Episode 67: Love is Eternal Part 2

Seto and Celestia are in the middle of a duel. Celestia is on the ground, and a tear is falling from her eye. She looks like she's been hurt. Seto is looking triumphantly at her, but suddenly, that turns to a looks of distress. He thinks, No, I've hurt her! He quickly rids himself of his concern. What am I thinking!? I don't care about her! She wants me to be caught of guard! She's just acting! Enough of this foolishness! He says aloud, "Now I'll just set a card and my turn is done (Seto's hand: 2)."

Up at the observation platform, the scene zooms into Otto, watching the duel. He thinks sinisterly, That's right Seto, continue to deny your true feelings. If you remain ignorant, it will only make my job that much easier. He smiles devilishly.

Celestia slowly gets up. She ceases her tears and says, "Prince Seto was always a skeptic. It should be of no surprise to me that you act this way. It is exactly how he would react in an identical situation." She sighs and hangs her head. "I only wish that I could convince you." She draws a card. "I can not worry about it though, if I do not win this duel, I do not know what I will do. I summon Celestial Grace - Healer of the Stars (Light/Level 4/Fairy/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 2100)!" Celestia's monster is a female, angelic being of light. It has two angel wings and holds a golden staff. "Once per turn this monster can increase my life points by 300." The monster raises its staff and a ray off light covers Celestia (Celestia's LP: 3600). "Then my Firebird's effect will activate, inflicting 500 points of damage to you (Seto's LP: 3800). Following that, my Celestial Paradise will increase my life points by another 300 (Celestia's LP: 3900), and you thus take another 500 points of damage (Seto's LP: 3300). Now I overlay my two monsters and build the Overlay Network in order to Xyz Summon Celestial Grace - Sage of the Galaxy (Light/Rank 4/Fairy/Xyz/ATK 0/DEF 2800) (OVL: 2) in defense mode." The monster that emerges is another female being of light. A golden aura surrounds it, and it carries two golden staffs, one in each hand. It stands in a defensive position, holding its two staffs in a cross formation in front of it. "By removing one of my monster's Overlay Units, I can destroy one monster you control, and then increase my life points by 500." Celestia's monster holds up one of its staffs and absorbs an Overlay Unit through it (OVL: 1). A beam of light fires from the staff and destroy Seto's monster. It then raises its other staff and a beam of light heads towards Celestia, and heals her (Celestia's LP: 4400). "As always, I'll gain another 500 thanks to Celestial Paradise (Celestia's LP: 4900). After paying another 1000 (Celestia's LP: 3900), I end my turn (Celestia's hand: 2)."

Seto draws. He smiles. "It's time to bring this duel up a few notches! I activate my facedown trap card, Plasma Influx! Since I control no monsters, I can send up to two level five or higher Plasma monsters from my deck to my grave. I'll send Plasma Force and Plasma Ghost! Then I get to draw a card for each monster that I sent!" Seto draws two cards. Next I'll summon Cosmic Summoner (Light/Level 1/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 0)!" Seto's monster is a stoic, but small magician, and its entire surface looks like a scene from outer space. "By tributing this monster, I can special summon two Plasma monsters with the same level from my graveyard! I'll special summon Plasma Force (Light/Level 5/Fiend/Effect/ATK 2000/DEF 1400) and Plasma Ghost (Light/Level 5/Zombie/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 2000)! When Plasma Ghost is special summoned, I can draw a card! Now to really kick things up! I tribute my two level five monsters to special summon Cosmic Plasma Dragon (Light/Level 8/Dragon/Effect/ATK 3000/DEF 2500)!"

Celestia gasps. She says in shock, "That…that monster! Could it really be?" She looks at Seto. "You are not the only one who has been reincarnated, your dragon has too! Remember the first time we met, remember how your dragon played a part in it!"

Seto, looking at both his dragon and Celestia suddenly goes into another vision. He sees Celestia, she is probably not even ten years old. She is cowering and crying up against a wall of some old ruins. Before her a massive, alien beast. It's roaring and snarling at her. Celestia is absolutely terrified. She cries out, "Daddy! Help me!"

A voice is heard. It sounds like Seto's, but much younger and more childish. It says, "Quickly my dragon, defend that girl!" A dragon dives in and breathes a rainbow fire at the beast, which quickly runs away yelping. The dragon is colored primarily silver, but it also has some gold. Its eyes flash every color of the rainbow. Its shape is exactly the same as the shape of Cosmic Plasma Dragon (and thus Blue-Eyes White Dragon as well). A young Prince Seto, also about age ten, walks up to the still cowering Celestia. He holds out a hand and says, "Hey, are you alright?"

