"Before I activate Rasca's ability, I'll be setting one card facedown. Now, who should get the honor of having their lifepoints reduced to one?"

"The fuck?" Fish's mouth gaped in surprise.

Goodwin smirked. "By skipping my battle phase, I can reduce my opponent's lifepoints to one, but who to pick? Ah, I know, Elizabeth. So sorry, but-"

"Go ahead. I can take it." Lise gritted her teeth in preparation for the attack.

"Actually," Goodwin's smile grew nastily. "I was thinking it would be so much more painful to watch your driver's lifepoints reduce to one instead! Rasca, lower Yusei's lifepoints!"

"No!"

Yusei: 1

Rasca's attack washed over Yusei. His grip tightened on his controls as he struggled to keep riding, his runner skidded in circles dangerously. Fortunately he managed to right himself and continue.

"Are you okay?" Lise asked worriedly, feeling the tension in Yusei's body ease.

"Define okay," he responded heavily.

"Never mind..." It wasn't until Lise's arms retreated that Yusei realized she had wrapped them around him.

"I end my turn."

Start of Round 4

Crow: 4000 Monsters: (Blackwing Armor Master: Atk: 2500 Def:1500)

Jack: 4000 Monsters: (Red Dragon Archfiend: Atk: 3000 Def: 2000) (Magical Hole Golem: Atk: 0000 Def: 2000)

Yusei: 0001 Monsters: None

Lise: 4000 Monsters: (Smoke Raven: Atk: 800 Def: 400) (Flame Enchantress: Atk: 1000 Def: 200)

Fish: 4000 Monsters: (Sapphire Sea Dragon: Atk: 2400 Def: 2000)

Akiza: 800 Monsters: (Black Rose Dragon: Atk: 2400 Def: 1800)

Luna: 2000 Monsters: (Ancient Fairy Dragon: Atk: 2100 Def: 3000) (Kuribon: Atk: 300 Def: 200)

Leo: 4000 Monsters: (Power Tool Dragon: Atk: 2300 Def: 2500) (Morphtronic Boarden: Atk: 500 Def: 1800)

Goodwin: 12400 Monsters: (Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca: Atk: 0001 Def: 0001) (Moon Dragon Quilla: Atk: 2500 Def: 2000)

"My turn!" Crow declared. "I summon Blackwing Fane the Steel Chain in attack mode! His ability is rather nice since I can bypass all your monsters for a direct attack without the use of Jack's monster!"

(Blackwing Fane the Steel Chain: Atk: 500 Def: 800)

Goodwin: 11900

"Signing off!" Crow grinned with a flourishing wave.

"But before you do, I play my trap Shadow Spell," Jack stepped in. "This trap lowers Quilla's attack points by 700. And now that it's my turn, I'll have Red Dragon Archfiend attack!"

"That's as far as your dragon goes I'm afraid, Jack," Goodwin said. "I play the trap Destruct Potion. It destroys Quilla, and I gain lifepoints equal to its original attack points. It also means Inti rises. Still want to attack?"

Goodwin: 14400

Jack scowled deeply. He certainly wanted to continue to attack and destroy Inti, but he also knew that would be suicide. "I'm ending my turn."

"My turn then," Yusei said. "I set one monster in facedown defense positon and play the Speed spell Double Summon. With this I special summon Shield Warrior in defense mode. I end my turn with a facedown."

"I'll skip the bullshit and get right down to business!" Lise said. "I summon Flame Alchemist to the field and set one card facedown. Then I'll use my other monsters' special abilities and attack you directly!"

(Flame Alchemist: Atk: 1500 Def: 900)

Goodwin: 13500

"But wait, there's more! By sending my facedown card to the graveyard, Flame Alchemist can slam you with an additional 500 points of damage!"

Goodwin: 13000

Goodwin grunted angrily. "You just don't give up, do you?"

"Hit hard and hit fast, or don't play the game!" Lise shot back.

Goodwin chuckled. "You won't be saying that for long, I promise."

