I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, any of its characters, etc.
This fanfiction has been rated E for Everyone.
Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, and Hiro walked into the Obelisk Blue dueling arena the next day, and the large crowd was quite a surprise to all of them.
"Wow, this is a big crowd!" Chumley exclaimed in surprise. Chumley was a large boy with a standard Slifer Red blazer, but with the red and white inverted. His hair and facial features resembled a koala.
"W-Why are there so m-m-many people? It makes me n-nervous..." Hiro looked around the room then lowered his gaze to the floor.
"Ah, Dr. Crowler believed it was a good idea for this to be a public thing. Something about motivation, he said."
Hiro looked to the stands nearest him looking for the voice he heard, and saw a man with long black hair and glasses holding a cat. He wore a white shirt, black pants, and a necktie.
The man got up from his seat and walked over to Hiro. "Hello, young man. I'm the Slifer Red dorm advisor, Professor Lyman Banner," Banner nodded towards his cat, "and this is my cat, Pharaoh. Say hello, Pharoah." Pharaoh meowed and started purring. "I'm afraid I was unable to welcome you to the Silfer dorm last night, so I just wanted to wish you luck in your duel."
"Oh, th-th-thanks, I guess..." Hiro put his hand behind his head and looked towards the floor again.
"Aw, come on, Hiro, stop being so shy about this!" Jaden shoved Hiro towards the arena. "Just get out there and get your game on!" Jaden passed him a duel disk and saw him off with a peace sign.
Hiro walked up to the arena tentatively. I wonder who my opponent is. That Dr. Crowler lady said she would take care of it personally. Hiro got in his assigned spot in the arena, and equipped and activated his duel disk, placing his cards into it.
Hiro looked across to the other side of the arena to find Crowler wearing a duel vest and sporting a smug smile.
"D-Dr. Crowler!" Hiro was not only nervous, but now confused as well.
Jaden, Chumley, and Syrus sat down next to a boy and a girl wearing a yellow and blue uniform, respectively.
"Hey, Bastion, Alexis, here to watch Hiro totally kick some butt?" Jaden was as enthused as ever.
Bastion was a boy wearing a yellow blazer with a green shirt underneath, and with black hair spiked back like a hedgehog's spines. "Hm, we'll see. I'm not quite sure he has it in him." He spoke with a British accent.
Syrus was surprised at Bastion's statement. "What do you mean? He'll do great!"
"I'm not so sure," Alexis cut in. "Look at his opponent. It's Dr. Crowler." Alexis had long blonde hair and wore a girl's Obelisk Blue uniform on, with a white and blue shirt, blue boots, and a blue skirt.
"Crowler? Oh no, this is so not lishus." Chumley looked sad as he looked down at the arena.
"Oh come one, Alexis. I faced Dr. Crowler for my entry exam, and I did just fine!" Jaden beamed with confidence for his friend.
Alexis sighed. "You can't compare this kid to you, Jaden. I doubt he's nearly as skilled as you. We don't even know if he's as skilled as Chumley."
"I would take offense to that, if I weren't so hungry." Chumley rubbed his stomach. "We dashed over here so fast I didn't get to eat breakfast."
"Chumley, you're always hungry, so you never take offense to anything." Syrus replied. "However, now's not the time to be talking about food. Hiro's stay here at duel academy is on the line!"
"Welcome, boy. I hope you are up to this, because you'll be facing up against me." Crowler activated his duel vest.
Hiro took off his glasses and cleaned them on his shirt tail, making sure to be careful around the cracks on the right lense. After he put them back on and adjusted them, he replied with confidence, "Prepare yourself, then. I won't go easy with you just because you're a girl!"
There was an awkward silence between the two duelists, and even the crowd quieted.
"A girl?" Crowler looked furious. The crowd started laughing. "I am not a girl, I am a boy-I mean a man! Nameless punk... I will defeat you! It's my draw first!"
Crowler: 4000
Hiro: 4000
Crowler drew his card, and played it. "I summon Ancient Gear Soldier in Attack Position!"
Ancient Gear Soldier
ATK: 1300
DEF: 1300
Ancient Gear Soldier was a human-sized machine, covered in rusted metal plating and with gears spread throughout its body. A gun took the place of one of its hands.
"I set two cards face-down and end my turn."
"My draw." Hiro said as he drew his card. He looked at it with a smile. "I summon Raging Flame Sprite in Attack Position."
Raging Flame Sprite
ATK: 100
DEF: 200
Raging Flame Sprite was a small boy with pointed ears and red hair. He wore a green tunic and boots, and an orange hat and pants. He wielded a staff with flame emblazoned on it.
Crowler laughed as the monster was summoned. "That card has barely any Attack Points. It has no hope of fighting my Ancient Gear Soldier."
"That's true, but I have no intention of doing that. Raging Flame Sprite can attack your Life Points directly, and each time he does, his Attack Points raise by 1000! But first, I activate the Field Spell, Molten Destruction! Now, all FIRE Attribute monsters gain 500 Attack Points, but lose 400 Defense Points."