Celestia slowly looks up and nods meekly. She sniffles and says, "Uh huh."

Young Seto says, "Hey, hasn't anybody told you, this place is dangerous and full of monsters. Its no place for someone like you."

Celestia takes Seto's outstretched hand and he helps her get up. She says, "I know, but I just had to, my father lost something of his that was very important to him here. I had to come and find it."

Seto smiles. "You're lucky that I was passing by, who knows what would have happened if I wasn't.

Celestia, starting to recover from her panic nods in agreement. She looks over towards Prince Seto's dragon. As soon as she gets a good look, she goes wide-eyed. She exclaims, "That's the dragon of legends!" She looks at Prince Seto with awe. "And if you're using it…that means that you're…"

Prince Seto extends his hand for a hand shake. "I'm Seto, one of the twin princes of Yugoha."

Celestia bows down. She says, "I'm so sorry my prince, I…I didn't realize. I meant no disrespect in treating you without the appropriate protocol."

Seto lifts her off the floor. "Hey now, don't do that. I may be prince, but I'm also just a kid."

Celestia insists on bowing down again. She says, "No, you don't understand. My father, he's the Emperor's official advisor and sage. It's my duty as his daughter to serve you or anyone else of the Royal Family."

Seto lifts her up again. "So your father's Cosmo, huh? What a small galaxy we live in. How about this, as prince of Yugoha, I command you to treat me as any other kid."

Celestia looks conflicted. "As you wish Prince Seto."

"Come on, drop the prince, it's just Seto."

She shakes her head. "No, I couldn't do that. That wouldn't be proper."

Seto shrugs, "Alright, whatever makes you happy. So I don't think I got your name. What is it?"

She says shyly and quietly, "Celestia…"

"Come on, speak up. I can barely hear you."

She says again, louder this time, "Celestia, my name is Celestia."

Prince Seto says, "That's a beautiful name." He looks off in the distance and says, "I'm sorry, but I have to go. I was on my way home. My brother Yu-Gi-Oh and I were about to have a little contest to see who has better control over their monster spirit." He beckons towards his dragon. He runs off, his dragon flying behind him. He shouts back, "It was nice meeting you! I'll see you around!"

Celestia smiles.

The vision ends. Celestia says to Seto, "You saved my life that day. I've never been able to pay you back what I owe you for driving off that beast."

Seto shouts out, "That isn't me! I don't know what's happening, but that isn't me!" He says while still sounding distressed, "Since I tributed Plasma Force for the effect of a Plasma monster, you take 500 points of damage (Celestia's LP: 3400)! Now, Cosmic Plasma Dragon, attack Celestial Grace - Sage of the Galaxy, Plasma Stream of Destruction!"

Celestia sighs. "I activate the second effect of Sage of the Galaxy. By removing an Overlay Unit, I can negate its destruction and gain 500 life points." The monster absorbs another Overlay Unit through its staff, the opposite one of last time (OVL: 0). Seto's attack is stopped. Celestia heals herself (Celestia's LP: 3900). "I'll gain more from my Celestial Paradise (Celestia's LP: 4400)."

Seto thinks, Even without all of the mind games, this girl would be pretty good. She stops almost every move that I make, and what little damage I can do, she just gains more than enough life points to make up for it. Seto suddenly finds his thoughts wondering to, Maybe that's why I fell in love with her. A look of shock crosses his face. What am I thinking!? I'm letting her mind games get to me! I can't let this happen! He declares aloud, "I end my turn (Seto's hand: 4)."

Celestia draws a card. After looking at it, she explains, "As I have told you, I come from the Yugohan Empire, and in the Yugohan Empire, we do not use the same methods to Evolution Summon a monster that you do. We perform something known as a Celestial Apex Evolution."

At the observation platform, Yuni looks intrigued. He thinks, I wonder what she means by that. What kind of alternate method to Evolution Summon could there be?

Yugi reminds him, Don't forget, we already know about two types of alternate Evolution methods, the Chaos Evolution and the Darkness Evolution. But, don't worry about it, I have a feeling that we're about to learn.

