【14 - The Much Anticipated Conclusion of Rivalry! Chosen Fire Duelist versus the DMA's Star Pupil!】


Heidi woke up early the next day and although she thought about Tsukumo, it wasn't the only thing on her mind. She'd had the familiar nightmares but this time she saw a blonde gaunt-faced man begging for his life before getting burned alive. She saw a small, red-haired girl getting thrown back across a warehouse from Heidi's own attack and then having her neck broken. She saw a wheat-haired madwoman in a bow-tie getting tortured in a white room for information. After waking in a cold sweat Heidi recalled things she'd been told, 'don't trust Narciel' and 'Engyo isn't telling you everything'.

Bursting out of her room in her shirt and underwear she went straight to the principal's office, banging on the door furiously. When it didn't open she tried the locked handle, shaking the door against its hinges.

"Heidi?" the old man stared at her from the walkway, still unshaven and holding his morning mug of coffee.

"I want you to take me to Urusai now!"

"…uh-"

"If you don't I swear I'll leave the academy, Engyo!"

He resolved himself "Very well. Just perhaps a change in attire would be more appropriate? Perhaps some pants?"

He'd warned her on the way that she wouldn't like what she saw. Once dressed she still got odd looks, striding so focused and face set. Not being able to relax and think clearly until she was waiting outside their private hospital rooms. It was a locked area requiring a passcode. Inside there was a single black-uniformed guard outside Urusai's room and nurses or doctors in blue scrubs. Engyo discussed with the nurse over the counter who was doing computer work and after a nod he waved a hand at Heidi, guiding her over to one of the rooms.

"Please be brief," he told her and opened the door. Heidi hesitated before walking in and then the door was shut behind her.

Urusai no longer wore her vest or bow-tie, she wore a medical gown. The bedridden lieutenant raised her head, thick strands of her messy hair covering her face. Lime-green eyes looked pained. Her back was in a brace and her leg in a cast, kept up by a sling. She looked greasy, there were bandages around her middle. The room smelt vaguely of sweat and urine, but there was a plastic cup of water in reach. Urusai reached for it with shaky, bandaged fingers and tossed it at Heidi.

It hit the floor and bounced, some of it wetting Heidi's pants as she turned.

"What do you want?" her voice was low, not high-pitched nor giggling.

"To see…" Heidi blinked and now that she was facing her old enemy she didn't know what to say or how to feel. This woman had been complacent in Wembley's death but "Have they been torturing you?"

"What do you think!?" Urusai snapped and again Heidi looked at the fingers on both her hands, seven of which were bandaged.

"…I met Urobach."

"The general doesn't care about me. And the gatekeepers don't care about him. We're all dispensable and we're all just trying to survive."

"…he's never gonna come for you?"

"If he does it will be to execute me. But since I woke up he hasn't tried to telepathically communicate with me."

"He can do that?"

"Hm, I wonder what else they're keeping from you. The generals are telepathically linked to their lieutenants. Whatever happened to my deck? All those future fire cards would surely help one of Aurellia's saviors but I'm betting they've kept all those cards to themselves. Is that right?"

Heidi whipped around and left the room. Engyo got up from a plastic waiting chair "Well?"

"She's alive, she's fairly well tended to. That's all I cared about, not that I'm sure why I even cared in the first place..."

"Responsibility is a good trait for a chosen hero to have." He put his hands behind his back.

"Sorry… I'll see myself back. In a few hours I got to publicly duel the best student in the DMA…" she turned away.

"And good luck with that!" he called after her.

Timothy and the others had been looking for her. Heidi made sure to shower and eat. She dressed in new clothes: red and white sneakers that matched her jacket's racing stripes. Black skirt matching her socks. The co-ordination was accidental, but appropriate considering so many would be watching. Heidi felt guilty and a little crazy for going off at the principal again but she couldn't help the distrust. She didn't have the best bullshit detector, clearly. And they probably didn't trust her either, seeing as the only reason Urobach let her go straight back to them is because he believed she would end up leaving in her own time. Just like the other chosens.

