The duel academy students where back in their hotel rooms, or in the case of Chloe and Theresa staying in different rooms until the police where done with Chloe's hotel room, and had pretty much travelled straight back to the hotel in order to avoid the press, this was on the request of the two girls as they didn't want any distractions going into their big match tomorrow.

"Come on, there's gotta be something I can do with this deck!" Chloe thought as she sat in front of a coffee table in the main room of her parent's hotel room, her deck was laid out in front of her as she was trying to think of any improvements she could make to her deck but was having no luck whatsoever. "Any help would be nice Silent Magician!" Chloe asked her duel spirit who sighed.

"I'm just as stumped as you are Chloe." The magician answered and Chloe sighed, before she could say anything else her step-dad sat next to her.

"Any luck Chloe?" Scott asked and Chloe shook her head. "That's not good; you're good but Theresa's a very good duelist in her own right." Scott added and Chloe sighed.

"Dad, that's not exactly helping you know." Chloe pointed out with a frown before sighing. "Unless I can think of something I doubt that I'll be able to defeat Theresa tomorrow." Chloe added before Scott got an idea.

"Hold that thought." Scott said before standing up and walking away, Chloe turned her attention back to her deck almost missing the fact that her mother had come over offering her something to drink, until she looked up that is.

"Thanks mom." Chloe thanked her before taking the drink; she took a sip before putting it on one of the few spaces on the coffee table not occupied by her cards in an attempt to avoid spilling any of the drink on the cards. "I know dueling's not exactly your specialty but you have any ideas mom?" She asked her and her mom looked at the cards, after a few moments she shook her head.

"You're father's the best one to ask about that Chloe." Her mother said honestly as Chloe took a sip of her drink. "Are you sure these modifications will even be necessary? Theresa is your classmate after all."

"Mom, the last time I dueled Theresa the life-point difference was over 6000 life-points in her favor so yeah, I think it's necessary." Chloe said honestly and her mother smiled reassuringly. "Hell I'm just glad that I was able to make it as far as I did in this tournament."

"I know you are dear and me and your father are very proud of you for making it this far." Her mother said and Chloe smiled as she heard that.

"Sorry for the wait Chloe." Scott said as he walked over to her, he handed her a pair of duel monsters packs and she took them. "I brought some card packs with me from the card shop just in case, they contain additional Spellcaster and Warrior cards alongside support cards, consider it an early birthday gift." Scott said and Chloe opened the packs, she looked over the cards and grinned before gathering up her cards.

"Thanks dad, they will be perfect for my duel against Theresa tomorrow." Chloe said as she added the new cards to her deck and put them into her duel disk slot. "Who knows? Maybe I'll be able to defeat Theresa with this." Chloe added, whilst that was going on Theresa was sitting in Brandon's room trying to decide what deck to use against her.

"Any luck Theresa?" Brandon asked as he sat on the edge of his bed, it was a large bed which was why Theresa had opted to sleep in the same room as him, off course the fact that Brandon was her boyfriend helped.

"No luck so far." Theresa answered as she added Cup of Ace and One Day of Peace to the side deck for the Kaiba deck. "Chloe's seen my Kaiba deck in action three times and dueled against it once so that's out of the question, my Zombie and Dinosaur decks are still prototypes and I'd prefer to test them in a duel where the only think at stake is a player's ego." Theresa added as she looked over her deck. "Chloe's improved a lot and I get the feeling that in order to beat her I'll need to use a deck that she hasn't seen in action."

"That doesn't exactly narrow it down." Brandon pointed out as he walked over to his girlfriend and put his arm around his waist. "Maybe sleeping on it will help…"

"If you're trying to get in my pants than sorry, I need to focus on my match with Chloe tomorrow." Theresa said and Brandon frowned clearly disappointed. "Don't worry; I'll make it up to you after the tournaments over." Theresa added and Brandon grinned, Theresa yawned before picking her deck. "On the other hand, sleep does sound good." Theresa added as she started to get changed into her night clothes.

*the next day*

Chloe waited outside Brandon's room for Theresa to come out of the room, it was fairly early in the morning, in fact she had to sneak out of her parent's room to avoid waking them up, but she was eager for the duel to begin despite her early worries.

"So you catch the game last night?" Chloe looked up and saw the cop from yesterday chatting with a much younger policeman who she assumed was his partner.

"Nah, I was on security detail at the Battle City Semi-Finals, at least I didn't have to pay to watch the duels up close and personal." The younger cop answered honestly and the older one smiled, it was then that the cops spotted Chloe. "Morning kid, you're up early aren't ya?"

"I couldn't get much sleep; my upcoming duel has me excited." Chloe said honestly before looking over at what was once her hotel room. "Any idea when I and Theresa will be able to go back in there?"

