Trouble For Team 5D's

(Previously <2:07>)

(Opening)

ACT 1 <3:07>

(The Kaibadome stadium track glows in the dimmed light. Down on the track, Jack falls from his runner as it crashes to the ground and flips over.) Announcer: Oh, my *word*!

(The Announcer is watching the drama play out on the Sphere.) Announcer: Jack Atlas's duel runner has just been *decimated*! Let's hope he's okay!

Crow: Jack! Bruno: If only ya'd taken that pit stop like we asked! (Yusei leaves the booth, running.) Leo: Yusei?

(Jack lies face-down on the ground, trembling, fighting to lift his head.) Yusei: Jack! Jack, you okay?! (Yusei is running out onto the track toward him.) Jack: Stay back!! (Yusei stops short.) Yusei: Huh? (Jack is struggling to his knees.) Jack: You know the rules, Yusei-- if you touch a teammate's duel runner during the course of the match the team's disqualified! So just *turn around and get back to the pit booth*! *Now*!! Yusei: But *Jack*... Jack: No buts-- go! (Jack is slowly pushing his runner to an upright position; he's going to try to keep going!)

(The crowd watches the Sphere anxiously.) Announcer: *Unbelievable*! Jack is attempting to right his wrecked runner all by himself!

(As the announcer speaks, Jack rises halfway to his feet, leaning on his runner for balance, pushing it forward slowly and painfully with an effort of sheer will. As he glares resolutely toward his goal, we can see that his helmet visor has been cracked away near his left eye.) Announcer: *And* he had better hurry, because unless he can make it to the lap line in time-- Team Five-Ds' next duelist *won't* be able to take the field! And that means *game over*! (Andre races past Jack on his runner, lapping him.) Announcer: *Can* Jack Atlas pass the baton to Akiza?

(The twins, Bruno, Crow, and Akiza watch from the booth. Yusei rejoins them.) Announcer: *Or* will she and Team Five-D's be *forced* to watch the tournament on the *television*! <4:00>

(Jean and Breo watch from Team Unicorn's booth.) Jean: He'll *never* make it.

(Jack keeps struggling along.) Jean (VO): This duel is all ours.

(Up in the stands, the twins' classmates are watching anxiously. Mina, Carly, and the third girl are on their feet, worried.) Carly: Ohh, Jack... Stephanie: Poor guy! Mina: He's hurt...! (All three turn to Trudge, who's sitting on the aisle.) Trudge: Wha? All three: Move it, Trudge! Trudge (intimidated): Whatever you say!

(Backstage, some poor WRGP security guy in a green jacket turns to see the three women run up the hallway. He tries to block them.) - Sorry, ladies, can't letcha through here! (Mina doesn't break her stride, flashing her badge in his face.) Mina: Sector Security, I'm coming through! (Carly flashes a badge next as she runs past.) Carly: Freedom a' the press! (The last of the three stops short, rummages in the pockets of her hoodie, nervous-- she doesn't have any special badge!) Stephanie: Umm... (She frantically checks all of her pockets, then her purse, and pulls out--) Stephanie (muttered): Letseehere... (aloud, cutesy) Here! Free coffee coupon! Enjoy! (She runs past, leaving the guy in the green jacket not quite knowing what hit him.)

(Out on the track, Andre rounds another curve.) Announcer: *And* as Jack Atlas painstakingly pushes his duel runner towards the lap line, Andre of Team Unicorn *tears around the track*!

Yusei: This'll be a close one. Leo: What will? Bruno: According to the Grand Prix rules, for every lap a team falls behind, the opposing team gains a speed counter. (Andre zooms past again as Jack inches toward the lap line behind the pit booths. Scoreboard. Andre, 2700, 12; Jack, 0, 4.) Bruno: Team Unicorn's speed counters are already at the maximum of twelve... so for every lap they *gain*, *our* speed counters will *decrease* by one. Leo and Luna: Huh? Leo: But, we only have *four* counters. What happens if we go down to zero? <5:00> Yusei: If our speed counter tally drops down to zero then we're going to be disqualified. Leo and Luna: Say what?!

