Disclaimer: I don’t own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX. This takes place during Jaden’s absence in season two.
Syrus glared up at Hassleberry who returned the look from his bunk bed. This second year at Duel Academy wasn’t turning out so well for Syrus Truesdale. Yes, he had been promoted to Ra Yellow, but that seemed to be the only bright spot. The rest of the year was marked by Zane’s string of losses, the constant threat of the Red dorm being torn down, and Jaden’s loss to Aster and subsequent disappearance. But none of those events, save for the last one, could compare to his rivalry with Tyranno Hassleberry.
The freshman, after losing to Jaden, moved into their dorm room claiming he had to improve his skills and that Jaden was the one to teach him. Syrus, however, saw a threat to his best friend status and when he was promoted, he stayed at Slifer to defend his territory. Jaden’s disappearance underscored the perceived threat Syrus saw in Hassleberry.
“What’s your problem, Truesdale?” Hassleberry finally snapped, breaking the silence.
“You don’t know?” Syrus snapped back. “It’s you trying to be Ja’s best friend when I’ve already got that spot.”
“Jaden deserves a best bud who can stand up for himself and isn’t a scaredy-cat. Hate to break it to ya, but that’s not you.”
“I am not a scaredy-cat,” Syrus said, bristling and feeling himself getting angry at Hassleberry’s insults.
“You know, you’re right. You’re more like a mouse. You are small compared to me. A T-Rex and a mouse.” Hassleberry laughed loud and hard at this mental image.
Oh, that’s it! Syrus thought. I’m not going to take anymore! “I’ll show you who’s a mouse,” he growled and then a real growl came out as Syrus shifted into a large gray wolf, the fur having sky blue highlights. Sharp claws extended past his paws and he growled angrily at Hassleberry while his tail twitched angrily.
“Sam Hill!” Hassleberry said, his voice squeaking from fear. “Hey, easy there, private. I’m sorry for insultin’ ya.”
“As you should be,” Syrus said, a little growl still in his voice. He then took several deep breaths to calm down before resuming human form.
“When did you become a werewolf? Were you bitten or…?”
“No. I was born one. Every male on my father’s side are able to change once they turn sixteen. I had my birthday before this school year started and I spent the night of my birthday as a wolf as it is traditionally. After that, I can change when I want, but always when I’m angry.”
“So, werewolves are born, huh?”
“Oh, some can be bitten. Even girls, but only males can be born werewolves.” Syrus then gave an amused smile. “You sounded more like a mouse when I changed.”
“I wasn’t expecting you to change into a wolf,” Hassleberry protested. “Does the Sarge know you’re a werewolf?”
“No, but he should know…if we find him.”
“He’s got to be on the island somewhere,” Hassleberry said.
“Yeah…and I should be able to find him! I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before!”
“You?” Hassleberry asked as he got down and followed Syrus who had rushed out the door and into the coming darkness.
“Yes; with my sense and wolf form, I should be able to track Ja.” Syrus changed into a wolf again at the edge of the forest.
“Oh no you don’t. I’ll find him,” Hassleberry insisted.
Syrus gave a snort. “Oh you think you’ll find him instead of a werewolf like me?”
“He is my best friend,” Hassleberry stated.
“No, he’s not. He’s my best friend.” The two glared at each other again.
Hassleberry then smiled. “I have an idea of how to settle this. Wolves have a hierarchy, right? So, you could bite me into a werewolf and we could fight it out. The winner will be the Sarge’s best friend.”
“That’s a good idea,” Syrus said. He padded over to Hassleberry’s side. “Shall we do it now?”
“What? Don’t we need the full moon?”
“Oh no. The full moon just makes one a self-aware wolf who heeds his or her instincts and can only speak as a wolf.”
“Well, in that case, yeah. Bite me.” Hassleberry gasped loudly as he felt teeth sink into his arm. “Hey, did you have to-,” he began before he howled and quickly shifted into a gray wolf with dark brown highlights.
“No, but I wanted to,” Syrus snapped. “Really, we shouldn’t be fighting over who is Jaden’s best friend as I met him first back at the practical exams. We were friends before school really started. We were even placed in the same dorm and room together.”
Hassleberry turned to face Syrus, ready to fight, and then stopped. He felt strange as he stood before Syrus. He closed his eyes to tap his new instincts. He heard Syrus speak of how he met Jaden and that because of that, they shouldn’t fight. His instincts told him that Syrus was right and that wasn’t all.
He opened his eyes before he laid before Syrus, tucked his tail, and folded his ears. “Yes, alpha,” he said. “You’re right. We shouldn’t fight.”
Syrus blinked. “Wait. What did you call me?”
“Alpha. My instincts told me that you are of a higher status than me. You are a leader.”
Syrus was stunned. He was an alpha? How could that be? Granted, he had felt a little bit more confident when his werewolf heritage had finally been unlocked but Zane, who had taken wolf form to keep him company, hadn’t reacted to him the way Hassleberry was. He, in turn, hadn’t acted submissive to Zane or aggressive. They hadn’t fought each other, but rather played as brother wolves would do.
Upon returning to Duel Academy, Syrus sensed his confidence growing some more but was still a bit shy and supported Jaden as he had last year, albeit, speaking up more than before. He played the role of a sidekick, but now Hassleberry was saying that he, Syrus, was a leader; an alpha.
All this went through Syrus’ mind in seconds before he addressed Hassleberry with an alpha’s confidence. “Yes, I am a leader: Your leader. You recognize me as your alpha and that means you are to support my decisions as the situation requires it. Jaden is our leader even though he’s not a wolf like us.”
“Understood, alpha,” Hassleberry said.
“Also, only call me alpha in private. I prefer Syrus in public.”
“Yes, alpha.”
“Good. Now, I will teach you how to use your senses while we search for Jaden.” Syrus headed into the woods with Hassleberry behind him. Syrus was glad that he had bitten Hassleberry. The new wolf’s instincts had identified Syrus as an alpha and gave Syrus authority over Hassleberry and confirmed him as Jaden’s best friend. Hassleberry’s behavior toward me will seem strange to Jaden but only until I explain that I’m an alpha werewolf and that I bit Hassleberry with the intention of wolf fighting over who was his best friend. Of course, we first have to find him.
Note: They don’t find him. Jaden reappears as he does in the show.
