The Little Black Witchlet

Once the weekend came rolling by, the headmasters kept their word and allowed the students who wanted to, the chance to leave school and go home. And Duel Academy was planned to be closed for the next three days while repairs were underway. Many of the human students did not hesitate to take advantage of the short vacation and went home to their families, while almost all of the monster students opted to stay on the island. They felt safer at school, but not only that, a lot of them didn't have a choice but to stay because many of them had nowhere else to go. Duel Academy was their home, and since the monster population was currently the most prominent on the island, many students walked around freely in their monsters with Chancellor Shepherd's permission.

Jaden and his friends were also taking advantage of the break and decided to have a fun day at the beach and give both their minds and their bodies the chance to relax. Life on the island had been very stressful lately, so it was a well deserved day of fun for them. Jaden was at the snack shack with Syrus, buying themselves food and drinks to enjoy on the beach when two Lamia girls slithered by wearing bikini tops, and their snake bodies left trails in the sand. Syrus shivered when he watched them pass, and Jaden chuckled when he saw the uncomfortable look on his best friends face. "You probably haven't seen a lot of monsters, have you Sy? Since we're always in our human forms, it must be nice for them to just be who they are for once." He said as he cracked open a cold can of tomato juice.

"Doesn't this creepy you out Jay? I know you're a monster too, but didn't you grow up in Domino City for like, your whole life? How can you be so calm when there's so many creepy looking monsters around us?" Syrus said with a pale complexion. "Actually, I was born in the monster realm. I didn't come to the human world until I was six years old, so I've seen plenty of creepy looking monsters. To me, I guess it's just normal. And even if I wasn't from the monster realm, I don't think I'd be scared anyways. It's like this, when a spider sees another spider do you think it goes 'Ah! Spooky!' No. Because they're the same thing, so why would it be scared of another spider, you know?" He said as he finished his drink and threw it in the trash.

They bought their snacks and went to go meet up with the rest of their friends on the beach. Bastion was wearing a whole wet suit with a surfboard underneath his arm, while Alexis sat pretty and perfect on a beach bowel in a white bikini as she applied sunscreen. "Hey guys! We got the food!" Jaden said with a wide grin as they finally made it over. He set the plastic bag on the ground and started taking off his long sleeved shirt, revealing his toned chest underneath that adorned a large scar going across it thanks to Kahlua. Unintentionally, Alexis's eyes looked over and admired his physique as she blushed. She still didn't know why she felt this way towards her friend, because before she could have cared less about Jaden's looks. But every time she saw him, her heart would flutter.

"Wow Jay! Have you always been this fit? I don't think I've ever seen you work out before. I'm surprised your body looks so nice when all you do is nothing but sleep and eat!" Said Syrus as he squeezed Jaden's bicep. "Stop flattering me, it's kind of embarrassing. Truth be told, all vampires have a body like mine. Our enhanced healing factor keeps our bodies in tip top shape so we never really gain weight. But thanks anyways Syrus." Jaden said as he scratched the back of his neck. "Well, it must be nice. Because I have to count my calorie intake if I want to keep my figure the way it is." Said Bastion almost jealously. Back in middle school, Bastion was more on the bigger side. It's not like he ate a lot of food, he just had a hard time burning off the fat, so he was slightly envious that Jaden doesn't even need to worry about stuff like calories even when he always eats like a pig.

"Well enough about my body! Geez… We came here to have fun, so let's get to it people!" Jaden shouted while pumping his fist in the air. They all cheered in unison afterwards and Syrus took off his clothes too and slipped on some arm floaties. "The last one in the water is a rotten egg!" He said as he bolted towards the ocean, with Bastion following after him. Alexis sighed before she stood up and started making her way towards the water as well, but stopped to look at Jaden who was sitting under the beach umbrella on the towel as he smiled while watching his friends. "Are you not coming Jaden?" Alexis asked him.

"Oh! No, I can't go in the water. Cause, you know what will happen if I do." He said as he laughed nervously. "But you guys go and have fun! I'm more than happy to just watch you guys swimming around out there. Make sure to splash Syrus extra hard for me, okay?" He said with his signature grin on his face. Alexis smiled at him sympathetically and nodded her head before she finally entered the water. He watched them having fun for maybe half an hour before he leaned back and laid his arms behind his head and basked in the heat of the sunny day. "Now this is what life should be all about. No war, no fighting, no problems… Just a day of pure relaxation and good vibes." He said as he let out a sigh of bliss.