"We'll see. I'm done."

"We're over halfway done with this fucker, so it's time for the real show!" Fish cracked her fingers. "I'm activating my trap, Drown! For the remainder of my turn, Inti can't use his special abilities to destroy any monster we have out on the field!"

"Way to go, Fish!" Akiza cheered, her features stretching into a wide grin.

"Let me get in on some of that action!" Crow cried, smirking triumphantly. "I play my trap Blackwing Anchor! This bad boy lets me give another Synchro monster on the field a few extra points by sacrificing Armor Master."

(Sapphire Sea Dragon: Atk: 2400 4900 Def: 2000)

"Sweetness! Thanks for the extra attack points, Crow!"

"Put 'em to good use," Crow winked up at Fish.

"Gladly! Sapphire Sea Dragon, attack Sun Dragon Inti with Tidal Wave! Take that, bitch!"

Goodwin: 11100

"Guess that's all for now," Fish finished. She glared at the Moon Dragon that had taken Inti's place on Goodwin's field.

"Before Akiza goes, I've got two things to say. First, Fish, mind giving me the statistics on that MVP contest?"

"Let's see," Fish replied, counting on her fingers. "Jack's got one point for his magic hole-" she broke off into giggles momentarily, then composed herself- "Akiza's got one for first Synchro summon, Lise has one of that awesome combo she played during Yusei's turn, and I'll give you a point for the power boost you just gifted me. Oh, and Useless Yusei's got negative one."

"Hey!" Yusei protested.

"Fine, no negative points," Fish relented.

"Well, since I'm in the running, I'd like to play my Blackback trap, too," Crow said. "I special summon Blackwing Bora the Spear from my graveyard. Take down Quilla for us would you, Akiza?"

"You heard the man!" Akiza joked. "That dragon's going down! I play Black Rose Dragon's ability to remove one plant-type monster in my graveyard from play in order to reduce Quilla's attack points to zero! Now attack, Black Rose Dragon!"

"I play Quilla's ability!" Goodwin hurriedly interrupted mid-attack. "I gain lifepoints equal to half of the attacking monster's attack!"

Goodwin: 12300

"Don't let that stop you, Black Rose!"

Goodwin: 9900

"I set one facedown card and end my turn," Akiza smiled. "Go for it, Luna."

"Okay then, I summon Sunlight Unicorn and use my Ancient Fairy Dragon's ability to special summon Dancing Fairy in face up defense mode."

"H-Here goes." Leo consulted his cards. "Oh! I think I got something! I've never tried this before, but I think I can make it work! I summon out Morphtronic Scopen in attack mode. I'll use Scopen's ability to summon Morphtronic Videon too, but he's destroyed at the end of my turn. Remember Morphtronic Boarden? Well, when he's in attack mode all Morphtronic monsters can attack directly!"

(Morphtronic Scopen: Atk: 800 Def: 1400)

(Morphtronic Videon: Atk: 1000 Def: 1000)

"Now that's what I call dueling!" Lise praised.

"Don't stop now, Leo!" Jack said, smiling.

"Okay, Boarden, Scopen, and Videon, attack Goodwin directly!"

Goodwin: 7600

"We've got him on the ropes now!" Fish cheered jubilantly.

"Oh do you, now?" Goodwin seethed. "Because it's my turn, and I'm going to put it to good use!" He drew his card. "I'll set one card facedown and use Earthbound Immortal Rasca's ability to reduce Elizabeth's lifepoints down to one! This is sweet, sweet vengeance, little niece!"

Lise: 1

"You okay?" Yusei asked when the attack had passed. All he knew was that Lise was breathing harder than normal.

"Just drive," she growled. "I'm fine."

"Okay, but just so you know squeezing me harder doesn't make me drive faster."

"Shut up! My control is limited back here! What'm I supposed to do?"

