Flipping Out II

(Previously <1:14>)

(Opening)

ACT 1 <2:14>

(Number 39: Utopia stands tall above the field.) Flip: Heheheheh! *Sorry*, Yuma, but Utopia, your *best monster* is now under *my control*! (cross-field screen) And Utopia *stays* with me as long as it's equipped with (end cross-field screen) "Ultra C"! There's no *way* you can stop me! Victory will be mine, and so will your precious Utopia card! Yuma: Ugghh! I can't believe Flip tricked me into this jam! (Baby Tiragon watches Yuma wistfully over its shoulder. Then Utopia shines pure gold, and Flip cries out as if badly shocked and falls to his knees, his hat falling off.) Yuma: Whoa! You okay? (Flip shudders, a muscle tic standing out on his temple, glasses glowing opaque white.) Flip: *No*, Yuma, I'm *not* okay... I feel much, *much* better than okay!! (He starts glowing dark purple, as Yuma and Astral watch with concern.) Yuma: What on *earth* is going on? (Even Flip's fallen hat is glowing purple as he crouches on the floor.) Flip: Something... taking... over...! Deep voice: Yes, let the Number take hold...! <3:00> (He clenches a fist and stands.) Flip: Gaaaaaahhh!!! Aaaahhh!! (His eyes, then the rest of him start to glow bright red.) Yuma: Huh? Astral: It seems Flip has been infected by a Number. Yuma: By a *Number*? (Flip giggles compulsively; the stylized Number symbol 39 appears glowing on the back of his hand. Astral is shocked.) Yuma: Whoa-- Thirty-Nine! That's *Utopia's* number! (The symbol disappears, as though melting into Flip's skin.) Yuma: This isn't good...! (Suddenly Astral falls to one knee on the floor, as though drained or weakened.) Yuma: Astral! (Astral winces, and lines of white light appear around him.) Astral: Mmm... my- my body...! Yuma: What's going on? What's happening to you? (Then Yuma gasps, remembering--)

(Flashback.) FB Astral: In a duel where Number cards are used, the winner *absorbs* the loser's Number cards. (End Flashback.)

Yuma: --And if I recall correctly, if that happens, it means bad news for Astral! Flip: *Quit talking to yourself*! Yuma: Huh? (Flip puts his hat back on and spins it.) Flip: After all, we have a *duel* to finish. Yuma (think): Yeah-- and the stakes have never been higher! If I'm gonna stand a chance, I'm gonna need to take down *Utopia*. But to *beat* a Number monster, I *need* a Number monster-- good thing I have *two*, Leviathan Dragon and Terror-Byte. Problem is, right now level-four Gagaga and level-three Flelf (pron. 'full-elf') won't help me in summoning either of them. <4:00> So that means-- I've got no other choice... (aloud, pained) I end my turn. Flip: Given up *already*, Yuma? Lemme show ya how a *winner* duels! Watch and-- *learn*! (draw) I think I'll start things off with a bang; actually, make that a *slash*-- Utopia, attack Flelf! (Utopia draws its great big sword and delivers a shattering slash to Yuma's Flelf. Yuma's lifepoints fall to 1900.) Yuma: Ugh... Flip: Looks like *I've* just taken the lead in lifepoints! (Gameboard. Turn 5; Flip's lifepoints 2500 / Yuma's lifepoints 1900; Flip's hand 4 / Yuma's hand 5; Flip has Ultra C, one facedown, and Utopia on the field, while Yuma has Gagaga Magician and Baby Tiragon.) Flip: *And*, I aim to *keep it*! I now place a monster facedown in defense mode! There! *That's* how ya take a turn with some *talent*! Why don't you *try it again*? Yuma: Careful whatcha *wish* for, Flip! Here goes!! (Yuma's draw is Rai Rider.) Yuma: Perfect! This card should get my *duel motor runnin'*. I summon level-three Rai Rider! (Rai Rider is a masked motorcyclist with long, red hair flying out behind his blue helmet, which matches his bike. <5:00> He speeds up and his stats pop up in his wake along with the dust and exhaust.) [Rai Rider 1200//L3/] Yuma: Next I activate Gagaga's ability! Which means this card's level can change to a number between one and eight, until the end of the turn! So I'll be changing Gagaga Magician to level *three*, just like Rai Rider! And you know what *that* means... I get to *overlay* Gagaga Magician and Rai Rider! (Gagaga turns into a burst of purple power; Rai Rider turns and goes into a side-skid, transforming into yellow energy. The two energies dance around each other into the air, and a swirling galaxy of light appears in the center of the field.) Yuma: Now I'll use this overlay network to summon out-- (The lights swirl into the center then explode.) Yuma: A mighty Xyz! So say hello to Number Seventeen, Leviathan Dragon!! (Number 17 creates its own dense mauve fog as it appears, then unfolds, eyes glinting red, to become a great big six-winged dragon.) [Number 17: Leviathan Dragon 2000//R3/] Flip: Ah...! Number *Seventeen*! So then I guess there are a *buncha* Numbers. (evil grin) <6:00> All the more for *me* to snatch up! Ah! I activate the trap card, "Traitor Fog"! (As soon as the card activates, the entire field fills with a thick, maroon fog.) Yuma: Whoa. What's going on *now*? Ah! (Flip adjusts his glinting glasses.) Flip: A *fog* is rolling in. And it's about to *roll back* your lifepoints, Yuma; because now, I gain control of the monster *you just summoned*! (In the fog lurks the malevolent puppeteer from the card image, wielding strings of glowing red, moving Leviathan Dragon like a marionette. Yuma's dragon begins to disappear into the thick, opaque fog.) Yuma: Leviathan Dragon! No! (Flip bunches his fists over his own face, snickering with glee; on the back of one fist glows the number 39; on the back of the other-- appears number 17. The purplish glow has tinges of darker black now, and Flip is all but mad with power.) Flip: Heheheheh, *oh yeah*!! (Leviathan Dragon has reappeared on Flip's field with the dissipating fog.) Yuma: Oh, man! Now things are *twice* as bad for me! (The egg of glowing white threads that has been forming around the kneeling Astral, begins to solidify itself with rippling sheets of blue-white light, all but hiding him from view. Yuma turns and gasps.) Yuma: And for *Astral*, too!