"Yeah, you should be able to use it again by the end of the tournament by our estimate." The older cop answered and Chloe frowned knowing that most of her stuff was in there. "Don't worry; we haven't touched too many of your things." The cop added before holding up the police tape for his partner who ducked under it, the older cop soon followed and they went about their business.

"Chloe, what are you doing up this early?" Theresa asked as she emerged from Brandon's room, she was clearly still sleepy and was in the middle of tying her hair up in a ponytail; Chloe smiled when she saw her friend and held up her duel disk. "You're that eager to duel huh?" Theresa asked once it dawned on her and Chloe nodded. "Well you may as well relax; our match isn't for another two hours yet."

"I know, but I was faced with the option of this or doing nothing in my parent's room for a couple of hours." Chloe said honestly as she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "And I did my preparations for our match yesterday so that's out of the question." Chloe commented just as Theresa finished tying her hair up in a ponytail.

"That makes two of us." Theresa said as she held up her duel disk which had one of her decks loaded into the deck slot. "Honestly I'm surprised you're this eager to duel me after what happened the last time we dueled." Theresa commented and Chloe shuddered as she remembered it.

"I'm passed that Theresa, besides I've made some additions to my deck that should help me." Chloe commented and Theresa raised an eyebrow at this. "I'm not telling you what they either, don't want to give away any strategies I might have planned."

"I wouldn't expect you too." Theresa commented before glancing at her own deck. "And just like you won't tell me what additions you've made to your deck I won't tell you what deck I'll be using later on." Theresa added and Chloe smiled.

"Whatever deck you're using I'll be ready for it." Chloe said confidently just as the door behind Theresa opened and Brandon emerged from his room. "Good morning Brandon." Chloe greeted him.

"Morning Chloe, you're up early aren't you?" Brandon greeted her before noticing Theresa nearby, Brandon quickly figured it out and grinned. "You're that eager to duel Theresa, aren't you?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Chloe shrugged just as the other boys emerged from their rooms quickly followed by the teachers. "So I'm guessing we're stopping for breakfast before we go to the arena?"

"That and we're picking up Kimberly from the hospital; she was discharged an hour ago." Hamden added before grinning. "She wanted me to tell you Chloe that she's disappointed that she wasn't there to see Otto's defeat in person, same goes for Nicola."

"I'm sure Andreas would be saying the same thing if he could." Lance added with a frown. "In any case this duel should be a great one, even if most people I talked too last night were betting on Theresa to win." Lance added and Chloe face-faulted at the last part. "What? They only said that because Theresa defeated Axel in last night's duel."

"That's still not helping." Theresa pointed out with a frown and Lance laughed nervously. "Are we waiting for anyone or can we go straight to breakfast?" Theresa asked as she turned to the teachers.

"We can go straight to breakfast." Jeff said before motioning for the students to follow the teachers, they did so and soon found themselves downstairs.

*elsewhere in the city*

Whilst Kimberly was waiting outside the hospital so that she could be picked up by the others someone else was patrolling the hallway, namely Michael who had ditched hi cloak for a doctor's uniform but still kept his face hidden via a surgical mask, pretty much the only thing you could see was his short black hair and brown piercing eyes.

As he walked down the halls he momentarily glanced into the private rooms, including the one belonging to Andreas Freshier, he could see the Autistic girl that Presario had taken advantage off prior to his duel with Marcus was sitting by his bedside clearly desperately hoping that he would wake up, shaking his head Michael continued down the hallway until he reached Otto's room and opened it, the German student lay there peacefully with his duel disk and deck by his side and his clothing hung over the back of a nearby chair.

"I should eliminate him for that stunt he pulled before his match with Richardson." Michael thought as he reached into Otto's jacket pocket and found two soul cards, both belonging to the Freshier twins, he returned the one containing Otto's soul and pocketed the other. "However the leader still thinks he can be useful." Michael thought before he left the room and the hospital, the hospital staff would later find the doctor's uniform in a waste disposal bin and no sign of Michael.

*sometime later at the arena*

Chloe gulped as she looked out towards the arena, the crowd seemed even bigger than it did in the previous rounds and she knew that she had a tough duel ahead of her not that had stopped her in the past off course.

"You ready Chloe?" Theresa asked making the younger duelist jump; she turned around and nodded with a smile on her face. "Let's go then!"

"Yeah, lets." Chloe agreed before following Theresa out to the arena, the crowd cheered upon seeing the two girls walking out knowing that the second to last match of the tournament was about to begin and the two girls started shuffling their decks.

"Well Bill, what are your thoughts going into this match?" Bob asked as the two girls continued to shuffle their decks.

"Well Bob, neither of these two had an easy time in the last round, hell Chloe had her original deck nearly destroyed before her match by her opponent." Bill commented as the two girls drew their opening hands. "But both girls have earned their places today and it's a shame that only one of them will go through to the next round."

"You said it Bill." Bob agreed before the announcers turned their attention back to the action.

