Shout Outs...
Infinite Freedom: If he does I'm not telling.
Tyjet: Hey, whatever works, right?
Psycho King: Man, that is creepy. And yes, going by the meta is boring. I mean, really, would the show work if everyone and their cat played Chaos?
0---0
"Greetings everyone, I am Principle Waltman!" A man declared on stage in front of the students of duel academy, all seated in the school's theatre. "To new and returning students alike I welcome you to Duel Academy! As you all realize our Academy is located on an island in the Pacific Ocean. It's mostly forested and some parts are still unexplored, but for those nature lovers present I assure you there are no natural predators or snakes on this island. As representatives of Duel Academy I hope you treat this island as our host and not as a junkyard.
"In addition to our duelling classes you will all be given classes you'd find in a normal school, math, English, and physical education among others. Your rank, however, is based solely on your duelling skills. Do remember though, I want all my students to be intelligent, and when you leave here, whether as a graduate or for summer vacation I hope you carry the pride of our academy with you.
"Now as you all know you will be divided into three dorms, Slifer Red which is our lowest ranked, Ra Yellow our middle dorm, and Obelisk Blue our highest ranked dorm. There will be two dorms for each ranking, one for boys and one for girls. Regardless of dorms, however, all students will be treated equally and fairly, and I hope all students treat everyone the same way. Now as for guests, there will be a parent's night held..."
"Man, this is going on forever..." Gonda said to himself as he stifled back a yawn. "I should have brought a pillow." Gonda had in fact pondered taking off his new red blazer and using it as a pillow.
"I here ya." J.B. said next to him also wearing a red blazer. "Couldn't they have just left a memo for us? I'm gonna mildew here." Both young men were sitting nearly to the back of the room and to the speaker's left.
"Maybe we should say we have claustrophobia brought on by being seated like this." Gonda suggested.
"I doubt they'd buy it. Say... Is it just me or is everyone looking over at us?" J.B. asked, seeing a girl turn away blushing as he looked back at her.
"Uhh, dude... You summoned a super-rare, super-powerful monster during your exam, and word has kinda gotten around. And you know that guy you beat?"
"Professor... Pummel or something?"
"Trammel. Apparently he's the Obelisk Blue dorm's headmaster."
"Really? That's cool I guess. I don't think he liked me much though."
Gonda shook his head slightly smiling. "You don't have many worries do you?"
"What, me worry? Come on! I'm in! Sure, I'm in Slifer, but I'm in! I'm ready to have some fun!"
Gonda's smile widened. "Now you're talkin'! Let's look around this place! Well... once Principle Waltguy finishes his three hour marathon."
"Aww, man..."
0---0
After nearly an hour all the students were released. Some went to the dorms, others the forests.
J.B. and Gonda? The school shop.
"Whoa, check this out!" Gonda shouted out, picking up his find.
"Is that a Blue Eyes White Dragon Plushie? That's sweet!" J.B. said taking the dragon plushie. "You know if it had squiggly eyes I'd say it was a Blue Eyes Toon Dragon plushie."
"You gonna buy it?"
"Damn straight! This is kinda neat when you really look at it." James said tucking it under his arm. "What else is here?"
"Hey, is that a Kuriboh hat I see?"
"Whoa, neat-o!"
0---0
"I gotta admit, this place is looking better by the minute!" J.B. said, walking down the path, his Blue Eyes Plushie's head sticking out from his book bag.
"I hear you." Gonda said, Kuriboh hat on his head as he effortlessly hopped up onto the railing that they were walking next to. "This is gonna be so cool!"
"Hey, how do ya do that?" J.B. asked as Gonda smiled doing a cartwheel on the rail.
"Oh it's nothing really. I grew up in the circus under my father, Gronda Gonzola so I've been doing back flips since I could walk." He grinned as he flipped over backwards, landing on his feet. "It's easy for me."
"Says you!" J.B. replied, still grinning. Both shared a laugh before turning to look down the path.
Just in time to see a blue clad male student shove a much shorter red clad female student to the ground.
"Hey!" J.B. called out as he and Gonda charged forwards. The male student frowned slightly before grinning a bit. The guy stepped back as J.B. knelt next to the girl. "Are you OK?"
