Note: Hello again, my friends! It's been a while, but I finally got the courage to start writing again! While I am still working on my story Plasmashock, I've had this crossover fic in my head for quite some time now: a crossover between Yu-Gi-Oh and James Cameron's Avatar! No one else aside from at least one author has ever thought of something like this, and even then it's not exactly a true crossover like this one. It's going to follow the world and storyline of James Cameron's Avatar, but with some major differences! Some of them will become clear to you once you begin the tale. Pairings will include Jake X Neytiri, and also Atem X Mana and a few others that will be noted later. So without further ado, let us begin!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh or Avatar. And I'm glad I don't!

Dreamhunter

Prologue

When I was at the VA hospital, with a big hole blown through the middle of my life, I started having these dreams of flying… I was free…

To be honest with you, I wasn't the only one…

A pair of eyes opened, revealing brilliant crimson irises, the color of freshly-drawn blood. Blood. In a sickening way, it was a perfect match to horrifying scene that played out before the fifteen year old boy who owned those eyes. Large gunships shooting out laser beams, blasting away at wood and metal, shattering glass. People falling dead around him. And a regal middle aged man, with straight long gray hair, mustache and beard, now laid limp and lifeless in his arms, a man he knew so well and loved so deeply. The boy stared down at the man, then at his surroundings, filled with fear and disbelief at what had just happened. Then he heard a loud booming sound not far away from where he was kneeling. He looked over and began to panic. There was another boy just his age, a good distance from him, standing just inside the entrance of the now-decimated building in sorrow, unaware of the danger that was to befall him! The two of them looked very much alike, as identical twins often do; both brothers had spiky tri-colored hair reminiscent of a star, mostly black with the tips lined in crimson, their lightning-shaped bangs a brilliant gold. And both brothers were quite handsome, with lean athletic bodies dressed in a black tank top, blue jeans, and black studded boots. There was a clear difference between them, though. Some parts of the elder brother's bangs stood up on end, framing his hair in an aesthetically pleasing way, while the younger brother's bangs didn't stand on end at all. Also, the elder's eyes were sharper and his body had a bit more muscle. Simply put, the elder was basically a slightly more mature version of the younger in appearance.

The heavy beams had been blasted out of its place by the laser gunships, and what terrified the boy was that they were now plummeting toward his younger brother at full speed. The elder brother screamed and rose to his feet, sprinting as fast as he could. The younger looked up to see the falling debris right above him, and grew stiff, too afraid to move out of the way. It was right at that moment that the elder brother pushed his younger brother out of the way. Then all went black.

He was an ordinary kid who dreamed he could be a hero.

Sooner or later though, you always have to wake up.

Chapter 1: A New World

"Atem! Atem!" a familiar voice called out. They were fain echoes at first, but they soon became much clearer. Slowly, the boy, Atem, opened his eyes, and saw his brother looking down at him, his innocent but determined face all lit up with excitement. "Atem, wake up!" the younger brother, Yugi, shouted.

Atem squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, shaking his head in an attempt to rouse himself. "Y-Yugi?" he queried.

"Seriously, you've been asleep for nearly the whole trip!" Yugi stated.

That took Atem by surprise. "Y-You mean… we're here already?"

"We're close." Yugi answered.

"What year are we?"

"2154, the same year it is when we left!" Yugi replied in slight annoyance before he smiled again. "That's one of the big advantages that TERF has to the other guys. With their technology, we're able to travel through space in five minutes, where it would normally take five years without! And best of all, there's no need for cryosleep! You should at least enjoy the moment while you have the chance!"

"R-right." Atem stated softly as his brother floated to another part of the spaceship, the Solar Barge.

TERF. The Terran Environmental Restoration Force. They're what you call the guardians of nature. Many people back on Earth love them, and rightfully so. It was because of TERF that the planet still had some green at all. Most areas there had become part of at least one of five industrial megacities… a Dead Zone. Atem Mutou and his twin brother Yugi, along with most of the young occupants of the Solar Barge, were among the unfortunate souls who had lived in a Dead Zone for most of their lives, facing toxic waste and pollution day in and day out. It was only due to the vigilant efforts of TERF that the poison was prevented from spreading further. The Mutou brothers knew this better than anyone, for the late president of TERF's Earth branch was Akhenamkhanen Mutou, their father. Atem sighed sadly. It had been almost a year since their father was killed by the soldiers of RDA, or the Resources Development Administration, the tyrants of the Dead Zones and TERF's greatest enemy. It's all my fault… he thought to himself. I don't deserve to be here. Not after what I did.

