State of the Meta

by Yung Warrior

A self-insert in which a competitive player from 2016 finds himself warped into the world of GX. Between adjusting his deck to make up for the inverted power creep, making grades, and saving the world, there's much to do, but all good players know how to adapt to their circumstances. SI-OC, 1st Person POV

43. Call The Banners

Chapter 42: Call The Banners

The wave, beyond colorless, began at the epicenter of the first true battle between avatars of light and dark in years. Light…light so bright and hot, surely it will burn everything away…Darkness…soothing, cool, the pool from which all creation has been dredged up. But why would the clashing of these two forces, cosmic in scope though they are, cause a drastic realignment of the Duel Monsters world, of the state of the meta?

In countless timelines, Jaden Yuki and Aster Phoenix do battle one way or another, either at Duel Academy or Domino City or even the scorching deserts of Egypt in a few bizarre adventures. Aster Phoenix, the bearer of light who unwittingly exists in the deepest shadow. Jaden Yuki, the truest wielder of darkness who nevertheless holds light within his heart. Sometimes they meet as friends, other times allies of circumstances, and other times as diametrically opposed enemies. In some timelines, one of them kills the other. In others, they never meet at all. So what has caused this particular timeline to come about?

Of all the infinite timelines that exist on top of each other across the universe, there is only one in which a random guy with an arguably odd fixation on the Yu-Gi-Oh trading card game is reincarnated into the body of a boy named Jamie Lancaster. Perhaps it was a cruel jape of the gods, but what if it wasn't? Could it be that this seeming folly was part of some grand plan?

In a universe filled with demigods and demons, humans possess the unique ability to capture the cosmic horrors into cards, and use them for their own purposes. More often than not, these purposes manifest as warfare. For the sake of personal ambitions, humans use cards as tools to realize their grand aims, relishing in the beauty of their own chosen path. Does the one known as Jamie Lancaster possess some greater capability in this regard? Surely not.

Why him then, this shapeless, nameless being that desires to save others, only to find himself entangled in fate's grand stage play? Could it be that his second life is only a futile exercise done for the entertainment of pitiless higher beings? Certainly he does not know. That is why he craves to reach the summit, to provide some reprieve from the graveyard of memories that comprises his inner world. Someday, perhaps he will forget what he has lost, if he fills the void with worldly pursuits.

In the end, the reason why this man in particular lives again is inscrutable. But regardless, the gods have chosen now to spin the wheels of fate. And so, the astral and physical planes twist.

XxXxxXxXxXxXxXx

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

What the fuck is going on here?

How long was I out?

I woke up sprawled on the lawn in front of the main class building, in the shade of one of those weird statue things they have lining the path. My throat was dry as sandpaper, and my eyes watered uncontrollably.

I slowly leaned into a sitting position, feeling queasy. I was sweating, and my head hurt. Was this Mackenzie's doing, somehow? But she seemed just as confused as I…and where are the others?

It appeared to be the same time of day as before, a bright and breezy afternoon. I leaned my head against the cool stone and closed my eyes for a moment before proceeding.

The duel disk had come undone and was laying on the grass. I picked it up and peered over my cards for damage, luckily seeing none.

"Lancaster? Was this your doing, somehow?" Mackenzie was across the path, just as out of sorts as I was. She looked like she just got off of a punishing flight.

I didn't dignify the ridiculous question with a response, despite the fact that I was just thinking the same thing about her. "Are you guys good?" I called over to my friends, who were all getting to their feet. Atticus seemed to have the hardest time rising, while Kenzan and Alexis seemed pretty much good to go. Bastion helped Jasmine up, and she smiled appreciatively at him.

"Woah, this is totally unchill…" Atticus mumbled before vomiting in a nearby bush.

"Oh, very nice." Alexis rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you're so embarrassing, Atticus."

"I don't blame him, something bizarre just happened." Jasmine said, eyeing Mackenzie and I suspiciously.

"Indeed, it defies all known natural phenomena! Surely it wasn't the result of some form of sorcery?" Bastion questioned.

"I don't know. Either way, it appears our game is over, Jamie." Mackenzie bemoaned. "Whatever just happened seems to have caused a power surge or something, because both of our duel disks have disconnected." Our card holograms were gone as well, and it looked like my duel disk was completely out of power as well as turned off.

"That's too bad. I was enjoying it." I smiled, inwardly thankful that I had a convenient excuse to get out of here. I wonder how Jaden and Aster's little spat is going. Probably not very well for Jaden, if I had to guess, considering he was seemingly hell-bent on retreading canon. As if I wasn't tired of that by now. Wait, did that have anything to do with that weird blast that just came through?

