Flipping Out: Part 1

TEASER

(A candy store is having a big sale.) Shopkeeper: Come an' get it, everyone! Tasty snacks and treats for sale! Everything, half-off! They won't last long! (People flock around the candy racks, grabbing packages; mostly women.) Flip: Half-off...? Hmmm...! (He picks up a mango-flavored lollipop, then a packaged brownie, checking labels.) Flip: Let's see here...! Mmm-hmm! And *this* one? Yup! They're all *half-price*, but that's only *half the story*! (This short kid's glasses glint, matching his unpleasant grin.) Flip: This food's so cheap because it's *past its expiration date*! - Ugh! Disgusting! (The customers throw their packages back onto the table in a heap, in front of this weird little kid with round, green-rimmed glasses, a school uniform tipped in red, and a teal bowler hat with a star on the band.) - I don't want *this*! - Put it *back*! Shopkeeper: Kid! What're you doin'?! You're costin' me money! Flip: Uh, I'm just tellin' the other *side* a' things. (He takes out his duel screen, folded up.) Flip: *Everything* has two sides; just like in a duel, there's a winner (singsong) and a *loser*! Shopkeeper: Then, *bring it on*, kid!!

(Soon...) Flip: And now, I play the trap card, "Ultra C"! Shopkeeper: What?! "Ultra C"?! Flip: Yup, and next I summon Grenosaurus! (It bursts from the ground, a giant, fiery dinosaur.) Shopkeeper: Aaagghh! (And the shopkeeper's lifepoints drop to 0, and the obnoxious kid wins with 3400 lifepoints. The gazervision mall is in ruins, but the actual mall is untouched as the holographic matrix disintegrates.) <1:00> Flip: *That's* for tryin' to pull one over on us. 'Course, the truth *is*-- the food had no expiration date to begin with! (He picks up a mango pop and strolls away.) Flip: Heheheh... (think) That's life for ya! (He passes a mom and daughter admiring a lamp shaped like a monkey...) Flip (think): For every *up*, there's a *down*. (...And the lamp turns upside-down as he passes it. The little girl gasps. Next he passes an 'Open' sign--) Flip (think): For every *yes*, there's a no! (And it switches to 'Closed'. He sucks on the lollipop.) Flip (think): Every coin has *two sides*. (He approaches Tori and one of her friends, each eating a mango pop. As he passes by them, they find they're holding the pops by the sticky end instead of the stick.) Flip (think): Otherwise put, everything has its *flip side*! (Tori gapes at her upside-down lollipop, as does her friend, then Tori shouts after the kid.) - Weird. Tori: Hm? Hey! You!

(The short, creepy kid walks down the street.) Flip (think): And I get *by* in this world by *exposing* that side. (He walks past a litterbot...) Litterbot: Trash identified... Flip (think): On *everything* I come across! (The litterbot flips upside-down as he passes it. The litterbot can't right itself.) Litterbot: Error... *malfunction*!

Flip: Make that everything and every*one*. Like *him-- Yuma Tsukumo...! (He's spotted Yuma running across a walkway above.)

(Yuma runs, Astral floating beside him, leaning against empty air.) Yuma: Gotta hurry! Grandma won't be happy if I'm late for Manicotti Monday!! (Astral notices Flip watching them from below, and a dark purplish aura around him.) Astral: That boy...

Flip (think): Yuma's *infamous* for being a *terrible duelist*-- yet he defeated Shark, a duelist so good, he made it to the Nationals! <2:00> There is *definitely* a flip side to *that* coin-- and with the help of this card, *I'm* gonna find it out! (He's looking at Baby Tiragon, a rank-1 Xyz monster.) Flip (think): I'll give Yuma *this* little guy in exchange for a duel-- and then I'll learn what I need to know!

(Opening)

ACT 1 <3:15>

(Another day at school. We catch a snippet of conversation from a female student in the dueling quad...) - D'you have a copy of last night's homework? I left mine at home.

Bronk: *Astral*? (Yuma is pointing at the empty air next to Bronk. The three-- four-- of them are standing around the dueling quad.) Yuma: Yep. That's what he says he wants me to call 'im. (Bronk and Tori look where Yuma's pointing, dismayed; they still don't see anything.) Bronk: And he's here *now.* Yuma: Of *course* he's here, Bronk, he's here *all* the time. (In Yuma's vision, Astral is hovering right next to Bronk; Yuma turns away, remarking pointedly--) Yuma: And to be honest, it can *quite awkward*, 'specially when I wake up with him *hovering over me*.

