Vile: Guh... Another late nighter. People, I am SO sorry for these late updates. I try to get these done quickly, but it never seems to happen. I really hope this isn't costing me readers: You guys are what made me famous here on FanFiction in the first place, and I owe you all! But I'm going to bed for the night, so before I head out, I've got Chapter 7 of GSTART right here for you! Enjoy!


Yu-Gi-Oh! GSTART

Level 007: The Heart Held Out of Reach – Nazoko Ikari

As the day began to lead up to the start of school at Delta High, a monorail made the stop at Chi Station, and the passengers departed. However, one stayed behind until all had left, then they got off themselves. Each step seemed to happen ominously as the person approached the school, long teal hair being seen as they walked. As this person got closer, the students who were hanging out front saw them and went wide-eyed. Those who were in the center of the pathway moved to the sides to make a path for the person walking dead center.

That is, except for Doc and Plata, who were currently engaged in their own conversation and didn't even notice them. "You've been keeping track of how much protein's in your diet, right? For someone in a tough field like yours, you'll need it." Doc said.

"Not a problem with me, Doc. You're looking at a carnivore here." Plata replied. However, she caught sight of the person who walked right past them, widening her eyes. "…H-Her?!"

"Who?" Doc asked, looking in her direction, but his eyes mirrored hers. He recognized the mysterious girl as well. "I thought she was gone…" Plata nodded in response.

Plata then saw a timid-looking boy start to approach the mysterious girl. "H-Hey, don't try it, man!" She cried. The unknown girl kept moving with the boy following her until they both vanished into the school.

Doc and Plata looked worried. "This cannot be good… Come on. We'd better follow them." Doc said. Plata nodded, and the two of them headed into the school. However, there was no sign of either of them.

"W-Where'd they go?" Plata asked.

"Where'd who go?" Kohaku's voice asked. Doc and Plata turned around and saw Kohaku behind them.

"Uh… no one." Plata tried to say innocently. Based on Kohaku's reaction, it wasn't working, making her sigh. "Do we dare tell him, Doc?"

Doc hesitated, but also sighed. "He's going to badger us if we don't."

"If you don't what? Come on, details, guys!" Kohaku said, slightly anxious.

"Koha-kun… SHE'S back." Doc said.

"'She'?" Kohaku wondered, pondering the meaning of his sentence. However, within seconds, his head put the pieces together. "Oh, you mean-"

"YIPE!" A voice was heard crying, followed by a BANG of a locker, which startled all three of them.

"…I think we just heard the result of something." Doc said. He pointed. "That way." The three of them headed in the direction of the BANG, eventually finding the boy who approached the mysterious girl sitting and leaning against a locker with a dazed expression on his face.

"Ooh… You all right, man?" Kohaku asked.

"What a knockout…" The boy could only utter. In his hand, however, was a slip of paper. Kohaku bent down and picked it up, finding a symbol on the front: A heart protected by a barrier, hands being blocked by it.

Kohaku smirked. "I'd recognize this symbol anywhere."

"You should. It's a warning." A female voice said. Kohaku looked up from the paper and came face-to-face with the apparent culprit: A fair-skinned 17-year-old girl, same height as him, with long teal hair past her rear end that was VERY messy, looking as if she had bed head with multiple bangs coming over her face. However, the direct center of her hair was a solid white skunk stripe, starting as a third of the length of her hair at the halfway mark of her back, going up and thinning out at the front of her head, making her center bang white. She wore a baggy light blue t-shirt that seemed too big for her, gray sweatpants, and white shoes. Most striking was her eyes: The cyan orbs had a sharp Tsurime style that gave a hard, negative stare.

Kohaku's smirk didn't falter. "Well, well, well… Nazoko Ikari. AKA…" He held out the paper with the symbol on it. "…the Unreachable Heart."

(Nazoko Ikari Voice Actor: Kara Edwards as Videl from Dragon Ball Z)

"Take note, Yudin." Nazoko deadpanned. "If you come near me again…" She pointed at the boy on the floor. "…that will happen to you."

Kohaku gripped his heart in an act. "Oh, your words hurt me so much! Please stop it, Nazo-chan!" Kohaku overreacted. Nazoko's stare narrowed as Kohaku came out of his act with laughter.

"I gave you no permission to call me that… so cease it." Nazoko said.

"Get used to it, Nazo-chan. It's my little name for you." Kohaku said with his arms crossed and a grin. Nazoko looked angry. "You know, you're cute when you're mad."

"You still haven't gotten the message, Yudin." Nazoko said. "You act as though I'm someone familiar to you. It's as if you don't see the barrier that keeps me from you. Your ignorance is annoying." Nazoko turned her back to Kohaku. "It's as the symbol says: I will allow no one to get close to my heart. I need no one's help to live my life."

"…And that's why you're back at Delta High? Last I checked, you were spouting this when you switched to being homeschooled a few years ago." Kohaku said. "Not very consistent, are we?"

"…An unexpected financial situation." Nazoko replied. "If circumstances allowed me to remain in homeschooling, I wouldn't be here."

"Riiiiiiight." Kohaku said. "Yeah, I don't believe you one bit. Listen, Nazo-chan. You can spout this loner nonsense until the day we graduate, but by the end of school, you're gonna need someone to lean on. No one can go through life alone."

"…Naïve baka." Nazoko retorted. "You're no psychoanalyst. You can't see what goes on in my head."

Kohaku laughed a bit. "Whatever, Nazo-chan." Nazoko started to walk off. "Oh, before I forget."

"What now…?" Nazoko said in exasperation, stopping again.

"You ever thought about a new outfit? That one doesn't suit you." Kohaku said with a grin.

Nazoko clenched her fists. "…Stay out of my life, Kohaku Yudin… I'm warning you." She looked back and glared at him. "Those who try to reach out to me suffer dire consequences." She walked off without another word.

Doc gulped. "Koha-kun, how are you not nervous right now? She wasn't even talking to me, yet I feel like I just had a gun pointed in my face!"

"I can see right through Nazo-chan. That's not how she really feels." Kohaku said simply.

"She talked as if she was about to kill you! You think she's some docile kitten under that?!" Plata cried.

"That's what anime and manga call a tsundere, Plata-chan." Kohaku replied, still grinning. "And every tsundere has their breaking point. Nazo-chan can try and repel me all she wants… but that barrier's gonna break eventually." He beat his fists together. "I might've failed last year, but this year, I'll crack that shell but good." His eyes twinkled as he gave a confident chuckle, an image of Nazoko in his mind's line of vision.


*8 second intro*

Don't give up the fight! Play on!
(Background singer: Yeah! Play on)
Fight to reach your goal! It's on!

*rest*

With every step you take you grow
Everything you do, big or small paves the road
Life's just a game that everyone has to play
Use what you learn, and you'll seize the day

Level yourself up, and you can make it through
(Background singer: Yeah! Play on)
There's a great big world, waiting for us!
All that is left is for us to Start the Gaaaaaame!

It is ON!


The day had gone by relatively quick, and Kohaku and his friends had made it to lunch. "So, let me get this straight, man." Dizzy said, munching on a part of his bento. "You are trying to get Nazoko Ikari, who is, from what I've heard, THE most cold-hearted chick in the entire school, maybe even the whole Delta District, to be your friend?"

"That's a good way of shellnutting it." Kohaku said with his eyes closed and a smile.

"We've told him multiple times already that he's crazy for trying this." Doc said, munching a rice ball and gulping his bite. "Nazoko is unbudgeable: Multiple people have tried to get close to her. All except Koha-kun ended up like Kiyomaro did earlier today."

