Vyser D: Okay, I am only doing this once, so listen and listen well

HA! Did you really think I meant that little announcement was real? Nope! I was making you all think that so I could get a break to rewrite the chapters and fix the storyline to make it much better.

Yep! As a little celebration of my success, I'm going to rewrite a majority of the chapters so that the duels are better, and make more sense!

So, after I say that I don't own Yugioh GX, we can get this going right now!

oh wait…

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Many people play the game Duel Monsters. However, their reasons all are different…

Fame…

Fortune…

Love...

Recognition…

Respect…

Sometimes people forget the true meaning of the game. I am not talking about the strategy or the rare cards worth money.

Some people even say that destiny is why they duel, or that their families thrive by dueling.

Me? I just enjoy the game, not caring about the outcome even though I'm just a new duelist on the streets..

After years of solitude and training of ancient ways almost lost to this world, I finally reach a place with people with the same interest that I do. It was not until a couple of years ago that I received my first cards. I am finally stepping out into the light.

I do not know what will happen, but I learned this from my master…our destinies are not written in stone nor are they etched into the stars.

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Duelist's Open Destiny

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Chapter 1: Enter Garu Honzou!

Ninja Extraordinaire!

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13 Years Earlier…

The warm breeze flew through the forest, caressing the large leaves and crashing up against the walls of the ancient Japanese castle, hidden from the rest of the world…

In the halls of the castle, with only the echoing breeze in the background, several people of different ethnicities and ages meditated. Only one person didn't meditate, a young dark haired woman cradling a small girl in her arms, walking past the mediating people.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Someone answer the damn door!"

With a sweatdrop, the young woman walked towards the door, immediately opening when she stood in front of it…to find a small, brown haired child crying in a small basket left on the steps of the ancient building.

Since it looked like no one else would, the young woman pulled the crying child into the building. As the woman held the small girl in one of her arms, she lifted the blanket to see a small choker resting on the small child's chest. The young woman smiled down at the child as she knelt down to the young child…the warm smile calming the child down.

And as she lifted the choker and read the name sewn into the clothing, the young woman slowly muttered the name etched into it.

"Garu…"

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Four Years Earlier…

Many years passed since that fateful day the child was abandoned on the steps of the ancient ruined castle. Not much changed since then, the older students practicing their skills for the reasons why they came to the castle in the first place, while the younger students watched and learned from their masters and seniors.

However, a particular young man relaxed in a nearby tree, enjoying the warm breeze of the day as well he chewed on the small piece of grass he had in his teeth. With his dark brown hair covering the top of his tanned face and eyes billowing slightly in the wind, as well as the dark red baggy clothes that had fishnet sleeves.

Thanks to the warm breeze, he was snoozing slightly. Howe he managed to keep himself from falling was unknown…

"Garu!"

Surprised by the sudden outburst of noise, the young student fell to the ground face first with a loud thud. "And here you are, of course skipping classes, hiding out in your favorite tree."

Spitting out his piece of straw and dirt that got in his mouth, the young man Garu stood up rubbing his sore face slightly. "Only one person could get me by surprise…what is it Yae?"

Garu turned his eyes to Yae, taking in her light blue ninja attire and long black hair that blew slightly in the wind. However, his eyes were drawn to her hands, holding a small package that was wrapped up in light brown paper. "Master Yoh asked me to find you and give you this, he said not to address your mail to him."

"Yeah, when exactly did I get mail here?" Yae tossed Garu the small package she held in her hands, and with a little trouble, Garu managed to tighten his grip on the box. "What the heck is it?"

"Why are you asking me? Anyway, Master Yoh says after you see what's in the package, you're supposed to get back to training, or he'll come after you," Yae warned before walking off back to the training grounds.

"Like I'm scared of that old man," Shrugging off the warning, Garu hastily opened his package to find multiple brown backed cards and a small note. After looking at the cards, Garu lifted the note and read it to himself.

'Garu Honzou,

These cards are yours, treat them with respect like you would your family. Play these cards right and you might find your destiny. These cards are known everywhere as Duel monster cards. I have included a rulebook.

From, you don't need to know.'

"Okay, chalk this up on the weird chart," Garu as he looked through the rulebook, from reading the rules his eyes soon became like dizzy marks. "Dang this stuff is confusing! What the hell is a life point?"

"Garu Honzou! Where are you?!"

Garu's eyes widened at the call of his name, he shuddered in fear because he knew who was calling him. "Coming Master Yoh, I'll be there in a minute!"

With a great boost of agility, Garu ran off to his training grounds pocketing the cards and duel monster's rulebook.

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Present Day, mid-afternoon…

"So…that's your proposal…"

"Yes. It took a while, but I may have actually found him…"

"…but, sending him there? Wouldn't it be easier to..."

"I know what you're going to say, but, with what I've done before, well, I don't deserve to see him. Besides, if he goes there, he can at least…well…"

"Say no more. I understand. I'll get him on it later…"

Meanwhile, at the entrance of the ancient Japanese Castle…

…many of the senior students began to return to the castle from their rookie jobs. Depending on their rank, the students were sent to different places to fulfill the conditions of the job. Some were sent to the city, others to different parts of the country and sometimes to the different continents (hence why all the students were provided with a passport, even the newer students).

