The duel was officially begining, the duel for our fate here. All our PDA's got an email simultaneously and we were alerted by it's distinct ringtone

The order goes from Syrus to Zane then Jaden and finally Chazz with the Life points starting at 4000. It appears the academy wants to end this quickly, but will it? I know Jaden is good at the game, but can Syrus overcome his fear?

"This will be over quick." Bastion states as he looks through the duelist deck glossary. "For Jaden and Syrus, they don't stand a chance with this set up."

I gave Bastion a heavy glare, showing my annoyance with his perceiving statement. "Then you haven't seen Jaden fight yet." I cross my arms at him in short lived anger.

"No, he might be right. Zane's deck is built for counter attacks and piercing assaults, plus Syrus is still afriad of him and power bond." Alexis mentions as she focuses on the match that would be remembered.

"You guys have little faith in them..." I looked down at the duel, which Syrus has already made his move. A facedown card and monster, Syrus doesn't look too confident or comfortable dueling against his older brother.

"You made a terrible move Syrus." Zane states to Syrus with a kaiser personality. "Since you have a monster on the field and I have none I get to special summon cyber dragon from my hand!" The famous dragon machine swirls in its spot, giving Syrus and Jaden the same glare.

Cyber dragon- 2100atk/1600def. If your opponent has monsters and you have none, you can special summon this card.

"I then use the spell golden sarcophagus and use its effect to remove one card from my deck. At the start of my third turn I can retrieve that card and place it in my hand." The rising tomb came out of the ground to accept Zane's offering. "Now I will summon proto cyber dragon! When this monster is out I can change its name to cyber dragon, I then attack your face down with my first cyber dragon!" The dragon primed its mouth cannon as Syrus's monster was revealed.

Proto cyber dragon- 1100Atk/600def. When on the field, this card's name becomes cyber dragon.

"You fell for it Zane, my Gyroids effect allows it to survive one battle!" The cartoonish helicopter used its propeller to blow away the cannon blast.

Gyroid- 1000atk/1000def. When this card is attacked, negate the destruction of this card. You can only use it once per turn.

Zane narrowed his eyes. "My Porto dragon is enough to take care of your machine. Go proto cyber blast!" It seamed gyroid's copter blade couldn't take the extra hit and exploded. "I set a card and end my turn."

I felt a little despair as Zane not only have two monsters out, but also manage to secure a defense. "Come one guys, I believe in you." Despite the plural use of words, my eyes only focused on Jaden. He was completely focused on surviving and not having fun, which is completely strange of Jaden.

"Shino is something the matter?" Bastion asked with his voice tense from my shift in tone.

"It's Jaden, he looks like he's in a war. I think he's thinking too hard on how to win then his usual fun at the game." I should have stopped Jaden's idea to go to the abandoned dorm. "Seeing him makes me feel like I'm looking at a broken mirror of himself."

Alexis also eyed the duel, Jaden fusion summoned thunder giant and use its ability to destroy cyber dragon. "You're right, he is treating this as a problem then a game. It's very unlike him to do that, even when we dueled at the girls dorm."

I cringed in both disbelief and embarrassment of that night. "You actually dueled him, how'd it go?" Alexis sighed already giving me the answer that she lost to him and that he had fun with it despite the possibility of him being expelled. Rumbling occurred as the field skyscrapers come into play.

Bastion sighed in a sort of hypothetical conclusion. "You two are getting expelled if Syrus and Jaden loses, so his focus is natural." I gave him a heavy glare which caused him to flinch. During the flinch Zane activated a trap which turn Proto dragon into cyber barrier dragon. That made the giant's thunder rebound against its cyber shield.

"Jaden always have his game on, he always had a smile with every duel. Well, not 'that' duel; but you get my point." My eyes sifted back to the duel. "I just hope he doesn't lose his passion for dueling, it's his best quirk." Yeah, and also my greatest annoyance. If he loses that quirk, then he'll never be my competition or inspiration for number one.

"He must be a very good friend to you." Bastion acknowledged that explaining the possibilities of them losing would likely break my heart. I turn my head to pay attention while I smiled at Bastion's words.

Cyber barrior dragon- 800atk/2800def. Once per turn, when this card is attacked in attack position, negate the attack.

