"Everything okay?" Martin asked as he glanced up from his seat upon Sophia's return to the room, Sophia let out an annoyed sigh as she asked her assistant to get her a drink before sitting down. "You seem stressed about something."
"It's nothing, something came up at the corporate headquarters." Sophia lied as she messaged her forehead in annoyance. "Obviously, I can't fly back to California on short notice but it's being dealt with as we speak, and with any luck it'll be resolved by the end of this duel." Sophia added as Bernard returned with her drink. "Speaking off, did I miss anything whilst I was taking that call?" Sophia asked as she turned to Martin who shook his head.
"Chloe and Theresa couldn't decide on who was to go first, so they resorted to rock, paper scissors." Martin responded before sweat-dropping as he cleared his throat. "However, this has turned into the longest game of rock, paper scissors I have ever seen, if it keeps up then I may intervene and make the choice for them."
"How hard is it to not chose something different in a game like Rock Paper Scissors? Honestly, it's not rocket science." Sophia pointed out before taking a sip from her drink. "If Chloe fails to beat Theresa today then she'll remain at the academy for another two years, if that does happen, then I might need to alter my plans, assuming that they don't get leaked to the press in that time."
*back on the duel arena*
"Rock, paper scissors…..." Theresa and Chloe called out simultaneously whilst the half asleep audience watched on, thankfully this game ended with a decisive winner and the two girls returned to their positions.
"Man, if I knew that Rock Paper Scissors was going to take that long, I would've just let Theresa go first!" Chloe thought as the two women drew their opening hands, as Theresa had won the Rock, Paper Scissors Game she was going first, and Chloe looked over her hand. "Either way, Theresa would've gone first! At least I have a decent opening hand, definitely better than some of the hands I've had when I've faced Theresa in the past."
"Chloe has come a long way since she joined Duel Academy." Theresa thought as she glanced up at the short girl. "Real question is, is she ready for the pro-leagues? Even as a rookie she made it further than most people expected her to at the New York Battle City and she showed her growth when she came in second at the Las Vegas Battle City, but it's my job to make sure that she understands that the result would've been different if I didn't go up against Eddie first." Theresa thought before playing a card. "I activate Reinforcement of the Army! Somehow I doubt I have to explain this card's effect to you Chloe."
"If you did need to explain it, I'd throw out the warrior part of my deck." Chloe admitted with a laugh and Theresa nodded before she started inputting commands into her duel disk. "When we met up again in Las Vegas, Theresa said that she had retired all of her decks aside from the Black Luster Soldier Deck, I guess she felt like that was her strongest deck even though she created it later than the others." Chloe thought as Theresa added the card to her hand. "At least I know what I'm getting into."
"I set two cards facedown and a monster in defense mode." Theresa announced as she set the three cards. "Your move." Theresa announced and Chloe drew her card.
"If you had told me that a lot of my early cards would get retrained versions years later, I would've laughed." Chloe thought as she went over her hand. "Well, aside from The Unhappy Maiden, given that the Orichalcos Duelists kept reimaging that card over and over again I can't help but wonder if there was a deeper meaning, either way, I've got a move to make!" Chloe decided before playing her cards. "I set two cards facedown and I summon Neo, the Master Magic Swordsman!" Chloe announced as she played the card and the tall blonde warrior carrying the sword covered in runes appeared on the field (4/1700/1000). "I'll get to his effect later, Neo, attack her defense monster!" Chloe commanded and the magical warrior charged into battle only to have his sword attack blocked by a familiar shield. "Beginning Knight, should've known."
"Why fix what isn't broken?" Theresa asked as the young knight appeared on the field in defense mode (4/500/2000) whilst Chloe's life-points dropped to 7700. "And much like our first duel, that's first blood to me."
"Only this duel won't end the same way, I end my turn." Chloe announced and Theresa nodded before she drew her card.
"I hope your right Chloe, for your sake." Theresa thought as she went over her hand. "I activate Spellbook inside the Pot!"
"That's fine by me." Chloe nodded in appreciation before both women drew three cards. "If Theresa draws one of her Ritual Cards then I need to be prepared for anything."
"No ritual cards or ways to search for the cards I need, but I can set up some defenses." Theresa thought before setting a card. "I set another monster in defense mode and end my turn."
