If Kaito was trying to hide his smirk, he was miserably failing at it. As soon as Hana became serious, he predicted the outcome. She's nearly as ruthless as me...nearly. He sat back to enjoy this round as Hana started her next move. Jakob watched in awe as he saw his daughter, not the bubbly yet somewhat insecure girl she once was, but a a strong and confident young woman.

He wiped a tear from his eye as he con tuned watching. Misaki noticed her employee's emotions and smiled as well, happy to see Jakob so proud of Hana.

Hana looked back at her hand with a new focus, and saw another plan forming in her mind. "Riding the Dragon Dancer of the Flame Dragon, Cecilia (10000)!" The new dragon dancer took center stage inside the circus tent. Before the spotlight could turn on, fire erupted all around her, giving the appearance of a grand entrance. Her long brown hair is wrapped up in twin pigtails, and the fact her bright orange eyes darted back and forth showed she loved the attention she was getting.

Her outfit was made of scales that seemed to glow a rich red, as if fire was captured inside of them and consisted of only a bra and long skirt that flowed to her ankles. Around her face from her nose down was a veil, only somewhat see-through.

Aichi scratched his head as he leaned forward. "Flame Dragon? Like the race of dragons?" Kai nodded, his attention on the unit as well.

Asaka didn't seem to be fazed, still confident in her pupil. "So what if it is a certain dragon she dances for?"

Ren thought for a moment before a devious smile found its way onto his face. "Kai, she has 'that' dancer in her deck, doesn't she?" Kai didn't verbally answer, but his reaction of smirking and folding his arms said enough.

"Calling to her side, and moving Lourdes back, Dragon Dancer Arabella (9000)!" (Real Card) The similarly veiled dragon dancer appeared from a fiery explosion as well. "Counterblast one to use her ability. I can give my Flame Dragon Vanguard +5000."

Mai nearly bit her lip out of fear, but then saw a small hitch in Hana's plan. "Hey! In that instance, Flame Dragon means the race of the card, not the name. So there's no power bonus!"

Hana shakes her head and waves her finger back and forth, as if scolding a child. "That was true, up until the printing of this card. Arabella never specifies if it's a name or if it's a race. All she says is to choose your Flame Dragon Vanguard. Therefore, the power bonus can be given to both!"

(a/n: Just roll with it, please? I wrote myself into a corner with this and the "This card is the exception" idea was the only way I could think to get out, other than rewriting a good deal of Hana's deck. It's not like this story will change actual rules of the real game.)

Arabella does a small routine and fire begins spinning around Cecilia. "Attacking with Dragon Dancer Arabelle with a boost from Lourdes (7000)!" Arabella (15000) dances around the stage before jumping forward, palms open with flames trailing.

Mai shrugs and does not guard. Arabelle lands in a twirl, causing a fire tornado that engulfs Cyr Wheeler in flames. Mai haughtily chuckles as she reaches for her deck. "Damage check, critical trigger. All effects to my Cyr Wheeler."

Hana does not seem fazed as she eyes her field. 15000 from Cecilia, easily blockable... "Attacking with Cecilia." The flame dragon dancer (15000) performed on the stage, and fire kicked up all around her. On her final step, the fire shot forward towards the undead ring rider. "I'll guard with Necro-Circus, Phantom Juggler (5000)." The draw trigger appeared out of nowhere and took the fire stream for Cyr Wheeler. His outfit was blue tinted, due to him being a ghost, but you can still make out his orange jumpsuit and the skulls he is juggling.

Mai took a small bow. "A gracious performance by your dancers, I must say. However, the Necro-Circus will not be bested in entertainment that easily." She giggled out of pure happiness. Who knew acting could be so much fun?

At this point, Akira was ready to die of embarrassment. "Why did she have to learn from my mom?" He pouted, red from embarrassment as stares kept being directed at the Myaji Cardfight Club. Kimiko uneasily laughed, as if she was unsure herself.

"Well, your mom is one of the best Pale Moon fighters out there, so there weren't really any other choices." She tried to explain, but the purple haired teen wasn't paying attention, like usual.

Hana took a deep breath. "Drive check..." She smiled widely as she held up her own critical trigger. "All effects will go to Cecilia." The fire that Phantom blocked wrapped around the ghostly juggler and struck Cyr Wheeler. The ring rider flew back a few feet, to the edge of the stage opposite of where he was preciously standing.

Mai winced in pain out of sympathy for her unit. "Damage check, nothing on the first. And second, a heal trigger. Healing one and 5000 to Wheeler."

Hana smirked, happy she now had the lead over Mai. This may be over next turn... "I'll end for now." She took a deep breath as she scanned over her cards in hand. "Yeah, next turn..."

Damage: Mai 4 Hana 3

CiH: Mai 3 Hana 5

CiS: Mai 8 Hana 2

Mai took her bow and began her turn. "Now, ladies and gentlemen, it's the moment you have all been waiting for! The prelude is over, and the main show is about to begin! Coming to center stage is the great performer of fire and ash, the fiery lord of deadly flame, Necro-Circus, Death Fire Dancer (10000)!"

