The atmosphere was full of different emotions. The Duel Arena of CHS was shown as inside, a fierce duel was happening. Izzy and Sunny were putting on a banger of the duel as Izzy had somehow come up with a deadly combo that put Sunny in quite a pinch. Maybe it was by luck, but based on how well she was playing, it seemed Izzy was indeed smart in her own right. The fact that she managed to trap her more intellectual friend was impressive. Now it seemed like Sunny might have swung the motive back into her favor as she pulled off something that wasn't covered yet in any of the dueling courses.
"Now, Divine Grace - Northwemko! Attack her Scrap Worm!" instructed Sunny. Her archbishop aimed her sun staff at the small metal worm, and it fired a powerful spell that sent a massive shockwave throughout the building; it even caused Izzy to cover her eyes as there was a single spot of scorch where her monster once was.
Izzy's Life Points: 6000-
"Thanks to my monster's ability when it's Ritual Summoned, I can select a number of face-up cards on the field up to the number of monsters I used for the Ritual Summon. So I choose your Scrap Dragon. And while your Scrap Dragon remains on the field, card effects can't destroy my monster. So you can't use your dragon's special ability to get rid of it." stated Sunny.
"Well played," responded Izzy with a smile as she didn't seem to care that she couldn't get rid of Sunny's monster with her dragon's effect as she was happy for her friend on summoning a new monster.
"Thanks. So I'll end my turn."
Turn 7: Izzy (Hand 3)
"It's my turn," said Izzy as she drew her card. "I'll activate my Scrap Golem's ability, so I revive my Scrap Worm. Now, I'll have my Scrap Worm attack!"
"I figured you would, which is why I reveal my facedown. Negate Attack! As the same name suggests, not only do I stop your assault, but I also end your Battle Phase. So your combo doesn't go off." said Sunny.
"Ooh, clever," smiled Izzy with a carefree smile. "Well, then I'll just play Scrapstorm. So I target my Scrap Worm, then send a 'Scrap' monster from my deck to my graveyard." Izzy touched her screen as she confirmed which card she wanted as it slotted out for her to grab and send away. "Now my monster is destroyed, and I can draw one card." Izzy's worm turned into a pile of metal as the scooper picked it up and put it on the treadmill.
"Even if I didn't attack, I can still activate my monster's ability. So I'll add my Scrap Chimera back to my hand. And then my field spell lets me summon a 'Scrap' monster from my deck. So I summon Scrap Breaker(2100/700 → 2300/900)!" A machine creature appeared; it let out some steam and sounds.
"Interesting. Despite Sunny blocking her attack, Izzy was able to pull off her combo regardless," stated Roll with a smile.
"Indeed. And now Sunny has four powerful monsters to take down. Her monster may be protected from card effects, but it's still acceptable to battle." said Mario.
"I end my turn."
Turn 8: Sunny (Hand 3)
"My turn. And I'll activate this, the spell card, Magistus Vritra. So now I can bring back my Rilliona, the Magistus of Verre!" stated Sunny as her monster reappeared. "And because I summoned my monster, her ability activates. Allowing me to add a 'Magistus' spell or trap card to my hand from my deck. And I know which once." Sunny's deck slotted out the card she wanted as she grabbed it and held it out for all to see. "But before I play it, I'm gonna overlay my Level 4 Rilliona and Summoner Monk so that I can construct the Overlay Network!"
Sunny's two monsters turned into orbs of light as they hovered in the air. A portal opened before the girl as the orbs were sucked in, and a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Rilliona, the Wondrous Magistus Witch Wardrobe(1000/2800, OLU: 2)!" shouted the girl as a witch dressed in a beautiful white dress as a light shined down on her.
"Next, I'll activate my monster's ability. Using one of its Xyz materials allows me to special summon 1 'Magistus' monster from my deck. So I choose my Endymion, the Magistus of Mastery(1300/1700)!" A male sorcerer in dark lavender robes appeared, wielding his staff. "Now, I play this, the spell card. Magistus Invocation. With the power of this spell and the two 'Magistus' monsters in my hand, I can perform a Fusion Summon!" shouted Sunny.
"Fusion?" said their friends, minus the siblings, as they were all shocked to see Sunny performing a summoning method that wasn't Xyz.
Sunny's two monsters appeared as a vortex opened up behind the girl. The two magicians were sucked in as orange and purple lights shot out. A shadow was revealed as her new monster appeared.
"I Fusion Summon! Say hello to Awiss, the Magistus Spell Spirit(2000/2800)!" shouted Sunny. A crystalized fiend appeared as it spread its wings in a huge span, having sparkles fall from them.
"But it only has 2000 attack points," stated Izzy seeing that despite Sunny wowing everybody by doing another summoning method other than her usual Xyz, her new monster was weaker than any of Izzy's monsters.
"Then let me activate my Awiss' ability! I can target one other monster on the field and equip it onto it. So I choose... your Scrap Dragon!"
"Huh?" said her friends, minus the siblings.
"This may work," smiled Roll.
Sunny's new monster appeared behind Izzy's dragon as it disappeared and was absorbed into the mechanical beast.
"What's the point?" wondered Izzy.
"Because by doing that, I now take control of your monster!" smiled Sunny.
