Candace looked over at Bastion's side of the field. 'Bastion has my monster, and with those two Batteryman, he'll be able to take on Arliss with ease. Now, I need to focus on Nessa for a bit.' Removing herself from her thoughts, Candace looked over Nessa's side of the field. 'She has one monster face down and one card…and I have the Batteryman c with an attack of 1700, thanks to Bastion's Lightning Harness. Arliss has a 1700 attacker and a 1900 attacker. If I attack the Strike Ninja, that gets rid of both our monsters…my safest bet is to get rid of Nessa's card.'

"Ok Nessa!" Candace called out. "It's time to show you what a little battery power can do!"

"Talk talk talk…you've been saying you'll do something for quite some time…" Nessa yawned. "It's cold and wet and windy out…could you please finally attack me so we can get this over with?"

Candace growled at that comment. "Gladly! Batteryman, attack Nessa's downface monster."

The Batteryman let out a tiny yell and rushed towards the downface monster, leaping upon it and punching it over and over. However, as the card shattered, a strange worm-like creature appear, wrapping itself around the little thunder monster.

"Say hello to the Kiseitai." Nessa said. "This terrible little worm will drain your Batteryman of half it's attack points each turn and transfer them directly to my lifepoints." Nessa turned to Arliss and smiled. "Wasn't that nice of the girl to do that for me?"

"So nice." Arliss said. "Now then, I believe it's your turn Nessa, so let's see what you have planned."

"I aim to please." She said, fluttering her eyelashes. "Oooo…just the pretty beast to help us out, my love. I summon Dark Jeriod, in attack mode." On Nessa's side of the field, a hideously deformed blue demon appeared. Looking like a strange mix of an insect, a centaur and a man, the beast let out a roar and reared up. Its head was stuck between its legs; it's shoulder bare except for two tail-like stingers. In the middle of its chest, it's engorged yellow heartbeat rapidly, providing the 8-armed/footed/hoofed beast with the blood it needed to live.

"Yuck!" Jaden exclaimed. "It looks like someone put a bunch of gummy bears in a blender and set it on high."

"Don't listen to them sweetie." Nessa cooed, stroking the demon's chin. "You are just too cute…you listen to mama go use your special effect and lower one of the attacks of those nasty Batteryman so they don't hurt dada, ok?" The beast roared and latched onto the Batteryman, injecting its poison into the thunder monster's body. "And now, please kill that horrid thing?" The beast nodded, doing just as its mistress commanded. "One more thing…mama needs to bring out one of your brothers…so…" She held up a card. "The Puppet Magic of Dark Ruler." The Jeriod let out a hiss as it shattered, reforming into the Slate Warrior. "Welcome back, baby. Now, you be a good evil demon spawn and guard mama's lifepoints."

It was Bastion's move, and the card he had drawn had just opened up a lot of options. 'The Thunderstroke Card. When a Batteryman is on my side of the field, I can destroy one monster anywhere on the field that has an attack that is equal too or greater then my Batteryman. It just looses the ability to attack that turn. I could destroy any of Arliss' or Nessa's cards…or hold it…wait…there might be a way to use this to my direct advantage.'

"I activate the spell card Thunderstroke. This card will send a bolt of energy from my Batteryman to one monster on the field, and allow me to direct it at any monster on the field and shatter it from the overload." Bastion's Batteryman began to glow as it charged the attack.

"Which one will he pick?" Alexis asked Samantha. "If you were in his spot, which one of Arliss or Nessa's cards would you destroy?"

"I don't know, Miss Rhodes…I don't know."

"Any choice is good!" Jaden said, excited to see the Thunderstroke card in action. "Each one is powerful and would make Bastion safer."

'Do you know what he is picking?' Nessa asked.

Arliss sent a positive thought to her. 'I have a clue…'

"Thunderstroke, destroy…Candace's Batteryman C!"