"We'll have to have a proper finish sometime soon. For now, I'd be curious to know what caused that odd energy wave." Mackenzie seemed content to let the fight drop, but her eyes were calculating, serpentine. She got some valuable intel on me from this match. Good thing I've got some neat modern cards no one else has, or I would be in a bit of a tight spot.

"Hey, why are my cards glowing?" Alexis took notice of her duel disk, and indeed the cards were not only glowing, but were completely new and un-sleeved. Her cards had sleeves before…

"What in the sam hill is this?! I've never seen any of these here recruits in my base before!" Kenzan barked. Bastion and Jasmine's eyes widened. They whipped out their cards and marveled as if they were seeing something completely new. Atticus did the same, although he was still on the ground.

"Cyber Angel Vrash…I don't know what that is, but it looks strong!" Alexis commented, befuddled. "What did that wave do to our decks?"

"Souleating Oviraptor…Ultimate Conductor Tyranno…I could pull some crazy maneuvers with these!" Kenzan bared his teeth.

"What is this white card? I'm not the best student, but I'm pretty sure there aren't any cards with white backgrounds…right? Sine-crow? What's a sine-crow?" Jasmine's question lingered in the air. No…no god please no….what the fuck….

"Indeed, and this card resembles the one that Duel Spirit Command Knight used against you. I was quite drunk at the time, I admit, but I do recall a card with a black background, spotted with stars. An Xyz monster." Bastion's mind was undoubtedly whirring into overdrive.

This was rather difficult for me to process. Maybe it's all a dream…yes? "Ok, I'm going back to sleep. Goodnight, everyone." I curled up the grass and closed my eyes. Please Ra, let this all be a dream.

XxXxxxxXXXXxXxXX

(In the Duel Monster Spirit Realm)

Once his officers left, Blade Knight closed the flaps of the tent and bent down to look upon the captured Sonata, the Melodious Diva. The Knight gazed upon her, dead silent until she could finally stand it no more.

"Well? Are you going to play games, or is there something you want, sir knight?" Sonata spat the title with disdain. "I thought you served Brron, the mad king."

"Do you think serving someone who everyone calls the mad king is smart?" Blade Knight said with a hint of humor.

"Perhaps not, but I thought you knights were all about vows and honor. Every tale I heard of you claimed that you were the truest of soldiers, loyal to the last, kind to all living beings. And now you take company with demons, kill indiscriminately, and conspire to bring about an age of darkness. For what?" Sonata could not stop the questions from pouring out the moment they started. She knew he would grow angry, would strike her, would make her bleed for her insolence.

But the blow never came. Blade Knight stood up again and leaned against the painted table. "I care nothing for knighthood or vows, and especially not serving some king. What difference does it make serving Brron or Yubel anyways?" He said with a hint of weariness.

She couldn't believe this. Blade Knight was a hero in children's stories, a truly noble figure – not on the legendary status as Mahad the Dark Magician or the White Dragon, but certainly a force to be reckoned with in his own right. What happened to him in the past year? She felt just on the verge of piecing the puzzle together, but she couldn't quite form a cohesive whole out of the information she knew. For some reason, Blade Knight reminded her of someone…

"Why?" She rephrased her previous question, hoping for a true answer this time. As her captor, he was under no obligation to answer her at all. But if she kept him talking, perhaps an opportunity to escape would present itself.

"There is something I must reclaim, at all costs. No matter what I must do, no matter whom I must ally with…anything is fair in the pursuit of my goal. And once my goal is achieved, there will be peace once again." The knight said with iron will. "Nothing else matters."

"And your goal is worth the destruction of the human realm? Of butchering children? What does Yubel reward you for your service?" Sonata dared.

She overstepped. Blade Knight rested a hand on the pommel of the sheathed sword at his waist. In an instant, he unleashed waves of duel energy, so thick and strong it caused the air itself to vibrate. Sonata gasped, finding each breath a tremendous effort. Blade Knight's energy was like a mountain of swords, sharp and merciless.

"Before I make the reality of your situation clear, I will enlighten you on a few misunderstandings. I do not serve Yubel. We are merely partners…and it is a temporary partnership. Once my goal is achieved…bah, why am I saying this to you? I guess it's kinda nice to have someone to talk to…" Blade Knight cursed himself for his moment of weakness before rounding on her again. He seemed unstable for some reason. And he and Yubel certainly did not seem to be good friends…

"I'll not miss my opportunity because of these silly ramblings." His grip tightened on the sword's handle. "You will be traveling with me for the remainder of this campaign. I can't afford to slip away again without Yubel noticing..." Sonata was now certain that Blade Knight was plotting against Yubel.

