The battle against the Arcadia Movement begins! The first of the many Duels is quite a chill… in more ways than one!

Yugioh: The Hope of Six

Chapter 51: Arcadia Arc – Part 6

"Hmm. As usual, the Blue-Eyes Mountain is perfect." Jack commented after sipping his favorite coffee at the Cafe la Geen.

The waitress serving him, a tall, young brunette named Stephanie, smiled and blushed as she slightly bowed her head. "T-Thank you, Jack Atlas." She said shyly. Stephanie had a huge crush on Jack. She wanted to tell him of her feelings for quite some time, but she became flustered whenever she was serving him and ended up not saying anything personal. The thing was, she was just too shy to speak to someone so famous. She hated being like that. 'Darn it. I want to be more than just some coffee serving waitress to him. I want to be his girlfriend! I've been wanting it for months and months! Why can't I be bolder?' Stephanie furrowed her eyebrows and crunched up her face. She had enough of it. 'Oh screw it! I'm just going to come out and say it! I'm sure Jack loves a girl that isn't afraid to speak her true feelings! I'm not passing up this chance! Not today!' Stephanie then took in a deep breath. "Jack Atlas, I…"

"There you are!" Crow shouted as he came strutting over to the table where his friend was sitting. His unannounced appearance made Stephanie yelp and fall comically down on the ground. Neither guy seemed to have noticed. "Are you drinking that expensive coffee again? You really should go for something cheaper." He mildly complained.

Jack grunted as he put his cup down. "I refuse to settle for something less than the best." He retorted. "Did you come here just to complain about my choice of beverage?" Jack asked. Crow snorted in response.

"Actually, no. Yusei just got a phone call from Ushio. He and Mikage want all of us down at the station right away, especially Aki. It has to do with those Elite guys she told us about." Jack's expression became more serious before he stood up.

"Then let's go." He then left the money for his coffee and walked off. Crow started after him when he heard a muffled crying sound behind him. He turned to see Stephanie sitting on the ground, tears pouring down her face. "Crow, are you coming?" Jack asked after walking a bit.

"I'll catch up." Crow told him. Jack then resumed heading back to the apartment. Crow then focused on the upset waitress. "Hey, what's wrong? Did you fall and hurt yourself?" Crow asked, sounding concerned. Stephanie kept her face lowered as she wept.

"Why… Why did you butt in like that? Just when I finally, finally had the guts to confess my feelings for him, you ruined it! How dare you?!" She shouted angrily. Crow flinched a bit from the tone in her voice. He seemed to really upset her.

"Confess? What do you…" Crow didn't understand at first, but then he got it a second later. He figured what she meant. "You mean Jack? You like him?" Stephanie didn't answer. She just kept looking down, her tears still falling off her face. Crow sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Oh crap. I'm no good at this kind of stuff." He then knelt in front of her. "Look, um. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you like this. It's just I had to tell Jack something important and he had to go without any delays." Stephanie shook her head.

"I hate being like this…I hate myself for being so pathetic! It's just too embarrassing!" Crow gave her a stern look.

"Hey, don't say stuff like that. You'll only make yourself feel even worse. There's nothing wrong with who you are." Stephanie gritted her teeth and tightened her hands into fists. She didn't seem to hear a word Crow was saying.

"Who am I kidding? He doesn't notice me one bit. I'm just some waitress who is too cowardly to even make small talk with a guy like him. I can never be the kind of girl Jack Atlas would want..." She then slam her fists on the ground. "I hate who I am! I don't deserve to be noticed by anyone!"

Crow had heard enough. He grabbed Stephanie shoulders firmly, finally making her look up at him.

"Stop that! Shut up and listen!" His words got the girl to stop crying. She appeared startled. "Insulting yourself isn't the solution! If you don't like the way you are, then do something about it! Work on improving the part of you that needs to change! If you're too shy, then try to become bolder and more outgoing! If Jack still doesn't notice you after all that, I'm sure there's bound to be someone who will!"

Stephanie was at a loss for words for a long moment. She had no reply for Crow's rather blunt advice. His eyes kept piercing her like she was being x-rayed. "You… think so?" She finally asked much more quietly. Crow nodded. Stephanie looked away and pondered his words. 'Change… who I am.' She said to herself in her mind. Before she could say anything else…

"Crow!" Crow looked over and saw Yusei and Jack on their D-Wheels.