Everyone could only stand there in shock as Bastion's energy blast ripped Candace's only monster into pieces, leaving a smoldering hole where once stood her only defense against attacks.

Candace blinked; not believing what her eyes and ears had told her had happened. It just wasn't….it couldn't be…

"Now then…" Bastion said, ignoring the horror and feelings of betrayal coming from his cousin. "I will use my Battery Pack Spell Card once more, giving up another 700 lifepoints to bring back the other 3 Batteryman." On Bastion's side of the field, two more Batteryman C appear, those these two lacked any attack due to them losing their Harness power. (Bastion-500)

"That's all?" Candace nearly screamed. "You attacked my only monster so you could boost the Mech chaser I gave you…that I gave you!…an extra 500 attack points!" She stared at him, trying hard not to cry at her cousin's thoughtless actions. "Bastion…how could you…"

"It needed to be done, Candace." He snapped. "I don't have time to worry about your feelings. I need to win this duel and get rid of these two."

"I'm dueling them too!"

"Not anymore." Bastion said sternly, never glancing at her. "For the rest of this duel, you will watch my back. I don't need to worry about you pushing an attack and having it blow up in my face!"

"Bastion, lighten up!" Jaden shouted. "It's just a duel…the important thing is that Candace is safe."

"No Jaden, the important thing is that I beat back these two Rare Hunters. Everything else doesn't matter. Now, enough of this prattle, let us continue the duel. Mech Chaser is now at 4050 attack points, and I will send all of those attack points directly at one of your monsters, Arliss!"

"Like to see you try." Arliss said simply, enjoying the show that was playing out before him. "Attack my Ninja…he is the weakest."

"No thanks…knowing your deck, I can only assume that you have used your favorite tactic: The Ninjitsu Art of Decoy and the Strike Ninja, to form a shield against your lifepoints. No, instead I will focus my attack on your unprotect Mystic Swordsman. Mechanical Chaser, draw energy from the Batteryman and attack with triangular thunder wave!"

The pooling of energy entered the Mech Chaser, who let it loose with a tremendous roar, which reduced the warrior to dust. Arliss let out a bellow as the wave continued on, striking him full force. (Arliss- 1050)

"Did that hurt you Arliss?" Bastion asked. "Maybe that will teach you not to bother with Bastion Misawa. For my last act this turn, I will shift my three Batteryman C to defense mode, protecting my lifepoints till next turn, when I will decimate the last of your lifepoints."

Arliss merely smiled. "There is pleasure in pain Bastion, you have yet to learn this…" He nodded to his strike ninja, who attacked one of the Batteryman, shattering the little thunder monster easily. "I will look forward to teaching you this." He shifted his ninja to defense, ending his turn.

Candace's turn came next, though she seemed deep in thought. Her hand laid upon her deck, her eyes closed tight and her face filled with pain and anger. Her body shook slightly as she pressed down upon the deck of cards, her breathing becoming harsher as she continued. The rain pelted down upon her, but she gave no mind to the storm, nor anything else around her.

"Candace, make your move!" bastion yelled over a crack of thunder.

Candace's eyes snapped open as she drew her card. "I will set one card on the field, and summon Heavy Mech Support Platform in defense mode." On Candace's side of the field a large flat ship appeared, hovering just above her. "That is all." She said, her voice monotone and lifeless.

'Well done Candace.' Bastion thought. 'Now, if I can simply bring that card over to my side of the field, I can protect my Mech chaser and win this duel.'

As Bastion thought out how he was going to beat the rare hunters, the Queen had drawn and commanded her Slate Warrior to shatter Bastion's second Batteryman C. With his lifepoints so low, Bastion could no longer use the Battery pack to reclaim his monsters, meaning that he now had to rely upon Mech Chaser. He also noticed, to his inner thrill, that Arliss and Nessa had made a grave mistake. They had only killed the 0 attack Batteryman, leaving the 1700 attacker, his original one, still in place. Now, he could attack Arliss' monster, finish him off, and then worry about Nessa. Simple enough, as only as Candace stayed out of the way.