Trying to take his mind off the events of his past, Atem decided to survey his surroundings. There were several children and teenagers on board, as well as a few scientists and teachers, and they were having the time of their lives. Two individuals caught his interest. One was tall a young man his age, with brown hair, neatly combed in the back. He was wearing a black futuristic suit, probably made of a skin-tight leather; they were decorated with two pair of buckles on the calves and biceps, and silver arm guards in the forearms. The buckle of his belt was in the shape of two letters: K and C. And those icy blue eyes… Atem knew this young man all too well, having seen him so many times on television. But this was the first time he's even seen Seto Kaiba in person, and it was surprising to him since it was happening in this rather unlikely place. Why would the president of Kaibacorp even bother to take part of this school program in the first place? A younger boy, around twelve years old, leaned close to the ship's window. The elder Mutou correctly presumed the boy to be Seto's little brother Mokuba; he had long black hair a little past his shoulders, which looked a bit messy in comparison. He wore a blue and white striped shirt with an orange vest, along with some jeans and sneakers. His blue eyes looked at the speeding stars in wonder.

"Look Seto!" Mokuba stated in awe, "This is even better than all those Science Fiction movies we used to watch!"

"I can see that." Seto replied bluntly, "And at least it's better than that jungle planet we're heading to."

"Seto!" Mokuba scolded, "Quit being such a sour puss! You may not think so, but Pandora is the coolest place to be! You should be happy about coming here." The former billionaire said nothing. He just looked crossed his arms and looked away.

"Attention all students and staff of the Avatar School Program," A voice announced on the intercom, "We are now approaching Pandora. Please follow the guidelines as we transfer you to our shuttle, the Silver Leonopteryx."

Many of the kid whooped and cheered at the news, especially another pair of teenage boys. One had sandy blonde hair and hazel-brown eyes, and wore a T-shirt, blue jeans and black sneakers. The other had brown hair styled like an oddly-shaped horn, with a plain white T-shirt under a brown jacket. "Woo-HOOO! It's about time!" the sandy blonde, Jonouchi Katsuya, exclaimed in excitement.

"PANDORA, HERE WE COME!" The other boy, Honda Hiroto, cheered, pumping his fist into the air. In the background, Seto just rolled his eyes in blatant annoyance. He was not looking forward to this trip.

As the Solar Barge switch off from its "Warp Drive" mode, it gently glided over toward a huge gas planet that resembled a blue version of Jupiter: Polyphemus. It real destination, however, was one of the moons up ahead. It looked very similar to Earth, but much cleaner and possibly more beautiful.

Pandora.

Like many children on Earth, Atem grew up hearing about this moon. And like many children on Earth, he dreamed of going there. But he never thought that this dream would come true at this very moment. Once again, Atem grew sad in his thoughts. This was what he had always wanted, but it was so unfitting of him to get this chance of a lifetime now. He wasn't supposed to go to Pandora, like Yugi was. In fact, his parents had refused to let him go there in the first place. It was for a very good reason, but Atem didn't understand it until it was far too late. Now he had lost everything… his home, his father… and even the use of his own body. The attack had left him paralyzed from the neck down, confined to a wheelchair and completely dependent on others for survival. He should be glad that he was alive. Instead, he was wishing that he had died along with his father.

Apparently, most of the people he knew back on Earth seemed to agree with him. The people who once called him a friend all blamed him for the string of events that led to the destruction of their homes, their loved ones, and most of all, one of their most beloved leaders of TERF. Atem could still remember their voices, and their faces, so filled with their anger and hate towards him. It was unbearable, but only because it was true from his perspective. Only his mother and his twin brother stayed by his side when the rest of the world cast him out, but even so, he feared that even they might turn against him one day. And since no one was willing to give his family the money he needs to get his spine fixed (because no one was willing to forgive him), he had come to depend on Yugi for nearly all of his daily living, even more than he depended on their mother.

