Tori and Yuma, two thirteen-year-olds both wearing half a golden key around their neck, were walking down a narrow stone path in nearly complete darkness. Tori was a bit nervous about falling as it looked like a long fall if they couldn’t stay on the path. Eventually, they were stopped by a massive demonic looking locked and chained door with razor sharp teeth.
Suddenly, the door said without moving their mouth, “Whoever can open this door will gain a great new power.” “Power.” “But know that with such a reward comes great risk.” “Great risk.” “Have you both the courage to unlock this power?” “Have you the courage?”
“Yuma. This may be a bad idea. If we really are at risk, we’re better off refusing the offer,” Tori suggested.
“But Tori… We can’t live life without taking risks. Still, you have a point. Great risk? I don’t think s…,” Yuma and Tori started to back up only for the stone path to break apart and for them both to fall into the dark abyss.
Suddenly, Yuma, who was sleeping in a hammock in the attic, fell out of his hammock and onto the floor.
“What a weird dream,” Yuma said to himself. “I wonder what it meant.” Suddenly, the clock in the attic chimed. “Oh no! I’m late!” Yuma freaked out and ran, gathering his clothes and getting changed into his school uniform as quickly as he could.
Meanwhile, Yuma’s older sister Kari was working on her job as a reporter for a newspaper. “Sure, sounds like a scoop. I’ll get right on it boss,” Kari said to her boss from a message on her computer as she had a stylus in her mouth. She took it out and started to continue her work as she said to herself, “I love a good lead in the morning.”
Yuma ran into the room and ran in place near his sister, asking his older sister, “What gives, Kari?! Why didn’t you wake me?!”
“Because I’m not your babysitter. Besides, you shouldn’t be needing to be woken up by me or anyone else. You are in middle school, little bro. Deal with it,” Kari explained as Yuma gave a rude and annoyed face to his sister.
Eventually, Yuma was ready for school. Yuma's grandmother was sweeping the ground outside. “Yuma? What about a goodbye kiss?” She asked the young teen.
“I’m afraid I don’t have time for that! I need to go!” Yuma agreed. However, before he could run past, Yuma’s grandma used her broom to grab Yuma by the collar.“Uh, grandma, what are you doing?”
“Either you give grandma a kiss goodbye or you get a grand slobbering,” Yuma’s grandma warned. The teen gave in, giving her a kiss on the cheek and then running for school.
Suddenly, Rarity woke up to see that she was in the middle of a futuristic city and that she was indeed a human again and in the same clothes as normal. However, she was quick to notice that her Duel Disk looked different, being a strange box-like object with a screen on it and ports for spells and traps, the graveyard, and the Extra Deck. “W-Where am I? This isn’t Duel Academy or Neo Domino City,” Rarity asked as she looked around and saw that she was also alone, with no one else around. “Uh oh. Looks like I’m all alone too! Seriously?! Why couldn’t a lady such as myself be left with someone familiar?! I mean, we had nearly ten creatures in our group! Is it really that big of an ask?!” Rarity demanded before getting a little sheepish. “And I’m talking to myself.”
Before Rarity could ask herself any more questions, she noticed a green-haired teenager in a white and pink school uniform running down the street. “Why did this have to happen to you, Tori?! You’re almost always on time! Why did you have to end up running late?! It must have been that dream you had with Yuma and that strange door taking up some of my morning away from me!” The girl yelled to herself, blushing as she remembered Yuma being in her dream, as she accidentally bumped right into Rarity. As Tori collected her bearings, she noticed that she had bumped right into Rarity. As she got up, she bowed and apologized, “I’m sorry for bumping into you. I’d like to talk more, but I’m running late as it is so I’ll just get going.”
As Tori ran off, Rarity wanted to call out to stop her and learn a bit more about where she was and what she was talking about. However, not wanting to stop her and make her more late, Rarity decided to run after her and try talking on the way to school. “Sorry for not paying attention earlier, Miss…,” Rarity apologized.
“Tori. Tori Meadows. It’s okay. You didn’t do anything wrong earlier. So, what’s your name?” Tori questioned, trying to keep her mind off of the fact she was running late.
“My name is Rarity. You may not believe this, but I come from another world. I was just wondering where I am and if you’ve seen some people?” Rarity asked.
