An Imperfect Couple I

(A wedding in the past. Brooke and Mayday Walker are getting married. Anna Kaboom is in attendance as a bridesmaid. She is smiling as the newlyweds leave what looks like a church.)

Brooke: Catch!

(Several bridesmaids shout as they reach for the bouquet being thrown, but Anna is the one who catches it. The audience applaud. Anna sees a card in the bouquet and picks it up)

Anna: What's up with there being a card in this bouquet? Either Brooke stuck it here on purpose, or her deck is missing the Spell, Devoted Love... It says here that it ends a battle but zeroes out your Life Points. Why would anyone ever want to give this card to someone? I mean, it's useless-

Brooke: Don't be so sure, Anna.

Anna: Huh? What do you mean, Brooke?

Brooke: Right now, you think that Spell is worthless. But I promise you one day you'll see that it's incredibly valuable.

(End flashback. Present day, it's Heartland Academy's new Cultural Festival! The school grounds are decorated with bunting. Students that are volunteers are dressed in cosplay. Others are in uniform as usual)

Girl #1: Wanna get a cyber smoothie?

Girl #2: Sure.

(The two girls walk past the Monster Café, which is adorned with the artwork of Madolche Tea Break. The café door opens. Tori and Cathy, dressed as Gagaga Girl and Cat Girl respectively, greet the customer)

Tori and Cathy: Why, hello there! And welcome one and all to the Monster Café!

Tori: You'll find our menu both ferocious and delicious. Just draw the item you'd like to order.

(The customer looks at his menu in the form of cards in Tori's hand)

Customer: I'll take... (chooses a card) This one!

Tori: An excellent choice! One Mushroom Man burger-

(Explosion. A wall of the café is broken into, causing other customers to groan. Anna is the culprit, arriving on her rocket launcher)

Anna: What's up, Tori? I heard your school is having a fun fair so I thought I'd crash the party!

Tori: Uh-huh? (Intro)

Tori: Anna, what were you thinking?!

(Anna hovers over and laughs sheepishly. Yuma is cosplaying)

Yuma: Yeah, this isn't a drive-through restaurant!

Anna: Hey, Yuma!

Yuma: Uh?

Anna: Wait... Ehehehe! When did you become a circus clown?!

Yuma: 😒 I'm Temtempo the Percussion Djinn.

Anna: What made you pick that get-up?

Yuma: When I got to the costume shop, this is all they had left!

Cathy: Personally, I think Yuma's costume is extremely rockin'! 😸 Ohhh, he looks absolutely purr-fect! Ahhh!

(Meanwhile, Ray Shadows is running somewhere dressed in a Dandylion costume)

Ray: Make way for Ray!

(His running catches the attention of three students)

Ray: Yuma, I've got big news!

(He says the aforementioned line before even entering the café)

Yuma: ...what's a couples' duel?

Ray: In this tournament, teams each made up of a guy and a girl, will battle it out, and whoever's left standing at the end, gets to take on two pro duelists!

Anna: Huh?

(Ray shows the pro dueling couple on his tablet)

Ray: Brooke and Mayday Walker are a husband and wife team who have won a ton of tournaments together. If you want to test your skills, this is a golden opportunity.

Yuma: Ha-ha! Huhuh, a chance to duel against two pros! Count me in!

Ray: Cool, but just remember that it's a couples' duel tournament, which means you can't enter without a partner. You should sign up though, cause I heard Brooke Walker is planning to retire soon-

Anna: 😮

Ray: -and this may be your last chance to duel her!

Anna: What did you say?!

(Anna suddenly grabs Ray by his Dandylion costume's collar)

Anna: Brooke would never quit dueling!

Yuma: Hey, don't hurt the messenger-

Anna: Take that back!

(Anna has Ray in a chokehold!)

Ray: 😵 O-okay, but it won't change the truth...

(Anna lets go, exasperated)

Anna: (thinks) I don't understand... Brooke loves dueling... Why would she give it up?

(Anna turns to face Yuma)

Anna: Yuma. I wanna be your partner for the couple's duel.