Heidi was walking with the disciples and a bunch of student friends through a wider, high-ceilinged hallway. Most everyone else had arrived and been seated early. Heidi's eyes widened as they glimpsed the entry arch. The blue glass dome was dazzling from the inside, comprised of hundreds of triangle panels, reflecting cyan light over a huge stadium.

"What the hell?! Why is it so big?"

"That arena splits into four so exam matches can happen simultaneously," a student friend told her "but since it's just you and Tsukumo they've brought the barriers down for one big colosseum match."

"Heidi," Timothy squeezed her hand as they walked "Tsukumo's set this up because he wants to humiliate you in front of the whole school. He wants everyone to see him defeat a chosen duelist to bolster his reputation even more. He would've prepared for this and is going to pull out all the stops."

"I'm ready for him."

The entire school seemed to be in the stands, crowds of gossiping white-uniformed teens and teachers snacking on canteen food. Heidi could see huge screens above that would be projecting the action; there was even a table with microphones and spokespeople. The stage had elevated platforms for them to take their marks. It was a few minutes to twelve and the blonde Tsukumo was already waiting, as confident as ever.

"Heidiii!" a woman in a lab coat with black hair tied back in a jaw-clip rushed over. From beneath her glasses she had similar black eyes and she stooped down to wrap the smaller girl in a fearsome hug.

"Oof! Hey Tailee. Guys this is my older sister." Heidi choked.

The woman released her, eyes fixed on her baby sister as she clasped her shoulders "I am so sorry it took me this long to see your messages and visit! I would've come sooner, but I'm here now to watch you duel! We've been working on this big, big project. Top secret and… I'm sorry Heidi…"

"It's fine."

"You've grown so much!"

"And you look great! The lab get-up really suits you."

"Thanks Heidi, uh…" she looked at Timothy who'd previously been holding Heidi's hand. "Who is this?"

Timothy looked uncomfortable and Heidi responded "This is my boyfriend, Timothy."

"What! Heidi you're too young to date!"

"I'm sixteen. And a chosen duelist."

"If you hurt my sister I swear to God!" The infamous Hirazumi fire burned through her threatening words.

"What? No, I'd never!" Timothy raised his hands and cowered backward.

Tailee sighed, "At least you're having better luck than me, baby sis. Work takes up all my free time, but I still want to get married and have kids. You know I went on a date last week with an accountant, seemed like a real nice guy, and then he told me he didn't even know how many planets there are in the solar system?" there was utter incredulity in her voice. "The only planet he knew off by heart was Aurellia! Imagine not knowing the names of the other planets!?"

"Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune." Heidi smiled "You used to read me books about space all the time."

"At least you remember. You learnt something useful apart from Duel Masters. Mostly you were just interested in being a superhero, singing and running around, karate chopping anyone who was too slow to get out of your way."

Heidi blushed when her friends started snickering; Tailee was staring up wistfully and didn't notice.

"Heidi Hirazumi!" Walrus-moustache teacher had scurried over "If you'll please make your way to the arena stand. It's time for your duel."

Tailee scrunched her shoulder "good luck." The others also wished her well as they made their way to the stairs, up along the rows of white bench seats.

Heidi moved to her starting podium and once she was there it dislodged from the ground, extending forward on a giant robotic arm. Heidi widened her eyes, her expression on the screens for all to see as she and Tsukumo were brought closer together. They stopped in mid-air at the appropriate distance to one another.

"You ready for this, Heidi?"

"Of course I am!" she yelled at him, her hand bursting with red light. Tsukumo's hand ignited with white energy. There was enough room for their tables to manifest in front of them, Heidi pulled out her deck and shuffled. She maintained eye contact with her rival as he also shuffled. Then she slammed her deck down while Tsukumo placed his before him.

"Kettou da! Top student of the DMA, I challenge you!"

"I accept, chosen fire duelist. Yoshi."

"Ikuzo! This isn't gonna go how it did before!"

"Oh I think it will. Koi!"

The shields looked bigger in all this open space. Heidi heard a whirring and looked to see a huge electric net lowering to keep the audience safe. It sparked purple in several places.

"Well Tom, it looks like these two teens are ready to get the show underway! Let's just hope they wait for the safety net to go completely down before they start summoning creatures and breaking shields! We don't want a repeat of what happened last year!"

