"Well, it's two monsters to one. That's a simple calculation to figure. They'll be knackered," Bastion said.
"Thanks, Bastion. Now you're dogging them with words I can't even understand," Alexis countered. "Now, we have to believe that Jaden has a strategy."
"I'm pretty sure that he does. It's Syrus that I'm worried about. He's walked into every spell, trap, and monster attack that the Paradox brothers have played. To be blunt, he's been horrible," Bastion shook his head.
"On second thought, I liked it better when I couldn't tell what you were saying," Alexis countered.
"Oh, sorry," Bastion apologized.
"Please, turn things around," Rainbow Dash was pleading at this point.
"How likely do you think they can win at this point?" Applejack asked Twilight.
"Well, unless Jaden and Syrus can destroy Gate Guardian, they have very little chance of winning," Twilight gave the bad news.
"Finally, those Slifer Slackers are getting the beatdown they deserve! I can't wait until they lose and get kicked out of Duel Academy, especially Jaden!" Chazz thought as he clenched his hands together.
"Uh, Chazz. Are you alright?" His blue haired friend asked.
"That slime. Thinking he was going to be the next King of Games? Please! That's my destiny!"
"I'm a genius! Pure genius! First, I lure them into the abandoned dorm. Then, I arrange a tag duel as punishment! After that, I hire the best tag duelists in the world to ensure that they lose and get expelled!" Crowler said in glee as he laughed loudly to himself.
"So, Crowler. Enjoying the boy's punishment a little too much, are we?" Chancellor Shephard asked Crowler.
"Oh, you misinterpret me. I'm merely glad that the duel's nearly through. After all, our students are looking oh so weary. It is good that their suffering is nearly through," Crowler lied through his teeth.
"Well, it doesn;t look like they're suffering to me. In fact, it looks like Jaden is just getting his second wind."
"Well, well. The Slifer Red forges ahead when a smart duelist…" Para said.
"Would have fled," Dox finished.
"Man, I'm starting to wish that they made us Slifers orange. Then we wouldn't have to listen to these awful rhymes," Jaden said as Winged Kuriboh appeared next to him. "You're right. I don't think they got it either."
"Forget about our rhyming," Para said.
"Just worry about our card play," Dox continued.
"With the partner you have, to win will go a long way," both brothers criticized Syrus.
"Don't listen to them, Sy," Jaden comforted his friend.
"But they're right," Syrus moped.
"No, they're not right. And I know because you are going to be the one to take that Gate Guardian down! My turn!" Jaden cried out. "I summon Elemental Hero Sparkman (1600 Attack)! Next, I activate an equip spell card called Spark Blaster. With it, I can change the battle mode of a monster. Take a knee, Gate Guardian (3400 Defense)!"
"Well that was an odd choice. Unless Jaden has something planned, I'd say Jaden wasted his move," Bastion noted.
"Dashie? Do either of them have a card that can help them?" Pinkie Pie asked Rainbow Dash.
"Syrus has a few cards that can be of help," Rainbow commented. "All he needs to do is draw them."
"You have our Gate Guardian in defense mode on retire. But your situation is just as dire!" Para said.
"Though I hate to feed the fire. With Defense Wall in play, you have yet to retire," Dox added on.
"Alright, I'll play a card facedown and end my turn," Jaden played.
"My turn. I will set this card. No more, no less. Now onto you brother. You do the rest," Dox played.
"Nice move to play brother. I think it's for the best. On my next turn, I'll win us this contest," Para said confidently.
"Aw. Jaden, you heard them. On their next turn they're going to take us out," Syrus moped. "Maybe I should just give up. At least then they might let you have a rematch then."
"Listen to me, Sy. One draw. It's all it takes to turn the tide of an entire duel. Remember the last time you had only one draw? You may have surrendered, but if you took another turn you would have taken control of the duel. See what I'm saying? There's no such thing as a last draw because with the right card, you can always get another draw! It's your turn, friend. I believe in you!" Jaden comforted his friend.
"I know, Jaden. That's what I'm afraid of," Syrus thought. "Jaden said that my next draw could turn this duel around, but the only way that can happen is if I defeat that Gate Guardian. Wait, of course! I just need to draw that one card. If I don't draw it, all our hopes and dreams of being the best will all be over." Okay, it's my turn! I draw! Jaden, I got it!"
"You did? Great! Just show them the drill!" Jaden said.
Syrus nodded, "I summon Drillroid in attack mode (1600 Attack)! And guess what? When Drillroid battles a monster in defense mode, it's automatically destroyed!"
Drillroid tried to drill through Gate Guardian only for Defense Wall to block the attack. "Go, Defense Wall!" Dox cried out.