"Okay Chloe, since I'm feeling generous I'm letting you go first." Theresa said as she looked over her opening hand and Chloe drew her card. "Let's see just how much she's learnt since our last match." Theresa thought as Chloe looked over her opening hand.

"I start by activating Reinforcement of the Army; with this I can add one Warrior type monster from my deck to my hand." Chloe announced as she played the card and picked up her deck, she searched through it and once she found the card she was looking for she added it to her hand and sent her Spell Card to the graveyard before she added the card to her hand. "Now I summon the Tuner Monster Torapart in attack mode!" Chloe played the card and with an evil cackle the spellcaster like warrior appeared on the field (2/600/600).

"A Tuner monster's no good without another monster in the field Chloe, you should know that." Theresa pointed out with a frown.

"I know, and I'm not done yet." Chloe said as she picked up a card. "Since I have a Tuner type monster on my side of the field I can Special Summon Boost Warrior in defense mode!" Chloe played the card and a warrior in odd purple armor appeared on the field, he had long red hair and a nice tan (1/300/200). "Sure, he doesn't look like much but his effect makes up for it, you see as long as Boost Warrior's on the field all Warriors I control gain three hundred attack points." Chloe explained as Boost Warrior and Torapart's attack points rose to 600 and 900 respectively.

"Yeah, I'm still not impressed." Theresa said plainly as she looked at the two monsters. "At the moment all she can do as far as bringing out a Synchro Monster is a Level 3 Synchro Summon and I helped her get her Synchro Monsters, most of them have higher levels than that, not to mention the fact that, to my knowledge, there's no such thing as a Level 3 Synchro Monster." Theresa thought as Chloe picked up two more cards.

"I set two cards facedown and end my turn." Chloe set the two cards and Theresa drew her first card. "Here's hoping my bluff works." Chloe thought as Theresa looked over her hand.

"Does she really think Theresa will fall for that?" Brandon asked as he and the others watched the duel, Kimberly was now sitting in the same seat where Chloe sat during Axel's duel against Theresa yesterday evening. "She tried that during her first duel with Theresa."

"Yeah, except instead of one reasonably strong monster she has two really weak monsters." Lance pointed out with a frown.

"Sorry Chloe but I didn't fall for this in our first duel and I'm not falling for it now!" Theresa said as she plated the card. "I summon Chiron the Mage in attack mode!" Theresa played the card and the centaur appeared on the field ready for battle (4/1800/1000). "Now I activate Chiron's effect, by discarding a Spell Card from my hand I can destroy one Spell or Trap Card on the field, so I discard a card from my hand." Theresa discarded the card and Chiron's staff started charging up. "And I destroy your facedown card on the right!" Chiron pointed his staff at the facedown card and a pulse emanated from it causing the trap card's hologram to shatter. "Fortunately for her that spell card I discarded was the only Spell Card in my hand but I doubt her other facedown card is anything special." Theresa thought before pointing to Boost Warrior. "Chiron attack Boost Warrior now!" Theresa commanded and the mage charged towards Boost Warrior….

"Perfect, you fell for my bluff." Chloe interrupted her and Theresa did a double take when she heard that. "I activate my trap card Waboku which protects my life-points and my monsters!" Chloe activated the card and Theresa's jaw dropped when the three priestesses blocked Chiron's charge, Chiron returned to Theresa's side of the field and Theresa blinked.

"But….that other trap card…" Theresa trailed off and Chloe retrieved the card before holding it up revealing it to be Numerous Healer.

"That was a bluff, under the hope that you would destroy it somehow." Chloe explained as she returned her trap to her graveyard and sent Waboku to the graveyard with it, Theresa's surprise wore off and she looked at the rest of her hand.

"I set a card facedown and end my turn." Theresa set the card and Chloe drew her card.

"And I start my turn by removing Reinforcement of the Army from play so I can Special Summon Spell Striker in attack mode!" Chloe played the card after pocketing her spell card and the small warrior from her last duel appeared on the field (3/600/200) and its attack increased to 900 thanks to Boost Warrior's effect. "All right, it's time I gave Boost Warrior and Spell Striker a tune up!" Chloe announced as her three monsters leapt into the air, Torapart vanished and three rings surrounded Boost Warrior and Spell Striker. "I tune Torapart with Boost Warrior and Spell Striker to Synchro Summon Gravity Warrior in attack mode!" Chloe played the card and a bright flash enveloped the field, once it faded Theresa looked up and saw Chloe's new monster, it seemed to be a humanoid dog in sky blue armor, razor sharp claws and long, anime style hair (6/2100/1000).

"Wait a minute, that thing wasn't among the Synchro Monsters we added to Chloe's deck yesterday." Lance realized and the others soon realized it as well.

