One dark night
Two men were on a boat that was heading to Duel Academy. The man that was rowing the boat was hired by the muscular one who was staring at the direction at hand.
"Row faster!" The muscular man ordered. "I wanna be at Duel Academy by daybreak!"
"Yes sir!" The other guy replied with a strained voice.
'I won't have my son wasting one more day, slacking off!' The muscular man wore a white muscle shirt and black pants. Also his face was identical to a certain Slifer, except without the fat.
A few days remained until Ash's discipline duel for entering the Abandoned Dorm without permission and most people figured that he would be expelled because he was up against a professional duelist. His friends had the utmost confidence in him.
"Yes, you'll be here as soon as you can? Perfect, I expect the best from you two, good day." Crowler ended the call. "This is perfect. Even though I can't get rid of Jaden right now, I can at least get rid of that brat Ash and..."
Crowler's thoughts were interrupted when he spotted a small, but large for it's size yellow mouse with red stripes on it's back, a thunderbolt on it's tail, red dots on it's cheeks and black tips at the end of it's tail and ears. "Pika?"
Crowler then let out a high-pitched girly scream.
As for Jaden...
"This is the life..." Jaden was relaxing on the ground, under a tree near the school. "Green grass, some warm sunshine, just peace, quiet and some privacy."
"JADEN!"
"Uh oh, spoke too soon on the last few perks." Jaden said as Syrus come running up to him. "What's up, Sy?"
"Jaden, you have to come quickly, something terrible has happened." Syrus told him.
"You flunked the Traps Test, didn't ya?" Jaden asked.
"Actually, I got a B!" Syrus said proudly, but then got serious again. "But that's not it, Chumley's dad is here!"
"So what? Did he raid our fridge?" Jaden shrugged.
"No, Jaden! He came here to force Chumley to drop out!"
"No way, not our buddy!" Jaden gasped.
Ash was walking through the fields thinking about last night.
Flashback begins
Syrus walked up to Ash. "Wow Ash, you actually tied with my brother. No one has ever done that before."
Ash chuckled slightly. "Aw it was nothing."
Jaden walked up and said. "Are you kidding? It was a seriously close match."
Bastion then came up to him. "He's right Ash, you were in a no-win situation and even though you didn't win, you made sure your opponent wouldn't either."
Chumley spoke up. "Yeah, totally lishus."
Alexis then said. "You did something on this island that no one would even dream of and that's why you're here."
Ash blushed a little before everyone closed in on him and they all said. "BUT...WHERE DID YOU GET THOSE BLUE-EYES?!" Everyone yelled causing him to chuckle nervously.
Bastion spoke up. "Having one Blue-Eyes was strange enough, but all three as well as their fusions should be impossible."
Before they could continue, Zane spoke up. "Since we technically both won the duel how about we all meet up tomorrow and you can explain yourself Ash."
Ash nodded in agreement and so did everyone else. Before Zane left, he turned to Ash. "Ash, you might be the next best duelist on this island after I'm gone."
Ash looked surprised before smiling. "Thanks."
As Zane left, Alexis caught up with him. "Well, what do you think?"
Zane turned to her. "I think Syrus made some great friends."
This caused Alexis to smile.
End flashback
As Ash was about to leave, he heard a girlish scream and saw a thunderbolt coming out of the gym, causing him to gasp in both shock and hope.
"Could it be?" He ran towards the gym.
Alexis, Jasmine and Mindy were walking together.
"You sure you can't explain to us why you're meeting with the boys?" Jasmine asked, slightly annoyed.
Alexis turned to her. "Honestly you wouldn't believe me if I told you."
They spotted Zane and Bastion nearby, but then they heard a girlish scream and saw lightning rising up into the sky.
Mindy and Jasmine hugged each other with Jasmine asking while shaking. "What was that?"
Zane looked up. "I don't look, but it sounds like someone's in trouble."
Bastion spoke up. "Let's go help her!" With that they ran towards the gym.
As the group arrived they found a crisp Doctor Crowler on the floor with a bat in his hand.
Everyone gasped at the sight.
"Doctor Crowler!" Everyone ran towards him and Bastion checked his vital signs. "He's alive just knocked unconscious, somehow he was electrocuted but it didn't endanger his life."
