Chapter 33: Superior Light! Majestic Red Dragon!
A bright, sunny day in a park somewhere in Neo Domino. Little kids crowd around dueling courts painted on the ground.
One duelist has Flying Penguin on the field. "I attack you directly!" His Flying Penguin attacks his opponent, and takes out the rest of the other boy's one hundred life points.
On the sidelines, a little girl, with a pink and white camera, snaps pictures. She lowers the camera, and can now be recognized by her glasses, it's Carly as a kid. "Incredible! That's your third victory in a row!" Little Carly says.
The boy turns and grins, nervously, making a victory sign with two fingers. "Take a cool photo!"
"Leave it to me!" Says little Carly.
The boy's opponent calls across the field. "Hey, I challenge you again!"
They look at Carly's pictures on a little holographic screen. In the first one, the second little boy laughs at the first and his Flying Penguin. In the second picture, the penguin is chasing him. In the third one, the boys pose for the camera along with other friends jumping in on the picture and teasing them.
Sometime later. Little Carly is sitting on a blanket on the grass with another little girl, who's looking through the photo collection on her little screen. "Carly, are you planning to be a journalist in the future?" "Uh, I don't know." Little Carly says. She kicks her feet on the grass. "I just like watching people who try hard." Says little Carly. "You're weird. Even if someone tries hard, that can't make you happy." Little Carly stretches her arms over her head and lies back on the grass, looking up at the sky. "That's not true. When I root for someone who tries hard, I feel that I can try harder too. That makes me happy." Little Carly says.
Back to the present. At the control tower of the hummingbird, perfectly parallel lines of violet fire wind their way here and there.
Beyond the tower, down on the track, Jack and Carly face each other on their D-Wheels across a span of ground. He has just activated the trap 'Changing Destiny', with Sailor Galaxy, in spirit form, hovering at his shoulder, and she has Fortune Lady Earth on the field.
Jack holds up the cracked and battered glasses Carly once wore. "Look at this, Carly!" Says Jack.
Carly's life points stand at 3600. "Huh?!" Carly asks.
"Remember! The Carly that I know wouldn't want happiness by turning the world into hell!" Says Jack. His life points stand at 800.
"That's… That's not true!" Carly says. She then shifts her focus to Sailor Galaxy. "And you… Who are you… and why did you interfere?" Asks Carly.
Jack looks up and over at Sailor Galaxy. Her piercing gaze is on Carly. "I am the one who is protected by both the Galaxy and the Sun. The Guardian of Judgment, I am Sailor Galaxy." She sighs, slightly. "However, all this form of myself is… is a distant memory. Yet, also a continuous cycle that haunts me." Sailor Galaxy says. Her sailor fuku starts to dissipate into midnight blue ribbons, a current of wind and black feathers spiral around her and numerous glyphs obscure her from all angles, as she descends to the ground.
When the transformation breaks, she is revealed as who she really is.
Carly's in a state of shock and bewilderment, which is soon replaced with anger and hate.
Jack's eyes are wide, in realization. Sakura, back to her normal everyday appearance and clothed in her usual attire to her empowered Signer self, but still very much translucent, is standing before their eyes.
"You! Why do you have to ruin everything?! Why couldn't you just stay away?!" Asks Carly.
"As I said before, Carly. I heard him call to me and I came to help him. There's a bond between us that no one can break, not even an Earthbound Immortal." Sakura says.
Carly is seething, and then she smirks and snickers.
"What's so funny?" Ask Jack.
"She's taking a risk, being away from her physical body. Your confrontation with Kiryu and your duel with Rudger caused a great deal of damage to your body, right?" Carly asks.
"Sakura?" Asks Jack. "Yes, I separated my spirit from my physical body, which is in a worse for wear condition. However, I left my physical form well looked after." Sakura says.
Carly continues to snicker. "Perhaps. But, you can't keep your spirit and body separated for too long. I'm sure it's already quite a strain on you. Even for one who is imbued with so much overflowing power, such as yourself." Says Carly.
"I am not all powerful, Carly. Even though you're an amateur compared to the other Dark Signers, I'm sure you can feel that at the very least." Sakura says.
Carly sneers at that. "You're right. I do feel that you're not all powerful as you say. Not yet, anyway. Which is why, I'll kill you before you can ever achieve that feat!" Says Carly.
