Chapter 14: Can't Return To The Past! Closed Door Of The Heart!

A bleak landscape of demolished buildings, leveled by the presence of dark signs the previous night, with the Arcadia Building a lone tower in the distance. A few small planes drift by in the air overhead.

Static, then a news report begins, Angela is standing in front of a construction crew beginning to work on the ruined area. "There was a mysterious fire in the West Fifth District of Neo Domino City yesterday." Angela says.

Static and then a closer shot of the construction crew. One has a pole of some kind, another is holding what looks like a geiger counter. "The Public Maintenance Department is investigating the situation." Says Angela.

An aerial view, where the lizard and hummingbird signs around the Arcadia building are still burned into the earth, cutting a huge swath of damage around the Arcadia building, which still stands at the epicenter of the destruction. "We received unconfirmed information that about one hundred twenty people who lived in the area are missing." Angela says.

Back to Angela herself. "The young woman rescued from the building fire and taken to Domino Hospital is still unconscious." Says Angela.

The hospital, as a lone car arrives there.

Reporters are waiting, as the car's occupants disembark. "Congressman, why are you here? Are you here to visit the young woman?" Congressman Hideo Izayoi exits the car in a tense rush and a redheaded woman hurries out behind him. "How does Congress feel about this accident? Please, give us your opinion!" "Congressman!"

Hideo and his wife, Setsuko Izayoi, leave the reporters behind and walk into the hospital.

He has an angular face that is lined and worn, his expression grave and serious.

A heart rate monitor is registering 79 above a line that blips with Aki's heartbeat, occasionally, and 125 above 78 under the line. She is lying motionless in a hospital bed, with electrodes attached to her temples.

Outside the room in the hallway. Jack, Sakura, with Grim seated between the two, Lua, Luca, Velvet, Subaru and Jace are watching through the large glass windows. Jack, Lua, Luca, Velvet and Subaru are back to wearing their normal clothes. "Aki…" Luca says. "Ohh, isn't it incredible that four Signers are in the same place?" Asks Lua. "You're right." Luca says. Jack frowns. "Hmmm." Says Jack.

Flashback. During Aki's duel with 'Sakiko' in the Fortune Cup. Aki's, 'Sakiko's', Jack's, Luca's and Yusei's arms were all glowing bright enough to hurt. The flashback ends.

Back to the present. "All that's left is…" Jack says.

Just then, Hideo and Setsuko hurry up to the glass and peer through at Aki, anxiously. "Aki!" Says Setsuko.

The doctor and nurse join them outside the room.

"Doctor!" Hideo says. They rush over to the doctor. "We're her parents." Says Hideo. "How is she?" Setsuko asks. "We've given her medical treatment, but… This way."

They follow him to Aki's bedside. Her mom is about as tall as her and she gets her dark-burgundy hair from her. Aki gets her rounded eyes from her mom and her angular looks from her dad. "We still haven't seen any response. To be honest, she may never regain consciousness." "Doctor!" Says Hideo. "It's all our fault! We pushed Aki to this!" Setsuko says. She falls to her knees, weeping into the sheets beside Aki's pillow. "Aki, please wake up! Please forgive papa and mama!" Says Setsuko.

Outside. Jack, Sakura and the kids are still watching. "Since we're also Signers, isn't there anything we can do? Can't we reach Aki's heart?" Luca asks. "Wait, Sakura's the Crimson Dragon's Host. She's basically connected to all the Signers due to being the Host. So, can't you reach Aki's heart, Sakura?" Asks Lua. "Aki and I may be connected due to our marks, however, she hasn't accepted her mark or her role as a Signer. Besides, I'm still not fully recovered myself. So, I'm afraid this is out of my hands." Sakura says. "And the only thing we have in common is the mark. We know nothing about each other, and I don't want to get to know her." Says Jack. Both sets of twins look at each other, worriedly. "But he might…" Jack says. He leans in closer to Sakura and whispers something to her, so the kids can't hear his plans. Jack then steps back a little bit, so she can think about. Sakura whispers something back to him. They then come up with an agreement and nod, in unison. "You all stay here. Grim, you as well." Says Sakura. Jack offers her an arm to hold onto, she accepts his offer and places her arm around his. With that cryptic agreement, he and Sakura walk into the room, arm-in-arm with each other, joining the doctor, nurse and parents.

