Hey, guys! Been quite a while, hasn't it? Not to worry! This chapter's gonna be an anime-episode chapter! So, just sit back and enjoy the show!
AO3 Link: /works/43069185/chapters/137884831
Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own any Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!
It was just another day at Duel Academy, attending classes, learning more skills in dueling, etc. Today, class was in session with the current topic being about Spell cards. Upon being called up to answer some questions about the topic, Alexis spoke out loud and confidently for all to hear.
"Duel Monster cards can be grouped into Normal Monster cards, Fusion Monster cards, Ritual Monster cards, Effect Monster cards, Trap cards, and Spell cards. Next, Trap cards can be divided into Normal Traps, Counter Traps, and Continuous Traps. Spell cards can be separated into Normal Spells, Continuous Spells, Equip Spells, Quick-Play Spells, Ritual Spells, and Field Spells."
Happily satisfied with Alexis' answer, Crowler couldn't help but praise her proudly. "PERFECT!~ Well done, Alexis! Of course, I wouldn't expect anything less from one of my Blue Obelisks!"
"Yes, Dr. Crowler."
After Alexis sat back down, Crowler pondered on who to question next. He gazed across the room until his eyes caught wind of one of the low grade students in his classroom.
Syrus Truesdale.
"Syrus Truesdale!"
"Y-Yes!"
"Please explain to the class what a Field Spell does!"
"U-Um...Er...a F-Field Spell is...well...uh...ummm..." Syrus started stammering over his words, too nervous over so many eyes fixated onto him to properly give a good answer. His mind was a completely jumbled mess that was a mix between trying to find the answer and saying it out loud.
One of the students teased, "Even preschoolers knows something like that, ya Slifer Slacker!"
Everyone started laughing, causing Syrus to redden in embarrassment. Only a few weren't laughing nor humiliating Syrus, such as Bastion, Elize, Alexis, and Jaden.
Jaden turned to his friend to reassure him. "Relax, Sy. Just calm down. You've got this!"
"...I think not. Sit back down," Crowler said, growing impatient at Syrus' lack of answer. "Honestly, to think that even you would be unable to answer the very basics among basics! Would someone else please give me the answer? ...Preferably someone not wearing red, thank you!"
Everyone burst into laughter once more and the only others that didn't laugh still didn't laugh. It only made Elize feel uncomfortable at the presence of her fellow Obelisk Blues. She thought, '...It really isn't that funny. Why is everyone laughing?'
Syrus wanted nothing more than to crawl under a rock for eternity. He murmured, "I-I blew it, didn't I...? I-I know what it is, but I...I just..."
"You know something, Teach? You really shouldn't go and make fun of us Slifers like that," commented Jaden. "I mean, I'm a Slifer and I beat ya, so when you make fun of us, you really make fun of yourself!"
Crowler went from completely overconfident to full-on humiliated and angered, even more embarrassed than Syrus, at the reminder that Jaden did indeed beat him. It was during the entrance exams after all, and Crowler had hoped that wouldn't be brought up ever again.
Until now.
As laughter towards Crowler filled the entire classroom, Alexis couldn't help but stare attentively at Jaden, almost in a daze-like mesmerization towards him. It seems that ever since he entered Duel Academy, Jaden's grown more and more interesting to her.
Elize was just relieved at Jaden's attempt of a joke meant to cheer up Syrus and defend him. Although Crowler didn't seem amused. But, at least Syrus wouldn't feel embarrassed anymore.
Biting down on his own handkerchief, a frustrated Crowler struggled not to spew out curse words towards the Slifer scum that he viewed as Jaden. 'That's it! I will not tolerate this slacker at my school for another second!' he thought. 'I'll see to it that he's taken down!'
Later, after Crowler's lesson was over, Elize had left to attend another different class period. She knew that at this hour, Professor Banner, who was also head of the Slifer Red Dorms, was taking over the class that Syrus and Jaden were in. In the meantime, she was going to attend a different class, specifically the one explaining the history and explanations behind technology.
Elize always loved fixing and tinkering with things like machinery. Whenever she got her hands on small machinery such as mini vacuums, toasters, and even computer mouses, she couldn't help taking them apart and then putting them together like puzzle pieces. Her knowledge and interest in mechanics and technology only increased throughout the years, so she was always happy to learn more in complicated classes like the dueling mechanics classes.
Throughout the next couple of class periods, Elize spent her time learning and studying the mechanics and technology behind dueling and other machinery related. Most students were in Duel Academy to learn more about dueling and to become Pro Duelists, so it was no surprise to Elize that very few students attended the technical side of dueling, such as herself. Still, Elize always had fun with the technology and mechanical classes, just as much as her friend Jaden enjoyed dueling.
Meanwhile, inside his own personal office, Crowler was angrily scribbling down something with his quill pen, still upset over the earlier events in his class.
'How dare that Slifer slacker Jaden Yuki make a mockery of me?! Especially in front of my class like that?! If he thinks this is finished, he's sorely mistaken!' pondered Crowler. 'Now then, since I'm done with the love letter, how about some poetry?'
"Ah! Here we go! 'Love is like a big Ancient Gear Golem!'" Crowler paused, realizing how stupid and weird that sounded. "No, wait, that doesn't work!"
After placing the love letter inside an envelope and sealing it with a big kiss full of lipstick, Crowler snuck his way into the boys locker room, where he knew, thanks to Jaden's class period schedule, that the Slifer Red would be attending gym class at the moment. It didn't take him long to plant the letter on top of Jaden's shoes after confirming his belongings and then sneaking away.
Little did Crowler realize, that he made a major error that would yield unprecedented results later that night.
Later, in the Obelisk Blue Girls Dorm...
"Ugh! Why do we have to write an essay on Spell cards?! I totally blame that blue-haired shorty for this!" complained Mindy, sitting across from her other two friends, Alexis and Jasmine, as they worked on their assignments.
"Come on, I doubt it's Syrus' fault. It was inevitable that we were going to get this sort of assignment eventually," Alexis lightly scolded as she was writing down side notes on another sheet of paper.
"Alexis! You're so smart! Can't you help us out a bit more?" Jasmine asked, trying to give her friend the puppy dog eyes.
Unamused, Alexis slapped down some books in front of Mindy and Jasmine. "I'm already helping you the best I can. I can't give you two all of the answers, or you'll copy it down. I can give you two some advice, but the rest is up to you. Now, read some of these and you might be smarter during duels as well."
Letting out a sigh, Alexis leaned back against her chair, staring up at the ceiling for a momentary break. Alexis did like her friends, she really did, but she wished that they were less girlish and judgmental towards the Slifer Reds and more focused in duels. Their dueling skills were rather poor, amateurish even! As rude as her thoughts were, she knew that the only reason Mindy and Jasmine weren't in Slifer Red was because they were girls, and all female students were automatically integrated into the Obelisk Blues.
Alexis knew that she was popular for a variety of reasons. Beauty, strength, smarts, skill...a lot of people looked up to her, especially a lot of female students, for she was practically the female role model of the school. Alexis was proud to be an Obelisk Blue, for it showed her hard work and skill, and of course, she respected any worthy duelist regardless of their standing, whether they be a Ra Yellow or Slifer Red.
Unfortunately, not everyone thinks the same as hers.
They usually just focus on fame, glory, the strengths of their decks such as high Attack Points. Hell, most of the female Obelisk Blue students weren't very talented nor skilled duelists, which disappointed Alexis greatly. Here she was, in the rank meant for skilled and elite duelists, and yet a lot of other Obelisk Blues weren't shown to be very worthy of their rank, always bragging about and only getting through with the power of money. Almost every female student in the dorm was just about the same.
Almost every female student. There was one female student that stood out compared to the rest of the entire female students. Someone who wasn't too obsessed with her own looks, took dueling seriously, and who always respected and was polite to others.
Elize Konami.
From the first time she saw her during the entrance exams, Alexis knew that Elize had left quite the first impression during that duel against that no-good, crooked proctor. She started liking the girl even more when they hung out together sometimes. Elize was quite a cute-looking girl that was rather petite and small for her age, but still had room to grow.
She was girlish, but not too much to the point of complaining about breaking a nail or hair getting messy, like some other certain girls she knew. As a matter of fact, Elize didn't mind getting dirty since her interest in fixing technology had her messy a bunch of times. Elize was even a good duelist, not too skilled, but Elize had plenty of potential and growth to develop over time. She always took her studies seriously and Alexis always enjoyed having her as a study partner, with both of them exchanging information and asking one another questions to help prepare for tests or assignments.
Speaking of which, Alexis spotted Elize heading towards the dormitory stairs, carrying books while her clothes were dirtied up with oil and some other grease. It was quite common to see Elize all dirtied up due to her technical studies, such as understanding the functions of duel disks.
An idea popped into Alexis' head before she called out to Elize. "Oh! Elize! Could you come over here?"
"Hmm?" Elize headed towards their table and from a closer look, she seemed more dirtier than afar. "Is something the matter?"
"If you're not too busy, would you like to help out with the whole Spell cards essay we have going on?"
"Huh? But she's all dirtied up!" complained Jasmine.
"At least don't make her sit next to me, then! I just got my nails done this morning!" whined Mindy.
Alexis glared at her two friends. "Wow, you two are so rude! I was going to suggest heading to the hot springs after this!"
