Disclaimer: I don’t own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX.
Syrus stared at his brother. “So, it’ll happen when my third year at school starts?”
“The first full moon after it starts, yes.” Zane’s cruel eyes matched his cruel smile. “I intend to be here when that day comes and have you become an evil werewolf like me.”
“Evil!?” Syrus squeaked. “You mean you were evil when it hit you?”
“No. I was a good one but this past year, I was reborn as an aggressive duelist and thus my wolf side has turned evil.”
“Well, then I’ll be a good one.”
“Not for long. I have ways to make you aggressive and you’ll be evil like me.”
“No. I don’t want to be evil.”
“You will be evil. I’ll see you for that special night.” Zane bared a sadistic grin of sharp teeth before departing.
Syrus whimpered as he headed for Slifer. The start of the school year was a few days away, but he and his roommates were already back and their presence along with the new school year made Syrus realize that he needed to tell them about his family secret.
He mounted the steps and opened the door to find Jaden and Hassleberry on the floor with their respective decks spread out before them. Both seemed to be focusing intensely on their cards, but then Hassleberry looked up, saw Syrus, and grinned.
“Hey, private. Where’ve you been?” he asked which got Jaden to turn around.
“I was at the docks and Zane showed up.”
“He was? Was he being his dark self? Did you duel?” Jaden asked.
“We didn’t duel and he was being dark. He said he’ll be here on the full moon after school starts.”
“How come?” Hassleberry asked.
“My family’s got a secret. Every male on my father’s side has it. On the first full moon of his seventeenth year of life, his werewolf gene activates.”
“Werewolf?” Jaden repeated.
Syrus nodded. “Every male in my family become werewolves when they’re seventeen and on the first full moon after it. I had my birthday just after the last full moon and the night after our first day of school is the full moon.”
“Are you dangerous?” Hassleberry asked, looking concerned.
“Not like that. I mean, werewolves don’t kill people. Everyone in my family start out as good wolves. Some can turn evil but others stay good. Zane was a good one but when he turned dark, he became an evil werewolf. He plans to turn me evil on the night I change for the first time.”
“Don’t let him do that,” Jaden said firmly. “Choose a place to change where he won’t find you. Uh, maybe here?”
Syrus’ face lit up. “Yeah, here’s perfect. I’ll be self-aware and in control of my actions. I won’t bite without permission, unlike evil ones.”
“What if Zane comes here?” asked Hassleberry.
“Well, one Zane will have paws instead of hands and two, if he does, I’ll protect you two from him which is a good wolf trait.”
Syrus paced the dorm a few days later with Jaden and Hassleberry in their beds to give him extra room. He was nervous and anxious about his first change. He knew what his life was going to be like based on what his father had said and seeing Zane during his first year at Duel Academy. He would have to change every full moon but could change whenever he wanted the rest of the time. His human ears would have points all the time and he would have an intense desire for meat. All in all, that’s not so bad.
Syrus paused in his pacing when he faced the window and saw the sky was black. His heart began to beat faster and his breathing quickened. “Sy?” Jaden asked, noticing the faster breathing. “You okay?”
Syrus then howled and whined as his transformation began. His friends watched as his hair turned gray and furry before flattening to combine with the gray fur that had grown over his body, his clothes melding with his skin. He grew taller and his muscles enlarged before his knees changed direction and his heels went up. He swayed a little before going to his hands and feet. He whined again as his tail pushed out and his hands and feet became paws with his nails growing past them and hardening into claws. His arms became legs while his nose and jaws became a muzzle of sharp teeth. His ears became pointed and moved to the top of his head while his eyes turned gold. Syrus panted as the change ended.
“Syrus?” Hassleberry asked.
Syrus looked up at him. “I’m okay.” He turned in a slow circle to see himself and get used to his body’s movements. “Not bad,” he said.
“I’ll say,” Jaden said, getting out of bed and running a hand down Syrus’ head and back. “So soft,” he said in awe.
Syrus was about to reply when an angry growl was heard followed by a voice snarling, “Syrus!” Syrus cowered at his brother’s angry voice. Jaden felt Syrus’ large body shaking as his hand was still on his back.
“Leave him alone!” Hassleberry snapped as he got down. “He doesn’t want to be evil and we won’t let you in any case.”
Zane chortled. “You can’t stop me from carrying out my plan.”
Syrus whimpered. “Zane, go away! Dad told me that fighting that’s not in self-defense or protecting someone is how most good ones turn evil. I’m not coming out.”
“You’ll have to eventually as you need to eat. Changing burns a lot of energy.” Syrus heard Zane pad away and sighed. “He’s right. I’m feeling real hungry.”
“You’re in luck,” Jaden said. “Hassleberry and I stocked up on meat and water.”
“Really?” Syrus asked as his friends produced the food and drink. “You guys are the best.”
“Hey, no prob.” Jaden smiled as Syrus proceeded to fill his belly. Syrus was a sweet, kind guy and he remained so as a werewolf. “Sy, would play fighting turn one evil?”
“No. Play fighting is as it sounds. The growls would be light-hearted. Why do you ask?”
“Well, if you and I were to do that with Zane watching, it might fool him into thinking you’re evil.”
Syrus’ head shot up and his muzzle parted as Jaden’s words sank in. “You want me to bite you?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Hey, me too.” Hassleberry added. “The three of us could be a wolf pack with you as the leader, Syrus.”
“Me?” His tail swished at this and his friends extended bare arms. Syrus bit his friends and watched both change into gray-furred and gold-eyed wolves. Both were bigger than Syrus but they deferred to him as Hassleberry had suggested.
“I really appreciate this, guys,” Syrus said as Jaden and Hassleberry ate. “I really do.”
“We’re friends Sy and friends stick together,” Jaden said.
“We’re also a pack now which is like a family,” Hassleberry added.
“Family,” Syrus repeated before thinking, Yeah, a pack is like a family. We’ll be a pack long after we leave school and we’ll stay good wolves as well.
