Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Ruby? Hey, kiddo, you up yet?” A voice rang out. “Yang’s been here for 10 minutes now!”

The young girl gasped as she jolted awake, blinking rapidly. She knew she’d overslept the second her eyes flew open. She glanced to the tablet beside her, still playing the video she’d fallen asleep watching– But worse was the time displayed on said tablet.

“Oh, crap, not agaaaaain!!” She cried, quickly tossing the tablet aside as she hurriedly stumbled out of bed to grab her clothes.

The tablet on the floor continued to play, as the white-cloaked challenger took the victory.

The name hit Ruby’s ears like shattering glass, and she froze midway through dragging on her pants. She couldn’t stop herself from looking back at the footage, even though she’d seen it a thousand times before. Looking back at her was a face so much like her own… Same short cut hair, same odd, silver eyes. Summer Rose. Her mother. But while their faces looked similar, Summer seemed to be everything she wasn’t. Proud, confident, and always smiling. Nothing like the anxious wreck always sleeping in and fiddling with her Duel Disk until 3 am.

But that would all change today.

“Ruby?” A knock came at the door, followed by her father simply opening it anyways. Taiyang stuck his head in, glancing first at the scattered clothes lying on her bed and empty suitcase lying on her floor. Then he quickly caught sight of Ruby staring into the face on her tablet, and let out a sigh.

“Ruby, you were supposed to have finished packing last night.” Taiyang said, shaking his head. “Come on, your sister’s waiting.”

“Huh! Wha!” Ruby snapped back to reality, nearly dropping the tablet, then looked back at her dad like a cow looks at an oncoming train. “Oh! Look, I meant to but then I got. Distracted.”

Taiyang nodded, just leaning down and quickly stuffing her clothes and toiletries into her suitcase.

“I keep telling you not to watch videos before bedtime. The light will keep you up.”

“I need the noise to fall asleep!” Ruby protested, quickly continuing to throw her things together. “I can’t go to sleep when it’s too quiet, I start thinking too much and I can’t stop and I need noise to keep my thoughts down, but not like, too much noise, and I can’t do ASMR, it creeps me out, and–”

“Yang’s waiting, Ruby.” Taiyang said.

Ruby shook her arms and continued running about her room and grabbing things like a red blur.

“Oh no. Where is it.”

“Where’s what.”

“No no no I can’t have lost it. No! I need her!!”

“Your duel disk?”

“Crescent Rose!” Ruby yelled, grabbing her hair. “I can’t believe I lost her!! How, I ALWAYS leave her right next to my bed–”

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.” Taiyang said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Think now. Where was the last place you had it.”

“....” Ruby’s eyes darted around like a pinball as she thought, then widened with realization. “OH! The garage! I put it there to charge!”

“There we go.” Taiyang patted her shoulder. “Go grab it, I’ll get the rest of your things.”

Ruby sped out of her room and down the hall, her socks squeaking on the smooth wood floor. Her hand reached the door to the garage before the rest of her body, and she throws it open, practically flinging herself in. Inside the garage was a large wooden workbench in the corner, and atop it lay a large, wrist-mounted device with a folded up attachment. It was a deep red color with silver and black trim, and a faint glowing screen that reads “charging”. Ruby’s pace slowed as she reached the bench, panting like an Olympic runner, and she then gingerly unplugged the device, sliding it onto her arm.

“...There you are, old friend.” Ruby smiled. She raised her arm, activating the Duel Disk, and the device unfolded, revealing a curved, scythe-like extension with five card slots, ready for battle.

“Hee hee hee.” Ruby giggled, folding the disk back closed with the touch of a button. “Oh, just wait till those Duel Academy kids see you! I bet none of them ever made their own custom Duel Disk.”

She unfolded it again, admiring her handiwork, then folded it back up. Then opened it. Then closed it. Then open. Then close. Okay, just one more time–

“Ruby!!” Dad called again, snapping her out of it. Ruby hurriedly closed up Crescent Rose for real this time, and rushed back out.

“Coming!!”

Meanwhile, Taiyang dragged out Ruby’s haphazardly-stuffed suitcase and backpack out the front door, where a girl waits beside her bright yellow Duel Runner. She yawned, stretching her arms over her head, before shaking out her long, wavy blonde hair.

“...That girl…” Taiyang muttered as he loaded Ruby’s luggage onto the back of the bike. “I keep telling her that she’s gotta get a normal sleep routine, or this’ll keep happening.”

“Oh, don’t sweat it, Dad,” Yang replied, smirking, “I stopped caring about being late ages ago.”

“Maybe so, but you know how strict the Academy can be.” Taiyang responded. “If she makes a poor first impression, they’ll kick her out in the blink of an eye.”

“You think they’d do that to Summer Rose’s daughter?” Yang asked. “Come on, she was a dueling champion! I’m sure that’ll earn us some leeway, right?”

Taiyang shrugged. “I wouldn’t push it. Ruby’s good, but unless she learns to work hard and focus all that talent, then she’s gonna struggle.”

Yang’s grin faltered a bit. “...She won’t. I’m here for her. Not gonna let anything bad happen.”

“...You can’t always protect her, Yang.” Taiyang said. “You gotta let her fly solo. And that can be hard, trust me, I know. Do your best and support her… But you might have to let her fall on her own.”

Yang’s smile flattened into a hard line, but before she could say anything further, Ruby burst out the front door, fully dressed in a bright red hoodie and black jeans, her backpack hanging off one shoulder.

“I’m here!! I made it!! Sorry Yang!! Aah!” She cried as she stumbled over to her sister’s Duel Runner.

Yang shot her a grin and a wink. “...Don’t worry, kiddo. I guarantee Bumblebee here can get us to the Academy in no time.”

Ruby let out a sigh of relief. “Phew. Haha, imagine if I was late to the entrance exams! They’d have tossed me out for sure!”

“They won’t toss you out.” Yang replied, grabbing her helmet with a grin. “If I could pass all those tests, then you’ll have no problem!”

“Easy for you to say,” Ruby said, looking downwards, “You’ve already been accepted.”

“Pfft.” Yang sticks out her tongue. “I just took a bunch of fancy classes. Just wait till they see the deck you built– You’ll knock ‘em dead!”

Ruby’s face suddenly went ice cold. “My deck!!”

She let out a scream, then darted back into the house, becoming a red tornado once more. Yang and Taiyang exchanged a glance.

“...She’s ready.” Yang said, as if trying to convince herself. “She won’t fall.”

–

The Bumblebee sped through the roads, weaving between cars and swerving around corners as Yang drove full throttle towards their destination. Ruby, hanging on tight, peered over her sister’s shoulder, trying to avoid being slapped by the wavy blonde ponytail blowing in her face, as the large dome of the exam site came into view on the horizon.

“There it is!” Ruby said, pointing.

“Yup!” Yang shouted back over the engine. “How much time we got?”

“...Uhhh.” Ruby inched her phone out her pocket just enough to check the time. “...F-five minutes.”

“Hrm.” Yang bit her lip in frustration. Even going full throttle, she couldn’t safely get Ruby there without breaking a looooot of traffic laws. The cars in front of her started to slow down, and Yang cursed under her breath as she’s forced to stop behind them.

“...Ohhh…” Ruby mumbled, her leg bouncing rapidly. “I should have gone to bed!! How could I mess this up, today of all days!!”

“Don’t worry! I got this!” Yang feigned confidence. “Even if I gotta break every traffic law in Domino City, I’m getting you to that exam!”

“No!” Ruby cried, “They could reject you from the Academy if you do that! This is my fault… I…”

Yang put her brain into overdrive as she stared up angrily at the red light, willing it to turn green. The red light stared back, unsympathetic, for what feels like ages… Until Yang’s ears caught the familiar sound of a Duel Runner nearby.

ZOOM!

She glanced over, spotting two Duel Runners zipping down a nearby lane, their holographic monsters speeding alongside as they battle– And an idea struck her.

“Ruby!” She cried over her shoulder. “Get out your Duel Disk!”

“Huh?” Ruby blinked.

“Take out your Duel Disk,” Yang repeated, quickly booting up her own and attaching it to her Duel Runner. “We’re gonna duel, right here, right now.”

“What? Why?”

“Because,” Yang says, pointing towards the duel in progress with a smirk, “We can go as fast as we want to in the Turbo Duel lane.”

Ruby’s eyes widen. “I… But… They’ll catch us! For sure! We’ll get in huge trouble for abusing a Dueling Lane!”

“Maybe.” Yang said, already loading in her deck. “But they’ll have to catch us first.”

“Yang!” Ruby yelped, clutching tightly onto Crescent Rose.

“...The worst they can do is expel me.” Yang replied. “But I’m not giving up until you get your shot.”

With that, Yang grabbed Crescent Rose and activated it, initiating the duel. Nearby, the Dueling Lanes instantly detected the signal, and opened up for the Bumblebee to pass. Ruby’s heart sunk into her stomach, but it was too late now.

“Hold on tight!” Yang cried as she sped into the lane.

–

“Professor Cordovin? The exams are nearly complete.”

The diminutive gray-haired woman yawned, leaning back in the highly uncomfortable folding chair as she looked over the list her aide had presented.

“Thank goodness.” She muttered, leaning her head into her hand. “This year’s exams have proven quite dull. Not a speck of talent to be seen. Looks like we’ll be taking in mostly Slifer Slackers, a Ra Yellow or two. But only one made the cut for Obelisk Blue…”

She glances across the room at a girl, short in stature but high in class, sporting a pure white dress and equally white hair, kept in a curled ponytail. Her piercing blue eyes and icy cold expression warded off any from approaching her, but demanded respect from all as she stood, watching over the other hopeful applicants.

“...Weiss Schnee.” Cordovin said, smirking. “Who’d have thought that such a prestigious heir would come to our neck of the woods? Full marks on the written exam, flawless performance in the practical duel… She’s going places, that’s for sure. And I, for one, am not going to waste this opportunity.”

“We have about six remaining applicants who have not yet arrived,” The aide said. “If they do not show up within the next five minutes–”

“Just mark them absent now.” Cordovin waved her hand. “If they could not be bothered to get here on time, they are not even fit to be Slifer Red. They belong at Dueling Community College.”

“Are you sure, Professor?”

“Of course.” Cordovin replied. “It’s my job to separate the wheat from the chaff, and I won’t tolerate anyone who disrespects the Academy by showing up late.”

The aide nodded. “...Very well then.”

Cordovin glanced over the applicants once more. A hopeless-looking blonde boy currently stands, trembling, with no monsters on his side of the field, while the examiner stared him down.

“...Jaune Arc…” Cordovin murmured, looking at his sheet. “...Hm. I had expected better from his pedigree. But it looks like he’ll be going home.”

The boy trembled as he drew another card.

“...I… I play… Mirror… Force?” He stuttered, placing the card on his disk.

“...That is a trap card, boy.”

“...Uh. Um. I special summon it?”

“...”

“Wait! Look, I– this is an off-day for me! The cards, I just wasn’t getting a good hand!”

“...That’s tough luck for you, then. Vorse Raider, finish him off!”

“NO! WAIT! AAAAH!!”

Cordovin smirked as the last of the boy’s life points hit zero. How thrilling it was to see the weak get put in their place. It was the only reason she bothered to come watch this whole farce of an exam.

“...Better luck next year.” The examiner said coldly. “Next!”

The blonde boy slowly staggered off, head drooped low, as if he’d been actually struck by a giant monster.

“Another one down.” Cordovin said, striking his name off her list.

–

“We’re gonna make it!!” Yang cried, pushing Bumblebee to the limit as the exam arena grew closer and closer.

“But how are we gonna get out of the lane!?” Ruby yelled back, clinging on for dear life, “The track is gonna loop until it ends!”

“No problem!” Yang said, hitting her own duel disk. “All I gotta do is surrender, and then we’re home free! Told ya this would work out!”

The sound of sirens blaring then cut her off, and both sisters’ stomachs dropped in unison.

“Sector Security!” Ruby said, her face going pale. “Oh no, we’re going to jail!”

“No! You’re gonna make it!!” Yang shot back, gritting her teeth. “Just a little bit… closer…!”

Behind them, three Security Runners were gaining fast, red and blue lights flashing on Ruby’s back.

“This is Sector Security. Pull over immediately and exit the Dueling Lane! You are in violation of city law!”

Yang gritted her teeth, looking over her shoulder. “...Okay, Ruby. Here’s what we’re gonna do.”

“Yang? Yang, don’t! You'll get kicked out before you're even in!”

“I won’t!” Yang lied back, grinning confidently. “I’m gonna stall ‘em! You get out of here and to that exam, no matter what, got it!?”

“Yang, no! I blew it, this is my fault!! We need to stop and go back, and maybe we won’t get arrested–”

“There’s no time!” Yang shouted. “You wanted to be like mom, right!? You wanted to go to her Academy! More than anything, right!? You’ve been working all this time!”

Ruby’s face trembled. “I know! But not like this!! This is…”

“Look. You wanna make it up to me?” Yang said, “Then don’t you dare fail that exam, got it!?”

“Yang, no–!”

But before she could protest further, Yang put her hand on her disk, and surrendered the duel. Both duel disks powered down, and the Dueling Lane opens up to let them back on the road. Bumblebee shot back onto the street, mere blocks away from the exam site, as the security bikes follow.

“This is your last warning! Pull over now, or we will be forced to engage!”

“...Alright Ruby. This is it.” Yang said with a grin, “I’ll have them send your luggage later!”

“Wait, what are you–!?” Was all Ruby could get out before Yang suddenly turned Bumblebee into a sharp left, and simultaneously, pumped the brakes, locking the back wheel. The bike drifted as it slid forward, rubber screeching against the cement, leaning the bike dangerously low to the ground. As it slowed down, just enough, Ruby felt a light shove– Just enough to slip her off the back of the bike and onto the hard, cold ground as she hit the sidewalk, bouncing like a stone before rolling to a stop.

“Augh!” She cried, lying in place as pain wracked her body– She was certain she had a nasty scrape somewhere on her arms, but it was hard to tell when everything hurt so bad. Before she could even open her eyes, she heard the roar of Bumblebee’s engine blare loud, then quickly vanish as Yang took off, the sirens speeding after her.

“...No… Yang…!” She struggled to stand, her eyes still blurry as she reached out for her sister. But Yang and Bumblebee were already a yellow speck in the distance. Ruby felt tears welling up in her eyes. Yang was going to get expelled at best, prison at worst, and it was all her fault.

Summer… Her mother… She’d never have done this. Ruby had wanted so badly to be like her, to become a champion, just like her… And already, she had screwed everything up. She looked behind her– The exam site was so close. And yet… What would be the point? She had failed already. She screwed her eyes shut to try and stop the tears, putting her fists to her face as they came anyways.

“You wanna make it up to me? Then don’t you dare fail that exam, got it!?”

She stopped, catching her breath. No. No, she couldn’t turn back, not after Yang had gotten her this far. She had to pass that exam, no matter what. If Yang found out that she’d just given up and gone home after risking so much… That’d be far worse than anything the Academy could do.

Ruby took a deep breath, then turned back towards the dome. It was right there in front of her. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she grabbed Crescent Rose tight, then started sprinting as fast as she could.

Through her teary eyes and blurry vision, most of the way was a blur– She couldn’t tell a person apart from a streetlight, and muttered out various “sorry”s and “excuse me”s even when no one was around. Her mind was focused just on getting there, and there would be nothing that stopped her–

“OOF!” Ruby smacked face-first into someone; since she wasn’t lying on the ground bleeding, she guessed it was a person. She quickly staggered to her feet, rubbing her eyes rapidly.

“I’msosorrypleaseexcusemeIgottagosorryagainI’minareallybigrush–!” Ruby spat out rapidly as she tried to dust herself off and get to her feet, rubbing her eyes till she could finally see who she had bumped into.

“...It’s alright.” A calm, measured voice replied, the tone easing Ruby’s panic just a bit. It was a soothing, patient tone from this man, like he wasn’t bothered at all. “...I’m okay. Are you hurt?”

“Me? Uh, no. Yes. Well, I am, but I’m not– I’m in a hurry, sorry, I–”

“Take a breath. It’s alright. …Ah, that Duel Disk… You’re a Duelist, I take it?”

Ruby nodded furiously. “I– Yes! Not yet. Almost! I’m going to the Academy. Maybe. I hope. If I pass.”

The man slowly nodded, then reached into his pocket. “...One more thing… Your eyes, they’re silver? How curious.”

Ruby pauses, then quickly wiped her face again, looking up. The man before her was a lean, tall figure in a turtleneck sweater, and a pair of black spectacles resting on his nose, with short, stark white hair that made him look much older than one would expect. He examined Ruby’s face carefully, tilting his head.

“...Huh? Oh, yeah. They’re my mother’s. I mean– My mother had them too. Sorry, I really gotta–”

“I understand.” The man replied, raising a hand slowly. “Before you go… I think you should have this.”

Slowly, he revealed a Duel Monsters card in his hand, and extended it to her. Ruby blinked as she looked down at the card. At a glance, she started sizing up the card.

Monster– Effect. Level 2. 300 ATK/200 DEF. Effect… Who cares, I gotta run!!

“I– Uh– Thanks! I gotta run, though, but, thanks!!” Ruby quickly took the card, bowing her head, before stashing it quickly into her deck case.

“Do your best, young one.”

“Y-yeah, sure!” Ruby said, darting right back off. “And sorry again!!”

–

Cordovin put another strike on her list, gleefully crossing out the final applicant. Breathing a sigh of relief, she leaned back in her chair, arms behind her head.

“Ah, thank goodness that’s over.” She mutters. “Now, let’s wrap this up so I can get back to my office. The stench of mediocrity here is unbearable.”

“Of course, Professor Cordovin.”

“...One moment, please.” A voice came from nearby, causing Cordovin’s eye to crack open. She quickly recognized the tall, lanky man as Professor Oobleck, with his shock of faded green hair and circular glasses. As always, he held in his hand a seemingly bottomless mug of coffee, from which he sipped every few seconds.

“...Ah, Oobleck.” Cordovin muttered, her good mood fading. “What are you doing here?”

“The Headmaster sent me down to ensure that we would not have a repeat of last year,” Oobleck replied, sipping from his mug. “When you rejected twice as many applicants as our previous exam.”

Cordovin scoffed. “I’m only doing my job, Professor. The prestige of Duel Academy rides on us accepting only the best and brightest. Those unfit for us belong elsewhere.”

“Well should we all be as thorough as you, we very well may not be accepting any students at this rate.” Oobleck replied. “The Headmaster wished for me to make sure you were not… abusing this most trusted position.”

Cordovin folded her arms indignantly. “...Look, I can’t help it if half our applicants have no talent. If I’d passed them, they’d be bound to drop out anyways. And besides, I haven’t failed everyone. In fact, we’ve got a major catch this year.”

She beamed towards the student in white. Oobleck followed her gaze with a slow sip of his mug.

“...Hm. The heiress of Schnee Dueling Company?” He mused. “How interesting. I would figure she would have attended at Atlas Academy.”

“Well, it’s good for us!” Cordovin grinned, “Think of the donations her family could make to us! She’s going to be Obelisk Blue, in my class, of course. Girl like her is going places.”

“...Hm.” Oobleck glanced back over Cordovin’s list. “...I see you’ve crossed out these few applicants here. But there are still a handful who have yet to arrive.”

Cordovin shook her head. “Slackers! They don’t take us seriously enough to arrive on time, they can try again next year. Come on, Oobleck, let’s not worry about those bottom feeders! We’re an elite academy!”

“There is still time in the exams.” Oobleck rebukes, “Or would you prefer I report to the Headmaster that you are seeking to do your job halfheartedly, and cutting things short?”

“...You seriously want me to drag this whole affair out?” Cordovin groans, slumping back in her chair. “I had plans tonight, Oobleck.”

“...So did I. So I suppose both of us will be making a sacrifice, for the sake of our elite academy.” Oobleck says, taking a seat beside her.

Cordovin simply scowled. “So be it, Oobleck. But mark my words– This is a waste of both of our time! You think an amazing duelist is just going to burst through those doors?”

But at that instant, the doors to the arena burst open, and a girl stepped through. Cordovin blinked in shock as a raggedy girl in a tattered red hoodie staggered in, panting and sweating like she’d just ran a marathon. All eyes fell upon her as she tried desperately to gather her breath, the girl clearly trying to speak, but far too tired. It took her a full ten seconds before she could finally raise her head, inhale, and shout:

“I-I’m here!! M-my name is Ruby Rose, and I’m here to take the exaaaaam!!!”

There was a brief silence, before the students and examiners alike all looked at each other, then to Cordovin. Oobleck just took a long sip of his coffee. Even the girl called Weiss looked surprised, her piercing stare locking onto the raggedy, sweaty girl.

“...Hmph. Imbecile.” She whispered to herself.

“...Um. Ah…” Cordovin looked down at her sheet, where indeed the name ‘Ruby Rose’ was listed, already crossed out. “...You… You are quite late, Miss Rose! The exams have just finished!”

“I-I’m sorry!! It’s all my fault!!” Ruby clapped her hands over her head, bowing deeply. “B-but please, just one chance! I-I went through a lot to get here! Please, just give me a shot! I’ll do whatever it takes!”

Cordovin shook her head. “...I’m afraid all our examiners have already left. There is no one here who can test you.”

“However,” Oobleck interjected. “Perhaps we could find someone else for you to duel.”

“...” Cordovin squints at Oobleck, then back at Ruby. An idea begins brewing in her head. “...Very well. Due to my colleague’s insistence… I shall allow you one chance.”

Ruby’s eyes lit up like a firework, and she started to bow repeatedly, her face flushing. “Oh thank you! Thank you so much!!”

“I shall have you battle another examinee who has already passed.” Cordovin says, smirking. “If you can defeat them, it will prove to me your worthiness to attend the Academy. However, should you lose… You will have to try again next year. Understood?”

Ruby nodded so hard her head could fall off, then gave a much more relaxed, enthusiastic grin.

“Yeah! Sure! Who am I up against?”

Cordovin’s grin widened, like a lion about to bite into its prey. She slowly raised her arm, and gestured across the arena to none other than the girl in white: Weiss Schnee.

“...Miss Schnee, would you be willing to have this battle?” Cordovin asked. “It would be an honor to watch you duel once more.”

Ruby slowly followed Cordovin’s gesture, until her eyes fell upon the cold, steel-faced girl in white. Weiss’s eyes turned to face her, and for a second, the two locked eyes. Ruby felt electricity on the back of her neck at the girl’s icy gaze, like she was staring into the eyes of a ferocious predator. The name ‘Schnee’ clicked in her head.

“...D-did you say… Schnee…?” Ruby asked. “Like… The 3 time juniors champion, Weiss Schnee…?”

Weiss flipped her hair, and began to step forward. “...You’ve heard of me. Good. You’re not as much of a dolt as you look then.”

Ruby gulped. “...D-dolt?”

Weiss glanced back at Cordovin, then nodded. “I accept.”

Cordovin grinned gleefully, then pointed back at Ruby. “Then it is settled! Ruby Rose, should you be able to defeat Weiss Schnee, then I will accept you into the Academy on the spot.”

Ruby’s body froze. She had been expecting a test duel, someone who would at least let her show her stuff, but… This girl…? No, she had an aura to her, the aura of a merciless warrior, waiting to strike her down. Ruby felt a chill run down her spine as she realized that this was not to be a mere test.

This would be a war.

“Are you ready, Ruby Rose? Go ahead and take your place.”

Ruby slowly found the strength to walk again, as she wiped her brow, and started heading to the stage where the duel would be held, clutching Crescent Rose nervously. Weiss did the same, descending from the audience stands and walking slowly yet steadily downwards. Everything about her exuded cold-blooded confidence, while Ruby could feel everyone staring at her ripped jeans and battered up hoodie. This girl couldn’t be more different from her if she was from another planet! The skills and cards that she could afford… It was nothing like any of the duels she’d done in training. Could she win? No, could she even land a single hit?

The voices were back, telling her this was a mistake. If only she’d woken up earlier. If only she’d been more responsible. If only she’d trained harder, if only, if only…!

“Hey! Don’t give up now!”

Ruby’s eyes suddenly shot open, and her head swiveled rapidly, trying to hear who had said that. There was nobody nearby– Yet she’d heard a voice, loud and clear, as if it were speaking in her ear! She rubbed her head, wondering how hard Yang had dropped her before–

“You can do this. Believe in yourself!”

Ruby nearly stumbled over, looking around in shock. She had definitely heard something! Oh no, was she going insane from stress!?

“Here, in your deck! That’s where I am!”

Ruby could feel her sanity slipping away, but what was she gonna do, not listen to the mysterious encouraging voice? Slowly, she reached for her deck case and slowly opened it, sliding out the deck… Where one particular card suddenly jutted out.

“Ah!” Ruby screams, stumbling back and once more earning the shocked stares of everyone present. She stared slowly at the card, before recognizing it.

“...Th-this is…” She blinked, staring at the card– The one that strange man she’d bumped into had given her! At the time, she’d been in too much of a hurry to look at it properly… But on closer inspection, the monster was a small, fluffy brown ball with large, circular eyes and a pair of wolf-like ears atop its round body, as well as a large fluffy tail and claws. The card’s name read: “Kuribokami”.

“Oh, right… That guy gave this to me.” Ruby muttered.

“Yes. He gave me to you so I could help you! Now go in there and do this!”

Ruby stared back at the card in shock, and as she did, she could have sworn that she saw the little fluffy wolf wink at her.

“Miss Rose?” Cordovin’s voice rang out. “Are you going to join us, or have you given up already? There’s no shame in leaving now.”

Ruby jolted back to reality, then looked up at Cordovin, then the stage, where Weiss had already taken her place, arms folded and glare icy. She quickly shoved the card back into her deck and clambered up onto the stage, taking her spot opposite Weiss.

“N-no, sorry, I’m ready! I-I’ll… I’ll do whatever it takes!” Ruby said, putting on a weak smile. She looked across to Weiss, trying to look confident. “I-I’m honored to have you as my opponent.”

Weiss’s expression indicated that she did not return the sentiment. “...Just don’t waste too much of my time, rookie.”

With that, the heiress raised her right arm, where her Duel Disk rested, and unfolded its blade with a flourish. Ruby’s eyes immediately began to shine, gasping at the stylish custom disk. It was stark white save for the Life Point reader, which shone a bright red, with a thin, straight blade, like a razor’s edge. Clearly it was a high end Kaiba Corp product, but with undeniable custom flare– Was it a Brodie Custom? Or perhaps a Hybrid? The polish was so clean and clear that Ruby could see reflection, even from this distance. It was a thing of beauty– Ruby was thankful she’d come solely to see this piece of amazing work.

“...Are you going to keep gawking, or duel me?” Weiss snapped, her eyes narrowing.

“Ah! S-sorry, it’s just… Your Duel Disk is really finely crafted!” Ruby said, her enthusiasm shining through. “The craftsmanship is top notch– Is it a Brodie Custom? I think the holster mechanism is similar. It’s a single blade, though, so it might have an Atlas flare to it! I like it! But ah, I think the dealing mechanism is a little off. It looks like the cards will get stuck every third card–”

“Excuse you!?” Weiss’s eyes widened with indignation. “Are you calling my equipment shoddy!?”

“No, no! Not at all!” Ruby cries, waving her arms, “No, it’s wonderfully crafted, but it looks like the maintenance hasn’t been done properly– I can fix it real easy, though, you just need to replace–”

“Not done properly?” Weiss’s eye twitched. “How dare you. I was thinking of taking it easy on you, but now you’ve gone and irritated me.”

Ruby realized too late that she’d messed up, and her face went blue. “Ah– Wait, no, I-I didn’t mean it like that–”

“You have some nerve to criticize my equipment while wearing that pile of junk on your arm.” Weiss shot back.

“Hey!” Ruby felt that one sting in her chest, and the pain quickly turned to anger. “I was gonna help fix your disk, but now you’ve irritated me!!”

With that, Ruby activated her own disk, the blade unfolding and springing to life, curving in a deadly arc. Inserting her deck into the slot, she then drew her first five cards, ready to duel.

The arena quickly buzzed to life, the holographic projectors powering up. Overhead, the monitor displayed each duelist’s Life Points.

Lastly, the first move would be randomly decided. On the overhead monitor flashed images of Ruby and Weiss, going back and forth rapidly, then slowing down until it stopped upon the face of Weiss Schnee. The heiress smiled, satisfied that the first move was hers.

Cordovin grinned to herself, looking smugly over at Oobleck. “Well, I’ve given her a chance, just as you asked. Now, watch and see the difference between trash…”

She gestured to Ruby. “And REAL talent.” She gestured to Weiss.

Oobleck simply took another long sip. “...As long as the so-called trash gets their chance to shine… I won’t complain about the outcome.”

“Good. Never let it be said I’m not a fair judge!” Cordovin laughs, before reaching for the microphone once more.

“Let us begin the final exam of the day. Weiss Schnee vs Ruby Rose! Are you both ready?”

“Ready.” Weiss said, eyes locked on her prey.

“Ready!” Ruby declared, matching her gaze.

Cordovin smiled.

“Let the duel… Begin!”

Turn 1: Weiss (4000 LP)

With a flourish, Weiss drew her first card, hardly even looking at her deck– A swift, practiced motion that was not lost on Ruby. She’d heard that presentation was important to professional Duelists, that looking as controlled and collected as possible was vital to maintaining your composure in the competition.

“Three turns.” Weiss said, suddenly.

“Huh?” Ruby blinked, tilting her head at Weiss. “Three… turns?”

“Three turns.” The white girl repeated, holding up three fingers. “That’s how long it will take for me to defeat you.”

Ruby blinked again, then frowned. She couldn’t just let her say that! She racked her brain for a comeback.

“...I-I’m going to last a lot longer than that!!” Was the first thing out of her mouth.

Good comeback, moron. Why didn’t you say something like ‘I’m not gonna lose’, or ‘in your dreams, rich girl’?!

“Don’t worry. I’ll make it quick.” Weiss remarks. “Pay attention and you just might learn something.”

Weiss casually peers down at her hand, her fingers swiftly and decisively picking her desired cards, like a master violinist plucking at the strings. Ruby was getting nervous– But she couldn’t let Weiss’s icy demeanor throw her off her game. Stay cool, Ruby.

“First, I activate the power of my ‘Seven Servants - Dopey Knave’!” Weiss declares, placing the card onto her Disk.

In a burst of light, a diminutive little monster popped into existence in front of Weiss. It was clad in pure white armor, with a large, cone-shaped helmet and two beady red eyes peering out from the visor, and a small, pathetic-looking buckler in its hands. It was quite cute, Ruby thought, quite unlike its owner. She quickly checked the monster’s stats: 500 Attack Points and 500 Defense Points. Quite weak, Ruby noted. But Weiss must have more up her puffy, fancy sleeves.

“If I control no monsters, 'Dopey Knight' can Special Summon itself directly to my field,” Weiss said, snapping her fingers. “Meaning that I can now summon another monster in addition to him!”

Weiss wastes no time and places another card on the field. “And I summon ‘Seven Servants - Grumpy Knight’!”

Another flash of light as a large, rotund knight appears besides Dopey, this one bearing a sword and shield. Its helmet sported a pair of large, metal protrusions that looked a lot like a pair of angry, bushy eyebrows. As opposed to the weak and meek Knave, this card boasted 1200 Attack Points and 800 Defense Points.

“...But that’s not all.” Weiss continues. “Now I can activate Grumpy Knight’s special ability: He gains 400 Attack Points for every ‘Seven Servants’ monster on the field, including himself. So now…”

Weiss snaps her fingers, and the Grumpy Knight glows with energy as its Attack Points raise from 1200 to a whopping 2000.

Ruby gulps. 2000 Attack Points!? On the first turn, too? She glances at Weiss’s face, who’s wearing a small, yet incredibly smug grin. Her beautiful blue eyes staring back gleefully at Ruby’s clear nervousness. Ruby quickly tried to think of anything else, focusing on her Disk, clicking its latches with her fingers to keep calm.

“Lastly, I place one card face down,” Weiss says, planting the card into her Disk. A corresponding hologram appeared beside her. Likely a trap, Ruby suspected.

“I end my turn.” She finished, flipping her hair haughtily. “Let’s see what you’ve got, rookie.”

From her perch, Cordovin let out a joyous cackle. “Do you see that, Oobleck? A 2000-point monster on her very first turn. That’s the kind of talent we need at the Academy.”

Oobleck sips from his mug. “I don’t believe Miss Schnee’s talent was ever in question. It is the newcomer who we’re here to observe.”

Cordovin scoffs. “Fine, let’s see what she’s got then. Hopefully she makes this entertaining.”

“...My turn.” Ruby says, trying to look more confident than she felt. “I draw.”

Turn 2: Ruby (4000 LP)

Ruby pulled her card from Crescent Rose, and added it to her hand. As she did, she recognized the familiar card once more– The tiny round wolf called “Kuribokami”.

“...You again!” Ruby whispered, eyes wide. This card… There was definitely something special about it. Having seen it again, Ruby felt a spark of confidence welling inside her… Weiss might be a professional with her fancy disk and haughty attitude, but Ruby had grown up living and breathing this game. She wasn’t going down without a fight.

Okay, Ruby, keep calm. You can do this. Don’t be intimidated by her scary/pretty eyes!

Her confidence rising, Ruby slapped down her first card onto Crescent Rose.

“I summon ‘Petal Wolf’, in attack position!” She cried, as the monster emerged beside her. It took the form of a large, black-furred wolf, wreathed in beautiful rose petals around its neck.

1600 Attack Points, noted Weiss. Not bad, but not nearly good enough to take on Grumpy.

“Now, Petal Wolf,” Ruby raised her arm and pointed at Weiss’s Dopey Knave. “Attack ‘Dopey Knave’!”

Petal Wolf doesn’t have enough Attack Points to defeat Grumpy Knight, but it’s got more than enough to take out Dopey Knave! And with him gone, Grumpy Knight’s strength will go down!

Petal Wolf reared back on its haunches, then launched itself forward with blinding speed, trails of blood-red petals in its wake as it charged for Dopey Knave. The diminutive Knave’s pitiful 500 Attack Points were no match for Petal Wolf’s vicious 1600, and the tiny monster could only squeak and cower behind its tiny shield.

But just before its attack could land, Weiss raised her hand and snapped her fingers. The face down card she’d played before flipped over, and suddenly, Petal Wolf dropped to the ground, hitting the floor with a heavy thud, inches away from Dopey Knave, who let out a sigh of relief.

“...Fool.” Weiss said, shaking her head. “You’ve activated my Trap Card: ‘Gravity Glyph’! When you attack my monster, Gravity Glyph negates the attack and forces your monster into Defense Position.”

Petal Wolf’s card turned horizontally, setting it into Defense Position. Instead of its powerful 1600 ATK, it now was forced to use its pitiful 400 DEF. Weiss held out her finger, wagging it like a disappointed mother. Ruby gritted her teeth– That hadn’t gone well at all.

“You rushed in without any thought.” Weiss chastised, taking the tone of a disappointed mother. “Such sloppy dueling will get you nowhere against me.”

What the hell? She’s so mean! Ruby angrily fiddled with Crescent Rose, messing with its knobs and switches to calm herself.

“...Then I’ll play a face down.” Ruby said, putting the card onto her Disk. “End of my turn.”

Turn 3: Weiss (4000 LP)

“I draw.” Weiss said, the second Ruby had finished. She pulled her next card, barely glancing at it before adding it to her hand. “I shall summon ‘Seven Servants - Cheerful Chevalier’!”

Weiss’s next monster appeared, a knight bearing a large spear that it twirled around energetically. Its beady red eyes were full of mirth, and its helmet appeared to bear a wide, metallic grin. Ruby noted it’s Attack Points as 800.

“Cheerful Chevalier’s special ability allows it to attack twice, if there is another ‘Seven Servant’ on my side of the field,” Weiss explained. She then mimed checking her watch, tapping her wrist with a wry grin. “Oh, look at that… This is the third turn. Looks like your time is up. See, now that I have Cheerful Chevalier on my side of the field, Grumpy Knight’s Attack Points rise up to 2400!”

Grumpy Knight gave a hearty chuckle as his effect activated.

“In defense position, your pitiful Petal Pooch is so weak that even my Dopey Knave can destroy it,” Weiss continued, twirling a lock of her hair, “And then you’ll be open to a direct attack. Grumpy Knight has 2400 Attack, and Cheerful Chevalier can attack twice for a total of 1600 damage. And presuming you can do basic math… You know what that means.”

“I’ll have you know I got GREAT grades in math!” Ruby shot back, trying to not look as cornered as she was.

Weiss simply shook her head. “I like your spunk, but it’s over now. However…”

Weiss narrowed her eyes, then pointed to the card on Ruby’s side. “That face down card you played is almost certainly a Trap Card. I’d be an absolute dolt to attack you with that in play– I’ll dispose of that card before I attack you.”

Weiss flips the card in her hand to show a bright blue Spell Card. “I activate the Spell Card ‘Avalanche Rush’! I discard one card from my hand, and then your face down card…”

Weiss quickly inserts a card in her hand into her Graveyard slot. Immediately, a chilling wind blows from behind her, and towards Ruby’s side of the field– The red haired girl covers her face, despite the fact that it’s only a hologram. When she opens her eyes again, the face down card she’d played was now covered in ice. Then it slowly began to crack apart, then shatter completely.

“...Is obliterated.” Weiss finishes. “That is how a professional duels.”

Damn… She’s not showing any mercy! Ruby clenched her fist. But luckily… That’s not my only trick, Ice Queen.

“Now, say goodbye to your Petal Mutt.” Weiss said, raising her hand once more. “Dopey Knave, obliterate it!”

Dutifully, the Dopey Knave saluted, then scampered across the field on its tiny little legs towards the incapacitated Petal Wolf. In Attack Position, Petal Wolf could have torn the Knave to shreds– But with only 400 Defense Points, even the Knave could finish it off. Dopey Knave leapt forward, then slammed into the Wolf with its shield, destroying it in a shower of pixels and particles.

“Guh!” Ruby grunted as her monster shattered into bits.

“And now… You’re wide open!” Weiss said, waving her hand. “Grumpy Knight, attack her directly!”

The Knight bounded forward, dragging its sword along with it. Ruby braced herself– With 2400 Attack, she was about to lose a lot of Life Points. The Knight roared as it swung its sword, the hologram passing through Ruby and dropping her Life Points.

“Ohohohoho hoooh!” Cordovin crowed from her seat, kicking her legs with excitement. “Perhaps this was worth it after all to see such elegant dueling. Miss Schnee will make an excellent Obelisk. Elegant, talented, and most of all, merciless.”

“The game is not over yet.” Oobleck replied, placing his mug down. “Every Duelist knows that the game isn’t over until your Life Points hit zero. It’s only when you’re up against the corner… That you can truly see what a Duelist is made of.”

“And now,” Weiss said, raising her arm, “The coup-de-grace. Chevalier, attack twice, and finish this. We’re done here.”

With that, Weiss turned swiftly on her heel, already walking away as her monster charged towards Ruby, laughing wildly as it went. Its Attack Points were exactly enough to finish off Ruby, and she had no cards left on her field. It was over.

What a waste of my time… Weiss thought, her heels clicking as she headed off the stage. But I suppose it was a good warm up. Three turns isn’t bad at all. Might be my new record.

“Not so fast, rich girl!”

The cry made Weiss stop in her tracks, turning around in shock. As she did, she saw to her shock, that her opponent was still standing, and… The expression on her face was not one of despair or defeat. It was… confidence.

“...I activate Petal Wolf’s special ability!” Ruby said, a smirk forming on her lips.

Suddenly, a swirl of rose petals congealed around the red-clad girl, coalescing between her and the incoming sword– And out of the dancing red flowers, Petal Wolf burst back onto the field!

“What!?” Weiss’s eyes widened.

“Once per turn, if my Petal Wolf was destroyed by battle, and I’m being attacked directly,” Ruby declared, “Then I can Special Summon it to my side of the field in Attack Mode, and force your Chevalier to battle it!”

Revived from the dead, Petal Wolf emerged and pounced onto the Chevalier, driving it back from Ruby.

“...Impossible…!” Weiss muttered, eyes narrowing.

“Your Chevalier only has 800 Attack Points,” Ruby continued, her grin widening, “And assuming you can do basic math… You must know what that means, right?”

Weiss’s eye twitched. “You upstart…!”

Petal Wolf bit down on the Chevalier’s neck, who let out a scream as it was shattered to bits. Weiss’s life points ticked down as a result of the battle.

Weiss looked like she’d been slapped in the face. She looked in disbelief at her Life Point readout. She’d… She’d actually taken damage! This dolt…! She’d not only survived her onslaught… But counterattacked!!

She waited…! Weiss realized, her eyes going wide. She took that 2400 point attack, then waited for me to strike with my weaker monster… She knew I’d have to destroy her Petal Wolf, and waited for her chance to revive it, when my guard was down!

Weiss turned her gaze on Ruby with indignation and shock, while Ruby just smiled back with a wink.

“...Told ya I’d last more than three turns.” She said, sticking out her tongue.

Cordovin balked. “...Sh-she survived!? How?? This is absurd!”

Oobleck chuckled. “...Looks like things are heating up. That’s how I like it, hot like my morning brew.”

Weiss gritted her teeth, hands balled into fists, before slowly turning and stepping back onto the stage. When she raised her head, her sapphire eyes were hardened into an icy glare, which Ruby met head on with silver orbs.

“...It seems like… I underestimated you.” Weiss said, tucking back her hair. “So be it. I’ll start fighting for real.”

“Bring it on, rich girl.” Ruby shot back, matching her gaze with piercing silver eyes. “I’ve come too far to lose to the likes of you!”

“Then make your move, rookie.” Weiss said, ending her turn, “Because I won’t hold back now.”

“...Me neither.” Ruby’s eyes narrowed as she reached for her deck. “My turn. Draw!”

–

“Miss Xiaolong, you’ve got a visitor.”

Yang looked up from her spot on the uncomfortable bench of the holding cell. The guard walked over, leading the visitor up to the bars. As she laid eyes on the tall blonde man, Yang put on a grin and waved a hand casually.

“...Hey Dad.” She said.

Taiyang sighed heavily. “...Yang… Where’s your sister?”

“I dropped her off at the exam.” Yang replied, completely unapologetic, “I don’t know if they let her in, but I did my best. Like you said… It’s up to her to fly now.”

“You’re lucky nobody got hurt.” Taiyang muttered. “And you’ll be even luckier if they decide to give you back Bumblebee. Not to mention your acceptance into Duel Academy.”

Yang grimaced, her face dropping. “...They’ve impounded her… And it’s gonna take me a while to work up the money to get her back. But hey, nothing I can’t handle. Just gotta win a few tourneys. I’ll have her back in a month. As for the Academy… Heh… There’s always next year…?”

Taiyang rubbed his temples. “I’d say this should be a lesson to you, but I get the feeling you don’t regret a thing.”

Yang shook her head with a wide grin. “She deserves to go to that school, Dad. It’s all she’s wanted since she was little. To go there, and be like Mom. I’m not letting anything get in the way of that dream.”

“...I know. I want it for her too.”

Yang put on a smile, then laid back on the bench. “...I’m gonna be fine, Dad. I can look after myself by now. You know how strong I am. So relax, kay?”

“You are strong, Yang.” Taiyang replied. “Nobody has ever doubted that. But you’re reckless, and your lack of caution could get you or those you care about in trouble.”

“I won’t let that happen.” Yang said back stubbornly.

“You could have gotten both of you hurt with that stunt.” Taiyang chastised. “And if I hadn’t posted your bail, you’d be sitting in that cell for a long time.”

Yang looked away, folding her arms. “...Sorry. I’ll be more careful.”

“...” Taiyang looked to the guard. “...Well? Is she free to go?”

The guard nodded. “She’s lucky this is only a first offense. The Duel Runner will remain impounded until it’s paid off. Keep yourself out of trouble, and you’ll have it back in due time.”

With that, he opened the cell door, and Yang hopped up and joined her father. She sighed, shoving her hands into her pocket.

“...Uh. Any word from the Academy on if I’m expelled or not?” Yang asked sheepishly.

“Actually,” A new voice suddenly cut in, as the clack of a cane grew nearer, “If you’ll forgive me for eavesdropping… I believe I might be able to work something out.”

–

On the field between Ruby and Weiss stood three monsters: Ruby’s Petal Wolf, and Weiss’s Dopey Knave and Grumpy Knight.

Up in the bleachers, the two teachers overseeing the duel watched intently, both waiting to see Ruby’s next move.

“...She got lucky.” Cordovin muttered. “This changes nothing.”

Turn 4: Ruby (1600 LP)

“My turn. Draw!” Ruby declared, sweeping the next card from her deck.

Glancing over her hand, Ruby’s mind started to dance. She had managed to hang on, surviving Weiss’s last onslaught and even struck back, but she was still on the back foot. However, looking at the card she’d just drawn, a confident grin crossed her face.

“I summon ‘Petal Scarecrow’, in Attack Position!” cried Ruby, as her monster emerged in a flurry of rose petals. The monster that appeared was a straw-dummy wreathed in a red cloak, with a wide-brimmed hat and a stitched on smile for a face. As it emerged, it drew a pair of revolvers from its hips, cackling as it pointed them at the enemy.

Weiss analyzed the card silently. 1000 Attack Points. A weakling, but it was enough to dispatch her Dopey Knave. And with Dopey Knave gone, Grumpy Knight’s attack would lower to 1600– Equal to Petal Wolf. If Ruby attacked it, both monsters would be destroyed… But unlike Grumpy Knight, her Petal Wolf’s effect let it return to her field.

“Now, Petal Scarecrow, take out Dopey Knave!” Ruby commanded, swiping her hand through the air. The Scarecrow laughed as it complied, extending its arms and firing wildly. The Dopey Knight yelped in fear as the bullets flew through the air and hit their mark, shattering the monster to bits. The collateral damage from the battle burst out into Weiss, lowering her life points.

W: 3200 LP -> 2700 LP

“And without your Knave on the field, Grumpy Knight’s attack drops!” Ruby says. “From 2000 to only 1600! And with that, I can have my Petal Wolf attack! Sic ‘em, girl!”

Petal Wolf dutifully lunged forward towards Grumpy Knight, and the two monsters clashed head-on. In a burst of light, both monsters shattered to bits.

Clever, rookie. But not good enough. Weiss thought, brushing off her outfit. Ruby had hoped to see some sign of irritation, but the heiress remained cool, completely nonplussed by the damage. Ruby’s brow furrowed, and she played one last card.

“...I’ll place a face down card, and end my turn.” She finished.

Turn 5: Weiss (2700 LP)

“...My turn.” Weiss said, her eyes fixed on Ruby as she drew from her deck. “...I will commend you, rookie. It’s been a while since anyone managed to land a hit on me. Unfortunately for you, this is as far as you go.”

Weiss glanced down at her hand for a mere half second, before looking back decisively and playing a card.

“...I will use another ‘Dopey Knave’,” Weiss declared, “As you recall, its effect allows me to Special Summon it when I control no monsters. But don’t worry, he won’t be around for long– I now sacrifice ‘Dopey Knave’ to summon…”

Weiss quickly slide the ‘Knave’ card into her Graveyard slot, then proceeded to place a new, stronger monster in its place, a fierce look in her eye.

“Come forth! ‘Seven Servants - Slumbering Paladin’!” Weiss chanted, as a large, lumbering knight rose from the ground. In one hand it carried a large sword, and in the other, an equally large pillow. As it rose, towering a full head above Weiss herself, it let out a loud “YAAAAWN”.

Another big guy, Ruby thought to herself, checking its Attack Points. 2100… Pretty big. But I’m ready for that, Schnee.

Weiss’s eyes narrowed and she raised another card. “But that’s not all. You’re probably thinking that face down card of yours will protect you? Let’s fix that. I activate the Spell Card ‘Vigilant Servant’!”

“This card allows me to destroy one of your face down cards for every ‘Servant’ I control,” Weiss explained, extending her hand, “Which means that you can say goodbye to that Trap Card you’ve got there!”

The Paladin raised its sword and pierced the face down card, shattering it to pieces. Ruby winced, raising her arm over her eyes.

“How predictable,” Weiss went on, extending her palm. “And now, Paladin, crush her ‘Petal Scarecrow’ into straw!”

The Slumbering Paladin let out another yawn as it lumbered lazily towards Ruby’s monster, dragging its sword behind it. Weiss looked to Ruby to see the despair and frustration on her face… But she saw none. That gave her pause– Was this just a poker face? No, that wasn’t it– From what she’d seen this girl couldn’t control her emotions to save her life. So then, this confidence… It meant she had a plan.

“...You’re the predictable one!” Ruby suddenly cried. “...Because now, I activate Petal Scarecrow’s super power!”

Weiss’s eyes widened as Ruby suddenly pulled a card from her Graveyard: the very same Trap Card that Weiss had just destroyed.

“...I knew you’d destroy my trap,” Ruby said, a confident smile spreading across her lips, “And that’s why I played Petal Scarecrow. When it’s attacked, I can activate a Trap Card in my Graveyard! And I’m picking the card that you just took out– ‘Rose Rebellion’!”

“What!?” Weiss’s eye twitched with disbelief. She… She predicted my move!?

“I remove ‘Rose Rebellion’ from my Graveyard, and activate it’s effect!” Ruby declares as the card vanishes, “When a ‘Petal’ monster I control is attacked by a monster with higher Attack Points, I can discard another ‘Petal’ monster from my hand and destroy your monster!”

Ruby smiled– There it was again, that growing confidence, the rush of battle… This was why she wanted to come here! The excitement of outmaneuvering your foe, the tension of your Life Points ticking away. Mom… This must be how you felt, right?

“I discard my ‘Petal Pup’ to blow your Paladin away!” Ruby picked an orange-bordered card from her hand, then slid the card into her Graveyard. Instantly, a storm of rose petals began to swirl around Ruby, then shot out towards Weiss’s monster. Her Slumbering Paladin was engulfed by the storm, destroying it and scattering it away in a shower of red. Weiss covered her head with her Duel Disk, and when she lowered it, her blue orbs were burning with fury.

No way… This dolt got the drop on me!?

Ruby raised a finger gun, blowing imaginary smoke from it. “How’s that for an amateur?”

“U-Unbelievable!!” Cordovin crowed, nearly falling over in her chair. “H-how did this upstart manage to counter her!?”

“Reading your opponent is just as important as playing strong monsters,” Oobleck remarked. “It seems that your star pupil has been underestimating her foe.”

“Quiet, you. That upstart may have tricks, but when she unleashes her strongest card, Miss Schnee will put her in her place.” Cordovin muttered.

Weiss’s teeth were gritted, but she took a deep breath, running a hand through her hair. Her rage was still impossible to hide, however. Weiss lifted her last card and threw it on the field.

“...I play a face down card and end my turn.” Weiss finished, eyes laser focused on Ruby.

Turn 6: Ruby (1600 LP)

“My turn. Draw!” Ruby said, feeling the momentum swing her way. She could feel her heart pounding… In spite of all the trash talk and anger from Weiss, she was having… fun. She was smiling now, excited to see where the duel was going.

“...I summon ‘Petal Sniper’ in Attack Position!” Ruby said, slapping the card on her Disk with newfound confidence. The Sniper appeared, a young girl in a tattered hat and cloak bearing a large rifle twice her size. Ammo belts wrapped around her body, and a rose eye patch covered one of her eyes. She bore a wide, sharp-toothed grin, and snickered gleefully as she raised the scope to her eye. Its Attack Points were projected alongside it: a decent 1000 points.

“You’ve just activated my Trap, rookie.” Weiss interjected, flipping up her face down card. “Behold, ‘Servant’s Bell’! This card allows me to instantly summon a Servant from my Deck with equal or less Attack Points than your strongest monster!”

Weiss held out her hand, as her Duel Disk ejected a card directly into her waiting fingers. She wasted no time in placing the card down onto her field, summoning forth a small impish knight, its body hidden almost entirely behind a large, round shield.

“...And this brings my ‘Seven Servant - Abashed Armorer’ to the field, in Defense Position!” Weiss cried.

Ruby glanced at the card, noting its 2000 Defense Points– Bulky enough to stop all her attacks. But Ruby was far from intimidated.

“Not bad… But unfortunately, that won’t stop my Petal Sniper!” Ruby announced, “I activate Petal Sniper’s super ability: Petal Sniper can attack you directly, but her attack is halved. Take the shot, Sniper!”

Petal Sniper grinned and raised her rifle, a bright red dot appearing on Weiss’s shoulder, then moving up to her chest, aiming right for her heart. Weiss clenched her teeth and raised her arms, just as the Sniper pulled the trigger. A crimson bullet burst from the gun, streaking red as they sped towards Weiss. The haughty heiress gritted her teeth as the shot landed, reducing her Life Points.

Yes! I can do this! Ruby’s fingers happily danced across her Duel Disk, tapping its screws and switches. I can do this. Just you wait, Yang!

“I throw a face down card and end my turn!” Ruby declared, as another card materialized next to her.

Turn 7: Weiss (2200 LP)

It was Weiss’s move again, and she paused, looking at the Life Point readout on her Duel Disk quietly for a long moment. Slowly, she drew her next card, then raised her eyes to stare down Ruby once again. But instead of further frustration, Ruby was surprised to see her expression relaxed– Like the calm before a raging storm. The hairs on the back of her neck raised; she had a bad feeling about what was coming next.

“...You fought well, rookie. But I’m afraid it’s over.” Weiss said, closing her eyes as she raised her card slowly. Her eyes flashed open, and she placed the card onto her Disk. “I activate the Spell Card ‘Instant Service’! This card allows me to return one ‘Servant’ from my hand to my deck, and in return, I can draw two cards.”

Weiss revealed the Servant card in her hand, then returned it into her deck. She then pulled two more cards from her deck, glancing at them casually, then adding them to her hand. Ruby could tell just by the iciness of her expression that whatever she’d just drawn, it would not be good for her.

“Next, I activate the Spell Card, ‘Monster Reborn’!” Weiss declared, holding out the card. Ruby’s eyes widened– Monster Reborn? That was a classic! But wait, what was she planning to revive? The Sleepy Paladin? Or Grumpy Knight? What was she playing at?

“...And the monster I choose to resurrect is…” Weiss then pointed towards Ruby. “Your ‘Petal Wolf’.”

Instantly, it hit her– Ruby’s face blanched as she realized Weiss’s plan. Oh crap! If she revives my Petal Wolf, I can’t activate its special ability to protect myself again!!

In a flash of heavenly light, Ruby’s Petal Wolf rose from the ground on Weiss’s side of the field, now allegiant to her. The once friendly wolf let out a bone chilling howl, as Ruby began to sweat, biting her nails nervously. Weiss leveled her gaze directly at Ruby, their eyes locking. Ruby tried not to blink, but looked away, unable to handle the intensity of her deep blue eyes.

“...Ruby Rose, was it?” Weiss suddenly said, making Ruby glance back in shock. “I will admit– I underestimated you. You performed admirably in this duel, and I was careless. You would probably have made a decent student at Duel Academy… It is a shame that I must now cut you down.”

“...Th… Thanks?” Ruby blushed a bit.

“...But now… I must end this.” Weiss said, as she raised a card between her fingers. Slowly, she turned it over and placed it on the field.

“I activate the Ritual Spell: ‘Arma Circle’!” Weiss shouted, as a powerful wind rose around her, diamond dust blowing along with it. Ruby staggered back, the howling winds obscuring everything. “I tribute my Level 4 ‘Petal Wolf’ and my Level 4 ‘Abashed Armorer’ to complete the Ritual.”

Ruby could swear she felt the icy wind of a thousand blizzards. She struggled to see anything through the veil of snow, until a large, glowing symbol burst through the snowstorm: a massive snowflake, shining a bright white like a beacon. And from the bright, glowing symbol, an armored hand began to emerge.

“Ohohohoho!!” Cordovin shouted, raising her own collar to block the wind, “What did I tell you, Oobleck! Here it is– Weiss Schnee’s greatest monster!! That upstart is going down!!”

Ruby grunted, struggling to keep her footing as the monster began to emerge. She could feel this monster was going to be far stronger than anything Weiss had thrown out before, and an icy chill ran down her spine at the thought. Damn, just when she was making headway!! While Ruby began thinking, Weiss’s voice suddenly cut through her thoughts.

The snow subsided, and Ruby’s eyes fell upon a huge knight now kneeling before Weiss. Slowly, the Arma Gigas rose to its full height, twice the size of the heiress herself. The pro duelist stood proudly as Arma Gigas slowly drew its gargantuan sword and pointed it at Ruby, a single red eye glowing behind its visor.

“Be honored,” Weiss commanded, staring directly into Ruby’s eyes. The girl wanted to look away, but found herself entirely transfixed. “Not everyone is worthy of facing my greatest monster.”

The rookie duelist gulped, looking desperately through her hand. Oh no.

“Ohohoho! It’s over now!” Cordovin cackled gleefully. “Miss Schnee’s Arma Gigas has a tremendous 3000 Attack Points– But that’s not all! It has a deadly special ability as well!”

Ruby rifled through her hand, switching the cards around in the vain hope that something useful would present herself– But right now all she had was… Well, just a couple Spell cards and… Kuribokami. And as cute as the little thing was, it was no match for that Arma Gigas by a long shot.

“Arma Gigas,” Weiss commanded, “Destroy Petal Scarecrow.”

The Arma Gigas raised its sword, and then, with a single, mighty swing, cleaved the poor Scarecrow in two– As the giant blade swept through its target, a gust of frosty wind shot out from the impact and hit Ruby directly. The red-clad girl yelped as her Life Points took the collateral damage of the battle.

“Ahhh! Wait!! Trap Card! Trap Card!!” Ruby screamed, covering her eyes as she flipped over her card. “I activate ‘Rose Barrier’: when a 'Petal' monster I control is destroyed, my battle damage is halved until the end of the turn!”

Just in time, a wall of thorny vines sprouted around Ruby, blocking off the majority of the blast– When the dust settled, Ruby’s rose rampart quickly wilted and faded away, having barely saved her. Instead of the full 2000 battle damage, the attack took only 1000 off her Life Points.

“Hmph. It matters not,” Weiss says, raising her hand and pointing to her field. “And now, Arma Gigas’s special ability: If Arma Gigas destroys a monster by battle, I can summon it to my side of the field as my own. Come forth!”

To Ruby’s horror, Petal Scarecrow rose once more on Weiss’s field– But now as a member of her icy army. The Scarecrow grinned and aimed its weapons at Ruby now. Weiss snapped her fingers.

"Attack directly, Petal Scarecrow!" She commanded coldly.

Petal Scarecrow fired its guns rapidly, the bullets slamming into Ruby-- the girl grunted as the damage hit home; luckily, 'Rose Barrier's' effect remained in play, halving the damage from 1000 to 500.

R: 600 LP -> 100 LP

“And with that, I end my turn.” Weiss finished. “Take no shame in this. You have done admirably to force me to summon Arma Gigas.”

Turn 8: Ruby (100 LP)

Ruby’s fingers twitched as she slowly went for her deck, shivering as if she’d been standing in a freezer. She gripped the top card of her deck, ready to pull it, but…

Damnit! I was so close! But 3000 Attack Points? I don’t have anything that can take that on! What do I do…!? Ruby’s fingers froze on the top of her deck– She couldn’t bring herself to draw.

"It’s not over yet, Ruby! Don’t give up till the last life point is gone!"

Ruby jolted in surprise– Then looked down to the card in her hand.

“Kuribokami…!” She whispered. It was probably weird that she’d just kinda accepted that this trading card was talking to her. “...What do I do?”

"Keep fighting. It’s not over yet! As long as you still have cards in your deck, you can still pull this off. Believe!"

“But I have nothing!” Ruby said, gritting her teeth. “I might as well stop now and spare myself the humiliation!”

"That’s not true. You’ve done so well, Ruby. You made her acknowledge your strength. Don’t be scared. Draw your next card."

Up in the stands, Cordovin was shaking her head with pity. “Look at that. Poor girl’s too scared to even draw. It’s over.”

Oobleck went for another sip, only to find that his seemingly bottomless mug had run out. He placed it down on the table. “...Perhaps it is. Shame, I had hoped to see her join… But I suppose there’s always next year.”

“...” Weiss frowned, watching Ruby struggle, one hand on her hip. She closed her eyes, thinking, then pointed at the trembling girl and shouted: “What do you think you’re doing, Ruby Rose?”

Ruby flinched at the sound, then looked up, gripping her sleeve tightly. Surprisingly, Weiss looked angry, yet… It felt different. Less hostile, somehow. Cordovin frowned, confused, and exchanged a glance with Oobleck, who merely shrugged.

“Do not even think of dishonoring this battle by surrendering now.” She said. “You are a Duelist, are you not? Then stand proud, and fight until the bitter end! Understood? You forced me to duel seriously, and I won’t allow you to give up! So draw your next card!”

Ruby blinked rapidly, unsure of what to think. Was she giving her a pep talk? Why? Ruby looked back at the girl across from her, the rich, haughty, snobby girl who had told her she’d beat her in three turns… And yet there was a fire behind all that ice and cold. A fire that she recognized. In that moment, Ruby started to realize that deep down, beneath the tip of her iceberg…

Oh… She loves dueling too.

Somehow, that thought gave her some peace. That in the end, they were both here for the same reason– to duel. To feel the thrill of battle, the bitterness of defeat. She remembered now– How much fun it was. That’s why she played. Not for this Academy, not for anyone else… It was for her. And if she lost… At least she was going to go down swinging. Ruby’s fingers slowly steadied, and she drew her next card.

“...My turn… Draw!” Ruby said, closing her eyes as she did. Her draw was a prayer, a hope that she’d somehow pull something to turn this all around. As she turned over the card to look at it, she felt a small smile fade onto her face.

“First, I’m going to set a card face down,” Ruby said, “And then, I activate the Spell Card, ‘Reap and Sow’! This card allows me to destroy a ‘Petal’ monster on my side of the field, and then draw 1 card for every Level that monster had! And I choose my Level 3 Petal Sniper!”

A dark cloaked figure emerges behind Petal Sniper, who simply looks towards it. The Sniper, seemingly understanding its fate, waves “bye-bye” with a wide grin, as the figure raises a large scythe, and slices it apart. Ruby then pulls three cards from her deck, and fans them out with a smile.

“Now, I activate the Spell Card, ‘Rose from the Grave’!” Ruby cries, holding out her next card. “This card allows me to return two ‘Petal’ monsters from the Graveyard to my hand!”

With that, Ruby pulls two familiar cards from her Graveyard: ‘Petal Wolf’ and ‘Petal Sniper’.

“And now… I activate the Spell Card, ‘Polymerization’!” Ruby held up the card with a smirk. “You’re a pro, right– I bet you know what this does!”

Weiss’s eyebrow raised, intrigued. She’s going to perform a Fusion Summon? Hmph. Interesting. But unfortunately, my Arma Gigas can wipe out anything you throw at it.

As Ruby activated her spell, a huge swirl of blue and orange energy emerged behind her, and her monsters quickly were pulled into the vortex, becoming shining rays of light.

“I fuse my ‘Petal Wolf’ and ‘Petal Sniper’, to summon…” Ruby grinned as she pulled a purple-bordered card and place it on the field. Immediately, the arena surged with energy, swirling around Ruby.

Weiss was the one bracing herself this time, as the whirling winds spread rose petals everywhere, blotting out her view with a haze of red– Suddenly, the lights dimmed until the only thing visible aside from the crimson petals was the glow of the moon, high above the arena. As Weiss looked up, she saw a figure in front of the crescent moon– No, not a crescent moon; it was the curved blade of a giant scythe. The figure grabbed the scythe, then dove down towards the ground, the air swirling around it.

As the wind died down and the petals fluttered softly to the ground, Weiss squinted and found herself looking upon a tall woman with long, flowing black hair, and a red cloak flowing around her. Her scythe was as tall as she was, with a long, elegantly curved blade, shaped like the crescent moon. Weiss was taken aback by how powerful and weathered she looked, like an old warrior who had seen many battles. However…

“...So this is your strongest monster?” Weiss said, folding her arms. “Not bad… But it only has 2600 Attack Points. That’s not nearly enough to take out Arma Gigas.”

“You’re right,” Ruby replied, “Which is why I’m about to change that. See, when Rose Petal Reaper destroys an enemy monster by battle, it gains the Attack Points of the monster it destroyed!”

“Ngh!” Weiss’s eyes widened.

“So now, Rose Petal Reaper will take out Petal Scarecrow, and reap the benefits of it’s 1000 Attack Points!” Ruby cried, pointing dramatically. “Go, Reaper! Attack with ‘Halloween Guillotine’!”

“No way!!” Cordovin squawked, tugging at her hair, “How does that little amateur keep doing this!? Argh!! Hurry up and stop her, Schnee!! Are you really a pro duelist!?”

The Reaper leapt into the air and reared back its scythe, before then spinning rapidly downwards, becoming a crimson buzzsaw of death towards the Scarecrow–

“...So close, and yet so far!” Weiss suddenly calls out. “Did you forget your own monster’s ability? I activate ‘Petal Scarecrow’s’ special effect!”

Ruby’s eyes narrowed– There it was. She’d suspected that might happen. Weiss was no dummy. She remembered Petal Scarecrow’s effect, and naturally would use it against her!

“I can activate a Trap Card in my Graveyard when Petal Scarecrow is attacked,” Weiss reiterates, “So now I’ll activate my ‘Gravity Glyph’ Trap Card, and halt your Reaper right in her tracks!”

“Ahahaha!! Brilliant!” Cordovin cooed, clapping excitedly. “I always had faith in you!!”

A black emblem appeared around Rose Petal Reaper, stopping her before her blade could reach the Scarecrow, and forcing her into Defense Position. Ruby bit her lip. This next bit was gonna be risky– It was all or nothing now.

“...Nice try.” Weiss said, “You had me nervous there for a second.”

“...I end my turn.” Was all Ruby said back.

Turn 9: Weiss (2200 LP)

“My turn. Draw.” Weiss said simply, drawing her next card. “...And I think it’s time I put an end to this, once and for all.”

Ruby’s heart raced. This was it. The final turn. She could feel it in her bones. She flicked Crescent Rose’s switches rapidly, waiting for the inevitable to come.

“...I activate the Spell Card, ‘Spellsword - Piercing Edge’.” Weiss placed the card onto her field, and instantly, Arma Gigas’s sword began to glow with a bright, surging light. “This card, grants my Arma Gigas the ability to deliver piercing damage– When it attacks a monster with lower defense, the difference between its attack and their defense is inflicted on your Life Points!”

Ruby gritted her teeth. Yup, that sounded about right– Rose Petal Reaper only had 1700 Defense Points, and with only 600 Life Points left, the blow would be fatal. Weiss looked the other girl over once more. Her fate had been sealed, and yet… Ruby was smiling. None of the fear or tension from before was in her face, and she was just happily toying with her Duel Disk again. What was up with her? Did she have a plan? No matter– Arma Gigas had one final trick that would seal her fate.

“Now, Arma Gigas...” Weiss declared. “Destroy her Rose Petal Reaper, and end this duel!!”

With a mighty roar, the Arma Gigas lifted its sword, and swung it with all its might. Rose Petal Reaper could only sit there and brace for impact–

“I agree– Let’s end this!” Ruby cried, revealing her Trap Card. “I activate–”

“I won’t allow that!!” Weiss interjected. “You see, Arma Gigas has a second effect! During the Battle Phase, I can sacrifice a monster Arma Gigas has summoned with its effect, and in return… Arma Gigas gains immunity to all Spell and Trap Cards for the rest of the turn!”

With a snap of her fingers, the Petal Scarecrow burst into bits, then flew towards Arma Gigas, merging with its armor– The armor glistened and shone with power as the monster became immune to all Traps and Spells.

“It’s over!!” Weiss declared triumphantly, “Finish her off–”

“...Ha ha… Ahahahaha!!”

Weiss stopped her eyes going wide. She looked across to the raggedy girl, the amateur, Ruby Rose, who was now… laughing?

“...Wh…” Weiss blinked, the faintest hint of worry on her face. “....What are you…?”

“...Ahahahaha!” Ruby lifted her head, beaming at Weiss. “...Sorry… I’m just… I had a lot of fun!”

“F-fun?” Weiss’s eye twitched. “...Enough of this! What are you getting at!?”

“...It’s because…” Ruby smiled, unable to hold back her excitement, “This Trap Card doesn’t target Arma Gigas. I’m using it on my monster!”

Weiss went pale. “What!?”

“I activate ‘Rose Revolution’!!” Ruby roared as she activated the effect. “Rose Revolution lets me select one ‘Petal’ monster on the field and destroy it, and we both take damage equal to its Attack Points!”

“...What!? That’s insane!!” Weiss cried. “You’d destroy your own monster!?”

Ruby’s grin was wide as ever, like the sun on a clear day. Weiss almost had to look away.

“...I had a lot of fun, Weiss. Thanks.” Ruby said. “...And I destroy my Rose Petal Reaper!”

Weiss could only stand there, flabbergasted, as Rose Petal Reaper was engulfed in a red glow, growing brighter and brighter, until it burst– A flash of bright red light erupted through the arena. Cordovin and Oobleck both shielded their eyes, and Weiss could only clench her eyes shut as the explosion of red dominated her vision.

No… Impossible!! Did she just… Did she just…!?

The blast spread further and further, taking the form of a giant rose, then slowly, quietly, began to fade. When the dust settled, Weiss slowly cracked an eye open to check her Life Points.

Weiss’s jaw hit the floor.

“Wh– WHAT!?” Weiss screamed.

“WHAAAAAT!?” Cordovin bellowed, her eyes bulging out of her head.

Weiss looked with absolute bewilderment at the display, checking over and over. “H-how!? You–!? Wh–!? How did you survive!?”

Ruby, standing tall through the smoke and the dust, simply held a single card up with a smile. On it was the familiar image of a little round wolf, winking at Weiss.

“...Kuribokami’s special ability.” She said, “If I were about to lose the last of my Life Points, I can sacrifice Kuribokami from my hand, and survive with 1 Life Point left.”

She flipped the card in her hand, grinning at it. “...Thanks, pal. I couldn’t have done that last move without you. …You were right.”

The Kuribokami winked back at her.

Weiss froze up, her eyes going distant as she processed what had just happened. The heiress fell to her knees, her arms going limp. “...You… You… beat me…”

Ruby just smiled and put her hands in her pocket, then walked over to the girl. Slowly, she extended her hand for a shake. “...Good game. You’re a really great duelist! And… I had a lot of fun. Thanks.”

Weiss just stared back blankly, not moving. Ruby continued to hold out her hand awkwardly, until Weiss slowly reached up…

And slapped her hand away.

“O-oh…” Ruby frowned, backing away. “S-sorry, I–”

“Don’t…” Weiss slowly rose to her feet, staring at the ground. “...Don’t you… Don’t you patronize me!”

When Weiss looked back up at Ruby, the girl flinched away at the sheer rage in her eyes. All of a sudden, she was hostile once more, snarling like an angry dog. Ruby backed up, then stopped– Wait, what had she done?? It wasn’t her fault for winning the duel! This girl…!

“...I want a rematch!” Weiss said through clenched teeth, jabbing a finger at Ruby. “That match was a fluke– You’re going to pay for this humiliation!”

“W-what!?” Ruby’s cheeks went red. “Humiliation!? What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything to you!”

“You made an absolute buffoon out of me!!” Weiss hissed, “In front of the teaching staff!!”

“You were the one calling me an amateur!” Ruby shot back, “You think you’re so perfect, but you’re a real jerk, you know that!?”

Weiss’s face was growing red with fury. “I’m NOT perfect!”

Ruby didn’t know what to say to that. “...Fine, you want a rematch? Then you’ll get one– But first…”

She quickly turned towards the teachers watching above. “I won the duel, so I’m in, right?”

Cordovin looked around, drumming her fingers on the table furiously. “W-well that duel… It was… It was inconclusive! I think it may have been… been invalid, yes! We might need to make sure there was no cheating involved!”

Ruby blinked with surprise, her mouth agape. “Wha–? I didn’t cheat! I won fair and square!!”

Cordovin slammed her hands on the table. “You must have! There’s no way a no-name amateur like yourself could ever defeat a prized Atlas-born Duelist!!”

Ruby frowned. “Hey! I won the duel, so you’d better let me in now!! That was the deal!”

“I want a full investigation!” Cordovin repeated, slamming the table again. “There was foul play involved! You must have been reading her moves, sneaking looks at her cards! Mark my words, I will never, ever, let a cheater like you into Duel Academy–”

“I think I shall be the judge of that, Professor Cordovin.”

Suddenly, Cordovin went dead silent, as if she’d been petrified on the spot. Slowly, all eyes in the room turned towards a figure slowly walking in, the tap of a cane following him. Ruby tilted her head as she looked at him– She swore the man looked familiar, but she couldn’t recall where–

“Oh!” She suddenly cried, “Y-you’re the guy I bumped into earlier! I-I’m sorry again!”

Weiss’s eyes bulged. “Y-you know him!?”

The man simply smiled, adjusting his glasses, and shook his head. “...Not a problem, Miss Rose. In fact, I just recently ‘bumped’ into some people you might know.”

With that, he gestured to the arena entrance, where her sister and father had just entered in.

“Yang! Dad!” Ruby cried, “Ah, I was late and all, but they had me do a match and– And I won! I actually won!!”

“We saw!” Yang shouted back, beaming with pride. “I knew you could do it, Ruby!! You whipped her good!!”

Taiyang just smiled and nodded. “...You were excellent there, Ruby. It takes a lot of guts to go up against a Duelist as skilled as a Schnee.”

“Yang! Are you expelled? Did they revoke your acceptance?” Ruby asked, eyes wide.

Yang put a hand to her neck. “...I’m still in. Barely. But Bumblebee got impounded, aaaand I’m gonna have to pay Dad back for the bail.”

“But you’re still going…!” Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness. I know I screwed up, but you gotta stop being so reckless, Yang!”

Yang laughed sheepishly. “Y-yeah, I’ll try. It’s just lucky that the Headmaster is so forgiving. But, more importantly, you aced that exam, Ruby. They’d be crazy not to let you in now!”

“I agree,” The white-haired man said, stepping up onto the arena. “Miss Rose showed all the exemplary skills that we seek at Duel Academy– Courage, resourcefulness, resolve, and the willingness to face hardship head on. And for that…”

The man glanced up at Cordovin and Oobleck. “...I believe that she is more than qualified to enter my Academy.”

Cordovin could do nothing but sweat and gape, unable to argue. Oobleck simply pushed up his glasses and nodded in agreement.

“...W-wait…” The gears in Ruby’s head began to turn as she slowly looked at the mysterious man more closely. “...W-what did you say… your name was again?”

The man smiled back. “...My name is Ozpin, Headmaster of Duel Academy. Pleasure to meet you.”

Ruby’s eyes went wide as saucers. “Oh. Hi.” She squeaked out. Oh no I ran headfirst into the Headmaster of the Academy!!!

Ozpin gave a small chuckle. “Now, now, no need to be so timid. You’ve clearly earned your spot at the Academy. As expected from Summer’s daughter.”

Ruby’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. “...Y-you knew my Mom?”

A brief shadow crossed Ozpin’s face, so quick and faint that Ruby nearly failed to catch it before he returned to his calm, polite smile. “...If you’d like, I can tell you about her later. But right now, I think it’s best if we get some rest now. You’ve all had quite an exhausting day. How does that sound, Professors?”

Cordovin could only force her mouth shut and give a reluctant nod, while Oobleck stood up. “Of course, Headmaster. I could use a refill about now anyways.”

“Ah, Headmaster Ozpin…” Weiss said, suddenly looking a lot more timid. “...I-I apologize for my outburst. It was unbecoming of me. I hope you will not take this as a poor first impression.”

Ozpin shook his head. “I’ve met enough students in my time to know that first impressions are not always what they seem. Perhaps that is a lesson you have learned today as well.”

Weiss glanced towards Ruby briefly, then off to the side, frowning.

“...You both did quite well.” Ozpin said, “This was easily the most entertaining duel exam I’ve seen in a long while. I look forward to having you both in my Academy.”

“Y-yes, thank you!” Ruby said.

Weiss curtsied. “Thank you, sir.”

Ozpin nodded back. “Very well. Now, Professor Cordovin, if you would… Please help out our new student with her registration.”