ACT 2 <6:47>

(Somewhere out near the river on this beautiful sunny day, Tori is typing on a small laptop with a curved keyboard. Bronk leans on the back of the seat watching over her shoulder. In a photo-editing program she separates the image of the flowers from the image of Yuma happily stomping on them, <7:00> then magnifies the latter until she finds a pixelated edge around Yuma's hair.) Tori: I *knew it*! This photo has been doctored! Bronk: You're totally right, it's a pure cut-'n'-paste job! (Next she separates the image of Yuma laughing from a safe distance from that of Mr. Kay getting drenched by a bucket of water over the head; then that of Spencer's lunch full of toad and Yuma gloating over it.) Tori: Yeah-- and not just on *one* photo, on them *all*! I *knew* Yuma was innocent, and now we can *prove* it! Bronk: Yeah, but who's *behind* all this? Tori: Hmm... (The toad lunch picture, even without Yuma doctored into it, offers no answers.) Tori: I don't know, but maybe *Spencer* does. We've *gotta* find 'im! Lemme try his cell again. (She puts down her laptop and picks up her phone. It shows a graphic that reads 'Now calling' while it rings. Then a face appears magnified on the video screen.) Tori: Spencer-- it's Tori and Bronk! Spencer (on phone): Huh? Oh. Hey there. Tori: Where *are* you? We've been *looking* for you-- Spencer (on phone, vaguely): Yeah, I've been busy. (A clock tower chimes in the background.) Tori: Wh- with *what*? Spencer (on phone): Gotta go-- bye! (He hangs up.) Tori: Wha? Bronk: Nnnnghh, he hung up! Tori: Yeah, but the chimes we heard gave away his location!

(Astral is an unmoving shadow inside a bubble of rippling light.) Yuma: Astral! You okay?! Say something!! Flip: There he goes talkin' to himself again. (cross-field screen) Yuma! It's clear you've already lost your *mind*-- <8:00> now let's get back to the match so you can *lose this duel*, too!! Yuma: What is it with you?! Why d'ya gotta be so mean all the time, Flip?! Flip: I'm not mean, the *world* is! Yuma: Huh? Flip: And I learned it the *hard way*, Yuma! (The air around his rages violet.) Flip: Ya see I wasn't *always* like this! I was once a *sap like you*! Yuma: Huh? Flip: It was way back when I first entered the Duel Monsters world.

