Now... There is one thing that, I'll admit, I haven't pointed out yet. How do I deal with Card effects? In all the other Duels, even the one with Mikiyo, it was easy enough to just use the anime effects. But I felt like the mysterious character coming up is... Difficult to work with, without Action Cards to adjust things. I had to take SOME liberties. I hope I did them justice.
In general, I consider a card in the anime either the same or slightly inferior to the TCG counterpart. If there are some effects which were not seen or indicated in the show, but have not been confirmed as not being present as there was no occasion to show them (For example, Opera's floating effect) then I may include them. If they were not used despite there being a possibility (Soprano's Special Summon effect) then I won't include them. Those are the metrics I'll swear to stay consistent with.
Either way, I hope you enjoy! Comments and criticisms are appreciated as always!
Yuzu and the mysterious girl were both apprehended by ninjas, one of which being Tsukikage, the one who defeated Mieru with a one-turn kill on the first round. The girl, upon protests, got silenced and was carried over the shoulder of the other Ninja. After a dashing escape, the group walked for a bit in the Iceberg area, making sure there were no enemies in the vicinity.
"Yuzu… If I may… I would…" Bloom Diva tried to reach out to Yuzu at an opportune time.
"Talk about that?" Yuzu responded to her, referring to the time the Fairy's attack blew her off the bridge and towards the lava, as she was dragged to Dennis' side of the field. "Look, I'll be honest. That really scared me, despite there supposedly being safety measures, but I just know you didn't do it on purpose! Even though, you were putting your best show out there… You wanted to follow how Dennis does things?"
Bloom Diva couldn't quite think of an answer that wouldn't mention the encounter she had in the Trick Box, so she let it out, at the risk of Yuzu not understanding.
"...I wanted to follow Trapeze Magician."
"Trapeze Magician?" Yuzu asked. "Are you telling me you talked with it?"
"I talked with them inside the Trick Box." Bloom Diva explained. "Performage Trapeze Magician told me that their partner, Dennis, needed help as he possessed a great burden. I know not what it is, but due to my circumstances, I could not refuse." She then started tearing up a bit upon uttering the next sentence: "When my singing carried you towards your demise I… Felt like I betrayed you. Yet I also felt… Deceived. They promised me your safety…"
"And they did save me, in fact." Yuzu reassured the Choir. "I think that's how their Entertainment Duel works. Trickery, and big risks for big acts. The second part isn't too different from Yuya, remember? He even risked his safety to do his act."
Bloom Diva was reminded of Yuya's duel with Sawatari, as his supposed falls, which caught even Yuzu shouting, turned out to enrapture the audience.
"Look, don't worry." The Pinkette reassured the Fairy. "Next time, if all of this gets solved, we may get our rematch. There are honestly more pressing matters right now."
Bloom Diva wiped her tears off and assumed a more determined tone. "Yuzu… I swear I will never leave you alone on the stage, no matter the circumstance. I am referred to as a Saint among my peers, due to my role and disposition. This… Has weakened me from facing betrayal: Sora's… And mine. I had run away from it instead… But no more."
"Bloom Diva…" Yuzu was moved by the Choir's speech, but couldn't help but feel she was a little too dramatic about it. "In the end, all of the "betrayers" are still friends, right? I understand how you feel, but… You got caught up too much in things we had, and will ultimately solve. I'm not angry at you. Quite the opposite! And…" Assuming a more worried, but sure stance. "We will get Sora back too… Our friend."
Bloom Diva took a deep breath and some slaps were heard from Yuzu's mind. She could understand that it was Bloom Diva putting her act together.
"Yuzu… Thank you-"
"LET ME GO!"
The duo's reconciliations were cut short by the mysterious girl yelling at the Ninja who was carrying her.
"How dare you interfere with my battle! Let me go, you masked ninja!"
"Look, as long as you're fine and you're with me, then all's good! We've got something else to take care of first."
"Understood! Right behind you." Following that last exchange, Bloom Diva stood aside as the mysterious girl was released.
"What do you want from me?" The blue-haired asked. "I know you're not with them!"
"Tsukikage, you take care of them." The red ninja ordered. "The enemies may still be nearby. I'll look around."
"Understood, brother." Tsukikage responded, then the red ninja vanished.
"Who are they?" Yuzu asked to Tsukikage.
"From what I know, they're from Fusion Dimension's Academia." The Ninja explained.
