Yugioh: Reunion

by ShootingStar25

First published 17th of January, 2022

It's been a while since graduation and everybody went on their separate paths. And not only that, time to see how things have changed since they last left.

About a year and half since graduation, the gang have been living their lives. They all been doing their own thing, especially one person. And now with an upcoming duel, he decides that he needs to visit his old stomping grounds and prepare himself. But it's also a way for him to catch up and see some old friends.

Featured on the Popular section on 1/17/22 - 1/18/22.

Chapter 1: A Day in the Life

All around was darkness, nothing but black. The only light displayed was by the street lights that were on. Apart from that were the small headlights from the passing automobiles as they zoomed across the road. Even in the dead of night, it seemed that people were still at work. And the city was the prime example of that. The darkness still blanket the city as downtown the buildings still had their lights on.

The scene now changed to show the bedroom as inside was a person sleeping as heard by the snores. From the snores, it meant that the person had a busy day and was due for some well-deserved rest. And typically a day like this would require the person to just relax. Unfortunately, that's not the case for this individual. The sun now barely peaked as a tiny bit of orange was coming up, and at that moment, the alarm on the stand next to the bed went off.

"Ugg!" said the person as they had the covers over their head. They reached their arm out as they tried to find the off button for the alarm as the sound was getting louder. "Where the hell is the off switch?!" grunted the person. They soon found it as the alarm turned off.

"God damn it." said the person as they now sat up.

It was revealed to be a young man as his eyes were still trying to wake up. He looked at the time as it read 5:00 am. Upon first glance, he thought about going back to sleep as he fell back on the comfy mattress. It seemed to work, but after 2 minutes, the boy's body was now fully awake as he knew there was no point in going back to sleep as he let out a loud yawn.

"Time to get started." muttered the boy as he now sat on the edge of his bed. He saw the phone next to the alarm clock as he grabbed it and pressed a button. "Hello, room service. I'll take 2 of your continental breakfast."

"Of course, we'll have them sent up to your room, Mr. Champion." said the woman at the front desk.

"Time to move." said the boy as he got up and made his way to the bathroom in his hotel room.

He then entered the room as he began to take a shower as it was his morning routine to start his day. After about 20 minutes, he now stepped out of the stall as some steam appeared and fogged up the mirror. Once drying himself off, the boy began to get himself ready as he took care of his appearance by combing his hair and applying some conditioner that was given to him by a friend. Once that was set, he exited the bathroom to find that the cart containing his breakfast had already been delivered to his room. He then went to the closet as a knock was heard from the door.

"It's open." responded the boy. The door handle then turned as in came a person.

"Good to see you're up already." responded the girl who was a young woman about the same age as the man. She saw the boy as he had a shirt in his hand.

"It's one of the many things that I have to do." said the boy as he had a shirt over his head and pulled it down over his body as it fit him. "So, what's on the agenda, Juniper?"

"Glad you asked, Isaac." said the girl as she was the agent to the current World Champion of Duel Monsters.

The boy had started his pro career about a year and a half ago. And just three months ago, he became the champion as he beat the previous person to obtain that rank. From that point on, Isaac's professional life as a pro was filled with tons of things.

"So right now, it's currently 5:30 am. At 6, we have a talk show to do. Then at 7:15, we need to make an appearance for an interview. Next thing at 8:30, we need to be at the airport for our flight to Baltimare. After that, we have an appointment at 1:00 pm for a podcast. At 3:00, sign some autographs. Then comes the night activities, 5:00 we have the party to attend. Tons of people and celebrities will be there. From there you have the duel that you're supposed to take part in. Once that event is done, there's the afterparty which should start at around 11 or so. From there, we then head back to the hotel where the bus will be waiting to pick us up to take us to our next destination. And if my calculations are correct, we should get to the next city at about 2 or 3 in the morning." said Juniper as she had her tablet in her hand and was going over the schedule that she had that listed all of her client's responsibilities.

"That's it. It seems like a light schedule," stated Isaac as he sat on the bed.

"Well, I was able to hold off 2 more interviews as I told them that our whole week was booked," stated Juniper as she got an email on her tablet and responded to it. Isaac smiled at the girl who he made his agent as he was happy that she helped him to manage his life as a pro.

"This is why I'm glad to have someone like you by my side." chuckled the boy.

"Just doing my job, Isaac." said the girl playing with her glasses. Isaac then kissed her on the cheek as he winked at her as it got Juniper to blush at her client.

"Now sit down, and let's have breakfast. Can't start the day without any energy," said Isaac as he sat down at the table as Juniper joined her friend as the two began to enjoy their meal and each other.

Once the pair finished their breakfast, they then began to start their busy day. Isaac put on his signature clothes which consisted of a black V-neck t-shirt with white hemming, black shorts with gray pockets held on by red straps. His shorts were tight around his calves. He wore a long black hooded jacket with red hemming, gray pockets with white hemming, and red flannel flaps that are held down by a series of yellow buttons which he sometimes wore like a cape. On top of his head was the same cap he had gotten for his 18th birthday as well as the Dark Magician necklace that he too received that day as it hung around his neck.

After taking a look in the mirror, and getting a thumbs up from Juniper Montage. The pair then grabbed their luggage and put it on the bus that would meet them in the next city as it began to drive there. As for the young pair, they grabbed a taxi and now zoomed into the current city to handle their affairs. It took about twenty minutes to get to the address as the pair now stood in front of the TV station. They both entered inside as they were greeted.

"Ah, here they are." said the host.

"Juniper Montage." said the girl shaking the hand of the host. "And this is my client." pointed at Isaac.

"Ah, the World Champion himself."

"Please, just call me Isaac." said the boy as he preferred it that people addressed him by his name than by his title.

"Well, then, Isaac. Let me say it's an honor to have you make an appearance on our daily talk show. I tell the viewers and the audience will be ecstatic." said the man.

"Well, then let's get the show started. Don't want to keep them waiting." smiled Isaac.

Juniper then began to lead her friend to the makeup department as the woman began to apply some to the boy to make him presentable and camera-ready. Once he was set, the tech team put a small mic in Isaac's shirt so that all could hear what he said when he was on the air. He was then brought to the backstage area where he waited for his cue as he saw the small screen that the engineers were watching as it played the morning show. The host was doing his usual gig as he welcomed the folks and did the news segment.

"And now that the boring stuff has been taken care of. Why don't we get on with the next part of the show, what do you all think?" asked the man as his response from the audience was cheers. "In that case, for everybody watching and in the studio, we have a special treat for you all. Our special guest is none other than the duelist how became the World Champion just three months ago. So everyone put your hands together for none other than the Duel Monsters World Champion, Isaac!!!" said the host as he stood up from his desk and clapped with the audience.

Isaac knew that was his cue as he came through the curtain and was given a warm reception. Some of the females let out some screams at seeing the young and handsome boy. He waved to the audience as he approached the stage and shook the host's hand as he sat down on the chair while the man returned to sitting behind his desk.

"They love you." said the host as the cheers were still going loud for Isaac as he couldn't stop smiling or laughing.

"I mean, let's be honest. Who doesn't love me?" joked Isaac as he and the host cracked up as the audience and the females made even more noise. Soon things quieted down.

"So, first off, I want to say thank you for coming on here to the show. I hope it wasn't any trouble."

"Oh, it was no trouble at all," said Isaac with an honest tone. "Hey, between me and you and everybody else, I'm glad to be here. Why? Cause I get to see many of my supporters and loving fans!" said the boy as he looked at the audience as they made noise once again. They soon started to chant his name as it was thunderous.

"You certainly know how to charm a crowd." joked the host. "And speaking of crowd, I want to ask you something, how is it being in that type of environment? Cause I can imagine, there's some pressure on your shoulders when you're dueling for millions and even more watching at home. Is it not?"

"No, you're right. It is a lot of pressure when it comes to performing. Even my pals, in the Big 5, sometimes get a bit nervous about performing. But you know, it's part of the job that we love. And we go out there and we do it not so that we can show what we possess, but more so on the fact that we want to entertain you. We want to give you guys something, to either escape your reality for a few seconds or just to put a fun duel." said Isaac.

"And I want to circle around this, the Big 5, your pals with. What it's like having such legendary duelists as friends?" asked the host.

"Well, for one, I'm the new guy. So you know what that means," said Isaac as the host and the studio audience laughed at his joke. "Um, it's just like any group of friends that you have in your life. You laugh together, make jokes, take personal jabs at each other, I will say though the intensity can get a little bit heated between all of us when it comes to facing each other in duels. But at the end of the duel, we all know we're friends and that we have a competitive spirit. So it's all in good fun."

"Moving on, I want to ask you. You've been on the pro circuit for well over a year at this point, can you tell us what was it like during that time? And did anything change when you became World Champion just three months ago?" asked the host taking a sip from his mug.

"Well, I'll say this right now, I was blessed with what I was given and was able to make the most of it. For the first few months, yeah they were tough, but not to the point where I was struggling to get my name out, but more so on the fact that not many people were interested. Yeah, I know shocking, right?" said Isaac to the audience as they laughed again. "But again, as I said, blessed. Blessed that was I offered a chance to perform at a big-time venue. And keep in mind, I never once asked my pals in the Big 5 to help me, cause I didn't want to abuse that relationship that I had with them and for people to think that, 'Oh, he's only relevant because he's buddy-buddy with them'. No, I want people to know who I am based on my skills and merits. My whole life, I've never had anything handed to me. And I wasn't gonna start now. Everything that I have, I've earned. I'm proud of who I am, I'm proud of my heritage, my familia."

"And sorry for cutting you off, but that big-time venue you were invited to. Mind explaining what happened and sort of the mental aspect that was going through your mind?"

"Nah, you're good. That big-time venue where I sort of got people's eyes on me. Tons of duelists were invited to partake in this event, and then they came to me and they told me how the card was going to be structured. So I was scheduled to compete on the lower card, just because I was still a newcomer into the circuit despite my skills." stated Isaac. "And I didn't complain or whatnot, I just did the job that I was asked to do. I was already paid for coming, but I wasn't just gonna half-ass it and take my check. I wanted to give the people here their money's worth. So I went out, did what I did and won my duel."

"But it wasn't until that I got back to my locker room where I was approached by my agent and she told me that the crowd was still chanting my name through the duel that was up next. So, I turned on the screen in that locker room, and sure enough, the crowd was hot and loud. So much so that they liked my match more than the main event. Not to brag or anything, but that's a statement. No matter how you look at it, that's a statement. And then the rest just fell into place. It's being in a relationship, you've had plenty of those, right?" asked Isaac to the host and audience.

"Oh, yeah, it's how I met my ex-wife." joked the host as Isaac and the audience chuckled a bit.

"That's a good one. But seriously it was a relationship. When you're single, no one wants you. But then you hook up with a good one and all of a sudden, everyone is calling and talking." said Isaac.

"And speaking of relationships, what's the word? A guy like you, how do you not have a girl? Am I right ladies?" asked the host to the audience as all the girls show their love towards the young man.

"I guess I'm just not attractive enough," said Isaac with a sly smile.

"You're amazing Isaac!" shouted a girl.

"No, no. You're amazing!" said Isaac as he pointed back at the girl as the audience clapped even more. "But again, unfortunately, I have a fiancé. Sorry ladies looks like I'm taken."

"All the good ones are." said the host as he and Isaac laughed.

"Well, listen we'd love to have you back on our show."

"I would love it too, anytime that I'm in your city. Shoot me a call and we can work things out. Again, I can't do it all myself, which is why I'm blessed to have my agent. Juniper, why don't you come out and take a bow?" said Isaac as he called for the girl behind the curtain. Juniper then emerged as the audience gave her applause as she waved to the crowd as they showed her love for being Isaac's agent. Isaac then stood up as he approached the girl and grabbed her hand as he twirled her around as it got Juniper to smile and blush a bit.

"Everyone give it up for the World Champion and his agent." said the host as he did his job of cutting off the broadcast as they went to commercial.

Isaac and Juniper were now backstage.

"You didn't have to do that?" said Juniper.

"Hey, you deserve as much of the credit as I do. We're a team, we can't do it without the other." smiled Isaac.

Juniper returned the smile from the boy as they now left for the next item on their agenda. It was currently 7 as they had 15 minutes to get to their next appointment. They made it with 5 minutes to spare as the pair walked into the place. The person in charge greeted them both. They then sat down and began to answer questions. They ranged from his early life to where he currently was. Isaac even answered some questions about some of the adventures that he went through high school, excluding any incidents that involved magic. They asked him to explain the contents of his deck, to which the boy went into great detail on why he had each card in his deck and how he always talks to it as he believed their spirits to be alive. The person just nodded as he played along with Isaac's line of thinking and moved on.

Once the interview was done, the boy and girl now grabbed another taxi as they raced to the airport as they had to board their flight. Thankfully they had their luggage already on route to the next city as the two only had their backpacks for security to check. There were even some fans that recognized the boy as they asked for a photo to which he obliged without hesitation. Even some of the guards wanted a photo with the World Champion. So after a few photos and signing some autographs, the pair now raced forward as they got on board. Their plane now soared high in the sky.

Isaac took a seat across from Juniper as the girl was on her tablet and handling some business.

"Okay, how about we answer some fan mail?" asked Juniper.

"Sure," said Isaac as he leaned back.

"First one is from a girl named Sarah. She's ten years old and asks, "Will I ever be as good as you?" asked Juniper.

"Of course, as long as you work hard and put in the effort. Then you can do anything you set your mind to. Just remember, to never give up, and even if it seems like it's not gonna work out, hang in till the very end." said Isaac as Juniper wrote down his response and sent it.

"Next question: What advice would you give in picking your deck, or signature monster? This comes from a boy named Thunder Bolt, he's 7 years old."

"Honestly, just go with what catches your attention. Your signature monster doesn't have to be something strong or has a powerful effect. Just find a card that you resonate with."

"Next one, Isaac, will you marry me?" said Juniper as she read another email.

"Sorry, but I have a fiancé. However, I love you, my supporting fan and I know you'll find someone who likes you as well. And hopefully, things will work out and the two of you can live a happy life." responded Isaac.

And so it went as halfway into the flight, Isaac and Juniper responded to Isaac's inbox as it was filled with tons of emails from his fan. Asking him questions for advice on dueling, Duel Monsters, to just in general advice. Soon the flight attendant came down the middle.

"Sorry to interrupt, Mr. World Champion."

"Isaac, please."

"Yes, Isaac. Would you or your agent like anything? A preferred drink of choice, snacks?" asked the flight attendant.

"A simple lemonade for me," said Juniper.

"Sir?"

"Apple juice. And two cups of water," said Isaac. "And nice dress, really makes you look pretty."

"Oh, thank you." said the girl turning a bit red as she left to fetch their drinks.

"Can't help to give girls compliments," said Juniper with a raised eyebrow and sly smile.

"Hey, everybody deserves one. As a way to make their day better," responded Isaac.

The pair continued to answer some more emails when five minutes passed. The flight attendant came back with their drinks as Isaac pulled out a 100 dollar bill and gave it to the woman as a tip to which she was shocked and happy. After some time, all the emails had been answered as the pair could relax for a bit. Isaac looked up at the screen in front of him as he saw a replay of a game that occurred the previous night.

"And what a shot, with only 4 seconds left, Ms. Rainbow Dash scores the winning goal for her team!!" shouted the broadcaster as the camera changed to show Rainbow being drenched in soda by her teammates and lifting her in the air as they showed their appreciation for her. The girl waved to the crowd as she was soaking in the moment of her team winning the championship match.

"Same old Dash, still likes to hog the attention." said the boy as he saw the girl. Time had allowed the two to grow as her body had undergone some changes and was now more developed in certain parts, but yet she was still the same girl he remembered from high school.

"I already sent Rainbow a gift basket from you saying congrats," stated Juniper.

"Appreciate it, Juniper."

It wasn't long till their place started to descend. The pair got off the plane and grabbed their backpacks as they exited the airport. They then had half an hour to reach the place where the podcast was being held as they caught another taxi. They arrived in time as they were greeted by the people who ran it as they ran down how the format of the podcast would go. Soon they all entered the both with Juniper standing off to the side, usually getting some water for Isaac whenever he needed it. It took about an hour and a half, as Isaac and Juniper thanked the people for allowing them to come on. With that, they kept on rolling as the next thing on their agenda was going to a warehouse. The boy and girl arrived at the place as upon entering there were tables filled with stacks and stacks of Isaac's photos. They saw the people who were in charge as they were putting out some more photos that the boy would need to sign as this was for all the people that bought and asked for a signed print.

"Hey Mark," said Isaac as he greeted the person who was in charge of sending these prints to the people.

"What's up Isaac." said the man shaking the boy's hand.

"So what are we looking at today?"

"Well, let's see your last record for 2300 prints was 70 minutes. Today we got 3000 prints." said the man as he and his two assistants were unloading the rest of the prints as they stacked them up. "Now we got plenty of markers here."

"Time to start the fun part," said Isaac. "Juniper, don't forget to time."

"It's currently 3:02 pm." said the girl.

"I'll admit this is the most that I've ever done." chuckled Isaac as it got the other adults to laugh a bit as the boy now grabbed one of the black markers and began to autograph each one.

Each time Isaac finished one, he would lift his hand for one second. In that second, one of the assistants would take the top photo that was signed and start a stack. By then, Isaac was already signing the next one as he lifted quickly for the assistant to slide it out as he went right back to signing. As for the other assistant, once there was a good stack of signed prints he would bring it to one of the boxes and fill it up. The transition of Isaac finishing one print and signing the next was in the blink of an eye, so if you blinked he would already be on the next one.

"This is a lot," said Isaac to the people. "If my shoulder gets tired, we'll have to stack them higher." joked Isaac as he looked at everybody while still keeping the rhythm of the pattern of how he was signing. "Welcome to my life." stated the boy as this time it was directed towards the fourth wall.

"It feels like I started strong out of the gate, maybe too strong. I don't know, maybe we'll have to stop for a Gatorade halfway, and possibly change markers," said Isaac to Juniper as she chuckled at her client as 22 minutes had passed as he was already done with 1/4 of the prints.

"Alright new table," said Isaac as the clock read 3:24 pm.

"How are you feeling, Isaac?"

"Low on fuel and we're probably going to need to change markers soon, Mark." responded the boy as he was halfway through the 3000 prints.

"I got you covered, Isaac," said Juniper as she went to fetch some water to rehydrate the boy. The scene now fasts forward as Isaac kept on signing as every now and then Juniper would feed the bottle of water herself to Isaac while still signing the stacks.

"The biggest thing our fans ask is where can we get an autograph? And uh, the fact that they spend their time and hard-earned money to come to the live events. Just the fact that it's there and if they like it, they can buy it. If not, they don't have to." said Isaac to the audience. "I do want everybody to know that every single one of them is signed by me." Isaac kept on signing as he was now 3/4 of the way done with the prints. "This is the part of the job that-- is a lot more difficult than performing. There's not a lot of glory in this room, but-- this is the extra mile that means something."

"When we finish this table, that'll be 2300." said the man in charge. "So, we'll see if we beat that record."

"It's a damn shirt like you said Mark, I should probably change it to 'About to give up' instead of 'Never give up'." chuckled Isaac as the assistant and Juniper all laughed at the boy's joke. Isaac was starting to slowly feel the effects of his arm and shoulder as he kept on signing.

"We need a tire change," said Isaac as the marker he was using was now running low. He grabbed another one as the assistants were grabbing and stacking the signed prints and putting them in boxes. The time was now 3:52 pm. "2300, right? The record has been broken," stated Isaac as he surpassed his time limit from last time.

"What'd you do last time? 70 minutes." asked the man.

"About," said Isaac still signing.

"Well, you're 16 minutes ahead of pace." said the man putting more of the signature prints from under Isaac to sign the next one in a fast session.

"This marker is kicking ass, I'll say right now," stated Isaac as the sound of the object could be heard throughout the whole time Isaac signed the prints.

"Final stretch." said the man as the pair moved onto the last table filled with stacks.

Isaac then found his second wind as he began to push forward. This was one of the times that he was glad that he had so much energy and drive that not only translated to him on the dueling field, but also to his life outside of the arena. He reached the final stack as he pushed to finish it. Isaac got to the last print as he now only signed his name, but added a bit more to it.

"Lucky number 3000 for her," said Mark as it was for a small girl.

"I want everybody to know that the last print, I always add a little bit more. To give the person something nice to know that they waited all this time for me to sign theirs," said Isaac to the fourth wall. He added some extra marks for the last print to make the person who received feel special for being the final one.

"Time?" asked Isaac as he finished signing.

"4:17 pm," said Juniper.

"Good work, Isaac. An hour and 15 minutes to sign 3000 prints," said Mark as he had his assistants put the final autographs in boxes and seal them.

Isaac blew on the marker as he flexed his hand for a bit to release some of the tension. "Gentleman, thank you. Always look forward to this." said the boy as he now began to walk with Juniper following him.

The pair then exited the warehouse as they left Mark and his team to ship the prints to the people who ordered them.

"Well, you finished earlier. Which means we have time to get some food," stated Juniper.

"You picked out a spot?" asked Isaac.

"Already taken care of," smiled Juniper as the two headed to a nearby restaurant.

The two entered the establishment as they sat at a table. It was a small place as there was a bigger place to eat at the arena where Isaac would be performing later tonight. While it was nice to be there, Isaac never forgot his roots and knew that eating at a less popular restaurant was just as good as any. And to be honest, the food tasted better rather than eating small portions or overpriced food, not that he couldn't afford it.

"I see why you prefer to eat mainly at common places," said Juniper as Isaac pulled out a chair for her to sit down as he pushed it in and then sat across from the girl.

"Just because I'm the World Champ, doesn't make me any better than anybody else. I'm still just a regular old boy," said Isaac as a waiter came to serve them. The pair ordered their food as they began to discuss the rest of the day's activities.

"Right so after this, we head over to the arena and get started. From there it's the party and the duel you'll be putting on. Once that whole event is done, next is the afterparty and then it's back to getting on the bus which will take us to our next stop." stated Juniper.

"Then we got time," said Isaac looking at his watch as the food arrived with 30 minutes to spare. The young man looked at his watch as it reminded him of someone.

"Say, how's..."

"She called while you were signing. She just wants to make sure that you're doing your job. And to not worry about her." said Juniper.

"I appreciate it, it's just... I can't not think of Twilight and our future plan of getting married," said Isaac.

"I understand, Isaac. But right now, both of you are busy doing your things. You're a pro and the World Champ, she's finishing up her studies and in two months is already going to start her business as a card designer." stated Juniper. "Nothing is perfect. Life is about the management of problems. And whoever manages their problems the best, has the best life." said the girl to the boy.

"Still... speaking of, any word from the others?"

"Rainbow said thank you for the gift basket. All the others sent some emails as they're busy with their responsibilities."

"We really have all grown up. Crazy to think that it's been that long since we graduated," said Isaac as he now realized how much time makes a difference. Eventually, he put it to the side as their food arrived.

Once paying for their meal, as well as a big tip, not to mention taking a few more photos and signing, the pair now left. They were now heading towards the arena as they entered the backstage where tons of cameramen and reporters were all on the side as they arrived on the red carpet. Some began snapping photos while others tried to get his attention as Isaac and Juniper kept on walking. They entered the room as it was a sea of fancy suits and dresses. Some belonged to the high society as indicated by the expensive pieces of jewelry.

Upon entering, Isaac was approached by several people wanting to shake the hands of the World Champ. Even the rich snobs heard of the boy as he was one of the many bets that admittedly gave them excitement and joy watching in a duel. Some promoters approached the pair asking if Isaac could make an appearance for an event, to which Juniper handled it. She knew how to attend to her client's needs and only agreed to do the ones they had time for in their busy schedule. Others she put on a waiting list. So the party went for another hour or two as it was time for some entertainment. Everyone looked out of the room's windows as they saw the arena below along with the people in their seats who paid to see this event.

Juniper grabbed Isaac as the two of them headed downstairs to prepare. They entered the private room as she closed the door behind him.

"So who's my opponent?" asked Isaac.

"Nothing too big, just a local duelist," said Juniper as she showed off the profile of the person on her tablet to her client.

"Alright then," said Isaac as he sat down on the couch. The boy sat down as he felt some tension in his shoulders brought his hand to rub them.

"Allow me," said Juniper as she saw her client's issue. She was next to Isaac on the couch as she put her tablet down and began to rub the boy's shoulder.

"Thanks, Juniper," said Isaac with his back turned to the girl.

"As I've said, I attend to your every need and desire." stated the girl as she worked her hands to soothe the pain from her client's body.

"That's why I'm glad to have you." smiled the boy. Juniper then stopped after a few minutes as she asked Isaac how he felt as the stress was gone. "Thanks,"

"Just doing my job." said the girl pushing up her glasses.

"And like always, for doing these special jobs, you get a special reward," said Isaac as he pressed his lips to hers as it lasted for a few seconds. He then pulled back and gave a wink as Juniper couldn't help but turn red. She did admit, that being Isaac's agent was worth it for small displays of affection like that.

"Well, I'll leave you to have a few moments to yourself." said the girl as she got up and exited the room.

Isaac smiled as he reached into the deck box on his belt and opened it. He then pulled out his deck as he looked at it. Isaac took a deep breath before saying.

"You guys still there?" asked Isaac to his deck. For a while, nothing happened. Then some light began to flash as soon the boy's two magicians appeared before their master in quite a while.

"Master."

"Mahad, Mana. Nice to see you."

"I've missed you, Isaac," said Mana wrapping her arms around her master. She nuzzled her cheek against his while planting a kiss.

"I've missed you guys too. I know things have changed, I don't talk to you guys as often as I did when I was still in high school." said the boy to his friends.

"And we understand, Master. Your life has now changed since becoming a young adult. And me and our comrades understand that you have other responsibilities that you need to uphold. It's natural of growing up." stated Mahad.

"Well, I miss him," stated Mana getting as many snuggles as she could before they disappeared for however long.

"Still, I should at least try to talk to you guys a bit more. Our bond is strong and still is, it's just... my life is busy," said Isaac as he grabbed Mana's arms and took them off his neck. "I recently became champion and now I have to do my duty that comes with it. I just don't want us to drift apart, you and all our the monsters in my deck."

"Isaac, you have your life to live. So don't worry, we'll always be here if you need us." smiled Mana. "Besides, we could never forget about our cute master." stated the girl as she went back to hugging him.

"I appreciate it, Mana," said Isaac as he stroked the girl's hair and smelled that familiar vanilla scent that he loved.

Isaac then stood up as he looked at his magicians. He gripped his deck tightly as he closed his eyes. Both Mahad and Mana then disappeared back into their master's deck as the boy slotted it into his duel disk. At that moment, Juniper opened the door and saw her client was ready to perform. Isaac had the hooded jacket as he hung it on his shoulders like a cape as he began to walk with the girl towards the arena. He was making his way to the stage as the sounds of the crowd were loud. Isaac then got onto the stage as he activated his duel disk and projected a gold card tray.

"It's time to duel!!"

---

The duel ended as Isaac managed to emerge the victor, but he had to give props to his opponent for putting up a fight. Once it was over, Isaac now made his way back to his room as he splashed some water on his face. Juniper entered the room as Isaac was wiping his face with a towel. Once he was dried off, the two were now on their way to the afterpart. As usual, it was filled with food and drinks. The pair enjoyed themselves making sure that the other didn't overdose on the alcoholic beverages that were being brought out as they had still had things to do. It was about midnight when the pair started to leave the party as they arrived at where the bus was waiting for them. They got on board as the bus driver then started down the road. While it may have been dark, the pair was still up as they were going over what they had to take care of in the morning.

It was about 1 in the morning as the bus was still driving. Isaac had fallen asleep about 20 minutes prior as his head was against the window. The bump from driving woke him up for a bit as he let out a yawn. He blinked a few times as he looked outside to see darkness and some greenery passing by. He turned his head to the left as he felt something. Seems Isaac wasn't the only one who fell asleep as Juniper was also exhausted as she was leaning on the boy with her head on his shoulder.

Isaac just smiled as he pushed up her glasses from falling as he kissed the girl on her forehead and she had a happy smile. He then turned back to rest his head against the window as he drifted off to get some sleep before they arrived at their destination. It was about 3 in the morning as the bus stopped as the driver pushed a button next to him and it made a ring sound to which Isaac awoke too. Outside was still dark as in a few hours, the sun would be up and then the pair would have to start their day again.

"Hey, Juniper. Juniper." said the boy as he tried to wake up the girl. She was fast asleep as she snuggled a bit more on Isaac's arm. "Wake up." Isaac tried to get the girl to awake but she was fast asleep. Seems she was exhausted from all they did.

Isaac just smiled as he grabbed Juniper and carried her in his arms as he exited the bus. He then saw the hotel just a few feet away as he entered inside and laid the girl in her room as he tucked her into bed and placed her glasses on the table next to her. He gave one last smile as he was glad to have her by his side. Isaac then went to go grab their bags as he thanked the bus driver for his job and gave him some cash as he wished the pair the best of luck. He then made his way back to the hotel as he talked with the receptionist to finalize their check-in. He made sure to drop off Juniper's luggage in her room as he set the alarm. With that, he quietly exited the room and made his way to his as he flung his luggage on the floor and placed his backpack on the chair.

"3:30 am, the sun will be up soon. Thankfully, we won't have anything early in the morning. But we still need to get up by 7." said Isaac as he set his alarm and prepared to get whatever sleep he could get. "Just another normal busy day in the life as a pro. Well, time to get some sleep." stated the boy as he flopped on his bed and within a few seconds felt his eyes drift as he was now fast asleep. While he was sleeping, Isaac thought back to what Juniper said to him in the restaurant.

"Nothing is perfect. Life is about the management of problems. And whoever manages their problems the best, has the best life."

Author's Notes:

The awaited mini sequel is finally here. Also finally managed to put together the decks that our main cast uses both in the original and in this story. Feel free to check it out by clicking HERE.

Chapter 2: Master of Illusion

Author's Notes:

Just want to say thank you to everybody that read the first chapter. Because of you all, my story got featured on the Popular section of Fimfiction for a full day. That's something that I thought would never happen, ever! To me that's sort of an accomplishment that I was able to do something that many people enjoyed. Part of the reason why I write stories is to entertain you guys and to see that skills as both a story teller and writer is being acknowledge by a small feat is pretty amazing. Thanks to you all once again for making this happen.

The sun now rose as it was slowly ascending. The rays of the morning star soon gave light to the place covered in darkness. Like always, with the sun coming up, it meant that another person needed to be up to start their day. Isaac let out a yawn as he saw the light peaking through the curtains of his hotel room, as he looked over at the clock, which read 7:05 am. He knew that he needed to be up as his life as World Champion was starting now.

He sat up as he stretched. There was a knock on the door as he got up and went to answer it. Isaac opened the door and there was Juniper already dressed as she entered the room.

"Ready to hear the day's schedule?" asked Juniper.

"Yeah, explain it to me," said Isaac as he went to his bag and grabbed an extra set of clothes. He entered the bathroom as he started to freshen up as Juniper began to list off the day's activities.

"Well, we got some autograph signings at a con. After that, we have to visit the hospital. Then stopping for lunch, and lastly we have to perform for a special event at a local university." said the girl.

"That's weird," responded Isaac from inside the bathroom. "Shouldn't there at least be one interview in that schedule?"

"I took the liberty of saying that you won't be able to do them, because of the upcoming match you have for your rank as champion." said the girl.

"Is that so?" said the boy exiting the bathroom as he pulled down his shirt.

"I've contacted all the forms of media that this is the time where you dim on your duties as World Champ and begin to focus on your duel. So as you can see for the next 2 weeks, it'll be a lighter load for us before we resume our regular duties." stated Juniper.

"Then I better enjoy the downtime." chuckled Isaac. "Speaking of dueling, any word on who my opponent will for tonight's duel?"

"Isaac, do you know who you're talking to?" asked Juniper as she sat down on the bed with a sly smile.

"A pretty girl who I made my agent and assistant," responded Isaac with his own smirk.

"Well... yes, that's true." blushed Juniper at one of her client's compliments. "Anyways, don't distract me. I meant that I already know who you're facing for tonight's festivities." She then touched her tablet as she pulled up the profile of the duelist Isaac would be facing as she showed it to the young man.

"Oh," smiled Isaac with a smug grin. "Can't wait to see how she's been doing." responded the boy.

---

After breakfast, the pair now headed to the convention center where there was a line of people who were all gathered for the signing. A black SUV pulled up as some security approached the vehicle as out came Juniper and Isaac. Many fans were behind the velvet rope as they tried to reach out for Isaac to shake their hands or high-five. The guards were holding the sea of people back as the pair now entered inside the building.

Upon entering, the auditorium was huge. As not only would Isaac be signing, but other stands were being set up like merch, music, even card packs. Isaac noticed the different cards as he was drawn to them but Juniper yanked his arm.

"Come on, I just want to see what they got," said Isaac.

"Work, first," said Juniper as it was always Duel Monsters itself that allowed Isaac to forget his responsibilities as World Champion as he couldn't help himself.

"I just wanna take a peek. Besides, I'm helping the economy if I buy some." said the boy.

"You're the World Champion, you get the latest cards for free." said the girl. "Besides, we have a full days' work ahead of us before tonight."

"Juniper..."

"Isaac!"

"How about a kiss?" said Isaac as he tried to reason with his friend.

"Not gonna work this time." smiled the girl.

"As Pinkie would say, 'Party Pooper'." muttered the boy as he left to where he was going to sit and sign.

"I promise that after we're done with this signing, we'll have time to look at the cards stands before we leave." said the girl.

"Alright, then let the people in. The sooner I get this done, the sooner I can look at those cards," said Isaac as he now sat down in one of the chairs as Juniper sat down next to her client.

Once all the stands were set up, the convention was now underway. The people all rushed in to enjoy the con. Not all rushed over to where Isaac was stationed due to security having people form lines and that the other stands were doing their job of attracting people. Once the guards told the people in line the rules, Isaac gave the signal as they unhooked the rope and let the people file in one by one.

"Hey, how are you doing?" said Isaac to the first person.

"I'm doing good, love your work, man. Can you sign this?" said the man as he handed Isaac a photo of him.

"No problem," smiled Isaac as he grabbed the object and began to write his signature. He then handed it back to the person as they pulled out their phone and Isaac did a peace sign as the photo was taken. "Make sure you treasure that photo."

"I will, thank you." said the man as he left.

"Next!" called Juniper as the next people in line were a mother and her son.

"Hi, this is my son, Malek. He's a fan of yours."

"Is he now?" smiled Isaac as he looked at the kid who gave him a poster of Isaac and his two magicians standing side-by-side.

"When I grow up, I wanna be like you." said the boy.

"You wanna be like me? Well, who am I gonna be? If you're me, then do I have to be you?" joked Isaac as it got everybody to smile and laugh. "Hey, listen to your mom and you stay in school. You'll have a bright future ahead, kid," said Isaac as he finished signing the poster and gave it back to the kid.

"I will." responded the boy.

"Thank you so much, you don't know how much he loves." said the mother.

"No problem, madam. Take care," said Isaac as the pair now left.

"Nice to meet you, man. Mind signing some things for my wife? She's a fan of yours, but couldn't be here due to work." said the next person in line.

"No worries, buddy," said Isaac as he grabbed the memorabilia from the man. "What's your wife's name?"

"Diamond."

"To Diamond, with all my love and affection. P.S. You're husband is a lucky man." wrote Isaac.

"I tell her every day, thanks." said the man as he shook Isaac's hand one final time before leaving.

And so it went on for the next few hours, Isaac meeting and greeting some of his fans. Signing anything they brought as he smiled and took photos. There were a few that asked Isaac for some advice as the boy told them his saying that he believes in: "Trust in your deck and it will trust you". Some even brought their cards as they gave one for Isaac to sign as he handed it back to them. Isaac even pulled out his deck as he spread out his cards for those that asked as they were amazed by what cards the champion had that made up his deck full of allies. For a few girls, they asked for a special request as Isaac obliged by allowing them to kiss his cheek.

With the last folks leaving, it was time for Juniper and Isaac to head to their next appointment. They thanked the convention managers for all as they started to leave, but not before Isaac looked at the stands as he bought some merch. The pair now grabbed a taxi as they were heading to a hospital.

"Hey, what's up guys? It's Isaac here. We are at the Children's Hospital. We are going to be wandering around, meeting some of the patients, and having a good time." said the boy to a camera crew as they were going to document the boy. With that, they all entered inside.

The front desk saw the group entering as they had some gasps at seeing the World Champion as Juniper talked with them about how she had put all of this together as Isaac shook their hands. From there they began to visit some of the rooms.

"What's your name, Eclipse?" asked Isaac to a four-year kid as he was sitting on his bed while his mother pulled out her phone to record this moment. "I'm Isaac. How are you doing?"

"Good." replied the kid in a soft tone as Isaac smiled. From out in the hallways, Juniper and the medical staff were also smiling at seeing Isaac interact with all the patients he visited.

From room to room, Isaac went meeting tons of different patients as he was doing his job.

"You wanna see my cards?" asked Isaac to a little girl. She nodded as Isaac opened his deck box on his belt and pulled out his cards as he gave them to the girl.

"Look, you have that card." said the father of the girl as he pointed to a card as the girl smiled to which Isaac sat on the girl's bed smiling back. Every time he had to leave to go to another patient, Isaac would always wave to the camera with the person and get a photo taken.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Isaac." said the boy to another patient as it was a one-year boy. He shook his hand as he bent down by the bed's side. On the bed, was the kid's sister as she was two years older.

"I saw a kid, and he had a duel disk." said the boy.

"No way!" said Isaac as he played along with the kid. "Did it look like this?" Isaac now showed off his small rectangle device on his wrist above his watch.

"How are you doing? Nice to meet you. I'm Isaac. Hi there. How are you doing?" said the boy greeting another patient and the person sitting next to him. "And then I click this button and it projects my card tray." Isaac now showed off his duel disk as he pushed said button as it projected a gold light in the form of a card tray. "And then on my belt, is where I keep my cards with my trusty deck box. And I just slot my deck into the cardholder."

"Good to meet you," said Isaac as he entered another room and shook the person's hand

"Nice to meet you." replied the person returning the gesture.

"How're things?"

"Oh my god! You're really cute!" said the teen girl as she saw Isaac and chuckled nervously.

"I get that a lot." chuckled Isaac as Juniper and the staff also let out a laugh.

"Hi!" said an eleven-year boy as Isaac entered the room and he got down on one knee.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Isaac."

"Nice to meet you too."

"What's your name?"

"I'm Noah." said the boy shaking Isaac's hand.

"So these are trusty partners," said Isaac to Noah as he showed the kid his Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl as he handed them to the boy. Isaac was generous that he pulled out some spare cards and gave them to every person he met. "High-five buddy, nice to meet you!" said the boy to Noah as he prepared to wrap things up.

"Nice to meet you too." responded the kid.

"Can I ask you a quick question?" asked the mom who was in the room and saw Isaac interacting with her child. "How old are you?"

"21," responded Isaac with a smile.

"He's only 21. That's only ten years older than you!" said the mom to her son as he couldn't stop smiling. "And he's the World Champion!"

"So cool!" said Noah.

"I know, it's great. I can't believe it," said Isaac smiling even more.

"So, can you... summon monsters?" asked a little girl who sat next to Isaac as he gave her a signed photo.

"Yeah," smiled Isaac. "Because I'm a duelist." stated the boy while smiling. "Anyways, nice to meet you, Mia. Stay strong." Isaac did a fist bump as the girl copied his movement. They waved to the camera as she held up her signed print.

"What's up, Pierce?" said Isaac as he was in the hallway passing a mother and her baby boy. He was wearing a blanket like a cape as he sucked on his pacifier. "Nice to meet you, bud. I'm Isaac." He then signed the baby's blanket as they posed for a photo.

"Anyway, lovely to meet you, Pierce," said Isaac as he said goodbye to the baby.

"Thank you so much." said the mother as she held the cards that Isaac had given her to give her son when he was a bit older.

"Can you wave to the camera?" asked Isaac to the baby as he did that with him and his mother joining in.

They then exited the hospital as Juniper and Isaac thanked the camera crew for making it a special moment. The pair then headed out for some lunch as they had some time to kill before they had to head over to the local university to perform. They found a small food stand as they sat down and began to enjoy their meal.

"You really do have a way with children." smiled Juniper.

"I'm just doing my job, Juniper. As you said, nothing is perfect. Life is about the management of problems. And whoever manages their problems the best, has the best life. And with all that you do for me, I'm grateful for that." said Isaac as he reached over and grabbed the girl's hand to show how appreciative he was.

"And I'm thankful that you gave me a second chance. After the incident with my uncle's film, I sort of was stuck. But like the hero you are, you allowed me to have a good ending. And I can say, thank you." smiled the girl back at the boy.

---

Once they had finished their meal, they now headed over to the place where Isaac would be performing. The entire university was informed about a special duel taking place that involved some special guests. The entire main building on campus was packed full up to the rafters as they were excited to see some entertainment. Isaac was behind the curtain as Juniper peeked through a bit.

"Full house. Nothing you're not used to," said Juniper as she wrote down some things on her tablet. She turned to see Isaac talking with his deck as she knew it was his sort of ritual to do before each duel.

"Alright, guys. Let's go out and put on a good show," said Isaac to his deck.

"Yes, master!" said all of the spirits of Isaac's deck.

It was now time as Juniper grabbed a mic from one of the school staff and got on the field.

"Ladies and gentleman, we hope that you're all doing well," said Juniper as she got a response of cheers and applause from the students. "Now then, tonight's duel promises to be a real show stopper." Just then some spotlights turned on as one now landed to the left. A puff of smoke appeared as some music played.

https://youtu.be/iFHJRHM_dOw

"Students, prepare yourselves!" said the person as the outline of the individual was shown through the smoke as it could be made that it was a female.

"Have no fear, The Great and Powerful Trixie has decided to grace her presence to all!" The smoke cleared and standing there was a young woman as appeared in her magician outfit. After graduating high school, Trixie became a traveling magician and found success as she performed several shows in Las Pegasus per year. "Now who shall I beat to show off my stardom?"

Isaac took that as his cue as he now made his way onto the dueling arena. Upon setting foot, the crowd recognized him as they made even more noise for Isaac as he waved to the crowd. The whole time, Trixie had taken a bow as she thought the applause was for her. Once she heard them not chanting her name, she got fed up and got up from bowing.

"Now who dares to take away the spotlight... from..." Trixie now looked at who her opponent for this special duel was as her eyes widened and she didn't bother finishing her sentence.

"Sup, Trixie."

"I-Isaac?!" said the girl as she knew it was still the boy from her high school years as he had grown a bit since they graduated together.

"Crazy to think that we're dueling against each other. It'll be just like when we were in high school," stated Isaac.

"Uh, I think I hear my washer calling. So, uh, the Great and Powerful Trixie needs to go fetch her laundry." said the girl as she was sweating and zoomed off leaving a trail of smoke behind her.

Everybody was confused about what they had just seen. Isaac just took a deep breath as he informed Juniper that he would be back in a few minutes. She nodded as Isaac now began to exit the huge building. He looked around as he saw a trailer as he made his way over to it.

"Trixie? You in there?" asked Isaac as he knocked on the door.

"Uhm, Trixie is not home. Please leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you. Beep." said the girl hoping that Isaac would leave.

"Trixie, come out."

"Trixie will not!"

"Alright, I'm busting down the door," said Isaac as cracked his knuckles.

"Don't do that!" said the girl from inside.

"Too late!"

Isaac now prepared to ram the door in as Trixie unlocked the door to stop the boy from damaging her mobile home. Isaac smiled as his plan worked. He saw the girl as she had an unhappy expression.

"Nice to see you again," said Isaac.

"Nice to see you too," said Trixie as she retained that expression.

"What's wrong? I thought you went off to be a famous magician."

"I did."

"Then? Why the gloom look on your face?" asked the boy.

"Cause... I didn't know you were going to be my opponent. If I did, I would have said no to this request." stated Trixie.

"Why would it have mattered if you knew it was me?"

"Cause you're the World Champion!" shouted the girl.

"So?"

"What do you mean, so? You're the champ! The best duelist around! There's no way I'm gonna beat you. So no point in trying." said the girl.

"That's not a valid reason, Trixie. So what if I'm the World Champion, it doesn't mean that every duel I'm gonna win it."

"Yes, it does. Or else you wouldn't be champion in the first place," said Trixie.

"Okay, yes that may be true. But keep in mind Trixie, I'm the best right now. Who's to say that come tomorrow, I might not be champion anymore?" stated Isaac. "Let me tell you something, do you know why some individuals are considered multiple-time champions?"

"Cause they've won so many times."

"Yes, but... they could only be multiple-time champions if they lost. What I'm trying to say, Trixie, is how do you know I'm gonna beat you if you don't try? What happens if you get one on me? That means you were the better duelist, and that means you beat the champ. A duel isn't defined by who's champion and whose not. It's defined by who the better duelist is that was able to come out on top." said Isaac.

"I may be champ now, but somewhere out there is a person who's better than me. And when that time comes where we're face to face and we battle. And I lose... then it was destined to happen. But that situation would never happen if the person I face simply had the mindset that because I'm champion, I'm untouchable. Nothing is untouchable. Nothing is impossible if you don't believe." said Isaac.

"Do you believe?"

"I... I..."

"Do you believe, that you can beat me?" asked Isaac.

"I... Y-Yes."

"I can't hear you."

"YES! I believe I can beat you!" said Trixie with a confident smile.

"Then show them, show me what you got," said Isaac as he now smiled.

Isaac extended his fist as Trixie returned the gesture as that was the pep talk she needed. Both of them now began to walk back to the main building as Juniper saw them. From the look on Trixie's face, it seemed Isaac was able to get the girl's confidence back. Both duelists took out their decks and slotted them into their duel disks. Isaac projected a gold card tray and Trixie projected a pale light grayish cornflower blue card tray.

"Now then... with both duelists ready... let the duel... BEGIN!!" shouted Juniper.

"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.

Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
Trixie's Life Points: 8000-

"Let's duel!!" shouted both individuals.

Turn 1: Trixie

"The Great and Powerful Trixie will start our show."

"Go right ahead." smiled Isaac.

"Now, prepare yourselves," said the girl in her theatre voice as she drew her card. "To start, Trixie will use these two cards, Scale 3 Performage Bonus Dealer and Scale 6 Performage Overlay Juggler to set the Pendulum Scale!" said Trixie as she showed her two cards and placed them on the far end of her duel disks as the word pendulum appeared in between them to show it worked. Trixie's monsters then appeared in separate pillars of light as they had their respective numbers in front of them. "Now I can summon as many monsters as I want from Levels 4 through 5. I Pendulum Summon Performage Wind Drainer(2100/0, Level 5, Scale 4), and Performage Ball Bouncer(1000/1800, Level 4, Scale 3)!" A portal opened up as out came two lights which revealed Trixie's monsters.

"Still using Performages, huh Trixie," said Isaac to himself with a smile.

All the university students gave a round of applause to the girl as Pendulum Summon had recently been brought to this side of the world as all the card companies managed to create and reproduce pendulum cards that their comrades from across the sea were using.

"Since I special summoned my Performage Wind Drainer, it loses one level. I'll then play the spell Magical Pendulum Box. So now I draw two cards and if they happened to be pendulum cards I get to add them to my hand otherwise they go bye-bye." Trixie drew her cards as they both happened to be pendulum monsters. "I'll now play one of them, I summon Performage Fire Dancer(1400/1200, Level 4, Scale 6)!" Trixie now had another one of her pendulum monsters appear.

"But Trixie is not done, cause now I'll overlay both my Level 4 Performage Fire Dancer and Ball Bouncer to build the Overlay Network!" stated the girl as her two monsters now turned into orbs of light as they hovered in the air as a portal opened up in front of her. The lights then entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "Direct your gaze to the skies above, as I present to you a swinging star performer! I Xyz Summon! Performage Trapeze Magician(2500/2000, OLU: 2)!"

A purple pole with studded orange heads on either end spiraled over the field, when a comically thick white-gloved hand snatched it, thin golden beams of light shooting out from each end to the ceiling. Hoisting onto the pole that had turned into an on-the-spot trapeze was a predominately white, lanky humanoid: Its waist and neck adorned in a fluffy pink boa, while from its back billowed a wide, magenta cape. Its spindly legs ended in dark blue shoes curled at the toes, while affixed to its masked, ever-smiling visage, sat a white conical hat.

"I now end my turn with a facedown."

"Then... I'm up," said Isaac.

Turn 2: Isaac

Isaac put his hand over the top of his deck as he closed his eyes. He took a deep breath as he was tuning his mind to this moment. Isaac was focusing on himself and reminding himself of his roots.

"Everybody ready," said Isaac to the fourth wall.

"Here we go!" shouted the boy as he drew his card and was now in his element. "To start, it's my trusty Magician's Valkyria(1600/1800) in defense mode. Then since I control a Level 4 or lower monster, I can special summon my Mage Annette(1300/1700)!" Isaac now had two of his popular monsters out on the field. Both girls looked at their master as they gasped and smiled.

"Been a while."

"Nice to see you, Isaac." said both girls.

They and everybody else in their master's deck knew how much their master's life had changed as they didn't have as much time as before to talk.

"Did you guys miss this? Cause I sure did," said Isaac to the fourth wall as it felt good to be back in action.

"Now since I summoned my Mage Annette, I'm allowed to draw an extra card," said Isaac as his kid magician opened her book as inside was a card as it floated over to him. "Thanks, Annette. I'll then end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 3: Trixie

"My draw," said Trixie, "I'll now play the spell card Bubble Barrier! With Bubble Barrier out on Trixie’s field, any 'Performage' monster on Trixie’s field cannot be destroyed once per turn." stated the girl. "Now Trapeze Magician, attack his Magician's Valkyria!" With an eccentric cackle, Trapeze Magician swung down off the trapeze pole, deftly grabbing hold of it with its thin arms, the motion of which cause it to swing back and forth. Kicking its legs out, the trapeze swung further, repeating this process until it had enough force to reach Isaac’s field. The trapeze’s line vanished, Trapeze Magician dropping down towards Magician's Valkyria, delivering a gravity-assisted ax kick.

"I'll now reveal my facedown, Mage's Fortress! So as long as I control a spellcaster, you can't declare an attack," informed Trixie.

"I now end my turn."

Turn 4: Isaac

"My turn, and I'll start by placing my Black Arts Trickster in my pendulum zone. Then I activate her pendulum ability, so now I can add a different pendulum monster from my deck and place it in my other pendulum zone. And I choose my Rune-Eyes Illusionist. Then activate the other effect of my Black Arts Trickster so since there's a spellcaster in my other pendulum zone, I can raise her scale from 3 to 10." said Isaac as his female monster had her number in front of her raise.

"Then I summon my Magician Boy(1500/1200)." Isaac now had his other kid magician on the field as he appeared with his staff in hand, and his cape flowing. Both kids looked at each other as they smiled as Annette blushed looking at her crush.

"I now end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 5: Trixie

"A pair of kids, Trixie expected more." said the girl as she drew her card. "And now I'll use my Pendulum Scale so that I can pendulum summon once more." Trixie had the portal open above as a single light came out. "I pendulum summon, Performage Plushfire(1000/1000, Level 4, Scale 5) and Performage Mirror Conductor(600/1400, Level 4, Scale 3)!" To her field emerged what looked to be a cartoony plush flame with little dots for eyes nestled in a pink sconce, all while a fuse line poked out from what might have been a mouth. As well, eliciting a humored laugh was a round mirror with a smiling clown face on its glass surface. It stood on a three-footed stand, while a pair of human-like arms extended from its frame. A white cape with a red interior layer folded around its entirety.

"Time to wow the crowd! Prepare yourself, Isaac. For I'm about to unveil my newest addition to my team."

"What?" said Isaac.

"Observe! With a snap of my finger, I overlay my Level 4 Performage Plushfire, Mirror Conductor, and Wind Drainer to construct the Overlay Network once more!" Trixie's monsters now transformed into orbs of light as they levitated into the air as a portal opened up in front of the girl. Both lights then entered as a pillar of light emerged as Trixie's new monster appeared. "Fearless showman who fears not the sting of tooth and claw; let your courage dissuade the fear of the crowd with your fiery lash! I Xyz Summon, take to the ring! Performage Magical Tamer(2300/1800, OLU: 3)!"

With the crack of a whip, onto Trixie’s field emerged an all-new female monster: This one stood on long, shapely legs adorned in black, thigh-high boots, her curvaceous body clothed in a bright red leotard underneath a royal blue ringmaster’s coat with golden shoulder tassels. A purple cape billowed from her back whilst on her head, covering violet hair she wore a blue top hat, under which on her very pink face she wore a black domino mask. In her white-gloved hands, she brandished a long, gold-hilted, whip.

"Well, now," said Isaac looking at Trixie's new addition to her deck.

"Be amazed," said Trixie in her theatre voice as she looked out to the crowd. "You may now cheer." said the girl as the audience did that as she took a bow. "Thank you, you're too kind. Now Isaac, prepare to feel the power of my new monster."

"Why's that?" asked the boy.

"Cause I now activate the effect of my Performage Magical Tamer, by using one overlay unit, I can seize one of your monsters!" Handling her whip more like a rhythmic streamer, Magical Tamer performed a series of graceful acrobatics in a forward motion until abruptly lashing out like a coiled snake with her weapon: Isaac's kid magician had the whip coiled around its body. With a yank, the monster was forced to step over to Trixie’s field.

"My monster!" said Isaac.

"Is now mine. See the monster seized becomes an equip spell for Magical Tamer, boosting her attack and defense by that of the seized monster’s original attack points! So with your Magician Boy's stats, she now has 3800 attack and 3000 defense points.” smiled the girl.

"No!" said Annette as she saw her best friend tied up and trying to break free.

"Now, Trapeze Magician attack his Mage Annette!" stated Trixie as she commanded her monster to leap into the air as it grabbed onto the swinging trapeze and delivered a kick to Isaac's other monster.

"Annette!" shouted Isaac's boy magician as he saw his best friend get defeated.

"And you're wide open, Performage Magical Tamer attack Isaac directly!" shouted Trixie. Her female monster now unfurled her whip and with a crack sent it in Isaac's direction as he blocked it with his duel disk as he then rolled out of the way.
Isaac's Life Points: 4200-

"Seems you were right, I can beat you." smiled Trixie as she ended her turn.

Turn 6: Isaac

"Alright," said Isaac as he got up and dusted his shoulders. "Time to get serious. Draw! First up, I'm gonna use the pendulum ability of my Rune-Eyes Illusionist, so now I can add one monster whose attack points are less than his to my hand. So I choose my Breaker!" Isaac's magician felt the relic in his left eye power up as waved his hands about as it created a divinity circle as out came Isaac's chosen card. "Next up, I'm summoning my Breaker the Magical Warrior(1600/1000). And when he's summoned, he gains a counter which raises his attack by 300. But it won't be staying for long, cause by getting rid of it, I can destroy one spell or trap card. And I'll take out your Mage's Fortress!" Breaker then did a slash attack with his sword as he took out Trixie's trap.

"By destroying my Mage's Fortress, I can now draw one card," said Trixie.

"Fine by me, cause I'm next going to play Twin Twisters. By discarding one card in my hand, I get to destroy two spells/trap cards on your field. So now your Bubble Barrier is destroyed as well as my Magician Boy. And your Performage Magical Tamer loses its extra stats." said Isaac as both cards were gone.

"Then, I'll reveal my facedown, Guidance of the Heart!"

"What's that?" asked Trixie.

"Like you, I've also got some new cards since we last saw each other. And let me show you this one since both my Magician Boy and Mage Annette are in my graveyard, this allows me to summon one of them to my field and the other is added to my hand. So I'll summon my boy magician to the field while my girl magician is added to my hand." Isaac's duel disk then ejected his two cards as he placed his boy magician on his card tray.

"Then since I control a Level 4 or lower monster, I can summon my Mage Annette back to the field." Isaac now had both of his kid magicians on the field once more.

"Annette, you're okay." said the boy magician as he hugged the girl and lifted her as they spun.

"Don't touch me!" said Annette as she broke free from her crush's arms and looked away as her face turned crimson red.

"I was worried about my best friend." said the small boy.

"Leave me alone." said the girl as she tried to avoid looking at the boy she had a crush on.

"Now, my Mage Annette's ability allows me to draw an extra card. And now, I banish my Guidance of the Heart. By doing so, it allows me to add a spellcaster monster to my hand from my graveyard, so I'm taking back my Magician's Valkyria." Isaac's duel disk ejected his two cards as he put one of them in the banished compartment of his duel disk.

"Now to attack, Magician Boy attack her Trapeze Magician!" said Isaac as his boy magician pointed his staff at Trixie's monster and fired his attack as her monster simply blocked it. "Now I activate my Magician Boy's spell ability, now the damage I would have taken is dealt to you."
Trixie's Life Points: 7000-

"And that's not all, when my Magician Boy fails to destroy a monster, he can destroy one monster on your side of the field and then you take damage equal to its attack points. So I choose your Performage Magical Tamer!" Isaac's boy magician then looked at the monster who tied it up as he was now angry at how she was responsible for hurting his best friend. He then pointed his staff and blasted a spell as it took out Trixie's monster.
Trixie's Life Points: 4700-

"Nobody hurts my friend!" said Magician Boy.

Annette saw her friend and how he wasn't backing down from danger. She couldn't help but smile and blush as she wrapped her arms around the boy and hugged him from behind as she closed her eyes keeping that smile.

"I now end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 7: Trixie

"My turn, I draw! Trixie will play the card, Performage Attraction. Now since I control a 'Performage' monster, Trixie is allowed to draw 3 cards." said the girl as she refilled her hand. "Now, I'll use my pendulum scale so that I can pendulum summon once again! I Pendulum Summon, two Performage Wing Sandwichman(1800/2100, Level 5, Scale 1) and Performage Reversal Dancer(100/100, Level 1, Scale 2)!" Trixie now had three lights appear from her portal as her monsters appeared. "Trixie will now use the pendulum ability of her Performage Bonus Dealer since she pendulum summoned three 'Performage' monsters from her hand, she can draw 2 more cards."

"Trixie will then activate one of her Performage Wing Sandwichman's special ability, so now I can change my Performage Reversal Dancer's Level to 5. With that done, I now overlay all three of my Level monsters to build the Overlay Network!" Trixie's three monsters then transformed into orbs of light as they hovered in the air for a bit. Soon a portal opened up in front of the girl as they entered the portal and a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon! The Monster with the silhouette you can't forget! Performage Shadow Maker(2600/1000, OLU: 3)!" Out emerged Trixie's shadow as it got longer, soon it began to stand up on its own as it then started to take shape as it was her new monster as it had a tux, top hat, and a pair of scissors in its hand as it wore white gloves.

"Now, I'll activate the effect of my Trapeze Magician's special ability by using one overlay unit, I can target a monster and have it attack twice this turn, however at the end of the Battle phase it's destroyed. So I'll use my monster's ability and target my Performage Shadow Maker!" said Trixie.

Everybody in the audience let out a gasp as they were stunned by Trixie's move.

"Watch closely," said Trixie with a snap of her fingers, "Cause now I can activate the special ability of my Performage Shadow Maker since it was targeted by a card effect, I can now remove one Xyz material from it to special summon another Performage Shadow Maker from my Extra Deck," said Trixie as her monster raised its pair of scissors as soon another shadow appeared. "But why stop at one, cause I'll use my Trapeze Magician's last overlay unit to target my Shadow Maker again and then have the effect of my Shadow Maker use another overlay unit to produce a third one!" stated the girl as she now had three shadows on her field.

"Great, now Trixie can launch 5 attacks," said Isaac to himself.

"And don't think I forgot about your Magician Boy's ability, cause I play Performage Dramatic Act! With this in play, all your monster's special abilities are negated this turn." said the girl as she rendered Isaac's boy magician powerless.

"Now to close the curtain on this act, first Trapeze Magician attack his Breaker the Magical Warrior!" said Trixie as her monster took out Isaac's warrior.
Isaac's Life Points: 3300-

"And now my second Shadow Maker will take out your Mage Annette." Trixie's monster then took out Isaac's second monster. "Now my third Shadow Maker will take out your Magician Boy!" Trixie then had her other monster take out Isaac's last monster.
Isaac's Life Points: 2200-

"And now you're wide open, and keep in mind my first Shadow Maker can attack twice. So you lose! Attack Isaac and finish the World Champion off!" said Trixie as her monster then raced forward to attack the boy.

Isaac just stood there with his arms crossed. Soon some lights began to glow in front of him as all three of his monsters that were just destroyed were now back as the boy had a smile on his face.

"How?! Trixie took all of them out!" shouted the girl as her monster stopped briefly.

"Exactly, you helped me, Trixie. Cause I activated my Mirage Ruler trap card. See it only works when all the monsters on my field are destroyed in a single turn. So by you using your monster's effects to power up and fill your field, I prepared myself. So as you can see, not only are my monsters back in play, but my life points go back to the original value."
Isaac's Life Points: 4200-

"Then I have to pay 1000 life points as a cost." stated the boy.
Isaac's Life Points: 3200-

"But that's a small price to pay since I now have my field full, which means my life points are safe."

"So be it, but I can still take them out. So say goodbye to your Breaker and Mage Annette," said Trixie as she took out Isaac's monsters once more.

