A/N: Hey guys! How's your week been? If good, then great, if not, then tomorrows another day! Anyways, here we go, another chapter of YuGiOH GX! This time in our Alternate Universe, we find out what Chancellor Shephard's letter to Jaden meant, aaand a twist in Alexis x Jaden relationship. This and more to come, enjoy!

A/N 2: Thank you guys for all the reviews, favorites and follows! They mean the world to me! I have however no clue why so many people are worried about how much Jaden is eating, but to clear things off, Jaden does eat more due to the fact that he works out so much. I will not have him overstuffing himself however, this is AU, OOC (Out of character) and OC (Original Character) story, meaning that Jaden's behavior wont be exactly the same as in the anime. Anyhow, enjoy!


YuGiOh GX: Wanderer's Chronicles: Across the Board

Chapter III - Some sort of trouble

School had been going on for a week now, Jaden was already behind on homework, as per usual. It was friday, meaning it was the last day of the school week, and also meaning that it would be time to figure out what to do with the weekend, since the ship out to the mainland only left on friday evening and came back sunday evening.

"And that's it for todays lesson, class dismissed." Professor Banner ended his lecture on Duel Monster history.

Jaden and Syrus packed their stuff up and were already half way out of the door when Banner called Jaden's name and told him to come back. Jaden signaled Syrus to go ahead, and told him he'd see him later at the dorm. Jaden turned around and walked down the steps of the auditorium like class room, towards Banner's desk.

"What's up teach?" Jaden said carefreely upon reaching his destination. Banner lifted his head from the paperwork he was going through and stared Jaden in the eye.

"Chancellor Shephard needs to talk with you immediately." Banner spat out with his facial expression tight and tone to the point.

Banner lead Jaden through the halls of the academy, up through countless staircases and through a whole bunch of doors, and eventually they both ended up on the door to the Chancellors office - which was more like a luxury penthouse overseeing the island.

They walked in to the large room which was filled with office furniture, on the walls Shephard had put up trophy cases, displaying the various achievments he himself, the academy and it's students had received among the many years the fine academy had existed.

"Banner, you may leave us alone now." Shephard kindly pointed out as Jaden sat down on the chair opposite to the Chancellor's desk. After Prof. Banner had left, Chancellor sat down, opposite to Jaden, with his expression full of worry.

"This must have something to do with the letter you sent me in the summer.." Jaden assumed.

"Yes, you would be right." Shephard answered.

"You spoke of a threat to the school, it's students, and ultimately the world, what was that about?" Jaden inquired.

"You remember what happened at.. At Eraxia, right?" Chancellor Shephard asked. Jaden nodded as an answer.

"Im going to explain this once, and once only so listen carefully. Eraxia wasn't quite what we told you it was. It wasn't a Duel Monster burial ground, where Zane had been haunted by a duel spirit. It was one of the World Pillars -"

"The world what?" Jaden exclaimed. The fuck was Shephard on about?

"World pillars, let me explain dear Jaden. In the beginning, when our universe was born and Duel Spirits and Duel Monsters roamed free on planets uninhabited by another, more dominant life form, there was tremendous amounts of chaos and destruction in this world. The Duel Monsters were fighting against each other, destroying everything in their path." Chancellor Shephard took a small break and stood up from his chair.

"The Force of Creation decided that every single planet and realm with Duel Monsters in them would need supporting pillars, pillars to keep the world intact so to speak, in order to survive long enough until another life form would inhabit the planet and overthrow the duel monsters from their reign, and thus The Force of Creation created seven pillars on planet Earth. One into each of our continents." He continued, opening a holographic map of earth.

"Eraxia was the one placed in Northern America, it was also the one that collapsed. The other five are somewhere in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and Oceania, and Southern America." Shephard concluded pointing at each of the continents one at a time.

"Wait - You said there were seven pillars and that there were five left after Eraxia collapsed last year. What about the seventh pillar?" Jaden questioned, but wasn't done yet. "And all this talk about Duel Spirits and Duel Monsters roaming free in the wild like some form of life? I don't believe it. Duel Monsters are an illusion made by Pegasus and Industrial Illusions INC." Jaden stated.