Cordovin could only nod weakly, her eye twitching as she slowly descended the stairs. “...Y-yes, Headmaster…”

Ozpin then turned back to Ruby, a soft smile on his face. “...Well, Miss Ruby Rose, allow me to be the first to say…”

“Welcome to Duel Academy.”

Chapter Text

“Mommy, mommy!! I made you a new card for your deck!”

“A new card? Wow! Let me see.”

“I-It’s called Super Rose Mega Power, a-and it gives you a BILLION Attack Points!”

“Hahaha… Thank you, Ruby. I love it.”

“Will you use it in your next duel?”

“...Well, I don’t know if they’ll let me. But I’ll hold onto it, for good luck. Say, did you draw this yourself? It’s very good.”

“Y-yeah, I drew it during craft time! I-I can make more!”

“I’d love that, Ruby. Thank you.”

“Alright, students! Please line up in an orderly fashion and wait to be seated about our Duel Academy Transports!”

Outside beneath the clear blue sky, three large Duel Academy transport planes were lined up for takeoff, as crowds of students gathered up to board, ready for their new lives on Academia Island. Ruby stepped out into the hot sun, dragging her suitcase behind her, then turned to face Yang and her father.

“...Well.” She said, rubbing the toe of her shoe into the ground nervously, “I guess this is it. Bye Dad. I’ll miss you.”

Taiyang chuckled, then ruffled Ruby’s hair with a smile. “Don’t miss me too much, kid– This is your time to shine. Go get ‘em. …But. Uh. Don’t forget to call every once in a while.”

“I won’t!” Ruby promised. “Yang will remind me.”

Yang laughed. “Hey, don’t count on me too much, okay? You gotta learn to fly on your own.”

She said, giving a glance at her father. Taiyang simply nodded in response.

“Alright, well, I’d better get going.” Yang said, jerking a thumb, “I gotta catch my own transport.”

Ruby blinked. “Wait– Hold on! I thought you were riding with me?”

“Nah, I’m on a different ship!” Yang said, grabbing her own luggage and flinging it over her shoulder. “You can handle riding on your own, don’t worry about it!”

“Wait– But I don’t know anybody!!” Ruby cried, scratching at her cheeks rapidly. “C-Can’t I ride with you!?”

“You can do it, Ruby! Fly solo!! Make some new friends!” Yang cried, giving a thumbs up as she ran off and quickly joined the crowd of returning students before Ruby could protest further.

“I don’t want new friends!!” Ruby cried back, tugging at her sleeve nervously. But Yang was already too far away. Gently, Taiyang put a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s just an hour ride, Ruby, you can do it.” Taiyang assured her. “You’ve got your meds, right?”

Ruby quickly put a hand to her pocket, feeling the familiar lump, then nodded.

“...Then you’ll be fine. Call me if anything happens. Now get going!” He said, giving her a light shove. “In a few days, you’ll feel really silly for worrying.”

Ruby gave a faint smile, then nodded, closing her eyes and starting towards the plane. She could do this. She turned around to wave goodbye one last time and–

“Augh!”

“Wah!”

Immediately ran into someone. Ruby stumbled forward and hit the ground– Landing right on top of someone else. Ruby felt her forehead hit another forehead, as the two of them hit the ground in a mess of luggage and limbs. Ruby felt her skin tingle with sheer embarrassment as she rubbed her head. So much for best foot forward.

“I-I’msosorry,Iwasn’tlooking–!!” Ruby cried, cracking open her eyes– And then, to her horror, realizing who exactly she was now lying on top of. Once again, she found herself staring into the familiar, furious blue eyes of Weiss Schnee. Instantly, Ruby’s face flushed red like roses.

“Get. Off. Of. Me.” Weiss said, her own face burning hotter than the sun and teeth bared like a starving wolf. Instantly, Ruby scrambled away like she’d bumped into a searing hot pan, stumbling over herself to get away from the heiress. Weiss started furiously brushing herself off like she was trying to put out a fire, trying desperately to maintain her composure.

“What is your problem!?” Weiss demanded, grabbing her luggage furiously, “Are you doing this on purpose!? Is it your mission to humiliate me further?”

“I-It was an accident!!” Ruby shot back, pulling herself to her feet, “I’m sorry!”

Weiss raised her finger, mouth open to unleash further verbal lashing, but then inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, thinking better of it. She simply let out a loud grunt of frustration.

“...We will settle this later, dolt.” She said, simply, turning her back on Ruby and walking away. “Count on it.”

Ruby winced, rubbing her head, then started to smack herself upside the head. “...Damnit! Stupid, stupid, stupid!! Now she hates me even more…”

“Last call for students! Last call!! Please board now, or be left behind!”

Ruby had no time to punish herself further, the anxiety spurring her on to rush into line, quickly fumbling into the plane with her luggage. Within a few moments, Ruby crammed herself into her seat, the other students already beginning to talk amongst themselves, socializing and filling the air with noise and voices. Ruby bit her lip– It was already getting to be overwhelming. Slowly, she reached into her bag for her headphones and thankfully found them. Pulling them over her ears, she plugged in to her phone and chose a song, letting out a deep breath as the music filled her ears.

“They see you as small and helpless,

They see you as just a child,

Surprise when they find out that a warrior will soon run wild,

Prepare for your greatest moments,

Prepare for your finest hour,

The dream that you’ve always dreamed is suddenly about to flower.”

Ruby glanced out the window, where she spotted her father among the crowd of proud parents waving off their kids. She smiled and waved out the window, though she wasn’t sure if he could even see. As she did, she caught a glimpse of something in the window’s reflection– It was Weiss again, sitting in the row opposite her. Ruby froze up, but the girl hadn’t seemed to notice; no, she was also staring out the window, looking… pensive. It was hard to tell with her, but a thought occurred to Ruby as she looked out at the crowd of parents.

I don’t know for sure, but… It doesn’t look like anyone came to see her off, did they?

“Hey, sorry, this seat taken?”

Ruby glanced up, to another girl approaching her seat– A tall, raven-haired girl dressed in a stylish white and black ensemble, with a black bow atop her head. She had piercing yellow eyes, but the rest of her face was covered by a black cloth facemask, like one would wear when sick. Ruby was briefly taken aback by how cool she looked– And became rather self-conscious of her ragged red hoodie and jeans by comparison. Ruby slowly removed her headphones and nodded.

“Uh, yes. I-I mean no! I mean– Y-you can sit here.” She fumbled, scooting over despite there being plenty of room. 

The masked girl didn’t seem to mind, and slid casually into the seat beside her. Ruby tried not to stare, quickly putting on her headphones and staring out the window, but still stealing a few glances from the corner of her eyes. Her seatmate seemed not to pay her the slightest mind, instead opening a book from her bag and focusing her yellow eyes onto its pages, looking entirely at peace.

Dang, she’s so cool! I wonder what kind of Duelist she is? Augh, wish I could be that cool… And pretty… Ruby felt her cheeks reddening. Wait, maybe this is your chance! Say something! Make a friend! That’s what Yang would do!

“I. Um.” Ruby said, so softly that the girl didn’t even see to hear. “I love books!”

The black haired girl glanced back at Ruby quizzically. “...Yeah. Me too.”

“...M-my name’s Ruby.” Ruby quickly followed, squeezing the strap of her bag so hard it could snap, “...I-I’m also. A student. Here. But I guess you knew that cause we’re all students! Heheh…”

By the grace of whatever Gods were watching over her, the girl didn’t up and leave just then. She just nodded along, then turned and offered a hand.

“...Blake.” She said simply, her voice slightly muffled by her mask. “Nice to meet you.”

Ruby looked at her hand ( oh man, her nails were such a pretty shade of purple ) and then quickly wiped off her palms before accepting, face definitely red.

“...I’m Ruby.” She repeated, before realizing. “S-sorry, I’m really– I’m just– This is my first time… Ahhh, sorry, I’m so bad at this!”

“It’s alright,” Blake replied, her tone even and relaxed. She lowered her book, then looked at Ruby. “...I can tell you’re nervous. Do you want to talk for a bit to take your mind off things?”

Ruby’s eyes widened. “...Y-yeah, that’d be nice.”

Blake nodded. “...Then tell me about yourself, Ruby. What brings you to Duel Academy?”

Ruby thinks, then quickly pulls out her phone. “...Well. I mean, obviously, to be a pro duelist, of course– That’s what we’re all here for, but like, also… H-have you ever heard of the duelist called ‘Summer Rose’?”

Blake taps her chin. “...Can’t say I have. Sounds vaguely familiar, though.”

“...Yeah, well, uh. She was a cool pro duelist. And she was also. My mom.” Ruby said, pulling up a photo– It depicted the white-clad woman posing with a trophy, grinning widely, her fingers giving a V for victory. Blake looked at the photo, giving a small “hm”.

“...I see. And you want to be like her.” Blake noted.

Ruby nodded rapidly. “...More than anything. That’s why I’m going here– This is where my mom went, and so… I’m going here too.”

“...I see. That’s very admirable of you.” Blake replied.

“...Wh-what about you?” Ruby remembered to reciprocate interest. “What brings you here?”

Blake wordlessly reached into her bag, then pulled out a brochure. On it read ‘Top Earnings of Pro Duelists’, followed by the names of several pro duelists and a lot of zeroes behind their numbers. 

“...Money, simply.” Blake answered casually. “If they win a lot, pro duelists can make upwards of ten million dollars a year. That’s all.”

Ruby looks at the numbers, eyes bulging. “...Th-that much!?”

Blake gives her a quizzical look. “Didn’t you know? Wasn’t your mother a pro duelist?”

“Sh-she was, but… W-we never had this kind of money…” Ruby’s hands trembled at the amounts she was seeing.

“Don’t worry about it,” Blake said, taking back the brochure. “This is only for the best of the best, the top duelists in the world. You will be fine financially as long as you’re able to win tournaments.”

“...I, uh, never really thought about that sorta thing…” Ruby said sheepishly. “I just kinda figured, ‘I’ll be a duelist’, then work out the rest later.”

“Well, it never hurts to consider that sort of thing.” Blake replied. “In my case, I want money, and I’m good at dueling, so it only makes sense to come here.”

“Yeah, I see.” Ruby nodded, smiling. “It’s great that you have a goal like that!”

“...Really?” Blake’s eyes widened ever so slightly.

Ruby tilted her head. “...Y-yeah? I mean. Unless you don’t wanna.”

“...” It was hard to tell with the mask on, but it seemed to Ruby like she’d broken into a small smile. “...You’re the first person to have told me that, you know.”

Ruby tilted her head the other way. “Oh. Is that good?”

Blake gave a small chuckle. “...You’re very funny, Ruby.”

“Th-thanks!” Ruby replied, reddening at the compliment.

“Attention, students!” A voice rang out over the intercom, “We’ll now be departing for Academy Island. Please fasten your seatbelts, and enjoy the flight. We shall be arriving in an hour.”

“Um, I, uh like your mask!” Ruby awkwardly fumbled for another topic. “Y-you’re not sick or anything, are you?”

“Oh, no, it’s just…” Blake’s eyes darted away for a second. “...Fashion. You know.”

“Y-yeah, totally!” Ruby lied plainly– Anyone looking at her plain ensemble would know she didn’t know the first thing about fashion. “It looks neat. Very mysterious.”

“Ha. Hope it doesn’t draw too much attention,” Blake said, “But I have pretty bad allergies, so it helps.”

“I see.” Ruby nods. Then, without missing a beat, “Hey, we should duel each other sometime!”

Blake blinked, looking surprised by her enthusiasm. “...Why? Did I do something to offend you?”

Ruby quickly raised her hands. “What? No! No no no not at all! I was just saying, like, for fun? You know?”

Blake raised an eyebrow quizzically, then lowered her gaze in thought. “...Hm… Well… I have other business to attend to, but if I get a free moment, then… sure, I’d like that.”

Ruby smiled, her mind already filling with game plans and strategies. “Sweet! I can’t to see what kind of deck you play.”

“...I’ll warn you though, I’m pretty good.” Blake said, giving a small smirk. “I won’t go easy on you.”

“Me neither!” Ruby replied, grinning. “After that duel against that Schnee girl, I feel like I can take on anyone!”

Blake’s eyes suddenly widened. “...Schnee?”

Ruby’s grin faded. “Uh, y-yeah. She’s. Um.” Ruby tilted her head subtly towards Weiss, and Blake followed, her yellow eyes narrowing as they fell upon the white haired heiress, still sitting alone. Blake’s body tensed up notably.

“S-sorry, I shouldn’t have– Ah, I just. I had to duel her for my entrance exam.” Ruby explained, trying to keep her voice down.

“...It’s fine.” Blake replied, slowly turning back. “...I just never expected to see one of them here of all places.”

Ruby tilted her head, but sensed that she’d touched a nerve. She slowly slipped her headphones back on. 

“U-um, well, I’m gonna get some sleep on the ride. W-wake me up when we get there, okay?” Ruby asked, pulling up her hood. 

“...Sure.” Blake replied, pulling out her book again.

Shortly after, the plane began to rise and flew off, the mainland fading into the horizon as they approached Duel Academy.

–

After the plane touched down and the students all filed out, they were quickly ushered into an auditorium. Staff called the students up one at a time to hand out their new uniforms. As they were all moved around, Ruby unfortunately lost track of her new friend Blake from the plane, and donned her headsets as she stood in line. As they waited, the auditorium’s screen flickered on, and Ruby looked up to see a familiar face once more.

“Greetings, students,” Headmaster Ozpin’s voice rang out, “My name is Ozpin, Headmaster of Duel Academy. I’d like to congratulate you all on making the cut to our prestigious academy. Now, please adorn yourself in your new uniform, which will place you in your assigned dorm: Obelisk Blue, Ra Yellow, or Slifer Red.”

“Slifer Red, huh,” Muttered the guy right in front of Ruby, drawing her interest. “That’s the loser dorm, right?”

“Yeah,” Came the reply, “Half the students put in either drop out or quit.”

“I hear the dorm’s basically a toolshed with a view.” 

Ruby frowned, looking at her hoodie. What’s wrong with red??

“Relax, guys,” Another boy spoke up. Ruby observed he was a tall boy, his ginger hair slicked back, and a cocky smirk on his face. “We’re not gonna get thrown in there. We’re at least Ra Yellow for sure. And once they see what we’re made of, we’ll work our way to the top: Obelisk Blue!”

So Blue is at the top… Yellow in the middle… and at the bottom are the Reds. Ruby noted, scanning around the area. There were several Yellows and even a couple Blues walking about, but scant few Reds. Ruby gulped. Well, she should be fine, right? She beat her exam, so that should at least put her in Yellow. 

The boys in front of her got to the front to receive their new uniforms. 

“Hell yeah, Ra Yellow!” They high-fived. “We’re in the clear!”

The boys ran off, quickly throwing on their yellow jackets, as Ruby slipped her headphones off and approached the table nervously. The teacher sitting there was a familiar face– Ruby immediately recognized the smell of hot coffee as she approached.

“...Oh! You!” Ruby said, giving a small wave.

“...Ah, Miss Rose.” Oobleck said, nodding at her as he set down his mug and pulled up his tablet. “We have not formally met yet– My name is Professor Oobleck. Pleasure to meet you.”

Ruby nodded. “I guess you already know me… Uhhh… S-so, what dorm am I in?”

Oobleck quickly typed her name into his tablet, his fingers flying rapidly like a pianist. He then nodded, and reached behind him, and handed Ruby a jacket– Slifer Red.

“...Congratulations, Miss Rose. You’re in Slifer Red.” Oobleck said.

Ruby took the jacket slowly. “O-oh… That’s… Isn’t that the… loser dorm?”

“Well,” Oobleck pushed up his glasses, “As the head of the Slifer Red dorm, I would hope that you would not feel too discouraged by its reputation.”

“Ah! I didn’t– I just heard– S-sorry, I mean–” Ruby stammered.

Oobleck just raised a hand, sipping his coffee. “...Do not worry about your rank at the school, Miss Rose. The important thing is to learn and improve yourself as you go. Now, I’ll see you at tonight’s welcome dinner.”

“Y-yes sir,” Ruby said, hurrying off with her jacket. As she did, she caught a glimpse of the boy from the line– Now he and his cohorts were clad in their yellow uniforms, and one was pointing at Ruby; namely, her Slifer Red uniform. Ruby instantly flushed, then ducked away into the bathroom. 

Just my luck…! I finally get here and I’m put in the lowest dorm!! Ruby groaned, burying her face in the jacket. She glanced down, then sighed heavily and removed her hoodie. In a few seconds, she pulled the red jacket on, then glanced at herself in the mirror. To her surprise… She kinda liked it. The red with white trim was simple, but stylish. A small smile crept across her face, as pride welled up inside her– Now she actually looked like a real student!

“...Who cares what they say,” Ruby muttered to herself, smiling confidently, “Red’s my color, anyways.”

“...You’re right. It suits you.” Ruby flinched as she heard the stall behind her open– As Weiss Schnee stepped out, her old outfit hung over her arm, now clad in a white coat, its trim and collar the deep cobalt hue of Obelisk Blue. The coattails flowed behind her as she strode out proudly. As she passed, the two shared a glance in the mirror, noting each other’s new colors. The icy rich girl stopped just before the door. 

“...Don’t forget about our rematch.” She said, then pushed the door open and left. Ruby let out a heavy breath, groaning as she leaned in front of the mirror.

“How do we keep running into each other…?” Ruby muttered, before exiting the bathroom herself. She left the auditorium, scanning the area as she went, and quickly pulled out her phone to text her sister. 

R: sis where r u a at

Y: hangin at the raw yello dorms!! What dorm did u get

R: im in uh slifer red. They say its the bottom rank
Y: bruh, u should be way higher than that!! What is up with them!!
R: its ok… i like red
Y: true, but thats dumb, u did great at ur exam.
R: thx… im gonna go find the dorm and lie down
Y: k. We got a welcome dinner 2nite, so make some friends!

R: ill try

Pocketing her phone, Ruby began to walk down toward her dorm, slipping her headphones back on– But just before she lowered them over her ears, she caught a familiar sound in the distance that made her pause. She turned, her eyes widening with excitement– That was the sound of a duel! She looked around until she spotted a large, domed building nearby, bursts of light flashing through the windows; that must be a duel arena! Immediately, Ruby started walking hurriedly towards the building, all thoughts of her dorm forgotten.

–

Inside the arena, the duel in progress was playing out between the ginger-haired boy in yellow from before, grinning as he faced down his opponent, a timid, brown-haired Slifer Red girl, her mouth wrinkled with worry as she glanced at her hand, while the boy’s cohorts jeered and watched like a pack of wolves from nearby. On the field stood two monsters: A large winged warrior on the boy’s side, boasting 1800 Attack Points, while on the girl’s side stood only a small, timid-looking rabbit monster with only 1200 Defense Points.

“...Is that the best you can do, Slifer Slacker?” The Ra Yellow taunted, “Now, Winged Crusader, attack her Heartbreak Hare! Flying Sky Crush!”

The winged warrior raised its mace and flew up into the air, before diving down and crushing the poor hare with a single blow. The girl yelped, raising her arms over her head as the exploding shards rained down around her.

“And thanks to Winged Crusader’s special ability, I can deal piercing damage to your Life Points!” The Ra Yellow cried out, pointing. The girl groaned weakly as she watched her Life Points tick down to 0. Ruby couldn’t help but wince– That match looked brutal. She glanced at the overhead screen to see that the Ra Yellow boy hadn’t even taken a single point off his Life Points.

“I win!!” The boy boasted as his goons cheered and hollered. 

“We never doubted you, Cardin!”

“G-good game….” The poor Slifer girl said, trying to stifle back tears. As she wiped her eye, Ruby caught a glimpse of something– A small, but notable pair of yellow markings on her face, underneath each of her eyes. Ruby gasped as she realized what they were.

Criminal markers– Specially made tattoos branded onto lawbreakers by Sector Security. Once applied, they are not able to be removed without expensive plastic surgery, and allowed the target to be tracked at any time. Those branded by the marks would struggle to find employment, and were met with disdain by most of society. And most of those who bore the criminal markers came from one place: Satellite City, one of the poorest cities in the nation. Though the practice was considered ‘controversial’ nowadays, as long as the majority of criminals being branded came from that dark, decaying city, few people cared enough to object.

She’s a Satellite… Ruby realized, her stomach tying into a knot as she realized what was going on. This wasn’t a friendly match or a fair fight– No, one look at the sneers on these Ra Yellows was enough to tell her that. Her hands balled into fists as she clenched her teeth. This was just old-fashioned bullying. 

“Now, as we agreed,” Cardin walked over, the girl shrinking further as he approached and extended his hand. “I’ll be taking your rarest card, thanks.”

The girl’s lip trembled, but she nodded slowly and reached for her deck.

“Hey!” Ruby barked, drawing the gaze of everyone in the room as she stormed up to the arena. “You want a fight!? How about you pick on someone your own size!”

The Ra Yellows exchanged a glance, then their leader, the ginger boy, let out a chuckle and looked down. “Aw, how sweet, another Slifer Slacker showed up to help you out. Sorry, but we had an arrangement– We bet our rarest card, and she lost.”

“Why do I get the feeling she wasn’t exactly choosing to do this, then?” Ruby asked, continuing to storm towards the arena. Cardin’s trio of fellow Ra Yellows quickly moved in to intercept her, but Cardin waved a hand.

“Psh. You wanna lose your cards too?” Cardin smirked. “Sorry, but it’d take a thousand of you Slifer Slackers to take me on.”

“Let’s find out then!” Ruby said, throwing down her suitcase and revving up Crescent Rose. Normally, she’d have thought to stop and find a teacher to handle this, or at least go tell Yang, but right now she was mad, and the hunger for battle was rising inside her. She’d been wanting to get into a duel anyways, so why not now?

“W-wait!” The girl suddenly cried, waving her arms in front of Ruby. “Th-thanks, but there’s no need! I-It was just a friendly game! I lost, fair and square!”

The girl looked to Ruby with pleading eyes, as if to say ‘don’t do this, you’ll only make it worse’. Ruby paused, just long enough to run a mental simulation in her head. What would happen if she went through with this? Even if she won, they were outnumbered, and they wouldn’t come to pick on her again– They’d go for the Satellite girl, and only bully her harder. She needed to be smart, and get a teacher. Reluctantly, she lowered her arm, and collapsed Crescent Rose.

“...Smart move.” Cardin smirked. “You just spared yourself a lot of humiliation. Now, my card, please.”

The Slifer girl bit her lip and looked away as she presented her card. Cardin reached out to take it– Only for something to fly out of nowhere and strike his hand, smacking it away!

“Ow!” Cardin’s eyes widened in shock as his hand recoiled– He looked down to his feet to see a card lying on the ground by his feet. Gritting his teeth, his eyes darted around the room to see who had thrown it; and quickly landed on a figure in the bleachers, arm still extended. Ruby followed his gaze, then her eyes lit up as she recognized the figure.

Blake!

The masked girl slowly stepped down the staircase, her golden eyes burning a hole into Cardin, so much that even he stepped back in response. He opened his mouth to speak, but he and his goons all took one look at the girl and realized that they couldn’t– She was, after all, wreathed in the jacket of Obelisk Blue. Blake arrived at the arena’s foot beside Ruby and folded her arms. 

“...Big talk, coming from a Ra Yellow.” She said, scoffing. “I suppose you think you’re real big, picking on a girl like her?”

“...Hey, that’s how things go around here,” Cardin shot back, “Slifers get what they get for being on the bottom. That’s just how it works.”

“Then how does this work for you?” She said, “You know that Schnee girl, the one who’s attending as an Obelisk Blue.”

Cardin raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, the one who lost to a freshman? What about her?”

“That freshman, the one everyone’s been talking about,” Blake gestured to Ruby, “Is this ‘Slifer Slacker’ right here. She beat Weiss Schnee.”

Cardin and his boys looked at each other, then at Ruby, and were silent for a few seconds. Slowly, Cardin folded his arms, staring down at the new Slifer, who stared back, her silver eyes hard as steel. Cardin’s gaze quickly moved to the wall beside her. 

“...Guess that Schnee isn’t all she’s cracked up to be, then.” Cardin scoffed. “If she’s so good, how come she’s in Slifer Red?”

“Must be the same way you mediocre chuds got into Ra Yellow,” Blake retorted. “Now, you want to continue this? Or would you like to leave the nice girl alone and get to your dorms before you’re late for the welcome dinner?”

The Ra Yellows all glanced around the room, like they’d just fully lost interest in the whole situation, one looking at his phone, and Cardin himself running a hand through his hair, scoffing.

“Man, we were just trying to have fun.” He muttered. “Is it against the rules to duel at this damn school? Whatever. Let’s go, guys.”

“Yeah, way to kill the fun,” One of his boys shot back, as they all followed Cardin out of the arena. They all walked off, muttering, a few daring to throw some obscene hand gestures back, as Blake continued to glare them out of the arena. Only once the doors slammed behind them did she finally let out a sigh.

“...Are you okay?” Blake asked, turning to the Satellite girl.

“...Y-yeah,” The girl replied, her face turning red as she looked at her hero. Ruby noted this– Whew, it was normal! “Th-thank you… But I… Um… It was my fault, really, I shouldn’t have accepted, they were just all so insistent, and I–”

“It was not your fault,” Blake suddenly said, putting a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “...What’s your name?”

“V-Velvet,” The girl answered. “Velvet Scarlatina.”

“Velvet,” Blake said, her eyes staring down solemnly, “...I don’t care how you got those marks, but they aren’t your fault. And neither they nor your dorm colors gives anyone the right to treat you like you’re worthless, understand?”

Velvet nodded slowly, but still looked uncertain. “...Th-thanks, but… I… This wouldn’t have happened if I was stronger.”

“...” Blake slowly walked over and picked up the card she’d thrown at Cardin, then produced a pen from her pocket. She quickly scribbled something onto the card, then handed it over to Velvet. “...Here. Those chumps ever give you trouble, or you even see them looking at you funny, call me. I’ll come over to help.”

“Ah!!” Velvet suddenly yelped, taking both Ruby and Blake aback. Velvet clutched her face, looking somehow more horrified than when she was being hazed by duel.

“Y-you okay?” Blake asked.

Velvet blinked, then quickly composed herself. “I– Uh– S-sorry, I… I’m really thankful! Totally! You’re really cool and amazing and hot, it’s just– Y-you… wrote on the card…”

Blake looked down at the card, then back at Velvet. “Uh, yeah, it should still work. I don’t really need this one, that’s why I threw it–”

“N-no, I just. I’m in the Card Design Course,” Velvet explained rapidly, waving her hands as she spoke, “A-and I just. I get real upset when I see cards get bent or torn or written on, I mean, they’re really important things and they take a lot of work to make and design and the art, and think about the mechanics and all the effort that goes into makingonesinglecardandIjustfeelsofreakedoutwhenIseethemgetallmesseduporanything–”

“U-uh, sorry, I-I didn’t know,” Blake said sheepishly, waving her hands and quickly putting away the card and taking out her phone instead. “H-here, let’s just. Do it the old fashioned way and swap numbers.”

“Ah! Sorry, I freaked you out, didn’t I!! I’m so sorry, this always happens–”

“It’s fine, really, just… Here’s my student number. Oh, and Ruby, give me yours while we’re here…”

In the next few awkward seconds, the three girls went through the arduous task of exchanging numbers. 

“...Oh, look at the time,” Blake said, glancing at the clock on her phone. “The dinner’s about to start. You guys better get to your dorm. Ruby, why don’t you go with her?”

Ruby nodded. “Y-yeah, sure. You ready, Velvet?”

“Yes. Thank you again, both of you.” Velvet said, giving a bow to each. 

“Hey, that was all Blake!” Ruby grinned, looking at the masked girl. “I don’t think I could really have scared those guys off.”

Blake smiled beneath her mask. “You could have beaten all four of them. They may be Ra Yellow, but those guys are clearly mediocre bullies. And you? You beat a Schnee. You’re way out of their league.”

Ruby blushed. “Haha… Well, I’ll give it to that Schnee, she duels better than them.”

“That’s about the only thing you can give a Schnee…” Blake said wryly, her frown visible even behind the mask. “Ah, but never mind that. I’ll see you guys around. Have a good night.”

With that, she turned on her heel and waved as she walked out herself, as cooly and quietly as she’d appeared. Ruby and Velvet slowly exchanged a glance.

“So. She’s like...”

“...really cool? Yeah.”

–

“Well, this is it!” Ruby said, looking up from the map on her phone.

“...Are you… sure?” Velvet asked, her face pensive.

The two laid eyes upon their new home away from home, the Slifer Red dorm: A small, two floor-tall building with faded yellow walls and a battered red roof. It looked two steps removed from an abandoned motel. The paint was peeling off the walls like it was repulsed to be there, the lights flickered like a morse code message, and the doors looked as if they’d fly off their hinges if you looked at them wrong. The dorm was a far cry from the beautiful, futuristic island paradise of the rest of Duel Academy– And Ruby would bet anything that the sorry state of the dorm was owed entirely to Slifer Red’s reputation. She’d caught glimpses of the Obelisk Blue and Ra Yellow dorms from afar, and neither of them looked anything like this. Did someone at the top just really hate Slifers?

Ruby and Velvet slowly walked up to what they presumed was the main entrance, and Ruby raised a hand to knock on the door. She got two light taps in before the door gave in and swung open on its own, revealing a room full of her fellow Slifers. They all sat at small, plastic tables likely from a department store, sitting on fold out steel chairs. At the head of the table sat the familiar face of Professor Oobleck, with his round spectacles and large mug of coffee as usual.

“Ah, Miss Rose and Miss Scarlatina. Right on time, we’re just about to begin the welcome dinner.” He said, holding up a paper plate full of store-bought curry and rice. “Come, take a seat. And please try to rehinge the door as you enter.”

Ruby and Velvet entered, with Ruby taking up the task of propping the door closed again. As she started pulling it shut, examining all the screws and bolts missing, her mind instantly started thinking of how to fix it. She’d need screws– No, entirely new wood, it looked like, to hold the hinges. Would repair even be viable? It’d be more efficient to just replace the whole thing–

“Miss Rose?”

“Ah,” Ruby realized she’d been staring at the door for a while now, and quickly hurried to her seat, choosing to unfold a squeaky folding chair and sit beside Velvet. As she sat down, though, horror filled her veins as she realized: one leg of the chair was short.  

“Now, thank you all for coming.” Oobleck began, raising his mug with a smile. “First off, congratulations to all of you for passing the entrance exam and making it here. Know that this was no simple feat, and though our current abode is rather… humble… It does not reflect your talents. Now, as the dorm head of Slifer Red, I have seen many, many students feel discouraged by their placement here. They feel it is a dead end, the place for the timid and weak, for lesser duelists. But I do not see it as such. The value of your time here will be determined by you, and you alone, not your placement. Slifer Red is not a dead end– It is a starting ground.”

Oobleck went on, but Ruby was only half listening, looking around the room while she rifled through her pockets. Paper, paper, paper, she needed paper! Or something big or sturdy… She could only keep the chair from rocking for so long. She needed stability. Nothing… She slowly looked to Velvet, who was sitting there quietly, a small notebook and pen in her hands.

“...Psst… Velvet…” Ruby whispered. “C-can I borrow like. A sheet of paper?”

Velvet blinked, then stared down at her notebook, biting her lip. “I… doooon’t knoooow… Is it important?”

“ Extremely. ” Ruby said, her face hard as stone. 

“...O-okay. I just. This book doesn’t have like, the little perforations that let you tear it out. It’s gonna. I’ll just.” Slowly, Velvet turned to an unused page and started to try and carefully rip out a piece. Ruby watched, leg bouncing rapidly, as Velvet veeeerrry slooowlyyyy began to rip the page, hand trembling, tears in her eyes.

“...And though things will be difficult, I see no reason why any of you cannot rise up, and become an excellent duelist in their own right. Several incredible professional duelists have begun here in Slifer Red, and I see among you the potential for several more.”

“Ah!” Velvet winced. “Oh no, it ripped in the middle… Let me try again.”

“No, that’s fine!!” Ruby said, her leg like a jackhammer on the floor. “Just keep ripping that one. Please.”

“N-no, no it’s too late! I need to start over!” Velvet whispered back, turning to a new page and starting again. “I have to do it right.”

“I-It’s fine, Velvet!! H-here, I’ll just do it–”

“No, wait–!”

“...And now, let us raise a toast,” Oobleck raised his mug, “To a new beginning for all of us. To the start of a new–”

THUD!

Before he could finish, two chairs fumbled and fell over, and all eyes fell upon Ruby and Velvet now sprawled on the floor, a half-torn notebook in their hands. The other Slifers looked down at them, then slowly to Oobleck, and he could see clearly in their eyes that any hope his speech had inspired had fizzled and died. He slowly lowered his mug, cleared his throat, and sat back down.

“...Let’s just eat.”

–

After the modest dinner and desert of half-melted ice cream, Ruby and Velvet both went their separate ways to their assigned dorms. Ruby turned on the lights, the single bulb flickering to reveal a small room with a single bunk bed, spartanly furnished. The mattresses had a single sheet and pillow each, and there was a sole desk opposite the beds, with a lamp and chair. There was a single corner that was not so much a closet as an indent with a clothes rack, and a box of a bathroom where the showerhead dripped rhythmically, every 20 seconds exactly, Ruby quickly measured.

Ruby set her suitcase on the bed, taking the top bunk, obviously, and started unpacking, first and foremost popping her laptop and Crescent Rose beside her. She quickly found that the top bunk was practically pressed up against the ceiling, forcing her to hunch over. Not helping was the fact that the ceiling was covered with that gross popcorn stuff, sending shivers down her spine as her head brushed against it. The bottom bunk was probably more comfortable, but she liked being up high.

According to Oobleck, she was one of the odd ones out who did not have a roommate, though it could change in the future. That suited her fine– Here she could tinker in peace and work on Crescent Rose without aggravating anyone. But… it was sorta lonely. Usually she had Yang or Dad around, but here… Well, the walls were thin enough that she could hear her fellow Slifers, but other than that… The only person she knew here was Velvet. Ruby flopped on her back, the loneliness sapping away her energy.

“...Music…” She muttered, reaching for her headphones. She slipped them on and grabbed her phone, looking for something to pull her away from her thoughts of eternal loneliness.

“Today, I change my place in history

Today, I'm gonna start a brand new life

Done with suffering, had enough of misery

Finally on a path that's heading somewhere bright”

“BEEP BEEP BEEP”

“Ah!” Ruby cried, jolting up and banging her head on the ceiling, sending the chalky popcorn down around her. She massaged her head with one hand and grasped blindly for her phone with the other, before finding it and looking at the notification.

???: Don’t relax just yet, Ruby Rose. We still have a score to settle.

R: …weiss schnee?

???: Who else would it be.

R: how did u get my info?
W: I have my ways. And I’ve hardly been able to fraternize with my peers without getting snide remarks about losing to you at the entrance exams.

R: im not gonna apologize for winning. I won fair and square

W: I do not deny that. That craven Professor doesn’t speak for me.

W: In spite of all the frustration you have caused me, I cannot deny your strength as a duelist.

R: how do u manage to compliment me but still make it sound like an insult

W: Listen. I want my rematch. Tonight.

R: tonite? Thats not gonna work, lights out is in like fifteen minutes

W: Good. Because I don’t want any interference or witnesses. This is between us.

R: huh???
W: We’re going to use the private arena for Obelisk Blue. Come after lights out. Just you and me.

R: we could get in trouble for this

W: Then don’t let anyone see you. 

R: why should i. ur always so rude to me

W: Because if not, I can have my family pull some strings and get you expelled faster than you can draw your first card.

R: what!! You cant do that!!

W: You want to find out? Or do you want to duel?

Ruby clenched her teeth, fury and desire for battle growing inside her. She glanced to her deck, and Crescent Rose beside it. She thought back, remembering the fury from when she’d faced Cardin stomping all over Velvet’s pride… If she could stand up for Velvet, then why not herself? Her eyes narrowed, and her fingers flew to their reply.

R: fine. Ur on.

W: It’s a date.

Ruby closed the chat, then quickly pulled up the angriest, edgiest song she could find. The guitars began to rage in her ears, and she spread out her deck in front of her as she thought of Weiss, and shutting up that haughty mouth of hers once and for all.

“...Bring it on, Ice Queen.”

–

“So… what’s your name, cutie?” 

Yang grinned as she placed one hand against the wall, a flirtatious look on her face as she stood over her new classmate, a Ra Yellow girl with her ginger hair done up in fluffy twintails and a teal streak in her bangs. She was a spunky girl, Yang had noted from afar, who seemed like she was always dancing to some unheard music, and wore her uniform open and loose over her more stylish street clothes. The girl bore a yellow marker on her left cheek, taking the form of a small yellow heart-shape, but she wore it proudly, and zipped around the Ra Yellow party hall, seeming to leave a trail in her wake. Yang liked her vibe, grabbed an ice cold glass of water, and took her shot. Luckily, Neon seemed receptive.

“...Name’s Neon,” The girl said back, a catlike smirk on her lips as she sized Yang up, eyes lingering on Yang’s well-toned arms. “And you are?”

“Yang Xiaolong.” Yang answered. “You looked pretty busy, running around like that. Thought you could use a drink.”

Neon took the glass and gulped it down in one go, wiping her mouth off and handing the glass back. “...Refreshing. Thanks, much appreciated.”

“No problem,” Yang replied, taking the glass and setting it down behind her. 

“Hey, you seem cool.” Neon said, leaning in closer to Yang, their faces nearly touching– Yang didn’t move, playing it cool, as Neon slowly brushed past her face and put her mouth beside her ear. “...I’m getting together some of the new Ras to have a REAL party after lights out. You in?”

“You better believe it.” Yang whispered back, “I’ve been waiting all day for things to get exciting around here.”

“Then you came to the right gal,” Neon said, pulling back and slyly slipping a something into Yang’s hand– A card.

“...We’ll be meeting by the lighthouse. Show that card and you’re in. Make sure to bring your best cards and lots of caffeine.” The girl winked. “And who knows– If you impress me, maybe I’ll give you the honor of a duel?”

“What would I get if I won?” Yang asked, leaning closer. 

Neon leaned closer, then put a finger to the taller girl’s lips. “...You get to wake up, cause that’s only happening in your dreams.”

With that, Neon zipped off, but gave a wave as she moved on to recruit more students. Yang checked the card– And then grinned as she noticed a number scribbled onto it. Hell yeah. Just as she was about to pocket the card, she felt her phone vibrate and pulled it out.

“...Ruby?” Yang frowned, opening the message.

R: yang, weiss called me out to fight her

Y: what? Right now??

R: yeah.

Y: dont go, its some sort of trap. You’ll get in trouble if you leave your dorm after lights out.

R: i  dont have a choice

R: she’ll use her rich girl connections to get me expelled if i dont

Y: WHAT
Y: no i dont buy it. Shes gotta be bluffing

Y: if she wanted u gone she coulda done it by now

R: i cant risk it. Im gonna settle this once and for all

Y: ruby this is a bad idea. Youll both get in trouble

Y: you could get expelled!

R: sorry sis. I cant let this go. 

R: But dont worry. I wont lose

R: I beat her once, i can do it again

“...Dammit!” Yang muttered, glancing between the messages and Neon’s card. Yang herself really had no leg to stand on– She was also planning to sneak out to meet a hot girl. She bit her lip as she mentally weighed the cost of stopping her sister or going to Neon’s party. Ugh, what would Dad say? Protect your sister? Or let her fly solo? Be reckless? Or stay out of trouble? Yang was cavalier with consequences as long as those consequences were for her alone. But for Ruby… That was a different story. She’d worked too hard for too long for it to get all thrown away for some stupid grudge match. Yang groaned, knowing which side had won out.

“...So much for hot girls…” Yang muttered to herself, tucking away Neon’s card. 

–

Lights out was near at the Obelisk Blue dorms. Their dinner, of course, had been exquisite– Nothing less than the finest 4-star meal for the top ranked duelists. As opposed to Slifer Red’s barely standing shack or Ra Yellow’s large yet humble dorm, Obelisk Blue was a veritable castle, complete with a full wait staff, cleaning service, and every luxury one could desire. State of the art technology, access to countless books and records, and a private recreation center, the Obelisk Blue dorm was not only a living space, but a place to live it up. Of course, it was an open secret that the majority of Obelisk Blues already came from wealth and luxury– Many, it was rumored, were placed in Obelisk Blue thanks to the large donations their families had made, and not by their own merit. The fact that the Schnee Dueling Company was not one of those donors played a large role in why Weiss had chosen Duel Academy– No one could then say that she was one of those pathetic few who simply bought their way in. 

The dinner was long over and the servants were already hard at work cleaning up the mess, and the rest of the new Obelisks were either retiring to their dorms, or lounging about in one of the dorm’s many recreational centers. Weiss, for her part, had gone into her room and opened up a razor thin laptop, and was staring intently at the screen as cards flew across it. A cord ran from the computer into her duel disk, which glowed softly on the desk next to her.

“...Again.” She said, activating the voice command on her computer.

“Replaying Duel Data.” The computer replied, as the screen rewinded. Then, once more it began to play.

“Turn 1: Weiss. Dopey Knave, activated. Dopey Knave summoned to the field. Grumpy Knight, normal summoned. Grumpy Knight, effect activated. End of turn.”

The duel was reflected in Weiss’s eyes as she stared intently at the replay footage of her duel with Ruby, a pen dancing in her left hand as she began making notes. She’d been at this for the last two hours, but the replay of the duel in her mind had been going for much longer. It hadn’t taken long for word to spread among the students– That a no-name upstart had beaten the illustrious heiress of SDC. And soon after, that said upstart was only a mere Slifer Red! She could feel it– As she walked through the halls and passed the other Obelisks, she could hear their whispers and stares, questioning her talent, her skill, her value as a Schnee. She didn’t care what they had to say; she knew her own skill and power. She hadn’t bought her way into Obelisk Blue, but earned it through her hard work and talent. What bothered her… Was that girl. 

“Ruby Rose…” She muttered, still staring at the footage of their duel. 

What bothered Weiss was her . That raggedy-looking dolt who couldn’t even make the exams on time, had come out of nowhere and beaten her. She wasn’t a professional, not anyone special, based on what she’d looked up. A few junior championships here and there but those were small time. How was she so strong, without Weiss having ever heard of her? The girl’s mother, from the looks of it, was a pro duelist– Perhaps it was in her blood? But she’d only won a single championship before she was reported missing, tragically. She admittedly felt a bit bad for the girl, for a second, before forcing that down and resolving not to feel anything more for the enemy. 

Ruby’s victory was merely her failure– She underestimated her, held back, got overconfident. It was a mistake she would not repeat. She didn’t care about the reputation she’d earned, as annoying as it was, or the rumors that flitted about. Let the sheep bray all they wanted. She was going to defeat Ruby for her own satisfaction. 

For that, I must thank you, Ruby Rose, Weiss thought. You were like a mirror, showing me an imperfection that I had not been aware of… and when I beat you tonight, it is an imperfection I will have surpassed. 

Fools and weaklings believed strength to be surpassing others, while Weiss had learned that true strength was surpassing one’s own self. She wasn’t perfect, as she’d shouted before. Not yet. Not until she could surpass herself.

A knock came at the door, suddenly shattering her thoughts– Weiss looked up, then quickly paused the simulation.

“Excuse me?” A voice came from the other side of the door. “Anyone in there?”

“Come in,” Weiss replied.

The door opened slowly, and in the doorway stood a stylish girl with raven hair– And a black mask over her lower face, framing her piercing gold eyes. As they laid on Weiss, they narrowed slightly, and Weiss detected the faintest trace of agitation in her steps as she entered.

“It appears I’m your roommate,” Blake said, stepping inside. “Nice to meet you.”

“How do you do?” Weiss said, standing up and curtsying, “I am Weiss Schnee. And you are?”

“...Blake Belladonna.” The masked girl replied, her eyes drifting away from Weiss. Rather than continue with the formalities, she simply moved quickly to the bed opposite Weiss’s and began placing her bags down and unpacking without any further word.

Weiss raised an eyebrow, but did not mind the silence. Without any further words, she returned to her simulation, twirling her pen as she replayed the duel once more. However, her eyes couldn’t help but drift over towards her new roommate from time to time, and she noticed something peculiar. 

“...Do you… always wear that mask?” Weiss turned in her chair to ask. “I mean, we are indoors right now.”

Blake paused, touching the mask softly, then shaking her head. “...Allergies.” Was her only response.

Weiss raised an eyebrow. Allergies? Inside the best ventilated dorms in the Academy? That was odd... But not odd enough to distract from the matter at hand.

“...I see.” Weiss said. “Forgive me for prying.”

Turning back to her computer, the heiress then looked to her phone, where her last messages to Ruby were still displayed. Indeed, she’d been bluffing about pulling strings to get Ruby expelled– Her family had no say over what happened in Duel Academy, and that was how she wanted to keep it. However, she needed to turn up the heat a bit to get Ruby to meet her. The sooner they fought, the sooner she could stop thinking about her so much and get back to normal. 

Weiss folded her hands in front of her face, watching the replay intensely. Even now her mind raced, strategies and counter-strategies running through her head. She couldn’t deny that she was getting a bit excited. It had been a while since she’d fought anyone good enough to force her to think this hard. She thought back to those silver eyes of hers, shining with such confidence…

“I’m going to take a shower now, if that’s alright?” Blake’s voice suddenly broke through Weiss’s concentration, and she jolted. Turning around quickly, she nodded.

“Y-yes, that’s quite fine.” Weiss said. “I will go after you.”

Blake nodded, and entered the bathroom, still wearing her mask. Weiss resolved to figure out what exactly was beneath it, once she’d resolved all of this. As the hiss of the shower echoed from the lavish bathroom, Weiss finally finished staring at the replay.

“Stop.” She commanded, freezing the screen. “Close.”

The computer complied, and Weiss folded it shut. She was done reliving that fight– Now she needed to be in the present. She spread out her deck in front of her, glancing over every card, analyzing how useful it would be in the coming duel, and if she should replace it. She ran her fingers over the cards, separating them.

Junk. Useful. Useful. Junk. Useful. 

Rhythmically she sorted her cards, lining them up like soldiers as she split them up into their ranks, ready for war. Quickly, she pushed aside the useless cards and began forming her strategy in her mind– One that would cover the weaknesses of that humiliating loss and ensure her victory. What kind of cards would Ruby bring? Would she use the same deck? No– Surely she would be planning as well. This time, they’d both be prepared. A true battle.

She glanced at the clock– Despite all her thinking and working, very little time had passed. Her mind had been running in overdrive for the past several hours, and even she realized she needed to relax a bit, else she overheat before the duel even began. With a heavy sigh, she pushed herself away from the desk and flopped onto her bed, closing her eyes.

“Thanks, Weiss. I had fun.”

Even then, she couldn’t get her voice and stupid smile out of her head. She’d beaten her and acted so… normal about it! Like it was all just a game! For most people, it was– But not to her. And especially not to her family. Weiss couldn’t help but glance at the framed photo she’d put on her desk, with her family stoically posing as a group. Her eyes tried to avoid it, but they couldn’t help drifting to her father’s stern and frosty expression, as if maybe it would have somehow changed to support her, but the picture remained cold. 

Had fun… Absurd. Weiss thought, staring up at the ceiling. It’s just a game to you… But to me, this is everything. 

Slowly, she took a deep breath. She needed to relax. So she did what relaxed her most, drawing in her stomach and then opening wide as she sang a few notes. She started low, then grew higher and higher, maintaining the note as long as she could, though trying to keep it low as not to disturb her new roommate. She continued doing a few more vocal warm ups with practiced ease, like a runner stretching their legs out. Then, with her throat good and ready, she drew in breath and sang out the words she knew all too well:

“Mirror… tell me something,

Tell me who’s the loneliest of all?

Fear of what’s inside me,

Tell me can a heart,

Be turned to stone?”

Click. The sound of the bathroom door opening snapped Weiss from her thoughts, and she watched as Blake to emerged, hair still wet… And still wearing the mask. Weiss couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Okay, that was definitely weird. Who kept their mask on in the shower?

“...The shower’s free now.” Blake replied, running a brush through her damp hair.

“Oh, yes, thank you.” Weiss said, slowly getting up, then pausing. “Ah, actually… I just realized, my butler will be arriving with the rest of my luggage soon. I better hurry and meet him before lights out.”

Blake gave a wry glance to the three suitcases already present on her side of the room. 

“...I see.” Blake said. 

“It won’t take long, but.” Weiss said, confident her lie had worked, “If you wish to sleep now, I will not disturb you upon my return. Quiet as a churchmouse.”

“...Alright.” Blake replied, nodding slowly. “I am pretty tired myself. Think I’ll turn in for the night in a few minutes.”

“Of course.” Weiss said, nodding rapidly, “I’ll shower in the morning as not to disturb you. Have a good rest.”

Weiss gave another curtsy, Blake just looking at her silently, and then hurried out the door in an attempt to rush while still looking dignified. Blake waited until the door closed behind her and she heard the clack of her heels vanish before glancing down at her bag. She slowly reached in and pulled out a small, handheld device, and clicked it on. Out of the device was projected a glowing, three-dimensional hologram, depicting the entire Academy island. She raised her hand and swiped through the projection, until she saw a small, red, blinking dot. Satisfied, she closed the hologram, then walked up to the window, cracking it open.

“...Time to go to work.” Blake muttered.

–

“Lights out, everyone! Have a good night!” Oobleck’s voice echoed through the dorm. Perhaps the one easy upside to the Slifer dorms was that the walls were thin enough that a single shout could reach every room. The dorm head himself was able to hear quite easily if any students had decided to sneak out for some after-dark shenanigans, but he’d long ago given up being a stickler for the rules. So long as they weren’t going to be in danger, he was fine letting the young have their fun. He took a long sip of coffee from his mug, then proceeded to hunch over his desk and lamp, typing away at his computer.

In the room above, Ruby Rose lay atop her bunk bed, staring into the ceiling intently as her heart pounded in her chest. She’d never so much as skipped class before, so sneaking out after dark, risking getting caught… It was new to her. Yang did it all the time, she knew– How hard could it be? Well. For a girl with low self-esteem and a desperate need for approval from authority figures? Pretty hard, it turns out. She was half paralyzed, even though she knew Weiss was probably there by now, waiting. She suspected that the line about getting her expelled was a bluff, but if Weiss had wanted to piss her off, it sure worked. Ruby could feel her heart trying to leap out of her chest, telling her to go! Move! Do something! And yet, there she laid, looking into the popcorn ceiling until she saw her monster cards in the patterns of the chunks. 

Finally, she mustered the strength to wiggle herself out of the bed. Slowly, she put a foot on the ladder of the bunk bed– Which instantly let out a ghastly CREAK. Ruby winced, praying that nobody had heard, then set her foot on the next step. Another loud CREAK. Ruby groaned, then just made a mad scramble to the floor, creaking the ladder as she went, forgoing stealth altogether. She quickly grabbed her hoodie– No, wait. Weiss was surely gonna be there in her uniform. She’d make a jab at Ruby for sure. She glanced to her red jacket, then quickly threw it on, glancing at herself in the mirror. There. Weiss would still make fun of her, but she knew she looked cool. 

The red-clad girl grabbed her Duel Disk, slipping it on her arm. She already felt ten times more confident with the familiar weight, and put on a confident grin. She slowly twisted the doorknob just enough to open it, and slipped out into the cool night air of the balcony.

“...Here I come, Weiss.”

She took the stairs as slow as possible, trying to avoid a repeat of her bunk bed ladder, and then, once she’d reached the bottom, glanced over her shoulder for any sign of teachers or security. Once she was reasonably sure she was in the clear, she pulled out her phone and broke into a light jog, running into the nearby trees for cover. On her phone she pulled up the student’s map of the island, and zoomed in on Weiss’s chosen arena: the Obelisk Blue arena. 

After a bit of jogging, the arena was in sight– But just before she could reach, she felt something grab her arm; Before Ruby could gasp or scream in shock, a hand went over her mouth, and Ruby whirled around to find herself staring at…!

“...M-mff!” Ruby cried, which, had she not been muffled by her sister’s hand would have been: “Y-Yang!”

“Shh!” Yang put a finger to her lips as she glared down at Ruby. “...Ruby. Get back to your dorm, now! This is not worth it!”

Ruby pulled off Yang’s fingers from her mouth and whispered back. “I have to do this, Yang, it’s the only way she’s gonna leave me alone!”

“No, it’s gonna get you in big trouble here! Dueling after hours is forbidden!” Yang hissed back. “I’m not gonna let you risk everything you worked so hard for!”

“Why? You do it all the time!” Ruby whispered back angrily. “You get to be reckless and carefree, so why can’t I?”

Yang’s eyes widened with shock, but she bit her tongue and kept her voice low. “That’s– It’s different, okay? I can take care of myself, and—”

“And I can’t?” Ruby balled her hands into fists. “I know you’re looking out for me, Yang, but I can handle myself now. I need to handle myself now. Weiss has been treating me like dirt since we first saw each other, and I’m not going to take it anymore.”

Yang gritted her teeth. “This is not the way to do this! Wait for a damn second before you go risking your career over your pride! You’ll get plenty of chances to settle things with Weiss!”

“If I run off now, she’ll think I’m a coward.”

“Who cares what she thinks!? She’s a snobby rich asshole!”

“Exactly!! And I want to beat her! Beat her so hard she’ll leave me alone!”

“It’s not going to work that way, Ruby!” Yang jabbed a finger at her sister. “You do this match, beat her, what’s it gonna accomplish? She’ll just demand another rematch, and another, and another until she wins! She doesn’t care about you, it’s all about her ego!”

“Then I’ll just keep beating her.” Ruby replied, her silver eyes burning. “Anytime, any place. I’m done running.”

Yang wanted to scream, but settled for planting her face firmly in her hands and letting out a muffled “RRRRRGH”. She was proud of this newfound confidence Ruby had, but the unbelievable foolhardiness she was showing was so– Wait, was this how Dad felt all the time!? Dammit. 

She slowly thought about what her father would say. What would he do at a time like this– Keep trying to talk sense into Ruby? Or let her fly on her own? Maybe… Sometimes letting her fly on her own… Meant letting her have to fall too. 

Yang slowly lowered her hands, letting out a weary sigh. “....Fine. I can’t stop you. But I’m coming with you. Because at least that way, I can do damage control if things get out of hand.”

Ruby relaxed too, unclenching her fists. “...Thank you. …And… Sorry. I just. I really need to do this.”

“...” Yang smiled softly. “...I’m real proud of this new confident Ruby. But… I just want to be sure you know that this could go really badly.”

“I know.” Ruby replied, eyes steely. “...But I’m ready. I can feel it. I’ve been thinking about this match all day. Going through the motions, thinking over the strategies. I can do it. She uses a Ritual deck, see, and I’m going to counter by–”

“Okay, save it for the duel,” Yang said, raising her hand gently, “If we’re really doing this, then let’s hurry up before security shows.” 

“...Yeah, thanks.” Ruby said. 

“I believe in you, sis.” Yang said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Kick her ass.”

–

Luckily, Yang and Ruby only had to slip past a couple of passing security guards as they found their way to the Obelisk Blue arena. The building was as grand as everything else in the Obelisk Dorm, the huge double doors ornate and decorated with a large monster standing over them, like the guardian of the gates of Hell. Ruby pushed the doors open– Unlocked, as she’d expected, and stepped inside with Yang behind her.

“...Ah!” Ruby’s eyes suddenly widened. “This is…!”

The arena was a large, raised glass-like platform, segmented to match the playing field of Duel Monsters, with five zones for Monsters and five zones for Spell and Trap cards on each side. In each corner of the arena was a large pole, each holding up a holographic projector. Above each of the sides were two large, raised podiums, one red, the other blue, each equipped with a playing field and screen. Ruby instantly recognized the setup and cried out with glee.

“D-Duelist Kingdom!” Ruby gasped, eyes sparkling with excitement. “Th-this is one of the arenas from the Industrial Illusions Duelist Kingdom!!”

“Astute observation, Ruby Rose.” Weiss’s voice rang out– Ruby and Yang both looked up to see Weiss, already standing at the blue podium, staring down at both of them. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of Yang, who simply put her hands on her hips and grinned back.

“...Why have you brought her?” Weiss asked. “I said there was to be no interference.”

“Oh, don’t mind me,” Yang said, raising her hands, “I’m just here to watch. Trust me, Ruby doesn’t need my help to beat the likes of you.”

“She’s my sister, and she was worried about me.” Ruby explained, “That’s all.”

Weiss frowned. Sisters? Really? They looked so different… No, wait, Weiss remembered catching a glimpse of the two talking back at the exam. It checked out. Coming to support her younger sister during a duel… Weiss’s hand twitched a bit. How nice.

“...Very well.” Weiss nodded. “Then how about you play lookout. Notify us if anyone is starting to come by.”

“...Sure, that works.” Yang shrugged, then patted Ruby on the shoulder as she walked towards the doors leaning close so she could hear outside. “You got this, sis.”

Ruby smiled, then practically bolted up the steps to the red podium, staring excitedly at the retro setup and analogue Life Point readout. “Ohhh, this is SO cool! I’ve always wanted to play on one of these, but they’re really expensive and you can only really rent one out or go to a field, and they’re really outdated by today’s terms and–”

“Excuse me!” Weiss muttered, wrinkling her face as she leaned over her podium, “Are you here to admire the hardware, or are you here to duel!?”

“...I can do both!” Ruby protested, pulling her deck out and placing it on the field. “...Alright, let’s go. Ready when you are.”

“About time.” Weiss said, huffing as she powered up her podium. Slowly, the dueling field hummed to life, rising with power as the old projectors began to glow. The screens on the podium lit up, displaying the Life Point readout for the match. Ruby looked up to stare down Weiss, who was doing the same, as the arena began to then randomly select the first turn. An arrow flashed between “Red” and “Blue”, dancing between them before finally settling on… “Red”.

“Looks like I’m going first.” Ruby said, smirking as she pulled her opening hand.

“After you,” Weiss said, doing the same. “Let’s settle this.”

“Let’s,” Ruby said, “And after this, I don’t wanna hear from you again, Weiss Schnee.”

“Likewise, Ruby Rose. I expect a good battle. Do not disappoint me.”

The two locked eyes, and in unison, chanted out:

“Duel!”

Turn 1: Ruby (4000 LP)

“My turn! Draw!” Ruby cried, pulling the first card of her deck. She added it to her hand, and then smiled as she played her first card. 

“First, I’ll throw a monster in face down Defense Position,” Ruby said, setting a monster on her field. The holographic projectors whirred, showing a horizontal facedown card on Ruby’s side. The girl then set two more cards in her Spell and Trap Zone.

"And then I'll throw two cards face down as well. That's all for now. End of turn."

Weiss’s eyes narrowed. She was already playing much differently. The Ruby she’d dueled earlier was practically dueling by the seat of her pants, but throwing down so many face downs… Either she had a plan, or she was pulling a bluff. Knowing this girl, it could be either. But Weiss was not going to underestimate her again.

Turn 2: Weiss (4000 LP)

“My turn. Draw!” Weiss said, elegantly swiping her first card from her deck. With a quick glance at her hand, her fingers danced across her cards and plucked one from her hand delicately. “Last time, I fought you with my Servants. That was my mistake– Never send the help to do what you should do yourself.”

“‘The help’?” Yang rolled her eyes, looking like she’d just tasted something foul. 

“I summon…” Weiss said, ignoring Yang, “...’Arma Eques’, in Attack Mode!”

The projectors whirred and fired on the field, where a suit of pure white armor rose from the floor– Ruby instantly recognized it as a smaller, less deadly-looking version of her massive ‘Arma Gigas’. Arma Eques dutifully drew its glowing white sword for battle, bearing 1800 Attack Points to its name.

“And now, I activate the Continuous Spell Card: ‘Spellsword - Array’!” Weiss said with a flourish. Instantly, a series of large white snowflakes appeared around her side of the field, and from each emerged a glowing white sword, identical to the one carried by the Eques, hovering in midair and pointed directly at Ruby.

“Every time you declare an attack, my ‘Spellsword - Array’ will inflict 500 points of damage to your Life Points, up to four times.” Weiss explained, “So choose your attacks carefully, Ruby Rose.” 

She’s being cautious , Ruby thought to herself, putting her thumb to her chin. This defensive array… She’s trying to buy time so she can summon her Arma Gigas, for sure. Looks like this time, I’ll have to go on the offensive.

“Now, I’ll have my Arma Eques attack your monster,” Weiss said, “But unfortunately for you, it doesn’t matter what that monster’s Defense Points are– Because Arma Eques’s special ability automatically destroys monsters in Defense Position!”

The Arma Eques charged forward, and its effect activated, its sword glowing bright white as it carves through Ruby’s face down card– The card flips up to reveal ‘Petal Pup’, a smaller, cuter version of Petal Wolf, with a mere 200 Defense Points. Even without Arma Eques’s effect, it couldn’t have survived, and quickly burst into pieces.

“I activate ‘Petal Pup’s’ special ability!” Ruby declared quickly, raising her arm. “When Petal Pup is sent from the field to the Graveyard, he’s reborn as a full grown ‘Petal Wolf’! So come forth…!”

Immediately, the rose petals began to swirl around and from the ground where Petal Pup had fallen, a giant rose blossomed forth, and Ruby’s Petal Wolf leapt forth, giving a triumphant howl. 

“This mutt again…” Weiss muttered. No doubt she’s trying to get her powerful fusion monster out as soon as possible. But I won’t allow that.

“I set one card,” Weiss said, planting a face down on her field, “And end my turn.”

Turn 3: Ruby (4000 LP)

“My move. Draw!” She cried, pulling her next card. Glancing at her hand, she had a solid setup here. She would need to be bold here, so it was time to get serious. She pulled a teal-bordered card from her hand, flashing it at Weiss before placing it on her field. 

“Now, I activate the Spell Card, ‘Miraculous Fertilizer!’” Ruby cried. “With this, I can remove from play one Earth Attribute monster from my Graveyard and draw two cards! And thanks to you, I have ‘Petal Pup’ in my Graveyard to use!” 

Ruby removed Petal Pup from her graveyard, and a large rose sprung forth from the ground on her field, opening up to reveal two cards. Ruby quickly added the two new cards to her hand– And at a glance she could see the familiar blue and orange swirl of her old friend, Polymerization. 

“Perfect.” Ruby grinned, brimming with confidence as she placed the card on the field. “I activate ‘Polymerization’, and fuse ‘Petal Wolf’ on my field, and ‘Petal Sniper’ in my hand, to summon…!”

Petal Wolf and Petal Sniper both flew up into the air above the field, entering the swirling vortex. The two became balls of light as they collided together, creating a burst of light. Weiss folded her arms and watched the fusion stoically. 

“Come forth! And return our foes to the earth.

Rose Petal Reaper! !”

The light faded, shrouding the arena in darkness, and from above, Rose Petal Reaper descended, her curved scythe glimmering in the moonlight. She whirled the scythe around her, kicking up a storm of rose petals, twirling the scythe so fast it became a blur. Finally, she planted the blade in the ground, the petals bursting in a shower around her.

“Woo! Yeah, R.P.R.!” Yang cheered, pumping her fist and hollering.

“You remember her, don’t you?” Ruby said, “And her effect of gaining Attack Points from every monster she defeats? I didn’t get much of a chance to use it last time, but now I’ll let her shine! But first…”

Ruby placed a face down card on her side of the field. “I’ll throw down a face down. Now, Rose Petal Reaper, take out that Arma Eques!”

“...You realize, of course, my ‘Spellsword - Array’ will take effect now!”  Weiss declared, raising her arm. One of her floating swords immediately shot out and pierced Ruby directly, decreasing her Life Points by 500.

R: 4000 LP -> 3500 LP

“Urgh.” Ruby grunted, but remained undeterred. “A small price to pay, now that Rose Petal Reaper’s gonna take a much bigger chunk out of yours! Raging Rose Assault!!”

Rose Petal Reaper reared back her blade, then shot forward like a bullet. She seemed to vanish in a flash of red– Then reappeared behind Arma Eques, scythe at its neck. Weiss’s knight couldn’t even react before the Reaper pulled the blade towards her, slicing it in half. Rose petals surged around Weiss as the collateral damage from the battle was delivered to her Life Points.

W: 4000 LP -> 3200 LP

Weiss raised her arm to shield herself from the blow, but as she lowered it, a glint shone in her eye that told Ruby that things weren’t over just yet– Despite being split in two, Arma Eques remained on the field, somehow keeping itself from shattering to bits.

“...I’ve learned a valuable lesson from you, Ruby Rose,” Weiss said, revealing her Trap Card, “That in battle, one cannot be afraid to take a bit of damage… To cut down their opponent! I activate ‘Noble Sacrifice’! When one of my ‘Arma’ monsters is destroyed in battle, and I take Battle Damage as a result, the opposing monster goes down with it!”

Ruby’s eyes widened. “No!”

Even Yang looked surprised. “Oh, crap.”

But it was too late– The fatally wounded Arma Knight turned and stabbed its sword into Rose Petal Reaper with the last of its strength, and the glowing sword hit home, driven fully through her chest. The two monsters collapsed simultaneously, before bursting into pieces, the battle ended in a draw.

“...I may have lost some Life Points,” Weiss said, brushing herself off, “But you have lost your strongest monster.”

Ruby gritted her teeth, and Weiss gave a smile.

“...Haha. You’re so easy to read, Ruby Rose. A good duelist should always keep a strong poker face.”

“Huh!?” Ruby blushed self consciously. “I-I’ve never played poker.”

Weiss frowned. “It’s a figure of speech. It just means– Forget it. Are you done?”

Ruby glanced at her hand, and then her field– Only two of her face down cards remained on her side. It would have to suffice till her next move. “...Yes. I end my turn.”

Turn 4: Weiss (3200 LP)

“My turn. Draw.” Weiss said, cooly drawing another card. “...I activate the Spell Card, ‘Frozen Inheritance’! It allows me to select a Spell Card in my deck and remove it from play– But on my next turn, it will thaw out, and enter my hand.”

Weiss quickly cut her deck, searching for her desired card, and placed it aside. As she did, a large, block of ice suddenly rose onto the field, bearing Weiss’s chosen card inside. Ruby bit her thumb as she laid eyes upon it– Just as she’d thought, it was the Ritual Spell ‘Arma Circle’. Weiss was going for her Gigas as soon as she could.

“Next,” Weiss continued, placing a new card, “I set a face down monster in Defense Mode.” 

A horizontal card appeared on Weiss’s field. Ruby gritted her teeth. Weiss was trying to freeze her out this time, blocking off all offense. And it was working pretty well so far, with Ruby’s Rose Petal Reaper already in the grave. If she couldn’t beat her soon, Arma Gigas would be back on the field, and Ruby suspected it her trick with Kuribokami from before wouldn’t cut it again. 

“I end my turn.” Weiss said, then shook her head. “I have to say, thus far… I’m disappointed, Ruby Rose. You aren’t giving me nearly as much of a fight as before. Was our last duel a fluke? Come on, show me!”

Ruby chewed her thumb, thinking. If she didn’t come up with something on her turn, Weiss would certainly bust out Arma Gigas once more to finish things. But Ruby wasn’t going to give in. Maybe before, she’d have thrown in the towel and conceded, but not here, not now. 

“...You’re gonna regret asking for that.” Ruby replied, reaching for her deck. “My move. Draw–”

“Wait!” Yang suddenly said, raising a hand, then pointing to the windows. “Look– Lights! Campus security!”

Weiss and Ruby’s eyes shot to the windows, where indeed yellow torchlight was shining through. The three girls all exchanged a look of mutual fear. Not only was sneaking out after dark against the rules, but no off-hours duels were allowed either. Ruby and Weiss simultaneously looked at each other, as if daring the other to back down.

“...We’re not ending it here.” Weiss said quickly.

“I agree.” Ruby added. “We’ll go fast.”

Yang rubbed her temples. “Oh boy. You two can’t be serious.”

“I’m not gonna leave a duel unfinished, Yang. Can you stall them or something for us?”

“Me!?” Yang put a hand to her chest. “I didn’t even wanna be here! I had hot girls to duel with!”

“So do I!” Ruby shouted back, not really thinking about that before saying it, “Please, Yang, I need to settle this!”

If Weiss had processed Ruby’s remark, she didn’t show it, simply folding her arms and glancing at Yang. “...I already pulled a lot of strings to get us access to this arena this late. I’m about as vulnerable as you two right now. They can punish me how they see fit– So long as I’m able to finish you off, Ruby Rose.”

Yang looked at Ruby, then to Weiss, then put her face in her hands. Damn her sisterly instinct. For once, she was trying NOT to get in trouble, and look what life had given her. Groaning heavily, she glanced around, looking for a way out that wasn’t the front doors. Luckily, her answer came quickly as she spotted a ladder to the rooftop. Yang looked over to Weiss.

“Hey, you got the key to this place or something?”

Weiss tilted her head, but nodded. “I do.”

“Toss it to me. I’ll take the roof exit and make a distraction.” Yang said reluctantly, holding out her hand.

Ruby smiled. “...Yang… I’m sorry, thank you SO much.”

Yang just smiled softly. “Just be sure to graduate in my place, okay?” 

Weiss looked at Yang oddly– The blonde girl couldn’t tell exactly what she was thinking, but somehow she looked… Jealous? Weiss wasn’t going to turn down the gracious offer, and quickly tossed the key. 

“...You have my thanks as well, Yang, was it?” Weiss said, giving a bow. “Your… loyalty to your sister is worthy of high praise.”

Yang caught the key, then waved off the compliment. “When you say it like that, it hardly sounds like a compliment.”

“H-hey, I meant it! And I don’t give them out lightly.” Weiss said, frowning. 

Yang just shook her head and climbed up to the hatch. A quick turn of the key, and she pushed open the exit, and hopped up, closing it behind her.

“...Let’s make haste,” Weiss said as soon as it was shut. “We cannot afford to waste your sister’s good grace.”

“For once, we’re in agreement,” Ruby replied as she drew her next card.

Turn 5: Ruby (3500 LP)

“My move!” Ruby said. “And I’m gonna summon ‘Petal Phantom’, in Attack Mode!” 

In a burst of light, a ragged red figure surfaced from the ground– Appearing like a bedsheet ghost, made of tattered cloth, with two black eyeholes. The monster appeared incredibly weak on first glance– It had 0 Attack and Defense Points.

A monster with 0 Attack Points? Weiss thought. There’s no way she’s that foolish. This is a trick somehow.  

“Now, I activate Petal Phantom’s special ability!” Ruby cried. “For one turn, I can have Petal Phantom gain the Attack and Defense of any ‘Petal’ monster in my Graveyard! So now, I grant it the power of my Rose Petal Reaper!”

The Phantom’s sheet suddenly spread and grew, before taking the shape of Rose Petal Reaper, complete with her signature scythe. Its Attack rocketed from 0 to 2600 in an instant.

“Now!” Ruby extended her arm, “Petal Phantom will strike down your face down monster!”

“And my ‘Spellsword - Array’ will strike you down in return!” Weiss countered, extending her arm as well.

The Phantom zipped forward, charging towards Weiss’s face down monster, while at the same time a Spellsword shot forward towards Ruby. The sword struck home again, hitting Ruby for 500 more damage– But she shook off the hit and watched intently as Petal Phantom proceeded to attack. 

R: 3500 LP -> 3000 LP

Weiss’s face down flipped up to reveal a giant, kneeling figure– Its body was made of bricks and stone, pure white as all of Weiss’s monsters were, and on each of its its shoulders stood a castle tower– In fact, the whole monster appeared to be a giant, living castle. Its name read ‘Arma Castra’, and its Defense Points measured in at a solid 2000. However, its defense was not high enough to withstand Petal Phantom, whose scythe carved it to pieces in a flash of red streaks. The castle crumbled apart, leaving Weiss now defenseless.

“Tch.” Weiss muttered.

“I’m taking the offensive this time,” Ruby declared, holding up a Spell Card. “I activate my face down card: ‘Rapid Reload’! If I give up Petal Phantom’s attack next turn, I can have it attack twice this turn!! Now, Petal Phantom, go for a direct hit!!”

“Damn!” Weiss grunted, bracing herself as Petal Phantom raised its scythe once more. It suddenly vanished in a flash, Weiss blinking with surprise– Only for the ghost to materialize right behind her. Weiss gasped in shock just in time to see the scythe swipe through her, dealing a hefty 2600 damage to her Life Points.

W: 3200 LP -> 600 LP

Ruby smirked, her foot bouncing with excitement. “How’d you like that?”

Weiss clutched the podium and pulled herself upright, wiping her face with a small smirk of her own. “...That’s more like it, Ruby Rose.”

“I end my turn." Ruby finished, "And now, Petal Phantom’s attack will return to normal.”

Petal Phantom’s form reverted back to that of a bed sheet ghost, its attack and defense withering back to 0. It was an impressive blow Ruby had struck against her, but it hadn’t been enough– Because now her time was up. ‘Frozen Inheritance’ was about to thaw, and grant Weiss her Ritual Card.

I’ll have my Arma Gigas, and then I can finish this , Weiss thought, gripping her podium. However… That’s what I thought last time as well. And I will not make the same mistake twice. This time I’ll be entirely sure to seal Ruby Rose’s fate! Only when her Life Points hit zero… That’s when I can declare victory!

“My turn,” Weiss said, eyeing her thawing card with a grin. “Draw! Let’s see if you can withstand this, Ruby Rose!!”

Ruby couldn’t help but smile too. Despite everything, the taunts, the threats, the accusation; It all seemed to fall away in the intensity of their battle. Despite what Weiss might say or protest, Ruby could feel it in the air as they faced off:

They were having fun.

–

Meanwhile, Yang popped her head into the cool night air, noting how pretty the stars were, before shutting the hatch behind her. She glanced around, looking for the security guards she’d heard coming by. It didn’t take her long– Yang quickly peered over the edge and saw the two guards, their flashlights sweeping the grounds.

“...I think I hear something in the arena. Might be some kids up to some late night dueling.”

“Alright, let’s take a look.”

Yang groaned, running her hands through her hair. This was gonna hurt, both physically, and to her pride. 

“You’d better win this damn duel, Ruby,” She muttered to herself. With that, Yang glanced over the side of the rooftop, then vaulted over– And landed in a group of nearby bushes with a loud CRASH. The guards stopped, only about a meter away from the arena entrance, and turned towards the planter nearby. 

“Aaaahhhh yup, that hurt.” Yang muttered, clenching her eyes shut at the pain as she dragged herself to her feet. Instantly, two searing bright lights flashed onto her face. 

“...What are you doing out of your dorm, student? You know it’s past lights-out.”

“Oh, bro, for real?” Yang asked, putting on her best confused, slurry voice. “Dude, I’m so lost… Where’s the Yellow Dorms, again? Can you guys take me there? I’m still getting used to this place…”

The two guards glanced at each other, then lowered their flashlights. “...We’ll get you back to your dorm. But don’t let this happen again, understood?”

“Yeah dude, no prooooblem,” Yang said, waving her hand and following along. As she walked away, she shot one last glance over her shoulder. 

You’re on your own now, Ruby. To fly… or to fall.

–

Turn 6: Weiss (600 LP)

“Let’s see if you can withstand this, Ruby Rose!” Weiss declared, smirking with confidence. “Now, my ‘Frozen Inheritance’ has been thawed out, and I add ‘Arma Circle’ to my hand!”

The icy block containing the card quickly melted down, and Weiss flashed the Ritual Card as she added it to her hand.

“...And now, I’ll proceed to play it!” Weiss said, lifting the card high. “I tribute my Level 4 ‘Arma Pontiff’ and my Level 4 ‘Arma Militus’ from my hand to Ritual Summon… Arma Gigas!!”

The cold wind roared through the arena and swirled around Weiss’s massive snowflake glyph, glowing as it rotated and opened, allowing the armored giant to move through. Ruby clenched her fists as she watched Arma Gigas rise up once more beside Weiss. 

“...Now the real battle begins.” Weiss announced, placing down another card. “I activate the Equip Spell: ‘Spellsword - Zwei!’”

Arma Gigas raised its free hand, and another snowflake emblem appeared, out of which emerged a second glowing sword, which the Gigas grabbed, now dual-wielding massive greatswords.

“As long as I control no other monsters on my side of the field,” Weiss explains, “My Gigas can attack twice per turn. And in addition, I can sacrifice ‘Spellsword - Zwei’ if Gigas is targeted by a Spell or Trap Card, and negate it.”