"If that card isn't Evening Twilight Knight, I'll eat my duel disk." Chloe thought as she drew her card and looked over her hand. "None of my monsters can get past Theresa's defenses but I can play stuff." Chloe thought before playing the card. "I set a card in defense mode, and if I know your deck as well as I think I do, I won't be able to attack over your facedown card either, so I'll pass my turn." Chloe announced and Theresa nodded before drawing her card.
"I was expecting her to attack in all honestly, almost forgot that she's no longer a rookie." Theresa thought before looking at her drawn card. "You were right about not being able to attack over my monster, unfortunately for you, it won't make much difference! I tribute Beginning Knight and my facedown Evening Twilight Knight to summon Arisen Gaia, the Fierce Knight!" Theresa announced as her two monsters vanished from the field and were replaced by the knight on horseback (7/2300/2100). "I could've summoned this card without tributes if you had more monsters than me but obviously that wasn't the case." Theresa added before pointing at Neo. "But that'll change in a moment, Arisen Gaia, attack Neo!" Theresa commanded and the knight charged towards Neo before impaling him on his lance destroying him. "So much for your monster's effect."
"As it so happens, this Neo's effect activates from the graveyard." Chloe responded as her life-points dropped to 7100. "With this effect, I can search my deck for a Spell Card with "Magician" in its name and add it to my hand." Chloe added before she started inputting commands into her duel disk. "Kinda weird how this duel opened in much the same way as our first duel, well hopefully it won't be a complete copy." Chloe thought before she added the card to her hand.
"Add all the cards you want, I still have an early lead." Theresa responded with a nod as Arisen Gaia returned to her side of the field. "Not as big as Brandon's during the early parts of his duel but a lead none the less, I end my turn."
"Well, if there's one good thing I can take away from this, it's the fact that Theresa doesn't have Imperial Order in her deck." Chloe thought as she drew her card and looked over her hand. "When we ran into Theresa, Tyler and Brandon at the Las Vegas Battle City Tournament she did later explain to me that the only reason Imperial Order worked on her duel disk was because she had cleared it with Martin first who allowed it because he knew that she could be trusted to not go balls to the wall with that idea." Chloe thought before going over her hand. "Still didn't help my view of Obelisk Blue Bias at the time, I was in Ra Yellow when we traveled to Las Vegas for Battle City Tournament and I didn't get promoted until after Battle City, much like the New York Battle City, I'd better get a move on, I've been rambling mentally for too long!" Chloe thought as a sweat-drop rolled down her head before playing a card. "I activate Magician's Academy!"
"I see Sophia Pegasus has been reading Harry Potter." Theresa commented as she folded her arms and if Sophia wasn't so stressed, she would've chuckled at that comment. "So, what does your academy do?" Theresa asked as she looked at the card which depicted a building like Duel Academy's Main Building but was black and white in color and had several witches flying around it on broomsticks.
"I'm glad you asked, since I have a Spellcaster in my graveyard, any Spellcaster monster that would cost two tributes to summon instead costs one." Chloe responded before motioning to her facedown monster. "So, I tribute my facedown monster to summon another one of Yugi's favorite cards, Dark Magician!" Chloe announced as her facedown monster vanished and, in its place, stood the magician made famous by Yugi (7/2500/2100). "It seems we're about to have a showdown between two of Yugi's classic monsters, Dark Magician, attack Arisen Gaia, Dark Magic Attack!" Chloe commanded and the magician prepared to outstretch his palm….
"I'm afraid not, I activate Negate Attack!" Theresa announced as her facedown card flipped up and the attack was stopped by an invisible forcefield. "Nice try Chloe but not good enough."
"I'll show you who's not good enough!" Chloe responded before face-palming. "I've been dueling for three years now and I still haven't mastered the art of a good rebuttal for my opponent's trash talking."
"Don't feel too bad about that, there are guys on the pro-leagues who have been dueling a lot longer than you and they aren't much better at it if I can be blunt." Theresa commented as she shook her head. "Anything else?"
"That ends my turn." Chloe announced and Theresa drew her card.
"Somehow I doubt that's the only ability of Magician's Academy." Theresa thought as she drew her card and glanced at the magician. "It's a Continuous Spell Card but today? A card that only reduces the tribute cost for Spellcaster type monsters isn't going to cut it." Theresa thought before glancing at her hand. "I activate Super Soldier Ritual! I remove Beginning Knight from my graveyard and tribute Arisen Gaia to ritual summon Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier!" Theresa added as she played the card and the two monsters vanished and in Arisen Gaia's place stood the large soldier (8/3000/2500).
