Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh GX. Only own any OCs.

AN: I have taken people's votes into account and have decided to start this story alongside The Domino Eight so you guys don't have to wait months for Season 2. Be wary that massive spoilers for The Domino Eight will be mentioned here.

And as for the updating schedule. I'll do one chapter of this, one of The Domino Eight, one of this, one of The Domino Eight, etc. That way I can balance them out.

I also hope that you guys still check that story out. It's quite important to see just what happened instead of just hearing about it from the characters. It'll also make more sense why Jaden and Jason are the way they are now if you read that story too.

Okay, this version of Season 2 will be a little bit darker than the canon one since a lot of heavy shit has happened at this point in the timeline. If anything seems confusing here, it'll be explained in 'The Domino Eight'.

I hope you guys like it.

Enjoy

Chapter 1-

Summer vacation had ended two days ago and now the students of Duel Academy were arriving back for the next year of their education at the duel school.

But there was also some tension and anxiety for the upcoming year. The main reason for this being that two of the students from the school had gotten a very 'interesting' reputation over the summer. A reputation that had enlisted fear into the hearts of the student body.

On the boat bringing the new students for the year, there was a man aboard. He sat alone in his room, a newspaper held tightly in his hand. The headline was one that everyone in Japan knew now.

'Manhunt for The Domino Eight'.

Eight squares were presented on the front. The first two squares were the ones he now focused on the most. They were twins, though one had a very bad right side of the face. One glared up in his picture while the damaged twin was neutral. The square next to them was a dark blued hair man, looking angry. The one next to that was a bald plain looking Hispanic man. Next to him, a kid not much older than the twins with dark brown hair. Then it was a brown haired crazy looking guy; a bald dark skinned man with a beard; and a disturbed looking man with blonde hair.

Names scribbled under each and every one of them.

Jaden Yuki was the first twin. Jason Yuki was the damaged twin. Walter Anderson was the dark blue haired man. Shane Nelson was the other kid. Carlos Rodriguez was the Hispanic man. Brian Phillips was the crazy looking guy. Andrew Jackson was the dark skinned man. Eren Franklin was the last blonde hair man.

Otherwise known as 'The Domino Eight'. A group of convicts who escaped from prison.

The man holding this paper glanced over each picture slowly, feeling depression sink its way into his system the longer he looked. All eight guys looked dangerous in their mugshots, which would make any average civilian recoil upon seeing them in real life. They were mean looking in the pictures, but the man holding the paper knew better that almost all of these guys were good people.

And he really meant 'were'.

Five of them were dead... and four of them didn't deserve to die.

He clutched tightly as the paper wrinkled, clearing his throat uncomfortably as he tossed the paper to the floor; scatters of paper flying everywhere.

The reason he cared was because he was about to spend a whole year with Jaden and Jason Yuki, and the latter wouldn't be happy about seeing him.

Hell, Jason might try to kill him.

Knowing that the boat wouldn't dock until later that evening, he glanced at the other newspaper that he had to his right on the mattress.

This headline was 'Red Road Three escaped prison'.

Jason Yuki and Carlos Rodriguez were two of the three pictures on this one while the man holding the paper was the last. His dark blonde hair and dark brown eyes looked very cold in the picture. Either that or he was just imagining shit. It wouldn't be the first time he hallucinated this past week.

He slid that paper to the floor as well as he laid spread eagle on the mattress, thinking about the upcoming headaches and problems that would surely bring about trouble.

And it wouldn't be pretty for anyone.

...

At the same time, two people were waiting on the docks. One was Dr. Vellian Crowler, head of the Obelisk Blue Boys Dorm. And another was a short, fat, bald person wearing a greenish blazer and had short brown hair in the back of his head. Having a thin, curled mustache, it matched his eyebrows. His name was Jean Louie Bonaparte.

"Hurry up you Swedish meatball! We've wasted enough time already!" Crowler exclaimed.

"Pardoné moi 'Chancellor'! It's not my fault I got petite legs!" Bonaparte replied. "What are we running for anyway?" He asked.

"The new students are arriving soon and we need to be there to greet them." Crowler replied.

"So what? Just because you've been promoted to Chancellor, all of a sudden you care?" Bonaparte mocked. They ran for a little bit longer before stopping.

"We can't miss this!" Crowler beamed as he held a magazine.

The Vice Chancellor looked confused. "Did I miss the joke?"

"Are you calling Aster Phoenix a joke?" Crowler opened up the magazine and showed a picture of a young man in a white tuxedo. He had gray hair and blue eyes. He appeared to be a good looking boy.

Bonaparte gasped.

"He enrolled in this year's freshmen class!" Crowler explained, still looking excited.

"I don't understand. A world ranked professional duelist going back to school? Why?" Bonaparte asked.

"Who knows, but if he comes here, he'll make our school world-famous!" The new Chancellor squealed. "After all everyone knows Aster Phoenix!"

...

A small group of three people were by a cliff. They were near the Slifer Red Dorm.

"I don't know who you are, freshman, but if you wanna duel, then let's..." A brunette boy in a Slifer Red Jacket, known as Jaden Yuki said to the person across from him, who he did not know was the pro duelist Aster Phoenix.

Jaden looked a lot different from he did at the end of the last year. While he still had the red jacket, black undershirt, and the same hairstyle, his attitude and spunk was noticeably different along with a scar on his right cheek that ran from the bottom of his eye up to his forehead. He no longer looked that excited like he was most of last year and didn't have that big a smile on his face. It was more of a small smirk. He was more calm and the brightness in his eyes was gone.

On top of the cliff was one Slifer boy. A blue haired boy named Syrus Truesdale was watching the duel about to commence. Syrus was also looking worriedly at his best friend, more noticeably the scar running down his cheek, being one of the only people who knew everything that happened to Jaden during the summer.

"So, what's your name freshman?" Jaden asked his opponent.

"You can call me AP." He greeted.

"Well then, AP, let's duel." Jaden said.

Both players activated their duel disks and got their opening hands.

Aster: 8000

Jaden: 8000

As Aster drew his first card, two more people approached the spectators. One was the black coat wearing, black haired kid named Chazz Princeton. The other was a blonde Obelisk girl named Alexis Rhodes. While Chazz looked the same, Alexis had her hair pulled up into a ponytail, leaving two bangs on either side of her face, adding a cuteness to her beautiful posture that wasn't there before.

"Wow, Jaden doesn't waste anytime..." Alexis stated.

"Why is he going after the freshman?" Chazz asked.

"Actually, that guy challenged him," Syrus pointed to Jaden's opponent. "He just showed up at our doorstep wanting to 'battle the best duelist on the island. And that's you Jaden Yuki.' And that's what brings us here." He explained.

Chazz looked around, noticing a particularly obvious absence. "Where's Jason?"

Alexis looked and indeed saw that Jaden's twin brother was missing from the duel. "Yeah, you would think he would be here watching his brother duel."

"He's trying to catch up on the sleep he lost during his time in Red Road," Syrus explained. Chazz and Alexis both grew a little tense at the mention of one of the two places that they all rather forget.

Syrus also noticed an absence. "Where's Asami?" He asked, seeing that the pink haired girlfriend of Jason was missing.

"She got a call on her phone about two minutes ago," Alexis explained. "She's taking it right now and by the look on her face, it was gonna be awhile before she finished up."

Chazz looked on. "Do you think his time as a member of 'The Domino Eight' affected his dueling skills?" He asked the two present, both softening at the reminder of Jaden's, which was also Jason's, occupation during the summer before they shook their heads.

"Jaden? Nope, not no bit." Alexis confidently said about her boyfriend.

"Yeah," he agreed. "But do any of you know about Jaden's opponent?" Chazz asked.

"Okay, he's starting to look familiar to me..." Syrus pondered. "Still can't put a name on him, though..."

"Yeah, he does look familiar!" Alexis agreed.

"Maybe he's like what Chazz used to be, a stuck-up rich kid!" Syrus grinned.

"Zip it Syrus!" Chazz yelled. "He's nothing like me!"

"I play Ojama Yellow in defense mode!"

Chazz did a face-fault as Aster summoned one of Chazz's known monsters. It was a yellow creature with eyestalks wearing red bikini briefs appeared, crossing his arms. (ATK: 0/DEF: 1000)

"Ojama Yellow?" Jaden wondered. "Why'd you start with that? That's my bro Chazz's thing."

"I would never start with him." Chazz said.

Suddenly, a spirit version of Ojama Yellow popped up near the Slifer's shoulder.

"That's right, boss!" He said. "You save the best cards for last!"

"You guys are my finishing moves. I save you guys for the big guns." Chazz nodded. Summer had opened Chazz's eyes on a bunch of stuff, one of them being how duel spirits get lost and saddened upon being separated from their owners. Seeing that happen to Jaden's and Jason's spirits Yubel and Sly, Chazz allowed for his bond to the Ojamas to grow to the point where he rarely talked smack to them.

"Oh, I knew you meant it!" Yellow exclaimed before disappearing.

Alexis smiled. "You guys are really close..." on her birthday halfway through the summer, Jaden had given both her and Asami the ability to see duel spirits. He did this so they can know where he and Jason was while on the run. She appreciated it. She liked it.