"Yes... I think." She added, J.B. helping the girl with waist long light brown hair to her feet.
J.B. turned to the guy and glared. "What the hell did you do that for?"
"I told her to move. She didn't so I moved her myself." The Obelisk Blue student said smugly. "Just the way it works, we Obelisks are elite, the top of the line! And all others move from our path!"
"This looks closer to the bottom of the barrel than the top of the line." J.B. replied, setting his bag down and untying his disk.
"You're challenging me?" The student asked pulling his own disk out.
"I'd rather whap you over the head with it, but I guess I have to settle for a duel."
"Bah! If you want to challenge me fine! Richard Endchild is at the top of the class!"
"Oh really? Well J.B. Jennings has got you in his sights!"
"Yeah, I heard of you, the kid that pulled out a Blue Eyes. Hell I saw that duel. Don't think it'll help you, I'll crush you regardless!"
"And I'll run over you! Let's duel!"
Both disk activated as Gonda and the girl stepped away.
Richard: 4000
J.B.: 4000
"I'll begin." Richard said drawing. "And I summon Makyura the Destructor in attack mode!" Richard announced, summoning a strange warrior monster with wicked claws to the field. (4/1600/1200) "I'll now end my turn."
"If you say so." J.B replied, drawing a card. "I'll summon Luster Dragon in attack mode!" Rising before J.B. was a sapphire covered dragon with wings. (4/1900/1600) 'I don't know what he's up to yet, but I'll find out.' "Now, Luster Dragon attack! Sapphire Slasher!" The dragon roared as it charged slashing out with it's massive claws, cutting the warrior in half.
Richard: 3700
J.B.: 4000
"Thank you Slifer Slacker, you've activated my monster's special ability!" Richard grinned, pulling out a card from his hand.
"Wha?"
"When Makyura is destroyed I can activate a trap card from my hand. So I activate Zero Gravity, which will force your monster into defense mode." Richard grinned wider as the dragon knelt down, wrapping it's wings around it. "Now, my move." Richard drew his card and grinned wider. "Now I special summon Gilasaurus in attack mode!"
"Special summon?" J.B. asked as a raptor monster rose to the field. (3/1400/400)
"That's right. Of course if I special summon it your allowed to summon a monster from your graveyard, assuming something is in your graveyard. Too bad you have nothing, huh Slacker? Next I sacrifice my monster to summon Dark Driceratops in attack mode!" One dinosaur monster vanished as a second, larger dinosaur with a bird like beak and feathered mane that screeched as it arrived to the field. (6/2400/1500) "Now, attack his dragon, Rampage Charge!" The dinosaur roared out as it charged forth, slamming into the dragon headfirst, destroying it.
"Oh no!" The girl said as the ancient monster knocked J.B. over as well.
"Oh yes!" Richard added as J.B. rose to his feet. "And thanks to my monster's ability the difference between your defense and my attack is dealt as damage!"
Richard: 3700
J.B.: 3200
"OK, that was a good shot, but not the best I've taken." J.B. drew a card and nodded. "OK, I set two cards face down, then I summon Winged Kuriboh in defense mode!" A small brown furred monster rose to J.B.'s field, purring slightly as it flapped it's wings. (1/300/200)
"Oh, it's so cute!" The girl said as Richard scoffed.
"A puff ball is your defense?" He asked as he drew a card. "Dark Driceratops, show him his error! Rampage Charge!"
The girl flinched as the dinosaur charged across, running the small creature over.
"Stick to your dragons. And check your damn gear, your life points haven't changed!"
"Hey, my gear is A-O-K." J.B. replied. "When Winged Kuriboh is destroyed I take zero damage from battle, so I'm safe."
"Bah. One turn is all you've got. Go."
"If you say so." J.B. said as he drew his card. "OK, first I use my face down card, Dragon's Rage! So now all of my dragon monsters will get the exact same effect as your Dark Driceratops. Next I activate Enemy Controller!" J.B. grinned as the huge dinosaur kneeled down.
"What is this?"
