Tension was high as the final event was about to descend on the CHS campus. All roads led to this moment. Everything was riding on the final duel to settle everything. CHS's rocky start soon turned into a comeback miracle story as they managed to tie up with their rivals. Now, the story was approaching its final chapter.
Sunny was shown on her bed as she held something in her hands. Despite not participating in the event, the girl had nerves running through her body. She initially had doubts when Celestia named her the captain of her team. As such, that meant she had some responsibilities to uphold. One of those was making the right decision not for herself but for the team's greater good. That's why she made the decision to volunteer Mario to be the one to face his cousin; it was the right choice for the team.
At that very moment, a knock on the door was heard. Sunny got up from her bed. She approached her door and opened it slightly. To her surprise, there was Mario.
"Mario?"
"Hey, Sunny. Can we talk?" asked the boy.
The girl let her friend in, and they returned to the girl's bed. Mario was sitting at the edge, and Sunny was sitting as she hugged her knees.
"What is it?" asked the girl.
"It's about this final duel," said Mario before looking at the red locket the girl had been looking at before he arrived. He reached over and grabbed it to examine it. "It's nice."
"Thanks. It was a gift from my father. He gave it to me before I started my first day at CHS." said the girl as Mario handed the locket to her and looked at it again.
"Do you miss him?" asked the boy.
"Yeah. Everyday. But I know he'd tell me not to worry about getting homesick and that I should focus on my life here at CHS. He's the best dad in the world." said Sunny before she realized what she said, "Uh, that's not to say that your dad isn't great. You know, I-I-I'm sure you have had your-"
"Sunny. I get it," responded the teen.
"Right. So… what was it you wanted to talk about?"
"It's about Flurry. I just want to be clear. Let's set the record straight here and now so everybody understands. Are you sure you want me to battle my cousin and not you?"
"Mario… is this about what happened between the two of us? I told you! I'm not mad."
"But are you? Sunny, be straight with me. If you're pissed off with what I did, tell me. If you're angry that I besmirched you in any way, just tell me. If you want to slap me, go on."
"Mario… I'm not upset," said the girl as she scooted closer to her friend. "You've known me for months now. Do you think I'm the type of person who can't control their emotions? That I'm the type of person who can't learn to let things go?!"
"Are you?" asked the boy.
"Look, Mario. All I've ever wanted in life was to make friends, and ever since coming here, I've done nothing but that. It's a dream come true to have you and the others. To me, that's more important than any duel. I said it before: you did what you did. But I also remember that private talk we had yesterday. I'm not on the same level as you, Roll, or your cousin. When it comes to comparing our skill levels, it's like night and day. Mario, you are a better duelist than me. It takes a lot for someone to admit when someone is better at something than them. But that's the truth. I'd rather be a good friend than a duelist."
Mario took in what she said as Sunny's last line resonated with him. The boy looked away momentarily as many thoughts ran through his mind.
"You know you're a lot better than most people if they were in your position?"
"Well, that's because I don't let bad feelings cloud my judgment. I'm not bitter. I'm not angry. I'm not the type of person to hold grudges against anyone. All I care about is supporting my friends, no matter what. And that includes you." smiled the girl at her friend.
"Oh, gees, Sunny," responded Mario as he reached up to pat the girl's head as she enjoyed it. "You're too pure for this world, you know that."
The girl smiled as she accepted the compliment her friend gave her.
"So… you're confident in your decision?"
"I'm the captain. I make the decision of what's best for the team, not for self-interest. I'm doing what's right for the team, not letting my personal animosity get the best of me. That's not what a captain does. And that's not what a friend does to another friend." said Sunny.
"Alright then…" said Mario, letting out a deep breath. "Then, I guess, hope I don't let you guys down."
"You could never let me down, Mario. You're my friend," smiled the girl. "And listen… I, uh, I've been meaning to try and tell you this, but… lately, I've wanted to tell you that… I love you… I love you, Mario. To me, you're like a big brother."
"Oh, don't say that shit, Sunny," groaned Mario as the girl was already tugging at his heartstrings, and she just found another way to be adorable.
"But it's true. I love you like an older sibling," said the girl with a smile as she got closer and hugged her friend from the side.
Mario sighed before reaching his hand up and patting her arm to return the affection given to him by the girl.
"You know… you're not that bad of a little sister, yourself, Sunny. At least you're not annoying like Roll," chuckled Mario lightly as the girl released her embrace and chuckled. "I promise I'll do my best, Sunny."
"That's all I could ask for," said the girl to her friend before sticking her hand out, which caused Mario to raise an eyebrow. "Hoof to heart."
"What?!" responded the boy, as he had no clue what the girl just said.
"Sorry. It's a line from a TV show I watched as a kid. Whenever the heroes would go on an adventure or face some great threat, they'd say that line as a way to remember their promise of being friends and sticking by each other, no matter what." explained the girl.
Mario still raised his eyebrow as the girl's hand stuck out, waiting for him to touch hers.
"How about we just fist bump instead?" suggested Mario.
"Sure," smiled Sunny as she closed her hand to form a fist, and Mario did the same to bump against her. The girl then brought her fist to her heart and opened it, resting her hand against it. "Hoof to heart."
"Um, sure, yeah," said Mario as he just went along with the girl for her sake and did the same action of bringing his fist to his heart before releasing it.
Sunny smiled before going for another hug from her friend.
"I love you, Mario."
"... I love you, too, Sunny," responded the boy, as a small smile crept onto his face that she didn't see.
Flurry Heart was shown sitting in a locker room as the girl sat on the bench. She was alone as the call for the final duel was moments away. A million thoughts raced through her mind as she tried to calm her mind.
"Flurry. Flurry, are you okay?"
The girl turned as she eyed her duel disk as she was currently on a call with her father. The teen saw her father's concerned expression as she didn't want to worry him.
"I'm fine, Dad. Just… nervous, I guess."
"That's a first for you. You're usually confident before a big duel," smiled the pro duelist at his daughter. "Is it because you're fighting your cousin?"
"And if I said yes?" returned the girl.
"Flurry. Chin up, baby girl. Come on. Remember what brought you to the dance. Remember what got you here. Skill, talent, hard work, and friends. But most importantly… Ruthless Aggression. Those core things are why you're where you are now. Your mother's been informing me of your Friendship Games, and I must say… I couldn't be more proud of you, my little princess."
"Dad, please, don't!" said Flurry, as she hated it when her father cried because it made her cry, too.
"I'm not crying, sweetie," sniffed Shining Armor as he wiped his eyes. "It's just… liquid pride."
"You say that all the time," said the girl as she wiped her eyes and tried not to laugh.
"But I'm serious, Flurry. I'm proud of the young girl you've come to be. I couldn't ask for anything better. Flurry, from the bottom of my heart. I love you. You are the best daughter your mother and I could've ever asked for. And I believe… you will accomplish more things than I ever could. You have that, Flurry. You have that in you to become one of the best duelists ever. Even moreso than me."
"Dad…"
"Flurry… even though I'm not there with you. I want you to understand that I'm right there by your side. No matter what. My hand is on your back, and I'll be cheering you on."
Flurry nearly lost it as hearing those words from her father held so much weight. For the first time in quite a while, the girl was vulnerable as she put her head down and let a few tears roll down her face. Shining Armor saw his daughter in such a state that he wished he could be there to hug her. The door to the room opened as in came Cadance. The woman saw her daughter speaking with her husband and the state she was in as she sat down and hugged Flurry. Cadance softly cooed her daughter as she rubbed her hair.
