In the End II

(Previously <1:29>)

(Opening)

ACT 1 <2:29>

(The full moon is cold above this tower somewhere in the middle of the city.)

(Inside, the duel rages.) Mr. Kay: Your defeat is coming, Yuma-- I can assure you! (Yuma's math teacher is still glowing with unnatural purple power, and his eyes appear glazed as he raises a card.) Mr. Kay: But for now, I place one card facedown and end my turn! (Gameboard display. Turn 4; Mr. Kay's lifepoints 4000 / Yuma's lifepoints 3200; Mr. Kay's hand 2 / Yuma's hand 4; Mr. Kay has Terror-Byte and one facedown card on the field; Yuma has Gogogo Golem on his field, because it shatters out of Terror-Byte's grip and returns to Yuma at the end of the turn. Yuma is flustered.) Yuma: Ahhh...! Okay. Um. Lemme think. Lemme think! (The timer is still ticking down-- 20:04:17 and counting, and 33.1% complete and counting.) Computer: Attention. Viral release will occur in exactly twenty minutes. (Yuma whimpers. Astral attempts to take charge instead.) Astral: It is my turn! Yuma: I can *do this by myself*, Astral!!

Kazwell: Yuma keeps yelling and screaming at someone who *clearly isn't there*. In the end, should we be concerned about him? Tori: No no, he's fine, <3:00> don't *worry*, Kazwell! This is just what Yuma's like when he's really *feelin' the flow*.

Yuma: (draw) It's my turn! I draw! Astral: I suggest that you summon Ganbara Knight. Yuma: Go away and duel your *own* duel! Astral: A Number card is on the line here, Yuma. If we don't get that Number... I may fade away. Yuma: Oh yeah? Well maybe I should let 'im *win* then! Astral: You need me, Yuma. You cannot duel without me. You are *not good enough*. Yuma: Rrrghh, stop talking to me and just go away!! I'm not gonna do *anything* you tell me to do in this duel! Astral: Why would you disregard my valuable advice? Yuma: If you tell me that I should go to the right, then I'm gonna break to the *left*! You say I should bust out Ganbara Knight? So I'll summon Achacha Archer! [Achacha Archer 1200///] (Astral sees disaster coming as soon as he sees Archer take the field. Of all the random cards Yuma could've played, this may've been the worst.) Astral: *Bad* move. Yuma: Fire away! Achacha Archer: Achacha! (The archer launches a fiery arrow, and damages Mr. Kay's lifepoints, down to 3500.) Yuma: Whoohooo! <4:00> See what I did?! I managed to damage his lifepoints! Astral: Perhaps, but you missed out. Yuma: Huh? Astral: If you had summoned Ganbara Knight as I advised you to, you would have been able to combine it with your Golem, and then Xyz summon Utopia. Yuma: Oh. I hadn't thought about that. (Then Yuma realizes he just admitted Astral's advice would've worked.) Yuma: Rrgh! I mean, *it's all part of my master plan!* (Mr. Kay's eyes look weary and flat, but their centers burn with purple fire.) Mr. Kay: *You're messing with my perfection*! But fortunately, I've got a trap-- Damage Vaccine Omega Max! (Spelled "Damage Vaccine Ω Max". A rain of multicolored sparkles, like luminous confetti, rains down on Mr. Kay from above. Behind him, the timer is now at 17:56:79 and counting down.) Mr. Kay: And since I just took damage, I can use this card to regain all the lifepoints I just lost. Yuma: Uh...! Are you telling me my attack was pointless?! Mr. Kay: In a way, this entire *duel* is pointless, my dear boy! Someone like you *can't* defeat someone like me! (Astral is silent.)

(Kazwell is freaking out.) Kazwell: Aaah! I can see my future now!! They're gonna think I was part of this and they're gonna throw me in jail for life!! I'm never gonna be valedictorian, and I'll never get a job, and Yuma's running outta time, and that means-- *I'm* running out of time! (Tori looks up at the timers, which now read 17:30:67 and counting down, 41.630% done and counting up...)

ACT 2 <5:00>

(Back at the Tsukumo residence...)

(Kari is typing at top speed, traveling down a dark tunnel on her screen.) Kari: The deactivation code should be somewhere in the V-P-N tunnels ahead. I'm onto you, virus!