“A-Are you joking about the other world thing?” Tori asked, looking unconvinced.
“No? Look, I understand that you don’t believe me, but can you at least answer my questions?” Rarity asked, getting ready to add some drama to her speech before Tori responded.
“Well, other world or not, you do need help. The place we are in is Neo Heartland City. It’s been a place of excitement and fun for many people over the years. We have carnivals, fancy carnival foods, and Dueling,” Tori explained to Rarity.
“My, that sounds simply divine. Does this place have a spa, by any chance?” Rarity asked curiously.
“Yes, this city has just about everything. Heartland has become one of the most visited locations throughout the years by people on vacation,” Tori answered.
“So, Tori, have you seen anyone by the names of Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Spike, Trixie, or Starlight? They’re my friends and I think we’ve been separated,” Rarity said.
“Oh. I’m sorry, but I haven’t seen anyone around here by those names,” Tori earnestly apologized.
“It’s fine. I’ll go and find them on my own. By the way, are you a Duelist by any chance?” Rarity asked, seeing that Tori didn’t have a Duel Disk on her arm.
“I’m afraid not. My friends Yuma and Bronk are. They duel almost every day, though between you and me, Yuma isn’t really all that good at it yet,” Tori said with a giggle.
“Sounds like a rough deal for Yuma. But, maybe one day he’ll get better. As for you, why don’t you Duel? Dueling is a very fun pastime. Me and all my friends do it,” Rarity questioned.
“I-It’s just…,” Tori began before noticing that the two of them were just reaching the Middle School. “Look, why don't we talk some more after I get out of class and the after school Duel Period kicks in? See you later, Rarity! It was nice meeting you!” Tori said goodbye as she ran to reach her class.
“Well, okay,” Rarity agreed, deciding to find a place to wait for Tori at.
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Second period gym will now begin,” A man on the loudspeaker said. “All students please report to the field house.”
“Twenty! Jump over this many boxes and you’ll set the new school record!” Bronk challenged his friend.
“That record’s goin’ down, because I’m about to high five the sky,” Yuma accepted the challenge and prepared to jump off the spring. However, instead of jumping over the boxes, Yuma crashed into them.
“Yuma! Are you okay?” Tori asked in concern for her friend.
“Yeah, I’m okay. Ground’s not that hard,” Yuma muttered in a daze as most of the class laughed goodnaturedly at Yuma’s failure.
“Nice try, bud,” Bronk said as he got out of his laughing fit.
Later on in the pool room of the school, Yuma was swimming under water around the pool.
“Go Yuma!” Tori cheered Yuma on.
“There’s no way he can do it,” Bronk threw in his opinion.
“Hold my breath for a lap? That’ll be easy!” Yuma thought only to be brought back to the surface as he ran out of air.
“Yuma!” Tori cried out in worry, once again worried about her friend’s safety, though he proved to be fine as the class laughed once more.
Later on in class…
“So, Yuma, do you really believe that doing those dares will make you better?” Tori asked Yuma.
“Of course! What better way to unlock my potential than to accept challenges like those?” Yuma explained. “The question I have for you Tori is why don’t you try them? You have a key like mine. And these keys are supposed to unlock our potential. So, why not?”
“Well, I guess I never thought about it that way. I guess I just don’t want to fail. Besides, I’d rather not turn green from drinking pool water,” Tori answered.
“Well, you’re missing out on not accepting these types of challenges. After all, while they are risky, they are great because you can fail. It’s not worth doing something if you can’t fail at it. That’s why I’m feeling the flow!” Yuma yelled out this last part, attracting the attention of the teacher who was mad at his interruption. After apologizing and making sure the teacher had left, Yuma whispered to Tori, “You know what? How about after classes are over and Duel period begins you duel someone?”
Suddenly, Tori looked a lot more nervous upon being given this suggestion. “R-Really? B-But I can’t duel! I’d just embarrass myself in front of everyone!” Tori refused as she whispered loudly. “Besides, I don’t even own my own deck!”
“Well, you can just borrow mine for a duel. Trust me, Tori. You can duel and even win if you just let yourself feel the flow,” Yuma encouraged.
“This coming from the boy who can’t even win a single duel for himself?” Tori reminded as Yuma looked annoyed.
