AN: My story's getting kinda...weird and I'm going for a summer vacation. Soooo...I won't be having much of an update...T.T i'll miss you guys( even if it's just for a week or three). LOL. I'm overreacting. Well, fasten your seat-belts and get ready for a long and rocky update~

XxxxxxX

The bright morning sun came as usual. All students were 'ordered' to come to the gym first thing in the morning. They were assembled from Slifer Red to Obelisk Blue and from freshmen to seniors. It was a clean cut with some dirt like the group in the farther left. Attendance wasn't also perfect.

"Jaden isn't here again?" Manjoume said. Already getting used to the 'appear and disappear' act.

Kenzan was still on Jaden's defense. "I guess he needs a rest from the trip –don."

Johan came out of nowhere. "He's not an early bird right? So give him some time, mkay?"

"Yeah. Don't jump to conclusions." Asuka tried to be indifferent.

Sho didn't bother to answer. What could he say anyway? After their merry reunion on the rooftop they went separate right after. 'Aniki….'

The students suddenly went silent. "Here he comes."

Cobra was intimidating now that he had unshared news. He walked to the middle of the stage like it was the most simplest thing. Every step he made came like earthquakes to their pounding hearts.

"As I had mentioned yesterday, I shall explain the purpose of the bio-bands." As soon as he stopped, the monitor flashed the picture of a bio-band with statistics for its purpose.

"The bio-bands will collect data, fighting spirit, concentration and the decisions of the player that wears it." He gets one from his pocket and shows it. "All of you shall wear it for the Survival Duel I had in store for you."

"Survival Duel?"

"What's that?"

"Some kind of event or something?"

They were buzzing out the words Survival Duel. Obviously, one part of the phrase sounded intimidating. It meant that only one group or a certain individual must come to the top or at least cross the finish line for whatever event was stored.

"From now on you shall all duel regardless of your colour!"

The thing he just said was a grenade for the Slifer Red students with exception to one. Now they have to face a war named Survival Duel. Though the two colours were having a blast.

"Sounds interesting~"

"We'll show them who the boss is."

"But-" Of course, the 'but'. He said it with a climax aura. "For those who score low will not be able to continue. In other words," All the attentions and gulps were pointed to him. "they will be 'kicked-out' of the Academy!"

"Eh?!" Sho exclaimed. He was already an obelisk at the start of his 3rd year. He shouldn't need to worry since he's already an elite. Though due to this new title, he became self-conscious; always asking himself whether he was worth an 'elite' tittle. He knows for himself that he's a scaredy cat 'til now.

"Again the kick out. He sure likes the word." Manjoume was laid back. If one thing is for sure it'd be his arrogance. He knows he won't be one of the losers. He won't be one for the second time. Or maybe most of the time.

Johan was paying attention at other things. Like the Slifer Red with brown hair looking on Cobra so intently while leaning on the iron bars just before the audience seat. 'What's that guy thinking…?'

Jaden could have killed Cobra if not melt him with a stare. Though killing him wasn't in his mind in the meantime. 'First the bio-band and now a survival duel.' He smiled as he rested his head on his palm. 'If it was the old me I'd be more than happy to duel.' A deep sigh was cultivated. 'Sometimes I wonder if change is a good thing.'

"Now that everything has been set." The ex-militant did a chest-out and shouted his final message. "LET THE SURVIVAL DUEL BEGIN!"

XxxxxxxX

The roof top of the academy was as windy as it could get. The sea breeze ran pass the pillars. The sun was in hot orange as it set right in front of the academy. It created a shadow of two men standing erect at the edge of the platform. It showed a largely built body with hands behind its back. The other was shorter with the same build and pose.

"O'Brien." Cobra called out to his subordinate. "I called you here for a mission."

The Private listened closely. He didn't want any word slipping past his ears. "I want Jaden Yuki as your first opponent in the survival duel. Make him play seriously and gauge his fighting spirit. Do you copy?"