Yuma: 😶 You? My partner?

(Summer and Jen enter the café in their Eria and Lyna outfits)

Summer: You can't enter the duel, Anna. I'm afraid you simply aren't eligible to be Yuma's dueling partner.

Anna: Huh? Why is that?!

Jen: Because, you have to be currently enrolled as a student in this school to participate.

(Jen holds up her tablet)

Anna: 😟 A... student?!

(Meanwhile, Rio Kastle is acting as a princess during a school play as part of the festival. The "prince" is Yata-Garasu, the soccer team captain from a previous episode)

Rio: Greetings! Oh, brave prince. Long have I yearned for the hour of your arrival! The anguish of our last parting has lain heavily upon my mournful heart!

(Yata holds both of Rio's arms)

Yata: Dear princess...

(Shark is watching his sister from the very back of the seating area)

Shark: This play feels like a dream. 😞 A really bad one...

Bronk: Chill out, Shark. I think Rio's a natural.

Shark: Hunh?! Who are you supposed to be?

(Enter Bronk in his cosplay, bodypainted and all!)

Bronk: I'm Gogogo Golem. What do you think?

Shark: I think your costume... is even worse than Rio's play!

(Suddenly, Rio interrupts her own scene)

Rio: Quiet back there!

(The audience gasp. Shark is hit by a high heel thrown by Rio herself)

Rio: Don't spoil our big romantic scene, or it's curtains!

(Yata looks on with a 😲 face and sweatdrops. Meanwhile, at the Floral Design Club overseen by Lotus Hanazoe)

Lotus: This arrangement is a little formal, Caswell.

(Caswell is cosplaying as Gagaga Magician)

Caswell: You think?

Lotus: On the other hand, it is also quite sophisticated. Just like you... I think it's adorable!

Caswell: 😳 Uuuhhh! Really? You do...?!

(Outside at the grounds)

Girl #3: I've been waiting for this concert, for like, forever!

Girl #4: Really?

(Male voices are also heard, can't make out what's being said. Behind the waiting girls, another boy emerges with glee on his face)

Boy #1: Ah-hah-hah-hah! I can't believe it! I got a ticket to Scarlett's concert! (runs off)

(The boy bought his ticket from Flip Turner's stall)

Flip: My customers get fake concert tickets and I get all their rarest cards. This deal is a steal.

Carlyle: (walks by) Your booth is extremely popular, Flip.

Flip: 😲 It's the president of the student council!

Carlyle: I hear you have an interesting business model.

Flip: Yike?! 😟 Busted...!

(Meanwhile, Astral is waiting outside the bathrooms. Inside the boys' bathroom, Yuma and Ray have changed out of their costumes and are inside a cubicle)

Yuma: If we're gonna have a secret meeting, does it have to be here?

Ray: It's not your place to question your superior officer, Yuma. Remember, when we're on duty, I call all the shots. You're just a lowly deputy.

Yuma: Uh. Yuh! 🙋‍ I'm very sorry, sir.

Ray: That's better. Now I want you to keep a close watch on the school's funfair. It's precisely the kind of event the Barians would look to infiltrate.

Yuma: Do you really think so?

Ray: We can't be too careful. Patrol the fair and investigate any suspicious activity.

Yuma: 🙋 Heard and understood, sir. If I spot any Barians, I'll ask them to duel me- 😳?! Uh, I mean... I'll bring them to justice using the card issued to me by you, sir!

(Yuma holds up the card, Rank-Up-Magic Limited Barian's Force. Uh-oh...)

Ray: That's exactly what I wanted to hear, deputy.

(Meanwhile, Anna has infiltrated the female changing room, wearing an unconvincing disguise. She takes out a uniform)

Anna: Tori's uniform will work perfectly... This tournament's too important to just sit around! I gotta find out why Brooke's giving up the game she loves. And this is the best way to get the answers I need.

(Meanwhile, at the concert)

Scarlett: 🎵 Believing gets me through my darkest days!

(Scarlett Starling is singing the Season 1 theme as usual)

Scarlett: 🎵 Take a chance to make it all the way-

Male audience: Shark! Shark! Shark!

