I'M SO SORRY THIS TOOK TWO YEARS BUT SCHOOL SLITHERED UP ON ME AND BIT ME TILL I'M COMATOSE.

Just some author note to explain some stuff skip if ur not interested lmao but see end of the story for more notes!

First off, I know I said I'll try to get something else other than immediately exams but you have no idea how fast tests actually sneak up on you. So in celebration of soon getting screwed beyond belief over exams, chapter 4 and 5 is born!

Hope you enjoy! As a usual disclaimer, I do not own the characters or the Yu-Gi-Oh! Franchise, if I did the dub would probably end up better or non-existent.

Chapter 4: Easy

In the wee hours of morning that touched upon Duel Academy, one would find its students sleeping.

Not today. Today it is a myriad of students getting up early to study, or up all night from studying, or some in blissful ignorance and the select few who are terrified of their own ignorance. That's right, it's the first midterm for many, and for others, a promotional exam.

An example of the first would be in the Slifer dorm, Syrus woke up far too early for him just to study, but gave up and decided his fate should be decided by the divine will of Slifer the sky dragon for its forces has a better chance of helping Syrus than his own exhausted mind. He had set up a little shrine with candles and 3 Monster Reborn cards held by a headband and a large poster of Slifer on the wall.

"Please, please, PLEASE Slifer, at least let me pass to the next dorm, I don't want to stay red forever. I-I mean, red looks good on you! But I don't think it's right for me and…" Trailed off into a mix of pleas and apologies, Syrus didn't notice the alarm clock that was placed right next to Jaden's head had rung a loud and shrill metallic buzz, shocking Syrus who got out of the pleas shocked, shouting "Slifer!" before looking behind to Jaden, still asleep in blissful ignorance. "And there he goes again." The smaller Slifer sighed and began to shake Jaden awake.

"Jaden? Jay wake up." Syrus shook the boy's forearm, and managed to get a reaction, a light flinch, Syrus shook Jaden harder. "Jaden wake up, you'll miss breakfast!"

"WRONG! BECAUSE I PLAY A TRAP!" Jaden shouted, yet still in blissful slumber, yet not the same can be said about his arms, which stretched out, the right arm knocking Syrus over.

Irritated, Syrus gritted his teeth. "Why can't he ever sleep in defense mode!"

"Chillax Sy," Came Chumley's voice from the top bunk. "In case you forgot, the second half of the exams is the duels where they pit kids from each other's dorms against each other. You get what I'm saying?"

"Chumley I never get anything you're saying." Syrus retorted, resulting in Chumley giving Syrus one overbearing eye roll.

"If we let the competition sleep in, we have better chances at getting promoted! And I don't want even a chance of dueling the guy who beat Dr. Crowler!" Chumley explained and Syrus got up.

"Oh I get it now, and I'm starting to get why you've been held back for two years!" Syrus then shook Jaden awake once more to no avail. "Jaden wake up, I'll just save you a seat there, were in the same test room anyway!"

Syrus rushed out the door, still buttoning his jacket and Chumley only looked, uninterested and probably not comprehending the first year's eagerness. "Fine, time for plan B…"

Roughly an hour ago…

"Carrie? What are you doing here?"

The Ra in question was only slightly awake, a blanket draped over her shoulder and her usually ponytailed hair was down and used as her own pillow.

The girl eyed the person who was watching her, Kaye, who looked bright and clean and ready to tackle papers and duels.

Carrie tried to recall what happened, something about dueling theories and theorists and famous duels and duels, duels, duels, before she found herself in... The mess hall? She hissed out something that Kaye tutted her for before lifting her head up with a groan. She turned left, before realizing that her neck felt sore and stiff when she turned to the right and stretched her back.

"C'mon let's go." Kaye called.

"Huh?"

"The tests start in 15 minutes."

"Huh?!" Carrie immediately woke up, her eyes wide awake now, and she ran for the exit, while brushing her hair.

Silent, Kaye sat down. 'I was gonna say just kidding but she moved too fast…' Kaye blinked at the girl's disappearing form.

"You ready already?" Kaye turned to her left, seeing Matt.

"I am actually, just waiting for breakfast." Kaye explained as Matt sat down.

"Yeah, me too, kinda jittery, though." He looked over to Kaye's right. "Those your notes?"

"No, Carrie's. My notes are a little more monochromatic."

"Oh, oh can I see?" Regardless, Matt took the papers anyway, and read it. "I like to read other's notes to see if I missed anything."

"That uh, makes sense I guess? Careful with that, she doesn't seem like the type who likes having her stuff rummaged without permission." Kaye warned Matt but he looked at her. "Well, no one likes having some random guy grabbing their stuff."

"I'm not random! I'm an acquaintance!" Matt defended, as he continued to read the notes.

"I can't tell if you're genuine or not."

"If you two are really my 'acquaintances' then we'd go to the test hall now!" Carrie returned, duel disk on arm, hair in odd strands and eyes red.

"Huh? Now? Why, its only 6:30." Matt said casually. "Breakfast isn't even ready yet."

"But… but Kaye… she…"Carrie too sat down on the bench, her head in her hands. She's been duped, for all those times mooching off the other girl's lunch.

The exams started for everyone, with the papers reaping in lots nervous new students, and some older students. Duel academy, mostly about dueling, has only two papers, one on dueling theory, which involves some math and academics, the other being dueling history, which supposedly gets harder and more detailed as one goes up in dormitories and years. But for promotional exams, the student's promotion is assessed through the duels. And all papers must be done in 2 hours.

Half an hour has gone by, yet Jaden isn't even there. He's still running towards the main building. "Man, Chumley knows how to treat a guy! A five course breakfast!" He said to himself as he sprinted leaving a trail of dust behind him. Along the way, he ran past a woman, struggling to push her van up the hill. "Excuse me coming through!" Jaden shouted as he left her in said trail of dust.

He skidded though, looking at the struggling woman, "To be a gentleman or to be on time…" He mumbled but shrugged quickly. "Well seeing how I'm never on time." He went back to push the van from the back

"Oh thank you, you must be from the auto club!" The woman greeted gratefully.

"Don't let the red jacket fool you, I'm just your average good deed dude." In his introduction, he ended up letting go of the van, which caused it to skid down.

"I-Isn't that nice!" The woman replied, stuttering with her difficulty to hold the van's weight and Jaden noticed his mistake, running back to push the van up.

"It'd be nice if I pushed! So where are we headed?" Jaden asked.

"Oh just up this hill and I'll be fine from there!" The woman said. "You're such a sweet boy, I'll remember this!"

A constant fact amongst all students was that the paper examination would end in 45 minutes, and in the 1 hour 15 it ensued, a number of students had already collected their papers to the examiner, such as Alexander Faust, one of the first to submit was a small Slifer boy in Carrie and Matt's exam room with an almost bowl cut shaped white hair that framed his face, and soft red eyes and fairly pale skin. He walked back up timidly as other students, notably those of the Obelisks, gave him mocking looks.