"The one in Antarctica fell somewhere during the stone age. Industrial Illusions on the other hand is - ironically - one big illusion itself, its a cover for the public. Its easier for them to know that there is a God that created the world and that Duel Monsters are just a part of competitive dueling." Shephard answered with a serious tone as he sat back down to his chair.

Jaden was having a hard time trying to grasp on to everything he was being told. If all this was true, the whole world around him was based on a lie, and everything he had learned during his sixteen years of living had also been based on a lie.

"Even if all that were true. Even if our earth was supported by these so called world pillars, doesn't it make this whole place kind of hypocritical as you teach us a whole different history of Dueling, and more importantly a completely different history on how the world was created." Jaden questioned.

"Im sorry Jaden, but it was easier not telling anyone the truth, but I'm afraid that as the darkness is going to fall upon us, everyone will have to know. You are just the first to be informed."

"Fine, lets say all of this is true. Let's just assume that for a second, what is the threat here? The world pillars had been there since the beginning of time, and they still are, I dont get who or what is our enemy." Jaden argued.

"Darkness is our enemy Jaden. The threat we are facing, you have fought before. Only in much smaller scale of course. You have seen the shadow, but you haven't stared into darkness itself yet." Shephard said his face as serious as possible.

"With all due respect, sir. What the hell are you on about?" Jaden asked, thinking Shephard had finally lost his mind.

"Zane. Zane was corrupted by darkness, since he stumbled upon The world pillar Eraxia at a time when the darkness was present. You saw what happened to him. You defeated him in a duel. You defeted a shadow of the darkness."

"What is the darkness then? Some sort of invicible disease?" Jaden inquired.

"Darkness is the counter force of The Force of Creation. There's a small part of darkness in all of us. More of it in some than the others, but once the original source is near it awakens the worst in us. It makes us become nothing but violent and unthoughtful of our actions. It makes our one and only goal to end the world."

"So why didn't the darkness affect me at all?" Jaden asked curiously.

"I MAY have an answer for that. An answer you MAY learn later, after I have spoken with Shephard." A third voice spoke. It was strong and strict, and it came from a few meters behind Jaden. Jaden turned around to see a man, around 190cm, wearing completely black robes and a hood that covered his face.

"World pillars?, darkness?, The Force of Creation, what?" Jaden's head was spinning. He still wasn't quite sure if he could believe what he had just heard.

"Jaden, would you excuse us. You will know more later. Now go, get rest." Chancellor shephard said, pointing toward the door, as an indication that it was time for Jaden to leave.

:*:

"Is everything okay Jaden?" Alexis asked as Jaden just stared into the horizon while he sat in his chair, apparently sunk into his own thoughts.

"Dude, are we going to play pool or what?" Jesse asked while organizing the balls on the pool table. His question woke Jaden up from his thoughts. "Of course we are." Jaden replied with his usual confidence.

Jaden, Alexis, Jesse and Chloe - a brunette girl with a nice body and dark brown eyes - were at Summerbreeze, a tiki styled cafe / bar for the students that was located near the southern beach of the island.

"Who's breaking?" Jaden asked.

"All fine by me, I'll beat you at 8-ball any day anyways." Jesse joked around.

"Yeah right.." Jaden replied with a sarcastic voice while lining up his first shot. The boys played a few turns, with Jaden ending up with stripes and Jesse having to sink the solid colored balls. About halfway through the game Alexis stood up from her chair at the table and spoke to the boys playing pool.

"Im going to get a drink, you boys want anything?" She asked.

"Im good, thanks." Jesse replied, concentrating on his shot.

"I'd love a cola." Jaden replied, with a puppy dog look on his face, more begging than asking Alexis.

Alexis just rolled her eyes.

"Ok, I'll bring one for you." She replied with a smile.

"Thanks Lex, I owe you one." Jaden replied with a smile of his own.

"Nah, you dont." Alexis said as she turned around and called Chloe "Come help me with these?" The girls headed towards the counter.

"YES!" Jesse yelled, turning Jaden's attention back into the game, Jesse had sunk every single of his remaining balls in one turn, and also had the shot for the 8-ball line up straight. "Watch the master do his thing." Jesse continued as he sunk the solid black ball into one of the corner pockets.