"If you don't like Yubel, then surely it makes more sense to ally with us. She is insane, as I've sure you've noticed. Probably not the best job security around here, if I had to guess." Sonata staked her claim, desperate though it was. She wondered what made partnering with Yubel different from the Mad King – both were equally violent and unstable as far as she could perceive.

"As I said, I only have one goal, and that can only be done if I'm on the winning side. The mad king's days are numbered, anyone can see that. And once the throne sits empty, the human realms will face the brunt of Yubel's wrath, and it is terrible to behold. But it is nearly time to move camp. You will be giving as comfortable lodgings as we can spare – it is not you I hold a grudge against, just your master." Blade Knight rolled up the rest of the maps and moved to call over his officers from outside the tent.

"Jamie Lancaster is not my master. He's my friend." Sonata shot back, defiant. Blade Knight stiffened, his back still turned.

"How dare you say that name? How, when you know the truth about him? That is not his name!" He rounded on Sonata. What the knight would do next, none would ever know.

Panicked sounds could be heard from outside the tent, growing in volume. More than that, there was an increasingly apparent white noise, implacable and yet growing closer.

Blade Knight gave Sonata a long look before peering outside of the tent flaps to see what was going on. "What the fuck is going on here?" He muttered.

Sonata could feel something coming closer, something big. And then it hit. For a moment, she saw a tremendous, all-encompassing wave of the purest white energy expanding beyond the horizon before she too, was swallowed up. As a duel spirit, she had lived a life far longer than the average human, but never before had she seen or felt such a numbing sensation as the wave engulfed her.

XxXXxxXxxxXXxxxXxXx

Sonata awoke with sore shoulders and a stiff neck. Her bright green hair fell in waves as she sat up. Inexplicably, she felt light and unburdened. Looking down at her handcuffs, she saw that they seemed brittle and rusty compared to before. They hardly seemed to weigh anything at all. With a quick flex of her wrists, the chain broke and her hands were free again. Another tensing of her back and shoulders were enough to dismantle the ropes, and her legs were soon freed again. "How is this possible?" She thought dimly.

And yet, her senses were returning to her very quickly. She had no idea what that wave was, but it didn't seem to affect her very much. It didn't feel as though she had been unconscious for a long time. Remembering where she was, her eyes darted about the room.

Blade Knight was slumped on the floor in an uncomfortable-looking position. Unlike her, he seemed to be down for the count, unless he was playing possum for some reason. She wouldn't put it past him – the so-called knight had become slimy and cunning since she last saw him.

Daringly, Sonata stood up and stretched, getting use to a free range of movement again. She let a breath she had been holding unknowingly, and dashed past the sleeping form of Blade Knight. Running desperately, she got out of the tent and into the camp.

Black tents were spread about for miles, dotting the harsh, grey plains before coming up against a sharply inclined hill. Blade Knight's was by far the largest and most ornate, denoting his role as general.

"That's the same hill I got captured on…" She noted ruefully as she gazed upon the rock. She would not make the mistake of getting caught again – underestimating the competency of Blade Knight's scouts was a grave error. These were not the same brutes that served directly under Yubel.

"My energy levels are about back to normal too…just what was that wave?" Was it truly some stroke of destiny that happened to act in her favor? Either way, there wasn't time to dwell on it now. She needed to get out of this hellhole and back to Central Academy.

"But first, here's a parting gift, you bastards." Several of the tents were lined with torches so the duel spirits could navigate the camp at night. With a push, Sonata tipped two of the lights directly against the tents, causing the fabric to smolder and burn. The fire spread quickly due to the dry air, and soon enough the camp would probably awaken, depending on how that bizarre wave affected them.

Summoning a significant portion of her energy, Sonata created a portal to the human realm, setting the location for Central Duel Academy. "It's been a while, Jamie. I hope you're alright, my friend." The portal closed moments after she jumped in, leaving behind the burning encampment.

XxXxXxXxxxxXxXXXX

(Jaden Yuki POV)

Jaden had been right at the epicenter of the blast, and it had taken some time for him to get his bearings. He was overwhelmed not only by the sudden defeat Aster had dealt him, but by the eclipsing wall of light energy.

"Hey…are you alright?" He called out to the Aster, who was struggling to his feet across the floor. Jaden didn't know why he was concerning himself with the well-being of a man who derided him and accused him of demonic intent. He doubted Aster would spare him the same courtesy.

