Chapter #2: Silent Are The Leftover Smiles

In the end, it was far harder to settle into their new life than Shiori had envisioned. Despite the fact that they were no longer living with their parents, she still entered the apartment bracing herself against some invisible force, expecting for someone to look at her and say something unreasonable.

Risu stuck to her side the entire time—her sister was so terrified of being alone that she couldn't even go to school, despite Shiori's best efforts. So Shiori got a copy of the syllabus for the third grade and started teaching her sister herself, because what other option did she have?

She also ended up working some odd jobs, at the worst shifts imaginable, but it was… well, it was something. It kept her busy enough to stop thinking.

Reiji Akaba kept all his promises, surprisingly. They had settled on a five year contract in the end—just enough for Shiori to sit her final exams for the high school syllabus, and to do her degree online for four years. If, by that point, whatever Reiji was talking about didn't happen, she was free to go off and do whatever she wanted.

So, she enrolled into LDS. There was a big issue with that—namely, that she actually had to attend classes. And having to go there meant that Risu would come along with her.

Shiori had entered LDS, expecting to have to ward off questions. Her defences had been up.

And then, Sakaki Manami had approached on her first day there, amidst whispers.

"Hey, Fujishiro!" The blonde girl had said cheerfully. She beamed at Risu. "Hi, Risu-chan!"

Risu had looked up shyly, tugging on her hoodie. Her grip on Shiori's hand tightened. "… hello," she said.

"Hello," Shiori greeted. "Did Akaba Reiji send you, or…"

"No, I came here myself!" Manami smiled. "I want to be friends with you."

… so simple and bold.

Shiori respected it.

"Sure," Shiori said with a shrug. "Let's hang out."


Something that Shiori noticed quickly about Manami was that the other girl didn't seem to know a lot of other people here, either.

Manami had been flustered when she had pointed it out. "I'm a transfer student," she admitted. "Just came here a while before you, actually… before this, I went to my uncle's school. And my circumstances are a bit different! I didn't join any of the specific courses that LDS offers—uh, Xyz, Fusion or Synchro. So I didn't meet a lot of people here too."

"Your uncle's… school?"

Manami blinked. "You… don't know who my uncle is?"

"My parents weren't exactly fans of dueling, so while I learned it on my own, I never watched professional matches. If he's a pro, I haven't heard of him."

A shadow passed over Manami's face. "… that's good," she said. "I was wondering why you didn't react to my last name, but… that makes sense." She glanced at Shiori. "Well… I feel like I already know a bit too much about you, and you didn't really choose to tell me, so… I guess I'll tell you about it. My uncle's name is Sakaki Yusho. He was a really famous duelist with his own style of dueling—Entertainment Dueling. That was what he taught at his own duel school as well—You Show Duel School."

"… a little narcissistic," Shiori remarked.

Manami smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. But, uh… a few months ago, he vanished on the day of an important match. It ruined his reputation."

"Why would that be the case?" Shiori said. "Missing a single match shouldn't be such a big deal."

Manami nodded. Her fists were clenched—a strange amount of aggression from such a friendly girl. "You're right. I wish more people thought like you… I really wish…" She shook her head. "Initially, the crowd was just rooting for the underdog—Strong Ishijima, who had been the one to challenge my uncle in the first place. So they heckled him a bit, laughed a bit, mocked him as a coward—no one there actually believed it. My cousin thought that they did, and he tried to defend my uncle, but… no, I don't need to talk about that part. But after the interview, paparazzi somehow managed to get a hold of my uncle's financial records. They found that there was a large payment made to him on the day before the match. So everyone thought that he had been bribed to throw the match against Strong Ishijima, but had instead chosen not to show up. Strong Ishijima came out and told the press that he'd never bribed his opponents, but suggested that my uncle was working in something shady. And you know how people blow gossip up—one thing led to another, and the idea of being able to write a shocking headline against one of the top pro duelists was too good for all the tabloids to pass up. So with all of that news, my uncle became a laughing stock."

Shiori and Risu exchanged a look.

"That's not right," Shiori said quietly. "And no one knows what happened to him?"

"I wish we knew," Manami said. She hesitated. "Maybe Yuya and the rest know more… I'm not really on good terms with my family anymore."

That seemed to be a loaded topic for Manami. Shiori considered her words carefully, and then she said: "Family is always difficult. But someone like you probably won't be alone for a long time."

"Huh?"

"… you're friendly." Shiori shrugged. "Case in point, I like you. Risu will vouch that it's not easy for me to like people, right?" Her sister nodded. "Exactly. So I don't think you'll have problems living your own life."

