"Uggggggggghhhhhhhh… Where is he? We were supposed to leave an hour ago!" Jasmine groaned.

The sun had long since set, casting the entire building in shadow. Only the dim lights of the lounge remained on, illuminating Jasmine and Bastion. She crossed her arms, gluing her eyes to the door while groaning impatiently. Across from her, Bastion sat more composed, skimming through some notes at the table.

"Maybe he… lost track of time… enjoying himself with Kami," he mused, flipping his notebook shut with a thud. "I certainly wouldn't blame him."

Jasmine squealed at the mention of Kami, immediately perking up. "Oh my gosh, you're totally right! They've probably been at it for hours! Speaking of which, isn't it about time we got you saddled up, too?"

"S-Saddled up?"

"Oh, you know! With a girl! Or guy. I don't judge," she smirked.

Bastion sighed, leaning back in his chair. "As I already told you this morning, I'm focusing on my studies right now. That's where my priorities lie."

Jasmine wasn't having it. She shot him a teasing smirk over the back of her chair. "Oh, come on! Don't give me that crap! Everyone has someone they like." She paused for a moment, "What about Yuma? You two are pretty close, yeah?"

Bastion closed his eyes, his expression softening. "Yuma and I are just friends," he said, "and even if we weren't, she's been busy lately."

"Oh, yeah! With Holactie Force, right?"

"That's correct. Neither of us is seeking a relationship with the other. And I'm quite happy with where I am now; pursuing my love of Duel Monsters."

"Booooring," Jasmine yawned dramatically while flicking her hands in annoyance. "You're no fun! I, for one, would love to have a life full of romance!" She clasped her hands together, her gaze drifting dreamily towards the ceiling. "Just imagine it! Marrying a cool, rich hottie like that Aster Phoenix…! Or getting a total dreamboat like Kaiba to sweep you right off your feet!"

Bastion raised an eyebrow at that. "Rich? Isn't that a bit… shallow?"

Jasmine dismissed him with a shrug of her shoulders. "Hey, you want what you want! Besides, looks alone aren't enough to survive! You've gotta be successful, too! Without both of 'em, it's a no-go for me. I mean, just look at Syrus!"

"Syrus?" Bastion's eyes narrowed curiously. "So, you think Truesdale's cute?"

Jasmine blushed, gaping as she realized just what her words implied. "T-That's not—"

Before she could finish, the door to the lobby swung open. Both turned towards the entrance just in time to watch Konami walk in. Jasmine's eyes narrowed as she opened her mouth, but stopped before the words left her lips.

Konami… He wasn't dressed in the uniform he'd had when he left.

Gone was the gaudy Ra Yellow drip, replaced by a crimson red jacket. A ballcap and goggles now adorned his head, too. But worst of all, he wasn't alone. Kami Umino stood beside him, dragging behind her three suitcases.

"Kami?!" Jasmine screeched, jumping to her feet to point at the duo in shock.

"What?!" Kami snapped. "If you have time to yell, be useful by helping with these!"

Jasmine blinked rapidly as a duffel bag was suddenly thrown in her face. She scrambled, barely catching the thing as it knocked her back into her chair.

"Hey! Watch where you're throwing stuff, witch!" she barked, glaring at Kami.

"Spare me," Kami groaned, rolling her eyes. "These were heavy enough on the way here!"

"I did tell you to pack lightly," Konami teased, setting down his own load beside her. Between them, they must've had at least thirteen bags, not counting what was rolling behind them.

"...Wait, how much did you pack?" Bastion asked.

"More like what did she not?" Konami drawled.

"Cut it out!" Kami said, smacking him on the arm. "A girl needs her makeup equipment."

"We'll be out here for three days at best. Believe me, you look fine without it."

Kami blushed and averted her gaze. "O-Oh… you think so?"

Jasmine threw the bag to the side and jumped up. "Hang on, hang on… She's coming?!"

"Sorry for the late notice. It was sort of a last-minute decision," shrugged Konami. "Something about how she couldn't leave her most prized Duelist alone with some riff-raff."

"Riff-raff?!" Jasmine glowered, gritting her teeth. "Is that what we look like to her?!"

"Ooooohohohoho!" the girl laughed. "That's right, vermin. I don't want you dragging down my company's property!"

Konami pinched her in her side.

"Eep!"

"You promised you would be nice," he said.

Jasmine scowled at Kami, "Yeah! She'd better be nice or I'll knock her out! Besides, what the hell are you thinking? Bringing all this junk for a three-day trip? Where do you think we're going? The Amazon?!"

Bastion cleared his throat, "Now, now, you three, let's not devolve into bickering. We're here to enjoy the trip and focus on the tournament, are we not?" He stood up, eyeing the large pile of bags that Kami had Konami bring for her. "Though, I must admit, this luggage situation is mildly concerning."

Kami shot him a glare and angrily tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Hmph! Excuse you, Commoner! It's not my fault you fear preparation! Konami offered to help me pack. It's not like he was complaining." She gave him a sly smile, which Konami returned by glancing away.

Jasmine huffed. "Yeah, 'pack.' I'm sure that's all you were doing," she drawled. "But alright. Whatever. At least I won't be the only girl around… I guess. But I swear to God, Kami, if you start complaining, we're totally leaving you behind!"

"Oh, please, like I'd let that happen," Kami sneered with a roll of her eyes.

After gathering the rest of their belongings, the group finally left Ra Yellow, heading into the forest to find a good spot to set up their camp for the night. As they walked, Kami nudged Konami, her voice dropping so the others wouldn't hear. "Hey, she's not serious, right? You wouldn't ditch me in these woods?"

Konami glanced down at her, an amused smirk pulling on his lips. "Of course not, Kami. Just try not to argue too much with her. I can't break you up all the time."

Kami huffed. "You won't have to. I'll only finish what she starts!"

"I can hear ya, you know!" Jasmine called, but instead of retorting, Kami walked on in silence as the group continued their trek through the dark. Trees and bushes loomed around them as they moved, swaying in the night's breeze. Konami walked further ahead than the others, content in having Kami beside him.