Izzy's dragon then disappeared as it reappeared on Sunny's side of the field.
"Unfortunately, I can't use its special abilities, but thanks to Awiss' other effect, my new monster gains 1000 attack and defense points," stated the girl (3000/2200 → 4000/3200).
"Now, Scrap Dragon. Attack her Scrap Golem!" Sunny gave her dragon its command; it opened its mouth and fired a stream of fire as it melted Izzy's monster.
Izzy's Life Points: 4500-
"Nice. With Izzy's Scrap Golem gone, she just lost a big part of her combo," said Roll, giving props to her friend for figuring out how to dismantle Izzy's strategy.
"I end my turn."
Turn 9: Izzy (Hand 4)
"My turn!" said Izzy as she drew her card and looked at her hand and field to figure out what to do next. "And I'll summon my Scrap Recycler(900/1200). And when it's summoned, I send 1 Machine-type monster from my deck to my graveyard." Izzy then used her screen to select what she wanted to eliminate as it slid out for her to grab and send away(900/1200 → 1100/1400).
"I end my turn."
"That's it?" muttered Sunny. The girl hoped Izzy would do something, given that she had stolen her dragon and was a threat given its power. But it seemed that Izzy didn't care or... maybe she had something.
Turn 10: Sunny (Hand 1)
"My move," said Sunny as she drew. "Time to find out what you're hiding, Izzy. Scrap Dragon, take out her Scrap Beast!" Sunny's monster began to open its mouth as it prepared its attack.
"I reveal my facedown, Scrap Iron Scarecrow!" shouted Izzy as the card she set a while back flipped up. "Thanks to this, I can negate your attack. And thanks to its amazing recycling power, I can set it facedown for me to use again later."
Sunny's dragon fired its attack as Izzy's makeshift scarecrow made of junk parts appeared. It stood before her monster as it took the blow of the attack; it eventually died down as the scarecrow disappeared, and Izzy's card flipped back facedown.
"Izzy had that card facedown way before I took control of her Scrap Dragon. So... why play it now? Why didn't she activate it when I had Scrap Dragon remove her Scrap Golem? She would have saved her monster and kept that combo alive. Plus, I don't have anything good in my hand." stated Sunny as she was trying to figure out her friend's plan.
"I had a feeling Izzy's facedown was Scrap-Iron Scarecrow. And right now, Sunny is starting to think why she didn't use it to save her golem that turn," stated Mario.
"You can't predict what will happen in a duel. Sometimes you have to take a risk. I can tell I don't think Izzy was prepared for Sunny to take her monster; if she did, she probably would have activated her trap to protect her golem and keep her cycle going." stated Roll.
"You're right about not predicting what will happen, hermana. Because by Izzy now revealing her trap, she's in Sunny's head. Whether intentionally or not, she's thrown Sunny a curveball. And remember, winning the mental aspect of a duel is just about half the battle." stated Mario.
The two siblings were talking among themselves as they showed their intellectual side of themselves when it came to Duel Monsters. The brother and sister reviewed how Izzy's move impacted the entire duel.
"I'll activate my Rilliona's ability. Using the last overlay unit, I can summon a 'Magistus' monster from my deck. So I summon my Zoroa, the Magistus of Flame(1500/1500)." A fire tornado erupted in front of Sunny on her field as it cleared out to reveal a male sorcerer with fire coming out of his hands.
"I end my turn."
Turn 11: Izzy (Hand 4)
"Then it's back to me! And I play this, Junk Synchron(1300/500)! And thanks to its special ability, it can revive 1 Level 2 or lower monster in my graveyard in defense mode as long as I negate its ability. So my Quillbolt Hedgehog(800/800) is here." Out came a rodent with nails and screws on its hind.
"Now, I tune my Level 3 Junk Synchron with my Level 4 Scrap Beast!" shouted Izzy as her Junk Synchron pulled a chord on its body to rev up its engine. It turned into three giant green rings circling its comrade as a light surged. "The anger rages into an unquenchable fever! I Synchro Summon, Junk Berserker(2700/1800)!" A large mechanical monster that was red with yellow appeared with a weapon on its back.
"I activate Junk Berserker's ability! By banishing my Junk Synchron from my graveyard, I can target one monster you control and make it lose attack points equal to the monster I removed. So Scrap Dragon loses 1300 attack points!" said Izzy as her monster swung its weapon and weakened her former monster as they were now equal in power. "Now, Junk Berserker. Attack Scrap Dragon!"
"But they'll both be destroyed!" shouted Sunny.
Izzy didn't seem to care as her monster leaped into the air. The warrior swung its weapon as the dragon opened its mouth to charge its attack. It shot out and collided with the warrior, who threw his weapon at the beast as a huge explosion light show occurred. Everybody covered their eyes as they looked away. When it died down, both Sunny and Izzy's monsters were gone.
"I now end my turn with a facedown," said the girl.
"Why did she do that?" wondered Sunny.
"Props to Izzy. She's setting herself up for later," commented Mario.
Turn 12: Sunny (Hand 2)
"It's my turn, and I'll take things up a notch once more! My Zoroa is special because it's also a tuner monster."
"Tuner?" said Hitch and Zipp as they knew what that meant.