(Flashback. In a park somewhere, several older boys surround a younger one. The one speaking has shoulder-length red hair, a red shirt, and black shorts.) - *Hey, Flip.* We heard you've started dueling. Would you mind teaching *us*? (Flip as a young kid is even tinier, wide-eyed and innocent with the same round green glasses and a gaudy red bowtie and brown overalls.) FB Young Flip: I'd be *glad* to! - So what're you *putting up*? FB Young Flip: Hmm? Whadda you mean, put up? (The boy behind Flip who speaks next has a tan cap, blue hair, a brown jacket and jeans.) - He means, which *card*. The winner of the duel gets a card from the loser! FB Young Flip: Uh- I dunno. (Red hair turns back to Flip.) - But'cha *do* know way more about dueling than *us*, so there's no *way* you're gonna lose. (The guy next to red hair has slightly less pale skin, brown hair, and an orange shirt and gray jacket.) - *Totally*, Flip. You've really got *nothing to worry about*. FB Young Flip: Uhh... (Little Flip smiles at his deck; he can do this.) Flip (VO): But they were *lying*! I had *plenty* to worry about! *They knew how to duel*!!

(Flip goes flying again and again, along with his cards; Respect Play and Ceremonial Bell are among them. Soon the bullies are snickering over their winnings. They leave Flip in a mussed heap, laughing and joking among themselves and waving happily over their shoulders.) Flip (VO): Still I fell for it over and over again! Soon I had lost almost all of my cards! (The ghosts of fallen cards drift through the air around the disheveled little duelist.) <9:00>

(Elsewhere, the bullies are hanging out, gloating. Red hair speaks first.) - You know what they say guys, 'there's a sucker born every minute'! (Tan cap next.) - Funny, a minute's about as long as it takes to beat lil' Flip in a duel, too! Huhuhuh! (Little Flip is hiding behind a crate nearby, listening to every word.) Flip (VO): They were nice to my face but *mean* behind my back!

Flip (VO): That's when I realized that there was *always* something going on, on the flip side!! (Little Flip runs alone on a walkway, a golden sunset at his back, head down, crying; he leaps into the air, sobbing out a wail, a moment frozen in time.) FB Young Flip: Aaaaaaggghhhhh!! (Then the poignant tableau unfreezes, and he falls flat on his face.) FB Young Flip: Oof! (End Flashback.)

Flip: And *that's when I decided*, I would learn to become the *master* of the flip side! Yuma: Sad story...

(Tori and Bronk stop in the back-most row of a lecture hall.) Tori: Spencer? Bronk: Ohh, he's *not here*. (Tori turns to Bronk anxiously.) Tori: Well, he's gotta be *somewhere*, let's keep looking! (They run through a hallway with curved plate glass windows forming its outside wall, revealing clumps of students gathering below.)

(Tori's search takes her next to the school library.) Tori: Spencer?

(Bronk is running across a walkway somewhere near the monument at the center of campus.) Bronk: Spencer?!

Flip: And so it began! The more I *studied* the way of the flip side, the more I learned!

(Flashback. Little Flip shuffles a pile of cards at his desk.) Flip (VO): It applied to *everything*! And *I* took advantage! If my enemies were pretending to be nice but were truly mean, I would pretend to be fair but would truly *cheat*! (Little Flip practices card tricks and sleight-of-hand, shuffling the pile into a line and back into a pile, then picking a single card from his deck, palming it into his sleeve, and producing two more from his shirt collar as if by magic, <10:00> then duplicating that two into four.)

(Change Flashback. Pretty soon it's the redheaded kid who's going flying, his cards scattering. Visible onscreen-- Desrook Archfiend, Summoner Monk, an effect monster, spell, and unknown type, TZX006_id2c-e. The rest of that same clique watches in amazement.) - Aaaaaaahhhh! Flip (VO): And it *worked*! I got *all* my cards back-- and something I didn't see coming.

(Change Flashback. The same kids who picked on him, including the redheaded kid, now follow little Flip around and hang on his every word.) Flip (VO): *Respect*. Soon, I developed all *sorts* of different strategies to get what I wanted with my 'flip side' method! (End Flashback.)

Flip: And without fail, it always *worked*! I won at everything; including duels, where winning matters the most! Yuma: But that's where you're wrong, Flip! Dueling's not just about winning; it's about having fun, and doing the best you can do. Flip: You know who says things like that, Yuma? *Total losers like you who never win.* Yuma: Rrrggghhh...

