Yu-Gi-Oh! Generation Fusion!

by Autismo555

A masked man, known as the Controller, has plucked the major focal points of Duel Monsters history and gathered up the biggest villains from each timeline to destroy the history of Duel Monsters itself! Now with the help of their friends and allies, Yugi Muto, Jaden Yuki, Yusei Fudo and Yuma Tsukumo join forces to prevent the threat from destroying the game they love!

3. Get Your Game On!

Chapter 3: Get Your Game On!

A/N: Sorry I'm so late with this chapter! I have a lot of ideas and none of them seemed to cram in the story line that well.

The setting of the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX era takes place five years after the events of the (undubbed) Season 4 (and the Season 3 finale, that of which the 4KidsTV were too lazy to dub in English). If there is anyone who has never seen the Japanese version of GX Season 4, I suggest that you watch every episode somewhere on the Internet before you read this chapter... or go read it on the Wiki.

EDIT: Changed the designs of Syrus's attire according to YuGiOhZEXAL on DeviantArt. Credit for design goes to him.

---

In the middle of a vast ocean, sitting hundreds of miles away from the nearest shores of Domino City, there sat a lonely island created by an erupting volcano some millions of years ago. The volcano, now inactive, created a desolate land above the sea, where it flourished with flora and fauna. The location and all of its beauty was certainly something that would grab anyone's attention, but deep underneath that beauty lied a great and terrible secret. In the underside of the island, deep within its center were seven mystical stone gates, each of them sealing three of the most dangerous cards, all with the power to reek devastation in their own wake: The Sacred Beast Cards.

It was with the intention of wielding the power of the Sacred Beast Cards that a man named Kagemaru opened up a special school, an academy where young Duelists were taught and trained to become Professional Duelists. That school was known as Duel Academy, bought, owned and contributed to building by none other than the CEO of KaibaCorp himself, Seto Kaiba. Aside from the ownership and the Professional Duelists who made it into the Pro Leagues, this school was famous not for being the first of the many Duel Academies that was built in different countries of the world, but for being the lonely rock where many strange and unexplained occurences emanating from that same location.

There was only one graduated student who answered the call whenever danger lingered near his second home at the Academy.

That Duelist, on this day, was riding a slightly crowded cruise ship back to the Academy to attend the Duel Academy Graduation Reunion, a week-long event where Duelists gathered five years after graduating from their class. There, Duelists met up with old fiends, settled old scores with their rivals and tell stories about the last five years after their graduation from Duel Academy. Whether they stayed an amateur Duelist or became a professional over time, these Duelists were happy to see their friends all gathered in one spot and even got to stay in their old respective dorms.

Today was the first day of that week. The Duelist would not miss it for the entire Dueling World.

That was when a screeching sound came over the speaker, followed by the captain's slight Irish brogue. "Attention all passengers. If ye look to the bow of the ship, you will see the world famous Duel Academy Island coming up on the horizon," he informed, grabbing the attention of that particular Duelist."T'anyone who is planning to get off at this stop, we will be docking shortly within half an hour. Thank ye for sailing on the S.S. Daedalus and I hope ye have a wonderful time."

As the captain turned off his speaker with another sharp screech, the Duelist had already made a beeline towards the bow of the ship, shifting his way through the crowds and excusing himself for brushing past them. When the Duelist made his way to the bow, he was met with a spray of ocean water, which sparkled in the late morning sun, creating a rainbow mirage that lasted for a few seconds. There, he spotted an island off in the far distance, a volcano stretching up into the sky, a lush green forest filling in the island. A stone altar rose up from the ground, guarded by several stone obelisks jutting from the top of the altar. Five dome roof buildings filled in the altar's space, the biggest and smallest domes being white, while three other domes each were colored red, yellow and blue.

Jaden Yuki smiled. He could not wait to see how his old Dueling school prospered after leaving it so far behind for those five years. He was a brown-haired Duelist that extended to the back of his head by inches, topped with orange hair. He wore a red uniform that signified his dorm, a white collar around his shoulders and snapped at the chest. Underneath the jacket, he wore a black shirt and long white pants which extended down to his red shoes hints of black at the sides and at the front of each sole.

Strapped over his shoulder on a black strap was a black-and-red backpack. Peering out of the backpack was a round tan tabby cat, brown stripes decorating his legs back and up his long bushy tail, that bushy end also brown. The cat perched up to the railing next to Jaden as the latter gripped his hands tightly on the rails. Jaden was filled with excitement and anticipation, something he never felt since his first year at the Academy. Now the academy was slowly becoming bigger as the ship got closer with every passing minute.

"There it is, Pharaoh. Duel Academy Island. Looks like nothing has changed for these past five years, has it?" Jaden asked the cat as he yawned, mixed in with a meow. Jaden rested his hands on his crossed arms, sighing. "Although, I might have some explaining to do once I get back together with the old gang. They're probably wondering where I ran off to and why I just up and left the island without ever saying goodbye."

Jaden sighed once again, this time with a slight frown on his face. He remembered clearly about a time in his senior year when he forgot that Dueling was so much fun. After he defeated Nightshroud, an evil spirit of darkness who attempted to purge the Earth in his World of Darkness, Jaden left Duel Academy Island while he was under a distant spell of melancholy. However, thanks to a certain Duelist who he met on the day he tried out for exams, Jaden regained his love for Dueling and set off for another adventure.

After the memories of Dueling the King of Games himself faded, Jaden smiled once more and lifted himself on his arms. "Still, it's gonna be great to finally set foot on Academy Island again," he said to himself. "I can still remember all the good times we shared almost like it was yesterday. Of course, those days happened five years ago, but still. It's gonna be good to get back to my old dorm room again."

Jaden smiled while another happy wave of nostalgia washed upon him like the seawater spraying in his face. He remembered his days as being the best Slifer Red Duelist in the Academy as clear as crystal. He could remember his Duels that he fought so well in the Academy and when most of the outcomes involved him winning, a few Duels ending with him losing and some of his Duels ending with a draw. Why, he could remember when he first Dueled at the entrance exams, when he first faced off against Dr. Vellian Crowler and his "Ancient Gear Golem." It was also the day he gained a close trusted friend.

To that end, Jaden pulled from his Deck, a LIGHT-Attribute Fairy-Type Monster Card, depicting a brown ball of fluff, big soulful eyes, white wings and green clawed paws sticking out from its hairy body. That Monster was "Winged Kuriboh," a special card holding the spirit of the Fairy itself, given as a good-luck gift by the King of Games himself. If it weren't for "Winged Kuriboh," Jaden may have never lived to save the world and himself from certain doom all those times ago.

At the same time, the ethereal spirit of "Winged Kuriboh" appeared next to Jaden's right shoulder and spoke in a voice that only Jaden understood. "Yeah. Me too, pal," he replied. "I can't wait to see how everybody's doing, too. After all, we'll be seeing our friends again and we'll probably be Dueling Chazz sometime, just for old time's sake. What do you think of that, Pharaoh?" The tabby cat yawned again, which made Jaden smile. "Yeah, I thought so, too."

As the tabby cat let out a deep yawn, a shiny, glowing ball floated out of its mouth and hovered up to Jaden, and another ethereal spirit appeared to the left of Jaden. The spirit was of a tall, slender man with black hair tied at the back of his head in a ponytail. He wore a white shirt, a loose red tie, black pants and a pair of rectangular framed glasses. His seemingly closed eyes peered deep into the horizon as he saw the Duel Academy Island quickly approach them from the boat.

"My, my, it seems like forever since we first left the island," the spirit said in a slight Germanic accent.

"Yeah, I know that for a fact, Banner," Jaden replied happily. "After all, this reunion is a week-long once-in-a-lifetime shindig. There won't be very much time to Duel everyone on the campus before this week ends, so I propose that we make the best of it by having as much as fun as we did during those three years!"

"A good idea, Jaden," the spirit of the late Professor Lyman Banner concurred. "Plus it will be a good thing for Pharaoh that we are about fifteen minutes away from shore. I do not think he can handle anymore sea traveling than he can already take." To prove Banner's theory, Pharaoh slowly slumped over the safety railing, his tan face becoming pale green. The cat's sick action made Jaden and Banner giggled before Jaden looked out to the distance and clenched his fist up to his eye level.

"You bet it's a good idea, Banner! I'm just getting so jittery with this much excitement, I feel I just might explode!" Jaden clenched his other fist and brought them both to his chin level, which shuddered with the adrenaline seeping in from the thoughts of Dueling everyone for old time's sake. He turned up to the sky, thrust his clenched fists up to the air and shouted from the top of his lungs, which shocked most of the passengers on the ship.

"OH, YEAH! THIS IS GONNA BE THE BEST DUEL ACADEMY REUNION WEEK OF MY LIFE! ALRIGHT, DUEL ACADEMY, GET READY AND GET YOUR GAME ON!"

---

"All ashore!"