"Argh…what on earth was that?" Aster looked just as ragged and shocked as Jaden did, putting to rest any ideas Jaden had about him being the cause of the blast. It seemed to be more of a chain reaction than anything, but a reaction to what? Jaden was out of his depth.

"Winged Kuriboh, you got any ideas?" Jaden attempted to summon his familiar like he would any other day. Usually, Winged Kuriboh appeared promptly by his side. This time, however, there was no response. "Buddy? Are you there?" Jaden asked again before was distracted.

Up in the stands, Erin, Syrus and Crowler stirred, especially stiff since they had slumped in their chairs. "What do I have in my pocket that's so hot?" Syrus blearily wondered, fumbling a bit before pulling out his dueling deck. "What is going on? I don't recognize these cards at all…"

"Huh?" Erin quickly fished out her own cards. "This isn't my deck…I've never seen any white cards, or black ones either! How bizarre!"

Crowler peered over the pair of them, eyes calculating. Surely he would have examined his own cards, but he didn't appear to have them with.

"What the heck are they talking about? I should check my cards too!" Jaden withdrew the stack from his duel disk and began to look upon his own cards. They were white, blank and devoid of color or form. With mounting worry, Jaden dimly rubbed at one of the blank cards, thinking this would help. Nothing happened. He held nothing but a featureless, thin piece of cardboard between his fingers.

"No…" Claws of despair began to tighten in his chest as he realized what had happened. "HEY!" He suddenly roared at Aster, his rage erupting like a geyser. The other three had begun to descend from the stands, but they froze upon hearing Jaden's volcanic yell. They had never heard a sound like that come from him before.

Jaden's fierce gaze bored into Aster. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY CARDS?!" He rounded upon his rival, stomping across the arena. Two of Aster's guards smoothly emerged from the entryways, entering Jaden's peripheral vision. Their presence was the only thing that gave him pause.

Jaden's suspicions were dampened by the clear look of confusion and worry on Aster's face. "What's wrong with your cards?"

"Oh, like you don't know! Now I understand what all that weird talk about light and darkness was about! You think I'm some kinda demon, and this nonsense about the elemental heroes was just a front! You don't just want me to not use heroes, you want to keep me from dueling!" Jaden's tone was black. Dueling was his favorite thing in the world – the game provided a great deal of solace during his lonely childhood. "Well, you got what you wanted, didn't you?" Jaden showed Aster one of the blank cards.

"I…uh…I did not want this to happen. What I said was true. I did not believe you to have dark powers before our match. I only challenged you to keep to my own principles. I swear to God I had no part in what happened to your cards." Aster was now looking down at his own cards, as if they were responsible for the deed. The Red Hero didn't believe it for a second.

For a moment, it looked like Jaden sorely wanted to punch Aster, but the silent, overpowering presence of the guards prevented him from doing so. Jaden thought of all of the incredible challenges he had faced in the past year. He survived those, and he would persevere through this. He thought of the battle against Kagemaru, with Jamie at his side. He thought of the graduation duel against Zane, and the respect between them. He thought of the entrance exams, and Yugi giving him Winged Kuriboh.

"Keep it. I have a feeling it belongs with you." The king, the true king had said when he bestowed Jaden his spirit partner. And now his partner's voice was muted.

"I will not let anybody destroy my dream." With clenched fists, he swiftly turned his back on Aster and left the arena. Erin and Syrus quickly followed behind him. Doubtless they wanted to know what was going on, and how he would proceed. Normally, Jaden welcomed any time spent with his friends. He treasured them dearly. But now, he only wanted to be away from them. And that thought unsettled him. Glancing behind him, Jaden saw Crowler speaking with Aster, although about what he could not say.

"Are you alright, Jaden?" Syrus, his best friend, was worried as always. Jaden didn't respond at first.

"Hey, don't give up! We'll find a way to get your old cards back! I don't know what that guy did, but I'm sure it can be undone. You'll get your revenge!" Erin was spunky and overconfident, as per usual.

"Yeah…there has to be a way." Jaden mumbled. For the first time in as far back as he could remember, Jaden had no idea how to proceed. "Sorry guys, but I'd like to be alone for a while." He said without looking at either of them.

Syrus looked despondent, but ultimately willing to accommodate his best friend's wishes. Erin, however, didn't think it was a good idea for Jaden to be by himself now.

"Hey, hold on." She grabbed Jaden's shoulder and turned him around. His eyes seemed to be back to their normal color now…why were they different earlier? "Let's go shoot some hoops or something. A good workout always clears my head." Her deep blue eyes smiled and she made a flexing motion with her bicep to accentuate the point.

