(3rd Person PoV)

As Yuya and Hokuto began their duel, Yuichi tried to concentrate on it but his mind kept drifting off to yesterday.

That girl...

He has so many questions. Why was she seeking out this place called Duel Academy? Why target LDS students? Why did he hear fear in her voice when she asked Shingo about Duel Academy? What was all "you don't have to do this for me," all about? And most importantly...

Why did she look like Yuya?

There's differences of course like hair and eye color but no matter what he does, he can't look at Yuya and not think of the girl and vice versa.

"Light of the stars, come descend and shake this very earth! XYZ summon! Rank 5, Sacred Pleiades (ATK: 2500. DF: 1500. UN: 2)!" Hokuto's chant snapped him out of his thoughts.

"So this is the XYZ," Yuya muttered as she stared at the monster that had just been summoned.

"Wait, why does Pleiades have a rank instead of a level?" Tatsuya asked.

"Huh? Wasn't expecting you out of all people to ask a question like that," Sora noted before saying, "well for the summoning of an XYZ monster, you'll need multiple monsters of the same level to special summon it from the extra deck with the equivalent rank like we just saw two level 5 monsters for a rank 5 XYZ monster."

"And what are those orb thingies surrounding it?" Ayu asked.

"Those are overlay units which can be used for XYZ monsters' effects," Sora replied.

"I end my turn," Hokuto stated.

Himika looked over at Yuya and wondered, her reaction gives me the impression that this is her first time seeing XYZ summoning up close. Was she truly the one to attack Shingo?

"Then it's my turn, I draw!" Yuya shouted.

"I set Scale 1 Stargazer Magician (ATK: 1200. DF: 2400) and Scale 8 Timegazer Magician (ATK: 1200. DF: 600). I can now Pendulum Summon monsters from level 2 to 7 at the same time! Swing, Pendulum of the soul! Draw an arc of light across the aether! My monsters are ready to swing into action!" Yuya shouted, the pendulum on her bracelet glowing.

"Appear Performapal Sword Fish (ATK: 600. DF: 600)!" Her first monster appeared.

"Next up the dragon with the heterochromia eyes! Odd Eyes Pendulum Dragon (ATK: 2500. DF: 2000)!" Her Ace appeared.

"Go Big Sis! Go Pendulum!" The kid trio cheered.

So this is Pendulum Summoning. Intriguing, Himika thought, her face betraying nothing but the excitement in her thoughts.

"I see. So this is Pendulum summoning. So you're not going to XYZ summon on me now?" Hokuto asked.

"Look, I'm not the one who attacked Shingo as I never XYZ summoned before," Yuya shook her head.

Yeah, Yuya is fighting for You Show. It wouldn't do be any good if I didn't believe in her, Yuichi thought.

"Heh, you won't be much of a challenge to me. You will lose," Hokuto laughed.

Yeah turns out he was wrong.

After a long and grueling duel, Yuya pulled off the win with Performapal Trampolynx and sent Hokuto flying. That was one win for You Show Duel School.

As soon as she stepped out of the field, she got hugged by the kids in celebration and even Gongenzaka was in tears.

Yuichi was about to congratulate Yuya when the other girl's face flashed in his mind so he kept quiet. "Hey Yuichi, it's your turn now. Go get them!" Yuya cheered and jumped towards his side. "Yeah, You Show is riding on these duels and I will win to save the school," Yuichi declared.

"You're up next," Himika told the girl after scolding Hokuto. "Right. My name is Masumi Koutsu of the Fusion Course," she said. "Fusion huh? This will be interesting," Sora noted as he snacks on some pocky.

"Who's my opponent?" Masumi asked as she looked at them and Yuichi stepped up. "I'm dueling," he told her and Masumi gave him a nod. "Don't go easy on me just because I'm a girl," she told him. "Oh please, I don't go easy even on Yuya," Yuichi assured her. "Hey!" Yuya snapped.