"I haven't seen your deck in action since the Las Vegas Battle City Tournament Theresa." Chloe admitted as she folded her arms. "But doesn't Arisen Gaia get an effect when he's sacrificed?"
"Well remembered, when Arisen Gaia is sacrificed, I can search my deck for a Black Luster Soldier card and add it to my hand." Theresa nodded before she started inputting commands into her duel disk and added the card to her hand. "Thanks to Beginning Knight he gains the abilities of Envoy of the Beginning alongside his regular effect, Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier, attack her magician!" Theresa commanded and the soldier charged into battle…but was blocked by A/D Changer (1/0/0). "Do I even need to ask how that got in your graveyard?"
"Nope, he was the monster I sacrificed to summon Dark Magician." Chloe responded as the ogre held up a red flag forcing Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier into defense mode. "Not enough for Dark Magician to destroy it outright, at least without powering him up." Chloe thought before glancing up at Theresa. "Anything else?"
"No, it's your move." Theresa responded as she shook her head and Chloe drew her card. "Chloe just saved herself from a world of hurt, but it's not like Super Soldier is the only way my deck can mess with her life-points."
"If I don't get rid of Super Soldier soon then Theresa will do a number on my life-points." Chloe thought before looking at her drawn card. "Dead draw, but I do have a facedown card that can help." Chloe thought before her facedown card flipped up. "I activate Reckless Greed! This costs me my next two draw phases but in exchange I can draw two cards." Chloe announced before she drew her cards. "Hello…" Chloe thought with a grin before she turned her attention to Theresa. "Remember our duel during the Battle City Semi-Finals?"
"The New York Finals? What about it?" Theresa asked and Chloe nodded.
"I had planned to use this card against you but then Otto decided to be an asshole and rip up my original deck." Chloe responded as her Field Spell Slot opened and she played the card. "I activate Magical Citadel of Endymion!" Chloe added as the scenery changed to the magical citadel. "When I played this against Sarah, the Orichalcos gave us a twisted version of the Citadel, only fitting that I end my time at Duel Academy by playing the real thing." Chloe thought before activating her other facedown card. "Next I activate Pitch Black Power Stone."
"I see what your up too." Theresa nodded as Chloe's facedown card flipped up. "But you can only use the effect of Pitch Black Power Stone once per turn."
"I know, that's why I don't plan to let it stick around." Chloe responded before she activated the other card she drew with Reckless Greed. "I activate Magic Planter, destroying Pitch Black Power Stone and allowing me to draw two cards." Chloe added as the trap card shattered and she drew two cards before four orbs appeared above her. "Three counters from Pitch Black Power Stone and one because I just used a Spell Card, not bad huh?"
"Not bad." Theresa nodded in agreement before folding her arms. "But you still have three counters to go if you want to summon Endymion and you still haven't dealt with Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier."
"I will, in due time." Chloe responded before picking up the two cards she had just drawn. "I set two cards facedown and end my turn." Chloe announced and Theresa nodded before drawing her card.
"Dead draw, but I should be able to deal some major damage to Chloe now." Theresa thought as she added her drawn card to her hand. "Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier, attack Dark Magician!" Theresa commanded as she switched her soldier back to attack mode and the soldier charged into battle…
"I activate my facedown card Dimensional Prison!" Chloe announced as her facedown card flipped up and Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier was quickly surrounded by energy. "I defeated the Orichalcos with this card and with any luck, I'll be able to do the same thing in this duel!"
"Nice try Chloe, but not good enough, I activate my facedown card Trap Jammer!" Theresa responded and Chloe's eyes widened as the energy dissipated and her trap card shattered, Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier continued his attack slashing Dark Magician down the middle and bringing Chloe's life-points down to 6600. "And let's not forget about Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier's effect." Theresa added as Chloe's life-points dropped to 4100. "Or Beginning Knight's effect."
"Is it bad that I was hoping you had forgotten about that?" Chloe asked just before Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier slashed her bringing her life-points down to 1100. "I activate the other effect of Magician's Academy, when a Level 7 or higher Spellcaster monster is destroyed by battle I can draw two cards in exchange for sending it to the graveyard." Chloe added as her Spell Card shattered and she drew two cards.