(The scoreboard fills the screen on Team Unicorn's monitor.) Jean: This couldn't have turned out better for us. Not only will Team Five-D's lose, but it will be a *slow and painful* loss. Andre just needs to complete four more laps and we'll have won!

(Andre keeps riding, and Jack keeps struggling forward. Leo and Crow run out to wait on the other side of the line.) Leo: Jack-- ya gotta hurry up! Crow: Come on-- dig deep! (Andre zooms by again. Scoreboard; Andre, 2700, 12; Jack, 0, 3.) Jack: Ugh...

Andre (think): Just *three more*...!

(Akiza is watching the monitor in the booth, worried. Yusei grips her shoulder.) Yusei: Akiza. Time to duel. Akiza: Right. (She hops off the booth chair, and walks away toward her runner.)

(Andre keeps tearing up the track.)

(Akiza dons her helmet.)

(Andre zooms along.)

(Akiza mounts her runner and its sides rise into place, ready to go.)

(Jack is feet away from the line. Andre roars past again. Jack's speed counter on the scoreboard drops to two.)

Jean: Just two more!

(Akiza clasps her hands over the dashboard of her runner, waiting at the starting line.) Yusei: You nervous? Akiza: Huh? (She looks up at him, then down at her clasped hands, tense.) Akiza: Yeah. Yusei (points): Look. (Akiza looks; her parents are sitting in the front row, watching her.) Akiza: Huh? Mom...? Dad...?

(Flashback. Akiza sits across the coffee table from her parents, in the same drawing room in which she used to duel with her dad.) FB Mrs. Izinski: *Turbo-dueling*? <6:00> But Akiza, it's so dangerous. FB Akiza: I know, but mom-- dueling is what I *love*, it's my *dream*! And if I don't do this, I'll regret it for the rest of my life! (Akiza's dad is the first to nod, smiling ruefully.) FB Izinski: You're right. Go and follow your dream, Akiza. Follow you dream and make me and your mother proud! (Akiza blinked, surprised.) Akiza: Huh? (big smile) Thank you! I will. (End Flashback.)

Yusei: Go make your parents proud, Akiza. Akiza: Thanks-- I'll try.

Announcer: *Ooooh*, the *tension*!! (Andre coasts past the lap line again, as Jack inches toward where Akiza waits with the rest of the team, just past the line. Their speed counter beeps down to 1.) Announcer: Team Unicorn needs to only complete *one more lap*, or the injured Jack Atlas needs to only crawl a few more *feet*! *Who will prevail*! Leo (overlapping): You're almost there, Jack! Luna (overlapping): You got it, Jack! Bruno: Just a little more! (Jack plants another foot, forcing his heavy runner to move. Andre races onward. Jack noses toward the line. Andre rounds another curve. Jack groans a yell of effort that ends in a vocal crack, shoving his runner toward the end-- and steps across the line. He rips the adhesive team badge from his own shoulder, and lunges forward with a piteous, cracking groan of effort, to fall dramatically to his knees, one hand poignantly outstretched to place the badge into Akiza's waiting hand.) <7:00>

(Out on the track, Andre rounds the last curve, heading toward the lap line.) Announcer: He *did it*! But how fast can Akiza kick off?! (Akiza places the badge on her arm, taps her pedal and twists her grip, and peels out, tires squealing. She joins Andre neck-and-neck as he passes the booths.) Announcer: Whoa, pretty *fast*, I'll say! And it's a good thing, because to make the switch official, Akiza must reach the corner turn quicker than Andre, otherwise *all will be lost*!

(Yusei is watching intently from the starting line...)