Sakura suddenly collapses to her knees, holding at her heart. "Sakura!" Jack says. He gets off of his D-Wheel and tries to catch Sakura before she can fully collapse to the ground, but due to her being in spirit form, her body fazes through his arms and she's on the ground, lying on her side and holding at her heart. All Jack can do is look on, as she suffers. "Sakura?" Asks Jack, concerned. Sakura turns herself a bit and as she moves her hands from her heart, glowing red cracks have appeared at the center of her chest and are starting to spread further. "What's going on?" Jack asks. "I've spent too long outside of my body. I must return to it right away." Says Sakura. She places her hand on Jack's cheek, lightly. "Try to keep a level head." Sakura says. Jack holds at the hand on his face, even though he can't feel a physical touch, he can still feel the warmth radiating off of her. "Get back to your body, I can handle this from here." Says Jack. "I know you can." Sakura says. She gives Jack a small smile. "You are Jack Atlas, after all." Says Sakura. She's soon outlined in a crimson red aura and disappears in a shower of red, twinkling diamonds.
Jack looks at the sparkling, red diamonds, in bewilderment, and reaches for them. "I can still feel the warmth of your light, Sakura." Jack thinks to himself. As soon as the twinkling, red diamonds vanish, he gets up and walks over to his D-Wheel, getting back on it.
Carly turns and rides away.
Jack rides after her. "Carly!" Jack says.
"I resurrected as a Dark Signer so that we could turn life into hell and conquer the world together! That's what I want! That's our destiny!" Says Carly.
"You're wrong! When false destiny tricked me and led me astray, you were the one who made me come to my senses!" Jack says.
"Ugh!" Says Carly.
Flashback. The sun sets beautifully over the ocean, as Jack and Carly watch it. "The old Jack died in his battle against Yusei. The real Jack Atlas starts his life now. And try to become a real King." Carly says. Jack looks out at the sunset through the shades of his disguise. The flashback ends.
Back to the present. "I'll never forget what you said! That's why I'll choose how to live, just like you said! Other than negating the attack, 'Changing Destiny' has another effect! Two choices! You can either regain life points equal to half the negated monster's attack points, or I can take the same amount in damage! You get to choose!" Says Jack.
"What?" Carly asks.
They glide around a corner.
"Fortune Lady Earth has two thousand eight hundred attack points! You can either regain one thousand four hundred life points or I can take one thousand four hundred points of damage. Choose what you want!" Says Jack.
Carly side-skids a bit around the next corner.
Jack pursues.
"Jack has eight hundred life points remaining. If I choose the damage-dealing effect, Jack will run out of life points." Carly thinks to herself. "Why? Though you dodged Earth's attack last time, you're fine with taking damage this time?" Carly asks.
"It's to show you that there's no such thing as fixed destiny!" Says Jack.
"Uh!" Carly says.
"I believe in you! Choose your own destiny!" Says Jack.
They make another sharp turn, they've been heading around the outer curves of the hummingbird's wing.
Carly grins, sinisterly. "Jack, you fool. Even though you kept me in suspense, you're doing what I want in the end. Fine. This time, I'll make you mine and take away all that you love. Starting with her and then the boy she bore with you." Carly thinks to herself. She looks back and points. "I'll deal damage..." Carly says. She gasps, somehow she can't do it.
Jack watches, calmly and seriously.
Looking him in the eyes, Carly can't finish the sentence. "I..." Says Carly.
Flashback. Carly, in a stolen nurse's uniform, runs into Jack trying to escape from the hospital. Interrupt flashback.
Back to the present. "I..." Carly says.
Continue flashback. Jack and Carly draw a card together, finally working as a team in their duel. "Aaa-ah!" Interrupt flashback.
Back to the present. Carly's dark eyes are uncertain and not entirely evil.
Continue flashback. Jack and Carly ride a roller coaster. She is screaming, while he's bored.
Jack walks along and Carly runs to keep up with him. Interrupt flashback.
Back to the present. Carly's black-coated eyes continue to stare.
Continue flashback. In a deep fog, Carly with her dark eyes turns and looks at Jack, found out. They stare at each other for a moment, he can't believe she's a Dark Signer. The flashback ends.