"I tune my Level 4 Zoroa with my Level 4 Endymion!" Sunny's monster turned into four giant green rings that circled its comrade as a light surged through. "I Synchro Summon! Zoroa, the Magistus Conflagrant Calamity(2900/2500)!" A fire pillar came down from the sky; the flames disbursed as it revealed a male sorcerer; in his open palms were fireballs with his garments lifted by the fire's updraft.
"She... Synchro summoned?" said Izzy, in awe at how Sunny did her special method.
"I wonder what he didn't teach her," stated Roll as Mario glared upon hearing that.
"Now my monster's ability activates. Since it was Synchro Summoned, I can equip 1 'Magistus' monster from my Extra Deck onto my Zoroa. So from my Extra Deck, I'm equipping my Ninaruru, the Magistus Glass Goddess." Another sorcerer appeared as she was made entirely of glass, and her eyes shined before taking a stance with birds and butterflies on her fingers as a cat lay by her feet. Her comrade then absorbed her spirit as it empowered him.
"When Ninaruru is equipped, the monster it's equipped to can attack twice during each Battle Phase!" declared Sunny. "Now, Zoroa! Attack her Scrap Recycler!"
"I reveal my facedown, Scrap Rage! Thanks to this trap, since my monster is in defense mode and is being attacked, this card gives it 2000 extra defense points(1400 → 3400)! Making it strong enough to survive your attack!" stated Izzy.
The fireballs shot from Sunny's monster as a giant golden shield with a scary face appeared. It shielded Izzy's monster from destruction before returning the fireballs at Sunny, who covered up.
Sunny's Life Points: 5100-
"Clever move on Izzy's part. She raised her monster's defense points so that it was stronger than Sunny's monster's attack points. And now Sunny takes the difference as damage." stated Mario.
"You may have saved it, but my Zoroa can attack again. And I'll have it take out your Quillbolt Hedgehog!" declared Sunny as she took out Izzy's monster this time.
"Now that the Battle Phase is over, my monster is destroyed because of my trap," said Izzy as her Scrap Recycler turned into a pile of metal. Her factory's scooper picked up the metal pile and dumped it on the treadmill as it entered the building. "Now my field spell kicks in again, so I can summon any 'Scrap' monster I want from my deck. So I bring out my Scrap Mind Reader(0/0)!" Izzy's monster appeared from the factory as it took a position on the field(0/0 → 200/200).
"Strange. Why that? It barely has any attack points," stated Sunny to herself. "I end my turn."
Turn 13: Izzy (Hand 3)
"My turn," stated the girl as she drew. "Nice. I play Monster Reborn which allows me to revive any monster from either of our graveyards. So my Scrap Dragon rises from the junkyard!" The piles near the factory began to shift and move as Izzy's mechanical beast was back. It stared down at Sunny as it didn't forget what she had done to it.
"Now, I tune my Scrap Dragon with my Scrap Mind Reader!" shouted Izzy. Her smaller monster turned into a single giant green ring as it circled her dragon, who flew through it, followed by a surging light. "Double the trouble and twice the bite. This doubled-headed beast will feast! I Synchro Summon! Scrap Twin Dragon(3000/2200)!" Izzy's new monster was a bigger version of her regular Scrap Dragon as this one had two heads, as they roared even louder(3000/2200 → 3200/2400).
"Oh, boy," stated Sunny as she felt bad about Izzy's new beast.
"Scrap Twin Dragon, attack her Zoroa, the Magistus Conflagrant Calamity!" instructed Izzy.
Izzy's double-headed dragon opened both mouths as it prepared to launch its attack.
"Thanks to my continuous spell card, Trismagistus. When a Magistus monster that's equipped with an Equip card, it can't avoid being destroyed," stated Sunny.
"But you still take damage!" responded Izzy.
Her dragon fired two beams as they headed toward Sunny's magician. The girl's spellcaster put up a fire shield to protect itself; it seemed to be holding off the dragon's attack but soon pierced through and hit the magician as he fell to a knee temporarily.
Sunny's Life Points: 5000-
"I end my turn," stated Izzy.
Turn 14: Sunny (Hand 3)
"It's my move," stated Sunny as she drew her card.
Alright, Izzy's first dragon was tough. How do I take out her improved version?
Sunny looked at her hand and then touched the screen of her Duel Disk. The girl touched her graveyard zone on the screen as she had a card flashing. The teen touched it as she read the details of the card.
If I banish Rilliona, I can equip my Aiwass with my Zoroa. That would give him 1000 extra attack and defense points because of Aiwass' special ability. As I did with Izzy's first dragon, I can have the upper hand with a more powerful monster. Enough to take out her second dragon. If... she didn't have her facedown. As long as that Scrap-Iron Scarecrow remains on the field, Izzy can just protect her dragon from my attack. So what do I do?
"We're at a stalemate," stated Roll. "Knowing Sunny, if she doesn't want to lose more points, she'll switch her Zoroa into defense mode. It may be weak, but thanks to her spell, Izzy can't destroy it."
"True, but like you said, she does that. We're at a stalemate. Meaning neither of them can take out the other monsters without a clear shot." stated Mario.
"I switch Zoroa to defense mode," said Sunny, changing the card on her tray sideways as her monster changed positions. "And I end my turn."