Yuma: Uhh... I end my turn. Mr. Kay: You accomplished *nothing*! Huh! (draw) Just as I did on my last turn, I can use my Number card's overlay unit, to seize control of your monster! Yuma: Wait, wait, *what*? No, no, hang on, don't, hey-- nononot, gaaaaaahh! (Terror-Byte zaps Gogogo Golem, and it reappears on the other side of the field.) Yuma: Ohh, he got my Gogogo Golem *again*! Astral: If you had summoned Utopia, then he would not have been able to take control of your Golem. Yuma: Really? Astral: Terror-Byte's ability allows it to take control of a monster with a certain level. But Xyz monsters, like Utopia, have *ranks*-- not levels. Understand? (Yuma sighs.) Astral: You are clearly inexperienced. You should listen to me. Yuma: Forget *that*! So I take a little damage-- big deal! <6:00> Gogogo Golem's gonna return to my field! And when *that happens*... Mr. Kay: Heheheh! Yuma: Huh? Mr. Kay: D'you seriously expect me to use the same exact strategy two turns in a row? This time around I'm activating two continuous spells!

(Kazwell is cowering on the floor whimpering.) Tori: Do you know what a continuous spell is? Kazwell: It's just like a normal spell, only its effect stays active for as long as the card remains on the field! Now please let me go back to freaking out!

Mr. Kay: Heh. With "Infected Mail", once a turn, any level-four-or-below monster on my field can attack you directly; but after it attacks-- it's destroyed. Astral: Oh, no. Mr. Kay: And since it's on my field, I'm going to attack you with your very own Gogogo Golem! (Gogogo lands a wallop of a punch on Yuma, and knocks him down, decreasing his lifepoints to 1400. Mr. Kay's eyes are still smoldering dark purple.) Mr. Kay: *So sorry*, Yuma. But now it's time to say goodbye to your precious Golem! (Beams of light show around the edges of Golem, and it explodes dramatically. Yuma sits up in a rain of holographic gravel.) Yuma: Aw, man, this is *not good*! Mr. Kay: I'm afraid it gets *worse*! For it's at this moment that my second continuous spell activates! <7:00> Since "Infected Mail" destroyed your Golem, "Cracking" slams you with an additional eight hundred points of damage! (Now Yuma's down to 600 lifepoints, and on the floor.) Mr. Kay: Heheheh, so what do you think of my special patented Terror-Byte combo? Yuma: Uhh... well, I think your special patented Terror-Byte combo... *stinks!* Huh? (He's just noticed Astral fading dimmer and brighter, like a flickering lamp.) Yuma: That's weird...! (Yuma gets up off the ground and approaches Astral.) Yuma: Uh, why are you *more* see-through than before? (Astral regards his own fading hand.) Astral: Every time you lose lifepoints, I can feel my life force fading. Yuma: Fading...? Like... that must mean...

(Flashback. Astral floats out in the hall while Yuma's in the bathroom.) Yuma (VO): You weren't kidding! FB Astral: Failure is not an option for *me*. (End Flashback.)

(Tori and Kazwell watch Yuma stare at the empty air next to him, concerned.) Tori: Yuma seems like he's lost some of his enthusiasm. Kazwell (frantically): Of course he's lost his enthusiasm! He's losing this duel! He's gonna totally get me-- ah! *I* know!

Kazwell: Hey, Yuma! (Yuma turns around, in time to see Kazwell balancing on one foot, arms held in a rather goofy pose.) Kazwell: Be like the, the phoenix! And ri-i-i-i-ise from the ashes! Cacawww! (He spreads his wings like a bird and flaps them. Kazwell is not above making a fool of himself if it means Yuma will save him. Yuma is nonplussed.) Yuma: Why are you-- what are you--? Kazwell: Ahh, forget the phoenix! <8:00> Yeah!

(Kazwell's words paint a beautiful picture of a gigantic green dragon and a beautiful, fiery phoenix.) Kazwell (VO): There's a *dragon* in your heart, Yuma! A- a- a giant sleeping dragon, bird, monster!