"No way, Stew! We certainly don't!"

Heidi grimaced, their talk was sure to be distracting. Composing herself, she drew her hand. She was ready for this.

"I charge fire mana and end!"

"A staple opening move for our chosen fire duelist!" the annunciator commented.

"Sure is, Tom!"

Heidi tuned them out after that.

"I charge fire mana!" Tsukumo responded.

Heidi drew and charged again, ending. Tsukumo set down light mana and passed it back to her again.

"Alright! I charge and summon Cocco Lupia!" the first creature to be summoned twirled into play, an orange fire bird with a gold crown chirped excitedly.

"I charge and summon Jil Warka, Time Guardian!" A flat gold starship with mechanical claws appeared.

Heidi could see his card flashing briefly by on the big screen "A 2000 blocker, when it's destroyed he gets to tap two of my creatures. I don't think he used blockers the other times, but he's probably got cards to stall my dragons and phoenixes so he can beat me with speed attackers again… I know what you're up to!" Heidi whipped out a card while Tsukumo smirked "Tell me what you think of this! I charge then summon Bruiser Dragon!" Small for a dragon but too big to be a dragonoid, the 5000 reptilian aimed twin blasters across the field.

"Incredible move for so early into the game, Stew! Heidi used her fire bird to reduce the cost of her armored dragon!"

Her 1000 birdie wouldn't beat Tsukumo's blocker, she ended her turn.

"I summon Pala Olesis, Morning Guardian!" another blocker with 2500 power and curving honeycomb-patterned wings. From the screen Heidi could see it'd give his other creatures 2000 extra power on her turns. Another strategy piece to assist with his Nariel lockdowns.

She whipped out a card and charged mana "I summon Choya, the Unheeding!" Her orange humanoid bounced in place on its spring shoes. "Alright Bruiser Dragon break a shield, ike!" she'd expected him to block but Tsukumo let the gunfire go and his centre shield shattered. Glass sparked purple against the swaying net and the audience oohed and cheered.

"Heidi takes the lead! But Tsukumo's not done yet!" the annunciator echoed.

"Shield trigger! Glory Snow. This comes in handy when you're dueling an impulsive girl who always insists on going first." A blizzard of light twirled itself across his field and he charged an extra two mana. Heidi grit her teeth, Jil Warka had 4000 power now so her smaller creatures couldn't do anything. She ended and Tsukumo drew "I summon Mist Rias, Sonic Guardian!" the x-shaped gold flier whizzed into view with 2000 power.

Something he can attack with next turn, it also lets him draw whenever another creature is summoned. Heidi started her turn, she smirked at the card she drew. I got something better!

"You're toast Tsukumo! I vortex evolution Bruiser Dragon and Cocco Lupia into Eternal Phoenix, Phoenix of the Dragon Flame!" Her 11,000 six-winged and dual-bladed divine burst into play and the audience roared with joy at the sight of it. "Remember him?"

"Of course, your DM-13 Phoenix."

"Choya the Unheeding break a shield! Ike!" she tapped her humanoid first and Tsukumo blocked with Jil Warka, Heidi's creature sprung off its flat surface and backflipped safely away due to its ability. That blocker had the peskiest ability, Heidi needed to get rid of it "Eternal Phoenix attack Jil Warka, ike!"

"Pala Olesis block!"

"Wow Tom! Tsukumo blocked his blocker with another blocker!"

"I saw it too, Stew!"

His card flashed and flew off the table, the honeycomb-winged ship falling in a smoking heap and exploding as Heidi's giant phoenix lowered its longswords.

Tsukumo drew and grinned "Now the punishment can begin… everyone will see I'm not just superior in this school but to the chosens as well!"

"Dream on!"

"I summon two Rikabu the Dismantlers!"

"Two of them?" Heidi gasped as the orange machine eaters landed one after the other, their mechanical arms whirring with tools.

