Can you believe it's been a year since I did 'Waking The Dragons'? Neither can I! So, to celebrate, I'm starting a new Rocket Power crossover! This time, it's with Yu-Gi-Oh! GX...during my favorite arc of that series - the Sacred Beasts arc. Here are the dorm assignments for the characters here:
Otto - Ra Yellow
Twister - Ra Yellow
Sam - Obelisk Blue
Keoni - Ra Yellow
Reggie - Obelisk Blue
Clio - Obelisk Blue
Lars - Slifer Red ('cause I can't stand the guy for what he always did to Twister)
As always, nothing you see here is mine! ROLL IT!
It was a week after Jaden Yuki defeated the Gravekeeper Chief and won half of the Shadow Charm from him. In a cave near Academy Island, a group of 7 was formulating their plan.
"Our enemies have been tested, our allies are in place. The hour is upon us. It's time to cover the world in shadow. Which of you will lead us to battle?" an elderly voice asked.
"I will be the first to go, master," a teenage boy said.
"Nightshroud, so be it."
"I will not fail. Academy Island's prize...will be ours!" Nightshroud said, strapping on his Duel Disk.
It was a dark and stormy night on Academy Island. Nightshroud was en route with Chancellor Sheppard looking on. As Nightshroud landed, Chancellor Sheppard declared..."And so it begins. The fight, the war."
Later that day in Professor Banner's class...
...a sleeping Jaden finally arose. "Time to get up!" he said.
"For what, J?" Otto asked.
"The next class?" Jaden's friend Syrus added.
"No. For lunch! The one subject I can't get enough of!"
"Ah, Jaden...such a clown. Just like me," Twister said.
"Whatever will we do with that guy?" Reggie asked from across the lecture hall.
They were all stopped by Professor Banner.
"Just a moment, Jaden. Your lunch will have to wait. It appears Chancellor Sheppard would like a word with you."
Chazz went on about how it's never good news when Sheppard calls.
"Oh for the love of...can't you go one day without making fun of Jaden?" Clio asked, busting Chazz.
"Besides, I think Sheppard wants to see you, too," Sam added.
This news startled Chazz.
"He also wants to see you, Bastion...and you, Alexis. As well as Reggie, Otto and Twister. He's allowed you to bring your friends as well."
Once at Sheppard's office, they were met by Crowler and Zane. Crowler, as he will do, immediately made fun of Lars and Jaden.
"Shut your mouth, you confused twit!" Lars retorted. "Jaden and I were invited, just like everyone else!"
Inside Sheppard's office, the chancellor told the story of the 3 Sacred Beast monsters. Due to their immense power and colossal might, they were hidden away underneath Academy Island, guarded by the 14 Spirit Gates. Legend says that if the 3 Sacred Beast cards ever saw the light of day...buildings will crumble, souls will fall, light will fade - our world would be no more.
"No more?" Otto, Twister, Sam and Bastion feared.
"So this is why the 14 of you are here - to protect these 3 cards from the Wicked Ones."
"The wicked ones?" Zane asked.
"That's right. 7 duelists known as the Shadow Riders...and I'm afraid one of them is already here. He arrived in the thick of last night's storm."
"How cliche," Clio retorted.
"Naturally," Bastion added.
"So how do we protect these cards?" Alexis asked of Chancellor Sheppard.
"By protecting the 14 Spirit Gates. To get to the cards, one must unlock them and to unlock them, one must gain the 14 Spirit Keys for each gate. And here they are...one for each of you to guard," Sheppard explained as he opened a black box, revealing 14 keys.
"If we hold the keys, won't that make us targets?" Otto asked.
"It's true. With these keys, the Shadow Riders will seek you out..." Sheppard began.
"Seek us out? Don't you mean TAKE US OUT?" Twister fired back.
"Only in a duel."
"A DUEL?!" everyone gasped.