"I thought there was something more to that card, as for your question, yes, it is bad." Theresa responded as she shook her head whilst Chloe added the cards to her hand. "I had been dueling for three years when we met for the first time, I don't make those kind of rookie mistakes anymore Chloe."
"Call it wishful thinking I guess." Chloe admitted sheepishly as she went over her hand. "My turn yet?" Chloe asked and Theresa looked over her hand.
"I do have my back-up plan should she somehow get passed Super Soldier but with her life-points as low as they are, I shouldn't need to use it." Theresa thought before nodding at Chloe. "I end my turn." Theresa announced and Chloe skipped her draw phase due to Reckless Greed.
"That was bad, thanks to Theresa's Trap Jammer I'm down to my last eleven hundred life-points and the duel just started!" Chloe thought as she glanced up at the Super Soldier. "What's worse is, if she draws Big Bang Shot then I can kiss my hopes of graduating this year good-bye!" Chloe thought before looking at her drawn cards. "I set a monster in defense mode and I activate Arcane Barrier!" Chloe announced as her two cards appeared on the field. "My Citadel gains another counter and I'm pretty sure you know what Arcane Barrier does by now!"
"Yes, I do." Theresa nodded in response with a frown on her face as another orb appeared above Chloe. "And if I know Chloe half as well as I think I do, then that facedown monster is Apprentice Magician, this combo has served her well in the past but I'm not falling into that trap."
"I end my turn." Chloe announced and Theresa drew her card.
"I activate Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier's effect to remove your facedown monster from play." Theresa announced before the Soldier charged into battle. "Sorry Chloe, but I know your strategies too well, this duel is over!"
"Not quite! I discard Effect Veiler from my hand to negate Super Soldier's effect!" Chloe announced as she sent her card to the graveyard and Super Soldier stopped his charge. "And that's not all my monster negated."
"Yes, because now my soldier can't inflict damage." Theresa nodded before pointing to the facedown monster. "May as well deal with that card the old fashioned way! Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier, attack her defense monster!" Theresa commanded and the soldier resumed his charge at the defense monster, revealed to be Apprentice Magician (2/400/800), which was quickly destroyed. "Just as I thought, you realize that I'm not going to fall for that next turn, right?"
"Maybe but I can still get some use out of her." Chloe nodded before she started inputting commands into her duel disk, once the card ejected Chloe set the monster and it appeared on the field in defense mode. "And off course, Arcane Barrier gets its first counter." Chloe added as the Spell Card glowed and her deck auto-shuffled.
"True, but we'll see how much longer you can keep it up, as soon as your deck's done shuffling it'll be your turn." Theresa announced and Chloe nodded before skipping her draw phase due to Reckless Greed.
"Well, the good news is, I only have one turn left before Reckless Greed's effect wears off." Chloe thought as she went over her hand. "Bad news is, at the rate I'm going I'll go through half my deck before I have a way to deal with Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier and I know Theresa has some nastier cards in that deck of hers." Chloe thought before flipping up her facedown monster. "I flip summon Apprentice Magician." Chloe announced as the young magician returned to the field. "And I use her effect to add a counter to Arcane Barrier." Chloe added as the Spell Card glowed. "Finally, I sacrifice Arcane Barrier and Apprentice Magician to draw two cards."
"And your Citadel goes up to seven counters." Theresa nodded as the two cards disappeared from the field whilst Chloe drew two cards and the Citadel's orbs went up to seven. "She has enough counters to summon Endymion, off course that's if he can get it to her hand."
"Didn't draw Endymion but I have a way to deal with Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier." Chloe thought before playing a card. "I summon Magical Exemplar!" Chloe announced as she played the card and the green haired sorceress appeared on the field (4/1700/1000). "Stop me if you've heard this one before, I activate Foolish Burial to send one monster from my deck to the graveyard and give Exemplar and my Citadel Counters."
"Stop." Theresa responded and Chloe looked up expecting a trap card. "What? You said, "stop me if you've heard this before", because if I'm right then this is the exact combo that won you the match against Axel Loather." Theresa added and Chloe shook her head before sending a monster to her graveyard alongside Foolish Burial whilst Magical Exemplar and Magical Citadel of Endymion gained their counters.
