Converging Wishes
Mateo and Anya's puppet raced down the track. The large behemoth that is Frelt, the Ender of Lives trailed Anya's puppet, and Mateo looked at the Converging Wishes in his hand. He looked at his mostly empty field, except for his Speed Spell – Urgent Retuning. He placed his fingers at the top of his deck and drew a card. "I draw!"
Mateo: 2000 LP SPC 5-6
Anya's Puppet: 3600 LP SPC 7-8
"I summon Mirage Dragon in defense mode!" Mateo called as his dragon appeared in a burst of blue light. "I'll set one card facedown and end my turn!"
"Then it's my move! I draw!"
Mateo: 2000 LP SPC 6-7
Anya's Puppet: 3600 LP SPC 8-9
"I summon the Dark Soldier in defense mode. With his special ability, I can switch a monster you control to Attack mode, but I can't target him for an attack this turn." Anya's puppet snickered as the Dark Soldier sent out a barrage of gunfire that forced the Mirage Dragon into attack mode. "And you cannot switch him to defense mode until the end of your next turn. I'll end my turn with a facedown card."
"Looks like it's my turn! And by skipping both my Draw phase and not gaining a Speed Counter, I can use Urgent Retuning to call back the Delta Flyer in my graveyard!" Mateo called as his Tuner monster returned to the field.
Mateo: 2000 LP SPC 7
Anya's Puppet: 3600 LP SPC 9-10
"Just in case you have any illusions about protecting yourself with your monsters, I activate my facedown Trap Card!" Anya's puppet raised his hand as the trap card activated. "Critical Action! This forces both players to perform any action necessary to control only one monster!"
"Heh… Interesting. In that case, I use my Delta Flyer's special ability to raise my Mirage Dragon's level by one!" Delta Flyer glowed, and then that glow transfers to Mirage Dragon, and culminates in the forming of a delta symbol on Mirage Dragon's forehead. "Now I tune my level three Delta Flyer to my now level five Mirage Dragon! Darkening gales blast forth, signalling the coming of this defining creature! Illuminate the path of destiny!"
The three level stars of Delta Flyer flew out and encircled Mirage Dragon and created three glowing Synchro rings. Mirage Dragon faded away, leaving behind its four level stars and the delta symbol, which became another star. They aligned themselves in a straight line, which was pierced by a green light that expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro rings. "Synchro Summon! Arise, Black-Winged Dragon! In defense mode!"
"Very well. In order to satiate my Critical Action trap card, I send my remaining Sheep Tokens and the Dark Soldier to the Graveyard!" Anya's puppet donned a delirious smile as the monsters vanished. "And now it's my turn. I draw!"
"I activate my facedown card, the Cards for Cards Initiative!" Mateo called as he drew a card from his deck. "During every one of your Draw Phases, I can draw one card from my deck, however I must pay two hundred life points for every card I draw with this effect."
Mateo: 2000 LP-1800 LP SPC 7-8
Anya's Puppet: 3600 LP SPC 10-11
"I activate Speed Spell – Nightmare Visages! At the cost of six Speed Counters, this card can be used as the cost for up to six tributes in any form besides that of a Tribute Summon." Anya's puppet activated the card, and six ghostly spirits flowed out of it and onto the field.
Anya's Puppet: 3600 LP SPC 11-5
"Now I'll use Frelt, the Ender of Lives, to attack your Black-Winged Dragon!" Anya's puppet laughed as the mighty knight hefted its weapon and brought it down on the dragon. As it made contact, it exploded into a blizzard of holographic shards, the shockwave following. Moments before the shockwave struck, the world lost saturation and became slow. Mateo watched as a black shadow was on a direct trajectory for Crow, in the stands, and Mateo concentrated on it. The harder Mateo concentrated, the slower it travelled, until it changed direction completely and started accelerating towards Mateo. His Mark of the Dragon started to glow even brighter as he held it up in front of him. In the reflection on his Duel Runner, his eyes were glowing white on the irises as the world returned to its regular pace and saturation.