(Speaking of people hovering creepily, Yuma doesn't notice Flip watching him from the top of a nearby stair.) Flip: Duel time.

Yuma: And another thing-- *keep it down* when I'm sleepin', woudja?! Astral: Oh, please... you snorer. (Bronk and Tori watch Yuma get into yet another argument with an empty patch of air.) Yuma: What?! Am *not*! Tori (aside to Bronk): D'you... think we should *leave*? Bronk (aside to Tori): Yes, very slowly. Flip: Yuma! Bronk and Tori: Huh? (Flip runs up to Yuma, falsely friendly and cheery.) Flip: Hehehehey, Yuma, *how's it goin',* buddy? Yuma: ...Who are you? Flip: The name is *Flip*! (Flip points at the sky as he makes his speech.) Flip: And I take quite a bit of pride in that name, <4:00> 'cause I believe *everything has a flip side*. My right has my left; my front, my back. My frowny face has-- (turns back to Yuma with a smile) my smiley face! See? (Yuma is thoroughly nonplussed.) Flip: Pleased to meetcha! Yuma: Yeah... Flip: Oh-- before I forget, I have a little something *forya*, Yuma. (He offers the Baby Tiragon card.) Flip: It's an *Xyz* monster-- Baby Tiragon. Yuma: And you're *giving it* to *me*? Flip: Yep! For takin' down that bully Shark! Go *on*, Yuma, don't be shy, *take* it. It can be a symbol of our new *friendship*. (Flip's eyes narrow; Yuma *can't* refuse!) Yuma: Symbol of friendship, huh? (Astral sees the dark purple aura appear around Flip again; Yuma clearly doesn't.) Yuma: I'd have to be a jerk to turn *that* down! Astral (think): What is this *dark aura* flowing from this boy? Something is not right. (Flip doesn't sound nearly so friendly anymore.) Flip: *That's* right, don't be afraid, just reach out and *take it*!! Yuma: Well, if you insist, all right! (Yuma reaches for the card, but Tori grabs his wrist.) Tori: *Yuma*, we're gonna be late for class *come on*, let's *go*! (Bronk and Tori drag Yuma away, leaving Flip holding the card; Astral floats behind.) Bronk (to Yuma): If ya moved your legs, it might help a little. Yuma: But- that- card! I wannit! Flip: Rrgghh..!

Tori: Sorry, Yuma, but that kid is nothing but trouble. <5:00> (Bronk and Tori let Yuma go, and he brushes himself off.) Yuma: Whaddaya mean? How would *you* know? Bronk: We *know* 'cause Tori an' I used to be in the same *class* wit' 'im. And I'm tellin' you-- he's *always up to no good*! *Always*. Yuma: What? *That* little guy? Huh. Please, what's the worst he could do?

Flip (think): You may've resisted the bait *this* time, Yuma, but just like a *coin*, fate won't always land in your favor! Very soon I'm taking you down!

ACT 2 <5:24>

Mr. Kay: So as you can plainly see... (Tori and Yuma are at their usual desk in the back of the classroom; Yuma is snoring with his head on the desk, and Tori looks concerned.) Mr. Kay: Finding the percentage of air in this vial of sand is the easiest way to... (Somewhere inside Yuma's key...)

(Astral is once again exploring the metal structure in the strange blue void.) Astral: This is a complex structure. What is its *purpose*? But more importantly... what role does *Yuma* play? (Something starts to glow yellow; Astral looks up. High above, the center of a machine is radiating waves of yellow light. Astral floats up and approaches it. What's glowing on the machine is the symbol of the Number 17.) Astral: Oh *my*...! (Astral raises an open palm to it, and a little void appears on his hand, emitting a smaller duplicate of the Number symbol.) Astral: Could this be...? (The two 17's seem to react, shooting off fantastic rings of bright yellow light. The gears around whir to life and start to spin faster and faster. <6:00> The pistons pump. On the outside of the great machine, one of the rings rotates around to a new position.)

