Chapter 24: Duel Of The Dragons: Part 2
What remains of the crowd watches, intently, including Tanner, Yanagi, Dexter and the twins.
Skylar's lifepoints stand at 1500 and her defensive Terrafin has 1600 defense points. Onyx is still standing behind Skylar, staying out of the attack range.
Akiza's Rose Tentacles towers over the field and she still has a full 4000 lifepoints. Rose Tentacles has 2200 attack points.
"Welcome back to the excitement, ladies and gentlemen! Akiza appears to have Skylar Kuro right where she wants her! Can she escape the reach of the Black Rose's Rose Tentacles? Or will her lifepoints get squeezed into submission? Will the undefeated streak of our beloved Princess of Darkness come to an end at the hands of the Black Rose? Let's watch and find out!" The announcer says.
"Well, Skylar?" Asks Akiza. She draws. "It's my turn, and I activate 'Ivy Shackles'! And with this spell, I can now turn your Terrafin into a plant-type monster. Before you know it, Skylar. Your entire field's going to look like one giant greenhouse." Akiza says.
Vines wrap around Skylar's Terrafin. Skylar doesn't twitch.
"So with your shark now under the control of my Rose Tentacles, she can now attack you an extra time this round. You said I enjoyed other people's misery, well then I guess I should really enjoy this, shouldn't I?" Asks Akiza. Rose Tentacles raises its vines, ready to strike Skylar again.
"Even though my Terrafin's in defense mode, he can't protect me from both attacks." Skylar thinks to herself.
"Now, Rose Tentacles, attack! Thrash her shark! Go, Rose Retaliation!" Akiza says.
The crowd cowers and screams, slammed with a gust of wind.
"Oh, and by the way, my Rose Tentacles' power doesn't stop there. Since your shark is under her control, you now take three hundred points of direct damage!" Says Akiza.
Rose Tentacles, by now, has a vine poised behind Skylar, it smacks her on the back, hard. "Ugh!" Skylar says. Her lifepoints are now 1200. "Akiza, listen! Don't do this!" Says Skylar.
"Huh? Don't do what? Attack you directly? Well, I don't do charity!" Akiza says.
Rose Tentacles swings a vine toward Skylar. "Then I play my trap, 'Card Defense'! So by removing one of the cards in my hand, my trap's effect cancels your direct attack! And then, it allows me to draw a new card to replace it!" Says Skylar.
"It'll take more than that to stop me!" Akiza says.
"Akiza, you have to listen. You can't keep dueling with this anger!" Says Skylar.
"Oh yeah?! Well, until you've battled in my duel disk, save it! I don't need your help!" Akiza says.
Skylar pauses for a moment, then draws. "We shall see!" Says Skylar. She drew the spell card 'Galaxy Barrage'. "I summon Hex! And thanks to her special ability, I get to summon another monster from my graveyard! So, say hello again to Warnado!" Skylar says. Hex has 1300 attack points and is a dark type monster.
Warnado is a level-two wind-attribute monster that has nine hundred attack points and four hundred defense points.
"And now, I'm tuning my Hex with my Warnado to synchro-summon, Ninjini!" Says Skylar. Hex throws down a ghostly skull and her three stars fly straight up into a rushing void. Three green rings descend and align with Warnado, transforming it into golden outlines, aligning its two stars. Ninjini has 2600 attack points. "Next, I'm going to activate the equip spell 'Galaxy Barrage', which gives my genie-ninja a power boost! Alright, now attack Rose Tentacles!" Skylar says.
Destroyed. Akiza's lifepoints now stand at 3900.
"And now, the effect of my 'Galaxy Barrage' activates! So as soon as my genie-ninja destroyed your garden-gone-wild, you lose lifepoints for each of Rose Tentacles' attack points!" Says Skylar.
Ninjini attacks Akiza again, her lifepoints fall to 2800. Akiza didn't even flinch.
"Looks like your up." Skylar says.
The announcer's face is on the Sphere. "That was a big round for Skylar, now will Ninjini make a curse outta the Black Rose?" Asks the announcer.