Elemental HERO thunder giant- 2400atk/1500def. When this card is fusion summoned target one card with fewer original attack points and destroy it.

Chazz smiled that its his turn. "My turn I draw!" He set two cards face down. "I summon x-head cannon and using the spell card Limiter remova! Even if it destroys my monster at the end of my turn, it won't matter cause I now play card destruction!" They put the card in their grave to the graveyard and got a new hand. "Attack his giant my cannon!" The machine went into an over charged state as it fired its ballistas at the giant with maximum power. The explosion sent holographic shockwaves in the arena, thus the giant was no more.

Syrus/Jaden: 2800 LP

Chazz smiled at burning spot where the giant was. "Now I play the spell card monster recovery! by sending my hand and my x-head cannon to my deck, I draw cards equal to the cards I sent." Before the cannon could shut down it was sent back to its master. "I set a card and end my turn, Oh and before you ask I have to ask Zane if I can control his monster for limiter removal to work." Even though I did a hand bomb before, that was pretty good.

"A solid play, I'm surprised Chazz had enough brain cells to accomplish that." Bastion rudely commented. "By sending X-head back to his deck he circumvented the effect of limiter removal."

Alexis nodded at Bastion's statement. "Yeah to think he actually learned something." I get the feeling they hate Chazz in general, which I agree he is a snob. It's just weird seeing how much change he had since the promotion exams. Jaden said that while he had powerful cards, he didn't exactly know how to use them together properly.

Syrus seams tense and afraid when he drew a card. From the scared look he had on him, it was power bond. "I set two cards face down, and I summon patroid in defense mode!" The animated cop car flared it's sirens as it was summoned. "I use patroid's ability to show us what's underneath one of Chazz's facedowns." Syrus pointed at the middle card, which was revealed to be reckless greed.

I'm proud he remembered patroid's ability, but Chazz's reckless greed doesn't change much. "I end my turn." Syrus had the mixed look of fear and embarrassment of the play.

Zane surpringly smiled. "I must thank you for revealing that, for it's just what I need. I activate Chazz's reckless greed!" He drew two cards and thought about how to end this. "First off I play monster reincarnation, by sending different dimension coffin to the grave I can bring cyber dragon to my hand." Syrus tensed at what may happen next. "I summon another Proto cyber dragon and play polymerization!"

The skyscaper's lights started to fritz out. "Since my Proto dragon name is now cyber dragon, I can fuse him with the two real cyber dragons in my hand! Behold Cyber end dragon!" The discharge electricity form a gateway for the dragon to enter.

Cyber end dragon- 4000atk/4000def. Cyber dragon+ Cyber dragon+ Cyber dragon. if this card destroys a monster in defense mode, inflict damage between this monsters attack with the destroyed monster's defense.

Bastion and Alexis gasped in shocked. "There is no way for them to survive now!" Bastion typed on his PDA with sonic speed. "The Cyber End Dragon is nigh impossible to destroy with points alone!" Bastion looked at me with a somber face. "I'm sad to say, but not even Jaden can defeat it with his best."

I restricted myself from yelling just how wrong Bastion is. At least I hope he's wrong, a legendary dragon and his minion or the heroes of the story.

"Now Cyber end dragon, attack Patroid with triple end beam!" The three metal heads that the dragon had, reared up with energy gushing from the mouth.

The cartoonish cop car looked ready to be relived of duty, until. "Sorry big bro I activate negate attack, stopping your dragon!" The triple beams of death disapated a foot before it hit.

Zane merely nodded that his turn is over. My heart and lungs relieved is pressure and I gave a heavy sigh.

Alexis stared more deeply into this. "It doesn't matter, when it's Chazz's turn he can use Zane's dragon and destroy them. I doubt Syrus has another trap like that." She was right, I doubt Syrus can save themselves again. They have to stop the dragon now before it's all over!

Jaden paused as he touched the top card of his deck, then drew. His face pause and he raised his hand. Was he quittting, no that's not it.

"Hey can we have a lunch break, I'm starving!?" We all fell flat at his question, Jaden you are the wonder of the earth.

"Really slifer slacker, stop stalling and face your doom like a man!" Chazz yelled at Jaden, which many were having similar thought; until they saw his face. It was pure excitement and determination of the last turn, did he forget his troubles and what's at stake.