"Fortunately for our side, the keys can't simply be stolen. An ancient edict commands that the keys must be won in a duel. That's why I've called upon the school's 14 best to take up this challenge and fight the good fight!" Sheppard explained before turning his attention to Crowler and Banner. "Really 12 best, but I needed 14, so...you know. So...who feels like saving the world?"
Jaden was the first to take a key. "I'm in!" he exclaimed.
"Me too, J!" Otto jumped in, taking a key.
"You're not going into this alone, Otto-man!" Twister said, grabbing a key of his own.
"I too, accept," Zane said as he grabbed a key.
"Aloha to that!" Keoni said, taking his key.
"These Shadow Riders are going down!" Sam said as he took a key.
"We can't let you boys have all the fun," Alexis added.
"If Otto's in, I'm in!" Clio said, kissing Otto and taking a key.
"You'll need some backup, Rocket Boy!" Reggie added in as she took a key.
"They won't know what hit 'em!" Lars said as he grabbed a key.
Chazz said nothing. He just took a key.
"It would be my honor," Bastion declared, grabbing his own key.
Crowler went over all the reasons he accepted as he grabbed a key. Some were right...some not so much.
"Guess I'm the last one," Banner said, taking the final key. Pharaoh the cat then proceeded to play with it.
Later that night...
"What's wrong, Alexis?" Reggie asked.
"You seem stressed, girlfriend," Clio added.
"I'm just thinking about what Chancellor Sheppard said," Alexis said. "If what he said is right and it's these Shadow Riders that decide who to duel, they're gonna go after the weakest one first. With that Slifer Red jacket...it's gonna be Jaden! I gotta warn him!" She freaked.
"Alexis, Jaden's tough. He'll be fine," Reggie tried to comfort her friend.
"After all, he did beat Crowler," Clio added.
"Are you sure you don't have a crush on Jaden?" Reggie asked.
Alexis sighed. She knew she was beat. "Fine...it's true. I'm in love with Jaden Yuki. But I don't know if I should tell him yet."
"Alexis, once all this is over...tell him how you feel about him!" Clio encouraged.
"You just gotta jump right to it!" Reggie added.
While they talked, they were disturbed by a bright light coming from Jaden's room. They alongside Otto and Twister got to Jaden's room, but they were too late. Nightshroud beat them to Jaden.
"Guys, what's happening?" Otto asked.
"Beats me, Otto-man!" Twister cowered.
Nightshroud laughed, saying..."THE FIRST DUEL IS HAPPENING!"
Everyone vanished and were then transported inside a dormant volcano. "Too freaky!" Clio feared.
A stream of fire hit the makeshift duel field, revealing Nightshroud. "The name's Nightshroud and I'll be the one taking those keys you have around your necks."
"You guys don't waste a lot of time, do ya?" Jaden retorted. Nightshroud took quick note of Jaden's Shadow Charm.
"Nice medallion. The Gravekeeper...must be getting sloppy. But you think you'll be able to beat me just like you beat him, Jaden Yuki, then you've got another thing coming. I'll get those keys and I'll get 'em now! Just to make sure of that, I brought some friends. Say hello to Syrus, Chumley, Lars and Twister!"
Nightshroud snapped his fingers revealing a volcanic prison bubble and inside it were Syrus, Chumley and the Rodriguez brothers - Lars and Twister.
"JADEN!"
"HELP US!"
"Otto-man!"
"Get us out of here, man!"
Oh, and one more thing...this is a SHADOW DUEL! Loser loses their soul! And in the case of Jaden, Alexis, Reggie, Otto and Clio...if they lose, they lose not just their soul but their Spirit Gate Key! Alexis tried to object to Jaden accepting this match, but he had to for Syrus and Chumley.
"You can't, Jaden! Not alone!" Otto jumped in.
"These Shadow Riders are far too dangerous!" Reggie added.
"Then why don't you join him? For when I defeat you, I'll get 3 souls and 3 keys for the price of one!"