Start of Round 5

Crow: 4000 Monsters: (Blackwing Fane the Steel Chain: Atk: 500 Def: 800) (Blackwing Bora the Spear: Atk: 1700 Def: 800)

Jack: 4000 Monsters: (Red Dragon Archfiend: Atk: 3000 Def: 2000) (Magical Hole Golem: Atk: 0000 Def: 2000)

Yusei: 0001 Monsters: 1 facedown DEF + (Shield Warrior: Atk: 800 Def: 1600)

Lise: 0001 Monsters: (Smoke Raven: Atk: 800 Def: 400) (Flame Enchantress: Atk: 1000 Def: 200) (Flame Alchemist: Atk: 1500 Def: 900)

Fish: 4000 Monsters: (Sapphire Sea Dragon: Atk: 2400 Def: 2000)

Akiza: 800 Monsters: (Black Rose Dragon: Atk: 2400 Def: 1800)

Luna: 2000 Monsters: (Ancient Fairy Dragon: Atk: 2100 Def: 3000) (Kuribon: Atk: 300 Def: 200) (Dancing Fairies: Atk: 1700 Def: 1000) (Sunlight Unicorn: Atk: 1800 Def: 1000)

Leo: 4000 Monsters: (Power Tool Dragon: Atk: 2300 Def: 2500) (Morphtronic Boarden: Atk: 500 Def: 1800) (Morphtronic Scopen: Atk: 800 Def: 1400)

Goodwin: 7600 Monsters: (Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca: Atk: 0001 Def: 0001) (Sun Dragon Inti: Atk: 3000 Def: 2800)

"Guess it's my move." Crow drew his next card. "I'll have Fane the Steel Chain attack you directly, but my Blackwing Kalut the Moon Shadow won't let him go in alone. By sending Kalut from my hand to the graveyard, she gives Fane fourteen hundred more attack points!"

(Blackwing Fane the Steel Chain: Atk: 500 1400 Def: 800)

Goodwin: 5700

"I'm finishing up this turn with one facedown."

"That goes double for me." Jack set his own card facedown and finished his turn.

Yusei said, "Well, I'm summoning out Debris Dragon to tune him with Stardust Xiaolong and Shield Warrior in order to Synchro summon Stardust Dragon! I then special summon Xiaolong to my field because Stardust Dragon was summoned. I end with one facedown."

(Stardust Dragon: Atk: 2500 Def: 2000)

(Stardust Xiaolong: Atk: 100 Def: 100)

"Okay, my turn. I draw," Lise said.

"Mind if I cut in?" Goodwin sneered nastily. "I play my trap Battle Mania! I can play this during your standby phase in order to force all your monsters to attack mine! And since the only monster you can attack is Inti, this is going to hurt quite a bit. First we'll battle with Smoke Raven!"

"Oh shit," Lise murmured in horror.

"I play my trap Defense Draw! All battle damage turns to zero for this attack!" Yusei interrupted. "That and Lise can draw a card."

"What a pointless effort. That card only negates one attack, but Elizabeth has two more monsters."

"Isn't he useless, though?" Fish shook her head disapprovingly. "I play my trap Negate Attack. This negates all attacks and ends Goodwin's improvised battle phase." She smiled purposefully at Yusei. "That's how it's done, Crabhair. One MVP point for me."

"Thanks, guys," Lise breathed. "I thought it was over. Anyway, since I've still got a turn, I summon Solar Butterfly and set two cards facedown on the field. Then I tune Solar Butterfly with Flame Alchemist and Smoke Raven to Synchro summon Crimson Starburst Dragon!"

(Crimson Starburst Dragon: 2500 Def: 3000)

"Next, I'll use my Enchantress's ability to halve her own attack points and attack you directly!"

"I counter that attack with Passion of Baimasse! Because you're attacking me directly, and I have an Earthbound Immortal on my field, your monster is destroyed!"

"Wrong again, Goodwin!" Crow taunted. "I'm playing Dark Bribe! It negates your trap and you get to draw a new card to replace it. Isn't that nice?"

Goodwin: 5200

"Why protect someone so actively? The bonds you share between friends and family are meaningless! The only real power in the world comes from taking what others have!"