"I suppose..." Chazz said to the one of the girls that had become like his sisters. Summer did a lot to them all in terms of relationships, both familial and romantic as well as friendships.

Whether they were for the good like Chazz's with Alexis and Asami.

Or the bad like Jason and a friend he made over the two months.

She smiled before turning back to the duel. "But I wonder what else this guy has..."

"Not much of anything, really..."

The spectators saw Ms. Dorothy, the owner of the card shack in the island holding a fat brown cat named Pharaoh. Along with her, an Obelisk Blue girl with waist length pink hair and emerald eyes appeared. She is the warrior duelist, Asami Elric; girlfriend to Jason Yuki.

Like Alexis, she changed her hairstyle from last year. Instead of just having it let down like before, she had her long waist length pink hair pulled into a side bang on the left; her right side let down, making her appear more beautiful than usual.

"Hey Asami," Alexis greeted. "Who called?"

The pink haired girl sighed. "My father," Chazz, Syrus, and Alexis all saw the confliction in her eyes when she said that. She and her father were going through a rough patch right now due to some summer events. "Wanted to check up on me and see if I was okay. I think that's what he said," she shrugged. "I tuned him out."

"He said he was sorry for what he tried to do to Jaden and Jason..." Chazz reminded, knowing what was making her upset. Asami's father was one of four people over summer that made it unenjoyable for either one of them. Syrus, Chazz, and Alexis saw his reasoning and even Jaden forgave him. The only ones that had a vendetta against him were Jason and to an extent his own daughter Asami.

And in Jason's case, he wanted him dead.

She shrugged at him. "I know and I understand why he did what he did, but he still did horrible things to their friends. Really bad things... and they affected Jason in a terrible way." she reminded him, causing the boy who had become like a brother to her over the summer to close his mouth and nod.

She shrugged again as she looked over the ledge to see what the commotion was. "So Jaden's dueling already? Boy doesn't waste time."

"Now that I think about it, he did mention how he was dueling the first person he saw when we got back here," Alexis remembered. "Said something about how all that time without dueling in East Domino drove him mad."

East Domino.

The name of the second place that they rather forget.

"Anyway," Chazz said changing subjects. "What do you mean by not much of anything?" He asked.

"He came by the card shack this morning..." Dorothy replied. "I didn't even stack the shelves with new cards, but he asked for any leftovers and bought eight packs worth of cards and created a 40-card deck with them."

"You mean Jaden's dueling a guy with mix-matched cards!" Syrus whined.

"That's weak..." Chazz muttered.

"Unless it's all from the same pack." Asami added. "They always have compatible cards." She looked and finally realized that her boyfriend wasn't present. "Where's Jason?"

"Catching some Z's." Syrus said. "Red Road kept him awake a lot, so he's catching up on some."

"Well I'm gonna go check on him anyway," Asami said. "Make sure he's okay and all." If there was one thing her boyfriend wasn't right now, it was okay. She bid them farewell before she headed up to the Slifer Dorm.

"Okay, my move!" Jaden drew his sixth card. "I'll summon out my Elemental Hero Sparkman in attack mode!"

The electric wielding hero appeared on Jaden's field with a pose. (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1400)

"And with H Heated Heart, my friend here gains 500 attack points plus the ability to inflict piercing damage."

A blue H fused into the hero, giving him power. (ATK: 1600-2100)

"Now attack with Static Shockwave!"

Sparkman created a bolt of lightning that pierced through and destroyed the yellow Ojama.

Aster: 6900

Jaden: 8000

Aster pretended to look impressed. "Wow! I guess you are as good as everyone says!"

"Thanks," Jaden smiled slightly. "I haven't played in two months so I was a little worried." He confessed as Sparkman's power decreased back to normal. (ATK: 2100-1600)

Aster drew and looked over his hand. 'Soon I'll learn all of Jaden's strategies! All I have to do is play another round of weak cards...' He then turned his attention back to the duel, "What about this?" He said as the next card he played was a gold-skinned angel with two golden wings. (ATK: 1600/DEF: 0)

"This is the Agent of Creation – Venus! And I'll bring out more of her friends, by paying 500 life points, I can summon a Mystical Shine Ball to join her, and I'll bring out two!"

Aster: 5900

Jaden: 8000

Like coming out of the air, two clear orbs of light appeared. (ATK: 500/DEF: 500) x2

"Then I'll play Monster Gate to sacrifice one of my Shine Ball's to keep drawing until I get a monster." One Shine Ball disappeared as he picked up twice before his third card was a monster.

"And lookie here, its my Needle Burrower!" He said as a red metallic scorpion appeared on his field. (ATK: 1700/DEF: 1700)

"Now let's attack, destroy Sparkman with Burrowing Needle!"

Burrower ran forward and stabbed the E-Hero, sending him off the field.

Aster: 5900

Jaden: 7900

Jaden was rattled with some flashbacks that he quickly shook away with a firm move of the head.

"And my monster's ability deals 500 points of damage for every level of the monster destroyed."

Jaden felt the tail of the monster stab into him.

Aster: 5900

Jaden: 5900

"Now, I attack directly with both Venus and Mystical Shine Ball!"

Jaden braced for impact as the clear orb and angel tackled him into the ground.

Aster: 5900

Jaden: 3800

"I'll toss this card facedown and end my turn!" Aster set a reversed card. "So how's that?"

Jaden winced. "I guess I am out of practice a little bit."

"In one turn he took Jaden's lead!" Syrus gasped.

"That slacker's letting someone with a mishmash deck get the best of him..." Chazz stated. "How is the Supreme King letting this happen to him?"

"My move!" Jaden drew.

"And I'll activate this, my Solar Ray trap card!" Aster activated his trap card. "Now I can deal 600 points of damage for every LIGHT monster on the field, and with two that's 1200!"

A ray of light shot out from the card, making Jaden shield himself again.

Aster: 5900

Jaden: 2600

"Wow," Alexis gasped. "He's almost down!"

"First I'll play my Dark Fusion to fuse my Avian and Burstinatrix to make the Evil Hero Inferno Wing!"

The wind and fire themed heroes swirled together in a stream of darkness before the fiend and dark clawed winged hero appeared on the field. (ATK: 2100/DEF: 1200)

"And then I'll summon Evil Hero Infernal Gainer!" Appearing next to Inferno Wing was a dark armored fiend with a dark mask covering his eyes. (ATK: 1600/DEF: 0)

"And his ability sends him two turns into the future to allow my Inferno Wing to attack twice for those two turns!" He explained as Gainer vanished in a dark portal, the excess energy pouring into Inferno Wing.

"Now I'll attack Needle Burrower and Mystical Shine Ball!" Jaden said, Inferno Wing prepping two shots of fire that incinerated both monsters.

Aster: 3900

Jaden: 2600

"And my monster's ability does damage to you equal to the monster's ATK or DEF points, whichever were higher. So you got 2200 more points coming your way." Jaden noted.

Inferno Wing stopped in front of Aster and let lose a blast of flames.

Aster: 1700

Jaden: 2600

"Awesome! Jaden took the lead!" Syrus cheered.

"So what?" Chazz said. "That new kid's deck is nothing special! This should be easy for him!"

"Come on..." Syrus interjected. "Don't count Jaden out yet. Besides, anyone can win with anything and anyone can lose to anyone."

"You may be right..." Alexis added. "But Jaden won't lose to this guy."

"Alright kid, it's your move!" Jaden said after putting a facedown.

"Okay!" Aster drew and looked over his hand. 'Good!' He took the card he just drew. "I play the..."

Suddenly, a ring tone started playing...

"What's that sound?" Jaden asked.

"Just a sec!" He says, pulling out a cell phone. "I gotta take this!" He placed the phone to his ear. "Hello? Oh no, I'm free to talk now, I'm not busy..."

Jaden was about to freak out, but calmed himself down. "Forget it Jaden, its nothing worth getting upset over..." he showed some of his newfound maturity. "Let the guy take the call."

"Who whips out a cell phone in the middle of a duel?" Chazz asked angrily. "That's obnoxious!"

"No joke!" Syrus added. "He really is like how you used to be Chazz!"

"Syrus I am five seconds from kicking you down onto the dueling field!" Chazz warned. Syrus nodded quickly and stayed quiet.

"I wonder what that's about..." Alexis wondered.

"That's right, I'm dueling him as we speak..." Aster talked to the person on the phone.

...

And the person on the phone, was inside a white room in an unknown place. He wore a white cloak and had some tarot cards on a table in front of him.

"Excellent!" He replied.

"So any last minute advice?" Aster asked.

The cloaked man turned over a card. It was a picture of a grim reaper with a long scythe. But the card was upside down.

"The Reaper of Souls is upright." He said. "You know what must be done!"

...

"Cool, thanks for the call!" Aster replied as he shut off his phone and turned his attention to Jaden.

"Hope that call went well," Jaden said. "So what card you're gonna play now?"

"Now I activate Reload! By playing this card, I can reshuffle my hand and draw a new one!"

Aster shuffled his three card hand into his deck and drew another three cards.