"Now your turn comes to an end and your Shadow Maker is destroyed!" said Isaac.

"Not quite, see I'll use the pendulum ability of my Performage Overlay Juggler. So now I can target my first Shadow Maker and it becomes an Overlay unit for my Trapeze Magician. So he's not gonna be destroyed, but rather give my other monster a chance to use his ability once more." said Trixie as she pulled off an expert move.

"Not bad," said Isaac as he clapped at Trixie's moves. He was impressed by the new moves he was seeing from the girl since they last saw each other.

"I'm getting praised? From the World Champion?" said Trixie in shock.

"Of course, you've grown since we graduated." smiled Isaac. "But... so have I."

Turn 8: Isaac

"My turn, I draw! To start, I play Card of Sanctity, so we draw till we're holding six cards. Next up, I'm gonna use my pendulum scale. Back and forth, to and fro. What's coming next? You'll all soon know. So swing far pendulum and card the arc that will lead me to victory! My monsters are ready to swing into action!" shouted Isaac as he thrust his hand as three lights came out. "Prepare to have your fortune told, it's my Black Robe Mentalist(1700/1300, Level 4, Scale 7) and meet my two Magician of Dark Illusion(2100/2500)!" Isaac now had three more monsters on his field.

The crowd of university students was in awe. They began to clap and make noise at seeing Isaac do one of his many famous moves. Trixie could hear the roar of the crowd and how they showed their love for her friend from high school. She had performed in Las Pegasus and had a huge appreciation, but the one that Isaac was receiving put all of those to shame.

"He really is the World Champion. Every word said, every single gesture," Trixie snapped her fingers, "Hooked. Just like that."

"Now I activate the ability of my Black Robe Mentalist's special ability, so since I control 4 monsters, I can look at the top four cards of my deck and add one of them to my hand." Isaac then had his options show as he picked the one he wanted as it slid out for him to grab it. He then saw his goth girl looking at him.

"Okay, I know it's been a while since I talked to all of you. But... I've got responsibilities now. My life has undergone some changes." said Isaac to his monsters.

His two Magician of Dark Illusions were silent, as his Black Robe Mentalist stared hardly at Isaac. She approached the boy as she was reading her master's mind. She saw her master's life since he became World Champion as it was nonstop. She then simply planted a quick kiss on the boy's cheek as Isaac raised an eyebrow.

"Good to see you're still cute." smiled the girl only for Isaac to see as she floated back to her position.

"Well, then. Back to the duel, first I overlay both of my Magician of Dark Illusion to build the Overlay Network!" Isaac's two monsters then transformed into dark robs of light as they hovered in the air for a bit as a portal opened up in front of the boy. Soon they entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Ebon Illusion Magician(2500/2100, OLU: 2)!"

As expected, the crowd went crazy as they saw Isaac summoning one of his famous monsters from his Extra Deck.

"But I'm not done, cause I'll overlay my Magician Boy and Black Robe Mentalist to build the Overlay Network again!" Isaac's other two monsters turned into orbs of light as another portal opened up in front of him as they disappeared as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, ride the wind, Ventus Oraculum(3500/2900, Rank 4, Scale 3, OLU: 2)!!" Isaac now summoned his monster as he held a javelin-like spear as it too was infused with magic, he then brought his fingers to his mouth as he let out a whistle as his pet wyvern appeared from the sky as he jumped on it and raised his weapon as it let out a roar. The kid had a small red cape, wore a kid magician hat colored purple as he wore a magician outfit with shades of dark red with green outlines and shade as there were hints of yellow.

"I now activate the effect of my Ebon Illusion Magician, so by using one overlay unit, I can now special summon one normal-type spellcaster from my deck," said Isaac as at that moment all the lights turned off as a single spotlight shined down on him.

"Welcome, one and all! You've waited for this moment. So please welcome to the field, none other than my most loyal monster. Appear," Isaac now snapped his fingers as the whole room lit up. "Dark Magician!"

Isaac now received even more applause as in a blink of an eye, the room was filled with magic particles. The crowd was hot, as they saw Isaac's signature monster in person.

"I know you all want to cheer, but hold that till the end of the duel. Cause now I'll have my partner here attack Trixie's Trapeze Magician!" said Isaac.

"What?!" said the crowd of students.

"Let me explain, cause you see my Ebon Illusion Magician's other effect means when a Normal-type spellcaster declares an attack, it can banish a card. So time to make Trixie's monsters disappear with some magic," said Isaac as he snapped his fingers. Ebon Illusion Magician and Dark Magician put their staffs together as they fired a beam of powerful magic at one of Trixie's Shadow Maker as it was soon gone.

"With that done, I'll now attack, Ventus Oraculum, take out her other Shadow Maker!" stated Isaac as his pendulum-hybrid then flew over to Trixie's side and then did a barrel roll as it took out the shadow.
Trixie's Life Points: 3800-

"Now to take out her Trapeze Magician!" said Isaac.

"Our monsters have the same attack points."

"True, but from my hand, I activate my Dark Magic Expanded to give my Dark Magician an extra 1000 attack points till the end of the turn. So now it's stronger than your Trapeze Magician," said Isaac as his magician now took out Trixie's.
Trixie's Life Points: 2800-

"And with that, you're wide open."

"Not quite, see when your destroyed my Trapeze Magician, it allows me to summon a 'Performage' monster from my deck. So I choose my Performage Water Dancer(1200/1400, Level 4, Scale 2)!" said Trixie as she summoned a monster as Isaac's Ebon Illusion Magician made contact. "And now the special ability of my Water Dancer activates, so now the monster that destroyed it switches to defense mode."

"In that case, I'll end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 9: Trixie

"My turn and I'll use my pendulum scale so that I can pendulum summon, appear, my two Performage Sandwichman, Performage Ball Bouncer, and Performage Water Dancer!" said Trixie as she now had a field full of monsters.

"Next, I play Polymerization so that I can combine my Ball Bouncer and Water Dancer!" Trixie's two monsters then combined as a vortex appeared behind her. "Let your magic and majesty mix, mingle, merge and become one, one with the power to both delight and destroy! I Fusion Summon! Performage Trapeze Witch(2400/1800)!" Out was another humanoid similar to Trapeze Magician as it too swung in on a trapeze as it wore white gloves but this one was a female as it let out a laugh.

"And that's not all, cause now I'll overlay both of my Sandwichman!" said Trixie as both of her monsters now changed into orbs of light as they entered a portal that appeared in front of the girl as a pillar of light was shown. "I Xyz Summon, Performage Trapeze High Magician(2700/2200, OLU: 2)!" Trixie now had the big brother of her Trapeze Magician as he appeared with his hands glowing with magic.

"Now to attack, so I'll have my Trapeze Witch attack your Ebon Illusion Magician!" said Trixie as her monster took out Isaac's magician. "Then Trapeze High Magician will attack your Dark Magician, and the effect of my Trapeze Witch means that your Dark Magician loses 600 attack points whenever a 'Performage' monster attacks. So you're losing a bit more life points." said the girl.
Isaac's Life Points: 2400-

"Well, it won't be that simple, cause I'll use the effect of my Ventus Oraculum's ability, so by using one overlay unit, I can keep one card on my field from being destroyed. So my Dark Magician is safe," said Isaac as he managed to save his monster from being destroyed.

"With that, Trixie ends her turn."

Turn 10: Isaac

"Well, now. You almost took out my ace monster and dealt me damage. And you thought you couldn't beat me cause I'm the champ."

"Y-Yeah. I-I did," said Trixie as she realized what the boy was saying. "Thanks. Seems even after we graduated, you're still playing the hero."

"Hey, it's just the role that I'm given." smiled Isaac. "And I have another role, and time I show it. Draw! First up, I'm gonna play this spell card, Xyz Transformation. Now, my Ventus Oraculum has his rank changed to a level. Then I can select a monster on my field and he matches that Level. So now he's level 7 like my Dark Magician! But that's not all, cause I'll now overlay my monsters to build the Overlay Network once more!" Isaac's two monsters then turned into orbs of light as they entered another portal that appeared before the boy. "I Xyz Summon, Ebon High Magician(2300/2800, OLU: 2)!"

"Okay, what are you doing? Your Ventus Oraculum was stronger than your Ebon Illusion Magician?"

"True, but I'm not done. See my Ventus Oraculum was only rank 4, for what I'm about to do, I require a Rank 7 monster. And I have it, so now... go Chaos Xyz Evolution!" shouted Isaac as he did one final transformation for his magician as it began to shine. "Show the world your wizardry and wonder, I Xyz Summon, Chaos Mageía(3000/2500, OLU: 3)!" Out emerged from the portal a brand new monster. It was a sorceress who had long flowing red hair with vanilla skin tone. She wore an emerald necklace and had white gloves that covered her smooth hands. Her outfit consisted of a light blue dress that stopped at her knees; she wore black heels that weren't too high, as well as earrings that matched her necklace. She did a quick twirl for all to see as bits of magical particles surrounded her and it made her look even more beautiful.

"I now activate Chaos Mageía's special ability, by using one overlay unit, she can remove all other overlay units from the field. Then she not only gains 500 extra attack points for each one but an additional attack," said Isaac as his female magician used her wand to take away the two Xyz materials around Trapeze High Magician as she boosted her attack to 4000.

Isaac then saw his female magician. She was giving him a bit of a glare.

"I know, I know. It's been a while. But being World Champion is hard."

"Oh, master. Good to see you haven't changed." smiled Chaos Mageía. "My have you grown." said the girl as she examined Isaac's new body as it got her excited. She planted a kiss as she winked at her young master.

"Ready to do it like we used to?"

"Always." said the magician.

"Let's finish this!" shouted Isaac.

Chaos Mageía then had her wand transform into a bow as she pulled out an arrow from the quiver on her back. She placed the arrow in the bow as she pulled back on the string and pulled back as she closed her left eye. She had her targets in her sight as she just smiled.

"Divinity Arrow!!" shouted Isaac and his magician.

She released the arrow as it raced forward. It was encompassed in a golden light as it broke apart into three smaller arrows as it hit its targets. One for each of Trixie's monsters as the last one was sent towards the girl as she was thrown onto her back.
Trixie's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac

The duel ended as the sea of university students gave a rowdy applause to what they saw. They showed their love for Isaac as the boy just looked at them and waved. He looked at his Chaos Mageía who was still present as she couldn't help but hug her now slightly older master while feeling his upper body and noticed his new changes to his body as she smiled. Isaac gave his magician a look as she just kissed him one last time before disappearing. The boy then saw Trixie on the floor stirring as he made his way over to her. He extended his hand to help the girl up as she let him pull her up.

"You're still as good as I remember, better even," said Trixie.

"You've improved. So enjoy the moment," said Isaac as he started to walk away as Juniper followed her client.

Isaac was exiting the place as he allowed Trixie to have the crowd to herself as he had plenty of that in his life. He gave one last tip of his cap to his friend as he was glad to have seen her again. The pair were now leaving the premises of the university as it was a nice break from performing for thousands of people in big arenas and venues. They were now walking on the sidewalk as they had some other things to do.

"Stellar performance, Isaac."

"Thanks, Juniper. It was nice to see Trixie again."

Isaac then noticed a nearby homeless person sitting on the ground as he had a sign that said: "Help. Anything." Isaac stopped in his tracks as he started to make his way across the grass; Juniper saw this and looked at the boy. The person had their head down, they soon heard something and saw shoes as they lifted their head. Isaac saw the person as he reached into his pocket and pulled out some bills.

"No, please."

"Take it."

"Thank you, sir. I didn't know what I was gonna eat tonight. But now, I can. God bless you."

"God bless you too." smiled Isaac.

He then reached into his backpack, he opened it up and pulled out a blanket as he gave it also to the person as he thanked the boy once more. With a tip of his cap, Isaac slung his bag over his shoulder as he made his way back to Juniper.

"That was a nice thing." said the girl to her client.

"Hey, this stuff I was used to seeing in Chicoltgo. People trying to survive on the streets. Not knowing when they might be here. I couldn't help them when I was a kid, but now that I have some sort of power. I can actually start to help. As you said, Juniper. Nothing is perfect. Life is about the management of problems. And whoever manages their problems the best, has the best life." stated Isaac as they continued to walk down the sidewalk.

Juniper was touched by Isaac's words. She couldn't help herself as she leaned over and planted a kiss on the boy's cheek and placed her head on the boy's shoulder. Isaac just smiled as he wrapped his arm around the girl as the two kept on walking to their next set of appointments.

It was about nine in the evening when the pair had made it back to their hotel. After the duel for the students, they had some regular business to take care of. Now the two had entered Isaac's hotel room as Juniper sat on his bed while the boy went to go wash his face.

"So, Isaac! You'll be pleased to know that all our appointments from now until your championship match have all been canceled. As expected the media wants to hype it up." said Juniper looking through her tablet.

"Well, then. Guess that means we won't be as busy in these upcoming days."

"A few things here and there. But for the most part, yes. So that being said, I think it's best we start your training tomorrow. I was thinking of..."

"Actually, Juniper. I had something else in mind," said Isaac as he exited the bathroom and sat down next to the girl on the bed. "I appreciate and love all that you've done for me. I can't picture any other girl who I love to have as my agent. Know you mean a lot to me."

"Of course. Isaac, I should be saying that to you. After all, you've done alot in helping me." said the girl as she grabbed the boy's hand and looked at him.

"Then I need you to trust me on what I've got in mind. First thing is, can you book me a flight?"

---

Everton University was a rather medium-sized place. Apart from the town which was nearby, the campus itself had its buildings for the students to enjoy. In an apartment, there were two girls inside. One of them was had vanilla skin and wore glasses that looked like they had broken at some point, judging by how the middle of her glasses had tape wrapped around it. Her eyes were purple and she had long, red hair with a light and dark purple stripe running down from each tip. She also wore a blackberry-colored button-up shirt and matching skirt reaching down to her knees. The other girl had moderate purple eyes, dark sapphire blue hair with moderate purple and brilliant raspberry streaks, and wore a pale, light grayish mulberry t-shirt and matching shorts with a belt that matched her hair and purple boots that reach up halfway to her knees as they were next to her desk.

"Come on, Twilight."

"Sorry Moondancer, I wish I could hang out with you and Minuette tonight. But I've got other things." said the girl to her roommate.

"Like what? Every time we go for a girls' night out, you either decline or the times you do come. You decline every boy's offer of asking you out." said Moondancer to her friend.

"As I've said before, Moondancer. I love hanging out with you girls. But as you know, it hurts rejecting any guys that might be interested in me. But I have..."

"A fiancé. And you both have plans to get married one day," said Moondancer as when she first roomed with her friend, she was shocked to hear that. "But at least enjoy the last moments you might have as a single girl. I mean, the fact that he told you right as you guys graduated and promised each other to come back. Seems a bit farfetched. Plus we have plans for when we finish our studies in a little bit to start our card designing company."

"And it will happen, Moondancer. We'll get our dream of being card designers and owning our own business. You've already made some stellar designs, some even better than mines."

"Thanks, but still. It's not like the boy that you're a fiancé to is some big celebrity."

Before Twilight could say anything, there was a knock on the door. Moondancer volunteered to get it as she went to see who it was. She opened the door and upon first glance had a mix of emotions. Standing there was a boy who had his fist up as he looked to knock again as he too saw the girl.

"Oh, my bad," said Isaac as he saw the person who answered the door. "I probably have the wrong room."

"Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh," said Moondancer as her mouth dropped at who she was seeing. For the girl, she knew who Isaac was as she had a few posters of him and had a small crush on the young celebrity.

"Well, sorry for bothering you miss. I thought this was the right address."

"No, it's correct," said Twilight from behind as she was seeing this whole interaction between her friends with a smile. "Hi, honey."

"Hi, Twily," replied Isaac to Twilight.

"H-Honey?!" said Moondancer as she was stunned. She then looked at her roommate and then at Isaac doing several double-takes between the two. "Y-You mean? You're fiancé... is..."

"Yup," said Twilight as Isaac pulled out a flower from behind his back and gave it to the lavender girl as she took it and sniff it.

"Well then. I'd best take my leave, Minuette is probably wondering where I am. Her project might take a bit longer than expected, so I'll just stay the night." said Moondancer as she prepared to leave.

"I apologize, Moondancer."

"No, it's fine. You spend time with your fiancé who is the World Champion. Don't want me to get in the way." said the girl grinding her teeth together. She grabbed her things and put on her shoes as she looked at Isaac before leaving.

"Hey, wait a sec," said Isaac as he got Moondancer to look at him. "Moondancer, right?"

"Yes."

"You a fan?"

"Well... yes."

Isaac then reached into his backpack and pulled out a print of him as he then began to sign it and leave a personal message for the girl. He then handed it to her as she took it and gasped at what she read and that it was personally signed by the World Champ himself.

"Also, take this. Something for your trouble," said Isaac as he handed the girl some cash to enjoy herself with her friends.

"Thanks."

"Oh, one more thing." smiled Isaac as he planted a kiss on the girl's cheek as it got Moondancer to turn all shades of red. "Something for my special fans." winked the boy as Moondancer now left as she was floating on clouds.

"Special fans, huh?" said Twilight with a raised eyebrow and sly smile as she leaned against the doorway with her arms crossed.

"What do you expect." smiled Isaac. "But... there's one girl who's very special to me." Isaac then approached Twilight as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss. The two enjoyed it for a few moments as they pulled back with their foreheads touching.

"Hey."

"Hey."

The two said their special word that symbolized the first time they met.

"You gonna invite me in?" asked Isaac with a smile.

Twilight then broke free from the embrace of her fiancé as she stepped to the side. Isaac grabbed his backpack as he stepped inside of Twilight's apartment as she closed the door behind them and locked it.

"What do you think?" asked the girl leaning against the door.

"Not bad," said Isaac as he took in the place where his fiancé was staying during her studies.

"Thanks," said Twilight as Isaac now sat down on the couch and put his backpack on the ground. Twilight then came from behind as she wrapped her arms around her fiancé, she closed her eyes and sighed happily.

"Guess you missed me."

"You don't know the half of it." stated the bookworm.

She then walked around the couch to sit next to the boy and wasted no time in kissing him. The two young adults closed their eyes as they wrapped their arms around each other. For Isaac he missed this type of affection with his constant schedule, kissing Twilight was one of the things that was worth the tons of traveling. For him, Twilight's lips were like biting into a peach: delicate and supply, juicy almost to the point where he thought juice would dribble down his cheek, and sweet, so very sweet.

Eventually, the pair laid down on the couch with Twilight being on top of the boy. Isaac's hands were rubbing the girl's thighs and moved up under her shorts. His hands shot up her shorts and grasped her butt cheeks, getting a surprised moan from Twilight's throat. Her butt was firm and full, soft like a pair of pillows as it had developed a bit more since they were last together. Isaac then grabbed her ass with his hand, hard enough that it sounded like a slap. Twilight broke the kiss and looked down at the boy with a bit of surprise in her eyes. He made it no secret about what he did and just looked back up with a confident smirk. She let out a smile laugh before they resumed their make-out session, but this time, her hands found their way under his shirt.

The tips of her fingers skated over his mid-section and up to his chest. He could feel her lips curl into a smile as she traced a path over his body. She was enjoying this. Suddenly, Isaac flipped Twilight over so that she was on the bottom and he was on the top. They broke away from kissing and simply looked at each other. He looked down at her, deep into those deep moderate purple eyes that he loved to see. The both of them were panting as they had just run a marathon. With each intake of air, he breathed in more of her scent. It was a light and airy smell, almost like she had just chewed some bubble gum and the smell lingered on her breath, with a hint of lavender.

His hand reached up, resting his palm across her face, with his thumb rubbing her lips. Her tongue darted around a little, flicking at his digit. She reached up and ran her hands through his hatless head, due to his signature cap falling off earlier during the session. He then slowly leaned in and gave her a light kiss on her lips which she returned. It lacked the passion and intensity of their earlier one, but it was as an inmate as ever. They were just enjoying the feeling of their lips on each other. His hand reached up to find her hand above her head and almost on instinct, their fingers interlocked with each other. It felt natural for them.

"Okay. That was fun," said Twilight breaking the silence as she sat up. It was enough to sober Isaac out of the high he had been on since it began.

"You're telling me," he replied, sitting up behind her.

"I think we should slow down, Isaac."

"Why? Didn't you like it?" he asked, leaning over her shoulder and nibbling on her ear. He felt her squirm and wiggle against him as he played with her ear. Twilight giggled as she brought her hand up to caress his face.

"Of course I did, but I have other things I want us to do tonight. Hungry?" asked the girl as she got up. She then made her way to the kitchen as she prepared to make some food.

"Since when did you start taking cooking lessons?" snickered Isaac as he too got up and leaned against the kitchen counter looking at the girl.

"Well, I can't rely on you to be the one to keep making dinner. Besides, I figured you'd like a girl who can worm her way through your stomach. You certainly have a big appetite, not to mention tons of energy." winked Twilight.

After a few minutes and some help from Isaac, Twilight finished making the pasta dinner as she brought two plates to the table as the pair now sat down. Isaac sat down as he took a bite from the food made by the girl. Twilight asked the boy how he liked it, to which Isaac gave a smile to his fiancé as she was glad that she had a future in feeding her man. So the two now enjoyed their meals as well as with each other.

Once that was done, Isaac was at the dinner table as he pulled out his deck and scattered them out in front of him. He was focusing on his championship match that was happening in about 2 weeks.

"How are you feeling about your duel coming up?" asked Twilight as she was washing the dishes.

"Like every single time, I'm confident, a tad bit nervous, usual jitters," said Isaac looking up at Twilight who finished washing.

"Well, don't worry. You're a strong duelist, you've shown it time and time again. Even during our high school years and all the adventures, we've had." said Twilight as she now approached her fiancé as she sat on his lap and kissed him. She then looked at Isaac's cards as they brought her memories, especially their graduation duel. "I have faith that you'll do fine. It's why I fell in love with you."

"That right there, is why I fell in love with you," said Isaac holding Twilight as he leaned in for another kiss as the girl let out a moan. "That and because you can duel your ass off."

"You sure it's not my other features that you love?" said Twilight slyly.

"Well, you do have some nice assets that I like," said Isaac planting another light kiss on Twilight's lips and then planting a small trail on her neck as she let out a sound.

"Nice to see that I can still catch your attention." smiled Twilight. "So, how are you gonna train for this upcoming match?"

"I have a plan. Let's call it some 'special training'." said Isaac to his fiancé as both looked back at Isaac's cards on the table.

Chapter 3: Where it All Began

Isaac was now on a plane as it soared through the clouds. He told Juniper and Twilight of his plan as they trusted him. During that time, Isaac would be off doing his "special training", Juniper said that she would handle any concerns or commitments that people wanted him to do. And after stopping by and spending some time with his fiancé, Isaac was now on a trip. A trip back to where his whole Duel Monsters career started.

While he was on the flight, Isaac had his cards laid out on the table in front of him as he was going over his comrades and talking with them since it had been a while. Soon all the spirits of all of his Magician Girl cards appeared.

"Isaac," said Berry Magician Girl as the tiny baby hugged her master's face as she sat on the boy's shoulder.

"Hey, Berry."

"So good to see you, Isaac," said Apple, Lemon, and Chocolate as they snuggled their master squishing him between their bosoms.

"Girls, let me breath a bit," said Isaac.

"Nice to see that you're doing well," said Kiwi.

"It hasn't been easy since I became World Champ."

"But you at least made the effort to talk us," said Mana as she pushed the others away and hugged Isaac with all her strength. She made sure to show her place by pulling Isaac close to her chest.

"Mana!" said Isaac.

"Alright, fine." said the girl as she let her master's head out of her bosom.

"Now then, girls settle down," instructed Isaac as they all sat down in the air looking at their master. Seems with the slight growing up, he was now cuter than ever for the girls as they couldn't stop staring at the boy.

"Now, then. You've probably heard me say this with Juniper, but right now I'm doing some special training."

"What special training?" asked Berry as she was on his shoulder sucking her pacifier.

"Something that I believe will help me get my mind in the zone," said Isaac to the baby as he tickled her tummy.

"So, mind telling us what it is?" asked Apple.

"Now girls. Magicians don't reveal secrets. Besides, I have to make a quick stop." said Isaac as he looked out of the window as did all the girls as they were high above the clouds.

The view now changed as the clouds disappeared and a town was shown. Down below were tiny buildings as Isaac had a smile on his face. He was looking forward to seeing Canterlot as he was glad to be back in the place where it all began. The plane was now descending as all the girls needed to return, but not before each one gave a kiss and hug to the boy as he returned the hug from each one giving smiles to all the girls.

The plane landed on the runway. Isaac now exited the plane with his backpack as it was the only thing he brought with him. He now exited the airport as he grabbed a taxi, and told him where he was headed. It was about 9 in the morning when Isaac landed as he had a certain stop to make. It didn't take long as about 35 minutes later, he was now in front of the place as he stepped out of the taxi and paid the driver.

The boy now looked at the place in front of him as it had vastly improved since he last saw it. Canterlot High had undergone some massive renovations since he last graduated. With all the money that the Board of Education and he gave, the entire school was remodeled and expanded as it was now a high school that looked like a university. One massive change is that the school had an indoor arena filled with seats that duels could occur. The back of the school now bought more land so that a portion of it was changed into practice grounds for anybody to use at any time. Another thing is that inside the school, there was a card shop that was built so that students and staff could buy cards for their decks.

The card shop was in partnership with Mr. Johnson as Isaac still owned half of the store and their connection, allowed the business to boom on both ends. However, the biggest thing was that Duel Monsters had now been incorporated into the curriculum as students could learn not only the basics of dueling but could master each summoning method. Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, and Pendulum were all taught at the school as the school hired more teachers and tutors to help teach the subject. Usually, students would enroll in which one they wanted and could change to another at any time should they choose to. Now there were a few that wanted to learn 2, but that was as far as it went. Since trying to do more than 2, let alone all of them was a bit of a hassle. But regardless, every single student was given a chance to learn, regardless of whether they had cards or not.

"Good to see the place," said Isaac as he took a deep breath and slung his backpack over his right shoulder. He now began to walk as he passed by the statue. He put his hand on the reflective surface as it rippled when his hand touched it. "Seems the mirror still works after all this time." smiled the boy.

Isaac now entered the building. He saw that classes were going on which was what he expected. Cause right now he didn't want to be swarmed by the students as he had some business to do. He began walking as he passed the trophy cabinet as it showed off CHS achievements in the recent year and a half since it underwent a remodel. He noticed one certain award as it read: "Best Duelist in CHS history: Isaac."

"Cute." said the boy.

He was now walking as he passed by a hallway that had some pictures hanging from the wall as some of them were from his adventures from the past years as it served as a good reminder down memory lane. He got to the graduating photos as he saw certain people that brought a smile to his face, especially when he saw his picture as well as his deck info under his photo.

Isaac now continued walking as he turned a few more corners as he arrived at his destination. He was now standing in front of a door as he was wondering whether or not he should knock. He heard some voices going on as it was muffled, but he knew who they belonged to as he just opened the door and let himself in.

"And I told you, Lulu! We are not having a video game theme for the party!" shouted Principal Celestia to her younger sister for wanting to spend the school budget on having the party being video game-themed.

"Well, you're not coming up with any ideas, Tia! All you can think about is which cake should be present for the school. No wonder your ass is fat, not to mention your hips." responded the younger sister to her older sibling.

"Don't talk about my figure, Lulu!" said Celestia as both sisters glared at each other.

"The more things change, the more they stay the same," said Isaac.

"Yes, they do! Hi, Isaac!" said both girls not knowing it was him who was present. "Now as I was saying sister... huh..." Both girls now turned their heads back again towards the door as they took a good look. Standing there was none other than one of their former students, but more importantly, they knew he recently became the World Champion a few months ago.

"Isaac..." said Celestia getting up from her seat.

"... It's really you," said Luna as she too approached the boy.

Both girls were amazed by how much their student had grown in the last year or so. However, he was still the same teen that he was when he was a student. Both Celestia and Luna immediately hugged the boy as it brought a smile to their faces and tears rolling down their eyes.

"It's so good to see you again." said both girls while hugging the boy.

"It's good to see you two," responded Isaac.

"My... you've grown," said Celestia to the boy.

"I'm still the same person, Principal Celestia."

"You know that you're not a student here anymore. So no need to be formal with us." smiled the older girl.

"Force of habit." smiled Isaac. "So, how have things been? Still enjoying your retirement?"

"You have to keep bringing it up?" smiled Celestia with a smug expression. "But yes, we're enjoying ourselves. And we're grateful that we both had our final duels with you."

"With your money, we got the school of our dreams," stated Luna.

"Glad I could help."

"But what are you doing here, Isaac? Not that we're not grateful for you being here. But don't you have a schedule to keep?"

"I do, Celestia. As well as a championship duel coming up, but I guess you can say that I'm doing some special training before my match. And to be honest, I wanted to see my old stomping grounds. Care to show me around?" asked Isaac to which the girls smiled.

---

The two sisters now walked with the boy as they told Isaac of all the things that happened after he graduated. They stopped to look in at some of the classrooms teaching Duel Monsters as Isaac saw how each person was invested in the game. He looked at the girls as they nodded as he entered inside and he made his presence known. So Isaac did a bit of guest work like teaching the classes and showing off his cards for all to see. He even signed a few autographs for the students. With that, he continued his tour with the two women as the three began to hear how their student had been since graduating and his busy life since becoming World Champion.

The trio was now passing by the dueling arena inside of the school as they overheard something.

"Are you serious Shadow?" asked Jack.

"I've never been more serious, bud." said the boy to his friend.

"He's still pissed off that he lost the duel or else he'd be standing here as the champ of CHS," said Penny.

"I came very close. But it's just a minor setback. Trust me, next time it'll be different," said Shadow to the cool girl.

"How is he gonna make sure that he wins next time?" asked Jack to Penny.

"He put out an open challenge to the whole school. To anybody who wants to face him. I'll admit, it ain't stupid." said Penny.

"Is it like this when you guys, go out?" asked Jack.

"Yeah, well we've only been on a few dates. Plus, he thinks that his Raidraptors are better than my Blackwings. Guess he forgot who eliminated him during our freshman year during that tournament." stated the girl as she looked at Shadow.

"I'm being fair, cause I'm allowing someone an opportunity to step up. Give them a chance to face someone as good as me. Plus, my Raidraptors are way better than your Blackwings, Penny. Just like boys are better than girls."

"You wanna settle this again? Cause I beat you in your favorite video game last time," said Penny with a sly smile to Shadow.

"Whatever, that doesn't count! Plus I was distracted."

"Were you distracted by Penny's beauty or the fact that she was whipping your ass?" taunted Jack.

"No one asked you, Jack!" replied Shadow as his own bro siding with the girl who he went out with for a few dates.

"Open challenge, hmm," said Isaac looking at Celestia and Luna as they overheard this and all nodded at Isaac's idea.

"Whoever walks through that door, I'm not only dueling, but I'm gonna smash them!" stated Shadow pointed at the twin doors.

The twin doors then flew open as some air blew. The three teens all covered up as Penny's skirt was fluttering in the air. Soon the breeze died down as they all looked at what made the wind blow as it got them to gasp.

"Open challenge, huh? Challenge accepted, bitch." said Isaac standing there with Celestia and Luna behind him.

"Uh..." was all Shadow could say as he was both scared and glad to see none other than his former headmaster standing before him.

"You said, anybody in the school. You didn't specify that they had to be a student, just present on school grounds," said Isaac slyly as he got on the arena and pulled out his deck from his belt and slotted it into his duel disk as it projected a gold card tray. "Well, Shadow."

"Uh, right." chuckled Shadow nervously as he got on the field with the World Champion as he slotted in his deck and his duel disk projected a dark blue card try.

"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.

Shadow's Life Points: 8000-
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-

Turn 1: Shadow

"I'll let you go first," said Isaac with a calm tone in his voice.

"R-Right," said Shadow as he drew his card, "To start, I'll summon my Raidraptor - Napalm Dragonius(1000/1000). Then since I control a 'Raidraptor', I can also summon my Raidraptor Fuzzy Lanius(500/1500) to join my arsenal of birds. Next, I'll activate my Napalm Dragonius' special ability, once per turn, I can deal you 600 points of damage." said the boy as his monster opened its mouth to fire a shot at Isaac who just simply moved to the side as the attack missed.
Isaac's Life Points: 7400-

"That all?" taunted Isaac.

"Not even close, I overlay both my Level 4 monsters to build the Overlay Network!" Shadow's two monsters then transformed into orbs of light as they hovered in the air for a bit as a portal opened up in front of him. Soon both lights entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Raider's Knight(2000/0, OLU: 2)!" Out emerged a horseman who was dressed all in black from head to toe as well as the horse it rode on. It wielded a lance as it had flames surrounding it.

"I now end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 2: Isaac

"My draw!" said Isaac as he drew his card. "I'll start by playing the spell card, Dark Magical Circle. So now I can look at the top three cards of my deck and reveal 'Dark Magician' or a 'Dark Magician' related spell or trap card." Isaac's duel disk then ejected his choices as he looked at them and knew which one to choose. "I choose to reveal the ultimate wizard himself, Dark Magician. Next, I'm gonna play this Dark Magic Veil so by paying 1000 life points, I can special summon my Dark Magician from my hand!" said Isaac as his partner now appeared on the field.
Isaac's Life Points: 6400-

"Now, my Dark Magical Circle's effect activates which means since I summoned my Dark Magician, I can banish one card on the field, so I choose your Raider's Knight!" said Isaac as his spell removed Shadow's monster from the game with ease. "Then I'll play Bond Between Teacher and Student, so now I can also summon my Dark Magician Girl!" Isaac's star female magician now made her presence known as arrived and gave a small wink to Shadow but planted a kiss for the most important boy in her life and that being Isaac.

"Now my spell lets me set my Dark Magic Twin Burst, but before I activate it, I'll play Graceful Charity so that I can draw three cards and discard two. Next up is this spell card, Soul Servant. So now I take one of the cards that I sent to my graveyard that list 'Dark Magician' or 'Dark Magician Girl' in its text and put it on top of my deck. So I'll take back my Dark Magic Expanded." said Isaac as his card slid out for him to grab as he put it on top. "Then I'll activate the second effect of my Soul Servant, so by banishing it, I can now draw cards equal to the number of 'Dark Magician', 'Dark Magician Girl', or 'Palladium Oracle' monsters that I have on my field and in my graveyard. So since I currently have two, I draw two cards. With that, I'll now play Magic Formula to give my Dark Magician an extra 700 attack points. But that's not all, I'll also play Dark Magic Expanded to give my Dark Magician Girl an extra 1000 attack points."

Isaac now had both of his monsters power up. "Finally, I'll activate my Dark Magic Twin Burst to raise the attack points of my Dark Magician by Dark Magician Girl, so now my Dark Magician has 6200 attack points."

"UH-OH!" said Shadow as he saw what was in front of him.

"Go, my magicians, Double Dark Magic Attack!" commanded Isaac as both of his monsters put their staffs together as they created a huge ball of energy as they fired the spell and hit Shadow square in the chest as he was thrown onto his back.
Shadow's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac (OTK)

"Oh shit!" said Penny and Jack as they saw their friend get beat by their former headmaster now World Champion in one move.

"Penny, wanna go?" asked Isaac to which the girl just got on the field. She put on her duel disk and slid her deck in as it projected a black card tray.

"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.

Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
Penny's Life Points: 8000-

Turn 1: Penny

"Good to see you're still just as tough, Teach," said Penny as she drew her card. "But don't forget who was the runner-up in the tournament. Since I control no cards, I can special summon Blackwing - Gust the Backblast(900/1400). And since birds of a feather, like to flock together, I can also summon my Blackwing - Kris the Crack of Dawn(1900/300). But that's not all, cause I can also summon my Blackwing - Oroshi the Squall(400/600) to join my flock!" Penny now had three monsters on her field.

"Now, I'll tune my Oroshi the Squall with my Kris the Crack and Gust the Backblast!" Penny's tuner monster then flew high into the air as it turned into a single green giant ring that circled her two other birds. "And by way of their cosmic bonds, I can form an even mightier beast! I Synchro Summon! Spread your wings, Assault Blackwing - Raikiri the Rain Shower(2600/2000)!" Penny's monster emerged as it resembled a cross between a man and a raven, covered in bits of purple armor, a headpiece shaped like the head of a bird, a pair of bird feet feathered wings sprouting from his back, and a tunic covering his lower half. He drew his sword and released a war cry that sounded like a man yelling mixed with a raven's caw.

"Still as I remember," said Isaac to Penny with her Blackwings and Synchro Summoning.

"Now, I'll summon my Blackwing - Blizzard the Far North(1300/0). And when I normal summon my Blizzard, I can also bring back a Level 4 or lower 'Blackwing' monster from my graveyard." Penny's monster then landed on her duel disk and pecked at her graveyard as it then grabbed a card in its beak and it landed on its mistress' shoulder giving her the card.

"Thanks, bud." said the girl petting her bird. "I'll bring back my Gust the Backblast. Then I'll tune my Blizzard the Far North with my Gust the Backblast!" Blizzard the Far North then flew from Penny's shoulder as it turn into four giant green rings that circled her other monster as it flew in between them. "I Synchro Summon, Blackwing Armed Wing(2300/1000)!" Penny now had another Synchro monster on her field.

Turn 2: Isaac

"Well now, my draw! I'll start by summoning my own tuner monster, you remember my Enchantress of Melody(900/1800)!" Isaac played his magician as a beautiful young girl with crimson-colored eyes, a determined and gentle look, and mid-length dark brown hair tied into two twin-tails to a ribbon that laid on her shoulders. She wore black robes and a cloak, she wielded a silver staff and kept a short sword sheathed around her waist. Underneath the cloak, she wore a low-cut blouse, ultra-short pink miniskirts, and wore burgundy boots that stopped before her knee caps She also wore some leggings that stopped halfway to her thighs as she still showed off her fair smooth skin.

"Then I'll play Pot of Greed to draw two cards. Then activate Dark Magical Circle! So now I can look at the top three cards of my deck and then I can reveal a 'Dark Magician' related spell or trap card or the monster itself and add it to my hand and put the other cards back in any order I choose." Isaac's duel disk then showed his options as he made his choice as it slid out for him to grab as he used his screen to rearrange the order of his other cards.

"I reveal Dark Magic Expanded. Next, I'll play Strength in Unity. Then I'll play Advanced Ritual Art, so now I can ritual summon a monster by sending normal-type monsters from my deck so I send my Dark Magician so that I can ritual summon Magician of Chaos(2500/2100)!" Isaac's monster then entered a black portal as a pillar of light emerged and soon his other monster emerged on the field.

"Now my Dark Magical Circle's second effect activates when I summon Dark Magician, I can banish one card you control and my Magician of Chaos becomes 'Dark Magician' when it's on the field or in my graveyard. But that's not all my Strength in Unity now activates, since I ritual summoned using Dark Magician, I can now banish a second card you control. So I'm banishing both of your monsters!"

"WHAT?!!!" yelled out Penny as she saw her monsters disappear before her eyes.

"Next, I'll play Monster Reborn so that I can bring back my Dark Magician. Then activate my Enchantress of Melody's effect, so now I can roll a die and whatever number it lands on I can either increase or decrease a monster's level on my field by that amount." Isaac now had a die appear in his hand as his magician put her hand over his.

"Ready, Melody?"

"I've missed this." said the girl planting a kiss on the boy's cheek.

"Dice Roll!!" shouted both of them as they tossed the die into the air as it spun and soon rolled around on the ground as it landed on a number. "Now I'll decrease my Melody's level from 3 to 2. And with that, I'll now tune my Enchantress of Melody with my Dark Magician. And when I use Dark Magician as synchro material, he counts as Level 6 instead of 7. So now I tune my monsters together!" shouted Isaac as his female magician played her lyra and transformed into two giant green rings as they circled his other magician. "I Synchro Summon, Dark Sorcerer Magician(2500/2100)!" Isaac now had his synchro monster as out came a spellcaster that had white hair and had garments that were dressed in an indigo/purple color scheme. It wielded a staff and was surrounded by bits of stardust and magical symbols.

"I now play the second to last card in my hand, Dedication through Light and Darkness, so I'll tribute my Magician of Chaos so that I can summon my Dark Magician of Chaos(2800/2600). And when my Dark Magician of Chaos is summoned, I can then add a spell card to my hand, so I choose my Monster Reborn, but I'll play it so that I can bring back my Magician of Chaos," said Isaac as he now had three monsters on his field.

"I now play the final card in my hand, Dark Magic Expanded. Now I can give a Dark spellcaster on my field an extra 1000 attack points this turn, so I choose my Magician of Chaos," said Isaac as his monster now had 3500 attack points. "So now my magicians, combine your attacks and take out Penny's life points!!" commanded the boy as his three monsters all put their staffs together as they created a huge beam of magical energy as it shot towards Penny as she took a hard hit as it caused her to hit the ground.
Penny's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac (OTK)

"I'm starting to remember," said Jack as he recalled the first time he and the other six of them tried to challenge their former headmaster during his final year of high school and how he wiped the floor with all of them.

"Come on, Jack." taunted Isaac with a 'come-on' gesture.

"I'm gonna regret this." groaned Jack as he put on his duel disk and slid in his deck as it projected a dark purple card tray.

"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.

Jack's Life Points: 8000-
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-

Turn 1: Jack

"My draw and I'll play the spell card, Ring Announcer. This allows me to special summon a 'Battlin' Boxer' from my hand, so I choose my Battlin' Boxer Switchitter(1500/1400). Then I'll play my Battlin' Boxer Headgeared(1000/1800). And when I summon my Headgeared, I can send a 'Battlin' Boxer' monster from my deck to the graveyard. So I'll send my Battlin' Boxer Big Bandage." said Jack as his duel disk slotted out his card for him to grab as he grabbed it and sent it to the graveyard. "Then I'll play the spell Battlin' Boxer Spirits, so I send the top card of my deck to the graveyard and then I can summon a 'Battlin' Boxer' monster from my graveyard, so my Battlin' Boxer Big Bandage(1100/1400) is now on the field."

Jack now had the monster he sent away using his Headgeared's effect. "Now I'll activate the effect of my Big Bandage, so I banish my Battlin' Boxer Glassjaw, so now all my 'Battlin' Boxer' monsters on my field become its level. So now all three of my monsters are Level 4." said Jack. "With that done, I now overlay my Level 4 Battlin' Boxer Bandage and Headgeared to build the Overlay Network!" Jack's monsters then transformed into orbs of light as they hovered in the air for a bit as a portal opened up in front of him. Both orbs then entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Battlin' Boxer Lead Yoke(2200/2000, OLU: 2)!" Jack's monster now emerged as it had its arms and hands in chains.

"But I'm far from done, cause my Battlin' Boxer Switchitter counts as 2 monsters when I Xyz summon." said the boy as his monster split and then changed into orbs of light as they hovered in the air as another portal opened up. "I Xyz Summon, Number 79: Battlin' Boxer Nova Kaiser(2300/1600, OLU: 1)!" Out emerged another fighter as it wore colorful armor with red and yellow outlines as the number glowed on its body. It then clapped its knuckles together as it landed on the field with a thud as it unfurled its outerwear.

"But why stop at two, when I'm gonna do a third one. I play the spell card, Rank-Up-Magic- The Seventh One!" shouted the boy as his card lit up. "So now I can target 1 'Number 10X' monster in my Extra Deck and summon it with its effects negated, so I choose my Battlin' Boxer Star Cestus!" Jack's monster then appeared as it let out a cry as it took its position next to the young boy. "Then my spell lets me use my monster and Xyz Summon 1 'C' Xyz monster that's one rank higher! Go Chaos Xyz Evolution!" shouted Jack as his monster turned into an orb of light as it hovered in the air for a bit as a portal opened up in front of him. Soon that orb of light entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. For Isaac watching this, he had a smile on his face as he saw Jack do an advanced move and pull it off successfully. "Appear, Chaos Number 105: Battlin' Boxer Comet Cestus(2800/2000, OLU: 1)!" Jack's new monster was a chaos number monster as it stood in a dominating pose as it had four wings attached to it.

In front of Isaac were three powerful Xyz monsters as they stood over Jack. Isaac was smiling at how much the boy's skills had grown since he last saw him. But... so did his.

Turn 2: Isaac

"My draw, first up, I'm gonna use these two cards Scale 2 Sleight of Hand Magician and Scale 8 Mirage Magician to set the Pendulum Scale!" said Isaac as he placed his two cards on the far end of his duel disk as the word 'Pendulum' in rainbow coloring spelled out in between them to signal that it worked. Isaac's two monsters then appeared in columns of light with their respective numbers in front of them.

"I'm allowed to summon monsters, from Levels 3 through 7 all at the same time. Back and forth, to and fro, what's coming next? You'll all soon know! So swing far pendulum and carve the arc that will lead me to victory! My monsters are ready to swing into action!" shouted the boy as he thrust his arm upwards as a portal opened up and three lights came out. "She's rather tasty, it's my Apple Magician Girl(1200/1000). She may be a bit sour, but she's got a cute personality, it's my Lemon Magician Girl(800/600). And lastly, give a warm welcome to the star monster of our show, it's my Dark Magician!"

Just like Jack, Isaac now had three of his monsters on the field. Mahad now stood on the field with his master, as Isaac's magician girls all took one side of him as they snuggled the boy.

"Now, I'll activate the pendulum ability of my Sleight of Hand Magician. Twice per turn, he can change the level of a monster on my field to match that of another. So I'll change both of my magician girls' level so that they become the same as my Dark Magician." said Isaac as his monster pulled out his deck of cards and flashed the number seven as magic particles landed above the girls who were still hugging Isaac.

"Girls, you're gonna need to let me go if we're gonna win," said Isaac.

"Alright, Isaac." said the two sisters.

Isaac smiled as they both planted a kiss on his cheeks as they stood next to their mentor as Mahad nodded at his master. "I now overlay all three of my Level 7 monsters!" shouted the boy as his monsters turned into orbs of light as they hovered in the air for a bit as a portal opened up in front of him. The lights then entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Chaos Mageía(3000/2500, OLU: 3)!" Out emerged from the portal a brand new monster. It was a sorceress who had long flowing red hair with vanilla skin tone. She wore an emerald necklace and had white gloves that covered her smooth hands. Her outfit consisted of a light blue dress that stopped at her knees; she wore black heels that weren't too high, as well as earrings that matched her necklace. She did a quick twirl for all to see as bits of magical particles surrounded her and it made her look even more beautiful.

"Since I used 'Dark Magician' to Xyz summon her, my Chaos Mageía can negate your monsters' effects," said Isaac as his magician waved her wand and rendered Jack's monsters all powerless. "And then I activate her special ability, by using one overlay unit, she removes all other Xyz materials from other Xyz monsters. And for each one removed, she gains 500 attack points and an additional attack. So I'm removing 4 overlay units meaning she gains 2000 more attack points and can attack 5 times."

"Shit!" said Jack as he realized what this meant.

Chaos Mageía winked at Jack as her wand transformed into a bow as she prepared to hunt down her target. She reached into her quiver and pulled out an arrow made up of light as she put it in the strings and pulled back. She didn't even bother closing her left eye as her aim was precise.

"Divinity Arrow!" shouted Isaac and the girl as she released the shot.

The arrow now traveled super fast as it was enveloped in a golden light and it split into five separate arrows. Each one of Jack's monsters was taken out by a single one as the remaining two headed towards the boy as they landed in front of him and he was knocked back by the impact and joined his pals on the floor.
Jack's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac(OTK)

"WOO!!!!!" shouted Isaac. "Hell yeah! Oh, it feels good to be back, baby. Man, have I missed this feeling. I've missed dueling for you guys." said the boy to the fourth wall. "It feels good."

Isaac was filled with energy at the feeling he was going through. Celestia and Luna saw how fired up the boy was acting, as it brought a smile to their faces as Isaac fist pumped. Jack, Penny, and Shadow now all sat up as they looked at each other for a second before looking ahead to see their former headmaster.

"He can still kick our asses." said all three in unison.

"Damn straight, I can. Six ways to Sunday and all over god's green earth." said Isaac. He knew this trip was a good idea as he was being reminded of some memories when he was a student. He helped the teens to their feet as they all dusted themselves off.

"Anyways, good to see you guys."

"Nice to see you again, Teach," stated Penny.

"So, how have things been since me and the girls left?" asked Isaac.

"Well, as you can see. The whole school underwent some major renovations. Your program got off the ground and is a huge success." answered Jack.

"Well, it's wasn't just me. You seven actually helped to make it a reality. So you all have just as much credit as I do." said Isaac. "So, how do you guys like it?"

"It ain't bad. Seeing as how we've noticed the difference from the old way to the newer way. Almost everybody is enrolled in a summoning method they want to learn. Jack, Jason, and I are in the Xyz program, Bryant is in the Pendulum courses. Amber is in the fusion section, though she wants to at least be informed about all four, her main interest is still fusion summoning. Penny naturally went with Synchro, and Lucky Star is doing both Xyz and Synchro given her deck. Though, she does give some lessons for Bryant since he noticed a few cards that could add to his deck's firepower but didn't want to study it fully. So she just teaches him the basic lessons. Same with Jason, he mostly is in the Xyz program with us, but Amber tutors the big guy with the basics of fusion for his deck."

"Well, now. Seems you all have some nice courses," said Isaac to Shadow.

"And that ain't all, Bryant and Lucky Star are now an item. Seems her baking skills and his cooking skills gave the two an interest in each other," said Jack.

"How about that," said Isaac as he smiled.

"They ain't the only one, old Shadow here is trying his hardest with Penny."

"Yeah, right," responded Shadow to his buddy.

"You seem to be forgetting, Shadow. Weren't you moping around when you got rejected by your crush, hmm?" said Penny looking at the boy who turned away in embarrassment. "Birdboy cried for nearly a week, all of us tried to cheer him up, but he wouldn't even leave his house. Wasn't till I had to play rebound that he stopped thinking about his heartbreak." snickered the cool girl with a sly smile.

"Well, glad to see things are still going strong here," said Isaac.

"So, why are you here? Other than to remind us of what happened when we tried to take you on at once," said Jack.

"Well, I got a match coming up in a few weeks. And I wanted to do some 'special training', as a way to prepare for my duel. But I also wanted to see how things have been since I last stepped foot here. And to be honest, I'm glad I did." said Isaac to the students and the principals.

"Well, I'm sorry to cut this short. But I need to get going," said Isaac as he grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder as he prepared to leave. "Say hi to everyone for me, will ya?"

"You got!" said the three students.

"Jack, Penny, Shadow, Celestia, and Luna. It was nice to see you all again. Don't forget to watch my duel in a few weeks." said Isaac as he waved goodbye to the individuals as they all waved back.

"Good luck, Isaac!" said all of them in unison as the boy left through the doors.

"Good to see the place." Isaac was now outside as he took one last look at the school. "Now then, before I head to where I need to be, I got some pit stops to make." Isaac then began to walk down the sidewalk.

---

A woman was currently in the front yard as she was watering some flowers. She soon heard the sound of the front gate opening and closing as she turned around. She almost dropped the watering can that was in her hands as she took in what was in front of her.

"Mami."

"I-Isaac."

The young man just smiled as he saw his mother in front of him.

"Isaac!" said his mother as she went to hug her son as both embraced one another.

"I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Mami." said the boy to the woman that gave birth to him.

"It's been so long, my, you've grown. And look how handsome you are," said Isaac's mother as she looked at her son's face and touched his cheek. "I thought I told you, to call me ahead when you were gonna visit."

"Well, I'm not totally visiting, Mami. I'm here for another reason, but I'd figured I'd stop by and see you guys. Being World Champ, it's tough. Especially when I think about you guys every day."

"I'm proud that you are living your dream, mijo. I tell everybody that you came out of here," said Isaac's mother to her body. "This is the road to success."

"Good one, Mami." chuckled Isaac at his mother's joke.

The pair entered inside as Isaac couldn't stay too long as he had other business to attend to. However, he was able to sit down and talk with his mother about how he'd been doing. He told his mother about his busy schedule and how it was grueling work, but he was able to handle it. Not to mention all the people that showed their appreciation and love for all the boy did. His mother was glad that her son was doing well and taking care of himself. She was also grateful that Juniper was doing her job of looking after her son.

Isaac did pull some things from his backpack as he brought some gifts for his mother and father as he was looking to drop them off while he was here. He gave them to his mother as well as some extra cash for them to pay some bills and for anything they wanted to buy. Isaac's mother told her son that he didn't have to always send his own hard-earned money to them, but Isaac just said it was his way to pay back them for raising him. About an hour passed as Isaac needed to leave, though his mother decided to at least make lunch for them before her son left. She also did her motherly habits by fixing her son's appearance to her liking as Isaac put it back to the way it was.

Once he said goodbye to his mother and thanked her for lunch, Isaac had one final pitstop that he needed to make.

---

"Vroom. Vroom. Chug-chug-chug." said a small Flurry Heart as she was playing with her train plushy.

She was on her hands and knees as on the couch were Spike and Tigre as the two pets were lazing about and taking a nap. In the kitchen, Cadance was washing some potatoes as she was prepping for dinner. Soon came the sound of the door as she put the vegetable down and went to answer it. She opened the door and saw who it was.

"Vroom, vroom."

"Flurry!"

"Yeah, mom." said the small toddler.

"We've got someone who wants to see you," said Cadance.

Flurry Heart then got up as she dusted off her skirt. She then started walking towards the front door.

"Who is it, Mom?"

"Close your eyes," said Cadance as she bent down to her daughter. Flurry then did as her mother asked.

"One. Two."

"Three." said a voice as the small girl opened her eyes and saw who it was.

"Uncle Isaac?"

"Hey, Flurry," said Isaac as he bent down on one knee.

"Uncle Isaac!" shouted the toddler as she now raced into the arms of the boy as she hugged him. "Nice to see you, Uncle Isaac."

"Technically, I'm still not your uncle, Flurry. Me and Twilight aren't engaged yet. Nevertheless," said the boy as he put the girl down. "My, look at you, you've grown a bit since the last time I saw you."

"Mom says that I'm gonna grow up to be big and strong." said the young girl as Isaac rubbed her hair.

"Hey, I brought you something," said Isaac as he put his backpack down and unzipped it as he pulled out a small present. "Here you go."

"What is it?" asked the small girl as she took the gift and shook it a bit. She then tore at the wrapping paper. It was a small box as she took the lid off and inside were some cards.

"Some cards I decided you might like."

"Wow, I love them. Thanks." said Flurry as she grabbed the boy's hand and tried to drag him as Isaac walked with the girl to the living room.

She took the cards out as Isaac was on his knees next to the girl as she began to look at them as Isaac told about each one of them to the small child. She soon brought out her deck of cards as she had Isaac help her to adjust and edit while putting in the new cards. She even showed off the Blue Dragon Summoner card that was given to her by the boy during the time he and Twilight had to babysit the baby during New Years.

"Can we have a duel later, Isaac?" asked Flurry.

"I think I can spare a match." said the boy to the small girl. He then looked over at the couch as Tigre saw her owner. "Hey, girl."

"Meow."

"You've been behaving?" asked Isaac.

"Meow."

"You've been bossing Spike and keeping him in check?"

"Meow."

"Good." smiled Isaac as he grabbed his cat as Tigre let out a purr. She was glad to see her owner again as she missed seeing him. "I've missed you too." said the boy scratching her ears and under her chin.

"Hope she isn't too much trouble, Cadance."

"It's no trouble at all, Isaac. At least she's quiet, unlike Spike."

"Bark!" said the dog as he was offended by that comment.

"Meow, meow." said the cat to her animal buddy with some sass.

"I've been taking care of her," said Flurry.

"Are you now? Well, you're doing a good job," said Isaac as he put his cat down on the couch as he sat down with Flurry sitting next to him. His pet wasted no time in getting in his lap as she began to rub herself against her owner as she purred.

"Did you see Aunty Twily?" asked the girl.

"Yup, and she wishes she could be here. But she did ask me to give you a message," said Isaac as he kissed the small girl on her cheek.

"Then can you give this to her when you see her again," said Flurry as she kissed Isaac's cheek.

"I will," smiled the boy.

"So, how are things, Isaac?" asked Cadance as she sat in another couch chair.

"It's tough, especially being champion. I understand what Shining Armor went through when he was champ. But then again, you two were engaged, so his load was cut back a bit. Me, I'm doing every signing, every meeting, and every appearance that's being asked of me." said Isaac to the woman.

"Isaac, can I see your magicians?" asked Flurry tugging at his hoodie.

Isaac just smiled as he flipped open his deck box on his belt and pulled out his cards. He handed them to the small girl as she was looking at the monsters that belonged to Isaac as she was grinning ear to ear from seeing them again. She soon saw Isaac's two magicians as it brought back memories of a year and a half ago, when she was still a young baby and how she loved them.

"Do you remember what you used to say?" asked Isaac.

"Magic." said the girl.

Isaac just rubbed Flurry's hair as she smiled. For about the next hour or so, Isaac told Flurry and Cadance about his life since he became champion. Also as to why he was here as he was off to do some special training for his upcoming duel in a few weeks. Before Isaac left the two girls, he agreed to Flurry Heart's request on having a duel with the small toddler. The pair now sat on opposite sides of the table in the living room, as Cadance watched the two. Tigre had jumped on the table and sat in front of her owner to his side as she wanted an up-close view.

During the duel, Isaac would sometimes ask his cat what card to play as she used her paw to point at the one she liked. In the end, Flurry Heart was smiling as she enjoyed herself and getting better by learning from the boy. Soon it was time to leave, as Isaac said goodbye to the pets and received a hug and kiss from Cadance and her daughter as they were looking forward to seeing his duel in a few weeks.

---

Isaac was now walking down the sidewalk again. It was about 3 in the afternoon when he looked at his watch as he had taken care of all that he needed. Now he started to head towards his true destination. It didn't take long as soon the boy now found himself in front of a building.

"Never thought I'd see this place again," said Isaac looking at the house.

He then took a few feet towards the door. He took a deep breath and prepared himself as he rang the doorbell. For a few moments, nothing happened. Soon the door creaked open a bit.

"Hello?"

"Who is it?" called a voice from inside.

"Pinkie. It's me. Isaac."

"I-Isaac?" said the voice.

The door then opened a bit more as it revealed the girl. The girl had light cerulean eyes and brilliant raspberry hair that could almost pass for cotton candy. She wore a sequent grayish pink shirt and pale, light grayish raspberry shorts, white stockings, and light blue sneakers. She had grown since Isaac last saw her, but the thing that remained the same was her puffy hair that looked like cotton candy.

"Big brother?" said the girl as she looked at the young man as she too saw how Isaac had grown as well.

"Good to see you, little sister."

"Big bro!" said Pinkie as she lunged at Isaac and she wrapped her arms around the young man. It had been so long since she last saw the boy as she buried her head into his shirt and she had a few tears.

Isaac returned the gesture from the girl as he too hugged her. He ran his hair through her puffy hair as he was glad to see the person who he considered a sibling.

"I've missed you, big bro." cried Pinkie.

"I've missed you too, little sis." responded Isaac as the pair enjoyed the embrace from their sibling.

Chapter 4: Sibling Reunion

Isaac had an upcoming championship duel. And instead of his usual training method, he decided to do some special training. But also because the duel meant that Isaac's schedule was clear of all of his usual duties. So he took that time to go on a little training journey and one of them included reconnecting with one of his old friends from high school. The one person who he considered a sibling, his little sister, none other than Pinkie Pie.

Like the boy, the girl had also undergone some changes. She had grown up a bit as her body developed a bit more. Not to mention she dawned a new attire, but yet through all the differences, she was still the same party girl that Isaac remembered from high school.

"I've missed you, big bro," said Pinkie as she buried her head into Isaac's shirt.

"I've missed you as well, little sis," said Isaac as he hugged the girl.

It had been a while since the pair last saw each other as it brought some memories. Eventually, the boy and girl broke their embrace as they looked at each other.

"It's nice to see you again, Pinkie."

"You too, Isaac."

"So, mind if I come in?"

"You're always welcome here," said Pinkie as she stepped to the side and allowed the boy to enter as she closed the door.

Upon entering, Isaac took a deep breath. He was now inside of the house that he bought for him and the girls when they were going into their final year of high school. But more importantly, he looked at one of the many small photos on a shelf. It depicted one of the many adventures that the gang went on as it brought memories of the boy.

"The Fall Formal," said Isaac as he looked at a photo of him facing Sunset and where he became champion of CHS.

(Memory)

"Stay down!! Just stay down!!! Every time I've beaten you to a pulp, you still find some way to get back up! I kick your ass and you get back up. I kick your ass again and you still try to get back up!! Maybe your parents told you that if you face a bully and he's beating you down then you should just get back up. Well, let me tell you, the next time that bully is not going to let you get up. They're going to keep beating you till they make sure that you don't get up! I said that you were going to be in for the beating of a lifetime but you still are trying to fight. So tell me!! What do I have to do!? What do I have to do to get you out of my life!? I! HATE! YOU!!!!"

"Now you know, Sunset. You said it yourself, that I'm going to be in for the beating of a lifetime. Well, that's like saying that the sun will come up tomorrow. Of course, I know that I know that. But I also know what it takes to beat you! But what separates me from you Sunset is heart. And when the chips are down, you may beat the hell out of me but you're going to have beat every last breath out of this body!!" said Isaac. "Well, I duel out of love!"