"… thanks," Manami said. "But it's not like I…" She struggled. "I want to reconcile with them someday. But the last time… it didn't go so well."

Shiori looked at her.

… letting this topic go on any longer would probably be bad for Manami's mood.

"Let's get lunch," she said. "I want to know more about your True Dracos."

"O-oh!" Manami beamed. The three of them started walking together—Risu peered up curiously at Manami. "Sure! Well, honestly, I first got them because they were pretty strong! And well, thematically, I liked their appearance. And I've always liked dragons."

"And yet you play Wyrms."

"Hey, they're basically dragons! It's in the name. And well, anyway—"


A week after Shiori first entered LDS, she was called aside by a teacher that she didn't recognise.

"You've been transferred to the Fusion Course," the man said. "I'm Professor Marco Tojyo—I'm in charge of the Fusion Course, so you'll be under my care from now on."

"I don't have Fusion Monsters," Shiori said. Well, it seemed that actually having the monsters required wasn't necessary, considering that Manami was still in the General Course, and she clearly already knew how to Xyz Summon, even though she wasn't that confident in it. Still, she was curious over the rationale of it.

"That much is no issue." Marco held out a small envelope. "It seems that you've caught the eye of the Leo Corporation—they rarely do this for students in LDS until they're in their third year, or at least have some accomplishments." He had some curiosity in his eyes as he looked at her. "Seven Fusion Monsters, made specifically for you, and a few cards that support Fusion. The CEO expresses his interest in your growth and hopes that you will use these wisely."

"Thank you," Shiori said. "If possible, could you send me my new schedule then?"

"It will be sent to your student email later today."

"Thank you," Shiori repeated. Once Marco left, she sighed.

"What's wrong, Shiori?" Risu asked.

"I wish that guy would tell me what he wants from me to my face," she said. Because how was she supposed to react to the CEO of a busy corporation giving her Fusion Monsters out of nowhere, especially when it was not in their contract? Was she just supposed to learn Fusion Summoning? Was she supposed to do something else? How was she supposed to know what he wanted?

She opened the envelope and looked at the cards.

… hmm.

She really liked them.

"Can I see?"

Shiori lowered the cards for Risu to look at them.

"They're scary," Risu said. "Like your puppets in your deck…"

"Would you like cuter monsters, Risu?" Shiori said, cracking a smile. "I like my cards."

"They don't suit you though."

Of course Risu would think that. Shiori patted her head. "Well, I have used them for a long time. It'd be a shame to stop using them now. Don't worry about it. Still—"

She almost asked about what had happened to Risu's deck, and barely stopped herself in time. The answer to that was very obvious.

"Want a deck?" She asked. "I'll bug him for you."


So, armed with two goals, Shiori went to the Leo Corporation building and politely asked the receptionist if she could have a meeting with a certain CEO.

The receptionist had clearly heard the story of Shiori breaking into the building, judging from how wary she looked. Still, she spoke up. "The CEO is currently participating in some of his pro matches," she said. "I will relay a message to his aide, Nakajima. You can wait here, but it'll likely take several hours."

Pro matches… right. In addition to being a CEO at 16, Akaba Reiji had also earned qualifications to be a Pro Duelist.

Shiori rather thought that anyone who had ever called her a prodigy would never be able to think of her that way again, if they met him.

Risu tugged at her hand. "Is… nii-san's match… can we watch it?"

Nii-san. Shiori internally noted that down—Risu liked Reiji enough to refer to him like that? "They're streamed online, yeah. I think they show it in cafes and on big screens all around the city."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Maiami City is crazy about dueling like that. Weird, right?" Shiori heard the receptionist smother a laugh. She turned around, nodding respectfully. "Thank you. We'll come back later."

They left together, and they ended up sitting at a cafe. It was around the right time—Reiji was taking the second turn, right after his opponent, when they started watching the duel.

Shiori watched, head leaning on her arm. Kings stormed across the field, one by one, strength gathering. One shrouded in flames—Genghis, the conqueror. One surrounded by bright green winds—Alexander, the tactician. And one purple warrior within a whirlpool—Caesar, the dominator. One by one, their attacks crashed down on his opponent, wiping their life points clean.

"What are you thinking about, Shiori-nee-san?"

I'm thinking that Akaba Reiji truly is a frightening boy, and he'll be an even more frightening man when he's older.

I'm thinking that he's too perfect, and to someone like me who loathes perfection, I despise him. I can't help but want to destroy perfect things.

I'm thinking that I want to conquer the conqueror, overrule the king—crush him beneath my feet.

"Shiori?"

"I'm thinking that I would like to duel Akaba Reiji," she said—still the truth, but far toned down from her original thoughts.