"What was that about?" Jaden asked.

"I needed a better card," he said. "I play the Sanctuary in the Sky!"

The beach scenery was replaced by a floor of clouds, and right behind Aster appeared a white temple.

"A big building on some clouds, huh?" Jaden wondered.

"I summon Warrior of Zera in attack mode!"

A warrior with a green armored chest plate, helmet and arm guards and blue pants appeared. He held a blue sword. (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1600)

"Jaden's in trouble..." Chazz stated.

"And now since Warrior of Zera is on the field with Sanctuary in the Sky, I can sacrifice him to summon his ascended form, Archlord Zerato!"

Zera was taken in by a light pillar and then came out from the sky wearing a red scarf with large white wings and a mask over his face. He now carried a cutlass sword with him. (ATK: 2800/DEF: 2300)

"And here's something else you might not have expected; I send another LIGHT monster, like my final Mystical Shine Ball to the grave to activate Zerato's effect!" Aster explained. "And it destroys all of your monsters!"

"Actually I reveal my Vicious Cycle trap card!" Jaden said as a trap depicting Malicious Fiend covered in a dark aura appeared on his field. "Now when an Evil Hero is about to be destroyed by a card effect, I can remove from play Dark Fusion to save it from being destroyed." He explained as he pocketed the card.

The light died down.

"I can still attack," Aster said as Zerato charged in towards Inferno Wing and destroyed her.

Aster: 1700

Jaden: 1900

"And don't think I forgot about Venus! Attack directly!"

Venus charged up a ball of light that hit Jaden in the chest.

Aster: 1700

Jaden: 300

"That's gonna leave a mark," Alexis winced for her boyfriend.

"Yeah, it was like this one time at duel camp, the same thing happened to me..."

"Just zip it..." Chazz interrupted Syrus, not wanting to hear this story again.

Jaden stood back up. "Gotta say, I just realized how much I missed dueling." He said. These last two months were so busy and fear inducing that he couldn't even hold a card over the vacation. He was glad to be back and cleared of everything.

'I know all about your little adventures as a member of The Domino Eight.' Aster thought after hearing Jaden say that. He shrugged. 'Gotta say, he looks nothing like that mugshot. Must be that scar.' He deduced.

"First, I'll play Legacy of the Hero! Since I have at least 2 level 4 or higher Elemental Heroes in my grave, I can draw three cards!" He drew three times. "Now I summon Elemental Hero Clayman!"

A round man of clay and mud appeared on the field, arms crossed, the red dome of a head shining in the light of the arena. (ATK: 800/DEF: 2000)

"Next, I discard Metamorphosis along with Clayman to special summon the Elemental Hero Clay Guardian!"

Clayman's form changed into a something nearly resembling a football player as per the helmet on his head. He now had additional armor like shoulder guards plus a red shield to block with. (ATK: 0/DEF: 2800)

"Now activate your special ability: Patrol Penalty!"

Clay Guardian slid over to Aster's side and rammed him with the shield.

"What gives!" He asked when he got back to his feet.

"When Clay Guardian's special summoned, you lose 200 points for every card on your field! So say goodbye to 600 of them!"

Aster: 1100

Jaden: 300

"And with Card of Sanctity, I can get a whole new hand." He and Aster drew until they had six. "Now I throwdown three facedowns and end my turn."

"That new guy's in trouble." Dorothy noticed.

"Yeah, Jaden's backed him up into a corner." Alexis added.

"Plus, Clay Guardian can defend Jaden against Zerato since they have equal power." Chazz stated.

"My draw!" Aster drew. "I summon a little guy called Rocket Jumper!"

A floating rock monster appeared with a giant red rocket on its back. (ATK: 1000/DEF: 800)

"Since all of your monsters are in defense mode, my new monster can attack directly! Incoming!"

Rocket Jumper launched itself over Clay Guardian and aimed for Jaden.

"I reveal my Emergency Provisions to send one of my facedowns to the grave to give myself 1000 life points!"

He cancelled out the damage as Rocket Jumper hit him.

"That's it for now!"

"And its my go, which means Gainer comes back..." the fiend reappeared on the field. (ATK: 1600/DEF: 0) "Destroy his Rocket Jumper!"

Gainer sickened on the rocket boy and sliced across on his back.

Aster: 500

Jaden: 300

"That's all for me!"

"Then let's see what fate has in store for me." 'AP' stated. "I need a LIGHT monster to win against you, and fate's got my back!"

"It's not about fate, bro..." Jaden said. "It's about listening to your cards. And it's done good for me!"

"Now you're crazy!" 'AP' retorted. "You expect me to have a conversation with my cards!"

"Sure, why not?"

Appearing next to Jaden was a female black winged fiend with two different colored eyes and another on her forehead. This was his spirit partner, Yubel.

'Glad to see you haven't lost your sense of humor.' She stated, almost gratefully.

'I'm a little more serious, but we don't need too much negatively. We got Haou for that.'

The two shared a smile.

Aster stared at Jaden. 'Gives bad advice, doesn't show too much emotion, leader of one of the most dangerous groups of people in recent history, and to top it off, hears voices in his head.' He thought. 'Jaden's not what I expected in being the best of this Academy... Time to end this duel and move on with my life...'

...

Back in the white room, the cloaked man flipped over another tarot card. It was a knight riding a white two headed snake horse hybrid.

"Ah, the inverted chariot!" He said. "The end is near..."

...

"Remember, listen to your deck!" Jaden called out to his opponent.

"Whatever..." Aster drew. He looked at the card with disdain.

"Bad card, huh?" Jaden asked. "You might want to work on that poker face a bit..."

"Maybe I want you to think that..." He shrugged. "Or maybe I don't want to win..."

"Huh?" Jaden raised an eyebrow.

"Think about it, when you accepted my challenge have you ever thought about my wants, the reason to come to the Academy, or why out of everyone that's here now, I challenged you? The leader of The Domino Eight? Because despite what you did over the summer, I heard you were the best, so I came to test you!"

"You can't be serious..." Jaden groaned. "I used to think about fate pointing me to do something, but I realized that wasn't the case." He referenced his stupid goal to get the Sacred Beasts last year that didn't go anywhere and he was glad for that.

"Of course, it isn't about what you think is fate, because it's about real destiny. Aster said, confusing Jaden still. "Maybe this will show you, I actually drew a LIGHT monster! My Agent of Wisdom- Mercury! And by discarding it you're wide open!"

The Sanctuary opened up and shot its light against Jaden's heroes.

"Wow, not bad!" Jaden praised.

"Then let's see how you like it when Zerato finishes you off!"

The winged Archlord flew in the sky ready to strike...

"I play my Depth Amulet! Now I can discard a card to negate your attack!" Zerato's attack died down on the spot.

Jaden smirked. "Now what were saying about destiny?"

"It's simple, everything that happens in our lives is predetermined," Aster explained. "Losers born to be losers and legends are born to legends!"

Jaden blinked. "Ummm, that's taking things a little too much." He said, although he did know that he was destined to face off against some big evil soon, but he didn't really count that. He was a special case. People can become anything they wanna be regardless of who they are or where they came from.

Aster was thinking back to his conversation to the white cloaked man he was talking to on the phone earlier...

...

Aster was sitting in front of the table with the Chariot card upside down.

"When you find this Jaden, he's to defeat you in a duel, understood?" He asked. "It's the only way to see if he's one of the two we've been looking for! Trust me it's for the best..."

"But there's gotta be another way," Aster exclaimed. "I've never thrown a duel!"

"Aster, have I ever steered you wrong?" The cloaked man asked. "Or any of my protégés for that matter? Trust me, it's for the best..."

...

'How can a manager tell his star player to lose?' Aster thought.

"Now the end begins," Jaden drew. "I'll play Monster Reborn to special summon back the card I discarded to stop your attack: Yubel!" Jaden's favorite monster appeared on his side of the field. (ATK: 0/DEF: 0)

"Now I'll set this card and play my Akashic Record!" He drew twice, getting Wildheart and R-Righteous Justice. "Now I'll summon Elemental Hero Wildheart in attack mode!"

The dark skinned hero appeared by Yubel's side. (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1600)

"Then with my R-Righteous Justice, I can send your field spell to the graveyard."

Aster only watched as they returned to the rocky waves.

"And now I sacrifice him to keep Yubel in play!" Wildheart vanished into tiny particles.

"Kinda a waste," Aster said as he drew.

"Now I reveal my trap, which is my Battle Mania, forcing all your monsters to attack me this turn."

"Why?"

"Because all damage done to me involving Yubel gets redirected to you," Jaden smirked at Aster's shocked gaze.

Yubel looked as Zerato prepped a ball of light and fired towards her. Yubel bounced it back with her wing over to Aster an explosion shaking the field.

Aster: 0

Jaden: 300 (Winner)

"That's that!" Jaden smiled slightly again. "I hope my double threat didn't hurt you too bad!"

"Nah, I'm fine!" Aster said. "Nice game!"

"Yeah, you had some sweet moves!" Jaden praised. "Not bad for a freshman! Just keep on practicing and maybe you'll become one of those legends you talked about!" He encouraged.

