Rise of the Kitsune Duelist

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh GX or Naruto.

Speaking Normally

Thinking/Duel Spirit talking

Demonic Voice

Chapter 3, New Things Every Day

It hadn't just been his cards. He did indeed have some that she'd never heard of before, but…again, it wasn't the cards. The way he played was like he was several moves ahead of her. And the feeling surrounding him, like he'd never once doubted his ability to win. Like Jaden. She had no doubts about the rumors now. He was just as good. Better, even.

"Alexis!"

"Hm?" Alexis jerked. Sitting at her desk, chin propped up in her palm, she had somehow gotten lost in her own thoughts, oblivious to the class, and that it had come to a close. Jasmine had been calling to her for a minute now and only just got her attention.

"Hey, you okay? Come on, next class."

"Oh, uh, coming."

She hadn't told the others yet. Mindy and Jasmine knew, having been there, but she hadn't told the others. Jaden, Syrus, Hassleberry, Bastian, Chazz… They would all doubtless want to hear about the mystery duelist, as, to her knowledge, she was the first in their group to face him. And she was absolutely certain Jaden and Bastian would be demanding details. The former because he was always game for a good duel, and the latter due to his intensely inquisitive nature.

The Newly Built Slifer Dorm Addition:

"Why'd you invite them over?" Chazz growled, pointing out the assemblage of Slifer's, Naruto and Jaden, and the trio of Ra's, Hassleberry, Bastian, and Syrus, sitting at various locations throughout the common area of his luxurious dorm room.

"Oh, c'mon, Chazz. You know you care."

"What I care about is the stink of loser in my room."

"That's not our doing, Chazzy-boy," Naruto sniggered. Chazz looked about ready to boil over.

"Can you guys maybe get along for a few minutes?" Alexis pleaded, exasperated.

"What's up, Alexis?" Jaden questioned, lounging on the couch. "In your email it sounded pretty important."

Crossing her arms over her chest, she paced back and forth in front of them until, finally, "Remember the gossip about the mystery duelist that started popping up towards the beginning of the semester?"

"The who?"

Alexis could have slapped herself, and, by the groans, so could a few others. Anyone and everyone had forgotten just how dense Jaden could be. He didn't listen to the local banter like the rest of them. "Some punk's been challenging students to duels and beating them, badly," Chazz supplied irately.

"I've heard he uses cards that we've never even heard of," Syrus put in.

Jaden's eyes glowed with joy.

Bastian chewed his lip as he contemplated before looking up at her. "Why do you ask, Alexis?"

"I met him." Those that had heard the rumors, sans Jaden, all suddenly leaned forward in interest at her matter-of-fact admission.

"Really?" Syrus asked, awed.

"What kind soldiers does he have in 'is army?" drilled Hassleberry. "'s he like Special Forces, or somethin'?" utilizing his ever present military jargon.

"So who is he?" Chazz questioned, using a snide tone to hide his curiosity, and irritated at someone getting more attention in the school than him.

Jaden was too busy drooling over a potential badass duel to even think up a question of his own.

Alexis huffed at the bombardment of questions. But, then, she'd expected as much. "I was pretty wound up a few nights ago, and needed to burn off all that stress. So Mindy, Jasmine, and I went looking for him, to prove if he existed or not." Okay, so maybe she'd actually dragged them along. No big difference, right?

"And?"

"He just appeared out of nowhere," she explained. "I swear it was just the three of us, and then he's there."

"What? Like "poof"?" Chazz scoffed, shaking his head.

Alexis nodded. "More or less. He was sitting in a tree."

"What does this mystery man look like?" but Bastian's question was interrupted at the end as Jaden's irrepressible nature finally got the better of him.

"Nah, skip it. How was the duel?" the hyper Slifer interrupted. Alexis rolled her eyes at Jaden.

Deciding to answer Bastian before getting to Jaden, "Six, maybe six-two. Well built. Wiry. Silver hair. Glowing eyes." She surprised herself at how much attention she'd paid to him…physically.

