Dr. Crowler walked through Duel Academy's hallways, noticing all the students in red coats in the hallway.
'Just look at them, pathetic slackers littering the campus like vermin.' He thought. 'The hallowed halls of MY Duel Academy are for the elite, not the lame and especially NOT Jaden Yuki.' And then he burst out yelling. "THAT SLIFER SLACKER HAS MADE A FOOL OUT OF ME FOR LONG ENOUGH!" Crowler's yell was so loud it caused the Slifer Red students around him to duck into a nearby classroom. "But soon he will pay most dearly for it. Soon, he will be the one who looks like a fool, but first I'll deal with that Ash brat and his rodent."
"Dr. Crowler."
Crowler turned to see Chazz Princeton walking up to him. "Ah, Chazz, how can I help you?"
"Let me face Ash in the elimination duel." Chazz said. "I can beat him and send him packing."
"Sorry, Chazz but you're sitting out this time around." Crowler said, making Chazz gasp. "Your skills are admirable, but I'm not willing to take any chances. The loser will be expelled from Duel Academy, so I'm making sure they face a professional duelist."
While this was going on Syrus and Ash were preparing.
"How will we do in the tag duel?" Syrus asked his partner.
"We'll be fine." Ash confidently said.
He stared at his deck.
"Hopefully you don't become nervous." He stated.
Chumley, Jaden, Alexis, Pikachu, Bastion, Mindy and Jasmine came up to them.
"Good luck guys." They all said.
"I'll be fine Pikachu." Ash told the mouse.
"Hopefully you win." Mindy said. She didn't want to lose Pikachu.
"We had a great time with him." Jasmine added.
Pikachu sweat dropped and smiled.
"Okay." Jaden and Bastion also sweat dropped.
"I also want to wish you good luck." Alexis said with Pikachu in her arms.
"Me too." Syrus agreed.
Their tag duel was about to begin.
"You ready?" Ash asked Syrus.
"Of course." Syrus nodded.
The two made their way to the arena.
At the main dueling stadium, the other students, teachers and the Chancellor took their seats.
"We're going to win." Ash told his partner.
Up in the stands, Alexis and Bastion were overlooking the conversation.
"Syrus really has to get it together." Bastion said.
"And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce our special guest Duelists..." Crowler announced. Two men flipped onto the stage. They were both bald in Chinese robes, one wearing orange and the other green. They had strange markings on their heads.
Alexis, Bastion, Chazz, Chumley, and Chancellor Sheppard watched astonished as they flipped over Ash and Syrus and landed on the other side.
"The Paradox Brothers!"
"Salutations, you fools." The one in orange greeted.
"Hope you're ready to duel?" The one in green asked.
"Perhaps, since they haven't dueled in ages." Crowler introduced. "They have only lost one tag duel and the one to be them was Joey Wheeler and the Duel King himself."
"No way." Syrus gasped. "They fought Yugi Moto?" The Paradox Brothers grinned at Syrus's reaction.
"Okay, wow I never knew Crowler was that petty." Jasmine said.
"I've heard that these guys are the best Tag Duelists in the world." Alexis said. "This is hardly fair."
"I think that was Crowler's point." Bastion said.
"They're gonna do fine." Jaden commented.
"Pika." Pikachu angrily said in Alexis's arms.
"I agree." Mindy added.
"Hey Chumley." Chazz called out to the big Slifer. "Looks like there's going to be a whole lot more room in your dorm. Your friends are toast."
"Not licious." Chumley groaned.
Zane was as stoic as ever as he looked at the opponents.
"Crowler, isn't this a little much?" Sheppard asked.
"Not at all, remember?" Crowler protested. "Ash broke a big time rule and should face big time opponents."
Ash looked up at Dr. Crowler.
"And besides you're the one paying them their travel costs." Sheppard said, making Crowler drop to the ground.
"We're not going to lose." Ash told his partner.
