Chapter Text
[To make things easier for me, duels will commence with the standard 8000 life points instead of the anime's 2000-4000. Also your deck is based on the one I run in World Duel Carnival. This is actually my first time writing a duel, so forgive me as I improve, and feel free to leave advice. I'm thinking I'll allow Synchro summons because the final GX Tag Force did, too.]
What a day to be the new kid.
School had started two weeks ago, but due to the incompetence of the admissions office, your papers had been lost after your acceptance. Since they refused to believe your acceptance letter was genuine, you had to redo everything before they'd let you set foot on Duel Academy's island.
You were a lot more nervous now than you would've been, had you started on time. Two weeks into the year meant that everyone already knew their roomates, had friends, and knew how to get around. On top of that, you still had to do the formal entrance duel, meaning the entire damn school world have their day interrupted so they could watch the new kid flounder.
You sighed heavily as you wandered the halls of the main building. Maybe you should've taken the acceptance mistake as a sign that you weren't supposed to be here. You glanced at the paper you were holding, quietly muttering the directions to yourself. You'd already been steered wrong once, but that had landed you a quick stroll through the boys' outdoor bathing area, so you weren't complaining in the slightest. This next door should be the office-
You turned the knob, yanking the door open.
It was a broom closet.
You dropped your suitcases, groaning angrily. "That's the last time I take directions from a blind guy!"
A voice laughed. "He told you to come here too?"
You turned around. A boy with brown hair and eyes was grinning at you as he casually strolled down the hallway, hands shoved into the pockets of his red coat. He seemed friendly enough.
"So what're ya looking for, miss lady?"
"I was supposed to report to the office for my uniform and dorm assignment, but my entrance duel starts in. . ." You took a quick glance at your watch, "About five minutes. Can you point me in the right direction?"
His energetic cinnamon brown eyes lit up at the mention of a duel, and he reached out to snatch your hand in his own, grabbing one of your suitcases too. "The dueling arena is this way, c'mon!"
☆☆☆☆☆
Turns out you had to cross campus, but you made it to the arena just in time. The boy who'd helped you offered to hold onto your luggage as you dueled, so you left your stuff with him and darted up onto the stage.
The arena was built like the Coliseum, with a large platform in the very center, and bleacher-like seats rising all around. In the middle of the stage, holding a microphone, stood Chancellor Sheppard. He shot a relieved smile at you as he raised the microphone to begin addressing the students.
"Slifer! Ra! Obelisk! It's with a great pleasure that I finally introduce our new transfer student, {Name} {Last Name}!"
Some mild applause echoed through the room. You gave a shy wave as you swiveled on your heel to meet everyone's eyes; there had to be hundreds of students there, all staring intently, judging you. You couldn't get nervous now- every female student was automatically placed in the highest dorm, Obelisk Blue. You intended to prove you deserved it.
"And now, her opponent: Dorian Jennings!"
An Obelisk Blue student made his way down the staircase, hopping the barrier and trotting to the other end of the field, waving at you as he walked past. Chancellor Sheppard continued.
"This duel will prove that {Name} truly belongs in our school. I expect you all to cheer for her! Now, duelists ready?"
You and Dorian fastened your Duel Disks on and loaded your decks.
"Begin!"
Dorian: 8000 life points
{Name}: 8000 life points
The both of you drew your opening hands. Not bad, but it would only work if. . .
You nodded across the field. "First move is yours!"
Dorian drew, then glanced at his cards. "I'll just place a monster face down and end my turn."
This may just be easier than you first thought.
"Alright then, my draw! Since you have a monster while my field is empty, I can special summon Cyber Dragon, in attack mode!"
The steel serpent materialized on the field, letting out a cybernetic roar.
[Cyber Dragon: Atk/2100 Def/1600]
"Next I'll equip it with Axe of Despair, ramping its attack to 3100!"
[Cyber Dragon: Atk/3100 Def/1600]
You slapped the equip card down on your disk, taking another glance at your hand. There were several ways to go from here. . .
"Since Cyber Dragon was a special summon, I can still summon my Cyber Valley in attack mode."
[Cyber Valley: Atk/0 Def/0]
"Now, Cyber Dragon! Attack his face down monster! Evolution Burst!"
With a mechanical whirring, Cyber Dragon opened its steel jaws wide, launching a stream of electricity at the mystery card. Before it disappeared, it flipped upwards-
"Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter!"
Dorian grinned triumphantly.
"When Ryko is flipped face up, it can destroy any card on the field. I'll choose your Cyber Dragon!"
An anguished screech reverberated through the arena as your dragon disappeared into shrapnel, the equip spell going with it. You muttered a curse under your breath; Cyber Valley had no attack, so there wasn't much else you could do.
Dorian continued. "As a side effect, I have to dump the top three cards of my deck into the Graveyard. A small price to pay, don't you think, {Name}?"
". . . I place a card face down and end my turn."
"I draw!"
Dorian stared at his hand, thinking for a moment.
"I summon Debris Dragon in attack mode! When this monster is summoned, I can bring back a monster with under 500 attack from my Graveyard, but it's effects are negated. I'll bring back Card Trooper, who was sent to the Graveyard by Ryko's effect."