The crowd is making unpleasant noise. "…Take that, you witch!" "…Get her outta here!" "Okay! Skylar's got this!" Leo says. "I know!" Says Dexter. "Ya see that combo, gramps? She's on a roll!" Tanner says. "I prefer a nice bialy." Says Yanagi. "There's something different about the way Sakura's dueling. It's almost like she's holding back and trying to help Akiza." Luna thinks to herself.
"You want combos?" Akiza asks. She draws. "Watch!" Says Akiza. She drew Copy Plant. "First of all, since my spell card 'Ivy Shackles' is still in effect, your genie-ninja becomes a plant-type monster. Next up, I'm summoning my Copy Plant in defense mode! And I bet you can guess what its special ability is just from its name. But in case you weren't paying attention, it can copy the level of any other plant monster on the field, and since your genie-ninja is under the control of my Rose Tentacles, my Copy Plant now becomes a level-five monster!" Akiza says.
"I'm not sure I like what she's planning to do, kids. She's got Skylar backing into a corner!" Says Yanagi.
"And now that I have the tuner monster Copy Plant on my field, I can trigger the special ability of my Dark Verger that's in my graveyard to summon up your destruction, Skylar!" Akiza says.
"Here comes the combo she was talkin' about. Aw, man, this ain't good." Says Tanner.
"Get ready, 'cause now I can use my monsters for a synchro-summon! I tune my Copy Plant with my Dark Verger to create my ultimate monster. I summon, Black Rose Dragon!" Akiza says. The air around her is glowing pink, as she raises her arm to the sky. Black Rose Dragon's thorned lashes whip through the air as it appears, graceful and terrifying, in a whirlwind, roaring. "Get ready to feel the fury of my Black Rose Dragon, Skylar!" Says Akiza. Black Rose Dragon has 2400 attack points.
Skylar's Signs light up on her arm and abdomen, the markings on her legs start to appear, as well, glowing through her boots and lower half of her bodysuit, she looks down at them, in shock.
"Because as soon as it's summoned to the field, I can activate its special ability! So by taking a plant-type monster from the graveyard and then removing it from play, I can choose one of your monsters and set its attack points to zero! I'll sacrifice Wall of Ivy!" Akiza says. Black Rose Dragon chomps the ghost of Wall of Ivy that appears in the air before her, savagely. "It's a small price to pay, to take out all your Ninjini's attack points!" Says Akiza.
Black Rose Dragon wraps Ninjini in glowing red vines.
"Not Ninjini!" Skylar says.
"That genie-ninja is worthless now! There's nothing that she can do! Black Rose Dragon, attack!" Asks Akiza.
"She might not be able to help me. However, guess who can! By removing my Terrafin from play, I can save Ninjini from being destroyed!" Skylar says.
"But, you're still going to feel the wrath of my dragon!" Says Akiza.
"Not if I play this, my 'Dark Spirit Force'! So now, all the damage from your Dragon's attack is negated!" Skylar says. The blast is deflected by a glowing shield around herself and flies in all directions.
Part of it hits the dueling track, parts of the crowd scream and duck for cover.
"Agh! Her power is getting out of control! I better finish this duel before someone gets hurt!" Skylar thinks to herself. "With the power of my 'Dark Spirit Force', I'm bringing back Hex from my graveyard!" Says Skylar.
"Well, let's see what that little dark sorceress can do against two face downs." Akiza says.
In the stands, a few columns of chairs have been completely totaled. A woman sits weeping in the aisle, while a young man is standing. "…You ruined my seats! You have any idea how much they cost me?!"
Another part of the crowd. "…She's dangerous! Just send her away!"
Akiza is drowning in enmity.
The rest of the crowd is chanting, Freak! Freak! Freak! "…No one likes you!"
"Just keep it up. Just keep putting me down. I know it makes you feel good, but now let me show you what makes me feel good. It's time to show you what misery really is." Akiza thinks to herself.