The field slot in Hiro's duel disk opened and he inserted the card. When he did, a deep rumbling could be heard throughout the arena as a large volcano spewing lava appeared.
Raging Flame Sprite
ATK: 600
DEF: 0
"Raging Flame Sprite, attack with Raging Inferno!"
A large flame radiated from Raging Flame Sprite, then was concentrated into the staff and was shot at Crowler.
Crowler: 3400
Hiro: 4000
Raging Flame Sprite
ATK: 1600
DEF: 0
Take that, Crowler!
Hiro looked around, hearing the voice again. He ignored it and ended his turn.
"Hm. Not bad, for a rookie." Crowler drew his card. "Now, I activate the Spell Card Confiscation. By paying 1000 Life Points, I can look at your hand, and send one of your cards to the Graveyard."
Crowler: 2400
Hiro: 4000
Holograms of Hiro's hand appeared before Crowler. "Blaze Accelerator, to the Graveyard." Crowler pointed at the hologram, and it was destroyed. Then Hiro placed the card in his Graveyard.
I hate to be redundant, but... Crowler played a new card. "I activate the Spell Card Heavy Storm! With this, all Spell and Trap Cards on the field are destroyed."
A holographic storm blew through the arena, destroying Molten Destruction and Crowler's two face-down cards. "And by destroying my two trap cards, Statue of the Wicked, I can summon two Wicked Tokens to the field."
Wicked Token 1 & 2
ATK: 1000
DEF: 1000
The Wicked Tokens were golden, lizard-like creatures.
"But they won't be here for long. I sacrifice both of them to summon the legendary Ancient Gear Golem!" Crowler played a new monster and sacrificed the two Wicked Tokens. They disappeared into dust as the Ancient Gear Golem rose from the arena.
Ancient Gear Golem
ATK: 3000
DEF: 3000
Ancient Gear Golem was a massive mechanic giant, covered in metal plating with gears spinning fiercely. One of his hands was clawed, and his single eye glowed red.
"Woah. It's so powerful..." Hiro looked with wonder at the new monster.
"My turn isn't done yet. Without the power boost from Molten Destruction, your Raging Flame Sprite is now weak enough for Ancient Gear Soldier to attack! Go, with Ballistics Barrage!"
Ancient Gear Soldier shot at Raging Flame Sprite with its gun, destroying him.
Crowler: 2400
Hiro: 3800
"Now, Ancient Gear Golem, attack with Mechanized Melee!"
Ancient Gear Golem punched at Hiro directly.
Crowler: 2400
Hiro: 800
"I end my turn, though on my next I will defeat you."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Hiro drew his next card and played it. "I activate the Spell Card, Nightmare's Steelcage!"
A large cage in the shape of a dome covered the arena, sealing the two duelists in.
"With this neither of our monsters can attack for two of your turns." Hiro then placed a card face-down, ending his turn.
"Hm. A stalling tactic, but a weak move nonetheless." Crowler drew his next card without hurry. "First, I summon Ancient Gear in Attack Position, and now with one Ancient Gear face-up on my field, I can activate my Ancient Gear's ability to Special Summon another Ancient Gear from my hand!"
Ancient Gear 1 & 2
ATK: 100
DEF: 800
The Ancient Gears were small machines made almost entirely of gears and wheels. It balanced with its hands and single wheel, and its head was only a wheel.
"I'll leave it at that." Crowler said smugly.
Hiro drew another card, and gasped when he saw it. And I might have to leave this duel to this. Hiro simply summoned another Raging Flame Sprite and ended his turn.
"Again, you seem to not see what you're up against. No matter how many of those puny sprites you summon, they don't stand a chance against my Ancient Gear Golem." Crowler drew his card and laughed heartily. "And if they can't defeat one, what chance do they have of holding their own against three!"
"What? Three? What do you mean by that?" Hiro looked at Crowler's drawn card.
"You will see now! I play the Spell Card Spell Gear!"
Crowler played a card and a large gear system in the shape of a top appeared.
"With this, by simply sacrificing three of my Ancient Gear cards," the two Ancient Gears and the Ancient Gear Soldier disappeared into dust, "I can summon two Ancient Gear Golems, one from my hand, and one from my Deck. I can't Normal Summon or Set until after the end of my next turn, but that won't matter. Now that time has come!" Two more Ancient Gear Golems appeared beside his first, and Hiro gaped at the giant monsters standing before him.
Ancient Gear Golem 2 & 3
ATK: 3000
DEF: 3000
The entire audience gasped.
"There's no way he can stand up to those behemoths!" Bastian stood up in surprise as he exclaimed what seemed to be fact. "It would take a miracle for him to get out of this. Dr. Crowler is going after him with everything he's got!"
Crowler laughed maniacally, almost drowning out the audience's gasps of shock. "Now, on my next turn, all three Ancient Gear Golems will be free to attack! This game's over no matter what card you draw. You can't possibly stand against my three Ancient Gear Golems." Crowler laughed again. "It's over. You were never a match for me. Draw your last pathetic card so I can end this."