“Look, just please give it a shot! Duel just this once and I’ll never ask you again!” Yuma pleaded.
After a few moments of nervously thinking it over, Tori finally decided, “Fine. I’ll duel someone.”
At this, Yuma gave a big smile, anticipating the duel that Tori would be able to play.
Once duel period began, Yuma and Tori ran outside, being able to see all the monsters that were summoned and attacking their opponent’s monsters.
“So, Tori, see any good opponents you wanna duel against yet?” Yuma asked.
“N-Not really,” Tori nervously muttered.
“Don’t worry! We’ll find the perfect opponent for you soon enough!” Yuma said supportively.
“Well, it looks like Duel period has finally begun. Now, where is…,” Rarity said as she noticed that Tori and Yuma were close by. “Tori! There you are! I’ve been spending the last few hours reading the adventures of Shadow Spade! You simply must read them someday. They’re the best!”
“Um, okay,” Tori answered, feeling slightly calmer now that Rarity was taking her mind off Dueling.
“Um, Tori? Who is this lady and why does she know your name?” Yuma asked, confused.
“Oh, Yuma! This is Rarity. I met her on my way to school. She claims to come from another world, though I personally think she is just trying to mess with me,” Tori introduced her new friend.
“It’s nice to meet you Rarity. So, you lookin’ to have a Duel? I won’t be Dueling today, I’m afraid, but my friend Tori agreed to it,” Yuma said.
“Really, now? Well, I hope you enjoy this Duel, Tori. So, this is your friend Yuma then? Well, it’s a bit of a shame we can’t Duel now, but maybe another time. What about you, Tori? You want to have a Duel? It would be splendid to see how well you can do for not knowing much about the game yet,” Rarity suggested.
“Well… I don’t- you see, I-,” Tori nervously buffered.
Suddenly, the trio noticed Bronk, who was screaming out in fear. Wondering what was worrying their friend, the duo ran up the stairs, with Rarity following, to where Bronk was and saw that he was dueling someone, who turned out to be the local bully Shark, unknown to the others as Reginald Kastle.
“I’ve got you now Bronk. See, since I’ve got two monsters on the field and they both have the same level, I can use them to summon an Xyz monster,” Shark said as he prepared to Xyz Summon with Big Jaws and Skull Kraken. “So watch as I overlay my Skull Kraken and my Big Jaws to do just that. Watch as I unleash a terror of both land and sea. Watch as I summon Aero Shark (1900 Attack)!” Shark placed his two monsters under his Xyz monster, with both weaker cards turning into blue energy and entering a red energy circle, scaring Bronk as the card was summoned.
“Wow, that’s a man-eater,” Tori said, feeling scared.
“I know, right?” Rarity agreed.
“Wow. Ya know why an Xyz summon is so cool, Tori and Rarity? Cuz the monsters used stick around as overlay units and helo activate their new Baddy’s special powers. It’s all about teamwork,” Yuma explained in awe.
“Now, Aero Shark! Dig in on that chump,” Shark yelled out as Bronk’s Life Points were reduced to zero while Reginald’s were still a full 4000.
“Oh man, Bronk,” Yuma said sympathetically.
“Well, Bronk, thanks for the duel and for this,” Shark said as he grabbed Bronk’s deck and took it. “Maybe it will be decent.”
“Bronk’s deck?” Yuma was shocked.
“Who are you?!” Tori yelled out as the trio approached Shark.
“Who are the two of you? Oh, and who is this lady? She seems to be too young to go to Middle School” Shark asked Tori.
“I’m Tori. Me and Yuma are Bronk’s friends. As for her, this is my new friend Rarity,” Tori explained.
“Listen, I’m not one to fight if I don’t have to, but I’ve been dueling for quite some time, and I’d rather not see someone use it as a tool to hurt others!” Rarity yelled out bravely.
“Buzz off, or don’t you know who you’re messing with?” One of Shark’s lackeys asked.
“Sure we know him. Everyone knows the school bully,” Yuma said angrily.
“I’m not a bully!” Reginald yelled, only to regain his composure. “You see? Me and Bronk here had an arrangement. It went like this. Whoever the winner of our duel was would get the other’s duel deck.”
“Did that really happen?” Yuma asked Bronk.
“Yes… But I had ta do it! He called me a chicken!” Bronk sadly admitted.
