The sound of water rushing down was heard as steam rose from underneath. Flurry closed her eyes as she let the hot water run down her body, feeling it wash away the dirt and muk she got from the brutal Wargames match she had just gone through. The girl sighed as it felt so nice. She then turned the nozzle off as the last bit of water from the showerhead dripped. The girl stood there, her skin wet and exposed as her hair was down. She sighed before grabbing a nearby towel and wrapping it around her as it hugged her naked body. The girl stepped out of the shower area before entering the locker room and walked toward the pile of clothes she had spread out on a nearby bench. The Crystal Prep teen grabbed her t-shirt as she looked at it.

The sun was beaming over the city of Canterlot. The Crystal Prep Academy building was shown as it was filled with students entering the grand academy. A car with a special logo was pulling up to the curb. The driver in the front turned as he looked at the girl seated in the backseat. The girl peered over the car window and saw the place as she felt many emotions.

"Dad, I'm scared."

"I know, sweetie. But don't be. This place may seem intimidating, but it's the right place for you to succeed. Besides, you're not gonna be alone. Your mother is gonna be here."

"But.. what will the other students say when they find out? They're gonna bully me."

"Then you stand your ground. Remember, you're the daughter of a pro-duelist. That alone means they aren't gonna mess with you. If any student does, you can let Principal Sombra or me know."

The girl looked at her father, still worried about starting her journey into high school.

"Flurry… you'll always be daddy's little princess. But I know you're growing up. It's time for you to discover yourself. And I believe this place will help."

"Promise, Daddy."

"I promise," smiled the girl's father.

"Okay."

"Now kiss Daddy. I have to catch a flight, but I'll call you later to see how your first day went."

Flurry unclipped her seatbelt and kissed her dad's cheek. She grabbed her backpack and exited the car, dressed in her Crystal Prep uniform, before walking toward the entrance. The girl's father watched his daughter enter before driving off. In the main auditorium, all the first-years gathered in a social gathering, talking and meeting their classmates. Soon, their attention was turned to the main stage as out came none other than the Dean of Crystal Prep.

"Greetings, students. I am Dean Cadance, and I want to welcome you all as the newest class for Crystal Prep Academy. As you all know, Crystal Prep has a very good reputation for its academics and dueling. As such, many of our students have gone on to have successful careers in all types of fields. In the field of Duel Monsters, it has produced several current champions, one being my husband himself. Now then… I'd like to introduce you all to the man responsible for building this school from the ground up. Please welcome… Principal Sombra."

Cadance stepped away from the podium as Sombra appeared onstage. The man's presence sent chills down the students' spines. Dressed in his suit, he commanded the room with such an intimidating presence that nobody dared do anything, even so much as sneeze, in his presence lest they suffer his wrath. Sombra stood before the podium as he gazed into the crowd of new blood that happened every year. And the same thing happened every year: students who were either stars, failures, or would never amount to anything. The man's gaze was deafening, as if he was trying to single out any weak links.

"Let me be straight to the point. Crystal Prep Academy is anything but a joke. As a school, we pride ourselves on one thing and one thing only. And that is to win. Anything less… is unacceptable. As long as I have stood in as its principal, Crystal Prep has delivered multiple times. And as long as I have been its principal, Crystal Prep has always, ALWAYS…. Been a winner. Now… as you all stand here, you might consider yourself the best. But let me assure you all, you are anything but that. You want to prove me wrong, then prove to me your worth. What do you bring to Crystal Prep's reputation? I'm not looking for false promises… I'm looking for talent. True talent that can honed and crafted. And unless you have that… then you're nothing but a waste of time. And I will not waste time. The motto here at Crystal Prep is: We are the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be."

Cadance just smiled as she got a kick out of Sombra's theatrics. Mainly, the Dean knew the man cared about his students, even if he didn't show it like other people would. Not to mention, putting fear in the kids was a treat in itself.

"In life, there is no second chance for a first impression. You only get one and done. So you better make a good impression. Otherwise, this is as far as you go." said Sombra as he straightened the collar of his suit and walked off.

"Let's give a round of applause for a very motivating speech from Principal Sombra, everyone," smiled Cadance as the students did just that, showing their respect for their principal, who gave a scoff as he passed on the side. He passed his eyes with Flurry Heart as he had some early thoughts before leaving.

"Now then… let's go over the rules and regulations," said Cadance.