Skylar watches her, silently.
"My whole life, I've tried to ignore all the teasing and name-calling. But, you can't ignore the pain that it causes forever, Skylar." Says Akiza. Her eyes look slightly insane. "I'll make them stop!" Akiza says.
"I have to help her before she does something she will regret! If I show her that her power is a gift and not a curse, maybe she will stop causing all this pain!" Skylar thinks to herself. "It is my move!" Says Skylar. She drew a spell, 'Prevention Black Sun'. "Nice. With 'Prevention Black Sun', I can stop one of her monsters from attacking. I better hold onto it for later. I have a feeling the big dogs are coming out soon." Skylar thinks to herself. "I summon Hex in attack mode!" Skylar says. Hex has 1300 attack points. "And thanks to her special ability, Warnado is summoned automatically!" Says Skylar. Warnado has 900 attack points.
"Okay! And now, Warnado's attack points get transferred over to Ninjini! That's not just a special ability, that's like a totally-wicked-double-backflip-with-chocolate-sprinkles ability!" Leo says.
Skylar looks at the card she's holding in her hand. "Cynder the Black Dragon. Perfect!" Skylar thinks to herself. "Now, I tune Hex with my Ninjini!" Says Skylar. Ninjini flies through the three rings, turning into golden outlines and the stars align. "Meet my friend, Cynder the Black Dragon!" Skylar says. She raises an arm, triumphantly, in a blast of black light. The dragon appears at last, shrieking, its big wings dark toned in the bright sunlight, raining darkness through the air.
"In all my years of broadcasting, I can never get over seeing a monster with such beauty to it like this! But, don't let the magnificence of this beast fool you, the dragon of our enchanting Princess is as powerful as they come! If you're watching from home, do not adjust your screen! It's as unbelievable as it appears!" Says the announcer.
Cynder the Black Dragon has 2800 attack points.
"That's her dragon! That's the card she gave Yusei in order to defeat Armstrong!" Yanagi says. "Wait a sec, why would Skylar bring out a monster that's more out of control than her Ninjini?" Asks Leo. "I dunno, it's like she's trying to say something to the Black Rose." Luna says. The crowd. "…She's got no chance, now!" "…Lookit that, it's huge!"
Above the arena. Cynder and Black Rose Dragon are facing off, about equal in size, only the former stands on all fours.
Jack's eyes are wide. "Not bad." Says Jack. "Excellent!" Goodwin says.
"Two dragons?" Asks Sayer.
Cynder shrieks at Black Rose Dragon, who roars right back.
"Get ready, people. These two dragons are about to do battle!" The announcer says.
"You brought out that dragon to remind me of all the pain that detestable Mark on my arm has caused me! Why would you do that?!" Asks Akiza.
"Hm?" Skylar asks, surprised.
"Do you really believe that because we both have this Mark in common you know what I'm feeling and what I've been through?!" Asks Akiza.
"I'm just showing you that your not as different as you think! I don't have to be your enemy, I could be your friend." Skylar says.
"Friend?! Who says I want a friend! We both have these stupid Marks, and no matter what we do we'll always be outcasts. Get it? Our fate is to be alone..." Says Akiza.
Flashback. The room is in purple flames, the grown man whom five-year-old Akiza was dueling is slammed against the wall hard enough to crack it, and hangs there, suspended, as a woman beside him stares at the young girl, in horror. "My family..." Akiza says, in voice-over.
Change flashback. Teenage Akiza and her Violet Witch stand across the field from a huge explosion, surrounded by dark purple flames. "My classmates..." Says Akiza, in voice-over.
Change flashback. Duel Academy students cower, as the floor demolishes itself around a dark-haired girl in a red blazer who stands across the duel field from Akiza. The teenage psychic stands alone, shunned by her peers. "Everyone I've ever known, I've hurt!" Akiza says, in voice-over. The flashback ends.