Back on the balcony, they watched as Jaden was still going on with advice...

"What a duel, don't you think guys?" Dorothy asked. "And that new student is quite the looker... Did anyone catch his name?"

"I think he said it was AP." Syrus said.

"AP?" Chazz pondered. "Sounds familiar..."

Then they noticed the two duelists coming up the hill, still talking. "Guess I'll see you around, AP!"

As Aster walked away, he contemplated on Jaden's actions.

'I don't get it...' He thought. 'Sure Jaden's a nice guy and a decent duelist, but I don't see why my manager is so obsessed with this one. The only worthwhile thing about him is that he's a member of The Domino Eight and I doubt that's why he's obsessed with him. I still don't understand how joining this school is going to help my career. But I guess Sartorius knows best. As for the other duelist he wants to know about, I'll let Alex take care of him. I'll let him get some exercise.'

He took a glance at the spectators, Dorothy was the one that waved back, which he smiled and nodded.

"Don't be a stranger, stranger!" She waved back as Aster left.

"So guys... what do you think about my first duel of the second year?" Jaden asked. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"You rocked, Jay!" Syrus praised.

"Yeah," Alexis nodded, leaning against him and kissing his cheek. "Even through everything you never lost your touch over the summer!" She said.

"Glad to see you're still a good duelist." Chazz added. "Would hate it if my main rival lost his skill."

"Well, I'm sure we haven't seen the last of AP." Jaden wondered.

"Wait a sec... AP..." Syrus pulled out a magazine with Aster's picture on it. "I knew it, that was Aster Phoenix!"

"So, he's got a weird name, big deal..." Jaden shrugged.

"He's not gonna know," Chazz said. "Aster Phoenix started becoming really big while he was in the can."

"Think Jaden, Aster Phoenix is the number 1 duelist in the World League!" Alexis stated. "A pro!"

"You know that means, Jaden," Syrus stated. "You beat a pro!"

"Whoa!" Jaden gasped. "A student beating a pro!"

"Uh, Jaden," Dorothy interrupted. "That wasn't Aster's real deck, it was just a mishmash deck."

"You mean I dueled a guy using leftover cards?" He didn't look upset, just a little surprised. "And almost lost?" He sighed. "Now I know I gotta regain all my skills I apparently lost while locked up."

"At least you won..." Syrus said.

"Sure," Jaden said. "But when we duel again, I'll do even better!" He declared. "I just needed the practice back. Running for my life kinda stopped me from doing any dueling."

Alexis smiled a little bit sadly. "Let's go check on Jason and Asami."

"Otherwise known as Sappy Couple," Chazz said.

"So what's me and Jaden?" She asked curiously.

"Tamed Couple."

The group shared a laugh. The first in two months since everything went down.

...

At the time Jaden started his duel with Aster, Jason Yuki was lying on the bottom bunk of the room that he shared with his brother Jaden and Syrus. His Slifer uniform was on, but the sleeves from the elbow down were pulled off on both sides, revealing a bunch of cuts and newly acquired muscles and bruises. He decided that a new year needed a new look, despite all the visible marks that occupied his skin. He still had a black T-shirt on under his open blazer that matched his brother's.

His one eye that he had was forced shut as he started to twist around on the bunk, breathing heavily as his mind played through a bunch of past memories over the past two months.

'We're breaking out...' Jaden's voice sounded like an echo within his mind.

Next, he saw him and a slightly older kid shove a man down a flight of stairs. He felt his stomach twist.

After that, he saw a dark blue haired man chop the hand off of a slightly psycho looking man that was handcuffed to Jaden with an axe.

He leaned on his side and held his stomach tight when he replayed words that haunted him everyday ever since he heard them on the news a few weeks back.

'What're you thoughts on the death of Shane Nelson?'

He almost threw up when he saw him stab the same psycho looking man from before and him pound another man's face in while standing in a dirt covered courtyard.

He moaned when he witnessed a tunnel of dirt fall on top of a man and his lips upturning into a smile when it all came down.

He fell off the bunk and ran over to the small garbage bin when he finally saw himself bite down on a man's neck and rip a large chunk of it off.

He hurled right afterwards when he heard the door knock and then open. He heard a collective gasp and the sound of feet moving across the rug, stopping right behind him. A familiar touch caressed his back while he gagged trying to stop throwing up.

After a few deep breaths, he was okay. He looked behind him and saw his girlfriend Asami smiling at him.

"Hey," she greeted, helping him to stand up from his spot on the floor.

"Hey yourself," he smiled back, not attempting to kiss her after what he just did. Affectionately, she gave him a peck on his cheek and pulled out a stick of gum. He took it in gratitude. "Thanks."

She smiled in response before it quickly fell from her face. "Thinking about everything?" She asked as he started chewing on the bubblegum flavored chewing gum.

"All the time since I broke out of East Domino," he said. He took out the plastic bag from the garbage and tied it shut. "I'm never gonna forget the shit me and Jaden went through this summer." He said as he disappeared out of the room for a few seconds to dump his hurl filled bag out of the room.

Asami stared sadly at her boyfriend as he reentered the room. "I don't expect you to," she said. "You guys went through and did a lot of stuff that's traumatizing because you were framed for some stupid crime thanks to Slade and Jagger."

Jason darkened upon hearing the names of two of the people who had ruined his summer and to an extent his life. He rested easy though due to them now being in jail. Ironically and poetically, they were in the same prison they got him and Jaden sent to: East Domino State Penitentiary.

"I lost a really close friend and failed to save another one and watched as he died." He held his head in his hands. "I just wish it never happened..."

"I know, baby," she hugged him, to which he embraced back. She looked at her boyfriend in the eye. "Syrus said you were trying to sleep."

He sighed. "Yeah... trying is the keyword there. Every time I close my eyes, I see nothing but ghosts."

"You slept fine last night," she brought up.

"But you slept in the bed with me..."

She blushed upon being reminded of that. Jason spent the few days he had of vacation time with her at her house and they slept in the bed together when he refused to leave. She didn't recall Jason so much as wincing in his sleep. She was the only thing that can make him kinda smile now, feeling somewhat safe around her emotionally after all that's happened and after they had 'intimacy'. But still, he even got angry and depressed when she was with him when his dead friends were brought up or if her father came up, not bothering to hide his hatred for him even around Asami. Since he wasn't ranting or punching the wall, she assumed he must've been in a better mood today since they were finally back at Duel Academy.

"You want me to sleep in the bed with you again?"

"I would very much appreciate that." He said in thanks.

She smiled, "Okay... but I need something from you..."

He blinked, "And what's that?"

She grinned. "A kiss..."

"I can do that," he smiled as he quickly pecked his girlfriend on the lips. Before he pulled back, she grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him back in for a deeper kiss. This went on for a few seconds before they pulled back. He smiled. "I missed you while I was in jail..."

She smiled sadly, "I missed you more..."

He shook his head. "Impossible..." she smiled a little more after hearing that.

"I love you so much..." she said happily. She thought she lost Jason forever when he and Jaden were first arrested. She was thrilled and no words can describe how she felt right now knowing that she and Jason were still together. If not for Chazz, she would've given up on all hope that she and Jason could live on. She owed the Ojama duelist so much.

She put her finger in her mouth as she pulled out a familiar piece of gum. "Here's your gum back." She handed it to him.

"Thanks," he nodded as he put the sticky substance back into his mouth.

A knock interrupted their conversation. Standing in the doorway was a grey haired teen whose hair went down to the base of his neck. He was wearing a dark grey shirt and blue jeans. He also had blue eyes.

"Pardon my interruption," he said. He looked to Jason. "But I'm here to challenge Jason Yuki to a duel."

They both blinked in confusion. "Why me?" He pointed to himself.

"Because I heard you were the second best duelist on this island, only behind your brother Jaden." He explained. "And pardon what I'm about to say, but I'm also curious as to how a Domino Eight and Red Road Three member duels."

Jason almost punched the guy in the mouth for addressing him by titles that he never wanted to hear again. The only reason he didn't was because Asami was in the room. He didn't want to hurt anyone in front of her again. Not after last time.

When he bit out a man's neck with his bare teeth and snapped another's with door lock chains in front of her and everyone else. He almost shuddered when he thought about it.

Plus, he didn't even know what skills he even had left after not playing for months. He figured he could use the practice. So, he shrugged as he grabbed his deck box from the desk and his duel disk from his backpack.

"Whatever, I'll duel." Jason said, strapping his deck box on his hip and his duel disk on his arm. He was ready to see if he was still as good as he was at the end of their first year. He wanted to use his dead friend's cards, but he didn't have the necessary support for them at the moment. He guessed he would have to wait until he got them from Jaden before he could use them.

Unless... he smirked. He had an idea.

"Who are you?" Asami asked the boy that was patiently waiting for Jason to get his things. She didn't like the way he looked, suddenly showing up and challenging Jason to a duel out of the blue. Her protective instincts for her boyfriend were shooting up as she looked at this new guy. She didn't trust anyone near Jason after learning what her own father had tried to do to him and what he had done to his friends.