"Wow, Koha-kun, you must be special." Dizzy said.

"No, he just keeps his distance or actually fights her off." Yoru said. "Nazoko can be a nasty fighter."

"Yeesh. Based on this, Koha-kun's gonna get himself killed by that girl." Dizzy breathed.

"Some things in life are worth the risk, Dizzy-kun." Kohaku said seriously, slurping his drink. "Ah. If there's one thing I don't do, it's let someone go when they think they want to be alone. That kind of attitude isn't good for someone."

"Koha-kun's got a point. He's friends with nearly every kid in our grade." Plata told Dizzy. "He once said making friends with all of them was his goal for high school."

Dizzy grinned. "Anyone who does that should get an award." He and Kohaku both laughed.

"Get off me, you little leech!" Nazoko's voice shrieked. The group turned and saw Nazoko kicking off a muscular senior student with a glare, the student landing on his butt. "Touch me again and I'll ensure that what makes you a 'man' no longer functions!"

"Ngh, geez, say it, don't stamp it, bitch!" The student groaned. "How come Yudin never got an ass-kicking from you?"

Nazoko scoffed. "Yudin gets lucky. I've tried numerous times to drill it in, but the idiot refuses to listen."

"Ya talkin' about me, Nazo-chan?" Kohaku called, making Nazoko snap her head to him. "Gee, I didn't know ya cared! Bahahahahahaha!"

Nazoko narrowed her eyes, glancing back to the student. "I'll deal with you later…" She then stomped her way toward Kohaku and his friends, the senior scampering away in the meantime. Kohaku stopped laughing when he saw Nazoko's harsh glare in his face. "Didn't I warn you to sever your contact with me?"

Kohaku pulled out his Gamepad, tapped a few screens, and pulled up what looked like a list. "…Heh heh! Not only have you said that, this time makes the 30th time you've said that, Nazo-chan!" He said, showing her the list with a cheeky grin, his D-Vatar wearing a party hat and blowing into a party horn. His shirt was soon grabbed harshly. "Whoa!" He was pulled so Nazoko's cyan glare was staring him right in the face.

"You think this is some sort of game, you ignorant pixel-brain?" Nazoko asked.

"Everything's a game to me!" Kohaku said without missing a beat. His friends started laughing at that.

"She walked right into that one!" Cleo said while laughing.

Growling, Nazoko threw him back and buried her face into her hand. "Ugh… You are insufferable… Why did I end up in a school with the most… friendly person imaginable?"

"In my eyes, it's a sign that this anti-social act is supposed to die off, Nazo-chan." Kohaku said honestly. Nazoko glared at him. "Look, I don't know what bug crawled up your shorts, but it's about time that bug found a new spot to suck blood from."

BAM!

Kohaku recoiled with a stinging cheek from Nazoko's punch. Shaking his head, Kohaku felt his cheek. "Damn! What an impact!"

"It's not an 'act', idiot." Nazoko said, moving her hand back to her side. "I don't want to be your friend. I don't want you in my life. I don't want ANYONE in my life!"

All of a sudden, Dizzy jabbed a finger in her face. "You should be grateful that Koha-kun's even making an effort toward making you his friend! With an attitude like that, I'm surprised you haven't landed your ass in detention already!"

"Forget detention. I'm surprised she hasn't been already kicked out of the school." Cleo mused.

Nazoko's glare softened to a mere stare. "There's a difference between desiring solitude and becoming a sheer rule-breaker. I can be decent in terms of the rules while maintaining my desire to be alone."

"You sound like you have symptoms of anti-social personality disorder, Nazoko." Doc mused, having an article pulled up on his Gamepad. "Perhaps you need to undergo a psychiatric evaluation."

"You're no doctor despite your nickname, Robinson." Nazoko deadpanned. "My warning extends to all of you, including your new friend. Leave. Me. Alone. For good."

Kohaku had a confused look, then did a makeshift ear-cleaning maneuver with his pinky finger, getting some wax. "Huh. No wonder I couldn't hear." He flicked it away and looked back at Nazoko with a grin. "Now, what were you saying?" Nazoko went to punch Kohaku again, but Kohaku blocked it, grabbed her fist, and pushed her arm back. "Nice try."

"Release my hand." Nazoko said menacingly. Kohaku did so, and Nazoko pulled back. "I'm done dealing with you. Maybe if I just ignore you, you'll get the message."

"You've tried that, Nazo-chan. 9th Grade. It didn't work." Kohaku said with an easygoing smile.

Nazoko growled. "…You'll understand it eventually, Kohaku no baka. I will NEVER warm up to you. My barrier will forever block you from my heart." She turned around and walked off without another word.

Kohaku just smirked at her. "Such cliched dialogue doesn't help your case, Nazo-chan!" He called to her, but he got no response this time.

"Why do I feel like laughing my ass off right now?" Dizzy asked. Doc merely did an aside glance.

*Later*

Kohaku and Yoru walked into their sixth period class and took their seats. "Ah, Artifact Studies. My favorite class." However, Yoru looked to the side and went bug-eyed. Tapping Kohaku twice to get his attention, he then pointed. Kohaku followed his finger and got a surprise: Sitting alone, with a sizable gap between their seat and the nearest person (that being Kohaku himself), was Nazoko Ikari, having a bored/angry expression on her face. Kohaku gained a small grin. "Ain't this a little treat?" He whispered to Yoru, before glancing back at Nazoko.

The girl apparently heard him, glancing to her side. Upon seeing Kohaku, her bored/angry expression turned to pure anger before she turned back to the board. 'Of all the rotten luck… I get a class with this nimrod…' Her anger only seemed to widen Kohaku's grin.

Then, the teacher came in: A man in his mid-late 30s with short pale brown hair, purple eyes, and wearing a brown vest over a white shirt, blue pants, and brown shoes. "Nice to see you all today, class." He said, sitting at his desk. He picked up a piece of paper on his desk and read it. "Who is…Nazoko Ikari?"

(Mr. Konazuyo Voice Actor: Daran Norris as Mercurymon from Digimon Frontier)

"That would be her, Konazuyo-sensei." Kohaku said, pointing to the teal-haired girl.

Mr. Kozunayo nodded. "Arigatou, Kohaku." He looked at Nazoko. "Welcome to the class, Ikari-chan."

"'Welcome' is a relative state of mind." She said flatly, giving him an ugly look. "And don't use '-chan' at the end of my name."

Kohaku and Mr. Konazuyo sweatdropped, and several of the students talked amongst themselves. "Wow, what a bitch." "She must not've gotten a lot of sleep." "I hope I don't end up teamed with her."

Mr. Konazuyo wasn't sure how to follow Nazoko's comment. "O…kay…" He mused before turning back to the class. "Now that we're, ahem, 'acquainted' with Ikari, let's begin. Today's lesson will take place on the class D-Server, so everyone sync up."

"My kind of lesson!" Kohaku said with a hand clap before pulling out his D-Pad. As the other students pulled theirs out, Kohaku tapped the "Sync Up" button, causing his D-Vatar to give a short hop and wave before a portal opened up, which it jumped through. The Gamepad's screen then changed to show a wide-open server with a D-Vatar already in it: Mr. Konazuyo's. Kohaku's D-Vatar jumped in and waved to the teacher D-Vatar, who waved back as the rest of the class's D-Vatars warped in.

