The Duel Off

*Harbor*

Dorothy was directing the card shipments that were being brought in.

"Keep it moving fellas, keep it moving!" Dorothy instructed. "Booster packs go there, starter decks go there."

She was about to yell again, but a noise caused her to stop. Turning around, she looked down only to see nothing.

She turned back to see the workers staring at her.

"I didn't say it was time for a break."

If she continued looking at the water, she would've have seen the dark form beneath the waves.

The figure made it's way past the dock and over to some large rocks.

By the lighthouse, a man in a wet suit climbed onto a rock.

"There it is, the scoop of a lifetime: Duel Academy." He slowly took the wet suit off revealing a man with long brown hair.

*Chancellor Sheppard's office...*

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!" Crowler exploded.

He and the other faculty members were in the Chancellor's office for a meeting. Zane was among them as well.

"The School Duel against North Academy is the biggest event of the year!" Crowler shrieked. "We can take no chances, so it's clear that Zane should be our representative."

He pointed at Zane.

"But North Academy is using a 1st year." Sheppard explained.

"Why would they do that?" Crowler demanded.

"Who knows, but in the spirit of competition we should do the same. You understand, right Zane?" Sheppard asked.

"Of course, Chancellor." Zane nodded.

"Now, who will the first year be?"

"Jaden Yuki." Zane replied.

This caused Crowler to cringe.

"I agree, Jaden is our best student." Banner nodded.

"Well, if the cat says so."

"Chancellor." Zane turned to him. "Jaden will make Duel Academy proud."

"Well then, that's that unless someone has a better idea." Sheppard said.

*'That Jaden, every time he does well it makes me look bad. There has to be someone else.'* Crowler growled before getting an idea. "I know Kaoru Shiba, Ryan Fudo and Bastion Misawa."

"The Ra Yellow and Obelisk Blue's?" Sheppard asks.

"Yes after all they had the best test scores of all the first years." Crowler said.

Sneaking into the locker room, Gerard reached into a locker and removed a Ra Yellow uniform.

In Prof. Banner's Class, Jaden and Bastion were called up to the front.

"For real? Me?" Jaden asks surprised as Banner told them the news.

"Yes, you, Kaoru, Ryan and Bastion will duel and the overall winner will represent us in the School Duel." Banner said.

In the hallway, Gerard was walking up to a few Obelisks.

"Hey what's shaking?" Gerard asks.

"Out of the way you Ra Reject." The Obelisk said walking past him.

"But wait I just—"

As Jaden, Syrus and Chumley walk down the hall they saw Gerard trying to talk to a Ra.

"Yo. How are things?" He asks.

"Beat it." The Ra told him.

"Man why won't anyone here talk to me?" Gerard asks.

"I don't remember seeing that guy around. He must be new." Syrus said as Jaden walked up to him.

"Hey what's up?" Jaden asks startling Gerard as he turned to face him. "Wow, you're old. How can you be a Slifer?"

"Uh well…"

"Hey no need to be ashamed. It just took you awhile to get accepted old timer. Here, I'll show you around." Jaden said leading Gerard down the hall.

"Hey Jaden wait up." Syrus said as he and Chumley followed them.

At the Abandoned dorm, Alexis and Ryan walked up to it as Alexis put a rose by it.

"Thanks for coming with me. It means a lot." Alexis said.

"I wish finding out why people went missing around here was a lot easier."

"You've been doing plenty." Alexis said when they heard something behind them.

Turning around they saw Gerard walking towards them.

"Why hello there." Gerard said.

"Do I know you?" Alexis asks.

"Yeah we've passed by each other a few times. Look I've heard some students have gone missing here. Don't suppose you two know anything about it?" Gerard asks.

"What's it to you, ponytail?" Alexis asks.

"I'm just curious is all." Gerard said.

"Well maybe you should stay curious!" Alexis snaps surprising both her and Ryan. "Those missing students aren't for your amusement so just mind your own business!"

Turning around Alexis walked away.

"Excuse me." Ryan followed her.

"Okay I don't know what her problem is but I am not giving up. I am gonna get this story." Gerard said taking a picture of the abandoned dorm.

"What was that about?" He asked.

