Yu-Gi-Oh! GX: Generation X!

1. Life at Duel Academy

Beep, beep! Beep, beep!

Akino woke up and stretched. She put on her Slifer Red uniform and went to go meet her new buds Jaden Yuki and Syrus Truesdale outside of the Slifer Red dorm.

"Morning, Jaden and Syrus!" Akino greeted.

"Morning to you, too!" Syrus and Jaden greeted back as Akino ran down the stairs.

"Since it's Saturday, let's go hang out around campus," Jaden suggested.

"Good idea," Akino agreed and the two raced each other to Duel Academy campus.

"Hey, guys! Wait up!" Syrus called and ran after them.

A few minutes later, Jaden and Akino stopped in front of their Obelisk Blue friend, Alexis Rhodes. They were shortly followed by Syrus, who was out of breath.

"You all right there, Sy?" Akino asked.

"You guys ran all the way here again, didn't you?" Alexis guessed.

"Sure did," Akino answered.

"We were racing," Jaden explained.

"I see," Alexis said. "The pep rally is about to start and Jaden and Akino are dueling each other."

"What?!" Akino exclaimed. "Me and J?!"

"Hey, relax," Jaden said. "This is gonna be a sweet duel!"

"It's not that I don't want to," Akino said hesitantly. "I just have a powerful Monster in my deck, Dark Magician and Blue Eyes White Dragon. The rest are Elemental Heroes and Machine-Type Monsters."

"Doesn't matter," Jaden replied. "I'm still gonna duel ya."

I just didn't tell you that I was the strongest duelist back in Florida and I'm not sure if I should be in Slifer Red, Akino thought.

Akino sighed. "All right if you want to lose that badly."

"Who said anything about me losing?"Jaden asked. "Make sure you've got your game on, Akino!"

"Oh, I will have my game on," Akino promised.

A few minutes later, the whole school was at the duel stadium. Jaden and Akino's friends were at the very the front.

"Oh, boy. I've never seen Akino like this," Chazz sighed.

"How do you know Akino?" Alexis asked.

"Never mind," Chazz said.

The crowd cheered.

Akino, I hope you know what you're doing, Chazz thought.

"Ladies and gentleman! Welcome to the Duel Academy pep rally! Dr. Vellian Crowler here to announce the two duelists to go face-to-face! It's the youngest member of the Yakamuri family, Akino Marie Yakamuri!" Dr. Crowler announced.

The crowd cheered as second year Slifer Red Akino came onto the stage. She looked straight ahead, her eyes staring and looking serious. The crowd silenced.

"And her opponent will be…Slifer Red first year…Jaden Yuki!" Dr. Crowler announced.

The crowd cheered once more as Jaden ran onto the stage, waving to the crowd of students. He stopped in front of Akino in the middle of the stage. The two shook hands and walked apart from each other. The two activated their Duel Disks. Then they drew five cards and both began the duel with 4,000 life points.

2. Pep rally duel: Akino vs. Jaden

"Now, Akino. Just because you're my friend doesn't mean I'll go easy on you," Jaden said.

"Hey, that's fine. I won't go easy on you, either," Akino answered back. "Now, let's begin the duel! I summon Elemental Hero Avian in Attack Mode!"

As Avian appeared onto the stage, 1,000 attack points flashed next to it.

"I'll put in a face-down, and end my turn," Akino said.

"I summon Elemental Hero Burstinatrix in Attack Mode!" Jaden announced.

Burstinatrix's attack points: 1,200

"Burstinatrix, attack Avian with…Flare Storm!" Jaden yelled.

"Reverse card, open!" Akino said. "Doble Passe! So now…I take the attack! Unh!"

Akino's LP: 4,000 down to 2,800

"Why'd you do that?" Jaden asked.

"Why? Because now you have to take a direct attack from my Avian," Akino explained. "Avian, go ahead and attack him directly! Quill Cascade!"

Boom!

Jaden's LP: 4,000 down to 3,000

"You all right there, J?" Akino asked.

"Never better," Jaden replied. "I think I'll end my turn with a face-down."

"Whoa. Akino's really good," Syrus said.

"She should be in Obelisk Blue not Slifer Red!" Chazz exclaimed angrily. "I'm gonna talk to Crowler about this."

And he left his seat beside Alexis. Syrus and Alexis just shook their heads.

"Guess I'll draw," Akino said. "Awesome. I play…Polymerization! Fusing my Avian on my field with Bubbleman and Sparkman in my hand to form…Elemental Hero…Tempest!"

Tempest's attack points: 2,500

"I end my turn with a face-down," Akino huffed.

"Wow! Akino summoned her strongest Monster!" a Ra Yellow exclaimed.

"I'll admit that's a pretty amazing Monster," Jaden commented. "But I summon Elemental Hero Wildheart!"

Wildheart's attack points: 1,500

"Next I play my own Polymerization!" Jaden announced. "Fusing Wildheart on my field with Bladedge in my hand to form…Elemental Hero…WildEdge!"

WildEdge's attack points: 2,600

"Oh, man!" Akino exclaimed. "That's enough to beat my strongest Monster!"

"Got that right!" Jaden replied. "WildEdge, attack Tempest!"

Boom!

"No!" Akino yelled.

Akino's LP: 2,800 down to 200

"I activate my face-down!" Akino announced. "Emergency Provisions! I discard two Spell Cards, and I gain 2,000 life points!"