By the time that they returned to the Leo Corporation, the receptionist let them head up towards the office. Risu seemed slightly nervous when she looked at all the corridors—clearly, she remembered the time that she had spent here, but not with fondness.

Shiori spoke up to distract her. "What do you want to eat tonight, Risu?"

Risu blinked, before seeming to genuinely consider it. With the reminder of home, she seemed slightly less nervous as they walked together.

They got to the office like that, and Reiji was already inside.

"Congratulations," Shiori said, following usual social etiquette. Reiji inclined his head in acknowledgement.

"What did you need?" He said. His voice was completely professional—as though he was talking to an employee.

Good. Shiori didn't mind that.

"I was told today that I was being shifted to the Fusion Course," Shiori said.

"Were you given the Fusion Monsters?"

"Yes."

"So what's the issue?"

"Why Fusion?"

"… Fusion and Ritual are the only methods that count as sending a monster to the graveyard by a card effect," Reiji informed her. "I made an informed decision that giving you Fusion would probably the better option."

"I didn't think that you would give me free cards."

Reiji raised his head. "… I wouldn't call them free. I gave them to you because I need you to be a stronger duelist than you are right now."

… that much, Shiori could accept.

"What was with the message you asked Professor Marco to give me?" Shiori asked. "That you were… what? Interested in my growth?"

"Naturally." Reiji pushed his glasses up. He looked at her, completely composed. "Giving you these cards, entering you into LDS—all of this is investment. If you do not provide returns, it will be a waste."

"… would you like to see with your own eyes if I improve with Fusion Summoning then?" Shiori suggested, keeping her voice even.

"What are you suggesting?"

"Cut out the middle man," Shiori said. "Teach me yourself." Next to her, Risu shot her a surprised look. "You're stronger than any of the people that I'm supposed to call my professors at LDS. If you invest in me by giving me a teacher inferior to yourself, aren't you worried that I'll turn out an inferior product?"

"I do not have time to teach in the day," Reiji said.

Shiori nodded, accepting the rejection—

"But I suppose you have a point. We can call it an experiment." Reiji did not look at her. "I will take a look at my schedule and let you know—but it is wise for you to attend the Fusion Course lessons, regardless. It will help you to build up the necessary reputation."

He… actually agreed?

… huh. For all of Shiori's bluntness, she hadn't expected to get quite this far.

Reiji turned back to his work.

Shiori thought about Risu calling this boy 'nii-san', about how he had probably been kind to Risu before Shiori had finally gotten to Maiami City, and sighed internally.

Fine.

"Want to get dinner?" She asked. "Risu wanted ramen from the shop two streets down from LDS."

Reiji turned to look at her. Shiori, who was still expecting to be rejected, was surprised when he stood up.

"I'll go over the basics of Fusion Summoning with you," he said. "It'll save time."

"Sure."

Risu looked between the two of them. A small smile emerged on her face—barely a flash of it.


Sakaki Manami would quietly admit to one thing, once Risu and Shiori had headed off.

For all that she liked Fujishiro Shiori, for all that she really wanted to be friends with her…

She was also envious of her.

The good relationship between Risu and Shiori was one that she wished she still had with her own sister. With her cousin, with her family.

Not for the first time, Manami wished that Uncle Yusho had never disappeared.

Things would be very different if that was the case.

There was a reason that she lived at the LDS dorms, after all.

She found herself, as usual, walking towards that street, looking at that geometrically puzzling structure where she had spent much of her childhood. You Show, You Show… you couldn't even say the school's name without hearing that man's name within it.

She walked up to the side door—the one that led straight into the Duel Field. She stood there for a while—and then she spotted two people standing opposite each other inside the school, ready to duel.

One of them was a short boy with red and green hair. The other was a girl with the same blonde hair as Manami—but her eyes were soft blue.

Manami couldn't help it. She stood there and watched, her heart aching slightly.

How could it not ache, for the family that she had left behind?


"Come on, Ayami!"

"Coming, coming." Sakaki Ayami rolled her eyes, still combing her short, curly blonde hair. "I need to hold my hair in place first. Action Duels get messy, y'know."

Though of course Yuya wouldn't consider that. He didn't seem to mind the atrocious spikes that his hair ended up in constantly. Really, they were the same age, and he didn't know how to groom himself properly yet? Jeez.

If her mother heard her thoughts, she'd probably tell Ayami not to be mean to her cousin, but it was just the truth, wasn't it?

Once she was done, she put her hair up in a quick bun, and then she walked towards the field.

"Are you sure you got permission from Shuzo-san to use the Action Field?"