Syrus shivered. "His eyes glowed? Freaky."

"Come on!"

"Okay, Jaden. Okay. At first, I didn't expect much of him. When I saw he was using a first gen. dueldisk, I thought it was all a joke, but…he proved me wrong. His moves were patient, methodical, and every now and then he would throw out a card I've never heard of, with weird abilities." She gave them the play-by-play, to the best of her ability.

"So then it was only the two cards you didn't recognize?" Alexis nodded. Bastian cupped his chin contemplatively. "I think we can all agree that none of us have heard of those cards before." The others nodded. "It intrigues me that they were both kitsune monsters."

"Why's that?"

"Read more mythology, Syrus," Bastian chastised lightly before clearing his throat in preparation for what would doubtlessly be an enlightening lecture to them all. "There are countless stories and lore about fox spirits. Their cunning and wisdom are the stuff of legend." His words almost sounded like praise. Appreciation for nonexistent creatures said to live by their skill and cunning, surviving by their wits, their intelligence. To him, such was to be greatly admired. "What troubles me is the other card he used."

"Kyubi, the Nine-Tailed Fox," Alexis repeated breathily. There wasn't much mere words could do to describe being in the presence of that summoned card. Its attack wasn't too extraordinary. It was high, but… There was just something about its presence. She'd offer up the knowledge of that feeling…if she understood it herself. "It was like he could take me out at any time, but…I think he was testing me."

Chazz leaned forward in his chair, his usual arrogance exchanged for intrigued curiosity. "What about it? It's just a card right?"

Bastian looked at the former Obelisk in disappointment. Obviously, having the means to get a superior education didn't necessarily mean he would utilize it. "In mythology, Kyubi was the greatest and most powerful of demons. One of the nine tailed demons, legend describes it as a walking natural disaster, unstoppable and unavoidable."

Alexis considered for a second that the mystery duelist called himself Kyubi. Where did that fit in? She could definitely describe him as "unstoppable" by his dueling towards the end. Or was it all simply an act, using the mythical demon's name and image?

Naruto scratched his head before adding his own two cents. It would look kind of weird if he didn't appear at all interested. Leaning forward from his seat on the corner of the couch, he rested his elbows on his knees, giving them the impression that he was deep in thought. "There are a few lighter stories describing Kyubi as a guardian spirit of the forests, but most simply speak of its arrival and the destruction that followed in its wake. It's just as likely that neither are true, and, should Kyubi have ever existed, it was something else entirely. But there's no real proof for either view of it. It's all hearsay."

Jaden was visibly shaking in his seat. "I have got ta duel this guy!" he all but shouted enthusiastically. It took three of them to hold the hyper Slifer down so he wouldn't immediately go tearing out the door.

Obelisk Blue, Girls' Dorm:

It was much later that night, when the lights had gone out and most everyone else had long been abed, that Alexis was still going over the structure of her deck, searching for ways to improve it. She wanted to find a way to revamp it for opponents like Kyubi. Her old deck was good against most any opponents on the island…with a few exceptions.

Jaden

Bastian

Kyubi

Chazz, though she was loathe to admit it.

Naruto, potentially.

And, maybe even Syrus someday soon.

Each could stand a decent chance against her deck.

But she wasn't threatened by that. Oh no, this was a challenge. Her loss to Kyubi, while not on the books, still bolstered her resolve to get stronger. At the very least, she would design a spare deck to beat Kyubi.

Not Too Much Later:

Alexis typed the name into the search engine she usually frequented.

Kyubi…

There were a few choices, mostly advertising and a few mythology websites. There was even a posting by a student from Duel Academy. She clicked on that, but was back to the search a minute later as there was nothing new. She had been hoping it would be easier than this, but she wasn't about to give up.

Clicking on one of the mythology sites, she was brought to a page detailing the mythology of kitsune in general.

Tricksters and thieves, they were renowned for their intelligence and cunning. Conversely, they were sometimes considered to be the wisest of creatures. Guardians of the forests, they watched from the sidelines as humanity emerged.

