Author's Note: This chapter takes place a week after the events of the Skyway duel, and after the events of A Greater Porpoise

"Try it again."

Missy gritted her teeth, focusing her whole mind here deck as she shuffled the cards. As each pass mixed them more and more she cleared her thoughts, trying to visualize her goal. After a minute, Missy flicked out her hand, drawing 6 cards and holding them up.

"No." Arliss said from his chair. "Try it again."

Missy gritted her teeth. For a week they had been doing this. Arliss and Nessa would give her a command, most often Arliss, then expect her to do it. First was turning on her duel disk as fast as she could. She had gotten down to 10 seconds, then Arliss had told her to stop.

The next day Arliss wanted her to do it gracefully, slowly, with flourish and flare.

Then had come the day and a half of memorization. Every card, every combo, every stat. He would call out a type or an attack number and she had to repeat it. If she missed, she had an hour to study and they began again.

And now, the going on 3 days shuffle, draw, redo routine.

It was getting old fast.

Shuffle deck.

Draw 5 cards.

"Try it again." Arliss said.

Repeat.

Or not.

"What is the point to this?" Missy whined.

"The point is not of your concern. Just do as your told!" Arliss snapped.

Missy grumbled under her breath.

"What did you say, you little piece of trash?"

That was enough. Missy was through.

"I am getting sick and tired of the bullshit. You pretend to know everything, when all you can do is babble about nothing and act like some great master of the game! You want me to be a Hunter, fine. Then teach me to hunt and stop yanking my chain!"

Arliss looked at her, eyes flickering black…before he smiled.

"Good…very good."

Missy frowned. "What?"

"Stop…focus…" Arliss said. "Remember what you just felt…just a few moments ago. Hold onto it, don't let it go…" He closed his eyes. "What do you feel?"

"Anger…rage…frustration." Missy said.

"No." Arliss whispered. "What do you feel?"

"I said, I feel angry at you…"

"Go deeper." Nessa simply said. "How does the anger make you feel?"

"It makes me feel…angry. Enraged, boiling over." She looked deeper, focusing inward. "And…alive. Powerful…ready for action." Her eyes snapped open. "Passion."

"Try it again." Arliss said simply.

Missy drew six cards, looking at them carefully, keeping her mind focused on not anger, not rage, but passion, for want and need. To her shock, she instantly felt 10 different combos flash through her brain, connecting cards and telling her how to play them correctly.

The King of the Rare Hunters nodded. "To play this game you need one thing and one thing only: Passion. Passion born of anything, be it for desire, need, drive or even anger. People like Jaden use the light side of passion, the need to help others or for love of the game. The Hunters use the dark side of passion: The want to win, the desire for power…the thrill of the hunt.

"There is so much you will learn. This is but the first step. Soon, you will be able to see all the combos, not just with the cards in hand, but in your deck…and with your opponent." Arliss looked at Nessa. "Show her."

Nessa nodded, slipping her deck from the deckbox at her waist and quickly shuffling the cards. Placing them in her palm, she drew 5 with her other hand and looked at them carefully.

"Nessa, what combos do you see?" Arliss asked.

Silence.

"Nessa." Arliss said again, looking right at her. "What combos do you see?"

The Queen of Hunters looked over her cards, scanning them carefully, her brow furrowing as she gave them a 3rd, a 4th, a 5th look over.

"Nessa?" Arliss was startled when Nessa looked up at him, her eyes wide in fright.

"I…I can't see any combos…" She focused, closing her eyes, head shivering slightly. "The Shadow Slayer…I can't hear my KA…" She grit her teeth, and for just a moment, Arliss and Missy watched as Nessa seemed to become transparent, revealing the frightened form of Vanessa Fox, before reverting to her darker persona. "I…I can't see anything."

The Shadow Choker fell from her neck and clattered to the floor.

&&&

"He is so weird."

"He never says a word."

"Doc K thinks he's the best duelist."

"I heard he could beat Zane."

"No way, he is no where near Jaden Yuki."

"Wonder how long until Prof. Milo tries to recruit him, like he did Missy."

Brutus set down his tray and moves away from the table. Making his way out of the cafeteria, his peers leapt away, parting and allowing him to make his exit in peace. The murmuring continued, even after he had left, but even if he did care, Brutus didn't show it.