ACT 2 <7:19>

(Akiza's wheel is just barely behind Andre's as they race toward the all-important first curve.) Announcer: This is gonna be *close*! Unless Akiza can make it to the corner turn before Andre, Jack will *still* be considered Team Five-Ds' duelist! And that means they'll *lose*! (The front wheels of the two runners approach the curve line. Slow-motion, reverse-color. Akiza is ahead of Andre by mere inches-- and-- crosses the line! Scoreboard: Andre, 2700, 12; Akiza, 4000, 1. Team 5D's has successfully switched duelists. Into the curve, Akiza pulls well ahead of Andre and his D.D. Unicorn Knight.)

Leo, Luna, Crow: Yeah...!!

Announcer: She did it!! Team Five-D's is *still* in this match! (Trudge, the twins' classmates, and Akiza's parents watch proudly.)

Announcer: Now the question is, can Akiza contend with Team Unicorn's Andre, and even up the score!

(Jack, still in his battered helmet, is leaning on Yusei, one arm over his shoulder.) Jack: I *knew* you could do it, Akiza...! Yusei-- look after her. <8:00> (Then Jack abruptly faints with a small sigh.) Yusei: Whoa, *Jack*! (Yusei calls over his shoulder to a pair of green-jacketed tournament guys who already have a gurney ready nearby.) Yusei: Quick, he needs help! - I- I'm on it! Mina, Carly, Stephanie: No, *we're* on it! (Mina, Carly, and Stephanie rush onto the scene, Mina and Carly literally throwing the green jackets out of their way.) Mina: Outta the way! Carly: Yeah, *move it*, bozo! Yusei: He may need mouth-to-mouth! All three (enthusiastic): *Great*!

Andre (think): Akiza may've *out-accel'ed* me on this first turn, but she won't be able to *out-duel* me! *She's* goin' down just like Jack did! Akiza: *My* turn! (Scoreboard; Andre, 2700, 12; Akiza, 4000, 2.) Akiza: And first I'll summon to the field Phoenixian Seed! [Phoenixian Seed 800/0/L2/fire] Akiza: But for this seed to sprout, I must now send it to the grave, because then I'm allowed to summon Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis from my hand! [Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis 2200/0/L8/fire] Computer: Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis is a level-eight plant-type monster, with twenty-two-hundred attack points, and zero defense points. Akiza: Now, Phoenixian Amaryllis, let's show that Unicorn Knight some *real* flower-power! (Amaryllis fires on Unicorn Knight, and blasts it out of the sky. Andre's lifepoints are now 2300.) <9:00> Akiza: And now-- Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis's special ability activates! Ya see, whenever she attacks, she's destroyed. And whenever she's destroyed, she destroys an eight-hundred-point chunk of your lifepoints, too! (Amaryllis fires on Andre next, further decreasing his lifepoints to 1500.) Andre: Not bad. She's got skills. Akiza: Next I'll place one card facedown and end my turn. But that doesn't end things for Amaryllis; because now, by removing one plant-type monster in my graveyard from play, she's resurrected back to the field. (Phoenixian Seed is removed from play, and Amaryllis reappears, petals folded meekly in defense mode.) Akiza: Welcome back, Phoenixian Cluster!

(The crowd cheers.)

Crow: Go, Akiza! Leo: Yeah, she sure showed him!

Breo: Well, well, well! *She* started off quick. Jean: She *had* to. Andre has twelve speed counters...

(As Jean speaks, we follow Andre's front wheel as he pursues Akiza around the track. Akiza looks tense; she knows that next round is going to be rough.) Jean (VO): And that means he can use any and all speed spells. That gives 'im a *huge* advantage! You'll see; once Andre takes his turn, he'll *also* take control of this duel and Akiza won't stand a chance!

Jean: *Anybody* can *start off* a duel strongly.

(Andre looks resolved, ready to fight.) Jean (VO): It's how you *finish* that *really* matters, though. <10:00>

Breo: You got a point, Jean. Especially since Andre still has that End a' the Storm speed spell card. (At this point, we catch a glimpse of Andre's hand: Speed Spell - The End of the Storm, Unibird, and Dimensional Balance.) Breo: It's like you said, since he has twelve speed counters, he's free to use it, which means he's free to destroy *all monsters on the field*, and deliver three hundred points of damage for *each* of those monsters to whoever owns them. Right now, Andre has no monsters out, so Akiza would be the only one affected.