Grim gets up, moves over to the kids, and sits down. Both sets of twins look at each other, mystified. "Huh?" Both Luca and Lua asks. "Hm?" Asks both Subaru and Velvet.

"There was one person who was able to open her heart." Jack says. "Who… was it?" Asks Setsuko. "Who?" Hideo asks.

Flashback. Cynder the Black Dragon body-slammed Black Rose Dragon, as unafraid of being hurt by the Black Rose as its mistress, 'Sakiko'. The flashback ends.

Back to the present. "It was her." Says Jack. His gaze is on Sakura. "I was able to do it once. I don't know if I will be able to do it a second time. I can't wake her, however, I think my brother can." Sakura says. "Your brother?" Asks Setsuko. "Who is he?" Hideo asks. "Yusei Fudo." Says Jack. Sakura nods, subtly.

At Martha's house, on another gray day in the Satellite. Yusei's working on his D-Wheel, while nearby Saiga has some cables run across the grass, attempting to bring up an image of the damage in Neo Domino City on his laptop.

With the wheels elevated above the ground, he tests the engine and they spin just as well as before. Yusei keeps working.

Saiga joins him, cradling his laptop with the screen open. "It's back to normal." Saiga says. "Yeah, the D-Wheel." Says Yusei. "But, you're not." Saiga thinks to himself. "How did it go?" Yusei asks. Saiga shows him the screen. "Hm. Your instincts were correct. The Dark Signers were in Neo Domino City. This building is the headquarters of Arcadia Movement." Says Saiga. "Did they attack Aki?" Yusei asks. "It appears so. She was taken to the hospital. Are you worried about her as a fellow Signer? Or as a friend?" Asks Saiga. "As a friend." Yusei says. He looks at his arm.

Flashback. Kiryu zoomed ahead, as the Giant's massive black hand descended.

Yusei flinched at the last moment, then his engine exploded and he fell behind the path of the crushing blow. He and his D-Wheel go flying, bouncing across the ground over and over.

Kiryu rides away, leaving Yusei lying on the cold ground, wincing in pain. The flashback ends.

Back to the present. "But in my current state, I'm no help to Aki. Huh?" Asks Yusei.

They hear a helicopter overhead and the wind starts blowing to match. Above, Hideo can be seen in the helicopter window.

Later. Yusei and Hideo sit across Martha's dining-room table from each other. Sakura's standing at Hideo's shoulder, arms folded across her chest, with Grim sitting down beside her.

Saiga leans against the wall and Martha serves tea from the side that Hideo, Sakura and Grim are on.

"I'm a Neo Domino City Congressman. Actually… I'm Hideo Izayoi, Aki's father." "Aki's dad? What do you want with me?" Yusei asks, harshly. "I want you to save my daughter, Aki!" Says Hideo, ashamed and angrily. "Huh?" Both Sakura and Yusei ask. "Aki's unconscious and in a coma." Says Hideo. He's almost crying. "She must have battled against a Dark Signer." Yusei thinks to himself. "We're her parents, but… we're not good enough! We can't save her!" Hideo says. Yusei turns his attention to Sakura. "Sakura, she's not responding to you either?" Asks Yusei. "No. Unfortunately, she hasn't accepted her mark. Which also means, she hasn't accepted herself as a Signer or me as the Host. So, our connection is void." Sakura says. She moves aside to let Martha pass, as she puts a cup of tea on the table in front of Hideo. "Calm down. If you don't properly explain the situation, we can't understand anything!" Says Martha, sternly. Hideo's a bit hurt at her sternness, but decides she's right. "My wife believes our daughter turned out this way because we… Not we. She says it's my fault. But, I did everything I could! However…" Hideo says, defensively.

Flashback. Hideo's sitting in the backseat of a car, his assistant in the passenger seat. "Hey. Do I really have to go to that party?" Asks Hideo. "Yes. It's sponsored by the Public Maintenance Department, so you must attend to further your career." A cell phone rings. "Excuse me." Hideo says. He answers it and a hologram of Aki, at six-years-old, springs from it. "Papa! Today is my birthday, so hurry home." Says Young Aki, via-hologram. Hideo laughs, nervously. "I know, Aki." Hideo says. He hangs up. "Rrrgh!" Hideo growls under his breath.