Heading out of the dorm and into the cool night air, Brutus slowly began to walk towards the forest, his mind wandering to this and that. Hands stuffed in his blazer, he gave pause at one point, looking up at the stars.

"My padre told me the stars are candles the gods light, honoring those great men and women that fall in their service." Brutus didn't even flinch as the intruder, dressed in a dark suit, red silk undershirt and wearing a fancy super thin duel disk walked up and stood beside him. "But, then again, he would know such things." He looked over at the Obelisk Duelist. "You are Brutus, no?" The large silent duelist nodded. "Good. My name is Marco Giovanni. I have been sent by a man named Sartorious…he wished to enlist your services."

Brutus merely looked away, getting ready to leave.

"As I thought." Marco said, and the muscle bound man heard a duel disk activate, causing him to turn and stare at the Italian. "In that case, Mr. Brutus, I am afraid I must request your services in a duel." Marco pulled out a gun. "And do not make me demand such a thing. It is not in our interest."

Nodding in consent, Brutus turned, catching the white duel disk Marco tossed to him. The silent duelist pulled his deck from his coat and quickly shuffled it, placing it inside.

"I assure you, Mr. Brutus, that this will be a fair duel. Normally I would scan your duel disk, discover your strategy and counter it. But tonight…since you have shown me honor, I will show you it back." Marco raised his duel disk. "My the gods smile on you."

Drawing his opening hand, Brutus held up a card, placing it on his duel disk, then summoned his Red Gadget to the field. Pulling out his deck, he quickly searched through it, and grabbed a Yellow Gadget, adding it to his hand.

Marco nodded to himself, then considered his own hand. "I will summon my Hysteric Fairy to the field, in attack mode." On Marco's side of the field, the blue haired fairy appeared, clutching her mystical book tight to her chest. "And now, I will attack your Gadget." The angel leapt into the air, summoning a ball of light and chucking it at the Gadget.

But right as the blast was to hit, Brutus tapped his duel disk, and activated his Rush Recklessly spell. The Gadget dodged the attack with easy, then unleashed its own counter attack, swinging its fists, breaking the Fairy's glasses…then its face. Grunting, Marco set one card on his field and ended his turn. (Marco- 3800)

Brutus smiled slightly as he drew his next card, setting it down on the field, before summoning the Yellow Gadget he had gotten from his deck the previous turn. Now, this gadget was getting the Green Gadget out of his deck, bringing it to his hand.

Nodding to his Gadgets, tapping his special duel disk once, then twice. the two machines raced forward, attacking Marco and sending him skidding back and feeling like he was about to cough up blood. (Marco-1300)

"good…good." The assassin said. "You are doing very well. I would expect no less from someone of your ilk. You have managed to not only take down my lifepoints, but in doing so, rid me of my key strategy. The gods smile on you." Marco placed first one card, then a second card on the field. "Sadly for you, they smile more on me. I will discard my Emissary of the Sky-Zeraeto, to bring this field spell into my hand." He took out his deck and selected the card. "I activate the Sanctuary in the Sky!"

The dorm room faded from sight, and in its place, the two duelists now stood in the courtyard of the floating kingdom of the gods. The ancient Roman structure towered all around them, clouds drifting lazily by.

"I will also activate this card: Harmony of the Planets. We each draw 5 cards, and send as many as we want to the graveyard. But, for everyone we keep, we loss 500 lifepoints, and for everyone we rid ourselves of, we gain 500." Both duelist drew the cards. "Hmm…what to choose. I believe I will send these 3 cards to the graveyard and keep these two. That will increase my lifepoints by 500. Your turn now…choose." Brutus looked over the five cards, then placed two in the graveyard. "You chose wealth over life…let us see if it pays off. Now, I will activate these two cards, which I have selected: The Goblin Thief and Poison of the Old Man." The Italian duelist grinned as the two spells activated. "Goblin Thief increases my lifepoints by 500 by taking 500 of yours. My Poison of the Old Man allows me to select Medicine or Poison…I choose Medicine, increasing my lp. And that, at last, will end my turn." (Marco-2500, Brutus-2800)

Brutus couldn't help but stare. In one turn, Marco had filled his field full of face downs and increased his lp within 300 points of his. He would have to be careful. Forced to discard three cards if he wished to draw, Brutus picked a new card from his deck. Nodded, he set two cards onto the field, then summoned a second Red Gadget onto the field. He tapped each of his monsters once, signaling them to attack. He needed to find out what exactly what Marco had drawn.