Back to the present. A subtle thump like a heartbeat can be heard, something within Carly gives. She turns away, her eyes hidden under her visor and helmet. "I choose to restore my life points." Says Carly. Jack's trap glows, and causes her to shine bright with turquoise sparkles trailing behind her, as though burning the shadows away. Carly's life points rise to 5000. She opens her eyes, and they're clear, with grey irises and white scleras.
"Carly..." Jack says. He speeds up to ride beside Carly. "Carly, you…" Says Jack.
Carly looks over her shoulder, a little shaken. "Jack." Carly says.
"You've returned to normal." Says Jack.
"I'm sorry. I actually don't want to battle." Carly says.
"I know. You're not the type who hurts other people. I know that more than anyone else." Says Jack.
Carly smiles, with relief. "Jack…" Carly says. Then she winces, as the hummingbird sign on her arm burns. Carly grips it with her other hand, groans and gasps, as it hurts her. Dark energy begins to flow from it, surrounding her.
"Carly, what's wrong?" Asks Jack.
A deep, menacing voice speaks, and through it, he can still hear Carly crying out, in pain. "It doesn't matter what you want. Since you're a Dark Signer, you're ordered to battle!" Carly lifts her head and screams, the purple fog around her forms itself into a shape, a figure standing over her. It looks vaguely like the hummingbird Earthbound, Aslla Piscu.
"You're the one who pulled Carly into the darkness!" Jack says.
"Carly, continue the duel and defeat the Signer!" Carly's eyes close for a moment, then spring open again, glowing pure purple. Veins stand out on the edges of her cheeks.
"How dare you!" Says Jack, angrily.
Carly pulls ahead.
Jack chases after. "Let Carly go!" Jack says.
"My turn isn't over yet! Speed Spell 'Curse of Destiny'! When I have two or more Speed Counters, I place two Curse Counters on one of my monsters. Instead of attacking, I can deal damage by removing a Curse Counter." Two foggy purple tentacles come from the card and trap Lady Earth's arms against her sides, she is silently screaming. They harden into chains. Her skin turns the color of charcoal, with glowing markings. Her big, round glasses glow red. "But since Earth already attacked this turn, I can't activate that effect. I set two cards and end my turn. Ehaha! The girl who is unrequitedly in love with you will devour your soul! Hwahahahahahahahahaha!"
They dash around another corner, and another.
"How dare you do this to Carly! I won't forgive you. I won't forgive you, Dark Signer! My turn!" Says Jack. He draws. "When monsters are only on your field, I can Special Summon Vice Dragon from my hand! If it's summoned due to this effect, its attack and defense points are halved!" Jack says.
Vice Dragon has 1000 attack points and is a Level 5 monster.
"Next, I summon Dark Resonator from my hand!" Says Jack.
Dark Resonator has 1300 attack points and is a Level 3 monster.
"Level Three Dark Resonator tunes Level Five Vice Dragon! The pulse of the King now forms a line here! Witness the power of the rumbling heavens! Synchro Summon! My soul! Red Dragon Archfiend!" Jack says.
Red Dragon Archfiend has 3000 attack points and is a Level 8 monster.
"The monster that symbolizes the Signer has finally appeared! But I will turn the tables! I activate my trap! 'Class Change' increases Fortune Lady Earth's Level by one!"
Fortune Lady Earth floats there, chained and stiff, like some macabre scarecrow or voodoo doll, her Level changes from 7 to 8.
"Since it gained a Level, Earth's monster effect increases its attack points by 400!"
Lady Earth's points rise to 3200.
"Earth has more attack points than Red Dragon Archfiend." Jack thinks to himself.
"Earth's other monster effect activates. When a Fortune Lady's Level increases, you take four hundred points of damage!"
At the command, Lady Earth lights up like a lightning rod, and fires a bolt of electricity at Jack.
He moans and gasps, hit hard by the attack, it leaves him with 400 life points remaining.
"Ehahahahahahaha! Your life points are like a candle in the wind! On my next turn, I'll completely devour you!"
"I won't let that happen! Speed Spell 'Half Seeds'! When I have three or more Speed Counters, your monster's attack points are halved, and I gain life points equal to that amount!" Says Jack.
Fortune Lady Earth's points drop to 1600.