Late at night, he finally gets home.

Setsuko opens the door, eyes sad. "Welcome home." Says Setsuko. "Where's Aki?" Hideo asks, grouchy. They walk into the house, to the room in which young Aki has fallen asleep leaning over the coffee table, her cake untouched and the candles burned down to stubs of wax. "Waiting made her tired." Says Setsuko.

Hideo runs over to young Aki, knowing already he can't make up for it. "I'm sorry." Hideo says. He picks young Aki up in his arms and carries her to bed.

As she lies there, still asleep, dried tear trails can be seen on her cheeks. "I'm sorry. Today was your important day." Says Hideo. He sobs a bit, then takes a small rectangular birthday present out of his pocket and sets it on the bedside table.

The next morning, dawns warm and bright. Seeing just the exterior of the yellow two-story house with big, beautiful paned windows and a red roof, hearing a squeal... "Yay!" Young Aki says, cheering.

She runs down the stairs, giggling, as her dad's about to leave with his assistant from before, her parents turn around. "Papa, thank you! I wanted this deck!" Says young Aki. "Isn't that great?" Hideo asks. "Papa, I love you!" Says young Aki. She hugs Hideo and looks up. "Let's duel together today!" Young Aki says. "Sorry, but I have to leave for an important job. I won't return for a month." Says Hideo. "Congressman, we must hurry." "I know." Hideo says. He then turns to young Aki. "So listen to your mother." Says Hideo. "No." Young Aki says, angrily. As the angry little girl looks at the floor and her bangs hide her face from view, catching a glimpse of the Black Rose Witch when her hair comes down. "No! No, Papa! You said that we would celebrate my birthday together! You said you'll duel with me!" Says young Aki. She's now crying. "I hate you, Papa!" Young Aki says. She runs away up the stairs, holding her deck close.

"Aki!" Says Hideo. He stares after young Aki a moment more, then sighs and turns to leave. "A congressman has a busy life, so I didn't have much time to spend with Aki." Hideo says, in voice-over. Interrupt the flashback.

Return to the present. "But, I tried my best to spend time with Aki as much as possible! Even back then…" Says Hideo.

Return to flashback. A slightly older Aki and her dad stand at opposite ends of the living room, in front of a big window. She has a face down and her dad has Samsara Lotus on the field. "I managed to make time to duel against Aki, just as she wished." Hideo says, in voice-over.

"I activate my trap. Due to 'Rose Flame's' effect, Papa is… uh..." Says little Aki.

Hideo's cell phone is ringing and he answers it. "Hello? Yes, I see. I'm coming right away." Hideo says.

At those words, little Aki's eyes go wide, he's going to leave her, again, in the middle of a duel?!

"I'm sorry, Aki. I have to leave immediately." Says Hideo.

"I… I…" Little Aki says.

"Aki, be a good girl and wait here. Aki?" Asks Hideo.

"'Rose Flame's's effect activates!" Little Aki says. She launches her attack and it lands as though real, the room is in flames and her dad is slammed against the wall hard enough to crack it. This flashback is familiar now. Little Aki puts a hand to her chin, awed and frightened. She isn't screaming or afraid, just nonplussed as she holds Hideo against the wall with her mind.

A moment later, the flames disappear and Hideo falls to the floor, with a moan.

Setsuko hurries over to him. "Dear!" Says Setsuko. "Aki, what are you?" Hideo asks.

Little Aki's arm is glowing brightly, her sign is appearing for the first time. "Ah! What is this?" Asks little Aki.

"Agh." Hideo says.

Little Aki walks toward her parents. "Papa, I'm scared!" Says little Aki.

"Don't come near me, Aki! What's that power? You're a monster!" Hideo says. He gasps as soon as he says it, appalled. "Dear!" Says Setsuko.

It's too late, little Aki is starting to cry. "Monster…" Little Aki says, crying.

"I'm sorry, Aki! That's not what I meant…" Says Hideo.

Little Aki only cries harder. The flashback ends.