(Shark is one of the guitar players at the concert)

Scarlett: 🎵 Take a chance, forgetting yesterday-

Girl: Track up, Shark!

Scarlett: 🎵 Take a breath, my heart will lead the way, take a chance, I'll take a chance in today!

(End of song. The audience cheers. Afterwards, Ray leads Yuma outside. Yuma is tucking into his meal)

Yuma: These caramel-coated noodles are outstanding.

(Transition: Yuma feasts on a skewer)

Yuma: Oh, oh. Oh, yeah!

(Transition: Yuma sits down and tucks into his noodles properly. Ray is not impressed. Yuma is then taking selfies with his food; first, a pie he holds a slice of with his chopsticks, then a chocolate-and-sprinkle-coated banana, then a lollipop)

Yuma: Time for dessert, I'd love a Syrup Sunday! Any stands around?

Ray: Uh, hey, Yuma. Don't you have more important things to do right now than to keep eating?

Yuma: Huh? Uh, yeah. Now that you mention it, I'd love to drink a milkshake!

Astral: Yuma...

Yuma: What, Astral?!

Astral: I have noticed you have a capacity to ingest far more food and drink than the average human.

Yuma: Yeah. I guess I... I guess I'm hungrier than most people.

Astral: Or perhaps your stomach simply enjoys the exercise.

Yuma: Yeah, that could be it, too.

Anna: Hey, Yuma...!

(Anna appears in Tori's uniform, carrying her rocket launcher the usual way)

Yuma: Huh? Anna... what's with the get-up?

Anna: Hehe. I just enrolled as a student here! And now that I'm officially part of the school, I can enter the couples' duel with you!

Yuma: D'aah? You and me?!

Anna: Don't disappoint me, Yuma. Or else!

(Anna points her rocket launcher at Yuma)

Yuma: But not the blaster, Anna! Okay, we're a team!

(Meanwhile, Brooke is in a waiting room sorting out her deck)

Brooke: I haven't dueled against students since I was in school, and that was a long time ago.

(The lights cut out)

Brooke: Huh? Who shut off the lights?

(Evil laugh. Suddenly Brooke finds herself no longer in the room, and gasps. She turns around)

???: I've seen you and your husband duel together. You make an impressive team!

Brooke: Who are you...?!

???: You will become my instrument of destruction. I will harness your powers to strike down my foes!

(Brooke, still gasping, is manipulated by Rank-Up-Magic Barian's Force. She suddenly snaps out when the lights turn on again. Her husband enters the room)

Mayday: Hey, we better move it, Brooke, or we'll be late for our duel. ...are you okay? Are you still up for dueling today-

Brooke: 🙂 Yes, dear. I'll be fine. Now let's get going.

(Meanwhile, Tori has returned to her locker in the female changing rooms)

Tori: (reads) "Borrowed your uniform, Tori. Will return soon. Anna." ...why would Anna take my uniform? Unless... she's planning to pose as a student here at the school!

Cathy: 😨 So she can enter the couples' duel tournament with Yuma!

Tori and Cathy: They won't get away with this!

(The tournament is already underway, watched by many happy spectators at the nearby stadium wearing their AR gazers)

Host: What a tournament. What a team! Brooke and Mayday won every single duel today! And now it's time to wrap things up-

Anna: Not so fast!

(Anna and Yuma ride in on the former's rocket launcher)

Anna: It isn't over, there's still one more challenger!

(While Anna prepares to land, Yuma is already dismounted and lands on his face inside the stadium. Anna lands on her feet)

Anna: And that's me!

Brooke: Anna... what are you doing here...?

Yuma: Ugh-uh, hold on. Wait a sec! You know her?

Mayday: Hey. Isn't she the friend who came to our wedding?

Brooke: That's right. Her name's Anna Kaboom. She used to be a dueling pupil of mine.

Host: What a shocker! The winner of the World Duel Carnival, our school's own Yuma Tsukumo, is making a surprise challenge with a mystery partner!