"He won't mind!" Yuya popped into the booth. "And… there we go!" An Action Field shot up around Ayami—one of the fields that people used for dueling. Cards scattered around them—the Action Cards that people could pick up and play during the duel to give themselves an advantage. This one was a circus—the same one that Yuya liked so much, the same one that Sakaki Yusho had used for his performances multiple times.

Ayami hated it, but she wasn't going to tell Yuya that. It would be kicking him while he was down.

"Let's go!" Yuya declared cheerfully, plastering a smile on his face.

Ayami really hated that fake-ass smile.

"Duelists locked in battle!" She declared—just to get things over with more quickly.

"Kicking the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters!" Yuya shouted.

"They storm through this field!"

"Behold! This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling!"

"Action—"

"—Duel!"

[ACTION DUEL!]

Sakaki Ayami: 4000LP

Sakaki Yuya: 4000LP

[Turn 1: Ayami] [H:5]

"I'll start," Ayami said. She glanced through her hand. "I'll reveal an "Attraction" Trap in my hand—my Amaze Attraction Thrill Train—to Special Summon Amazement Assistant Delia from my hand!"

A blonde girl wearing blue and green robes appeared, smiling widely. There were checkered, darker patterns on some parts of her clothing, and she was wearing long black socks and boots.

[Amazement Assistant Delia (4*/1800/1400/LIGHT/Machine/Effect)]

"Delia's effect. By sending an "Attraction" Trap from my hand or face-up field to the graveyard, I can directly set a "Attraction" Trap from my deck to my Spell and Trap Zones." She dropped Thrill Train, and a card appeared on her field. "I'll then Normal Summon Amazement Attendant Comica!"

A more serious-looking young woman appeared, wearing similar colours to Delia—green and blue, mixed together in cooling shades, golden accents around the collar and sleeves, as well as forming seams across the centre of her costume. Both she and Delia had the same heterochromatic blue and pink eyes.

[Amazement Attendant Comica (4*/1400/1800/LIGHT/Machine/Effect)]

"When Amazement Attendant Comica is Normal Summoned, I can set another "Attraction" Trap from my deck to my field." Another set card appeared next to the first. "Over to you, Yuya."

To be honest, for all that Ayami's deck did fit with the overall theme of You Show Duel School, it just… didn't fit with Action Duels in general. Her usage of Traps were usually questioned by people around her. For all that she was thirteen, she knew what style she wanted—and while Action Spells had removed most people's focus on defending themselves in favour of attacking instead, Ayami didn't really like that.

She watched as Yuya drew a card.

[Turn 2: Yuya] [H:6]

"Draw! I'll Normal Summon Entermate Sword Fish!" A blue fish appeared, a large, dark blade attached to the top of it, causing its entire body to appear as though it was shaped as a sword.

[Entermate Sword Fish (2*/600/600/WATER/Fish/Effect)]

"And I'll bring out a second performer with the effect of Entermate Helpprincess! When a "Entermate" monster is Normal or Special Summoned, I can Special Summon her from my hand!" Yuya winked. "And I'll chain Sword Fish's effect! When Sword Fish is Normal or Special Summoned, I can make all monsters you control lose 600 attack and defense points! Sword Fish's effect resolved soon after, and both Comica and Delia's stats fell.

[Amazement Assistant Delia: 1800 - 600 = 1200ATK; 1400 - 600 = 800DEF]

[Amazement Attendant Comica: 1400 - 600 = 800ATK; 1800 - 600 = 1200DEF]

"Helpprincess's effect resolves!"

A purple-haired girl in a frilly dress appeared, twirling around in the air.

[Entermate Helpprincess (4*/1200/1200/DARK/Warrior/Effect)]

"And then, each time that I Special Summon a monster while I control Sword Fish, I can lower your monsters' attack and defense points by 600 again!" Sword Fish swung through the air, sending forth a wave that weakened both Delia and Comica again.

[Amazement Assistant Delia: 1200 - 600 = 600ATK; 800 - 600 = 200DEF]

[Amazement Attendant Comica: 800 - 600 = 200ATK; 1200 - 600 = 600DEF]

"I will tribute Entermate Sword Fish to Special Summon Entermate Sleight Hand Magician!" A masked magician dressed in bright red appeared, spinning glass balls going between the fingers of his right hand—disappearing and reappearing rapidly. He spun a staff through the air.

[Entermate Sleight Hand Magician (7*/2500/2000/LIGHT/Spellcaster/Effect)]

At the same time, Yuya raced towards one of the trampolines. He knew this field better than anyone else, of course—he knew where the Action Cards were.