"First Rikabu break her shield, ike!" Tsukumo raised his arm and the critter lunged, slamming a wrench into a glass panel "Second Rikabu ike!" another fired a power-drill through the panel on the opposite side. "Mist Rias break her third shield, ike!" And the x-jet launched itself at sonic speed, creating rings in the air as it broke the sound barrier, splintering Heidi's shield and whipping up her short black hair as it flew past, curving around the open space and then returning to its position in front of its player.

"Three shields gone in one turn! Well he is the DMA's best, Tom!"

"I predict you'll be finished in one more turn!" Tsukumo pointed at her. "This'll be your quickest loss yet and the most humiliating!"

Heidi drew, she now had four cards in her hand "Not gonna happen! I summon Jiruba Precision Shooter and cast a spell from the DM-14! Twin Turbo!" the card glowed red in her hand "It makes Jiruba a speed attacker and gives him an extra 3000 power for the turn! Jiruba attack Mist Rias, ike!" The silver humanoid went down on one knee to aim before firing its arm-blaster.

"Jil Warka, Time Guardian block!" there was yellow light rippling out from Tsukumo's table as he turned his card, the flat ship swerving into the path of the laser and exploding. "And since it's destroyed I tap Choya the Unheeding and Eternal Phoenix!" Tsukumo started laughing and Heidi watched her cards turn themselves. There was nothing more she could do.

"Oh no…"

"Looks like it may be over for the chosen fire duelist already, Stew!"

"You have two shields and I have three creatures, do the math." Tsukumo drew his ninth card and added mana, starting his turn "I summon Nariel the Oracle!" As the gold sphere with the blue halo popped open Heidi regarded it with disdain, that was the creature that wouldn't let anything with 3000 or more power attack. "Alright first Rikabu ike! Break a shield!" Its robotic arms hurled it over, crashing down on glass that flew wild and activated the purple filaments in the safety net. "Second Rikabu-"

"Hold up I have a shield trigger!" Heidi yelled it so fast she was out of breath. Tsukumo withdrew his hand, leaning back with pretend-patience. "Phew… I get to save my last shield. You should feel honored, Tsukumo. You may be the first person ever to face up against this new staple card of the fire civilization!" Heidi grinned.

"What is that?"

"The DM-14's Hell's Scrapper!" An orange compressor machine rose up, sparking with yellow electricity. "I destroy creatures of yours with total power 5000 or less. So do the math, Tsukumo! Mist Rias, both Rikabus and Nariel. All of your creatures add up to 5000 so I destroy them all!"

"What?!" he couldn't believe it. Four chains whipped out from the compressor and bound each of his struggling creatures, dragging them quickly to where they were ground into pieces and destroyed. Tsukumo's field was cleared, the attractive guy disbelieving.

Even the annunciators couldn't articulate "I… wow…!"

The audience cheered and Heidi drew "Alright, my turn! You ready? First of all I'm going to generate a cross gear called Crimson Rifle!" A long dark sniper-rifle appeared, levitating in place. "I tap another two and cross it to Eternal Phoenix! I'm sure you have another Nariel in your deck, well this card gives my phoenix the ability to tap and instantly destroy another creature with 2000 or less power! I'm not getting stuck by your lockdowns anymore!" Even louder cheering from the stands "Eternal Phoenix break two shields!" The 11,000 phoenix swept forward by its six orange wings, lowering two swords one after the other and annihilating more shields.

Tsukumo grunted and then caught his two cards as they flew off the table. Heidi pressed on "Jiruba break a shield, ike!" Another blast and littering of glass pieces "Choya-"

"Shield trigger, Holy Awe!" a spinning orb fired a pillar of light that made her bouncing fighter kneel down.

"So you saved your last shield too, huh? We're both one apiece."

"What an unbelievable match, Tom!"

"I'm about to wet myself with excitement, Stew!"

Tsukumo furiously drew as his nostrils flared, eying the seven cards in his hand. He took a moment to rearrange them before starting "I summon the speed attacker Hypersprint Warrior Uzesol!" A familiar winged armorloid appeared. "And I summon La Ura Giga Sky Guardian and Sol Galla Halo Guardian!" two ships raised themselves by their exhaust engines, one steel and one gold. "Hypersprint Warrior Uzesol break her last shield!" The armorloid blasted off and Heidi felt panic as her final defense crumpled. The machine zipped around her on rocket boosters before lowering back into place. "Time for you to make your final move, Heidi."

