Sunset sighed as she looked at her new deck. Twilight and the other girls had given her a new start, and with that she also left behind her old deck. Now she had a new deck and new monster partners. And yet she was still haunted by her past actions. Even after she had been forgiven and everyone gave her a second chance, she still had traces of fear in her heart of what she had done. Burst noticed her troubled expression and went over to her. "Hey Sunny. You OK?", he asked.
"It's nothing Burst. Just...thinking., Sunset said with a smile.
"Sunset. I know something's bothering you. Is it about...the incident?", Burst asked.
Sunset sighed. "Yes."
"But Sunset. Everyone's forgiven you. You have real friends now.", Burst said.
"I know!", Sunset shouted. "...I know. But I still have nightmares sometimes. Nightmares about everyone hating me."
"You're still troubled by it?", Gold asked. The group turned to face him.
"Gold? What're you doing here?", Inferno asked.
"I'm here to help Sunset out. Wouldn't be much of a boyfriend if I wasn't there for my girl when she needs me." Gold then walked over to Sunset. "Sunset. If you're still troubled about your past actions, there is a way to get past this."
"How?", Sunset asked.
"There's a hidden duel arena where you can get enough star chips to advance to the finals. Only my Dad and I know about it. But there is a catch. You have to face yourself. It won't be easy, but just maybe it can help you get over your past. Not to mention propel you into the finals. But just remember that you're not alone." Gold then put his hand on her shoulder. "Even if you're by yourself. We're always in your heart." Sunset put her hand on Gold's.
"Thanks Gold. You really rose to the occasion.", Sunset said with a smile. "So where's this secret dueling arena?" Gold led Sunset and the others to a cave.
"There's one thing I forgot to mention. If you go in there, you must go alone.", Gold mentioned.
"Well Gold, like you said. I'm never alone as long as you're in my heart." And with that, Sunset entered the cave. As she ventured deeper, she heard a sound. Laughter. "Who's there?" Suddenly there was a pillar of flame! As the blaze died down, a figure stood in its place. It was the demonic form Sunset had when she had forced Twilight's crown on her head.
"Did you miss me Sunset?", Demon Shimmer asked.
"Not one bit!", Sunset spat back.
"Did you really think you were free of me?", Demon Shimmer asked with a smirk. "You don't want to admit it, but deep down I am your true self! I am the strongest parts of you!"
"You're not! I'll prove you're not!", Sunset said.
"So that's how it's gonna be, huh? Very well then." A blood red duel disk materialized on Demon Shimmer's arm. Sunset activated her own duel disk in response.
"LET'S DUEL!"
Sunset: 8000
Demon Shimmer: 8000
"I've got the first move!", Demon Shimmer said. "I summon Archfiend Cavalry in attack mode! I end my turn."
"My turn! I draw!", Sunset said. She gave a quick glance at her hand and sighed. 'Junk. At least I can stall for a turn with this. I just have to hope I get something usable my next draw' "I summon a monster in defense mode!"
"My turn then! I'll attack your monster! Fiendish Lance Charge!", Demon Shimmer cried out! Archfiend Cavalry charged at Sunset's monster!
"Marshamllon's effect activates! Since he was attacked when he was face-down, you take 1000 points of damage! Also, Marshmallon can't be destroyed by battle!"
Sunset: 8000
Demon Shimmer: 7000
"Hmph. I guess that lame little monster saved you. I'll set a card and end my turn."
"My turn then! I draw!" 'Just what I was hoping for!' "I special summon Guardian Eatos since I have no monsters in my graveyard! Destroy Archfiend Cavalry! Guardian Feather Storm!" Eatos sent out a flurry of razor sharp feathers! Cutting Archfiend Cavalry to bits! Demon Shimmer smiled as the attack was carried out.
"I activate my trap! Dark Mirror Force! Since you declared an attack, I can banish all defense-mode monsters you control!" Marshmallon faded off of the field!
"If that's the case, I'll play The Flute of Summoning Kuriboh to add Kuriboh to my hand! Then I'll end my turn.", Sunset said. 'Perfect! Another layer of defense for now.', Sunset thought as she looked to her opponent. 'I need to show her how I'm not her anymore! This new deck and this new deck can take this old me down!'
Sunset: 8000
Demon Shimmer: 6400
"Not bad. But I believe I've let you get in enough free-shots.", Demon Shimmer said with a smirk. "I play Swords of Concealing Light! All monsters you control are changed into face-down defense mode!" Guardian Eatos soon shielded herself with her wings. "Now I play Different Dimension Capsule! I'll banish a card from my deck face-down for two standby phases! Then I play Soul Exchange! This lets me tribute a monster you control! This lets me bring out Breaker the Dark Magical Warrior! Now that he was normal summoned, I can place two spell counters on him! Now I'll remove one to destroy your face-down card!" Sunset's face-down, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow was destroyed! "Now I'll attack you directly!"