Jaden mulled the thought over for a moment before agreeing. "Sure, maybe you're right."

XxxXXXXXXXXxxxxxxXXXXXXx

(Seto Kaiba POV)

At first, the new power was intoxicating, filling him with a heady pleasure that no drug could ever match. Blue-Eyes, his truest love in this world, had evolved in newer and more powerful forms, along with many of his past cards. It was evolution, and it had happened overnight. He even began entertaining thoughts of reclaiming the crown. "The power…the absolute power! Oh, fuck yes!" He muttered as he gazed upon the Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon, a Synchro monster (whatever that was).

But the rush passed, and his mind began to whir into overdrive once more. "I don't know what happened, but I didn't have any of these cards before. I know for a fact that these Synchro and Xyz monsters have never existed before today. And if my deck is affected, others surely will have been as well."

Kaiba then picked up the phone and began dialing the relevant people.

The meeting was held that night, all involved agreeing that plans needed to be made. It was a rainy night in Domino, a dark and stormy late summer storm. Kaiba, Mokuba, Roland, and the building maintenance staff were the only ones in the complex. Kaiba drew the blinds to his private office and set up his VPN, sending Roland to check the halls before making the calls.

"He's late." Mokuba spoke to Seto in low, dire tones, most unlike him. Even he knew this was a serious matter, and Seto despised his time being wasted. The presence of the individual in question was of paramount importance to this meeting.

Kaiba did not react or otherwise acknowledge Mokuba's words, focusing on setting up the Skype call. After a minute's time, Roland smoothly entered the room. "Mister Kaiba, the visitor has arrived. Shall I send him in?"

"Hmph. Right on time and not a moment sooner. Yes, of course. Then, shut off the lights out front and join us." Kaiba sniffed. Roland performed a short bow before carrying out the order.

Seto was seated in his swiveling office chair at his desk, while Mokuba was reclined on a beanbag, playing with a paddleball. For a brief time, the sound of the ball bouncing against the wood was the only noise, along with the patter of rain outside. Then, voices began to fill the air as the calls went through. Small holographic monitors filled the air in front of Kaiba and Mokuba, each showing a face.

Ishizu Ishtar, Marik Ishtar, Maximillion Pegasus, Jamie Lancaster, and Jesse Anderson's profiles illuminated the dark room. The prerequisite greetings were made, but each of them knew that this was no social call. Everyone was rather subdued, with one obvious exception.

"My fine friends, it is such a pleasure to see all of your lovely faces once more! Ooh, and here is one I have not yet had the pleasure to meet! What is your name, young man?" Pegasus cooed. Kaiba closely watched Jamie's reaction, but the boy, as always, was a hard one to read.

His green eyes flashed and a sharp smile rose. "Mister Pegasus, it is an honor to meet such a great man at long last. I'm Jamie Lancaster, a student at Duel Academy."

"Mister Lancaster offered his assistance during our cousin's escape four months ago. He was very noble." Ishizu smiled demurely at the boy. Kaiba's eyes flickered between them, his mind brooding. "It appears the rumors of him being a harem protagonist may be more true than I thought…"

"I've seen ya around, but I'm not sure I've had the pleasure either. Name's Jesse, nice to meetcha." Jesse interjected, his ten-gallon hat bobbing slightly as he inclined his head.

Already tiring of the trite pleasantries, Kaiba was about to bring up the matter at hand when the sliding doors to his office opened. Standing in the doorway was a man Kaiba had not seen in about four years, and yet he recognized him immediately. The silhouette of the hair alone was rather distinctive.

In the last ten years, Yugi Moto had grown almost a foot in height, only an inch shorter than Kaiba now. His frame, scrawny before, had taken on a healthy layer of muscle, his once baby-like chin now jutting. He wore a muted dark violet hoodie with a faded imprint of the words "KAME GAME" in gold on the front. Dark jeans with far too many belts on them were dampened by the rain, while his hair, bizarre and spiky and multicolored as always, was dry thanks to his hood. His eyes were mostly still the same, a strange shade of indigo and unfailingly kind, but there was an undeniably worldly air to them.

For a moment, his expression was grim and serious, resembling Atem's. But it was only for a moment – after his eyes took in the people in the room, his eyes lit up and he smiled a pure smile. "It's good to see you all again!"

Walking confidently, he shook the hands of the three men present in the room and nodded humbly to the rest. Jesse Anderson's expression was rapt with awe, while Jamie was blank with surprise. "Haha, I didn't realize students would be here!" Yugi said jovially. "Sorry to take you by surprise."