Andre (think): If Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis's ability is activated again, it will deal me eight hundred points of damage. That'll leave me with seven hundred lifepoints left. *However*, once Akiza has four speed counters she'll be able to use the effect of Speed World Two-- and *take out* my remaining seven hundred. So clearly, what Akiza is hoping for, is that I'll destroy her Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis! (Ahead, Akiza is also strategizing silently, watching Andre over her shoulder.) Akiza (think): What I'm hoping for, is that Andre destroys Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis; either with a monster, *or* with the End of the Storm card. Andre (think): What to do, what to do! <11:00> Well, not what Akiza *wants* me to do, *that's* for sure! (aloud) My turn! (draw) (Scoreboard; Andre, 1500, 12; Akiza, 4000, 3. Andre's card is "Speed Spell - Dash Pilfer".) Andre (think): *This'll* come in handy... (aloud) I'm activating the speed spell known as Dash Pilfer! With this, since I have at least four speed counters, I'm allowed to take control of a monster of *yours* that's in defense mode! Akiza: Huh? (She looks up at Cluster Amaryllis. Then it glows, disappears from her field, and reappears next to Andre.) Andre: Next I summon, Unibird! [Unibird 100/600/L2/wind] Andre: And *now* I'll play his *ability*. See, by removing Unibird from play and a monster on my field from play, I can summon a synchro from my graveyard, as long as its level isn't higher than the monster I just removed! Akiza (think): Oh, no. Not only did he *not* use End of the Storm, but he took control of my monster and took it out of play! Now I have no way to deal him any damage! Andre: Introducing the synchro I'm summoning back-- Thunder Unicorn! <12:00> (The stars float together into a cloud; some line up, the rest disperse. Out of the summoning light, Thunder Unicorn gallops onto the field once again.) [Thunder Unicorn 2200//L5/] Andre: Now, my *pet*... attack Akiza directly! Supercharger Bolt!! (Unicorn lowers its lightning horn and charges. Akiza looks over her shoulder, panicked.) Akiza: Aaaaaahh!

ACT 3 <12:14>

Andre: Thunder Unicorn, go! Attack-- with Supercharger Bolt! (Unicorn lowers its lightning horn and charges. Akiza looks over her shoulder, panicked. The horn strikes her squarely in the back, and she slumps over her runner, then toughens up again, her lifepoints falling to 1800.) Andre: And now I'll end my turn with a facedown!

Breo: All right! Andre took Akiza's Amaryllis out of play without activating its ability, *and* summoned a monster! Jean: Of course Andre *could've* won the match this turn, if he'd used the effect of Speed World Two. Breo: Uh... *yeah*...

(As Breo speaks, we get a helpful visual aid; Andre's twelve speed counters are represented as three rows of four points of light each.) Breo: With Dash Pilfer and The End of the Storm, he had *two speed spells*. With Speed World Two's effect, for every four speed counters he removed, he would've dealt eight hundred points of damage *per speed spell*. <13:00> (That's 800 x 2 for each of the three rows of four, or 1600 for each row, times three.) Breo: In other words, he *could've* dealt sixteen-hundred points of damage three times over!

Jean: Ri-ight, but had Andre done *that*, he would've then had to face Yusei Fudo without *any* speed counters.

(As Breo speaks, we pan over to the other pit booth.) Breo (VO): So *that's* why he held back! To be ready for Yusei. Luna: Akiza started with a bang, but now she's getting all banged up! Leo: Ugh! Tell us it's not hopeless, Yusei! (Yusei's almost smiling.) Yusei: It's *not*. Akiza an' I hatched a secret plan before she went out. Crow: Whadda you *mean*, 'secret plan'? Yusei: Just watch the duel, Crow. (think) Come on, Akiza...