"You want a duel, then you got one!" Jaden shouted.
"LET'S THROW DOWN!" Otto added.
"GET YOUR GAME ON!" Jaden, Otto and Reggie said in unison as they activated their Duel Disks.
Jaden: 8000
Otto: 8000
Reggie: 8000
Nightshroud: 8000
"You wanna see game, well here it is!" Nightshroud said, drawing his first card. "He's called Troop Dragon and I'll have him defend me!"
ATK: 700
DEF: 800
"Plus, I'll place 2 face-downs while I'm at it! Your move, Key-Keepers!"
Action went over to Otto, the youngest of the Rocket Duo.
"LAME!" Otto said, drawing his card. "My first move's better! I'll begin with a Spell Card - EMBLEM OF DRAGON DESTROYER! This lets me move a Buster Blader from my deck straight to my hand! Now, I think I'll activate this...DESTRUCTION SWORD FUSION! And I'll fuse the Buster Blader and Debris Dragon in my hand in order to summon...BUSTER BLADER, THE DRAGON DESTROYER SWORDSMAN in Attack Mode!"
ATK: 2800
DEF: 2500
"My warrior gains an extra 1000 Attack and Defense Points for each Dragon on the field and in the Graveyard! So thanks for the power boost, lame-o!"
"OH NO!"
"I'll throw 2 cards face-down and send it over to Rocket Girl!"
Reggie smiled as she drew her first card. "Don't mind if I do! Here goes! I play MONSTER REBORN! This lets me bring back the Buster Blader you discarded earlier, Rocket Boy!"
ATK: 2600 - 3100
DEF: 2300
"But he won't be out long, because I'm using POLYMERIZATION to fuse him with the Dark Magician in my hand in order to summon the ultimate magical swordsman...DARK PALADIN!"
ATK: 2900 - 3400
DEF: 2400 - 2900
"To conclude, I'll also play 2 cards face-down. Jaden, the stage is yours!"
"And I intend to put it to good use! It's...MY DRAW!"
Jaden drew his card and from there, he knew what to do. "It's time to complete our team of dragon slayers...with this! ELEMENTAL HERO WILDHEART!"
A Tarzan look-alike then appeared before Jaden.
ATK: 1500
DEF: 1600
"Show 'em that big sword isn't just for show! Destroy Troop Dragon with WILD SLASH!"
Wildheart easily took down Troop Dragon, however...
"My Troop Dragon has a special ability! It allows me to summon another one as soon as it's destroyed!"
Or so Nightshroud thought.
"WRONG! My Dragon Destroyer Swordsman's effect prevents all your Dragons from using their effects!"
"NO WAY! I can still use my CALL OF THE HAUNTED to bring back the Troop Dragon you just destroyed! Now it's my go! I activate DOUBLE SUMMON! This lets me conduct 2 summons this turn! So I'll summon a 2nd Troop Dragon, then trade in both of them to summon...the RED-EYES BLACK DRAGON!"
ATK: 2400
DEF: 2000
Nightshroud noticed something off about his Dragon..."HEY! I summoned Red-Eyes in Attack Mode! Why is he defending?"
"My Swordsman's other ability!" Otto declared. "While he's out on the field, all your Dragons are forced into Defense Mode!"
Nightshroud growled. He couldn't conduct an attack as long as that swordsman was out. But he had a way around that! "Nice try! Activate STOP DEFENSE! This forces my Red-Eyes back into Attack Mode for one turn! Meaning...he can strike down Wildheart! INFERNO FIRE BLAST!"
Red-Eyes launched a fireball at Wildheart, destroying him and knocking Jaden back.
Jaden: 7100
However, Nightshroud just triggered a Trap!
"Thank you...you've fallen for my Trap Card! A COSTLY MISTAKE! Go, ATTACK AND RECEIVE! Since Jaden just took damage from an attack, this Trap makes you take 700 points of damage automatically!" Otto explained.