Kazwell: I-in the end, what I'm saying is that you've got *tremendous potential* inside of you! Yuma: Uhh, I do..? Kazwell: All you have to do is wake that potential up, and this duel is *yours*! (Yuma's kind of embarrassed, but deeply touched.) Yuma: Uh, thanks, ah, that's a really cool thing for you to say! (Yuma turns back to the duel, jazzed up.) Yuma: Let's go! Let's wake up the *dragon*! Astral (aside): Observation number six; praise motivates humans...! (to Yuma) Yuma, I, also, have something that I have been meaning to say to you. Yuma: What, Astral?

(Flashback. Yuma sits in the bathroom scowling as he listens to Astral, then shouts through the door.) Astral (VO): You are illogical, and you anger too easily; you are clumsy and lacking athletic ability... (Change Flashback. Bronk leads the vaulting class in a good laugh over Yuma's failed attempt to jump the twenty boxes. Change Flashback. Yuma tries to talk underwater.) Astral (VO): You are stubborn, too. And odd. (Change Flashback. Yuma argues with Astral during a duel. Change Flashback. He shouts at empty air on the sidewalk.) Astral (VO): But these are all excellent traits. (End Flashback.)

Astral: So earlier, when I said you were *inexperienced*, I meant to say, 'incredible.' (Yuma is beyond piqued, listening to this, and does not hear the part that's supposed to be a compliment.) Yuma: Yeah, right, now you're just makin' fun a' me! (Just then, the room starts to shake.) Yuma: Huh? What? What's that? What's going on, why is the room moving? <9:00> (Mr. Kay chuckles sinisterly. Above, the ceiling of the tower opens to the night sky. The entire room is being raised to the top of the tower.) Kazwell: Oh- whoa! The ceiling's opening! We're- we're going up! We're, we're *outside*! (The timers on the wall read 12:00:79 and counting.) Tori: Are we going all the way to the top?!

(Meanwhile, Kari reaches a door on the dark hallway that flashes WARNING.) Kari: Bingo! The viral code should be *just beyond that door*! (The door opens. Beyond it is a short, cloaked figure. With red eyes that glow.) - Crash-- bug!! (Kari cracks her knuckles and starts typing again.) Kari: You want a *piece* a' me, do ya? Bring it on! You're about to learn a valuable lesson-- (A little cartoon sort of stick figure appears, with Kari's red ponytail, plus a martial arts gi, boxing gloves, and sandals with socks.) Kari: *Never* underestimate a black belt in *codebreaking*! (The stick figure raises her fists and charges-- Kari is on the attack!!) Kari: Haaahhh!

(Meanwhile, at the tower, the timer on the wall reads 11:03:?? and the room is still going up.) Mr. Kay: From up here, we'll have the best view in the city to witness the results of the viral bug. (Kazwell and Tori look out over the edge, shivering in the wind.) Mr. Kay: I'm placing one card facedown and ending my turn. Astral (think): If Yuma loses this duel, I will fade away. How can I get him to listen to me?

(Flashback.) FB Yuma: I'm not gonna do *anything* you tell me to do in this duel. <10:00> If you tell me that I should go to the right, then I'm gonna break to the *left*! (End Flashback.)

Astral (aside): That gives me an idea. Yuma: Here I go! It's my turn! I draw! (draw) [Goblindbergh 1400//L4/] Yuma: Ha, sweet! I drew a great card! Goblindbergh, take to the skies! (Goblindbergh is a little green flying ace in a red airplane.)

Kazwell: This is what I call a very promising development! Because when Goblindbergh comes to the field, he can bring *another* monster *with* it! (Goblindbergh and a couple of his friends are towing a big metal box under their planes.)

Astral: Yuma, use this opportunity to summon Zubaba Knight. Yuma: Thanks for the suggestion; since you think I should go with Zubaba Knight-- I think I'll go with *Ganbara* Knight! (The metal box is dropped from the planes, and falls open-- revealing Ganbara Knight.) [Ganbara Knight 0//L4/] Yuma: Whoa...! I just realized-- they're both level four! That means, I can Xyz-summon Utopia! (Astral says nothing.) Yuma: I am feelin' the flow like you would not believe! (The two monsters start to glow orange and yellow.) Yuma: I'm high-fiving the sky, baby! I'm not just in the zone, there's like, *another* zone *inside* the zone and *that's* the zone I'm in! <11:00> (The field swirls in a dazzling galactic spiral.) Yuma: Now *check me out* as I Xyz-summon-- Number Thirty-Nine, Utopia! (At the core of Utopia's armor stands a helical structure in gold, and a glowing core. Its overlay units orbit in sparks of gold. From it extend the blades of golden wings, and strong arms, and golden shoulder plates. Its armor unfolds and extends, ultimately forming a gigantic robotic warrior with white metal wings, double swords, and white and gold armor.)