"Not quite, in that duel I had Endymion ready to summon." Chloe thought before one of Exemplar's orbs disappeared. "I activate Exemplar's effect, giving up one of her counters to bring back Effect Veiler!" Chloe announced as Effect Veiler appeared on the field (1/0/0). "Now I activate Call of the Haunted to bring back the monster I just sent to the graveyard, Clear Effector!" Chloe announced as her facedown card flipped up and the brunette sorceress appeared on the field (2/0/800). "Let's get this show on the road, I tune my three monsters together!"
"I thought so." Theresa thought as the three monsters leapt into the air for the Synchro Summon. "If she's summoning Arcanite Magician then she'll be able to use it's effect to destroy Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier and my remaining facedown card, this could be bad."
"I Synchro Summon Arcanite Magician!" Chloe announced as she played the card and once the bright flash faded Arcanite Magician appeared on the field ready for battle (7/400/1800) and his attack power was boosted up to 2400 thanks to his effect. "First I draw a card since I used Clear Effector in a Synchro Summon." Chloe added before she drew a card "Next I activate his effect, removing two counters to destroy Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier and your facedown card." Chloe added as the magician casted a spell.
"I activate my facedown card, Beginning of Heaven and Earth!" Theresa announced as the facedown card flipped up. "Here's how it works, I chose three Warrior Type Monsters from my deck including at least one Gaia the Fierce Knight or Black Luster Soldier card and you have to pick one at random, if you pick either the Gaia card or the Black Luster Soldier card they go to my hand and the rest go to my graveyard, if you don't, they all go to my graveyard."
"Seems a bit risky." Chloe commented as Theresa made her choices and held up the three cards. "But I'll take it, I chose the middle card."
"Not what I was hoping for." Theresa thought before she sent all three cards to the graveyard and Chloe breathed a sigh of relief as Super Soldier and Beginning of Heaven and Earth were destroyed. "Don't get too comfortable, since you destroyed Super Soldier with a card effect, I can Special Summon a Gaia, the Fierce Knight monster from my hand, deck or graveyard." Theresa added as Arisen Gaia returned to the field. "Do the math Chloe, Arisen Gaia has more than enough attack points to destroy Arcanite Magician and your remaining life-points."
"I know that." Chloe responded with a nod before she played another card. "Which is why Arcanite Magician won't be on the field for much longer, I activate Miracle Synchro Fusion to fuse him with Magical Exemplar!" Chloe announced as the sorceress returned to the field only to get sucked into the fusion portal with Arcanite Magician and from it emerged Supreme Arcanite Magician (10/1400/2800) and his attack increased to 3400 thanks to his effect. "And since I played a Spell Card, the Citadel gains another counter."
"Maybe she doesn't have Endymion in her hand." Theresa thought with a frown as another orb appeared on the field. "If she did, she would've played him by now."
"If I could draw Endymion, that would be useful!" Chloe thought as she pocketed her two cards and sent Miracle Synchro Fusion to the graveyard. "But I still have a powerful card on the field." Chloe thought before pointing to Arisen Gaia. "Supreme Arcanite Magician, attack her monster." Chloe commanded and the magician prepared his attack…...only for A/D Changer to appear on the field and hold up the red flag forcing him into defense mode. "That wouldn't happen to be one of the cards you sent to the graveyard just now, would it?"
"Exactly." Theresa nodded in response as she pocketed her card. "Nice try Chloe."
"Yeah, well, I'm not out of this yet! I set a card facedown and end my turn." Chloe responded as she set the card and Theresa drew her card.
"How wrong she is." Theresa thought before retrieving two cards from her graveyard. "I remove the Dark Type Monster Evening Twilight Knight and the Light Type Monster Gaia, the Mid-Knight Sun from play to Special Summon Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning!"
"Oh shit!" Chloe cussed as the two monsters appeared on the field briefly before vanishing to form the infamous monster (8/3000/2500). "Times like these make me pine for the days when that card was banned, my only hope is that Theresa decides to attack with her soldier which is not something I ever thought would cross my mind!"
"It's been a good duel Chloe but it's over! Black Luster Soldier Envoy of the Beginning, attack her last line of defense!" Theresa commanded and the soldier charged into battle.
