I think I have another twist for you all.
The explanation regarding Leo's newfound sense of self reinforced the fact for Yusei that he wanted his friends to become better in anything other than Duel Monsters. He went over the story repeatedly in his head while typing away in his home office. Luna was somewhere else in the house and he didn't feel the need to bother her. However, it was a certain phone call from a close friend who felt that Yusei had some explaining to do that got to him. Not bothering to see whose number it was, the scientist mindlessly picked up the receiver.
"Hello?" he calmly answered the call.
"Who in the world are you trying to fool? 'Cause you're not fooling me," a familiar and arrogant voice yelled on the other end.
"Jack, how'd you get my number?" Yusei asked of his friend.
"I have people for that," the champion duelist quipped. "Anyway, what's all this I'm hearing about how you struggled against that half-pint of a duelist?"
"All right, maybe I did have a hard time dueling Leo," the scientist admitted. "But he's a much better competitor compared to eight years ago. I'm proud at how far he's come. We all should."
"Are you even seeing what I'm trying to tell you?" Atlas chipped back.
"I don't think so," Yusei guessed. "Tell me."
"People say a loss is a loss, no matter how you look at it," Jack waxed. "I beg to differ."
"I'm listening," the marked man affirmed.
"When I lost to you all those years ago, our match was no-holds barred," the blonde guy recounted. "Aside from the symbolic meaning it had, both of us wanted to win. Our skills were exactly alike."
"Is there any point to all this?" Yusei wondered.
"If you had lost to the kid, it would've devalued our rivalry since everyone would be saying that Leo is your 'kryptonite,'" Atlas continued. "Plus, it may have been ages since you had time to duel, what with all your science responsibilities and whatnot."
"Can't you just accept the fact that Leo has come along since we were all together?" the scientist quizzed.
"Crow told me the very same thing," Jack breathed. "Until he shows some sort of notable victory, he's just another duelist for me to defeat."
"If you say so," Yusei exhaled before putting down the phone on his desk. Not even a few keystrokes in until he heard a deft knock at the door. Who else would it be but Luna?
"I'm guessing Jack is steamed at you, huh?" she asked to get his attention.
"Yeah, but I'm not surprised," he brushed off the criticism. "He believes winning shouldn't out of the reach of champions."
"Still, how are you handling all this about you possibly being on the downside of your dueling career?" the girl wondered aloud.
"I'm not letting it get to me," Yusei said firmly. "Anyone can believe what they want to believe, but I know I still have plenty of fight left in me. I'm also not one to hold my tongue when I see future potential, like your brother."
"That's just like you: you see the best of each person inside," Luna breathed dreamily.
In the skies above, a plane streaked in and out of the heavens, where a certain scarlet-haired doctor watched the world fly by in an instant.
"I'm going to see firsthand if Yusei has or hasn't faltered in his quest," she thought to herself. "I hope he hasn't gotten soft."
The scientist resumed to his monitoring duties from his office while Luna watched him from the floor. At times, she was so quiet that it was like she wasn't even there. A fly on the wall or owls on a tree branch were only the plausible comparisons.
"How long have you been sitting there?" he asked to break the silence.
"I lost track," the young woman quickly answered.
"Is there any reason why you want to just….watch me?" Yusei questioned. "I mean it's not like I'm doing anything prudent right now."
"I know," the girl waved off. "But I want to see if this is true."
"See if what's true?" the guy mirrored back.
"If there's more to a person than just their personality or values," Luna theorized. "Spiritual attractiveness is a way to say it."
"We scientists have open minds," Yusei sided. "What does this mean?"
"What I see in you goes beyond your looks and your hand with a deck," she listed. "I now know why the Crimson Dragon bestowed the head mark to you: every battle you fight in, you refuse to throw in the towel. Your entire life was based on overcoming adversity at every turn and not even hesitating to help those in need. There all these movies about someone coming out of nowhere and changing the landscape. Underdogs always have a place in the hearts of many people, and that's where you are for me."
"I'm just someone who believes in the Golden Rule," the scientist summed up. "I don't think 'philanthropist' would apply to me. I'll just continue doing what I do: adding a helping hand where it's most needed." Luna fidgeted at Yusei's shrunken summary of what she told him.
"You always know what to say and how to say," the girl squeaked. Her words ran short and instead, she stood up, walked over to his chair, sat in his lap, and rapidly connected her mouth to Yusei's. He was taken off guard but let Luna do whatever she wanted to do. Inside her mind, she felt weightless in Yusei's embrace.
"How do you feel now?" she asked, lightly kissing his nose. Before he could even speak, the doorbell rang. Yusei slipped out of Luna's claws to see who it was. She watched from atop the stairs as he unlocked the door.
"Is it even possible that I could l—" Her thought was cut short when Akiza came through the front door.
"Oh boy," she gulped. "What do I do now?" How was this going to play out? Yusei had revealed he thought more of Akiza than just a friend and Luna was exploring what it was like with the same man.
For those who wanted to see Akiza enter the main plot, there you go. I had to get this part up so I can watch some preseason football. I classify this part as "kind of weak." Who says otherwise? The next part won't come until after week one of the NFL preseason. Review if you wish. Stay tuned.