Here you go, you guys! I bring to you Chapter 4… a lot sooner than most other chapters, yet sadly not the actual plot yet. However, I hope you people fall in love with my story more… me and Genki are bringing back a few elements of the original series, just to make it interesting. Watch out for them. They're actually quite obvious, when we get to it.

Oh, and a note, the fact about Egyptian priests and magic that Atemu talks about in this chapter is fictional. I'm not an expert on Egyptology, so I wouldn't really know. Please bear with me…

And since the dub has been released in the US, I hope more fans of the series will get to enjoy my story, though it does slightly diverge from the original plotline. So, to all new fans of Yu-Gi-Oh GX, welcome aboard! I dedicate this new chapter to all you people.

Let the fun begin. I bring you chapter four… yet another prequel chapter. This has got to be the longest prequel ever.

"But you've got to let me go!" Judai begged, practically getting on his knees in front of Principal Sameshima. In reality, he didn't, but he was very tempted to. His travel bag lay at his feet, all ready to go. Atemu was watching quietly from the sidelines. Kuriboh was attempting to mash Sameshima's head in. But Judai still couldn't get permission to leave the island.

"But it's vacation," Judai said for the hundredth time. "Why can't you let me go to Domino City? We won't have school for another week!"

Sameshima shook his head sympathetically. "I'm very sorry, Yuki," he said, knitting his fingers together, "But that's not how the policy at this school works. We can't simply send students off the island on their own, or indeed, accompanied by other students. It's simply not safe. If it were a teacher or elder authority on the other hand, we might consider it, but as of now all the teachers are on leave as well, and only the maintenance personnel are here. So, again, I am sorry, Yuki, but—" Suddenly, Sameshima stopped mid-sentence, and a strange, blank expression crossed his face.

Judai hesitated. Maybe it was a trick of the light. "Um… sir?" he asked tentatively. "Are you… alright?"

"You may go," Sameshima said quite slowly, as if he had changed his mind so suddenly.

Judai blinked, thinking he had misheard. "Sir… go, as in, leave? Or go, as in, leave the island?"

"Leave the island," Sameshima said in that same slow voice, as if every word were costing him a huge amount of effort. "You may spend your vacation there, but return before the week ends, or you will be considered a dropout from the Duel Academy."

Judai had no intention of dropping out. "I'll be back," he promised, his heart very light now. In the corner, Atemu was beaming. Kuriboh had stopped trying to beat up the principal, and was now bobbing happily by Atemu's side. Judai turned back to Sameshima after glancing at them. "Thank you very, very much, sensei," he bowed respectfully.

Sameshima noted down this approval of leave, and Judai signed the form with a flourish. "I'll head off now," he informed the principal, picking up his bag and slinging it over his shoulders. "Thanks again!" Judai sprinted to the door and dashed out. The door swung shut softly.

As Atemu and Kuriboh made to follow him, Atemu glanced back one more time at the principal. To his surprise, Sameshima jerked forward, as if waking from a trance. He looked around, then down at the paper in front of him. Rubbing his eyes vigorously, he blinked down at the signature, then half-stood as if he had suddenly gotten a revelation. After a while, he seemed to decide against it, and sank back into his chair, looking unusually tired.

Judai leapt into the air as soon as they were outside. Atemu and Kuriboh watched him with amusement.

"I can't believe principal Sameshima was sooo nice!" Judai exclaimed, turning to Atemu and Kuriboh. "He didn't want to send me at first, but he gave in. Must've been my good looks and charm," Judai chuckled. "But you have to admit, his mood shift was weird."

Atemu, however, shifted into a serious mood. "It was strange," Atemu told him, coming to stand beside him. "He gave in so abruptly. And when you left, he seemed to jerk out of a trance."

Judai looked hesitant. "No way," he finally said, jabbing his finger into his ear to clear it, as if he had misheard. "That couldn't have happened. It's too unnatural. The only thing that could've caused it would be magic. There's no such thing as magic."

At this, Atemu smiled. "On the contrary, dear Judai," he corrected gently. "In Ancient Egypt, the very job of a priest was to play with magic and use it for their pharaoh's advantage."

Judai still looked slightly troubled. "But that doesn't mean that it would exist today… right?"

Atemu shrugged vaguely. "Well, if it did exist before, who's to stop it from coming back?"

Judai pondered on this. "True," he muttered, shifting his pack a little higher up his shoulder. "Anyway— I don't want to think too much about that right now. We're actually going to start this trip!" he said enthusiastically, pumping his fists high into the air. He suddenly paused, then turned to Atemu. "But where are we going?"

Atemu smiled, still with that irritating vague look on his face. "You'll see," he said quietly, slipping back into his mind to reminisce as they walked.

Judai found this weird, because he would have no idea where to head to when he got there, but he didn't say anything and allowed the pharaoh to think quietly as he headed for the bridge that linked the small island to the mainland.

However, before he could even place one foot upon the cemented walkway, he caught a concerned Atemu whip his head around to look at something. Before Judai could turn around, however, a pale, almost ghostly white arm grabbed him around the shoulders, and he yelped in shock. Hands gripped his upper arms and whirled him around, and he came face-to-face with Tenjoin Asuka, his best friend from Obelisk Blue.

Immediately, she launched into her accusation. "And why," she exclaimed, fire burning in her eyes, "were you planning to go off somewhere without telling me! Why did you even consider leaving me in the dark?"

Judai grimaced. "Sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to… I just…"

"Forgot," Asuka finished for him. She let go of his shoulders.

"No, it's not that!" Judai said quickly. "I just haven't seen you at all today—or yesterday, for that matter. And you know I can't go near your dormitory." He cocked his head. "But how did you find out?"

"Sho," Asuka said simply. "I found him crying outside your dormitory, and asked him what was wrong." She observed him with a beady eye. "You know, it's wrong to keep secrets from a friend if it's only going to end up making the guy worry to death for you."

Judai looked slightly apologetic. "I'm sorry," he said again. "But I don't know myself what I'm going into—" he glanced at the semisolid Atemu before focusing on Asuka again. "—and it could be dangerous."

Asuka's face did not reveal her emotions as she studied him for a few silent, pressing minutes. "Let me come with you," she finally said, stooping and pulling a pack from a clump of nearby bushes. Judai's eyes widened in surprise—she had been planning to come with him all along.

"I don't know. I—" Judai tried to come up with an excuse, but Asuka's eyes flashed again. She could be very persuasive when she wanted to be. More so than Sho. And it would be nice to have a companion. Much less suspicious.

He glanced at Atemu for a reaction. This mission was for him, after all—if he didn't want Asuka to come along, Judai would do everything in his power to make sure that Asuka stayed behind. But Atemu gave a slight nod—she could come.

But a thought suddenly jumped into Judai's consciousness. "Hang on—you need a permit to leave the campus," he said quickly. "Do you have one?"

Asuka raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to make sure I don't come?" she snapped, though it was not as harsh as one would think. "Of course I do—I got a permit so I could visit a friend, but they'll never know what I actually did. Let's go already."

Judai smiled and bowed her forward. "Ladies first then."

Asuka looked content now. "Thank you." She marched ahead, Judai following suit, and Atemu and Kuriboh trailing behind.

At the far end of the bridge the two were about to cross, a man stood, large blue eyes focused on the bridge that extended to the horizon, waiting for the figures that were about to come his way. The wind stirred his clothes slightly, but he stood there, unphazed. Then a ray of sunlight beamed out of the cloudy sky, and flashed upon a long golden object in his hand…

… in the shape of an ankh.

I'm sorry it's still so short! Anyway, let me know what you think, so I can improve it. Thanks.