to the field." An armored warrior wielding a sword in each hand appeared on Harrington's field.

"You just activated my trap card, Dark Renewal, since you just summoned a monster, I can sacrifice it and one of mine in order to summon a spellcaster from my graveyard." Daylen said

"But your graveyard is full of Spellcasters." Harrington protested

"That's right. Now I can summon back the monster I discarded earlier, my Dark Magician." Everyone gasped as Daylen's apprentice Magician and Harrington's Marauder disappeared into the coffin and were replaced by a Purple robed Magician.

Harrington laughed. "I think I'll take that card from you when I win."

"I don't think you will." Daylen said. "You can't attack this turn now."

"Well I still have my Blowback's effect." Harrington said and he tossed his coin again but it landed on two tails. "Damn it, I'll just have to wait till next turn."

"Well your Blowback won't be around that long." Daylen said. "Now go, Dark Magic Attack." Dark magician fired a blast of purple magic from his staff which destroyed Blowback Dragon.

**Harrington: 3000**

**Daylen: 4200**

"Then to finish I'll throw one card face down." Daylen finished and then the spirit Letter N appeared.

"You'll pay for that." Harrington growled. "I play Magical Stone Excavation, now by discarding two cards; I can get my Monster Reborn spell card back from the graveyard, which I'll now play to summon out the card I discarded, My Barrel Dragon." A mechanical Dragon like Blowback appeared on the field (Level 7 Attack 2600 Defense 2200) "Now I'll activate his ability which is just the same as my Blowback." Harrington tossed the coin again and to his delight, it landed on heads all three times. "Well would you look at that, looks like your dark Magician is about to be destroyed." Harrington was smirking but then he noticed that Daylen was laughing. "What's so funny?"

"Well, it's just that my monster is not about to be destroyed because I play my quick play spell card Dedication through Light and Darkness, this allows me to sacrifice my Dark Magician and special summon my Dark Magician of Chaos." The spell card absorbed Dark Magician and replaced him with the black and red robed spellcaster with the hat and Harrington growled as he knew that he couldn't attack now since Dark Magician of Chaos was stronger than his Barrel Dragon and he had already used his effect.

"Well since there is nothing else to do, I can begin my turn, and thanks to my Dark Magician of Chaos, I get my Pot of Greed spell card back from my graveyard, now Dark Magician of Chaos will attack that Barrel Dragon, Scepter Strike." Daylen ordered and Dark Magician of Chaos fired a blast of black magic which destroyed Barrel Dragon.

**Harrington: 2800**

**Daylen: 4200**

"Your move Harrington." Daylen said

Harrington laughed. "Foolish boy, didn't you forget about my Destiny Board, I now have four letters on my field, unless you do something next turn, this Duel is over and you will lose. And to make it harder for you, I play the spell card Penalty Ace, so now by discarding one card from my hand, I can destroy your Dark Magician and then you take damage equal to that monsters attack points." Daylen gasped and then his Magician shattered and the explosion shocked him

**Harrington: 2800**

**Daylen: 1400**

"Make your move but it will be your last." Harrington sneered

"Don't listen to him brother!" Solona yelled. "You have to believe in your cards."

"Don't worry sister." Daylen called back. "I do." *'But this won't be easy, I have to do something or else I lose this turn as the final spirit letter activates on my end phase.'* Daylen drew his card. "I'll start with Pot of Greed from which I got back from my Dark Magician of Chaos' effect." Daylen drew his cards and then gasped at what he drew "Sorry Harrington, but this Duel won't end now. Because now I activate the spell card Dark Magic Veil so now by paying 1000 life points, I can summon back my Dark Magician from my graveyard." There was a cloud of purple smoke and Dark Magician returned to the field.

**Harrington: 2800**

**Daylen: 400**

Harrington laughed.

"What are you going to do with that?" He asked. "Even if you do attack I'll still have life points and I'll win the Duel."

"Sorry but you're wrong." Daylen said. "Because now I play the spell card Dark Magic Attack which destroys all of your spell and trap cards." Harrington gasped as Destiny Board and all his spirit letters were destroyed. "And now with no monsters on the field, you're wide open so go Dark Magician, Dark Magic Attack."

**Harrington: 300**

**Daylen: 400**

"It's your move." Daylen said

Harrington drew a card but couldn't do anything and then it was Daylen's turn and he decided that he would just finish the duel there.

"Dark Magician, end this duel." He ordered and Harrington was engulfed in a blast from Dark Magician's staff.

**Harrington: 0000**

**Daylen: 400 (Winner)**

"No this can't be." Harrington gasped. "How could I have lost."

"Because you thought that you could have something that is not yours." Daylen hissed. "My sister is not a trophy to be won, she's a human being with feelings, this is not the first time that I've been in this situation and it may not be the last, now get out of here."

Harrington didn't need to be told twice and he ran off leaving a smirking Daylen behind.

...

Later that day, Solona and Alexis were back in the Blue dorm with Jasmine and Mindy and they told Sereda everything.

"So this guy thought that he could just win you by Dueling?" Sereda questioned

"That's right." Solona said. "That guy was just a weirdo."

"A handsome weirdo." Mindy said dreamily.

Solona and Alexis sighed at Mindy's behavior and then Alexis looked at Solona.

"Daylen said that this was not the first time that he had been in that type of situation, has something like this happened before?" She asked

Solona sighed.

"Yes." She answered. "I could hardly ever be on my own as guys would often ask me on a date. This was because I was pretty or because they knew that my father was rich, they would only interested in my beauty or my money."

Sereda looked at her.

"Is there any boy who you are interested in?" She asked and Solona's blush was her answer. "I'll take that blush as a yes and I bet it's that Theorn guy."

"All right yes." Solona said. "I may have feelings for Theorn, but I'd rather just wait and see what happens, I mean, we still have our years at Duel Academy left."