Yu-Gi-Oh! GX: Virtual Nightmare

Episode 1: Enemy of Justice, Part 1

Story by: jodalita

Written by: jodalita

Jaden seems to be sleeping deeply. He slowly wakes up, yawning loudly. He notices he isn't lying on his bed in the Slifer dorm, but on a field of grass.

Jaden: Where am I? Hasselberry?

He stands up and notices a big valley surrounding him. There's a lake and a castle in the distance.

Jaden: I don't know where this is, but it's definitely not Duel Academy.

Jaden decides to wander around, looking for a familiar face. While calling out for any of his friends, he walks through the enormous valley. After a few minutes of wandering, he notices a temple made of marble, resembling those from Greek Mythology.

Jaden: Sweet! Somewhere I can rest for a while. I'm starting to dislike being here all by myself. And how did I even get here?

Jaden runs to the temple, making it there in no time. He looks around carefully and then enters. The place seems to be completely empty. While walking through the long corridor he sees sculptures of many Greek Gods around him. At the end of the corridor, he sees a pedestal with a big statue of Zeus.

Jaden (clueless): Why didn't I pay more attention during History? Hmm, no wonder I'm failing that class.

Voice: How did you ever make it into Duel Academy?

Jaden is startled by the imposing voice he just heard. He looks up and realizes the voice came from the statue of Zeus.

Jaden: You're talking to me?

Voice: Jaden Yuki, are you really the best Duel Academy has to offer?

Jaden: How do you know so much about me? And where am I?

Voice: Of course, how rude of me. Allow me to present myself to the eyes of the accused.

Jaden watched amazed and a man wearing a black suit and glasses steps out of the head of the statue and slowly floats towards him. He stands now in front of Jaden, adjusting his glasses before speaking.

Voice: My name is Johnson, former attorney of law and legal representative of Kaiba Corp, also a proud member of the Big Five.

Jaden: Did you say Kaiba Corp? Wait a second… he's the one who owns Duel Academy. He's also one of the best duelists in the world.

Johnson: Of course, I know Seto Kaiba very well. He's the reason why I have to spend eternity in this virtual nightmare.

Jaden: I don't know what you're talking about, but would you mind telling me how to get out of here?

Johnson: Clueless as always, Jaden. Do you have any idea how serious this is?

Jaden: Hmm… no, not really. I guess you're upset with Mr. Kaiba for some reason, right?

Johnson: That's right. And you'll be my ticket out of here.

Jaden: Sure, but where are we again?

Johnson shakes his head, not understand how Jaden can be so calm and clueless.

Johnson: You are more ignorant than I thought. Now listen closely, so that I don't have to repeat myself. We are inside our Virtual World. The rules in here state that we now must duel each other.

Jaden: A duel, huh? I don't know what's going on, but I'm always up for a duel.

Johnson: I can assure you, Jaden. This one won't be as fun as the games you're used to in the real world.

Jaden: Whatever you say. Only thing is… I don't have my duel disk with me and…

Before he can finish his sentence, a duel disk appears on Jaden's left arm and another appears on Johnson's arm. Jaden seems shocked.

Jaden: Cool, how did you do that?

Johnson: I told you, we're in a Virtual World now and the rules in here are slightly different than those in the real world. The trial is about to begin.

Far away from the duel, someone else is sleeping deeply on the ground. Syrus wakes up and notices he's no longer in his room at the Ra dorm.

Syrus (confused): Huh? Where am I?

He gets up and sees himself on a beach. The sounds of the waves is the only thing that can be heard. Syrus begins to walk.

Syrus: Oh, man. I wish Jaden were here. Jaden! Hasselberry!

No one answers his calls. Scared from being all alone, he decides to look around for someone. Far away, he sees a pier with a ship waiting to sail.

Syrus: A ship? Awesome! Maybe someone there can tell me where I am, and maybe help me find Jaden. I wonder what he's doing now.

Back in the Greek Temple, Jaden walks to one side of the shrine, while Johnson positions himself on the opposite side, ready to duel. Jaden starts searching though all his pockets.

Johnson (annoyed): What are you doing?

Jaden: Sorry, but I don't have any cards either.

Johnson: Of course you don't, you fool. Your cards are useless here.

Jaden: Then how are we supposed to duel?

Johnson: With this.

Several columns of cards appear in front of both Jaden and Johnson. Jaden recognizes many of them as they slowly move upwards.

Johnson: Pick your virtual deck with these, our very own card database. But be careful, once you touch a card, it is added to your deck and you can't change your mind.