From the side of the room that was lined with ancient statues of samurai, Garu and Yae watched their fellow peers enter the academy, waiting for a specific peer to enter the building. "Damn it, where's Takashi?" Garu growled tapping his foot on the ground a few times. "It's only a night's walk to the city."

Yae sighed at her friend's behavior…even though it was typical for Garu to be impatient. "Relax… Takashi will get here soon, he usually does. Believe me, I want the stuff I asked for like you do."

Just before Garu was about to reply to his friend's statement, an older teen with bushy gray hair wearing a black and gray baggy clothes walked up to the arguing teens, a bag slung over his shoulder. "Nice seeing you guys."

"Hey! You're late Takashi!" Garu and Yae shouted as Takashi scratched the back of his head.

"Sorry, but a black cat crossed my path and I had to take the long way back," Takashi chuckled as he raised a bag in front of him. "But I still managed to get what you wanted."

Takashi reached into the bag he held, and then pulled out a beautiful dress handing it to Yae. "Here are some of the more recent clothes you asked for Yae."

"It was worth the wait," Yae replied as she walked off hugging the dress.

Garu starred at Takashi waiting for his stuff. Takashi just blinked a couple times. "So what are you waiting for?"

"What! Where's my hair dye?" Garu roared making Takashi laugh loudly.

With a quick pull out of the bag, Takashi produced the blue hair dye that Garu asked for. "Sorry, just couldn't help it. You just better not put that hair dye in the shampoo bottles again."

"Nope, this time it's for me!" Garu stated pocketing the bottle with his fingers crossed behind his back.

"…I can see your crossed fingers Garu," Takashi sighed remembering the last time Garu pulled the practical joke…he still didn't grow all of his hair back to have his long hair tail.

"Um…no?" Garu retorted.

"Forgot, he's not the sharpest kunai in the pouch," Takashi thought with a large sweatdrop rolling down the side of his head.

"Hey! Garu!"

"Hmm?" Takashi and Garu stated turning towards the side to see Yae walking up to them.

And as soon as Yae was standing in front of the two peers, Garu tilted his head to the side, blinking at Yae. "Oh, hey Yae, you already throw that dress in the closet already?"

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Yae growled narrowing her eyes at Garu.

"Uh…well…" Garu stuttered, now realizing that he just walked into a trap to get another bruise added to his head courtesy of Yae's fist.

"Yae, as much as I would like to see Garu having a concussion," Takashi intervened walking in between the two. "…you were saying?"

"Right…Garu…" Yae sighed rubbing the back of her head. "I ran into Master Yoh, and well…he wants to see you Garu…immediately."

"Crap…" Garu moaned lowering his head in pain. "Did the old man find out about the frogs?"

"What frogs?" Yae asked blinking a few times turning to Takashi who was as much in the dark as the young girl.

"Uh, never mind…" Garu whistled slowly sliding away from his two peers trying not to look guilty for one of the many pranks he was known to pull.

A few minutes later…

Although his old master was kind at most times, when Garu talked with him it was like Master Yoh had it out for him. Maybe because he pulled the multiple pranks on the students, and there was the one time when Garu accidentally tripped a prank on Master Yoh himself.

…nah, that couldn't have been it…

However, if Garu was to ever get out of this ninja academy and see the world, he had to muster his courage and confront Master Yoh. Therefore, before the evening sun disappeared over the horizon, Garu meet with his silver haired teacher with a face of wisdom. "What ya need old man?"

With a loud groan of annoyance, Yoh shook his head at Garu's disrespect. "How many times have I told you to call me Sensei or Master Yoh? I hate being called an old man…"

"Well, when you stop being an old man, I'll stop calling you that," Garu chuckled crossing his arms slightly.

"And here I thought I had a mission you might like to try," Yoh growled turning his head to the side slightly. "But I think that…"

"WHAT!? You've got a mission for me?!" Garu shouted with starry eyes before he leapt in front of Master Yoh's desk. "Whatisitwhatisitwhatisit?!"

"How quickly the winds shift," Yoh sighed slapping his forehead. "You willing to show me some respect?"

"Whatisitwhatisitwhatisit?!" Garu continued yelping with the starry eyes.

"Oh for the love of…it's like talking to a flea…" Yoh moaned slapping his forehead with a loud smack. "Look, your mission is simple…you are to infiltrate an academy that goes by the name of the Pacific Duelist Academy, blend with the students and…"

"That just sounds boring," Garu sighed lowering his head, all of his excitement disappearing into the wind.

"Will you let me finish you runt?!" Yoh shouted slamming his fist into Garu's head, making the young man grab his hair. "In addition, you've got one more aspect to the mission…"

"And what, pray tell, would that be?" Garu asked rolling his eyes as he rubbed the top of his head.

"That will be made apparent when you arrive there…" Yoh replied crossing his arms with his eyes closed. "However, I need you to promise me three things."

"For the last time, I'm not going to tell anyone about those magazines," Garu growled.

"Not that! First, you need to remember that you will always have a home here," Master Yoh stated shifting his open eyes towards the corner of the room. "Second, never give into the pressures. And third, remember that destiny is something we make for ourselves, not for someone else to make for us."