(Tori and Bronk meet up from opposite directions, still in search of Spencer.) Tori: Any luck, Bronk? Bronk: I got nothin'. Tori: Ohh, and we've looked *everywhere*. Wait-- did you go to the old gym? Bronk: I thought *you* did. (punches his palm) Let's move out!

(At the old gym. Inside, Spencer leans forward carefully, holding his breath, a drop of sweat trickling down his face. Tori and Bronk burst in.) Tori: Spencer! (Spencer jumps, startled.) Spencer: Ah! (The twitch of his hand knocks over the domino he was placing, and starts a chain reaction. Tori and Bronk watch in consternation, Spencer in horror and dismay, as row after row of dominoes falls. <11:00> Green, pink, yellow, on and on they go, as it begins to dawn on Tori the kind of painstaking work they've just destroyed. The dominoes collapse in a teal swirl pattern and the chain reaction moves on to more swirls, yellow sine curves, a pink wedge, and row after row of blue and green, until finally the last domino falls, ending the collapse of a truly prodigious pattern of dominoes placed in precise designs-- swirls, flowers, curves, arrows-- all across the gym floor. Spencer's shoulders slump in utter dejection.) Spencer: Ohh. Whaddaya want?! I was so close to being finished! (Tori and Bronk are daunted at the array of dominoes. Tori bows in apology.) Tori: Sorry, Spencer, we didn't mean to interrupt your, uh-- your... uh, actually, what exactly *are* you doing? Spencer (glumly): I'm setting up dominoes. Flip said he'd give me an Xyz monster if I spent all day in here making this lineup for 'im. Tori and Bronk: *Flip* said that?! Tori: Of *course*. Bronk: Flip sent those photos out and tricked Spence' into hiding out here, so that Spencer wouldn't be able to tell anyone the toad photos are fake! Tori: But the question is, *why*? (Then she gasps.) Tori and Bronk: A duel!!

(Meanwhile, back at the duel...) Yuma (think): The only Number monster I have left is Terror-Byte. And I can't waste any time in summoning it-- <12:00> so it's a good thing I have the spell "Release Lease". Hopefully, it'll give me a new *lease* on this duel. (Yuma's hand contains Half Unbreak, Release Lease, and Ganbara Knight. Baby Tiragon looks up at him woefully.) Yuma (think): 'Cause *with it*, I can get rid of a monster on my field, to add a level-three monster to my hand. Now let's get to it, and release Baby Tiragon! (Still trapped and weakened in a shimmering egg of light, Astral speaks up, his voice heavy with strain.) Astral: Yuma! You must protect Baby Tiragon... Yuma: Huh? Astral: It is our *only hope*... Yuma: Astral-- are you okay?! Astral: Protect... Baby Tiragon...! Yuma: But, Baby Tiragon can't defeat a *Number* monster! Astral: Protect Tiragon. (Yuma, unsettled, turns back to the duel. Tiragon still watches him with big, round eyes.) Yuma: All right... I'm switching Baby Tiragon into defense mode! (Baby Tiragon lights up with joy, and leaps and hovers a few circles in the air.) Yuma: Then I'll place one card facedown and end my turn! (Flip's glasses glow white with glare.) Flip: And it will be the *last* card that you play. Heheheheheh! 'Cause now it's *my turn*! And that means *you're*-- (draw) through!!

ACT 3 <13:00>

(Tori and Bronk are somewhere out around town.) Bronk: Ohh, where could Yuma *be*?! Tori: The only place we haven't checked is the mall. Bronk (nods): Hm!