ACT 3 <11:24>

(Utopia has just taken the field and is standing strong. Even Mr. Kay is stunned.) Mr. Kay: Whoa...! Utopia... Astral: Yuma, listen. *Do not* lay down a trap card. Yuma: Rrrghh...! Astral: You're not skilled enough to use one. Yuma: Rrrghhh, *not skilled enough*?! I'm all *about* skill, ya floating bag a' wind, I'll show you! I'm placing one card facedown! It's all you, teach!

(The crashbug in the spooky robe is putting up a good fight, but Kari's little virtual fighter's fists are a blur of pink.) Kari: Delete my entire hard drive and erase my scoop, didja?! (Kari's typing at top speed; this is personal! On the screen, the crashbug, his robe tattered, slumps to the ground before Kari's character, with 50 LP to her 1000 LP. The timer, which is also on the floor under the characters, reads 08:19.) - Bug. Kari: I did it! Uh..! (Then the crashbug stands up again, glowing freaky colors, more fearsome than ever, wreathed in purple flames.) - Bug...! Bug! Bug! <12:00>

Mr. Kay: It's my turn, now! Huh! And once again, I activate Terror-Byte's special ability! This time I'll be taking control of Achacha Archer! (Terror-Byte zaps Achacha and it switches sides.) Yuma: Rrrgh..! Use your own monsters for once! Mr. Kay: Why should I? Thanks to my Terror-Byte combo, I get *so much more* out of turning *your* monsters against *you*! (Achacha Archer has a flaming arrow nocked and ready, aimed at Yuma.)

Kazwell: Because of Mr. Kay's combo, Archer will go down-- and then take *Yuma* down *with* 'im!

(Yuma is panicking.) Yuma: Aaahhh...! You mean if this succeeds, my goose is cooked?! (The timer on the wall behind him reads 08:06:08 and counting down. Yuma frantically looks for something to play from his hand.) Astral: Too bad Utopia is so useless; if only it had some *ability*. Yuma: Wait a second...! Utopia has the *perfect* ability! I got an *overlay unit* for ya, Mr. Kay! (Yuma discards Ganbara Knight.) Achacha Archer: Achacha...! Yuma: Go ahead and hit me with your best shot, 'cause thanks to Utopia, I can put a stop to one monster's attack! Astral: Infected Mail's effect only activates when the monster's direct attack succeeds. Since Utopia has stopped the attack, not only is Archer safe... <13:00> but "Cracking" will not be able to activate, either. Yuma: Hah, *yeah*..! I can stop you from pulling off your combo! Mr. Kay: *Well*; it seems I may've underestimated you.

Kazwell: Yuma's been displaying some rare bursts of intelligence. Tori: It's, probably the invisible duelist telling him what to do. Kazwell: You were serious about that?

Astral: Now your teacher has used up all of his overlay units. Yuma: Nice! You can't do your combo anymore! Mr. Kay: You don't *honestly think* that I failed to gauge your strategy just now, do you, Yuma? Yuma: Maybe. Mr. Kay: You've managed to pave a new road leading straight towards my victory. I now activate-- the "Bug Switch" trap card! When Crashbug X, Y, and Z are in my graveyard, I switch one of my monsters to summon *Super Crashbug* in defense mode! (Super Crashbug has a deep, scary voice, a tiny head, and a big, hulking body with glowing lines and edges that sparkle green.) Super Crashbug: Super crash...! [Super Crashbug /3000/L4/] Yuma: Oh boy, that's a relief. For a second there, I thought you were busting out some *huge monster* in attack mode. <14:00> Mr. Kay: Now, why on earth would I go and do something as *ineffective* as that... when I can activate Super Crashbug's special ability! Now, all monsters in attack mode swap their attack and defense points! (Mr. Kay's blank eyes are smoldering purple.) Mr. Kay: Terror-Byte had twenty-nine hundred defense points; but *now* it's got twenty-nine hundred *attack* points! Yuma: Aahh! Are you serious?! It was strong *before*, but...! Aw, man-- and now *my* monsters are *weaker*! (Utopia's attack point total becomes 2000, Achacha Archer's 600.) Mr. Kay: And that means it's the perfect time to attack! Go, Terror-Byte! Attack Utopia!! Astral: Don't dodge this! Yuma: I'm absolutely dodging it! I'm activating Utopia's ability! By using up its last overlay unit, I can stop your attack!