Despite the clamor amongst the D-Vatars, Mr. Konazuyo's D-Vatar noticed something odd. A counter with "00" appeared above its head as it began counting the student D-Vatars present. The total count came to 28 student D-Vatars, and the teacher D-Vatar looked back at Mr. Konazuyo with a confused shrug. "That's strange. There are 29 students. Who's missing?" Pulling up a student list, his D-Vatar began crossing off each student whose D-Vatar was present. Eventually only one was uncrossed: Nazoko. "Hmm… Ikari."

Nazoko gave him a glance from her space stare. "What?"

"Your D-Vatar wasn't sent into the server. Is your D-Controller not working?" The teacher asked.

Nazoko merely looked away. "Socializing is not what I do." However, her Gamepad (which was basic white) suddenly had its screen light up. When she looked at it, Kohaku's D-Vatar was waving at her with a cheeky grin. She immediately snapped her head to Kohaku. "What is your D-Vatar doing inside my D-Controller?!"

"Huh?" Kohaku asked, confused. Nazoko showed him the screen, which had his D-Vatar looking around with confusion. Kohaku smiled and laughed at his virtual copy. "I think he's looking for your D-Vatar." When Kohaku said that, though, his D-Vatar scratched his head and jumped through a portal that took it back to the main server. It walked up to Mr. Konazuyo's D-Vatar and conversed with it in their squeaky language.

When they finished, the teacher's D-Vatar looked at its owner and gave a speech bubble with a D-Vatar's head covered with a red X, making Mr. Konazuyo half-frown. "Hmm. In all the time D-Vatars have existed, this is the first student I've had to not have one."

"I told you, I don't socialize." Nazoko said. "D-Vatars encourage socialization. Therefore, I never made one."

Mr. Konazuyo fiddled with his D-Controller. "Well, since the D-Vatars are needed for today's lesson, I guess you'll have to improvise." From a portal, a red-haired female D-Vatar with a basic outfit emerged. "You'll be using this guest D-Vatar for the lesson."

Nazoko's eyes widened. "You can't honestly expect me to willingly use this… thing."

"You will if you don't want to fail this class, Ikari. We'll be doing a lot of this type of lesson throughout the year." Mr. Konazuyo told her. Nazoko growled at him briefly, but he ignored her. "Okay, everyone. You'll be put into teams of two for this, with one group of three." The D-Vatars in the room began to clamor for a partner(s).

Kohaku and Yoru's D-Vatars immediately high-fived each other, signifying their partnership. As the D-Vatars began to partner up, one was left: The guest D-Vatar used by Nazoko. Kohaku looked over at the teal-haired girl briefly, then made a quick message on his Gamepad. The message formed into an envelope, which his D-Vatar grabbed, then it walked over to the guest. Unlike Nazoko, this D-Vatar didn't look as if it was ticked off at a group assignment. Nazoko's guest D-Vatar noticed Kohaku's, and took the envelope when it was handed to it. The envelope unfolded on Nazoko's screen to show Kohaku's message.

Can you at least put up with us so you don't fail? -Kohaku

Nazoko shot a stare over at Kohaku. He was mimicking her stare, indicating he was serious. Sighing, Nazoko typed a message that was delivered by her guest D-Vatar to Kohaku's.

Fine, but if my grade turns out bad, you'll pay for it. –Nazoko

Feeling eyes on her again, Nazoko glanced and saw Kohaku had his crap-eating grin back on his face, making her look away. 'I get the feeling that this was a mistake… At least I don't have to sit next to him.' On the screen, her guest D-Vatar high-fived Kohaku's, signifying it joining the team.

Seeing everyone grouped up, Mr. Konazuyo nodded. "All right. The lesson for today is a Treasure Hunt." The main server suddenly morphed into a huge yet reduced-scale model of the planet Earth, with various areas of the planet marked by various landmarks. A list of numerous items emerged in the virtual air. "This is a list of treasures that can be located on the map. To find them, you'll have to use knowledge related to the treasures themselves, which you should have in your study guides from last week. Each area on the map has a smaller mini-map, which can be entered with the A Button. A passing grade is given to anyone who gets 7 treasures before class ends, with extra credit given to who finds the treasures first."

"READY?" A voice in the server said. The 14 groups of D-Vatars were on a large "START" space in the middle of an ocean. "GO!"

The groups scattered out. "Follow me, I know where to go first." Kohaku sent to Yoru and Nazoko before directing his D-Vatar across the map. Yoru's D-Vatar followed closely after him, but Nazoko's guest D-Vatar stayed put before moving elsewhere. Kohaku and Yoru's D-Vatars moved to England on the map and entered, going into a mini-map for the area.

"Why here, Koha-kun?" Yoru sent to Kohaku.

"I remember a treasure that was found here in England from before the class started." Kohaku sent back, his D-Vatar moving toward the area of Suffolk. "In two different time periods, there were two treasure hordes discovered right here… in Ipswich." Kohaku's D-Vatar began to examine the area where Ipswich would be. An exclamation point appeared over its head, and it came up with two gold necklace-like trinkets. "Yatta! The gold torcs from the Ipswich horde!" The treasure list emerged, and the torcs flew into it, causing a flash that checked off the torcs from the list.

"Hey, what the?" Yoru sent. The list already had two treasures checked off: A diamond-filled cigarbox from Skeleton Canyon, and an armor piece with gold within it from Montezuma's Treasure, both from the United States.

Kohaku's D-Vatar gave a half-frown. "Nazo-chan." Kohaku sent, both D-Vatars exiting the mini-map to get back to the main map. "OK, where'd she go?" Kohaku accessed World View, letting him slide the map at his leisure. He located Nazoko's guest D-Vatar in South Korea. "She's working fast, but not with us. Let's go!" The two partners ran across Europe and Asia and entered South Korea's mini-map. Sure enough, Nazoko's guest D-Vatar was rifling through a patch of South Korea, coming up with a stone Buddha statue from the Unju Temple. By this time, she had already unearthed two other treasures from South Korea, putting the whole team at six. "Hey, what are you doing?" Kohaku sent to Nazoko.

"Hunting the treasures. That was the goal." Nazoko sent back.

"We're supposed to be working together! Did you forget that?" Kohaku sent, his D-Vatar looking mildly annoyed.

"I agreed to put up with you. I didn't say I would work with you." Nazoko sent. "As I told the teacher, I do not socialize under ANY circumstances. I targeted areas with many treasures on my own and found them without stopping, and I've got five treasures in the time it took you two to find one. I'll find the final treasure on my own. Just sit back and be glad that you're getting the extra credit because of me." The guest D-Vatar left the mini-map. Behind it on the main map, and unnoticed as it ran off, was the teacher's D-Vatar. It didn't look too happy.

*Meanwhile*

Nazoko led the guest D-Vatar to the Czech Republic and dug up a bag of gold with a swastika on it: The war booty of Emil Klein buried near Štěchovice. The treasure flew into the list, checking it off. A large checkmark appeared over the list, showing the successful location of seven treasures. 'Excellent.' An envelope then appeared in the guest D-Vatar's hand, which it showed to Nazoko.

Please see me in this room after school. –Mr. Konazuyo

Nazoko raised an eyebrow at this. 'What could he possibly want now…?'

*After School*

Mr. Konazuyo waited patiently in his chair in the classroom when Nazoko came through the door. "What is it that you wanted wi-" She stopped when she saw Kohaku and Yoru in the room. She gave her usual cold stare. "…What are they doing here?"

"Ikari, I noticed your isolated methods during the treasure hunt, even though I clearly said that it was a group assignment." Mr. Konazuyo told her.

