Tara P.O.V

"Tara, this formula for your deck is rather unbalanced," said Bastion for the third time this day.

Tara sighed. She had agreed that they would study for the exams test the next day together, and both were sitting in Bastions room. The door was open of course. However, Bastion was starting to bug her, with all his commentary on her deck being seriously unorthodox.

"Bastion, like I said earlier, it is my deck, my choice. If I want it unbalanced, then it is my choice!" Bastion was still not happy with that replay.

"But Marshmallon is not suited for your deck. Your strategies are totally wrong" Tara could hear Marshmallon's loud offended voice. It was not happy about how Bastion treated it.

"I don't care Bastion. I want Marshmallon in my deck and that's final! End of story" Said Tara and was about to leave the room.

"But you will never beat someone at the duel field, with those kind of cards" said Bastion out loud.

"Just wait and see," Tara retorted and ran towards her own room. Sometimes, she wished that Bastion would stop being such a tactician, and fight with more heart. She slammed the door to her room. She was a little bit angry at him, but also stressed for the exam tomorrow.

She could hear Marshmallon's squeaky voice. It was trying to comfort her. Thank you, Marshmallon, she thought before falling asleep.

********************

In the morning, Tara was walking towards the Slifer Red dorm. She had agreed with her brother that they would meet before the exam. When she arrived, Syrus was running towards the school. In a really fast tempo.

"Hey Syrus" Tara asked. "What's the rush?" Syrus stopped for a little while.

"The exam, I don't want to be late. Later" he said and kept running towards the school again. I sighed. The exam was beginning in a hour, but it was better to be early than late. When Tara arrived at the Slifer dorm, Jaden was still sleeping in his bed.

Really, Jaden, really?! she thought. She grabbed his blanket. Jaden was saying something along the lines of, "I'm gonna win this duel", and was still sleeping.

"Hey! Hey Jaden! Wake up! We're gonna be late if you don't wake the hell up!" But Jaden was still sleeping.

Damn, I knew Jaden was a heavy sleeper, but this is just plain ridiculous! she thought in frustration.

Jaden mumbled, "Get your game on!" and was laughing in his sleep. Tara tried to shake her brother awake, but got hit by his arm when he said, "Wrong, because I play a trap!" Tara was screaming out loud. She really hated waking her brother. But then she got an idea. She got really close to his ear and yelled very loudly:

"JADEN, CHUMLEY IS EATING YOUR BREAKFAST!"

"What?!" screamed Jaden as he shot up wide awake. "Hands off, it's my food!" He was looking at his sister.

"Where is my food, Tara?!" he demanded.

"Nowhere, Jaden, but we're gonna be late for the exam. So get dressed"

Sometimes her brother was such an idiot. She was waiting outside.

"Lets go" said her brother. He was standing beside her. Tara nodded.

********************

They were running towards Duel Academy. Tara was of course the fastest. Suddenly they ran into an old lady, who had problems with trying to get her car up the hill. Jaden stopped.

"What's the problem lady? Don't have any fuel in the car?" he asked.

"Something like that" said the women with a lot of strain in her voice. She looked dead tired. Tara was looking at her brother.

"Come on, Jay or we're gonna be late" said Tara, but she had a feeling it wouldn't help. Her brother looked at her with incredulous eyes.

"You go on ahead Tara, this woman needs help" said Jaden with a hint of finality in his voice. Like she was gonna fall for that.

"No, Jay. You know I hate being late, And what about you? You're gonna end up being late as well" Tara said, but Jaden was not moving at all.

"I can't believe you're being this selfish sis" Jaden scolded. "This lady needs help, and if she was here right now, our mother would not approve of not helping, you know"

Tara stopped and sighed. Great, he had to pull the "mother" card on me. "Fine, I'll help, but I can't believe you used the mom card on me!"

"I just know mom would approve" said Jaden and smiled, before turning back to the woman. "Where are we suppose to take this car anyway?"

"To...Duel Academy," said the lady. She was sweating up a storm! "And thanks by the way. I'll never forget your kindness"

"Fine, whatever," said Tara. "Let's just keep going, before my legs turn to dust"

********************

"Tara and Jaden Yuki, you're late" said professor Banner, the headmaster of the Slifer Reds. "You only have twenty minutes of the writing exam left"

"We're sorry" said the twins in unison. "Won't happen again". They were given there papers and took the two remaining places at the bottom of the classroom.

"Huff, it was hard getting that car to Duel Academy, but I'm happy for the old lady"

"Yeah, me too," said Tara and sighed. "But I don't think I am gonna pass this exam now. The time is running out"

"Oh, you'll manage, Sis. I know you can do it!" whispered Jaden "You're smarter than me some times!"

"Thanks Jay, now lets beat this test!" Tara said and began writing.

============
Jaden P.O.V

"Jay, Jay, wake up!" Jaden woke up and yawned. His sister was standing beside him.

"What's up, sis?" Jaden looked around. There were only three people in here. Himself, his sister and the guy Bastion.

"What the -? Where are all the others?" Jaden asked in confusion.

"They're at the card shop, to get the new rare cards" replied Bastion. "Your sister said she would be going after she had woken you up"

Instantly, Jaden's excitement spiked. "Rare cards?! Then what are we waiting for, sis?!" He grabbed Tara's hand. She was smiling at him.

"Lets go!" she said with the same enthusiasm.

********************

"NO! All the new cards have been taken!" screamed Jaden and Tara in unison.