Jaden quickly disembarked from the cruise ship, Pharaoh following closely behind, both being the only two of the many passengers to get off at the docks of Duel Academy Island. The docking ramp pulled away back to the ship after Jaden and Pharaoh stepped off and started to sail off into the sea. Jaden turned and waved at the old, scruffy Irish captain of the ship, standing at the stern on the deck level and returning the wave.

"Hey, thanks again for dropping me off of here, captain!" Jaden yelled at the captain.

"'Tis my pleasure, Jaden!" the captain yelled back. "Ye have a good time, ye hear!?"

"Will do! See ya later!"

Jaden and the Irish captain exchanged their arm waving, a gesture of goodbye until the figure of the captain became a speck and the ship was the size of a toy boat in the sky blue distance. With a smile plastered on his face, Jaden turned and gazed at the island that helped change his life. He closed his eyes and took in the familiar sounds, smells and senses. The waves crashing against the cliffs of the island. The smell of the grass wafting in the air. The coolness of the breeze whisking against his body. This was the unchanged feeling of Duel Academy welcoming its finest student back on its island. He hadn't felt this good to be back since the aftermath of the Yubel Incident on his third year, when he wanted nothing more than to leave before he put his friends in danger. Not only that, but he lost his love for Dueling that same year.

Now that Nightshroud was finally destroyed, Jaden's friends were no longer in any danger. It was better yet, that Jaden restored his love for Dueling thanks to the King of Games with the help of "Winged Kuriboh" by his side. Jaden opened his eyes and took another good look at the place he considered his second home.

"Long time, no see, Duel Academy," Jaden thought as he felt Pharaoh affectionately nudge himself against his legs. "I missed you so badly when I first set off on my own. Not a day went by when I didn't wish I could one come back and Duel on your soil again. Well, now that I'm back and better than ever, I'm ready to give it all and make this week count. Look out everyone, because Jaden Yuki has returned!"

BEEP-BEEP! BEEP-BEEP! BEEP-BEEP!

Jaden's thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of his PDA ringing in his backpack. "This had better be important as to why I couldn't soak in all of that fresh Duel Academy air," Jaden grumbled as he set the backpack down, took out his PDA and opened it. The time at the top of the PDA screen read 10:30 AM. "WAAAAAUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH! That's right! They're opening up the banquet hall right now! If I don't get there in time, then all of the fried shrimp will be gone! Come on, Pharaoh! There's no time to lose!"

Pharaoh meowed as Jaden frantically gathered his backpack and hightailed it to the island, the tabby cat following closely behind.

---

The Duel Academy Banquet Hall was packed today.

Almost every corner of the hall was littered with past students, all amateur, intermediate and professional alike. Some of those Duelists wore their old dorm blazers, though most of the Slifer Red graduates preferred their casual clothing over their red uniforms out of shame. Most of the other Ra Yellow and Obelisk Blue graduates wore their respective dorm uniforms, thus outnumbering the red uniforms in a perfect blue-and-yellow-to-red ratio.

It never really mattered who they were and what they wore. Today was the first joyous day of Duel Academy Reunion Week, and the graduates couldn't be more happy than to eat the food from the banquet table, smile happily and share stories of the past five years of their life. No one instigated any rivalry on this day; they were too busy being happy, happier for the former Slifer Reds who never really had much of a four-star meal when they resided in the Slifer Dorm.

In the back of the banquet hall, a stretch of tables all covered in fine white tablecloth stood watch over everyone like a bird perched in the branches of a tree in the park, watching everything happening through its tiny black eye. The table was lined with the staff, professors and headmasters of each dorm, all smiling too as they watched their former students eat and be merry. In the center were two middle-aged men, regarded by the students and staff as the chancellor and vice-chancellor of the entire Duel Academy.

The chancellor named Sheppard was a round, plump man, having a completely bald head save for the facial hair around his lip down to his chin. He wore a raspberry blazer that signified him as the chancellor of the school, a yellow casual shirt and red necktie underneath the jacket. The vice-chancellor was called Dr. Vellian Crowler, a self-proclaimed doctor of Dueling with a PhD to top it all off. in that department. He was tall, scrawny and had a face that most mistook him as an old lady. He had blonde hair tied down to a ponytail, wore an Obelisk Blue blazer with a pink ruffled and gold trimmings, complete with a pair of crescent earrings hanging from his ears.

"This certainly is a good turnout, eh, Crowler?" Sheppard said, a smile beaming on his face. "It looks like this year's Duel Academy will be a huge success, wouldn't you say?"

"For once, I completely agree with you one-hundred percent, Chancellor," Dr. Crowler concurred in a raspy British accent, nodding while doing so. "It seems that everyone and everything is getting along so well, unlike last year's Reunion thanks that to that food fight fiasco." There was a hint of displeasure in Crowler's voice as he remembered the incident as if it was like yesterday. He remembered of a food fight that occurred a year ago when a couple of bitter rival nearly went at each other's throats, which resulted a hall-sized fiasco of flinging food, splashing drinks and the disciplinary squad intervening. To add more to Crowler's chagrin, they decided to name the incident...

"Ah, yes. The 'Eggs Over Eyes-y Incident.' You had those two Duelists tossed off the premises just because they threw a couple of eggs at your face," Sheppard said with a chuckle. The reminder of that day made Crowler wince in shock as the chancellor regained himself by clearing his throat. "But even so, even I had to agree that the food fight was a bit much. But don't worry about it, Crowler. I guarantee that this year's Duel Academy Reunion goes along without another incident whatsoever."

"I should certainly hope so," Crowler grumbled. "You are giving me a raise to stay in this school."

"What was that?"

"Uhh...I-I mean, uh...after all, seven days is all the time these former students have to stay in this school. So let's hope that they can make the best of it," Crowler lied, a nervous smile and chuckle escaping him and bullets of sweat trickling down his face.

"For once, that's good thinking on your part, Crowler!" Sheppard acknowledged. "That is one reason why we host these Reunions. It's so we can ensure that everyone here can enjoy themselves, even though it will only last for a week. Right?" Crowler stammered nervously as he nodded his head, but felt much relief that Sheppard never saw through his little lie. Still, Crowler had to agree with what Sheppard said: Everyone in the banquet hall was enjoying themselves, all appearing to have fun.

Suddenly, a fracas began to pipe up in a distant corner of the hall, followed with a band of Duelists gathered around in a small crowd, thrusting their fists up in the air and repeatedly shouting "Duel! Duel! Duel! Duel!" like a mantra. The faculty looked on curiously as the the chanting continued on, Dr. Crowler crossing his arms and casting a sideways glance to his boss.

"Hmmph... no incidents whatsoever, huh?" Crowler asked, earning a slight chuckle from Sheppard.

"Well, you never know when something like this happens, Crowler."

"That's understandable. Shall I call the squad in to break this fight up?"

"No need. These things will settle by themselves eventually." As if by perfect timing, the chanting fell like the sudden end of a downpour, followed with mutterings amongst the Duelists. Crowler looked on puzzled as he tried to process what happened to the fight while Sheppard chuckled once more. "See, what did I say? These things settled down by themselves.

Crowler's bewildered look reverted to a scowl. He crossed his arms and humphed. "Hmmph. Fine, but the next I see a squabble like that, I'll have to call the squad on them."

"That won't be necessary, Crowler," Sheppard assured. "Once we get two of our class's best Duelists under this roof, that's when we get the Reunion started."

"And what, may I ask, will be stopping this Reunion if one of those Duelists doesn't show up?" Crowler asked. "You know how distant he was during his third year."

"Don't worry, he'll show. I have every confidence that he does." Sheppard rested his chin on his hands, staring out to the distance with a thought. "After five long years of traveling all by himself, I'm sure he's regained his passion for Dueling. I want to make this Reunion count for him. Mark my words, Crowler: I'm going to make it a week for Jaden Yuki to remember for the rest of his life."

---

In the midst of the sea of Duelists, there was one who wandered aimlessly through the crowd, a forlorn sadness on his face. He was shorter than the other Duelists, standing at about 5' 6'' despite his age. He had light blue hair that was sectioned into three layers and a pair of small, circular glasses perched on his nose. He wore an Obelisk Blue blazer and a black shirt underneath the jacket. His name was Syrus Truesdale, younger brother of Zane Truesdale, a former top graduate who handed his "Cyber" Deck down to him when he was stricken ill.

Now Syrus trudged among the Duelists, looking in every nook and cranny as he tried to look for a familiar face among the crowd. He looked under the tables, over the crowds, behind the potted plants. Still, there was no sight of his friends anywhere. Syrus sighed; he had really hoped to find Jaden somewhere and share their own stories, have a Duel with him using his new "Cyber" cards and stuff their faces like there was no tomorrow. Sadly, that all came to him in the form of disappointment.