[Debris Dragon: Atk/1000 Def/2000]
[Card Trooper: Atk/400 Def/400]
"Now, by banishing a Light monster from my Graveyard, I can bring out Black Dragon Collapserpent!"
[Black Dragon Collapserpent: Atk/1800 Def/1700]
"Now, attack Cyber Valley!"
Card Trooper co*cked its cannons, ready to fire.
And you were ready to intercept.
"I activate one of Cyber Valley's effects! When it's attacked I can banish it, which lets me end the battle phase and draw a card!"
Cyber Valley disappeared as you pulled the card off your disk and stuffed it into your pocket. You also drew another card; Draining Shield. This would be useful.
Dorian grit his teeth, off-put at the interception. But a smile worked its way onto his face. "Fine then! I'll tune Debris Dragon with Card Trooper! Appear, Black Rose Dragon!"
You stepped backwards as the majestic beast appeared in a flurry of flower petals; this was Synchro summoning, right? Was that even legal in test duels?! Didn't matter, you had a counter set.
"I activate Compulsory Evacuation Device, launching Black Rose Dragon back into your Extra Deck!"
He winced; how'd you been ready, two times in a row?
You let out a sigh of your own; if he could Synchro summon, he definitely had other surprises up his sleeve. Neither of you had even scratched the other yet. This was going to be a long duel.
☆☆☆☆☆
Dorian: 1200 life points
{Name}: 200 life points
The end of his assault had left your field completely empty, not even a trap card left. With his 2500 attack Lightpulsar Dragon on the field, his next turn would be the end of it all.
At least, that's what everyone was thinking. You knew otherwise. You placed your hand on your dwindling deck and your faith in the heart of the cards.
"My draw!"
A nervous glance at the newest card.
A relieved grin across your tired face
This was the end.
"I activate Polymerization! I fuse the Charcoal Inpachi and Cardcar D that I hold in my hands in order to create Blaze Fenix, the Burning Bombardment Bird!"
[Blaze Fenix: Atk/2800 Def/2300]
Spreading its wings of flame, the giant creature appeared. It was so large that it blocked out the sunlight pouring in from the above windows. You could hear an astonished gasp pass through the audience, and you could almost hear Dorian's heart speed up as he realized he had no chance.
"Now I activate Blaze Fenix's ability! It deals 300 damage for every card on the field! And since you have every zone filled, well. . . I'll let you do the math."
With a powerful flap of its molten wings, Blaze Fenix sent meteors crashing through Dorian's monsters, finally depleting his life points to zero.
The duel ended and the holograms turned off. Had you not been there to witness it all, you wouldn't have understood the stunned silence of the room.
You glanced around nervously; had you overdone it? Did they hate you?
One boy stood up and shouted.
"That was sooooo cool!"
You recognized the voice. It was the kid who'd lead you earlier.
He leaped over the barrier between the stage and the seats, grabbing you by the shoulders and shaking you in excitement. He began saying something, but you couldn't quite hear him over the thunderous applause erupting around the room.
Almost all of the Slifer Red and Ra Yellow duelists were on their feet, clapping and cheering for your unexpected victory. The Obelisk Blue students tried to seem indifferent, but you caught a few smiles as you glanced around.
Eventually Chancellor Sheppard made his way back to the stage with a microphone, muttering, "Jaden, let go of the girl, will you?" as he passed. The boy dropped his arms from your shoulders, but remained standing next to you.
Sheppard finally commanded silence. "Well there you have it, ladies and gentlemen! We officially welcome {Name} {Last Name} to our esteemed school! After her short stint in Slifer Red, she'll be joining the Obelisk Blue dorm, so be ready!"
Your smile dropped from your face. If you'd just done so fabulously, why were they dumping you in Slifer?
☆☆☆☆☆
"It's just a matter of formality, {Name}. All transfer students begin in Slifer, and are then moved to their proper dorms." Sheppard folded his arms in front of him, staring across the desk at you. "Of course, since Slifer Red is our lowest dorm, and you'll only be there temporarily, we haven't prepared a room for you. You'll have to share with someone."
Your face flushed. Obelisk Blue was the only dorm with female facilities; that meant you'd have to be sharing with guys.
Sheppard opened his laptop, pulling up the student database. "Don't worry, we'll find someone you're comfortable with. "
"Aaaagh-!"
"Why am I even here. . .?"
"We'll take her, Chancellor Sheppard!"
You twisted in your seat. The office doors had fallen open, and three boys were laying in a tangled mess on the ground. The hefty boy and the blue-haired one were strangers, but you recognized the brunet as Jaden. He just kept popping up, didn't he?
Sheppard frowned at the boys as they tried to stand up properly. "{Name}, would you be okay with that?"
You looked at them again. Jaden was grinning widely at you, while the blue-haired shortstack next to him waved nervously in your direction. The third boy just yawned, not making eye contact.
"Sure, I'm fine with it."
"Well then it's settled. {Name}, meet your new temporary roomates; Jaden Yuki, Syrus Trusedale, and Chumley Huffington."
What a day to be the new kid.