(Yuma wanders out of class, yawning. Flip runs up to him as soon as he reaches the doorway, offering him the card.) Flip: Hey Yuma! Here's your card! (Tori runs by and snags Yuma by the arm, dragging him after.) Yuma: Guh! (Flip is left standing there again.)

(Yuma breathes a sigh of relief. Then--) Flip: Yuma! Yuma: Aah! (Flip is directly above him on a stair landing or something.) Flip: Your *ca-ard*! Bronk: *Come on*! (Bronk pulls Yuma away by the arm.) Yuma: Heeeyy!

(Flip pops out from behind a bush in front of Yuma.) Flip (super fast): Yourcard! Yuma: Ah! Tori: Let's go! (Tori yanks him away from Flip again.)

(Yuma sits on a stair, and Tori and Bronk stand, somewhere around the school outside.) Tori: You've *gotta keep your guard up*, Yuma. Yuma: No kidding-- but from Flip, or from *you two*?

Flip: Curses! Tori and Bronk won't let me *near* Yuma! I'm gonna have to change my strategy a bit... (Spencer, a student, wanders by, searching the ground.) Spencer: Ugghh, I lost my Xyz monster...! Has anyone seen it? Flip (think): He-hey. That's *Spencer*; he has a *class* with Yuma. I can use him! (Flip's eyes glints; he has a plan.)

(Soon...) Spencer: What? Are you for real? Flip (overly friendly): Absolutely! (Spencer shakes Flip's shoulders with excitement.) Spencer: Then you've got yourself a deal!! (Spencer lets Flip go to jump up and down; Flip stumbles a bit with dizziness.) Spencer: Yes!! This must be my lucky day! <7:00> All right!! Flip (think): Yet another *flip side*! This kid *loses* something, and I *find* my plan!

(Late afternoon at the Tsukumo residence.) Yuma: I'm home! Kari: *Yuma*! Didn't I tell you to do *more homework* and to stop with all the *dueling*?! Yuma (admits it): Yeah. Ya did. And I am. Kari: Then what is *this*? (She throws him a small device that's made to resemble an envelope; a holographic letter. He reads the back.) Yuma: 'To my dueling hero Yuma, from your biggest admirer.' (Yuma key sparks, and Astral appears at his shoulder.) Yuma: Aw, cool! It's *fan mail*! (Kari isn't nearly so pleased. Yuma sees her face, and retreats up the stairs. Astral follows.) Yuma: I mean-- not cool, bye! Kari: *Yuma*! When is he gonna learn that *no dueling* means *no dueling*?! (Kari turns to their grandma, who's been watching quietly from a seat at the table across the room.) Kari: Can *you* talk to him? (Grandma jumps, and turns away, pretending not to hear by sipping her tea.) Kari: I'm just worried, grandma, because we *both know* what dueling can lead to.

(Sunlight streams through the windows of the lower portion of Yuma's room; Yuma and Astral are in the loft.) Yuma: Hey, where've *you* been *hiding out*? Anyway, look whatcha *missed*! My *first fanmail*! I'm so excited, I can't wait to see it! (Astral regards him silently.) Yuma: Hel-lo? Don'tcha think maybe a 'congratulations' is in order here?! (waves the letter) *Someone out there likes me*! Wish I could meet 'em and give 'em a big hug! *And* an autograph!<8:00> Astral: So. Tell me why your sister does not want you dueling. Yuma: Huh? (deflated) Don't worry about my sister. (excited about the letter again) Now, let's rip this baby open! Astral (think): Observation number eight; humans have ears, but that does not mean they listen. Yuma: Haha! (He presses a button on the letterlike machine, and it pops out a card.) Yuma: Hey-- this is a Baby Tiragon card just like the one Flip tried to give me...! (The other item in the letter, a flat plastic rectangle with projectors on each corner, lights up and projects a hologram, a crude one for this duel era, that shows a short brunette in a robe with an orange flower in her hair.) Yuma: Ah...! - Hi, Yuma! I saved up for a *year* to get you this; I hope you like it! (The hologram evaporates.) Yuma: Wow! I'm the luckiest guy around! Ha!