Akino's LP: 200 up to 2,200

"Burstinatrix, attack her directly with…Flare Storm!" Jaden instructed.

Boom!

Akino: Unh!

Akino's LP: 2,200 down to 1,000

"Whoa! Not bad, J!" Akino commented.

"Well thanks, Akino!" Jaden said. "I end my turn with a face-down."

"I play…Monster Reborn!" Akino announced. "I think I'll bring back my Tempest."

Tempest's attack points: 2,500

"Next I'll use de-fusion and de-fuse my Tempest," Akino said calmly.

Avian's attack points: 1,000

Bubbleman's attack points: 800

Sparkman's attack points: 1,600

"And now I summon Elemental Hero Wildheart!" Akino announced.

Wildheart's attack points: 1,500

"Next I'll use the Field Spell Card Fusion Gate!" Akino shouted. "I fuse Bubbleman and Avian and bring out…Elemental Hero…Sailorman!"

Sailorman's attack points: 1,400

"Oh my!" Dr. Crowler exclaimed.

"Akino's never used that Monster before!" Syrus gasped.

The crowd began to chatter.

"I'm not done!" Akino reminded. "Next I fuse Avian and Wildheart to form…Elemental Hero…Wildwingman!"

Wildwingman's attack points: 1,900

"And I play…Field Spell Card…Skyscraper!" Akino announced.

Buildings suddenly appeared on the stage. Jaden looked around while Akino was calm.

"And now for its effect!" Akino announced. "For every Elemental Hero out on the field, they gain 1,000 attack points."

Sailorman's attack points: 1,400 to 2,400

Wildwingman's attack points: 1,900 to 2,900

Bubbleman's attack points: 800 to 1,800

"Wildwingman, attack WildEdge!" Akino yelled.

Boom!

Jaden: Unh!

Jaden's LP: 3,000 down to 400

"Jaden, it's over!" Akino yelled. "Bubbleman, attack him directly!"

"Jaden!" Syrus shouted.

"Not on my watch!" Jaden said. "Reverse card, open! Negate Attack! I take no battle damage!"

"You may have survived this one, but you'll get it next turn," Akino promised. "I end my turn with a face-down."

Oh, man. If I don't turn this around, I'm done for! Please be a good card, Jaden thought. "My draw!...!! I summon…Elemental Hero Voltic and equip him with Voltic Spear!"

Voltic's attack points: 1,000 to 2,000

I'm certain he'll attack Bubbleman. If he does, I'll play my face-down Magic Cylinder and backfire his attack, causing Jaden to lose this duel. The question is 'Will I lose Jaden as a friend?' Akino thought.

"Voltic, attack Bubbleman!" Jaden shouted. "Voltic Thunder!"

"Reverse card, open!" Akino announced. "Sorry, Jaden! Magic Cylinder reverses the attack back to you!"

Boom!

Jaden's LP: 400 down to 0

Jaden fell to his knees. Akino sighed.

"Ladies and gentleman! The winner! Akino 'Queen' Yakamuri will now be promoted to Obelisk Blue!" Dr. Crowler announced.

The crowd cheered wildly. Jaden smiled and got up. Then he gave Akino a thumbs-up. Akino smiled back and gave him a thumbs-up as a reply. Then he walked over.

"That was a good duel," Jaden commented. "I never had such an intense duel. Those Elemental Heroes were really cool."

"Thanks Jaden," Akino said. "But is it worth going to Obelisk Blue?"

"Of course it is," Jaden answered. "You deserved it."

"I'll come and visit as much as I can," Akino promised.

"Deal," Jaden said and the two shook hands.

Kuri, kuri!

"Is that a Monster Spirit?" Akino asked.

"You can see it, too?" Jaden asked, surprised.

"I have one," Akino explained. "Dark Magician and Winged Kuriboh, just like yours."

Just as she said the names, the spirit of Dark Magician and Winged Kuriboh appeared beside her. Akino wasn't like the other girls. She was a tomboy. 16 years old and has long, blonde curly hair. She wears the boy version of the Slifer red uniform. Long sleeves while the girls wore short sleeves. Dr. Crowler handed Akino the Obelisk Blue girl version-blue skirt and white shirt with a blue collar- and Akino went into the ladies' room to change her uniform. That night, Akino, Jaden, and Syrus were hanging out in Jaden's room, also belonging to Syrus.

"It's so cool you're in Obelisk Blue now Akino," Jaden said.

"They may be at the top and I might be as well, but I'm still a Slifer Red no matter what. Besides, I feel like this is my home," Akino explained.

"I see," Jaden said.

"But still. What happens…happens," Akino shrugged. "Oh. I have to go. It's past my curfew to be in before 12:00."

"Okay. We'll save you a seat tomorrow at breakfast in the Slifer Red dorm," Syrus promised.

"Thanks Sy," Akino said and left Syrus and Jaden's room.

"You know, Sy. Even though Akino's a Slifer Red no more, she's still one of us," Jaden said.

"Got that right," Syrus agreed and the two high fived.

Outside, Akino was smiling.

Jaden, I have a good feeling that this year for me is going to be really good with you and Syrus around, Akino thought. And for my graduation duel, I'll be certain to choose you as my opponent.

And she continued to walk back to her new dorm.

To be continued…