"Ability of Light, the Unwavering Devotion! With this, I'll protect my friends!" Both the shockwave of his Dragon's destruction and the damage that was directed to Crow smashed into Mateo at once, and his scream of pain pierced the arena. He felt blood drip from his nose and the corners of his mouth, as the extreme burst of pain subsided.
"Mateo! Are you okay?" Yusei's voice boomed over the intercom.
"Y-yeah. I'm okay. That hurt like a bitch, though."
"What happened? Crow said that he didn't feel any pain at all when his Dragon was destroyed."
"I absorbed it."
"What?"
"I used the powers the Crimson Dragon gave me to absorb the pain that was directed at Crow."
"There's no way that's safe. Are you sure you're okay?"
Mateo wiped some of the blood away from his mouth. "Besides some lost blood and the feeling like my stomach is stuck in my throat, I think I'm okay."
"Just be careful, Mateo."
"Already on it."
"Hate to break up this heartwarming gabfest, but I have a duel to win!" Anya's puppet sneered. Both Mateo and Anya's puppet looked up to Frelt's sword, which was glowing purple as it absorbed the energy of Black-Winged Dragon. After which, one of the Nightmare Visage ghosts flew into Frelt's head, satisfying the sacrifice.
Frelt, the Ender of Lives: 12500 ATK + 2800 ATK = 15300 ATK
"It's my turn! Draw!"
Mateo: 1800 LP SPC 8-9
Anya's Puppet: 3600 LP SPC 5-6
"I activate Speed Spell – Swords of Revealing Light! At the cost of three Speed Counters, I can prevent you from attacking for three turns!"
Mateo: 1800 LP SPC 9-6
"Next, I summon my Stardust Xiaolong in defense mode!"
"My turn! Draw!"
"With the Cards for Cards Initiative, I can pay two hundred Life Points to draw a card of my own!" Mateo drew a card.
Mateo: 1800 LP-1600 LP SPC 6-7
Anya's Puppet: 3600 LP SPC 6-7
"I use Speed Spell – Mystical Space Typhoon! At the cost of two Speed Counters, I can destroy one card on the field!"
"I recommend you be careful with your choice. All three cards that you can use your Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy are incredibly beneficial to me. Any one of them will still give me an advantage." Mateo stated.
"You have no advantage! I do! Space Typhoon! Destroy the Swords of Revealing Light!" As Anya's puppet screamed this, the storm appeared and obliterated the Swords.
Anya's Puppet: SPC 7-5
"Now, I use Frelt to attack your Stardust Xiaolong! Nightmare Blade attack!" Frelt hefted its mighty bade and brought it down against the tiny monster guarding Mateo's Life Points. Against all odds, it survives the attack unscathed. "What?"
"I thought Frelt was designed to destroy any who stand in its path? Or was it just not expecting a monster so small to be so important?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Once per turn, Stardust Xiaolong cannot be destroyed in battle. This means my monster is still around to defend my Life Points." Mateo smirked as he glanced up to the large knight. "Clearly, Frelt is unable to prevent a monster from being slightly invulnerable. And now that you have wasted an attack, you have also wasted one of your Nightmare Visages!"
On cue, one of the Nightmare Visages flew into Frelt's head, satisfying the necessary sacrifice. Anya's puppet growled and sighed. "I end my turn."
"I skip my Draw Phase and my Speed Counter to call the Delta Flyer that rests in my Graveyard!" Mateo's monster burst to the field once again.
Mateo: 1600 LP SPC 7
Anya's Puppet: 3600 LP SPC 5-6
"Next, I'll pay four Speed Counters to use my Speed Spell – Pot of Greed!" Mateo called. "This allows me to draw two cards!"
Mateo: 1600 LP SPC 7-3
"Next, I summon my Hunter Dragon! And with my Delta Flyer, I raise my Stardust Xiaolong's level by one, and I tune my three monsters together!" After a delta symbol appears on Stardust Xiaolong's forehead, the three level stars flew out of Delta Flyer and encircled the two monsters, creating a green Synchro rings. Hunter Dragon and Stardust Xiaolong vanished, leaving behind the delta symbol and four glowing level stars, three from Hunter Dragon, and one from Stardust Xiaolong. The delta symbol formed into another level star, and they flew into a straight line, which was then pierced by a green light that expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro rings.