Drawing his next card, Bastion saw that it didn't matter if he had the 1700 attacker or a 0 attacker…he had just drawn his finisher…and there was nothing either rare hunter could do about it.

"This is the end of you Arliss. With the card I have drawn, I will wipe you out, and then strike a heavy blow against your wicked lover. For you see, I have drawn the beast the Batteryman power, and with it's added strength, you will not be able to stop me!" Bastion held up the card, the entire area illuminated by the lightning that struck at that moment. "I sacrifice my Batteryman C to summon the all powerful Super-Electromagnetic Voltech Dragon!"

Lightning was pulled from the sky above them, striking the Batteryman before entering Bastion's deck. From it, a terrible roar ripped through the heavens, causing many to grab their ears in pain. A burst of light erupted from the Ra Yellow Duelist's duel disk as the mechanized monster appeared. Bastion's monster was huge, towering well above the group. A cross between a T-rex and a transformer, the Voltech Dragon continued to gather energy for the lightning that struck its wings. Reaching down, it forced the fallen Batteryman C into its chest, letting out a thunder-like roar as it powered up to full strength.

"look at that thing…I have got to get me one of those!" Jaden shouted.

"Why do I feel the urge to scream in Japanese about Mothra?" Alexander Milo whispered.

"Behold the Voltech dragon, the mightiest thunder monster the game ever saw. It has this power due to the fact that it is so versatile. By sacrificing any one of the three Batteryman, I can give it a range of effects. In this case, I am able to give t the perfect ability to defeat your Strike Ninja: A piercing effect that will blast through its weak defense and directly into you Arliss, eliminating you from this duel. And with it, not only will this duel end, but your reign of terror at this school. Face it…you just couldn't outwit me." Bastion said with a smirk. "Voltech Dragon, attack the Strike Ninja with Voltech thunder…"

"Activate Trap card!"

Everyone turned to see Candace, her body trembling with rage.

"Candace…" Bastion warned.

"I sacrifice my Heavy Mech to activate my Crush Card." The machine broke apart, revealing the crippling virus. "With this card, I can eliminate one player's monsters that are 1500 attack points or more."

"Well done Candace!" Bastion shouted. "That is the perfect move to help me synch up my win! Now, target Nessa…"

"No." Candace said.

"No…Candace, target Nessa! IF you do that, it will leave her open…targeting Arliss…"

"I will not target either of them." She said, her voice growing hard.

Bastion frowned. "Then who!"

Candace slowly stepped towards the rare hunters, the rain forming a curtain between her and her cousin. When she reached them, the two of them came closer, until they were standing beside her. Candace slowly turned, staring down Bastion, her eyes hard as diamonds.

"I'm targeting you." She whispered, her voice filled with fury and finality.

"Me…but Candace…" Bastion stammered, utterly lost. "You can't do that!"

"I can, you fool. Crush Card Virus, infect Bastion's monsters!" As she shouted her command, the mist swirled around the thunder and machine monster, causing both to shudder. The Mech chaser fell apart, crashing to the ground. The Voltech Dragon let out one final bellow, clawing at its iron hide before crashing to the roof, shattering to pieces. Bastion could only stare in horror as his cousin stood with the Rare Hunters, a cruel smile playing on her lips.

"But…it's not possible…this is a tag match…"

"You foolish little boy." Nessa snapped. She gave him a cold, mocking smile. "Whoever said this was a tag duel?"

"Wait…huh?" Syrus asked, for the millionth time confused.

Cold dread filled Chancellor Shepard. "Arliss only said there were four duelists…this wasn't a tag duel…this was a four way duel…this was a trap!"

"And Candace was in on it." Zane said, staring down the Ra Yellow duelist. "She's on their side."

