The sound of metal could be heard as many machines and devices were being operated. A cloaked figure watched the mass workers. The hood of the cloak was pulled down, and the person held a crystal ball. Opaline then marched forward to a room with a table and placed her crystal ball on it. Taking a seat, the figure began to react as she was now communicating with one of her close officers.
"What's the status?" asked the evil sorceress.
"Preparations are at 80%, mistress. We're nearly ready for the battleground."
"Good. The time is almost upon us," said Opaline as she changed the image of her crystal ball, which now showed Zephyr Heights.
In Zephyr Heights, Haven was overseeing some stuff. She wasn't in her office; she was currently at a factory as she was watching an assembly line. The CEO had spoken with the World Champion as he was shortly about to arrive. During their talk the past few days, he'd been speaking with Haven about coming up with something that could potentially help them save the world. It took a while to convince the businesswoman and educate her on his proposed idea, but she informed her engineers and designers of the new project. To her surprise, production had gone swimmingly as her engineers were nearly done with the prototypes and were ready for inspection and testing.
"Alright, lover boy, let's see you counter this!" boasted Zipp.
The two teens were in the living room as they sat before the table. They were on opposite ends, dueling as the heiress took her turn. She drew the top card from her deck before looking at the cards she held and selecting one.
"Alright, I'm gonna summon my Speedroid Macliciousmagnet and use its ability to take one of your monsters to perform a Synchro summon! So I'm gonna synchro summon my Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!" stated the girl, putting her cards in the graveyard pile before taking a card from her Extra Deck pile and placing it down. "I then place one card facedown. Let's see what you got."
While the two eldest children of their respective wealthy families were duking it out upstairs in her room, Sunny was on her bed. The girl had her journal in her lap as she was currently writing something down. A knock was heard as the door opened, and Hitch's head peeked in.
"Hey, Sunny."
"Hey, Hitch."
"Writing again?" asked the boy as he noticed his girlfriend's journal.
"Yeah, I figured I'd record my summer journey so I could tell my dad when I see him again," said the girl, who had just submitted her latest entry.
"He must be proud of you. Knowing that you're going to try and save the world," responded the boy, taking a seat alongside his girlfriend.
"He was hesitant at first, but once he saw that we all would do the same, he said, 'Sunny… you go be with your friends. And you enjoy yourself,'" said the girl, recalling her father's words.
"I'm shocked he wasn't scared of letting you do this."
"No… he was. I could tell he just didn't want me to worry," said the girl, as she knew her father was a bit terrified of potentially seeing his daughter in danger. "By the way, you never mentioned how your grandma felt about you joining in all of this? I know she's all you got left. You okay with leaving her behind?"
"Y-Yeah… it wasn't easy. But Grandma Figgy knows the reality of the situation."
The girl heard the bit of sadness in her best friend's voice as it was clear the old lady was concerned for her grandson's wellbeing.
Sunny then leaned against Hitch's as she closed her eyes and sighed. Hitch returned the gesture as she closed his eyes and nuzzled his head against his girlfriend's. The two teens relished their moment together as it filled them with warmth.
Hitch looked at his girlfriend and remembered what Mario had said the other day. Despite their being friends, they had never had a date. While he didn't want to admit it to Mario, the boy was scared. It took a lot for him to admit his feelings to his best friend, but asking her out on a date… just felt like it might move things a bit too fast for him.
The door to the room opened as Roll peeked her head in and saw her two friends.
"Hope I'm not interrupting anything, love birds," said the girl as the two pulled their heads back.
"Hey, Roll," greeted Sunny. "Need something?"
"Yeah. Everyone needs to head down. We're going to meet Zipp and Pipp's mother," said the girl.
"Where?" asked Hitch.
The group was gathered up and driven to where the girls's mother was. To their surprise, they were heading toward a large stadium in Zephyr Heights as both girls recognized it from the many sports events broadcast there. However, they knew their mother was anything from a sports fan. Sure, she had some stock in Zephyr Height's sports team, but to her, that was more of a tax write-off than a priority regarding her business. So it amazed Zipp to discover why her mother wanted to meet there. The limo pulled up to the stadium, got out and saw the huge building.
"Wow!" said Izzy as she leaned back. "I've never seen a building this big before."
"Wait till you see the inside," remarked Zipp as she led the group through the gate entrance.
The heiress led her friends inside, true to her word. The stadium was even bigger inside, and thousands upon thousands of seats were shown wrapping around it. It was truly a sight to behold as it rivaled the stadium in Canterlot City, and they recalled watching Isaac's duel with Applejack last winter.
"So, where's your mother?" asked Sunny.
"Glad to see you all here!"
The group heard a voice as they looked toward one of the commentator sky boxes. Haven stood in the room, holding the microphone, and saw her daughters and their friends. As she exited the room, the group began to approach the businesswoman.
"So, why'd you bring us here, Mom?" asked Zipp.