"Sir, yes sir!" He stood still as he accepted his first mission in duel academy.

"Good." Cobra turned to the exit and so did his lackey. They're compatible to each other. Same soldier antics, same serious faces. It felt like they were similar poles that would repel in due time.

As soon as they went down, another shadow appeared just after a pillar's silhouette.

"Kurikuri….." Winged Kuriboh casted a losing-puppy face.

"That guy must like me so much." Jaden was laughing softly to his partner. 'Make me play seriously huh….' He tilted his head to gaze at the red-orange sky. 'I wonder what for.'

XxxxxxxX

The transfer of the overseas students were already done. They all settled at the obelisk's castle-like dorm. Currently, the only one among the overseas that was in his room was Amon Garam.

He opens a black attaché case with scanner-like components and a little radio for communicating for only a distance of 10km. He gets the telephone-like radio without a dial.

"Cogito Ergo Sum." Amon said like it was a password meant for the ears of the receiver. A beep was confirmed and the attaché case lit green like it went online.

"Check this one." He placed his own bio-band at the scanner. Just like a retina scan, a laser skimmed its way through the bio-bands whole body. An instant order from him was reported to the other side of the line. Mainly to a black submarine of unknown origins just beside the academy island. "How was it?"

At the submarine, a typing sound of a keyboard was in play. It was supposed to be pitch black inside if it weren't for the monitor. A woman with a captain's hat and dark-green captain outfit was typing out codes. "The elements that made the band are indestructible. Nothing's abnormal." She typed more and stopped. "Except that it absorbs energy at a certain level." She played with the locket that hanged on her neck.

"Energy absorption, huh." Amon looked at the band from top to bottom.

"Don't take your eyes off Cobra." The girl captain warned him at the phone.

"Yeah, got it." He hanged the phone right back to the case. 'I have to know what that guy's planning.' He held the bio-band tightly. If it weren't indestructible, it would have been broken.

He grabbed a brown mantle and went out of his room, banging the door shut.

XxxxxxxX

Sho was looking down on earth. His slumped back was enough of a symbol that he was depressed. Johan on the other hand was so relaxed that anyone could think he was immune to problems.

The eye glassed obelisk student sighed in depression. 'What should I do? I won't survive a week at this rate.' He looked at Johan with envious eyes.

"Hey, are you sure Aniki is here?" He was pouting.

He rested his head to his hands. "Yep, I saw him at the meeting earlier so he should be walking home this way."

Both of them were walking in a forest just beside a cliff. Their team-up looked awkward. It showed how short Sho was and how different they were.

"Ah." Johan pointed a finger on a direction. "There he is."

Sho sighted his big bro walking nearer to the cliff than they were. Now that he looked closely, Jaden had a gun disk Sho had never seen before. 'Why does he have that even though he has a duel disk?' It was dangling on his right hip that he could see it pretty well. His jacket was different from the academy issued one. It had a hood that wasn't in the uniform.

"Hey Jaden!" Johan waved his hands as he called for him.

Jaden heard him and spotted their position. He was feeling undeniably exhausted even though after all the sleep.

The obelisk students came running to him. Jaden knew that they weren't here for a duel.

"This guy was looking for you." Johan pointed a thumb to Sho. His head was still down.

"You weren't with the others?" Jaden expected them to be a group which he wasn't looking forward to seeing. He has his reasons as to why he was avoiding them.

"No…" Sho downed his head further. He can understand that he was sidestepping them.

Jaden stared at Sho who he obviously sees as a depressing boy. He smiled trying to lift his mood. "What's the problem? You seem downer than the usual."

Sho doesn't know where to begin stating his problems. Should he start with Jaden changing overtime? How depressed he is about the survival duel? How reality can be so harsh? How cruel Jaden was to leave them, his friends, hanging? How he got those Evil Heroes?

"What should I do with this survival duel?" He didn't ask the question that was the root of all his queries.

Jaden just stared. He knew the answer as soon as he asked but he didn't like spoon-feeding people. 'Maybe a hint can help.'