Back to the present. Yusei has been listening, silently, gazing down at the table. Sakura has been listening, as well, her eyes closed. Hideo's trying not to cry again. "I can never take back what I said. I didn't know how to relate to Aki anymore." Hideo says.

Flashback. Little Aki seemed as though in a miserable spotlight, as other children kept their distance. "How could I when she had that terrifying power?" Asks Hideo, in voice-over. Little Aki, defying their condemnation, turns on them with her duel disk and sends them all running by summoning a gigantic and ferocious Gigaplant.

Change flashback. Hideo slaps her in the face, hard enough to send her falling to the floor. Setsuko holds at his shoulders, as if to try and restrain him, hiding halfway behind him. "Dear!" Setsuko says. Hideo's looking down at his own hand, shocked at his own actions. Little Aki props herself up on her elbow, while holding at her cheek with her other hand. "Papa, why do you hit me? Is it because I'm not normal? Because I'm a monster?" Asks little Aki. The flashback ends.

Back to the present. "I had no choice. Instead of staying with parents who couldn't understand her, it would be better for Aki if… No, I'm lying. I forced Aki into Duel Academy!" Hideo says.

Flashback. Duel Academy's architecture has changed, or this is a different Duel Academy. Four pillars shaped like duel disk leaves stick up from the ground around a central structure that actually isn't unlike a double-sided central piece to a duel disk.

Aki, thirteen at this time, in a red school blazer, walks away from her parents, visible through the window behind her, resentful and a bit nervous leaving home. "However, Aki was still all alone because of her power." Says Hideo, in voice-over.

The flashback mentioned before with Aki's duel with the dark-haired girl at Duel Academy. Interrupt flashback.

Back to the present. Aki's heartbeat is holding steady at 79, 125/78. She moans a little in her sleep, as though dreaming the same flashback. "Mm... Mm…"

Continue flashback. Aki, in a school blazer and duel disk, runs along a street in Domino at night. She stops outside her house, one window is lit. Aki looks through it and sees her parents sitting down at the coffee table.

"Cheers." Both Hideo and Setsuko say. They both laugh. Interrupt flashback.

Back to the present, as Aki remembers in her dream, her heart readout starts spiking.

Continue flashback, as Aki watches her parents through the window, her eyes painful, with longing and loneliness. "They're laughing. Papa and mama are enjoying themselves. Is it because I'm not around?" Aki thinks to herself.

Hideo stands up, noticing her. "Aki…" Says Hideo. "I can't forget the look on Aki's face." Hideo says, in voice-over. Interrupt flashback.

Back to the present. Hideo clenches his fists on the table. "Aki came back because she wanted to see us. However…" Says Hideo.

Continue flashback. Aki draws a card, slams it into a spell/trap zone on her duel disk and shatters every one of those big, beautiful windows, the light fixtures inside, everything made of glass. Setsuko cowers on the floor in the dark.

Hideo runs toward Aki and the window. "Aki!" Hideo says.

Aki doesn't stop running, out into the night. "Papa was laughing, so I'll laugh, too. I'll release this power and laugh! I'll laugh at papa for fearing my power!" Aki thinks to herself. She cried as she ran, but was almost smiling. The flashback ends.

Back to the present. Aki's hospital bed.

Flashback. In an alleyway hidden from a bright light, the cloaked Black Rose Witch looks up with surprise when a gloved hand removes her mask. Divine smiles, holding the mask in his hand. They look at each other for a long moment.

Change flashback, to Aki's test duel to enter the Arcadia Movement. She's fourteen at this point and has Violet Witch on the field. "I attack directly with Violet Witch!" Says Aki.

Divine himself is her opponent and takes the hit. As Violet Witch continues to zap him. "Aki! It's natural for people without power, including your parents, to think that your power is horrific. But since the members of Arcadia Movement were also ostracized as monsters, we can see that you're just a weak and lonely girl." Divine says.

"Divine…" Says Aki.

Still in Violet Witch's beam, Divine walks toward her across the field, through the pain. "Stay here. You'll no longer have to think about painful topics. I'll think of them for you, Aki. Just be who you are!" Divine says. Violet Witch stops blasting him. "Just stay here." Says Divine.

"Divine…" Aki says.