It was originally planned that Yugi would go on ahead to Pandora to attend school there, leaving Atem behind. But something rather unexpected happened, and although Atem had yet to know what it was, it was enough for Yugi to convince their mother to let his older twin come with him. "It would be good for his health," he had told them. "Not to mention it would be a brand new start for him. And besides, Grandpa would be thrilled to see us both!" Both their mother and Atem himself were initially hesitant, but eventually they both agreed to grant the younger twin's request. And now here he was, approaching Pandora, on his way to become a student in the Avatar School Program. All the kids that were to be his new classmates and the adults that were to be his new teachers were probably unaware of the things he had done, so in a sense, it was kind of like a new beginning for him. But is it really possible that he could rebuild his life from scratch like this? He couldn't bring himself to admit it, but a big part of him was saying yes, filled with a great deal of hope and excitement.

Around the very same moment that the Solar Barge arrived, another space shuttle was making its approach: the ISV Venture Star, owned by the infamous RDA. For all its advancements, the ship sorely lacked several things that give TERF's Solar Barge the advantage. Namely, warp drive mode. As the passengers were roused from their five years of cryosleep and boarded on the Valkyrie shuttle for transport to Pandora, the pilots of the Valkyrie looked over to TERF's own transport shuttle, cleverly shaped like a certain apex predator of the moon's skies. "Ugh, there goes the Silver Leonopteryx." mumbled one pilot.

"Damn lucky bastards." grumbled the other, "While we're stuck with the scenic route, they get to be the intergalactic bullet train…"

Thankfully, they continued with their business, and once they were filled with their precious cargo, both shuttles shot through Pandora's atmosphere like diving birds. Once near ground, the shuttles took their separate paths. The Valkyrie flew over a huge pit: a strip mine digging for a high temperature superconductor that Terran civilization couldn't function without. Or so the greedy RDA executives believe. Inside the Valkyrie, three men waited along with several other passengers, mostly made up of soldiers from armies across the globe of Earth. The first one, Raphael, had light blonde hair and a statuesque build, dressed in an army tank and pants. The second, Amelda, had short magenta hair and was dressed in a two-piece futuristic jumpsuit, and knee high boots, giving him the look of an androgynous futuristic biker. The third, Varon, had spiky brown hair complete and a biker getup that was more grungy, complete with a red vest and shoulder pads and red biker boots.

"Oy, five years in cryosleep…" Varon muttered in a heavy Australian accent, and shook his head like a dog to help loosen up his stiff muscles. "Sure didn't feel like five years."

Amelda looked out the window. "I wonder how Miruko is doing… He's probably in fourth grade by now, that's for sure."

"Yeah, it was five years ago when your brother traveled here to attend that elementary school run by TERF." Raphael noted, "It's the same with my own brother and sister, Julian and Sophia. They all left on the Solar Barge the very moment we were boarding the ISV Venture Star."

"The fellas in RDA are a bit distasteful, but at least they pay well." Varon stated, "Kind of ironic for us, really. While TERF was kind enough to help the kids get an education, it's their enemies that offer us a job. Was it the right choice to accept their offer? I dunno. But I guess we're bound to find out."

Right at that moment, the chief crew of the Venture Star stomped into view down the aisle. "All right everyone, Exopacks on! Exopacks on!"

"Well, it's time." Raphael stated, as he and the others prepared to equip their Exopacks, the face-covering breathing gear used on Pandora for outdoor protection. Understandable since the air on Pandora was toxic to humans.

"Remember people," the crewman continued, "You lose your mask, you'll go unconscious in twenty seconds, and you're dead in four minutes! Let nobody be dead today, it'll look bad on my report!"

Meanwhile, at the same time, the new students of the Avatar School Program were also preparing for their landing. "All right kids, the school is getting close!" One of the experienced crew announced, "From now on, when you're outdoors, keep your Exopacks on at all times when you are not using your avatar!" The adults set to work putting Exopacks on the small children—as well as making sure they don't pull it off. A teenage girl with long auburn hair and milky white lenses, wearing a T-shirt, a pair of shorts and cute socks and sneakers, reached out toward Jonouchi. "Is it time yet?" the girl asked.

Jonouchi reached out to hold his little sister's hand and prepared her Exopack. "Yeah Shizuka," he answered with a smile, "it's time."

Yugi was also helping Atem put on his Exopack, since he obviously couldn't do it himself. "I guess I better hold on tight to your wheelchair Brother," Yugi stated, "From what Grandpa told me, the gravity here is 80 percent that of the gravity on Earth."

"That's pretty low." Atem noted.