After the assembly, the class began to disburse to start their classes. Flurry had wanted to speak with her mom but couldn't, with the sea of students pushing her out of the room. The girl was given her schedule as she made her way to her first class. And so the girl began her first day. As expected, it was a bit rough, especially when it was discovered that she was the daughter of Dean Cadance and the number 2 duelist in the world. All day, Flurry was hounded by many students coming up to her, asking questions about her famous parents and even offering to be her friend. Yet, the girl could see right through the false act and just declined respectfully, making some smiles into glares.

By lunchtime, the girl was seated all by her lonesome. Students were grouped into their categories and spoke with similar individuals. Even some students looked at the lonely girl and silently commented about her. Flurry knew they were talking about her as she sighed and tried hiding her face. Once school was let out, Flurry made her way home as a few more students bumped into her. The girl arrived at home and immediately went to her room to shut the door. It wasn't until a few hours later that Cadance arrived and knocked on her daughter's room that she found Flurry lying facefirst on her bed.

"Flurry, sweetie. What's the matter?" asked Cadance as she sat on her daughter's bed.

"I don't know if I belong there, Mom. Everybody is treating me with so many reactions," said the girl, feeling like she was receiving many different remarks.

"Flurry, it's okay. The first day of high school is always rough," assured Cadance to her daughter as she stroked her hair.

"I just feel like I don't know where exactly I fit in at Crystal Prep," said the teen as she sat up and hugged her knees.

"Well… here's a thought. Have you made any friends today?" the girl's mother asked.

"No."

"Then that's a good starting. Remember, sweetie. We love you no matter what."

The girl's mother exited her daughter's room, leaving Flurry with her thoughts and her mother's closing statement about finding some friends.

Duel trails were held the following day at school as Sombra wandered the many fields. The principal held a stern expression as, despite some stellar performances, he was less than pleased. He stopped to look at Flurry, who was completing her duel trial, and she managed to pass with flying colors. But even then, the man wasn't amused and kept on walking. Overall, it was a failure for anybody to stand out.

Flurry was preparing her stuff for her next class when she heard some sounds. She peeked out from a corner and saw a duel taking place. The duel was between two boys, and one of those boys was none other than Axiom. He currently had fewer Life Points and was defenseless against his opponent, who had a monster out. The girl was curious, so she decided to stay hidden and watch how it would unfold.

"Now attack him directly!" shouted Axiom's opponent. The boy's monster aimed its sword at Axiom, and a beam of light came from it. Axiom covered up as he took the hit and wiped out the last of his remaining Life Points. "Tough luck, bro. Come back any time if you want to get butt kicked again!" mocked Axiom's opponent as he walked off.

Axiom growled as he fell to his knees and angrily punched the floor. At that moment, Flurry approached him as the boy saw her legs and looked up to see the girl's face.

"What do you want? Want a chance to humiliate me as well?" asked the boy.

The girl then offered her hand as the gesture caught off Axiom. He looked at the girl, confused as to why she offered to help, but she smiled. The boy eventually grabbed her hand and allowed her to pull him up as he stood to look at her. Flurry reached for Axiom's remaining card on his duel disk and looked at it. The girl made small muttering sounds as she nodded before giving the card to the boy.

"Care to sit with me at lunch?"

"What?"

"I said, do you want to sit with me at lunch?" Flurry smiled as the boy raised an eyebrow.

The chatter of kids in the lunchroom echoed as many teens walked about and sat with their companions. A few kids bumped Axiom as he held a face before sitting at a desk with his tray. A few more passed his table, giving looks and comments as he scowled. Flurry then sat before him as the girl held her carefree smile.

"Want some?" asked the girl as she offered one of the cupcakes she got.

"Thanks," said Axiom as he took the treat from the girl. "Why are you doing this?"

"What do you mean?" asked Flurry.

"I know who you are. I know who your parents are. So why is someone like you choosing to sit with me?"

"I have my reasons. But… that's not what we're here to talk about. At least… not yet." said Flurry, causing Axiom to raise an eyebrow as he opened his milk. "Tell me… why didn't you play that last card you had? It would've won you the duel. You could've beaten your opponent easily, but you didn't do it. So why didn't you?"

"What do you care? It's none of your business of what I do?" said Axiom.

"You're right. It is none of my business. But if I were to gander a guess… you held back out of pity for your opponent."