"Academia? Then that means you're Ruri!" Yuzu told the girl. "Did you escape from the Fusion Dimension? Academia was chasing you, so-"
"I'm Serena! My name is not Ruri!" The girl finally revealed herself.
"Serena?" Yuzu took in the question, realizing that she might have found yet another one who looks like her.
"It's true that Academia sent them to capture me." Serena explained. "But I won't be caught! Even if this Ninja hadn't come, I could have driven them away on my own!"
Tsukikage then turned away as Yuzu and Serena would have an exchange.
"Why was Academia chasing you?" Yuzu started.
"Because I didn't obey the Professor's orders, of course!"
"Professor?"
"At Academia, the Professor's orders are final. No one is allowed to disobey them. But to make him acknowledge his power, I intentionally disobeyed his rules. If I defeat the XYZ refugees in the Standard Dimension, the Professor will repent for not sending me to the front lines!"
Bloom Diva was then reminded of Tamtam's words, right as she had reflected on Sora's situation.
"Sora just had a bad, bad teacher!"
Could it be that it was the Professor who was the cause of them all acting like this? She listened closely to attempt to gain more information.
Yuzu continued: "So you're also from Academia? When you say "front lines", you mean the XYZ dimension?"
"That's right. My teammates went to the XYZ Dimension and performed spectacularly. But due to the Professor's orders, I was left behind."
"Do you know what Academia did to the XYZ Dimension?" Yuzu started to be significantly more assertive towards Serena, who got suddenly curious towards the pinkette's words. "XYZ Dimension… Ruri's homeworld was at peace. Until that day… The Fusion Dimension attacked, and it was turned into a battlefield… entire cities have burned to the ground, Academia duelists laughed while they attacked the XYZ people, as if they turned it into a hunting game."
"Hunting game?" Serena scoffed at it, leaving Yuzu worried. "Academia duelists wouldn't do such a silly thing on the battlefield!"
"Would you call them liars?"
"Academia has a noble goal: to unite the Worlds into one!"
"Worlds into one…?"
"That's why we invaded the XYZ Dimension. Eventually, we'll absorb the Synchro Dimension and Standard Dimension to unite the worlds. Academia duelists have been trained for this noble goal. Those noble warriors wouldn't do what you claimed."
With this, what Bloom Diva gathered from the performances of the Frightfur monsters, even Chimera, was not unfounded. They have been influenced to think they would fight for a good cause, but before the Fairy could dwell on it, Yuzu told Serena why she didn't stand for it.
"They're not noble! They made so many people sad!"
"Why would they be sad? XYZ duelists have pride too. Even if lose their lives in defeat, if they fought with all their power, they should accept-"
At that point, Yuzu had enough and put her hands on Serena's shoulders.
"You should accept losing your family?!"
Serena flinched upon hearing these words. It was evident there was more to it that she had been made aware of. Yuzu kept on the pressure with a look of anger and sadness.
"Academia didn't just hurt XYZ duelists. They also hurt their families and friends!"
"Their families aren't duelists?"
"Kurosaki and Yuto are fighting to save Yuto's sister Ruri because Academia kidnapped her."
"To save her?"
"Shun Kurosaki is the XYZ refugee you're after. If you don't believe what I said, you should ask him in person."
Serena stood still, seemingly thinking long and hard about this. Bloom Diva took the opportunity to hypothesize just what led to the atrocities she saw in Raptor's Requiem.
"Somewhere on the front lines… Those may be what caused Sora to descend into madness, as well as many others."
"Serena looks much saner than everyone we've found so far… Even if we convince her, I'm not so sure about the others…" Yuzu replied.
"Fine."
Serena responded, interrupting the duo between their thoughts.
"I'll meet Kurosaki and verify if you're telling the truth."
Yuzu was definitely glad to hear that. This might very well be the first step towards peace. She then made a proposal.
"Let's also change clothes!"
"Clothes?" Serena asked, stunned.
"You don't want Academia to find you before you find Kurosaki."
"I see. You'll be their decoy and gain their attention." She then started taking her uniform off, before Yuzu could stop her from doing so while Tsukikage was nearby.
"Hey! Hey! Wait a second!"
"Why though?"
Yuzu then indicated a spot behind some ice. "Let's change there." She then addressed Tsukikage: "You hear me? We're changing!"
"Fine." The Ninja responded, with staggering seriousness. The two lookalikes then changed clothes.
"Bloom Diva, you don't have a problem with this, right?" Yuzu addressed the Choir while changing.