All of this was in Miss Tyrell's rather tame exam room. However, in Professor Banner's room…

"…It counters… a spell… which counters… a field spe…ll…." Syrus droned in his sleep.

"I didn't know this was an oral exam Syrus."

"Hyah?" Syrus sputtered, shocked at the sudden awakening courtesy of Jaden's loud arrival.

"Although maybe next time sleeping is better than an all-night Slifer séance." Jaden grinned.

"You're here!" Syrus whispered.

"You two wanna keep it down?" Chazz's irritated voice came from above. "Some of us plan to pass this test!"

"Hey I always plan on passing, it just doesn't always happen!" Jaden argued, only furthering Chazz's irritation.

"Can you both keep it down…" Kaye whispered, yet it sounded like hisses which echoed in the nearly silent room and she immediately clamped her mouth.

"Children, please be quiet." Banner reminded, shocking Jaden. "Jaden, why don't you come down here and get your papers?"

"Oh uh, be there in a sec!" Jaden called out, breaking the concentration of countless of students (such as Beauregard, who was so into his focus, the moment Jaden shouted an "Oh!" it was broken so badly he scratched half his paper in pencil).

'He better be, we're over an hour into this, he's lucky to finish one paper!' Alexis thought.

Bastion too had his own thoughts regarding the late Slifer. 'Look at him, childish, puerile, if only he committed himself to his studies, he could be a great duelist.'

'I hope you know what you're doing Jaden…' Alexis thought.

'What… what the hell is this…' Kaye thought, as she looked at her paper, a question regarding some duel puzzle that would need a message from the divine to even have a chance of being answered. 'Jaden's toast…'

In the end, he and Syrus ended up sleeping, snoring even, on their chairs, to the irritation of the Ras and Obelisks around them, much to Crowler's joy, as he laughed, as silently as he could.

"You might be able to dream your way through the written exam, but when your field test starts, believe me it'll be a nightmare!" He stated, continuing to giggle.

"Uhh, excuse me Mr. Crowler."

The Doctor didn't even have time to scold whoever it was for calling him "Mr. Crowler" as the two of them handed their papers over.

"Most of the third years are done, can we go to the card shop?" A third year Ra asked.

"What? No get back to class!" Crowler instructed.

"But sir, we heard about the rare cards and we're done! Surely we can be dismissed early." The third year Obelisk coaxed.

"Absolutely not! All students may leave the class only on 11 am! Now go back before you two REALLY get in trouble!" Crowler shrilled and the students ran back for their rooms, snickering along the way.

"Told you it wouldn't work!"

"Last year, who cares!"

"But he's not even supervising us anymore!"

Their voices became distant as the two ran down the hall.

"Alright class, the written exam is over, now please get up and get in line for the new rare cards."

A loud and exaggerated gasp, followed by squeals.

"They're here?"

"Oh no…"

The doors opened and students stampeded out of their respective rooms. 1st, 2nd and 3rd, all of them made a mad dash for the card shop.

Few remained in their classes, voluntary or not. Chazz for example was voluntary.

"Chazz, Chazz! The new rare cards are here!" Mototani announced.

"So what are you dolts standing around there for? Go fetch." Chazz waved off dismissively, rechecking his papers before submitting.

Matt and Carrie entered Banner's class and found Bastion and Kaye in it, Bastion was shaking Jaden and Syrus awake, while both Carrie and Matt arrived with a horrified look.

"Say you might want to wake up for those cards…" Bastion said, trying to wake the Slifers to no avail.

"Was it that bad for you two?" Kaye asked.

"It was going great until she started humming." Matt gave Carrie a fake sneer who could only glare bag with accentuated eyebags.

"I can't help it, that alarm was too catchy. It occupied my mind for half the exam."

Kaye looked at the two. "Really? Did you really?"

Carrie laughed dismissively. "Of course not, but, I am tired I think I'll just, rest here until it's time for the field test." She said, scooting over the same chair row as Jaden and Syrus.

"The rare cards though…" Matt said, as he too began scooting over, yawning.

"We could… we should get them…"

"Yea… yeah…"

"See this is what you get for studying all night." Kaye gestured at the two of them.

"HWAH!"

Syrus jolted up, making Carrie and Matt jolt in their seats, not that they got up though. Realizing his position amongst poorly rested children, Syrus threw his hands up in defeat. "I flunked didn't I? I'm a complete failure."

"Sy if there was a grade on melodrama, you'd get an A!" Jaden commented, not really sleeping.

"Hey, where'd everyone go?" Syrus asked, seeing the empty chairs and empty tables.

"Off to get new cards probably." Kaye mentioned.

"Yeah… yeah we'll get those…" Matt agreed.

"Yes we are, c'mon, let's get in line." Kaye poked Matt's head. "You're not really sleepy, you actually went to bed unlike her." She poked a thumb at Carrie, blissfully asleep.

"But I am! I… sorta finished early…" Matt sheepishly admitted. "I finished… 30 minutes before it was finished and I got sleepy in the last 3 minutes and I'm still sleepy…"

"Oh sleep later, this line isn't gonna wait for you." Kaye rolled her eyes, but there was a smirk on her. "I heard they're selling cards Kaiba once used."

Matt's eyes opened. "Oh man no way!" He exclaimed, fresh and awake now. Kaye left without another word, just a flick of her head and Matt eagerly followed.

"How come no one told us about them!" Syrus demanded.

"Because everyone wants the best rare cards for themselves." Bastion mentioned as if it was matter-of-factly.

"Y'know… the interdorm duel bit…" Carrie added, rubbing her face as she spoke. "We're… probably not the… best people to get you hyped about it… Bastion and I don't need the new cards."

"Why not?" Syrus asked.

"One errant card and my formulas will be completely thrown off." Bastion stated.

"And I think… I'm all good now…" Carrie said. "Yeah, deck's all good..."

"I'd get going if I were you two." Bastion suggested.

"Yeah my deck wouldn't screw up with one errant card!" Syrus looked at Jaden now, who's all smiles for the idea.

"So let's go!" He said before giving an excited look of his own. "There's nothing like the smell of new cards! Thanks for the tip Bastion! 'Scuse me Carrie."

"Mm ya, ya." She droned as the two Slifers scooted behind her chair. "Hey Bastion, do me a favor and… wake me up…"

"We have time, might as well stay here." The intellectual Ra shrugged as he sat down next to her chair.

"Oh man this is way too much!" Matt realized as he arrived at the card shack, only to find most if not all of the students swarming the entrance, banging on the metal sheets that barricade as if it'll make it open.