Back to the present. "That's why having friends isn't a choice. It's something that I can never do. And that's why it's so much easier to wear a mask. Isn't that why you wear one yourself, Skylar?" Asks Akiza. She raises the heartless white mask, holding it in front of her face, as though to put it on. "It's amazing how little you care about other people when you can live behind a wall of plaster and paint…" Akiza says.
Flashback. "Even if it is only the size of your face." Says Akiza, in voice-over. The Black Rose raises a hand and blasts a duelist in the street with a rose. "And so I dueled with it. I won with it. And I lived with it." Akiza says, in voice-over. The Black Rose's face was expressionless, her opponent never saw her vengeful glee. The Black Rose stood alone in a storm of wind, cloaked. "Some have said it's time to move on, to show my true face to the world." Says Akiza, in voice-over.
Change flashback. The Black Rose stands in an alley, hidden from a bright light beyond it. Akiza looks up, startled, as a black-gloved hand removes the mask from her face. "Because maybe then, people wouldn't fear my abilities. Maybe then, I could live a normal life…" Akiza says, in voice-over. Sayer stands across the alley from her, face-to-face. Sayer holds the mask in one hand, smiling. The moment holds, as Akiza looks up at Sayer, in silent surprise. "Or at least as close to normal as people like us can get. Maybe even have a friend." Says Akiza, in voice-over. The flashback ends.
Back to the present. "But you heard the crowd, didn't you, Skylar? They don't understand me, eighty thousand people are shouting they're afraid of me!" Akiza says.
"Don't listen to them, listen to me!" Says Skylar.
"I need my mask! Why are you trying to help me, Skylar?!" Akiza asks.
"Because I know you!" Says Skylar.
"You know who, the scared girl? Maybe the face behind the mask?" Akiza asks, dejected.
"I know what it is like to be the outcast. I have red eyes, a trait that is so rare and unnatural that people tend to fear me and keep their distance from me due to having them! I have abilities over the darkness, something people dread! And most importantly, I'm from the Satellite! You think people here liked what they saw in me, even though they had no clue where I originally came from?! You can't stay afraid! You can't hide behind a mask forever! Yes, I should talk because I wear a mask myself. However, mine is worn in order to keep my identity hidden. Not to duel people and cause them pain! I have worn my mask for only over a year now. However, at least I know when it is time to remove it!" Says Skylar.
"You're wrong." Akiza says.
"I didn't want it to come to this, Akiza. However, you have left me no choice!" Skylar thinks to herself. "Cynder, attack with Dark Shadow Flame!" Says Skylar. She grimaces as her Sign appears, burning through her glove. The Sign on her abdomen appears, as well, burning through her bodysuit. The additional markings down her legs and the symbolic designs on her upper back also appear, glowing through her clothing. Skylar lets out a cry, in pain, as new additions appear on her lower back and down her arms, glowing through her bodysuit. "Ugh!" Skylar says. Onyx looks up at her, sensing her distress.
Akiza's appears, to her fury. "Ugh!" Says Akiza.
Luna's is glowing, too, and she grabs her arm with her other hand, hiding it from view. "Huh? Hey, your arm!" Yanagi says.
In the garage. Yusei's winces, as his Sign appears, and grips at his arm, holding at it.
Up in the control tower. Jack's Sign appears also, he gasps, with surprise. Goodwin turns his head to look at Jack, slightly. "I was right, Skylar's a Signer, too. And not just any Signer at that. I believe, the host of the Crimson Dragon has just been found." Goodwin thinks to himself.
"Don't wear that mask!" Says Skylar.
Cynder attacks and destroys Black Rose Dragon, Akiza is left with 2700 lifepoints. "Sorry. But, I've already made my decision. I, need the mask. Without it, it's too easy to be hurt." Akiza says. Over the last few words, she puts on the mask, it muffles her voice, making it sound slightly different.
Crowd. "…Nice mask scaredy-cat!" "…Happy Halloween!"
"Skylar, Akiza's mine. You can't rescue her from fate." Sayer thinks to himself.
Akiza now stands on the field, wearing her Black Rose mask.
Jack and Goodwin watch, silently.