Although slightly hurt by Mindy and Jasmine's comments, even Elize herself acknowledged that she might be too filthy to study with them. She just got back from her technical and mechanical studies, so it was expected that she would be dirtied. "I-It's okay, Alexis...I can just take a bath real quick and then study with you-"
"No, it's alright. You don't have to listen to these two," Alexis said, grasping Elize's hands gently. "I'd love to spend time with you, Elize. In both studies and in the hot springs later. That's what a more sensitive friend would do. Right?"
From Alexis' harsh tone and recalling their own words, even Mindy and Jasmine felt some guilt inside. They didn't mean to sound so harsh, though that probably was what came out from their mouths.
"We're sorry..."
"Yeah, sorry, Elize. We didn't mean to sound so rude. It's just..."
Just as Alexis was about to glare at Mindy and Jasmine, Elize intervened with a soft smile. "It's alright, it's alright...If it's okay with you all, I can just sit next to Alexis. You two are sitting across from her anyways. Is that okay with you, Alexis?"
Alexis nodded. "Yeah, that's fine."
After grabbing another chair, Elize sat up next to Alexis, pulling out her own books and assignments. "Does anyone have any trouble with the essay? I haven't really started mine yet, but this seems like a good time to start."
Jasmine groaned. "To me, Spell cards are just all the same. They're just meant to support your deck, right? Why does dueling have to be so complicated with the different types? Why couldn't they all be the same?"
"Hmm...Probably because there are situations where different kinds of Spells can help you?" advised Elize. "Like, did you know that you normally can't use Spells during your opponent's turn?"
Mindy perked up at that. "What? Really?! No wonder I was having trouble dueling this one girl, then!"
"Mindy...don't tell me you actually tried that," sighed Alexis, shaking her head.
"I mean, there is at least one type that you can activate during your opponent's turn. They're one of my favorites, and they're called Quick-Play Spells!" said Elize.
"How can you tell the difference between one Spell type and another?" wondered Jasmine.
Alexis sighed once more. "This is going to take a while...I really hoped you two would pay more attention in class. Sorry about them, Elize."
"It's okay, Alexis! Maybe think of this as a...tutoring session? It'll help with our essay since it's Spell card-related, too."
"Yeah, you're right. Alright, listen up, you two..."
A few hours later, at the hot springs...
Unknown to anyone, Syrus was rowing a boat all the way towards the Obelisk Blue Girls Dorm, daydreaming happy thoughts while humming a tone. "I'm coming for you, my darling!~ I'm coming!"
Cutting off the chains that were connected to a lock at the gates that sealed the Obelisk Blue Girls Dorms, Crowler glee with excitement. He was dressed in a black ninja-like outfit to hide himself within the darkness.
He was slowly putting his plan into motion, hiding inside the bushes which provided more of a cover for him. All he had to do was lay low, wait for Jaden, and not get caught by any of the girls. Judging by how close the girls' voices were, Crowler could tell that he was getting incredibly close to the outdoor baths, the setting for Jaden's demise.
"Hey, Elize! No need to be all embarrassed! It's just us girls! You'll be fine!"
"A-Ah...well, I'm just not used to bathing in front of other people, even if we're all girls..."
"You're just a bit shy, aren't you? That's so cute! Don't worry! Just relax against the water, and all of your worries will wash away!"
"Yeah! Ahhhhh! It feels so good!"
Waiting patiently inside the bushes, Crowler snickered to himself sinisterly, awaiting the perfect moment to strike. "This will be perfect! Thanks to that phony love letter I wrote! Jaden will show up looking for Alexis, but he'll be looking for trouble instead! Once he arrives, I'll snap a picture of him! And then, I'll have caught him red-handed breaking campus rules! And the picture will not only be enough to make him look like a perverted boy, but enough to get him expelled! Hell, probably be arrested!"
Syrus finally made it towards the Obelisk Blue Girls campus, docking his small boat near the shore before getting off. He rushed towards the back of the female dorms in a hurry, not even noticing the broken lock on the ground as he passed by the open gates.
Meanwhile, Mindy, Jasmine, Alexis, and Elize were all bathing in the outdoor female baths, which looked more like a five-star hot springs. The fresh and hot water warmed up the girls' bodies, soothing away any aches and stress-filled thoughts as they relaxed and bathed themselves.
"There just aren't any decent boys in this year's new class, are there?" sighed Jasmine disappointedly.
"What about that one Ra Yellow? You know, Bastion Misawa?" suggested Mindy.
"Hmm...Well he is super smart and not that bad-looking. Still, I was hoping for someone like Chazz, but he's already got the hots for Alexis! Say, Alexis, what kind of guy are you hoping for?"
"Well, I don't really care either way," said Alexis nonchalantly, relaxing against the hot bathing waters. "Maybe I wouldn't mind a guy who's strong at dueling, brave, maybe even having a sense of humor..."
Jasmine smirked. "Oh? Sounds to me like you have a crush...ON ZANE!"
"Ah!~ I can't blame you, Alexis! He's so hot! Strong and brave! Though not sure about the sense of humor," said Mindy.
"What? No, of course not! He's just a friend of mine!" Alexis said, annoyed. "Besides, this year is going to be his last. Even if we did date, it wouldn't have worked out, with me still being in school and Zane out overseas as a Pro Duelist."
Jasmine sighed. "Yeah, I guess that's true. Long-distance relationships can be such a pain."
Mindy turned to Elize. "What about you, Elize? Fancy anyone at Duel Academy? What's your type of guy?"
"My type? Um...It's hard to say," admitted Elize, feeling a bit more flustered than just with the heat of the hot bath. "I've never had a crush before, so I'm not really sure."
Alexis smiled at the girl. "It's okay, Elize. You don't have to necessarily search for a crush this year. You can take your time searching for your one true love."
"Fun fact! Alexis' true love is dueling!~" teased Mindy.
"Well, it's true that I love dueling, but there's just nobody I can think of dating right now," said Alexis, looking away. "Besides, we should be more focused on our studies and dueling, not dating!"
Jasmine pouted. "Boo! Sometimes you're no fun, Alexis! Just a bit of chat on romance wouldn't hurt!"
"You know who would be strong and great at dueling? Chazz!" said Mindy. "He's sooo handsome and strong and rich! But then again, he has a crush on Alexis..."
"No thanks! Not interested in that guy!" said Alexis, shaking her head firmly.
"Ah! Then, you have a chance, Elly! That is, if he didn't have a crush on our Obelisk Queen already..."
Elize winched at the mention of Chazz. "Ehehehe...I...I appreciate your help, but I don't think Chazz would be good at all. I...I don't really like him at all. I mean, he's always mean to others."
"Well, he could be mean to anyone but his sweet beloved one!~" cooed Mindy. "You never know!"
"I-I know that! Kinda...But, he's especially mean to Ra Yellows and Slifer Reds! I..I don't think I could imagine myself ever being with a bully like him..."
Alexis frowned, knowing full well what Elize meant. One main reason why Alexis wouldn't even give Chazz a thought of romance was his blatant attitude towards the other students such as Ra Yellows and Slifer Reds. He was truly a bully through and through and even if one was an Obelisk Blue, Chazz would still treat that person not as an equal, but less than that for his own ego and pride.
Alexis would have preferred someone cool, brave, and especially strong in dueling. Someone who wasn't afraid to speak his own mind and willing to help out those in need. Some bonus attributes to her preferred type of guy would probably be a handsome-looking guy or maybe even a cute one, perhaps even having a sense of humor? Maybe she was letting Mindy and Jasmine get to her head with this all "handsome boy" nonsense, but she did truly hope for someone that fits her criteria.
Someone...like Jaden Yuki.
Crowler heard faint footsteps approaching closer, then grinned maliciously, thinking that it was Jaden. He hid himself deeply in the bushes, moving a bit of the shrubs out of his face to see if he could pinpoint Jaden's location. The moment he sees Jaden's face, it'll be the end of him!
"Alexis?" called out Syrus, entering the scene.
Seeing Syrus caught Crowler off-guard, causing him to jump out from his hiding spot and scream out. "THAT'S NOT JADEN! IT'S THAT STAMMERING FIELD SPELL NITWIT!"
"Huh?" Some of the girls who were taking a walk spotted Crowler, though they couldn't identify him due to his dark clothing in the dark.
"It's a boy!"
"Is that a ninja?!"
"Eek! Look away!"
"Pervert!"
"Get him!"
Crowler covered his face and made a run for it, only to quickly slip and fall down towards the nearby water, slowly sinking in and hiding from plain sight. Well, at least he was able to escapee. Had any of the girls caught him, he would not only have been fired, but possibly arrested as well!
Syrus, however, wasn't so lucky, since he was out in the open, an easy target, and the girls quickly surrounded him. Syrus' happiness turned to panic as he was pinned down to the ground with his face shoved into the grass.
"O-Ow! What's going on?!"
Wearing towels, Mindy and Jasmine stood over the blue-haired Slifer Red. "You won't get away with this, you perv!" declared Jasmine.
"Now tell us why you're here! And it better be good!" said Mindy strictly.
Meanwhile, Alexis and Elize had stayed back in the bath, choosing to remain there whereas Mindy and Jasmine had left to check what the commotion was all about. The four of them had been relaxing in the baths, chatting amongst themselves when they heard some loud shrieks and cries nearby. Now, Elize and Alexis were waiting anxiously even when the noise had died down.
Some other girls had bypassed them, saying things that caught their ears. "I can't believe it! A boy managed to sneak in here! A boy!"
"I know, right? I hope he gets expelled, the little pervert!"