"It seems Chloe made some last minute additions to her deck to help her prepare for her match against Theresa." Jeff commented as he folded his arms. "As for Gravity Warrior, it's a decent enough Synchro Monster with a pretty good effect but there's definitely better Synchro Monsters out there." Jeff added and Martin nodded in agreement.

"Before I attack I need to explain a couple of things." Chloe said as Gravity Warrior got ready for battle. "First off since I Synchro Summoned it with Torapart you won't be able to activate any trap cards until after the damage step, second thing is Gravity Warrior's effect, on the turn that it's Synchro Summoned it gets 300 attack points for each monster you control, I count one so Gravity Warrior's attack goes up to 2400." Chloe explained as the monsters attack increased to 2400. "It has another effect but it won't come into play yet, Gravity Warrior attack Chiron the Mage!" Chloe commanded and the warrior charged towards the mage before killing him with a powerful blow.

T: 7400

C: 8000

Gravity Warrior returned to Chloe's side of the field once the attack was done and its attack dropped back down to 2100, Chloe looked over her hand and grinned. "No traps but it's not like I'll need one with a monster this strong and with Torapart's effect backing him up." Chloe thought before looking up at Theresa. "That ends my turn." Chloe announced and Theresa drew her card.

"Okay, she's got a strong monster on her side of the field I'll give her that much." Theresa thought as she looked over her hand. "However she's getting overconfident WAY to early especially since she doesn't know what I've got in store for her." Theresa thought before activating her trap. "I start by activating Call of the Haunted and I use it to bring back Chiron the Mage from my graveyard." Theresa said as she retrieved and played the card and just like she said Chiron the Mage returned to the field.

"Big deal, my monster will cream it easily." Chloe said defiantly and Theresa shook her head.

"Chloe, you off all people should know that strength isn't everything." Theresa pointed out as she picked up another card. "And that you're not the only one with access to Synchro monsters for that matter, for my Normal Summon I summon I bring out the Tuner Monster Dark Resonator in attack mode!" Theresa played the card and a small, odd looking fiend appeared on the field, its face was obscured by a grey helmet, in fact the only thing Chloe could see of its face was red eyes and a sadistic grin and it had several yellowish lumps on its back, to top it all off it was wearing red and purple robes and was carrying a tuning fork in each hand (3/1300/800). "Now it's time I showed you how a Synchro Summons's done." Theresa said and Dark Resonator grinned before placing its two forks together, the two monsters vanished in a bright flash and Theresa played a card from her extra deck. "I tune Dark Resonator with Chiron the Mage to Synchro Summon Lightning Warrior!"

"Oh crap!" Chloe muttered under her breath as she remembered the card's effect from Theresa's last duel, sure enough the blonde warrior appeared on the field ready for battle (7/2400/1200).

"I'm guessing by that you remember his effect from my last duel?" Theresa asked and Chloe nodded, Theresa said nothing before pointing to Gravity Warrior. "Lightning Warrior, attack Gravity Warrior now!" Theresa commanded and Chloe braced herself as the monster charged towards hers and punched it in the stomach, lightning flowed into Gravity Warrior destroying at and Chloe winced as she was hit by some of the lightning.

T: 7400

C: 7100

"You okay Chloe?" Theresa called out to her, the younger duelist nodded and Theresa folded her arms. "You got too overconfident and it cost you, I hope you don't make the same mistake a second time." Theresa said bluntly and Chloe winced.

"Then again, as much as I hate to admit it, she's got a point." Chloe thought with a sigh before looking over her hand. "Here's hoping I draw something decent next turn." Chloe thought before looking up at Theresa. "My turn yet?" Chloe asked and Theresa nodded before Chloe drew her card. "I activate a Spell Card called Trade-In; in exchange for discarding a Level 8 monster from my hand this card will allow me to draw two cards." Chloe explained and, once she discarded Gilford the Lightning from her hand (8/2800/1400) she drew two cards. "Drat, I was hoping to draw Monster Reborn with this and bring back Gilford, at least with this spell card I can prevent Theresa from using Monster Reborn on him." Chloe thought before playing one of the cards she played. "I activate The Warrior Returning Alive, with it I can return the monster I discarded for Trade-In's effect to my hand." Chloe retrieved Gilford from her graveyard and returned the monster to her hand.

"Based on the look on her face Warrior Returning Alive was not the card that she was hoping to draw with that Spell Card's effect." Theresa thought as Chloe looked over the rest of her hand. "At least my last move has brought her confidence back down to Earth." Theresa thought as Chloe played a card.

"I activate Swords of Revealing Light!" Chloe played the card and Theresa shielded herself as three golden swords rained down from the sky pinning down Lightning Warrior. "I'm sure you remember its effect by now." Chloe added before setting a monster facedown. "I set a monster in defense mode and end my turn at that, your move!" Chloe announced and Theresa drew her card.