"Listen…" Says Skylar.
"No! You listen! It's my move, and I activate 'Magic Planter'! So by removing my 'Ivy Shackles' from play, I get to plant two new face downs! And next, I'll play one of them, 'Dark Tuning'! For the low price of eight hundred lifepoints, I can summon any synchro monster from my graveyard! And I'm bringing back, Black Rose Dragon!" Akiza says. Black Rose Dragon has 2400 attack points. "But I'm not done yet, because now I can equip 'Wicked Reborn' to my Dragon! She might not be able to attack this turn, but as long as she's equipped with this card, Black Rose Dragon can be re-summoned at the end of each and every round! So for those of you in the back of the class, that means if it's ever destroyed in battle, or by some special spell, it comes back as good as new at the end of my turn." Says Akiza.
"Ugh..." Skylar says.
"Oh, and last but not least, when Black Rose Dragon is special summoned, all the cards on your field are destroyed! So, say goodbye to your pathetic pet!" Says Akiza. Black Rose Dragon creates a mighty whirlwind, her arm twinges again. "Ugh!" Akiza says.
The whirlwind is spreading, beyond the duel and into the stadium.
"Hold on tight!" Says Tanner. "Stay together!" Yanagi says. The kids moan, with fear. "Sakura..." Luna thinks to herself.
"I have to stop this...!" Skylar thinks to herself. "I activate Cynder's special ability! It might be a big price to pay! However, sacrificing my dragon destroys yours and all of its powers!" Says Skylar. She discards Cynder the Black Dragon. "It is a dragon for a dragon!" Skylar says.
Cynder lunges forward, her wings folding around Black Rose Dragon's neck. Cynder begins to darken and Black Rose Dragon goes with her. Both evaporate. They're gone.
"Look! She stopped her!" Says Tanner. "But, she lost Cynder the Black Dragon! What now?!" Yanagi asks.
"Your heart will be your undoing, Skylar!" Jack thinks to himself.
"You may have rid the field of my Dragon, but let's see how you handle Phoenixian Seed!" Says Akiza. Phoenixian Seed has 800 attack points. "And since we're sacrificing cards to activate special abilities, I'll sow my seed to reap Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis!" Akiza says. Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis has 2200 attack points, 0 defense points, is a level 8 monster and is a fire type.
When the monster card Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis is in your graveyard, it is automatically re-summoned in defense mode at the end of your turn.
"And before you start in again with 'don't duel in anger', let's see if you change your tune after I destroy another one of your monsters! Amaryllis, attack!" Says Akiza. It wraps orange-glowing vines around Warnado, burning it out of existence. "But it doesn't end there, because once Amaryllis attacks, it self-destructs, causing another eight hundred points of damage. This should hurt a little." Akiza says.
Skylar weathers the blow.
"Toldja." Says Akiza.
Skylar's lifepoints go down to 400.
In the whipping wind, the bottom third of Akiza's mask cracks away, revealing that same sinister smile. "I'll end with a face down." Akiza says.
"This round isn't even close to being over, Akiza! Remember, I used Cynder the Black Dragon's special ability, and that means she comes back!" Says Skylar.
"Well then, I guess our two beasts will have to battle it out again! This is the beginning of your end!" Akiza says. Huge column of violet-white light behind her, swarming with black petals. "I re-summon Black Rose Dragon! And with it on the field, I now activate my trap, 'Overdoom Line'. So now, the monster I just summoned from my graveyard gains one thousand attack points! And to keep my Dragon company, I'm activating Amaryllis's special ability, which also allows me to summon it from my graveyard! It's your turn, Skylar!" Says Akiza.