"I guess he's not coming after all, just like the graduation ceremony," Syrus lamented, another sad sigh exhaled from his lungs. "It's no use. I guess I'll have to spend the week alone in my old dorm room."

"ATTEN-HUT!"

Suddenly, Syrus jumped in shock, three feet into the air before he scuttled backwards into a nearby wastebasket. The wastebasket flipped in the air and fell down over Syrus's small frame. The blue-haired pipsqueak then heard an obnoxious, military accent laughter that rang out in response and groaned.

Syrus knew that laughter from anywhere. He lifted the wastebasket up, a banana peel stuck in his hair and saw a muscular Duelist standing before him. He had a sleeveless Ra Yellow blazer on which was worn over a green shirt. A bandanna worn over his dreadlocks featured a dinosaur head, dinosaur bone earrings on his ears and a dinosaur bone necklace dangling from his neck. Finally, there were his beige pants which was worn on the inside of his military boots, giving the Duelist a tough look, complete with white wristbands and a belt buckle with a predatory face etched inside. To everyone in Duel Academy, he was the Dinosaur Duelist who everyone revered for whipping his troops into shape.

To his friends, the Duelist was known only by the name...

"Tyranno Hassleberry. I should've known that was you," Syrus deadpanned, flinging the wastebasket off of him and scrubbing the garbage off of himself.

The muscular Duelist let out a hearty laugh as Syrus wiped away the remaining garbage from his blue blazer and flicked away an uneaten crumb from his sleeves. "Yee-hee-hee-ha-ha-ha-haaa! Private Truesdale, that has got to be the best scared reaction I've ever gotten from a welcoming salute! That surprised look on your face was priceless!"

"Oh, I'm surprised, alright!" Syrus retorted. "I'm surprised to see a second-year student like you here attending a first-year class reunion!"

Hassleberry laughed out heartily, a proud, bold laughter ringing in the hall. "Don't you fret over that, Private Truesdale! I was supposed to come here! You see, I'm not the same Sergeant Tyranno Hassleberry you knew once upon a time!" Hassleberry flexed his arm muscles and revealed a band around the bicep, the shape of four arrow-shaped patches set on the band. "You're talking to Sergeant Major Tyranno Hassleberry, Duel Academy's assistant gym teacher! I just got the job about thirteen months ago!"

"You did!? Wow, congratulations, sarge! I'm sure you'll be able to whip your students into..." Syrus trailed off as he jumped to a realization. His praising smiles had converted into a scowl. "Hey, wait a minute, Hassleberry! You didn't get a job as an assistant gym teacher just so you could attend the Reunion and meet Jay for yourself, did you!?"

Hassleberry gasped, taken aback by the pipsqueak's accusation. "That's Sergeant Major to you, soldier!" the Dino Duelist yelled. "And for your information, I didn't come to this Reunion just to meet my old squadron! I came back to help whip up the newbies into shape! Now drop and give me twenty, private!"

"I don't think so!"

"You dare speak against your superior, soldier!?"

"You!? My superior!? Did you already forget who beat you in that one Duel... or did your dino brain shrink to pea-sized these five years!?" Syrus asked, a smug grin cracked across his face. Hassleberry's nerve popped at the side of his head and he growled like his Dinosaur monsters, fists clenched tightly. The Dinosaur Duelist then thrust his face into Syrus's, who returned the favor with a snort from his nostrils.

"That's it, son! You just earned yourself a Duel!" Hassleberry shouted. "Now put up your dukes and prepare for combat, squirt!"

"Yeah!? Bring it on, Sarge!"

"That's Sergeant Major to you, private!"

Both of the former Ra Yellows growled and pressed their heads up against each other. For the first time in five straight years, both Duelists rekindled a long-forgotten rivalry that quickly burned a red-hot aura around the two. Duelists nearby took notice of Syrus and Hassleberry's squabbling and started to circle around them. Then they thrust their fists up in the air and chanted "Duel! Duel! Duel! Duel!" while Syrus and Hassleberry pressed their heads with enough pressure to crack a coconut.

It was only this scene that caught the attention of a certain pale-skinned spiky black-haired Duelist wearing a tattered black jacket. He also wore a dark purple shirt, dark blue pants and brown shoes. The casual outfit the Duelist wore was usually worn at Duel Academy's rival school, North Academy, but this Duelist was an exception. He was the second-best Duelist at Duel Academy and one of the richest ones at that.

"I thought I heard dorks fighting in here."

Everyone in the circle, including Syrus and Hassleberry turned to the pale Duelist standing outside of the crowd. They split to reveal a Duelist whom they instantly recognized. "Did I miss the fight already? 'Cause I feel I got ringside seats for nothing," the Duelist said in a stern voice. "By the way, Huckleberry, did you get employed full-time here or was this just an excuse to see Jaden again?"

Syrus and Hassleberry both gasped happily, seeing the very familiar face dropping by. "Well I'll be. It's our old barracks major, Chazz Princeton!" Hasslebery declared.

The crowd around them began to whisper amongst themselves. They were just as surprised to see Chazz Princeton arrive at the Reunion in his casual outfit. Some of them whispered of his rise to his distrustful family organization, the Princeton Group, ran by his older brothers. Hassleberry and Syrus broke off from their pressed heads while Chazz looked down on them with a cool, stoic face.

"Hey, Chazz. Long time no see," Syrus greeted. "What have you been doing these past five years?"

"It's The Chazz," the latter corrected. "And in case you dorks haven't seen it on the news, I just won the Asian Tournament about a couple of months ago."

"Actually, Chazz, I have heard about it on the news," Syrus replied. "You really kicked butt in those Duels."

"Yeah. Congratulations," Hassleberry commented. "You really put those Duelists in their place."

"Oh, please, there's nothing for you to congratulate me for," Chazz replied with a huff. "That Asian Tournament was a big waste of my time. None of the challengers could even hold a candle to me without giving me a real challenge, and I never got one!" Chazz growled to himself while Hassleberry and Syrus let off a sweat drop on their heads.

Then a smile spread across Chazz's face, followed with a prideful nasal giggle before he reached into his jacket pocket. "Of course, if there's one thing you should be congratulating me on, it would be this." Chazz pulled out a few snippets of a newpaper article and revealed it to Sryus and Hassleberry, who both read it aloud.

"'Princeton Group Rises to Top of the World,'" Hassleberry read.

"'Professional Duelist Chazz Princeton, younger brother of Slade and Jagger Princeton, Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Princeton Group, claims the title as head of his family organization by defeating both brothers in an official Duel... for their current positions as head of both of the political and financial world!?'" Syrus shouted, shocked by the surprising news. "Chazz, are you serious!? You actually beat your brothers and now you're head of the three major world industries!?"

"That's right, dork," Chazz replied, grinning as he placed the newspaper away in his jacket. "You're looking at the current CEO of the Princeton Group, head of the political, financial and Dueling organization! How's that for a life achievement!?"

"A life achievement!?" Hassleberry retorted. "Those people you beat were your brothers, soldier! How could you do that to your own family!?"

"Because, Bumbleberry, those scrubs were going to go along with their plan for world domination," the pale Duelist answered, receiving a confused gasp. "I heard they were going to buy off Duel Academy again in order for them to build an industrial building in its place! So I wagered this place for their head titles! And in case you guys got slow all this time, I've won and I not only saved Duel Academy, but I've also earned the title of the big cheese of the Princeton Group!"

Chazz slammed his foot down as he stood atop of the nearest table, standing posed in a proud manner completely with a smile. "Now that those two scrubs have been beaten by my own hand, I, Chazz Princeton, have figuratively become the leader of the entire world! There is no one else in the world who can stand up to someone as powerful as The Chazz!" The latter threw his head up and howled with laughter while Syrus and Hassleberry huddled for a quiet bull session.

"Do you think our Major has lost his marbles during the past five years?" Hassleberry whispered.

"Well, if you count seeing Chazz swat away at his imaginary Duel Monsters spirits, then that would be a yes," Syrus replied.

"HEY! I heard that, you little shrimp!" Chazz snapped, shocking the two. "You'd be crazy too if you had to stick with three annoying freeloaders!" As if on cue, three small ethereal spirits, all wearing red bikini briefs appeared next to Chazz. One of the spirits was black, chubby and had a big nose. The other spirit was a green muscular but miniature Cyclopean spirit. Finally, there was one yellow spirit with a big mouth, big red lips and eyes attached to protruding stalks. These monster spirits were Chazz's best monster, know as the Ojama Brothers, annoying weak monsters who, with combined strength, makes up for with deadly strategies.

"It's okay, Boss. We understand completely how you feel," Ojama Yellow said.

"Yeah. You're only saying that because you love us," Ojama Green chimed in.

"We're just like brothers, you and the three of us!" Ojama Black concluded. "Except, of course, we don't get the cheap haircut."

Chazz growled like an animal as soon as Chazz heard Ojama Black's comment. Then he swiped at the tiny spirits who tried to fly away from his swatting hands. "We are NOT brothers and I do NOT have a cheap haircut!" Chazz yelled. "How about if I give you a little off the top myself!?"