"How much further?" she groaned, adjusting her suitcase as it bumped against her leg. "I feel as if we've been walking forever!"

"It's not much further," he promised. "There should be a building just past these trees. We'll set up our headquarters there."

Jasmine furrowed her brow. "Building? Wait, you don't mean—"

"Yep. You got it."

He pushed through the bushes, revealing a broad—and agonizingly familiar—clearing. In its center stood a large facility… surrounded by a barbed metal fence.

Jasmine's breath caught.

"The Academy had the place cleared out after what happened to us. I think they're planning on tearing it down, but until then, it's ours to use," Konami said.

Kami wrinkled her nose. "What is this place?"

"It's where I was kidnapped," winced Jasmine. "Monkeys were in there learning to duel… and I… I nearly lost everything."

"Wait, you mean that actually happened?" Kami gawked. "I mean, there were rumors… but dueling monkeys? Seriously?"

"Technically, they were apes," Bastion said. "Still, are you sure this is wise, Konami? Using this place as our base?"

"Why not?" Konami shrugged. "The roof's still intact. And with a door, we can shut out the wildlife."

"I was referring more to Jasmine," Bastion mused. "You know, because of the event…?"

Jasmine pursed her lips, debating with herself, but slowly, she shook her head.

"No. I think I'll be fine. And I kind of want to go in. This place… it's where we became friends," she glared at Kami, "Well, most of us. Anyway, I think it'd be fitting for us to set up shop here. You know what? Yeah! Let's do this, you two!"

Konami smirked and threw out his hand. "Guess that settles it, then! The SAL lab will be our base! No… my evil lair! HAHAHAHAHA!"

"Oh, you little-! So, that's the real reason we're here, huh?!"

Bastion sighed. "An edgelord 'til the end…"

And yet, the two still smiled.

TAG FORCE ALTERNATIVE: TWISTING THE TALE
LESSON EIGHT
ISLAND-WIDE BATTLES!

"Wake up, slackers!" Chazz's voice cut swiftly through the Princeton Camp's tent. "The sun's rising! And we're not wasting another second if it slows down my Duels!"

"Five more minutes..." Jaden groaned, curling up tighter in his sleeping bag. "I was just about to win the Duel of the Century..."

"No, you're waking up now!" Chazz snapped.

Jaden only groaned louder in response, turning his back toward Chazz. Chazz narrowed his eyes, marching over to Jaden and yanking his sleeping bag open. "I said get up! The tournament already started when the sun hit the island! We're already behind, and I don't want to lose out 'cause somebody needed more sleep!"

"Alright, alright! I'm up!" Jaden whined, rubbing his eyes with a yawn. "Geez. Couldn't this wait until after breakfast?"

"I already ate," someone said.

Jaden blinked as their tent's entrance parted and Alexis poked her head inside. Chazz gasped and jumped in front of Jaden as if attempting to obscure him from view.

"Alexis?!" he screamed. "This is the guys' tent!"

"Duh. I helped put it up," she sighed. "Look, I don't know what you guys are doing, but it's half past eight. We should go."

"R-Right…" Chazz mumbled, quickly glancing over at Syrus. Much like Jaden, the boy was still dreaming, turning around in his sleep. "Alright, you heard her!" Chazz suddenly barked, giving him a good kick. "Enough slacking! It's time to get up!"

Syrus grimaced. "Thirty more minutes…"

"Aargh!"

After wrestling the two Slifers out of their bags, Chazz finally got them outside. The sun's brightness made him wince as he did, and he raised his hand to shut out the light.

"Damn it…" he grimaced. "We lost too much time. Everyone else has probably started!"

"All the better we join them, then," Alexis called from the edge of their camp. "Does everyone have all their stuff? We won't be coming back until nightfall."

"Heh, don't worry about these two, Lexie," Chazz grinned, ignoring the Slifers. "They'll be fine. Let's just focus on making it to the Semifinals!"

"Sounds good to me. Jaden, Syrus, are you two ready to go?"

"Yeah, I guess…" Jaden yawned into his hand. "I'll wake up when I see a Duel…"

Chazz felt his eye twitch at the dope but managed to flash a grin anyway. "Just don't forget to cheer for me, slacker. 'Cause the Chazz is gonna go all the way! And I'll start… by facing him!"

He suddenly turned to the bushes, pointing into them and exposing the Ra Yellow student spying from within. The Ra gasped as he stumbled out of the forest, accompanied by three of his pals.

"Heh Heh Heh… I thought I smelled a pile of nobodies," Chazz bragged. "You'll be the perfect exercise to start my day. So? How 'bout it, losers?" He lifted his Duel Disk, beckoning the quartet closer with a curl of his finger.

"C-Chazz?!" the Ra Yellow gasped. "And… hey, that's Alexis!" The boy angrily glanced at his other friends. "I thought you said they were just Slifers!"

"W-Well, I know there were some!" the other Ras gulped anxiously. "But how was I 'sposed to know they'd be hanging around with the Untouchable Queen?!"

"Aw, damn it! We can't take them! Everyone scram, quick!"

"Wait, what?!" Chazz yelled, only to stumble as the group ran away. "Hang on a sec! Get back here, cowards!"

"Eek! No! Don't duel us! We don't wanna get knocked out the first day!"

"I wanna last until Round Three!" cried another.

Chazz reached out after them, his one eye twitching as they vanished into the forest.

"Well, that could have gone better," Alexis noted. "But don't worry, Chazz." She set a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure there'll be other Duels."

But, as the first day dragged on, it proved to be the exact opposite. Every student they ran into fled at the very sight of Alexis and Chazz, deeming the two "too powerful to face" so early on in the tournament. Ordinarily, Chazz would've been pleased to send so many Duelists fleeing, but now? When progression meant gathering as many of the damn medals as possible?

"Damn it… Damn it! At this rate, we're the ones who are gonna get kicked out!" Chazz cried.

"I didn't think everyone would run away like that," Alexis admitted, sighing sadly. "Hate to say it, but if this keeps up, we might be in some serious trouble."

