EPISODE 9: YUMI'S ULTIMATIUM! THE CONCLUSION!?

Yumi looks in her two-card hand, wasting no time.

'I ACTIVATE THE SPELL CATD: MAGISTUS INVOCATION! IT ALLOWS ME TO FUSE TWO MONSTERS FROM THE FIELD OR HAND!'

'Crap, a Fusion summon!' Mirai thought, as the monsters on the field blurred together, creating a massive gateway.

'MAGISTUS OF MASTERY AND OF GRIMORES! I INVOKE THE ANCIENT POWERR THAT LIES WITHIN ALL MAGISTI! COME FORTH, MYTHICAL SENTIENT STAFF!'

From the blur, the blue gemmed mechanical, floating staff appeared, spreading a pair of mechanical wings on a floating charm on its forehead

'FUSION SUMMON! AIWASS, THE MAGISTUS SPELL SPIRIT!'

The staff let out a crystalline sound, akin to a roar, as Yumi lurched back, still not done.

'I ACTIVATE ITS EFFECT, EQUIPPING HIM TO YOUR BLUE-EYES, GIVING IT 5500 ATTACKS!'

The staff teleported over to his of the field, as the dragon glowed.

Mirai, overwhelmed, started laughing like a mad man. 'DO YOU REALISE WHAT YOU'VE DONE! NOW I WIN!'

'That's not all it does… IF AIWASS IS EQUIPPED TO MY OPPONENT'S MONSTER, IT COMES TO MY FIELD!'

'The dragon was teleported to the other side, as Mirai stood in shock.

'WHAT- NO- YOU- I CAN'T DO THAT!'

Yumi calls the dragon for an attack, however, Mirai pulls up a trap card, Negate attack.

During Mirai's turn, he summons the Maiden with eyes of blue.

'NOW IF YOU ATTACK ME, MY BLUE EYES RETURNS TO THE FIELD! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO, HITO!?'

Yumi draws, summoning a Zoroa to equip the blue eyes with another Aiwass, boosting its attack to 6500.' BLUE EYES ALTERNATIVE ULTIMATE DRAGON, ATTACK!'

'FOOL! UTTER DISCGACE! NOW, I –'

Yumi doesn't give him time to react. 'I ACTIVATE MYFACEMDWON SOLLEMN JUDGEMENT! IT HALVES MY LIFE POINTS SAND DESTROYS THAT CARD!"

An old man appeared, as he pointed a lightning bolt to the Maiden, destroying her.

Mirai is angry. 'YOU- YOU WITCH!

YOU THINK YOU CAN TAKE, MY GREAT GRANDFATHER'S SPIRIT AWAY FROM ME!? HIS CARDS!?'

Yumi stops mid attack sequence. 'You great grandfather's cards… so we're the same…'

Mirai stands confused, as Yumi started a monologue.

'Long ago, there was a duelist that lifted me out of a dark time, one that inspired me to become who I am today… he left that card behind on that day, the card you stole from me…'

The blue eyes rev up, the three heads ready to attack.

'But that is why I'm here now! To reclaim HIS card! To, one day, become better than him! TO ONE DAY, BECOME BETTER THAN YUYA SAKAKI HIMSELF!'

Sora in the crowd smiles. 'So that's where Odd Eyes Synchron went...'

'NOW, MAGIC TRI BURST STREAM OF DESTRUCTION!'

The burst was filled with magic sparkles filled it, as it hit the ground near Mirai, destroying all that surrounds it, action cards flying everywhere. It threw him into the air, lowering his life points to 0.

The hologram faded, as Mirai got to his feet, in amazement.

'The same….'

….

Time flashes back years ago, back when he still thought himself a girl.

(AUTHOR'S NOTE: Mirai Trans is Canon Now Deal with It (oh and the flashback will refer to him as she until we get back to the present)

He was in his Great-Grandfather's vintage 1990 Hologram dueling room, as the wheelchaired Seto Kaiba rolled up to him for a talk.

'Has my dueling improved, grandfather?' she had asked.

Seto nodded, gesturing him to sit down beside him, on the bench beside the massive hologram stadium.

'Do you know why, great granddaughter… why Losing is unacceptable?'

Mirai wasted no time. 'Because losing is a sign of weakness.'

Seto nodded, patting his Granddaughter on the head. 'Good girl, however, there is one thing I need to tell you… have you earned yourself a 'Rival' yet…?'

Mirai shook her head 'Why do you ask? Don't I need to become Unrivalled to become the best?'

Seto laughed a small laugh. 'The rival is a way of keeping track of your progress, child… a way to tell you you've grown stronger… how does one become strong without a bar to set… I learned this too late, apparently…'

Young Mirai asked 'Then how do you find a rival, great- grandfather'

Seto opened his mouth, in a slight frown, saying 'By the one thing that we, as Kaibas… dislike the most…'

…

'Losing.' Present Mirai thought, as he walked over to Yumi. He stared at her for a while, only to lift her arm into the air declaring.

'We have out champion!' He declared as the small audience cheered, their voices becoming booming crowds.

He dropped Yumi's hand as handed Yumi the Odd Eyes Synchron, reaching into his graveyard to dig out the Blue-eyes.

However, Yumi backed away. 'You can keep the prize money; I'm not taking the blue eyes.'

Mirai raised a brow. 'But why? The agreement- '

'That card contains your ambitions, your spirit. I won't do what you did to me…' Yumi says, backing away for the exit.

Mirai called out to Yumi, asking her to wait.