Brooke: I'm so happy for you, Anna! Really, I had no idea that you'd be dating a world champion duelist!

Yuma: Wait, are you talkin' about me?

Brooke: How long have you known each other?

Yuma: Look, we're not-

Anna: Hey! That's not important right now! Is it true?! I heard you were going to give up dueling forever, Brooke!

Brooke: Huh?

Anna: When you were training me, you told me how important it was to be committed to dueling! But you didn't really mean it, did you?!

Brooke: Anna, I-I can explain!

Anna: I don't wanna hear excuses! Listen, Brooke! You made a promise once. You told me that if I ever beat you in a duel, you'd do anything I ask. No matter what it was.

Brooke: Awh-

Anna: Well, I'm gonna hold you to it! So when I beat you, you can't quit dueling!

Brooke: But Anna...! 😞 I see that it's pointless to try and reason with you right now. 🙎 All right, then. I accept your challenge!

Astral: I sense there's a great deal of tension between Anna and her former teacher.

Yuma: That's exactly why they have to duel each other! When there's a problem, dueling's the best possible way to hash things out!

Mayday: That's true. I can already tell this isn't going to be an ordinary duel. Ready?

Yuma: I'm always ready. Aaaa-Ah!

(Yuma prepares his Duel Disk, so does Anna and Brooke)

Yuma: You set, Anna?

Anna: For sure!

Brooke: So am I!

(Anna and Yuma bring out their duel gazers)

Anna: Let's get started, then.

Yuma: Yeah!

Computer: Augmented Reality Vision Link estalished.

Yuma/Anna and Brooke/Mayday: Now let's duel!

Mayday: I'll get things started, here goes! Hah!

(Ray is watching from the very back of the stands. Tori and Cathy join him and...)

Tori: 😖 They teamed up!

Cathy: 😖 Urgh... I can't even look!

Astral: This duel presents a fascinating challenge. A team must defeat both opposing duelists to prevail, so teamwork is essential. Yuma and Anna must stay in sync with each other to win.

Mayday: I'm activating the Field Spell, Iceberg Ocean!

(The field turns into an iceberg ocean)

Mayday: Now all face-up monsters in defense mode will have zero defense points! I picked this field for you, Brooke, since I know it's one of your favourites.

(Brooke winks lovingly. Anna is seething with jealousy)

Mayday: Next I'll up the altitude with the spell, Balloon Party! This card gives my team a lift, by summoning two Balloon Tokens. And then, I'll tribute those tokens so I can summon my Level 10, Indestructible Airship Hindenkraft!

(Mayday's Level 10 monster emerges from the sky)

Yuma: It's incredible!

Anna: Oh, brother. Stay focused, will ya?

Mayday: According to this couples' duel, none of us is allowed to attack on our first turn. So I'll place one card face-down and let Yuma take over!

Yuma: Cool! Okay, I draw! (draws) And I'll summon Gogogo Golem!

Astral: Yuma, I highly recommend you focus on strengthening your defenses this turn.

Yuma: I will. I'm placing two cards face-down and ending my turn!

Brooke: Here I go. I draw! I'll dive right in by activating the Spell, Raft Party! This card summons two Raft Tokens! But they won't hang around for long, because I'm tributing them to summon something way more massive. Here comes, Unsinkable Titanica!

(Brooke's Level 10 monster emerges from the iceberg ocean, causing debris to fall towards the spectators. They all hold their arms up to shield themselves)

Yuma: Their monsters totally rock!

Anna: 😠 Rrrgh, whose side are you on?!

Yuma: Hnh...

Mayday: I activate my Hindenkraft's special ability! Since my lovely wife summoned Titanica, your Gogogo Golem switches to defense mode. Also, due to Iceberg Ocean's effect, your Gogogo Golem's defense points shrink to zero.

Yuma: Gogogo Golem...!

Brooke: I activate my Titanica's special ability! It destroys a monster that has zero defense points, and then hits you with damage equal to half of that monster's attack points!

(Titanica destroys Golem. Yuma is sent flying)

Yuma: Oooo-oooh! Uh!