"What is keeping you?! You said we have to go now!" Jack called back. Crow nodded at them.

"Be right there!" He turned back to Stephanie. "I gotta go. Just think about what I said, alright?" He told Stephanie more calmly with a friendly smile. Without waiting for a reply, Crow headed back to the apartment and came out seconds later on his own D-Wheel. Then the three Riding Duelists took off in a burst of speed.

Alone now, Stephanie slowly got back on her feet and wiped the tears off her face. Her manager then came out to see what all the yelling was about. "Hey Stephanie! I heard you shouting a lot out here! What's the deal?" He demanded. He saw that his employee was staring at the ground, not answering him. "Stephanie!" He called again. Stephanie turned back to him and chuckled nervously.

"S-Sorry sir! Just had a disagreement with a customer!" She lied. Her manager sighed.

"That can happen. You just need to… wait, have you been crying?" He asked, noticing the wet streaks on Stephanie's face and the redness in her eyes. The girl smiled and chuckled again.

"I accidentally fell down and hit my back on the pavement. It did hurt a little, but I'm okay now." She lied again. He could tell that much. He thought she was roughly pushed by whoever she argued with and refused to cause trouble. Taking pity on her, the manager sighed.

"Listen, why don't you just take the rest of the day off? You've had it rough today. I can have Fred take over the rest of your shift." He offered. Stephanie nodded appreciatively.

"Thank you sir. I'll do that." She honestly didn't feel like she could focus on her job anyway.

As Stephanie walked past him and headed to the café's front door, the manager suddenly shivered and rubbed his arms. "Damn, where did that cold air come from? It's supposed to be warmer than this. I swear it feels like being inside the refrigerator. Hey Stephanie, you feel a little nippy just now?" He called over his shoulder. However, the waitress had already gone inside. The manager shrugged. "Guess she didn't hear me." He said to himself as he headed back inside.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Well, looks like Racer has had some fun." Divine said to himself in amusement. On the big screen before him, he saw a news report about various crashes throughout Neo Domino City due to all modes of transportation losing power. This came about not long after informing the Elites about Jordan's death. "That is sure to keep everyone preoccupied for quite some time."

"They all deserve it." Salazar commented as he watched the news alongside Divine. "All of humanity deserves to suffer and die for what they have done to our kind." He added with unmistakable hatred. The older man nodded.

"I quite agree." Divine said. "And they shall pay, one city at a time." Yes, he was most looking forward to finally put his grand scheme into motion. He would've pulled off something like this before now if the Dark Signers hadn't botched things up. Oh well, better late than never.

"Mister Divine. Will this Aki Izayoi and Ruka really join us?" Salazar asked. Divine smirked.

"I have full confidence they will." He assured the younger Psychic. He appeared thoughtful. "Something on your mind, Salazar?" The boy nodded.

"Yes. I understand that Aki used to be one of us. But then she turned traitor and joined the Signers. Why did she betray us?" Divine sighed.

"The Crimson Dragon's influence dominated her free will. The Birth Mark it forced upon her made her disillusioned and forget where she really belonged. Try I as I might, I was unable to bring her back. Hopefully, my plan will accomplish this."

"What about this Ruka? She is also a Signer, yet you want her to join us too. Isn't she an enemy?" Salazar questioned further. Divine smirked.

"Ruka has a gift: The ability to communicate with the Spirit World. That could be very beneficial for the Arcadia Movement. While it is true that she currently sides against us, she is still a naïve little child. With the proper guidance, I'm certain she can be persuaded to join our cause."

Before he could switch the television off, another news report appeared on the screen. It showed the picture of someone very familiar. Divine was very surprised by whom the report was about. "Ladies and gentlemen. This has just come to our attention. The popular supermodel, Misty Lola, was recently found unconscious and has been immediately rushed to Domino General Hospital. She was discovered just outside the local cemetery by a couple that happened to be walking by. Misty is currently in a coma and we have no word on when or if she will regain consciousness. Also no information on the cause of her condition is available at this time. This was not the first time an unfortunate event had happened to the young woman. Her younger brother, Tobi Lola, was found dead some time ago by Misty herself. Just after that, she nearly perished in a car accident. She had made a full recovery from that incident and reentered society afterwards. We can only pray she makes it out of this one to." Divine finally turned the television off.

"That was quite surprising." Divine said to himself.