'My sincerest apologies…. Yumi… may I call you that? If you ever need help, or a dueling partner, as long as you have that Duel Disk, you are welcome into the Kaiba Corp.'

Yumi nodded. 'You can call me that. And are the Z-Hunters off my back now?'

Mirai took a step back, wondering how when knew his organization name. '… I'll discuss things with the head of Corps…. Now, I have to have a word with Muto…'

…

When she exited the stadium with the crowd, the sun was already setting Sora looked her way, wondering if he should ask for the card back. Soon, however, we walked off, shrugging it off.

She ran off to Minato's house, where he and his grandfather were waiting for her.

'Yumi! You're back!' Minato said, as she fell over his shoulders, exhausted and hungry

'Is… dinner ready?' she asked, later siting at the table, a bowl of hot rice and eggs sitting on the table.

She sat herself down, yelling to Minato: 'There's someone outside who wants to talk to you!' Before digging in.

Minato turned around, only to see Mirai, standing in his house.

Minato was about to rush him out, when Mirai told him 'It's Z-Hunters related.'

Minato led him to his room, a big, round-cornered Utopia of cards, posters and general nerdiness. It was almost Mystical, like a Mine of Duel Monsters Knowledge, its bookracks shelved with guides and lore books.

'Alright, Kaiba what is i- '

Mirai reached his hand out and viciously smacked Minato in the face.

'WHAT THE FU#$, KAIBA!?'

'YOU TOLD HER OF OUR ORGANIZATION!?'

Minato realised his mistake. 'I- That was my fault.'

'YOUR FAULT!?' Mirai started screaming, before taking a deep breath, and calming down. 'I don't longer believe that Yumi Hito is a threat, however, our organization demands absolute secrecy Muto… Friendship or no-'

'Yeah, but what was I supposed to do? Leave her in the dark and let her drift away? The 'Organization' would lose contact with one of their precious 'level 8 Z-Ranked youths''

Mirai stopped arguing with him 'I know your intentions, Muto… That wasn't first priority…. I can let you off the hook for now, but the Boss at tomorrow's meeting will disagree.' He closed into Minato 'Never do this again, unless you want to be fired.' He scolded softly, as he walked to the door.

…

Minato stayed up that night, building his decks. He had a bundle of card laying on the table as he thought of what kind of deck to play next.

'Avendead's too edgy, and reliant on ritual monsters...' He whispered. 'And Witchcrafters don't have enough extra deck support…'

'Why not play something like Gadget?' His grandfather laid a cup of coffee beside him. 'Simple and fun, and it's two draws for one!' He was lucky that his grandfather used to stay up doing the same when he was younger, he was allowed to do so after tournaments

Minato sighed. 'That has too little power, these days, with all the negates and Engines, not to mention the lack of extra deck monsters.'

His grandfather sighed 'Kids theses days and their negates…' He looked at Minato, who seemed to be working hard. 'Are you alright, boy?'

Minato looked up from his cards. 'It's nothing, I just-'He thought the day's events, and how his desire to protect Yumi and the world were conflicting… the world that housed the game he loved so much, and his first friend. 'I wanna become a stronger duelist…'

Minato's grandfather sat beside him. 'Y'know boy… Being a duelist is not all about cards… It's about the heart.'

Minato chuckled. 'Are you going to go on about the same 'Heart of Cards' speech that you and dad and GREAT GRANDPA YUGI have made?'

Minato's grandfather laughed. 'No, but you know what I mean, boy? You can't protect nothing if your heart ain't in your cards. You've gotta put your heart into it all, and I promise ya, boy, one day, you'll be able to protect stuff alright...'

Minato took a sip out of his coffee, pulling out a Dark Magician card. He put down the coffe mug and thanked his grandfather, continuing to look for cards.

'Heart in cards…' Minato thought.

…

Minato stood, solo, in front of the Kaiba Corp, the place the meeting was scheduled to take place, a big, tough bodyguard standing in front of him. He was led in, and up a set of Elevators of the massive, rectangular, building, all the way up to the top floor.

The top floor had a fountain at the centre of it, a Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Dark Magician fighting could be seen as statues upon it. Beside the fountain, there were stairs, leading up to multiple doors.

He walked his way through the one on the right, greeted by the sight of Mirai's apartment. Bedroom door left open, the windows beside the couch and TV, peeking ut slightly, as Mirai sat on a table, in front of Minato, in his casual wear, holding up a cup of coffee.

'…. I'm the first one here?' He said, sitting himself down.

'I know, the Boss usually comes first…' He replies. He seems to have calmed down from last night.

They sat there in silence, simply waiting, until Mirai broke the ice. 'You know, among my great-Grandfather's inheritance, I didn't expect to Inherit his entire Blue Eyes Brew Coffee brand… not like I don't enjoy the money…' he said, as he took a sip of his Blue Eyes Brew, from his Blue eyes head shaped mug, small drops landing on his blue eyes T-shirt.

Before Minato could reply, the door swung open, a black masked individual and others, the Z-Hunter's Senka city Elite walked in, sitting down, the black masked man lifting up a screen, the iconic IMAGE LOST appearing, as the chilling voice spoke.

'Is everyone here?'

TO BE CONTINUED.

NEXT EPISODE: EPISODE 10: THE Z-HUNTER'S ENKA CITY ELITE! YUMI'S NEW LIFE?

NEXT ARC INCOMING: D.R.A.G ARC!

(10 points to who can guess what DRAG)