Axiom's body hesitated slightly, and Flurry picked up on it and smiled. The girl was correct in her assumption, as the boy looked away for a second before turning to face her.

"Look, I get it. It's admirable. But let me tell you a little secret. You can't do that because your opponent has no pity for you."

"Pfff. How would you know?" asked Axiom.

"I know because I was once like you."

"Is that so?" responded the boy to the girl with a look.

"What do you say we join forces?"

"Join forces?"

"Yeah, you know, team up."

"And why would I agree to that?"

"Because on a team… you win at any cost. There's no place for pity because your teammates are counting on you. You want respect? Then start winning and taking it for yourself." said Flurry.

"You know… you're right," said Axiom as he could see Flurry's logic. "Alright… I'll join you."

"Good, then our bond is forged," said Flurry as she put her hand out. Axiom looked at it before putting his hand in hers. "Friends."

And that was the start of something bigger.

Flurry Heart was pulling her t-shirt down as she had an open locker in front of her. She then grabbed her hair and began to fix it while looking at a small photo in the locker, as it triggered another memory.

The grounds of Crystal Prep Academy were littered with students. Some were casually sitting on the grass and mingling with their friends. Others were doing other activities, but among them were two individuals. Flurry and Axiom were near a table; the boy sat on top of it with his arm resting on his leg while Flurry had a notebook on her lap. The girl was writing something in it while the boy was going through his deck.

"Okay, if we're gonna be a team. We're gonna need a couple of things."

"Like what?" asked the boy.

"For one… we need a strategist. Someone who can come up with plans. Someone with a creative eye can see things and map them out. You know, formulate the pan to succeed."

"And how will we find someone like that?"

Flurry tapped the end of her pencil against her mouth as she looked about the school grounds. The girl scanned about her classmates, and her eye was soon caught. A hammer was heard in the far corner of the school grounds. A girl with goggles on her face was hammering some nails into a piece of wood as Flurry and Axiom approached her.

"Um, pardon me."

"I'm busy if you couldn't tell," said the person as they focused on the task before them. "Hand me those final nails!"

Axiom grabbed the box and tossed it while the girl grabbed it without looking. She then put the final touches on her design as she stepped back. A small rocket was shown on a stand as the girl pulled out a remote and pushed a button. The rocket began to emit smoke, and seconds later, it took off and launched straight into the air. All three teens looked up, and Flurry and Axiom were impressed by what they saw.

"Off by 5 degrees," muttered the girl as the rocket's projection slightly erred on her calculations.

"So, listen. I was wondering if you would like to join us?" asked Flurry.

"Why?" asked the girl as she eyed Flurry, knowing who she was.

"See… I'm putting together a team. And we both thought we could use your expertise."

"Pfff. Why do you need my help?" asked the girl.

"You have a knack for designing. You like planning, drawing a blueprint and envisioning things. You're like an architect. That's talent. I can use that."

"Really? I don't think so," said the girl, looking to leave.

"I promise… if you join us, you'll get recognition from others. You'll not be someone trying to fit in with others; they'll want to fit in with you. You're not going to meet an expectation. You're going to be that expectation," said Flurry, her words seeming to catch the girl's interest. She looked at Flurry and Axiom, the former holding a smile.

"If you join us… you'll get everything you ever want. I promise," said Flurry, sticking her hand out.

The girl looked at Flurry as she pondered what she was promising. She'd be lying if she didn't say that some of her wanted what Flurry promised.

"So… do we have a deal?" said Flurry.

"Deal," said the girl, shaking Flurry's hand.

"What's your name?" asked Axiom.

"It's Phin," said the teen, lifting her goggles to reveal her true face.

Flurry arrived home after school that day with a different attitude than before. By the time Cadance came home, she saw her daughter was in a chirper mood than before.

"So sweetie, how was school this time?"

"Oh, great. Fabulous, even. You know, Mom. You were right. All I needed was to find some friends." said the girl with a smile.

"That's my girl. Your father and aunt would be proud," said Cadance as Flurry kept her smile when she walked away.

And so, with Phin's addition, the teens got to work. With the girl's thinking, they all began to up their game. When Sombra passed the testing this time, he observed the three rather closely as their tactics and moves caught his attention. The man stroked his chin before moving on. And it didn't stop there; their plan to achieve everything they wanted began to expand into their classes as well. While it wasn't quite the takeover that was envisioned, it was the beginning of what was to come.

