"Man I hope they show up…" Akiza thought as she waited by the doors to Duel Academy LA, It was the Christmas eve and the night of the annual party. DA had sent out invitations to past and present students, as well as other significant duelists. She had been invited because of her father; Mike, the former world champion, as well as her involvement in the events 10 years ago.

Akiza had been the first of her friends to arrive, and almost everyone else was present. She was starting to think they weren't going to show. Just as she turned d to head inside, something cold touched her hand.

She looked down, surprised to see a snowflake in 60 degree weather. Akiza looked to the sky and her eyes grew wide. She ran inside, yelling "Snow! It's snowing!"

Everyone there quickly headed to the doors or windows to see the amazing sight. Many of them lived there in California and had never seen snow. As Akiza returned to the doorway, she saw four D-Wheels approaching. As they got closer, she could make out the unmistakable designs, it was them!

As the D-Wheels parked, the first to dismount was her father, Mike. Dressed in his iconic one-of-a-kind Jack Atlas getup. She ran to him and wrapped him in a bear hug. "Dad! It's so good to see you! You wouldn't believe what's been going on in Tokyo!"

Mike chuckled, "There have been weird news reports, and James and I have been able to figure it out. Earthbounds, right?"

Akiza nodded "We have to go back though, the tournaments not over yet." Mike nodded.

"Akiza!" she turned to see James and silver getting off the second D-Wheel, James's model that only had a back wheel and had a hover system on the front. Silver, who had yelled her name, was dressed as Santa, which made Akiza burst out laughing.

Silver ran up to her, "What are you wearing?" Silver grinned, "Brightens the mood, doesn't it?"

Akiza shook her head, "Where's your duel board?"

"That old thing? I gave it to Toys for Tots."

James walked up, dressed in his old Ra Yellow uniform. "A hovering skateboard is kind of advanced for tots though, isn't it?" They all laughed. Then Akiza looked at James. "Hey, you two wouldn't happen to know anything about this freak weather, would you?"

James grinned sheepishly and held up the trap card Driving Snow, which was glowing slightly. "It wouldn't be Christmas without snow, would it?" Akiza smiled and shook her head, you guys, one of these days your going to mess something up bad, and then what'll you do?"

James shrugged "Any problem caused by a children's card game can be solved by a children's card game." They got another good laugh at that one. Akiza looked over at the other D-Wheels, Ryu and Shrab were by themselves and talking amongst themselves, though Ryu seemed to be staring past Shrab. Akiza's mark tingled slightly and two shapes materialized above his shoulders, his duel spirits, Watapon and Sangan. She waved at them, who squeaked and growled their greeting. Shrab looked at Sangan, who pointed. He turned and saw her, he smiled enthusiastically and waved. Ryu turned and nodded at her.

Her attention was turned to her dad when he walked up to them. "So, shall we go inside? James's whole snow idea was neat, but it's getting cold!"

So after they had gone inside, the party officially started. The duel fields were being used for dance floors the hologram projectors were linked together to create the illusion of snow that faded a few feet above their heads and Santa's sleigh flying circles above them. Akiza had walked to the duel fields, they were playing ballroom themed Christmas music and she wanted to dance.

After a few dances, she saw Silver standing to the side. She jogged up to him. "Hey Silver, why don't you dance with me?"

Silver blushed slightly. "I don't dance, never even tried to learn. Besides, Our dads called us out back, come on." So Akiza followed him. As they got to the entrance, they heard a voice behind them, "Well. I didn't expect to see you two here, but then again I'm not entirely surprised."

They turned to see none other than Brigid. She wore a flowing black dress that faded to dark green midway down. It had a loose top that concealed most of her cleavage… and her Millennium Ring. "What are you doing here?" Silver said in a low voice.

"I have an invitation, of course." She replied.

"I have a hard time believing anyone would invite you." Akiza said.

