Selene was almost disgusted at how quickly she found herself readjusting to school life. The summer break was far too short, and upon returning to classes it felt as if she had never left.

She was officially an upperclassman, and it was strange. She remembered walking into Duel Academy for the first time and thinking that the upperclassmen had it all together, that she'd just need to wait a few years and she'd have to together too.

But here she was, third-year, and she still felt as unsure as ever.

She glanced over at her alarm clock on her nightstand. In its ever so villainous vivid red glow, it told her it was time to leave if she still wanted to have breakfast and make it to class on time. Adding one last dab of color to her cheeks, she quickly shut close the peachy orange plastic compact.

It was starting to get chilly, after all the year had finally breached October though the autumn came late in the south. Despite this, they weren't to switch to winter uniforms for another few weeks. Selene had tossed her cardigan over her chair after she came back to the dorm the previous night, throwing there after returning from the shower. As she stepped to grab it, she looked to the corkboard that hung over her desk, her eyes being drawn to a photo printed on cheap paper that she had clipped from a brochure.

It was a photo of the four of them, in the beginning of their first year. The four of them were sitting on the pristine white front steps of the old dorm, before it fell into destitute. Selene had much shorter hair then, cropped barely above her shoulders. The boy sitting next to Selene wore an awkward smile, green hair framing his face. Sitting behind him, the boy with long brown hair was leaning down, his beaming face squeezed between the green-haired boy and Selene as his arm was wrapped around the boy. Sitting next to him was Zane, his arms folded but had the faintest semblance of an awkward smile.

They all had baby faces then, she mused quietly. It was hard to believe it was only taken a little under two years ago. So much had changed in a short amount of time.

She wondered when Atticus and Yusuke were found would they recognize her, or if she be able to recognize them. She wondered if they changed, what was happening to them wherever they were. Would it affect them permanently? More likely, she supposed.

But she didn't have time to dwell, she had to go eat breakfast.


Selene bent down to pick up the familiar metal can she bought so frequently. Standing back up, she examined the familiar beige packaging out of habit. Looking at the little cartoon illustrations of coffee beans that littered the label.

"You shouldn't drink so much coffee, you know," a monotonous voice called.

"Good morning to you too," she said without even bothering to glance up at Zane's disapproving stare.

"You left this in my room."

Zane tossed something toward her. Her head snapped up, barely catching the object in surprise. She stumbled back a little holding it clutched close to her chest. Selene opened her hand to a small cylindrical tube made of bright pink plastic with little purple roses printed across.

"My lip balm!" she exclaimed excitedly before tossing it into her black school bag. "I was looking for that, thanks."

She flicked the little metal tab, popping open the can before taking a swig of the coffee. She relished in its bitter taste, a taste she had associated with mid-mornings, her favorite time of day.

He began to walk away, and she quickly stepped after him.

"Missed you at breakfast by the way," she said before downing another gulp of coffee. " They had your favorite too- sleep in?"

It was a rhetorical question. No matter how late he stayed up Zane never overslept. Atticus used to joke that Zane was a cyborg with some sort of programmed alarm.

"I got distracted on my way here-"

He was cut off by a the loud voice of a boy. She looked up and saw marching down the hall three first-years dressed in blue blazers. She recognized them from the guided tour she led the previous year. The one in the middle, with the big black hair that reminded Selene of a spider, seemed to be the source of the voice.

"Ugh who does that drop-out think he is?! Does he think he can challenge me, Chazz Princeton and actually expect to win?!" the boy exclaimed, clenching his fists as they passed by one another.

"Ah-" Selene couldn't help but smile once the boys were out of earshot. "The first years have so much energy don't they?"

"You really are one to talk, Selene," Zane replied, folding his arms.

"Oh please, I have nowhere near as much as that boy we just passed."

Selene caught a flash of movement from around the curved walls. She grabbed Zane's sleeve, pulling him aside as a boy dressed in a red blazer sprinted down the hall.