Alexis then spoke up.
"But what could have..." Alexis trailed off and everyone turned to see Pikachu staring at them curiously.
"Pikachu."
Everyone stared at Pikachu and Bastion then broke the silence. "What is that?"
Alexis tried to figure out what it was. "It's...it's."
Hearts formed in Mindy's eyes.
"It's so cute!" She screamed.
Mindy hugged Pikachu in a bear hug but before he could shock her he heard a familiar voice.
"Pikachu?"
Pikachu turned around and was moved to tears when he saw Ash.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu leaped out of Mindy's arms and ran into Ash's arms as they hugged each other. "I missed you buddy."
While the heartwarming scene played out everyone stared at them. Ash finally noticed everyone staring at them and a giggling Ash said. "I guess I have some explaining to do."
Jaden and Syrus ran to the Slifer dorm where a group of Slifers, were peeking in on Professor Banner's room.
"Whoa! That's Chumley's dad?" Jaden asked.
"He looks more like a bodybuilder." Syrus commented. Jaden nodded in agreement. "But I guess if you were carrying around Chumley as a baby, you'd have to be."
Inside, Prof. Banner and Mr. Huffington was still talking as the Slifers continued to listen in on the conversation.
"I mean don't get me wrong." Mr. Huffington was saying. "If Chumley was any good at dueling, that'd be one thing. But he's clearly not, he's wasting his time here. It's time for him to give up dueling and come on home." Jaden and Syrus both gasped.
"I see your point..." Banner said neutrally. "Chumley is a bit... uh..." He even started to chuckle nervously, while choosing his words in front of the father.
"You can say it, he's a dunce." The big guy said, not even denying it. T"hat's why I want him to come on home and join the following business."
"And what business would that be?" Banner asked.
"The hot sauce making business!" He said, banging his fist on the table spooking the Professor and his cat. "You do like hot sauce don't you?"
"Oh, of course, I can't get enough of it." Banner said, trying be on the man's good side.
"Loud and clear..." Huffington said bringing out a tall bottle, wrapped in red paper with a picture of chili peppers on it. "Free sample."
"Oh no, I couldn't..." Banner said nervously.
"Oh yes you could..." Mr. Huffington glared at the teacher. "Just think of it as a goodbye gift from the family!"
"So he's really dropping?" Syrus asked.
"Not if we can help it!" Jaden replied. "Come on, we need to talk some sense in to him." The two of them ran up to their room. When they got to the room they saw Chumley packing things into his backpack.
"Chumley, what are you doing?" Jaden asked.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" Chumley asked harshly.
"It looks like you're giving up, that you're taking everything you ever worked for and throwing it all away! Like you're abandoning all of your dreams and you don't even care!" But as Jaden grabbed Chumley's shoulder, the older Slifer turned around, the other three saw tears in his eyes. "Chumley!"
"He does care..." Syrus realized.
"No, I just have something in my eyes is all." Chumley denied as he rubbed his eyes. "Now just leave me alone, will you? I mean it's not like I'm worth wasting your time on anyway, at least not according to my Dad."
"So did you tell this to your father?" Jaden asked.
"Of course not!" Chumley said tears streaming. "Everything to him is just hot sauce, hot sauce, hot sauce."
Jaden had heard enough and grabbed Chumley by the arm. "Come on." Jaden dragged Chumley out the door with Syrus and Claudio following.
The Slifers and went to see Chancellor Shepherd to explain the situation. Also there were Professor Banner and Mr. Huffington. "So there you have it..." Jaden finished. "Chumley can't be allowed to drop out, he has a gift."
"Yeah, a gift for eating grilled cheese." Mr. Huffington jabbed.
"Look, I know Chumley, I'm his roommate." Jaden vouched. "Not to mention his friend."
"Yeah, me too." Syrus agreed.
"Look, boys, I respect you sticking up for your friend like this." Sheppard said. "But I'm afraid that this is a personal matter that has to be settled between Chumley and his father without any interference from outsiders."