"It's time, sweetie," said Cadance as she looked at her child and wiped her eyes.
"Go on, Flurry. Just remember the basics. If you ever find yourself in a bind, remember the basics will help you. That's the one thing I've always told you, which remains the same in a duel. Remember the basics."
"I will, Dad."
"Good luck, my little princess," said Shining Armor as the call ended and he disappeared.
The girl grabbed her device as she collected and refocused her mind.
"Let's do this."
"Before you go, sweetie. I have something for you," said Cadance as she turned to grab the present next to her and gave it to her daughter.
Flurry was surprised at the sudden gift her mother gave her. She took it and unfurled the ribbon, keeping it tied. She then lifted the top, and inside made her gasp. There was a set of dueling gloves that Cadance had made for her daughter along with another item. She pulled it out, revealing it to be a special blazer. When she turned it around, her name was on the back. Under it was a crystal heart logo that encompassed her name.
"It was your father's jacket. He asked me to give it to you. So I made some changes, and now… it's yours." said the woman as she smiled at her daughter.
"Mom… I don't know what to say…" The girl looked at her mother and immediately hugged her. "I love it. Thank you."
"You're welcome, sweetie. Give it your all against your cousin."
The girl broke the hug as she stood up and put on the special blazer that was once her father's. For a second, it felt like Shining Armor was actually there as the girl now had a new-found confidence coursing through her veins. The girl then stood up as Cadance began to follow her; as she approached her destination, Flurry saw her friends all lined up on both sides of the hallway. The girl's friends saw their captain as they had smiles on their faces.
"You got this, Flurs!" said Athena.
"Go get'em, princess!" stated Shirai.
"Guys…" said Flurry.
"We're behind you all the way, Flurry!" said JD.
"Take'em down!" responded Phin.
Flurry had to pause and wipe her eyes to avoid crying in front of her friends. She brought them all in for one last group hug and hearing her comrades giving her support added to her confidence. A throat clearing was heard as the group broke apart, and Sombra was eyeing the seven teens.
"We're with you all the way!" said Roxanne as Flurry nodded.
"It's an honor to be by your side," said Axiom.
"And it's an honor to call you six my friends," said the girl as she smiled at her comrades.
She then turned to walk forward with Sombra. The girl and principal began to walk forward as Cadance and the others watched before heading to their seats. The pair stood before a set of doors as Flurry took deep breaths. She paused before glancing at her principal as a thought crossed her mind.
"Principal Sombra."
"Yes, my princess," said the man, addressing Flurry by her nickname.
"Thank you… thank you for taking me under your wing and teaching me. I know I couldn't have made it this far without your guidance."
"It was my duty," responded Sombra.
The girl then did something unexpected: She hugged her principal. Sombra was the most shocked, as he didn't expect the girl to display such affection. Sombra looked down at Flurry as, for the first time in his entire career as an educator, he had done something he'd never done: He hugged a student. Flurry felt the arms of her advisor as they wrapped around her.
"Thank you. For everything."
"It was my pleasure, Flurry. You are my student, and my job is to look out for you and wish you nothing but the best," responded Sombra. "I may not show it, but… know this… I love you having you as a student."
Flurry broke her embrace as he smiled for the first time since she saw her principal. Not a cocky, sinister, calculating smile. A genuine, honest, cheerful smile. The girl then turned to the set of doors as she knew what was on the other side.
"Are you ready, my student? I won't be by your side this time. I won't do my job as your wiseman, my princess."
"I know… but you've done well enough. This is something I have to do alone."
Flurry put her hand on the handle as a million thoughts ran through her head. Taking one final breath, she flung the doors open and walked forward as Sombra watched her until she disappeared.
Mario was in his own locker room as the boy was doing several things to prepare for the big duel. He began by doing pushups against a table as he tried to get his mind in the right place. He then switched to doing air punches as he bounced on his feet. Eventually, the boy was back sitting on the bench with music blaring into his ears. He then felt a tap on his shoulder as it was none other than his little sister as he removed the earbuds.
"What?" asked Mario.
"You got this, bro," said Roll as she leaned against her elder sibling.
A sound played over the speakers as they both knew what it meant.
"Time to close this out strong, bro."
"Let's get it!" responded Mario as he stood up with his little sister.
The pair walked as they soon came to the rest of their friends. Each one wished Mario the best of luck as they watched from the sidelines.
"You ready, bud?" asked Hitch.
"I got this on lock, sheriff!" said Mario as he assured Hitch he was ready.
"We'll be cheering you on!" said Sunny. She looked at her friend, and their conversation just hours before came to the front of their minds.
"Right," responded the boy as he looked at the girl.
"Let's go, guys!" said Roll as they began to slowly.
The others began to file out as Zipp stayed behind to look at Mario.
"What is it, rich girl?" asked the boy.
The heiress didn't say anything as she just reached into her jacket and pulled out her shades. The girl presented her shades to her friend, and he raised an eyebrow.
"Might look good when you make your entrance," smirked the girl as she placed her shades in the boy's hand before she left.
Mario looked over the sunglasses before putting them in his pocket. Flurry was currently making her way onto the field as she received a standing ovation from her school. The girl stood in the center of the field, eyeing where Sombra was. He sat beside Celestia in their private booth and looked on with interest. Flurry looked at the blazer she wore, which was her father's, and she was reminded of what was riding on this duel. The girl waited for her cousin as Mario was supposed to be there. She saw her Roll and her friends and where they were seated as Mario had still yet to make his entrance.
Some chatter was heard as Flurry's ears picked up on it and turned toward the noise. In the stands that had CHS students, a rumbling was heard. Mario was standing at the top of the stairs that ran down the center of the audience. The boy was wearing the shades Zipp gave him and the special blazer Izzy made. Like before, when he and Roll defeated Flurry, the boy was starting to hype up the crowd as they began to respond. The teen was bouncing his arms up and down as nearly everybody began to follow his command. Flurry eyed her cousin, leading the crowd with his presence as he began to walk down the flight of stairs through the crowd as they continued to bounce their arms up and down.
"He's like his father in so many ways," muttered Celestia as Mario had a bit of his old man's flare for showmanship.
Mario soon went down to the field. He stood before Flurry, taking off his shades and staring down at his cousin. The crowd of CHS students were still bouncing their arms up and down as the two locked eyes. Izzy held up a handmade sign she put together that read: Main Event Mario as she showed her support for her friend. The two cousins kept their gaze on each other as the tension was high. Luna appeared beside them as she tried to get the two's attention.
"Alright, you two. Let's…"
"We know!" shouted Mario and Flurry as they didn't allow Luna to explain the rules.
"This right here…" started Flurry.
"... is trial by combat!" said Mario.
The Vice-Prinicpal looked at Celestia, wondering what to do, as her older sister nodded. Luna just backed off and walked away to allow the teens to settle it on their own terms. Mario and Flurry didn't stop staring for several minutes before they finally broke apart and took up their positions.
"From the day I was born, this has been my birthright. Blessed by the elders of our family, adorned with the necklace."
"She is my blood. She is my family. I'd do anything you tell me to do. Family is supposed to lift each other up."
"I'm the Final Boss. The head of the table."
"All I did was watch your back. Do what family does."
"You won't ever be the Final Boss while I'm alive, little Mario."
"You're looking at the real head of the table. The real tribal chief. We don't need no contract, Flurry. The contract… is in the blood. When you lose, prima. You ain't gonna be the Final Boss anymore."