“That’s one hell of an effect.” Ruby replied, keeping up her confidence. “Gonna be all the more impressive when I knock it back down!”

But internally, Ruby was sweating. Damn! That Equip Spell is too strong! It lets her attack twice, AND block my traps? Where does she get these cards? Rich people suck .

“So now,” Weiss said, snapping her fingers, “Arma Gigas, rend that Petal Phantom to pieces!”

The Gigas raised its swords and charged forward, then swung them for Petal Phantom. Ruby’s hand went for her Trap Card– But she stopped. No. Not yet! She pulled back and clenched her eyes shut as she got ready to take the unfiltered damage. 

Poor Petal Phantom did not stand a chance. It was obliterated with a single swing, and since it had 0 Attack Points… It was akin to a direct attack. Arma Gigas’s sword swung through both the monster and Ruby in one clean swipe, and Ruby’s Life Points sunk like an anchor.

R: 3500 LP -> 500 LP

“Gaah!” Ruby nearly stumbled over, but gripped the podium for support. It’s okay. She was still standing– And she could take Weiss’s next attack.

“Now, with ‘Spellsword - Zwei’s’ power,” Weiss swung her arm again. “Attack her again! Direct attack!”

Arma Gigas raised its twin swords up once more to deliver what should be a fatal blow. Weiss stared intently at Ruby, waiting for her reaction.

Come on, Ruby Rose. Don’t disappoint me. You have something up your sleeve, I know it. I won’t accept a victory this easy!

And Weiss was correct, as Ruby quickly raised her arm and cried out: “I activate my Trap Card, ‘Bloom and Scatter’!!”

Weiss looked across at Ruby, and they quickly locked eyes, both feeling the tension rise as they waited with baited breath to see how things would play out. 

When was the last time I dueled this seriously? I haven’t felt like this since my first tournament… No, even before then… Weiss thought, unable to keep back her grin.

“If I have the required monsters in my Graveyard, I can remove them from play to Fusion Summon a monster!” Ruby goes on. “And since you just destroyed my Petal Phantom, I can fuse it with my Petal Wolf, and Fusion Summon…!”

Petal Phantom and Petal Wolf both emerged from the grave, then shot into the air, where a vortex of light absorbed them. A pillar of light shot down, and hit the ground, and slowly, a shadow began to emerge from within.

“When the moon is shattered,

When all is lost,

When the beast awakens,

You shall pay the cost,

Night eclipses day, the heroes lose their will,

All fall to the beast…

Rose Petal Baskerville! ”

A pitch black paw hit the field, followed by another. A large black maw emerged next, with eyes red as blood, leaving red streaks in the air as they darted around. The great hound lumbered forward, its body seemingly made of smoke and shadows, with a tattered red cloak fluttering around its neck, like a gruesome, unfitting costume. The beast’s summoning was complete, and it reared back its neck, giving a mighty howl that shook the arena and pierced the night sky. Its stats followed suit, hovering beside it at 2000 Attack Points.

“The effect of ‘Bloom and Scatter’ lasts till the end of the turn– After that, my Rose Petal Baskerville is immediately destroyed.” Ruby’s heart was pounding as she explained. She could feel it, this was it! “But I won’t need that long, cause I can now activate Baskerville’s special technique!! Go!”

Rose Petal Baskerville raised its head and turned its body into a cloud of ash and smoke, billowing towards Weiss and her Arma Gigas. The smoke filled the arena, Weiss shielding her eyes as it spread everywhere. 

“Baskerville is able to sacrifice itself,” Ruby’s voice echoed through the fog, “And drag one of your monsters into the depths of the Graveyard along with it, as long as its Attack Points are higher than my Life Points! And since this isn’t a Spell or Trap Effect, your Spellsword can’t protect Gigas now!” 

Weiss staggered back as she watched the shadows swirl around Arma Gigas, the knight swiping its swords through the thick smoke, but to no avail– Suddenly, the red eyes of the hound emerged behind the mighty knight, and the jaws of the beast bit into its neck, bringing Arma Gigas to its knees. The shadows all began to wrap around Arma Gigas, binding it in place, as the jaws of Rose Petal Baskerville began to drag it downwards. Weiss watched, shocked but exhilarated, as both monsters burst into pieces and descended into the Graveyard. The smoke faded, and the lights returned, both duelists staring across at each other, no more cards on the field. 

“...That was… very impressive, Ruby Rose…” Weiss said, wiping her forehead. “I play a face down card… and end my turn.”

“Thanks,” Ruby smiled, “You nearly had me there. You never let up, do you?”

“And you never stop finding ways to wriggle free of sure destruction,” Weiss laughed back. 

For a moment, they shared a glance, smiling, and Ruby felt her cheeks heat up a tiny bit.

“...M-my turn,” Ruby said, heart pounding. This was it– If she got a bad card now, it was all over– Weiss would not give her a second chance. Ruby closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and put her fingers to the top card. 

“I draw–” She began, but that was as far as she got. 

It was at that moment that the doors to the arena burst wide open, and in came the harsh, heavy steps of stiletto heels, as a security woman stepped in leveling a piercing glare at the two duelists. Ruby’s card slipped from her fingers, and her entire body froze. Her eyes darted across the field to see Weiss frozen solid too, though she was trying to maintain a semblance of dignity by standing at attention like a soldier. For a solid ten seconds, nobody said a word– All they could do was stare.

“...Alright, girls. Pack it in.” The security head declared. She produced a small, silver baton, and flicked it open, then pointed it at the arena. With the click of a button, her baton flashed with white light, and the duel arena immediately powered down, the holograms fading and Life Points vanishing. She then collapsed the baton and placed it at her hip, then folded her arms. 

“You two are in a lot of trouble.”

CHAPTER TWO

END

CARD FEATURE CORNER:

"PETAL WOLF"

"Black as night and red as blood, this fearsome wolf can return from the grave to defend its user ."

Chapter Text

“She’s a lot like you, you know.”

Summer glanced over at Taiyang, then at the small, red-clad child chasing after her older sister. 

“How so?” Summer asked, tilting her head.

“...She’s got your… quirks.” Taiyang said, scratching his chin. “Always fidgeting. Likes to tinker. Gets real obsessed with things. Forgets stuff.”

“Hey!” Summer said, laughing, “I’m not always doing those things!”

“I can feel the chair vibrating because you’re bouncing your leg, right now.”

Summer looked over, to see it was true. 

“...Must run in the family.” Summer said, resting her hand on her chin.

“...It’d be nice if you stopped by more.” Taiyang said. “She could use your guidance. Sometimes she feels… ashamed. Of all her differences.”

“...You and I both know I’m not any good at this ‘mom’ thing.” Summer said softly. “I’m.. I don’t know. I love her so much, but… What I do is important. I can’t risk her getting hurt.”

“...” Taiyang’s gaze drifted back to the kids. “...When she’s older… She might resent you for that.”

“...Maybe. And she’d be right to.” Summer mused. “...But I’d rather she resent me…”

She slowly turned a card over in her hand, her silver eyes fixating on it.

“...Than face the darkness I swore to fight.”

Weiss and Ruby sat wordlessly in the disciplinary office, alone save for each other. Their eyes both slowly flitted around the room, trying to look at anything but each other. Ruby’s leg bounced vigorously as she sat, while Weiss was as still as possible, sitting perfectly straight in the chair, both feet flat on the ground. The office was neat, tidy, but stylish– Clearly the head of discipline was an orderly woman, but not without an eye for aesthetics. Weiss appreciated the many organized bookshelves, polished desks and a rather pleasing painting of a large, beautiful castle hung on the wall behind the desk. Ruby, meanwhile, noted the many personal touches– A pen in the cup holder shaped like a broom, a bowl of apple-shaped candies on the desk. A small framed photo on her desk of a little black cat. The owner of the office was stern and professional, for certain, but perhaps there was a bit of kindness to her as well.

The two remained sitting there, unsure of what to do. They had been hauled in by the guards and told to wait quietly, while the head of security talked with the Headmaster. It had been at least 10 minutes now, but there was no sign of the fierce, commanding woman who had busted their duel.

Ruby slowly glanced at Weiss out of the corner of her eye. Weiss happened to look back at that moment, and for a second, their eyes met– Instantly, Ruby looked away, like she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Weiss’s mouth became a thin line, her eyes lowering as she wondered whether to speak or not. Finally, she did.

“...It’s a shame. We were so close to finally ending this.” she muttered.

“...Yeah.” Ruby said, still looking away. “...I don’t regret it, though.”

“...Likewise.” Weiss replied, folding her arms. “If the duel had lasted just a little bit longer…”

“...I’d have won,” they both said in unison, then blinked, and turned face to face.

“You?” Weiss asked incredulously. “How were you going to defeat me with your best cards in the grave?”

“That’s where you’re wrong.” Ruby said, raising a finger. “‘Rose Petal Baskerville’ had a second ability. After sacrificing himself to destroy an enemy monster, it revives on my next turn! And Baskerville’s 2400 Attack Points were more than enough to wipe out the last of your Life Points.”

Weiss scoffed. “You dolt– Did you forget about my ‘Spellsword - Array’? Even if you had recovered your overgrown mutt, my Spellswords deal you 500 damage whenever you deal an attack! I’d have dropped you to zero before your pooch could ever touch me. But even if you didn’t…”

Weiss reached into her pocket, and produced a card, flipping it towards Ruby. “I had this card in my hand: ‘Arma Fencer’. Its power lets me send all my active ‘Spellsword’ cards to the Graveyard, and deal you 800 damage for each. But one would have been all I needed.”

“That would have only worked if you survived to play it,” Ruby shot back, “And there’s plenty of cards in my deck that could work around your Spellswords, like this one: ‘Rose Rush’!”

Ruby flashed her own card back at Weiss, this one depicting a group of Ruby’s ‘Petal’ monsters, charging at the enemy. “With this card, your Spell and Trap cards are negated when I attack with a Petal monster, like my Baskerville. You’d be finished.”

“That’s assuming you drew one of those cards.” Weiss pointed out, shaking her head. “And we never got that far.”

“I might have!” Ruby said, banging a fist on her armrest. She stared down at the ground. “...But you’re right. We’ll never know.”

Weiss let out a sigh. “I suppose this means we’ll just have to have another match.”

“Yeah.” Ruby replied, leaning back in her chair. “...I had fun, though.”

Weiss frowned, her eyes narrowing. “Fun… Is that why you’re here? To have a good time?”

“I mean…” Ruby tilted the chair back, rocking herself back and forth. “I’d sure like to? I’m mainly here to be a pro duelist.”

“Well let me give you some advice, duelist to duelist.” Weiss said, raising a finger. “You don’t become a pro duelist by having ‘fun’. It takes hard work and discipline.”

Ruby frowned. “I work plenty hard. But I play because I love the thrill of the game– And I can tell you do too.”

Weiss blinked with shock. “What!? Don’t be absurd. I’m nothing like you.”

Ruby leaned forward, raising an eyebrow. “Really? You didn’t feel anything during that duel? I don’t buy that. You were smiling.”

“Th-that’s natural. I was winning, so of course I’d be smiling.” Weiss snapped back, the faintest hint of red across her face.

“We were pretty even,” Ruby countered. “It was just a matter of which one of us would draw the right card first.”

“And you think it would have been you, with your second-rate deck?” Weiss shot back. 

“This ‘second-rate deck’ already beat you once.” Ruby said with a small smirk.

“I made a mistake that time!” Weiss fumed, turning completely to face Ruby, shoulders raised in anger. “This was to be a proper match, where I could beat you properly and–”

Before she could continue, the door swung open, and in stepped the head of discipline herself. She had shoulder-length blonde hair that curled at the ends, and half-rimmed glasses over her piercing eyes and a seemingly perpetual frown. She wore a well-fitted suit and pants, adorned with a lavender tie which faded to black near the tip. Everything about her screamed “professional”, and both girls instantly felt a chill run down their spines as she walked stoically past them, and took a seat at her desk, hands folded in front of her. Weiss quickly snapped back to her perfect ergonomic posture, while Ruby pulled her legs up and hugged her knees, biting her thumb nervously. 

The woman was silent for a few seconds, glancing between the two girls, then reached out a finger, tapping the keyboard of her computer. On the screen flashed two images: the respective student IDs of both Ruby and Weiss.

“Ruby Rose. Freshman. Slifer Red. Weiss Schnee. Freshman. Obelisk Blue.” she read out plainly, then looked to the girls. “...My name is Professor Goodwitch, disciplinary head here at Duel Academy. You both violated the Academy’s curfew and partook in an unsanctioned duel with no faculty present, and snuck into a closed arena to do so. What do you two have to say for yourselves?”

Weiss wasted no time in answering, lowering her head humbly. “...It was my idea, Professor Goodwitch. Ruby Rose and I had a score to settle, and I wanted to do it as quickly as possible. I take full responsibility for my actions and accept whatever consequences you deem fit.”

“And your little grudge match couldn’t have waited until tomorrow, at the least?” Goodwitch asked, raising an eyebrow.

“...I-I saw no need to delay it that long,” Weiss stuttered a bit, glancing around. “And I desired a private venue for our battle. It was between us, and no one else. Talk is already going around the school that my good name as a Schnee had been disgraced, and I could not risk further harm to my family’s reputation.”

Good name? Ruby frowned. She’d heard nothing but bad things about the Schnee Dueling Company, personally. Sure they produced top quality dueling products– State of the art Duel Runners, finely crafted Duel Disks, luxurious Dueling Stadiums, and owned countless card shops across the world– But their booming business had always come with controversy and scandal, from outsourcing factories in the Satellite and paying pennies, as well as financially supporting Sector Security’s criminal branding practices. She’d seen Jacques Schnee lambasted across all sorts of talk shows and across the internet, though he likely had too much money to ever care about that sort of thing. 

“I had hoped the duel would be quick so as to not cause any problems,” Weiss continued, “But I appear to have overestimated my abilities, and I… may have acted rather rashly. I apologize.”

Well, least she’s owning up to it. Ruby thought, folding her arms. If nothing else, Weiss at least wasn’t scummy enough to try and pin this on her. Ruby sensed that despite all the trash talk, Weiss wasn’t a simple bully. 

Professor Goodwitch glanced over to Ruby. “Do you agree with the story she’s given?”

Ruby nodded slowly. “...Yeah. She called me out, and I went. That was my bad, I guess, but… I just can’t turn down a duel. I was thinking about her all day.”

Weiss blinked, her head snapping towards Ruby as she said that. Ruby just looked back, tilting her head quizzically. 

“...You two had quite the duel at the entrance exam,” Goodwitch said, glancing at her computer screen. “But I’m afraid that your skills at dueling do not exempt you from the consequences. We have curfew here for a reason, and using a school dueling arena behind our backs is a large breach of trust.”

Goodwitch held a cold stare at them both, letting the horror sink in, before then raising her finger. 

“However.” She continued, “There is someone else who wishes to speak on the matter.”

She looked to the door, the two girls following her glance, as a shadow appeared through the frosted window, and the door slowly opened. Into the room came the familiar figure of Headmaster Ozpin, a mug in one hand and his cane in the other. The two girls blinked with surprise as the silver-haired man walked over casually to Goodwitch’s desk, standing beside it. 

“...Good evening, students.” Ozpin said cheerfully, his eyes calm as ever. “I understand you both were out doing some late-night dueling. Ah, to be young.”

The two girls just stayed silent, too nervous to speak up. He took a sip from his mug before continuing. 

“But as Professor Goodwitch has said, such actions cannot go without consequences. Were she to go by the book, we’d have to confiscate your decks and suspend you both for a month– But I have decided on an alternative punishment for this little incident.”

“...Alternative?” Ruby tilted her head, intrigued.

“...What is it?” Weiss asked warily.

Ozpin smiled, a twinkle in his eye. “Rather than suspend your activities and hold back both of your considerable talent, I have decided that as fitting punishment, Miss Schnee will be joining you… in Slifer Dorm.”

Weiss’s face lost what little color it had. Her very soul froze solid, toppled over, and dropped into the pit of her stomach. She looked like she’d just been slapped across the face, and the shock of the impact was still cushioning her from the pain. Ruby almost felt bad for her for a second. After a full ten seconds, Weiss whirled around towards Goodwitch, pleading with her eyes. 

“Give me the suspension, please!!”

“I’m afraid the Headmaster has already made his decision,” Goodwitch replied. “Effective immediately, you will be demoted from Obelisk Blue to Slifer Red. Your personal belongings are already being transferred. And, may I add…”

Goodwitch’s brow furrowed, and she suddenly snapped open her baton. Weiss flinched, eyes wide with fear. 

“You acted incredibly foolishly tonight. Your actions were unbecoming of a student of Duel Academy, let alone Obelisk Blue. The Obelisk Blue dorm is for top students– Not just in terms of dueling, but in terms of dignity and conduct. This petty grudge against Miss Rose has lost you both of those. Learn from this, and reflect on it during your time in Slifer Red, and maybe come next semester, you may be able to climb back up as a stronger duelist, and a stronger person.”

Ruby seriously thought Weiss was about to faint. The girl was trembling, holding herself together by sheer willpower, though she could see tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She looked like a dam about to burst, her face scrunching up as she tried desperately not to let her pain show. The heiress dug her fingers into her knees as hard as she could, trying desperately to keep from shattering like a mirror. 

“As I understand it,” Ozpin interjected, changing the subject, “There is exactly one open spot in Slifer Dorm at the moment: your room, Miss Rose. Please say hello to your new roommate.”

Now it was Ruby’s turn to pale. Sharing a room with Weiss !? Ozpin was sadistic!! “Wh-what!? P-Professor, please, she hates me!!”

“Consider this your remedial work, Miss Rose. Make peace with Miss Schnee, and see to it that no further incidents occur.” Ozpin said, “The two of you will continue to attend classes as normal, and will be free to keep your decks. However, should you two be unable to follow this arrangement and are caught violating school protocol once more, we will be forced to issue the original punishment– Suspension and confiscation. Understood?”

Ruby’s mouth was a wrinkled line as she nodded, and Weiss was still doubled over, her body having the current structural integrity of a house of cards. Ozpin seemed to take that as a “yes”. He took a satisfied sip from his mug, then nodded to Goodwitch.

“Excellent. Then get some rest, and be up and ready for class tomorrow.” Ozpin sad, opening the door. “I expect great things from you two.”

As the door shut behind him, Ruby turned back to Goodwitch sheepishly. The disciplinary head simply folded her hands in her lap, her expression unchanging.

“Very well, you both may go. Campus security will escort you both back to Slifer Dorm, and I expect to see you both bright and early tomorrow morning for your first day of class. Do not let this happen again, understood?”

Ruby nodded slowly as she scooted back her seat, and walked slowly towards the door. Weiss, her head still hung low, followed in slow motion, as if she were moving through a dream. Ruby quickly left first, not wanting to attract Weiss’s ire once they were out of the office. As Weiss got to the door, Goodwitch suddenly spoke up.

“Oh, and Miss Schnee?” 

Weiss slowly turned her head.

“You can leave your uniform here.”

–

“Alright, student. Here you are,” the guards announced, leading Yang up to the Ra Yellow dorm. It was an incredibly modest building compared to Obelisk Blue, but compared to Slifer Red, it might as well have been a four-star hotel. 

“Yo, thanks my dudes!” Yang said, smiling and giving a thumbs up.

One of the guards grabbed his radio, holding it to his ear. “...We got reports of someone suspicious sighted near the Obelisk Blue dorm. Let’s roll.”

His partner nodded, then jabbed a finger at Yang. “Stay outta trouble, kid. You’re getting off easy tonight.”

With that, they departed, leaving Yang alone at the front of the dorm. Once they were long out of sight, her dopey grin faded, and her face dissolved into a weary grimace. She’d gotten the guards away from Ruby, but hadn’t heard a thing from her since they had escorted her back to the Ra Yellow dorms. Yang couldn’t rest easy until she knew what had happened with her sister– Did she win? Lose? Get busted? She needed to know. 

“...I can’t believe I missed out on hot girls for this…” Yang groaned, putting a hand over her face. 

Had she done the right thing? Should she have tried harder to stop Ruby from going to that duel? …No, she couldn’t keep babying her. Maybe she needed this. And if she got busted… Yang decided she couldn’t shield her from those consequences. It hurt to think about, but maybe Ruby did need to fall on her own. She stuffed her hands into her pockets– Then her eyes widened as her hand bumped against something… A card.

Oh, right– Neon’s number, Yang remembered, pulling out the card the spunky party girl had given her– On it was a phone number, scribbled in pen. Pulling out her phone, Yang typed in the number, and sent a quick text.

Y: hey, neon? Its yang

N: oh so u remembered me. Thought u werent gonna show

Y: sorry! Rly wanted to show up but smthn came up

N: well. I was hopin 2 see u

N: the nights still young if u wanna swing by the harbor

Yang’s eyes widened, and she glanced around, looking for any further trace of campus security. She didn’t see any around right now… And hell, she was already in trouble. Might as well see a cute girl. With a grin, she typed back.

Y: omw. u’d better save a duel for me ;)

With a grin, Yang pocketed her phone and started to sneak out towards the harbor– Only to be stopped by a sudden noise: a flurry of furious footsteps. Yang froze, blood running cold; was it security again? Her eyes darted around, but she didn’t see any sign of security or anyone else for that matter. But she still heard footsteps, loud and clear. She listened closely, and slowly tilted her head upwards.

There, atop a nearby building, she saw it– A shadowy figure, silhouetted against the moon, racing across the rooftops. Their long, flowing hair and slim figure gave Yang the impression they might be a girl around her age, but it was hard to tell from this distance. As the figure leapt gracefully to another perch, Yang could spot a pair of black points atop their head, like cat ears. Then the figure dropped out of view, vanishing as swiftly as she’d come. Yang stared after them for a second, then shrugged.

“...That looks like a problem for someone else,” she said to herself, then started to hurry off towards the docks. Maybe that was some intruder or something that she should report, but she didn’t exactly have a leg to stand on herself. She had her own rules to break.

Hot girls, here I come.

–

“...Well, uh… Here it is. Dorm sweet dorm.” Ruby said, opening the door to her dorm room. Weiss staggered in after her, having not said a word the entire trip over. Ruby was grateful, but also rather worried. Weiss looked fragile, like she was made of glass, and the slightest touch would make her fall to pieces. Not that Ruby had come to particularly care for her– But she wanted to not be suspended, so she bore with her. 

Weiss continued in, noting that her many suitcases had indeed been brought in for her, placed along the wall. She slowly dragged her eyes around the pitiful room, noting the chalky popcorn ceiling, the lightbulb fighting to stay alive, the beds that were little more than a mattress with a sheet, and the bathroom where she could already hear a leaky faucet dripping inanely. This… was her new home.

Weiss slowly staggered towards the bed, then flopped down face-first onto it. A muffled scream ensued. Ruby looked around awkwardly– This wasn’t much more fun for her either. She wondered if she should try and say something, but Weiss probably didn’t want to talk. 

It was hard to feel bad for her, especially with how she’d been treating her and everything but… If they were gonna be roommates, they had to nip all this in the bud right away. 

“...” Ruby slowly stepped towards Weiss, who met her with a muffled “leave me alone”.

“Look, Weiss…” Ruby began, brow furrowing as she tried to pick out what to say next. What would Yang say right now? She ran a mental simulation on what to try and say. 

“Look, it could be worse?”

" Worse!? How!? I’m a Slifer Slacker, like you now!”

Hm. No. 

“I’m really sorry.”

“Sorry!? You’re the reason I’m in this mess! I’m gonna use all my assets and destroy you!”

Yeah, not that either.

“...Shower’s free?”

“Are you saying I smell!?”

Ruby internally screamed. Her brain was made for card games and programming, not this emotional junk!! Weiss didn’t seem to even notice, still curled up like a little white hedgehog on the bed. Ruby just decided to organize her thoughts as best she could, and blurt it all out.

“...I think. You’re a good duelist.” Ruby closed her eyes and spat out. She waited for a second, but Weiss didn’t seem to respond. Even so, she kept going anyways. “But. You’re not a nice person. And I don’t really like how you treated me. Next time if you wanna duel me… Ask me normally. Okay?”

Ruby cracked her eyes open and glanced back– Weiss hadn’t moved an inch. Had she even heard her? Ruby deflated, too weary to continue. Whatever. She’d said what she said, she was going to bed. Stepping onto the ladder, she began to climb to the top of the bunk bed.

“...I apologize… for underestimating you.” 

Ruby stopped, glancing down. Weiss still wasn’t meeting her gaze, but she had raised her head enough to speak clearly. The heiress sniffed, wiping her face with the back of her hand. She extended her hand, then clenched it into a fist, staring at it.

“I haven’t fought a proper opponent like you in a long time,” she continued, putting her hand to her chest. “I thought once I dueled you seriously, I could crush you once and for all, and get rid of these… unnecessary… feelings. But… I miscalculated. You’re a good duelist too, I cannot deny that.”

Weiss slowly turned to face her new roommate, her sapphire eyes as hard as diamond, sparkling with leftover tears. “So… I want to duel you. Again.”

Ruby couldn’t help but be a bit captivated by her expression, a vulnerable expression she’d never seen before. Ruby slowly nodded. 

“...Okay.” she said back softly. “I… would like that too.”

Weiss wiped her eyes delicately. “...At the end of this semester, there’ll be an exam for students who desire to rise up from their dorm. I will be taking it, and naturally, will reclaim my place at Obelisk Blue. Then… We can finish what we started tonight. And until then, I will strive to be…”

She grimaced a bit, looking away. “...Civil. Towards you.”

Ruby gave a crooked smile. “That’s all I wanted. Thanks.”

“J-just don’t get too used to our arrangement here, okay?” Weiss added quickly, folding her arms. “This is only until that exam.”

“Fine by me,” Ruby replied as she finished climbing into her wedge beneath the ceiling, “I liked having my own dorm.”

“Then we’re in agreement.” Weiss said, lying back on her own bunk. “We’ll be civil until then.”

“Yeah. Civil.” Ruby agreed. “...Goodnight, then.”

“Good night.” Weiss said, closing her eyes, and pulling the sorry excuse for a sheet over her. 

Ruby quickly donned her headphones and scrolled through her phone for some music, picking something a bit mellow to push her to sleep. But though she tried to relax, her mind kept flashing back to their duel. What card had she been about to draw, when the duel had been interrupted? She hadn’t even managed to get a glance before security had caught them. Would it have saved her? Or would it have been useless? There was no way to know now– But Ruby still wanted badly to go back to that duel, that rush she’d felt against Weiss. She hoped the other duelists here would give her that same thrill.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed, interrupting her song. Ruby pulled up her sleep mask and checked it– Oh, it was Dad! Ruby quickly opened the message.

T: Hey, kiddo. Just checking in to see how you're settling in. 

R: hey dad! Im doing good, just had a very eventful evening

T: Yeah, I’m sure. Don’t stay up too late with your phone. You don’t wanna be late for class.

R: i wont dad. And i need my phone to sleep, the noise helps

T: I know, I’m just saying. By the by, what dorm did you get put in?

R: mmmmrr. Im in the lowest dorm. Slifer red

T: Haha

T: How funny.

R: whys that

T: Well, that’s the dorm your mother was in.

Ruby’s eyes grew wide, and she texted back rapidly.

R: what?? She was?

T: Yup. And just cause she was in Slifer doesn’t mean she was bad. She was one of the best the Academy had ever seen.

T: Don’t put too much stock into the dorm levels, kid. What’s important is you growing as a duelist, and as a person.

R: heh. Im kinda warming up to this dorm now

T: Haha. Alright, get some sleep, kiddo. 

T: And watch out for Yang too. We both know she’s tough, but sometimes she needs your help too.

Ruby bit her lip guiltily. Yang had done so much for her lately, getting herself in trouble with the law and the Academy… Ruby vowed that she’d make it up to her somehow. But she was too tired now to figure out how. That was a problem for tomorrow Ruby.

R: i will. Night dad.

T: night kiddo.

With a soft smile, Ruby turned her music back on and pulled down her sleep mask, letting the music drown out the noise in her head. All in all, her first day at the Academy hadn’t been so bad. Knowing that her mother had been a Slifer just like her… Somehow that comforted her. Her mother had slept in these same, uncomfortable beds, stared up at the same, crunchy popcorn ceiling, and likely got all the same abuse and elitism from the other dorms… and still became a pro duelist in spite of it. 

That’s Mom for you… Ruby thought, a smile on her face as she drifted off to sleep. Just you wait, Mom… I’ll be just like you. 

–

“H-Headmaster Ozpin, what is the meaning of this!?” Cordovin demanded, storming down the hallway after the Headmaster, who turned around, calm as ever. Cordovin, meanwhile, looked like she’d just run a marathon, hair disheveled and bags under her eyes.

“...Professor Cordovin, how may I help you?” Ozpin asked. 

“Y-you demoted Miss Weiss Schnee to a Slifer Red!?” Cordovin cried, her hands clutching at the air. “P-please, you MUST reconsider!! Weiss Schnee is a-a member of the esteemed Schnee family, we cannot simply–”

“Miss Schnee understood the consequences of her actions,” Ozpin replied, “She said she would accept the consequences of her transgression. I believe that this arrangement will be an excellent growth opportunity for both of them.”

“Butbutbutbutbut!!” Cordovin waved her arms rapidly like she was trying to help a truck back up. “There must be some mistake– Miss Schnee is obviously an elite!! Clearly this Slifer Red must be to blame!”

Ozpin took a sip of his mug before responding. “As head of the Obelisk Blue dorm, I would hope you would expect your students to act according to their status. Unfortunately, Miss Schnee has failed to live up to her dorm’s standards.”

“I-it was a mistake! A simple accident!” Cordovin grasped desperately, “Please, there must be some other way! She is one of my most prestigious and skilled students!”

“Miss Schnee’s reputation as a Schnee is not my concern– I am concerned with her development as a person.,” Ozpin said, “If you wish to support her, then allow her this opportunity to learn from her actions. I believe some time in the Slifer Red dorms may be good for her growth.”

“How!?” Cordovin demanded, stomping her foot, “Slifer is for weaklings and fools, those at the bottom of the heap! She is wasted in those dorms, you and I both know it!”

Ozpin sighed, putting a finger to the bridge of his nose. “I seem to recall you urging that another talented freshman should also be placed in Slifer Red, due to ‘needing training’. Miss Rose scored high enough to enter Obelisk. But you denied her.”

Cordovin blanched, eyes darting back and forth. “That is– She is… That one is different!!”

Ozpin shook his head. “Professor Cordovin, I understand that we have not quite seen eye to eye since you transferred here from Atlas Academy. Nonetheless, I have been lenient towards you based on your achievements and the word of my good friend, Headmaster Ironwood. But you yourself still have much to learn. Your request is denied. If you have any further comments, please direct them to Professor Goodwitch.”

Cordovin gawked, fumbling for a counter or an objection, but found none. Finally, she folded her arms and nodded reluctantly, not wanting to have to incur Goodwitch’s wrath– Somehow, she was far more intimidating than the Headmaster. Ozpin smiled politely, took a sip of coffee, then turned and continued walking, his cane clacking down the hall. Cordovin herself turned and began storming the other way, frustration in her heavy footsteps.

This is all her fault… that Ruby Rose! Mark my words, Slifer Slacker… I’ll make it so you’ll regret ever showing up to my school!

–

“Baby!
It’s time to make up your mind.

I think,

That tonight is when the stars align!

Honey,

It’s time to leave the doubt behind

Take my hand cause you and I are gonna shiiiine!”

The music was the first thing Weiss heard as her eyes cracked open slowly, awakening from a restless sleep, her bloodshot eyes staring up at the bunk above her. For a brief moment, she was alarmed– This was not her Obelisk Blue bed, and this was not certainly not her Obelisk Blue dorm. The sheet on her was not a feather down, rather it was practically an oversized paper towel, and the mattress she slept on was likely older than she was. Slowly, the memories flooded back, and with a heavy groan, Weiss pulled the sheets over her head with the hopes of smothering herself to death.

Slifer Red. Slifer. Red. The lowest of the low! Barely above dropouts! Their dorm was basically an outhouse with a deck. What would Winter say. What would Mother say? She was never gonna hear the end of it from Whitley. And Father. Weiss balled her fists into her eyes rather than bother imagining that. 

“I’ve been watching you, helping you, wishing that you’d see,

That the girl you’ve been waiting so long for could be me”

What the hell was this music!? Weiss thought angrily, the irritation snapping her out of her despair. She sat up and immediately smacked her head on the underside of the bunk bed, which was obviously built too low. She swore, rubbing her head, before climbing out and listening for the source of the noise. It was from above– Of course it was. That dolt was sleeping on the top bunk. Why the hell was she listening to cheesy love songs at this time in the morning?

Weiss’s head rose up like a shark fin besides her slumbering bunkmate, who was sprawled wildly across the sheets. Quickly, Weiss found the source of the noise– Ruby’s large, bulky headsets that had come unplugged from her phone and now her music was blaring loud and clear for Weiss to hear. With a grunt, Weiss reached up and plugged the headphones back in, giving her back the blessed silence. There. Now she could hear herself think.

Oh wait, now she was thinking about being in Slifer Red again.

Groaning, Weiss dragged herself to the bathroom to get ready, distracting herself with maintenance. She may be a Slifer Slob now but that was no excuse for acting like one. The young heiress got to the mirror, staring at her miserable, tired face for a solid 30 seconds before finally turning on the water and getting to work. Maybe a shower and clean face would help wash away the filth of mediocrity.

The shower did not help. The hottest the water got was lukewarm, and the shower was essentially a box with a drain. Frustrated, Weiss cranked the water to freezing cold, letting the icy water burn away her anger. After a few seconds, she began to relax. The cold suited her better anyways. Slowly, a song came to her mind, and she began to let the notes out.

“Who am I to complain?

My life's been spared so much pain

Born with all that I need

My comforts all guaranteed

So what's the problem?

What's keeping me

From moving forward?

It's hard to see”

Her song was interrupted by the sound of a loud yawn from outside, and the sound of feet climbing down the wooden steps of the bunk bed. Took you long enough , Weiss thought, sighing as she finished her shower. By the time she emerged from the bathroom, practically sparkling clean in her fresh clothes, hair up in a towel, Ruby was still rubbing her eyes and stretching.

Weiss grimaced, but said nothing. Grace under pressure, Weiss. As much as she wanted to take out her frustrations on this dolt, pettiness and passive aggression were beneath a Schnee. Ruby, for her part, seemed to lose a bit of her enthusiasm when she saw Weiss, giving an awkward look of acknowledgment before returning to her screen. She held to their mutual agreement to keep out of each others’ way. That suited Weiss just fine.

“...The bath is free.” Weiss said simply, walking past her reluctant roommate as she went to the desk to apply her makeup.

“Thanks.” Is all Ruby said, before walking in herself, then paused. “...Do you mind if I play some music?”

Weiss didn’t bother to look over. “...Do as you please.”

Ruby frowned, but entered anyways. The door closed and Weiss sighed. Well, this wasn’t too horrible. At least they both could be civil about this– 

“MAYBE RED’S LIKE ROSESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
MAYBE IT’S THE POOOOOOL OF BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD
THE INNOCENTS WILL LAY IN WHEN IN THE END YOU FAIL TO SAVE THEM

THEIR DYING EYEEEEEEEEEESSSSS

ARE WIDE AND WHITE LIKE SNOW

AND NOW THEY KNOW

THE COST OF TRUSTING YOU’S OBLITERATION”

The sudden scream of music bursting from the bathroom nearly bowled Weiss over, her hand slipping and dragging her lipstick all the way from her cheek to her ear. Well, so much for that. Weiss gripped her makeup brushes furiously, trying to will herself not to run over and kick down the door. Grace under pressure Weiss, grace under pressure! Couldn’t she at least listen to something sophisticated, like classical music?

After what was probably the fastest shower in the west, Ruby mercifully turned off her music and emerged from the shower, looking refreshed. A snarky remark about how quickly she’d washed off rose in Weiss’s throat, but she bit her tongue. Almost immediately, Ruby moved to her closet, to get dressed, Weiss presumed, but instead emerged with her custom-made Duel Disk.

“...” Weiss couldn’t help but be intrigued, tilting her hand mirror just enough to see what on earth she was doing. Ruby proceeded to pull out her laptop and connect a cable into her disk, pulling up countless lines of code, and then began clicking and typing rapidly, her eyes darting around rapidly as she went– Her sudden shift into some sort of focus that is hyper was surprising, and mildly impressive, Weiss had to admit; for the first time since they’d met, the girl actually looked like she knew what she was doing.

“...Oh crap.” Ruby cried, hitting the keyboard repeatedly, trying to get a reaction, then groaning as she clutched her head. “Noooooo!”

Or maybe not. Weiss quickly finished applying her makeup, admiring her work in the mirror, before slowly turning in her seat, just enough to see Ruby without actually making eye contact.

“...You know, technically, we are supposed to be using the school’s standard issue Duel Disks.” Weiss said. “My custom is an exception, but it was crafted by highly qualified and tenured engineers at Schnee Dueling Company. You could get in trouble for tampering with your own disk.”

“...” Ruby bristled, trying to discern whether this was a veiled jab or a genuine attempt at conversation. And failing. Finally, she spoke. “...I’ve gotten authorization to use Crescent Rose from the Headmaster. I’ve also enrolled in a side course on Duel Engineering, so it’s part of my workload. So I’ll be fine.”

“...I see.” Weiss said simply. “Very well.”

Ruby remained on guard, but then, leaned forward, hugging her knees. “...Speaking of which. I was wondering… Wondering why the heiress of Schnee Dust Company came to a rival company’s Duel Academy. Isn’t Kaiba Corp your competitor?”

Weiss snapped her compact shut, then turned slowly to face Ruby, her blue orbs meeting gray.

“You’re correct,” She said simply, “I could have gone to Atlas Academy like my Father wanted, and graduated with ease. But I find little merit in the easy way. I chose this Academy so I could walk my own path.”

“Oh. I see.” Ruby replied plainly. Weiss couldn’t tell what she exactly made of that answer. She turned back around, but Weiss tossed back another question over her shoulder.

“...And what about you. Why did you choose this Academy?”

Ruby looked down at her Duel Disk for a moment before replying. “...My mother went here, and I want to be like her. That’s all.”

“...Hm.” Was all Weiss said in response. She recalled her research from last night– Summer Rose, her mother. A pro duelist who tragically and mysteriously disappeared one day. A figure like that who she aspires to… Weiss could at least understand that.

But that was enough opening up, they seemed to have mutually decided, because neither of them spoke any further, returning to their makeup and coding. The two sat in silence for several minutes, until a knock came at the door.

“Ruby! You up yet?” Came Yang’s voice. 

A few seconds passed, then another knock.

“Ruby?? You better not be sleeping in! It’s the first day of class!”

Weiss shot a glance at Ruby– Had she fallen back asleep? No, she just had her headphones back on, and was rapidly typing away at her laptop once more, far from this world. Her ears were deaf to Yang’s knocking, which unfortunately meant… Weiss had to do it. Reluctantly, she walked over to Ruby, raising a hand, before pausing briefly. How did one get her attention without being. Weird. Should she tap her shoulder? Try to yell? Luckily, Ruby suddenly turned to look up at Weiss, leaning away from her.

“...Can I help you?” She asked warily, sliding a single ear free of her phones.

“Your sister’s at the door.” Weiss spat out quickly, looking away. “Answer her so I can have some peace and quiet.”

Ruby quickly pulled off her headphones and scrambled to the door. “Oh, Yang! I’m up!”

Yang stood in the doorway, grinning proudly at her sister. “Thank goodness. I was worried I was gonna have to drag you to class myself. By the way, how’d your duel go? Did you kick that haughty heiress’s a–”

“...Ahem.” Weiss cut in as she approached the door, now clad in her new uniform– Unlike the standard Slifer Red uniform, however, her jacket was snow white with red trim, worn with a knee-length white skirt, with red frills peeking out from the bottom. She flipped her ponytail over her shoulder, then shot an icy glare at Yang. 

Yang’s eyes widened, then looked back from Weiss to Ruby, her eyes going over the unmistakable colors of Slifer Red on the heiress. She quickly leaned close to Ruby, lowering her voice and cupping her hand around her mouth.

“What is she doing here!?”

Ruby looked away awkwardly. “W-we kinda got. Caught. And instead of suspending us, they demoted Weiss and made us. Roommates. S-surprise!”

Yang planted her palm against her forehead. “...Did you at least win?”

Ruby toed the floor, looking downwards. “...We got. Stopped before there was a clear winner.”

Yang dragged her hand down her face, groaning. “...I hate to say I told you so, Ruby.”

“...I don’t regret it.” Ruby replied, folding her arms, then glancing back at her new roommate. “...Okay, I regret it a little. But that duel was the most fun I’ve had in a while! She’s not so bad when you’re in a duel with her.”

Yang raised an eyebrow. “...Whatever you say. Just know that I can’t shield you from the consequences here. Maybe this will teach you to pick your duels a little more carefully.”

Ruby scratched the back of her neck sheepishly. “S-sorry sis. How was your night, though?”

Yang relaxed, then smirked. “Going good. Think I got a shot with a cute girl from my dorm. Hit it off last night at the party.”

Yang then paused, remembering the figure she’d seen last night, sneaking atop the roofs. “...Say, you didn’t see anyone sneaking around last night, did you?”

“I was too busy being the one sneaking around.” Ruby answered. “Why?”

“No reason.” Yang shrugged, debating whether she should really tell anyone what she’d seen.

“Excuse me.” Weiss cut in, hands on her hips. “I’d like not to be late to class, and the commute here is much further than the Obelisk Blue dorms.”

“She’s right,” Ruby said, before Yang could start to fire back. “We’d better get going.”

“...Sure, yeah. Let’s roll.” Yang replied, stepping aside. “After you, Princess.”

Weiss’s eyes narrowed, but she dropped it, simply striding out and down the stairs towards class. Ruby and Yang stayed behind, giving her a solid few seconds to keep some distance before following. 

“Who do you have for homeroom?” Yang asked.

Ruby tapped her chin, checking her phone. “...It looks like… Oh, Professor Oobleck. He’s the dorm head of Slifer Red. He seems cool.”

“Neat,” Yang replied. “I’ve got someone called Professor Goodwitch.”

Ruby blanched. “O-oh, yeah… She was the one who brought us in last night.”

“Yikes.” Yang winced. “How did she seem?”

“Pretty scary,” Ruby said, “But like. In a really calm way, like when you see a buncha clouds on the horizon and you know it’s gonna pour. She didn’t seem… mean, though. Just strict.”

Yang tugged at her collar. “...Guess I’ll have to watch my step then. No more sneaking out late for either of us.”

Ruby remembered her Dad’s messages from last night. She had to look out for Yang too, and make things up for her for yesterday. “By the way, Yang, how’s your arm? Need any maintenance?”

Yang slowly rolled up her right sleeve, and instead of skin, a yellow-coated metal prosthetic shone in the morning light. She flexed it a few times, doing a few rote motions in a practiced order to make sure it was working properly– Flexing the elbow, then wrist, then fingers, one by one. She finally made a fist and curled up her arm.

“...Feels good to me.” Yang said, smiling and giving a robotic thumbs up. “Why do you ask?”

“No reason.” Ruby said, her head running with ideas on how to help Yang out. Rocket arm? No, too explosive… She had always wanted to try adding a Duel Disk extension to it…

–

Ruby’s homeroom was a large, state of the art lecture hall, with rows of elevated seats like a stadium all facing a small stage in the front of the class where Professor Oobleck sat, sipping his coffee. Overhead was a massive screen, and all around were posters depicting famous Duel Monster cards: Monster Reborn, Blue Eyes White Dragon, Dark Magician… There were also some fliers for various on-campus events, and a few framed portraits of famed Duel Academy alumni. Ruby instantly started scanning them for any sign of her mother… But no such luck. Her face wasn’t in this hall, at least.

“Oh, Ruby!” A soft yet familiar voice called out to her, and Ruby quickly spotted Velvet Scarlatina, waving her arm timidly and pointing to an open spot behind her. Relieved, Ruby quickly rushed to the seat and placed herself next to Velvet.

“Hey, Velvet!” Ruby said, grinning. “Thanks for saving me a seat.”

“No problem.” Velvet replied, smiling back. “I-I don’t really know anyone else here…”

“Hey, me neither.” Ruby replied– Only to catch sight of a head of white hair, sitting right in the front row. “...Well. Maybe a couple people.”

“Welcome, students!” Oobleck’s voice rang out. “I see that we have just about everyone here… Allow me to take roll, and then we shall proceed with class.”

The teacher took roll and then quickly launched into a lecture. Ruby dutifully took out her notebook and began taking notes diligently… Only for her attention to drift as the teacher went on. Dammit, she’d never been good with lectures. It was so hard to stay focused without– Oh hey, what was Velvet doing? Ruby’s eyes flitted excitedly over to Velvet, where she had her sketchbook out– But rather than scribbling boring notes about Duel History or whatever, she was sketching a design with several crossed out variations around it. Ruby’s eyes widened.

“Hey, are you designing a new card?” Ruby asked, leaning over eagerly. Velvet looked up, blinking, like she’d just been broken out of a trance, then she smiled sheepishly.

“Ah, um, it’s just a concept right now…” the girl said softly, rubbing her neck, “I’m just doing this one for fun. It’s not nearly good enough to be accepted as a real card…”

Ruby smiled and shook her head. “Hey, who cares about that! I like it! Tell me more!”

Velvet blushed, then slowly passed the book to Ruby, looking away abashedly. “I-It’s called ‘Payback Bunny’... It can’t be destroyed by battle, a-and any monster that attacks it is destroyed after damage calculation. The trade-off is it can never attack or deal damage. I-It still needs work, I’m thinking of ways to balance it, but…”

“I like it!” Ruby declared, smiling at the cute, rubbery-looking bunny. “He always bounces back, huh? Neat power. I could combo that with my Petal Wolf…”

“Th-thanks, but it’s nothing special,” Velvet toyed with a lock of her hair, “I’ve seen the work of some of the other card design students and they’re... Incredible. Nothing like mine.”

Ruby tilted her head, handing the book back. “Oh, I don’t care about them. I like yours!”

Velvet blinked, taking it back. “Y-you wouldn’t if you saw them. You’d realize that I’m just a second-rate designer if you saw their work. It’s breath-taking– They’re practically making official cards already.”

Ruby thought for a moment, then reached to her hip and pulled her deck from its holster. She smiled and flipped through it, before pulling out a certain card, and handing it to Velvet. Velvet tilted her head, looking at the creature on the card, wolf ears and tail popping out from its fuzzy round body.

“Hey, check this guy out.” Ruby said. “His name’s ‘Kuribokami’. He seems pretty weak, right? But his power let me win a really close duel. He’s not the best– But he’s the best at what he does. I think that’s what you should focus on. Making the best cards you can.”

Velvet stared at the card intently. “...Strange… I’ve… never heard of this card before. Where did you get it? What pack is it from?”

Ruby put a finger to her chin. “Oh, I didn’t buy it… It was… a gift.”

“...This is certainly an odd card,” Velvet said, transfixed on it. Ruby got the feeling that she didn’t quite get the lesson she’d hoped to impart. The timid girl then handed the card back. “S-sorry, didn’t mean to hold onto it that long. What were you saying?”

Before Ruby could answer, the Professor spoke up again. “Alright class, time for a pop quiz! Let’s go over what we just reviewed.”

A groan rang out across the room as Oobleck began passing out papers. Ruby and Velvet shared a glance– They’d completely lost track of Oobleck’s lecture. The test landed before them, and it may as well have been in french for all they knew. The two girls paled as they slowly picked up their pens. 

“S-sorry.” Ruby muttered. “I’ll tell you more later.”

“Y-yeah, sure.” Velvet replied, staring nervously at the test.

“Alright, class, you have twenty minutes.” Oobleck said, holding up a stopwatch. “Let’s begin!”

–

BRRRRRINGGGG!!! The bell sounded for lunch, and Yang Xiaolong was one of the first ones out of the classroom, bursting out the door. Her teacher’s cries to the class were drowned out by a sea of chatter as the students flooded out the door. These glorious thirty minutes of free time were not to be wasted, and Yang was going to make the most of them. She pulled out her phone and started texting Neon, hoping she was free to spend lunch with. 

Y: hey katt

Y: wanna grab lunch, im starvin

N: sure, we eatin at the track and field

N: u ever seen me shredd it on my skates? Ur bout to

Y: sounds sick, omw

Yang pocketed her phone and rested her arms behind her head. Finally, school life was looking up! She hadn’t retained a word her teacher had said, she was gonna meet up with a hot girl, and she’d barely passed her first test– Exactly as things should be. School was like surfing– Keep your head above water and enjoy the ride, and don’t worry about anything else. 

As she walked, Yang passed through a group of students, and something registered in the corner of her eye– A vague shape, but something that jogged enough of a connection in her mind to warrant a second glance. Slowly, Yang snuck a glance over her shoulder to confirm the lingering thought in her head. Her eyes fell upon the back of a student in Obelisk Blue– And instantly, Yang realized why she recognized her. Long black hair. A mask over her lower face. And the bow atop her head… Two triangular points. Just like the figure she’d seen last night, standing atop the roofs. Yang paused, simply staring after her for a few seconds, before she turned a corner and vanished from sight.

Yang frowned. Was that her? What was she doing on the roof, sneaking around at night? It nagged at her. Not that she was one to snitch, nor really had a leg to stand on when she had snuck around both to help Ruby and to go to Neon’s party… But it still bothered her. Sneaking around to go to an after dark party was one thing, but leaping across rooftops late at night? It would keep bothering her if she didn’t get some sort of answer. Yang checked her phone.

Okay, just a quick question. She’d go say, hi, nothing weird, then go meet with Neon. With that, Yang turned on her heel and started speedwalking down the hall after the girl. Quickly, she caught up with the masked girl, tracking the black bow atop her head through the crowds. Yang confidently strode up next to her, then hit her with the ol’ Xiaolong charm. 

“Hey,” said the blonde, flashing her a grin, “Are you an archer? Cause I really like your bow .”

Blake’s golden eyes briefly darted towards Yang, then she nodded politely, not slowing her pace. “...Thank you. Can I help you? I only ever seem to get compliments like that when someone wants something.”

Oof. That hit like a Trap Card to the face. So much for the ol’ Xiaolong charm.

“Hey, just trying to be nice. I think it’s cute,” Yang replied, her grin fading. “And I thought it was pretty cute last night, when I saw you running about on the roof.”

Blake’s face was impressively stoic, but she flinched just enough for Yang to know that she was right– Her eyes widened with undeniable distress, and she turned her head to fully face the blonde. Got her. 

“...’On the roof’?” Blake asked, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Hey, look, I’m no snitch,” Yang raised her hands, “I was also breaking curfew, had a sick party to get to. But I’m dead certain I saw a girl with long hair on the roofs, and she had a black bow on, just like you.”

Blake turned away, staring at the floor. “I see. And you have some proof of what you saw, naturally?”

Yang opened her mouth, then closed it. “...Well. No. But I wouldn’t be here talking to you if I didn’t. And I’m not trying to pry, I’m just curious, and I don’t want anyone making trouble here.”

“...” Blake seemed to recover a bit, raising her head. “...Sorry, you must be mistaken. There’s a couple girls here who wear bows similar to mine. If you’ll excuse me, I must be going now.”

With that, Blake picked up her pace and quickly rounded the next corner. Yang raised her arm and ran after her. “Hey, wait!”

But as Yang turned the corner, expecting to see Blake… She saw nothing but an empty hall waiting for her. She spun around, double taking to make sure she had seen right, but the raven-haired girl was nowhere to be found. Yang was about to run down the hall to check further, when her phone vibrated with a message.

N: u comin?

Y: yea sorry. Just got caught up in smthn

Y: be right there

Yang sighed, stuffing her hands in her pockets as she turned around. Forget it. She had more important things to worry about. But it was still bothering her. One way or another, she couldn’t get that black-haired girl out of her head. 

–

The Duel Academy Cafeteria was, like its dorms, split between three ranks. Obelisk Blue had a gourmet buffet with only the finest foods and drink, with plenty for seconds and thirds, while Ra Yellow had a smaller cafeteria with a rotating menu, but freshly made on a sizzling grill.

The food for the Slifers was quite like their dorm building: sparse, bland, and barely enough to fulfill one’s needs. However, Ruby scarfed it down eagerly all the same, already halfway done while Velvet had barely touched her still half-frozen chicken. Ruby’s eyes darted between her meal and her phone, scrolling through it rapidly as she ate.

“Mmm, next period I have my Duel Engineering class,” the girl said between bites, “I can’t wait to show off Crescent Rose!! I wonder what kind of Duel Disks the others have? I like the Academy standard disk fine, but custom disks are just amazing! They reflect our personality and every one is unique! You know there’s even some that can shoot cards!!”

Velvet’s eyes went to the large red Duel Disk Ruby had beside her, looking impressive and also mildly dangerous. “You built that yourself?”

Ruby nodded proudly. “Yup! I made Crescent Rose when I was a kid, and I’ve been upgrading her ever since. Technically, this is Crescent Rose Mk. IV, the other three models eventually. Exploded.”

“Ah, I see…” Velvet scooted slightly away from it. “Still, that’s incredible! The only thing I’ve made are a few test cards…”

“Oh, you have?? Let me see them!” Ruby said eagerly, leaning forward.

“Th-they’re pretty bad, you wouldn’t want to…” Velvet blushed, leaning back. “They’re all unbalanced, and the art isn’t finished, so…”

Ruby just continued to stare, her silver eyes wide like an owl, demanding cards. Velvet clenched her eyes shut, then reached into her bag and produced three cards. Their artwork was only half finished and they were missing many parts, but Ruby snatched them up eagerly anyways. Velvet looked like she was bracing for a bomb with how she curled in on herself while Ruby examined her cards.

“.......” Ruby’s eyes darted across them. “.......Mmm…. Yeah… Ooh… I could use that…”

After a few seconds of scanning the cards, Ruby looked up at Velvet, her eyes sparkling. “Velvet, I love these! They’ve got so much personality! And the effects are unique and interesting, like this one: ‘Rabbitech Gunner’. The way you worded the effect is very careful– Some cards don’t specify enough, and it makes their effects unbalanced and confusing.”

Velvet somehow looked more distressed at all the compliments Ruby was giving her, her face going bright red. “N-no, I just. I just copied people who are better than me! Really, I can’t take credit. They’re still so flawed… Aaaah!”

She buried her face in her hands, as Ruby tilted her head. “...Y-you okay? Did I say something wrong?”

“N-no, it’s just…” Velvet’s head rested on the table. “...Y-you don’t have to say things to make me feel better, is all.”

Ruby tilted her head further, frowning. “Why would I do that?”

“...I don’t know.” Velvet admitted, “I just… feel like everyone’s just trying to be nice. They won’t say all the bad things about my cards. It feels like… they’re pretending.”

“Oh, I see…” Ruby slowly looked to Crescent Rose, “...I think I understand. When I look at Crescent Rose, sometimes all I see are problems and things to improve. My Dad and sister always say it looks great, so I never know what to fix.”

“Exactly!” Velvet’s head suddenly shot up. “When you hear them saying nice things, it makes you unsure what to improve on!!”

Ruby smiled, “But… I can’t expect them to think about it the way I do. They aren’t lying just cause they see things a different way, right?”

Velvet’s face scrunched up as she thought that over. “...I guess. You’re… probably right about that.”

“I think you just need someone who looks at cards the same way you do,” Ruby passed the cards back to Velvet, “But even I can tell that you really love making cards, Velvet.”

Velvet smiled softly, then reached out to take the cards back– Only for another hand to suddenly shoot out and snatch them from Ruby’s hand. Ruby and Velvet recoiled in shock as behind Velvet stood one of Cardin’s cronies, a lanky boy with a pale mohawk atop his head, who quickly darted away with Velvet’s cards before either of them could react. 

“Ah!” Velvet yelped in horror, her eyes widening in distress. 

“Give it back!!” Ruby immediately stood up, eyes burning. 

“Ooh, nice score, Thrush,” Cardin’s voice rang out from a table nearby, taking the cards from his flunky and examining them. Cardin then stood up, grinning, as he and his three goons sauntered over towards Velvet and Ruby. “Howdy, Slifer slackers. Hope you didn’t forget our duel from yesterday, Satellite girl?”

Velvet looked away to avoid bursting into tears, staring hard at the floor, while Ruby instantly threw herself between them like a mother wolf, practically snarling.

“Give them back, now!!” She demanded, hitting the table with her fist for emphasis. Quickly, the rest of the cafeteria’s eyes were drawn to the ruckus, eyes falling on Cardin and Ruby, but nobody bothering to step in and intervene.

“I’ll give them back,” Cardin replied, tucking the cards away in his back pocket, “Right after Satellite girl here gives me what she owes. I won our ante duel, you owe me your rarest card. Hand it over, and you can have your fan-cards back.”

“She doesn’t owe you anything,” Ruby shot back, “You forced her into that duel. It wasn’t a fair fight at all!”

“If she was any good as a duelist, she would have won,” Cardin replied, folding his arms, “Don’t make excuses for mediocrity. If she has a problem, she can duel me again and take it back, right?”

Velvet suddenly shot her arm out, past Ruby, and held out a card. “Here. Just take it. And give back my prototypes.”

Her body was trembling and she was looking anywhere but at Cardin. The ginger boy reached out to take it, but Ruby slapped his hand away. “No. You want her card, you have to go through me!”

With that, she whipped out Crescent Rose and activated it, the blade glimmering red as it unfurled. The crowd looked on intently as Cardin looked back at his boys, then at Ruby, a vicious grin on his face.

“...You’re on, Slifer slime.” He said, extending his arm. The other three boys then quickly produced his own Duel Disk and fitted it onto his arm and slotting in his deck. “But just so you know, this will also be an ante duel. So when I win, I’m taking both your rarest cards, got it?”

“Hold it!” A voice suddenly rang out, and all eyes turned to the entrance of the cafeteria, where the diminutive yet imposing figure of Professor Cordovin stood, arms behind her back and chest puffed. Cardin and Ruby quickly lowered their Duel Disks, standing at attention.

“...You two,” Cordovin said, approaching and looking between them, “Dueling is off-limits in the cafeteria, and at the moment, your lunch has nearly finished. I’m certain Miss Rose already knows the consequences of performing unsanctioned matches on Academy property?”

Ruby grimaced and slowly folded Crescent Rose up again. Cardin smirked, but also closed his disk. Cordovin then gave a small smirk, and raised a finger.

“However… this is Duel Academy, after all, and I do believe that these sorts of disputes should be handled in a duel.” The Professor said, “Therefore, I have decided that I will sanction an ante duel between the two of you to be done properly, after classes are done for the day. Is that satisfactory to the both of you?”

Ruby turned back at Cardin, eyes full of rage. “Fine by me.”

Cardin just scoffed and smirked back. “I’m down.”

Professor Cordovin beamed and clapped her hands together. “Excellent! Then it’s settled– I shall arrange for the duel to take place at the Academy’s Training Arena, right after class. Do be on time, else you shall forfeit the match. Until then, play nice.”

With that, she turned on her heel and trotted back out of the cafeteria, while Cardin and his squad did the same, turning around with a collective sneer.

“Make sure to keep those cards in good condition for me, Slifer,” Cardin said over his shoulder. “Oh, and don’t worry, Satellite, I’m gonna take good care of your little play-cards!”

Ruby just scowled them off as they went, until they left the cafeteria. Quickly, the murmur of noise rose in the hall again, as the other students returned to their food and conversation. Ruby slowly sat down beside Velvet, who had fully buried her head in her arms. 

“Velvet…” Ruby said, slowly reaching out and ever so lightly touching her. Velvet flinched immediately and let out a sob. Ruby recoiled, then pulled back, wondering if she’d messed up. Dammit, did she do this!? Ruby started kicking herself mentally. She was sure she could take Cardin, but what if she’d just made things worse for Velvet? Ugh, idiot!

“I-I’m not... S-sad.” Velvet said suddenly, her voice muffled. Slowly, she raised her head, tears streaking down her cheeks, and an expression of frustration and fury on her face. “I-I-I’m so m-mad…! I-I’m crying… c-cause I’m m- mad !!”

“Velvet, I-I’m sorry, I was just so angry, I didn’t know what to do other than–”

“N-no, it’s not– It’s not your fault!” Velvet said, shaking her head furiously. “I-I’m mad… Th-that I’m so weak! I-If I hadn’t lost that duel…! If only… I-I could beat him… I-instead of making you do it…!”

“You didn’t make me do anything!!” Ruby protested, “I wanted to kick that guy’s ass the day I laid eyes on him. You’re not weak, he’s a bully. He ganged up on you with his chump friends, because they think they can do anything they want.”

“...Ruby… You d-don’t… have to do this…” Velvet sobbed out, “I-I’ll go. I’ll deal with it myself. You don’t deserve to have to do this for my sake…”

Ruby clenched her fist. “Velvet. I’m more than willing to do this. I’m a way better duelist than him, and I’m going to beat him to a pulp. Because nobody messes with one of my friends.”

Velvet’s sobs stopped, and she looked to Ruby, blinking tears away. “...F-friends?”

Ruby broke into a grin. “Of course! Unless… you don’t wanna be?”

Velvet shook her head rapidly. “N-no! I mean– Yes! I mean– I’d love to.”

“Then as a friend,” Ruby said, extending her hand, “Allow me to beat him for you, and take back your cards.”

Velvet slowly looked at Ruby’s hands, her eyes watering. Her face then crumpled and tears poured out once more, and she simply threw her arms around Ruby in a large hug. Ruby was taken aback, and was a little overwhelmed, but smiled back and let Velvet cry it out. 

Shortly after, the lunch bell rang, and the students all began to fumble back to class. Ruby and Velvet bid each other farewell to their separate classes, and Ruby headed to her next class with nothing but dueling on her mind. Strategies flew through her head, cards dancing in positions, potential combos, traps, spells… She was going to beat him for sure.

Nobody messes with my friends.

–

“...You wanted to see me, Professor?”

Cordovin was sipping tea in her office as the young man walked in. The short woman was sitting at a huge hunk of metal and electronics that looked more like the controls to a massive ship than a teacher’s desk, featuring countless screens and levers and switches that did who knows what. Behind her was a huge framed painting of none other than Atlas Academy, a brilliant pure-white skyscraper surrounded by clouds.

“Ah, Mister Winchester,” Cordovin cooed, setting down her tea, “Please, have a seat.”

Cardin took a seat in the nearest chair– A highly uncomfortable steel chair bolted into the ground. He almost thought it had been built for maximum discomfort while still technically being a chair.

“So, you have accepted a duel with the little Slifer Red upstart, Ruby Rose. What fortunate timing,” Cordovin said, leaning back in her chair and steepling her fingers, “Because I have been thinking, Cardin, that you may have the makings of an Obelisk Blue in you.”

Cardin’s mouth curled into a smirk. “Really? I like the sound of that. What’s the catch?”

“Well, surely you’ve heard the rumors that little miss Red was able to best one of my best… former students,” Cordovin grimaced, “Weiss Schnee? That whole situation has brought to my attention that this Miss Rose is causing an… upset among our structure in the school.”

Cardin nodded. “So you want me to beat her, and take her best card? With all due respect, teach, I was already gonna do that.”

“I am aware,” Cordovin replied, “What I am proposing here is merely some… assurance that you will win.” 

Cordovin hit one of the myriad switches on her desk, and a steel drawer unlocked and shot open, revealing a small black case. Cordovin gently removed it, and placed it before him on the desk, nodding at him to open it. Slowly, Cardin reached out and opened the case, eyes widening. 

“...Whoa.” He grinned. “You’re giving me these…?”

“ Loaning you them,” Cordovin clarified, raising her finger, “Use these cards to ensure your victory against Ruby Rose. If you defeat her, I will pull a few strings, and I can have you in Obelisk Blue by the end of the week. Sound good?”

“Hell yeah,” Cardin said, grinning down at the cards before him. “Oh that Slifer slacker won’t know what hit her.”

“Good. And of course, Cardin,” Cordovin added, raising a finger to her lips, “Ensure that word of this meeting does not leave this office… Else you can kiss your chances of ever entering Obelisk Blue goodbye. Understood?”

Cardin paled a little, but nodded. “...Y-yes, ma’am.”

“Excellent.” Cordovin said, smiling contentedly. “You may go. Don’t disappoint me, Mister Winchester.”

–

The rest of Ruby’s classes were a blur in her mind as she prepared mentally for her duel with Cardin. She spread her cards across her desk, shuffling and reshuffling it as she thought furiously about what strategies he would use. She was so focused she barely managed to introduce herself, and didn’t even bother to show off her Crescent Rose like she’d wanted to– Right now all that mattered was that Cardin had hurt Velvet, and she was going to make him pay. Velvet had poured her heart and soul into those cards, and Ruby could relate; she remembered when her own bullies, long ago, had wrecked her early Crescent Rose model, and how furious she’d been. Yang had beaten them up (and gotten in trouble, of course), but Velvet didn’t have anyone to fight for her– Except for Ruby.

The bell finally rang, and Ruby practically flew out the door, legging it like a speeding ostrich towards the Training Arena. As she approached, she noticed that a large crowd had gathered, and were entering the arena. Ruby skidded to a halt, surprised. Had all these students come to watch?

“There you are, Ruby Rose.” Only one student would bother addressing her by her full name. Ruby turned to face Weiss as she stood, arms folded, haughty as ever. Ruby silently hoped she wasn’t here to start anything– She was too focused on beating Cardin right now.

“...Sorry, Weiss, I’m busy right now,” Ruby said, “Can this wait till after I’ve won?”

“Hmph,” Weiss said, “I wanted to know why. Why challenge Cardin Winchester? A duelist of your skill should not debase yourself with his ilk.”

“...Uh, thanks?” Ruby said, once again amazed by Weiss’s ability to somehow make compliments sound like condescension. “I challenged him ‘cause he sucks. He and his goons have been harassing Velvet since yesterday, and now they took the cards she worked so hard on. I’m gonna kick his ass, here and now, and make him give them back.”

Weiss grimaced. “...You’re doing this for that Satellite girl? ”

Ruby didn’t like the way Weiss had said ‘Satellite’, and she whirled around angrily. “Yes. Velvet’s my friend. She’s nice and cool, and she’s talented. But even if she wasn’t, nobody deserves to be treated that way– No matter where they come from.”

Weiss’s eyes narrowed. “I’m only saying that you shouldn’t get too friendly with them. They’re criminals, after all.”

Ruby scoffed. She thought that she’d been making some progress with Weiss, but this… That was over the line. Ruby just shook her head slowly in disbelief.

“...You’re no better than Cardin.” Ruby spat angrily.

Weiss’s widened with pure indignation, and her face quickly morphed into a scowl. “How dare you!”

“If you’ll excuse me,” Ruby quickly turned on her heel, walking off, “I have a duel to win.”

Weiss just stood there, seething, as Ruby walked into the arena. The white-haired heiress clenched her hands into fists, Ruby’s last comment replaying in her head. How dare she… She’d shown her the proper respect and civility demanded by her skill, but to compare her to Cardin was absurd and insulting.

Still, Ruby’s words echoed in her head as Weiss walked into the arena, taking her seat among the stands. She wasn’t cruel to them, she simply believed they needed to rise up on their own. Even if Ruby won this duel, Cardin’s perspective wouldn’t change. He’d keep coming after Velvet as long as he thought she wouldn’t fight back. This duel might win back Velvet’s cards, but wouldn’t fix her standing in society. And there were hundreds of Cardins out there.

Ruby, meanwhile, had stepped up to the field, Crescent Rose at the ready, as students shuffled into the arena to eagerly watch. Across from her, Cardin strode in, his groupies behind him, wearing a confident smirk. Professor Cordovin sat at a podium overlooking the field, from where she could observe the entire duel. 

“...R-Ruby!” Velvet suddenly ran up to her friend. Ruby turned and smiled confidently.

“Don’t worry, Velvet, I got this.” She said reassuringly, pumping her fist.

“I-I know! But I wanted to give you this.” Velvet said, holding out a gift. Ruby tilted her head, then took the small object. It was a small necklace, with a fluffy little rabbit on it.

“For good luck!” Velvet explained, smiling. Ruby ran her thumb across the fluffy fur, and her eyes grew large. Oh that was so soft.

“I love it.” Ruby said, staring transfixed as she rubbed it over and over. Velvet giggled, smiling. 

“It always helps calm me down,” she explained. “I thought you might like it too.”

Ruby nodded, clipping the bunny onto Crescent Rose, where it dangled adorably. “Thanks, Velvet.”

Velvet blushed a bit. “I-it’s what friends do.”

With that, Velvet scampered off, back into the stands to cheer for Ruby. Ruby took a deep breath, then turned to face Cardin, who was hyping himself up with his boys. 

“What do they call me, boys?”

“Cardin WIN-chester!!” They hollered in unison. 

“That’s right!” Cardin grinned, jabbing a finger at Ruby. “I’ll give you one chance now, Slifer slacker, to drop this and run back to your dorm. Spare you the indignity.”

Ruby simply raised her arm and activated her Duel Disk, raising her hand to draw. Cardin shook his head, then did the same. “I warned ya, slacker.”

R: 4000 LP

C: 4000 LP

Cordovin then tapped the microphone and spoke, silencing the room. “We shall now commence this ante duel between Cardin Winchester and Ruby Rose. The winner takes the loser’s most powerful card. All parties involved have agreed to this condition. Now, I shall determine the first move of the game.”

Cordovin pressed a button, and the overhead screens flashed with Cardin and Ruby’s faces, alternating between them. The roulette landed on Cardin’s face, giving him the first move. Cordovin grinned. Excellent.

“The first move is Cardin!” Cordovin declared, raising her hand. “Now, let the duel… begin!”

“ Duel!! ” cried Ruby and Cardin in unison as they drew their opening hands.

Turn 1: Cardin (4000 LP)

“My move! Draw!” Cardin cried as he drew. “And I’m gonna start with my Field Spell: ‘G.W. Aerial Mobile Base - Heavenly Helicarrier’!”

His Duel Disk opened up a new slot on one end, where he inserted the card and closed the slot once more. Slowly, the field began to transform, the ground turning to a black runway, with white landing zones drawn across it, and countless speeding propellers rose up around them. The wind began to blow faster and faster, and Ruby almost felt as if they actually were hundreds of feet into the air. The crowd murmured in awe as they watched the transformation complete, the field now morphed into the deck of a massive aircraft carrier. 

“Now, the entire field has become the flying base of the Golden Wings,” Cardin proclaimed proudly. “Which boosts the Attack Points of all ‘Golden Wing’ monsters by 500! And speaking of which, now I’m gonna summon ‘Golden Wing - Gatling Griffon’ in Attack Position!”

The monster that burst forth from Cardin’s field was a large, mechanical griffon with golden armor adorning it. Its wings were made of golden light, giving it a regal and powerful appearance as it spread them wide. It stood proud with 1600 Attack Points, which then raised to 2100 thanks to the Field Spell. 

Weiss’s eyes widened– She recognized that card. The ‘Golden Wing’ archetype was quite rare and powerful, having been used by pro players to win tournaments. What was Cardin doing with a deck so far above his pay grade? Weiss’s eyes drifted suspiciously towards Cordovin, who was beaming with pride. Hm.

“But wait, there’s more!” Cardin announced, “Heavenly Helicarrier’s second effect: when a ‘Golden Wing’ monster is summoned, I can add one Equip Spell from my deck directly to my hand on the turn I summon it! And I choose… ‘G.W. Radio Antennae’!”

A large radio device appeared around Gatling Griffon, extending out a large antennae from its back, which quickly began sending out a burst of sound echoing through the arena. 

“Radio Antennae allows me to summon as many copies of the equipped monster from my deck as I can!” Cardin explained, reaching into his deck, “So say hello to two more Gatling Griffons!! Come on out, boys!”

Two more Griffons appeared on Cardin’s field, roaring mightily as they emerged. Ruby gritted her teeth– Cardin now had three monsters on his field with 2100 Attack Points each.

“And I’ll play one card face down and end my turn,” Cardin finished, as his face down appeared beside him. “Your move, Slifer slime.”

Cordovin tried to hide her clear excitement. I’ve been saving these Golden Wings for a rainy day, and it looks like they’re living up to the occasion. Ruby Rose is no match for a real pro deck! And when Cardin takes her best cards, she’ll only plummet further and further to where she belongs; the bottom of the deck!

Turn 2: Ruby (4000 LP)

“My turn. Draw!” Ruby cried, looking at her hand. She had a bunch of her favorites; Petal Scarecrow, Petal Sniper, and of course, Petal Wolf. But more importantly, she’d just drawn the perfect card to start the game– the Spell Card ‘Polymerization’. 

“And I’m gonna start by putting a card face down, and then...” Ruby set a card face down on her field, then held up the Polymerization card in her hand. “I activate 'Polymerization', fusing ‘Petal Wolf’ and ‘Petal Sniper’, to summon…!”

 A vortex of blue and orange energy swirled overhead, and Ruby quickly pulled out her two fusion material monsters, offering them up. The two monsters emerged onto the field, then immediately flew up into the vortex. The two monsters collided, creating a heavenly glow from above that quickly changed to a blood red. Ruby smirked as she extended her hand.

“Give a warm welcome to… ‘ Rose Petal Reaper’!!” Ruby declared, as the scythe-wielding woman descended from above. Rose Petal Reaper swung her scythe, leaving a trail of rose petals fluttering in its wake, then rested it on her shoulder as it stood beside Ruby, awaiting her orders. 

“And now, Rose Petal Reaper,” Ruby said, pointing at her target, "take out his ‘Gatling Griffon’!” 

“I don’t think so!” Cardin interjected, “I activate my Trap Card, ‘Intercepting Missile’! I discard a monster in my hand, and if it has higher Attack Points than your attacking monster, your card is obliterated!”

With a flick of his wrist, Cardin sneered as he produced a card from his hand, holding it aloft for Ruby to see. “So read it and weep, Slifer slacker– Because I’m choosing my ‘Golden Wing - X-1 Phoenix Bomber’!”

The card Cardin presented had an impressive 3000 Attack Points– Plenty more than Rose Petal Reaper’s 2600. Cardin placed the mighty card into his Graveyard, and beside him emerged a huge, golden missile, which then went speeding directly for Ruby’s Reaper. 

“Nice try,” Ruby declared, putting on a smirk of her own. She reached down and flipped up the face down she'd played at the start of her turn, “but I foresaw that! I activate my Trap Card, ‘Rose Rush’!! When my ‘Petal’ monster declares an attack, your Spell and Trap cards are negated!”

“What!?” Cardin’s eyes widened. The missile soared forward at Rose Petal Reaper, but as it struck, a flurry of rose petals flew out of the explosion, then quickly swirled in midair, reforming to the Reaper, completely unharmed. As it landed, Rose Petal Reaper lunged forward with blinding speed, and with a single swipe, beheaded the Gatling Griffon on Cardin’s left, destroying it. Cardin grunted as he received Battle Damage from the encounter.

C: 4000 LP -> 3500 LP

“And now, thanks to Rose Petal Reaper’s effect,” Ruby said, grinning, “She now reaps the benefits of her victory, and takes the original Attack Points of the destroyed monster, adding to her own!”

The shattered pieces of Gatling Griffon then began to dissolve into rose petals, which then blew towards Ruby’s side of the field and into Rose Petal Reaper, whose Attack Points quickly skyrocketed from 2600 points to a whopping 4400 points. The crowd began to murmur, impressed by Ruby’s play. Ruby herself, however, still had something bugging her.

He sacrificed that powerful card of his, just to stop my attack? No, I don’t buy that. He wouldn’t simply toss away a 3000 Attack Point monster like that. He must have something else up his sleeve.

“...I’ll place a card face down, and end my turn,” Ruby said, an uneasy feeling in her gut. She looked to Cardin, who looked frustrated, but far from defeated. Ruby could sense that he was far from done. 

Turn 3: Cardin (3500 LP)

“My turn. Draw!” Cardin looked at his next card, then grinned.

“Now, remember the card I discarded last turn?” Cardin grinned, as a card slid out of his Graveyard into his hand, “Then let me jog your memory! ‘Golden Wing - X-1 Phoenix Bomber’ has the ability to return to my hand from my Graveyard if I control at least one ‘Golden Wing’ monster! And now, I can tribute my two ‘Gatling Griffons’ on my side of the field…”

Cardin raised his hand up, and both of the monsters on his side of the field suddenly became two glowing balls of light, and a shining circle appeared beneath them. The two light orbs then entered the circle, and a new, third monster began to rise up from the portal of light. The ground trembled as the sound of engines roaring filled the air, as two large, golden wings rose up first, like those of a fighter jet. The rest of the beast emerged, a large, mechanical phoenix, its armor shining gold streaked with red, painted flames across its body.