Flip: I play Leviathan Dragon's ability! Yahahahaha!! And *now*, Yuma, by using up one of its overlay units, Leviathan gains five hundred attack points! (Leviathan chomps one of its overlays and its points rise to 2500.) Flip: Next I'm going to do a flip summon! Yuma: What's a flip summon? (Cut-screen.) Flip: I thought we'd been *over* this, Yuma! I can turn a monster that's facedown and in defense mode face *up*-- oh, and I can make it change into attack mode as well. (Flip casually nudges the boundary of the cut-screen away with a fingertip.) Flip: See for yourself! Rise, Flipangatan! [Flipangatan 800/1600/L4/dark] (Flipangatan is a zombie ape with skeletal hands, feet, and face, but an orangutan's orange fur, swinging from a bar that hangs in midair, made of bones.) Flip: Now, to use Flipangatan's flip effect! It switches *your* monster from defense mode to attack mode! (Flipangatan roars, and knocks Baby Tiragon backward; it lands painfully, dazed, switching back to attack mode.) <14:00> Yuma: Oh no! So much for protecting Baby Tiragon! Flip: Now go! Make that baby go *boom*, Leviathan Dragon! Sonic Shredding Stream! Yuma: I activate the trap, "Half Unbreak"! But it gives me a *big* break, ‘cause now one monster on my field can’t be destroyed this turn! Also, the damage from your attack is cut in half! (As Yuma spoke, Baby Tiragon was enclosed in one of the bubbles that dispersed from Yuma’s card. Leviathan Dragon’s attack arcs up toward the chandelier on the ceiling, shaped like a rough, spiky outcropping of crystal; it explodes and rains down in shards, and Yuma weathers the effects of the blast. His lifepoints have now decreased to 1100.) Flip: So your trap protects you from full damage. But if you *recall*, Utopia has twenty-five hundred pounding attack points! So this attack is still gonna pack a heavy punch! Yuma: Rrgh! Flip: So let ‘im have it, Utopia! (Baby Tiragon watches the oncoming attack from within its protective bubble, mouth agape in ingenuous awe. Utopia brings down its flashing golden sword, and the air around Tiragon’s bubble explodes, knocking Yuma backward off his feet, now at 300 lifepoints.) Yuma: Aaaahhhh!! (The smoke-filled air around Yuma’s side of the field is crackling.) Flip: But I’m not done yet! I’m now activating the spell card “Book of Flip”! <15:00> With this card, I can now flip Flipangatan facedown! (Flipangatan disappears from the field and returns to its anonymous facedown set position.) Flip: Which means I can use its special ability again! (Baby Tiragon is still cowering inside its magic bubble.) Yuma: So if I switch Baby Tiragon to defense mode, if Flip attacks, Flipangatan’s special ability will change it back to attack mode! (Baby Tiragon watches Yuma anxiously over its shoulder.) Yuma: I’ll be in big trouble. Flip: *Bingo*. *Also, you only have three hundred lifepoints left! Which means, as soon as it becomes my turn again, I’ll be able to take you out for *good*. *And* take your Utopia. Yuma: This is bad! Tori: Yuma! (Tori and Bronk run into view.) Yuma: Tori! Bronk!

Tori: Yuma, what’s happening?

Flip: *I’ll* tell you what’s happening. (on cross-field screen) I’m about to *beat your buddy*! (Flip’s lifepoints are currently at 2500, Yuma’s barely hanging on with 300.)

ACT 4 <15:48>

(Tori and Bronk take in the duel, including the fact that Flip has 2500 lifepoints to Yuma's 300.) Tori: Whoa, Flip's winning by a *ton*. Bronk: Yeah, and why're Utopia an' Leviathan on *his* field, those're *Yuma's* monsters!

(Flip is still glowing purplish-black.) Flip: They *were* his! 'Til I snatched 'em from 'im! <16:00> Yuma: It's my turn, but I only have three hundred lifepoints left. I've *gotta protect 'em*! (draw, aloud) Here goes! I draw! (His draw is--) Yuma (think): Stinging Swordsman? That's not the kinda defense I was hoping for. Flip: Huhahahahaha! Yuma: Huh? Flip: By your expression, I'd say you didn't get the card you wanted! Yuma (think): Ugh! Guess I don't have much of a *poker face*.

Tori (anxiously): Yuma...

Flip: Well, don't blame your *duel deck* too much! After all, I doubt you could do much with *any card* at this point-- what with the *useless Xyz monster* you have out on your field, its points are a *joke*! (Baby Tiragon looks angry, offended, then opens its little mouth and wails with indignation, 900 attack points and all... then hangs its fluffy little head in sorrow, as Flip speaks. Yuma's starting to sweat, but he's not about to admit that he's toast.) Yuma: Points don't make the monster! ... Ah!

(Flashback. Still trapped and weakened in a shimmering egg of light, Astral speaks up, his voice heavy with strain.) FB Astral: *Protect Tiragon*. (End Flashback.)

