Dan LP: 1600

Number 68: Glacial Dragon: Dragon-Type/Xyz/WATER/Rank 3/ATK 1000/DEF 1000 - 1 OLU

Spell & Trap Card Zone: 1 set card

Leah LP: 1900

Number 17: Passion Aurora: Fairy-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 5/ATK 2500/DEF 1800 – 2 OLU

"No way..." Dan breathed, staring at the figure standing on the opposite field. "So these things... they're both Numbers?"

Leah glanced up at her new monster, then back at Dan. "It does look like it doesn't it... I don't know... something's not right here."

"One way or another, we have to finish this duel." He replied quickly. "We can worry about these cards later."

She nodded. "Alright then!"

Off to the side, the watchers were having similar reactions. The three teens were staring at the two monsters in confusion.

"Hang on, they both have Numbers?" said the red-headed girl in confusion, before rounding on the man. "Why didn't you tell us that?"

"Several reasons," replied the man, still fixated on the duel. "Chief among which is that I myself was not sure until just now." He smiled. "It's not a major problem; it just means we'll have to get a bit more... creative..."

*BACK AT THE DUEL*

Leah was about to declare an attack, but then she stopped, and forced herself to think. 'I can't just run straight at Glacial Dragon. At the moment it has only 1000 ATK, but it still has an Overlay Unit left, and detaching that Unit will take its ATK to 2700. Think. Don't just rush in.' Instead of attacking, she took a card from her hand to play. "I activate the Field Spell Card, Spiritual Haven of the Borealis!"

From her duel disk blazed a piercing light. Dan covered his eyes. When he opened them, he found them both standing on apparently nothing, within the aurora! The otherworldly lights – predominantly green – pulsated and flapped around them like giant celestial curtains. Every now and then, what appeared to be a small, glowing puff of smoke with facial features – Spirits – flew past their line of vision and disappeared into the aurora. Dan was awed by the sight.

"As long as this Field Spell is in play, all Spirit monsters gain 100 ATK and DEF for each Spirit I control." Leah explained. "In addition, I gain an extra Normal Summon each turn. Unfortunately, while I control this card, I can't Normal Summon any monster that isn't a Spirit." She grinned. "Still, I'm ok with that. I Normal Summon Otohime!" The red-haired Spirit appeared.

Otohime: Spellcaster-Type/Spirit/LIGHT/Level 3/ATK 0/DEF 100

Otohime: ATK 0 → 100/DEF 100 → 200

"Now I'll use Otohime's effect. When it's Normal Summoned, I can change the Battle Position of one of your monsters. So I'll put your dragon in Defence Mode!" The Spirit sent a stream of magic ropes at the dragon, which entangled it and forced it down into defence. "And since it's in Defence Position, increasing its ATK won't do you any good. Go, Passion Aurora! Attack Glacial Dragon!" The Number leapt into the air and began to gather a ball of golden energy in its left hand. "Ionized blast!" A beam of crackling yellow light shot from Number 17's palm and struck Number 68 straight in the chest.

The dragon roared with pain, but did not disappear. As the blast of energy from 17's attack abated, Number 68 was seen to be covered in a shining silver and bronze armour that was patterned like a dragon's scales. The armour bore no mark from the attack

Dan grinned. "I activated the Trap Card, Scale Mail. After activation, it equips itself to a Dragon-Type monster I control. While it's equipped, the equipped monster loses 1000 ATK, but can't be destroyed by battle."

Number 68: Glacial Dragon: ATK 1000 0

Leah gritted her teeth. 'Damnit. Not only did the dragon survive the attack, but it retained its Overlay Unit as well. That means I need to set up some defence for next turn.' "I Set one card and end my turn. And with Izanagi finally gone, my Spirits will resume returning to my hand when the turn is through." Otohime faded into mist.

"My turn then, I draw. I'll switch Glacial Dragon to Attack Position." The dragon rose up to its full height, spread its wings, and let out a roar. "Then, I'll activate Glacial Dragon's second effect. Once per turn, I can cancel the effects of any one card on the field until the End Phase. So I'll block out the effects of Scale Mail for this turn!" The dragon turned its head towards the Trap Card. "Flash freeze!" Number 68 shot a glowing sphere of ice at the card, which flared white light as it hit. When the light dissipated, the Trap Card was covered in ice, and Glacial Dragon's armour was gone.