“...to summon forth ‘ X-1 Phoenix Bomber’!” Cardin pumped his fist. The gilded phoenix let loose a mighty screech as it spread its wings, towering over Ruby and her Rose Petal Reaper. In the crowd, Cardin’s groupies all cheered and hollered loudly. 

“YEAH CARDIN!”

Velvet, seeing this, bit her lip, then took a deep breath and shouted: “Y-YOU CAN DO IT, RUBY!!”

“...I’ll give you this much,” Cardin pointed towards Ruby, “your little Petal Reaper has got some power behind it. Even Phoenix Bomber’s 3000 Attack Points aren’t enough to best it… yet.”

Suddenly, the large carrier they stood upon began to shake, and a large crane began to swing towards Cardin, carrying with it a large steel crate. “I activate the effect of my Field Spell, ‘Heavenly Helicarrier’! Since X-1 Phoenix Bomber is a ‘Golden Wing’ card, I can add an Equip Spell from my deck to my hand!”

Cardin reached into his deck, pulling forth another card. He then quickly slotted it into his Duel Disk, and the giant crate then burst open, its contents flying onto Phoenix Bomber. A set of large artillery guns landed on each of the giant bird’s shoulders, slotting onto the monster with a loud clank. Phoenix Bomber let out another screech as its Attack Points began to rise. 

“I equip ‘G.W. Tempest Cannons’ to Phoenix Bomber!” Cardin goes on, “And now, Phoenix Bomber’s effect activates! For every card it has equipped, it gains 1000 Attack Points! And if you add in the five hundred point boost from my Field Spell… Well. You do the math.”

The crowd chattered with excitement and awe as the monster’s attack shot up from 3000 all the way to a whopping 4500; just barely enough to beat Rose Petal Reaper’s 4400. Cardin laughed gleefully as he extended his arm.

“Now… Phoenix Bomber! Take out that pathetic Reaper!!” Cardin commanded. Dutifully, the Phoenix screeched and then aimed its Tempest Cannons directly at Ruby’s monster. The barrels began to glow with golden light as they powered up, and then…

“FIRE!” 

All at once, the cannons fired, loosing beams of golden energy directly into Rose Petal Reaper, blasting straight through her. Ruby’s monster didn’t stand a chance, and proceeded to explode in a huge cloud of smoke and flame, engulfing Ruby’s entire field.

R: 4000 LP -> 3900 LP

Ruby grunted as the smoke faded– The damage had been minimal, but now she was staring down the barrel of a mighty monster, with her Rose Petal Reaper down for the count. 

“But it’s not over yet!” Cardin pumped his fist, “I activate Tempest Cannon’s special effect: When it destroys a monster, Tempest Cannon deals you back damage equal to that monster’s original Attack Points! Go, Tempest Turrets!!”

Ruby gasped as the turrets on Cardin’s monster now turned and aimed at her, before open firing. Hundreds of bullets flew through the air and struck Ruby, bombarding her from head to toe, cutting away a solid 2600 Life Points. 

“Ruby!!” Velvet cried, eyes wide with horror.

R: 3900 LP -> 1300 LP

Ruby grunted, but then swung her arm, revealing her face down card. “You’ve set off my Trap Card: ‘Rosebud Revival’! When a ‘Petal’ monster I control is destroyed, I can plant a Token in its place, and then sacrifice it on my next turn to revive it.”

As Rose Petal Reaper crumbled to dust, a small sprout emerged from the ground beneath it, growing into a small rosebud.

“Heh. Go ahead. Your Rose Petal Reaper stands no chance against X-1 Phoenix Bomber,” Cardin folded his arms smugly, “I end my turn. Make your next pathetic move, Slifer slacker.”

Weiss scowled, clenching her fists as she watched. Though she didn’t particularly have any dog in this fight, she wanted Ruby to win– After all, Ruby had beaten her, and if Cardin beat Ruby, then it’d almost be as if she’d lost to Cardin as well, and that was unacceptable. She scowled again at Cordovin, who, judging by her gleeful expression, had almost certainly set Cardin with that pro deck. Weiss knew well that even with a powerful deck, everything hinged on your skill as a duelist, and despite holding a mighty deck, Cardin was still no professional. But still… Could Ruby beat such a strong deck? 

All of this trouble for a Satellite, Weiss thought, staring at Ruby intently. You’d better win this fight, you dolt.

Turn 4: Ruby (1300 LP)

“My move. Draw.” Ruby said, drawing her next card. She quickly looked over her hand, thinking over her options. Should she go on the defensive? She needed to make sure that she could block Cardin’s next onslaught, but with 4500 Attack Points, it wouldn’t be easy. But…

His Field Spell… Maybe there’s a way I can use it against him…

“First, I’m gonna tribute my Rosebud Token, and revive Rose Petal Reaper! Come back!” Ruby proclaimed, as the little rose bud on the field quickly grew, becoming a gigantic rose. As it unfurled, Rose Petal Reaper emerged from within, returning to Ruby’s side once more.

“Now I place one card face down,” Ruby said calmly, “and end my turn.” 

Turn 5: Cardin (3500 LP)

“That all you got?” Cardin shouted back as he drew a card, “Then allow me to finish this! I attack Rose Petal Reaper with Phoenix Bomber! Giga Inferno Missile!”

Phoenix Bomber let loose a mighty shriek and raised its wings, firing a flurry of missiles from its body. The rockets soared through the air in every which direction, before then homing in on Rose Petal Reaper, where they exploded into a cloud of smoke and flame. 

“YEAAAAH CARDIN!!” The goons cried out.

Cardin cackled as he watched Ruby’s side of the field explode in a cloud of dust, obscuring her from view. “It’s over! You should have quit while you had the chance, Slifer scum!”

He looked to the Life Point readout to watch his opponent’s Life Points drop to zero– But they remained unchanged. Frowning, he looked back at the field, where the dust began to fade… And a single rose petal began to fly forward, followed by another… And another. Slowly, the smoke began to dissolve, revealing Ruby and Rose Petal Reaper, both wreathed in a storm of red flower petals.

“The hell…?” Cardin blinked.

“You’ve just activated my Trap Card,” Ruby said with a calm smile, “I activate ‘Rose Rebellion’! When my ‘Petal’ monster is being attacked by a monster with higher Attack Points, I can discard one card from my hand to negate your attack, and destroy the attacking monster!”

Velvet’s eyes lit up, and she pumped her fists into the air. “Yes! Go Ruby!!”

Weiss smirked, giving a small chuckle to herself. That’s my rival.

“So now I’ll discard a card from my hand,” Ruby slipped a card into her Graveyard, “And eliminate your Phoenix Bomber!!”

Cardin’s face paled as the surge of flowers shot forward, and flew directly into his Phoenix, pelting it with thousands of crimson blades. The Phoenix screeched in pain– Only for the Tempest Cannons attached to it to break off and explode, dispersing the storm of petals. The Phoenix still stood, but its attachment was no more.

“I-I activate Tempest Cannon’s second effect!” Cardin said, sweat running down his brow, “If Phoenix Bomber would be destroyed by a card effect, I can destroy Tempest Cannon instead to protect it!”

In accordance with its effect, Phoenix Bomber’s Attack Points dropped down to 3500. Cardin scowled. “Nice try, but you’re not getting rid of him that easily! I still have enough attack to wipe out your Reaper next turn. End of my move.”

You’re not gonna get that chance , Ruby thought to herself. Because I’m about to end this!

Turn 6: Ruby (1300 LP)

“My turn. Draw!” Ruby declared, looking over her field once more. She had her face down ready, Rose Petal Reaper on her side… All she needed was one more card. And she knew exactly how she was going to get it.

“I activate the Spell Card, ‘Revival Experiment 666’!” Ruby called out, “This allows me to bring back a monster from the Graveyard, but I must destroy it at the end of the turn.”

“Ha!” Cardin scoffed, “Go ahead; none of your pathetic monsters can touch my X-1 Phoenix Bomber!”

Ruby shook her head, smiling softly. “...I’m not reviving one of my monsters. I choose to revive… your ‘Golden Wing - Gatling Griffon’!”

Cardin blinked with confusion. “What?! Gatling Griffon!?”

Cardin’s Gatling Griffon rose to Ruby’s side of the field. The Griffon let out a screech, then crouched down in Defense Position. 

“If you’re trying to confuse me into losing, you’ll need a better strategy than that!” Cardin barked. 

Ruby wagged a finger. “Oh, don’t worry– You see, your Field Spell works both ways. So if I summon my own ‘Golden Wing’, then I also can add an Equip Spell from my deck to my hand!”

Cardin blanched, realization settling in on his face. “Wh-what!?”

Ruby pulled her chosen card and quickly placed it on her field with a grin. “...And now I’ll activate the Equip Spell, ‘Contract Thorns’!”

As Ruby set the card onto her Duel Disk, red vines began to wrap around Rose Petal Reaper, covering her in thorns. The Reaper gripped her scythe tightly as the thorns dug into her, and a dark red aura began to surround her. Its eyes opened wide, and began to glow blood red, like a demonic beast. Cardin took a step back, gulping.

“Thanks for your Field Spell,” Ruby remarked, “It gave me the card that will be your undoing. ‘Contract Thorns’ boost my equipped monster’s Attack Points by 1000– but the trade-off is that I need to pay that same amount of Life Points to declare an attack.”

Ruby glanced at her Duel Disk, though she really didn’t need to. “And it looks like I’ve got just enough to finish off your Phoenix Bomber. So, Rose Petal Reaper… Go end this!”

R: 1300 LP -> 300 LP

Rose Petal Reaper, now with 3600 Attack Points, lunged towards the enemy with blinding speed. Phoenix Bomber let loose its missiles, screeching as it desperately tried to stop her, but she dodged and weaved through each one, running straight up to the bomber.

“Tear it to pieces!” Ruby cried, clenching her fists, “Halloween Guillotine!!!”

In a flash, the Reaper shot upwards towards the Bomber’s neck, catching it in the crook of her scythe. The Reaper’s momentum pulled the massive bird along with her, and the two monsters flew into the air above the arena. Finally, the Reaper pulled their scythe forward, and in one, clean slice, severed the Phoenix’s head from its body with a sickening slice. Cardin could only watch in horror as his greatest monster hit the ground, dissolving into nothing.

Cordovin could only balk in absolute disbelief at what she’d seen. The Slifer Red had destroyed Cardin’s greatest card!? No, no, no, this wasn’t possible! How could she overcome a pro deck!? It took all of her might not to scream in anguish, but she settled for chomping on her nails vigorously.

C: 3500 LP -> 3400 LP

“And as per her ability,” Ruby continued with a smirk, “Rose Petal Reaper now takes all of Phoenix Bomber’s Attack Points.”

Cardin staggered back as if he’d been slapped. “N-no… no way! This can’t be happening…!”

“Oh, it’s happening.” Ruby taunted, “You hurt my friend Velvet, and now you’re gonna pay. Hope this makes you think twice before you try and pick on us Slifers. I now activate Rose Petal Reaper’s true power!”

Weiss’s eyes widened. Her true power? 

“After Rose Petal Reaper gathers the power of its vanquished foes,” Ruby explained, “It’s secret ability can activate. I can sacrifice Rose Petal Reaper, and she then deals all the collected power as damage directly to your Life Points!”

Cardin’s face went pale, realizing what was about to happen. “W-w-wait! Hold on! L-let's talk this out!”

“Too late for that!” Ruby snapped, then raised her arm. “I sacrifice Rose Petal Reaper to unleash her stored power: 3500 points of damage! Go, Fatal Blossom!!”

With that, Rose Petal Reaper began to dissolve once more, her body becoming a whirlwind of red blades, spinning faster and faster, growing larger as it went. Cardin could only watch helplessly as the tornado of red quickly engulfed him.

“NOOOO!” was all he could cry as Rose Petal Reaper’s effect finished him off.

C: 3400 LP -> 0 LP

VICTOR:

RUBY ROSE

“I’ll be taking back those cards back now!” Ruby finished, pointing at Cardin with a grin. 

The crowd went wild, as Cardin fell to his knees, defeated. Cordovin was stunned into absolute silence, unable to do anything more than shudder with barely concealed rage. Weiss broke into a small smile, leaning back in her seat. 

Admirable performance, Ruby Rose. You’re still a fool and a dolt… But a worthy rival.

With that, she calmly stood up and walked out of the arena, content that she was going to have an exciting duel when next they faced each other.

“Rubyyyy!!” Velvet cried, rushing up to her friend, tears in her eyes. Ruby could barely turn around before Velvet tackled her in a hug. “You did it! You were so cool!”

“Ah! Th-thanks. I might have gotten a little carried away,” Ruby rubbed her neck sheepishly.

“I was scared for a bit!” Velvet said, “Cardin’s cards were nothing like that when he dueled me…”

“They weren’t?” Ruby tilted her head. 

“Th-this isn’t over!” Cardin cut in, his boys helping him to his feet, “I demand a rematch!! I won’t let you take my rarest cards!!”

“You can keep them!” Ruby shot back, stomping forward. “I don’t care about the ante– Give back Velvet’s cards, now!”

Cardin blinked, then reached into his pocket. He held out Velvet’s custom cards, before tossing them directly at Ruby. He quickly gathered his friends and walked out. “...Don’t think for a second that this changes anything. You’re still Slifer scum.”

Ruby caught the cards, double checking to make sure they were still in good condition, then handed them to Velvet. “Here you go, Velvet.”

Velvet took them back happily, smiling with relief. “...Thank you so much, Ruby. I-I’ve never had anyone stand up for me like that.”

She looked down, toeing the ground with her foot. “...To be honest… I never really liked dueling myself much. I wasn’t ever any good at it. I still loved the cards, the strategy, the battles, but I was always too weak to win… But now… Seeing you… It makes me want to fight for myself, you know?”

Ruby smiled. “I can teach you, if you want! We can play a few rounds together!”

Velvet smiled softly. “...I’d like that. Thanks.”

“No problem!” Ruby said, “Now… Let’s get back to the dorms. I’m exhausted!”

–

After a long first day of classes, Ruby was about ready to collapse in a heap by the time she got to her dorm room. Despite mostly standing in one spot, dueling really took more out of her than one would expect. But she had fought and she had won, and that was all that mattered. Velvet had her cards back, and Cardin got to go home with his tail between his legs. Part of her knew that this wouldn’t end things– If anything, Cardin would probably come back harder than ever… But for now, things had ended happily. She pushed the door to her room open and entered with a loud yawn.

“...Welcome back,” Weiss’s voice said, as the heiress sat at the table, brushing her snowy white hair. “Quite a day you’ve had, it seems.”

Ruby frowned, remembering the last conversation they’d had. “...Look, I don’t care if you think it was dumb of me. I’m glad I did it, and I’m glad I won.”

“...No, you were right,” Weiss said, looking away, “You performed impressively. Using his own Field Spell against him… A very clever move indeed.”

“...” Ruby walked to the bunk bed ladder and climbed up. “...Thanks. Listen, I don’t think you’re… quite as bad as that guy. But don’t talk about Satellite people that way anymore, okay?”

“I don’t hate them,” Weiss frowned, “I believe a Satellite can rise up and be just as good as any other duelist. But they have those marks for a reason. The Satellite is not a nice place.”

“That isn’t their fault,” Ruby shot back, “and none of them deserve to be branded and treated poorly because of it.”

“You’re saying that criminals have no blame in their crimes?” Weiss raised an eyebrow.

Ruby rolled her eyes, turning away in her bed. “I’m saying that you don’t know half of what you’re talking about, Schnee.”

Weiss flinched, the sound of her last name hitting her like ice water. “...I’m not like the rest of my family, I’ll have you know. We have a… tumultuous reputation, true. But I intend to fix that.”

“Really.” Ruby muttered, flipping through her phone for music. 

“...Yes.” Weiss said, standing up and approaching the bed. “...You may not believe me, but… Do you remember how I said this morning that I came here to walk my own path?”

Ruby turned slightly, nodding. “...I do.”

Weiss glanced aside before continuing. “...I’m aware that the Schnee Dueling Company is… flawed. I’ve seen injustice in the company and my family. I used to be proud to call myself a Schnee. But as I get older, I realize… It’s not perfect. And I want to be more than just another Schnee.”

Ruby slowly rolled over more, facing Weiss. “...I… don’t know everything about your situation either. But if you really want to be better… I think you have to listen to other people. You can’t grow and change if you keep seeing the world the way you always have. Trust me, I used to be pretty bad when I was little.”

“...” Weiss folded her arms. “...I suppose… I can try. I’ve never really spoken to anyone from the Satellite, to be honest. I feel… uncomfortable, I suppose.”

“Cause you’re like, ultra rich and they live in the Satellite?”

“...Y-yeah, basically,” Weiss said, looking away abashedly, “I mean like– What if they resent me? Or hate me? If I was one of them…”

“...I used to think something like that,” Ruby said, putting her head behind her hands, “My family was never rich, but we were never in trouble, living comfortably. Satellite people made me uneasy too. But then I started talking to them… And they’re normal people, like you and me.”

Ruby leaned over, coming eye to eye with Weiss. “...So don’t just call them criminals, okay?”

Weiss grimaced a bit, but slowly nodded. “...I can try.”

“...Heh, good enough for me.” Ruby said with a hint of a smile. “...I’m gonna hit the hay now. Night, Weiss.”

“...Goodnight, Ruby.” Weiss said, climbing into her own bed. 

Ruby was out very quickly, as evidenced by her soft snoring, but Weiss was restless, still staring up in her bed. Her thoughts drifted towards the Satellites, and how they’d always given her a lingering sense of unease whenever she’d seen one. Perhaps it was because she knew in her gut that they were right to resent her; looking at it from their angle, how could they not? Weiss had always known softness and luxury and the best the world could offer…

So why did she never feel like it was enough?

Weiss groaned and threw an arm over her eyes. This wasn’t what she was here for. She was here to duel, and to become the best. She needed sleep to focus on that. Once she was out of Slifer Red and back in her lovely Obelisk Blue bed, then she could worry about social problems and inequality. 

For now, it was time to sleep, and rest up for the duels to come.

CHAPTER THREE

END

CARD FEATURE CORNER:

"ROSE PETAL REAPER"

"Ruby's signature monster, the Rose Petal Reaper.

Cloaked in red, she takes power from each fallen foe,

until the time is right to harvest."

Chapter Text

“...Why do you have to go?”

“...I have something very important to do, Ruby. Remember how I told you? There is… danger out there, and I have to stop it. To protect people… To protect you.”

“...I know Mommy. But. You always go. You always leave.”

“I will be back, Ruby. I promise.”

“When?”

“...I-I don’t know.”

“...”

“...But I will be back. I promise. I swear to you that I’ll never leave you, Ruby.”

“...Okay Mommy.”

“I know it’s hard, Ruby. I miss you so much too. But everything that I do, this mission that I take… It’s for you. I’m doing this because I want you to be safe and happy. I would never do anything to hurt you, Red. When this is all over, when I’ve taken care of the bad guys… Then I’ll never leave you again, I swear.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

It had been about three days now since Weiss’s less than graceful entrance into Duel Academy, and still she hadn’t gotten used to sleeping in the uncomfortable beds of Slifer Red. With a heavy groan of disappointment that her recent failures hadn’t all just been one long bad dream, she rose from her sheets and climbed out of bed to begin her morning routine. She glanced up at the bunk above her, where one of Ruby’s arms was sprawled over the side. She was definitely not a morning person, Weiss had surmised, but aside from the occasional bursts of music when her headphones came unplugged, it was easy for them both to stay out of each other’s way. 

Today was Saturday, and there was no class. Despite that, Weiss intended to use the day to study for next week’s tests, and to perhaps engage in some Duel Simulations to brush up on her skills. The heiress had gotten through her shower, hair, and skin routine, and was about to start applying her makeup by the time Ruby sat up with a yawn and started climbing down from her bunk. 

“Mornin’,” yawned Ruby as she entered the shower and started blaring her loud metal or rock or whatever music– Weiss shuddered at the thought that she was getting used to it. 

As she looked into the mirror with her foundation in hand, Weiss heard a knock at the door. Ruby’s sister again? No, she didn’t hear her voice, and that girl always announced herself when she showed up. Perhaps it was Ruby’s friend, Velvet, the Satellite girl? Well, Ruby was still in the shower, so Weiss finished buttoning up her uniform and went to the door– Only to notice something slid beneath it. Weiss blinked, then picked it up; a white envelope, with “Weiss” written upon it in beautiful cursive handwriting. 

“...What?” Weiss blinked, then opened the door, poking her head out and looking for any sign of the sender. But there was no sign of anyone outside. She closed the door again, frowning as she held the letter. Flipping it over, where she saw a small red heart sealing the letter. 

Oh, great. Weiss’s face filled with anguish as she recognized it as a love letter. No doubt another love-struck boy who wanted the prestige of dating a Schnee. She’d had enough of that back at Atlas. Weiss was about to toss it into the trash, when Ruby emerged from the shower, wet hair all over her face.

“Ahhh…” Ruby sighed as she shook head like a dog, causing Weiss to recoil and shield herself from a splatter of water drops. 

“Hey!” she cried, putting her arms up to shield herself.

“...Whoops, s-sorry, Weiss,” Ruby replied sheepishly, “I’m not used to having another person in my room yet.”

“...Neither am I, to be honest,” Weiss said with a sigh. Ruby’s eyes then flitted to the envelope.

“What’s that?” Ruby asked, pointing to the envelope Weiss was about to discard. “You got a letter?”

“Yes.” Weiss grimaced, holding it like a venomous snake, “Undoubtedly some hopeless suitor who wants to waste my time trying to date me for the Schnee family fortune.”

“Why would they want to date you for money? That’s weird.” Ruby mused. “Oh, but I would date you if I got cookies. Mm, chocolate chip…”

Weiss quickly pushed aside that comment and finished by dropping the letter into the trash. “Well, at any rate, I don’t have time for such frivolities. I’m here to duel, not date.”

“I hear that,” Ruby said as she pulled on her uniform, “The only couples I care about are the monsters that I can fuse!”

You may think a bit too much about dueling , Weiss thought to herself. “At any rate, I have another engagement tonight.”

“What kind of engagement?” Ruby tilted her head.

“The Duel Academy Charity Auction,” Weiss said as she placed her makeup brushes back in their organized case, “It’s an event held for the donors who support the Academy, and it will feature several rare cards up for auction.”

Weiss flicked her hair proudly. “And as a representative of Schnee Dueling Company, I have been asked to do the honors of presenting said rare cards.”

“Rare cards...?” Ruby’s eyes sparkled, those two words hooking her instantly. “Maybe I should come too… I was just gonna stay in playing video games and working on Crescent Rose…”

“Students are free to join,” Weiss remarked, “but I doubt you’d enjoy it. Most guests will be coming from Atlas. Lots of families and philanthropists flaunting their wealth.”

“...” Ruby rocked back and forth, wringing her hands. Weiss could tell she wanted to go and see those cards, but something was obviously bothering her.

“...Something wrong?” Weiss ventured to ask. 

“...I… I wanna see the cards, but…” Ruby said, looking away abashedly. “I… don’t do well in big crowded rooms.”

Weiss blinked, pausing in surprise. “What? I’ve seen you duel in an arena– both at the exam, and just yesterday, when the school was watching you defeat Cardin!”

“That was a duel!” Ruby protested, “Duels are different! I’m in my element there– I can focus, I have a purpose, and I’m good at it. But parties and crowds… They’re different. I can’t duel my way out of those.”

Weiss sighed. “...Maybe your sister can accompany you?”

“...She already has plans,” Ruby looked at her feet, “and I don’t wanna ask her for any more than I already have.”

“...” Oh boy. Looks like it was up to her then. Well… why not? Not like she had anyone to go with here either– Any would-be friends she could have made in Obelisk Blue would now not give her the time of day, and most of the other Slifers were far too intimidated to even talk to her. Over the past few days, Ruby had been the closest thing to an acquaintance she had.

“...Would you like me to go with you?” She asked, somewhat hesitantly.

Ruby looked at Weiss pleadingly, a small smile on her face. “Th-that would be nice…”

“Very well. The exhibit starts at six, so be ready two hours before then.” Weiss said. “Understood?”

“Yes!” Ruby said, smiling cheerfully and giving a military salute, “Thank you, Weiss, I really appreciate it!”

“Don’t mention it. Literally. I don’t want people getting used to seeing me in Slifer Red.”

“Aw, I think red looks good on you!” Ruby said, smiling. 

Weiss felt her cheeks color a bit, and she quickly looked away to hide it. “D-don’t patronize me!”

“I’m not!” Ruby insisted, her eyes shining, “Red’s my favorite color, and it looks really good with your eyes!”

“Wh-what are you talking about!?” Weiss continued, backing away as if Ruby were a dangerous animal. She raised her hand to hide the blush forming on her traitorous cheeks. “...J-just be ready by six o’ clock– and it’s a formal event, so be sure to dress properly!”

Ruby’s smile faded. She poked her fingers together and looked away. “...How formal are we talking…?”

“...” Weiss folded her arms, raising an eyebrow at Ruby, “More formal than whatever you were wearing back at the exam. You do have formal clothes, right?”

“...Um… Well…” Ruby said, dragging her words as she put her arms behind her back. “I-I have my uniform! That’s formal-ish, right?”

Weiss was already regretting this. “...You can’t be serious. Let me see your wardrobe.”

Ruby pivoted around towards the small indent in the wall that passed for a closet, where Ruby’s clothes hung; all she had was a spare uniform, her pajamas, and a couple sets of casual street clothes. She raised an arm towards them, as if to say ‘that’s it!’. Weiss slowly put a hand to her face.

“...Okay, looks like we’re going shopping,” The heiress said, pulling at her phone, “it looks like we’ll have to make do with whatever they have at the student store, but they should at least have some half-decent clothes.”

“W-wait, there’s no need for that!” Ruby raised her hands in protest, “I-I’ll be fine, I’ll just–”

“No buts!” Weiss said, wagging her finger at Ruby, “Since you’re going to be accompanying me, I will have you dressed properly. Now come along.”

“...Ahhh, is it too late to change my plans back?”

“Ruby…”

“...C-coming.”

With that, the two girls left the dorm, heading down the path to the student store. Neither happened to notice the figure watching them from behind a nearby tree, nor that he proceeded to produce a phone and make a call.

–

“We’d like to thank you all very much for donating to our academy,” Professor Goodwitch said as she led a small group through the halls. Behind her was a small collection of finely-dressed men and women, all prepared for the evening’s event. 

“We all hope you enjoy tonight’s event,” Goodwitch went on, “we have procured some of the rarest cards in the Academy’s collection to present tonight, so I expect you shall all get your money’s worth. In the meantime, however, please feel free to enjoy the facilities and relax before the auction.”

“This campus is quite impressive,” one of the guests, an older man with graying hair and glasses noted, “But I would like to see the measure of the students here. The Academy’s campus is of little credit should the students it produces be of lesser quality.”

“...Of course, Mr. Sleet,” Professor Goodwitch replied, withholding a comment about his own quality to her own thoughts, “Well, we have many arenas open for our students to duel– We can certainly arrange for a match or to so you may judge for yourself whether our students are up to par.”

“Mm, a duel would certainly be an entertaining way of killing time,” the woman beside Mr. Sleet mused, “Please, lead the way to an arena so that we may see what your class is made of.”

The other guests murmured in agreement, and Goodwitch nodded. “...Very well. Right this way, please–”

Bzzz! Bzzz!

The sound of a phone vibrating interrupted the tour, and one guest raised his hand apologetically. He was a young man clad in a maroon dress shirt and a black vest decorated with floral print, with a red handkerchief sitting in its breast pocket. His hair was a dull blue swept to one side, with an undercut on the other. He looked young enough to be a student here, likely the son of a rich family standing in for his parents.

“...Ah, sorry, that’s me,” spoke the boy, pulling out his phone, “apologies, I must take this. Please, go on without me, I shall find my own way.”

Goodwitch proceeded to lead the rest of the guests off, rounding the corner, as the young man put the phone to his ear with a self-assured smile as he stared idly out the window.

“Yes, Humphrey? Have you delivered the letter?” 

“Yes, Master Henry,” the voice on the other end replied, “your letter has been delivered.”

“Excellent!” The well-dressed boy said, smiling.

“However…” the servant said, “shortly after, I heard her throw it away. She did not seem to have read it.”

The boy’s face fell into a frown, and he put a hand to his mouth. “...What on earth? Why?”

“I cannot say, Master Henry. She has just left her dorm with another girl, heading to the student store.”

“Another girl…?” Henry’s eyes narrowed, “...Thank you, Humphrey, I’ll take it from here. It looks like I’ll have to be a little more direct to get Ms. Schnee’s attention.”

“Very good, sir.”

With that, Henry Marigold pocketed his phone, and began to walk the opposite direction of the other guests. He hadn’t particularly cared for their company anyways– no, he’d come to this middling school on a godforsaken island for one reason and one reason only: Weiss Schnee.

What fortune it was that she would be here, that their paths would cross like this after all this time! The icy yet beautiful heiress of Schnee Dueling Company had danced through his mind ever since he had laid eyes upon her at a similar gala, many years ago. He had made many advances over the years, yet they never seemed to reach her, always getting lost or returned by some accident. 

But now, he had another chance– and this time, he would not let it pass him by. 

–

A small bell chimed as Weiss and Ruby stepped into the student store, a small but well-stocked outlet with various items for life at the Academy. There were snacks, supplies, books, toiletries, and even a few racks of clothing. Anything that could not be bought here could be special ordered through the store, but Weiss and Ruby did not have that sort of time, so they’d have to make do with whatever was currently available.

“Greetings,” the shopkeep mumbled as they entered, looking up from the counter he was polishing. He was an elderly man with thick eyebrows and gray hairs on his balding head. “Can I help ya?”

“We’re looking for some clothes,” Weiss said, “for tonight’s event. You wouldn’t happen to have anything formal, would you? Dresses, maybe?”

“...Hmm.” The shopkeep muttered, folding his arms, “We don’t got much for if you want something tonight. But we might have something on the clearance rack in the back.”

He gestured towards one the far corner of the shop, where a large orange sign pleaded for the items to be bought. There was indeed a small rack with a few shirts on it, but nothing that stood out as ‘formal’. Weiss sighed– It would have to do.

“...Thank you,” she said, motioning for Ruby to follow, “come on.”

The rack was as disappointing as everything else had been thus far, with nothing but some cheesy T-shirts that Ruby seemed quite amused by. She was currently giggling at one with the text ‘You’ve activated my Nap Card’, with a sleeping cat on it. Weiss could feel her stomach sinking the further she flicked through the poor selection– Until she found something, her eyes lighting up.

“Here!” she proclaimed, pulling out a bright pink dress and presenting it to Ruby, “It’s not great, but it’ll do. Try it on.”

Ruby looked warily at the dress, imagining herself in it, and frowning at what she saw in her head. “...I dunno, Weiss, that’s not… really my style.”

“Well it’s the only dress I could find,” Weiss huffed, “unless you have a better idea? Please don’t say the ‘nap card’ shirt…”

Ruby glanced from the dress back to the rack, then started to flip through it herself– and as she did, her eyes widened as they fell upon a certain garment nestled near the back. She slowly grabbed it, and produced a nice, black suit jacket, just about her size.

“...How about this?” Ruby asked, holding it up to her chest. “Formal enough for you?”

“...I… suppose…” Weiss said, putting a hand to her chin, “let’s try it on, then.”

Ruby quickly removed her uniform and threw on the suit jacket. Weiss had to admit, it fit her pretty well. She looked… not bad. Weiss felt her cheeks heat up a little, and quickly faced the rack again to hide it. Ugh, that was so annoying! Why did that keep happening?

“...Alright… th-that works,” Weiss said, relieved they’d actually gotten something decent, “Let’s see if there’s a tie to go with it here…”

Meanwhile, another chime rang out as Henry Marigold sauntered into the store. The shopkeeper nodded at him in acknowledgment.

“Hello,” he mumbled, “need help finding anything?”

Henry quickly scanned the store, and his eyes quickly located the white-haired girl he’d been looking for. A grin broke across his face.

“No thanks, I’ve just found it,” he said, running a hand through his hair as he walked towards his target. 

Okay, Henry, stay cool. She’s rich, you’re rich, you have plenty in common. Just make your opening move, and you’ll have her in no time– wait. Who is that?

Henry stopped halfway across the room, as his eyes fell upon Ruby, clad in her new jacket, smiling as Weiss was putting a tie around her neck. Immediately, he realized this could only mean one thing– he had competition! His eyes widened in shock– of course Weiss would have attracted many other suitors, but for her to have one so close by…! 

This guy…! Henry clenched his teeth, jealousy burning within him. Who is he, and what is he doing with Weiss!?

“There,” Weiss said, pulling the tie around Ruby’s neck and admiring her handiwork with a grin, “now you’re ready for the auction.”

“Hurgh!” Ruby gagged as the tie tightened around her neck, “C-can I loosen it a bit?”

“No, you’ll look like a slob,” Weiss shook her head, “though, I suppose there’s no need to wear it right now.”

Ruby gave a relieved sigh and pulled the tie loose, letting it hang around her neck freely. Weiss had to admit, she pulled it off well; she almost wanted to give her a full makeover, give this girl a bit of polish. With the right clothes, she might be able to make her look halfway decent. Weiss briefly imagined her in a nice red dress, or perhaps a tuxedo would look rather dashing– wait what? Weiss quickly shook the thoughts out of her head.

“Alright, let’s check out,” Weiss said, pulling a fancy white card from her pocket. She began walking towards the shopkeep to purchase the clothes– Only to suddenly be intercepted by Henry, who walked right in front of her, pretending not to notice her.

“Oh, excuse me,” he said, gasping and backing away, “I didn’t see you there, my apologies.”

“No apologies necessary,” Weiss said politely, and attempted to walk on by– only to find that the boy wasn’t moving.

“Sorry, but, I couldn’t help but recognize you,” Henry went on, a self-assured grin on his face. “You’re… Weiss Schnee, yes? Oh, it’s been years!”

Weiss raised an eyebrow, mentally filing through the other rich kids she’d met over the years. “Yes, that is me. Apologies, have we met?”

“Haha, well, it’s been a while; I’m Henry, Henry Marigold,” the blue haired boy said, leaning against the shelf casually, “I’ve seen you around at a few of those fancy galas and the like. I’m here for the auction tonight. Will you be there?”

“Oh, Marigold, yes, I remember…” Weiss glanced around him to the shopkeeper, “I will be there indeed; I’ve been asked to present the cards to our esteemed guests tonight.”

“Oh, really?” Henry smirked, having already known this, “then I’ll have to bid on something after all. It’s not every day I get to meet such an… extraordinary host.”

He delivered the last bit with a self-assured grin, and Weiss’s mind dredged up a hazy memory of that self-assured grin from ages ago. Ah, Marigold, right. Now I remember; the boy that wouldn’t leave me alone whenever I saw him at a party. 

“Thank you, I do hope you enjoy the auction,” Weiss replied, “I have many preparations to make, actually, so I must be going now–”

“Oh, wait, just one more thing,” Henry raised a hand, smiling, “would you like to join me for lunch? I have an exquisite lunch prepared, and I was hoping to find someone to enjoy it with besides those stuffy socialites.”

Weiss maintained her polite facade, but groaned inwardly– she could see this boy’s intentions from a mile away… but it would be nice to eat something other than the slop offered to Slifer Red. She’d hardly been able to stomach the instant noodles and ‘chili dogs’ that they’d been feeding her in the cafeteria. Her mind and her stomach warred briefly… and her stomach won.

“...What sort of lunch?”

Henry’s eyes glittered with excitement. Yes, he’d got her! Time to reel her in. “Oh, nothing fancy– just a special order from the Glass Slipper.”

Weiss’s stomach cheered at the suggestion– Glass Slipper was one of her favorite restaurants… her stomach was going feral inside her, practically shoving aside her brain to answer for her.

“...It’s been a while since I had any decent food around here…” Weiss said reluctantly, looking away, “...Very well, I accept. But only for a short while– I have many preparations to attend to.”

Henry beamed like he’d won the lottery– not that he needed the money. “Ah, excellent! Then it’s a date.”

Weiss internally winced at the word ‘date’, but she kept up her polite front and gave a small bow. Suddenly, Ruby poked her head around the corner, eyes glittering. She quickly rushed beside Weiss and held out a small, plush dragon to her.

“Weiss, look! It’s you!” Ruby beamed, pointing to its white scales and blue eyes. “The Blue-Eyes Weiss Dragon’!”

Weiss blinked, then rolled her eyes, a small blush crossing her face. Henry’s eye twitched a bit– Oh, so he was a funny guy, was he? Who was this upstart, trying to get between him and his beloved Weiss!?

“...Ah, w-who is this?” Henry asked, his tone struggling to stay even. “A friend of yours?”

“This is Ruby Rose,” Weiss said, gesturing towards her roommate, “My… roommate. She’s quite the talented duelist, actually, when she’s not messing around. Ruby, this is Harry Marigold, one of the guests at the auction.”

Ruby smiled, giving a small wave. “Hello. I’m going with Weiss to the auction tonight.”

“Oh, is that so…? How nice…” Henry smiled back politely, but internally, he was glaring daggers at Ruby. Roommate!? Going with her to the auction!? Ruby Rose… she’s way too close! I need to get Weiss away from her, fast!

“Now, if you’ll excuse me,” Weiss said, taking out a small white credit card, “I need to finish purchasing these clothes for tonight.”

“Oh, of course,” Henry stepped aside, allowing Weiss through to the counter. 

Gratefully, Weiss walked up to the shopkeeper and presented her card, along with Ruby’s jacket and tie. “We’ll be taking these.”

“Sure,” muttered the shopkeeper as he scanned the items and took Weiss’s card. He swiped the credit card, and after an eternity of whirring and beeping on the register, there came a harsh “BEEP” of denial. The shopkeeper shook his head and handed back the card. “Sorry, kid, your card’s been canceled.”

Weiss’s eyes widened in shock. “W-what!? That can’t be!”

The shopkeeper shrugged. “That’s what it’s telling me. Says the account is frozen.”

A pit formed in her stomach as Weiss realized what was happening– Her father. He was the only one who could make that sort of call, and it seemed that he’d decided to freeze her cards and assets, perhaps as punishment for choosing Duel Academy. If you’re going to run off on your own , she could imagine him saying, then don’t expect to pinch from the family fortune any more. She pulled out her wallet and handed the shopkeeper a few more cards, just to check– And indeed, all were declined. Weiss gritted her teeth. Dammit, she should have seen this coming– Luckily she had a bit of cash, but that was all she had to her name now.

“Here,” Henry cut in, a card out between his fingers. He smiled at Weiss with a wink. “You seem to be having trouble. Allow me.”

“No, I got it,” Ruby suddenly joined as well with her own card, “It’s for me, I should pay for it.”

This guy…! Henry clenched his fist while forcing himself to maintain a calm smile. 

Weiss just looked weakly between the two, feeling a new brand of humiliation she’d yet to have endured. The clothes weren’t even that much, but not being able to pay for something… Weiss didn’t think that had ever happened to her before. It felt… really bad. Was this how other people felt? She got that knot again in her stomach that always formed when she thought too much about her own privilege.

“...Fine,” she muttered eventually, turning to Ruby, “since they’re your clothes, it makes sense that you should pay for them.”

Ruby nodded and handed the shopkeeper her card, while Henry bit his own tongue to prevent from screaming. Then, with a sly grin, Ruby also tossed the Blue-Eyes White Dragon plush onto the counter. “And this too, please!”

The shopkeeper rang up the order, and Weiss shot her a weary look. “Ah, so that was your plan all along, was it?”

Ruby grinned, “Hee hee. I couldn’t not buy it! It reminds me of you, if you were small and huggable!”

Weiss nearly doubled over from shock, her face going bright red– something that was not lost on Henry, who was also turning red for a very different reason. Weiss put a hand to the counter to stabilize herself, then quickly coughed into her hand aggressively.

“...W-what are you talking about!?” Weiss gasped, “J-just get the clothes and let’s go, you dolt!”

Ruby grabbed the clothes, but then held out the plushie to Weiss. Weiss blinked, looking between the plush dragon and Ruby with visible confusion.

“...Actually, I got it for you, as thanks,” Ruby explained, “nobody’s ever taken me clothes shopping, ‘sides my Dad and Yang. So… thanks.”

Weiss blinked, slowly taking the dragon. She hated to admit it, but it was pretty cute. Her face began to heat up again, and she quickly stuffed the toy into a plastic bag, turning around. “I-it was nothing. Like I said, don’t get used to this! I just wouldn’t wanna be seen with you dressed like an absolute slob.”

Ruby smiled. “That’s fine! I won’t be buying gifts either– I kinda don’t have a ton of money for it, ha…”

Henry watched the two with barely concealed fury; this ‘Ruby Rose’ was far more of a threat than he’d initially thought! She was clearly some sort of master lady-killer; he had to do something about her, otherwise Weiss would be quickly lost to her charms!

“Ah, so, Weiss,” Henry quickly recovered, clearing his throat and slicking back his hair, “I’ll see you at lunch then? How about at the private lounge by the Obelisk Blue dorms?”

“Huh?” Weiss blinked, then nodded, “Oh, yes, sure… that sounds good.”

“Excellent!” Henry clapped his hands together, “I’ll see you then. Farewell for now, Ms. Schnee and… Ruby Rose.”

Weiss curtsied and Ruby gave a small wave as Henry turned, his polite smile quickly fading into a disgruntled frown as he exited the shop.

“Ruby Rose…” he muttered, pulling out his phone, “...I need her out of my way. Looks like I’ll have to get rid of her myself.”

–

Weiss set down the Blue-Eyes White Dragon plush gingerly on her bed. Its fierce expression was undercut slightly by its big blue eyes and adorable softness. Weiss pouted. How was that anything like her? But she had to admit, she did like the plushie. She felt an odd tightness in her chest when she thought about how Ruby had gotten it for her– why? It must be that she felt indebted. Yes, that was it; she didn’t like owing favors or receiving gifts without paying them back. She resolved to counter Ruby’s kindness attack with something at least twice as good. You fool, never enter into a gift-giving competition with a Schnee! 

But that could wait– It was nearing lunchtime, and though she was loath to spend it with Henry, the food of Glass Slipper was calling to her, and it would certainly be better than the sardines and rice she’d had to stomach from the Slifer Red cafeteria. She’d spent time with worse company for less reward, so she could handle him.

“I will be going to lunch now,” Weiss said, glancing over at Ruby, “I’ll be back here to pick you up in a couple hours, then we can depart.”

Ruby nodded, giving another salute. “You can count on me, Weiss!”

“...And please try to be on your best behavior,” Weiss said wearily, “I know how… excitable you can be. But Atlas folks are ruthless– any slight sign of out of place behavior opens you up to derision and exclusion. Just avoid them, frankly.”

Ruby tilted her head. “You don’t seem to like them very much.”

“...I’m used to their type,” Weiss said, staring at the wall, “when you grow up in a family like mine, you learn quickly that reputation is everything. It may seem frivolous and out of touch to you, but it can be… difficult.”

Ruby put a hand to her chin, her leg bouncing with thought. “...I think I get it. Fitting in is… hard.”

Weiss nodded, and headed to the door. “...Yes. Yes it is. If you’re forced to deal with them, call me over. I’ll handle it.”

“You sure?” Ruby asked.

“Of course,” Weiss said, “as my guest, you’re my responsibility. If they wish to look down on you, it is tantamount to an insult to me, and I won’t have that.”

“Oh. I see.”

“...” Weiss pushed open the door, about to step out, then paused briefly. “And thank you… for the gift.”

Before Ruby could answer or reciprocate, Weiss slipped out and closed the door behind her. Ruby put a hand to her chin. Was she acting weird lately, or was it just her? Weiss had seemed cold as ice when they first met, only a few days ago, and yet now… She was taking her shopping and bringing her to a fancy event. Ruby had been dreading their arrangement as roommates after the Headmaster had declared it, but they had surprisingly gotten along decently. Weiss sometimes visibly cringed when Ruby played her music, and Ruby was still baffled by how long it took Weiss to get ready in the morning, but… somehow, they had managed to keep things civil.

She can be tough, but… I can see she’s trying to do right, Ruby thought to herself. Plus, she’s a great duelist… so I think this will work out after all.

Suddenly, a knock came at the door. Ruby’s head snapped to the door, alert; who could that be? Ruby did what she usually did when she heard a knock: lie flat on her bed and hope they left. A few seconds passed, and luckily, Ruby did not hear any further noises… But she did hear the sound of something sliding under the door. She quickly crawled down from her bunk and over to the door, where she saw–

“A card!!” Ruby’s eyes grew to the size of the moon as she laid eyes on a Duel Monsters card peeking out from under the door; and a rare one at that! She quickly snatched it up and examined it, her eyes feasting on the art and special ability. Ruby nearly forgot that someone had slipped it under the door; but when she remembered, she opened her door to check who had left it. Outside, she saw nobody around– except for another card, placed right in front of her door. Ruby snatched it up too, only to find another, placed a few feet away, and then another, and another. 

Very soon, Ruby had gone down onto the balcony, down the stairs, and behind the dorm, picking up cards along the way. Part of her knew that this was rather suspicious, but there was no possible way she could restrain herself from picking up a rare card– she was already grabbing the next one before she could even think. Finally, she had the last card in this long chain, and looked up to see a figure standing before her. 

“...H-hi,” she said, looking down at her stack of cards, “A-are these all… yours?”

“Indeed,” said the man; he was an older gentleman in a suit, a monocle over one eye, and a small bowler hat atop his balding head. He put a hand to his chest and gave a deep bow. “My name is Humphrey, butler to the Marigold family. These rare cards are property of the Marigolds– however, they could be yours…”

The butler pulled his left arm from behind his back, revealing a classy black Duel Disk on it.

“...should you defeat me in a duel,” finished Humphrey. 

Ruby tilted her head, then smiled. “If you wanted a duel, all you had to do was ask!”

She quickly pulled out Crescent Rose, and unfolded its blade, ready for battle.

The auction isn’t for a while, right? I’ve got time. Ruby thought to herself. I can take this guy by then. And I get rare cards!!

“Excellent,” Humphrey said, “first, let us find a better venue. This is no place to have a contest.”

“Sounds good to me!” Ruby said, nodding, “There’s a spot over by the track and field we can use!”

“Hm, yes, that sounds adequate,” Humphrey nodded, “lead the way, then, and we shall have our duel.”

“Yes!” Ruby said, pumping her fist. Rare cards, here I come!

Ruby and Humphrey departed for the field, while Humphrey quietly slipped his phone out of his pocket and sent a text:

“The minnow has taken the bait.”

–

The Duel Academy lounge was a wide an luxurious room with a little bit of everything– a large television for entertainment, a fully-stocked refrigerator for all meals, even a small kitchen for cooking up fresh meals. A large window overlooked the campus, allowing the teachers to keep an eye on things even while on break. 

Henry Marigold had taken one of the small round tables for two, and dressed it up in a fancy, floral-print tablecloth, decorated with candles, and set the music to a soothing classical composition. It wasn’t quite as elegant as he’d liked, but it would suffice for his meal with the lovely Ms. Schnee. He quickly looked in the mirror, running a comb through his slate blue locks to ensure he was looking his best, then took out his phone to see Humphrey’s message.

Henry smirked. His plan was going swimmingly– Humphrey would keep that Ruby Rose far out of the way, while Henry charmed his way into Weiss’s heart. That foolish brat’s cheap gifts couldn’t compare to the sophistication of an Atlas man. He was sure to win her over.

Weiss opened the door at twelve o’ clock sharp, just as Henry had expected. He leaned against the table with a smile, and gave a bow, spreading his arm wide to welcome her.

“Welcome, Ms. Schnee. I am delighted to see you again.”

“Why thank you, Harry,” Weiss smiled back and gave a curtsy of her own and entered, taking her seat at the table, “I am honored and grateful that you would share this meal with me.”

“Oh, the pleasure is all mine,” Henry said, “I simply thought you’d enjoy a simple, humble meal from home.”

Henry then produced a literal silver platter, setting it on the table in front of them. He pulled off the cover with a flourish, and Weiss’s eyes grew wide as she laid her eyes upon a lovely bowl of lobster bisque, a refreshing salad, and a plate of perfectly cooked filet mignon. The aroma was intoxicating, and Weiss’s stomach couldn’t help but growl, causing her face to redden again. Henry chuckled. 

“I would wager this is a fair bit better than the food in the cafeteria?” Henry said, “I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t live without a Glass Slipper around. Excellent food and service, without all the frills and formality.”

“Mm… Yes, yes, certainly,” Weiss said, her eyes firmly on the food. Clearing her throat, she sat up straight, delicately grasped her fork and knife, and smiled politely at Henry. “Thank you once again, Harry; I much appreciate this.”

“Henry,” he corrected with a smile, “and as I said before, the pleasure is all mine. Why don’t you tell me a bit about your time here at Duel Academy? A duelist of your caliber must find this place rather droll, yes?”

“...” Weiss forced herself to resist the urge to start scarfing the food in a very unladylike manner, and simply took small mouthfuls that she could chew and swallow in a dignified manner. After a few bites, she spoke. “Duel Academy was my first choice, actually. Certainly, Atlas has a more rigorous curriculum and produces a greater number of pro duelists, with an impressive pedigree; however, Duel Academy’s alumni have gone on to be the best of the best, with five of the last World Champions being Duel Academy alumni… including its current Headmaster: Ozpin.”

“Ah, yes, the ex-champion, Ozpin,” Henry nodded, taking a bit of his own food, “He was quite the figure, I recall– even the Headmaster of Atlas Academy, Ironwood, spoke highly of him. However, he’s been retired for some time now, hasn’t he?”

“Perhaps,” Weiss said, cutting into her food, “however, I have full confidence in his abilities as a mentor and as a duelist. I examined many academies in my search for one that would best suit me, and I believe he is my best chance to improve as a duelist… and as a person.”

“Why not Atlas?” Henry asked, frowning, “You couldn’t ask for a more sophisticated, state of the art academy in all the world!”

“...” Weiss paused, fork halfway into a chunk of meat, thinking carefully about her words. “...I wanted to distance myself from my family’s reputation. My parents are the largest donors to Atlas Academy, and I wouldn’t want anyone to think my performance was due to their… influence.”

“It’s a shame,” Henry said, “A young woman of your caliber deserves the very best in terms of quality education.”

“...To the contrary, I’ve always had the very best,” Weiss stared down at her food quietly, “but I don’t want excellence handed to me, as it’s always been. I want something that I’ve forged on my own. To walk my own path… so to speak.”

“...I see.” Henry nodded sagely, “That’s quite commendable. Most people see our kind as lazy and privileged, but we know better. It’s hard work, having to live up to those rigorous standards. Having wealth is easy, true– the hard part is keeping it.”

“...Yes, quite,” Weiss murmured, taking another bite of her food. The food was exquisite, but the company left much to be desired– despite her hunger she was starting to want to finish the meal as soon as possible. “What about you? What are your goals?”

Henry leaned back in his chair, straightening his tie, “Well, I think of myself as an entrepreneur. A hunter, if you will, searching for the right opportunity. I also seek to find my own way, separate from my family; I’m just currently looking for the best moment to do so. I’ve recently been quite interested in these ‘non-fungible cards’; Duel Monster cards that are digitally scarce! It’s quite fascinating, I suspect it may be the wave of the future.”

“I see. How interesting!” said Weiss, nodding along. So he’s got nothing. Fantastic.

“...And perhaps,” Henry said, leaning onto the table with a smile, “perhaps there’ll be someone bold and clever enough to join me on that adventure in my future. I hope, at least.”

Weiss finally finished her meal, setting down her fork and knife and dabbing her lips delicately with the napkin. “...I certainly hope you find them,” she said with a polite smile.

That hit Henry’s soul like a direct attack to his Life Points. But he wasn’t done yet– He may not be a duelist, but he knew that you had to be persistent if you wanted to win. Sure, Weiss didn’t seem receptive, but he knew that behind that icy facade was a warm, beautiful heart just waiting to be thawed out. She was bashful, and had a hard time being honest– her rebukes were part of their dance, where he’d chase and she’d run, but secretly desire to be captured. 

“Thank you once more for the food, it was absolutely lovely,” Weiss said, standing up with a smile and taking the empty tray, “And I wish you the best of luck with your entrepreneurship.”

“W-wait, ah,” Henry held out his hand, running the other through his hair nervously as he glanced about. “I was wondering… you’ll be hosting at the auction tonight? How about after that, you can get dinner with me, perhaps?”

Weiss flinched, quickly trying to come up with a way out. What was with this guy? Couldn’t he take a hint? She had tried to let him down gently, but maybe she needed to be a little more… overt.

“Listen, Henry, I had a lovely time and the food was great,” Weiss said, forcing a smile onto her face, “however, I’m really not looking for anything… more at a time like this. And, as it happens, I already have plans with…”

Oh right, I don’t have any friends here. Quick, think of a name!

“...Ruby! Yes, I made dinner plans with Ruby; my roommate, you remember her?”

Henry smiled harder, clenching his fist beneath the table. “...Oh, yes, of course. Your… roommate. Haha.”

“Yes, and I wouldn’t want to keep her waiting, so I’m afraid I’ll be heading off right after the auction. Sorry.” Weiss said, bowing as she spoke, “at any rate, I really must be going now– still have many preparations to make for the auction! I hope you enjoy it.”

“Oh, of course. I guess I’ll see you there, then?” Henry said.

“...Yes, I suppose so.” Weiss replied. “See you tonight, then.”

“Yes, I’ll be waiting!” Henry smiled. 

Weiss forced herself to return the grin as she headed out the door, then waited until she was far down the hall before allowing herself to drop it, her face falling into a weary frown. Henry, likewise, quickly dropped his own grin as he furiously reached into his pocket for his phone.

“...Ruby Rose…!” He muttered, “Humphrey should be keeping her busy right now, but it looks like she’s an even bigger threat than I thought. I have to get serious.”

He quickly tapped out a text message to his butler. 

“Humphrey: when you have finished your battle, head to our ship and procure my Duel Disk. I am going to settle things with Miss Rose personally tonight.”

He then pocketed his phone and straightened his tie, slicking his hair back in the mirror. That damn girl…! He saw it now, clear as day: that girl was the reason Weiss couldn’t reciprocate his advances! Always interjecting, cutting him off at every turn… Ruby Rose was a threat, and one he needed to destroy personally. Humphrey could stall her for now, but it wasn’t enough; Henry needed to show Weiss once and for all which of them was the right one for her.

It had been a long time since he’d dueled– He’d mostly given it up after losing a match to his cousin, shortly before she ran off from Atlas. But he still had his cards and his disk, and he was not willing to back down. Tonight, in front of them all, he’d challenge Ruby Rose…

“...and then, Weiss…” he muttered, glancing at one of the small white flowers he’d placed on the table, “nothing will keep you and I apart.”

–

Ruby was having, quite possibly, the worst duel of her entire life. She’d been expecting a cool, high stakes duel for a bunch of rare cards on the line, and was ready to give it her all– only for her opponent to take upwards of ten minutes to decide anything on his turn, and when he did play, he would only throw down Defense Position monsters and protect them with stalling cards. It felt like their duel had taken hours now, and neither side had lost a single Life Point. Ruby was looking at her cards wearily, while Humphrey continued to stare at his hand, rubbing his chin and planning his next move.

“...Are you ready yet…?” Ruby asked.

“...Almost,” said Humphrey, nodding as he finally picked out a card. “...Okay, I play one card in face down Defense Position, and then I activate… ‘Wall of Stalemate’! This card prevents either of us from attacking for the next three turns!”

Ruby’s head smacked into her Duel Disk. “...This is worse than Cardin…”

Suddenly, the “BLEEP” of a phone rang out, and Humphrey’s hand went to his pocket. “Oh, apologies, that’s for me. One moment please.”

“Go ahead, take your time,” Ruby said, her eyes bereft of light and joy. 

“...” Humphrey looked over the message, then quickly tapped out a response, then pocketed his phone. Then, he put his hand over his Duel Disk, powering it down. “...Congratulations, Ms. Rose. I forfeit the match. You win, the cards are yours.”

“What!?” Ruby blinked, “W-we barely did anything!”

“You have proven yourself to have great patience, the mark of a true duelist,” Humphrey replied, handing her the stack of cards. “That was the true meaning of this battle.”

“You just made that up on the spot, didn’t you?”

“Very perceptive. Also the mark of a true duelist.” Humphrey tipped his hat. “You have the cards, so please accept that as payment for your time. Happy trails, I must be off.”

With that, Humphrey quickly walked off, rounding a corner and going out of sight, leaving Ruby with a stack of rare cards and a duel-shaped hole in her soul. She looked down wearily at the cards she’d won, feeling rather bitter over having spent her time in a meaningless duel. What was the point of that!? Just to waste her time?

Wait; time? Time! What was the time?? Ruby stuffed the cards into her pocket and quickly pulled out her phone, fumbling to check the time. Her face paled. 

“AAAH!” Ruby jolted, “Oh no oh no oh no, Weiss is coming back! I gotta get back to the dorm!!”

With that, Ruby started to run, bolting as fast as she could to get back– the time had flown, and she’d completely lost track of time. Weiss would be going back to the dorm, and she wouldn’t be ready! She gritted her teeth– Dammit, just when it was starting to look like they were getting along, Weiss was gonna think she was a dolt and not take her, and they were gonna fight and everything would be ruined! She should have just stayed in, not bothered, just kept to herself, and then none of this would have happened…

As she ran, she felt her phone vibrate. She looked down and pulled it out to see a text from Weiss.

W: Where are you?
R: sorry!! A guy challenged me to a duel and i lost track of time

R: im on my way back!!

W: How close are you? I need to get going myself.
R: im uh. Im still by the track and field

W: That far?
W: I don’t know if I can wait that long, Ruby.

R: ohhhh im sorry 

R: i just. I thought it would be quick but this guy took forever

R: then he just gave up and gave me a bunch of cards and

W: It’s fine, don’t worry. Look.

W: When you get to the dorm, shower and get dressed the way I showed you at the store. You can do it. 

W: I have to go now, but I’ll meet you there. When you get there, come to the backstage and I’ll help you out.

W: Okay?
R: yeah

R: ok
W: Good. I’m going now. 

W: Try to be a little more mindful, okay?

Ruby winced, feeling the pangs of guilt– normally she wouldn’t mind but she felt bad for holding up Weiss like this, even if they weren’t quite friends yet. She kept running on, but the duel stuck in her head. Why? Why call her out and give her this odd challenge and then give up? If she didn’t know any better, she’d think something was up… But who would organize such a strange and pointless scheme?

Ah, who did that guy say he worked for again? Marty-gold? Maryland? Ugh… I don’t remember.

By the time Ruby finally reached the dorms and burst into her room, indeed, Weiss was nowhere to be found. Ruby sighed heavily, wiping her brow and catching her breath. She mentally noted to herself not to grab random cards ever again. Unless they were really shiny. Or cool. No! She needed to be strong. It was time to get ready.

Ruby quickly threw herself into the shower, then ran a comb through her hair for probably the first time since she’d gotten here. Fully freshened up and cleaned off of sweat, she changed into a white dress shirt and her least-ripped black ripped jeans, and finally, threw on the jacket. The last part was the hardest– the tie. Ruby stared into the mirror biting her lip as she tried to put it on without choking herself. After five minutes of fumbling, she grunted and just let it hang loose around her collar. Good enough!

With that, Ruby finally stepped out of the dorm, and headed towards the auction as the sun began to set. 

–

The Academy’s auditorium slowly began to fill with guests as the start of the auction grew near. Inside, the guests such as Mr. Sleet and Ms. Camilla stood around, sampling hors-d'oeuvres as they murmured and chatted. A small stage had been erected at one end of the room, with a podium and several glass boxes, each containing a rare, expensive Duel Monsters card, kept in mint condition, of course. In front of the stage were rows of seats for the auctioneers, and each had been handed a paddle courtesy of Professor Cordovin. 

Behind the stage, Weiss Schnee sat in a short, glimmering dress, a light gray fading into blue near the bottom. Printed on the back was her family crest, a diamond-pointed snowflake within a white circle. She had cleaned herself up well, as expected, yet she wore a rather melancholy expression.

“...Something wrong, Ms. Schnee?” 

Weiss jolted upright in her seat as she heard the familiar voice of Professor Goodwitch, who stood over her, a hand on her hip. Weiss brushed a hand through her hair, shaking her head.

“No, nothing wrong, just… had a long day, is all.” Weiss said.

“I see,” the Professor said, “you are still up to present, yes?”

“Of course!” Weiss said, putting a hand to her chest, “I can handle it, Professor.”

“Very good,” the Professor nodded. “...Ah, and I feel I should ask… how have you been getting along with Ms. Ruby Rose? No more late-night challenges?”

Weiss’s face reddened, though she wasn’t sure if it was from the mention of her roommate or from the mention of her blunder. “...W-we’ve been civil. In fact, I had even wanted to accompany her here… but she was… distracted.”

“...I see.” Professor Goodwitch said, her expression unreadable as always. “...Very well. Keep up the good work. If you two continue to remain amicable, I will have no objection to restoring you to Obelisk Blue by the end of the first semester.”

Weiss’s eyes widened, and she nodded enthusiastically. “Y-yes ma’am! I shall make you proud.”

Goodwitch nodded wordlessly, then walked off to check on something else. 

Meanwhile, Henry Marigold had entered the auditorium, Humphrey by his side with a large briefcase. He smiled politely at his fellow guests, but kept a sharp eye out for anyone wearing a gaudy amount of red, scanning the area like a hawk after a field mouse.

“...Do you see any sign of her, Humphrey?” He asked, grabbing a plate of shrimp from the refreshments table.

Humphrey shook his head. “I imagine, sir, that she is rushing to make it on time to the auction by now. I kept her busy for quite some time with that duel.”

“Good,” Henry said, munching on one of his shrimp, “wait by the doors and notify me the second you see her.”

“Yes, sir.”

As they spoke, Headmaster Ozpin’s cane clacked as he walked up the steps to the stage, and took his place behind the podium. Tapping the mic gently to ensure it was on, he then began to speak:

“Greetings, esteemed guests, and welcome to our Charity Auction Gala. As Headmaster of Duel Academy, I’d like to thank you all for granting us your valuable time and attention, and we hope you all enjoy yourselves.”

The guests applauded politely at Ozpin.

“Now, here to present our items up for auction is our esteemed student, Ms. Weiss Schnee.” Ozpin said, and Weiss took her cue, walking up the stage herself. Instantly, Henry’s eyes fell upon her, and he broke into a grin, winking at her. Weiss pretended not to notice, walking up to Ozpin’s side. She curtsied once more to the crowd, who all applauded her loudly, many happy to see a fellow Atlas citizen in their presence. Weiss looked over the crowd, recognizing a few faces, and thinking back to the many times she’d taken the stage in front of people like them. How many times she’d stood on stage like a show pony, trotted out by her family. Look at her, the esteemed heiress, the talented and dignified Weiss Schnee… She was used to it. Today was just another one of those. Still… she had hoped to see a familiar face in the crowd. But there was no sign of the scarlet-headed girl anywhere. 

…Dolt. I told you not to be late…

Trying not to let her disappointment show, Weiss rose from her bow and quickly turned to the large screen beside her. With practiced ease, she waited for the first card to appear, then began to explain the card, its rarity, and value.

“Our first item is a mint condition ‘Black Luster Soldier’ featuring custom art by Maximillion Pegasus himself. They were created as part of a limited run, and only 100 copies exist. The value starts at $10,000.”

The bidding began soon, and Weiss watched the paddles flash, though she was thinking mostly about how much she’d rather be dueling with cards than selling them. The auction continued smoothly, with three cards selling easily, Weiss smiling and posing for photos as she presented the cards to their new owners.

About midway through the third card auction, the door to the auditorium creaked open and Ruby quickly stuck her head in timidly, her wide silver eyes darting around nervously. Weiss caught sight of her, and the two locked eyes from across the room. Ruby gave a sheepish grin of apology, while Weiss simply shook her head and mouthed ‘dolt’. Ruby quietly made her way to the refreshment table, quickly grabbing as much shrimp and cocktail sauce her plate could hold while watching the auction.

Hope I haven’t missed too much , Ruby thought, excitedly scanning for the rare cards on display– But as she did, something caught her eye– or someone, rather, standing near the doors. She did a double take to be sure, but no, that was him: the butler she’d just had the worst duel ever with! It was because of him that she was late now, and missed all the cool cards! Ruby quickly polished off the last of her shrimp, and tossed her plate, before stomping up angrily towards Humphrey.

“Our next item,” Weiss began, gesturing to the screen, “is the card ‘Heart of the Dragon’. It’s value skyrocketed after it was used to win the Genesis Cup… by none other than our esteemed Headmaster Ozpin.”

She glanced over at Ozpin beside her, who was wearing a hint of a smile on his lips.

“...Haha. It was quite common when I first used it,” Ozpin said, reminiscing fondly, “but once I won that tournament, demand skyrocketed. This one happens to be from my own personal deck– the very card I used to win the Genesis Cup, all those years ago. Ah, but enough reminiscing. Let’s start the bidding at $20,000.”

“Twenty five thousand!” A voice rang out– and Weiss’s face paled as she recognized the voice as Henry Marigold. He winked at Weiss, paddle raised– no doubt he was only doing this to get close to her. Weiss silently looked around, begging someone, anyone, to contest that.

A few paddles shot up, going up by small amounts, until Henry raised his paddle once more with a smirk. “Fifty thousand!”

As the bidding war continued, Ruby stormed up to Humphrey, who turned casually and tipped his hat at her.

“Evening, Ms. Rose.” He said calmly.

“Hey!” Ruby said, folding her arms, “Listen, I know you were put up to this, but I was late because of that duel! I wanna know why!”

“...Well, simply put, because Master Henry asked me to.” Humphrey replied, “I do apologize, but he signs my checks.”

Ruby’s mind finally clicked the pieces together, remembering Weiss’s acquaintance from the student store– that guy!! Ruby’s head snapped towards the crowd, where she recognized his pale blue hair, and her eyes narrowed.

“...Sorry, but I need some answers out of that guy.” she said, “If he’s got a problem with me, then he can take it up with me himself!”

Meanwhile, Henry was proceeding to cut down every other bid, and one by one, the other auctioneers lowered their paddles in defeat, as Henry raised the price. Weiss held out hope that someone would interject– but no such luck. Everyone else seemed content to let Henry take his prize. Weiss clenched her fists. This guy…! She thought she’d been pretty clear about not wanting to date him– how dense was he!?

“Sold!” proclaimed Ozpin, with a clack of the hammer. He looked to Weiss, who reluctantly reached over and grabbed the card in its glass case, as Henry beamed like a lighthouse on his way to the stage. Weiss, on the other hand, looked like a flickering light bulb barely staying on. Henry quickly climbed up the stairs, while Weiss forced a smile to meet him, extending the card like it was a poisonous snake.

“...Thank you, Weiss,” he said, reaching out for the case, but not actually taking it just yet, “I’m honored to take this chance to–”

“Congratulations, take the card!” Weiss said, practically shoving the case into his hands, her smile wavering.

“Oh, but Weiss, please, allow me to make my proclamation!” Henry declared, “I have come to tell you that–”

“Hey!” A sudden cry drew everyone’s attention, and all at once, every set of eyes in the room snapped to Ruby Rose, standing, finger pointed accusingly at Henry. “You’re the guy who set me up for that duel! If you have a problem with me, then let’s duel it out!”

The guests all began to chatter with confusion and gossip. What was going on here? Weiss blinked in confusion, first at Ruby, then at Henry, who just smiled and tugged at his collar.

“Th-this is quite uncalled for,” Henry said, eye twitching slightly as he faced Ruby, “I don’t know what you think I’ve done, but–”

“Hold it.” Weiss tugged on the case, pulling it back from Henry. “What does she mean by ‘set up’?”

“It was his butler, Weiss!” Ruby called, pointing to Humphrey. “He was the one I got stuck dueling!”

Weiss’s eyes narrowed as she turned her head back to Henry, who was beginning to sweat. A scowl crossed Weiss’s face, and she shoved the card at Henry, pushing him away, looking as furious as she could without causing a scene. 

“I’ve had enough!” Weiss hissed, “Quit messing with me, and leave my roommate alone!”

Henry’s face fell, and he staggered back with his prize, looking dumbfounded. Ozpin suddenly cleared his throat, rapping his gavel on the podium. 

“...Apologies, guests– we’ll get back to the auction now–”

“Hold it!” Henry suddenly cried out, holding out his arm, “...My apologies, but I cannot let this stand any more!” 

He raised his head, eyes burning with fury, as he pointed at Ruby, rage in his eyes.

“Ruby Rose!!” He roared, “You’ve gotten in my way for the last time! I challenge you to a duel– for the hand of Weiss Schnee!!”

The crowd gasped and began to murmur among themselves further. Henry snapped his fingers, and dutifully, Humphrey opened the briefcase and produced a deck and Duel Disk, fitting them onto his master. Ruby glared back, raising arm; then paused, utterly bamboozled. 

“...Wait, what!? Hand?? Weiss??”

Weiss froze in sheer shock. This was a nightmare– this boy had come to here to flirt with her, wouldn’t take a hint, nor an explicit declaration, and now… now he thought Ruby was her girlfriend !? Her face began to heat up, faster and hotter than ever before. Red filled her cheeks, then spread and darkened, deepened, with sheer embarrassment and fury. Never before had she been so humiliated in front of all these Atlas types, that the rage was too much to take. 

“ NO! ” She cried suddenly, Henry and Ruby both turning to her in shock. “No, nobody will be dueling for my hand!! You know what!?”

Weiss scowled and jabbed her finger directly at Henry. “I challenge you to a duel, Harry Marigold!! I demand satisfaction for the humiliation you have inflicted upon me, here and now!”

“WHAT!?” Henry shrieked, stepping back in shock.

Ozpin grimaced– oh boy, even he couldn’t have predicted this. He looked to the crowd, scanning for their reaction; but luckily, many seemed to be interested, bemused smirks on their wrinkled elite faces. Perhaps he could salvage this.

“...Well, this is quite unorthodox…” Ozpin said, “however… I’ve always found these auction events to be quite stuffy, don’t you? If everyone is up for a brief change of pace… How about we turn this auction event into a showcase of our Academy’s talent? Would that be fine with everyone?”

The guests all talked among themselves, chattering for a moment, before a chorus of ‘yes’, ‘I suppose’, and ‘thank goodness’ rang out from them.

“...Okay, then…” Henry said, running a hand through his hair, “...I’ll accept on one condition.”

“You can name anything you like, since it won’t be happening,” Weiss said, picking up and strapping on a Duel Disk. 

“Then you won’t mind if ask for a date?” Henry grinned. 

“Fine,” Weiss said curtly, loading in her deck, “and when I win, you will never contact me nor my roommate ever again, understood?”

“Deal!” Henry said, grinning as he raised his Duel Disk, “Get ready for our date, Weiss, because I shall not lose!”

“Very well!” Ozpin gave a relieved smile, then extended his arm towards Weiss and Henry. “Then everyone, please enjoy our surprise duel of the night: Weiss Schnee of Duel Academy versus Harry Marigold of Atlas!”

The crowd applauded politely, as Ozpin stepped aside, and two duelists stepped to opposite ends of the stage, and the screen above displayed their Life Points.

W: 4000 LP

H: 4000 LP

“Let’s make this interesting,” Mr. Sleet murmured to the woman next to him, “Fifty thousand on Weiss Schnee.”

“You’re on,” Ms. Camilla replied, grinning. 

“Aw,” Ruby looked a bit disappointed as she took a seat, “I thought I was gonna get to duel…”

The screen quickly flashed between the two duelists, landing on Henry to make the first move. The two dealt their opening hands, then locked eyes and shouted:

“Duel!”’

Turn 1: Henry (4000 LP)

“My turn… draw!” Henry declared, drawing his first card and adding it to his hand, “And I’ll start by summoning… ‘CasaSupernova Don Helios’ in Attack Position!”

Onto the field appeared a gentlemanly figure, dressed in a full three piece suit and slacks, only to have in place of a head, a glowing orange orb that glowed like the sun. The gentleman sun gave a bow as he entered the field, 1600 Attack Points appearing by its side. 

“Then I play one card face down, and end my turn!” Henry declared.

Turn 2: Weiss (4000 LP)

“My turn. Draw!” Weiss said, plucking her card with practiced skill. She gazed intensely at her hand, her fingers flitting across the cards as she thought over her move.

“I activate ‘Servant Search’!” Weiss said, flipping over the card in her hand, “This allows me to send all my ‘Seven Servant’ monsters in my hand back into my deck, and then draw cards equal to the number that I returned.”

Weiss quickly put two cards back into her deck, then proceeded to draw two more cards, replacing them. “...Excellent. And now I set one monster in face down Defense Position, and end my turn.”

Weiss placed a card horizontally on her field, defending her Life Points. Ruby watched eagerly, trying to puzzle out Weiss’s strategy as she thought. If I were Weiss , she thought, I’d be defending and stalling time while I searched out ‘Arma Circle’ so I could perform my Ritual Summon. Unless that guy has something strong enough to pierce Weiss’s defense, this match will be over in no time.

Turn 3: Henry (4000 LP)

“My turn. Draw!” Henry proclaimed as he drew another card. “And now, CasaSupernova Don Helios will attack your face down monster!” Henry cried, extending his arm. “Go, attack with Solar Mystique!”

Don Helios nodded, then leapt into the air, before descending with a flashy and stylish flying kick towards the card. Weiss simply shook her head, revealing her defending monster. Henry’s monster’s foot suddenly collided with a large, stone rampart, as Weiss’s monster rose and blocked the attack entirely. From the ground rose a large, living castle, who was able to easily bat away Don Helios’s attack with its 2000 Defense Points. The Battle Damage was thus deflected back at Henry himself.

H: 4000 LP -> 3600 LP

“Gah!” Henry cried, staggering back. “Th-that was stronger than I thought…!”

“Fool,” Weiss declared, “my ‘Arma Castra’ has more than enough Defense Points to stop a pitiful attack like that! And now, you activate its special power; when Arma Castra successfully guards, I can draw two cards!”

Weiss quickly plucked two cards from her deck, adding them to her hand. She extended her arm in mock gratitude. “My thanks; that’s the most helpful thing you’ve done for me all day!”

“...Heh,” Henry quickly tried to recover his composure, brushing his hair back into shape, “you’re as elegant as you are ferocious, Weiss. I like that in a woman.”

Weiss grimaced. “...Are you done yet?”

“For now,” Henry replied, smirking, “I end my turn.” 

Turn 4: Weiss (4000 LP)

“Good,” Weiss said curtly, drawing her next card, “because now, I can end this pathetic charade!”

She glanced at her hand, where she’d finally drawn the card she’d been waiting for: ‘Arma Circle’. ‘Arma Castra’ on her side of the field was Level 3, and in her hand she held ‘Seven Servants - War Doctor’, which was Level 5. Perfect. 

“I activate ‘Arma Circle’!” Weiss cried, holding the card aloft. “I tribute my Level 5 ‘War Doctor’ and my Level 3 ‘Arma Castra’ to Ritual Summon… Arma Gigas! Arise, my knight!”

A cold wind blew through the arena, and the summoning circle appeared on the field, drawing itself in lines of glowing white. The guests murmured, leaning forward with great interest as Weiss’s famed monster emerged from the circle, kneeling before her. The giant knight slowly rose to its full height, raising its sword for battle. Ruby grinned, her eyes sparkling at Weiss’s ace monster. 

“Ah, so this is your ‘Arma Gigas’! How impressive!” Henry smirked deviously  “...but I was expecting that! Now you’ve activated my Don Helios’s special effect!”

“...What?” Weiss raised an eyebrow. 

“When you Special Summon a monster, Don Helios can use his power to sacrifice himself…” Henry grinned as he sent Don Helios to his Graveyard, “...and instead, I take control of your monster!!”

“What!?” Weiss’s eyes widened in shock. 

