I don't have anything to say at this point. So, let the episode begin!

Meanwhile, in the real world, the duel between Leo and Demak continued. Leo had taken his turn, and managed to summon two monsters to the field. One was Deformer Mobaphon, and by its special ability, he had summoned a second monster, Deformer Remocon. The two monsters on his field looked like robotic variations of a cell phone and a digital music player.

(Deformer Mobaphon is a level one monster with 100 attack and defense points. Remocon is a level three tuner with 300 attack and 1200 defense points.)

Demak could see the possibility of a Synchro monster, so he tightened his focus, preparing for the worst. But, despite that, he felt he would have no trouble dealing with whatever Leo dished out.

Leo then activated a spell card. The card appeared on the field. A light glowed around his Deformer Magnen-I, raising its level to three.

"The effect of my Level Mirroring spell allows me to match a monster on my field with the level on a monster on your field." Leo explained,

"I think you know what comes next. I Synchro summon my three monsters so I can bring forth…the protector of love and justice, and defender of peace. Power Tool Dragon!"

His monsters swirled around and disappeared into a pillar of light. When the light vanished, a golden, mechanical dragon had taken its place. On each of its arms were a massive screwdriver and a chainsaw. Its molten eyes glowed viciously at Demak.

(Power tool dragon is a level seven Light attributed Machine type Synchro monster with 2300 attack and 2500 defense points.)

Yusei smiled as he watched the duel from above.

"He finally got a Synchro monster out. That's good…" Midori noted.

"His taking advantage of what Demak has is giving him an edge, but I believe it's not over yet. It will take more than a strong monster to take down that Dark Signer…"

"Next, I'm equipping Break Draw to my Power Tool Dragon. When destroy a monster you control my battle, I can draw one card. After I use this effect three times, I must discard this card."

Power Tool Dragon whirled its screwdriver. Leo declared his attack. The dragon jabbed at Magician's Ape, sending it flying into the Graveyard. Demak felt the hit from Leo's monster as his life points went down to 2500. He shivered as he gave Leo a baleful glare. Leo smiled.

"You think you've won? You got lucky this time."

"I may not be a Signer, but I have Power Tool Dragon, so don't underestimate me, Demak. Make you move."

Demak drew his card.

"With pleasure. You'll regret saying those words."

He looked at the card and immediately summoned a monster to the field. A strange, geometric blue creature resmbling a monkey appeared, with pink lips and a golden brow. It growled at Power Tool Dragon.

"This is my Dark Tuner, Dark Ape!"

(Dark Ape is a level two Dark attributed Dark Tuner monster with no attack or defense points.)

"Next, I will play the spell Dark Wave, which will turn my Ape's level to negative two!" A dark energy swirled around his new monster. Leo knew he was going to tune his Dark Ape with Fighter's Ape now.

"A Synchro monster is no match for the power of my Dark Synchro monster! The ruler who shall turn the world to darkness! Zeman the Ape King!"

An ape with a flaming mane, and a regal black and gold armor and cloak of midnight blue appeared, with a large staff in hand. The staff twirled in its hands.

(Zeman the Ape King is a level (negative) seven Dark Synchro monster with 2500 attack points and 1800 defense points.)

"Just as a warning, when Zeman attacks, you can't activate any spell or trap cards until the damage step. So if you were planning to pull anything on me… you can't."

Then, having summoned Zeman, Demak activated the effect of his Dark Ape, drawing a card from his deck. He immediately played it, revealing it as a field spell known as Closer Forest. A thick grove of trees surrounded them.

"This is bad." Yusei commented on the eerie forest around them.

"Yes…That card…It's a field spell. Now Demak has everything he needs to summon his Earthbound Immortal, save for his sacrifices." Midori worried.

Demak smirked.

"It also gives my Zeman a boost. 100 attack points for every Beast type monster in my graveyard, and I have five. So Zeman the Ape King now has 3000 attack points."

Leo's face turned pale.

"3000!? Oh, man…I've really got to find a way to beat this guy…but that is just plain wrong! How am I going to take him down?"

"Do bother fretting yourself, little boy. I think I'll attack that pathetic mess of garbage you call a dragon."

The Demonic Monkey King twirled his staff and threw a bolt of energy at Power Tool Dragon. The violet energy hit the dragon, but it raised its arms to block the attack.

"My Power Tool Dragon has a special ability. I can sacrifice an equip spell card attached to it to prevent it from being destroyed. I choose to discard my Break Draw spell to activate this effect."

Demak sneered.

"However, you still take damage." Flares from the impact curled past the dragon and burned hot against Leo's skin. He couldn't help but grinding his teeth as he felt it burning him. His life points sunk to 2500, and now he and Demak were even. He screamed from the intensity of the pain, but took a deep breath as it subsided after a minute or two.

