Shout Outs...

Psycho king: Gonda will duel yet, just wait and see.

Tyjet: You can bet he'll end up choking down the line.

Elemental Dragon Lighting: The simplest explanation is that with all the Blue Eyes support his deck is already pretty full. Don't worry, you can expect that a card as popular as ole' Red Eyes will pop up sooner or later.

0---0

"I wish there was more I could do..." Holland said to Gonda who simply nodded. "These are my girls, I can't just let them get hurt like this."

Shortly after Allie had fallen onto Gonda, Alyssa had put her sister to bed, politely requesting that everyone leave. J.B. and Serenity had left, wanting to get home before the night fell. Gonda, however, had stayed behind, for reasons even he could not truly explain. So teacher sat with student, two cups and a pot of tea between them.

"I know what you mean." Gonda said, taking a sip of his tea. "If something like that happened back while I was with my Troupe there would hell to pay. Circus folk stick together."

"I know... But I don't know what to do, the Ra Boys are getting set to go find Night Time and mob him."

"Don't blame'em, but I don't know how far they'll get... After all a mob is easier to see and avoid than a lone person." As soon as he said that footsteps sounded down the stairs. Both Gonda and Holland looked at each other before going to see who was up. As they walked over they saw Alyssa step down, face bearing grim determination.

"Alyssa dear... What are you doing down here?" Holland asked.

"I am going to get my sister's card back." She stated simply.

"Oh?" Gonda said before realization hit. "Wait! Are you nuts? Do you even have an idea of what might happen?" He shouted out before moving to the door, blocking it with his body.

"Out of my way Gonda." Came the harsh reply.

"Gonda is right!" Holland added, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Alyssa, don't be so rash! You can't risk losing to him, your sister--"

"Needs her card back!" Alyssa replied, slapping the hand away before stepping to the door. "Stand aside!"

"No! I can't let you go off half cocked like this!" Gonda shouted back. "If something happened--"

"Out of the way!" She repeated, glaring harshly.

"You want to find him, get past me! I challenge you to a duel!" The clown said, holding up his own disk.

"I have no time to play 'clown', out of the--"

"If you win I'll let you go off and hurt yourself!" Gonda replied, staring back at the taller girl. "If I win though you will stay here with someone who needs you here more than anything else right now!"

"Fine... I'll just have to make this quick!"

0---0

"I hope you guys know what you're doing..." Holland said as she stood to the side as Gonda and Alyssa readied their disks. "OK then! Duel!"

Gonda: 4000

Alyssa: 4000

"My move!" Gonda called out as he drew a card. "And I summon Dream Clown in attack mode!" He announced, calling forth a yellow and red clad clown with a blue cloak and hat, a green nose on his face. (3/1200/900) "Next I'll use Heart of Clear Water! I can equip this to Dream Clown, preventing him from being destroyed in battle."

"Some move." Alyssa sneered, drawing. "I summon Harpie Lady Two in attack mode!" She declared, a winged woman with red hair and a purple body suit rising to the field. (4/1300/1400) "I might not be able to destroy your clown, but I can still damage your life points! Attack Harpie with Elegant Dive!" She called out, her Harpie Lady leaping into the air and slashing at the clown who staggered back.

Gonda: 3900

Alyssa: 4000

"My Draw!" Gonda said, taking a card from his deck. "And now I'll switch my Dream Clown into defense mode to use his special ability!"

"Ability?" Alyssa asked as the clown took off it's hat and pulled out a rabbit. As it knelt it set the rabbit down who hopped towards the Harpie.

"Yup! You see when I move my monster to defense mode I can destroy a monster on your field!" He grinned as the rabbit opened it's mouth, coughing up a small bomb at the winged woman's feet that exploded, destroying rabbit and winged beast. "And for my next trick I summon Crass Clown, in attack mode!" Rising next to his Dream Clown was a fat round clown with a long scythe, standing on a ball. (4/1350/1400) "Now Crass Clown attack! Clown Bound!" The clown leapt off it's ball, swinging it's pole arm down, smashing into the ball which flew across to impact Alyssa

Gonda: 3900

Alyssa: 2650

"Damn it!" Alyssa shouted out as she drew a card.

'I don't believe it!' Holland thought to herself. 'Alyssa has never said that before! She's more upset than I thought... Gonda... Be careful.'

"I summon Harpie's Brother to the field in attack mode!" She announced, calling out a leather clad male with large red wings. (4/1800/600) "Attack Crass Clown with Mach Shock!" She cried out, the winged man lifting himself up before diving down into the fiendish clown, destroying it with a well placed strike.

Gonda: 3450

Alyssa: 2650

"My move then!" Gonda announced, drawing. "First I place one card face down and then I swap Dream Clown back into attack mode!" He said, his warrior clown standing up. "And now I summon Ryu-Kishin Clown, in attack mode!" He added, a clown with an ugly face and wings rising to his field. (2/800/500) "And when Ryu-Kishin is summoned I can make one monster switch it's position, so I can put Dream Clown into defense mode again!"