Candace looked up at Zane and sneered. "OF course I'm on their side…I could never be on your side…after what they showed me…"

&&&Earlier that day, 2 hours after her kidnapping&&

Candace looked at the two duelists in front of her, wondering if she had just heard them right. Deciding that she had…she now wondered if they weren't totally insane or playing a prank on her.

"It is no joke." Nessa whispered. "And we aren't insane."

"How…"

Nessa ran a finger along her Shadow Choker. "This allows me to see your fears…read them and use them."

Arliss nodded, before throwing the star around his neck at her, the blade just barely missing her ear. "As this allows me to attack precisely and without any witnesses. These items take our natural gifts and expand upon them, takin' them to levels unheard of before." He held out his hand, the star returning to him.

"What do you want with me?" She asked. She had begun to worry that they were going to kill her, or worse, for their own sick and twisted pleasure.

"We will not harm you." Nessa said, and Candace realized that the duelist had once more read her fears. "Far from it…" Nessa smiled and sat on a stool. The three of them were now on a boat, heading towards some place…Candace wasn't sure. "We are here to offer you an opportunity."

Candace was confused. "What do you mean?"

Arliss knelt down beside her, playing with a bit of rope that had been used to restrain her. "Do you know that the two of us are cut from the same cloth? Yes, we are from different countries…different genders…we duel differently. But we both were forged by the same thing: Pain and betrayal."

"I don't know what you are talking about." Candace said stubbornly.

"Really…then you think your uncle is just the sweetest thing since apple pie and marmalade?" At Candace's glare, Arliss knew he had found his anchor into Candace's mind. Glancing at Nessa, he let her know that he wanted to handle this without magic, and she shut off her connection to Candace's thoughts. "Let me tell ya about my dear ol' dad, and you tell me if this sounds familiar. My dad, he was a violent man, both in words and in actions. To him, everythin' was someone else's fault, never his. Since his life wasn't the way he wanted it, he took it out on me. Called me weak… pathetic… worthless… scum. And that was when he wasn't in a striking mood. May God help me if he was in the mood to hit me. What are a few smacks among family, huh? Builds character."

Candace rubbed her cheek, still feeling the sting from where her uncle had backhanded her just a day ago. Arliss didn't miss that action and nodded, gently running a finger along the offended area. Candace winced, but after a moment allowed him to gently caress her.

"It always hurts…those wounds. You can go for years without thinking about them…and then one day, someone will brush against them…maybe even you'll just notice something connected to the person that dealt ya the wound…and it just flairs up again." Arliss paused, his gaze glassy. "I want to show you something Candace…something only few have seen."

With that, he threw off his coat and begun to unbutton his shirt, slipping it off then pulling the black tee off as well. Candace gulped, looking down at the marred skin she could see peaking out from under his arms and just below his waistband. Arliss carefully lifted one arm, then the other, showing her several faded burn scars. Pulling his pants down slightly revealed a jagged cut on his along his hip, the skin looking torn and hideous.

Nessa bit her lip, feeling her lover's pain as he bared the most painful reminders of his father and mother to the woman they had brought her. She had never expected him to lay his heart out like this, and she wanted nothing more then to run to him, hug him tight and tell Candace to go home. But, she knew this must be done, if their plan was to succeed. They had to get Candace to understand.

"My dear ol' dad…he knew how to beat a child without letting anyone know. You put your marks in hard to reach places, so people have to search to find them. And if they are goin' that far, then you can claim that they did it themselves, to frame 'em. How dare they hurt that little boy." his voice was now raw. "I won't show you what he did to me below the waist…the sick little torture he did when he was really drunk…" He smiled weakly. "But I'll give ya hint… my first memory of him is of my father doing something that… well… I couldn't go to the bathroom without screaming for about 3 months." He sighed, shaking his head slowly. "So tell me Candace…does that sound like anyone you know?"

