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

46. 10 PM in Domino

Chapter 46: 10PM in Domino

Songs

Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 2 OST – Ancient Mystery

Kingdom Hearts II OST – The 13th Struggle

Simple Plan – Last One Standing

Drake – Underground Kings (Instrumental)

(?)

In the cavern, she prayed. Clad in the traditionally white, clean robes of the miko, she served the light in her own way. The cool and dark walls of the cave lent themselves to clarity, to reflection – the dark is not to be shunned entirely, so long as one remembers where the light is, and why it is ultimately preferable.

The candlelight made her raven hair look red to match the incongruous crimson lipstick she wore. Her eyes were an unusual shade of lilac, and always wide.

Behind her, a gale of frosty wind to the left – to the right, a stroke of yellow lightning. In heavy armor, two duel spirits materialized into this plane of reality.

"The students from Central Academy, under the care of Vellian Crowler, have made landfall." The first spirit was an enormous knight clad in light blue armor, cold to the touch. His tone was measured, and a bit slow. Far from ordinary spirits, these two emanated a royal aura, vast like the procession to a throne room.

"And with them, the Unseeable Ones." The other knight wore similar armor, only stormy grey. "The false angel of the sunshine coast, along with the White Dragon's pet, the one known as the Lion of Obelisk."

"…I see. Impressive nicknames, but we shall see the mettle behind them soon enough. And what of this boy who the demon spirits call king? The stories of that Yubel creature make my skin crawl." The woman was miniscule in comparison to the size of the two spirits, but her command over the situation was evident in the confidence of her words.

"Jaden Yuki is beyond the range of our sensors. He is in the Deep Den, the cavern formed by the blast. If he has the ability to come to this city in the time it takes to complete our mission, then his power is greater than we thought. As for Yubel, she pursues the Mad King's forces like a bloodhound, ignorant of the wider possibilities the blast presents. Generals Goldd and Silva have proved her equals, and are keeping her quite busy." The grey knight reported, his tone snappy and only barely tempered by deference.

"Good. I foresee no interference on that score. Destiny wills the heroes to clash again, but the presence of the Unseeable Ones clouds my vision, as well as my brother's. Nevertheless, we will proceed with the plan. Find the most powerful fighters and test their strength. More than that, see their minds. Keep the at-risk ones away from my brother. He has grown bolder lately…I believe he means to begin the conversion." The woman stared into the flames, her gaze hollow with fear.

"We shall move with the appropriate urgency." The icy warrior spoke grimly before disappearing in a gale of snow. The other nodded before vanishing to the sound of static.

"Sartorius…I cannot allow this to continue any longer." She rose, attaching a duel disk to her arm.

XxXxXxxXxXxXxxxx

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

"Oh boy, I can't wait for this field trip!" Syrus said cheerily, waving one of the flyers that announced the trip to the student body. We all got email correspondence about it as well.

At Alexis' invitation, a group of us got together for a meal at the Obelisk dining hall. Alexis, Erin, Atticus, and myself used some of our guest passes to get Syrus, Kenzan, Bastion, and Adam in. Mackenzie was there as well, not needing a guest pass as she was an honorary member of Obelisk Blue. Jasmine, curiously, was absent. The fare was an enjoyable mixture of east and west. We sat at a long table, eating grilled rockfish spiced with garlic and ginger. Bowls of noodles and rice sat next to roasted carrots, broccoli and mushrooms.

"Yeah, no kidding! Domino is a big city, there's going to be a lot to see and do. Sadly, there's not much in the way of surf there." Erin replied.

"So much history…why, Domino was where the legendary Battle City tournament took place! The hometown of Yugi Moto and Seto Kaiba! Our dueling will surely progress to the next level from this!" Bastion's nerdy ass was gushing harder than Syrus after a new season of High School DxD drops.

"Our family has been there many times. You'll love it, Mackenzie!" Atticus made another not-so-subtle overture at Reggie, who smiled with cold courtesy as she always did.

"I'm certain it will be an exciting experience, especially with you all as my traveling companions. I'm lucky to have such an opportunity." She said blandly. Through the rising steam from the hot food, our eyes met briefly, before breaking off.

"Has anyone heard anything else from Jaden? I'm worried about him." Alexis said from the head of the table. She was by far the most popular student in Obelisk Blue, not only because of her looks, but because of her disposition – fair, somewhat stern, yet graceful and generous.

"Nothing since he left me that note. I guess they don't get cell service out in the dark lands, wherever those are. He said he'd be back soon, so maybe he'll be able to join us." Syrus wrung his hands, fraught with worry over his best friend. Mackenzie leaned forward, clearly interested in Jaden's location as well, or rather the location of Winged Kuriboh.

I haven't forgotten what she's truly after. Winged Kuriboh was just as necessary to Tragodeia's ultimate plan as the Light and Darkness Dragon, and she already held the latter. So far, she hasn't made any overt movements against Jaden, but it was only a matter of time. As soon as she detected weakness, she'd pounce. I hoped that Jaden was packing something a little more useful than Neos if he was to face her.

"I take it you guys didn't have any trouble getting your permission forms signed." I said. Tobias and Joanna were supportive of the venture and knew I could handle myself in matters of traveling. I was lucky to have kind, well-meaning parents – I shudder to think what would have happened had I been born into a less…fortunate situation.

"Oh yeah, no sweat! Besides, the alternative would just be sitting here on the island." Atticus answered.

"My father took some convincing, but he came around eventually." Mackenzie volunteered. Considering what I knew of her dear old dad, I would've liked to be a fly on the wall during that conversation.

"Will Jasmine be able to come as well?" I leaned over to ask Bastion somewhat privately from the main discussion. He glanced at me and looked down.

"Erm, yes, I believe so." He said awkwardly. I wonder what Jasmine told him about me.

"That's good. I'm sure you two will have a great time." I replied, trying to be nice.

"Indeed." He responded in a clipped voice. Before I could talk to him further, he leaned and asked Syrus to pass the soy sauce. I guess he didn't want to talk to me at the moment.