Nazoko was silent for a moment. "…What does it matter? I pulled most of the weight for the group, anyways."

"No, you didn't! You left us behind!" Yoru griped. "The purpose of a 'group assignment' is for us to work together!"

"Mezameru-kun is right, Ikari." Mr. Konazuyo said. "I'm beginning to grow concerned of your well-being because of this." Nazoko's hand began to clench without them noticing. "Perhaps you should see the guidance counselor about all of this."

"Enough!" Nazoko snapped, slamming her fist onto the opposite end of the table. She glared at them. "Get this through all of your heads. I have no concern for the concepts of teamwork, socialization, friendship. I don't need it, and I don't want it. I've done perfectly fine on my own for all my years of home-schooling, and I'm not going to be suddenly thrust into a world where I will be pressured to work with such insects."

"You can't go through life alone, Nazoko." Yoru told her. "Take it from me. If I had grown up like you, I'd be nothing but a wreck of a person. We all need companionship, Nazo-chan. It's freaking human nature!"

"…Then you can consider me inhuman." Nazoko said simply. "I will refuse any form of association with other people. How can I drill that into your heads?"

"Easy: You can't." Kohaku retorted with a smirk. "You guys don't get it yet? She's only acting this way so we DO try to make her open up to us! I've seen this all the time in mangas."

Nazoko growled. "You think this is some kind of a game, Yudin…?!"

"Yes I do." Kohaku said simply, making Nazoko's eyes widen. "You want me to be your friend. You just don't want to accept it."

"You want me to prove how much I don't care about you, Yudin?" Nazoko asked simply.

"If you can, which I doubt you can." Kohaku said with his smirk.

"Very well. I'll crush you in a Duel." Nazoko pulled out her D-Controller and pointed at Mr. Konazuyo and Yoru. "You two as well. This will be three against one, and I'll crush you all."

"What will that prove?" Mr. Konazuyo asked.

"That's I'm plenty strong without help, even against multiple opponents." Nazoko replied. "Go outside the school. You'll see my power."

"Heh. Challenge accepted… Nazo-chan!" Kohaku said confidently. Nazoko gave a slight growl at the use of "Nazo-chan" again.

"Wait, where do I fit in with this?" Yoru spoke up.

"Anyone who questions how I live my life is on the receiving end of my anger." Nazoko explained, turning around. "And those who receive my anger will be crushed by me." She walked to the entrance and left the room without another word.

Each of the males had a different facial expression: Yoru was unnerved, Mr. Konazuyo was concerned, but Kohaku kept his smirk on his face. "Koha-kun… your confidence scares me sometimes." Yoru said.

*Later* *Outside The School*

Kohaku, Mr. Konazuyo, and Yoru headed outside the school, finding Nazoko already there. "Took you long enough." The girl said.

"Hey, don't rush us. You're dealing with a team here." Kohaku said simply, still smirking.

"Working with others slows you down. Those who work alone are the strongest of all." Nazoko replied. However, Kohaku burst out laughing, making Nazoko glare. "What is so funny?!"

"You're still selling this? Get over it, Nazo-chan!" Kohaku laughed. "Friendship has been a focal point of this whole franchise!"

"…Everything can change. Enough talk." Nazoko whipped out her D-Controller. "The three of you will share 4000 Life Points against 4000 of my own, and every odd-numbered turn will go to me."

"Your funeral, Nazo-chan!" Kohaku chirped, taking a position on the far left (Nazoko's view).

"I hope he knows what he's doing." Yoru said, moving to the opposite side.

"Ikari could use this type of lesson." Mr. Konazuyo said, moving to the center.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't start yet!" Dizzy was heard shouting. He, Doc, Cleo, and Plata rushed to where the action was. "I ain't missin' this!" Dizzy whipped out his video camera and began filming.

"I don't Duel with Game Mode on. It's yet another way for people to connect." Nazoko said simply.

"You're no fun, Nazo-chan." Kohaku said with a fake pout, but he quickly perked back up. "Eh, who cares? It is ON!"

"D-Controller, switch on!" All four players had their D-Controllers clack onto their wrists, Mr. Konazuyo's being brown. "D-Gazer, set!" All four D-Gazers were placed on their faces, Nazoko's being a basic gray with a blue lens and Mr. Konazuyo's being white with a brown lens.

"AR VISION, LINK ESTABLISHED." Everyone's D-Gazers flashed, including some who stuck around to watch. "ESTABLISHING LINK BETWEEN A AND B." The area warped into the Augmented Reality.

"DUEL!"

Kohaku's Team LP:4000

Nazoko LP:4000

"Watashi no turn. Draw!" Nazoko drew her card for the first move. "Kaado san mai settei." Three facedowns went down, but an odd indicator appeared over two of them: The symbol of a black capital "S" with eight legs on the bottom curve, two pincers on the middle, and a scorpion stinger coming off the edge of the top.

"Eh?" Kohaku wondered. "What's that?"

"That indicator goes with a certain series of Trap Cards that I use. They enable the use of my monster's effects even while face-down." Nazoko explained, picking a card. "For example, I can Normal Summon this card with no Tributes because of it! Ideyo! Shinkurosasori (Neo Dark Scorpion)… Skrub the Blade!" All of a sudden, a section of the ground was outlined in white, and it popped open like a hatch. A figure jumped out of the open hatch, landed on top of the opened slab and closed it shut with one maneuver, then got to their feet. The figure was a young man dressed in a skin-tight red catsuit that covered him from head to toe (aside from his hands and head), gray sleeveless torso armor that went over his shoulders and down to his waist with six gold button-like studs on the front, a red belt with the same "S" symbol around his waist, gray pelvis armor that would've been connected to the torso armor if not for the belt, gray boots that were leather instead of armor, and gray gauntlets. This monster, however, also wore a lighter gray helmet with a small spike jutting out the front of the top, having a built-in dark visor over his eyes, as well as a blue neckerchief. The visor gleamed as Skrub smirked, reaching to a sheath at his left hip and drawing out a long, thin katana, pointing it at his opponents.

Neo Dark Scorpion – Skrub the Blade: Lv.5 DARK Warrior ATK:2000/DEF:0

"Turn end." Nazoko finished.

"Boku no turn! Draw!" Kohaku drew his card. "Pixel HERO – Red Hammer, Shoukan!" His signature red-garbed hammer wielder emerged.

Pixel HERO – Red Hammer: Lv.4 FIRE Warrior/Base ATK:1600/DEF:1400

"Red Hammer no kouka hatsudo! During the Damage Step, a monster it battles loses 500 Attack Points!" Red Hammer conjured fire in its hands before launching a fireball at Skrub. The fire hit him in the chest, not really damaging him, but he started trying to blow out the fire on his neckerchief.

Skrub the Blade ATK:1500

"Red Hammer, attack Skrub the Blade! Flaming Smash!" Red Hammer hefted his hammer and twirled it around, causing the head to burst into flames, then it began rushing straight toward Skrub while swinging wildly.

"Too brash for your own good." Nazoko mused. "Trap Card, Scorprank – Slope Stairs, hatsudo!" All of a sudden, the AR field flashed to an elegant mansion, and Red Hammer was rushing up a flight of stairs to get to Skrub. Then, the stairs folded down into a slope, causing Red Hammer to trip, slam, and start sliding back down them.

"Nani?" Kohaku gasped.