The two of them made their way to the field and Syuzo exclaimed happily, "I know the perfect field for my adorable son! This is for you! I activate the Action Field Crystal Corridor!"

Immediately the field turned into a corridor full of gems, mirrored pillars and to top it off, the floor was a pink, fluffy rug. "This field is to match Yuichi's dazzling skills! Shine on to your heart's content!" Syuzo cheered. "Dad!" Yuichi shouted, blushing with embarrassment. Besides, I like the flower field better, he thought.

"Hmm, this feels like nepotism," Masumi murmured which Yuichi heard. "What was that?" Yuichi asked in an aura of anger, a red tick mark appeared on his forehead. "There's no luster in your eyes, no shine at all so calling your skills dazzling is nepotism," Masumi explained.

"...where did this all come from?" Yuichi asked, quietly. "My father is a jeweler so I have seen plenty of real gems growing up and I can tell whose eyes have the most shine. Yours don't have that meaning that there's hesitation in your heart," Masumi explained.

"That's...," Yuichi wanted to correct her but considering that he spent the beginning of Yuya's duel, wondering whether he saw her at the warehouse or if that was someone else, he couldn't bring himself to do it. "Well whatever. Doesn't matter what you say, I will win this duel," he instead said.

"Duelist locked in battle!" Yuya started.

"Kicking against the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters!" Gongenzaka added.

"They storm through the field!" Yuya said.

"Behold! This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling! Action!" The kids cheered.

"DUEL!"

Yuichi - 4000 LPS

V.S

Masumi - 4000 LPS

After Futoshi snapped his fingers to scatter the Action cards, Masumi declared that she'll go first and started her turn. "I activate the spell card, Gem-Knight Fusion. This allows me to Fusion summon using Gem-Knight monsters in my hand," she started.

"Wait, you can do that without summoning monsters on the field?" Yuya asked. "Yep. Some Fusion spell cards can let you do that," Sora explained.

"I fuse Gem-Knight Roumaline (ATK: 1600. DF: 1800) and Gem-Knight Emerald (ATK: 1800. DF: 800). Gem tinged with lightning! Brilliant emerald of good fortune! In a whirlpool of light, combine to bring forth a new dazzling radiance! Fusion Summon! Come forth, one who pursues victory! Gem-Knight Topaz (ATK: 1800. DF: 1800)!" Masumi shouted and a golden, humanoid appeared on her field.

"So you Fusion summoned on your first turn," Yuichi said. "Even with the lack of your radiance, you can see that Hand Fusion is clearly the best," Masumi boasted and Yuichi made a frustrated noise at this. "Well your Fusion monster only has 1800 attack points and is in no means unbeatable," Yuichi told her. "Well don't underestimate Topaz as how you'll deal with it will determine your fate. I set this card down, turn over," Masumi said.

"Now it's my turn," Yuichi drew a card. "I activate the spell card, 1st Movement solo which allows me to special summon a level 4 or lower Melodious monster from my hand when I don't control any monsters. I choose Aria the Melodious Diva (ATK: 1600. DF: 1200)," Yuichi said and a pink haired humanoid appeared on his field.

"But my Melodious monsters work best when they're in a group so when there's a Melodious monster on the field, I can special summon Sonata the Melodious Diva (ATK: 1200. DF: 1000) onto the field so you're up!" Yuichi called out and a teal haired humanoid appeared. "Let the concert begin!" He shouted and his monsters began to sing.

"I release my two monsters to Advance Summon!" His monsters joined hands and rose to the sky while disappearing in a puff of green smoke. "Enchanting melody that echoes through the heavens, awaken the sleeping virtuous! Come forth, level 8 Prodigy Mozart the Melodious Maestra (ATK: 2600. DF: 2000)!" Yuichi chanted and a humanoid wearing a poofy red dress and yellow wings appeared.