"You know her?" Salazar asked. He was not familiar with the supermodel. Divine nodded.

"Misty and I… were not exactly the best of friends, to put it mildly." He said vaguely. That part was definitely true. Divine could never forget how Misty had her Earthbound God swallow him whole for what he did to her younger brother. He had never forgiven her for that.

"Why not?" Salazar questioned.

"You heard about her brother just now on the news?" Divine asked, with the boy nodding. He sighed dramatically. "She blames me for his demise." Salazar looked up at him, shocked.

"You?!" He exclaimed.

"Tobi was also one of us, but his power was nowhere near our level. He wanted to prove his strength by taking on the Signers. He challenged Aki, believing he could bring her back over to us. Unfortunately, he failed. Under the accursed will of the Crimson Dragon, Aki was forced to strike done Tobi where he stood… ending his life." Divine told him.

"That's awful! No one should be forced to do something they don't want to!" Salazar said, hating what he was told. "But what's that got to do with Misty blaming you?"

Divine looked down at the boy. "Misty was a sympathizer to our cause and had entrusted me with Tobi's wellbeing. She had counted on me to guide and nurture him. When she heard what happened, Misty assaulted me, furious at me for not keeping her brother safe. After being forced off, she told me I would one day regret allowing her brother to die. I had not seen or heard from her again since."

Salazar shook his head. "Poor Misty. I know just how she feels." He too felt the pain of loss, and betrayal…

"We have all suffered a loss at some point in our lives, Salazar. What we must not do is sympathize with the people that seek to destroy us." Salazar nodded slowly.

"Yeah…" he said softly. He then remembered something. "Wait. Domino General Hospital is one of the targets. If it gets attacked, won't that mean Misty will be…?" Divine had politely interrupted him.

"I will have my Elite going there move her out so she will not meet her brother's fate." He assured the younger boy. Salazar smiled.

"I'm glad to know that." He said. Divine smiled back, pleased that his lies had easily fooled him. Salazar could never know the truth.

Little did he or his companion know, they were being observed through the video and audio systems at their location.

As he sat in the chair that used to be Racer's, Windy had observed and listened to Divine and Salazar's conversation regarding Misty and Tobi. The Wind Ignis scoffed at the things he knew Divine said couldn't be true. "What a liar." He wondered who this Salazar was. So far Divine had not given any details of the boy, nor could Windy himself find anything about him in Racer's files. Whoever that kid was, Divine clearly didn't want anyone to know about him. Apparently not even Racer was allowed to know. That had to mean the boy was somehow important.

While he continued to spy on the pair, Windy decided to see exactly how Misty ended up in her condition just out of curiosity. As luck would have it, there was a street camera near the cemetery where Misty was found. Surely it would have caught something.

Windy rewound the footage to the moment Misty stepped out of the cemetery before playing it. He witnessed the alarm on the supermodel's face as she stared down at her phone, then changing her expression from shock and disbelief to hope and desperation. Windy bolted out of his chair when he saw the yellow arm bursting out of Misty's phone and grabbing her face just before she hit the ground. "No." He muttered to himself. He rewound the camera feed again and stopped at the instant the arm appeared. He zoomed in to get a better look and gasped. Windy clinched his fists, realizing what had really happened to Misty. "Lightning… what are you up to this time?"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Welp… it's time to head out." Yugo declared. Night had fallen and it was about 1 hour until midnight. Yugo, Rin, Rua, and Ruka all prepared for their respective missions. They all knew Yusei and the others were doing the same at that moment. The four were at the garage beneath the apartment building of Rua and Ruka's penthouse, with Yugo and Rin preparing to move.

"It sure is." Rua said.

"Let's go over our plans one last time." Rin suggested. Her boyfriend and the twins nodded. "I'm going to defend the Duel Shrine from the Elite Psychic that plans to destroy it. A squad of police officers will be watching and standing by at a designated hiding spot to arrest that Elite." She confirmed. "You guys?"

"I'm riding out to the recycling plant to warn Yusei's friends in the area and kick the ass of the Elite I bump into. The officers there will bust him too." Yugo said while attaching his Duel Disk to his D-Wheel.

"Rua and I will remain here and wait for our Elite to show up. Our parents will be with Mikage at the police station, so they'll be safe. As an extra precaution, Mom and Dad made a phone call earlier that told us they would be "working late again" tonight." Ruka said.