"What?" Alyssa screamed out as the Dream Clown took a unicycle from it's hat, setting it on the ground as it knelt down. The unicycle's tire screeched before zooming off, smashing into Harpie's Brother and shattering it.

"Now, Ryu-Kishin attack! Birthday Surprise!" Gonda shouted out as the evil clown took out a balloon, blowing it up as it ran over to Alyssa. Once inflated the clown popped it's balloon with a pin, causing an explosion more associated with a small bomb that blew the fiendish clown back to Gonda's side of the field.

Gonda: 3450

Alyssa: 1850

"This... Is not... FUNNY!" Alyssa screamed out, causing both Gonda and Holland to wince as she drew. "I will not allow a bunch of weak, pathetic, obnoxious CLOWNS get the best of ME! I play the field spell card Harpies' Hunting Ground!" She announced as the area around them turning into a small safari, monsters off to one side hiding in the grass. "Now anytime I summon my Harpies I can destroy a magic or trap on the field... So now I summon Harpie Lady Three in attack mode!" Another Harpie, this one with spiky blue hair rose to the field. "And thanks to my Hunting Ground my winged beasts gain attack power! Now Harpie, destroy Heart of Clear Water!" (4/1300/1400-4/1500/1600)

"Uh oh..." Gonda said as the winged woman dive-bombed his equip card, shattering it.

"And don't think you'll be using your face down card either! I play Elegant Egotist, which lets me summon Harpie Lady Sisters whenever a Harpie Lady is out! And she also activates my Hunting Grounds ability!" In a flash of light three Harpies rose wearing gold armour, one with pink hair, another red and another blue. (6/1950/2100-6/2150/2300) "Now my Ladies, destroy his face down card!"

'So much for Gravity Bind...' Gonda thought as the three woman slashed at his trap card.

"Now Harpie Lady Three, attack Dream Clown with Elegant Dive!" The winged woman smirked as she flew up, diving down at the opposing clown to slash at it's throat. "Now Harpie Sisters attack! Elegant Triple Dive!" The trio of women smirked as well as the dive-bombed the weaker clown, slicing it apart.

Gonda: 2100

Alyssa: 1850

"My draw!" Gonda said, glaring back at Alyssa as he drew. "And I'm going to show you the real power of my clowns! I place one card face down, and then I play Monster Reborn to revive Dream Clown!" He called out, the warrior clown returning to the field, bowing slightly. (3/1200/900) "These clowns are more than just cards to me, they represent me! They may not have a lot of attack, but they have heart! And no one calls them pathetic!" The clown duellist shouted back, glaring.

"And no one treats my sister like that beast!" Alyssa screamed back

"And I don't blame you for hating the guy, but look at you! You've lost your temper, your cool! If you went at him like this you'd lose, hands down! I know about these kind of guys!" Gonda said, crossing his arms. "They're bullies! I know, people outside the circus picked me on all the time because I was short! But letting your emotions take over doesn't help, it only digs you in deeper!"

"I could care less what you think!" Alyssa shouted back, drawing a card. "I am as focused as ever, and I will prove it now! I summon Harpie Lady One in attack mode! And not only does she empower all wind monsters with three hundred attack she can use Harpies Hunting Ground as well!" She announced as another winged woman arose, her pinkish hair shining. She smirked as her strength increased, (4/1300/1400-4/1800/1600) as did her counter part Harpie Lady Three (4/1500/1600-4/1800/1600) and the Harpie Lady Sisters. (6/2150/2300-6/2450/2300) The new monster smirked before taking into the air, diving towards Gonda's card.

"Maybe, but I use Waboku!" Gonda said, flipping his card. "Now not only does my Dream Clown survive any attack this turn, but I take no life point damage for the turn! And since Waboku is used up... Your Harpie Lady has to hunt something else!"

"But the only thing she can hunt is..." Alyssa said numbly as the winged lady turned in the air, re-aiming her attack at the field spell card, slicing it in two.

"That's right! Your own field spell!" Gonda said as the two Harpie Ladies power dropped (4/1800/1600-4/1600/1400) (4/1800/1600-4/1600/1400) along with the Harpie Lady Sisters. (6/2450/2300-6/2250/2100)

"So what? My monsters are still stronger! I just need to wait until the end of your turn!" Alyssa said, glaring.

"I don't think so!" Gonda shouted back as he drew. "It ends NOW! Time to show you the real power of my clowns! I play Premature Burial to revive Crass Clown!" He said, the fat fiendish clown rising again. (4/1350/1400) "It costs me eight hundred life points, but it's worth the price!"

Gonda: 1300

Alyssa: 1850

"Now I play... Polymerization! To combine my two clowns into... Bickuribox!" He announced as the two clowns bowed as they melted away, a green box with a crank appearing where the clowns once were. (7/2300/2000) "And lastly I play Riryoku!"

"What?" Alyssa scream out as Gonda played his card.