"Never thought I'd be relieved to be attacked by that thing." Chloe admitted as her facedown card flipped up. "But I'll take it! I activate Mirror Force!" Chloe announced and Theresa's eyes widened as the attack was reflected at her two monsters destroying them both. "What was that about my last line of defense?"
"I should've seen that coming, and what's worse is that Envoy of the Beginning was the only card I could summon that turn." Theresa thought with a frown as she sent her two cards to the graveyard. "Well played Chloe but you still have a long way to go."
"I'm well aware of that." Chloe nodded in response before going over what remained of her hand. "Are you done?"
"Go ahead and take your turn." Theresa nodded in response and Chloe nodded before drawing her card.
"I activate Card Destruction!" Chloe announced as she played the card and both women discarded their hands and drew new cards. "Wait, is this right? Is this enough to finish off Theresa?"
"You sound surprised." Silent Magician commented and Chloe nodded.
"You know as well as I do that, I was never able to get a win over Theresa when she was still a student." Chloe responded before turning to Theresa. "Never thought I'd get a chance to say this to you Theresa but it's over." Chloe added and Theresa gave her a confused look. "I've won."
"Are you sure about that? I still have all my life-points and yours could be wiped out by any decent level four monster." Theresa pointed out as she folded her arms. "I want you to succeed Chloe but at the same time, I want to see some proof."
"Ever since I got here, I've been fighting an uphill battle, against more experienced duelists and the Orichalcos." Chloe continued as six orbs disappeared. "I guess that's a fitting metaphor for my time here, anyway first I special summon Endymion, the Master Magician through his effect." Chloe announced as the master magician appeared on the field (7/2500/1700). "Now I summon Silent Magician Level 4!" Chloe announced as the youngest version of her strongest monster appeared on the field (4/1000/1000). "And now I activate Level Up!"
"Chloe…..." Theresa trailed off before Silent Magician Level 4 started glowing and growing until she reached her adult form (8/3500/1000). "You realize what this means right?"
"Yeah, not only am I graduating from this school but I'm about to finally beat you in a duel." Chloe nodded before chuckling. "And to think, if I had repeated my old mistake of forgetting to set an important trap, this duel would be ending in your favor."
"Yeah, I guess it would." Theresa commented with a small smile on her face before she let her arms rest at her side. "Go ahead, you've earned it."
"Thanks Theresa, for everything." Chloe nodded in response before pointing to Theresa. "Supreme Arcanite Magician, Endymion, Silent Magician Level 8, finish it!" Chloe commanded and the three Spellcasters unleashed their attacks on Theresa with Silent Magician delivering the final blow bringing Theresa's life-points down to zero.
"The winner of the match is Obelisk Blue's Chloe Richardson!" Martin announced over the cheering crowd as the holograms disappeared. "That's fifteen students moving on from Duel Academy! We wish them all the best of luck in the future but in the meantime, the graduation ceremony is this evening."
"You know Theresa, there's one thing I've been meaning to ask you." Chloe commented as she walked up to the taller girl. "Back when we first met, why did you want to duel me exactly? I'll be the first to admit that I was hardly the best duelist to win their duel that day."
"I guess that is a fair question." Theresa admitted as she gathered up her cards. "As a duelist, I've always had an eye for talent, I could see that you had the potential to be a great duelist, but your confidence and skill level needed to be built up first." Theresa added before grinning broadly. "My intuition has never been wrong and your no exception."
"Thanks Theresa." Chloe responded with a broad grin before she started to walk off.
"One more thing." Theresa added and Chloe looked up. "Once you hit the pro-league, we should have a rematch as soon as possible, you have a lot of catching up to do before our win/loss records are tied."
"Just name a time and place and I'll be there." Chloe responded with a grin before she walked off.
"Well, that was entertaining." Sophia commented as she stood up and turned to Bernard. "Bernard, get the chopper ready, and call ahead to have the private plane ready for takeoff."
"You're not sticking around?" Martin asked as he turned to Sophia and she shook her head.
"I'm a busy woman Martin, I had to cancel a few meetings to be here today." Sophia responded as Bernard ran off. "But continue the good work, and if you need someone to fill in Maria Davis's shoes now that she's retired, I'm sure I can recommend someone."
"I'll keep that in mind, thank you." Martin nodded before Sophia walked off.