"Just leave me alone." Alexis said.

"I get the whole brother disappearing is a rough subject, but you didn't need to snap at that guy."

"I'm sorry I guess I went a little overboard back there." Alexis said.

"It's fine." He reassured her. "I have no idea why that guy was asking questions anyway."

At the Ra Yellow Dorm, Bastion was at his computer working on data for his duel with Jaden tomorrow.

"Countless equations, a myriad of theorems, but I still haven't figured out the equation to beat Jaden's deck." Bastion said as he saw images of Flame Wingman and Thunder Giant. "Hmm I could assemble a deck to stop each of those monsters, but that would lead too much to chance. There's must be a way to stop those Fuison Monsters…that's it!" Bastion gasps as he started typing. "It's so obvious. Jaden Yuki, the code of your cards has just been cracked."

At the Blue Boys Dorm, Ryan was going over some of Jaden's past duels while creating a new deck from the cards he kept in a briefcase. It would be dedicated to warriors. After that he would construct five more decks around certain themes.

At the Blue Girl's dorm, Kaoru followed Jaden's example and decided to get something to eat.

The next day at the main Dueling arena, all the stands were packed as Crowler made his way to the center.

"This is a Battle Royale to determine who will represent Duel Academy at the School Duel."

Bastion, Jaden, Kaoru and Ryan walked onto the duel field.

"We'll go in order of dorms. Blue first, then Red and finally Yellow."

"In that case. I'll summon D.D Warrior Lady in attack mode."

D.D Warrior Lady: 1500/1600

"Then I place a card face down and end."

"I'm up next." Kaoru drew. "And I bring out Elemental Hero Solid Soldier."

Elemental Hero Solid Soldier: 1300/1100

"And now I special summon Elemental Hero Shadow Mist."

Elemental Hero Shadow Mist: 1000/1500

She then took Mask Change out of her deck and added it to her hand.

"I'm up next." Jaden drew a card.

"I summon Dark Catapulter in defense mode."

Dark Catapulter: 1000/1500

"I'm last." Bastion drew.

"I summon Nightmare Penguin in defense mode."

Nightmare Penguin: 900/1800

"Then I place a card face down."

"Back to me." Ryan drew a card. "And since I can attack, I'll have D.D Warrior Lady go after Elemental Hero Solid Soldier."

D.D Warrior Lady slashed at Elemental Hero Solid Soldier.

Kaoru: 3800

"I'll place a card face down and pass there."

"My turn." Kaoru drew. "I use the quick play spell Mask Change. This will turn Shadow Mist into Masked Hero Dark Law."

Masked Hero Dark Law: 2400/1800

Kaoru then added Elemental Hero Stratos to her hand.

"Dark Law attack Dark Catapulter." Dark Catapulter was banished.

"Guess I'm up." Jaden drew.

"I'll normal summon Elemental Hero Sparkman."

Elemental Hero Sparkman: 1600/1400

Down the hall, Gerard was heading towards the library.

"Now while they're all focused on the duels, I'll be able to get some dirt on those missing kids." He made his way through the hall until he went through a door that brought him to the library. He sat down before one of the computers and started it up. Taking out his own portable computer, he plugged it into the jack and let it work out the password.

Back with the duel...

"I use Polymerization to fuse Sparkman and Clayman summoning Elemental Hero Thunder Giant."

Elemental Hero Thunder Giant: 2400/1500

"Attack Nightmare Penguin with Voltic Thunder."

"I'll end my turn there."

"My go." Bastion drew.

"I summon Tribe-Infecting Virus."

Tribe-Infecting Virus: 1600/1000

"Now I use it's ability. I call warrior destroying all monsters with that type."

D.D Warrior Lady, Dark Law and Thunder Giant were destroyed.

"And now attack Jaden directly."

Jaden: 2400

"My go." Ryan drew.

"I summon Don Zaloog in attack mode."

Don Zaloog: 1400/1500

"That's it for me."

"I'm up." Kaoru drew.

"I summon Elemental Hero Ocean in attack mode."

Elemental Hero Ocean: 1500/1200

"Now I activate Polymerization to bring out Elemental Hero Great Tornado." She placed Avian and Lady Heat into the graveyard.