"Not in the slightest. The Melodious were aware of the possibility of multiple Duels unfolding this day. We shall let our voices ring!"
After a short bit, Yuzu and Serena had changed into each other's clothes, yet neither their hairstyles nor their bracelets. Yuzu found herself quite liking the uniform, while Serena wasn't so pleased.
"Kurosaki wasn't in the Jungle or Volcano Area, so that leaves…"
"The Ancient Ruins."
Serena finished Yuzu's sentence and then the two ran off in opposite directions, Tsukikage following Serena in the shadows as they went.
Shortly after, Yuzu was swiftly ambushed by similar looking people as she had seen at the Volcano area, three members surrounding her, grinning as they believe they just found the target who got away.
"I can do this! Serena must meet Kurosaki!" She thought as she readied her Duel Disk.
"The Melodious stand at the ready!" Bloom Diva declared. "They shall be at your beck and call as you conduct your plan!"
The soldiers prepared their duel disks, field placeholders shaped like neon red swords.
"They're from Academia…" Yuzu thought.
"Then we are prepared!" Bloom Diva declared, prompting Yuzu to address the Duelists.
"I'll take you on!"
"You're also in my way."
Yuzu gasped as she heard this unfamiliar voice, who belonged to a boy in a purple uniform, who also happened to look like…
"Yuya!"
"What are you talking about? Yuya's not my name." The boy addressed the mistake. In fact, his hair was pink and purple, with a similar shape to Yuya's.
"You three, move out of the way." He ordered. "If you interfere, this will happen to you." He then threw the cards to the ground, revealing them to be Normal Monster Cards… With a terrified Halil and Olga inside of them.
"Halil and Olga are inside cards… No way!" Yuzu approached the two cards in fear, as the three duelists previously eager to capture her ran away swiftly.
"Do you know them? I'm sorry, they were interfering with my job." The boy approached the pinkette.
"How… Foul of him!" Bloom Diva's rage was building from inside her, her heart aching at such a casual approach to people getting trapped forever.
"Is he… Yugo?" Yuzu remembered Yuya's words about another boy looking like him, then she addressed him. "You did this…?"
"Yes."
Yuzu had gotten enraged too, and she immediately lashed back at the aggressor.
"How dare you turn people into Cards!"
"If you complain… I'll also turn you into a Card." The boy, unfazed, shocked Yuzu by this declaration. "But I won't. The Professor will be mad if I act on my own." Bloom Diva wanted to show him a lesson herself, but it was not her time yet. She listened closely, as Yuzu could be in more trouble than they first thought. Yuzu then asked:
"The Professor? Are you from Academia too?"
"That I am. You really do look like Ruri and Rin."
Ever more shaken by these declarations, Yuzu asked: "Ruri and Rin?! So the one who kidnapped Ruri is…"
"Yeah, me."
"Why did you do that?!"
"Because it was the Professor's order. I'm currently following the Professor's orders too. He ordered me to bring you in."
Bloom Diva was unable to utter a word… Her best friend was now a target of the one who stood at the top of the Fusion Dimension's invasion. Yuzu too was shaken, but was able to at least talk back to the boy.
"Me? Why?"
"I don't know. I just obey." He then approached the pinkette, offering his hand.
"Come now… The Professor's waiting."
Yuzu, in a flash, managed to muster up all the courage she had and backhanded the boy's wrist, following it with several backflips to gain distance. He was not fazed one bit.
"Hey… You're feisty, just like Ruri and Rin. How about this? Let's duel. If you win, you do what I say. Okay?"
Yuzu was frozen, she was about to risk a lot by participating, but she had no choice.
"Yuzu!" Bloom Diva called her, now having fully regained her senses. "I am fearful too. Fearful of your fate, and the boy's malice… but we must fight! I shall not cower anymore!"
"Hurry up. Were you not eager to take on Obelisk Force earlier? If you won't come after me, I'll come after you."
Yuzu put all of her fears aside and prepared her duel disk, still holding Olga and Halil in her hand, as cards.
"I WON'T LOSE EASILY!"
"That's more like it… Now then…"
DUEL!
YUZU vs ?
"My turn!" Yuzu, her courage regained, steps up, having put Halil and Olga's cards in her pocket.
"Yuzu…" Bloom Diva warned the pinkette. "You must not lose your composure. I too am disgusted by these misdeeds, but a conductor of a sound mind is the heart of an orchestra. Yuzu… Us Melodious have faith in you."