(Yuma's voice can be heard outside the house...) Yuma (from inside): I can't believe I've got an Xyz monster!! (...Where Flip, hiding behind the hedge, is listening. He puts on the same high-pitched voice he used to pretend to be a girl in Yuma's 'fan letter'.) Flip (in falsetto): Yes, indeed you do, Yuma! (normal voice) And I've got you *right where I wantcha!*

(Later, Flip sits in what may be his own bedroom, moving a stylus on a touch pad, working at a holographic desktop computer. The room contains his computer desk, his bed, and the walls and ceiling are a pattern of dots that change color; red to green, green to red.) Flip: But that card's just the start! Next, the plan is to get you *all alone and friendless*! Then you will be at my mercy!!

ACT 3 <8:58>

(Another day at school.) <9:00> Yuma: Good morning! Kazwell: Yuma! (Kazwell is at the front of an angry crowd of frowning students.) Kazwell: You have got a lot of nerve showing your face around here after everything that you've done! (Astral is paying attention. Yuma is confused and flustered.) Yuma: Umm, what, what exactly did *I* do? Kazwell: I know it's hard, but don't play dumb! You know the *least* you could do is *admit* it. We've *all* seen the photos! (Several students hold up duel screens and smartphones.) Kazwell: They were sent out to the whole school. And all I have to say is you should be ashamed of yourself! Stomping on flowerbeds! (One student's device shows Yuma happily stomping a bed of roses.) Kazwell: Pulling pranks on teachers! (Another device shows Mr. Kay getting drenched by a bucket of water over the head, while Yuma gleefully watches through a nearby window.) Kazwell: Cheating during exams! (Yet another image shows Yuma sitting at his desk in class and leering over Tori's shoulder as she focuses on her classwork. Kazwell holds up his own duel screen to show the most condemning image.) Kazwell: But the worst thing you did was eat Spencer's lunch-- and replace it-- with a *toad*!! (The picture shows a giant frog leaping out of Spencer's lunchbox as soon as he opens it, and Yuma hiding nearby, grinning from ear to ear. Kazwell zooms in on that detail.) Kazwell: *Check out the look on your face*! Yuma: Whoa...! I didn't do that!! Hey-- where's Spencer?! I gotta clear my name! Tori: We can't *find* Spencer. (Tori and Bronk are standing apart from the crowd of angry students. Clearly they'd been arguing with the rest of the class before Yuma arrived.) Tori: He must be home *sick* or something. Bronk: Still, we're with Yuma! There's no *way* he'd do those things! Kazwell: I used to feel the *same way*, Bronk. *We all* did. That is, right up until we saw these *awful pictures*!! Sorry, Yuma, but we're not friends anymore. <10:00> Come on, everybody, let's go. (The rest of the crowd of students turns away from Yuma and takes their desks, ignoring him.) Yuma: Wait--! Please--! No! - Seriously... Kazwell: I guess in the end there's *another side* to Yuma... a side we *never knew*. - Let's go! Yuma: But I swear, I'm innocent! (Flip watches through the window, grinning with glee.) Flip (think): Time for step *two*!

(At the mall...) Yuma: Man. It sure stinks, having everyone upset at you. (Yuma's sitting on a bench somewhere alone, while Astral leans against nothing beside him. Yuma sighs heavily.) Yuma: I guess Bronk and Tori aren't; but the rest of the school sure is. (Astral seems pensive.) Flip: Yuma! Hehehehey, how's it goin' pal? Yuma: Hey, Flip. (Something seems ominous...) Flip: Hmhmhmhm! (A nearby rollercoaster zooms past.)