"I can't believe that guy! He's either brave or pretty stupid to pull something like this!"
"Probably both!"
Elize's face was already flustered from the heat of the hot spring baths, but her redden face could practically boil eggs if one laid them onto her. "A-A boy?! Does-does that mean that a boy tried to sneak in here?! To-To peep?!"
Alexis frowned, nodding. "Yeah, it sounds like it. Ugh! Disgusting!"
Elize stood up and even though she was already covered with a towel, she still hugged herself as though assurance to cover herself more. "I-I think we've had enough bathing! W-We should go change now!"
Alexis wanted to comfort and tell Elize that everything would be alright, but given the revelation of a pervert lurking around, she understood what the girl wanted. To be honest, even Alexis was growing uncomfortable staying longer in the hot baths. She also wanted to figure out what the whole situation was.
Later, after the girls changed clothes, they confronted Syrus, who was tied up to prevent his escape. Currently, they were interrogating him in the lounge, intent on figuring out why he had chosen to come to the Obelisk Blue Girls Dorm so suspiciously late at night. After hearing his explanation, Mindy, Jasmine, Alexis, and Elize were all baffled.
"A love letter from Alexis? You've got to be kidding!" scoffed Mindy, not believing a single word Syrus had to say.
"Yup! Ask her!" Syrus said, winking flirtatiously at the beautiful girl.
"Um, hello? What are you, stupid? Alexis Rhodes, absolute Queen of Obelisk Blue, would never write a love letter to a Slifer Red like you. Besides, she's really tall and you're really short!" ranted on Jasmine. "She's really good at dueling, and you're really not! She's really hot and-"
"But it's true! Just tell them, Alexis! It was in my locker and it said she'd be waiting for me behind the girls' dorm! Look, I even have the note!" Even with his hands tied in front of him, Syrus managed to shuffle through his pockets and take out the letter.
Snatching the letter away, a still-disgusted Jasmine read it and offered the letter to her friends to read. A quick glance and a frown written all over Alexis' face proved her confusion and anger.
"My handwriting isn't this sloppy! And my name isn't even spelled right!" Alexis said.
"Sorry, Syrus! But I think someone's yanking your chain here!" tainted Mindy; her tone a little sarcastic and rude.
"So then, you don't love me?" gasped Syrus. "Wait a minute, then who sent it to me?"
Reading the letter more carefully, Jasmine's eyes widen. "Hey! Wait a second! This letter is made out to Jaden Yuki!"
Syrus' eyes widen in shock. "What?! Jaden?! But..." Jasmine shoved the letter to his face so he could read ig properly, and sure enough, soemwhere along the lines, his best friend's name was written. "Aww...I can't even get a fake love letter..."
"Being dragged all the way here by a fake love letter...That's kinda depressing," commented Jasmine.
Elize face fell, feeling pity for Syrus. At first, she was shocked that Syrus, of all people, would try to peep into the girls dorm, but this confusing issue seemed to be a misunderstanding. "Syrus, are you alright? I'm sorry this all happened..."
"Me too..."
"I don't buy it! He could have written the note as an excuse to come here!" pointed out Jasmine. "And even if that wasn't the case, we should still report him!"
"Peeping onto the girls' bath is as shameless as you can get," agreed Mindy.
"B-But I was invited! I swear! I didn't even peep!" cried out Syrus, desperately defending himself. This was bad! If word got out that he was trespassing in forbidden ground, he would be expelled right on the spot! Then, his days at the Academy would be over!
Even Elize tried to come to Syrus' aid, joining him by his side. "C-Come on! I believe in Syrus! This might really be a huge misunderstanding! Maybe just let it go just this once?"
"Girls! Just what on earth is going on down there?" called out Fontaine, stepping out of her room in her bathrobe. She was performing her own manicure when she heard some loud voice shouting in the lounge before deciding to see what was up.
"Down! Hurry!" ordered Alexis quietly to her three friends. She, Mindy, and Jasmine shoved their bottoms on top of Syrus' face, planting him firmly on the ground and hiding him in plain sight. Elize had initially panicked and wondered what to do but was too late as Fontaine showed herself. All Elize could do was stand there and not act suspicious.
"Alright, what's going on?" demanded Fontaine, still on top of the staircase.
"You guys are heavy!" Syrus' muffled voice cried out.
"Beg your pardon?!" hissed Jasmine, glaring daggers at the trespasser.
"Be quiet!" added in Mindy.
Actually, on second thought, never mind the fact that he was insulted upon, the important matter was that girls were sitting on his face! GIRLS!
"There are girls sitting on my face!" Syrus whispered, his muffled words too hard to understand. "THIS. IS. AWESOME! I gotta call Jaden and tell him about this later!"
Alexis shrugged her shoulders at her dorm headmaster. "No, nothing's going on! We're sorry for being too loud! We'll make sure to keep a lid on things!"
"Is that so? Then please return to your rooms and go to sleep. It's nearly midnight and I have things scheduled in the morning.
After making sure that Fontaine retreated back into her room, both Mindy and Jasmine looked at Alexis, puzzled what to do next. "So, what now?" asked Jasmine.
"I have an idea," announced Alexis, a plan formulating in her mind as she was crossing her arms. "I say we use Sy here as a kind of bait. To lure out Jaden. In fact, I was hoping to fight a duel with him sooner or later, so this seems like the perfect time!"
"But...couldn't you have done that before?" spoke up Elize. "I mean, Jaden's absolutely willing to duel anyone that would challenge him. I'm sure if you asked him before, he would have definitely dueled you, Alexis."
"True, but I've been so busy lately, it...slipped my mind," admitted Alexis. "With all these studying and homework and all, but now seems like a good chance than ever!"
Looking back at Syrus, Elize asked, "But...what do we do about Syrus? We're not going to...hurt him, are we?"
"No, but...Hmm..." Glancing back between Syrus and Elize, another idea popped into her head. "You know what? I just got an even better idea. I'm not just going to duel Jaden! Okay, here's the plan..."
Later...
Crowler gasped for air as soon as his head popped out of the water in the middle of the lake, still near the girls dorm. He had remained submerged for a few minutes, hiding just in case the girls searched for any other additional intruders, especially in the previous area he was in. Luckily, he took swimming classes when he was younger and was quite talented, so it didn't take him much trouble to remain underwater for a few minutes and out of plain sight.
"You try to expel one kid, and the entire world's against you!" complained Crowler to himself, angry that his plan failed.
Or maybe not.
While Crowler was muttering gibberish, he saw Jaden rowing a boat, trying to reach the other side of the lake, which happened to be at the girls dorm. "Did my plan actually work or not...?" wondered Crowler, watching him struggle.
Jaden panted once she reached land where Syrus and the other girls were. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and took a few minutes to catch his breath. He was so worried for Syrus that he never stopped for a break. He just rowed the boat as fast as humanely possible and didn't stop to acknowledge his aching pains until now.
"Hi, Jaden," said Syrus sadly. He was being held by the shoulders by Jasmine and Mindy so that he wouldn't escape. Not that he could even if he did since lots of girls witnessed him on campus.
"Hey," greeted Jaden. "So, what exactly is going on here?"
"W-Well, to make things short, I'm basically a big loser."
"Your friend here trespassed on the girls' campus!" corrected Jasmine, still in a bad mood. "He was even peeping in the girls' bath!"
"Jaden blinked, surprised. "What? Is that true, Sy?"
Syrus shook his head. "Hey, it's not like that! I wasn't peeping!"
"If the school finds out, he'll certainly be expelled!" said Mindy. "And now that you're here, Jaden, you're trespassing too!"
Alexis nodded. "That's right! And if you don't want us to turn you in, you're gonna have to win your freedom by dueling! And it won't be a 1v1 duel, either! It'll be a Tag Duel! Me and Elize vs you and Syrus! If you beat us, I'll overlook the fact that Syrus was peeping on us!"
"And I keep telling you, I wasn't peeping!"
Even though Jaden was still unclear of what was happening, his ears perked up at the mention of a duel. "Alright! I still don't know what's going on, but I accept! Sy?"
Syrus sighed, knowing that things weren't going anywhere with the way things were. "Alright, I...I accept, too! Anything to clear my innocence!"
"I-If it helps, I believe you, Syrus!" Elize said, trying to comfort him.
"Elize, don't comfort the peeping tom! He doesn't deserve it!" scoffed Jasmine.
"Alright, alright, that's enough," spoke up Alexis, heading towards another boat. "Let's go. Follow me!"
A few minutes later, Alexis and Jaden positioned themselves for a duel in the middle of the lake by using separating boats to help stand in the field. That way, nobody would notice a duel going on in the middle of the lake, especially since they were a bit far away from the Obelisk Blue Girls Dorms for anyone to notice.
Syrus, being freed from his captivity, was standing side-by-side with Jaden. Though he was still nervous, he knew he had to do his best! For Jaden, who came all this way to save him, and for himself, to clear his innocence and get the hell out of this situation!
Alexis stood firmly, determined to face off against the two opponents before her, specifically Jaden. She wanted to see how good his skills were. Originally, she wanted this to be a 1v1 against Jaden, but she thought it would be a lot more interesting to make this into a Tag Duel. Syrus was staking his entire life and reputation at Duel Academy anyway, so she wanted to give him a fighting chance as well. Plus, she wanted to see Elize's dueling skills shine in this duel as well. Mindy or Jasmine as either one of her partners was out of the question, seeing as they were both equally bad at dueling.