Number 68: Glacial Dragon: ATK 0 1000

"Then I'll use its other effect, detaching its last Overlay Unit to increase its ATK by 1700!" Like the previous one, the Unit broke orbit and spiralled into the dragon's forehead, enveloping it with a pale blue light.

Number 68: Glacial Dragon: 1 0 OLU

Number 68: Glacial Dragon: ATK 1000 2700

"Next, I'll use the Spell Card Monster Reborn, to-"

"Oh no you don't!" Leah interrupted. "I should probably mention that Number 17 has an effect too. As long as it's in play, neither player can perform a Special Summon."

"What?" Dan gasped.

"Yep," she grinned. "So no Monster Reborn-ing for you."

Dan gritted his teeth as he took the card back. This was certainly no easy duel. "Fine, then I'll clear it off the field first! Glacial Dragon, attack Passion Aurora! Ice nova!" The dragon once again launched a blue ray of icy energy at Number 17.

"I activate the Trap Card, Bye Bye Damage!" Leah shouted as the Trap Card flipped up. "It prevents my monster from being destroyed by battle." Number 17 was struck by the icy beam, but held strong. The shockwaves pushed Leah backwards, and she covered her face. "As well as that, any Battle Damage inflicted to me is also inflicted to you at twice the force!"

"Oh boy..."

The Trap Card shone with light, then shockwaves similar to the attack shot out and struck Dan, throwing him back too as well. They hit the ground at the same moment.

Leah LP: 1900 → 1700

Dan LP: 1600 → 1200

The two of them immediately made to get back on their feet, but were suddenly paralysed by the presence still invading their conscience. But there was more to them than impatience this time. They were angry! They were bloodthirsty! Both of these presences were infuriated by the opposing Number. And that hatred was seeping through into the minds of the two teens. It was a new desire: they wanted to see the opposing Number wiped out, as well as getting the answers they'd been craving since the start of the duel.

But... that wasn't quite the case anymore. The two kids had started to have other thoughts, completely independent of the Numbers' thoughts. During the duel, they had both begun to remember something that they had never forgotten. To see something that had always been there. Their immeasurable trust for each other.

And now things were changing. They were starting to see that these doubts, these questions, weren't all theirs. A large portion of the thoughts had been placed in their minds by something else, and had never even occurred to them for one simple reason: they already knew the answers. They may not have been able to truly know each other, but they knew each other well enough to know for a fact that their friendship was very real, that their lives were linked in a way that few people's were, and that they trusted each other uncritically and without reserve. And as long as they lived, neither of them had any intention of betraying a trust like that. It was too important to them both.

This realisation only made the Numbers more furious. The kids were starting to reject their control, and were starting to see the deceptions, the twists in logic, that the Numbers had used to create these doubts. They had failed. And now each pair - human and Number - had to fight each other for mental dominance.

In one swift movement, they both got to their feet. The Numbers, realising their intentions, viciously assailed their minds with waves of pain, anger, fear... every negative emotion they could muster, all overshone by that one emotion that had been there since the start: doubt.

Slowly, battling with every fibre of their being to hang on to the trust and not allow the doubt to destroy their minds, they took a step forwards, then another. In the distance, the four watching figures started running towards the duel. Above them, the Numbers thrashed about, still embroiled in the mental struggle. The number 68 and 17 on the teens' hands were blazing with light so brightly, it was painful to look at. But the two of them weren't looking at them. They had their eyes fixed on each other, trying to give each other strength, and find strength of their own, just from eye contact.

Above them, the Numbers turned their attention on each other, and began charging attacks: Glacial Dragon's pale blue, Passion Aurora's bright gold.

The two kids reached each other.

The Numbers reared back to launch their attacks.

Both kids held up their duel disks...

They linked their free arms...

And placed their free hand on top of their own Deck.