"That's right, it's family business!" Mr. Huffington added. "And I know Chumley a lot better than any of you do. I know his real worth and right now, the only worth he has is to bottle hot sauce at the family factory."
"But if you're so dead set on this 'gift' of yours, then we'll settle this with a duel."
"Huh?" The kids said.
"If you win, you get to stay here, but if I win, you're coming home." He cast a side glance at Sheppard. "Is that fine with you, Chancellor?"
"Agreed..." Sheppard nodded. "It'll be first thing tomorrow morning."
"See, guys, what'd I tell you?" Jaden asked as they all left the main building. "I knew it'd be a piece of cake to convince Chumley's dad to let him stay at the Academy."
"Jaden, we just convinced him to a duel, Chumley still has to win if he's going to stay." Syrus pointed out.
"Yeah, but come on Chumley's dad doesn't know how to duel. He's an amateur." Jaden added.
"Actually, he's three-time state dueling champion." Professor Banner jumped in. The kids gasped.
"Why do you think he was so insistent on sending Chumley to Dueling School?" Banner replied. "To become more like him, and wait until you see his deck. As you already figured out, he makes a living off his special hot sauce. Well his deck reflects the kick of this sauce. Just as it can take you out in one sip, so can his deck take you out in one turn." The kids gasped again. "And oh, the morning after."
"So Chumley challenged his father to a duel knowing all that?" Jaden asked. Everyone looked at Chumley who had a determined scowl on his face. They smiled. "Chumley, you must really want to stay here, huh?"
Back at the Slifer Dorm, Banner and Mr. Huffington were back in the Prof.'s room sharing a hot sauce bottle. The guy wasn't even worried about the match tomorrow.
"Another sip, Professor?" The hot sauce maker offered as he poured some in the cup.
"You're too kind, you have my thanks." Banner replied.
"My pleasure." Mr. Huffington then looked at Pharaoh who was slurping down the stuff in his dish. "And your cat from the look of things."
"Yes, good thing I stocked up on kitty litter."
At the gym...
"And that's basically everything." Ash finished explaining.
Alexis, Mindy, Jasmine, Bastion and Zane were processing everything that they just heard.
"It sounds unbelievable." Alexis responded.
"The proof is standing right in front of us." Zane pointed out.
Pikachu stared at Alexis the whole time.
"I now know the reason he attacked Crowler." Bastion figured out his motivation.
"Why?" Jasmine asked.
"Crowler panicked and tried to hit him with a bat." Bastion explained.
In Jaden's room...
"What's with all of Chumley's cards?" Jaden asked. "They're all Koala cards."
"Koalas are my favorite, duh!" Chumley snapped.
"No offense, Chumley, Koalas are cool." Syrus said. "But..."
"But can you win with them?" Jaden asked. "After all, isn't that the point of a Duel Monsters game, to win?"
"Here, try this." Syrus said. He handed out a card with a picture of a kangaroo dressed like a boxer on it. "I got it a while back but never used it, maybe you can use it."
"Really, Sy?"
"Yeah, if you join it with one of your Koalas, you'll have a deck from down under."
"And I got something for you, too." Jaden went to his bed and fished a card from under the pillow. "Something that will really come in handy."
Outside, Mr. Huffington heard the boys talk, contemplating on what he just heard...
Around this time...
Ash was still getting adjusted to Rainbow Kuriboh.
"Where did you come from anyway?" He asked the spirit.
Ash had no idea where Rainbow Kuriboh lived.
'I'm sure Jaden would have a idea.' He thought.
With Pikachu on his shoulder, he headed to the Slifer Red Dorm with Alexis and Bastion.
Before long, they got to the Slifer Red Dorm.
"Wonder what Jaden will think of you." Ash said to his partner.
The next day, the boys joined Professor Banner and the Huffingtons inside a practice room somewhere in the main building.
"All right, Chumley, Mister Huffington, you both know what the stakes are of this match." Professor Banner said. "If Chumley wins, he gets to stay at school. If he loses, well, he returns home."
"That's right." Mr. Huffington agreed. "Or my hot sauce won't chap your lips."
Banner turned to look at Chumley. "Chumley, are you sure you want to go through with this, going to work at your father's factory. Chapped lips."