Jack now has 2000 life points. "Red Dragon Archfiend has higher attack points again!" Jack says.
"How dare you!"
"Evil soul, I'll burn you with the flame of truth! Red Dragon Archfiend attacks Fortune Lady Earth! Absolute Powerforce!" Says Jack.
Archfiend attacks, and destroys Lady Earth.
Carly is riding through a world of fire.
"Carly, wake up!" Jack thinks to himself.
As they zoom around another corner, Carly veers off the track, and, with a scream, into the purple fire around the edge, she's disappeared into the fire.
"Ohh! Carly!" Jack says.
Mist and dust cloud the air around the huge hole in the ground that once was the first Moment.
At the base of the long, narrow flight of metal steps, on a platform over Moment, Ushio, Lua, Subaru and Crow are still waiting for Yusei to reappear. "Yusei…" Says Crow.
Grim and Aurora are both still lying down beside Sakura, with their heads lying on her leg. Luca and Velvet are still kneeling on the other side of her, watching over her. Sakura's still very much the same, barely moving, with the exception of her breathing, and she's still grasping at her heart.
Yusei's floating in a black void.
In the darkness ahead of him or above him, a single light glimmers like a star. It grows to become a bright, steady light.
"What's that light? It's calling me." Yusei thinks to himself.
Despite the fact that there's no up or down in the dark void, he walks toward the light, eyes downcast. Yusei comes to the rocky bank of a calm river. He's no longer in the black void, but standing in a wasteland of pebbles, littering the ground and riverbank, and stacked in little towers in several places. "Where am I?" Yusei thinks to himself.
"Yusei…"
"Huh?" Yusei asks.
Ahead of him, the light is shining once again, above the waters of the river. "It's not your time yet to come to this world." As the light grows, it becomes more golden, and resolves itself into the mysterious figure that saved Yusei from the spirits.
"Are you the one who guided me? Dad?" Asks Yusei.
The light fades a bit, and the figure becomes recognizable as Professor Hakase Fudo. "Yusei, my son." Hakase says, a bit sadly.
"Like I thought… Dad…" Says Yusei. He takes a few steps forward.
"Forgive me." Hakase says.
"Huh?" Asks Yusei.
"I've given you the burden of enormous destiny." Hakase says. He begins to drift away, shrinking into the distance.
"Wait!" Yusei says.
"But destiny can be changed." Says Hakase. He keeps drifting away.
Yusei's running full-out after Hakase, splashing through the shallow water. "Dad!" Yusei says.
"There are people waiting for you on the path you're taking. Go, Yusei." Says Hakase.
"Dad! Wait, Dad!" Yusei says.
Hakase vanishes into the darkness.
"Dad!" Says Yusei.
And the whole scene turns into white light.
Above Moment. Ushio, Crow, Lua and Subaru watch, in awe, as a column of white light shoots up out of the swirling Moment. "What's this?" Ushio asks.
In the column of light, far above them, Yusei appears, floating, eyes closed.
"Yusei!" Says Lua.
Yusei, still unconscious, drifts down to them.
Ushio and Crow prepare to catch him.
Yusei lands in their outstretched arms, gently, lying as though asleep. "Yusei, pull yourself together!" Crow says. "Uncle Yusei…" Says Subaru.
Luca and Velvet look back over their shoulders at them. "Yusei!" Luca says.
Yusei grimaces, and opens his eyes, his nephew and friends' faces light up as his vision of them clears. "Thank goodness." Says Subaru. Yusei's still a bit dazed. "I've returned?" Yusei asks. He sits up. "It looks like you're fine." Says Crow. "Yeah." Yusei says. "But how did you…?" Asks Ushio. "Since he's safe, who cares? That's why adults are no good!" Lua says. Yusei smiles, grateful to be surrounded by friends who care about him. "I'm sorry that I made you worry." Says Yusei. Crow nods, seriously.
Luca and Velvet then turn back to Sakura, the former gasps. "Mommy..." Velvet says.
The guys all look over at her and Luca. "What? What's wrong, Luca?" Asks Lua.
Sakura's breathing is returning to normal and she's starting to move a little more than she previously was. "I think Sakura's coming out of her trance. She's starting to look a lot better." Luca says.