The sound of books hitting the floor was heard. Phin was bent over, trying to pick them up before a foot kicked some away.

"Next time, watch where you're going, nerd!" said a boy as he stood with a couple of friends by his side.

Phin growled as she looked at the male. Just then, Axiom was shown coming beside her.

"Hey! That's enough!" stated Axiom as he came to the aid of his friend.

"Stay out of this, dude," said the boy as Axiom stared the boy down. Phin got up as she stood beside her friend.

"Well, well, well. This is interesting."

The teens all turned as Flurry leaned against a wall with crossed arms.

"F-F-F-Flurry…" said the boy, who messed with Phin as he seemed nervous upon seeing the girl.

"Hope I'm not interrupting, but… I couldn't help but notice you messing with my pals."

"W-W-We didn't know. We just…." stuttered the teen as Flurry approached them.

"You know, I really don't appreciate you all messing with my friends. If you have a problem with them, you have a problem with me. So I ask you all: Do you have a problem with me?" Flurry stated in a threatening tone.

"N-N-No problem," stuttered the boy, looking into Flurry's eyes, peering into his soul.

"Good. Because I would hate, hate to report to Principal Sombra about you bullying my friends, or… should I tell my mother?"

"There's no need to do that."

"Good… then walk away and never, ever disrespect me again. There's one thing you should know: I hate bullies," said Flurry as the group got the message and left quickly.

Flurry smiled as she watched the group be chased off before looking at her two friends. Axiom was helping Phin pick her stuff up as she appeared before her friends and offered her hand.

"You good?"

"Yeah. Thanks," said Phin as she appreciated her friend sticking up for her.

"I told you. We're a team. And we stick together," said Flurry, lifting her friend up.

"You know, Flurry. It's gonna be hard to accomplish our goal with just the three of us."

"You're right, Axiom. That's why… I went and found some requirements," smiled Flurry as the two raised an eyebrow at their captain.

The girl led her two companions away. They followed her. They came to a set of doors, and Flurry pushed them open and stood beside them. Both Axiom and Phin blinked as Flurry spoke.

"Guys, let me introduce you to Shirai and Athena."

From that moment, things were put into motion. The entire school slowly began to learn about Flurry's entourage as they began to expand their influence. In most cases, whenever they came across the girl, they knew not to mess with her and paid their respects. Eventually, even Sombra began to notice the change, and he managed to call Flurry to his office.

"Do you know why I called you here, Ms. Heart?" Sombra asked as he turned around to look at the girl.

"No, sir. I hope I'm not in any trouble," stated Flurry.

"On the contrary, my dear. It's anything but that. No… I called you to discuss important matters concerning your career at Crystal Prep." The girl gulped as Sombra still held his intimidating aura. "Ms. Heart, I know you follow in your parents' footsteps. Particularly your father. Your father… he was a one-of-one. A true duelist of his generation and time. Why… there was no better student that Crystal Prep produced than him. That is… perhaps… you."

"Sir?"

"I see potential in you, Ms. Heart. You have raw talent. Raw talent waiting to be released. If you recall what I said during your orientation, I said if you want to prove you belong here, then you prove it. And you have. You've assembled a group of friends; now, every student looks to you for leadership and guidance. You have the entire school at your fingertips. And I must commend you for that. Not even your father could pull that off."

"Thank you, sir," said the girl.

"Make no mistake. While I believe you have the potential to be a success, there are still factors in play. See in this game, there's always going to be someone younger, hungrier, someone hotter. But the long game in this business is about skill and merit. And survival." said Sombra as Flurry listened intentionally to her principal's words. "Ms. Heart, you could be what your father is. A one-of-one. You are a born prodigy, and you have a legacy to uphold. And with my help… I can get you there."

"Sir?"

"Ms. Heart, I want you to be what your father was when he was a student. And that's my personal protege," said Sombra, standing up and putting his hand out.

The girl looked at her principal with shock as she didn't expect Sombra to take her under his wing.

"I guarantee Ms. Heart. If you listen to what I say, you will be more than ready when the time comes. You can lead Crystal Prep into the new generation of duelists. You could be a leader. You could set the standards. Don't you want to set the bar, just as your father did? Just as your father did long ago, and you broke those standards. Don't you want to pave the way for the future?"

"And my friends? What about them?" asked Flurry.