The crowd murmured in awe as the tide suddenly swung– Don Helios vanished in a bright burst of light, but in its wake, a small black hole emerged in its place, pulling Arma Gigas towards it. The knight struggled and creaked as it tried to resist, but it was no use– the black hole pulled in the giant knight over to Henry’s side of the field, and its armor changed from its pure, snow white, to a burning, glowing orange. Weiss could only watch in horror as her strongest monster now faced her down, its massive sword leveled at her. 

“Dammit…!” Weiss hissed, kicking herself mentally. I was careless…!

Henry beamed, winking at Weiss as he stood beside her monster. “Not bad, huh? I may not be a pro duelist, but I can hold my own. And I’m giving it my all this time, so you and I can achieve our destiny!”

“...Guh.” Weiss groaned, pulling another card from her hand. “...I’ll set one card face down and end my turn.”

She’s going defensive now, Ruby noted, biting her thumb . What’s she gonna do next? Come on, Weiss– I know you wouldn’t let a setback like this stop you!

Turn 5: Henry (3600 LP)

“My turn!” Henry drew his next card confidently. “And now I’ll summon CasaSupernova Orion!”

Another star-headed gentleman appeared to the field, this one clad in a white tuxedo, a flowing white scarf, and a matching white fedora. The monster tipped its hat to Weiss as it entered the field next to Arma Gigas, standing at 1000 Attack Points.

“With these two, I’ll have enough to finish off your Life Points!” Henry declared, “So now, Arma Gigas! Attack her directly!”

“I activate ‘Gravity Glyph’!” Weiss quickly countered, flipping up her card, “This negates your attack, and forces the attacking monster into Defense Position!”

Arma Gigas raised its sword to attack its former master, only for a black circle to form around it, pinning it to the ground. It once again knelt, switching into Defense Position.

“Not bad,” Henry said, “But I still have Orion, and he’ll go ahead and attack you now!”

Henry’s Orion grabbed its fedora, then flung it directly at Weiss, hitting her dead on. The hat flew back like a boomerang, returning to the monster’s head.

W: 4000 LP -> 3000 LP

“And then, I’ll throw down a face down card,” Henry said, placing down the card on his field, “and with that, I’ll end my turn.”

“Well, well,” Ms. Camilla whispered to Mr. Sleet, “it looks as though Mr. Marigold has turned things around. Without her best card, Ms. Schnee cannot win.”

“...Perhaps,” Mr. Sleet replied, pushing up his glasses, “if Ms. Schnee cannot overcome a difficult situation like this, perhaps she is unfit to be heiress to the Schnee Dueling Company. One cannot buy talent, after all.”

Ruby frowned; she was just close enough to overhear the conversation. She’s got talent; these guys don’t even know her. That guy’s got a few fancy cards, but he’s no duelist. Weiss will win, for sure.

Turn 6: Weiss (3000 LP)

“My turn. Draw!” Weiss said, scanning her hand for options. She thought over her situation… Arma Gigas had 2100 Defense Points, which was a lot, but much more manageable than its dangerous 3000 Attack Points. If she could pull a strong enough monster, she could destroy it this turn and take back the fight. And she had just the card for it.

“...I summon ‘Snowflake Maiden’!” Weiss declared, and onto the field sprung three small snowballs that merged together, creating a snow-girl in an icy blue dress, with two button eyes and a smile drawn across its face. It plopped onto the field with a bow, presenting its humble 500 Attack Points.

“Don’t underestimate her, because her Special Ability allows me to recover a Ritual Spell from my Graveyard!” Weiss declared, reaching into her Duel Disk and taking hold of a card, “And of course, I select ‘Arma Circle’!”

Weiss added the card from her Graveyard to her hand, then immediately played it onto the field. “And I’m going to use it now! I tribute my Level 1 ‘Snowflake Maiden’ and my Level 4 ‘Arma Eques’, to Ritual Summon…!”

Drawn in light, another circle appeared behind Weiss, as Snowflake Maiden and Arma Eques both were absorbed into the sigil. The snowflake circle began to spin, faster and faster, glowing bright as a figure began to emerge.

“The falling snow covers the land,

Gentle yet fierce,

Softly, it descends,

And even the mightiest fall to its blade.

Descend now,

Arma Sabre !”

The circle shot out a beam of light, and from it leapt out a lithe and acrobatic armored knight, who pirouetted through the air and landed beside Weiss like a gymnast. Its armor, like Arma Gigas, was pure white and glowed ethereally, but unlike Arma Gigas, it wore light armor and carried a long, thin rapier rather than a heavy broadsword. Instead of a knight’s helm, it wore a fencer’s mask, with Weiss’s snowflake sigil across it. Arma Sabre raised the sword to its face in a salute, then raised its arm as it took up the stance of an expert fencer. It had 2200 Attack Points; just barely enough to defeat the defending Arma Gigas.

Ruby’s eyes widened with excitement. A new monster! I knew Weiss had another trick up her sleeve! What does it do, what does it do!?

“...Now, I’ll attack Arma Gigas!” Weiss declared, “Falling Snow Piercer!”

Arma Sabre rushed forward in the blink of an eye, its speed blinding. It appeared right in front of the kneeling Arma Gigas, then reared back its rapier and with blinding speed, unleashed a flurry of stabs to tear the Gigas apart! However… its blade never connected.

“I activate my Trap Card, ‘Chivalry’!” Henry cried out, lifting up his card, “This allows me to tribute a ‘CasaSupernova’ on my side of the field, and negate the attack of your monster! CasaSupernova Orion, take the blow!”

Orion quickly appeared in front of Arma Sabre, arms spread, as it took the blow. Arma Sabre’s sword pierced through it like a hailstorm, but not one blow so much as scratched Arma Gigas. Orion weakly tipped its hat one last time, then exploded into light. 

“Tch,” Weiss frowned as her attack was blocked off again. Next turn, Henry would surely turn Arma Gigas back into Attack Position, and then her Sabre would be unable to stop it.

“...I end my turn.” Weiss said.

So close… Ruby thought, her leg bouncing excitedly as she watched. Come on, Weiss, you’ve gotta have something!

Turn 7: Henry (3600 LP)

“My turn. Draw!” Henry said, “...First things first, I’ll switch Arma Gigas back into Attack Position!”

The knight gripped its blade and stood once more, ready to fight. With one swipe, it would easily finish off Weiss’s Sabre, and leave her wide open. 

“You’re an excellent duelist, Weiss,” Henry said, “but I have the power of love on my side! I will not lose! I summon CasaSupernova Red Giant!”

A tall man in a red suit materialized next to Henry, with a large, red orb floating in place of its head, dwarfing its actual body. It stood proudly with 1800 Attack Points. 

“...Now, I’ll end this!” Henry declared, smiling, “With Arma Gigas and my Red Giant, I have enough power to wipe out your Life Points! Go, Arma Gigas! Destroy her Arma Sabre!”

Slowly, the Arma Gigas lumbered forward, raising its mighty sword above its head. Ruby looked to Weiss desperately, wondering what she would do– the heiress was simply staring forward, braced for the impact.

Weiss…!

Arma Gigas swung its sword down, and a burst of air and dust exploded upwards as it hit. A shockwave blew through the room, the guests covering their faces as the blow was delivered. Henry grinned– he’d done it! Now they could finally be together!

“...Ha. Please.” Weiss’s voice suddenly rang out. Henry blinked, then as the dust began to clear, his face fell with shock as he saw that Arma Gigas’s sword had not hit its mark– rather, Arma Sabre had blocked the blow, and was holding it back with its rapier!

“Wh-what!?” Henry cried. 

“I activated the effect of ‘Snowflake Maiden’ in my Graveyard,” Weiss revealed, holding up the card with a sly smile. “If I used Snowflake Maiden for a Ritual Summon, I can remove it from play to boost my Arma Sabre’s Attack Points by 1000 until the end of the turn!”

“N-no way!” Henry’s face paled. “Th-that means…!”

Weiss smirked, flipping her ponytail. “It means you’re ten thousand years too early to be facing me! Arma Sabre… attack!”

A white aura surrounded Arma Sabre, as its Attack Points rose up from 2200 to 3200. With a grunt, it shoved the Arma Gigas’s sword off to the side, where the massive blade crashed into the ground. Stepping onto it, Arma Sabre then ran up the blade at blinding speed, rapidly scaling the Gigas’s arm, until it reached its head. With a single swipe, it slashed through the giant knight, then darted back and struck again, and again, and again; until it became a blur of white, striking the enemy over and over, from all angles. The Gigas was helpless as it was torn apart by thousands of rapid strikes, and finally, keeled over, exploding into nothingness. 

Ruby pumped her fist. Yes! I knew she could do it!

H: 3600 LP -> 3400 LP

“N-no!! That can’t be!!” Henry cried, clutching his head. 

Weiss just shook her head. “Was that the best you’ve got? You’re just a rank amateur, Harry Marigold. Did you really think you stood a chance against me?”

“H-Henry!!” Henry stamped his foot, “My name is Henry!! A-and I’m still in this! I, uh, I can do this…”

Henry gritted his teeth as he looked through his hand, desperate for something to help. 

“...I… I play a face down card, and end my turn!” Henry finished, visibly sweating. 

Turn 8: Weiss (3000 LP)

“My move,” Weiss said, drawing another card calmly, “and I play my ‘Spellsword - Zwei’! When I control no other monsters, this card allows my monster to attack twice per turn!”

Another rapier magically formed in Arma Sabre’s hand, and the knight pointed both blades directly at Henry. 

“Now, Arma Sabre,” Weiss said, snapping her fingers, “eliminate that Red Giant!”

“N-not so fast!” Henry cried, “I have a Trap Card! ‘Solar Burst’! When you attack my CasaSupernova, I can negate the attack and destroy your monster!”

Weiss just shook her head. “Then it’s a good thing ‘Spellsword - Zwei’ allows me to remove it, and negate your Spell or Trap card effects!”

“No way!!” Henry cried, as his Trap Card fizzled out and vanished. Arma Sabre’s second sword vanished as well.

“Now, let’s try that again, shall we?” Weiss said, as Arma Sabre lunged forward again. All it took was a single thrust, and Red Giant was cut in two, bursting into pieces.

H: 3400 LP -> 3000 LP

“I-I’m fine,” Henry muttered, covering his head, “I-I’m still in this! I can still–”

“No,” Weiss said coldly, glaring at Henry, “this duel ends now. I activate Arma Sabre’s special ability!”

“S-special ability!?” Henry wiped his brow. 

Weiss held up a card from her hand delicately between her fingers. “Arma Sabre’s ability allows me to discard one card from my hand, and halve its Attack Points– and in exchange, it can attack again…”

She discarded the card, and Arma Sabre lunged forward once more, Henry’s eyes widening with fear. With a single swipe, Arma Sabre struck Henry directly.

H: 3000 LP -> 1900 LP

Weiss held up another card, and discarded it. “...and again…!”

Henry held up his arms feebly as Arma Sabre struck him once more.

H: 1900 LP -> 800 LP

Weiss lifted her final card, fury in her eyes. “...and again!! Finish it!”

“No!! Wait!!!” Henry begged– but to no avail. Arma Sabre raised its sword and thrust– and with one final slash, the last of Henry’s Life Points dropped to zero.

“NOOOO!” He cried, falling to his knees.

H: 800 LP -> 0 LP

VICTOR:
WEISS

“Yeah, Weiss!!” Ruby cried, punching the air with excitement. The rest of the guests all applauded politely, a few enthusiastic cheers even coming from the usually stoic elites. Ozpin clapped from the side, slowly stepping back onto the stage beside Weiss.

“Please give a round of applause for our winner,” the Headmaster said, grabbing the microphone once more, “Weiss Schnee!”

The crowd continued to applaud politely, while Humphrey helped Henry to his feet, removing his Duel Disk for him. Henry tried to regain his composure, slicking back his hair again and then casually walking up to Weiss with a smile. 

“...Well… that’s why you’re the pro duelist, I suppose.” He grinned, holding out his hand. “Good game, Weiss.”

Weiss just stared at his hand, then back at him, her eyes hard as stone. “...I believe our agreement was that when you lost, you would cease to interact with me or my roommate?”

Henry chuckled nervously, eyes flitting around, “Y-yeah, but… come on, you were just saying that, right? Come on. We can work this out, how about over dinner sometime?”

Suddenly, a hand gripped Henry’s shoulder, and a chill ran down his spine– he slowly craned his neck to see the stern, unforgiving face of Professor Goodwitch staring back at him. 

“...I believe Ms. Schnee was exceedingly clear about the terms of the duel,” Goodwitch said coldly, “now I think you’ve disrupted our event long enough, Mr. Marigold. How about you come with me?”

Henry felt his stomach drop into the pit of his stomach, and he looked at Weiss desperately. Weiss just smirked, and waved him off. With that, Professor Goodwitch dragged him off, and Weiss let out a huge sigh of relief. 

“...If that sort of thing happens again,” Ozpin leaned down to tell her, “let Professor Goodwitch know. She does not tolerate it whatsoever.”

Weiss nodded gratefully. “...Th-thank you. C-can we get back to the auction now?”

Ozpin smiled. “Of course.”

Shortly thereafter, the auction continued as planned, with the Atlas guests all being very entertained by the surprise drama that had come out of this fancy, stuffy affair. Weiss, for one, was simply glad it was over. 

–

Weiss was dead tired by the time she got to the dorm. She hadn’t even bothered to change out of her dress, and instead just flopped face first onto her hard, uncomfortable mattress. Ruby entered shortly after, smiling widely.

“Weiss! Look, I got rare cards!” she said, smiling as she fanned them out. 

“...Oh, right, you did say that…” Weiss mumbled, slowly raising her head. “...at least one of us got something out of that whole ordeal. Are you going to use them?”

Ruby shook her head happily. “Nope!”

“What.”

“They’re cool to have, but none of these have been useful for a few years now,” Ruby said, looking them over, “This one used to be good, but now they all have hard counters. But still, I like cards!”

“...That’s nice.” Weiss muttered. “...can you throw me my pajamas? I need to change before this dress gets wrinkled.”

Ruby went to Weiss’s end of the room and quickly found her fancy, silky-soft pajamas, then hurled them at Weiss. They landed right atop her head, covering her like a sheet. Weiss just gave a thumbs up in return.

“...You did great tonight,” Ruby said, “I don’t get what was up with that dude, but you really kicked his ass.”

“Of course I did.” Weiss mumbled, slowly undoing her ponytail as she slowly prepared for bed, “He wasn’t a real duelist. He was just another rich boy looking to win my affections. Unfortunately for him, my heart already belongs to another.”

“You do?” Ruby tilted her head. “Who is it?”

“Dueling.” Weiss said, pulling on her pajamas. “I won’t let my heart be swayed by foolish romance until I’ve become the best duelist I can be.”

Ruby giggled. “Haha. I totally understand.”

“Also, can you hang up my dress?”

“Sure,” Ruby replied, grabbing the pretty dress from Weiss. As she hung it up, she looked back at her roommate. “You know, Weiss, when we first met… I didn’t really like you. But even then, I could tell you really loved dueling. I’m glad we have that in common.”

“Mmhmm.” Weiss mumbled back, too tired to form sentences.

“...I’ll let you get to sleep.” Ruby said, grabbing her own pajamas. “Night, roomie.”

“...Goodnight,” Weiss mumbled. As she drifted off to sleep, she reached out and felt something small and soft. Pulling it to her chest, she hugged the Blue-Eyes plush, nuzzling against it as she drifted off to sleep. 

CHAPTER FOUR

END

CARD FEATURE CORNER:
"ARMA GIGAS"

"Weiss's ace monster, which conjures its fallen foes to fight for her .

Weiss received this card as a gift from her grandfather, Nicholas Schnee."

Chapter Text

“...Ruby, are you okay?”

“No! I’m mad! She said she’d be back!! She promised!!”

“...She never meant for this to happen, Ruby; she loves you so much, she would never–”

“She lied!! She promised and she lied! Mommy… Mommy…!!”

“...Come here, kid. It’s alright. Cry it all out.”

“Why… Why did she leave me!?”

“It’s alright, Ruby… It’s alright…”

It was night on Academy Island, and all were headed to sleep; the teachers turned on their lamps and began tirelessly grading tests and preparing lessons, and campus security began their nightly patrols to ensure no students were out causing trouble. The curfew bell had rung several minutes ago, and all students who were not yet fast asleep were sitting in their dorms, chatting and playing until the dorm heads came to turn out the lights. All were resting for another day of class…

…or at least, most were.

Deep in the forest of the western side of the island, four Ra Yellow students had snuck out of their dorm, and were creeping through the underbrush, scampering out of sight of security as they swept the ground with their flashlights. One of the four students, a girl with a beanie pulled down over one eye, scanned the area from afar, then gave a thumbs up. One by one, the crew of sneaky students scampered behind the guards, and pushed through the bushes, their eyes falling on a large, dilapidated building surrounded by a barbed wire fence.

“...This the place, Brawnz?”

One of the boys, seemingly the leader, nodded with a grin. “Yup. Nobody ever comes around this place.”

“...So we just gotta stay the night in there, and those Obelisk Blue guys will let us hang with them?” One of the other boys asked.

“That’s the deal,” Brawnz replied, “it’ll be easy; we just gotta hang out and eat snacks until morning.”

“...I said it before,” muttered the beanie-wearing girl, “but this is dumb. We’re totally gonna get caught.”

“That’s what you’re here for, May!” Brawnz slapped her on the shoulder, “keep an eye out for security ‘till dawn, then we’re home free! Now come on, this way!”

Brawnz proceeded to lead his gang closer to the fence, looking for just the right spot, before tugging on the links and pulling up a hole just big enough for them to squeeze through. One by one, the four students squeezed beneath the fence, and stood right at the doorstep of the huge abandoned building. The door to the entrance had long since come unhinged, left open as if to beckon them in. The four shared a brief glance, and with the confident Brawnz taking the lead, they stepped inside.

“...Ooh, swanky,” Brawnz remarked as they stepped into what was once a foyer. The only light was the pale moonlight flowing through the windows, showing what used to be a rather fine interior. Marks on the floor remained where furniture had stood, pale spots on the wall where paintings had hung, and a chandelier wreathed in cobwebs dangled from the ceiling above.

“...Wow, this is great,” May muttered, stuffing her hands in her pockets, “can’t wait to party with all the cockroaches.”

“Hey, that’s why we brought entertainment!” Brawnz said, putting his hands on his hips, “Nolan, put on some tunes. Roy, start cracking open the snacks!”

Nolan suddenly glanced around the room, frowning. “...Wait… where’s Roy?”

“...Roy’s right–” Brawnz turned and pointed, only to find that he was looking at thin air. May and Nolan turned and quickly began scanning the foyer, but to no avail– Roy was nowhere to be seen.

“...H-he was right here,” Nolan said, his face beginning to pale, “I-I don’t like this. Roy, you better not be screwing with us!”

“Hey, hey, calm down!” Brawnz raised his hands, “nothing to panic over– I’ll go check around, he probably went to check out one of the other rooms. May, you check that way, I’ll look this way.”

Brawnz waited for an affirmative from May– but never heard one. He turned around, only to find May had now vanished as well. Nolan dropped his phone, backing away towards the door.

“Oh no. No no no!” He cried, trembling. “This was a bad idea– I’m getting out of here!”

“Wait!” Brawnz quickly grabbed his friend by the arm, “hold on, this is probably the Blues– they’re hazing us! We can’t run from this; we’ll look like losers if we couldn’t even stay the night! Stay with me, man!”

Nolan shook his head, pulling away from Brawnz. “No no, I shouldn’t have come here! This place… it’s haunted! I’m getting out!”

With that, Nolan turned and raced outside. Brawnz quickly chased after him– but as soon as he passed through the doors, Nolan was nowhere to be found. Brawnz’s eyes darted around rapidly, a sinking feeling in his stomach as he slowly retreated back into the empty building. His heart was pounding in his ears. This was a prank, he told himself, just some hazing by the Obelisks; this place wasn’t truly haunted, that was impossible! Be rational! This was all just a big prank–

Suddenly, Brawnz felt something under his foot, and he glanced down; a card? It was hard to tell in the dim light, but it definitely looked like a Duel Monsters card, and next to it was another, and another. Slowly, he crouched down, scooping up the three cards and turning them over.

On each card was the face of one of his friends, frozen in a look of absolute terror.

“GAH!” Brawnz screamed, dropping the cards as he jolted away, trembling in horror. “No no no this can’t be happening!! No!!”

Was it real!? Was this place… actually haunted!?

Suddenly, Brawnz heard the sound of footsteps ringing out from the hallway. He slowly craned his neck towards the sound as the footsteps grew louder and closer, and slowly, a shadowy figure began to emerge.

“R-Roy? N-Nolan?” Brawnz whimpered, “M-May?? P-please, I-I give up! I don’t wanna do this anymore!”

The figure stepped closer and closer, and soon the shadow towered over Brawnz, who was frozen in terror. The thing before him was not any Obelisk Blue, nor was it his friends. All he could see was a single, glowing yellow eye.

The boy’s scream echoed through the night sky, and then… all was silent.

–

It was another beautiful morning on Academy Island, thought Yang Xiaolong as she rose out of bed, refreshed and ready for action. Outside, the first rays of sunlight were rising over the horizon, streaming through the window curtains. Casually, she glanced across the room at the bed across from her, wondering if her roommate was back from her party last night. Strangely, the bed was still empty. Weird. Yang wasn’t one to judge anyone for going on late night escapades, but she was always sure to be back in bed before sunrise. Hopefully that girl hadn’t gotten into too much trouble.

Yang stretched her arm over her head, then looked to the night stand beside her, where a large, metallic charging station had been placed. Yang’s prosthetic right arm rested upon it, a small red light blinking gently to confirm it was charged. The blonde girl began unhooking the prosthetic from its dock and re-attaching it to her body. There was a slight pain as the nerves connected, but she’d long since gotten used to it. Sometimes Yang thought about how funny it was that she used to feel like she’d never get over that accident, and now, she was using her prosthetic arm like it was nothing.

With her arm fully charged and ready, Yang hopped out of bed and began doing her morning exercise routine: 100 squats, 100 crunches, 100 one-armed dumbbell curls, and about 30 minutes of yoga to cool down. By the time she was done, it was about 7:00 AM, she took off her prosthetic once more to take a scorching hot shower. When she finished, the bathroom door opened with a cloud of steam as she dried off her hair and began to lovingly brush it in front of the mirror, humming a tune to herself as she went.

“Don’t you worry about the dark,
I will light up the night with the love in my heart,
I will burn like the sun and keep you safe and warm,
Like the smell of a rose on a summer’s day,
I will be there to take your fears away,
With a touch of my hand, I will turn your life to gold.”

It was nearly time to leave for class by the time she was done, and still her roommate wasn’t back yet. Yang was starting to get worried– she didn’t know the girl well, but her finely honed “big sister” instincts were making her nervous that she was gone this long.

Her roommate was a girl named May Zedong, a shy, unassuming girl who mostly hung out with her friends and kept to herself. She often wore her beanie over one eye, and slept in late, and preferred to text rather than talk face to face. They hadn’t spoken much, but they got along fine, with Yang’s outgoing nature being a stark contrast to the quiet, withdrawn girl. Since they both frequently snuck out after curfew, they had an unspoken deal to cover for each other and never snitch– but while May hadn’t said anything of her plans, Yang still felt that something was wrong.

Ah, she knew who to ask: Neon Katt, the spunky party girl. She was always on the lookout for hot gossip and underground parties; she’d surely know if something was up. Luckily, they shared a homeroom, so Yang grabbed her arm and re-attached it, flexing her fingers and wrist, then left for class.

–

As Yang got to class, she quickly zeroed in on the large, fluffy twintails of the spunky Satellite girl and hopped into the seat beside her with a grin. As she did, she noted that the girl looked like she was being fueled solely by caffeine and prayer, her eyelids half-open and wobbling from side to side like a wacky waving inflatable tube man.

“Mornin’, Katt,” Yang said grinning as she raised her fist.

Neon grinned back wearily and barely managed to bump it, nearly missing Yang’s fist. “Mornin’, Xiaolong! You look like you slept well.”

“You look like you haven’t slept at all,” Yang laughed, “how are you even up?”

“The vending machine in the Ra dorms have my Rainbow Rush energy drink,” Neon replied, holding up a half-empty can, “If I make it through homeroom, I can take a nap at lunch and then I’ll be allll good.”

“Haha, you’re crazy, Neon. I’ll shake you awake if Goodwitch starts calling for you,” Yang chuckled, then leaned in close. “Hey, I got a question, though, think you can help?”

“Mmhmm?” Neon said, her head already starting to nod, “Lay it on me, sister! I love to… help…”

Yang prodded at her just a bit, getting her to jolt back upright and grin sheepishly. “...Well, you know my roommate, May? She’s–”

But before Yang could continue, the bell rang, and Professor Goodwitch rose from her desk, and the class instantly fell silent and stood up at attention. Yang bit her tongue and also rose, pulling Neon up beside her like a limp puppet.

“Good morning, students!” Professor Goodwitch said, arms behind her back like a drill sergeant.

“Good morning, Professor Goodwitch!” The class chanted back in unison. While Yang was very into hot women that looked good in suits, she had to say she wasn’t a big fan of the Professor’s strictness and dictatorial control over her class. She’d had to endure the Professor’s harsh, laser-like stare the last couple days she’d been a tad late to class. The Professor sat back down at her desk, and the class returned to their seats obediently.

“Now, before we begin today, we have a school-wide announcement to make. Last night… four students went missing after sneaking out last night.”

The students all began to murmur with concern, sharing worried looks. Yang felt her stomach drop, as she realized that May would always hang out in a group of four, and her brain snapped the pieces together.

“Brawnz Ni, Roy Stallion, Nolan Porfirio, and May Zedong,” Professor Goodwitch listed out their names, confirming Yang’s fears, “if you or someone you know has any information on their whereabouts, please notify me or the rest of the staff immediately. Finding and ensuring these students’ safety is our highest priority.”

The class began to murmur to each other with concern. Yang tried to think if May had said anything about her activities when they’d last seen each other, but the girl had never been that talkative.

“Let me make it crystal clear that our curfew exists for a reason. Academy Island is a big place, and roaming it freely could end up with you all getting hurt. From now on, if you are caught sneaking out after curfew or even attempting to sneak out…” the Professor flicked her wrist, snapping out her baton menacingly. “...You will answer directly to me, and suffer the consequences. Understood?”

“Yes, Professor!” the class chanted back.

“Good,” the Professor closed her baton, then grabbed a piece of paper from her desk. “With that out of the way, let’s begin class with last night’s homework: pages 15 to 18 in your Duel Puzzles textbook. We’ll start with the first puzzle.”

Yang slumped back in her chair. Ugh, Duel Puzzles… what a pain. With a set of pre-selected cards, one must work out the correct solution to win the duel within a given amount of turns. One wrong move, and you would fail the puzzle. Yang had gotten about three done last night before getting bored and texting Ruby for the answers. She especially wasn’t in the mood to think about homework with her missing roommate on the mind.

“We’ll start with… Ms. Belladonna,” Goodwitch said, pointing her baton towards a girl in the far back row. “Please demonstrate the solution to Puzzle 01.”

Yang’s eyes narrowed– Blake Belladonna. She hadn’t been able to pin that girl down since she’d first seen her sneaking out that one night. When she’d tried to ask her about it, the girl had only managed to avoid her, and ever since Yang had been watching her from a distance. What was her deal? Was she up to something nefarious? Or was she maybe an undercover cop of some sort, patrolling for criminal activity? Who could say?

Also, she was very pretty. Not that Yang had noticed, or anything.

The masked girl rose from her seat in the back and walked up to the front of the class. Using a tablet screen, she selected the correct answer to the Duel Puzzle in a few swipes, passing it easily. The class clapped politely, and Yang watched her carefully as she returned to her seat. Blake seemed to notice, and the two briefly locked eyes, before both mutually looking away.

“...Very good, Ms. Belladonna,” Professor Goodwitch nodded, “as you can see, the solution to this puzzle involved using the enemy’s monster effect against them. Remember that victory does not always go to the strongest duelist– but to the most resourceful and tenacious.”

Yang folded her arms, thinking. She was sure she’d seen Blake out and about that night, and she was clearly hiding something… Did she… No, could she have something to do with the disappearances…? She at the very least might know something, but would she even talk to Yang? Their last conversation hadn’t exactly made them best buddies.

“Now, next…” Professor Goodwitch said, scanning the class for her next target, “Ms. Xiaolong, please show the solution to Puzzle 07.”

Briefly shoving aside her thoughts of her missing roommate, the blonde girl reluctantly walked up to the front of the class and looked nervously at the Duel Puzzle. Oh boy– she should have actually done this one. Wearily, she looked up at the field and her hand for this puzzle.

On the opponent’s side was ‘Demolition Dragon’, a monster with 3000 Attack Points, and one face down card. On Yang’s side was ‘Dropout Magician’, a monster with zero Attack Points. She had two cards in her hand: ‘Bounce Shield’ and ‘Magic Overload’.

Hm… ‘Bounce Shield’ will reflect all Battle Damage to my opponent, so if I battle their monster, they’ll take 3000 damage instead, Yang thought. But they have a face down card… that could ruin everything. I’d better use ‘Magic Overload’ and destroy it first–

Yang reached out to tap the card on her screen, then paused– no, wait; that was the real trap. Magic Overload would destroy all Spell and Traps on the field, but its cost was to discard one card from the hand. It was a decoy– if she used that card, she’d have to discard ‘Bounce Shield’ and lose. The real answer was…

“Ah!” Yang’s eyes lit up as she tapped the screen, “First I equip ‘Dropout Magician’ with ‘Bounce Shield’! Then, I activate ‘Dropout Magician’s’ special ability; I send my remaining hand to the Graveyard, and I can destroy as many Spell and Traps as the cards I lost! So I send my ‘Magic Overload’ to the Graveyard…”

Yang swiped the card away with a grin, “...and now, battle! ‘Dropout Magician’ attacks ‘Demolition Dragon’! With ‘Bounce Shield’s’ effect, all the battle damage I would have taken is reflected at my opponent!”

Dropout Magician charged forward at Demolition Dragon, who easily crushed it beneath its foot– but just as Yang planned, Bounce Shield reflected the damage directly to her enemy, reducing their Life Points to zero. Yang pumped her fist with a grin.

“That’s all there is to it,” Yang said, winking.

“...Very good, Ms. Xiaolong,” Professor Goodwitch said, “you may return to your seat. Now, from this puzzle, we must learn that timing is of the utmost importance– if you select the wrong move…”

Yang strolled back to her seat, internally relieved she’d managed to pull that off without having done the homework. She glanced beside her at Neon, who was completely out cold, slumped over in her seat. Professor Goodwitch, of course, zeroed in on her, and shouted out: “Ms. Katt?”

Neon jolted upright with a screech, eyes wide and fully awake. Yang winced on her behalf as the girl slowly raised her head to meet Professor Goodwitch’s deadly glare. Neon just slowly waved, grinning nervously.

“...Why don’t you show us the answer to Puzzle 15, please?” Goodwitch said, snapping out her baton with a glare.

“...Y-yes, ma’am,” Neon said, as her soul fled her body.

–

“Aaaaah, that puzzle was soooo unfair!!” Neon moaned, planting her head on the cafeteria table. She had managed to stick it out through the rest of class until the lunch bell, but had been dealt an extra five pages of homework for sleeping through class. Yang could only shake her head with pity. “Goodwitch has it out for me, I sweaaaaar…”

“That’s why I keep telling you to finish your work first,” Yang chastised, a motherly tone creeping into her voice, “You gotta keep your grades decent at least, or else coming here is pointless!”

“I knoooooow…” Neon said, letting out a huge yawn, “But… as long as I pass… all the big exams, I can afford a few… late night… mrrrrmm…”

With that, she was gone, slumped over on the table. Yang just let her sleep, figuring she needed all the rest she could get at this point. However, it now left Yang alone with her thoughts of her missing roommate, and the troubles that might exist on the island. What would she do if Ruby had been the one to go missing…? No, she didn’t even want to think about that. If there was some danger on this island, then–

“Yang!” Speaking of Ruby, the scarlet haired girl had just walked up with her friend Velvet in tow, both holding rather pitiful looking trays of their Slifer Red lunches. Yang grinned and waved them over.

“Velvet, meet my older sister, Yang!” Ruby said, smiling. Velvet gave a small bow and waved.

“H-hello, Ms. Yang, I-I’m Velvet Scarlatina,” the timid girl introduced herself, “I-I’m in Card Design and Balancing.”

“Hey there!” Yang said, taking Velvet’s hand and giving it a firm shake, “So you’re the Velvet I keep hearing about! Thanks for hanging with Ruby– she has a hard time making friends, you know?”

“I-I don’t!!” Ruby protested. “I just struggle to talk to other people about things that aren’t Dueling.”

“Haha.” Yang smiled and motioned for the two to take a seat.

“Is that your friend Neon, over there?” Ruby asked, pointing to the snoring pile of ginger hair and sparkles across from Yang.

“Yup, she partied a bit too hard last night,” Yang said, “so I’m letting her get some rest before next class.”

“Oh, I know her!” Velvet said, a hand unconsciously going to her Satellite mark, “sh-she helped me out when I was first getting here. She was… nice… b-but a little… loud…”

“Yeah, that’s Neon, alright,” Yang grinned, “she’s high energy, but she’s always friendly with others.”

“Tell her I said 'hi' when she wakes up,” Ruby said, already tearing into her plate of rice and sardines.

Yang watched Ruby dig into her food with a soft smile, glad to see that her sister was doing alright without her. She’d even made a friend! Never would have expected that. And a rival, sorta. That was kinda like a friend, except you hated each other. Even so...

“...Hey, Ruby, you be careful, okay?” Yang said, patting her sister on the arm, “and I know it’s crazy coming from me, but: no sneaking out after dark. Okay? Even if someone challenges you.”

Ruby nodded slowly. “...I mean… if someone challenges me, though…”

“Ruby…”

“...O-okay… Got it.” Ruby saluted with a mouthful of rice.

“...And I’m gonna do the same,” Yang said reluctantly, “I don’t want you to go missing like those kids.”

“...Ah, wasn’t… one of them your roommate?” Ruby said, “I’m sorry about that, Yang, you must be worried.”

“Nah, not at all,” Yang lied with a grin, “just be responsible and stay safe, and I’ll do the same. You too, Velvet.”

The two Slifer Reds nodded, though Velvet looked like she had something to say, glancing back and forth between her food and Yang.

“...Something up?” Yang asked, leaning over towards Velvet with a smile.

Velvet flinched a bit, toying with her hair. “...Ah… Well, I-I just… you said your roommate… was one of the missing kids?”

“...Yeah,” Yang nodded.

“...I… Well…” Velvet slowly took out a small digital camera from her bag and turned it on, scrolling through the pictures. “...L-last night, before curfew… I was taking some photos, and… Well, since you knew them, I figured I should show you this.”

She slowly turned the camera to face Yang and Ruby, who leaned over to take a look at the screen. Yang’s eyes widened with shock as her eyes fell upon the corner of the image, where a group of students had been accidentally captured. In a group were the clear figures of May Zedong and her fellow friends, and next to them, facing away from the camera, was an Obelisk Blue student with long black hair, and a pointy bow atop her head.

“Oh, hey!” Ruby said suddenly, pointing at the screen, “that’s Blake!”

“Y-you know her?” Yang said, looking at Ruby with surprise.

“Yeah,” Ruby smiled, “we met on the trip over, and then she scared off Cardin when he was picking on Velvet before. She’s pretty cool.”

“...Cool, yeah…” Yang said, looking back at the camera. So… Blake had been with those kids before they vanished? Did she have something to do with it after all? Just what was going on with that girl!?

“...I-I don’t know if it’s anything helpful, but…” Velvet said, closing the screen, “th-that’s the last time I saw them.”

“...It helps a lot, actually. Thanks, Velvet,” Yang said, standing up with a grin. “Hey, if you guys are still hungry, you can go ahead and take my portion. They don’t feed you guys enough over there at Slifer.”

“Ooh! Seconds!” Ruby said excitedly. “Thanks!”

“M-much thanks, Ms. Yang,” Velvet said, looking overjoyed to be eating something that wasn’t rice again.

Yang picked up her now empty tray. “...Alright, I’m gonna get ready for my next class. See you guys later. And stay safe!!”

“Sure thing!” Ruby said, already halfway through Neon’s plate. Velvet waved politely as well.

Yang dumped the rest of her trash and walked out of the cafeteria, only one thing running through her mind: she needed to find out what the deal was with Blake.

–

Yang had just arrived to her next class, and took her seat right in the middle; perfect for mingling with classmates while not standing out too much. She knew that this was another class she shared with Blake, and that Professor Port loved to talk– while he was on one of his tangents, she should be able to try and get in a conversation with Blake, and ask her what exactly she had said to those kids.

Yang’s eyes fell upon the girl in her usual spot at the back of the class, checking her phone. Suddenly, Blake looked up from her phone and her eyes locked with Yang’s, and the blonde felt her heart skip a beat. She quickly looked away, pretending to be checking her own phone, and did not look back again.

“Good day, class!” Professor Port bellowed out as the bell rang, “Welcome back to Tournament Dueling. Now, as an old pro myself, there is much I can teach you from my long experience… and today, we’ll be watching several of my best duels to demonstrate!”

Professor Port then quickly dimmed the lights and turned on the main screen, as footage of a much younger Port standing in a crowded arena began to play. Yang grimaced and sunk into her seat. Somehow this was worse than if he had given them work… Sitting here watching videos wasn’t what she came to the Academy for, she was here to barely pass classes and flirt with cute girls, dammit!

“Now, as you can see here, I was quite a looker back in the day. But more importantly, you’ll see that I’m using Bonetti’s defense in the opening move… Oh, look at that young man go! Ho ho, his mustache is barely peach fuzz!”

As the Professor continued to lecture about his glory days, Yang’s eyes drifted slowly back to the rows behind her, where she’d last seen the masked girl… But as she looked up towards the back rows, she saw nobody in the seat. Yang scanned the area, looking to see if she’d simply moved seats– But no sign of her. She must have slipped out of the room. Glancing back at the teacher, Yang slowly started to get out of her seat.

“I gotta go to the bathroom,” she whispered to her neighbors, who nodded and went back to looking at their phones as Yang crept out the door. As she’d suspected, Professor Port didn’t even glance away from the screen.

Now in the hallway, Yang’s eyes quickly fell on the black haired girl’s figure down the hall, and she started following after her at a distance, careful not to make a sound. She followed her quietly through the hallways, and around a few corners, eyes locked onto her target. Where was she going? What was she up to? And did she really have something to do with the missing kids?

Blake rounded another corner, and Yang waited a couple seconds, then followed– but when she turned the corner, Blake was nowhere to be seen. Yang glanced around in confusion, wondering if she’d already gotten away– only to feel something cold and hard touch her neck. Yang glanced down to see the edge of a card being held at her throat.

“...You’re that girl from the other day.” Blake said coldly, now suddenly beside her. “Don’t you know it’s rude to stick your nose into other peoples’ business?”

“H-hey, careful with those cards,” Yang gulped, smiling nervously as she raised her hands slowly. “I was just wondering why you were talking to those missing students before they disappeared.”

Blake’s eyes narrowed. “And you think I had something to do with that? Don’t be ridiculous. Leave me alone from now on, or there’ll be trouble.”

“Then tell me what I want to know,” Yang muttered, “and I’ll get off your back!”

“I don’t have to tell you anything–” Before she could finish, Blake heard a noise, her head snapping to attention.

Clack, clack, clack, clack…

The sound of footsteps echoed out from nearby, and Blake’s eyes quickly shot around to look for cover. There, in the middle of the hall, she saw a janitor’s closet. Putting on hand over Yang’s mouth and one hand on the door, she swung the closet door open and pulled Yang inside, closing just in time for the teachers to round the corner.

In the cramped and dark of the closet, Yang felt her back hit the wall and felt a hand planted beside her as Blake’s masked face engulfed her view in the dim light. Yang’s eyes widened as her body fell still, and her face heated up. She was close… very close. She could almost feel the breath on her face, if not for the mask. The look in her eyes was so fierce and powerful that Yang couldn’t look away. The two simply stared in tense silence as the footsteps and voices outside grew closer, and closer…

Clack, clack, clack, clack…

Then the footsteps faded… and finally vanished. Blake cracked open the closet door just a bit, and when she was sure the coast was clear, she stepped out breathing a sigh of relief. Yang stumbled out after her, face still deeply flushed. Blake took the opportunity to dust herself off, then began to walk away while Yang was still dazed.

She didn’t get far, however, before Yang grabbed her by the arm, stopping her in her tracks. Blake was briefly stunned by the impressive strength of the girl’s grip, her fingers locked around her wrist like a vice. The masked girl briefly tried to break free, but it was rather clearly futile.

“...Look,” Yang said, pulling Blake face to face, staring her down with determination in her violet eyes, “my roommate is one of the missing kids, and another student saw you talking to her group just before they vanished. All I want to know is what happened.”

“...” Blake scanned Yang’s face, seeing her concern, and her eyes softened slightly. “...I didn’t have anything to do with them disappearing… I just told them one thing.”

Yang’s grip slowly loosened, lowering Blake’s hand. “...What was it?”

“...I just told them not to go.” Blake said simply.

“Go where?” Yang asked, eyes narrowing.

“...The abandoned dorm.” Blake said, pulling her hand free of Yang’s grasp.

“Abandoned dorm? What abandoned–” Yang started, but Blake saw her opening and acted first; with a flick of her wrist, she produced a card between her fingers and flicked it directly into Yang’s face, smacking her right between the eyes.

“Augh!!” Yang flinched and staggered back, rubbing her face. “That hurt–!”

But by the time Yang reopened her eyes, all that was left of Blake was her footsteps running off into the distance. Yang gritted her teeth; she’d lost her yet again. But as she looked down, she saw the card Blake had shot at her lying down at her feet, and picked it up.

…’Shadow Fang’...? Yang tilted her head, looking over the card. She wasn’t super knowledgeable about all the various cards, but it could be a clue. She pocketed it, then headed back to class before Professor Port began to notice.

–

After classes ended for the day, Yang began hunting for information on this ‘abandoned dorm’ Blake had mentioned. She hadn’t even known there was an abandoned dorm on the campus, and it wasn’t listed on any of the maps, so her first thought were to try asking a teacher.

“Professor Port?”

“Yes, Ms. Xiaolong?” Port replied, arms behind his back as usual.

“I had a question about the Academy.” Yang said, “Have you heard of an ‘abandoned dorm’ on campus?”

“Oh ho ho ho, that old place?” Port said, scratching his chin, “Yes, it used to be the old Obelisk Blue dorm, until it was closed down several years ago. Why do you ask?”

“Just curious!” Yang said, “Do you know why it closed down, or what happened there…?”

“Can’t say I do, it was before my time here.” Port said, shaking his head, “Ah, I see now… You’ve heard the rumors, haven’t you?”

“...Rumors?” Yang raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, yes, I’ve heard it going around the school,” Professor Port said, stroking his mustache, “that the old abandoned dorm is haunted by an evil spirit. Ha ha… Let me assure you that it’s simple tomfoolery. It’s just an old building. Does that put you at ease somewhat?”

“...S-sure,” Yang said, scratching her neck, “yeah, it helps. Thanks, Professor.”

“Glad to help,” Port put his hands on his hips proudly. “And don’t forget that curfew is an hour early tonight! No running about!”

“Got it, teach!” Yang said, waving as she ran off, already suspecting she’d be breaking that promise.

Port had given her the basics, but Yang suspected there was more to it. Why would May and her pals decide to sneak out there? She needed gossip now, and there was one person who would know for sure. Yang quickly made her way to the skate track, the favored hangout of one Neon Katt.

“The abandoned dorm?” Neon said, chugging her third energy drink of the day, “Mmyeah, I’ve heard of it!”

“What have you heard?” Yang asked, leaning in.

“...That its haunted as heck,” Neon replied, crushing the empty can against her head, “word has it that long ago, a buncha kids decided to stay up late and play a Shadow Game there. They conjured forth an evil spirit that came to the dorm… and stole them all away to the Shadow Realm. Ever since, the dorm’s been shut down, but people say they still can hear the spirit, beckoning people to return so it can take them too… Pretty killer backstory, huh?”

“...Yeah, sure…” Yang said, frowning at the ghost story, “any idea why May and her guys would want to go there at night?”

“...Mm, if I had to guess,” Neon tapped her chin, “I’d say… a dare. The abandoned dorm is a spooky spot– they might have been getting hazed by some Obelisk Blue students who dared them to go in.”

“...And then they went missing,” Yang frowned.

“...Yeah. Spooky.” Neon said, shaking her head, “I was thinking of holding a party in there, but now, it’s probably a no-go.”

“Do you know where the dorm is?” Yang asked, pulling up a map of the school.

Neon grinned. “I sure do. Why? You gonna go see a ghost?”

“Because,” Yang said, her eyes filling with determination, “that place has gotta have a clue to where the missing kids are.”

–

Night had fallen over the island once more, and the strict curfew established by Professor Goodwitch had put all students firmly in their dorms, leaving only several squads of campus security roaming the island, sweeping their flashlights around in search of any suspicious activity. Near the Obelisk Blue dorms, two such guards patrolled the area, on the lookout for any students trying to sneak out.

“Man. Working the security beat is pretty boring,” muttered one of the guards as he and his partner walked.

“All you newbies say that,” The other guard replied, “but I’m telling you, I’ve seen crazy stuff happen here. There’s a reason I don’t play that game. Hell, my son– er, daughter, still getting used to that, she was watching a duel and said that one kid made the monsters come to life, put a six foot hole in the wall.”

“Oh, one of those ‘Shadow Game’ things? Bro, not gonna lie, I kinda wanna see one.”

“You say that now, but if you saw one? I’m telling you kid, I don’t mess with that game!” The guard shook his head. Then, another noise– both whirled around to see a shadow flash across a nearby building. The two guards exchanged a glance.

“...Did you see…”

“...Told you. Weird. Stuff.” The older guard replied gruffly.

“Probably just some kids, trying to break the curfew,” The younger guard rationalized.

“Let’s hope.” The other guard mumbled, stepping forward. As they approached, they heard footsteps, and quickly turned to catch sight of a figure darting between the bushes and trees. Their flashlights darting around, the guards finally caught sight of the shadow passing into a nearby alleyway.

“Intruder!” The older guard muttered. “Call it in, I’ll flag them down.”

“We got suspicious activity near the Obelisk Blue dorms,” The younger guard called into his radio. “Send in some backup.”

The two guards braced themselves as they approached the alleyway, one on either side.

“Alright… On three,” The older guard said. “...One… Two… Three!”

The two quickly turned into the alleyway, aiming their flashlights to the end. “Freeze, intruder!!”

But all their flashlights showed was a large school dumpster, and a lone, blinking alley cat, who let out a disgruntled “mrrowwww”. The two blinked at each other, then lowered their torches. The younger guard raised his radio.

“...Cancel that backup. False alarm.” He muttered, then turned around with his partner. “...Just a stray cat. Island’s got tons of them.”

“Shame. Wish I could adopt them all.” The older guard muttered. “Anywho…”

The two guards walked off, continuing their patrol, and once their conversation faded into the distance, a lone shadow crept out from behind the dumpster. The cat slowly turned and blinked at the masked figure with two points atop their head.

“...Thanks for the help, lil' guy.” Blake whispered, slowly pulling out a small treat from her pocket, which the cat happily gobbled down. Blake smiled behind her mask and gave the cat a quick pet, before pulling out her phone and opening up a map of the school. Several meters away from her current location was a red, pulsating dot.

The abandoned dorm… Blake thought to herself, eyes narrowing. Could that be where it is? Guess there’s only one way to find out…

Blake continued on, dodging security as she went. Sticking to the shadows, slipping past the flashlights, and with a little help from the stray cats of the island to aid as distractions, Blake carefully made it to the western side of the island, deep into the forest. Following the red dot on her phone, Blake carefully crept through the underbrush, until she peeled away a layer of leaves to find the wire fence around the old, abandoned dorm.

The masked girl glanced down at her phone, where the red blip was close by and blinking rapidly.

The readings are strong, this could be it…! Blake thought, searching around for an entry point. The fence was rusty and old, there was sure to be a way in. Ah, there– a small break in the bottom of the fence, just enough for a student to slip through. Creeping up to the opening, Blake effortlessly slipped through, and walked up to the unhinged front door of the old abandoned dorm. Pulling out her phone again, the red dot was now blinking rapidly– This was certainly the source. Taking a breath, Blake steeled her nerves, and entered the dorm.

The inside of the foyer was empty as it had always been, not that anyone would realize. Blake raised her phone, the red light blinking rapidly as she moved it around, trying to find the source. But before Blake could search much further, she felt something in the wind; a presence had entered behind her. Instinctively, she flicked a card into her hand, and in one swift motion, turned around and hurled the card at the intruder!

FWIP!!

The card stopped an inch from the intruder’s face, caught deftly between her fingers– as she stepped forward into the moonlight, Blake’s eyes filled with recognition, and she grit her teeth angrily beneath her mask. It was Yang Xiaolong, grinning casually as she turned over Blake’s card in her hand. Looks like she’d been followed yet again by this boisterous fool.

“...Didn’t anyone tell you,” Yang said, tossing the card back to Blake, “that these are meant for dueling, not throwing?”

“...You again!” Blake hissed, catching the card with ease.

“Call me Yang,” Yang replied, “I already know you’re Blake Belladonna, right?”

“I told you to leave me alone!” Blake growled.

“Sorry, but that’s not happening,” Yang said, her smile fading as she strode into the foyer, “not until I know what’s going on here.”

“...Get out of here, now.” Blake ordered, her eyes narrowed angrily, “This place is dangerous. You shouldn’t be here.”

“This is the last place those missing kids went, so there’s gotta be something here that’ll tell us where they are, or what happened to them,” Yang said, putting her hands on her hips, “and you’re not exactly following the rules here either.”

“I’m not talking about rules!” Blake snapped, “It’s this place– there’s a strong energy signal here and it’s not safe for you or anyone else to come here.”

“Then why are you here!?” Yang demanded, pointing at her, “You’ve been acting suspicious since we met, and if you’re doing anything that could endanger my little sister…”

For a second, Blake could have sworn she saw Yang’s eyes flash dark red. The sight made a small chill run down her spine. This girl… she was serious.

“...Look, I won’t even tell the teachers. I’m no snitch,” Yang said, folding her arms, “unless what you’re doing here is going to hurt people, or get more kids missing. So just tell me, okay!?”

“...I can’t!” Blake said, stepping back, still crouched like she was getting ready to run, “...I can tell you this much– I didn’t do anything to those kids. I’m here because I’m… looking. I’m looking for something. That’s all I can say. I heard that those kids were gonna sneak in here, and I didn’t want them snooping around. That’s all.”

“...” Yang eased up, letting out a heavy sigh, her fists unclenching. “...If that’s the truth then… Fine. I don’t know what you’re up to here, and I don’t care as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.”

“...” Blake lowered her gaze. “I didn’t come here to hurt people… It’s the opposite. I want… Never mind.”

She shook her head, then looked back at her phone. “...That said… these energy readings are dangerous. I want to complete my search then get out, as soon as possible.”

“Readings?” Yang raised an eyebrow. “You think there’s really something haunted here?”

“I don’t know about that,” Blake said, glancing around, “but I do know that… right now? We are not here alone.”

The words sent a chill down Yang’s spine, and she quickly started looking about, raising her fists instinctively. She listened carefully, bending her knees and steadying her breathing, like a tiger preparing to pounce. She couldn’t hear or see any sign of anyone else, and yet… and yet she felt like Blake was right. Something was here that made the hairs on the back of her neck stick up. Yang had never really believed in ghosts or ghouls or anything like that, but here, now, her instincts were telling her that there was danger afoot, and she believed in her instincts above all else.

“...Then we should go. Come on, before security notices us,” Yang said.

“You can go,” Blake replied, continuing to search the foyer, “I have to finish looking.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Yang said, gritting her teeth, “Whatever happened to the missing kids could get you too. You’re just a student too!”

Blake scoffed. “You don’t know anything about me. I’ve survived far worse than anything here.”

Yang was about to respond, but her instincts told her to look behind, and she whirled around rapidly, just in time to catch a figure darting into the shadows. It could have been a person, or maybe just one of the old curtains dangling in the wind– it was impossible to tell.

“H-how much longer do you have to search?” Yang demanded.

“...I don’t know,” Blake hissed, raising her phone all around, “until I find the source of this signal.”

Yang could swear that it seemed darker in here, that the moonlight from outside had gotten dim, and the shadows passing through the windows were growing longer and stretching. The crickets and birds outside were the only sound, singing loud into the night as the two girls stood in the dark of the dilapidated foyer.

A gust of cold wind blew through one of the shattered windows, and Yang felt something brush against her leg– at first she thought it was a leaf, but no, it didn’t feel right. She glanced down and saw… a card? She checked her deck pouch at her hip to see if she’d dropped it, but no, it was still closed. Slowly, Yang crouched down to pick up the card, flipping it over in her hand.

But instead of a monster, she saw the face of her roommate, May Zedong, trapped in the card.

“May…!” Yang’s eyes widened with shock, and she nearly dropped the card, fingers trembling and heart racing. Was this some kind of sick prank? No… that made no sense. This was something worse, something dangerous. Blake had been right– there was something happening here, and it wasn’t safe. Yang wanted to run now, but… what if Blake vanished too? She looked over her shoulder back at the girl, who was still scanning the area, growing more and more frustrated.

“Blake!” Yang shouted, holding up May’s card, “Look at this.”

Blake paused, looking frustrated, then shone her phone’s light over the card, her eyes widening. “...What? Is that…?”

“My missing roommate,” Yang finished, nodding, “we need to go, show this to the teachers, tell them what’s going on here.”

“Dammit…” Blake growled, then angrily stuffed her phone back into her pocket, “this place doesn’t seem to have what I was looking for at all. Fine, let’s go–”

“You two… are not going anywhere.”

The two girls froze in sudden shock at the voice that echoed through the crumbling building. Their heads snapped towards each other to confirm that they’d both heard it, and then both raising their guard. Yang raised her fists, adopting a boxer’s stance with practiced ease, while Blake bent her knees, raising one hand open and the other in a fist– it looked like a self-taught fighting stance, Yang thought, and wasn’t half bad.

“Who’s there!?” Blake demanded.

“You have trespassed… and now, your souls are forfeit.”

“Show yourself!” Yang shouted, raising her fist. “Where are the other missing kids!?”

“Their souls belong have been taken… and now so shall yours.”

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Blake and Yang jolted up in shock, both turning at once to the rickety staircase where the sound had come from. The noise grew closer and closer, and Blake, with her superior eyesight, was the first to realize what it was: footsteps. A shadowed figure slowly descended the staircase, entering the moonlight to reveal a young man in a Ra Yellow uniform. As his face came into view, Yang and Blake’s eyes widened with shock as they recognized the face: Brawnz Ni, the last missing student. He wore a calm, disquieting smile on his face, and his eyes had become an unnatural yellow, seeming to glow in the darkness.

“What in the hell…?” Blake whispered.

“You…!” Yang said, slowly lowering her fists, “You’re that guy! Are you okay?”

“Wait, Yang,” Blake held up a hand, not taking her eyes off Brawnz, “something isn’t right. Look at him.”

“...” Yang took another look, noting how… off this guy was. She hadn’t known Brawnz, but somehow… this felt wrong. “...You’re… Brawnz Ni, right?”

Brawnz let out a chuckle. “...Greetings, mortal fools. I welcome you… to my abode.”

The voice he spoke with was unnatural, like two voices overlaid, like something else was speaking through him. Yang didn’t know what was happening, but she didn’t like it at all. Was this really some spooky Shadow Game nonsense!? It couldn’t be…

“Where… where’s May and the others?” Yang said, clenching her fist, “You’ve got ten seconds to tell me, or else.”

She punched her fist into her palm menacingly, but Brawnz seemed completely unfazed. He just leaned back his head and let out a loud, bemused laugh.

“Ahahahaha…” Brawnz’s head jerked around unnaturally, like a puppet on a string, as he reached into his uniform. “You want to see them? I have them… right here.”

The boy smiled and pulled out two cards. As he held them up into the moonlight, Blake and Yang saw the faces of two more missing students: Nolan and Roy, their faces frozen in terror inside of the cards. Yang felt a chill run down her spine once more– she wanted to think this was a prank or a joke of some kind, but her instincts were telling her it was all too real. She could swear she heard the cards themselves, screaming for help.

“What the hell…!?” Yang’s face filled with fury. “Just what the hell is this!? What’s going on!?”

“I told you,” Brawnz kept on smiling, tilting his head, “their souls are mine now. And yours shall be as well. And this one, too, is also mine.”

Yang glared at Brawnz, fists clenched. Her eyes flashed a burning, furious red, and Blake could swear it seemed like she was glowing with rage. Before Blake could caution her, Yang stormed forward and threw a punch at full force directly at Brawnz’s head–

WHAM!

…Only for her fist to strike nothing but air, stopping against some sort of invisible barrier. Yang’s eyes widened with shock, and Brawnz’s grin widened. With a swipe of his hand, Yang was forced backwards, staggering away and clutching her fist. Yang stared in disbelief between her hand and the boy, her blood running cold. Blake quickly followed up, drawing two cards and hurling them at Brawnz– only for them to freeze in mid-air, inches from the boy’s head. With a grin, he raised a hand, and the cards shot right back at Blake, who deftly caught them between her fingers. The two girls exchanged a glance of concern, realizing that though this looked like the missing boy, whatever was before them… was not human.

“Ahahahaha!!” Brawnz cackled, throwing his head back, “You have courage, mortals… but it is useless here.”

“What the hell are you!?” Yang demanded, clenching her fist, then shook her head, “no, actually, I don’t care– just give back May and the others you took! Now!”

“...I shall not.” Brawnz answered coldly, putting Nolan and Roy’s cards back into his jacket. “If you want them back…”

The boy raised his other arm, a Duel Disk fashioned to it. With a touch of a button he activated the disk, unfolding it for battle.

“...then Duel me.” Brawnz finished, grinning widely. “You win… take the lost souls. You lose… and join them.”

Yang paused, her eyes slowly returning to their natural violet, and an angry smirk broke across her face. “Oh? Is that all? Bring it, then.”

Yang slowly pulled back her right sleeve, exposing the sleek, chrome yellow of her prosthetic arm, then quickly pressed a button on her forearm. With a robotic hiss and whir, Yang’s arm began to transform, metal moving and extending, opening and expanding. A slot rose out and opened, allowing Yang to insert her deck, and out of her forearm extended a sleek blade with five card zones. With a final, dramatic GA-THUNK, Yang’s arm completed its transformation, now bearing upon it a custom Duel Disk, ready for action.

Blake’s eyes widened, legitimately impressed. Likewise, she pulled her own Duel Disk from her side, and planted it on her arm, activating it. Unlike Yang’s fancy cybernetic disk, Blake’s was simple, black, and weathered from years of use, covered in scratches and chips.

“...I’m in too,” Blake said, nodding at Yang, “whatever this is… you’re not getting away with it.”

“Then it is sealed,” Brawnz said, “let the Shadow Game… begin.”

All at once, the shadows in the room grew darker and the air grew thicker, and Yang and Blake slowly stepped back, feeling their stomachs drop as the light faded and vanished. It felt like standing underneath a night sky without stars. Even Blake, who prided herself on her night vision, couldn’t see a thing. The two girls instinctively backed towards each other, suddenly bumping back to back.

Suddenly, the world came back, but tinted a foul red and purple. The sounds of the outside world seemed to have gone absolutely silent– the rustle of leaves, the song of crickets, the hoot of owls; all of it stopped. The air seemed to be filled with a heavy haze, circling all around them.

Yang wanted to laugh and say ‘wow, cool special effects’, or some other one-liner, but the heavy chill in the air and the unearthly atmosphere that now surrounded her made the lines die down in her throat. Blake reflexively crouched down and prepared for action.

“I’ll go first,” Brawnz said, dealing his opening hand, “and since this is a 2-on-1, we’ll balance out the Life Points.”

Violet flames burst into the air next to each duelist, and slowly began to take the form of numbers. Beside Yang and Blake, their flame numbers read 4000 each, while Brawnz’s number read 8000.

“Are you prepared?” He asked, tilting his head with a smile.

Yang looked to Blake, and the two girls nodded in unison. They may not like each other much, but there was no choice here. Yang wouldn’t allow whatever the hell this thing was to get out and hurt Ruby, and Blake wouldn’t fall here before her mission was complete. Through a wordless glance, they each affirmed the other’s resolve, and raised their Duel Disks.

“...Bring it.” They said in unison.

“Very well.” Brawnz grinned.

“Duel!”

Y: 4000 LP
B: 4000 LP
?: 8000 LP

Turn 1: Brawnz(?) (8000 LP)

“Draw,” Brawnz declared. His yellow eyes swung unnaturally in his head to scan across his opening hand, then he slowly picked one and slotted it into his Duel Disk.

“...I set one card face down,” He said simply, “turn end.”

Yang raised an eyebrow. That was it? No monsters, no Spells? Just a face down? Maybe he drew a spectacularly bad hand… that, or that was a heck of a powerful Trap card.

No, that doesn’t feel right… Even if it’s a strong trap, it can still be destroyed. There’s gotta be something more… What is this thing up to?

Turn 2: Yang (4000 LP)

“...My turn,” Yang said, drawing with a powerful swing of her muscular arm, “and I’m going to start out strong by summoning ‘Sunshiner Lariat’!”

She held a Spell Card aloft before planting it into her Duel Disk arm, and a burst of golden light burst forth around her– to Yang’s shock, the sunlight felt… real. Was it her imagination? Before her, a large, yellow dragon burst forth, clad in wrestling gear and a golden sun emblazoned on its chest. A pair of red gauntlets covered its claws, and the dragon raised its fists, ready for battle, as it gave a mighty roar. The sound echoed out, loud and clear, like nothing Yang had ever felt before. She could feel the weight of the monster’s feet hitting the ground, hear the vibrations of its roar…

“...Whoa,” Yang said, looking with awe at her monster. This had never happened when playing with solid vision. Was this real? Could this Shadow Game actually be making their cards come to life?

“I’ve heard of this,” Blake said, eyes wide, “but I never imagined it could be real… A Shadow Game… where the monsters come to life!”

“Indeed,” said Brawnz, spreading his arms, “here in the Shadow Realm, all monsters are material.”

Yang tried to grin away the nervousness. “...Ha! Then you better brace yourself, cause my monsters don’t pull their punches! I activate ‘Savage Rushdown’!”

Yang held up a Spell Card. “This card lets me pay 500 Life Points, and it doubles the amount of Battle Damage my ‘Sunshiner Lariat’ deals until the end of the turn!”

Sunshiner Lariat let out a roar as a golden glow surrounded it, and the flames beside Yang began to count down the damage– as they did, Yang felt a sudden pain in her leg.

Y: 4000 LP -> 3500 LP

“Gah!” Yang jolted back, looking down– and there, where her left shin had been… was nothing but empty air, dust blowing away.

“Y-Yang!” Blake cried, looking in horror.

For a second, Yang was horrified– pain, heat, shock, all flooded back to her mind. The accident flashed through her mind… But no, this was different. Her foot was still there. There was pain, but nothing was bleeding, there was no injury; part of her leg had simply vanished. With a few quick breaths, Yang managed to steady herself, wiping the sweat from her brow.

“I-I’m okay!” Yang quickly assured her partner, raising a hand, “It… it’s some sort of illusion, probably.”

“It is no illusion. In this Shadow Game,” Brawnz explained, “our duel becomes reality. And fittingly… so does all damage.”

Oh boy. That’s gonna be fun, Yang thought with a grimace.

“...That hurt… but I’m about to double your pain!” Yang said, gritting her teeth, “Go, Sunshiner Lariat! Attack that creep directly–”

“Wait,” Blake cut in, leaning over to Yang, “don’t attack yet. It still has a card set, it could be a trap.”

“Could be,” Yang nodded, “but it’s wide open right now! If I don’t go for it, I’ll waste my Spell!”

“It could be wasted either way,” Blake muttered, “just pass to me, and I’ll remove that trap!”

“...Sorry,” Yang said, shaking her head, “but I’m going for it! Lariat, attack!!”

Before Blake could protest any further, Sunshiner Lariat shot forward, stomping up to Brawnz and delivering its namesake attack, arm stretched wide to hit the target. Brawnz simply stood still as the dragon struck him directly, hurling the boy to the ground.

WHAM!!

“Nice!” Yang pumped her fist, “And with the effect of my Spell Card, Lariat’s 1300 Attack gets doubled! So enjoy the taste of 2600 damage!!”

Brawnz’s flames danced and flickered, dropping down from the attack.

?: 8000 LP -> 5400 LP

“Eat that, you asshole!” Yang cried with a grin.

Brawnz lay flat upon the earth, the ground cracked around it, before his body began to jerk upright, as if pulled by invisible strings. His arms and legs snapped and cracked as they returned to normal, and he raised his Duel Disk once more.

“...Haha… you’ve activated the effect of ‘Grimm Beowulf’ in my hand,” declared Brawnz, revealing the monster in his hand, “when I take Battle Damage from a Direct Attack, it leaps forth to the field, in Attack Position!”

From the shadows, a large, bipedal wolf emerged, shadows dripping off of it like black tar. Its head and claws were white like bone, covered in red markings, and its eyes were a burning yellow color– similar to Brawnz's glowing yellow pupils, but much more vicious. It bore 1600 Attack Points.

“And if ‘Grimm Beowulf is summoned this way,” the boy went on, “it gains 500 Attack Points!”

The Grimm Beowulf let out a howl, as its Attack Points rose from 1600 to a deadly 2100. Yang gulped, exchanging a glance with Blake.

“...You played right into his hands,” Blake whispered, “now it’s got a powerful monster on its side.”

“I took him down to almost half,” Yang shot back, “and you couldn’t have stopped its hand effect!”

“In addition,” Brawnz went on, pulling another card from his hand, “I can also activate the effect of ‘Grimm Ursa’. If I take more than 1500 damage to my Life Points, I can summon ‘Grimm Ursa’ to the field… and deal 800 damage to my opponent!”

“...Uh oh,” Yang gulped, as the large, black bear stomped forward on the field. Like the Beowulf, the Ursa was armored in white bones with red markings, and had glowing yellow eyes. The beast let out a mighty roar that shook Yang in her boots, and she felt a burning pain as more of her Life Points, and by extension, her body, were erased. On top of that, the monster boasted a threatening 1800 Attack Points.

Y: 3500 LP -> 2700 LP

“Finally,” Brawnz pulled one last card from his hand, “I activate the effect of ‘Grimm Centinel’. When damage is taken, I can summon it, and when I do, I can add one Level 7 or higher ‘Grimm’ monster to my hand!”

A large insectoid creature burst from the ground, with hundreds of moving, twitching claws and 1000 Attack Points. In its mandibles was another card, which it dutifully presented to Brawnz, who added it to his hand with a grin. Yang gritted her teeth– that certainly meant nothing good.

“Fool,” Blake muttered, scowling. “He left himself open intentionally!”

“Hey, this duel’s far from over,” Yang shot back angrily, “once I get going, those three monsters aren’t gonna be able to do anything against me!”

With that, Yang put a card face down on her side of the field. “...I play one card face down and end my turn! It’s you now, Blake.”

Turn 3: Blake (4000 LP)

“My turn. Draw!” Blake cried, pulling a card with expert speed. Her hand moved so fast that Yang could barely see it. Blake quickly surveyed her cards, then rapidly began to play her cards.

“...I play two cards face down,” she began, “then I summon ‘Shadow Fang - Alleycat’ in Attack Position!”

Appearing beside Blake was a girl clad in a large, gray oversized jacket, her sleeves over her hands, and a pair of large cat ears poking out of the side of her head. Like her owner, she wore a mask over the lower half of her face, and in her hand, she carried a long black ribbon, with a black, curved sickle at the end. Alleycat whirled around the sickle skillfully, showing off its 1100 Attack Points.

“...Next, I activate Alleycat’s special ability!” Blake said, extending her arm, “I send the top card of my deck to the Graveyard, and I can pick a random card in your hand and send it right to the Graveyard! Go, Ribbon Dance!”

Blake quickly removed the top card from her deck, and Alleycat whirled her ribbon scythe around rapidly before launching it directly at Brawnz, hooking onto one of his cards and yanking it out of his hand! The scythe pulled back the card to Blake, who caught it with a smirk.

“...Looks like it was your fancy Level 7 monster! Shame for you,” Blake said, as the card was engulfed by flame and vanished. If Brawnz was disappointed or frustrated, it was impossible to tell, his face still wearing the eerie, unbroken grin.

“Next,” Blake said, pulling another card from her hand, “I’m gonna activate ‘Shadow Baton’! This card allows me to return one ‘Shadow Fang’ on my side of the field to my hand, then Special Summon a different ‘Shadow Fang’ in its place! So I return ‘Alleycat’ to my hand, and summon ‘Shadow Fang - Stray Blade’!”

Alleycat quickly hopped back into Blake’s hand, and she played a new card in its place, summoning forth a girl in all black, a long purple scarf wrapped around her neck, and a large, black cleaver in her hand.

“And with the effect of ‘Shadow Baton’,” Blake continued, “Stray Blade’s Attack Points rise by 600, bringing it from 1600 to 2200 Attack Points! Now, Stray Blade, take out that Grimm Beowulf!”

Stray Blade raised her cleaver and darted forward, leaping at the shadow covered wolf. The beast roared out and swung its claws, but Stray Blade easily dodged, flipping over the enemy, and bringing down her cleaver through the monster’s neck, decapitating it. As the Beowulf dissolved into ash, Brawnz’s face down card rose up.

“You’ve activated my Trap,” Brawnz said, “It’s called ‘Howl of Anguish’! When a ‘Grimm’ monster I control is destroyed, I can add one ‘Grimm’ monster with equal or lower Attack Points to my hand.”

?: 5400 LP -> 5300 LP

Blake grit her teeth as her opponent added a new card to its hand, no doubt something dangerous. Scowling, Blake finished by placing a card face down on her field. “...I’ll set one card face down and end my turn.”

Turn 4: Brawnz (?) (5300 LP)

“Draw.” Brawnz said, then activated his next card. “I activate the Spell Card ‘Cull the Weak’. The monster with the lowest Attack Points on the field is destroyed, and I regain Life Points equal to its strength.”

Yang did some quick math– on the field currently was her Sunshiner Lariat with 1300 Attack Points, then Blake’s Shadow Fang Stray Blade with 1600 Attack Points, and on Brawnz’s field, the Grimm Ursa with 1800 Attack Points and Grimm Centinel with 1000 Attack Points. Immediately, a pair of monstrous jaws appeared beneath the bony centipede, and snapped shut around it, obliterating it. In turn, Brawnz’s Life Points increased, absorbing the weak monster.

?: 5300 LP -> 6300 LP

“...Jeez, his own monster…” Yang muttered.

“When a weakling has outlived its usefulness, it must be disposed of,” the boy said coldly, “Now, I summon ‘Grimm Boarbatusk’!”

Brawnz played his card and a new beast emerged, a small but fierce-looking boar, with two large, curved tusks and 1200 Attack Points. It might have been cute if not for the savage squeal it let out and the viciousness in its four crimson eyes.

“When ‘Grimm Boarbatusk’ declares an attack, it gains 1000 Attack Points during battle,” Brawnz explained, then raised his arm, “Now, Grimm Boarbatusk’ attacks ‘Sunshiner Lariat’, and ‘Grimm Ursa’ attacks ‘Stray Blade’! Go forth and rend them asunder!”

With a roar, the Grimm beasts charged forward towards each of the girls’ monsters, the ground vibrating as they stomped onward. Yang and Blake glanced at each other, then simultaneously flipped their face down cards up, activating their Trap Cards in unison.

“I activate ‘Sunshiner Counter’!” Yang cried.

“I activate ‘Shadow Double’!” Blake cried.

As the Boarbatusk charged forward, it proceeded to tumble forward and spin like a boulder towards Sunshiner Lariat– but as it hit, the dragon held out an arm, stopping it in its tracks. With a gleam in its eye, Sunshiner Lariat reared back its arm and delivered a counter punch directly into the boar’s head, sending it flying back at Brawnz, smashing into the boy’s chest.

?: 6300 LP -> 5700 LP

“Eat that!” Yang grinned, “When my Sunshiner monster is attacked, ‘Sunshiner Counter’ destroys the attacking monster and deals half of its Attack Points as damage to your Life Points!”

Meanwhile, the Ursa raised its claws to Stray Blade, and brought down its mighty claws on the monster– only for them to pass straight through an afterimage of Stray Blade. The real Stray Blade stood behind the Ursa, unharmed.

“With ‘Shadow Double’,” Blake explained, sliding a card from her deck into the Graveyard, “I can send an identical copy of my monster to the Graveyard, and negate the attack!”

“...” Brawnz’s cold, empty smile betrayed no emotion. “...Turn end.”

Turn 5: Yang (2700 LP)

“My move! Time to heat things up!” Yang said, pulling out another card. With a glance at her hand, she broke out into a grin, a light burning in her eye. “...Now we’re talking! I summon ‘Sunshiner Synchron’!”

Out of the ground burst a small, yellow ball of light, which then popped out a set of tiny lizard-like arms and legs, followed by a grinning dragon’s head. The rotund dragon rolled about, then pumped its arms, showing off its 1000 Attack Points.

“Check this out!” Yang cried, giving Blake a cheery smile, “I now tune my Level 3 ‘Sunshiner Synchron’ and my Level 4 ‘Sunshiner Lariat’ to Synchro Summon!”

Blake’s eyes narrowed. “Synchro Summon?”

Yang sent her two monsters to the Graveyard, and before her appeared a series of glowing rings. Each of her monsters transformed into a series of glowing spheres; four for Lariat and three for Synchron. The gathered spheres lined up in the center of the rings, totalling up to seven spheres.

“Seven stars merge and birth a new light,
A grand star that brings forth life!
Burn! Hotter than a raging fire!
Sunshine Yellow Dragon!!”

The stars erupted into light, and out of the rings emerged a long, serpentine dragon, yellow scales glittering gold. Its body was wreathed in yellow flames, with red markings across its body. Its eyes burned scarlet, like a raging inferno, and around its head was a burning mane of white hot flames, just like its user’s own locks of gold. The dragon circled around overhead, then descended beside Yang, and let out a roar. Yang smirked proudly at its 2500 Attack Points.

“How’s that?” Yang said, pumping her fist with a grin, “Take a good look at my ace monster!”

“S-so bright…” Blake said, shielding her eyes.

“Now, I activate Sunshine Yellow Dragon’s superpower!” Yang declared, “While my Life Points are lower than my opponent’s, her Attack Points rise by 500!”

Sunshine Yellow Dragon’s eyes flashed red, as the flames around her body grew hotter and faster, as her Attack Points raised from 2500 to an impressive 3000.

“And that’s not all!” Yang said, playing another card, “I’m going to use the Equip Spell: ‘Dragon Arm - Solar Fist’! This card gives the equipped monster an extra 600 Attack Points, and when I destroy a monster with it, I gain Life Points equal to that monster’s Attack Points!”

A large, golden gauntlet appeared around Sunshine Yellow Dragon’s arm, locking into place as it clenched into a giant fist. The dragon’s Attack Points further raised to 3600, giving it more than enough to obliterate the enemy’s Grimm Ursa.

“Now, battle!” Yang cried out, “Sunshine Yellow Dragon, crush ‘Grimm Ursa’ with Sunshine Nova!”

The dragon surged forward, golden fist extended, its shining flames piercing the darkness as it charged towards Grimm Ursa. With only 1800 Attack Points, the Ursa didn’t stand a chance as Sunshine Yellow Dragon’s massive fist crushed it in a single, mighty blow. The impact created a burst of golden light that shook the ground, and blasted back Brawnz, dealing 1800 points of Battle Damage.

?: 5700 LP -> 3900 LP

“Impressive…” Blake whispered, eyes widening.

Yang proudly wiped her nose with her thumb, like a boxer ready for round two. “It’s not over yet! Now I activate Sunshine Yellow’s second ability! When it destroys a monster by battle, I can revive that monster, and attack it once more! So come back, Grimm Ursa, and get ready to fall again!”

