Author's note: Welcome to the Sequel to my story The Void. If you are here and you haven't read The Void yet, I would highly recommend you go do so before reading this story, as many important plot elements established there carry over to here. Otherwise, welcome.
Chapter 1: Freedom
Once Toby stepped out of the Void, along with Yuina Woods and Rebecca Scarlet, things were looking quite hopeful. The Security Squads outside the husk of the destroyed facility were tending to the escaped inmates without too much trouble (having been given the go-ahead by Akiza via communicator), and the flow was relatively smooth once the people got out onto open ground. Trudge had also notified Toby of the fact that, while he was in the Void taking care of the last order of business, Misty was informed of this new development and was reportedly on her way.
"Was she the sister you mentioned when we first met?" Rebecca inquired.
"Yes," Toby replied.
"And her name's Misty? Surname Tredwell?"
"Yes?"
"The same Misty Tredwell that I remember to have become the world's top model six years ago?"
"Yes, why?"
"I should have known. You are far too cute to be just an ordinary little brother."
"Promise me one thing, though, if it's her you want to talk to, talk to her directly!"
"You okay, Toby? You sound like you're hurt."
"You forgot, Rebecca?" Yuina began talking. "Toby told us that his sister's name and title preceded him. It caused him no end of loneliness. Anyway, there is one other thing I want to address."
"Yeah?"
"These cards," she revealed the EARTH and WIND cards they had acquired. "I'm sure Toby's already noticed this, but our job is far from over. There's a mystery behind these things, and as you two know, I don't like surprises."
"Come to think of it," Toby spoke, ", when I Dueled the Warden, as he summoned his Ultimate Black Machine, he spoke about 'horrors beyond'. On top of that, I found a bit of data. Although, if we do look at it, can we do so tomorrow? The only reason I'm not falling asleep is due to my extra energy from the nap earlier, and that's fading."
"Where's Toby?" a voice resounded, one that Toby recognized on the spot.
"Misty Onee-chan! Over here!"
"I'm coming, Toby!"
Soon enough, Misty found and ran up to Toby, who fell asleep just as she embraced him. From there, she took him, Yuina and Rebecca to her home to recuperate, with Trudge following as his car held all three sets of personal belongings. Once there, the younger brother was tucked into his old bed, while the other two girls with him were given the guest bedroom, by which time both had fallen asleep as well.
It was late in the morning when Toby came to (finding Rebecca sleeping right next to him for some reason), and he could hear arguing as he re-adjusted to his surroundings. Rushing to find the source, he ran into Misty and Yuina shouting. "The only reason I brought you with was because the officer said you were friends with Toby!" was the first shout from Misty that Toby could comprehend.
"The only reason I let you take us back was because we needed a place to rest!" came Yuina's counter.
"I wake up at my true home for the first time in a year and I find my sister and dear friend shouting," Toby stated.
"Well, what say we leave it up to Toby to decide instead of you just claiming this place as your own residence? Toby, do you allow this obscene woman to stay with us?" Misty responded
"You're pushing it, Onee-chan. She's just a bit untrusting of new people, that's all. Both she and Rebecca can stay here."
"Why are you so quick to trust these people?"
"I've known them since I was banished to the Void by Sayer a year and a half ago. If you call that 'quick to trust'…"
"Fine, they can stay, but just because you trust these people doesn't mean I do. Anyway, Toby, I've got some modeling work to do for the New Domino Magazine, so I'd better get down to the studio. In the meantime, can you get to the Duel Academy and reapply? Just because you're back doesn't mean you can shirk from your studies. I'll be free tomorrow, so hopefully, we can stop by Café la Geen to celebrate."
"Okay, Onee-chan."
From there, Misty took Toby, Yuina (who looked like she had something to say but didn't) and Rebecca to the Academy on the way to the studio. However, things descended into chaos as the Vice Principal Heitmann was refusing the admission of the three on the grounds that Toby decided to 'play hooky for a whole damn year' and that Yuina and Rebecca were just newcomer nobodies.
"Say that one more time and I'll make you a nobody!" Yuina warned.
"And what makes you think you can?" Heitmann retaliated.
"Well, for one thing, daddy, I can duel circles around you. The way you left my mother at that time was unforgivable, when I was five on top of that!"
"What makes you think you can-?"
"However, I'll let that slide, provided you give us immediate admission into this academy."
"I suppose I can make some sort of exception here, but you need to prove that you are worthy to study here in the first place! Toby Tredwell!"
"Yes?" Toby asked.
"You will be given an opponent to Duel; A very strong opponent. If you defeat this person, you will be granted scholarship admission with no questions asked!"
"Thank you, Vice Principal!"
"Get to the Duel Gyms, your opponent will meet you there."
