Hello readers! This is my first GX story. It does follow the 3rd season storyline to a point. Some things remain the same as in the anime, but not everything. Anything written after the incident with Professor Cobra/Viper is completely my own. Well, if I follow the original plan I made, it should. Most likely I'll change it in the middle…

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX. I only own original characters that don't really appear until at least the second half of the story. The original characters aren't really important. Yu-Gi-Oh! GX belongs to Kazuki Takahashi…or at least, if I'm wrong, it belongs to the guy who made it…KT made YGO and YGO-GX, right? I'm not going insane now, am I?

Chapter 1

As a new school year starts, friends reunite with each other, chatting descriptively of their exciting summers and teachers preparing for a fresh new wave of students.

Duel Academy is no different.

As new students wander aimlessly toward their orientation in the large duel arena, returning learners mingle in the courtyards, hallways, and dorm lobbies.

The new school year chatter all over the campus was silenced when the voice of Chancellor Shepard echoed throughout the campus. As the loudspeaker turns off, the students file into the main academic building, toward the large auditorium where the GX Tournament was announced only months before.

A few, however, remained behind. Within the shade of a large willow tree, a small group of students remained.

"C'mon, Jaden, we're going to be late," said Syrus Truesdale. He and his friends had now become upperclassmen in the large academy, a status that meant less people were allowed to pick on him. Before, everyone picked on Syrus, mainly because of his childish nature and short stature. Now, with the overpopulation of the freshman class, and due to the large previous graduating class, there were fewer students who knew Syrus to truly get on his nerves.

Jaden Yuki was lying on the grass, staring at the clouds. He sighed, and turned to his bluenette friend, "for what? It is lunch time already?"

Alexis Rhodes, the only girl friend within the group shook her head in amusement, "no Jaden. Chancellor Shepard just announced the start of the assembly – and if we don't get out from under this tree now, there won't be any good seats left."

Alexis's brother, Atticus, was against the tree, stringing his ukulele (A/N: Is that what it even is? I don't think it's a guitar…) along with humming a tune. It seemed he didn't even hear what his sister had said.

"Well, let's go then," said Jaden, getting up."

"Jay, you need to pay more attention."

Hassleberry, the only one a year younger than the others, chuckled, "you know the Sarge. If he's not eating or dueling, it ain't important."

Alexis brushed the excess grass from her skirt, "c'mon, Atti."

Atticus turned to his sister, "huh?"

"The assembly. C'mon!"

"Oh, right!"

Upon reaching the large auditorium, Jaden and his friends settled themselves in one of the middle rows. Chancellor Shepard was speaking with Vice Chancellors Crowler and Bonaparte, his back to the students.

A large gaggle of girls were near the front of the room, gossiping about who-knows-what. One of them casually looked around for a clock, but her eyes settled upon something else. After a massive squeal, she bolted to one of the exits. Another of the other Obelisk girls watched her ascend the steps.

"What's with her?" she asked, "I've never seen Chrissie act this way – you would have thought she had seen some sort of teenage dueling heartthrob or something!"

"She did!" said Amanda, running up the steps.

Seated, the gang watched the rest of the girls approach the door.

"Ehh, what's going on with them?" asked Jaden, "you think they would have been all love struck over Chazz when he won that GX Tournament!"

"Yea! Nobody ignores The Chazz!"

Syrus whispered to Hassleberry, "let's ignore him…"

"Go see what's going on, Sarge."

"Uh, okay. Save my seat," Jaden stood and tried to sort through the pack. He was able to make out what a few of the girls were saying.

"Oh, you poor thing!"

"Let me carry your things for you!"

"Let him be and let me carry his duel disk!"

"Shut up Amy!"

"Did you see that? He smiled at me!"

"No, he did that to me!"

"Oh, shut up you two! He totally winked at me!"

"Excuse me, coming through. Duelist trying to move here…"

"Oh, hey Jaden," said a rather familiar and un-female voice. Jaden pushed through the final ring of people.

"Aster!"

" 'Sup Jaden?" Aster waved from his spot within the circle of fangirls. He still wore his silver suit, but was a bit different since Jaden last saw him. Aster had a bandage over his left eyebrow and his right foot was in a cast. The pro duelist was leaning on crutches.

"What happened to you?"

Aster glanced around, "I'll tell you later…"

It was at least ten minutes later that Jaden returned with Aster.

"Well, what do you know, it's Private Phoenix!" said Hassleberry, then he added, "looks like he went through battle!".

"Scoot over a seat, Chazz," Aster poked him with a crutch. Finally seated, everyone moved their seats so they were all seated nearer each other.

"So, what happened?" asked Atticus, seated behind the pro.

"Ah, you'd laugh at me."

"No we wouldn't, Aster…"

"Oh, you're right. Chazz would laugh."

"Would not! The Chazz makes fun of no one…except Slacker and his side-kick Shorty."

"English Chazz…I don't attend here on a daily basis…"

"Oh, right. I only save the insults for Jaden and Syrus."

"That's not fair! You can't make fun of me and not Hassleberry!"

"Watch it half-pint! He doesn't make fun of me because I am Jaden's best friend!"

"NO, I AM!"

"I AM!"

"I'VE KNOWN HIM LONGER!"