"Yup! Now I can drain your Harpie Lady Sisters of half of her attack (6/2250/2100-6/1125/2100) and increase my Bickuribox's by the same amount! (7/2300/2000-7/3425/2000) Now attack Harpie Lady Sisters with Jack Attack!"

For a brief moment nothing happened. Then the box's crank turned, playing a recognizable tune.

Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do...

Then the lid exploded open, a huge puppet on a spring launching it's self from the box to smash the trio of women with an oversized hammer, flattening them before being pulled back into the box, the lid closing shut, large sweat drops appearing on the surviving Harpies' heads.

Do-do-do-do-do!

Gonda: 1300

Alyssa: 0

"I... Lost...?" Alyssa said numbly as she fell to her knees. "But... How did I...?"

"Gonda was right you know..." Holland said as she stepped forwards. "Emotions are powerful, and at times they can drive us to do better. But sometimes... They can cloud our judgment too. This loss isn't because one deck is stronger than the other, but simply one duellist thinking more clearly than the other."

"It's like she said." Gonda added, walking forwards. "Mr. Night Time is the kinda guy that loves it when your all riled up, it only makes you easier to beat."

"...Yes... Yes you're right..." Alyssa admitted, wiping a tear from her eye. "How silly of me... I have always been telling Allie to focus and not let her emotions overwhelm her... And then I let mine control me. What a poor sister I am..."

"No you're not." Gonda said, shaking his head. "You got so angry because you love her, that's why you lost it. I know I wouldn't mind having a sister like you around!"

"Just to have another girl's skirt to look up?" Alyssa replied grinning as she stood up.

"Who, me?" Gonda replied, grinning widely as he pointed at his face. "You think I'd do a thing like that?"

"In a heartbeat." Alyssa replied before shaking her head. "Gonda... I believe I may have... Offended you... By insulting your deck... I am sorry..."

"Like I said, you got all riled up! I'm not holding it against you!"

"Well now that this is all settled..." Holland said, clapping her hands together. "Let's go inside. Gonda you can sleep in my room for the night... Given the recent attacks I can't simply let you walk home so late..."

"Wait... You're letting me stay in a girl's dorm? Aren't you afraid I'll do somethin'?" Gonda replied.

"No." The Headmistress said. "I trust you."

"Oh, now you've done it!" Gonda said, snapping his fingers. "Now I CAN'T do anything!"

The three shared a laugh together as the moon rose into the sky, waiting a moment before going inside.

0---0

"Hello! Gonda, you down here?" J.B. said as he walked into his dorm's cafeteria.

"No, he isn't." Walker said as he sat at a table a bowl in front of him, Bruti lying underneath. "He stayed over too late at the Ra Girl's dorm, Holland is keeping him there until the morning."

"Good, enough people been attacked so far, no reason to add him to the list." J.B. replied, walking over to take a seat. "I didn't know we had and Chicken and Garlic Rice leftovers." He added, pointing to the bowl.

"More in the fridge if you want it." Walker said, looking down at a sheet in front of him.

"Nah, I'm not hungry at the moment. Just worried is all. Who do you think this guy is?"

"I don't honestly know..." Walker admitted. "From what the attacked students say he plays a Dark World deck... Very powerful and able to get strong monsters out very quickly... No one I know of runs that deck."

"Dark World you say?"

"Yes. Whoever Mr. Night Time is we suspect he's either a student or someone who works here, it would be too hard for someone to just hide out on the island."

"Which means the cards he stole must still be here somewhere! If we could--"

"I know what you are thinking, but I don't want you hunting this man!" Walker said, levelling a stern glare. "There's been enough attacks, I don't want to see one of my best students get attacked too!"

"I know, I know." J.B. muttered. "But I just don't like sitting here and doing nothing! I want to do something!"

"I know... But I have a gut feeling..."

"Gut Feeling?"

"Yes. I think sooner or later you may get your chance..."

"You're not just saying that too get me to--"

"No, I'm not. I think something will come up and you'll get your shot. Now, why don't you go to bed, hmm? It's late, and it'll be Friday tomorrow. You can bet someone will be assigning homework!"

"Gee ya think?" J.B. replied standing up. "Catch ya later Teach!" He said as he went to leave the room.

"Bruti... Do you think my feeling is right?" Walker's only answer was a slight growl. "Hmm... Yes, I think I maybe right... We'll see."

0---0

"All right men!" A young man in a Ra Yellow jacket shouted out. His name was Duncan Highwind, one of the most respected students in the Ra Dorms. "Stick together! Let's find this freak and give him hell!" He shouted out as he held up his torch, other yellow clad students holding up torches, sticks and odd blunt weapons as well.

Among the group Brock simply shook his head, holding his own club. "It's going to be a long night..." He said as the group marched into the forest.

"Hunt me will they?" A figure said as he stepped from the shadows. "How amusing! They think they are safe, herding like sheep. But there's always a stray lamb..." He chuckled lightly to himself as he stepped back into the forest, shadowing the bright colours of his prey.