Jaden: No problem. I have my deck memorized by heart. Neos!

He sees Elemental Hero Neos on the card database and touches the card immediately. Johnson also picks all his cards. After the cards are picked, the decks are materialized on each player's duel disk.

Jaden: Okay, get your game on!

Johnson: Not so fast. There's still a small technicality left. You need to pick a Deckmaster first.

Jaden: A Deckmaster? What's that?

Johnson: Pick a monster from your deck and it will be placed next to you on the field. You can Normal Summon it whenever you want during the course of the duel, but if this monster is destroyed, you automatically lose the duel, regardless of life points.

Jaden: I'm not sure I understand all these new rules, but it sounds like fun.

Johnson: One more thing. Each monster comes with its very own special ability, but of course, I won't tell you what they are.

Jaden grabs his deck and looks through his cards. He sees his Fusion monsters and decides to pick one of them as his Deckmaster.

Jaden: Any monster I want? Well, then I guess I'll pick Elemental Hero Flame Wingman.

Johnson: Weren't you listening what I just said? I'm afraid Fusion monsters are not accepted due to the fact that they can't be Normal Summoned. One of your other pathetic heroes will have to do.

Jaden: No fusions, huh? My Neo-Spacians friends have never let me down, so here goes… I pick Neo-Spacian Air Hummingbird as my Deckmaster.

Air Hummingbird appears on the field and stands next to Jaden.

Air Hummingbird: Jaden, I won't let you down.

Jaden: Sweetness! My Deckmaster can talk. Now, Johnson, let's see what you've got.

Johnson: If you insist. As my Deckmaster, I choose Harvest Angel of Wisdom to assist with the prosecution.

A monster in the form of an angel appears next to Johnson.

Jaden: An angel, huh? Well, yours can't talk.

Johnson: My Deckmaster doesn't need to talk. I already know what his special ability is.

Jaden/Johnson: Let's duel!

Johnson: The court is now in session!

Jaden = LP 4000

Johnson = LP 4000

Johnson: Now, since we're in my courtroom, I'll begin. (Draws) I call Bountiful Artemis to the stand (ATK/1600). That ends my turn.

Jaden: My move. (Draws) I play my newest Hero, Elemental Hero Stratos (ATK/1800). Now for his special ability, I can bring one monster from my deck to my hand, and I choose Elemental Hero Burstinatrix. How do you like that?

Johnson: Impressive, but if you're so confident, why don't you attack?

Jaden: If you say so… Stratos, attack his Bountiful Artemis!

Stratos approaches Bountiful Artemis, ready to destroy her, but a force field appears preventing him from attacking.

Johnson: Objection! Activate Deckmaster's special ability! Thanks to my Deckmaster, I'm permitted to activate trap cards from my hand.

Jaden: What? No way!

Johnson: I activate the trap card, Negate Attack. Now your Battle Phase is over, but that's not all it does. Thanks to the special ability of my Bountiful Artemis, whenever a counter trap is activated, I'm allowed to draw one card from my deck (Draws).

Jaden: Bummer. I guess I'll throw down a face down and call it a turn.

Johnson: That's what I thought. (Draws) Now, what do you say we get rid of your little Hero friend? I call Majestic Mech – Ohka as my second witness (ATK/2400).

Jaden: Hold on! Your monster has 6 stars. You can't summon him without a sacrifice.

Johnson: Sure I can. Ohka can be summoned to the field without a sacrifice, as long as I send him to the graveyard at the end of my turn. Now, Ohka, attack his Elemental Hero!

The Majestic Mech charges a beam from his mouth and destroys Stratos with one blast. Jaden grimaces from the pain as his life points decrease.

Jaden = LP 3400

Johnson = LP 4000

Jaden (in pain): Why… does it hurt?

Johnson: Like I said before, the rules of this game aren't the same rules you're used to on your little games at Duel Academy. This is a real duel with real consequences.

Jaden: What kind of consequences?

Johnson: There's a small price to pay. If you win this duel, you're free to go find your little friends. But if I win the case, I get to escape to the Real World in your body.

Jaden: What? No fair! You can't just leave me here.

Johnson: Don't worry. You'll have all the time in the world to adjust. After all, you'll be stuck here for all eternity.

Jaden: This sure isn't what I thought it would be. But I'm still going to win this no matter what.

Johnson: Believe whatever you wish. Now, let the trial continue. If I recall, my other monster was about to attack.