"Slope Stairs negates your attack and returns your monster to your hand." Nazoko said. As Red Hammer slid, he turned fully red and shot back to Kohaku's hand, reforming as its card. Right then, laughter was heard. Kohaku looked and saw Skrub laughing like a maniac. The AR field flashed back to normal. "And since I controlled a Dark Scorpion monster when Slope Stairs was activated, I can add another Scorprank Trap Card from my Deck to my hand." A card slid out, which she grabbed.

"Jeez, Nazo-chan. I didn't expect someone so serious to use cards that are so… funny!" Kohaku said, starting to laugh a little.

"Comedy can mask danger, Yudin." Nazoko said. "You will not get through my defenses."

"Whatever you say, Nazo-chan." Kohaku said with a smirk. "Magic Card, Respawn, hatsudo! This card lets me Special Summon Red Hammer from my hand since it left the field this turn!" His red HERO re-emerged from a purple portal. "Kaado ichi mai settei! Turn end!"

Skrub the Blade ATK:2000

"Watashi no turn. Draw!" Nazoko drew her card. "With a facedown Scorprank, I can Special Summon this card from my hand. Shinkurosasori – Zaire the Shadow, Shoukan!" Another section of the ground opened like a hatch, and from it, a shadowy mist emerged, which reformed into another human with the same outfit as Skrub, only without the helmet and neckerchief. The face was covered by a mouthguard and the hair was long, black, and thick, making determining its gender impossible. Zaire also had a black cowl with it.

Neo Dark Scorpion – Zaire the Shadow: Lv.3 DARK Warrior ATK:0/DEF:1600

"Now I shall release Zaire. Adobansu Shoukan!" Zaire vanished into its shadowy mist. "Ideyo, Shinkurosasori – Zero the Immortal!" From another ground hatch, a third Neo Dark Scorpion slowly emerged. This one, clearly male, gave off a thin white aura that matched its white hair. Then its eyes opened, showing them to be fully white and glowing. This character was not normal.

Neo Dark Scorpion – Zero the Immortal: Lv.6 DARK Warrior ATK:2200/DEF:1800

"An advocate of solitude has multiple monsters on her field. She's a walking contradiction." Doc mused.

"Monster Cards are merely avatars for the Duelist." Nazoko said simply. "It does not matter how many I have… I am still on my own in this Duel. Zero the Immortal, attack Red Hammer!" Zero converged the aura around his body into a white energy ball, then he lobbed it toward Red Hammer.

"Red Hammer no kouka hatsudo! Zero's Attack Points are reduced by 500!" Red Hammer shot a fireball that impacted the energy ball. Its power waned, but it was still enough to eclipse Red Hammer and destroy it.

Zero the Immortal ATK:1700 (for this attack only, goes back to 2200)

Kohaku's Team LP:3900

"Skrub the Blade, follow up with a direct attack! Scorpion Slash!" With a gleam of his sword, Skrub rushed toward Kohaku at high speeds.

However, he was countered by Mr. Konazuyo. "Bronze Mirror Relic no kouka hatsudo! If a direct attack is ever declared, I can negate the attack and Special Summon it from my hand!" The ground in front of him broke open, revealing an odd hexagonal piece of metal colored a blue-green, with a reflective surface that had the image of a tree on it. As soon as it emerged, the mirror face let out a flash that blinded Skrub. Unable to see where he was going, he ended up going past Kohaku and stumbling to the ground. Picking himself up, Skrub shook his head and growled before going back to Nazoko's field.

Bronze Mirror Relic: Lv.3 LIGHT Rock/Base ATK:500/DEF:500

"Arigatou, sensei!" Kohaku called, getting a thumbs-up from his teacher.

Nazoko's eye twitched once. "Your defense of him sickens me… Kaado ichi mai settei. Turn end." Her last card went facedown, an indicator showing it was a Scorprank appearing over it.

"Watashi no turn! Draw!" Mr. Konazuyo drew his card. "Magic Card, Unfair Barter, hatsudo! This card allows me to send my whole hand to the Graveyard, then draw 1 card for each monster I sent." His hand went to the Graveyard, and he ended up drawing 4 cards. "Time to unearth an ancient secret!" Bronze Mirror Relic began to spin around, and from three purple portals, three objects emerged: Three bronze egg-shaped artifacts with two rows of odd symbols on each. "Watashi wa Strange Egg Relic san tai de, Reberu San no Bronze Mirror Relic de Shinajaizu!" Bronze Mirror's spinning was mimicked by the three Strange Eggs, all four picking up speed to blinding levels. Their energy shot from them to above Bronze Mirror, forming a mostly orange energy ball with some yellow swirls within. The four Relics then morphed into Soul Towers that fired yellow lightning at the energy ball. "Kono yon-tai no tamashī o ketsugō shite, yori kyōryokuna atarashī no tamashī ga umareru! Kōzu Shoukan!" A loud yet low ring resonated as four tethers of some sort shot out from the energy ball, anchoring themselves into the ground. The energy itself began to morph into a large top-cut conical shape, shedding the energy glow to reveal a bronze and blue-green prayer bell of sorts, odd markings on the front reminiscent of a culture long forgotten, a two-layered arch on top. "Yomigaere! (Revive!) Live Relic…" Then, the top layer of the arch detached its sides from the bottom layer, and the arch's sides extended it length to resemble long arms of sorts. "Bronze Prayer Bell!" The two new "arms" clapped together with a loud, low ring.

Live Relic – Bronze Prayer Bell: Quality 3 LIGHT Rock/Composition ATK:1300/DEF:2800 4 Active Soul Towers

"You combined mere trinkets into a giant bell. While I admit your monster is impressive in construction, it doesn't stand a chance against me." Nazoko said simply.

"Wanna bet, Nazo-chan?" Kohaku piped up, getting her attention. "Watch this! Trap Card, Base Auto-Balance, hatsudo!" His facedown flipped up. "Since there's a Composition Monster on the field, I can take a monster from my hand with a Level equal to or less than that Composition's Quality, then Special Summon it to that monster's opponent's field!"

"You're giving her your monster, Koha-kun? Are you nuts?" Plata asked.

"Nope! The monster I'm giving you, Nazo-chan…" Kohaku picked his card. "…is Pixel HERO – Copy Eater! 0 Attack Points!" His monster emerged as a small pink creature that didn't look human at all, being made of solid metal and having a huge mouth with some sharp teeth. Regardless, it wore a cape around it with the pixilated "P" as the clip.

"Ace move, Koha-kun!" Yoru said. Copy Eater hopped twice before leaping toward Nazoko's field.

However, Nazoko let out a loud growl. "I will repel all who get near me! Continuous Trap, activate!" Her facedown flipped up and glowed. Right then, Nazoko's right eye glowed its eerie cyan, and the back of her right hand gained an odd image: A cyan-colored disc with an edge made up of odd runes. Whipping her arm up, Nazoko moved to swipe her hand in front of her. "Reject… BARRIER!" With a swipe of her arm, the disc-like image on her hand materialized as a thin laser disc in front of her, getting shocked gasps from her opponents. Copy Eater freaked before it slammed headfirst into the ba rrier, the disc not budging, before a force propelled the pink team pet back to Kohaku's field, exploding upon its landing.

"N… Nanda…?" Yoru breathed.

Nazoko had a hard stare trained on them. "This is the sigil of my unreachable heart: Reject Barrier. So long as it remains active, any monsters you own cannot be on my field by any means." Right then, a smaller copy of the Reject Barrier appeared on Skrub and Zero's chests.

"Kuso… So this is the card I've heard so much about!" Kohaku groaned. "You think that disc is enough to keep you safe?"

"It's not meant to keep me safe. It's meant to keep you AWAY." Nazoko said.