“I’m sorry for what happened Bronk, but in the future I think it would be for the best to avoid falling for such childish taunting,” Rarity tried to be honest while consoling Bronk.
Yuma was unhappy to see that his friend was going to lose his deck, which was an important part of him. However, before he could challenge Shark to a duel, Tori stepped in.
“Fine then, if you’re gonna challenge my friend then I’m gonna challenge you!” Tori yelled in spite of herself.
“Are you kiddin’ me?! You’re not even in the same category as our pal Shark here!” One of Shark’s friends yelled.
“Nah, you’re not even in the same sport!” The other friend mocked.
“So, does that make the offer a no? I guess that means you’re just a big chicken!” Tori countered.
“Chicken? You know what happened to the last person that called me chicken?” Shark asked threateningly.
“Uh… I don’t know? Something bad?” Tori asked, now starting to regret her decision.
“I don’t know because it’s never ever happened before!” Shark yelled.
“W-Well let this be the first then,” Tori said, refusing to take back what she said for Bronk’s sake.
“That’s very brave of you, Tori. But maybe I should duel this guy,” Rarity suggested, not wanting to see her new friend lose a game against such a tough seeming opponent.
“Wow, big talk from such a young girl. Okay, I accept. If you win I’ll give Bronk his deck back. The question is what will I get should I win?” Shark asked.
“I… haven’t really thought that far ahead to be honest,” Tori nervously asked as she looked at her and Yuma’s pendants.
Suddenly, Shark swiped the keys from around both Tori and Yuma’s necks, with both of his friends holding back Yuma and Tori.
“Well, well, well. These seem to be important to you. Maybe we can duel for these,” Reginald suggested.
“Give them back!” Yuma cried out.
“Yeah! Stealing those is such a low blow, you ruffian!” Rarity protested.
“Relax! Since they’re important to you, I’ll give them back and duel for something else,” Shark said until he accidentally dropped them. “Whoops! Sorry about that. Guys? Why don’t you pick them up?” Shark asked his two friends.
“Sure thing!” One of them nastily said as the duo stepped on the keys and kicked them into a bush, much to everyone else’s shock.
“Why did you have them do that?!” Yuma and Tori both demanded, with both being ready to rush Shark only for Bronk and Rarity to stop them.
“Did you really need to do that? You could have just given them back!” Rarity yelled out.
“I-I don’t know,” Shark said in shock before regaining his composure. “Well then, since we can’t duel for those keys anymore, how about we duel for your deck, Tori?” Shark suggested.
“Wait! Duel me instead Shark!” Yuma yelled out, not wanting his friend to get into trouble.
“Or me! I’m one of the best duelists where I come from. Wouldn’t you like to have a challenge?” Rarity asked, hoping that she could influence Shark’s apparent ego.
“Too late! My decision is made! We’ll duel for Tori’s deck and I’ll be nice and return Bronk’s if I lose. Deal?” Shark held out her hand.
Tori looked nervous for a moment, not wanting to risk losing Yuma’s deck in a duel. However, in a moment, she reluctantly decided. “Fine! It’s a deal!”
“Perfect! We’ll duel this Sunday in the station courtyard. If you want your friend’s deck back, be there,” Shark said as he and his two friends walked away, leaving an upset group of friends.
The next day…
In spite of their efforts to raise each other's spirits, Tori and Yuma were feeling down in the dumps after their keys were destroyed by Shark. In fact, Yuma wasn't even challenging himself like he normally was. Before they could head off to their respective homes, Bronk and Rarity stopped them.
"Hey, Tori? Are ya really gonna challenge Shark?" Bronk asked for clarity.
"Well… I know it isn't a good idea, but I must at least try to help you," Tori said.
"Don't do it! Shark is incredibly talented. Remember that Shark ended up making it into the nationals. All you'll get is misery from you and Yuma for losing Yuma's deck forever," Bronk reminded Tori and Yuma.
“Wait. Shark is that good? I agree with Bronk here. Let me duel this ruffian, darling. It would be better to not risk losing anything more,” Rarity pleaded.
“Thanks, Rarity. I knew I could count on you,” Tori snarked.
Rarity realized what she had just implied and apologized, “Sorry about that. I wasn’t trying to imply anything. I just wanted to help. I can still try to convince that jerk to duel me if you really want revenge.”