"Yep; that's sure to fool the Elite. Ushio's squad will be hiding out in one of the empty apartments next to ours, waiting for our signal to pounce on the guy." Rua added confidently while punching his palm with his fist.

Rin nodded, satisfied. "Then it's settled." She then turned to her boyfriend, who had just gotten out his riding helmet. "Yugo… you be careful, okay? Don't do anything reckless, you hear me you idiot?" She asked, holding on to his shoulders. Yugo smirked at her, taking her by the waist.

"You know me. I'm anything but a reckless idiot." Rin snorted playfully as she smiled back.

"Why do I find that hard to believe?" She whispered before she pulled her boyfriend in for a kiss. Yugo and Rin wrapped their arms round one another as they made out. Ruka smiled, but Rua looked away… though not from embarrassment.

Even though he had gotten over his initial crush on Rin, the older twin still felt the pain of not having his own feelings reciprocated. Rua really didn't want to feel this way anymore. He knew he was only 12 years old, going on 13, but he still wished he could meet a girl who wouldn't reject him.

Ruka glanced over at him, somehow knowing what was bothering her brother. A month had gone by and he still felt the repercussions of Rin's gentle rejection. 'Rua… It's still hurting you, isn't it?' Ruka thought perhaps she should let him know about a "certain someone" after the whole Arcadia Movement mess is cleaned up.

A moment later, Yugo and Rin broke the kiss and stared into each other's eyes. "Seriously Yugo, don't do something that can get you killed." She said in a worried voice. Yugo nodded.

"I won't, Rin. I'll come back. Just make sure you do the same." Rin nodded herself.

"You bet I will." The couple then turned to the twins. "You two be extremely careful as well. We'll all meet up later to bring Divine down." The siblings nodded.

"Got it." Rua said.

"Be safe you guys." Ruka said.

"You got it." Yugo assured them. With that, he and Rin got onboard their respective D-Wheels, put on their helmets, and rode off to their destinations. The twins watched them both disappear from sight before heading back inside to prepare for their hostile visitor…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The courtyard where the Duel Shrine stood seemed empty and still. No person was in sight of the legendary place. That was about to change, but not in a good way.

Just as the clocker tower struck midnight, an unusually cold wind blew through the area. Then, from the shadows of the trees, a tall figure emerged. The person wore a white hooded overcoat and long light blue pants decorated with snowflakes. The figure's face could not be seen, for it was covered by a dark blue mask that seemed to be made of icicles. A Duel Disk was also strapped onto the figure's left arm. Icy footprints formed from every step the person took.

"There you are… the so called "Duel Goddess" that grants Duelists their wishes." The female voice coming from the masked face said with a chilliness that matched the cold temperatures around her. She stopped when she was just a few feet away from the Duel Shrine. "People actually expect you to make their wishes come true? How foolish people are. All you do is give them false hope." The masked figure shook her tightened fists. "There is nothing magical about you. You're nothing but a big fat lie. The sight of you sickens me. Truthfully, I was glad Master Divine chose me to eliminate you. And what better way to do it…" She then formed a ice dagger in her right hand, "than to stab you with my fury." She raised dagger to do the deed…

"No you won't!" The woman halted, shocked that she was not alone. She then saw a teenage green haired girl step out from behind the Duel Shrine. She also had a Duel Disk on her arm.

"What is this?! Who are you to defy me?!" The woman angrily demanded.

"I'm the one that's gonna protect the Duel Shrine from being destroyed by you!" Rin declared before activating her Duel Disk. "I won't let you get within an inch of this shrine… Blizzard!"

The masked woman was shocked further. Not only was there supposed to be no one here, but this brat knew who she was. "How do you know about me and my mission, child?" The Elite Psychic questioned. Rin smirked at her.

"I've got good contacts. So are we doing this or are we just going to "chill" for a while?" She taunted. Blizzard grunted before she melted her dagger and turned on her Duel Disk too.

"You will regret getting in my way, girl." Blizzard said as the battle got underway.

"DUEL!"

(Rin: 4000) (Blizzard: 4000)

"Since you are so eager to fight me, I will allow you to go first." Blizzard said. 'And after you make you're move, I will crush like like the fragile icicle that you.'