He was about to fall asleep when he heard the shuffling sound of multiple footsteps in the sand approaching him, and he opened his eyes and turned his attention towards the source of the sound. Three beautiful girls of the beast people species came walking up to him. Two of them were cat demons, one with fluffy white ears and a tail and the other with slender black ears and tail. And the third girl in their trio was of the avian variety, with her arms turning into wings and having beautiful macaw colored feathers and her feet were shaped like bird talons. "Jaden! We heard you'd be out here today!" Said the girl in the front with the fluffy white ears. Jaden smiled as he sat up and waved to them. "Oh, hey. I don't think I know you all that well. Did you have something you needed to say to me?" He said as he flashed them a bright smile that made all three of them blush.

"Well…" Said the leader as she played with her fingers. "We all just wanted to say thank you for what you did for us that day in class. You stood up for us and protected us. It was a really brave thing to do, standing up to all those humans all by yourself. Not to mention you looked really cool while you did it! If we had known you were such a powerful monster, we would have said hi to you sooner!" She said with her friends behind her agreeing. Jaden laughed nervously as he continued to smile at them. Truth be told, he couldn't remember a single thing about what happened after his seal was taken off. That was the other Jaden that did all that stuff, not him. "You really think so? I don't think I did anything special, but you're welcome. If you guys are ever in trouble then don't be afraid to ask for my help! I'm here for you anytime!" He said confidently, which made them swoon.

"Actually, we also came out here for another reason. You see, we stayed up all night long to give you a gift to show our appreciation. We hope you will accept them!" She said as all three of them pulled out three cutely wrapped cookies in baggies with adorable designs. Some of them were shaped like bats and others were shaped like hearts with black icing. Jaden's mouth started to water as he stared at the cookies. "You girls really made these for me? Wow, that's so nice of you! Thank you so much!" Jaden said as he took their presents, and the avian girl sighed with delight as she passed out on the sand, and her other two friends practically had hearts in their eyes. He was just so cute!

"You're welcome! And thank you again! But we're also sorry that we didn't step in to help you. That wasn't cool of us, but once we found out that you were a vampire, we got scared…" Said the girl with black cat features. "Not to say that you were scary! Like we said, we thought you looked so cool when you put that human in his place! But you know, S class monsters are just on a whole other level, you know?" They said, and Jaden just smiled at them delicately. He understood where they were coming from. After all, vampires are the biggest threat in the war right now. So he couldn't blame them for not stepping in.

"Don't even worry about it. I'm not mad at all, really! I'll make sure to eat these gifts you guys made for me. And like I said before, if someone ever causes you any more problems, don't be afraid to ask for my help!" He declared boldly when the avian girl recovered from her fainting spell, and the four of them continued to speak to each other. Back in the water, Alexis watched with jealous eyes as the three girls fawned over him, and her blood felt like it was boiling. Syrus caught onto her mood and looked to where she was staring and chuckled nervously. "Is it just me, or does it look like Jaden just received a confession right now?" He said jokingly, but it only lit Alexis's fuse when the aura around her only grew darker, and Syrus gulped.

"Just who do those bimbos think they are to do something like that?! I bet Jaden doesn't even realize they're flirting with him!" She said as the fire in her eyes only grew brighter. Why was this making her so mad?! It's not like she actually had feelings for him, right? Bastion was sitting on his surfboard as he paddled over and waded in the water next to them. "Well, monsters only care about status and power. After Jaden proved to be their ally, I'm more surprised that something like this didn't happen sooner." Bastion said matter of factly, which earned an icy glare from Alexis. Syrus started to panic as he paddled over to Bastion and shushed him. "Dude! Stop talking! You're only making her more mad!" He said anxiously.

Alexis shook her head and sighed with aggravation. "It doesn't matter. Jaden can do whatever he wants… If he likes easy girls like that, I say have at it. It's not like it's any of my business." She said defiantly as she crossed her arms and pouted. But she didn't really mean a word she said. All she really wanted to see him do was ignore them, but she knew that wasn't going to happen. He was just that kind of guy. He was too oblivious and kind to turn a person away. "I don't really feel like swimming anymore. My stomach is starting to hurt, so I'm going to swim back to shore you guys." She said as she started paddling to the shallow parts of the water.