"Battle Phase! Entermate Sleight Hand Magician attacks Amazement Assistant Delia!" The magician dove forward at her monster.

"Trap Card, Amaze Attraction Rapid Racing!" Ayami declared. One of her Traps flipped up—and a bright gold race track appeared, running through the circus and ruining its aesthetic. Cars ran by—the track had appeared in front of Yuya, blocking him off from the Action Card that he'd been going for with traffic. "When this card is activated, I can target a "Amazement" monster I control or a monster you control, and equip it to that monster! I'll equip this to Sleight Hand Magician!" The magician dressed in red was dragged over to the race track by two ghostly hands, suddenly being stuffed into a car.

… alright. Maybe Action Duels worked with her cards in one way—it made her effects look awesome, thank you very much.

"Then, I will immediately use the effect of Rapid Racing! Its effect changes based on whether it's equipped to my monster or yours. Since it's equipped to yours…" Ayami raised a finger. "I can send your monster flying! Rapid Racing increases your monster's Level by 1 until the End Phase and changes its battle position!"

The car shot off down the track, heading all the way to the other side of the field, dropping Sleight Hand Magician off back where it had began.

[Entermate Sleight Hand Magician: 7* + 1* = 8*]

And since Sleight Hand Magician was now in Defense Position, its attack had stopped.

Yuya stared warily at her other set card. Still, he gestured forward. "Helpprincess!"

"I'll activate my other Trap Card, Amaze Attraction Horror House!" An enormous haunted house appeared on her own side of the field. "I'll equip it to Entermate Helpprincess! And since it's equipped to your monster, I can flip that monster facedown!"

Helpprincess was dragged into the horror house. A shriek came out from it, and then a set card was spat back out of it. The horror house then collapsed.

"Since the equipped monster is no longer face-up, my Trap is sent to the graveyard," Ayami explained.

"I'll end my turn," Yuya muttered. He moved away from the race track, searching around for another Action Card.

Ayami sighed.

This reliance on Action Cards… she really wanted to call her cousin out on it, but that would be going against the entire motto of the Duel School, and…

She didn't want to make You Show change. Not like Manami.

However, the thought of her prodigal sister also made her far more… reckless.

[Turn 3: Ayami] [H:3]

"Draw!" Ayami glanced at the card. "Came late, didn't you?"

"Huh?" Yuya turned his head to look at her. "What?"

Sword Fish's effect was permanent, so Comica and Delia's attack and defense points would remain low.

"Oh, nothing." Ayami revealed a card in her hand. "Quickplay Spell, Amazing Time Ticket! I must pay 800 life points to activate this card, and its effect changes depending on whether I activate it on my turn or yours. Since it was my turn, I can add a "Amazement" card to my hand!"

Ayami: 4000 - 800 = 3200LP

"I'll add and activate the Field Spell, Amazement Precious Park!" A colourful, pastel background set of buildings appeared behind her—smaller than their physical counterparts, and they almost looked like a mural—they were on the border of the Solid Vision, rather than actual buildings within it. "I'll then send Amaze Attraction Rapid Racing from my field to the graveyard with Delia's effect to set a different "Attraction" Trap Card from my deck!" The track vanished.

Yuya grabbed an Action Card from the corner of a nearby cannon.

"While I control Amazement Precious Park, I can activate one "Attraction" Trap on the turn it was set—as long as it's my Main Phase." She flipped over the Trap Card. "I will activate the Trap Card, Amaze Attraction Cyclo-Coaster, and equip it to your Sleight Hand Magician!"

A golden roller coaster appeared behind her, glowing slightly. Flames swirled around it.

"And then, since a Trap Card was activated, I can Special Summon my ace from my hand!" Ayami declared. "Come! Administrator and ambassador of fun! Now, to my field—the one and only Amazement Administrator Arlekino!"

A man with light blue hair appeared, spinning around the field. He had a cocky look on his face, and he was dressed in dark blue and purple that faded between shades naturally in a beautiful spectrum. Golden symbols decorated his outfit like gears and cogs, with one of them shaped like a crescent, nailed into his hat. A black checkerboard pattern decorated his vest. His dark long pants covered his legs completely, ending in sleek dark boots that were the same colour.

[Amazement Administrator Arlekhino (7*/2600/2200/DARK/Psychic/Effect)]

"Arlekhino," Yuya muttered. "Your ace…"

"And Arlekhino's always ready to kick some ass, isn't he?" Ayami glanced up as her monster settled in front of her. "I will activate the effect of Cyclo-Coaster! Since it's equipped to your monster, I can send it to the graveyard and add an "Amazement" monster to my hand!" She picked up the card. "Let's do the obvious then. Once per turn, by banishing any number of "Attraction" Traps from my graveyard, I can target an equal number of cards you control and destroy them! I'll banish Cyclo-Coaster and Horror House to target and destroy both Sleight Hand Magician and the facedown Helpprincess!"