Divine walks the final steps to her and hugs her. "I should've let Divine continue to guide me. I didn't have to think about anything. However…" Aki thinks to herself, in voice-over. Aki closes her eyes, nearly crying again, accepting what he's telling her would be such a wonderful relief.

Change flashback. Sakura, disguised as Sakiko, faces her across the stage arena at the Fortune Cup.

Aki's Black Rose Witch mask is halfway cracked off of her face.

As they speak, the steady beep of her heart rate monitor in the present can be heard.

"Don't let others think for you. You have to think for yourself." Says 'Sakiko'.

"What will a witch like me think about? As long as Divine guides and loves me, that's enough!" Aki says.

"You're wrong! You have to love yourself!" Says 'Sakiko'.

"If I could do that… If I could…" Aki says, her voice wavering. The roller in her hair starts glowing. "I'm in pain because I can't!" Says Aki. The roller goes flying, her hair comes loose in several long bangs, wildly.

Change flashback. Later, when Aki's mask came off, it revealed eyes filled with tears. "Help me…" Aki says. The flashback ends.

Back to the present. Tear trails run down Aki's cheeks even as she stays unconscious.

Hideo clenches his fists on the table. Across from him, Yusei's doing the same. "My daughter's soul is tightly shut. My voice can't reach her." Says Hideo. "But in my current state, I can't save her either." Yusei says. Hideo places his hands on top of his fists, anxiously. "Please! Jack Atlas and your sister told me that she tried to save her during the Fortune Cup. They said you and her would be able to save Aki!" Says Hideo. Both him and Yusei look over at Sakura. "Even if I return, what can I do?" Sakura asks. Hideo takes a hold of one of her hands. "Please, Sakura!" Says Hideo, begging in desperation. "Congressman, listen to me. I'm willing to help your daughter. However, in my current state, I won't be able to go up against her full force. However, even though I'm not in the best condition to be dueling her, I'm willing to give it all the strength I have left." Sakura says. "Thank you, Sakura." Says Hideo. Sakura then turns her attention towards Yusei. "However, I can't do this without you, Yusei." Sakura says. Yusei's silent. Martha puts her hands on her hips. "Yusei, an important man is begging for your help. Save her. I know that you're afraid of Kiryu." Says Martha. "Uh…" Yusei says.

Flashback. The Earthbound Immortal's massive hand reaches for Yusei, he braces himself, then falls behind it as he hits the ground, rolling end over end. The flashback ends.

Back to the present. Yusei's silent. "You're afraid to battle against your old friend Kiryu. How can you consider him a friend if you can't face him?" Asks Martha. "Kiryu hates me. There's nothing I can do about that." Yusei says. Martha pinches his ear. "You're clueless! The door to your heart is currently shut. But your sisters and your friends will be the ones who will open that door!" Says Martha. "Huh?" Yusei asks.

As Martha speaks, the other Signers, Lua, Velvet, Subaru and Jace are standing in the hospital ward.

Aki's lying motionless in her hospital bed, with tears flowing down her cheeks. "Your sisters and friends will knock on that door." Says Martha, in voice-over.

Back to Martha's dining room. "And if you hear it, the door may open. But first, you have to face your sisters and your friends." Martha says. She smiles, taking the sting out of her words. "Right, Yusei?" Asks Martha. Yusei nods, smiling. Hideo stands up. "Thank you, Yusei! Let's go." Hideo says. Yusei stands up, too. Martha chuckles. "Yusei, you like Aki, don't you?" Asks Martha. The look on Yusei's face is nothing short of priceless. "No, you're wrong!" Yusei says. Sakura seems amused. "You don't have to blush. Go rescue your future wife!" Says Martha. Yusei looks down at the table, thoroughly stunned at the idea. "Wait a sec, Martha!" Yusei says.

Saiga bursts out laughing. "Even Yusei can't stand up to her." Says Saiga.

Yusei glares at him and Martha as they laugh. She then turns her attention to Sakura. "And you." Martha says. Sakura looks over at her. "Hm?" Asks Sakura. Martha walks over to her. Grim gets up and moves to get out of her way, standing at Sakura's other side. "You said that you sustained some injuries and that it might effect your dueling. I want to see to your injuries before you leave." Martha says. Sakura sighs, slightly. "Of course, Martha." Says Sakura. Martha leads the way. "Come with me." Martha says. Sakura follows after her.