(Soon, Flip is sitting on Yuma's bench, offering a sympathetic ear.) Flip: Wow, it sounds like you got a bum rap. Yuma: *Tell* me about it. Now I'm the school outcast. Flip: *That is not true*, Yuma. You're no outcast! Yuma: Huh? (Flip stands.) Flip: Like I said before-- I've liked you ever since I heard you beat Shark. That was one of the best duels *ever*! Yuma: Wow, really? <11:00> ...Thanks. Flip: By the way, what *was* that card that you used to take down Shark? *You know*, uh... Yuma: You mean Utopia? Flip: Huh? Oh, right!! *That* was it! (Aside, Flip grins evilly, glowing purple again.) Flip (think): So *that's* his secret weapon! (Astral is watching the conversation from a few steps back.) Astral (think): Strange. That *dark aura* is getting stronger. This is quite troubling. (Flip walks behind the bench.) Flip: Well, Yuma, no matter what anyone says about you, remember that Flip has always got your *back*! (On that last, Flip sticks a note to the back of Yuma's sweatshirt hood. Astral saw it.) Astral (think): What was that? Yuma: In that case, you know what would *really* cheer me up? A friendly duel. Flip: Ha! I was hoping you'd ask, Yuma! I'd love to! Yuma: Ah, really? Flip: Oh, absolutely! In fact, old pal, *I insist on it*! Yuma: Ha! Yeah, let's do this, then! Flip (think): Yes, let's-- and once we're finished, Utopia will be *mine*...! Astral: I have a bad feeling about this duel. I think you should pass. Yuma: What for? ...Wait, lemme guess-- *you* think that Flip is up to no good, too. (Flip is listening to Yuma have a conversation with empty air.) Flip: Huh? Yuma: Well then, <12:00> why would he stand by me in my time of need? Flip: Hmm? Yuma (teasing): Wait a second-- you're not *jealous*, areya? Flip: Uhh, are you talkin' to *me*, Yuma? Yuma: Nope, just to myself! Anyway-- let's get on with this duel! Because I am *feelin' the flow*!! (Yuma activates his duel screen and gazer.) Yuma: Duel gazer, let's roll! Duel interface, set! (Their surroundings transform slightly as they're overlaid with holograms; it still looks mostly the same.) Computer: Augmented reality vision link established. (Text scrolls through Flip and Yuma's duel gazers-- Flip's gazer is built into the left lens of his glasses-- and they glint brightly. Both draw opening hands.) Yuma and Flip: Let's duel!! (Two big holographic screens display the matchup; each duelist starts with 4000 lifepoints.) Flip: I'll go first, if it's okay! Here goes-- draw!! I place a monster facedown in defense mode! That's it for this turn. Yuma: Playing it safe by shoring up your defenses, huh? Flip: I *better* play it safe when I'm facing a duelist as good as *you* are, Yuma! Both: Hmm! Astral: I believe your opponent's praise is masking his true motives. Yuma: No, he just thinks I'm a great duelist! Flip: Huh...? Yuma: Is that so hard to believe?! Ahh, wait a sec-- don't answer that... <13:00> let's get back to the duel! (think) Since Flip summoned a monster in defense mode, it's played *facedown*. Now I can't see how strong a defense it has, unless I attack it! *But*, if I *do* attack, and his monster's stronger than *my* monster, I 'm gonna take damage. (aloud) Get set to get decked! *I draw*!! (think) I gotta summon a monster with high attack points! (aloud) I summon Gagaga Magician! [Gagaga Magician 1500//L4/] Yuma: Now, Gagaga Magician, attack that facedown monster! Flip (think): I was *hoping* Yuma would side with this aggressive approach! (aloud) Porcupine Fish, appear! [Porcupine Fish 200/400/L1/water] Yuma: Four hundred defense points...? All *right*, Gagaga Magician wins! Flip: Flip effect, activate! Yuma: What's a flip effect?! Flip: You musta missed that day of school, Yuma! It's a special ability that activates when a monster that's facedown is flipped face*up*! <14:00> Wanna know what its flip effect is?! You now take four hundred points of damage!! (Yuma endures a hail of glowing quills, and his lifepoints are down to 3600.) Yuma: Pretty cool move-- but Gagaga Magician *still* has higher attack points! (Gagaga and Porcupine Fish collide midair, and Porcupine Fish gets shattered.) Flip: My monster! Yuma: Better luck next time! I end my turn! (Flip appears on an across-the-arena screen.) Flip (on screen): Well played, but I expected no less! (jumps up and down) Still-- I took away lifepoints from the mighty Yuma Tsukumo, yaahaa! The duelist that took down the infamous Shark! (continues indistinct) Yuma: He sure seems happy. Astral: Interesting. So he is a flip effect monster user.

