Nothing's gonna change my world.

It was another beautiful day in the city of Domino. As it was a Saturday, the citizens of the city were out and about, enjoying the summer weather. There were cyclists, picnickers, and runners. None could stand in the way of the unstoppable force known as Jaden Yuki.

Jaden was a scruffy-looking, lithe young teenager with ginger-brown hair that made him stand out in a crowd. He wore grey gym shorts with a red sweatshirt that had the words "Domino State University" on the front in white lettering.

Clenched between his teeth was a buttered piece of toast. He wore a backpack almost as large as his entire torso. He catapulted over a bench, in a dead sprint towards the largest building in the city.

"Damn, I'm late! This is what happens when you schedule entrance exams at 11:AM! How I am supposed to possibly get up that early!"

Jaden ran behind some schlub on a bicycle that was going way too slow. "Get out of my way!" Jaden shoved the poor cyclist into a shrub before stealing his bike. "Sorry pal, but my need is far greater than yours at the moment!" Jaden began pedaling as fast as the bike would go, not wanting to be around when the cyclist disengaged himself from the bush.

As he whipped by the disgusted citizens, Jaden caught sight of a very distinctive haircut sporting red, purple, yellow, and black locks. Jaden rushed by before he could register whom it was. If he saw who it was, Jaden most certainly would have talked to him, but the necessity of the moment outweighed rational thought. Yugi Moto, the King of Games, eyed the ginger-haired kid with disdain. "What a ruffian." Yugi said, continuing on his way.

The Kaiba Corp building stood proudly over the comparatively small Domino City. Here was where the annual admission exams to the prestigious Duel Academy took place. Duel Academy was one of the best boarding schools in the entire world, but that was not why it was famous. Duel Academy took in children with latent fighting potential, and developed that potential into raw perfection. This potential manifests itself as a "Zanpakuto"- a sword that represents the inner strength of the user. Children who had the power of the Zanpakuto were taught to use their power for good, and to form bonds that would last them a lifetime. That was the vision of Seto Kaiba, the school's founder. When Jaden showed the potential to become a duelist, his parents weaned him in the martial arts, so he may become a powerful fighter.

The building was normally used for business purposes only, but today, the ground floor was arranged into a makeshift arena, with several lots outlined. In these lots, the students would take on a proctor to show off their skills. On the floor above the lots were sets of bleachers, where the students would wait to be called on for their exam. In one of these lots, a proctor wearing a blue trench coat and tinted sunglasses was testing a potential student.

This student gave a off a different impression to the proctor than the other students he tested that day. The student had an unmistakable air of control. From his stony expression to his stiff posture, the student's intensity immediately caught the proctor's eye. It also made an impression on the ragtag crowd of students in the bleachers. A black-haired boy wearing a baggy blue T-shirt and jeans sneered down upon this new challenger. Above the bleachers, two mature-looking students who appeared to be a couple gazed down at the would-be student, although not with the same sneer. The blue-haired male of the couple had his arms crossed, while his blonde-haired compatriot leaned on the railing. "He looks like he needs to get laid." The girl said. "I'll say. Hopefully not by you though." The male said. "Eh, not my type. Look at how seriously he takes himself. You two would be like peas in a pod." The girl playfully teased. In the arena, the proctor lowered into a combat stance.

"Alright, you are applicant number 1, Bastion Misawa, correct?" Misawa nodded. "I will declare a victory or defeat, depending on how well you attack me." The proctor droned. Misawa slowly drew a broadsword from its hilt, rigidly holding it in front of him.

"Begin-" No sooner had the proctor drew his own sword and gave the go-ahead that he had to defend himself from the boy's strike. An electric flash of light generated in Misawa's hand, lighting up the area. "Bakudo #30, Shitotsu Sansen." Misawa drew a triangle with the yellow energy. At the points of the triangle, three smaller rods formed, and launched at the proctor. The proctor swiftly dodged the rods, only to barely block Misawa's sword strike. Misawa struck using as little movement as possible, going straight for the kill. The proctor was quickly pushed back into the wall. As their blades locked, Misawa took one hand off of the blade. "Hado #4, Byakurai." A flash of white light flowed from Misawa's fingers, piercing the Proctor and breaking the wall behind them. The proctor clutched his wound in pain. Misawa quickly grabbed the proctor's zanpakuto and pointed it at his throat. "Victory.", the proctor croaked out. The boy's severe expression quickly settled into a dry, neutral countenance. "Thank you, sir." He then left the arena.

The black-haired boy's eyes darkened when he saw how easily Misawa won his fight. Two oafish-looking goons sitting on either side of the gothic boy looked at him. "Hey, he was pretty good! He could be a good challenge, Chazz." Chazz snorted. "Who cares? He hasn't shown anything yet."

"He seems incredibly powerful, to defeat a proctor so quickly." The blonde-haired girl observed. "Indeed. He didn't even have to release his Zanpakuto. Seems like a smart kid."