"My Enemy Controller lets me force your monster into defense mode. Now I'll use my other face down card, Soul Resurrection! This will let me revive any normal monster to the field in defense mode. So welcome back Luster Dragon!" Once again kneeling the sapphire dragon returned to the field. (4/1900/1600) "Now, I'll sacrifice it for my Kaiser Glider!" The sapphire dragon vanished as J.B. large bronze dragon entered the field, spreading it's wings. "OK, time to show your wingspan, with Flash Glide Thunder!"
The dragon monster roared out as it flew upwards, flipping about in midair before diving down and crashing into the dinosaur, annihilating it.
Richard: 2800
J.B.: 3200
"That all for now, your up!" J.B. said as his opponent drew a card.
'Blast!' Richard thought to himself as he placed a monster in defense mode. "I'll summon this face down, and end my turn."
"If that's all you can manage then." J.B. said, drawing a card. "Now, I'll attack with my Kaiser Glider, Flash Glide Thunder!"
The dragon lifted up into the air before diving down and slamming into the opposing monster, a monstrous Giant Orc. (4/2200/0)
Richard: 400
J.B.: 3200
"Man, what a shot!" Gonda shouted out, pumping a fist in the air. "Show'em who's da boss!" J.B. merely nodded and gave him a thumbs up.
'Wow, I can't believe it.' The girl thought to herself. 'He's so sure of himself, not just now but during the whole duel! I wish I was like that... Then maybe...'
"I'll toss one face down and that's all for me. You're up Bucko."
"I am not a 'Bucko' you fool, I am the elite, and now you will eat my dust!" Richard drew his next card and grinned widely. "And now it will soon be over. I activate Shinato's Ark!"
The girl's eyes widened as a giant boat was brought to the field. 'Oh no! I've seen this one before.'
"To use this ritual card I must discard eight levels worth of monsters from my hand or field, so I offer my Invader of Darkness from my hand! Now I can summon my greatest monster, befitting a duellist of my elite stature! Shinato! King of a Higher Plane!"
A column of light surrounded the floating ark as it exploded outwards, J.B., Gonda and the girl covering their faces as debris flew about. In it's place was a blue skinned robed man with golden wings. (8/3300/3000)
"I no longer care about your Blue Eyes, my monster will take it out, like this! Shinato, destroy his oversized gecko with Divine Annihilation!"
Bright lights gathered in the hands of Shinato before it blasted the opposing monster, blowing it apart.
Richard: 400
J.B.: 2300
"But now is the reason you'll lose! My monster automatically does damage to your life points equal to the attack points of any monster it destroys!"
"No way!" Gonda shouted out. "You mean this punk kid has--"
"Not yet he hasn't." J.B. said cutting in. "I activate Pikeru's Circle of Enchantment!"
"What is that?" Richard asked as a white column surrounded his opponent.
"Thanks to this card all damage that I don't take in battle is negated, so your Shinato's ability has been nullified!"
"Damnit!" Richard exclaimed, glaring. 'I was this close! Well, he can't beat my Shinato! Even his strongest monster can't defeat it!'
'Normally I could care less about losing.' J.B. thought, as he looked the fairy monster over. 'But I'm not about to let some snob-nosed bully have his way. I have Blue Eyes in my hand, but I need to get him out to the field. But even then... I don't have anything to power it up. What am I going to do...? Well here it goes.' "My draw!" J.B. shouted out as he drew. "Now I play Pot of Greed! This will let me draw two more cards."
"Bah."
J.B. smiled as he looked at his new cards. 'OK, I have Kaibaman, but this other card won't help me now... No wait... It's just what I need!' "OK, let's kick it off right! I summon Kaibaman, in attack mode!"
"Don't you know anything?" Richard asked in a mocking manner. "Your Blue Eyes doesn't have a chance!"
"Wanna bet?" J.B. replied as the warrior arrived on the field and pointed his finger to the sky.
"Hoo-rah!" It cried out. (3/200/700)
"Next, I'll use it's special ability to sacrifice it, for my Blue Eyes White Dragon!" In a flash of light the warrior vanished, arising in it's place the massive silver-scaled dragon. (8/3000/2500) "And for my final move I play Megamorph!"
"Heh." Richard shook his head as the spell card appeared on the field. "Why bother? My life points are lower, it won't work."