"Thanks, Bloom Diva… I'll show this guy what for, I promise!" Yuzu reassured the Fairy, before beginning her turn.
"I activate 1st Movement Solo from my hand! If I control no Monsters, I can Special Summon a Melodious Monster from my hand! Come out, Serenade the Melodious Diva!" A lilla-skinned, pink-haired girl wearing a long, flowy yellow dress twirled into the field.
Serenade the Melodious Diva (Level 4/LIGHT/Fairy/400/1900)
"Might this be our opponent?" Serenade asked the Choir. "I suspect a lovely play under this beautiful aurora will not enrapture him."
"I am certain it will not happen. It would be a miracle if he could be reasoned with…" Bloom Diva answered.
"Serenade's effect!" Yuzu declared, and Serenade followed, Summoning a vision of herself with warm pink skin, purple hair and a blue dress. "When Special Summoned, I can Normal Summon 1 more Melodious monster in addition to my Normal Summon! Furthermore, she can be treated as 2 Materials for the Tribute Summon of a Fairy-type Monster! I Tribute Summon!"
The two Serenades ascended into the air, holding each other like they were in a ballet, and a ray of light came down from the sky.
"Enthralling harmony, unleash the expressive virtuoso! Level 7, Shopina the Melodious Maestra!" The aquamarine haired lady generated an arc of piano keys above her and set them into position in front, spinning then posing with her left hand on the keys, spreading her harp wings.
Shopina the Melodious Maestra (Level 7/LIGHT/Fairy/2300/1700)
"This one is not to be taken lightly." Shopina observed. "So far, he has only taken minor interest in our performances."
"Indeed. I am certain our Maestra is setting the stage up." The Choir responded.
"Next, I summon Solo the Melodious Songstress!" The wing-haired Fairy came twirling onto the stage cheerfully.
Solo the Melodious Songstress (Level 4/LIGHT/Fairy/1600/1000)
"Solo, good try! But this one will not be fazed by your enthusiasm!" Bloom Diva warned Solo.
"Well, we gotta do our best performances for people, and playful ones is what I do best!" Solo gleefully replied.
"I activate Shopina's effect! Once per turn, I can add 1 Level 4 or lower Melodious Monster from my Graveyard to my Hand! I add Serenade back!" Following her lead, Shopina played an ascending scale with the piano in front of her, her right hand shining white, and shooting a beam to Yuzu's hand to add Serenade to it.
"I set 1 Card and end my turn!" Yuzu concluded.
Yuzu: 1 Set Card
"Fine, fine! My turn, then, I draw!" The Academia duelist calmly began his turn. "I activate Allure of Darkness! I draw 2 cards, then if I have a DARK Monster in my Hand, I banish it. If not, my entire hand is sent to the Graveyard." He drew his cards, quite pleased. "I banish the DARK Monster Predaplant Cordyceps. Now then… I think I'll activate Polymerization!" He said with a smirk. Yuzu stood at the ready, expecting a Fusion Monster from Academia to be quite the threat.
"I fuse Predaplant Drosophyllum Hydra and Predaplant Sarraceniant in my hand!" Weird amalgamations of plants and creatures that Yuzu couldn't quite figure out came behind him, floating towards the Fusion Portal.
"Amalgamation of flowers and prey, become one to truly enrich this garden! Fusion Summon! Appear, the mangled construct with ravenous hunger! Predaplant Chimerafflesia!" Several vines then sprouted out of the ground, most revealing a Flytrap mouth on their ends while the largest spawned a red Rafflesia flower with yellow spots and teeth at its gaping hole on its center.
Predaplant Chimerafflesia (Level 7/DARK/Plant/Fusion/2500/2000)
Bloom DIva shivered at the sight of that creature. "This boy is right… Right now I only feel hunger from it…"
"As long as this goes as planned, we can take care of it AND him, even in the next turn. The notes just need to follow one another fluidly…" Yuzu murmured.
Bloom Diva was now more hopeful, as Yuzu looked scared, but determined to stay in the mindset that led them to their last victory.
"I think this will do for now. I activate Chimerafflesia's effect." The boy continued. "Once per turn, I can target a Monster on the Field with a level that's equal or lower than its own, and banish it. I target Shopina, the Melodious Maestra. Now, Chimerafflesia, go get a snack." The ravenous plant stretched its vines to capture the Maestra.
"Shopina!" Solo shouted, her smile now replaced with worry.
"We shall not go down without a fight!" Shopina declared, knowing that Yuzu was about to activate her set card.