Ryo leaned forward and stared at the card in confusion. "So Mai's got her own dragon dancer?"

Hikaru took a moment to process the info before shaking her head in response. "No, this man doesn't dance for the dragons. He's no Dragon Dancer." The man in question is a burly man with no shirt, only black slacks that mostly cover his feet. His hair is pure white and in dreadlocks, and his face is painted with tribal like designs. In his right hand is a black rod with emerald flames on either end.

He screamed like a madman as the spotlight centered on him, and he twirled his fire stick in the air before jumping up and catching it.

"Now I'll attack with one of my Plate Spinners with help from Diabolo Demon." The zombie balancer (16000) threw forward both of his saws, the air whistling as they fly by.

Hana bit her lip, deciding to go against her judgement. "I don't guard." The saw blades struck Cecilia across the chest one after another, causing her to fall to the ground. "Damage check, draw trigger. Power to Cecilia." Hana silently thanked whoever was in charge of luck as she drew her card.

Mai laughed loudly as she donned a slightly sinister facial expression. "And now for Flame Dancer's ability. Counterblasting two to replace two units in my rear guard with two units from the Soul, in stand position." Mai moved both the rested Plate Spinner and Diabolo Demon into her Soul as she flipped the two cards. "Calling to the stage in a surprising reveal, Necro-Circus Undead Unicyclist (9000) and another Skeleton Rider (8000)!"

Death Flame Dancer spun his flaming stick around like a staff and two green flames covered the Demon and the Plate Spinner. When the fires died down, a pin juggling zombie and motorcycle riding skeleton were in their place. "Along with his stunning reveal, Undead Unicyclist's ability activates. Whenever I call him from the Soul to the rear guard. I can soul charge and draw a card."

Hana was thoroughly shocked at what just happened. She knew the Pale Moon were masters of calling from the Soul, but she didn't expect them to do it so easily. "Now, My other Razor Plate Spinner will show his act, with support from Skeletal Sword Swallower (7000)!" The zombie threw forward his own razor blades, aiming for Cecilia, who was still getting up from the last hit.

"Guard with Dragon Dancer Lily (10000)!" The critical trigger stood in the way of the razor blades, allowing Cecilia to stand up again. Mai shook her head, feigning disappointment. "Hana, I thought you would have learned. Whenever Plate Spinner retires a unit, I soul charge. And now, I'm using Death Flame Dancer's ability again!" She flipped over the last two cards in her damage zone.

The other saw balancer and the sword eating skeleton were also engulfed in the jade fire. "Now it's time for Necro-Circus, Mummy Silk Dancer (9000) and our third Skeleton Biker!" Silk Dancer's ribbons it uses are made from its own linen wrappings, which now reveal its eyes and par of its mouth. The ribbons are tied to two bones. "When Mummy Silk Dancer is called from the Soul to the rear guard, I can soul charge once again. Now, Silk Dancer and his assisting Skeleton Biker will show what they can do!"

The mummy (17000) jumped forward, as graceful as an undead zombie wrapped in what looks like really old toilet paper could be. It then cracked its ribbons like whips and flung them towards Cecilia. Hana weighed her options, then decided not to guard. The wraps struck the flame dragon dancer head on with a surprising amount of force, and pushed her back. No trigger was revealed.

Kaito shook his head at Hana's naivety. She burned through her units too quickly and didn't save them for when they really mattered. He leaned back and sighed, already knowing the outcome of this fight for certain this time.

"Now it's time for Unicyclist to perform once again!" The juggling zombie (17000) threw his pins once again, and this time Hana was out of options. "I don't guard." The pins explode once more and throw Cecilia backwards, crying out in pain. "Damage check, heal trigger. Power to Cecilia and healing one."

Hana took a deep breath and sighed in relief. Mai snickered as she flourished her hand outwards. "And now it is time for our Death Flame Dancer to take the crowds breath away. He is no on the offensive with help from Skeleton Biker!" The stick wielding maniac (15000) hopped onto Skeleton Biker's Harley and the two drove forward. The Dancer jumped off at the edge of their stage and began twirling his staff, the fire seeming to glow brighter.

"I'll guard with Dragon Dancer Maria! Good luck getting past a perfect guard." (Real Card) Maria appeared in between the madman and Cecilia, and after a very quick dance a wall of fire shot up from nowhere, sealing off the Death Dancer from them. Hana sighed in relief once more, hoping she was out of the woods.

Mai's response, however, confirmed she was not free yet. "Oh, my. That was truly stunning. Truly! I applaud you for your dancers' efforts. But I am afraid to say I must call the curtain on our performance. And that curtain is Death Flame Dancer's limit break!" A bright green circle was drawn in the air in front of the Dancer.

"By soulblasting four, I can move four units in my rear guard to the Soul, and superior call four new units, standing and raring to go!" Death Flame Dancer cackled like a psychopath as he swung his fire around, performing a small routine as flames shot out from the two on his staff. All of the units besides the Skeletal Biker behind Dancer melted into green flame, and then converged above the fire dancer. Four new flames erupted next to him, and showed two Cyr Wheelers and two Skeleton Bikers.