Getting near the end, she came across a rather…pertinent…foot note. It detailed that, in most tales, kitsune would gravitate to certain individuals. Some who the kitsune simply found interesting, or, sometimes, those it was attracted to.

For a brief moment, that latter bit flashed through her mind and she blushed lightly. Shaking her head, she continued.

As if to purposely frustrate her, there was a small bit detailing the…sexual nature of kitsune. Sometimes promiscuous, those that they did bond to were considered to be quite lucky, though exceedingly rare.

Clicking on the link to the legend of Kyubi, she was taken to a new page.

There were actually many depictions, ranging from old paintings and mosaics all the way up to current pieces of art and doodles.

What continued to irk her with every passing second was the hearsay nature of ever single page.

There was really only one source to find out the truth about the duelist Kyubi…

It took a few days, but she was satisfied enough to take her new deck out for a test drive.

Though it had been difficult what with the drama surrounding Jaden. That Aster had been a real ass on television. There wasn't a one of them who didn't know, flat out, that Jaden was the one who really rocked the Elemental Heroes. Well, that set anyway. Worse, or at least more annoying, Jaden didn't seem bothered at all at the slanderous remarks toward him. Instead, he was enthralled by the heroes he'd never known or considered before. Sometimes…she really wanted to slap him. Just to try and see if it would knock some sense into him.

Still…in his final remark, the jerk had announced that he'd be returning to Duel Academy. She couldn't wait to take a piece out of his hide for being such an…such an asshole, allowing herself to slip just a little.

And if she was holding Kyubi as the standard, she knew her deck would be more than enough to kick him in the ego.

She slid the cards back into their holster. With what little she knew from just the one duel, she'd made a few changes in the structure, actually finding and improving a few weak points. Grabbing her dueldisk, she walked out of her room, cautiously slipping out of the dorm.

Getting caught would get her no answers.

She started off where she'd met him the first time, but the tree he'd been occupying was vacant. Waiting for nearly an hour, she was sorely tempted to head back. Late as it was, it was almost early. She couldn't be at her best in classes if she was half asleep. Frustration gnawing at her patience, she prepared to stomp back to her dorm room in disappointment.

"Ah, good evening." Looking to the side, she saw him. Kyubi. Different than before, he was decked out in a normal t-shirt and jeans, but the mask remained. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I wasn't expecting anyone tonight."

"Yet you're here anyway," she retorted, feeling some vindication for her resolve to wait him out.

"Well, when a stunning young woman enters the forest so late at night, she's either a wiccan…or she's looking to duel the great and awesome Kyubi." Nothing. "Really? Not even a chuckle? A smile?" Kyubi groaned before massaging his left temple. "Okay, okay. I get the message."

A Little Over Two Hours Later:

She stomped back to her dorm room.

What did it take to beat this guy?

She was certain her deck was better. Then again, it had to be. If it hadn't been any better…he wouldn't have brought out any of his other unknown cards. One more. And she'd taken a larger chunk out of his life points too, while retaining more. So she'd improved. Just…not enough.

Kitsune Knight, Aspect Light…

But she'd managed to get him to talk a little. At least, more than in the last duel.

A Few Days Later:

"Guys! Guys! Have you heard?" Syrus practically broke the door down to the Slifer dorm cafeteria. Throwing himself into the room, he almost knocked Chazz over.

"Hey! Watch it, dork!"

The miniscule former Slifer paid little mind to the ragging, provided he even heard it to begin with. His eyes, shining as they were, spoke of blind excitement. Looking at his friends, he unburdened himself. "Industrial Illusions just announced the release of a new series of cards this week!"

Jaden's eyes shot wide. "Really? Sweet!"

"All right!" Hassleberry crowed. "Private! Tell me, are they dino cards? I been waitin' for some new soldiers for a while now."

Finally seated, Chazz rolled his eyes at them. Sure, new cards were a big deal, but that was no reason to act like a little kid about it. Sniffing at their infantile reactions, he haughtily tucked into his rice and battered shrimp.