"That's not true! We have power together because we're fighting for what's right!" Yusei declared.

"And that's to protect each other and the world from megalomaniacs like you!" Akiza added forcefully.

"Exactly! My mom might be dead, but I still know we have a connection to each other!" Lise said. "I never really knew Roman, my dad, before he was taken over, but I know you're more connected to him than whatever power you think you have now!"

"Silence!" Goodwin bellowed.

"It's my turn," Fish said, "and I never was all that good at obeying orders, so I'm gonna talk up a storm. I summon Wish Fish in attack mode and activate Sapphire Sea Dragon's ability! By sacrificing Wish Fish I can deal you 800 points of damage!"

Goodwin: 4400

"You know, I hate turbo duels. Always have. They're just card games on motorcycles. And turbo duelists tend to think they're all that, just because they can drive and duel. But since we are turbo dueling, I'll remove three of my speed counters to play the Speed spell Smashing Ground and destroy Inti! Down goes the sun, and up comes the moon!"

"Thanks, Fish," Akiza said. "I'll also play a Speed spell. This one goes by the name Half Seize. I reduce Quilla's attack by half and gain lifepoints equal to that half."

(Moon Dragon Quilla: Atk: 2500 1250 Def: 2000)

Akiza: 1750

"Next I'll activate Needlebug Nest to send five cards from the top of my deck to the graveyard, then remove another plant-type monster from my graveyard from play to further reduce Quilla's attack down to zero. Don't show any mercy, Black Rose Dragon! Attack Quilla!"

"I play Quilla's ability to gain half of Black Rose Dragon's attack first!"

Goodwin: 5600

(Moon Dragon Quilla: Atk: 2500 1200 Def: 2000)

"Still not stopping for anything!"

Goodwin: 3200

"Good luck with Inti, Luna."

"I think I'll just let my Fairies give me a little lifepoint boost and turn it over to Leo."

Luna: 3000

"Awesome! I draw! I use Morphtronic Scopen's ability again to special summon Morphtronic Slingen! Now Boarden lets all my Morphtronics attack directly!"

(Morphtronic Slingen: Atk: 1200 Def: 800)

Goodwin: 700

"Only 700 lifepoints left!" Jack breathed happily. "If that's not an MVP point, I don't know what is!"

"We're gonna win this, I just know it!" Leo cheered.

"Not likely!" Goodwin said, his tone halfway between a hiss and a growl. "It's my turn now, and when I'm done reducing all your lifepoints I merely have to pick you off like lambs to the slaughter! Rasca, reduce the Oracle's lifepoints to zero!"

"Fish!" Lise cried.

Fish gritted her teeth and braced herself for the attack. All four waterboards flickered dangerously, threatening to dump their passengers to the ground far below.

Fish: 1

"You okay?" Akiza called out. The attack had dissipated, and Fish was breathing hard, kneeling on her waterboard. Every so often, the boards flickered slightly; not enough to constitute a threat, but enough to send quick jolts of concern through the other duelists.

"Yeah," Fish grunted. "Just peachy…"

"I'll end my turn with a facedown," Goodwin said. "That'll teach you to think you can beat me! I am a god, and you are all cockroaches for me to step on!"

Start of Round 6

Crow: 4000 Monsters: (Blackwing Fane the Steel Chain: Atk: 500 Def: 800) (Blackwing Bora the Spear: Atk: 1700 Def: 800)

Jack: 4000 Monsters: (Red Dragon Archfiend: Atk: 3000 Def: 2000) (Magical Hole Golem: Atk: 0000 Def: 2000)

Yusei: 0001 Monsters: (Stardust Dragon: Atk: 2500 Def: 2000) (Stardust Xiaolong: Atk: 100 Def: 100)

Lise: 0001 Monsters: (Flame Enchantress: Atk: 1000 Def: 200) (Crimson Starburst Dragon: Atk: 2500 Def: 3000)

Fish: 0001 Monsters: (Sapphire Sea Dragon: Atk: 2400 Def: 2000)