"Just be glad it's not as low as our own moon!" Yugi added with a wink. "Otherwise you'd be floating away!"

Soon the Silver Leonopteryx approached what appeared to be a small college town. The buildings there seemed to be a perfect blend of technology and nature. In fact, some of the "buildings" were actually trees. As it neared the runway for its landing, some blue skinned humanoids came near, brimming with curiosity and anticipation. Indeed, even their physique was different from their small human counterparts; their facial structure was reminiscent of a feline with their large almond-shaped eyes, their feline ears, and their protruding snouts, and their bodies were made up of graceful long necks, wide shoulders, narrow, elongated waists, and long limbs, giving them a slender look with a sharply defined musculature. They even had long prehensile tails, as well as four digits on their hands and feet. To add to the effect, their cyan skin had dark blue stripe patterns which further enhanced their beauty.

Mokuba's eyes lit up as he saw the humanoids from out the window. "Big Brother, look!" he stated to Seto in amazement. "These must be the Na'vi! Wow, they look so cool in their native clothes!"

"Yeah they do." Seto replied, "But you won't catch me hanging around with these guys."

"Um, hello? Did you forget?" the younger Kaiba pointed out, "You're an avatar driver now, just like me and everyone else who's going here! It's a requirement for all students and teachers attending school on Pandora!" Seto sighed, hating the fact that his brother was right.

"Thanks for reminding me!" he muttered sarcastically.

As the Silver Leonopteryx made a safe landing, all the children waited by the hatch, eager to run out and explore the new world. "Calm down everyone," A crew member shouted over the noise of the young crowd, "You'll get your chance to look around soon enough, but for now we are heading straight for the main hall in TERF headquarters, where your new teachers will give you their welcome speech! Now are you ready?"

"Yeah!" all the students cheered, and some of the smaller children bounced enthusiastically. With that, the crew member put on her Exopack and touched what seemed to be a tight collar decorated with smooth stones, but was actually a communication device.

"Let 'em all loose!" she exclaimed. And almost instantly, the hatch opened; the Pandoran air surged inside like a rippling wave on water. Everyone stared out toward what would be the entrance to their new home away from home, even as they felt the pressure of the air against their skin. Finally the moment arrived. "All right kids, single file!" the crew member announced, guiding the excited kindergarteners out in a line. Even so, the children clamored out like a rushing river, all seeming as if they had just arrived at a very famous amusement park. The teenagers came out at a tad slower pace, but no less enthusiastic about the experience than their younger peers. Meanwhile, Yugi began to set up his brother's wheelchair, a power chair made specifically for a C-4 quadriplegic, complete with a computer system with wires and sensors that allows the occupant to control it via brain power. Atem had to thank the doctors in the hospital he stayed in back on Earth, as they were kind enough to provide him with this wheelchair.

Once the setup was finished, Yugi turned toward his older brother. "Okay Atem, time to get you on." With that, the younger brother proceeded to transfer the older to his seat, picking him up from under his arms. It proved to be a daunting task, since he was practically moving Atem by himself. Just then, a young teenage girl with short shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes rushed toward the twins. She was wearing a yellow tank top and pink jacket with sleeves rolled up to the middle of her biceps, a pair of dark pink jean shorts and pink sock stuffed in white hiking sneakers.

"Here!" the girl stated, "Let me help you."

"Oh! Thanks!" Yugi replied, grateful for the unexpected help.

"Yes, thank you." Atem stated likewise, as he was passed gingerly to the girl, who took hold of him from behind and allowed his brother to take hold of his legs. Working together, Yugi and the girl safely maneuvered the disabled brother to his wheelchair.

"There we go." Yugi breathed out, satisfied with the effort. "Now let's get you hooked up."

"You're guys are attending Avatar High as well, aren't you?" the girl asked.

"Yup, we sure are." Yugi answered as he began to set up the device. "I'm Yugi Mutou. This is my twin brother, Atem."

"You mean the Atem and Yugi Mutou, twin sons of Akhenamkhanen, president of TERF's Earth branch, and grandsons of the explorer Sugoroku?" the girl asked in amazement. Atem winced at the question.

"That we are." Yugi confirmed with a grin.

"Well it's nice to meet you!" the girl greeted with a genuine smile, and held out her hand. "I'm Anzu Mazaki, by the way."

"Nice to meet you too, Anzu!" Yugi greeted, shaking Anzu's hand.