"I can handle anything right now." Chumley said as his eyes narrowed.
Ash, Alexis and Bastion then entered the practice room.
When they came in, Jaden noticed Pikachu.
"What is that?" He asked Ash.
"I'll tell you later." Alexis informed him.
Banner nodded his head, "Now without further ado, let's begin the duel, gentlemen."
The two activated their Duel Disks and drew their opening hands.
"Duel!"
Chumley: 4000
Mr. H: 4000
"Here I come." Chumley announced as he drew a card. "Totally licious, I'm going to play Des Koala in attack mode." A koala with brown and white fur with leaves in its belly pouch and mouth appeared. (1100/1800)
Pikachu became defensive.
"Calm down, buddy." Ash told him. "It's just a hologram and won't hurt anyone."
A shocked Bastion face palmed and asked. "Tell me he didn't just do that?"
"What do you mean?" Ash was confused.
"In attack mode?" Chumley's dad saw the mistake as well. "Don't you know that if you set him in defense mode first and then flip him into attack mode later, Des Koala's special ability deals me 400 points of damage for every card in my hand?"
Chumley slumped his shoulders. "Duh, of course I know that... now."
"Man, Chumley really needs to up his game." Alexis said≥
"Well now it's too late, you should've taken your studies more seriously." His father drew a card. "Maybe now you'll learn."
"Watch closely children..." Professor Banner said to Jaden and Syrus. "You may learn something."
"Seeing as how he's a state champion, I don't doubt it." Jaden said. "I just hope it isn't that one turn finisher he's known for."
Syrus gulped.
"Ready, son, because here I come! I summon Dizzy Tiger in attack mode!" A humanoid tiger wearing a pair of wife beaters, khaki slacks and a girdle and holding a bottle appeared. Immediately it started moving around uncontrollably. (1800/600)
"Weird." Jaden commented.
"So what's it dizzy from?" Syrus asked.
"I don't know, but that doesn't mean that beast has some bite left in him." Jaden said.
"Dizzy Tiger, attack! Hot Sauce Slash!" The tiger threw out a paw which knocked the Des Koala into the grave. The strike then continued on to Chumley which had a odorous aftershock him.
"That's hot sauce all right." Chumley said covering his mouth.
"Uh." Ash and Pikachu were left speechless.
Chumley: 3300
Mr. H: 4000
"That stinks." Jaden said.
"But his attack sure didn't." Syrus added.
After the attack was finished, the tiger looked liked it had a bad time staying on two feet.
"At this rate, we'll be home just in time for dinner..." Mr. Huffington declared. "Which is hot sauce, I might add."
"I'll tell you what you can do with your hot sauce!" Chumley snapped.
"Hey, keep your cool there, Chumley." Jaden called.
"It's nice that he's standing up for himself in front of his Dad though." Syrus commented. Upon receiving Mr. Huffington's dirty look, Syrus ducked behind Claudio.
"Chum, fight back." Jaden cheered.
"I know." Chumley said exasperated as he drew a card. "Yeah... yeah, that could work. Okay, I activate the spell card Koala March. This lets me summon a koala monster back from my graveyard as long as it's a level 4 or below." Des Koala reappeared. (1100/1800)
"Check it out, Jaden, now Chumley has his Des Koala on the field again." Syrus said.
"That's true, I just hope he can work it better this time around." Jaden said.
"Not it, them..." Banner corrected. "Koala March also lets him summon a monster from his hand as long as it's the same one he brought back from the graveyard and if I know Chumley..."
"I summon another Des Koala in attack mode!" A second one joined the first. (1100/1800) "And I sacrifice them both to summon Big Koala." A giant blue-furred koala appeared without the leaves in its pouch or mouth. (2700/2000)
"That's a big monster." Alexis, Ash and Pikachu were stunned by Big Koala.
"Not bad." Mr. Huffington commented.
"No duh not bad. Now, Big Koala, attack Dizzy Tiger!" Big Koala charged towards the Dizzy Tiger on all fours. "Take Down from Down Under!" Big Koala lifted Dizzy Tiger into the air and threw it at the ground with a loud thump!
Chumley: 3300
Mr. H: 3100
"Dizzy Tiger's gonzo!" Chumley announced.