"Nah, I just want to be full of energy as I kick your can!" Everyone gasped at that proclamation. "Just need a quick sec, hold on."

A minute later Dorthy arrived with a few sandwiches. He ate some and practically backflip back onto the field. "Are you ready to continue?" Chancellor shepherd asked through the intercom.

"You bet! Now let's continue!" He smiled at the thrill of the game, it seams like he's back. "Now I will show you something sweet, by sending a dark and light attribute from my graveyard to my remove from play.." Wait, he's summoning the card I gave him. "To summon Envoy of the begining: Chaos Soldier!" Thunder clapped as lighting struck where Chaos soldier appeared.

"Wait, when did you get a dark type to the grave!?" Chazz yelled at Jaden with fear and disdain.

Jaden chuckled as he pulled out the card as its spirt flew by. "Thanks to your card destruction I was able to get Necroshade to the graveyard so thanks Chazz!" Chazz looked with fear as physical embodiment of chaos readied his sword. "Now I think it's ready for your Cyber End Dragon to go away!"

Envoy of the beginning: Chaos soldier- 3000atk/2500def. Can only be special summoned by sending one dark and light attribute monster from your grave to the remove from play. One per turn you can activate these effects. 1: Once per turn you can banish a monster on the field, you cannot attack if you activated this effect. 2: When this card destroys a monster it can attack again.

Zane closes his eyes while Chazz is ignorant of its effects. "Are you sure it has less attack points then the end dragon!"

Chazz face turn to shock as the dragon started to fade into dust. "Yeah, but The Envoy has the unique ability to banish a monster once per turn by sacrificing its ability to attack." Jaden then set a card. "Your move Chazz!"

"I summon armed dragon level 3 and use my face down card level up! This brings forth armed dragon level 5!" The ground rumbled as the fastly evolved dragon surfaced. "I end my turn."

I don't get it, why would Chazz summon a monster that can't destroy chaos soldier. "So he's risking it on Zane." Bastion muttered capturing me and Alexis's attention. "For all Chazz knows Zane could have monster in his hand stronger then chaos soldier."

"What do you mean by that, Bastion?" Alexis asked as my eyes passively gazed at the duel, Syrus had a look on his face.

"If by some terrible curse that Zane has a monster with 3000 or more in his hand, he can use armed dragon's effect and discard it. The result would lead to the soldier's demise." I laughed a bit inside, there's no way Zane had a non-fusion monster that has more attack points then chaos soldier. "By the look on your face you think it wouldn't matter, you're wrong. Armed dragon's ability exceeds thunder giant limit of it being original attack points." I freeze as my mind process that. "It means that if Zane can reduce the soldier's attack points to the amount he needs with an effect, it's over."

Alexis and I thought of that grim possibility when my eyes glazed the battlefield once more. It looked like Jaden and Syrus were discussing something. "Alright! I play shieldcrush to destroy barrior dragon!" A beam of light shined down onto the mechanical Barrior Dragon before it was disintegrated. "I summon steamroid and I Attack with Chaos soldier!" The soldier dashed towards the armed dragon.

Chazz's last card flipped over. "Not so fast, I activate my wabaku. It end the battle phase!" The soldier stood still in the face of the three robed women. It felt hilariously ironic that holy women would protect a dragon of destruction.

Syrus nodded. "I'll throw down two face downs and end." Syrus blew his own hand, maybe for a different reason then a bluff.

Zane eyed the field carefully. "You still got a lot to learn Syrus, victory isn't assured till the last point goes down." Due to reckless greed he couldn't draw and couldn't use anything except armed dragon. "If you were counting it is now my third turn." The golden sarcophagus rises up then shatters giving Zane his last card. "Because now this duel will be your final one here!" That exclamation shocked all of us, can he really turn this around? "This one card spells the end for this duel. I play monster reborn!" Wait his dragon is removed and no monster in his grave can beat chaos soldier, wait.

Yellow lighting struck and thunder giant was on Zane's side of the skyscraper field. "Thanks to your skyscraper, when a Hero monster attacks a monster with more attack points, that Hero monster gains 1000 attack points!" Thunder giant unleashed a discharge that was conducted by the skyscraper, making the attack more powerful. Chaos soldier blew up from the attack.