Chazz swept his hands through the air to catch the Ojama Brothers while everyone else looked on as they saw their top Duelist only swipe the air and nothing else. Some turned away in embarrassment while others simply ignored Chazz. Syrus and Hassleberry only remained behind while they looked on, a bigger sweat drop shown on their heads.

"Yep. He's definitely gone crazy," Syrus said, earning a nod from Hassleberry.

"Come on. Crazy is an understatement," a woman mused nearby the scene. "It's been only five years since I've seen you guys and you all haven't grown up one bit."

Chazz and Syrus froze at the sound of a familiar voice, a sound that only sang like a choir of angels singing to the two lovestruck Duelists. "Is that... Alexis?" they thought as they turned around to the woman. She had long auburn hair and wore a red ball gown, a choker around her neck with a green jewel etched in. This woman was known as Alexis Rhodes, a brilliant Duelist as well as the most beautiful Duelist ever to catch the eyes of every guy in Duel Academy.

Syrus and Chazz were among the two to be swooned by Alexis's appearance. Their faces became as red as ripe tomatoes as they nearly found themselves descending into the next world. Soon, their entire surroundings became a field of flowers in a mixture of a pink and yellow background, whereas bubbles began to rise. The two watched with much warmth fluttering in their hearts as the angel known as Alexis Rhodes approached them with much grace and beauty. Forming a triangle around them were the Ojama Brothers, dressed up as little cherubs and blowing little horns.

"Chazz... Syrus..." Alexis called out to them in a harmonic voice.

"Yes, my darling?" asked the lovestruck Duelists.

"What are you two doing?" In the real world, Alexis Rhodes had looked on in embarrassment while Syrus and Chazz were swooned by her arrival, hearts replacing where their eyes used to be. A sweat drop formed at her head in response before she gently facepalmed. "Jeez. Five years and those two haven't changed a bit," she muttered to herself.

Hassleberry chuckled. "What'd ya expect, Miss Rhodes? They've been head over heels for ya ever since you showed up to this school."

Alexis pulled her palm away from her face when she heard her second-year friend approach her and broke with a gentle smile. "Hassleberry? I didn't think someone as strong as you would be employed of the Duel Academy," she said.

Hassleberry laughed a little, rubbing the underside of his nose with a finger before cracking a wide toothy grin. "That's right. I wanted to stay here at Duel Academy because this was my home and everyone at the Ra Yellow dorm considered me their best. So I hooked up with Ms. Fontaine and she got me the job as assistant gym teacher, so now I'm here to say and help whip my troops here to shape!"

"Really? I think of it as a long shot to seeing Jaden again after five years."

The Dino Duelst gasped and turned his head away while Alexis giggled, her hand covering her mouth. "That-That's not true! I just really like Duel Academy... is all..." he stammered. "But enough about me, how's your teaching career going? I heard you won the 'Teacher of the Year Award' in North America."

"Actually, I've won it twice," Alexis said, holding up to fingers.

"Sam Hill! You won the award two times!? Congratulations, that has to be the biggest honor you've ever won for your career! Way to go!"

"Thanks. I suppose I could say the same for your gym training, too."

"You could say that again."

Both Hassleberry and Alexis share a giggle, something they never did together since the latter graduated. Suddenly, a bouquet of light pink flowers and yellow daffodils appeared next to Alexis, held by a kneeling Chazz Princeton. His head was bowed, eyes closed and a passionate smile on his face as he used his free hand to hold over his heart as he recited a poem.

"Alexis Rhodes, how I've longed for this day to finally arrive, when we could finally meet again after years of five," he said in a romantic tone. "The years we have been far apart seemed like an eternity for this lonely old heart. I had faith that we would meet again soon. Now we'll hold our hands under the bright moon."

Alexis stood plainly at the romantic display, simply blinking. "Did you like that, my little Lex?" Chazz asked. "It took me five years to come up with that poem made especially for you and me." Chazz threw the bouquet away over his shoulder and clasped Alexis's hands, an excited, lovely look on his face. "And now that we're together again, we can catch up on our life stories, how we've waited five years to see each other again! We'll discuss it over a romantic dinner and maybe a moonlit walk across the beach!"

Suddenly, Chazz found himself face first into the floor tiles, his arms pinned down by a familiar short statured Duelist. "Hands off, lover boy! I saw her first!" Syrus argued.

"Back off, shrimp! Why don't you wait in line like the rest of the guys!?" Chazz growled. Suddenly, Chazz flipped and pinned Syrus to his stomach and held his arms to his back. While the two love rivals were pinning each other to the floor, the disciplinary squad grabbed Chazz and Syrus and dragged them away by their arms while Hassleberry and Alexis looked on embarrassed, a bigger sweat drop on their heads.

"Guess some things will never change," Alexis muttered.

"Amen to that, sister," Hassleberry concurred.

A hearty laugh drew the attention of Alexis and Hassleberry to their backs, meeting with the joyous face of their former Chancellor entertained by his former students' comical behavior, the scrawny Vice-Chancellor joining in as well. "I agree as well. I remember when those two squabbled just to be your partner in the Tag Dueling Tournament," Sheppard said, laughing.

Alexis smiled. "Yeah, I remember. Those were the good old days of Duel Academy, weren't they?"

"Yeah. I remember them as though as it was yesterday," Hassleberry said. "I remember when it was just me, Truesdale, Princeton, Alexis, Bastion and..."

"...and Jaden," Syrus finished. He hung his head down, a sad forlorn look on his face as he and Chazz approached the group. He felt like his heart was missing a piece, and the only piece was the best friend he knew since the entrance exams. "I still can't believe Jadenup and left the island during our graduation ceremony. He could've at least said goodbye to us before he went off on his own, so we wouldn't have to write him a letter."

"I know what you mean," Chazz said. "I told him to come see me for a Duel and he never came to me, not once in these long years!"

"I just hope he didn't forget me," Hassleberry said as he recalled a picture he drew for Jaden, depicting him as a weeping dinosaur.

"I'm sure he hasn't forgot about us, Hassleberry," Alexis said. "Still, if he were right about now, then that would make our week all the more worthwhile."

Alexis soon bowed her head, followed with Hassleberry, Chazz, Sheppard and Crowler. Suddenly, the front doors of the Banquet Hall slammed open, surprising everyone inside as a familiar voice rang out. "Hi, gang! I'm not too late for the 'All-You-Can-Eat Buffet' now, am I!?"

Everyone looked and saw a familiar brown-haired Duelist standing at the doorway, letting in the bright sunlight. As the doors closed, everyone recognized the Slifer Red blazer on the Duelist, a gaping smile on his face. A chorus of collected gasps and following whispers went around the room as Alexis, Syrus, Hassleberry, Chazz and the two Chancellors looked to the Duelist with surprise, unaware of the plump tabby cat making his way through the legs of the crowd. They couldn't believe who they were seeing at first, but those Slifer Red threads and that familiar laugh made it official.

"Hang on. Do you fellers see who I see?" Hassleberry asked his friends.

"I'm seeing it, but I don't believe it," Chazz replied.

"I believe it," Alexis said. "It's..."

"JADEN!"

Jaden waved at a few people in the crowd, most of which waved back before a familiar duo of both a high-pitched voice and a masculine voice caught his attention. He looked and saw his old pals, Syrus and Hassleberry run at him with open arms, teary eyes and a big smile on their faces. "Syrus! Hassleberry! Long to no seeEEEE!"

In one moment, Jaden was waving to two of his old Duel Academy classmates and dearest friends. The next moment, Jaden found himself on the floor on his back, pinned down by the combined weight of his pals who held onto him and cried into his red jacket like a couple of overjoyed puppies. Jaden could feel his breath squeeze away from the bear hugs like a vise. "Easy there, guys. Can't... breathe..."

Syrus sobbed into the soaking red jacket and looked up to him with white tears pouring from his eyes. "Jaden! I-I-I-I thought I'd never see you again!" he cried, returning his face into the jacket to soak it with his joyful tears.

"Where have you been all this time, sarge!?" Hassleberry cried. "We missed you at the graduation ceremony!"

Jaden wriggled his arm free out of Syrus's grip and used it to rub the back of his hair, a smile forming on his face. "Yeah, sorry about that," he apologized. "I just thought I needed to go sooner so I could have some time to myself and clear my head from all that Nightshroud business."

"Well, you could've at least said goodbye to us first!" Syrus snapped.

"Yeah! You could've Dueled any one of us before you went on your own way!" Hassleberry yelled alongside.

"Or at least stop by for the closing banquet!"

"Or stopped by for a corn dog!"