"The boat leaves in only two days! Let's make this a great field trip, everyone!" Alexis raised her water glass in a toast, which we all reciprocated in kind. For a brief moment, I forgot my troubles and basked in the gesture of fellowship. Until I met Mackenzie's inscrutable eyes again.

"Wait, did you say boat?" Bastion suddenly did not look pleased.

XxxxXxXxxXxxxxXxxXXX

(Two Days Later…)

"Oh fuck, I think I'm gonna be sick aga-BLARGGGGGGGGG"

The ferry was hitting some turbulent waters, and as it turns out, Bastion didn't have much for sea legs. Why, he was so discombobulated he was cursing, when the vomiting was through that is.

Of course, the rest of us weren't exactly thriving either. The journey, around eight hours in length, proved punishing for most of us who weren't used to boats. Erin was fine, as was Kenzan. I, on the other hand, was struggling immensely, as was the rest of the student body. I wish we could just fly there.

"Aww, do you need another ginger ale, baby?" Jasmine was rubbing the poor bastard's back as he gripped the guardrail, even using baby talk. She was a good girlfriend to him, if nothing else. I was tempted to ask for a ginger ale as well, but I had been trying to minimize my interactions with Jasmine as much as possible. Bastion nodded and she went off to the cooler below decks.

"Here, Jamie." Alexis handed me a cold bottle of seltzer with a wry look. I weakly thanked her and tried to focus on the horizon. Keeping a fixed point of view helped keep my stomach calm.

"How come you aren't seasick?" I whimpered.

"Atticus and I have been on the open sea a few times before. We weren't doing so good at first, but after the first time it got easier."

"Hmm…" In my old body, I would probably would've handled the boat just fine as well as the Rhodes siblings, but I suppose Jamie probably had little experience with them.

When we made landfall, Headmaster Crowler, along with professors Hibiki and Sartyr (Drummond was left behind on bitch duty looking after the school with a handful of essential staff) corralled us all into rows, three for each of the dorms. There, we were given the agenda for tomorrow. It was getting late in the day, so we planned on checking into the hotel and getting to sleep early. Tomorrow would be a big day.

And I doubted tonight would be all that restful.

We checked into a fairly nice place, far fancier than the Japanese equivalent of a Super 8 I was expecting. It had the style of a traditional ryokan, with all the amenities of a modern hotel. I shuddered to think how much this must have costed, but Kaiba paid for it all. The guy might be a bit of a bastard, but he sure treated his students well, and his funding was always nice to have. There were even hot springs on the premises – something told me those wouldn't mix well with a bunch of unruly, horny high school students, but what do I know?

I'm not going to lie, the traditionalism of the inn was quite cool, and I suddenly felt inspired to read more about the history of such place. More than anything, I was surprised that Kaiba, who disdained the past, decided to put us up here. Just to flaunt his wealth I guess.

The boys were rooming in the west wing, with the girls in the east. I was in the same room as Atticus, luckily. It would have been awkward if I had to share a bedroom with one of the same people who threw their lot in with Jasmine.

Atticus got off the boat faster than me, and had already set down his bags in the room. Now he seemed to be off doing something else. Amusingly, there were kimonos in the closet of varying size and color. This truly was a weeaboo's wet dream, although since were actually in Japan I guess I couldn't cringe that much. Atticus had already taken one off the rack, leaving robes of emerald green, oily black, charcoal, silver, and crimson with gold patterns.

I sat on the bed and leaned back, resting a bit from the harsh journey. Unknowingly, I dozed off for about half an hour before my phone pinged.

Alexis: hey a bunch of us are going to hot springs, u coming?

Attached was a picture of the gang in the hallway, comprised of Bastion, Jasmine, Syrus, Kenzan, Atticus, Alexis, Mackenzie, Adam, and Erin. All were in their kimonos - Bastion wore a simple, dignified black, Syrus a canary yellow, Adam charcoal grey, Kenzan mocha and Atticus royal blue, but frankly I was more interested in the other half of the group. Only part of Alexis' face was visible as she took the selfie, but she appeared to be wearing a periwinkle robe that complemented her pale skin well. Mackenzie's resplendent gold robe showed a generous amount of collarbone, while the contours of Erin's muscles could be seen through her violet shawl. Jasmine's slim frame was hidden beneath baggy, floral-patterned raiment.

Suddenly, I didn't feel so tired. Sadly, before I could type my affirmative response, another text message lit up my screen, from fucking Kaiba's burner phone. It was a group text involving Crowler. I had their names saved under pseudonyms in the event someone got access to my phone.

Eric (actually Kaiba): I need you both at the office at once. There is a car arriving at your location in ten minutes. Sean, come out first. The car will do a lap around the block a few times before coming again for Jack.

Sean was Crowler's pseudonym, while Jack was mine. Can't be too careful, I guess. The city was full of people from all over, and discretion was especially important compared to working on the island, where transit in and out was much more limited.

"Fuck." I muttered under my breath. What could the bastard possibly want that couldn't wait until morning? And why did we have to come to the office in person anyways? Oh. It dawned on me. This had to be really important.

I quickly unpacked my duel disk along with a few deck boxes. I placed the Melodious Divas in the main deck slot on the machine. Sonata appeared from nothingness, as if on cue. "You got a fight coming up?" She asked breezily.

"Soon, I'd wager." I said with a sour smile. I'd rather be with my friends, but it was for the best that they enjoy themselves while I quietly deal with this. "How do you feel about taking on Aster Phoenix? Or possibly Sartorius?" I told her everything I knew about the two men from canon, along with what they had done so far in this timeline.

"Powerful foes, from what you've told me. After that wave, I imagine Aster has some of those new destiny heroes from your timeline. And who knows what Sartorius is using? Arcana Force are normally a joke, but when you can manipulate fate and chance the cards suddenly become more intimidating. But I'm ready. I'd rather fight these guys than Blade Knight and Yubel." She said honestly.