"Jeez, I don't know about you, folks, but I think we've found the top grade bitch at this school." Dizzy said, acting like he was talking to viewers of the video.

"Impressive tactic, Ikari. Credit where credit is due." Mr. Konazuyo said. "Kaado ni mai settei. Turn end!" Two facedowns emerged.

"Watashi no turn! Draw!" Nazoko drew her card, but Kohaku sensed a change in her voice: There was more malice in it. "Continuous Trap, Scorprank – Globe Turret, hatsudo!" Her facedown flipped up, revealing what looked like a basic globe set within a stand that had three legs. "Upon activation of this card, Globe Turret is Special Summoned as a monster!"

Scorprank – Globe Turret: Lv.4 DARK Machine ATK:1500/DEF:1000

"Skrub the Blade, attack Yudin directly! Scorpion Slash!" Skrub darted forward, ready to slice with his sword.

"Slumber Puppy no kouka hatsudo!" Yoru called out, removing a card from his hand. All of a sudden, a mass of multicolored bubbles billowed out around Kohaku, the image of a sleeping baby dog within them.

"Nani?" Nazoko gasped. Skrub charged headfirst into the bubbles, but as he tried to slice through them, his sword broke off, causing him to retreat to Nazoko's field with a scowl.

"By banishing Slumber Puppy from my hand, I can render the Battle Damage from any direct attack as zero." Yoru explained.

Nazoko growled. "Count yourself lucky you haven't moved yet… but now you'll take my anger, sensei. Globe Turret, attack Bronze Prayer Bell!" The top half of the globe suddenly flipped open, revealing a wooden gun that launched a trio of darts toward the bell.

"Bronze Prayer Bell no kouka hatsudo! By deactivating a Soul Tower, Prayer Bell is switched into Defense Mode for this battle!" One of the bell's towers shut off, causing its arms to slowly creak toward its center before snapping into a crossed fashion, the impact causing it to ring. The darts lodged into the arms, causing the bell to rattle. Then, its arms suddenly snapped back to their opened position, sending the darts right back to Nazoko.

"Grragh! Kuso!" Nazoko growled as the darts sailed past her.

Nazoko LP:2500

"After a battle where it used its effect, Bronze Prayer Bell is forced back into Attack Mode." Mr. Konaxuyo explained, his monster already back in Attack Mode.

"You'll pay for that... All of you! Zero the Immortal! Attack Yudin directly again!" Zero conjured another white energy ball through his aura and flung it toward Kohaku.

"Pixel HERO – Brave Blade no kouka hatsudo! If I'm ever attacked directly with a monster that has 1600 or more Attack Points, I can Special Summon him from my Deck and have him take the attack!" His green-clad swordsman emerged from its teleportation portal, landing right in the flight path of the energy ball. He looked up with zero fear in his eyes and threw up his shield, keeping the energy ball at bay, but it eventually exploded, taking Brave Blade with him. "Sorry about that, pal, but you always come through for me."

"Every single one of your actions fills me with rage…" Nazoko growled, her barrier glowing. "I can't understand why you place such value on helping each other… not do I WANT to understand it!"

"It's gonna around to get you eventually, Nazo-chan!" Kohaku told her, somehow still smiling. "You know why I'm strong? I've got support! It's like this song I heard: 'Together we are stronger that anyone else could be on their own!'"

"Tell her, Koha-kun!" Cleo shouted.

"…I will show you how wrong you are…" Nazoko said menacingly. "Kaado ichi mai settei. Turn end." This one was a Scorprank as well.

"Boku no turn. Draw!" Yoru drew his card. "Koha-kun, can I borrow your monsters?"

Kohaku grinned. "Be my guest, pal!"

"Are you deliberately trying to piss me off now?" Nazoko asked.

"Maybe." Yoru said. "Slumber Elf, Shoukan!" From a bunch of multi-colored bubbles, a small female elf monster emerged, sleeping while sitting and leaning forward. She was wearing a blue nightcap and nightgown, some blonde hair visible under the hat.

Slumber Elf: Lv.2 EARTH Fairy/Base ATK:0/DEF:1200

"May the dreams of our monsters be linked!" Yoru said. From purple portals, Kohaku's monsters (Red Hammer, Copy Eater, Brave Blade) emerged, but they were sleeping just the elf was. "Boku wa Red Hammer, Copy Eater, Brave Blade to, Reberu Ni no Slumber Elf de Shinajaizu!" Bubbles formed from their heads matching their Attributes (Copy Eater's were orange), collecting above Slumber Elf to form an energy ball collected orange with some red swirls. All four monsters changed into Soul Towers that fired purple lightning at the orb to energize it. "Kono yon-tai no tamashī o ketsugō shite, yori kyōryokuna atarashī no tamashī ga umareru! Kōzu Shoukan!" The energy ball then turned rainbow-colored and exploded into a massive form of clouds, an image of what looked like an airy landscape within the clouds. "All that can be dreamt can be brought into reality…" A figure dashed across the landscape multiple times, a squeaky roar being heard. "But sometimes, dreams bring themselves to us!" Then, the figure emerged in full view of the landscape: A thin serpentine dragon with a rainbow tye-dye color scheme, having two arms and legs with claws, the tail of the dragon having solid-color clouds on them in the shape of some sort of tree. Oddly, instead of scales, the dragon's body was fully smooth. "Arawareyo, Yumeryū (Dream Dragon)… Slumberlong!" The head, oddly enough, didn't appear threatening: It had large silver-colored eyes, six thick iridescent whiskers, and what appeared to be a mane of the odd clouds. It let out a squeaky roar as it gazed out from the dreamscape.

Dream Dragon – Slumberlong: Quality 2 DARK Dragon/Composition ATK:0/DEF:0 4 Active Soul Towers

"For threats I can't stall against, Slumberlong is there to aid me." Yoru said. "Magic Card, Heavy Eyes, hatsudo! This card causes one monster on the field to be switched into Defense Mode, unable to switch until that player's End Phase." Rainbow bubbles poured out from the card.

"Your Magic Card will not touch me. Reject Barrier prevents any Spell Cards from affecting me or my monsters." Nazoko said, the cyan barrier forming in front of her and her monsters.

"I wasn't planning on affecting you. The monster I'm switching is Konazuyo-sensei's Live Relic – Bronze Prayer Bell!" The rainbow bubbles burst in the bell's "face", causing it to creak lowly before its arms snapped back in front of it, causing a low ring. However, rainbow bubbles and clouds began to rise up from it.

"Mezameru-kun, is this part of your plan?" Mr. Konazuyo asked.

"Hai. Slumberlong no kouka hatsudo! By deactivating a Soul Tower, Slumberlong can absorb the dreams of an opponent or teammate's monster, taking its Defense Points and using them as Attack Points until the End Phase!" One of the Soul Towers shut off, and Slumberlong let out another roar, drawing the clouds and bubbles from it into its own mass from the front, effectively "eating" the clouds. Its eyes flashing, Slumberlong stuck its face forward and actually pushed it out of the dreamscape into the real world.

Bronze Prayer Bell DEF:0

Slumberlong ATK:2800 3 Active Soul Towers

"Arigatou, Konazuyo-sensei! Now, Nazoko, your monsters shall sleep tight, as Slumberlong can attack all of them in exchange for dealing no Battle Damage!" With a squeaky screech, Slumberlong expelled a jetstream of the rainbow clouds from its mouth.