Elemental Hero Great Tornado: 2800/2200

The attack of Tribe-Infecting Virus was halved.

"Attack Tribe-Infecting Virus with Super Cell." Bastion's monster was sucked into a large tornado.

Bastion: 2000

"Now Ocean attack Don Zaloog." A massive tidal wave headed straight for Don Zaloog.

"Then I play a face down."

Ryan: 3900

"I'll pass there."

"My move." Jaden drew.

"I play Elemental Hero Clayman in defense mode."

Elemental Hero Clayman: 800/2000

"I'll end my turn."

"So I'm up." Bastion drew.

"Tribe-Infecting Virus attack Elemental Hero Ocean." Ocean was destroyed.

Kaoru: 3700

"That's it for me."

"Let's go." Ryan drew.

"I'll bring out Exiled Force."

Exiled Force: 1000/1000

"Say goodbye to your Hero Jaden." Elemental Hero Clayman was clobbered by weapons and crumbled apart.

"This is one intense duel." Alexis commented from the stands.

"No surprise considering the stakes." Zane replied.

*Back to the duel...*

"Now I place a card face down and end my turn."

"Then it's my turn." Kaoru drew.

"I summon Elemental Hero Heat."

Elemental Hero Heat: 1600/1200

"Great Tornado attack Jaden directly."

Jaden: 0

He was out of the four way duel leaving Bastion, Kaoru and Ryan.

"Now Heat go after Bastion."

Bastion: 200

*'I need to draw something good otherwise I lose.'* Bastion thought.

"My turn." Bastion drew. Unfortunately it was Star Boy.

"I summon Star Boy in defense mode."

Star Boy: 550/500

"That will end my turn."

"I'm going next." Ryan drew.

"I summon Sangan in defense mode."

Sangan: 1000/600

"I end my turn with that."

"I'll go next." Kaoru drew.

"Attack Star Boy." Star Boy was destroyed and Heat took out the last of Bastion's life points.

Bastion: 0

Soon only two duelists were left.

"It's just you and me remaining to decide who faces North Academy at the School Duel." Ryan said.

"May the best duelist win." Kaoru replied.

"Which one of the two remaining duelists will represent the Academy at the School Duel." Crowler announced. "We're about to find out."

"My go." Ryan drew.

"I play Giant Rat in defense mode."

Giant Rat: 1400/1450

"That's all for now."

"Well then, my move." Kaoru drew Mask Change and then looked at her hand.

*'I know just how to end this duel.'* She thought.

"I bring Ocean back to my hand with the Warrior Returning Alive."

"I'll then summon it to the field."

Elemental Hero Ocean: 1500/1200

"That will be followed with Fusion Recovery." She removed Avian and Polymerization from her graveyard.

"Time for Absolute Zero to make it's debut."

Elemental Hero Absolute Zero: 2500/2000

"But he's not staying for long." She added. "Thanks to Mask Change."

Masked Hero Acid: 2800/2200

As soon as Absolute Zero disappeared, Ryan's monsters were destroyed. He removed Command Knight from his deck due to Sangan's special ability.

*'This is gonna suck.'* He thought.

It wasn't long before all of his life points were gone.

Ryan: 0

"There we have it. Kaoru Shiba will represent us in the School Duel."

Alexis then happened to notice Gerard standing in the entrance.

"That's the guy who asked questions about the missing students." She left her spot to go after him.

"Hey you!" Alexis called out. "You're the one who was asking questions at the abandoned dorm. What're you doing here?"

"Well, not what I thought. You see, I came here looking for a story, but what I found was something very, very different. I found the duelist inside of me, the duelist I thought was long gone. Look." he turned around to face them. "I'm a reporter, a sleazy one, I'll admit. I make a living off of digging up dirt. But I didn't always. I was a duelist once. But I wasn't any good, I got beat all the time, the memories were awful. But after seeing the match just now, it made me remember what dueling's really about." He took out a flash drive from his pocket. "I had a great lead that I was going to sell, one that probably would've ruined Duel Academy. But I don't want to ruin this place anymore. Now I only want to help, to find the missing students, including your brother, Alexis." He followed his statement by giving her the flash drive.

"You're… thanks."