"Hello and welcome." Onyx said appearing. "My name is Onyx Dark, 17th princess of the kingdom and a lover of fairy tales. Now...today will be one you all will enjoy. Of a shy princess going to save her prince. Now while this may seem made up, this is quite a true tale...involving the avid lover of fantasy tales, Mel Yumegatari and the prince who looks to study, Subaru Hoshiyomi." Onyx said. "While this wonderful princess is in love with our dashing prince, she fails to get near him since of course his stare could freeze you in your tracks. To this, she has assumed it to be a curse, so in hopes of trying to free him, she will do her best to defeat and overpower him during their upcoming match. But she cannot do it alone, so she came to a wise young maiden who knew she could help her. However, Subaru had a partner as well. A wicked wizard with a mind as sharp as her spear. Will our heroine be able to overcome this trial?!"

"Uh...is this just your way of telling us what's been going on today?" Wendy asked.

"Uh...pretty much." Onyx said.

"Mel Yumegatari…. If I remember the records right, she also fights with Dungeon World using the Folktale Monsters like you, Onyx. Despite being shy, I heard she's really good. And her Buddy, Red Riding Hood, Ema is no slouch either." Sakura said.

"Quit trying to turn the fairy tale into an action thing!" Onyx said.

"She wasn't trying to." Hope said.

"Still...Wicked Wizard? Maiden? Seriously?" Lacy asked.

"Hey, it's how fairy tales work. They aren't worth reading without some sort of challenge." Onyx said.

"I feel rather insulted." Zan said.

"(Pay it no mind, Zan. She was like this during my fight with her too. She's just being dramatic.)" Yoko told Zan through telepathy.

"(A little overboard don't you think?)" Zan replied.

"Hey, you guys are mentally talking about me aren't you? I can't hear it but I know Yoko's telepathic." Onyx said. "Besides, if I just called her Zan, it wouldn't sound enticing. So it was either wicked wizard or sinister sorceress."

"I don't know how either of those sound better. It's like you're placing Zan as the one who put the curse on Subaru in the first place…" Leanne said.

"Shhh! Don't give her ideas!" Hope said.

"Too late." Onyx said writing that down.

"Ugh...you know, there's such a thing as knowing when to keep quiet." Ryuji said.

"Wait, the rest of these pages are blank." Wendy said.

"Cause I haven't written down the battle yet. After Mel wins the battle, I'll write in the perfect happy ending." Onyx said.

"Uh…" Flamberge said before turning back to her sisters. "Man, when she gets going she's hard to stop huh?"

"Tell me about it." Francisca said.

"Still big sis, I don't think you should worry about this whole fairy tale thing. Just have fun in the fight and don't think about whatever Onyx says. Eyes on the fun." Flamberge said.

"Eyes on the fun." Zan repeated calmly before pointing her finger into the air as thunder flashed.

"Yikes!" Hagakure yelped.

"Just releasing some steam." Zan said.

"Well this should be a blast…" Aria sighed.

The next day at the fighting stage….

"It's time for the third match of the ABC cup first round! The Duos duking it out today are the duo of Subaru Hoshiyomi and Zan Partizanne going against Mel Yumegatari and Onyx Dark!" Ion said.

"Now get ready to lumenize, chu!" Takochi said.

"I'm guided by the celestial sphere! And the Guidance of a Dragon. Luminize! Triangulum Galaxy!" Subaru said.

"Let the combined strength of Demons and Mages bring Unity and Peace. Lumenize! Order of Sorcery!" Zan said.

"A long time ago in a distant land, there was a wonderful love story! Lumenize! Once Upon a Folktale!" Mel said.

"Everyone gather around! A new tale is about to unfold! Lumenize! Eternal Fairytale!" Onyx said.

"Buddy…" Ion said.

"FIGHT!" the crowd cheered.

"Raise the flag!" the four said.

"Star Dragon World!" Subaru said.

"Magic!" Zan announced.

"Dungeon World!" Mel and Onyx shouted.

"Skyseer Dragon, Cross Astrologia!" Subaru said.

"Demon Lord, Asmodai!" Zan said.

"Red Riding Hood, Ema." Mel said.

"White Snow Princess, Christa." Onyx said.

"And we are clear to begin. And Mel and Onyx have first turn." Ion said.

"Here we go! Draw! Charge and Draw! I equip Illusions Folktale, Echt Biblio. Then I choose to buddycall Red Riding Hood Ema to the center." Mel said.