"I activate the Trap Card Melodious Song of Divine Punishment! I inflict 800 damage to your Life Points for each Melodious Monster I control!" The two Members then performed, Solo singing a high note and Shopina raising her hands to then deliver a power chord with her Piano which created lightning who struck the boy. He was just mildly amused by this.
? LP: 4000 - 2400
Chimerafflesia then captured Shopina with its vines, opening its mouth to devour the Maestra as she let out a yelp. Both Yuzu and Bloom Diva were shaken by this.
"Heh… You are keeping true to your promise thus far… I wonder if this will change your mind. Battle! Chimerafflesia attacks Solo and its effect activates. If this card battles, once per turn, the Monster it battles loses 1000 ATK!" Chimerafflesia sprayed poisonous gas, making Solo cough, before having its flytrap vines strike her.
Solo the Melodious Songstress ATK 1600 - 600
"Ack…! I… Need to do my part! For everyone!" Solo regained her posture and spun around, singing a note high up into the air as she got destroyed by Chimerafflesia. The impact made Yuzu slide back, but she hung on.
YUZU LP: 4000 - 2100
"Solo's effect activates! If she is destroyed by battle, I can Special Summon a Melodious Monster from my Deck! Take the stage, Soprano the Melodious Songstress!" A light orb with a treble clef inside it then burst into colorful light, revealing the Songstresses passed the baton from one to the other.
Soprano the Melodious Songstress (Level 4/LIGHT/Fairy/1400/1400)
"Yuzu… I can see that you have not lost your composure. You shall lead us to victory!" Soprano thought.
"If that's all Standard can offer, then I am sure you won't win this, Yuzu." The boy explained, calm as he had been. "You see, after I've been… Rough to my last target, the Professor had admonished me and ordered me to bring you in unharmed. If you just comply, it will be easier for both of us." His smugness started creeping in, but Yuzu was having none of it. Sweat dripped on her face, but her script was still intact.
"You… What did I say at the beginning?"
"That you won't lose easily?"
"Exactly, and…" a faint smile appeared on her face. "...It's all in script. Just you wait, I'll turn this around!"
"Oh. Well then, I see you have not lost your eagerness. I'll end my turn here… Make sure to entertain me, at least!"
"Oh, I will! My turn!" Yuzu lashed back to the aggressor, before meditating. "Entertain him, huh? Well, that's just how I duel. Now… I need to fully put my heart into this draw! With the right card, I can get to the Grand Finale!"
"...DRAW!" She ripped her card from her top of the deck, the Pink Pentagram trail aiding her. She found… The right card for the Finale to be a good one.
"I Summon Serenade the Melodious Diva!" The waltzing Fairy came back to the stage.
"Serenade, the time is nigh." Soprano told her.
"I know." Serenade replied, her hand over her heart. "I see Yuzu has fire in her heart! I'll put all my passion into this!"
"With Soprano, I can Fusion Summon without using Polymerization! I fuse Soprano and Serenade!"
"Fusion Summon?" The boy asked, confused. "As a duelist of Standard?"
"I have learned it to defend myself against Fusion, and more importantly, to protect my friends!" Yuzu answered, determined. "With this, I have grown as an Entertainment Duelist! With this, I can't afford to lose!"
"...Huh. Well let's see what you can do to entertain me then." The boy concluded, somewhat amused. Yuzu immediately prepared her Fusion Chant as the two swirled into the Fusion Portal.
"Angel's song! Melody from the heart! Follow the baton and stack your power! Fusion Summon! Take the stage with the song of victory! Bloom Diva the Melodious Choir!"
Bloom Diva emerged from her flower bud, singing her delicate operatic scale as she spun. She then stared at the boy, who was quite delighted.
Bloom Diva the Melodious Choir (Level 6/LIGHT/Fairy/Fusion/1000/2000)
"Fufufu… You look quite like the gardener too, Yuzu." The purple-haired earned a glare from Yuzu and Bloom Diva.
"You won't be laughing for long! I will get this done quickly! Battle!" Yuzu Declared.
"Right behind you, Yuzu! Let us end this concert once and for all!" Bloom Diva put her hand on her chest to fully prepare to sing the best she ever did. The air filled with yellow petals so much that the Academia duelist was surrounded by them. He stood by, however, not appearing intimidated.