Jaden launched over a staircase, coming to a stop right in front of the admissions desk. The employees were packing up their forms, confident that no student would be so foolish as to arrive so late to the exam. The two women at the desk gave a Jaden a look that could kill. "Hello there, ladies! I trust this is where we sign up for the exam!" Jaden unabashedly flirted with the women. "Well, it's… 10:58. So I guess you can still sign up, asshole." One of the put-upon women snarled. Jaden blithely signed his name and walked into the building.

Above the arena and bleachers, The faculty of Duel Academy surveyed the new students joining their ranks. "Alright, let's pack it up, kids! My makeup is beginning to chip off, and I didn't bring any reserves!" A teacher whose appearance could only be described as being similar to a drag queen's stood up. The rest of the staff stood up and stretched their legs as well. A proctor hurried into the room and strode over to the drag-queen looking dude. "What do you want, servant?!" The proctor gulped. "Professor Crowler, sir, we have another applicant. Some punk named Jaden Yuki." The proctor nervously fidgeted. "Well, kick him out! He's late, and he will have to try again next year!" Crowler shrieked at the proctor. "Actually, he was on time. Came in at 10:58. Let me test him real quick, sir." The proctor desperately bargained.

The whole room went deathly silent. Crowler was enraged beyond belief. "I will take care of this upstart myself. He will pay the price for delaying us!" Crowler roared. "Sir, this will only take like five minutes, especially if you fight him yourself." The proctor pointed out. Crowler slapped the poor man so hard, he flipped over the nearby desk. Crowler stormed out of the room. The other teachers, holding their amusement in, immediately began laughing at Crowler's theatrics the moment he left the room.

Jaden strode into the duel hall, his confidence palpable. He gazed around the room blankly, not sure what to do. Suddenly, Professor Crowler entered the arena, holding a gigantic blade. It was held on Crowler's back. It was curved with a purple edge, and almost as big as a guitar. "Good day, applicant! I am Professor Crowler, and I am here to test you!" He announced with as much ham as he could muster. Jaden snickered for a second, then openly laughed. "And what are you a professor of? How to Look like a Gay Clown 101? Where do I sign up for that class?" Jaden's audacity shocked the audience.

"He's a mouthy one." The blonde noticed. "Indeed. Crowler must really want to take this kid out if he's fighting himself." The tall boy narrowed his slate blue eyes.

Misawa calmly walked up to the bleachers and sat down. As he reclined, he noticed a small, blue-haired boy shaking in trepidation. "What are you so nervous about? You look like you're about to leave a mess on the floor." Bastion joked. "It's Jaden!" "Who's that?" "It's that kid down there who's fighting Crowler. I talked with him a bit before he was called down, and he has no idea what he's getting into!". Bastion admired the kid's loyalty to this Jaden character, but the probability of beating Crowler in a one-on-one match would not be good odds for him. "We'll see. What's your name, son?" "Syrus Truesdale."

Several veins popped in Crowler's head; such a creature like the one who stood before him could not exist. He slowly drew the Zanpakuto, a shiny katana, on his back, which he then carried with one arm. Jaden's laughter died down, transforming into wariness. "You fool. You will now know the difference in strength between us. I will wipe you off the face of the earth with one strike." Crowler's voice was quiet and hissing. "Dude, I thought this was just an entrance exam, not a fight to the death." Jaden snarked.

"Tatakai no tame, Tetsuogoremu." (Brace for battle, Iron Golem). Crowler released his sword. A flood of spiritual pressure emerged, clouding the arena in an explosion of smoke. Jaden quickly ran from the burst of power. When the dust cleared, Crowler's sword completely disappeared, and there was no outward change in his appearance. "What just happened?" Jaden wondered. Crowler smirked. "You don't realize? I just used my Zanpakuto, Tetsuogoremu's, power. This is what is known as Shikai, a zanpakuto's first release." Crowler growled.

"Did you just see that, Zane?" The blonde girl said. Zane frowned. "I can't believe Crowler is using his shikai against a runt like that. It's unbecoming. But it is within the rules. You are too soft, Alexis." Zane said coldly. Chazz smiled wickedly. "Take him down, professor."

"It's unsurprising that a novice like yourself would not know what shikai is. You probably do not even know your Zanpakuto's name." Crowler then threw a punch. Suddenly, a giant phantom arm appeared in midair, aimed straight at Jaden. Jaden rolled out of the way. He quickly dropped his backpack to the ground and unzipped it. Crowler made a stamping motion with his foot, causing a large phantom foot to come down on Jaden. "He's done!" Syrus squealed. "There's no way he could survive that! He'll be squished like a pancake!" Alexis said, feeling oddly sad for the boisterous boy. "Say goodbye, dropout!" Crowler laughed. Suddenly, the foot's progress was stopped. Crowler applied more force, but the foot was getting pushed back up. As it rose, everyone saw that Jaden had blocked the heel using his own Zanpakuto.