At the outermost layer of this teenage swarm was Alex, the small Slifer struggling to make it past the shell of the mob of students. Expelled, ignored and hopeless, Alex sighed and walked away from the crowd, along with a tall Ra that both Kaye and Matt recognized as their senior. He was tall, with shoulder length black hair with grey streaks and narrow black eyes. The two recognized him as Nikolai Skugga, a quiet person by nature.

"You're not gonna get in line?" Kaye asked.

After a while, mostly out of confusion at some random junior asking him a question, he replied. "Look around, there is no line. This is one big train wreck I don't want to be a part of." With a light Russian accent before swiftly leaving.

"Well he has a point, this is just… impossible." Kaye pursed her lips waving dismissively at the crowd.

"Yeah, I think our decks are just fine…" Matt agreed. "Really wanna see the cards though."

"You could stick around just to see them." Kaye offered.

"Oh cool, you'd wait with me?" Matt beamed at her expectantly.

"Uh I was… about to…" Kaye began. "You know…"

"Wah!" The two heard, followed by the sound of marching.

The students in the mob looked behind them and saw, special forces stomping down the hall, clearing a path for one man, an officer bringing a metal briefcase. Matt on the other hand, saw the small Slifer from before knocked down, picking up his cards, knocked down by the guards clearing the path.

"Oh children!" The officer called out, and while lifting up the briefcase, he seemed to get more cheers. "Looking for these?"

The students cheered, Kaye could swear one of them looked close to crying with joy as they parted for him and he entered the store through the shutters, smirking with the ego of being greeted in such a grandiose way. "Come and get 'em."

"Matt, it's the cards." Kaye looked behind her, only to see Matt preoccupied by Alex's fallen cards.

Yet as soon as they opened the shutters…

"Huh?! Where's the cards?!" They said, faced with an empty briefcase, nothing in it but an envelope of payment.

"Where'd they all go?" Another asked.

"You know the rules, first come first serve." The clerk explained simply.

"Yes, and I was first!" The voice came from a particularly shady figure, tall and reeking of a rancorous, cheesy shadiness. As soon as the shady man said that, the students crowded the case, protesting.

Kaye watched it, not really able to see the center of the crowd, but judging from the commotion and the complaints, she had a good guess. "Guess we're not seeing the cards, someone took them all."

Matt got up from his spot on the floor as Alex scampered off. "Its fine, I don't mind, they're probably not worth it anyway."

"That's a downright lie." Kaye scoffed. "But it was nice of you regardless. Not that helping him would have done anything. Whoever bought all those cards, they're rich and they got in before everyone else."

"What? So a staff? Why would a staff buy cards for the students?" Matt dusted his hands.

"I don't know but I have a pretty good idea who." She frowned at the notion, "C'mon, no use mulling over this."

Minutes later but not too many…

"C'mon Sy we gotta make tracks!" Jaden announced dashing out of the hall.

"Jay slow down, I'm at my limit!" Syrus shouted back, running as fast has his legs would let him and his stamina.

"Well alright." Jaden agreed instantaneously, doing a jog next to Syrus.

"Now you're just being a wise guy!" Syrus sighed as he continued to run at his speed.

"No I'm seriously waiting for you it's alright! Some of us just don't have legs made for running!" He taunted with a grin.

"Yeah, yeah I'm vertically challenged."

"But we really gotta speed up and get to the card shack before they…" Jaden looked ahead of him and was faced with the empty card shack, no lines, no fuss, no clerk and no new cards or cards at all. "Run out of…"

"They couldn't have, right?" Syrus asked. "No way they'd… run out of cards… right?" He glanced at Jaden who shared the same concerned look as him.

"Yeah… this is a card shack, they gotta have some cards, otherwise it's just a shack." Jaden walked up towards the counter where a clerk was waiting, Sadie, as seen from her nametag, "Excuse me counter girl?"

"Hmm?" Sadie's hum was one that sounded offended by the two not knowing her name, one that is rather visible on her nametag thank you, but she let it slide, the life of a counter/clerk/shopkeeper is tough, they come and go, blowing her name into the wind. This is an action with a consequence she knows well.

"You still have some cards left right?" Jaden asked.

"Of course we have cards left, just regular packs." Sadie (sorry, the counter girl) replied before reaching under the counter to pick up a green pack with the Duel Academy logo on it. With two fingers, she slid it over to Jaden and Syrus. "Here you go."

"We said some not one!" The two exclaimed.

"I'm done for, I slept in the written exam and now I'm gonna fail my duel because I can't upgrade my deck!" Syrus wailed minimally and Jaden gave him a sympathetic smile.

"So take the pack Sy." Jaden said, that smile still on him.

"Really? You'll give me the last pack?"

"It's cool." There's an expression growing on Jaden's face, one almost betraying his genuine intention. But you know what, friends come first. Bros before throwdowns.

"But, you slept through the written test too, what if…" Syrus' brows scrunched, a look of concern on him.

"What if what?"

"What if you fail too?"

Jaden's humble expression grew to one of confidence. "No way, I may flunk and fall every now and then but I NEVER fail."

Their attention turned to the sound of a door to the storeroom opening. "Yoohoo! Auto-club!" Next to Sadie was the heavy-set, not-so-old braided woman with van problems.

"Oh hey it's you!" Jaden greeted cheerfully.

"You know him Miss Dorothy?" Sadie asked with a surprised look on her face.

"Oh yes, he helped me this morning!" Dorothy replied with a smile.

"You work here too?" Jaden asked.

"Oh I don't work here, I own this place!" Dorothy gave him a prideful look. "Cool huh?"

"That's not cool, that's totally sweet!" Jaden complimented.

"Jay how do you know her?" Syrus whispered.

"I think it had something to do with the pistons." Jaden joked.

"Oh, here I have something for you, overheard you two needed cards!" Dorothy waved her hands to grab the two's attention, which caught both their attentions rather successfully. Dorothy gave a knowing, wise old giggle. "Just call it a thank you for helping me!"

"No way, all the cards are gone?" Carrie asked between chewing.

"Yeah! Turned my back a lil' and poof, all gone with nothing but a check." Matt confirmed.

"Well even if you didn't it wouldn't have made a difference." Kaye crossed her arms. "As I said, the shack opened and an open briefcase with the sealed money was already there."

"Ok fine, sealed money."

"Bastion, you have a good feeling who did this right?" Carrie asked the boy next to her who was reviewing a deck.

"Hmm? Yes, perhaps." Bastion replied absent-mindedly.

"You're not just saying that to spare my feelings right? Because in reality you weren't paying attention to what I've said ever since we left the exam hall?" Carrie seemed to glare at Bastion who finally looked at her.

Humoring her, Bastion looked away briefly, "She believes its Chazz."

"Why him? Mystery check and mystery buyer and a pretty pleased Chazz? But anyway that's what I thought until you said staff." Carrie explained.

"Yeah I don't think Chazz would hide if he can buy cards ahead of everyone." Kaye hummed in agreement.