Toby complied, and was soon waiting anxiously to meet his opponent. He, Yuina and Rebecca had settled on one dueling condition though: no Sacred Beasts. If there was a chance that there was a cult somewhere in the vicinity, they didn't want to draw attention to themselves. During their wait, Yuina couldn't refrain any longer from mentioning that, for someone who had just reunited with their long-lost little brother, Misty seemed all too quick to bark orders at him.
Some time later, Heitmann came in, followed by Akiza. "Hold on a second, I'm supposed to Duel Toby?" she asked.
"Well, he seems… like he's a high-caliber Duelist… and we need a good test of strength to make it legit. And with you being a perfect student-" Heitmann stuttered.
"Admit it: you don't want us being admitted!" Yuina shouted
"Shut up, girl! There is no way that little brat could even come close to beating the top student of Duel Academy!"
"Oh, we'll just see about that. I've seen him topple Duelists twice his size!"
"The Duel is starting, with the newcomer going first!"
On that declaration, Toby started his turn of the Duel. However, he just placed a card face-down to end his turn.
"How pathetic!" Heitmann was roaring. "Not even summoning a monster. How the hell does he expect to win? Akiza Izayoi, don't you dare hold back!"
Akiza drew, and summoned Evil Thorn (100/300), activating its ability to tribute it, inflict 300 damage to Toby (3700) and Special Summon two more Evil Thorns from her Deck. From there, it was a Closed Plant Gate, forbidding her opponent from attacking since she controlled two plant-type monsters of the same name.
Toby drew again, but activated Guardian Treasure. He discarded five cards to draw two cards and earn the right to draw two cards from then on. His set Disgraceful Charity revealed itself, returning the discarded cards back to his hand. From there, he placed two cards face-down and ended his turn.
During Akiza's turn, she Tributed an Evil Thorn to summon Rose Tentacles (2200/1200), summoned Phonexian Seed and Tributed it to Summon Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis (2200/0). The Battle Phase arrived and she attacked with the latter monster, but Toby revealed Nightmare Mirror, discarding one card to negate the attack and deal 1000 points of damage to her. After the attack, however, the monster self-destructed and inflicted 800 damage to him, leaving Akiza on 3000 Life Points and Toby on 3200. From there, Rose Tentacles attacked, but Toby revealed his other face-down Nightmare Wheel, stopping it from attacking. During Akiza's End Phase, Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis returned to her field.
Toby drew two cards due to Guardian Treasure. At that point, Akiza was dealt 500 points of damage due to Nightmare Wheel to come to 2500 Life Points. One of the cards Toby drew he set face-down and ended his turn.
"I thought you would have summoned a monster by now," Akiza spoke as she drew. From there, she summoned a Level 3 Twilight Rose Knight and used its ability to Special Summon a Plant-type monster from her hand, choosing the Level 4 Lord Poison. The latter was tuned to the former, with her chanting "Chilling Flames engulf the entire world. Pitch-dark flower, set into bloom!", to Synchro Summon Black Rose Dragon (2400/2000). During her Battle Phase, she had her Dragon attack directly, but that was when Toby revealed Back-Attack Ambush, ending the Battle Phase and granting him as many Ambush Tokens as she had monsters on the field. The total amounted to 4, and from there, Toby was given the chance to Tribute each one to inflict 500 damage per token. He Tributed them on the spot, dealing Akiza 2000 points of damage to come to 500.
Toby drew again with two cards due to his Guardian Treasure, and Nightmare Wheel removed Akiza's last 500 Life Points.
"How could you lose to a weakling like him?" Heitmann shouted.
"How is he a weakling?" Both Rebecca and Akiza asked.
"He didn't summon a single monster unless you count the Tokens! It's a disgrace to the name of Dueling itself!"
"You're a disgrace, daddy dearest!" Yuina roared. "Just because there are a lack of monsters doesn't mean that a person is defenseless! I've actually fought alongside him quite a few times, and many times he has saved both of our skins without even attacking. He is that good!"
"Fine. He is granted admission into this academy. As for the rest of you, you have to Duel and defeat her to gain entrance."
"Wait, I thought you would also give my friends admission as well!" Toby stated.
"I never said anything about blanket admission for those girls if you won. They'll have to Duel to enter as well!"
"You know what?" Yuina boomed again, "If you are going to make us jump through this many hoops just to get into one Academy, then fuck this shit! Rebecca and I can think of more constructive ways of wasting our time anyway!"
Toby sighed. He was hoping that his victory would net all three of them an admission, but if the crazy vice-principal only admitted him, it would have to be enough. Another thing he wasn't looking forward to was those godforsaken good-for-nothings that liked picking on him during his previous time at the Academy. However, unlike that time, he had people he could turn to if things did get ugly, so that in itself made it feel like a new day.