(Tori and Bronk are at the front door of a house somewhere in the city. They bow cordially as the door closes.) Tori: Okay, thank you. (They walk away from the door and hang out on a platform overlooking the river.) Tori: Huh. I don't *get* it. Spencer's mom said that he went to school today like he always does. Bronk: Yeah... but he's *nowhere to be found*. Tori: Hey-- maybe there's a hint as to what's going on in those photos! Bronk: Ya think? Tori: It's worth checking! Anything that will prove Yuma's innocence. (She pulls out her phone.) <15:00>

Flip: My turn!! Here we go! I play a monster in defense mode! Yuma (think): Facedown again. He must be planning to use another flip effect. Flip: Then I'll end my turn with two facedowns! (Gameboard. Turn 3; Flip's lifepoints 4000 / Yuma's lifepoints 3600; Flip's hand 3 / Yuma's hand 5; Flip has two facedowns and a facedown monster on the field, while Yuma has Gagaga Magician. Astral blurs slightly as he watches the duel.) Astral (think): Yuma had better be careful; Flip's field is stacked. Yuma: All right, *my turn*! I draw! First, I summon Flelf! [Flelf 800/1300/L2/wind] (pronounced 'full-elf') Yuma: Now I'll use it to attack your facedown monster! Astral (alarmed): But Yuma!! Do you not recall what happened last time?! Yuma: Of course! But who cares if I take flip-effect damage; if Flelf destroys that facedown monster, I can attack Flip directly with my Magician! Now, go! Flelf, attack that facedown monster! Flip (think): Ye-e-es, please do!!

ACT 4 <15:53>

Yuma: Flelf, attack Flip's facedown monster! <16:00> Flip: Chew-Bone, appear! [Chew-Bone 300/300/L3/earth] (Chew-Bone is a skeletal small mammal with glowing red eyes and a big red marble within its rib cage.) Yuma: Three hundred defense points? That'll be a piece a' *cake* to beat! Flip: And now for, Chew-Bone's flip effect! (The bottom-most of Chew-Bone's thoracic vertebrae starts to glow, and holographic screens appear around it. Then it duplicates three more of itself.) Flip: With it, I can summon up to three Chew-Bone Juniors from my deck, onto *your field* in defense mode! (They're little, they're vicious, they're nothing but small mammal skeletons with glowing red lights for eyes.) [Chew-Bone Jr. 100/300/L1/earth] Yuma: Huh...?! You summoned 'em to *my* field?! (Flelf destroys Chew-Bone with several sword-slashes.) Flip: *I am so cool*! Didja see how I pulled that sweet summoning off? Yuma: Yeah, I sure did, Flip. But they won't do you a whole lotta good *way over here* on *my* field. Flip: What? *Your* field? Ohh, nuts, I misunderstood the effect! Astral (think): So you say... Yuma: Ahh, don't beat yourself up over it. Happens to us all! But, a duel's a duel-- can't letcha off the hook! (Flip sticks out his tongue behind the arm with which he's hiding his face in supposed distress.) Yuma: I now attack you directly with Gagaga Magician! <17:00> (Gagaga's attack hits-- and knocks Flip down to 2500 lifepoints.) Flip: Aaaaahhh...! Yuma: Yes! I'm winning! Thirty-six hundred lifepoints to twenty-five hundred! (Gameboard. Turn 4; Flip's lifepoints 2500 / Yuma's lifepoints 3600; Flip's hand 3 / Yuma's hand 5; Flip has two facedowns on the field, while Yuma's field is full of monsters-- Flelf, Gagaga Magician, and the three Chew Bone Jr.'s.) Yuma: And with that, I end my t--! Flip: Oh! Wait! *Hold up* there! Yuma: Huh? Flip: Aren'tcha gonna summon your *Xyz monster*? Yuma: My Xyz...? Flip (think, angrily): The guy doesn't even *realize*...!! (aloud, nervous smile) You know, because of the *summoning mistake* I just made...? Yuma: Huh? (Flip is not amused.) Flip: The mistake I made that brought out the *three level-one Chew-Bone Juniors*?!?! (Yuma gasps; as Flip 'hinted', all three Chew-Bone Jr.'s are level one.) Yuma: Right! I've got three level-one monsters out, which means I can do an Xyz summon! Flip (think): Then *do it* already! Astral (think): There is *no doubt* Yuma is being set up. But why? (Astral remembers the two facedown cards on Flip's field.) Astral (think): Wait a moment...!! *Of course!* Yuma: I overlay these three level-one Chew-Bone Juniors! Next-- (The three Chew-Bone Jr.'s transform into sparkling clouds of orange.) Astral: No--! Flip: Heheheheheh! (The stained-glass center of the field becomes a vortex of swirling red, and the orange lights stream into it.) Yuma: I will use this overlay network to summon forth, an Xyz monster! Appear, Baby Tiragon! (Huge, rough spikes of bright green rock burst from the ground, <18:00> and explode dramatically in a cloud of dust that obscures both sides of the field. Yuma peers through the dust at the smoking crater in the middle of the floor as it clears... finally revealing an incongruously tiny creature for such a huge explosion, smaller than most cats, with orange, white, and brown fur, tiny horns, and big pink ears. It looks over its shoulder at him with huge, sad, imploring eyes. Its three overlays orbit around it in gold.) [Baby Tiragon 900//R1/] Yuma: All right, I did it!! I summoned an Xyz monster!! Flip: Hahaha! Aahhahahahahahahahahaha! Yuma: Huh? Flip: You sap! You *bought it*! Yuma: I... bought what? Flip: My right facedown is the trap "Ultra C". Astral: "Ultra C"...?! Flip: Thanks to "Ultra C", when Baby Tiragon is summoned out to your field, *I* can summon one Xyz monster to *my* field-- (cross-field screen) oh, and there's one more thing! I have to summon it *straight from your deck*. Yuma: My deck...?! Flip: Yup-- *which means*, Utopia-- is *all mine*!! (Baby Tiragon looks up at Yuma woefully.) Flip: You summoning Baby Tiragon was the worst thing that could've happened to you! Yuma: Uh..ahh.. <19:00> Astral: Flip planned this from the very start.