Nightshroud: 7300
"I'll lay 2 cards face-down and since my turn's over, Red-Eyes returns to Defense Mode. Your move, Key-Keepers."
"Pathetic," Otto said as he drew. "I thought you Shadow Riders were supposed to be tough! Oh well. Swordsman, DESTROY HIS RED-EYES!"
One slash of Buster Blader's sword was all it took to destroy Red-Eyes, but Nightshroud's points remained untouched.
"How'd you not lose any Life Points?" Reggie questioned.
"My Trap Card! RED-EYES GUARD! This activates when a Red-Eyes monster would be destroyed. Since that's the case, I don't take any damage for the rest of the turn. In addition, the Red-Eyes Black Dragon you just destroyed...RETURNS! And thanks to the 3rd effect of Red-Eyes Guard, your sister's next Battle Phase is skipped!"
"OH NO!"
Otto grunted. Reggie can't attack this turn! "I'll play this face-down and end my turn."
"That means you deal with me! DRAW! I'll activate CARD OF SANCTITY! This forces us to draw until we each have 6 cards!"
Once the effect of Card of Sanctity was resolved, Reggie looked at her hand and saw she had nothing to get around the 3rd effect of Nightshroud's trap.
"I'll play 1 card face-down and end my turn for now."
Back to Jaden!
"The only doom that's coming will be to your monster! And with Polymerization, I can fuse Burstinatrix and Clayman to summon...ELEMENTAL HERO RAMPART BLASTER!"
ATK: 2000
DEF: 2500
"Thanks to her special ability, she can strike your Life Points directly with half her Attack Points! Let 'em have it, Rampart Blaster! Don't pull any firepower! RAMPART BARRAGE!"
A series of missiles was launched at Nightshroud...DIRECT HIT!
Nightshroud: 6300
"That ends my turn."
"And starts mine! You honestly believe your Blaster will protect you? Guess again because this time, Red-Eyes' attack...IS AN ACTUAL CARD! INFERNO FIRE BLAST! This card is just as strong as Red-Eyes' attack, but it strikes you directly, Jaden!"
Not if Otto could help it!
"Again, Nightshroud? When will you learn that I'm always prepared? Reveal LIFE EXCHANGE! Since Life Points are changing by way of a card effect, I become the new target of that effect! I'll also chain...RAINBOW LIFE! By discarding a card, I can change any effect that would decrease Life Points into an effect that gives Life Points for the duration of the turn!"
Otto: 10400
"Now the effect of Life Exchange activates! Since I gained Life Points, you take 1000 points of damage!"
Nightshroud: 5300
"I can still summon ATTACHMENT DRAGON! He's not much of the attacking type. Like his name suggests, he's more of the attaching type. When he attaches to a monster, that monster is forced into Attack Mode! And the monster I choose my dragon to attach to...is RAMPART BLASTER!"
Attachment Dragon grabbed Rampart Blaster, turned her and pulled her arms down to her sides, forcing her into Attack Mode.
"I'll play 2 cards face-down and end my turn."
"You're through, Nightshroud! My turn! I activate CYCLONE! This will destroy your Attachment Dragon!"
A cyclone burst out of Otto's Spell Card, destroying Attachment Dragon. But the skater boy wasn't done yet.
"Next comes BLOCK ATTACK! This will send Rampart Blaster back into Defense Mode! Now...Buster Blader, slay Nightshroud's Red-Eyes with SUPER DESTRUCTION SWORD!"
If this attack hits, Nightshroud would take 4800 points of piercing battle damage! However...
"Trap Card, Activate! It's called HALF OR NOTHING! Here's how it works, you can either cut your monster's Attack Points in half and continue your attack or end your turn," Nightshroud explained.
"I think I'll continue," Otto said. "More specifically...I'll have Buster Blader continue his assault! GO!"
Once again, Red-Eyes was destroyed.