"She's still relying on her old tricks even with the new deck, only thing missing was her summoning Silent Magician Level 4." Theresa thought before a small smile crept upon her lips. "Then again Lightning Warrior probably left her without many options." Theresa thought before looking at her new card. "I set a card facedown and end my turn." Theresa announced and once the facedown card appeared on the field and the first Sword disappeared Chloe drew a new card.

"Still not the card I was hoping for, at least this way I can get enough monsters on my side of the field to summon Gilford and use his effect." Chloe thought before setting her newly drawn monster. "That'll do it for me." Chloe announced and Theresa drew her card.

"I summon Sangan in attack mode!" Theresa played the card and the small three eyed fiend appeared on the field (3/1000/600). "Now I activate the trap I set last turn, Dark Spirit Art Greed, in exchange for sacrificing Sangan this trap will allow me to draw two cards, that is unless you can negate it by revealing a Spell Card in your hand."

"I can't since I don't have any spells." Chloe said plainly and Sangan vanished from the field, Theresa then proceeded to draw two cards and then added an additional card to her hand via Sangan's effect.

"I set two cards facedown and end my turn." Theresa set the two cards she had drawn facedown and, once the second sword faded from the field, Chloe drew a new card.

"Okay, there's a good chance that those facedown cards are cards that could hurt me once I get Gilford out next turn, better hope that I draw Heavy Storm before then." Chloe thought before setting yet another monster. "That ends my turn." Chloe announced and Theresa drew her card.

"Hmmm, she didn't tribute her monsters to bring out that Level 8 monster she got a couple of turns back." Theresa thought as she looked at her new card. "Whatever it is I'm ready for it." Theresa thought before adding her card to her hand. "I end my turn and the duration of Swords of Revealing Light." Theresa announced and as the final sword disappeared from the field and Chloe sent her spell to the graveyard Chloe drew her card.

"Good, because I sacrifice all three of my facedown monsters to summon Gilford the Lightning in attack mode!" Chloe sent the three monsters to the graveyard and played the card, sure enough the mighty warrior wielding a massive sword appeared on the field ready for battle (8/2800/1000). "Now I activate Gilford's effect, since I summoned him in this manner I can destroy all monsters on your side of the field, off course there's only one but that'll do nicely." Chloe explained as the warrior charged towards Lightning Warrior and cut him in half with his sword, Theresa sent her Synchro Monster to the graveyard and frowned.

"That thing's going to be a handful, even with my traps." Theresa thought as Chloe played the card she drew the turn before.

"Now I activate Pot of Avarice." Chloe announced before retrieving Torapart, Spell Striker, Boost Warrior, Gravity Warrior and Magician's Valkyrie (which Theresa guessed was one of the monsters she just sacrificed) and returned them to her deck or the Extra Deck in Gravity Warrior's case and drew two cards from her deck. "Now Gilford, attack her life points directly!" Chloe commanded and Gilford charged towards Theresa….

"I activate my Trap Card Waboku!" Theresa flipped the card up and Gilford's charge was blocked by the three priestesses, the warrior reluctantly returned to Chloe's side of the field and she looked at the cards she had drawn with Pot of Avarice.

"I set a card facedown and end my turn." Chloe set the card down and Theresa drew her card.

"That monster's going to be trouble; unless I get lucky with a draw I won't be able to beat it." Theresa thought before looking at her newly drawn card. "I set this in defense mode and that ends my turn." Theresa announced as the facedown monster appeared on the field and Chloe drew her card without hesitation.

"Gilford, attack her defense!" Chloe commanded and the warrior charged towards the monster, revealed to be Blindly Loyal Goblin (4/1800/1500) which was quickly destroyed, once Theresa sent her monster to the graveyard Chloe looked at her new card. "I'll save this for later." Chloe decided before adding the card to her hand. "I end my turn at that." Chloe announced and Theresa drew her card.

"I activate Pot of Avarice." Theresa played the card and after returning Chiron the Mage, Dark Resonator, Lightning Warrior, Sangan and Blindly Loyal Goblin to her deck, or extra deck in Lightning Warrior's case, she drew two cards. "I set two cards facedown and a monster in defense mode and that will end my turn." Theresa announced as she set the three cards down and Chloe drew her card.

"This is too easy; she'll have to run out of traps at some point and once that she does her life-points will be mine for the taking." Chloe thought before looking at the card she had drawn, she added it to her hand and pointed at Gilford. "Gilford, strike down her face down monster!" Chloe commanded and the warrior charged towards the facedown monster…..

"I'm afraid not Chloe." Theresa interrupted her as her trap card flipped up. "I activate Magic Cylinder which sends the attack right back at you!" Theresa announced as Gilford went in one of the jars.