Sunset had a disgusted look on her face like that was the stupidest answer she ever heard from someone.

"Oh no, don't get me wrong I see you, I see the look on your face. Because we don't use/say the word love around here, especially if you're a guy because when we say that we don't look tough. Please I'm a grown-ass man, I could do/say what the hell I want and I don't give a damn on what anybody else thinks! I love this game, I love the fact that I can make people happy, I love every little aspect that Duel Monsters brings to me and my life! I love the look on these people's faces; I love the smiles that I put on for the people not just in here but also for the fine folks at home watching and to the readers who're reading this story. It warms my heart when I'm pulled to the side and people say: thank you. I am here out of love, what the hell are you doing here!! Cause I'm not just fighting for me, Sunset. I'm fighting for everybody whose dream was to be here, whose dream was to stand here on the grandest stage of them and say they've made it. Know that because this is my life! This is my passion! This is all that I got!!!"

(End of Memory)

Isaac then put the photo back on the table as he looked at another one. This one was from the time he had to deal with Starlight and at the time her idea of Duel Monsters' ideology.

(Memory)

"I am the 'best' duelist in the world!" said Starlight as she corrected the boy's statement.

"Congratulations, for thinking that. I hate to tip my ace to you, there were a lot of people who thought that. A lot of people. Names like Yuya Sakaki, Jaden Yuki, Yuma Tsukumo, even Satellite's Shooting Star, Yusei Fudo! Every single one of them thought the kid couldn't hang with me. Thought there's no way that he can duel with me on this dueling field! Every single one was disappointed!"

"He somehow chose you to be the one to hand the keys to the kingdom. After that meeting, well, unfortunately, the story doesn't have a happy ending because why would it. See, that was the first time I grabbed that imaginary brass ring and went absolutely nowhere with it. See, Isaac, I don't play games. What you see with me, is what you get. And I would much rather be hated for who I am than loved for something that I'm not."

"You will ask these folks if they want to see an apology, you will ask these folks to be the voice of the voiceless. My point is, your strongest attribute is also your biggest flaw. You are Starlight Glimmer, you beat to your own drum and I admire that. But in the path of doing things you wanna do, you've lost sight of everything."

"Oh, hold on, I'm gonna stop you right there, I'm not gonna have you stand here and belittle me and say I've lost sight of everything. I've lost sight of things, Isaac?! The reason I say all this is I don't fit a certain mold and because I am the underdog and that's exactly what you've lost sight of. Earlier you told me how you 'supposedly' had met some of these duelists, Yuya Sakaki, Yuma Tsukumo, Jaden Yuki, and Satellite's Shooting Star, Yusei Fudo and you said that they used to look at you and think that the kid couldn't hang and now you stand here and look at me as the kid that can't hang!!" shouted Starlight.

"If I hated this game, I wouldn't be sitting here right now. I'd be at home a lot happier. You would be rid of the evil Starlight Glimmer and you'd be a lot happier. Want I want is change! I recognize when things suck and I speak my mind!! I want things to be different. I want things to be better! I want things to be better not just for me but for everybody!!!" stated the girl. "I am dying for a change. We are dying for a change. I want to be the catalyst for that change."

"Oh, save me!!!" yelled Isaac. "You want to be the catalyst as long as it benefits you!! I am sick to death of listening to you talk about how you're doing all of this for them!! Yeah, there are a lot of people out there and reading this story, maybe half of them agree with what you're saying, the other half, they don't give a damn! You know what, Starlight? Some of these people and readers actually like this story. Some of these people dig it, they tune in every single chapter. They love what they see, they come here to have a good time. They like it the way it is. But when you talk about being the catalyst for change, really what you mean is, you will only accept change if it means Starlight Glimmer is on top, because unless Starlight Glimmer is the gal, the man, that's not enough change for you. That's not really what you want. See, you're no different than anybody else that's ever been in this business, including me. We're a lot alike. We did what we had to do to get on top. The difference is? I looked everybody in the eye and told you, I'm gonna step on you, I'm gonna walk through you to get to the top. You, you don't have the balls to do it! What you did is you backdoor your way around. You tried to do it being a martyr."

"You became champion, I immediately started testing you, trial by fire, call it, and guess what, you failed. You're just like everybody else, you're just like Celestia and Luna, you're just like the Big 5. You know, I thought maybe since me and you, yeah, we are a lot alike, I thought maybe we wanted the same things, I thought we were on the same page, we wanted the same goals, but it turns out, you're egotistical, you're vindictive. It's the same old thing I've seen before, I mean, you hire your buddies to do your dirty work because you can't get your hands dirty." said Starlight as she pointed and looked at the girls.

"My goal not being, okay, a certain amount of dollars and I'm done. No! No, I wanna leave Duel Monsters a better place than when I walked in through that door the first time. That's what I want as my legacy. This is what I believe in. You work hard, you show up on time, you stay loyal to those who support you, you respect enemies and friends. That's my stance. By the way, I don't ever give up. Either you're in or you're out." said Isaac. "But what I fear most is, all the sacrifices I've made to try to not win anybody over, but just to try to... get people to believe, yes this is what he stands for. So many times, people say, 'Ahh, I-- I hate your character, but I totally respect you'. That is-- that's it. That's my legacy. That's what I want. I don't agree with you, but I respect you."

"You know, you remind me of one of those championship thoroughbred horses. One that's been running for a long, long time and it races and it wins. And it wins and the people, they just cheer for him! But one day, this championship horse, he starts to slow down. And that is when reality sets in. And now he finds himself not just looking for the next finish line. He is now sitting somewhere in the back of a barn laid out on a slab." said Starlight.

"You want to talk about what-ifs? Let's talk about it. What if Starlight Glimmer would've been here 16 years ago? Hell, 3 years ago even. I'll tell you, you wouldn't have been a champion. You've wouldn't have been blessed by your idol. You wouldn't have retired Celestia and Luna. You wouldn't be on magazine covers; you wouldn't be in a shitty movie! If the powers that be hadn't had kept me out of Duel Monsters and CHS for so long, I would have all those accolades, and I, Starlight Glimmer, would be the face that runs this place!!" shouted the girl.

"SHUT UP!!!!" shouted Isaac as he slammed his fists on the table. "Enough, man! Your club isn't full of bullets, it's just full of bullshit!! Every single thing you've done, and I sit here and give you respect, and you waltz out, and whine, and bitch, and complain like every other single person before you entitled, thinking, 'It should've been me. It could've been me. I deserved that'. You didn't do it, chipmunk cheeks, but you're too stupid to see that you got a chance right in front of your face, to man up, knuckle up, and do it now!! So, you sign that and you prove me wrong. Or you sign that," Isaac then pointed at the right contract, "And you're not gonna need me to bury you, homes. Everybody here knows you're gonna bury yourself. We're gonna put your ass on a bullet train back to Sire's Hollow, cause apparently, you left your balls over there!!!"

(End of Memory)

Isaac put the photo back as he now looked at the many others on the stand. All of it, he was reminded of his adventures during his high school years. Pinkie saw how her friend was looking at the old photos as she smiled.

"Been a while since I've last thought of our adventures," said Isaac as he looked back at Pinkie.

"I look at them every day. It keeps me company that I'll see you all again." smiled the girl to her friend.

"Well, I'm here now," said Isaac as Pinkie gave him another sibling hug.

"You should have told me, you were coming to visit. I would have done a 'Welcome Home' party." said Pinkie.

"But then it's wouldn't be a secret. And you like secrets, little sis," said Isaac with some playfulness in his voice as he rubbed her hair. "How have things been?"

Pinkie then sat down on the couch as Isaac sat next to her.

"I've been doing alright. Still putting smiles here for people. Still working at my job, but I also run a small care center for any mothers who need to have their children watched. So on the days off, I work a side job of sorts. Don't worry, I make sure that the kids don't make a mess to the house." stated Pinkie. "Besides, I have Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle to help me out. I promised Rarity that I would look after her little sister, and since we have so much room here, I let Scootaloo live here. I gave them each Rainbow's and Rarity's old room."

"Nice to know the girls are growing up and acting responsible," said Isaac.

"Well, they're still at school. But if you're staying tonight, then they'll have a chance to see you since tomorrow they don't have class," said Pinkie. "I've also been contacted on multiple occasions by people to plan and throw them a party."

"You're still the same, Pinkie. Energetic, fun-loving, and don't forget zany," said Isaac.

"Aw, thank you, big bro." smiled Pinkie as she reached into her hair and pulled out a cupcake as she gave it to Isaac. "Now your turn, tell me. Tell me!"

"Well..." Isaac took a bite of the cupcake as he began to collect his thoughts, "I guess, I'm the World Champion."

"I know, I saw it when you won that duel. I so wanted to send you a party in a box, but I didn't have enough wrapping paper to put the party cannon in."

"Yeah, okay, maybe it's best that you didn't send me a gift if I knew you were going to do that," stated Isaac. Now he was questioning how Pinkie was gonna fit that thing into a small space.

"Aw, don't worry. Next time, I will." smiled Pinkie.

"I'm afraid now," muttered Isaac as he finished his cupcake.

"So, are you getting lonely? Do you miss your little sis?" asked Pinkie putting the puppy dog eyes.

"Yes, I miss you. All of you, but... like we said during graduation. We're all doing our own things right now, but we promised that we'll meet up and discuss our adventures." said the boy. "Besides, I can't find an excuse to spend time with my little sibling."

"Of course you can silly." said the pink-haired girl as she hugged the boy and nuzzled into his chest.

With that, both Pinkie and Isaac continued to talk. Eventually, it was about 5 in the evening, as Pinkie started to make some dinner as Isaac volunteered to help. The pair enjoyed themselves as all the cooking skills that Pinkie taught her big brother stuck with him as it brought back some old memories of the pair. Soon, the front door opened as in came an older Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle as they saw Pinkie. They soon saw Isaac as both dropped their backpacks on the floor and ran up to the boy to hug him.

Isaac got down on a knee as the girls hugged him. Isaac saw how much the girls had grown in the past year and a half, but they were still a bit smaller than him. He rubbed his hand on their heads and planted a kiss on their foreheads as they began to bombard him with questions. Isaac told the girls what they wanted to hear as well as how his life had changed since he became a pro, but more importantly, how it was being World Champion.

Isaac told the two girls that it wasn't just dueling as he had other responsibilities. He told them about the many commitments he had to do, like signings, interviews, and even being on the road 24/7. The girls felt a bit concerned with how much sleep Isaac was getting with his busy schedule, to which the boy told them to not worry, cause every now and then he would get a few weeks in the year where he didn't have to worry about any of his duties. Especially, with his upcoming duel in a few weeks, his entire schedule had been cleared so that he could focus on his training.

The girls were curious as to what training, Isaac meant. He told them he would show them after dinner. All four then sat at the table as they began to enjoy the meal prepared by the two young adults. During their dinner, Isaac learned about how the girls were handling the new school as they loved it. With the new courses involving Duel Monsters each of the girls was involved in different courses, Applebloom was part of the Synchro section, while both Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were part of the Fusion department. But they still hung with each other as they still called themselves the CMC.

Isaac was surprised to learn that each one of them had an opportunity to be ranked as the champion of CHS, but they all fell a bit short. Nevertheless, they were now working hard to hopefully get another shot. They all made sure to keep the lessons that Isaac taught them as the boy was glad they didn't forget what he told them and how they were building their own legacy rather than following the ones left by the girls. Once dinner was over, the girls wanted to duel against Isaac for old-time sake. Isaac smiled as he led all three of the girls to the backyard of the house as he put on his duel disk and projected a gold card tray.

About two duels later, both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were on their knees as Isaac was declared the winner. He did admit that with the new courses and lessons they were learning from their school, they surprised the boy with some unexpected and high-level moves.

"That's game, Scoots," said Isaac.

"Yeah, GG." said the girl as she got up.

"Man, you've gotten way better, Isaac," said Sweetie Belle.

"I try." chuckled Isaac. "So, little sis. Care to have a duel with your big brother? Like when we were students."

"Of course." smiled Pinkie. She then pulled out her small rectangle device and put it on her wrist. She took out her deck as she slid it in and it activating projecting a pink card tray.

"I won't go easy, Pinkie," said Isaac as he activated his duel disk.

"Better give them space," said Scootaloo to Sweetie Belle as the girls knew that this was gonna be intense between the two siblings.

"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.

Pinkie's Life Points: 8000-
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-

Turn 1: Pinkie

"I'll start, Isaac. I draw! I'll use these two my Scale 2 Madolche Infanpraline and Scale 6 Chiffonberlain to set the Pendulum Scale!" said Pinkie. She placed her two cards on the far end of her duel disk as the word pendulum in rainbow coloring was in between them to signaled it worked. Soon both of Pinkie's monsters appeared in columns of light as they had their respective numbers in front of them.

"And now I can summon as many cute little guys as I want from Levels 3 through 5." Soon a portal above Pinkie opened up as out came two lights. "I pendulum summon Madolche Marmalmaide(800/2000) and my Madolche Barenberg(2000/1800)." Pinkie now had a small maid sitting on her desert as she had a menu in her hand and her other monster was a white knight made as he had a sword colored dark and a shield with a buttercup color while he stood on top of a Battenberg slice of cake.

"Nice to know you're still using the pendulum cards that I gave you so long ago, Pinkie." smiled Isaac.

"It was a gift from you, big bro. Of course, I would keep them in my deck, plus they're useful, like this. Cause since I special summoned my Barenberg, he can increase or decrease the level of a 'Madolche' monster on my field, so I'll do just that and have him increase my Madolche Marmalmaide from Level 4 to Level 5. And with that... I'll overlay both of my delicious monsters to build the Overlay Network!" Pinkie's two small monsters then changed into orbs of light as they hovered in the air for a bit as a portal opened up in front of her. Soon both orbs of light entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Empress Haute(3000/2800, OLU: 2)!" Out emerged a high-class girl as she was dressed in a 14th-century dress as they were made up of small portions of the food as she wore white gloves that covered her arms up to her elbows. Her hair was done in a bun and when let down flowed majestically to her shoulders as she had brunette hair and a smile that made you fall in love with her as she wore a necklace.

"Since I Xyz summoned my Empress, I can now activate my Madolche Chateau from my deck," said Pinkie as her duel disk slid out her card as she played it and the entire field around them changed into a candy land with the building being behind the pink-haired girl. "Now with my field spell, all my 'Madolche' monsters gain 500 more attack and defense points."

"So Pinkie already has a monster on the field with 3500 attack points," exclaimed Scootaloo.

"Well, Isaac isn't too worried," said Sweetie Belle.

"I end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 2: Isaac

"Not bad, my turn. I draw!" said Isaac. "I'll start by summoning my Chocolate Magician Girl(1600/1200)." Isaac summoned his female magician as she appeared on the boy's field. She couldn't help herself but hug the boy and kiss him. "Now, I'll activate Chocolate Magician Girl's special ability, by sending a Spellcaster monster from my hand to the graveyard, I'm allowed to draw a card. So I'll send my Magician's Robes to the graveyard." stated the boy as he discarded a card from his hand as he drew from his deck.

"The card I drew was my Palladium Oracle Mahad(2500/2100). So since I drew him, I can now summon him to the field," said Isaac as he had his loyal magician on his field as he wore his Egyptian garments.

"Next, I'll throw a facedown and call it a turn. Your move, Pinkie."

Turn 3: Pinkie

"My turn," said the girl as she drew her card. "I'll play my spell, Madolche Saloon. Now with this, I'm allowed an addition summon during my turn. Then I'll move in to attack, Empress Haute attack his Chocolate Magician Girl!" shouted the girl.

"I activate my facedown, Shift! So now your attack is redirected to my Palladium Oracle Mahad!" said Isaac as his other magician stepped in front of the girl spellcaster.
Isaac's Life Points: 7000-

"And by destroying my Palladium Oracle Mahad, that means I can now summon my Dark Magician from my deck!" stated Isaac as the smoke cleared, and there stood Mahad as he was wearing his purple garments.

Not bad, big bro. You minimized the damage you would have taken and summoned your magician. Always thinking ahead.

"I end my turn."

Turn 4: Isaac

"My turn, and I'll start by summoning my Magician's Valkyria(1600/1800). Then since I control a Level 4 or lower monster, I can also summon my Mage Annette(1300/1700)." Isaac now summoned two more of his magicians as both girls took the field in defense mode. "And by summoning my Mage Annette, I can draw a card." Annette opened her book as inside was a card that floated over to Isaac as he grabbed it.

"I now place one card facedown and end my turn."

Turn 5: Pinkie

"My turn and I summon my Madolche Magileine(1400/1200). When my Madolche Magileine is normal summoned, I can add a 'Madolche' monster from my deck to my hand." Pinkie's used her duel disk screen as she was deciding which monster. Once she made her selection, her duel disk then ejected her choice for her to grab.

"And don't forget, thanks to my Madolche Saloon, I'm allowed an additional summon. So I also summon my Madolche Chouxvalier(1700/1300). Not to mention my field spell gives both of my monsters an extra 500 attack and defense points." stated Pinkie as both her monsters powered up.

"Now, I'll activate my Empress Haute's special ability, by using one overlay unit, I can grant all of my monsters piercing damage until the end of the next turn," said Pinkie as her Empress granted her monsters some extra firepower.

"So looks like you're losing points either way. Madolche Magileine attack his Magician's Valkyria!" shouted Pinkie as her monster took out Isaac's monster.
Isaac's Life Points: 6900-

"Now Chouxvalier attack his Mage Annette!" called out the party girl as her tiny horsemen then charged forward with his lance and took out the small girl.
Isaac's Life Points: 6400-

"And now my Empress Haute will attack your Dark Magician!" stated Pinkie as her monster prepared its attack.

"I reveal my facedown, Magic Cylinder! So now your attack is redirected right back at your life points!" said Isaac.

"Did you think I would forget all your tricks, big bro? I'm not your little sister for nothing, I activate my Madolche Infanpraline's pendulum ability, so now I can attach the Madolche Barenberg that I sent to the graveyard to activate my Empress' ability back onto her." said the girl as her monster appeared and then turned into an Xyz material as it circled Pinkie's monster.

"By doing that, my graveyard is empty so that means I can activate my facedown, Madolche Tea Break! Since a spell or trap card is activated, and I have no monsters in my graveyard, I can negate your Magic Cylinder and return it to your hand." stated the pink-haired girl as Isaac's trap then zoomed back to his hand. "So, your magician is still getting destroyed!" Empress Haute then finished powering her attack as she took out Isaac's monster with a punch as the smaller girl did a hair flip.
Isaac's Life Points: 5400-

"Nice counter, Pinkie."

"Thanks, I now end my turn."

Turn 6: Isaac

"Time for me to get in gear, I now reveal my facedown, Eternal Soul. So now I can bring back my Dark Magician from the graveyard," said Isaac as his facedown flipped up. It produced a stone tablet as the outline of Isaac's monster as it glowed and then it emerged.

"Now Dark Magician attack her Madolche Chouxvalier!" commanded Isaac as his monster then took out Pinkie's tiny rider.
Pinkie's Life Points: 7700-

"My monster may be gone, but don't forget what my Madolches can do. If they are ever sent to the graveyard by battle or graveyard, I can shuffle them back into my deck. But I got options, cause my Chateau can add that monster back to my hand, or I can attach it to my Empress Haute as an overlay unit." stated Pinkie as she was deciding which one she wanted to do. She then made her choice as she put the card back in her hand.

"Now my Madolche Saloon's effect activates since I added a 'Madolche' monster from my graveyard to my hand, I can now set a 'Madolche' spell or trap card from my deck." Pinkie then used her duel disk screen as she selected the card she wanted. It slid out for her to grab as she placed it facedown.

"I'll now end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 7: Pinkie

"My draw!" said the girl. "I'll resummon my Madolche Chouxvalier once again. But he won't be around for long, cause I'll sacrifice him so that I can summon my Madolche Puddingcess(1000/1000)." Out came a tiny girl whose dress was made of pudding as her hair was a shade of yellow.

"Like all my monsters, she gets 500 extra attack and defense points due to my field spell. Then I'll activate the pendulum ability of Madolche Chiffonberlain, since I control a 'Madolche' monster, I can target two cards in my graveyard and shuffle them back into my deck, and draw two cards. So I'll take my Madolche Chouxvalier and my Madolche Tea Break." Pinkie's two cards then slid out for her to grab as she placed them on top of her deck as the auto shuffler kicked in. Once it stopped, she then drew her cards.

"And now that I have no monsters in my graveyard again, my Madolche Puddingcess' ability activates. Meaning she gains 800 more attack and defense points. So she has a total of 2300 attack and defense." stated the party girl as her tiny princess was full of glee.

"Now to attack, Madolche Magileine will attack your Chocolate Magician Girl!" said Pinkie.

"I activate my Chocolate Magician Girl's special ability, now since she's the target of an attack, I can bring back one spellcaster from my graveyard. So I'm bringing back my Mage Annette!" said Isaac as his small girl magician rose.

"As before, when Mage Annette is summoned, I can draw one card. And due to the effect of my Chocolate Magician Girl, your Madolche Magileine now has to attack her. But her stats are cut in half!" said Isaac as his two girl magicians combined their power as they reduced the strength of Pinkie's monster as she was blocked by a barrier and pushed back in her weakened state.
Pinkie's Life Points: 6950-

"Well, that effect only works once. Especially, cause my monsters can still inflict piercing damage. So now my Madolche Puddingcess will attack your Mage Annette!" said Pinkie as her tiny princess took out Isaac's revived monster.
Isaac's Life Points: 4800-

"And now my Puddingcess' ability activates, after she battles, she can destroy one card on your side of the field so I choose your Chocolate Magician Girl!" stated Pinkie taking out Isaac's monster. "And now, I'll have my Empress Haute attack your Dark Magician!"

"Not this time, cause I'll reveal my facedown, Magic Cylinder. And you don't have your Madolche Tea Break to negate it," said Isaac as the attack was absorbed by one of the cylinders as it then shot out of the other one as it headed towards Pinkie who covered up.
Pinkie's Life Points: 3450-

"And with that, your life points just got smaller." smiled Isaac.

"I end my turn with a facedown! And now the effect of my Empress Haute ends."

Turn 8: Isaac

"My turn and I'll play my Magician Boy(1500/1200)!" Isaac's small boy sorcerer now appeared as his cape flowed in the wind. "Now, I'll have my Magician Boy attack your Madolche Puddingcess!" stated Isaac as his tiny boy sorcerer pointed his staff at Pinkie's monster who simply blocked it. "Now whenever my Magician Boy battles, any damage that occurs, you take instead." stated the boy.
Pinkie's Life Points: 2650-

"And then when my Magician Boy fails to destroy a monster, he can destroy one monster on your field and then you take damage equal to its attack points. So you lose, little sis!"

"Not quite, cause I reveal my facedown, Madolche Nights! Since I have no monsters in my graveyard when you activate a monster's effect, and I have no monsters in my graveyard. I can negate that effect, and since I also control Madolche Puddingcess, I can also shuffle one card from your hand back into your deck." stated the pink-haired girl.

"Which one then?" asked Isaac. His hand then materialized in front of Pinkie as only the back part was shown.

"I pick... no, no, no, you would expect me to pick that one. Mmm... Which one?"

"Pinkie!!!" shouted Isaac as he used his older sibling's voice.

"Alright. Eeny meeny miney moe. That one!" said Pinkie pointed to the card she chose.

"Geez, she's still driving me insane," muttered Isaac to himself. He then grabbed the card that Pinkie selected and placed it on top of his deck as the auto shuffler kicked in.

"I still have one more attack, so Dark Magician take out her Madolche Magileine!" shouted Isaac.

"I'll reveal my other facedown, Madolche Waltz! Now whenever a battle occurs with a 'Madolche' monster, you take 300 points of damage!" stated Pinkie.
Isaac's Life Points: 4500-

"Well, either way, your monster is destroyed!" said Isaac as he took out Pinkie's tiny witch.
Pinkie's Life Points: 900-

"Now when since my Madolche Magileine was destroyed by battle, I can shuffle her back to my deck, but with my Chateau, I can add it back to my hand. And since my Saloon is also out since I'm adding my monster to my hand, I can set one spell or trap card from my deck," stated Pinkie. Her duel disk then ejected the card she wanted as she put it facedown.

"With that, I'll end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 9: Pinkie

"My draw! And I'll summon my Madolche Anjelly(1000/1000)! Then I'll activate her ability, so by tributing her, I can special summon a 'Madolche' monster from my deck. So I'm bringing out another Madolche Puddingcess!" stated the girl as she had a pair of twin sisters on her field. Both girls squealed as they grabbed their hands and began to skip around in a circle.

"Next, I'm activating my Chiffonberlain's pendulum ability, so now I can take two cards in my graveyard and then shuffle them back into my deck to draw two cards. So I'm returning my Madolche Anjelly and Madolche Lesson." stated the girl as her duel disk ejected her cards for her to put on top of her deck as the auto shuffler kicked in. Pinkie then drew her cards as she smiled.

"Now that my graveyard has no monsters, my second Puddingcess gains 800 more points and with my Chateau an extra 500 points." stated the girl as she now had three strong monsters on the field. "But I'm far from done, cause now I'll use my pendulum scale to pendulum summon!" Pinkie then had a portal open up above as two lights came out. "I Pendulum summon my Madolche Messengelato(1600/1000) and Madolche Marmalmaide(800/2000)!" Pinkie now had two more of her tiny monsters join the field as she had a full army in front of her.

"Don't forget my field spell gives them a boost. But they won't be sticking around for long, cause I'm gonna do a double Xyz summon. First, I overlay my two Level 5 Madolche Puddingcess to build the Overlay Network!" shouted the girl as her two monsters then transformed into orbs of light as they hovered in the air for a bit as a portal opened up in front of her. Soon both lights entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Madolche Puddingcess Chocol-a-la-Mode(2500/2200, OLU: 2)!" Out came a similar version of Pinkie's Puddingcess, but the girl now had a dress made of chocolate.

"Next, I'll overlay both my Level 4 Messengelato and Marmalmaide to construct the Overlay Network once more!" Pinkie's other two monsters then turned into orbs of light as well as they hovered in the air as another portal opened up in front of her. They then entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Madolche Teacher Glassouffle(1800/2500, OLU: 2)!" Out emerged another female who sat on a small throne with a book in her hand.

"Now both of my Xyz monsters gain 500 more points. Then I'll play Pot of Greed so that I can draw two cards. Next, I'll play one of them, Fissure. So now your Magician Boy is destroyed." said Pinkie as she got rid of Isaac's magician as the only one left was his Dark Magician.

"Now time to end this, big bro. Empress Haute attack his Dark Magician!"

"I reveal my facedown, Magical Hats! So if you want to destroy my magician, you'll have to find him!" said Isaac as four hats appeared as they covered his magician and then spread out in a straight line.

"Is Isaac crazy?!" stated Scootaloo.

"Not to mention her trap card that she has out," informed Sweetie Belle.

"Guessing game. Oh my favorite, you remembered big bro." smiled Pinkie. "But don't forget my Madolche Waltz is still active and it triggers when my monster battles, so even I don't find him in this attack you still take 300 points of damage." informed the girl.
Isaac's Life Points: 4200-

Empress Haute then took out the hat on the far left side as it produced smoke when it was exploded upon contact. After a few moments, the smoke cleared to reveal nothing as three hats remained.

"Strike one," said Isaac.

"Then time for a second attack. Go Puddingcess Chocolat-a-la-Mode!" shouted Pinkie as her second monster targeted the hat on the right as it exploded. It caused some smoke to appear and once again, there was nothing.
Isaac's Life Points: 3900-

"Missed again."'

"Still you took damage due to my trap. I now end my turn."

Turn 10: Isaac

"My turn and I'll start by playing Card of Sanctity so now we draw till we're holding six cards in our hand," said Isaac as he and Pinkie replenished their hands. "I'll now dispel my Magical Hats. Then I'll activate the effect of my Eternal Soul. So now I can add Dark Magic Attack to my hand and then I'll play the spell. So now I can destroy all your spells and trap cards on your field!"

Isaac's magician then felt the power of his staff as he leaped into the air as he pointed his weapon at Pinkie's field and a huge ball of energy was fired as it collided with Pinkie's field taking out all of her cards as well as her pendulum cards.

"My pendulum cards may be destroyed, but they won't be going to the graveyard. I can place them in my Extra Deck, but I could also shuffle them back into my deck," said Pinkie as she chose to put her cards on top of her deck as the auto shuffler kicked in.

"Either way, with all of your spell and trap cards gone, your monsters lose their extra effects," stated Isaac. "And now I'll play Premature Burial so that I can bring back my Chocolate Magician Girl by paying 800 life points."
Isaac's Life Points: 3100-

"Next up, I summon my Alpha the Magnet Warrior(1400/1700). Then I'll play this, Level Lifter! So by sending my Magician of Dark Illusion to the graveyard, I can target two monsters on my field and their levels match the monster I sent away until the end of the turn. So now my Alpha and Chocolate Magician Girl are Level 7." said Isaac as both of his monsters had their stats change as they were the same as his Dark Magician.

"Now, I'll overlay all three of my monsters to build the Overlay Network!" shouted the boy as all three monsters turned into orbs of light as they hovered in the air for a bit as a portal opened up in front of the World Champ. All three lights then entered the portal as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Chaos Mageía(3000/2500, OLU: 3)!" Out emerged from the portal a brand new monster. It was a sorceress who had long flowing red hair with vanilla skin tone. She wore an emerald necklace and had white gloves that covered her smooth hands. Her outfit consisted of a light blue dress that stopped at her knees; she wore black heels that weren't too high, as well as earrings that matched her necklace. She did a quick twirl for all to see as bits of magical particles surrounded her and it made her look even more beautiful.

Chaos Mageía landed in front of Isaac as she couldn't help herself but snuggle her master and plant a kiss on his forehead.

"Okay, can you let me go?" asked Isaac to his female magician.

"No." snickered the girl with a smile as she pressed the boy closer to her chest.

"We need to win, first," said Isaac as he broke free from the embrace of his monster.

"Now, since I used Dark Magician to summon my monster, all your monsters' effects are negated!" said Isaac as his female magician used her wand and waved it about as a powerful spell was cast over Pinkie's field as her monster felt their power weaken.

"Now I activate my Chaos Mageía's special ability, by using one overlay unit, she can remove all other Xyz materials from all other Xyz monsters. Then for each one removed, she gains 500 extra attack points and an additional attack!" stated Isaac as his magician removed 6 overlay units from Pinkie's monster as her attack rose to 6000.

"Let's finish this," said Isaac to his magician as she gave a wink.

She had her wand transform into a bow and reached into the quiver on her back as she pulled out an arrow that was made up of energy. She place it in her bow as she pulled back on the string.

"Bull-eyes." stated the girl.

"Divinity Arrow!!" shouted Isaac and his magician.

The arrow was sent flying as it traveled through the air. It split into seven different arrows as six of them collided with Pinkie's three monsters as the final one headed towards the girl as it exploded near her feet.
Pinkie's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac

Isaac gave his magician a smile and nod as she was glad to make her master happy. She disappeared as the boy began to walk as Pinkie now sat up.

"Ohh, what a doozy," said Pinkie immediately getting up and smiling.

"You've gotten better, sis," said Isaac.

"Thanks." smiled the girl as she wrapped her arms around Isaac.

The pair just held each other as Isaac ran his fingers through her cotton candy hair. They broke their embrace as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle then rushed over and toppled the boy over as they hugged him tightly. Seems even now, they were still amazed by his skills as Isaac just let out a chuckle. For the rest of the night, Isaac told the girls some more stories about his time since joining the pro circuit. Eventually, it was getting late as the girls needed to head to bed despite there being no school in the morning. Once both young adults put the girls to bed, they stopped in front of Isaac's old room.

"So, are you nervous big bro? About your upcoming duel?" asked Pinkie.

"It is what it is, Pinkie. But, right now, I'm not thinking about that. I'm focusing on my special training."

"Well, glad I was able to help. It was nice to duel like we used to back when we were high schoolers." stated the girl as Isaac rubbed the top of his little sister's hair.

"You're the best little sister, I could ask for." smiled Isaac.

"You're welcome, big bro."

"So, the others?"

"Fluttershy is in Whitetail Woods, Rarity is currently in Manehattan, and Applejack is at the farm. As for Sunset and Rainbow, well, I haven't heard from them in a few weeks. Guess they must be busy with their lives." stated Pinkie.

"Well, at least I have a start. Thanks, Pinkie."

"By the way, I kept your old room the same. Figured one day, you would come back."

"I appreciate it, thanks sis," said Isaac planting a kiss on Pinkie's forehead as she returned the gesture by kissing him on the cheek and giving one last hug.

Pinkie then left to her room as Isaac now turned to his. He took a deep breath as he put his hand on the handle. He then entered his room as when he looked inside, it was indeed the same as when he left for his career as a pro over a year and a half ago. Isaac smiled as it felt nice to be home, so he flopped on his bed as he prepared for tomorrow.

Chapter 5: Kinfolk

It was now morning as the sun rose in the sky. Pinkie was already up early as she was making some breakfast for everyone in the house. She considered waking up Isaac to help her; she opened the door to the room of the boy and saw him sleeping peacefully. Normally, Pinkie would do something crazy to wake her big brother up, but based on how he was fast asleep. It seemed like Isaac was trying to get some more ZZZ's since his entire schedule had been cleared for him to prepare for his duel.

Pinkie knew how busy Isaac's life was that she thought it unfair to wake him up when he could use this time to get some much-needed rest from his daily duties. Seems growing up, made Pinkie a bit more responsible when it came to others and letting them have some space. So she just closed the door quietly and allowed the boy to sleep in a bit before he left.

It was about an hour and a half later when Isaac finally awoke. With the sounds coming from his window. He sat up and yawned while stretching his limbs.

"Man, forgot what it was like to sleep like a regular person. I've just gotta used to being on the road that sleeping in feels nice," said Isaac.

He then grabbed his phone as he got a few messages from Juniper. She told the boy about some things she had been taking care of during his trip. A few signings that he would need to take care of, with the only major thing being a Q&A panel that he would need to attend. Isaac responded that he understood but also contact Juniper about booking some more flights. With the info Pinkie gave him, Isaac had the location of two of the girls, but he'd yet to know where Rainbow and Sunset were. Regardless, Juniper said she would take care of it and get back to her client.

Isaac now exited his room and was welcomed to the smell of breakfast. He walked down the stairs and saw Pinkie in the kitchen as the sound of the stove was sizzling.

"Didn't wake me up to help you, little sis?"

"I wanted to give you some much-needed rest. You're on the road so many days out of the week. And with your schedule being light due to your upcoming duel, I'd figured why not give you a chance to get the sleep that you've been missing." said Pinkie.

"I appreciate that." smiled Isaac. He then began to set the table with all the foods that Pinkie made.

Once everything was set up, the pair now pulled out some plates as both Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle came into the dining table rubbing their eyes as they just woke up. Soon everybody began to sit down as they began to fill themselves up with the tasty meal made by the party girl. After breakfast was done, the girls all wanted to have one final duel with Isaac as he was leaving. While Pinkie cleaned up, Isaac entertained the two by playing on the table in the living room.

After the duels ended, Isaac gave some praises to the girl as he told them to continue getting better. He then headed up to his room as he grabbed his backpack and duel disk as he exited the room. He now was back in the living room as he started to walk out of the front door as he stood outside with Pinkie and the girls standing in the doorway.

"Wish you could stay longer, big bro."

"Wish I could, but I still have things that I need to do, Pinkie. I need to complete them before my duel."

"We're gonna miss you, Isaac," said Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.

"I'm gonna miss you too, girls. It was nice seeing you. Keep at it," said Isaac as they came to hug the boy as he hugged both of them while patting their heads.

"Good luck, Isaac."

"Thanks, little sis. Be sure to watch my duel," said Isaac as he hugged the girl one last time.

Pinkie then let go of Isaac and planted a kiss on his cheek as he started to walk. Before Isaac disappeared down the road, he turned around and waved at the trio as they waved from the doorsteps to their friend. Isaac was now walking down the sidewalk with his backpack slung over his right shoulder. He had his phone out as he was looking at the GPS as he had his destination in hand.

"Sweet Apple Acres, here I come."

---

It took a while, but Isaac soon arrived at his place. The sight of apples that filled the orchard for miles and miles was still the same. In fact, it seemed to have gotten bigger. The smell of the air was clean and refreshing as he took a deep breath in and out.

He now began to walk as he came to the entrance of the place as he looked at the sign above. He read it and smiled. Once he entered inside, he saw the barn a few yards away as he was making his way towards it. All around he could see many farm animals as they all made a sound. Isaac took it all in as he passed by some pigs as he petted them on the head as they let out oink sounds. He then heard another sound as he looked in the direction and saw someone.

The person was a girl who compared to when he last saw them, had grown a few inches like Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. But the thing that remained the same was the pink bow in their hair.

"Come on. Just... need... to... pull!" said Applebloom as she struggled. She lost her footing and fell onto her rump as she felt it. "Ow." said the girl as she began to rub her behind.

"What have I told you about asking for help?" said Isaac.

Applebloom looked up at the sound of the voice and saw Isaac standing in front of her. She took a look at the boy as her eyes started to form tears as she couldn't believe what she saw.

"Isaac?"

"How are you doing, Applebloom?"

"It's you!" shouted the small girl as she got up and tackled the older boy to the ground as she lied on top of him. "I knew I'd see you again." said the girl as she wrapped her arms around the boy's neck and began to nuzzle him.

"Good to see my favorite CMC," said Isaac as he rubbed Applebloom's hair making sure to not mess up the bow.

Applebloom now allowed Isaac to sit up as she was sitting on his leg. She couldn't contain herself as she planted a kiss on the boy's cheek and nuzzled into his chest. Isaac returned the embrace as he rubbed Applebloom's hair.

"Did you miss me?"

"Of course, I did, Applebloom. I miss all of you." said the boy looking at the girl.

"What are you doing here?"

"That's a secret."

"Tell me."

"Can't say. Let's call it training for my upcoming duel."

"Oh, the duel that you'll be defending your rank as World Champ. I watched when you became champion. I told everybody that you were gonna win, but they didn't believe me. I made sure to rub in their faces for doubting me and you."

"Nice to see you haven't changed from that mischievous little girl." smiled Isaac. "By the way, how are things with you and Tender Taps?"

"Uh... well..." said Applebloom as she blushed at Isaac's question while looking away. Seems the girl still had a bit of a crush on the boy as Isaac could tell.

"I'm teasing, AB. Still, if you two do act on your crushes, make sure he treats you well." winked Isaac as Applebloom nodded.

Isaac then stood up as he volunteered to help Applebloom with the thing she was trying to pull. He was able to get it into the barn as Applebloom then began to grab Isaac by his hand as they were heading towards the house.

"Granny! We got a visitor!" said Applebloom.

"She's not here, Applebloom." said a woman.

Isaac saw the woman as she emerged from the kitchen.

"That's too bad, Sugar Belle," said Applebloom.

"Sugar Belle?" asked Isaac.

"Yup." said a voice as it belonged to Big Macintosh as Isaac saw the older man as he put his arm around the woman.

"Guess, I should have told you. A lot of things have changed, one of them is that my brother found someone who he's in love with and is married to," said Applebloom.

"So, you finally found someone who can handle your talking, huh, Big Mac?" mocked Isaac.

"Yup,"

"Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Sugar Belle."

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Isaac." said the boy shaking her hand.

"Isaac? You mean, as in the World Champion."

"Yeah."

"So..." Sugar Belle then looked at her husband and Applebloom as they nodded.

"I'm assuming that they told you that they knew me, but you didn't believe them," answered Isaac. "Happens all the time."

"Well, it's an honor to be in the presence of the World Champion of Duel Monsters," stated Sugar Belle.

"No problem." Isaac then put his backpack down as he pulled out a print and a marker as he began to sign it and personalize it. "Here you go." stated the boy as she handed the picture to Sugar Belle.

"Thank you. I'll treasure this."

"Isaac, can I get one, please?" said Applebloom giving him the puppy dog eyes.

"Of course, anything for my favorite CMC," said Isaac as he signed another print and did a different message for Applebloom as he gave it to her and a kiss on her cheek. She was ecstatic that she finally got an autograph from him. She couldn't wait to show it off at school.

"So, where's..."

"She's in the orchard," said Big Mac as he knew what Isaac was asking.

"You can leave your stuff here, go to her," said Applebloom as she also knew.

"Thanks," Isaac handed his backpack to Applebloom as he gave a quick fistbump to Big Mac.

Isaac now exited out of the house as he looked in the direction of the orchard. He now began walking as he was hoping to find the person he came here for. Isaac was passing by many and many trees that had apples in them. Walking brought some memories for the boy as he remembered all the times he and his friends helped to get all those apples down. All the time they helped to make cider and other sorts of apple-related products. He soon heard a grunt as he knew he found it. He walked in the direction of the sound as he passed by a bush and saw what made that sound.

The person who was making those grunt sounds was a girl who was hard at work. Since he last saw her, she had grown and changed a bit, and not just in the bust and rear area. She had moderate sap green eyes and hair that was pale, light grayish olive. Her signature attire now changed as she wore brilliant gamboge shorts and vest with a white short shirt underneath, brown cowboy boots, and a stetson hat on top of her head. Another thing to note was her hip area, wide, and with the rear end to fill out her shorts nicely.

Applejack was busying pulling some twigs from the ground as her blond hair was soaked. She used her strength to pull as she was a bit too strong and fell onto her butt.

"Shit," said Aj as she rubbed her rear.

"Need a hand... partner," said Isaac as he now stood in front of his friend. He had his hand extended out as Applejack looked up and saw the boy as her eyes widen.

At that moment, all of time slowed down. Both girl and boy looked at the other as they were seeing one person they hadn't seen in a while. The memories came rushing back. From when they first met, to the Apple family reunion he helped her to set up just days before the Fall Formal. The biggest one was when they faced each other in the semi-finals of that tournament. The Friendship Games, and then the moment they each had in Appleloosa. Along with assigning her as one of the tutors for his program during their final year in high school, just to name a few.

"Sure thing... sugar," said Applejack as she reached out and grabbed Isaac's hand as he pulled her up.

Isaac pulled the girl to her feet as she wrapped her arms around the boy and he too hugged her tightly. Isaac felt Aj's head in his chest as he could sense a bit of tears as he too cried a bit. Both of them were giving a loving embrace as held the other. He ran his hands through her hair as it felt nice to be remembered for what it felt like. This was a moment for the pair as it felt so long since they last saw each other.

"Nice to see you again, Isaac."

"Nice to see you too, Applejack."

"Now don't get any ideas," she smirked, pushing him off with a little force but with a playful expression. "We've both grown, and I know what is probably on your mind."

"What?!" said Isaac as he had a surprised look on his face. He looked at AJ as she still held the smirk but directed her gaze to her ass. "I would never!" said the boy waving his hands about. "Not intentionally."

"Good to see you haven't changed, city slicker." said the country gal as she playfully punched the boy in his arm.

"Nice to see you have, country gal." said the boy with a mocking tone.

"I'm just havin' fun." laughed Aj. "But be honest, did you glance a look when you saw me?" asked the girl with a raised eyebrow.

"Well... yes." said the boy honestly. "You've definitely grown since we graduated."

"Ah appreciate the honesty. And you've done the same, look at ya. World Champ."

"Well, I don't like to brag, but... yeah. I am the World Champ."

"Bet I can still kick yer ass."

"Is that a challenge, Jacklyn?" taunted the boy.

"Oh, now you've done it," said Aj as she cracked her knuckles.

She then charged to the boy as Isaac now began to run around the trees with the girl chasing after him. It was now a game of cat and mouse. He and Aj were on opposite sides of a tree as they moved left and right trying to see what the other would do. Isaac somehow was able to fake out Aj as he took off with the girl recovering and going after him. Soon he began to climb a tree with Aj still coming after him. They were now moving from branch to branch, tree to tree. After moving through a few trees, Isaac finally jumped down onto the ground as he looked around and didn't see the country gal. It seemed like he had lost here when he turned around and suddenly was tackled to the ground as they rolled around on the dirt. Dust picked up as they rolled around as soon it stopped. Applejack had managed to launch a sneak attack on her friend as she was now on top of him and she had him pinned down with her hands on his shoulders.

"Got... you..." huffed Aj as she was out of breath. "Now... yer... gonna... pay... for callin'... me... Jacklyn."

"Uh-oh." stated the boy as he was a bit scared of what she might do.

He soon felt a pair of lips on his as Applejack leaned down and kiss the boy. Isaac then brought his hands up as he held Aj's face as the two enjoyed their little affection. It seemed this was one of the things that the farm girl missed as it gave her comfort on the small crush that she still had when it came to her friend after all these years. They pulled apart as they looked at each other as they were officially out of breathe. She allowed the boy to sit up as she sat next to him and placed her head on his shoulder.

"This brings memories," said Isaac as he placed his arm around his friend and stroked her hair while planting a kiss on her forehead.

"So, what are you doin' here? I doubt yer here just to see us."

"Why can't it be that?" asked Isaac.

"Sugarcube, you know ah ain't stupid. Ah, know you have a match in a few weeks. So that means yer here for some sort of trainin'. Am I wrong?"

"I mean... it's... yes, but it's not just that. I really did want to see you. You and the others." assured Isaac. "It's been a year and a half since we graduated. We haven't really talked like this since then, you and the others at least are in touch. Since I got started, and especially when I became champion three months ago, I've had a busy schedule, I'm lucky enough if every now and then, I can meet up with Twilight who keeps me updated on what you girls are doing. So, believe me, when I say this, I really did want to see you."

Applejack now used her trait as she listened to what Isaac was saying. She also looked into the boy's eyes to see if he was telling the truth. After a few moments, she got her answer as she wrapped her arms around the boy's shoulder.

"Seems, yer bein' honest. And I'll admit, I've missed you too." smiled the farm girl. "Me and mah family watched the duel when you became champion. After that, we received some donations to help our farm. You kept yer word."

"I told you, that when I became champion, I was gonna help you and your family business to thrive."

"I appreciate it. Thanks." Applejack then got up as she dusted her shorts and hat. She now walked a few feet in front of the boy as she added a bit of sway to her rear for her friend to see. She then turned around as she put on her duel disk and slotted her deck in as it projected a green card tray. "Ah meant what ah said. Time to pay for callin' me, Jacklyn."

"So be it." smiled Isaac as he now got up and grabbed his cap that had fallen off during the tussle. He dusted it off and put it on his head as he pulled out his small rectangle device and slotted his deck in as it projected a gold card tray.

"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.

Applejack's Life Points: 8000-
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-

"Let's duel!" said both young adults.

Turn 1: Isaac

"I'll start, here goes!" said Isaac drawing his card. "I'll summon my Berry Magician Girl(400/400). Then since I summoned her, I can now select a different 'Magician Girl' from my deck to add to my hand." Isaac's tiny baby magician appeared as she flew over to her master and sat on his shoulder sucking her pacifier.

"Why was I blessed to have so many cute girls?" asked Isaac with a smirk as he looked at all of his options as the spirits of the girls all appeared before the boy waiting to see who he would choose. "Berry, which of your sisters should be the one to spend time with me?"

"Hmm..." said the tiny baby making a sucking sound as she looked at her older sisters. "I pick... Lemon."

"Alright then," said Isaac to his magician with a nod. He then touched his duel disk as he clicked confirm and it slid out for him to grab.

"Thank you," said Lemon to her baby sister as she grabbed her and kissed her. She also gave on to Isaac as she nuzzled him before disappearing.

"Then I'll lay one card facedown and end my turn."

Turn 2: Applejack

"Mah turn. And to start, I'll gonna show off one of mah new cards to mah deck. I place my Predaplant Triantis in one of mah pendulum zones." stated the country gal as she placed the card on the far end of her duel disk. "Then I'll summon mah Predaplant Moray Nepenthes(1600/1200). And ah also play mah Rapid Seed Fire spell card." stated the girl.

Applejack then touched her duel disk as she saw the field; she touched the image of Isaac's card as she refreshed herself on what Isaac's Berry Magician Girl could do as she was thinking. She touched his facedown, but it was hidden so she couldn't figure out what he might have set. She then turned her attention back to the duel as she called out her move.

"Now mah Moray Nepenthes will attack yer Berry Magician Girl!"

"I activate the effect of my Berry Magician Girl, so I can switch her into defense mode. And then I can special summon a different 'Magician Girl' from my deck. So I choose my Apple Magician Girl(1200/1000)!" said Isaac as a floating apple appeared with wings on it as transformed into a girl wearing red garments.

"Either way, yer Berry Magician Girl is destroyed!" stated Applejack as she took out Isaac's baby magician. "And now mah monster's effect activates, so the monster it destroyed becomes an equipped card onto mah monster. Then I'll activate the effect of mah Rapid Seed Fire, so now ah send a 'Predaplant' monster from mah deck to not only lower yer monster's attack points by 600 but to deal you 300 points of damage!" stated the girl as some seeds fired from her spell as they landed near Isaac who covered up.
Isaac's Life Points: 7700-

"Then I play mah Foolish Burial so that I can send one card from mah deck to the graveyard," said the country girl as she selected another card to send off.

"What are you doing?" asked Isaac.

"You'll see soon, sugarcube. I end mah turn with a facedown."

Turn 3: Isaac

"My turn, I'll now summon my Magician's Valkyria(1600/1800). And then I'll play Dark Magical Circle so that I can look at the top 3 cards of my deck and add 'Dark Magician' or a 'Dark Magician' related spell or trap card to my hand." Isaac's duel disk then ejected his cards as he looked at them. "I'll take my Dark Magic Curtain," said Isaac as his duel disk ejected his card as he placed the other two cards in the order he wanted.

"I now end my turn."

Turn 4: Applejack

"Mah turn, I summon mah Predaplant Spinodionaea(1800/0). Then when he's summoned, ah can place a Predaplant Counter on one of yer monsters, so ah choose your Magician's Valkyria!" stated Applejack as her monster fired a seed as it attached to the girl's staff. "Now her level drops to one. Next up, ah place Mystical Space Typhoon. So yer Dark Magical Circle ain't gonna be banishin' any of mah critters anytime soon." A giant wind now blew over as it destroyed Isaac's card.

"Ah told you, city slicker. I ain't stupid."

"Yes, you aren't." chuckled Isaac.

"Trying to get me to blush, sugarcube. Don't think that's gonna throw off my focus. Now I'll activate mah Rapid Seed Fire, so ah send another 'Predaplant' from mah deck to the graveyard. So now both of yer monsters lose 600 attack points and you lose another 300 life points." stated Aj as more seeds bombarded Isaac's field.
Isaac's Life Points: 7400-

"Ah end mah turn."

Turn 5: Isaac

"My turn, and I'll place my Magician's Robes(700/2000) in defense mode. And then switch my Apple Magician Girl also into defense mode. I then end my turn."

Turn 6: Applejack

"Come on! Yer the World Champ, and you ain't attacking!" stated Applejack.

"I'm not the World Champion just simply cause I attack recklessly. It requires you to think about the field and to prepare. Besides, you're one to talk, Aj. You haven't launched an attack either. All you've been doing is chipping away at my life points bit by bit." stated Isaac. "Where's that country gal that I knew like to get down and dirty?" mocked the boy.

"You want me to get down and dirty?" stated Applejack as she cracked her neck a bit. "Sugar, you're gonna regret that. I draw! I now activate the effect of mah Predaplant Cordyceps, by banishin' it from mah graveyard, ah can summon 2 Level 4 or lower 'Predaplant' monsters from mah graveyard. So welcome mah Predaplant Lilizard(1200/1200) and Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra(1000/1500)." Aj now had two monsters appear as a lizard and snake-like plants appeared.

"Now two things happen. When mah Lilizard is summoned from the graveyard, ah can draw an extra card. Then since Darlingtonia Cobra was summoned by the effect of another Predaplant monster, ah can add a 'Polymerization' or 'Fusion' spell to mah hand." A snake with a body like a plant vine slithered in front of Applejack, its jaws patterned like flower petals. It opened the petals as there was the card she wanted as she grabbed it.

"Then I'm gonna activate mah Rapid Seed Fire once again, so ah send another Predaplant to mah graveyard to make yer monsters lose another 600 attack points and you another 300 points." stated the girl as more seeds bombard Isaac's field.
Isaac's Life Points: 7100-

"The monster ah sent to mah graveyard was another new addition to mah deck, mah Predaplant Bibrisup. And when it's sent to the graveyard, ah can add a 'Preda' monster to my hand from mah deck." said the country gal as she had another card eject from her duel disk.

"Ah now play Polymerization! So ah fuse mah Predaplant Lilizard and Darlingtonia Cobra!" Applejack’s two monsters swirled together in a vortex of green light. “Ah combine mah carnivorous reptile and mah venomous predator, and let a vicious new plant bloom!” Applejack took the card her duel disk ejected as she held it up high. “Ah, Fusion Summon Predaplant Chimerafflesia(2500/2000)!” A large coil of vines burst from the chasm and splayed out on the field. A large circular mouth ringed with teeth and surrounded by plump pink petals was at the end of the largest of the vines, and two smaller mouths rose beside it on smaller vines.

"Now ah activate mah Chimerafflesia's special ability, once per turn, ah can banish a monster on the field with a level equal to or less than it. So yer Apple Magician Girl is gone, which means you won't be triggering her effect!" stated Applejack as her Chimerafflesia lashed out its two mouthed vines towards Apple Magician Girl.

"Now, ah reveal mah facedown, Plant Food Chain. This trap gives mah Predaplant Moray Nepenthes an extra 500 attack points. So now, ah have it take out yer Magician's Valkyria!" stated the girl as her other monster took out Isaac's magician. "Like before, when mah Moray Nepenthes destroys a monster, it becomes an equip card to mah monster. And now to attack yer Magician's Robe with mah Chimerafflesia!"

"I activate the effect of my Magician's Robe. During your turn, I can send one spell or trap card from my hand to special summon my Dark Magician from my deck. So I'm discarding my Dark Magic Curtain!" Isaac's duel disk then shined brightly as out came his partner as descended onto the field.

"Good to see him again." smiled Applejack as she saw Isaac's Dark Magician as it reminded them of their high school days. "Either way with that new monster, ah now gonna target yer Dark Magician. And mah Chimerafflesia's other effect allows mah monster to gain 1000 attack points while yers lose 1000 attack points."

"Now quite, cause I reveal my Shift! So now your attack is redirected to my Magician's Robe!" said Isaac as his other monster took the hit and was destroyed.

"Still as hard to get rid of yer monster as ever. Your move, sugar."

Turn 7: Isaac

"My turn and to start, I activate my Thousand Knives to destroy your Chimerafflesia!" shouted the boy as tiny daggers appeared and were sent towards Aj's monster as it was destroyed.

"Now you won't be banishing any of my monsters. Next, I play Dark Magic Inheritance. So by banishing two spells from my graveyard, I can add a spell or trap that lists 'Dark Magician' or 'Dark Magician Girl' in its text." Isaac's duel disk then slid out his Thousand Knives and Dark Magic Curtain as he put them into the banished compartment of the device as he touched his screen to make his choice as it slid out the card for him to grab.

"I then play Diffusion Wave-Motion. So by paying 1000 life points, I can have my Dark Magician attack all of your monsters and they can't activate their effects when he destroys them!" shouted Isaac.
Isaac's Life Points: 6100-

Dark Magician then leaped into the air as its staff powered up. A ball of dark energy was manifesting as he pointed his staff at Aj's field and fired it as both of her monsters were destroyed.
Applejack's Life Points: 6400-

"With that, I end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 8: Applejack

"Not bad."

"As I said, I'm not the World Champion simply by not having a plan."

"Then it's mah move, I draw. And ah use the effect of Chimerafflesia in the graveyard. The turn after it gets destroyed, Ah can add a Fusion card from mah deck to mah hand.” She then touched her screen and searched for the card she wanted from her deck and then clicked on it as it slid out for her to grab. “Ah’ll take Fusion Recovery and activate it immediately to get Polymerization and Predaplant Spinodionaea back to mah hand." said the girl as two more cards slid out for her to grab.

"Ah then summon mah Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio(1200/800)!" A black scorpion appeared in front of Applejack, roots on its back running up to a plant sprout behind its stinger tail. "Now the effect of mah Scorpio activates, when he's summoned I can send one monster from mah hand to the grave, and in exchange, I can special summon one 'Predaplant' monster from mah deck. So an' send mah Rose Lover to mah grave and special summon mah Predaplant Flytrap(400/800) from the deck!” The ground in front of Applejack cracked open. A small spindly vine with hand-like leaves and a pair of jaws formed from two large leaves grew up from the crack.

"Ah then use Predaplant Flytrap’s special ability and place a Predator Counter on yer monster.”

"Not gonna happen, cause now since you target a spellcaster on my field, I can summon Palladium Oracle Mana(2000/1700) from my hand." Isaac now had his female magician appear as Mana was now wearing her Egyptian garments. "And with Palladium Oracle Mana on my field, all my Level 7 or higher spellcasters can't be destroyed by card effects. So your Predaplant Flytrap can't destroy it using its special ability."

"In that case, I'll pull back," said Aj as her monster slithered back to its mistress.

"That's not all since I activated an effect during your turn, I can summon back my Magician's Robe," said Isaac as he had another monster on his field.

"I end mah turn with a facedown."

Turn 9: Isaac

"My turn and I'll play Card of Sanctity so that we draw till we're holding six cards in our hand." said the boy as he and the girl refilled their hands. "I now play Impact Flip and equip it onto my Palladium Oracle Mana. Now to attack, Dark Magician attack her Predaplant Flytrap!"

"I reveal mah facedown, Dark Seed Planter! So now all yer monsters become Dark-types and then you none of yer Dark-type monsters can attack mah Dark-type monsters," said Applejack as she avoided Isaac's attack.

"I'm not liking what you just did, so I end my turn with two facedowns."

Turn 10: Applejack

"Oh, you're right to fear what I'm about to do. My draw!" shouted the girl. "Here's another new monster that's a part of mah deck, I place mah Predaplant Buforicyura in the other pendulum zone to complete my scale!" Applejack now placed her other monster in the other zone as her pendulum scale was complete as it spelled out the word in between them. "I now play Polymerization once more and combine mah Predaplant Flytrap and Ophrys Scorpio!" A purple vortex with tendrils of green energy appeared behind Applejack and drew in her two monsters. The vortex spun and flashed, its light growing. "By craftin' these ravenous plants together, I'll create a botanical nightmare! I Fusion Summon! Arise, Starving Venom Fusion Dragon(2800/2000)!" She slammed her card on her duel disk, the card tray lighting up purple.

The ground shook as a massive plant bud grew behind Applejack and rose into the air. It shone purple and burst apart, a dragon flying out of it and circling the field. Its body was lithe and green, armored in hardened purple growths with thorns emerging from them. Orbs of orange light lit up on its claws, shoulders, and wings, pulsing with energy. The dragon stopped its flight above Applejack, a vine-like tail lashing the air, and roared.

"But I ain't done, sweetheart. Cause now mah Starving Venom Fusion Dragon gains the attack points of all yer monsters!" said the girl. An aura of purple energy lit up over Isaac's field and trails of it swirled into Applejack’s dragon. The orbs on its wings grew brighter as it now had an attack power of 8000.

"Oh shit!" said Isaac as he saw AJ's dragon power up.

"Sugar, it's not over. I now activate Predapruning so that I can bring back mah Predaplant Chimerafflesia! Next, I'll activate mah monster's effect so that I can remove yer Magician's Robes." stated the girl as the vines wrapped around the monster and crushed it.

"Then ah play this, Super Polymerization! So ah combine yer Dark Magician with mah Chimerafflesia!" Both monsters then turned into lights and were sucked into a vortex. "Ah Fusion Summon, Predaplant Dragostapelia(2700/1900)!" Out emerged a monster as it let out a vicious roar as it unfurled its wings and showed off its claws as it hovered in the air next to its mistress.

"Two Fusion monsters?!" said Isaac.

"Now I activate mah monster's special ability, which means I can place a Predaplant Counter on one of yer monsters." Applejack's monster then opened its mouth as it fired a seed as it landed on Penny's Blackwing as it soon began to wrap around her monster as the vines were zapping away its power. "Then since yer monster has a Predaplant Counter, mah monster can be able to negate the effects of yer monster since it has the counter. And it's Level drops to one."

"Now Predaplant Dragonstapelia attack his Palladium Oracle Mana!" shouted Applejack as her monster took out Isaac's magician with ease.
Isaac's Life Points: 5400-

"Now the effect of Impact Flips activates, when it's sent to the graveyard, we both draw one card."

"It doesn't make a difference. Cause I got a powerful dragon that can wipe you out in a single hit." smiled Applejack as her dragon let out a roar. "So sugarcube, you gonna beg?"

"Yeah, right. I rather face your monsters than ever get down on my knees." replied the boy.

"Suit yerself, now Starving Venom Fusion Dragon attack him directly!" shouted Aj.

"You know you could have ended this duel if you attacked my Pallidum Oracle Mana with your dragon, Aj?"

"I could have, but those facedowns you still have. If I attacked with mah Starving Venom Dragon and you activate one of yer cards, then that attack would have backfired on me. So I choose to attack with mah other monster to test the water."

"Smart, but if I did have something to stop yer attack."