"Because I asked her to," said another voice.
Exiting from the door, they were all standing in front of none other than the World Champion.
"Dad!" exclaimed Roll as she rushed toward her father.
"Hey, sweetie. How have you been?" said Isaac as he bent down and hugged his daughter tightly.
"I'm good. What about you?" asked the girl as the last time she heard of her father, she was told of his beaten-up condition from his intense duel with Sunset.
"Just fine," smiled Isaac as Roll looked at her father's left eye.
The bandage had been removed, and a faint wound on the champion's face was slowly healing. The bandages around his arm had been removed, and only the ones around his elbow remained.
"Anyways, I'm glad you're all here. There's a lot we need to discuss. Come on!" said Isaac as he gestured for the group to follow him into the room.
Upon entering, the group was welcomed with another surprise: Twilight, who was also present, was setting up her laptop.
"Mom!"
Twilight heard her daughter's voice as she hugged and embraced her child.
"It's good to see you, Roll," spoke Twilight, rubbing her daughter's head. She peered over to see Mario as he took a seat at the table that was set up. "Mario…"
"Hey, Mom," responded the boy casually.
"Alright, now that everyone is here. Let's get down to business," said Isaac as the lights dimmed and Twilight booted up her laptop. With the help of her AI assistant, she projected her laptop screen into a hologram for all to see. "As you all recall, back in Las Vegas, we told you all that the time would come when you all would need to prepare to save the world from this upcoming evil. Well, it's time. Now that school is done, your priority and attention can be fully directed to the task. Since we last spoke, Opaline and her forces have been building up their power."
"How do you know?" asked Zipp.
"Because we figured out where their hideout is," explained Twilight.
"Then let's just go at them right now!" said Zipp.
"No. It'd be foolish to walk in without any preparation," said Isaac.
"Preparation? Don't we just have to beat them in a duel? It sounds simple," responded the heiress.
"This is more than just a duel, Zipp. The fate of the world hangs in the balance. It may cost us if we mess up even in the slightest."
"Um, not to interrupt you, Mr. Isaac. But you said you knew where their hideout was? Where is it?" asked Sunny.
Twilight touched her glasses as the hologram changed to show a map in schematics. Alongside it was a live feed of the location, and the sight of it immediately made Hitch and Sunny gasp.
"Maritime City," said the World Champion.
"No… way," said Hitch as neither he nor Sunny could believe it.
"They've set up here as their base of operations. Somewhere deep underground," explained Twilight. "It took me a while, plus with your father's help, Sunny, I could track them down."
"My father? He… never mentioned anything about helping you all," said the girl, shocked to learn that her father kept a secret from her.
"You said your father used to study artifacts when he was younger, right? Well, I got in contact with him and asked him to look over some data. Sure enough, his research was able to help me with the last piece of the puzzle." explained Twilight. "And now… thanks to his help. We now know they're in Maritime City."
"So… our old home… is gonna be a battlefield?" asked Hitch.
"I'm sorry, you two," said Isaac as he apologized to the teens.
"What about everyone there?" asked Sunny.
"We contacted the authorities there. They're doing their best to assemble some sort of evacuation plan. It'll take time, but I assure you, Sunny. Once everyone is cleared out, we will enter the city and confront Opaline and her forces. We're not gonna endanger innocent lives." assured Twilight to the girl.
"That's good," said Sunny, as she didn't want anyone to get caught in the crossfire.
Twilight could sense the good heart and purity within Sunny as it made her smile. In a way, it reminded a bit of herself from when she was younger. It was clear why the girl was named the guardian of hope.
"Now, onto other things. We must do the same since Opaline and her forces are getting stronger. That's why I've asked Haven to invest in something," said Isaac. The hologram changed, and it now showed the schematics for something.
The teens all looked at the thing as they saw what looked like a motorized vehicle, coupled with a place for their duel disks. Immediately, Zipp was drawn to the cool-looking thing, and it piqued her interest.
"These are Duel Runners. I managed to convince Haven to invest in these things. As you all saw, my latest duel was an Action Duel. However, there's one other type of dueling method that you've yet to see. It's called Turbo Duels. Think of it as… how should I say this… card games on motorcycles." said the World Champion with a smug, cocky smile.
"Awesome!" yelled Zipp as she was like a kid in a candy store. "So, where are they? Can I keep one?"
"Zephyrina!" shouted Haven at her eldest daughter for acting immature and not refined.
"Relax, Zipp. Your mother's engineers are still fine-tuning and testing these devices. Your mother has never invested nor seen Duel Runners, so I had to catch her up to speed. In short, Zephyr Heights will slowly intake the World of Duel Monsters. Even the committee is considering putting on live events and bringing the pro scene into Zephyr Heights."
"Aw, hell yeah!" said the heiress as Haven couldn't believe her daughter's behavior.