"Little Mario, you must forgotten. You think I ain't ran this business for almost a decade now? You can't beat me, Mario."
"The culture, our family, the spirits of our ancestors. Tribal combat is happening."
The two reached their respective spots, and the thoughts that ran through their head flooded the front of their mind as they turned. A wind picked up and blew over the two cousins as their clothes fluttered in the wind. The spotlights came on the two and the entire field as everyone watched. Their portraits came on screen for all to see as the two strapped on their duel disks and slotted in their decks; Mario's duel disk projected a red card tray as Flurry's projected a light magentas-gray card tray.
"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said the teens' devices.
Mario's Life Points: 8000-
Flurry's Life Points: 8000-
"Let's duel!" shouted both cousins as they had a determined and serious game face.
The portraits were shown as Mario's was highlighted in yellow to signal he would get the first turn.
Turn 1: Mario (Hand 5)
"Here goes! I draw!" said the boy as he looked to get rolling. "I'll start off by summoning my Elemental HERO Bubbleman(800/1200). And when he's the only card out, I can draw two new cards!" stated the teen as he picked up more cards before looking at his current hand. "I'll follow that up by using the spell card, Polymerization, and fuse my Elemental HERO Captain Gold, with my Bubbleman!" The two monsters entered a swirling vortex as it emitted purple and orange lights. "I Fusion Summon! Elemental HERO Absolute Zero(2500/2000)!"
An iceberg emerged onto the field, and inside was a monster. Its eyes lit up before the ice cracked and a chilly wind blew over the field; in the middle of the snowstorm was Mario's monster, donned in full white armor that blended in with the snow.
"I place one card facedown and end my turn!"
Turn 2: Flurry (Hand 5)
"Let's hope Mario is ready for whatever Flurry throws at him," said Sunny as the others looked concerned.
"My draw!" yelled Flurry as she drew her card and didn't even bother to look at it. That worried Mario as he soon figured out what his cousin drew; she still didn't even look at what card she picked up and instead showed it off. "I activate Rank-Up-Magic - The Seventh One!"
"She drew that on her first turn?!" yelled Zipp.
"Here it comes!" shouted Pipp.
"Appear in all your fearsome terror! Number 107: Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon!" proclaimed Flurry as a 3-D tetrahedron was shown as it began to pop out slowly and take the shape of the girl's mighty dragon.
"Impressive as ever," remarked Mario, staring at his cousin's beast.
"Yes. But what makes it even more formidable is that Rank-Up-Magic - The Seventh One ranks up Galaxy-Eyes into a Chaos Number. With this one monster, I rebuild the Overlay Network. Go… Chaos Xyz Evolution!" yelled Flurry as her monster turned into a single orb and hovered. A portal opened before her as the orb was sucked in and exploded. "Face the multiverse and ignite new life into my great beast! Come forth, Chaos Number 107: Neo Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon(4500/3000, OLU: 1)!" Flurry's golden three-headed beast appeared as it roared for all to hear.
"Taking down her Galaxy-Eyes won't be easy. That dragon is every duelists' worst nightmare," mumbled Mario to himself as even he had to admit that Flurry's beast was close to unbeatable. "But my facedown should be able to help me."
"I activate Neo Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon's special ability. By using one Chaos overlay unit, not only does it negate your cards' effects, but it transcends time and returns all your cards to the way they were at the beginning of the turn. Its special ability also prevents you from activating any cards on your field without my permission!" said Flurry as her rank-up spell card reappeared in her hand. "So you better ask me nicely, primo! Because I call the shots! Like I've always been doing!"
Mario gritted his teeth as Flurry managed to lockdown his strategy.
"I bet you planned to use your facedown card against me, right? Well, I just made that impossible!"
"That's a minor setback. I still plan on walking away the winner!" responded the boy.
"Then perhaps a major setback will bring you back to reality!" barked Flurry, thrusting her arm out. "Neo Tachyon Dragon, take out his Elemental HERO Absolute Zero!" The dragon fired a tri-beam of power as it decimated Mario's field, making the boy cover up at first but was thrown off his feet and crashed to the ground.
"He just got knocked on the first attack. Flurry's not playing around," said Hitch, as that was a clear message of what the girl planned to do to her cousin in this duel.
Mario's Life Points: 6000-
"Now that your monster's been destroyed, the duel is mine!" stated Flurry as she placed a card facedown before ending her turn.
Turn 3: Mario (Hand 4)
The boy managed to stand up after being attacked by his cousin. He grunted and looked over at Flurry as she stood there with confidence and cockiness. Mario's vision was a bit blurry for a second as he shook it off before placing his hand on the top of his deck.
"I draw! First, I activate my spell card, EN - Engage Neo Space! So by sending one 'Neo-Spacian' monster from my deck and an 'Elemental HERO' from my hand, I can summon my Elemental HERO Neos(2500/2000)!" shouted Mario as his most trusty monster appeared before him. "Then I can add a 'Polymerization' to my hand from my deck or graveyard. And since I summoned Neos with this effect, he gains 1000 extra attack points. Next, I'll activate my facedown. Favorite Contact! With this trap card, I can perform a Fusion Summon!"
"He can fusion summon using a trap card?!" said Pipp as she was amazed at what Mario was doing.
"He's just that good," commented Sunny.
"This trap card lets me special summon a monster from my Extra Deck that lists a 'HERO' as a fusion material. And I can fuse monsters from among my hand, field, graveyard, and banished cards by simply returning them to the bottom of my deck. So I'm fusing my Elemental HERO Captain Gold with my Neo-Spacian Air Hummingbird from my graveyard by returning both to my deck." said Mario as his two monsters appeared before entering a swirling vortex.
"What are you planning?!" demanded Flurry.
"Here's what… Meet Elemental HERO Great Tornado(2800/2200)!" A giant wind blew over the field, making everyone's hair sway. The wind continued as a superhero wearing a tattered cloak appeared before making the wind die down. "I now activate my Great Tornado's ability! When it's fusion summoned, I can cut your monster's attack and defense points in half!"
Flurry gritted her teeth as she wasn't a fan of that. Mario's monster made a giant wind blow from its hands as it zapped away some of the dragon's strength.
"Now, Great Tornado, take down that three-headed beast!" commanded Mario as his monster soared into the air and condensed some wind into a sphere before shooting the wind orb forward and crashing into Flurry's. The three-headed monster roared as Flurry covered up, having to witness the destruction of her all-powerful beast.
Flurry's Life Points: 7450-
"I don't believe it… he actually took it down. He took down Neo Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon," gasped Sunny as Mario did something she couldn't do.
"Neos, it's turn to get in on the action! Attack Flurry directly!" commanded the boy as his monster took off.
"If you thought I didn't think ahead of you destroying my dragon, think again, primo! You'll find I'm full of surprises; in fact… this one might be upsetting! I reveal my facedown, Tachyon Chaos Hole!"
"NO!" shouted Mario as his eyes widened upon seeing what card Flurry set.
"When my Tachyon Dragon is destroyed in battle, this trap banishes all the cards on your field!" proclaimed Flurry as a massive black hole appeared and began to suck everything in.
"Neos!" shouted Mario as he stuck his hand out as if to reach for his monster before it vanished along with his other monster.
"Your favorite monster is now gone!" smiled Flurry as the black hole sealed up and vanished.
"I don't believe it…" said Izzy with a surprised look.