Jaden: Not if I activate my trap card, Hero Signal. Thanks to this, I get to summon one monster from my deck and I choose Elemental Hero Clayman in defense mode (DEF/2000).

Johnson (annoyed): Now my Artemis isn't strong enough to take him down.

Jaden: That's right. So my life points are safe for now.

Johnson: The defendant has made a useless move. That card won't protect you for long. Anyway, now that my turn is over, My Majestic Mech goes to the graveyard.

Jaden: I don't get it. Your monster was also destroyed. Why would you do that?

Johnson (confident): You'll soon find out.

Jaden: Okay, then I guess it's my move (Draws).

Johnson: Go ahead. Make any pathetic move you wish. It won't help you escape the hands of justice.

Jaden: Chill out, Johnson. What is it with all this talk about angels and justice?

Johnson: Don't you know? Angels are the guardians of justice among men. That's why I use my angels to punish my opponents into paying for their crimes.

Jaden: But why do I deserve to be punished? I haven't done anything wrong.

Johnson: Guess again, Jaden. Disrespecting your teachers, sleeping in class, not doing your homework…

Jaden: Okay, what about it?

Johnson: You're setting a terrible example for the next generation of leaders. They'll turn into worthless slackers like you. And the worst part is... you're considered to be the best duelist at the Academy!

Jaden: Well, it wasn't easy. It took me hard work and determination to become the duelist that I am today.

Johnson: Hard work? You don't know the single thing about work. You have no idea how hard it was for me to get through Law School and get to where I am today.

Jaden: Well, you don't look too happy to me for all that hard work.

Johnson: Silence! You don't deserve your body and once I take over it, I'll make sure to make up for your past mistakes while you spend the rest of your days trapped in this virtual dump. Now, make your move.

Jaden: Sure. I activate the spell card Graceful Charity, and it lets me draw 3 cards and then discard 2 from my hand (draws). Then I play the spell card, Polymerization!

Johnson: Sorry, Jaden, but the prosecutor has intervened once again. Harvest Angel of Wisdom, activate your special ability! Now, I can activate the trap card known as Magic Drain from my hand. So the effect of your spell card is negated, unless you discard one spell card from your hand, that is.

Jaden: No, not again.

Johnson: Oh, yes. Against my angels of justice, you stand no chance.

Jaden: You're taking this way too seriously. Fine, then I'll send my Neos Force to the graveyard.

Johnson: And thanks to the effect of Bountiful Artemis, I draw one card (Draws).

Jaden: That's cool, because I can now fuse together my Elemental Heroes Clayman and Burstinatrix, in order to form Elemental Hero Rampart Blaster and I place him in defense mode (ATK/2000 DEF/2500). Now for his special ability: whenever he's in defense mode, he can attack your life points directly as long as I cut his attack points in half (ATK/1000).

Rampart Blaster uses his gatling gun to shoot at Johnson directly. Johnson grabs himself in pain after Jaden's attack.

Jaden = LP 3400

Johnson = LP 3000

Jaden: How do you like that? Two can play the same game.

Johnson: You fool. You might have succeeded in attacking my life points, but this case is far from over.

Jaden: Maybe, but now I've figured out the perfect strategy to wipe out your life points. No matter how many cards you draw thanks to your trap cards, you still won't be able to get past my Rampart Blaster.

Johnson: It's time to take you down (Draws). I summon my Shining Angel to the field (ATK/1400), yet another Fairy type monster. Then I activate the spell card, A Feather of the Phoenix. By discarding one card from my hand, I can bring back another card from my graveyard to the top of my deck. Like this one…

Johnson sends his Nova Summoner to the graveyard and then takes Negate Attack from his graveyard. He shows his trap card to Jaden and puts it on top of his deck.

Jaden: I don't get it. Why would you bring back your Negate Attack?

Johnson: All in good time. But in the meantime, now that I have 2 monsters in my graveyard, I can remove them both from the game in order to summon this… Soul of Purity and Light (ATK/2000)! Unfortunately for you, she does come with a very special ability of her own. Whenever you attack me, all your monsters will lose 300 attack points.

Jaden (confused): I still don't get the point of all this. None of your angels can get to my life points.

Johnson: Clueless as always. I now play my Pot of Greed spell card, allowing me to draw 2 more cards (Draws). And that's all for now.

Jaden (thinking): "He just drew his Negate Attack and he summoned a monster weaker than my Rampart Blaster on the field? I'm pretty sure he wants me to attack."

Johnson: Are you going to stare at your cards all day? Why don't you try making a move for a change?

Jaden: Here goes (Draws). Sweet! Just the monster that I needed!