Out loud on the microphone, "Duelists, prepare to battle!" Everyone activated their Duel Disks. "The rules of this duel are quite simple. Each team will have 8000 points, rather than having four thousand to each player separately. Also there is no sharing of strategy, no sharing of advice, and no sharing of cards that aren't already in play. You can, however, use cards on your partner's field. Understand?"
"Yeah!" The duelists replied.
"All right, then, duel!" Crowler said, leaping off the stage.
Ash/Syrus: 8000
Paradox Brothers: 8000
"Bring it on." Ash challenged.
"Here I come." Syrus announced as he drew a card. "First I'm going to summon... Gyroid in attack mode." A blue helicopter with eyes appeared. (1000/1000) "Next I place two cards face down and end my turn."
"You must be joking." Para said. "I'm surprised that thing even has an attack mode. This, on the other hand..." He drew his sixth card. "Jirai Gumo, attack mode!" A giant brown spider appeared opposite the helicopter. (2200/100)
"The best defense is a good offense." Dox said starting his turn. "I summon Kaiser Seahorse, attack mode!" A blue and seemingly armored creature carrying a spear and shield appeared. (1700/1650)
'Okay, if I know dueling like I think I know dueling, these guys are going to attack next.' Syrus thought, seeing as everyone played a monster.
"I choose to play a spell card from my hand..." Dox announced startling Syrus. "Tribute Doll! To activate it, I must sacrifice one monster on the field. Good thing my brother is so generous with his." The brothers shared a look. "Farewell, Jirai Gumo." Black vines gripped the spider and destroyed it. "Now I can summon a level 7 monster this turn and I choose Kazejin!" The spider was replaced by a green machine that was only a pair of arms and a face with a Japanese kanji on it. It appeared in a blast of wind. (2400/2200)
"He sacrificed his brother's monster to summon a better one for the team, now that's tag dueling." Bastion said.
"Would you mind not sounding so impressed, Bastion?" Alexis asked, sounding annoyed.
"You're rooting for the wrong side." Mindy noted, annoyed.
"My move." Ash drew a card. "I summon Shield Warrior in defense mode." (800/1600)
"Then I place one card face down." A card appeared behind Shield Warrior.
"I've never seen that card before." The spectators commented.
The Paradox Brothers didn't know what he was up to, so they kept their guard up.
"The duel is just starting..." Para announced.
"Yet it is almost done." Dox said.
They each pointed to the kids. "For your demise has already begun!"
Syrus gasped.
"We'll see about that." Ash declared.
"What do you think?" Syrus said, feeling scared. "If we quit now, we'll get some extra time to pack all our stuff."
"Remember what I told you about me starting my journey." Ash reminded him.
"I certainly do." Syrus smiled.
"All aboard!" Syrus announced as he drew a card. "I summon Steamroid in attack mode." Syrus summoned a cartoonish, locomotive next to the helicopter. (1800/1800)
"And I also play this: Power Bond!" Syrus's two monsters are pulled into a vortex. "Check it out, I take Steamroid and Gyroid and fuse them together to create the ultimate engine that could: Steam Gyroid!"
"That will double Steam Gyroid's attack." Alexis pointed out.
"Next I use Pikeru's Circle of Enchantment. This will prevent me from taking damage due to Power Bond's drawback. After that I summon Decoyroid."
"I wasn't expecting Syrus to play that trap." Bastion commented.
"Steam Gyroid, attack Para!"
"An attack?" Para asked surprised.
"Got that right!" Steam Gyroid rushed towards the orange-clad brother.
Alexis and Bastion gasped. Chazz and Crowler chuckled. Zane just scowled.
"Brother, if you would please..." Para said.
Dox nodded. "It would be my pleasure indeed, brother." He then motioned to his monster. "Kazejin, defend with Squall Barricade!"
"Go, Divine Wrath!" Syrus's other face down lifted up.
"Your monster's effect is negated and it's destroyed." He explained.
Steam Gyroid's attack continued and it struck Para.
Para/Dox: 3600
"I'll follow it up with the Equip Spell Mist Body." Syrus declared.