"And that about does it." Jesse said, turning to Jaden with a victorious smirk on his face.

"Yeah, yeah, bla bla bla." Jaden said childishly. He wasn't a good loser. The boys left the cues onto the pool table and headed back to their chairs at their own table.

"You know Jesse, Chancellor Shephard invited me to his office today.." Jaden started as the duo sat down. He had pondered whether he should tell Jesse about what happened at Shephard's office. He had wondered if he should tell anyone at all, but he trusted Jesse, one of his best friends to not say a word to anyone, or worse think that he might be losing his mind.

"Really?! What did you do now? Sneak into the pool after hours again?" Jesse replied with a knowing smile. He was obviously referring to an event that happened last year, before the whole Zane incident had started, Jaden was invited - along with Syrus and Bastion - to a "secret pool party at the obelisk pool", which had turned out to be a trap to get Jaden to duel Alexis, and after her, Jesse.

"Ha, ha. Very funny." Jaden replied, sarcasm evident in his voice.

"Look man, if I were to tell you something, would you be able to keep a secret?" Jaden continued with a serious tone and his expression blank, already knowing the answer. He knew he could trust Jesse. Even with his life.

"Of course, what's up?" Jesse said, leaning in to focus on what Jaden was about to say. Jaden told his friend everything Shephard had told him, watching his friends face for any reactions but there was none. Jesse's facial expression was serious, meaning that he believed every word Jaden said.

"How could he not question any of this?" Jaden pondered.

"Jaden, if what you said is true, this world is facing greated danger than ever before, and our odds of surviving is as little as it has ever been." Jesse finally commented, his voice serious and low. That worried Jaden. In his mind, a small piece of his conscious mind had hoped that Jesse would deny everything he had said as a bunch of bullshit and that he would laugh straight at Jaden's face, but instead his friend had been extremely serious and worried. Jaden didn't have the time to reply to Jesse as the girls returned with drinks in their hands.

"Everything ok guys?" Chloe asked as she sat down next to Jesse.

"Yeah, you looked worried." Alexis continued, taking a seat on the chair next to Jaden, handing the boy his drink.

"Nah, we're ok." Jesse said, followed with a look to Jaden. A look that demanded him to comply.

"Yeah, everything is fine." Jaden agreed, seeing his friend's look. Chloe and Jesse quickly sank into a conversation about how Jesse had beaten Jaden in pool, and thus gave Alexis an opportunity to question Jaden's sincerity.

"You know Jaden, you can tell me if something is wrong." Alexis said to Jaden, with her voice calm and.. Was that a sliver of irritation he heard in her voice?

"I know Alexis. Everything is ok." Jaden replied, not even bothering to turn to look at the girl beside him. Alexis was far from happy with his answer.

"Would you tell me if there's something that worried you or something that was going on?" Alexis asked, trying to sound confident in her statement, but failing as her voice cracked slightly, revealing the hidden insecurity.

Doesn't he trust you enough to tell you his worries?

Jaden turned toward the girl, whose gaze was fixated on the floor. He gently lifted her chin up with his finger, right up until she met his eyes.

"You would be the first to know." Jaden reassured.

:*:

Later the same day, everyone from first years to third years, from teachers to other staff members were piled into the largest arena hall the Academy had to offer. The students were placed in the stands, grouped to everyone's surprise not by their dorm - but rather by who they happened to come with. Meaning that Chloe, Alexis, Jaden and Jesse were seated next to each other, around halfway through the lower stands.

"What do you guys think this is all about?" Chloe asked, while taking her seat next to Jesse.

"I have no idea." Alexis replied, with her gaze wondering to the boy sitting next to her. Jaden. He and Jesse hadn't said a word since the announcement had come. Everyone else had been jumping up from their seats nervous about what was going on, but Jaden and Jesse had just shared a look and started to make their way towards the stadium.

They know something. a voice inside Alexis' head whispered.

He would've told you IF there was something going on. The more reasonable voice said inside her head.

She didn't have the time to ponder any further, as the teachers - who were all standing in the very middle of the arena - told everyone to shut up and listen to what Chancellor Shephard was about to say.