"Hehe. Those two must have forgotten that Defense Wall automatically intercepts any attack," Chazz snickered to himself.
"A very nice try, but it's just not enough," Para said.
"Gate Guardian still stands despite your best stuff," Dox added on.
"But that wasn't your best stuff, right Syrus?" Jaden revealed.
"No it wasn't! And with Defense Wall out of the picture, it's about time you get it. Go, Shield Crush! And it can destroy one monster that is trying to hide in defense mode, like your Gate Guardian!" Syrus played, finally destroying Gate Guardian.
"Our Gate Guardian is kaput," Para said.
"I can hardly look!" Dox was shocked.
"Great job, Sy!" Jaden congratulated his friend.
"Alright! With their boss monster gone, they now have a chance!" Rainbow Dash was excited and so was most of the students.
"No! This is supposed to be punishment! Yet the crowd is treating them like heroes!" Crowler was shocked. "You're seeing this, right Chancellor?"
"Yes I am. This duel is helping to promote teamwork and dueling fortitude. Nice work!" Shepherd said.
"Did you just see that?" Bastion asked.
"I'm watching my friends be in the duel of their lives. What do you think I'm looking at?" Alexis asked Bastion. "But you wanna know what amazes me even more than them destroying that Gate Guardian? The teamwork they used to do it."
"Good point. They'll need to keep that teamwork up in order to win," Bastion said.
"Yeah! With Gate Guardian gone, the chances of winning just went way up!" Fluttershy cheered.
"This is no time to relax, guys," Twilight warned, much to the group's confusion.
"Yeah, I've been around Twilight studying long enough to know that there is a possible monster in their decks that is just as strong as the Gate Guardian. In fact, it may even be stronger," Spike warned, much to the group's shock.
"Did that dog just talk?" Alexis asked, having heard Spike.
"Um, no! You're just hearing things! Spikey here didn't talk! I'm just doing ventriloquism!" Pinkie Pie tried to cover for Spike.
"Now I'll play one card facedown and end my turn. Thanks for the pep talk," Syrus thanked Jaden.
"Thank you for that sweet move," Jaden thanked Syrus back.
"Mind if we join in on all the praise, you two?" Para butted in.
"For destroying that monster we should really thank you!" Dox said, much to their opponent's shock.
"They say what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. After all, we have the cards ready in order to defeat you! I play the spell card Dark Element. This card can be activated when Gate Guardian is in the graveyard. Now by paying half of our life points, we can summon a monster that can't be destroyed in battle! Go, Dark Guardian (3800 Attack)!"
Jaden and Syrus
1700
Para and Dox
3500
"Invincible in battle and has those attack point's?!" Bastion was shocked.
"This looks bad!" Syrus was wary.
"Now, Dark Guardian, attack Drillroid with Axe Slash Bash!" Para called out.
"That's it. If this attack connects, then they lose," Bastion said.
"Not so fast! I play the trap card Hero Barrier! This lets me stop one of your attacks so long as there is an Elemental Hero out! And as you can see, my Sparkman is standing tall!" Jaden countered.
The Paradox brothers were not too surprised seeing the attack negated, but they knew that they would win on their next turn and confidently ended their turn.
"Aw man. Just when I step up my game they step up theirs too," Syrus thought.
"This is the moment I've been waiting for! Now the two of them are about to be expelled!" Crowler's excitement returned.
"Chin up, Sy. Stand up," Jaden said. "Because you'll want a good look for what I'm about to pull."
Syrus was ultimately able to pull himself up. "Looks like the boy still wishes to proceed," Para said.
"Thought mercy for sure that he would plea," Dox said.
"No, he would need smarts to know to concede."
"Can it, you two. It's my turn. And I draw the spell card Pot of Greed! This lets me draw two cards. Next, I'll play Fusion Gate. With this card, I don't need Polymerization in order to fusion summon a monster. So, I'll fuse Avian, Bubbleman, and Sparkman together. All to create Elemental Hero Tempest (2800 Attack)!" Jaden played.
"Impressive, but not good enough to defeat their Dark Guardian," Bastion commented.
"Bastion, just whose side are you on?" Alexis asked. "I hope you know what you're doing, Jaden."
"An impressive move, but it is useless, boy," Para said.
"Have you forgot about Dark Guardian? He is still deployed. In battle our monster cannot be destroyed," Dox continued.
"Making your monster null and void," Para finished.
"Void this! I play the spell card Skyscraper! With this card, my Elemental Hero Tempest gains 1000 attack points when he battles a monster stronger than him. Like Dark Guardian. Now Hero Tempest! Attack!" Jaden cried out.