"What in tarnation? Could that really be Yugi Moto on the other side of that there screen?" Jesse whispered in wonder. He then introduced himself by name to the King, trying and failing to contain his excitement. Jamie did the same.

"The King of Games…wow. I never thought I'd really get to meet you one day. Life is full of surprises, huh? Not that anyone here needs reminding of that." Jamie's lame joke triggered polite laughter from Ishizu, playing further into Kaiba's paranoia.

"Indeed. I wish our meeting today were under better circumstances. Ishizu, Marik, I am glad to see you in good health. I was very concerned after hearing of your cousin's betrayal. Is Odion alright?" Yugi's arrival changed the dynamic instantaneously. The others were entirely comfortable deferring to his guiding of the conversation. None dared to speak over him.

"He is fine, though his pride has seen better days. He scarcely leaves the crypts these days. His defeat still shames him." Marik admitted ruefully. "I'm worried about him."

"Me too. I hope he feels better soon. This is too much for one man to handle." Yugi nodded gravely.

"Thank you, Yugi. Send Tea our warmest regards as well." Ishizu replied gracefully.

"Yugi boy, I understand that your anniversary is coming up soon. Five years, isn't that right? My hearty congratulations! Planning on any trips?" Pegasus commented. Kaiba despised Yugi getting more attention than him, but he supposed that many of these people hadn't seen him in years. Unlike Kaiba, the King of Games shunned the spotlight and preferred a quiet, humble life surrounded by his loved ones.

Kaiba could never imagine that life "Those with power should impose their will and mold the world in their image. A man with Yugi's influence could create an empire to rival mine own, but instead he married his high school sweetheart and traveled the world like some college girl. How absurd! Power is what matters!" In truth, he respected Yugi as a warrior and as a man, but he simply could not fathom a desire for peace and simplicity. He couldn't remember ever wanting those things.

"Thank you, Pegasus. I can't believe it's been that long already. No trips, I think. I've seen much of this world in the past ten years, and some down time would be very welcome. Besides, I need to look after my grandfather. He's not moving around so good these days." Yugi answered solemnly. "Besides, I have the feeling that these peaceful days are at an end. As great as it is to reconnect with you all, and meet some of you for the first time, we must acknowledge what happened." Yugi cleared his throat before continuing.

"You all know it as well as I – more than just our cards becoming more powerful, this mysterious forces heralds the return of magic to the world, permeating every layer of our reality. I hoped that it was sealed away for good ten years ago, but something has undone everything Atem and I tried to achieve." Yugi rested his hands on the end of the table, an indescribably heaviness on his face.

"It began around…eh, fourteen months ago. The Duel Spirits grew warlike, and our realm began to intermingle with the shadows. I still remember the day of the entrance exams, my duel spirit Ruby Carbuncle was super worried about something. I figured she was just nervous about my getting into North Academy, but now I think it was something else." Jesse piped in.

Kaiba noticed that Jesse looked quite confused, but strangely, Lancaster seemed to understand Yugi perfectly. His face was ashen, his eyes were far away, and he gulped nervously.

"But who would want to introduce chaos and dark magic back into the fold? Even my informants are at a loss for ideas." Pegasus admitting ignorance was a sure sign that the mystery was a tremendous one.

It was Kaiba who answered. "For some reason, two of my subordinates, Banner and Kagemaru, conspired to steal the Sacred Beasts last year, recruiting a cadre of demons to do so. They failed, thanks in part to my students. Now this year my island houses Reggie Mackenzie, a girl rumored to have dark powers of her own. Not to mention that shithead Sartorius and his show pony Aster Phoenix are using my school as a stage for their antics. Something is afoul at Central Academy. That's why I have Lancaster on this call in the first place."

"More betrayals, eh Kaiba? I suppose you're used to that by now." Pegasus could not resist the opportunity to joke at Kaiba's expense. He laughed foppishly. Kaiba hated that fucking laugh.

The White Dragon slammed his fists on the table. "Every subordinate who has dared cross has been made to regret it. My power is not to be questioned by anyone! EVER!"

"Yeah, we know." Yugi, who not only questioned Kaiba's power before, but also humiliated him several times on the dueling field, said with a nervous chuckle. This successfully defused the tension without offending Kaiba. Getting the conversation back on track, Yugi said, "We must devise a plan. We know there are enemies in the shadows who are plotting something. We're not going to sit by passively and let them."

"We believe it is more important than ever that the crypts be secured. The seals on the Millennium Items and the Egyptian Gods have weakened significantly from that energy wave. Whoever is responsible for that probably wants those as well." Marik explained. "I suspect my cousin had a hand in things. He claims to only want freedom, but I don't believe that for a second."