"That's his Ace monster!" Tatsuya cheered with Ayu adding on, "she's so pretty!"

"But don't think I'm done yet because I can now activate Prodigy Mozart's effect which, once per turn, I can special summon a level 4 or lower Melodious monster from my hand," Yuichi said and his monster shot a beam from her hand and Yuichi placed a card on the field.

"Come to the stage, Canon the Melodious Diva (ATK: 1400. DF: 2000)!" Yuichi called out and a blue haired humanoid wearing a gold mask appeared from the beam that Prodigy Mozart had conjured up.

"Battle! I attack your Topez with Prodigy Mozart! Graceful Wave!" Yuichi declared and his monster conjured up some piano keys and shot them at Masumi's monster, destroying it.

4000 —> 3200 LPS

"How's that? I got the first blow and you no longer have any monsters on your field!" Yuichi exclaimed happily but Masumi didn't reply. "This attack will be direct so go for it, Canon! Attack Masumi directly!" Yuichi commanded and his monster shot an attack which blew Masumi back but she dusted herself off.

3200 —> 1800 LPS

"Let's go, Big Bro!" Ayu and Tatsuya cheered. "That gives me the shivers!" Futoshi shook excitedly. "You got this, Yuichi!" Yuya cheered. "Well, it does seem like you have some skill but don't think you've won yet," Masumi said.

"Don't be acting like a sore loser," Yuichi shrugged. "We'll see who's the sore loser during my turn," Masumi shot back which Yuichi just made a frustrated noise at this. "I activate Canon's effect which allows me to switch her from attack to defense mode. Turn over," he said.

"Then it's my turn," Masumi drew a card. "I summon Gem-Knight Alexandrite (ATK: 1800. DF: 1200) then I release it to Special summon a normal Gem-Knight monster," she said. "I special summon Gem-Knight Crysta (ATK: 2450. DF: 1950)," she continued. "That monster doesn't have enough attack points to take down Prodigy Mozart," Yuichi notes but Masumi merely hummed at this.

"For now. I activate my trap, Doublet Fusion! This allows me to banish Fusion materials from my graveyard for a Fusion summon of a Gem-Knight monster. I banish Roumaline, Emerald and finally Alexandrite!" Masumi declared. "Huh, she's actually pretty good at this," Sora notes as he bit down on his Pocky stick.

Masumi held her hands clasped together as she chanted, "Gem with facets of noon and night. Gem tinged with lightning. Brilliant emerald of good fortune. In a whirlpool of light, combine to bring forth a dazzling radiance! Fusion Summon! Appear now, one who illuminates all with its supreme radiance! Gem-Knight Master Diamond (ATK: 2900. DF: 2500)!"

A large, bulky, humanoid with diamond armor and wielding a large sword appeared on her field. "This is my true Ace monster!" Masumi shouted before adding on, "now I activate his effect to banish Topaz from the graveyard!" "Huh, but why would you do that?" Yuichi asked. "Yuichi, be on your guard," Yuya started but an image of the mysterious girl popped into Yuichi's mind when she finished Yuya's sentence, "she's planning something."

"...what?" Yuichi asked but Masumi spoke up, "don't seem too carefree. That will be your downfall in this duel. Speaking of which, battle! Crysta, attack Canon!" The crystals from the shoulder pads on her Gem-Knight popped out and shot at Canon, destroying her.

"Now the real deal is coming. Master Diamond, attack Prodigy Mozart!" Masumi shouted and her monster went charging towards Yuichi's, raising its sword as Prodigy Mozart raised her wand. She got sliced in half, destroying her and lowering Yuichi's life points.

4000 —> 3700 LPS

"Noooo! Big Bro's Ace monster got taken out!" Ayu cried out. "Relax, Ayu. It was only 300 points of damage," Futoshi tried to reassure her. "Wrong. It's not just 300 points of damage. Remember what I did before I incited the battle phase?" Masumi asked. "Yeah, you banished your monster," Yuichi said before realizing something. "No way!"