"Now, while the finished products aren't ready for testing. There are a couple of prototypes for you all to use," said Isaac as he flipped a switch on the wall.
The teens looked out the window as several spotlights lit up on the field, revealing three prototype Duel Runners. Zipp's excitement went through the roof; she couldn't wait to get her hands on one and go for a joyride.
"Let's go!" said Isaac as Zipp bolted out of the room to race down to the field.
The heiress was the first to see the vehicles and couldn't believe her eyes. Although they were prototypes and not finished products, they still looked cool. She managed to get on the seat of one, put her hands on the handles, and feel the bike. The way the handles felt and the interface blew her mind away.
"Next time, can you wait for all of us? " Pipp expressed her displeasure at having to run and potentially ruining her makeup from all her sweating.
"Not my fault you're slow, sis. Besides, check this out. Ain't it cool!" said the heiress, too amazed by the device.
"So, how do these things work?" asked Izzy as she took in the design of her Duel Runner and raced with tons of ideas to make an accessory or improve it.
"Well, instead of telling, how a demonstration? I always find experience is the best way to learn," said Isaac.
"So I'm dueling you, then?" said Zipp, as she didn't think this day could get any better.
"Well… not quite. Hitch!"
"Uh, y-yes, sir," said the boy after hearing the World Champion call his name.
"Take her for a spin," said Isaac, tossing a helmet at the boy, who fumbled before securing it.
"M-Me?"
"Come on, don't be a bitch! Saddle up!" said Zipp, wanting to get her duel on.
"I don't know. It doesn't look safe," said the boy, concerned about racing around on something this fast without procedures.
"It's fine. The interface kicks in when a duel is started. From there, the Duel Runners run on autopilot. So they'll handle most of the turning, speed, acceleration, etc. That way, you can focus entirely on your dueling. However, if you need to take control, like a sharp turn, you can grip the handles and do it yourself. Trust me, Hitch. It's completely safe."
"Well…"
"Come on, Hitch. It's just for fun. Please." said Sunny, giving her boyfriend the puppy dog eyes.
The boy was weak to his girlfriend's tactics as he sighed before agreeing. Sunny smiled and kissed him. Isaac smiled as it was clear the boy truly loved his best friend, something he could attest to. He turned to look back at the skybox, knowing Twilight was there to run diagnostics and data.
"Alright then. It's going to be Zipp and Hitch in a Turbo Duel to give you all an insight into how this works," said Isaac, tossing a helmet to Zipp, which she caught. "Normally, I'd give you guys tracksuits to look the part, but you'll be fine. Anyways, let's get this set up!"
After a few moments of ensuring the prototypes were up and running, and Isaac and the other kids gathered near the stadium's dugout to watch, Hitch and Zipp got on their respective runners and pulled up in front of the group. Twilight was viewing everything with Haven from the skybox, as she wanted to collect data on this duel to see if the teens were ready for this type of environment when it came to dueling.
"Alright, you two. Remember, this is a Turbo Duel. It's vastly different than what you're used to. For starters, this type of dueling is what revolutionized Synchro Summoning. It's what helped it get on the map. In the past, many people battled in Turbo Duels and busted out their best Synchro monsters. Since you two are primarily Synchro users, this might be a way to help you understand and appreciate the fine art of the summoning method."
"Wow, I didn't know that," said Hitch, amazed that what they were about to partake in was what started their preferred method of summoning.
"Second, it's all about the exterior element of movement, which is the key idea behind Turbo Duels, as it adds an unexplored element of dodging, riding skill, intimidation, and imagination. Put plainly, it's more intense than a regular duel, not just because of the danger but also because of being duelists connected to the World of Speed. And on dodging, you have until the attack connects to activate a trap card in response. Third, because this is a game of speed, distance plays a factor, whether you believe it or not. That varying distance between players adds the element of keeping up with your opponent to better react to their moves."
Hitch and Zipp exchanged looks as they understood some of what the World Champion was saying, which Isaac noted and smiled.
"You'll understand it when you're in action. Now… the first to round the bend will get the first draw. Are you two ready?" asked the pro duelist.
"Ready!" shouted Zipp as she turned her gas handle to make her runner rev up.
"R-Ready," said Hitch hesitantly as he put on his helmet and nervously gripped the handles.
"On your marks… get set… GO!" shouted Isaac as he stepped off to the side.
Immediately, Zipp took off and raced ahead while Hitch struggled behind her. To the heiress, it was like driving a regular motocross bike, which she had experience with, and taking to the Duel Runner like a fish to water. As for Hitch, he struggled to handle how fast things were going as he felt like he might be thrown off and hit the ground. Once the boy regained his composure and pictured he was driving a small car, he got into his element and soon closed some distance between him and Zipp. Apart from Mario, the others cheered their friends on as they raced toward the bend.