"We'll have Crowler, the Kaiba brothers and possibly Yugi helping us. I can't complain about the quality of our companions, at least." I shrugged, putting on a simple light grey hoodie. I coupled this with black joggers and white high top sneakers. Low-key clothing would help keep a low profile if needs be.

"No, but it's too bad you'll have to miss a night with your friends." Sonata's voice took on a teasing lilt. "Especially your very good friend Miss Rhodes. You know you probably shouldn't be…having relations with her, right? It's dangerous for her and a bit weird considering your…background."

She's probably right, actually. I had good intentions and didn't want to take advantage of her, but it was still…kind of bad considering I had a life before all this and the mind of someone older than Jamie Lancaster. As usual, Sonata was not shy about bringing up uncomfortable truths. And my gaze was turned once more to my ugly side.

"…we can talk about it later. Just be ready to fight."

XxXxXxXxxXXxXxXxxXxXxXxXx

Roland picked us up in an unobtrusive black Honda Civic with tinted windows, impeccably punctual as always. I met Crowler in the lobby, texting an apology to my friends. I hope they understood. Believe me, I'd rather be chillin' with the crew, as it were. But the mission always comes first.

After dropping Crowler off, Roland came around to pick me up. I threw up my hood and jumped in the car. The ride over was silent, as was the elevator ride up to Kaiba's office. It was well past the usual working hours and the tower was quiet.

Yugi, Kaiba and Mokuba were there with Crowler. "Good to see you made it alright. I believe this is the first time we've met in person, mister Lancaster." Yugi strode over to shake my hand. It was something of a surreal experience – this man was at the top of the mountain, the greatest duelist in possibly the entire world. And yet he was casual and even friendly with someone like me, a mere student. It was a remarkable thing. Unlike Kaiba, Yugi exuded an air of contentedness and fellowship – I could see how the guy made so many friends so easily.

Kaiba conversed with Crowler while Mokuba watched Spongebob on the television mounted on the wall. "I take it the students made it to their rooms without any trouble?"

"There's always some trouble with that lot, but nothing serious, sir." Crowler answered quickly, bothering with none of his usual foppishness.

"Good, they should have a restful night. We, on the other hand, have work to do. And it is only fitting that those who claim to wield the light be defeated under the cover of night." Kaiba smirked.

I raised my eyebrows. "So Aster and Sartorius are in the city." And I'm guessing they weren't alone. In the anime, Sartorius' sister and four goons wielding Monarchs were causing trouble on the field trip as well. She had some sort of ulterior motive, but what was it again? Furthermore, Aster was already allied with Jaden at this time in the show, while the opposite was true here.

"They were slippery bastards, to be sure – my agents may not have spotted them if Sartorius did not come to me. The man had the audacity to try and rent out Kaiba Land for three days." Kaiba sneered.

"Did you refuse him?" Yugi asked – apparently this was news to him as well.

"I told him that I was potentially open to it, depending on negotiations regarding the price. Of course I do not intend to grant it to him. But still, I got the measure of the man, so it was not entirely wasted time. Roland tracked his car, and I believe Sartorius and Aster are at the Grand Kuriboh hotel on the corner of 42nd street and Sakura Avenue. Lancaster, you and I will go to take care of them."

"I will be looking after my grandfather tonight with Tea. He is recovering from a hip fracture and needs care. That being said, I will also be keeping an eye on any suspicious activity in the southern part of the city. Crowler, please ensure that the students stay inside their hotel while keeping an eye on the east." Yugi bid.

"Roland and I will take the south while Seto and Jamie can look north after dealing with their respective opponents. There will be a brief interval where the north will be unsupervised, but hopefully the duels will be quick." Mokuba spoke up, turning off the television.

"We can't afford to wait much longer. Let's do this, now." Kaiba fastened a duel disk to his arm. We agreed and moved out, ready to take the fight to the enemy.

"Kaiba…please, show mercy. They are not bad people, only misguided." Yugi softly bid.

Kaiba frowned. "I suppose I will try."

XxXxXxxxXxxxXXxxXXXx

(Aster Phoenix POV)

"It appears we won't have to wait long. The Lion and the Dragon will be upon us soon. Are you ready, Aster?" Sartorius and Aster stood poised in their hotel's elevator. Ding, ding, ding, they went down the floors.

"I am ready." Jamie Lancaster did not scare Aster. If he was only equal to the Kaiser, then he would only be a mildly annoying obstacle. And besides, the Lord's fire burned within him, and gave him strength. What could some privileged schoolboy do in the face of that? His new Destiny Heroes would see him through. "Dad, these are not the cards you made for me, but all the same I will fight with them in your name."

"Your conviction is strong. I envy you, in truth." Sartorius said with a rare chuckle. "Seto Kaiba is strong and ruthless. If we lose, he will show us no mercy."

Aster gulped, surprised at his friend's attitude. "But surely God will never allow you to fail against him? Seto Kaiba is a sinner! His empire is built on greed, brutality and pride! He shuns all gods and emulates the ancient magicks with his perverse machines. There is no way our Lord will fail us here!"

"Your hope inspires me. I will carry your faith with me into battle like a banner. It is good that Yugi Moto does not ride with Kaiba. If those two combined their strength against us…. all would truly be lost. Jamie is a blessing in comparison, and a poor substitute for the King of Games." Sartorius' hands shook at the mention of Yugi.

They exited the elevator and stood in the lobby for a moment, getting their bearings. "The night is come, and it is full of foes. May the fire within keep us safe and hale. May the Lion and the Dragon shrink before your greatness, O lord, for they are hungry at our doorstep." Sartorius uttered a final prayer. There were some people milling about in the lobby, as it was not that late at night. They were unaware of the great battles to come.

Through the revolving doors came Kaiba and Lancaster, although Kaiba's billowing coattails got caught in the swinging contraption. "Fuck!" He uttered, stopping to extricate himself. Jamie wore a hoodie and joggers, ready to slip into the night at a moment's notice. His green eyes were alert and shrewd.