"HE'S MY COMMANDIN' OFFICER!"

"THIS ISN'T THE MILITARY!"

"Anyhow," said Alexis, sitting next to Atticus, "ignore them. What did you do?"

"It was about…I don't know, maybe two weeks ago I suppose," Aster began, "I moved from my old place to one of those new estates off by the corner of Domino. Really secluded area. Anyhow, I was coming down the stairs when the movers were…well…moving stuff in, and I fell down the stairs. There's no carpet on the stairs, or on the hall floor, so that hurt – really bad."

"Are you alright?" asked Jaden.

"Yea, had to get the gash on my head cleaned up, and I broke my foot in two places. Other than that, I'm fine."

"Doesn't that hurt your dueling, being injured?" Atticus leaned forward. The assembly still hadn't begun and the teachers were still talking in the front of the room.

"Well, Sartorius said that the doctor said I'm not allowed to duel 'till the cast comes off and the crutches go, so the only monotones-free thing I have left to do is to hang around here."

"You're actually going to attend classes and stuff like that?" asked Syrus, "but you already know all of this stuff!"

"Yea, well, I also get to crash in Shepard's office and use his big screen TV. He said so."

"Wow…"

"May I have your attention please?" asked Shepard, stepping up to the podium. The chatter amongst the students died instantly.

"I'd like to welcome you back to another eventful and exciting new year. I'm sure some of you are eagerly awaiting that graduation match so you can move on to the Pro Leagues, while others have another year to go before the farewell match.

"This year, Duel Academy will be hosting four new students – one from each of our sister schools around the world. They will enter the third year class. Please welcome them and treat them, as you would want them to treat you. Let's not be someone who makes fun of others because…they get lower grades or have ridiculous neon hair or something silly like that." Everyone then looked at Chazz.

"What!?"

Shepard cleared his throat once more. "From East Academy, please welcome Adrian Gecko!" A tall, muscular boy with spiky reddish hair entered the auditorium through a door behind the podium. He gave a small wave to the students, as the Chancellor continued, "next is Jim Cook from South Academy."

Jim had a somewhat of a cowboy look to him, with a crocodile on his back. A few students snickered.

"Look, he's dressed like someone from the western United States in the 1800s."

"What's with the crocodile? Or is that an alligator?"

"From the West, here is Axel Brodie!" Axel took his spot next to Jim. He had a look etched across his face saying don't cross me.

"Finally, from North Academy, Jesse Anderson!"

There was a pause, but no one joined the other three students.

"Jesse Anderson," the Chancellor repeated, "are you here?"

"He was on the boat with us, right?" Adrian whispered to Jim.

"I saw him in the halls earlier. Must've gotten himself lost."

The doors at the back of the hall opened and a boy with blue-green hair ran down toward the podium.

"Are you Jesse?" asked Shepard.

The boy nodded, "Yea. I'm Jesse. Sorry I'm late and all. North Academy is a lot smaller than here. I must have lost my way a dozen times!"

He took his place as Shepard continued, "also this year, one of the top professors of West Academy will join us. He has raised the most grades at that school than any other teacher. It is our goal that he will also boost some of the falling grades here as well. Please give a warm and respectful welcome to Professor Viper!"

Professor Viper was a tall, muscular man with a very stern look. He had "Tristan (original YuGiOh)" hair and seemed to be glaring out at everyone. He stepped to the podium and spoke into the microphone. "Thank you Chancellor. Now I'm going to make this brief before you all start goofing off in your seats up there. To pick up the slacking grades in this school, I'm beginning a series of tests. First, every student will be fitted for a bio-band. These bio-bands will measure your dueling spirit, fighting ability, among other things. I will be monitoring your duels. You will have to duel at least once with the bio-band. If you lose more than you win, and your games were not even close…meaning you're not dueling to your potential, say good-bye to Duel Academy. This weeds out the weak. If you don't duel with the bands, you will be expelled…"

"I've heard of this guy, Viper," said Aster, as Shepard continued about a homework club, "he raised West Academy's overall grades by twenty percent!"

"Wow, just think. Slacker and Shorty might actually get an A in something…"

"Watch it Chazz or else!"

"Or else what Syrus?"

"Or else…umm…I'll think of something…"

Later that morning, Jaden and Jesse were in one of the school courtyards.

"So you have a Winged Kuriboh duel spirit, Jaden? That's pretty cool!"

"Thanks, Jesse. You can see them?"

"Yep. I've got one too. This is Ruby. Ruby Carbuckle (anyone know the correct spelling?) and she's my spirit."

"That's sweet!"

"Jay!" Syrus ran up to them, "oh, hi Jesse. We have to get fitted for our bands now. If you ask me, this whole thing is bad news! Who ever head of a nice guy with Viper as a name!"

"Oh, he can't be all bad! C'mon. Let's go get our bands," said Jesse.

"Okay," Syrus followed his two friends, "you're probably right Jesse. I guess I'm overreacting." But even if he is good, I still have a bad feeling about this…

Well, that's pretty much it for now. Leave your questions, comments, complaints, and flames and stuff with the purple button. If anyone know how to spell Ruby's full name, please let me know and I'll fix it. Also, any obsessive fangirl in this story is a worthless nothing character. Not based off of anyone and has no major part in this story.