"Action Card, Mirror Barrier!" Yuya declared. "I'll target a monster on the field and protect it from destruction by card effects this turn! I'll target my Sleight Hand Magician!"

Of course…

Still, Helpprincess was destroyed.

"I'll change both Delia and Comica to Defense Position. Arlekhino attacks your monster!"

Yuya, as usual, ran for an Action Card. Having no choice but to match him, Ayami nodded to Arlekhino, who grabbed her and tossed her in the air. She grabbed onto a card that was hanging from a nearby trapeze, just as Yuya picked up another card as well.

"Action Card, Miracle! My monster can't be destroyed by battle, and I take halved battle damage!"

Ayami looked at the card in her hand. "Action Card, Energy Biscuits," she said. "I'll gain 500 life points."

Ayami: 3200 + 500 = 3700LP

"I'll end my turn," she said.

[Turn 4: Yuya] [H:4]

"Draw!" Yuya called. "I'll discard a card to activate Entermate Sleight Hand Magician's effect! I will target and destroy a face-up card on the field! I'll choose your Arlekino!"

"Scared of Arlekino?" Ayami rolled her eyes. She spotted an Action Card, but she didn't rush for it. "Sure. Sorry, harlequin."

Arlekino turned to her, raising an eyebrow. Sleight Hand Magician dove forward, slashing at her ace with its staff, erasing it from existence.

"I'll then change Sleight Hand Magician to Attack Position. And I'll Normal Summon Entermate Friendonkey!" A blue-grey donkey with a mischievous smirk appeared, a pink saddle on its back, with two bright pink boxes on both sides of it.

[Entermate Friendonkey (3*/1600/600/EARTH/Beast/Effect)]

"Since Friendonkey was Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower "Entermate" monster from my hand or graveyard. Come back, Entermate Spike Eagle!" A brown bird appeared on the field in front of him.

[Entermate Spike Eagle (2*/900/900/WIND/Winged Beast/Effect)]

"Spike Eagle's effect. I'll target a face-up monster I control, and if it battles a monster you control in Defense Position this turn, it deals piercing damage! I'll target Sleight Hand Magician!" The red magician glowed for a moment. "Spike Eagle will attack Comica!"

Ayami finally picked up the Action Card. She looked at it, but didn't play it. Comica was destroyed soon afterwards.

"And Sleight Hand Magician will attack Delia!"

"Action Card, Evasion!" She called out. "I'll target your monster and negate the attack!" Delia leapt out of the way.

"Secondonkey!"

The donkey charged forward, destroying Delia properly. Still, Ayami had averted any damage this turn.

"I'll end my turn!"

"Then it's mine," Ayami said.

[Turn 5: Ayami] [H:2]

"Draw," Ayami said. "I'll Normal Summon Amazement Ambassador Bufo! Come, cute mascot!" A cute, bubbly red bear appeared, balloons floating all around it. It smiled widely.

[Amazement Ambassador Bufo (3*/1600/900/EARTH/Beast/Effect)]

"Bufo's effect! Since it was Normal Summoned, I can equip a "Attraction" Trap from my graveyard to your monster! I'll equip Thrill Train to your monster!" A large, dragon-like train appeared on the field, running along rails. "Then, Bufo's effect. Once per turn, I can target a "Attraction" Trap I control and change the monster that it's equipped to. I'll equip it to Bufo itself."

The bear leapt forward, hopping into the train with a cheerful wave.

"Since Thrill Train is equipped to my monster, I can change Bufo's battle position," Ayami called out. The train took off, and Bufo cheerily sat down in it, until it was dropped off. It floated in the air, holding onto the helium balloons. "And then, I can set a "Attraction" Trap from my graveyard to my field, but my opponent gets to choose which one it is. However—"

Ayami raised a hand.

"There's only one Trap in the graveyard, so you only have one option! So it sucks to be you! I'll set Amaze Attraction Rapid Racing to my field!" The Trap appeared on her field again. "Spell Card, Resurrection of the Dead! Return to the field, Amazement Administrator Arlekino!" Her ace reappeared on the field. Yuya grimaced.

There were no Traps in her graveyard right now, so Arlekino's effect was not going to work to take out Yuya's monsters. She would have to do this the hard way for now.

"Trap Card, Amaze Attraction Rapid Racing! I'll equip it to Bufo. Then, by changing Bufo's battle position, I can shuffle a card from your graveyard into the deck. I will choose Entermate Sword Fish!"