"I draw, then." Skylar says. She drew a trap, 'Cosmic Shadow Blast'. "Now if my Dragon ever leaves the field, it can still deal damage to Akiza! I know the only way to help her is to defeat her!" Skylar thinks to herself. A combo forms in her mind, a path from one card to the next, 'Prevention Black Sun', Cynder the Black Dragon, a face down, Black Rose Dragon and 'Cosmic Shadow Blast'. "And I'm starting to see just the combo to do it!" Skylar thinks to herself. "I take my Cynder the Black Dragon, and switch her to defense mode. Then, I shall activate the spell 'Prevention Black Sun'. And since my Cynder the Black Dragon is in defense mode, I can equip the power of 'Prevention Black Sun' to her. And now, I get to prevent one of your monsters from attacking or changing its battle position! And I think, I shall freeze up your Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis!" Says Skylar.
"Awesome! Skylar never would've survived another round with Akiza's Amaryllis still in attack mode! Now, let's see if she can turn this duel around!" Tanner says.
"I play the trap card 'Synchro Back'! Now by removing one synchro monster from my field, I can re-summon it next turn. And who better, than my Black Rose Dragon, Skylar?" Asks Akiza. It disappears.
"What did she do?" Yanagi asks. "Don'tcha get it, gramps? When she special-summons her dragon next round, its special ability activates, destroying all of Skylar's cards!" Says Tanner. "Yeah, so she'll take out Skylar's Cynder the Black Dragon and that'll leave her wide-open for a direct attack! I dunno what she can do to beat Akiza, guys!" Dexter says. "Wah!" Says both Leo and Luna.
"I shall end by throwing down a face down." Skylar says.
"It won't help you!" Says Akiza. She draws. "'Cause thanks to my 'Synchro Back's' effect, Black Rose Dragon comes back to the field!" Akiza says. Huge column of violet-white light behind her, swarming with black petals. As soon as it appears, Akiza groans as her Mark throbs again.
"It is your Sign!" Says Skylar.
"I wish it was gone!" Akiza says.
"However, it is a part of you! It is part of all of us!" Says Skylar.
Akiza thinks of the claw-shaped Mark that burns through her sleeve, angrily. Behind the mask, Akiza's eyes are hateful.
"Having this Mark doesn't make you a witch, Akiza. It makes you special! I know other people don't see that and I know it hurts. However, when you get angry at them, you are only hating yourself!" Skylar says. She is gripping at her own right arm, hunching over, slightly, to brace it against her leg. Skylar, too, is remembering the sight of the Mark glowing against her bare arm. Onyx moves closer to Skylar, nuzzling into her shoulder. Skylar just simply hugs Onyx' face close to hers. "The pain you feel from that Mark is shared by me, as well. It is trying to bring us together, to strengthen us! I don't understand it yet. However, this pain is somehow uniting us! We have to figure out what it wants, Akiza. However, first, you must realize that you are not alone!" Says Skylar.
Akiza looks down at her arm.
"That we are connected…" Skylar says.
Luna is also looking down at her arm, her face troubled with the pain.
"We are all connected! We are all going to have to make a choice." Says Skylar.
In the garage. Yusei's gripping at his arm, too, fighting against the pain.
"We are going to have to band together in order for this to all make sense!" Skylar says.
Up in the tower. Jack's also gripping his arm, gritting his teeth.
Skylar releases her hold on Onyx and straightens herself up. Onyx just stays standing at Skylar's side. "Embrace your dragon, she is beautiful! Just like you are under that mask." Says Skylar.
"I'm not beautiful. People don't like me! And it's this Mark that's caused all the suffering I've had to live through!" Akiza says.
"Your right. However, if you stay mad, you shall always suffer." Says Skylar.
"So, just accept it? Embrace it? Forget the past?!" Akiza asks, her voice wavering. The roller in her hair starts glowing. "Hate's all I know!" Says Akiza. The roller goes flying, her hair comes loose in several long bangs, wildly, that are usually curled around the roller. "This discussion is over! I activate Black Rose Dragon's special ability!" Akiza says.
Black Rose Dragon spreads its wings and the wind begins to blow in the stadium again.
Everyone in the audience cowers.
A piece of the translucent side of the dueling track shatters and breaks.
"All of your cards are destroyed, along with this stadium!" Says Akiza.
"I won't let you do this! I use my Dragon's special ability! I shall sacrifice her to stop this destruction!" Skylar says.