"What I still don't get is why anyone would get those cards." Bastion mentioned. "Other than the rumors that it was cards used by Seto Kaiba, buying all those cards to build a deck last minute? That would be unwise, as they will have to learn how to use the deck as if they've used it their whole lives."

"All in 45 minutes." Carrie mused. "Any other prodigies than you Bastion?"

"Well there's-" Kaye began yet was cut off by the PA.

"Attention, will Carrie Robins, Matt Roberts, America Uchimura and Ishiki Erishi come to the dueling stage."

It said, repeating itself once more and the two Ras in question reluctantly stood up, either out of the fact their conversation was cut short along with the fact that they have to stand up and walk all the way down there.

"Let's just see where it plays out." Matt shrugged.

"Whoever Chazz is going against has an advantage anyway, I doubt anyone can just adapt to a whole new deck last minute." Carrie added.

"Good luck on your tests guys!" Matt called as he and Carrie went down the steps

In the two stage for Obelisks, one hosted Alexis and her opponent, just finishing, while the other held Geoffrey. The former just finished as her duel, her monster's hologram disappearing while the latter had just activated his duel disk and so did his opponent, a first year named Torrey.

"DUEL!"

Torrey: 4000
Geoffrey: 4000

"Here goes..." Torrey drew first, based on the coin flip toss. "I place a monster facedown and two more cards facedown and that's it for my turn." As Torrey narrated his actions, two more cards appeared before the facedown monster, starting from Torrey's center to his right, signaling the end of his turn.

Geoffrey hid before his calm mask, showing no signs of growing wary of the card's placement and drew a card. "I summon Gladiator Beast Dimacari is attack mode." Geoffrey announced as in a shine of blue and purple light came a large, bipedal purple bull equipped with weapons, its kilt blue and red decorated with orange jewels. The bull snorted as he punched his fists together. (4/1600/1200) "Dimacari, attack his facedown." Geoffrey ordered.

The bull charged, slamming his fist to the facedown. It was Dandylion (3/300/300) cowering behind its leafy arms as the chain shattered it. Yet the fragments formed two entities, two dandelion puffs, one smiling and the other showing an aggressive expression 2x (1/0/0).

Geoffrey's silence unnerved Torrey, slightly but still, who was about to explain that it was Dandylion's effect of course, that summoned the two tokens. He feared that Geoffrey is seeing right through him, and that would be his deck's biggest weakness. "And now Dimacari's special effect activates, letting me shuffle him to my deck and summon another Gladiator Beast other than Dimacari."

The ground beneath the bull glowed blue as he descended down from it. A second after it went, the circle changed to green and a green bird with green armor, with white and red accents, soared from the glowing portal. It settled on the ground, flashing its wings (4/1500/800). "Meet Gladiator Beast Bestiari. And when he's Special Summoned by the effect of a Gladiator Beast, I can target a spell or trap card and destroy it." He explained as Bestiari flapped his wings, creating twisters. It targeted one of Torrey's card, revealing it to be Swords of Revealing Light. The card shattered. Geoffrey placed a card facedown before taking what Torrey assumed was an idle stance.

Torrey drew a card before simply (albeit secretly nervously) setting two cards down, with Geoffrey noting the gap between one card on the far left and the other cards that are on the center and its right most. "That's all from my turn…"

The Obelisks began to watch on the duel, growing irked by the duel. "He's stalling isn't he?"

"I think so, why else would he play that?"

"Who are these two?"

"I dunno but this duel's kinda drab."

Geoffrey drew his card, ignoring the restless audience. "I summon Gladiator Beast Equeste and set a card facedown." Geoffrey announced as a blue circle appeared this time. From it emerged a centaur, the horse part dark purple while its armors were a blue color while on its horseback was a pair of blue metallic wings. The centaur tapped down on the ground lightly (4/1600/1200) as a card appeared behind it. "Now both of you, attack the Dandylion puff tokens."

Equeste attacked first, using his wings to jump higher before putting his shield in front of him and crashing towards the Dandylion puff and the creature yelled before breaking into holographic pixels. Bestiari followed after him, yet he didn't bother raising his weapon so much as blowing away the other puff and see it explode to pixels. "And with that, I end my turn."

Torrey breathed in before drawing a card. "Alright… I play Nightmare Steelcage!" one of Torrey's dormant spell cards activated and because of it, a large black cage surrounded the field, dropping in from the sky, with spikes pointing towards and away from Geoffrey on where the horizontal mesh met the vertical mesh. "And then, I play my trap card Destiny Board!"

The audience were changing slowly, one by one whispering amongst themselves as a wispy F appeared out of the trap card, floating in front of the card.

"So THAT'S what he's been up to!"

"Well I guess it is better to take your time with this deck."

"But this is so boring!"

"Shut up you think everything's boring."

Torrey played another spell card, "I play Pot of Greed." The grinning green pot appeared for a moment as Torrey took two cards before shattering. "I play a monster facedown and end my turn."

Geoffrey drew is card and looked at his hand. 'Nothing to destroy cards for now… When it's over, I have to hit hard and fast…' With no signs of thought, Geoffrey took a card and placed it down. "I summon Gladiator Beast Laquari."

In a flaming circle this time, emerged a bipedal tiger clad in red armor. Six metallic pieces floated around the tiger in a circle before each of it spewed out a fire that connected to the other pieces (4/1800/400).

"And now I play Colosseum-Cage of the Gladiator Beasts." The ground turned to brown stone and pieces of broken square columns rose from the ground. Blue lines cut through the ground, glowing as they passed and a large white stone, circled by jagged white stone, rose to the center between Torrey and Geoffrey, a golden cross on it, sparkling and releasing an ethereal aura. "That's all for now." He announced as the cage creaked and shuddered a little.

NIGHTMARE'S STEELCAGE: 1 TURN

Torrey drew another card. "I activate Spirit Message "I"!" he announced as another wispy letter appeared in front of the spell card. "Now I set a card facedown and end my turn."

Geoffrey would not be one to admit it, but this duel is dragging on a with an irritating pattern, he thought as he drew. "I play Magical Mallet." He replaced all 5 cards with 5 new cards from his deck and ended his turn with a shocking, "I pass."

The crowd gasped and the onlookers murmured among themselves and the cage lifted as Nightmare Steelcage broke.

"You know this guy Alexis?" Danny asked, she and Zane finally finishing their own tests and opted to watch.

"Yeah we have some classes together." Alexis nods before looking at the stance the duelist has. "I don't think he's as trapped as he looks."

"Hmm?" Danny's eye seems to question at that.

"She means that with a deck like his, some cards are better in the deck than out." Zane summarized curtly. "He's on to something."

"Definitely." Alexis agrees.

Torrey drew another card. "I play Spirit Message "N"!" He announced as another letter appeared as a wispy lazy haze but made no further moves, signaling the end of his turn.