"The Earth burns in this terribly beautiful display of power and might! Illuminate the path of destiny!" Mateo raised his hand as his card formed between his fingers. "Synchro Summon! My display of strength, Red Dragon Archfiend!"
With a mighty roar, the Red Dragon Archfiend appeared to the field. "With this facedown card, I'll end my turn."
"You've summoned yet another Synchro monster, have you? You clearly haven't learned your lesson!" Anya's puppet smirked evilly. "It's my turn! Draw!"
"And I'll draw as well!"
Mateo: 1600 LP-1400 LP SPC 3-4
Anya's Puppet: 3600 LP SPC 6-7
"Draw as many cards as you like. This duel ends here!" Anya's true voice pierced through the puppet completely as the fell laughter flooded the field again. "Frelt, the Ender of Lives! Annihilate the Yurigaya once and for all!"
Frelt raised its sword into the air and brought it down upon Red Dragon Archfiend.
"If this attack lands, Mateo will lose the duel!" Jack stepped forward as the sword came down upon Mateo's monster. At the last moment, a roar pierced the stadium, and Frelt backed off.
"What the hell?"
"When you entered your Battle Phase, I activated my Threatening Roar trap card. It allows me to prevent you from declaring an attack this turn!" Mateo countered. "My Red Dragon is safe."
"Grrr."
"Now it's my turn!"
Mateo: 1400 LP SPC 4-5
Anya's Puppet: 3600 LP SPC 7-8
"I activate the effects of Speed World 3! By revealing a Speed Spell in my hand and by paying four Speed Counters, I can draw one card!" Mateo called as he revealed the card in his hand. "The card I am revealing is my Speed Spell – Terminal Velocity card!"
Mateo: SPC 5-1
My chances of victory depend on this next draw. Come on, deck, don't let me down! Mateo drew a card from his deck. "Just the card I was hoping for! I activate Terminal Velocity! This allows me to increase my Speed Counters to max for this turn, however I can pay more than my counter holds, I just have to pay five hundred life points for each excess at my End Phase. But I won't even have to take it that far!"
The Piercing Light picked up speed until it was at the pace it would normally be, but due to the Dark Seal, it was much slower regardless.
Mateo: SPC 1-16
"I activate Speed Spell – Chest of Greed! At the cost of twelve Speed Counters, I can draw until I have six cards in my hand!" Mateo flipped the top cards of his deck until there was only five between his fingers, and he drew them. His white Speed Counters turned a red color, however his Duel Runner was still at its accelerated speed. "Of course, since my Terminal Velocity is in effect for the entire duration of my turn, paying Speed Counters doesn't do much. But it still fills my hand."
SPC 16-4
"And now I Summon Influence Dragon! By the effect of a monster in my hand, I special summon Turbo Booster!" Mateo's monsters appeared to the field. "I tune my level three Influence Dragon to my level one Turbo Booster! The pulsation of all my heart, flow into this being who will bring about the salvation of all that I hold dear! Illuminate the path of destiny!"
A green light pierced through the single level star of Turbo Booster and expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro rings. "Synchro Summon! Pulsate, my Synchro Tuner, Phonon Pulse Dragon!"
"Phonon Pulse Dragon?" Anya's puppet inquired. "I've never heard of that Synchro Tuner before…"
"And with his special ability, I can modify its level to a number between 1 and 3! And I'm gonna choose two!" Mateo called as his monster's level was reduced. "Next, I activate the spell card Speed Spell – Level Cyclone! At the cost of one Speed Counter and one hundred Life Points per level, I can special summon monsters who have a combined level total equaling that of what I paid."
"What good will that do you?" Anya's puppet looked at the swirling cyclone that erupted to the field. If he's trying to summon the Red Nova, then this duel may actually turn in his favor!