"If you did, you would have activated it to protect yer life points."

"But I could have also chosen not to activate it and then take the damage."

"But then I would attack with mah Starving Venom Fusion Dragon to end this duel liking I'm doing."

"But you didn't, did you?" smiled Isaac.

"Heh, you... you're something else, city slicker. Makin' me think and second guess mahself. You're more sly than a rattlesnake in a tall grass, it's one of the things that I love about you." smiled Applejack.

"Well, you were right. I did have something, but I was also banking that you would attack me with your weaker monster. It was a gamble, but it paid off. I reveal my facedown, Spellbinding Circle! So now your dragon can't attack and it loses 700 attack points," shouted Isaac as a magical circle came out and ensnared Aj's monster.

"So you did have a way to stop me if ah attack you with mah dragon first."

"Yup, I made a gamble, but I also made a safe bet. See my two facedowns were both a bluff and trap. Anybody would know not to attack careless with two facedowns. But then again, you could bluff and get into your opponent's head. So I prepared for both situations; then let it all up to you. I was hoping you would lean into playing it safe, that way I could stop your second attack. Granted I may have lost some points, but it was worth the price." said Isaac.

"Isaac, don't ever change." smiled the girl as she admired that the boy she knew was still the same. "Well, I end mah turn. Now mah dragon loses its extra points."

Turn 11: Isaac

"My turn and I play Graceful Charity so that I can draw three cards and discard two," said Isaac as he drew some more cards and selected the ones he wanted to get rid of. "I then activate the effect of my Magicians' Souls, so by sending it and my Apprentice Illusion Magician to my graveyard, I can summon my Dark Magician Girl from my graveyard!" stated he boy as he had his female sorcerer appear. "I now play Dark Burning Attack, so since I control Dark Magician Girl I can destroy all your monsters on the field!" Mana then lifted her wand high into the air as she prepared her spell. She then pointed her staff at Aj's monster and blasted them as they let out a roar.

"Now your wide open, Dark Magician Girl attack Applejack directly!" commanded the boy as she fired another attack as it made contact with the farm girl who covered up.
Applejack's Life Points: 4100-

"I now play the spell card, Spider Web. Now I can take one card from your graveyard that was sent during your turn and add it to my hand. So I choose your Polymerization!" said Isaac as a spider string shot out and attached to Aj's duel disk as it pulled out the card from her graveyard as Isaac grabbed it.

"Next, I'm playing my own fusion spell, Eye of Timaeus! So now I combine it with my Dark Magician Girl! I Fusion Summon, Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight(2600/1700)!" Out came his monster as his magician girl now wore a suit of armor as she raised a sword and rode on Timaeus' back as the dragon let out a roar.

"I end my turn."

Turn 12: Applejack

"Mah turn and I activate the effect of mah Chimerafflesia, so now I can add a 'Fusion' spell to mah hand." Applejack's duel disk then ejected the card she wanted. "I then summon mah Predaplant Squid Drosera(800/400) in defense mode." said the girl as a tiny plant-like squid came out and planted its roots on the ground.

"I end my turn."

Turn 13: Isaac

"My turn and I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior(1600/1000)! Now when Breaker is summoned, he gains a counter to give him 300 more attack points. But I'll remove that counter so that I can destroy one spell/trap card, so I get rid of your Dark Seed Planter!" Isaac's warrior then did a slash attack as it took out the card.

"Now, Breaker attack her Squid Drosera!" commanded Isaac as his warrior leaped high into the air and did a downward slash on Aj's monster.

"Now mah Squid Drosera's effect activates, so now all of your special summoned monsters gain a Predaplant Counter." said the girl as a seed attached to Isaac's fusion monster.

"Now to attack you directly, Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight, attack!" shouted the boy as his monster fired an attack as Aj dug her feet into the ground and slammed her duel disk into the ground to stabilize herself.
Applejack's Life Points: 1500-

"I end my turn."

Turn 14: Applejack

"My turn and I play this Plant Herbal Combination. So now I can conduct a fusion summon using monsters in mah graveyard. So I fuse mah Predaplant Squid Drosera, Flytrap, and Lilizard." Aj's three monsters then turned into purple lights as they were sucked into a vortex. "Ah Fusion Summon, Predaplant Triphyoverutum(3000/3000)!" Applejack's monster descended as it had three heads and it let out a triple roar.

"Now mah monster gains attack points to your Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight since it had a counter. So it now has 5600 attack points," informed Aj. "Now attack his Breaker!"

"I activate my facedown, Magicians' Defense. The damage I take is cut in half!" shouted Isaac as the blast made contact with the boy as she covered up with one arm as his feet skidded on the dirt.
Isaac's Life Points: 3400-

"I end my turn."

Turn 15: Isaac

"My turn and I activate Pot of Greed to draw two more cards. Then I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon so that I can destroy my Magicians' Defense. By doing that, I can bring back my Dark Magician. Then I play your Polymerization and fuse it with my Mirage Magician, thanks to her effect, she can substitute for a fusion material." said Isaac as his two monsters combined. "I Fusion Summon, Amulet Dragon(2900/2500)!"

"Not quite, cause I activate the effect of my Triphyoverutum, now if you summon a monster from yer Extra deck, then mah monster can negate it and destroy it!" said the farm girl as she got rid of Isaac's monster.

"Shit!" Isaac now looked at his hand as he had another plan. "I play Dark Magic Veil, so by paying 1000 life points I can summon a Dark spellcaster from my hand or graveyard. So I summon my Dark Magician of Chaos(2800/2500)! And by summoning my magician, I can add a spell card from my graveyard to my hand."
Isaac's Life Points: 2400-

"I then play the spell card, Card of Sanctity. So we draw till we're holding six cards. Then I play one card facedown and switch my Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight also to defense mode."

Turn 16: Applejack

"My turn and I play Dragon's Mirror." A large mirror appeared in the air, the wings, claws, and tail of a dragon carved from its frame. “This lets me banish the Fusion parts needed to summon a Dragon-type Fusion monster from mah graveyard and summon it. Ah, banish Predaplant Flytrap and Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!” The mirror pulsed and glowed purple, its surface cloudy. Applejack reached to her duel disk, fingers poised.

“Ah combine mah botanical nightmare and mah carnivorous predator, to bring out a toxic terror like no other!” The mirror cracked down the center, the image of glowing purple eyes appearing in either half. “Ah, Fusion Summon Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon(3300/2500)!” The mirror shattered and a massive dragon flew out of the frame. Its serpentine body was glowing blue, purple, and yellow, streaks of light along with its limbs. Wings like the growths of a plant spread behind it, crackling with energy. It circled to float in front of Applejack, roaring down at Isaac.

"Now since you control a monster with a Predaplant Counter, I can summon mah Predaplant Helimaphorhynchus(1200/2400)!" Applejack now had a dino-like monster appear on her field as it let out a cry.

"Now to clear yer field, cause I reveal mah facedown, Aggressive Leech! With this, I can now use two monsters and with it, I can conduct a double fusion summoning ignoring its summoning conditions, but the monsters that I summon have their effects negated. And thanks to the pendulum ability of my Predaplant Triantis, I can use both of my pendulum monsters as materials. So get ready to see two more new creatures! I combine both of mah pendulum monsters twice!" said Aj as her monster now entered a vortex.

"Say hello to mah Predaplant Anbromeridus(1000/2500) and Starving Venom Predator Fusion Dragon(3600/2500)!" commanded Aj as field was now filled with tons of powerful creatures. "Time to win, Greedy Fusion Dragon take out his Dark Magician of Chaos!"

"When he's destroyed, he's banished from the duel," said Isaac as he removed his card.

"Now mah other dragon attack him directly!"

"I send Kuriboh from my hand so that I take no damage!" shouted Isaac as his tiny monster appeared and protected him.

"Just like back then, in that case, Triphyoverutum attack..."

"I reveal Negate Attack!" shouted Isaac.

"Ah hate you," snickered Aj as she ended her turn.

Turn 17: Isaac

"My turn, and now I'll play Magician Fusion Gate. This spell lets me fusion summon using monsters in my graveyard or Extra Deck, and I can also use this spell to substitute for a fusion material! So I'll use it with my Dark Magician!" Isaac's spell and his magician both turned into lights as they entered a vortex behind him as everybody was seeing what he was doing. "I Fusion Summon, Lychinus Enchanter(2800/2500, Level 8, Scale 1)!"

Isaac now had a pendulum fusion monster on his field as out came a male adult magician who wore a bycocket(robin hood hat) on his head as he wore a black cape and a magician's robe with the sleeves cut off as in his left hand was a staff that was the same height as him and in his belt, there was a small dagger as his outfit consisted of yellow, red, and black, with a hit of silver as he wore boots.

"Did you forget about mah Triphyoverutum? He can negate yer monster's summon."

"Not this time, cause since I used Magician Fusion Gate to summon a fusion monster, its summoning can't be negated."

"Even so, your monster is weaker than mines."

"Then it's a good thing that I'm ending this duel right now, cause I activate my Lychinus Enchanter's special ability, once per turn, I can deal you damage equal to a spellcaster in my graveyard. So I choose my Dark Magician and that means, you lose," said Isaac as his magician then infused his staff with the power of his fallen comrade as he shot it towards Applejack who covered up as it hit dead on as she smiled.
Applejack's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac

---

"Good game, Isaac."

"You're still one tough country gal. Nice new monsters, by the way."

The two took a while to sit down as they had to catch a breath from that duel. After a while, they grabbed the baskets full of apples as they began to walk back towards the barn. The sun was slowly starting to set. The pair put the baskets in the barn as they would soon be turned into cider.

"Thanks for helpin', sugarcube."

"Anytime, Aj."

"Say, seeing as how you came to visit. I'd figured, if you don't have anything else, then about we go out for some drinks. Talk a bit and catch up. My treat." offered Applejack.

"That sounds nice."

"Great, just give me a few minutes."

Isaac now pulled out his phone as he received a message from Juniper telling her client that she booked his flight for him tomorrow afternoon. She figured she'd give time for him to say goodbye and get some breakfast before he had to fly back to her to handle some small duties. After that, he would then be on his way to his other friends. He sent his reply and put it away as at that moment out came Applejack. Nothing changed other than she just cleaned her hair from the small specks of dirt and she was without her stetson hat.

"Well, what do you think partner?"

"You look... beautiful," said Isaac as it was the first thing that came into his mind.

She smiled, seeming pleased and yet embarrassed. "Well gosh, you still know how to flatter a lady?" smirked the girl.

The pair now got out of the car as they had arrived at where Applejack wanted to take Isaac. The bar was country-themed, and a lot of the patrons were wearing cowboy hats. The place was called Silver Dollar as it was a good place to enjoy a night out. Aj then linked her arm with Isaac's as she pulled them inside. Upon entering some of the patrons took notice of the pair as they saw Isaac. They knew he was the World Champ, as a few made some warm comments to which Isaac thanked them.

They both found a table as the pair sat down and as a waitress came over to take their orders. The music being played, country style of course. The mood was high, people were laughing, eating, drinking, some were even dancing or playing pool. As the pair were talking and catching up, the waitress came back and placed two glasses with cider on the table. Aj reached for one of the glasses and took a sip. More drinks and more stories were shared, they laughed, and even argued a few times, but it never crossed the line. Before they knew it, they were now sitting at a bigger table with more people and more drinks were consumed. People sang, laughed, and yelled.

Isaac had no idea how it happened, but suddenly he found himself arm wrestling with Applejack?

It's no secret that Applejack was strong, but HELL! She was insanely strong, so much that they were both locked in place as Isaac's muscles were bulging. Applejack seemed to have a great time, but even she seemed to struggle and put as much effort into winning as she could. The table was shaking as both held each other in a tight lock, now it was a battle of endurance!

"You think you can outmuscle me, city slicker," said Aj grunting.

"I'm not trying to. Besides, you're slowing down. Did you forget that I had a lot of energy and drive when I took on Starlight in a one-hour duel? So that means, the longer this goes... means I have the advantage." said Isaac as he was showing off his high levels of endurance and stamina.

Even Applejack was worried as she knew Isaac had insane levels of stamina.

"Then you should show that to Twilight on your wedding night."

"Nice try, Aj. But that mind trick ain't gonna work. Nothing is gonna break my focus." said Isaac as he saw through Aj's trick as she was sweating hard.

At some point, it had become a battle between the males, who were on Isaac's side of the table, and the ladies, who were on Applejack's side. Both sides cheered and yelled at us, but at some point, one of the ladies leaned down and whispered something to Applejack. Whatever it was made her blush and glance down, which in turn made Isaac glance down as well. The way they sat made Applejack's wide shirt tighten and low enough for Isaac to see plenty of her cleavage. Applejack took advantage of that short lapse in focus and finished her friend off, his hand slammed against the table, making the glasses jump and shake for a moment, and making the group of ladies behind Aj jump and cheer, and of course, made the guys behind Isaac groan and laugh at his weakness.

Applejack was blushing as she adjusted her shirt. When the initial embarrassment had passed she looked at Isaac with a sly smirk. "I win sugarcube."

"Bullshit! You cheated!"

"How so?"

"You!... you... you..." Isaac was now having a tough time with what he wanted to say. "You... know..." He now started to roll his hands as he didn't want to sound like a pervert.

"Well?" smirked Aj even more.

"You... you... uh, exposed... your bosom." said Isaac in a quiet tone while looking away.

Applejack just simply laughed. She then grabbed Isaac's arm and hauled him to the dance floor, much to the entertainment of the entire pub. From there, the pair enjoyed themselves, moving to the rhythm of the music playing. After a while, the pair now walked to the bar, needing something to drink.

The bartender came up to us with a smirk of his own. "So, what can I get you two?"

"Just some water. With ice, lots of ice," Isaac answered, with Applejack agreeing, ordering the same.

Looking at his watch Isaac realized just how late it was, and just how long they had been here. "Damn, it's late. I'll go pay the bill, then we can leave after our final drinks."

Applejack nodded. "Sounds good, you go ahead, I'm just going to relax for a bit."

"Be right back."

Isaac left her to relax a bit with her cold water while he went to the cash register to get the bill and pay so they could leave soon after. As he was paying, however, the boy noticed a guy had walked up to Applejack and started to make moves on her. She didn't seem interested at all.

One thing Isaac quickly noticed was that the guy was not from around town, he wasn't a regular, which explained why he dared go up and chat to his friend. Anyone from town who had seen them together would not have done it and he could already tell those who saw it was looking disapprovingly at him.

For the moment, the flirting seemed innocent enough, nothing more than a few one-liners and so on. Though as soon as his hand found its way to her ass, Isaac knew he had to step in, or at least he thought so. Barely a second after the guy had touched her, Applejack swung around using the momentum of the swing and her pure strength to kick the guy so he flew back a few meters. Isaac had hoped they could avoid this kind of attention, Applejack was strong, so strong he almost felt bad for the guy who had laid a hand on her, but only almost. Unfortunately, it seemed the show was not over, the guy had friends, friends that didn't seem to appreciate their friend getting kicked. As soon as he saw the expressions on their faces and them getting up, Isaac made his move and walked over to Applejack. The first one tried to grab her, but he leaped forward and by reflex, sucker-punched him across his jaw.

"Don't touch her!" yelled Isaac, which gained the attention of everyone, but he didn't care. The rest of them glared at us, and the two idiots they had already knocked down stood up again.

"You're dead!"

In that moment all the other patrons stood up and walked closer, giving the four men a visual warning that if they wanted to fight the pair, they would get their asses kicked by the entire town.

"I think it's time for you gentlemen to get the hell out of our town." The owner of the pub said from behind the bar.

They seemed pissed but did not dare do anything stupid, and so they were about to leave but were blocked off by some of the regulars.

"Haven't you forgotten something?"

The owner coughed. "Your bill."

Isaac and Applejack couldn't help but smirk as the four morons were forced to pay the bill before they were forced to leave. When it was all over the entire pub burst into laughter, people came over and patted Isaac and Aj on the back, saying it was an amazing display, and congratulating the boy on defending the girl.

Looking to Applejack who seemed pretty pleased with the result, thought the same as Isaac, it was time to head home. One of the regulars called them a cab, even paid him for them, guess that's what a tight-knit community does for each other. The drive was short, but Applejack still leaned against the boy during the trip, if it was not for the adrenaline and the excitement, Isaac figured they would have fallen asleep right then and there. But when the small dirt road leading to the farm came into view. Isaac leaned towards the driver on the front seats.

"Stop here, we'll walk the rest of the way."

The car stopped and they both got out, starting to walk down the road, first in silence, but then, Applejack started to giggle. "You sure hit that fella so hard it hurt." She smirked, stepped closer, and leaned against Isaac a little. "Thank you for defending me."

Isaac snorted a little. "Didn't look like you needed any help, you almost kicked that idiot into next week."

She blushed and shrugged. "Well, even I wouldn't be able to handle all four of them, and you did save me. You're still playing the hero."

Applejack gave Isaac's arm a squeeze and he blushed in return, however, before the boy could reply the first raindrops fell down, and he looked up. "Damn, it's supposed to rain tonight." As soon as those words had left his mouth, it was like the sky itself opened up, unleashing the waterfall of rain that soaked us within seconds.

They started to run down the road, laughing like teenagers who had been out way too late. Isaac had given his cap to Applejack to wear to protect herself. The pair now arrived at the door as Aj pulled out her keys and the two entered all soaked, Isaac being a bit more than Applejack.

"Thanks, sugarcube," said Aj as she handed her cap back to Isaac.

"Thanks for a great night out," said Isaac as he wrung out his cap. "Well, I think it's time we get some sleep."

"You can stay the night," said Applejack trying to dry her hair.

"Mind if I get the couch?" asked Isaac.

"To be honest, you can share my bed."

"You sure?"

"Don't try anything funny, now. Unless you want a punch like that guy," said Aj.

"I won't try anything without a girl's permission," said Isaac putting his hands up.

Applejack smiled as she planted her lips on Isaac's as the two wrapped their arms around each other. Then broke apart as the boy and girl smiled. Isaac then grabbed his backpack as he followed Aj up the stairs as she lead the boy to the bathroom so that he could change out of his wet clothes. After hanging their wet clothes, both of them were now in Aj's bed as the pair now drifted off to sleep after a pleasant day.

Author's Notes:

With the new Predaplant cards that are going to be released soon, I'd figured I would show them off for you guys.

Predaplant Triantis
Predaplant Buforicyura
Predaplant Bibrisup
Predaplant Anbromeridus
Starving Venom Fusion Dragon

Chapter 6: The Nickname

The morning came as the rooster on the farm let out a cry. The sun coming over the horizon. All the animals on the farm let out collective grunts and respective sounds. The rays of the morning star entered the room as it hit the face of a certain cowgirl. Applejack blinked for a bit as she saw the sun as which meant she needed to get up. She then grabbed her Stenson hat and sat up on her bed as she let out a stretch. She put on her vest as she looked behind her to see Isaac. The boy was still asleep from their night out as he was peacefully dreaming as his cap had fallen in front of him on the bed.

Aj couldn't help but smile at her friend as she enjoyed their night out. She then leaned down to address Isaac.

"Get some more rest, city slicker." responded the country gal as she planted a quick peck on his cheek. "You're on the road so much, you deserve it."

Aj then began to exit her room quietly as she closed the door to allow the city boy to sleep. She then began to walk downstairs as her brother and sister were already as they began to start their morning chores. For the next few hours, the Apple family was hard at work doing their usual duties. Eventually, Granny Smith and Sugarbelle had finished making breakfast as they called the Apple siblings to eat.

They all washed up and began to sit down as Applejack had emerged from the bathroom as she was drying her face.

"AJ, be a dear and wake yer beau, will you?" asked Granny Smith.

"Granny!!!" shouted Aj. "Isaac's got a fiancé in Twilight." The country girl began to climb the stairs towards her room as her family all snickered and laughed at what Granny did to embarrass Applejack.

Applejack now opened the door slightly as she peaked her head. Isaac was still fast asleep as she slowly entered. She then made her way to the bed as she saw the boy with the covers over his body. Aj did admit that she found Isaac sleeping rather cute, regardless she began to gently nudge the boy. After a few nudges, Isaac began to open his eyes slowly. He blinked a few times as his vision was coming to him.

"Applejack?" said the boy as he blinked.

"Rise and shine, sugarcube."

"What time is it?" yawned Isaac.

"Time for breakfast. So get yerself ready and join us," smiled Aj as she grabbed Isaac's cap on the bed and put it on his head. She winked as she left the room as the boy sat and stretched.

Isaac now put on his hoodie as he grabbed his backpack. He now exited out of Aj's room as he entered the bathroom and began to wash his face as the cold water hit his face which was both refreshing and woke him up. Once he was done, he then descended the stairs as she saw the entire family already at the table as they smiled at the World Champion.

"Dig in," said Granny Smith to the boy.

"I appreciate this, everyone."

"Isaac, do you really have to go?" asked Applebloom as she looked at the older boy with a set of sad eyes.

"Unfortunately, yes. I wish I could stay longer, Applebloom. But I got things to do. Besides, I still have to prep for my duel that's coming up." said Isaac as he told the small girl.

"But are you coming back and visiting us?"

"Of course, I will." smiled the boy as he rubbed Applebloom's hair as she smiled.

With that, everybody now began to eat as Isaac sat down next to Aj as the two friends smiled. Even after all this time, the Apple family made some of the best food that the boy ever tasted. Once everybody had their fill, Isaac made a call to Juniper as they talked about the small things he had to do heading back. Once the conversation was over, Isaac then began to get ready as he would need to get to the airport.

Though he couldn't leave without granting Applebloom a duel as she had been dying for. So everybody gathered in front of the house as the two went at it. For Isaac, he was smiling at how Applebloom had grown since he had last the girl. The final exam that he tested the CMC was used to see if the girls were ready to take over, and with the new programs being taught at CHS, the girls were that much better and more polished. However, Applebloom was also getting a first-hand experience at why Isaac was the World Champion.

Once their duel was over, Isaac gave his praises and critic on Applebloom's dueling. She gave a hug to the boy as he patted her head. Aj also gave her little sister a hug at how much she'd grown. Though, of course, everybody wanted to see the two friends go at one last time as both Applejack and Isaac decided to have one final duel before he left as the two put on their duel disks.

It was now an hour or two later as a truck now arrived in front of the airport. Aj had decided to take her friend to the place as the two were now standing in front of the building.

"Thanks for the ride, Aj," said Isaac as he slung his backpack over his right shoulder.

"No worries, sugar. It's was nice to see you and catch up." smiled the country gal. "Good luck in yer duel. Don't upset Applebloom by losin'."

"I'll do my best." chuckled Isaac.

Applejack also let out a chuckle. She leaned in and planted a kiss on the boy's lips as she pulled back.

"Be safe, city slicker."

"You as well, Jacklyn," said Isaac as he tipped his cap at his friend. He then waved goodbye as he entered the airport and made his way to his flight.

---

It was a few hours on the plane as the waitress had delivered Isaac's beverage as he thanked the lady. He was sitting down at a table with his deck and cards all scattered in front of him. The boy was looking at them as he was talking to his comrades. Isaac's duel disk was also in front of him as he was getting a call on it. He pushed the button as the image of Juniper came up as the girl was checking in on her client. They were going over some of the things he had to do before he would continue with his special training.

The plane touched down as it landed on the runway. Isaac then exited out of the jet as he walked down the stairs. He saw Juniper waiting for him, he hugged the girl as the two entered the limo as it was taking the pair to their hotel. Once they were checked in, Isaac then pulled out his phone as he made a call to one of his close acquittances as they had to have a meeting tomorrow before he would attend the Q & A panel for a small convention he was scheduled for.

The next day came, as Isaac emerged from the hotel as Juniper was already outside on her tablet taking care of some things. They soon got into the car that was sent to them as the pair entered and it took them to the location where Isaac was going to meet his acquaintances.

They arrived at the building as Isaac got out of the limo and looked up at it. He'd been here so many times since becoming a pro, that it was sort of like a second home to him in ways. Both he and Juniper told the driver that they wouldn't need him for a few hours until the panel tonight. They both entered the place as they stepped through the doors and to the elevators. They pushed a secret button as it was taking them to a private floor that only certain people had access to. Once they got to their floor, Juniper told Isaac to contact her when all was done. With that, the doors opened as only Isaac got off and it closed behind him.

Isaac walked after exiting the elevator as he was heading towards a door. He then grabbed its handle and entered. Upon entering the entire room was dark with only the area being dimly light with some form of light was in the center of the room with a round table surrounded by six chairs. Isaac then walked to one of them as he sat down and he looked at the smallholder in the arm. He pulled out his deck as he put it in as the system for the entire room was now powered up.

"Scanning... Name... Isaac." said the A.I. as it did the final security measures to make sure that it was the boy himself. "Welcome back, sir."

Now the entire room lit up as it had several Duel Monsters training devices as well as tons of posters along the wall that depicted the famous duelists throughout history. Behind them in the room next to them were some fields to which duels could take place. Isaac then looked up at the center wall as there were the pictures of the Big 5 and his pals, which brought a smile to the boy's face.

His deck then ejected for him to grab as he now placed it on the table spreading the cards out. Once more he was looking and talking with them as he was preparing himself for his upcoming duel with the training he was undergoing. Isaac now took one last look around the room as he was reminded of a memory.

(Memory, Three Months Ago)

Isaac was currently doing some last minute dueling exercises as he was in this room. It was late at night as the only light was from the moonlight as well as a few dim lights. He was preparing for his duel tomorrow which was where he would win and become World Champion. And right now, one person had decided to stay behind and train the kid as it was none other than his idol.

"Come on! Keep pushing!" shouted Yugi as he watched Isaac train. "Counter his card, then fire back with yours. Summon your monster, go in for the attack!"

Isaac was working up a sweat as he continued his training as he was pushing himself to the limits.

"That's it. Keep going," said Yugi as he saw Isaac stop for a moment, "I didn't the hear the MC announce the winner, keep going!" instructed the King of Games as Isaac went back to the exercises and kept on pushing for a few more moments until Yugi called it.

"Alright, that's it. Memorize! See that person in front of you! You see yourself doing right and you'll do right!" shouted the boy as Isaac heard the motivated. "Time!" shouted Yugi as Isaac now stopped and began to take some deep breaths.

"My god, Isaac. You're ready," said Yugi as he now approached the boy.

"That duelist won't know what hit him when you get on the field. You're gonna roll over him like a bulldozer. You know, bud. I know how you feel about this duel that's coming. Cause I was in the same position as you were and I'll tell you something. Well, if you weren't here, me and the others would already hanged up our careers. The fact that you're here and doing as well as you're doing gives me motivation to stay alive. Cause I think people die sometimes when they don't want to live no more."

"Nature is smarter than people think," said Isaac as he was looking at the memory from the outside.

"Nature is smarter than people think. Little by little, we lose our friends, we lose everything. We keep losing and losing till we say, why am I still here? I got no reason to keep going on. But with you, kid. Me and the others have a reason to keep going on. We're in the Twilight era of our careers, but you... your career is only getting started. Me and the guys, we've had our run. We've had our fame, adventures, our legacy. ​And we're gonna keep watching you do good. A new generation is upon us, and you're part of that. Time to let you create your path, your own legacy."

"And I'll never leave you," repeated Isaac.

"And we'll never leave you. Cause when that does happen, and all of us hand it all over to you. You'll not only know how to duel, you'll be able to take care of yourself outside the dueling field, is that okay?" asked Yugi.

"It's okay," responded Isaac.

"Okay. Now I got a little gift for you."

"No, Yugi. You didn't have to do that," said Isaac as he saw his friend retrieve an item.

"Come on, here. This box is the last thing that I have with me. This box was where I kept my most precious cards, not just to me, but also the ones that were special to Atem. This box also held the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle when I first put it together. I had it with me when I dueled him and allowed him to final rest in peace. It holds memories, and now... I give this box to you. For you to create your memories." said Yugi as he handed the golden box to Isaac.

"Yugi..." said Isaac as he held his idol's most precious belonging as he then looked at his friend.

"It's gonna be like an angel that's on shoulder and if you ever get hurt and you fell like you're going down. Just remember, an angel's voice is gonna whisper in your ear and it's gonna say: GET UP!! GET UP!!! Cause me and the guys love you," stated Yugi.

"Okay?"

"Thanks, Yugi," said Isaac as he hugged his friend as Yugi returned the gesture.

"We love you, bud."

"And I love you," stated Isaac as he hugged his idol.

"Now go after him, kid. Go after him, we're rooting for you," said Yugi as he put his hand on Isaac's shoulder as he was holding the box in his hand. The pair now exited the room with everything fading to darkness.

(End of Memory)

"You and the guys," said Isaac as he was remembering that scene. "Thanks."

"Always, the first here. And the last person to leave," said a voice.

That got Isaac's attention as he snapped out of his thinking. He looked up and saw who it belonged.

"And you're always late,... Yuya." snickered Isaac.

Standing at the door was a boy who had crimson eyes and dual-colored green and crimson hair of average length sticking out in downwards pointing spikes all around his head. He wore a pendant on a simple string around his neck, and a buckled choker, and a pair of golden goggles with orange lenses on his forehead, with a blue star obscuring the right lens. He had on a simple orange t-shirt with a thick, silver-buckled brown belt over it, green pants with what appear to be "Deck pockets" on each leg, and magenta shoes, as well as crimson wristbands. He also wore a gold and red lined white school jacket over his shoulders like a cape.

"Hey, I left early to beat the rush hour. Traffic is crazy," said Yuya as he now walked towards the table and sat down in his chair as he put his deck inside the holder.

"Scanning... Name... Yuya Sakaki. Welcome back, sir." responded the system as it ejected his cards.

"So has it been since becoming World Champion?" asked the boy to his friend.

"A lot of work, no joke. The grind is real, but... I enjoy it. Being involved in the community, giving back, performing. I love all of it. And I have no regrets about it." smiled Isaac.

Soon the door opened up as in came some more people. Four individuals all entered the room.

One of them had tan skin, a somewhat muscular-looking physique, black hair with gold highlights, and royal blue eyes. The upper layer of his hair jutted upwards while the lower layer arched down. The person wore a long-sleeved blue jacket with a high collar and amber gems, over a sleeveless black shirt with a red symbol, and wore gloves below his elbows with an amber gem on them. His lower body consists of black jeans with amber knee pads, a belt with two deck holsters hidden under his jacket, and calf-high motorcycle boots.

The second person had tan skin, red eyes, and black and red spiked hair that pointed out and upward. He wore a key of sorts around his neck that was being held by a black string. He too had a device over his left eye as it was white and yellow with a green lens. He wore a red vest with a white hood and a blue sleeveless shirt with a green "D" symbol; he also wore white pants with designs of three orange moon crescents attached with yellow outlines at the bottom, a white brown-stripe belt, and black with blue streaks shoes with white straps. Other accessories included a brown fingerless glove on his left hand, a black protective pad on his right elbow, and a thick, dark blue bracelet with light blue gems and red outlines on his right wrist.

The third individual wore a Slifer Red uniform, unbuttoned, and a black shirt underneath. A deck box was strapped above his waistline, largely hidden beneath the lower rim of his jacket. He wore an Academy-issued Duel Disk on his left arm customized with red outlines; his brown eyes were positioned directly beneath the bangs of the layer closest to his face, and he wore dark pants.

And the last individual to file through the door was a small boy that had a male high school uniform with a closed buckled collar. However, the most visually appealing about the person was their hair. His extremely extravagant hair featured multiple layers including long blond crooked, pointy locks for his fringe; the rest featured a set of five large spikes and two smaller spikes colored black with a magenta sheen along the edges.

They all then sat at their chairs as they slotted in their decks.

"Scanning... Names... Yusei Fudo... Yuma Tsukumo... Jaden Yuki... and Yugi Moto. Welcome back, sirs." said the A.I.

"Good to be back," said Jaden as he put his hands behind his head and leaned back.

"So, how was the trip?" asked Isaac to his pals.

"The flight was too long," complained Yuma as he plopped his head on the table with a thud sound. "Ow." groaned the boy.

"Well, glad everyone could make it," smiled Yugi.

"So, what's on the agenda? Other than simply congratulating Isaac on becoming World Champion. Congrats, bud."

"Thanks, Yusei."

"Well, I got in contact with the Dueling Committee, and they've been discussing something." Yugi then pulled out an item from his pocket, and he placed it in the middle of the table.

The item began to turn on, as it was now protecting holograms and designs that all the other duelists were looking around the room as it expanded. Soon all six duelists were now looking at the image in the center as it was a building.

"What is it, Yugi?" asked Yuya.

"This is the blueprints for the new stadium that the Dueling Committee is hoping to fund. But the thing that makes this stadium special is that all forms of dueling are going to be incorporated. A racetrack for Turbo Dueling, an ARC projector for Action Duels, the new V.R technology that's going to take the action and damage more real than it is now." informed the boy as all the others were looking at the different parts

"Awesome, so when do we get to see it?" asked Yuma with excitement.

"It's still in the planning phase, Yuma. Besides, there's another reason why they're thinking about this idea," stated Yugi. "It involves something of a little competition."

"Competition, you say? Now you're speaking my language," stated Jaden as now hyped.

"So the plan is to create the blueprints on how the stadium will be constructed. Then the Dueling Committee is going to try to find the funds to get it built. Once they pass all the regulations and safety measures. So realistically, they hope to build this new dueling arena in 3 to 5 years from now. Then to commemorate it, they want to hold a special dueling event. Possibly having all of us duel."

The device shut down as all the holograms ended.

"Well, I hope it gets approved. That way I'll prove I'm the best duelist between all of us!" stated Yuma stood in his chair.

"Hate to break it to you, Yuma. But there's no way your Xyz monsters can beat my Fusion Elemental Heroes," stated Jaden as he too let his competitive side show.

"It's all about Synchro Summoning, guys. Quick on the draw and quick on summoning your monsters," chimed in Yusei.

"Don't forget about Pendulum power," said Yuya.

"Settle down, guys. Save that for the field, speaking of which." Yugi then pushed a button next to him as the lights in the room behind Isaac now turned on.

The entire dueling arena now lit up as the field came online.

"Time to have fun," said Yugi as everyone now stood up from their chairs and began to make their way to the huge dueling field where all six of them would be taking each other on in respective duels.

All the boys were now making their way when Yugi saw Isaac still sitting down in his chair.

"Hey, Isaac. I just wanted to say that congrats on becoming World Champ. Wish I could have celebrated with you, but I had other commitments."

"It's fine Yugi. I appreciate it though. You know when I was in that duel, I was remembering the lessons that you all taught me before I became a pro. When we dueled, I told you that I was gonna get stronger."

"And you did. So how about showing me that in our duel?" asked Yugi as he wanted to battle his friend during their small get-together with the rest of their pals.

"Alright," smiled Isaac as he now stood up and walked with Yugi towards the others.

The two arrived on the field as Yusei was already taking on Jaden in a duel while Yuya and Yuma were going at each other. In the third field, Isaac and Yugi took their respective positions as they activated their duel disks and slotted in their decks. For the next few hours, all six friends began to enjoy their hang out as they dueled against each other all with smiles on their faces.

---

It was now about to be nighttime as Isaac was the last person to leave. He exited out of the elevator as Juniper was sitting on the couch in the lobby with her tablet in her hand. She was taking some last-minute details as she looked up and saw Isaac.

"So, did you all have fun?" asked the girl.

"It was nice to see the guys again. I do look forward to our meets up." smiled Isaac.

"Well, we've got to get to the panel," said Juniper as she uncrossed her legs and stood up as the pair now headed out of the building as they entered the limo.

It wasn't long as soon the ride was over as the convention was already underway. People could be seen entering and leaving the building as Isaac and Juniper entered through the side entrance reserved for the special guests. The security allowed them in as they were welcomed by one of the moderators and his two assistants as they were now making their way to a spot on the main floor. They arrived as the World Champ and his agent could see tons of people getting seated as there was a microphone in the middle aisle that would serve for the Q&A portion of the panel. The camera crew was setting up the video recorder as they would be recording the panel for people to see on the internet.

After a few minutes, it was time as the moderator made her way onto the stage and sat down at the table.

"Mic, check. How's everyone doing tonight?" asked the moderator as the crowd made some noise. "Alright, we thank you for coming out tonight. I'm Melissa, and I'll be the head moderator for this Q&A." said the women as applauses were heard.

"Now them, we want to thank everybody for coming out tonight. I know not everybody could be present here, but the ones that could make it today, thank you," said Melissa as the people clapped some more.

"Now then, I know everybody is excited and you have a ton of questions so... without further ado. Let's get started. Please help me in giving a warm welcome to the person who's not only the World Champion but also today's guest. It's Isaac." said the woman as she pointed to the side as both Juniper and Isaac now made their way on stage as they waved to them as they were given a thunderous greeting by the crowd.

The pair now sat down as the chants for the boy were still going. Some of the backstage crew quickly came out as they placed some bottles of water in front of the boy and girl as they tested out the mics.

"Testing, testing, perfect," said Isaac as everybody could hear him as they went nuts at hearing his voice as it got the boy to smile.

"All right, so what we're gonna do real quick folks before we get started a couple of quick notes again because now we have everyone joining us, uh have you two ladies stand up," said Melissa as she pointed to her two assistants.

"So this is Lexi and Santana, I am training them today. This is their first panel they're going to work as moderators for me this weekend."

"Oh, great." smiled Isaac.

"So, Isaac is a very tough one to do," stated Melissa. "Number one: do not make direct eye contact with Isaac at any time." joked the women as everybody let out a small chuckle. "Number two: it's always Isaac sir, and number three: if he says someone is kicked out. It usually means he wants them shot in the back of the building."

"It's true," joked Isaac as the crowd and everybody laughed.

"So everyone else behaves accordingly. That said, we'll do a short introduction here in a second, and then if we do Q&As, if you have questions there's a microphone right there. We asked just to line up with that microphone, and then speak into it. So that said ladies and gentlemen, I'm gonna let him introduce himself. Isaac." said Melissa as she turned it over to the boy.

The crowd applauded as they showed their admiration for the World Champion and his agent.

"Hello, hello, everybody. Welcome to tonight's expo and convention. Glad I was able to make an appearance. Uh, I'm Isaac. I'm a duelist and currently ranked as the World Champion. I'm 21 years old and I'm from Chicoltgo." said Isaac as he gave his brief intro as a light applause was heard.

"I'm so excited to be here and I don't have much more to say about myself. So I'd be happy to start up some questions," said the boy to Melissa.

"I'll start with a few ones and then we'll turn it over to the audience." said the woman as she pulled out some notecards. "So, I think a big one people want to know is: how did you get started with Duel Monsters?"

"So for me, my career and life with Duel Monsters, started when I was little. Growing up in Chicoltgo, living with my parents in an apartment. Having to pay rent, hanging out with the kids in my neighborhood. And to me, Duel Monsters was a sort of escape I guess you could say. Seeing the city and the things that happen on the streets on a daily basis. It can be easy to fall into all of that." said Isaac.

"My parents, they did their best to give me the things that I need. And they tried to shield me from seeing some unpleasant things, but they knew that they couldn't protect me from everything. So I began to watch things play out from my front steps. But Duel Monsters, as you all know, was the one thing that brought people's attention. No matter what, people would always drop whatever they were doing whenever a duel occurred. So I took that into perspective and as a young kid, you don't think too much about it. Cause it's just a game. But as I've grown and my mindset has developed a bit more. I look back, and I see that Duel Monsters was my saving grace from potentially being a product of the streets."

"Excellent, uh, how long did it take for you to build your deck? This is a question that I'm sure many of our people in attendance want to know," asked Melissa.

"Well, to be honest, it took a rather long time. See, my deck, as crazy as it sounds. It's been with me since I was a kid. Most of the cards have been with me since I was a child. So let me tell you a story, is that my mother wasn't the biggest fan. Yeah, shocker." joked Isaac as everybody also chuckled.

"She didn't realize what the hype was behind a card game that looked to be for kids. But once she saw that it was all types of people that played this game, uh, she kinda soften to the idea. She wasn't full-on board with me becoming a duelist per se. So, one day, she surprised me with a tin box full of cards. She managed to save up a portion of the money for rent and decided to get me some cards. Now in her mind, she just figured she get her son something so that I wouldn't bother her. But it was that gift that my mother gave me which helped spark my passion for the game. And when I opened up that box and saw the cards, I just hugged and thanked her."

"And the last question that I have before we turn it over is World Champion, good or bad?"

"Ah man, you're asking the hard-hitting questions," stated Isaac as everybody chuckled.

"Well first off, I want to say that none of this would be possible by myself if I didn't have a wonderful agent in Juniper Montage," said Isaac as he looked at the girl sitting next to her. "She's an incredibly hard worker, we're always discussing things that people want me to do. She lets them know what I can't and can do. There are times when I'm doing things like podcasts, TV shows; she's busy handling other stuff. The grind for her never stops and I tell her to take a break now and then, but she's a bit stubborn." said Isaac as the crowd also laughed.

"But the best thing about having her is I can always count on her to get the job done. Just as I do my job out on that dueling field, she does the same thing behind the scenes. And for that, I couldn't be more grateful than to have a girl like her as my agent." smiled the boy as Juniper smile back as they applauded her.

"Very touching," smiled Melissa. "Well then, I think that covers all the general questions that I have. Now, we're gonna open it to the audience to see if they have anything they would like to ask Isaac. Remember, come up and do not forcibly grab the microphone. So, anybody wants to start, go ahead."

A few seconds passed before someone approached the microphone as the nearby crew was adjusting it.

"So, I have a question?"

"What's your name?" asked Isaac.

"Daniel."

"Nice to meet you, Daniel."

"Nice to meet you. So, what advice would you give in helping to pick out your signature card?"

"What advice? Honestly, use any cards except the ones in my deck. You're not worthy of using them." joked Isaac as everybody laughed. "Honestly, when it comes to picking out your signature card, it doesn't have to be a monster per se. People talk about how they have their favorite monster card that they like. That's nice, but who's to say that your signature card has to be a monster, it could be a spell, magic, or trap card. To me, a signature card is not something powerful, but rather you have a strong connection with it. You have that special bond with it, there's just something about it that draws your attention to that one specific card. So just pick a card that you feel strongly about and go from there."

"Thank you." said the person as they left as the next person stepped up.

"Uh, my name is Sandra and I want to ask, what's the most difficult thing about being a duelist, World Champion, or anything in general?"

"Traveling, of course. So many appearances I have to make in a year, sometimes in a week. It can be tough at the time, but again, I'm not doing it for the money. I'm doing it because of you guys, I love to give back and be a part of the community." smiled Isaac.

"Hi, my name is Sugar Moonlight and I want to say it's an honor to see you, Isaac." said the girl.

"The honor's all mine."

"My question is, what's your number one motivation? What's the thing that keeps you going in life?"

"Uh, I've-- I've openly said all the time, you want to buy into my stock, this is what I believe in. You work hard, you show up on time, you stay loyal to those who support you, you respect enemies and friends. That's my stance. By the way, I don't ever give up. Either you're in, or you're out. Never asked you, 'Hey, you need to do this, you need to do that'. So many times, people say, 'Ahh, I-- I hate your character, but I totally respect you'. That is-- that's it. That's my legacy. That's what I want. I don't agree with you, but I respect you."

Everyone took a moment to show appreciation for what Isaac said as they clapped.

"Uhm, one more thing, would it be alright if I could get a photo?"

"Absolutely," stated Isaac as the girl was now being led by one of the assistants onto the stage as she appeared behind Isaac's seat as she held her phone out as the pair took a quick selfie. She thanked the boy as she was then led back to her seat.

"Any more questions?" asked Isaac.

"Uh, what was it like being in your first film?" asked someone.

"Well, my first film, I was sort of a background person. Who here remembers the Daring Do film?" asked Isaac as he got a huge response as even years later the film was still popular among people.

"So, in that film, I played a minion of sorts. One thing I will say is that it's a bit easier to play the bad guy because the good guy always has to react to what the villain is doing. So for me, this was a sort of getting me to step out of my comfort zone and try something new. Plus, girls like the bad boy." All the ladies cheered at the top of their lungs to Isaac's response.

"So that was my TV debut. And since becoming World Champion, I've been offered some roles in a few movies. Some that I liked, and somewhere I felt like I could have done a bit more. I've had the chance to meet some famous actors and even I'm in shock. Yeah, even I get starstruck. Why cause I'm duelist, not an actor." said the boy as everybody laughed at that joke.

"So, I just want to say that it's such an honor to see you. And all the work that you've done inspires me to do my best every day. Especially for someone like me who has some anxiety and depression in their life, I just want to say that you're truly a role model." said the person as the people clapped for the girl.

"Glad I could help and motivate you."

"So, I want to ask is Isaac, will you be my boyfriend?" asked the girl as Isaac just smiled and chuckled as did a few others in the crowd.

"You're lovely girl, but... unfortunately I have a fiancé. Sorry," apologized Isaac with a genuine smile. "But hey, now people know you're single. So any guys looking for a date, you got good one right there." pointed the boy at the girl as she smiled at World Champ as she took her seat.

"So, who's your favorite? Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl?" asked a little boy as he held his mom's hand.

"Ooh, that hurts," said Isaac as he leaned back with his hand over his heart in a dramatic pose. "It's always the little ones. Little kids are little alcoholics, they're too honest." said the boy as everyone chuckled.

"Which one is my favorite? I can't do that to my magicians, they mean too much. I mean, my Dark Magician has been there with me since I was young. I've always relied on him to get me through tough situations. He's my partner and awesome. And as for Dark Magician Girl, well I'm growing up and she's very cute, beautiful, smart. She's got a good set of ti... good sense of humor." said Isaac as he playfully avoided what he was going to say.

He noticed out of the corner of his eye as Mana appeared. She had a playful smile as she knew what her master was about to say as she giggled and planted a kiss on his cheek before she disappeared as Isaac smiled.

"So if I had to pick, uh, I don't know. I'm kind of on the fence on that," said Isaac.

"If you could go back in time, and tell your younger self anything, what would it be?" asked another person.

"I would tell him, don't worry about it kid. Everything is gonna be alright. Just keep doing what you're doing and though the road may be rough and at times you want to give up, just hang in there. And I know that sounds like the cliché answer, but it's true."

"What's the biggest advice you could give to anyone who wants to go pro?"

"Well, I would first ask myself this. What do you duel for? That's a question that I was asked when I was in high school and at the time it was an unusual thing. But as I developed myself as an individual, all the duels I had throughout my high school years, I learned the reason. And that was because I love this game." said Isaac.

"To be a pro, it's hard work, no joke. But to be not only successful and have a career that you can look at 20 years from now, and be proud of it. You gotta have that reason on why you do. I mention that I love this game, and pardon my language for the kids, but this is a job. And yes, as much as it's me just doing events and battling. It's also a regular job. I'm being paid to do the thing I love and people count on me to show up. This kind of job, I can't just phone it in or half-ass this shit. I have to give it my attention and focus, 100%. No two ways about it. If you don't love something, why even do it, to begin with. I love this game, I love the fact that I can make people happy, I love every little aspect that Duel Monsters brings to me and my life! I love the look on people's faces; I love the smiles that I put on for you guys. It warms my heart when I'm pulled to the side and people say 'Thank you'."

Question after question was asked. Isaac answered each of them, a few were even directed at Juniper as they asked her how she felt being Isaac's agent. She told the crowd how she loved working for the boy as it brought her a smile. A few were requests on having him sign some stuff as the boy was glad to do so and take a couple of photos.

"Well, I think that's it," said Melissa as things were wrapping up. "We want to thank Isaac and Juniper..."

"Actually, I got a question." said someone as they approached the microphone.

"We're about to wrap up..."

"It's alright, Melissa," said Isaac. "What's your question, man?"

"Yeah, why were you so blessed? Why are you the one who's the World Champ? I saw how you won kid, you're good. But you ain't great." said the person.

"I think it's best..."

"Tell me, your buddies, did they rig the duel? Those great Big 5 duelists you hang out with, they pay off your opponent?" asked the man.

"Security," asked Juniper.

"No, it's alright," said Isaac as he waved off that request. "Tell me, bud. What's your name?"

"Thundercrash. And I'm saying that you only became champion because I wasn't your opponent. Had I'd been, you wouldn't be ranked as the World Champion." said the man.

"I see. Tell me... that duel disk on your arm, you play?" asked Isaac.

"Just recently graduated and have done some small-time venues. Going full pro is my objective. I'm showing everybody why I'm the next big thing," said the person with a boastful tone.

"Well, how about you and me duel right now?" asked Isaac as that got everybody to let out a gasp.

"Isaac..." said Juniper.

"You and me, in a duel. And I'll show you why. To make it even more incentive, I'll put my rank as champion on the line." said Isaac as an even bigger gasp was heard. "You want a chance to make it to the big leagues and make an impact, bud? No better way than to dethrone the current champ and become the new champion of Duel Monsters."

"Heh, you're must be dumb as you look. Game on." snickered Thundercrash.

"Isaac..."

"I'll be fine, Juniper." said the boy as he smiled.

The entire people all moved their chairs as the entire space was now cleared out as both duelists took their position. Both duelists looking at each other as Thundercrash was glaring at Isaac. To think that someone like him was the current World Champion of Duel Monsters made him angry that everybody treated Isaac like he was royalty and they worshipped him. He was going to make sure that he showed everybody that Isaac wasn't who he said he was and that he didn't have the skills to be a champion.

Isaac reached into his belt as he pulled out his deck and slotted it into his duel disk as it activated and projected a gold card tray.

"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.

Thundercrash's Life Points: 8000-
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-

"Let's duel!" shouted both boys.

Turn 1: Isaac

"Here goes... I draw!" said Isaac. "Okay... I summon Gamma the Magnet Warrior(1500/1800) in defense mode!" Out emerged a monster so round that it was more a pink parody of a human shape. Its arms and legs were stubbly and it sported a pair of enormous metal wings.

"I place two cards facedown and end my turn."

Turn 2: Thundercrash

"Time to kiss your rank as champion goodbye," said Thundercrash as he drew his card. "I summon Vijam the Cubic Seed(0/0)!" A monster now appeared as it took the shape of a seed while an eye was shown blinking. "Then I'll use Vijam... to special summon this. Take to the field... Geira Guile... the Cubic King(0/0)!" Thundercrash's monster now disappeared as a bigger monster appeared with a jaw opening up with an eye in the middle.

"By itself, Geira Guile the Cubic King has zero attack points. But by absorbing Vijam, it gains 800. Plus, you lose 800 life points! Whirling Windstorm!" shouted Thundercrash as his monster sent an energy beam at Isaac who covered up.
Isaac's Life Points: 7200-

"Next, I play the spell! Cubic Karma! Geira Guile absorbs two more Vijams to gain even more attack points!" said Thundercrash as his monster now had 2400 attack points. "Attack Isaac's Gamma the Magnet Warrior and pulverize it into rubble!" The monster then fired another beam of attack as it pierced through Isaac's monster as it exploded.

"But I'm not done, cause now I activate the effect of my Geira Guile. Since it battled this turn, I can send it back to my deck to bring back my Vijams, and then I'll summon another Cubic King! Observe Vulcan Dragni the Cubic King(0/0)!" Thundercrash's new monster now boosted its attack up to 2400.

"Say hello to Isaac, won't you?" stated Thundercrash as his monster fired another beam of attack at Isaac as he covered up again.
Isaac's Life Points: 6400-

"I don't think... he heard you! Attack him directly!" shouted Thundercrash as his monster fired a giant attack at Isaac as he was thrown onto his back.
Isaac's Life Points: 4000-

"You triggered my trap. Dig of Destiny!" said Isaac as he was on his knees. "Since I took battle damage, I get to draw a card!"

"Draw a million cards if you want, Isaac. They won't help you. Not as long as I have my Cubic Monsters. They'll keep transforming into new and powerful forms!" said Thundercrash as his monster's effect activated as his Vulcan Dragni turned back into the three Vijams.

"Why stop now? Next... my Cubic King will transform itself again. And reveal to you... its ultimate form! A form so powerful, it's no longer a mere king, it's become something even grander. Behold, Indiora Doom Volt the Cubic Emperor(0/0)!" Thundercrash now had another new Cubic King as its attack points went up to 2400.

"Unh!" shouted Isaac as he was struck once again by another 800 life points.
Isaac's Life Points: 3200-

"Now attack Isaac one more time!" shouted Thundercrash as his monster fired another attack beam.

"I send a monster to the graveyard to activate the Nitwit Outwit trap!" shouted Isaac. "Magician's Valkyria cut the Emperor's attack points down to size!" said the boy as his female magician appeared before her master as she pointed her wand at the Cubic Emperor. She fired a spell as it weaken the strength of Thundercrash's monster to 800 attack points as the beam got smaller. Isaac was thrown onto the floor with a few scuffs.

"Unh!" stated Isaac as he slowly lifted himself back up.

His magician saw her master on the floor as she checked on him to which he smiled to show he was fine. Magician's Valkyria smiled as she planted a kiss on Isaac's cheek as she bid farewell.
Isaac's Life Points: 2400-

All around, the kids were looking on as they saw Isaac down on the ground with his life points being so low. Juniper too had a concerned look on her face as she watched her client being tossed around by his opponent.

"You merely delaying your demise, Isaac!" said Thundercrash as he looked at the boy get back to his feet.

Turn 3: Isaac

"It's my turn! I draw! Please..." said Isaac as he looked at the card he drew. "Yes! Since you control a monster and I don't, I can summon my Lord Gaia the Fierce Knight(2300/2100)!" shouted Isaac as his warrior appeared dual wielding lances.

"Go! Lance his Cubic Emperor!" shouted Isaac as his monster then charged forward with its weapon in front as it delivered a powerful thrust that took out Thundercrash's monster and dealt the boy damage.
Thundercrash's Life Points: 6500-

"Your Cubic Emperor has been... dethroned," said Isaac as Thundercrash simply laughed.

"You can never truly get rid of my monsters," stated Thundercrash as his Cubic Emperor was transforming.

"It split back into three Vijams," said Isaac.

"Correct. Then by sending Cubic Karma to my graveyard, I eliminate half your life points!" shouted Thundercrash as his Vijams fired separate beams that hit Isaac again knocking him to the floor.
Isaac's Life Points: 1200-

"Don't even bother. The sensible move is to give up."

"Then I guess I don't have a lot of sense," said Isaac to Thundercrash as he was shocked to see the World Champ take a beating and still get back up.

"I will never give up, I place three cards facedown." said the boy as he ended his turn.

Turn 4: Thundercrash

"My turn!" shouted Thundercrash as he drew his card. "And time to put an end to your phony reign, Prince! Serve me again, Indiora Doom Volt Cubic Emperor!" stated the boy as his monster appeared once more and dealt another 800 life points to Isaac.
Isaac's Life Points: 400-

"You may have gotten your Indiora back... but it's return also powers up Lord Gaia!" said Isaac as his monster now had its dragon appear as he jumped on its back and had its attack points increase to 3000.

"Rah! I play the spell Cubic Wave! While my monster's attack points are doubled, yours are cut in half!" stated Thundercrash as Isaac's Gaia was reduced to 1500 attack points while his Cubic Emperor had 4800 attack points.

"You're finished, Isaac. And with your defeat, there's going to be a new champion!" shouted Thundercrash as he looked to end the duel. "Cubic Emperor, attack and erase him!"

"I don't think so," said Isaac.

"What?" said Thundercrash.

He looked at Isaac as he saw the boy's face. For Isaac, only the lower part of his face was shown. Then in slow motion, that grin turned into a smile. Thundercrash saw this as it got him to gasp at seeing his opponent cracking that expression when he was moments away from losing everything.

"We're not through... not at all. Go! The trap Dimension Sphinx! Since your monster has over twice the attack points of mine... the difference is dealt to you as damage!" shouted Isaac as a Sphinx appeared behind him as it gave his monster power as it deflected the attack beam back at Thundercrash.
Thundercrash's Life Points: 3200-

"But... so what?! My attack still ends you!"

"Not when I play my second trap!" shouted Isaac as his second facedown flipped up. "Dimension Guardian! It keeps Gaia from being destroyed!" said the boy as the statue appeared to shield his monster.

"Are you through?!" asked Thundercrash.

"Not yet! Cause now I play... my third trap card!" said Isaac as his last facedown flipped up.

"A third trap?" said Thundercrash.

"Dimension Mirage! Since you failed to destroy my monster, your monster is forced to attack again!" said Isaac.

"Oh, no... That would mean... you trapped me!" said Thundercrash as he saw what Isaac did.

"That's right. Indiora is caught in a perpetual attack loop! Which thanks to my three trap cards, will result in you losing life points with every attack!" stated Isaac as his cards now formed the symbol of a triangle for all to see. "And with no way to escape my combo, you know what that means. This duel between us is all but over."

The kids and everybody else was shown having smiles as they saw what Isaac did. All around the sound of laughter and happiness could be heard as they saw Isaac, the hero they were cheering on as he was about to defeat his opponent. Juniper had a smile as well as she saw her client and how all this time he was waiting for the right moment to spring his plan and it worked.

Thundercrash was at a loss for words. He was amazed that not only did Isaac manage to do something incredible, but that he had no way of stopping the loop. He put his arms down to his side with his head down. He glanced up to see Isaac a bit beat up but standing with a smile and confident posture. At that moment, it had become very clear to the man that Isaac was the real deal.

"He's truly is the World Champion," said Thundercrash as the final attack was reflected at him as it engulfed him. The boy was thrown onto his back as his duel disk registered the result.
Thundercrash's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac

The ended as everybody cheered. Isaac stood there with some scuff marks on him as he put his arm down.

"Way to go, Isaac! I knew you would win! Isaac!!!!" shouted the crowd with several cheers as they just watched the World Champ defend his rank.

"You come for the Prince, you best not miss." said a random person as that statement had a nice ring.

Isaac made his way to the person he dueled as he was coming to. Thundercrash sat up as he saw Isaac towering over him with his hand extended out. Even now, Isaac was still playing the hero. Thundercrash then accepted as he was pulled up.

"Good duel," said Isaac. "You got potential, kid. Keep at it, and maybe one day, I will see you on the big stage." Isaac's response got Thundercrash to smile as the boy said goodbye to him and everybody as Juniper began to follow the boy as she grabbed his backpack as the two exited the building.

They arrived at their limo as it was taking them to their hotel. Juniper then pulled out some wipes as she began to clean some of the bits of scuff marks on Isaac's face as he sat down.

"You didn't have to do that." said the girl as she grabbed Isaac's cheek and began to clean him up a bit.

"I know, but I needed to," said Isaac. "I'm the World Champion, and that means I have the power to help others. I allowed someone like Thundercrash to have the opportunity to step on the dueling field with me. Before that, nobody would think that's possible. But after that duel, we just inspired similar people that you can reach that level of success. To stand across that dueling field against the World Champ and one day, it may be you walking out as the guy."

"Always the playing the hero," smiled Juniper as she held her client's face and looked at his eyes.

"It's my job," smiled the boy.

Juniper then leaned in as she connected her lips with Isaac's as the boy put his hand to her cheek. They held for a bit as they pulled apart and smiled. She then got back to work cleaning the last bit of scuffs as they soon arrived at their hotel. With the small duties now taken care of, and Isaac having time to spend with the Big 5. He was now getting ready as tomorrow, he would be leaving to Whitetail Woods to see another close friend and continue his special training.

Chapter 7: Whitetail Woods

"And that brings us to our latest story. Last night, at a convention, the World Champion took on a duelist who had some comments to make about the boy. Isaac is shown here as the two engaged in a duel where he showed everybody why he is the champ." said the newscaster as she was discussing the story as the video footage began to play.

"You come for the Prince, you best not miss," said the person making that comment as the video ended.

"Prince, huh? Well, with moves like that, how can he not be a Prince?" said the newscaster. "Of course, since the King of Games, there hasn't been anybody to dominate the game quite like him. And with Isaac knowing how to do all the known summoning methods, I dare say he's the closest. However, the difference between a Prince and a King. The King was good, but the Prince knows there's a bigger crown."

"Prince is what everyone is calling you?" asked Juniper over the boy's duel disk as they were watching the TV on the private jet that Isaac was on.

"Well, I was bound to get a nickname eventually. Yugi and the others all have theirs. He's the King of Games, Jaden is Duel Academy's Star Pupil, Yusei is known as Satellite's Shooting Star, Yuma is called the World Duel Carnival Champion, and Yuya is the Pioneer of Pendulum Summoning."

"I understand that, Isaac. Just didn't expect that nickname to be the one that people want to call you."

"I didn't have a say in the matter, Juniper. People just like what they see. So I guess my nickname in the world of Duel Monsters is the Prince."

"Well, it's also not bad. That little saying, 'You come for the Prince, you best not miss'. Has a nice ring to it," smiled the girl at her client.

"Well, if that's gonna be my nickname, then we better start making shirts with that little mantra," stated Isaac.

"Already on it," said Juniper through the boy's duel disk as she showed her tablet to the designs that they could potentially put on shirts.

"Well, I'll let you do your thing. Also, has the document that I requested been made?" asked Isaac in a now serious tone.

"Yes, the document is nearly complete. Once it's finished, I'll give it to you, and then you shall meet with Twilight about it," said Juniper in a serious tone as well.

"You don't think I'm doing anything wrong by showing her that document, do you?"

"Isaac, I understand you covering your bases. I respect that, how Twilight will react? Well, that remains to be seen." said Juniper as she ended the call on his duel disk.