"I'm no dropout. I'm gonna prove that I can hang with the best of 'em. And that starts right here, right here. Bow down to the Supreme King, baby!" Jaden shoved the foot off of his sword. The sword was a regular katana with a red hilt. "Is shikai just knowing your Zanpakuto's name?" Jaden asked cutely. Crowler managed out a "yes". "In that case, I think I might have one. My dad taught me a few tricks he learned back in his day. Daishi no Yosu, Eiyu no Hoshi. (Bring the four elements, hero of the stars)." Everyone in the stadium was shocked to learn that a mere dropout had learned the name of his Zanpakuto.

"This kid is full of surprises." In spite of this statement, Zane's expression did not change. "A shikai? Impossible!" Chazz fidgeted. "You OK, Chazz? You like you're about to make a mess all over the floor." One of his goons jibed. "Shut up!" Alexis gaped. "This guy's spiritual pressure is very strange. At one point, it's greater than mine, and at another, it's incredibly weak! It's like he has no control over his own power!"

Unlike Crowler's shikai, Jaden's did not release any outward effect, but it greatly increased his spiritual pressure all the same. Crowler immediately attacked Jaden again, without asking for any sort of explanation on what Jaden's Zanpakuto did. Crowler brought both hands together, intending to crush Jaden. Jaden slammed his palm against the ground, causing two rock walls to rise on either side of him. The clay stood up against Tetsuogoremu's hands. Crowler aimed his foot at Jaden, intending to kick the wind out of him. Jaden jumped. "That won't save you, fool!" Tetsuogoremu's foot was about to make contact with Jaden when Jaden suddenly swooped upwards, avoiding the blow entirely. Jaden slammed his palm forward. Crowler was momentarily confused, but that was short-lived as he was hit by a compact blast of wind, blowing him halfway across the arena.

The degrees of awe varied across the arena. Crowler slowly picked himself up from the hefty dose of punishment he had just received. "Not a bad power, huh? My sword lets me control the elements of fire, wind, water, and earth. I'm not very good at it yet, and that attack just took a lot of energy. But I've gotta be good enough for you pass me, right teach?" Jaden smiled, despite the strain his Zanpakuto's power was putting on him.

"As if I would pass you based on such a simple skill. You will have to do better than that, dropout." Crowler quickly threw out a sucker punch,
Tetsuogoremu catching Jaden in the gut. Jaden began to fly across the arena, but decelerated by turning his head and blowing a wind current the opposite way from his mouth. The pressure of the technique ripped his Domino City University sweatshirt in half. Crowler continued the assault, Jaden barely dodging the giant attacks. Eventually, Crowler let up. Jaden ripped his tattered sweatshirt off, showing the black T-shirt he was wearing underneath.

Crowler and Jaden panted in exertion. "I wonder if this kid is really going to make me use my Bankai…" Crowler thought. Jaden clenched his fists. "Eiyu no Hoshi: Streaking Comet!" He began to yell with the exertion of his final technique. Jaden's body began to emit smoke and ozone, his muscles dangerously tightening with the strain. As sweat poured down his face, he smiled at Crowler. "Sorry, but I've gotta give it my all. How will I ever become a badass if I lose here?"

With that statement, Jaden's body erupted in powerful flames, flames that burned brightly with a spirit of reckless hedonism. These flames flickered with the violent, impulsive, and beautiful youth that formed Jaden's entire being. Even Crowler was momentarily taken aback by its sheer asthectics. Jaden flew at Crowler, red power trailing behind him. Tetsuogoremu raised an arm in protection, but Jaden easily broke through it. With one punch, Crowler fell to the ground, a burn mark imprinted on his arm. The battle was over with one blow. Jaden's fire burned out as quickly as it came. Although he was extremely fatigued, he was able to remain standing. He spat to his side. He then broke out in a grin that would disarm even the most stoic man. "This is gonna be a good year, I can tell!"

Evening had painted the city of Domino a soothing orange. The students that passed the exam had their bags packed, and were waiting to go aboard the private plane that would deliver them to Academy Island. The kids were sitting around on the helipad, talking about things like their backgrounds, their families, and the way Jaden beat up a teacher. Jaden leaned against a bunch of suitcases, enjoying a bottle of ice water. He was sitting with Syrus and Bastion, who were both impressed with Jaden's victory. They shared a few personal stories before it was time to depart. Before they knew it, they were laughing like old friends.

As the students boarded the plane, Chazz "accidently" shoved into Jaden. Jaden ignored him and settled down into a window seat near the back of the plane. Bastion decided to sit down next to him, taking out a book to read. Syrus sat in front of Jaden, constantly looking back at him, as though to make sure he really existed. Eventually, as the orange faded to black, the kids slept, an air of fellowship embracing the plane in a warm glow.

A/N

Hello, lovely readers, and thanks for reading the first chapter of Kids With Swords! Many of you sexy individuals may be wondering where such a ridiculous idea for a story came from. As a long-time fan of both Yu-Gi-Oh and superheroic comics and manga in general, I've always thought that the plots of the Yu-Gi-Oh series would be taken more seriously if one removed the blatant merchandising for the card game and kept the characters. Tell me what you think!

Thanks again for reading. This story is my primary Fanfiction project, and should be updated fairly frequently. See you later!