The two duos, trainer and protégé, stood opposite each other. "I didn't think you'd be this easy to find. Lucky for me." Kaiba sneered, his lips upturned in a cold smile.

"Not luck, but the lord's will." Sartorius appeared calm, but Aster could tell it was merely a façade.

"Oh right, I forgot you guys liked to put that little spin on everything. Regardless, your little scheming is at an end. Introductions being unneeded, let's get to the bottom of this. Tell me why you've been coming to my island and messing with my students." Kaiba demanded, his strident voice carrying through the hotel lobby.

"Mister Kaiba, let us speak like gentlemen…I'm sure we can come to an understanding." Sartorius replied.

"Why did you cause the blast? These Synchros and Exceeds are your doing, aren't they? If you have the power to transform the world like you did, why bother sneaking about like this?" Kaiba's questions were designed to provoke. He would have been disappointed if this matter were settled with words – he wanted a fight, regardless of Yugi's words earlier.

"I wish I knew, mister Kaiba. It appears that Jaden and Aster's clash triggered a powerful force. These new cards are merely side effects of something much deeper, I believe." Sartorius said, and Aster wasn't sure if he was lying or not. Sartorius has never discussed the full implications of the blast with him. In fact, he had even expressed confusion to him before. A cold trickle of doubt entered Aster's mind.

"I don't believe that for a moment. I know what you people are. I've dealt with your like before, and this matter has already used up too much time. This is what you wanted, isn't it? Or else you would not come to this city, where my students lie in wait to be the subject of some nefarious scheme! Tell me, do you have any real power, or are you nothing more than Aster's puppeteer?" Kaiba snarled. I side-eyed him – maybe provoking Sartorius in such a way wasn't the best move. Then, I supposed anyone who claimed mastery over destiny and fate was bound to piss Kaiba off. That last little comment set Aster off as well, his blue eyes glowering beneath silver bangs.

Sartorius' unctuous smile slowly slipped into a set line. "I see you are set on a battle, mister Kaiba. I had hoped we could come to some kind of accords." The regret was so plainly false I wondered if we were playing into Sartorius' hands somehow by starting a fight. But we needed to take him down at some point – why not now? This would test just how strong his powers over fate were, if nothing else.

"Too bad. You plot against me, you pay the price. We'll play on the roof – partially as an homage to Clerks, but mainly because I want to show this whole city what happens to those who defy me!" Kaiba jerked his thumb upwards. He glanced back at me. "I'm trusting you to handle things down here, Lancaster. I'll see you when this is all finished." They then took what I could only assume was a remarkably awkward elevator ride to the roof.

I felt a foreboding chill as the elevator dinged, signaling its closing, leaving Aster, myself, and some confused hotel patrons and staff in the lobby.

Aster turned his gaze, luminescent and baleful, back to me. "I've heard about you, Jamie Lancaster."

I guess this was the first time I had ever actually exchanged words with him. "Have you now? What's my reputation like in the pro circuit?" I replied cheekily.

"I heard about you from Sartorius. Most people are like an open book to him, but you're difficult for him to read." Aster noted.

"Well, I've heard about you, and I gotta say I expected something different. I heard you were arrogant, snarky, and particularly stubborn. I didn't take you for a man of the cloth, so to speak." I put my hands behind my head, speaking casually as if we were chilling at the hotel bar.

"My faith granted me strength in the darkest hours of my life. Sartorius showed me the right path when I needed it. The Light has given me so much, more than Kaiba's spoils could ever match. If you were wise, you would join us." Aster was unbending.

I sighed, lowering my arms. "Listen man, I think it's incredible how successful you've become, especially considering what you've had to overcome. I wish we could have met under better circumstances. But we have good information that Sartorius is not what he says he is. I know he's your friend, but he's planning some seriously evil shit."

"Oh?" Aster clearly didn't believe me. "Go on."

"Uh, how do I put this politely…he's planning on enslaving the human race and farming their life force to power a weapon that's going to destroy the planet." The words tumbled out of my mouth.

"Cool story, bro. Now then, is there a reason you're here, or…?" He chuckled. I guess I could have phrased that more delicately – sadly, I did not have the shonen protagonist's ability to change people's entire belief systems after one speech. At least this confirmed that Aster wasn't in on Sartorius' true plans.

"It's not too late. He's misleading you to a terrible end. I'm not trying to sell you anything or get you to work for Kaiba, believe me." I tried to get him to see reason again.

"I have no reason to believe anything you say, and I know you're no friend of mine. Sartorius is, and I will not betray him! Now, if you are a true duelist, face me!" Aster bid. Looks like we're doing this the hard way, not that I mind.

"Looks like the speech didn't work out." Sonata laughed lightly as she materialized next to me. "Too bad. Now you'll have to fight."

"Yeah, I'm real sad about it." I smiled angrily, a storm of emotions churning within me. "Let's beat him down!"

Aster narrowed his eyes. "Um….I swear this isn't a trick, but what on earth is that behind you?"

"Yeah, okay bud. Next you're gonna tell me the word gullible is written on the ceiling." I shook my head at him.

"…Is that Jaden Yuki emerging from a portal?" Aster was putting on a very convincing confused expression, pointing a finger in my direction.

"This is a little far to go for a joke. Let's just duel already!" I frowned.

"Uh, he's actually serious, Ja-" Sonata's warning was cut off my the sound of a booming voice from the doorway.

"What's good, fellas? It's your favorite boy!" Jaden Yuki's voice sounded right behind me. I wheeled around to see my wayward friend.

Sure enough, a multicolored portal was fading rapidly behind Jaden's frame. In his hands was a worn map of Domino City, and a knapsack was flung carelessly over his shoulder. He wore a plain, dirty black t-shirt that had doubtless survived many adventures. His jeans were roughed up and torn in some places, his sneakers dusty. His hair was a little longer than usual, but messy as always. Reassuringly, his eyes were their normal shade of brown.