Garu knelt down and bowed his head to his master. "That sounds like a corny speech from a manga…"

"Shut up and get going!" Yoh shouted making Garu jump to his feet. "Unless you get going, I'll personally kick you out of here and make sure you'll never be able to eat solid foods without a straw!"

"Urk! R-Right!"

"And don't forget those cards that you're usually daydreaming at!" Master Yoh shouted as Garu ran out of the room, then after the door slammed behind his former student, Yoh turned his head.

"RIGHT SIR!"

And with a nod, Yoh opened his eyes towards the wall. "Yae and Takashi…you two can come out now."

From behind a cloak that resembled the color of the walls, Yae and Takashi walked in front of Master Yoh with Yae rubbing the side of her head. "So what gave it away Master Yoh? Takashi's breathing?"

"Hey, I wasn't the one who complained about the small elbow room," Takashi countered only to get an elbow into his ribs. "Dang it!"

"Enough you two…" Master Yoh said causing Yae and Takashi to straighten up.

"Sorry, Master Yoh!" Yae and Takashi apologized at the same time.

"Now then, I'd like you two to follow Garu, make sure he doesn't get into trouble," Master Yoh requested as Yae and Takashi jaw dropped at their master's request. "I made a promise to the woman who found him that I'd watch him…that's kinda a regret of mine… and that was her last wish."

"You mean…" Yae was about to ask, before Master Yoh raised a hand to his other student.

"Enough, now will you two do this for me?" Yoh asked as Yae and Takashi bowed.

"Hey, it'll be fun to see the world outside the temple," Yae stated as Takashi reached into his pocket. "But…where exactly is Garu heading?"

"To that Pacific Duelist academy," Takashi stated as he pulled out two decks of duel monster cards. "So if we're going to follow him, we'll have to join up."

"I wish you luck and remember what I said to Garu it also applies to you two," Master Yoh stated before Yae and Takashi bowed to their master.

Takashi handed Yae one of the decks as the two walked out. "So, what's with the cards?"

"We'll need them to enter the academy, Garu kind of got me interested when he asked me for some of the packs," Takashi admitted as he opened the door for Yae. "I'll tell you how the game works while we dye our hair."

"What? I need to dye my hair?" Yae cried disappearing behind the door followed by Takashi.

Master Yoh just chuckled, three of the students, the prankster, the brains, and the…well he could not really come up with a name for Takashi. "Those three will be the ones to write a page in history…however, not even I can see how it will be possible."

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The morning sun arose over the large city of Domino when Garu arrived over his nightly trip. Being the first time Garu ever being in a city, let alone out of the temple, his mouth was opened wide at the sight of the skyscrapers. "Amazing! Though the air is a little stinky…but everything is amazing! I didn't even know that there were temples that could pierce the sky!"

Walking through the crowded streets, Garu received multiple looks from the people. Maybe it was the fact he was still wearing his red attire, or maybe it was his newly dyed blue hair. Either one, he was too busy to notice.

He did not even care.

The only thing on Garu's mind was where the academy was located so that he wouldn't face Yoh's wrath.

After the long walk from the busy sidewalk, Garu accidentally walked into the park where a few people were gathered, and thanks to the small file that Yoh gave him the boring details about his mission, so he had to find the Pacific Duel Academy…or the location for the entrance exams. "Excuse me…can you tell me where I could find the Pacific Duel academy entrance area?"

"Step off you blue haired freak."

Moving onto the next person. "Suppose you could tell me where the entrance exams for the Pacific Duel Academy are being held?"

"HELP! POLICE!"

After some running from the 'weird' people dressed in black and waving some black sticks in their hands, Garu found himself in a park like area…walking up to two more teens. One was a short guy wearing a blue trench coat with his spiky white hair blowing the air. The other was a girl with platinum hair. She was a couple of inches taller than the person she was with wearing black and red clothes was. "I hate to bother you…you wouldn't happen to know where the Pacific Duel Academy entrance area is?"

The girl turned towards Garu with a smile. "You're in luck; I and my older brother are heading over there right now. He's already a student there, and I'm applying."

With a weird smile, Garu just realized something before he replied. "Hey, you said older brother…but this guy is smaller than you. So shouldn't it be the other way?"

The little guy just clenched his fists before he turned toward Garu. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A SHORT STACK WHO CAN EASILY BE CRUSHED BY YOUR FOOT? YA BLUE HAIRED POORLY DRESSED FREAK!"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING POORLY DRESSED? YOU WHITE HAIRED SHRIMP!" Garu yelled before the girl stepped between the two separating both of them with her arms.

"Now that's enough! If we don't hurry we'll miss the exam sign up!" the girl shouted calming Garu and the short white haired freak down.

"Sorry," Garu and the shrimpy guy sighed at the same time following Ami.

From twenty feet away a sandy blond haired Yae and a red haired Takashi, both wearing different clothes watched the entire thing. Yae however seemed to be angry at something. "Well that was quick!"

"Jealous are we?" Takashi asked as Yae scoffed to the side and began to follow Garu and the two siblings.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Yae asked as Takashi shrugged it off and began to follow his peer.