Nightshroud: 3900
"GO, TRAP CARD! RED-EYES REBIRTH! This activates when a Red-Eyes monster is destroyed! This card lets me bring my destroyed monster back! In addition, you all take damage equal to Red-Eyes' Attack Points!"
The trio was then blasted by 3 fire balls, charring them.
Jaden: 4700
Otto: 8000
Reggie: 5600
"I'll lay a face-down and end my turn for now."
Reggie smiled. "That means I'm up! I draw! Dark Paladin, eliminate Nightshroud's Red-Eyes for good with MYSTIC SABER SLASH!"
Just like what Otto's Buster Blader did, Reggie's Dark Paladin swooped in and took down Red-Eyes. With that, she ended her turn and action folded back over to Jaden.
"My turn! Here goes!" Jaden exclaimed as he drew. "Rampart Blaster, attack Nightshroud directly with RAMPART BARRAGE!"
Nightshroud: 1900
"Next, I'll activate DE-FUSION! So my Blaster splits back into the 2 monsters that originally created it!"
Burstinatrix:
ATK: 1200
DEF: 800
Clayman:
ATK: 800
DEF: 2000
"Now Burstinatrix, ATTACK NIGHTSHROUD DIRECTLY!"
On command, Burstinatrix launched a fireball at Nightshroud, burning him.
Nightshroud: 700
"I'll end my turn with one face-down, then play MIRAGE OF NIGHTMARE! Now during your Standby Phase, I draw 4 new cards. But during my Standby Phase, I have to discard the same number of cards I drew," Jaden explained.
"Whatever. My draw!" Nightshroud declared.
"Mine too, thanks to Mirage of Nightmare!" Jaden added.
"Just don't forget to discard come your turn!"
"Actually, I won't be discarding anything thanks to this...GO, EMERGENCY PROVISIONS! By destroying a card on my field, I gain 1000 Life Points and the card I choose to destroy is MIRAGE OF NIGHTMARE!"
Jaden: 5700
"So you were able to avoid that Mirage's unpleasantness, but let's see you try to dodge this Mirage! MIRAGE DRAGON!"
A golden dragon then appeared in front of Nightshroud.
ATK: 1600
DEF: 600
"Next, I play MONSTER REBORN! This brings back my Red-Eyes Black Dragon! Now to clear out your field, I activate RAIGEKI! And to make sure your Paladin can't do a thing about it, I'll chain BOOK OF MOON to flip Dark Paladin into Defense Mode!"
And just like that, all of Jaden, Otto and Reggie's monsters were destroyed.
"Now to work on your Life Points! I play DOUBLE ATTACK! This gives me 2 attacks with my monsters this turn! Now Red-Eyes and Mirage Dragon, ATTACK JADEN AND OTTO DIRECTLY!"
Red-Eyes launched 2 fireballs - one at Jaden and one at Otto - while Mirage Dragon fired a rainbow beam from his mouth at the 2 duelists, knocking them back.
Jaden: 1700
Otto: 4000
"Before I finish, I play the Spell - MYSTIK WOK! By sacrificing my Red-Eyes, I gain 2400 Life Points! I'll end my turn with 3 cards face-down."
Nightshroud: 3100
"We may be down, but Jaden and I are not out! My draw! I activate CALL OF THE HAUNTED! This lets me bring back a monster that's been sent to the Graveyard - namely, my BUSTER BLADER! And let's not forget his special power! He gains 500 points for each Dragon on your field and in your Graveyard! At last count - that's 5! So my Blader gains 2500 more points!"
Buster Blader ATK: 5100
"Now charge, Buster Blader! STRIKE DOWN MIRAGE DRAGON!"
Buster Blader rushed in to strike Mirage Dragon. He easily destroyed it, but...
Nightshroud: 1350
"Sorry, but you triggered my Trap Card called DAMAGE DIET! For the rest of this round, all my damage is cut in half! I also chain my other face-down card - BYE BYE DAMAGE! This sends double the damage I took directly at Reggie!"