Elize gave Jaden and Syrus a sympathetic look, wanting them to know that she believed in Syrus' innocence. But after Alexis explained her plan and reasoning, Elize thought it might be good to accept. It might even be good to give Syrus a fighting chance as well. But the main reason for agreeing was because...she admired Alexis.
Strong, smart, kind, and beautiful; these traits were what made Elize admire Alexis a lot. She knew that she was just one of many other admirers who thought the same as her. Still, meeting and seeing Alexis in action inspired her to want to be like Alexis someday. Maybe not necessarily a powerful duelist, but someone smart, kind, and beautiful to help others no matter what.
Plus, tag teaming with Alexis was just her way of wanting to spend time with her. She was practically excited wanting to impress her.
Crowler was watching not toof ar away, floating in the water with ease. "Well, well, well! This just got interesting! Slifer vs Obelisk! Go for it, you two!"
"Here we go!"
"Oh, yeah!"
Both teams from different dorms glared at each other, filled with hope and determination for the duel. They prepared themselves to duel as they placed their shuffled decks into their duel disks and shouted something to signal the start of their Tag Team Duel.
"DUEL!"
- DUEL -
Alexis and Elize - 8000 LP
VS
Jaden and Syrus - 8000 LP
Turn 1: Alexis
Hand: 6
"I'll go first!" said Alexis. She made the first move by first drawing a card; her expression fully in thought as she tried to think of something good. "I summon Etoile Cyber!"
Spinning right. into the field, a beautiful figure with mixed colors of stripped blue and red along with beautiful long hair arose to the field.
Etoile Cyber - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1200/1600)
"Next, I'm going to place a card facedown and end my turn!"
Turn 2: Jaden
Hand: 6
"Time to throw down!" Jaden drew his card and looked at it. "First, I'll summon the Elemental Hero Sparkman!"
Making his appearance in bold lightning, the LIGHT Attribute Hero Monster rose up; his blue and bright yellow armor shining in the moonlight.
Elemental Hero Sparkman - (LIGHT/WARRIOR) - LV4 - (1600/1400)
"Then, I'm throwing down a facedown and ending my turn!"
Turn 3: Elize
Hand: 6
"My turn!" said Elize. "I set one Monster facedown! And I also set a card facedown and end my turn!"
Turn 4: Syrus
Hand: 6
"M-My turn!" said Syrus. "I summon Gyroid in Attack Mode!"
Gyroid - (WIND/Machine) - LV3 - (1000/1000)
"And, I end my turn!"
Alexis frowned. "Syrus...why didn't you try and put him in Defense Mode! We've all got strong Monsters with higher Attack Points and all you've got is just one Monster weaker than that. Don't tell me that you're not taking this seriously?"
Syrus shook his head nervously. "N-No! I'm not! I-I just...I'm just a bit nervous right now..."
Jaden patted his back. "Hey, no worries, Sy! I'm sure you'll be okay in this duel! I believe in you!"
Alexis narrowed her eyes. "That's sweet and all, but this is a duel. And I aim to win, so I'm not holding back one bit! Elize, you have my back?"
Elize nodded. "Of course! I'll do my best to support you, Alexis! Oh! And, win the duel, of course!"
"That's all I need to know. My turn!"
Turn 5: Alexis
Hand: 5
"My move!" said Alexis, drawing her card. "First, I'll activate the card, Polymerization! I fuse Etoile Cyber on my field with the Blade Skater in my hand! I Fusion Summon Cyber Blade!"
The beauty of Etoile Cyber and the ferocity of Blade Skater combined to form into one entity; unrivaled in both brawn and beauty as Alexis' ace Monster, Cyber Blader, took all of the attention in the stage.
Cyber Blader - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2100/800)
Elize's eyes sparkled in awe at the sight of Alexis' tough ace Monster. "Wow! She's so pretty...!"
"There it is! Alexis' ace Monster!" said Mindy, also in awe. "As always, she looks so strong and radiant as ever!"
"With that Monster out, this duel will be all over soon!" Jasmine spoke confidently.
"I activate Cyber Blader's effect!" said Alexis. "Since this is a Tag Duel, and both you, Jaden and Syrus, your fields both have 1 Monster each, which equals 2, that means Cyber Blader's effect activates! If my opponent controls 2 Monsters, her Attack Points double! Why? According to the rules, if a card affects only my opponent's field, that includes both of my opponents' fields! And you two have 1 Monster each, equaling 2 Monsters!"
Cyber Blader - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (4200/800)
"4200 Attack Points! If we had separate Life Points and our fields were empty, that would have guaranteed us being done for!" said Syrus.
"Ha! This is getting more and more exciting!" said Jaden happily. "Let's see what you're made of, Alexis!"
Wanting to pitch in and assist Alexis more, Elize said, "Alexis! You can use my Monster! Don't worry! She'll help out!"
Glancing at Elize's field, Alexis realized what she wanted her to do and shook her head. "Elize, I can't Flip Summon your Monster because in a Tag Duel, Set cards must be activated by the very same duelist who set them in the first place."
"Oh! I'm sorry...I didn't know. Or, maybe I forgot? I'm sorry, I was just trying to help..."
"No, no! It's alright! Sometimes, the Tag Duel rules can be confusing to me sometimes."
After assuring Elize that everything was alright, Alexis turned back to the field to assess the situation, narrowing her eyes. 'Hmm...I could go ahead and attack Jaden's Monster, but he has a set card of his own, so I don't want to risk getting into a trap. But if I don't attack, then Jaden might use that chance to Fusion Summon on his turn...Though, I could use Elize's assistance. She said to use her Monster, and I know her Charmer deck relies on Flip Monsters. I think she was aiming for Sparkman, so I'm going to put my trust in her and attack Syrus' Monster instead!'
"I attack Syrus' Gyroid with my Cyber Blader!"
"Huh?!" Syrus was startled, taken aback by the fact that Alexis chose to attack him of all people. He covered his face with his arms and braced for impact.
Hoping to somehow help out his partner with this move, Jaden called out, "I activate my Trap, A Hero Emerges! When you declare an attack, you have to select 1 random card from my hand! And if it's a Monster, I can Special Summon it! So, Alexis! Take your pick!"
Alexis paused, taking a moment to think of her options before coming to a decision. "Alright, then! I choose the far right card!"
Jaden handpicked the selected card from the rest of the cards in his hand, looking at Alexis to confirm if that was her choice. After a curt nod from her, Jaden smirked. "Alright! I Special Summon Elemental Hero Clayman in Defense Mode!"
The defensive-type Elemental Hero known for his hardcore defense emerged onto the field, kneeling down and placing his arms over his chest in a cross-like stance.
Elemental Hero Clayman - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/2000)
Alexis gritted her teeth in annoyance. "Gh-! When there are only 3 Monsters in my opponent's field, my Cyber Blader's Attack Points are no longer doubled! Instead, the effects of all of my opponent's Spells, Traps, and Monster Effects are negated! Still, I'll continue my attack on Syrus' Gyroid!"
Cyber Blader - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2100/800)
Cyber Blader skied all the way towards Gyroid, arriving in the span of a heartbeat before spinning around and kicking Gyroid harshly, destroying him.
Jaden and Syrus - 6900 LP
Syrus hissed in slight pain, muttering, "Gyroid's effect makes it so that once per turn, he can't be destroyed...but thanks to Cyber Skater, his effect was negated..."
"Aww, Sy! It's not your fault! You didn't know!" comforted Jaden.
Syrus shook his head. "But, it's thanks to me that we took damage..."
"Well, you wouldn't have taken any if you had placed him in Defense Mode, but I digress," scolded Alexis. "Because there's only 2 Monsters on my opponent's field, Cyber Blader's Attack Points are doubled once more!"
Cyber Blader - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (4200/800)
"Good luck trying to take her down now! I end my turn!"
Turn 6: Jaden
Hand: 4
"Alright, my turn!" said Jaden, drawing his card.
"By the way, Jaden?" asked Syrus. "That Trap you activated earlier, how exactly was that going to help?"
"Well, I thought that maybe Alexis would have chosen a Monster and then focused her attention on that instead of your Gyroid. Guess that didn't exactly work out, huh? Still, the results were still okay, if you asked me!"
Syrus nodded. "Yeah! Thanks for helping me out! Now, go for it, Jay!"
Jaden nodded. "Right! I activate the Field Spell, Fusion Gate! Now, we can all Fusion Summon without the need of a Polymerization! But the Monsters used as Fusion-Material will be banished instead of sent to the Graveyard! And now, I'm fusing my Elemental Heroes Clayman on the field and the Burstinatrix from my hand in order to Fusion Summon Elemental Hero Gaia!"
With the disappearance of both Elemental Heroes in a void-like portal, vanishing them from existence, something emerged from deep underwater of the lake. The Monster itself never arrived merely from the water, but in the sunken, deeper depths of the grounds underwater. Drenched, yet prepared for battle was the Elemental Hero Gaia himself.
Elemental Hero Gaia - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2200/2600)
"Next, I activate Gaia's effect! When he's Fusion Summoned, I can target 1 Monster my opponent controls and that Monster's Attack Points are halved, while my Gaia receives that same amount until the end of this turn!"
Gaia lifted his heavy gauntlet-like palm, unleashing a sonar-like sound wave that affected Cyber Blade, diminishing her power while Gaia absorbed her power gladly.