"Speak for yourselves," Syrus murmured, giggling happily as he glanced at his medals. Unlike Alexis and Chazz, the fleeing Duelists had been more than happy to duel him. "Looks like being a Slifer Slacker's not as bad as it sounds, huh, Chazz?"

"Shut up, Syrus!" Chazz snapped, grabbing the boy and shaking him vigorously. "The only reason you even won those medals was 'cause they were scared to face me!"

"Relax, Chazz!" Jaden laughed. "Remember, you can always duel me, if ya want!"

"And waste my time getting your flimsy medal? I don't think so, slacker!" Chazz growled. "I wanna duel people I haven't beat! And you're not on that list, got it?!"

"Aw, really? That's too bad. My new deck really packs a punch!"

"Oh, yeah. That's right! You still never really explained what you got when you left, Jay! Was it some rare card?" Syrus asked.

"More than that, Sy. Wanna duel and find out?"

"And lose the medals I already got? No way, bro. I'll pass," Syrus laughed, a bead of sweat dripping down his face at the thought of staring down Jaden.

"Hmhmhmhm… coward," Yubel whispered into Jaden's ear. "He's afraid of you..." Yubel hugged him from behind, her clawed hand trailing over his chest. "They all are."

"Enough about Jaden!" Chazz glowered. "I couldn't care less about him and whatever new cards he has, ya got that?! I want a Duel, and I want one now!"

"Then maybe we should think differently," Alexis suggested. She brought a hand to her chin, furrowing her brow as she thought of a strategy. "The Chancellor said this tournament wasn't just for the students, remember? Everyone's coming to compete! Other students, Street Duelists, and even some Pros!"

"Yeah? What about it?" Chazz wondered.

"Well, if our classmates don't want to duel us, then maybe we should find people who will."

"Wait… Alexis, that's it!" Chazz gasped. His eyes lit up as he smirked. "Yeah, if they don't come to the Chazz, then the Chazz will just go to them! Heh Heh Heh… we'll duel the outsiders and send them running back home!"

"Then it's decided," Alexis nodded. "We'll head to the docks. There must be someone down there who'll duel us. And if not…"

"...then we'll just make them! Hmhmhm… Hahaha! Yeah, we'll Chazz it up!"

-GX-

"I… I don't believe it… How can you… be so strong…?"

"I think it's more that you're just weak. Tyrant Dragon, attack!"

The Obelisk Blue student screamed as Tyrant Dragon's gunfire consumed them, their Duel Disk immediately shutting down upon registering their defeat. Across from them, Konami smirked as Tyrant Dragon faded away.

"Game Over. I think I'll take that medal of yours now," he chuckled. "And don't forget," he stepped forward, "the rare card you wagered, too."

Shaking, the student fumbled through their deck and reluctantly handed over a card. Konami snatched it without even glancing at it, then turned to face the still-growing crowd.

"Alright, losers! Who's next?!" he shouted, urging them forward. Several students exchanged nervous glances, until finally, someone stepped forward.

"I'll take you on, Red Hat!" another Obelisk Blue student challenged. "Don't start acting tough just because you went Pro! Once I win, your Xyz cards are mine!"

"Another Ante Duel then?" he asked, pocketing his new medal and card. "Fine by me. You're on, Blue!" he glanced at the loser. "Get lost!"

The defeated Obelisk student bolted at that, disappearing into the nearby bushes. Konami didn't watch them go, his attention already turning to his newest opponent. He lifted his Duel Disk.

"Let's get started, shall we?"

"Yeah!"

"DUEL!"

From the sidelines, Jasmine and Bastion watched him fight with dull eyes. It had been like this ever since they'd first left their base earlier that morning. Konami had been bombarded by Duelist after Duelist the second they'd been found, all seeking to take his Xyz cards using the new Ante Rules. However, while Konami had been able to secure numerous Duels as a result, Jasmine and Bastion were not so lucky, and more importantly, less than thrilled. They sat on a nearby log, watching him duel with expressions of boredom.

"Oh, look… Another one falls," Jasmine muttered, resting her chin on her palm. "At this rate, the two of us aren't ever going to get a chance to duel, are we, Bastion?"

Beside her, Bastion nodded his head, his attention more on the stack of medals Konami had already gathered rather than the Duel itself. "It's impressive, though. If he keeps going at this pace, he'll have more than enough medals by noon."

Jasmine groaned. "Yeah? Well, it'd be nice if we got a turn! Everyone who shows up only wants to duel him! What's the point if we can't duel ourselves?"

"The point is you get to cheer on my Duelist!" Kami laughed from behind her. Unlike them, she looked more than pleased to keep watching Konami win constantly. "At this rate, Konami will be a sure fit for the finals! Which means it'll be my company's name getting shown off across the whole world!

"Yeah, yeah. Spare us would you?" Jasmine groaned with a roll of her eyes. She turned back to Konami, just in time to watch Tyrant Dragon launch its last attack. The searing flames obliterated the last of their foe's Life Points once more, leaving the Blue to slump in defeat and hand over both medal and card. Konami took both with a smirk, pocketing his prizes before sending them off.

"Ooooohohohohoho! That's the way, Konami! You're unstoppable!"

Konami smirked as he walked back to them, his medals clinking in his pocket. "How many does that make?"

"At least twenty-five," Bastion drawled.

"Seriously? That many. Heh. It's like taking candy from a baby."

"Yeah… if only you knew how to share," Jasmine mourned.

"If you keep up this pace, you'll likely have enough medals to progress by tonight," Bastion noted.

"Yeah," Konami agreed, though there was a hint of fatigue in his voice. "Don't think I'll be able to keep it up, though. These back-to-back Duels take a lot."

Jasmine raised an eyebrow, then suddenly leaned forward with a teasing grin. "Oh? Did someone overexert themselves before the tournament started?"

Konami shot her a half-hearted glare. "That's…! None of your business!"

In truth, his relations with Kami were only part of the reason he was so wiped. The other was that he still hadn't completely healed from when he hurt Tyrant Dragon! The Dark Magician Girl had promised he'd healed with time and rest, but between Mackenzie showing up, Kami, and the tournament, he'd had no time!