Turn 15: Izzy (Hand 3)
"My turn," said Izzy, drawing her next card. "And I'll play my Scrap Chimera. And as you know, when I normal summon it, I can also bring out a 'Scrap' tuner monster from my graveyard. So I bring back my Scrap Raptor." Izzy's two monsters appeared as they emerged from the nearby junk pile. "And since I have a tuner monster out, I can summon back my Quillbolt Hedgehog, thanks to his special ability."
"Is she planning what I think she is?" questioned Sunny.
"I end my turn with a facedown," smiled Izzy.
"Huh?"
Turn 16: Sunny (Hand 4)
Sunny was once again confused about why Izzy would summon all those monsters and not go for a Synchro summon when she set herself up perfectly. The teen quickly refocused as she drew her card and looked at it.
"Let's hope this works. First, I switch my Zoroa back into attack mode!" stated Sunny as she straightened out her card as her monster rose. "Next, I activate the special ability of my Rilliona, the Magistus of Verre from my graveyard. Banishing her allows me to target 1 'Magistus' monster I control and equip a different 'Magistus' monster from my graveyard as long as it isn't a Level 4 monster. So I'll equip my Zoroa with my Aiwass, the Magistus Spell Spirit." Sunny's selected spellcaster appeared before she transferred her spirit to her comrade as he felt the power boost.
"Now my Zoroa gains 1000 extra attack and defense points!" stated the girl(2900/1500 → 3900/2500). "Now, Zoroa. Attack her Scrap Twin Dragon!"
"I activate my facedown, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow. So your attack is blocked!" stated Izzy as her card flipped up to tank the hit from Sunny's all-powerful magician as her dragon remained unharmed. "Then my card sets itself so I can use it again later."
"Maybe. But remember that Zoroa also is equipped with Ninaruru. Meaning that it can launch a second attack. And you can only use your Scrap-Iron Scarecrow once per turn. So this time, your dragon is being sent to the scrap heap for good!" declared Sunny as her magician shot a second wave of fireballs.
"I reveal my facedown, Half Shut! Now I target one monster on the field and cut their attack points in half until the End Phase. So I choose your Zoroa!" stated Izzy as a cyclone shot toward Sunny's monster as it lost some strength (3900 → 1950).
"Oh no!" shouted Sunny as her eyes widened.
"Don't worry. Your monster can't be destroyed," assured Izzy.
Her dragon roared as it fired a double beam of energy. It collided with the fireballs Sunny's magician shot, pushing them back easily. The beams kept on going as they collided with Sunny's monster again. It caused the girl's monster to feel pain as the beams went through and collided near Sunny's feet as the girl covered up.
Sunny's Life Points: 3750-
Sunny recovered from the attack as she looked at her monster. She glanced over at Izzy as her friend merely smiled.
"I end my turn," stated the girl.
Turn 17: Izzy (Hand 2)
"My turn!" stated Izzy as she drew her card. "Now I'll turn my Level 4 Chimera with my Level 4 Raptor and Level 2 Quillbolt Hedgehog!"
"I don't like the sound of that!" said Sunny as she added the numbers to realize something big was happening.
Izzy's dino roared into four giant green rings circling her Chimera and Hedgehog as a light surged. "One and two weren't good enough. So prepare to feel the wrath of this mechanical triple threat! I Synchro Summon, Atomic Scrap Dragon(3200/2400)!" Thunder boomed despite being inside. A shadow appeared as six eyes flashed, and a roar was heard. The shadow disappeared as it revealed Izzy's biggest and most powerful dragon, which had three heads(3200/2400 → 3400/2600).
"One dragon was bad enough," said Sunny, staring at Izzy's beast.
"Next, I activate the ability of my Scrap Twin Dragon. So I select one card I control and two cards that you control. So I choose my Scrap-Iron Scarecrow, your Zoroa, and your continuous spell card, Trismagistus." stated Izzy as all three cards selected glowed.
"So what now?" asked Sunny, unsure what Izzy just did.
"Simple, the card I selected for myself is destroyed. And the cards I selected on your side are returned to your hand."
"No!" said Sunny.
Izzy's trap was gone as Sunny's spell card turned into a white light, and the card reappeared in her hand. As for her monster, it began to turn into a white light; instead of going to her hand, the Extra Deck compartment of her Duel Disk opened up as the light entered before it shut.
"Because your monster is a Synchro, instead of going to the hand, it goes back to your Extra Deck. Meaning you have to summon it all over again," stated Izzy.
"No, no, no!" panicked Sunny as she realized her situation.
"Scrap Twin Dragon, attack her Rilliona, the Wonderous Magistus Witch Wardrobe!" commanded Izzy as she gave her double-headed dragon its orders. Her beast roared and fired a double beam as it took out Sunny's remaining monster, leaving her defenseless. "Now, Atomic Scrap Dragon. Attack Sunny directly!" Izzy's triple-headed beasted opened its mouth and charged up. In an instant, a triple beam was fired. The tri-attack collided with Sunny, knocking the girl off her feet as she tumbled.
Sunny's Life Points: 350-
"Sunny!" shouted Hitch as he saw his best friend hit the ground.
"Ooops," chuckled Izzy, thinking she might have done it a bit too much with having her monster charge up.