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The Academy Entrance area was amazingly big, at least to Garu it was. Many teens around his age were standing around wearing red or yellow blazers. Some were even wearing the same blue trench coat that the shorty was wearing. "And here we are."

The shorty turned towards his sister. "Ami, I'll be with the others inside…good luck on your exam and duel."

"Thanks onee-chan! I'll try my hardest!" the platinum haired girl Ami said hugging the shorty before he walked into the building.

Before Ami continued towards the building, she turned towards Garu with a smile on her face. "Oh…we never got properly introduced. My name is Ami Sonryu!" Ami took Garu's hand and shook it vigorously.

"Yeah…and I guess you could call me…" Garu started slowly releasing

"Garu Honzou, right?" Ami interrupted, as Garu looked confused.

"How'd you know that?"

Ami pointed towards Garu's choker, Garu tried to see what she was looking at. "It's sowed into your choker."

Garu blushed as he scratched the back of his head. "Guess I kind of forgot."

"Well, you better sign up before they stop taking applicants," Ami said before she ran towards the doors. Garu shook his head before he jogged to the doors unaware of the two extra shadows that he had following him into the building.

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Garu eyed the test he just received from the weird professor wearing a red uniform with short blonde hair. His name was Fortune or Fotune or something like that. "Remember you have two hours to complete the test."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Garu sighed as he took his seat next to a weird duelist with a weird eye patch covering his right eye. It also held up his wild red hair. He was certain that the weird duelist had a wolf or dog in his shirt. Or some animal.

"Okay…so maybe these people aren't like me," Garu thought as he picked up the pencil and looked on the test. "Now to get this done, with my experience from reading those catalogs Yoh sent with me, I'll pass this test with flying colors."

Garu quickly scanned the first question with a raised eyebrow. "Okay…what the heck is an Ojama?"

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An hour and fifty-nine minutes later, Garu was writing various facts that he learned from the few catalogs that Takashi brought him. "This test is rigged I tell ya! Who in their right mind has heard of a Joey Wheeler guy before?"

A loud buzzing sound filled the air making Garu throw his pencil into the air getting the guy in front of him. The professor who handed Garu the test stood up and coughed. "Okay applicants, time is up, please put down your pencils and turn your tests in. When you do so, I will hand you a duelist applicant card with your number on it.

"Don't lose it, when your number is called, report to the duel arena that is assigned on the card and turn it to your duel proctor."

Multiple applicants returned the tests to the professor who in turn handed them a silver card. When the professor reached Garu, he was still writing on the test. The professor tapped Garu on the shoulder and snapped the test from Garu. "I'm sorry mister…Garu, but I'm required to take this test. Here is your applicant card; you are number 77. Now hurry to the stadium."

"Aw man, I barely finished," Garu sighed taking the card and walked from his seat.

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"Now, Queen's Knight (1500/1600)! King's Knight (1600/1400)! And Jack's Knight (1900/1000)! Attack him directly!"

A large explosion filled the air that caused Garu to run towards the stadium. At the top of the seats was a second level that had some of the teens already wearing red, yellow or blue. Garu ran to the top of the bars of the fourth arena to see Ami call back three knights from slashing a muscular male teacher with black and purple hair (obviously dyed) wearing a yellow jacket.

"Congratulations young lady! You exceeded all expectations! You truly are as good as your brother!" the professor stated as the three knights disappeared.

Ami bowed to the professor. "Thank you Professor VanSickle."

"No need to be so formal, you can call me Sparks!" Sparks suggested as he watched Ami walked away.

"What was up with those weird knights?" Garu asked to no one in particular.

"You act as though you never saw a duel before," Garu turned around to see the same eye patched guy only this time he had a wolf cub on his shoulder wearing a bandana around its neck.

"Okay…and people say I'm weird," Garu stated as the eye patched guy laughed, and it seemed the wolf cub laughed as well.

"Dressing like a ninja with blue hair…I guess we are equally weird," laughed the eye-patched guy as he threw his head back slightly, before lifting his hand up. "Pleasure to meet your acquaintance, my name is Zeff Bates, and meet my wolven brother Rox."

Garu shook Zeff's hand with a raised eyebrow. "Man, I must be away from the times. People have weird family here."

"He's not my real brother, but I treat him like it," Zeff replied scratching the top of Rox's head, did this blue haired guy really think that he was related to a wolf? "Didn't catch your name though."

"Apparently according to my choker, the name's Garu Honzou!"

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"What do you think of the duelists so far Fortanu?" Sparks asked as he returned to the professor stands.

The same professor that handed to Garu turned towards Sparks and sighed lowering his head dramatically. "I can see that we're getting plenty of promising up and comers. However, none compared to the duelists we got last year. Anyway, who's next?"

Sparks looked at the clipboard and spotted the next number. "Number 77…Garu Honzou. Who's going to duel him and what exam deck should he or she use?"

"I'll duel him," Sparks and Fortanu turned towards the source of the voice. Standing from his seat, a young man with dark blue hair stood up. His white bandana covered the top of his head, wearing an armored version of the blue trench coat connected to a weird blade like contraption that hummed to life with a few glowing blue and yellow lights.

"Satoshi? Why?" Sparks asked as Satoshi lifted a deck into his duel disk.