Back on the shore, Jaden continued to talk to the three girls and laughed with them, until he heard even more footsteps approaching them. He looked behind him and saw Chazz in his semi werewolf form, wearing black swim trunks, and he was also accompanied by a girl that Jaden hadn't met before. She had straight long, dark blue hair that fluttered down past her waist, with pale skin and narrow, piercing magenta colored eyed. She wore a black bikini with a navy blue scarf wrapped around her hips and a sun hat placed on top of her head. "Well well well, if it isn't the Slifer Slacker, slacking off again." Chazz said judgmentally as they came to a halt next to him.

"Am I though? Can you really consider this slacking off when we're on break? It's not like I have anything better to do with my time." Jaden said as he rolled his eyes. Why was Chazz always so mean to him? But he figured this was better than Chazz just flat out ignoring him. Maybe this was his attempt at mending their relationship? "Ugh… Why is she with him?" Said one of the neko girls. "Yeah! Chazz, we thought you were cool but if you're hanging out with a shady person like her then you're not as cool as we thought you were!" Said the avian. Jaden shot them a confused look. Was the girl that was with Chazz really that bad? "Huh? What are you guys talking about? How is she shady? She looks perfectly fine to me." He said as he tilted his head.

The leader gasped as the fur on her tail fluffed up and her ears pointed straight up into the air. "Are you serious Jaden?! You really don't know who that is?!" She said while she tried to contain her disbelief. "That's Amelia Locke. She's a witch, which is bad enough as it is, but she also studies black magic as far as I know from the rumors I've heard about her." The girl said as a shiver went up her spine. "She's a total delinquent that only causes problems for other people and claims that it was just a prank! Nothing she does is ever funny though, it's just cruel!" She said with disgust in her voice. "I heard one time she turned the water in the girls locker room showers into blood and everyone was covered in it! And another time when we were eating lunch, she turned our food into living cockroaches! Like, who does that?!" She said as she gagged.

Witches. They were a sensitive topic to speak about. Witches were considered neither monster nor human. They had the constitution and bodies of a human, but they had the ability to produce Yokai energy and even cast magic, which was a lost art that most purebred monsters couldn't even do anymore. Their kind was ostracized and hated by everyone. They were disrespected by monsters because they were too human to be considered one of them, but also, humans thought that witches were minions of the devil and were hunted and killed during the pagan era. "You guys sure like to talk crap about people who are standing right in front of you. Have you no shame?" Amelia said as she shook her head.

"If you want a black witch, I'll show you a black witch." She said with a mischievous grin as she took out her wand and started swaying it in the air as it started to glow and she cast a spell. "Bibidi bibidi! These girls with loud mouths should learn to be quiet. So I will help them out! Sow their lips together, so they cannot shout!" She said as her wand poofed with smoke and glitter coming out of its tip, and just as she said, the three monster girls mouths became stitched closed with thread and they were unable to speak. "MMMMM!" They said in unison as they started to panic, and then ran away in fear from the scary little witch. Amelia fell on her butt laughing as she wiped a tear from her eye. "Look at those scaredy cats running away! That'll teach them not to mess with me next time!"

Jaden glared at her as he grumbled underneath his breath. "Hey. That wasn't very nice. I know they were being rude but you took it a step too far! Undo that spell, right now!" He shouted at her. Amelia stopped laughing and looked at him judgmentally. "Huuuh? Why should I? They're the ones who started it! Besides, the spell should wear off in a couple of hours so what's the problem? I didn't do anything wrong!" She said as she crossed her arms. She smiled however as she stood up on her feet and walked over to Jaden and offered out her hand to him. "I don't think we've properly met before. My name is Amelia Locke, I'm a first year here at Duel Academy which is why you haven't met me before since we wouldn't have any classes together." She said as she patiently waited for him to shake her hand.

Jaden hesitated at first but gave in and took her hand into his. But he had a bad feeling about her. As soon as she got close to him, he could have sworn that he smelt something foul. It was like she was drenched in the scent of death, and her aura was as black as night. It wasn't that she was extra powerful per say, but there was definitely something evil about her and he didn't like it. "Jaden Yuki. It's nice to meet you." He said with a sharp tone. She continued to smile at him, but the look in her eyes turned from playful to malicious. "Oh, I know who you are. You were always popular, but after yesterday you've become pretty famous around here. Jaden Yuki! The silver haired vampire! Who wouldn't know who you are?" She said sarcastically, and Chazz shot her a warning glare from behind, but she ignored him.