As Geoffrey drew a card, a card on Torrey's side of the field flipped up. "I activate Battle Mania! This turn, all of your monsters will have to attack mine."

"That's asinine, their effects activate when they attack." He muttered but due to the trap, his monsters became surrounded in an aura a little much like their own usual battle auras and roared twice as fiercely as one by one they went up to strike. The first was Laquari, the tiger roared before charging over with his flames and attacked the facedown with a firey claw, revealing itself to be Marshmallon. The tiger's claws made perfect 3 slices on the marshmallow monster's body, yet it simply mended itself with a jiggle.

"And when Marshmallon's flipped up, you take 1000 points of damage!" Torrey said, a little livelier and more confident now. The marshmallow monster jiggled up and down, before bouncing a little more fiercely and bounced over to Geoffrey's side of the field. It pounced at him, the upside down mouth opened to reveal a sharp set of teeth that took a bite of Geoffrey's duel disk.

Torrey: 4000
Geoffrey: 3000

Equeste attacked next, the same shield strike it was going for but again it had no effect. Yet when Bestiari attacked another one of Torrey's traps activated. "I activate Mirror Force, destroying all of your monsters in attack position!" and an invisible force reflected back Bestiari's wind attack, making it grow in size and sharp winds swept the three of them away and they exploded into pixels, leaving Geoffrey's field barren and the crowds to grow in the rising intensity of the duel. As usual, Geoffrey was unfazed by it.

"If he wants to hit Torrey, he'll have to get past that Marshmallon!"

"Kind of hard don't you think? The thing's indestructible to battle damage!"

"No way is Torrey really gonna win? Like, him against Geoffrey of all people?"

After the pixelated carnage and a facedown from Torrey which took his entire hand, Geoffrey took his turn. "I play Double Summon, allowing me to summon twice this turn." He revealed the card he had face down, turning out to be a bluff as it was a spell not a trap. "With it, I summon Gladiator Beast Lanista and Hoplomus."

Two light portals appeared from the ground, this time another bird warrior in green carrying a red spear, and the other being a rhinoceros in thin yellow armor, with several floating pieces surrounding him (4/1800-1900/1200), (4/700-800/2100). "Hoplomus, attack Marshmallon."

"I don't think so! Negate Attack!" Torrey declared as the trap card flipped up. "I know your monsters, their effect activates when they attack!" Geoffrey could see that Torrey's excitement was a little too high, probably from the idea of actually beating someone. Not on his watch.

"Irrelevant. I place a card facedown and end my turn."

Torrey drew his card, "I activate another Pot of Greed." He announced feebly as he drew another two pairs of cards. "And guess what, there's another!" and he drew two more cards before clearly growing a cheerful expression. "I play Spirit Message "N"! And finally I play Messenger of Peace!"

After the wispy N appeared in front of the spell card, a halo of light appeared around the field, pulsing from the card rhythmically. "With this in play, as long as I keep paying lifepoints, neither of us can attack with monsters above 1500 attack points!"

The crowd talked amongst themselves as Torrey declared the end of his short yet eventful turn and Geoffrey drew his own card. "Hmph, I play De-Spell to get rid of Messenger of Peace. That was pretty short lived, and Hoplomus could've still attacked." The card released a green mist that targeted the spell card and pierced it and the card exploded causing the halo to stop. "And now with nothing left, Hoplomus, attack Marshmallon!" He gruffly declared.

The rhino charged at the Marshmallon, only to of course be thrown back, yet its large mass made it skid backwards. "Lanista, attack too." The bird warrior soared to the sky without question, its spear pointed to the marshmallow as it dove down to the ground. The spear went through, but with no effect whatsoever. Lanista flew back to his first spot as portals appeared under the two Gladiator Beasts. "And now I get to tag out these two for Gladiator Beast Darius and Murmillo."

From a golden portal on the ground, and a blue one next to it, a purple horse in red armor rose from the golden portal (4/1700-1900/300-500),while water rushed out from the second one and an aquatic fish-like warrior rushed out like The One (3/800-1000/400-600).

Colosseum-Cage of the Gladiator Beasts: 2 COUNTERS

"I'll start it off with Murmillo. When he's tagged in, I get to destroy a face up monster on the field." Murmillo controlled the water that was still rising up, forcing the torrent to the Marshmallon. The creature, which would've withstood more hits, exploded as the water brined around it which made Torrey grimace. "More news from Darius, his effect allows me to destroy a spell or trap card on the field. Guess what?" The horse neighed before swinging its chain and throwing it to the Destiny Board, the blade pierced the wispy letter effortlessly and caused a terrible shriek as one by one, the spirit messages wailed as well. All at once, the letters disappeared without grandiose or any trace.

More importantly, Torrey was left bare, his hand nothing but what Geoffrey assumes is the final L. "Next turn, it's over." Torrey dropped to his knees, the anxiety taking over as he stammered. "Your move."

Torrey stammered, nervously going for his next card before his eyes stared at it. It was a trap card he couldn't even use for using up all of his hand. "I… I… I pass…"

Geoffrey drew a card yet glanced to see it was a spell card, perhaps later, way later, like in another duel perhaps. "I summon Gladiator Beast Retiari." From another blue portal, a green lizard in black and gold gauntlet and greaves with a black and gold helmet jumped out, in one hand a white sash that wrapped around the lizard's body and in the other a silver trident. The reptile snarled as he landed (3/1200-1400/800). "Gladiator Beasts, attack directly."

The audience could scarcely look at the one handed onslaught. One by one the Gladiator Beasts attacked Torrey until eventually…

Torrey: 0
Geoffrey: 3000

When the arena cleared, Geoffrey immediately walked away, Alexis waiting in the wings.

"Was dragging it on like that really necessary?" Alexis raised a brow, her sides completely free of curious on looking seniors who moved on to more action paced duels. "You had him by the third card!"

"Of course it was." The blonde scuffed his duel disk. "They need to know what they're dealing with."

"Someone with a flair for dramatics?"

"Someone who's here to win."

"So dramatic." She lightly teased as the two went to the bleachers.

"Hey, hey what'd we miss?" Carrie asked as she and Matt sat down on where the two were before their duel.

"Only one of the sickest duels I've ever seen!" Jaden exclaimed. "Tell me you heard the cheers."

"How could we not? They kept gasping and murmuring at every move we didn't make." Matt added as he sat down and exhaled in relief. "Man Ishiki did not make it easy."

"I… I felt bad for America… he looked so confused…" Carrie admitted as she placed her deck back to her deck case.

"Why wouldn't he, you have what might as well be never before seen stuff!" Jaden pointed out. "What's up with that anyway, how'd you get them?"

"I'll explain later but look Kaye's starting!"