Syrus/Jaden: 2400

Me, Alexis, and Bastion were in shock from the comeback. "That was most impressive giving the situation, did Zane predict this from the begining and sent monster reborn in advance for this moment." Bastion concluded the obviously dire situation as the armed dragon blew up steamroid.

Syrus/Jaden: 1300

"I don't know how Jaden can come back after that." Alexis hand was over her mouth to prevent others to see her in a similar shock.

I felt dread and it was Jaden's turn to pull this around and save the day. Jaden still had that smile, he really has come back from his dread.

"Wow, nice come back Zane, I can now see why you're number one here!" Jaden cheered despite everything that led to this. "However you're not the only one who can duel like a pro!" Jaden drew a card and his smile grew. "I'm on a roll now, first I play the spell pot of greed and draw two cards!" He looked at Syrus with a smile of glee. "I play double fusion, by sacrificing half our life points I can fusion summon twice. Syrus can I have your patroid?" Jaden gave a smile of reassurance towards Syrus.

Syrus nodded. "Okay Jay you can have it!" Patroid turned into mist for the fusion.

Jaden lifted his hand in the air. "I fuse bubbleman and patroid to summon, Elemental hero Gaia!" The earth rumbled as a giant cyborg rose from the earth.

Elemental HERO Gaia- 2200atk/2600def, Earth/Warrior/Fusion. 1 elemental hero + 1 earth attribute monster, must be fusion summoned and can't be special summoned in any way. When this monster is fusion summoned target a monster on the opponents side of the field, that target attack is halved and this monster gains half until the end phase.

Jaden pumped his fist in the air. "That's not all I'm summoning, I fuse elemental hero flash and elemental hero burstinitrix to form, Elemental HERO Nova Master!" Following the hole Gaia came out of, a torrent of flames spun around until it died down to reveal Nova Master. It was incredible, just like my first 'misunderstood' duel with him. Multiple Heros fighting together for a great cause of justice, it made my blood spur in excitement.

Elemental HERO Nova Master- 2600Atk/2100def, Fire/Warrior/fusion. 1 Elemental Hero monster + 1 fire attribute monster, when this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle draw one card.

"Yeah kick their behinds Jaden, or I'll beat yours!" I stood up and cheered at Syrus and Jaden, then the others followed suit.

"Even though my probabilities say you would lose, you can show me that not every answer is right!" Bastion cheered with his...unique set of words.

"Come on you guys, you can do it!" Alexis yelled.

"Show me you didn't lounge at the dorm and do nothing!" We turned in shock at Banner's sudden apperence.

"You're here!?" I asked in shock.

"I didn't get the memo so I thought all the students didn't like my cooking and stayed away." Banner looked down sad. "I thought I made the shrimp too hard last night, why couldn't the Ra cook stay a bit longer!?" Banner whined to the atmosphere like the person was standing there. "Ahh, but where's Chumley?"

We paused and looked left and right and he wasn't there. Then Bastion pointed to where Crowler and shepherd were, Chumley was behind them. "I guess he wants to be as close to Jaden and Syrus as possible." Bastion wonders as I wonders if he always was that sneaky.

Suddenly Gaia pointed it's arm at armed dragon. "Elemental HERO Gaia's ability activates, when he's fusion summoned I can grab half you're dragon's attack points and give it to him." The turbine like gauntlets began to spin as the dragon began to shrivel up. "A hero never gives up as long as he has friends to protect and support, Gaia attack Armed dragon with Gaia's force!" The hero charged at the weakend monster with its hands burning bright. It punched it dead on causing it to shatter the city windows and burst the dragon into flames.

Zane/Chazz: 1800

"Now Nova Master, attack Thunder giant with nova burst!" The flame hero mustered all the flame it could before unleashing it as multiple comets at the Thunder giant. With nothing to save the other hero he was bombarded with the death balls of fire, making the surrounding area full of fire. "Nova master's ability allows me to draw one card from my hand when he destroys a monster!" Jaden drew a card and smiled a little bit. "I play the warrior returning alive, it lets me bring one warrior monster from the grave to my hand." He collected a monster from the grave, but it didn't matter right.