Yusei, Crow, Subaru, Lua and Ushio all walk over to her, Velvet Sakura, Grim and Aurora, who lift up their heads as they all approach. Yusei kneels down to one knee next to Velvet and places one of his hands on top of one of Sakura's, gripping it, lightly. "What happened to her when I fell into that light?" Asks Yusei. "Well, after you disappeared into the light, she suddenly collapsed." Ushio says. "She got really weak after her duel with Rudger. She's been like this ever since." Says Lua. "She was mumbling something about Jack and then she went into some sort of trance-like state. I think she's been channeling energy from the Crimson Dragon so she can help Jack somehow." Luca says.
Sakura winces, lightly, and her eyes flutter open. "Oh, good, you're awake." Says Crow. Sakura glances up at Yusei, weakly. He's frowning. "What's wrong?" Yusei asks. She removes her hands from her heart, revealing black, crack-like veins at the center of her chest. Yusei's eyes widen, in realization. "Kiryu's spike." Says Yusei. "It happened… as I was dueling my father... it didn't take effect until after I defeated him..." Sakura says, weakly. Crow crouches down on the other side of her. "What about Jack? Is he okay?" Asks Crow. "What do... you mean...?" Sakura asks, weakly. "When you were unconscious, you mumbled his name. It was like you were calling out to him or trying to reach him." Says Crow. "I could feel Jack's spirit calling out for help. He's... having a hard time right now. However, he should pull through." Sakura says. She tries sitting herself up, but she's having a difficult time with that. Yusei and Crow help Sakura up to her feet, she's having a hard time keeping herself up, though. Yusei has her lean on him, as she's still clutching at her heart. Grim and Aurora get up to their feet, staying close to Sakura and Yusei. "I got you, sis." Says Yusei. "I'm sorry but we don't have time to waste." Crow says. "That's right! There's no time!" Says Lua. "Yeah." Yusei says. "If we don't seal the remaining two towers by sunset, the king of the underworld will resurrect!" Says Sakura.
At the hummingbird control tower. Jack rides along, panicked. "Carly! Are you okay? Answer me! Carly!" Jack says.
Carly's D-Wheel reappears out of the wall next to him.
Jack moves away to give her space. He looks over, is it Carly?
For a moment it looks like she's back, as she winces with pain from the fire, then she opens her eyes, and the demon is back. "Rrgh!"
"Ahh! Carly!" Says Jack.
"I activate my trap! 'Inherited Fortune'! When a Fortune Lady is destroyed, I can Special Summon up to two Fortune Ladies from my hand on my next turn!"
"I set one card and end my turn." Jack says. He grits his teeth. "Is it too late to do anything?" Jack thinks to himself.
"My turn!"
"I can't turn you back to normal anymore, Carly?" Jack thinks to himself.
Carly's draw is Fortune Lady Wind. "Due to 'Inherited Fortune's' effect, I Special Summon two Fortune Ladies! Appear, Fortune Lady Wind and Fortune Lady Water!"
Fortune Lady Wind has 900 attack points and is a Level 3 monster.
Fortune Lady Water has 1200 attack points and is a Level 4 monster.
"Water's effect activates! For every Fortune Lady on my field, I draw one card! There are two Fortune Ladies on my field! Therefore, I draw two cards!" Carly's two cards are Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu and the trap 'Earthbound Release'. More veins are popping out on her face. "Eheheheheheheh! Jack, you'll be my sacrifice!"
"Huh?!" Asks Jack.
"I release Wind and Water!"
"Is it coming?" Jack asks.
Above them, tendrils of black clouds are swirling like the aerial view of a hurricane around the clenched fist in the sky that summons an Earthbound Immortal.
"After five thousand years, the door to the afterlife opens again! Our souls will feed the new world! Sacrificed to Earthbound Immortal…"
"Are they the souls of the people who vanished from Satellite? If the real Carly sees what's happening, she'll blame herself forever and cry in sadness." Jack thinks to himself.
"Descend, Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu!"
A column of purple light explodes from the fist, connecting the earth and the heavens.
Jack shields his face, prepared for the worst, then lowers his arm to stare.
Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu has 2500 attack points and is a Level 10 monster. As the hummingbird Immortal rises from the mist, its markings burning like fiery lava as it spreads its wings and shrills a strange, resounding note. Aslla Piscu's strange cry is almost musical, and definitely terrifying.
"Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu can attack you directly! Jack, receive god's judgment!"
"I'll stop you, even if it costs me my life!" Jack thinks to himself. "I Special Summon Battle Fader!" Says Jack.
Battle Fader has 0 attack points and is a Level 1 monster. It's a critter built into a pendulum that rings a bell.
"When your monster attacks me directly, I can Special Summon it from my hand. Due to its effect, the Battle Phase ends!" Jack says.
Battle Fader rings its bell again and again, and waves of sound spread from it, forcing Aslla Piscu back.
The thing that has possessed Carly growls, with frustration. "I set one card and end my turn!"
"Carly, listen! In the past, I was a person who didn't care about others! To further my ambitions, I betrayed my friends, hurt people and sacrificed everything!" Says Jack.
Flashback. As they stand watching the sunset, Carly offers Jack the striped shopping bag she's been carrying around.
He dons his signature white duel blazer once again. "But you taught me!" Jack says, in voice-over. The flashback ends.
Back to the present. They coast around another corner. They're entering a winding stretch.
"If my heart truly believes, even my damaged heart can be saved!" Says Jack. He puts a hand to his heart. "I wish with all my heart! I want to rescue you, the girl I've come to admire!" Jack says. He and his D-Wheel start to glow a faint red. "What's this?" Asks Jack.
Sakura and Yusei both gasp aloud, sensing something. As does Luca.
And Aki.
The symbolic designs etched into Sakura's upper back start flaring, extremely bright. She can feel what Jack needs, so she does what she did for Yusei when he was dueling Kiryu. "Luca, Yusei. Lend me your powers, quickly. Jack needs some assistance." Sakura says. Luca places her hand over her left-wing sign, and as soon as she does, the additional markings along her arms and hands start glowing, brightly. "Please be careful this time, Sakura." Says Luca. Yusei then does the same and places his hand over hers, the rest of the symbolic designs down Sakura's back begin glowing, as soon as he does. Luca watches the mark fade from her right arm, standing on the bottom step of the stairs back to the surface. Lua, Subaru, Ushio, Velvet and Crow are crowded around to stare. "The mark is disappearing." Luca says. "The same thing happened before with Yusei!" Says Lua. Crow turns and looks, Yusei's mark is also gone. "That means…" Crow says.
Aki watches her mark fade. "The mark is going to Jack." Says Aki. "Go ahead, I'm lending you my powers. I trust you, Sakura." Aki thinks to herself.
The additional markings burned along Sakura's legs and tops of her feet begin flaring.
In the glowing tank at the top of the Stair of the Crimson Dragon, the mark fades from the preserved severed arm of Rudger, too.
The bird-shaped symbol etched on Sakura's forehead starts glowing, as well. The Seal of the Dragon that's etched into her abdomen is all lit up, too. The red gradation half of Sakura's raven black tresses is burning in a fiery red. She opens her eyes, her irises flare in bright red, while her scleras fade to black, with glowing red veins across her eyes. "I now have what I need. So, it is time for the Crimson Dragon to help Jack." Sakura says, her voice echoic and menacing.
Luca and Yusei stand aside.
Sakura repeats what she did last time and places her hands on her chest, right over her heart. The Seal of the Crimson Dragon on her abdomen starts going dim. Sakura then moves her hands off of her chest and as she does, the Crimson Dragon's heart of power appears and hovers in her hands, she nearly cries out, in pain. "Go forth and give Jack all the power and strength he needs." Says Sakura. She lifts the Crimson Dragon's heart of power into the air and it shoots high up into the sky. The Seal of the Crimson Dragon disappears from Sakura's abdomen shortly after. The additional markings and symbolic designs along her body have all gone dim. Sakura's pupils soon fade, leaving her dark-crimson red eyes blank. She then collapses backwards, only Yusei's able to catch her before she can fall very far.
He lifts Sakura up and cradles her in his arms. "Come on you guys, let's keep going." Yusei says.