"Yes… yes, it's a pleasure…" Atem mumbled, before bowing his head in shame. The schoolgirl looked at him in concern.

Before the question even left her lips, Yugi answered sympathetically, "Oh, he wasn't always like this. He's been through a lot since our father was killed."

"Oh yeah," Anzu stated, "I've heard about the massacre that took place back on Earth. I don't know about the events that led to it, but you have my condolences."

"Well, let's just say I did something horrible." Atem replied sullenly, "I know you're curious, but I don't want to talk about it."

"That's okay." Anzu assured, "You don't have to tell me right now if you don't want to. Everyone makes mistakes after all, and I'm sure that whatever you did wasn't your fault."

Atem sighed. "Try telling that to some of the people back on Earth."

"Putting that aside," Yugi stated, "I was originally going to come here by myself, but then I heard that something unusual happened here while I've been waiting. I wasn't sure what, but I figured it might have something to do with my avatar, so I figured 'Why not?' and convinced my brother to come along with me in hopes of helping him recover. Anyway, I sure hope we get to see each other more often. You're a very nice girl."

"Thanks Yugi!" Anzu replied cheerfully, "And I'm sure we will! After all, we'll get to hang out in our avatars. And who knows? We could all be classmates in the same homeroom."

"Heh, heh, you have a point!" Yugi laughed. By then, he had just finished with the setup, and the older Mutou brother was ready; the two circular sensors on the side of Atem's head seemed to glow as they picked up his brain signals and activated the wheelchair. "Okay Brother, time to head out."

"Let's go out together." Anzu suggested.

"Sure! That's a great idea!" Yugi agreed. With that confirmation in place, Atem concentrated like he always did and willed his wheelchair to move. Slowly, the wheels moved, then gradually picked up the pace. Now at last, the trio was leaving the shuttle to enter this brand new world for the first time. All the while, the Na'vi clan that was living and working alongside TERF was looking upon, and chatting about in their native language, the young newcomers who surged out like floodwaters toward the main headquarters; through the years they had come to know of this annual coming of "sky people", and even now they were fascinated by the spectacle of future students. Indeed, it proved to be a welcoming sight for the human children.

The trio paused a moment when they saw Shizuka standing still, stick in hand, seeming to look around. "Oh Katsuya!" she gasped in amazement, "The sounds are so amazing up close!"

Jonouchi chuckled, "They sure are, Sis. But wait until we get you in your avatar!"

Anzu turned toward the Mutou brothers and explained, "That girl over there is Shizuka. We talked together during the trip through space; she happens to be one of the unfortunate victims of River Blindness, having contracted it when she was a kid. Her brother Jonouchi Katsuya brought her here with him, not only to ensure that they get an education together but also in the hopes that her health would improve."

"Kinda sounds like me and Atem in that aspect." Yugi noted.

At the same time, a group of bullies from the high school were hanging out, inspecting the newcomers as they passed by. They chuckled at the thought of "fresh meat" to target. One of them happened to glance at Atem and his brother and got the leader's attention. "Hey Ushio, look! There's a little shrimp accompanied by meals on wheels."

The leader of the bullies, Ushio, gave an evil-looking smirk as he gazed at his new victims-to-be. "Oh, that is just wrong!"

Just then, an old man came rushing through the crowd. The short and stocky elder had a look similar to that of the Mutou twins, but his hair was gray and tied up in a bandana, and he had a mustache and beard and was wearing a red shirt and a pair of tan overalls and dark hiking boots. His face lit up when he saw the boys. "Yugi! Atem!" he shouted.

One look at the old man before him and Yugi was beaming. "Grandpa!" He exclaimed, rushing over to Sugoroku Mutou and pouncing on him with a big hug. Throughout their lives, the twins could only contact their grandfather from a distance via an upgraded version of superluminal communications, so it was a true joy, even for Atem, to finally meet him in person.

"Welcome to Pandora, Yugi!" Sugoroku laughed heartily, gladly returning the hug. Then he broke the hug at stepped toward Atem. "And of course, we mustn't forget your big brother!"

"Hey Grandpa!" Atem greeted, giving a small smile as he leaned his head against Sugoroku's body as the old man gave a gentle and loving hug. Once they broke the hug, Atem asked, "You're not angry at me? After what's happened to your son on Earth?"