She felt far too exposed, even behind her monstrous Eternal Phoenix and two humanoids. Heidi drew "I summon Mini Titan Gett!" two cards tapped and her roller-skating kid-fighter joined the fray, skidding to a halt in mid-air. Heidi examined Tsukumo's line of three creatures in turn. She remembered what Tsukumo and Narciel had said, that she needed to make intelligent moves and not rush in. She sighed before considering her situation.

I have no shields, my opponent will win if he can attack me next turn. He has two blockers and a tapped creature. Of his blockers, Sol Galla can still attack players. That means… Heidi looked at the floating gold spaceship. No matter what I'm not going to be able to convince him to block with Sol Galla. He has La Ura Giga and one shield left to keep him safe. So that means first I have to…

The audience was waiting for Heidi to think things through, she put her hand on the tabletop "I tap Eternal Phoenix to use its cross gear's effect! Automatically destroy Sol Galla with Crimson Rifle!"

"Dammit!" Tsukumo watched as the Phoenix released its two swords, letting them float beside it while it took aim with the rifle, gunning down the gold starship. He couldn't block the ability with La Ura Giga, he watched as it crashed down in a smoking heap and exploded.

"Next! Choya has 2000 power while attacking! Take out Hypersprint Warrior Uzesol!" Her spring-footed human bounced up and over.

"La Ura Giga, block!" Tsukumo furiously twisted his card, the steel spaceship shot forward and the two creatures bounced apart with a loud springing noise. "Jiruba Precision Shooter get rid of Uzesol! Ike!" the gun-armed humanoid fired and this time the laser hit, Tsukumo's orange armoloid beeped in distress as it partially melted and shut down. Heidi studied the field and let out a sigh of relief. Both of Tsukumo's creatures that could attack players had been dealt with. He couldn't beat her with La Ura Giga next turn. That was hard for her to think through but she managed it.

"You think you're safe just cause you got rid of my attacking creatures?" Tsukumo remarked with growing frustration "All I need to do is draw a single speed attacker and then this game is done! That's what finished you the last two times and the same thing's going to happen again!" He whipped out a card and Heidi felt a chill of nerves. He had four cards in his hand, it didn't look like he'd drawn a speed attacker but… "I'm not out yet!" he announced "beating me won't be easy Heidi! I summon another Nariel the Oracle and Magris Vizier of Magnetism!" The damned gold orb was back along with a 3000 gold-blue machine with huge claw-arms. It allowed Tsukumo to draw another card "Next I cast Full Defensor so both my creatures will be blockers until my next turn!" Electric blue shields inflated before his creatures, one after the other. "La Ura Giga Sky Guardian attack Choya the Unheeding, ike!" His gleaming steel guardian swerved into action and released cannon-fire that burned holes through its target. A card flew over Heidi's shoulder "That's me done."

"Heidi's still got our number one Tsukumo on the ropes, folks!"

"He's stalling until he draws a speed attacker and finishes me off…" Heidi didn't feel as sure of herself as the dim-witted annunciators did. In order to beat Nariel she needed to use her cross gear's tap effect, but that meant she couldn't attack with Eternal Phoenix. If she couldn't get rid of Magris he'd attack her with it next turn. Taking another breath to calm herself she drew and came face-to-face with her Supernova Mars Disaster "…no good. You're a turn late. If you'd come out earlier I could've evolved you with my three humanoids but he just destroyed Choya, and I don't have another humanoid in my hand." Heidi grit her teeth as she looked up, arrogant Tsukumo raising an eyebrow at her. She looked back down and studied her cards more carefully. There! "I cast Energy Charger to give Jiruba an increase of 2000 power this turn! I use Crimson Rifle's effect to tap Eternal Phoenix and destroy Nariel!" she turned her card and her phoenix took aim, gunning down the gold orb. Its halo vanished as it deactivated. "Jiruba break his last shield ike!"

"Magris block!"