"Well… there's only room at the top for a select few. A cold, hard fact of life, Ms. Heart. Some people get to the top; some don't. But… I'm a generous man. So, if you want your friends to continue sticking by your side, I won't object. All I ask is that you be the driving force for Crystal Prep. Show them what it means to be a Shadowbolt. Show everyone what it takes to be a winner. Show them… what success looks like. Show them… who Flurry Heart is."

"I know who I am…" said the girl as she stood up. The teen then put her hand out and shook her principal.

"I have high hopes for you, Ms. Heart. I have no doubt you won't let me down."

"I won't, sir."

The other girl's friends gathered outside Sombra's office as they nervously awaited their captain. Soon, the door opened, and Flurry stepped out and smiled. She then told her crew what she had discussed with Sombra in their meeting, and they all cheered and applauded Flurry for the lifetime opportunity.

"Congrats, Cap!" said Athena.

"If anybody deserves it. It's you," stated Shirai.

"Aw, come on, guys," said Flurry, feeling like they were being too modest.

"We're serious, Flurry. You got us all together. And without you… we'd probably just be nobodys. But you helped us find ourselves and each other. We're a team, and like you said, we always stick together."

"We're friends. Through thick and thin," said Axiom.

"Thanks, y'all. I couldn't ask for a better group," smiled Flurry, pulling her crew in for a group hug as they celebrated Flurry's golden opportunity.

From there, Flurry spent private lessons with Sombra as the principal tested, pushing the girl to her breaking point several times. Often going deep into the late night, Sombra did his best to see if Flurry would break under his intense and demanding command, but she didn't. The girl's driving force was her friends and how they cheered her on from the sidelines. While Sombra found it more of a distraction than a motivation, he couldn't deny that the bond Flurry forged with her group was strong. And so, day by day, Flurry began to impress Sombra and met his standards as she soon earned her rightful title as the Princess of Crystal Prep and had her court to help run her kingdom.

Flurry was looking at a group photo taken months ago when she and her crew went on a field trip. The Crystal Prep girl couldn't help but smile as she remembered that fond time of being in the pumpkin patch. At that moment, the door to the locker room opened, and in came her friends.

"Hey, Cap. You ready?" said Shirai.

"Principal Sombra is going to take us out to eat," said Athena.

"Really?" said Flurry, finding it hard to believe that Sombra, of all people, was going to treat his team to a victory dinner.

"Yeah, we couldn't believe it either. But… he seems to be telling the truth—well, as truthful as his expression can be," JD said.

"Who cares? I'm hungry!" stated Axiom as the Wargames match had worked up his appetite.

"So… you coming or what?" said Roxanne.

"Turn down free food? Of course, I'm coming. Plus… I want to see Principal Sombra pay the bill," joked Flurry as her friends all chuckled and began to head out. The girl was the last to leave as she stuffed the photo in her pocket.

The sound of a whistle was blown. It rang throughout the gym as the two sides of students all rushed toward the middle. In a line were several balls, and a few bold students went all the way to the line and quickly grabbed one of the balls while others skidded and backed up as they knew what was coming. Balls upon balls were flying through the air, and this game of dodgeball was more intense than normal. On the side, it consisted of Flurry and her squad she picked, including Axiom and Athena, while on the other, it was Shirai and Phin, with the former being the captain of her side.

The two sides were deep into warfare as many students did everything possible to avoid being hit.

"Incoming on your left, Flurry!" warned Axiom as he had a ball in hand.

The girl turned and saw the ball coming at her. She leaned her body out of the way before doing a little skiparound to avoid another ball coming at her feet. Axiom took that moment to throw his ball and got another person out. On the other side, Shirai let her competitive side come out as she took out people left and right while moving about the field. She soon approached Phin, who was doing her best not to get hit.

"How we holding up?" asked Shirai.

"Well, we lost about half the field, but that's expected," stated Phin as she caught a ball flying near her face. "Speaking of which, Athena at three o'clock."

"I see her!" exclaimed Shirai as she winded up her arm and threw the ball underhanded as it got her friend in the arm. "Haha, yes!"

"God damnit!" said the girl.

"Nice work, Phin," said Shirai as she gave a hard high five to her friend, who wasn't prepared for that.

"Thanks," said the girl as she shook her hand. Just then… a ball hit her in the back. "Ow!"

"Ha!" said Axiom, getting his friend out.

"Shit," mumbled Phin as she walked off the field.