---

The flight soon landed as it descended on the runway. Isaac then grabbed his backpack as he exited the plane and then grabbed a taxi to take him the last part of his journey. It soon arrived at his destination as the boy got out of the car and was now standing in front of the place as the sign read: Welcome to Whitetail Wood Nature Reserve.

Isaac took a deep breath as he entered the place making sure to grab a map at the front stand. The place had been founded about 50 years ago and the owners who were a married couple loved animals. Exotic, plain, even animals that were nearly extinct, so they wanted to make a place where all of them could be peaceful. Over the years the place grew bigger and bigger. Sure enough, it soon became the biggest place in the world. Now every animal ever listed in the animal kingdom was placed in the same spot. The beauty he saw could not be described, for it was an amazing sight. For all around the land was as large as Disney Land's land property, with every part of the place that would fit for every animal perfectly.

He wasn't sure where the girl might be as there were tons of different sections Fluttershy could be. But also, he hadn't seen the place so he might as well take a look. He pulled out the map as he started to head over to the Safari section. Sure enough, he reached the safari section of the reserve. Isaac was left speechless when he saw so many safari animals out there.

"Wow, this is amazing." said the boy as he saw the many creatures living peacefully as he pulled out his phone to take some pics.

He moved to the next spot as it had the monkey exhibit. Though they were quite entertaining, it wasn't as entertaining for Isaac when he saw a monkey steal his phone whilst he chased them around whilst shouting.

"Give me that back, jackass!" shouted Isaac to the monkey that was mocking him.

It took a while, but the boy got the device back after he clocked the monkey in the head with coconut as the monkey had swirls in its eyes as it dropped the smartphone, and he grabbed it to avoid hitting the floor. He then left the place to avoid any more funny business. As he was walking down the next part of the reserve, a certain bunny, known as Angel Bunny, hopped from out of the corner looking for some tasty snacks. But as he looked around, he spotted Isaac. Causing the rabbit to quickly hop back to his owner to tell her the news.

He walked up to what appeared to be the elephant section, which Isaac find them adorable until a handful of them sprayed him with water. He was drenched in water, whilst trying to shake it off at the same time. He groaned a bit at first until he looked at the pachyderms, which he couldn’t help but laugh over his predicament. He went to the bathrooms to dry himself up. Once he wrung out his cap and put it back on his head, the boy felt something poking his leg. When he looked down, to his surprise, it was a rabbit, who looked at him with a smile.

"Cute little thing," said Isaac as he bent down to pet the rabbit, unaware it was Angel Bunny.

"It can't be." said a familiar voice.

Isaac looked up as he saw who the voice belonged to as it was the person he had come to visit. Standing before him was none other than Fluttershy.

Just like Applejack and Pinkie Pie, the girl standing before him had undergone some changes. The obvious one being her chest area had gotten a bit bigger as her attire was now changed. She had moderate cyan eyes, pale and light grayish rose hair. She wore a pale, light grayish gold scarf and pants along with a white shirt. But with all the changes to her wardrobe and body, it was still the same shy, animal-loving girl that the boy knew from high school.

"Hey, Fluttershy."

"Isaac, is it really you?" asked the girl in a timid voice as she slowly walked a few inches to look at the boy.

"It’s so good to see you."

"It's great to see you too," smiled the girl.

At that moment, Fluttershy now wrapped her arms around the boy. Isaac could feel the girl's bosom pressing into his chest as he too wrapped his arms around his friend as both gave a meaningful hug. The two young adults had tears falling from their eyes as it felt good to see the other in a while. The memories from high school were playing in their minds as it got them to smile as they remembered their adventures with their friends.

"What are you doing here?" asked the buttercup girl as she broke the hug.

"I came to see you," smiled the boy.

"Thanks, and... congrats. You're the World Champion, just like you dreamed of."

"It wasn't easy, and my life and work schedule have been a bit more hectic. But you're right, I did get to realize my dream," said Isaac.

"You want something to eat? My treat." stated the girl as she picked up Angel.

Isaac nodded as the two friends walked over to the nearest food stand to buy what food they had on sale. After they got what they were looking for, they continued with their conversations.

"So, how have things been with you?" asked Isaac as the pair now leaned against the railing overlooking the sanctuary.

"After graduation, I began to study under Dr. Fauna. She showed me many things about caring for animals. I became her assistant and gained my certification as a veterinarian. Not to mention we both helped to create my idea of an animal sanctuary for all animals to live." said the girl looking over the place as she saw a section of the huge place that was dedicated to her small sanctuary.

"Look at that, Dr. Fluttershy. Has a nice ring to it," smiled Isaac as he looked at his friend.

"I don't like to brag." said the girl trying to hide behind her hair.

"You still have the same shy nature," said Isaac as he brushed away the hair from her face as he saw the girl's eyes.

Fluttershy looked at her friend as she stared into his brown eyes. The touch of Isaac's hand filled her mind with warmth and happiness. She let her mouth move on its own as the girl scooted closer to the boy as she placed her hand on his and then made contact with his lips as the two closed their eyes. The kiss was simple and lasted for a few moments as they pulled apart smiling.

"I'll be honest, I've missed that," said Isaac.

"Same here," said Fluttershy.

They heard a sound as it was an elephant splashing around as it sucked in water into its trunk and then sprayed it at the two. Both of them were now soaked, and they couldn't help but laugh as it reminded them of being teens once again. Once they had a chance to dry off, Fluttershy was now leading Isaac to the building where she worked in this place as the boy told her about him meeting up with Pinkie and AJ, as well as seeing how things had been at CHS.

Fluttershy was amazed at how their school last changed since they graduated and was glad to know that their friends were alright. She also heard about Isaac's upcoming duel which was in 8 days as she felt concerned for her friend. Isaac told her that it was part of his job and that he was looking forward to his upcoming duel. Once they made it to the building, she asked Isaac to wait outside as she needed to fetch something.

Isaac then sat down on a nearby stump as he set his backpack down. At that moment, several small woodland animals now gathered in front of him as they sniffed the boy's scent. Isaac waved at the critters as they all backed up a bit. He noticed a small bucket near him as it was filled with food as he grabbed a handful and showed it to the animals as he was hoping to prove that he meant no danger. The animals all approached him still keeping their distance, eventually, they took a nibble at the boy's hand holding the food as they warmed up and then got closer as Isaac smiled.

A few of the squirrels all now stood on the stump looking at the boy as some birds landed on his shoulder and his cap as Isaac smiled. At that moment, Fluttershy emerged from the building as she saw the sight before her. It made her giggle as she got her friend's attention.

"Seems they like you."

"I guess," stated Isaac.

"Isaac, if you don't have anything planned? Would it be okay... if... we... went out... you know... as a way... to hang out?" asked the girl feeling a bit embarrassed.

"I don't mind," said the boy.

"Good, well then... I... also have one last request..." said Fluttershy.

"What is it?" asked Isaac.

Fluttershy took a deep breath as she revealed her arms from behind her back as her duel disk was strapped on. She reached into her pocket as she slid in her deck as it activated in a long time as it projected a pink card tray.

"Care to duel me?" asked the girl.

"It'd been my honor," said Isaac as he now stood up and activated his duel disk. He slotted in his deck from his belt as it projected a gold card tray.

"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.

Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
Fluttershy's Life Points: 8000-

"Let's duel!" shouted both of them.

Turn 1: Fluttershy

"I'll start," said the girl as she drew her card. "I'll play the spell Foolish Burial so that I can send my Nimble Angler from my deck to the graveyard." Fluttershy's duel disk ejected the monster as she grabbed it and then sent it to the graveyard. "By doing that, my Nimble Angler's effect activates, since it was sent to the graveyard from my deck or hand, I can special summon up to 2 Level 3 or lower 'Nimble' monsters from my deck. So I'm summoning a pair of Nimble Beavers(400/100)!" Two small beavers with a twig in their mouth jumped up from a pool of water that spontaneously appeared at Fluttershy’s feet.

"Then I'll summon my Baby Raccoon Ponpoko(800/0) in attack mode." A small raccoon with a tiny drum strapped to its chest jumped in front of Fluttershy, scratching its ear. "I'll then activate Ponpoko's special ability, when he's summoned I can then special summon one level 2 or lower beast-type monster from my deck in facedown defense position." Fluttershy then touched her screen as she looked for the monster she wanted; once she made her decision, she then tapped her screen and pulled her card from her duel disk, and set it on her card tray.

"I'll then end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 2: Isaac

"Then it's my move," said the boy as he drew his card and looked at his hand. "I'll begin by summoning my Berry Magician Girl(400/400). Then since I summoned her, I can be able to select a different 'Magician Girl' to add to my hand." A tiny baby magician appeared in front of the World Champion as she flew over to sit on the boy's shoulder. Berry sucked her pacifier while placing her small hand on the boy's cheek.

"You know the deal, Berry. Which of your big sisters do you think should be the lucky girl to spend time with me?" asked the boy to his baby magician as the spirits of all of his Magician Girls were present.

"Mmm..." said the baby spellcaster as she looked at her sisters. "I pick... Lemon."

"Alright then," smiled Isaac giving the small baby a tummy rub as she made a pacifier sucking sound.

Isaac's Lemon Magician card slid out from his duel disk as he grabbed it. Soon she appeared before the boy as she hugged her baby sister and tickled her tummy. She set her sister down and kissed her master as she hugged him.

"Thanks for choosing me," said the girl batting her eyes.

"Settle down, Lemon," stated Isaac as she obeyed the boy's command and returned to her card.

"With that, I'll then end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 3: Fluttershy

"My turn then, I draw. And now I'll flip over the monster I previously set, Baby Raccoon Tantan(0/800)!” A raccoon with a larger vertical drum over its chest rose from the card backing, banging padded drumsticks on its instrument. “Now his ability activates, when Tantan is flipped up, I can special summon a level 2 beast-type monster from my deck. I call upon Catnipped Kitty(0/500) in defense mode.” A pastel purple cat hopped onto Fluttershy’s field, a jingling bell on its collar, and rolled onto its back.

"Now, I'll perform a double Xyz Summon. First, I overlay both of my raccoons to build the Overlay Network!" The two beasts turned into transparent red outlines and slid together, undulating. "I unite the powers of my raccoons to summon a brave new animal guardian!” She then grabbed the card that ejected from the top of her duel disk and then played it on her duel field. “I Xyz Summon Number 64: Ronin Raccoon Sandayu(1000/1000, OLU: 2)!” The red light burst apart, revealing a humanoid raccoon in red samurai armor, its eyes glowing. Two orbs of red light orbited the air around it, trails in their wake. Twin capes of yellow burst from its shoulders to flutter in the air. It reached to its back and pulled out a large polearm, spinning it twice and then pointing it at Isaac.

"Then I'll overlay my two Nimble Beavers to construct the Overlay Network once more!" The two Nimble Beavers turned blue and slid together, then lowered into the water. Fluttershy clasped her hands. "I unite the powers of my two beavers and call on the spirit of the feline that dwells in the depths. I Xyz Summon, come on out Cat Shark(500/500, OLU: 2) in defense mode!" A black and white aquatic monster jumped out from the pool and landed in front of Fluttershy in a spray of water, two orbs of blue light circling it. It stood on a pair of hind paws and waved a pair of front flippers in the air. A fishtail slapped the ground behind it, and a cat’s face with whiskers and fur topped its body.

"Then I'll summon my Nimble Momonga(1000/100)." Fluttershy now had another one of her monsters appear as a flying squirrel glided down from the sky. "Now, I'll activate the effect of my Catnipped Kitty, so I can lower your Berry Magician Girl's defense points to zero."

"What good will that do?" asked Isaac.

"You'll see, cause now I'll activate the effect of my Cat Shark by using one overlay unit, I can double the attack and defense points of an Xyz monster I control until the end of the turn. So I choose my Ronin Raccoon. And then I'll attack your Berry Magician Girl with my Ronin Raccoon!" stated Fluttershy.

"I activate the effect of my Berry Magician Girl, when she becomes the target of an attack, I can switch her to defense mode. Then I can special summon a 'Magician Girl' from my deck. So I choose to bring out my Dark Magician Girl!" shouted Isaac as he now had his female spellcaster appear.

"To be honest, I was hoping you would activate your magician's effect. Cause I had something, I reveal my facedown, the continuous trap card, Roaring Earth! While this card is in play, when a Beast-type attacks a defending monster, it can pierce its defenses and still deal damage to you.”

"So that's why you lowered my Berry Magician Girl's defense points to zero."

Fluttershy's Ronin Raccoon then jumped into action. The samurai charged across the field, the blade of its polearm held out. It made contact with Isaac's baby magician as the boy covered up from the attack.
Isaac's Life Points: 6000-

"With that, I end my turn with a facedown. And now Ronin Raccoon's stats go back to normal."

Turn 4: Isaac

"My turn and I'll play Sage's Stone. Since I control Dark Magician Girl on my field, I can summon my most loyal companion, Dark Magician!" shouted Isaac as Mana touched a white stone that appeared as it cracked with bits of light coming from the rock. It then revealed Isaac's partner as he took the field.

"It's been a while since I last saw you and your magicians," said Fluttershy as the sight in front of her brought her happy memories of Isaac and their high school adventures.

"Then how about a refresher of what they can do! I play Dark Burning Attack! So now my Dark Magician Girl can wipe out all of your monsters on the field!" said Isaac.

"In that case, I'll reveal my facedown, Beast Burial Ritual! So I'll destroy my Catnipped Kitty so that I can draw two cards," said Fluttershy as her cat disappeared as she drew the top cards of her deck.

At that moment, Mana finished charging up her spell that she pointed her staff at Fluttershy's field as she took out all of her little animal pals in one blast. Now there was nothing left on her field. Isaac gave a thumbs up to his female sorcerer as Mana hugged Isaac nuzzling her cheek against his before planting a kiss.

"Now you're defenseless. Go my magicians, attack her directly! Double Dark Magic Attack!!" shouted Isaac as he gave his pals their command as both magicians leaped into the air as they put their wands together as they fired a powerful magic spell that collided with Fluttershy as the girl covered up as her feet dragged along the dirt.
Fluttershy's Life Points: 3500-

"With that, I'll end my turn."

Turn 5: Fluttershy

"Not bad, my turn!" said Fluttershy as she drew her card and began to formulate her plan. "I'll start by summoning my Eucalyptus Mole(300/1300)." said the girl as a tiny animal now appeared in front of her.

"Then I'll place two cards facedown and end my turn."

Turn 6: Isaac

What is she planning?

Attack Isaac, you know you want to.

"My draw," said the boy as he looked at his hand and examined Fluttershy's field.

So far Fluttershy only has a mole on her field and if I destroy it, then she can summon a 'Koala' monster from her deck. But then again, there are her two facedowns. Right now, I have nothing in my hand to deal with those, so for now, I best be ready for when I take out her monster.

"I'll play Magician's Valkyria(1600/1800) in defense mode. Then I'll have my Dark Magician attack your Eucalyptus Mole!" stated the boy as his magician thrust its hand out as it took out the tiny rat.

"Now the effect of my Eucalyptus Mole activates since it was destroyed, I can now special summon one 'Koala' from my deck. And I'll place this guy facedown," smiled Fluttershy smugly as she placed the card sideways on her duel disk.

"What's she planning?"

"But I'm not done, cause since my monster was sent to the graveyard, in exchange for 1000 life points, I can also summon my Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest(2600/1800) from my hand!" A giant green primate appeared as it wielded a club in its hand as it let out a howl.
Fluttershy's Life Points: 2500-

"So that's why she played her mole," said Isaac to himself as he saw Fluttershy's monster was stronger than his.

"I end my turn."

Turn 6: Fluttershy

"My turn and now to start, I'll flip over the monster I set and reveal my Des Koala(1100/1800). Now his effect activates, so you take 400 points of damage for every card in your hand. And right now you hold 4 cards, so you're taking 1600 points of damage!" shouted Fluttershy as some leaves now bombarded Isaac as he covered up from the massive damage done to him.
Isaac's Life Points: 4400-

"Next up, I summon my Delta Flyer(1500/900) to take the field! And when Delta Flyer is summoned, I can increase or decrease the level of a monster on my field by 1. So I'll increase Delta Flyer from Level 3 to 4." stated the girl as her monster gained an extra level. "Now I tune my Level 4 Delta Flyer with my Level 4 Des Koala!" Delta Flyer then soared into the sky as it turned into four green giant rings that circled her koala. "Let the sky open up and now give way to a gleaming beast of electric might! I Synchro Summon, Lightning Tricorn (2800/2000)!" Storm clouds appeared despite it being sunny as the sight of lightning flashed. Soon out emerged the monster as it had a yellow coat with several horns sticking out of its body with a blue mane as it fluttered a bit in the wind.

"Now Lightning Tricorn attack his Magician's Valkyria and remember my Roaring Earth is still in play so that means I can still deal damage even if your monster is in defense mode. Go Leaping Electric Lunge!!" shouted the girl.

"I reveal my facedown, Magicians' Defense! Since I control a spellcaster, the damage I take is cut in half!" shouted Isaac as the beast took out his female monster as he managed to reduce some of the damage.
Isaac's Life Points: 3900-

"Then prepare for another attack, Green Baboon take out his Dark Magician!" shouted Fluttershy as her ape now dashed forward as it brought its club down on Isaac's monster as it was destroyed.
Isaac's Life Points: 3850-

"With my Dark Magician in the graveyard, my Dark Magician Girl gains 300 more attack points."

"But that still doesn't make her stronger than my beasts. So I'll end my turn by placing my Zany Zebra in the pendulum zone." stated the buttercup girl as her monster appeared in a column of light as it had its number in front of it.

Turn 7: Isaac

"Then it's my move, here goes," said Isaac as he was now figuring out what to do. "I'll play Swords of Revealing Light. Now you can't attack for three turns." stated the World Champ as giant swords fell from the sky and embedded onto the girl's field.

"Isaac, do you remember our AP Literature class we took in our senior year?"

"You have to remind me of that? The only reason why I was able to pass and ace that course was cause I had you to help tutor me in understanding the complicated shit."

"Well, do you remember this quote from class, 'Compassion for animals is intimately associated with goodness of character, and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot be a good man'."

"Yes, I remember that quote. Arthur Schopenhauer, German Philosopher," stated Isaac.

"Then you know what it means. So prepare yourself for when my animals break out of their prison." snickered Fluttershy with a devious smile.

"I now summon my Lemon Magician Girl(800/600)," said Isaac as he had another magician appear as she wore lemon earrings with her attire being the color yellow.

"Yellow was always your favorite color, master." said Lemon snuggled up next to Isaac.

"You're forgetting who he admires more, Lemon," said Mana as she hugged Isaac tighter to show her place when it came to the hierarchy of Isaac's female monsters and their master.

"Girls, let me go," asked Isaac to which the two obeyed. "I'll end my placing one card facedown."

Turn 8: Fluttershy

"Then it's my turn, and I'll play Pot of Avarice so I'll take back my Nimble Beavers, Catnipped Kitty, Delta Flyer, and Nimble Momonga. Then I shuffle them back into my deck and draw two cards." Fluttershy's duel disk ejected her five beast cards as she grabbed them and placed them on top of her deck as the auto shuffler kicked in as she drew her cards. "Then I summon my Mogmole(800/800)." A small anthropomorphic mole with goggles and a giant hand drill popped out of the ground.

"I end with a facedown."

Turn 9: Isaac

"My turn, and I'll summon my Chocolate Magician Girl(1600/1000)." Another female magician appeared as she gave a wink and floated near Isaac as she snuggled his arm.

"Did you miss me, master?" asked the girl.

"Well,..."

"Chocolate!" shouted Lemon at seeing her older sister snuggling Isaac.

"It's fair game, sis," said Chocolate sticking her tongue at her little sister.

"Girls, need I remind you of the sharing," stated Isaac.

"Yes, master." said the two girls as they obeyed his command.

"Now I activate the effect of my Chocolate Magician Girl, so by sending my Magician's Robe to the graveyard, I can draw a card." said the boy as he sent his card to the graveyard as he picked up the top card off of his deck. "Then I'll play Graceful Charity so I now draw three cards and discard two." Isaac picked up some cards as he selected the ones he wanted to get rid of.

"I then end my turn."

Turn 10: Fluttershy

"That's it? I was expecting more." snickered Fluttershy as she drew. "I'll now activate the pendulum ability of my Zany Zebra, so now I can select one of your card zones, either monster or spell/trap, and you can't use it. So I choose to lock out your monster zone." stated the girl as a giant red appeared on his duel disk and on the field to show that Isaac couldn't use it.

"Now I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon, so now your Swords of Revealing Light is no more," smiled the girl as a giant wind blew over the field making her hair and scarf flutter in the wind as Isaac's hoodie also did the same as he covered up his face as the swords disappeared.

"Now, I'm free to attack and so Lightning Tricorn attack his Dark Magician Girl!"

"I activate the effect of my Electromagnetic Turtle, by banishing it from my graveyard, I can end the battle phase!" Isaac's graveyard shined as the spirit of his small turtle appeared as it unleashed all the electricity that it stored up as it created a wall that made Fluttershy's animals be paralyzed as they had static coursing through their bodies.

"Not bad," smiled Fluttershy.

"Thanks, little guy," smiled Isaac as the Magician Girls all petted the small turtle for protecting them as he made a happy sound as he disappeared.

"In that case, I end my turn."

Turn 11: Isaac

"My turn, and I'll play Dark Magic Inheritance. So I banish two spell cards from my deck so that I can add 1 spell/trap card from my deck that lists 'Dark Magician' or 'Dark Magician Girl' to my hand." Isaac's duel disk screen showed his options as he was figuring out which one he wanted. He made his choice as he touched it and clicked confirm as it slid out for him to grab.

"Next, I'm summoning my Apple Magician Girl(1200/800)!" Isaac now had another one of his beloved magician girls appear as she took the field and showed the same affection to her master as did her sisters. And just like before, they were jealous of what they saw their sister doing to Isaac.

"Keep in mind, my Zany Zebra locked out your last monster zone. So that means your entire is full."

"Then that means you should have no problem taking out my girls," smiled Isaac giving a wink to his magicians as they all blushed.

"What are you doing?" asked Fluttershy.

"Nothing. I just set a card facedown and end my turn." smiled Isaac.

Turn 12: Fluttershy

"My turn," said Fluttershy as she drew her card. "Now I'll have my Green Baboon attack your Lemon Magician Girl! Since your field is full you can't use her effect to save her!"

"I don't have to, 'cause I activate my facedown, Magician Girls' Confidant! Here's how it works, we each pick one monster, and spell/trap to remain on the field, while every other card we control is shuffled back to our decks," stated Isaac.

"So be it. I choose to save my Lightning Tricorn and my facedown."

"As for me, I'm choosing to save my Dark Magician Girl and the card I set on my last turn."

Both duelists now had all of their other cards disappear as they grabbed each of their cards and placed them all on top as the auto shuffler kicked in.

"Either way, I'm still gonna attack. So Lightning Tricorn take out his Dark Magician Girl."

"In that case, I'll send my Kiwi Magician Girl to the graveyard," said Isaac as he slide his card into his graveyard slot. "By doing so, I activate her ability, which lets me grant all of my 'Magician Girls' that I currently control an extra 300 attack and defense points for each 'magician girl' with different names on the field and in my graveyard. So since I currently have three in total that means my girl gets a 900 point boost to both stats until the end of the turn."

"Clever move," said Fluttershy as her monster was blasted by Isaac's magician as she used her wand to fire a spell at the beast as it was gone.
Fluttershy's Life Points: 2100-

"You may have taken out my monster, but that's helped me. Cause when Lightning Tricorn is destroyed, I can summon either 'Voltic Bicorn' or 'Thunder Unicorn' from my Extra Deck. Feel the winds blow and watch the storm clouds up above rumble with electricity as I summon, Thunder Unicorn(2200/1800)!" The sound of lightning was heard as up above some storm clouds formed as soon something came out of it with fast speed as Fluttershy's horse raced down from the heavens as soon it landed on the field as electricity formed at its hooves for a sec as it let out a fierce neigh and stomped its hooves as more lightning was produced.

"I'll now place one card facedown and end my turn."

Turn 13: Isaac

"It's my move, and now Dark Magician Girl attack her Thunder Unicorn!" commanded Isaac.

"Not quite, cause I activate my Fiendish Chain trap card! Now your Dark Magician Girl can't attack and its effects are negated." A steel chain then launched at Mana as it wrapped around her midsection as she couldn't move her arms.

"Mana!" shouted Isaac as he saw his magician being tied up.

"You didn't think I would let you destroy my Thunder Unicorn so easily," said Fluttershy with a smug smile.

"I play Card of Sanctity so now we draw till we're holding six cards in our hand. Then I place one card facedown and end my turn."

Turn 14: Fluttershy

"It's my turn, and I'll activate Horn of the Unicorn to give my beast an extra 700 attack and defense points. Then I summon Nimble Momonga to the field. Next up, I activate my Thunder Unicorn's ability. Now your Dark Magician Girl loses 500 attack points for every non-Thunder Unicorn I control, so she's reduced to 1800 attack points." stated Fluttershy as her beast powered up while Mana got weaker.

"Now to attack. Thunder Unicorn, take out Isaac's favorite magician girl," stated Fluttershy as her monster raced forward.

Isaac looked to his duel disk as he was about to activate his facedown.

"Don't even think about it, cause I reveal my facedown, Superficial Peace!" shouted Fluttershy. "Now all spell/trap cards can't be activated until the end phase, and all monsters can't be destroyed."

"Shit!" said Isaac as he couldn't protect Mana as she was knocked back by the attack as she fell on the floor tied up.
Isaac's Life Points: 3150-

"Now the other effect of my Superficial Peace activates. Since I dealt you damage this turn, I can now destroy one spell or trap card you control and draw a card for myself," said Fluttershy as she pointed to the card on Isaac's right as he was hoping to have used it.

"Spellbinding Circle, huh? That's quite a powerful card that could have saved you just now, too bad I was a step ahead." smiled Fluttershy as she drew her card.

"I end my turn with two facedowns."

Turn 15: Isaac

"My turn, I draw, perfect. I now summon my Enchantress of Melody(900/1800)!" A beautiful young girl with crimson-colored eyes, a determined and gentle look, and mid-length dark brown hair tied into two twin-tails to a ribbon that lay on her shoulders. She wore black robes and a cloak, she wielded a silver staff and kept a short sword sheathed around her waist. Underneath the cloak, she wore a low-cut blouse, ultra-short pink miniskirts, and wore burgundy boots that stopped before her knee caps She also wore some leggings that stopped halfway to her thighs as she still showed off her fair smooth skin.

"I now activate her effect, once per turn, I can roll a die and then increase or decrease a monster's level by that number." A die then appeared in his hand as he looked at his monster as she put her hand over his as the two smiled.

"Ready, Melody?"

"Always," said the girl at her master.

"Die roll!!" shouted both monster and duelist as the die was tossed into the air.

It hovered in the air for a bit as it then started to fall. It rolled on the ground for a bit as it soon landed on a number.

"One! So now I'll decrease Melody's level so that she becomes Level 2. Then I'll tune her with my Dark Magician Girl!" Enchantress of Melody then played her lyre as she turned into two giant green rings that circled Mana. "I Synchro Summon, Dark Sorcerer Magician(2500/2100)!" Isaac now had his synchro monster as out came a spellcaster that had white hair and had garments that were dressed in an indigo/purple color scheme. It wielded a staff and was surrounded by bits of stardust and magical symbols.

"When I summon my monster, he can destroy one spell or trap card on the field. So say goodbye to your facedown on the left," stated Isaac as his monster got rid of Fluttershy's card.

"Now to attack Dark Sorcerer Magician attack her Thunder Unicorn! By doing so, I now activate my monster's special ability. When he battles another monster, he can cut their strength in half, and then, he gains those attack points." said Isaac as his monster rose to 3950 while Fluttershy's monster dropped to 1450 attack points.

"I still have my other facedown, Barrier Wave! I may have to sacrifice my Thunder Unicorn, but I at least get to switch your magician into defense mode. Then you take damage equal to its defense points!" shouted the girl as her monster collided with Isaac's as a huge smokescreen occurred. It died down as her monster was gone, but a bolt of lightning headed towards Isaac as he was thrown onto his back.
Isaac's Life Points: 1050-

"This duel is just about over," stated Fluttershy. "Now since my Thunder Unicorn was equipped with my Horn of the Unicorn, I can place it at the top of my deck instead of sending it to the graveyard."

Isaac now started to get back to his feet as he saw Fluttershy as the only monster left on her field was her Nimble Momonga.

"I place one card facedown and end my turn."

Turn 16: Fluttershy

"It's my move, and I'll tribute my Nimble Momonga so that I can summon my Behemoth, the King of All Animals(2700/1500)!" A large white image appeared behind Fluttershy and came into focus. A massive pink and purple monster loomed over the field, cuffs with broken chains wrapped around its paws. Curved horns rose into the air on either side of a massive mane of dark fur. Drool dripped from the beast’s jaws as it roared.

"Since I only summoned my Behemoth using one tribute, his attack drops to 2000. But the good thing is my Nimble Momonga is now returned to my hand," said Fluttershy as her duel disk ejected her card for her to grab. "Then I'm following up with this spell, Ayers Rock Sunrise! So now I bring a beast-type monster from my graveyard, so rise again, Lightning Tricorn!" The ground opened up as her beast returned as it let out a neigh.

"And I'm equipping him with my Horn of the Unicorn to give him an extra 700 point boost." stated the girl. "Now to seal the deal, Lightning Tricorn attack Isaac's monster!" shouted Fluttershy as her monster took out the boy's magician. "Behemoth attack him directly and end this duel!"

"I reveal... Ricochet! So now I can bounce a monster on your side of the field back to your hand. Then I can add one card from my deck to my hand!" shouted the boy as his duel disk shot out the card he wanted and made contact with Fluttershy's Behemoth as it disappeared and returned to her hand. It then zoomed towards Isaac as the boy caught it in one hand while looking at his friend.

"You survive yet again, no matter. I end my turn with a facedown. Your move."

Turn 17: Isaac

This may be my last move if I don't figure out a way to take down her beast and the rest of her life points. Come on deck, give me something.

"My draw," said the boy as he drew his card. "Hope this works. I play the Shallow Grave, now we each bring back a monster to the field, but they have to be in defense mode. So I'm picking my Dark Sorcerer Magician." stated Isaac.

"And I'm choosing my Thunder Unicorn!" said Fluttershy as she now had two of her most powerful beasts on the field.

"Since I control a monster, I can special summon my Paladin Fortis(300/500)!" Out came a small paladin as he had shiny armor with a helmet on him as he wielded a sword by his side. "Now my paladin's effect allows me to revive a tuner monster in my graveyard, so I bring back my Enchantress of Melody. And then I'll use her special ability so now I can roll a die and either increase or decrease a monster's level." The die appeared in Isaac's hand as he looked at it, he closed his eyes and blew on it for good luck. He then tossed it high into the air as it began to spin through the air and tumbled around as Isaac was hoping to get what he wanted. Soon it stopped on a number to which Isaac smiled.

"Now I'll decrease my Enchantress' level by 2 so now she's Level 1," said Isaac as his magician lowered her level.

"What are you planning?" asked Fluttershy.

"Watch, I tune my Level 1 Enchantress of Melody with my Level 1 Paladin Fortis!" Isaac's magician then transformed into one giant green ring as it circled Isaac's other small monster. "I Synchro Summon, the tuner synchro, Valor Valkyrie(1500/200)!" This time out came a valkyrie as she wore a red and black color scheme with a fleur-de-lis on each sleeve and pant leg. She raised her sword high as the pegasus she rose in on had a white coat and mane as it unfurled its wings and let out a fierce neigh.

"Now my Valor Valkyrie allows me to gain 1000 life points for each card I hold in my hand," said Isaac.
Isaac's Life Points: 4050-

"It's time! I tune my Valor Valkyrie with my Dark Sorcerer Magician!" Isaac's Valor Valkyrie then flew high into the air on her pegasus as she turned into two giant green rings as they circled his magician. "Be transformed by the winds of destiny! Go, Accel Synchro!!!" shouted the boy. Out came a dark flier as the pegasus's coat and mane were black as riding it was the rider as she wore a set of blue armor that held her body close as her arms were exposed as she had some black, silver, and blue flames on the cuffs of her outfit which also contained a cape as it fluttered in the wind as she let out a fierce cry as her hands lit up with magic.

"It's my Dark Flier Lysithea(3500/3000)! Now I activate my Dark Flier Lysithea's effect, so by paying 1000 life points, I can then excavate the top 5 cards of my deck, and then for each 'Magician/Spellcaster' that I reveal, my monster gains 500 attack points."
Isaac's Life Points: 3050-

Isaac now excavated his top five cards as he saw that three of them were spellcasters as his monster rose to 5000 attack points. "I then play Stop Defense to switch your Thunder Unicorn to attack mode. Now Lysithea, attack her Lightning Tricorn!"

"With that power boost, your monster still doesn't have enough to take out my life points."

"Guess I forget to mention since my Valor Valkyrie was sent to the graveyard as part of a synchro summon, I can now attach it to one of your monsters and have its attack points lower by the attack points of my Valor Valkyrie," stated Isaac as his monster appeared who used her sword to do a slash attack on the horse as he felt his power weaken.

"I'm not losing, you are! I reveal Return Damage! So now your life points take the hit instead of mine!"

"Sorry Fluttershy, but that's no can do! See if you activate any spells or traps, my Dark Flier Lysithea can freeze them in their tracks," said Isaac as his female magician used her magic to render Fluttershy's trap useless. "Now finish this duel. Lysithea attack with Dark Spikes!" shouted the boy. She was above the monster as she did a full circle motion with her hands and then brought them together as manifested dark spikes out of thin air as they were sharp and soon she clapped her hands together and all the spikes followed her lead as they embedded themselves into the monster as it let out a cry and exploded.
Fluttershy's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac

The duel ended as Isaac sat down. He took some deep breaths as he saw Fluttershy was also sitting. The two couldn't help but laugh as the duel they just had made them remember how much fun they used to have back in the past. All the small woodland animals all gave a noise as they crowded the girl as they were giving her compliments in animal language to which Fluttershy understood.

---

The day had come to an end as Fluttershy was with Isaac as the pair had decided to go out and see a movie. They arrived at the theater as the two friends found their seats and began to enjoy their hang out. Once it ended, they made it back to Fluttershy's place as the pair talked a bit more about Isaac's upcoming duel that was days away.

Isaac also talked about a private matter with Fluttershy.

"What do you think?" asked the boy.

"I get it, and at the same time, I understand why you're doing it. But it does raise some concerns. One thing is Twilight. Do you feel as if Twilight is gonna be comfortable with that document you give her?" asked Fluttershy.

"I just... I just want her to feel comfortable. And for her to understand that the reason I'm doing this is so that I can protect the both of us, should... something unfortunate happen." said Isaac.

The conversation didn't continue much after that as the pair began to prepare themselves for a good night's rest. Fluttershy showed Isaac to the guest room. The boy then prepared to get some sleep as come tomorrow he would be heading towards Manehattan where he would continue with his special training.

It was about a few hours after the pair had gone to sleep. Outside, the sky was covered with grey clouds. Isaac could hear the rain had picked up, and the wet weather was accompanied by an orchestra of thunder and far away flashes of lightning. He laid there in the darkness for a bit, listened to the raindrops falling to the ground, hitting the window, and the soothing sound of rumbling thunder. Slowly his eyes started to close, and soon enough Isaac started to drift off to sleep once again...

Zz

Zzzz

ZzzZZzz

ZZZzzzzZZZZzzzzz...

kkrrrrrrrrBOOOOOOOOOM!!!

"EEEP!!"

Eep? First, Isaac was kind of woken up by the thunder, but now a scream and the- Wait, something felt warm, felt soft, something was laying up against him. His mind slowly worked out the clues, and slowly woke the boy up from his slumber.

"Mmm, what the..?"

"Uhm, do you mind if I stay here...?"

"Huh..?"

Isaac turned his head, only to discover Fluttershy laying next to him. Her head poked out from under the covers, and Isaac could feel her body heat radiate from her.

"Flutters..?" His mind was not fully awake yet, and Isaac wondered how long he slept for, probably not very long.. "Wha, what are you doing in my bed..?"

Her blush increased. "I... I'm... I'm not good with thunder...."

"Oh..." Isaac frowned. In hindsight, he should have seen this coming.

"Is... Is it okay if I stay here...?" asked Fluttershy

KRrrrrRRRRrrrBOOOOOOOOM!

"Eep!" Her arms grabbed Isaac's arm, and she pressed herself close, making her chest press into him.

"W-well, sure, I don't mind, but are you sure you will be okay sleeping here?" She simply nodded and looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Then I guess you can."

Her body relaxed, and she gave me a gentle smile. "T-thank you, Isaac..."

His cheeks burned slightly as he felt her squeeze his arm, pressing her still growing chest into the boy. "S-sure, no problem Flutters..."

You would think it would be easy to go back to sleep, but no, Isaac's mind was fully awake now, fully aware of the girl right next to him. Isaac could feel her breathing, and if he focused, he could feel her heartbeat. Thump, thump, it was calming, soothing even. One of Fluttershy's hands traveled down Isaac's arm, and soon enough she took his hand in her own, their fingers intertwining. It was a strangely warm and cozy feeling, making the boy relax a bit. This was nice, and it felt good to see her loosen up and be relaxed. She was so relaxed she didn't even notice the last three booms of thunder.

I'm not sure if you can recognize this, but have you ever been close to someone you care for, be it male or female. And stuff just happens naturally, without hesitation, second thoughts, or even an active choice? That's how it was for them at that moment. Neither was sure who started it, but it didn't matter. It started with a small peck on the lips, then followed by another, then another, and before they knew it, their lips were locked in a tender kiss.

The boy and girl stayed like that for a while, simply being near one another, their kiss the only thing their minds could focus on. Isaac held Fluttershy close, one of his hands tracing her form, moving up from her thigh, up her arched back, and up to her cheek. She shivered, pushing herself closer to him as they both melted into their gentle embrace. When their lips finally parted, they looked into each other's eyes, not uttering a single word.

So both smiled, sharing another, but shorter, tender kiss.

"G-goodnight, Isaac..." She said, almost in a whisper.

"Goodnight, Fluttershy..."

They both fell asleep shortly after, still holding one another in a warm and loving embrace.

Chapter 8: Manehattan

"Everything seems in order," said Juniper as she was currently holding the document that Isaac had requested. She was doing her job of looking it over, going over the fine print, and explaining the details to Isaac.

"Even the statement that I asked for," said Isaac.

"It's all here, Isaac."

"Thank you, Juniper. Well, I best let you get back to work."

"Take care, Isaac. And give Rarity our criticism about the designs she sent us for some new outfits for you to wear," stated Juniper as the video on his duel disk ended.

The day began with the sun rising as it brought light and warmth for the animals of Whitetail Woods. Fluttershy had awoken first as she saw Isaac was still fast asleep after she got up. She put on her attire and was preparing to leave her place to do her morning routine as she took one last look inside her room to see the boy still napping. Fluttershy just smiled as she leaned in to plant a kiss on Isaac's cheek as she put on her scarf and vet coat as she got to work.

Fluttershy visited every exhibit and section of the place. She performed daily checkups making sure the animals were healthy and fed them their food. It took a while, but she soon finished her chores. The girl headed back to the place as she took off her coat. She began to make breakfast for both her and Isaac when he woke up.

Isaac let out a yawn when he blinked a few times to avoid the light in his face. He then rubbed his eyes as he stretched his limbs, rolling out of bed. The boy put his cap and hoodie on and made his way downstairs. He smelted the food that Fluttershy had finished making as she was currently feeding Angel.

"Oh, you're finally awake," smiled Fluttershy as she sat down at the small table.

"Yeah, sorry, Fluttershy."

"Don't be. Your life has been busy since becoming World Champion. Multiple media days and appearances. I'm amazed that you can keep up with all of it. I can't imagine how things will be once you and Twilight finally get married." said the girl.

"Well, I think when Twilight and I finally decided to settle down, my schedule is also gonna change. Cause I'm not only gonna be the World Champ, but also a husband. Meaning that I need to spend time with Twilight. So us finally getting married will allow some of my usual work to be lifted off my shoulders." said Isaac with a smile.

"Well, I can't wait for the wedding," stated the girl.

"Yeah, we still need to plan that shit out and the details. But that's a problem for future Isaac. Man, I don't envy that guy." chuckled the boy.

The two friends then began to enjoy the meal that Fluttershy made. Once breakfast was over, Isaac started to grab his backpack as he had to prepare himself. They were at the entrance as Isaac thanked Fluttershy one last time. After all this time, it was nice to see the girl again. He wished the best for Fluttershy as she did the same and told Isaac that she would watch his upcoming duel. She also told Isaac about the talk they had concerning his private matter.

With one last wave and kiss, Isaac said goodbye to the veterinarian girl as Fluttershy waved goodbye. Some of the animals made noises as they saw Isaac disappear out of sight. He made it to the airport as he was now on his flight to Manehattan.

---

Going to Manehattan meant several things. The big thing is that the girl who he was going to visit was the most popular and successful fashion designer to take the world by storm. Might as well throw in beautiful in there for extra credit. But because he had no idea of the locations of his last two friends. Even with Juniper's help, Isaac still had no idea where Rainbow and Sunset might be. So for the time being it looked like this might be Isaac's final stop as his upcoming duel was but six days away. Not to mention that he was also going to have to meet with Twilight the day before to discuss something of importance.

The plane soon descended as the World Champ had arrived in the city that never sleeps. Isaac looked out of the window as he saw the many tall towers and vehicles that were on the road. The boy had been to the city many times in the past, as he performed in the arenas the city had however, he never had time to explore the place. So it was a nice change of pace as looking at the place allowed him to remember when he came here during his high school year.

Once he departed from the airport, Isaac was now being taken to his hotel. He arrived at the place, as he tipped the taxi driver handsomely and entered the tall building. He approached the front desk where the attendant was.

"Excuse me, I'm here for a reservation. It should be under the name Isaac?" stated the boy.

"Ah, yes. Mr. World Champion." said the attendant.

"You don't have to call me that."

"Alright then, Prince," said the attendant calling Isaac by his nickname that had at this point been the name that everybody in the dueling community decided to give the boy.

"You don't have to call me that, either," said Isaac. "Just call me by my name. I won't find it offensive or rude."

"Very well then, sir. Ah, I found you in the system." The attendant then reached behind him as he pulled out the suite keycard. "Here you go, do you have any bags?"

"Just my backpack," said Isaac.

"Well, then. Enjoy your stay here at our hotel," smiled the attendant.

"Will do, thank you," said Isaac as he accepted the key.

The boy entered the elevator as it closed. He soon arrived at the top floor as he got out and began to walk down the hallway. He passed by some other doors as he looked to his left to see the glass wall that allowed the people on this floor to get a nice view of the city.

He stopped by the balcony in the middle of the pathway to his room as he couldn't help but admire the city's beauty. He thought of maybe having this place as the honeymoon for him and Twilight. Isaac put that idea out of his mind as that he kept on walking. He accidentally bumped into someone without looking as the two of them fell.

"Ow, that hurt darling," said the person who bumped into the World Champ.

"Sorry, my bad," said Isaac as he rubbed his head. He picked up his cap and put it on. When he looked up to check on the person, his eyes widen at what they saw.

Standing before Isaac was the person he never thought he would run into so quickly. The girl in front of him had grown as did her more balanced body. She looked like a model really, everything seemed to be the exact right size. Her curves, her bosom, her hips. The girl's appearance was on display with her curved, moderate indigo hair a gradient of dark mulberry to moderate mulberry, and moderate azure on the shadowed side. She wore a light gray long-sleeve shirt with a black mini-skirt and a sash that matched her hair color.

"I don't believe it. Rarity?"

"Yes, that's my name. But how do you know that?"

"Rarity, it's me... Isaac."

"Isaac?" said the girl.

Rarity now began to look at the young man in front of her as she took in his appearance. She to saw how much the boy had grown since graduation. As she was looking at Isaac, she noticed two things. The first was the attire the boy wore which consisted of a black V-neck t-shirt with white hemming, black shorts with gray pockets held on by red straps. His shorts were tight around his calves. He wore a long black hooded jacket with red hemming, gray pockets with white hemming, and red flannel flaps that are held down by a series of yellow buttons which he sometimes wore like a cape.

She remembered making the designs of the clothes that the boy in front of her wore. But the thing that made her believe it was Isaac was the thing around his neck. Rarity saw the Dark Magician necklace the World Champ was wearing as it was the one he had gotten for his 18th birthday, and since that day, he always wore it. Her mind registered all of this as it made her gasp.

"Isaac... it is you," said the girl as she brought her hand up to touch his cheek as Isaac grabbed the hand with his. The contact of hand on hand sent shivers down the fashionista's spine as it was the same touch she remembered from high school.

"Isaac, my, you've grown."

"So have you," said Isaac as he looked at Rarity's body.

"Don't stare, darling. It's rude." stated the girl. She giggled, giving him a teasing shove with her hand.

The pair now stood up as they looked at each other. It didn't take long as Rarity immediately wrapped her arms around Isaac, to which he did the same. The hug brought the two warmth and happiness as it felt good to see the other after so much time.

"It’s so great to see you again," said Rarity in her excitement.

"It’s so great to see you too," said Isaac.

"What on earth are you doing here?"

"Well, I wanted to see you," smiled the boy. "It's been since graduation since I've talked with any of you, except for Twilight. So with my upcoming duel in a few days, my schedule has been cleared. Therefore I decided to take a little trip to see my best friends."

"Well, I'm charmed that you came to visit little old me." said the fashionista. "If I may ask, darling? Do you still find me beautiful after all this time?"

"You kidding, I mean you were beautiful before. But now... you're drop-dead gorgeous," said the boy.

"Darling, no drooling." joked Rarity. "Though I appreciate the kind words."

"Well, what about you? What are you doing here? In this fancy hotel?" asked Isaac.

"Well, I was just dropping off an order for a customer. They're currently attending a meeting so they told me to leave it in their room. So I had just finished delivering it when I bumped into you." said the girl.

"Seems you're dream of being a fashionista is doing well."

"Believe it's no easy task, but I'm getting by good enough. Speaking of which, if you want, I can show you around town?"

"Sounds like a date, just let me put my stuff in my room." said the World Champ as he began to walk towards his hotel room with the girl following behind her friend.

Isaac pulled out his suite keycard as he swiped it and the door unlocked. He opened it and let Rarity in first as he held the door. Once they were inside, Isaac put his backpack near the suite bed as he went to freshen up in the private bathroom. Rarity was the most amazed by what she saw, being World Champion of Duel Monsters came in some great perks, one being that Isaac was always given the best suites possible at any hotel.

The girl was engulfed by what she saw. She noticed the suite had its own balcony that allowed you to see the city. Rarity now laid down on the bed as it felt soft. She felt like she was floating on clouds as the accommodations were to her liking.

"This is heaven," said Rarity as she was still on the bed as she hugged a soft pillow.

"You're gonna make out with that pillow, or are you gonna show me around?" asked Isaac as he exited from the bathroom and saw the girl enjoying herself on his bed.

"Sorry, darling. It's just... it amazes me that you're treated to this kind of attention everywhere you go. No wonder you enjoy being World Champion."

"Yeah, it's great. But I don't think too much about it. To be honest, I'm fine with a regular hotel room. But I digress," said the boy as he put his deck into the deck box on his belt.

"Shall we?" asked Isaac offering his arm.

"Yes, we shall." smiled Rarity as she now got up from the bed and wrapped her arm around the boy's as the pair exited the room.

The two exited out of the hotel to explore the sights. Seems Rarity had her own connections as they were able to hire a limo and toured most of the place. They walked down the streets called “Starshine Boulevard”, a hot spot to some of the best attractions known to everybody. From diners to restaurants, even a few of the movie places.

"That place over there?" said Rarity as she pointed at one of the diners "That is where they made their famous movie, Warrior Hunter. Ooh," said Rarity as she pointed at that building over there, "That is where Chestnut Magnifico filmed one of Daring Doo’s movies."

"I still remember that adventure during high school," said Isaac.

"Speaking of which, is Juniper behaving?" asked the girl.

"She's more than redeemed herself, Rarity. I'm grateful that she's my agent and is doing all of this work with me." smiled the boy.

The limo then stopped at its final destination as it came to place. It was a restaurant called the Tasty Treat. The pair now exited as Rarity kept her arm wrapped around Isaac's as they entered the establishment. They were greeted by a waiter as he brought the boy and girl to a table as they sat down.

"Nice place," said Isaac as he looked at his surroundings.

"It's a popular place for all kinds of people. Plus, tonight is karaoke night." stated the girl.

Once they placed their orders the pair now began to talk.

"So tell me, Rarity. How have things been since we graduated? I mean, I know I asked you to make me the outfit I'm wearing. I'd figured I need to update my signature look; as you've said, clothes can help to attract people's eyes."

"Where to begin? Well, after I said goodbye to the girls, I headed here to open my shop. By the way, daring? Before I continue, is Sweetie Belle doing okay?"

"She's fine, Rares. Pinkie is taking good care of her and the house. Next time you see your little sister, challenge her to a duel. She's grown quite a bit. CHS has done well with its new look. From what Celestia and Luna told me, they're seeing an improvement in the school's performance in terms of Duel Monsters. They're on par with Crystal Prep in that category."

"Good to see she's doing well. Now then, where was I? Oh, right. So I opened up my shop and had a few orders to start up. After that business... was not progressing. As expected for starting a fashion empire from scratch. I had my assistants to help me and through all the tough times of trying to make money. They stuck by, I told them to go find some other successful fashion designer, but they were dead set on sticking with me." said Rarity.

"So for a few months, we did our best to advertise our business. Still nothing, it wasn't until I got a call from Sapphire Shores. I thought it was a prank, but turns out it was her. She wanted me to design her a dress for the new music video she was going to work on. So I poured my heart out to create the best dress possible."

Rarity pulled out her phone as she showed the picture of the dress to her friend.

"That's hella expensive," said Isaac as he saw the dress.

"Oh, it was Sapphire Shore gave me a 12-carat diamond as payment," said Rarity.

"Shit!" exclaimed Isaac.

"So I used that diamond to replenish my resources for the dress. The music video came out and to my surprise, Sapphire Shores credited me as the person who made the dress. I was amazed that she of all people who acknowledge me, a new fashion designer trying to get her name out. And it was there that my business began to boom. After that, I received tons of orders, and people came into the shop liking what I created. It felt good to finally get noticed. And then... came your request."

"I remember. It was the day that I got invited to compete against Yusei in an exhibition match. And like you, I was just starting to come onto the scene 6 months after I began."

"I remember Juniper sending me the email asking me to make you a new look. So I simply looked at the design of the hoodie I made for you that you wore during high school. After a few tweaks and reworks, I had the outfit made and sent it to you."

"And I've enjoyed it just as much as the first outfit you made me. Thanks, Rarity."

"It was my pleasure. And thank you for also helping me to expand my business. Seeing the World Champion of Duel Monsters has attracted more eyes to my work. I've opened up a few more shops in different cities and travel in between them to see how they're doing." said Rarity as she smiled at Isaac for help her.

"Oh look, they're just about done," stated the girl as she pointed at the karaoke machine.

They saw that the people were leaving the karaoke machine, whilst they waited for someone else to sing.

"Oh, darling." said Rarity as she held onto Isaac’s arm, "Would you like to join me?"

"Sure, for old times sakes." smiled the World Champ.

The pair walked to the karaoke machine. They held onto their microphones while looking through the song list. Isaac stopped on a song, making Rarity's eyes go wide when she saw it. She smirked as she looked at the boy as the music began to play.

I close my eyes and I can see
The world that's waiting up for me
That I call my own
Through the dark, through the door
Through where no one's been before
But it feels like home

Everyone soon watched Isaac sing as if they were hearing him sing his heart out.

They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy
They can say, they can say I've lost my mind
I don't care, I don't care, so call me crazy
We can live in a world that we design

More folks began to cheer when they heard how his voice sounded. Sure enough, Rarity began to sing.

'Cause every night I lie in bed
The brightest colours fill my head
A million dreams are keeping me awake
I think of what the world could be
A vision of the one I see
A million dreams is all it's gonna take
Oh a million dreams for the world we're gonna make

Now it was Isaac's turn to be amazed by Rarity's voice as it was still lovely as it was back then.

There's a house we can build
Every room inside is filled
With things from far away
The special things I compile
Each one there to make you smile
On a rainy day

Both Isaac and Rarity began to harmonize together.

They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy
They can say, they can say we've lost our minds
I don't care, I don't care if they call us crazy
Runaway to a world that we design

Pretty soon, the two of them sang in a different tone and they were perfect.

Every night I lie in bed
The brightest colours fill my head
A million dreams are keeping me awake
I think of what the world could be
A vision of the one I see
A million dreams is all it's gonna take
Oh a million dreams for the world we're gonna make

However big, however small
Let me be part of it all
Share your dreams with me
You may be right, you may be wrong
But say that you'll bring me along
To the world you see
To the world I close my eyes to see
I close my eyes to see

Every night I lie in bed
The brightest colours fill my head
A million dreams are keeping me awake
A million dreams, a million dreams
I think of what the world could be
A vision of the one I see
A million dreams is all it's gonna take
A million dreams for the world we're gonna make
For the world we're gonna make

Everyone began to cheer as they clapped their hands. Rarity hugged Isaac and kissed him on the lips, for it was the most fun she ever had even Isaac had fun. The rest of the night went on without a hitch, and the food tasted great. After they finished, they were now making their way back to Isaac's suite room as he allowed the girl to stay the night as there was an extra bed. They discussed the plan to visit Rarity's boutique as she wanted to take the opportunity to have Isaac model for her to create some more outfit designs.

"Darling, this is..." said Rarity as she held the document that Isaac mentioned to Fluttershy.

"It's something that I believe needs to be done," stated the boy.

"I see, well... hopefully, Twilight doesn't take this the wrong way." stated the girl as she gave the document back to Isaac.

The pair then got ready for bed as it appeared Rarity had packed her nightwear as the friends drifted off to sleep.

---

The next day came, as the sun was rising. After getting room service delivered to their room, Rarity and Isaac exited the hotel as they caught a taxi towards the girl's boutique. They saw the girl's boutique as Isaac saw the sign.

"Rarity for You. Catchy name," said Isaac as he followed the girl inside.

The pair entered the place as Isaac got to see just how big Rarity's store was. Inside tons of mannequins and dresses. There were even a few pieces of clothing for men as Isaac was taking a look at the outfits. He followed Rarity towards the cashier.

"Welcome to... oh, Rarity. It's you."

"Greeting, Sassy, Coco. Isaac, these are my assistants and partners in helping me to run this boutique." said the girl as she introduced her friend to her partners.

"Hey there," said Isaac as he extended his hand out.

The girl he saw behind the desk had brilliant orange eyes. Her hair had brilliant vermilion with light amber and light tangelo stripes, with a gradient of moderate fuchsia to moderate orchid on the shadowed side. The girl's skin was pale, light grayish cerulean. She wore a short black puffy-sleeved black mini dress with a golden saddle around the torso. Next to her was a smaller girl in height who was cream colored with two-tones blue hair, light cyan eyes, wearing a red flower barrette clip in the back of her hair along with a purple collar and red ascot around her neck. She was wearing a violet skirt and a simple white button up top.

"My stars, you're... Isaac." said the girl as she shook the boy's hand and couldn't help but blush at feeling his muscles.

"You're the current Duel Monsters Champion," said Coco as she shook the boy's hand and was turning all sorts of red.

"Darlings. Isaac's already taken by my friend. Do try to keep your eyes above his waist," snickered Rarity as she teased her business partners.

"So you know who I am?"

"Who doesn't know who the World Champion of Duel Monsters is? Plus, Rarity talked about you during the summer internship that she did during high school. It's how we met." stated Sassy Saddles.

"Not to mention, we get tons of people come in as they want a similar outfit to the one Ms. Rarity makes for you." said Coco Pommel.

"I see." Isaac then pulled out two prints from his backpack as he began to sign and personalize them. He then handed it to Sassy Saddles and Coco as they looked at it and hugged it tightly.

"Thank you," said the both girls as they admired the photo.

"One more thing," said Isaac as he planted a quick kiss on Sassy and Coco's cheek as he winked to which the girls gasp as they felt their cheek.

"Alright, girls. Isaac is here to do some modeling. Since he's in town, I'd figured I get the chance to get a headstart on some of the outfits that I've designed for him. So could you go fetch the clothing rack?"

"Right away, Miss Rarity," said Sassy as she went to the back.

"Coco, put the sign up to let the customers know that we're close for some important business."

"Right away," responded the girl.

"You already made clothes for me?" asked Isaac.

"Darling, you're my friend. Designing outfits for you I consider my downtime. Cause I know you don't have too many expectations on what I create for you." said Rarity as she was pushing the boy to one of the platforms with three mirrors in front.

"Well, you do many some incredible outfits," said Isaac.

"Exactly, now let's get to it. After all, life is a runway." said the fashionista as some music began to play.

https://youtu.be/MW1mWBjtoGY

Sassy and Coco rolled out the clothing rack filled with outfits as Rarity began to work her magic. Every scene shifted with a simple spin by the girl as she kept on singing. Isaac was put in the many outfits that the girl had been designing for him.

One of the outfits Rarity made had Isaac wearing a light blue t-shirt in 'V' with a big crown symbol gold-colored right on the center, blue jeans, slightly darker, crown-chain on his left side, and his shoes were colored in shades of grey and black. On his fingers he wore 2 rings per hand, on his right hand he had a plain black ring on his index finger and a plain white ring on his middle finger, while on his left hand he had the same rings but on the opposite finger.

Coco handed Isaac the sweater to go along with the outfit as it was a silver sweater with a hood and two pockets and white blocks. The boy put it on and left it unzipped as he preferred wearing his sweaters like that.

"That's better," said Isaac as he was felt his shoulders being grabbed by Rarity.

Another spin by the girl as she continued to sing, and Isaac was in another outfit. He was now in a cyan t-shirt slightly dark, and on its center, there was a big symbol but divided into two sides right on the center, on the left side it's color was silver and on the right, it's empty making somehow a reference to the yin and yang symbol. He was also wearing blue spandex pants slightly dark, his shoes were just like the ones he normally used, but in black color with three stripes on the sides of orange color.

Just like before, Rarity had a jacket to go along with this outfit as it was a black leather jacket, on the right forearm there was a dark blue line and on the left forearm, there was a gold line. Isaac grabbed it from Sassy, put it on and left it unzipped, and he raised the neck that reached above his mouth.

As the song continued, more and more outfits Rarity was having Isaac model for her as she made some mental notes. As it ended, the music died down as she did one final spin as Isaac was now back in his regular clothes as the girl's assistants were rolling the clothing rack away.

"Why do I feel like I need to sit down?" asked Isaac as he felt his head spin a bit as he sat down on the platform.

"Thank you, Isaac. I was able to make the final touches and adjustments. I do hope that you enjoyed all the designs I made for you."

"It was my pleasure, Rares," said Isaac as he finally got his head to stop spinning.

"Oh, my word. I almost forgot one last thing. Isaac could you follow me to the back, please?" asked the girl battling her eyelashes as she leaned against the counter in a rather seductive pose.

"Uh..." was all Isaac said as he saw his friend in that posture as his mind was starting to think of something.

"I promise, I won't bite... much," said Rarity as she left giving her hips a little sway.

"Oh, boy." stated the World Champ.

He cautiously followed the girl to the back as he prepared himself for what might go down. He saw Rarity next to a door; she opened it and then stepped through it as he soon followed. He now found himself in the back of the place as there was a huge storage area filled with boxes and other stuff the fashionista used for running her store.

Isaac was taking it all in as he didn't pay attention to what Rarity did.

"Now then, darling, since you did me a favor. I feel it's only right that I return it," said Rarity as she now turned to face the boy as her duel disk was strapped on her wrist. She pulled out her deck and activated her small rectangle device as it projected an indigo color card tray.

"Then it's my duty as a gentleman, to give the lady a proper finish to our date," smiled Isaac as he reached into his belt and pulled out his deck, and slotted it into his duel disk as it projected a gold card tray.

Sassy and Coco were nearby as they had pulled up some chairs and were preparing themselves to watch her friend and the World Champion in action.

"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.

Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
Rarity's Life Points: 8000-

"Let's duel!" shouted both of them.

Turn 1: Isaac

"I'll begin," said Isaac as he drew his card, "I summon my Magician's Valkyria(1600/1800). Then I'll place one card facedown and end my turn."

Turn 2: Rarity

"Now then, time for the lady to shine," said Rarity as she flipped her hand as she twirled around as she drew her card, "I'll start by placing my Scale 2 Crystal Keeper and Scale 5 Crystal Master to set the Pendulum Scale." Rarity placed both of her cards on the far side of her card tray as the word pendulum spelled out in between. Her monsters appeared in columns of light as their respective numbers showed in front of them.

"I can summon as many of my fabulous monsters from Levels 3 through 4 all at once." Rarity snapped her fingers as a portal opened up and out came light. "Appear Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger(1600/1000)!" A white tiger with a horn and a collar studded with yellow gems stepped from the rubble of the gem.