The new guy turned his attention to her, smiling just slightly. "Alex..."

...

Five minutes later, the group of three was standing by the dirt path leading to the Slifer Dorm with Jason and Alex standing opposite of each other.

"Hope you're ready," Alex said as he turned on his disk.

Jason smirked. "I was gonna say the same thing." He said as he turned on his own disk. They both drew their opening hands.

"Duel!"

Alex: 8000

Jason: 8000

"What's up guys?"

Asami turned her head to see two people coming their way. One was a black haired Ra Yellow student and the other a brown haired Obelisk. They were Bastion Misawa and Atticus Rhodes respectively.

The pinkette nodded towards them. "Hey," she greeted back as they arrived. "What brings you guys over here?"

Bastion looked to Jason. "Him. Here to check up on the lad, see how he's doing."

Atticus nodded. "Yeah. The shit he and Jaden did... that was really messed up."

Asami knew what they were talking about. They were talking about what Jaden and Jason did right after the latter escaped from the second prison he was sent to. They, along with her dad, had killed a group of six men that Slade and Jagger sent to hold Alexis, her, and her family hostage so her dad would kill Jaden, Jason, and their friend Carlos. Jason and them struck first.

She looked to her boyfriend as he drew his five card opening hand. "He's okay..." she said it clearly, but the truth in those words was questionable. Like she thought before, Jason wasn't anywhere near okay.

Not after losing so many friends.

Back to the duel, Alex decided to take the first move. "Allow me to begin things by placing a monster facedown in defense mode!" A reversed monster card appeared on the field.

Jason raised an eyebrow. "Really? That's it?"

Alex shrugged. "You worry about your strategy and I'll worry about mine."

Jason accepted that and drew his sixth card. As he did, Jaden and the others decided to march on up to their duel from the cliffs. That had to mean Jaden's duel with that guy was done.

Jaden looked over the field curiously. "Looks like Jason's also been challenged." He said as he and Alexis took a spot right next to Asami.

The pinkette nodded. "Yep. Guy's name is Alex. They're just starting."

Atticus looked at Jaden. "How you doing, bro?" The summer had thrown them all closer together as a unit, strengthening bonds with just about everyone. Atticus had also taken a part in the action shortly after Jason's second arrest, earning gratitude from both Yukis as he played a vital role in allowing that second escape to happen.

Jaden shrugged. "I've been worse." He admitted honestly. Atticus didn't seem to believe him, but nodded anyway. Jaden appreciated the concern, but he didn't want to be babied. He was a big boy and could handle his own stress and pain by himself.

He refused to get others involved in his issues. Last time he did, it cost innocent people their lives... his friends' lives.

Jason spared a glance to his brother. "You win?"

Jaden nodded. "Yep... although I don't feel all that good about it since the guy wasn't even using his real deck."

Alexis turned to look at Jaden worriedly. He would've been ecstatic about dueling a pro before the end of last year. Now? He just shrugs it off and nods. It worried her. It showed how Jaden was different from who he was before.

"He dueled Aster Phoenix!" Syrus explained. "The number one duelist in the Pro League!"

Alex smirked on the inside. 'You wouldn't win if he was trying.'

Jason blinked. "Wow... that would be better if he had his real deck." He then shrugged. "It's still cool that you faced a pro."

"I guess..." Jaden agreed.

Chazz looked Jason's opponent over as they all paid attention to the duel again. 'Why does this guy look familiar?'

Behind all of them, in the trees, Aster himself was watching the duel. He figured since he had to wait for his accomplice, he might as well watch.

'Let's see how you do, Brother.'

Jason looked over his hand. 'I only dueled once this summer and I didn't even use my own cards. I used his.' He felt a giant pang in his heart, a friendly smile crossing his mind. He coughed as he got choked up, trying to hold back his tears and giving a glower to hide it.

His friends saw this and felt very bad for Jason. Knowing that your friend was killed wasn't easy and would hurt anyone, especially someone who used to be as shy and pleasant as Jason.

Now? The deaths changed him... changed him into a complete 180 of his former self.

Jason looked back down to his hand. "I guess I'll begin things off with summoning my Sir Galleth Cooper in attack mode." His voice was cold as he spoke, sending down chills everyone's spine minus Jaden, Alex, and the spying Aster. This was how Jason spoke when he had very angrily and maliciously murdered Alexis and Asami's attackers.

On his field, the knight armour wearing raccoon appeared with his broadsword. He spared a concerned look to Jason. (ATK: 1300/DEF: 1000)

"Are you all right, Sir Jason?" He asked. Jason nodded his head ever so slowly. "I know you're wishing Sir Shane was-"

"Shut up!" He yelled, stunning the crowd from his sudden yell. "Don't say his name! Or any of the others!" He pointed forward. "Just attack!"

Galleth frowned at being yelled at, but listened and charged in anyways. He sliced down to reveal that it was a Mystic Tomato before it was destroyed.

"Since you destroyed my Tomato, I get a Dark attribute monster with 1500 ATK points or less..." he took out his deck and fanned it open. "I choose Plague Wolf."

In the place of the tomato came a zombified dog, drooling at the mouth with two different coloured eyes and chipped off skin. (ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000)

Jason glowered at the new monster. 'He's weaker, so he must have an effect.' He looked over his hand. "I'll set two facedowns and end my turn." Two reversed cards appeared behind Galleth.

"Did you hear how Jason snapped at Galleth?" Alexis asked, very concerned for the younger Yuki twin.

"I think everyone at the Blue Dorm heard him." Chazz said.

"He hates it when they're brought up, but Shane is the worse." Jaden had to whisper so Jason didn't hear.

"Why exactly?" Bastion asked. He knew that every other member of The Domino Eight aside from Brian Phillips was a friend to the Yukis, but they never specified which were closer friends out of the bunch.

"Shane was Jason's best friend..." Jaden started. "They saved each other's lives, bonded over Duel Monsters, laughed at each other's dumb jokes, and even opened up on personal problems. They were very close. Jason even talked about giving him a fake identity so he can enroll here too."

The group was shocked.

"He might've been tight with everyone in the group and he might've been very sad when he watched Eren Franklin die, but Shane was the most important to him. He was his light in prison and his confidant, much like how Carlos Rodriguez was to me... only difference is that Carlos is still alive and Shane isn't."

"All of Jason's plans with Shane and even Jason's positivity got destroyed the moment Shane was murdered." No more explaining was needed. They all knew who killed him.

"Poor Jason..." Alexis sympathised. "Losing your best friend like that..." no one in their group could imagine having their best friend murdered like how Jason's was. It pained them too much to even think about it.

So how did Jason feel as he lived it?

Back to the duel, Alex drew his card. "I'll continue my move by playing my Malice Doll of Demise in Attack Mode!"

Everyone watched as a very creepy looking doll in overalls with a large axe appeared on the field. The doll's wide eyes were looking at Jason with insane bloodlust. (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1700)

Jason gave his own bloodlust glare, which made the Malice doll cower.

Alex had to laugh. "Wow. I guess the rumors of you being dark were true."

Jason turned the glare to Alex. "I've killed people, escaped from two maximum security prisons, and had friends of mine killed. Of course I'm dark!"

Asami looked concerned.

Alex shrugged. "Good points. Anyway, now I'll play my Plague Wolf's effect. I can double his points for the turn."

The wolf howled. (ATK: 1000-2000)

"Now let's go and deal some damage. Plague Wolf, destroy his Sir Galleth Cooper with Sickening Fang!" The wolf made a move for Galleth, the knight looking very frightened.

Jason wouldn't watch another friend die, even if it was just a spirit.

"I reveal my Decoy trap card!" Galleth was sucked back into the deck as a black dummy version of the raccoon appeared. The wolf sunk his teeth into the decoy before hopping back. "Now I take no battle damage for the rest of the turn!"

Alex nodded slowly. "That's cool... but I don't need battle damage." At the group's confused faces, he figured he show them what he meant. "Next, I'll play the Spell Card Ectoplasmer!"

"Oh no!" Bastion gasped. "With that out, he doesn't need to do battle damage!"

"Correct Mr. Ra Yellow. This allows each player to sacrifice a monster on their field at the end of their turn. Then, half of the monster's Attack is dealt to the opponent as Direct Damage!"

"Bastion was right!" Atticus added.

"Jason's in trouble!" Syrus exclaimed.

Jaden watched the stoic form of Jason. 'He doesn't even care.' True to Jaden's word, Jason stared indifferently, as cold as the winter weather.

"And since I'll be losing Plague Wolf anyway, I'll tribute him instead of my doll."

A long white worm-like spirit rose from the Wolf and flew right through Jason's chest. The Slifer never winced as his points went down.

Jason: 7500

Alex: 8000

"And two facedowns will end my turn." Alex concluded, leaving him with two.

"Jason just took the first blow." Chazz observed.

"The tricky part is that with that Ectoplasmer out, Jason will have to sacrifice a monster every time he ends his turn. Unless he gets out more than one, he'll be defenseless and Alex can keep attacking him with that doll." Alexis explained.

"I'm sure he'll be able to figure something out." Asami said, her confidence in Jason strong.