As Kaye entered the field, they fail to notice another Ra entering another field, Nikolai, going against Beauregard. What they fail to see even more is the small Alexander Faust, about to duel a fellow Slifer.

Three duels later, cheers erupted from the crowds, without rhythm and at strange fluctuations but all in all they passed their duels. Kaye won her duel and so did Nikolai, Alex winning just barely but a win is a win. The Ra girl returned to her seats in a holler of cheers while Nikolai slinked out of the arena and its appropriate, its lunch after all, some students are starting to get up and leave at this point as demonstrated as Daryn, food in hand, returning and trying to walk back up the seats, though some people seem to be pushing their way down.

"Just what was Dimitri thinking? Just because he has the cards doesn't mean he has the skills!" Matt commented as he stood up.

"There was no way Dimitri can emulate her style." Kaye added. "Carrie what's your two cents on this?"

"Uh… I uh…" She sheepishly looked around, slinking in her chair. "I never uh… really seen Mai Valentine duel…"

"You WHAT!?" The two exclaimed.

"We'll have to rectify that. Just what kinda duelist are you!" Matt and Kaye both grabbed her by the wrist.

"A sheltered one!" She retaliated and the three bickered lightly until the speaker crackeld to life.

"Attention, will Jaden Yuki come to the dueling stage."

The group fell silent. "Just Jaden?" Carries questioned. "Who's he dueling?"

Everyone turned to Jaden, who shrugged his shoulder easily and got up, dusting himself. "No better way to find out than to jump right in. Wish me luck!"

And he swiftly left in a mass of good lucks from the group.

'Huh?' Alexis wondered as she ignored the two barely speaking seniors making small comments. She saw Chazz, and it looks like he's getting up and walking down. 'Where's he going…?'

"Something wrong?" Geoffrey muttered.

"No, at least I hope so…"

The crowd gasped and so did Jaden when he saw that on the field arriving at around the same time as he was Chazz, the Obelisk smug on his end of the field.

"No way!" Matt gasped as he glued himself back to his seat.

Daryn immediately skidded onto the seat. "I didn't miss anything right!?" He asked.

"I'd say you came in just in time." Kaye too sat back down as other students returned when they left, murmuring and speaking amongst themselves.

Jaden looked at the sidelines, seeing the teachers. "You mean I'm dueling Chazz?" He asked as the Obelisk himself got ready.

"That's right Jaden, since you always talk such a big game, I thought I'd pull some strings for you so you get the challenge you deserve." Crowler replied smugly before pointing to Chazz. "So congratulations! You'll be dueling one of the top ranked students of our school, what an honor! I sure hope you were able to snag a lot of today's rare cards so that your deck's up to snuff!" Jaden hid a grimace as Crowler gave a triumphant huff. "What's wrong? Won't do it? You can kiss that grade goodbye!"

Syrus' brows knitted. 'This is bad…' He thought to himself.

"He can't possibly agree to this right?" Alexis asked Geoffrey elsewhere Geoffrey shrugged and looked towards the arena. "I mean, he's rash but not that rash, right?"

Meanwhile, "No way is he serious?" Carrie asked Bastion.

"Only a cavalier fool would agree." Bastion replied.

"I'll do it!" Jaden valiantly responded and the kids could only jolt and comically sigh in disbelief at Jaden's response. He walked more confidently and wholeheartedly too. "All right Chazz, get your game on! Now we'll get to finish what we started at Obelisk Arena."

"Hmm yes in front of the whole school too," Crowler mockingly said, "Where everyone can watch."

"Yeah, watch you get slammed by me." Chazz snipped (Jaden sighed) as they inserted their decks into their Duel Disks.

"Let's duel!"

Chazz: 4000
Jaden: 4000

"No excuses Chazz!" Jaden declared as he drew his five cards and Chazz did the same.

"Bring it Slifer Slacker!"

"Oh it's brought!" Jaden grinned, drawing his next card.

"Coo!"

"Well if it isn't my favorite furry friend." He said as he put Kuriboh in his hand with the rest of his cards 'Kuriboh, you're in for a treat, because we're about to rain down some serious skills on Chazz.' "You remember this guy don't you Chazz? From our first match? Elemental Hero Clayman!" Jaden announced as the monster was summoned in defense mode (4/800/2000) "And he'd like to get reacquainted."

"Not after he sees what I've got for him. Don't think for a second that overgrown pile of pebbles can stand a chance against me Jaden… or against this!" He drew a card and glanced at it before smirking. 'Appreciate the rare cards Crowler.' He placed the card in the spell and trap slot. "You've seen this before, haven't you Jaden, I play Magical Mallet!"

"... What's that?" Jaden questioned.

Chazz gritted his teeth, visibly irritated. "Its a redo, all the cards in my hand that I don't want, I put back in my deck." Chazz explained as he put all but one card back in his deck. He continued drawing the exact amount of card. "Then I shuffle and redraw. Pretty cool don't you think?"

"Whoa, how?! A rare card on the first draw?" Questioned Syrus with disbelief.

"And a very dangerous one at that. Now Chazz can essentially pick which cards he want and which cards he doesn't." Bastion elaborated.

"Hmm..." Kaye mused.

"Something on your mind?"

"He's looking for something, either a card or some kind of set up for a strategy." She deducted. "Guess we'll find out soon enough."

Meanwhile, Alexis looked to Geoffrey, "How did you get Magical Mallet?" She asked.

"I got lucky."

"I haven't gotten to the best part!" Chazz declared as he used another Magical Mallet as the crowd gasped. "See Jaden, I get to reshuffle Magical Mallet too. If I draw it again like I just did, I get to play it again and again." Chazz returned one card and redrew one more card.

"And that comes in handy when I'm looking for this! V-Tiger Jet!" From the card came a machine which unfolded into a yellow and teal tiger with claws and wings. "Sharpen your claws for attack mode!" (4/1600/1800)

"And there's a lot more where that came from! Check out the magic of Frontline Base!" Chazz announced as he inserted the spellcard. "It lets me summon another level 4 or below monster this turn, and I have just the one! I play W-Wing Catapult in attack mode!" The machine in question was a blue-purple hue, with, as its name suggests, double the engines (4/1300/1500). "Start your engines! Now merge!"

W-Wing Catapult jetted off to the sky, a compartment opening up and V-Tiger Jet followed after it, mechanisms locking in the air and missile compartments opening up. "Alright! The VW-Tiger Catapult!" Chazz announced again and the audience gasped as the machine landed in front of Chazz (6/2000/2100). "But wait I'm not done yet, because he still has his special ability!"

"Well that's not good." Jaden uttered.

"Give me a break, is this guys turn gonna end sometime this century?" Syrus irked.

"By sending a card to the graveyard, I can force one of your monsters into attack mode!" Clayman rose from his initial position and his card shattered (4/800/2000). "And with this heat seeking blitz from my Tiger Catapult, your lifepoints are toast!"