"What does he mean?" The girl asked.
"What he means is that if someone plays Megamorph they can double that monster's attack points, but only if they have less life points. Otherwise the monster loses half their attack. A six thousand attack dragon would have been something..."
"Yeah..."
"Yeah, I guess a dragon that big would be cool." J.B said, grinning. "But I'll settle for a half power Shinato."
"WHAT?" Richard exclaimed as Megamorph's runes attached to Shinato's chest.
"You might control the monster, but I control the spell card! Which means your monster loses half of it's attack points!" (8/3300/3000-8/1650/3000)
"NO! This... This isn't possible! I am of the elite!" Richard shouted out as J.B. levelled a hand towards Shinato.
"You're about to be given a one-way ticket to a place called Losersville! And this is your stop! Blue Eyes White Dragon, wipe out his monster and his life points with White Lightning!"
The great dragon roared as it collected it's power, before letting it burst from it's mouth and slam into the weakened monster, blowing it to peices.
Richard: 0
J.B.: 2300
"And in my world, we call that GAME!" J.B. announced levelling his hand at his opponent.
"No, no! This cannot be! I've been to the prep schools! I've been groomed to perfection!" Richard shouted out before turning away, starting to run. "I cannot accept this!"
"Man, some people are just sore losers." J.B. said as he rubbed the back of his head.
"I hear ya. But I gotta admit, you took a huge chunk outta his ego!" Gonda replied.
"I was so worried for a moment!" The girl said, clutching her bag to her chest. "I thought you'd lose for a moment."
"Me? Lose to some over inflated bully? Never!" J.B. replied, rubbing his nose. "By the way, I'm J.B. Jennings, and that there is Gonda Gonzola. What's your name?"
"My name?" The girl replied smiling a bit. "Serenity. Serenity Wheeler."
"Well hey, it's cool to meet you. Are you going to the dorms too?" Seeing the girl nod J.B. continued. "That's cool! You can walk with us! Then you don't need to worry about some jerk picking on you, right?"
"Hey, yeah!" Gonda added, jamming a finger into the air. "It'll be like the three Musketeers! All for one and all for duel!"
Serenity giggled for a moment and shook her head. "I thought it was all for one and one for all?"
"Details, details..."
0---0
"I thought you were supposed to be GOOD?" The voice yelled out as Trammel pulled the phone from his ear. He cringed slightly, feeling slightly more at home in his plush room at the Obelisk Blue Dorm. Yet it didn't feel quite as comforting as it did now.
"I AM good, and I nearly had him--"
"Nearly? I wasn't aware you were playing horseshoes. I don't care about 'nearly' and I want the boy expelled. If you manage this I may be... persuaded to offer a fee. But don't count on it." Voice hung up his phone Trammel slammed his down into the receiver.
"Oh I'll make that boy pay! He will PAY!"
0---0
"This is it?" J.B. asked as they crossed the bridge, the dorm coming into view.
"Looks like it... Ah there's a sign, 'Slifer Red – Boys Dorm'. This is it." Gonda added pointing.
"Cool, let's go check in. Coming or leaving Serenity?" J.B. asked turning to the pleasant girl.
"I'll come. So... what does J.B. stand for?" She asked as the three walked over to the headmaster's room.
"James Bart. I told that to a friend and he kept calling me J.B., so it kinda stuck."
"Oh, that's neat." Serenity said as Gonda knocked on the door. "My brother called me 'squirt' once or twice, but that was some time ago..."
Before anyone could answer the headmaster's room opened to reveal an unshaven man with dark purple hair tied back in a neat braid. He wore black slacks and white t-shirt, the arms of a red blazer wrapped around his waist. "Oh, the last students! How nice, I was waiting for you to check in, I'm overdo for a powernap." The man said extending his hand and shaking the hands of the students. "I'm Professor Walker Orville, but simply Walker will do. I'm not going to give you the intro speech, I think you can figure it out quickly enough." All three nodded slightly as J.B. tapped Serenity's shoulder.
"Now this guy I like." Serenity simply nodded as Walker went into his room to retrieve two keys.
"I guessing you two are Gonda and James then." He said handing the keys over.