"Then I'll play the spell card, Crystal Tree." stated the fashionista as a small twig appeared on her field. "Next I'll have my Topaz Tiger attack your monster and remember my monster's ability, when it attacks a monster, it gains 400 extra attack points. So go my tiger, Topaz Incisor Shred!!"

Topaz Tiger heard the command by its mistress as it raced forward and then leaped into the air as its claws were out and took out Isaac's monster.

"I end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 3: Isaac

"Nice to see you still know how to play, Rarity."

"A lady never forgets," said the girl flipped her hair while shooting a wink at her male companion.

"Then let me show some new moves I've learned since becoming champion, I draw! To start, I play Imperial Bower(1500/1500)." Out came a set of knights as they stood side by side as each one was a different color. "Then I activate their ability, see if I control no other monsters, I can tribute these guys to take 2 of my Royal Knights from my deck. Then I can either add them to my hand or summon them to the field, so I choose to bring out my Queen's Knight(1500/1600) and King's Knight(1600/1400). And then because of my King's Knight's ability, I can summon Jack's Knight(1900/1000) from my deck!" All at once, Isaac now had his three royal knights on the field as they all put their swords together.

"Royal Knights, Isaac. Seems that nickname of yours really does suit you," said Rarity.

"You heard about that?" asked the boy.

"Darling, the Prince. My if you didn't give that somewhat of a proposal to Twilight during your graduation duel, you know how many girls would kill to be with you?" asked Rarity.

"For the record, I didn't pick that nickname. People just went with it, plus, it doesn't feel right to have my friends addressing me by that," stated Isaac. "Anyways, I end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 4: Rarity

"My turn and I'll now have my Topaz Tiger attack your Jack's Knight, remember, it gains 400 attack points when it battles a monster." said the girl as her tiger leaped into the air once more as it took out the warrior.
Isaac's Life Points: 7900-

"I end my turn."

Turn 5: Isaac

"My turn and I'll start by revealing my facedown, Court of Cards. Now since the only monsters I currently control are my Royal Knights, I can revive any of them if they're in my graveyard, so my Jack's Knight rises once more," said Isaac as his knight was back in play.

"Now, I'll get rid of my Queen's Knight so that I can special summon my Arcana Triumph Joker(?/2500)!" said Isaac as his female knight disappeared as it was replaced by a more powerful one.

"My monster has a unique special ability, her attack points are determined based on the number of total cards in our hands by 500. I'm currently holding 3, and you're holding 2, so that means she has 2500 attack points," stated Isaac as his female knight powered up.

"Now to attack, Arcana Triumph Joker attack Rarity's Topaz Tiger!" instructed the boy as his knight nodded her head and leaped forward.

"I reveal my facedown, Last Resort. When you declare an attack, I can now activate one field spell from my deck. And so get ready cause I play Ancient City - Rainbow Ruins!" shouted Rarity as the field around them as the pair found themselves in a rundown coliseum arena.

"Well, either way, your Topaz Tiger is getting destroyed!" stated Isaac as his female knight brought her sword down and took out the striped feline.
Rarity's Life Points: 7100-

"Now instead of sending my monster to the graveyard, I can place it in my spell and trap cards zone. And now my tree grows a fruit," said Rarity as a shiny plum fruit appeared on one of the branches of the twig.

"I now end my turn."

Turn 6: Rarity

"My turn, I draw!" said Rarity.

"And that means another card in your hand so my knight gets stronger," stated Isaac as his knight now had 3000 attack points.

"I play the spell Crystal Bond, so now I can add a 'Crystal Beast' from my deck to my hand. And place a different one in my back row. So I choose to add my Crystal Amber Mammoth while Crystal Ruby Carbuncle will go to my spell and trap card zone." said Rarity as her duel disk ejected two cards for her to grab. A red gem then appeared on the girl's field as another fruit grew on the tree.

"Since Ruby is in my back row, I can special summon it. So come out Ruby Carbuncle(300/300) in defense mode!" Within the rays of light appeared a small purple quadruple with large red eyes and a round red gem on its tail. It jumped down in front of Rarity and mewled. Rarity smirked. “When Ruby Carbuncle is special summoned, all of my crystallized Crystal Beasts in the spell and trap zone are released! So Topaz Tiger is back in play. Along with my Amber Mammoth(1700/1600) who I'll also summon!"

Ruby Carbuncle held up its tail and cried. The gemstone on its tail lit up red and shot beams of energy into the yellow and orange gems behind it. The gems glowed brightly and shattered. From the orange gem came a large mammoth, a circular amber stone on a crest on its forehead. A white tiger with a horn and a collar studded with yellow gems stepped from the rubble of the other gem.

"Next, I'll activate the effect of my Crystal Tree. So by sending it to my graveyard, I can place as many 'Crystal Beasts' from my deck in my spell/trap card zone based on how many counters my tree had. So since it had 2 counters, I'll place two 'Crystal Beasts'. I choose Crystal Beast Amethyst Cat and Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus." said the girl as two more gems appeared with one of them being amethyst colored while the other was sapphire.

"Now to attack, Topaz Tiger take out his Jack's Knight!" commanded the fashionista as her tiger powered up and destroyed Isaac's monster.
Isaac's Life Points: 7800-

"Amber Mammoth, your turn. Attack his King's Knight!" The pachyderm let out a trumpet sound as he began to charge forward as he had his foot over the knight and brought it down as it squished its target resulting in an explosion.
Isaac's Life Points: 7700-

"My word, Rarity is now in control. And against the World Champion no less," said Sassy as she was amazed by what her boss could do when it came to Duel Monsters and dueling.

"I now end my turn."

Turn 7: Isaac

"My turn, and I'll activate the effect of my Court of Cards so that I can bring back my Jack's Knight. Then my Arcana Triumph Joker gains 500 more points so it has 3000 attack points!" said Isaac. "Now attack her Amber Mammoth!" shouted the boy.

"I activate the effect of my field spell since I have two 'Crystal Beasts' in my spell and trap card zone. I can cut the Battle Damage in half!" stated Rarity as a small force field produced around her and minimized the damage she would have taken. An orange gem then materialized in her back row.
Rarity's Life Points: 6450-

"Now, Jack's Knight. Attack her Topaz Tiger!" shouted Isaac as his other knight took out Rarity's cat once more.
Rarity's Life Points: 6150-

"Now, I'll play Graceful Charity. So I draw three cards and discard two," said the boy as he drew his cards and then selected the ones he wanted to get rid of.

"I now end my turn and so the effect of my Joker's Straight activates. Since it was sent to the graveyard, I can shuffle my King's Knight back into my deck and then add my Joker's Straight back to my hand." Isaac's duel disk then ejected his two cards as he placed his monster on the top of his deck as the auto shuffler kicked in.

Turn 8: Rarity

"My draw," said Rarity as she drew her card.

As long as Isaac has his Arcana Triumph Joker on the field, none of my monsters can damage his life points. And it gains power based on the number of cards that we both have. Right now, it has 4000 attack points.

"I now activate the effect of my field spell since I control 4 'Crystal Beasts' in my spell and trap card zone, I can draw an extra card," said Rarity as she drew another card as Isaac's monster gained 500 more attack points.

"You're just making my monster stronger," said Isaac.

"Am I? Well, let's change that. Cause I play my spell Crystal Abundance! now I can send 4 'Crystal Beasts' from my spell and trap card zone to the graveyard." Rarity's Topaz Tiger, Amber Mammoth, Sapphire Pegasus, and Amethyst Cat all shined in their crystal form. "Now I can send all cards on the field to the graveyard!"

"What?!" shouted Sassy as she was amazed.

The entire field began to change as her field spell was gone as Isaac's cards on his side of the field and her Ruby Carbuncle were all gone in explosions.

"Of course, I can save my Ruby by placing it in my spell and trap card zone." said the girl as a red gem appeared. "Now the next effect of my Crystal Abundance activates, in that, I can special summon as many of my Crystal Beasts from the graveyard up to the number of cards that you controlled when they were sent to the graveyard. So since you had three cards on the field, I can bring back 3 'Crystal Beasts! Sapphire Pegasus(1800/1200), Amber Mammoth, and Topaz Tiger!" Three lights shined down as they all appeared on the girl's field as her monster were present.

"Now Pegasus' effect activates, since he was summoned, I can place a 'Crystal Beast' from my hand, deck, or graveyard in my back row. So I'll take back my Amethyst Cat and place her in my spell and trap card zone." said the fashionista as her gem appeared on her field once more.

"And now, you're defenseless. My gorgeous monsters, attack Isaac for hurting your mistress," said Rarity in a drama queen tone as her monsters heard the command as they all took turns to hurt the boy as he was thrown onto his back.
Isaac's Life Points: 2600-

"That hurt a bit," said Isaac as he sat up and saw Rarity petting her monsters as they showed their love for their mistress.

"Stunned by my beauty?" taunted Rarity flipping her hair.

"Who isn't?" joked Isaac as he kipped up and dusted himself off.

"Then I believe it's your turn. And since my pendulum cards were also destroyed, I place them in my Extra Deck." said the girl as she placed a card facedown to signal her turn ended.

Turn 9: Isaac

"My turn and I'll play Card Destruction, so now we discard our hands and refill them." said the boy as he and Rarity discarded their cards as they drew new ones.

"I now play Berry Magician Girl(400/400). Then since I summoned her, I can now add a 'Magician Girl' from my deck to my hand." said the boy as his baby magician floated to sit on his shoulder as she wrapped her tiny arms around his cheek, and made a pacifier sucking sound.

"Which sister?" asked Isaac.

"Chocolate." said the baby magician.

His duel disk then ejected his card as he grabbed it and gave the tiny thing a tummy rub as she then floated back onto the field.

"I then place one card facedown and end my turn."

Turn 10: Rarity

"My turn and I'll activate the effect of my Ruby, so I can summon it since it's in my spell and trap card zone. And when is Ruby is summoned, so is my Amethyst Cat(1200/400)!" shouted the girl as her two crystals in her back row now appeared next to their comrades.

"Now to finish you off, Sapphire Pegasus attack his Berry Magician Girl!"

"I activate her other effect since she's the target of an attack, I can switch her into defense mode. Then I can summon another 'Magician Girl' to take the field. Give a warm welcome to the girl who always knows how to capture my heart, Dark Magician Girl!" shouted Isaac as he now had his female ace magician on the field as she did a twirl.

"Either way, your smaller magician is destroyed," said Rarity as Berry Magician Girl was destroyed. "And now Topaz Tiger, attack his Dark Magician Girl, remember he gains 400 attack points. So while they may tie, my other Crystal Beasts will wipe out your life points."

"Then I activate Magical Hats! Now you have to find her to get rid of her," said Isaac as four hats appeared and covered his magician as they shuffled on his field.

"Still playing with the same tricks, Isaac. Very well, attack the hat second from the left." stated the fashionista as her tiger leaped at the hat as it exploded in smoke. It soon disappeared as the other three hats remained.

"And you still fall for the same tactics, Rares."

"Touché. Very well, I may not be able to destroy your magician, but I can still go for your life points. By cutting my Amethyst Cat's points in half, she can attack you directly!" said Rarity.

"Oh no," said Isaac as the cat pounced on him and pinned him down by the shoulders. He was expecting her cat to scratch him up like she always did, but this time she simply licked his face as she let out a soothing purr.

"I'm guessing you missed me as well," said Isaac as he sat up and rubbed the cat's ears as she purred even louder.
Isaac's Life Points: 2000-

"With that, I end my turn," said the girl as her cat returned to her field.

Turn 11: Isaac

"My draw and I'll play Card of Sanctity so that we draw till we're holding six cards. Next, I dispel my Magical Hats and play Sage's Stone, so since I control Dark Magician Girl, I can summon my Dark Magician!" said Isaac as he now had his two ace magicians on the field.

"After all these years, your magician is still as handsome as you are," said Rarity.

"Next, I play Magic Formula to give my Dark Magician an extra 700 attack points. So now Mahad attack her Amber Mammoth!" shouted Isaac as his magician fired a powerful spell that took out the pachyderm.
Rarity's Life Points: 4650-

"And Mana, attack her Topaz Tiger!" shouted Isaac as she now took out another one of Rarity's beasts as it was blasted off the field.
Rarity's Life Points: 4250-

The attack ended as both of Isaac's partners stood in front of their master as that image alone got the attention of both girls. Sassy as she saw just how dominant Isaac was to be considered the World Champion. There was a major difference between seeing him on TV compared to real life. For Rarity, she was seeing some memories of the boy from their adventures and how he always had his loyal monsters by his side.

"I now end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 12: Rarity

"My turn and I play the spell card, Crystal Beacon. Since I control 2 'Crystal Beast' monsters in my spell and trap card zone, I can special summon one 'Crystal Beast' from my deck. So I choose my Crystal Beast Cobalt Eagle(1400/800)!" A bird with a jeweled collar set with blue crystals and the same crystals embedded in its wings swooped down to perch in front of Rarity.

"Then I activate the effect of my Cobalt Eagle, so I can place one of my Crystal Beasts on top of my deck. I choose my Sapphire Pegasus." said the girl as she grabbed her card and put it at the top of her deck. "Then I play Rare Value, this allows me to get more bling for my buck. So Isaac which one of my Crystal Beast are you sending to my graveyard?" asked Rarity.

"I choose your Amber Mammoth."

"Very well," said the fashionista as she got rid of her orange gem and then drew her card. "Now I summon Sapphire Pegasus back to the field. And when he's summoned, I can place my Emerald Tortoise in spell and trap card zone from my deck!" Rarity's duel disk now ejected her other monster as a green gem appeared.

"Wait... seven..."

"Indeed, I now reveal my facedown, Rainbow Gravity!" shouted the girl. Rarity’s card flipped up and lit up in white light. Streams of light in the colors of the rainbow rose into the air. It reached the clouds and let out a wave of multicolored light across them. Rarity smiled and closed her eyes. “By the powers of this trap card, from my deck, I special summon Rainbow Dragon(4000/0)!” The light in the air them shone brighter, the silhouette of a long, serpentine dragon appearing within it. With the sound of a mighty roar, the light cracked and broke apart. From the shards came a giant white and gold dragon in a rainbow aura, massive white wings spreading into the air, gemstones in seven colors embedded in its scales. It descended behind Rarity and coiled in the air her, glaring at Isaac with golden eyes beneath a crested helmet of white and gold.

"Magnificent, Rarity's beast is here. So beautiful, the colors, the style. All of it!" said Sassy as she was in awe at seeing Rarity's dragon as it caught her eye.

"A beast that is beautiful to its core," said Coco looking at the dragon's colors.

"The only dragon that knows true beauty," bragged Rarity.

"Then go ahead and attack," stated Isaac.

"Tsk, tsk, darling. I'm not gonna rush in without ignoring your facedown, which is why I have this. I play the spell card, Crystal Overfusion!” Rays of violet light shone from Rarity’s card. Rarity’s voice echoed as she spoke. “By banishing Crystal Beast cards in my graveyard and on my field, either as monsters or as spell cards, I conduct a Fusion Summon!” The crystallized monsters shattered, and the shards rose into the air, swirling around each other in a sphere. Rarity slid her card into her duel disk, and a ray of seven-colored light shot up into the sky, engulfing the gem dust and lifting it into the clouds. The clouds twisted and swirled around each other, white light flashing within.

Rarity put a hand over her duel disk. “By combining the lights of the seven gems, I create the bridge to a new future and summon forth a crystal guardian like no other! I Fusion Summon! Descend, Rainbow Overdragon(4000/0)!” The clouds parted and Rarity’s new monster slowly lowered from above them. A massive white and gold dragon, even larger than Rainbow Dragon, spread its wings across the field and raised its head, eyes glowing white beneath a gold and silver horned crest. Its stomach was shining violet scales, light in seven colors pulsing within them. It hovered above Rarity and roared, the force shaking the field.

"Rarity has won?!" said Sassy as she saw her boss have two powerful dragons on her field as they looked to take out Isaac's top magicians.

"Our boss is about to beat the World Champion?" said Coco also stunned by her Rarity's skills.

"Well, Rares."

"One last thing, Isaac. And this move will guarantee I win. I activate Rainbow Overdragon’s special ability! By offering it as tribute, all other cards on the field are shuffled into the deck!” Rainbow Overdragon spread its wings. Isaac's magicians lit up in seven-colored light and squawked as it was drawn across the field. When the two forms were close enough, Rainbow Overdragon swept its wings around them and bowed its head. Sparks crackled over its wings, and the dragon dissolved Isaac’s cards vanished from within its grasp.

She reached to her duel disk as a card ejected from her graveyard slot, and she held it up. “I activate the effect of Crystal Overfusion in my graveyard. By banishing it when the monster it summoned leaves the field, I can search my deck, hand, graveyard, or banished zone, for a Rainbow Dragon card, and summon it.” With a shimmer of purple light over it, Crystal Overfusion in Rarity’s hand transformed into Rainbow Dragon. “Return to me, Rainbow Dragon!” The vanishing particles of Rainbow Overdragon came together behind her and formed into the visage of Rainbow Dragon, the beast roaring proudly.

"So this is it," said Isaac as he had nothing on his field.

"Time to end this duel," said Rarity as she looked at her friend with a smile. "Rainbow Dragon, finish Isaac off! Rainbow Refraction!" Rainbow Dragon opened its jaws as it summoned energy from the seven gemstones in its scales. It thrust its head forward and fired a beam of searing light.

"I activate the effect of my Electromagnetic Turtle. By banishing it from my graveyard, I can end the battle phase!" shouted the boy. His turtle appeared as it unleashed a wall of electricity that paralyzed the girl's mighty dragon as it backed off.

"I knew you had one last trick up your sleeve," smiled Rarity.

Turn 13: Isaac

"My turn and I play Dark Magic Curtain. So by paying half my life points, I can summon my Dark Magician!" said Isaac as he had his partner back on the field.
Isaac's Life Points: 1000-

"Then I play Eye of Timaeus, and with I can conduct a Fusion Summoning of my own!" said the World Champ as he had his magician fuse with his dragon as a new beast was emerging. "I Fusion Summon, Amulet Dragon(2900/2500)!" Out came Timaeus as riding on his back was Mahad as rune symbols glowed on the body of the dragon as it let out a roar.

"I now activate my Amulet Dragon's special ability, I can now banish all the spell cards in my graveyard and my Amulet Dragon gains 300 extra attack points for each one. And I have a total of 9 which means my dragon gets 2700 extra attack points meaning its strength rises to 5600!" stated the boy as his dragon's symbols on his body lit up as the power coursed through its veins.

"Now attack Rarity's dragon!" shouted Isaac as Timaeus opened its mouth and fired a powerful attack as it collided with Rainbow Dragon who shattered into tons of rainbow sparkles that fell over the girl.
Rarity's Life Points: 2450-

"One more card to play, so I now activate De-Fusion. So time for my Amulet Dragon to split and my Dark Magician is once again on the field," said Isaac as his top spellcaster was summoned. "Time to end this. Mahad, attack Rarity!! Dark Magic Attack!!!" said the boy as he thrust his arm out. Mahad also thrust his hand out as a powerful spell shot towards the fashionista as she covered up from the attack and then fell to a knee.
Rarity's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac

"Marvelous! Brilliant work, you two!" said Sassy as she applauded and cheered for the two friends as they each were catching their breath as they looked at one another and smiled.

"Truly a stunning performance," said Coco.

---

The day was ending as Isaac was preparing to leave to his hotel room as he would need to leave in the morning.

"So I guess this is goodbye until your duel?" asked Rarity.

"Yeah, it's just days away and I need to continue to prep for it. Thanks for a fun time, Rarity."

"It was no trouble, darling. It was nice to catch up," smiled the fashionista. "And I'm glad you liked the outfits that I came up with. Once they're ready, I'll send them to you."

"I appreciate that. I just wish I knew where Rainbow and Sunset were. I was hoping to meet with them before my duel." said Isaac.

"Why didn't you say so, darling? Rainbow is actually wrapping up her season. She and her sports team are having their last game in Baltimare in just two days."

"Wait, what?" asked Isaac.

"Well, she was here just last week. She stopped by my shop and told me during our hangout." answered the girl.

"Baltimare, huh?" Isaac then looked at his phone as he sent a message to Juniper about booking him a flight to Baltimare.

He got his response as it appeared that Baltimare was the place he need to be for the next few days. Turns out Rainbow's game wasn't the only thing that was going to happen, as the city would be hosting the final game for Rainbow's team. So to celebrate the occasion, they had asked Isaac to perform in an exhibition duel.

"Well, that's convenient. Seems I knew where Rainbow was gonna be without knowing," said Isaac as he put his phone away.

"Safe travels, darling," said Rarity as she leaned in to kiss his lips as Isaac brought his hand up to cusp her cheek as the pair let it last for a few moments. "Take care and good luck in your upcoming duel. We'll be watching."

"I will. Take care, Rarity. You as well, Sassy. Good bye, Coco." said Isaac to the girls behind his friend.

"Goodbye, Isaac. And thanks for the autograph," said Sassy.

"We wish you luck in your duel. And we hope you win," responded Coco.

They and Rarity waved goodbye to the boy as he exited the shop and headed back to the hotel to get some rest as he had to leave tomorrow. He now had the location of another one of his friends as he was looking forward to seeing the former sports captain of the Wondercolts.

Chapter 9: Baltimare

"I can't believe how big this house is," said Twilight as she was using her duel disk to talk with Isaac. She was moving the camera around so that the boy could also see.

"Yeah, it's a rather decent-sized place," said Isaac. "By the way, did you take a look upstairs?"

"Yes, I love it!" said Twilight. "My own private dressing room/closet."

"That's what's it was supposed to be, but I know you'll put your books in there," said Isaac.

"Maybe," smiled Twilight sheepishly.

"Well, I'm glad you got a chance to see it. I've got some last-minute things to do. I should be home the day before my duel." said Isaac.

"Alright then, take care, honey," said Twilight as she blew a kiss to her fiancé as the call ended on Isaac's duel disk.

"So she's already starting to move her stuff in," stated Juniper as she was sitting next to her client.

"Yeah," answered Isaac.

"And you haven't told her the document yet?"

"I want to do it in person. I want to see her genuine reaction, plus I've been busy with all this training and catching up that I'll only be home the day before my duel," said Isaac.

"I wish nothing but the best for you two. Especially if you two are going get married," said Juniper as the pair continued their flight.

---

The day began with Isaac leaving his hotel suite from Manehattan. With the information given to him by Rarity, the boy was able to know the location of his athletic friend. The plus side was that she and her team were wrapping up their season, as they would be competing in Baltimare for the championship match. So to commemorate the event, they had contacted the World Champion to take part in an exhibition duel.

Hours passed, and soon, the flight descended as the wheels touched the runway as the plane slowed down. The exit opened up as the pair now grabbed their bags. They got on the bus that Juniper requested for them as they placed their bags in the compartment on the side as they boarded the vehicle and were on their way.

They arrived at the place; they thanked the bus driver and tipped him. The pair now entered the place as they grabbed their keycards and entered their rooms that were next to each other. The morning came as Juniper was talking with her client.

"Are you all set?" asked the girl.

"Just about," said Isaac as he put on his cap and watch.

The pair now left the hotel as they were heading over to the stadium. The big game was going to be taking place tomorrow night as well as the exhibition duel. So today, the pair was going to hopefully see Rainbow and her team as a way for the boy to catch up and give her some news.

They arrived at the stadium as from the outside, it was massive. It was used to holding several events over the years, but it was still impressive. They made it to the gates as the security saw them and let them in without hesitation. The pair kept on walking as they came to one of the many sections of the stadium as they were taking it all in from the inside. Tons of LED screens, speakers, the many seats that would be filled for tomorrow's game. For Isaac, being a pro duelist and competing in duels in big-time venues, this was normal for him.

"There she is," said Juniper as she pointed down to the field.

While Isaac couldn't get a full view of his friend, he did see her rainbow color hair that stood out even a mile away. He smiled as they began to make their way to the field.

On the field were several people as they were practicing for their big game tomorrow night. Spitfire was having her team of all-stars run some last-minute practice drills. All around, her teammates were hard at work trying to get themselves ready for the game in less than 24 hours. One of the players happened to be a girl who had rainbow-colored hair. She was standing in front of a goal as she had the ball at her foot.

"This is it. The final shot of the game, one point to win it." said the girl to herself. She was imagining herself in the moment. "The spotlight is on you." She then began to take a few steps back as she let out a breath and closed her eyes.

"When Rainbow shoots, Rainbow don't miss."

The girl spoke her little catchphrase as she opened her eyes. She then began to charge forward as she looked to kick the ball in. Isaac made his presence known as he got the attention of Rainbow's teammates as they all gasped. He put his finger to his lips as he made sure that Rainbow didn't notice he was here. The girl was too lost in her own mind that she brought her leg to kick the ball when...

"Hey, Skittles!" shouted Isaac.

"Huh?!" said Rainbow as she completely missed the ball and fell hard.

Spitfire and her teammates couldn't help but laugh at how easily the World Champ was able to get their MVP of the team off her game. He gave them all fistbumps as he now walked over where Rainbow was lying on the ground spread out.

"Who's the asshole that called me..." Rainbow then paused what she wanted to say. She sat up and saw who was in front of her. "No shot! This is... it can't be..."

Isaac could see that Rainbow was trying to process the situation. He took this time to examine the girl as it seemed she also grew in the time frame. Playing sports for years had really done wonders for her body. His eyes traveled down her body, tracing her curves, and taking in every detail. Her body was slender but still had some nice curves. After her upper torso, Isaac could trace her form inwards, then as he moved down to her hips, the form moved out again. While he couldn't tell from her backside, he could easily tell she had nice hips and some really lovely legs. Nice sporty thighs that were shown off so nicely.

"Hey, my eyes are up here!" shouted Rainbow as she didn't like that Isaac was examining her like a piece of meat. Though she did blush a bit at the thought of her friend checking her out.

"Sorry, just... you've grown from the teen girl I last saw," said Isaac as he extended his hand out.

"And you're still the same dumbass geek from before," smiled Rainbow as she grabbed his hand as he pulled her up.

"Nice to see you, Dash."

"Nice to see you, Isaac."

"Hey, Crash. You gonna make out with your boyfriend?" mocked Fleetfoot.

"He's not my boyfriend!!" shouted Rainbow to her teammate while turning red.

"You sure, cause the way he was looking at you. Seems he likes what he sees. Why don't you turn around and bend over to give him a nice view?" taunted Spitfire as all the other players laughed.

"Shut up!!" shouted the girl as she turned her head away as even Isaac was laughing.

"Simmer down, Crash. We're just messing with you," said Thunderlane.

"So what brings you on by Mr. World Champion?" asked Soarin.

"Or should we call you by your proper title, the Prince?" asked Misty Fly.

"Okay, first of all, I didn't ask for that nickname," stated Isaac. "It just sort of happened, and second of all, I'm actually doing a bit of training on my own."

"What kind of training?" asked Misty Fly as he and Rainbow now walked back with the other members.

"Special training." answered the boy.

"AHH!!!" said the team minus Rainbow. "We get it."

"Plus, as it so happens. You all have a game tomorrow night. And since it's not only the finals but your last game of the season, I've been asked to put on an exhibition duel after the game."

"Exhibition, huh?" said Rainbow.

"Yup, especially since I have a championship duel coming up in about 4 days. But I did also want to come here to announce something. For the exhibition duel, they're allowing me to choose my opponent. So... you want the challenge, Dash?"

"Wait, what?!" said the girl as she looked at Isaac.

"You always were determined to take me on during high school. And you never did complete your promise that you would beat me in a duel. So, how about now? Think you got what it takes to finally beat me?" taunted Isaac.

"Ohh, Crash. Don't tell me you're gonna be a little bitch now?" taunted Spitfire as she too wanted to see the girl in action.

"She ain't got what it takes to beat the champ. She couldn't even make that goal." mocked Fleetfoot. Soon the others all did their own taunts as Rainbow was getting fed up.

"I don't back down from any challenge. You understand, geek!!" shouted Rainbow as she got in the face of Isaac. "I can't tell you how long I've waited to settle the score between me and you! What's that little tagline that people like to say with you? 'You come for the Prince; you best not miss'. Well, I got a little mantra of my own, and it goes like this: When Rainbow shoots, Rainbow don't miss."

Isaac smiled smugly as he saw Rainbow still had that competitive spirit in her that he admired and loved.

"So you best believe I accept!" said the girl staring at her friend.

Both duelists had a serious look on their faces as they stared at one another. Eventually, Isaac had a small smile on his face as did Rainbow as both let out a chuckle.

"I can't wait to see this," said Thunderlane.

"Well, I think we've got enough practice in," said Spitfire as she blew the whistle around her neck. "Alright team, time to hit the showers and call it. Tomorrow's the big day."

"Yes, captain!" said the team as they all gathered their bags and towels as they went to wash up.

"Hey, Crash. Take the rest of the day off. Spend some time with your little 'boyfriend' before you two try to kill each other for tomorrow's duel."

"He ain't my boyfriend!" shouted the girl to her captain.

"Yeah, sure." taunted Spitfire. "And champ, if you get the chance. Make sure you tap that ass," winked the girl as she left. That comment made both Isaac and Rainbow turn red as they looked away for a bit.

"Don't get any ideas, geek!" shouted Rainbow as she turned to look at Isaac still having red on her face.

"Chill, Dash. You forget Twilight's my fiancé."

"Right. Anyways, give me a few minutes to wash up and I'll meet up with you by the entrance," said Rainbow as she grabbed her bag and went to the locker room as Isaac and Juniper left to wait for their friend.

---

After a couple of minutes, Rainbow had met up with the two and changed out of her uniform. She had her bag over her shoulder as she was in her usual attire, which consisted of pale, light grayish cerulean pants and a black t-shirt.

"Ready to hang out?" asked Isaac.

"Yeah," exclaimed the girl as they stopped by the team's stay in Baltimare as the girl dropped her bag.

"So any plans?" asked the chromatic girl.

"Not really," answered Isaac.

"Well, thankfully, I took the liberty of researching some incredible sights for us to visit," said Juniper as she showed off her tablet to the pair.

"That's why I love having you as my agent." smiled Isaac as he planted a kiss on Juniper's cheek as the girl blushed a bit. "Anything you want to do though, Dash?"

"Well, I heard there's a motocross show happening tonight." said the girl as it was the one thing she really wanted to see.

"Well according, to my tablet, the show doesn't start until 6 pm. So we got time to see other things," said Juniper.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go have fun!" exclaimed Isaac as he began to walk with Juniper following behind her client.

"Still the same boy from high school," said Rainbow as she smiled and went after the pair.

The first thing the pair did was they stopped by a video game store as they all entered inside. Apart from the occasional gathering of people who saw Isaac as well as Rainbow and asked for an autograph, the trio was allowed to not be bothered by the fans. They were now playing some consoles as it brought back memories for the two friends from their high school youth. The competition got a bit heated as the pair managed to draw a crowd of people, including some of the store owners as Isaac and Rainbow were engaged in a battle for the ages.

They were currently playing a first to 10 as right now the score was tied with each person winning nine individual games. Both were going with the fighter they knew best as jab after jab was traded. Spot dodging, blocking with shield, and combos were thrown out as both were in the danger zone of being defeated. The percentages at the bottom in the red showing just how close this was.

In the game, Isaac's character blocked Rainbow's three-piece jab as he then grabbed her character and threw her backward. His character then began to chase after her as it jumped into the air and looked to hit the final attack off the stage, but Rainbow recovered immediately as her character hit his as it allowed her time to get back onto the stage. Now she landed and chased after Isaac's fighter as he dodged to the side when Rainbow's went for mid-air attack. About another 2 minutes passed of each other trying to get a final attack in while also avoiding getting hit.

The high pressure and tense situation, as well as atmosphere, was on full display. Both players were making a few mistakes, but can you blame them? Eventually, it came to the final closing moments of the fight, as Rainbow grabbed Isaac's character and threw forward as she dealt a hard attack as it sent his character sailing to the left and would have knocked him out, but Isaac used the analog stick of the controller to input some DI of his own that barely saved his character as he stopped Rainbow from hitting his fighter again and then recovered as his fighter hung on the ledge.

At that moment, Rainbow had her character throw out a side special while she jumped in the air, anticipating Isaac's fighter to jump. The boy jumped up as he did a side special of his own to delay his fall just enough to avoid getting hit by Rainbow's side attack. As he landed on the stage just as Rainbow's fighter landed as to which she spot dodged thinking Isaac would attack, but instead he grabbed her and instead of throwing forward, backward, or even upwards. He did a downward throw which flung her character into the air as she air dodged to avoid an attack but instead Isaac had his character charge up his side smash as it hit Rainbow's character as she was but inches from touching the ground as the camera zoomed in on the final hit for 2 seconds as her fighter was sent zooming off the screen as it was over.

"GAME!" said the screen as the fighter's pose was done, with Isaac being the winner. The crowd cheering for the boy all let out noises as the ones who wanted Rainbow to win all groaned. They all soon disbursed.

"Motherf!@@#$!!" shouted Rainbow as she was angry.

---

After Rainbow let out a temper tantrum, the trio left to explore more places. They stopped by a library as Rainbow made a groan.

"Ughh, why are we here? This is more Twilight's place," stated the athletic girl.

"Then I guess you don't want to check out new Daring Do books that you haven't read yet?" asked Isaac.

"I read all of them, geek. Twice!" shouted the girl.

"Alright then, so much for wanting to see if they have the definite edition," said Isaac as that comment got Rainbow's ears to perk up.

"Definite edition?" said the girl looking at her friend.

"Oh, you didn't know. They remade one of the popular books in the series. Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone was such a huge hit they remade the book, but this time A.K. Yearling added some extra content that she didn't put when she first wrote it down." said Isaac with a smug expression

"Then get the hell out of my way!" shouted Dash as she shoved Isaac and Juniper to the side and ran inside the library leaving a trail of smoke behind her.

"Never change, Rainbow. Never change." chuckled Isaac as they entered.

They entered the library as Rainbow wasted no time in dragging Isaac with her as Juniper was left to browse some books of her own interest. The pair found the edition as Rainbow felt like wanting to squeal in excitement, but she kept herself under control. In the end, Rainbow read through all the books with full glee, reading parts that she never knew would be awesome(in her own way).

After that, they then moved on to some food stands that were near the central square. Rainbow took an interest as she wanted to try to make a few different protein shakes that she wanted to try and more for future workouts. They visited some more places as they passed by a park in which Rainbow began to show off her skateboard skills as both Isaac and Juniper leaned against the street lamp as the girl put on a show for the kids.

"Hey, Rainbow. We need to leave if we're gonna make it for the motocross show!" shouted the boy.

"Right, later, kids." said the girl as she handed the board and helmet back to the girl who she borrowed from.

They made it to the arena where the show was taking place. The roar of the crowd could be heard two blocks down as it was packed to the rafters. Rainbow was expecting them to be going through the entrance, but Juniper used their connections to get the three of them a private skybox to watch the show with people to serve them. Rainbow couldn't help but hug the two as she raced towards their box.

"Isaac always gets the coolest shit," said Rainbow to herself as she saw the private skybox as there were a few people dressed in suits ready to fetch anything the guests asked for.

"There you go, again. Mooching off of my stuff," said Isaac with a smile.

Everyone then took their seats. Sure enough, the Motocross show known as the X Games began. The riders showed off stunts and dangerous tricks for people's entertainment. Isaac looked over to Rainbow as she had the purest of happiness on her face as it was enough to get the boy to crack a smile. About an hour and a half of watching the show, the trio had just exited the VIP booth and were heading out of the stadium.

"That. Was. Awesome!!!" shouted Rainbow as she got excited.

After that, it was now nighttime as the city was lit up by the lights from buildings and the cars in the streets. The trio had managed to stop by the place where the team was staying as Rainbow grabbed her bag. Juniper was kind enough to book a room for Rainbow to stay at their hotel as they had made it back.

Isaac was with Rainbow in his hotel room as the pair was catching up with the other.

"This has been the best day ever!" stated the girl as she sat on the boy's bed.

"Glad you enjoyed it," stated Isaac as he sat down in a chair.

"I haven't had this much fun since..."

"Since we were still students in high school," said Isaac as he finished Rainbow's train of thought.

"A year and a half makes a difference," said Rainbow as she could feel the time skip since they all went their separate ways. "It feels just like yesterday we were battling evil magic and dueling against tough foes."

"Keep in mind, I'm the one who had to deal with most of that shit," said Isaac.

"Not everything, alright. Remember the cruise ship, I was the hero that day."

"Bullshit!" shouted Isaac. "I know you meant well but,... why did you act out like that on Spring Break?"

"Well," said Rainbow, "I wanted to fight and save the day and stuff."

"Are you sure?" asked Isaac as he crossed his arms.

"Well yeah, of course," said Rainbow as she smiled.

However, the moment he flexed his right eyebrow at that, the very thing Rainbow recognized as she widened her eyes in surprise. She then sighed and lowered her head.

"Fine, I wanted to have an excuse to use magic so that I could save the day because..." said Dash, which Isaac noticed.

"Why?"

"Because I was bored, okay?!!" exclaimed Dash. "I didn't have anything else to do because I was on a ship in the middle of the ocean with nothing to do!! Everything was slow and I wanted excitement. Plus at that time, we didn't have that sort of adventure for a while. So I was looking forward to it happening."

"And you thought you could entertain yourself... by ruining it for everyone else?" said Isaac.

"Well, I..." said Rainbow, until Isaac gently placed his hand on her shoulder, signaling her to be quiet about it.

She noticed that instead of having a stern and angry look, he had a look of concern and worry; even care in his eyes. He released her shoulder as he sat down next to her and spoke.

"Do you wanna know the real reason why Twilight arranged the yacht cruise for Spring Break?" asked Isaac.

Rainbow didn't know how to answer that which made him break the ice.

"Twilight arranged the trip because she wanted not just for you, but for us to take a break from everything. Magic stuff, dueling, high school, etc. In case you forgot, we were just a few months away from graduating, Dash. About to go on our separate ways, and Twilight wanted us to relax and make some last-minute memories."

Rainbow put her head down a bit even more as she listened to her friend.

"Everyone deserves to have a break and spend some time with each other. It's why I'm spending my days before my duel with each one of you. Cause I want to get away from my duties as World Champ. I want to see my best friends. I miss them! I miss you, Dash."

Rainbow slowly looked away as she listened to the boy.

"Twilight arranged the trip for us to have fun. But because of your own obsession and paranoia, you were so obsessed with using magic just to play superhero you failed to notice that you ended up hurting your friends. When I play the hero part, was I doing it to feed my ego? Was I doing it so that I could be the center of attention?"

"N-no." said the girl, still looking away.

Rainbow let out some sniffles that were building up as she turned around and kept her head lowered. For now, thinking back, she felt ashamed for what she did. Isaac placed his hand on her shoulder, gaining her full attention.

"I know you meant well, and you tried to help fix things when danger happened. But it's not up to you or me to do everything on our own," said Isaac. "I mean, even heroes need to take a break every once and a while. You need to trust that things will work themselves out in the end. You spend too much time worrying about the bad things that might happen; you'll miss out on all the good things that are happening."

For Isaac, that last line rang true.

"You gotta do that shit. Pull out the cliché 'feeling' line." said Rainbow looking at her friend with tears slowly falling down her cheek.

Isaac brought his hand to wipe the water from the girl's eyes as he cusp her right side.

"It's what I do," smiled the boy. "We should never take the things we have in life for granted. Some things may have an end, which we know is very sad. That is why we gotta learn to live life to the fullest in the time we have. And in the end, you'll look back at all of this someday, and you'll realize how good of a life you really had."

Isaac made sure to also direct his attention to the fourth wall when he said that.

Once again, Isaac was doing the thing he did best. Being the hero by helping those around him. Rainbow couldn't take it anymore as she ended up hugging him tightly. She kept shedding tears as Isaac just sat there with a look.

"I know you don't like talking about your feelings. But you know what that makes you if you do?" said Isaac, reassuring his friend, "Just like everybody else."

They broke the hug as she wiped her tears and looked down, "But I'm not supposed to be, am I?"

He held up her chin with his hand, making her look at him.

"Everyone fails who they're supposed to be, Rainbow. But the measure of a true person, even from time to time, a hero, is how well they succeed in being who they are."

Rainbow couldn't help but smile, and say, "I really missed you, geek."

"Missed you too, Skittles," said Isaac.

The two friends looked at each other.

"I love you for who you are, Rainbow. I don't wanna change anything about you." Rainbow wiped her eyes again, and Isaac smirked. "Are you crying again?"

"No, you dork, just got something in my eye..." She said, laughing a little before she looked at him with a genuine smile.

"Wow, after all that, and you're still trying to preserve your cool image?" Isaac said in a teasing tone, trying to get her back to the good old Rainbow Danger Dash. "Oufh!"

As Isaac was laughing, Rainbow leaped at him like a hungry cat, pinning the boy to the bed as she pressed her lips against his. The boy's cap had fallen off when the girl tacked him to the mattress. She almost gasped into the kiss, as if not believing she just did what she did, but then refused to let go as Isaac felt her press harder against him.

They weren't sure how long the kiss lasted, they had lost track of time, but it was long enough for Rainbow to gasp as their lips departed.

"You're a dork." Kiss. "And you're an idiot!" She kissed Isaac again and again until he took her hands in his and smirked.

"I love you too, Rainbow." She blushed, and Isaac chuckled, planting a peck on her lips before he sat up with her on his lap. "I think it's time we get to bed," said Isaac as Rainbow let the boy up and tossed him his cap as he put it on.

"Right, tomorrow is the game. And then, it's our duel. I meant what I said earlier. When I shoot my shot, I don't plan on missing." said Rainbow with a determined look.

"Then I looked forward to beating you," said the boy returning the same look to his friend. "Now, mind leaving so I can take a shower?"

"Yeah, I got it. I'm not a pervert like you. Remember that one time back at the house we shared?" asked the girl.

"First of all, that was a mistake. You knew I was the only one in the house since the others all left for the day, yet you still left your door unlocked when you finished your shower. It wasn't my fault that you left a bar of soap on the floor in the hallway, and I slipped in while you were changing." said Isaac. "And second of all,... you got a nice ass," smirked the boy.

"Go take your shower, bitch." said Rainbow with a playful smile on her face as she flung a towel at Isaac as it covered his eyes.

The two pals let out a laugh as Rainbow was making her way out of Isaac's room and to hers as the pair was glad they got to hang out and reunite with each other.

---

The next day came as it was the day of the big game. During the day, Isaac and Juniper were doing a small TV appearance. After they finished up, they now grabbed a car as they went to go pick up Rainbow. She had sent a text to the boy saying that she was at the local Health and Fitness Center. It was where people gathered to do a variety of athletic activities such as workouts, swimming, etc. Isaac had exited the car as he went to go fetch his friend.

He entered the place and looked around until he spotted Rainbow by the workout equipment. She had just finished her last exercise as she wiped the sweat off of her forehead and took a sip from her water bottle. Isaac couldn't help but gawk at Rainbow as she wore nothing but a dark blue sports bra and a pair of dark blue spandex athletic shorts that not only hugged her hips and ass comfortably but also showed off her strong legs.

"Hey," said Dash while snapping her fingers. "Focus on my eyes, buddy."

"Sorry, I couldn't help but admire your physique," said Isaac as he scratched his neck.

"Oh, really?" said Rainbow as she now made her way to Isaac as she gave him a seductive look and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Anything else you wanna look at? Maybe feel."

Isaac played along with the girl's antics as he wrapped his arms around the girl's body. He then brought the girl in as the two shared a kiss that lasted for a bit. They pulled apart as Isaac gave Rainbow what she asked for as his hands traveled down to her butt and gave her ass a playful smack. Rainbow let out a small gasp as she looked back at her friend.

"Well, how does it feel?" asked the girl with a devious tone.

"Soft, yet firm. Just as I figured it'd be. You've got a cute butt." answered Isaac as Rainbow blushed.

She suddenly placed her hands under her bosom, pushing them up slightly with a playful grin. "Don't let these fool you, I can still kick your ass!" She let out a laugh, and Isaac couldn't help but join in.

"You ready to leave?" asked Isaac.

"Yup, let's go." said the girl as she fetched her gym bag and followed the boy out of the center as they entered the car as they were on their way to the stadium.

People were filing into the stadium as they were looking forward to seeing the game. Not to mention the exhibition duel that was going to take place soon thereafter. The trio arrived at the stadium as Rainbow went to join her team in the locker room as the World Champ and his agent went to their VIP booth to watch the game. After a few moments, the game started as Rainbow and her teammates all came out to the field as they were being cheered.

The game was more competitive than it was made out to be. Rainbow and her team were considered one of, if not, the best sports team around. But even they struggled against their opponents. In the end, it came down to the final shot. A penalty was issued as it would determine which team won. Rainbow had approached the ball as she was selected by Spitfire and the others to be the one to score.

The chromatic girl looked at the goalie guarding the net. Rainbow saw the girl as she gave her a look. She looked down at the ball as she let out a breath. Dash was now taking a few steps back as she prepared to kick the ball. She stopped a few meters away as she was taking it all in, the roar of the crowd, the high-stakes atmosphere, the feeling of having your entire team watching and counting on you to win. And then there was having one of her best friends in attendance showing his support. All of it, Rainbow was absorbing and letting it sink in. She then started to run forward as she was making her way towards the ball.

The girl riding high on adrenaline as she was getting closer and closer. All of time seemed to be moving even slowly as she was about to make her move. She lifted her leg and was about to make contact with the ball.

"When I shoot; I don't miss," she said her little mantra as she kicked the ball as it soared into the air.

The ball was high in the air as it curved a bit to the right. The goalie also saw this and jumped up to block it. However, it was but two inches from her fingertips as it slipped past her and went into the net as the buzzer went off.

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The announcer let out the biggest scream as everybody joined in. Confetti and fireworks went off as Rainbow's teammates also cheered as they ran towards the girl.

"I told you! When Rainbow shoots, Rainbow don't miss!!" shouted the girl to the camera.

The girl then felt herself being lifted by her teammates as the crowd went even louder. They showed their admiration for the team as the trophy was brought out, and Rainbow lifted it high in the air. Up in his VIP booth, Isaac was clapping his hands at seeing her friend enjoying the moment.

"Good job, Dash."

Juniper then instructed Isaac to follow her as the pair was now getting ready for the duel. The field was now getting ready as the announcer spoke into the mic.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we hope that you've enjoyed yourselves. But we have one final event left, so please give a warm welcome to none other than the World Champion of Duel Monsters. Isaac!!!" said the MC as a spotlight shined down on the boy as he was walking towards the field.

"And his opponent for tonight's exhibition duel is none other than the girl herself who made the winning shot. Ms. Rainbow Dash!!!" Another spotlight shined down on the girl as she had changed out of her uniform and into her casual attire.

Both duelists met in the middle of the field as they looked at each other.

"Hope you saw what I just did, Isaac. Cause I meant it. When Rainbow shoots, I don't miss. And that's not just some catchphrase, it's a lifestyle. My lifestyle." said the girl as pointed her fingers at the boy in the shape of a gun.

"Well, you've heard what people say. When you come for the Prince, you best not miss," replied Isaac as he too did the same gesture to Dash.

Both duelists then turned around as they took their positions. Both strapped on their small rectangle device as they slid in their decks. Their duel disks activated as it projected a sky blue card tray for Rainbow as Isaac had a gold color card tray.

"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.

Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
Rainbow's Life Points: 8000-

Turn 1: Isaac

"I'll start," said the boy as he drew his card, "I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior(1600/1000)." A warrior in red armor emerged as it wielded a sword and shield. "Then I'll equip him with Bound Wand. So Breaker gains 100 extra attack points times his level. Not to mention that when he's summoned, he gains a spell counter to give him 300 more points. So his attack strength is 2300!" Isaac's warrior raised his sword as it charged up with magic.

"I end my turn."

Turn 2: Rainbow

"My draw," said Dash as she drew her cards. Her teammates were in the locker room as they wanted to see her duke it out with the World Champ.

"Time to get this duel off and running, since I control no monsters I can summon this from my hand. Speedroid Terrortop(1200/600)!" shouted the girl as her monster came out, which was a snake-like top that had jaws at the head of it. "Then Terrortop's ability activates when it's summoned, I can add a 'Speedroid' monster from my deck to my hand. And I choose my Speedroid CarTurbo(800/1200) who I can also summon since I control a 'Wind' monster!" Rainbow now had two monsters on her field as her new one transformed itself.

"You know what comes next! I tune my Level 3 CarTurbo with my Level 3 Terrortop!" CarTurbo then transformed into three giant green rings that circled Terrortop. "I Synchro Summon and call forth a mystical cross-sword with the power to cut every enemy down to size! Hi-Speedroid Kendama(2200/1600)! I now activate Kendama's ability by banishing my Terrortop from my graveyard, I can deal you 500 points of damage!" exclaimed Rainbow as her monster fired a beam as Isaac simply blocked it with his duel disk.
Isaac's Life Points: 7500-

"I now end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 3: Isaac

"My turn," said Isaac as he looked at the field.

I know Rainbow didn't bring out a weaker monster than mines on purpose. That's why she threw a facedown; the question is: What does it do? Time to find out.

"Now I'll have my Breaker attack your Kendama!" ordered Isaac as his warrior leaped into the air.

"You didn't think I wasn't prepared, Isaac? I activate my facedown, Speed Turn! Since I control a 'Speedroid' monster, I can target one monster on the field and switch it to defense mode. Then it loses 500 defense points. So your Breaker has to halt its brakes!" exclaimed the girl as Isaac's spellcaster stopped its sword and then jumped back to the boy's side.

"Not bad," said Isaac.

"I thought you would have used your Breaker's ability to take out my facedown?" taunted Dash.

"True, but my Breaker would have been weaker than your Kendama. Which is why I was hoping to take it out first and then use his ability to get rid of your facedown."

"But I knew that and laid a perfect trap." smiled the girl.

"Well then, I end my turn."

Turn 4: Rainbow

"If you keep doing moves like that, this duel is gonna be over," said Rainbow as she drew her card. "I activate Kendama's ability once more, so I banish my CarTurbo to deal you 500 points of damage." said the girl as another beam attack hit Isaac's duel disk.
Isaac's Life Points: 7000-

"Then I'll have my Kendama attack your Breaker! And don't forget it can deal piercing damage!" commanded Rainbow as her monster zoomed forward and took out Isaac's warrior.
Isaac's Life Points: 5300-

"Now the other effect of Bound Wand activates, which means I can bring back my Breaker." said the boy as his monster rose.

"I then end my turn."

Turn 5: Isaac

"It's my turn, and I'll sacrifice my Breaker so that I can summon my Dark Magician Girl!" shouted Isaac as his monster disappeared and was replaced by a female spellcaster as she twirled and gave a wink. "Then I play Magic Formula to raise her strength by 700 attack points. Now Mana, attack Dash's Kendama!" instructed the boy as she pointed her wand at the machine and blasted it.
Rainbow's Life Points: 7500-

"With that, I end my turn."

Turn 6: Rainbow

"My draw and I play the spell Speedraw. Since I control no cards, I draw 2 cards and then send a 'Speedroid' monster from my hand to the graveyard." Rainbow drew her cards as she selected the monster to send away. "Then I play my Speedroid Maliciousmagnet(0/0). And now my monster's ability activates, when he's summoned I can target one monster you control and I can synchro summon using your monster and mine."

"Uh-oh!" said Isaac as he knew what the girl was doing.

"So I tune your Level 6 Dark Magician Girl with my Level 1 Speedroid Maliciousmagnet!" shouted the girl as her monster turned into a single green ring that circled Isaac's spellcaster. "Beat your wings to whip up a whirlwind of destruction! I Synchro Summon! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon(2500/2000)!" Rainbow now brought out one of her most powerful synchro monsters as it descended onto the field and roared.

"Since my Magic Formula was sent to the graveyard, I gain 1000 life points."
Isaac's Life Points: 6300-

"You're gonna need them cause I attack you directly with my Clear Wing! Spin Storm Sky Strike!!" shouted Rainbow as her dragon soared into the air and hovered above the stadium. It then descended at high speeds as it spun and collided with Isaac's field as the boy was sent flying.

"Ahh!" said the World Champ as he was thrown onto his back.
Isaac's Life Points: 3800-

"I now end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 7: Isaac

"My turn," said Isaac as he wiped the scuff near his mouth and drew his card. "I summon Chocolate Magician Girl(1600/1000)!" said the boy as he had one of his lovely female magicians appear on his field as she snuggled her master and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Alright, if you're so confident in your dragon taking me down. Let's see if it can get past her!" taunted Isaac as he placed one card facedown and ended his turn.

Turn 8: Rainbow

"You mock me?! Please!" shouted Rainbow as she began her turn. "I play U.A. Draft, so by paying 500 life points, I can special summon a 'U.A.' monster from my deck or graveyard. So I summon my U.A. Goalkeeper(1000/2800)!" With a large thud, Rainbow’s monster descended to the field, a massive creature in thick white and orange hockey armor with glowing green lines crossing the pads. It crouched and held its hands out to the side, a red visor over its eyes lighting up.
Rainbow's Life Points: 7000-

"Now to attack, Clear Wing strike down his magician girl!" commanded Rainbow.

"Thanks for that, cause now I activate Chocolate Magician Girl's special ability. Since you targeted her for an attack, I can now bring back a spellcaster from my graveyard, so my Dark Magician Girl is once again in play!" shouted Isaac as a portal opened up in front of him as his top female sorcerer appeared. "And there's more your attack is directed to her, plus she zaps away half of your monster's attack points. And you can't activate Clear Wing's ability!"

"Like I didn't have a plan, I activate my facedown, Sonic Boom! So by sacrificing my U.A. Goalkeeper, I can stop my Clear Wing's attack, and then it gains the attack points of my monster," said Rainbow as her dragon stopped its assault as its attack points rose to 2250.

"So you expected me to use my monster's ability?"

"I ain't stupid, Isaac."

"Mmm, debatable."

"Shut up!" yelled Dash as the boy chuckled. "You'd think it's funny, well we'll see who gets the last laugh. I end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 9: Isaac

"My turn, and now I'll activate the effect of my Chocolate Magician Girl, so by sending my Magician's Robe to the graveyard, I can draw an extra card." said the boy as he discarded his monster as he drew the top card. "And since I control a Level 4 or lower monster, I can summon my Mage Annette(1300/1700). And when she's summoned, I can draw one more card. And then I'll play it, it's my Black Robe Mentalist(1700/1300, Level 4, Scale 7)!" Isaac now had a field full of female spellcasters as they all looked at their master with looks, apart from his mentalist who gave her usual goth moody look.

"Now I activate my mentalist's ability, so since I control 4 monsters, I can look at the top four cards of my deck and add one of them to my hand." said the boy as his duel disk showed his options, and he selected the one he wanted as it slid out for him to grab.

"I now end my turn."

Turn 10: Rainbow

"My turn, and to start, I'm activating my U.A. Draft, so by paying 500 life points, I can summon back my U.A. Goalkeeper!" stated the girl as her monster rose in defense mode. "Then I play Synchro Urgence. So I remove one Synchro monster from my Extra Deck so that I can bring back a different Synchro monster from my graveyard, but its Level increases by one. So I remove my Colossal Fighter." Rainbow's duel disk then ejected her card from her Extra Deck slot as she grabbed it and removed it to the banished compartment.
Rainbow's Life Points: 6500-

"So I'm bringing back my Hi-Speedroid Kendama and this time it's Level 7. Then I summon Speedroid Fuki-Modoshi Piper(1000/1000). Now I activate its effect, which allows me to excavate the card from the top of my deck equal to the number of 'Wind' monsters I control. So since I currently control 3, I can look at the top 3 cards of my deck. I add one of them to my hand, and the others go to the bottom of my deck." Rainbow's duel disk showed her options as she knew which one she wanted.

"I'll pick this one, Speedroid Manufacture! This allows me to add 2 'Speedroids' from my deck to my hand, and I'll choose the two that I just saw." said the girl as her duel disk ejected the cards for her to grab. "Then I'll use those two cards to set the Pendulum Scale with my Scale 1 Speedroid Marble Machine and Scale 8 Speedroid Dominobutterfly!" shouted Rainbow as she placed her cards on the far side of her card tray as the word pendulum in rainbow coloring spelled out in between them to show that she got it to work. Soon both of Rainbow's monsters appeared in columns of light as they had their respective numbers in front of them.

"But I'm not done, cause now I tune my Level 7 Kendama with my Level 4 Fuki-Modoshi Piper!" said the girl as her piper turned into four green rings that circled her Kendama. "I Synchro Summon, Hi-Speedroid Clear Wing Rider(3500/2000)!!" Rainbow's newest synchro monster was a motorbike as it was attached to the spirit of her Clear Wing Dragon as its engines revved up.

"Now, Clear Wing, attack his Mage Annette!" commanded Rainbow as her dragon took out Isaac's monster. "Then my Hi-Speedroid Clear Wing Rider will attack your Black Robe Mentalist!" said the athlete as her next monster took out the boy's other monster as he lost life points.
Isaac's Life Points: 2000-

"Ugh!" said Isaac as he fell to a knee as the attack connected. "Instead of sending my Black Robe Mentalist to my Extra Deck, I can place her in an empty pendulum zone." said the World Champ as his monster appeared in a column of light.

"I now end my turn."

Turn 11: Isaac

"My turn, and I'll play Wonder Wand to give my Dark Magician Girl an extra 500 attack points. And then I'll have her attack your Clear Wing!" shouted Isaac.

"I activate my facedown, Dicetadium of Fate! First, I target a monster, and I choose your Dark Magician Girl. I then roll a die and whatever number it lands on determines what effect happens. Odd number, I can destroy your monster or even it gains 1000 attack points." said Rainbow as a die appeared in her hand as she tossed it high into the air. The die then fell as it landed on five.

"Five, so your Dark Magician Girl is... destroyed!" exclaimed the girl as Isaac's monster was gone.

"Not good."

"Oh it gets worst, cause I activate my Clear Wing Rider's effect, so I can tribute it to summon out up to 2 Level 7 Wind Synchro monsters, so I'm busting out Hi-Speedroid Puzzle(1300/1600) and Hi-Speedroid Hagoita(2000/1000)!" Rainbow now got rid of her monster as in its place two more synchro monsters appeared.

"I'll just play Graceful Charity so that I can draw three cards and discard two," said the boy as he picked up his cards and selected the ones he wanted to get rid of.

"I now end my turn."

Turn 12: Rainbow

"Nothing to help you, don't worry. I'm gonna win this very soon. My turn," said Dash. "I activate the effect of my U.A Goalkeeper, so I switch him out for my U.A. Dreadnought Dunker(2500/1800)." A muscular basketball player in dark blue and black pants and a thick silver and orange chest piece materialized.

"Then activate the effect of U.A. Draft to pay 500 life points so that I can summon from my deck my U.A. Strategist(1000/600)!" A monster in a silver uniform with blue and orange stripes, a clipboard under one arm, and a whistle dangling from its neck. The monster raised its head, eyes staring sharply under a white baseball cap, and let out a grunt.
Rainbow's Life Points: 6000-

"I now tune my Level 3 Strategist with my Level 7 Dreadnought Dunker!" Strategist’s whistle echoed as it turned into six green rings that floated into the air. Dreadnought rose into them as they began to spin. A pillar of blue light shot down through the rings. “I align brains and brawn, coach and player, and call in the unparalleled master of the field!” Rainbow’s duel disk popped open as she grabbed it from her Extra Deck. “Meet a superstar like no other! I Synchro Summon! Rushing in, U.A. Star Player(2700/2500)!” The pillar of light receded, revealing a darkened form floating in the air. Around the field, the lights darkened and spotlights shined on the monster. Clad head to toe in a silver bodysuit with glowing blue and orange stripes up the sides, it hung ominously in the air. The monster raised its head, scruffy blond hair blowing in the wind, and dropped to the ground, landing on its feet. It held a hand to the side, and a pair of orange sunglasses appeared in its fingers; it slipped them on, grinned, and reared up to its full height, arms crossed.

"I'm not done, cause I play Pot of Greed to draw two cards. Then I summon Speedroid Gum Prize(0/800). And with it, I'll tune my Clear Wing with my Gum Prize!" Rainbow's Gum Prize then changed into a single green ring as her dragon flew in. "I combine the two to pave the way for an even mightier dragon! Watch as the essence of that Monster takes shape! Watch as it is forged by raw power! I Synchro Summon! Take flight, Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon(3000/2500)!" Rainbow now had a more powerful version of her dragon as it roared even louder.

"Four Synchro monsters!" said Dash's teammates as they saw the screen.

"One more card, I play Shock Surprise. So I banish my Speedroid Gum Prize and Fuki-Modoshi Piper so that I can destroy your Chocolate Magician Girl and your facedown!" shouted the girl as Isaac's entire field was gone.

The boy looked up as he saw Rainbow's team of all-star synchro monsters ready to deal the final blow. The girl standing there with her team smiling confidently.

"I told you. When Rainbow shoots, I don't miss!!" exclaimed the girl. "Now... finish him!!" Her dragon heard its orders as it began to lead the charge as her other monsters all raced forward looking to get their own strikes in on the boy.

"There's a first time for everything! I activate the effect of my Electromagnetic Turtle. By banishing it, I can end the battle phase!" Isaac's small turtle appeared as it unleashed tons of electricity that paralyzed all of Dash's monsters, and they stopped in their tracks as the voltage was too much to handle.