Mateo: 1400 LP-1200 LP SPC 4-2
"From deep within the cyclone, I call out the Stardust Xiaolong and White Stone of Legend from my Graveyard!" Mateo called as his monsters returned to the field. "And now, I'm gonna tune my two monsters together!"
"Aiming for Formula, are you? That's the only way you could possibly summon Red Nova Dragon now!" Anya's puppet twitched at the thought of the monster being summoned.
"Actually, I'm aiming to break through the bonds that you've set through this duel! I told you that my hopes and dreams were what I used to duel! Now it's time to show you how!" Mateo's White Stone cast out its level star and it encircled the Stardust Xiaolong in a green Synchro ring. Xiaolong faded away, leaving its glowing level star behind. A green light pierced through the star and expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro ring. "A surge and rush of the tech from the future. A light as this creature comes forth! Illuminate the path of destiny!"
Mateo pulled his Synchro monster from his extra deck. "Synchro Summon! The buzzing Tech Genus, Recipro Dragonfly!"
Yusei revelled in shock. "Where did you get Recipro Dragonfly?"
"I sensed it calling to me. Ten years ago, when the Arc Cradle was high in the sky, the card fell to me. It brought me the sadness it felt from losing its previous owner and friend." Mateo explained. "Bruno."
"Yes. That was his."
"I'll use his friend to show this… This monster… What true bonds are made of! So let's GOOO!" Mateo threw his hand into the air and clenched it into a fist as his Mark glowed even brighter, causing the Marks of the six other Signers to glow as well. "Now, my friends… I need your help… Now, more than ever… So that I can perform a miracle!"
"You heard him, everyone! Mateo needs our help!" Crow called, and all six Signers raised their arms, their Marks glowing even brighter. In a flash of light, Mateo could feel the familiar surge of power as the entirety of the Mark of the Crimson Dragon appeared on his back. The power surged through him, and it started flowing over him like a blanket, enveloping him in golden light as his Duel Runner accelerated with blinding speed, so much so that he was completing laps on the track in less than a second. The Crimson Dragon appeared and roared, bringing even more strength to Mateo.
"That's impossible! The Seal is designed to prevent you from accelerating to a point capable of performing an Accel Synchro Summon!" Anya's puppet stated in disbelief.
"You said that it would do so without the help of the Crimson Dragon." Mateo replied. "And, I would like to point out that this is no regular Accel Synchro Summon! I tune my level two Phonon Pulse Dragon to my level eight Red Dragon Archfiend and my level two Tech Genus Recipro Dragonfly!"
"An Accel Synchro Summon… With two non-tuner Synchro monsters?"
"Clustering hopes and dreams, glow, and shatter through the bonds that defy all that is true and just! Illuminate the path of destiny!" Phonon Pulse Dragon roared, and then exploded into two golden Synchro rings. Red Dragon Archfiend and Tech Genus Recipro Dragonfly floated into the rings and became shimmering outlines of themselves, which flattened and extended into a straight beam of light, which then expanded into a large golden beam of light that touched every edge of the golden Synchro rings. "Limit Over Accel Synchro!"
Mateo pulled the blank card and flipped it over. In a burst of light, the card became the mighty monster that Mateo was calling upon. The twelve level stars flew forward in the blast of golden light, and caused it to part, and reveal the mighty monster. "The light of evolution! Shooting Quasar Dragon!"
"What in the hell is that?!" Anya's puppet stared at the monster as it roared, its size nearly matching Frelt's.
"With my mighty dragon, I can attack once for every Synchro monster used in its summon!"
"As powerful a monster as that is, it's no match for Frelt! And even if he was, my monster's special ability would hold you at bay!" Anya's puppet countered.
"It would, if not for my dragon's ability to negate effects that are activated." Mateo counter-countered. "Besides, I wasn't aiming for Frelt!"
"What?" Anya's puppet opened his mouth in shock. I control no other monsters… Except…
"Shooting Quasar Dragon! Use your Creation Burst attack to destroy three of the Nightmare Visages!" Shooting Quasar Dragon roared, and three balls of energy flew out of it and took form as glowing versions of the Synchro monsters that make up the mighty dragon, smashing through three of the Nightmare Visages, leaving only a single phantasm behind. The shockwave shook through Anya's puppet, causing his Duel Runner to wobble. He grunted.