Hiro drew his card. "My deck has no pathetic cards, Crowler. But it does contain..." Hiro played the card he drew. "Incandescent Ordeal!"
"A Ritual Spell?" Crowler said in surprise.
Hiro smirked. "Yes. And a powerful one at that. I tribute the Raging Flame Sprite on my field, and the Blazing Inpachi in my hand to summon," the Raging Flame Sprites disappeared as both cards were sent to the Graveyard, "Legendary Flame Lord!"
Legendary Flame Lord
ATK: 2400
DEF: 2000
Legendary Flame Lord was a man with red hair. He wore lightweight leather armor, with a red cape and a blue hat. His staff sported a small orb of fire at its tip, and he had a slightly larger orb of fire concentrated in his hand.
Crowler's look of surprise faded as he saw the monster. "Hm? That monster doesn't have enough Attack Power to even touch my Ancient Gear Golems. What do you hope to accomplish?"
"I plan to win this duel. First, I activate the Spell Card Pot of Greed, to draw two cards," Hiro drew two cards, "but now I activate my trap, Spell Reclamation, and I chain it to my Pot of Greed! Now whenever Pot of Greed gets sent to the Graveyard, it gets brought back to my hand. And now with it in my hand again, I activate it a second time," Hiro drew two more cards. "Now I play Pot of Avarice. I send up to 5 monsters from my Graveyard to my Deck, and then draw 2 more cards."
"No matter how many cards you draw, they won't help you." Crowler just hoped that his statement was correct.
Hiro smirked again. "You're right. But I don't need any of them to defeat you now. With Pot of Greed and Pot of Avarice, both Spell Cards, played a total of 3 times, that gives Legendary Flame Lord three Spell Counters. Now I can remove them and activate his special ability, an ability that destroys all monsters on the field other then himself!"
"What? No, it can't be!" Crowler watched helplessly as Legendary Flame Lord destroyed all three of his Ancient Gear Golems with a large wall of flame released from his staff.
"Now that you're left defenseless, it's time I finished this duel! Legendary Flame Lord, attack with Incandescent Blaze!"
The orb in Legendary Flame Lords' hand started to pulse, and wave of heat rolled off it as he released it at Crowler. He screamed in defeat as he was engulfed in flame.
Crowler: 0
Hiro: 800
The crowd cheered as Hiro won.
Jaden and Syrus ran to the arena to congratulate Hiro. Chumley followed close behind saying, "Oh, not running."
Jaden was ecstatic. "Dude, you totally owned Crowler there. That was sweet! You sure know how to get your game on!"
Syrus was also really happy. "And you said you were nervous, you did great!"
"Well, it's nothing, r-really." Hiro looked at his new friends and smiled.
"You're wrong, that was an amazing duel!"
Hiro turned around to see Sheppard smiling at him.
"That duel has cemented your place here at Duel Academy for sure." Sheppard put his hand out to shake Hiro's. "Congratulations..." Sheppard paused seeing as he didn't know Hiro's new name.
Hiro reached out and shook Sheppard's hand. "Call me Hiro."
"Then, congratulations, Hiro. Welcome to the academy. Unfortunately, you will of course be starting out at the bottom in the Slifer Red dorm, but I'm sure with such great dueling skills, you'll advance further in no time."
"Thank you, Chancellor." Hiro looked at his Slifer Red blazer. "I think red's my color, anyways."
"Indeed." Sheppard turned around towards Crowler, on the floor in sadness. "Now, Crowler, we have something to discuss."
Oh, no. I went overboard with that nameless punk, and now Chancellor could get me fired, or worse! "Y-yes, Chancellor Sheppard?" Crowler got up and saw Sheppard's smiling face.
"That was wonderful, Dr. Crowler. You were so into that duel. So much passion, so much drama! If I didn't know any better, I'd really think you were trying to keep that boy out of the academy." Sheppard reached out and grabbed Crowler's hand, shaking it. "Well done."
"Why, yes, of course, Chancellor. That's what I did. Thought I'd give the students a good show."
After the duel, students started going there different ways for the day. Bastion and Alexis still stood in the stands watching Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, and Hiro talking together in the arena.
"Well now. With my calculations, I didn't think that the boy could've pulled it off." Bastion stood up to leave.
Alexis nodded and agreed. "He's quite the duelist."
"Indeed he is."
Alexis and Bastion turned around to see another boy. He had piercing eyes that seemed concentrated on everything around him. He had long dark blue hair, and he wore an Obelisk Blue uniform with the white and blue of his blazer inverted.
"Oh, hello Zane." Alexis regarded Zane with respect. "Did you watch the duel?"
"Yes, I did." Zane looked down at Hiro, still in the arena with his new friends. "And I think things just got a lot more interesting around here." Zane looked from Hiro to Jaden and back. "Again."