Piece by piece, the Seal of the Crimson Dragon appears on Jack's back, glowing brightly. He sees it out of the corner of his eye. "My friends' marks! Are they lending me their power? Huh?!" Jack thinks to himself. He notices another glowing and looks at his deck, the top card is shining gold. "This light… " Jack thinks to himself. "My turn!" Says Jack. He draws. Jack turns over the card he drew, it's Majestic Dragon. "Is this the miracle of the Crimson Dragon?" Jack asks.
He hears Carly, the real Carly. "Jack…"
Jack looks at his opponent, her eyes are still glowing with pure evil.
"Jack..." Says Carly.
Jack closes his eyes.
And finds himself standing in a blank void. Carly's voice is coming from somewhere in the nothingness. "Jack…" Carly says.
"Carly?" Asks Jack.
"Jack, please end this." Carly says.
"What?" Asks Jack.
"I don't want to hurt you or other people anymore." Carly says.
"No way! There still has to be another way!" Says Jack.
"If you truly care about me…" Carly says.
"But if I do that, you'll be…" Says Jack.
"I'm choosing this destiny. You truly understood me. So please defeat me with your own hands." Carly says.
"I understand." Says Jack.
The nothingness becomes the tower at sunset, as he stands, defeated. "If that's what you want, I'll do it." Jack says.
Carly is also standing on the tower, her glasses glinting in the fading sunlight. She's dressed exactly as she was then, but he's still wearing his turbo-dueling suit, from the duel. She's smiling up at him, absolving and kind. "Thank you, Jack." Says Carly.
The tower fades, and Jack's once again turbo-dueling. "Carly… My life…" Jack thinks to himself. As he looks at the sneering face of his opponent, he sees Carly as he remembers her looking back at him. "You saved my life. Appear, Majestic Dragon!" Jack says.
Majestic Dragon has 0 attack points and is a Level 1 monster.
"Level One Majestic Dragon tunes Level Eight Red Dragon Archfiend and Level One Battle Fader! The superior polished light becomes the true ruler and shines on the land! Keep shining! Synchro Summon! The great soul Majestic Red Dragon!" Says Jack.
Majestic Red Dragon has 4000 attack points and is a Level 10 monster.
"Ugh!"
The air is full of red and gold sparkles, beautiful flames. Majestic Red Dragon squares off against Aslla Piscu.
"Majestic Red Dragon negates the effect of one monster on your field and gains its attack points until the End Phase! I negate Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu's effect and absorb its attack points! Power Gain!" Jack says.
Majestic Red breathes fiery light at the Immortal, and freezes it in a huge chunk of red glass. It's attack points rise to 6500.
"Six thousand five hundred attack points?"
"As you wish, I'll defeat you with a single strike! But don't worry. I won't let you die alone. My set card is 'Shockwave'. With this card, one monster on the field is destroyed, and both players take damage equal to its attack points. If I use it to destroy Majestic Red Dragon, Carly and I will both take six thousand five hundred points of damage. We'll both run out of life points." Jack thinks to himself. "This is the destiny I've chosen for myself! I'll have no regrets if we die together!" Says Jack.
His face is halved with the possessed Carly's, then Carly's own face, with her big goofy glasses, is halved with the thing turbo-dueling in her name, then the other side of Carly's face appears.
Then she smiles, completely overjoyed, and exclaims… "I'll tell the fortune of your true destiny." Carly says.
In a vision, or metaphorically, she is standing with her back to the building at the top of the tower and to the setting sun. Carly draws a single card from the deck she's holding in her hand, raises it high, and looks at it, what does her Fortune Deck say this time?
Jack, alarmed to hear this, tries to act fast and goes for the button to activate his face down. "Here I go! I activate my trap…" Says Jack.
"I activate my trap 'Earthbound Release'!"
Jack stops short of the button, shocked. "What?!" Jack asks.
"By releasing an Earthbound Immortal, this card destroys all monsters on the field! Then you take damage equal to the total attack points of the destroyed monsters!"
"No way! Due to Majestic Red Dragon's effect, your monster destruction effect is negated, and you take damage equal to its attack points! Are you doing this intentionally?" Asks Jack.
Carly's trap shoots a blast of fire out, shattering the red glass. Huge explosion.
Jack can't see anything, except the glinting of Majestic Red Dragon's eyes.
His dragon flies out of it, and blasts a huge fireball at Carly, she's riding straight into it.