"An excellent strike, Yurigaya. However you will not win. Your 'miracle' will be short-lived!"
"We'll see! I set one card facedown and end my turn!" Mateo called. "And at this point, my Terminal Velocity speed spell takes effect! However, I did not use all sixteen speed counters given to me through this card's effect, meaning that all I have to do is return the rest!"
Mateo: 1200 LP SPC 2-0
"Then it's my turn!" Anya's puppet glared at Mateo, his bloodshot eyes displaying the hatred that Anya radiated. "Draw!"
Mateo: 1200 LP SPC 0-1
Anya's Puppet: 3600 LP SPC 8-9
"Frelt! Destroy Yurigaya's Dragon and the rest of his Life Points!" Frelt raised its mighty sword, and brought it down upon Shooting Quasar Dragon. As soon as it made contact, the mighty dragon exploded in a mighty shower of holographic shards and stardust. Once again, Mateo's eyes glowed white, and he absorbed the shockwave and the blasting pain that was directed at all six Signers. He screamed in pain, but the pain wasn't as strong as it had been the first time.
The Crimson Dragon must be shielding me from some of the pain! Mateo realized. "Sorry, Anya, but I've still got some bite left in me!"
"What?"
"I used my Defense Draw trap card! This allows me to negate the damage, and then I can draw a card from my deck!" Mateo replied, as he drew a card from his deck.
"Fine! If that's gonna be the way you want to play it! By the effect of Frelt, when I destroy a Synchro monster in battle, I absorb its attack strength!" Anya's puppet laughed maniacally, as both he and Mateo looked up, however Mateo's gaze was not on Frelt. Out of the corner of his eyes, saw the power of Shooting Quasar Dragon being absorbed by Frelt. However, his attention was caught more with the hurricane of light up in the sky.
Frelt, the Ender of Lives: 15300 ATK + 4000 ATK = 19300 ATK
"Of course, I must give up my final Nightmare Visage to Frelt." Frelt turned, and the final Visage flew into its head. "And you have nothing left to protect yourself with. I've destroyed every chance you have of winning and saving yourself!"
"Don't be so sure." Mateo replied, pointing up to the hurricane in the sky. Anya's puppet looked up and watched in disbelief as the hurricane subsided, and Shooting Star Dragon roared and descended down to Mateo's side.
"What? How can this be?"
"By the effect of Shooting Quasar Dragon, when it is destroyed, I can special summon Shooting Star Dragon from my Extra Deck!" Mateo threw his hand into the air as the card appeared in his fingers. His dragon roared.
"And yet, once again, you've made one foolish mistake! You've summoned your dragon in Attack Mode! And the chances of you drawing anything that can save you is for naught!" Anya's true voice broke through the puppet again, the rage from it flowing throughout the arena.
"My turn! Draw!" Mateo pulled the top card from his deck. And, finally, the stage has been set for me to end this once and for all.
Mateo: 1200 LP SPC 1-2
Anya's Puppet: 3600 LP SPC 9-10
"I'm gonna start by switching my Shooting Star Dragon to defense mode!" Mateo called as that familiar blue hue surrounded his dragon. "And I'll set two cards facedown to end my turn!"
In the old motel where Anya was meditating to control her puppet, a smile formed at the corners of her mouth as she broke out into a laugh. "You foolish boy! You don't really believe you can save yourself, do you? And now, for the final turn of the duel! It's my turn! Draw!"
Mateo: 1200 LP SPC 2-3
Anya's Puppet: 3600 LP SPC 10-11
"I summon Kobalis, the Dark Serpent in attack mode! Next, I activate a speed spell!" Anya's puppet snickers. "All your defenses are for naught, with the Speed Spell – Defense Buster!"
"Oh, no!" Luna sank in her seat, looking distraught. The rest of the Signers, Shiho included, looked down, as Shooting Star Dragon switched to Attack mode.