"She just took away Mario's ace monster like that," said Pipp.
"Now, what are you going to do without your favorite monster to save you, huh, primo?" mocked Flurry as the boy gritted his teeth in defiance.
"I place one card facedown. Your turn, prima."
"You ain't finishing no story today, primo! Everyone is saying you're gonna be the one. You're gonna finish the story! Finish the story... not while I'm around!" stated Flurry as she was looking to spoil the happy ending that Mario was going for and give them and CHS a hard dose of reality.
"Without Neos, Mario doesn't stand a chance, Tia. Face it, he's lost," smirked Sombra as Celestia hated to admit to her former lover when he was right, but… he was right. Without Mario's key component to his deck, the boy couldn't bring out his monster powerful Fusion monsters to aid him.
Turn 4: Flurry (Hand 4)
"I admire wanting to fight the bitter, little Mario. But you have no idea just how nasty it'll be. Now… by skipping my draw phase, I can activate the second effect of my Tachyon Chaos Hole from my graveyard! Which means I can summon an old ally. I'm sure you've been missing its company! Arise again, Chaos Number 107: Neo Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon!"
"Not that thing!" shouted Izzy as Mario could only stare in fear at the sight of the beast.
"What does he do now?!" asked Zipp.
"Nothing but hope for the best," said Roll.
"Let's be more realistic, Roll. Perhaps we should brace for the worst," said Hitch.
"Without any monsters to protect you, you're completely vulnerable! Tachyon Dragon, attack Mario directly!" commanded Flurry as her three-headed beast charged up its attack.
"He's dragon fodder!" shouted Izzy a bit too loudly
"Izzy, shut the hell up!" shouted Mario as he heard that yelling from the girl, and he didn't need her comments when he was trying to duel. "I'm not done as you think, prima! From my hand, I'm summoning my Elemental HERO Spirit of Neos(2500/2000)! When you declare an attack, I can summon him. Plus, if it's special summoned, I can add a spell or trap card that mentions an 'Elemental HERO' monster's name or a 'Polymerization' from my deck to my hand. And there's one more thing: my Spirit of Neos can't be destroyed in battle after I special summon it. So my Life Points are safe!" The spirit of Mario's ace monster appeared as it stood before the boy to do his job of protecting his master.
"You can't rely on luck to save you always, primo. I end my turn."
Turn 5: Mario (Hand 2)
"My move!"
"Come on, Mario. I know you can take that dragon. You did it before; you can do it again," said Sunny.
"I play this, the spell card, Parallel World Fusion! Now, I choose an 'Elemental HERO' fusion monster in my extra deck, and I can summon him simply by shuffling my banished monsters back into my deck. So I'm returning my Elemental HERO Great Tornado and Elemental HERO Neos!"
"Yes! He got his monster back!" exclaimed Zipp.
"Good to have to back, bud," said Mario as he looked at his Neos card before placing it on top of his deck, and the auto shuffler kicked in.
"You may have gotten your favorite monster back! But you still have to deal with my Tachyon Dragon."
"You haven't seen which monster I'm bringing out yet, Flurry!"
"It doesn't matter! My Tachyon Dragon has 4500 attack points! Nothing you bring out will match that."
"Then let's find out. Appear, Elemental HERO Neos Knight(2500/1000)!" shouted Mario as a warrior holding a sword and shield came out. "Now my Neos Knight gains half of the attack points of my Great Tornado!"
"Even with that power boost, your Neos Knight doesn't come close to matching my Tachyon Dragon!"
"Not right now… but wait until I activate… Skyscraper!" shouted Mario as he held his card up high.
The card shone around the cousins, and the field began to transform. Tall buildings emerged from the ground and surrounded the two duelists. Flurry and Mario were now in an open space, boxed in by skyscrapers.
"Thanks to my field spell, when an 'Elemental HERO' monster battles, if it has fewer attack points than the monster it's battling, it gains 1000 attack points during the battle! So now, Neos Knight… charge! Vanquish that Neo Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon!" commanded Mario as his monster leaped into the air and lowered its sword, slashing the three-headed beast who roared.
Flurry's Life Points: 7050-
"Oh, and did I mention, prima… Neos Knight gets two attacks in this one battle," smirked Mario as his monster lost the bonus boost before turning its attention to the girl.
"Two attacks?!" exclaimed Flurry, unprepared for what her cousin said.
"Neos Knight, take aim at the princess!" smiled Mario as his monster landed before Flurry and swung its sword diagonal vertically, resulting in Flurry screaming before being knocked back onto the ground.
Flurry's Life Points: 3150-
"I can't believe it. He actually did it again!" said Sunny, as that was the second time Mario took down Flurry's great beast.
"And she now has fewer attack points than Mario! Way to go, lover boy!" stated Zipp.
"I've heard of knights slaying dragons before, but taking that down and a princess… that's a first," responded Izzy.
"I end my turn," smiled Mario.
Turn 6: Flurry (Hand 4)
"You think defeating my Tachyon Dragon a second time is enough to shout victory? Well, you're sorely mistaken, primo! My Tachyon Dragon will always come back, watch! I draw!" shouted Flurry. "I activate the spell card, Galaxy Rebirth! I can bring back a 'Galaxy' monster from my graveyard with half its attack points. Neo Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon, arise my pet!"
"That thing is back again!" said Hitch.
"That dragon is more annoying than a cockroach!" said Zipp.
"At least Mario's monster is stronger than it," commented Pipp.
"I activate the spell Galatic Charity! By discarding one card in my hand to the graveyard. I'm allowed to draw two cards. Next, I activate the spell card, Tachyon Refresh to banish my Neo Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon!"
"What?!" said Mario's friends as they couldn't believe what Flurry had just said.
In the blink of an eye, Flurry's all-mighty monster was gone.
"Now arise!" declared Flurry as on command; her three-headed beast reappeared as it regained its full strength.
"How?" wondered Izzy.
"My Tachyon Refresh has an additional effect; once I banish my dragon, I can resummon it automatically!" said Flurry. "And since it's no longer equipped with my Galaxy Rebirth, all of its attack points are back to normal!"
"What a play! She banished her monster and then resummoned to restore her monster back to full strength. Talk about skill." said Sunny as she was amazed at Flurry's level of thinking.
"And if you thought that made you nervous, this will send you into a full-on panic!" said Flurry as she grabbed another card from her hand and slammed it onto her card tray. "I play Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your Skyscraper field spell!" A giant wind blew over the field as the entire city shook. The tall buildings then crumbled as they disappeared, returning both duelists back to their original setting.
"Now your monsters can't bulk up against mine. Tachyon Dragon, take aim at Neos Knight!"
The three-headed beast fired its attack as Neos Knight put its shield up to try and protect itself, but it was blasted straight off the field.
Mario's Life Points: 5400-
"I end my turn!"
"No matter what Mario does, Flurry finds some way to bring that dragon back!" said Zipp.
"I hate to say it, guys… but I think this morning's win might've been a fluke," said Izzy.
"No! Mario's got this. I know he does!" said Sunny as she looked at her friends and was determined that Mario could beat Flurry and rid her Tachyon Dragon for good.
"Sunny… are you sur-"
"Yes, I am!" shouted the girl as she got in the face of her best friend, which Hitch just backed off to avoid her wrath.
"Come on, big bro. Everyone's counting on you," muttered Roll as she watched her older sibling get up, now having some battle marks on him.