"Man, that whole portal thing is such a trip! You've gotta try it sometime, Jamie. I can't really control where it goes yet, though. I knew I'd go somewhere in Domino City, but beyond that it gets a little messy." Jaden grinned. "And I didn't know you had a duel spirit! She looks strong!'

"Uh…thanks." I glanced to my side, and sure enough, Sonata was still there, preening at the complement. Of course Jaden wasn't curious about how I got a duel spirit, he just thought it was neat that I got one.

"So, what brings you here anyways?" Jaden, amusingly, was either ignoring Aster or didn't realize he was there yet. His Winged Kuriboh spirit was introducing himself to Sonata, the hairball's deep voice rumbling greetings.

"All of us are on a field trip. Everyone else should be at the hotel right now. I'm here on business." I said succinctly, hoping I would have a chance to fill him later. However, Jaden's attention already flit to something else.

"Hey, it's Aster Phoenix. What's going on, bro?" Jaden waved cheerily at the same guy who had destroyed his cards, albeit unwittingly. Erin told me that Jaden nearly beat Aster's ass after the duel and was only stopped because of Aster's bodyguards. To see him address the man with a smile was a bit creepy actually.

Aster, for all that he was a bit fucked in the head, seemed to agree, judging by his vaguely confused expression. "What are you doing here? No one's seen or heard from you in weeks."

"It's a long story, one I'd be glad to tell Jamie later. As for you, well, you can keep wondering." Jaden clenched his fist. "I'm a lot stronger now. My new heroes and I have been itching to settle the score with you, Aster."

"You've acquired new cards…and your aura is darker than ever…I can see now why Sartorius took an interest in you. It was not my intent to destroy your cards and change this world, but this is the course destiny has guided us upon. Just like before, I cannot accept someone who uses hero monsters for their own selfish pleasure. Have you changed your ways?" Aster asked, seemingly sincerely.

"Haha, nope!" Jaden smiled, while Winged Kuriboh struck an "intimidating" pose. "I'm gonna keep having fun! I'm gonna keep chasing my dream and trying my best, no matter what you say!"

Aster begrudgingly inclined his head, having no choice but to acknowledge Jaden's unbreakable will. "You are an interesting one, Jaden Yuki. I wonder what your true motive is."

"What you see is what you get – I'm just a guy who duels for fun!" Jaden shot his fist out in a show of gumption. "It looks like you guys were about to fight. Is that true?" Jaden suddenly turned his attention on me. I nodded.

"That would be a sweet match to watch, but I'm kinda itching for some payback. Do you mind if I take another swing at this guy, Jamie?" Jaden was like a child pleading for ice cream.

I weighed my options. I didn't know the contents of Jaden's new deck, although I had a few ideas. He won the rematch against Aster in canon, but many factors were different here. However, if I left this in his hands, I could go keep an eye and Mackenzie and/or look out for Sartorius' sister, who was surely prowling the city at this very moment. Plus, I'd want some payback if I were in Jaden's position. What sort of friend would I be if I denied him the sweet pleasure of revenge? My well of kindness towards Aster was rather shallow anyways.

"…Alright then. I have a few other matters to attend to anyways. I'll beat you down some other time, Phoenix." I gave him a cheeky wave. "I hope you two enjoy yourselves. I'm sure I'll find some other diversion to occupy me."

The silver-haired boy scoffed and shook his head. "You speak as if you could defeat me at your whim. If you are only an equal to the Kaiser, that claim is unearned, lion cub. But go on and run if you wish. I will battle you again, Jaden. But be warned – this will be the last time, I swear it."

I threw up my hood. "I'll send you the directions to the hotel, Jaden. Sartorius and Kaiba are dueling on the roof. I'll let him know what's going on. Otherwise, I think there are more enemies around here, so be careful."

"Yeah, for sure man! See ya later!" Jaden nodded, and we bumped fists. Sparing a last look at Aster, I moved out onto the nighttime streets, working out my next move. Beneath every option lurked danger, but something had to be done – he who dares, wins.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Jaden Yuki POV)

He felt the dark slithering inside his veins, cooling and relaxing him even as he stood on the precipice of battle against his rival, the same man who sent him spiraling down in the first place, albeit unwittingly.

Although the situation was fairly serious, Jaden felt an impish desire to prank Aster. Not only did he deserve to have the piss taken out of him, but his rival seemed intent on making everything into some cosmic struggle anyways, so why not take that concept and run with it?

Eh, that would be unnecessarily mean-spirited. Besides, from what Jamie said, there were other foes in the city. Best to take care of this fast and move on to the other threats.

Summoning the darkness, the deep brown timber of his eyes burned into a golden flame. A black aura, glinting with lustrous yellow, ensconced his frame, but his smile remained the same. "Let's have a sweet match!"

Jaden could see Aster tense, though the pro duelist was good at hiding it. "You may act innocent, but you're deadly. I won't let you have your way, warrior of darkness."

Huh, looked like Aster still thought he was some kind of demonic entity. Oh well, it's kinda fun to play the bad guy sometimes! "Yes, prepare to go the shadow realm, mortal! Ooh!" Jaden wiggled his fingers and stuck out his tongue.

"I will not stand here and be mocked by you! I will not!" Aster and Jaden took their stances, now truly ready to fight.

"My turn! I'll start my setting a monster and two face-downs." Aster quickly slapped the cards down. "My father's cards will not fail me!"

"I draw." Jaden said confidently. "I'll start by summoning Elemental Hero Solid Soldier (1300/1100)." A young warrior in stony grey armor took the field, his forearms weighed with heavy shields. "When this hero is normal summoned, I can special summon a level four or lower hero from my hand. Here comes Elemental Hero Shadow Mist (1000/1500) in defense mode!" This next hero was incongruous with the rest of Jaden's crew, a shadowy wraith with vaguely female affects, trapped in a shell of black plate.