Cyber Blader - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2100/800)
Elemental Hero Gaia - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (4300/2600)
"What?!" exclaimed Alexis. 'This is bad! Really bad! No doubt Jaden's going to attack Cyber Blader next! Should...should I activate my Trap? Or not?'
"Now, Gaia! Attack Cyber Blader now!"
Gaia raised up his gauntlets, transforming them into large cannons. Power flowed into his cannons as he was charging up until he reached full maximum capacity and fired towards the weakened Cyber Blader.
Initially, Elize wanted to wait until later, but she felt that she had no choice but to try and activate her Trap to save Alexis. "I-I activate my T-"
"Doble Passe!" called out Alexis, making her decision for her Trap card. "I activate my Trap, Doble Passe! Since your Monster is attack my Monster in Attack Mode, that attack instead becomes a direct attack-!"
Right as she was explaining, Gaia's cannon attack reverted directions and slammed into Alexis with the force of a hammer smashing onto her from both left and right sides, causing her to fall back against the boat.
Alexis and Elize - 3700 LP
"Alexis!" Jasmine, Mindy, and Elize hurried to Alexis' side, coming to her aid and helping her stand up.
"I'm fine, girls," assured Alexis, giving them a smile before turning back to the dueling field. "And now! Doble Passe's second effect activates! Because I took an attack from your Monster, the Monster you were about to attack gets to Direct Attack you as well, Jaden and Syrus!"
Gracefully, yet with the fierce power of a tornado, Cyber Blader spun around Jaden's Monsters and slashed at Jaden with the blades on her skates, taking a chunk of his and Syrus' shared Life Points.
Jaden and Syrus - 4800 LP
"Gh-! Man, that was pretty bold of you, Alexis!" complimented Jaden, clutching his stomach. "Sacrificing yourself just to get our Life Points like that-!"
Alexis smirked. "Oh, you haven't seen nothing yet! I'm just getting started!"
"Alexis!" said Elize. "I-I'm sorry! I wasn't quick enough! I should have-"
"Elize, it's no trouble at all. I wanted to do this," assured Alexis. 'Still, if this wasn't a Tag Team Duel, I probably would have lost with original 4000 Life Points.'
"Nice job! But I'm not through yet!" said Jaden. "Sparkman! Aim for Elize's Set Monster!"
Now it was Elize's turn to focus back on the duel. "I-I won't let you! I activate my Trap, Draining Shield! This negates your Monster's attack, and in turn, I-I mean, we gain Life Points equal to the attacking Monster's Attack Points!"
As Sparkman flew over and was about to smash through Elize's Set Monster with a thunder-embedded fist, a green healing barrier formed around Elize, Alexis, and the Set Monster being targeted. Thrown back by the force of the healing barrier, Sparkman was unable to commence his attack.
Alexis and Elize - 5300 LP
Elize turned to Alexis. "I-I'm sorry, Alexis...If I had used this earlier, we could have gained more Life Points instead of losing a lot..."
"No, I told you, it's alright. In fact, I'm glad you protected your Monsters. Your Charmers definitely could help us out in a pitch!" said Alexis, winking at her.
Alexis was proud of her cool, beautiful, and powerful Cyber Girl deck, admiring their various strengths that always helped her out in more ways than one when it came to duels. And yet, even Alexis was cautious of the power behind Elize's Charmer deck, knowing that despite their low attack power, they made up for it with their effects. Which is why she's glad Elize was her partner for this Tag Duel.
Jaden snapped his fingers. "Awww! Almost had that! Oh, well! I end my turn! And that means Gaia's effect ends and your Monster's Attack Points return to normal!"
Alexis smirked. "Yeah, back to their doubled Attack Points."
Elemental Hero Gaia - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2200/2600)
Cyber Blader - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (4200/800)
Turn 7: Elize
Hand: 5
"My turn!" Elize said, drawing her card. "I activate the Equip Spell, Scroll of Bewitchment! I equip it onto Elemental Hero Gaia and declare LIGHT Attribute! That means he's now a LIGHT-Attribute Monster! Next, I Flip Summon my Set Monster! Lyna the Light Charmer!"
Upon being flipped over, the reveal of the LIGHT-Attribute cherry sorceress made her appearance, giggling and brandishing her gem-like staff in her palms.
Lyna the Light Charmer - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)
"Lyna's Flip effect activates! I can take control of 1 LIGHT Monster that my opponent controls while she remains face-up on the field! I choose Elemental Hero Gaia!"
Lyna muttered an ancient spell underneath her breath, concentrating while magical energy surged within the gem front of her staff. Finally, Lyna casted her spell onto Gaia, ensnaring him under her control and causing the Elemental Hero to fly next to her at her command.
Elize turned to Gaia and telepathically communicated with him. 'Um...Hello! I'm sorry, I'm only going to use you for a little while. I'll return you back to Jaden later, so I'll do my best not to hurt you!'
Sensing no malicious intent within Elize's words, Gaia turned his head towards her and gave her a slow nod. He heard from the rest of the Elemental Heroes in Jaden's deck about another person who possesses the ability to talk to Duel Spirits. He could even sense the love and care within the girl's deck, so he could tell he's in good hands, even if temporary.
"So that's why you used that Equip Spell on my Gaia! He's originally an EARTH Monster, after all!" said Jaden.
Elize nodded. "To-To be honest...I was originally aiming for Sparkman at the time, but I thought Gaia might be a better choice..."
"Still, sweet move!"
"Jaden! We're in big trouble now!" cried out Syrus. "With Elize controlling your Fusion Monster, we'll be toast!"
'He's certainly right about that,' thought Alexis. 'Elize could easily take out Sparkman with Gaia and then deal more damage with a direct attack from her Charmer Monster, though things can certainly change if Syrus' turn comes. Still, go for it, Elize!'
"I attack Sparkman with Gaia!" said Elize. "I-I'm sorry, Sparkman!"
Forced to raise his hand against his fellow comrade, Gaia fired an earthen powered laser blast from his cannons, extinguishing Sparkman entirely.
Jaden and Syrus - 4200 LP
"Next, I'll have Lyna attack you directly, Jaden and Syrus! Please make it quick, Lyna!"
Lyna gave Elize a wink of assurance before summoning forth two orbs of light. Swinging her staff downwards, Lyna commanded the two orbs of light to hit both Syrus and Jaden simultaneously.
Jaden and Syrus - 3700 LP
"I'll set two cards facedown and end my turn. Syrus, Jaden? Are you two alright?"
Hearing Elize calling out for him and Syrus out of concern, Jaden gave her a thumbs-up. "Yeah! No worries here! Good turn, Elize!"
Syrus dusted his own clothes as he tried to ignore the perilous situation he and Jaden were in. "Y-Yeah..."
With no Monsters left in either of her master's opponents' fields, Cyber Blader's effect activated and she had grown significantly weaker compared to her 4200 Attack Point self.
Cyber Blader - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2100/800)
"Oh, no! What happened?!" wondered Elize, now realizing Cyber Blader's status.
"It's because no other Monsters are in Jaden nor Syrus' fields. That means Cyber Blader's Attack Points return to normal," said Alexis.
"I'm sorry, Alexis-"
"Actually, this is a good thing. You made the field empty, so I'll take over the reins when it's my turn." Alexis glanced back to the field worriedly, despite her words of assurance. 'Still, I wonder what Syrus' play will be?'
Turn 8: Syrus
Hand: 6
"My draw!" After drawing his card, Syrus took a moment to think of what to do. "Okay, okay...Um...Jay! Can you uh...can you Fusion Summon with cards from your hand? They don't necessarily have to be on the field, right?"
Jaden nodded, a glint of excitement shown in his face. "Wait, does that mean you're actually going to fuse? Sweetness! Go for it, Sy!"
Alexis frowned. 'Fusion, huh? I don't really know much about Syrus' deck, but from what Zane told me, it's all about Roid Monsters. This could be tough, but then again, all kinds of duels are...' she thought, mentally preparing herself for anything that were to happen.
"Okay! Then, I have to get Gyroid back to my hand! Um...Let's see...I activate the Spell, Monster Reincarnation!" said Syrus. "I'll just discard Polymerization...then add Gyroid back to my hand! Yeah! I got him!"
"..."
"..."
"...Uh...Syrus?" called out Elize. "I'm no Fusion-user, but aren't you used to supposed to use Polymerization to fuse Monsters?"
"..." The look of horror grew evident on Syrus' face, making him resemble the man from the famous "The Scream" painting. "OH NO! NOW I CAN'T FUSION SUMMON!"
'Talk about an amateur move! Seriously, Syrus?!' thought Alexis, stunned by Syrus' stupidity of a move.
"Hey hey! It's alright, Sy!" said Jaden. "I mean, I have Fusion Gate on the field! You can still fuse Monsters without Polymerization!"
Syrus looked like he was about to break down from such good news. "Jaden-! You're such a lifesaver! Okay! I won't mess this up now! I fuse Gyroid and Steamroid from my hand in order to Fusion Summon Steam Gyroid!"
The combination forms of both Roid Monsters had mashed the propellers of Gyroid and the train-like body of Steamroid as one, making them more efficient and stronger.
Steam Gyroid - (EARTH/Machine/Fusion) - LV6 - (2200/1600)
"Wow, Sy! You got a stronger Monster than Alexis'!" praised Jaden. "You can definitely beat her for sure!"