"Exactly, when Master Diamond banishes a level 7 or lower Gem-Knight Fusion monster, it gains the name and effect of that monster," Masumi explained. "So that's why you banished Topaz," Yuichi noted and she nodded.

"Now when Topaz destroys a monster in battle, I can inflict damage equal to the attack points of that destroyed monster," Masumi explained and her monster shot a beam of light, throwing Yuichi backwards.

3700 —> 1100 LPS

"Yuichi! Don't give up, keep burning and be hot-blooded!" Syuzo called out. "No...Big Bro," Tatsuya said, sadly. "But he still has life points left," Gongenzaka pointed out. "Nah Gon-chan. It's over with this," Sora said. "Gon-chan?!" Gongenzaka almost seemed offended.

"The second effect of Topaz kicks in now. During the battle phase, I can attack twice so Master Diamond's next attack will be direct," Masumi said and everyone shouted, "say what?!" "Told ya so," Sora shrugged.

I'll lose if this is kept up. I know what will keep me in the duel. An Action card! I need to go look for one! Yuichi thought and got up to run off. "An Action card won't help you. Direct attack, Master Diamond!" Masumi shouted and Yuichi spotted an Action card.He dove for it and grabbed it. He flipped it over and cried out in shock.

"That's not an Action Card! It's a trap!" He said. "No way! And that's the trap, Reflection Bounce off. This prevents him from using card effects from the hand until the End phase," Yuya said. "Looks like your eyes were clouded to not realize that there are also Trap cards around with the Action cards," Masumi said with a slight grin. Yuichi turned around to get the full force of the light coming from Master Diamond's sword. He got blasted backwards with a scream and fell on his back.

1100 —> 0 LPS

WINNER: Masumi

"And that's that," Sora said and Yuya ran to the field as it disappeared back into its original form. "Looks like we have one win to us," Himika said and Hokuto gritted his teeth in anger. Yuichi sat up while opening his eyes slowly. "Yuichi! Oi, Yui! Are you alright?" Yuya asked, concerned. "...y-yeah," Yuichi blinked and saw the mysterious girl again before shaking his head.

Whoever that girl is, she's not here...right? It's just Yuya right? He tried to convince himself that it would be alright but something deep down told him otherwise. He got up and tried walking away before stumbling onto Yuya who held him close. "I'm here for you, alright?" She said to him, quietly. That's right, Yuya is definitely here...but still, Yuichi couldn't help but think of Yuya and that girl as one in the same.

Damn it! It's just as Masumi said. My eyes are clouded and the hesitation in my heart isn't helping either! He thought and gripped onto Yuya. "That's quite a show that you're giving us," Masumi's voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked up to glare at her. Masumi just shrugged before walking away. "Umm, Yuichi...you're holding onto me too tightly," Yuya spoke up and Yuichi broke away from her. "Sorry," he said.

"No need to apologize," Yuya gave him a wink and Yuichi just sighed. "It was an important duel and I messed up!" He stated. Yuya placed her hand on his shoulder and looked at him seriously. "No need to worry, we just need one win and You Show will be safe," she told him.

"That's not going to be as easy as you think!" A new voice spoke up and the third duelist walked onto the field. "You're the last one," Yuya noted. "Names Yaiba Toudou and I'm from the Synchro Course," he said before looking around. "So...who's going to be my opponent?"

A/N: as I said I'm going to be skipping most duels as we already know how they went if you have seen Arc-V before. The reason why I didn't skip this duel however is that it was somewhat short enough and important enough as well. Also I changed up the ending of the duel just a little because did we forget about those Action Trap cards or whatever they were called because the writers certainly did after Sawatari's duel against Yuya. I may stop using them at a later time but who knows. I also added some hints to Fruitshipping in there so yeah. :D

Also hi it's been a while ik ik. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Cya in the next one -Flare