He scratched at his chest idly, feeling the light throbbing return. Maybe he should sit down for a while… and let his friends pull some weight. Before he could dwell on his weariness, however, approaching footsteps caught his attention. Another group of challengers was already approaching… and they weren't Duel Academy students.

No. In contrast to the familiar red, blue, and yellow blazers he'd seen all day, what filled his eyes now were depressing brown and black jackets. His fists balled. He knew those jackets. They belonged to students of North Academy, and if they were here, then that meant…

The North had come to him first.

-GX-

"So, how much further is it to the docks again?" Jaden wondered.

"About a half hour from here. Relax, slacker. You'll be fine," Chazz scoffed.

"A half-hour?" asked Alexis, approaching Chazz from behind with a frown. "That doesn't sound right. The island's not that big, Chazz. Let me see the map."

Before he could object, she extracted the object from his hands, held it up in front of her face, and resisted the urge to facepalm.

"Chazz?"

"Y-Yeah, Lexie?"

"This isn't Academy Island's map," she sighed and handed it back to him. "It's Pegasus Island's. You know? The one from the original Duelist Kingdom?"

"What?! That's not right!" Chazz snapped, holding the map up again to look at it.

"It's in the corner, see?" Alexis pointed out, exposing the name of the island.

Chazz's eye twitched in shock and horror as he found what Alexis had noticed. There, in the bottom right corner of the map, were the words: Duelist Kingdom.

"This is Duelist Kingdom GX. And before that, it's our school! Did you really just look up a map online?"

"That's… It's… My brother's…!"

"Forget it," she sighed before he could finish. "It's a good thing one of us was prepared."

She reached into her skirt's pocket, grabbed her PDA, and opened its app.

"Seriously, I don't know why you bothered. Our PDAs have GPS!"

Chazz gawked and fell to his knees, his soul rising from his mouth.

"No… it can't be… Slade, Jagger… you played me…"

"Maybe next time, lover boy," Syrus said, patting him on the shoulder.

Jaden snickered from behind them. "Guess we know who doesn't know how to read maps!"

"Shut up, slacker! I'd like to see you do better!"

"Relax, Chazz! It's a joke!"

"The only joke around here is you, Jaden!" Chazz bristled, grabbing him by the collar. Before he could say anything more, an explosion cut through the nearby bushes. The group gasped and turned in its direction, catching the faintest sound of a scream.

"Oh, man! Someone's having a Duel!" Jaden cheered, breaking free of Chazz. He turned to the noise and headed towards it.

"Hey, slacker! Hold on!" Chazz shouted.

"Huh? Hey, where are you going? The docks are this way!" called Alexis, but caught up in Jaden's antics, she, too, had no choice but to give chase after them.

They pushed through the trees and underbrush until they emerged into a small clearing, within which were two familiar faces locked in a Duel.

Chazz's eyes widened in recognition.

"Taiyou! Raizou!"

"And look who they're dueling!" Syrus gasped. "It's—"

"The Paradox Brothers!"

The two oriental men smirked upon hearing their names and glanced at the newcomers, their orange and green qipao swaying in the wind as they narrowed their eyes at the group.

"That's right! It is us! Para,"

"And Dox! Together we stand,"

"Brothers Paradox! And now, surely, you're in for a fright!"

"So just stand right there while we end this fight!"

The group collectively smiled awkwardly and twitched in response to their words, but their awkward expressions quickly faded upon seeing the state of the Duel. Raizou and Taiyou were completely defenseless while their opponents controlled several Monsters! And given the large number of Attack Points they had…

"This is the end! You can't defend!" Para shouted, slinging out his hand.

"It's over for you! The tournament, too!" Dox added, firing his own.

"Our monsters now… Attack as one! Deplete their Life Points, and end their fun!"

"No… No. Nooo!" the two Obelisks screamed in panic.

But there was nothing they could do. With a fierce cry, the Paradox Brother's Monsters attacked.

"Nooooooooooooooooooo!" Raizou screamed as light overtook their form, reducing the last of their Life Points to zero in a forest-shaking explosion.

Chazz's eyes widened in shock as they fell. "Taiyou… Raizou…" he whispered.

Para and Dox chuckled as they stepped forward, gathering the fallen boys' medals.

"Victory is ours. That is our mission. You should've known you wouldn't end our tradition."

"With this, yet another Obelisk falls. At this pace, there's no need for us to stall!"

"Another Obelisk?!" Chazz inquired, feeling his hands ball into fists. "You mean you punks have already dueled more?"

"They've… gone after everyone…" Raizou said.

"Sorry, Chazz…" Taiyou apologized. "They wiped out our whole squad! We… we were the last ones left. At least, from where we camped out…"

"What?!" Alexis gasped, bringing a hand to her mouth in shock. "They've… Beaten everyone? All the first-year Obelisks?!"

Dox chuckled. "Do not be surprised. That is our mission. To end your Duel Lives."

"To thin the herd! That's why we've been sent!" Para added, posing dramatically. "At Pegasus's command, and dollar spent!"

"Pegasus?!" Jaden blinked. "So, he sent you two to infiltrate the tournament?"

"To get rid of weaklings. That is our goal. Leaving only the best to face the toll!" Dox explained, folding his arms.

"Weaklings?!" Raizou glowered. "You tore apart all our Blues like nothing! Ugh…"

"Raizou!" Chazz snapped. "Is that true? All the Blues lost?"

Para chuckled. "From this group, yes. But now, it seems four more we must test!"

"T-They're not talking about us, are they?!" Syrus asked, backing up on his heels. "I don't know if I'm ready for this!"

"Well, I am! Let's do it!" Jaden grinned. He made to step forward and activate his Duel Disk, but Chazz's hand cut him off. "What?! Chazz?!"

"Shut it, slacker!" Chazz sneered, glaring back at him. "These posers crushed all of Raizou's group, and they were full of my Obelisks! You think I'm gonna let some Slifer Slacker step up for my people? Huh?!"

"C-Chazz…" Taiyou whispered, his eyes glistened. "You… You mean…?"

"I'll be the first one to duel against these two losers! My pride as an Obelisk demands nothing less!"

"Then you can count me in, too!" said Alexis. She raised her arm, activating her Duel Disk while stepping forward beside Chazz.