"Actually, believe it or not, I was the first one to find out about your little secret. You might not remember, but you went to the roof one day when you were craving blood. I was there too, you know. And I heard everything you said." Chazz growled as he nudged her with his foot. "Hey! I didn't agree to come to the beach with you just so you could run your mouth! Are you trying to start a fight?!" He said meanly. She glared at him with her icy gaze but ignored him once again and turned her attention back to Jaden. "I was also the one who told Chazz to go and find you the day you guys got into that fight. After I found out the truth, I told him where he could find you and that there would be a surprise waiting for him. But I didn't think he'd lose so easily to you. The only reason I told him was because I thought he could kill you, but I was wrong." She said as she shrugged her shoulders.

Jaden's Rosario started sparking as he glared at her. Just what was she trying to accomplish by telling him all of this? Was she trying to make him angry? Because it was working. "So it's your fault that my life turned into a pile of shit?! Why would you want Chazz to kill me?! What do you get out of that?! I get why Chazz would want to hurt me, but why you? I haven't done anything to you!" He said as he jumped up to his feet and stood straight with his chest puffed out as he glared down at the much shorter girl. She giggled to herself as she intertwined her fingers together and shot him a crazed look. "Why? Because I thought it would be entertaining! Do I really need a better reason than that to want to mess with your life?" She said to him playfully, and Jaden's eyes started glowing red with fury.

Alexis finally made it to the shore and saw what was happening. She had never seen Jaden have such an annoyed and infuriated look on his face, which made her quite alarmed. Just what was going on to make him have an expression like that? She ran over to them and stopped when she was a few steps away. "What's going on over here? Chazz! What did you do this time?!" She said as she started to scold the werewolf, who stared at her with wide eyes. "Me?! I didn't even do anything! I'm just standing here! Why did you automatically think I had something to do with this?!" He said as he placed his hands on his hips. "Because it's always you! When is it ever not you?" She said as she walked to stand beside Jaden with her arms still crossed.

Amelia's eyes glanced between the two of them and she started to hum. "Well, this got boring pretty fast. I wanted to play around with him a little more but I don't really feel like it now." She said as she put her wand away and walked over to Chazz and hooked onto his arm, which made him flinch. "Anyways, it was nice meeting you Jaden! I hope we get to meet each other again very soon! Enjoy the rest of your day!" She said as she started walking away and pulling Chazz along with her, who was resisting a little, but still went off with her anyways. Both Alexis and Jaden watched as they walked away, and soon, Jaden was calm enough for his eyes to return back to their regular color.

"Who was that girl Jay? Do you know her or something?" She asked him as she looked at him in the face, and even though his eyes were back to their warm brown hue, he still had that serious expression on his face as he watched them walk away. His instincts were screaming at him that that girl was a threat. And it was clear that she had nefarious plans in store for him, but why? What did she want from him exactly? "Hello? Earth to Jaden? Are you even listening to me?" She said as she started waving her hand in front of his face. He finally snapped back to reality as he gasped and looked at her, and he did his best to hide his unease as he flashed her a grin. "Uh… no. I don't know who she is, I just met her. But…" He said as his smile faltered and he stared at the ground. "I don't mean to worry you, but for me, could you try avoiding her? I just don't trust her and I don't want her around you guys. I'm worried she might try to pull something."

Alexis tilted her head since it was so out of character for him to act so seriously like this. But it must have been important to him if he felt the need to bring it up. She stroked his shoulder which made him look at her again, and she stared at him lovingly. "I still don't really know what's going on between you two, but you have my word. I'll tell the others to avoid her, and if she tries to talk to us, we'll just ignore her. So stop worrying, and let's focus on enjoying our beach day, okay?" She told him. And he did start to feel a little relieved as he allowed his face to come out from its scowl, but he still felt uneasy. There were so many questions buzzing around in his head right now. What was that disturbing scent he got off of her? And how was Chazz involved with her plans? She obviously had something up her sleeve, and whatever it was, he planned to thwart what she had planned on throwing his way.