"Thank you all for coming. It is in our best interest to inform you of a secret that has been going on for many decades. Even millenias." Shephard started. There was a million thoughts running through Alexis' head.

"The information I am about to tell you is to be handled with extreme caution. The information given here is going to affect everything we do from this point onwards, and ultimately if humanity is going to survive." Shephard continued, with his eyes wondering around the stands, looking for anyone that would disapprove of his words.

Jaden had felt Alexis tense next to him. His instinct had got him to reach for her hand, to which she had replied with a suspicious look, and as Jaden was about to curse himself for doing such a stupid move and was already pulling his hand back away, Alexis had taken it. Squeezing it reasurringly, whilst smiling one of the sweetest smiles Jaden had ever seen.

"Is there anyone, who feels like they will not be ready to hear this information, and would rather stay ignorant and go on with their lives in a peaceful manner, having nothing to do with the threat we are facing?" Shephard asked, with his voice echoing the stadium. Slowly, one there and a few elsewhere stood up stating that they wished not to know about what was about to go on.

"We won't hold this against you. Please, pack your bags. Your ship out will leave in an hour. I will see all of you after this conflict has been solved." Chancellor stated as the 30 or so students that had stood up passed him, giving the man a respectful nod.

"Now for the rest of you! I will tell you something that will change your life." He continued. Shephard started explaining everything he had told Jaden earlier that day, and obviously the same thing Jesse had heard from Jaden. They were probably the only students not to react in any manner of disbelief, worry or anxiety to what they heard Shephard say. Instead, Jaden's gaze was focused on the man with black robes. He was sitting amongst the teachers, but only now had Jaden noticed him. He looked like he was middle aged, a fairly fit build, judging by what he saw of the man.

"And to fight this darkness, we will need each and every one of you!" Chancellor finished his speech, waking Jaden up from his thoughts.

"Now, dear students, there are many roles to fill, we will need surveillance teams, we need to setup barracks to train each and everyone of you to your respective tasks, and most of all we will need willpower and solidarity in order to win." Chancellor Shephard signaled the man in the black robes to stand up.

"This here is Casimir, he will be your -" There was a small pause before Shephard concluded. "Well, for a few of you he will be your mentor, and for the rest of you he will be your boss. His orders are yours to fullfill, whatever they may be."

The man in the black robes slowly nodded respectively to Shephard and then took his place behind the microphone.

"I have no big speech prepared, but I do have a huge mission to for a very special person. The person who we rely on for all of us to survive. I would like for Jaden Yuki to stand up please." The words echoed the stadium, leaving everyone gasping for air. Jaden could feel how Alexis' hand tighthened it's grip on his, but she had to let go in order for him to stand up, and so Jaden looked at Alexis reassuringly and guided her hand off.

"Ah, There you are. You Jaden Yuki, have been chosen to travel to the temple of the Wanderer's in order to learn about the seven world pillars and their locations, and the traps and threats you will face on each of them. If you do not succeed on your mission, all hope will be lost, and our efforts to save humanity will be in vain. You are allowed to choose six others to journey with you to face these dangers."

Jaden felt the gazes on his back, everyone staring at him. He knew what he wanted to say.

"I choose, Jesse Anderson, Syrus Truesdale, Chumley Huffington, Bastion Misawa, Chloe Riverton and Alexis Rhodes to go with me, but only if they so choose themselves. I wont force anyone." Jaden finally spoke, with a clear voice that could be heard throughout the stadium, even tho he knew that everyone he had chosen was sitting right beside him.

And so, one by one, taking example from Alexis each of the chosen stood up and said. "I accept your offer to join." After a long silence of the seven of them standing up, Casimir spoke again.

"So it is then. The Chosen Seven are now present. May the eternal light guide you."


A/N: I apologize for this chapter being a little bit ( " A Little ") Confusing, but I had to try to fit all of that information into one chapter, so that it would all make sense, and thus the quality of the chapter may not be as good in terms of writing, but it has a lot of the information needed covered to go onwards, and thus the future chapters I can again focus more on the quality of writing. Thank you for reading, leave a review and have an awesome day! :)

Until next time, peace out!