10-11

"Here we go Mel, let's work together to remove that curse." Ema said.

"Prince Subaru, I promise we will save you." Mel vowed

"What did they just say?" Subaru asked Zan and Cross.

"Something about Prince Subaru and a curse." Cross replied.

"She tends to be dramatic about stuff like this, don't worry about it." Zan said waving her hand.

"Hmm. Perhaps it's all a sort of Dungeon World code." Subaru pondered.

"Don't know… Franny isn't like this when she plays." Zan said.

"Okay, Ema attack Subaru!" Mel said.

10-9

"Now it turns to me! Draw! Charge and draw! I call a new addition to the cast! I call Sleeping Princess Stef to the right!" Onyx said as a sleeping girl appeared on the right.

"A new Folktale monster." Hope said.

"Next, I'll call the Twelfth Witch to the center! Then I equip, Echt Biblio myself. Now that that's done! My witch attacks Zan!" Onyx said.

"I cast, Solomon's Shield!" Zan said.

"Oh bother. I guess I end my turn then." Onyx said.

"Then it's our turn! Draw! Charge and Draw!" Subaru said. "I call Govern Star Dragon, Bordure to center as well as Seerfight Dragon, Sultallion to the right! And I equip, Seer Bow, Babylon!"

After calling those monsters, Subaru then struck at Mel with both his monsters and his item.

11-6

"That does it for my turn. It now falls to you, Zan." Subaru said.

"Very well. Draw. Charge and Draw." Zan said. "I call Messenger of Moonlight, Luna, to the left, and Messenger of Sunlight, Sol to the right. Then I pay one gauge to bring forth Healing Hand of Wind, Lispel, and I equip Sorcery Book, Goetia by paying another gauge." she said as a purple book appeared in her hands. "With this, I can attack even if I have a monster in the center."

10-11

"Looks like Zan picked up one of your tricks, David. She's called Sol and Luna." Hope said.

"Hope, do you have to point out every single thing? I know, I'm watching the match right now. What do you think I'm looking at?" David asked.

"Sorry." Hope said. "Just something about these matches gets me narrating for some reason."

"Time to attack. First, Lispel, banish the Twelfth Witch, Luna, attack the sleeping princess, Sol, with me!" Zan said as she and her monsters attacked.

"I activate my items effect. By paying one life for each monster, I can protect my monsters." Onyx said as the two monsters vanished into the book.

10-8

"A clever move. However, you left yourself wide open! Everyone, with me! Attack Onyx!" Zan called.

8-2

"That ends my turn." Zan said.

"Hold on. Why didn't she use Sol and Luna's abilities?" David asked.

"She might be saving them for when she really needs them." Mahiru said.

"Okay…let's work hard everyone! Draw! Charge and draw! I call Ema to the left, Man Eating Wolf, Wolff to the center and Hunter Jordan to the right!" Mel said.

"Im gonna eat you from top to bottom!" Wolff said.

"A gift for the lady Mel!" Jordan said firing his gun as Mel's life increased by one.

"Now...go and help break Subaru's curse!" Mel said as her monsters went and attacked as Subaru was preoccupied with figuring out the curse business. "Now...it's time for the big act! I send Ema into Echt Biblio...and call...Illusions Dragon, Red Cape Dragon!" Mel said as Ema transformed into a large red dragon as all the monsters on Mel's field vanished.

"Uh oh, we've seen this before!" Akane said.

"Yes, but unlike Krista, Ema's dragon form is different." Tails said. "If the opponent has an item equipped, the card gains 4000 power and 4 critical. She can easily wipe out Subaru now."

"Subaru, stay focused." Zan said.

"Don't worry. I've come prepared." Subaru said as Red Cape Dragon attacked. "Cast! Proto Barrier!" he said blocking the attack.

"My turn isn't through yet! I activate Echt Biblio's ability! Marchen Panic!" Mel called. "I call Jordan, Wolff and Ema from my item's Soul!"

"Time to free Prince Subaru from Poison apples, Ice castles and evil witches!" Ema said.

"More of that strange code!" Subaru said as they attacked leaving him at three life.

"That ends my turn. Onyx, it's your turn." Mel said.

"Right. Draw! Charge and Draw! Like Mel, I use Marchen Panic to call Stef from the book to the center, but she isn't staying for long! Time to show your true form! By using her and paying two gauge...I call to the center...Illusions Dragon, Thorns Dragon!" Onyx said said as Stef changed into a large black dragon covered in thorns.