"You just had to ruin it! Just like back in high school!!" yelled out Rainbow as she was this close to winning.

"Of course! I'm trying to win also, Skittles!" yelled out Isaac.

"I'm gonna beat your ass all over this field for calling me that while the cameras are rolling!" shouted the girl.

Turn 13: Isaac

"Then I better win this turn, so here goes!" said Isaac as he drew his card. "I play this, Magician Synchro Gate! Now I can synchro summon using monsters in my graveyard or Extra Deck and this spell then turns into a tuner monster so I'll tune it with my Mage Annette and Breaker the Magical Warrior!" Isaac's spell card then turned into two giant rings as they circled Isaac's monster as another new monster was emerging as it was a pendulum synchro monster. "And the one I choose is a scorcher, I Synchro Summon, arise Solis Witch(3000/2700, Level 9, Scale 10)!"

The new monster was an adult female who had light blue hair and eyes, a slim figure with ample breasts, long legs, wide hips, and blue waist-long hair that is partially tied into a loop with a spherical clip. She wore a sleeveless dark-blue feather dress with white trimmings, an extremely short dark blue miniskirt, a green bow around her chest with a blue gem in the middle, a translucent purple underskirt, and detached white sleeves with blue and golden trimmings. She wore thigh-high blue heeled boots over white stockings with blue trimmings. Around her neck was a pendant as it was in the shape of a rune has used her magic and made an ax appear in her hand as it shined with relic symbols on it as elemental symbols appeared above her and infused her weapon.

"So what? She's still outnumbered four to one," said Rainbow.

"Now when my Solis Witch is summoned, I can negate the effects of all special summoned monsters on my opponents and drop their attack points to zero!" said Isaac as his female magician raised her ax as the elemental symbols powered up as she did a slash attack.

"Come on, Isaac! You're not that much of a dumbass, my Crystal Wing Dragon can just negate that ability and destroy your monster altogether! Go Reverse Revenge!!"

"I know which is why she's not going anywhere. Cause Solis Witch can't be targeted or destroyed by card effects!" said Isaac as his female sorcerer put up a barrier to prevent Dash's dragon from destroying herself. She then did another slash attack was it hit all of her monsters rendering them useless.

"You may have weakened my monsters, but I'll still have plenty of life points even if you destroy one of them."

"Which is why it's game over for you! I play Magicalized Fusion! So I banish my Dark Magician Girl, Breaker the Magical Warrior, Mage Annette, Chocolate Magician Girl, and Magician's Robes so that I can conduct a fusion summon!" shouted the boy as all of his monsters appeared as their spirits turned into five energy colors. "I Fusion Summon, Quintet Magician(4500/4500)!!" shouted the boy as his powerful wizard descended onto the field with tons of magical energies gathered around it.

"Oh, fuck me!" said Rainbow as she knew what was about to happen.

"With pleasure," snickered Isaac as it got Dash to turn red from hearing that.

"Now, whenever I use five different magicians to summon my Quintet Magician, I can destroy all the cards on your side of the field!" informed Isaac. He snapped his fingers, and his magician cast a huge explosion spell that nuked Rainbow's entire field.

"Just do it! Don't embarrass me by prolonging it." said the girl as she put her head down.

"Now, my magicians, attack Rainbow Dash directly and end this duel!" shouted Isaac as they obeyed his command and fired one last spell as dropped the girl's remaining life points.
Rainbow Dash's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Isaac

"The winner... Isaac!!" shouted the MC as the crowd cheered.

Everybody was on their feet applauding for an entertaining duel from two phenomenal duelists. Dash's teammates also clapped at seeing one of them take the World Champ to the limit. Out on the field, Isaac approached Dash as the girl still had her head down. He put out his fist, to which she did the same.

---

Once the event was over, Rainbow was with Juniper and Isaac standing in front of the bus.

"So now that your season is done? What are you gonna do?" asked Juniper.

"I'm heading back to Canterlot. Spitfire thinks we deserve a break before we get back into training for next season. So I think some downtime will be nice. Plus, I get to see Pinkie and Aj. Figured I see how Scootaloo is also doing."

"She's grown as a duelist, I'll tell you that," stated Isaac.

"As for you, geek. You got your duel in a few days. Better not lose, cause I'll be watching."

"I'll do my best. I just wish I could have met with all of you. The only one that I haven't seen is Sunset." said Isaac.

"Hang on, I think she mentioned where she was. Before we came here, I played our favorite online game together, and she talked about how she was visiting a place called Silver Shoals. Says she wanted to get away from her job." said Rainbow.

"Silver Shoals?" asked Isaac.

"Here it is," said Juniper showing her client her tablet. "It's a beach that's a nice destination for getaways. It also homes a retirement home for elderly people."

"Then I got a flight to catch, thanks, Rainbow."

"Don't mention it, Isaac." said the chromatic girl planting one final kiss to the boy's lips as she got on the bus. She sat down and waved from the window, as did her teammates to the pair, as they were now traveling to Canterlot.

"Silver Shoals and Sunset is waiting for me," said Isaac.

Chapter 10: Silver Shoals

"You're serious?" asked Twilight.

"Yeah, I want you... to move in with me," said Isaac.

"Wow," said the girl as she sat down on the couch in her apartment. "I can't believe it."

"I figured since we still have to plan our wedding, why not at least do it together? Also, once you finish your last studies here at Everton University, you can see me on my days off when I'm not traveling," said Isaac.

"Then I guess I should start packing my things," said Twilight.

Before Isaac had left Twilight, he told the girl about his plan to have her move into the house he bought. They still had plans to get married, but Twilight also wanted to start up her card designing business with her roommate. So the boy thought it best if he allowed his fiancé a place to stay while she got it off the ground. So the girl made a call to her parents to not touch the stuff she left behind in her room. As well as to Pinkie, to let her know she would stop by and gather any of the things she had in the room she stayed in during their final year of high school.

Isaac was on another plane as his duel disk was on the table in front of him. A video call was playing, as Twilight was contacting the boy as she had finally finished her studies at Everton University. The girl had already begun discussing the plans with Moondancer about starting their business.

"I gotta say, Isaac. This place is amazing. I can't wait for you to be here; I feel like we're gonna create a lot of memories here," said Twilight as she was walking through the house as she held her duel disk in her hands to allow Isaac to see the place.

"That's what I was thinking when I bought it the moment, I became World Champion," said Isaac. "Truth be told, I've only stepped foot in that house twice since I bought it. The first when I saw it, and the second when I stayed there for two days during my small break. But I know where everything is."

At that moment, the doorbell rang as Isaac could hear it through the duel disk. Twilight went to the front door as there was a delivery man with a clipboard in hand.

"I've got some packages for a Ms. Twilight Sparkle," asked the man.

"Oh, is it my boxes?" asked the girl.

"Yes."

"Oh, yay," giggled Twilight.

"Just need your initials here, here, and a signature there, please." said the man as he held the clipboard for Twilight to sign. "And where can I put them for you?"

Twilight then looked inside of the place as she was thinking. She then turned to her duel disk to ask Isaac.

"Here or in the dressing room?" asked the girl.

"How many boxes?!!" asked Isaac with a rather concerning look.

"I think there's 26," answered the man as Isaac's face dropped a bit more. The boy looked at Twilight as she smiled nervously for overpacking a tad bit.

"Okay... dressing room it is, yay," said Isaac in a deadpanned tone as the man left. "All right."

"Isaac!" called the girl to her man with a chuckle.

"That's fine." replied the boy.

"What do you want me to do? Leave them outside and get dressed outside?" asked Twilight.

"No."

"Don't make me feel weird,"

"Oh, you wanna wait on the box thing though, right?" asked Isaac.

"Well, it's clothes and shoes and books," said Twilight.

"Okay."

"What, do you want me to walk around here naked?"

"Yes, I do," said Isaac with a smile.

"Shut up," chuckled the girl as she said goodbye to her fiancé as he told her he would stop by the house before his duel.

Isaac had a smile as the video call ended. The boy then changed his expression as he pulled out the document that he was planning to give to Twilight once he saw her. For now, he had one final stop, and it was time to reunite with the duelist who he helped redeem years ago.

---

The boy was now in the back of a car. He was looking out of the window taking in the views. Sure enough, as the vehicle drove over the hill, and Isaac couldn’t believe what he was seeing. To say that this place was beautiful would be an understatement. Silver Shoals itself had the most beautiful beaches, wonderful greenery, and forests, even a small city for folks to come and relax all around.

As he was being driven through the streets, Isaac was amazed to see so many people walking about, doing their usual activities.

"Wow," said the boy as he looked around, "This place is packed."

"It is." said the driver, "This place is one of the country’s biggest tourist attractions."

"Really?" asked Isaac with a flexed eyebrow.

"Well, of course," said the driver. "Silver Shoals happens to be one of the best places to be. They plan tons of beach parties, even during Spring Break. Kids from every school come here every year to cut loose and have fun, even most of the adults who tend to come and arrange huge concerts." He then turned to look at the boy, "Trust me, people spend a ton of money around here."

"I can believe it," replied Isaac.

He then looked out of the window as he saw the beach. He saw many activities happening. Sandcastles being built, people sunbathing, swimming, and surfing. The car arrived at one of the vacant beach houses near the suburbs as Isaac got out. He thanked the driver as he tipped him and slung his backpack over his shoulder. He went to one of the beach houses to check in as they gave him his key. Once he saw the room, he got himself situated as he took it all in. He opened the side door that led to a balcony. It overlooked the beach as the boy was greeted by that warm, cool air. He pulled out his phone as he began to take some photos.

Isaac then looked through his gallery, and he stopped at a photo that showed his friends. It was one of the last photos the whole group took before they went on their separate ways after graduation. Now just days before his big championship match, he was looking to complete the final piece of the puzzle.

After taking some time to relax in his room, Isaac now exited the beach house. He went to a nearby store that was recommended by the girl at the front desk to get some proper beachwear since he didn't bring any. The boy entered the store and was able to find him some proper swim trunks, as well a Hawaiian shirt, as well as some sandals. Once he paid for his stuff, he then started to head to the beach.

Upon seeing it, tons of people and kids were present. Isaac just kept on walking till he came to a spot that wasn't as crowded. He looked out at the ocean as the shining blue water was beautiful. Just as he was about to sit down, he overheard some noises. He saw a gathering of people all in a circle as it got his attention. Isaac couldn't see what was going on so he walked to the top level of the sandbar to get a bird's eye view and what did he see.

Standing in the middle of the crowd were a man and a woman, one could assume they were married. But the thing that got his attention was the other person. Standing a few meters from them, there was an easel. There was someone who was painting the couple as the art was so lifelike that it drew everybody's attention. However, the thing that stood out to the boy was the bacon-colored hair.

"Done," said the person at the easel as they showed it off. The first reaction was a gasp followed by praises at how life-like the drawing was.

The couple looked at the piece of art as they were happy. They paid the painter the cost as soon everybody disbursed. Now Isaac had a clear shot at who it was.

"I guess work can't escape me," said the person as they folded up the easel and put their art supplies away. They were putting their stuff away when a shadow loomed over them. "If you want me to paint you something, I'm closed for the day. I'm on vacation."

"Too bad, I was willing to pay a lot of cash," said Isaac as his voice got the person to pause their actions. They then lifted their head as they recognized the voice. They turned around as it confirmed their suspicions.

"Sunset."

"Isaac."

Both young adults stood there. Nothing was said, not a word muttered. All but a stare. A stare that both hadn't done in a long time. For Isaac and Sunset, the spirits of their signature monsters could feel the presence of the other as it almost seemed like they wanted to fight. Neither moved a muscle until each took a step closer to see the other. The memories of their many battles came rushing into their minds.

For Isaac, he had finally seen the girl he'd come here for. And to his surprise, she really did undergo some changes. Her whole look gave her an air of being a naughty feline, ready to pounce. Her eyes scanned him up and down as he did with her. She had a lovely form, nicely defined curves, and like the other girls, heavy in the chest section. Not to mention her swimwear added more to her physical attractiveness.

"So..." said Isaac trying to figure out the proper way to greet the girl.

"Tell me, boy toy? Did you miss me?" asked Sunset as she turned the charm on and began to tease her friend.

"If we're being honest... yes," said Isaac as he rubbed his neck.

He soon felt a pair of arms wrap around him as Sunset hugged the boy. Isaac could feel Sunset's chest pressing into him as he restrained himself and wrapped his arms around her. The pair felt the embrace of the other since they all parted ways a year and a half ago.

"What you doing here, boy toy? Shouldn't you be off saving the world, like you normally do since you're the hero? Or don't you have a duel that you need to compete in?" teased the bacon-haired girl.

"Funny, but believe it or not. I came to find you."

"Find me? So, things didn't work out with Twilight and you came after me?" smirked Sunset. "Isaac, I need you to take me out to dinner, before I let you near my oven."

"Good to see your sense of humor and teasing hasn't diminished after all these years," stated Isaac with a smile. "But seriously, I am here cause I wanted to see you. With my duel in less than a few days, I've been taking a bit of a slow break and seeing how each of you has all been doing. I haven't talked to any of you, other than Twilight, since graduation. So I'd figured why not see my friends."

"So you went for a vacation?" asked Sunset bluntly.

"I guess," smiled the boy sheepishly.

"Well, I'm glad to see you as well. How'd you find me?"

"Rainbow told me."

"In that case, let's have fun," smiled Sunset.

She brought the boy to where her things were as the pair had a good view of the beach and the ocean. Isaac set his backpack on the chair next to Sunset's as the boy sat down. Sunset then threw an object at her friend as he caught it.

"What's this?" asked Isaac.

"Sunscreen," answered Sunset as Isaac began to put some on to protect from the sun's rays.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Now help me to put it on."

"What?"

"I can't reach my backside, so you do it for me." smiled Sunset deviously. She then laid down on the beach chair while also resting on her arms. Isaac sat next to her and lifted her hair a bit to the side so that he could apply the sunscreen on her back. He was able to rub them on her back, causing her to shiver.

"So tell me? How's it being champion?" asked Sunset as she sat up.

"Tough, constantly on the road. And the days that I do have off, I try to relax. It ain't easy, but this is the job that I chose and love." said Isaac.

"Glad you're at least happy," said Sunset.

"What about you? What's your life been since we last saw each other?" asked Isaac.

"Well, I got a full scholarship and went to art school. Studied and am now a full-fledged artist."

"I noticed that painting that people were talking about." stated Isaac.

"Of course, I'm not just an artist. A top streamer in the world of video games and just reached 1 million subscribers on my channel." Sunset then showed her phone to Isaac as she took a picture of her silver play button. "So I've decided to take a small vacation and came here to Silver Shoals. It's one of the best places for getaways."

"I heard. I'll probably consider this place for me and Twilight's honeymoon."

"Speaking of which, when is the wedding? You guys made a promise at graduation, so..." asked Sunset rolling her hand.

"We're... working on it. She and I are doing our own things right now, but we do want to at least start planning our wedding soon. By the way, any word on how things are in Equestria?"

"I tend to visit Princess Twilight every now and then, she's only been ruler for a few years. Not to mention your counterpart is still with her. Seems even she couldn't let go of you and so she decided to spend the rest of her life and ruling the land with him." stated the bacon-haired girl.

"So does that make my Equestrian counterpart technically a prince?"

"By law, yeah. He's still a unicorn though. Besides, aren't you a 'prince', yourself?" said Sunset doing air quotes.

"Again, I didn't ask for that nickname. It's... just what people went with. It's not bad, but... I don't know," said Isaac as he rubbed his neck.

"Alright, enough talking. Since you're here and I have you to myself, let's enjoy ourselves." said the girl as she got up with the boy following her.

For the next few hours, the pair was now having fun. They began to do some beach activities. They stopped by a ice shaved stand as the pair sipped the cool and refreshing drink. From there they began to hang out on the beach, engaging in a game of volleyball. Sunset was able to push Isaac into the water as it got a reaction from the boy. They were in the swallow part as the boy was splashing about in the water as he felt like he was drowning. Sunset just simply walked over to him as she raised an eyebrow. Isaac then saw the girl standing as he now stood up as he realized the water wasn't deep.

"Seriously?!" asked the girl.

"How would you feel not knowing how to swim?!" countered Isaac as Sunset rolled her eyes. Isaac then splashed some water at the girl as both let out a laugh.

Nighttime was slowly coming over the beach as the sun was starting to go down, and it created a colorful orange light followed by the colors of black and blue in the sky. The two friends were sitting on the beach shoulder to shoulder as they were watching the ocean. Sunset placed her head on the boy's shoulder as he wrapped his arm around his friend.

"I forgot what it was like to be young again," said Sunset.

"We're still technically young," said Isaac.

"You know what I mean, boy toy. All the adventures we had during high school. I almost forgot what it felt like." smiled the bacon-haired girl. "Come on, there's a place down the beach that has a reggae band playing tonight and I know they don't check for IDs," said Sunset with a sly smile as she got off the sand, brushing the grains clinging to her sarong and legs.

"We're of legal age, Sunset," stated Isaac.

"You ruin the moment, boy toy," said the girl as she extended her hand out.

Isaac grabbed her hand and let her tug on him. He was a lot bigger than she though, so her first tug just unsuccessfully tugged his arm at its socket. The second tug involved her swinging her entire weight up and both hands to get the boy off the ground, but had the unfortunate side effect of making her slip backward and fall into the sand.

"Whoops, haha," she says with a sheepish smile, with a hint of frustration cast down at the new layer of sand covering her legs.

"I don't think you're supposed to fall doing that," smiled the boy. He got up and returned the favor by extending his hand out and pulling Sunset to her feet with one tug.

Her face turns a little bit red. "Well, I had to figure something out," she said as she wiped her legs off again.

"So you meant to do that?" asked Isaac.

She shoots another grin and a wink at the boy, "Oh yeah, I love taking any excuse to get all sandy. Now let's forget this ever happened and go get something to drink."

The pair walked to where Sunset mentioned as they saw the place. The little hut had its own bar, and the stage only held a half dozen or so tables underneath its palm frond roof. There weren't any roads leading to it, so only people making their way down the shoreline around some of the surrounding houses would've found it. As the pair both made their way in, the only other people around were five older people, probably vacationing somewhere warm in their retirement.

"Two mai tais, please," Sunset says as she grabs a stool next to the thatched bar.

A gentle flow of slow, gentle music plays out of the instruments behind the pair. The band looks like they've been doing this for 40 years judging by the white hair and ragged shirts, but the bright smiles and rhythmic swaying of their bodies made it seem like they were enjoying themselves. The relaxing music is a nice change from the constant rush of the ocean. Isaac settled onto the old wooden bar stool beside Sunset and watch the elderly bartender mix the drinks with practiced ease.

Sunset reached into the top of her swimsuit for a moment and Isaac caught a flash of green, but he put a hand up to stop her.

"No need to expose yourself," said the boy, pulling some money out of his wallet and slapping it on the bar.

"That's sweet, but you don't need to do that," she said, sliding the money back over to Isaac. "I am the one that brought us here after all."

"Just let me pay for it, Sunset. It's not a big deal." Isaac slid the cash, back over to her.

Sunset opens her mouth to protest but decides not to. "Alright. Thank you..."

Isaac took in a deep breath and looked out to the stars as they began to peek through the darkness. The bartender placed the drinks down in front of the pair. The boy leaned down and took a sip out of the straw, his face twisting at the odd combination of citrus sweetness and the sour bite of alcohol behind it. Sunset let out a little giggle at her friend's reaction.

"Have you ever had one before?" she says before taking a sip of her own.

"Uh..." Isaac coughed a few times, trying to get used to the feeling as it went down his throat. "I can't say I have. And besides, Sunset... I don't drink much. Especially since I'm the World Champ." The boy looked back down to the orange slurry in front of him—it didn't look like it'd have that kind of bite, but as it was settling in his stomach as it spread around a strange kind of warmth through the rest of his torso. He leaned back down and took another sip, doing his best not to grimace this time.

Sunset giggled at Isaac's attempts again. "Oh come on, it's not that bad."

"It's definitely something new..." said Isaac, taking another sip, a little more prepared this time. Once the shock of the alcohol on his tongue subsided, the sweet flavor was kind of nice.

"Well, you'll be having a lot more fun after two or three more," Sunset says with a big sip of her own.

"You trying to get me drunk?" asked Isaac with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, that's up to you if you're buying. I should probably be asking you that question instead," Sunset says as she took another sip of her own.

The melodies coming out of the band started feeling different, and Isaac could feel his foot start to sway with the beat. Somehow with every drink, he could feel the tension of the last few months fading and emotion flowing in from the music. The boy closed his eyes with his mouth settled on the straw, just watching as the strange warmth spread out through his body and clouded his mind away from the constant barrage of his duties.

"Are you trying to get drunk?" Sunset asks, snapping Isaac out of the momentary reverie. The boy looked over and blinked in confusion at her for a moment before he looked back and realized just how much he'd taken in: the fancy glass is already almost half empty.

"Oh, well... not really, I don't think. I guess I was starting to like it."

Sunset gave her friend a warm smile. "Good. Maybe after the next one, I can get you to dance," she says, leaning over and giving Isaac a gentle nudge with her elbow. "Speaking of which, how many fingers am I holding up?"

"Okay, Sunset, I'm not even intoxicated. My brain can still function," said Isaac.

"High energy and stamina levels, plus high alcohol tolerance. Impressive," said the girl as she then formed a seductive smile as she felt up the boy's arm. "Wonder what else, you got? Anything I might like down there?"

"Pump the brakes, Sunny. Keep in mind, I'm a fiancé," stated Isaac with his sly smirk. He looked back to take in the little beach hut, glancing around the tables as the tiki torches provide the only light in the growing night. "So, why here exactly? Doesn't really seem like your kind of place."

Sunset raised an eyebrow at Isaac as she leaned back onto the counter with her elbows. "Because it was quiet and I wanted to hear the band... maybe dance a little bit. What's 'my kind of place' to you?" she asks with an amused grin.

Isaac gave her a shrug and let his eyes wander away from hers. "I dunno, a dark, dirty, evil lair where you mastermind your next scheme." stated the boy with a playful tone.

"If I had a mustache to twiddle, that'd be perfect," she says with a roll of her eyes. "I mean, what's wrong with here? I thought I fit in pretty well."

Isaac raised an eyebrow and looked around the crowd. "With all the old people?"

Sunset rolled her eyes. "No, I mean with the chill vibe and relaxing music. It feels like a good place to hang out with and have a fun, quiet night. Seems up my alley, don't you think?"

Isaac poked his straw around in the rest of his drink. "I don't know... I always figured a popular girl like you would stick around the big parties and clubs, getting drunk all the time with all your friends."

"Ha, ha, very funny," said Sunset giving a light punch to Isaac's shoulder.

The band ended their song, and a normal voice called out to the crowd. They say something about the massive crowd and thunderous applause, enticing a laugh out of the elderly couples populating the seats. They announce the name of their next song, and a gentle, calming tune flows out of their instruments, letting a different kind of feeling settle onto the little hut. It's almost like a love song with its sweet, low melody. Isaac glanced back over at Sunset to see she's somehow downed the entire drink in her hands. A soft redness forms on her cheeks as she turns to step off of her stool before the boy could say anything. Sunset holds out an eager hand once she sees Isaac looking at her and looks down her arms expectantly.

"Dance with me?" she asks, a hopeful smile on her face.

Isaac's brain was hardly in control any more as he reached his hand out to meet hers. He stood up and let her pull him out in between the tables.

"You know I'm not much of a dancer," said Isaac.

Sunset took both of Isaac's hands in hers as they came to a stop between everyone. "It's okay, it's a slow song. Just put your hands here."

Her hands guided Isaac's hands to the top of her bare hips. His palms come to rest against her silky skin. Sunset rested her soft hands against the boy's shoulders and let herself settle up against Isaac, her bare stomach lovingly caressing his as both started to sway. They held strong and managed to sway to the beat of the music. The feeling of her hair falling over the boy's shoulder and brushing up against his skin, the smell of her fruity shampoo radiating up to him, and their bodies being so close together... it's almost more intoxicating than the alcohol.

"Do you like the music?" Sunset asked, breaking Isaac out of his reverie.

Isaac had to blink a few times before he realize she just said something. "Uh... yeah. It's nice," he said.

"It feels good to just forget about everything and just flow with the music, doesn't it?"

"It really does..." smiled the boy.

Before Isaac could settle back into it, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see one of the elderly couples looking at him and smiling.

"I just wanted to say how nice it is to see two young people so in love with each other in this day and age. I hope you two live a long and happy life together," said the older woman of the couple.

"Forgive me madam, but we're just two friends who haven't seen each other since high school graduation. Plus, I have a fiancé who I love," said Isaac.

Sunset just giggled. "We appreciate the comment, ma'am. You two are really cute together too," she says with a bright smile before they both share a happy nod.

The older woman sauntered back over to her husband and took his hand to start dancing as well. The pair looked around the hut and noticed most of the couples had followed their lead, swaying back and forth to the music together. Sunset took in a deep breath of her own and leaned her head forward onto Isaac's chest. The feeling of her incredibly soft amaranth and light apple green locks brushing up against his skin sent goosebumps across the boy's entire body. The band slowed down their song until it ended with a long, slow note fading into the night. Sunset lifted her head, and the two stopped swaying.

The feeling of the girl pressed up against him was almost intoxicating. The soft palms of her hands resting on the back of his neck, the feeling of her head up against his chest. The smile on Isaac's mouth didn't seem to want to go away at all the wonderful sensations. He squeezed her a little tighter up as the girl looked at her friend. The pair now moved their heads in closer as they closed their eyes. Eventually, their lips made contact.

The pair kept their arms around each other as they enjoyed the moment. A while passed as the pair parted their lips and looked at each other. The boy and girl smiled as Isaac ran his hand through the girl's hair as Sunset felt the touch to be soothing. She leaned into his hand as she closed her eyes once more.

"You want to get another drink?" asked Sunset.

"Yeah, I think so."

Sunset took Isaac's hand and led him back to the bar, pulling out some of her money this time and asking the bartender for two more. Isaac didn't bother to protest this time. It wasn't long that the pair had decided to call a night as they gave one last hug to each other. Sunset had one final thing she wanted to do with the boy as the pair went to their respective beach houses.

---

The morning sun beat down on the bright sand, simmering up an uncomfortable heat. Isaac had awoken as he prepared himself to meet up with the gal. He contacted Juniper as she let her client know that after he was done with Sunset, he was to meet with Twilight as he should take the day before his duel to relax and spend it with his fiancé.

She said that on the day of the duel, she would pick up the boy, and they would head over to the stadium for rehearsals. Isaac send his response as he now headed over to where Sunset told him to meet her. He arrived as the girl wore a dark magenta dress with a black leather jacket and black boots as her new attire.

"Alright. So where are we going anyway?"

Sunset shot a smirk at Isaac then turned her nose up. "If I told you that it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it? Now come on."

The flashing lights, the cool blacks and purples of the room, and the constant sound of various games blaring their music or random sound effects, and the wall of prizes full of strange, random, and colorful toys all overwhelmed the boy's senses for a moment as Sunset drags Isaac by the wrist into the small vacation town's arcade.

Sunset's face lit up like a kid in a candy show as she held the little card in her hand like a precious treasure. Isaac could barely grab his card before he knew it, she was off into the aisles of flashing lights. Isaac could hardly keep up as she dragged him over to each game and swiped the card in the machine, and went at it with an almost religious fervor. Her hands shoot over the buttons and joysticks on everything from fighting games to Pacman, taking the occasional break from the frantic button pressing to squeeze in a game of skeeball or whack-a-mole.

Isaac almost got out of breath just watching her go at it. On occasion, he joined her on one of the fighting arcade machines or the shooting games and get himself thoroughly beat. Her competitive spirit was certainly something to be admired as she went through each game and honed in to get her little moniker on the high score screen.

"She's still a gamer girl at heart," smiled Isaac as he found that part of Sunset to be adorable.

While Sunset was distracted with her high scores, Isaac walked around and took a look at the huge wall of circus prizes on the shelves and hanging from the wall. He looked down at his little game card and remember that after every game a ticket counter popped up on the screen as well.

With a newfound purpose, Isaac strode back into the rows of games and start experimenting. He did his mental calculations after each attempt to see how much each game gave him and how much he'll need for one of those massive stuffed animals. He ran through a good chunk of his money until he finally find the perfect loop of the basketball hoops, a button reaction game, and a miniature shooting gallery. The number of tickets piled up quickly on the card until his wrists started getting sore from the constant movement.

"Hey, find something you're good at?" Isaac heard Sunset say behind him as he mashed the last button for the reaction game.

"Oh, yeah. Thought this was pretty fun. Get all your high scores yet?"

Sunset sat down on the game's bench beside Isaac, trading the boy a few apologetic glances with her sheepish smile. "Yeah... sorry about that. I saw some of my favorite games and got a little carried away."

"No problem," said Isaac.

"How about we try to beat House of the Dead together? I promise I can't beat you at that one," she says with a playful nudge and a wink.

"Hey, you just got lucky with games you already knew how to play," Isaac said with his playful nudge back.

Sunset shot an amused grin at him. "Yeah, that's what they all say. Now come on, we've got zombies to kill."

Isaac couldn't help but smile as she led him through the aisles to the huge screen sporting the logo in those red streaks that horror movies love to use. He stood silently as he watched Sunset's giddy excitement as she looked over the machine. The way she swiped her card like an excited kid opening a Christmas present, the awe in her face as she picked up the gun in her hand and pretended to appreciate its power, and the confident grin on her lips as she pointed it at the screen.

"Hey, what are you doing, partner? I need some backup," she says, only sparing a moment to look over at Isaac before she looked back and started belting out shots at the zombies shambling over at her.

"Oh, right." Isaac scrambled around with the card and swipe it as fast as he could.

Sunset smiles over at Isaac as she bumps the bottom of the gun to reload. "Now that's more like it. Get ready, we're in it to win it," she says before focusing back in to blow the head off another zombie with expert precision.

Isaac didn't know how long he ended up standing there with her. His already-sore wrists got even more tired as he held that gun up, mowing down hordes of zombies and doing his best to keep from dying when the massive bosses showed up. Inevitably Isaac and Sunset both end up taking hits here and there, needing to swipe again to prevent that countdown from erasing all of their progress.

The sun peeking through the front door to provide some light in the darkroom had slowly disappeared as the two went at it. Isaac's legs protest at him for standing in one place for so long, but he can't help but be engrossed as the virtual environments slowly change around him. The intense fighting is only broken up by her amused giggles as both laughed through the ridiculously cheesy cutscenes. The levels slowly get harder and the bosses more intense, slowly draining their cards of money. Isaac swiped it on a particularly nasty death and notice the number dropping to dangerously low levels.

"Uh, Sunset? I think we might run out before the end," said the boy as he pick his gun back up to get the enemies off of Sunset's back before she goes down too.

"What? No way! We're so close we just need to hold out a little longer."

Both exchanged glances before going back to the zombie slaughter, knowing neither of the other would survive without the other long enough to go get more money put on the cards.

"We can do this!" shouted the girl.

Isaac could feel the sweat beading up on his brow as the pressure ramped up. He knew they only had a couple of deaths left before they had to give up for good and deprive Sunset of her desired win. Isaac locked in and got serious, tensing his arms and making sure all his shots are as perfect as they could be. Finally, the two of them entered a massive arena with an equally intimidating boss before them.

"Alright, I'm pretty sure this is the last boss. This is as far as I could ever get on my own, and it took me twice the lives. Let's do this!"

In the screen's light, Isaac could see the sweat on Sunset's brow accompanying her serious expression as she looked back to the fight. He looked down at the little screen that told him how much money was left on his card, letting the boy know he had only had two lives left, and unfortunately, they were both almost out of health.

The battle raged on, and both took massive damage from the onslaught of the ultimate challenge. Isaac had to swipe again as the boss cuts out bits of health that he could barely keep up with. Sunset desperately tried to whittle down its health, but the process was slow and painful. As he watched her, Isaac noticed she was focused more on killing the boss than defending herself and it finally cost her another life. She leaned down to swipe her card only to find she'd already spent the last of her money in the last stage.

Sunset looked frantically between Isaac and the screen. They both knew this probably wasn't a fight one of either could win on their own, so this might be it if the boy wasn't fast enough. He leaned over to her and swiped his card on her side of the machine, instantly bringing her back to life so she could both finally finish off the foe once and for all. With the final save, they both focused on its weak spot and whittled the last bits of its health away right before it could manage to kill them.

The massive beast went down and both were rewarded with the final cutscene. Sunset dropped the pistol from her hands and shot her hands up into the air, spinning around in glee as she proclaimed her victory.

"Yes! Finally!"

Isaac could only smile at her and appreciate the joy on her face. Emotions exploded as she jumped over to Isaac and wrapped him in a massive hug.

"Mmmm. I never would've gotten there without you. Thank you," she said with an affectionate tone into the boy's chest. Isaac wrapped his hands around her and melted into the beautiful feeling.

"No problem, Sunset. It was a lot of fun," Isaac said as he let his cheek rest on the top of her head. "So, you want to go cash our tickets in?" asked the boy, gesturing back over to the counter.

The bored cashier at the counter takes the cards and swipes them into his machine. Sunset beams as the number on the screen beam up to almost a thousand tickets. She taps a finger to her chin for a moment as she looks across all of the prizes on the wall.

"So, do you want that stuffed, neon-blue monkey or the blue, cartoon shark?" she says, tracing her finger over to the more reasonably-sized stuffed animals.

"Oh, you're going to spend your points on me?" said Isaac as he didn't expect that.

Sunset places a hand on her chest with an aura of haughty triumph that she'd grace the boy with her winnings. "Of course. I need to get you a souvenir to remind you of our victories after all."

"I guess I like the shark, then."

"Good choice. The monkey doesn't scream 'beach vacation' to me."

Sunset turns her attention to the cashier and straightens her posture, and places her hands on her hips. "I'll take that stuffed shark up there. Oh, and also a spider ring and some cherry sours."

The cashier takes the assorted junk down and slides it down the counter before sliding Isaac's card as well. He almost broke out laughing when he saw the triumphant expression on Sunset's face fade at the sight of over five thousand points on the screen.

"Wh-What? How...?" she says, looking back and forth between Isaac and the screen with bewilderment.

"Strategizing. I'm not just good at Duel Monsters, you know? Now which massive stuffed animal do you want?"

Sunset purses her lips and crosses her arms. "I guess you had to beat me at something." She lets out a quick chuckle to herself as she stares up at the assortment of fluffy colors. "The parakeet."

"I had a feeling you'd choose that," said Isaac looking at the massive green bird. "Alright then. The parakeet, some of that chocolate, and that sun keychain, if you wouldn't mind," the boy said over to the clerk. He had to reach up with a pole to get Sunset's prize down and she can only let out an annoyed sigh as the massive plush dwarfs what she got.

Isaac adopted his smug grin as she stared at the massive bird. She rolled her eyes at him when she caught the boy's look and nudged him.

"Enjoy it while it lasts. I'm going to get you something even bigger next time."

Isaac leaned over and grabbed his shark and everything else that could fit into a plastic bag, leaving Sunset to haul her new friend out of the arcade. He let out a chuckle as she tried to lift it, only to hobble off balance in a few directions before finally finding her footing. The massive bird almost looks larger than her when it's finally in her hands.

"I'm not sure anyone even makes something bigger than that."

"Wo-oah... Yeah, you might be right. Let's head back before this thing absorbs me entirely," she said, barely making her way over to the front door upright.

---

The ocean gently sways in the soft moonlight across the beach, filling the air with its rhythmic waves and making sure the world isn't silent. The stiff boards of the custom chairs of the little beach house weren't making Isaac's soreness any more comfortable, but he still couldn't get the smile off of his face as he looked over at Sunset sitting in the other chair, her massive bird propped up on the railing beside her.

"This is a nice, little place you've got. Secluded and quiet. I'm surprised there was even a place out here." Sunset says as she pops another cherry sour in her mouth before offering the bag.

Isaac took a piece out and leaned back in the chair, taking in a deep breath of the ocean air. "Yeah, nice to get away now and then."

"So, this is it? You're heading back?" asked the girl.

"Yup, my duel is two days away. And I fly in the morning after that I only have the day before to spend with Twilight. Cause after that, I'm gonna be spending the majority of the day preparing for my duel." said the World Champ.

"In that case, I wish you luck boy toy. And I'm glad we got to see each other again."

The pair looked out at the view as the moon was coming up from the water as the sun was dipping beyond the horizon. The moment was stunning as both young adults were taking it in as it reminded them of their adventures. Sunset then stood up from her seat as she now walked onto the sand as her boots felt the grain. She then turned around as on her wrist was her duel disk. She slid in her deck as it projected a red card color tray.

Isaac then also stood up as he too walked onto the sand and put on his small rectangle device as it projected a gold card tray as he slid in his deck. Neither needed to say anything as they knew what the other wanted.

"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.

Sunset's Life Points: 8000-
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-

Turn 1: Sunset

"I'll start, I draw! I play the spell Red-Eyes Fusion!"

"Not wasting any time, are you?" stated Isaac.

"Nope, and now I can conduct a fusion summon using monsters in my deck. So I'll combine my Summoned Skull with my Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" shouted the girl as her two monsters appeared before a swirling vortex as they entered and a red light emerged. "I Fusion Summon, Archfiend Black Skull Dragon(3200/2500)!" Sunset's mighty monster descended onto the field as it let out a roar.

"I now end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 2: Isaac

"My turn, and I'll play the field spell, Magician's Salvation!"

"Field spell, you've never done that, boy toy."

"Being World Champion, I had to learn some new tactics. As good as I was, I had to get better. Now that I played my field spell, I can set my Eternal Soul from my deck." said Isaac as his duel disk slide out the card as he placed it facedown.

"You still know how to give a girl some excitement," said Sunset flashing a wink to Isaac.

"Then let's see if you like this, Sunny. I now play my Magician's Rod(1600/100) in defense mode. Then by summoning my Magician's Rod, I can add a Dark Magician-related spell or trap card to my hand." Isaac's duel disk then showed his options as he was selecting which one he wanted. He made his decision as it slid out for him to grab.

"I now place two cards facedown and end my turn."

Turn 3: Sunset

"My draw," said Sunset as she looked at her hand and then at the field.

"I'll start by summoning my Black Stone of Legend(0/0)." A black stone then appeared as it shined with a red light. "Now to attack, Archfiend Black Skull Dragon attack his Magician's Rod!" instructed the girl as her monster opened its mouth and fired a fireball. "And if you're thinking about saving your monster with your facedowns, don't bother. Cause my Archfiend's ability makes it so that you can't activate any cards or effects until the end of the Damage Step," said Sunset as her monster took out Isaac's.

"Just what I expected. I reveal my facedown, Soul Rope! By paying 1000 life points, I can replace my destroyed monster with a different one from my deck. So I summon my Magician's Valkyria(1600/1800)." said Isaac as he had another spellcaster.
Isaac's Life Points: 7000-

"I'd expected as much, in that case, I'll activate the ability of my Black Stone of Legend. By tributing it, I can summon one Level 7 or lower 'Red-Eyes' monster from my deck. So I summon my Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning(2500/2100)!" Sunset now had another fiend creature appear as it landed with the sound of thunder booming.

"I end my turn."

Turn 4: Isaac

"My turn and I'll play this Magician Fusion Gate, so now I can combine monsters in my graveyard or Extra Deck and fuse them, and this spell substitutes for a fusion material." stated the boy as his card and his Magician's Rod appear and entered a vortex. "I Fusion Summon, Lychinus Enchanter(2800/2500, Level 8, Scale 1)!" Out came a male adult magician who wore a bycocket(robin hood hat) on his head as he wore a black cape and a magician's robe with the sleeves cut off as in his left hand was a staff that was the same height as him and in his belt, there was a small dagger as his outfit consisted of yellow, red, and black, with a hit of silver as he wore boots.

"Then I'll activate the effect of my Lychinus Enchanter, once per turn, I can deal you damage equal to a magician in my graveyard." said the boy as his magician blasted his staff at Sunset.
Sunset's Life Points: 6400-

"Then I'll play Bound Wand and equip it onto my spellcaster. Now he gains 100 extra attack points for each of his levels, so his attack strength is now 3600." informed the boy. "Now attack Sunset's Archfiend!" His monster twirled his staff before he fired another spell at her monster as it exploded.
Sunset's Life Points: 6000-

"Like you, I also was prepared for when you took out my monster, cause I reveal my facedown. Time Machine!" A device appeared from the ground with smoke coming from the bottom. It opened up as Sunset's monster was now back from the graveyard.

"I'll just end my turn."

Turn 5: Sunset

"My draw, and now I'll activate the effect of my Archfiend of Lightning, now I can destroy all of your monsters whose defense points are less than my monster's attack points!" shouted the girl. Her monster then struck the ground as lightning came from the sky onto the beach as it took out Magician's Valkyria.

"Then, I'll set the Pendulum Scale with these, Scale 2 Dragoncaller Magician and Scale 10 Red-Eyes Dark Knight!" Sunset then placed her two cards on the far side of her duel disk as the word pendulum in rainbow coloring was spelled out in between to show it worked. Both of Sunset's monsters then appeared in columns of light as their respective numbers were shown in front of them.

"Now, I'll activate the effect of my Black Stone of Legend. I can return a Level 7 or lower 'Red-Eyes' monster and shuffle it back into my deck. Then I add my Black Stone of Legend back to my hand." Sunset's duel disk ejected her two cards. She took her Red-Eyes and placed it on top as the auto shuffler kicked in.

"I end my turn with a facedown," said Sunset.

Turn 6: Isaac

What's she planning?

Isaac was thinking about what Sunset might be thinking as she brought her monster back but didn't do anything with it.

"My turn, and activate the effect of my Lychinus Enchanter. So you lose life points equal to my Magician's Valkyria," stated the boy as his spellcaster fired another magic shot.
Sunset's Life Points: 4400-

"Then I'll move in..."

"Not this time, boy toy! I reveal Fiendish Chain! So your monster can't attack." smiled Sunset.

"In that case, I'm playing Dark Magic Veil. I pay 1000 life points so that I can summon my Dark Magician!" shouted Isaac as his partner made his presence known.
Isaac's Life Points: 6000-

"I'll place one card facedown and then play Card of Sanctity so that we draw till we're holding six cards in our hand."

Turn 7: Sunset

"My turn, and I'll start by using my pendulum scale to Pendulum Summon!" shouted Sunset as a portal opened and two lights came out. "I'm bringing out a pair of Red-Eyes Alternative B. Dragon(2400/2100)!" Two dragons emerged as they roared. "I now overlay both of them to build the Overlay Network!" Sunset's monsters then turned into orbs of light as they hovered in the air as a portal opened up in front of her. They both disappeared as a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon(2800/2400, OLU: 2)!!" Her new dragon was even fiercer as it let out a roar.

"Now I'll activate the pendulum ability of my Red-Eyes Dark Knight, until the end of my turn, I can give a 'Red-Eyes' monster an extra 1000 attack points. So now my monster is stronger than your magician!" said Sunset as she pointed at her Xyz creature. "Then I'll activate my Archfiend of Lightning's special ability, so now your Dark Magician is about to be destroyed!" Sunset's fiend then hit the ground once more as lightning bolts took out the spellcaster.

"With him gone, my Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon will attack your Lychinus Enchanter!" shouted the girl as her monster took out Isaac's other magician.
Isaac's Life Points: 5800-

"Since my Lychinus Enchanter was equipped with Bound Wand, I can bring him back," said Isaac.

"Yeah, but don't forget. Cause of my Red-Eyes Metal Flare Dragon's special ability. Since it has Xyz materials, every card or effect you activate costs you 500 life points!" shouted Sunset.
Isaac's Life Points: 5300-

"Even so, I still have my magician to protect my life points,"

"Not for long! Archfiend Black Skull Dragon, time for you to attack!" exclaimed the bacon-haired girl as she commanded her other monster. "And with his ability, you can't activate any cards till the Damage Step!" At that moment, Isaac's magician was once again destroyed.
Isaac's Life Points: 4900-

"Since my Lychinus Enchanter was destroyed, I can place him in my Pendulum Zone." said the boy as his monster appeared in a column of light.

"Red-Eyes Archfiend of Lightning, take your shot at Isaac! Attack him directly!" shouted Sunset as her last monster struck the ground as thunderbolts rained on the boy as he was tossed onto the sand.
Isaac's Life Points: 2400-

"Time to get rid of your field spell, I play Mystical Space Typhoon!" A giant wind then blew over the field as Isaac now had sand blowing in his face.

"I end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 8: Isaac

"My draw," said the World Champ as he drew his card and looked at it.

Well, I got nothing else.

"Get ready, Sunset. Time to take my game to the next level once more! I play Magician Ritual Gate!"

"Huh?" stated Sunset as the boy's card shined a bright light as it slowly came over the field.
Isaac's Life Points: 1900-

"Like my other three gates, I can use monsters in my graveyard or Extra Deck to perform a ritual summon!" Isaac's Dark Magician then appeared before his master as he gave a bow as his energy was being used to call upon a new comrade to serve his master.

"Holy Priest that shines with a beautiful and bright radiance. With the light as your guardian angel, I unlock your power and call on you in my time of need!" shouted the boy as the silhouette of his new magician was shown. "I Ritual Summon!! Holy Knight Marianne(3300/3100, Scale 13, Level 7)!!!" The light now faded as Isaac's new monster was shown to be a Pendulum Ritual hybrid. However, instead of being on the field, she was behind the boy as she was a bit timid.

The appearance was a pretty young girl with long blonde hair and green eyes. Her hair flowed down to her back, with split bangs over her forehead and a single strand sticking out from the top and sloping backward. The girl's uniform consisted of a white long-sleeved, button-down shirt with vertical linings, a black ribbon on the collar, a black shoulder cape and matching button-down corset, and a magenta skirt with white accents. There was a brown satchel slung on her right hip and brown boots with black straps in an X-shaped pattern. She also wore a silver cross necklace around her neck.

"Hey, it's okay," said Isaac as he turned his head to look at the girl hiding behind him as she clutched her master's arms tightly. "You're in good hands, I promise to take care of you and keep you safe."

"P-p-promise," asked the girl as she looked directly at the person who had awakened her.

"I promise," smiled Isaac. "I treat all my girls with love."

The girl listened to the words of her new master. She used her divine powers to look into the boy's soul as she got her answer. With newfound confidence, she stepped out and took the field as the holy light that was surrounded her began to glow as if she was an angel. At that moment, Isaac's duel disk sent him a message as he read it.

"Nice, since I summoned my Holy Knight Marianne, she allows me to look at all of my Pendulum cards and add one of them to my hand!" stated Isaac. Marianne then put her hands together as she closed her eyes. She started to say a prayer as the light radiated off of her and soon all of Isaac's pendulum cards from his deck and Extra Deck appeared before the boy as he made his decision.
Isaac's Life Points: 1400-

"I'll take my Black Arts Trickster and then place it in my other pendulum zone to complete my scale!" shouted Isaac as he placed his other monster on the other far end of his duel disk as the word pendulum in rainbow coloring spelled out in between. "My Black Arts Trickster's pendulum ability activates, since there's a magician in my other pendulum zone, I can raise her scale from 3 to 10!" stated the boy as the number changed.
Isaac's Life Points: 900-

"Then I'll activate the ability of my Lychinus Enchanter in my pendulum zone! His power allows my Marianne to attack twice this turn!" stated the boy as his magician helped his comrade as the girl shined even brighter with holy light.
Isaac's Life Points: 400-

"You're almost out of life points!" stated Sunset.

"Now Marianne attack her Archfiend of Black Skull Dragon!" shouted Isaac as the girl put her hands together as a pillar of divine light came crashing from the heavens as it destroyed the girl's monster.
Sunset's Life Points: 4300-

"And now take out her Red-Eyes Metal Flare Dragon! Fimbulwinter!" stated the boy as Marianne lifted her left hand and did a quick motion as ice spikes now headed towards the dragon as it connected and took the mighty beast down.
Sunset's Life Points: 3800-

"I now end my turn with a facedown."

Turn 9: Sunset

"A new card? You always have to have something, Isaac." said the girl to herself as she drew her card and looked at the boy's new girl.

"I play my Black Stone of Legend and then tribute it so that I can summon my partner, Red-Eyes B. Dragon!" shouted the girl as her dragon rose and let out a roar. Red-Eyes saw Sunset as it lowered its head and let the girl pet it.

"Been a while. Miss me?" asked Sunset as her dragon let out a soothing roar to its mistress.

"I now switch my Archfiend of Lightning to defense mode and end my turn."

Turn 10: Isaac

"My turn, and I'll activate my facedown, Eternal Soul! So now I can bring back my Dark Magician!" said the boy as he had his trusty partner along with his new magician as the pair smiled.

"Is he... good?" asked Marianne to Mahad.

"The master is willing to put others before him. He treats us as friends rather than mere servants," replied Mahad.

"I see," smiled Marianne as she glanced at the boy.

"Then activate my Lychinus Enchanter's ability once more to allow my Marianne, to attack twice this turn. Now Mahad attack her Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" shouted Isaac as his magician took out Sunset's partner. "And then Marianne take out her Archfiend of Lightning!" stated the boy as his other magician took out her monster.

"Now attack Sunset directly!" shouted Isaac as the girl now-fired another ice spell at the girl as she covered up.
Sunset's Life Points: 500-

"With that, our life points are similar. I now end my turn."

Turn 12: Sunset

"Time to end this! Draw!" shouted the girl as she looked at her card. "I play Card of Demise so now I draw till I have five cards in my hand as long as I get rid of my hand in five turns." stated Sunset as she drew her cards. "I now play Monster Reborn to bring back my Red-Eyes. Then I play Change of Heart so that I can take control of your Dark Magician!" Isaac's magician now switched over to Sunset's field as the girl looked to end this duel.

"Oh no!" said Isaac as he saw what Sunset was about to do.

"I activate Polymerization! And fuse these two monsters!" shouted Sunset as flames surrounded her and then wrapped around her arm as she slammed it on the ground and it opened. "I Fusion Summon, Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon(3000/2500)!" One of the most powerful cards in Duel Monsters now appeared as he looked to end the duel.

"I..."

"I discard Effect Veiler to negate your monster's ability!" shouted Isaac as he didn't even let Sunset finish what she was going to say.

"You asshole!!" shouted Sunset. "Fine then, I'll reveal my facedown, Red-Eyes Fang with Chain. So now my Dark Dragoon can attack twice this turn."

"Even so, it's weak without its special powers!" stated Isaac.

"We'll see. First, I play equip him with my Black Metal Dragon to give him an extra 600 attack points! So now it's stronger than your monster! Then I activate the pendulum ability of my Dragoncaller to change my Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon into a dragon-type! And I'll boost him even more with the pendulum ability of my Red-Eyes Dark Knight by another 1000 attack points!" said the girl as her monster now had 4600 attack points.

"Time to end this! Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon attack!" stated Sunset as she thrust her hand out.

"C'mon, you don't think that'll really work, do you Sunset?!!" shouted Isaac as he too thrust his arm out. "By returning a magician or spellcaster to my hand, my Holy Knight Marianne can't be destroyed, and I don't take any damage either!" stated the boy as his Black Arts Trickster returned to his hand. A huge explosion went off as when it died down, there was Isaac's monster being protected by her divine powers as she was saying a small prayer.

"Not a bad ability. But mine's better! Cause remember my trap allows my monster to attack again!!" shouted Sunset as her monster flew back into the air and shot another massive fireball. "It's over for real this time, Isaac!"

"It's not over 'till I say it's over!" yelled Isaac. "I still have another magician on my field! I return it to my hand to block your bombardment!" said the boy as he grabbed his Fusion-pendulum hybrid and put it in the Extra Deck compartment of his duel disk as he got rid of his pendulum scale completely.

"That doesn't change a thing, not in the slightest!" stated Sunset. "I still have one final card in my hand! Dragon's Fighting Spirit! So my Red-Eyes Darkness Dragoon can attack one last time!" yelled the girl. "And you don't have any monsters to stop it!" One massive firestorm erupted from Sunset's monster as it was heading towards the boy and his magician.

"If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!" shouted Isaac.

At that moment, the entire field was ablaze. The fire could be seen by anybody that might have passed by. The embers were sent into the sky as the crackle was heard. Soon the flames died down as the field returned to normal. The scene that was revealed was rather shocking as there stood Isaac with his Holy Knight Marianne as they had some small scratches on their body and clothes. But across from the boy was Sunset as she was lying on the ground as her Red-Eyes Darkness Dragoon also fell and landed with a thud as it disappeared. Their duel disk registered the result.
Sunset's Life Points: 0-
Isaac's Life Points: 200-
Winner: Isaac

Isaac looked at his new monster as she had a small surprised look on her face.

"You did good, Marianne," smiled Isaac.

The priest girl was ecstatic that she helped her new master. She wrapped her arms around Isaac as he smiled. He ran his hand through the girl's hair getting her to have small hints of red on her face. She broke the embrace to look at her new owner and bowed as she disappeared into the boy's deck to meet her new allies. Isaac looked at his deck as he could feel the spirits of his friends as they welcomed the newest addition to their team.

Sunset started to stir as she opened her eyes. She sat up a bit as she saw Isaac standing over her.

"How?" asked the girl.

"Let's just say that my Marianne had one last trick up her sleeve. And boy, did I need it. By discarding two spellcaster monsters from my hand, Marianne made it so that you also take the same damage as I do. But she not only survives the battle but by paying half my life points, the damage I would have taken gets cut in half and sends it back to you."

"No way..." said Sunset in shock.

"That's why I'm standing, and you're planking," stated Isaac. He then smiled to which he extended his hand. "What a duel. Good game!"

Sunset couldn't help but also smile. She then put her hand in the boy's hand as the pair stared at each other's eyes. The sun now reaching the final stages of its setting in the background as the moon was high above the pair. Isaac was hoping to pull Sunset to her feet, but instead, the girl found some incredible strength and yanked the boy down.

Isaac fell as he landed on his back. He was laying on the sand as on top of the boy was Sunset as she had a devious smile.

"You didn't think I was gonna let you go without having one of our 'hands-on' experiences now, did you? Since you're gonna be engaged to Twilight, I'd figured get in as many as I can before you're officially off the market." smirked the girl.

Isaac returned the smirk as Sunset pressed her lips to the boy as he wrapped his arms around her. The girl now began to move her hands feeling the boy's body as it brought her memories. Isaac coping Sunset's movements as he did the same and felt the new changes to Sunset's body as she had grown. Safe to say it did not disappoint. He got the girl to evoke a sexy moan as he reached down to her backside to which she enjoyed it. The two enjoyed their final moment with each other as the moon provided the perfect light as it shined down on them.

Chapter 11: The Document

The duel was over as a light began to shine. From the light emerged Isaac's newest monster, Holy Knight Marianne. The girl now found herself in the Spirit World and inside the palace that housed Isaac's monsters in his deck. She stood in front of a door that materialized in front of her, as she was hesitant. She mustered up some courage as she opened it and entered. She was welcomed to another set of doors as there were three. Marianne looked at the names on the doors as each one belonged to one of Isaac's other pendulum hybrid monsters. A fourth door now appeared as it had her name on it.

She then approached it and entered. Inside was a bed and a window as well as lots of space. The girl looked around as it was empty, so she decided to fill it. It took a while, but the girl had finally finished decorating her room. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Marianne opened it as standing there was Mahad.

"Ms. Mariannne."

"Oh, uh... you're..."

"Mahad."

"Right, our master's partner." said the girl as she was comfortable around the man.

"Yes, now have you taken the time for your accommodations?" asked Mahad.

"Well, I filled it with things that I love," said the young girl looking at her room.

"Of course, all of our comrades have their room in the palace and can design how they like it," stated Mahad. "Now then, follow me."

Mahad now began to levitate as did Marianne, who followed her comrade.

"Where are we going?" asked the girl.

"To meet the others. It's tradition to hold a gathering when our master gains a new comrade," said Mahad as he saw that got the girl to be a bit scared about meeting new people. "You have nothing to worry about; we are all friends here."

Mahad's response got the girl to calm down as they soon approached a set of twin doors. The pair landed as they prepared to enter. From the other side, there were sounds of music and talking. Marianne hid behind Mahad as she peaked her head out as they entered. Inside were all of Isaac's monsters and magicians as they were talking and socializing. Even Isaac's Black Robe Mentalist participated in the social event despite her goth attitude. Though she just stayed in the corner to avoid any unwanted attention.

All of Isaac's monsters then saw Mahad. Melody stopped the music as she saw their leader.

"Everyone," stated Mahad as he cleared his throat. "Please welcome the latest addition to our master's deck." He then stepped to the side to allow the others to see Marianne.

The girl was still embarrassed as all eyes were on her. She waved as everyone returned the gesture. Mahad then gave the cue as everybody continued the small gathering. He then told the girl to join in as she slowly made her towards the tables of refreshments and food. Marianne approached the table and she saw three other individuals who looked at her. They talked and then all made their way towards the girl as they were Isaac's pendulum hybrids.

"Uh, hi?" said the girl, a bit nervous.

"So you're the latest of our group," said Lychinus Enchanter. "Pleased to meet you, laddie."

"Nice to finally have another girl in this group," said Solis Witch as the two older magicians shook the hand of the girl.

"Thanks," said Marianne as she saw Isaac's Ventus Oraculum.

The boy was staring at the girl who was his age as he did admit, she was rather stunning.

"Hey there," said the boy waving a bit awkwardly.

"Hey," giggled Marianne at how the boy acted.

"Sorry, hope I didn't make you feel awkward." chuckled the boy while rubbing his neck. "I'm Ventus. But you can call me Ven."

"Marianne."

The four of them began to talk as they asked her how she felt in her new home. Marianne responded that she was glad to be a part of Isaac's deck. After a while, the other monsters all conversed with the girl. She then met Isaac's other signature magician.

"So you're Isaac's latest girl?" asked Mana.

"Uhm,... yes?" said Marianne as she didn't know how to answer that question.

"Mana."

"M-Marianne."

"Answer me this: Is Isaac cute?"

"W-What?" said Marianne.

"When you saw him, did you think our master was cute?" asked Mana, fishing for details.

"Uhm, well... I mean... he... he is... rather cute..." said the girl thinking about her master.

"Then we're gonna be best friends!" said Mana hugging the girl. "Now, we need to find out where you rank when it comes to Isaac's other girls?"

"What do you mean?" asked Marianne.

"Stick with me, girlfriend, and I guarantee you'll have a top spot." smiled Mana as Marianne also returned the gesture. "Just know, I'm Isaac's first and most important girl," stated Mana asserting her domain when it came to the hierarchy of Isaac's little harem of his female spellcasters.

"I understand," said Marianne.

"MANA!!" shouted Mahad as he saw that his student was trying to use her mischievous ways to influence the girl of pure heart.

---

It was the next day as Isaac had finished gathering his stuff. He checked out of his beach house as he thanked the receptionist. He exited the place as he saw Sunset waiting for him. The pair now began to walk towards the car that was going to take the boy to the airport.

"Thanks for a nice hangout, boy toy," stated Sunset. "I forgot what it was like to have you all to myself."

"Glad you enjoyed it," snickered the boy. "You gonna stay a bit longer?"

"Of course, I'm on vacation," said Sunset. "Hey, good luck in your duel. I'll be watching." Sunset then leaned in and kiss Isaac as the pair wrapped their arms around each other, and they let out a moan in each other's mouths.

"See ya, Sunny."

"So long, Isaac."

The World Champ then entered the back of the cab. The driver turned on the engine as the vehicle drove down the road. Isaac rolled down his window as he waved at his bacon-haired girl, to which she also did until he was out of sight.

After a while, the car stopped at the airport. Isaac thanked the driver and tipped her as he entered the place. He then got his ticket and soon boarded his flight. The boy took his seat and looked out of the window. He pulled out his phone as he looked at one picture. It was a picture of the girls, but some of the monsters from their decks were also present. It was the final photo before their graduation day as they wanted to have one last memory of each other before they went their separate ways.

It brought a smile to the boy as he saw the piece of paper in front of him. He grabbed it and read it one last time. Isaac was now on his way to where Twilight was as he had one day before his duel as it would be there where everything would be answered.

---

Nighttime had fallen as the moon was in the sky. Soon a car entered the driveway of the house as it stopped. The backdoor opened as out emerged Isaac, who had finally gotten home. He thanked the driver as he made his way to the front steps. He took out his keys and opened the door as he was finally home. It was just as he last saw it, but again, he'd only been in this place twice. He put his backpack down by the coat rack as he entered the living room and sat on the couch. He leaned back as he let out a tired yawn from his flight. It was then he felt something wrap around his neck as it was a pair of arms.

"Welcome home," said Twilight.

Isaac turned his head as he saw the face of his fiancé as he kissed her hands.

"It's nice to be home." stated the boy.

"Tired?" asked Twilight.

"A little," chuckled Isaac.

"Then you made it in time for dinner," said the girl as she unhooked her arms around her fiancé and told him to come into the kitchen.

"Actually, I have something I want to show you," said Isaac.

The boy's response got Twilight to raise an eyebrow.

"I promise, it's something you'll like," stated Isaac.

He then began to get up from the couch as Twilight followed him. The pair walked to a part of the house and came to a door. To Twilight's surprise, she was shocked that she had never seen it since she was here longer than the boy.

