"All I am sayin' is, we give 'im one in the 'ead, just as 'e walks through the door."

"Cassie, I told you already, no."

" 'ayden…"

"Whining will not work with me, lass. Now, let me get back to work."

" Not even one decapitation?" She asked, giving her boyfriend the best pout she could. Of course, for a pout to work, the one the pout was directed at would have to actually be looking and not staring at a computer screen.

"No." Hayden said.

Cassandra crossed her arms. "You are no fun, luv. No fun at all." She paused. "What are you doin'?"

Hayden didn't look up from his typing. "I am working on some way to fix this."

The British duelist grinned, clapping her hands. " 'bout bloody time! So, what are you going to do? Hack into Interpol's records and make Alexander into a terrorist? Make it look like he is a pedophile and get him fired?"

Hayden just continued typing.

Cassandra, annoyed, finally peered over his shoulder, quickly reading over what he was typing. "Are you 'acking into the North Academy database?"

"Yes." Hayden said, fingers flying.

"Are you signing us up for the North Academy?!?"

"Yes."

"WHY?!?"

Hayden turned in his chair. "Because when the shit hits the fan, I personally would like to have a way out of this place, Cassie." He turned back to his computer. "I already got our bags packed and put in the boat down in the caves. Just have to make sure I have a few more commands set, and in 24 hours you and me now William Toripin and Catharine Autumn, exchange students." Before Hayden could continue working, his screen went back. "HEY!!!"

Cassandra threw the plug aside. " 'unters don't run."

"But McGregors do. I come from a long line of cowards, lass. My ancestor, he was there when William Wallace took on the English. He was the first to say, "I don't want my freedom.""

"Lockeharts aren't cowards." Nessa said, climbing down the stairs. "We fight and we win. There will not be any running, as long as I am around."

Hayden frowned. "If Alexander Milo begins making our lives hell, then I am running, I'll take Cassandra with me, and you can deal with this mess!"

Nessa snarled. "You forget your place."

"And you think to highly of yours!" Hayden challenged. "We saw just how good your precious Arliss is!"

SMACK!

Nessa glared at the young man who now lay at Cassandra's feet. "Don't ever talk about Arliss like that again."

"Or what…hit me again?" Hayden spat. "You and Arliss have been waiting to do that since I first looked at your daughter."

" 'ayden…" Cassandra pleaded.

"I was on your side!" Nessa screamed.

"Hate to see what would happen if you were his enemy."

All 4 of the hunters turned to find Alexander Milo leaning in the doorway, chewing on an apple. Dhmitri stood behind him with their bags, an assumed look on his face. Nessa instantly let all her anger at Hayden and his mouth go, instead focused on the professor that had hurt Arliss.

After their duel, Arliss had remained almost catatonic, barely moving, barely breathing, only staring off into space. It had taken all of them to drag him home. Try as she might, Nessa hadn't been able to wake her beloved, and it had put her on edge.

"What, no hugs?"

&&&

"YOU WHAT!?!"

"I had to, sir…" Shepard stammered, wiping his brow. "The rules…"

"Who told you to set up a duel like that…no! I don't want to hear about the damn agent that mysteriously appeared!"

"Please sir…we were trying to take care of the hunters…"

"By allowing them to draw up contracts to use my academy as their own private…"

"Mr. Kaiba…"

Seto Kaiba stood up, glaring at the screen. "Shepard, I hired you to run the academy! Not turn it into the laughing stock of the dueling world! We have students who disappear, so-called duel spirits, intruders…and now the Rare Hunters."

"Alexander Milo…"

"ENOUGH! Shepard, clear out your desk…"

"No." Another voice said. "No…"

Seto turned to the other man who sat in his office. Just as Seto wore his normal white dueling overcoat, his associate had gone with a silver trench coat worn over a pair of jeans and a tight shirt. Glancing up from the file he was looking at, the other man smirked.

"Shepard…you are on paid leave. I want you to go off and think of some new promotions for the school. Pack now."

The image of Shepard smiled, grateful to be let off the hook. "Of course…thank you Mr. Roads." With that, the connection flickered and died.

"Geno…" Seto ground out.

"Don't 'Geno' me!" Geno Roads scolded, standing up. "I told you not to make me part of the academy board. 'Just let me run Roads Inc.' I said. 'But we need your organizing skills!' you pleaded…"

"I don't plead." Seto snapped. "Why not fire that idiot Shepard?"

"Because that would leave us with the Rare Hunters still in control…no…who is the next in line for the job?"

"Crowler." Seto said with a grimace.

Geno nodded. "Perfect. He hasn't ever shut up, so let him have the job. He does good, great…and if my plan fails…"

"We pin it on him." Seto finished. "Very evil."