Zipp pushed the gas even more as she rounded the bend easily, having the advantage of going first. Once she made the turn, the interfaces of both teen runners began to connect. Twilight saw the connection as it was greenlit. A voice spoke as the space where their duel disk was slotted in came online and projected their energy-colored card trays before them.
"Duel mode engaged. Autopilot standing by." said the Duel Runners.
The auto shuffler kicked in as the two grabbed their starting hands and slotted them into a compartment; it brought the cards in a resting hold so they could easily pick up which cards they wanted to play during their turn.
Zipp's Life Points: 8000-
Hitch's Life Points: 8000-
Turn 1: Zipp (Hand 5)
"Alright, since I got the first move, let's kick this off. Ready, Hitch?" asked Zipp as she drew her top card before adding to the rest of her cards and picking up a different one. "For my first move, since I have no monsters, I'm gonna summon my engine starter, Speedroid Terrortop(1200/600)! And when I summon my Terrortop, I can add a 'Speedroid' from my deck to my hand."
A card slid out for Zipp to grab, and she grabbed it and showed it off between her fingers.
"I'm adding Speedroid Taketomborg(600/1200), but it won't stay in my hand for long. Because I have a 'Wind' monster, I can special summon it from my hand."
A sleek, red, and black robotic creature appeared. The appearance of Zipp's monster emphasized its speed and agility with its aerodynamic design, which had sharp edges and points on its body.
"I now activate my Taketomborg's special ability. I can summon a 'Speedroid' tuner monster from my deck by tributing it. So I'm bringing out my Speedroid Red-Eyed Dice(100/100)!"
A small, red, robotic creature appeared with distinct dice-like features. It had visible "pip" markings on its side, representing a number on each of its six faces.
"Now I activate my Red-Eyed Dice's ability. When summoned, I can target one 'Speedroid' monster I control and change its level from 1 to 6. So I'll change Terrortop's level from 3 to 4. Then… I'll tune my Red-Eyed Dice with my Terrortop!"
Zipp's dice turned into a single solid giant green ring that circled its comrade and turned into four white stars lined up with a yellow light surging through.
"I Synchro Summon! Say hello to a Monster that always edges down the competition! Hi-Speedroid Chanbara(2000/1000)!" stated the heiress as her monster appeared alongside her as she rode. A sleek, red, and black robotic creature with a samurai-like aesthetic appeared as it raced by the heiress' side on her duel runner. Hitch looked at the monster Zipp brought out as its sharp edges and points emphasized its aggressive nature and power.
"Next, I'm placing a facedown! You're up, sheriff!" said Zipp as they rounded the curve.
"Zipp is totally in her element," said Pipp, noticing that her older sister was comfortable with this form of dueling and adapted to it as if she were a natural-born Turbo duelist.
Up in the skybox, watching the screen of the duel playing out, was Haven. The businesswoman paid close attention to her daughter as she got a front-row seat at her daughter's skills as a duelist. It was clear seeing her daughter possess such skills should give her a reason to be proud as a mother, yet… she couldn't help but sigh as she wished Zipp could apply her talents to learning about the business instead of trying to rebel against it.
Turn 2: Hitch (Hand 5)
"A-Alright… i-i-it's my turn," said Hitch, still hesitant as his arm shook while trying to reach for his deck.
Despite the Duel Runner being on autopilot, Hitch was still afraid it might wobble and fall off as he tried to push his fear aside. The boy drew his card before adding it to his hand and looked down at his cards to formulate his plan.
"I'm gonna summon my Shield Wing(0/900) in defense mode!" A small majestic bird-like creature appeared alongside the boy's runner as it crossed its arms. "I then set two cards facedown and end my turn."
Turn 3: Zipp (Hand 4)
"In that case…" said the heiress as she took her turn and drew her card. "Chanbara, attack Shield Wing!"
Zipp's monster zoomed forward as it rammed into Hitch's monster. The small, majestic bird-like creature held its ground from its foe.
"Due to Chanbara's effect, it gains 200 attack points when it battles. But that's not all, because it can attack twice! So that means it gains another 200 attack points."
"Well, due to Shield Wing's ability, it can't be destroyed twice in battle!" said Hitch as his monster withstood another drive attack by the heiress.
"Next, I summon Pillica, Descendant of Gusto(1000/1500)! And when I summon her, her ability allows me to bring back a Wind tuner monster from my graveyard with its effects negated. So, I choose my Speedroid Red-Eyed Dice. Then… I tune together my two monsters!" declared the heiress as her dice monster turned into a single giant green ring that circled its comrade, turning into three white stars lined up with a yellow light surging through.
"Get lost in a madness that's impossible to solve! I Synchro Summon! Hi-Speedroid Puzzle(1300/1600)!"
A robotic/cybernetic humanoid monster dressed as a ninja appeared. It had only one eye, the rest of its face covered, and a cannon as its right hand.