"Bloom Diva attacks Chimerafflesia! Her effect activates!" The Choir prepared her wind barrier to fend off Chimerafflesia's lunging vines almost effortlessly. "She cannot be destroyed by battle against a Special Summoned Monster, your Chimerafflesia will be destroyed, and you take the Battle Damage I would have taken!"
The boy was quite surprised, but kept his smirk on. "Oh, that is a really powerful effect… But not quite good enough to send me away!"
"Not without a little help!" Yuzu smirked, her opponent letting out a light gasp for the first time. "I activate the Quick-play Spell, Pianissimo! Bloom Diva's ATK is now 100 for the rest of the turn!" The petal tornado the Fairy conjured shrunk ever so slightly, as she focused her gaze on her target.
Bloom Diva the Melodious Choir ATK 1000 - 100
"W-wait…" The boy shuddered: "That IS enough!"
"Yuzu! I stand ready!" Bloom Diva declared.
"Bloom Diva, the Grand Finale! Reflect Shout!"
Bloom Diva sang her best note, and unleashed an even stronger green whirlwind than usual. This pulverized Chimerafflesia and sent the boy flying with a scream, to knock him out…
…However, he regained his balance and landed on his feet. Yuzu and Bloom Diva were shocked to see this. They couldn't make out the face he did, but they could hear a distant laugh…
? LP: 2400 - 1200
"Heh… Heh heh… HAHAHAHA!" The boy suddenly began laughing out loud, and the duo recoiled. It appeared this was not over just yet… It had only made him more eager to strike. He then had this exchange with the Pinkette.
"You REALLY think I was not prepared for this? That I did not anticipate your abilities, Yuzu?"
"Really… You KNEW I could also use Fusion?!"
"Lady…" Now regaining his composure. "You stand up against Academia. You are its target. To make sure I could do this mission efficiently, I had a… Special informer."
"S…S-Sora?" Yuzu grew ever more afraid.
"Yes, that candy-loving kid. But he did not do this willingly… Our scientists have managed to… See his memories, you see." He grew a malicious grin as he said that, terrifying the pinkette…
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SORA?!" ...Who still managed to lash back in anger.
"Relax, he's fine… In fact, you may join him soon once I bring you in…"
Yuzu was frozen by this prospect… What could ever happen if she lost? Will she face imprisonment? Extortion? Or worse… But then…
"Yuzu!" Bloom Diva called to the pinkette, also shaken, but resolute. "Whatever the outcome of this Duel, you must not be apprehended! I will hold the line… But I am afraid I cannot ensure you a victory anymore."
"W-what are you talking about, Bloom Diva?" Yuzu thought. "You are still in this, I know it!"
"I… May not be… Soon." Bloom Diva regrettably declared.
"Ah, but I must congratulate you for getting to this point, to believe you could threaten me… Allow me to explain just how I planned this all along!" The boy then explained, now having calmed down. "I activated Predaplant Drosophyllum Hydra's effect from the Graveyard. I banished Predaplant Sarraceniant to return Predaplant Cordyceps to the Graveyard, and halve all the battle damage I took!"
Yuzu only glared in fear at that.
"I…I end my turn!"
Bloom Diva the Melodious Choir ATK 100 - 1000
"Well now… I believe it's time." He developed a sadistic grin as he said that. "My turn! I draw! Chimerafflesia's last effect activates! During my Standby Phase, after this card was destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can add a Polymerization from my Graveyard to my Hand!"
"N-NO WAY!"
The aggressor was quite pleased to hear her scream. He then proceeded with his turn. "I activate Polymerization! I fuse Predaplant Orphys Scorpio and Predaplant Flytrap from my hand!" He then began with his chant, this time significantly more unhinged, growing pupils like snake slithers.
"Beautiful flowers, who allure insects with their fragrance, Now become one, and from your petals of hell, sprout a new terror! Fusion Summon! Appear, poisonous dragon with hungry fangs, Level 8 Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!"
Yuzu and Bloom Diva couldn't quite comprehend what they were seeing. The Dragon was much more malformed that the ones they've seen before, primarily dark, mushy green-colored, with wings and knees that looked like they hosted living creatures, as saliva was coming out of them. The dragon, adorned with lit orbs, stared Bloom Diva down, who was quaking, yet still standing.
Starving Venom Fusion Dragon (Level 8/DARK/Dragon/Fusion/2800/2000)
"That's… That type of dragon! Same as Odd-Eyes!" Yuzu thought in fear.