Yusei (think, VO): Just wait for the right moment. Akiza (think): Andre has every advantage right now. Except for *one*, and it's one he'll never see coming. (smiles) I mean, *I* sure didn't!

(Flashback. Akiza looks up at Yusei from her runner, trying to sound cheerful instead of nervous.) FB Akiza: I'm off! (Yusei offers her a card.) FB Yusei: Here. FB Akiza: Huh? FB Yusei: Go on, take it, Akiza. (She tentatively accepts the card, looks at it, and immediately offers it back.) FB Akiza: But... Yusei-- are you *sure*? FB Yusei: I know it's not the most obvious duel strategy, but that's what makes it *perfect*. Now, get out there... (His smile radiates pride and confidence.) FB Yusei: And win this duel like I know you can! (End Flashback.) <14:00>

(Akiza smiles reminiscently.) Akiza (think): Yusei may think I can win this duel, but I'm pretty sure that he's the only one who does right now. Oh, well-- guess that means I've got *nothing to lose*. And when you've got nothing to lose, you've got *everything to gain*! (aloud) It's my draw! (draw) (Scoreboard. Andre, 1500, 12; Akiza, 1800, 4. Her card is "Speed Spell - Angel Baton".) Akiza (think): All right! *This'll* work! (aloud) From my hand, I summon Witch of the Black Forest (sic)! [Witch of the Black Rose 1700/1200/L4/dark] Akiza: And *this* witch is brewing up something special, because now that she's summoned, I can draw another card from my deck! (She draws and shows Rose Fairy. Witch of the Black Rose is waving her staff, showering Akiza in purple sparkles.) Akiza: And it looks like the card I drew is Rose Fairy. And since this card was added to my hand by way of a monster's special ability, I can now summon it! [Rose Fairy 600//L3/wind] Akiza: Next, I activate the "Speed Spell - Angel Baton"! And since I have four speed counters, I can now draw two cards from my deck, as long as I then discard one. <15:00> (Glimpse of Akiza's hand-- Glow-Up Bulb, Copy Plant, and Half Counter.) Akiza: And the card that I'm banishing to my graveyard is Glow-Up Bulb. Now-- level-four Witch of the Black Forest (sic), tune with level-three Rose Fairy! (Rose Fairly flits upward into the sky, and Witch of the Black Rose dissolves into stars and follows. Rose Fairy soars through the four aligning green rings, turning into golden outlines and bright stars. L3 + L4 = L7.) Akiza: Let the spirit of the earth intertwine with the essence of the sky! I synchro-summon, the Black Rose Dragon!! [Black Rose Dragon 2400//L7/] Andre: So, it's here. Akiza's most ultimate monster. This should be interesting. Akiza: But I'm not done yet. Next I activate my trap card "Star Siphon"! Thanks to this card, when a synchro monster is summoned to the field, I get to summon a Star Siphon Token. [Star Siphon Token 0//L1/] Akiza: And then I'm allowed to swap levels with it! (Black Rose Dragon swaps levels with the token, making it L1 and the token L7.) Akiza: Next, by sending the top card on my deck to the graveyard, I'm allowed to grow back this old friend-- Glow-Up Bulb! [Glow-Up Bulb 100//L1/] Akiza: Go, level-one Glow-up Bulb! <16:00> Tune with level-seven Star Siphon Token! (Glow-Up Bulb traces a single glowing ring around the Star Siphon Token. L7 + L1 = L8. The seven stars align at the center of the ring...) Akiza: Now-- out of two will come one, and out of one will come great cosmic might!

Crow: No *way*...!!! Leo: Is it...?! Luna: *Can't* be...!

Akiza: This one's for you, Yusei.

(Yusei smiles proudly; she did it!)

Akiza: I synchro-summon-- the Stardust Dragon!!! (Stardust takes to the sky, born of the aligning stars, its wings trailing twin streams of glitter, hovering in the sky beside Black Rose Dragon, ready to gang up on Andre.) [Stardust Dragon 2500//L8/] Andre: Impossible!!