"She's showing exceptional skills. You must be proud of your daughter, Ms. Haven," said Twilight as she could see Zipp's natural talent as a duelist while looking at her laptop screen.
Haven stared out the window of the skybox, looking at the duel below her, before sighing. The businesswoman wanted to appreciate the praise that someone of Twilight's caliber was giving her child, yet… she couldn't. She wanted to be happy to know that her daughter was skillful in being a duelist, yet… that wasn't what she wanted her to be recognized as.
"With that, I end my turn."
"Why didn't Zipp do that first?" asked Roll.
"What do you mean?" stated Izzy.
"If she summoned Hi-Speedroid Puzzle first, she couldn't easily have another attack to take out Hitch's Shield Wing, leaving him defenseless. She might not attack him directly, but at least she would've eliminated that restriction. As long as Shield Wing is on Hitch's field, it serves as a temporary wall. So why didn't she get rid of it as soon as possible?" questioned Roll as Isaac smiled, seeing his daughter analyze a dueling situation just as her mother often did.
Turn 4: Hitch (Hand 3)
"My move," said Hitch as he drew. "I summon the tuner monster, Junk Synchron(1300/500)!"
A small humanoid machine with big orange feet, forearms, chest plate, and a tall cylindrical hat over a spheroid white head with googly eyes peering from underneath the brim. A white scarf hung from around its neck, and a very eye-catching teal-green 'handle' seemed to be at the bottom right of its chest plate.
"Next, I tune my Junk Synchron with my Shield Wing!"
Hitch's yellow monster pulled its chord as it turned into three giant green rings that circled its comrade, who flew into the rings and turned into two white stars lined up with a yellow light surging through.
"From two come one, and from one will come great power! I Synchro Summon! Junk Warrior(2300/1300)!"
"Not bad, sheriff. But your warrior is still weak compared to my monsters. Remember, my Puzzle's ability allows it to double its attack points when it battles a special summoned monster. So if you choose to attack it, your Junk Warrior will get sent back to the scrapyard!" stated Zipp.
"In that case, I reveal my facedown, Synchro Striker Unit. With this in play, I can now increase Junk Warrior's attack points by 1000!" stated Hitch as a long rail cannon connected to the hip of his monster as it held the cannon gun. "Now, Junk Warrior, take out her Hi-Speedroid Chanbara!"
"Due to Chanbara's effect, it gains 200 more attack points during the battle!" said Zipp as her monster rushed forward to be blasted away by the cannon that Hitch's monster held. The attack made the girl wobble as her Duel Runner shook, but she kept it steady.
Zipp's Life Points: 7300-
"Next, I reveal my other facedown, Synchro Blast! Since my warrior attacked, Synchro Blast slams you with 500 points of damage!" stated Hitch.
Zipp's Life Points: 6800-
"Now, you're dueling, Hitch," smiled Zipp as she was glad her friend had gotten comfortable and was dueling like he normally did. "But you won't be for long."
"In that case, I'm placing two more facedowns. Since it's my end phase, Junk Warrior has lost 800 attack points since the effect of my Synchro Striker Unit wears off. You're up, Zipp!"
Turn 5: Zipp (Hand 4)
"My move! I summon Speedroid Double Yoyo(1400/1400)! And when I normal summon my Double Yoyo, its special ability allows me to revive a Level 3 or lower 'Speedroid' monster from my graveyard. So, I'm reviving my Red-Eyed Dice. And that's not all. When Red-Eyed Dice is summoned, its special ability allows me to target one other 'Speedroid' monster on my field and changes its level from 1 to 6. So I'm changing Double Yoyo's level from 4 to 6!"
"I don't like the sound of that," said Hitch.
"I now tune my Red-Eyed Dice with my Double Yoyo!" shouted Zipp as she pressed the accelerator to zoom ahead. Her dice monster turned into a single giant green ring that circled its comrade, who turned into six white stars lined up with a yellow light surging through.
"Beat your wings to whip up a whirlwind of destruction! I Synchro Summon! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon(2500/2000)!" shouted Zipp as her mighty beast appeared and soared above her.
"Oh, boy," said Hitch, as he knew how powerful that beast of Zipp's was.
"Now to send your Junk Warrior packing. Hi-Speedroid Puzzle, attack!" commanded the heiress as her monster rushed forward. "Remember, due to its effect, its attack points double when battling your monster!"
Zipp's monster zoomed past Hitch's warrior in the blink of an eye. A second later, the two were shown far apart before one of them exploded as Hitch braced himself from the attack.
Hitch's Life Points: 7900-
"And now that you're defenseless, Clear Wing… swoop on and attack Hitch directly! Spin Storm Sky Strike!" shouted the girl as she rotated her body halfway to thrust her arm out while looking at her friend.
Her dragon soared high before it busted a hard U-turn and dove toward Hitch while spinning rapidly. Hitch saw the attack and did all he could to brace for impact. The attack connected as Hitch wobbled a bit on his runner, and by some miracle, he didn't fall off and kept the vehicle steady.