Mai laughed haughtily. "Now, those units get an extra +3000 each!" Green fires began swirling around the Wheelers' rings and the wheels of the Bikers' Harleys. "Now, my first Cyr Wheeler will perform with great fire in his heart!" The left Wheeler (24000) threw his ring forward and jumped in the middle, and then the Biker drove with him, pushing him forward from behind. The fire swirled fast and intensely, causing Cecilia to cover her eyes from the sheer brightness.

Hana frantically looked for a way out, but her only cards left were a grade 3 and Dragon Dancer Arabella. Even with the intercepts, not enough to block two assaults. Sorry Kaito...

"I don't guard."

A large green explosion kicked up when Cyr Wheeler hit the ground, throwing up a large cloud of green smoke. Hana looked down at her feet as she pulled her damage trigger. "Damage check...

"...Stand trigger. I lose..." Cecilia flew backwards into a tent support pole, then disappeared into red shards.

Mai stood still for a second, not believing she had won. After a second she broke out into a huge grin and faced the audience. "Thank you for attending our fantastic show! I do hope you will come watch the Necro-Circus again on the Global Circuit!" As the crowd cheered for Mai, she glanced over and saw her opponent with her head down in shame.

Hana walked off the stadium, not hearing the other girl call her name. She only noticed her when Mai grabbed her arm. "What do you want? You've already won..."

Mai frowned from the other girl's response. "No, I wanted to say thanks for a great fight! I really was scared when I heard you were taught by Kaito." Hana looked down once again, even more depressed.

"Some good that did, if I lost before getting my own Grade 3 out." She pulled out of Mai's grip and continued down the hall, ignoring the Pale Moon fighter's attempts to get her attention.

As soon as she reached the lobby, Hana felt a hand on her shoulder. "You should be proud." She heard Kaito say, but she couldn't bring herself to agree.

Hana shook off his hand and held back her tears, walking away. "No, I shouldn't be proud of that. I lost in front of you and my dad. I should have won... I don't deserve to-"

Kaito walked in front of her, and she absentmindedly walked into him. He grabbed both of her shoulders and looked directly into her eyes. "You don't always have to be the best. That's a lesson I learned the hard way. When I was corrupted by PSYqualia, I wanted to be the best. The entire thing of no one getting hurt was just a hollow truth that showed up on the surface. What I really desired was to have my father, the one person I look up to the most in this world, respect me and be proud of me."

Hana wanted to talk, but she couldn't. So, Kaito continued. "But I came to learn, through much pain, that he already did respect me and was proud of me. And not because I was the best cardfighter, but because I was the best person I could be."

Hana felt a tear on her cheek, but couldn't move. Kaito sighed and kept going. "Hana, you don't have to be the best just for my sake or for your father. If I know him, he's proud of how you've grown. And for me, I'm proud too. Proud of how far you've come both as a cardfighter and a person."

Before Hana could speak, another voice yelled from off to the side. "The boy is right." Jakob spoke as he walked towards them. Hana's lip was quivering as she was embraced by her father. "You do not have to be the best cardfighter, or even a cardfighter at all. I am your father, and I will always be proud of my daughter."

Hana couldn't hold herself back anymore as she began crying nonstop. Jakob chuckled softly as he patted her back, and Kaito shoved his hands into his pockets and watched with a smirk. Hana calmed down after about a minute and wiped her face. "Thank you dad, Kaito. I'm... I'm good now."

Kaito nodded and began walking away. "By the way Hana, we've been even for a while now." Hana was completely on fused by what he just said, and called back to him.

"Kaito! What do you... Kaito!"

Kaito stopped and turned around, a sincere smile on his face. "You saved my life, I helped you have one here. We're even, as far as I can tell."

Hana paused for a second, then remembered when she stopped her dad from skewering Kaito when they first met. She let out another tear, but stopped herself from crying. "Alright, yeah. We're even!" Kaito turned back around without a single word and kept walking.

"Oh yeah! After figuring out we had a microphone issue for the past couple of rounds, it's fixed in time for the final round of the quarterfinals!" The MC announced, clearly excited.

Dr. O quickly grabbed the microphone from him. "Yes, this will be so-O exciting to see two sibling fighting it out! We have the God Caller of the Desert, Toshiki Hikaru!"

MC takes back the mic just as abruptly as Dr. O did. "And her opponent is none other than the King of Cyber Lightning, Toshiki Kaito!"

Hikaru took a deep breath as she remembered the last time she fought Kaito. Unable to find specifics, she stomped her foot out of frustration. "Can't remember out last fight?" Kaito asked, already set up for the match.

Hikaru glared at him as she set up her own field. "I'm guessing since it has to do with this 'Calamity' deck you keep talking about." Kaito nodded, and his forest green eyes narrowed.

"I don't intend on letting you win." He warned, ready to flip his Grade 0. Hikaru does the same. "Neither am I."

"Stand up, the Vanguard!"

"Stand up, Vanguard!"

This is the last of the "Character is Depressed and then Gets Help in the Lobby" scenes, I swear.