Celestia continues, "Instead of Evolving when the monster meets certain requirements, a Celestial Apex Evolution is performed when a monster on the field is evolved via a special spell card. I just drew one of those spells. I activate Celestial Advancement: Grace of Yugoha! The first effect of this card allows me to tribute a monster that I control in order to special summon another from my grave. I tribute Celestial Grace - Sage of the Galaxy in order to summon Celestial Grace - Priestess of the Cosmos (Light/Level 7/Fairy/Effect/ATK 1000/DEF 0)! Then, I immediately get to perform a Celestial Apex Evolution!" A bright, nebula-like cloud wraps around Celestia's monster. The cloud as well as the monster glow a golden light. "I Celestial Apex Evolve my monster into Celestial Grace - Princess of the Cosmos (Light/Level 9/Fairy/Evolution/ATK 2000/DEF 0)!" The nebula around the monster clears. It reveals a monster similar to the last, but it glows brighter. Its features have slightly changed. Its hair is now longer and black, and its face has changed as well. It now bears a resemblance to Celestia herself. "Due to the effect of Grace of Yugoha, this monster won't Devolve at the end of the turn. Also, my monster's effect allows it to gain attack equal to the difference in our life points, as long as I have more than you (ATK: 3100). To add to that boost, I'll activate Princess of the Cosmos' effect, which allows me to gain 300 life points once per turn, which of course means 600 due to my Celestial Paradise (Celestia's LP: 5000) (ATK: 3700). Celestial Grace - Princes of the Cosmos, attack Cosmic Plasma Dragon with Light of Yugoha!" Celestia's monster shines a large ray of light upon Seto's monster, destroying it (Seto's LP: 2600). "Since your life points are lower, my monster gains more attack (ATK: 4400). To conclude my turn, I'll pay 1000 life points for my Celestial Paradise (Celestia's LP: 4000) (ATK: 3400) and set a card. You may make your move Seto (Celestia's hand: 1).

Seto thinks, I need to turn this duel around. I can't lose here, or I won't be able duel Oblivion and get vengeance for everything that he's done to Kodane. Seto pulls the top card of his deck. It's Quantus, the Spatial Lord.

A look of realization crosses Celestia's face. She thinks, I…feel a presence…one that I have not sensed in a long, long time…Could…it be?

Seto declares, "I activate Plasma Branch-Off! This card allows me to special summon one level five or higher Plasma monster from my grave, but its attack and defense become zero. I bring back my Cosmic Plasma Dragon (ATK and DEF: 0)! In addition, Plasma Branch-Off allows me to summon a Plasma Clone Token, whose level is equal to the level of the monster that I summoned (Light/Level 8/Thunder/Token/ATK 0/DEF 0)!" The token appears to be a grayish version of the original Cosmic Plasma Dragon. "Then I'll summon Plasma Gainer (Light/Level 3/Reptile/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 2100). Now I tribute my three monsters, who's total levels equal at least 18, in order to summon my most powerful monster! Come forth, Quantus, the Spatial Lord (Divine/Level 10/Divine-Beast/Effect/ATK 4000/DEF 4000)!" Seto's three monsters are pulled into a massive vortex that appears behind Seto. After the monsters disappear, Seto's Yugohan Lord steps out of the vortex.

Celestia goes wide-eyed in shock. She instantly drops to the ground and repeatedly bows down to the monster.

The scene triggers something in Seto. Another vision begins. Price Seto, Celestia, an unknown man, and even Prince Yu-Gi-Oh are standing before a ruined castle. It is the same castle that the Yugohan Lords awoken from back when Yuni and Seto first summoned them. Behind Seto is Quantus, and behind Yu-Gi-Oh is Chronos, the Temporal Lord. The unknown man says, "The time is now my princes, if we are to complete the ceremony, it must be done now."

Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto look each other in the eye, as if they are unsure of what to say. Yu-Gi-Oh is the first to speak. He says with remorse, "Brother, I truly am sorry for the past five years. I was foolish."

Seto shakes his head. "You were not the only foolish one. I was as stubborn and arrogant as ever. The war destroyed our precious kingdom. We are both at fault for not seeing that before."

Yu-Gi-Oh turns to the man. He says, "Okay Cosmo, we are ready."

Seto says, "Wait, one more moment please." Seto walks closer to Celestia. He says to her, "Celestia my love, saying sorry can not begin to make up for everything that I said to you before. You were right all along, my brother and I had to reconcile, or else our kingdom would be destroyed. It truly hurts me to know what I said to you that day."

Celestia says caringly, "You do not need to apologize Seto. Nobody is perfect. I am glad that we were able to arrange this, before it was too late."

Seto says, "This is the last time I will ever see you. I wish that we could grant you with the same power to preserve your soul as well. Goodbye-"

Celestia cuts him off by putting her finger to his lips. "No Seto, no goodbyes. Love is eternal. This is not the end of us. I promise you."

