1 month after the events of "A Brave New World", 3 months after the events of "Endgame".
Arlen Lockehart looked around the barren white desert, utterly confused. He didn't know how he had ended up in this place, but knew he didn't belong here. The air was still, the sand neither cool nor warm as he began to walk along aimlessly, looking for something to home in on.
"Should I go towards the endless stretch of sand…" Arliss muttered. "…or the other endless stretch of sand? Oooo, maybe that endless stretch of sand! Or, if I'm really bold…"
"Some…where….over the rainbow…way, up high…"
"…I'll go towards Louis Armstrong." Arlen muttered, watching the singer. After a moment he began to walk towards the man, realizing he had nothing else better to do.
"And…the dreams that you dream of, once in a lullaby…"
The Guardian Hunter walked past man, moving deeper into the desert. He didn't know how long he had been walking, but after a while he looked behind him…only to find nothing. Turning back…
…he saw Louis.
"somewhere…over the rainbow…bluebirds fly."
"You can't get ahead by looking behind." Arlen turned to find Dhmitri watching him. His apprentice/adopted son was standing next to a rather large and ugly cockroach, which clicked at him. "And you can't judge things by their past actions." As he spoke, the cockroach shuddered before transforming into a large butterfly…one that had a huge rack.
"And…the…dreams that you dream of, they really do, come truuuuuue….ooooo…"
Leaving Dhmitri and the Playboy Buggy behind, Arlen continued his journey through the desert. Considering that he was a shadow mage, fully merged with Neo the Magical Swordsman…Arlen wasn't that freaked to see Dhmitri playing kissy face with insects.
He was surprised to find Hayden and Cassandra playing chess, though.
The two teens were seated at an antique table, playing the game on a wooden game board. The white pieces were shaped like little people, and Arlen realized that the black ones were shaped like the Hunters. Arliss was king, Nessa the Queen. Mayday and Arlen were Bishops, Cassandra and Hayden Rooks. There were no pawns on their side, but there was Lexie as a knight, next to a white piece that continually shifted black, then once more to its original color. Finally, several knights and rooks would appear, only to fade.
More startling, Cassandra and Hayden were seated at one side, taking on an invisible opponent.
"It's hard to play the game when you lack all the pieces." Cassandra said. "It puts you at a disadvantage."
Hayden held up his hands, one of his Playstation remotes appearing. "I know the cheat codes though." He typed in a few commands, then looked at Arlen, his eyes black. "It pays to cheat at life, when everyone else cheats as well." He nodded towards the other side of the board, where millions of pawns were appearing in the air.
"I'm just…going to walk away now." Arlen said, slowly backing away from the two as they began to make out.
"Someday I wish upon a star, wake up when the clouds are far behind…meeeeeee…"
Continuing the trek through the desert, the Guardian soon found himself standing next to Lexie. His new little sister was cradling her baby, both of them dressed as Little Red Riding Hood.
"Not all evil comes from the darkness." She said. Out of nowhere, a white wolf leapt towards he, fangs bared. Arlen reached for his saber, only to find it not there. But as he turned back to Lexie, she was giggling as the wolf licked his face. "Not all heroes come from the darkness either."
Turning away as the wolf proceeded to continue lavishing love on his little sis, Arlen once more walked through the desert. He glanced over, noticing that
"Where trouble melts like lemon drops, high above the chim-ney tops that where…you'll fiiiiiiinnnnd meeee!"
Arlen paused, blinking in confusion. "The Juggernaut?"
"Damn right it's the Juggernaut!" The red armored man yelled. "I'm here to get that tape of me &ing that penguin."
"…uh…what?"
"Listen to me Arlen, I want that tape of me &ing that penguin, or I will shave the ass-hairs off a Siberian Tiger and make you a toupee!"
"Police can't & with the Juggernaut…" Louis Armstrong sang.
"you're damn they can't, Louie! Mmmm, need some hookers now…where you hiding the pussy, Arlen? Where you hiding it?"
Arlen shook his head. "That way?" He said, pointing at random.
"This is just like my movies…the Juggernuts, Jugg-Be-Good, and Juggy, get that shit out of my face…"
The Guardian of the Rare Hunters was now running through the desert.
"Some-where…over the rainbow…blue birds fly!"
After he had finished running, Arlen bent over, panting as he tried to catch his breath.
"You can't rest, Arlen."