Sunny grunted as she managed to recover and get to her feet. The girl tried her best not to show weakness, though the small scuffs she got from Izzy's latest attack weren't easy to hide.
"I end my turn, bestie," stated Izzy as her two monsters roared.
Turn 18: Sunny (Hand 5)
Sunny dusted her jacket as she tried to shake off her nerves. The girl looked at her deck before looking at Izzy and her two monsters before her. The teen was in a pickle as she considered how to get out of this one. With the cards in her hands, she didn't have much to take down, let alone one of Izzy's beasts.
A duel isn't over until the last card is played. Remember this lesson, Sunny. As long as you have life points and believe in the heart of the cards. You still have a chance.
"Heart of the cards, huh?" said the girl as she put her hand over her deck. "Let's see if he was right." Sunny drew her card and placed it with her others as she began to observe her hand. "I'll start by summoning Eccentric Boy(800/200)." A small wizard with spiky yellow hair and weird wings appeared. "And thanks to Eccentric Boy's special ability, I can synchro summon using a monster in my hand."
"From your hand?" said Izzy, surprised that that was a thing.
"I thought you needed the monster to be on the field to do that," stated Zipp as she, too, was stunned to hear that.
"So I tune my Level 3 Eccentric Boy with my Level 4 Power Angel Valkyria." Sunny's smaller monster turned into three giant green rings that circled her other monster as a light surged. "I Synchro Summon, Arcanite Magician(400/1800)!" A wizard appeared as it wore a light blue robe with drawings and had a staff.
"But it only has 400 attack points," stated Izzy.
"Then check out his ability. When Arcanite Magician is Synchro summoned, he gains two spell counters and receives 1000 extra attack points for each one," stated the girl(400 → 2400).
"I'm sure everybody is wondering where all this is going. So, let me shed some light. And it starts with this Mystical Space Typhoon and blows away your field spell!" stated Sunny as a giant wind blew over the field. The wind knocked down Izzy's building behind her as it was gone. "Next, I activate my Arcanite Magician's special ability; whenever I remove one of the spell counters, I can destroy one of your cards. So by both counters, both your dragons are destroyed!" Sunny's monster spun its staff as both of Izzy's mighty beasts were removed.
"My dragons may be gone, but that doesn't mean I'm defenseless. Thanks to my Scrap Twin Dragon's ability, I can summon one non-Synchro 'Scrap' monster from my graveyard when it's destroyed. So my Junk Berserker is back!" stated Izzy as her monster from before appeared.
"Just what I was hoping for," smiled Sunny. "With no spell counters, my magician loses the extra points he gets. "Next, I'll play this, Monster Reborn, to revive any monster I want. And I choose my Aiwass, the Magistus Spell Spirt. And then activate her effect to equip it onto your monster, allowing me to control it." Izzy's monster disappeared before reappearing on Sunny's side. "Lastly, I play this. A spell card known as Magistus Enchantment. Now I can equip 1 'Magistus' monster onto my Arcanite Magician, which gains the attack points of the monster I choose. So I'm equipping my Zoroa, the Magistus Conflagrant Calamity, onto my Arcanite Magician!" stated the girl(400 → 3300). Her monster appeared for a second before it was absorbed by her weaker monster to power itself.
"It's been a blast, Izzy. One of the most fun duels I've ever had. But it's time I win. So, Junk Berserker, attack!" Sunny gave her first command as Izzy's former monster charged up its fists before thrusting them out and colliding with the girl who covered up.
Izzy's Life Points: 1800-
"And finally... Arcanite Magician, end this duel!"
Sunny's final monster spun its staff effortlessly in its hand before aiming it at Izzy and firing. The attack shot forward, taking out the remaining of Izzy's Life Points.
Izzy's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Sunny
The duel ended as the monsters disappeared. For a while, there was nothing but silence. Soon some clapping started as the entire room applauded the two girls for the show they put on.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to the winner. Ms. Sunny Starscout!" said Principal Celestia through the mic.
The girl looked around and saw everybody applauding her, bringing a smile to her face. Up above, in their spot, Roll and Mario watched on keenly.
"I'll give it Sunny. She's gotten better," said Roll.
"Her and Izzy. Both have grown since their first duel," chimed in Mario.
The two siblings were about to leave when something happened. Principal Celestia approached Izzy and Sunny as she, smiled at the two teens and congratulated them on a job well done. She then stood in the middle of the dueling field as she looked to address the audience.
"I hope everyone enjoyed that. Because... we have a surprise guest who was able to come," stated the woman.
The school's principal then stepped to the side as the person in the corridor of the hallway leading into the room appeared. Nearly everybody gasped at who it was.
"Please, welcome the World Champion," smiled Celestia.
"No... way," muttered Sunny as she couldn't believe her eyes.
"Excellent dueling, Sunny," said Isaac, addressing the girl while walking past her.
Up above, the two siblings had stunned expressions. One of which was different.
"You got to be fucking kidding me!" growled Mario as his fists clenched. His anger was boiling like a volcano about to erupt.
The rest of the festivities went on as planned. However, with the arrival of the World Champion, it changed things a little bit. People began to crowd the man as they wanted to get some pics and autographs. Eventually, a small line began to form as they all wanted to meet the World Champion.