The game ended with the final participants, as only Flurry and five other players remained on her team. While on Shirai's side, it was just her and three other students. Both sides engaged as they threw their balls, with Flurry's side losing a member. Shirai went to grab a ball, but she tripped and fell over. The girl was vulnerable as some of Flurry's team took their chance to get the girl out. Shirai got to her hands and knees as she saw the barrage of balls coming at her. She figured she was about to be out when someone quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the way. Shirai spun as a boy held her hand; in his other hand, he used the ball to deflect some of them. Before she could yell at the boy for holding her hand, he placed the ball he was holding in hers.

"Throw!" said the boy.

Shirai did just that and took out another person. Flurry launched a ball from Shirai's blindside, but the girl didn't see it coming. But the boy who saved her did, and he once again saved Shirai. He stood before the girl, took the hit for Shirai, and felt the ball hit his back. Shirai noticed the boy using himself as a shield, and she was impressed by his action. The boy said nothing but a smile before walking off, leaving Shirai stunned. Flurry saw her friend and how she reacted to the boy's selfless action as she couldn't help but smile.

After class, the boy who saved Shirai to win the game for their side was shown. When Shirai approached him, he walked in the hallway after leaving his improvisation class. The boy halted in his tracks as she wasn't alone. Flurry was beside her as he knew who the girl was, her legacy, and how popular she'd become. And seeing how much power she had, he knew this could end one of two ways.

"Why'd you do it?" asked Shirai.

"What?"

"Save me and take the bullet."

"I don't know. I just did it, alright," responded the boy. "Now look, if you want something from me, then just do it alright."

"We do want something from you," said Flurry as she approached the boy. "I'm sure you know who I am."

"Who doesn't?" responded the male to the girl.

"What you did for my friend says alot about you. Not many people would do that. And if they did, they'd do it to get something out. But when I look into your eyes, into your soul… I don't see any of that." said Flurry as she gazed into the boy's eyes.

Flurry smiled, sticking her tongue out playfully as she turned and skipped back. Her hair gave the boy a gentle smack as he caught a whiff of Flurry's hair, smelling the shampoo she used to clean it daily.

"Listen… your brave actions to save my friend hold much weight to me. And as such, it deserves a reward."

"Like what? A date?" said the boy.

"Well, since you're offering," giggled Flurry, leaning forward with her hands behind her back.

"Ugg," responded the boy, as he didn't expect that response from a girl as popular as Flurry.

"No. But Shirai is free Friday."

"What?!" shouted the girl as Flurry put her arm around her shoulder and was setting her up with a date with this random boy who chose to save her.

"Kidding," giggled Flurry as she pinched her friend's cheek.

"You kid too much, girl," groaned Shirai as she swatted Flurry's arm off of her.

"What's your name?"

"JD."

"Well, JD. Congrats. Because… you just got the lifetime offer of your life. How'd you like to be a part of our team?"

"Team?" said the boy.

"Yeah, that's right, team. Because on a team, you have people counting on you. You have people who will back you up." said Flurry as the rest of the crew appeared behind her and Shirai.

JD looked about as he saw the group, Flurry commanded.

"Why me?"

"Because I already told you. You're not someone who does things for his own gains, and that's admirable to some girls. Plus, I promise you this: If you ride with us, you'll get things you never dreamed of. You can become a pillar of this school. So… what do you say? Do you care to be a part of something bigger?"

Flurry stuck her hand out as JD looked at it. He peered at the others around Flurry as they offered encouraging smiles. He once again looked at Flurry as the girl continued to have her smile. JD then stuck his hand into Flurry's hand.

"Our bond is now forged," said the girl.

The group arrived downtown and entered a quaint little restaurant. The teens were amazed by the decor of the place their principal decided to take them to. They were brought to a private booth and sat down.

"Congratulations. You all proved to CHS the cold, hard fact. And that is, Crystal Prep does not lose. Now… their spirits are broken and in shambles. I am proud of my warriors." said Sombra.

The teens all gave sounds of agreement.

"The first of many victories," stated Sombra, lifting his glass as the kids did the same.

Flurry and her crew were shown walking through the halls. Their fellow students all noticed them and just waved at them. The girl smiled as everybody knew their group was at the top of the school hierarchy. So much so that they received many students coming up to them every day, trying to be a part of them. Yet, Flurry shot them down because she could see past their fake intentions of wanting to be a part of them to gain popularity. The girl was satisfied with her current group of friends because she knew they had her back; if she were deep in the trenches, they would choose to stick with her.