Tori: Nice! Kazwell: No-- *not* nice! Now Utopia's completely out of overlay units; without those, Yuma can't prevent future attacks! Tori: Aah...?

Mr. Kay: I place one card facedown and end my turn! (Gameboard display. Turn 7; Mr. Kay's lifepoints 4000 / Yuma's lifepoints 600; Mr. Kay's hand 0 / Yuma's hand 2; Mr. Kay has on the field Super Crashbug, Terror-Byte, plus Cracking, Infected Mail, and one card facedown, while Yuma has Utopia on the field and one facedown. Achacha Archer disappears from Mr. Kay's field and reappears on Yuma's.) Astral (think): I think I *know* what that facedown card is...! <15:00> Mr. Kay: This will all be over on my next turn. Yuma: Aahh... (The timer reads 05:15:50 and counting down, 82.472% complete and rising.) Computer: Viral release will occur in approximately five minutes. Yuma: Terror-Byte is so much *stronger* than my monsters now...! Mr. Kay is right; if I don't beat him *this* turn, then I'm done-for! Astral: Yuma, listen to me. Yuma: Huh? Astral: Whatever you do, *do not* use Zubaba Knight and Achacha Archer to Xyz-summon Leviathan Dragon. *That* is a bad idea. (Astral meets Yuma's gaze pointedly; he's speaking in code, but it's imperative that Yuma understand.) Yuma: Oh, yeah-- that's right, I've got another Number card! And since you think this is a *bad* idea, then *I* think it's the *perfect* idea! [Zubaba Knight 1600//L3/] Zubaba Knight: Zubaba-a-a Knight! (Zubaba Knight's attack points immediately switch to 900 because of Super Crashbug's effect.) Yuma: Now that my Knight is out and about, I'm gonna overlay it with Achacha Archer to form the overlay network! (The field turns into a breathtaking galactic swirl, and the two monsters whirl into it, in streams of gold and red.) Yuma: Mister Kay, I'd like to introduce you to Number Seventeen, Leviathan Dragon! (Number 17 creates its own dense mauve fog as it appears, then unfolds to become a great big six-winged dragon.) <16:00> [Number 17: Leviathan Dragon 2000/0/R3/] Mr. Kay: Interesting. But you seem to have forgotten about the effect Super Crashbug will have. Remember, the attack and defense points of a monster in attack mode *are swapped*-- which means your Leviathan Dragon now has *zero attack points*! Yuma: Dah..! All that effort and excitement, right down the drain! (to Astral) See, I *told you* that was a bad idea! It's like when you told me *not to dodge*-- If I had just *stood there*, then-- ohh..!

(Flashback.) FB Astral: Don't dodge this! (End Flashback.)

Yuma (think): *That* was bad advice, even for *him*!

(Flashback.) FB Yuma: If you tell me that I should go to the right, then I'm gonna break to the *left*! (End Flashback.)

(It's finally hit Yuma.) Yuma: You were playing the opposite game with me! Astral: You should activate "Thunder Short" from your hand, Yuma. (The countdown clocks around the walls read 03: 53:25, not that either one notices. Yuma looks at his hand; "Thunder Short" and "Double or Nothing!") Astral: With that, your victory will be assured. (Yuma growls under his breath, frustrated at being told what to do again.) Astral: No games this time. If you don't do this, I will vanish from this world. (Yuma stares at him for a moment, then relents with a groan.) Yuma: From my hand, I'm activating the "Thunder Short" spell card! <17:00> Thunder Short dishes out five hundred points of damage for every monster you have-- you can multiply big numbers, right, Mister Kay?! (Two monsters means 1000 points of damage crashes down on Mr. Kay in a wave of electricity, forcing him a few steps back; he now has 3000 points.) Mr. Kay: Uggghh! This isn't funny anymore. Once again, I activate Damage Vaccine Omega Max! And once again, just as I did before, I regain lifepoints equal to the damage I took. ("Damage Vaccine Ω Max". The sparkly confetti rains down again, and behind Mr. Kay on the wall the timer reads 03:23:42.) Yuma: I just can't make a dent in this guy! Astral: I think you are forgetting about your trap card. Yuma: Huh? A trap card? Oh yeah! I activate the Overconfidence trap! (This card is usually called "Asleep At the Switch".) Mr. Kay: The... the *what*?! Yuma: Since you've regained lifepoints, I can destroy your monster! Or to put it in a way a *math teacher* would understand, 'whaddaya get when you subtract Super Crashbug from your field?'! (Super Crashbug shatters, dispersing white, snowy sparkles.)

