Disclaimer: YGO GX and its characters do not belong to me.

Summary: Asuka x Judai - Never think that the past remains dead and buried, because sometimes death itself can come back from beyond the grave.

Warnings: All cards have their OCG effects unless they are anime-only, in which case I use their anime text. RL OCG/TCG rules apply, so there is no summoning in face-up defense plus due to RL rules I am using the banlist, which I am told is not present in the anime. This is based in Judai's third year. As the series based on Saiou's White Organisation is still running, I have had to hypothesise some of what has occurred in order to make this fanfiction work alongside canon. Due to this, I would appreciate any feedback on characterisations. Edo Phoenix is therefore a character that will be used. Plus Fubuki if I can, for everyone loves Fubuki.

Thanks to Jun, spelling mistakes are now fixed. I live in the UK, so I use British spelling.

-o-

Death and Rebirth

Prologue: Starting All Over Again

-o-

Yuki Judai, the current champion in a place called Duel Academia, was the kind of person who liked to be the best there was at what he did. However, he knew the importance of having fun and never seemed to put a person down; because of this, he was a person who was well liked, at least by most of his own dorm. He was also the most unlikely person to have made an impression on Tenjoin Asuka, who was known as the queen of Obelisk Blue. That was why Judai, a most improbable candidate for being the next King of Games, was the last person one would have expected to be caught up in the various plans that had unfolded all around him.

The brunette had first been caught up in the plans of Kagemaru, a man who had sought to regain his youth with the power of the three Sengenma. These demons had slept beneath the Duel Academia, a fact unknown to most of the students there. He had used people for his own ends, casting them aside once their purpose had been fulfilled; yet Judai had found it within his heart to tell the old man to start over. However, the most traumatising event during this time had been to discover that a man he had respected and admired had not been the man he thought he was. Daitokuji-sensei, the beloved leader of Osiris Red, had turned out to be the last member of the Seven Stars.

Then Daitokuji had died.

In the time after this, in the following year at the Duel Academia, Judai had made new friends, but he had also made new enemies. Targeted by the White Organisation, which was led by a man named Saiou Takuma, Judai had found himself being pushed beyond his limits. It had been a desperate time in which he had lost his friends and Hane Kuriboh, his partner, but they had all come back to him: even Manjyome Jun, who had been one of Saiou's victims.

Edo Phoenix had found his own path, but to this day the silver-haired boy still found himself thinking of his loss to Judai. Judai, however, thought little of it; he had enjoyed his duel and Edo was someone he wanted to get to know a little bit better. Even though they had a different name, the D-Heroes his opponent had used had showed his personality. They also sought justice, but they sought it a different way. In this life, differences did not matter. Actually, he liked differences. They made things more exciting.

Waking up on the first day of the new school year, remembering everything that had happened in his life, Yuki Judai stretched out his arms to greet the day as he lay upon his bed. He then smiled; everything seemed to be going right for a change.

Beep… Beep…

Hearing a strange sound, Judai turned over on his bed and gazed blankly at the small white alarm clock positioned on his bedside table. The big hand was on five, whilst the little hand was on nine. Something seemed strange; he could have sworn he had set the clock to go off an hour earlier.

Suddenly, the time that it was hit Judai like a bolt from the blue. The duel would have started over ten minutes ago! He was going to miss Asuka's duel!

Thinking that he could catch the exhibition duel if he rushed himself, Judai jumped off his bed and got himself ready.

-o-

There was absolute silence around the duel arena as all those watching the match gazed in awe at the field. Asuka was stood on the right with a determined look on her face, her hand poised over her duel disk and ready to operate a facedown card. Her opponent, Edo Phoenix, was equally as calm. Principle Sameshima, who had returned from his vacation, had selected them to conduct the opening duel of the school year. He knew the both of them to be accomplished duelists in their own right and had been looking forward to such a match.

The fields could not be more different. Edo had out his E-Hero Phoenix Guy, with a set magic or trap card. Asuka, on the other hand, was focusing her strategy on nothing but her set cards; Scapegoat, which she had just activated, and a ready to be used Angel Wing. Since Edo had already destroyed her Cyber Prima, Cyber Tutu and Cyber Gymnastics, she had a backup plan. Etoile Cyber and Blade Skater were already in her hand; all she had to do was draw Polymerization and the stage would be set.

"Since I cannot destroy any more tokens for now, I end my turn," Edo declared. He gazed at Asuka from across the arena. "Make your move."

There was a slight atmosphere to the air. Asuka could still remember the events surrounding the White Organisation and she could not forgive herself for being so easily brainwashed.

"My turn; draw." Asuka drew her card then looked at it.

Satisfied, the blonde added the card she had drawn to her hand, after which she lowered her head. Asuka thought about the options open to her. She had drawn Polymerisation, but she needed to either let Edo summon another monster to boost her Cyber Blader's attack or to get rid of his set card.

"I end my turn."

Edo drew his card. Gazing at the three remaining sheep tokens Asuka had summoned, he burned with a desire to win this duel. To win this duel and be accepted here amongst the people he had almost destroyed would be a great vindication of his past deeds. Plus he would show Yuki Judai that he was correct about the path he wanted to take. People had to have a cause to fight for. In his hands were three cards: E-Hero Sparkman, E-Hero Bubbleman and D Time.