Arliss looked up to see Arliss and Nessa standing near him. They were dressed normally, save for the crowns they wore on their heads. The two of them were hold each other in their arms, eyes far off and cloudy.
"We need to lead them Arlen." Arliss said. "You are their last hope."
"Don't fear your past…you aren't the horseman anymore."
Arlen shook his head. "I…I don't understand."
"You will." Arliss and Nessa said. "Fate has a funny way of repeating lives, Charlie."
"Huh?" Arlen said, looking down as he noticed he was wearing a black hood. On his hands were rings of tape, a black letter on each. He read them carefully, confused: They read "Look Up Fool"
Looking up, Arlen watched in horror as Oceanic Flight 815 soared over his head, before crashing to the ground. The explosion knocked Arlen back, and as he fell, he noticed that Arliss and Nessa were gone, only their crowns remaining.
"And…the…dreams that you dare to, oh why, oh why, can't I?"
"Get up stupid."
Arlen looked up, finding Mayday watching him, a grin plastered on her face. Taking her extended hand, the Guardian found that he was now dressed in a black tux, Mayday in a golden dress. Louis continued to sing about skies of blue as the desert became a ballroom, everyone watching as the two began to waltz. Mayday held him close as they moved to the music, spinning about the room in lazy circles.
"They're watching us." Arlen whispered.
"As well they should. Last year was our year in darkness, in hiding. This year it is our turn. We will have to be the Guardians…the Hunters will fall if we don't."
"I'm dreaming, aren't I?" Arlen asked.
"Yes."
"And this dream is important?"
"Very much so."
"Will I forget it?"
Dream Mayday smiled. "For a while…you will remember again. But I will leave you with two things to always hold: First, when you are lost, seek out your dance partner. Speaking as dream her, we are very smart."
Arlen laughed. "And the second?"
"Well, I have to wake you up…" Dream Mayday pointing over Arlen's shoulder. The Rare Hunter turned…and his eyes went wide.
"Is that Michael Jackson?"
Mayday nodded. "Yup."
"And Dr. Crowler?" Arlen asked weakly.
"Oh yea."
"And are they…?"
"You better believe it…wow, he sure as a long tongue."
&&&
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Arlen!" Mayday screamed, shaking her husband. She had been snuggling up to him, when he suddenly say ramrod straight in bed, crying out in terror.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!" Arlen screamed, leaping out of bed…and running smack into a wall.
Mayday slowly walked over to him, watching in mild amusement as his shadow magic caused little harpies to spin around his head. "Did you have the dream about the Grimace with Mili Vanili's dreadlocks again?"
&&&
"What the hell was that?" Hayden asked as he entered the dining room, snagging the pancakes Arliss was holding out.
"Mornin' to you too, Hayden." The King of Hunters snarked. "I slept well, thanks for asking."
"Sorry Arliss." Hayden said as he sat down at the table, flipping the TV onto 'The Nanny'. "But in this house, I find it wise to ask why people are screaming this early in the morning."
"It's 8 am!" Arliss exclaimed.
"Exactly." Hayden muttered. "if it weren't you making breakfast and 'The Nanny' on Lifetime, I would have slept in."
"You are a pathetic Rare Hunter, you know that?" Arliss said.
"oooo, 'The Nanny'!" Nessa exclaimed, rushing past her fiancé and sitting next to Hayden to watch the big screen.
Hayden gave Arliss a look, and the King waved his spatula at the young man. "She & me. She is allowed to blow me off."
"I figured blowing was involved." Hayden muttered.
"The day you agree to that, you can disrespect me."
Hayden grinned. "Why Peaches, I didn't know you were offering!"
"NO!" Arliss shouted in anger. "What have I told you about that! You are allowed to call me –the Bloody, Spike, or even a wanker! But if you dare use one of Angel's nicknames…"
Cassandra bounced into the kitchen. "We aren't watching Buffy, are we? Da, seriously, it's enough that you made us watch it this summer…"
"And made us listen to your rant about Buffy not loving Spike…" Nessa added.
"and forcing us to listen to the soundtrack to "Once More with Feeling"…" Hayden chimed in.
"And told us over and over how you personally changed the show…" Dhmitri stated as he entered. "Morning Uncle Arliss."