"I'm touched." Geno replied, looking out over the city. "Give me the summer break…by September, I will have everything set up to take down the Rare Hunters and bring us back in control."

&&&

Nessa stood up straight, her eyes glowing black as she held up her hands, dark fire surrounding them. "You have a lot of nerve coming here."

"Nerve has nothing to do with this" Alexander said, moving from his spot and heading deeper into the room. "This is my home, and I have the right to be here."

"This will never be your 'ome." Cassandra said, stepping up to be next to her mother. Hayden moved next to his girlfriend, ready to get her away at the first sign of trouble. "Its ours…you'd best be leavin' in."

"How about no?" Dhmitri challenged. "Things have changed, ladies."

The Queen of the Rare Hunters glared at the two intruders, her voice hard as she spoke. "You disgraced our King in front of this entire academy, you taken all our freedom away. You come to this, our home, mocking us and expecting us to fall at your feet." She held up her hand, balled in a fist, shadow magic dancing along it. "You have no idea who I am, and what I can do to you."

"I know more then you realize." Alexander said, his own voice hard. "You know nothing…and you act as if you are wise beyond your years. You are a child in this world…accept your lack of experience and seek guidance from others."

"Like you?" Cassandra snapped.

"Anyone."

"How about no, lad." Hayden said. "I doubt the girls are in the mood to listen to what you have to say."

Alex didn't react. "I know…which is why I will have to teach them respect. Dhmitri, stay out of the way." Professor Milo took a step forward. "Stand down…and I will explain everything."

"Why don't you stand down…" Nessa snarled, summoning her power. "Or I will show you my true power!" With that, the Queen of the Rare Hunters unleashed a blast of dark magic. "Give into your fears!" She screamed, the spell rocketing right at Alexander. When it hit, it would open his mind to her, let her know all that he thought and feared. And with that knowledge, she would trap him forever in his nightmares.

A fitting punishment for the man that had attacked her lover.

Time seemed to slow as the blast inched towards him, Alexander never letting his gaze break from Nessa's as he held up his hand.

And caught the spell as if it were a baseball.

"One who thinks they know everything…" Alexander said, squeezing his hand shut, dissipating the spell, "…will learn nothing."

"How…" Hayden whispered.

"Don't ask how!" Cassandra shouted, pulling out a gun she'd concealed in her jacket. "Let's see him dodge this!"

This time, Alexander did not remain still. Indeed, he rushed forward, pulling something from his jacket as he did so. Cassandra pulled the trigger, only to receive a click. The rest of the gun laid at her feet, cleaved in half…

…by the Shadow Saber Alexander now held ignited in his hand.

"I see you are meetin' the family." Arliss said, emerging from the top of the stairs.

"Just like ol' times." Alex said, his voice changing suddenly as he headed up the stairs, breezing past a shell-shocked Nessa, Cassandra and Hayden. Gone was the Midwestern accent he'd had since the Hunters had met him. Now, his smooth voice held a rolling southern twang, all to familiar to those that spent time with Arliss. "Tried to get them to calm down…but ya know kids these days."

Arliss broke out in a big grin as Alexander reached the top step. The two looked each other over before enveloping each other in a bear hug. Alex closed his eyes, letting out a sigh of relief.

"It worked." He said softly.

"Was their any doubt?"

"Only for a moment, little brother." Alexander replied. "Think we should clue in the kiddies?"

"Yea, already gonna have Nessa ready to kill me for keepin' this little tale underwraps." Arliss let go of the other man and turned to address his family. "I assume you want to know what is going on."

Nessa was still startled, but tried to remain angry. "I have an idea…you mind letting me in on what is going on, lover?" Nessa stressed the lover part, and Arliss appeared almost sheepish.

"I'm afraid there have been many a'thin's I've been hidin' from ya'll…because I needed to hide them, to ensue everything worked out as planned. But now…I think I can let you in on the big secrets.

"When I first decided to come to this island, I knew I would need to deal with the academy's teachers and staff. To do that, I would need to create a situation to get one of us in control, where Shepard and the rest of them assumed that we been brought to rein and everythin' would be fine." Arliss turned to Alex. "May I present my brother, Alexander Milo…or, as you might know him, Arlen Lockehart."

Alex, or Arlen as he now went by, bowed at the waist. "Never thought I would be deflectin' blasts from my future sister-in-law…but with our family…" He chuckled softly. "Sorry…it's just a bit funny to be on this side."