Jaden laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head even more. "Yeah, I get it. Bottom line, though, I'm finally back at Duel Academy and I'm ready to get game on!" Jaden forced himself up, which knocked Syrus and Hassleberry off on their behinds. Jaden then looked to Hassleberry and grew a curious look on his face. "Hang on, what are you doing here, Hassleberry? Isn't your Duel Academy Reunion supposed to be next year or something?"

Hassleberry chuckled and stood up, pointing his thumb to himself with pride. "It is, but I'm an official Duel Academy faculty member. Ms. Fontaine got me the job as an assistant gym teacher over a year ago and she's been giving me high praise for whipping the troops up in shape. So now I'm Sergeant Major Tyranno Hassleberry now, son of the great General Hassleberry and the ace of Ra Yellow. Those unruly maggots better beware the day they try and cross yours truly."

The Dinosaur Duelist stood tall while he beamed with pride, leaving Syrus to scowl and Jaden pondering. "So you got the job as assistant gym teacher, you must be living in the Ra Yellow dorm and you had permission to come here because you're part of the staff now. " Jaden hummed and closed his eyes. Then he perked up and slammed his fist onto his palm as the answer struck him out of the blue. "Oh, I get it now! You got the job just so you could see little old me, haven't you?"

Hassleberry reeled back in shock, now frozen stiff as if the ghost of Medusa appeared and turned him into stone. The Dinosaur Duelist couldn't feel anything from his shock, not even the friendly pat on his shoulder from Jaden. "Hey, it's cool. You didn't need to go through all that grueling job training just to see me again," he said, the words striking Hassleberry in the ego like an arrow. Suddenly, in the next moment, the ghost white body of Hassleberry curled itself against the corner of the hall, a gloomy atmosphere spread around him and purple wavy lines emanating off of him like a repulsive smell.

"I don't get it... Why does everyone keep saying that I only got the job just because I wanted to see the Sarge...?" he muttered somberly. "I just wanted the job so I could be closer to home..." Jaden and his friends all watched on as the Dinosaur Duelist slumped in the corner, all growing a sweat drop on their heads.

"Wow, and I thought I was pathetic," Syrus said.

"That's the Understatement of the Year, Syrus," Chazz remarked.

"Hey, Syrus!" Jaden yelled, grabbing the blue-haired Duelist's attention just as the former Slifer grabbed him in a friendly headlock. Syrus struggled to get out of the gentle, yet firm grasp of Jaden's arms while the latter chuckled, unaware that his grasp became tighter. "Long time no see, Sy! It's been a while since we last saw each other, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, about five years, Jay," Syrus said. "Now could you let go of me? I can't... really..."

"Whoops! Sorry about that," Jaden said as he released Syrus, who rubbed his neck and took a few deep breaths before he followed with a laugh. "Hey, Sy, how's your brother been, these past few years? Has he gotten himself out of that wheelchair, yet?"

"He sure has! Zane made a full recovery a year and a half ago," Syrus said happily before his smile fell to a frown. "However, Zane dropped off the map a couple of months later. Before he left, Zane told me he was going to travel the whole world and search for a Deck that was just as good as his Cyberdark Deck he passed down to me. No one's seen him since then."

"Oh, man. That had to be a real bummer for you, hasn't it?"

"Yeah. I guess."

Suddenly, Syrus was pulled back to Jaden by the red sleeve on his shoulder and given a friendly noogie on his head. "Well, don't you worry, Sy! I bet you Zane's already put together a Deck that's just as powerful as yours! With your Deck and his in the Pro Leagues together, there's no way that someone could take the two of you down that easily!"

"Really? You think so?" Syrus asked, a hint of hope rising in his voice.

"I don't think so, Sy! I know so!" Jaden began to rub his knuckles in Syrus's hair. "Now get over here and show me some Duel Academy love!"

"Stop it, Jay! That tickles!"

Jaden and Syrus began to wrestle each other, an old sign of a brotherly-like bond remade for the first time in five years. Jaden had Syrus in another headlock, but Syrus countered with honking Jaden's nose, which made him flinch for a bit before his short friend jumped and gave Jaden a headlock of his own. The two former Slifer roommates laughed as they regained their sense of fun with Alexis watching with a smile while Chazz kept his scowl to maintain his cool demeanor. Jaden had laughed until the sight of Alexis and Chazz caught his eye. He stood upright which made Syrus fall on his behind and turned to two of his other long-time friends.

"Alexis! Chazz! It's good to see the both of you!" he said. "I heard about your big achievements all over the news! Way to go!"

"You did?" Alexis gasped, reverting back to her smile. "Uh... I mean, yes, you did. Thanks."

"Big deal," Chazz said, waving his hand flippantly. "It's not like my brothers were both any real challenge to me, anyway."

"A big deal!?" Jaden parroted. "Chazz, you're like the proverbial king of the world! You faced off against both of your brothers who carried Parallel Rare cards against your "Ojama" cards, backed you into a corner and you still won! How could you not consider your brothers a real challenge!?"

"Because, Jaden, the only real challenge I ever got these past five years was dealing with these annoying Ojamas," Chazz said as the transparent spirits of the Ojama Brothers appeared next to his shoulder. "While I was busy dealing with these freaks and winning Tournaments, you were gallivanting off to parts unknown without giving so much as a single thought about our rematch!"

"Uhh... rematch?" Jaden asked.

"You're kidding me," Chazz murmured. "Did you not read my note I wrote for you before you took off from Duel Academy!?"

Jaden looked up to the ceiling, a humming tuned from him while he remembered the note Pharaoh carried for him in his mouth. The note contained a bunch of farewells from his friends, a seemingly disturbing lipstick kiss mark from Dr. Crowler (he never knew what that was all about) and an angry note from Syrus. As he recalled, Jaden saw a scribbled portrait of Chazz at the top left corner of the note, telling him to come see him whenever he was ready for a rematch. That's when it all came back to him.

"Oh yeah, I remember the note," Jaden said, placing his hand on the back of his head. "I guess the rematch never came to mind."

"WHAT!?" Chazz spat. "What the heck were you doing all this time!? Traveling the world!?"

"Well, actually, yes."

Jaden's comment knocked Chazz to the floor on his back, but the latter shot himself back up on his feet, face red and ears fuming. "You're kidding me! You actually spent the next five years exploring the world while you didn't even think to come by and take The Chazz up on his rematch!?"

"Yeah. Plus, I got some sweet new cards out of those deals. Pretty cool, don't you think, Chazz?"

Chazz screamed and fell to his knees and slammed his balled fists to the concrete floor."This isn't fair! I've been waiting for five whole years for a real challenge to show up and none of them could match up to The Chazz! I spun my wheels with Duel Monsters tournaments, dangerous ante rule games and keeping the Princeton Group in check, but none of that could quench my thirst for a real challenge!"

"Uh, is Chazz alright, guys?" Jaden asked Alexis and Syrus.

"Ever since you left out of the blue during the Graduation Ceremony, Chazz has been desperately wanting a rematch with you since you last defeated him in a Duel," Alexis explained.

"That last Duel in our third year?" Jaden asked. "But that Duel was rigged for him to lose. That match couldn't have counted."

"Apparently, it counted for Chazz," said Syrus.

Suddenly, Chazz pointed his pale finger at Jaden, who in turn reeled back from that action. "Listen up, dork! I've waited five long years for you so I could defeat you once and for all! I may have put Aster Phoenix in his place, and I may have faced off against my brothers for the Princeton Group and the safety of Duel Academy, but none of that could restore my pride lost when I was forced to lose against you in our last Duel!"

Chazz slowly stood up in a battle-ready pose, his finger still pointed at his Dueling rival. "So now that we're back at Duel Academy, Jaden, I challenge you to a Duel!" he shouted as the spirits of the Ojama Brothers appeared. "And this time, I've souped up my Deck so I could finally Chazz you up and knock you down!"

"Yeah, you tell him, boss!" the Ojamas said in unison.

"Hold on, Chazz. Are you saying you wanna Duel me, right here and right now, in front of all these people?" Jaden asked.

"You know it, dork."

"Well then, looks like you're gonna get a rematch after all, Chazz. Now let's throw down!" Suddenly, a flaming aura enveloped over Jaden and Chazz's bodies as they each took out their Academy-styled Duel Disks and strapped it to their left wrists, both of them colored to represent their former respective dormitories just like their old blazers. It was at the moment that the spark of Jaden and Chazz's rekindled into a wildfire, which attracted everyone in the hall, former student and current professor alike.

Suddenly, Jaden's stomach growled. Everyone else in the Banquet Hall looked on appalled while Jaden laughed sheepishly by the embarrassing interruption. "But first, I've gotta get my food on. Can't Duel on an empty stomach, you know!" Everyone fell over in response. Jaden grabbed a plate and rushed over to the buffet table where Ms. Dorothy, a short, pudgy woman with brown hair and round eyeglasses stood behind the table in her white apron, ready to serve her old students some high-quality food.

"Hey there, Ms. Dorothy! You wouldn't happen to have any food left from your old friendly neighborhood Slifer man now, would you!?" asked Jaden.