"Didn't I warn you? In battle he can't be beat. Your Hero Tempest has been bested so…," Para reminded.
"He will meet defeat!" Dox finished.
"Syrus, can you spare a card?" Jaden asked Syrus, who nodded. "I play Tempest's ability! With it, by removing one card on our side of the field, Tempest isn't destroyed."
"I don't get it? Was Jaden hoping for a tie?" Alexis was confused.
"Very good move. So far as Syrus realizes what to do next," Zane noted.
"Jaden…" Syrus uncertainty said.
"Hey, it's okay Syrus. Just remember to play the right card come your turn," Jaden comforted his friend.
"If he has another turn. I play the trap card One on One fight! It forces both our strongest monsters to battle! So, hope your Hero Tempest is up for a rematch!" Dox yelled.
"But what is the point? It'll just result in a tie again?" Syrus didn't get the attack.
"I have my reasons," Dox responded.
"They're pretty sneaky. In order for Tempest to survive the attacks, Jaden will need to keep sacrificing cards," Alexis said.
"And whatever advantages they give him," Bastion added on.
"Unless… That's Jaden's overall point to Syrus!" Fluttershy realized.
"I really hate to do this, but I guess I have no choice. I'll get rid of Skyscraper," Jaden decided.
"You may have saved your monster, but your life points will be decreased! That's all for me," Dox said.
"And next turn I give you my guarantee," Para said.
"The duel will be ours. You will see," Dox finished.
Jaden and Syrus
700
Para and Dox
3500
"Alright, Syrus, just remember what I said," Jaden reminded his friend.
"In order to win, I need to play the right card, not just know how to use it," Syrus remembered. He then got why Jaden attacked Dark Guardian. It was to show that even if a monster isn't destroyed, damage would still be done. "No more thinking. Time for action! I draw!" Syrus then saw that he drew Power Bond. "First off, I'll sacrifice Drillroid in order to summon UFO-roid (1200 Attack)! Then I play the spell card Power Bond! And I know just the two monsters to fuse. Jaden, do you mind?"
"Hey, what's mine is yours and yours is mine," Jaden agreed.
"I fuse Tempest with UFO-roid in order to summon UFO-roid Fighter! And it gets better! His attack points are the sum total of both monster's individual attack points (4000 Attack)!"
"It matters not, so stop your ceaseless prattle," Para said.
"You know Dark Guardian can't be destroyed in battle!" Dox reminded.
"I know that. See, Roid Fighter's attack points are doubled by Power Bond (8000 Attack)! So, even though your monster will survive your attack, it'll be a different story for your life points.
Now Roid Fighter attack!" The attack went right past Dark Guardian and dealt 4200 life points in damage to the Paradox Brothers, winning Jaden and Syrus the duel.
"They won! I knew they'd win from the get go! That means they'll stay at Duel Academy!" Rainbow Dash cried in glee.
"And here I thought you were worried," Applejack snarked.
"Well, maybe a little," Rainbow begrudgingly conceded.
"Wow, they won. They're impressing more and more everyday," Bastion said in awe.
"I'm just glad that Jaden and Syrus both get to stay here," Alexis was relieved that the two didn't get expelled thanks to her.
"Grr. I'm outta here," Chazz left the arena in a huff.
"Wait! Don't forget about us!" The blue haired friend said.
"But how?! How could they have won?!" Crowler was in shock.
"Simple. They have a very good teacher. Wait, they're in my dorm," Professor Banner said as Pharaoh licked Dr. Crowler. Crowler proceeded to freak out over being licked.
"Well, go ahead Syrus. I know that you cry when you win," Jaden said.
"No. Not the new and improved Syrus," the young boy said as he tried to ignore his tears, only to break down in joy.
"Looks like some things never change," Jaden commented.
"Well, I know one thing that isn't going to change; your enrollment at the academy. You're here to stay!" Chancellor Shephard informed the pair, much to their shared joy.
"Wait a second," Jaden said as he turned to the two brothers. "If you ever want a rematch, just let me know."
"And I think that this lesson will be better written, say about a five page report written? After all, you did break campus rules and I would like to see what you learned from all this" Jaden and Syrus's joy was put to a halt at this.
"What?! A five page report?! I don't think I've even read that much before!"
"Well, then in that case how about ten pages single spaced?" The Chancellor suggested.
"I'll make sure that they do it, Chancellor," Banner said.
As the adults left the arena, Jaden was left floored that they had to write a ten page report on what they learned. He didn't even know how to spell Paradox brothers. Fortunately, the Mane 6 arrived to give a group hug to the duo as Twilight offered her help in writing the report.