Turn 7: Mario (Hand 1)
"My move! To start, I'll shuffle my Spirit of Neos back into my deck. By doing that, I can summon one 'Elemental HERO' normal monster from my deck. So my Elemental HERO Neos is back!" stated Mario as his most trusty ally appeared before him. "Next, I'm summoning Wroughtweiler(800/1200) in defense mode!" A robotic dog appeared as it stood beside Mario's bulky monster.
"Next… I play the spell card Mirage of Nightmare. Here's how it works: I draw until I'm holding four cards during your Standby Phase. But when it's my Standby Phase, I must discard the same number of cards I drew."
"Why on earth would he play that card?" said Zipp. She didn't see the logic of what Mario did, as he now had nothing left in his hand.
"With that, I end my turn. So take your turn, prima. Good luck, you'll need it."
Turn 8: Flurry (Hand 3)
"Oh, spare me the tough talk, little Mario. You have no monster that can save you!" said Flurry as she drew her card.
"Don't forget, my spell now activates. I get to draw four cards!" stated Mario as he picked up the top cards of his deck and fanned them out.
"But don't forget about the downside. When it's your turn, you'll have to get rid of all those cards you just drew. You just drew for nothing!"
"Don't be too sure, prima. 'Cause I'm not gonna toss any of these cards. Now, when I activate my facedown, Emergency Provisions!" stated Mario as his facedown flipped up. "Now, for every spell and trap card I destroy on my field, I gain 1000 Life Points. So I'll get rid of my Mirage of Nightmares!"
Mario's Life Points: 6400-
"What a move!" said Sunny. "He got a thousand points and ditched his Mirage of Nightmare's additional effect. Now he won't have to discard any cards!"
"An expertly executed move, Mario. But I hope those extra points were worth it because you'll need them for what I'm about to do. It's time to go God mode! I equip my Tachyon Dragon with Tachyon Cannon! My dragon loses 500 attack points, but it can attack again whenever I cut its attack points in half! And I can use this effect over and over until Neo Tachyon Dragon has less than 500 attack points!" stated Flurry.
"That doesn't sound too good!" said Izzy.
"Neo Tachyon Dragon, attack his Neos!" commanded the Crystal Prep girl as her three-headed beast charged up as the cannons that were attached to it fired and decimated the boy's field, making him flinch and cover-up. "I now activate Tachyon Cannon's effect! By cutting my dragon's attack points in half, it can attack again. Take out Wroughtweiler! Ultimate Tachyon Spiral of Destruction!" Once more, Flurry's beast removed her cousin's remaining monster, resulting in him covering up.
"Thanks for that, Flurry. Because when Wroughtweiler is destroyed, I can get back a 'Polymerization' and an 'Elemental HERO' from my graveyard. So I'm taking back my Neos!" stated Mario as his duel disk ejected the two cards and grabbed them.
"However, your Neos can't save you this time! Now… Neo Tachyon, take aim for your third attack!" said Flurry as she used the effect of her Tachyon Cannon again to cut her monster's strength in half to strike. "Fire at my cousin, and be sure to leave a mark on him!" The girl's monster heard the command, putting more power into this attack before firing as it headed straight for the boy.
Mario covered up as he took the attack head-on and immediately screamed before being flung into the air. The boy crashed hard on his back as he gasped, making his eyes and mouth widen. At that moment, the boy began to experience a past memory.
Mario's Life Points: 5400-
(Memory)
"Agh!" shouted a young Mario as he hit the ground on his stomach.
The boy lay on the grass, and standing over him was a young Flurry Heart who was smiling as she just won the duel they had.
"I win again, cousin!" smirked Flurry.
"It's not fair!" shouted Mario as the young boy pushed himself to his hands and knees and turned to look at his cousin. "I had it! I should have won! Why can't I just win?"
"Just get better," remarked a young Flurry.
"I hate losing!" shouted the young boy. "I hate losing to you, Flurry! Let me win, just once!"
"Just face it, primo. You can't beat me."
"Yes, I can! I'm sick and tired of you tossing me around!"
"Aw, but I enjoy it. My dragons love you as their favorite chew toy," smirked the girl as the boy pounded the grass in anger as he almost felt like crying that he couldn't beat his cousin.
"I can beat you… I know I can… I… can…" cried Mario.
(End of memory)
The teen hit the ground as he was brought back to reality from the memory that flashed in his mind. Flurry stared down her fallen cousin as Mario grunted in pain before turning on his side to get to his hands and knees.
"I can… I know… I can," muttered Mario as he felt the pain coursing through his body.
"I warned you, primo! I whooped your ass when we were kids, and I'm whooping your ass right now! The only difference is I'm doing it in front of your friends and school! So they can see what I'm capable of!" barked Flurry as she embarrassed her cousin before his peers to send a message not to cross her. "Galaxy-Eyes, give my cousin another fiery taste of torment! Blast him without remorse!" The three-headed beast fired another round at the boy, and he was once again knocked about before landing on the ground.
Mario's Life Points: 4900-
"Mario!" said Celestia, concerned for her student's health after taking such powerful attacks back to back.
"It's a shame, Tia. What will you tell Twilight and Isaac when they know what their son went through under your watchful eye?" smirked Sombra as he sat back comfortably in his chair.
"No. I can't watch this!" said Pipp as it was becoming hard to see Mario being pummeled like a ragdoll in front of their eyes.
"I do enjoy toying with you, Mario. It makes for very good sport, just like when we were kids!" smirked Flurry as she began to chuckle. "And sadly for you, I can never get enough of a good thing."
"Ha, ha, ha."
"Mmm."
The girl ceased her chuckle as she heard Mario starting to stir. The Crystal Prep teen was taken aback, not by the fact that her cousin was still moving as he sat up and clutched his side, but by the fact that he was… laughing. And while in pain?
The others also noticed it as they heard their friend clutching his side, feeling some pain but laughing. Mario continued to laugh as nearly everybody was confused about his actions.
"Is he… laughing?" asked Izzy with a serious tone.
"Y-Yeah," responded Hitch with a bit of uncertainty.
"I think he's lost it," said Zipp. "All those attacks must've scrambled his brain."
Mario continued to laugh while holding his side as he started to get back to his feet.
"Is he laughing through the pain?" said Pipp. "Either he's really brave or just plain nuts!"
"Mario, what are you doing?" wondered Sunny as she felt the boy was committing suicide by his actions.
"Come on, Flurry. I take it," chuckled Mario.
"Neo Tachyon! Unleash your fury! ATTACK!" yelled the girl. Her monster fired another powerful beam, and it headed straight for Mario.
The boy saw the attack coming as it appeared in his eye's pupil. A matter of seconds later, he was blasted and knocked into the air.
"Mario, no!" shouted Sunny at seeing her friend taking another hit without any coverup.
The boy hit the ground hard as he landed on his stomach. His laughter had ceased as he lay there with tons of battle bruises all over him.
Mario's Life Points: 4650-
"Still here, Mario. Well, that will soon change!" said Flurry as she placed a card facedown to end her turn. "So… are you laughing now, primo?" mocked the girl.
"Y-Yeah… yeah, I'm done, Flurry," responded Mario as he grunted and lifted himself up a bit before turning his head to look at his cousin. He then coughed a bit as his vision became blurry; he took a moment to collect himself and rubbed his eyes, trying to get his bearings straight. "In fact… I'm just fine. I'm not about to quit. You know as well as I do, Flurry… this duel doesn't end until one of us walks away the winner… and… you also know that… some things need to be seen through to the bitter end. And if that means a little danger… I say… bring it on."