"I'm new and bored, so why not?" The white bandana wearing, Satoshi, replied as he began to walk away adjusting the weird device on his trench coat.

Fortanu and Sparks watch their newest co-professor walk away, that is when Fortanu made a discovery. "He didn't take any of the exam decks."

"I hope that Garu does better in his duel rather than his exam," Sparks stated looking at the barely passed exam. "For the question, 'name the signature monster of Joey Wheeler,' he put Kuriboh."

Fortanu raised an eyebrow at the discovery. "What the heck? Where is this kid from?"

/ -- -- -- / -- - -- -/

"Applicant number 77, please report to dueling arena 3. I repeat, applicant number 77 please report to dueling arena 3."

Garu looked at his card and smiled. Finally, it is his time to shine. "I guess that's me…hey Zeff, you know where Dueling arena 3 is?"

Zeff just chuckled, as did Rox, with Garu confused Zeff pointed towards the arena that was behind Garu. "You're standing in front of it."

"Oh thanks," Garu replied as he ran over to the side and jumped over the wall.

Zeff ran to the edge. "What are you crazy?" Zeff watched as Garu landed softly on the duel arena. "What in the world is with that guy?"

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"Hey there Ami, your duel was amazing," a girl in a yellow uniform with long red hair congratulated as Ami walked towards a number of uniformed duelists.

"I'll say, it was better than your shrimpy brother," chuckled a guy in a yellow uniform. His hair was gelled to look many lightning bolts; he even had a tattoo on the left side of his face that resembled a lightning bolt as well. However, before he could continue a gloved fist decked him right in the eye. "I can see that you're here as well my former roommate, say, you mind joining my little club? I've already got a few members…"

"Nah…" The shrimpy guy growled removing his fist from his friend's now blackened eye and turned to watch some of the duels. His eyes spotted Garu landing on the dueling arena. "Hey it's that ninja blue haired freak."

"Onee-chan! His name is Garu!" Ami shouted scaring her little older brother.

"Seems your little sister has a crush Cain," the red haired girl giggled as Ami turned red.

"It's nothing like that Kazica!" Ami defended as Professor Satoshi walked onto the duel arena that Garu jumped onto.

"Looks like the new professor's up against Ami's crush," the lightning haired guy stated, before the white haired guy slugged him in the face once more again. "What was that one for Cain?"

"Needed to release some stress," Cain answered cracking his sore left fist.

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"So you're Garu Honzou," Satoshi said catching the attention of Garu.

Garu bowed his head in honor for his first opponent ever in this card game. "That's what my choker says."

"I am professor Satoshi Hikari, the duel proctor for your entrance exam," Satoshi introduced activated his duel vest. Garu looked at his opponent with a confused look in his eyes. "Well? Aren't you going to get your duel disk out?"

After blinking a couple times, Garu finally bit the bullet. "What's a duel disk?"

A few seconds passed before everyone in the stadium anime dropped to the ground (all except two equally confused applicants). Satoshi stood up dusting himself looking at the confused Garu. "How could a duelist not hear of a duel disk?"

"Um, did I do something wrong?" Garu asked as Satoshi snapped his fingers and a girl in a red uniform walked from same doors that Professor Satoshi used to enter the duel arena with a battle city duel disk in her hands. She quickly handed it to Professor Satoshi before running back.

"You can borrow this duel disk for our duel," Satoshi stated sliding the duel disk towards Garu.

Garu immediately took the duel disk and held it up, still confused as to what this device was for. "Okay…now what?"

Slapping his forehead, Satoshi sighed loudly. "You slide the duel disk on your left arm and snap your deck under the life point counter."

Nodding his head, Garu immediately did what the professor said to do. Just as the duel disk hummed to life, Professor Satoshi's did the same. "Now then… let's duel!" (SLP: 4000)

Garu nodded as he drew his opening hand. "My first real duel…and mission…I kinda wonder what the point of these 'duel disks' is?" (GLP: 4000)

"Now then, as to the rules of the enrollment, you are allowed to select who goes first," Satoshi stated as Garu thought for a minute.

Drawing his sixth card from the deck slot of his duel disk, Garu answered with his actions. "I guess I'll summon a monster on the defensive…and place a card face down."

As the two card backs appeared before Garu, he was slightly taken back with the appearance of them. "Well, that's weird."

Satoshi put his hand to his chest and the card shot out of his duel vest. "Standard openings for a rookie. Let's see, more than likely that face down card is something to block my attack. Either that monster has a high defense, or a good effect. I think this ought to do the trick."

"For this move, I'll start off nice and easy, I summon Black Stego in attack mode!"

A circle of light appeared before Satoshi, and before Garu could ask what was going on, a large dark scaled stegosaurus appeared slightly in the air above the circle of light before crashing on the ground. With a snap of its spiked tail, the dinosaur roared loudly into the air (1200/2000). "So do you wish to chai…what the heck?"

Gazing at his opponent's expression, which was pure fear, Satoshi groaned at Garu's screams as the duelist fell to the ground. "AAH! A MONSTER!"

"'Where'd they find his Back-Watered Duelist?' It's not a monster, it's a hologram," Satoshi growled as Garu scratched his cheek with a dulled look on his face as he stood up.