Kazwell: With Super Crashbug gone, all the monsters on the field revert back to their normal attack and defense points!

(Utopia now once again has 2500 attack, and Leviathan Dragon has 2000. Terror-Byte's attack points are once again their usual 0.) Mr. Kay: Uh-! <18:00> This can't be! Now Terror-Byte has no attack points! Yuma: Do your stuff, Leviathan Dragon!! Attack with Shock Stream Blast! (Leviathan Dragon does just that, obliterating Terror-Byte and damaging Mr. Kay with a blizzard of purple.) Yuma: And now Utopia's gonna bring it home!! Direct atta-a-a-a-ack! Rising Sun Slash! Mr. Kay: Aaaaaahhhhh! (Mr. Kay is knocked to the ground, his lifepoints depleting to 0. Yuma won. Kazwell is in tears of joy.) Tori: Hurray! You did it, Yuma! Kazwell: A miraculous, come-from-behind victory!! (Kazwell grabs Tori's wrists and swings her around. Around them the duel field is evaporating. The timers are still counting down, now at 02:13:71. The night around the top of the tower is clear and starry.) Yuma: I totally did it!! I beat my math teacher! Astral: I'm somewhat amazed that we pulled that off. Yuma: Huh? Hey, how didja know that Mister Kay was gonna *restore his lifepoints* like that? Astral: Your math teacher was aiming for perfection.

(Flashback. Mr. Kay is distressed at losing even 500 lifepoints, and activates Damage Vaccine Ω Max immediately.) Astral (VO): It became clear to me that your teacher did not want to lose *any* lifepoints; <19:00> that he would put his desire to be perfect above everything else. (Mr. Kay sets another facedown, and Astral already has a hunch what it is. Yuma plays Thunder Short and damages him, and Mr. Kay again immediately plays Damage Vaccine Ω Max.) Astral (VO): So I reasoned he was going to try to regain his lifepoints, even if he did not need to at the time. (End Flashback.)

(Astral extends one glowing hand, and a shining card rises from Mr. Kay's chest and flies to him. Mr. Kay stirs on the ground; the glowing 34 inscribed on the side of his neck shatters. Astral deftly catches the card.) Astral (think): This card contains a memory that was once a part of me...! Number Thirty-Four...!

(Vision/Flashback. Somewhere in space there is a galaxy that swirls in brilliant shades of turquoise, laced with hints of magenta. Astral stands beyond it in space, looking at it. Shooting stars and waves of space dust swirl into it.) Astral: I remember the place where I came from; a different galaxy...! (He himself is drawn into the galaxy's brilliant, swirling center.) Astral: ...Astralworld...! That is where I am from. (End Vision.)

(Astral looks straight up, as though perhaps he could find where he came from somewhere in the night sky beyond the brilliant city lights, far away...) Astral (think): ... That is all I remember.

(The timer reads 01:08:08 and rapidly counting down. Tori urgently shakes Mr. Kay's shoulder, trying to wake him up.) Tori: Mister Kay? Mister Kay? Wake up! (Mr. Kay groggily comes to, sitting on the floor; he's back to his usual self.) Mr. Kay: What're... all you guys doing here? Yuma: Hurry! You said you'd stop the viral countdown thing! Mr. Kay: The viral countdown...? I can't. <20:00> The viral release doesn't have a cancellation code. Yuma: Are you serious?! You mean the city is doomed?