If I can remove at least two tokens this turn, she'll be wide open for an attack come my next turn, since I have two monsters, Edo thought. However, I don't know what card she has set facedown. Hmm. I think I'll have a jab at her monsters. If I can make her waste that set card, I'll have done my job.

Taking a card, Edo laid it in face up attack mode on an open slot on his duel disk.

"I summon Elemental Hero – Sparkman in attack mode!"

The familiar monster appeared beside E-Hero Phoenix Guy soon after. It was a mirror copy of Judai's, save for its paint job. Instead of a blue colouring for its legs, arms and booster jets it was black as far as the eye could see.

I can't fusion the two of them yet, nor would I want to, Edo thought, gazing at Asuka's three tokens. Two monsters will make this go quicker than just the one.

"Go, Sparkman, Phoenix Guy! Destroy her tokens!" he declared, reaching out with his left arm to point at Asuka's field.

At that moment, Yuki Judai came running into the arena through one of its many entrances. He ran up to the railings, which he gripped with his hands as the sight of Sparkman destroying one of Asuka's tokens hit him full force between the eyes. He waved at Asuka then went to see if he could find a seat. As he was walking down between the aisles, he missed Chronos De Medici giving him a scowl. Though this scowl was somewhat drowned out by the holographic pizzazz of Phoenix Guy destroying a second sheep token. Eventually, he came to be wedged between Tyranno Kenzan and Marufuji Sho. He was a lone sliver of red floating along in a sea of yellow. It was funny how everyone around him seemed to be moving on.

"So, how's Asuka doing?" Judai asked, levelling his question at both Kenzan and Shou.

"Not too bad, considering Edo duels in the Pro League," Kenzan remarked, his attention being pulled away from the duel.

"What's their life points?" Judai asked, ignoring Kenzan's remark about Edo.

"Asuka's are nine hundred, whilst Edo has two thousand five hundred," Sho replied. He gazed at Judai. "Aniki, you really should have tried to get here on time, you know."

Although Sho seemed to be chastising Judai, there was no anger in his voice. In fact, the blue-haired boy seemed to be quite happy. He was smiling at Judai, who in turn pointed at himself with a finger and then burst out in a round of laughter.

"I know, and I'm really sorry! It's just that I didn't get much sleep last night!"

Judai laughed as he spoke and reached behind his head to scratch the back of his neck. He had been caught up late, attempting to fix and improve upon the latest incarnation of his deck. Considering what had happened with Saiou, who had since left the Academia, he was glad to be given the chance to unwind.

"Oi; keep it down! Some of us are trying to watch the duel!"

Sho blinked as Kenzan scowled. He could not trust Manjyome Jun so easily, even if the other boy had been brainwashed by Saiou. There was something about the black-haired guy he just did not like.

Soon enough, all three boys and Manjyome had their attention on the game at hand. Having no other options, Edo ended his turn.

She didn't destroy one of my monsters, he thought, thinking of the lone facedown card Asuka had. If I can clear those tokens on my next turn, then I can take a direct shot at her life points. Heh, this ought to be interesting. So, Asuka, the queen of Obelisk Blue; at least you're giving me a good enough challenge. It's a shame I'll have to end this so soon.

"It's my turn; I draw!" Asuka looked at Edo. "Now I play Polymerisation, fusing Blade Skater and Etoile Cyber in my hand to summon Cyber Blader!"

Asuka reached out with her left arm as a holographic light appeared before her on the field. As her two fused monsters were discarded to her graveyard, Asuka smiled. She had waited for this for a long time and now that it was happening, she could show everyone around her not to take her lightly. As the light faded, the familiar monster Asuka had called upon in duels past appeared before her. Dressed in a red and white bodysuit, complete with a small miniskirt and a red visor over her eyes, the Cyber Blader settled down and remained silent.

However, Asuka was not finished. She looked at Edo's Phoenix Guy and Sparkman.

"Since you have two monsters on the field," she began. "My Cyber Blader has 4200 attack points! Now I will have her attack your - !"

"Then I activate Draining Shield!" Edo announced, cutting Asuka off.

Asuka narrowed her eyes as a shield appeared before Sparkman and absorbed the attack of her Cyber Blader, using it to refuel Edo's lifepoints, which jumped all the way up to 6700. She should have expected as much. She should have anticipated that facedown card, but she had not and now this duel had become a whole lot harder.

Wincing, the blonde took a card from her hand and set it on the field.

"I end my turn."

"Fine. My draw." Edo's hand swiftly removed a card from his deck. He gazed at it for a second then looked out at Asuka's field.

Asuka, meanwhile, braced herself for the look that she had seen on the boy's face.

"By using this card I just drew, Misfortune, I shall end this duel!"

When Edo had finished speaking, a shining green barrier appeared around him. It shimmered briefly and before Asuka knew it, her Cyber Blader was rushing forward to attack. She had seen this card when it had been used against Judai and knew that it was the end. With her Cyber Blader having over two thousand attack points, Edo had wiped her out with nothing but a single card.

"And now, your attack will be reflected right back at you!"

Asuka reached with a hand towards the monster she had special summoned from her fusion deck. However, she saw nothing but a bright wave of energy that blinded everyone in the room. She raised her arms, seeking to protect herself, but the incoming attack blasted her off her feet, knocking her down to the floor as she screamed in pain. Her lifepoints now reduced to nothing, Asuka found herself lying on the floor far away from Edo. So that was the power of someone in the Pro League.