"Of course, Jaden," said Ms. Dorothy. "Here you go."

All at once, the former Slifer Red began to frantically pile on food, quickly forming a mound with one or two food from each station. Jaden piled on an egg omelet at the bottom, rising to the top with hamburg steak, a couple of eggs sunny-side up, a lobster tail, a pile of noodles with brown gravy and bits of seafood inside and a four pieces of fried shrimp to top it all off. Jade had all of the food on a single silver plate with a single glass of soda on the side.

"Alright! It's chow time!" Jaden declared as he sunk into the fried shrimp. Chazz humphed while Syrus, Alexis and Hassleberry laughed to Jaden wolfing down his meal. If anyone close to Jaden knew him well, it was that he loved any meal served to him, no matter how much the students didn't like it. Today, on the first day of the Graduation Reunion Week, Jaden was having a meal that was fit perfectly for a king.

Chancellor Sheppard and Dr. Crowler watched as Jaden finished off the fried shrimp then gradually made his way to slurping up some of the noodles, the Vice-Chancellor's face becoming green to the sight. Sheppard watched with amusement while the display of the Slifer Slacker's gluttonous inhalation made him slightly nauseous. "Oh my, how disgusting!" Crowler complained. "I know that slacker hasn't had a meal here for years, but for goodness sake, man, show some manners!"

Sheppard chuckled. "Oh relax, Crowler and let the boy have his fill," he said. "After all, he needs all the energy he can get for our main course. You know what I'm saying?"

"Of course, Chancellor, I do," Crowler replied, turning his head away to avert his gaze from Jaden's gluttonous eating. "But please, tell that boy not to chew with his mouth open. That could make other people sick." Crowler held his hand to his purple-lipped mouth as he felt his lunch lurch up into his throat. He shivered a little as Sheppard chuckled to the comical display before he stood up at the table and signaled one of the squad members to turn off the lights with the nod of his head.

The squad member nodded his head in reply then flipped the light switches off. A wave of questions and whispers spread around the crowd as the overhead lights lit up, revealing only Sheppard and Crowler, who bent over to prevent himself from succumbing to his nausea. With the clearing of his throat, Sheppard put on a smile and held a microphone to his face. "Ladies and gentlemen! Former students and Duelists alike! Welcome to the first day of the 5th Annual Duel Academy Graduation Reunion!"

The crowd applauded in response before Sheppard raised his hand to quiet the crowd down. "As many of you may remember, I'm Chancellor Sheppard and this is my esteemed colleague, Vice-Chancellor Vellian Crowler." Crowler turned around and waved his hand to the crowd, smiling weakly to mask his growing sickness. Some of the students looked at him with a scowl, remembering when the "temporary Chancellor" that not only nearly flipped their school upside-down with the rumors of the Slifer Red dorm being torn down by his orders but tried to prevent their graduation.

Crowler couldn't admit his former students were dead wrong about the Slifers being expelled.

That blame only laid on the shoulders of the former Vice-Chancellor Jean-Louis Bonaparte.

Sheppard cleared his throat as he prepared to give his speech. "Five years ago, on this very island, you have all trained your hardest to become a part of the Professional League of Duel Monsters. It was also five years ago that many of you graduated with top honors, but none of them scored any higher than our top-ranked Duelists of this class. Mr. Syrus Truesdale..."

The overhead lights flicked on over Syrus which blinded him for a minute. When he regained his sight, Syrus saw he was being the subject of stares from his former peers and applause for his Dueling skills rising marks. He laughed and rubbed the back of his head as Sheppard continued with naming the former graduates.

"Miss Alexis Rhodes..."

The light shone on Alexis, who bowed as her friends cheered on over the volume of the clapping hands.

"Mr. Chazz Princeton..."

The crowd cheered on for Chazz, who chanted the famous mantra, "Chazz it up! Chazz it up! Chazz it up!" In the luminescence of the overhead lights, Chazz grinned and humphed as he thrusted his finger up to the ceiling, the cheer entire Banquet Hall at the volume like a small Duel arena.

Sheppard cleared his throat and named the last graduate. "... and finally, for being ranked #1 in the top Dueling skills of this class, I'd like you all to welcome back Duel Academy's best Duelist, Mr. Jaden Yuki!"

At the flick of the switch, the light shone down on Jaden, who carried a piece of hamburg steak in his mouth. Before he knew it, Jaden's appearance created an uproar of cheers in the hall, including the disciplinary squad, all of which only clapped and smiled for the school's best Duelist. The faculty stood up to applaud the former Slifer Red, best known in Duel Academy for his heroic actions and the prevention of the destruction of the world, five years running. Jaden placed his hand on the back of his head and laughed as the attention flustered him, lasting a few minutes before Sheppard silenced them again.

"Now before we can get things rolling, I have something important to tell you all. In the next few years, I will be retiring from my position as Chancellor for the sake of my health." Everyone gasped and whispered amongst themselves as the news came to a shock to them. "Yes, I know this is a surprise for you all, but that is the path that I chose to walk a long time ago; but that is not the reason I hold these Reunions. I hold these Reunions every year so that I may be among our former students and to not forget the good times we shared before he take our own path down the road we call, 'life.'

"In fact, I'm sure everyone here has begun to take that path ever since you all walked out of this prestigious academy's doors and flew or sailed back home. The paths you've taken and the futures you planned are as precious as your lives themselves. That is why we must make the best of what life gives you, whether you all like it or not. With every passing year, we grow stronger if you put yourself up to the task. It doesn't matter if you're a Pro Leaguer, a teacher or a wanderer in search of adventure. Just remember this when you feel like you're stuck with nowhere else to go: you are all the proud students of Duel Academy and I am proud to be your Chancellor. When you all leave here on the seventh day, just know that I will wish you all luck on progressing with your future. Thank you."

The crowd all applauded, a mixture of clapping hands like an echo of rain as the tears of the former Duel Academy students flowed down their faces to their mouths. Jaden, Syrus, Chazz and Alexis watched forlornly as the news and the speech touched them deep inside, Hassleberry expressing it with tears of his own and his muscular arm covering his eyes.

"Wow. That was the most beautiful speech I ever heard in my life," Alexis lamented.

"Yeah. I can't believe Sheppard's gonna retire," Jaden concurred. "I hope I get to go to his retirement party."

"Nothing's gonna be the same without Sheppard running the school, that's for sure," Chazz added.

"So who do you think Sheppard might get for a replacement?" Syrus asked.

"I don't know, Sy," Jaden said, chewing on the last bit of his hamburg steak. "But whoever that guy is, I bet he's gonna be totally sweet!"

Syrus sighed. "Don't try and get ahead of yourself, Jaden. You've only got a few years until we actually meet him."

"And so..." Sheppard continued. "Without anymore interruptions, let's get this Reunion started! Crowler, if you would do the honors, please?"

"Certainly," Crowler said as he swiped the microphone away from the Chancellor and held it to his face. "Ladies and gentlemen! I hope you're all full after your big lunches, because we are now about to give you all the main course: The Duel Academy Homecoming Duel! This will be the match-up between two of Duel Academy's biggest Duelists and rivals and the first day they set foot to this island!

"Now, without further ado, it's time to announce our selected match-ups! First up is the former North Academy student, the CEO of the Princeton Group and the only one of us who wore black instead of blue for most of his stay..."

"Just get on with it!" Chazz shouted. "You're putting the audience into a big sleep!"

The audience laughed to the heckle. Crowler reeled back from the audience's laughter, blinking twice with complete exasperation. Then he adjusted his pink frilly collar and cleared his throat before pointing his finger at Chazz's direction. "Please give it up for Mr. Chazz Princeton!"

Once again the room dimmed into darkness, and popping out from the overhead lights was Chazz Princeton, who gasped back in surprise. Again, the crowd cheered for Chazz with the usual "Chazz it up! Chazz it up!" mantra. Again, Chazz thrust his fist up in the air as the crowd went wild again. With high popularity points and strong Dueling tactics, it was no wonder why everyone in Duel Academy respected Chazz Princeton.

"And for his opponent," Crowler continued. "The Slacker from Slifer Red, the top Duelist from the lowest Academy dorm..."

"MRRROOOOOOWWWWW~"

Crowler froze as he heard an all too familiar sound and felt something furry and heavy rub against his scrawny legs. He looked down in fear and gasped as the Slifer Red dorm's cat, Pharaoh rubbed himself against the scrawny legs affectionately, giving out a meow. Crowler cried a panicked woman's cry and dropped his microphone before he turned and frantically ran to the walls, climbing up the pillars and clinging to them like a startled cat.

"Someone call the exterminator!" Crowler screamed. "Call pest control! Get the National Guard! This campus is infested with rats!"