"Alexis…"

"I'm an Obelisk, too! And I don't like how this looks," she explained. "If it gets out that these two beat all the Blues, it'll make our Academy look bad. So, let's end them here… by betting 'every' medal we have!"

The Paradox Brothers smirked.

"We accept!" they shouted, their words coming in unison. They jumped back, activating their Duel Disks and striking a pose in sync. "But you've overstepped! Against our power, you have no chance to succeed! We shall end you and this Duel quick, punishing you for your greed!"

"Hnn, enough with the rhymes!" Chazz barked, finally activating his Duel Disk. The four Duelists stared each other down, smirking, grimacing, and glaring at each other.

"DUEL!"

"I'll take the first move!" Chazz sneered, drawing a card. A quick glance into his hand showed the optimal move. "X-Head Cannon, Attack Mode!"

A surge of light burst forth from the card as a robot with dual cannons on its shoulders materialized. Its metallic frame shone beneath the sun, ready to fire its lasers at a moment's notice.

X-Head Cannon - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1800/1500)

"Next, I activate my Union Activation Spell card!" Chazz sneered with a flourish. "This lets me send one LIGHT Machine Normal or Union monster from my Deck to the Graveyard, and if I do, I get to add a different LIGHT Machine with the same Attack from my Deck to my hand!" He flipped through his Deck, examining several Machines before singling one out. "I'll send my Y-Dragon Head to the Graveyard… and add B-Buster Drake to my hand!"

He revealed both cards before placing them in their respective positions, his smirk growing as his Duel Disk whirred and reshuffled his Deck once he finished.

"Lucky for me, my Y-Dragon Head won't be in the Graveyard for long. Because I've got this! It's time to Chazz It Up… with Monster Reborn!"

The iconic card shone brightly as its hologram manifested in the forest, the massive ankh glowing with light as Chazz reached into his Graveyard.

"With this card—"

"We know what it does!" Para cut in, his voice curt and sharpened.

"But make no mistake! We will still win even if you revive what once was!" Dox finished.

"Hn, we'll see about that!" Chazz smirked. "Revive, my Y-Dragon Head!"

A swirl of light emerged from the Graveyard, materializing into the sleek, dragon-like machine.

Y-Dragon Head - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1500/1600)

Dragon Head let out a mechanical roar as it hovered beside X-Head Cannon, its metallic wings spreading to their full length as if eager to join forces. Chazz smirked, knowing that it would get its chance soon enough. But before that…

"I activate the Continuous Spell, XYZ Combine!" he roared.

"XYZ…"

"Combine?" the two brothers asked.

"Whoa, Chazz. Xyz?!" Jaden gasped. "You're gonna Xyz Summon?!"

"Not Xyz! XYZ!" Chazz complained. "If you think I'd ever give Konami and that Umino punk my money, then you don't know the first thing about Chazz Princeton! And that's… that the Chazz comes first!"

"Uh, okay…? So, what you're saying is we're not gonna see an Xyz?" Jaden asked. "That's too bad. You had me hyped for a second!"

"Shut up! You should still be hyped!" Chazz shot back. "It might not be a fancy black card, but this Spell still has some effects! But before I can use them…" he grinned at Para, "I'll have to do something else first."

"Something else?" asked Alexis, eyeing Chazz curiously from her place beside him.

Chazz smirked. "Yup. So once again, let's all Chazz It Up! Because by banishing my two Machines, I can bring out… XY-Dragon Cannon!"

A magnetic pulse filled the arena as Chazz flung out his hand, pulling the two machines towards each other and their gears whirred and roared mechanically. X-Head Cannon revved its dual shoulder cannons as it took flight, while Y-Dragon Head's wings extended, its red body preparing for fusion. The air around them crackled with electricity as their forms overlapped, their metal grinding against metal as they finally merged into a single entity.

The parts of X-Head Cannon locked seamlessly into the body of Y-Dragon Head, hissing steam and clanging metal echoing through the clearing as the fusion completed. As the smoke cleared, only a single, battle-ready machine remained:

"XY-Dragon Cannon. Ready for Launch!" its robotic voice said.

XY-Dragon Cannon - LV6 - LIGHT - Machine - (2200/1900)

"A Contact Fusion already? Nice work, Chazz! You're not playing around," praised Alexis.

"Of course not, Lexie!" he called with a smirk. "I'm in this Duel to win! Which is why I'm activating my XYZ Combine's first effect!" he continued. "If a LIGHT Machine monster is banished, I can Special Summon an XYZ monster from my Deck, so long as its original name is X-Head Cannon, Y-Dragon Head, or Z-Metal Tank! So, come on out, Z-Metal Tank, in Attack Position, of course!"

A metallic roar echoed across the field as Z-Metal Tank shot out from the vortex behind Chazz, landing beside XY-Dragon Cannon and skidding to a stop between it and Chazz.

Z-Metal Tank - LV4 - LIGHT - Machine - (1500/1300)

"Oh, man. He's really not playing around!" Syrus said, blinking at him rapidly. "I don't think I've seen him this worked up since that time he was dueling you, Jay!"

"Yeah, it's pretty sweet, ain't it?" Jaden asked with a growing grin. "Go get 'em, Chazz! You've got this!"

"Damn right, I do," Chazz continued. "Because now, I can activate the second effect of XYZ Combine!"

"Second effect?" Raizou asked.

Chazz wrinkled his nose and glanced at the Blue. "Since I control a Fusion Monster, the Chazz can send it back to his Extra Deck, and then, Special Summon two banished cards like X-Head Cannon and Y-Dragon Head!"

He extended his hand toward XY-Dragon Cannon. "Back to the Extra Deck with you!" The towering machine's eyes flashed repeatedly, then split back into its two separate forms.

"X, Y, and Z…" Alexis noted.

"Heh, figured it out?" Chazz smirked. "That's our Lexie for you. You always were a step ahead of the rest. And now, I'll prove to you that I am, too. XYZ—CONTACT FUSION!" he roared, throwing his fist into the sky as lightning rained down.