"Don't mind if I do! My turn! Draw!" Rin studied her cards carefully. 'I can't afford to go easy on her. I need to strike fast and hard.' "I'll start by Summoning a Tuner Monster, Wind Witch – Chilly Bell!" (WIND; Level 3; ATK: 1100; DEF: 1300) A dark skinned girl dressed in green and wore a blue cap appeared and was riding a like blue broomstick with a little blue bell at the rear end. "Next, since I only control a "Wind Witch" Monster, I can Special Summon Wind Witch – Freeze Bell from my hand!" (WIND; Level 3; ATK: 1200; DEF: 1200) Another colorful female riding a bell broomstick appeared. This one was wore a green hat and its bell was gold with light green and purple diamonds on it. "Now for Freeze Bell's Effect! Once per turn, during my Main Phase, I can increase its Level by 1!" Rin's Monster now became a Level 4.

'It's coming.' Blizzard thought, anticipating what her opponent would do next.

"Here comes my main witch! I'm Tuning my now Level 4 Wind Witch – Freeze Bell with my Level 3 Wind Witch – Chilly Bell! Midwinter Wind! Make ice and snow my power and blow through! Synchro Summon! Appear! Level 7! Wind Witch – Winter Bell!" (WIND; Level 7; ATK: 2400; DEF: 2000) Rin's Ace, a woman clad in light purple and green armor with wings for arms, materialized on the Field. "I activate the Effect of Winter Bell! Once per turn, it can copy the Effect of a Level 4 or lower "Wind Witch" Monster in my Graveyard until the end of the turn! I'm choosing to copy Chilly Bell's Effect!"

"Which is?" Blizzard asked.

"Once per turn, you take 300 points of damage for each "Wind Witch" Monster in my Graveyard! I have 2 of them, so the damage you take 600!" With two swipes of it's wing like arms, Winter Bell sent a couple of ice waves that hit Blizzard on her chest.

(300 x 2 = 600)

(Blizzard: 4000 - 600 = 3400)

"That was nothing." Blizzard said with a bored tone.

"Believe me, you'll feel a lot more that later on! I Set 3 cards facedown and end my turn."

"I doubt that very much. My turn! Draw!" At that instant, the air around her felt so much colder, so much so that she could see her own breath. It made Rin shiver a lot, as well as make her teeth chatter. Did this really come from Blizzard herself?

'So f-freezing! When Aki said this person had power over cold, she wasn't exaggerating!' Blizzard smiled evilly beneath her mask from Rin's discomfort.

"You may like to play with a cool breeze, but I deal with much colder tactics." She said in a unforgiving tone. "I play Magic Triangle of the Ice Barrier! This Magic card lets me reveal 3 "Ice Barrier" Monsters in my hand, then I can target and destroy a card on your Field! I have Dewdark of the Ice Barrier, General Grunard of the Ice Barrier, and Zuijin of the Ice Barrier in my hand! With that, I'll destroy one of your facedown cards!" With one wave of Blizzard's hand, a sharp icicle dropped down and pierced through Rin's card before destroying it.

'There goes my Unforgiving Wind!' She thought in frustration.

"With Magic Triangle's last Effect, I can Special Summon a "Ice Barrier" Monster from my hand! I Special Summon my Tuner Monster, Dewdark of the Ice Barrier!" (WATER; Level 2; ATK: 1200; DEF: 800) A dark magenta clad ninja appeared holding an ice shuriken in one hand and a dagger with an ice blade on the other. "Now I will Normal Summon Zuijin of the Ice Barrier! (WATER; Level 2; ATK: 500; DEF: 300) A warrior whose face was covered by a blue and yellow hat and a light blue scarf appeared. It also held a long sword with a snowflake on the hilt. "Since I control only Level 2 Monsters, Dewdark can attack you directly!"

"What?" Rin gasped.

"Battle! Dewdark of the Ice Barrier! Direct Attack!" The ninja ran forward, jumped over Winter Bell, and threw it's dagger and shuriken at Rin. She got nicked on her right arm and her left cheek.

(Rin: 4000 - 1200 = 2800)

"Ow! T-Those…r-really hurt!" Rin said, suffering from the cold winds still blowing around her. It was then she recalled how Psychic Duelists can make damage real with their abilities. Blizzard herself, however, was completely unaffected.