"I know better than to fall for that trick Theresa." Chloe said as her own trap card flipped up. "I chain Magic Cylinder with my own trap card Seven Tools of the Bandit, now by paying a thousand life-points I can negate Magic Cylinder's activation and destroy it." Chloe announced as her life-points dropped to 6100…

"You're not the only one who can chain traps Chloe." Theresa interrupted her as her second facedown card flipped up. "Case in point Trap Jammer, since you activated your trap during the battle phase this trap negates and destroys it free of charge." Theresa announced as the hologram of Chloe's trap card shattered and Gilford emerged out of the other jar, once slash from Gilford's sword later and Chloe's life-points took a large hit.

C: 3300

T: 7400

"Man, this is their first duel all over again!" Lance said with a face palm as Chloe got to her feet. "Even with the improvements she's made to her deck Chloe's way out of Theresa's league."

"I'm just impressed that she remembered to set Seven Tools for once." Marcus commented with a shrug ignoring the glare from Lance.

"I set a card facedown and end my turn." Chloe announced once she gathered up her cards and Theresa drew a card.

"Finally something I can use!" Theresa thought before removing her facedown monster from her duel disk. "I sacrifice my facedown monster in order to summon Prime Material Dragon in attack mode!" Theresa played the card and in the facedown monster's place stood the orange dragon from Theresa's duel against Axel (6/2400/2000).

"Nice try but my warrior's stronger." Chloe said defiantly and Theresa smirked as she held up the card she had just drawn.

"I noticed, so I set a card facedown and end my turn at that." Theresa set the card down and Chloe drew her card, however Chloe frowned as she looked towards Theresa's newly set facedown card.

"Theresa, how dumb do you think I am?" Chloe asked bluntly earning her a confused look from Theresa. "If you think I'm going to risk lowering my life points even further than I've already had then you couldn't be more wrong." Chloe said just before setting the card she had just drawn facedown. "That's all I'm doing for this turn." Chloe set the card down and Theresa drew her card once her surprise wore off.

"She's actually dueling with her brain instead of jumping into battle, not that it'll help much against my next move." Theresa thought before setting another card facedown and a monster in defense mode. "That ends my turn."

"All right, I draw." Chloe said as she drew her card. "Gilford, attack her defense!" Chloe commanded and the warrior charged towards the facedown monster….

"I activate Staunch Defender; with it I can force your warrior to target Prime Material Dragon." Theresa flipped her card up and the warrior changed the direction he was running in to Prime Material. "Now I activate my other trap card, Photon Rising Stream, since my trap card has forced you to target my dragon Prime Material Dragon will now get Gilford's attack added to his attack points. " Theresa said as she activated her trap and Prime Material Dragon's attack points sky rocketed to 5200. "And here I thought you were going to play it smart." Theresa said with a smirk…which disappeared when she saw the grin on Chloe's face.

"Who said I wasn't? I activate my own trap card Dimension Wall." Chloe activated her trap and Theresa's eyes widened. "And that means that the life points I would've lost come out of your life-points instead!" Chloe added as her warrior attempted to cut the dragon in half only for his sword to break upon contact with the dragon's scales and for him to be incinerated, the flames would've continued onto Chloe but they were reflected back at Theresa by an invisible wall.

C: 3300

T: 5000

"Holy crap, Chloe just outsmarted Theresa." Marcus muttered as his eyes widened, Brandon smiled and patted Marcus on the back.

"If she keeps this up then Chloe will be the one to face Eddie in the next round!" Brandon said with a smile….only to wince as he remembered something. "Only now Theresa will be less likely to have sex with me because it was my idea to include Dimension Wall in Chloe's new deck." Brandon muttered as a large sweat-drop rolled down his head, whilst that was going on Theresa was still recovering from Chloe's counterattack, not to mention the shock that the move brought her.

"Nice move Chloe, shame that the same move has left you defenseless." Theresa complemented her and Chloe smiled.

"Not exactly, I haven't made my normal summon yet so…" Chloe picked up a card in her hand and set it facedown alongside another. "I set a monster in defense mode and a card facedown that ends my turn." Chloe set the two cards down and Theresa drew her card. "That move may have narrowed the gap between me and Theresa's life-points but there's still a large gap between my life-points and hers, I'd better play it safe for the time being." Chloe thought with a frown as she waited for Theresa to make her move.

"I'm not going to attack, not yet anyway." Theresa said as she played a Spell Card. "Before I attack I activate the Spell Card Bait Doll, with this I can force you to flip up your facedown card, if it's a trap and the timing for its effect is incorrect it's destroyed."

"And if it's a spell card?" Chloe asked trying to hide her nervousness. "Damn, that card will destroy Magician's Circle." Chloe thought with a frown.

"If it's a spell than it'll return to its original position." Theresa explained and Chloe reluctantly flipped up her trap. "Hmmm, Magician's Circle huh? Good card, pity it's about to be destroyed." Theresa said as the hologram for Chloe's trap shattered. "Bait Doll has another effect; after I use it I can return it to my deck and shuffle my deck." Theresa added as she returned her Spell Card to the deck and shuffled it.