"Climb to the top." It sounded like he was brushing him off. "It's 'survival' after all." And he acted like it. He walked like he was talking to air. "If you're weak, then you'll be a stepping stone for the strong."

"Jay.." Johan felt like what he said was too punitive. Not much of an advice.

"You've really changed, Aniki. All the years we've been through felt like nothing." Sho made a knuckle and dipped his head. "Just what happened to you in the last two months?!" He yelled the question he wanted to ask.

Jaden stopped his tracks. "That's none of your business." The deep tone always sounded so lonely like he was isolated for a long time.

Sho let a tear flow in his cheek. "How could you say that?! Weren't we friends?!" He ran through the woods. Eyes covered with an arm.

"Sho!" Johan tried to stop him. "Wasn't that too harsh?"

"Not the slightest." Jaden continued to walk towards the dorm with a blank expression. He wasn't guilty for anything. "You should also stop following me you know?"

Johan wanted to punch Jaden off the bat so that he'd wake up from his 'I'm-alone' world. 'No. There must be some sort of reason.' He calmed his hand as he sees Jaden heading to the Slifer Red Dorm. He followed thinking he could get an answer.

XxxxxxxX

Amon was on spy errand. The target of his eyes was a Cobra walking towards the SAL lab. Amon was behind a tree like any other spies would do.

He saw Cobra enter. The mechanical doors opened like it was a sensory type door. But as soon as Cobra entered, it closed. So much for sensors.

'Shit!' The cue Amon had was gone. He went to the closed door head on. He hit it hard with his fist. 'Damn!' A bang on the metal doors reverberated.

When Amon went pass the woods, he unknowingly activated the SAL lab's security camera. The cam videoed him banging the doors.

Cobra saw everything. "Amon Garam. Not much of a threat." He turned to his gigantic lava lamp with a smile. "It seems that Jaden has more duel energy compared to the rest."

The cylindrical contraption had yellow-orange orbs floating in it. "I'm looking forward for his cooperation."

XxxxxxxX

The day became night. Sho was as depress as Jaden left him to be. A proof to this was his stone-kicking every time he thinks deeply. 'What should I do? Aniki won't help me anymore.' He still hasn't realized that it was already night time.

He paused for a moment. 'He said to climb up but he knows I'm one of the weak ones that gets trampled.' He thought of Jaden's little hint. And the 'buzz-off' attitude he had. '….Jerk.'

"That's it! I'm going to duel the first person I see!" He was stomping hard on the ground as he was pushing the bushes in front of him. He was angry at the whole world… and Jaden.

The bushes were finally gone. He was in an open field. There was a tree in the verge of falling from the cliff and a man resting near the said tree.

O'Brien woke up as soon as he heard the rustles of the plants. He glared at the obelisk geek.

'Hiiii!' Sho was terrified. 'Austin O'Brien! Why him?!' He said he'd duel the first person he sees. It could have been worse. 'No! I have to stand-up for myself!'

"Duel me!" He sounded like a steel chord that was plucked wrongly.

If O'Brien wasn't a soldier, he could have laughed. "Marufuji Sho. Kaiser Ryo's little brother."

"Erp-" It felt like he swallowed a fly. Hearing his brother's name came like a wakeup call. "That's right. What about it?"

"Also a best friend to Jaden Yuki." He added a little sore note.

Jaden's name was like a taboo to him earlier. 'I won't be like him who throws friends to the side-lines.'

"Indeed." Sho regained composure. He felt proud of what he's done.

In a flash, O'Brien was behind him. "Is that so?" He said with a low volume.

'Eh?!'

O'Brien was up to no good. He knocked Sho down with a chop to the neck. He tied him up with wires and suspended him on the tree with his training device.

'Now to wait for Jaden Yuki.' He held Sho captive as an invitation for Jaden.

XxxxxxxX

Johan was sitting alone on the floor. Looks like Jaden ran away with the excuse: "I'm going for a bath." Because of that, he was left arranging his Gem Beast deck.