"…Relying on others has earned you defeat!" Nazoko said. "Trap Card, Scorprank – Piano Bomb, hatsudo!" The field suddenly morphed into the same area as when Slope Stairs was activated, and Zero the Immortal was in front of a piano.

"Nani?" Yoru gasped.

"By destroying a Dark Scorpion monster I control, your monster is destroyed as well!" Zero grinned evilly, playing a short and quick piece on the piano as the cloud stream shot toward him. Then, when he struck a certain note, the piano immediately exploded violently, taking Zero with it. The explosions caused the cloud stream to erupt in explosions as well, going right back to Slumberlong and causing its dreamscape to explode. Slumberlong squeakily roared in pain as the image of it faded from the clouds, then the whole cloudscape exploded violently.

"Slumberlong!" Yoru cried. Skrub the Blade was laughing his head off again.

"Oh, man, this girl is tough!" Dizzy said.

"Your monster is destroyed, and since I still have a Dark Scorpion on the field, I can add another Scorprank Trap Card to my hand." Nazoko said simply, grabbing another card that slid out from her Deck. "You seriously think your combined efforts will do more than you have already? It was a fluke. I grew strong on my own, and I intend to prove that strength to you all." She glared at Kohaku. "Especially you, Yudin."

"Gee, I didn't know I was your favorite." Kohaku retorted, unfazed by Nazoko's malice. He glanced over at Yoru. "Got anything else under your belt, Yoru-kun?"

"Only these. Kaado ni mai settei. Turn end!" Yoru set his cards.

Bronze Prayer Bell DEF:2800

"Zero the Immortal no kouka hatsudo!" Zero's white aura began to reform itself on the field, taking his form as a completely white shade. "If Zero is ever sent to the Graveyard by a Trap Card… he returns to the field during the End Phase!" The white shade faded to reveal Zero himself.

"Hence the name 'Immortal'." Kohaku commented.

"Watashi no turn… Draw!" Nazoko drew her card. "Playtime's over. Trap Card, Scorprank – Secret Elevator, hatsudo!" The AR field morphed into the odd mansion again, and the rug suddenly lifted off the ground, with an elevator of sorts underneath it. "This card lets me Special Summon a Dark Scorpion monster from my Graveyard. Yomigaere, Shinkurosasori – Zaire the Shadow!" The elevator opened up to reveal the ambiguous-gendered Neo Dark Scorpion, who leapt from the elevator onto Nazoko's field, its cowl flowing as the AR field returned to normal.

Neo Dark Scorpion – Zaire the Shadow: Lv.3 DARK Warrior ATK:0/DEF:1600

"Doesn't this girl use any Magic Cards?" Dizzy wondered.

"I will never touch those cards." Nazoko said before Dizzy could even finish his sentence. "Magic Cards are akin to outside help. Trap Cards are products of the user's own ingenuity. Therefore, my Deck is one that uses Trap Cards to their full potential… to prove that all I need is my own brainpower." She picked the card she drew. "Behold the monster that will defeat you!" Another section of the ground opened up, and from it, another Neo Dark Scorpion emerged, this one being a 20s-year-old man with light purple hair down to his shoulder blades. However, this one really stood out: He had a bright yellow cape not unlike Zaire's cowl, gold gauntlets, a more ornate (and larger) "S" logo belt buckle, and he held what looked like a silver spear of sorts. "Shinkurosasori… Kaiser Trip!" The man opened his eyes, showing a bright green, and twirled his spear before pointing it skyward with a yell.

Neo Dark Scorpion – Kaiser Trip: Lv.4 DARK Warrior/Base ATK:1800/DEF:1500

"That guy must be the leader of the Neo Dark Scorpions." Doc mused. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

"It's over. Skrub the Blade, attack Mezameru directly!" Skrub dashed forward with intent to strike.

"Trap Card, Amber Pitfall, hatsudo!" Mr. Konazuyo's facedown flipped up. "Since you declared an attack, the attack is negated and your monster is forced into permanent Defense Mode!" A wave of amber liquid spelled out of the card. Skrub looked back and had his eyes widen as he was struck by the liquid, knocked to the ground and forced in Defense Mode.

"You wasted your card. Zero, move in and attack!" Grinning, Zero threw his hands up and formed his energy ball attack.

"Hang on, Yoru-kun! Trap Card, Fear Magic, hatsudo! This card keeps one of your monsters from attacking for two turns!" Kohaku cried, his facedown flipping up to form an odd magic scepter. The scepter's jewel glowed dark blue before it fired a blast of magic in the shape of a scary face.

"Fool. Kaiser Trip no kouka hatsudo! You targeted my Dark Scorpion monster with a Trap Card, so Kaiser Trip can force the target to become a different one!" Nazoko interjected. Kaiser Trip pointed his spear forward with a yell, and Zaire leapt forward in the path of the magic. The face struck Zaire and knocked it back, covering its face with the magic. The magic faded, revealing Zaire scared out of its wits. Meanwhile, Zero fired off the white energy ball, which exploded upon being near Yoru. All three of the team groaned.

Kohaku's Team LP:1700

"You can't aid each other now… Whatever cards you have left will be worthless!" Nazoko declared. "Kaiser Trip! Finish them off!" Trip rose his spear to the sky, causing it to glow, before he shot straight up and chucked the spear at Kohaku, the spear taking on a powerful silver aura.

Kohaku could only muster two words. "Oh, man…" The spear landed in front of him and gave off a powerful explosion that threw him back. "Gwaaaaaaahhhh!"

"Koha-kun!/Yudin-kun!" Yoru and Mr. Konazuyo cried as Kohaku hit the ground.

Nazoko LP:1800

Kohaku's Team LP:0 – LOSER

Nazoko's face appeared with the word "WIN" as the buzzer sounded, the Augmented Reality starting to vanish. Nazoko's monsters (sans her Globe Turret) let out wild laughter as they vanished. "Oh, man! They lost!" Dizzy griped.

"Nazoko is very powerful…" Doc mused.

Kohaku groaned as he sat up, shaking his head as Nazoko approached him. "Do you understand it now, Yudin no baka?" She said, getting his attention. "On my own, I defeated all three of you. Even together, you failed to defeat me." She pointed a finger at him. "This is why I warn you to stay away. Anyone who dares try to enter my life will face my wra-"

She was cut off when Kohaku suddenly grabbed her hand and shook it. "Hahahahahaha! Awesome Duel, Nazo-chan!" He laughed with a closed-eye grin.

"Unhand me!" She yelled, jerking her hand away. "Grrr… I should've known better than to realize you would get the message…"

"Oh no, I got the message, Nazo-chan. You're a loner." Kohaku said as he got up, making her raise an eyebrow. "It just won't stop me from trying to change that. Everyone can make a wall around them, but every wall's got that one little crack in it."

"Nice analogy. But it doesn't apply to mine." Nazoko held up Reject Barrier. "Reject Barrier is the wall around my heart: An unbreakable barrier with no openings. It's been that way for years." She turned around. "Oh, and one more thing." She whirled back around and slugged Kohaku in the arm.

"OW! What did you do that for?!" Kohaku griped, holding his arm.

"That was for touching me." Nazoko said while turning around. "I am the Unreachable Heart, Kohaku Yudin. That applies to even you. The world is merely an unexpected, yet unavoidable nuisance to me… and I will avoid as much of it as possible. Do not talk to me… ever again."

"Mission failed right there." Kohaku said, chuckling.

Nazoko growled. "I despise people like you who ignore my warnings…" She glanced back at him with anger. "Consider yourself designated as my worst enemy." She walked off without another word.