"If I have two or more Speed Counters, I can switch one defense position monster on the field to attack position!" Anya's puppet burst out laughing once again. "Frelt! Attack that dragon! Nightmare Blade attack!"
Frelt slashed down on Shooting Star Dragon. "Now DIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!"
The blade made contact with the dragon, and it exploded. Anya's puppet laughed, throwing his head up into the air. "Hey, douchebag!"
"Huh?" Anya's puppet stopped laughing as he turned to look at Mateo, who had a smile on his face. "You are about to be destroyed. How can you be smiling?"
"Growing up, I didn't have too much. But I had my cards. I had my hopes and dreams. But I had something else." Mateo explained. "And do you know what that one thing, that one very important thing was… Is… Will be?"
Anya's puppet turned his head slightly. "You ask me as if I care."
"They're wishes." Mateo replied as he clicked a button. On cue, the Converging Wishes trap card flipped open. All six Signers stood up in amazement as the card activated. "My Converging Wishes!"
All six Signers watched in awe as the card they collectively gave Mateo for Christmas was activated, its light flowing onto the field. "You weren't wrong when you said this would be the final turn, but you were wrong about who's about to lose!"
"Grrr! Frelt's ability absorbs your Dragon's strength!" Frelt absorbed the energy of Shoting Star Dragon through its sword, and then it turned and grabbed Anya's other monster, absorbing its strength to maintain itself on the field.
Frelt, the Ender of Lives: 19300 ATK + 3300 ATK = 22600 ATK
"Your monster's strength is negligible in the face of my Converging Wishes trap card!" Mateo called as a glowing light emerged from his graveyard. "This card can only be activated when Shooting Star Dragon is destroyed in battle and I have five or more Synchro Dragons in my Graveyard! It negates all battle damage, and then it allows me to banish monsters from my graveyard whose combined levels equal the Stardust Dragon in my Extra deck!"
"Huh?"
"So I banish the Influence Dragon, Tech Genus Recipro Dragonfly, and Kaibaman residing in my graveyard! Clustering starlight, flow, and give form to this mighty creature! Illuminate the path of destiny!" The three ghostly level stars of Influence Dragon flew out and encircled Kaibaman and Tech Genus Recipro Dragonfly with ghostly green Synchro rings. The two monsters faded away, leaving only the five level stars, which aligned themselves in a straight line. A green light pierced through them and expanded to the innermost edge of the Synchro rings. "Synchro Summon!"
Mateo raised his hand into the air as Stardust Dragon forms between his fingers. "Take flight, Stardust Dragon!"
"Your mighty monster won't be able to save you!"
A smile formed on Mateo's face. "Next comes the second ability of my Converging Wishes! My Stardust Dragon will now gain attack equal to the attack of every Synchro Dragon in my graveyard!"
"What?"
Stardust Dragon: 2500 ATK + 1900 ATK + 2100 ATK + 2400 ATK + 2500 ATK + 2800 ATK + 2900 ATK + 3000 ATK + 3300 ATK + 4000 ATK = 27400 ATK
"Hah! You may have the attack strength to fight Frelt, but you'll never be able to penetrate his Nightmare Barricade!" Anya's puppet laughed.
"I never said I'd have to!"
"Huh?"
"Because by sending a Synchro Dragon back to my Extra deck, I can force Frelt to attack Stardust, even if he's attacked already." Mateo called.
"What? No, that can't be!"
"It can and it is!" Mateo pulled Phonon Pulse Dragon back from his grave and returned it to his Extra deck.
Stardust Dragon: 27400 ATK – 1900 ATK = 25500 ATK
"Hah! Now your Stardust can't wipe out all of my Life Points!" Anya's puppet declared. "And since I will control no more monsters, you can't use another Synchro Dragon to finish me off! At the End Phase, Stardust will be banished from the game, and there will be no way for you to win! All I have to do is summon a monster from my hand to defend myself, and I'll eradicate you! Speaking of which, I believe an attack is due!"
Frelt hefted its mighty sword, and prepared to attack, with Stardust preparing to retaliate. The ground started rumbling, as a castle forced its way onto the field through the ground.