Jason picked up his next card, having four. He glanced them over. "I'll first activate the Reinforcement of the Army magic card to add a Warrior type monster to my hand."

He took his desired card.

"Then I'll summon it. Come out, Sly Cooper."

His trademark monster appeared on the field, his blue cap situated on his head with his matching blue shirt looking tight on his chest. (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1200)

Like with Galleth, Sly gave a concerned look over to Jason. He was however a little smarter in not calling Jason out on his feelings, knowing he would snap.

"And then I'll hook him up with Cooper Family Cane to raise his strength up by 1000." The golden cane appeared in Sly's hand. (ATK: 1500-2500)

"But before I attack, I'll use his ability to snag a random card from your hand." His friend swiped the cane over to Alex, snagging a card from his hand and tossing it to Jason. He looked at the card. "Megamorph, huh?" He smirked. "And since I have a lower score, let's equip it to Sly..."

"Whoa!" Sly exclaimed as he was outfitted in a glowing blue aura that encased his body. (ATK: 1500-3000-4000)

"Wow that's overkill!" Atticus stated with a shocked tone.

"Jason doesn't usually duel this viciously," Syrus noticed. "He usually wins strategically when he duels, not through brute force."

Jaden knew the change, he just didn't voice it out loud. Yubel, however, appeared to talk about it.

"He's angry..." she kept her voice low so Chazz, Alexis, Asami, and Jason couldn't hear. "He's so upset about the deaths of the others that he wants to take his anger out on anyone."

'I thought his anger would've died down when we took out the assailants.' Jaden wondered. 'We did do some hardcore shit. I would think Jason would've felt better.'

Yubel frowned. "Are you...?"

Jaden frowned right back. 'Good point...'

"Now attack!" Jason exclaimed. Sly rushed in for the swing, slicing through Malice Doll's body.

"You should've taken my facedowns into account," Alex said. "I reveal Dimension Wall. Now all damage I take is to you for that attack."

Jason growled as a stream of dark blue energy hit him in the chest.

Jason: 5100

Alex: 8000

"Damn!" Chazz exclaimed. "Almost down to half his points! How the hell did that happen!?"

"Anger..." Bastion looked on with his arms folded. Everyone looked to him. "Jason's anger is clouding his head, making him mess up on particularly simple moves. If he wasn't angry, he would've taken Alex's traps into account before he went in. He's a smart duelist, although he isn't acting like it."

Jason growled. "Then it's a good thing I had this!" His second trap flipped up to show Murray the Hippo pounding his chest in a fury. "Thanks to Primal Roar, since I took 2000 or more points of damage, I get to special summon out another monster of mine."

He searched his deck before finding it, slamming it on the disk. "Come out Murray and sucker punch this guy!"

A giant pink hippopotamus wearing a yellow wrestling mask and red gloves appeared before he followed on Jason's command, sucker punching Alex in the face.

Aster had to laugh. 'Better put some ice on that, Alex.'

Jason: 5100

Alex: 6000

Jason smirked, "Take that..."

Alex rubbed his jaw as he observed his opponent. 'So, Sartorius was correct...'

...

Alex was currently standing in the same white room Aster was in with the cloaked man, known as Sartorius.

"When you find this Jason, he's to defeat you in a duel, understood?" He asked as he looked over to Alex. "I have to see if he's one of the chosen ones!"

"Chosen ones?" Alex wondered. "I don't remember you being particularly interested in anyone besides me and Aster, although he's a pro while I'm still trying to get noticed." He sighed. "But why this guy? He's a criminal."

"Have I ever steered you wrong before?" The cloaked man asked.

Alex seemed to think it over before sighing. "Okay, but I'm not dueling with my real deck..." Alex shrugged. "I see no need to get serious..."

"Whatever you want, Mr. Phoenix."

...

Alex shook his head. 'But he fell for a cliché move all because he's a little bit pissed about life... I'm not sure if he's that great.'

He turned his attention back to the duel. "You gotta sacrifice a monster due to Ectoplasmer."

"I know!" Jason snapped. He didn't want to do this. Didn't want to sacrifice a friend and watch them be taken away from something out of his control again. Still, he had to do it.

A little bit thinking later, he sighed as he begrudgingly chose. "I sacrifice Sly..."

"Huh?" That apparently wasn't the answer that the crowd was thinking as the same white worm from Alex's turn appeared and shot out of Sly and to Alex.

Jason: 5100

Alex: 5250

"I'm confused." Syrus was the one that said it. "Why Sly? He had 4000 ATK points."

"But he was also equipped with Megamorph," Asami reminded. "Alex could've used that to his advantage by damaging himself to have lower points, which would cut Sly's score in half, and then Jason would've been in trouble."

"Plus Murray can't be destroyed." Jaden stated. "It was the smarter move to make."

Alex smiled. "Interesting move. You really are smarter than I thought."

Jason frowned at indirectly being called dumb. He might've not been as book smart as he would've liked to be, but he had a decent IQ in his opinion. He felt he was more street smart though, especially after the events of the summer.

Alexis had to frown too. "Am I the only one who doesn't like this guy?"

Asami looked over to her best friend with interest. "I agree that he is a bit of a stuck up guy," she smiled a little. "But you're really protective of Jason now."

Jaden looked to his girlfriend, anticipating the answer with the most interest he's shown in months.

Alexis blushed a little. "He's like a little brother to me. Of course I'm protective of him. I think we all are of each other after what happened."

Her words rang true and everyone stayed silent, though there was two people in the group who were really concerned about not just Jason, but Jaden too.

Atticus looked to Jason while Syrus looked to Jaden.

Alex drew his card, bringing himself back to two. "I reveal my second facedown card Call of the Haunted!" The well known trap flipped up. "Now I revive Malice Doll of Demise!"

The doll was brought back, fearful of Jason after the stink eye he had given it. (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1700)

"And I'll play Pot of Greed to draw twice." He did so, he smirked at his findings. "And now I'll summon out Mask of Darkness in Attack Mode!" A green mask appeared. (ATK: 900/DEF: 400)

"Now I'll set a facedown and play Bait Doll to activate it..." Alex smirked as his trap flipped up, causing the others to look shocked.

Crush Card Virus.

"Now all monsters with 1500 or more ATK points will be destroyed!" Bastion gasped as Giant Orc was evaporated by a purple substance.

"Correct once again Mr. Ra Yellow. Now Jason's monster is destroyed since it has more than 1500 ATK points." Alex smirked as the purple substance traveled to Murray, enveloping him the same as Mask of Darkness.

"It hurts!" Murray whined and groaned, which made Jason's eye widen. He gritted his teeth as he was forced to think once again about the pain his friends must've been in as they died.

It just made him more vengeful and angry.

"Now let's see your hand..."

Jason revealed it to show Bentley and a card called Mask Change.

Jaden became very curious. 'Huh? Why's that in his deck? He doesn't have Heroes anymore.'

Alex nodded. "Now Malice Doll, attack Jason directly!"

The doll laughed darkly before throwing its axe at Jason. The Slifer groaned in pain as it passed right through him.

Jason: 3500

Alex: 5250

"And I end my turn, but don't forget the effect of Ectoplasmer..." Alex reminded as his doll vanished and its spirit wrapped itself around Jason's body, damaging him more.

Jason: 2700

Alex: 5250

"Jason!" His friends were concerned at his drop of points.

Aster wasn't impressed. 'This is the other guy Sartorius wanted to check? He's worse than Jaden. I can't see anything special about him other than also being a member of The Domino Eight and also a member of the Red Road Three.'

He spared a glance to his brother. 'Plus Alex is using his deck from when we were first starting. And by the look on his face, he's just toying around.' While his brother wasn't as good as him, he was still pretty good in his own right. He could let up with the toying around sometimes though.

Alex shrugged. "It's your move..."

Jason growled as he drew his card, turning it as per the effects of the Deck Virus trap. "I play Pot of Greed to draw twice." He did. He drew Tennessee Kid Cooper and Salim Al Kupar Cooper.

Jason was peeved he wasn't getting the card that he wanted. He did smirk however when he drew Salim. That meant he had another chance.

He discarded Tennessee since he had 1600 ATK points. "Now I'll summon the monster I just drew! Salim Al Kupar Cooper!"

Slapping the card onto his disk, an old purple fur raccoon wearing Arabian robes appeared in front of Jason, looking very tired. (ATK: 1200/DEF: 2000)

The raccoon scoffed at Jason. "Why must you summon me when you have another choice!?" He asked rather angrily. He was the only duel spirit of Jason's that didn't change his attitude towards Jason upon his latest trauma. In a weird way, Jason appreciated it.

Jason however gave him a scoff in return. "Because I need my Pot of Greed back and your ability gets it out my graveyard." He gave a fake smile. "So please get it?"

Salim pouted. "I helped you save the entire world at the end of your first year and helped you escape jail. You could at least let me rest." Nonetheless, he compiled with Jason's request and gave him back his spell card per his effect.

"Nice," Atticus nodded at the play. "Now he can have another shot at getting cards that he needs."