"Of course I'm not angry!" Sugoroku replied, "Besides, I know you're not responsible."

"But-" Atem protested.

"No 'buts' Atem." Sugoroku interrupted firmly but gently, "Whatever those other kids told you back on Earth, it's definitely not true! Even they should know that!" Of course, Atem wasn't convinced. The old explorer smiled nevertheless. "Cheer up! This is a brand new start in a brand new world, and you need to embrace it."

Atem nodded. "Okay. I'll try."

Satisfied, Sugoroku turned his focus to all three teens before him. "Well, we have no time to waste. Ironheart is going to start his welcoming speech any minute and we sure don't want to be late!"

"Sure thing Mr. Mutou" Anzu agreed.

As they traveled together, though, a small child shouted excitedly. "LOOK! A DIREPONY!" Atem looked over amid the crowd of small excited human children, and saw a Na'vi passing by, leading a gorgeous horse-like animal with six legs. The disabled boy couldn't help but gasp in wide-eyed wonder, just like those children. Due to his love of horses, the direhorse was his favorite Pandoran animal; he had seen these magnificent creatures in books and on TV, even on the internet, but to actually see them before his eyes like this… it took his breath away!

Yugi was quick to notice and grinned. "Well what do you know, Atem?! That's the first time I've seen you smile in months!"

At Hell's Gate, the industrial-styled base of operations for the RDA, a man was getting himself ready to prepare his own speech to his group of newcomers. He was a handsome and elegant-looking man, with long turquoise hair and dressed in a blue-violet business suit, holding a glass of champagne in his left hand. He strode among the soldiers and businessmen with authority; he was not to be trifled with. "This is not Kaibaland, my friends," the man Dartz, began, "This is Pandora. Mark my words. If there is a Hell, you might want to go there on vacation after a tour through Pandora." He pointed to the rainforest outside the window. "Out there, beyond these fences,"—he turned around, revealing a pair of mismatched eyes, one gold and one turquoise—"every living thing that soars through the skies and crawls on the ground seeks to slay you and feast upon your flesh." Raphael, Amelda and Varon arrived at that very moment as Dartz continued. "Also beyond these fences lives an indigenous population of humanoids known as the Na'vi. They're fond of arrows dipped in a poison capable of stopping your heart in a single minute, and some are capable of 'magic' that enables them to control the very plants around them. Their bones are reinforced with a naturally occurring carbon fiber; trust me when I say that they're very difficult to kill. This is especially true since some Na'vi clans have a strong alliance with our hated enemy, the Terran Environmental Restoration Force." He strode forward. "As president and CEO of the Resources Development Administration, it is my responsibility to ensure your survival. Of course, I won't be able to succeed with all of you." He paused for a moment as a soldier stepped forward. "Since the head of security is busy with… other duties, I will have Lyle Wainfleet step up and provide you with your safety brief. Lyle?"

"Thank you Mr. President, Sir!" Wainfleet stated before turning his attention to the new grunts. "All right troops! If you wish to survive, you gotta cultivate a strong mental attitude, follow procedures and obey the rules. Rule number one…"

Varon sighed in annoyance. "Ugh! I hate these safety briefs…"

"I don't know about you, but they put my mind at ease." Raphael noted.

Amelda crossed his arms. "At least the kids at the Avatar School Program get a more exciting welcoming speech."

"AW YEAH!" Jonouchi exclaimed among the crowd as they walked down the hall toward their next destination, "THAT SPEECH WAS AWESOME!"

"Yeah," Honda agreed, "The part about the rules may be a bit boring, but the guys at TERF really outdid themselves! Now I'm really excited about going to school here! And that says a lot since I normally don't like school!"

"Really? Well I'm looking forward to Gym class, as always!" Jonouchi added.

"Maybe because you suck in just about every other subject." Seto mocked from behind.

Jonouchi spun around, fuming. "WHA?! WHY YOU-"

"Cut it out!" Anzu scolded. "I know we've just met, but I don't want to see any fighting before school starts!"

Right at that time, a lanky man pushed his way through the crowd of newcomers. He had a thin mustache and a stubble of a beard, and he wore a red T-shirt, and an explorer's vest, long khakis and hiking boots. In fact, the whole look seemed to read, "geeky jungle explorer". "Excuse me!" he stated as he passed through, "Pardon me." Eventually, though, he managed to reach the one person he wanted to meet the most. "Hi. I don't mean to interrupt, but… You're the Sugoroku Mutou, right? Famed explorer and Akhenamkhanen's father?"