Jean: Stardust Dragon?!?!

Akiza: Hm. That's right. I betcha didn't see *that* coming. But before I get to *him*... Here-- feel the wrath of *Black Rose* Dragon!! (Andre looks up; Black Rose Dragon's petaled wings all but block out the sun. She vaporizes Thunder Unicorn with a breath of purple flame, and blasts Andre's lifepoints down to 1300.) Andre: Ugh!

Breo: Oh, no! If this next attack gets through then-- Jean: You'd better start suiting up. Breo: *I'll* say! (Breo runs away from the booth. Jean keeps watching.)

Crow: All *right*!! Leo: Yeah! Go, Akiza!

Akiza: Now to end this. Stardust Dragon, attack!! ... Huh? Andre: You *can't* attack, the battle phase is already *over*. <17:00> (Akiza's runner screen shows an X over a readout that indicates turn phase.) Andre: Because I played *this*! The trap Dimension Equilibrium! (Card known as "Dimensional Balance" in TCG.) Akiza: Huh? Andre: With this card, when a monster is destroyed in battle, by removing the monster that did the initial attacking from play, I can resurrect the monster that was destroyed! (Black Rose Dragon gets sucked into the sky, and Thunder Unicorn bursts onto the field once again.) Andre: Now then, go *right ahead* and end your turn. Akiza: Very well; you've bought some time. I'll place two cards facedown to end the round!

(The crowd is cheering, watching Akiza on the Sphere.)

(Breo breathes a sigh of relief.) Breo: *That* was a close one!

(Jean is watching Yusei, who doesn't notice.) Jean (think, VO): Yusei Fudo. Even when you're *not* on the field dueling, you're still a threat. *Fine*, then. (Jean raises a single finger, signaling the flunky responsible for Team Unicorn's pit stop sign. The flunky hurries to comply, pressing a few buttons before holding out the sign. We don't see what's on the front of it as he holds it out to signal Andre when the riders drive past.)

Andre (think): Jean wants me to quit holding back and end the duel. Guess he wants to face Yusei here and now... (Andre looks ahead at Stardust, looming over the track.) Andre (think): And I don't blame 'im. At least if we get 'im on the field we can take 'im on directly-- and *not* just his *monsters*! <18:00> (aloud) My turn! (Scoreboard. Andre, 1300, 12; Akiza, 1800, 5.) Andre: I activate the "Speed Spell - Speed Energy"! With this card, I multiply the number of speed counters I have by two hundred, and then I'm allowed to *add* that total to the attack points of one of my monsters! I have twelve speed counters-- so that's twenty-four-hundred attack points-- for Thunder Unicorn!! (Thunder Unicorn's new attack point total is a punishing 4600.) Akiza: Forty-six-hundred?! This may be it!

ACT 4 <18:32>

(Stardust Dragon looms over the field, even though Yusei himself has yet to appear.) Andre: Now go, Thunder Unicorn-- attack with Supercharger Bolt!! (Thunder Unicorn gallops for Stardust Dragon...) Akiza: I activate the trap "Half Counter"! (Unicorn's horn strikes Stardust-- and lightning fills the air.) Akiza: Thanks to Half Counter, half of Thunder Unicorn's original attack points are now added to Stardust Dragon! (This makes Stardust Dragon now 3600 attack points strong-- still not stronger than Thunder Unicorn, but stronger. Unicorn bursts forward and strikes through Stardust, destroying it, leaping high into the air. Akiza cries out as she's hit with the shards of its destruction.) Akiza: Aaaaaaahhh!! <19:00> (She's down to 800 lifepoints now.)

Leo: Akiza! Bruno: She's only got eight hundred lifepoints left. Crow: Yeah-- an' Andre has twelve speed counters and plenty of speed *spells*, too. Yusei (think): Akiza...!

Jean: This battle is over.