"That's a sweet move." Jaden exclaimed.
"I wasn't expecting this from Syrus." Bastion admitted.
Zane was surprised as well.
'Looks like you have a lot more bravado.' Zane thought.
"All right." Syrus said. "I place one card face-down and end my turn."
"At last a smart move..." Para said drawing a card. "I play Monster Reborn and bring back the frightful Jirai Gumo!" The spider returned to the field. (2200/100) "And I play a spell card, Tribute Doll!"
"Not again!"
"Yes again, and again I choose to sacrifice Jirai to summon a level 7 monster: Suijin!" The spider was sacrificed again for a new, blue monster that looked like a pair of legs with a mouth in the midsection. (2500/2400) "But I'm not done yet, mind if I borrow a monster, Brother?"
"Please, that's why he's there." Dox graciously offered.
"I sacrifice Kaiser Seahorse!" The monster was covered with dark fire.
"In case you did not know, when summoning a light attribute monster, Kaiser Seahorse's sacrifice counts as two instead of one which is why I can now summon Sanga of the Thunder!" The new monster was a dull bronze color and was only an armored top and a pair of arms. (2600/2200)
"Now I place those odds at 500 to 1." Bastion said.
"What are the odds of you shutting up?" Alexis asked.
"Pika." Pikachu angrily said.
"Three monsters on our side, what could be better?" Para asked.
"I know, Brother, when they come together." Dox replied.
"Prepare yourselves!" Para rejoiced. "I sacrifice Suijin, Kazejin, and Sanga of the Thunder so I can now summon the ultimate monster: Gate Guardian!" In a huge burst of light, a compilation of the three monsters appeared. Sanga formed the head and arms, Kazejin was the torso, and Suijin was the legs. (3750/3400)
"That's one tough monster." Jaden noted.
"Not as tough as Steam Gyroid though." Alexis remarked.
"I know it hurts..."
"But it's about to get worse."
"If it gets as bad as this rhyming then we're in serious trouble." Syrus commented.
Peeking up from the edge, Crowler chuckled. 'These two are dueling perfectly!' He thought. 'They know just what to do and are doing it. After all, in a Tag Duel, once you eliminate the weakest link, the whole chain comes crumbling apart.' Crowler gave a devious look to Syrus. 'And they certainly found just that, little Syrus. Poor little Syrus, he would be the weakest link on a plate of sausages.'
"Gate Guardian doesn't scare me." Ash proclaimed.
"Well maybe this will. I equip Gate Guardian with Axe of Despair." Para presented a card. (4750/3400)
"It's going down." Ash challenged.
"I'd like to see you try." Para challenged back as he placed a card face down.
"My turn." Ash drew a card.
"I activate Double Summon." Ash announced.
"I use it to bring out Insect Knight, then tribute it and Shield Warrior to play this...Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" He shouted.
"Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Everyone, minus the ones that already knew he had it, exclaimed in shock.
"How did he get that!" Crowler was furious.
"Where did you obtain that!" The Paradox Brothers demanded.
"Trade secret." Ash smirked.
Crowler was freaking out.
'How could he have gotten that?' He wondered.
"Well we have this." Their face down lifted up. "Say goodbye to Blue-Eyes!"
The card they set was Bottomless Trap Hole.
"That was a smart move." Bastion remarked.
'How could he have gotten that.' Chazz wondered.
Pikachu was also surprised with their move.
"Shut up!" Mindy yelled at Bastion. "If he loses, Pikachu will go with him and I won't be responsible for what happens next."
Everyone sweat dropped.
"It's good that you have your priorities straight." Alexis stated.
Pikachu also sweat dropped.
"Anyway, synchro monsters involve sending materials with the combined levels of the monster you want to summon to the graveyard. You primarily send a tuner and non-tuner to the graveyard." Bastion informed the others.
'Hmm.' Ash thought about what he should do next. "I'm going to end my turn with a face down."