The group gasped in anticipation as the electricity surged between the three robots, their metallic bodies twisting and merging as pieces clicked and shifted together. X-Head Cannon's twin blasters locked into place as Y-Dragon Head slid beneath it, latching onto the chassis formed by Z-Metal Tank's yellow armor.

With one last flash and mechanical screech, the union process was completed, banishing the three individual monsters to create a new mighty behemoth.

XYZ-Dragon Cannon - LV8 - LIGHT - Machine - (2800/2600)

"I'll set one card and end my turn," Chazz smirked smugly. "Your move."

-GX-

Far from the ongoing Duel between Chazz, Alexis, and the Paradox Brothers, Konami scowled as he stared down the North Academy students surrounding him. He recognized many—most of them being familiar faces from his past. They were clad in second-year uniforms, now… a feat he'd yet to accomplish. He bit back a scoff.

"It takes some real nerve to appear before me, you bastards," he growled. His eyes scanned the crowd. "What's the deal? You come to pay for your sins?"

"You wish, loser!"

"If you think we'd kneel to you, you've gotta another thing coming!"

"Is that right?" Jasmine and Bastion winced. They knew this was a sore subject. Contrary to their expectations, however, Konami didn't blow his lid. Instead, his eyes narrowed as he glanced through the crowd. "Then why the hell are you here?"

"Isn't it obvious?!" one of them shouted, rushing forward to shake their fist at him. "It's for revenge, of course! We haven't forgotten how you treated us back in the North!"

"Oh, cut the crap! I gave you losers no less than what you deserved! And don't think I've forgotten for a second about how you treated me, either! If you came here to get me to bow before you and apologize or something, then you should get lost before you make me sick! Or worse, before I get mad."

"W-What's going on here? Konami, who are these people?!" Kami asked.

"What? He didn't tell you?" someone in the crowd cut in with a smirk. "We're his old pals from North Academy! Or rather… the students he bullied!"

Kami's eyes widened. "The North's students…?"

"And we know who you are, too," said another. "You're that witch who's been working with him! Umino Klammi or something!"

"It's Umino Kami and don't you forget it!" she snapped, grinding her teeth.

"Ignore them, Kami. They're not worth your time," Konami sighed.

"But we're worth yours!" a voice said.

Konami's eyes widened as its sound hit his ears, and swiveled toward its direction. Standing there, in the midst of the crowd, was a face he'd never wanted to see again. His hands curled, balling into fists as a tense vein popped on his forehead.

"Tasha…"

The pink-haired girl stepped forward, her gray eyes locking with Konami's green. The air grew heavy with tension, and even Jasmine and Bastion stayed quiet, feeling uneasy. Tasha's gaze, however, wasn't hostile like they'd expected.

It was disappointed.

The kind of disappointment that made Konami's blood boil.

"It's been a while, Konami," she said, approaching as the crowd parted for her. "I… You've grown a lot… and not for the better, either."

Konami's lips twisted into a scowl, his anger flaring at her words. "And? I don't give a damn about what you think. You've got some nerve showing your face to me, Tasha!"

Tasha winced, but she didn't back down. "You're… you're still upset, aren't you? After all this time… I... What happened back then… I know it was wrong. I'm sorry, Konami. I really am."

It felt like a slap to the face. Konami's eyes widened, his mind racing back to that moment back at North Academy—the day she handed over his prized card to Czar, the day his future was torn apart. In many ways, that betrayal had been what set him on the path of cruelty, and now here she was, thinking some half-assed apology would make him feel better?

As if!

"That's your problem," Konami spat, swiping his hand. "If you came for forgiveness, go get religion. Your guilt means nothing to me."

Tasha flinched at his harsh words but shook her head, holding her ground. "No. I didn't come to apologize. That… That's for the old you. But you're not the same Konami I grew up with, are you? You've changed. You're different. Meaner."

Konami's patience snapped. "And whose fault is that?! You lot are the ones who changed me! But considering all that's happened since then, maybe I should thank you for the effort!" A sick smile spread across his face. "You know what? Yeah, I should. Because of you, I managed to learn what really matters is power. And now I have it. You must have seen it. I'm a Pro now! A true Duelist! I don't have time to play games anymore. So, thanks. Now, back the hell off."

Before Tasha could respond, another voice chimed in from behind her. "Why? Are you scared?"

Konami's gaze shifted, and his eyes narrowed in recognition as a figure emerged behind Tasha. They towered over her, wearing the same dumb goatee he had in the past.

Czar, the boy responsible for urging Tasha into betrayal. The crowd parted for him as he approached, and Tasha moved to the side, allowing him to lock eyes with Konami. Konami glared up at the boy.

"So, this is what you've been reduced to, Tasha?" Konami asked, still glaring at Czar. "Hiding behind this jackass to get to me? Ha! You really are pathetic!"

"Not as pathetic as you," Czar chuckled, smugly straightening his collar. "After all, you're the one who let one ruined card dictate your whole life. You're the one who started bullying students, and the one who ol' Yusuke hurt!"

"...Yusuke?" Konami inquired, pulling his hat over his eyes. "So, that's what this is really about, huh? You idiots still don't know anything."

"We know enough," Czar scoffed. "And we're here to remind you that we haven't forgotten. We're tired of seeing a jackass like you get rewarded for playing the villain. It's well past time someone put you in your place!"

"Oh? And that someone is you?" Konami laughed coldly, his eyes flicking between Czar and the surrounding crowd. "You're joking, right? You losers couldn't beat me even back when I ruled the North! And now that I'm stronger, you won't beat me here. So why don't you buzz off, you insects?"

"Why so scared? This is a tournament. You should be itching to duel me! Or was all that posturing you did earlier nothing but a show for the crowd?"

Konami's eyes narrowed. "Posturing…? So you lot were watching me, huh? Funny how you wait until I'm exhausted from dueling to try and throw hands."

Czar's grin widened, his eyes glinting with a challenge. "Mackenzie taught us quite well."

That had Konami's eyes narrowing darkly.

"Mackenzie… That's right. He's here, too. Where is he?"

"You want to know? Well, I'll make you a deal. Beat me in a Duel, and I'll tell you."