"I'm sorry," said the young girl named Shady. "But we've sold every pack there is. The last pack was sold to that guy over there." The girl pointed at Syrus. Tara and Jaden sighed.

"Great. First, we're late for the exam. And now, all the new packs of cards have been sold away, leaving us with nothing! Ohhh, can this day get any worse?!" Tara complained. Her and Jaden were about to leave, when suddenly a voice was calling their names.

"Not so fast you two," said the voice. It was the lady with the car. "I have something to give you"

"Wait a minute - you work here?" asked Jaden. Tara sighed.

"No, I own this place," said the lady. "My name is Dorothy. But here..." She tossed them some packs.

"Sweet," said Jaden and smiled. His sister was smiling too. "Let's get to the duel field sis" They run towards the duel field.

********************

"Hold up - you want me too duel against Chazz?" Jaden asked. He was pretty excited.

"That's right" said Dr. Crowler. "I heard that you and Chazz had a unfinished duel and I thought that you could get a rematch here in front of the whole school of course"

"Sweet," said Jaden. "I always wanted a rematch, and now it's time we settled it. You're on Chazz"

Dr. Crowler was smiling. Everything was going according to the plan.

"Hold it" said another voice. Crowler and Jaden turned around. Tara was starring at them with cold eyes.

"That's not fair. If my brother can duel against a Obelisk, then so will I" she said.

"Well miss. Yuki" said Crowler. He was not happy about this. "Who do you want to duel against, if I may ask?" Jaden was laughing in the background.

"If my brother duels Chazz, then I want to duel Alexis Rhodes" Tara spoke out.

There were totally silence in the room now. Alexis Rhodes was coming out from the crowd, and was looking determinedly at Tara.

"I don't mind dueling her, Dr. Crowler," said Alexis and was smiling at Tara.

"It looks like a fun duel, Sis," said Jaden. He was smiling.

"Okay, the duel is accepted" said Crowler. The crowd cheered loudly at that.

============
Tara P.O.V

Tara and Alexis was walking towards the duel field.

"I always wanted to duel you," Tara told Alexis, smiling as she took her place on her side of the duel field.

"Really? And may I ask why you wanted to duel me?" Alexis asked in a puzzled voice whilst activating her duel disk.

"Because I heard rumors about the fact that you're one of the best female duellists there is in obelisk blue. Or is that a lie?" Tara asked and drew her five cards.

"No, I don't think so" replied Alexis and smiled "But you're about to see for yourself"

"Oh, I aim to" Tara replied. "Now enough of the chit chat, and GET YOUR GAME ON!"

Alexis:4000Lp
Tara: 4000Lp

Alexis went first, drawing her sixth. She summoned Etoile Cyber (1200 att) and placed one card facedown card. Tara's turn.

"I draw," said Tara. "And I place a monster facedown and place two facedown cards. Your turn"

Alexis was smiling. She used Heavy Storm and destroyed the face down cards on the field. Then she summoned Cyber Tutu in attack mode (1000 att). She attacks with Etoile Cyber but because Tara's monster is Giant Soldier of Stone she loses 800Lp. However because Giant Soldier of Stone's att was higher than Cyber Tutu, the monster can attack directly. Tara lost one thousand Life Points because of that attack.

Man, Alexis is pretty good, Tara thought to herself. I guess the rumours were true.

"My turn," Tara said. "I use the spell Dark Room of Nightmare and summon a monster facedown. Then I attack with my Giant Soldier of Stone, destroying your Cyber Tutu. To end my turn, I place two cards facedown. Your turn."

Alexis was still smiling when she drew her next card. She used her facedown A Rival Appeared and summoned Blade Skater from her hand. She then used Polymerization to fuse her Blade Skater and Etoile Cyber, to Fusion Summon Cyber Blader and attacked with it. She destroy Tara's monster and Tara lost eight hundred points.

Now, it was Tara's turn. She drew and could hear the voice of her spirit. She smiled and placed it facedown. She revealed one of her face downs Skull Invitation and ended her turn. Alexis attacked on her turn, the facedown being revealed as Marshmallon and lost thirteen hundred points, because of Dark Room of Nightmare's effect. And then three hundred for the monster (Skull Invitation) and three hundred from the dark room again. Alexis ended her turn.

Alexis: 1100.
Tara: 2200.

Tara summoned Gear Golem the Moving Fortress, and by paying eight hundred Life Points, she can attack Alexis directly and take eight hundred Life Points from her. Then she used the equip spell card Marshmallon Glasses, which happened to be one of the rare cards from the shop.

Now Alexis can only attack Marshmallon. Tara ended her turn. In the end, Tara was gonna win. The whole school was surprised. Chancellors Sheppard congratulated her. She has been qualified for Obelisk Blue. Jaden had also won over Chazz and could move into Ra Yellow, but Tara had a feeling that her brother wouldn't leave right now.

"It was a good duel," said a new voice and Tara turned around. Zane Truesdale was looking at her. "I had a feeling you would win against Alexis."

"Zane, I thought you were my friend." Alexis said as she cane over, smiling as she came to a halt. She grabbed Tara's hand. "Welcome to the Obelisk Blue girls dorm! And here are my pda NR and Zane's too". Zane was starring at Alexis.

"Hey, you don't just give others NR away, Alexis" he said in an annoyed tone but smiled at Tara again. "Welcome. I hope we can be friends."