"You just signed your death wish, primo," said Flurry as she planned to give her cousin what he wanted. The girl was shown taking off the dueling gloves her mother gave her as she threw them away to show how serious she was.
Turn 9: Mario (Hand 6)
"It's my turn. I draw!"
"Even someone as stubborn as you, primo, knows you've already lost—along with your chances of winning!"
"No. I think not! You fail to understand that there's always hope, Flurry."
"Hope?" said the girl with a scowl.
"Yes! And I'll show you by winning this duel!" proclaimed Mario as he picked a card from his hand and held it up high. "I play the spell card, A Hero Lives! Since I control no monsters, I can use this card to summon a Level 4 or lower 'Elemental HERO' monster from my deck. All I have to do is give up half of my Life Points!"
Mario's Life Points: 2325-
"Why would he cut his own points? Doesn't he realize Flurry just needs one good hit to end him!" said Zipp.
"Elemental HERO Bubbleman!" said Mario as his monster appeared. "And when Bubbleman is the only card out when he's summoned, I'm allowed to draw two more cards."
"I think I know why he paid half his points to bring out his monster. Tachyon Dragon only has 250 attack points. If he can find a way to bring out Neos, he's got this!" said Pipp as she seemed to understand the boy's plan.
"Your Bubbleman won't be activating anything! Remember, primo! I call the shots in this duel. And I say, my Neo Tachyon Dragon will bring you to your knees. I activate my facedown... Tachyon Unit! By paying 500 Life Points, I can activate Neo Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon's ability without using an overlay unit."
Flurry's Life Points: 2650-
"Interesting," said Sunny.
"Come now, little Mario. I'm sure you can muster more enthusiasm than that for my shrewd strategy. It's sure to shake things up!" said Flurry as she saw Mario with an unamused expression. "All other cards on the field lose their effects and return to how they were at the beginning of the turn. And that includes my Tachyon Cannon… so by negating its effect, it no longer weakens my Neo Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon. It's now restored to its full strength!"
"There's just no way to beat this thing!" said Hitch as Flurry's unstoppable monster was just that… unstoppable and all-powerful. A monster fit for someone who was just like her.
"And while my Neo Tachyon Dragon gains power, your Bubbleman loses his special ability and place on the field. So you won't be drawing any cards now!" said Flurry as Mario's monster disappeared while the facedown she activated was set back down. The boy now had an empty field once more.
"So… what now?" asked Izzy.
"We lose," said Pipp, as there seemed to be no hope left for them or their school.
"Well, Mario… what do you do now?" stated Flurry as the boy had his head down and his eyes were covered.
Everybody waited to see what he would do or say in response to the girl, but nothing came from his mouth. Sunny clutched her heart as she felt it was time to accept reality. Her faith in Mario had been crushed as Flurry had been thinking two steps ahead the entire duel and was in firm control.
"Well, primo?"
"I'm not ready to leave just yet, Flurry!" said the boy as he lifted his head with a determined look, taking Flurry aback a bit. "Now… I play Polymerization to fuse my Elemental HERO Flash and Elemental HERO Knospe!" The two monsters appeared above Mario before entering a swirling vortex that emitted orange and purple lights. "I Fusion Summon! Elemental HERO Gaia(2200/2600)! And thanks to my monster's ability, when its fusion summoned, I can target one monster on the field and cut its attack points in half. So I choose your Tachyon Dragon, then my Gaia gains those attack points it lost!" Flurry's beast felt some power leaving it as Mario's monster let out a pumped-up battle cry, feeling the new power coursing through its veins.
"Alright, Gaia. Let that dragon have it!" said Mario as his monster had its wrist gun rotate rapidly. It delivered a barrage of small stones at Flurry's beast, who roared before it exploded, making the girl flinch and cover up.
Flurry's Life Points: 450-
"With that, I end my turn!" said the boy.
"He's almost there. Let's hope Flurry doesn't bring that dragon back again," said Sunny.
Turn 10: Flurry (Hand 2)
"My turn now," said Flurry as she drew her card and widened her eyes at what she drew. "I summon my Blue Dragon Summoner(1500/600) in defense mode." Out came a boy wizard; standing behind him was his persona, as it was a female dragon humanoid spirit.
"What?" said Mario, taken aback by the monster her cousin brought.
"I end my turn."
"Am I missing something here?" asked Zipp.
"That's all she plays?" repeated Pipp, expecting more from the Crystal Prep girl.
"What do you think, Sunny?" asked Hitch.
"I'm not sure," responded the girl to her best friend. She glanced over secretly at Roll, who'd been paying close attention to the monster her cousin had brought out.
"She played the very first card Dad ever gave her," muttered Roll.
Turn 11: Mario (Hand 3)
"My move!" said Mario as he drew. "Gaia, blast her monster away!" The monster did as he was told and let loose a barrage of stone pellets that collided with Flurry's monster, destroying it.
"Now my monster's ability activates! When it's destroyed, I can add a 'Dragon' type normal monster to my hand from my deck. So I choose my Blue-Eyes White Dragon." stated Flurry as her duel disk ejected the card, and she grabbed it.
"That's not good," said Mario, knowing that monster meant trouble. "I switch my monster into defense mode and place a card facedown."
Turn 12: Flurry (Hand 3)
"My turn. And now… I play the ritual spell card, Chaos Form! So I can perform a ritual summon by offering my Blue-Eyes White Dragon as a tribute!" Flurry held her card up high as it glowed with a bright light. Her monster appeared before entering a portal. "Now arise… Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon(3000/0)!" Flurry's monster appeared as it shone with a white light before roaring.
"That doesn't look good," said Sunny.
"Now, Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon, attack! Since I used a 'Blue-Eyes' to ritual summon my new beast, I can change your monsters' battle positions and drop their points to zero!"
"That's not good!" said Pipp.
"If that hits, Mario loses!" stated Izzy.
"Say goodbye, primo!"
The attack from Flurry made contact as Mario's monster was blasted away. The boy covered up as he stood his ground before being engulfed by the attack. A massive light shined about the field before it died, and Mario dropped to a knee.
"No!" shouted Zipp. "We lost!"
"No, we didn't! Look!" said Sunny as she pointed.
The heiress looked as the screen still showed that Mario, despite his monster being gone, still had the same amount of Life Points.
"Excepting me to be out already, Flurry?" said Mario with a light chuckle. "Well, my trap is the reason. Hero Spirit! During the battle phase, if an 'Elemental HERO' monster I control was destroyed by battle this turn, I can make that battle damage become zero!"
"Does it look like I'm worried, Mario?" said the Crystal Prep girl as she placed a card facedown.
Turn 13: Mario (Hand 3)
"My move!" said Mario.
When he drew his card, he felt something that made him hesitant. The boy looked as sure enough; the card he drew was none other than one with which he had a connection. The card he held was his Winged Kuriboh, and sure enough, the tiny monster spirit appeared before his master.
"What do you want, Kuriboh?" asked the boy to his monster spirit.
The tiny winged furry monster pointed at his card before pointing at the field. The teen knew what his monster was saying, as he wanted to be part of the duel. However, they weren't at the beginning of a duel; they were near the bottom of the ninth. One wrong move, and they would lose everything. The monster pleaded with his master to play him.