"Aniki!" A wild roar from a dinosaur came raging to the door.

"Taking a bath." Johan shuffled his deck like he wasn't surprised by the sudden shouting and banging of doors.

"Oh, is that so?" Kenzan's expression was innocent. "I guess I'll wait then."

He sat on the floor just in front of Johan who was now laying down his cards.

"So that's the Gem Beast Deck." He wasn't acting amazed. "Pretty cool. –don"

"Thanks." Johan was busy inserting cards to reply fully.

"Hey! How 'bout putting some power-up cards? –saurus" Kenzan was inserting cards like Axe of Despair and Beast Fangs.

"Rubibi!" The Carbuncle was hissing.

"Hey, stop that!" Johan caught Kenzan's hands. Now they were wrestling while avoiding to trample on the cards.

The door swung open. Jaden had a towel hanging on his neck. His black tank top was dry without a drop of water. "What are you guys doing?"

Kenzan was on top of Johan as he strangled him. It was….a nice picture.

Both of them untwined their wrestling pranks and went to shouting. "He did it first!" They sounded like kids.

The babysitter sighed. "Just get back to your dorms will you?"

"No can't do, Jay."

"Sorry but I have some questions for you, Aniki."

Jaden can't dismiss their seriousness at this rate.

"Kurikuri!"

"Rubibi?!"

The spirits' growls were offensive.

Jaden grabbed his red coat. 'Every. Single. Time!' He was getting pissed. "Where is he?" He put the coat on.

"Kuri!" Winged Kuriboh flew towards the door. The teen followed furiously.

"Wait! What happened?" Johan stopped him with a grasp to his shoulder. He could see but he can't understand under normal circumstances.

"Sho was kidnapped by our soldier friend." Jaden sounded violent and brushed Johan's hand away.

He ran for a momentum and jumped right from the second floor of the Dorm. He landed with his right knee and left foot. 'So this is how they want me to play seriously.' His knuckles sounded like bones being dismantled. 'Fine. I'll play their little game.' He smiled even with the current situation. 'MY way.' He didn't think it was an intimidating threat but he was pissed and thrilled at the same time.

"Whew~" Kenzan whistled away. "Aniki sure is in high spirits."

"You think he is?" Johan ran out of the room as fast as he could.

"Saurus." Kenzan nodded and followed suit.

It's Déjà vu. Except for Kenzan being there and the kidnapping part.

Jaden was already there. Of course the glaring was normal. "What are you playing at?"

"A duel." O'Brien lifted his gun disk.

"Did that Sensei of ours ask you?" He didn't need to ask. He knew who ordered him. He just wanted to hit back. Especially on camera.

"What?!" Cobra from behind the security cam reacted. Bull's-eye.

O'Brien retained the cool demeanour. "Get your duel disk."

"Don't get the wrong idea, military dog." His hot tongue was on fire. "That guy made the mess for himself thus he should clean it." He knew Sho was knocked out and tied up at the edge since his partner told so. Because of the rough play, he was not in the mood for negotiations.

Jaden was taking his step one by one. "Wake up, Sho." Until he was in the middle.

"That's as far as you go." He pulled the trigger of the gun disk. Two cards were blasted in total.

Like a ghost, Jaden disappeared and reappeared from the place where the cards hit to O'Brien's right side.

He was about to hit Jaden with the gun disk right to the head. Jaden's right arm went on guard and clashed with O'Brien's arm. He gripped O'Brien's wrist with his guarding hand and grasped his muscular arms with the other. Jaden shouldered his weight and sent him flying to the forest's side.

O'Brien rolled to lessen the damage. He regained self-control and remained crouched. 'This guy….he's strong.' He rapt the gun disk he was still holding. He didn't fire the second time.

'He's pretty strong.' Jaden rotated his right wrist. The hit earlier stung him.

He resumed his nagging on Sho. "Wake up, Sho!"

"What are you doing O'Brien?!" Cobra shouted at the video. He wasn't heard though.