A shining ray of light fell onto the Brawnz’s side of the field, and from it returned the Grimm Ursa. No sooner had it arrived than did Sunshine Yellow Dragon rear back its giant golden fist, and with a single punch, send it right back to the Graveyard. Brawnz was thrown back once more, his body pinned against the wall by the force of the blow as it took another 1800 points of damage.

“Guh!!” Brawnz grunted as he was blasted backwards.

?: 3900 LP -> 2100 LP

“Oh, and don’t forget 'Solar Fist’s' power!” Yang grinned, twirling a lock of her prized hair, “Since I destroyed your monster, I get Life Points equal to it’s Attack Points back… twice!”

Y: 2700 LP -> 6300 LP

As her Life Points returned, so too did her missing body parts– the leg that had been erased quickly reformed, as did the other parts she’d lost.

“Ah, nice to have you back!” Yang said, grinning and wiggling her recovered leg.

She’s… pretty strong… Blake thought, eyes widening at her impressive combo. It had looked like she was on the ropes, but Yang seemed to only get stronger when her Life Points lowered. But her overwhelming strength and confidence… Blake could see it in her eyes that Yang was a born duelist, a fighter to the end. Maybe she was wrong about this girl.

“Of course, now that my Life Points are above my opponent’s, Sunshine Yellow’s Attack Points lose their boost,” Yang said, as her dragon’s Attack Points dropped from 3600 to 3100. “but I still have more than enough to end this. Your turn, Blake.”

Blake looked to Yang and nodded. “...Sorry for underestimating you before, Yang. You’re pretty good.”

For a second, Yang’s confident expression dropped to show a hint of red in her cheeks. “O-oh, thanks…”

Slowly, Brawnz’s body lifted itself back up, shifting and jerking back into place. He raised his head, eyes still wide and glowing yellow, with the same smirk across his face as always.

“Heh heh heh… Not bad.”

Turn 6: Blake (4000 LP)

“My move! Draw!” Blake said, swiping a card from her deck, eyes locked on Brawnz. The boy was at only 2100 Life Points, but it wasn’t over yet. She needed to finish this quickly, before he could pull anything else off. Blake glanced at the card in her hand, formulating a plan.

“I summon ‘Shadow Fang - Alleycat’ once more!” Blake called out, summoning back her ribbon-wielding warrior, “and I activate her ability– I send the top card of my deck to the Graveyard, and one random card in your hand goes straight to the Graveyard! Ribbon Dance!”

Alleycat whirled her chain scythe around expertly, then flung it directly at Brawnz’s hand, piercing one of his cards. With a yank, Alleycat pulled the card out and destroyed it. Blake caught a glimpse of the card– another Grimm monster, straight to the Graveyard.

Good. This match is as good as done now. Blake said, glancing at her field. She had Alleycat with 1100 Attack Points and Stray Blade with 1600. That was plenty to finish off this guy. Resolve in her eyes, Blake raised her arm and commanded her monsters.

“Let’s finish this. Stray Blade, Alleycat, attack directly!” Blake cried out. Dutifully, the monsters darted forward, Alleycat taking the lead. Alleycat’s scythe whirled through the air rapidly, then sailed forth and struck the Brawnz dead in the chest, dealing 1100 damage.

?: 2100 LP -> 1000 LP

“...Ga…. Gaah…” This time, Brawnz staggered back, doubled over in pain… Before slowly raising his head, his yellow eyes glowing brightly– enough to tell Blake that things weren’t over just yet.

“Gaha… Gahahaha…” He laughed, pulling a card from his hand and raising it into the air. “The conditions… have been met.”

Blake felt a chill run down her spine. “...Stray Blade, finish it!! Now!”

“It is too late,” Brawnz said, as a dark aura began to spread from his body. Blake’s Stray Blade lunged forward desperately, but her cleaver’s blade was met and stopped by the field of dark shadows spreading rapidly through the arena.

“When I take 1000 or more damage, and there are six or more ‘Grimm’ in the Graveyard,” the Geist began, the shadows swirling and congealing on its side of the field, “I can summon… my greatest beast from my hand!”

“Six of them…?” Blake’s blood ran cold as she realized what that meant– ‘Grimm Beowulf’, ‘Grimm Centinel’, ‘Grimm Ursa’, and ‘Grimm Boarbatusk’ had all been destroyed… and she herself had removed the last two from the Geist’s hand! Blake’s eyes widened as she realized that this was its goal all along!

The air went cold as the shadows thickened, and even Sunshine Yellow Dragon’s light began to dim. The ground began to shake and tremble, as a black hole began to open in the center of the room. The Geist spread its arms wide to welcome its beast.

“There shall be no hero,
There shall be no hope,
To herald the Queen of Shadows,
Come forth,
Grimm Overlord - Leviathan!”

A giant arm erupted from the hole of swirling darkness, then planted itself on the ground. Pulling itself up, next emerged a large, pointed fin made of chalk white bone, and lastly, emerged a large, cetacean head, with a burning yellow eye glowing in its skull and thousands of teeth filling its maw. The beast rose up, further and further, seemingly endlessly as it towered above all, dwarfing even Yang’s Sunlight Yellow Dragon. When the beast had fully emerged, it let out a wail of sheer rage, the sound alone creating a rippling shock wave that pushed both Yang and Blake backwards into a wall. Its Attack Points stood at a whopping 3500 points.

“Augh!” Blake cried, covering her ears in pain.

“Th-that thing’s too big!” Yang cried in disbelief.

“Gahahaha!” Brawnz cackled, eyes wide with delight, “‘Grimm Overlord - Leviathan’ gains 200 Attack Points for every ‘Grimm’ monster in my Graveyard. And since I’ve got six so far, that adds up to…”

Brawnz raised his arm as the shadows of his fallen Grimm began to fly into the jaws of the Leviathan, and its attack began to raise for each one devoured. Blake and Yang both watched in horror as the monster’s Attack Points went from 3500 to a whopping 4700.

4700!? No… No way!! Yang tried to stifle the pit forming in her stomach– but that power… was ridiculous! She’d never had to face something like this before; at least, not with such high stakes. She had always been confident in her dueling ability, but… this felt different. This wasn’t a tournament or a race; whatever was happening here, this was a duel for their lives.

If I lose this… what’ll happen to Ruby!? To the other kids!? Yang began to sweat, fear taking hold of her heart. She shook her head rapidly, trying to force it down. No, no, I have to win! There’s gotta be a way to take this thing out, there’s gotta be! But… Sunshine Yellow Dragon isn’t strong enough! Not even with the Equip Spell… What… What do I do!?

She looked to Blake, hoping desperately that the cool and collected girl had some sort of plan– but though Blake was also trying to stay calm, Yang could see the fear in her eyes as well. Her hands were shaking, knees crouched like she was going to run for it at any second. But there was nowhere to run to. It was this duel, now or never.

“Blake…” Yang whispered, hoping to snap her into action.

“I-I’m thinking!” Blake shot back, looking over her cards desperately. “...I… I’ve handled worse…”

Have you!? Yang bit her lip. She looked at her deck. There had to be a card in there she could use, certainly… but could she draw it in time?

“...I play one face down card, and end my turn,” Blake said.

“Excellent,” Brawnz said, grinning, “now the real fun begins!”

Turn 7: Brawnz (?) (1000 LP)

“I draw!” Brawnz said, “and I’ll activate another ‘Cull the Weak’! The weakest monster on the field is destroyed, and my Life Points raise by its Attack Points!”

This time, Yang counted, the weakest monster was Blake’s Alleycat, with only 1100 Attack Points. Immediately, a pair of shadowy jaws snapped around Alleycat, who yelped as she was destroyed, and the flames representing Brawnz’s Life Points began to rise up.

?: 1000 LP -> 2100 LP

Blake winced, down one monster.

“Now,” Brawnz declared, pointing to Blake’s remaining monster, “I attack your Stray Blade with Leviathan! Tear her asunder!!”

The Leviathan opened its jaws, lightning gathering in its mouth as it charged up an attack. As the energy gathered, it let out a blast of yellow flame directly at Blake’s Stray Blade. Blake grit her teeth and braced for impact, as the blast obliterated Stray Blade, then dealt the collateral damage to her Life Points.

“Augh!!!” Blake screamed as chunks of her body began to vanish. The flaming Life Points beside her began to rapidly plummet downwards.

B: 4000 LP -> 900 LP

As the explosion evaporated, Yang watched in horror as most of Blake’s body began to dissolve– her eye, her left leg, her right arm, and part of her torso had all vanished, with only barely enough of her left to continue the duel. She still had her hands, so she could draw and hold her cards, but everything else…

“B-Blake, are you okay!?” Yang asked.

“...D-don’t worry about me…” Blake said, staggering back, “...I… I activate my Trap Card, ‘Shadow Fang Alliance’! When a ‘Shadow Fang’ I control gets destroyed by battle, I can summon another ‘Shadow Fang’ from my deck with equal or less Attack Points!”

Blake’s face down lifted up, and from the card emerged the figure of a girl with cat ears in a large striped coat. Her sleeves extended into a pair of massive tiger claws, three huge blades on each. She crouched down, dragging her claws across the ground, sharpening them.

“...I summon ‘Shadow Fang - Stealth Tigris’!” Blake said, as the 1600 Attack Point monster joined her field.

“A clever trick,” Brawnz said, smiling, “but how long can it last, I wonder? I play one card face down and end my turn.”

“Blake…” Yang looked over with concern, then shot an angry glare at Brawnz. “...I’ll make you pay for that!”

Turn 8: Yang (6300 LP)

“My turn! Draw!” Yang cried, and glanced at her hand. Ah, that was a good card.

“I activate ‘Dragon Arm - Destroyer Claw’ and equip it to my Sunshine Yellow Dragon, giving it another 600 Attack Points!!”

Sunshine Yellow held out its free arm, and a second, bladed gauntlet attached itself to it. Three golden blades grew from the knuckles of the gauntlet, and the dragon swiped it through the air proudly, raising both arms in a battle pose. With the Destroyer Claw equipped, Sunshine Yellow Dragon’s Attack Points raised from 3100 to 3700.

“Hmph, still not enough.” Brawnz noted, shaking his head.

“Who said I was finished!?” Yang grinned, “Remember my ‘Sunshiner Synchron’? Well, he’s about to make a comeback! When I use ‘Sunshiner Synchron’ to Synchro Summon a Dragon-type Synchro monster, I can return it from my Graveyard to my deck, and boost my Sunshine Yellow Dragon’s Attack Points by my Synchron’s! And if you’ll recall, my Synchron had 1200 Attack Points, bringing my dragon up to… 4900!!”

Sunshiner Synchron arose from the Graveyard, becoming a burning fireball as it flew into Sunshine Yellow Dragon’s chest. With the added power, Sunshine Yellow’s flames grew larger and hotter, and it roared out loud.

“Now!” Yang grinned, punching the air, “Go take out that ugly Leviathan! Sunshine Nova!!”

Sunshine Yellow Dragon roared and charged forward, flying in a circle around Yang and Blake before shooting upwards, speeding towards the Leviathan, wreathed in white-hot flames. The Leviathan roared, charging up an explosive blast in its mouth, while Sunshine Yellow raised its fist to punch through it. The two attacks collided, with Sunshine Yellow’s fists punching through the stream of burning flames from the Leviathan.

But before the fist hit, Brawnz grinned and flipped up his face down card. “I activate my Trap Card, ‘Vortex Breath’!”

Brawnz grinned and quickly flashed a card from his hand: another ‘Grimm’ monster. “When my ‘Grimm’ monster is attacked, I can discard one ‘Grimm’ from my hand, and it will reduce the attacking monster’s Attack Points by 1000!”

“...Shit!” Yang cried, as Sunshine Yellow’s Attack Points plummeted down to 3900.

“And don’t forget,” Brawnz’s grin widened, “since the card I just discarded was a ‘Grimm’ monster… my Leviathan’s Attack Points rise by another 200!”

Yang’s pupils shrunk, while the Leviathan’s Attack Points grew to 4900 points. “N-no way!!”

Brawnz cackled wildly as Leviathan’s breath began to overpower Yang’s Dragon. “Obliterate her!! Gahahahaha!!”

“No!!” Yang cried out, as Sunlight Yellow Dragon was slowly but surely pushed back by the blast– the Leviathan lurched forward, its energy blast growing larger and wider, until Sunlight Yellow was engulfed by the blast, vanishing into the light; and then falling to the ground, defeated.

Y: 6300 LP -> 5300 LP

“Sunshine Yellow!” Yang called out with concern, getting back to her feet. The dragon groaned in pain as it slowly dissolved, its body turning to embers and vanishing away like a dying fire. Within seconds, the once proud dragon was gone.

No way… He stopped my attack and got even stronger!? What… what do I do now!?

At a time like this… what would Ruby do? Yang thought to her sister, the dueling prodigy who’d pulled herself out of tougher spots with less cards countless times. She’d always been proud of the girl, but… never before had she had to look to her for help. What would she say? She imagined her sister’s voice:

“It’s not over! Not until your last Life Point is gone!”

…last Life Point?

An idea hit Yang. There was a way to take down this monster… She just needed that one card.

“...I end my turn.” Yang said, looking to Blake.

Turn 9: Blake (900 LP)

Blake seemed to be in quite bad shape, with most of her body now erased. She raised a floating hand to her deck and drew nonetheless. “...My turn. Draw.”

I’m low on Life Points… can’t afford another hit. I only have ‘Stealth Tigris’ on my side of the field... Blake blinked rapidly, scanning her hand desperately. I can do this… I’ve faced worse!

This wasn’t the first time she’d dueled with everything on the line. And it wouldn’t be her last. Her mind briefly raced to the past…

“Here, dueling is how we survive. All or nothing. Life or death. Show no mercy, Blake, cause you’ll get none in return.”

The voice echoed in her head, urging her to survive… at any cost. Slowly, she glanced at Yang. She had a plan… but it would hurt. She took a deep breath, then continued.

“...Yang, do you trust me?” Blake asked.

“...T-trust you…?” Yang asked, her eyes still focused on the ground where her dragon had lain. “...What are you planning?”

“A move that could save us both… or kill us both,” Blake answered, “...are you willing to take that risk?”

“...” Yang looked to her now empty field, to the massive Leviathan, then back to Blake, looking at her with resolution in her golden eyes. Yang bit her lip, then decided to trust in those eyes. “...Yeah. I am.”

“...Thank you,” Blake whispered, then raised her next card, “...I play one card face down. Then, I activate ‘Stealth Tigris’s’ special ability! I can return up to three Shadow Fangs from my Graveyard to my deck, and gain 200 Attack Points for each one!”

“I return two ‘Shadow Fangs’ to my deck, and raise ‘Stealth Tigris’s’ Attack Points to 2000!” Blake declared, and Stealth Tigris was quickly surrounded by a glow of energy, her claws growing and sparkling with newfound power. She scraped her mighty blades against each other, sending sparks flying as she prepared to attack.

“...Am I supposed to be impressed?” Brawnz smirked, tilting his head like a broken doll. “That is nowhere near enough to face my Grimm Overlord. What do you hope to accomplish?”

Yang couldn’t help but ask the same question in her head, looking to Blake. But in the girl’s eyes, she saw no hesitation– only a solid resolve that she’d seen before. Yang’s eyes widened.

That look… it’s the same as Ruby…

“...I plan to accomplish this,” Blake said, glaring directly at Brawnz, “I attack with ‘Stealth Tigris’!”

“Hahaha!” Brawnz clutched his head as he laughed uncontrollably. “Have you given in!? Do you think your pitiful monster can destroy Leviathan!?”

“No, I’m not attacking your Leviathan,” Blake shook her head, then turned to face Yang. “...I’m attacking Yang directly!”

“Wh-what!?” Yang balked, eyes widening.

“What!?” Brawnz’s grin broke for the first time, his eyes widening with shock.

“And as she attacks, I activate my face down!” Blake said, flipping her Trap Card face up, “‘Shadow Fang Survival’! All damage I deal this turn will be restored to my Life Points!”

“...Ah!” Yang’s eyes lit up as she realized what Blake was doing– with a direct attack, Blake could restore her Life Points, while lowering Yang’s; but thanks to her deck, Yang’s cards would only get stronger. It was a risky play, intentionally trading Life Points… but it just might work!

“Sorry about this,” Blake said apologetically, “Tigris, go easy on her!”

Stealth Tigris gave a salute with her oversized claws, then lunged forward to attack Yang. Yang raised her arms and braced herself as Tigris’s claws sliced through her Life Points, reducing them and granting them to Blake.

Y: 5300 LP -> 3300 LP
B: 900 LP -> 2900 LP

Her Life Points rose back up, and Blake’s body gradually began to reform. As her arms and legs returned to her, Blake put a hand on her chest and heaved a sigh of relief. Yang groaned as her own Life Points lowered, but she withstood the hit, bearing with the pain.

“...Last, I activate ‘Shadow Fang Decoy’!” Blake said, “This card allows me to send the top three cards of my deck to the Graveyard, and then play a Token to my side of the field! The Token must be destroyed before you can target any other monster with an attack or card effect!”

Blake quickly sent three cards to her Graveyard, and on her field, a cat-shaped doll appeared in a puff of smoke. It stood in Defense Position, with zero Attack or Defense Points, acting as a wall between the Leviathan and Blake. The decoy likely wouldn’t last long, but it was enough to survive.

“Turn end,” Blake finished.

“...Damn,” Yang said, clutching her side, “...that was one hell of a move, Blake.”

“...Apologies,” Blake said again, “but I couldn’t see another way.”

“No, it was good,” Yang affirmed, giving her a smile, “you reminded me of my sister for a second.”

Turn 10: Brawnz (?) (2100 LP)

“My turn. Draw!” Brawnz said, grinning like a lion that had its prey cornered. He glanced at the lone card in his hand, and then extended his arm.

“...Hmm…” Brawnz said, placing down the card into his Duel Disk, “I’ll set this card face down for now. Then, Leviathan, let’s get rid of that pesky decoy, shall we? Devastator Breath Blast!”

The Leviathan opened its jaws once more, gathering electrical energy within, then breathing it out in a stream of destruction, annihilating Blake’s Decoy.

“...That little trick only bought you one round,” The boy said, “savor your remaining time while you can. Turn end!”

Yang gritted her teeth. Brawnz was right– that decoy had only saved them one turn. But it wasn’t over yet. Not until the very last Life Point. Yang clenched her fist, and prayed that her next draw would give her what she needed.

Turn 11: Yang (3300 LP)

“My turn… Draw!” Yang said, swiping the card from her deck. She hesitated nervously before finally peering at the card… and a smile broke across her face. This was just what she needed.

“I activate ‘Overheat Draw’!” Yang said, playing the new card to her side of the field, “I can draw two cards, but I pay 700 Life Points for each one! Here goes!”

Yang's hand went to her deck, only for her fingers to sizzle and burn at the touch. Ouch, they weren’t kidding about this duel being real! Gritting her teeth, Yang pulled the two cards from her deck, her fingers burning, and added them to her hand.

Y: 3300 LP -> 1900 LP

“Yeouch…” she muttered, shaking off her fingers, then looked at her hand. Her eyes glimmered as she saw just the card she was looking for. This was it. She planted one card face down, then proceeded to activate a Spell Card.

“Now I activate… ‘Solar Rebirth’,” Yang cried, holding the card aloft, “when my Life Points are lower than my opponents’, I can revive one ‘Sun’ monster in my Graveyard until the end of the turn! So come back: Sunshine Yellow Dragon!!”

From the heavens above, a ray of burning light shot down on Yang, and a ring of flames began to burn around her. The flames grew hotter and higher, and then began to take the form of Sunshine Yellow Dragon, reborn from the ashes. The dragon let loose a triumphant roar, and thanks to its effect, its Attack Points surged up to 3000.

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Yang grinned, punching her fist into her hand.

“...Gahahaha!” Brawnz laughed wildly again, “weak, weak, so weak! You’re nowhere near strong enough to stop Leviathan!”

Yang fell silent, looking over her cards. Ruby… I’m doing this for you.

“...Hey, Blake,” Yang said suddenly, pointing to the Leviathan, “if I get rid of that big ugly beast there… can you finish this guy off?”

“What?” Blake asked, frowning. “Finish him?”

“Yeah. I can destroy his monster, but…” Yang gripped her arm, then turned to face Blake, her violet orbs shimmering with determination. “...but I need you to finish the fight. Can you do that?”

Blake looked deep into the girl’s eyes and saw them hardened by resolve. She saw in that moment a girl who was a true warrior, preparing herself to do what was needed to survive– no… to win. In that moment… Blake felt like she and Yang were not just fighting together, but fighting as one.

“...I can.” Blake promised, nodding slowly.

Yang gave a soft grin, then turned back to the enemy. Blake had seen the girl smile many times now, but… this was different. Normally, that girl seemed to be smiling for show, to try and cheer others up, or to fit in with the group. That dumb smile she normally wore was carefree and relaxed, and Blake could see right through it. But here, now, in the heat of the battle, the smile Yang wore… it was one filled with pride and determination, honest and bright like the sun.

“...Then I attack Leviathan with Sunshine Yellow Dragon!” Yang cried, raising her fist in the air.

“...Fool!” Brawnz cried, his grin widening, “You will not survive!”

Sunshine Yellow Dragon surged forward, and likewise, the Leviathan opened its maw to unleash its own attack. The two beasts charged at each other once again, until Yang flipped up her face down card with a grin.

“I activate… ‘Supernova Fist’!” Yang cried, raising her hand into a fist, “When my Life Points are below half, I can activate this card and increase my ‘Solar Yellow Dragon’s’ Attack Points by the amount of Life Points I pay! And I’m going to pay…”

Blake’s eyes widened with realization, as Yang’s grin widened with confidence.

“...All of them!!!” Yang declared, pumping her fist into the air. “Take my power, ‘Sunshine Yellow Dragon’, and blast that Leviathan back to hell where it belongs!!”

“Impossible!” Brawnz cried, eyes widening and his grin faltering yet again.

“Yang!!” Blake cried out, though she knew it was too late to stop her.

The flames beside Yang quickly dwindled down, and Yang began to scream in pain as her Life Points plummeted, her body rapidly vanishing and erasing away. Even so, she refused to fall, gritting her teeth and holding on, as Sunshine Yellow Dragon roared mightily, receiving her power. With Yang’s remaining 1900 Life Points added to the dragon’s 3000 Attack Points, she had just enough power to match the Leviathan’s 4900, destroying them both. The Grimm Leviathan’s jaws opened wide as it tried to unleash its breath attack– but the dragon’s arms gripped its hideous maw, halting the beast.

Yang grinned with the last of her strength, and let out one last shout:

“Sunshine… NOVA!!!”

Yang’s dragon shone bright gold, her eyes turning crimson red, and she charged into the Leviathan’s open mouth, diving inside and rapidly attacking from within. The Leviathan let out a scream, then exploded in a burst of golden light. Blake shielded her eyes as the abandoned dorm lit up, bright as day, then slowly, faded back into darkness. The Leviathan was now no more, its body vanishing into ash and smoke.

“Guuuaaaaaaaaahhh!!” Brawnz cried out, blown backwards by the force of the explosion.

Blake turned to Yang, eyes wide with concern. The girl, or what was left of her, staggered back with a pained grin, then gave a thumbs up to Blake.

“...Got it…” Yang said, smiling, “...now finish it off… partner…”

Y: 1900 LP -> 0 LP

With that, the last of Yang’s body was erased, vanishing into faint dust. The flames representing her Life Points hit zero, then vanished as well. The only thing left where Yang once stood was a single monster card. Blake slowly picked it up, and saw the frozen face of Yang, eyes closed as if in a sleep, locked inside the card.

“Yang…” Blake whispered to herself, her expression softening. “...You idiot…”

She tucked the card into her jacket, then turned to face Brawnz, her golden eyes filled with rage.

“...Yang… you gave me this opening…” Blake reached for her next card, “...I will not waste it!”

With that, Blake rose to her feet, and drew her next card.

–

It was night over the Slifer Red dorms, and all was quiet– as quiet as it could be with creaky floors, leaky faucets, and chirping crickets. But the students in the humble old dorm were all fast asleep, including one Ruby Rose, who was lying atop her bunk with dreams of card games and cookies going through her head.

“...mmm… Yay, mint chocolate chip…!” She murmured turning over in her sleep. As she hugged the large, metallic Duel Disk next to her, a faint light began to glow from the deck inside– more accurately, from a certain card. The light drifted gently out from inside Crescent Rose, hovering beside Ruby’s sleeping head, before taking the form of the small, fluffy monster: Kuribokami.

Kuribokami hovered gently around Ruby’s head, then slowly floated next to her ear, and let out a soft whimper, before vanishing. As soon as it faded away, Ruby’s eyes suddenly shot open, and she awoke with a start, a single word escaping her lips.

“...Yang?”

CHAPTER FIVE

END

CARD FEATURE CORNER:
"SUNSHINE YELLOW DRAGON"

"Yang's ace monster, which grows stronger when its user's Life Points are below their opponent's.
It represents Yang's burning passion and fighting spirit."

Chapter Text

“You have a lot of guts to steal from the Silver Fang.”

“Gotta make ends meet somehow. Everything’s fair in the Satellite.”

“Ha. Spoken like one of us. You managed to even take out three of our best duelists… Impressive for a stray.”

“You here to duel me? Or to try and bore me to death?”

“I came here with an offer. As leader of the Silver Fang, I want to make you a deal: join us, and we’ll forgive your theft.”

“...Why should I?”

“Because as a stray, you’ll survive, sure; but with the Silver Fang, you will thrive. You want more than just scavenging through the scrap of the city, right? With the Silver Fang… you won’t ever go hungry again.”

“...”

“Think about it, Blake. Die like a stray cat… or live like a lion.”

Ruby glanced up at the floating creature before her. Kuribokami looked like a flickering hologram, faint, but certainly there. Ruby’s eyes widened as she slowly reached out to touch it, only for her fingers to pass right through the monster. It gave a small hum in response.

“...Kuribokami…?” Ruby whispered, blinking in confusion. How was this happening without solid vision? Yet, this felt somehow… familiar. Like she was seeing an old friend again after many long years. She thought back to her duel against Weiss, when she’d drawn Kuribokami, and the card had spoken to her. Was the card… alive somehow? Or had Ruby just spent too much time coding Crescent Rose?

Ruby rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. She had been having a dream just moments before, but what woke her was… Yang? Somehow, she felt like her sister had called out to her, and the sound of her voice echoed in the back of her head. Was there something going on? Was Yang in trouble? Why did she get the feeling that it wasn’t good…?

Kuribokami then began to float down, glancing behind at Ruby, beckoning her to follow. Ruby followed, quietly climbing down the ladder to the floor, being as quiet as possible when each step caused the old, tired wood to creak like an old barn door. Kuribokami continued towards the door, and Ruby paused, grabbing her hand and tugging on her fingers.

“...W-wait, I can’t go out now! We already got in trouble once for that!!” Ruby whisper-yelled nervously, the image of Professor Goodwitch’s frown appearing in her mind.

Kuribokami didn’t pay much heed to that, simply blinking slowly, before turning to the door and giving another hum, beckoning her. 

“...Does this… have something to do with Yang?” Ruby asked hesitantly.

Kuribokami nodded, humming rapidly to confirm.

“...What happened?” Ruby asked, eyes widening. “Is she okay?”

Kuribokami just moved towards the door, and floated straight through it, guiding her. Ruby bit her lip, thinking of the consequences, but her sister… If Yang was in trouble, she couldn’t just stand by! She slowly stepped towards the door and grabbed the knob.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Ruby jolted back from the door like it was an electric fence and whirled around, arms raised to fight– only to see Weiss, standing in her pajamas and her snow white hair out of its usual ponytail. The heiress put her hands on her hips and gave a disapproving frown at her roommate.

“W-Weiss! I– Uh. Um. I was just. Getting some fresh air?” Ruby fumbled for an excuse like a child caught in the cookie jar. Weiss’s expression told her that she didn’t buy it.

“You do realize that we both have demerits on our record for defying school curfew,” Weiss said, closing in on Ruby, “and that if you break the rules again, the punishment will be far more severe? You could be expelled, and then who would I have to duel against?”

“E-expelled!?” Ruby’s face blanched and she began to tremble at the thought.

“Yes, and I’m not going to allow that,” Weiss said, quickly grabbing Ruby’s wrist and pulling her from the door, “so whatever it is that you’re planning, save it for tomorrow!”

Ruby was pulled forward a few steps, but then suddenly stopped, pulling back against Weiss. She looked down, frowning as she tried to muster up the proper words. “...I… my… um…”

Weiss raised an eyebrow. 

“...I think my sister’s in trouble!” Ruby spat out quickly. “...I… I don’t know why, I just… I woke up and I just got this feeling… A-and Kuribokami came out, and it was trying to guide me, like it was trying to tell me something…”

Weiss blinked. “...Your. Your card told you?”

Ruby blushed a bit. “I… Okay it sounds weird, but sometimes, Kuribokami sorta… talks… to me?”

Weiss just stared at her like she’d tried to play Mirror Force in Attack Position. How did I lose to this dolt again?

“I-I know it sounds weird, but like! My sister loves to party, she’d sneak out all the time back at home, and I’m sure she’s been sneaking out late here too. And you know those missing kids, right? What if… what if whatever happened to them might have happened to Yang too? I… I just have this bad feeling…”

Ruby’s leg was jittering rapidly as she stared down at the floor, tugging at her pajamas. Man, she looked so pitiful… Weiss’s thoughts suddenly flew to her own sister… How she’d worry about her when she was all alone in her room. If it was Winter… what would she do?

With a heavy sigh, she finally let go of Ruby’s wrist and shook her head. “Okay, fine. Here’s what we’ll do: we go to the staff. Tell them you think Yang might be in trouble, and we’ll have them check. That way nobody gets in trouble.”

She paused. “Well. Aside from your sister. But better reprimanded than missing, right?”

Ruby blinked– she hadn’t even considered talking to the actual authorities. It basically had slipped her mind in her worry. Weiss had naturally come to the more logical conclusion, and Ruby rubbed her neck in embarrassment.

“...Y-yeah, you’re right. That makes more sense.” Ruby gave a small laugh at her own lack of thought. “Thanks, Weiss.”

“Don’t mention it.” Weiss grabbed a hair tie and began to pull her hair into a quick but stylish ponytail, then gave it a dramatic toss. “Let’s go get Professor Oobleck, and hope that your weird little card is wrong.”

–

The abandoned dorm was empty and silent under the pale moonlight, with not a soul to be found inside or out. Security passed by it, flashed their lights, and found nobody inside, then moved along. To all outside appearances, it was as abandoned as ever.

However, in another realm, where the skies were a swirl of red and violet, and the ground was made of twisted shadows, a raging duel continued for the fate of the missing students. Blake Belladonna and Brawnz Ni stood opposite each other, locked in battle. Yang Xiaolong was now nothing more than a soul locked in a card, kept in Blake’s jacket, while the other missing students were held by Brawnz; or rather, whatever evil thing was controlling the poor boy.

Turn 12: Blake (2900 LP)

“...My turn. Draw!” Blake said, her eyes filled with determination. On her field she currently had ‘Shadow Fang - Stealth Tigris’, and her opponent had nothing but a single face down card on his field. If she played her cards right, she could finish him off in one fell swoop.

“I activate ‘Shadow Fang Black Ops’!” Blake declared, holding the Spell Card aloft before playing it. “This allows me to send the top three cards from my deck to my Graveyard, and for every ‘Shadow Fang’ monster, I draw one card!”

Blake quickly dealt the top three cards of her deck out, glancing over them, then flashed them to her opponent– all three were monsters with the name ‘Shadow Fang’. Blake wordlessly inserted them into her Graveyard, then drew three cards.

“I’m not finished yet,” Blake continued, “I then activate ‘Stealth Tigris’s’ special ability, and return those three ‘Shadow Fangs’ back to my deck, and boost her Attack Points by 200 for each one!”

Just as quickly as they’d gone, Blake’s Duel Disk ejected the three monsters back out, and Blake returned them to her deck. Stealth Tigris scraped her claws together as her Attack Points shot back up to 2200.

Perfect. Let’s end this! Blake thought. “Finish it! Stealth Tigris! Assassination Claw!”

But no sooner had she declared the attack than did Brawnz cackle and flip his face down card face up.

“I activate the Trap Card, ‘Grimm Illusion’,” Brawnz declared, “this halves all Battle Damage I receive, and in addition… I can summon a ‘Grimm’ monster from my deck whose Attack is equal to or lower than the damage I received.”

“What!?” Blake’s eyes widened.

Stealth Tigris’s claws struck Brawnz, forcing him to stagger back– but with the damage halved, the boy quite literally laughed it off.

?: 2100 LP -> 1000 LP

“...Now, come forth,” Brawnz extended his hand, beckoning forth a new creature from the shadows, “my ‘Grimm Creep’!”

A horrifying beast that appeared to be part bird, part reptile rose from the ooze, gnashing its teeth and lashing out with its tail. The bizarre beast had only 1000 Attack Points.

Blake just glared angrily as Stealth Tigris’s Attack Points returned to their normal 1600. She’d nearly had him, but Brawnz had managed to weasel his way out. This guy wasn’t going down easy… but neither was she. She put a hand to her jacket, where Yang’s card rested in her pocket.

“...Turn end.”

Turn 13: Brawnz (?) (1000 LP)

“My turn. Draw!” Brawnz gleefully drew his next card. “I shall activate the Spell Card ‘Dark Deal’, which allows me to remove from play five Dark Attribute monsters in my Graveyard, and in return, I can draw three cards!”

Five black orbs rose from the ground beneath Branwz, then vanished, removed from the game, and three new cards appeared in his hand. He fanned out the cards, looking them over, before declaring his next move.

“Ah, excellent,” Brawnz chuckled, selecting a card from his hand, “I’ll now activate ‘Grimm Creep’s’ effect– I can use it as two sacrifices in order to summon a Level 7 or higher ‘Grimm’ monster!”

The Creep sunk into the earth, becoming a pool of black tar that bubbled and began to expand, spreading out until it engulfed all of Brawnz’s field. The ground began to rumble as from the tar, a pair of large, pitch black wings erupted, like those of a gargantuan bird. Following it rose the rest of its body, as a giant, beastly raven rose up from the ooze, boasting 2400 Attack Points.

“Take flight on the wings of despair! Tribute Summon! Arise, ‘Grimm Nevermore’!” Brawnz cackled as the beast fully emerged, letting out a horrific screech. Blake had to cover her ears to shield them from the sound.

“Then, I’ll set one face down card, for good measure.” A face down appeared beneath the crow.

“And now… Destroy her ‘Stealth Tigris’!” Brawnz commanded.

With another earsplitting screech, the giant Nevermore surged upwards, flapping its massive wings before descending in a deadly dive straight for Stealth Tigris. Blake could only brace for impact as the oversized crow struck Stealth Tigris with its beak– Blake’s monster let out a scream as it was blown to bits.

“Augh!!” Blake screamed in pain, her left arm rapidly vanishing as her Life Points dropped.

B: 2300 LP -> 1500 LP

Damn it…! Blake grunted, grabbing her side in pain. Pull it together, Blake. You’ve been through worse.

“Ah, and now I shall use my ‘Nevermore’s’ dark power!” Brawnz said, stroking his chin. “When it destroys a monster by battle, I can add a Level 4 or lower ‘Grimm’ monster from my Deck to my hand!”

“Dammit,” Blake hissed, as a shadowy card took form in her enemy’s hand.

“I end my turn,” Brawnz said, grinning with delight at Blake’s anguish.

Turn 14: Blake (1500 LP)

“My turn. Draw!” Blake called out, looking desperately to her next card. As she did, her eyes lit up, and she smiled beneath her mask.

Finally. Time for a comeback.

“First, I summon ’Shadow Fang - Junkyard Lion’!” Blake called out, her monster loyally rising up beside her. A Beast Warrior girl with an angry expression and large mane of hair behind her, clad in armor made of scrap metal, car parts, and wielding a large metal bat as a weapon. She snarled, revealing her fangs along with her 1800 Attack Points.

“I activate ‘Junkyard Lion’s’ ability,” Blake said, reaching for her deck, “When she’s summoned, I can revive one of my ‘Shadow Fangs’ in Defense Position, with their ability negated. I choose Stealth Tigris!”

Stealth Tigris reappeared in a flash of light, retracting her massive claws and then crouching in Defense Position, unable to fight further.

“I have two Level 4 monsters on my side of the field,” Blake said, poised like a cat about to pounce upon its prey, “now I’ll show you what I’m really made of!”

Blake raised her Duel Disk, then grabbed the two monster cards, laying one atop the other. The wind began to blow, and white lightning shot out from her Duel Disk into her two monsters. Surrounded by electricity, Stealth Tigris and Junkyard Lion began to float into the air, then collided in a flash of light, merging into a single, powerful monster. The light turned red, forming a spiral in the air.

“I overlay my Level 4 ‘Stealth Tigris’ and Level 4 ‘Junkyard Lion’!” Blake called out, raising her hand upwards, beckoning forth her monster. “With these two monsters, I build the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!!”

Out of the portal, a shadow began to form. Black flames swirled amidst the red, and took on a human shape. A white mask formed over the figure’s face, pointing upwards into a pair of cat’s ears. Black hair flowed behind her in a ponytail, and black robes surrounded her body, with a black sash around her waist, tied in a large black bow behind her back. She drew a pair of katanas from her waist, one in each hand.

“From the shadows,

We’ll reclaim our destiny,

Unwanted by the world, we bare our fangs,

Descend now and strike back!

Shadow Fang - Black Cat Shinobi!”

Black Cat Shinobi descended, landing by Blake’s side, blades at the ready. Two white balls of light circled it, like a pair of stars in orbit, representing the two monsters whose power she now contained. Blake smirked beneath her mask. 

“Our counterattack begins now!”

-

Ruby and Weiss stood outside Professor Oobleck’s door, giving it a light but firm knock. Hopefully the awakening wouldn’t be too rude for him. To their surprise, the door quickly opened, and Professor Oobleck opened the door, a mug of hot coffee in his hand. He seemed unfazed by the two students coming to his room in the dead of night, simply adjusting his glasses and taking a sip.

“Students. It’s far too late for you to be up. What is the problem?” He asked, the same tone he kept in class. Was he always in ‘teacher mode’, or had he just been working since classes ended?

“...We… I…” Ruby stammered, trying rapidly to figure out how best to vocalize ‘my magical talking card told me my sister’s in trouble’ to her teacher.

“Ruby is worried about her sister,” Weiss cut in, clear and concise as ever, “she has reason to believe that she snuck out past curfew, and wanted you to notify campus security.”

Professor Oobleck took a sip from his mug, then nodded. “...I see. Your sister is in Ra Yellow, yes? I’ll give Professor Port a call. Thank you for reporting this to me. We shall handle it from here. Goodnight, students.”

With that, Professor Oobleck shut the door, and Ruby and Weiss glanced at each other.

“...There, all taken care of,” Weiss said, stretching her arms over her head, “now can we get back to sleep?”

Ruby smiled weakly. “Y-yeah. Thanks for the help, Weiss. I was really worried, but I feel a little better now.”

“...Don’t mention it.” Weiss said, glancing away. “I just couldn’t have you getting expelled from here. Before I beat you, I mean.”

Ruby giggled a bit. “Haha. Yeah.”

As the two headed back towards their dorm, ready to hit the hay, Ruby suddenly heard a sound from nearby– the familiar hum of Kuribokami, as it appeared beside her like a mirage.

“Ah!” Ruby blinked, looking at the white fuzzball in surprise. “Kuribokami…”

Weiss turned around, following Ruby’s gaze and finding only thin air. She frowned.

“...What is it now?”

“Kuribokami’s… trying to tell me something, I think?” Ruby said, following the monster as it began to move. It slowly started drifting away from the dorms, beckoning her to follow. Weiss quickly caught sight of Ruby’s jittering foot and anxious stare, and quickly rushed to intervene.

“Oh no you don’t!” Weiss quickly took hold of Ruby’s arm, making the girl jolt in surprise. “We. Are going. To bed!”

“B-but!” Ruby watched as Kuribokami floated towards the trees, beckoning her with hums and waves of its claws. “Wh-what if something’s wrong out there? I-I’ll be quick, I promise!”

“Ruby…!” Weiss frowned like a disapproving mother. 

“...” Ruby’s eyes flitted about, her foot jittering like a rabbit on a jackhammer. Finally, she closed her eyes and wrenched her arm out of Weiss’s grasp, then ran down the stairs!

“Ruby!” Weiss grunted, going after her.

“S-s-sorry!” Ruby cried, racing towards Kuribokami’s form in the distance. “S-something just tells me that this is important!”

Weiss balled her fists in frustration. Why was she like this!? She wanted to cry out, “fine, go get in trouble then, see if I care!” and yet… She found herself going after her, wincing and cringing as her exquisite silk slippers met the mud and dirt of the ground. Ugh, it was too late to care. Following Kuribokami’s trail, Ruby raced into the underbrush, with Weiss trailing behind her.

“...Weiss, you’re following me?” Ruby asked, over her shoulder.

“Someone has to save you from yourself, dolt.” Weiss snapped back, rolling her eyes.

Ruby just giggled. “...Thanks.”

“Shut up.”

–

Branwz smirked, then broke out into a hysterical laugh. “Your ‘counterattack’...? Ha! Is that the best you can do? Your monster doesn’t have enough strength to even scratch ‘Nevermore’!”

It was true; Black Cat Shinobi’s 2200 Attack Points weren’t enough to pose a threat against the Giant Nevermore’s 2400. And yet, Blake’s composure didn’t break, her yellow eyes betraying no emotion.

“Hmph,” Blake looked nonplussed, “didn’t anyone teach you not to judge a card by its points? ‘Black Cat Shinobi’ may not have much power, but don’t underestimate her. The cornered cat is the one that’s most dangerous.”

“Well then, any more pathetic moves?” Brawnz jabbed a finger at his opponent. “Or are you finally finished with your turn?”

“Not just yet,” Blake replied calmly, inserting a card into her Duel Disk, “I activate the Spell Card: ‘Hidden Fang’! This card allows me to send the top card from my deck, and if it’s a ‘Shadow Fang’ monster, I can Special Summon it… but if it’s not, then I take 500 points of damage.”

“Interesting!” Brawnz laughed. “Relying on luck to save you now!?”

“I make my own luck,” Blake shot back, placing her fingers on the top card of her deck. She would pull a Shadow Fang; she had to. If she could summon a Shadow Fang now, then Black Cat Shinobi’s power could activate. But if she couldn’t…

Force out thoughts of doubt. Hesitation won’t help you on the battlefield. Be quick, be ruthless.

She would. She would pull a Shadow Fang, here and now. She could feel it in the pit of her stomach as she drew the top card from her deck, and knew before she even flipped it over and saw the orange border of a monster card, and the name: “Shadow Fang - Kitten Cadet’. She smirked, and revealed it to Brawnz.

“...Like I said,” Blake grinned, “I make my own luck! Come out, ‘Shadow Fang - Kitten Cadet’!”

Out onto the field popped a diminutive girl in ninja garb, two cat ears poking out of her head, and whiskers across her face and a striped tail behind her. She placed her hands atop each other in a ninja-style pose, her fingers pointed up, and tried to look more intimidating than her small size and 500 Attack Points made her seem.

“Hmph. So what?” Brawnz shrugged. “Is that supposed to scare me?!”

“It should,” Blake said, eyes glinting, “because I detach one Xyz material to activate ‘Black Cat Shinobi’s’ special ability!”

Blake removed one card from beneath Black Cat Shinobi, and one of the glowing orbs circling the monster began to glow and enter her body, powering her up. The shinobi raised her swords, crossing them as a black aura began to surround her. Brawnz’s sneering grin broke and he took a step back, eyes narrowing. What was this power…?

“I’m afraid it’s over for your little birdie,” Blake said, tilting her head upwards confidently, “because ‘Black Cat Shinobi’ targets one Beast-Warrior on my side of the field, and one card on yours… and destroys them both!”

“N-no!!” Brawnz flinched, staggering back as he realized what was about to happen.

“I choose my ‘Kitten Cadet’, and your ‘Nevermore’!” Blake yelled out, raising her hand, “Black Death!!”

Kitten Cadet quickly burst into pieces, sacrificing itself, as Black Cat Shinobi then vanished into thin air. Brawnz’s eyes widened, darting around to try and locate her. But it was too late– Black Cat Shinobi was now high in the sky above the Grimm Nevermore, arms crossed and ready to strike. It hung above its target for a solid second, then in a flash, reappeared beneath it, swords extended. The Nevermore suddenly went stiff and still– before bursting into pieces, sliced into countless bits. All that remained was the echoing screech of despair the beast let out as it was expertly assassinated. The Black Cat Shinobi simply swiped her swords clean, then leapt back to Blake’s side, her duty completed.

“...Assassination complete.” Blake said, eyes burning.

“No! This can’t be…!” Brawnz gripped his head, his eyes twitching with frustration.

“Oh, you thought that was it? It’s not over; I still have my Battle Phase!” Blake said, raising her hand again. “Now that your overgrown chicken is six feet under, I think I’ll finally finish this game! ‘Black Cat Shinobi’, attack him directly!!”

At last, Black Cat Shinobi charged forth to deliver the finishing blow. In an instant she closed the distance to appear right in front of Brawnz, still clutching his head, as she raised her swords to finally end this grueling battle.

“No… Not yet… I will not lose here!!” Brawnz flipped his face down card and activated his trap. “I activate ‘Agony Scream’!! When my Life Points are below yours, I can pay 500 Life Points to destroy your attacking monster!”

“No!” Blake hissed, gritting her teeth. She was so close!

?: 1000 LP -> 500 LP

“Uraaaaaaahhhh!!!” Brawnz screamed as the Life Points were burned away from his body– and as he did, a wave of sound crashed into Black Cat Shinobi, blowing her back. Blake’s ninja flew away from her target, flung back as her body began to fizzle and break apart…

“Gahaha! Your monster is gone!”

Black Cat Shinobi began to crack apart, the sonic waves rending her body apart… Brawnz pumped his fist, panting as sweat poured down his brow. His scowl slowly turned back into a fierce, sadistic grin as he relished in Black Cat’s destruction. It was over now– Blake’s so-called ace monster was done for!!

Fwoosh!!

Just as it seemed she was about to be destroyed, Black Cat Shinobi’s form rapidly split in two, and a second Shinobi appeared beside her!

“What!?” Brawnz’s face fell in shock– Black Cat Shinobi should have been destroyed, but instead, she vanished into the shadows, leaving behind her doppelganger. The scream of agony, having lost its target, ended, and Black Cat’s clone landed safely beside Blake.

“...I warned you not to underestimate my ‘Shinobi’,” Blake said, a confident gleam in her eyes, “because now you’ve triggered her second ability! When ‘Black Cat Shinobi’ is targeted by an attack or card effect, I can remove her from play until the End Phase, and create a Clone Token in her place!”

The Clone Token knelt down into Defense Position. Though it was not nearly as strong as the original, with only 1000 Defense Points, it would protect her until the next turn. In response, Brawnz’s face contorted with rage, and he put a hand to his head, clutching it. Blake’s eyes narrowed. He looked like he was in pain… was the real Brawnz finally breaking out?

Meanwhile, Brawnz was without any monsters, hunched over and clutching his head. Blake’s stomach tightened into a knot as she felt a pang of guilt– the boy was likely struggling with whatever demon was inside him, and the fight was clearly tearing him apart. Should she go easier on him…?

Stow your thoughts of mercy. Victory is all that matters.

No, victory was everything here. If she backed down now, then Brawnz, Yang, everyone this dark being had taken would all be lost. Blake bit her lip and forced down her empathy, her eyes hardening with resolve.

Brawnz had still not drawn, clutching at his face and trembling violently. Blake could see his eyes flickering between the unnatural, sickly yellow, and his normal gray orbs. The boy suddenly doubled over, falling to his knees– the cards falling from his hand onto the floor as he placed both hands onto his head.

“Nrrghh… Gah…” Brawnz grunted, his eyes briefly returning to their natural color, “...H-help… get… out…!”

Blake’s eyes widened– the boy’s voice had changed. He was in there, fighting it!

“...Brawnz!” Blake called out, trying to help him fight back. “Fight it! You can break free!”

Brawnz continued to writhe and squirm, gritting his teeth as sweat ran down his brow. “...P-please… defeat… me…!”

But before Brawnz could continue any further, his body suddenly lurched backwards, and shadows began to surround his body. His eyes began to glow that sickly yellow, and Blake could only watch as something began to appear, rising from his body like black smoke, then slowly coalescing into a solid form.

“...Useless puppet…” A voice spoke, but it did not come from Brawnz– rather, it seemed to boom from near him, echoing and warping like no human voice could. Blake steeled herself, the hair on her skin standing on end– somehow, she knew that whatever this was, it had been the thing controlling Brawnz and stealing the other students.

Brawnz’s body hit the floor, his eyes rolling back in his head as he passed out. The shadows around him rose and took solid shape, and Blake slowly made out a pitch black shadow, like a man standing at the end of a dimly lit hall. Its limbs were inhumanly thin, skeletal, and ended in pointed claws. Where its face should be was a cold, white mask marked with red lines, with only a single, yellow eye in the center. It had no legs, its torso simply terminating into shadowy wisps where they should be, and black tendrils hung off its body like ribbons, flowing in the wind. Blake slowly realized that the being had all the hallmarks of the monsters that Brawnz had been playing. It was… a Grimm.

What the hell!? Blake had seen a lot of crazy things during her time in the Satellite… but nothing like this. She’d always heard stories of Shadow Games, but those were just kids stories and rumors… Or so she’d thought until now. But now she was standing face to face with something out of a nightmare… A Duel Monster come to life.

“...You are a resilient pest, mortal,” the Grimm spoke, “you have forced me to abandon my host. But now… you shall be crushed by the true power of the creatures of Grimm.”

“What the hell are you?” Blake demanded.

“A creature of Grimm: the Geist.” It answered, not a hint of emotion in its voice. Without a word, it raised its bony arm, which began to morph and warp until a long, segmented blade emerged from it– a Duel Disk of its own. The fallen cards Brawnz had dropped quickly floated up into the Geist’s hand, resuming the duel as if nothing had happened.

“...When this duel is concluded and your soul is forfeit,” the Geist continued calmly, “then your body shall make an adequate host, mortal.”

–

Ruby’s teeth chattered as she following Kuribokami deeper and deeper into the forest, following the faint light, while Weiss followed close behind, carefully stepping over the mud, bugs, and branches littered around her. She looked absolutely disgusted by this whole affair, her fluffy white slippers now soiled deeply by leaves and dirt, and the hem of her silk nightgown now black and brown.

“Where on earth are you going?” Weiss demanded, hugging herself for warmth.

“...I dunno,” Ruby replied, her silver eyes following Kuribokami, unseen to Weiss, “I’m just following Kuribokami.”

Weiss groaned. Well there it was– her roommate had snapped. Ruby had lost her mind, and they were wandering blind in the forest now after curfew– they were going to die, or worse; get expelled.

Why am I out here following this dolt? Somehow when it comes to her, I’m always doing things I regret…!

Before Weiss could start concocting a way to get Ruby back to their dorm (knowing this girl, a trail of cookies would probably work, she thought), she suddenly heard the snap of twigs and crunch of dirt coming from nearby, and jolted upright in fear. Oh no. Security! They were so dead. The image of Professor Goodwitch flashed through her mind and spurred her into action, as she reached out and grabbed Ruby by the scruff of her neck.

“Wah!” Ruby yelped as Weiss yanked her back, raising a finger over her mouth with a “shh!!”

“Someone’s coming!” Weiss whispered loudly, her face closer to Ruby’s than she’d intended. “We’re going back, now!”

“I-I can’t!” Ruby protested, keeping her voice down. “Kuribokami is trying to tell me something important! My sister–”

“We told Professor Oobleck already, and you’re clearly hallucinating!”

“I-I’m not! Can’t you see it??”

Weiss squinted. “See what? There’s nothing there, Ruby.”

Ruby looked between Weiss and the floating Kuribokami, who was continuing to beckon her. She blinked in surprise. Weiss couldn’t see it? Was she really hallucinating? She felt in her heart that something bad had happened to Yang, and it was buzzing in her head so much…

Weiss slowly turned Ruby to face her, staring her right in her silver eyes. “Look– whatever is wrong, security will handle it. Your sister will be fine. You’re tired and seeing things. Just come back with me before someone–”

“Before someone finds you?”

Weiss somehow got even paler, and the two girls slowly turned to the sound of footsteps, as a figure emerged through the trees. Shining in the dark were a pair of round glasses, followed by the familiar figure of Professor Oobleck, a flashlight in one hand and a thermos in the other. Weiss felt her soul escape her body as she slumped to the ground, tarnishing her precious nightgown further.

They were dead.

“P-p-professor, we– we’re– this is–” Weiss stuttered, 

“I-it was my fault!” Ruby suddenly interjected, raising her hand, “I-I brought Weiss out here, she just came to try and stop me.”

Oobleck took a long sip of his drink before responding. “...I had a feeling that the two of you might not have gone back to your dorm. The walls are thin in Slifer Dorms, so I could tell that you two had decided to continue out. And so I’ve come out here myself to ensure you both did not end up in any trouble.”

“...W-we’re extremely sorry,” Weiss said, lowering her head, “we’ll return to our dorm immediately!”

Oobleck then turned his flashlight onto Ruby, her face still looking uneasy. “...Might I ask where the two of you were headed, Ms. Rose?”

Ruby slowly looked towards Kuribokami, who was hovering near a pair of trees, just a few meters away. Slowly, she just raised her finger and pointed towards them. Oobleck followed with his flashlight, and in the distance, his light revealed the side of a chain link fence.

“...You were heading for the abandoned dorm?” Oobleck said, his eyes narrowing. 

“Abandoned dorm?” Ruby tilted her head. She looked to Weiss, who just shrugged, equally as lost.

“...The old Obelisk Blue dorm,” Oobleck explained, “which has been off limits since it was closed down years ago. It’s off-limits. Why were you heading there?”

“I-I was just…” Ruby bit her lip, struggling to come up with a way to say ‘I was just following my magical trading card’ without sounding completely insane. “Um. I got a bad feeling and was following my. My heart?”

“...” Oobleck’s gaze seemed to harden as he looked towards the abandoned dorm. He seemed to be thinking hard, before turning back to Ruby. “...Well, with my presence, you may continue.”

Ruby’s eyes lit up. “R-really?”

Weiss’s face fell. “R-really!?”

“...Stay close, and don’t go out of my sight,” Oobleck warned, “but yes, I’ll allow you to keep going.”

Ruby beamed, then looked back towards Kuribokami. “O-okay, I think we should… keep going that way.”

Oobleck nodded. “Very well. If my hunch is correct, Ms. Rose… you may well be onto something here. I simply hope your intuition is wrong…”

-

“...Glad you finally decided to show your ugly face,” Blake quipped, “now I can make you pay for what you did to them.”

“You shall fail,” the Geist said back coldly, as if it were a simple statement of fact, “and your body shall be used to capture more souls. Darkness shall fall upon this land, and the Grimm shall rise once more.”

“Big talk for a floating skeleton with only 500 Life Points,” Blake retorted, folding what was left of her arms.

“The game is not over yet,” the Geist spoke, “and the Grimm are not finished. Behold.”

Suddenly, the Geist held up a card from its hand– another Grimm monster.

“When ‘Grimm Nevermore’s’ effect activated, this card was added to the hand,” spoke the Geist, “and when Life Points were lost, its effect was activated. Come forth. ‘Grimm Harpy’.”

A small, black feathered beast flew onto the field, talons flashing and swiping through the air. It let out a fierce, avian screech as it landed. The creature was small, with only 800 Attack Points, but Blake suspected there was more to this move than it appeared.

“...I end my turn,” Blake said, “and return ‘Black Cat Shinobi’ to my field.”

Blake returned the card to her field, and a pair of eyes glinted from the shadows behind her. Black Cat Shinobi returned to the field, standing beside Blake. However, due to being removed from the field, she had lost her remaining Xyz Material, meaning her Black Death ability could not activate again.

Turn 15: Geist (500 LP)

“Draw.” The Geist added a new card to its hand, its single eye scanning over its hand.

“Now, come forth: ‘Grimm Geist’.”

Blake gasped in surprise as the Geist held up its own monster card, summoning itself to the field. The tattered shadow appeared out of the card, a second Geist now floating ominous beside it with zero Attack Points.

“Now, the time for destruction has come,” spoke the Geist, picking up the two monster cards in its claws– Blake’s eyes widened with shock as she recognized the technique. No, it couldn’t be!

“The Level 3 ‘Grimm Geist’ and Level 3 ‘Grimm Harpy’ shall be overlaid…” announced the Geist, “ ...With these two monsters, the Overlay Network is built.”

Blake gasped involuntarily. It was going to Xyz Summon!

Electricity filled the air as the wind began to swirl, and a red portal flickered open and grew behind the Geist. The two monsters were pulled into the vortex, becoming a pair of shining stars orbiting the new monster.

“Formless shadow now encased in stone,

Rise and lay waste to humanity.

Bring forth the titan;

Grimm Petra Gigas!”

Light erupted from the vortex as the Geist’s new monster emerged: a colossus made of stone and rock. Gray boulders formed its torso, while crude rock limbs floated around it. Red cracks surged through the rocks that made up its body like veins, faintly glowing with energy. In the center of its torso emerged the familiar white mask of the Geist, its sickly yellow eye staring at Blake menacingly.

“Tch…” Blake said, staring up at the Petra Gigas, forcing herself not to show any fear. Its 2500 Attack Points were enough to squash Black Cat Shinobi underfoot– but she wasn’t going to fret just yet. She had both her Shinobi and its Clone Token to protect her. If she could attach a new Xyz Material to Black Cat Shinobi, then she could use Black Death to eliminate it!

“Petra Gigas detaches one Xyz Material to activate its ability,” said the Geist, removing one card from under Petra Gigas, “it destroys one Defense Position monster on the opponent’s field, and then deals damage equal to its Defense Points to their Life Points.”

Blake’s eyes widened– Shit! She could only brace for impact as the Petra Gigas raised its massive arm to strike. One of the Xyz Materials floating around the Gigas vanished, as a red aura surrounded the monster’s stone slab of an arm, empowering it. 

The Geist raised its clawed hand. “Obliterate the Clone Token.”

With a mighty swing, the Gigas brought its arm down upon the Shinobi’s clone, crushing it. Rock and dust burst up and a shockwave erupted from the point of impact. Blake held out for a few seconds– but she was quickly blown head over heels by the attack, her Life Points sinking rapidly along with her.

“Aaaaaaaaaugh!!”

B: 1500 LP -> 500 LP

The dust cleared, and Blake felt more of her body erased as she struggled to get to her feet. Once more, she was hanging on by a thread, her legs, arms, even part of her head, all vanishing. She reached up and found thin air where her right eye used to be. She could feel it, her body fading away…

“It is time for battle.” said the Geist coldly. Slowly, both it and its monster turned their gaze onto Blake, who was still struggling to get to her feet, panting and sweating as she forced herself to rise up.

“‘Petra Gigas’ shall attack ‘Black Cat Shinobi’,” said the Geist.

Shit. If I activate Black Cat Shinobi’s effect, then it’ll create a Clone Token– and then Petra Gigas can simply destroy it and finish me off with its effect! There was only one option. She clenched her jaw and shut her eyes, and braced for impact.

The Gigas raised its arm again, and Black Cat Shinobi crossed her swords. The warrior steeled herself, then lunged at the Gigas in a final attack. The fist of rock dropped down, and the Shinobi’s blades swung to meet it. The steel blades screamed out as they scraped against the stone arm, as Black Cat Shinobi struggled with all her might to overcome the attack. But with only 2200 Attack Points against the Gigas’s 2500, the struggle was futile. Bit by bit, the Petra Gigas forced her down, until she was pressed beneath the rock and the ground. With one final shove, the Petra Gigas pressed its arm down, and shattered Black Cat Shinobi to pieces.

B: 500 LP -> 200 LP

“Auuuughhh!!!” Blake let out a pained scream as the rest of her body all but vanished. She was practically transparent now, and she could feel her very soul slipping away. In one more attack… Blake would be done for.

“Surrender now, mortal,” the Geist said, “you need not struggle. There is great fear, hatred, and anger inside you. Surrender now, and you shall receive the power of the Grimm.”

“...Shut the hell up…” Blake muttered, slowly picking herself off the ground, “like hell I’ll join you…”

“You cannot overcome the Grimm,” the monotone voice went on, “the result shall be the same either way. Turn end.”

Turn 16: Blake (100 LP)

“D-draw…” Blake muttered, slowly pulling a card from her deck. As she looked over the card, her vision growing blurry, she felt her composure breaking, her confidence waning. Her hand began to tremble against her will– she tried to force it to be steady, but her body betrayed her.

Her Shinobi was gone. She had no monsters left on her field. Her deck, milled through the use of her card effects, was already more than half gone. Only three cards remained in her hand. Though she kept repeating to herself that she’d gone through worse, faced tougher foes, she knew in her heart that she’d never faced anything like this.

She’d thought life in the Satellite had prepared her for any challenge, any hardship… But this was a whole new threat. This power, this darkness… She swore she could feel her very soul being sucked away by this duel. She was able to take on cocky, arrogant, fierce duelists, but this… thing had no such emotions to exploit, no room for mercy or weakness. She was nearing the end of her rope.

Adam… What do I do!?

When all was lost… what would Adam say?

…Well. Looks like you were too weak, in the end.

Only the strong survive, Blake.

Blake panted, clutching what was left of her chest, sweat pouring down her head as she struggled to keep herself upright. She wracked her memories for the past, for something, anything, that could help her survive. Her confidence was waning fast, fear creeping into her heart… Was this all a huge mistake? Had she come this far, only to fall now!? She should have never come to this place… She should have stayed in the Satellite, where she belonged–

Fwip.

The faint noise made her eyes slowly open, and through blurred vision, she noticed something on the floor. Blake blinked, before making out a card laying beneath her– then slowly recognized the face of Yang Xiao Long within it.

Y-you again…

The card must have fallen from her jacket. But she slowly picked it up, remembering the girl’s gutsy move. When all had seemed lost, that girl put everything on the line to destroy the Leviathan, and give Blake a chance to win.

“...Got it… now finish it off… partner…”

‘Partner’… That’s right. She wasn’t alone in this fight. Yang had given everything for this match, to save her, to save all of them… If she could do it…

…Then so can I.

Her hand steadied. She wouldn’t let Yang down. There was still a move she could make.

“...I won’t give in. Yang gave it her all… and I will too!!” Blake’s eyes glinted ferociously as she raised a card to the sky, then placed it down on her Duel Disk.

“I summon ‘Cursed Nekomata’ in Attack Position!” Blake cried.

A ball of orange flame appeared on the field, which quickly morphed into the shape of a twin tailed cat, with glinting yellow eyes and 500 Attack Points.

“While ‘Nekomata’ is on the field, each time I send a card from my Deck to the Graveyard, I send an extra card, but I can also draw one card,” Blake explained, before picking out another card from her hand and flashing it towards her enemy.

“Next, I activate ‘Scavenger’s Reward!’ Blake cried, holding the card out, “I send two cards from the top of my deck to the Graveyard, and then I can add a Trap Card from my Graveyard to my hand!”

Her deck was whittled down to very few cards, and Blake reduced it further by sending two more cards to the Graveyard– then one more, due to the effect of Cursed Nekomata. Then she retrieved a Trap Card from the Graveyard, and quickly set it on the field. The trap was now set.

“Due to ‘Nekomata’s’ effect, I now draw a card!” Blake said, doing so. She held the card to her face, squinting, then added it to her hand. No, not the one she needed. Not yet. So it was time to go further.

“...Then I activate ‘Heavy Star Toll’,” Blake continued, playing another Spell Card, “which allows me to select a monster on the field, and then we both send cards from our deck to the Graveyard, equal to the number of Levels or Rank it has!”

Blake lifted her finger, and pointed dramatically at the towering Petra Gigas.

“...I select your Rank 3 ‘Petra Gigas’!” Blake declared, then quickly reduced her deck. Three more cards, straight to the Graveyard. Glancing at her deck, she saw only a few cards left– but that was fine. In there had to be the one she needed, and it was time to put her all into it.

The Geist did likewise, its eye staring back, unconcerned by this. “...What is the meaning of this…”

“And thanks to ‘Cursed Nekomata’,” Blake went on, ignoring the Geist’s question, “I discard one extra, and draw one!” 

Blake put her hand to the remnants of her deck, now only a few cards thick. She closed her eyes.

Give it your all, Blake.

With a swipe of her hand, she drew the card, then opened her eyes.

…I got it.

“...Now…” Blake’s confidence returned as she raised her head, staring unflinchingly into the cold gaze of the Geist, “...let’s really finish this, once and for all! I activate ‘Junkyard Revolution’!!”

Blake lifted her new card aloft as it surged with light, shining like a beacon through the darkness. The Geist flinched, raising its bony arm to try and shield itself, as the ground began to shake with energy. Blake’s eyes smiled gleefully as she watched it cower.

“When the cards in my Graveyard outnumber the cards in my deck,” Blake explained, as light began to shine from within her Duel Disk, “I can revive one monster in my Graveyard, and then, shuffle all the cards I’ve lost back into my deck! And I choose… ‘Black Cat Shinobi’!!”

Blake’s Duel Disk shone with bright yellow light, then out burst a flurry of cards, flying through the air and circling Blake, before shooting right back into her deck. Then, a circle opened up on the ground, and a pair of white eyes gleamed from inside. Rising back from the Graveyard, Black Cat Shinobi flew into the air and landed by Blake’s side, drawing her swords once more.

“Inadequate,” the Geist noted, “this lacks both the power and effect to destroy ‘Petra Gigas’.”

Blake simply shook her head. “That’s where you’re wrong. Trap, activate!”

She swung her arm and unveiled the Trap Card she’d set beforehand. “I activate ‘Shadow Trick’! I target your Xyz Monster and remove one of its Xyz Material, then attach it to my Black Cat Shinobi!”

A black chain shot out of the card, speeding directly towards the Petra Gigas– it sped forward before snaring the floating spheres orbiting the monster, then began to retract, pulling it back and into Black Cat Shinobi!

“...Unexpected,” was all the Geist said, its voice void of emotion.

“...And now,” Blake said, raising her open hand, “I detach that material to activate ‘Black Cat Shinobi’s’ special effect! She targets your monster and one of my Beast-Warriors and eliminates them both.”

“...This is … dangerous…” the Geist began to shudder, seemingly as close to fear as it could muster. “...Could this be… defeat…?”

“It is,” Blake answered, raising her hand, “‘Black Cat Shinobi’, I target you and ‘Petra Gigas’! Black Death!!”

Crossing her blades with a nod, Black Cat Shinobi sprung into action. The material orbiting her quickly flew into her body, granting her a surge of power. She shot forward, a blur of black and white, charging onto the Petra Gigas. With a single, swift move, the Shinobi raised both her swords, then plunged them down directly into the Gigas’s mask, piercing it– the two hung motionless for a moment, before shadows engulfed the two monsters, obliterating them.

“...N-n-no… i-i-impossible…” the Geist’s voice began to distort and crackle.

“...And now, for the coup de grace,” Blake said, putting a hand to her chest. She looked dead in the Geist’s eye.

“This,” she said, “is for May. For Roy. For Nolan. For Brawnz. And… for Yang Xiaolong! Nekomata! End this! Attack directly!”

With a yowl, the Nekomata sprung forward, claws bared, and dug them deep into the Geist’s chest, ripping through it– and dealing the finishing blow of the duel, at long, long last.

G: 500 LP -> 0 LP

VICTOR:

BLAKE

“...Game, set, and match.” Blake said, breathing a heavy sigh of relief as the shadows began to melt around her, and slowly, she felt her body returned. She flexed her fingers and arms, patting herself down, her body intact.

The Geist let loose a howl of agony as it fell to the ground, dissolving into a pile of black goo. The spirit tried desperately to reform, but the consequences of the Shadow Game were absolute. Slowly, it was sucked back from whence it came.

“This… is not over…” It hissed, “...the Grimm… shall rise… this place… shall burn… Ha ha… Hahahaha…!”

With a final, chilling laugh, the Geist finally vanished, its last taunt echoing around the walls of the abandoned dorm.

“...Not if I have anything to say about it.” Blake muttered.

Slowly, the world began to resume, the unholy haze that had surrounded the dorm rapidly giving way to the glow of natural moonlight. Where the Geist had floated, three cards now remained, and began to shine with a pure, golden light. Blake looked down to see the same light shining from within her jacket, and pulled out Yang’s card as well. Blake shielded her eyes as the cards burst into a flash of light, and she felt a body’s weight in her arms. When she opened her eyes, she found herself holding Yang in her arms.

Nearby, the other students were lying on the ground, the sound of their weak groans and pained grunts confirming that they were alive; horribly traumatized, but alive. May, Roy, and Nolan all slowly came to, finally free of the shadowy prison they’d been captured in.

“...Gah…” May gasped, her eye shooting open as simultaneous relief and pain hit her body. “...Ouughh… Ow. Ow ow owww…”

“...M… May? Roy?”

“...Yeah… are we… back?”

“You’re back,” Blake said softly, nodding to the rescued kids, “don’t worry. It’s over.”

Meanwhile, Yang began to stir in Blake’s arms, her eyes fluttering open and meeting Blake’s golden orbs. Yang stared up, eyes half open, her mind slowly processing what had just happened. She was dueling… yes, she’d been in a duel, and she’d just done something really cool… and now she was in the arms of a really cool, hot girl, staring down back at her. 

“Yang?” Blake asked softly.

Yang’s eyes slowly widened as the memories came back, and her eyes focused on Blake, looking down gently in the pale moonlight– and maybe it was just the adrenaline rush, or the relief of surviving a deadly duel… but in that moment, Blake’s kind, golden eyes were probably the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen in her life. It was like the proud, powerful girl had become putty, and she was content to lay here, feeling so warm and safe, in the arms of this girl she’d put her faith and trust in…

Oh no. Yang thought, her face slowly turning deep red. Oh noooooo.

“...Are you okay, Yang?” Blake asked, concern shining through her eyes. “You look a bit red…”

“...Y-yeah, I’m– I’m great! Good! Excellent!” Yang said, trying to shrink back inside herself and pray that Blake didn’t realize that she was suffering for an entirely new reason. Luckily, Brawnz and his friends were quick to interrupt with their horror at the situation.

“Wh-what the hell WAS that? Was it a dream? Please say it was a dream…”

Brawnz looked at the floor, staring at his hands. “I-I was dueling… but it wasn’t me… something was… controlling me…”

Blake finally released Yang, then rose to her feet. “...Let’s just get back to our dorms. Security’s been looking all over for the four of you. You guys have been through a lot. Let’s just get out of here before–”

It was at that moment that a bright light flashed into the dorm, and all inside jolted up in shock. The students turned to the doorway to see three figures– Oobleck, Ruby, and Weiss, all staring in disbelief at the gathered crowd. Ruby laid eyes on her sister, then quickly broke the silence.

“YANG!” She cried, barreling towards her– the poor girl barely had time to react before Ruby plowed into her, knocking the wind out of her with a tackle-hug.

“G-gough,” Yang grunted, her eyes bulging as she tried to not keel over. Slowly her arms returned the hug, patting Ruby on the back. “R-Ruby… h-how did you…?”

“K-Kuribokami told me! I knew you were in some sort of trouble!!” Ruby cried, feeling simultaneously vindicated and relieved.

“A-aren’t you guys…” Weiss’s eyes were bulging out of their sockets, “th-the missing students?”

Oobleck took a sip from his thermos, scanning the situation. “...It seems… that we’ve got a lot to catch up on here.”

“...A-are…” Yang gulped, smiling sheepishly at Oobleck, “...are we in trouble?”

Oobleck took a long sip of his thermos before answering.

“...Big time.”

–

“Demotion, effective immediately,” Professor Goodwitch said, a frown deeper than the bottom of the sea across her face as she snapped her baton on the desk in front of Blake and Yang. The two girls flinched and shared a painful glance as they looked up at their fuming Professor. “And that is just for starters. The two of you will be working extra for the rest of this semester, until such time as I deem fit. Count yourselves lucky, because were it not for Headmaster Ozpin, I would have had you both expelled on the spot for your reckless violation of school rules.”

Blake and Yang both grimaced, but neither could complain. They were just happy to have gotten out of that duel with their souls intact. So they just sat there and nodded with a “yes, ma’am”.

“...Of all the foolish, idiotic…” Goodwitch put a hand to her temple, rubbing it furiously, “do students these days not understand what rules are? Or do they think they simply don’t apply to them? We had an emergency situation on the campus, and you two not only broke curfew, but proceeded to go to an off-limits area!”

Goodwitch put her hands together, taking a deep breath, before continuing. “...And you wound up in an unbelievably dangerous situation as a result. The abandoned dorm was shut down for a very good reason. That… thing you encountered there…”

Goodwitch’s face fell, and she shook her head, as if to ward off a painful memory. “...It should never have been awakened.”

Blake bit her lip, then hazarded a question. “...Did you… Did the Academy… know about that… ‘Grimm’ thing in the dorm?”

“...Not specifically,” Goodwitch answered, “but the incident that had caused the dorm to be shut down involved several students going missing. As you learned today, you two, there are… darker forces in this world than most people know of. To them, Duel Monsters is not just a game– it is a weapon. And had you lost that game, all of you students… would have been lost.”

Glynda’s face softened, and she let out a sigh. “...Do not get me wrong. The two of you did well. You saved those foolish students who would have remained missing had you both not intervened. But the darkness in this world is something no student should have to face. Please– do not endanger yourselves further. Should you experience something like this ever again… Call me at once. It is my job to protect you students, after all. Understood?”

Blake and Yang nodded, and Glynda relaxed a bit. “...Good. Now… Go to your dorms and get some rest. This night has gone on too long. And in the morning… be sure to report to Slifer Red dorms, where you’ll both be staying from now on.”

Blake winced and Yang gave a weary smile. “Hey, it’s better than expulsion!”

–

“This. Is. AWESOME!” Ruby cheered, wrapping her arms around Yang as she dragged her suitcase up to the creaky doors of Slifer Dorm. 

It was a new day now, and the sun was shining bright after the long nightmare, and both Yang and Blake had never been so happy to see a new day. Though neither had gotten much sleep after their exhausting night, and neither were particularly excited to move from the cushy Ra Yellow and luxurious Obelisk Blue dorms, into the dinky, run down toolshed that was Slifer Red.

But Yang was happy to see her sister at least, and gave a smile as she hugged her back. “You know, I’m fine with this– I was getting kinda bored without you running around building things at 3 AM, after all.”

Ruby beamed, tugging on Yang’s arm. “Ooh, let me show you around! We’ve got a kitchen and sometimes hot water! And the best thing is, the walls are thin, so we can just talk to each other without leaving our rooms!”

“G-great…” Yang winced a bit. How bad could the dorm be…?

Blake looked less enthused, tugging at the collar of her new Slifer Red uniform. She’d managed to compromise and have black trim added to hers, allowing her to keep a bit of her own flare. Still, she coudn’t help but crack a small smile at the two siblings, as Ruby toured Yang around excitedly and the blonde girl tried to hide her horror at the living quarters.

Ruby Rose and Yang Xiaolong… Blake thought to herself. Well, I could have worse company here.

As if on cue, Weiss Schnee suddenly burst out of her room, looking haughty as ever, arms folded and glaring at Ruby. 

“Ruby! Why is my coffee maker spitting out trading cards!?”

“It’s okay! It’s supposed to do that! I reprogrammed it!!”

“Reprogram it BACK!! I need my morning coffee, you dolt!! And the alarm clock– why is it demanding that I duel it to turn off the alarm!?”

“It’s a new training technique I devised to…”

Blake let out a sigh as she dragged her luggage up to her new dorm. She quickly shut the door behind her, left her suitcase on the floor, then, making sure no one was around… She slowly pulled out her phone, activating the scanner within. She stared at it for a moment, watching the map of the island turn as a large red dot weakly pulsated around it.

Last night was a bust, I’ve been demoted from Obelisk, and there’s terrifying shadowy ghosts lurking on this island… She thought wearily, flopping down on her bed. 

But it’s gotta be here somewhere… Right, Adam?

–

Professor Oobleck stepped through the doors of the elevator, into the large, impressive office of Headmaster Ozpin. The Headmaster himself turned in his chair, nodding with acknowledgement as Oobleck approached. The two wordlessly exchanged a glance, and Oobleck reached into his pocket, before producing a card and placing it before Ozpin. 