Akiza: 1750 Monsters: (Black Rose Dragon: Atk: 2400 Def: 1800)

Luna: 3000 Monsters: (Ancient Fairy Dragon: Atk: 2100 Def: 3000) (Kuribon: Atk: 300 Def: 200) (Dancing Fairies: Atk: 1700 Def: 1000) (Sunlight Unicorn: Atk: 1800 Def: 1000)

Leo: 4000 Monsters: (Power Tool Dragon: Atk: 2300 Def: 2500) (Morphtronic Boarden: Atk: 500 Def: 1800) (Morphtronic Scopen: Atk: 800 Def: 1400) (Morphtronic Slingen: Atk: 1200 Def: 800)

Goodwin: 700 Monsters: (Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca: Atk: 0001 Def: 0001) (Sun Dragon Inti: Atk: 3000 Def: 2800)

"Yeah, well this cockroach ain't getting stepped on today! It's my move!" Crow growled. "Fane the Steel Chain, attack Goodwin directly!"

"I think not. I play the trap Gravity Bind. Now only monsters level five and above may attack me. Don't you see? No matter what you do, the King of the Netherworld will lay waste to this world and I will recreate a new world for me to rule!"

"Not if we win this!" Akiza declared.

"You wish to know what will happen if you win?" Goodwin asked, a horrible smile on his face. "Are you so naive that you think saving the world will solve all of your problems? Crow, do you remember what we talked about?"

"Huh?"

"The Daedalus Bridge. I was to commission its completion once the world was saved. Let us say, for the sake of argument, that the bridge is eventually finished. What then? The people of New Domino City will not magically accept the people of Satellite into their flock. There will still be extreme prejudice and distrust. The criminals that deserve to be exiled will clog up correctional facilities and create a strain on the taxpayers of New Domino. You, with your prominently-displayed marks, will be hit especially hard if you attempt to secure employment in the city. And where will all the children go?"

"I..." Crow looked down. "I don't...Shut up! Just shut up!"

"And you, Jack," Goodwin said, turning his gaze to the blond duelist. "We both know that you have an emotional investment in this. But who is to say that defeating me will bring her back? Who is to say that she will not be lost when the shadows are banished? And you know you will never regain the fame and adoration you once took for granted. Everything will have been for naught."

"You keep telling yourself that," Jack retorted, throwing another card facedown.

"What about you, Miss Izinski?" Goodwin asked. "Saving the world won't fix what you've done. The people you've killed, injured, led to ruin, they will remain on your conscious. You will have to face your sins. It is no accident that your powers are similar to those of the Dark Signers. You could've easily become one of them if fate had not decided otherwise."

"It's a good thing fate did decide otherwise," Akiza said. "I don't need you to tell me how to atone or how to feel. I've had enough of that for a lifetime."

"And what of the Oracle?" Goodwin spoke now to Fish. "Records of her appearance throughout history are rare indeed, but there is a clear indication that her disappearance always coincides with the destruction of the Dark Signers. She is the source of the powers you utilize every day, Miss Ukara, the powers that have grown to define you. Are you willing to give that up? To become a simple, ordinary girl? You've worked so hard and so long to come to terms with your abilities. Could you bring yourself to throw that away?"

"I-of course I-" Fish looked down at her hands. The surfboards flickered.

"Fish?" Lise asked.

Fish clenched her hands into fists. "I...I spent my entire childhood hating what I could do. It made my life hell. If you'd told me then that there was a way to be normal...but he's right, my powers are part of what makes me me. If I lost them..."

"Fish..." Akiza said, a warning in her tone.

"Sure, I hate that it comes with a sadistic old water spirit who occasionally takes control of my body. But everything else has just become part of my life. I mean, without my powers, the four of us wouldn't even be able to participate in this duel! Crabhair and Lise would just be smears on the Condor!"

"Fish, please," Luna pleaded. "You're scaring me."