Martha soon leads her to the room that Dr. Schmidt treated Yusei before and closes the door behind them.

Grim stays just outside the room and sits down in front of the door, as if guarding it.

"Now, take off your clothes and show me your injuries." Says Martha.

A little bit later, she leaves the room. Grim, who's been sitting there the whole time, looks up at Martha with his unnatural red eyes. She steps aside. "Go ahead, Grim. You can go in and be with her." Martha says. Grim gets up and heads inside the room. Martha then closes the door, as soon as he's inside.

She walks up to Yusei, Hideo and Saiga. "Well, how bad is it?" Asks Saiga. Martha seems quite upset. "You need to come see this, all three of you." Martha says. She leads them to the door to the room and knocks on it before entering.

Martha then walks into the room, followed by Yusei, Saiga and Hideo.

Sakura is lying on the bed on her stomach, naked, aside from her black panties. Grim's sitting at the head of the bed, with his front paws and head lying on the bed.

Yusei, Saiga and Hideo are agape.

Sakura's back is full of deep lacerations from the whip and her body is covered in bruises. At this point, all of her symbolic designs, additional markings and her sign are visible, except for the Seal of the Crimson Dragon that's on her abdomen, considering she's lying on her front, and so are every scar that marks up her body, with the exception of the crescent moon-shaped scar above her left breast, the one on the lower-right side of her torso, a few inches below her right breast, the X-shaped one, just above her left hip, the shallow, dot-shaped one, just above and a few inches to the side of her right hip, and the long, jagged one that encircles diagonally across her abdomen, just below her navel. Sakura's eyes are closed at the moment and her hair's been moved off to the side so it doesn't irritate the wounds to her back.

Martha seems saddened at the state that her body is in. "Will she be okay?" Asks Saiga. "It's pretty serious, but she'll be fine. Dr. Schmidt will be by in a little bit to examine the damage that's been done to her. She's simply resting right now." Martha says.

Yusei walks over to the bed and leans in close to Sakura. "Sis." Says Yusei. Sakura glances up at him. "Who did this to you?" Yusei asks. He offers Sakura his hand to hold and she takes his offer, holding at his gloved hand. "Divine." Says Sakura.

"He did this to you, I'm so sorry." Hideo says.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Congressman. This man had such a hold on Aki, he wanted her powers for himself. If he saw any threat to his plans, he took action. That's how he saw me, a threat to whatever he wanted her for. However, he's gone now. So, there's no need to worry about him anymore." Says Sakura.

There's then a knock at the door and Dr. Schmidt enters. "Martha, you sent for me?" Dr. Schmidt asks. "Yes. Sakura needs help." Says Martha.

Dr. Schmidt walks in further and approaches the bed on the opposite side from where Yusei's standing.

Martha looks over at Saiga and Hideo. "You two can go and wait out in the dining room." Martha says. The two leave the room as she requested.

Dr. Schmidt's looking over the deep lacerations in Sakura's back. "You'll be okay, but it's going to take some time for these to properly heal. I'm going to clean them out as much as I can to help avoid infection." Says Dr. Schmidt. He moves over to the cabinets, takes out what he needs and walks back over to the bed. "Dear girl, I'm not going to lie. This is going to hurt." Dr. Schmidt says. He dabs a cloth with peroxide and starts moving it against the torn flesh of Sakura's back. She closes her eyes and reacts to the peroxide going into her open wounds. "Sakura, I'm here." Says Yusei. Sakura squeezes his hand a bit, assuring him that she is aware of his presence. Grim nuzzles his face close to hers, who uses her free arm to hug him close to herself, burying her face into his long, dark fur. Sakura winces, in pain, as Dr. Schmidt proceeds to tend to the damaged skin of her back.

Sometime later, a white helicopter flies off into the distance, toward Neo Domino City.

In the hospital ward, Luca and Velvet are the first ones to look away from Aki and down the hallway. Lua, Subaru, Jace and Jack follow suit just as Yusei, Sakura, with Grim walking between the two half-twins, and Hideo walk down the hallway toward them. "Yusei!" Lua says. "This way." Says Hideo, opening the door for Yusei.