"Alright, everybody! Please disburse!" shouted Celestia as some students groaned hearing that. "Move along! If you all want an opportunity to meet the World Champion, please wait until later!"
With the announcement, it worked, as the crowd all began to leave. Celestia let out a sigh before turning around.
"So sorry for that," apologized the principal.
"No worries," said Isaac. "At this point, I've just become used to it."
"Uhm... excuse me."
The two adults turned their heads in the direction of the voice. Standing a few meters away was Sunny as her father was accompanying her. The girl had wanted to speak with the World Champion.
"Yes. Ms. Starscout," stated Celestia as she looked at her student.
"I-I hope I'm not interrupting. But I was wondering if I could speak with Isaac," asked the girl.
"I'm sorry. But unfortunately, the World Champion will not be..."
"It's okay, Celestia," said Isaac, putting his hand out. "I can handle it."
Sunny walked toward the World Champion as Isaac bent down to address her.
"Very good duel, Ms. Sunny," smiled Isaac. "I see you implored some of the cards and tactics I taught you."
"Yeah, I did. Thank you," responded the girl.
"Please... I had nothing to do with it. It was all you. Do you remember what I said when I was teaching how to use them?" asked Isaac.
"You said that if I want to truly unlock their potential, then I need to believe," answered Sunny.
"Glad to see that lesson stuck," said the World Champion as he rubbed Sunny's hair. Isaac then stood up to address the girl's father.
"Pleasure to meet you, sir," stated Argyle as she shook the hand of the World Champion.
"The honor is all mine," responded Isaac. "You've got a talented young daughter. She's got a bright future ahead of her."
"That means a lot. Thank you," said Sunny's father. "I do my best to make my daughter happy."
"I can relate to that feeling," said Isaac as Sunny stood by her father's side and was wrapped in a side hug arm.
"I hate to interrupt. But I need to speak with Mr. Isaac about some important matters," stated Celestia.
"Okay. Thanks again," said Sunny.
"Don't worry, Sunny. We'll see each other again," assured Isaac to the teen that this wouldn't be the last time they would talk.
Sunny and her father waved goodbye as they left to explore the festivities. Once they were gone, Celestia then began to speak with Isaac. What was discussed was unheard by anybody; the only body language that the two adults gave was of Isaac crossing his arms.
In another part of the school grounds, another matter was happening. After the duel between Izzy and Sunny ended, Zipp and Pipp gathered together with Hitch to celebrate the performance put on by their friends. Mario and Roll weren't around, as it caused the girl to be suspicious about that. She wanted to investigate where they were, but right now, she had her problems to deal with.
"Zephyrina! There you are! My goodness, what an ordeal! Gather your things. We need to hit the road if we're going to make it back to the mansion by sundown." stated Haven to her eldest daughter.
"What about Pipp?" asked Zipp.
"Well, while I do like the idea of you being there to keep an eye on her, let's face it, she livestreams everything, so that's not really necessary. You're the one I need here, studying my every move and representing the family and business."
Haven grabbed her daughter's arm and began to drag her away. However, Zipp pumped the brakes as she stopped. Haven turned to look at her daughter as the girl had her head down.
"Mom... I'm not going back with you," said Zipp as she removed her mother's grip from her arm.
"Zephyrina," said Haven, looking at her daughter as she was expecting some explanation from her child.
Zipp took a deep breath before addressing her mother.
"My place is here at CHS with my friends. I just... I just need more time to figure things out. To learn more about me. To explore who I am before I take on my duty. I just... I just want to discover who I truly am. And... you know what? I think who I am is someone who likes figuring things out." stated Zipp.
The girl looked at her mother as she was expecting her to be angry or scold her. But that wasn't the case. Instead, the teen's mother had a warm smile on her face.
"Yes, you certainly are, my little investigator," said Haven as she touched her daughter's cheek.
"So... does that mean... you'll let me stay?" asked Zipp.
"Yes, Zephyrina. You can stay with your friends," responded the woman to her child.
"Thanks, Mom," said Zipp as she did something that surprised her and her mother. She hugged her mom as Haven wrapped her arms around her daughter.
"Mom? Would you do me a favor?"
"Anything, darling."
"Would you mind just calling me Zipp for now?" asked the girl.
"Of course, Zephyr- I mean, Zipp," stated Haven to her child. "But you have to promise me you'll call more often." The woman pulled her daughter back to address her.
"Okay. I can do that," smiled Zipp.
"Good. Now go on and have fun. Tell your sister I said goodbye."
"Thanks, Mom. I love you," stated the girl to her mother, giving her another quick hug before taking off.
Haven watched her eldest child run off as she felt a warm feeling inside. It made the woman smile as she could see that Zipp was no longer the little girl she once was; she was slowly turning into the young woman she would be for the rest of her life.
"They grow up so fast," muttered Haven. "If only you were here to see that."
Zipp was looking to seek her friends out to tell them the news about her status. She was passing by the school when she noticed something. The door was slightly ajar, indicating that someone must have opened it. She looked at the nearby windows as she spotted Roll and Mario in a classroom. From what it looked like, the two were having a conversation. She wondered what they were talking about as she silently entered the building.