*later*
The assembly hall was packed for the graduation ceremony and as the fifteen students listened to Martin make his speech he turned to the head of the graduating class, Chloe, who stepped up to the podium so she could make her speech.
"When I first arrived at this school. I was as big of an underdog as you could ask for." Chloe stated as she took a deep breath. "At that point, I had only been dueling for three months compared to some of the students who had been dueling for years but I persevered and through my determination I made a lot of new friends and found my first boyfriend, if my journey here at Duel Academy has taught me anything, it's that you shouldn't give up on your dreams no matter how hard it may be to achieve them! I came into this school as an emotionally vulnerable inexperienced duelist with trust issues and as someone who many thought wouldn't survive the first year, today? I leave as a much better duelist than I could've ever dreamed of being and it is through my fiends and family that I lasted as long as I did, thank you Duel Academy for helping me grow as a person and a duelist and I can only hope that it does the same for all off you!"
As Chloe stepped away from the podium the crowd cheered whilst she sat next to Lance who quickly kissed her. "Great speech babe." Lance complemented her and Chloe grinned.
"Thanks Lance." Chloe responded before returning the kiss.
*later*
As the ship departed from Duel Academy the graduating students gathered on the portside to watch it leave, as soon as it was out of site most of the students left save for Chloe, Chelsea and Lance.
"Hey Chelsea, you have a minute?" Chelsea looked up and saw her siblings standing there with big grins on their faces and she nodded before turning to Mark who had spoken up. "Congrats again on graduating, you really earned it."
"Thanks guys." Chelsea responded with a big grin before she leaned against the railing. "So what's the plan? Big pizza feast to celebrate when we get back to Chicago?"
"I'd be up for that if you were serving good pizza." Chloe responded and Chelsea rolled her eyes.
"Ignore her, she's from New York, what does she know about pizza?" Chelsea asked getting a laugh out of her siblings whilst Chloe gave her a mock death glare.
"Man, if looks could kill, Chloe would've thrown you overboard by now." Danny laughed and Chelsea grinned in response. "We do have some big news of our own, but we wanted to save it until after the duels, so you wouldn't get distracted."
"What? Is Mark's book finally getting published?" Chelsea joked and the siblings laughed.
"Hey, I'll have you know that it got published whilst you were in Las Vegas." Mark asserted and Chelsea shook her head. "Seriously though, you might want to sit down for this but then again, there's nowhere to sit, Chris?"
"My girlfriend confirmed it over the weekend." Chris said as he stepped forward and put a hand on his younger sister's shoulder. "Your going to be an aunt Chelsea."
"Wh…...what?!" Chelsea asked as it hit her like a ton of bricks. "How far along is she? Do you know the kid's gender yet?"
"Too early to tell that, and she's three months pregnant." Chris responded and Chelsea grinned broadly before hugging her brother.
"Congrats Chelsea, and you too Chris." Chloe commented and Chris gave her a thumbs up in appreciation. "So Lance, any ideas for how we're going to celebrate? Other than in my bedroom?"
"Well, there goes my suggestion, think you can talk your dad into taking us to a fancy restaurant?" Lance asked and Chloe shrugged. "I guess we'll see once we're on the mainland…..." Lance trailed off before Chloe leapt into his arms and kissed him passionately. "Or were you kidding about the bedroom?"
"Does this answer your question?" Chloe asked with a grin before kissing Lance passionately again.
*elsewhere*
"Sophia, the leak has been dealt with." Raven informed Sophia as the I2 CEO flew back to LA in her private plane over the phone. "Senior technician who happens to be a decent relative of your father, he also happens to be the lead tech on your project."
"Wonderful." Sophia grumbled under her breath. "Instruct the board of directors to not act until I return to LA, I want to speak with the man personally before I make my choice."
"Will do." Raven responded and Sophia nodded. "You still haven't told me what you have planned yet."
"In due time, the future is bright Raven." Sophia added before glancing out the plane window. "And once my plan is unveiled, it'll be even brighter for the dueling world."
"Is that going to be I2's new slogan?" Raven asked and Sophia shrugged her shoulders in response. "I will have everything ready for when you return, quote the raven, nevermore."
(author's note: eight years of work has come to this, and it's been a hell of a ride.
But the adventure doesn't stop here, stay tuned for the sequel, Yu-Gi-Oh: Virtual Kingdom, coming soon to a Fanfiction site near you!)