Zane/Chazz: 1600

Chazz growled in denial that he had lost or is going to lose to Jaden again. "I'll show you slifer slacker." Chazz drew his last and only card of chance. "Grrr...I set a card and end my turn."

Syrus blew a sigh of relief, this duel was certain for them to win. "Okay, I'll use Jaden's nova master and end the duel!" Nova master fired its meteor storm at Chazz and Zane. Victory was in their grasp and we were on the edge of our seats.

Chazz activated his face down. "Not so fast I play the trap magic cylinder! I knew you couldn't resist attack, it over!" Chazz yells at them for the easy fooling, note to self never play poker with him.

The storm was about to hit the devastating mirror until. "No, like Jaden says if he will stand strong for us, then I will too! I play the quick spell de-fusion, ending the attack and splitting Nova master into Brtinatrix and Flash!" The trap missed as the hero split into two. "Now gaia will attack! Gaia's force!" To be honest I think Jaden says it better, but Syrus saved them the duel from defusion. As Gaia reared up for the finale punch two question came into my mind. If Syrus had de-fusion as well as power bond, why didn't he use it if it had a safety net in case of failure with his roids. Two, what monster did Jaden bring back if he couldn't summon it.

Gaia's fist contacted with no problem leading to Jaden and Syrus a victory of the ages.

Zane/Chazz: 0 LP

Jaden/Syrus: wins

The field disappeared as the crowd went absolutely ballistic, how can you not when two slifers beat two obelisks in an expulsion match. I held in my excitement, after all I can cheer with them in the dorm rooms. Only Bastion, Zane, and sheaperd keep their cool like me, even if the emotions started to bleed out a little bit for bastion.

Chancellor sheaperd stood up, instantly making the students go silent. He walked up to the area with Crowler in tow, his stotic experssion showed hints of him being impressed with both parties. "The winners are Syrus and Jaden, you and your friends gets to stay. While I condone what you did for this to happen, your skills and passion for dueling allowed me to see you have the skills to stay." He looked at Chazz and Zane only one of whom showed anger and fear. "As compensation for you're time here, you are exempted from two days of homework to catch up or hang around." Chazz relived one of his emotions as Zane began to walk away without a word.

Jaden smiled brightly. "Aw, thanks sheaperd,we couldn't have done it without each other." He gave a quick glance at a rough position of where I am. "Here or otherwise, right Syrus?" Jaden ruffled Syrus's hair and making it unkempt.

"Jaden stop it, you know I don't like that!" Everyone laughed at the good feelings of the atmosphere.

Everyone basiclly went either back to their dorms or headed out before curfew struck. I was standing in one of the duel academy's many hallways, not lost mind you just...thinking.

I was so deep in thought when Zane himself stood next to me. "You got good friends, remember that 'Shino' unless you're even going to tell me you're real name?" I sighed wishing Zane hadn't come looking for his brother or whatever he was doing that day.

"it's Yoshi. You aren't going to tell anyone are you?" I stood still and silent like Zane, just quiet until the words came out.

"No. it hasn't harmed anyone in any way so I'll ignore that detail. I find that quite honorable to find you're true skill as a duelist then get you're way in." I smiled a bit, from what I heard from Chazz and the way Syrus acted I thought Zane was a monster. Glad to know he can be sweet when he wants to be. "If you want to know, I found out that secret out during the entry exams." I tripped over in shocked and disbelief. "You wore a mask because of the loophole in the exams sign-in, which state that you only can't wear sunglasses or a hat. However the clothing excluding the mask you wore was baggy and meant for concealment, meaning you were hiding something on you." How did Zane become Sherlock homes!? No wonder he tied Bastion on the written scores! "So during the time you had to reveal your face for a short and inconspicuous time for a picture shoot, I found out. You really need to plan this out better, you are lucky the entry rules are vague and loose otherwise you would be found out day one." I was a white as a ghost, he concluded that so fast in one day for someone he couldn't care less about.

"Y-Yeah I guess so, I guess I'm lucky you don't care." I was sweating fast at this man, from that I felt like a glance of him was him eyeing my soul.