"Yup. But everyone calls me J.B."
"Very well, J.B. You two are sharing a room, up the stairs and first to your left. And as for the young lady..."
"Serenity Wheeler."
"Serenity then. The girl's dorm is a little bit further down the road. I'm sure Professor Alundra will be waiting. Anyways, if you need anything you know where to find me. Now if you'll excuse me..." Walker stretched out before waving. "My pillow is calling. Later."
"Later." The boys called back, moving to the stairs, Serenity right behind them. All three ascended and Gonda quickly went to the second door.
"And now I dare say, open sesame!" Gonda called out as he put his key in the lock and turned it, pushing the door open.
The room was reasonably simple, a bunk bed with three levels, a table with enough chairs for four people, a small fridge, a closet, a dresser and a door that lead to the washroom.
"It's a little small." Serenity said as the two boys set their packs down, Gonda leaping up, taking hold of the top bunk and pulling himself up.
"Dibs!"
"Fine by me, I'll take the bottom." J.B. replied, taking out his Blue Eyes Plushie.
"Aw, it's cute!" Serenity exclaimed, walking over to him, gently lifting the stuffed dragon. "Hello there little Kitty!" She said in a sweet voice.
"Kitty?" J.B. exclaimed. "You're calling the plushie likeness of an engine of destruction 'Kitty'?"
"Why not?" She replied, looking around. "Where would a good place for it be?" J.B. shook his head and took the plushie back, moving over to set it on the nightstand.
"Right there!"
"Yeah, that's perfect!"
"Well, now that the room has a feminine touch," Gonda began, climbing back down. "Let's go see the girl's dorm."
"Yeah." J.B. replied. "Serenity needs to check in anyway, I don't think Walker would like it too much if she moved in with us."
"Well we do have the spare bed..."
0---0
"Looks just like the guys dorm." Gonda said as they looked over the girl's dorm, searching for the headmistress' room.
"Not really. Check it!" J.B. said pointing to one of the doors.
"Huh, what about it?"
"The locks."
"What are you talking about?" Serenity asked as she looked over, then frowned thoughtfully. All the doors in the boy's dorm were built alike with a locking doorknob and chain on the inside. Looking down to the next door she pointed at it. "Hey, I see what you mean."
"Yeah, that's like what? Two deadbolts on each door?" Gonda added scratching his head.
"Maybe there's a panty thief someone forgot to mention." J.B. said crossing his arms.
"Don't even joke about that." Serenity replied, getting a shiver down her spine. "Anyway, we need to find--"
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" A voice screamed out directly behind the trio, causing them to jump and let out a startled screech before turning around. What they found was a tall woman with her dark brown hair in a bun behind her head, and icy blue eyes that was glaring at them. Her clothing consisted of a red blazer with long coattails and black dress pants.
"Take it easy!" J.B. said waving his arms defensively. "We're not doing anything!"
"Yeah!" Serenity added. "You don't have to yell at us!"
"I'm not yelling at you!" The woman replied. "I'm yelling at THEM!"
"Us?" Both Gonda and J.B. asked at the same.
"And who are you?" Serenity asked.
"Professor Sandra Alundra, this Dorm's headmistress. And why are those two here?"
Both boys shared a look before pointing at Serenity. "We're with her." They said in unison.
"Not anymore! I want you out of here, now!"
"Hey, chill out a lil'!" Gonda replied.
"Yeah, we haven't even--" J.B. started before Alundra cut him off.
"I said GO!"
"Okay, okay, we're leaving!" J.B. said as Serenity gave them an understanding look. J.B smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "I guess we'll see you later then Serenity. Don't be a--"
"GO!" Alundra interrupted causing both boys to yell and run off.
"What was that about?" Gonda asked as they ran.
"No idea! Maybe something crawled up her butt?" J.B. replied.
0---0
Despite the strange behaviour of Professor Alundra (Or the Psycho Queen, as the two had though it was a rather accurate nickname) both had settled nicely into their dorm. And both had settled into the chairs at the table for a friendly game.
"Oh yeah? You'll never take me down!" Gonda grinned as his opponent licked his lips in response.
"Oh yeah?" J.B. replied pointing at his opponent. "Well I make my move! E7!"