Alexis hid her smirk, as if wanting Syrus to attack her. 'Be careful what you wish for. Even if you have a stronger Monster, Cyber Blader's effect makes it so that if there's only 1 Monster on my opponent's field, she won't be destroyed during battle,' thought Alexis.
"Yeah! But, now I'll add more!" said Syrus. "From my hand, I summon Jetoid to the field!"
"Uh, Sy?"
A red-colored jet Monster flew down, emerging from the night clouds and making a soft landing above the waters, hovering over them.
Jetroid - (WIND/Machine) - LV4 - (1200/1800)
'That idiot!' Alexis thought. 'Didn't he pay attention to the duel?! My Cyber Blader's Attack Points would only double if there's 2 Monsters on my opponent's field! Now he has no chance of beating Cyber Blader!'
Cyber Blader - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (4200/800)
Syrus recognized his error when he noticed Alexis' Monster stronger than before. "Oh no! I messed up again, didn't I, Jay? I'm sorry..."
Jaden said, "Hey, no worries! Remember, we're partners, so we have to support each other! Besides, you can still attack!"
"How? Alexis has the most strongest Monster on the field now thanks to me!"
Jaden shook his head and pointed to Elize's side of the field. "See Eiize's field? If you take out her Charmer, then you can take back my Gaia for me! I mean, sure, you can't really do anything about Alexis' Monster, but you might be able to help me out!"
Syrus scanned Elize's field, noticing that she did indeed have Lyna the Light Charmer and Elemental Hero Gaia out, but because of Lyna's face-up Flip effect, Gaia would remain on Elize's field so long as Lyna was still face-up. But if she were gone, then there would be nothing controlling Gaia, which would secure Jaden aback his Elemental Hero Fusion Monster.
Even if he can't beat Alexis' Monster this turn, he could at least take out Elize's Monster and take back Jaden's Monster!
"I activate my Trap, Threatening Roar!" called out Elize. "This turn, my opponent can't declare an attack!"
Syrus' face fell upon the realization that his Battle Phase was skipped. "No...I didn't get a chance to redeem myself..."
"Chill, Sy! It's okay! At least you managed to Fusion Summon a Monster! That's pretty neat!" said Jaden, patting him on the back.
Syrus seemed to have cheered up a little from Jaden's words and nodded. "R-right...I-I set a card and end my turn!"
Turn 9: Alexis
Hand: 4
"Draw!" said Alexis, drawing her card. She thought, 'Hmm...I can definitely try and Ritual Summon, but I don't want to give up Cyber Blader. She's much too good on the field right now to sacrifice...what to do...?'
"Ah! By the way, Alexis?" spoke up Elize, gaining her partner's attention. "Whenever you want, you can try and use my Monsters, too! I want to help out as much as I can as your partner!"
Alexis smiled. "Thanks, Elize-though...Hmm...What Levels are your Monsters currently?"
"Oh! Gaia is Level 6 and my Lyna is Level 3! Do you want to use them?"
'Level 6? That's just what I need!' thought Alexis before nodding. "Yeah, can I use Gaia?"
"Yes, of course, but you can't really attack with any of my Monsters, remember?"
"Oh, don't worry! I don't plan on using Gaia to attack," assured Alexis. "Instead, I'll do this! First, I summon Cyber Angel Petit to the field!"
A robotic-like pink angelic Monster cried out happily as she appeared.
Cyber Angel Petit - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV2 - (300/200)
"When she's summoned, I can add 1 Machine Angel Ritual Spell card from my deck to my hand! Next, I'll activate it to Ritual Summon any one Cyber Angel Ritual Monster from my hand! I sacrifice my Level 2 Cyber Angel Petit and the Level 6 Elemental Hero Gaia in order to Ritual Summon Cyber Angel Dakini!"
Cyber Angel Petit and Elemental Hero Gaia turned into balls of light that flew up into the air before a pillar of light rained down on the waters, splashing water everywhere. Emerging from the light was a four-armed female warrior wielding all four two scimitars and holding a long spear with her other two hands.
Cyber Angel Dakini - (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) - LV8 - (2700/2400)
"Wow! I know Ritual Summoning isn't used very often, but it's still amazing to see!" complimented Elize.
Alexis nodded, glancing at her Ritual Monster proudly. Even though her ace Monster was Cyber Blader, using her was only half of her deck's strength. The other strength half of her deck relied on Ritual Summoning, something very uncommon in the Dueling World due to how unpopular it tended to be, which only made Alexis proud of the underestimation that Ritual Monsters tend to have.
"Now you'll see more of my Ritual Monster's power! I activate Dakini's effect! When she's Special Summoned, I can have my opponent select and destroy 1 of their Monsters! So, Syrus, you have to choose: Your Jetroid or your Steam Gyroid?"
"What?!" exclaimed Syrus, glancing back and forth between his two Monsters.
It was already bad enough that Alexis summoned another powerful Monster, but now, he's forced to pick between his two Monsters? If that was the case...
Syrus gulped and gave himself a nod, as though boosting his own confidence. "O-Okay! Okay! Um...I choose Jetroid!"
Jetroid burst apart in an explosion, leaving Syrus with the only Monster remaining; his strong Fusion Monster, Steam Gyroid.
At that moment, because there was only 1 Monster remaining in the opponent's field, Cyber Blader's effect had kicked in and she had gotten weaker once more, reducing her Attack Points significantly.
Cyber Blader - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2100/800)
"Oh! That's right! When there's only 1 Monster, Cyber Blader isn't as strong as before! Her Attack Points aren't doubled anymore!" Syrus said, remembering the effects as soon as he noticed Cyber Blader weaker. "Huh, I guess losing one Monster wasn't so bad after all!"
Alexis narrowed her eyes, as though insulted by Syrus' comment. It wasn't very often that she had her Cyber Blader and Cyber Angel Dakini out on the field together, and when that happened, they weren't a very good combo duo due to their effects. Dakini's effect was very strong on its own, forcing her opponent to destroy their own Monster, but with the loss of another Monster on the opponent's field meant that Cyber Blader's Attack Point effect would take a hit as well. A sort of consequences effect, as one would think.
"Even so, I'm going to attack!" Alexis announced. "Cyber Angel Dakini! Take down Syrus' Monster!"
Cyber Angel Dakini lunged forward, raising all three of her weapons to swing down onto Steam Gyroid. Syrus was panicking at the possible loss of his Monster when he remembered his set card and activated it.
"Go, Trap card!" countered Syrus. "Magic Cylinder! When you declare an attack, the attack is negated and instead, the Attack Points of your Monster is inflicted back to you!"
Cyber Angel Dakini sent three rays of light from three swings of her weapons, which formed into one large laser, only for a magical cylinder to absorb the laser and then pop right back out from another magical cylinder, hitting both Elize and Alexis.
"Gah!" Both girls cried out as they fell back into the boat from the impact of Magic Cylinder.
Alexis and Elize - 2600 LP
"Whoa! Nice one, Sy!" praised Jaden. "You not only deflected their attack, but sent their attack flying right back! Good job!"
Syrus rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Ehehehe...You think so?"
"I gotta admit, even I'm impressed, Syrus," said Alexis. "I'll end my turn."
"Huh? You're not going to attack with Cyber Blader?"
Alexis shook her head. "Look at the field, Syrus. Your Steam Gyroid is much stronger than my Blade Skater. There's no way my Fusion Monster will stand a chance."
Syrus let out a sigh of relief. "Whew...I got lucky...I'm so glad I chose to keep Steam Gyroid on the field, then!"
'But luck won't be enough to win you this duel,' Alexis thought, turning to Jaden. 'Let's see what you can do, Jaden.'
Turn 10: Jaden
Hand: 3
"My move!" said Jaden. "Alrighty! Time to summon a stronger Elemental Hero! Using Fusion Gate's effect, I banish Elemental Hero Avian with Elemental Hero Flash! I Fusion Summon Elemental Hero Great Tornado!"
Strong winds swirled across the entire dueling field, affecting the environment though not enough to endanger any individuals, including one currently hidden in water. The waves swayed back and forth and even crashed against the already rocking boats, but everyone managed to maintain their composure even if things were already shaky. It was as though the winds had calmed down by the silent command of the wind elemental Fusion Monster, Great Tornado.
Elemental Hero Great Tornado - (WIND/Warrior/Fusion) - LV8 - (2800/2200)
"Too bad for you, Jaden!" said Alexis. "Cyber Blader's effect makes it so that if there are 2 Monsters on the field, her Attack Points are doubled! Or have you forgotten?"
Cyber Blader - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (4200/800)
"Oh, I haven't forgotten!" assured Jaden. "Because now, I'm activating Great Tornado's effect as well! When he's Fusion Summoned, he can halve all of the Attack and Defense Points of all face-up Monsters my opponent controls!"
Cyber Blader - (EARTH/Warrior/Fusion) - LV6 - (2100/400)
Cyber Angel Dakini - (LIGHT/Fairy/Ritual) - LV8 - (1350/1200)
"Ah! Oh no!" said Alexis.
"Now's your chance, Great Tornado! Attack Cyber Blader!" ordered Jaden.
Gathering gusts of wind within his palms, the Elemental Hero of wind fired a tornado-like blast from his palms, blowing away Cyber Blader before she was torn apart by the tornado-like blast.
Alexis and Elize - 1900 LP
"And before I end my turn, I summon Lady Heat in Defense Mode!" said Jaden. "I end my turn! And during the End Phase, Lady Heat's effect kicks in! During each of my End Phases, I can inflict 200 Points of Damage for every face-up Elemental Hero I control, including Lady Heat herself! I currently have 2, so that makes a total of 400 Points of Damage!"