"So in short you could draw it again and destroy another one of my Trap Cards." Chloe said with a frown on her face. "I don't care how much experience Theresa has over me, I'll find some way to beat her." Chloe thought.

"That's basically it." Theresa said before pointing to her dragon. "Prime Material Dragon, attack her defense monster now!" Theresa commanded and the dragon took flight before breathing fire at the facedown card, it was revealed to be one of her Apprentice Magicians (2/400/800) which was quickly incinerated. "I'm guessing you're going to use Apprentice Magician's effect?" Theresa asked and Chloe nodded before picking up her deck, it didn't take her long to locate another one of her Apprentice Magicians and she set it facedown before shuffling her deck. "I'll call it a turn at that Chloe." Theresa announced and Chloe drew her card…..and barely suppressed her grin when she saw it.

"All right Theresa, you saw one of my new monsters earlier in the form of Gravity Warrior but now? You're about to meet another." Chloe said as she played a card. "I summon Rose, Warrior of Revenge in attack mode and flip summon Apprentice Magician!" Chloe played the card and a young female warrior appeared alongside the newly flipped Magician, the warrior had long red hair, blue eyes and was wearing green armor and a white scarf (4/1600/1800).

"How is that monster, hell that tactic, going to help you?" Theresa asked clearly confused by this, Chloe grinned and held up her duel disk.

"Simple really, Rose Warrior of Revenge is a Tuner Monster!" Chloe announced causing Theresa to do a double take. "Yeah, I was just as surprised as you are when I saw this card."

"There's a Level 4 Tuner? Are they even legal?" Marcus asked.

"They are but they're also rarer than their weaker counterparts." Hamden answered before folding his arms. "Where did she get these new cards anyway?"

"Her dad runs a gameshop, maybe he brought some packs over to be prepared for anything?" Lance suggested and Hamden nodded in agreement,

"Now it's time for the fun part, namely giving Apprentice Magician a tune up!" Chloe said as the two female monsters leapt into the air, Rose Warrior vanished and four rings quickly surrounded Apprentice Magician. "I tune Rose Warrior of Revenge with Apprentice Magician to Synchro Summon Gaia Knight, The Force of Earth in attack mode!" Chloe played the card and in Rose Warrior's place stood a familiar looking monster that looked similar to the monster Gaia the Fierce Knight (7/2300/2100) used in Yugi Moto's Duelist Kingdom deck, however upon closer inspection the knight was actually a cyborg attached to the horse (6/2600/800).

"Not bad Chloe, pity he doesn't have an effect to back him up." Theresa pointed out and Chloe just grinned.

"I'll worry about that stuff later, Gaia Knight the Force of Earth, slay Prime Material Dragon!" Chloe commanded and with a mechanical sounding whinny the horse charged towards Prime Material Dragon, the knight pulled back one of his lances and drove it into Prime Material Dragon's heart quickly destroying the dragon.

C: 3300

T: 4800

"Okay, I have my copy of Silent Magician Level 4 in my hand, all I need to do is draw Level 8 and Level Up and I'll be one step closer to the finals." Chloe thought with a grin before motioning for Theresa to take her turn, Theresa nodded and drew her card.

"Her decks packing a few surprises nowadays, she must've modified it knowing that I helped build it so that she could still surprise me." Theresa thought before looking at Chloe's Synchro monster with a frown. "Hey new monster packs a punch, that much is obvious, but its lack of effect is its biggest weakness." Theresa thought before looking at her drawn card. "I activate Card of Sanctity!" Theresa played the card and both girls drew until they had six cards in their hands, when Chloe saw two of the cards she drew her grin grew.

"YES! I DREW THE CARDS I NEED!" Chloe thought barely suppressing the urge to do a victory dance. "Battle City Finals, here I come!"

"Looks like she got a good card, even after all this time she still has trouble maintaining a poker face." Theresa thought with a small smile before looking at her new cards and picking up two of them. "I set a card in defense mode and a card facedown and that ends my turn." Theresa set the two cards down and Chloe drew her card….and her grin grew. "I don't like that grin on her face." Theresa thought with a frown…which deepened when Chloe played the card and Shield Crash's hologram appeared on the field. "Oh crap!" Theresa managed to utter before her facedown monster, her Blindly Loyal Goblin from earlier, shattered.

"It's about to get a lot worse for you Theresa!" Chloe said as she played a card. "I summon Silent Magician Level 4 in Attack Mode!" Chloe announced as one of her key cards appeared on the field ready for battle (4/1000/1000). "But that's not all, I activate Level Up!"

"Wait, what? Is Chloe going to beat Theresa?" Marcus yelled out in shock as Chloe's magician grew into her adult form ready for battle (8/3500/1000).

"If that actually happens I'll eat my deck whole." Brandon responded with a frown as he looked towards Theresa's facedown card. "Sorry Chloe but as much as I want both of you to walk out the winner Theresa's facedown card will save her." Brandon thought as Chloe pointed to her knight.