Reggie: 2100
"I'll lay this card face-down and send it over to my sister!"
Reggie drew her card. "Don't mind if I do! Here goes! I activate the Spell Card - DARK MAGIC CIRCLE! When it's activated, I can search the top 3 cards of my deck for a Dark Magician card to add to my hand. I think I'll add the Dark Magician himself! And I'll waste no time in summoning him with my ANCIENT RULES Spell Card! Dark Magician, you can come on out!"
In no time at all, the ace of the original King of Games' deck appeared on Reggie's field. It was the ultimate wizard himself - the DARK MAGICIAN.
ATK: 2500
DEF: 2100
"Alright, Rocket Girl!" Twister cheered. "That's your ace monster!"
"And there's plenty more where that came from! I activate BONDS BETWEEN TEACHER AND STUDENT! While there's a Dark Magician on my field, this Spell lets me summon his apprentice! Dark Magician Girl...TAKE THE STAGE!"
ATK: 2000
DEF: 1700
"And since there's already a Dark Magician in my Graveyard, Dark Magician Girl gains 300 extra Attack Points now! Dark Magician, attack Nightshroud directly!"
Dark Magician twirled his wand, launching a purple beam at Nightshroud, striking him through his chest.
Nightshroud: 100
"Dark Magician Girl, END THIS DUEL! DARK BURNING ATTACK!"
Reggie was about to launch the finishing blow! However...
"Go, MAGIC CYLINDER! This redirects your attack right at Jaden's Life Points!"
"NO!"
Thanks to Nightshroud's Trap, she was about to knock Jaden out instead! Not if Otto could help it!
"GO, LIFE EXCHANGE! Now I become the target of Magic Cylinder's effect!"
Otto: 1700
"And since my Life Points dropped, Life Exchange's 2nd effect goes off, destroying my down card!"
"Now why would you destroy your own card, Otto-man?" Twister questioned.
"Glad ya asked, Twist! You see, my set card was a Trap called INSURANCE! When it's destroyed, it allows me to return a card from my Graveyard to my hand. The card I choose...is INSURANCE! And when Insurance returns to my hand, Jaden, Reggie and I gain 500 Life Points automatically!" (Note: I errata'd Insurance from the way the actual series has it)
Jaden: 2200
Otto: 2200
Reggie: 2600
"I'll lay 2 cards face-down and send things over to Jaden."
Action back to Jaden now. "Here goes...something!" He said, drawing his card. "I summon out ELEMENTAL HERO BUBBLEMAN!"
ATK: 800
DEF: 1200
"When he's summoned out all by himself, I get to draw 2 cards! Actually, how about I draw 2 more cards! I activate POT OF GREED! This lets me draw twice more! And one of these cards...I'll use right now! Fusion Gate! Now that Fusion Gate is out, I'll fuse the Bubbleman on my field with the Sparkman and Avian in my hand to summon...ELEMENTAL HERO TEMPEST!"
ATK: 2800
DEF: 2800
"Nice move, Jaden!" Syrus celebrated.
"2800 Attack Points!" Chumley cheered.
"Who's bad?" Lars asked.
"THEY ARE!" Twister cheered back.
"I'll throw down a face-down and call it a turn."
The smirk on Nightshroud's face didn't waver as he drew his card. "If you think Life Points factor into who's winning a duel, then you're sadly mistaken. It's the cards you're holding that determine who wins. Maybe this card will prove it to you!"
The fires of the volcano formed a set of dragon heads, all of which roared. "Did you honestly think, Key Keepers, that you could take down my dragons that easily? Banish them to the Graveyard and be done with them? If you did, then you're wrong! I summon Red-Eyes Black Chick! I then use Chick's ability, sacrificing him to summon another Red-Eyes Black Dragon! Now go, Red-Eyes! I sacrifice you to summon...RED-EYES DARKNESS DRAGON!"