(Yuma lands on the ground, LP 3100)

Anna: Why did I pick you as a partner?! You're dueling like a total wimp!

Yuma: Oh yeah?! Why don't you find someone else to duel with, then?!

Astral: Your opponents are working in perfect harmony.

Yuma: I'll use a trap card to get my game back on. Whenever a special ability destroys my monster, Puzzle Reborn summons that monster back, in attack mode! Welcome back, Gogogo Golem!

Brooke: Hm, impressive... I'll put one card face-down and end my turn. Anna's up!

Anna: It's about time! I've been itching to get in on the action. Hah! I'll get my first turn rolling by summoning Night Express Knight! I can summon it without tributing by lowering its attack points to zero. But I'm not done! I'm activating the Spell card, Southern Stars! It raises the Level of one monster all the way up to ten! That's gonna be you, Gogogo Golem!

Yuma: Yes! I can't wait to take advantage of that maneuver!

Astral: I don't think so...

Yuma: Huh?

Anna: I overlay my Level 10 Express Knight and Yuma's Gogogo Golem. Go for it, guys! I build the Overlay Network and Xyz Summon! Make way for the monster train that's gonna derail your chances of winning! Chug on in, Superdreadnought Rail Cannon Gustav Max!

Yuma: ...hey, if you wanna use my monster, you should ask me first! 😒

Anna: According to the rules, if I wanna Xyz Summon, I can use your monster even if you don't like it.

Yuma: Hm?! Wait...!

Anna: Please. Quit whining and let me duel.

Brooke: Uh...

Anna: I activate Gustav's special ability! By using one Overlay Unit, my train blasts my opponent with two thousand points of damage!

(Gustav Max readies its cannon)

Anna: I'm going after Brooke.

(Gustav Max is about to fire. Brooke looks on)

Anna: Now let it rip! Ready, aim, fire!

(Gustav Max shoots)

Mayday: Don't think so. I activate Engagement Destiny! This Spell Card lets me absorb half the damage.

(An engagement ring appears in front of Brooke and splits the cannon fire in two. Yuma gasps)

Anna: No way!

(Brooke screams as the cannon fire hits her)

Mayday: Brooke...!

(Mayday reaches out to catch her fall. Both are on 3000 LP)

Mayday: Gotcha.

Anna: Huh...?

(Flashback to the wedding)

Mayday: We can face any difficulty as long as we both go through it, together.

Brooke: It's true, by sharing both our joys, and our hardships, our love makes us stronger.

(End flashback)

Anna: Ugh... No, how ridiculous. I'll put one card face-down and end my turn.

Mayday: It's my turn again. So here, (draws) hah, I go! Brooke, darling. Let's show them why we make a perfect dueling couple.

Brooke: Yes, dear. Go for it!

Mayday: I overlay my Level 10 Hindenkraft and Brooke's Titanica! With these two monsters, I build the Overlay Network. Watch in wonder as the master of the skies and the queen of the seas unite, to form an even more massive mega-monster! I Xyz Summon, Skypalace Gangaridai!

(Gangaridai emerges from the cloud-filled sky, shocking the spectators, including Ray, Cathy and Tori)

Mayday: This monster's gonna sink any chance you two had of winning this duel!

(Even Anna and Yuma are staring and gasping in shock)

Mayday: I activate Skypalace Gangaridai's special ability! By using one Overlay Unit, Skypalace Gangaridai destroys one monster on the field, and slashes its owner's Life Points in half. Take out Gustav... Max!

(Anna and Yuma are still shell-shocked)

Mayday: Skypalace, fire your Torrid Torpedo!

(Gangaridai's effect blows up Gustav Max, sending Anna flying)

Anna: Aaa-aaah!

Yuma: Uh...! Anna!

Anna: Ah!

(Anna lands back-first on a floating iceberg)

Astral: That Skypalace is a true threat...

Mayday: Next, I'm gonna attack Yuma.

Yuma: Uhh....

Mayday: Gangaridai, strike Yuma directly! I hope you like the taste of defeat, kid!