Cassandra looked up at her uncle. "Wait…but then Prof. Stilton…"

"No clue, darlin'." Arlen said with a shrug. "We'd originally planned on killing Shepard and pinning it on Crowler. During the chaos, we would seize control. When Stilton went nuts, for whatever reason, I had to change the plan. Hence our staged duel."

Arliss nodded. "That is why I was so off my mark this last week. I couldn't talk to Arlen directly, and neither could Mayday. Luckily, Dhmitri here was smart enough to seek us out and tell us what Arlen was plannin'."

"Us?" Hayden asked. "We didn't talk to Dhmitri."

"And why is the kid here anyway?" Nessa challenged.

"HEY!" Dhmitri shouted. "I've been helping Prof. Milo since he first told me the truth about all of you! If it weren't for me, we might not all be here."

"I still want to know who this 'us' was." Hayden said.

"As do I." Cassandra added.

"Who do you think?" A new voice called out. Nessa turned, her jaw dropping as the young woman breezed past her.

"Sammy…" Arlen whispered, dashing down the stairs. Samantha quickened her own pace, the two meeting in the center of the room. Arlen lifted his wife into the air, spinning her around and giving her a hard kiss. Samantha ran her fingers through his hair, butterflying kissing all along his face.

The rest of the Hunters, sans Arliss, could only watch as the woman they had seen as merely a puppet of Arliss' will made out with her husband, animated and radiating joy. The King of the Rare Hunters couldn't help but smile as his brother and sister-in-law embraced after the week spent apart. Arlen lowered the love of his life to the ground, before pulling her flush against his chest, nuzzling her neck.

"May I present the third original member of the Rare Hunters…Mayday Lockehart."

&&&

(Location Unknown)

"THEY THINK WHAT?!?!"

Tristan cringed. "They think James was a member of the Rare Hunters."

"Who gave them that bloody stupid idea!?!" Doctor Kevin Allen shouted.

Serenity remained unfazed by the tantrum. "Some Professor….Alexander Milo. He claims he's a government agent."

"Get the CIA, the FBI, and every Black Ops Division on the phone! I want any records on Alexander Milo on my desk, now! If one of them sent this guy to kill one of my agents, heads will roll!"

Serenity nodded, making her way out of the office. Her boss would not be happy until he learned what agency had sent Alexander Milo…if one had. And God help whoever had given this Agent Milo the go ahead to kill James.

Meanwhile, in the office, Doc K held his head in his hands. "He threatened the Chancellor with a gun?"

Tristan sighed. "Claimed that he needed a file on Alexander Milo. Probably flipped out, thought he was onto something, and Milo killed him just to keep his cover from being blown."

Doc K frowned. "Idiot…stupid stupid…." He shook his head. "I want that information. I want to know who killed James Stilton."

Tristan was confused. "Wait…I thought you were all for getting rid of James…"

Doc K sighed. "I'm not that cold hearted. Even James deserved to live, the big dumb idiot he is…and I won't let him die without his murderer being brought to justice."

"What are you saying?"

"…get Seto Kaiba on the phone. Me and him need to talk."

&&&

"You with us?"

Nessa blinked, looking up at her fiancé. Arliss had an arm wrapped around her, leading her deeper through the underground cavern that laid beneath the academy. Her mind was reeling, trying to catch up with what she had learned just a few moments ago,

Arliss had been lying to her…to all of them…since the first time they had met Samantha…

'No…Mayday. Arlen's wife, his sister-in-law…the wife of my fiancé's brother.' A memory flooded back to her, of when Arliss had dueled Samantha and seemed so interested. 'I always wondered…why he waited to bring her into the fold. She was already there.'

Looking back, Nessa felt so stupid. There was no anger towards Arliss, she understood his motives perfectly. Yet, she was mad at herself, unable to seethe forest for the trees.

Arliss and Arlen looked so alike. Same nose…same playful eyes…same build. Arlen's hair was darker, and he looked more mature with the stubbly beard he had. But otherwise, they looked so much like, it was shocking that she hadn't caught on sooner.

The only thing she could credit towards her inability to see the truth was the accent Arlen had adopted as Alexander Milo. But even then, why should it surprise her? She'd been around Arliss enough to watch him slip into his natural Texan accent, then back to the heavier Southern accent he used in public. He'd even, on occasion, used a British accent, so clean and defined that she would have sworn he was a shy, aristocratic son of some Duke.

'He told me about studying in London under famous acting coaches. Arlen was with him during those years…so surprising that Arlen would have studied there too.'

And then there was Samantha. Sweet, polite, cultured Samantha…really the wicked Mayday Lockehart, the third member of the original members of the hunters…Arlen and Arliss' confidant. She had played her part to a T, convincing Jaden and his friends that she was one of them, supplying information to Arliss. That was how he had known so much about their plots.