"When Shadow Mist is special summoned, I can add a quick-play spell with the word "Change" in its name from deck to hand." Jaden explained. Aster worked his jaw, wondering what this new strategy was.

"Then, I'll set a card. Finally, I'll attack your set monster with Solid Soldier!" The stony knight rushed forward, lifting its hefty shields to batter the adversary.

However, it was Jaden's monster who was thrown back, the attack crashing helplessly against a literal brick wall. Aster's monster was an enormous humanoid monster crafted from navy blue bricks. It was Destiny Hero Defender (100/2700). Aster smirked – most destiny heroes had low defense points, but this was an obvious exception, and a good way to get some early damage in.

"That was dumb." Jaden thought, shaking his head. He couldn't afford to make mistakes like that. But still, he had a plan. (Jaden 2600/Aster 4000)

"Well, Jaden," Aster's voice was dripping with sarcasm, "it seems your trip wasn't spent in remedial classes, at the very least."

"Um…" Jaden searched for a witty reply. "you're never gonna catch me in class! Wait…anyways I end my turn.

"Very well." Aster began his next turn, the life advantage letting him regain some composure. "I'll start by playing Foolish Burial, allowing me to send Destiny Hero Malicious (800/800) to the graveyard from my deck. Then, I'll play Allure of Darkness! This spell lets me draw two cards, so long as I banish a dark monster from my hand afterwards." Already, Aster was employing his deck's strong searching power.

"Then, I'll use Malicious' effect, banishing itself to special summon another copy from my deck!" The somewhat satanic destiny hero took the field, a mere piece in Aster's full plan.

"I didn't think I'd be the first to fuse in this duel, but I don't mind! I play Polymerization, fusing Malicious and Defender on the field!" The two dark heroes swirled together, the mixing energy rising higher off the ground. Aster clasped his palms together. "Fusion summon! Destiny Hero – Dystopia (2800/2400)!"

The emerging hero was a slim figure in gold and purple armor, the letter D inscribed in bloody crimson ink on its forehead. Although Aster served the light, this creature was shadowy and mysterious, void energy coalescing in the monster's palms.

"When this monster is summoned, I can deal damage to you equal to the attack points of a level four or lower Destiny Hero in my graveyard. Sadly, only Defender fits the bill." Aster said as Dystopia shot a violet sphere of energy at Jaden's field, only hitting for a hundred points. (Jaden 2500/Aster 4000)

"No sweat!" Jaden smirked, his eyes bright and fiery.

"Try saying that about this attack! Dystopia, take down his Solid Soldier!" Aster's fused hero leapt forward, purple flames clasped in its hand.

"Not quite! I play my face-down, Negate Attack!" The counter trap briefly surprised Aster, who clearly expected it to be the quick-play spell Jaden searched last turn. His battle phase ended, the pro duelist passed turn.

"My turn. I play E – Emergency Call to search a hero from my deck." Jaden knew that he would have to play this just right if he wanted to deal with Aster's face-downs and his powerful monster.

"Then, I'll set two cards. And now that it's the last card in my hand, I can special summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman (800/1200) to the field!" The silly aquatic blue hero clashed terribly with Jaden's affected persona, but fit his true personality well. "I'd have to get some super evil-looking hero monsters to really play the villain. But what would an Evil Hero look like? Kind of an Oxycontin. Erm, wait that's not right. What's that word? Oxy-something. Bastion would know. Anyways…

"Now, let me show you the fusion technique I learned in the dark lands! I activate Mask Change!" a mask made of strange, multicolored light appeared in Elemental Hero Bubbleman's thick hands. Knowing what to do, the hero put on the mask and began to transform, becoming taller and slimmer.

"What is this?! A fusion summon with only one material?" Aster muttered, baffled.

"It's a transformation! Mask Change lets me send a hero to the graveyard and summon a Masked Hero from my extra deck with the same attribute! Let's go, Masked Hero Acid (2600/2100)!"

The Masked Hero emerged in a cloud of vaporous material, violet and blue and black. Its outfit was a superhero's costume fixed with gear designed to handle toxic materials and gases. He held a comically small, ladylike gun in his hand, but something told Aster that the weapon was deadly.

"Now get this! When Masked Hero Acid is special summoned, I can destroy all Spells and Traps you control! Go, toxic typhoon!" Jaden's new hero shot spurts of viscous green slime at Aster's set cards, melting them quickly.

"In response, I chain my trap card Waboku, preventing my monsters from destruction and keeping me safe from damage this turn. The other trap you destroyed was D-Tactics – when it's destroyed, I can add a Destiny Hero from deck to hand." The board wipe didn't affect Aster as badly as Jaden would have liked.

"Man, that guy's got an answer for everything!" The red hero thought. "After that effect resolves, Acid reduces the attack of your monsters by 300." Reducing Dystopia's value to 2500 made Acid the strongest monster on the field.

"Another mistake, demon. When Dystopia's attack value is different from its original value, I can use this quick effect! I can target a card on the field, destroy it, and then return Dystopia back to its original 2800 points!" Aster responded. Opening a shadowy portal, Dystopia allowed the toxic spray to pass through it. An instant later, another gate opened behind Masked Hero Acid, depositing the payload onto Jaden's monster and destroying it.

"Damn, I should have known he would get stronger cards from the blast too. I knew this was gonna be a tough fight. I just have to keep trying!" Jaden thought. "I play the spell card Mask Charge. This lets me add a hero monster and a "Change" quick-play spell from grave to hand." Jaden got back his Mask Change and immediately set it and another card while keeping his Bubbleman in reserve. "I end my turn."

"Mom, dad…give me strength!" Jaden overheard Aster whisper before he drew his next card, and suddenly he felt a stab through his heart. "Destiny Heroes are the best heroes, no matter what mask yours put on!"

"I summon Destiny Hero Diamond Dude (1400/1600)." This hero Jaden remembered from their last duel, encrusted in gemstones and donning a reflective visor. "Now, I'm going to end this. Whether you're a demon or not, you haven't progressed beyond Jaden Yuki's skills that I observed previously."