Hitch's Life Points: 5400-
"I end my turn."
Turn 6: Hitch (Hand 1)
"It's my move. I draw!" said Hitch as he looked at the card he drew before eyeing the only other one in his hand.
With Zipp having her dragon, that thing will be almost impossible to take down. But… it's a long shot; I hope it doesn't do me in.
"Alright, Zipp. Since you've got monsters and I don't, I can special summon this card as a Level 4 monster. I summon Level Warrior(300/600). Next, I'll bring out Hyper Synchron(1600/800) to the field in attack mode!" stated Hitch as he now had two monsters out. "And now I'll use the power of my Hyper Synchron to tune my Level Warrior!"
Hitch's small blue engine-like monster turned into four giant green rings circling its comrade, which turned into four white stars lined up with a yellow light surging through.
"The hopes of the world coalesce into a single star! I Synchro Summon! Take flight, Stardust Dragon(2500/2000)!"
A pair of pristine white wings extended from the erupting pillar of light. As the light faded, the form they connected to unveiled itself. A dragon appeared as its body was as pristine white as its magnificent wings, with a long, slender neck ending in an angular head with three backward curving 'fins,' complemented by an equally long, slender, tall ending in a four-part crest at the tip. Noticeable purple, gem-like protrusions covered its chest, and all four limbs, composed of arms and legs, exhibited sharp extremities. It let loose a call somewhere between a roar and an avian shriek.
"There we go, Hitch!" said Sunny as she smiled upon seeing her boyfriend's dragon.
"Looks like you want to go dragon for dragon; fine by me, sheriff!" smirked Zipp, not backing down.
"Now, when Hyper Synchron is used to summon a Synchro monster, the summoned monster gets a power boost of 800 attack points and can't be destroyed in battle. Next, I'm activating my facedown, Shard of Hope! Now, if you take damage, I get to draw a card; if it's a trap, I get to activate it. And with your monsters in attack mode, Zipp, it looks like that damage will come sooner rather than later. Stardust Dragon… attack Hi-Speedroid Puzzle with Cosmic Flare!"
"Due to Puzzle's ability, its attack points double when battling!" stated Zipp.
Hitch's dragon fired its attack and took out the girl's monster as she managed to minimize the damage she would've taken.
Zipp's Life Points: 6100-
"Don't forget about my Synchro Blast, so you lose another 500 Life Points."
Zipp's Life Points: 5600-
"Then, since Stardust Dragon managed to deal battle damage successfully, the Shard of Hope trap card automatically activates. I can now draw one card from my deck; if that card is a trap card, then I can activate it by destroying Shard of Hope!" stated Hitch as he looked at his deck and placed his hand on it.
It all comes down to this. Please.
The boy drew his card as he extended his arm out. Hitch then shifted his eyes to view out of the corner as he saw the card he got.
"Nice!" exclaimed the boy as his eyes widened. "I'm destroying the card Shard of Hope to activate the power of my Miracle Locus trap card. This trap forces you to draw one card and gives Stardust Dragon a thousand more attack points and the ability to attack for a second time this turn."
"Nice move, Hitch," said Zipp as she hated that the boy found a way to avoid her dragon's deadly ability from activating.
"Stardust Dragon, time to inflict another dose of damage! Attack!" commanded Hitch to his dragon. His beast opened its mouth and fired a steady stream of cosmic energy that collided with Zipp's dragon. It roared in defiance before being taken out as Zipp braced herself.
Zipp's Life Points: 3800-
"Wow, Hitch just turned things around real quick," commented Pipp as her sister had gone from having control to not being in danger.
"Now I activate my other facedown, Synchro Destructor! When my dragon destroys your monster in battle, you take damage equal to half that monster's attack points, and then, if the monster I destroyed was a Synchro monster, you get hit again for the same amount of damage!" stated Hitch.
"What?!" exclaimed Zipp as she looked at her friend in fear.
"So basically, Zipp's getting served her dragon's attack points," translated Roll.
"So, what? That's like… 2500 points of damage!" exclaimed Izzy.
"I've never seen a combo so perfectly executed," said Sunny as she looked at her boyfriend and got red at seeing Hitch's skill on display. "It's kinda hot."
Hitch's card took effect as it headed toward Zipp. The girl took both blasts and this time, she struggled to stay on track. Her Duel Runner swerved a bit as she felt herself losing control; the heiress kept her cool, gripped the handles of the runner, and managed to swerve from the grass back onto the track in one swift, fluid motion. She then accelerated to make up for the ground she lost as she was now riding alongside Hitch.
Zipp's Life Points: 1300-
"That was a killer combo, Hitch," smiled Zipp.
"Thanks. I'll end my-"
"In that case, I'm activating my facedown! Speedroid Dupligate! You played well, Hitch, but it's game over for you!" stated the heiress as she cut her friend off and touched a button on her duel runner to flip her card up.