Lady Heat had unleashed two scorching fireballs at both Alexis and Elize, making them flinch.
Alexis and Elize - 1500 LP
At that moment, Elize quickly acted. "I activate my Continuous Trap, Solemn Wishes! I-Or rather, me and Alexis gains 500 extra Life Points every time I draw a card!"
Turn 11: Elize
Hand: 3
"My turn!" said Elize. "And Solemn Wishes will give us 500 extra Life Points!"
Alexis and Elize - 2000 LP
Watching Elize trying to figure out her move, Alexis thought, 'Nice, it's not much, but regaining our Life Points is a good strategy too. I have to do something about Great Tornado, but for now, I think I can leave all of the defense to Elize.'
"I summon Meda Bat in Defense Mode!"
Meda Bat - (DARK/Fiend) - LV2 - (800/400)
"Next, I equip him with Heart of Clear Water! Now Meda Bat cannot be destroyed by battle or any card effect that targets him, so long as his Attack Points aren't 1300 or higher!"
Alexis nodded silently in approval. 'Nice!' she thought. 'I was right to trust Elize when it came to defense! We won't have to worry about us getting hit directly so long as she keeps those two card combo up!'
"I set a card and end my turn!"
Turn 12: Syrus
Hand: 2
"I draw!" said Syrus. "Okay! I summon Submarineroid in Attack Mode!"
Submarineroid - (WATER/Machine) - LV4 - (800/1800)
Elize then interrupted, "I activate my Continuous Trap, Gravity Bind! Level 4 or higher Monsters cannot attack! I won't let you destroy any of Alexis' Monsters anymore!" Elize gave Alexis an apologetic look. "Though, that might mean you won't be able to attack either, Alexis...I'm sorry."
Alexis shook her head. "No, no. This is fine. Right now, this is the best defensive move we've got!" She thought, 'Level 4 or higher, huh? But that doesn't apply to Level 3 or lower Monsters. If I can get a Monster like Cyber Tutu out, we can chip away at their Life Points and win!'
Syrus glanced down at the one card he had remaining and sighed in relief. "Oh, good! I can use this! I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Mystical Space Typhoon! This targets 1 Spell or Trap on the field and destroys it! And I destroy Gravity Bind!"
A tornado formed from the Spell card itself appeared and headed straight for Gravity Bind, making it fly away from the field and blowing away one of the best defenses Elize had.
"Now, Steam Gyroid! Take down Alexis' Monster!" Syrus shouted.
Steam Gyroid didn't hesitate on running full-speed ahead, ramming straight into Cyber Angel Dakini and taking her out.
Alexis and Elize - 1150 LP
'...We're still safe,' Alexis thought. 'Elize still has her Monster and that Heart of Clear Water equipped, so Syrus couldn't possibly destroy her Monster.'
"I activate Submarineroid's effect!" said Syrus. "He can attack your Life Points directly! Though, at the end of the Damage Step, if he does, he switches to Defense Mode! Now attack!"
"What?!" both girls exclaimed in shock.
Submarineroid dove deep underwater before zooming straight out and ramming himself straight towards the girls, causing them to cry out as the force of the impact caused even the boat to slide back a little.
Alexis and Elize - 350 LP
As soon as Submarineroid swam back to Syrus' side, he had switched to a more defensive position. "Alright! I end my turn!" said Syrus. "Jaden! Jaden! I think we really are going to win this!"
Jaden grinned. "Yeah! That's the spirit, Sy!"
Turn 13: Alexis
Hand: 4
"Come on...Draw!" said Alexis, slowly drawing her card cautiously, as if afraid something terrible would happen.
She drew her card and indeed, she got the card she wanted, Cyber Tutu, but would it matter anymore? Even if she summoned and used Cyber Tutu now, Jaden and Syrus would still have enough Life Points, plus she couldn't use Cyber Tutu's effect because in order to attack her opponents directly, there couldn't be any Monsters weaker than her Attack Points, and Submarineroid happened to be that Monster.
Plus, even if that wasn't the case, it would all be over once Jaden's turn came. It didn't matter that he had the strongest Monster, as long as he had Lady Heat out on the field, he could even end his turn and Lady Heat's Effect Damage effect would end the duel.
But, Alexis refused to surrender now. At the very least, not just for her sake, but for Elize's as well. If she wanted to surrender, she would have done so by herself, not drag somebody else with her. Elize had also just as equally worked as hard as her, so it would be unfair if she simply quit and dragged Elize down with her. She wanted to do her best to the end!
"I summon Cyber Tutu in Defense Mode!" said Alexis.
A cute-looking pink-haired girl wearing a leotard and ballerina tutu appeared, kneeling down in Defense Mode.
Cyber Tutu - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV3 - (1000/800)
"Then, I set a card and end my turn!"
Turn 14: Jaden
Hand: 1
"Then it's my turn!" said Jaden. "I switch Lady Heat to Attack Mode and attack Cyber Tutu!"
"I activate my Trap, Waboku!" shouted Alexis. "I-We take no Battle Damage from your Monsters this turn, plus our Monsters can't be destroyed by battle this turn either!"
Lady Heat had unleashed flames that would have scorched Cyber Tutu entirely if not for the protective barrier surrounding her and Meda Bat, much to both of their relief.
"Okay, well, I end my turn," Jaden said. "But, Alexis, you know what that means, right? Lady Heat's effect-"
"I know," Alexis said before turning to Elize. "Elize...I'm sorry. I...I couldn't find a way out of this mess at all."
"Alexis...You don't have to worry!" assured Elize. "You did your best, and that's all that matters, right?"
"Right...Jaden." Alexis turned to him. "End this duel already."
Jaden nodded. "Lady Heat's effect activates! For every Elemental Hero out on my field, she inflicts 200 Points of Damage for each! Take 400 Points of Damage!"
Lady Heat fired yet two more fireballs aiming for Elize and Alexis, whom had both already succumbed to the flames leading to their defeat.
Alexis and Elize - 0 LP
Winners: Jaden and Syrus
"Alexis! Elize!" Jasmine and Mindy cried out, shocked. They couldn't believe it; both female Obelisk Blue students had lost! Lost to two Slifer Red, no doubt!
"Alright! Looks like that is game!" cheered Jaden, doing his usual victory hand pose.
Syrus fell to his knees in utter relief. "Oh...Thank god we're not gonna get expelled!"
Rowing up towards the other girls, Jaden and Syrus waited until Alexis and Elize were okay and back on their own feet, which didn't take too long. It really was a tough battle, dealing with Alexis' more offensively powerful Monsters with their attack power and effects while Elize's Charmer Monster had crumbled their field after stealing Gaia, along with her stall defensive cards.
"Well, a deal's a deal," Jaden said to the girls. "We won, so we get off free!"
Alexis nodded. "Okay, guys! I won't back out! We'll keep quiet of what just happened."
Elize said, "Please don't do something like this ever again! It was really embarrassing!"
However, Jasmine didn't seem cooperative. "Well, if you ask me, I think we should turn both of them in right now!"
"Well, no one asked you!" snapped Alexis, surprising her friends at the sharp tone she took with them. "Jaden and Syrus beat us in a duel, fair and square, and there's all to it! So, no more complaining!"
"Well, there's more to it, actually. It was close," Jaden had to disagree. "You two worked really well during that Tag Duel! You've both got game! Well, see ya!"
Alexis gasped quietly, blushing a little at Jaden's compliment. Normally, she wouldn't be fazed by a boy's words, especially since she's got so many admirers and had to reject so many love confessions ever since she came to Duel Academy. But Jaden's words made her feel happy for some reason.
'Even if we came out the victors, I could never have turned those two in, and I think Elize would feel the same,' Alexis thought, admitting the fact to herself. 'This place is a lot more fun with them, than without.'
Elize simply sighed in relief, a bit exhausted from the tiring Tag Duel they had. 'You know, even though we lost, I'm kinda glad that Jaden and Syrus won. Even I wouldn't want the two of them expelled,' she thought. 'Still, I wish I could have done more for Alexis...'
Crowler was still mad that Jaden managed to beat not one, but two of his Obelisk Blue students, especially one of his best pupils, Alexis Rhodes! Just how strong was he?! He managed to beat him, though he hated to admit it, and now Alexis? And Syrus only won because of Jaden's help, so he didn't even consider Syrus as skilled as Jaden!
"Hmph! Lucky brat! He escaped this time, but I'll still find a way to expel him! ...After I find a way home."
Skit: A Great Defense Makes a Good Offense
"Elize, I just wanted to say, I'm sorry."
"Hmm?" Elize looked up, confused, as she was walking alongside Alexis as the two of them were alone. Mindy and Jasmine had already left for their rooms. "Whatever for?"
"It's my fault that the duel ended up in our loss, so-"
"Oh! No, no, no! It's not your fault! I mean, it should be more my fault!" said Elize, shaking her head. "I wish I could have supported you more, Alexis..."
"But you did! You played defensively, protected our Monsters, and even gave me the necessary Monsters to Ritual Summon! If anything, you were definitely more than a little helpful!" praised Alexis. "The problem was with me, though...It really was all my fault."
"Alexis? Why do you think it's your fault?"