"It's my draw!" Dox announced as he drew. "And I activate Prohibition. Any card I declare with this cannot be used for the rest of the duel. I think I'll choose Blue-Eyes White Dragon."
"Uh oh." Jaden grimaced.
"He's in a jam." Bastion figured.
'That was genius.' Crowler was happy with Dox's move.
'We're in trouble.' The two thought.
"I'll end my turn." Dox said.
"I'm going to pass." Syrus didn't play anything.
"I'll set two face downs and end." Once again, Dox didn't make a move.
"Why aren't they attacking?" Mindy asked, confused.
"It's due to Decoyroid and Mist Body." Bastion and Alexis answered. "As long as Decoyroid is face up, it's the only monster than can be attacked."
"And Mist Body prevents Decoyroid from being destroyed by battle." Alexis added.
Mindy and Pikachu then realized they had a unbreakable shield.
'No.' Crowler wasn't happy. 'The weak link managed to make the perfect defense.'
"My move." Ash drew a card.
"And I use Dust Tornado to destroy Mist Body." Para said.
"After that I play the continuous trap Solemn Wishes." Para added.
"Now every time he draws they gain 500 life points." Jasmine noted.
"With Mist Body gone Decoyroid can be destroyed." Jaden remarked.
Alexis and Pikachu had worried expressions on their faces.
Crowler and Chazz on the other hand were smirking.
'Oh great.' Ash panicked in his mind. 'What would be the best move in this situation.'
He then heard a roar.
He then turned and saw the light dragon that appeared during his duel with Titan.
"It's you." He recognized the dragon.
The dragon then roared causing Ash to recall all the jams he had been in before.
"Thanks." Ash said as two glowing cards suddenly appeared in front of him.
"I play Pot of Greed." Ash drew two cards from his deck.
"Then I use Hidden Spellbook to get Pot of Greed and Double Summon back." The two spells were placed in his hand.
"I re-use Pot of Greed and Double Summon." He placed the spells in his spell/trap zones. "Say hello to Junk Synchron and Speed Warrior."
"For my next move, I discard Quillbolt Hedgehog to use One for One." He placed a new monster on his duel disk that he took out of his deck after placing Quillbolt Hedgehog in the graveyard. "I'd like you to meet Sonic Chick." (300/300)
Junk Synchron and Speed Warrior materialized onto the field.
"Junk Synchron's effect will bring Quillbolt Hedgehog back." Ash announced.
"What are you planning to do with such weak monsters?" The Paradox Brothers asked him.
Crowler and Chazz were cackling.
"On the turn Speed Warrior's summoned, it's stats are doubled." Ash explained (1800/1200)
Crowler, Chazz, Zane and Ash's friends saw this.
"Alone maybe but together, they can be unstoppable and to do that...I'm tuning Junk Synchron with Quillbolt Hedgehog." Ash responded.
Junk Synchron pulled on a cord before before turning into three rings as Quillbolt Hedgehog became transparent with two stars in him as he then vanished.
"I synchro summon Junk Warrior." Junk Warrior performed his standard pose which consisted of thrusting it's arm forward and a split kick. (2300/1300)
"What is that?" The spectators had never seen this monster before.
"Doesn't matter." The Paradox Brothers scoffed. "It's attack points are less than Gate Guardian."
"For now." Ash replied. "But that's about to change."
"Junk Warrior gains the combined attack of every level 2 or lower monster on the field." He explained.
"EVERY MONSTER!" The Paradox Brothers exclaim in shock.
"Yep." He nodded. "There are three level 2 or lower monsters on the field so it gains 2400 attack points." (4700/1300)
"It's stronger than Gate Guardian!" They exclaim in surprise.
'No way!' Crowler freaked out in his mind.
"Now attack Gate Guardian with Scrap Fist!" Ash ordered.
Junk Warrior flew into the air and then came straight down to punch Gate Guardian.
Para/Dox: 2750
Ash/Syrus: 5800
"Synchro summoning?" Everyone watching the duel was confused.
"Have you heard of that?" Bastion asked Jaden and Alexis.