Tiger Catapult fired off a barrage of missiles, all of them heading for Clayman whose cries were drowned by the explosions of the missile as the Elemental Hero shattered to pixels.

The crowd gave "Ooh"s and "Aah"s

Chazz: 4000
Jaden: 2800

"My goodness! Perhaps Jaden can't play with the big boys after all!" Crowler mocked a gasp as he practically pressed himself on the window. "I guess he's not as good as everyone thinks."

"I'll finish up with one card facedown." Chazz finished as he set a card down and it appeared on the field.

"Yeah, you go on and finish up, because I'm just getting warmed up!" Jaden said as he drew his card. "Heres a guy who can really turn up the heat, Elemental Hero Sparkman... in defense mode!" The familiar blue and yellow electric themed hero appeared from his card with the spark and gusto of a hero (4/1600/1400), he knelt protectively over Jaden's side of the field. "And I'll throw down a facedown."

"Not much else he can do with al the new rares Chazz seems to have." Bastion explained amongst the gasps of the audience.

"Its just not fair!" Syrus agreed.

"This is a complete mismatch!" Alexis expressed, "How can he fight back when he doesn't know what he's fighting."

"Knowing is half the battle." Geoffrey agreed.

"Well then you two kids should know that duels hardly ever go as planned." Danny added as she arrived with Zane in tow.

"Still, these are completely brand new." Alexis huffed.

"Ready for round 2 you Slifer Slime? Well, X-Head Cannon is and thanks to Frontline Base, so is Z-Metal Tank!" The first machine was purple and yellow, with a spiked sphere for a lower half and two cannons protruding from its shoulder (4/1800/1500). The second is yellow with some teal accents, with the appearance of a crab and its main body have a single eye for vision (4/1500/1300).

"V, W, X, Z, he's missing one thing." Kaye realized.

"Uh... yeah Y... But what's-" Carrie counted yet was interrupted by the gasps and realizations of the others.

"I play my facedown card, Call of the Haunted! In case you slept through that class too, it lets me bring a monster back from the graveyard. And I choose..." In a spark of light, a bright red metallic dragon appeared, looking more giving a metallic roar as it swooped around before finally landing near the other machines.

"No way!" Syrus cried out.

"He has it!" Bastion added.

"That's right, it's Y-Dragon Head!" (4/1500/1600) Chazz announced cockily. "I discarded it with my Tiger Catapult's special ability! And next, I'll combine them to create the XYZ-Dragon Cannon!" X, Y and Z soared to the air, interlocking with one another with X at the top, Y in the midsection and Z on the bottom (8/2800/2600).

"And just like that, Chazz has two mosnters out with over 2000 attack points each." Bastion said.

"But wait Jaden, there's more!" Jaden gasped and so this the audience. "Actually, less. They say two heads are better than one, but I have to disagree. Especially when the one in question is the one, the only, ultimate V to Z Dragon Catapult Cannon!" The two machines unlocked then relocked with each other, forming a humanoid and large machine that was an amalgamation of all of Chazz's monsters (8/3000/2800). "Makes your Sparkman look like a heap of spark plugs doesn't it? Or at least, it did." Sparkman then promptly spun out of existence.

"My Sparkman!" Jaden gasped and the audience followed.

"Oh, I'm sorry, didn't I mention V to Z's special ability? He allows me to remove one card on your side of the field, once per turn." He snickered. "And if you think that's impressive, wait until you see its attack, an attack that wil strike your life points directly!"

"Not so fast Chazz, I have a trap, A Hero Emerges!" Jaden announced as his facedown flipped up and shone as the audiece gave a sigh of relief.

"Blast!" Crowler grimaced.

"A Hero what?' Chazz mockingly asked.

"Emerges, as in emerges onto the field. You see, now you have to choose a card from my hand, and if it's a monster card, I get to play it. So take your pick Chazz." Jaden explained as he held out his hand.

"Yeah, yeah whatever, the far right."

Jaden looked at the card in question, "Sweet!" He declared as he placed the card on his duel disk. "Elemental Burstinatrix, in defense mode." The fire themed female hero took a defensive kneel as she appeared on Jaden's field (3/1200/800).

"That's what you think you Slifer Slacker! When Dragon Catapult Cannon attacks, I get to choose your monster's mode! And I choose attack mode." Burstinatrix was forced to stand as Dragon Catapult Cannon began charging the guns on its chestt. "Which means, not only will she get zapped, but your life points will too!" Dragon Catapult Cannon fired, shattering Burstinatrix and hitting Jaden too.

Chazz: 4000
Jaden: 1000

The crowd gave different reactions, initally gasps, shocks that Jaden's points had dropped without a single scratch on Chazz then followed by uproars of different emotions, rooting for either duelists or outraged that Jaden had to duel Chazz.

"Jaden!" Daryn and Syrus exclaimed.

"Oh no!" Kaye and Matt gasped.

"Oh wow... that was pretty... Mean?" Carried joked, though she delivered it nervously as Bastion just stared at her as the others tried to figure out what she said.

"Not the time and place." He stated.

"Right, sorry."

"Aww, what's the matter Jaden? Having some test anxiety?" Chazz taunted, chuckling as he continued taunting. "I knew scum like you didn't belong at this academy, but don't worry, because it'll all be over soon!"

"No way Chazz, I still have a whole army of monsters in my deck ready to get at you. This isn't over, it's just barely starting!" Jaden declared as he drew a card. When he looked at it, he gasped.

He thought of Dorothy, slyly laughing in front of him and Syrus. "Now I know we said we ran out of cards but I did hide away a few."

"That's not a safe business practice Dorothy!" The counter girl reminded.

"Oh I know, I know but its just one pack!" Dorothy took out the single pack before giving it to Jaden with a smile. "Here, for polite young students like yourself! Maybe you can put them to some good use! When you're not fixing old cars that is."

Jaden could only stare at the pack in shock. "That'll be 1.99 please." The counter girl added.

"What do you think Winged Kuriboh?" Jaden asked as the monster cooed in agreement. "Well, all right, if you say so, let's do it! I summon Winged Kuriboh, in defense mode!" The little Kuriboh with white wings appeared as the crowds squealed as how cute it is. (1/300/200).

"And I'll throw down a face-down too." Jaden concluded as the facedown card appeared. "That's it." He said with ease.

"That's it?" Syrus asked. "That's all? All he's been playing is defense."

"Can't you feel it though?" Daryn asked. "He's setting something up, probably with Kuriboh and his facedown."

'I sure hope Jaden knows what he's doing...' Alexis thought as the other three Obelisks leaned in closer, drawn in by the duel.

"That's all huh? Good, because now, I get to cook that Kuriboh and I like mine well done. There's about to be a fried furball on the field you loser!" Chazz said.

"You don't scare me." Jaden retorted.