"Trusting the word of oath breakers is like building on quicksand." Jamie added, a strange look on his face.

"The trouble is that we lack people. Several others in the clan defected after Hank's rebellion, off to who knows where. But still, we shall do our best to keep them safe. I'll stake my life on it." Ishizu added with steely determination.

"Oh, this is dreadful, simply dreadful! But we must press on in these trying times." Again, Kaiba wondered why Pegasus put on this effeminate performance on a council of supposed peers. Did he know something the others did not? "As head of Industrial Illusions, I must take steps to ensure that the state of the meta remains healthy. To do that, I must know how these new cards work and what they are so that they may be mass produced. At your nearest convenience, could you all please send me images of your new cards?" Pegasus requested. Kaiba wondered if he could get away with sending Pegasus false images.

"Will do, sir. I'll talk to mister Foster and an inventory will be done at North Academy." Jesse nodded. "The boy is an agent of Pegasus, through and through." Kaiba noted.

"I will have Crowler do the same at my school." The white dragon said coldly. "Lancaster will ensure that the reports are accurate." He knew that Crowler, although outwardly obsequious, was capable of scheming when it suited him. Lancaster seemed forthright and loyal, and most importantly he wasn't in a position to plot against Kaiba. He knew better than to trust the boy completely – he was too much like Kaiba at that age. The only two people Kaiba truly had faith in were Mokuba and Roland.

"Very good. I'll be in touch with you all on a more frequent basis. I'll get your numbers from Kaiba and we'll set up an encrypted group chat. Beyond that, I suggest we meet once a week for major discussions." Yugi proposed, and predictably they all agreed. Yugi was not a king in the traditional sense of the term, but in the world of dueling there was no greater voice.

After some more small talk, Izhizu, Marik, Pegasus, and Jesse signed off. "Lancaster, just a moment." Kaiba barked before Jamie could leave. The boy silently waited, expectant.

"Any correspondence from Pegasus or Industrial Illusions is to be reported to me immediately. And remember, whatever price he lists, I can beat it. Rest assured of that." Kaiba hissed.

"I understand, sir."

"Good. And watch for any news on Chazz Princeton, he's gone dark since the beginning of the school year. I find it very suspicious that neither Pegasus nor Anderson had anything to say about him tonight. Our regular report will be tomorrow night as usual, then you tell me about this Aster Phoenix shit and your duel with Mackenzie."

Jamie nodded. "I will call around eleven, circumstances depending. Good night, sir. Mister Moto, it was an honor to meet you."

"And you, mister Lancaster. Best of luck at school." Yugi said politely before Jamie signed out. Kaiba, Yugi, and Mokuba, who had been silent during most of the conversation, each let out a deep breath.

Yugi and Kaiba shook hands firmly. "It's good to see you again, old friend." The king said graciously. "And Mokuba, you look well. I hardly recognized you with the shorter hair!" He greeted the younger man in the same way.

"That's not all that's changed, Yugi! Seto's been helping me with my dueling! I bet I could take you now!" Mokuba declared, jesting.

"Haha, that could be. It's been many years since I've dueled for real. Joey hasn't played in a while either." Yugi said airily.

"Same here." Kaiba muttered. "But in this new frontier, our old positions aren't guaranteed. I expect many more will be gunning for your title now, more than usual."

"Perhaps. You know how these young bucks are. That could be a good way of getting back into shape. It looks like I'm going to need to." Yugi moved to the window, staring out at the rain-slicked streets.

"I never thought something like this would happen again." The king chuckled sadly. "We called it the story that concludes in light, Joey and Tea and Bakura and I. But the story never really ends. There will always be those who wish to use this game for evil ends."

He turned, subdued, to Mokuba and Kaiba. "He entrusted me with the future, to make sure the story truly ends in light." He didn't need to tell them who "He" was. Even ten years later, Yugi's heart stood in the shadow of loss.

"He'd be proud of you. I know he would." Mokuba smiled reassuringly.

"Well, he would not want me to mope around like this, at any rate." Yugi smiled back to hide the pain. "If I must fight again, so be it. Kaiba," He looked into the cold blue eyes of his only true peer on the battlefield. "I know you probably have your own reasons for fighting in the wars to come. But I figure we both need training to learn our new decks, and I can't think of a better partner."

Yugi's humble request caused Kaiba to smile a genuine smile for a change. "My thoughts exactly, Yugi. And Mokuba will be joining us as well."

Mokuba apparently was not notified of this, judging by his sudden jolt. "Uh, I am?"