Finally, the unexpected factor of Dhmitri. The young Ra Yellow duelist had become a far cry from his netdecking former self. The mere fact that he had been willing to work with Arlen and Mayday to place the Rare Hunters in this prime position…

Nessa had always mocked Lois Lane for not seeing Superman in Clark Kent because of a pair of glasses. Now, she had sympathy for the reporter.

"Yea…I'm with you."

"Can you believe it lass? All of this…" Hayden was the only one of the three that had taken a positive attitude to the announcement. "We're completely protected! They can't kick us out…can't get rid of us! We have the power, we have the control!"

"Yea." Cassandra whispered.

"Cassie…what is it?"

Cassandra closed her eyes, pausing mid step. "Everything is changing so quickly 'ayden…I thought I had everything figured out when I came to this island, and then da showed me the truth…and I thought I had found meaning. And now…everything keeps changing, and I'm left trying to stand back up and find my place…"

Hayden nodded, understanding completely. "Life is like that. It is always changing, lass. If it weren't, be a might boring place. But what doesn't change is who you are. You are Candace…" He held up a hand, "Let me finish, Cassie. You will always be Candace…just as Nessa will always be Vanessa Fox, and Mayday here will be Samantha, and those Lockehart brothers be really Milos. They are just…more. That's all. Look at me…I've changed, but I am still Hayden." He kissed her on the forehead. "And I will always be there to help you stand back up."

Cassandra smiled, snuggling into his side as the Scot led her forward.

Dhmitri remained silent as he walked between Arlen and Arliss. His mind replayed what Arliss had told him before they had begun their walk.

&&&

"Stand up."

Dhmitri looked up at Arliss. He'd knelt by his king, just as Arlen had told him to do, and offered his services. But now, Arliss wanted him not to…was he going to kick him aside, now that he'd played his part.

"My brother has seen something in you…maybe a piece of me to comfort him while we've been separated. Whatever it may be, he holds you to stand at his side, and I will do the same. If Arlen sees you as a brother, so you will be my brother as well. You bow to no one, Dhmitri. No one."

&&&

The group stopped in the familiar cave, the same one Cassandra had worked in for weeks on the mysterious machines. Arlen, Arliss and Mayday all stepped forward, turning to address the group.

"Allow me to tell you a story." Mayday began. "2 years ago, two dashing young men come to Athens, seeking to gain some investors for a dig they want to set up in Egypt. They wine and dine the families of Greece, slowly getting in good with them…and getting to their pocketbooks. The families never realized there was no dig…that the brothers were conmen, looking to make a quick buck to fund more…sinister operations.

"One day, the brothers decide to visit the home of a rich Greek businessman. They come up with a plan, one that had served them well: The younger would charm the daughter of the businessman, while the older one worked over the father. They'd done it so many times…

"Only, when they arrived, the older brother had laid eyes on the young daughter, and fell madly in love. And the daughter, she too had been drawn to the older brother. The little brother was forced to scramble as the two spent the night together, dancing and talking and drinking in each other's company.

"The weeks drew on, and soon the younger brother knew they had to leave Greece. They'd overstayed their welcome, and if they didn't leave now…they would be done for. With a broken heart, the older brother volunteered to make one final trip to the young woman's home, to steal some of her father's jewels. But in reality, he saw the woman he'd fallen for and confessed everything. About being a con man…about their plans for her father's wealth…about the magic that had transformed him into the being she now saw. He knew she would hate him, but he could not leave her thinking he'd abandoned her. He left, telling her goodbye.

"Little did he realize…the daughter hated her father with a passion. He was controlling, arrogant, and just looking to marry her off to the first rich man he could find, only to better his station. The daughter snuck away from the house and surprised the brothers as they were about ready to leave…and brought with her the gift of her trust fund for their use, if they would let her join them. If they would make her like them.

"The older brother was the one that held her in his arms, forcing the dark magic into her body. That day, the Donald Ciro's daughter Samantha Ciro died…and in her place was born Mayday."

Arlen picked up the tale, wrapping an arm around his wife. "They were married a few days later. After the honeymoon, the three began to plot their future. It was ironic, that this woman, the former Samantha, would inspire their master plan, if only through her father."

Stopping, Arlen allowed Arliss to continue. "The failure of the Rare Hunters was two fold: Marik had allowed greed and lies to rule his hunters. No group can survive on that. After seeing my brother and sister-in-law, I knew that it would take love to hold the Rare Hunters together.

"The second failin' was their plans. They thought too small, Marik's hunters. They wanted only to take 3 cards…and to do that, they printed forgeries of rare cards. Cheap ones, at that." Arliss smirked. "Mayday came up with a better plan."