Akiza (think): If I'm going down, it's *not* going to be for nothing! Andre: I activate the effect of Speed World Two! Now by removing four speed counters, for every speed spell in my hand, *you* take eight hundred points of damage! (He raises Speed Spell - The End of the Storm.) Andre: And that's *just enough to finish you off*! So-- Akiza: I activate the trap "Wicked Rebirth"!! Andre: What?! Akiza: Now by paying eight hundred lifepoints, I can revive a synchro monster from my graveyard, so long as its special ability is negated. (Akiza's lifepoints decrease to 0.)

(The entire Team 5D's pit booth gasps as one. So do Breo and Jean. Akiza's parents, and the crowd around them, are watching, bemused. Yusei is frowning.)

Akiza: Return to the field-- Stardust Dragon!!! [Stardust Dragon 2500/2000/L8/wind] (Stardust soars out of a portal in the sky above her, reborn, wings sparkling. The steam vents on the front and sides of Akiza's runner pop open, <20:00> leaving a trail of steam behind her as she glides beneath Stardust to the relay line.) Announcer: *Absolutely amazing*!! Akiza took herself out-- but not before *bringing out* Stardust Dragon! (Thunder Unicorn's attack points return to their original level.) Andre (think): Clever girl. She tricked me into using my speed counters, *and* set the stage for Yusei with that Stardust Dragon at the same time! Talk about taking one for the team. (Akiza looks down at her dash, face hidden by her helmet, as she glides to the relay line, where Yusei is already waiting on his runner and the rest of the crew with him. The sides of her runner deactivate.) Akiza: I'm sorry, Yusei. I tried my very best, but I failed you. I failed you all. Leo: That's not true! (Leo hurries away toward Yusei with the cards that were on her duel disk. Bruno peels the relay sticker off her arm and moves it to Yusei's as he speaks.) Bruno: Yeah, Leo's right. How could you have failed? We haven't *lost anything* yet! (Leo places Stardust Dragon in one of Yusei's monster card zones, and Akiza's unactivated facedown in the matching spell/trap slot. Yusei rests a hand on them reverently.) Yusei: And thanks to your sacrifice, Akiza-- we're not *gonna* be losing, either! (Yusei lowers the visor on his helmet, and Leo and Bruno stand away as he takes off, Stardust swooping after him. Akiza's fists clench on her dashboard, and tears drip onto them from her cheeks.) Luna: Akiza...? (Tears roll unchecked down Akiza's cheeks. Crow tentatively taps her shoulder.) Crow: Hey... <21:00> (Akiza looks up.) Crow: It's *fine*. See for yourself! (Akiza follows Crow's gaze toward the stands...)

(Several people are staring, bemused; Akiza's dad, in his usual dignified, boring, gray business suit, is standing on his chair waving a great big 5D's banner, all senatorial dignity forgotten.) Izinski: Way to go!! Haha! Akiza!! (The people stare, then one young woman tentatively starts applauding. Others glance at her, surprised, then join in, smiling. The applause spreads.) - Haha! - You did great, Akiza! - Well done! - Yeah! - Way to go, Akiza!

(Akiza stares up at the crowd, startled out of her tears. She looks down, a bit embarrassed at the praise, in a quiet moment surrounded by friends.) Akiza (think): Wow-- they still like me! Thanks, mom; thanks, dad; thanks... *everyone*.

(The announcer is sobbing sentimentally. Somebody taps his shoulder, and he recovers enthusiastically, stomping one foot up on the desk.) Announcer: Ahh! And now-- *on with the duel!!!* And *what* a duel this has become! Andre has taken down Team Five-Ds' first two duelists, leaving *just Yusei Fudo*! (Yusei pursues Andre and his Thunder Unicorn, Stardust at his back. Andre watches him warily over his shoulder. Yusei's eyes are hidden by his visor.) Announcer: So to win this match, Yusei doesn't just need to take down Andre, but he'll need to take down Andre's two teammates as well! *Can he do it*? (Tableau still; Andre rides ahead of Yusei and Stardust, Thunder Unicorn galloping behind.) Announcer: We're about to find out! <22:00>

END <22:02>