Chumley's friends cheered.
"So you want to fight, huh?" Mr. H said as he drew his card. "Well let's fight. I call Dizzy Angel to the field." A man in a white suit with long, scraggly blond hair and a large hot sauce bottle in one hand. And just like the Tiger, he couldn't keep on either feet, or wings. (1800/600)
"He reeks of hot sauce too." Chumley commented. "And from the looks of it, he's been hitting it hard."
"Come over here and say that!' Chumley heard a drunken voice, coming from Dizzy Angel!
'Weird,' Chumley thought. 'I'm hearing those voices again.'
"I activate the spell Hot Sauce Bottle!" A large red bottle appeared in front of Dizzy Angel who looked at it with a passion. "And I also activate the spell card Flipping the Table!" The ground underneath the dueling field became a low-leg table. Mr. Huffington flipped it sending both monsters into the air. Big Koala fell to the ground so hard it broke apart. Chumley's dad laughed. "This card destroys everything on my field... except for itself that is. Then you get the same number of cards on your side of the field destroyed. Now you're left defenseless."
"I don't know if I like it..." Jaden commented. "It totally resets the field, it's hardly fair!"
"That's just like you." Chumley argued with his dad. "You don't like something so you trash it!"
"I didn't get to be state champion three years in a row by being nice, son." His dad returned.
Suddenly Dizzy Angel appeared and started doing his weird walks again.
"What's Dizzy Angel doing back?" Chumley asked. "Shouldn't he have been destroyed by Flipping the Table?"
"Why isn't it." Bastion and Ash commented.
"Wishful thinking, you see Dizzy Angel has a special ability. It can't be destroyed by the effect of Flipping the Table." Mr. H replied.
"Oh great, this guy's going to continue to weird me out." Chumley grumbled as he saw the angel do the Egyptian dance.
"It gets worse, because when my one Hot Sauce Bottle is destroyed and sent to the graveyard, its special ability activates dealing you 500 points of damage!" A red smoke washed over Chumley's field, making him cover his mouth.
"Eww, is that what stinks!?"
Chumley: 2800
Mr. H: 3100
"But I'm not done yet. Dizzy Angel, go in for your attack! Hot Sauce Sizzler!" The Angel fired a blast from it's bottle that left Chumley dazed.
Chumley: 1000
Mr. H: 3100
"I just can't win!" Chumley whined.
'Don't worry, son, this will be over soon.' Mr. H thought."Make your move, why don't ya?"
"But make sure you think it through, Chumley." Professor Banner advised his student as Pharaoh yawned. "One wrong move and you'll be back home bottling hot sauce."
"Duh, I know." Chumley said as he drew a card. It was the card Syrus gave him last night. 'I guess now is as good a time as any.' "First I play the spell card Silent Doom! With it, I can bring a monster back to the field from my graveyard! And I choose Big Koala!" The koala appeared in defense mode. (2700/2000)
'I won't get kicked out without a fight.' "Next I activate Polymerization. With it, I'll fuse the Big Koala I have out on the field with the Des Kangaroo in my hand!" A green kangaroo wearing a purple jacket and red boots and boxing gloves shadowboxed before combining with the Big Koala.
"To create the Master of Oz!" The new monster was slightly bigger than the Big Koala! It was green and tan in some spots and had the body of a kangaroo with the head of a koala. Like the kangaroo it had red boxing gloves, carrying a championship belt on his shoulder and weights in his pouch. (4200/3700)
'Like I didn't see that coming.' Mr. Huffington thought as he recalled what he learned while spying on the boys.
(flashback)
"By the way, Chumley, I have something for you too." Jaden said as he held out the Master of Oz card. "After all, with 4200 attack points, it packs a pretty good wallop."
"Thanks, you guys." Chumley said. "You really helped me out."
(End flashback)
"Now go, Oz." Chumley commanded. "Out Back Attack!" The Master of Oz let out massive punch which knocked Dizzy Angel off the field.
Chumley: 1000
Mr. H: 700
"I'm still here." Mr. H said.
"So bring it!" Chumley challenged.
"Pika." Pikachu thought the game was unbelievable.