"We know that. But, you see, it's more than just getting revenge. We wanna show Shark that he can't just push everyone around. Maybe we can change things so people don't have to fear him anymore," Yuma explained, with Tori nodding in agreement.
“Yuma is right. I don’t want other people to go through what Bronk has gone through. Still, I have to admit. I’m kinda worried about this duel, though. I’ve seen a few duels before, but I know next to nothing about them. I’m worried I’ll lose, big time! And that Yuma will lose his deck and that I’ll make a fool of myself and lose-,” Tori began to freak out as she was close to tears.
“Hey, Tori! Calm down. Losing on its own won’t be the end of the world. I know a friend that obsesses over being the best, but she has managed to accept that not every loss is the worst possible thing,” Rarity consoled Tori, wiping away her tears.
“Rarity’s right, Tori! You got this. Shark won’t know what hit him this Sunday when you beat him. Just remember to feel the flow, and I’m sure that you’ll be able to win. Hey! I have an idea! Why don’t you have me, Bronk, and Rarity teach you what we know about dueling? It may be able to help you out and we can put an end to Shark’s bullying ways!” Yuma offered.
“Technically, it’s Bronk, Rarity, and me, Yuma,” Bronk corrected. “But I guess we can give you a hand, Tori.”
“I agree. I learned a lot about dueling during my time at Duel Academy. I’m certain that we can give you some helpful advice and improve your skills if we help you. What do you say?” Rarity offered.
Tori was silent for a moment, not sure what to think about the offer she was being given. She didn’t want to waste her friend’s time on her when they could be doing more important things with it. While Tori could be confident, she also had a lot of fears and insecurities about meeting high standards she has for herself. Yuma’s advice sounded nice, but she wasn’t fully sure if she could follow it. Still, they were offering and maybe she could stand a better chance at winning the duel with the right help. “Okay, I guess I could use the help. Maybe I’ll be able to win after all.”
“That’s the spirit, Tori! And don’t forget to feel the flow! It’ll help you on your path to victory,” Yuma said.
"Well, okay. We’ll start training tomorrow. Good luck to you guys," Bronk said as he placed the missing pieces of the golden pendants into his friends' hands.
"Um, Bronk? Where did you find them?" Yuma asked his friend.
"You guys looked all sad over losing the pendants so I went lookin' for 'em. It really isn't that big of a deal," Bronk said as he left, leaving the duo to think over and see the strength in having friends.
Over the next couple of days, Rarity, Yuma, and Bronk did all that they could to help Tori learn more about Duel Monsters. This included test duels against Rarity and even simple walking through basic concepts of how the game functioned. Tori still felt nervous about dueling, but she had to admit she felt calmer about it and even began to believe she could pull out a win.
Eventually, the day came and the group arrived for the big duel.
Shark was surprised to see that Tori and Yuma had showed up for the duel. "I can't believe it. You actually showed." Out of school uniform, Shark's street clothes are as purple and blue as his hair; he wears a sharp purple blazer over a darker maroon shirt. His cronies, still quite recognizable by their hair, are also in street clothes. "Hope you said your goodbyes, 'cause all your cards are about to be mine. "
"Um, Yuma? Is it bad that I'm having second thoughts about this?" Tori nervously asked, starting to lose confidence in whether or not she could win the duel.
"Wow. My opponent is scared already? Look, maybe I can give you a break. Just give up and leave now and I won't embarrass you in front of your friends. I'll even let Yuma keep his deck," Shark suggested, giving Tori an out.
“That’s… surprisingly nice of you. Still, remember all that training, Tori! You can still win this!” Rarity yelled out.
“Rarity’s right! Don’t listen to that bully! If you give up now, all that training will have been for nothing!” Bronk agreed.
"Don't give up, Tori! You just gotta feel the flow!" Yuma cried out.
"Feelin'... the flow?" Tori takes a deep breath before being more confident, at least externally. "Look, Shark, I can't just let you continue with this terrible behavior! I'm going to win this duel and when I do you'll hopefully stop it with your bullying ways!"
"And why's that?" Shark demanded.
"'Cause, like Yuma said, I'm feelin'... the flow!" At this, Tori carefully placed her duel disk onto her arm. "Duel disk, go!" Tori cried out as her Duel Disk started up.