"Oh no! You sunk my Battleship!" The circus duellist replied as he put a red peg on his ship. J.B. laughed a bit in response, making it sound almost evil.
"Yes, now I shall conquer all! Say... what did I conquer?"
"Umm..." Gonda fished into his pocket. "A stick of gum?"
"Hey, works for me!" J.B. said, accepting the 'spoils of war' and popping it into his mouth. "Ooh, tropical flavour." Both boys shared a laugh as a knock sounded on the door. "It's open." J.B. called out as the door opened.
"Hello boys, having fun I see." Walker said as he stepped in. "I just thought you'd want to know that our welcome dinner will be in about an hour, give or take."
"A welcome dinner?" J.B. said grinning. "Sounds like more fun than quail hunting with a lawyer." Gonda nodded and rubbed his hands together.
"Good." Walker said smiling. "It will be held in our cafeteria, and the girls will be joining us, so be on your best behaviour. Or whatever behaviour you think suits you best! Later!"
"Later Teach!" J.B. replied as the headmaster left and door was closed.
"Quail hunting with a lawyer?" Gonda asked, his only answer being a shrug.
0---0
"Cheers guys!" Serenity called out as she, J.B and Gonda clanged glasses of juice together as the sounds of music and young voiced filled the room. "To a year at the Academy!"
"I'll toast to that!" Gonda said, sipping as his drink before taking a bite of his meal. "So, J-Man, what brings you to the Academy anyhow?"
"Oh, me?" J.B. said as he swallowed some turkey. "I'm here to have fun! And I always loved dragon monsters, so I thought I'd take a go at being the best dragon duellist ever. What about you, what's a circus clown doing here?"
"Well as you can see I'm kinda short." J.B. nodded, noticing that at best Gonda was only an inch taller than Serenity. "So a lot of people outside the circus tended to look down on me. So I thought I'd show everyone being big isn't everything."
"Yeah, you said you played, what was it, Dream Clown?"
"Yup! I wouldn't trade it, even for a Blue Eyes!"
"What about you Serenity? What brings you here?" J.B. asked as the girl brushed some hair behind her ear shyly.
"Well... I wanted to be closer to my brother."
"Oh, is he at the Academy?"
"No, no he isn't. He loves duel monsters so I wanted to understand the game better so we'd have something else in common."
"Oh, that's cool!" J.B. replied nodding, gathering food with a fork. "And I know the feeling, I thought I'd be cool if I could teach my Mom to duel."
"And?" Gonda asked.
"She tried to summon Last Will in attack mode."
"But... Last Will is a spell card."
"My point exactly!" J.B. finished sagely as he took another bite, Serenity giggling as she shook her head.
At the other side of the room the two supervisors of the Slifer Red Dorms sat, sharing a meal as they overlooked the room. "Interesting bunch this year, eh?" Walker asked as a black and scruffy dog crawled under the table.
"They look a lot like last years students." Alundra replied as she glared at the a few choice students. Walker shook his head.
"Now, now, leave my boys alone, hmm? I'd understand if something happened, but your acting as if they are guilty of some crime."
"Those two..." She began, pointing at the pony-tailed youth and clown-nosed boy. "Were at the GIRLS dorm."
"And your point is?" Walker asked, dropping a piece of food for the dog. "Serenity was by the boys dorm earlier but you don't here me making a fuss, eh Sandy?" Walker grinned at the glare the woman sent him as he cut his meat into smaller pieces, knowing full well how much she hated the nickname.
"Just tell your BOYS to keep their hands off my GIRLS."
"As long as nothing inappropriate happens I don't see the issue. And what about sports, some girls are rather physical."
"Are you implying something?"
"My dear Alundra, I have learned not to 'imply' with you. What I said is what I mean. I don't know what you're so paranoid about. Maybe you should see a therapist, they say stress gives you ulcers you know."
"Whatever." Alundra replied, glaring at the pony-tailed youth. "But I won't take any lip from those boys."
Walker just shook his head as the female teacher stood up and left the room, all but slamming the door. "It's gonna be a loooong year, eh Bruti?" The dog simply let off a growl of agreement.