Brigid shrugged, "So we may do things differently, were both after the same things. We always were. And I'll have you know my invitations signed by the chancellor himself! We go back almost as far as you and your dad." She said, directing the last part at Akiza. "Anyways, I'm not here to fight, Your parents invited me out back same as you." Akiza and Silver looked at each other and shrugged, walking outside with Brigid behind them.

As they opened the door, they were greeted with all their friends, their parents, Shrab, Ryu, even the Chancellor himself was there. Behind them was a very large hat. Akiza walked up, Dad, what's all this about?

Mike smiled, Haven't you looked at the clock? It's past midnight, officially Christmas." He stepped to the side, waving his hands at the hats.

James smiled and held up a Magical hats card. "Merry Christmas kids" he said, the cards glow stopped and the hat faded, Akiza and Silvers jaws dropped. The hat had been hiding a D-Wheel.

The D-wheel had a silver paint job with chrome accents. The whole thing was blocky, yet sleek and streamlined. The handlebars bent down and forward, the nose had the look of a sports car while the back had the look of a crotch rocket. The engine was massive, the wheels had the look of a street racer car. On the back of the D-wheel in bright red was the whole Crimson dragon mark.

Silver walked up to it.. He put out a shaking hand and touched the metallic finish finish. He looked at his dad. "I-I don't know what to say!"

Ryu walked up. "I do, don't go riding it in the snow. Trust me, it's not fun at all. That's the first time my dragon mark acted up, if it hadn't saved me, I'd be a stain on the road."

Akiza looked around, "Don't I get one?" she asked.

Mike walked up to her. "No, you get something I think even Silver would be envious of. We never told you, but long ago your mark activated and you used a card that doesn't exist. Afterward you had no memory of it and it seemed to vanish afterward. I went to Konami and had a custom card made for you, it's one of a kind." He dug into his pocket and pulled out a synchro card. Akiza took it and looked it over.

"Mejestic Rose Dragon" she read, then looked up. "I used this?"

Her father nodded. "Same effect according to your duel disk's memory." Silver was looking over Akizas shoulder, mouth open. She touched a button on her duel disk and opened her extra deck, sliding the card in before closing it.

James walked up to Brigid, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, It's been a while, huh?"

Brigid nodded. "You understand why we had to do that, right?"

James nodded. "I will never agree with the means, but the cause was right. That's why we have this." He handed Brigid a slip of paper.

She looked it over for a minute. "An address?"

James nodded. "To a body shop here in town, We gathered the parts of your brothers D-Wheel and these guys rebuilt it exactly like it was before that duel. It took us two years to gather all the parts and them eight to rebuild, but it's ready for pickup."

Brigid had a look of slight disbelief on her face. "Besides the ring… the runner was the only part of my brother I had left…" she whispered. She finally looked back at James, then the rest of them "Thatnk you. You really have no idea what this means to me!"

Silver turned to his dad, "What about you guys?"

"Me and Mike are going back home to spend Christmas with your mothers, I assume Shrab and Ryu are spending the holidays likewise.

Ryu shrugged, "No disrespect, but my plans are my own. But we'll take Silvers D-Wheel to the port to have it sent to Tokyo should you need it in the tournament. It should arrive in two weeks. In the meantime you kids should head back inside." Akiza nodded to Silver and they walked back into the party.

When they passed the dance floor, Akiza took Silvers hand. "Please dance with me?"

Silver shook his head, the ball at the end of his Santa hat flying all over. "I told you, I don't dance."

"That's the beauty of it! You don't need to learn, just do it!" Akiza said. When Silver still looked apprehensive, she said "Isn't that how you first learned duel monsters?" Silver sighed and rolled his eyes. Akiza shrieked with joy and pulled him on the dance floor.