"Let's duel!" Both duelists yell out. Big screens appear above the duelists in gazer-vision, showing each's face, and his lifepoint counter at 4000.
"Yeah, Tori! Win this duel right here and now! You are more than capable of beating this guy!" Yuma cheered on his friend.
Tori draws her first card and is ready to act. She sees Shark standing across the field, and holographic screens along its sides show the face of each spectator. "Okay, no pressure Tori. You just gotta win this duel and get Bronk back his deck. Here goes. I start off by summoning my Gagaga Magician in Attack Mode (1500 Attack)!"
"Alright! You can now take it to Shark and his Life Points!" Yuma cheered.
"I can, can't I? Alright! Let's do this! Gagaga Magician, attack his Life Points directly!" Tori commanded, trying to be confident.
“Um, Tori? You may want to think this through. After all, you can’t-,” Rarity tried to warn Tori.
"Tori, wait!" Bronk cried out only for Tori to be met with a beeping noise that discouraged Tori's attack.
"Wha-what happened? Why didn't my attack work?" Tori nervously asked.
"Oh yeah. I just remembered. You can't attack on the first turn of a duel. You have to wait for your second turn," Yuma reminded himself and Tori, Shark not being able to help laughing at the sight.
"Seriously? You couldn't have reminded me of that one minute ago?!" Tori yelled at Yuma.
"Hey, don't blame me for getting caught up with the duel!" Yuma countered.
“Yuma? Maybe you should think over your advice more carefully at this point. We don’t need Tori getting scared or stressed,” Rarity carefully warned.
"Okay. Then, what do I do? I end my turn," Tori nervously decided.
"Really? It's like you haven't played this game before! Well, good luck with fighting back! I summon forth Big Jaws (1800 Attack)!" Shark summoned his strong shark monster.
"Whoa! That's one of the cards he used to beat me!" Bronk realized.
“And his monster has higher attack points too! Looks like Tori may be in trouble after all,” Rarity was looking worried.
"Yeah, but his monster's attack points aren’t that much higher. Tori's still got this!" Yuma cheered on.
"You may think that way now, but not for long! I now play the spell card Aqua Jet! With it, I can increase a Water monster's power by 1000 points until the end of this turn (2800 Attack)!" Shark played.
"Oh no! This is bad! My magician doesn't stand a chance against his Big Jaws!" Tori fearfully cried out.
"Now, Big Jaws, it's feeding time! (Tori-2700 LP)! I've had enough of biting into your Life Points for now. I end my turn by placing one card facedown," Shark confidently played.
"Shark's turn is over, but I don't feel any less nervous. What should I do? I-I draw. Looking at the card she drew, Tori noticed that she drew Pot of Greed. Alright! I know what this card does! I play the spell card Pot of Greed! With it, I can now draw two new cards from my deck!" Tori cried out with a bit more confidence, and was happy to see the cards she drew. "Perfect! I summon out to the field Zubaba Knight (1600 Attack)!"
"Seriously? You draw a weaker monster than mine and you still don't think to play it in defense mode? Next time, don't listen to the voice in your head telling you to make rookie mistakes," Shark mocked as he shook his head.
"Don't worry, Tori! You still can win this duel! We believe in you!" Yuma cried out encouragingly.
“Shark may think he’s got this duel won, but you can still find a way to turn things around,” Rarity agreed.
Tori blushed at Yuma’s comment. "T-Thanks, Yuma. I'll have my Zubaba Knight attack your Big Jaws, Shark!"
"Still making a poor move here, Tori. I don't see why you're making such a rookie mistake after you've been told it is one!" Shark criticized.
"Oh, I'm not making a mistake! I play the spell card Ego Boost! With it, when one of my monsters attacks, it gains 1000 Attack Points and restores an opposing monster's attack to their original. Now, Zubaba Knight, leave her man-eater up to dry!" Tori cried out.
"I'm afraid not! I play the trap card Zeus's Breath! With it, your attack is stopped and, if I control a Water monster like I currently do, you take 800 points of damage! (Tori-1900 LP) So, had enough?" Shark asked.
"Um, I don't know what I should d-do now," Tori nervously muttered.
"You can place a card facedown and end your turn," Bronk suggested.