"What is this…?" Bloom Diva wondered, staring back at the dragon. "I do not only feel hunger coming from this beast, but also… Anger… Not righteous… But malicious…"
"Now… This one is quite angry… Maybe because I did not get to unleash its full power… But we have a mission to complete. Either way, you have already lost, Yuzu." The boy explained, now more composed.
"What makes you say that?!" Yuzu lashed back.
"Well… Your Bloom Diva is a formidable foe. But what would it ever do if… It were stripped of its effect?"
Both Yuzu and Bloom Diva froze. If this was true…
"Starving Venom Fusion Dragon's effect. Once per turn, I can negate the effect of a Monster that's level 5 or higher, and it now becomes its own. You know who I'm aiming for…" As he said that, the monster opened one of its wings to reveal a snake-like creature and stretched it to aim a venom blast at Bloom Diva. She could only attempt to shield her face, but had to ultimately take the attack head on. She found herself rid of her voice entirely, attempting to sing, but to no avail. The flower she stood on also withered, assuming a paler color and less vivid petals. The yellow petals also slowly stopped swirling and fell to the ground.
"Bloom Diva?!" Yuzu attempted to call the withered Fairy, horrified at what the dragon had done to her.
"I… I have been silenced…" Bloom Diva could still communicate with Yuzu, despite her state. "So… It seems this is the end of this elegy…"
"Battle! Starving Venom attacks Bloom Diva! It's time to feast!" Yuri declared. Starving Venom then opened its other wing to lunge at Bloom Diva and eat her. The Fairy was looking down, ready to accept her fate.
"Yuzu… In the end, I could not protect you…"
Then memories flooded back to Bloom Diva, of the one she had sworn to watch over.
...
"We are going to get Sora… Our friend back!"
"As long as you're fine and you're with me, then all's good!"
"I WON'T LOSE EASILY!"
...
Bloom Diva looked up, and as the fangs were about to bite… She stared back at them.
"This concert… SHALL NOT CONCLUDE!"
A loud crash was then heard, dust and ice covering the view. Despite this, Yuzu was still standing, as if she were unharmed.
"Um… What's holding Starving Venom up?" Yuri wondered.
"Uh?"
As the dust was settling, the two duelists could make out Starving Venom attempting to devour Bloom Diva… And the Choir holding the fangs apart with her bare hands, managing to get its wing-mouth off of her for the time being, anchored to the ground.
"BLOOM DIVA!" Yuzu screamed, in sheer disbelief. "YOU ARE HURTING!"
"As it stands, I am finished… But your concert is not over. Whatever the matter, you must not fall into their hands!" Bloom Diva warned Yuzu, slowly losing ground over the fangs.
"Ho, ho, ho, ho… It looks like your defiance is contagious, Yuzu!" The boy commented on the situation, genuinely impressed, despite the Choir slowly sinking into the ice.
"Please Yuzu, flee now! The dragon is held back so you could be captured! Even if I am injured, I shall return soon!" Bloom Diva pleaded to a Yuzu that was too shocked to even understand. As her paralysis was evident, the Fairy had to raise her voice.
"WORRY NOT ABOUT ME! FLEE THIS INSTANT!"
"Ah… It looks like you'll have to put a bit more effort on this one." The boy then ordered. "Still, do not hurt Yuzu."
Following his orders, Starving Venom launched Bloom Diva into the air, her grip now fully loosened as she was helpless. The Fairy could only stabilize herself for a second to notice beams of red electricity-like energy piercing her and holding her in place. Yuzu was terrorized, like she saw just a black silhouette, all surrounded by red, as if she was trying to save herself from the sight of her trusted partner being beaten like this. The resulting explosion still knocked Yuzu back and on her knees.
YUZU LP: 2100 - 300
Yuzu was horrified, but with Bloom Diva's courage suddenly flaring up in the face of adversity, she too stood up in defiance, as she was not out yet.
"I… I am not backing down… Not yet!"
"Yuzu…" The boy repositioned himself at his proper spot. "You've fought impressively thus far, and I'll say the same for your Bloom Diva, even… But, as I told you, you've already lost."
"You have not finished me yet… I can still have one turn…!"
"I activate the Continuous Spell Rapid Seed Fire." He triumphantly placed his Continuous Spell, and one scarlet cob came out of the Card itself.
"All I need is to use its effect, send a Predaplant Monster from the Deck to the Graveyard… And inflict 300 damage to you."
"N…No…" Yuzu had finally realized what she was in... Helpless as she now was, her only solace would be reaching out to any friend she had.