Seto nods. "You always had a way with words Celestia. How about instead of goodbye, I say until we meet again?" A tear falls from his eye.

Celestia responds, "I'll count the days." Celestia also sheds a tear. The two embrace lovingly.

Seto turns back to the others. He says, "Okay, I'm ready to begin the ceremony."

The vision ends. Seto looks as if he's holding back tears, as if the emotions from the vision have transferred to him. Fighting back the tears, he commands, "Quantus, attack Celestia's monster with Fist of Physics!" Every word he says seems to be struggled out. His monster unleashes its power and destroys Celestia's monster (Celestia's LP: 3400). Celestia is blasted back by the force of the attack, but she refuses to look up directly at Quantus, and continues to bow. Seto thinks, What is wrong with me? These…these feelings. They're not my own…I must win this duel…for Kodane! Seto, still struggling against his emotions, declares, "I activate…I activate Cosmic Do-Over! This card allows a level eight or higher monster to declare a second attack! Attack directly…with…Fist…of…" Every word he says is a struggle, and he eventually trails off. Seto looks at Celestia on the ground. She is rugged and beat-up from Seto's last attack. A look of horror crosses Seto's face. Sounding more like Prince Seto than himself, he thinks in panic, Oh no! What have I done!? I've hurt my one true love. Celestia, can you forgive me?

At the same time, Celestia is thinking, That look on his face, he remembers me! Even if he attacks, I could activate my facedown card and gain life points equal to his attack, that coupled with Celestial Paradise could buy me some time in this duel, but… She looks up at Seto's horror-struck face. But I couldn't do that to him, I just can't. I know what I must do…in the name of love.

Seto thinks, There is only one thing I can do. I must forfeit the duel. Seto looks towards Celestia, but realizes that she is doing something. She raises her Duel Gauntlet in front of her body and places her hand on top of her deck box. Seto thinks, Celestia, no!

Celestia says aloud, "I admit defeat. There is no point in continuing this duel."

The Minister of Dueling announces, somewhat awkwardly, "So…we…um…have a winner! Seto Ossius wins due to the forfeit of his opponent!"

Upon hearing those words, the look of horror leaves Seto's face. He holds his hand up to his forehead. He wonders, What the heck just happened? My head hurts so badly.

From the observation platform, Seto hears Kodane cheering, "Yeah Seto! I knew you could win that duel!"

Seto thinks, What, I won? He looks to the field. The last thing I remember was having that vision after I summoned Quantus. What happened? He makes eye contact with Celestia. She looks straight back at him.

Celestia thinks, He has reverted back to his Seto Ossius mindset, but that is okay. At least I know that my Seto is still in there. He shall return when it is time.

The Minister announces, "Attention duelists, the next duel will begin in exactly ten minutes! Do what you want until then, but make sure to be back here before that time!"

Seto and Celestia float back to the observation platform and return to normal gravity. Seto and Kodane are the first to walk out. As he's walking out, Seto thinks, Could I…could I be wrong?

Everyone files their way out. As soon as Yuni is about to leave, a hand is put on his shoulder. He turns around to see Celestia. She says, "Prince Yu-Gi-Oh…I mean Yuni, we need to talk."

Yuni nods and says, "I would like that."

Celestia lowers her head. She says, "I can tell that you have already accepted all of this. You always were the one more willing to accept things as fact."

Yuni nods once again. He says, "And I've been waiting to find someone who could answer all of my questions. Would that be you?"

"It would, but I am afraid that I can not tell you everything. Only my father could do that."

"Your father, you mean that you're not the only 20,000 year old person here? Where is he? I'd like to talk to him."

Celestia hangs her head and sighs. "That's the problem. You can't, at least in his current state." She looks directly at Yuni. "I know that this must seem strange, and that you have no reason to believe anything that I say, but I desperately need your help."

"What is it?"

"There is a reason that I am entered in this tournament. I believed that I would stop at nothing to keep on going, but I didn't expect that that would include having to defeat Seto. Now with him not believing me, you are the only one who could possibly help me." Yuni nods. Celestia continues, "I've entered this tournament in order to duel with Oblivion."

Yuni's eyes go wide with surprise. "That's why I'm in this tournament as well. Oblivion is a force of Darkness that must be stopped."

Celestia sighs. "That's not all though…there is something else that you need to know." She takes a deep breath. "Oblivion is more than just the Lord of Darkness. His real name is Cosmo…and he's my father.