"It's going to get worse for you. I activate Zuijin's Effect! Once per turn, I can Sacrifice it to Special Summon a Level 5 or higher "Ice Barrier" Monster from my hand! Come, General Grunard of the Ice Barrier!" (WATER; Level 8; ATK: 2800; DEF: 1000) A man in sharp ice armor emerged in the place of Zuijin. "Very shortly you will experience something worse than the meanest snow storm imaginable! You will be completely helpless against it! No stupid girl can stand against me!"

Rin wasn't going to just stand there and take the cold… or that sneak attack. She had to fight back if she was going to protect the Duel Shrine from Blizzard. It was then that her bracelet had started to blink light green… "I'm tougher than you think! I activate the Monster Effect of Wind Witch – Blizzard Bell in my hand! Once per turn, during my opponent's Main Phase when I control a "Wind Witch" Monster other than "Blizzard Bell", I can inflict 500 points of damage to you by discarding Blizzard Bell from my hand! That should even things out a bit!" A white and light green bell with a small angel attached to the top appeared and rammed itself right onto Blizzard's mask. The enemy Duelist grunted and flinched from the blow.

(Blizzard: 3400 - 500 = 2900)

When Blizzard was hit, her mask started to crack a little on the left side. This surprised her. As a Psychic Duelist, she should be the one to deal real damage to her enemies. How could that annoying teen do the same? "You will pay for that, foolish girl! I activate General Grunard's Effect! During my Main Phase once per turn, I can Normal Summon a "Ice Barrier" Monster in addition to my Normal Summon! I Normal Summon Caravan of the Ice Barrier!" (WATER; Level 1; ATK: 500; DEF: 200) A cloaked figure riding a big green four legged reptile appeared. "Witness the beginning of your demise! I am Tuning my Level 1 Caravan and Level 8 General Grunard with my Level 2 Dewdark! Great dragon of the ice, descend from the frozen heavens and cover everything in your raging snow! Synchro Summon! Appear! Trishula, Zero Dragon of the Ice Barrier!" (WATER; Level 11; ATK: 2700; DEF: 2000) In the place of Blizzard's previous Monsters was a three headed silver and blue dragon covered in grey and red lined armor.

"Is that her Ace Monster?" Rin asked, more than a little intimidated by the huge creature before her.

"The Effect of Zero Dragon activates! When it is Synchro Summoned, I can banish up to 3 of your cards on the Field! I will remove your remaining facedown cards!" The dragon spread it's wings and roared, creating a huge burst of ice and snow that blew away both of Rin's cards.

"C-Crap! Now only W-Winter Bell is left!" Rin said, getting colder by the second. Blizzard chuckled heartlessly.

"I could have easily removed your Monster as well, but I prefer to dispose of it the old fashioned way. Also… I want you to slowly suffer before my cold ends you. I play the last card in my hand, Strike of the Ice Barrier! This Magic card allows 1 "Ice Barrier" Monster I control that did not attack during my Battle Phase this turn to attack now!"

"Crap." Rin cursed softly.

"Battle! Trishula, Zero Dragon of the Ice Barrier, attack Wind Witch – Winter Bell! Hell's Frost!" The dragon reared back it's three heads before unleashing a huge burst of ice shards that mercilessly pricked Rin and her Monster.

(2700 - 2400 = 300)

(Rin: 2800 - 300 = 2500)

Blizzard was stunned, however, to see that Rin's Ace remained in play. "What is this? Why wasn't your Monster destroyed?" Rin smiled, despite how cold she felt.

"The S-Synchro Monster that used Freeze Bell as M-Material can't be destroyed by battle! You won't be getting rid of her t-that easily!" Blizzard scoffed at her from her cracked mask.

"It matters not. All you've done is prolong your suffering… which actually suits me fine. I will take joy in seeing which you fall from first: Our Duel, or the cold. For now, I end my turn."

Rin held herself tighter, feeling the temperature drop further. The multiple cuts around her face stung from the cold. 'This isn't looking good. If I don't finish this soon, I'll end up as an ice sculpture!' She continued to shiver, making her hand shaky as she prepared to draw. She then finally noticed her blinking bracelet. 'What? Why's my bracelet acting like this?' She would ponder on that later. Right now, she had a shrine to defend. "I'm not g-going down! M-My Turn! Draw!" What she draw gave her hope, which made her smile. 'Just what I need!'

"Refusing to accept your fate? You truly are a fool to think otherwise." Blizzard told her.