"Bloom Diva… Sorry… but I couldn't leave you! Not as you were! Not like this!" Yuzu attempted to talk to the Choir…
But she heard no response. Bloom Diva was not there.
DUEL SPIRITS WORLD - CONSERVATORY
The Melodious ensemble watched the Duel unfold, growing horrified at all of what the purple-haired boy, and his Monsters, have done. Serenade was consoling the resting Solo and Shopina who had fallen in the duel while performing at their best.
The tension peaked when Bloom Diva held off Starving Venom, as they were dreading what it could do to the Choir. As she got lifted to the air and blasted, the feed cut off and nothing could be seen. Fearing the worst, some of the Melodious Members rushed out of the interior and ran towards the Garden of Blue and Orange Flowers. Almost immediately after, Soprano and Mozarta were seen falling out of the portal, unconscious, but with no open wound in their body.
"Mozarta! Soprano!" Shopina was the first to reach them, and she first attempted to examine Mozarta's body, joined by Sonata and Canon, while Elegy and Aria reached Soprano.
"How could this happen…? Even as I was swallowed whole by that plant, I had not felt nearly as much pain as they did…" Shopina wondered.
"That's because that creature was planning to end them completely!" Canon angrily responded. "They could actually hurt Bloom Diva like that… If I cross that boy personally… It won't be just his ears that will be crushed!"
"Please calm yourself, Canon. There's little we can currently do." Elegy admonished. "Even in front of such tragedies, violence is never the answer, as it will only bring more suffering." Canon could do nothing but shake her fist in anger.
"We need to ascertain that Yuzu is safe first!" Aria told the others. "And we cannot do that unless she duels again, or we restore the two back to health!"
"Aria's right!" Sonata concluded. "Let's send them to the-!"
"EEEK!"
Harmonia's scream, as she just saw the scene from the Garden's entrance, stopped the others for a moment, but then she quickly regained her senses.
"Please bring them to the nursery room! I'll be there, preparing everything they'll need!"
The Ensemble nodded, then they proceeded to transport the injured Soprano and Mozarta inside as best they could. Despite all the uncertainty and horror, they must remain resolute, for this could get much worse... Now that Yuzu has entered Academia's clutches.
MAIAMI CITY - ICEBERG AREA
"I believe I should reiterate, Yuzu… If you just come quietly, it will be better for both of us."
Yuzu could not reach Bloom Diva now… As the boy kept proposing to her to surrender, all she could think of was one thing to do: listen to Bloom Diva's last words. She immediately fled the scene, as her only hope for escape was now finding someone else.
"Heh, heh, heh… It looks like the flower has lost all of its petals." Her opponent commented. "Now, Starving Venom, come with me quietly and lend me a hand… It is better to take our time to bring her to the Professor unharmed…"
It was almost morning when the Duel was left to this state. Yuzu had tried hiding in every spot, and all she could hear were footsteps of her aggressor… And the terrifying aura of his companion.
For the first time in so long, she felt truly alone. Alone against an overwhelming threat. A threat that only led to uncertainty as she was to be held captive by the one at the top of an interdimensional war.
She managed to avoid her pursuer for a while, eventually hiding in a crevasse.
"It's no use, I'm no match for him… Surely not alone."
She then found the dragon's shadow, on top of the morning light… And froze right there.
"Wow, it's already morning! You're incredible for eluding me for so long. Congratulations… But hide-and-seek is over. Come with me to the Professor."
As her pursuer was talking, his dragon whipped a block of ice near Yuzu's position, making her let out a terrified yelp and revealing her position.
"Can you come out soon?"
In that state... She only had pleas and tears to offer.
"I can no longer escape… SAVE ME, YUYA!"
As fate would have it, her bracelet glowed brightly, almost blindingly… And that could only currently mean one thing for Yuzu.
"It's glowing again! Could Yuya really have come to save me?!"
Instead, she looked around to see that her pursuer was gone, and a white motorcycle ran up in his place. As it jumped, she heard a name from the rider.
"Rin?"
The rider then got off his bike, and approached Yuzu running.
"RIN!"
He then went to hug Yuzu.
"Rin, I'm glad you're safe! I was looking for you all over the place!"
"I'm not Rin!" Yuzu retaliated, but then she remembered that boy's words.
"Wait… Do you know who Rin is?" Yuzu asked.
"DO I know where Rin is?" The boy asked back, almost annoyed, only to see that their bracelets were glowing again. Thus, they vanished, to a place unknown...