Johnson (thinking): "It doesn't matter what he drew, it won't make any difference."

Jaden: See, I know you're just waiting for me to attack so that you can activate more of your traps, which is why I'll summon Elemental Hero Wildheart (ATK/1500). Get ready, Johnson, because your angel is going down.

Johnson: Huh? Your evidence doesn't back up the facts. Your Wildheart still stands no chance against my monsters. Remember, when he attacks, his attack points drop by 300 (ATK/1200).

Jaden: I'm not done. I activate the field spell card, Skyscraper!

Much to Johnson's surprise, the entire field is suddenly surrounded with skyscraper buildings.

Johnson (shocked): What is the meaning of this?

Jaden: Well, when an Elemental Hero attacks a stronger monster, this very handy spell increases his attack points by 1000 (ATK/2200). Wildheart, destroy his Bountiful Artemis!

Johnson: Nice try, but I'm afraid your Wildheart must now leave the courtroom. Activate trap, Negate Attack!

Jaden: Sorry, but I'm afraid you just wasted your trap card, because Wildheart is immune to every single one of them.

Johnson: Don't you think I'm aware of that? A good lawyer is always prepared from the unpredictable.

Jaden (confused): Then why? That trap card won't work on Wildheart either.

Johnson: That might be true, but I can still activate them, which means I'm allowed to draw one more card (Draws).

Jaden: Your Bountiful Artemis is still going down.

Johnson: I don't think so. Activating a counter trap also allows me to summon a monster from my hand. By sacrificing my three fairy monsters I can summon my ultimate bringer of justice… Voltanis the Adjudicator (ATK/2800)!

The 3 monsters on Johnson's side of the field disappear and in their place, a huge angel makes his appearance.

Jaden: No way! What is that?

Johnson: Meet my most powerful monster, with a very special ability of his own. By summoning him this way, I'm allowed to destroy cards on your side of the field equal to the number of monsters I just sacrificed.

Jaden: But you sacrificed 3 monsters.

Johnson: And that lets me destroy up to three of yours. I'm afraid both of your monsters and your Skyscraper are now dismissed.

Voltanis extends both arms and disintegrates both of Jaden's Hero monsters with a single blast. The skyscraper buildings on the field are also destroyed and the field returns to normal.

Johnson: You see, Jaden. I've studied your duels extensively and I know exactly how to take you down. You rely so much on your Heroes that once they're gone, you're left wide open.

Jaden: Okay, I guess I'll end my turn.

Johnson: You're finished (Draws). Now, witness the power of justice. Voltanis, attack him directly!

Voltanis moves towards Jaden and sends a devastating punch towards him. Jaden is send flying from the impact and falls hard on the floor. As he tries to get up, he can feel the pain from the attack throughout his entire body.

Jaden = LP 600

Johnson = LP 3000

In the meantime, Syrus continues to walk through the beach on his way to the pier.

Syrus: This is all very strange. Everything looks so real, but somehow, I have a feeling this is all just a dream. Let's hope someone at the pier can tell me where I am.

Syrus arrives at the pier. He sees a long bridge from the coast, all the way into the sea. At the end of the bridge, there's an enormous structure with several floors. The ship seems to be tied up to this structure.

Syrus: I don't get it. The pier looked a lot smaller from far away. Now it looks huge! I don't like the looks of this…

Not understanding what's going on, Syrus begins to walk along the bridge.

Syrus: I have a bad feeling about this, but I'll risk it… as long as I can find a way out of this place.

Back in the temple, Jaden struggles to stand up after the devastating blow by Voltanis. Johnson stands calmly with his arms crossed.

Johnson: Did you honestly think you could out duel me? I've never lost a case in my life and this time will be no exception. It would be best if the accused pleaded guilty.

Jaden (painfully): No… This duel… is not over.

Johnson: Suit yourself, but you're only prolonging the inevitable. With only 600 life points left and no monsters on the field, the verdict is almost in.

Jaden: Man, I really wish I had some support here.

Johnson: Face it, Jaden. The jury has already made their decision. This is a case you can't win.

To be continued…

CARD OF THE DAY:

Voltanis the Adjudicator

Light, Level 8

[Fairy/Effect]

After 1 of your Counter Trap Cards has been activated and has resolved, by Tributing all monsters on your side of the field, you can Special Summon this card. If this card is Special Summoned this way, you can destroy cards on your opponent's side of the field up to the number of Fairy-Type monsters you Tributed.

ATK/2800 DEF/1400