"Shut up Dhmitri." Arliss muttered. He turned to the group, his voice pleading. "But I did! In the 5th season, Buffy use to jump off the tower, die, come back, beat up Spike, then unleash the first evil. But thanks to me…"
"…now the 6th season is all about how Spike and Buffy fall in love, with the 7th season ending with them getting married and no season 5 of 'Angel'." The rest of them said as one, before turning back to the antics of a Jewish woman in New York.
Lexie entered the kitchen to find her brother fuming. She walked over, giving him a peck on the cheek. "I personally liked that ending." She said. Arliss had been thrilled to discover that his little sister love 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' too.
"Well then, just for you, some of my extra special Chocolate Chip pancakes!" Arliss exclaimed, mixing up some more batter. "The secret ingredient…is evil." He added in a stage whisper, allowing some shadow magic to pour into the batter.
"That it is." Lexie said, heading to the table. "Move it! Very pregnant lady, waddling through!"
"You do not waddle." Arlen said as he joined the group, fixing his shirt cuffs. "You grace the floor."
"I crush the floor." Lexie muttered, flipping her hair over her shoulder. When she had first come to this dimension, the first thing Arliss and Arlen had done was pump her full of their own shadow magic, replacing that which her Jaden had given her. While the transfusion hadn't changed her body, it had effected her DNA, making her 100 Lockehart. That had meant her bleach blonde hair had darkened into a deep golden brown, much like her brothers.
"Stop that." Mayday said, rubbing her shoulders. All of the girls had fallen for Lexie, the young woman charming them to the point that there was no way they could hate her. Even Nessa, with her hatred of Alexis, had managed to put her anger aside. Now, she and the young woman were the best of friends, teaming up with Cas and May to torment the boys.
Arlen grabbed the spatula from his brother and took over the cooking, slipping an apron over his outfit. "Not a word, Arliss. I have to go over to the academy to meet with…shiver…Interim Chancellor Crowler."
Arliss laughed. "Sorry. When I put it in his head to volunteer to do the job, I didn't even think about how you'd have to work with him."
"That's not why I was shivering." Arlen grumbled.
"Huh?"
Mayday giggled. "Arlen dreamed about Crowler naked."
Everyone froze.
"NOT LIKE THAT!" The guardian roared.
Hayden smiled slowly. "ok Arlen…we believe you…may I point out that the supposed lech doesn't dream about Crowler."
"That's it!" Arlen yelled. "3 page essay on trap cards!"
Hayden's eyes grew wide. "You can't…"
"You bet I can! I'm the head of the dorm! Arliss is king, but I have the power to assign you all homework!"
"Arlen…"Arliss warned. "Don't make ME tell you to do it for him."
"One page." Arlen rectified.
Hayden grumbled.
Lexie looked around, before holding out her plate. "URP!" She blushed. "Seconds?"
&&&
"Morning, Professor Milo."
"Morning, Ms. Fontaine." Arlen said, now fully in his 'Alex Milo' routine. "How was your summer vacation? I didn't get to see you much."
"Oh, just fine! I bench pressed 3x my body weight. A new record."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "That's…super."
"Yes it is…feel my arms…like steel!"
"I'm good." Alex said quickly.
Ms. Fontaine shrugged. "But what about you, Alex? What did you do?"
"I &ed Wonder Woman."
"What?"
"er…it was a &ing wonder, woman." Alex quickly said. "oh look…it's Prof….er…Ra Yellow Professor."
Ms. Fontaine laughed as Alex tried his best to hold a conversation with the other professor, without admitting he didn't know his name. She liked Prof. Milo, he spoke his mind, and wouldn't be cowed by the school to do as they wanted. A product of being young, the sense that you were strong and powerful. He commanded respect despite his young age, and when he talked…people listened.
Ms. Fontaine walked over to where Prof. Banner normally would have sat, letting out a sigh. This year had been a bad one for the teaching staff, losing two teachers: one to mysterious causes, the other gunned down by Prof. Milo, saving the Chancellor's life. Now, his seat was empty…
…save for Pharaoh.
"Is that cat the new Slifer Dorm Leader?" Alex questioned.
Pharaoh looked up at him, and meowed.
The three of them stopped their discussion as Dr. Crowler entered the room, Vice Principal Napoleon hot on his heels. The three teachers took their seats, Alex for some reason adverting his eyes from Crowler.