"Wrong, I do care, a lot actually. It's wrong to subvert the rules for the benifit of one, unless said one had pure intentions." I sweated more from that. "That's why I accepted to test with Chazz, join the lesser evil and see if you had the intentions I thought you had. You didn't duel and if I had known that, I would have refused to duel." So he only said yes to test me, which wasn't the case. "However, while Jaden proved that there were good intentions from all of you by going in the abandoned dorm. It's not the same as entering here, that was a side circumstance." He looked at me even more serious then before. "Just know it's best to say the truth before it's reveal, not after." Zane walks slowly from my view. "Oh, you have about five minutes before Banner counts you absent." How's does he kn-Oh god dam it!

I ran away from the hallway in a reckless speed, thankfully I didn't get lost and made it there by a ride from dorthy. She's a very good at timing her drives, because this was the secound time this happen. I will not mention the first.

When I arrive they were already celebrating the victory that put arrogant obelisks in their place. That didn't catch my attention, what did was Jaden eating my own freaking share of fried shrimp! I walk up towards him Syrus and Chumley fled as they saw my cold stare.

"Jaden..." He turn around when he was about to ask why they left, then knew the reason himself. "Did you eat my shrimp, you didn't even ask?" I'm pretty sure I have an aura of pure annoyed rage.

"I did ask!" Jaden replied fast for someone so scared. "Ask Banner he said me and Syrus deserve an extra bowl and because you weren't here he gave me yours!" The volume of his fear grew louder before my gaze locked on to the professer and his cat.

Surprisingly he turn with tiny bits of sweet on his forehead. "Mr. Kayaba, what a surprise...Boiled egg?" I twitched my eye as Banner slowly walked back.

"I think Pharaoh would make a better professor...what do you think?" I stated as Banner bolted for the hills. "Oh no yo-" My arm was stopped by Jaden, preventing me from chasing the food vendor. "What do you want, shrimp?" Jaden slumped and only use body motion to ask if I could sit down next to him. I wasn't happy, but I obliged...I knew the shrimp wasn't my absolute favorite; however it was the only thing edible. "You ate my shrimp..." I muttered with a bit of petty disdain.

"Not all of it, I only ask for another bowl so no one would steal it." My eyes narrowed further at Jaden and his meaning. "This is my first bowl." He pulled out another bowl of cooked shrimp. "I may love shrimp, but seeing a friend suffer during a party about our win kinda makes me put it aside." He plucked a shrimp and handed it to me, I...I felt terrible. I honestly thought he ate my shrimp even though I should known better.

I grabbed it and placed it in my humbled and satisfied mouth. Jaden then handed me something else, it was my Envoy of the beginning. "Thanks for you're help, I doubt we would have survived without it." I felt glad that Jaden appreciated my help, despite me counteracting what I said when I first got the card. "So I made sure it didn't stay in the graveyard." I paused for a few moment while he continued. "I bet that it being in the grave made you depressed. So with Nova Master's ability and the spell card I brought it back from the grave." I didn't know what to say...I really didn't, that's a first. "Of course I bet you're only glad to see it once and let it in the grave..."

I gave him a rough jab in the shoulder for the hopefully, playful insult. "That's for thinking I'm not grateful." Jaden just rubs his arm and smiles, he never truly gives up even in the face of dread and dispair. "So, video game?" I ask as he jumped up more fast then I could anticipate.

"Oh yeah, let's get our game on! Syrus, Chumley, let's play Fighter King!" I smiled at his enthusiasm, I guess I'm glad to have him as a friend. "But, we made a promise." I pause then remember about last night. "Let's go have a picture of the sunset!" I didn't have a say as I was dragged by his hand, I take back my statement.

So me, Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley posed at the setting sun that was quickly turning to dusk. I dare say it was the most beautiful photo we all had together.

(Hello, I'm back...okay there were several petty excuses why I had a hard time writing this secound part. One, due to to it being duel monsters, I have to research monsters and find out more if is Gx era or before. Second I had to count the hand and the field, not to mention I failed to realize barrior dragon during limiter removal too far in. So lucky me when I found out that one can only control his monsters, unless they have permission. I know it's a cop out, but do you really what me to write this again? Also having Zane fight this early seamed weird back then, so I wrote his true reason at the last minute as well as the emotional aftermath. I hope you forgive me for not writing this faster then my inspire place hold stories then this. -Mysterious Jester.)