"But what does he need?" Jaden whispered the question to himself. That Mask Change card was what was perplexing him. He knew that card, but also knew that Jason couldn't use it in this deck of his. He must've had a way to use it or it wouldn't be in his deck to begin with.

But how?

Jason reused Pot of Greed, drawing twice more. Once he drew, he revealed them to Alex per the Deck Devastation Virus effect.

The two cards were Hidden Armory and... the card Jason was hoping for...

Hero Field. A new card of his he has created.

Shortly after the whole Domino Eight incident finally died down, he was visited by his friend Chumley. Chumley had heard of Jaden and Jason's predicament and arrived to Domino City to visit them. He offered to help them in anyway he could, even offering to make them new cards.

Jaden took a rain check while Jason only thought of one card he wanted.

A card that let him use the archetype of his dead friend Shane within his deck.

"I just won this duel..." he said, getting very confused looks from everyone.

Alex raised an eyebrow. "I am curious as to how you're gonna do that considering I'm very ahead."

Jason actually smiled. "I'm gonna win from the help of your Ectoplasmer and from the help of a very dear friend of mine..."

That was when Jaden was struck with realization.

"Tweener..." he whispered in both shock and a little bit of awe.

Jason inserted the new spell, which turned out to be a continuous spell card. It depicted Elemental Hero Sparkman handing over his mask to Elemental Hero Voltic.

He looked to his confused opponent. "As long as this spell remains on the field, all of my monsters are treated as a 'Hero' monster..."

"Wow..." Asami whispered.

"So that's the card Chum made him." Syrus figured out.

"Although I am a little confused as to why he needs a card like this." Atticus questioned.

Jaden answered. "His friend Shane had a deck as well." He started to explain, all his friends' eyes on him. "He used another archetype of Heroes called 'Masked Heroes'. I knew of them, but never got the chance to find them for myself."

"There's a series of Heroes you don't have?" Alexis mocked gasped.

Jaden had to smile and chuckle at that. "Cute. Yeah, I don't have them. Shane gave them to Jason as a sign of their friendship and as thanks for letting him escape with us..."

He stared at his brother. "They're Jason's now and he deserves them. They allow him to remember our friend and keep his memory alive..."

"You're right, Jay..." Jason answered. He then smiled. "I'll explain in more detail my card's effect in a second... Salim direct attack!"

"I think you ruined what was left of my hearing!" He exclaimed before strolling over to Alex. He very lazily flicked him on the forehead before walking back.

Jason: 2700

Alex: 4050

Jason took his Mask Change spell card. "Now I'll play the quick spell card Mask Change!" The spell depicted a man dashing across space while his face was shining. "This takes one Hero monster on my side of the field, which Salim now qualifies as and special summons another Hero monster from my deck called a Masked Hero!"

He looked to Salim. "Salim, time to transform!"

"All right!" He shouted in aggravation as a sliver mask appeared on the field by Salim's face. The mask flew towards and attached to his face and was soon enveloped by a bright light. Once it died down, Salim was now encased within a diamond like armor with yellow streaks traveling down his new armor. He carried a long spear as a blue cape blew in the wind. (ATK: 2800/DEF: 3000)

"Meet Masked Hero Dian!"

Asami was in awe of her boyfriend's new monster. "Cool..."

"Shane had some cool cards..." Alexis stared in amazement.

"It's amazing!" Chazz was also in awe while everyone else nodded in agreement.

Jaden thought his opinion on the creature. 'So you save him even beyond death, huh Tweener?' He smiled as he thought of the deceased boy.

Aster was almost livid as he continued to hide in the shadows. 'Masked Heroes?! These Yukis just love giving Heroes a bad name!'

"Impressive monster..." Alex nodded, already knowing the end result now.

Jason nodded. "A very dear friend gave me these cards and I swore to use them in his honor after his untimely death..."

He closed his eye in a silent remembrance of his friend for a few seconds before he opened it back up. "Dian, attack with Hero Spear!"

The new Hero clutched his spear as he jumped up in the air. He then started diving towards Alex, spear held out as he hit the top of his duel disk.

Jason: 2700

Alex: 1250

"And now I'll end, which activates your Ectoplasmer..." he said no more as the familiar white worm like creature came out of Dian and struck Alex.

Jason: 2700 (Winner)

Alex: 0

Jason nodded as the holograms disappeared. "I win..." he said as he walked over to his opponent. "Good game though."

"Likewise," Alex nodded as Jason reached him. "Although I gotta tell ya I didn't expect Masked Heroes."

"They were my friend's..." he said.

"I'm gonna guess that weirdo looking Shane Nelson since you guys were reported as being very good friends during your time in prison."

Jason saw red after hearing that. He grabbed the helm of Alex's shirt and yanked him closer until their noses were touching, teeth gritted in anger.

"Damn..." Jaden cursed as he moved in. Everyone else did too since they all saw and knew what Jason was capable of now.

Jason moved his lips to Alex's ear and whispered menacingly. "Say his name like that again and I swear on not just his grave, but on the graves of my other friends, that I'll end you." He then shoved him away, Alex barely standing on his feet.

He dusted himself off. "See ya..." he started walking away just as Jaden and the others reached Jason. ' I guess he could be what Sartorius wants after all, despite the anger management problems he has.' Alex said as he kept walking. He smirked. 'But the only way to know for sure is to duel him with my real deck...'

He approached the area where Aster was hiding. He walked through so Jason and the others didn't notice Aster as they walked away in silence, only exchanging a small nod with each other.

Jaden sighed in what sounded like relief. "I thought you were gonna kill him..." Jason's silence gave Jaden all the answer he needed. His brother thought about doing it. It scared him. Every time Jason did or almost did something dark, it just seemed to erase what was left of his shy adorable twin brother that he knew his entire life.

Jason shrugged. "I was feeling generous."

Despite how scary he sounded, Asami still gave her boyfriend a kiss on his cheek. "Good job, Sweetie..."

"Very impressive comeback." Chazz nodded, Jason giving one back.

"Only the first morning back and Jaden and Jason already dueled." Syrus listed.

"And Jaden's opponent was a pro." Alexis reminded.

Bastion smirked. "My my, if this is any indication then this year will be more eventful than the last..."

"No!" Jaden snapped, getting shocked glances from everyone. Jason just stared. "I already saved the world once and just came back from getting arrested, shot at, being on the run, and killing people!" He counted. "I want some peace and quiet for once!"

He then stormed off to his room, ascending the stairs loudly and slamming the door shut behind him.

Chazz frowned. "He didn't have to scream like that."

Asami stared worriedly.

Alexis voiced her concern. "Jaden does have a point. After all he's done and been through, it only seems fair that he gets some peace and quiet."

"Yeah well, life isn't fair Alexis." Jason spoke. "Life likes to kick me and Jaden down and not give us any kind of break." He turned to Syrus. "You know what I mean..." he then walked off to the room next to Jaden's, entering it a lot more quietly than Jaden had his.

All eyes were on Syrus now. "What does that mean?" Asami asked, not knowing what Jason can mean by that. She thought she knew everything about him and to hear that she didn't was concerning her.

Syrus gulped before shaking his head. "It's not my place to say. Jason made me swear not to tell anyone about it." Everyone frowned, but left him alone on the matter for now, which made Syrus sigh in relief.

He, however, found himself thinking about what Jason exactly meant.

'I'm dying, Syrus. My wound is slowly killing me.'

The Roid duelist shivered as the words repeated themselves. 'I don't know how I can tell anyone, let alone Asami, that. I can't even believe it myself...'

He looked up to the doors that Jaden and Jason entered as everyone else did. Coincidentally, they all thought the same thing:

'We needs to help them before they destroy themselves...'

...

Back at the docks, Bonaparte and Crowler were sitting down in a slump waiting all day for Aster to show up off the boat. It was evening now and all that came were new students that weren't worth recognizing to them.

"I can't believe he's not here! We've been stood up!" Crowler complained, "This school needs a star, not more slackers!"

Before the short Vice Chancellor could agree, an Obelisk Blue student walked down the ramp. She was a 5'5 tall teen with long golden blonde hair that went to her mid-back with stunning dark brown eyes. She was quite the looker.

"An Obelisk Blue student!" Crowler praised as he ran over to girl and shook her hand. "Welcome to Duel Academy, young lady!"

"Thanks..." The girl replied, not all that weirded out by their eagerness. "I'm really happy and psyched to be here." She then smiled. "Can I ask a question?"

"Ask away!" Crowler encouraged.

A dreamy look and a blush grew on her face as she shyly asked, "Does Jason Yuki attend this school?"

Crowler and Bonaparte each shared a look with one another before turning back to the eagerly awaiting Obelisk girl.

"He's a second year Slifer," Crowler said.

"A second year criminal Slifer Slacker." Bonaparte added with some disdain.

That comment did little to upset the now beaming Obelisk. "Yes!" She pumped her fist in the air. She gained control over herself. "Anyway, I was told to see the headmistress of the Obelisk Blue Girls Dorm to check in..."

"Just follow the path down that way and there's a rowboat that'll take you there!" Crowler pointed out.

"Thanks..."

"Chancellor Crowler!"