(Yuma looks back toward the immobilized Astral.) Yuma: Wait-- I wonder if Astral meant-- oh! Of course! He wanted me to protect Tiragon for its *ability*, not its defense points! (He's looking at the Stinging Swordsman card in his hand.) Yuma: A great ability is the flip side of *lots* a' weak monsters. And now-- get ready, Tiragon! (Baby Tiragon perks up, and looks over its shoulder wonderingly at Yuma.) Yuma: I summon, Stinging Swordsman! <17:00> [Stinging Swordsman 300//L4/] Stinging Swordsman: Huah--huh! (Stinging Swordsman is a warrior armed with a very sharp needle.) Flip: Only three hundred attack points? That monster can't *possibly* hurt me! Yuma: I wouldn't be so sure! An' would you like to know *why*, Flip? 'Cause Baby Tiragon's *not* so useless. (Baby Tiragon squares its tiny shoulders, ready to prove to its former master that it's no throwaway.) Yuma: And 'cause I'm feelin'-- the flow! Baby Tiragon, by using your overlay unit, my level-one monster, Stinging Swordsman, can attack Flip directly! (Baby Tiragon swallows one of its overlays and holds its breath, glowing bright gold.) Yuma: So now-- let's do it!! (Stinging Swordsman, a monster tiny enough that it could sit in one of Baby Tiragon's big pointy ears, sits on Tiragon's back and hangs on tight, needle raised. Baby Tiragon runs through the air, across the field to Flip.) Flip: *Excuse me* if I don't go running for the hills, but three hundred points of damage isn't exactly *flinch-worthy*! (Stinging Swordsman stands on Baby Tiragon's head, needle held like a spear or javelin, and dramatically stabs-- right into Flip's hand. He calmly blocks the two monsters with the palm of his hand, letting them scramble against thin air. Flip's lifepoints take the tiny hit, now down to 2200.) Yuma: Oh, yeah? Try *this*-- I play Stinging Swordsman's ability! (Stinging Swordsman leaps from Tiragon's back, spinning in the air.) Stinging Swordsman: Slash Hurricane! <18:00> (A powerful wind begins to blow. Flip shields himself, as do Tori and Bronk.) Flip: Slash Hurricane?! Yuma: Ya see, Flip, when Stinging Swordsman successfully deals you damage, then all spells and trap cards on your field return to your hand! Flip: *All* of them?! Yuma: Bingo! And if the cards that *snatched* Utopia and Leviathan Dragon return to your hand, then Utopia and Leviathan Dragon return to *me*! (Utopia and Leviathan Dragon shatter in the Smash Hurricane. Traitor Fog and Ultra C return to Flip's hand, giving him five cards.) Flip: Oh, please, you can't do this to me! (Flip cries out, as though shocked, and falls to his knees, hat falling off.) Flip: Aaa-ugh... (The symbols of Numbers 39 and 17 vanish from the back of each hand. Utopia and Leviathan Dragon switch back over to Yuma's field. Flip cowers on the floor, humbled.) Yuma: Yeah! Welcome home, you two! (Astral glows brighter than his containing bubble of light, and then the bubble lights up to match. In a brilliant flash of light, Astral is free. He slowly stands, too bright to be seen. Yuma stares into the light, awed. It fades back to Astral's normal glow.) Yuma: Astral? <19:00> Y-you okay? Astral (quietly): Not yet. Yuma: Huh?! Astral: Go, Leviathan! Attack that facedown card! Yuma: Rrrggghhh! No, it's *my* duel, don't go! (Yuma pauses, then smiles.) Yuma: Then again, that's a *pretty good call*! Leviathan-- attack Flip's facedown card! (Flipangatan turns over when attacked.) [Flipangatan /1600//] Flip: Whaaaa? Yuma: Go, Sonic Shredding Stream!! (Leviathan Dragon destroys Flipangatan.)

Tori: All right!! Bronk: Flip doesn't have any monsters left on the field now!

(Flip stumbles back a few steps.) Flip: Huh? Wh-wha...? Yuma: Utopia! Go, and take him down!! Rising Sun Slash! (Utopia slashes with his golden-glowing blade, once, twice, and a third time. Flip goes flying, lifepoints falling to 0, and hits the ground, flips head over heels, then lands again.) Flip: Aaaaaahhh! Mommyyyy! Aaaaahhh! Uh! Agh! Uhh... (A holographic screen declares Yuma the winner. Stinging Swordsman and Baby Tiragon, still a pair, jump in the air and cheer, then shatter from the field. Yuma jumps in the air cheering, and the key catches a sunbeam and glints bright gold.) Yuma: Yeeaahh! That's how ya *flow*!