Leah LP: 1700 [DRAW]

Dan LP: 1200 [DRAW]

The claxon sounded. The Numbers on the backs of their hands dimmed as the two of them, together again, began to really fight off the consciences. The attacks dissipated before they were fired. The Numbers thrashed about more violently than ever. All the other holograms flickered and froze as the Numbers refused to disappear. Their invasive presences began to assail their minds even harder.

Neither side could gain any headway. It was slightly different from before, as the skin contact seemed to be changing things. Each time Leah fought her Number back a little, the contact seemed to help Dan fight his off a little more, if ever so slightly, and vice versa. But it was slow. It was painfully slow. It could take forever...

Then both teens were tackled by another boy and girl, and all four landed on the ground, Leah and Dan separated from each other.

Leah cried out in pain and Dan shouted out "No!" and then the Numbers used the distraction to fully integrate themselves. Both kids' eyes widened in shock as all of the negative emotions hit them like a tsunami. On the battlefield, the monsters seemed to relax smugly, before turning to each other and began to charge their attacks again. Watching them, feeling the fight drain out of her in an instant, Leah felt a tear of helplessness prick her eyelids, and she fell limp against the girl still pinning her down. Vaguely, she registered the girl take hold of her left wrist, and felt something cold touch it.

Then it was gone.

The invasive presence was gone in an instant, brushed aside like a fly. The glowing number seventeen on her hand went out like a light. The monsters dissipated before they had a chance to let out another sound. The shock to her system was so great that she just laid there, stunned, as the girl pinning her down stood up and stepped back. The augmented reality faded away.

Eventually regaining control of senses, she let her head tilt to the left, to see Dan lying a metre away, eyes wide open in shock, apparently having received the same treatment. On his right wrist was a strip of metal.

Leah looked down at her own left wrist. There was an identical strip of metal on hers, cold against her skin.

Then she looked up at the people around her. There were four of them: two boys, one girl, and one man in a white coat, all watching her and Dan very carefully. She noticed that the three teenagers – who didn't look much older than herself – all had the same metal band around their wrist.

Slowly, she pushed herself upright, and the four figures watching her shifted uneasily. Vaguely, she saw Dan doing the same thing. They both got to their feet, watching the four newcomers wearily.

None of the six people said a word.


Author-made cards:

Number 68: Glacial Dragon
Dragon-Type/Xyz/WATER/Rank 3/ATK 1000/DEF 1000
2 Level 3 monsters
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. Once per turn: You can target 1 face-up card on the field; negate its effects until the End Phase. Once per turn, during either player's turn: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card; this card gains ATK equal to the ATK of the detached monster in the Graveyard, until the End Phase.

Number 17: Passion Aurora
Fairy-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 5/ATK 2500/DEF 1800
2 Level 5 monsters
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. Neither player can Special Summon monsters. During either player's turn: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card; negate this card's effects until the End Phase.

Spiritual Haven of the Borealis
Field Spell Card
Face-up Spirit monsters gain 100 ATK and DEF for each Spirit monster their controller controls. You cannot Normal Summon non-Spirit monsters. Once per turn: You can Normal Summon 1 monster from your hand as an additional Normal Summon.


Fun Fact #13: Basically, the reason this chapter wasn't finished faster was that we were procrastinating. Which is odd, because we generally use this as a way of winding down after a long day. Procrastinating on our procrastination... that's embarrassing. Sorry about that everyone, we'll be faster next time.

Fun Fact #14: Yes, Scale Mail is unbolded. No, that isn't a mistake. Yes, it does already exist. Look it up.

Fun Fact #15: One of the lines we used, "uncritically and without restraint," is a quote from Alan Beck and Aaron Katcher's book, 'Between Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship', in which they talk about pets. The full quote was: "No person is too old or ugly or poor or disabled to win the love of a pet - they love us uncritically and without reserve." Personally, I love that quote, and everything it stands for.

Fun Fact #16: Passion Aurora has the same Number as Leviathan Dragon, you say? I say, who's Leviathan Dragon? *Wink*

Fun Fact #17: Really, really sorry about the rather lackluster conclusion to the mental struggle of our characters. It was a lot harder than we thought, and it really was the best we could do. Sorry again. We'll try extra hard to characterize them and develop their bond better in future chapters. Still, its early days. We have plenty of time.