"So, what's the deal, Sy?" Jaden questioned after they'd all calmed down enough to allow the diminutive Ra the chance to catch his breath and take a seat.

"Chumley sent me an email about an hour ago," Syrus explained. "He couldn't say much, but he did manage to let out the name of the series."

"Spill, soldier."

"The pack. It's called Powers of Old," he replied, closing his eyes and taking a sagely pose.

Anticlimactic.

"That's it?" Jaden questioned. "But…that doesn't tell us anything."

Chazz scoffed. "No, duh. Pegasus wouldn't let anyone know what the pack was about if he didn't want to."

"It wouldn't surprise me if he let your friend send the email," Naruto offered over a forkful of broccoli and rice. "You know, stir up the rumor mill? Get the crowd worked up and sell more cards that way." Of course, he already knew about the pack. Quite a few of the cards had been of his own design. This series of cards would be a tribute to the spirit of his world.

Chazz nodded sagely, as if the idea met his approval.

Seriously, that boy needed to be humbled…continuously, until the message set in.

Duel Academy, the Northern Forest, 1:58AM:

More than once, he'd wondered about the island. Boring subject? Less so than you'd think. It fascinated him, the number of spirits in residence. Did they manifest there? Were they attracted by the duelists? Is it possible they'd been there even before the school had been built? Questions for thought.

He'd casually asked about the oddities that he'd heard went on on the island in the past. That's when he'd learned of the late Professor Banner, head of the Slifer dorm when he'd been around. He'd wondered about that. They were the only dorm without a head. But none of that was as grudgingly annoying as the fact that, according to what he'd learned, most of the questions about duel spirits and the island itself could've been answered by him. Chalk it up to poor timing.

He didn't go out at night just to duel opponents he saw potential in. He also idly explored the island, and not just geographically. He found the abandoned dormitory easy enough. The barrier between worlds was decidedly thinner there. Or, perhaps it would be more accurate to describe it as more malleable. Regardless of his understanding…that place sent his skin crawling.

Most recently, there was the well where students discarded unwanted cards.

It wasn't really all that spectacular, just a hole in the ground ringed by a lip of stacked cobblestone. Curious, he climbed onto the edge and, bypassing the ratty ladder, fell into the abyss.

Drip…

Drip…

Drip-lop…

Drip…

Silver eyes glinted brightly, cutting through the darkness. True to form, he found many cards scattered around, most of them being unpopular, thus why they were tossed. "Ooh, don't have you," he chirped picking up one in particular and wiping it off. Slipping it in a pocket, he continued on. There was a distinct feeling…

"This place has known a great many spirits," Terra Firma offered, preferring speak instead of forming completely. Never one to waste, him. But that definitely explained the feeling. It was synonymous with the energy of a duel spirit, but in numerous numbers long faded.

"…Chazz," he remembered.

"Indeed. Though it would appear that there are still spirits in residence." Eyebrow cocking, he scanned the dank surroundings. It was almost pitch black, to anyone else, but even for him it was fairly dark. There. A crevice in the rock wall, secluded from the rest of the cave by a remaining pool of water, possibly the last vestige of the original well's source. Over the distance, he could make out a dim glimmering from within, and, now that he knew to look, he could sense it as well. Soles crunching and squishing through the murky pockets of water, he crossed over until, coming to the pool, he stepped out and onto the surface.

Water walking…gotta love it.

It was a gash in the rock. By its odd formation, he guessed that long ago flowing water had worn away at the wall, grazing an air pocket. Kneeling before the hole, he was rewarded with the sight of a feebly glowing light. "Good evening?" trying to sound cheerful. The light jerked before brightening.

Had it been dormant, sleeping?

"You can see me," the light chirruped, startled.

"Well…yeah," he affirmed. He backpedaled as the light floated over and out. Standing back up, the light hovered around his head, bobbing around. "Why didn't you leave with the others?"

"They left with the grumpy boy, when he came for cards," the light answered.

"Where's your card?"

"…I don't have one," it answered meekly, shyly.

"You don't have one?"

"It is possible that there is simply no card here," Terra Firma suggested.