Once again, Cynder lunges forward and body-slams Black Rose Dragon, holding it back. Black Rose Dragon whips at Cynder with its vines, angrily.
"Stop fighting, Akiza! It is over! The dragon inside you wasn't meant to destroy!" Says Skylar.
One of the vines, then another, hits dangerously close to Cynder's eye, but she holds her ground, clinging to Black Rose Dragon. Black Rose Dragon darkens and disappears within Cynder's grasp and then she, too, vanishes. The winds calm.
"She's gone! Black Rose Dragon's gone!" Akiza says.
Skylar's 'Prevention Black Sun' leaves the field along with Cynder, there's still a little tornado going in the center of the field.
Akiza's voice has a hysterical edge to it and she sounds like she's almost crying. "But, that doesn't mean we're finished here, Skylar. 'Prevention Black Sun's gone, too. Which means, Amaryllis can now attack. But you still have that face down, Skylar, don't you! The question is, will it be enough! You've wasted your time trying to save me, now it's time to see if you can save yourself. Let's see if you can stop me!" Says Akiza.
"I never wanted to stop you, I wanted to save you!" Skylar says.
"Huh?!" Asks Akiza.
"And I intend to with 'Cosmic Shadow Blast'! Now, because Cynder the Black Dragon left the field, you lose lifepoints for all of her attack points! You would have seen it coming if you weren't hiding behind that mask!" Skylar says. A ghostly image of Cynder appears over her and summons winds that swirl with black rose petals, forming a tornado that she wraps her wings around, violet light pours from behind her wings. It explodes.
Before Akiza knows what hit her, a single piece of shrapnel from the explosion hits her mask right between the eyes, it cracks in two. Akiza bows her head, concealed by her long bangs and the pieces fall from her face. Akiza's lifepoints sink to zero. Akiza begins to look at Skylar, who gasps. Akiza's eyes are filling with tears. "That's right. The Black Rose is crying." Says Akiza.
"Ah! Akiza!" Skylar says.
"…Is not your concern. I think you have caused enough damage for one day, Miss. Kuro. Akiza's coming home with me." Says Sayer, sounding frosty. He puts his brown trench coat around Akiza's shoulders, as she kneels on the field, now seeing he wears beneath it dark blue pants, a dark green vest and a black shirt. Akiza looks up at Sayer, bemused. "It's okay. You tried. Next time, you'll do better." Sayer says, kindly.
The crowd. "…All right, she lost!" "…Don't forget your mask!"
"The winner of the duel is our beloved Princess of Darkness, Skylar Kuro! Skylar's undefeated streak remains intact! We'll be moving on to the Final match of the Fortune Cup, where Yusei Fudo will go on to duel Jack Atlas for the championship shortly!" Says the announcer.
Skylar stands on the field, with Onyx standing beside her, quietly triumphant. Skylar grasps her still-shining right arm, gently.
As Sayer leads Akiza out of the arena, she glances back, her mask has truly come off, revealing the human underneath. "Thank you, Skylar." Akiza thinks to herself.
Skylar watches Akiza go. "Jack, Yusei, Luna, Akiza and myself." Skylar thinks to herself.
Yusei walks up and stands next to her. Onyx jumps up on Yusei, who pets him, scratching him behind his ears, earning him some tail wags from him and a few licks to the face. "Eck!" Yusei says. Onyx gets down, standing between the two half-twins. Yusei wipes the dog slobber off of his face with his sleeve. "Congrats, Sakura. You did it." Says Yusei. "However, it cost me dearly. Goodwin knows everything now. We shall surely run into Akiza again. Her mask may be gone, but the Black Rose is still very much alive. And very soon, I shall be doing the same by removing my own mask and leaving Skylar Kuro in the shadows for good." "So, is Sakura Kuraitaiyono coming back for good?" Yusei asks. "Yes, she is. And not just me." Says Skylar. She pats at Onyx's head, lightly. "Grim's coming back, as well." Skylar says.