Candace was crying now, for both herself and for Arliss….for every child that had to suffer through the wrath of an abusive parent or guardian. She luckily bore no physical scars…but the scars her uncle had implanted in her…

Her uncle felt that women were scum, that they deserved only to wait on their men and never say a word. She had watched her mother, a proud powerful woman, crumble and die. She had come a smiling shell, empty and soulless. It wasn't even her husband that did this…but her husband's brother that took everything from her.

Arliss' voice broke through her thoughts. "But do you know the difference between you and I?" When Candace looked up, she couldn't help but gasp. The wounds that littered Arliss' body were fading, leaving his skin clean. "I have the power to erase the past, and bring about a new future."

"h-how?" Candace whispered.

"The power that dwells within me…within myself and my Nessa." He smiled, pulling on his shirt. "IT does such things…allows us to perform miracles mere humans could never fathom. The powers of the shadow realm have made us more then mere mortals. We are…divine."

"It is this power we offer you." Nessa whispered in Candace's ear. "Imagine…having the power to do whatever you what…whenever you want, and no one can ever tell you no. Image a world where there are no voices telling you what you desire is wrong. No uncles, no weak willed parents, no pompous cousins…not even a conscious." Nessa patted her head, already sensing the question. "Yes, we can rid you of that little spoil sport too."

"Why…why me?"

"Because you are a kindred spirit." Arliss said softly, running a hand along her knee. "You are like us…and we need to stick together. With you at our side, we could rule this academy…make it a better place. With your skills and knowledge, we could change history forever." He leaned in closer, whispering softly in her ear. "You are the only one that can help us."

"Me?" Candace asked. Not since she had been the head of her school at the Girl's Academy had she felt needed…respected. Ever since she had given it all up, she had been not Candace, but Bastion's cousin. That girl that is related to Bastion. The average Ra.

"Of course…you know that you possess skills that many would find powerful…and you can only imagine what the shadow magic can do for you…your cousin Bakura has felt it, and he has become rich and famous."

"Yes…" Candace whispered, before snapping to her senses. "No…it nearly cost him his soul."

"That is because he was foolish." Nessa said. "He gained his power through another soul…we will graft the power onto yours."

"Imagine it for a moment Candace…imagine power that would allow you to commune with your very deck. Imagine being able to enhance your natural gifts a hundred fold. Oh, but there is so much more. This power can change you into everything you desire. Any flaw you hated will be wiped clean. A bad habit you possess? You will never do it again once the strength we offer is poured into your body. You will never be sick again…pain will mean nothing…you will be ageless…immortal." Arliss chuckled softly. "We offer you a chance to change your very makeup. We can remove every trace of the Misawa clan from your blood…from your dna, and replace it with a new makeup…our makeup."

"You could be our daughter." Nessa said, running her fingers through Candace's locks. "We would be the parents you deserve…guide you through life and give you all you desire. Never again would you uncle have any power over you. All claims, legally or otherwise…gone."

Candace couldn't help but close her eyes as they spoke to her, a soft smile playing along her lips at the thought of freeing herself from a fate of marrying a rich man and acting as his slave. She could duel, she could be her own woman, find who she wanted…not become barefoot and pregnant for some idiot that her uncle wanted to woe by selling her to him.

"We are the future Candace…the old gods are crumblin'. Seto Kaiba sits in his tower and watches the world go by. Maximillion Pegasus spends his days on islands, no longer concernin' himself with the matters of this planet. Joey Wheeler has settled for normality…Mai Valentine is retired. Only a handful of the old rulers exist: Yugi Moto, Guy Roads, Bakura Ryo. And even they cannot last forever. The new gods will soon be take'n their spots…and we offer you a chance to join our pantheon. You would be terrible and beautiful. The world will tremble at our might yet line up to glory before our feet." Arliss whispered ever so softly in her ear. "All you have to do is accept."

"How…how do I know you are telling the truth?" Candace whispered. "How do I know what you promise is not a trick?"