"Those are pretty lights." Mindy happily said.
"Not me." Jaden remarked.
"I'm just as clueless." Alexis admitted.
'How did that brat get a synchro monster.' Crowler mentally freaked out.'What is a synchro monster anyway? I've never seen it before.'
Banner looked with curiosity while being somewhat suspicious.
"And now it's time for Speed Warrior and Sonic Chick to attack." Their combined attacks took some more of the Paradox Brothers life points away.
Para/Dox: 650
Ash/Syrus: 5800
"I've done enough, so that will end my turn." Ash said.
"My move." Dox drew a card. "I play Defense Wall in defense position."
Para/Dox: 1150
"It's your move." Dox told Syrus. "What are you waiting for?"
"I bring Steamroid back with Monster Reborn." Steamroid came back onto the field.
"That's followed up with Vehicroid Connection Zone." Syrus continued. "With it I bring out Super Vehicroid Stealth Union." (3600/3000)
"I think I'll get Defense Wall out of the way by equipping it to Super Vehicroid - Stealth Union." Syrus announced.
"Now attack them directly." Syrus ordered.
"I play the counter trap Negate Attack. This will end the battle phase." Dox replied.
"He almost had them." Jaden said.
The view them shifted to Zane.
'Hopefully you find a way out of this.' He thought.
"I guess that will end my turn." Syrus stated.
"Since Gate Guardian was destroyed, I activate the Dark Element spell card." Para told the two. "At the cost of half our life points, we're allowed to special summon Dark Guardian."
"Invincible in battle and with those attack points." Bastion gasped.
"That's bad news." Syrus agreed.
"I've never seen a monster that strong." Jaden said, shocked.
Alexis and Pikachu had concerned expressions.
"Dark Guardian, attack Decoyroid."
"I trigger the Nightmare Archfiends trap." Ash said.
Decoyroid disappeared and three fiendish looking monsters were now on the Paradox Brothers field.
"When these are destroyed, you lose 800 life points for each one destroyed." Ash told Para.
"What just happened?" Bastion was confused.
"My move." Ash drew a card. "I release Speed Warrior to summon Turret Warrior." (2100/2000)
"Turret Warrior gains the attack of the monster used to summon it." He told his opponents.
"As that was a special summon, I normal summon Nitro Synchron." He continued. "Next, I tune Nitro Synchron and Turret Warrior."
Like before Nitro Synchron turned into two rings while Turret Warrior turned into five stars.
"Due to being used as synchro material, Nitro Synchron lets me draw one card." Ash did just that.
Nitro Warrior rocketed into the air. "I bring out Nitro Warrior." (2800/1800)
"I use Block Attack to switch one of the nightmare tokens to defense position." He stated after drawing through Nitro Synchron's effect.
"What's the point?" The Paradox Brothers question.
"Once during each of my turns, Nitro Warrior gains 1000 attack after I activate a spell card during the next attack involving it." Ash told them. (3800/1800)
His friends were now excited.
"Nitro Warrior and Dark Guardian's attack points are now the same." Mindy noted that they were essentially evenly matched.
"Next up Monster Reborn to bring Nitro Synchron back." Nitro Synchron was ejected from his graveyard. "With a tuner monster on the field, Quillbolt Hedgehog also comes back."
A tuner and non-tuner on the field meant he was going to synchro summon again.
"I tune these two together to synchro summon Armory Arm!" Nitro Synchro turned into two rings while Quillbolt Hedgehog turned into two stars.
'Another one. How many of those things does he have.' Crowler was losing it.
"I'll equip Armory Arm to Nitro Warrior!" The clawed gauntlet covered Nitro Warrior's left hand. (4800/1800)
The Paradox Brothers weren't impressed initially, but their eyes then widened.
"Now attack one of the tokens with Dynamite Crunch!" Nitro Warrior flew forward and punched the token.
"If Nitro Warrior destroys a monster while Armory Arm is equipped to it, the destroyed monsters attack is dealt as damage." Ash explained.