"Mini Titan Gett attack his guardian, ike!" A mass collision of laser-fire. The clawed initiate got hit by the ramped-up Jiruba's arm-blaster while Gett skated around, spinning up and shooting the spaceship with a mini rocket-launcher on its wrist.

The audience cheered and Tsukumo was enraged to see they were cheering for her, not the champion of their school! He only had two cards left in his hand.

"I charge… and I summon Pharzi the Oracle." The gold brooch creature with the pink ribbon twirled onto play.

I could win this! But I can't let him finish me with Pharzi if he survives this turn! Heidi drew and again it wasn't a humanoid "I keep Jiruba tapped to use his silent skill that enables my creatures to attack untapped creatures! Mini Titan Gett destroy Pharzi, ike! Eternal Phoenix, time to wipe out his final shield! Ike!" It was satisfying for Heidi to see one of her signature cards take down the first creature she'd ever seen Tsukumo play, her humanoid skating forth and flipping up, kicking the light bringer down and apart. The last shield was stabbed by the huge Eternal Phoenix and Tsukumo added it to his hand.

Every time he reached for his deck Heidi felt herself tense up. One speed attacker was all he needed, just one. Tsukumo drew and then studied his cards "…alright. This is a gamble but we'll see how this goes. I have no choice, you've really pushed me here Heidi…"

"Just go already!"

"So vulgar and impatient… I add mana and then…" all thirteen mana cards on his tabletop turned and he revealed the glowing card in his hand "I cast Invincible Aura!"

Three of his shields repaired themselves and Heidi blinked "You…?"

"If I don't have a shield trigger in there then I'm done. If I have a speed attacker in there, you're done."

"Bring it on Tsukumo!" Heidi started her turn "cause I just drew Wild Racer Chief Garan!" A motorcyclist with three blades as claws on his arms sped into view "Now I can evolve him with Jiruba and Gett into a triple-breaker! You've not yet faced this creature! Come out, Supernova Mars Disaster!"

If the audience were excited before they were frenzied now. Red energy swallowed Heidi and flooded outward, covering the zone as fire exploded into being. Luckily the gigantic dome was capable of fitting Mars, but the safety net started sparking and shaking like crazy. The screens were glitching.

"I don't believe it Stew! Is that…?"

"Sure is, Tom. One of the legendary chosen phoenixes: Supernova Mars Disaster!"

The 13,000 power divine spread flaming wings and unleashed a songbird roar. Tsukumo was sweating, from nerves or the sheer heat Heidi couldn't tell. He straightened and lowered his head so he was looking at her again.

"I see now why you call yourself the phoenix duelist. Two phoenixes facing me at once…" From below the wingspan of incredible Mars, Eternal Phoenix clutched both swords in one hand and its sniper-rifle in the other.

"11,000 and 13,000 power! Mars is a triple breaker! You wanted to gamble Tsukumo? Well let's go! Supernova Mars Disaster ike! Triple-break his shields!" A shriek that caused more technology to spark and malfunction, shuddering the panels of the glass dome above them. The phoenix flew forward and Tsukumo's shields were reduced to glittering dust. As the fire and heat receded Tsukumo was waving off embers. He took a breath and studied his cards.

"Guess this paid off… shield trigger, another Holy Awe!"

"You're kidding!?" Heidi exclaimed and the audience was in excited uproar once more. The floating orb appeared and forced her Eternal Phoenix to tap with a beam of gold light.

Tsukumo drew and then narrowed his eyes through the red heat-haze to Heidi standing behind her two godly phoenixes. "Okay… I summon another Pharzi the Oracle! Then I summon Betrale the Explorer and Dia Nork Moonlight Guardian!" Three creatures appeared as he emptied his hand. The small gold brooch with the pink bow wasn't a threat, with only 1000 power it'd be wiped out with a meteorburn. His other blockers had 5000 power each however, meaning Heidi would have to deal with them individually.

"He's been real lucky… but so have I." Heidi murmured to herself "All he needs is a single speed attacker and I'm toast. I have to end this quick!" her hand blazed red and she drew "I generate another cross gear, Fire Blade!" Orange jet-boosted roller-skates appeared. It wouldn't help either of her creatures now so Heidi didn't cross with it. "Alright Supernova Mars Disaster ike todomeda, use meteorburn!" A tempest of fire, the pheonix's white eyes were smoking as it leered down, raising the celestial spheres at its wings.