"I disagree! My friends believe in me! I can't let them down! I Summon a Tuner Monster, Wind Witch – Snow Bell!" (WIND; Level 1; ATK: 100; DEF: 100) A white and gold bell with three blue sapphires appeared next to it's counterpart. "If you thought Winter Bell was the best I can do, think again! I am Tuning my Level 7 Wind Witch – Winter Bell with me Level 1 Wind Witch – Snow Bell! Frigid wind! Freeze all and become an unbreakable force! Synchro Summon! Appear! Level 8! Wind Witch - Diamond Bell!" (WIND; Level 8; ATK; 2800; DEF: 2400) A white and clear bell-like woman clad in diamond appeared on the Field.

'She has something stronger than her previous Monster?!" Blizzard thought in surprise.

"Diamond Bell's Monster Effect! Once per turn, if it is Synchro Summoned, you take damage equal to half the Attack Points of a "Wind Witch" Monster in my Graveyard! I'm choosing my Winter Bell! It's Attack Power is 2400, which means you lose 1200 of your Life Points!" Rin's new Ace unleashed a strong burst of wind that actually pushed Blizzard back a little. Her mask also cracked more, forming a jagged web on the side.

(2400 / 2 = 1200)

(Blizzard: 2900 - 1200 = 1700)

"You little…!" Blizzard started, growing angrier from the assault.

"There's more! Once per turn, if my opponent takes damage either by battle or card effect, Diamond Bell can target and destroy a card on the Field! I'm blowing away your icy dragon! Bell Burst!" Rin's Monster banged it's arms to it's sides, making a loud chime that reverberated through the air and struck Blizzard's Zero Dragon, instantly disintegrating it.

The explosion also knocked the cold Psychic Duelist off her feet and hit the ground. Her mask cracked so much from the impact that it couldn't hold together anymore. As Blizzard got up on her knees, her mask broke off into several pieces that fell away. Rin gasped in total shock as she got a good look at her opponent's true face. It was a face she never expected to see from an heartless enemy, who now got back on her feet… not looking happy at all. "What?! You?" She exclaimed. "It can't be! You're…!"

Rin stood face to face with none other than the waitress from Cafe la Geen, Stephanie.

And she was very pissed off.

"You just made two terrible mistakes, girl! The first was breaking my mask! It was sacred to me! I will freeze your heart and shatter it for your sacrilege! Your second was destroying Zero Dragon! Because now… you have activated it's most dangerous Effect!"

"I what?!" Rin gasped.

"When my Zero Dragon, under my control, is destroyed by my opponent's card after it was Synchro Summoned, I can Special Summon it's original form from my Extra Deck or Graveyard! Show yourself from my Extra Deck! TRISHULA, DRAGON OF THE ICE BARRIER!" (WATER; Level 9; ATK: 2700; DEF: 2000) The dragon looked very much like it's higher level counterpart, except it was missing the pieces of armor. The ice and snow around the area increased greatly, making Rin feel colder than ever.

"That dragon's Attack Points are the same as the other Trishula! It can't beat my Monster!" Rin pointed out. Her opponent smirked.

"It will after this! When Trishula is Special Summoned by this Effect, it's Attack Points become 3300!" The dragon gave a chilling roar as it grew stronger. "Not only that, but your own Monster loses half of it's Attack Points and all it's Effects are negated!"

(Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier's ATK: 3300)

(Wind Witch - Diamond Bell's ATK: 2800 / 2 = 1400)

"N-Not good!" Rin said, shivering from the colder air around her. 'Her new Monster got stronger while mine just weaker! Now I can't attack or use Diamond Bell's Effect again!' With no more cards in her hand, Rin could do nothing else. "F-Fine… I end m-my turn." She said dejectedly, shivering. The older woman snickered.

"I expected no less from one as beneath me as you." Blizzard stared at Rin with contempt. "Look at you, you can barely stand on your feet. You must be suffering from hypothermia by now. I'm surprised you haven't collapsed already. I expect you'll die before too much longer… if my dueling tactics don't finish you first."

Rin could not understand it. How could Stephane, a very shy but kind person who worked in a small café, be this villainess standing before her? It made no sense. "Stephanie, why are you doing this?! How can you be this awful person trying to destroy something as precious and sacred as the Duel Shrine?! Tell me!" Rin demanded. The Elite Psychic smiled evilly.