Nessa nodded. "A smart girl. You seek power but understand that with power brings lies. We were right to chose you." She began to walk away, leaving Arliss to work his final magic.

"Here is what will happen. At midnight, Nessa and I will be duelin' Bastion on top of the Ra Yellow dorm. We want you to be dueling with us, Candace. We'll be tellin' your dear cousin that this will be a duel with 4 people, and he will assume we mean a tag team duel. But in reality, this is a 4-way duel. During the duel, Bastion will behave as he would in any situation where you are his partner. Watch him…understand how he sees you." Arliss paused. "3 times he will betray you. After the third, we will use our magic to allow you to tap into your deck and select the one card needed to end the duel. If you can forgive Bastion, use it against us, and you will never see us again. But…if you realize that Bastion will never see you as an equal…that none of them will see you as an equal…well, the choice will be yours as to what to do about that." Arliss stood up, dusting his pants off. "Think about it."

&&&

Candace glared at her cousin. "Everything Arliss and Nessa told me has come to pass. I have seen your true colors, Bastion, and I will no longer sit idly by while you and your filth of a father try to break me as you have so many women." The young woman sneered. "I was your teacher Bastion, and allow me to give you a final lesson…never assume anything…even about yourself." She turned to the Rare Hunters. "Do it. Work your magic."

"Here?" Nessa asked, amused at the thought.

Candace nodded. "I don't want the taint of the Misawa clan in my blood for a moment longer." She locked eyes with Bastion. "And I want him to watch."

Alexander Milo began to step forward, rolling up his sleeves. "This has gone on far enough…" He made a beeline for Arliss, ready to take the Rare Hunter out before things got too wild. Alex barely had time to blink before Arliss lashed out, rushing across the roof and punching him in the gut then delivering a few rapid punches finished with an uppercut that left him out cold.

"ALEX!" Samantha screamed, all thought of hiding her secret gone as she ran at those that attacked her husband. Arliss merely backhanded her, sending her beside Alex, before nodding towards Prof. Stilton. James let out a moan as the strike ninja appeared behind him, striking him on the back of the head and knocking him out cold. The ninja then joined with the Shadow Slayer in restraining Bastion, forcing him to watch as Candace knelt down on the ground, facing the king and queen of the rare hunters.

"Now then…" Nessa said, watching as Samantha got to her knees and cradled Alexander's head in her lap. "If there is no more interruptions…" She and Arliss held out their hands, dark magic pooling between their fingers. "…it's time for us to give birth to our daughter."

"CANDACE!" Bastion yelled as the dark magic struck his cousin full-force, her own screams drowning out the thunder around them. Her body trembled as the shadow spell ripped through her flesh, searing her brain and turning her muscles to mush. She began to seizure, her breath coming out in ragged, short bursts as he eyes flickering in their sockets. The area around them all grew darker as the rest of the audience watched on as Candace continued to scream, clutching her head as her heart thudded in her chest rapidly. Then, it began to slow.

Thud…thud……thud…………thud………………….thud…………………………………thud…………………………………………………………….nothing.

And she was gone.

"NO!" Bastion screamed. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you!" He cried out, over and over, eyes locked onto his dear cousin as the shadows slowly enveloped her, leaving a black mound in her place. "You lied to her…used her…for what? To get to me? What did she do to deserve being used as your pawn."

"Bastion, Bastion…" Arliss said softly. "Even at the end…it is all about you."

THUD!

The group froze as they heard the noise coming from the black cocoon.

THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!

"Someone isn't happy." Nessa sang softly.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The woman formerly known as Candace Misawa screamed as she burst from her shell, dark magic radiating from her body as she stood forth, hands balled into fists. Her eyes glowed black, as did Arliss' and Nessa's, as she took in the sight before her. The tattered remains of her Ra Yellow Jacket barely clung to her new form, her body having changed in the brief moments of her death. She now stood taller, rivaling Nessa in height. Like the queen, she had gained new curves, and her hair hung long down her back. Her body was strong, toned with muscles that she flexed every once and a while. She shifted on the balls of her feet, before looking down at her jacket in disgust. She reached down, tearing the garment away and leaving her naked, only for Arliss to wrap his purple duster around her form. She looked at him, her black eyes growing soft as she looked at her king, a soft happy smile gracing her face.