It was true, he'd come to realize, that often times a card acted as an anchor for duel spirits. Not that that was the end of it. It was all rather complex and technical. Meaning that this spirit had no anchor. He supposed that existing with our without was a matter of preference. Yet he felt an ambient loneliness. "Who are you?" Radiating a sense of weak, but increasing, joy at having company, the light grew, shifting.

Speaking chiefly from the male libido…bad idea.

She was beautiful. Excruciatingly cute, but beautiful. Dressed in a robin's egg blue outfit, shoulder-less and with a pink tutu-like bottom, she bore also a pair of blue, pink lined, vambraces, blue knee-high boots, a gold and blue scepter, and a hate composed of cascading segments in the shape of a cone over her bright blonde hair.

Okay, even a rookie duelist would recognize her.

"…Huh," he managed, impressed. "Dark Magician Girl. Didn't see that coming." Letting off a bubbling giggle she floated around him.

"I'm surprised," she openly confessed. "There are very few people who can see spirits." But her happiness was strained, forced.

"How long have you been down here, alone?" he asked.

"…A while," she replied touchily.

"And no one came to get you? You never went looking for a duelist partner?"

Shrugging, her cuteness reaching new heights, "My card isn't very common. The price of fame," she explained sadly, but trying for humor. "None of the students have ever had one." But it was more than just the card. It was also compatibility that drew the spirit's attention. "I could leave when there was enough energy, but never for very long, and then I'd have to come right back. I used to have company," she looked around the cave, "But then the grumpy boy came and took all of the cards here with him, and the other spirits went with him. It's…been a while since I've had anyone to talk to," she admitted, floating around a little. Stretching her legs as it were.

Terra Firma knew the boy well enough already to see the signs. Her story had gotten to him, plucking his proverbial heartstrings. Which would lead to only one thing. Such was just one of the attributes of character that had garnered his attention to begin with.

"Do you want to leave this place?" he asked her directly. Dark Magician Girl blinked owlishly.

"But I have no card," she reminded, excusing the proposal.

"Something that can always be remedied," he countered assuredly. He could see the spark in her eyes. The very moment he'd made the offer, her eyes had glowed at the thought of freedom. He could also see her near panicking urge to nod, but was silently pensive.

As if to goad her into accepting, or maybe to assuage her doubts, "A spirit may gravitate to a duelist regardless of a card," Terra Firma reminded. Naruto nodded. "Though such is usually a matter of compatibility and permission." Big blue eyes sought his silver ones.

"It's fine with me," he answered affably, an amiable grin adorning his face. And he wasn't alone in that. Her gleeful smile was enough to make his week.

Nearly A Day Later:

Unlike Terra Firma who appeared only when needed, she floated around him, bubbly and full of life. It reminded him of the old days, but…then again, he'd been obnoxious whereas she was cutely so. Her eyes were almost always wide as she flitted around, taking in the sights around them. She'd been out close to a year ago, but being stuck in that cave for so long had only made her more eager to see…everything, no matter if she'd seen it before.

She would mostly stick close to him, but that didn't stop her from exhibiting her trademark enthusiasm. While he sat in class, trying not to drop off, she was buzzing around him, floating around the class. He knew Jaden could see spirits, having one, but it was with silent gratitude that he found his fellow E. Hero user to be either several people away, or simply asleep.

"Why's he so grumpy?" she asked him quietly. "He looks funny." He tried not to smile, let alone laugh outright, at her private comments towards Professor Crowler as he lectured.

She needed a card though. That is, he felt she deserved one. But looking it up, just to be certain, he was made again aware of just how prized some of the monsters used by one Yugi Muto had become. Fortunately…he might have a way to fix that. After all, he had the ear of the card game's creator.

Industrial Illusions (Less than two days after Naruto's foray into the well, and two days before the new pack is released):

The intercom on his desk beeped dully. Depressing the button, "What is it, Gerald?" he asked, sighing at the expected little nuisance coming his way. That was usually the case when he was called. Why, oh why, did no one ever just call to tell him something interesting, something fun.