"I'll discard Kuriboh! Now I take no damage from your attack!", Sunset said.
"Hmph. I guess your lame little monster saved you for now. I play Fires of Doomsday to special summon two Doomsday tokens! I end my turn."
'I'm out of monsters and none of these spells can save me. I need a way around this hand.' "My move! I draw! I play Single Purchase! I have over three cards in my hand besides Single Purchase and none of them are monsters! Now I'll banish my whole hand face-up! Now I can add a monster from my deck to my hand! Then I'll end my turn." 'This is it! As soon as I can get him out, I'll have no doubt about what the outcome of my choice got me!
"I draw! Now I'll attack you directly with Breaker!", Demon Shimmer said with a savage grin!
"Agh!", Sunset cried out as Breaker slashed at her life points! 'It's days like this I wish Monster Reborn wasn't banned, or that I had picked up Soul Charge! And as long as Breaker has a spell counter he can destroy a spell or trap card on my field!'
"I'll end my turn. Your move Sunny.", Demons Shimmer said with a smirk.
Sunset: 6000
Demon Shimmer: 6400
"I pass my turn.", Sunset said with a frown.
Demon Shimmer had a wicked smile as she began her turn. "Now that it's my second standby phase after their activation, Swords of Concealing Light goes away! Now I can also destroy D.D. Capsule! This lets me add my banished card to my hand! Now I'll tribute my Doomsday Tokens to summon The Supremacy Sun! Now I'll attack you with both of my monsters! Dark Solar Flames!"
"AH!", Sunset cried as her life points took a massive hit! The damage knocked her to the ground!
"I believe I've let you burn enough for this turn.", Demon Shimmer said with a savage grin. "I end my turn. And soon it will be the end for you!"
Sunset: 1000
Demon Shimmer: 6400
'Maybe I really did get weaker. Maybe I'm past my prime because I lost back then. Maybe all this talk about a new me is just....talk....No! I'm better than this!' Sunset then had a flash of all the friends she was able to make since her defeat at the fall formal. The good moments she already had and the more to come if she stuck with them. 'That's not who I am! Not anymore! I'll show her!'
Demon Shimmer had an evil smile as she saw Sunset lying on the ground, but it soon faded when she heard Sunset laughing. "What's so funny?!", she demanded.
"Heh heh. You know? I thought it was the end when I got blasted with The Magic of Friendship. But I was wrong." Sunset then rose to her feet. A triumphant smile was upon her face. "It was only a new beginning for me! You're not my strength! You're my weakness! One of which being the massive amount of overconfidence I used to have! Why do you think I let you get in those free hits?" Demon Shimmer's mouth dropped in horror! "Now it's time to end this! I draw! I'll play Foolish Burial! I'll send a monster from my deck to my graveyard! Now I'll banish one dark and one light monster from my graveyard! I summon Black Luster Soldier-Envoy of the Beginning!" A swirl of light appeared and a BLS stepped through!
"Nice to meet you at last Sunset.", BLS said with a smile. "Now let's end this chapter of your story!"
Sunset nodded. "I'll attack with BLS! Now I'll discard Honest! Since I discarded Honest, I can target the opponent's monster I'm battling and gain its attack until the end of this turn! I'll target The Supremacy Sun! This boosts BLS by 3000 points! Attack with Genesis Slash!" BLS's sword pulsed with a green and gold light as it destroyed The Supremacy Sun with one slash! "I'm not finished yet! Since BLS destroyed a monster by battle, he can attack again! Destroy Breaker the Dark Magical Warrior!"
"NO!", Demon Shimmer hissed as Breaker was destroyed! Demon Shimmer then gazed at her own body as she began to fade into nothing! "No..NO! NOOOOOOO!!!", she screamed as she faded into nothingness. The darkness then lifted to reveal a pedestal. Sunset walked towards is. There was a star symbol on it with a question mark next to it. Below it was a series of numbers ranging from one to eight.
"I'm guessing this is what Gold said could propel me to the finals.", Sunset said with a smile as she selected the number eight. In a flash, eight star chips appeared. Sunset collected the star chips and put them into her dueling glove. The pedestal then retracted into the ground. Sunset walked out of the cave to meet her friends and proudly displayed her ten star chips. "Two of us in the finals, three left to go."