"Good to meet you, Chancellor Crowler. Bye!" She walked off in the direction Crowler pointed, a giant grin still on her face after hearing Jason Yuki attended this school.

"How can she wanna know about that Slifer?" Crowler asked.

"Misaki Haruno," Bonaparte read off of a clipboard. "A talented duelist for her caliber. Really too good for that criminal." He said.

Another girl in the Obelisk uniform stepped off of the boat. This one had long brown hair tied into a ponytail with two bangs hanging off her face and blue eyes. She was around 5'6. Like with Misaki, she was also quite attractive.

"More Obelisks!" Crowler beamed. "Welcome to Duel Academy!"

"The pleasure is mine," she nodded with a southern accent. "I hear this is the school of the best duelists, so I figured I enroll myself."

Crowler and Bonaparte were ecstatic at another Obelisk in their ranks. One was immediately horrified with what she said next:

"Especially since I heard Jaden and Jason Yuki are in this school..."

"What is it with those slackers having a good reputation!" Bonaparte exclaimed, causing the new Obelisk and Crowler to take a step back.

"They're criminals!" He reminded.

The new girl shrugged. "What they did in their past don't interest me. I want a challenge and I hear those two can give it." She then walked off in the direction Misaki left.

"Not one, but two Obelisks are interested in those two!?" Bonaparte was flabbergasted.

He shook his head. "Hikaru Paul," Bonaparte read off again. "I guess that saying of girls liking the bad boys is true," Bonaparte said.

"Left, Left! Left, Right, Left!"

"What in the?" Both Chancellors asked, turning to the source.

It was then a dark-skinned student walked down the gangplank, a military issue backpack at his back. Tied around his head was a yellow bandana, made to look like a dinosaur's head. Sticking out the back of it were black dreadlocks that shot out in all directions. The yellow blazer he wore had no sleeves, showing off thick muscles. Around his legs were a pair of tan khakis and he walked in thick steel-toed boots.

"Hey ladies! Can you direct me to who's in charge around here?" The boy asked.

"Ladies!?" They both asked.

"You heard me!"

"I'm in charge around…" But the man seized the collar of his jacket, halting what Crowler was about to say.

"I demand to know why I'm stuck in the yellow barracks! I want blue!" The man demanded.

"Bonaparte… Anytime you want to jump in…" Crowler muttered to the short man.

"What my colleague here is trying to say is that you don't want to be an Obelisk Blue. You're way too daring," the vice chancellor explained. "A thrill seeker like you would never wanna be stuck in the blues."

"Yes, that's right! You're way too daring!" Crowler agreed.

"Oh really? Well thanks! You gals are alright!" He continued storming off in the same fashion he stepped down on.

"Now as I was saying, we need a star like Aster Phoenix, not more slackers," Crowler sighed. For a moment, Bonaparte crossed his arms in thought when an idea hit him.

"Why do we need Aster Phoenix when we can have our own school of stars?" Bonaparte asked.

"I'm not sure I follow."

"I mean we eliminate the Slifer Red dorm. Its reputation isn't exactly gonna improve with both Yukis in it, not that it had any to begin with. With all of the slackers gone, we can focus on turning all our other students into stars!" Crowler stared at his colleague in confusion as Bonaparte began to laugh.

"Excuse me, what?"

Both turned around at the new voice. Standing there was a man with dark blonde hair that went down to his shoulders and dark brown eyes. He wore a suit and tie that had the jacket unbuttoned. He had a Glock 17 handgun holstered on his side with a police badge hanging from his neck.

"Oh yes, there he is!" Crowler walked over to the man. "Welcome to Duel Academy!" He shook hands with him.

The man nodded, "Pleasure is mine..."

Bonaparte swore he saw this guy before. A few seconds later, his eyes widened as he caught on. "What's Aaron Elric, a member of the Red Road Three, doing here?!"

"He's the new headmaster for Slifer Red." Crowler answered.

"What!?" He turned to the police officer. "Aren't you a cop!? Why're you here for the slackers!?"

Aaron glared, scaring the short man. "Not anymore. I transferred out. I can't be anywhere near that line of work anymore." He felt his chest constrict.

"That still doesn't explain anything!"

Aaron continued to glare. "I need a new job, so I applied for this one a few weeks ago."

"But why!?"

"My daughter hates me and her boyfriend, who I'm sure will be my future son-in-law, despises me for what I did while hunting down the Domino Eight. I want to fix all that..."

He kept the glare going. "Not that that's any of your business or concern..." he warned. "Plus," he reached into his suit pocket, pulling out a folded document. "I used to teach at Dueling Community College before I became a cop. I'm qualified for the job..."

Crowler nodded, "Since he's the father of one of our best students, and since Sheppard authorized it two weeks back, he's here to stay..."

"At least for the year," Aaron said. "I'll decide if I'll be back next year at the end of this one." He shrugged. He turned back to Bonaparte. "And I reckon you don't call my new students Slackers again... Or call Jaden and Jason 'criminals'."

Bonaparte, knowing that Aaron was responsible for the deaths of half of the Domino Eight, nodded fearfully.

"Good... I'll go situate myself..." he said as he left. As he walked and got far enough away from the two men, he pulled a ballpoint pen out from his pocket. He pulled off the cover and started to unscrew the top. Once it was open, two pills fell out from the inside. He downed them both.

These were Anti-Depressant pills.

Aaron's guilt over everything that he had done was still eating him alive. He killed four of Jaden and Jason's friends while trying to kill them too under threat from Slade and Jagger Princeton that they'll have his family raped and killed if he didn't do it.

Walter Anderson was the first. Aaron had to kill him even though he was coming in quietly... Killed him after he just finished asking his son Jesse if he'll come visit him in prison. It broke his heart.

Eren 'S-Circuit' Franklin, while the third, was the next one he thought of. The poor man was mentally ill and he still had to die. Aaron broke down into tears when he shoved him off the roof where he chased him... Where Jason saw the whole thing, adding onto his hatred for him and cementing it if it somehow wasn't already.

Andrew 'Sawbuck' Jackson was the fourth. A man that was a father just like him. Aaron had to make him agree to let him shoot him by threatening to have his wife arrested for accessory and have his daughter placed in a terrible foster home if he didn't do it. He felt like the devil.

But the worse was his second kill...

Shane 'Tweener' Nelson...

Jason's best friend that he made in prison.

Aaron pulled him off to the side of an abandoned road and gunned him down in cold blood. The poor boy was no older than Jaden and Jason... Wasn't any older than his daughter and he killed him. He looked so scared when the gun came out that Aaron almost didn't do it. But, in the end, his love for his wife and kids made him pull the trigger on the kid... three times...

And created Jason's hatred for him. Aaron wasn't sure how he was gonna take seeing him, but he knew it wasn't gonna be good. He didn't tell Asami over the phone since he knew she'll tell Jason and the boy would begin finding ways to kill him.

Not that Aaron blamed him.

He did kill his friends.

But that wasn't why he still had his gun with him. He still had his gun because of what happened a week ago to his family. The attempted rape and murder of them all. He was so paranoid and so jumpy after what happened that if he didn't have his weapon on him, he would go crazy.

He would also like some kind of prop to hold Jason at bay.

He had no intention of pulling the trigger, but he needed to keep Jason at bay from trying anything. It was more of a bluff than anything. He could never kill the boy his baby girl clearly loved with all her heart.

So it shocked him that he even shot at Jason at all during the summer.

He just didn't want Jason to go back to prison. Asami would be devastated.

And the pills started taking effect, clouding Aaron's thoughts and making it easier for him to handle thinking about what he's done. He breathed out easily as he continued forward, just walking aimlessly. He wasn't heading for the Slifer Dorm anytime soon. He wasn't ready for Jason to see him.

And he wasn't ready to see him.

End of Chapter 1 of Gentle Darkness vs. Light of Destruction

We have many plotlines introduced, but the main three will be the battle against the Light of Destruction, Aaron's descent into depression, and Jaden and Jason's attempts to recover after all they've been through. It's gonna be a very eventful and dramatic season.

So pretty much every big plot point from The Domino Eight has been spoiled here. Hope you guys will still read the story itself to see these events actually unfold.

:'(

Yeah readers of The Domino Eight. Walter, Tweener, and Sawbuck die. You haven't met S-Circuit yet, but you'll like him. Banger dies too, but no one cares about that and you're likely happy that he did. Carlos is still alive, just so you know. Whether or not he's still in prison will be revealed next chapter.

Asami's dad Aaron is the new Slifer headmaster and is also the one who killed the members of The Domino Eight except Banger. I foreshadowed a new headmaster in Season 1 and I think Aaron could bring a lot of interesting drama to the story due to all he's done and will do in The Domino Eight. Definitely a fun character to work with.

Jaden and Jason are definitely suffering from PTSD. Jason's anger hasn't been fully seen yet, but you'll definitely see it in the next chapter. He and Aaron are NOT gonna be friends.

And we also have the introduction to two female OCs. The reason being that I feel we need more females to balance out all the males in the group. They'll also add on to Jaden and Jason's problems for the drama.

Hope you enjoyed and remember to favorite, alert, and review if you did.

Next Time: Chapter 2