"Dia Nork block!" the white airship flew up at its target like a bird going after an elephant. It was seared from existence by a river of flames, the heatwave blowing out an incinerating Pharzi as well.

"Eternal Phoenix ike todomeda!"

"Betrale block!"

The alien hovercraft spun forth to intercept Eternal Phoenix's falling broadsword. It broke apart on impact and Tsukumo drew once more.

"Alright…"

"Alright?" Heidi's breath hitched. Did he finally draw another speed attacker?

"I'm gonna gamble the fate of this duel one last time. It didn't work before but maybe it'll work a second time…"

"What do you mean?"

"When Pharzi the Oracle goes to the graveyard I add a spell to my hand. So… I tap thirteen and cast Invincible Aura again!" More yellow light and once more Tsukumo's three shields rebuilt themselves.

"I've broken your shields eight times!" Heidi exclaimed "How much more until you lose already!"

"As much as necessary, you childish brat! I am the champion of this academy! I deserved to be a chosen duelist, not you! My strategies are perfect! I can lockdown anyone and rebuild my shields a hundred times over, and I'll be damned if I'm beaten by some rural girl from Duextra who doesn't even know how to behave!"

"Looks like you're damned then…" Heidi murmured with murderous fury. Her whole body blazed red as she drew her next card "I summon Totto Pipicchi and cross him with Fire Blade! He's now a speed attacker!" the roller-skates glowed red and changed shape, attaching to the bird and custom fitting into wing-exhausts instead. The fire sparrow lowered its goggles with an eager cheep. "Let's go! Supernova Mars Disaster triple-break his shields again! Ike!" A tumultuous roar of fire over which Tsukumo was roaring as well, clinging to the table to keep himself from being knocked over by the sheer force of fire. The three panels splintered and as the cards flicked up into his hand he saw… Shock Trooper Mykee! His red-armored sword-wielding speed attacker! Only problem was he had no shield triggers and it was still Heidi's turn. "Totto Pipicchi ike todomeda!" The jet-exhausts on its wings whooshed to life, the sparrow igniting and becoming a line of fire that surged in Tsukumo's direction.

"No… nooooo!" It hit him square in the chest, the blonde toppling backward with a wincing grunt. His perfectly styled hair was in disarray, the audience launching to their feet and cheering.

"I don't believe it Tom! For the first time in Tsukumo's enrolment at the DMA… he's finally been defeated by someone his age!"

"Incredible, Stew! 99.5% victories and she managed to beat him!"

The giant robotic arms holding their separate podiums retracted, the whole dome was full of eager shouting and calling. Heidi turned where she stood as her creatures vanished. She was also sweating from Mars's power heating up the indoor space, her black hair stuck to her forehead. It was such an incredible feeling, such an amazing place to be standing. The training had all paid off. For the first time Heidi felt she actually deserved the title of chosen fire duelist.

Her platform was just sealing back into place as Heidi heard a distant crash like thunder. Her sister and friends were running over with beaming faces. Heidi turned and scanned the skies through the giant glass dome. A gold flying-saucer came into view, looking similar to the Starbolt Cruiser that'd first flown her to Augus a few weeks ago. It looked damaged and it was circling the space above them. Didn't Engyo say it was illegal for them to fly above the city? Everyone else quietened down and slowed to a stop, looking worriedly at the spaceship. Its engines roared and then the saucer blasted full speed into the school building, tearing straight into one of the fortress walls and causing an enormous cave-in. Thunderous tremors and the lights flickered off as about a third of the academy fell to pieces.


AN: Beat you all in updating before you reviewed! Haha... ha... *sobs* No don't mind me, things are getting good now. Suffice to say, a lot of shit is about to go down and the story will never be the same again. Despite early critiques on pacing I don't want things to be stable for too long in this story. Bring on the drama! Bring on the death! How do you feel about this duel, was it controversial? I could've so easily made Heidi lose again but didn't. Anyway, see ya next time.