As the song came up, an instrumental version of "I'll be home for Christmas" Akiza led Silver through the steps. Despite being nervous, Silver found it was similar to martial art forms and quickly got the hang of it. After the first song, the next was surprisingly fast for a follow up, the Trans Siberian Orchestra version of "The Nutcracker Suite" Akiza looked at Silver, he had a fire in his eyes she normally only saw in a duel. Akiza smirked as Silver spun her around him

Silver was having fun, not as much fun as dueling, but there was something exhilarating about this. As the song picked up, He and Akiza spun and twirled, he decided to let his instincts take over and soon he was sliding Akiza under his legs only to pick her up and toss her into the air and catch her just as the song ended.

As everyone around them started clapping Silver and Akiza came back to their senses. They were panting and red, their faces mere inches from each other. Silver straightened up and lifted Akiza upright. Silver looked around at the crown around them and they started blushing. Akiza knew she wasn't blushing from stage fright, but she couldn't figure out why. As she let her hand slip from Silvers elbow, it brushed first his mark, which glowed faintly, then his bare hand, sending a chill down her spine.

Akiza was standing to the side of the dance floor, staring at her hand, wondering why simply touching Silver had made her feel like that. She been in contact with him a million times before and that had never happened before. As she was pondering this, Silver walked up with a couple cups of punch. She took one gratefully, the dancing had made her thirsty.

Silver stood next to her, watching the other dancers. "Well, I guess I've got to thank you, or I never would have found a new interest."

Akiza looked at him "What, dancing?" He shook his head.

"Naw, I tried dancing a couple of times after you quit and I just didn't get that rush I did the first time."

Akiza furrowed her brow, "What do you mean?"

Silver reached out. "First, I'd like to test my theory. One more?"

Akiza shrugged and put the punch down and took his hand, once again she was greeted by the tingle and butterflies in her stomach.

This song was a long orchestral version of "Silent night". They swirled around each other like lace ribbons in a summer breeze as the song continued Akiza felt the feeling reach a point where she didn't want the moment to end. She could tell Silver was having a great time and as the song ended he guided them into the same finishing pose as before, with her bent back and him keeping her from falling. Akiza looked above Silver and laughed.

Silver looked confused. "What?" he looked behind above him.

They had stopped right under one of the duel terminals on either end of the duel field, from which hung mistletoe.

Silver turned back to Akiza, eyes wide. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-" Akiza silenced him with a finger.

"I don't mind, I find it funny."

"Funny how?"

"Well, I've been thinking about something and I think that just made me realize what I've been wondering all this time."

"Which is?"

Akiza smiled. "I'm willing to bet my new card I have the same new interest as you."

Silver smiled. "Ahh, well you get to keep your card then. But since it's a bet, what'd you win?"

Akiza smirked "What do you have?"

Silver brought her face up to his. "Just this." He whispered, then brought his lips the rest of the way, they met in a kiss that sent lightning up and down their spines. As they kissed, their marks lit up like a certain deer's nose. They broke their embrace and stood up to look at their marks, which quickly faded.

Silver smiled. "Well if that's going to happen every time, it could get kind of annoying." Akiza laughed, causing Silver to laugh as well.

After they danced one more time, they went out front. With James gone, the snow was stopping, the sky never had clouds, and the snow had come from his psychic powers. But as the sky cleared of snow, they could see the sky. Normally in LA the lights prevented you from seeing all but a few stars, but tonight, even with the city, from the top of the hill Duel Academy sat on, they stared out over the black Pacific, and they could see a star brighter than the moon to the west, almost as if it beckoned to them.

After a moment Akiza broke the silence. "We have to go back tomorrow."

James nodded. "I know, at this point I don't even care about the tournament, those dark signers… they're as dangerous as the Orichalcos. We have to do what we can to stop them." He looked down, Akiza had taken his hand. He embraced her hand in his and turned to look at her. "But no matter what happens, I'll be fighting right there next to you."

Akiza smiled. "So will I." and she leaned in and kissed him a second time under the guiding star. They broke the kiss after how long, they neither knew nor cared and turned to look at the star. 2000 years ago it guided three kings west to Israel. Now it beckoned them west to Japan, and their destiny.