So here's the next chapter! I decided to put "Resonance of Souls" on hold until this is over. For all the fans, sorry but it will be finished, don't worry. For all the people who hear it for the first time, it's a Zexal fic and friendship/hurt/comfort and has no romance of any sort.

Now, shameless self-ad aside, should I give Yuzu some XYZ monsters? If yes, how would you like me to introduce them, in a way that makes sense or not? XD

Thanks for reading the note and now off to the chapter! :)

"Remember even though the outside world might be raining, if you keep on smiling the sun will soon show its face and smile back at you."

- Anna Lee

Shallow, almost silent, breaths escaped her body as she ran, faster than she ever had in her life.

Yuzu was unsure as to why she was being chased by Obelisk Force Soldiers but they had appeared out of seemingly nowhere, jumping out of the corridor behind her in an attempt to grab the pinkette. She took a deep breath as she rounded the left corner, hoping against hope that a friend would show up to save her. Yuzu then bit her lip, her eyes growing hard in self-anger.

Why did she always depend on others? She had to get stronger by herself! And smile because that would destroy her opponents even more - the fact that she had such a happy look on her face when they expected her to be sad and grief-striken. So caught up was she in her thoughts that she didn't notice that she had rammed into someone until she found herself on the ground, rubbing her head as it pained her slightly.

"Now, now. Yuzu-chan. That's not a nice way to greet a friend."

The pinkette looked up in silent horror at the grinning face of Dennis Macfield, the one she thought was her friend, as the soldiers stopped several feet behind her. Yuzu couldn't believe it. Why would Dennis cut off her way of escape unless...?

"Be a good girl and come with me quietly."

- line break -

"YUZU! YUZU! YUZU!"

Yuya's shouts went unheard over the loud crowd, which was desperately attempting to get away before various Fusion monsters could grab them or anyone dear and precious to them. The tomatohead, meanwhile, kept shouting his best friend's name, hoping that she would answer despite the massive amount of people leaving the stadium. In his frenzy to find her, the entemate duelist almost missed Melissa ushering Serena and her would-be opponent inside - probably somewhere safe - and decided to follow them, knowing that Yuzu must be in that place as well. She had to be.

The women around him stopped their fleeing for a moment to scream as they watched him jump over several rows of seats in his quest to get to that entrance faster. But Yuya didn't care.

He was on a mission. Make the Fusion Dimension pay for everything and make sure that Yuzu was safe and sound.

- line break -

Meanwhile, high up in the sky but steadily coming closer to landing, Yuya's Fusion Dimension counterpart was grinning like the evil mastermind he was.

"Now then." he spoke smoothly. "This is the Synchro Dimension, is it? Hmph, not really to my taste but I'm sure the Professor will allow me to ... let's say, re-decorate... once we conquered it."

"You mean like you re-designed the XYZ Dimension?"

The teen simply looked at the younger boy with blue hair, who was riding on one of his own monsters. His dragon didn't allow for anyone but him to ride it. He just grinned even wider.

"My, the Synchro Dimension desperately needs it! There is not enough destruction, I'm afraid!"

"Right..." Sora sounded bored as the teen's dragon roared and began to descent.

- line break -

"Oh, Yuzu-chan!" Dennis called out in a mocking voice. "Come on out! I swear, I won't hurt you for the kick you gave me... much."

The Melodious duelist shivered and stayed in her hiding spot, wondering where Yugo and Yuya (and whoever else was here with her childhood friend) were. She had barely managed to get away from the cornered situation she had been in by giving Dennis' ribs a sound kick - which had surprised both him and the five soldiers behind her at the time - giving her enough time to get away and find a hiding spot before they could notice where she went off to.

"Yuzu-chan." the clown's voice grew frigid and bored. She wasn't sure which part scared her more. "I'm losing my patience here..." she then heard him mutter something to the soldiers before she heard their footsteps going away. "... you gave no choice. I guess my monsters will have to find you..."

The girl managed to hold in her yelp when she saw the shadow of something that looked like a clown holding a scythe heading her way. Barely.

So what will happen to Yuzu? Will Yuya get there in time to stop Dennis' crazy spree? And what about Yuri?

The four of them are the key characters in this fic, the likes of Sora and Reiji will be making light cameos here and there but not really since 'my' Reiji already kinda left for the Fusion Dimension to confront his father on his own after seeing the invading monsters. Now, that must make you wonder about what happened to Jean-Michel and the Russian guy? Simple, let's just say that he has defeated both of them in a Battle Royale duel. They won't be able to do much as of now...

Thank you for reading! :)