"Gomen-nasai, Yudin-kun. She had us locked down." Mr. Konazuyo said.

"Don't worry about it, sensei. You either, Yoru-kun. Nazo-chan's just a good Duelist." Kohaku said. He looked at her retreating form with a smirk. 'You can throw up as many walls as you want, Nazo-chan… but I'll break them down eventually. I'll become your friend and show you that life with others is better than life alone… Count on it!'


*7 second music*

I will not lie down, roll over
*3 second music*
I will not just let it by
*3 second music*

I will fight for what is right, yes I will not just let it go-oh
You may think you got this won but I still got till the clock's zero

I will not let this end here there's too much riding on this now
With my friends here by my side I will not let you tear me down
Give me one more quarter now 'cuz now's not when I take my bow
There's still time, I still got breath, so here's where I continue now

10…
9…
8…
7…
6…
5…
4…
3…
2…
1…
0…


*Preview*

Cleo: EEK! My skirt! What the hell?!

Kohaku: What's up with the wind today? I've had like five papers blown in my face!

Dizzy: I'm a fan of wind, but this is nuts!

Doc: Something isn't right here…

?: Nice wind, man… Shows a lotta sights, heh heh... Check it out…

Doc: What the?! How'd I get drawn into this?!

Kohaku: Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! GSTART: "Sykonetyk Strike! Against Aero's Wind!" It is ON!


Author-Made Cards

Neo Dark Scorpion - Skrub the Blade
Level 5 DARK Warrior
ATK:2000/DEF:0
If you control a face-down "Scorprank" Trap Card: You can Normal Summon this card without Tributing. Once per turn: You can destroy 1 "Scorprank" Trap Card you control OR discard 1 "Scorprank" Trap Card from your hand: This card can attack directly this turn, but all Battle Damage becomes equal to half this card's original ATK.

Neo Dark Scorpion - Zaire the Shadow
Level 3 DARK Warrior
ATK:0/DEF:1600
If you control a face-down "Scorprank" Trap Card: You can Special Summon this card (from your hand). If this card is selected as an attack target: You can activate 1 "Scorprank" Trap Card from your hand.

Neo Dark Scorpion - Zero the Immortal
Level 6 DARK Warrior
ATK:2200/DEF:1800
If this card is sent to the Graveyard by a Trap Card: Special Summon this card during the End Phase.

Bronze Mirror Relic
Level 3 LIGHT Rock/Base
ATK:500/DEF:500
If either player declares a direct attack: You can Special Summon this card (from your hand) and negate that attack.

Strange Egg Relic
Level 1 EARTH Rock
ATK:300/DEF:300
If this card is Special Summoned from the Graveyard: You can Special Summon up to 2 "Strange Egg Relic" from your Deck in face-up Defense Position.

Pixel HERO - Copy Eater
Level 1 EARTH Beast
ATK:0/DEF:0
Once per turn, you can target 1 monster your opponent controls and equip it to this card. This card gains the equipped monster's ATK, DEF, and effects. If this card is attacked while it is equipped with a monster: Neither monster is destroyed, and the equipped monster is Special Summoned to your opponent's side of the field in Attack Position.

Slumber Puppy
Level 2 EARTH Beast
ATK:0/DEF:800
This card cannot attack. If a direct attack is declared: You can banish this card from your hand: The Battle Damage from that battle becomes 0.

Slumber Elf
Level 2 EARTH Fairy/Base
ATK:0/DEF:1200
If you control no cards: You can Special Summon this card from your hand.

Neo Dark Scorpion - Kaiser Trip
Level 4 DARK Warrior/Base
ATK:1800/DEF:1500
Once per turn: You can increase or decrease this card's Level by up to the number of face-down "Scorprank" Trap Cards you control. If a "Dark Scorpion" monster you control is targeted for the effect of a Trap Card: You can change that target to another "Dark Scorpion" monster you control.

Live Relic - Bronze Prayer Bell
Quality 3 LIGHT Rock/Composition
ATK:1300/DEF:2800
1 Level 3 "Relic" Base + 3 Rock-Type monsters in your Graveyard
While this card has active Composition Materials: Your opponent cannot target this card for the effect of a card that was originally Set. When this card is attacked: You can deactivate 1 of this card's Composition Materials: Switch this card to Defense Position before applying damage calculation. At the end of the Damage Step: Switch this card to Attack Position.

Dream Dragon - Slumberlong
Quality 2 DARK Dragon/Composition
ATK:0/DEF:0
1 Level 2 Base + 3 monsters in your Graveyard
This card cannot attack your opponent directly. Once per turn, you can deactivate 1 of this card's Composition Materials to target 1 Defense Position Monster your opponent controls: Reduce its DEF to 0 and increase this card's ATK by the same amount until the End Phase. This card can attack all monsters your opponent controls once each, but if it does, all Battle Damage from battles involving this attacking monster becomes 0.

Respawn
Normal Spell Card
Target 1 "Pixel HERO" monster in your hand, Deck, Graveyard, or Banished Zone that left the field this turn: Special Summon it.

Unfair Barter
Normal Spell Card
Send all cards in your hand to the Graveyard. For each Monster Card sent to the Graveyard by this effect: Draw 1 card.

Heavy Eyes
Normal Spell Card
Target 1 monster on the field: Switch it to Defense Position. That monster's battle position cannot be changed until its controller's next End Phase.

Scorprank - Slope Stairs
Normal Trap Card
When an opponent's monster attacks: Negate that attack and send the attacking monster to your opponent's hand. If you control a "Dark Scorpion" monster when this card is activated: Add 1 "Scorprank" Trap Card from your Deck to your hand. Only 1 "Scorprank - Slope Stairs" can be activated per turn.

Base Auto-Balance
Normal Trap Card
Target 1 Composition Monster on the field: Special Summon 1 monster from your hand with a Level equal to the target's Quality to the target's opponent's side of the field.

Reject Barrier
Continuous Trap Card
Monsters owned by your opponent cannot be Summoned on your field or have their control changed to yours. You and monsters you control are unaffected by Spell Cards.

Scoprank - Globe Turret
Continuous Trap Card
Special Summon this card as an Effect Monster (DARK/Machine/Level 4/ATK:1500/DEF:1000). (This card is also still a Trap Card.) If you control a "Dark Scorpion" monster when this card is destroyed: Add 1 "Scorprank" Trap Card from your Deck to your hand. Only 1 "Scorprank - Globe Turret" can be activated per turn.

Scorprank - Piano Bomb
Normal Trap Card
Target 1 monster you control and 1 monster your opponent controls: Destroy them. If you control a "Dark Scorpion" monster when this card is activated: Add 1 "Scorprank" Trap Card from your Deck to your hand. Only 1 "Scorprank - Piano Bomb" can be activated per turn.

Scorprank - Secret Elevator
Normal Trap Card
Target 1 "Dark Scorpion" monster in your Graveyard: Special Summon it. If this face-down card is destroyed while you control a "Dark Scorpion" monster: Add 1 "Scorprank" Trap Card from your Deck to your hand. Only 1 "Scorprank - Secret Elevator" can be activated per turn.

Fear Magic
Normal Trap Card
Target 1 monster your opponent controls: It cannot attack for 2 turns.


Vile: Nazoko Ikari, the Unreachable Heart, has made her debut. Kohaku seems determined to make her his friend, but only time will tell. If you guys liked this chapter, leave a review for me! I'll try (that's the keyword, folks) to get Chapter 8 out quickly, so please don't go too far! Ja ne for now!

Computer Voice: Vile, logging out.