"A hol-o-gram? ...Is that edible?" Garu asked causing everyone in the stadium to sweat drop and fall face first to the ground.

Ignoring the ignorance of his opponent to stand erect, Satoshi raised another card from his hand and slid it into his duel vest. "NO! Now to continue my turn, I'll activate the spell card, Mystical Space Typhoon! This card blows away one spell or trap card on the field! Like the one on your field!"

All of a sudden, a powerful windstorm swept the field, making Garu throw his arms to cover his face as his face down Ninjitsu Art of Decoy was scattered into the wind. "Whoa! How'd you do that?"

"…uh, I activated the spell card," Satoshi stated blinking a few times in confusion, only to shake the confusion away from his head. "A-Anyway…Black Stego! Attack that face down monster!"

Stomping forward, the large dark scaled stego slammed tail into the face down monster card, sending the card flying into the air, transforming it into a blue clothed ninja donning several Japanese-styled weapons on its armor (300/300). However, the force of the monster's tail shattered the ninja into several pixels that erupted over the field. "Whoa! Does that usually happen?"

"…where are you from kid?" Satoshi asked fitting another card into his duel disk, making it appear behind his Black Stego. "Never mind…I'm ending my turn…"

"Alright…let's try this again," Garu stated snapping a card from his deck. "…although…maybe this will work. I summon Strike Ninja!"

From the top of the large ceiling a dark clothed ninja dropped down, landing softly on the ground before Garu. His red scarf billowing in the wind as the ninja lifted up two kunai, one in each hand (1700/1200). "Awesome! My monsters appear too! Okay…since my ninja's attack points are higher than your monster's, I might just get ahead! So attack!"

'Is he serious?' Satoshi thought as the Strike Ninja leapt into the air, throwing both of the kunai in his hands towards the dinosaur. "I activate the effect of my Black Stego! When attacked, he switches to defense mode!"

"Defense mode?" Garu questioned before the large stegosaurus spun around, knocking the two kunai spinning towards Garu. "ACK!"

Jumping slightly, the two kunai flew into the ground where Garu's feet were, making the ninja using duelist breath a slight sigh of relief. "I really don't need acupuncture treatment…" (GLP: 7700)

"…why did you bother to dodge?" Satoshi asked raising an eyebrow as the Strike Ninja landed on the ground once more. "Holograms don't hurt you…"

"Yeah, well…I'm not taking that chance!" Garu snapped waving his arms in the air.

"You're an idiot," Satoshi groaned pulling his next card off of his dueling deck. "And it's my turn! And since you've got no face down monsters, I can storm you without worries!"

"Oh yeah, well you seem to forget that my monster has more attack points than yours," Garu pointed out crossing his arms.

"This is too easy," Satoshi sighed lifting a card up in his fingers, spinning it to reveal another monster card. "And now, I'll activate another monster effect! I special summon Gilasaurus!"

A loud roar echoed through the air, allowing a large brown raptor to rush on the field, snarling as it stood next to the Black Stego (1400/400).

"Um…Special summon?" Garu questioned blinking a few times.

"Okay, now I'm wondering how you survived the written exam without your head exploding," Satoshi chuckled slapping his forehead. "Anyway, thanks to my Gilasaurus's effect, you are now permitted to special summon one monster from your graveyard…"

"Alright…so, where's the graveyard?" Garu asked looking through all over the duel disk.

"Oh for the love of…" Satoshi groaned lowering his head, before snapping up immediately. "It's right under the life point counter, next to the center of the disk!"

"Oh, I see it," Garu replied reaching it into his graveyard. "Then I guess I'll bring back Armed Ninja!"

In a puff of blue smoke, the weapon holding ninja appeared on the field, raising a lance into the air (300/300).

"Heh…now then, its time for another lesson! I activate a trap card!" Satoshi announced as his face down card flipped up, showing a large dinosaur popping its head over a small field small creatures running around it. "Hunting Instinct activates! Now, since you special summoned a monster, my trap allows me to special summon a dinosaur from my hand!"

"And what do you know? I've got another in my hand! Arise Black Tyranno!"

An extremely large roar echoed through the air, and from behind the large wall an extremely large, black jagged scaled tyrannosaurus rex crashed through the wall, snarling at Garu with saliva dripping from its mouth (2600/1800).

"…uh…nice lizard?" Garu gulped with a large smirk on his face.

"Oh, you shouldn't have called him that," Satoshi snickered as the three large dinosaurs roared loudly into the air, all of them angry at Garu's lizard comment. "Now, I'll switch my Black Stego to attack mode…and now, Black Tyranno! Why not have a little snack with that Strike Ninja!"

"Black Stego, strike down that Armed Ninja!"

"And Gilasaurus! Don't think I'll forget you! You can take chunk out of this Back-Watered Duelist's lift points!"

"…aw crap…" Garu gulped as all three of the dinosaurs charged forward.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

As the Black Tyranno chomped down on the Strike Ninja, enjoying the shinobi snack, Cain couldn't help but smirk from the crowds in the top stands. "Heh…looks like he's more bark than bite…"

"That was a bad joke Cain," Kazica sighed shaking her head. "I preferred you when you were more angry…"

"Will you people make up your minds?" Cain barked with a blood vessel appearing on his forehead.