The Grimm Geist.

Ozpin let out a heavy sigh, closing his eyes. “...So… it has begun.”

“It would appear you were right, Headmaster.”

Ozpin interlocked his fingers in front of his face, his gaze locked on the card.

“...Then things are only going to get worse from here on out.”

CHAPTER 6

END

CARD FEATURE CORNER:

"BLACK CAT SHINOBI"

"Blake's ace monster, a noble shinobi able to evade destruction and leave a useful clone

in her place. Blake's signature 'Shadow Fang' monsters allowed her to crush

any opponent in the Satellite."

Chapter Text

It was a beautiful day in Atlas City, where pure white skyscrapers pierced the sky, gilded shops lined the streets, and the wealthy elite walked the streets with their stylish sunglasses and 400 dollar purses. It was a beautiful city, in the same way as a butterfly pinned and preserved beneath glass.

From atop a balcony a young man sat, sipping from only the finest brand of sparkling water as he gazed out across the city. His eyes did not fall upon the many ostentatious advertisements or stark white architecture of the city– rather, they fell upon the horizon, far in the distance, where a small dot of an island was barely visible off the sea.

“Master,” a voice cut in, “the helicopter is ready.”

A smirk passed across the boy’s face. “Excellent.”

With that, he set down his drink, sparing one last glance towards the island in the distance, before heading to the chopper. Atop the giant skyscraper, he entered the private copter, and as it took off, he remarked to himself:

“Let’s see what you’ve got, Duel Academy.”

-

“Ridiculous,” Weiss muttered, rolling her eyes, “you expect us to believe that an ‘evil monster spirit’ haunting the old dorm was responsible for the disappearances?”

The trio of Ruby, Yang, and Blake all sat in a circle in the Slifer Red Dorm, while Weiss sat at the desk as usual, staring into the mirror as she applied her makeup. Yang and Blake exchanged a wordless glance before looking back at Ruby. Officially, the missing kids had gotten trapped in the abandoned dorm after sneaking in, the faulty building having collapsed and barred their escape, until Yang and Blake had come across them and rescued them heroically. Not quite a perfect story, but Goodwitch had assured the students that this was a simple matter of campus safety, and few dared to question her.

“Weiss,” Ruby frowned at her roommate, “we were there, remember?”

“I remember seeing the missing kids along with those two,” Weiss replied, “but nothing about a spooky dueling ghost.”

“Why would they make this up?” Ruby protested, leaning over towards the heiress, “Yang has nothing to hide from me, and Blake is, like, super cool!”

“Y-yeah,” Yang said, her eyes quickly darting from Blake to the opposite wall, “look, Ruby, don’t worry– I don’t particularly care about convincing the Ice Queen about this.”

“Agreed,” Blake said, spotting Weiss’s frown in the mirror, “what I’m more curious about, Ruby… is how you knew to find us. Neither myself nor your sister said anything to anyone about where we were.”

“...” Ruby’s hand went to the deck holstered on her hip. “...Normally, I would just say it was a lucky guess, but… considering what you guys had been dealing with, I guess it won’t be too far-fetched to say.”

Slowly, Ruby took out her cards and drew her trusty “Kuribokami” card, holding it out. “This guy… I… woke up suddenly, and had a feeling that Yang was in trouble. Then, I saw ‘Kuribokami’... but not as a hologram. It was more like… a ghost?”

“More like a delusion,” Weiss cut in, not taking her eyes off her mirror, “because I saw nothing of the sort.”

“It wasn’t a delusion!” Ruby pouted, folding her arms. “After all, it took me right to you two! How do you explain that, Weiss?”

Weiss grimaced, but just shook her head. “...I just know that I don’t buy anything about this. There’s a logical explanation somehow.”

Yang’s eyes widened. “Wait, you’ve been… seeing the monsters again?”

Ruby blinked, staring at Yang quizzically and tilting her head. “...’again’? What do you mean?”

The other two girls also looked to Yang, who had put her hand to her chin in thought. Even Weiss, who was trying her hardest to feign disinterest, glanced over from the corner of her eye.

“...Ah, you were pretty young, so you probably don’t remember,” Yang muttered, “but… when you were little, you claimed to ‘see’ the monsters and that they were your friend. Dad and I both thought you just had a bunch of imaginary friends, so we didn’t think anything of it, and eventually, you grew out of it. But…”

Ruby scratched her head, eyes towards the ceiling as she tried to remember. It was fuzzy, but… that did ring a bell. She could faintly remember the images of her monsters, floating around her as a child, but she’d always presumed they were holograms. Right? The rose-haired girl stared back down at the Kuribokami card. As if to assuage her, she heard a faint “hmm” echo, ringing clearly in her head.

“So you have a history of hallucination,” Weiss muttered as she applied her mascara, “which is a perfectly logical explanation for what happened last night.”

Blake’s eyes narrowed at Weiss. “Admittedly, I would also think such things– had I not just dueled for my life against an evil monster spirit. That was no hallucination. I could feel it, during that duel– parts of my body were eroded away, and it felt like… like my very soul was being sucked away with each attack. And Yang even–”

“--pulled off some sick moves, yeah!” Yang suddenly cut her off, giving Blake a quick look, imploring her to go along. Blake quickly realized that Yang probably didn’t want her sister hearing about how she’d nearly lost her soul during the battle, and returned the look before continuing.

“...Well, you managed to impress me, I’ll give you that.” Blake finished.

Yang smiled softly in thanks, then turned back to Ruby. “...At any rate, the important thing is… there could be something dangerous on this island. We felt it, firsthand, and the teachers… they know too. She didn’t say anything, but I could tell that Goodwitch knows what’s up.”

Ruby tilted her head. “...Can we… like, trust them?”

“...I think so,” Blake replied, “they did try to keep us from heading to the dorm, and though she’s harsh, Professor Goodwitch is trying her hardest to keep us safe.”

“I almost felt bad for her,” Yang smirked, “and we were lucky to get off as lightly as we did.”

Weiss scoffed. “You won’t be saying that after a few weeks here. This place is an absolute dump.”

Blake shot her a glance, her yellow eyes tinged with anger. “Sorry, Princess. My heart breaks for you, truly.”

Weiss’s head snapped away from the mirror, eyes narrowed. “Weren’t you an Obelisk Blue? Tell me you wouldn’t rather be in some proper dorms instead of this garden shed.”

“Most people can’t afford the luxury of living in ‘proper dorms’,” Blake retorted, folding her arms, “at least here, I’m not surrounded by snotty trust fund brats who got into the Academy because of their prestigious name.”

Weiss’s eyes mirrored Blake’s anger. “What are you implying? Because with my ‘prestigious name’, I could have gone to the highest-class academies in the world in Atlas City– but I got in here through skill, and skill alone.”

“Really?” Blake’s eyebrow raised, and she slowly rose to her feet, fingers going to her deck. “Why don’t we see for ourselves, then?”

Weiss stood up as well, though not gaining much height, and put her hand to her own cards, glaring daggers at Blake. “Gladly. Let’s see which one of us truly deserves that Obelisk Blue uniform.”

“A duel!?” Ruby gasped, her eyes lighting up. “Ooh! I wanna see!!”

“Hold up,” Yang interjected, spreading her arms between the two girls, “as much as I love a good old-fashioned catfight, we do have class in about five minutes. Why don’t you two save it for later?”

Blake and Weiss both turned in unison to the clock, and then to each other.

“...Fine, I’ll be ready when you are.” Weiss said.

“Anytime, Schnee.” Blake agreed, nodding.

The two turned away, and the four girls grabbed their bags and straightened out their uniforms. As their respective roommates left the dorms, Yang turned back to Ruby, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“...Listen, Ruby…” Yang said, “...if you see anything weird going on, tell me right away. If there’s anything else like what we fought last night on this island, then we need to let the teachers handle it.”

“...Are you sure?” Ruby tilted her head, “I think I could take a duel ghost…”

“Trust me, Ruby,” Yang shook her head, a serious expression hardening her face, “I got lucky. If Blake hadn’t been there… Just… Tell me, tell a teacher, don’t get involved, got it? I know you’re strong– but we’re here to learn, not to fight. Promise me you won’t do what I did, okay?”

“...Okay.” Ruby nodded. “I promise.”

“Good.” Yang pulled her sister into a tight hug, then let her go, patting her back as she ushered her out the door. 

“...So,” Ruby said as they were halfway towards their class, “...are you into Blake?”

“...Shut up.”

-

“Good morning, class!” 

The booming voice of the Professor rang out as his students shuffled into Duel Engineering. Ruby was first to her seat, practically flying into her swiveling chair, with Velvet arriving at a close second at the workbench beside her. Unlike most of the Academy’s classrooms, Duel Engineering took place in a large workshop-like classroom. Each desk had a work station with tools and a computer, and the works of previous students were hung upon the wall; custom-built Duel Disks, hologram projectors, and framed artwork of cards designed by alumni, some of which Ruby recognized as now official cards. 

At the head of the class stood Professor Ambrosius, a tall, well-built man with his light blue hair cut short, save for the long ponytail down his back. He wore a friendly grin on his face and his Blue uniform over his shoulders, like a cape, with a sleeveless black shirt underneath, exposing his muscular arms. Ruby liked the Professor– he encouraged creativity, and was quite lax on the rules. He’d been very impressed by her Crescent Rose, and had personally given approval for Ruby to use it in the Academy.

A chorus of weary ‘morning’s rang out in return to Ambrosius’s greeting. Not everyone in class was as enthusiastic as Ruby. The bell rang out shortly after, and Ambrosius quickly started handing out papers.

“Here’s the grades for your last quiz,” Ambrosius said as he went about the room; as he got to Ruby and Velvet, he gave an approving smile as he handed them their tests: perfect scores. Ruby grinned proudly, while Velvet twirled her hair bashfully.

“Now, today’s a free lab day,” Professor Ambrosius announced, “so you’re all free to work on your personal projects. I’ll be examining your progress, so make sure you’ve got something to show me.”

Ruby’s leg vibrated excitedly; free lab was her favorite. She’d been tinkering with Crescent Rose endlessly, but along with that, she had at least four other side projects that she’d started when inspiration struck. She’d be tinkering with Crescent Rose only for an idea to strike her, and then she’d rush to the supply closet for parts. Now about three half-finished Duel Disks sat at her workbench, all in various states of completion, and her computer monitor had at least seven tabs open for all of them.

Meanwhile, Velvet’s workbench was covered in Duel Monsters cards, sketches, scratched out ideas, and lots of art supplies. She had numerous ideas half-drawn or scribbled out, and the successful ones pinned up on her wall, being meticulously sketched, inked, then colored in. On the desk in front of her were three half-finished cards, waiting to be completed.

Ambrosius walked around the room, arms behind his back, going from bench to bench to examine the progress of his students. He would look over their project, discuss for a few minutes, give a nod of approval or a thumbs up, then move to the next. He made his way through the room, smiling at the creativity on display, then found his way to Velvet and Ruby’s station.

“Alright, let’s see your progress, creators!” Ambrosius said proudly, hands on his hips, “Ruby, let’s start with you. How’s Crescent Rose doing?”

“She’s doing well, I’ve outfitted her with a few new apps and fixed a few bugs in the deployment system,” Ruby said proudly, then reached for another Duel Disk nearby, “but what I’ve been working on lately is my new friend here: the Donut Disk!!”

Ruby held out a Duel Disk, round and circular, colored light brown with pink trim, looking like a delicious glazed donut. Glowing “sprinkles” flashed in red, blue and yellow along the edge of the disk, and the card slots were placed in a circle around the main deck, which was stored in the “hole” of the donut.

Ambrosius let out a booming chuckle. “How fun! Very creative, Ruby.”

Ruby beamed, scratching her neck. “It’s not finished yet– I still have to put in the programming and finish the deployment system. Oh, but this one…!”

Ambrosius had barely picked up the Donut Disk before Ruby shoved another work in progress into his face.

“I started this one last night– it’s called the ‘Dive Disk’, and it’s built to function underwater! I came up with a system case that protects the cards from water damage, and the blade is sealed with a vacuum. You use it with these waterproof card sleeves, and then you can duel underwater!! Admittedly I don’t know in what situations that would be useful, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it so I built it! I mean, mostly– it still needs testing and some more waterproofing and then I had a setback when one of them sunk and broke…”

“I see, very nice, but–”

“A-and this one is called the Tire Disk! I don’t know what it does yet but I found an old tire lying around and–”

“Easy there, tiger,” Ambrosius cut in, raising a hand, “give me a moment to catch up. You work fast and that’s impressive, but which of these disks are you submitting for grading?”

Ruby reddened a bit as she looked between her disks. “I… I was thinking I’d just turn in Crescent Rose. Does that count?”

Ambrosius put a hand to his chin. “Your Crescent Rose is an impressive piece of work, Ruby, don’t get me wrong– it functions perfectly and has your unique personal touch. However, I would like to see you branch out and create something new and fresh– you work very fast, but I’ve noticed a tendency for you to burn out just as quickly.”

Ruby bit her lip, her fingers wiggling as she clasped and unclasped her hands– it was true, she got bored frequently and ran off to new projects before completing what she’d started. And as much as she loved Crescent Rose, fiddling with the same project was bound to only slow her progress as an engineer. She nodded reluctantly.

“Now, don’t get down on yourself,” Ambrosius said with a smile, “I have high expectations for you. Focus on one new project, and show me you can complete it. That is what you’ll be graded on.”

“Y-yes sir!” Ruby said, with a military salute.

Ambrosius turned to Velvet, who had been furiously sketching through their conversation.

“And how about you, Velvet,” Ambrosius asked, leaning forward, “what are you planning to submit?”

“...I… Uh… Um…” Velvet looked over her sketches, eyes quivering– she looked as though Ambrosius had come into her house and seen laundry strewn about everywhere.

“I. Um. I don’t have anything yet, sir.” Velvet squeaked out quietly.

“That’s not true!” Ruby poked her head over. “Show him all the cards you’ve made!”

“Th-they aren’t good enough,” Velvet protested, shaking her head, “I can’t submit those!”

“What do you mean, they’re great!!” Ruby protested her protest.

“Can I see them, Velvet?” Ambrosius asked, extending a hand.

Velvet bit her lip, eyes flitting about, then slowly opened her bag and produced three Duel Monsters cards, handing them to Ambrosius. He took them and scanned them over with one hand on his chin, while Velvet slowly sunk into her chair, pulling her uniform over her face.

“Artwork is finished, the effects seem balanced, the formatting is correct…” Ambrosius noted, nodding as he flipped through each, “...all that seems left is to fully program them in. Any one of these would earn a passing grade.”

Velvet’s eye poked out from her uniform. “Th-thank you, sir…”

Ambrosius put the cards on Velvet’s bench, folding his arms. “You could submit any one of these, so why not?”

Velvet looked to the ground. “I just… they aren’t very good. I can tell right now that none of them would ever see professional use. They’d be bottom tier, just filler for card packs.”

Ruby frowned. “You don’t know that! Nobody knows what a card’s worth until it hits the field. Besides, who cares if your card’s not the best?”

“I do…” Velvet moaned, “...my cards are second rate, and nobody gets awards for being second rate..”

“They do, and they’re called silver!”

“Velvet,” Ambrosius cut in, raising a hand, “I think I see what the problem is. You struggle with your confidence, right?”

Velvet nodded from inside her shirt.

Ambrosius closed his eyes in thought. “Unfortunately, that is something that you must learn on your own. Confidence doesn’t come magically, it’s built, slowly, bit by bit. What I can do is try to show you the right path, and give you a chance to build it. One moment, please…”

Ambrosius walked off, leaving Ruby and Velvet to stare at each other in anticipation. After a few moments, Ambrosius returned with a card in hand, and presented it to Velvet.

“This card,” he explained, “is called ‘Miraculous Mirage’. It’s ranked amongst the worst in the game, and never saw professional use. I want you to redesign it, and make it your own.”

“A weak card…?” Velvet slowly took Miraculous Mirage, looking over it. Ruby also looked over, her eyes gleaming at the sight of a new card. It was an Spell Card, depicting a girl holding up a shining golden rod with a spearhead-shaped blue crystal, light shining around it like a halo.

“When your Life Points are lower than your opponent’s by 3000 or more,” read the card, “you may target one monster you control: it gains 3000 Attack Points until the end of the turn.”

Ruby frowned, scratching her chin– the effect wasn’t bad, but it was too situational to be reliable. It required too much for not enough reward. But that was the rub of balancing cards– how did you make it strong enough to be useful, without being so powerful it would be banned? That sort of thinking made Ruby’s head spin, so she didn’t even bother. Something was bothering her about it, though– she wasn’t exactly sure what, but she could swear she’d seen something like this before…

“Improve this card; that is your assignment, Velvet,” the Professor said with a grin, “Present it to me when you’re finished. Good luck!”

With that, he walked off to examine the next students, leaving Velvet and Ruby to ponder his advice. Velvet stared down at ‘Miraculous Mirage’, taking in the card in its entirety– the art, the writing, the effect, the balance… The card seemed pretty useless, but there had to be a way to fix it… but right now no ideas were popping into her head. Velvet sighed, putting her head on the desk.

“...No good… I’m not coming up with anything…” she moaned.

“Don’t sweat it, Velvet! You can do it.” Ruby assured her. “And when you do, you can test it out on my Donut Disk!”

–

Cardin Winchester was having a bad day. He’d woken up late for class as he’d slept through his alarm, he was pretty sure that his flunkie Dove had eaten his protein shake from the fridge, and now, currently, he was up against one of the best duelists in class– Weiss Schnee.

W: 4000 LP

C: 1400 LP

The class looked on from the bleachers as Cardin stared at his hand, chewing on his lip, while Weiss stared across from him, icy cool and confident, without even a scratch in her Life Points. Despite her new colors as a Slifer Red, her dueling skill remained at the top of her class. There was no mercy in her piercing blue eyes, and despite the pleasant air in the arena, the boy could swear he felt an icy chill through the air.

On Weiss’s field stood the mighty Arma Gigas, the towering icy knight with 3000 Attack Points and the ability to summon its fallen enemies to fight for it. Meanwhile, Cardin’s Winged Crusader had only 1800 Attack Points, not nearly enough to overcome the massive foe.

“I activate ‘Blessed Shield’,” Cardin said, holding out a Spell Card, “which doubles the Defense Points of all my monsters!”

Winged Crusader’s 1500 Defense Points quickly doubled to 3000; just barely enough to block Arma Gigas’s attack. Weiss simply stared quietly, as if to say ‘is that all?’ Cardin could feel her condescension, and he clenched his teeth in anger.

“I activate my Trap Card, ‘Poisoned Apple’,” Weiss said casually, not even really looking at Cardin as she flipped the card face up, “it inverts all increases to your monster’s Attack and Defense Points– meaning that your doubled points will now become halved!”

Cardin’s face sank, and to his horror, Winged Crusader’s Defense Points immediately dropped from 3000 to a pitiful 750. With his strategy crushed, the boy could do nothing else but end his turn. At least in Defense Mode, Arma Gigas wouldn’t deal any Battle Damage to him.

Or so he thought. It was Weiss’s turn now, and she gracefully and calmly drew her next card.

“Now, I equip ‘Arma Gigas’ with ‘Spellsword - Piercing Edge’, which allows it to deal Piercing through your Defense Position monster.” Weiss said, elegantly swiping her hand across her Duel Disk. “Now, battle.”

Weiss’s Arma Gigas raised its sword, gleaming with power, and swiped it through Cardin’s Winged Crusader. The pitiful monster didn’t stand a chance, and the giant blade shattered it like glass. Cardin’s eyes widened in fear and he raised his arms as the piercing damage was dealt to him, and his Life Points dropped to zero.

C: 1400 LP -> 0 LP

VICTOR: 

WEISS

Weiss closed her Duel Disk and gave an elegant curtsy as she left the arena, sparing nary a glance at her fallen foe. Cardin was on his knees, grinding his teeth in frustration, as his boys came to his side, looking concerned but also too intimidated to actually reach out. Finally, Cardin picked himself up, red in the face, and stormed past his trio of cohorts and out of the arena.

“Excellent performance, Ms. Schnee!” Cordovin said, clapping raucously at her star pupil. “You were one step ahead the entire time. Class, please learn from Ms. Schnee’s performance– anticipating your opponent’s techniques is key to victory.”

It was then that the lunch bell rang, mercifully ending Cordovin’s class. The students quickly shuffled out of the stands, not waiting for Cordovin’s dismissal as they all flooded out to lunch.

“Hey! Hold on, remember: the upcoming Tag Duel Exam is next week, so be sure to find a partner in time for– hey!! Are you listening to me!?”

Weiss casually ran a hand through her ponytail with a sigh, grabbing her bag as she headed out as well. Another boring duel… her eyes downcast, she walked out of the arena feeling rather hollow. She’d won basically all of her test duels, as was expected of a Schnee, yet… she was still longing for her a real challenge. It was still a ways away until the end of the semester, for her promised match with Ruby, and she could feel herself getting rusty.

Following her demotion, she had become ostracized both by her former Obelisk Blues, who turned their noses up at her, and by her fellow Slifer Reds, who were too intimidated to try and speak to her. Her only company had been Ruby, her sister, and now that Blake girl who’d been making jabs at her over her family. 

It didn’t bother her. She’d never exactly been a socialite– she was used to people avoiding her and keeping a civil distance, and that was how she liked it. Still… she craved something more. She thought back to Atlas City, how she’d been so unhappy there. Locked away, like a princess in a tower, unable to pursue her own desires and wishes. When she’d decided to come to Duel Academy, she’d hoped things would be different. She was pursuing her own path, shedding the shackles of her family…

…So why did she still feel so… dissatisfied?

The white haired girl frowned to herself, still wrestling with her thoughts as she headed down the path to the Slifer Red dorms; but as she approached the old ragtag building, she suddenly noticed a large crowd gathered outside. She quirked an eyebrow. What exactly was going on here? She hadn’t been informed of any gatherings or events. As she got closer, she saw what the group had gathered around: a large, white private helicopter. A tinge of fear ran down her spine. No. It couldn’t be. Weiss stepped closer and closer, and to her horror, she recognized the symbol on the side of the copter– the Schnee Dueling Company logo.

“Oh no,” she whispered to herself. She ran through the crowd, quickly shooing away her fellow students who’d come to look onwards. All it took was a couple icy glares, and the poor Slifers quickly went back to their own business.

It couldn’t be… Father? Had he come to drag her back to Atlas, kicking and screaming? Changed his mind after all the work it had taken to get here? No, wait– the copter wasn’t Father’s style. He’d have a much grander procession set out. Winter, perhaps? No, she would call ahead, and she preferred Atlas transports to the family’s private vehicles. That left…

Weiss suddenly felt like she’d been caught in the rain without an umbrella. Oh no… it was him , wasn’t it? Slowly, the door to the cockpit opened, and Weiss’s eyes widened as she recognized the man who climbed out.

“Klein!” Weiss called out, pushing through the crowd. 

“Ah, Miss Schnee,” the man called Klein said, smiling through his bushy mustache, “it’s been too long. How are you faring at the Academy?”

Klein Sieben, the Schnee family’s loyal butler, was a short, slightly portly man, balding beneath his bowler hat, and clad in a coat and bow tie around his neck. He smiled warmly at Weiss, and for once, the Ice Queen returned the smile, though it quickly soured at his question.

“I… will talk with you about that in private,” Weiss said, self-consciously putting an arm around her red-trimmed uniform, “before that… you’re here because of my brother, correct?”

The butler nodded. “Indeed. It was his request that I take him here today.”

Weiss grimaced, her body wilting like a dying flower. “...Do you know where he is?”

–

Velvet sat in the cafeteria, chewing on her pencil as she stared at the array of sketchbooks, textbooks, Duel Monster cards, and pencils she’d laid out before her, with ‘Miraculous Mirage’ sitting in the center, staring back at her defiantly. She’d been thinking non-stop about this darn card, furiously sketching in her notebook during class, reading her card design textbooks, and furiously typing new code into her laptop, then deleting it just as furiously.

Ruby, meanwhile, was devouring her third bowl of rice and sardines as she watched Velvet work.

“Hey, Velvet,” she said through a half-full mouth, “I think you’d better get something to eat. Lunch time’s half over, and you haven’t eaten anything but your pen.”

Velvet blinked, looking up at Ruby, before shaking her head. “Y-you can have my portion, Ruby. I need to focus. I don’t have time to waste.”

“You literally do! Professor Ambrosius didn’t give you a time limit!”

“What kind of designer would I be if I got lazy like that?” Velvet shook her head quickly, nearly vibrating. “I-I-I gotta do this as quickly as possible!”

Ruby frowned. “You’re not gonna do it if you don’t eat! Trust me, I’ve tried! Yang had to put a cookie in my mouth to resuscitate me.”

Velvet shook her head harder. “Y-you don’t understand! I need to push myself! I need to be better! Otherwise… otherwise I’m never gonna be anything more than a second-rate card designer!”

“Grrgh…” Ruby folded her arms angrily, trying to figure out how to get through to Velvet. The girl was gonna run herself ragged, but she couldn’t force her to eat. Probably. Ruby went back to eating her rice, frowning to herself as she tried to think of a way to help Velvet. Argh, she didn’t understand…

“Yo, Ruby!” A voice broke in, as Yang approached in her new Slifer Red uniform– as expected, she’d put her own flare on it, wearing a short cut vest with the Slifer colors over a bright yellow shirt, with a stylish burning heart emblazoned on it. The golden-locked girl made herself comfortable right beside her sister, bringing her own meager Slifer meal with her.

“Yaaaang.” said Ruby in acknowledgement. “What are you doing over here? I thought you’d be having lunch with your cool friends.”

“You are my cool friends!” Yang grinned, then looked aside, “...aaand also, most of the Ra Yellows don’t like to mingle with Slifers. I don’t super care, but it was kinda awkward being the only red over there, you know?”

She grinned over at Velvet. “Plus, I gotta mingle with my new crew! How’s it goin’, Vee?”

Velvet slowly raised her head, blinking rapidly at Yang. “Huh? What? O-oh, hi, Yang, I didn’t see you there…”

“Whoa, you look busy.” Yang noted, scanning over her workplace. “Eaten yet?”

“No.” Ruby answered for her, pouting.

Yang exchanged a glance with Ruby, then put a hand to her chin. She could tell that Velvet was obsessing, much like she’d seen Ruby do when she was off her meds. Luckily, Yang had her ways.

“Hey, Vee,” Yang leaned closer, resting her chin on her prosthetic hand, “wanna see something cool?”

“Eh?” Velvet blinked, her interest piqued.

Yang smirked, then reached into her pocket to produce a Duel Monsters card, flashing it at Velvet. Velvet looked it over quickly, her eyes widening with awe as she noticed a signature left on the card’s artwork.

“I-is that…?”

Yang smirked. Got ‘em. “That’s right, this is a custom from Pietro Polendina. You know him, right?”

“O-of course! He’s an inspiration to me!!” Velvet nodded quickly. 

“Bet you could learn a thing or two from studying this. I’d be glad to let you see it…” Yang said, twirling the card between her fingers, “...if you can knock back a bowl of rice for me.”

Velvet bit her lip, looking at the card, then her work, then the rice. The rumble of her stomach finally began to hit her brain, and she became quite aware of how hungry she really was. Reluctantly, she slowly lowered her pen and picked up a fork. Ruby and Yang exchanged a relieved look as Velvet began to scarf down her food.

Yang leaned over, then looked at Velvet’s workspace, her eyes falling on the “Miraculous Mirage”. She picked it up, putting a hand to her chin.

“...Hm, so what’s this? One of yours?”

Velvet shook her head. “I-It’s an assignment from Professor Ambrosius… I have to redesign this card so it’s stronger in a Duel.”

“Huh? That sounds easy!” Yang chuckled, “How about, ‘this card makes you win the duel’? Boom!”

Velvet nearly choked on her rice as she turned to Yang with wide eyes. “Y-y-y-you aren’t considering the ‘balance’!! The balance is of the utmost importance! We card designers cannot simply make cards that give endless power! The beauty of a game is in its balance, and we as designers must preserve that!!!”

Yang looked a bit taken aback by Velvet’s passion, blinking in surprise. “Oh, don’t worry, I was only joking– I dunno anything about this sorta stuff, haha.”

Velvet caught herself, then slowly lowered her head, her face reddening. “N-no, sorry, I got a little excited. B-b-but balance is what I seek… to create a card strong enough to be used, but not so strong as to ruin the game… That’s my goal.”

She put another forkful of rice in her mouth, chewing slowly. “...I-I’m not a very strong duelist, but I always loved this game… It felt like it was… ‘fair’, I guess. There’s lots of unfairness out in the world, but with a Duel… it feels like things are balanced.”

“...I see…” Yang nodded, “I get how you feel.”

“Yeah!” Ruby chimed in, grinning, “don’t you just love how things all mesh together and connect and work and move with each other? If you make this card, it could power up another card, and that card could make another card useful, or it could counter a different card, and then you have combos and new deck types and–”

“I got a question, though,” Yang said, “because balance and fairness are important to you… is the way you treat yourself ‘fair and balanced’?”

Velvet stopped chewing, looking away slowly. Yang knew she’d hit a bullseye– she’d seen that expression on Ruby hundreds of times. She felt that need to improve herself so strongly that she’d rip herself apart to do it. She’d felt it herself at times.

“...Look, I understand more than anyone that you need to push yourself to get better,” Yang said, “but at some point it stops being pushing and starts being… punishing. And you can’t punish yourself into doing your best, okay?”

Velvet chewed slowly, her mind trying to object, but unable to really come up with anything. Her stomach’s happiness was overtaking her drive. She knew Yang was right, but she wanted to be better so badly…

“...Look, you’ll get there, Vee,” Yang said, “but you can’t force it. Just let it go naturally, and when the time’s right… it’ll show itself.”

Yang handed the card back to Velvet, who slowly nodded and put it aside. Ruby beamed silently, proud that she had a cool older sister who could talk well.

Velvet took her last bites of rice, putting down the bowl. She let out a little sigh, defeated by the fact that she actually felt better now.

“...Th-thank you… I do actually feel better now,” Velvet said, rubbing the back of her neck.

Yang grinned wide and handed over the Pietro Polendina card. “Hey, no problem. You earned a look, so go ahead, feast your eyes.”

“Oh my! Pardon my intrusion, but is that a Polendina signed copy!?”

The trio turned suddenly at the sound of a new voice, their eyes falling on the interloper. Before them was a young man, clad in a stylish all-white ensemble, from his vest and tie to his pristine oxfords. His hair was short, prim, and white as snow. His bright blue eyes were upon the rare card in Velvet’s hand, sparkling with excitement.

“A-ah, y-y-yes…” Velvet stammered, slowly nodding as she curled into herself.

“...Oh! My apologies!” The boy quickly put a hand to his chest and bowed. “Where are my manners? I was so excited that I simply forgot to introduce myself. My name is Whitley Schnee, at your service!”

–

Weiss’s eye twitched as she stormed through the halls of Duel Academy, Klein by her side. 

Whitley– the youngest of the Schnee siblings, Whitley was, much like his sisters, calm, collected, and surrounded by an air of superiority. Unlike his sisters, he had always aspired to ‘be like father’, which meant he had begun adopting Jacques Schnee’s signature smugness, underhandedness, and condescension, which he channeled into his chosen field: card design. He had already become one of the most prodigious upcoming designers at Atlas Academy, though Weiss suspected it was hardly of his own merit.

Whitley was always up to something, Weiss thought, and surely his little visit to Duel Academy was for more than to just rile her up. Probably. 

“Did he say what he was coming here for? Besides to come and gawk at my failure?” Weiss asked.

“He did not tell me anything,” Klein replied, quite used to such sibling rivalry among the Schnees, “but I would hazard a guess that it is not solely to visit his dear sister.”

“He’s always after something,” Weiss said, putting a hand to her chin, “trying to undermine any success I get.”

“Perhaps he has indeed missed you, Miss Schnee,” Klein offered, “after all, without you, he is now an only child in a very large house.”

“If he missed me, he could have called.”

“Would you have answered?”

Weiss hesitated for a second. “Of course I would.”

“As I recall,” Klein said, “you and Master Whitley were quite close when you were younger.”

“...That was the past,” Weiss muttered, frowning, “now all he cares about is being like Father. He’s after something, just like always. I just hope he doesn’t cause too much trouble.”

–

Whitley smiled cheerily at the three girls, who all exchanged a glance.

“Schnee? Like… Weiss Schnee?” Yang asked.

“Oh! I know her!” Ruby said, eyes widening.

Whitley beamed. “That is correct! I am her younger brother, at your service. Once again, I apologize for infringing on your conversation, but you see…” 

Whitley produced a card from his pocket, flipping it over to reveal it to the group, “...I happen to be a big fan of Mr. Polendina myself!”

“Y-you are?” Velvet asked, unfurling ever so slightly. Her eyes were drawn to the card quickly. “That’s… ah, ‘Lovely Mechanism’! Th-that one’s really rare… a-and expensive.”

“...Would you like to see it up close?” Whitley asked, extending the card towards her.

Velvet let out a little squeak, nodding rapidly. Whitley smiled and handed the card over delicately. The aspiring designer immediately began devouring it with her eyes, absorbing as much as she could get out of the card hungrily.

Whitley smiled, clapping his hands together, “I’ve collected so many of his cards! He’s a huge inspiration to me– you see, I’m something of a card designer myself, actually.”

“Oh, so is Velvet!” Ruby said, smiling. Velvet just slowly nodded in confirmation.

“I can see that,” Whitley said, eyeing Velvet’s notebooks and laptop, “and I have to say, I’m very impressed.”

Velvet blinked, looking up from the rare card. “R-really?”

“Yes!” Whitley said, raising his hands. “I’ve never seen such exceptional work out of a Satellite before!”

The second the word left his lips, the three girls tensed up, feeling like someone had just dropped a plate all over their table. Velvet’s hopeful look quickly froze over and cracked apart like a lake in winter. Yang’s mouth became a firm line, and Ruby just looked to Velvet, noting her expression.

“...Hey,” Ruby said, slowly reaching for her Duel Disk, “don’t talk that way about my friend.”

Whitley’s face filled with confusion, and he tilted his head quizzically. “Oh my, did I say something to offend? I must apologize– I am not used to much interaction outside the high society of Atlas. I fear it has made me… out of touch with the common folk.”

“That certainly is a way of putting it,” Yang said, frowning.

“Regardless, let me make it up to you,” Whitley said, putting on a smile as he turned back to Velvet, “if you so desire, that card is yours.”

“H-huh!?” Velvet jolted with surprise again. “Wha– n-no, I couldn’t– I– That’s–”

“Please, I insist! I’ve clearly made a faux paus here, so allow me to remedy it with this little gift. I have plenty more at home anyways.”

“...I… uhhh…” Velvet’s mind was spinning rapidly, and not wanting this situation to continue further, chose the option of least resistance. “...O-okay, thanks.”

Yang and Ruby exchanged a glance, but it seemed the situation had resolved. It was quite tactless of the boy, but perhaps he truly hadn’t meant anything by it?

“There you are!” A new voice suddenly cut in, and the table turned to see Weiss Schnee, rapidly storming over, looking like she was about to burst a vein, with the butler Klein in tow behind her.

Whitley clapped his hands together and smiled. “Ah, dear sister!”

“Well?” Weiss demanded, arms folded.

“Well what?” Whitely asked innocently.

“Don’t play dumb. Why are you here? Come to laugh at the prodigal daughter?”

“Laugh? Whatever for?” Whitley said, smiling. “Do you really think I’d come all this way just to laugh at you?”

Weiss scowled. Like he didn’t pounce on every failure or mistake she made.

“...But I suppose I should cut to the chase,” Whitley said, putting his fist into his palm, “I came to see a certain professor here at the Academy.”

“A professor?” Weiss raised an eyebrow.

“Indeed,” Whitley continued, “they are of great interest to me. I’d be ever so grateful if you could guide me to them– they are, I believe, in charge of the Duel Engineering class?”

Ruby tilted her head. “Oh, Professor Ambrosius?”

Whitley snapped his fingers. “That’s the one!”

Weiss sighed wearily, massaging her forehead. “...And once you see him, you’ll be on your way, then?”

“...” Whitley glanced away, his smile wavering, “...Of course. Wouldn’t want to intrude for too long on your Academy.”

“Very well. Let’s go.” Weiss said, looking to Ruby. “...Ruby, lead the way.”

“Huh?”

“I do not take Duel Engineering. Guide us to the class, and I’ll buy you another one of those ultra hot instant ramen bowls you like.”

Ruby immediately shot up from the table, stars in her eyes. “Follow me!”

–

“Here we are,” Ruby said, opening the door to the workshop. Whitley immediately stepped ahead and began to eye all the scattered work and displayed creations of the Duel Academy students. He put a hand to his chin, nodding to himself as he walked through the class, like a scientist studying a microscope slide. Velvet, Yang, and Weiss were in tow as well, the heiress keeping a close eye on her brother.

“Ah, Ruby, Velvet,” boomed Professor Ambrosius, feet up on his desk as he scrolled through a tablet, “to what do I owe the pleasure?”

At the sound of his voice, Whitley’s eyes lit up, and he smiled like he’d pulled the rarest card from the pack. Before Ruby or Velvet could even respond, Whitley stepped up to the professor’s desk, and gave a deep bow.

“Professor Ambrosius,” he said, “it is an absolute honor to finally meet you! My name is Whitley Schnee, card designer, and I’ve just flown in from Atlas for this golden opportunity!”

The three girls all shared a glance. So this was what he’d been after? The professor just smiled, quirking an eyebrow. 

“...Uh, nice to meet you too?” Ambrosius chuckled awkwardly. “You came all this way just to see me? I’m… honored, I guess!”

Whitley shook his head. “No, I am the one who is honored– your reputation back in Atlas is legendary! I have been a fan of your work since I first saw your ‘Staff of Creation’ as a child!”

Ruby glanced at Velvet. “Wow, the professor is that good?”

Velvet frowned. “Yes? You didn’t know??”

“...Thank you very much, Whitely,” Ambrosius laughed, “I appreciate the boost to my ego. Is there… something I can help you with?”

Whitley’s eye sparkled, and he leaned forward conspiratorially. “...Perhaps there is. You see, I’ve looked into your career extensively, and a question emerged as I did. You were set to teach at Atlas Academy– and yet, you turned down a rather lucrative offer instead… to come here.”

Ambrosius’s expression hardened, and he slowly put his hands onto his desk. “...You’ve done your homework, I see.”

“I came here for a very simple reason,” Whitley continued, folding his arms, “both you and my sister turned down the offer to teach and study at the most advanced and sophisticated Dueling Academy in the world– for this.”

He waved an arm around the workshop. “...It certainly is curious.”

“...” Ambrosius inhaled through his nose, clasping his hands together. “...Well, apologies, but I don’t believe I’ll be able to offer a satisfactory answer. My reasons are rather personal, as you might imagine.”

Whitley’s brow furrowed, but he leaned back, raising his hands. “...Of course. Well, I am slightly disappointed, but I respect your privacy. More importantly, then, I have something of great importance to discuss– a… proposal of sorts.”

Ambrosius leaned back in his chair. “A proposal? …Alright, what is it?”

Whitley just smiled and snapped his fingers. “Klein!”

Klein, who had been following as well, seemed to teleport beside Whitley at his call, holding a large black briefcase in his hand. He placed the case on the professor’s desk, and quickly unlatched it, then dramatically opened the lid– revealing the case to be fully stacked with cash. Ruby, Velvet, and Yang’s eyes bulged at the sight of so much money. Weiss was nonplussed.

“...My offer is this,” Whitley said, hands behind his back, “whatever Duel Academy is paying you, I am willing to double it should you leave this third-rate academy and come teach for me, as a private, personal tutor. You will be compensated heavily and made any accommodations you desire, with a limitless budget for supplies and materials. The deal is fully laid out in this contract here.”

Klein produced a thick legal document and placed it beside the case of money. Ambrosius flipped through it, glancing between the two with an expression of mild confusion.

“...You want me… to be your personal tutor?”

Whitley nodded. “Not for free, of course– I will make it well worth your while. But I want nothing less than the best, and looking at your records and work… you are absolutely the best.”

Ambrosius looked at the case full of money, then back at the boy, then back at the case. His eyes went over to Velvet, Ruby and Yang, who were watching in disbelief. The professor took a deep breath, then extended his palm.

“You said you’re a card designer? Do you have your work on you?”

Whitley beamed and produced a small silver case from his pocket, pulling out an array of custom cards. He proudly handed them over to the teacher, who then fanned them out and examined them.

“...” After a few moments, he glanced over at Velvet, then back at Whitley. Slowly, he passed the cards back to the boy, and then took the case of money in his hands.

“...How about this,” the professor said, closing the case, “my answer to this offer… will be a duel.”

“A duel?” Whitley blinked in surprise.

“A duel!” Ruby said, suddenly interested.

Ambrosius nodded, then pointed to the boy’s cards. “To be specific, a Prototype Duel– one where you can put those cards of yours to the test. Show me the strength of your cards, and if you win, I will accept your offer; more than that, I’ll do it for free.”

“What?” Velvet gasped.

“Aw, I hope the professor wins then,” Ruby muttered.

Ambrosius smiled. “Oh, I will not be the one dueling him. I have a proxy in mind.”

“Oh! Is it me?” Ruby asked hopefully.

“Sorry, but no. To battle a card designer, I choose another card designer…” Ambrosius’s gaze fell on Velvet, and the girl immediately paled. She slowly pointed a trembling finger to herself.

“M… me??”

“Her?” Whitley raised an eyebrow.

Ambrosius nodded, staring confidently at Velvet. “Velvet is a talented designer, and I think a test run would do her some good. Velvet… are you in?”

Velvet’s first instinct was to blurt out ‘no’, but she paused, thinking it over. She looked over at the professor, wondering what on earth he was thinking. Did he really think Velvet could win with her unfinished cards and third rate deck? She was no great duelist, that’s for sure. No, there were way better choices– Ruby or Yang were right there! He was mistaken, that had to be it. There was no way she could–

“The Satellite? Why her?” Whitley said, shaking his head, “Professor, I promise you I am willing to become the perfect student. Atlas Academy has a grand workshop, three times the size of this building! I’m sorry to say it, but you are wasted here at this third rate school! You’re far too good for this academy!”

“I’ll do it!!!”

Everyone suddenly turned with shock to see Velvet, standing up straight, fists clenched, and eyes watering, staring Whitley dead in the eye. Even the white-haired boy looked a bit intimidated for a brief second. Ruby and Yang shared a smile, brimming with pride for their friend.  Ambrosius gave a soft smile, and leaned back in his chair. 

“...Alright, then. Velvet is in. Like I said, I will agree to your terms and accept your offer, if and only if you manage to defeat her.”

Whitley blinked rapidly, then ran a hand through his hair, exhaling through his nose. It took him a full ten seconds to get his cheery grin back on his face.

“...Fine. If that is what it takes.” Whitley turned to Velvet. “Then, Miss Velvet… I accept this challenge.”

Velvet stared back, trembling but undeterred. She nodded slowly.

“...L-let’s duel!”

Oh no. What have I done.

Ambrosius stood up and clapped his hands. “Excellent. I’ll set up the arena, you both have an hour to prepare. Good luck to the both of you.”

–

Back in the Slifer Red dorm, Velvet quickly threw herself onto her bed, screaming into her pillow. Why had she said yes!? She couldn’t duel!! She was here on a design scholarship!! And now she had to duel with her own dumb, unfinished, weak cards? She should have said no! It would have been so easy!

But…

“I’ve never seen such exceptional work out of a Satellite before!”

It wasn’t the first time she’d heard a sentiment like that– not even at the academy. Practically the first thing that had happened to her was Cardin and his lackeys pulling her into a duel just to humiliate her. She’d gotten used to it, trying to simply keep her head down. She was used to thinking she was useless, weak, and not good enough. 

“You’re too good for this academy!”

But somehow, hearing Whitley insult her Academy, her friends, her teacher… that got her upset. Everyone had worked hard to get here, to have a new opportunity and chase their goals. Just cause it wasn’t a fancy Atlas school…! 

It burned her up inside. Ruby and Yang were great duelists, and the Academy was the first place she had felt like she fit in. And Ambrosius was the first teacher she’d had with any confidence in her– even though she clearly didn’t deserve it.

And if I lose , she thought, he’ll be gone and it’ll be all my fault!! Oh why did I have to say yes!? Stupid, stupid, stupid! This is why nobody likes you and you’ll never be a designer and–

“Velvet?” Ruby’s voice came through her door, snapping her out of her spiral.”

“...Come in…”

Ruby stepped in, flopping beside Velvet on the stiff mattress. 

“...How are you feeling?”

“...Like I’m gonna make a fool out of myself in front of the whole school.”

“Hey, that’s how I felt too!” Ruby said, trying to be encouraging. “Back at the entrance exams, I mean.”

“Yeah, but I’m a designer, not a duelist,” Velvet bemoaned, putting her face in her hands, “and when I lose, the professor’s gonna have to leave the school and it’ll be all my fault!”

“You aren’t gonna lose,” Ruby said, balling up her fists, “your cards are good, and if our professor didn’t think so, he wouldn’t have chosen you! Believe in yourself!”

“I can’t!!” Velvet clenched her eyes shut. “Don’t you get it, Ruby!? I’m not as good as you think I am! I’m just a third-rate wannabe card designer! Professor Ambrosius made a mistake!”

“H-he didn’t! Velvet, you’re a good designer–”

“Stop!! Stop lying to make me feel better!” Velvet screamed, gripping her head.

Ruby’s face fell. Now she was beginning to tremble, and she slowly bit into her finger, looking anywhere but at Velvet. 

“Don’t say that about me, Velvet.” Ruby’s voice was stern, surprising Velvet. The designer slowly peeked up to see an expression of anger and disappointment on Ruby’s face. Immediately, she felt a pang of guilt and regret run through her.

“...I know you’re scared and hurting,” Ruby went on, “but don’t say that I’m just a liar who’s trying to trick you. What kind of person says that about their friend?”

Velvet blinked, slowly realizing what she’d really said; and that it had really hurt Ruby to hear. Somehow, her spiral of self-loathing had ended up causing her to insult Ruby– the very friend that was trying so hard to support her. The girl felt a pit sink into her stomach.

“R-Ruby, I-I’m so sorry,” she said immediately, “I didn’t mean–”

“I know you didn’t,” Ruby said, gripping her arm, “but it hurts. To see you tormenting yourself. You don’t have to. Please, trust in me. Don’t let the voices in your head make you do things you’ll regret.”

“...” Velvet slowly nodded, then took a deep breath in, then out, her body shuddering as she did. “...A-alright… I… I said yes. So I’m gonna… see it through.”

Ruby relaxed a bit, a small smile forming on her face. “...Thank you, Velvet.”

“...I-I have to do my best. For the professor,” Velvet said, standing up off the bed, “...so… Ruby, c-can you give me some advice on how to duel?”

Ruby raised a fist into the air. “Leave it to me! Lemme see your deck!”

Velvet handed over the cards, and the dueling nerd fanned them out in front of her, eyes hungrily devouring them. They were primarily Normal Monsters, cards with no special abilities or effects. They were considered quite weak– most monsters’ utility came from powerful abilities that could shift the tides of battle. But they weren’t exactly useless…

“...Mmm,” Ruby said, tilting her head side to side as she looked at the deck, “I think this will work. Let’s add in a few support cards, get rid of some of these filler cards… There!”

Ruby quickly rearranged the deck and handed it back to Velvet. Velvet looked it over, impressed. “...Okay, thanks… b-but what about when I’m on the field? Wh-what do you do to win?”

“Don’t worry about winning or losing,” Ruby said, raising a finger, “think of it like a puzzle. Each duelist has their own strengths and weakness– find your strength, and find his weakness.”

“I see… like a puzzle,” Velvet repeated, putting a hand to her chin. 

“Yeah,” Ruby said, “I don’t know what cards Weiss’s brother will have, but they’re bound to have their own weakness.”

The designer’s mind raced, trying to think of a possible weakness. The boy was from Atlas, likely with the best teachers and resources to make powerful cards. They must have high power or devastating effects, something that would be difficult to overcome. If only there was a way to balance the scales, to negate the advantage…

Velvet’s eyes sprung open, and she jolted upright, eyes wide.

“R-Ruby,” she cried, eyes sparkling as she grabbed her laptop, “I know how to improve ‘Miraculous Mirage’!”

Ruby’s eyes glimmered with excitement. “Then let’s get to work!”

–

“Oh my word. Is this really your room?” Whitley’s face lit up with delight at the sight of Weiss’s dingy dorm room, the creaky floors, the dingy bunk beds, the thin, cracked walls. He took it all in with delight, sitting on Weiss’s bunk like an excited child. “Oh, bunk beds! You know, I always wanted bunk beds as a kid!”

“Why are you doing this, Whitley? Isn’t the course at Atlas Academy good enough?” Weiss demanded.

“Apparently, nothing in Atlas is good enough,” Whitley said, “at least, that’s what it seems like to me. Both you and Professor Ambrosius turned down Atlas Academy for here. I wanted to know what all the fuss was about.”

“...” Weiss folded her arms, “it wasn’t about Atlas not being ‘good enough’. It was about forging my own path.”

“And I’m doing the same,” Whitley said cheerily, “or are you the only one allowed to do that?”

Weiss clenched her teeth. “You haven’t forged anything, Whitley. You’re just buying your way through– just like Father.”

“...” Whitley’s smile wavered, and he reached into his pocket, producing a pack of cards, “...I’m not the useless boy I used to be as a kid, Weiss. I created these cards from scratch, and they’ve received perfect marks from all my instructors. My designs are top-notch, and I achieved them on my own merits.”

He tucked the cards away and folded his hands. “...Unlike you, who has flaunted the gifts of Atlas in favor of a third rate Academy, and then proceeded to be demoted to the lowest house. One that lives in a glorified outhouse. Most of our servants live in better places than this!”

Weiss scowled, eyes burning with fury. “I fought with my own hands, without relying on anyone else! And come the end of the semester, I will be long gone from this pitiful dump, because I am Weiss Schnee, and I control my own destiny.”

Whitley smirked. “We’ll see how that works out for you, then. But in the meantime, I have a duel to win.”

With that, he hopped off the bed and headed for the door, passing Weiss. “...You’ll see. I’ll crush that Satellite girl, and show Ambrosius that I am a student worth teaching.”

“...Her name is Velvet.” Weiss muttered, following out of the dorm.

–

“Alright, students, listen up!” Ambrosius said as he began to activate the arena. “What you’re about to see here is called a ‘Proto-Duel’. In this duel, both participants will be allowed to use unofficial, custom-made cards. The purpose is to test and evaluate their viability in official duels, and to make sure the programming is functioning properly. Today, we have Velvet Scarlatina and Whitley Schnee, who will be using the cards they’ve designed!”

The students applauded politely, while Whitley gave a practiced bow and Velvet just trembled nervously, staring down at her feet. The two equipped their Duel Disks, and Ambrosius activated the holographic arena, the large screens above displaying both duelists.

“Woo!!” Ruby cheered out. “Go Velvet!! You have good cards!!”

“...” Weiss meanwhile kept her eyes locked on Whitley, eyes narrowed. All she could do was hope he didn’t embarrass the family.

“Let us have a splendid duel, Miss Velvet,” Whitley said, loading the custom cards into his deck with a carefree grin.

“S-sure… yeah…” Velvet replied, looking over her hand of custom cards. She stared into each of them, their unfinished artwork, untested abilities… Soon they’d be seen by the entire class. There was no hiding them anymore, no excuses or time to improve them. It felt like she was on the edge of a cliff, and it was time to jump. With a deep breath, she shuffled the cards into her deck, then loaded it into her duel disk.

W: 4000 LP

V: 4000 LP

“I’ll give you the first move, Miss Velvet!” Whitley said, extending his arm. “Go on, show us what you’ve got!”

Turn 1: Velvet (4000 LP)

Velvet bit her thumb, flinching– dammit, this kid wasn’t even giving her a turn to compose herself. She could feel the burning eyes of her fellow classmates falling on her, judging her, ready to laugh and mock; though, had she bothered to actually look at the stands, she’d notice that only really Ruby and Weiss were paying attention, with most of the class on their phones or gossiping while they got a break from their lectures.

“...O-okay…” Velvet said, closing her eyes as she grabbed the top card of her deck, “I-I-I… draw!”

She drew the card like a child pulling out a splinter, then slowly cracked an eye open to look at it. As fate would have it, it was one of her own. She could summon it now, but…

But it’s not ready! H-how can I show it like this!? Oh no no no I can’t!

“...I-I set a monster face down,” Velvet said, looking away as she put her card face down horizontally. She couldn’t bear to show her work just yet.

“...T-then, I place one card face down, and end my turn.” Velvet finished.

Turn 2: Whitley (4000 LP)

“My turn! I draw!” Whitley said cheerfully, adding a card to his hand with a smile. His eyes shone and he raised a card aloft. “...Excellent. Behold, everyone, the first of my creations! Come forth, ‘Snowshoe Salaryman’!”

Onto the field burst a snowman, clad in a black suit and briefcase, with its creator’s smirk mirrored on its face. It had 1500 Attack Points.

“My ‘Snowshoe Salaryman’ is a hard and diligent worker,” Whitley explained, “and when he’s summoned to the field, I gain 2000 Life Points!”

Velvet flinched. “Wh-what!?”

W: 4000 LP -> 6000 LP

Whitley grinned as his Life Points quickly shot up. “And then, I activate the Spell Card ‘Crunch Time’, which lets me boost my Life Points by an additional 4000 points!”

“E-eh!?” Velvet’s face paled.

W: 6000 LP -> 10,000 LP

“T-ten thousand!?” Ruby gawked.

“...Ridiculous…” Weiss’s face slowly slipped into her palm. So this was her brother’s so-called ‘prodigious’ card design?

“Now, let’s attack your monster!” The white haired boy declared, “‘Salaryman’, strike down her face down monster!”

Velvet covered her eyes as her monster was flipped into face up Defense Position, and the card was revealed for all to see: A small mechanical rabbit with folding joints and a metallic silver sheen. Notably, two large “ears” stuck out atop its head, a large light bulb in each that gave out bright bursts of light. While adorable, it was a Normal Monster with a mere 700 Defense Points. The name on the card was “Flash Photograbbit”.

Oh god… it’s so bad! I can’t bear to look!! Velvet put a hand over her eyes, bracing for the inevitable judgment and laughter… that did not come. Okay, so they were judging her silently. That was the only explanation.

As the Salaryman raised its briefcase to crush Velvet’s poor rabbit, she suddenly remembered her face down card, and quickly rushed to flip it face up.

“I-I activate my Trap Card,” Velvet said, “‘Normal Barrier’! I-It makes it so all Normal Monsters cannot be destroyed by battle until the end of the turn!”

A ring of light appeared around Flash Photograbbit, and the Salaryman’s attack was blocked entirely, keeping the tiny rabbit safe and sound.

“Th-then, if the attacking monster was an Effect Monster,” Velvet continued, “y-you take damage equal to that monster’s Attack Points!”

The barrier surrounding Velvet’s monster burst outwards, a wave of energy slamming into Whitley, dropping his Life Points.

W: 10,000 LP -> 8500 LP

“Nice, Velvet!!” Ruby cheered.

Velvet blinked– wait, that had worked? Her cards… they really had worked! She stared down at her Duel Disk, then at the holograms on her field. The humble but cute Flash Photograbbit she’d been working on all this time… It was really there, right in front of her. A feeling of pride blossomed inside her, and a small smile crept onto her face.

“Not bad, not bad at all!” Whitley said, dusting off his lapel. He seemed unfazed by the counterattack– and of course, how could he not, with his immense surplus of Life Points? “You’ve managed to freeze my attack in its tracks… Very well, I’ll end my turn.”

Ruby herself bounced her leg as she examined the field. Whitley’s cards were an overpowered mess– designed to give him as huge an advantage as possible with no downsides or weaknesses. Velvet’s deck revolved around humble Normal Monsters, with no special abilities. The deck was stacked heavily against her from the start– the Professor must have known this when he looked at Whitley’s cards. So why propose the duel?

Professor Ambrosius must have had a reason for this… He must believe that Velvet can win. He saw Whitley’s cards, saw how crazy strong they were…

Ruby’s eyes slowly widened. He must have seen a ‘weakness’ in them! There’s a fatal flaw in Whitley’s deck, and Velvet… she has to find it!

Turn 3: Velvet (4000 LP)

“...M-my turn. Draw…” Velvet drew, fingers still trembling. She had managed to deflect Whitley’s attack, but how was she going to get through his absurd amount of Life Points? Velvet tried to think– what had Ruby told her?

“Don’t worry about winning or losing. Think of it like a puzzle. Each duelist has their own strengths and weakness– find your strength, and find his weakness.”

Right… she had to think of it like a puzzle. Whitley’s deck was tilted to give him every advantage possible… but Velvet knew well that card design was never that simple. There had to be a way to counter his deck!

“...O-okay, I sacrifice my ‘Flash Photograbbit’,” Velvet said, removing one card and inserting it into the Graveyard, “to Tribute Summon my… ‘D-Digital Photograbbit’!”

The small Photograbbit vanished in a burst of light, and in its place, a new machine-like monster rose onto the field. It was a larger machine, in the shape of a rabbit, its body made of black chrome and blinking red lights. Its eyes were camera lenses, clicking and whirring, and atop its head, two digital screens flipped open like large ears. Its Attack Points measured at 2400.

“Another Normal Monster? How quaint!” Whitley said with a snicker.

Velvet’s eye twitched at the condescension in his voice. The sapling of pride in her started to grow, and she felt a bit of anger rising– a desire to wipe that smirk off the boy’s face.

“N-now, battle!” Velvet said, a bit of courage in her voice. “Attack ‘Snowshoe Salaryman’! L-Lens Flare!”

The mechanical rabbit’s eyes began to surge with power, and it fired a beam of energy straight for the Salaryman, who could only lift its briefcase up in defense. The red laser cut clean through the Salaryman, the ground around Whitley exploding into a fireball as he took damage.

W: 8500 LP -> 7600 LP

Whitley remained nonchalant, simply smiling calmly as the battle damage sunk in. Velvet clenched her teeth– despite the damage that Velvet had done, his Life Points were still far above hers.

“...T-turn end,” Velvet finished.

Turn 4: Whitley (7600 LP)

“Draw!” Whitley drew and smirked at his next card. “I activate the Spell Card, ‘Overtime’! If my ‘Snowshoe’ monsters were destroyed by battle or card effect, I can Special Summon them back to my field! Return, my ‘Salaryman’!”

A portal opened, and the weary-looking Snowshoe Salarymen popped out, stood up straight, and fixed its tie.

“And don’t forget its effect; I gain 2000 Life Points when they are summoned!” Whitley declared with glee. From above, holographic money rained down onto Whitley, raising his Life Points back up.

W: 7600 LP -> 9600 LP

“Then, I’m going to summon another ‘Snowshoe Salaryman’,” Whitley said, grinning, “and its effect will boost my Life Points by another 2000!”

A second Snowshoe Salaryman appeared on the field, and more money rained down onto Whitley, who spread his arms gleefully as his Life Points raised up even further beyond.

W: 9600 LP -> 11,600 LP

“Are you kidding me!?” Ruby blurted out, eyes bulging. 

Weiss grimaced. “I hate to say it, Ruby, but there’s nothing that your friend can do. Whitley’s deck is too unfair.”

Ruby’s knee began to bounce as she put her hand on her chin. “No… there has to be a weakness to it! No deck is perfect, especially not a messy one like this.”

“Next,” Whitley went on, picking another card from his hand, “I activate ‘Snowshoe Delivery’, which allows me to add any ‘Snowshoe’ card from my deck to my hand!”

Whitley snatched his chosen card from his deck with a wicked grin, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

“And now,” Whitley said, holding the card up between his fingers, “the coup de grace… I activate a Ritual Spell: ‘Legendary CEO Ritual’!”

Light shone from the card as Whitley began the ritual, blue flames bursting in a circle around his monsters. The two Level 4 Snowshoe Salarymen were engulfed in flame, engulfed in the fire as a new monster was forged.

“On the battlefield of business, he stands tall!

Taxes, strikes, labor shortages…

He will cut them all down!

Let the stocks rise, and the greed consume all!

Come forth… 

Snowshoe CEO: Big Nicholas!!! ”

Out of the ground, a mighty hand of ice rose up and gripped the arena ground, pulling the rest of its body out. The arena rumbled an icy head followed, appearing to be an old man with long white hair and a beard. Its body was clad in a pristine three-piece suit, adorned with golden buttons, and around his shoulders was a velvet red cloak, lines with fluffy white fur. In its other hand, it carried a massive steel mace, planting the weapon in the ground before it, resting both hands atop it. The giant’s eyes gleamed gold as it stood behind Whitley, arms folded and staring down at Velvet, demanding that she tremble before its monstrous 4000 Attack Points.

Weiss’s eyes widened– she immediately recognized the monster’s face. The face of their grandfather: Nicholas Schnee.

“This is my masterpiece,” Whitley declared, spreading his arms wide, “‘Big Nicholas’! He cannot be destroyed by battle or by card effect, and his power increases by 500 for every ‘Snowshoe’ card in my Graveyard!”

With the two Snowshoe Salarymen Whitley had used to summon it, Big Nicholas’s Attack Points rocketed up to a devastating 5000. Velvet’s face paled, and her eye began to twitch.  

N-no way… These monsters… this deck… it’s all so… unbalanced!!!

How the hell did any of these get approved!? No company in their right mind would publish them! Had he never tested them before? Never thought about exploits or balance !? It was so embarrassing– like seeing her old card designs from when she was a kid. Every strong effect she could think of was jammed into each card. 

Suddenly, Velvet’s eyes widened.

That’s it…! The weakness of this deck!

“Now,” Whitley commanded, “crush her ‘Digital Photograbbit’!”

Big Nicholas slowly lifted its enormous mace overhead, then swung it down directly onto Velvet’s monster– the impact sent out an explosive gust of ice cold wind that filled the arena. The timid girl clenched her teeth, raising her arms and closing her eyes as the wind sent her skidding back, her monster shattered into pieces and her Life Points dropped.

V: 4000 LP -> 2900 LP

“GAAAAAAAAH!!!” Velvet screamed, her legs trembling as she staggered backwards from the devastating blast.

“Behold! The power of my ultimate monster!” Whitley turned, looking towards Ambrosius with a look of pure excitement. “What do you think!? Can’t you see my potential?”

But to his shock, Ambrosius’s face was stony. The boy’s grin faded as quickly as it had come. Why was he making that face? Wasn’t he impressed?

“...” Ambrosius just folded his arms, glancing over at Velvet. “...Whitley. Do you want the honest truth?”

“...” Whitley blinked, ”...O-of course. My work speaks for itself.”

Ambrosius sighed, shaking his head. “...Boy, I’m afraid that these cards you are so proud of… they are not top of the class work. Whoever your teachers were… they were not honest with you.”

Whitley staggered back, mouth agape and eyes wide. “Wh– I– A-are you implying that I was given preferential treatment!?”

“I am only saying,” Ambrosius continued, “that you have a long way to go. Your designs are crude, simplistic, and uncreative. You have much to learn, Whitley.”

The statement seemed to shatter Whitley like a sheet of ice. His expression went blank, and his arms drooped to his side. Weiss bit her lip at the sheer shock in his expression. He was still her brother, and this rude awakening… it was hard for her too.

“...Th-then…” Whitley ran a hand through his hair, trying to recover his composure, “...A-all the more reason I need you! You have to teach me!! I-I can learn, whatever it is! Just watch– I’ve practically won already!”

Ambrosius shook his head again, nodding towards Velvet. “...Duel’s not over just yet.”

Whitley’s face broke out into a scowl, turning to face Velvet. To his surprise, she was different now– the timid girl that had been too abashed to summon a face up monster was nowhere to be seen. Now she looked at him fiercely enough to send a small chill down his spine.

Weiss’s eyes widened– she could see it as well. The look in her eye was just like Ruby’s during first their duel, back at the entrance exam. She remembered clearly how she’d cornered Ruby, so sure she could take down this clumsy, unrefined rookie… and how she’d gotten that look in her eye. The same look that Velvet had now.

“I-I activate… a Trap Card,” Velvet said, slowly flipping over her face down, “...‘Special Warranty’! When a Machine-Type Normal Monster I control is destroyed, I can pay 1500 Life Points to revive it!”

V: 2900 LP -> 1400 LP

The duel disk ejected ‘Digital Photograbbit’ from the Graveyard. She placed the card on the field with a flick of her wrist, and the black robotic lagomorph re-appeared on the field.

 “...I end my turn.” Whitley said, forcing a grin. “Go ahead, Miss Satellite. But I assure you– there’s nothing in your deck that can stand up to ‘Big Nicholas’.”

Turn 5: Velvet (1400 LP)

“My name… is Velvet!” Velvet said, her eyes full of newfound determination.

If I can just get that card…!

Velvet slowly put her fingers to her deck. If she could draw that card, she would be able to win this– but if she didn’t, then Whitley would crush her on his next turn. It all rode on this. The pressure was immense, but somehow, the designer didn’t feel anxious. Right now, she felt like all the pieces were in place. And whatever came next… she would face it head on. Her fingers trembled and pulse pounded, but it was no longer fear and anxiety. It was excitement. 

Please…

With a swipe of her arm, Velvet drew. Her eyes shot towards the card, and as she turned it over in her hand, a she broke out into a confident smile.

“First, I’ll summon ‘Tripod Photograbbit’,” Velvet cried out, as robotic hare emerged beside her, its lower half connected to a set of robotic spider-legs. Its head was a round, ball-shaped camera with a single lens, with a small set of robotic ears atop it.

“Then, ‘Tripod Photograbbit’ can use its ability to equip itself to another ‘Photograbbit’,” Velvet continued, moving Tripod from the monster zone to the spell zone, “which grants my ‘Digital Photograbbit’ 1000 extra Attack Points!”

Tripod began to transform, its robotic upper half unfolding, while Digital hopped atop it, their bodies snapping and connecting into each other. Power surged around the two, as Digital’s power rose from 2100 to 3400.

“And then, I activate ‘Power Splitter’,” Velvet continued, “which halves the Attack Points of all Effect Monsters on the field until the end of the turn!”

Dark red flames surrounded Big Nicholas, as its power was halved from 5000 to 2500 Attack Points.

“Finally, I equip ‘Digital’ with ‘Ultra Zoom Lens Cannon’, raising its attack by 800!”

A large, cylindrical lens formed on the back of Digital, locking into place and pointing at the enemy like a cannon. The end of the lens began to glow, charging with power as Digital’s attack raised to 4200.

“...This is futile,” Whitley muttered, frowning, “‘Big Nicholas’ cannot be destroyed no matter how much power you give your rabbit!”

“...That’s your mistake, Whitley– I don’t need to destroy him,” 

Velvet just closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath, before raising her final card.

“...I activate ‘Miraculous Mirage’!”

With a flash, the card appeared beside her, and Ambrosius broke into a smile. A wave of light burst forth from the card, and sparks of light filled the air, hovering around the arena.

“When my Life Points are lower than my opponent’s,” Velvet said, staring Whitley in the eye as she spoke, “this card allows me to increase a Normal Monster’s Attack Points by the difference between our Life Points until the end of the turn!”

“The… difference between our Life Points…?” Whitley blinked, then paled. “W-wait…”

All eyes turned to the Life Point readout as the crowd did the math in their head. Velvet’s Life Points sat at 1400, while Whitley’s numbered at an absurd 11,600. The difference between them was…

“10,200!?” Whitely’s eyes bulged in shock. “T-that’s insane!! That would make ‘Digital’s’ Attacks Points…”

“...14,400!” Velvet cried, pointing directly at Whitley. “And now… I’ll finish this! ‘Digital Photograbbit’ attacks ‘Big Nicholas’!”

Whitley didn’t have to calculate long to realize that with Big Nicholas weakened to 2500, and his opponent’s attack becoming incredibly powerful, even he wouldn’t survive the battle. His face paled in horror as he came to the realization, and he stared furiously at his hand for any cards that would stop this– and found none.

The boy felt his stomach drop into his fine leather oxfords. This couldn’t be. He was going to lose? His invincible Big Nicholas, bested? No. This couldn’t be. This had to be a joke!

But it was reality– and the glowing red light of his opponent’s monster powering up to attack was all too real. Slowly, the boy looked over to the crowd, passing across the seats, until his eyes met the mirrored blue color of his sister’s. Weiss stared back, then slowly looked away.

Digital Photograbbit’s cannon drew in specks of light, growing brighter and brighter, then leveled right at Big Nicholas. Finally, it fired. The laser burst out, lighting up the arena in a flash of light, as the 14,400 point attack sped right at Nicholas. Whitley could only watch as the final blow was struck.

Oh… I guess… I couldn’t change after all…

BOOOM!!!

W: 11,300 LP -> 0 LP

VICTOR:

VELVET SCARLATINA

“Our winner is Miss Scarlatina!” Ambrosius declared, raising his arm. 

“Yeah, Velvet!!” Ruby cheered.

“Nice one, Vee!!” Yang joined in, pumping her fist.

As the holographic dust faded, Whitley could only stare ahead blankly, an expression of disbelief on his face. After a second, he donned a sad smile, then let out a heavy sigh before slowly stepping across the field towards Velvet, hand extended.

“...An excellent match, Miss Velvet,” Whitley said, “you… are the superior designer, clearly.”

Velvet slowly looked at Whitley’s hand, then took it in a handshake. “...Maybe… d-don’t make fun of my school in the future.”

“...” Whitley laughed awkwardly, “...I apologize. I have… rather clearly underestimated this place.”

“Y-yeah. You did.” Velvet said.

The two duelists descended from the arena, and with the match over, the audience of students began to clear out as well. Ruby, Yang and Weiss descended from the stands, and Ambrosius finished powering down the arena before joining as well.

“...As promised, Professor,” Whitley said with a bow, “I fully retract my offer, and I will darken your Academy’s door no longer.”

Ambrosius handed the case back with an apologetic look. “Sorry, Whitley. Your teachers back at Atlas were not treating you fairly. I believe you can become a good designer, but you have a long way to go first.”

Whitley nodded, the corner of his mouth twitching. “...Rest assured, I will be finding myself new teachers. I have a lot of work to do before I become a professional designer, but when I’ve improved… I hope to have a rematch with you, Miss Velvet.”

Velvet blinked, then shook her head. “Huh? N-no, thanks. I don’t want that.”

“...” Whitley just kept smiling, then turned on his heel. “Alright, I suppose I’ll be going, then. I have much to do. Thank you all for your time.”

With that, he quickly made for the exit of the arena, hurrying as fast as he could without breaking into a run. Weiss quickly followed.

“Whitley, wait!”

As the two left, Ambrosius glanced over at Velvet. “...Well, Velvet, from the looks of things, you’ve completed my assignment. Would you like to show me back at class?”

Velvet looked down at the card in her hand– the Miraculous Mirage that had won her the duel. Slowly, she smiled, nodding. 

“Y-yeah. Let’s go.”

–

Velvet took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and thrust the reworked Miraculous Mirage out in front of her. Professor Ambrosius took it, holding it up to the light with a satisfied smile.

“...Excellent work, Miss Scarlatina,” Ambrosius said, “you’ve passed with flying colors.”

“Th-thank you, sir,” Velvet bowed her head meekly.

“I am very proud of you, Velvet,” Ambrosius continued, “You are already a good designer, but if you want to be a great designer, you need faith in your own abilities.”

The designer nodded. “...Th-that’s why you set up the duel, right? S-so I’d gain confidence?”

Ambrosius nodded. “Confidence is hard to come by– but it awakens in moments of hardship. I thought of this as a perfect learning opportunity. Your victory today was yours alone.”

The girl looked away bashfully. “B-but… wh-what if I’d lost?”

The professor shook his head. “I knew the second I saw his cards that you’d be able to overcome them. Besides, what kind of teacher doesn’t have faith in their students?”

“B-b-b-but you’d have had to leave the Academy, change your job, everything, all because of me, and–”

“You fear failure more than anything,” Ambrosius interrupted, raising a hand, “but it is only by confronting it that we can truly be strong. You were strong today, Velvet. You faced your fear and won. I was willing to risk my job here if it meant giving you that push.”

The girl’s eyes widened, and she looked away, grabbing her arm. “Th-thank you, sir.”

“Haha. And thank you for finding your courage.” Ambrosius said, glancing over Miraculous Mirage again with a fond smile. “...The boy, Whitley, he asked me before why I chose to come here over Atlas. The reason, Velvet, is for students like you. People like us, born without a silver spoon in their mouth, we deserve our shots too.”

He opened a drawer on his desk and pulled out a binder of cards, opening it and flipping to an empty spot. He slid Velvet’s card into a slot, beside the original version of ‘Miraculous Mirage’-- this one bearing a small signature, reading ‘Ambrosius’.

“...Alright, I’ve got a lot of work to catch up on,” the professor said, getting up from his desk, “See you in class tomorrow.”

Velvet bowed again. “Y-yes, sir!”

“And also, Velvet?”

“Y-yes?”

“...Could you maybe ask Ruby to take it easy with the Duel Disks?”

–

Weiss found her brother back outside the Slifer Red dorms, where the private copter had landed. By the time she arrived, Whitley was already half way inside, stepping into the passenger seat.

“Whitley,” Weiss called out. 

The boy paused, one foot inside, then slowly turned around, a smile on his face. It clearly did not reach his eyes.

“Well? Come to laugh at the prodigal child?”

“...” Weiss looked away, then back at her brother, “...It’s a rude awakening, isn’t it? To realize that what you thought was your own talent was just an unfair advantage. When I found out Father had been paying my opponents to let me win… I was just as insulted as you are.”

“Ha! You have no idea how I feel,” Whitley said with a bitter laugh, “...I could never compare to you or Winter. Winter is a professional, and you… you were always so skilled at everything you did. I had nothing… nothing but this.”

Weiss’s expression softened, and she slowly extended a hand. “...Whitley…”

“Oh, don’t start worrying about me now,” Whitley replied, turning around with a bitter smile, “I know I’m just a nuisance to you. But I just hoped that… that maybe this once, you’d be a little proud of me.”

“...” Weiss’s hand recoiled, and she glanced away, “...Maybe… I haven’t been the best sister when it comes to that, Whitley. We haven’t always gotten along…”

“We used to,” Whitley remarked solemnly, his smile fading, “I looked up to you so much, you know? Winter was miles away from me, but you… you were always there. Until you weren’t anymore.”

“...” Weiss closed her eyes. “...I’m… sorry that I left you. I didn’t think you cared. I didn’t leave Atlas because I didn’t want to see you–”

“But you still left,” Whitley cut in, “and I get it. I see now why you wanted to get away from Atlas. But still… I don’t have anyone else back home. I wanted you to fail, wanted you to give up… so I wouldn’t have to be alone.”

He laughed. “It was selfish of me, of course. I know that. But I still…”

Suddenly, he felt a weight bump into him, and a pair of thin arms wrapping around him. Weiss was… hugging him? His eyes widened in surprise.

“...Call me,” Weiss said, “when you get back to Atlas. Or if you need me. I’ll clear my schedule. But no more surprise visits, understood? And don’t cause trouble for my classmates.”

It had been a long time since they’d last hugged. He hadn’t realized how badly he’d missed it. He tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat, and he simply nodded instead. Weiss slowly released him, and the boy climbed into the copter. 

The door slid shut, and the copter began to take off. Weiss shielded her head as the private helicopter rose into the sky, and through the window, she glimpsed her brother staring down, waving slowly. She waved back.

Within a few minutes, the copter was gone, a mere speck on the horizon. Weiss stood there, looking after it, for a while, then made her way back to her room, dropping onto her bed.

It had been a long day.

–

The doors to Headmaster Ozpin’s office slowly creaked open, and Professor Ambrosius entered to find the Headmaster at his desk as usual, sipping from a mug in one hand and a card in the other– the shadowy card containing the Grimm Geist. As Ambrosius walked up to the desk, Ozpin set down both objects and adjusted his glasses.

“I hear you were about to leave the Academy to become a private tutor,” Ozpin remarked.

Ambrosius just grinned. “Hey, what can I say? I’m a hot commodity out there.”