The assassin didn't disappoint.

"I will first activate Magic Cylinder, which will reflect the Green Gadget's attack right back at you!"

The cylinders converted the Green machine's attack into pure energy, then fired it right back at Brutus. The duelist let out a silent cry, before clutching his chest. (Brutus-1500)

"Next, I will activate the trap card The Rise of Rome!" The trap flashed, and Marco took out his deck. "It allows me to add one spell and one monster from my deck to my hand. Oh, and before I forget, one final card to flip: The Call of the Haunted. It will allow me to bring to the field my favorite Emissary…Zeraeto!"

On Marco's side of the field, the green winged angel appeared, flying around the Sanctuary before gliding to a stop next to the Italian duelist.

Brutus frowned. Two of the cards he had set only worked if the monster attacked him. The third, a second Rush Recklessly, would not help him now, his Red and Yellow Gadgets still too weak to take on the 2100 attacker. Forced to send his turn, Brutus would have to put his fate in Marco's hands.

The Italian duelist drew his next card. "Very good. First, I will have to say goodbye to this monster." He waved his hand at Zeraeto. "For I will activate Heavy Storm!"

Brutus' eyes grew wide as all his trap cards were blown away, as was the field spell and resurrector Marco had played. That left his Gadget's defenseless and Marco with an empty field.

"Don't worry though, I will deal with that little problem. First, I will activate a second Sanctuary in the Sky." The field spell flashed, and the two found themselves surrounded by the fortress once more. "Next, I will summon a second Zeraeto to the field!" Marco raised his eyes as the angel flew down, standing tall and proud, green wings spread. "Now, attack my Emissary!"

The Emissary nodded, rushing the Green Gadget and shattering him to bits. The last thing Marco needed was Brutus powering up the Green machine and making a run on him. (Brutus-800)

"Your little gadgets will not last another turn. Pray for your life, Signor Brutus, for you are nearing the end."

The silent duelist drew his next card, a slight smirk forming as he reached out, removing one of his Red Gadgets and a Yellow Gadget from the field. As the Holograms leapt into the air, Brutus placed the new card onto the field, his duel disk shaking.

The ground heaved up, and as the dust began to settle, Marco could make out the rusted form of a great metal dragon. Wiring and gears peaking out from the patching of the body where there were no armor plating. Where the machine's legs should have been were to gear wheels, frozen solid from centuries of rust and nonuse. The dragon's wings were rotting around, leaving the heavy dragon flightless.

Before Marco to could question what this all meant, the Red and Yellow Gadget leapt into two open spots on the machine's next, hooking into place. Their own gears beginning to whirl, the dragon's eyes lit up as it twisted, breaking free of the rust that held it firm and revealing the greenish gray metal beneath. Flapping its wings, the machine powered up completely, ready for battle.

The Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon had arrived.

"By the gods." Marco whispered, staring up in shock.

&&&

"We should have seen this coming." Mayday said. Arliss glared at her, but didn't say a word. "Her loss was bad, but it was the beating that did it. She has lost her will to duel…even if she doesn't realize it, her subconscious is to scared to pick up a deck again."

"She was doing so well…she committed to the darkness…she showed such progress with her magic…" Arliss murmured to himself. "And then Aster…damn his hide!"

Arlen shook his head. "That can not be helped. Perhaps she progressed to quickly. Without truly learning, she flew to high to the sun and burnt to a crisp."

"Quote Greek myth is my thing, Alex." Mayday said, plopping down on the stone chair that served as Arliss' throne. The three of them had gathered in the private room, one none of the other hunters knew of, to discuss what their options were now that their Queen showed such a breakdown.

Nessa had been confined to her room, occasionally reverting to Vanessa before returning. She was upset, crying, and only in the last hour has she found sleep. Now, her fate rest with her fiancé, his brother, and his brother's wife.

"She could be retrained." Arliss said. "I could begin again…I am training Missy, it would not be that big of a burden…"

"And we are left without a Queen." Arlen said. "We can not risk it…there must always be two true rulers, and Mayday and I can not take your places again. We waited long enough for you to find Nessa in the first place, and now? Now we have covers that could be blown."

Arliss gripped his head in his hands. "I don't know what to do…maybe we should wait and see…she could fight her way back…"

"No." Arlen said. "No…I am loathe to admit that…we must consider darker steps."