"That's better!" Kazica giggled making Cain blush slightly.

"Hey, remember last year Cain, you didn't really have that easy of a time dealing with your opening duel," the lightning haired young man pointed out. "In fact…you only won cause you had that ticking time bomb in your…"

POW!

"OW!"

"Shut up Rioko," Cain snarled lowering his left hand.

"Still haven't learned your lesson about violence have you brother?" Ami growled appearing behind Cain, cracking her knuckles making the small duelist sweat a little bit. "…please don't…"

WHAM!

"URK!"

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

And with a quick jump to the side to dodge the snapping jaws of the Gilasaurus, Garu's eyes widened greatly with a cold sweat dripping from his face. "Y-Yikes!" (GLP: 900)

"I thought I told you not to worry about direct attacks," Satoshi sighed shaking his head.

"I don't trust you at all," Garu replied slowly lifting his next card.

"…this is turning more and more into target practice," Satoshi chuckled as Garu looked over his hand.

'Okay…I've got one monster, three spells and one trap card…and from what I've seen…' Garu thought to himself pulling a card from his hand with his fingers like Satoshi. "Alright…I'll start off by summoning Kitsune Ninja!"

In a cloud of red and yellow smoke, another ninja leapt from the cloud, landing in front of Garu, spinning a large golden staff that resembled that of a pipe with several fox designs on it. And with this ninja's blue hair exposed from his red ninja suit with yellow trim with fox designs on the fabric.

And spinning the staff in his right hand, the Kitsune Ninja snapped his foot to the ground, to strike a dramatic pose (1400/900).

"Hmm…how quickly we forget," Satoshi sighed wagging his finger at Garu. "That monster can't destroy my Black Tyranno, and even if you attacked my Black Stego, it'll just switch to defense mode. Plus, should you attack my Gilasaurus, it'll just be a draw and then I'll be able to…"

"Man! Do people get long winded when they get older?" Garu interrupted making Satoshi blink a few times in confusion.

"Wha-what?" Satoshi stuttered at the insult.

"Yeesh, don't start lecturing me when I'm still not even a student!" Garu shouted lifting one of the cards up from his hand, allowing the Kitsune Ninja to perform several hand signs, his hands almost a blur. "And so, I'll activate the spell card, Riryoku! And if I'm right, it'll take half of the attack of your big, old black lizard, and add it to my Kitsune Ninja!"

"What!?" Satoshi shouted taking a step back as the Black Tyranno fell to the ground, its body unable to support the dinosaur's weight (2600/1800 – 1300/0).

"And now, Kitsune Ninja!" Garu announced as the pipe wielding ninja (1400/900 + 1300/0) leapt into the air, spinning into a red and blue blur. "Crack down on that overgrown lizard!"

With the spinning ninja leaping over the black dinosaur, the shinobi slammed the pipe into the top of the Black Tyranno's head, with a sickening crack that made the dinosaur shatter into pixels. (SLP: 2600)

"Heh! How do ya like me now?" Garu asked as the Kitsune Ninja jumped back to his field.

"Hmm…nothing more than a cheap trick…" Satoshi scoffed to the side adjusting his bandana. "Parlor tricks may help once in a while, but, they're not enough to win a duel…"

"Then allow me to set a card face down," Garu replied as the card appeared behind his Kitsune Ninja. "And we'll see how this will work…"

"Then let the target practice continue!" Satoshi announced snapping off his next card, only to hold it up. "And I'll activate the spell card, Pot of Greed! Now, I can draw two more cards from my deck!"

Fanning the next two cards from the top of the deck, Satoshi merely moved his towards the cards. 'Perfect…'

Lifting his duel disk up, another slot opened up on Satoshi's duel disk that he slipped one of the cards into the slot. "…and to make this duel turn again, I'll activate the field spell card, Jurassic World!"

"What?" Garu questioned as the ground began to rumble loudly under his feet.

Suddenly, the entire arena immediately began to crumble, forming into an ancient tropical forest with a large volcano smoking behind Satoshi. "Nothing like a change in the scenery…especially since it increase the attack and defense of my Dinos by three points each!"

On their home turf, the Gilasaurus (1400/400 + 300/300) and the Black Stego (1200/2000 + 300/300) both roared loudly thanks to their new strength. Both of the dinosaurs ready to enjoy the newest meal that stood in front of Garu. "And now…Black Stego! Clear the path to this Back-Watered duelist's life points!"

Charging forward, the Kitsune Ninja (1400/900) immediately raised his staff up in order to block the powerful dinosaur's tail, making the warrior slowly couch down…

…however, the shinobi simply pushed the dinosaur backwards into the ground, with an amazing display of physical strength. (GLP: 800)

"Huh?" Satoshi questioned raising an eyebrow.

"Sorry, but my Kitsune Ninja can't be destroyed as a result of battle…" Garu pointed out, pointing towards his head.

"Fine by me, Gilasaurus! Attack that Kitsune Ninja!" Satoshi commanded as the raptor charged forward, slamming its tail into the Kitsune Ninja, sending the ninja skidding back into Garu, knocking a few more life points off. (GLP: 500)

"…I was right, it hurts…" Garu stated as the Kitsune Ninja slowly stepped away from the fallen ninja duelist.