"What about that, huh?" said Mario as he pointed to the massive dragon staring him down. "I need to take that thing down. You can't do it. You're too weak. I need to summon Neos!" The boy showed his hand to his monster to indicate he needed to bring out his ace to stand a chance against Flurry's beast. However, he currently had no way to bring out his ace, so he was at a crossroads.
Mario looked at his hand as he didn't see any way he could bring out his star monster, and given that he didn't have anything on the field, he had to play something. The boy gritted his teeth as he hated the situation he was in; he glanced over at his tiny monster spirit as he could see his monster's determination. The boy shook his head and groaned before making his call.
"I summon… Winged Kuriboh(300/200)!" stated Mario as he placed the card on his card tray sideways. "Don't let me down, alright."
The tiny monster spirit nodded to his master before reappearing on the field. The tiny winged furball appeared before Mario as it tried to protect the boy despite being little.
"I end my turn!"
"Is he serious!?" shouted Zipp.
"I get his monster is cute and adorable, but that thing is gonna get squashed by Flurry's dragon without breaking a sweat!" said Pipp.
Turn 14: Flurry (Hand 0)
"My move. I play the spell, Card of Demise. Now I draw until I'm five cards in my hand, but in five turns, I discard my entire hand. Next, I'll play… Polymerization!"
"That's not good!" said Izzy.
"I fuse another Blue-Eyes White Dragon with my Luster Dragon to create… Blue-Eyes Tyrant Dragon(3400/2900)!" shouted Flurry as her two monsters vanished before one single beast with shining wings appeared and roared.
"I guess we really did lose," said Sunny.
"Chaos Dragon, take out his Winged Kuriboh!" instructed Flurry as her dragon fired a beam, and in an instant, it shot forward. The small winged furball stood his ground and put on a brave face before being blasted off the field with ease. Mario lifted his arm to cover his face but held a defiant look.
"Why didn't his points change?" asked Hitch as he and the others were confused that Mario didn't lose the last of his Life Points, given Flurry's dragon's ability to lower any monster's stats to zero and inflict piercing damage.
"That's because of Winged Kuriboh's ability. On the turn it's destroyed, my brother takes zero damage," said Roll.
"Well, prima. You gonna attack again?"
"Please. You think I've forgotten about the ability of your monster? I've only faced it our entire lives growing up! No, instead, I'm gonna place one card facedown and end my turn. Now take your last turn, Mario."
Turn 15: Mario (Hand 3)
"You're right about one thing, prima. Something tells me this is gonna be the final turn. And whoever wins is decided right now!" said Mario as he looked at his deck. "So here goes something. I draw. And I play Pot of Greed to pick up two more cards. Then, I'll play this: Instant Contact! By paying 1000 Life Points, I can summon a monster from my Extra Deck, but at the end of the turn, it returns. So I choose my Elemental HERO Flame Wingman(2100/1000)!" stated the boy as his fiery birdman appeared.
Mario's Life Points: 1325-
"Next, I activate my Fake Hero spell card. So now I can special summon one 'Elemental HERO' monster from my hand, but it can't attack, and it returns to my hand at the end. So Neos… show yourself!" said Mario as his ace monster appeared once more on the field. "Then, I'll play this… Neos Fusion! So now I can fusion summon a monster who has 'Elemental HERO Neos' as part of its materials to summon it. And I choose… my Elemental HERO Shining Neos Wingman(3100/2500)!" Mario's two monsters disappeared into a swirling vortex that emitted purple and orange lights as his new monster emerged with a blinding light surrounding it.
"Now, for my monster's ability! Since I summoned it, I can destroy a number of cards up to the number of different attributes of monsters on the field. Since Shining Neos Wingman is a light monster and your Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon is a dark monster, I get to destroy two of your cards!"
"Are you sure about that?" smirked Flurry. "I activate my facedown… Ultimate Fusion! During the Main Phase, I can use this card's power to fusion summon a monster that mentions a 'Blue-Eyes' monster simply by shuffling the monsters listed on it from my hand, field, and/or graveyard back to my deck. So I'll return both of my Blue-Eyes in my graveyard!" stated the Crystal Prep girl as her duel disk ejected the cards and grabbed them to place on top of her deck as the auto shuffler kicked in. "So I fusion summon… Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon(3000/2500)!" Flurry's two-headed Blue-Eyes beast appeared as they locked eyes with Mario and his monster.
"And my card has one more effect: for every 'Blue-Eyes' that I used to summon my new monster, I can destroy that many cards that you control. So your Wingman is gonna bite the dust before it ever does anything!" declared Flurry.
"Not if I use the additional effect of my Neos Fusion!" said Mario as his card appeared from a portal that opened up before him. "Since my monster would be destroyed by battle or card effect, I can simply banish my Neos Fusion from my graveyard to protect it!"
"NO!" shouted Flurry as Mario's monster had a shining outline around its body that protected it from the effect of her card and fizzled out.
"So while your card destruction effect didn't work, mine will. So say goodbye to your Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon and your Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon!" declared Mario as he snapped his fingers, and his monster punched the ground. It cracked open and traveled toward Flurry's side of the field before the cavern lit up, making the girl cover her eyes while her two chosen monsters let out roars before vanishing.
"And don't forget my Neos Wingman's other ability, Flurry. He gains 300 extra attack points for every monster in my graveyard. Roll Call!" shouted Mario as he lifted his duel disk high into the sky. The device began to light up one by one, and every monster that Mario had appeared behind their master, as the boy had a squad of superheroes backing him up. Winged Kuriboh appeared by the boy's head as the massive squad, and Mario stared down Flurry and her sole dragon as she was clearly outnumbered. "Take a good long look at my monsters, prima. Thanks to your dragons, I have a total of nine monsters in my graveyard. So Neos Wingman gains 2700 extra attacks for a grand total of… 5800!"
All of Mario's monsters lit up as a beam of light shot from them into their comrade, who felt their power surging through its body, bulking up while its wings grew even bigger.
"It's over, Flurry. Neos Wingman, slay her Blue-Eyes Tyrant Dragon!" commanded the boy as he stood before the mirage of his monster army his winged hero took to the air and headed straight for the girl's dragon with its fist thrusted out and glowing with power.
"This is it!" said Zipp as the group nearly stood up to watch their friend about to win.
"Flurry!" yelled the girl's friends as they shouted at her.
"I don't think so! Go, Battle Fusion!" said Flurry as she activated the final facedown she had set.
"I forgot she had a card set!?" said Sunny.
"With the power of this spell, since my fusion monster is battling yours, this grants my Blue-Eyes Tyrant Dragon the power to gain attack points equal to your monster's attack points! So now… it's my monster who has the upper hand! You're through, primo!" yelled Flurry as her dragon fired up with power and fired back with a powerful beam that made contact with Mario's monster as the two attacks held in the middle.
"9200 attack points!" said Sunny and the others.
"The Final Boss wins!"
"Nice move, prima!" yelled Mario over the sound of their attacks colliding. "But I still have one last chance!" Mario then held out the card in his hand as he spoke. "I activate the spell card… Battle Fusion! So you know what that means, Flurry!"
The girl gasped as she couldn't believe what she saw. Mario's army of monsters then transformed into lights as they shot forward and were absorbed by his Neos Wingman; the monster felt the power of its friends as it absorbed the strength of Flurry's monster and began to push the beam back.
"15000 attack points… heh. Clever move, Mario. Well done." said Flurry as she smiled at her cousin's actions.
"This is it!" said Zipp.
"Go, Mario!" yelled Izzy.
"Do it!" yelled Pipp.