"Ho ho ho, that I am." Sugoroku confirmed cheerfully. "Oh, and I suppose you heard of my grandsons as well."

The man looked toward the Mutou twins. "Atem and Yugi? Yeah, I heard about you guys! Wow, your resemblance to your grandfather is uncanny! That, and the fact that he's one of the great legends among TERF… Oh, sorry! I got carried away and forgot to introduce myself!" He reached out his hand. "I'm Norm Spellman. I'm an anthropologist for TERF, and the new culture studies teacher in Avatar High School."

Yugi reached out and shook Norm's hand. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Spellman! I take it you're just as excited as we are about the new avatars."

"Yeah," Norm replied, "I went through avatar training with a friend back on Earth. He passed away before he got the chance, though. Speaking of which, you have my condolences on the death of your father. It must have been a shock for you to watch it all happen."

"You don't know half of it." Atem sadly stated.

"Hey don't worry." Norm assured, "We can talk about this at another time."

That statement proved true as the newcomer's self-appointed tour guide, a charming young man in his early twenties sporting long lavender hair that covered the left side of his face, led them to a large room. Like many of the school faculty, this man, Pegasus J. Crawford, was dressed in a casual garment. "And here we are!" he announced cheerfully, "The TERF-Bio Lab, where the magic is soon to happen! The link beds are to your right, but I presume you'll be more interested in the spectacle to the left." Atem, of course, was the first to look in that direction, and he was in awe at what he saw. It was filled with several large tanks, each holding what appeared to be a Na'vi body, complete with even a tail and what appeared to be a long braid. It wasn't long before the others took notice of the sight as well, and they stared at the bodies in wonder. "As you might have known, it is required for both students and faculty of the Avatar School program to be paired with an avatar of their very own. Each avatar is a harmonious blend of your DNA and the DNA of this world's noble inhabitants, the Na'vi. Go right ahead take a look at them, you'll know which one belongs to you when you see one that bears your resemblance!" The elementary students didn't hesitate to rush forward, followed by the adolescents; all of them were eager to check out their avatar bodies. "If you have a hard time finding your avatar," Pegasus added, "you can ask a TERF scientist to guide you there." The scientists who worked with the avatars, the few humans in TERF who don't have their own, greeted the newcomers and helped guide them to the body they were looking for. Each of the newcomers were truly amazed at how the avatars looked so much like a Na'vi version of themselves.

"Hey! There's mine!" Jonouchi exclaimed, clamoring near the tank holding his avatar. And he couldn't help but feel pleased with the results; it was very much a Na'vi version of himself, head to toe, although the hair color was a dark brown. But there were details, he noticed, that made an avatar different from a true Na'vi: For starters, the avatars have five digits on their hands and feet, and the size of the eyes were smaller. And avatars have eyebrows, whereas the Na'vi do not. Of course, like the future drivers around him, Jonouchi didn't mind. "Whoa… the pride that fills you up when you finally meet your other body… I guess now I know how a first-time mom would feel."

"Um… it's not exactly a baby." Honda noted.

"Yeah, so?" Jonouchi huffed.

"Katsuya?" Shizuka queried, "Do you see my avatar?"

Jonouchi smiled, gazing at his sister's Na'vi self next to his own. "I do Shizuka… and I can't wait for you to try it out!"

Meanwhile, Sugoroku sped by to meet up with one of the lead scientists responsible for the synchronizing process. He was of African American decent, with light brown skin, a thick mustache and a curly beard and afro. The nametag on his lab jacket read, "Max Patel". "Max!" the old man called out, followed by his two grandsons, Anzu, Norm, and surprisingly, the Kaiba brothers.

Max looked up from his work and greeted them with a cheerful smile. "Hey Dr. Mutou! Good to see you!"

"Same with you, Max." Sugoroku replied.

"Say, those two kids look a lot like you." Max noted, seeing the Mutou brothers. "Are they your family, by any chance?"

"That they are." The old explorer led Atem and Yugi closer. "These are my grandsons, Atem and Yugi. They're the ones who are going to attend Avatar High School."

Max grinned and stated to the twins, "Well, it's an honor to finally meet you! Your grandpa told me all about you!" Then he initiated a handshake to Yugi. "Welcome to Pandora!"