Her main hope was to just change Bufo to Attack Position. A car shot by, picking up Bufo, who grinned cheerfully, floating upwards again on its balloons.

"Bufo attacks Spikeagle!" The bear dashed forward, slapping its paws against the eagle and destroying it before Yuya could grab an Action Card.

Yuya: 4000 - 700 = 3300LP

"Arlekino!"

Her monster dashed forward, lifting off his hat. Shadows shot out, spinning around Sleight Hand Magician.

"Devour it! Amusement Order!"

With a laugh, the shadows ate straight through Yuya's monster, destroying it too.

Yuya: 3300 - 100 = 3200LP

"I'll end my turn," Ayami said. "During the End Phase, I'll use the effect of my Field Spell. By sending a "Attraction" Trap I control to the graveyard, I can set a "Attraction" Trap with a different name from my graveyard or banished cards to the field. I'll send Thrill Train to the graveyard and set Horror House back to my field!"

[Turn 6: Yuya] [H:3]

"Draw!" Yuya looked at his hand. "I'll Normal Summon Entermate Discover Hippo!" A bright pink hippo appeared on the field, wearing a blue hat and red vest.

[Entermate Discover Hippo (3*/800/800/EARTH/Beast/Effect)]

Discover Hippo… that meant that there was one monster that Yuya was now planning on bringing out, right?

"After Discover Hippo is Normal Summoned, I can Tribute Summon an additional monster this turn, in addition to my Normal Summon! I'll tribute both Entermate Discover Hippo and Entermate Friendonkey!" The two monsters turned into streaks of light. "Come! Today's main attraction, the rare dragon with differently coloured eyes! Odd-Eyes Dragon!"

Yup. Odd-Eyes.

Yuya's ace appeared, a bright red dragon with two different-coloured eyes.

Ayami had never liked dragons, so she couldn't say much about it, honestly. If Yuya liked it, Yuya liked it.

(Well, that wasn't exactly true. Ayami had liked dragons, once upon a time, and then Manami had gone and shown herself to be a fucking turncoat, so who cared about dragons anymore?)

[Odd-Eyes Dragon (7*/2500/2000/DARK/Dragon/Effect)]

"Arlekino's effect," Ayami said, pressing one foot down on the ground firmly. "When my opponent Normal or Special Summons a monster, I can equip a "Attraction" Trap from my deck to that monster! I'll equip Amaze Attraction Majestic Merry-Go-Round!" A large merry-go-round appeared, and Odd-Eyes was dragged to the middle of it. "And any opponent's monster equipped with Merry-Go-Round loses 500 attack points for each "Attraction" Trap I control which is equipped to a monster!"

[Odd-Eyes Dragon: 2500 - 500 x 2 = 1500ATK]

Yuya began to run for another Action Card. He leapt on a trampoline, boosting himself in the air and grabbing another card. "Action Card, High Dive! I'll increase Odd-Eyes's attack points by 1000 until the End Phase!" His dragon glowed.

[Odd-Eyes Dragon: 1500 + 1000 = 2500ATK]

"Odd-Eyes Dragon attacks Amazement Ambassador Bufo! Spiral Flame!"

"... that's so embarrassing, Yuya," Ayami muttered under her breath. She gestured forward. "Bufo's effect. I'll change Merry-Go-Round to be equipped to Bufo instead! I'll then chain Rapid Racing's effect! I'll shuffle High Dive into your deck and change Bufo to Defense Position!" The bear crouched down, holding its balloons in front of itself like a barrier. "Bufo's effect resolves. I will change Merry-Go-Round's current status to have it be equipped to Bufo instead!"

Odd-Eyes's attack points shot up, but Yuya didn't get a replay.

[Odd-Eyes Dragon: 2500 + 1000 = 3500ATK]

"And Odd-Eyes Dragon inflicts damage to the opponent equal to the attack points of the monster in the graveyard after that monster is destroyed, but I can send Merry-Go-Round to the graveyard to protect Bufo from destruction by battle!" The bear survived the blast of fire. "So I take no damage at all."

Yuya's eyes widened. Then, he lowered his head.

"Oi, Yuya." Ayami glanced forward.

… ah, crap. Yuya was crying. But really, what exactly was Ayami supposed to do? Not attack? Not play to her best just to protect her cousin's sensitive feelings?

She really needed help right now…

"Yuya!"

From outside the Action Field, a pink-haired girl charged in. She quickly hugged Yuya.

"Yuzu," Ayami greeted.

Hiiragi Yuzu, one of her brother's two best friends, turned to look at her. "What happened, Ayami?"