The teen was heading toward the classroom as she kept quiet. She saw the doorframe of the room the two siblings were in as she hugged the wall. She got to the door and peeked in, surprised that neither was present. Zipp looked about the room, but they weren't around. It confused the girl as she wondered where they could have gone. She then heard a sound as it caught her ears. It came from the hallway as she peeked out and heard a similar sound before turning to the left.
Mario and Roll were walking in one of the hallways. After seeing the World Champion suddenly appear, the two disappeared into the school building to discuss something. There was a ton of shouting from Mario as Roll just listened to her big brother vent his feelings. They disappeared from the classroom Zipp spotted them in as the boy wanted to get far away from the festivities and head back to his dorm. Roll was walking behind her brother, and she saw he was distraught.
As they were heading back, Mario suddenly stopped a few meters before his sister. The girl also stopped as she looked at her older sibling. Mario had so many thoughts running through his head as his anger and temper boiled even more. He then sensed something as the scowl on his face grew. Roll kept her gaze on her brother before sighing and turning around. As if expecting, there was someone a few meters away. The person was staring at the duo with his hands in his pockets.
Zipp managed to follow the sound she heard as she lurked in the hallways. She came to a corner and hugged the wall again before peeking out. She spotted Mario and Roll, with the girl looking at the person behind them. But the person who that was shocked her.
"Mario? Roll? What are they doing here? And... with... the World Champion?" muttered Zipp as she was shocked to see the man with her friends.
Soon she got her answer. Roll looked at the man as she lifted her hand and smiled before waving it slowly.
"Hi, Dad," stated Roll.
Isaac merely smiled at seeing his daughter.
"D-Dad?" gasped Zipp. "No... no... no way. That's... that can't be."
The billionaire princess was at a loss for words after she heard what Roll said to Isaac. She clutched her head as she tried to make sense of all this. Zipp quickly looked and almost fumbled her phone as she pulled it out and pressed record.
While Roll kept on waving to her father, Mario began to walk. It got the attention of his sister and Isaac as they saw the boy walking.
"Bro! Big bro!" Roll called out to her sibling.
"Mario," stated Isaac, hoping to get the boy's attention. "Son!"
At that moment, Mario stopped upon nearing that. The boy kept his head down as he cursed himself for being labeled as that.
"You're nothing but a junkie," muttered the teen to himself. He then continued to walk.
Isaac, Roll, and Zipp hiding behind the corner watched Mario continue to walk as he eventually disappeared. Silenced remained as the World Champion watched his son as it seemed he still harbored those feelings inside.
"You came after all?" said Roll as she got her father's attention.
"Yup. And I had to find some things out," said Isaac as he crossed his arms and glared at his daughter.
Roll gulped as she tugged her collar. She knew her father's tone by memory, which meant he had something serious to discuss.
"Does... Mom kno-"
"She does after I told her," said Isaac as he circled the girl, keeping his arms crossed. "You know how me and your mother feel about you hiding stuff from us and having to find out from others?"
"Y-Yeah," responded Roll with her head down.
The girl could feel her father's presence affecting her. She knew that her father never yelled at her and Roll growing up unless it was something serious that they messed up with. Instead, he would speak in a soft, low tone threatening enough that she and Mario feared the most.
"I'm sure you had your reasons. But you know..."
"I know," responded the girl as she listened to her father.
Isaac sighed as he looked at his daughter. Even though he wasn't shouting or yelling, he was disappointed with Roll. The man put his hand on the girl's head and rubbed it; Isaac gave a warm smile as Roll couldn't help but copy her father's expression despite being in trouble.
"Come on. We have a lot to discuss," stated Isaac as he began to walk with Roll, following her parent.
They left as Zipp finished recording with her phone and pulled it back behind the corner. The teen pressed the button to stop it as she looked at the file.
"I have to tell the others about this," said Zipp as she disappeared. Now discovering the secret behind the two, she had to spill the beans.
Isaac was shown emerging from the school as he was preparing to leave. It was starting to get late as the World Champion had some commitments. He pulled out his phone to contact Juniper that he was leaving the school to head to the airport. After sending the message and putting his hands back into his pockets, he approached the limo waiting for him; suddenly, two guys in suits blocked him. Isaac raised an eyebrow as a few more appeared behind him as they seemed to have boxed him in.
"Can I help you, gentlemen?" asked the World Champion.
There wasn't a response from the security as they stood stoic. Their shades covered their eyes as Isaac couldn't read their eyes to tell what they were thinking or planning to do. The pro duelist crossed his arms as he awaited what would happen.
"So sorry for this."
The man turned around as the security behind him stood to the side momentarily to allow the person who said that to come forth. That person was none other than Zipp and Pipp's mother, as the woman had wanted to speak with the World Champion.
"My apologies for the boys. Hope they didn't give you too much trouble or felt intimidating," stated Haven.
"I've been intimidated by scarier and tougher opponents in my life," responded Isaac nonchalantly. "Who are you?"
"Oh, right. Sorry for not introducing myself. My name is Haven. I'm the president of Zephyr Heights Industries. It's an honor to meet you, Mr. World Champion."
"Likewise," said Isaac as he removed one of his crossed arms to shake the hand of the woman. "Zephyr Heights Industries? I'm not familiar with the company, but I've heard the name once or twice. What do you specialize in?"