Midori wanted to rush in and help, but she knew the others would hold her back. But, it would not have mattered. She was not a Signer, so as soon as she touched the barrier, he soul would be absorbed by the Earthbound Immortal.

Yusei could see her tensing up and glanced over at her.

"It's just... it was bad enough seeing you and Sidney getting hurt in your duel with Rudger, but this is...it makes my stomach sick."

"I don't blame you. I hope this duel ends soon." Yusei replied.

"It's just so... merciless." She muttered.

"Where on earth could Luna be? Doesn't she have any sense of what's going on?" Trudge clenched his fists. But Midori and Yusei knew better than to correct him. He would probably still be resistant to the idea that Luna wasn't on this earth at all.

…

Regulus had allowed Luna and Torunka to ride on his back. They had come to a river that stood between them and Zeman's castle. It burbled and ran, like everything else, in the opposite direction of its natural course. Dark clouds swirled around the ominous castle not to far beyond, which loomed over the land like a malicious sentry.

"This is probably where they took Kuribon and your Sunlight Unicorn, Luna..." Torunka mumbled with hardly any breath. Luna noticed at familiar rock silently sitting beneath. It was the stone in which Ancient Fairy Dragon was sealed, and her figure still graced its surface.

"So I was here before...but I never saw the castle before. But then again, Ancient Fairy Dragon wanted me to find you first, Regulus. Besides, I guess I was so concerned about figuring out what to do that I didn't pay attention..." She trailed off as Regulus shook his head.

"I understand, but none of this matters now, Luna. We mustn't was our time with regrets or idle conversation. Now, I believe you had a plan to infiltrate Zeman's fortress?"

Luna saw a nearby guard circling towards them, with a staff in hand. She noticed he carried a sack with him in his other hand. After thinking over what had happened so far, she knew what needed to be done.

"We need to knock out that sentry. We'll need the Minus Staff he carries. After that, we need to gather disguises." Luna explained.

Torunka managed a smile.

"I can see where this is going…We're pretending to bring in Regulus as our prisoner, if I remember correctly."

"That's right." The guard drew into the line of sight, yelping when setting his eyes upon the group. Regulus swiftly batted him with his massive paws and leapt upon him in what seemed to be an instant. Luna looked over to see that simple maneuver had done the job. She gulped.

He grinned, bearing his fangs for a second or two. He glanced back at Luna.

"What? One guard by himself is no match for my prowess. None of those whelps have been around as long as I have." He sneered at the comatose monkey.

"Ok." Luna carefully pulled the staff out of his grasp. Regulus laughed.

"You have nothing to fear from me now, Signer. We're on the same side."

"I know." She replied. Torunka pulled the sack away and peeked inside.

"Looks like this guy had looted somewhere…it looks like…cloth?" Torunka shook the bag and a pile of clothes fell out. Among the garments was a tan tunic and head-wrap about Luna's size. There was also a velvet turban and long shirt. She handed them to Torunka. He looked around to make sure none came before he pulled the shirt over himself and wrapped the large turban over his hat.

"It could be his laundry…"

"Either way, we have our disguises now." Luna dressed into her disguise, wearing it over her clothes. She adjusted the wrap so it would cover her face, save for her eyes. Regulus noticed large cuffs dangling from the sentry's belt.

"If I am to be capture, they need to be convinced I am actually…"

"Captured?" Luna finished his sentence, understanding his point. Before Luna went to fascine them on the great lion, she looked at him with uncertainty. He nodded to her. She turned her gaze down to her feet. How was her brother doing at this point? Would she be able to return in time to help him?

"Fear not, Luna. We must believe we shall claim victory over this darkness."

The dark clouds above them seemed to be swirling faster. Torunka suddenly felt a tingling sensation as he shrunk a couple of inches in size. Luna also felt her clothes become a little looser and realized that she was getting smaller as well. She briskly wrapped some cloth over the Minus Staff to disguise the familiar U-shape.

"It's the power of Minus!" Torunka exclaimed, "If we don't hurry, it will revert us into infants and we'll eventually shrink out of existence! We need to move!"

…

Leo called for his turn and drew. He knew Demak's Ape King needed to be destroyed, but the possibility of his Earthbound Immortal was also looming. He turned to his Power Tool Dragon, and prayed his new strategy would work.

"I'm activating my dragon's special ability, which allows me to pick a random equip spell card from my deck and add it to my hand."

Demak snickered. Leo closed his eyes, and nonchalantly chose his card. He flipped it over, and a look of ecstasy appeared on his face.

"Now you're in trouble, Demak! I just got Megamorph! And I'm equipping it to my Power Tool Dragon. It gets double its attack power and…"

He played the card, but was shocked when nothing seemed to be happening. His monster's attack points remained unchanged. Demak burst out with a loud guffaw, dumbstruck by what he saw to be the apparent stupidity of his opponent.