"Well, I guess I'll do just that. I play a trap card facedown and end my turn," Tori placed a facedown.
"Hold on, Tori! You can play either a spell or a trap facedown, so saying which it is will work against you!" Bronk reminded his friend.
"S-Sorry! I'm just nervous is all!" Tori apologized.
“Maybe we should have taken the time to help Tori get over her stage fight as well,” Rarity realized her mistake a bit too late.
"Now then, let's get back to our duel! I summon out another monster, Skull Kraken in attack mode (600 Attack)! Now, I bet you all can see what is about to happen now, right?" Shark asked Tori and her friends.
"I think… he's gonna Xyz Summon, isn't he?" Yuma realized.
"Correct! These are the same monsters he had out when he was facing me! I knew letting Tori duel was a mistake! Now you guys are also gonna lose Yuma's deck!" Bronk sadly said.
“I hate to say it, but Bonk has a point! I should have done more to help, or even took over when we still could!” Rarity yelled out overdramatically.
"So, Tori, did you honestly believe that you could defeat me and get your pal's deck back or were you just trying to be brave?" Shark asked Tori.
"M-Maybe I was just being foolish," Tori looked down sadly.
"Of course you were! You were going to duel me when you didn't have any idea how the game works and with a weak deck like that!" Shark mocked.
"Hey! This deck belonged to my dad! He handed it down to me shortly before he disappeared! You have no business calling it weak!" Yuma yelled.
"Yeah! The key to victory must be in Yuma's deck somewhere!" Tori tried to remain confident, even though it didn't reach her eyes.
"I doubt it! The deck is as bad as the duelists who own it! Speaking of which, I now know what I'm gonna do with your deck once I win. I'm gonna trash it! Maybe then you'll go out and get a deck that can actually be used in the minor league where you belong!" Shark revealed.
"W-we don't belong in the minor league!" Yuma countered somewhat weakly.
"There must be something I can do, Yuma. I-I can…," Tori weakly looked over her hand only to find no good actions to take.
"Face it! You and your friends are about to be taught a lesson in respecting the superior duelist! Though, if you quit now, at least you won't be embarrassed in front of your pals," Shark suggested.
"Y-You're right. Maybe I should just-," Tori was about to surrender.
"Don't give up, Tori! I know that things may not always seem easy. That the world may be trying to push you down. But don't give up! Even if things feel impossible, you can still pull off a come from behind victory and feel the flow! That's what I do, after all! I never give up!" Yuma yelled out.
"Yuma's right! Just because I'm losing doesn't mean that I'll always lose! I can still find the courage to try if I feel the flow, which I totally am!" Tori cried out as she grabbed what remained of her golden key half.
Suddenly, both Yuma and Tori's keys began to glow, with the pieces at their respective homes also glowing as well.
Tori and Yuma winces from the light. When it fades slightly, Yuma and Tori see the other half of the broken keys in their hand materialize onto it, as though they were never broken. They stare at the whole key in their hands, stunned, then realizing that they again stand at the monstrous threshold from their dreams, being glared at by the draconic door.
"Whoa...! It's my dream," Yuma said, amazed.
"Mine too! Wait! Yuma?! In that case, we may not be dreaming after all," Tori realized.
"Your friend is right. This is no dream. Have you the courage to unlock this power?" The door asked. Yuma's eyes shine with awe and apprehension, with Tori similarly amazed. "...New power…""It is time to decide, Yuma and Tori." "Have you the courage...?" "What will it be?" Yuma grips the key, a new resolve showing in his eyes.
"Come on, Tori! Aren't you gonna join me?" Yuma asked his friend.
"I-I don't know. We don't know what this door will do, Yuma," Tori was still a bit wary.
"Look, we sometimes do have to take risks. We can't always take the simple path in life! We need to be willing to feel the flow, just like we said. Will you join me, Tori?" Yuma held out his hand that didn't hold the key. Tori looked on for a moment, uncertain of what to think. However, realizing that Yuma had a point, she held out her hand in agreement.