The group was walking when some stuff fell before Flurry.

"Sorry, sorry. My apologies, Flurry!" said a boy as he accidentally knocked some of his stuff in the path of the girl.

Several other students saw this and began to murmur, wondering what Flurry would do to the boy. Instead, the girl smiled as she bent down and began to help pick up the boy's stuff.

"Here you go," smiled Flurry.

"T-Thanks. Sorry…"

"Hey, no big deal. Happens to all of us," smiled the girl as she handed the boy his stuff.

With a smile and a wink, she walked past the boy, as did her friends. They continued to walk as they came to some sounds. A group of students were shown gathering around as one of them held a backpack and dropped it on the floor, spilling the contents inside.

"Hey!" said a girl as she had just transferred to Crystal Prep and was already being picked on.

"Welcome to Crystal Prep," said a girl.

The group laughed as the girl hurried to pick her stuff up. Just then, the group turned to see Flurry and her squad. They quickly disbursed to avoid her wrath as the girl gathered her stuff. She went for a book when Flurry's foot came down on it. The girl looked up to see Flurry and could tell she was someone rather important.

"Go ahead. Just hurry up and do what you want. I don't want any more trouble!" said the girl as she regretted ever coming to Crystal Prep.

Flurry held a stern look before bending down to grab the book, her foot pinned. Shirai and Athena grabbed the rest of the girl's belongings on the ground as she was hesitant about what they might do. But instead, they grabbed her backpack and put it in before handing it to Flurry. The girl holding the backpack and looking at the book cover as it showed pictures of valuable gems.

"You big into jewelry?" asked Flurry.

"Yeah. My family owns a jewelry store," responded the girl.

"I see," said Flurry, putting the book inside. "What's your name, new girl?"

"Roxanne."

"Well, Roxy. Today's your lucky day. Because you just earned yourself a sit with us at lunch."

"Hmm."

"Come sit with us at lunch."

Roxanne looked at Flurry and her crew as she could see their power.

"Why? You're just taking pity on me because I'm the new kid. I know how this works. You invite me, pretend to be friendly, and then embarrass me in front of everyone," the girl said.

Flurry processed what Roxanne said as she smiled.

"There's only one way to find out, huh?" the Crystal Prep leader responded. "For now, hang out with us, and then… we'll see where things go."

Flurry handed Roxanne her backpack as she walked off with her crew. The new girl looked at Flurry as it was clear she was important. But given her experience of similar circumstances, was she willing to take that risk this time?

Lunch came as Flurry and her friends all sat at a table. They began to make chatter when Flurry noticed something out of the corner of her eye. She saw Roxanne standing there with her tray as the girl smiled. She immediately stood up and had Axiom pull up a chair for her. Roxanne appreciated the boy's gesture as she sat beside Flurry and her friends.

"So… tell us about you?" asked Flurry.

From then on, their bond with Roxanne was forged, signaling the arrival of their latest member.

Flurry was shown returning to her cousins' dorm as she and her friends had just returned to campus after Sombra decided to award them a night out on the town. She entered as the living room was empty, signaling that her cousins might have already been asleep. She carefully walked up the stairs as she came to Roll's door. The girl silently opened it to see her cousin was already fast asleep; she smiled before closing it, not wanting to wake her. As she shut the door, she turned to go to her room when Mario stopped her.

The boy was still up, lulling over some thoughts, when he heard the front door open. Both cousins stood there, looking at each other. It had been just a few hours since their intense Wargames match. Neither said anything as they just looked at the other. Flurry approached her cousin as she put her arms around him, and buried her head into his shirt. Mario responded by putting one of his arms around his cousin and kissing the top of her head before resting it on his. The two family members relished this peaceful moment as they held each other in their loving embrace.

Author's Notes: And so after the brutal Wargames match, we follow Flurry as we get to see a flashback as to how her journey at Crystal Prep came to be. Not to mention, how she assembled her team of friends, and rising through the ranks of Crystal Prep to not only being the top student, and running the school to earn her nickname, the Princess of Crystal Prep, but also how she became Sombra's apprentice. It's clear, just like Mario and Roll, she find herself a group that is will to ride by her side and living to the idea that being on a team means you win at any cost because your teammates are counting on you.