"Excuse me! Coming through!" the boy yelled, before he disappeared around the corner. After him, a shorter boy also dressed with the same blazer came running about, obviously running out of breath.

" Jaden, wait up!" the boy called after his friend before he too disappeared around the corner.

"Or as them," she remarked, turning back towards her friend. Placing a finger to her lips, she thought about the familiarity of the first face that ran past in a blur. And she was sure she heard the second boy say, "Jaden." Though she wasn't exactly sure. "Huh, I think that was my cousin actually. I'll have to say hi later."

"You're lucky we don't have an alchemy lab today."

"What? This is only my second can, it takes three for me to get jittery."

"That's not something to be proud of…?"

"My grandfather only let me have tea over the summer, give a girl a break won't you?"


Selene: 2000

Lucas: 1000

Selene was, frankly, quite tired. And it wasn't because the effects of caffeine have worn off.

Class duels could be such a pain, but if she wanted to maintain her grades she didn't have much of a choice.

On one end of the field she stood, keeping up her enthusiastic attitude and wide grin as she stood confident with her monster before her. A purple skinned beauty her wild hair spread out like a lion's mane about her. Glimmering swords in her hands as she stared down the empty field across from her.

Lunalight Sabre Dancer
Beast-Warrior/Fusion/Effect
3000 ATK/2600 DEF

On the other side of the field stood a blonde boy, his stance wide and frustration gleaned on his face. He had two facedown cards out, but not a single monster. Nevertheless, neither of them could help him at this point, knowing what they were thanks to an earlier spell card.

"Alrighty Sabre Dancer- let's end this!"

The girl jumped from her space, holding her gleaming swords up in the air as if to slash her opponent, who flinched as the hologram passed through him. She returned to Selene's side of the field, lightly floating down before disappearing.

Selene: 2000

Lucas: 0

The boy slumped over a little, sighing heavily.

Selene walked up to him. Smiling, she held her left hand out towards him.

"Good duel, man," she said.

The boy straightened up, glancing at her hand looking a little bit surprised. Mustering a small smile, he reached out to grab her hand.

"Absolutely wonderful! I expected nothing less from the second best student at the Academy!" Crowler said with the highest amount of praise he could, clapping his hands.

"Thank you, doctor," Selene replied. Placing her hands together, she gave a bow to the teacher.

"I'm sure we can all learn from such a wonderful duelist like Miss Amada, can we not?" he continued, looking around the dueling hall as he motioned towards Selene. "Alright. That is all for today, dismissed!"

Selene stood by the base of the steps, leaning on the cold railing. She thanked the congratulations given to her by her classmates as they walked off. As per usual, Zane was the last person to walk down. She never could understand why he chose to never sit in the seats like everyone else.

"Ha~ I'm so tired," she said with a stretch and a yawn as the two walked towards the exit. "Assigned duels always wear me out."

"You definitely weren't trying your hardest today," he remarked coolly. He folded his arms, glancing at her with his typical narrowed eyes of disapproval. "Your dueling today was lacking to say the least."

"It's true but you don't have to say it," Selene replied, giving an over exaggerated pout. As she did, she suddenly came to be painfully aware of the feeling of hunger gnawing in her stomach.

"Do you know what they're serving at dinner tonight?"

"They're supposed have the curry."

"Oh perfect-!" Selene clapped her hands together- "Just what I needed!"

Something flashed in her peripherals. Turning her head a little, she saw a group of three girls staring at Zane with wide eyes as they whispered among each other. They pointed at him, giggling a little. The shortest of the girls, with short auburn colored hair, blushed a furious shade of pink.

"Hm? I see you've already caught the eye of some first year girls," Selene remarked, the corners of her mouth up turning into a wide grin.

"Don't remind me."

"Aw- what's the face for?" she said, pitching her voice up into an overly-cutesy tone. "Who knows, maybe you'll meet a cute one that catches your eye!"