(Kari types away furiously, unaware that she may just be our last hope.) Kari: Ugh! Haven't you *had enough*?!?! (Her little cartoon character is still whaling on the crashbug.) - Cra-a-a-sh...! (It hits the ground and stays down, then shatters; the timer reads 00:10 and counting down.) Kari: I did it! (00:06...00:05...00:04...) Kari: Why is the clock still ticking?

(The timers around the tower read 00:02:83 and counting down; the screens are flashing ominously red.) Computer: Three... (Yuma tenses; Kazwell stifles a wail of fear by stuffing his fingers in his mouth.) Computer: Two... (Tori huddles on the floor, nearly crying, holding her head.) Computer: One. (The timer ticks to zero. There stands Mr. Kay, guilty for what is about to unfold.)

ACT 4 <20:24>

(The city is quiet, its lights a softly dazzling array of pastel yellows, blues, greens, and purples.) Kazwell: Aah! We're doomed!! It's all over! Mr. Kay: What're you guys shouting about over here? Yuma: *Your virus*! Weren't you trying to crash the city's systems and cause panic and chaos?! (Mr. Kay is genuinely shocked.) Mr. Kay: Why would you think I'd *do* something like that?! Tori: Uh, everything *does* seem normal... Mr. Kay: I'll admit that during my preparations I accidentally caused *some* trouble, but... Yuma: But what? What did that program *do* just now? (Halfway across town, a dome on the skyline lights up gold.) Mr. Kay: Ah...! *There* we are! You wanna know what I did? Just put on your duel gazers and look up at the sky! <21:00> (Yuma does so, muttering--) Yuma: This is getting *weirder and weirder*. (Yuma looks up. As the sky turns greenish in gazervision, a giant is floating in the sky; and it looks familiar. It holds lit bombs, one in each hand; its smile is bright and innocent, and rainbow sparkles glitter around the filament of the lightbulb on its head.) Yuma: Whoa! What is-- is that-- All: There's a *giant crashbug in the sky*! Mr. Kay: I was looking at the patterns in the city's night lights, and I noticed that they seemed to be forming an incredibly complex matrix code. With my duel gazer, I scanned the pattern, and realized it was just one optical fragment away from being and *exact replica* of the Crashbug Q-code! And I realized, the museum's dome isn't normally lit up at night. (That is, the golden dome that lit up when the virus went off.) Yuma: So then all of this was just you trying to turn on those lights and make a giant Crashbug appear in the sky?! Mr. Kay: Yeah, you got it. (The three students practically fall over; they went to all that trouble and worry over this?!) Yuma: Well that's *weird*! Kazwell: Yuma-- look! (Kazwell is offering Yuma his Crashbug card.) Yuma: Your Crashbug card? You rubbing it in that you beat me yesterday? Kazwell: Read the description!

(It's a peaceful night on the sidewalk somewhere in the city. A little kid with a duel gazer, walking with his dad, happens to look up at the sky.) Little kid: Whoa! It's Crashbug!

(A little girl stands on a balcony with her parents.) Little girl: Crashbug is the best!

(More little kids elsewhere in the city wave and cheer at the vision in the sky.) - Yeah, Crashbug! - Whoa-ho-ho-ho, all right!

(Kari sits at her computers, chin propped on her hand.) Kari: Guess maybe I just wasn't meant to have a big scoop this week. (Then she hears the sound of fireworks and stands from her desk.) <22:00>

(Crashbug throws its bombs, filling the sky with holographic fireworks. Yuma reads the card description in voiceover.) Yuma (VO): 'Crashbug is an electric spirit that eats the bugs in our lives. Sadness, doubt, frustration-- no bug is too big for Crashbug.'

(Yuma, Kazwell, Mr. Kay, and Tori watch the amazing sight from the top of the tower, smiling.) Yuma: 'If you see Crashbug on the night of a full moon, it brings you good luck'! Kazwell: Don't you get it, yet? In the end, Mister Kay just wanted *everyone* to have good luck! (Astral stands off at a distance, watching the humans.) Astral: Observation number seven. Number cards affect people; they change them. (Crashbug joyfully throws bombs into the sky, dazzling the city with an uplifting fireworks display; this was what Mr. Kay wanted and desired, that seemed so sinister taken to the extreme Astral speaks of.) Astral: They seem to amplify their individual wants and desires, almost to the point they *take over*... I need to remember that.

END <22:35>