"Gaia Knight, attack her life-points directly!" Chloe commanded and the horse let out a mechanical whinny as it charged towards Theresa, the Knight struck Theresa in the chest with its lance brining her life-points down to 2300. "Silent Magician, FINISH IT!" Chloe commanded and the magician happily obliged before pointing her staff at Theresa.

"Pinch me, I must be dreaming." Lance muttered only to be playfully pinched in the arm by Kimberly. "First Chloe does that, now you?" Lance asked as Silent Magician fired a beam of light at Theresa….

"Sorry Chloe, but your time in the tournament is over!" Theresa said as she activated her trap, Chloe's eyes widened when she saw another copy of Dimension Wall.

"I lost….." Chloe muttered sadly as the blast bounced off of an invisible wall and right back at Chloe, she winced as her life-points took the hit sending her onto her backside.

C: 0000

T: 2300

"That's all folks, the finals have been set!" Bill announced to the cheering crowd. "The reigning champ Eddie takes on the best of the Duel Academy Students Theresa Daniels!" Bill added as the holograms disappeared, Chloe was still sitting down clearly disappointed by her loss, Theresa smiled before walking over to her and kneeling down in front of her.

"Are you okay Chloe?" Theresa asked and the younger duelist looked up, like the end of their last duel Chloe was crying but this time it was tears of disappointment rather than sadness.

"Yeah…..I just got something in my eye." Chloe said as she wiped away one of her tears. "I was so close."

"Yeah, if you had drawn something like Mystical Space Typhoon you would've won." Theresa added but cringed when she realized that that statement wasn't helping, in fact the statement was causing more tears to roll down her cheeks. "Hey cheer up, you'll beat me someday, you just got unlucky today." Theresa reassured her and Chloe smiled as she heard that.

"Thanks Theresa, just do me a favor and bring the title to duel academy with ya." Chloe requested half-jokingly and Theresa smirked.

"Even if I have to steal it I will." She joked before standing up and extending her hand out to Chloe in order to help her up, Chloe accepted the hand and Theresa pulled her up.

"Sorry to break up the touching moment ladies." Eddie said as he walked up to the podium. "But our match is next."

"What, the match is starting already?" Theresa asked once she let go of Chloe's hand, Eddie nodded.

"Well, not right now anyway, the twenty minute recess from the previous rounds is still in effect." Eddie explained and Theresa nodded. "Good effort Chloe, you just came up short."

"Yeah, I know." Chloe said before hopping off the arena and started making her way backstage.

"One of my students almost beat an Obelisk Blue, I'm so proud!" Maria said proudly and Martin nodded in agreement.

"If that's not enough evidence to start considering her for Ra Yellow I don't know what is." Jeff said as he stroked his chin.

"Let's not get to ahead of ourselves, the promotion exams aren't until next month." Martin pointed out with a frown. "Still, she's a strong candidate." Martin added, before anyone could say anything else something that surprised even the teachers happened, the crowd started chanting Chloe's name even louder than they were after Chloe's inexperience was revealed.

"That's definitely not what I was expecting." Chloe muttered as she heard the chants, by now she was backstage unaware that her dad was behind her.

"You're surprised that they are cheering you after that performance?" Scott asked making his daughter jump a bit. "Even though you lost you should be proud of yourself Chloe, I thought you had the match won."

"Thanks dad." Chloe thanked him with a sheepish smile as she wiped the last of her tears away. "I'm just glad I made it this far, I would've been SO camera shy during the finals."

"You would've done fine." Scott reassured her and Chloe smiled. "So, what will you do now?"

"I'll be sitting with the other duel academy students, I can't really go to my locker room since I'm no longer in the tournament anyway, not that I used it much." Chloe decided before frowning. "Dad, there's been something I've been meaning to do since I got here but due to the tournament I never got the opportunity."

"Sure, whatever it is I'll help you do it." Scott said and Chloe smiled.

"Thanks, it's just that…..I want to visit my mom's gravesite." Chloe said and Scott frowned, Chloe didn't attend her mother's funeral due to being in hospital r at the time, that combined with her brief time in Child Protection and moving to Domino City meant that she had never been to her mother's grave.

"Are you sure Chloe?" Scott asked and Chloe nodded assertively.

"I'm sure dad." Chloe said and Scott thought for a moment before nodding.

"All right, I'll drive you to her gravesite after the final match." Scott said and Chloe smiled broadly before hugging him in response.

"Thanks dad." Chloe said as she let go off the hug. "So we'll meet each other outside after the match?" Chloe asked and Scott nodded, Chloe checked the time on her watch and realized that the duel would be starting soon. "I'd better go grab a seat, see ya." Chloe said before rushing off, Scott smiled before heading off in the opposite direction.