"What the…"
"I had another facedown trap card. The Castle of Dragon Souls! And by banishing the Hunter Dragon in my graveyard, I can give my Stardust Dragon an additional boost of seven hundred Attack points!" Mateo called. He raised his hand as the spirit of Hunter Dragon flew out of the graveyard and into the castle. The castle glowed with power, and that power transferred itself to Stardust. "Now my monster has an attack strength capable of inflicting thirty-six hundred points of damage to your Life Points!"
Stardust Dragon: 25500 ATK + 700 ATK = 26200 ATK
"Now, go, Stardust Dragon!" Mateo called as his dragon roared. Frelt prepared to attack by raising its sword over its head, and Stardust opened his mouth and light appeared from within. "Go! Shooting Sonic attack!"
Stardust Dragon breathed a glowing blue blast of cosmic energy, which tore straight through Frelt, the Ender of Lives' body. The armor groaned, as the mighty warrior started to collapse. As he fell, it exploded, section by section, starting with the sword above its head and ending with its metal boots, until Frelt, the Ender of Lives was no more. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Anya's Puppet: 3600 LP-0 LP
The Seal started to undulate, and then it all started to move towards Anya's puppet's Duel Runner. As the Seal parted around Mateo's Duel Runner, he started picking up speed. He drove up alongside Anya's puppet's Duel Runner as the Seal started to appear all over it, causing it to stress and heat up. He reached his hand out to him. "Anya! Jump him over here!"
"Huh?"
"Jump over! I'll get him to safety!"
"He paid the price of the duel!"
"You dueled through him. He did nothing." Mateo replied. "So at least spare his life!"
"Hah… Foolish Hero of Light… Always thinking you can save everyone… Ha ha ha…" Mateo looked down at the symbols that were carving themselves into Anya's puppet's Duel Runner, and he reluctantly retracted his hand and moved away from the Duel Runner as it exploded, tearing a huge chunk of the track out. Mateo braked, and he almost plunged straight into the flames, stopping moments before he would have driven inside, his look of shock still on his face.
"That's what I'm up against… The powers of darkness…"
Anya slammed her fist on the wall as her connection to her puppet was shattered with his death. "Damn it! That plan was perfect! How could Frelt have failed! This just doesn't make sense!"
Anya slammed her fist against the wall again, and the wall cracked. "AAAAGH! Fine! If destiny is going to play that sort of game, then I'm going to play unfair! Prepare Vulcan! He has a new mission."
"Yes, lady Anya." A figure in the shadows said in butchered English, before he left the room. Anya growled, and glared at the floor.
A few hours had passed since the end of the duel with Anya's puppet. Mateo hadn't moved from the kitchen table since they had returned to Yusei's house, still staring at the blank card and the Converging Wishes card. While Yusei, Jack, Crow, and Shiho discussed how to fix the wall. Leo, Luna, and Akiza stood in the living room, watching Mateo.
"He's sat like that for hours. Akiza finally said.
"I don't know if he's sad, or what's going on." Leo replied.
"Why don't you guys say something?" Luna asked.
"Are you volunteering?"
"What? No, I—"
"Why don't you take him to dinner or something?"
"What?" Luna was starting to get nervous.
"Go on." Leo and Akiza pushed Luna over, and she turned to look at them, and then back to Mateo. She tapped on the shoulder, and he slowly turned to look at her.
"Yeah? What is it, Luna?"
"I think we should go to dinner."
"What?"
"You know." Luna sat on the chair next to him. "You. Me. Fancy restaurant. Or something."
"Are you asking me out on a date?"
"I doesn't have to be if you don't want it to be."
"No, I… Uh…" Mateo set the cards down on top of his deck.
"You know, just to get your mind off this whole duel thing that happened today."
"Yeah, no, I got it. Yeah." Mateo replied. He looked down at the table, and then back to Luna. "Yes."
"Yes?"
"I'd like to go to dinner with you." Mateo defined. A smile crept across Luna's face as she brushed her hair out of her face a little bit. Mateo looked down at the table again, smiling.