"Oh, mainly everything back home. Our main line deals with beauty products, stocks, and even insurance. We're one of the biggest businesses to exist."
"Is that so? Well, my wife runs a business also. Much bigger and more successful than yours," said Isaac as he threw shade at the woman, testing the waters to see her reaction.
"Y-Yes, well... that is a great accomplishment on her part," coughed Haven as she tried not to let the comment made by the World Champion affect her that her business wasn't the biggest as her total profit margin barely made up 5% of the profit margin that Isaac's wife made.
"In fact, she could buy you out right now if she wanted to."
"Okay, okay," said Haven as she coughed into her hand and tried to calm down the tension. "Let's not do anything hasty. I'm not here to start trouble. I just wanted a chance to speak with you. Perhaps... start a proposition, if you will?"
"What kind of proposition?" asked Isaac as he stared at the woman.
"Well, seeing as how you're the World Champion regarding Duel Monsters. You've gotten tons of recognition throughout your career. You've got a bigger following of fans than my daughter. People see you, and they love you. They love what you do. Tons of charity, media appearances, interviews, and even performing for stadiums of people. And... once you decide that your dueling career is over, I promise to offer a generous amount of money to retire in peace and can work out a deal where you can still represent us on your own schedule. So... I was hoping that perhaps you and I could form a business partnership?"
"How so?" asked Isaac.
"Well, I would sponsor you with more money than you've had from any sponsors in the past. Win or lose, doesn't matter to me. You alone would make the profit margin back from all the advertising I would do. Whatever is left over, you will keep. And in return, I ask that you model some products, do some commercials. Basically, do anything to help spread the word about my business." stated Haven as she felt that someone of Isaac's status, with his help and who he was, could increase her line of work to new heights.
"This isn't my first meeting with suits. What's the catch?" asked Isaac.
"No catch. No blackmail, no threatening. Just... a simple single woman trying to make her life's work the best it can be. So that when my daughter takes over, she can continue where I left off." said Haven in a genuine tone. "I'm sure... you can relate to that."
"Yeah," said Isaac as he thought about his wife and how hard she worked to get her business to where it was. "You said you had a daughter?"
"Two, actually. Their names are Zipp and Pipp. They're both students here." confessed Haven.
Isaac had a thinking expression as he crossed his arms. The World Champion focused on what Haven had proposed to him, that if he agreed to this partnership, they could help each other. Money wasn't an issue. And while it seemed like what Haven was proposing seemed too good to be true, he could tell from how she spoke and the look in her eyes that she was serious. The duelist was sensing the vibe he got from the businesswoman as he didn't see her with any evil intentions. She said she was just a single woman trying to grow her company well.
The man uncrossed his arms as he removed his cap and ran his hand through his hair and down his neck. He let out a deep sigh before placing his cap back on. He looked at Haven as the woman was waiting for his answer.
"Listen, Ms. Haven. I can see you mean well. And... I'd like to say yes, but..."
Haven gasped as she dreaded what the World Champion would say to decline her offer.
"Unfortunately, I can't make that decision. What I mean is that I'm very busy with my life. To put it into perspective, my agent and I literally have every single day planned out until the end of the year. And every single hour is planned out down to the smallest detail. So as you can imagine, just getting one hour alone of my time would cost quite a chunk of change."
"Price is not a problem," said Haven, as she was willing to pay whatever Isaac asked. However many zero's he asked for, she would do it.
"Money may not be an issue for you, specifically. But it is quite a lot just to get one hour of my time uninterrupted. My time is so indispensable that people have to pay me for it, and I use the money to do other good acts. That's how it's been for the past 15 years of my career as a pro duelist." stated Isaac.
"I understand," said Haven as she felt slightly disappointed after hearing Isaac's statement.
"But... again, that isn't my department. If you want to form some business partnership, you need to talk to my agent." Isaac then flicked his fingers as a business card appeared in between. "Here's her card. Give her a call, and you can start discussing the details."
"I will. Thank you for your time, at least," said Haven as she took the card from Isaac and eyed it.
The woman then looked at her security, blocking the door to Isaac's limo as they stood to the side. The World Champion turned as he approached the door and opened it before entering. Haven stood before the window as it rolled down to reveal the man looking ahead.
"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ms. Haven," stated Isaac as the limo zoomed away.
The window was rolled up as the woman watched the vehicle drive off. She looked at the business card given her as the number to Isaac's agent was there. The woman knew this was a good opportunity for herself as she was determined to make it happen. Whatever it took. In the back of the limo, Isaac rested his arm on the edge of the window as he looked out of it. A while passed before he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone; with a touch of a finger, he began to call the contact and lifted it to his ear.
"Hey."
"Did you tell them?"
"Yeah. I told them," stated Isaac as the car continued to drive along the road.
Author's Note: And so the battle between Izzy and Sunny has won with the latter winning. But take nothing away from Izzy, she's clearly shown she's gotten better and stronger. And in a surprise twist, the special guest watching was none other than the World Champion who showed up unannounced to the surprise of everybody, especially two people. And it seems Zipp has undiscovered something. Now the question is: What will this revelationlead to and if what Zipp does will cause harm?