Aster raised his next card skyward. "Now, prepare to face my true power! I activate-" He was suddenly cut off by one of the hotel's employees tapping his shoulder. While he was focused on his next play, she snuck up on him.

"Guah!" was the odd noise that escaped Aster's lips upon being startled.

The woman in charge was dressed in a deep green blouse and khakis with the hotel's logo on them. Her brown hair was kept in one of those folded caps that Jaden forgot the name of at the moment. "Um, hi, I'm really sorry, but we're going to have to ask you to step outside. We've received some noise complaints from the patrons on the floor above us. I'm really sorry. By the way, are you really Aster Phoenix?" She asked clumsily.

"Erm…" Aster overcame his surprise and turned on the charm. "Why yes, you are correct. I take it you're one of my fans?"

"Oh my god, yes! My sister and I watch you on TV all the time! You're such a skilled player, we love to watch you! I'm so sorry about this, my boss is making me –" She rambled.

"Oh, gimme a break!" Jaden muttered, bemused.

"It's no trouble at all. We'll see ourselves out." Aster inclined his head gracefully. The two rivals awkwardly made their way into the parking lot, where they recommenced battle.

"Anyways, where was I? Ah yes, ending this duel!" Aster then made the same dramatic gesture of raising his card into the air. "I activate Fusion Destiny!" Waves of white and blue lit up the night sky. "This lets me fusion summon a Destiny Hero monster using materials from my deck! It's destroyed at the end of the next turn, but this duel won't be lasting that long! I send Destiny Heroes Disk Commander, Drawhand, and Captain Tenacious to the graveyard!"

The three materials swirled into the vortex of light, mixing briefly before bursting in a flash of dark grey, stormy energy. "Brutal avenger of the night, cast the sins of criminals and demons alike into the bright of day! End this night once and for all, for it is dark and full of terrors! Come forth, Destiny Hero Dominance (2900/2600)!"

Aster's new boss monster was absolutely massive, even larger than the Destiny Hero Dogma he used in his previous match against Jaden. Diamond Dude, Dystopia, and Jaden's monsters all looked miniscule next to it. He wore enormous grey armor with a crimson "D" on his chest. Behind him, a curtain-sized cape fell from a strange lifted mantle. His blade was a hefty, blunt piece of cut steel with notches near the base.

"He's a strong fighter, but this hero's real power is to predict the future! His special ability lets me look at the top five cards of my deck and arrange them in any order I wish." As Aster looked through his resources, Jaden marveled at what a fun fight this was turning out to be. "I can't wait to take that big guy down!" He thought.

"Now, I'll use Diamond Dude's effect to turn over the top card of my deck. If it's a normal spell, I can use it for no cost next turn. And because I made sure it's on top, I'll send my Destiny Draw to the graveyard." Aster set up the order of his cards to use Diamond Dude's effect perfectly.

"Now, I'm taking you down! Destiny Hero Dystopia, attack Masked Hero Acid!" The gold-plated hero sprung forward, readying a downward kick as it fell towards Jaden's Masked Heroes.

"Not gonna happen! Activate reverse card, Mirror Force! This will destroy all of your attack position monsters!" Ol' Reliable came through once again, destroying both of Aster's fusion monsters along with his Diamond Dude in a chaotic reflection of power. Rainbow light frayed all over the parking lot, causing the car mirrors to glare and the stars to briefly blot out.

"Hehe, sorry, your new monster was really cool, but a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do!" Jaden shrugged.

Aster's hair flew every which way as holographic mirror shards soared by him. "I won't let that stop me! When Destiny Hero Dominance is destroyed, I can special summon three level nine or lower Destiny Heroes from my graveyard! I summon back Dystopia, Diamond Dude, and Destiny Hero Drawhand (1600/800)!"

The third revived hero was a rather dapper fellow wearing a heavy three-piece suit with a matching scarf and hat. In his hand was an old-school peacekeeper with the letter "D" engraved on the barrel. "When this monster is summoned by a Destiny Hero monster's effect, we both get to draw a card."

"Now, I'll resume my attack! Dystopia, take down Acid!" The golden warrior's kick struck true this time, destroying Jaden's hero. (Jaden 2300/Aster 4000)

"Now, Drawhand, destroy Shadow Mist!" The dapper Drawhand cocked back his revolver and prepared to shoot.

"Wrong! I play Mask Change again, this time transforming Shadow Mist into a new Masked Hero!" Jaden's slim wraith became more solid and strong, clad now in purple armor. It was the same creature that had shown him through the dark beaches and the deep dens, the hero who walked in shadows and knew the laws of the universe that were enacted beyond the sight of the ordinary. "I summon Masked Hero Dark Law (2400/1800)!"

Aster furrowed his brow, having no choice but to redirect his attack. "Very well, instead I will attack your Solid Soldier with Drawhand." Perturbed though he was by the mysterious new foe, Aster still scored another blow on Jaden, busting apart the rocky foot soldier. (Jaden 1900/Aster 4000)

"The gap widens. I'm starting to wonder if you plan on damaging me any time soon." Aster mocked.

"I'm not worried. A duel isn't over until the last card is played, and my cards and I have a bond forged by unimaginable experiences." Came Jaden's odd reply.

"Unimaginable experiences? You've had those cards for two weeks at most." Aster bit at the bait.

"Two weeks…time passed differently in there. I saw visions, things my imagination would never have been able to conjure in a million years. Horrors, beauties, mysteries…even the glimpse of the cosmos, the true cosmos, was almost too much to bear. You say that the Light grants you enlightenment, but in the darkness is stark reality. If you doubt me, allow me to show a piece of what my eyes have seen." Jaden never lost his boyish timbre, even as he spoke of these things, and that made it all the more frightening for Aster.

"I will never allow you in my head! Never!" Aster protested, not attempting to deny Jaden's claim.