Stepping away from each other, Arlen and Mayday each took a sheet, and with a dramatic pull, revealed what they covered:

Printing Presses. Illusion Industry Printing Presses.

"I set a fire at one of their smaller factories, then bought the 'scrap'. Arlen managed to break into Griffin Ink Works and obtain the recipe for the inks they sent the company."

"And I got them this." Mayday said, pulling off another sheet to reveal rolls of paper. Each roll was marked 'Ciro Paper Inc.'. "My father's company…when I returned with a new husband, a wealthy one at that, it was little trouble to convince him to let us run one of the paper plants…the one that supplied I2 with their trading card paper."

Nessa nodded. "So…we are going to print counterfeit cards…"

Arliss shook his head. "Oh no dear…you misunderstand." He moved towards the machines. "When you make a counterfeit , it is still a copy of a card people know about. But…when you make your own cards…"

"Our…own?" Hayden questioned.

Arlen smirked. "My dear future sister-in-law creates a card image. We scan it in, and the machines, which Cassandra put back together, prints them out."

"But…" Cassandra stammered. "Won't people…know they are fakes?"

"Not if Hayden hacks into I2's database and puts the card information into the upcoming set files. Then, the computer programmers will create the holograms, and make them official cards…completely legal." Mayday laughed. "Imagine…any card you ever dreamed of…yours."

"We can create new strategies…new decks…" Arlen boosted.

"And the best thing is…" Arliss replied. "…is there isn't a damn thing they can do to stop us."

With that, the three original Rare Hunters began to chuckle, the laughter becoming louder and rolling, until the cavern filled with it. Hayden, Nessa, Cassandra and Dhmitri watched as the three threw back their heads, letting out wicked cackles like the classic villains of old.

It wasn't long before the four joined them.

The End of Season One

Author's Note; I would like to thank all of you for a great season. It has been hard, fun, and amazing. I never thought the story would take off like it did, and I am happy so many enjoyed it. I wrote this chapter for all of you…and even included a few jokes just to give you something to rant about cough-the-evil-laughter-cough.

Please review, as I will respond to all reviews, and the more you write, the more I write.

As a special gift to you all…here is the trailer for the next story in the G/X: Hunter saga-

(To Howard Shore's 'Requiem of a Dream Remix')

From Mr. Chaos…the creator of the 'of the Gods' trilogy and the smash hit G/X: Hunters…comes the bridging story between seasons 1 and 2 of G/X: Hunters-

It is a story well known.

Arliss Lockehart, then a young boy, discovered the diary of Marik Ishtar, the Lord of the Rare Hunters.

(we see a shot of young Arliss pulling the diary from the dead man's hands, looking through it)

With the knowledge he gained from it, he would bring about his new Rare Hunters.

(We see Arliss standing with Arlen, Mayday, Dhmitri, Nessa, Hayden and Cassandra in the cavern, laughing)

But…what if Arliss hadn't found the diary?

(The image shifts to the alley once more, now the dead hunter alone)

What if…another had found it?

(A young boy in a white shirt and with brown hair enter the alleys, picking up Marik's Diary)

Someone…who should never have found it?

(As the music slows and becomes quieter, The camera pans around to reveal…a young Jaden Yuki)

Another world…

(We see the Dark Jaden, as seen in the dream Jaden had during Syrus' duel with Vera, standing atop the Slifer Dorm, laughing as lightning strikes al around him)

Another life…

(We see the duel academy in ruins, left on fire and in rubble)

Another story…

(We see a shadowy figure with metallic wings striking down a monster)

Another fate…

(We see a duelist with light blue hair, wearing sunglasses, in a red blazer, beating Zane up violently, before stealing his deck. Zane looks up and whispers "Syrus…")

When good is corrupted by darkness…

(As the music speeds back up, we see various shots of duelists, including: a dirty Crowler standing with a few Ra Yellow and Obelisk Blue students in the abandoned research center, A tombstone reading Shepard, and Chazz Princeton holding a gun, firing at someone. The choir comes in…)

Evil…will save the day…

(We see our Arliss Lockehart staring down Dark Jaden on top of the abandoned dorm, both wearing duel disks)

Arliss: Boy…there can only be one King…and I don't share power!

(Both unleash a blast of dark magic, the attacks hitting as both struggle to gain an edge. There is an explosion, and all fades to black)

(We see Arliss and normal Jaden standing together)

Arliss: Are you ready?

Jaden: (looks over the ruins of the academy and activates his duel disk) Yea.

A Brave New World

Coming Soon