"No big deal, I don't have to, that's his job." Chazz scoffed as he looked straight towards Kuriboh. "Dragon Catapult Cannon, attack!" Chazz ordered as the monster fired up the cannons on its chest and fired.

"Once that Kuriboh is gone Jaden will be completely defenseless!" Syrus yelled over the crowd's uproar.

"Good thing Kuriboh negates all damage this round!" Daryn sighed.

'Alright, secret weapon time!' Jaden thought with a giddy smirk. "I sacrifice two cards and activate..."

"WHERE DID HE GET THAT!" Crowler screeched and the crowd gasped as a bright light engulfed Kuriboh.

"Transcendant Wings!" Kuriboh was not armored, the wings now longer and more angellic and a tail made of the same gold armor now trailed the furry monster (10/300/200) and the Kuriboh cooed.

"It can't be!" Chazz gasped as The Winged Kuriboh deflected Dragon Catapult Cannon's attack by folding its wings.

"Oh it be, Transcendant Wings has evolved Winged Kuriboh into a level 10 monster! And its better too!" Kuriboh still gave its innocent 'Kuri, kuri' coo despite its helmet making it look as if its glaring down Chazz from the gaps of its wings. "By sacrificing itself, Kuriboh destroys all monsters in attack mode and deflects their attack points back as damage to you! Kuriboh, why don't you go on ahead and show him how it works!" Jaden requested with a triumphant laugh as the Kuriboh cooed ethereally and the light got more and more intense until...

When the light faded, Dragon Catapult Cannon was gone and so was Winged Kuriboh.

Chazz: 1000
Jaden: 1000

"In one move, Jaden evened the odds!" Carrie cheered.

"That's not all, Chazz doesn't have that much of a turn left!" Matt pointed out as Chazz made no more moves.

"Lucky punk." Chazz growled and gritted his teeth.

"Lucky?" Jaden interrupted, Chazz surprised Jaden heard him. "Nah, I just happen to have a soft spot for old ladies. But not for you Chazz, and that's too bad, 'cuz with a 1000 lifepoints left and my turn coming up, all I need is the right monster and you'll be finished! Here goes... Something!" Jaden drew his card and looked at it, humming in approval.

"Hmm... Yeah! I summon Elemental Hero Avian!" The crowd grew more intense as the green winged her with exactly 1000 attack points appeared (4/1000/1000). "Attack directly!"

The hero took to the air before swooping at Chazz and scratching him, bringing his lifepoints straight to zero and the Obelisk fell to his knees, eyes wide with disbelief.

Chazz: 0
Jaden: 1000

The already excited crowd continued screaming in excitement, hollering with approval.

"Jaden did it!" Syrus cheered.

"He really did!" Carrie added.

"That was nuts!" Matt added.

"How did Jaden beat Chazz with all those rare cards!" Crowler slipped. "It simply can't be!"

"Rare cards?" Chancellor Sheppard questioned, though mirthfully, a knowing in his tone. Crowler flinched. "What do you mean Crowler?" The teacher, flabberghasted and at a loss for words, ran off as Sheppard laughed lightly.

Back at the duel stage, Jaden waved cheerfully at the crowd who were still clapping and cheering. "That's game." He declared with his signature pose towards Chazz, still on the ground. "We'll duel again." Jaden smiled and winked but Chazz gritted his teeth.

"We will." He snarked determinedly.

Syrus, Bastion and Carrie had bolted down to congratulate him when Chancellor Sheppard disrupted the celebration. He cleared his throat. "That was well played Jaden, never in the history of our reverred academy has a Slifer dueled an Obelisk in these exams." He started his speech. "Jaden, not only did you hold your own but, you won! Your courage over overwhelming odds is inspiring. With pride I believe it is appropriate to promote you to Ra Yellow! Good job!"

"Ra Yellow?!" Syrus exclaimed. "You're the best Jaden!"

Jaden laughed. "I do what I can!"

"Well Jaden, as a student of Ra Yellow, I'll be the first to welcome you to Ra Yellow." Bastion said while Carrie coughed, elbowing her fellow Ra. "Ah, yes, we."

"Yeah welcome to the team!" Carrie cheered

As the crowd cheered and Carried smacked Jaden's back enthusiastically, the ex-Slifer laughing and Bastion smiling approvingly, Syrus looked around to see the crowd, all cheering still as confetti fell. 'Ra Yellow... I knew Jaden wouldn't stay in Slifer for long! I hate to see him go but I know its for the best... I hope we can still be friends...'

That evening in the Slifer dorm...

"Okay, how 'bout this, "Roomate wanted, no one named Chazz, rare cards is a plus." Eh?" Chumley pitched, yet Syrus remained silent, seated mopingly on the one desk that the three shared. "If you're gonna help with this sign how 'bout doing something constructive like making me grilled cheese... Oh, maybe Daryn can be our new roomate."

"Sorry Chumley, not in the mood." Syrus sighed. "He didn't even come over to say goodbye..."

"Or pick up his stuff." Chumley raised a brow at Syrus.

"Hey what's up!" Syrus turned his head to face Jaden, who was smiling as usual, removing his shoes, the door still open.

"Jaden?! What are you doing here!" Syrus cried out.

"Well I wanted to say congrats on passing your field test. Also, in case you've forgotten live here!" Jaden announced and Syrus looked at him confused. "Sure Ra Yellow's nice with its clean sheets, lack of cockroaches, warm meals and spiffy blazers, but without you Syrus its just not my home!"

"Hey!" Chumley added.

"You too Chumley."

"Oh! Really?!" Syrus said before hugging Jaden, eyes teary. "I thought I lost you forever!

"Whoa, chill out."

"And now I'm never letting you go! Jay c'mon just a couple more hugs!"

"Its not the hugs its the waterworks!" Jaden laughed, pushing the immovable Syrus away. "At least red doesn't stain as much as yellow!"

"Thought I heard a ruckus, you staying here Jay?" The two turned to see Daryn still standing at the open door.

"Daryn hey!"

"Hey yourself, I'm heading to the girl's side, Miss Hibiki set up a feast for everyone." Daryn informed.

"Did you hear that Sy...?" Jaden asked and Syrus nodded.

"Whoa!" Daryn cried out as Jaden and Syrus ran past him.

"C'mon!" Jaden called out, laughing as he ran.

The song in the title is "Easy (switch screens) by Son Lux ft. Lorde"! You should listen to it its very nice c:!

Introducing…. ALEXANDER FAUST! By Shiro4th (I'm so sorry he got knocked down) and NIKOLAI SKUGGA by Kaen Neko! I wanted to introduce them but I can't seem to make my head think of a duel this chapter (I low key hate this chapter) I'll make them duel soon!

I really just want to formally apologize honestly. I literally graduated highschool before uploading FUCKING CHAPTER 4 OF THIS FANFIC.