Sakura stops near Jack, with Grim coming to a halt beside her, before she follows after Yusei. She glances over at him, as he walks over to her. "So, you were able to convince him after all?" Jack asks. "It took a lot more than just convincing him, Jack." Says Sakura.

Without breaking his stride, Yusei walks into Aki's room and stops at her bedside.

Sakura, with Grim following alongside her, Jack, Jace, Hideo and both sets of twins follow him into the room, quietly.

"Aki…" Yusei says. He takes off his right glove and reaches out to brush a tear from Aki's cheek. Yusei's arm starts glowing instead and hers lights up to match.

Aki opens her eyes.

"Aki." Says Sakura, walking up next to Yusei. Aki sits up on the bed, everyone else gasps, in awe and relief. "Yusei? Sakura? You both came to save me?" Aki asks, weakly.

"Aki!" Says Hideo.

Aki turns, shocked and angry to see her parents there. "Huh?" Aki asks. Sakura leans in closer to Yusei. "Get over to the others, quickly." Says Sakura, whispering to Yusei. He nods and walks over to stand with Jack and the kids.

Hideo looks straight into Aki's eyes, silently begging her to see that his intentions are good.

She is surprised for a moment, then angry. "Why are you here? I don't need you anymore! I have Divine!" Aki says. She gasps as it hits her.

Flashback. Divine plummets from the top floor of the Arcadia Movement Headquarters among debris, groaning with pain.

Aki can only watch, as he falls into the dark abyss below. The flashback ends.

Back to the present. Aki puts her hands to her head. "Agh! Divine is… Gone!" Says Aki, sobbing.

Flashback, to Aki's duel against Misty. "You're a fool. You're a foolish girl that only uses her powers for herself. If you never existed, he would still be… I don't forgive you! I came back in order to get my revenge!" Misty says. The flashback ends.

Back to the present. "Divine told me. He said that I no longer needed to think! That he would think for me!" Says Aki, sobbing. She then turns to Sakura. "Aki, calm down!" Sakura says. "Divine was… He gave me what papa took away from me!" Says Aki.

Hideo listens, deeply hurt and worried.

Aki walks up closer to Sakura, coming almost chest-to-chest with her. "He gave me a home! You came to laugh at me because I lost my home!" Aki says. She shoves Sakura away, causing some pain to effect her and she reaches for the left side of her ribs. "In that case…" Says Aki. She leaps across the room to a dueling distance, aided by her powers, and activates her duel disk. "I'll once again show you the power of a monster!" Aki says.

"Aki…" Says Hideo.

Grim walks up to stand at Sakura's side. "Stop it, Aki! Your father is hurting, as well!" Sakura says.

"You said that the Signers… that my friends would guide me! You're also my enemy!" Says Aki.

Sakura gasps, she blames her? Grim growls at Aki, deeply.

"You're an enemy who took away my home!" Aki says. She plays a card.

All of the furniture in the room is blown away by the frighteningly powerful wind she has called up, smashing against the walls.

The kids are slammed backward into Jack and Yusei, who keep them from being blown away.

Across the room. Aki's parents also withstand the wind, Setsuko might've just fainted. "Aki!" Says Hideo.

"I can only reach Aki's heart by dueling!" Sakura says. She removes her hand from her ribs and activates her duel disk. Grim steps back a bit and moves to stand behind Sakura, staying out of the attack range.

"That's right. We aren't friends! It's our destiny to battle!" Says Aki. She slots her deck.

"You're wrong! This is a duel to show that we are friends! Bring it!" Sakura says.

"Duel!" Says both Aki and Sakura.

"My turn." Aki says. She draws. "I summon Evil Thorn!" Says Aki.

Evil Thorn has 100 attack points and is a Level 1 monster. "Its monster effect activates! By releasing this monster on my field, you take three hundred points of damage. Evil Burst!" Aki says.

It explodes, shooting several sharp black thorns at Sakura. They knock her over, with Aki's psychic power behind them, and brings her life points down to 3700. Due to inertia, Sakura's hair has become free of her signature hairpieces, setting it completely loose. The thorn withers instantly, as she struggles to get up.

"Wow!" Says Luca, worriedly. "Since she's not allowed to attack on the first turn, she used her monster's effect to take away her life points." Lua says. "That's not all." Says Jack. "It doesn't really help with the state Sakura's in right now, either." Yusei says.