"Sir, there's a video call for you on the secure line."

It was a toss-up. What did he hate more? Being interrupted when he asked not to be, or being stuck at his desk taking care of the monotonous little tasks of running his company. Oh, but to be out there, right now, dueling… Sighing, he shoved the latest progress report aside before reaching over and taking up the glass of wine that had helped him along, a guilty pleasure that he allowed himself.

He could afford to. After all…he was the boss.

But a video call on the secure line? There were only a handful of people who had that number. All of whom were…interesting. Kaiba had it, but then he liked to antagonize the young man so. Little Yugi had it, but he never called. There were a few others, but… "By all means, put it through," he insisted. The videophone on his desk came to life, and he was quite thrilled to see his latest discovery on the other end.

"Pegasus."

The game creator smiled broadly before leaning back in his highbacked chair, feet propping on the edge of his desk. "Well well, if it isn't my latest business partner. How are you, Naruto-boy? I was so hoping you'd stay in touch."

Unless things were dead serious, that man never was. He'd noticed that the man could just talk and talk, unless steered. "I have a favor I need to ask." Cocky smirk turning into a wicked grin, the platinum blonde.

"A favor? Of moi?"

"I need you to find something for me: a card."

Mood killer. "Is that all?" Pegasus pouted. "And I had such aspirations for you, Naruto-boy."

"It's for a friend."

"Naruto-boy, I expect more interesting things of you," Pegasus chided, head shaking in disappointment. "A card? That's all? I make so very many. Is it at least a very extraordinary card?"

"My friend is very attached to that card. Like a kindred spirit." Pegasus blinked his sole visible, not to mention existing, eye. Was he hinting at what he thought he was?

"A friend, you say?" he inquired, curiosity reinvigorated.

"A very special friend," the enigmatic teen emphasized.

Pegasus beamed, breaking into a wide grin. Clear his books, he had something more entertaining to do instead of work!

Two minutes of explanations later, the line going dead, Pegasus was practically giddy.

My, my, Naruto-boy, but you do know how to make things exciting, don't you?" falling just shy of giggling. A fascinating development, this. To think that he would attract such…memorable parties.

The original Elemental Heroes…and now…

He couldn't help the mirthful laughter now.

Thoughts of looking for existing copies of the sought after card were immediately trashed. The card was rare, true, but not terribly so. No, his reason was simple: the card he needed would have to be special, as was the heavily emphasized term of the night. He felt that all-too-familiar thrill. The energetic surge that came with serendipitous inspiration. Jumping right up from his seat, he bounded out of his office, throwing himself out the doors. "Hold all my calls for the rest of the day. I don't care who they're from," he ordered. "I'll be in my office in R &D," too enthralled in his mental designing to even note the words of his assistant.

No, he had visions coming to him.

He would make the card perfect.

He wasn't really aware of the trip between his office and his workspace in the card studio. Creative juices flowing, he'd rolled up his sleeves and started work, not caring the slightest for his pomegranate red suit.

Duel Island, Saturday Morning, 9:31AM (Two days after Naruto contacts Pegasus):

"BAM!BAM!BAM!"

"WHAM!"

"######!"

"THUMP!"

"Uuuunnnnn."

"Naruto! Are you there?"

Sprawled on the floor, his sheets were tangled around his legs, but he was focused on the throbbing goose egg on his crown. He'd been seriously under. So much so that the sudden knocking had sent him face-first into the solid wood frame of the bed above his. Ouch. But he fought through the pain. Instead, the kind of glare he was sending should've sent the door up in flames just for the sin of being between him and the potential corpses on the other side.

"Get up, dude! You gotta move!"

"Urge to kill…rising," he grumbled, almost snarling.

Tinkling giggles reminded him that his room of one was hardly that. Floating over him, Dark Magician Girl beamed down at him, hands over her mouth so as not to burst into open laughter. "Aw, you know they're good people," she teased soothingly.