Fish shook her head. "The thing is...aw, fuck it. I've said my piece. I may want to keep my powers, but I really want to tear Goodwin a new one. If the price of saving the world is becoming an 'ordinary' person, I say that's a bargain!" She threw back her head and laughed. "Heck, 'ordinary' is a stretch! I'll never be ordinary!"

She zoomed ahead on her waterboard and hovered close to Crow's runner. "What do you say, Crow? Change is never easy, but it's gotta start somewhere!"

Crow lifted his head and grinned. "You don't have to tell me twice. Come on guys, let's shut this ol' windbag up for good!"

"You think the eight of you can defeat me? Three of you only have one lifepoint apiece, and I only have to attack with Inti to eliminate them. I can break your bonds as easily as I cast away my own family!"

"That's a lie!" Yusei shouted up to Goodwin.

"Huh?"

"I know you get more power from the bond you share with Roman than from the powers of Light and Darkness! It's just like Lise said, your power is meaningless without someone to share it with! Remember the brother you cared for?"

"Roman…?" Goodwin said softly. He reached out as if he saw his brother in the shadowy darkness the King of the Netherworld cast over the city.

"Guys, look! I think that giant bug thing is here to eat us!" Leo pointed.

He was right. The King of the Netherworld had reached the city. It roared and sent a beam of yellow light from its mouth, destroying a nearby skyscraper.

"We better do something and do it fast!" Crow cried, eyes wide with fear.

"NO!" Goodwin suddenly screamed. "I was the chosen one! I had both the light and the darkness!"

"What the?" Lise looked down at her hands. They looked like red outlines, and had just passed right through Yusei's back and her duel disk was falling through her arm like her body had suddenly turned to butter. "Yusei!" she cried in a panic as she began to slip through the back of his runner.

"Lise!" Yusei skidded to a halt and snagged her duel disk from the air, but not Lise.

"Did she fall off?!" Fish braked in midair to go back for her.

"No, look!" Luna pointed earnestly at the red lines beginning to take on shape and depth. "Lise is okay!"

Luna was right. Solid and breathing, Lise wasn't falling. Instead, she rose steadily into the air, arms stretched wide. The clouds obstructing the moon parted to reveal the Crimson Dragon descending upon her chosen. Lise and the Crimson Dragon collided in a giant beam of red light that stretched from Earth to the stars.

Lise raised her hands, a smile on her face, and the Signers' markings returned to them. The wings went to Jack, the claws to Akiza and Luna, and the head to Yusei. The last symbol, the tail, settled on Crow's arm.

"Whoa!" Crow breathed the word, awe-struck. "I-I'm a..."

"Yes!" Lise cheered in victory.

"Impossible! That's impossible!" Goodwin blinked incomprehensively.

"Impossible, and yet here we are." Lise landed back on the Condor's crest. Her eyes glowed as red as the markings on her body and her friends' arms. In an older, wiser voice-the voice of the Crimson Dragon-she said, "I value the lives of humanity and the hope for the future, neither of which you have the right to wield. I choose Elizabeth Kururugi, Yusei Fudo, Akiza Izinski, Luna Collins, Crow Hogan, and Jack Atlas. And I believe it is time to end this." She pointed to Yusei's deck. The top card of his extra deck glowed gold in the night. "It is your turn, correct?"

"That it is," Yusei agreed, grinning. He took off, the others following right behind him. "And it's definitely time to rev it up! I summon Majestic Dragon! Now I tune Stardust Xiaolong and Stardust Dragon with Majestic Dragon in order to Synchro summon Majestic Star Dragon!"

(Majestic Star Dragon: Atk: 3800 Def: 3000)

"Majestic Star Dragon negates your Earthbound Immortal's abilities, and gains them for himself! Attack Goodwin and end this duel!"

"I… I've lost…"

Goodwin: 0000

"Now set your sights on the King of the Netherworld!"

Majestic Star Dragon barrel rolled and charged at the deadly beast. It was joined by the rest of the dragons-Ancient Fairy Dragon, Red Dragon Archfiend, Sapphire Sea Dragon, Power Tool Dragon, Crimson Starburst Dragon, and Black Rose Dragon. The King of the Netherworld fired another yellow blast, but the combined might of the dragons was too much for the creature of darkness.