Tori: Yuma!! <20:00> Bronk: Way to go, buddy!

(The vision link starts to disintegrate. The crystal on the ceiling magically appears good as new, and bystanders can be seen going about their shopping. A weary announcement is heard over the PA system.) - ...There are two-for-one pretzels in the food court today; get *your* coupons at the mall kiosk. (Yuma takes off his gazer.) Astral (mildly): Nicely done. You saved me from a very bad fate. Yuma: Aww, I didn't do it for *you*, I just wanted to win. Tori: Yuma! Yuma: Huh? Heeheehee! (Duel won, his friends gather round to congratulate him. Astral stands off to the side. Bronk grabs Yuma and almost noogies him, but doesn't touch the hair.) Bronk: That was an *amazing comeback*, bud! Yuma: Yeah, I guess it *was* pretty great... (Flip lies on the floor of the mall, still not quite sure what just hit him.) Flip: All my tricks... ugh... and still I-- lost! (He takes his gazer off his glasses, crushed.) Yuma: Hey, Flip. Flip: Huh? (Flip looks up, too surprised to scheme. Yuma crouches down near him, and gently offers him the Baby Tiragon card.) Yuma: I believe this belongs to *you*. Flip: It *did*. Yuma: It *does*. Take it; you earned it, Flip. Just like you earned my respect the right way, by *not* cheating. Flip: Uh? Yuma: That's gotta feel good inside, doesn't it? Flip: ...Yeah, I guess it sorta *does*. Yuma: *Sorta*? Listen, all the respect you *think* you got by cheating, wasn't real at all. You were just tricking yourself. Flip: Maybe... (Flip looks down at the floor, shoving away his own ingenuous trust.) Flip: ... Or maybe this is all just a *trick*, and the flip side is <21:00> you're gonna make me look like a *big fool*! (Yuma is dismayed.) Yuma: Come on; that's impossible. I mean, there's no *way* could make *you* look foolish-- not with those *dope specs* you're always sportin'! They're pretty hip! Flip: ... You think my glasses are... *hip*? Yuma: Yeah, totally. (Flip is disarmed with surprise. He looks down and away with a small whimper. When he turns back to Yuma, he's crying; his watery eyes are gushing tears, and moisture dribbles from his nose.) Flip: *Yuma*! (Yuma looks kind of freaked. Flip outright bawls. Bronk and Tori watch with surprise, Astral studying closely, and more than one bystander looks rather amused at the whole situation. More bystanders are stopping to stare at Flip.) Flip: That's the nicest thing- anyone's ever said to me!! (He tries to wipe his face on his sleeve, but he's still bursting with tears.) Flip: Forget the flip side! Life can be pretty great when you just take something at face value! (Flip sniffs, rubs his face on his sleeve, then smiles brightly at Yuma, tears gone instantly.) Flip: So I'm turning over a new leaf, right now! You keep the card, Yuma! Yuma: Huh? Are you sure? (Flip nods, Tears showing at the corners of his eyes.) Flip: Yeah! (Yuma stands there a moment, then starts laughing, with increasing excitement, spinning around in place.) Yuma: Ahahahaha, *thanks*! I *did* kinda form a little bit of a bond with it! (He links elbows with Flip.) Yuma: Hey-- like you said before, Flip, this card can be a symbol of our friendship! Flip: Sounds good! <22:00> (The two of them stand there together and just laugh out loud. Across the room, Bronk, Tori, and Astral watch them; Astral is still studying dispassionately, Tori and Bronk are less impressed.) Bronk: Maybe there's no *flip side* to this, but there *is* an annoying side. Astral (think): Observation number nine... Glasses are 'hip'. (Yuma and Flip are still laughing.) Tori: Okay. You guys can stop laughing now... *Really*.

(The dominoes in the gym form orange curlicues, green zigzags, blue mazes, a pink tulip-shape, and on and on; Spencer is once again close to completing his epic domino arrangement. He stands to wipe his brow, a green domino in hand. He looks at it happily.) Spencer: The last domino. (He goes to place it, and his heel nudges the first of the line of green dominoes behind him. The first one tips into the next, and the next, and the next.) Spencer: Wait..! No! *No*! (Soon the whole gym echoes with the clicks of falling dominoes. Outside the gym, it's now late at night.) Spencer: No-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!!! ... I am *so* gonna *flip out*...

END <22:35>