“I’ll thank you not to gamble with your position in the future,” Ozpin replied, “but at any rate, I wanted to ask you about the project. How is progress going on those cards?”

“...” Ambrosius’s smile faded, and he scratched his neck in contemplation, “...we’ve hit a few snags, but we should have the first one ready soon. It’s a hell of a project you gave me... but I imagine the bigger problem is finding a duelist who can handle it.”

“...Leave that to me,” Ozpin said, sipping from his mug, “I’ll be sure to find a suitable candidate.”

“...You think these cards… this power…” Ambrosius folded his arms, expression darkening, “do you think it’ll be enough?”

“It will have to be,” Ozpin replied, staring down at the Geist card, “because I believe that our queen already has her pawns.”

CHAPTER 7

END

CARD FEATURE CORNER:

"MIRACULOUS MIRAGE"

"The first official card designed and published by Ambrosius.

It was rarely used, and quickly forgotten, but its failure drove its creator

to never give up, and to inspire his students."

Chapter Text

“Weiss.”

“Yes, Father?”

“I hear that you befriended a Satellite girl at one of our parties.”

“...A… a Satellite?”

“Was there a yellow mark on their face?”

“Yes, Father.”

“I forbid you to associate with them, or anyone of their kind. Do you know what that mark means, Weiss?”

“No, Father.”

“It is a sign of disgrace. It is the brand of a foul criminal, who wish to take what others have so rightfully earned. A lawbreaker. I will not have my daughter associate with them, understood?”

“...Yes, Father.”

Weiss’s eyes shot open in the dark as she slowly surfaced from her hazy dream. It was about that girl… that’s right– the Satellite girl she’d seen once at a party, years ago. It was another one of her parents’ stuffy parties, and despite the vast ballroom surrounding her being larger than most houses, she never felt more trapped than standing at one of them. Some blue-haired boy had been pestering her for a dance, she recalled, when a girl came her way and “accidentally” spilled her drink onto him. As he rushed off to clean himself, the girl had given her a wink and a giggle, and Weiss soon found herself rather enjoying the whole affair. She didn’t remember the girl’s face, but she did recall the striking yellow marks painted across her cheeks.

Weiss groaned and checked her phone. The pale blue light illuminated her face, showing her that it was still hours away from her usual waking hour. Though she had always been an early riser, rising too early would compromise her meticulous sleep schedule and routines, and that was not acceptable. Still… why had her subconscious wrested that memory from her mind? It had been years since she’d thought about that girl, or the scolding she’d received from Father for running around the party with her. Yet, she didn’t regret it– it was the most fun she’d had at any of those stuffy galas.

Weiss breathed a heavy sigh and burrowed herself back in her blankets, squeezing her Blue-Eyes plush tightly, and willing herself to return to sleep. No need to dwell on the past. The Satellite girl had shown her a fleeting kindness…

…But she now knew better than to trust that.

–

It was dawn at the harbor of Academy Island, the seagulls crying in the air overhead as a large cargo ship pulled into the dock. Onboard were supplies, food, water, daily necessities, and most importantly: new Duel Monster cards for the shop! The crew brought the ship in nice and steady, hooking her up to the dock, and began unloading, while the diminutive form of Professor Cordovin oversaw, flanked by her two large, imposing personal assistants.

“Make sure all our necessities are accounted for,” Cordovin said, sipping a mug of piping hot coffee while her assistants began loading up the cargo from the ship, “this is our last supply ship for the month. And make sure to bring the box of premium candies directly to my office!”

The two assistants, the Nubuck brothers, nodded and hopped to it, dutifully following their orders. Cordovin let out a yawn, covering her mouth as she rubbed her eyes.

“Such hard work it is, being a professor…” she murmured, “but it does have its perks. The rising sun, the cool ocean breeze, and a nice cup of Joe…”

She took a long sip, letting out a contented sigh. While this year so far hadn’t been going as planned, at least she could still relax and be content that no further disturbances would be happening–

“Hey! Stop him!! Hurry!!” A voice of one of the workers cried out, making Cordovin nearly spit out her coffee. She blinked in shock, looking around, as one of the ship’s crew pointed frantically at one of the other members. All eyes fell on the crewmate, a young man clad in the white hat and uniform same as the others.

“He’s a stowaway!” The shipmate cried, pointing and shouting, “he stole a uniform and snuck aboard from the harbor!!”

The accused man stepped back, then broke into a grin. Most of his face was cast in shadow, but just barely, Cordovin was able to make out a small, triangular mark on his left cheek.

“Guess the jig’s up, eh?” he said casually, “thanks for the ride, boys! You need to work on your room service, though! That cabin was way too cramped!”

As one, the crew rushed after him. Cordovin balked, then quickly pointed. “Nubucks!! Seize him!!”

The crew lunged as one towards the boy, who began to turn tail and run. They flew forward, about to tackle him like a pile of football players, but in a flash, the boy leapt into the air and onto a tree branch, and the crew smashed into a huge heap, unable to stop their momentum. The two Nubucks charged after him, but the boy simply hopped off the branch, and bounced off both of their heads with ease.

THUD! THUMP!

The two fell to the ground, the stowaway landing behind them, hands in his pockets. Cordovin’s eyes were wide with indignation and fury, but she did not move to stop him.

“I’d love to hang around,” the boy said, turning his back on the Professor with a smirk, “but I’ve got a date to get to! See ya!”

With that, he bolted, flipping acrobatically out of sight. Cordovin stammered in rage, then turned to the Nubucks picking themselves off the ground.

“You fools! You let him get away!” Cordovin stamped her foot in anger, “that mark on his face– that boy was a Satellite! Probably part of the Silver Fang! We need to call security, now!”

She whipped out her phone, rapidly dialing up Glynda’s number.

“...Hello, Goodwitch!? We have an intruder afoot!”

–

Weiss had not gotten much sleep.

She had chugged as much coffee as she could stomach on her way to class, but even then, she had to fight to keep her eyelids from drooping over in the middle of Oobleck’s class. The spiky-headed professor’s voice faded in and out of her ears, but Weiss forced herself to focus– she would sooner toss her deck into the ocean than be caught falling asleep in class.

“Alright, class,” Oobleck said between swigs of coffee, “pay close attention– this WILL be on the test.”

The teacher snapped his fingers, and two podiums rose from the ground in front of him, while the large display screen behind him displayed a dueling field, split into four sections. Oobleck produced two decks, placing one on each podium, then turned to face the class again.

“...Can any of you explain the rules of a Tag Duel for the class?” Oobleck asked.

Weiss forced herself to raise her hand.

“...Yes, Miss Belladonna.”

Weiss’s weary eyes drifted a few seats to her upper right, where Blake Belladonna sat, her arm also snapped upright to answer the Professor. Weiss bit her lip– it didn’t really matter, but she hated losing even something as trivial as that. However, Weiss noted that she looked a little worse for wear today– her normally perfect eyeliner had been applied wrong, and she could even make out some bags beneath the girl’s eyes.

“A Tag Duel takes place between two teams of two duelists,” Blake explained, “with both teams sharing a field and Graveyard. Players can use each other’s cards while they are on the field, but cannot summon from each other’s decks. Teammates are allowed to discuss tactics, but must do so publicly. Some Tag Duels rule that each player has their own Life Point total, but the official rulings dictate that both teams share their total Life Points.”

A perfect and precise answer, as expected from her. Weiss would have said the exact same thing.

“Very good, Miss Belladonna,” Oobleck nodded, “and what’s more, a Tag Duel requires harmony and communication between two Duelists– which is why in two weeks, we shall be holding a Tag Duel Exam. It is mandatory, even if you are not in the Tag Duels course.”

A loud groan echoed through the classroom– Tag Duels were a popular form of pro dueling, but they were a pain for those who didn’t specifically train for them. Most Duelist’s decks were not designed and built to work in a team, and rebuilding your deck to fit another Duelist would take a lot of time and energy. Furthermore, if your partner messed up, it would spell disaster for you both. It was a delicate tango that required both finesse and control– something that did not come naturally to even the most skilled solo Duelists.

“Now, to demonstrate, I’d like two volunteers,” Oobleck said, gesturing to the podiums, “to solve this Tag Duel puzzle. Any takers?”

Weiss’s hand shot up before she could stop herself. She really shouldn’t take a Tag Duel puzzle when she didn’t have a partner she trusted to help solve it– even she couldn’t solve one alone. But she’d be damned if she missed a chance to prove herself to everyone.

Oobleck scanned the class, and saw only two hands raised. “...Very well. Miss Schnee and Miss Belladonna, thank you for volunteering.”

The two girls paused in surprise, then locked weary eyes. There was an awkward silence for a second as they realized that they’d both paired themselves together. Weiss’s brow furrowed– she didn’t know why, but there seemed to be an unspoken hostility between them that always put her on guard. Blake was cold to everyone, true, but she seemed to not want anything to do with Weiss, despite her never having done anything to her. She couldn’t help but feel like the girl was hiding something. What had she been doing that night at that abandoned dorm…?

Still, she had been ranked in Obelisk Blue alongside her at the start of the semester, and her grades and record certainly reflected that. Despite the tension between them, she was still probably the best partner to be paired with for this assignment. So, reluctantly, the two girls made their way to each of the podiums and drew their opening hands, while the rest of the class watched with mild interest.

“Your goal is to reduce the enemy’s Life Points to zero in two moves,” Oobleck said, placing his cup down. “Here’s the field.”

The screen flashed a series of cards that flew across the simulated dueling field, setting themselves on either side. On the enemy team’s field, there was a face-down card in the Spell and Trap zone, and one monster: a mighty “Blue-Eyes White Dragon”, with a deadly 3000 Attack Points. On their side, Weiss controlled a comparatively weak “Red-Eyes Black Dragon”, with only 2400 Attack Points, and in her hand had three cards: a Spell, “Boastful Roar”, and a Trap, “Decoy Assault”, and a Monster, “Diving Dragon”, with 1000 Attack Points. She glanced over at Blake, who held three cards of her own.

“The first turn goes to Miss Schnee. Begin!”

The screen flashed, and Weiss weighed her options. The goal was to reduce the enemy’s Life Points to zero– they currently had 800 remaining Life Points. “Boastful Roar” had the ability to double “Red-Eyes”’s Attack Points, but destroy it after a battle, while “Decoy Assault” would allow “Red-Eyes” to switch places with a monster in her hand. However, the only monster card in her hand was the weaker “Diving Dragon”, which would do her no good. “Boastful Roar” was her only option, but…

She glanced over at the face-down card on the enemy’s field– no right-minded Duelist would attack without being sure that this card wasn’t a devastating Trap card. If she attacked straight away, the game would be over. Unless…

Weiss smirked, and then held up a card. “...I summon ‘Diving Dragon’ in Attack Position, and activate its effect! By discarding a card in my hand, I can destroy one face-down card on the enemy’s field– so I’ll discard ‘Decoy Assault’, and destroy that face-down card!”

Blake’s eyes narrowed. “Wait, hold on–”

Weiss did not wait, placing the card on the field and discarding the Trap card. Diving Dragon appeared on the monitor and quickly burrowed underground, reappearing to destroy the face down Trap card. It burst into pieces, clearing the way for Weiss to attack.

“Next, I activate ‘Boastful Roar’, doubling my ‘Red-Eyes’’s Attack Points!” Weiss grinned, placing down the card. Red-Eyes roared with power as its Attack Points shot up to a monstrous 4800.

“I said wait–” Blake called out, turning to Weiss– but it was too late.

“I attack ‘Blue-Eyes’!” Weiss declared, smirking with victory.

Red Eyes roared with power, then fired a blast of shadowy flame from its mouth at the enemy Blue-Eyes. It was over– but then, the screen flashed, and the enemy revealed its trick– a card in their hand flew out: “Painful Reverse”.

“What!?” Weiss blinked in surprise.

“‘Painful Reverse’ can activate from the user’s hand,” Oobleck explained, “and causes all monsters on your side of the field to lose half their Attack Points when activated.”

“N-no!” Weiss’s eyes widened in shock as she realized what was about to happen. Blake just groaned with frustration.

Red energy surged around Red-Eyes, dropping its monstrous 4800 Attack Points back down to 2400– its fireball dwindled and shrunk, while the opponent’s Blue-Eyes fired White Lightning through it, striking Red-Eyes and obliterating it, along with the remainder of Weiss and Blake’s Life Points.

“PUZZLE FAILED.”

“This is ridiculous!” Weiss protested, “I didn’t have any cards to deal with a Trap card in the hand!”

“But I did!” Blake cut in angrily, holding out her cards, “and on top of that, I had a monster with 3800 Attack Points– if you had set your ‘Decoy Assault’, I could have activated it on my turn and solved it!”

Weiss stared in disbelief at the cards in Blake’s hand. “B-but… H-how was I supposed to…!?”

“Miss Schnee,” Oobleck cut in, “you failed because you did not take your partner into account– Tag Duels are not like a regular one-on-one. You might have solved this, were it a regular puzzle, but in a Tag Duel, as in life, you must work together with your partner to overcome your trials.”

Oobleck turned to face the class, taking a long swig from his mug. “...That is the meaning of the Tag Duel Exam. I hope you all take this lesson to heart.”

The class murmured and mumbled, while Weiss clenched her fist, staring at the floor, humiliated. Blake just shook her head, tossing down the cards and walking away. The unspoken rejection stung worse, and Weiss hurried back to her seat, burning with frustration.

“Now, you’ll have two weeks to prepare for the exam,” Oobleck said, “please register with your chosen partner by next Tuesday, and practice well. For homework tonight, please read through pages 26-36 on the history of Neo Domino. That is all.”

The bell rang right as he finished speaking, as if the professor had timed it exactly. The class immediately shot up out of their desks, and Weiss returned to her seat to pick up her bag. This was ridiculous– she was a skilled Duelist! Why should she have to rely on someone else? She never planned to compete in that circuit anyways. A Tag Duel Exam… such a thing would only drag her down. Biting her thumb, the dejected heiress headed to the cafeteria, hoping that some half-decent food would keep her body moving.

Before the students could slip through the doors, the announcement bell rang, and the face of Professor Cordovin appeared on the classroom monitor.

“Attention, students!” The diminutive woman said, teeth grit with frustration, “I’ve come to make an announcement! Early this morning, a stowaway on a cargo boat infiltrated the Academy, and is now loose on the island! He is a boy of student age, and bears a Criminal Marker! He may be in league with one of our Satellite students. Be on your guard and report anything suspicious to me at once! That is all!”

The screen flickered back off, and the kids began to murmur to themselves as they headed to their lunch.

“...A stowaway? Here?”

“Must be a big fan…”

“Maybe they’re a weirdo…”

“Sounds like they’re from the Satellite…”

Weiss tensed up. An intruder… from the Satellite? Could they be… part of the Silver Fang? She could hear her Father’s voice echoing in her head.

“It is a sign of disgrace. It is the brand of a foul criminal, who wish to take what others have so rightfully earned. A lawbreaker.”

If they had a criminal marker… they were bound to be a dangerous criminal. Great… another thing to worry about. She’d leave that to campus security, however. For now… lunch.

–

“What is the meaning of this, Professor Cordovin?” Goodwitch demanded, slamming her palm on Ozpin’s desk. Beside her, the Headmaster sipped from his mug nonchalantly, eyes fixed on nothing in particular. In front of them, Cordovin stood as proud and tall as she could, flanked by her two Nubucks.

“...I am merely trying to protect the Academy’s students,” Cordovin replied, meeting Glynda’s stare, “is that not our first priority as faculty?”

“It is MY job,” Goodwitch responded with a steely glare, “and I do not appreciate you making it harder with an unwarranted and boisterous announcement that aims distrust at our marginalized students!”

“So you’d rather let the students be unaware of the threat!?” Cordovin demanded, balling her hands into fists, “this intruder could be with the Silver Fang!”

“Or, he could be an ordinary boy!” Goodwitch fired back, “and alerting the students before we know the situation is bound to only create more unease and distress!”

“He had a criminal brand!” Cordovin said, tapping her face where she’d seen the mark.

“Enough,” Ozpin raised his hand, finally setting down his mug, “a boy with a mark is no cause for alarm. I have full confidence in Ms. Goodwitch to resolve the situation quietly. Now, I would appreciate it if you would leave this matter solely to her.”

“B-but, Headmaster–”

“Do I make myself clear, Professor?” Ozpin said with a hint of steel.

“....” Cordovin flinched, then reluctantly nodded, “...yes, Headmaster…”

“Thank you,” Ozpin took a sip from his mug, “that will be all.”

Cordovin stomped out of the office bitterly. As the doors closed behind her, Ozpin let out a heavy sigh.

“If only stowaway children were the worst of our problems…”

–

Ruby Rose was having a pretty good day. Someone had thrown out a perfectly good half of a Duel Disk, and she’d been tinkering with it all day. Sometimes, there were upsides to most of the dumpsters being right next to Slifer Dorm! Within a few hours, she’d gotten the CPU operating again, and with a little more scrap and some spare parts, she could have it working by lunchtime… as long as she worked through her lunch. What was one lunch, anyways?

“...I cannot believe you right now.” Weiss could only stare in disgust at the pile of junk that Ruby was beaming over, massaging her temples. “You pulled that out of the garbage!?”

“One duelist’s trash is another duelist’s treasure!” Ruby replied, raising a finger. “Besides, this is way cheaper than buying parts online. This baby’s got a mostly working CPU, so that saves me a bunch already!"

“...Is that so.” Giving it a moment’s thought, Weiss sighed, then produced her phone and began rapidly typing away.

“...What are you doing?” Ruby asked, invading Weiss’s personal space.

“...None of your business,” Weiss muttered, quickly pocketing her phone, “but I have to say I am… impressed that you would take such a responsibility onto yourself. Who’s the client, if I may ask?”

“Me, actually.” The cool voice of Blake Belladonna entered the conversation, as she approached their table with a tray of food– the plate appeared to contain some sort of liquid black ooze with what appeared to be red vegetables poking out of it, all poured over white rice. Weiss recoiled at the smell alone.

“Hey Blake!” Ruby waved cheerfully.

“Hey Ruby,” Blake replied cordially, shifting entirely from cold to warm towards Ruby, “where’s Yang at?”

“She’s off preparing for a secret student party tonight,” Ruby said, “or something like that. Your disk is coming together great, by the way! I’m adding tons of exciting new features!”

“I look forward to it,” Blake took a seat beside Ruby, opposite Weiss. “I really appreciate the help– not all of us can afford overpriced luxury brands, after all.”

Weiss’s eyes narrowed at the jab. “...Well,  the disk isn’t what’s important; it’s the measure of the Duelist wearing it. And my skills aren’t anything money can buy.”

“I wonder if you could afford to pay attention in a Tag Duel, then,” Blake said, lifting her mask ever so slightly to take a spoonful of her food.

What was this girl’s deal? She was acting like Weiss had personally insulted her, but she’d always been civil. Sure, she might have messed up in the duel, but that was hardly her fault– anyone could have fallen into that trap. Blake should have spoken up. Still, she was a Schnee– it was time to act like it, and be the bigger person.

“Look, Blake…” Weiss said, folding her hands, “I feel like we got off on the wrong foot. I think we both had a miscommunication during that demonstration.”

“Both?” Blake raised an eyebrow.

“Well, if you had said something about your cards,” Weiss replied, “I wouldn’t have gone ahead and fallen into the trap.”

“I did say something,” Blake’s eyes narrowed, “but you don’t listen to anyone else– I guess that’s how you Atlas types are.”

Weiss felt a vein pop in her forehead. “...You’re making a lot of assumptions about me that I came here to avoid.”

“You’ve yet to prove them wrong.”

“What is that supposed to mean!?” Weiss demanded.

“I’m saying,” Blake answered calmly, “that you’re far from the creature comforts of Atlas here, and if you can’t handle things not going your way, you’ll never make it here. You’re soft.”

“I am not soft!” Weiss slammed her palms on the table. Her blue eyes flicked to her roommate. “Right, Ruby?”

Ruby jolted, not ready to put a dog into this fight. She glanced awkwardly between Weiss and Blake, scratching her cheek. “...Err… um… I mean… I did see you eat a burger with a fork and knife that one time…”

Weiss rolled her eyes, then glared back at Blake. “Just because I’m from Atlas doesn’t mean I’ve never known hardship!”

“Really?” Blake raised an eyebrow, “I bet you couldn’t even stomach a plate of ‘Red-Eyes Curry’.”

“...’Red-Eyes’ what?” Weiss furrowed her brow.

“This,” Blake replied, gesturing down at her plate with her spoon, “it’s a Satellite dish, but it’s popular even in Neo Domino. But it might be a little… robust for your refined Atlesian palette.”

Weiss’s eyes narrowed. She was being goaded, for sure, but she wasn’t going to back down. How bad could some curry be?

“I’ll be right back,” Weiss said, standing up and heading into the kitchen. After a minute of tinkering with the plates, she emerged with a fresh plate of the gooey black curry, sitting back down with it.

“...” Weiss stared down at the curry, which seemed to be glaring back at her with its red “eyes”. It was certainly a far cry from the fine dining and professionally-cooked meals she was used to back in Atlas, where she could have some leftover prime rib as a midnight snack. It looked incredibly unappetizing, smelling like fish, vegetables, and meat all at once. But she was not about to let Blake call her soft, and so, she picked up her spoon.

The first bite nearly made her gag. Weiss’s eyes bulged as her lips closed around the spoon. The taste was… abysmal. Her mouth could tell that there was food in it, but her tongue was telling her that this was not going down her gullet. It took the Schnee heiress about thirty seconds to manage to gulp down the first bite, and then another thirty before she could muster up the strength to go after a second spoonful.

Blake just watched silently, casually making her way through her own dish. 

“...That was… delicious…” Weiss muttered, wiping her brow, “...I could eat… a mountain of this.”

“...I’ll be impressed when you clear the plate,” Blake said.

Weiss clenched her teeth, glaring at Blake, and shoved another spoonful in her mouth. She shivered and struggled to swallow, but she removed the spoon, empty, and reluctantly dove back for more. And more… and more…

Clang.

Weiss dropped the spoon onto her plate, panting, as she swallowed the last of the foul Red-Eyes Curry. She trembled and gagged for a second, but through sheer willpower, kept it down. Blake had finished as well, casually dabbing under her mask with a napkin.

“...Th-thank you for the meal,” Weiss muttered, trying desperately to regain her composure. 

Blake just leaned back in her chair, raising an eyebrow. “...You good, Schnee?”

“N-never better,” Weiss replied, trembling, “still think I’m ‘soft’, Belladonna?”

“I’ll admit, I didn’t expect you to finish the plate,” Blake conceded, “but if that’s what one plate of curry will do to you, then I don’t know how you expect to handle the harsh world of pro dueling.”

Weiss’s eye twitched, and she shoved aside her empty plate, glaring at Blake. “Alright, you want to see how tough I am!? Why don’t we just settle this with a duel?”

Blake’s eyes narrowed. “...I thought you’d never ask. Like I said before: any time, Schnee.”

The two locked eyes in an intense glare, sparks flying between them. But before they could argue further, a new voice cut in.

“Yo, do I smell Red-Eyes curry?”

The three girls turned as one to see the boy approaching them holding his own plate of curry. He was a cheery blonde with tanned skin, a shock of short blonde hair, and perhaps most notably, an open Ra Yellow jacket… with no shirt underneath whatsoever. Weiss’s attention, however, was not on the abs he proudly flaunted beneath the uniform, but instead was immediately pulled to the mark under his left eye: a yellow criminal marker.

“...Oh, sorry for interrupting,” the boy said with a lopsided grin, “my name’s Sun, Sun Wukong! I just transferred here, I was wondering if I could sit with you guys?”

Blake and Weiss exchanged a glance, but Ruby was the first to answer. “Yeah, sure! Nice to meet you, I’m Ruby, this is Weiss, and that’s Blake!”

Blake politely nodded, and Weiss gave a dignified wave of her hand.

“Oh, thanks!” Sun happily plopped down his plate next to Blake, “man, I never expected a nice place like this to serve a Satellite dish!”

“...You know, that’s from the Slifer Red counter,” Weiss said, jerking a thumb at the pitiful food stand where they were served their cheap slop. “You sure you don’t want the food they serve at the Ra Yellow cafe?”

She gestured towards the much nicer kitchen reserved for the Ra Yellow students, where a sumptuous smell drifted through the air. Sun just shook his head, smiling.

“Nah, this stuff tastes like home!” Sun said, shoveling a spoonful into his mouth with glee, “my mom used to make it for me all the time. Can’t get enough!”

Weiss’s eyes narrowed, her stomach churning a bit over how easily he was able to stomach it. “...I see.”

“So, where’d you transfer from?” Ruby asked, eyes sparkling, “North Academy? Atlas?”

Obviously not Atlas, Weiss thought to herself.

Sun paused at the question, chewing slowly, his eyes searching for something on the ceiling. Weiss’s eyes narrowed. Yeah, that wasn’t suspicious…Finally, he swallowed and answered.

“...Shade Academy,” he answered, eyes askance, “you know, the one in Vacuo?”

“Ooh!” Ruby’s eyes lit up, “I’ve heard of that one! It’s one of Duel Academy’s sister schools! I’ve heard there’s some really strong duelists there! Is that true!?”

“Well, you’re looking at one!” Sun smirked, winking at Ruby. For some reason, that made Weiss’s nose wrinkle.

“Not to brag, but I’m pretty strong,” Sun boasted, his arms behind his head, “and I transferred here to see what you Duel Academy kids have got. I’m looking to test my mettle here and see if this school’s everything it’s cracked up to be!”

Weiss’s eyes narrowed. “If that’s the case, then I’ll gladly show you the strength of our Academy.”

Sun took another bite of his curry, unfazed. “Ah, well, first, I was wondering if you guys could help me with something. See, I’m actually looking for someone here! A friend of mine. I’ve been looking for him all day, but this island’s so big!”

Blake tilted her head curiously. “If they’re your friend, shouldn’t you be able to call them or something?”

Sun’s grin grew only wider and more mischievous. “What fun would that be? I wanna surprise him! I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he sees me here!”

“...” Weiss only grew more and more suspicious, her eyes locked on that mark on his face. Was he telling the truth? As suspicious as he was acting, she couldn’t be sure he wasn’t telling the truth.

Sun caught sight of her stare, and grinned, putting his hand to his chin. “Hm? Like what you see? I can’t blame you, but sorry, I’m already taken!”

Weiss’s eye twitched with irritation. She didn’t like this boy.

“Well, what’s his name?” Blake cut in, raising a hand, “maybe we know him.”

Sun polished off the last of his curry, then pulled up a picture on his phone. “His name’s Neptune, Neptune Vasilias. He’s a Ra Yellow, blue hair, goggles, cute but not as cute as me?”

The three girls glanced at each other, then shook their heads. “Sorry, doesn’t ring a bell.”

Sun sighed, scratching his neck. “Rats… I was hoping to find him as soon as possible.”

Weiss folded her arms, eyes narrowing. “Why the rush? Is it something urgent?”

“...You could say that,” Sun said, smirking, “let’s just say, I wanna find him by tonight. It’s important!”

Suddenly, the cafeteria doors flew open, and the two tall Nubuck brothers marched in, flanking the diminutive Cordovin as she scoured the cafeteria, her eyes narrowed like a hawk on the prowl.

“Nubucks!” Cordovin announced, eyes on the student body, “...I have a craving for curry today.”

The Nubucks saluted as one and marched off, while Cordovin took her time scanning the rows and rows of students. She had been forbidden from interfering further, yes, but this was simply her getting lunch. And if she happened to spy a suspicious student somewhere…

Sun’s eyes darted askance, then quickly back to the group. Looks like time was up.

“Nice meeting you guys,” Sun said, then, to Weiss, “and after I find my friend, I’ll gladly take you up on that duel, Miss Schnee!”

With that, he casually walked off, turning his back just as Cordovin’s eyes passed over the table. She narrowed her eyes, but then kept searching. The second he was out of sight, Weiss clenched her fist in frustration and groaned loudly.

"I don't like that boy," Weiss muttered, "we should report him to Cordovin."

"Huh? Why?" Ruby asked, not looking up from her work.

"He must be that intruder," Weiss said, "have you ever seen him before?"

"Do you recognize every student who goes here?" Blake cut in coldly.

Weiss's eyes narrowed. "No, but he was acting suspicious. His story didn't add up!"

"How, exactly?" Blake demanded, her fist clenching.

"Well, for one, they don't let criminals into Shade Academy," Weiss shot back, clenching her fist.

"Who says he's a criminal?"

"Did you not see the mark on his face? He could be in the Silver Fang for all we know!"

"70% of criminal brands are wrongfully applied to innocent people!"

"But that doesn’t mean the remaining 30% don’t exist,” Weiss shot back.

“Oh, so you think that our Satellite students are a threat? Like Velvet?”

“Velvet is different! The students here have all been vetted by the Academy– I don’t have anything against them! I like Velvet! But this intruder is different!”

“Why is he different?!”

“Sure, the markers aren’t always right, but they’re there for a reason! If they don't break the law to begin with, then they won't be in danger of that!!"

“Oh, the laws made by Sector Security?" Blake pushed back harder, eyes burning, “and by the way– who do you think is one of the biggest funders of Sector Security? Schnee Dueling Company, right?”

Weiss balked, putting a hand to her chest. “Are you accusing me of something!? What is your problem with–!?”

"Got it!!" Ruby exclaimed, as the disk in her hands booted up and glowed to life. She glanced over at the two beside her. "Oh, uh, sorry. But for the record, Blake is right."

Blake smirked beneath her mask, while Weiss just glared deeper. 

"...I will determine if his story checks out," Weiss said, "I've got some people at Shade who can confirm it for me."

"And if he is the intruder?" Blake replied, yellow eyes burning with indignation, "what then? You'll call Cordovin on him for trying to visit his friend? He isn’t a threat!"

"Blake, you don't understand!" Weiss snapped, "if he turns out to be a member of the Silver Fang, that puts a target on me-- the Fang has always come after my family! I can't trust anyone who bears one of those criminal markers. You don't know what those people are like, Blake! They are not like us!"

Ruby stopped tinkering, and Blake's eyes widened, and she trembled as if physically struck. Rather than pure rage, a deep pain seeped into her golden eyes, and she turned away quickly to hide it.

"...I’ve got nothing more to say to you, Schnee," was all she said, then turned on her heel and walked away. Weiss blinked in surprise-- she hadn't expected that. 

"Weiss..." Ruby said, her gaze locked on the disk in front of her, "that was a terrible thing to say."

Weiss staggered back herself. "Ruby, you don't understand, I--"

"You're right-- I don't understand," Ruby interjected, picking up the disk, "I don't understand why you'd treat people you don't know that way... But I also don't know how to convince you you're wrong. I'm just... disappointed in you, Weiss. You still haven’t changed."

"Ruby, listen to me–!"

Ruby pulled up her hood, and got up from her seat. The sharp sting of that rejection hit Weiss like a dagger to the heart. She could only stand, arm half raised, as Ruby walked into the distance. Weiss clenched her teeth, shaking with frustration, alone at the once lively table.

--

Weiss's words echoed in Blake's head as she sat high up on the roof of one of the Academy's dueling arenas. Up here, hidden by the shadow of the Academy's massive towers, was one of the only places that she felt truly secure. She knew that she should have expected such sentiments from a Schnee, of all people, but...

Blake put a hand to her mask and slowly pulled it down, revealing three yellow lines branded on each side of her face.

"...I knew you'd look better without the mask."

Instantly, Blake snapped to her feet, pulling up the mask back over her cheeks as she whirled around to face a smirking Sun Wukong.

"Hey, no need to be alarmed," Sun said, waving a hand dismissively, "I knew you were one of us from the start. You can take the girl out of the Satellite, but you can't take the Satellite out of the girl. Your reputation precedes you, 'Shadow Cat'."

Blake's eyes widened. "...How do you know that name? Are you with the Silver Fang!?"

"Hell no!" Sun protested, frowning, "I really am a student! But I've obviously heard of the Silver Fang's most notorious member... the Shadow Cat who steals rare and powerful cards."

Blake's eyes narrowed. "What makes you think that's me?"

"Intuition," Sun replied, "but also your behavior; constantly alert, moving as silently as possible, you're athletic enough to get all the way up here, aaaand..."

Without warning, Sun pulled something small and round from his pocket and pitched it directly at Blake. Instantly, the girl's arm whipped out and hurled one of her cards at it, slicing the object in midair. Only when it splattered in half on the ground did Blake register the projectile as a mere orange.

"...You've got razor-sharp reflexes," Sun concluded, confident in his junior detective work, "which all might help you survive on the streets, but here at school, they stick out."

Blake's eyes narrowed. He was sharper than he looked. But she'd made her own deductions as well. "...You're the intruder, aren't you?"

"What makes you think that's me?" Sun replied coyly.

"Intuition," Blake threw back at him, "and your scent-- you're covered in the smell of saltwater."

Sun smirked. "Not bad."

Blake relaxed a small bit, but kept her legs bent and ready to move at any moment. "...What do you want?"

"It's like I said before: I’m here to visit my friend," Sun said, holding up his hands defensively, "but I'm running out of time, and this island is really big. I could really use a guide."

Blake looked at him incredulously. “You stowed away and came here just for that!?”

Sun grinned. “I’m an expert at going where I’m not supposed to, princess. Just because I’m a Satellite doesn’t mean I’m gonna let people stop me from doing what I want. And I suspect you feel the same way? Or do your friends out there know all about the Shadow Cat of the Silver Fang?”

Blake’s eyes widened, and she looked away, ashamed.

“...That Weiss girl, she’s a Schnee, right? You don’t have to tell me, I could see it in her smug face,” Sun went on, mimicking her disapproving expression, “something tells me she wouldn’t very much like to find out her classmate is a member of the Silver Fang..”

“I’m NOT with the Silver Fang,” Blake protested quickly, then let out a sigh, “...I won’t be, if I… forget it. So we’re at an impasse, then. You know my secret, and I know yours.”

Sun flashed a peace sign. “Correct! If we go down, we go down together!”

Blake looked at him wearily. “And you’ll really leave if you get to see this Neptune kid?”

Sun raised a palm. “Of course. Scout’s honor. Not that I was ever a scout, but, you know what I mean. I came to surprise him and have some fun, but even I’m not gonna push my luck. The longer I stay, the more likely I am to get caught. By sundown, I’ll be out of your hair… IF you help me find him.”

"..." Blake sighed, then let her body relax. "I guess the sooner I help you, the sooner you get out of here. Fine. Let's make this quick-- Schnee already suspects you."

Sun grinned. “Hey, if there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s pissing off Atleseans.”

–

Weiss was a very pissed off Atlesian. She stormed through the hallways, eyes narrowed in frustration as she stared at the floor, replaying the conversation in her mind. Like a chess player reviewing the board, she replayed each sentence and turn of phrase, trying to figure out what she should have said. She wasn’t wrong, no– she just had to explain it properly, and Blake would…

"...I’ve got nothing more to say to you, Schnee,"

The way she’d said it, her own name sounded like a dirty word. There was a bitterness to it that spread across her whole family name. And then there was Ruby…

“...You still haven’t changed.”

She clenched her fist. What, was she supposed to suddenly love Satellites overnight!? The Silver Fang had attacked her family so much, done so much wrong, wrought so much destruction and mayhem… They were the ones to blame for the brand’s bad reputation! She wasn’t wrong…

Meanwhile, at the other end of the hall, the tiny tornado that was Professor Cordovin stormed through the river of students, flanked by the Nubuck brothers, elbowing and shoving any poor students out of the way.

“That Headmaster…!” Cordovin scowled, gritting her teeth, “he’s going to let a dangerous outlaw to run free on the island? Unbelievable! I saw that scoundrel with my own eyes– he’s a threat! I’m sure of it!”

Across from her, Weiss continued to walk, brow furrowed in thought, ignoring the students around her as she walked on autopilot. “Honestly… lumping me in with the other Atlesians like that… that’s discrimination, right?”

“He’s making a mistake, a big one,” Cordovin ranted, barely looking ahead, “I’d bet that hooligan is stuffing his pockets as we speak! And yet I am the one he admonishes!?”

“It’s absurd!” Weiss went on, clenching her fists.

“It’s ridiculous!” Cordovin cried. “It’s–!”

BAM!

Before either could continue their ranting, the diminutive professor and the diminutive student crashed directly into each other’s path, bumping heads, before stumbling back.

“Ah! Watch it, you snot-nosed little–” Cordovin flew into a rage, but upon seeing Weiss’s face, immediately reeled back into her pleasant facade, “oh my, Miss Schnee! My apologies, I should have watched where I was going! Eh, heh heh…”

“No, no,” Weiss politely smoothed out her jacket, then bowed in apology, “the fault was mine, I was distracted.”

Suddenly, an idea struck Cordovin as she looked at the girl before her. Ozpin had forbidden her from any further investigation, but… he’d said nothing about a dutiful student. A devious grin crossed Cordovin’s face.

“Actually, I am glad I bumped into you, Miss Schnee,” Cordovin said, raising her hands, “you see… you certainly must have heard my announcement earlier, about the dangerous intruder on our island?”

Weiss’s mouth twitched, but she nodded. “...I have, yes. I have the utmost trust that security will find them soon.”

“Of course, of course,” Cordovin nodded, “however… It would greatly help the staff if we had someone from the student’s angle to help pursue this target! Satellites are slippery, after all, and we suspect he’s blending in with the student body. You are a model student, Miss Schnee, and if you happened to find anything relating to this intruder…”

Weiss thought it over. Well, it was her duty as a student to report any suspicious activity to the faculty. As far as suspicious individuals go… she couldn’t shake the feeling she’d had about that Sun Wukong. She didn’t have any proof, though… at least not yet.

“...I see,” Weiss put a hand to her chin, thinking it over, “...so you’re saying, you want me to let you know if I find any leads?”

“Exactly!” Cordovin beamed, clapping her hands, “as expected of an elite student such as yourself! If you help me with this, I’m sure it will go a long ways towards proving that you belong back in Obelisk Blue– not that there’s ever been any doubt, of course!”

Weiss’s eyes glinted. That was certainly a nice incentive. “...Very well, Professor. I’ll keep my eyes open, and if I find something, you’ll be the first to know.”

Cordovin practically cackled with joy– but coughed into her fist instead, then stepped aside for Weiss to pass. “Have a good day, Miss Schnee.”

Weiss bowed again and passed on her way, fishing her phone out of her pocket. Her thumb flicked across the screen to the name “Klein” and clicked the call button.

“...Hello, Klein? I’d like you to do some research for me…”

–

Blake walked down the hall at a steady pace, Sun following after like a large retriever dog, grinning and waving at the other students as he went. He was a walking ray of sunshine, it seemed, and winking and grinning at any boy or girl that crossed his path. Hadn’t he said he was ‘taken’?

“...So, this Neptune,” Blake said, glancing around, “what’s he like? Give me something to work with here– I’m not exactly a social butterfly.”

Sun smirked. “Well, he’s a turbo nerd, studying Rules and Regulations. His mom’s a lawyer, and so he’s following in that path to become a referee for pro duels– those guys make crazy money, actually. But behind all that fancy-pants stuff, he’s a total dork. He can’t dance– it’s adorable!”

“You must be close,” Blake remarked, “to come all this way for him.”

Sun’s eyes darted to the side, and he leaned in conspiratorially. “...Okay, well… to tell the truth… he’s my boyfriend. But we… have to keep it on the down-low. His mom would never approve.”

“...Because of your mark?”

“Cause of my everything,” Sun smirks, “wouldn’t do good for his image as a rules nerd when I spend all my time breaking them… But that’s what makes us get along so well. Opposites attract.”

Not in my case, Blake thought, as the image of the white haired heiress popped into her head. 

“...How about you? Got your eye on any lucky guy or girl?”

“No,” Blake answered bluntly, “I’m not here to have a high school love story– I’m here to work towards a better future.”

“How noble,” Sun said, arms behind his head, “leaving behind the Silver Fang for a life of glory?”

“So I can fight to make things better for people like us,” Blake clarified, “once I go pro… I can advocate, pursue political action, give back to the people who helped me… so that we can stop living in the shadow of the Atlesians.”

Sun glanced at Blake’s steely expression. “...So why the mask? You wanna fight for the branded, but not wear your marks yourself?”

Blake tensed up. “Because… because…”

It was a question she’d been asking herself ever since she put on the mask. It ate at her every time she saw a fellow Satellite’s brands. She couldn’t ignore how when she wore it, people looked at her, treated her… differently. 

“...Because I don’t want to be defined by them,” Blake finally said, her voice soft and uncertain, “because this is the only way people can see me for… me.”

Sun frowned. “Psh.”

Blake whirled around, glaring. “...What, you think you’re better for wearing them?”

“I just think,” Sun said, “that if you need a mask to get people’s respect, then you don’t really have it.”

Blake didn’t have an answer for that, so she turned around and kept walking.

“...Tell me something,” Blake said, changing the subject, “why didn’t you just… wait for a school event? It’s not like Shade and Duel Academy don’t meet up from time to time. Or you could have requested a visitor form?”

“Ugh, those are such a pain,” Sun groaned, “they’re long and boring and they take forever to get processed! By the time my request was put in, I was already running late. So I hopped on a ship to come over instead. No big deal.”

“What was so urgent?” Blake asked, raising an eyebrow.

Sun stuffed his hands in his pockets and glanced aside. “...It’s… it’s our anniversary today. We wanted to meet up, but going to different schools made it… hard to coordinate things. You probably think it’s pretty sappy but… I… wanted to see him.”

Blake blinked. “...That’s… actually really sweet.”

Sun’s face reddened. “Don’t make fun of me.”

“...I mean it,” Blake said, her eyes turning up in a smile, “I think you’re still an idiot, but… it’s very romantic of you.”

Sun tried to suppress his blush and started walking ahead. “So where are we heading exactly? This island’s so big.”

“Rules and Regulations class is held over in this wing,” Blake said, glancing around the area, “if I’m remembering right. If your Neptune is in those classes, we should find him or someone who knows him around here.”

Blake suddenly stopped, holding out her arm to stop Sun in his tracks. “...Hold it. Security.”

Up ahead stood Glynda Goodwitch, flanked by her security team, sweeping the halls and talking to students. She slowly turned her head, her laser sharp stare coming dangerously close to Sun and Blake. Blake pressed herself against the wall until she turned away.

“That is Professor Goodwitch,” Blake muttered, “and she’ll definitely figure you out if we stick around.”

“...Alright, so what’s plan B? I don’t exactly have a lot of time.”

“...Seems I’ve got no choice,” Blake muttered, pulling out her phone, “luckily, I know someone who knows everyone.”

–

Yang strolled through the Academy’s hallways, swinging a plastic bag in one hand, a skip in her step. Her delivery had finally gotten to the island; a bag of her favorite snacks from back home, and she was ready to bring them in to the party Neon had planned. It was a secret bash at the gymnasium, using the Sports Club’s practice as cover. As long as nobody snitched, the school staff would be none the wiser it was going on.

Suddenly, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Fishing it out, her eyes lit up as she recognized the caller– Blake.

“Oh,” Yang’s face reddened, and she quickly scanned the area on high alert, as if Blake were watching from afar– which, knowing her, could be true. She took a quick breath, inhaling to calm her nerves. Chill, Yang– you’re cool, you’re hot, and you’re gonna nail this. She answered on the fourth ring.

“...Yo,” Yang said, leaning against the wall cooly, even though Blake couldn’t see her, “‘sup, Blake?”

“Yang,” Blake said, “sorry to bother you, but I have a quick question. You know a lot of the students here, right, especially those in Ra Yellow?”

“I do,” Yang nodded, smirking to herself. Heh, yeah, girls love a useful woman.

“Then, can you help us out? We’re looking for a student named Neptune Vasillias– blue hair, goggles, takes rules classes probably?”

Yang’s smirk faded– Neptune? She knew him, but why were they looking for that dorky flirt? He had tried hitting on her from day one, before she’d made it clear that she wasn’t particularly into his type. Was Blake… into that?

“...Ah, yeah,” Yang replied, scratching her neck, “I know him– in fact, he’s gonna be at a party later that I’m going to… why do you ask?”

“...” Blake sighed into the phone, “okay, don’t tell anyone, but the intruder on the island is his boyfriend. I’m helping… to surprise him. In exchange, he’s gonna leave without a fuss.”

Yang stopped listening after hearing ‘boyfriend’. Yes! She was in the clear! “Oh! That’s all… Sweet! Then, yeah, he’s gonna be at the party tonight at the gym! Just keep it on the down-low, don’t tell any teachers, and bring some snacks.”

“Excellent. Thank you, Yang. You’ve been extremely helpful.”

“A-and, maybe, you could…” Yang’s face reddened as she tried to casually make her move. “I mean, if you wanted… we could…”

“Uh oh, security’s coming– sorry, catch up with you later Yang. Thanks again.”

The line went dead as Yang’s face only got redder. Finally, she sighed and went limp. “....No problem.”

On the other end, Blake hung up, sighing with relief. “Looks like we’ll find him at that party tonight.”

Sun, meanwhile, was beaming. “A party… perfect! I couldn’t have asked for a better setup!”

“Then let’s get over there,” Blake said, “the sooner the better.”

“Hey, wait,” Sun smirked, grabbing his jacket, “there’s no way I can turn up to a party without something to wear! Show me to the store!”

Blake groaned. “...You’ve got to be the pickiest stowaway I’ve ever met.”

–

Weiss’s search across the island had been less than fruitful. Though people had seen the suspected intruder, no one could quite confirm or deny if he was an official student here. A few were more struck by his good looks than his criminal marker. After an hour of searching, Weiss was starting to feel rather silly. Maybe she was getting ahead of herself after all… she had no evidence, no reasoning, and her gut feeling was wearing off. Sun Wukong… was he really just an ordinary transfer student after all?

She sighed heavily, sitting on one of the benches out in the Academy courtyard. Just as she stood up to leave, however…

“...I’m serious, someone stole it! I didn’t misplace it!”

Weiss stopped in her tracks, slowly turning her head towards the source of the chatter.

“Dude, you’re always losing your uniform. You leave it all over the place!”

“No, I’m serious! I had it, I’m sure of it!”

Weiss’s eyes glinted. Was this it? She turned around to face the group of students walking nearby. “Excuse me! Did you say that someone stole your uniform?”

The two students paused, surprised and mildly intimidated by the Ice Queen. Indeed, one was wearing a tracksuit in place of their uniform.

“Y-yeah,” the tracksuit wearing student replied, “I’ve lost it before, but this time, I made sure to check before I got in the shower, and when I get out, it was gone!”

Weiss’s eyes widened. If what he was saying was true, then… “Your uniform… which is it?”

“Ra Yellow,” the student replied, “it went missing this morning.”

A victorious smirk broke out across Weiss’s face. She had it– it wasn’t decisive, but she was back on the trail! If the student hiding was a suspicious Ra Yellow… well, that narrowed things down, didn’t it? All she had to do now was to wait for Klein’s research, and she’d have the last laugh.

Sorry, Blake Belladonna, but it looks like your faith is misplaced after all, Weiss thought.

“Excellent,” Weiss said, pulling out her phone as she walked away, leaving behind two very confused boys.

Meanwhile, Cordovin sat in her office, feet up on her desk as she popped gourmet candy into her mouth. As she was chewing, her phone began to ring, startling her. Her hand flailed around before grabbing the phone and picking up Weiss’s call.

“M-Miss Schnee,” she mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate, “h-have you found any leads?”

“I may have,” Weiss replied, “a student reported that his Ra Yellow uniform went missing this morning, and he appears to be roughly the same build as my suspect.”

“Excellent!” Cordovin swallowed her chocolate and grinned villainously, “then, when you locate that Satellite, contact me immediately! I’ll have my Nubucks on standby.””

“Of course,” Weiss replied, “I just need some concrete evidence, and–”

THUD!

"Oh, sorry! Please, excuse me-- are you alright?"

"N-no, it was my fault, I was distract..." Weiss quickly started to get to her feet, lifting her head up, only to freeze as she found herself looking into the eyes of a very handsome student.

Bright blue locks of hair swept to one side in an undercut, a Ra Yellow uniform worn stylishly over a dress shirt and maroon vest... a stylish, androgynous girl– in Weiss’s view, anyways. She started to blush, turning her face to hide it.

Oh no... she's... exactly my type!

"D... distracted..." Weiss finished, looking away from this very handsome student.

"No, sorry, I should have been paying more attention," the student replied with a charming grin.

"Th... thank you..." Weiss said, focusing on fighting back the spreading blush across her cheeks.

"Hey, you're Weiss, right? Your reputation precedes you," the student smiled, "I'm heading to a little get-together after class-- wanna come? Might not be a fancy gala or anything, but..."

"Y-yes! Sure!" Weiss blurted out, before she could stop herself. Damnit, why couldn't she say no to pretty girls!?

"Sweet!" They smiled and pulled out their phone. With a couple taps, they sent Weiss the invitation. "We're starting after class gets out for the day. It’ll be at the gymnasium.”

“G-gym, yeah, I go there all the time,” Weiss said, twirling a lock of her hair. What was that?? Stupid, Weiss, stupid!

“Oh, and it’s a secret party for us students,” The girl said, leaning in close– Weiss’s face began to burn at the proximity, “so don’t let any teachers know, okay?”

The blue haired student winked. Weiss’s blush deepened.

“Y-yeah! Of course! I-I won’t!”

“Sweet,” the charming student said, mercifully pulling back and turning to walk away, “see you there, then!”

“S-see you there…” Weiss said, waving red-faced as the blue-haired student disappeared down the hall coolly.

“H-hello? Miss Schnee?” Cordovin’s voice crackled from Weiss’s fallen phone.

Weiss jolted upright as she remembered her conversation. She picked up her phone off the floor.

“A-ah, I just bumped into someone by accident. But yes, when I get concrete evidence, I’ll call you right away, Professor.”

“Perfect! You’re on your way back where you belong, Miss Schnee! I guarantee it.”

Weiss ended the call, still a little stunned from her encounter with the handsome student. It was only then that her mind caught up to what she’d agreed to in her daze.

W-wait, an unsanctioned party? That’s bad… imagine if Father found out I was doing such a thing! I’d never hear the end of it…

But she’d already agreed… and if they didn’t get caught, what was the harm? She wouldn’t do anything wrong, just… hang out for a little and mingle with a pretty girl. And after all, she could use something to distract herself from this stressful encounter.

Father wouldn’t approve at all… Good.

Looks like she was going to a party.

–

“How about this one?” Sun asked, holding up a shirt from the clothes rack.

Blake dragged her hand down her face wearily. “...Like I said, they all look fine. I do not care.”

“Hey, I cannot turn up to a party looking lame,” Sun said, shuffling through the best the Student Store had to offer, “especially in front of a crowd like this! I didn’t exactly bring a suitcase with me on the way here, so I need to find something good.”

“This is the student store,” Blake said, “you’ll have to settle. Can you just pick something so we can go, and I can get you out of my hair?”

“Jeez, how nice of you,” Sun muttered, “I’ll bet you’re real fun at parties.”

“Wouldn’t know,” Blake replied, “I don’t do parties.”

Sun paused dead in his tracks. “...You’ve never been to a party?”

Blake looked away. “Just once. Wasn’t really my scene.”

Sun looked at her like she was a little lost puppy out in the rain. Or a kitten, rather. “Well, now you HAVE to come!”

Blake’s eyes narrowed. “No thanks. You have fun with your boyfriend, I’m going to go get a good night’s sleep after all this.”

“Come on, Blake,” Sun said, “what’s the point of being here at this fancy dueling school if you don’t enjoy yourself?”

“I told you, I’m not here for fun,” Blake said curtly, “I’m here to become a professional.”

“You’re going to drive yourself crazy like that!” Sun cried, “you think just because I have some fun that I don’t still care about my goals? We’re allowed to enjoy our lives too, you know? Just because we’re Satellites, doesn’t mean all we have to do is fight…”

Sun’s face fell, tinged with sadness. “We deserve to be happy, to live like everyone else. That’s why I’m always flying free, y’know? I don’t want the marks to keep me from living the life I want.”

Blake’s eyes widened with surprise. She had thought the boy was just a fun-loving troublemaker, but… in his own way, he was dealing with his marks.

“I’m not ignorant of my status, but I’m not gonna let it define me,” Sun continued, pulling a stylish purple dress off the rack, and offering it to Blake, “and I think you shouldn’t either.”

“...” Blake glanced down at the dress, then took it.

–

Weiss stood outside the rickety door to the Slifer Red Dorm, hesitating to open it. From the sounds of tinkering inside, she knew Ruby was already inside, and when she entered it was bound to be awkward. She wasn’t sure how to feel– there was a knot in her chest after Ruby had taken Blake’s side, but she didn’t know why. They’d disagreed before… but it felt like Ruby now thought less of her. Maybe it was only because they’d been getting closer lately, but that thought rather stung.

But still… she should explain herself. From the outside, it must seem like Weiss was another bigoted Atlesian, an elitist rich airhead who cared only about herself. That wasn’t true– she had come here to prove she wasn’t! She wasn’t like her father, and she wouldn’t let Ruby think that way of her. She opened the door.

Ruby sat atop her bunk, fiddling with the Duel Disk. It looked good, Weiss had to admit– easily professional quality. The sleek, black look with gold and purple trim definitely fit Blake Belladonna to a tee. Ruby paused, her silver eyes darting up to Weiss, then back down again at her work.

“...Ruby,” Weiss began, “...can we talk?”

“...” Ruby continued to tinker, shrinking into her work. “...I’m… not good with this sort of thing, Weiss… I don’t like… to argue.”

“...We– I won’t argue,” Weiss said, “I just need to… to clarify why I said what I did.”

“...” Ruby’s tinkering paused. “...Only if… you agree to listen to what I say too.”

Weiss nodded. “...That’s acceptable.”

“...Okay.”

Weiss took a breath, sitting down on her bunk beneath Ruby, looking up through the ceiling. 

“...When I was young, I didn’t know anything about Satellites. I met one, once, at a party a long time ago, but my parents told me not to ever play with them again. I didn’t understand why… until… one day, I was on a trip to the city… and we were ambushed by the SIlver Fang. Our car was attacked, my mother was trying to protect me, and four of our bodyguards were injured. We got away fine, thanks to Sector Security, but…”

She clenched her fist. “...The Silver Fang has continued to hunt me and my family. I’ve always been afraid, always worrying whenever I see someone with those marks. I can’t afford to…”

Weiss paused, thinking about what she was about to say.

“...You can’t…?” Ruby asked, “...I’m really sorry that happened to you, Weiss. The Silver Fang are bad people, and it’s terrible that you got attacked. But still, I don’t think it’s right to take that out on other Satellites.”

“I-I’m not taking it out on them!” Weiss protested, “I-I have no problem with Satellites who do things the right way!”

“You can’t just treat the ones you think are ‘good’ that way,” Ruby said, “because Satellites are people, no matter why they got branded.”

Weiss’s tensed up, clenching her fists on her knees.

“I’m… not good at talking about this sort of thing,” Ruby said, “but I think you should apologize to Blake. She seemed really hurt by your words… even if you didn’t mean it. It could be that someone she’s close to was branded.”

“...” Weiss’s eyes narrowed. Of course… that much should have been obvious. The system wasn’t perfect, and when you or someone you know suffers under it, it’d be natural to react that way.

“I’m… not sure how to approach her,” Weiss admitted, “I don’t think she’d want to talk to me right now.”

“....” Ruby slowly peeked her head over the side of the bunk bed, looking down at Weiss. The two glanced at each other.

“...I think I know someone who can help.”

–

Yang stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in her towel, a veritable wall of steam coming with her from the blisteringly hot shower. With her one arm, she grabbed her prosthetic arm off her bed and reconnected it. She began to lovingly brush through her carefully conditioned hair with a specialty comb, working through it as she dried. Beside her on the bed was a stylish yellow sundress emblazoned with purple and white trim like flames across the hem. She would soon be fully ready to be the belle of the ball tonight, and if she was lucky, maybe steal the heart of a certain raven-haired girl…

“Yang Xiaolong,” Weiss’s voice interrupted her good mood. The blonde girl stopped her brushing and stared over at the door. She raised an eyebrow– Weiss hadn’t made much of an effort to talk to her, and they only really knew each other through Ruby or the occasional joke at her expense. They weren’t exactly on bad terms, but Yang did get a kick out of knocking the haughty girl down a peg or two. She quickly donned some clothes and opened the door.

“Ice queen,” Yang said, putting a hand on her hip.

“It’s Weiss,” Weiss corrected, waving a hand, “and I have something to discuss with you, if that’s alright?”

“Hm. You’ve never really come to talk to me before,” Yang noted, putting a hand on her hip, “but I’ll bite. What’s up?”

“I was wondering about your roommate, Blake Belladonna,” Weiss said, “do you know why… It’s just that… We had a bit of a… disagreement… earlier, and… do you have any idea what her issue with me is?”

“Blake?” Yang’s eyes drifted upwards in thought. It was true, Blake definitely seemed to be a bit colder to Weiss, and while she’d never seen Weiss do anything to Blake, she didn’t find it hard to imagine any number of reasons to be mad at a Schnee.

“Why do you ask? You into her or something?” Yang quickly deflected, grinning. “Cause I totally get that. The cool, brooding loner thing really works on her.”

Weiss reddened. “I– Wha– No! Just– She seemingly has a problem with me, but I don’t know why! I don’t get her– I’ve been nothing but cordial, I always act professionally, and–”

“Look, Blake hasn’t told me anything. She doesn’t really talk about herself much,” Yang cut in, “so you gotta just ask her directly. I don’t care to get involved in whatever this drama is here.”

“...” Weiss frowned, her eyes falling towards the floor. “...I just. I don’t understand her at all! Why doesn’t she at least tell me what I did to earn her ire!? Does she just hate all Atlesians?”

Yang stopped, lowering her head in thought, then looked back over her shoulder. “...I don’t know what’s up with Blake exactly either. I just know that if you want to get through to her, you need to put aside your pride and drop the rich girl stuff.”

“What ‘rich girl’ stuff!?” Weiss said, offended, “I’m not acting any different than–”

“You’re from a very different world than us, Weiss, and without thinking, you say a lot of stuff that pushes the rest of us away,” Yang said, “and it’s not totally your fault, but if you don’t try, then people are just gonna see you as another Atlas elite with their head stuck all the way up their ass.”

Weiss opened her mouth to say something, blinking rapidly, and trying to formulate a rebuttal. She wasn’t like that, was she? It was true, she’d never really been outside of Atlas before, and she only barely remembered meeting kids who weren’t also part of the upper class. But she thought she’d been treating everyone fairly, based on their ability and talent. That was what mattered, right? She’d thought Ruby was a dolt, but the girl could duel, and she’d formed a semi-positive opinion of her since. 

Yang watched Weiss stutter and fumble for a bit, before turning and starting to close the door. Weiss’s eyes widened and she started to reach out.

“Wait, just–” Weiss said, “...Okay, I don’t really know how to talk to people outside of Atlas. But… can you help me learn? P-please?”

Yang paused, glancing at Weiss’s earnest expression, then sighed. “...Okay, fine— I’m on my way to a party soon, but I’ll help you out quickly.”

“Oh, what a coincidence,” Weiss smiled arrogantly, “I’ve also been invited.”

Yang did a double take. “Y-you’re going to an after-class party?”

“A very charming girl asked me to,” Weiss said, smugly, “looks like we’ll be at the same event. You’ll have plenty of time to help me there.”

Yang’s shoulders fell. For once, she was no longer looking forward to a party.

–

The party was actually rather pleasant, Blake thought. As the sun set, the event was just getting started, and students were slowly trickling into the gymnasium, where loud noises and some energetic music wouldn't be suspect.  The wide open basketball court made for a perfect dance floor, with tables set up with refreshments, though Yang hadn't arrived with her full spread yet. Under the guise of "band practice", a group of students performed on a makeshift stage of crates.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” Neon Katt, ever the party arbiter, announced into the microphone, “give it up for Flynn Coal and the Killer Quartet!!”

"I’ve got the fever!

And this heat’s gonna last all night!

Came here for treatment,

But i don’t see the end in sight!

There’s no medication,

There’s no drug that can cure what I have!

Dance floor elation,

Is the only thing that gonna make me Feeeeel aaaaaalright!"

She wasn't really a party person, but this kind of a low-key, casual bash was more Blake's speed. Sun, meanwhile, scanned the room excitedly, looking for any trace of a certain blue-haired gogglehead-- though he seemed easily distracted by any nearby cutie who glanced his way, beaming at the attention.

"...I thought you were 'taken'?" Blake asked.

"Oh, I am-- but this is what we do," Sun explained, "see, me and Nep are born ladykillers; we'd wingman for each other and try to see who could get more numbers. But after a bit we realized that... well... we liked each other better. He'd be disappointed if he knew I wasn't still out setting hearts aflutter."

"I see," Blake put a hand to her chin, a faint smile in her eyes, "that's surprisingly cute."

Sun’s face reddened. "Hey, don't call me that! 'Cute' is a cool dude's weak point!"

"...Didn’t you call yourself cute earlier?”

Sun laughed off the remark. “I’ll go find Neptune. You enjoy the party.”

“You sure?” Blake asked, raising an eyebrow, “how are you gonna find him in all this?”

“I got an idea,” Sun said with a wink, “parties like this are my element! But hey, seriously, thanks for all the help. Trust me, I’ll make this up to you one day, and I don’t say that lightly.”

“I didn’t have a choice, but no problem,” Blake replied wearily, “you’re a handful, but you’re not a bad person, and you don’t deserve to be treated like a criminal.”

“...” Sun smiled, “thanks, Shadow Cat. You don’t either. So… maybe think about letting those stripes fly sometime?”

“...I’ll think about it,” Blake nodded.

With that, Sun vanished away into the crowd, blending in like a tiger into the jungle. Blake sighed heavily. He wasn’t a bad guy, but he sure was a lot of trouble. For now, she took a long sip of punch and tried to enjoy the music. It wasn’t that she hated parties… in fact, she remembered going to a few nice ones, a long time ago.

Meanwhile, the crowd had trickled in from a puddle to a lake of students, all chattering and mingling amongst themselves. Among them, Yang and Weiss entered, Yang in her sundress and Weiss in a sharp white blazer of her own.

"What's up, party people!?" Yang's voice rang out as she stepped into the gymnasium, "I brought the snacks!"

Weiss trailed behind her, trying not to associate too closely with the boisterous blonde. This wasn't exactly her type of party, but it was a pleasant change of pace from the hundreds of high class Atlas parties she'd endured growing up. The food was certainly not gourmet, but the music was energetic and addicting, and the air was free of constricting etiquette and oppressive expectation.

“Hey there,” a familiar voice made Weiss’s ears perk up. She turned around to see the handsome blue-haired student, now dressed in a stylish maroon jacket and donning a set of bright orange goggles atop their head, smiling at her. Her face reddened again.

“Oh, Neptune!” Yang interjected, the name crashing into Weiss’s ears like a wrecking ball. Wait… ‘Neptune’?

“Oh, hey Yang,” Neptune replied, “didn’t think I’d see you here with Miss Schnee. Glad to see you both came!”

“W-wait,” the gears in Weiss’s head began to turn, “you’re… Neptune? As in… Neptune Vasilias?”

“That’s me!” He replied with a wink, “glad to know my reputation precedes me.”

Weiss’s face got even redder, but for a new reason as the pieces clicked into place. Not only was he not a cool hot girl as Weiss had assumed– he was the boy the intruder Sun had been looking for! Weiss stared blankly, her face practically steaming with red hot embarrassment.

Oh heavens he’s not a hot girl.

“I NEED TO GO,” Weiss blurted, and bolted for the snack table.

Neptune blinked. “...Was it something I said?”

Weiss slammed her hands on the table, startling the student manning it, as she grabbed a cup of punch and chugged it. Crushing the empty cup in her hand, she gasped heavily and took several breaths to calm herself.

Ugh, this always happens! No, but more importantly… wouldn’t this mean that Sun Wukong would be coming here? What does he want? Is he… targeting him!? Weiss scanned the crowd rapidly, looking for any sign of the blonde troublemaker. As she swept the waves of students, her eyes suddenly stopped on one spot: Blake Belladonna, standing alone.

Belladonna… Weiss bit her lip, well, time to use what I learned.

Just as Blake was starting to relax, she turned to see the short white-haired heiress standing before her, arms folded, and a small frown on her face.

"Blake Belladonna," Weiss said, standing up straight and formally, "I have come to... apologize... for my earlier words."

Blake blinked in surprise. “Huh?”

“...I…” Weiss began, focusing on Yang’s advice, “was not being ‘chill’ earlier. I’m sorry I upset you, and I’m sorry for my… miscalculation– er… my mistake. I should have listened to you. You were right about the duel.”

Weiss paused, glancing up at Blake nervously. Blake was taken aback. She certainly hadn’t expected this.

“Umm… wow, Weiss…” Blake said, “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

Weiss smiled, letting out a sigh of relief. “...There, I’m glad that’s settled. I was worried you’d think I was just one of those bigoted Atlas types.”

Blake raised an eyebrow. “Well, you did say some rather insulting things about Sun.”

“I may have, but I’m not an elitist!” Weiss scoffed, “I think quite highly of their kind, I’ll have you know.”

Blake’s eyes narrowed. “You do, now? Wow, how nice of you.”

“Oh, it’s not a big deal,” Weiss said, “I know a lot of Atlesians are that way, but you shouldn’t assume we’re all like that by default.”

“Really now,” Blake’s eye twitched a bit.

“We both made some mistakes,” Weiss continued, “but I’m glad we cleared things up.”

Blake crunched her cup in her hand, suddenly glaring at Weiss. “...You really are just like all of them, aren’t you? For a second, I had hoped you were different.”

Weiss’s eyes widened in shock. “I-I said I was sorry! What more do you want?”

“I want you to stop acting like you don’t benefit from everything that causes the Satellites to suffer!” Blake snapped, “I want you to care more about our struggles than your own reputation! I want–!”

Before she could continue, a voice cut through the crowd, and a spotlight dropped on center stage.

“HELLOOOOO DUEL ACADEMY!”

“Oh no.” Blake froze in horror.

“What in the…?” Weiss’s eyes widened in shock.

All eyes fell upon the stage, where Sun Wukong stood, mic in hand, beaming at the audience. Somewhere in the crowd, Neptune suddenly spat out a mouthful of juice in shock. Sun’s eyes finally fell upon the goggleheaded boy, and the two locked eyes at long last.

“...My name’s Sun Wukong,” Sun cried out, “and Neptune Vasilias is my boyfriend, and today’s our first anniversary!!”

The crowd cheered wildly, as Blake and Weiss stared up in shock. For once, they were in total sync. Neptune’s face was bright red as he stared up at his surprising boyfriend.

“S-Sun!?” He cried, “wh-wh-wh-WHAT are you doing here!? When did– how did–!?”

“It’s our first anniversary, dumbass!! I wasn’t gonna miss that because of some stupid rules!” Sun cried, then turned to the band, “Flynn, my man! play something groovy for us!”

Flynn nodded and began to play, and Sun dove into the crowd and began dancing his way to Neptune. The sea of students hooted and hollered for the boys, as Neptune slowly grinned and put his hands on Sun’s waist. The cheers turned to laughs as it quickly became apparent that Neptune had no idea how to dance.

“Dude, this sucks, you KNOW I can’t dance!” Neptune said, face flushed deep red.

“Relax, dude, just follow my lead!” Sun reassured him.

“Aw, they got a nice ending!” Yang said, sidling up next to Weiss and Blake. The two girls looked at each other, dumbfounded, then back at the dancing boys.

“...I need more punch,” Blake muttered.

“Agreed,” Weiss said.

The two girls stormed off in opposite directions, leaving Yang to glance after both of them, confused. “...W-was it something I said?”

Weiss quickly shuffled through the crowd to a quiet corner, pulling out her phone. This night was an utter wash– she’d failed to reconcile with Blake, the dashing girl she’d just met was actually a dorky boy who couldn’t even dance, and if anyone found her out here in this party, she’d be in a heap of trouble again. She sighed, unable to even enjoy the decent atmosphere she’d been vibing to at the beginning. Sun and Neptune continued to dance away, like nothing was even wrong… how nice for them.

Blip!

Weiss’s eyes shot open as she felt her phone vibrate with a message. As she opened her phone, her eyes only got wider.

“Klein?”

“Hello, Miss Weiss. Apologies for the wait. I’ve followed the leads you requested earlier. Attached are photos taken from security cameras at the docks of Snowshoe Shipping. I hope they are of use to you.”

Weiss scrolled furiously and opened the images– and nearly dropped her phone in shock. The photos were fuzzy, but that was undeniable proof; in the dim light of early morning, the grinning face of Sun Wukong, complete with his triangular mark, could be seen slipping aboard the cargo ship.

…I knew it! Weiss looked up rapidly between the Sun before her and the Sun on the photo. This cinched it, she was right all along! Take that, Blake, you arrogant jerk!

“Party’s over, Sun Wukong,” Weiss smirked.

Blake sighed, guzzling down another cup of punch and wishing it was something stronger. So much for stepping out and enjoying herself. As much as she didn’t want to, she couldn’t stop thinking about Weiss. Every time she started to open up around the heiress, she’d stomp her back into her shell. Blake knew she shouldn’t expect more from a sheltered Atlas brat, but… still, she wanted to hope…

Sun and Neptune continued to dance, spinning and whirling around to the beat of the music as the band brought the song to a close. With the final beats, Sun dipped his boyfriend, then hoisted him back up, the two giving a bow.

“Sun,I love you so much,” Neptune said, grinning, “but never do this again.”

“Never forget our anniversary again,” Sun winked back, “and it’s a deal.”

Suddenly, the whine of a microphone filled the air, as a new figure took the stage. Blake’s eyes widened.

Oh no, what is she going to do now?

“...Sun Wukong,” Weiss’s voice rang out through the gymnasium, “I hope you enjoyed that dance, because it’ll be your last. Unfortunately for you, I have irrefutable proof that you are, in fact, the intruder who illegally entered Duel Academy!”

The crowd gasped and began to murmur among each other. Neptune’s face went from flustered to fearful in an instant, as he slowly turned his head to his boyfriend. Sun, to his credit, was smirking proudly, as if to say “yeah, so what?”.

“...S-Sun, dude,” Neptune chuckled nervously, his hands sweating, “she’s wrong… right?”

Sun just beamed back, then stepped forward, smirking daringly at Weiss. “Yeah? Maybe I am. What exactly are you going to do about it, Schnee? I haven’t done anything wrong!”

Weiss glared down at him, raising her phone menacingly. “You’ve broken the rules, and I’m fully authorized by Professor Cordovin to bring you in to her. Sorry, but the party’s over.”

“W-wait!! Hold on!!” Neptune cried, raising his eyes, “w-we don’t need to do any of that!”

Blake scowled. Of course… of course she would do this! How could she ever have expected a Schnee to ever care about a Satellite? She grit her teeth, flicking a card into her hand. If she aimed carefully, she could knock out that phone–

“Not so fast!” Sun cried out, pointing dramatically, “you can go ahead and make that call, Schnee… if you can beat me, that is!”

The party gasped. Weiss blinked in surprise. Sun’s grin widened. The two locked eyes, and the crowd fell silent as everyone waited with baited breath to hear Weiss’s response. Of course, they both knew the answer– a Schnee would never refuse a challenge. Slowly, Weiss lowered the phone.

“...You want to duel?” Weiss said, “and if you win, I won’t make the call, and you get to go free?”

“And if you win,” Sun said, jerking his thumb at himself, “I’ll go ahead and turn myself in. I swear it.”

The partygoers murmured among themselves. Nobody could resist a good duel, after all. Weiss slowly smirked, and hopped off the stage.

“I accept!” Weiss declared.

The crowd roared, and began to clear the area. The party was getting exciting now.

“Sun, wait, hold on!” Neptune cried, hands shaking, “you can’t be serious! What if you lose?”

“Hey, have a little faith in me!” Sun grinned back, grabbing a Duel Disk from a student, “I won’t lose to a Schnee.”

“Okay, but I’ve seen her duel,” Neptune said, “she’s the real deal! One of our top ranked students!”

“She might be good,” Sun replied glancing up at Neptune, “but I’m fighting for more than she is.”

Blake stormed over to Weiss, fire in her eyes. “...You really couldn’t let this go, could you? He’s an idiot, but not a threat! Why is he not allowed to have a good time!?”

“He’s a scoundrel! The proof is right there,” Weiss replied coldly, loading her deck into the disk, “now if you’ll excuse me, I have a duel to win. I won’t hold back.”

The two duelists stood across the dance floor, and a hush fell over the gymnasium. The two stared each other down, Duel Disks raised.

W: 4000 LP

S: 4000 LP

“Let’s dance,” Sun said.

“Don’t get cocky,” Weiss replied.

“DUEL!”

Turn 1: Sun (4000 LP)

“I’ll start this off!” Sun said, drawing his first card, then smirking at his hand, “and I’ll begin with a change of scenery! I play the Field Spell ‘Dance Dance Destination’!”

Sun raised a Field Spell, inserting it into his Duel Disk. The gymnasium began to transform, replacing the ground with a floor of rainbow colored squares. Hanging disco balls dropped from the ceiling, and giant speakers rose up around him, pumping energetic dance music. Sound bars appeared in midair, bouncing to the music, and a spotlight flashed on Sun as he posed dramatically. All around the room, various buildings and statues began to arise: pyramids, castles, bridges; famous landmarks from across the world, all covered in lights and bouncing to the beat.

“And next,” Sun said, raising his next card, “time to bring in the star of the show!”

Weiss’s eyes narrowed. Everyone leaned in as Sun brought forth his monster.

“Guys, gals, and non-binary pals,
It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for!

The sultan of siestas,

The maestro of matinees!
Everyone give it up fooooor…!
Wandering Wukong, the Party King!”

The spotlight moved from Sun to the dance floor, where a silhouette stood, posing with one finger up at the ceiling. The monkey-man emerged from the light, clad in red armor, a mane of orange hair around his face, and sparkling lights dancing around his glistening abs. Slung on his shoulder was a long, red staff, with a satchel wrapped around the end, and on his face were a pair of blinker shades, which he adjusted with a cocky grin. The monster resembled its user to a tee, as it began to groove and dance to the music, effortlessly spinning into a break dance. The crowd went wild as Wukong danced, before he finally finished, striking a pose with his 1800 Attack Points. Weiss just rolled her eyes. Of course his cards would be as obnoxious as he was.

“That’ll do for now,” Sun said, “your move, Schnee!”

“Hey,” Yang nudged Neptune beside her, “does your boy have the moves to beat Ice Queen?”

“Sun’s strong,” Neptune said, nodding, “but… Weiss is one of the best duelists here. If he doesn’t take this seriously…”

He gulped. The consequences were sure to be dire if Weiss made good on her threat to call Cordovin. For once, the troublemaker couldn’t afford to be too carefree.

Turn 2: Weiss (4000 LP)

“Draw!” Weiss cried, taking her first card. With a flip of her fingers, she held up a Field Spell of her own, “I’ll start with this– ‘Glyphoire Thorned Garden’!”

Weiss’s side of the field began to transform, with icy white thorns covering the gym floor. Pillars of white rose up, filling up the room with crystal flowers. Entangled within the vines were various books, staves, and swords, as if the plants themselves were armed and prepared for battle. An opulent gazebo appeared behind Weiss, as if this were the Schnee’s very own private gardens. The students marvelled at the beautiful gem-like plants, and could practically feel the chill of ice surround them.

“Since my field is empty,” Weiss went on, “I can Special Summon my ‘Seven Servants - Dopey Knave’ from my hand!”

Dopey Knave appeared on the field in a flash of light, trying to hide behind its puny buckler. But it was not to stay for long.

“I sacrifice ‘Dopey Knave’,” Weiss said, her Knave vanishing as quickly as it had come, “in order to Tribute Summon ‘Proud Glyphoire Falstaff’ in Attack Position!”

A crystal bud erupted from the ground, then blossomed into a large rose, wrapped in thorny vines, like the garden around it. In the center, the thorns constricted a mystical staff, glowing faintly with magical power. Though it was a Level 6 Monster, but only had 600 Attack Points.

“‘Glyphoire’, huh?” Yang tilted her head. “I’ve never seen her use those before.”

“The ‘Glyphoire’ cards,” Blake narrowed her eyes, “they’re aligned with the ‘Arma’ archetype, just like the ‘Seven Servants’. It seems like she has a whole garden of them.”