"By releasing Evil Thorn, I can Special Summon two more Evil Thorns from my deck." Says Aki.

The Evil Thorns have 100 attack points and are Level 1 monsters.

"However, they don't have their monster effect." Yusei says. "Thank goodness." Says Luca. "Yeah. Sakura won't take any more damage for now." Lua says.

Grim then snarls and bares his teeth at Aki, he's not at all afraid of her.

She steps back a bit, in fear of him.

Grim changes his stance and runs straight for Aki.

She's cowering back, in fear. "Stay away from me!" Says Aki.

Grim then lunges at her, teeth bared. Aki moves to shield her face with her arms and in a split second, her powers activate and an object goes slamming into him, sending him flying and down to the ground.

She looks up from shielding herself and over at Grim, who's down on the ground, breathing, but barely moving, he's hurt. Aki puts a hand over her mouth, in disbelief.

Sakura soon gets herself up and as she does, her eyes start flaring in bright red, the scleras of her eyes have gone completely black, with glowing red veins across her eyes, and the red gradation half of her hair is ignited in fiery red, as well. The Crimson Dragon is going to assist and protect her as much as it possibly can.

Aki shows a little bit of fear seeing Sakura like this, but soon regains her focus on this duel. "If this is about your dog, I warned him to stay away. But, he wouldn't listen." Aki says.

"Of course he wouldn't, Grim only listens to me and no one else. And don't get me wrong, I'm not entirely happy with you attacking something that means quite a deal to me. However, this isn't about Grim. This is about getting through to you and I shall use any means necessary to do so." Says Sakura, her voice menacing and echoic.

"I activate the spell card 'Closed Plant Gate' from my hand! I can activate it when there are two Plant-Type monsters on my field with the same name. You're not allowed to attack on your next turn. I end my turn." Aki says, sweetly.

"My turn!" Says Sakura. She draws. "I summon Golden Queen in defense position!" Sakura says.

Golden Queen has 1800 defense points and is Level 3 monster.

The twins groan. "Rrrgh! Her opponent's monsters only have one hundred attack points, but she can't attack." Says Lua.

"I set two cards and end my turn." Sakura says.

"My turn! I summon the Tuner Monster Twilight Rose Knight!" Says Aki.

Twilight Rose Knight has 1000 attack points and is a Level 3 monster.

"Is she going to do it?" Sakura thinks to herself.

"Due to Twilight Rose Knight's effect, I can Special Summon one Level Four-or-below Plant-Type monster from my hand! Come, Dark Verger!" Aki says.

Dark Verger has 0 attack points and is a Level 2 monster.

"Four monsters…" Says Sakura.

"Level Three Twilight Rose Knight tunes two Level One Evil Thorns and Level Two Dark Verger." Aki says.

Lua counts on his fingers. "What's one plus one plus two plus three?" Asks Lua. "It's seven." Luca says. "Ohh." Says Lua. "Black Rose Dragon." Jack says. "Oh!" Says both Subaru and Velvet.

"The cold flame envelops the entire world. Black flower, bloom! Synchro Summon! Appear, Black Rose Dragon!" Aki says.

Black Rose Dragon has 2400 attack points and is Level 7 monster. As she takes the field, another furious wind begins to blow.

Jack, Yusei and the kids shield their faces, fighting to stay on their feet. "She brought Black Rose Dragon out quickly! She's seriously trying to defeat Sakura!" Says Yusei.

"Then, I activate the Equip Spell 'Thorn of Malice'! The equipped monster gains six hundred attack points!" Aki says. Black Rose Dragon grows a few more, extra-sharp thorns, giving it 3000 attack points.

The spectators get an extra gust of power-laced wind.

"Aki…" Says Hideo.

"Papa, your eyes are the same as before. Those eyes look like they're staring at a monster!" Aki says.

"Aki!" Says Sakura.

"I'll make you feel the same pain I felt, Sakura. If I no longer have the home that Divine gave me, then I'll destroy all the homes in the world!" Aki says.

Hideo watches, grimly.

Sakura meets Aki's eyes across the field, fiercely, and the duel is ready to rage onward.