"Dear old Stephanie isn't available to chat. She's taken refuge within the deepest parts of her mind… while I have total control of her body."

"What are you talking about?" Rin asked, not understanding at all. Her opponent grunted.

"That Duel Shrine you're stupidly defending is a farce. It doesn't grant anyone's wishes. All it does is make gullible people feel better about themselves. In the end, they will just end up being disappointed and crushed… like Stephanie." Rin refused to believe what she was hearing.

"You're wrong! Wishes do come true! You just have to believe and fight for it! And what does this have to do with Stephanie? Why are you talking like you're not her?!" Blizzard sneered.

"She is not your concern! You and your precious Duel Shrine are obstacles that must be removed! No brat can stop me! My turn! Draw!" Blizzard felt victory was assured now. "I activate a useful Magic card called Double Ice! It allows a "Ice Barrier" Monster I control to attack twice this turn! It is over for you! Batt…!"

"It's not over yet! Because I control a "Wind Witch" Synchro Monster while my Life Points are 2500 or less during my opponent's Battle Phase, I can banish my Unforgiving Wind Trap card from my Graveyard to reduce your attacking Monster's Attack Points to 0!"

(Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier's ATK: 0)

"Damn you! In that case, I banish Double Ice from my Graveyard to increase my Life Points by twice the amount! It also gives my Monster protection once per battle!"

(Blizzard: 1700 x 2 = 3400)

'She's trying to survive until her next turn.' Rin realized.

"One way or another, this will end with your death! I end my turn!" Blizzard yelled, angry she couldn't finish off her stubborn adversary.

Rin stood in the ever increasing winter storm generated by Blizzard, shivering badly. Her fingers were starting to go numb from the cold and she was slowly being covered in snow and ice. On top of being in danger of freezing to death, she was still confused as hell how Blizzard and Stephanie could be one and the same. And what the former said about the latter made even less sense. 'Just what is going on with her? How and why is she doing all this?! How can I possibly get through to her?!'

Through the thick haze of the storm, Rin saw the bright solid glow coming from her bracelet. She lifted it before her and felt a great warmth spreading from it, coursing through her body. She felt much warmer. Plus, she saw something else. Within the bracelet's light green light, she glimpsed a familiar figure. It was Stephanie, and she appeared to be peacefully asleep. That was when Rin understood what her bracelet was telling her… and what she needed to do in addition to protecting the Duel Shrine.

'I get it now. To wake up Stephanie…' Rin stared back at her opponent with fierce determination. 'I must defeat Blizzard!' She would have to get answers about the "dual identity" thing after she kicked her opponent's butt.

Blizzard was momentarily surprised as Rin stopped shivering and stood firm. "What is this? Why haven't you collapsed?" She demanded. Rin narrowed her eyes and smirked.

"It may be freezing terribly out here, but I couldn't feel any warmer on the inside! I'm taking you down Blizzard! My turn! Draw!" Rin knew the card she drew would help her accomplish her mission. "I play the Equip Magic card, Wand of the Wind Witch! The "Wind Witch" Monster Equipped with this card, like my Diamond Bell, gains 400 Attack Points for each "Wind Witch" Monster in my Graveyard! I have 5, so my Monster gets 2000 Points stronger!" Rin's Synchro Monster held a light green wand with a white bell at the tip, now glowing with the same light as the bracelet.

"WHAT?!" Blizzard yelled in shock, not believing what this meant.

(400 x 5 = 2000)

(Wind Witch - Diamond Bell's ATK: 1400 + 2000 = 3400)

"Thanks to my Magic card, I can end your cold hearted rampage! Battle! Wind Witch – Diamond Bell, attack Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier! Chime's End!" With a wave of it's wand, Diamond Bell sent a light energy wave that cut through the raging storm like a knife through hot butter and hit it's target. The icy Elite Psychic was knocked down on her back by the impact, defeated.

(Blizzard: 0)

As soon as the Duel ended, all the wind, snow, and ice around the area melted away. Within seconds, everything appeared normal again. Rin then ran over to her fallen enemy and knelt beside her. The older woman seemed unconscious. "Stephanie… can you hear me? Are you there?" She asked softly.

At first, the unconscious woman didn't respond. But after a moment, her eyes slowly opened and gazed up at her. Her expression was not angry or sad… but confusion.

"Where… am I?"

To be continued.