"Well, we are about ready to begin the new school year!" Crowler said with glee. "Tomorrow the students will be arriving, and I must say, I am very excited. I've pulled off a bit of a coup d'état and managed to get Aster Phoenix to join the academy."
CRACK
"Professor Milo!" Ms. Fontaine shouted, "You just shattered your water glass!"
Alex looked down at the bits of glass that were embedded in his hand. "Oh…so I have." He began to pick them out. "Go on Crowler." He said casually. 'Aster…you eluded my in London…but not this time.'
Crowler paled, backing away as Alexander Milo calmly ripped shards of glass from his palm. "Y-Yes…well, Aster will be arriving tomorrow…and I expect you all to treat him with respect…"
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Alex said, interrupted. "I have a new student in my dorm too! Lexie Lockehart, Arliss Lockehart's little sister. She just arrived, but unfortunately, she came down with a nasty bug. So, I'll be giving her all her lessons until she feels better."
Napoleon frowned. "That is not how things work…"
"But you'll make an exception?" Alex said quickly. "Great! I am so glad we got that out of the way." He kicked his feet up on the table. Now that he had planted himself in the academy fully, with the school hard pressed to get rid of him, Arlen had decided to tone down Alex's need to impress the bosses. "So tell me Crowler, any good students in the bunch? Anyone that might make a good Hunter? I'm always looking to strengthen my dorm."
Crowler glared at the young man. It was bad enough he had managed to steal Arliss, his prized student, and Samantha Ciro, but now, he was going to try and court more duelists? This just would not do.
"Oh…no no no…all rather average duelists…require a lot of work, sadly. Best you stick with your team…"
"Of course." Alex said. "I might need to talk to Aster though…" He's eyes flashed briefly.
Dr. Crowler gulped. "Yes…well…we should move on to other news." He pulled out an official memo, the KaibaCorp logo printed on the top. "I received this personal letter from Seto Kaiba himself…"
Alex snatched it from his hands. "Dear Dr. Crowner…"
"A…typo, I'm sure."
"First, please stop trying to call Mr. Kaiba…."
Ms. Fontaine tried not to giggle. The Ra Yellow Professor was having just as hard of a time. Pharaoh yawned.
"Second, Mr. Kaiba had hired two new teachers to replace Professors Banner and Stilton. While he has chosen to keep the first a secret, the second is Miss. Viola Malloren."
"Viola…" Ms. Fontaine said, "She's that prodigy from America, isn't she? The teen duelist that managed to hold Joey Wheeler to 1000 life points."
Napoleon nodded. "That she is."
"I heard that she gave up dueling…" The Ra Yellow Teacher said.
"She did." Alex said, "And the letter explains why: 'Accommodations will be made for not only her, but also her daughter. The girl, age 3, will need a daycare set up for her, and Miss. Malloren will need a flexible schedule'. I'm sure we could get Miss. Dorothy to help out."
Crowler frowned. "I was thinking…"
"Oh, that would be great!" Ms. Fontaine said. "Come on, let's go ask her!"
The 3 dorm leaders hurried out of the room…leaving Crowler and Napoleon in their dust.
Pharaoh yawned.
&&&
Tokyo Harbor"Hurry it up!" The man called out, watching as the crane operator slowly moved the hook into position. "We need it down on the truck, now!"
"Hold your horses! We break this thing, and Satorious will have our balls!" The crane operator exclaimed, lifting the cargo from the large steamer ship and swinging it towards the flatbed.
The other man nodded, adjusting his tie as the large item was finally lowered onto the flatbed. He gave the order, and his men began to secure it, covering it with a large tarp.
A year. It had taken them a year to find this. Millions spent searching the ocean floor, in the deepest trenches, in the darkest canyons of the Pacific. Finally, they had found it, and managed to bring it once more to the surface.
The man looked over the giant stone box, about 7 feet deep, tall and wide. No opening had been made apparently, and all along it's surface were strange runes, spelling out words in many languages. He only knew what a few meant, but understood that they were serious.
"DEATH COMES TO ALL THAT OPENS THIS BOX"
"Call Mr. Satorious…tell him we have it."
Next Time on G/X-Hunters- The Rare Hunters' are in for a surprise when they learn of the newest teacher at the academy, and their sins are about to come back to haunt them. But when Nessa encounters a stranger in the woods, the events of that night will change the destinies of all.
Episode 53- Something Wicked This Way Comes