"I may have bullied his Odd-Eyes," Ayami said. "It's not my fault though!"

Yuzu sighed. "You know he's sensitive right now—

"He asked!" Ayami shook her head. "No one's obliged to hold back on him just because he's having a hard time! What do you want from me?"


Yuya raised his head, but before he could do anything, the two of them had already started arguing. The duel itself had already been forgotten.

He crept out of the area to turn off the Action Field.

He shouldn't have started crying. He'd just felt so… weak. Not good enough to match up to his father. He'd thought that he was over it, but…

He shut down the field. As he looked back towards the two arguing girls, he spotted a figure outside the Duel School. That blonde hair, that taller figure…

Yuya rushed out, ignoring Ayami and Yuzu's calls. The figure by the doorway turned around, ready to leave.

"Manami-nee-san!" He called out.

The figure stopped in place. She turned to look at him—Sakaki Manami had clearly been going through a growth spurt, because she hadn't been this much taller than him the last time that Yuya had seen her.

"Yuya," she said, but before she could say anything more, Ayami aimed a punch straight towards her face. Manami took a step back.

"Don't you even dare to talk to him!" Ayami shouted. "How dare you come back here after you betrayed us?"

Manami grimaced. Yuya looked between them, unsure.

Because it was true. Manami had been the one to distance herself first—to transfer to LDS. She alone had escaped the consequences that had come from the disappearance of Yuya's father—even though she would carry the stigma of that name, she hadn't had to suffer from the paparazzi hunting them down, from the people insisting on creating drama, from all of those things.

But Manami had never gotten to explain herself before her parents had argued with her, ending with Manami deciding to move into LDS's school dorms.

Yuya still didn't know why…

"Get out of here! Don't you even dare to talk to Yuya!"

"... okay," Manami said. She was clenching her fists around the fabric of her shirt. "I'll go now. Sorry."

Yuya watched her walk off, feeling slightly lost.

"... let's go home and eat dinner," Ayami muttered. "Come on, Yuya. You can call your dad over too, Yuzu." She still seemed furious. Yuya felt… sad. When they were kids, Ayami had followed Manami everywhere—she had admired her sister so much.

He couldn't help but feel like this was his father's fault—that this was his fault too. That Ayami was so angry at everything to do with his father's disappearance that she'd destroyed her own relationship with her sister.

… but he couldn't really say anything.


Card Effect Notes:

Entermates - They will all go to their TCG effects in the future, but since Pendulums don't exist yet, for now, any part of their effects that mentions Pendulum monsters is excluded.

Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon - I'm resigned to it—I'm using its TCG effect. Same goes for the other dragons.


End Notes:

Look at me, speedwriting fic to destress! Love to see it.

The employees at Leo Corporation actually call Reiji "shachou" in this fic, an honorific for a person's boss, but the translation for it was kind of awkward, so I just had them call him by his title.

I always love writing characters that are just a little twisted. But Shiori is very twisted, and that's fun too. The moment I knew that I wanted to write a protagonist with Shaddolls, I knew she would have to be at least slightly abnormal. She's still a person though, because that's important to me.

I'd like to think that pre-canon Yuya uses pretty much an identical deck to his father's, and starts to diverge from him as he grows older. So right now, it's all just the Entermates that specifically support non-Pendulums.

Since this fic is about digging deeper into certain reactions, etc in Arc-V and a bit of worldbuilding stuff, Sakaki Manami and Sakaki Ayami were created initially as a way to work out exactly what would have happened with Yusho in the backstory. Manami is pretty sweet and understanding but finds it hard to make friends, while Ayami is a Class-A brat, though you may not notice it because you're reading from her perspective. Ayami is the same age as Yuya, while Manami is two years older, same age as Shiori.

I considered using the Japanese name for Ayami's Amazement cards, but those guys are a mess of formatting that I'm not touching with a ten-foot pole. And yeah, Amazement absolutely feels like a deck that would be included in You Show.

We will get to the canon timeline eventually. Step at a time.

Review responses!

To Utopy, (I'm assuming both reviews are yours), Risu's deck will take a while to be properly revealed. As for pairings, they certainly exist, but they won't happen for a while.

To the Guest asking about Tearlaments, even if they're used, it won't be too early in the story! It's hardly fun to have the power curve be broken so early :)

To phantomdragons, my policy is always that female OCs are rarer and more fun to write than male ones :D Not to say that I don't like male characters—I like both—but because I see so many male OCs all the time, I either want to write something different (so a more cheerful male MC like Yuno in my other fic, or something less conventional. I will confirm that Shiori's 'final' deck is a hybrid, though I won't confirm the other deck.