Everyone, including Sheppard laughed while Crowler hung onto the rafters like the same animal he feared the most. The only one who didn't laugh in the entire hall was Pharaoh, who tilted his head while mewing with curiosity. Sheppard grabbed the microphone from the floor and continued where his esteemed colleague left off.

"Please give it up for Chazz's opponent, Mr. Jaden Yuki!"

The spotlight shone on Jaden as he finished his last bite of the egg omelet. The crowd went wild, a notch wilder than Chazz's applause. Jaden and Chazz met each other's gazes, both of them smiling while glowing with the same fiery aura that was previously interrupted by the Slifer Red's groaning stomach.

"Well, this is certainly an interesting little twist. We're finally Dueking again and it looks like we're the main event," Chazz said, revealing his Duel Disk to his rival while the Ojama Brothers appeared in a battle-ready pose. "Hey, dork, are you still up to getting knocked down by The Chazz?"

"You know it, pal," Jaden said as he tossed his platter to the floor, which spun until it landed on its bottom. The spirit of Winged Kuriboh appeared next to Jaden as he revealed his Duel Disk, a zealous smile spread on his face. "Alright, Chazz! Get ready and get your game on!"

---

"'Armed Dragon LV7!' (2800/1000) I'm activating your special ability!" Chazz shouted as he discarded his "Despair from the Dark" Monster Card from his hand. "Now destroy that dork's 'Bladedge' with Serrated Sonic Discs!"

At his master's command, a red dragon with black armor and silver blades for wings spun its three vertical stomach disks, which glowed as they buzzed out of its stomach and shot at Jaden's "Elemental HERO Bladedge," (2600/1800) a gold armor-clad warrior with a head resembling a bull and wings spread from its back. The sonic disks made contact and tore through "Bladedge" as the "Elemental HERO" exploded, making Jaden flinch from the force.

The Duel took place in Duel Academy's very own Dueling Arena, where people all over the academy, teachers and students alike, come by and watch as two Duelists clash it out on the field. The Arena was a big round room, with only two entrances visible on the opposite sides of the field. Bleachers and dark navy blue seats decorated the outward part of the Arena, enough to fit a school of five-hundred students and one-hundred staff members. Above one of the exits was a stone engraving of the face of the Egyptian God Card, "Obelisk the Tormentor," signifying the territory of the Obelisk Blue students. The Duel took an exciting turn as Jaden and Chazz released their power onto each other like a couple of unstable energy bombs holding up too much power. That power took the form of their Dueling strength and their cards. The audience held to the edge of their seats while Chazz gained the upper hand with his "Armed Dragons" while Jaden only had one face-down card on his field.

The members of the audience who held on to their seats by the edges were Alexis (who changed into her female Obelisk Blue uniform before the Duel), Syrus (who he, too, changed his attire into one with a black, buttoned jacket over a blue shirt in homage to his graduating dorm), Hassleberry and Pharaoh, held in Alexis's lap. Sheppard and Crowler watched with their fellow staff members as they themselves were entranced by the heat of the battle. They never saw a battle this intense since Jaden Dueled Zane for his Graduation Match. Sheppard and Crowler agreed, their two former students had grown exponentially, like they expected from them.

"Wow! I've seen some awesome Duels in my life, but this has to be the best Duel I have ever seen!" Syrus shouted.

"I know! Did you see how those two battled each other!?" Hassleberry said, feeling stoked to the point where he might literally explode. "I haven't seen them go at each other since they graduated from the Academy!"

"I can tell you this, those two have become stronger since we last saw each other," Alexis concurred with a gentle smile. "It's like I'm back at my first year of Duel Academy, back when Jaden had fun Dueling."

"There's one thing about Jay that hasn't changed," Syrus said. "It's his love for Dueling. I've never seen Jaden this excited before."

"Well, hold on to your seats, private!" Hassleberry said. "This Duel is about ta get more excitin'!"

Chazz stood on his field with a satisfied smirk as Jaden's defense against his all-powerful Dragon was destroyed by the effect. "How do you like that, Jaden?" he said. "You've got no monsters left on your field! Just one attack from my 'Armed Dragon LV7' and I've finally won this Duel!"

"You think so, Chazz?" Jaden asked, making his rival gasp. "Because you didn't really count on my face-down card. The Trap Card, 'Elemental Mirage!" The Trap Card flipped face-up and glowed a bright light which began to crackle with a weave of cracks coursing through it. "Now that my 'Elemental HERO' was destroyed by your Dragon's effect, it can now return to my field! Return to battle, 'Bladedge!'"

The card of light shattered, revealing the destroyed Warrior emerging back to its original position on the field in Attack Mode. Chazz grunted slightly. "Too bad, Chazzeroo! Me and my 'Bladedge' won't go down that easy!" Jaden said, clenching his fist with excitement. "Not while we're around to help each other, anyway!"

"So what if you brought that walking pile of scrap metal!?" Chazz said. "You may stopped your Life Points from becoming zero, but that doesn't mean that they're safe from harm!" Chazz held the only card in his hand up to the ceiling as it glowed with a strange light. "Now, I sacrifice my 'Armed Dragon LV7' to Summon out my 'Armed Dragon LV10'!"

The "Armed Dragon" was enveloped in light before it disappeared. Appearing in its place was another "Armed Dragon," this time with bulkier muscles, armored plating on its body and a fierce look in its eye (3000/2000). The dragon bellowed a roar that seemed to resonate throughout the entire Duel Arena, giving everyone a shiver that made Pharaoh panic before jumping off of Alexis's lap. With that, the audience roared as Jaden looked up to Chazz's strongest monster, the feeling of adrenaline giving a pumping fire through his veins.

"Sweet move, Chazz!" Jaden complimented. "Your Dragon looks stronger when I last saw it!"

"Oh yeah!? Well, let me show you how strong it's become!" Chazz pointed his finger to "Bladedge" and gave his command! "'Armed Dragon LV10!' Attack with Static Orb Thrust!" The Dragon formed a ball of static energy in its claws and threw it at the "Elemental HERO", dissipating the Warrior when the orb made contact. Jaden covered his face with his arm when the force of the orb exploded and causing a wind that lowered his Life Points by 400.

"Looks like you're 'Bladedge' became as harmless as a butter knife," Chazz said, smirking. "I'll end my turn so you could finish your last move."

"Oh, trust me, Chazz, it is gonna be my last move..." Jaden looked up to Chazz with a confident smile. "...for you that is!"

"Say what?"

"Yeah! Don't get me wrong, Chazz, you've really grown stronger over the years! I guess when people say, 'The years did you well,' I guess that goes for you and your Dueling! But then again, so did my Dueling strategies!" Jaden placed his hand on the top card of his Deck and looked back up to him. "Now, I know you're a little rusty with my Dueling philosophy, so let me clue you in. At the end of the Duel, if you think you know it all ends, then BAM! One draw can change everything!"

"Oh, please! You don't really believe that you can draw the card you need!" Chazz replied skeptically.

"Well, how do you think I won my previous Duels?" Jaden asked. "I'm no King of Games, but I'm pretty sure that whatever my Deck's telling me is I'm gonna knock you back down Chazz, and it starts right now!"

Turn ?: Jaden Yuki

Jaden looked at his card, which was revealed to be the Spell Card, "Monster Reincarnation." "Sweet!" he said. "I just drew the card I needed!" Chazz gasped, followed by Syrus, Alexis, Hassleberry, Sheppard and Crowler. "I activate the Spell, 'Monster Reincarnation!' Now by sending a card from my hand to the Graveyard, I get to bring a Monster back to my hand!" Jaden sent "Elemental HERO Necroshade" from his hand as a Monster was brought out of the Graveyard. "And the Monster I pick is my 'Neo-Spacian Dark Panther!'"

"So what's the point!?" Chazz replied. "You just sent that pussycat back to your hand! Even if you do manage to Summon it onto the field, my 'Armed Dragon' is gonna...!" Chazz gasped and went wide-eyed as he realized something important about the move. "Oh no! The card he sent from his hand was Necroshade! If Jaden is gonna do what I think he's gonna do, then I'm toast big time!"

"I know what you're thinking, Chazz, and you'd be right!" Jaden yelled back, looking to his Graveyard as the spectral image of a red Warrior with skeletal armor and huge white and red-marked shoulder pads appeared behind Jaden. "Since my 'Elemental HERO Necroshade' was sent to the Graveyard, I get to summon a high-leveled 'HERO' without making a sacrifice! I bet you're wondering who I'm about to Summon, or how about if I just show you instead?"

Jaden slapped his Monster card on the Monster Zone. "I summon my good friend, the 'Elemental HERO Neos!'" A muscular white Warrior appeared, with red marks on its torso and thigh area with a blue jewel in the center of the chest. The underside of his bulky shoulder pads, the elongated forehead with a yellow diamond and the center of the neck was colored blue and bordered red while his black fists clenched and ready for battle (2500/2000).