Red-Eyes flew into the volcano, burned up and a new, darker version of it appeared.
ATK: 2400
DEF: 2000
"Now the molten ashes of my fallen dragons rise up from their firey graves and are reborn into my Darkness Dragon, granting it 300 additional Attack and Defense Points!"
ATK: 4500
DEF: 4100
"Darkness Dragon, finish Jaden off! INFERNO DARKFIRE!"
Darkness Dragon launched a fire stream at Tempest, intending to finish Jaden off. However...
"You've triggered my Trap! ATTACK GUIDANCE ARMOR! Now your attack is redirected at my Dark Magician!"
Dark Magician was destroyed instead! Reggie saved Jaden!
Reggie: 600
"DANG IT! I'll end my turn with 3 face-downs."
"Back to me!" Otto said, drawing his card. "Buster Blader, ELIMINATE RED-EYES DARKNESS DRAGON AND END THIS DUEL!"
This is it! The finishing blow! Or so Otto thought!
"Go, HALF OR NOTHING! Your attack's negated and now you can either end your Battle Phase or try again but with your Blader's Attack Points cut in half!"
Otto was foiled by Nightshroud's Trap Card! He had no choice...
"I have to end my turn...but not before playing another DESTRUCTION SWORD FUSION! With it, I fuse Buster Blader with the Companion of the Destruction Swordsman that I have in my hand! Welcome back...BUSTER BLADER, THE DRAGON DESTROYER SWORDSMAN!"
ATK: 2800 - 10800
DEF: 2500 - 10500
"I'll throw two more cards face down and end my turn. It's showtime, Rocket Girl!"
"Right! My move! DRAW!"
Reggie drew her card...exactly what she needed to end it here and now. "I activate the Spell Card - SPIDER WEB! This lets me use a card from your Graveyard, Nightshroud!"
"WHAT?!"
"That's right! The card I choose is MONSTER REBORN! And I'll use it to bring back my Dark Magician! NOW, OTTO!"
"Reveal face-down card! PREMATURE BURIAL! By giving up 800 Life Points, I can bring back the Buster Blader I just sent to the Graveyard!"
Otto: 1400
Back to Reggie for the final phase of the plan! "From my hand, I activate...POLYMERIZATION! Dark Magician and Buster Blader...COMBINE! Return to battle...DARK PALADIN!"
ATK: 2900 - 6900
DEF: 2400 - 6400
"Go, Dark Paladin! Attack Darkness Dragon and end this duel!"
Not so fast, Reggie!
"Activate WABOKU! Your attack's negated and my battle damage becomes 0 for the turn!"
"That's all for me. Jaden?"
Jaden nodded as he drew his next card. "I'll summon Wroughtweiler in Defense Mode!"
ATK: 800
DEF: 1200
"I'll then switch Tempest to Defense Mode as well! Then I'll call it a turn!"
"You know what I call that? A waste of time! And time...is very much of the essence, at least for your friends!" Nightshroud taunted.
"Hurry up, you guys!" Lars pleaded.
"We're about to be as deep-fried as a Shackburger in here!" Twister added.
"Deep-fried? I'll never look at french fries the same way again...though I'll probably still eat them," Chumley added.
"Come on, Otto and Reggie! Hurry up!" Clio freaked.
"We know, Clio," Otto said to his girlfriend. "That lava's looking pretty restless."
It was Nightshroud's turn now. "Since I know of your Tempest's ability to save itself by sacrificing a card on your field, I think I'll just get rid of it with CYCLONE!"
Wrong answer, Nightshroud! Otto's still got a face-down!
"BIG MISTAKE! You've activated my Trap Card! MALFUNCTION!"
"MALFUNCTION?!"
"Here's how it works - if you were to activate a Spell or Trap Card, I can give up 500 points to negate your card and set it face-down on the field!"
"NO WAY!"
Otto: 900
Jaden's Fusion Gate was saved! Jaden, on the other hand...was still in danger.