"What?" said the boy.
"Due to my trap's effect, I can banish one 'WIND' monster from my graveyard to target one card you control and return it to your hand. And I choose your Stardust Dragon."
"That can't be!" shouted Hitch.
In the blink of an eye, the boy's dragon disappeared as it reentered his Duel Runner and appeared in his duel disk's Extra Deck compartment.
"Since Stardust Dragon was a Synchro monster, it goes to your Extra Deck instead of your hand. So you can't summon it anymore!"
"No," responded the boy as he was now defenseless.
"Hitch…" said Sunny, now extremely worried for her boyfriend.
Turn 7: Zipp (Hand 4)
"It's my move! I draw! I play the spell card Speed Recovery! I can special summon a 'Speedroid' monster from my graveyard, and the one I'm choosing is my Terrortop. And when Terrortop is summoned, I can add any 'Speedroid' from my deck to my hand. Next, because I special summoned a monster to my field, I can special summon my Speedroid Rubberband Plane(1800/0) to join the field!"
A toy model airplane zoomed from above as it hovered above the girl on her runner.
"Next, I'm activating the second effect of my trap card, Speedroid Dupligate, from my graveyard. Since I control a Level 2 or higher Speedroid, I can lower its level by one and summon this trap as a Level 1 monster. Not only that, it's also a tuner monster."
"A trap tuner monster?" said Hitch, taken aback by Zipp's skillful move as her Rubberband Plane dropped from 5 to 4.
"Now… I summon Speedroid Ohajikid(1000/200)." A small robotic mini cowboy wearing a tattered cape and cowboy with a feather in its cap appeared. "When I normal summon my Ohajikid, its effect allows me to take one tuner monster from either person's graveyard and use it to synchro summon. So I'm taking your Junk Synchron, sheriff!"
A portal opened as Hitch's yellow monster appeared. It pulled its chord on its chest plate and turned into three giant green rings that circled Zipp's small vigilante, who turned into three white stars lined up with a yellow light surging through.
"I call forth a mystical cross-sword with the power to cut every enemy down to size! I Synchro Summon! Hi-Speedroid Kendama(2200/1600)! But why stop at one Synchro monster… I now tune my Level 3 Terrortop with my Level 4 Rubberband Plane and Level 1 tuner trap monster!"
Zipp's trap became a giant green ring that circled both comrades. It turned into eight white stars lined up with a yellow light surging through.
"I Synchro Summon! Hi-Speedroid Kitedrake(3000/2800)!"
"I don't like the looks of this!" said Hitch.
"Now, Kendama, attack Hitch directly!" commanded Zipp as her monster turned around and raced forward as it collided and struck the boy. "And now… Kitedrake, your turn!" Hitch braced himself once more as Zipp's second monster dealt a blow to him.
Hitch's Life Points: 400-
"Well, he still has 400 Life Points left."
"That doesn't matter, Sunny," said Mario.
"I now activate Kendama's special ability. By banishing a Machine-type monster from my graveyard, I can deal you 500 points of damage."
Hitch widened his eyes as he realized what that meant.
"Kendama, take us home!" Zipp exclaimed, gripping the handles of her duel runner. She shifted the entire vehicle, sending it drifting horizontally on the track while thrusting her arm out. Her monster unleashed an energy beam, striking Hitch, who could only watch in disbelief.
Hitch's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Zipp
The duel ended as Hitch's duel runner began to slow down and released some exhaust air from the back. The vehicle soon began to slow down as Zipp turned her runner around and raced toward her friend. The boy was panting heavily as he removed his helmet when Zipp rolled up on him.
"Nicely done, sheriff. You almost had me there. Your last turn, you did a killer combo!" stated Zipp, removing her helmet as she ran her hand through her hair to regain its natural shape.
"Thanks, Zipp," smiled Hitch as the two exchanged a fist bump.
The others all smiled at seeing their friends being good sports while Twilight had collected the data she needed. Haven still eyed her daughter as this duel allowed her to see how different her daughter had been since she first left for CHS and met her friends. The businesswoman wasn't sure if her feelings were good or bad.
A hand was shown over a crystal ball before the cloaked figure that it was connected to felt something. Opaline entered the room as she saw one of her close officers sitting at the table before she sat down.
"We're nearly ready, Mistress. Also, it seems…"
"I know. The signers are in Zephyr Heights as we speak. Perhaps we should visit them," said Opaline. "If we can take them down, our power will be all but unstoppable in the war."
"Let me have at him!" spoke a female voice.
Opaline looked over at the other cloaked figure in the room that was seated as they stood up.
"Let me go! I have a debt to collect with one of them!"
"In that case… happy hunting," smiled Opaline, looking at her officer, who also smiled.