"Darker?" Arliss questioned, eyes flashing. "If you mention one word about killing Nessa…"

"She won't be Nessa for long. She will be Vanessa…and what happens when she decides what we did to her…to everyone…was wrong. She will turn against us, unite with Yuki and come after us!"

"Nessa would never do that!" Arliss shouted at his brother. "Vanessa would never do that!"

"If this were any other person you would let me slit their throat! Why not this wretch of a girl!?!"

Arliss was on him in a second, hand clasped around his throat. "She is my love! I would die for her and let any other die before her!"

Arlen smirked. "Good." He shoved his little brother away. "You are willing to risk everything to have her." He nodded to Mayday.

"Arlen and I have decided…and we have already voted 2 to your uncast vote: Nessa must be reforged." Arliss looked at her in surprise. "When a muscle is built up, it must be torn a little before it can be remade stronger. The same is true of our hunters. The three of us took the trials…it is time for Nessa to face the same."

Arliss' eyes went wide. "The trials…why did I not think of it…"

"Because you love her…and know the risks." Arlen said. "If she is our queen…worthy of you, the trials will make her one of us, fully and completely. Her power will match ours, her Ka will fully form…and she will be able to take her merged form."

Mayday nodded. "But should she fail…she will be lost to the darkness…"

Arliss nodded his head. "Nessa can do it…I know she can." He turned to the guardians, staring them in the eye. "Prepare the trials…I will prep her, and in a few days, Nessa will face the greatest challenge she will ever have."

&&&

"Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon." A speaker in Brutus' duel disk said. "Effects: If this card inflicts Battle Damage to opponent, inflict 400 damage to your opponent. If this card destroys monster by battle, inflict 600 damage to opponent."

Nodding to himself, Brutus tapped the Dagon Card, telling his Gadjiltron to attack. Letting out an ear splitting scream, the machine's mouth opened wide, the two Gadgets working hard to keep it running, and let fly a blast of energy, striking Marco's Emissary. The angel let out a cry as it stumbled back, eyes going dull. Before it could shatter, though, the Sanctuary flashed, and warped the angel into its hallowed halls, allowing it to die there in peace.

The same could not be said for Marco. Brutus was already tapping his Red Gadget, sending the little machine right at him, fist pumping. Marco grunted as he was hit yet again by a Gadget, causing him to take a step back. (Marco-1200)

Shaking his head violently, Marco stepped back in place, drawing his next card. Looking up to the sky, he couldn't help but smile. "Thank you Father." He whispered. He turned back to Brutus. "I will not fall this day, the gods have seen to that. Now is your end, Brutus. I will summon the mark of my lineage, of my bloodline, of my form that is to be. Behold the Agent of Force – Mars!"

Marco's duel disk exploded with energy, firing up into the sky before blasting back down, taking the form of the Agent of Force. Mars' purplish red wings extended full, his war hammer held firm as he let out a cry of rage, absorbing the energy from Marco and Brutus' lp difference, raising his attack to 400.

"And I will set this card, ending my turn." Marco replied. "Make your final move."

Brutus merely let out a silent chuckle, drawing another card before tapping his Gadjiltron Dragon. The great beast let out another roar as it began to power up, blasting glowing in its mouth before being let free.

Marco watched on, as the blasted headed right for him. Brutus wanted to go in for the final blow with the Dragon, a smart move. The Gadget was strong enough to defeat Mars if needed, but if Marco increased his monster's attack…

"You may be able to defeat one god, but against two, no mortal can stand against me! Activate trap!" Marco called out. "Aeigis of Gaia!" On his side of the field, a goddess appeared next to Mars, dressed in light green clothing, a staff in hand. Laying her palm on Mars' shoulder, her eyes flashed. "The divine goddess Gaia will now lend myself and Mars her power: 3000 lifepoints! And with that…" As the energy entered Marco, Mars absorbed the power, bellowing as his attack reached 3400. "…your dragon is doomed!"

Mars' eyes snapped open, glowing red as he stopped the Gadjiltron's blast with his open hand, batting it away. Swinging his hammer, he leapt up and smote the machine, shattering it and sending it flailing into the soft Earth. (Brutus- 400, Marco- 3400)

"And now it is my turn…" Marco said, taking a step forward. "Sartorious has infected my deck with his white magic…and when I attack, you will join with him, his mindless slave." Marco grinned. "But the power of mortals is nothing to the divine. I can easily dispel the power…if I want. So tell me Brutus…why should I let you go free?"