"Now, close your eyes."

"Isaac?" said Twilight raising her eyebrow again.

"Trust me, Twily," said Isaac using the girl's nickname.

Twilight just rolled her eyes as she did what he asked. The boy then waved his hand in front of the girl's face to see if she did have her eyes closed. Isaac then opened the door as he then grabbed Twilight's hands and guided her in. The room was dark as the pair stopped.

"Can I open them?"

"Not yet," stated Isaac. "Wait here." He then approached some curtains as he pulled them away to let some light in as Twilight could sense it with her eyes closed.

"Now can I open them?" asked the girl.

"Hold on," Isaac then approached a switch as he turned it on and adjusted lighting to match the evening setting.

"Isaac?!!" stated Twilight as she was getting a bit impatient.

"Alright... now you can open them."

Twilight then opened her eyes as her sight was slowly taking in what she saw. All around her were books, but not just books, but the entire room was a library. Shelves upon shelves lined the walls as there were several ladders along the shelve to reach the higher levels. There was a fireplace with a couple of chairs and tables. Twilight did a spin to take her entire surroundings in. She let out a gasp in surprise as she couldn't believe what she was witnessing. She smiled with glee whilst holding her face together.

"Oh, I'm in heaven. Someone pinch me," said Twilight.

And right on cue, Twilight felt a pinch on her butt cheeks, making the girl yelp and hold onto her tushie with a blush on her face. She looked at Isaac as he had a smirk on his face.

"Well, you did say to pinch you."

"I didn’t mean literally," said Twilight while feeling embarrassed.

He then leaned over and whispered to her ear, "And admit it, you wanted me to do that, didn’t you?"

Twilight felt really flustered, and she slapped his shoulder. She then began to walk towards one of the many shelves. Twilight was checking out the covers and titles as all of it was making her have the biggest grin on her face. This was a dream come true for the girl to have her own personal library, and she couldn't begin to express how happy she was.

"Do you like it?" asked Isaac as he watched his fiancé get into her nerdy side.

"There are so many books here, I don’t know where to start. It's wonderful!" said Twilight in glee.

"Then it's yours. All of it," said Isaac.

"Isaac..." said the girl as she now walked over to the boy. "I... don't know what to say but,... thank you." She then wrapped her arms around Isaac as she hugged him. Isaac wrapped his arms around Twilight as he was glad he was able to make her happy.

Twilight then began to grab some books as she had a small stack with her. She made her way to a table and sat down as she began to read. Isaac smiled at seeing Twilight be full of wonder and pure magic. He was about to leave, but he turned back to look at the girl. Twilight was so engraved in her reading that she didn't pay attention to her surroundings. She then felt an arm over her shoulder as she looked to see Isaac was also sitting next to her. Isaac decided that he would spend some time with his fiancé. Twilight smiled as she planted a kiss on his cheek, and the two spent the next hour or two reading some books as Twilight leaned into Isaac as the pair had smiles on their faces.

After some novels and stories, the pair now exited the library. They went back to the kitchen and began to make themselves dinner.

"So, how did your special training go?" asked Twilight as she was stirring the pot on the stove.

"It went well. I made the right call," said Isaac as he finished cutting the vegetables. "Plus, it was nice to see the others after so long."

"I'm glad you got what you wanted," said Twilight as she grabbed the cutting board and dumped the veggies inside the pot as the smell got to her noise. She took the spoon and took a quick taste of the stew.

"Delicious. Those cooking classes paid off," Twilight then felt a pair of arms wrap behind her as Isaac had his head on the girl's shoulder and smelled her hair.

"As good as that stew might be, I think I found something else that's just as tasty," said Isaac into Twilight's ear as she blushed.

Isaac then turned Twilight around as he grabbed her by her hips and lifted the girl onto the counter. He then brought his lips to kiss her as the pair grabbed each other's faces. They began to open their mouths as they let out some moans as they were enjoying their little moment. Isaac then broke apart and started to plant trails of kisses along Twilight's neck as the girl held his head. He then stopped as he saw the necklace she was wearing. Since the day he gave it to her, Twilight never once took it off as it was a symbol of the time and adventures they had with each other and their friends.

"As pretty as this necklace looks on you. You make it that much more beautiful," said Isaac giving another short kiss to Twilight's lips.

"Why do you always say the things that make me fall in love with you again?" stated Twilight with a laugh. She grabbed Isaac's cap off his head and put it on as they shared another gentle kiss.

"Alright, can't let the stew burn. Mind setting the table?" asked Twilight.

Isaac smiled as he let Twilight down from the counter. He then began to grab the silverware as Twilight checked on their food as it was nearly done. After a few more minutes, she turned off the stove and brought the spoon as she filled two bowls full of the concoction. She grabbed both bowls and walked to the table as Isaac had pulled out her chair. She sat down as he grabbed his bowl and sat down next to her. The pair smiled as they began to eat and discussed Isaac's meetups with each of their friends.

"So CHS is improving. And it's all thanks to you," said Twilight.

"It's not just me, Twi. You and the others all played a role in helping the program get funded," said Isaac as he grabbed the girl's hand. "Because of what we did, we gave Celestia and Luna the school of their dreams. Now CHS is on a whole different level in not just academics, but also Duel Monsters."

"As I said, they have you to thank. But... I will give myself some credit," snickered the girl as Isaac just laughed. Isaac then got up from the table and grabbed their bowls as he made his way to the sink and began to wash them.

Once he finished, Isaac then made his way to the living room as Twilight was sitting on the couch. She had her deck in her hand as the boy now sat down next to her. She snuggled into his chest as Isaac lifted his cap a bit to see Twilight's eyes as he planted a quick peck on the lips. The pair now snuggled up as they watched some TV for a bit until it was time to sleep. All the while, Isaac held the girl he loved as Twilight was in the arms of the person she loved.

---

Morning rose as it brightened up the entire world. It was now the day before Isaac's duel. This would be the final day for him to relax as the majority of tomorrow, he would be with Juniper going over the details of his duel. Which meant that today was the day he had to do it. The boy awoke as he was searching for Twilight. He found the girl as she was in her dressing room/closet where she was unpacking the last of her boxes. All around in the room were her clothes, personal things, and even some books.

"That's more like it," said Isaac as he saw all of Twilight's belongings being neatly put away compared to when they were all over the place in boxes.

"I'm on my last box," said the girl.

"You like it?" asked Isaac.

"I love this room," said Twilight. "I just can't believe it's all mine."

"Glad you enjoy it."

"So, Isaac. I was thinking that once I'm finished, we could do something? Since tomorrow you'll be gone for the whole day, not to mention it's your championship duel."

"Twilight?"

"So, I heard there's a great restaurant not too far from here."

"Twilight?"

"I hear there's a carnival in town. Maybe we can go check it out. I also heard there are some new books at the bookstore. I was thinking of maybe buying some for my collection."

"Twilight?!"

"Don't worry, we'll discuss the beginning stages of our wedding."

"Twily!!" stated Isaac as he called his girl by her nickname.

That response got the girl to look at her fiancé. Twilight knew that nickname was what Isaac used when he was being romantic with her or when he needed to discuss something. And based on his face, it was a mix of both but more so the latter.

"What is it, Isaac?" said Twilight as she wrapped her arms around the boy's neck and looked at his eyes.

"I'm glad you're enjoying this place. I wanted to give you a home that you can call your own. And a place where we can spend the rest of our life together. Possibly start a family when we're ready. I want you to understand."

"I do, Isaac."

"Then... if you really do wanna stay, like, if you really do wanna live here, please don't-- there's no right way to say this. Just don't take it the wrong way," said Isaac looking away from Twilight's eyes for a bit as he took a deep breath. He then looked back at the girl as she removed her arms from his neck.

"I need you to sign something for me," said Isaac as the air now got tense.

"Like what?" asked Twilight.

"The formal term for it is a cohabitation agreement," stated Isaac.

Twilight then had her eyes change as she looked down and then back at her fiancé.

"I have it right here." stated the boy as Twilight was stunned hearing that. "Yeah. I had this made up for you," said Isaac as he now showed Twilight the document he was holding as he gave it to her.

"Oh, I see that has my name on it... and... you signed it," said Twilight in a bit of shock as she looked at the paper and began to skim over the fine print.

"Yes," said Isaac. "I mean it's only a one-page letter, but I need you to sign it three times and I need you to have it notarized."

Safe to say that Twilight was in shock. The cohabitation agreement came out of nowhere and right now she didn't know how to feel. She was currently reading some of the writing to get a sense of what it said.

"As your guest. And I have 48 hours of your request to vacate the home," said Twilight as she read that detail out loud.

"That doesn't mean I'm gonna ask you to leave. It just means that if anything should happen. Then..." Isaac didn't finish his statement as both knew what he meant.

"Why didn't you give this to me before I had moved my stuff in?" asked Twilight.

"I should have told you. I didn't want to bombard you with information. And if I had asked you to move in and then followed it with that, this would have never happened." said Isaac as he referred to Twilight agreeing to move in.

"How do you know that?" asked Twilight.

"That's the way I think." answered the boy.

"You could have just said it as I shipping my boxes," stated Twilight.

"I had other things I was doing. Not to mention the document wasn't fully made when I suggested the idea of wanting you to move in with me. And I've had some time to think about things and this is one of those things that kind of needs to be done for all of this to happen." said Isaac.

Twilight now heard what Isaac had to say as she looked at the document in her hands. All sorts of thoughts were running through her head as she didn't know what to think or how to act. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't find the words to truly express herself. Just when it seemed like she was about to live her dream, all of a sudden it came to a screeching halt as it may not happen.

"I... I just... I just--just need time to think about this," stated Twilight.

"That's totally understandable," said Isaac.

"I feel like I'm signing something for a hotel," said the girl. Twilight then walked over to the window as she grabbed her satchel and packed some of her things and slung it across her body. "I just need to go think." Twilight then exited the room and was making her way out of the house.

Isaac was left by himself as he took a deep breath. He now leaned over the dresser as he had his hands to his mouth as he was thinking about what went down. For Twilight, she had exited the house and got into her car. Right now, her mind was firing on all cylinders, and she needed to get away for a bit. If she was to think about what went down, then she needed to not see Isaac.

She entered her vehicle as she turned the engine on and was now driving onto the street and away from the house. Safe to say there were a bit of tears in her eyes as she tried to wash them away but they kept on crying. Twilight was really thinking about the cohabitation agreement that Isaac had given her as if she didn't sign it, then they would be no future for the two of them.

Chapter 12: Reunion

Twilight was driving as she had to clear her mind from what happened a few moments ago. Isaac had asked Twilight to move in as he wanted to give her a place where they could live. She was all excited about the idea, especially when Isaac had a room in the house become a library, and he gave it to her. At that moment, Twilight was looking forward to getting married and spending her life with the boy she loved. But after what occurred this morning, her mind was in a state of shock.

The boy she loved had given her a cohabitation agreement as if they were to be together; then, she would need to sign it. Twilight had to leave to clear her mind as she grabbed her satchel and got into her car as she left the house. She was driving as tears formed in her eyes. After a while, she pulled to the side of a dirt road. She grabbed the document next to her as she pulled out her phone and began to call.

"Hello?" said Cadance on the phone.

"Hey," answered Twilight.

"Twilight, so good to hear my favorite sister-in-law," asked the women.

"I want to talk to you about something. And it relates to Isaac," said Twilight.

"What's up?" asked Cadance as she could tell the tone of Twilight's voice.

"So Isaac handed me a paper that I have to sign, and it's about living in his home," said Twilight as she now began to read some of the document to her sister-in-law. "Quote: 'Although I do not wish to be formal, I do not want there to be any misunderstanding regarding your presence at the home as my guest'."

"What the hell?!" said Cadance as she was shocked by what she heard.

"There's more: 'In the event that I ask you to vacate the home, you'll agree to immediately vacate and remove any and all items you may have brought into the home as soon as possible'." said Twilight.

"That's like the weirdest... craziest thing I've ever heard," said Cadance as she listened to what Twilight said.

"I just don't understand it," said Twilight as she could feel some water forming in her eyes as she wiped them away.

"To be honest, I don't either, because, you know, I feel like a normal relationship. Like that would never come up, and your brother would never do that to me," said Cadance. "We're both on the same page in our relationship and..."

"Well, I just don't know what to feel. I'm so confused. I don't know if it's disrespect or I need to be understanding, but I don't understand. I don't know what to feel." said Twilight to her sister-in-law.

"I get it, Twilight. But the first time you move in with someone like that's you trusting him completely and giving him everything."

"It kind of makes me second guess where Isaac and I stand in our relationship. I love him, but maybe he knows that he doesn't want to be with me forever," stated Twilight letting some tears fall.

"For him to do that, kind of makes me scared for you, like is he really serious about you?"

"Cadance, don't say that!!" shouted Twilight through the phone. "I know Isaac, and when he's serious about something, he means it."

"Twilight, I get it. Just know that if you need to talk about it, I'm here."

"Thanks, sis," said Twilight as she ended the call. She now looked out of the car window as she took another deep breath as some tears fell.

After Twilight left the house, Isaac was contemplating on what went down. He knew he loved Twilight with all of his heart and he wanted to be with her. But he also had to be smart if they were to get married. He needed to have some form of insurance, in the event, things went bad between them. Isaac pulled out his phone as he was contacting Juniper.

"Hey,"

"How did it go?" asked Juniper.

"I gave her the document, and... she said she needed time to think."

"Then it's up to her. I wish nothing but the best for you two."

"I appreciate that, Juniper. I'm leaving now. I think it best to not see Twilight until after my duel."

"I'm on my way to pick you up. I'll make the reservations for an extra day." stated the girl as she ended the call.

Isaac then began to pack his backpack as he started to leave the house. He looked at his phone as he was thinking of calling Twilight to let him know he was leaving early to let this whole thing blow off, but decided against it. Instead, he grabbed his duel disk and turned it on.

"Record message," said Isaac to the small rectangle device on his wrist. It obeyed his command as it now was ready to record what the boy wanted to say.

"Uhm, Twilight... I know you're thinking about the document. And I respect how much time you need to make a decision. So I'm leaving early to get ready for my duel. If you want, you can stop by the house. Don't worry, I won't be there. So... yeah... just know that I love. And that's never gonna change. I love you, Twily."

Isaac ended the recording as he played back the message. He then took a deep breath as he pushed the button. It was now going to her duel disk so that the girl could listen to it. He then grabbed his backpack as he headed towards the door. He exited the place as in the driveway was Juniper as she had arrived. The boy got in the passenger side as the girl saw her client. Isaac leaned his head against his seat as he let out a stressful sigh.

"It's alright, Isaac. For now, let's focus on your duel," stated Juniper as she placed her hand on his shoulder. Isaac nodded as the girl started the engine, and the pair was now on their way.

---

While Isaac was on his way to the site of his duel, Twilight stopped by the local park. Her duel disk had received a message as she looked at the contact. She wanted to hear it but figured it would persuade her mind about this cohabitation agreement as she wanted to make that decision on her own. Twilight sat on the bench and put her satchel next to her as she let out a sigh and looked to the sky. The document was in front of her as she pulled out her phone again.

"Hello."

"Hey, mom," said Twilight.

"Twilight, what's wrong, sweetie?" asked Velvet as she could tell something was bothering her daughter as her motherly instincts were going off.

"You know how Isaac asked me to move in, and I've been like moving into his place for the past week. But..."

"Uh-hmm," said Velvet.

"... he gives me this paper, and he's like I need you to sign this. It refers to me as a guest in this paper, and it says: 'You agree that I may pursue monetary damages or other equitable relief to compensate me for any loss that he may suffer related to me being a guest in the home. In the event that I asked you to vacate the home, you'll agree to immediately vacate the home and remove any and all items you may have brought into the home within 48 hours of my request'."

"Okay," said Velvet as she took in what her daughter transcribed. "So let me ask you a couple of questions? Have you felt like a guest or do you feel like it's truly your home also?"

"I feel like it's my home. I mean, last night when he arrived. We talked and then he had surprised me again. He gave me a room full of books. Full of books, mom. I can't begin to describe how happy I was." said Twilight with a smile despite tears in her eyes. "Then we had dinner, and then we talked a bit as we held each other. I took that as a preview of what our future will be, despite us going to be busy with our careers. I was smiling."

"Now, he gets Juniper and this attorney who drew this up and is there to protect that," stated Velvet. "Now, I understand, you know, that this document is all based on prior experiences that married couples have. And Isaac is looking to have that sort of protection for himself."

"I understand that as well, Mom. But if Isaac and I don't work out, I don't want his home. I don't want his money. I don't want anything that is his, you know, like..." said Twilight. "The only thing that I want from Isaac is his love. And he's shown it since we were in high school. All the adventures we've had, the times he's had to save me from danger. The amount of dedication and commitment he has towards me and to do his job as World Champ. The only thing that I want to give back to him is my unconditional love. To be there for him so that when he comes home from being on the road, he can get rid of all that stress and smile. Knowing that there's the girl of his life just waiting to brighten up his day, his center of his world."

"I said the same thing when I met your father, dear." stated Velvet. "

"So, what do I do?" asked Twilight.

"Only you can decide that, sweetie. Whatever decision you make, we support it. I want you to be happy, Twilight. I love my daughter, and I would want nothing more than for you to have the boy of your dreams. And if you feel like that's Isaac, and you both can agree to love each other with that document, then you're destined to be together."

"I hear what you're saying, mom. Thanks."

"Anytime, sweetie."

The call ended as Twilight let out a sigh and looked ahead. She grabbed the document as she was thinking about what both her mother and Cadance said. She wanted to have a future with the boy who she felt like was the one. She wanted to have the dream of being a card designer and have a husband. But would it come at the cost of this document?

Twilight then looked at her duel disk as she touched the screen. She saw the message as she clicked on it and she heard it play.

"Uhm, Twilight... I know you're thinking about the document. And I respect how much time you need to make a decision. So I'm leaving early to get ready for my duel. If you want, you can stop by the house. Don't worry, I won't be there. So... yeah... just know that I love. And that's never gonna change. I love you, Twily."

Twilight heard the message. With Isaac being gone, it meant that he was giving her some space. So with a heavy heart, Twilight now grabbed her stuff and was now heading back to the house to hopefully get an answer.

---

Isaac had arrived at the site of his duel. Both he and Juniper had arrived at the hotel next to the arena. The pair exited and checked in. They were going to go over to the stadium to begin the details as the boy wanted a few minutes to himself. Isaac laid down on the bed as he placed his head on the pillow and pulled out his phone. He was looking at the photos that he had of him and Twilight together in the past as they reminded the World Champ of happier times. Isaac felt tears roll down his eyes as he thought about his future with the girl. He wiped the water and then got up to leave.

Both now took a walk to the stadium as they entered the place. Despite the duel being less than 24 hours away, the entire management team and people were all hard at work designing the stage, the ramp, and the dueling arena. Beams, pieces of metal, LED screens, and speakers were being lifted and moved by pulleys and machinery.

"They're just about done," said Juniper as they met with the person in charge. "Hey, Daniel."

"Juniper, Isaac. So glad you guys could come. You're a little bit early than expected." said the man with the headset.

"Let's just say... I had to get away from something," said Isaac.

"Alright then, so we're still working on the set. But we need to go over your entrance."

"So, what do you and the production team have in mind?" asked Juniper.

"Take a look," said Daniel as he led the two over to where the video engineers were. "So this is what we came up with." One of the engineers heard the command as he loaded the video and then began to play on the screen for all to see.

The video that the engineers came up with started with a low camera angle that only saw the feet of someone. They walked and the camera was still fixed on their feet. Then it slowly began to lift as it traveled up. The person walking was Isaac as he had his head down with his cap covering his face. Isaac was shown walking down a corridor as he was making his way up a small ramp to a curtain that was connected to the stage where he would exit to appear in front of the live crowd.

As the boy kept on walking, the sounds of people cheering were input as they chanted Isaac's name.

"Look, dad!" said a kid who was flank by another person. "It's Isaac!"

They appeared from the corner of the corridor as they saw the World Champ. However, the shocking thing about the kid in the video was that it wasn't just any kid. But rather Isaac from his younger years.

"ISAAC!!!"

Isaac now turned around when he heard his name being called as he looked in the direction of his younger self. He was walking towards the small boy as the video then shifted with the young boy now turning into him from when he was in CHS. Isaac now stood in front of his teen self as both looked at each other. All around were still shots of Isaac's duels from his life.

Isaac's teen version smiled as he then shifted back to his little boy version as Isaac was now starting at the small kid.

"Go get'em, champ!" said the kid version of Isaac.

Isaac just smiled at hearing his own self say that. He took off his cap and placed it on the small boy as it was a bit big that it covered his eyes. Isaac then turned around as he continued to walk up the ramp as he passed through the curtain to the roar of the crowd.

"Wow," said Isaac's younger self lifting the hat from covering his eyes.

The video package then ended.

"So, what do you think?" asked Daniel to the pair on what they saw.

"I love it," said Isaac.

"Stellar work on producing a meaningful video package," said Juniper.

"Thanks, guys. Now time to talk music. This is what we decided to have you come out to," said Daniel as he played the song that they were going to use.

"That'll work," said Isaac.

"Great, now then let's work on the actual entrance," suggested Daniel as Isaac and Juniper nodded.

Isaac now began to follow some stagehand assistants as they took him to the top of the stage. The stage connected the dueling field with a long ramp that stretched 45 yards. Juniper was with Daniel at the bottom of the ramp as they were going to watch the thing.

"Alright, Isaac, you ready?" asked Daniel through his headset.

"Yeah," said the boy through one of the stagehand assistant's headsets.

"So we're just gonna let the music play, and you do your usual thing. We'll figure it out as we go," said Daniel as he gave the signal to sound engineers as they played the music.

The song started as Isaac let the first few moments of it play before he stepped through the curtain. Isaac did his usual thing of playing to the crowd as he stopped at the top of the stage and imagined there was a sea of people chanting his name. He got that mindset in his head as he was soaking it in. He looked to the left and right making sure to look at the cameras that pretended to be rolling. He talked into them as he was pretending he was talking to the people watching from their homes. After that, he then began to walk down the long ramp at a medium-sized pace making sure to match his walk to the beat of the music.

He stopped in the middle of the ramp as he looked to the left and the right as he imagined fireworks and pyro going off behind him and into the sky. He then continued to walk as the song was nearing the end as when he reached the bottom part of the ramp he extended his hand out and imagined he was giving people some passing high fives. Once he did enough, he then stopped in front of the dueling field taking a few deep breaths as he psyched himself up, and then took his position.

"Alright, stop," said Daniel through his headset. "Not bad, Isaac."

"So anything you might want to add to your entrance?" asked Juniper.

"Here's what I'm thinking. Upon me passing through that curtain, let's have the cameras rolling on me. Give them about a 5-second shot before they transition to the next camera. Camera 1, five seconds, Camera 2, five seconds, and so on." stated Isaac.

"Then I say about the halfway point of the ramp, I'll stop to soak it all in again. As the music is playing, some fireworks, pyro to go off into the sky."

"Fireworks, pyro," said Juniper writing it down on the tablet.

"So the crew and I had this idea. What if, as you walk down that ramp, there were pictures of your monsters that are in your deck? You're a big fond belief that your monsters are your friends. So as you walk down that ramp, you could imagine your friends cheering and supporting you as you make your way to the field." said Daniel.

"There are some hologram projectors that we have that we can set up to have alongside the ramp. So the first one will be on the right side, then the other one will be on the left side, but it'll be a few feet up. And so on. We'll alternate. You get what I'm suggesting?" asked Juniper to her client.

"I hear you, Juniper. So as I pass each one of the projectors, the images of my monsters will show up." repeated the boy. "So then the last two projectors that I want need to be placed here," said Isaac as he pointed at the bottom of the ramp. "These two will be where my trusty partners will be. My Dark Magician on the right and Dark Magician Girl on the left."

"What other monsters will you want to project hologram images of?" asked Daniel.

"All of them," said Isaac.

"Of course," stated Juniper with a smile. "So we'll sort them by categories. Pendulum-hybrids; your pendulum cards; Xyz monsters; Synchro as well as your tuners; Fusion monsters; your Royal Knights; then Magnet Warriors with your Electromagnetic Turtle; your high power monsters; then your Magician Girls along with the other female teen spellcasters; your kid duo; Kuriboh along with Breaker; and lastly, your two top monsters at the end." Juniper now showed her tablet to both men as they saw the general outline she was suggesting.

"Now, when you get onto the dueling field, the song will still be playing. So what here's my opinion, is that you look out into the crowd as some lasers surround you making a swirling circle. Then you stomp your foot as it spreads out and the pyro on top of the stadium will go off so that the people in the top levels can look up behind them to see the fireworks go off." said Daniel.

"Alright, then let's run that entrance back again," stated Isaac. He now walked back to the top of the ramp as they added part of what was suggested.

For the next hours, they were all hard at work. Some of the ideas they kept, others they scraped. Everyone trying to come up with a stellar entrance as Isaac was swiping himself now and then to wipe the sweat off his brow. Trial after trial, practice after practice, Isaac was determined to get the proper entrance that they wanted. From when they started it was about 5 in the evening, they didn't stop until almost 2 in the morning. After the final practice, everybody decided to call it as they would pick it up in the morning.

Isaac and Juniper thanked everybody as they all wanted to get some sleep before they would practice in the morning. The pair retreated to their hotel as they fell asleep.

The morning arrived as it was the day of the duel. Isaac had awoken to an early start as Juniper took the boy to the local training center to get one last physical training session in before tonight's main event. He then went over to the arena as they went over the final practice runs of the boy making his entrance.

---

Twilight had awoken as she felt the sun's rays hitting her face. She pulled the covers over her as she wanted to fall back asleep, but her body was telling her otherwise. Safe to say, she wasn't tired. All night she kept tossing and turning as she was awake for most of it. She rolled out of bed and began to head downstairs hoping to drown her feelings in food. Which worked, but only for a short time. After she heard Isaac's message, Twilight returned to the house. True to his word, the boy was gone as he left.

During the night, Twilight called some people to help clear her mind.

(Last night)

"So how's Isaac?" asked Sunset.

"He's good," answered Twilight through the phone.

She had called her friends, hoping they could help. But they were all busy as the only one to pick up was Sunset.

"Did you talk to him about the agreement?" asked Sunset as she and everyone else, apart from Dash, knew about it.

"No, I haven't talked to him yet."

"Twilight, are you kidding?" asked Sunset. Twilight didn't immediately respond as her eyes were wandering about. "Can we talk about that?" demanded Sunset.

"Just-- I don't know. I'm so-- the fact that he was just afraid to give that to me because I would leave is just-- that's the only thing that bothers me. Let me have that choice." said Twilight.

"But you're telling me this, when are you gonna be telling Isaac this? Exactly what you just said right now..."

"I know."

"... you need to be telling Isaac," said Sunset.

"I just don't want to make a mistake. I don't want to mess things up between us. I just want time to think and make the right decision." said Twilight. "I'm kind of afraid. Isaac and I have had this perfect, happy relationship. I'm afraid bringing it up, it will ruin stuff."

"I look at it way differently than you do," said Sunset.

"How so?"

"You need to get everything out. And if you just let it all build up inside, you're really gonna start hating him and you're also just one day gonna blow up."

"Right," said Twilight as the girl let out a sniffle from the tears in her eyes. "I guess I have to call him and talk to him about that agreement."

"You better hurry, cause he already left to the stadium for his duel. So if you guys are gonna talk about it, it needs to be done before his duel. He's got enough stress on his plate as it is right now, I don't think he wants this to be a part of that." stated Sunset.

"What do I say?" asked Twilight.

"Just say you want to meet up with him," stated Sunset.

"Alright, I'll try. Thanks, Sunset,"

"Anytime," said the girl as the call ended.

Twilight then took off her glasses momentary as she wiped the last bit of water from her eyes. She then put them back on and looked at her smartphone as she took a deep breath. With the touch of her finger, she was contacting her fiancé's number.

"Hey... it's me... I'm ready to talk."

(Present day)

Twilight didn't get the boy as his voicemail answered. So she left him a message, hoping that he would get it before his duel tonight. As to avoid any more stress than he might have, going into his battle to defend his rank as champion. The girl's mind was then interrupted as there was a knock on the door. She was surprised as she wasn't expecting any more boxes. So... was it Isaac? Had he returned to talk to her about the prenup?

Twilight then began to make her way towards the door as she took a moment to compose herself. She prepared herself for what she might expect. Twilight opened the door and it was something she didn't see coming.

"Surprise!!" shouted the girls as they all were in front of the door.

"Girls!" said Twilight as she saw her close friends as they all pulled the bookworm into a group hug. The feeling for all of them was nice as it had been so long since they last did it.

"Were you surprised?" asked Pinkie.

"What are you all doing here?" asked Twilight.

"Well, darling. We came to see you. Plus, Isaac's duel is tonight. So what better way than to experience it together." said Rarity.

"Speaking of which, where's the geek?" asked Rainbow.

Dash's response got Twilight to put her head down as she clutched her left arm.

"Sugar, you okay?"

"I think it's time you tell them what happened," stated Sunset.

"I guess. Come on in," said Twilight as the girls entered the house.

They all sat down and listened to Twilight's tale. She told them how before he left to meet each of them, he had asked her to move into this house. She agreed and immediately began to move her stuff in. Then after Isaac came back from his visit with Sunset, he had given her a room that was a library and told Twilight it was hers. The girls all smiled as they were happy to see that the boy had given their friend something of her own heaven. Then Twilight brought up what occurred the next morning, how she was finishing up unloading her stuff when Isaac gave her the cohabitation agreement.

All the girls knew about the agreement, aside from Rainbow, as the boy told each one of them. They took a moment to explain it to the chromatic girl as she now nodded her head in understanding. The group then listened to Twilight explaining what went down as she left the house to clear her mind as she contacted her mother and Cadance for advice.

"So, what are you thinking?" asked Sunset.

"I... don't know."

"Darling, you need to talk to Isaac. The best thing for you two is to sit down and talk about this document," said Rarity.

"I just don't want to make the wrong decision."

"It's not a wrong decision if you're making it with your heart," said Fluttershy. "Twilight, do you love Isaac?"

"Of course, we're moving in before we're actually engaged. But it's because I love him."

"Do you feel like he treats you with respect, or some guest?" asked Aj.

"I feel like this is my home. I can see myself having my life and our future here."

"Do you think that you can be happy with him, no matter what challenges you two may face?" asked Pinkie.

"YES!!" answered Twilight immediately. Her response made her turn red as she covered her mouth.

The others all smiled as they knew what the answer was already. Twilight was now thinking of how she responded to that question and how fast she answered it. That feeling was the same feeling she experienced the night before their graduation, where her true feelings for the boy were revealed.

"Then you know what you need to do," said Rainbow.

"We have faith that you two are meant to be with each other. And if you do truly love him, then you don't need to worry about any document," said Sunset.

At that moment, Twilight's phone began to ring as the girl looked at it.

"It's... Isaac."

Seems the boy had gotten her message from last night as he was calling her.

"Well, answer it," said Sunset.

Twilight took a deep breath and straighten out her hair. She then clicked on her phone and put the boy on speakerphone so that the girls could hear as well.

"Hello."

"Hello, Twilight," said Isaac as the girls heard his voice. "I didn't think I'd get you. I thought I would get your voicemail."

"No, I... decided to answer," said Twilight.

"I've been wanting to talk to you. I want you to be comfortable and... maybe if I just had a little... chance to explain myself... I don't know... I would love to do it in person. Maybe we can go to... lunch or something close by? Does that sound like something... you'd be interested in?" asked Isaac.

"Yeah, I'm in for lunch," said Twilight as she played with her hair a bit.

"Well, we can start to talk it over... and I just want you to know that... I miss you and I love you very much. So glad we can go together. You just tell me where to be, OK?"

"Okay, I'll meet you in 30 minutes," said Twilight.

"I love you, Twilight."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye."

The call ended as Twilight looked at the group as they had small smiles on their faces.

"I'm gonna meet with him," said the girl.

"So you're gonna agree to sign it?" asked Pinkie.

"Seeing him doesn't mean I'm gonna sign it. I just want to understand what all of this means, and I want him to make me understand. The least I could do is hear what Isaac has to say." said Twilight.

"Then you'd better get ready," said Rarity as she guided Twilight away so that she could fix her hair and make her friend look nice.

After about 15 minutes, Twilight prepared to leave the house. She told the girls that she'd be back as she allowed them to stay. They all wished her the best of luck in what might happen between two of their close friends. Twilight thanked her friends for visiting and talking to her about her problem as she left and promised she'd return after her meet-up with Isaac. The girl then got into her car and was now driving to the place where Isaac was waiting for her.

As their friend left, the girls then began to make themselves at home. Well... moreso for Rainbow Dash.

"Alright, she's gone." said the girl as she jumped on the living room couch. "Gotta say the geek picked a nice house. 70 inch TV, cable, streaming apps." She then began to pick up the control and was flipping through the different channels. Soon the TV remote was swiped out of her hands.

"Hey! I was watching that!" shouted the athletic girl.

"This ain't yer house!" shouted Aj. "It's Isaac and Twilights. So that makes you, a guest. So treat it with respect!"

"The geek isn't gonna be angry that we crashed at his place. Besides, Twilight said she'd be back, so we can watch Isaac's duel tonight together."

"Ohh! What party food should I make?" asked Pinkie as she now ran into the kitchen in a pink smoke trail as she looked inside of the fridge. All of the food inside was calling to the girl as angelic voices from heaven were ringing with Pinkie having a golden halo above her head.

"Pinkie! Don't touch stuff that isn't yours!" shouted Sunset as she went to stop her friend from raiding the couple's food.

"Oh dear," said Fluttershy as she hide her face behind a pillow as she saw two shouting situations occurring.

Rarity had been on her phone as the moment Twilight left, she had received a text message. She was busy answering but could still hear what was going on around her. Her thumbs dwindled at a fast speed as she then clicked send as her she to grab each of the four by their collars and sat them down in the living room.

"What the hell, Rares? We're supposed to be prepping for Isaac's duel tonight," said Rainbow.

"Actually... we won't," said the girl as the other five all had confused looks on their faces while the fashionista had a smile.

The drive wasn't long as Twilight soon found herself at the place where she told Isaac to meet up. It wasn't a fancy restaurant as she felt it would be the right atmosphere to have their discussion. She grabbed her satchel and slung it across her body as she exited the car and headed inside. She found a table as she sat down and waited. Twilight reached into her satchel as she pulled out her deck and began to look at them until she stopped on her High Priestess of Prophecy as it was her signature partner. It didn't take long as she saw the boy's cap as he had just entered the building. Isaac had just gotten done with his final rehearsals when he called Twilight as he had gotten the message she'd sent. He told Juniper that he was going to meet with his fiancé for lunch to discuss as she wished him the best of luck.

Isaac approached the table as he saw Twilight sitting there as she tapped the table with her hand while the other played with her necklace.

"Hey," said the boy.

"Hey," responded the girl.

Isaac then took a seat across from Twilight as the pair looked at each other. Their eyes said it all, these past 24 hours since they last talked meant something. Their eyes stared at one another as it was conveying the message that they missed the other. The pair sat in silence as they were brought some menus. The waiter left them so that they could make their selection as both still stared at one another. Neither said a word as they wanted to see what the other would do or say.

"Well, I've been thinking about your paper," said Twilight.

"Ahh," said Isaac. "Yes. There's no nice way to do this. It's something that's necessary."

"Isaac..."

"If you were to turn into some sort of super evil person that I've never seen yet. Ironically, you did at the Friendship Games all those years ago, but that was evil magic. But if you did turn into that kind of person, I would be stuck." said Isaac.

"Being practically impact, I felt like you were being selfish, and you even tell me that the reason why you didn't give it to me before is that you're afraid I'd say no," said Twilight.

"Yeah," said Isaac.

"And that's selfish," stated Twilight looking at her fiancé.

"Yes, you're right," said the boy.

"Huh?" was Twilight's initial response. She didn't expect that answer to come from the boy. If anything, his answer caught her off guard.

"You're right. I should have told you before you packed the first box," said Isaac as he took a deep breath. "I guess the reason I didn't ask you when I asked you, because I didn't wanna take something so wonderful and immediately fuck it up with something so business."

Twilight was taking in Isaac's words as she had could see where the boy was coming from.

"This is what my life is. This is what I wanted it to become," said Isaac. "You've met my family. Do you think my mom paid for that new house she lives in herself?"

"Yeah," answered Twilight.

"She didn't." smiled Isaac. "She tries to tell me that she doesn't need my money, but I try my best to be the best provider that I can. And not just her, all the organizations that I'm involved. Aj and her farm, Rarity, and her business. Even donating some money to Fluttershy for her animal sanctuary. I'm even covering the cost of the house that Pinkie is taking care of for us back in Canterlot. And I'm helping Mr. Johnson with the card shop that we built."

"Wow," said Twilight.

"I just don't want to ever be in a position where that's in jeopardy. All of it."

"I didn't know about that. I had no idea that you support this many people. No wonder you're always doing appearances. It's not just cause your job demands it, but you have to do it to keep others happy and to not let them down." said Twilight. "If I had the money, I wanna support my family and anybody else that I care about. And I'd be damned to let anybody take that away from me."

"Now you know what I do not regularly, but all the time since I became World Champion."

"Not a lot of men nowadays would take care of their family. Let alone be involved with so many other commitments. I mean, it's just amazing." said Twilight as she grabbed Isaac's hand as they looked at each other.

"So, I don't have to move your stuff out?" asked Isaac with a small smile.

"No. You don't have to move my stuff out." smiled Twilight.

"Let's just say, that we were to toy with the idea of being married?" asked Isaac.

"I know what you're trying to say. So... I came over with my own prenup," smiled Twilight smugly.

Isaac made a yeesh expression on his face, "Alright, what are your terms?" said the boy as he saw this coming from a mile away.

"You need to give me 10 to 15 kisses a day," stated Twilight as Isaac. "So can I?"

"Go ahead. I owe you 15 anyway," chuckled Isaac as Twilight got up from her seat and made her way to Isaac, and began to bombard his lips with quick pecks.

"Anything else?"

"Hmm... you need to buy me a few hundred books every year," stated Twilight as she sat in his lap.

"Didn't see that coming," snickered the boy. "What else?"

"That you love me every day for the rest of our lives. Isaac, I love you for nothing more than the fact that you are you. I don't want anything from you, but your dedication and admiration to me. I love you, I truly love you. And here's the proof."

Twilight then took out the document from her satchel as she clicked a pen and then signed her name on the dotted line. She then placed it on the table in front of them as Isaac saw it.

"So don't you ever let me go." said the girl as she held his face.

"I would never do that. Know why," said the boy as he placed his hands on Twilight's butt as he looked at her eyes and held the girl. "From the moment we met. I've always kept you safe and held you close. And I'd be a dumbass to ever think about the idea of letting a girl like you out of my life. You're the best thing that ever happened in my life, Twilight. So I'm holding you tight, forever."

Twilight then pressed her lips against Isaac as the two let out a moan. They opened their mouths and began to play with each other. Then parted as a trail of saliva connected their lips as their foreheads touched each other. Their necklaces also touched each other as Isaac bopped Twilight's nose.

"I love you, Isaac."

"I love you, Twily."

The pair smiled as they began to enjoy themselves. After they had lunch, Isaac had to head back to the arena. Twilight wished her fiancé good luck and was driving back to the house. However, upon arriving, she was informed by the girls about Rarity's message as it got her to smile.

---

Isaac met back with Juniper as the girl asked her client how it went. Isaac told her about Twilight signing the document, and the two agreed to love each other. With that issue out of the way, the boy now began to run some final practice runs of his entrance.

"Alright, Isaac. Let's do this!" stated Daniel.

The video from that was shown earlier played on the titration. Once it ended, the music started to play as the World Champ emerged from behind the curtain and Isaac walked to the center of the stage as he stopped and began to do his thing.

https://youtu.be/Z5LJ2NX2ggQ

"Remember, when you hear that beat drop. The 'ba ba', then you walk down the ramp," said Daniel in his headset.

That part of the song occurred, and Isaac started to walk down the ramp. He passed by the first hologram projector as the images of his pendulum hybrid monsters appeared. He kept on walking looking straight at the camera in front of him as the people behind it were rolling it on a dolly as they walked backward. He arrived in the middle of the ramp as he imagined looking at the crowd and all around him as he was soaking in the cheering.

"Remember to be at the halfway point of the ramp when the solo of the song kicks in," said Daniel.

Once the solo of the song finished, Isaac then waited for the second beat to drop before continuing down the rest of the ramp. Fireworks and pyro went off behind him as they shot from the stage into the air as the boy passed more hologram projectors showing his monsters. As he got to the tail end of the long ramp, he stretched his hands out as he pretended to give the people some passing high fives. He then took a deep breath as he then got on the dueling field.

The boy then stood in the middle of the dueling field as some laser light effects began to swirl around him as he had his head down and eyes closed to build suspense. He then shot open his eyes and stomped his foot on the ground as the grand finale of fireworks went off. The top of the arena could be seen shooting the fireworks into the air as they went off. Isaac gave one last smile to the hard cam as tipped his cap with the song ending.

"Cut! Perfect!" said Daniel.

Everybody gave a round of applause to the boy. Isaac was sweating bullets as Juniper brought a towel for her client as he began to wipe his forehead. She gave Isaac some water as he cooled off.

"Alright, then. We're all set. Places everybody cause the doors are about to open in fifty-five minutes! Let's go!" shouted Daniel as the whole crew now rushed to get everything ready.

"Come on, Isaac. Your duel is about to start," said Juniper as she led her client to his locker room so that he could spend this time to finetune his deck.

Once Isaac was inside of his room, Juniper quickly snuck away as she made her way to the backstage entrance. She opened the door as there was her surprise.

"Ready?"

The doors opened, and immediately, people began to file in. Tons of people. Kids to parents, to anybody. They all came to see the grand championship match that was about to go down. Merch stands and food vendors doing their thing of attractive consumers to buy. Kids begged their parents to buy a shirt with Isaac and his magicians on it, some wanting to buy a signed print of the boy. Even selling Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl hats and toy wands, as tons of girls and boys were running around laughing and smiling.

It was mere moments from showtime as Isaac had finished putting together his deck for tonight's contest. He looked at his deck and began to talk with his monsters.

"Alright, guys. It's finally here, we've been training. So let's go out and do our best. And win or lose, I'm proud to have you guys as my servants, but more importantly, my friends." said the boy as the spirits of all of his monsters appeared before him. They all bowed in respect.

"We shall serve you in this battle!" said the entire group in unison.

Mahad and Mana looked up at their master as he smiled. Isaac put his hand out as the two did so, with Kuriboh joining in. They all smiled as they prepared to go out and have fun. Not just for them, but everybody in attendance and watching. Isaac's monsters then disappeared as they returned to his deck, ready for battle. The World Champ then grabbed his hoodie, and instead of wearing it normally, he adjusted it on his shoulders so that he wore it like a cape. He took his cap and put it on his head as he began to walk out of his room.

He saw Juniper as she was near guerrilla as they were just about to start. Soon the lights in the arena all dimmed down as spotlights all over the stadium came on. LED screens turned on as the camera rolled, and drones in the air covered the footage. Celestia and Luna, Aj's family with the CMC, along with Isaac's and Twilight's families were all watching their TVs as they prepared to see the boy's duel.

The MC then appeared in his booth as he had a microphone in his hand. A spotlight shined down on him.

"Welcome everyone!!" said the MC as the crowd made some noises. "Tonight promises to be a very special night. For tonight the current World Champion will defend his rank against his latest challenger." said the announcer as Isaac's opponent was already on the field as he was given his introduction.

"90 seconds!" said Daniel as the MC was wrapping up the small intro for Isaac's opponent.

"Game time," said Isaac, jumping in place a bit taking deep breathes.

"Good luck, Isaac," said Juniper. She then clinked something on her tablet as it trigger a signal for someone as they saw it and recognized it.

Then it was time.

"And now... to introduce the current World Champion of Duel Monsters. Someone who has been a pivotal idol, not just in the community but around the world. Please get up out of your seats and welcome your World Champion, the Prince, Isaac!!!!" stated the MC.

At that moment, everybody looked to the stage as the video package began to play.

The video started with a low camera angle that only saw the feet of someone. They walked and the camera was still fixed on their feet. Then it slowly began to lift as it traveled up. The person walking was Isaac as he had his head down with his cap covering his face. Isaac was shown walking down a corridor as he was making his way up a small ramp to a curtain that was connected to the stage where he would exit to appear in front of the live crowd.

As the boy kept on walking, the sounds of people cheering were input as they chanted Isaac's name.

"Look, dad!" said a kid who was flank by another person. "It's Isaac!"

They appeared from the corner of the corridor as they saw the World Champ. However, the shocking thing about the kid in the video was that it wasn't just any kid. But rather Isaac from his younger years.

"ISAAC!!!!"

Isaac now turned around when he heard his name being called as he looked in the direction of his younger self. He was walking towards the small boy as the video then shifted with the young boy now turning into him from when he was in CHS. Isaac now stood in front of his teen self as both looked at each other. All around were still shots of Isaac's duels from his life.

Isaac's teen version smiled as he then shifted back to his little boy version as Isaac was now starting at the small kid.

"Go get'em, champ!" said the kid version of Isaac.

Isaac just smiled at hearing his own self say that. He took off his cap and placed it on the small boy as it was a bit big that it covered his eyes. Isaac then turned around as he continued to walk up the ramp as he passed through the curtain to the roar of the crowd.

"Wow," said Isaac's younger self lifting the hat from covering his eyes. The video package then ended.

"Let's get this shit!" stated Isaac as he passed through the curtain.

The music now began to play as a small platform that was part of the stage was rising. The music began to play as the people on it were playing it. However, the thing was that it wasn't just some people but rather the girls.

Juniper had made sent a text to Rarity asking the girls if they wanted to help introduce their friend by playing him to the field. They were all for the idea, as when Twilight arrived back at the house, they all zoomed over to the stadium and got their instruments set up. Rarity even had the perfect outfits made for them. She took inspiration from Isaac's gear and made one for each of them.

Starting with Rainbow Dash, her's was a dark blue jacket open zipper somewhat like Isaac's, but without the pauldron plaid-like cloth on his shoulder, and longer sleeves reaching just above her hands, the trims on the sleeves were a gold lightning design wrapped around the edge, the bottom of the jacket reached to just before touching her legs. The back of the jacket had a rather fierce design depicting a rainbow lightning bolt striking the bottom of the jacket and sparks of individual colors of the rainbow flying off and away from the impact site of the bolt. These designs seemed to be made of many different gems as they glittered in the light. To finish off the outfit on the collar, either side of the zipper teeth were rubies in the shape of miniature versions of Rainbow's element dangling. Her white undershirt although not as flashy, seemed to compliment the jacket for its simplicity compared to it.

Next was Applejack. Her outfit seemed to keep to a theme to match her personality, hat, and lifestyle. Starting with the red neckerchief around her neck it seemed to hold green vine-like curls that trailed near the edges of it. A green and white shirt plaid long-sleeved cuffed shirt, the back of it was of an entirely different design that resembled closely to a saddle that reached to just before her waist but had fringes that came off it and covered the upper parts of her legs. The plaid shirt however did not reach as far as it ended where a pleather edge wrapped around the stomach and looked like it connected to the saddle-like back part of the outfit. To add to this ensemble, she wore boots on her feet, they seemed to be the same material as the saddle part of Aj's shirt. The bottoms seemed to be encased in some sort of metal, a green strap buckled around the ankle part and at the front of the zipper that reached from the buckle up to the top. The top edge seemed to extend upward away from the top of the zipper as it wrapped around the leg. It looked like her regular cowboy boots, but with those metal plating on the bottom, they'd do a lot more damage if she decided to kick something.

For the fashionista herself, she wore what could be considered as a sleeveless V-collar top baby blue, with a very light pink band that traced around the collar an inch away from the edge. The top reached down till just about her stomach where a magenta sash wrapped around it, fastened in place but a diamond-shaped gems in the shape of Rarity's signature mark and where her pants would begin. The pants looked almost like tights and had a gradient. Starting from the sash, it was midnight blue and only started changing to a lighter blue around where the upper and lower leg would meet. Two silver lines went the outer sides of both legs and seemed to give off a weak shine. However, it was unclear how far the gradient went since she wore high pleather shoes that were a darker reddish color compared to Applejack's. There was a leather strap that wrapped around near the top of the shoes with a buckle on the outer sides of the shoes.

Fluttershy's took the same inspiration as Twilights did, but hers took on a more floral form. The entire outfit took on a rather light green path as the majority of its color with white as its follow-up color for trimmings, straps, etc. She was wearing a sleeveless hoodie jacket, made of thin and smooth material, unlike Twilight's jacket, the end of it reached down to her legs and then out and away from her body a few inches looking like flower petals just past the black belt around her waist, and her zipper having a pink butterfly. On her belt, her saddlebags resembled Twilight's, sans the color scheme and the latch. Her shoes also took a modern look, yet there were black trims where the front of the shoes would meet the white straps holding the shoes to her feet, with white soles and light everywhere else on those shoes.

Pinkie's outfit had a light blue buttoned-up blouse with the girl's mark represented at the front and center of it but cut in half to place on both sides of the line of buttons, with puffed out sleeves and frilled trimmings on them and the bottom of the blouse. Purple somewhat puffy pantaloons that end just before where the legs bend with the same frilled trimmings as she also wore red leg bands.

Sunset wore a dark black short jacket similar to her leather one as its sleeves reached to her elbows and stood at her chest area. She wore a red buttoned-up blouse with the girl's mark at the front and center. Above her exposed stomach, she wore a yellow sash that wrapped around it, fastened in place by gems that matched her mark. She wore some tight leather pants that hugged her body, her shoes that had red trimmings along the sides with a sun pattern in the color of brilliant amaranth with light apple green stripes that matched her hair.

And lastly, was Twilight. To be honest she was wearing the same outfit she wore when she and Isaac competed in the Duos Cup during high school. Rarity took that inspiration along with Isaac's new signature attire to create the others. She only made small tweaks and adjustments to her friend's outfit to account for her new body changes, but it still fit nicely.

Twilight's outfit consisted of a dark purple cloth jacket with two-tone streaks matching the streaks in her hair going up her sleeves connecting to her hoodie that matched their colors as well. It was zipped up with a gem representing her element as the tab on the zipper you pulled on. She wore light pink leggings that seemed pretty loose at the ends of her legs and ended a few centimeters from her blue laced boots. It had a modern look like Isaac's and held to her hind legs with dark blue straps at the front of the boot, in front of the tongues. Wrapped around her hip area was a belt with a specially designed saddlebag on one side while on the other was a deck box that was clipped on, with the same design and color code as her boots, only the latch resembled her element.

"Rarity, you make some sick outfits!" exclaimed Rainbow as she liked her outfit as she was playing her guitar.

Their platform rose when the video package ended as they began to play the music. They began to sing as Rainbow and Sunset took turns singing the first part of the song as the rest sang the chorus.

Ooh oh oh oh, ooh oh oh oh
Be careful making wishes in the dark
Can't be sure when they've hit their mark
And besides in the meantime I'm just dreaming of tearing you apart
I'm in the details with the devil
So now the world can never get me on my level
I just got to get you out of the cage
I'm a young lovers rage
Gonna need a spark to ignite

Isaac stepped through the curtain as the crowd went nuts as they saw the boy. He made his way to the stage as he was playing to the crowd and looked out at the sea of people. He was taking it all in, closing his eyes, enjoying the moment. He saw the girls on the platform to the side of the main stage as he couldn't believe what he saw. To see his friends, showing their support for the boy as he quickly wipe the happy tears from his eyes and then began to walk down the ramp.

He passed by the first projector as the images of his pendulum hybrid monsters appeared. He passed the second projector, as had his Dark Sorcerer, Magician of Chaos, Dark Magician of Chaos, and Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning images were shown. He kept on walking passing by another hologram projector as it was his pendulum crew. Passing another as it showed his Synchro monsters and his tuners.

My songs know what you did in the dark
So light em up up up, light em up up up,
light em up up up, I'm on fire
So light em up up up, light em up up up,
light em up up up, I'm on fire
Ooh oh oh oh (In the dark, in the dark)
Ooh oh oh oh (In the dark, in the dark)

The girls kept on singing as Isaac continued to walk down the ramp. He passed the image that showed his Fusion monsters. Then walking past the images of his Royal Knights, soon followed the images of his kid duo, Magician Boy and Mage Annette. Isaac had reached the middle of the ramp when suddenly he turned back to the platform the girls were on. Twilight took a few steps forward as she began to sing her solo.

All the writers keep writing what they write
Somewhere another pretty vein just dies
I've got the scars from tomorrow and I wish you could see
That you're the antidote to everything except for me
A constellation of tears on your lashes
Burn everything you love
Then burn the ashes
In the end everything collides
My childhood spat back the monster that you see

To see Twilight singing her fiancé to his duel, made Isaac smile. She finished her solo with a wink and blew a kiss as she turned back to walk to the girls as they picked up the next part of the song. Isaac was now fired up even more as he kept on walking down the ramp. Passing the next set of images of his monsters. His Magician Girls along with his Apprentice Illusion Magician and Magician's Valkyria. Then his Magnet Warriors were shown as was his Electromagnetic Turtle as he was getting closer to the end of the ramp.

My songs know what you did in the dark
So light em up up up, light em up up up,
light em up up up, I'm on fire
So light em up up up, light em up up up,
light em up up up, I'm on fire
Ooh oh oh oh (In the dark, in the dark)
Ooh oh oh oh (In the dark, in the dark)

Isaac reached the end of the ramp as he passed the projector that has the images of his Breaker the Magical Warrior and Kuriboh. He was giving some of the kids some high fives as he passed and then took some quick photos. He stood at the end of the long ramp as on his right the image of his Dark Magician appeared, and on his left was his Dark Magician Girl. All three looked out into the sea of the people as they chanted the boy's name. To everybody in the stadium, they saw the still images of the boy's monsters. But to him, they were alive and seeing the crowd as they felt what their master was doing. With one final deep breath, Isaac now stepped onto the dueling field.

My songs know what you did in the dark
My songs know what you did in the dark
So light em up up up, light em up up up,
light em up up up, I'm on fire
So light em up up up, light em up up up,
light em up up up, I'm on fire
Ooh oh oh oh (In the dark, in the dark)
Ooh oh oh oh (In the dark, in the dark)
Ooh oh oh

The girls were wrapping up the final bits of the song as Isaac was in the center of the field. He had his head down as the lights darkened the entire arena as the laser lights shined down on the boy as it circled him. It was starting to change colors as it soon turned into a rainbow color. He then did the stomp of his foot as the wind blew in his face, and signaled the final fireworks to go off. The top of the stadium shoot off the pyro into the sky as Isaac looked at the hard cam for one final confident smile, tipping his hat as his friends finished the song.

The entire crowd got on their feet and applauded as the kids made loud cheers. Isaac looked around to see signs that showed their love and admiration for him. The World Champ was living in this moment, as he got to share it with his best friends. He looked back at the stages as he could see the girls also clapping for their friend. Twilight saw her fiancé as she smiled and Isaac returned the gesture as they were looking forward to one day getting officially married.

Isaac now turned his attention to his opponent as he got into position for the duel. The girls stepped through the curtain as they met Juniper in guerrilla as they saw on the screen Isaac about to start his duel.

The boy had a smile on his face as he was grateful for all that had happened in the past weeks. Being able to see his friends after so long, getting his fiancé to move in with him and show her the house where they would start their life together. Isaac pulled out his deck from his belt as he looked at it. The World Champ then slid it into his duel disk as it activated and projected a gold card tray.

"It's time to duel!" shouted Isaac.

---

Isaac was in his private room as he had finished his shower. He dried his face as he let out a sigh. He then began to open a few of the gift baskets that people had brought to him; after a while, he now began to pack his bag and backpack. He grabbed his deck that was on the table and put it on his belt. The boy exited the room as there was Juniper waiting for her client as the pair now walked side by side. They made it out to the arena as the girls were all gathered by it talking. They saw the pair as Twilight rushed over to Isaac who caught her in his arms as he spun her around.

"You did great out there," smiled Twilight planting a simple kiss to his lips.

"Thanks, but, I couldn't have done it without my friends," responded the boy as he put his arm over his fiancé's shoulder.

"I knew you had it in the bag," stated Rainbow.

"Now who's ready for a celebration!!" shouted Pinkie as she had a party waiting for all of them once they got back to the pair's house.

With a unison of cheers, all nine of them now left towards the house. The party was in full swing as everyone was enjoying themselves. Isaac did a quick toast to the group as he had his arm around Twilight as listened to his speech. Once he said what he wanted, they all smiled.

"You know, Isaac. You said you dueled each of us as part of your special training, well... seems you missed one," said Sunset with a sly smile.

"What do you mean?" asked the boy.

"Isn't it obvious, sugarcube?" said Aj with raised eyebrows as she gestured her head to the side.

Isaac then looked to his side as he saw Twilight. He blinked for a few seconds as he soon got what his country friend meant.

"Ohh... well... I mean... we had our graduation duel and I think it's fine if we leave it at that."

"What do you mean?!" shouted Twilight as she gave her fiancé a look. "Are you saying that you're a better duelist than me? Correct me if I'm wrong, honey, but didn't I beat you clean and you had the Egyptian Gods cards, hmm?"

"Yeah, but I won the other two duels and you had cards that I never saw before. So who really is the better duelist in this household?"

"Maybe the person who will be sleeping on the conch?! Ever think about that," threated Twilight.

"To be honest, the conch is a bit more comfortable than our bedroom. So really it's a win-win for me, Twily," snickered Isaac as Twilight made a pouting face. "That threat ain't gonna work with me."

"Will you two just duel already?" said Rainbow as she wanted to see the couple battle.

Both Twilight and Isaac looked at her and then at each other as they gave a shrug. They each grabbed their rectangle devices next to each other on the table as they made it to the front of the house on the small grass lawn. They stood apart a few feet as they pulled out their decks and slotted it into their duel disks. The others and Juniper all stood on the side as they prepared to see the couple about to battle once more.

"Opponent detected. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.

Twilight's Life Points: 8000-

Isaac's Life Points: 8000-

"Let's duel!" said both of them.

Turn 1: Isaac

"I'll start, and I play the field spell, Magician Salvation. By activating this card, I can now set my Eternal Soul from my deck, but it won't stay facedown for long, cause I'm gonna activate it so that I can summon my Dark Magician!" stated Isaac as he already had his ace on his first turn. "But I'm not done, cause I then play Bond Between Teacher and Student so make way for my Dark Magician Girl!" shouted Isaac as he had his other signature magician as they descended on the field.

"I then set a card due to my spell as well as another facedown and end my turn."

Turn 2: Twilight

"I too will play my own field spell, The Grand Spellbook Tower!" said Twilight as a giant tall building appeared behind her. "Then by revealing, three Spellbooks in my hand, I can special summon my High Priestess of Prophecy!" shouted the girl as her partner made its presence known as she levitated in the air with her legs crossed and a book in her lap. "I then play Spellbook Library of the Crescent, so since I have no 'Spellbooks' in my graveyard I can select 3 Spellbooks and you add one of them to my hand."

Twilight's cards then appeared in front of her they had their backs turned to Isaac and the others as they spun in a circle before stopping.

"Which one, honey?" smirked Twilight.

"The right one, Twily," smiled Isaac.

"Very well then, I now play my Temperance of Prophecy and then activate her ability. Since I played a Spellbook previously, I can sacrifice her to summon one Level 5 or higher Light or Dark spellcaster. So I choose my Dark Red Enchanter!" shouted the girl as she summoned her other ace of her deck as it appeared and bowed down before its leader and mistress. "I then play the card you selected, Spellbook of Secrets so I can add any Spellbook that I want. Then my Dark Red Enchanter gains a spell counter since I played a spell and its attack points increase by 300. I then end my turn with two facedowns."

The others saw the scene in front of them. Both Isaac and Twilight had their top spellcasters out as they were ready to battle. The monsters could sense the situation as they all had smiles on their faces as they were glad to see their masters in love and willing to spend the rest of their lives together. It also meant that all the comrades in each of their decks were now going to become even closers as allies.

"Ready, Twilight?"

"Ready, Isaac."

Both gave a nod as they thrusted their arms out.

"Attack!" shouted both the boy and the girl.

Each of their monsters now raised their weapons as they charged up their magic. With a nod to their comrade and from their respective masters, they all then fired their attack. All four spells headed towards each other as they all met in the middle. A huge light transpired as it held in the middle for all to see as some fireworks were firing into the air. While the attack was happening, Isaac and Twilight looked at each other as they were now ready. And of course, their future dream of them getting married, which would happen, but... that's a story for another time.

Author's Notes:

So we've reached the end of this story. However, there's one more thing that has yet to be addressed, And based on the final sentence of this chapter said, I think you can guess what that is. The final third story will be the wedding of Isaac and Twilight as well as their honeymoon. Of course, it'll have a slight change in rating due to an obvious reason but it'll still be a story that's worth reading.

Now when do I plan to release it... well, you don't have to wait long. The story will start and be released on February 14. That's right, Valentine's Day will be the release date of the final story in this trilogy of my Yugioh stories. So make sure you look for it on that day. Till then, take care.