"I can still summon Spear Dragon in Attack Mode!"
ATK: 1900
DEF: 0
"Next, I play my Quick-Attack card! This lets my monsters strike right now, bypassing the effects of your Swordsman, Otto! Spear Dragon and Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon, ATTACK JADEN'S MONSTERS NOW! And in response, I chain my face-down card...DRAGON'S RAGE! Now when a Dragon-type monster attacks a monster in Defense Mode whose Defense Points are lower than that monster's Attack Points, the difference comes out of your Life Points! Now, FINISH HIM OFF!"
Spear Dragon launched a windstorm from its mouth, destroying Wroughtweiler while a fire stream from Red-Eyes hit Tempest, but failed to destroy it, thanks to its ability. However, Jaden was still in the duel!
Jaden: 400
"WHAT? How is Jaden still standing?"
Reggie had a Trap!
"You walked right into my Nitwit Outwit Trap Card! Since you declared an attack with your Spear Dragon, I was able to use this card to discard one card from my hand and if the card I discarded was a monster, your monsters' Attack Points decrease by the Attack Points of the monster I discarded!" Reggie explained, revealing her card to be Winged Kuriboh.
"Nice save, Reggie! Now it's my turn to activate a special ability! When Wroughtweiler is destroyed, his effect activates, letting me move an Elemental Hero and Polymerization from my Graveyard to my hand!"
"Go ahead. I don't know what kind of game you're playing, Key-Keepers...but with less that 1,000 points left, you won't be playing it for long!"
"Whatever. This duel's just about done anyway. It's my move!"
After drawing his card, Otto smirked. He was about to land the finishing blow.
"Buster Blader, use your 11,800 Attack Points to strike down Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon and END THIS DUEL!"
"THIS CAN'T BE!"
Buster Blader flew in and drew his massive sword, then lunged at Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon and slashed it, causing it to explode and ending the duel.
Nightshroud: 0
Jaden, Otto and Reggie: WIN!
"THEY WON!" Clio, Twister, Lars, Chumley and Syrus celebrated as the soul of Nightshroud was taken. Once Nightshroud's soul was gone, it revealed...
"Atticus?" Alexis asked, shocked. "Is that you?"
Otto and Reggie gasped "ALEXIS HAS A BROTHER?!"
"NO WAY!" Twister and Lars said in unison.
"The first Shadow Rider was Alexis's brother?" Jaden added.
Everyone was flashed out of the volcano. Otto, Reggie and Jaden were on the side of the volcano, face-down and tired, but okay. They won. Which is more than anyone can say for Nightshroud/Atticus. Just then, Sam, Keoni, Bastion, Zane and Chazz came running.
"OTTO! REGGIE!" Keoni called out.
"Hold on, you guys!" Sam added.
"Jaden! We're coming!" Bastion called.
"What happened here?" Zane asked.
"One of the Shadow Riders challenged Jaden, Otto and Reggie to a duel," Clio began.
"Did they win?" Chazz asked.
"They sure did!" Clio added. "The guy in black over there...that's the Shadow Rider."
Zane walked over to a crying Alexis. "It's him!" she sobbed. "I thought I lost him, but he's back!"
"Who's back?" Zane asked.
"Look at him, Zane!"
Zane took a look at what used to be Nightshroud. The long, brown hair was unmistakable.
"ATTICUS?"
"If this is what it's like when you win a duel, imagine how it must feel when you lose..." Twister began.
"...the sun may be coming up now, but night will fall again soon. And when it does, we must be ready," Keoni finished as the sun rose above Academy Island. The first Shadow Rider duel may have ended in victory, but the battle was only just beginning.
Shocking turn of events here (unless you saw the original Shadow Rider arc of GX (which I did)). The first Shadow Rider, Nightshroud...is Alexis's brother! Who knows what mysteries the remaining 6 Shadow Riders will hold? Find out next time!