&&&

"And what do you see there?" Antonio asked as Vera looked over his palm. Sartorious was currently plotting his next move, and gave them time to do as they pleased. So, while they waited for Marco to finish up with Brutus, Vera had taken to trying to read Antonio's palm.

Vera pouted. "Your life line is long, but your love line is short…or your life line is short and love line long."

Antonio smirked. "Would anyone want to live if their love line was short."

"Mmm…I know I wouldn't." Vera said playfully. "So tell me Mr. Caesar…"

"Antonio."

"Antonio…you are a head priest, aren't you?"

"Yes, yes I am. To the great Lord Uranus, the exiled father of the exiled Lord Saturn, father of Jupiter. To each of the priests come gifts, but to me Lord Uranus gave the best, the gift of prophecy. This is how I know that Sartorious will achieve victory and at last banish darkness from the world."

Vera grinned. "You know…I am to be high priestess of Lady Venus one day…it might be in our best interest to…unite in alliance. The goddess of love and the god of prophecy would make strong allies…" She stood up, kicking her leg up and placing it right beside Antonio's head, leaning in closer. Antonio's eyes widened as the woman half his age pressed closer. "Don't you agree?"

"Vera!"

Vera and Antonio looked up to find Marco glaring at them both, anger flashing in his eyes, his body tense. Antonio glared back at his wayward son, while Vera looked between Antonio and Marco. She in the end stepped away from them both, undecided of which would provide her with the greater reason to join with them.

"Marco, you have returned." Antonio said snidely. "Did you fail at your task?"

"Don't ask me." He nodded his head back, and Brutus entered the room, dressed in a white blazer. He stood next to Marco, staring off into space. Antonio stood up, getting near Brutus and inspecting him.

"Well done, boy, well done. Perhaps you are not as worthless as your mother's bloodline…" Antonio's words were cut off by Brutus' meaty hand wrapping around his throat.

Marco smirked. "Did I forget to mention that I altered Sartorious' spell. While I agreed to bring Brutus to our side, I never said I would make him Sartorious' slave. No…Brutus serves me, and me alone. Threaten me in any way, through word or deed, and he will seek vengeance. Think of it as noting more then an insurance policy; as long as Sartorious continues to pay me, Brutus will serve the Society of Light." He snapped his fingers. "Brutus, put him down."

Brutus threw Antonio into a table, then stood ramrod still. Vera gave Marco a coy smile and slinked over to him, running her fingers along his chest.

"Marco…you are so smart to make Brutus our servant."

"Not us, Vera." Marco said, grabbing her hand and pulling it away. "Mine. Brutus is mine to do with as I please. You, Vera, can either benefit or face harm."

Vera frowned. Never had Marco not shared with her that which was his. It made her see red. "You would dare do such a thing to me?"

Marco leaned down. "I am not as foolish as you would believe." He snapped his fingers, and Brutus turned, marching with Marco out the door. "Antonio, tell Sartorious I have done what he has asked. If he wishes for more, he can see me at the Holst. Vera, I desire the touches of a woman, and you will do nicely. Come or I will find another who will take your bed."

Staring in shock as the young man walked away, Vera looked one last time at Antonio before running after Marco. He had the power, the strength, the skill…and a subconscious part of her was aroused by this new Marco. The Marco of old was kind and loyal, like her own puppy. This one believed him above her, Vera Amarillo.

She would enjoy teaching him his place.

Antonio slowly rose, anger boiling over as he smashed the table in two. 'Marco…you continue to disgrace me. Your day is fast approaching, and even Lord Mars will not be able to save you from my wrath! I will take your title, I will take your power, and I will take Vera all as my own! And only then will I give you the release of death!'

Next Time on G/X: Hunters- Nessa receives some tough love when Arliss traps her in the shadow realm to duel a mysterious opponent. She will only be freed when she can defeat him…but can Nessa survive long enough to beat back her fear? And what will become of her if she succeeds?

Meanwhile, when Zane is at his lowest, Anarchy and Sola will reveal their true power.

And Dr. Allen will go to any lengths to avenge his mother and James Stilton…even face the most wicked of creatures. A creature that has already bested Arlen Lockehart.

Episode 60- Intimidation Games