"Thanks Dr. Patel." Yugi greeted likewise.

Seto stepped toward the tank that held his avatar, marveling at the sleek perfection of its frame. "Damn, it got big!"

"Whoa, cool!" Mokuba gasped.

"Yeah, it takes time for it to mature like this." Norm explained. "At least the kids twelve years and younger don't have to wait as long. Still, no matter what the age, it's clear the proprioceptive Sims worked pretty well."

"Not to mention the fact that it's got good muscle tone." Max added. "It'll take a few hours to get them out of those tanks, but you're gonna take them out for a ride tomorrow."

"Whoop-dee-doo." Seto stated sarcastically, rolling his eyes in disgust.

Max ignored the comment, turning his attention back to the Mutou brothers. Namely, Atem. "Atem, right? I guess you're wondering why you're here."

"Yes." Atem answered.

"Well, the answer lies in your brother's avatar." He pointed to a tank behind the teenagers. "It's over there." Atem, Yugi and Anzu turned around, and their eyes widened in surprise.

"No way!" Anzu gasped, rushing toward the tank containing Yugi's avatar. "Yugi… there's two of them!"

Indeed, there were two avatars sleeping in one single tank. One was floating face down above the other, its head resting by the feet of the other and vice versa. In fact, each was clinging to the leg of the other.

"Yep." Max replied, "To make a long story short, the cells used to make Yugi's avatar unexpectedly split in two, and they basically became a set of twins. At first, we were at a loss as to what to do, since this has never happened before. It was your grandfather who made the suggestion to bring you here, Atem, since you're the twin brother of Yugi, and both of your DNA is a copy of each other. And so, here you are now." The scientist then turned toward Anzu. "Anyway, Anzu, yours is over to the right of you."

The girl rushed over to get a good look at her Na'vi self, not far away from her new friends. "Oh wow! It's so beautiful!" But Atem barely heard her. The disabled boy wheeled around the tank, taking a closer look at the twin avatars. Both of them were well muscled, and the spiky black hair was shaped similarly to that of their drivers—except they were a long wild mane that reached to their hips. Still, he could see the distinctive black lightning-shaped bangs, telling him exactly who they belong to.

"They look like you, Yugi." Atem commented as his brother stood by him.

"No." Yugi corrected, "They look like us. Your avatar's the one on the bottom." Sure enough, Atem saw that the one floating face up underneath its twin bore a stronger resemblance to him than it does to his brother. The body made a sudden movement on reflex, then became still once more. Atem smiled at the sight. A moving, working body… that was the one thing he hoped to regain.

Hours later, after the new students were rounded up, Pegasus passed a computer tablet to each individual. "Okay now," Norm announced, "As the newest member of the school faculty, I feel it's my responsibility to tell you about your logbooks. They're basically your digital journal; you can write in them, draw on them, and if you like you can do a video log. You can record your thoughts and take notes for study in the classes you'll be attending soon. I highly suggest from experience, that you use the log while the thoughts in your head are still fresh. It'll really come in handy when it comes to studying for those tests."

As Pegasus handed the tablet to Atem, he pulled out a mechanical arm and attached it to the computer on his student's wheelchair. "There you go Atem Boy." Pegasus stated, plugging the tablet and positioning it in front of the disabled boy, "Since you're unable to use your arms in this body, this device will allow you to use your logbook with your brain waves. And it's adjustable, so you can move it to the side of your wheelchair when you're not using it."

"Thank you." Atem replied.

"Don't mention it. Anyway, since you and Yugi Boy are the grandsons of the great Sugoroku Mutou, I'm going to give you a 'back stage pass' to meet the president of TERF's Pandora branch, who is also the principal of Avatar High."

"You mean that, Mr. Crawford?" Yugi asked in excitement.

"Why of course! And please, call me Pegasus outside the classroom."

Atem busied himself putting the new technology to the test. He stared at the screen with a hopeful smile. "Well, I guess here we are… going to school… in a brand new world. Hopefully, I'll be able to move forward."

Note: And so the stage is set! In the next chapter, Atem and Yugi meet TERF's president in the Pandora branch. Guess who she happens to be? Later, they and the newcomers link up to their avatars for the first time, and they meet some more teachers, including a certain jarhead who, in this tale, plays the role of an assistant school coach! How will it go? You'll just have to wait and find out! Until next time!