"Such a fool! Our life points are even, you stupid boy! Megamorph doesn't work in your favor unless your life points are less than mine!"

Leo tried to keep himself cool despite the fact he had no other options in his hand. Demak was pleased to see him squirm, feeling it was right that he should be crushed for daring to challenge the Dark Signers, especially since he was just an ordinary human. It was true Signers were even more detestable to him, but his doom would be just the same.

He decided to take his turn, he drew his card. He confidently moved into the Battle Phase, assuming he had nothing to fear from Leo. Leo felt that because Power Tool Dragon was in defense mode and had an equip card, he was well guarded against Zeman. But, Demak soon revealed a facedown trap card.

"I activate Uproarious Earth! It allows Beast Type monsters to deal damage to my opponent even of the defending monster is in defense mode. In addition, if I attack your monster, its attack and defense are decreased by 300 points during the damage step!"

"What!?" Leo cried in shock. A cursed flare fumed from Zeman's wand, striking his dragon. It struck Leo's dragon with a mighty blow, dropping Leo life points to 2000. Leo discarded Megamorph to save his dragon. He looked up and saw his monster scarred and beaten from the attack and gasped.

"Power Tool Dragon, your hurt!" His dragon's stats dropped by 300 points each. The dragon turned to him, as edged closer to Leo. It almost seemed as if it was concerned for him. Leo couldn't help but smile.

"You were protecting me…that's why I didn't get hurt, and you're all beaten up…" Leo sighed. Demak smirked.

"You and your dragon are pathetic, the lot of you." Demak mocked him. Yusei gritted his teeth as he watched. Leo pointed an accusing finger at Demak.

"I don't care how bad we look. We're not here to impress anyone. Me and my dragon and here to help and protect Luna, and that all that matters now. As long as I'm still here and my friends and my sister and rooting for me, I'll never give up. Now, finish you're turn, 'cause I've got something in store for you!"

"You're going to eat those words." Demak set a card down on his field in facedown position to end his turn. Leo only hoped he could live up to what he said.

…

Within the throne room of Zeman, the ape king sat upon his throne, which was surrouded by hanging curtains of red velvet. The room was dimly lit and enclosed, with a familiar red carpet running through the middle. Stone tablets lined the walls with Duel Spirits sealed inside, their energy slowly being converted to Minus, as shown by star symbols shifting from the right side of the tablet to the left. Many of them would be used to fuel the Earthbound Immortal owned by Demak upon its summoning, Zeman thought. Surely his master would be pleased by this.

A monkey soldier came bursting into the room, catching his attention. He panted as he bowed weakly before his overlord.

"Why have you disturbed me? State your business, soldier!"

The soldier saluted and held his spear erect, trying to keep his feet from shaking.

"My lord, the white lion…Regulus has been captured sir!"

The demonic ape smiled devilishly.

"Is that so? Good work. Have him brought in. We shall make preparations so we can finally complete the consumption of the Spirit World. After so many failed attempts, I recently discovered Regulus was needed to turn the all powerful Anicent Fairy Dragon into Minus! So long, even sealed into the stone, she has resisted me. But no more…"

"Sire…" The soldier mumbled, "We weren't the ones who captured Regulus. He was brought to us by a pair of traveling magicians. We are currently escorting them here. What should be done, sir?"

The king stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"I was hoping that this news would mean the lot of you was more capable that I had thought. No matter, bring them in, they shall be responded to according to my wishes." He instructed.

The soldier departed behind the large iron doors. Luna and Torunka waited in their disguises. Regulus' feet were bound with loose chain, but they had sealed him in a fairly sturdy cage. Luna wondered if he would be able to escape in time.

"King Zeman shall see you now, please follow me." The soldier instructed. They were lead into the throne room. Torunka and Luna took opposite sides of the cage as they as traveled to look in disgust upon Zeman, the Ape King. The soldier bowed and left them. Four guards were stationed around them, which made Torunka nervous.

"I'm impressed that two magicians so young could have ensnared Regulus." He spoke. Torunka's face turned red from his anxiety, which Zeman took to be a sign of modesty.

"Please, your lordship, we could not have done it alone. Separate we are your run of the mill spellbinders, but together we are a prodigy pair!" Torunka laughed nervously. Luna noticed a glass panel in the floor in front of them showing the ground below.

There was Ancient Fairy Dragon, sealed in the rock. Would this plan work? Luna could only hope she would fare well, and that he brother was doing the same. Both worlds depended upon the power of the Crimson Dragon to prevail.

Monkey's Paw is to be concluded in the next episode! Don't worry, for those of you who miss Sidney, I promise she'll be back! Don't forget to R&R, and stay tuned!