"Oh man, Chumley almost had him." Syrus grumbled.
"Yeah..." Jaden agreed. "It's going right down to the wire."
"Chumley, you fought a good duel, but you lost." Mr. H. declared.
"What are you talking about?" Chumley demanded. "Master of Oz has 4200 attack points! "
"That doesn't matter. You forget, with one flip of the table he'll be gone."
"That card doesn't scare me because I know its weakness!"
"Flipping the Table has a weakness?" Jaden asked.
"That's right." Chumley replied. "After you use it, you can't summon up another monster. And that means you'll be defenseless, Dad!"
"Not bad, son..." Mr. Huffington said eerily calm. "You spotted the card's weak spot. I'm very impressed with you. But still, it won't change things! You see, it doesn't matter if I'm defenseless, because I have these! Two Hot Sauce Bottles!" Two more hot sauce bottles appeared on the field.
"Wait, if one Hot Sauce Bottle deals 500 points, of damage, then with two on the field..."
'It'll be bad." Jaden said, finishing Syrus's math.
"I activate Flipping the Table!" Master of Oz and the two Hot Sauce bottles were destroyed as the table flipped up.
Chumley: 0
Mr. H.: 700, Winner
"I don't believe it, Chumley lost." Syrus said.
"Oh man." Alexis, Ash, Bastion and Pikachu groaned.
"What do you think about Pikachu." Ash asked Prof. Banner.
"I think he's cute." Prof. Banner replied.
Mr. Huffington just stared at his defeated son with a serious look. He then turned and left the room. Chumley glumly followed.
He approached Ash and Prof. Banner before leaving the room.
"You aren't taking him away?" Ash asked.
"Chumley may not have done well here with his studies, but he made great friends and that's better than any family business." Mr. Huffington replied.
The boys walked down the path towards the meeting place where Banner and Mr. Huffington were supposed to be waiting for them. But when they got there, only Banner and Pharaoh were there.
"Hey, Professor...where's my dad?" Chumley asked.
"Oh...I'm sorry, but he had to go Chumley. Something went wrong with the mild sauces." Banner reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. "But he left this for you..."
Chumley opened the envelope and took out the letter, and it read: "Dear son, there's more to school than just your studies, and while you may not have made great grades there...you have made some great friends. That's...reason enough...for you to stay..." Chumley crumpled the paper, tears beginning to leak from his eyes.
He took off running to the nearest cliff and saw that his father was riding away from the island in a small boat. He cupped his hands together. "DADDY!" He yelled, his voice echoing off the rocks, "I won't let you down! I won't let any of you down! From here on out, I'm gonna make you proud of me! My family and my friends!"
Chumley watched as his father shrank in the distance, hearing his fellow Slifers walk up behind him. While not all of them had a smile on their faces, they could all understand the bond that was formed between both father and son that day.
"Okay, now you're up to speed." Alexis informed the brunette Slifer.
"So Ash, you're from a world with super-powered animals?" Jaden asked.
Ash nodded.
Jaden then continues. "That...is...AWESOME!"
Ash and Alexis sweat drop even though they expected this.
Pikachu jumped on Alexis's shoulder and nuzzled her cheek with his.
"That tickles." Alexis laughed.
"Pikachu really likes you." Ash commented.
"Why?" Alexis asked.
"Banner suggested that Pikachu stays somewhere where he won't be caught until we talk to Sheppard and since Crowler probably has his eyes on me, I think it would be safe for Pikachu to stay with you." Ash explained.
Pikachu then looked sad and Ash noticed this. "Hey come on buddy, it's only for a little bit plus you'll get to know Alexis better."
Pikachu perked up. "Pikachu."
Alexis smiled. "Okay, I'll take good care of him and I'm sure Mindy will love this."
As everyone walks away Crowler came out of the bushes he was hiding in. "So that rodent belonged to that Ash brat. I can't wait until he's off this island!"
Ash laid on his back in his room with a smile that Pikachu was with him again but his smile turned into a determined expression ready for the trial. He got up and looked at the blank cards again only to see some of them changed again.
Ash picked up one of the formerly blank cards and read it. "Junk Synchron?"