"You're not worth the time, Czar! Stop testing my patience and tell me where the ones who really matter are!"

"Or what? Gonna hit me again? Maybe this time, Central will expel you."

Konami bristled at the proposition but forced himself to calm down. He couldn't get angry, that'd mean getting reckless… and he'd had more than enough of that.

'I'd really like to put this scum in his place,' he thought, glaring at Czar. 'But all those Duels really did wear at me. I need a little while to rest…'

His eyes flicked behind him, locking on where Jasmine and Bastion stood just behind him. Their earlier words came back to his mind.

"If only you knew how to share…" Jasmine mourned.

"You really think I care enough to duel you myself? I've got a better idea," he decided. He pointed over his shoulder at Jasmine and Bastion. "Beat them. And then I'll beat you."

Jasmine and Bastion glanced up in surprise, not expecting to be thrown into the mix.

"Wait, what?!"

"Calling in reinforcements?" Bastion wondered, pursing his lips.

Czar furrowed his brow. "Who are these two? Your new punching bags?"

"You wish. These two are my loyal minions, and they're more than enough to beat you! You want to face me so bad, beat them, and prove you're worth wasting my time."

Jasmine jumped up and ran to Konami. "Hang on! We didn't agree to this!"

"What's the matter? You wanted medals, didn't you? Here's your chance to get plenty!"

"I'm certainly not complaining," Bastion sighed, slowly rising to his feet. "I do wish the circumstances were a tad different, but I won't say No to a Duel."

"B-Bastion?!" Jasmine gawked. "You really think we can take them?!"

"Of course, you can! You're my apprentice!" Konami said, pointing to himself.

"Apprentice?" Czar murmured. "She's learning from you? Great. A jackass in the making!"

"What did you say?!" Jasmine shouted, stamping her foot as she swiveled to face him. "Oh, that's it! You're on, buster! No one calls me a jackass!"

Tasha rushed between them. "Czar, stop! This isn't what we had agreed on! We're trying to fix things, not make them worse!"

"Don't you get it? There's nothing to fix!" Czar replied. "Konami's made his position clear, and let's be real, we have, too. Whatever dream you had of reconciliation is over. It's time to Duel."

He turned his head back to the crowd. "Hey, Grimley! I know you're back there! Come on up! We'll make this a two-on-two Duel to finish them faster!" He turned back to Konami's "lackeys." "That fine with you, two?"

"Sounds good to me!" Jasmine chirped. If Bastion was going to compete by her side, then there was no way they would lose!

"Very well," Bastion mused. "I suppose this will be a good chance to acquire more data. What kind of Duel will North Academy show? I can't wait to find out."

"Please don't nerd out in the middle of this," Jasmine laughed, sweat dripping down her cheek. "I need you focused if we're gonna win!"

"Rest assured. My head's in the game."

From the sidelines, Kami soured. "Why are you letting them duel? You should get out there and crush them, Konami! I know you have what it takes!"

"So do I," he agreed, folding his arms as he watched the proceedings. "But to be honest, I've gotten a little exhausted… and there's a chance I might screw up a play. Better to let them duel for a while. Besides, they did want more medals. And…" he trailed off, thinking to himself. 'It's a chance to see if my 'friends' can keep up.'

As a tall student joined them, Bastion, Czar, and Jasmine all raised their Duel Disks.

"Let's get this show on the road!" Jasmine said.

"We'll crush you punks!" Czar said.

"DUEL!"

-GX-

"Your move," Chazz said, smirking as he gazed at the brothers imperiously.

Jaden grinned as he stared at the massive robot staring them down. He pumped his fist eagerly, shaking in jealous anticipation. "Awright! Go, Chazz! XYZ-Dragon Cannon right off the bat? Now, I really wish I was in there!"

"Hmph. Save it, slacker!" Chazz snarked, though there was a smirk on his face. "You haven't seen nuthin' yet! My Duel's only just gotten started!"

"And now, it's time for mine to begin!" Para interrupted, taking a stance. "And with my power, you will soon realize that you cannot win! I draw!"

The orange-clad assassin swiftly pulled a card from his Deck, examining its artwork thoroughly before placing it with the rest of his hand.

"I wonder what sort of Duel they're going to show," Alexis murmured, watching him closely. "The Paradox Brothers were known for using Labyrinth cards back when they dueled Yugi."

"Whatever they come up with, it won't matter!" Chazz shrugged with a shake of his head. "Against my XYZ-Dragon Cannon, these posers don't stand a chance!"

"On the contrary, a chance we do stand!" Dox interrupted, smirking. "Isn't that right, brother of mine? Show them our strength, so divine!"

Para smirked. "Indeed, brother! It's time for us to be frank! And for that purpose…" he grabbed a card, "I'll summon Labyrinth Heavy Tank!"

He slapped the card onto his Duel Disk, and a drill-equipped vessel rolled into the clearing, its bulky, dark-blue form sitting comfortably between Para and Dox.

Labyrinth Heavy Tank - LV7 - DARK - Machine - (2400/2400)

"Level Seven?!" Chazz interrupted. "Hang on a second! What gives?! You can't summon Monsters that strong without Tribute!"

"Correct, save for its effect!" Para smirked. "Heavy Tank requires no Tributes! But for balance, we distribute!"

"In gaining speed, it loses power! It cannot attack you for this first hour!" Dox explained.

"Hour?" Alexis wrinkled her nose. "Can't you two explain properly?"

"They're saying it can't attack the turn it's summoned!" Taiyou answered, furrowing his brow. "At least, that's what I think…"

"You think correct, one we wrecked!" Para said.

"W-Wrecked?! Hang on a second, how'd that get in their dictionary?!" Syrus squawked.

"It doesn't matter!" Chazz roared. "I wanna what they're planning with a Monster they can't attack with!"

"It's simple, Chazz," Para explained, "We'll reveal to you the effect our card has!"

He raised his hand, Labyrinth Tank's cannons swiveled into position, but instead of firing, they opened a swirling portal above Para's Spell Zone. "During my Main Phase, it uses tech! I place Sanga of the Thunder face-up from my Deck!"