Above the tower at sunset, seagulls tranquilly waft here and there. Carly stands before the tower. Her voice is a little sad, as she holds the single card she drew. "My real wish is that everyone loves you and that you become a true King that brings joy to everyone." Carly says. She looks straight at Jack, her eyes alight with joy and excitement through her glasses. Carly shows him the card. "I know you can do it, Jack Atlas! By the way, those two kids from that illusion, Reina and Yuichiro, they're actually part of your future. Even your unborn child from the illusion is meant to be a reality. Just as your future wife is meant to be Sakura, not me." Says Carly. The card image is one of Jack, standing in his white duel blazer in a huge crowd of little kids, smiling and laughing, including Jace, Reina and Yuichiro. One of them cheers from his shoulder, another hugs his leg, all of them are cheering and excited, he's their hero. The deck in Carly's hand unravels, all of the cards shooting straight up into the air one by one to drift through the sky like snow, every one of them shows that same glorious picture.
Jack has realized all too late that he can't stop her. "Carly!" Jack says, desperately.
Carly rides straight into the fireball. Flung free of her D-Wheel, she lands on the ground, with a moan. Carly's life points read 0.
The lines of fire vanish from the earth, as though they were never there. The hummingbird's sign fades from the sky.
Minako, Aki, Kakyuu and Hotaru see it from a distance. "The geoglyph is disappearing." Says Kakyuu. "The duel must have ended." Hotaru says. Aki's mark reappears. "It looks like Jack won." Says Aki. "Thank goodness! Master Atlas!" Minako says. "Like I thought, you are the true King." Minako thinks to herself, fervently.
Jack has flung aside his D-Wheel and helmet, and hurried to Carly's side. He's shaking her, gently, as she lies in his arms, battered and unconscious. "Carly! Carly, hang on! Don't die!" Says Jack.
Carly opens her eyes, dazed and blank, but their normal color, and looks up at him. "Jack, where are you?" Carly asks, in a feeble voice, half-whisper. "I'm right here!" Says Jack. "That's weird. I can't see anything." Carly says. "Hang in there! Look at me!" Says Jack. He takes Carly's broken glasses out of his pocket and places them on her face, gently. She smiles up at Jack. "Ahh...! I liked rooting for people who try hard. Like you, Jack. But I only did that because it made me happy. I also became a little envious of Sakura, a woman who possesses beauty and extraordinary dueling skills, it's no wonder how she caught your eye. That's why I was punished for my sins." Carly says. "What are you talking about? Everyone has the right to be happy! If that's a sin, then I'm also a sinner!" Says Jack, intensely. "Jack, save the world. Go to her, the love of your life, and take her as your wife and make more babies with her. I'm rooting for you." Carly says, peacefully. They hug one last time, and she starts to turn the gray of stone, as he embraces her. "I love you, Jack. Even though your heart belongs to someone else." Carly thinks to herself. Now entirely charcoal-gray, wisps of her form begin to evaporate, until Jack is only hugging air.
Carly's glasses clatter to the ground. Jack snatches at the air, then hunches over, shaking with emotion, as he kneels on the ground. "Carly..." Says Jack. He clenches his fist and gets to his feet, slowly, looking up at the sky, watching a shower of purple sparkles flit through the air, quietly.
At the old Moment site. Crow, Yusei, both sets of young twins and Ushio top the stairs out of the Moment. Crow, the first up, notices something as he reaches the top, and hurries forward. "Huh?!" Crow asks. He, too, sees the rain of purple sparkles. "Look, Yusei." Says Crow. "Jack successfully sealed it!" Luca says. "You did it, Jack!" Says Lua. Yusei's still carrying Sakura in his arms, her soul has already returned, the Crimson Dragon has, as well. Grim and Aurora are standing at either side of him, looking up at him. Yusei looks down at Sakura, who's barely conscious. "There is only one seal remaining!" Sakura says. She winces, deeply. "We'll stop the Dark Signers' plans!" Says Yusei. He watches Sakura as she fades into unconsciousness. "We all pledged ourselves to you. We all promised to protect you. But you're the one who's been hurt ever since this battle with the Dark Signer's started. I can feel your pain, I'm sure the others can feel it, too. We're going to end this! We're going to save you, no matter what it takes, sis!" Yusei thinks to himself.