"Since Nitro Warrior destroyed your monster by battle, I can switch one of your defense position monsters to attack position and attack again!" Another token stood upright and was punched.
Para/Dox: 0
"That's game." Jaden said.
He and the others then cheered.
'No way. They won.' Chazz was shocked.
'Impossible.' Crowler gasped. 'Two of the greatest tag duelists in the world were defeated.'
The synchro monsters then turn to him.
"Thanks." He said.
As they disappear, they smile.
"It's good that Ash can stay." Alexis told him.
"Pika." Pikachu jumped onto his shoulders.
"Good job." Bastion remarked.
Zane then approached them.
"I guess you were right." He admitted.
"About what?" Ash asked.
"Me being a egotistical jerk." Zane answered.
Most of the audience, except his friends were surprised.
"You said that to Zane? Are you nuts?!" Jasmine exclaimed.
"Why?" Ash asked.
"You showed Syrus how to use Power Bond. I should've done that instead of destroying his confidence." Zane replied.
"I see." Ash nodded.
"I want to apologize to you Syrus." Zane told his little brother.
"I accept your apology." Syrus replied.
"Do you want to come over to the Blue dorm sometime and discuss strategies?" Zane asked.
After that, he turned to Ash.
"I want a rematch." He stated. "Where did you get those synchro monsters, by the way?"
"They were blank." He informed Zane.
"That was until I felt a energy and the cards changed after that." He continued.
"Alright, that's not the weirdest thing I've heard from you." Zane replied.
"Since our first duel ended in a tie, I expect our next one to have a victor." Zane said.
Mindy and Jasmine look at each other.
Chazz was processing what he just heard.
Crowler on the other hand, wasn't convinced.
'There's no way Zane would tie with anyone.' He panicked.
"Before that happens, my deck needs one more card." Ash said to the Academy's best duelist.
"I'll be waiting." Zane replied before walking out of the arena.
"You two did great." Sheppard agreed. "You've proven you have the skill and more importantly, the desire to stay at the Academy."
"Prof. Banner already informed me about Pikachu and he's free to stay." Sheppard explained.
"Thanks." Ash replied.
Pikachu was happy that he got to stay with Ash.
Prof. Banner then stepped forward.
"There's the matter of punishment though. I'll figure one out. At the moment let's celebrate your victory." Prof. Banner said.
In the main building
Crowler was walking back and forth in his office.
He was really upset about the outcome of the duel.
"I can't believe that Ash won." He said out loud.
"I also can't believe he managed to tie with Zane." He added.
"Titan couldn't defeat Ash, the Paradox Brothers couldn't defeat Ash, FOR GODS SAKE NOT EVEN ZANE COULD DEFEAT ASH! I need to find someone who can defeat Ash, plus those synchro's and his Blue-Eyes." Crowler snapped.
A light bulb then went off in his head as he just came up with a idea.
"That's it. His Blue-Eyes. If I find the right opportunity to film them without suspicion." Crowler then began to laugh. "Ha ha ha I hope you enjoyed those Blue-Eyes Ash my boy, because you will soon face the true master of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
At the red dorm
Syrus was walking around the building when he suddenly heard Prof. Banner's voice.
As Syrus peeks through Banner's door, he heard a mysterious voice. "Ash Ketchum. From what you told me he is too much of a wild card. Between his pet electric mouse, his Blue-Eyes and these new synchro monsters he may cause my plans to fall apart. The Gravekeepers will test how much of a threat he is." Syrus began to sweat as the voice continued speaking. "It's time to test Jaden and Ash or prepare for their elimination."
"ELIMINATION!" Syrus yelled.
Banner came out of the room to find out what that noise was. He didn't see a thing as Syrus went to his dorm room. While this is happening a armored, cloaked figure with a mirrored visor watches on.
Meanwhile
Ash was sleeping in his bed in his dorm room as the blank card cleared a bit to reveal a level 8 wind synchro monster but it's picture remained blank.