"Da?" She whispered, running a hand along his cheek.

"That's right, my dear. Daddy is right here." Arliss whispered, hugging her tightly. She returned the embrace, nuzzling his neck softly.

"As is mommy." Nessa whispered.

"Mum." The woman said softly, her voice now that of the cockney accent she had once adapted, before her trip to the academy. She turned to her new mother, confused "I feel…free." She smiled softly.

"You are, my darling daughter." Nessa said. "Finally free."

"Candace…" Bastion whispered. "Candace…don't fall for this…."

"Miss Misawa…" Chancellor Shepard said.

"The name ain't Candace Misawa." The newest Rare Hunter said, turning a sharp eye to the group.

"Then what is it?" Jaden asked, ever to the point.

"Cassandra…Cassandra Locke'art." Cassandra stepped forward, energy still crackling from her body. The power she was unleashing whipped around her, causing the roof to crack and buckle every time she took a step. She approached Bastion, waving the ninja and slayer away. "Bastion?" She asked timidly.

"Candace…" Bastion begged. "Fight it…"He looked upon his cousin, her eyes soft. "You can…"

Cassandra kicked him in the gut, before grinding her heel right into his groin, making Bastion cry out in agony.

"That is for treatin' me like scum." She whispered. She walked back to her 'parents', who nodded with approval. "Spread the word…the rare 'unters are 'ere to stay. You can submit…or you can die." The Englishwoman looked down at the broken, both physically and mentally, form of her cousin. "This endth the lesson."

Cassandra, Arliss and Nessa began to laugh as the shadows surrounded them, blocking any chance the stunned still group had to reach them. After a minute, only the echoes of their dark laughter filled the night as the gang stood there…

"Hey guys?"

They all turned to see Hayden McGregor standing in the stairwell's doorway. He looked at them, confused.

"I heard noises…what's going on…where's Candace?"

Next Time on G/X: Hunters

Arliss and Nessa have gained a strong lead, with the rights to duel when they please and a new daughter, Cassandra Lockehart. As Arliss slowly begins to show parts of his master plan, Jaden and friends are sidetracked by a Dueling Giant, a wildman, the arrival of a Yugi Doppelganger and a mysterious Slifer that is more then 'he' appears to be. While one side works to strength their hold, and another to deal with all manner of strange duelists, the week will end with Samantha Ciro's harpies…taking on the e-heroes?

It's a wild week.

Thunder at Dawn, Part One

Author's Note: From the first moment Candace Misawa appeared, I knew this final scene would take place. I have planned it out, and waited since the beginning of the story to pull this scene out of my brain and put it on paper. I only hope that you enjoyed it as much I did.

I'd also like to remind everyone that if you review, you will receive a response and I will try and answer and questions, comments or suggestions you send

The next chapter will span one week, jumping from the morning after the duel to the end of the week, with flashbacks. I am going to assume things with the timeline a bit. Namely:

-The Tennis Duel accorded the day all of them returned. That is why Bastion never appears, he is busy working on figuring out how to defeat Arliss.

-The Dueling Giant was stealing cards during the Christmas break, and the duel against him occurs the day after the events of this chapter.

-The wildman has also been activate during the Christmas break, and his duel occurs the day after the giant's

-Yugi's deck appears at the school the day after the wildman duel.

-Blair joined the Slifer Dorm the day after Yugi's deck came.

I will most likely use this idea for the next couple chapters, so I don't have to have long spans a period between events in the story and show. I am beginning to move away from the show and focus on the Rare Hunters and what they are doing.