The card shot out of Para's Deck, landing on his Duel Disk in his Spell and Trap Zone. The second it did, the outline of Sanga of the Thunder appeared on the field. It hovered above Para like a specter, looming over the battlefield. Chazz gritted his teeth as he gazed upon it, recognizing the monster's potential.

"That's one of the pieces of Gate Guardian! But what's it doing in their Spell Zone?" he growled.

"Nothing good, I bet," Alexis murmured, tensing as she watched Para duel.

"Your Fusion's impressive, that much I agree. But can it stand up to our might? We shall see!"

"Contact Fusion is not yours alone," Dox continued with a knowing smirk. "And now, with my brother's next move, all your minds shall be blown!"

The two brothers locked eyes and nodded at each other before striking a sinister pose.

"I banish the placed Sanga of the Thunder with Kazejin and Suijin in my hand," Para called. "And through their Union, give birth to a mighty creature all consider grand!"

With a dramatic gesture, Para placed the three cards into the Banished Zone, their swirling figures vanishing inside the portal that appeared above him.

"Elements of Thunder, Water, and Wind," Para chanted, striking martial arts poses.

"Suijin, Sanga, Kazejin begin." Dox added, moving in sync.

Storm clouds rolled in above them as Solid Vision rain began to fall from the sky, accompanied by flashes of golden light and sharp, howling winds.

"No way… No way! We're gonna get to see this card, too?!" Jaden squealed.

"Yeah, but it's not a good thing, Jay!" Syrus cried. "Alexis and Chazz are in trouble!"

"Meld your powers in eternal light!" Para continued as the storm grew stronger.

"Show these fools your unstoppable might!" Dox added as a shadow loomed tall.

"He is pain beyond description."

"He'll mark the graves with your inscription!"

"With three as one, they'll break their chain!"

"Gate Guardians…"

"...Combined Again!"

A bolt of lightning crashed down upon the field as they finished their chant, illuminating the towering warrior created amidst the storm's darkness.

Much like XYZ-Dragon Cannon, the being was a mix of three monsters, each of them stacked on top of each other to combine their powers as one. Sanga of the Thunder made up its top, glistening with electrical energy. Its large, clawed hands sucked in the storm as if using the lightning to fuel its own power. Beneath it, Kazejin stood solemnly as its torso, its green color barely visible in the night the three beasts had conjured. Finally, Sujin stood proudly while serving as their combined legs, bringing the rain that even now trickled against the gang's bodies.

Gate Guardians Combined - LV12 - DARK - Warrior - (3750/3400)

Syrus screamed and fell on his rear. "It's… It's really Gate Guardian!"

"Oh, man! This is awesome!" Jaden cheered. "I wanna tag in!"

"Sorry, slacker! You're not tagging in!" Chazz smirked. "It's tagging out! You losers activated my Trap card just now! XYZ Hyper Cannon!"

"XYZ…?"

"Hyper Cannon?" Raizou and Taiyou asked from the sidelines.

"It's a Continous Trap whose effect changes depending on whose Turn it is," Chazz explained. "Since it's their Turn, Hyper Cannon lets me discard any number of cards. Then, I can destroy cards on the field up to how many cards I discarded! I'll discard one card," he slid it into his Graveyard, "and destroy your Gate Guardian! Dragon Cannon, ATTACK!"

His fighting robot roared to life as it aimed its cannons at Gate Guardians, blue electricity surged around it as all weapons charged to max power.

"Brother, now!" Dox warned.

Nodding his head, Para quickly swung out his hand to stop him. "Not so fast, my dear Chazz! Your effort's good, but it won't pass! If you target my cards with a move so bold, Gate Guardians Combined will negate its hold!"

"And that's not all!" Dox continued. "Because then your card is made to fall!"

"What?!" Chazz gasped, his eyes going wide as XYZ-Dragon Cannon attacked. A roaring screech filled the air as the machine's weapons fired on Gate Guardian! But just as the massive lasers were about to pierce through the creature's three bodies, Gate Guardian raised its hands, conjuring a shield made of dark energy!

A blinding light filled the air as thunder once again cracked above. Chazz, Alexis, and the rest shielded their eyes as a roar filled the air! As the light dimmed, they squinted through their hands to take in the scene, only to find Gate Guardian absorbing the attack and preparing for one of its own.

"Sorry to have ruined your fun, but now, I'll show you how it's done! I activate Double Attack! Wind and Thunder! Now, your card shall feel the sunder! Gate Guardians, destroy both Cannons! Unleash your might, like deadly Ganon!"

"Chazz, look out!" Raizou cried as if it would somehow help.

To absolutely no one's surprise, it didn't.

The Gate Guardians threw the beam back. With a single hurl of its claws, it sent the blue sphere flying toward Chazz and his Cannons, making him scream as his machine and Trap were blown to bits by the impact. He and Alexis groaned and shielded their eyes as the wreckage shattered, breaking apart into thousands of tiny gold shards that flew across the field.

Para chuckled as the smoke cleared, satisfied with his handiwork. "Your defense is gone, wiped off the board. Now face what's next! Gate Guardian's sword!"

"You challenged us, now feel our might! Gate Guardian," Dox called," Give them a fright!"

The air crackled with energy as Gate Guardian slowly drew back its arm, lightning crackling along its frame while howling with elemental power. Chazz and Alexis staggered back as they gazed at the approaching behemoth. The ground beneath them trembled as it moved, threatening to obliterate everything in its path.

"Gate Guardians Combined, attack them directly!" Para finally roared,

With a final screech, it did, and Chazz and Alexis screamed as they saw white.

TAG FORCE ALTERNATIVE: TWISTING THE TALE
LESSON EIGHT
END

Oh, no! With Para and Dox closing in on our Obelisks' Life Points, will Chazz and Alexis be able to turn things around from the brink of defeat? And what of Jasmine and Bastion? Will they be content playing Kodo's lackeys? Or is it time for them to trade up after seeing the power of Czar? Guess we'll have to find out together, next time on Twisting the Tale! Lesson Nine: Metalmorph! The Mighty Metalzoa X!

Class dismissed! And don't forget, your essay's due by the 18th!