Nighttime was starting to descend upon Zephyr Heights as the sun was slowly setting. Zipp was still racing around on the duel runner as she couldn't get enough of the vehicle. After her duel with Hitch, she had wanted to do a couple of laps around the stadium track.
"Hurry up, rich girl! It's getting late! I'm hungry!" said Mario as he'd been stuck with staying behind with the girl when everyone else had left.
"Two minutes!"
"You've been saying, 'two minutes' for the last half hour!" shouted Mario.
"Ugh, fine," said the heiress as she pouted from her friend, cutting her playtime off.
Once Zipp put away the Duel Runner and the pair gathered their stuff, the two teens slowly headed toward the stadium's exit.
"Gotta say, you were a natural on that runner earlier," said Mario.
"You ain't half bad yourself, lover boy," smirked Zipp as she was also impressed when Mario took a turn on the Duel Runner as he seemed to fit the role of a Turbo Duelist like a glove.
"So, you buying dinner or what?" asked the boy.
"In your dreams. You're buying me dinner," joked the girl as she playfully punched her friend while the two were almost about to leave the stadium.
Just then, a blinding light zoomed at high speed, and the pair managed to catch the last glimpse of it. It landed before the teens, causing them both to jump back. A small explosion occurred before them, resulting in a flash of light. The pair covered their eyes, and the light soon died down.
"You okay, Zipp?"
"Yeah."
Mario then looked at where the explosion had occurred; a hole was made, but more importantly, a Duel Monsters card was inside that hole.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Mario himself!"
As the two teens gazed upward, they heard a voice. A cloaked figure stood atop the stadium, having tracked them down, with a smile spreading across their face.
"I hope I'm not interrupting your date, Young Prince. You don't know how long I've been waiting for this moment. It's a shame it'll be over so quickly."
"Who are you? How do you know my name?!" shouted Mario.
"I never forget… old friend. Or should I say, Mi Amor!" responded the cloaked figure as they were shown reaching up to pull the hood of their cloak down.
Once their face was revealed, Mario's eyes widened even more as he couldn't believe it. The face of the Shadow Duelist was a sight he never thought possible.
"R-Rose? Is that you for real?" the boy asked, gazing at his ex's face.
"I'm surprised you still remember me, Mario. After all, I would never forget if I backstabbed my ex!"
"Ex?!" said Zipp, looking at her friend as she couldn't believe what she was witnessing.
"Rose, what happened?" asked Mario.
"You did. But I should thank you for your special mark; I'm back. And since we last saw each other, I've made new friends. I believe you both have dueled one of my associates," snickered the evil girl as she was cracking up.
"Rose, please don't tell me what I think you're doing," said the boy. "I once knew you."
"That's right, you used to know me. But now… you now remember me as… Your Mortal Enemy!" yelled Rose as she leaped into the air. "Welcome to the real dueling!"
The girl's arm radiated with a mark that emerged on it. Her eyes turned completely dark, with yellow pupils and black markings beneath them. In an instant, a purple firewall force field began to take shape, gradually encircling the teens.
"Zipp!" shouted Mario as he shoved the girl away seconds before it enclosed them.
The heiress landed hard on her hind as Mario managed to push her out of harm's way. She saw the force field as inside, Mario was trapped alongside his ex, and she wanted to help him out.
"Mario!" shouted Zipp.
The heiress pulled out her phone but saw that Rose had used her powers to mess with it as she couldn't get any service. The girl growled as she looked in the direction of one of the skyboxes and headed there. Mario was left alone inside as he was now staring across the field from his former girlfriend. On the Shadow Duelist's arm was a mark that glowed in bright purple light, while Mario's mark lit up in red as it signaled the danger. As Zipp was racing up the stairs to the skybox, her mark glowed as she looked at it. It reacted to Mario and Rose's duel as she continued to race. The girl wasn't the only one; back at the estate, all the others noticed the marks on their arms glowing. Roll was with her parents, who noted it, as did Pipp and Haven.
"Sweetie, what is it?" asked Twilight, seeing her daughter's mark glow.
"I don't know," responded Roll as she placed her other hand on her mark. The girl then felt a presence as she looked at her parents. "It's Mario."
"Then that means…" said Twilight as she realized what it meant.
"We need to go now!" said Isaac, knowing his son might be in danger.
The forcefield still encased Mario at the stadium, and Rose couldn't stop cackling up.
"Get ready for the duel of your life, Mi Amor!" cackled Rose as her evil laughter echoed around the stadium while Mario held a hesitant, defiant look.
To be continued…
Author's Note: We finally introduced another aspect of Duel Monsters and that's Turbo Dueling. One of people's most favorite types of dueling and will be featured in the future, sooner rather than later. And speaking of surprises, low and behold, one of Opaline's Shadow Officers has appeared, and it's none other than Mario's ex. Things are not only picking up, big time... but I have feeling, this is a duel that you don't want to miss.