"They have the courage…"
With a yell, Yuma and Tori run at the locked door across the craggy walkway, key in hands. They use the momentum to jump up to the two keyholes; they're big enough to fit their whole fists. "All right! Let's flow!" Yuma and Tori cry out. When they plunge the keys and their fists behind it into the keyhole, it begins to stream blueish light. Yuma and Tori are thrown backward onto the ground. The chains around the door snap apart, and it begins to open, the way beyond full of blueish light, and beyond it rainbowy light centering into pure white. Within the eyes of the duo swoops a glowing, blue-green figure…
Suddenly, both Yuma and Tori are enveloped into a blinding light. When Tori opens her eyes, she notices that she and Yuma are sitting in a sphere of cards, rotating around them; beyond it is a black void. The sphere of cards glows then shatters, whipping cards off in all directions. The whole world shines brightly…
Tori finds herself sitting on the yellow pavement again, as though nothing happened.
"What was all of that craziness? Huh, the key is back into one piece and fixed as well. How did that happen?" Tori wondered aloud as she looked around and noticed that Yuma was suddenly gone. "What?! Wait. Bronk?! Rarity?! Where did Yuma go?!""
"I have no idea. One second he's here, the next, gone!" Bronk responded, just as confused as Tori.
Suddenly, Tori heard a voice say, "What are you guys talking about? I'm right here!" Tori suddenly looked shocked and saw a floating transparent Yuma.
“Uh, Yuma? Why are you floating and transparent?” Tori questioned her friend.
“What do you me-,” Yuma asked as he looked at himself and saw that he was see-through. “What the-? Why am I suddenly like a ghost?!”
“Bronk? Do you have any clue what is happening?” Tori asked, confused.
“I dunno. I can hear Yuma, but I don’t see him. Is this some kinda joke you two are pulling?” Bronk asked uncertainly.
“Man, I wish it was! Still, why do you think this happened, Tori?” Yuma asked, trying to not be freaked out.
“I don’t know. Do you think that it has to do with that scary door?” Tori questions her friend.
“It could be. Maybe I’m supposed to be some dueling mojo guru or something?” Yuma suggests.
“Maybe. I guess after seeing this Rarity may not have been wrong that there was another world. Hey, Rarity! Did your world have anything to do with our keys?” Tori called out curiously.
“Um, I don’t believe so. Magic definitely is a thing in our world, but this is still foreign to me. You’d have to ask Twilight, once we find her,” Rarity noted.
“Bummer. So, Yuma? Wanna continue this duel and find out what’s happening?” Tori asks.
“I guess so. Aw man! This will be awesome! The two of us dueling side by side!” Yuma cheers.
“This is so weird! Also, is this legal?” Bronk asks.
"Another person can potentially give a hand in a duel. After all, it still is up to the duelist to accept help. But even if you couldn’t, I’ll allow it! Crushing two punks for the price of one sounds fun!" Shark yelled out as he appeared to be corrupted by a strange aura. Not only that, but a number 17 appeared on one of his hands.
"Yes, let the number take hold."
Shark yelled out as he regained his composure. "I overlay my Big Jaws and Kraken! And with it, I can summon out my new monster, Number 17: Leviathan Dragon (2000 Attack)!"
"Whoa! Where did Shark get that card?" Bronk wondered.
"Yeah! I've never seen anything like it," Yuma commented.
“Rarity? Explanation please?!” Tori demanded.
“I have no clue what this card is! I don’t know why it is called a number. Or what benefits it would entail!” Rarity responded fretfully.
"Now, by using an overlay unit, I can increase my Leviathan Dragon's power by 500 points (2500 Attack)! Now, attack and destroy Tori's Zubaba Knight with Shock Stream Blast (Tori- 1000 LP)!" Tori was knocked onto the ground as she lost Life Points.
"Oh no! So much for still standing a chance in this duel," Tori looked on at the dragon in fear.
"Don't worry, Tori! Remember, you still have Life Points left! Don't give up!" Yuma yelled as he gave support to Tori.
"Easy for you to say! I'm the one dueling here!"
"Technically, I'd say we are both dueling, judging by how I’m apparently lending a hand," Yuma commented.
"Not helping. Also, I guess you have a point. Still, any ideas on how to win?"
"Not really. But I'll think of something."
"Rise," A strange voice said as Tori and Yuma turned to see a strange bluish-green energy figure that was floating nearby, much to both Yuma and Tori's shock and confusion.
"W-Who are you?" Both Yuma and Tori asked.