"Neos Wingman, give it all you got!" shouted the boy as his monster powered up even more and started to close in on Flurry's monster, struggling to hold its foe back.
"End…" said the boy.
"Finish…" yelled Sunny at the same time.
"This…"
"The…"
"Duel!" shouted Mario.
"Story!" shouted Sunny as she said everything in time with Mario's final words to his monster.
The boy's monster made it to the mouth of Flurry's dragon as it winced in pai; its eyes widened before a massive explosion occurred. The explosion was so massive that it covered the entire field. Flurry was shown looking at the massive light as she didn't even more and just let it engulf her.
The light died down as the two monsters that were previously there were gone. The only ones on the field were Mario and Flurry, as both didn't move but kept firm gazes at each other. Then, Flurry dropped to a knee, and Mario dropped to both knees. The screen above them came on and showcased the final result.
Flurry's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Mario
Confetti went off one cue, and a thunderous roar and applause rang out from the sea of CHS students. The boy heard the ovulation as he looked up to see the many cheers happening.
"Students… your winner of this duel… Mario… and… the winners… of the Friendship Games… is CHS!" said Luna as she was overcome with emotion and tears, that her voice cracked just trying to announce that Mario won and their school was victorious.
"Dammit, Mario, finished the damn story!" shouted Celestia in tears and excitement as she dropped to her knees and had her hands covering her nose and mouth.
Sombra looked on as he kept his demeanor, not showing any emotion, before bringing his hands up and simply clapping. The principal was soon followed by the rest of the CPA student body as they clapped to show their respect for their opponents. Sunny and the others were all heartbroken after seeing they managed to win. The girl was overcome with so much emotion she couldn't properly express it; she simply looked at Mario as she smiled at her friend.
"Good game, Mario. Good game," muttered Flurry as she was still down to a knee and saw the attention her cousin got for beating her. She couldn't help but smile as seeing her cousin get this special moment in his life felt nice.
Just then, a hand came before her as she failed to notice it. It belonged to none other than her cousin as Mario was offering his help to his family member. The girl looked up at her cousin before putting her hand in his as he helped her. Immediately, the two locked their hands while looking at each other before Mario pulled Flurry in and hugged his cousin tightly. The two closed their eyes as they embraced the other tightly.
"I love you, primo," cried Flurry into her cousin's shoulders.
"I love you, prima," said Mario in return as he shared the same emotions as the girl.
"We did it," said Sunny with a huge gleeful smile on her face before looking up at the night sky as a shooting star soared across.
In the school's auditorium, a massive celebration party was being thrown. Music played, and both schools were shown talking and mingling with one another. Watching from the stage were Sombra and Celestia, as the woman wondered if, now that the games were over, the two parties were able to be friends.
"Well done, Tia. I must commend you," said Sombra, raising his glass to his rival. "Your team certainly came through and did what few have ever done. I have no choice but to respect and admire that determination and talent."
"Well… you didn't make it easy for us," the woman responded as she sipped her glass.
"Oh, please, Tia. When have I ever made it easy for you," flirted the man as he clinked his glass with hers before the two principals took a collective sip. "But… there is something rather important I must discuss with you."
Celestia's expression changed on a dime as she listened to what her acquaintance had to say. Zipp was shown walking about the room floor as she tried to locate someone but couldn't find them. The heiress arrived where her friends were as Izzy tried to decide which chocolate she wanted to snack on.
"Hey, Zipp!" said Sunny.
"Hey, guys. Have any of you seen Mario or Roll?"
"Not since the duel ended," responded Hitch.
"I'm sure wherever they are, they're fine," responded Sunny with a smile to her friends.
"How can you be sure?" asked Zipp.
"I just know," said the girl, looking out toward a window that showcased the night sky and the moon.
The scene panned to the window before panning downward as the school roof was shown. On it were three individuals gathered around the top of a vent crate; all three individuals were shown with their decks and cards out as they appeared to be having a casual, fun, three-way battle royale duel. However, while the card game was going on, they talked about something rather serious.
"Shadow Duelists?" asked Flurry as she placed a card from her hand onto the makeshift field. The girl had been told by her cousins about the incidents with the Shadow Duelists during their winter break.
"Yeah. And they're not just duelists," said Roll before drawing a card from her deck and placing another from her hand facedown.
"The duels you enter are completely different from the ones we're used to," Mario responded as he flipped a facedown over. "They play for keeps."
"At first, we thought they were just after us, but after seeing them go after our friends and Mom and Dad having their own encounters, it's clear they're gonna try to take out whoever stands in their way," said Roll.
"What did Aunty Twily and Uncle Isaac say?"
"They said we should focus on school until they can gather more information," said Mario.
"I guess all those shows and stories we read about evil individuals hell-bent on taking over the world are more real than we thought," said Flurry.
"I just can't shake the feeling that this is something big," said Roll.
Flurry reacted to her cousin's words as she placed all the cards she held facedown. The two siblings noticed that as they looked at the girl, wondering what she had to say. Flurry looked to her left and right to see if anybody was nearby. Once the coast was clear and it was just them up here, she used her finger to gesture to both her cousins to lean in.
"Okay, I don't know if this is anything, so keep it on the down low," Flurry whispered. "You guys remember a few months ago about that story of something being stolen?"
"Yeah," responded both siblings.
"Well, the day after, I overheard Principal Sombra. I was just passing by his office when I heard him."
"What was he saying?" asked Roll.
"I'm not sure. He was on the phone with someone, but from what I could tell, he seemed… concerned and a bit… frightened."
"What?" said Mario.
"I know. I couldn't believe it either. He rarely gets scared or terrified of anything," responded Flurry.
"So you think it's a connection?" asked Roll.
"If it's got Sombra spooked, then it's too much of a coincidence, in my opinion," the Crystal Prep girl said as the siblings exchanged looks of concern. But listen, I'll inform you if I find out anything. Also, if you need backup dealing with these Shadow Duelists, I got you two."
"You sure?" said Mario.
"Please. If they're as tough as you two say they are, I say just bring it. I'll take on ten if I have to!" responded Flurry, as she wasn't scared of a little danger.
The two siblings smiled and were glad to have their cousin's help.
"So, are you two going to Vegas next week?"
"Mom and Dad have already arranged our flights. Once Spring Break starts, we're flying out for Dad's match," said Roll.
"Well, I guess I'll see you two there. Mom and I are going for Dad's match on the PLE card," stated Flurry, who was also heading to the same place for her father's big Markey match. "You two got some good people to surround yourselves with. Don't forget it."
Roll nodded with a smile while Mario just looked away. Flurry then presented the necklace as she removed it and slid it over to the boy. The teen saw it as Flurry, who was willing to offer the trinket to her cousin as per the rules of tribal combat. Mario simply took the necklace as he put it on and assumed the mantle and power that came with it. Flurry then put a fist out as Roll did the same. Mario soon followed suit as they all touched knuckles.
"Familia," said Flurry.
"Familia," responded Roll.
"Familia," echoed Mario, and the three shared a collective smile.
Author's Note: Here we are. The epic finale of what has been my longest story arc to date. And ladies and gentlemen... Mario finished the story for his team. This whole arc can be described by one word: Cinema. Nothing but pure cinema. Main Event Mario was able to put down The Final Boss for the win. Who says the good guys have to finish last? And in some surprising news, it seems whatever this evil force is has got Sombra on high alert and that alone is worrying in itself. But even though this story arc is ending, Flurry Heart will be back.