"I activate Messenger of Moonlight, Luna's ability! If I have Sol on my field, I can return your dragon to your hand!" Zan called.

"Sorry but that won't work. I activate Thorn Dragon's ability! When its called out, I can force a monster or item into a state of rest for this turn and the next! And I pick Luna!" Onyx said.

"No way...she broke the combo." Hope said.

"That's because she's not using it properly. It's best used on your OWN turn." David said.

"I've broken the combo perfectly. But...just for good measure...I'll have Thorns Dragon destroy Messenger of Sunlight, Sol!" Onyx said as Thorns Dragon fired a beam of electricity that destroyed Sol. "That's all I can do for now. I end my turn."

"Unbelievable, Master. She broke your most famed combo like it was nothing." Francisca said.

"I know. Though, I never had something like that happen before." David said.

"Let's not panic. Thorns Dragon's the only monster on Onyx's field. All she has to do is get rid of it and she can score the win. You got this, Zan!" Flamberge shouted.

"Berge…" Zan said before looking to Subaru. "Okay. If you think you've bested me, then… As a lot of my comrades say, 'You haven't seen anything yet!' Subaru, may I please finish my match?"

"Go on ahead." Subaru said.

"Then I Draw! Charge and Draw! I Buddycall to the right, Demon Lord, Asmodai!" Zan said.

"Long time no see everyone!" Asmodai said as he appeared.

"Asmodai's ability! I discard one card from my hand so that he may destroy one monster on my opponent's field!" Zan said.

"Dangerous Backdrop!" Asmodai said suplexing Thorns Dragon as it disappeared.

"Behold the Bringer of Shock!" Zan said as she and her monsters attacked.

"Ahhh!" Onyx screamed as the attacks landed.

2-0

Game over, Onyx! Winner: Zan Partizanne!

"Just as I expected. Now, to wrap this up." Subaru said. "Because I just realized...solving the code doesn't have anything to do with winning the match. I draw! Charge and Draw! I call Fret to the left and then Buddycall Skyseer Dragon, Cross Astrologia to center!"

3-4

"Our Galaxy Formation is set. Now...I cast! Proclaimation: Decisive Point! Now my monsters cannot be destroyed by effects! Go!" Subaru said as he and his monsters laid waste to Mel leaving her with one life.

"It's okay. I can still…" Mel said.

"Final Phase! Now...I can use this card! I cast! Tri-Star Decision!" Subaru said as the triangle appeared in the air as Cross closed it up before creating an energy bow as his tail pulled back an arrow before firing.

1-0

Game over! Winner: Subaru Hoshiyomi!

"It is all in the mind." Subaru said.

"Shine forth, star of glory!" Cross said.

"Bonjam." Zan said as she did the Jambastion Prayer.

Later outside….

"This is horrible, I couldn't break my prince's curse." Mel said. "I'm just going to turn into seafoam like that tragic little mermaid."

"Don't give in, Mel! Onyx, can you do something?" Ema asked.

"It's no use. It's no happy ending...only a perfect tragedy." Onyx said.

"Hey, Mel, Onyx!" Yuga called as he and the heroes came up. "That was awesome! Your match was great. You two are really strong!"

"Huh? But we lost…" Mel said.

"Could we buddyfight sometime? And maybe even be friends?" Yuga asked.

"Wha?" Mel asked.

"I don't understand…" Onyx said. "Wait...could this be...a twist ending?! Yes! Though the crusade had failed, a kind wizard approached the heroine princess and offered to be friends so he may once again help her win her love one day!"

"Onyx is right, Mel. He could be your fairy godmother." Ema added.

"Hey, what's this white stuff in your hair?" Flamberge asked pulling off a piece of Mel''s bonnet "Hmm…" she said eating it. "Whoa! It's cotton candy!"

"Cotton Candy? How did that get stuck in your hair?" Stoj asked.

"That's not hair. She's wearing a bonnet, and the whole things made of cotton candy." Flamberge said.

"Are you serious? Gimme some of that!" Stoj said grabbing a piece and eating it. "So amazing." she moaned.

"Hey Subaru, get over here! You've gotta try some of this!" Yuga said as Mel froze up as Yuga offered it to him before she fainted with a pleased smile on her face.

"Is she okay?" Hope asked.

"She's fine." Ema said. "Who knew cotton candy would be the answer to breaking the curse, eh Onyx?"

"Yes...who knew." Onyx smiled. "And our princess lived happily ever after. The end." she said closing the book.