"I should've figured you wouldn't be a fan of the idea. That's okay. I get it. Anyways, my turn." Jaden drew casually. "I play Card of Sanctity, allowing us each to draw until we have six cards in hand." Trusting in the bond he had with his cards, he replenished his hand.

"I've got to try this. I play Polymerization, letting me fuse Elemental Heroes Bubbleman and Sparkman in my hand to fusion summon a familiar face for you! I summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero (2500/2000)!" The icy hero had become one of his more favored fusions for its powerful effect and cool appearance. This time, he hoped the power would be enough.

"Hmph, that again? That won't be enough to swing over my Dystopia." Aster rightly pointed out. "Neither will that Dark Law of yours."

"You and I both know that duels can't be reduced to numbers…Absolute Zero, attack his Diamond Dude!" The snowy hero's cape flapped furiously behind him as a torrent of icicles shot from his palms. The attack went through, skewering the Destiny Hero, though the diamonds remained unscratched. (Jaden 1900/Aster 2900)

"I activate my trap card, Destiny Signal! When a Destiny hero is destroyed by battle, I can summon one from my deck!" Aster called out the card's effect, assuming it would activate. However, all he received was a message from the duel disk warning him of an invalid activation. "How? Diamond Dude went to the graveyard!"

"Sorry, but that's where Dark Law comes in. While he's on the field, all cards that would normally go to your graveyard are banished instead. I know your Destiny Heroes get a lot out of the graveyard, so I looked for a card that could help me fight them. And somehow, my wish became real." Jaden explained.

"…I see. But I will not let that stop me. Dystopia still stands strong." Aster, like Jaden, was a stubborn fighter.

"I activate my quick-play magic, De-Fusion, sending Absolute Zero to the graveyard in order to bring back Bubbleman and Sparkman!" The two weaker heroes arrived fresh to the fight. "But more importantly, Absolute Zero's effect activates, destroying all monsters on your side of the field!"

And so Aster's entire field met its end by ice, a tidal wave of snow that smothered his hopes. With Sparkman, Bubbleman, and Dark Law on the field, Jaden could now strike with an attack power of 4800. "All three of my heroes, thanks for your help! Attack directly!" Jaden called, and they all rushed forward. Sparkman shot crackling bolts of electricity, Bubbleman a mockingly soft stream of water, and finally Dark Law finished the job with a swift stroke of the blade (Jaden 1900/Aster 0)

(Aster Phoenix POV)

Aster was struck speechless, both at the defeat and the way it had come, swift and merciless, utterly in defiance of his principles and of what Sartorius told him. This was not his fate! To lose to this smiling child…but was he truly as innocent as he appeared? Aster could not make up his mind whether Jaden was a simple teenage boy or some arcane, dark entity with grand designs for the universe. His face, bright-eyed and happy, seemingly told all, when really it told nothing, nothing at all. He wanted to mock Jaden Yuki's smile, and yet for some reason it caused a deep fear to take root within him.

"What are you, really?" Aster murmured, unsure of what to say or do now that defeat had finally befallen him.

"Three dragons atop a spire of steel…I saw that vision before, in the dark world." Jaden muttered, his eyes attracted to something in the sky. Aster turned around and followed the other boy's path of vision to the top of the hotel.

Flying boldly against the curtain of stars were three dragons, pale as opals with, what else, blue eyes. They battled a strange, alien machine, its claws whirring while lasers fired from its center.

"Sartorius!" Aster could think of nothing else but concern for his friend, who was facing down one of the most powerful duelists ever.

"Gosh, it must be Seto Kaiba up there fighting Sartorius. Talk about tubular! Do you think we should go up there and watch? That girl at the hotel desk might be able to help us. She seemed to like you!" Just like that, Jaden's grudge against Aster was gone, and he spoke to the pro duelist like he would anyone else.

"I have to get up there!" Aster grit his teeth. "Congrats on the win, Jaden. If you're down for a rematch, we could duel again sometime. But for now I need to get up there."

"Okay, sounds good bro. Say, do you want me to show you those visions I was talking about earlier? They're super weird!" Jaden said excitedly.

Aster wasn't sure he ever wanted to see what Jaden had supposedly seen. "Um, maybe later. You can do whatever you want, but I'm getting to that rooftop!"

"Ok, sure. I'm going there too. It's not every day you get to see a Blue-Eyes White Dragon in action."

As the boys rushed back into the hotel, they were oblivious to the shadowy formation of an impermeable barrier around the city, barring both exit and entry. At the four corners of the city and beyond, titans loomed taller than skyscrapers, invisible to those without the sight.

Once the barrier was fully formed, the monarchs stormed forth.

A/N

Hope you all enjoyed.

For some reason, I find the idea of other characters thinking of Jaden as some eldritch abomination highly amusing. Of course, he does have some pretty bizarre powers that are dark in nature, but ironically, he's probably the character Aster should be least concerned about at the moment. I greatly enjoy toying with exactly how innocent and naïve Jaden really is. I wonder what exactly he did see during his time in the spirit world? Something tells me it wasn't exactly the cute and cuddly Narnia rip-off Ruka/Luna visited in 5D's.

I really enjoyed writing the battle of heroes. Aster and Jaden, along with Jamie, are special cases of a sort, and the blast that brought Synchros and Xyz's to the world of GX affects them a little differently due to the cosmic forces those three characters are affected by. It could be that their decks aren't done evolving yet. Who knows?

Like in canon, we see the appearance of Sarina, Sartorius' sister. However, she seems preoccupied on two different duelists than in canon…and due to the weaker boundaries between the dimensions, she was able to subjugate the actual duel spirits of the monarchs. How many monarchs are actually in the city remain to be seen, but it is more than four. We also have Sartorius facing off against Kaiba, a match I'm sure we all wished we could have seen in the series.

By the way, remember when people thought Domain Monarch was going to be the strongest deck when Link monsters came out? LMAO I haven't played against a Monarch deck in literal years. But I digress, hope you all enjoyed the chapter and thank you for your continued readership!