"Heh…knock it off kid," Satoshi sighed fanning his cards in front of his face. "You're starting embarrass me, so drop the act that you've never really used a duel disk before…"

"But I'm telling the truth," Garu replied slowly pulling his next card. "I'm technologically impaired."

"In this day and age?" Satoshi retorted shaking his head. "Highly unlikely…"

"Fine," Garu sighed lifting a card up. "It's kinda pain to talk and listen to you…"

"So I activate my trap card! Go! Ninjitsu Art of Defending Kage!"

Garu's face down card immediately flipped up, showing several shadowed versions of the Strike Ninja performing several hand signs, each of them with a different sign. Once again, the Kitsune began to several hand signs, all of them resembling the ones on the trap card. "Now, in order to use this card, I need to select a ninja on the field…and wouldn't ya know it? I've got one right here!"

Then snapping two cards from his deck, Garu immediately lifted the Kitsune Ninja's card up and shuffled them. "Next, I select two spell or trap cards from my deck, and shuffle them along with my ninja. Then I can set them all on the field face down…unfortunately, I can sacrifice any of the cards, and I can't move them to attack mode…"

"Trying to fortify your defenses?" Satoshi asked wagging a finger. "Not bad…but I have to warn you that defending against this deck is a bad idea…"

"Good, then why don't I just get rid of these defenses then?" Garu asked pulling another card from his hand. "I activate the spell card…uh, Thunder Crash? Is that right?"

From above the ancient forest, several bolts of lightning crashed down, eradicating the three face down cards that had appeared on the field. "Hmph…a rookie mistake…now…"

That's when the remaining jolts of electricity surged through the ground at Satoshi's feet, making the duel proctor to take a few steps backwards. "Urk!" (SLP: 1500)

"Well, in return for destroying my monsters," Garu explained crossing his arms while lifting his hands up. "You take three hundred points of damage for each. So that's nine hundred points."

"And here I thought you were nothing more than a backwatered duelist," Satoshi admitted shaking his head. "To think that you can actually perform simple mathematics…"

"Hey, math's not my weakness," Garu retorted as several shuriken appeared in his hands. "I'm just technologically impaired. And to prove that, I've got a little more math! You see, those two cards I chose were two cards known as Fuhma Shuriken…and when sent to the graveyard you lose seven hundred points for each card, and I count two!"

Without another word, Garu snapped all of the shuriken towards Satoshi. At the last second, Satoshi lifted his arms up to protect his face and chest from the stings of the sharp blades on the shuriken. (SLP: 100)

"Heh…been a while since my life points got this low…" Satoshi chuckled slowly uncrossing his arms to look down at his duel disk. 'Even though this is my spare deck…I still can't believe my life points got this low…'

"And they're going to get lower!" Garu announced fitting a card from his hand into his duel disk. "Now I'll activate the spell card, the Warrior Returning Alive! Now, Kitsune Ninja returns…well, alive…"

Returning in a cloud of red and yellow smoke, the Kitsune Ninja lifted up the staff into the air (1400/900) ready to fight.

"You do realize that you should've put that in defense mode…" Satoshi snickered looking at the very dangerous looking dinosaur in his hand. "Cause I'll just zoom on over your ninja and your life points…"

"You mean if I give you the chance," Garu replied spinning another card from his hand. "I now activate the spell card Shinobi's Kunai! And equip it to my Kitsune Ninja!"

With a smirk, the Kitsune Ninja drew a kunai that had a tag wrapped around the steel end lifting up the weapon towards the two dinosaurs (1400/900 + 600/0).

"Oh no…" Satoshi scoffed blinking a few times.

"Oh yeah…" Garu replied snapping his fingers as the Kitsune Ninja leapt into the air. "And now…strike down the Gilasaurus!"

With a swift throw, the kunai went flying directly into the neck of the raptor like dinosaur, and as the Kitsune Ninja landed on the ground, he began to perform several hand signs until…

BOOM!!

The powerful explosion rocked the transformed duel area, shattering the holograms of the ancient forest and dinosaurs, sending Satoshi to the ground as his life points began to diminish to nothingness. (SLP: 0)

"What the?" Satoshi groaned slowly, rubbing the back of his head.

Garu could not believe it…his first real duel, against a real opponent. As his holograms disappeared, the Kitsune Ninja sent the new duelist a small thumbs up. "…that…was…awesome…"

"Back-Watered Duelist…" Satoshi said walking over to the young Garu. When Garu and Satoshi looked at each other, a tense breeze filled the air. When Satoshi offered his huge hand, Garu just looked at the hand then back at the professor. "…Welcome to the academy."

Garu just shook the hand of the professor and looked towards the ceiling of the duel stadium. "I'm one step closer, Master Yoh…thanks for the advice, and for this annoyance."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Meanwhile Yae and Takashi watched the duel from the stands. Yae smiled at Garu's victory while Takashi covered the left side of his face. "I guess we won't be going home anytime soon."

"Hey can't you at least be happy for Garu?" Yae asked as Takashi raised an eyebrow.

"What changed your mood?" Takashi asked as Yae turned around with a slight blush on her face.

"Sh-shut up!"