"Ugh, because-because I dueled so recklessly! You see, I wanted to duel Jaden for a while now, so I was really excited to use this chance to duel him! I wanted to show how strong a duelist I really am against someone who beat Dr. Crowler, but I became too overconfident in myself. I was so sure of my own strength that I forgot to consider the unpredictability and versatility of Jaden's deck. And I underestimated Syrus too. Sure, he's still not as talented as Jaden, but he still kept a good fight too."
"If that's the case, then maybe I should share some of the blame too," said Elize. "I...I was the same, but I chose to let you do everything while I just focused on defense and healing as I always did. I-I wanted to support you and our field, so I just relied on you to do all the attacking-not that I blame you for anything! But, I probably should have been more involved in the offense, maybe acted as bait?"
"No, no, it's-" Alexis stopped, knowing that the two of them would endlessly blame themselves. "Look, we can just...agree to disagree, alright? The main thing, the duel has taught us that we need to improve our decks and strategies. And I might need your help with that, Elize."
"Me?"
"Yes. I need to focus more on defense, but in return, I can try and help you pick out more offensive Monsters, more Monsters with Attack Points. I don't wanna sound like those snobby rich Obelisks who rely only on high Attack Point Monsters, but even your defensive strategies wouldn't always help you in a duel."
Elize nodded sadly. She knew full well that she basically ran a stall and healing deck. Sure, she's got some strong Monsters too, but she mainly did rely on Monsters she's "charmed" with the help of her Charmer Monsters.
"W-Well, I can help you improve your deck, Alexis, but how can I help out?" wondered Elize.
"I need some ideas on how to work on my deck defensively," said Alexis. "I've got some good cards like Doble Passe, but that's just not good enough. Some good defense might help throw off my opponents."
"O-Okay! I'll do my best!"
"Thanks, Elize. I'll do my best to help you, too."
Skit: Love
"So, do you really love Syrus, Alexis?" asked Elize.
"Huh? No, I don't," said Alexis. "Still, it pisses me off that someone tried to use my name to trick Syrus into coming here! I mean, using my name was bad enough already. but trying to trick Syrus? That's an absolute new low!"
"But...wasn't it also kinda a new low to use Syrus just to duel Syrus?" Elize wondered out loud before her eyes widen upon realization what she said. "Ah! I'm sorry! That was kinda thoughtless of me to say-"
"No, you're right," sighed Alexis. "I should have tried a better method of dueling Jaden. He would have accepted any duel if I had just asked. I should go apologize to Sy tomorrow."
"That seems like the right thing to do," Elize agreed. "I'm...kinda glad Mindy and Jasmine aren't here with us now. It seems nice, just you and me talking."
"Yeah, I love those girls, but they can be a bit much sometimes. Hmm..." Alexis gave Elize a mischievous look. "Well...it might be Mindy and Jasmine influencing me a bit...but I do have to wonder, Elize, what type do you like?"
"Huh?"
"Back in the hot springs, we were talking about guys and our types of guys, remember? Of course, if you don't want to say anything, I won't pressure you-"
Elize shook her head. "No, no, it's not that...The truth is, back at the hot springs, I did...kinda lie. I actually do have a type...But, you might just laugh..."
"Nah, I wouldn't do that to a friend. If you're curious about mine, well, I love dueling, but I guess I could appreciate a guy who's just as passionate as dueling, cares for others, and, well, I wouldn't mind if he was handsome, too. But if I was going to date someone like that, his absolute requirement would be that he has to accept the other dorms and respects them as duelists!" said Alexis. "I wouldn't want to date anyone who discriminates and treats others like they're weak!"
"I-I wouldn't like a guy like that either...Okay, I guess I'll tell you."
"Great! What is it?"
Shyly, with a flustered face, Elize said, "W-Well...I've always enjoyed the cool and cocky types of guys...I mean, they're so confident of themselves, so I thought they looked really cool...And, it would help if they were handsome, too. I mean, I think it's really bad if you love someone simply because of their looks, so I want someone more than that...but it wouldn't hurt if they really were handsome...But I don't like guys who have facial hair like mustaches or beards...and not guys who have really long hair. Short-haired guys always looked handsome to me..."
Alexis frowned. "Hmm...You don't happen to have a crush on Jaden, do you?"
"Hmm? No, no! I don't feel that way towards him!"
"Then, what about Chazz?"
"Definitely no! He's a bully!"
"There is one other person...Bastion, I think?"
"Bastion? He helps me out with schoolwork sometimes, but no, I don't think of him that way. I don't really have a crush on anyone at school," said Elize.
"Yeah, I guess we are pretty young to be thinking of romance, unlike Mindy and Jasmine," said Alexis, folding her arms. "It's probably better to focus on dueling for now. Though, I am surprised by your choice of type."
Elize blushed. "W-well, I really would like it if there was someone like that for me someday...Plus. a bonus if they have scars! I...I hope that's not weird."
"Nah, nowadays, girls admire guys with scars. They think it makes them look cool and more masculine. Scars aren't too bad to look at, either. I hope you find someone that you're hoping for, Elize."
"I-I hope you find someone that you also love too, Alexis!"
Skit: Scorching Springs
"So, how does it feel, Elize?" asked Hiita, relaxing against the hot springs within the Duel Spirit World.
After the events that occurred earlier, Elize had decided to enter the Duel Spirit World while she was sleeping. It was something only she could do while unconscious or asleep, as well as something that her Duel Spirits willingly allowed her to. Ever since she was a child, she's always done so to play with her Duel Spirits during the nighttime, so her connections to them were as strong and familial as ever. Though, as she grew older, the visits started to grow a little less frequent due to needing more sleep as well as a healthier mind for sleep.
In their attempts to cheer up Elize, the Charmers took Elize to a secret hot springs deep within the forest where they lived within the Duel Spirit World. Because it was only Elize's spirit that entered the Duel Spirit World, nothing would happen to her real body physically. As a matter of fact, she could still interact and touch spirits. As such, she found the warmth of the water rather soothing to her.
"It feels...really nice. Thank you, everyone!" thanked Elize.
"You really had such a bad experience the first time, that we just couldn't help ourselves!" said Eria, playing around with the hot springs water with her own water manipulation magic, forming animal-like shapes with the water.
"Yeah! Elly, next time you duel that Syrus guy, bring me out to the fray! I'll burn him alive!" Hiita told her, cracking her knuckles.
"Illogical and irrational behavior. Syrus Truesdale is not the culprit," told Aussa, who had removed her glasses and had her body halfway submerged in the hot water.
"Well, how do you know that, genius? Honestly, one of those girls was right! He really could have formed that letter just as an excuse in case he got caught!"
"It would be too much of a risk, even with the letter. No sane boy would risk getting expelled for peeping on girls. Even someone like Syrus would have enough sense."
"And yet, he was stupid enough to come to the Girls Dorm anyways," called out Dharc's voice even though the DARK Attribute Spellcaster was nowhere to be seen.
"Dharc? Where are you?" asked Elize, feeling a bit self-conscious as she submerged herself deeper into the water to hide herself.
"Don't worry, I'm not far, I'm just behind the trees. And don't worry, I'm not looking, either. I'm not that interested nor suicidal for that."
"But...I kinda feel bad. I mean, I know you can't join us because you're a guy, but-"
"I know, don't worry. I'll simply have my turn after you girls finish yours."
Hiita swam over and hugged Elize from behind, grinning. "That's right, so don't you worry a thing, Elly!~ If any guy tries to peep on us, I'll burn him alive!"
"I'll drown him alive!" chirped Eria.
"I'll bury him alive," deadpanned Aussa.
"I'll smite him alive!" said Lyna.
"I-I"ll blow him alive!" spoke up Wynn, trying to get into the conversation. Instead, she just got stares from everyone. "W-what?"
"BWAHAHAHAHAH! DUDE, DID YOU EVEN HEAR YOURSELF?! AHAHAHAHA!" laughed Hiita, crackling up.
Only Elize and Wynn were both confused. "What are you talking about?"/"What are you talking about?"
Aussa tried to push up her glasses out of habit, only for her to quickly realize that she had already removed her glasses. Instead, she looked away; her face more flustered than before. "N-Nothing you should be concerned about...Just mind your wording next time, Wynn."
"Yikes, I dunno whether to be impressed by those two oblivious states, or dumbfounded," muttered Eria to Lyna.
"Hmm...Probably best to change the subject, then!~"
Just then, the familiars of all of the Charmers leapt right into the hot springs, enjoying themselves and playing around happily. Happy Lover and Gigobyte were splashing water onto each other, Meda Bat and Fox Fire were relaxing against the steaming rocks and playing their wings/feet against the hot water, and Archfiend Marmomr of Nefariousness and Petit Dragon were at their masters' sides, resting.
Elize soon found her worries washed away with the hot springs the more time passed and even she started playing with the familiars. Eventually, the time came when she had to return to her physical body in the real world, but she was appreciative of the efforts her Duel Spirits put into helping her.
Hello, guys! I'm so glad that more of you are enjoying my story! I did do my best to follow the Tag Team Duel rules here. Honestly, the anime changes the Tag Team Duel rules and the Battle Royale rules so much that it confuses me. Don't get me wrong, I love watching the Tag Team Duels, but they can be so confusing when mixed up with the Battle Royale!
That said, there's another story called Yu-Gi-Oh! GX: The King Reborn! by bopdog11 collaborating with Ulrich362 and a little bit of my hand too.
Link: s/14335234/1/Yu-Gi-Oh-GX-The-King-Reborn
Read and review!