"I don't understand nor do I want too." Zane said with a roll of his eyes before coming to a halt. Looking at her, he nodded towards further down the hall. "I still have to go talk to Professor Yamaguchi. I'll see you at dinner."

"Alright," she said, giving him a three finger salute with the click of her tongue. "Catch you later."

Selene turned down the corner towards the exit. As she approached closer to the doors that has been propped open, voices from outside became clearer.

"All right! This is amazing!" a boy's voice exclaimed as Selene stepped through the doorway.

"Jaden-" a higher, wavering voice began.

"Hm? Jaden?"

Selene quickly stepped towards the concrete bench outside the entryway where two red dressed boys stood. The shorter of the boys leaning upon the bench armrest.

The taller of the boys turned towards her and despite the fact it had been quite a few years, his widened expression told of recognition.

"Selene!"

Jaden ran up to her, giving her a tight hug. Selene stumbled back a little, taken a bit aback by the sudden embrace and a bit worried that he would step on her boots. Still, after taking a second to process it, she quickly squeezed him back.

"Hey you, it's been awhile!" she said, laughing. Pulling back, she glanced up at him noticing he had lost a considerable amount of baby fat in his face since the last time she saw him. Glancing at him up and down, she exclaimed, "You've gotten so tall!"

"Hehe- I know right? Haven't seen you much since we moved." He laughed heartily. " Hey, how's grandpa?"

"He's doing well, same as always. But he did just get put on a new medication." She paused, pressing her lips together as she thought of her grandfather. He often complained that his other grandchildren never bothered to call. "Call him sometime, won't you?"

The boy leaning against the bench piped up, his soft voice curious.

"Jaden, who is this?" he inquired.

"Oh! Sorry Sy." Jaden turned to the boy he called "Sy," gesturing towards Selene. "This is my cousin, Selene!"

"Nice to meet you," she said, giving a small bow. "Selene Amada. Third year."

"Syrus Truesdale." The boy pushed his wire frame glasses up his nose before giving a deeper bow towards her. "Nice to meet you too."

So this is the infamous Syrus, huh? she thought, looking at the boy almost curiously. Interesting. He's quite different from Zane.

"What are you guys up too?" she asked.

"Exploring!" Jaden said enthusiastically, as he always has. "This place is huge!"

"Yeah, I remember it was really easy to get lost," Selene mused with a small laugh. "I saw you running down the hall this morning, did you get lost?"

"Yeah, definitely."

"He also slept in…" Syrus remarked, crossing his arms as he cast a disapproving glance at his friend.

"Sy!"

Though I suppose they're similar in some senses.

"Well, if you boys have any questions you can always feel free to ask me! Here-" Selene coaxed the academy-issued PDA from his hand- "I'll give you my contact."

Once she finished typing out her information, she handed it back to him with a smile saying, "Feel free to call me anytime you need anything."

"Wow! Thanks man!" he replied, raising his fist.

Selene gave him a gentle fist bump. Giving a wave and a "Gotta go, see ya!" Jaden and Syrus sprinted off towards the direction of the red dorm. Upon further thought, she realized it was strange that Jaden ended up in the red dorm, despite beating Crowler.

"Though, if his written exam was bad…" she said aloud to herself, putting a finger to her lips. "Mm… I don't think he'll drop out though, he's far too stubborn for that."


Oof some author's notes to clarify some things about this chapter/story: I kind of did some very minor adjustments to canon, like the changing of uniforms depending on the seasons because that's what they do at actual Japanese schools! I also somewhat redesigned the girl's uniforms generally, but because that's irrelevant to the main plot you can feel free to check it out on my tumblr witchymagnolia!

And Selene will be using canon cards, but also some fanmade support for said canon cards. Can't wait to show them to you guys in future chapters! Though I need some more practice writing duels first.

See you next time!