Brow arching, "And Syrus?" It was fair play. She'd told him about the last time she'd managed to leave the cave for a breath of fresh air. It had only been possible because of an island-wide costume carnival. The high spirits had provided enough ambient energy for her to take form and participate. He knew it was still a touchy subject, and regretted it just a little at her weak pout.

"Yes, I suppose he is," she admitted, taking the higher road. When she'd mentioned him, he'd managed to get the story out of the group about the festival, and Syrus' not-so-secret crush. Former crush. The diminutive teen had apparently given up on his card crushes after accidentally getting flashed over the summer. The highlight of his vacation, it had ruined him for anything less than a real girl. Something that, ironically, he was still to shy and nervous to even try for.

"Narutooooo," Syrus whined through the door.

Still rubbing his aching skull, "What?" he snapped loudly, holding back as much venom as he was able in his compromised physical and mental state.

"Hurry up, man, or you're gonna miss it!" Jaden's voice broke in.

Groaning, he stumbled upright, kicking the sheets from around his leg. Pulling on a shirt over his boxers, making himself barely presentable, he stomped for the door. DMG faded out. If Jaden was there, then she could be seen, and, for now, that was something they didn't need to know yet. "By the God cards, what?" ripping the door open and baring down on them.

Syrus looked about ready to clock him. "What do you mean "what"?" he contradicted, spluttering in exasperation. "Don't you remember? Today's the day the new pack comes in," talking to him like he was a four year old, irony being that he, himself, looked like one. "We've got less than an hour! If we don't get there in time, we might not get any. We'd have to wait a whole 'nother week for the next delivery!" New cards were a big thing on the island.

"Oh, hey, and, dude, you got some snail mail earlier," Jaden informed, pulling an envelope from his back pocket. "Who's…Jiraiya?"

The blonde teen went unnoticeably rigid. Oh. That letter.

The letter had been a way for Pegasus to contact him. He was the sole person in this world that knew who he was, so he left a contact in case it was absolutely necessary. He considered the use of Jiraiya's name as poetic, what with the sannin's oddness compared to that of Pegasus.

A little manipulation, some misdirection, a helping of sleight of hand…and he had a fairly bulletproof explanation for his new card. A rerelease added to the new series as a simple…bonus. Not obscenely rare, but infrequent enough so that the card's mystique would remain. Hell, as a "just in case," Pegasus had packaged the card in a pack. Had Jaden actually paid any attention, he'd have noticed that the person who'd dropped off the letter wasn't the mailman, but the courier who'd dropped off the new series of cards.

"Is that it? Is it? Is it?" DMG ranted from the very moment he'd got away from prying eyes. However, given that he'd needed to let a number of people know he'd gotten the card in order to ensure that fewer questions were asked down the line, that meant for such a conversation he had to be alone. Appearing as a thumb sized ball of light, hovering over his shoulder, she watched avidly as he pulled out an opened pack of cards. Slipping the cards out, he flipped through until the desired card was found.

"It's beautiful," she cooed dreamily, transparent form coalescing from the light.

"Well…it is you," he reminded. Her semi-transparent cheeks flushing brightly. And it was her, but, unlike the original, this picture was altered. Wand in her right, that same hand was on the brim of her hat, as if to pull it down over her eyes, her left hand extended in a victory sign, and winking broadly while smiling. In his eyes, the image fit her personality to a t.

He had just the place for her card, too. She was perfect for his E. Hero deck as one of his very few spellcasters.

Regardless of this string of positives, he felt something off on the wind, figuratively speaking. His instincts were telling him trouble was looming on a very close horizon.

"Hurry up, dude, or you'll get left!" Jaden warned from the outside, reminding him of his surroundings.

AN/ While in truth I know that there will always be critics, I hope this latest chapter is enjoyed. Times are still rough, so, while I am writing more again, I am too frazzled to be really sure on quality at the moment.

This chapter is priarily filler, and character and event development. Next chapter will have more dueling, some original, and some not-so-original.

Next Time: A New Breed of Hero (not the real title, just the time frame of content) and The Coming of the Nine (working title; one guess)