O'Brien still had one thing up his sleeve. He pressed a remote with one button in the middle. The device that held Sho's rope sparked and frizzled. It was extending the rope.

'Damn!' Jaden flung his jacket in the air. It was in the way. He slipped his right hand near his belt. A dagger. How convenient.

He pulled it out of its holster and held the rope. Jaden slashed right in the middle.

As soon as he cut it, Sho's weight was the next problem.

"Urk-" He held the rope with one hand. 'He's heavier than I thought.' Then two.

"Wake up! You call yourself Kaiser's little brother?!" He was having a hard time pulling him up.

"Jaden!"

"Aniki!"

The duo finally arrived. O'Brien eyed on them and pointed his gun disk.

"Get Back!" Jaden shouted. The boys halted without a word. O'Brien did nothing as well.

"Once in those two months, I saw Kaiser do an Underground Duel." He pulled the rope, one inch at a time. "You know what happens when you're damaged right?"

"Electrocution." Kenzan responded for Sho. He saw it for himself just last year.

"I'm sure it did him some pain. But still, he bared with it." The rope wasn't half way their yet. "Now look at you. You're supposed to chase after him right?!"

His frustration was at its climax. "Fainting just because you were hit. How are you supposed to follow him?!"

"I'll climb." A weak voice trembled from below the cliff.

"I can't hear you." Jaden was starting to calm down. His grin was brighter.

"I'll climb up!" Sho yelled at Jaden with all his might.

"Then climb!" Jaden sounded like a tyrant.

A shoe bared its sole to the ascending cliff. Slowly, he climbed with Jaden's assistance. 'Atta boy.'

Sho went nearer to the finish line without any intrusion from O'Brien. He was determined to follow his brother's footsteps. Even with all the differences.

He finally landed. Jaden sliced the ropes that was binding Sho before he sat exhausted on the ground. 'I hope this taught him some lesson.'

"Aniki!" Sho came to Jaden. "I'm sorry about earlier." He looked down to the core of the earth.

"Yeah, and you'll have to pay me back." Jaden sat in a relaxed manner. Left leg straight to the ground and his right leg bent-up as support to his semi-injured right arm. "You won't turn back on the words you just said right?"

"I'll chase after my brother." Sho stood up knowing what to do.

"Then get him for me." Jaden eyed on the gunslinger.

"That's not acceptable." O'Brien pointed the gun at Jaden. "You will be my only opponent."

The Slifer laughed maniacally at the statement. "You should think of your situation if I were you."

O'Brien was surrounded. Johan and Kenzan were just behind him. Jaden and Sho were in front. He had no exit.

It was all placed wonderfully by Jaden. Maybe he expected the outcome somewhere in his mind.

"Austin O'Brien! Duel me!" Sho placed the duel disk in his left arm.

'Mission failed.' O'Brien eyed the cam without moving his head and then glaring at his opponent. "Marufuji Sho….."

"Don't accept it!" Cobra hammered his fist on the computer.

"It's not Marufuji Sho." He took of his blue jacket. Only the black long-sleeved inner shirt remained. "It's Kaiser Sho."

O'Brien wasn't meant to have a choice. He didn't predict such a result. The one that ruined his plan was the prey itself.

'What will you do? Duel him or run away without pride as your mission fails?' Jaden was smiling brightly as O'Brien glared at him for a brief moment. 'Well, not like he has a choice.' He grinned wider.

The soldier placed the gun disk in his right hand. It locked and retracted to a duel disk form. 'I have no choice.'

Cobra was prepared to break anything that he'd see. "NO!"

Both sides were ready to go.

"DUEL!"

AN: Did you expect the outcome? If so then dang! I thought it was foolproof. Guess I'll have to take this' O'Brien Vs Sho' with me as my summer homework. =) See ya guys~ *runs for the beach* Oh! I nearly forgot. I need suggestions or maybe some info on their decks. Kinda forgot what O'Brien uses.