The audience roared with cheers, for they all knew that "Neos" was Jaden's ace monster, a symbol of his "Elemental HERO"/"Neos" Deck that led him to numerous victories. Syrus, Hassleberry and Alexis all stood up, feeling the excitement of seeing the Slifer Red's best monster out on the field and rearing to go.

"Sam Hill! That's 'Neos,' Jaden's best monster!" Hassleberry exclaimed.

"With that card, Jaden is sure to win this Duel!" Syrus shouted, jumping up and down. "Come on, Jay! Show Chazz what you're really made of!"

Chazz humphed. "So what if you've got your best monster on the field? My 'Armed Dragon LV10' has 500 more Attack Points higher than your action figure! Face it, Jaden, you're going to lose this Duel in one way or another!"

Jaden smiled. "I wouldn't be to sure," he said, revealing a card from his hand. "I activate the Spell Card, 'Common Soul!' Now I can choose a monster on the field and I get to Special Summon a 'Neo-Spacian' directly from my hand! So with 'Neos' out on my field, I get to call on my 'Neo-Spacian Dark Panther' for a little support!"A black panther with a black cape and a golden collar with the initials "NS" on the center appeared next to "Neos" and growled as it arched its back (1000/8000).

"Oh, and have I mentioned the other effect of my 'Contact Soul' Spell Card?" Jaden asked. "It transfers the Attack Power of my 'Dark Panther' to 'Neos,' giving him a thousand-point boost." "Neos's" body was covered in a lightblue aura, which glowed his light blue eyes up as his Attack Points was raised to 1000 (Elemental HERO Neos: 2500 = 3500/2000).

"Gaahhh! My 'Armed Dragon's' no match against that musclehead!" Chazz panicked.

"I'm not done!" Jaden replied. "Now, I play the Equip Spell, 'Neos Force!' Now my 'Elemental HERO Neos' gains an additional 800 Attack Points!" The raised fist of "Neos" glowed bright while the Warrior's Attack Points were once again raised by the aforementioned number (Elemental HERO Neos: 3500 = 4300/2000). Jaden's friends and the Chancellors all gasped, followed with Chazz, who were wide-eyed with complete shock.

"No! This can't be!" Chazz yelped. "My Dragon's totally powerless now! How could this happen!?"

"I wouldn't worry too much about your Dragon, Chazz!" Jaden yelled. "Because you have my 'Neos Force' Equip Spell to worry about! See, when the equipped monster destroys your monster in battle... well then, the Attack Points of your monster comes out of your Life Points!"

"Chazz has less than 3000 Life Points left!" Syrus stated. "If this attack connects, Jaden will win the Duel!"

"Go get 'em, Sarge!" Hassleberry shouted. "Slay that Dragon once and for all!"

"You heard him, 'Neos!'" Jaden said, pointing to the opposing monster. "Attack Chazz's 'Armed Dragon' and end this Duel with Cosmic Crush!"

Chazz looked on in horror as "Neos" charged in with his shining fist towards the towering red dragon. Then the black-jacketed Duelist shook his head back in reality with a growl. "No, I won't let you win that easily, Jaden, you hear me!? I'm not letting this rematch go without a bang! 'Armed Dragon LV10,' intercept that attack with your Static Orb Thrust!"

Ojama Yellow appeared next to Chazz's shoulder, a frightened look on the yellow Beast's face as he tried to reach out to his owner. "No, Boss! If you really think I'm the ace of your Deck, then please, don't go through with the attack! It's too dangerous!"

"Buzz off!" Chazz snapped as he swung his arm to the ethereal spirit, which disappeared into dust as he looked to his strongest Dragon, his fist clenching with pumping fire. "'Armed Dragon!' Don't let that slacker's attack go through! Intercept now!"

The "Armed Dragon LV10" took its claws and once again formed an orb of static electricity before thrusting it towards the oncoming Warrior. "Neos" swung his illuminating fist back and brought it down on the orb, both of their attacks pushing each other back with full force. With the Attack Points of "Neos" dominating that of the "Armed Dragon LV10," it looked like Jaden was going to emerge from the Homecoming Duel a victorious man.

Suddenly, the spirit of Winged Kuriboh appeared next to Jaden, the fluffy Fairy looking intimidated and scared. "Hey, pal, what's the matter?" Winged Kuriboh frantically spoke to Jaden in his chirping speech as if he was urging the Slifer Red to do something very important. Jaden's eyes widened. "Stop my attack!? Why!? What's gonna happen!?"

The answer came to the Duelists in the form of a strange circumstance. As "Neos" and "Armed Dragon" pushed each other's glowing attacks with their energized power, a chain reaction began to form as strange wind began suddenly blew where the attacks connected and pushed. Everyone in the audience covered their eyes as the wind whipped up by the minute and followed with a bright light forming in the center of the attack. The first victims to fall prey to the light were "Elemental HERO Neos" and the "Armed Dragon LV10," both of the monsters crying in pain as the light made them vanish into thin air.

"NEOS!"

"ARMED DRAGON!"

Jaden and Chazz began to scream as the light engulfed them, turning their cries into a ghostly wail, then disappearing. Syrus, Alexis, Hassleberry and the two Chancellors all grunted as the light enveloped them too, as well as the entires audience, all not having a moment to escape as the bright illumination covered it and the entires school. Soon, the entire Duel Academy and the island was caught in the expanding dome of light, followed with the oceans and the entire world.

The light vanished.

All of Duel Academy and everyone in it disappeared into the Void.

---

FEATURED CARDS

JADEN YUKI'S CARDS

-NORMAL MONSTERS-

Elemental HERO Neos
(LIGHT/Level 7/Warrior/2500/2000)
A new Elemental HERO has arrived from Neo-Space! When he initiates a Contact Fusion with a Neo-Spacian his unknown powers are unleashed.

-EFFECT MONSTERS-

Elemental HERO Bladedge
(EARTH/Level 7/Warrior/Effect/2600/1800)
If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing Battle Damage to your opponent.

Elemental HERO Necroshade
(DARK/Level 5/Warrior/Effect/1600/1800)
Once, while this card is in the Graveyard, you can Normal Summon 1 Level 5 or higher "Elemental HERO" monster from your hand without Tributes.

Neo-Spacian Dark Panther
(DARK/Level 3/Beast/Effect/1000/500)
Once per turn: You can target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; while you control this face-up card, this card's name, ATK, DEF and effects become those of the targeted monster.

Winged Kuriboh
(LIGHT/Level 1/Fairy/Effect/300/200)
You take no battle damage from battles involving this card. If this card on the field is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard: For the rest of this turn, you take no battle damage.

-SPELL CARDS-

Common Soul
Continuous Spell
Target 1 face-up monster on the field: Special Summon 1 "Neo-Spacian" monster from your hand to the same side of the field as the selected monster. The selected monster gains ATK equal to the ATK of the monster that was Special Summoned by this effect. When this card is removed from the field, return the Special Summoned monster to its owner's hand.

Monster Reincarnation
Normal Spell
Discard 1 card, then target 1 monster in your Graveyard; add it to your hand.

Neos Force
Equip Spell
Equip only to "Elemental HERO Neos". It gains 800 ATK. When it destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard: Inflict damage to your opponent equal to the original ATK of the destroyed monster. During the End Phase: Shuffle this card into the Deck.

-TRAP CARDS-

Elemental Mirage
Normal Trap
Activate only when an "Elemental HERO" monster you control is destroyed by an opponent's card effect; Return all monsters destroyed by that effect to the field in the same battle positions they were in.

CHAZZ PRINCETON'S CARDS

-NORMAL MONSTERS-

Ojama Black (spirit)
(LIGHT/Level 2/Beast/0/1000)
He's one of the Ojama Trio. It's said that he butts in by any means necessary. It's also said that when the three are together, something happens.

Ojama Green (spirit)
(LIGHT/Level 2/Beast/0/1000)
He's one of the Ojama Trio. It's said that he butts in by any means necessary. It's also said that when the three are together, something happens.

Ojama Yellow (spirit)
(LIGHT/Level 2/Beast/0/1000)
He's one of the Ojama Trio. It's said that he butts in by any means necessary. It's also said that when the three are together, something happens.

-EFFECT MONSTERS-

Armed Dragon LV7
(WIND/Level 7/Dragon/Effect/2800/1700)
Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned by "Armed Dragon LV5", and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. You can send 1 monster from your hand to the Graveyard; destroy all face-up monsters your opponent controls with ATK less than or equal to the sent monster's ATK.

Armed Dragon LV10
(WIND/Level 10/Dragon/Effect/3000/2000)
Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by Tributing 1 "Armed Dragon LV7". When this card is Special Summoned: you can send 1 card from your hand to the Graveyard; destroy all face-up monsters your opponent controls.

Despair from the Dark
(DARK/Level 8/Zombie/Effect/2800/3000)
When this card is sent from your hand or Deck to your Graveyard by an opponent's card effect: Special Summon this card.