Kaiba nodded, his smile turning savage. "We face unknown enemies. We'll need as many strong duelists as possible, and you're my brother, so you need to be stronger than most. Come, it'll be fun."

"Yeah, right! This is gonna suck, isn't it?" Mokuba sighed while Yugi and Kaiba both laughed.

XxXxxxxxXXxXXXXxx

(Zane Truesdale POV)

He had been sleeping when the wave hit, and this far from civilization, he had no idea what had happened to the dueling world. It was just as well – he was focused on his own goal. Clad in a black parka and hood, replete with climbing gear, Zane made his way through the mountains of Nepal. It was a journey he had made before, when he was a boy. He had others with him then, but not this time. This time, he was a man, dedicated to making his own way in the world.

The cold winds were welcome, diverting his mind from the hot shame of defeat. Every time he looked back, the humiliation welled up anew. "I will not let that happen again. I don't care if it was destiny or God's will. If that's the case, I'll break destiny and tell God to fuck off." I was not an honorable thought, but he thought it all the same.

At long last, he reached his destination. It was a clear day at the top, the sky a sharp blue and the rest of the world obscured by vapor and mist. Etched into the mountainside was a temple hewn from stone, older than the game itself. "Sheppard, I hope you're here. I must know the truth about the Cyber Style, and about you. I must know why I failed."

Anger darkened his features as he removed his hood and entered the temple.

A/N

Hope you all enjoyed.

No duel this chapter, but we covered a lot of stuff nonetheless. I know some readers are ravenous for duels, especially now that everyone had gotten HUGE upgrades. We'll see one next chapter!

This has always been a part of the plan since jump street. I know some people are viciously opposed to Synchros and Xyzs and will probably drop the story because of this – that is totally fine! I've made my peace with that long ago and if that's how you feel so be it. It really do be like that sometimes. For those that are interested I'm going to explain my thoughts on the various types of Extra Deck summoning. I come into this from the perspective of a TCG player, please keep this in mind.

One thing people often forget/selectively ignore is that the most broken cards in this game were made at the very start. Delinquent Duo, Forceful Sentry, Change of Heart, Confiscation, Cold Wave (Cold Wave would be so nasty dude) and Painful Choice just off the top of my head. Almost all of the currently banned spells and traps came out before Synchros. And they are never coming off unless they get so errata'd as to be useless like how they massacred my boy DMOC. And these spells/traps were worse back then because there were no archetypes and people were legit paying 120 bucks for Gemini Elf because it was the only 4 star monster with 1900 ATK. LMAO but I digress.

Synchros are good for the game since they make level stars matter and give almost all decks a common pool of actually useful resources. In my opinion the main problem with Synchros when they came out was that they were too good. Brionac, Dark Strike Fighter, Goyo Guardian (all pre-errata obviously), Catastor, even Stardust and Black Rose were damn good at the time. They got a lot more balanced over time and the best part is that they reward combo-oriented play and knowing your cards. Synchros are great and they are not OP at all in the modern game. I like them and they will be in this story.

Xyz (or Exceeds as I will primarily be calling them in this story since it's a better name) I am of two minds on. On one hand, it's great they have inherently limited usage of their effects, it's good for balance. However, Exceed heavy decks also have the problem of making their main decks essentially into engines that try to get material on the field and really do nothing else. That was part of the reason Zexal's duels were some of the worst in the series as well, every duel was essentially "summon boss monster turn one, then protect boss monster with improbably convenient spell/trap support for the rest of the game". But Exceed's did not break the game and they will be in this story, I mean they already have been so...haha not a shock I guess.

Pendulums are actually pretty busted lol. The mechanic is inherently strong and Pendulum decks are pretty much always going to be good no matter what the meta is. Even in Master Rule 4 Pendulums still put in work, in fact I think Pendulum Magicians topped a Japan regional last weekend. I have a lot of fun playing Pendulum decks, but due to their complexity and the fact that I would have to change up the board there are currently no plans to have them in the story. Obviously there will not be Links for that reason as well. I actually don't think Links are that bad but that's another discussion. There was really nowhere else for the game to go after the speed and power of Pendulums. Idk maybe I'll speak on Links next chapter or something, it's a long topic lol.

Not trying to come off too harsh, I love this game and I have for a long time, but it's fundamentally flawed. And I don't care. Smash Bros Melee is a super broken game. Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 is a busted game. Fortnite is a busted game. And I like to play all of these, I don't care lol. I have fun and I just roll with it until it isn't fun anymore, that's just me.

Anyways, sorry for the long author's note. Hope you guys liked the introduction of Yugi into the story. Catch you all next time. Summer is here!