(Flashback. Chew-Bone's vertebra splits off three of itself.) Astral (VO): In order to get you to get you to summon Baby Tiragon, he *purposefully* summoned those Chew-Bone Juniors to your field. (Yuma is astonished when the Chew-Bone Juniors appear on his field. End Flashback.)

Yuma: No, that's impossible... I mean, think about it; Flip didn't even know that I *owned* a Baby Tiragon. (In reply, Flip snickers, pulls off his hat, and puts on his wig with the big orange flower.) Flip (falsetto, sarcastic): I saved up for a *year* to get you this! (not falsetto) Hahahahaha! Yuma: Ahhh...!!

(Flashback. Yuma's fan letter came from a short brunette with an orange flower in her hair.) - ...I hope you like it! (End Flashback.)

Yuma: So then, that card was sent by *you*?! (Flip pulls off the wig and puts his hat back on.) Flip: That's right! And I was *also* the one who sent around all those fake photos of you to the *entire school*! I *knew* it would make everyone hate you! Yuma: But why?! Flip: Because I *needed to get you alone*, Yuma. And besides-- I knew if you were down about everyone disowning you as their friend you'd finally let *me* be your friend! And *friends duel*! And that *note on your back* tells you what we're dueling *for*. Yuma: What in the world? (Yuma looks behind him and grabs the note.) Yuma: Bet this doesn't say 'kick me'... (Flip watches intently as Yuma reads the note.) Yuma: 'If I lose this duel, I agree to give Flip a card from my deck.' Astral: This is *not good*. <20:00> Yuma: That's no fair!! Flip: That note was on you, so *you must honor it*!! Ha! Astral: What a snake. Yuma: My friends warned me that you were always up to no good. Flip: Hmhm! Yuma (cross-field screen): I guess this is what I get for not listening to them. So *fine*, which card of mine is it that we're playing for?! Flip: Why the card you beat Shark with, of course-- your Utopia card!! Astral: Utopia's a Number card. If Yuma loses *that*, then I, too, shall be lost...! Flip: Now that we know the stakes-- let's get on with the duel!! Shall we?! Now "Ultra C", activate!! And with your power I summon Utopia from Yuma's deck!! (The field turns into a breathtaking, spinning galaxy of lights, swirling from turquoise down to navy blue, then bursting out in an explosion of yellow and purple.) Flip: Rise up-- Utopia!!! (The Number 39 burns, and Utopia's bladed white wings extend, his armor unfolds, and Utopia once again towers over the field-- but the field he's towering over, is not Yuma's side of it.) [Number 39: Utopia 2500//R3/] Yuma: So now I gotta take on my *best monster*...? <21:00> This isn't gonna be easy! (To Be Continued...)