Majestic Star Dragon sailed lazily across the city. Stardust fell in the dragon's wake.

"Hey, hey, whoa!" Crow cried. The condor's crest they had all been riding on suddenly vanished. Fish's eyes rolled back in her head, and she collapsed. The waterboards she had been maintaining disappeared, sending the rest of the duelists plummeting as well.

"We're falling!" Leo screamed shrilly, holding onto his sister.

"What now?" Yusei asked, trying not to panic while his runner prepared for a nose dive.

"Oh, will you guys chill out?" Lise smiled, raising her hands and pulling them in tight to her body swiftly.

"Yeah, I will definitely 'chill out' while I fall to my death!" Yusei snapped angrily.

"There's nothing to worry about!" Lise insisted. She pointed behind them. "Look!"

Majestic Star Dragon raced forward. It banked sideways and angled itself so that it scooped up all eight people on its back.

"Toldja," Lise smirked.

Yusei opened his eyes slowly. The floor beneath him was inky black. All around him stars and galaxies swirled, adding light to the night. "Where am I?" He stood up. "Hello?" He turned around and Lise had materialized with her back to him.

Lise turned around just as Yusei swept her up into his arms. "I take it you're okay then?" she joked nonchalantly.

"More or less," Yusei replied casually, setting her down. He spotted someone behind Lise and pulled away, putting his hands in his pockets.

Lise was confused until she heard, "Lizzie."

"Mom?" she whirled towards her mother. "Mom!" Mayoko laughed as the two of them hugged, Lise easily a foot taller than her mother. Roman and Rex Goodwin hovered like tall, awkward sentries behind them. The huge, ethereal form of the Crimson Dragon levitated nearby as well.

"Yusei," someone tapped his shoulder.

"Hello, son."

A smaller woman hugged Yusei tightly. "Oh Hakase, he's grown into such a handsome young man, and he looks just like you!"

"Mom? Dad?" Yusei managed to say, his senses overwhelmed with the irrefutable proof that he had had a family.

The woman was of average height, but her brown eyes sparkled with happiness. Her honey brown hair was tied up in an elegant bun at the back of her head. Her husband stood next to her, grinning broadly. He looked like an older version of Yusei, but with slightly paler blue eyes and no gold highlights.

"We're so proud of you."

"Yusei this is your mother, Haruna, and I'm Hakase Fudo your-"

"Dad, yeah, I know," Yusei rubbed his eyes.

"Well," Hakase said. "Haruna's right, we are proud of you."

"And proud to be your parents," Haruna added.

Akiza and Fish had joined Lise and Mayoko, their excited voices carrying easily over the throng of people. Lise had stepped back to give her friends some time with her mother. Technically Mayoko was also their adopted mother.

"Elizabeth, I apologize for everything I put you through. I'm…" Roman smiled sadly at Lise. "I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to give you the family you deserved. I hope some day you can forgive me, but I am proud of you."

"Thanks Dad," Lise said quietly. "Take good care of mom."

"I will. I can promise you that."

"Good…" Lise reached for her hair, twisting it awkwardly.

Roman smiled, nodded, and rejoined his brother.

Lise walked over to a very tall blond woman and average-sized dark-haired man that were hugging Jack. The woman released Jack immediately and held out her hand to Lise. "Hannah Atlas, nice to meet you!" She had a warm smile, violet eyes just like Jack's, and a strong handshake.

"I'm Lise, nice to meet you. I see where Jack gets his looks."

Hannah laughed loudly. " He might look like me, but I think he takes after his father a bit more. The perfect balance of serious and show-off!"

"Mum!," Jack complained, crossing his arms.

"Sorry, son, there's no taming that one. I've tried. Aaron," Jack's father smiled and cordially shook Lise's hand. "Have you been keeping our boy in line?"

"I wouldn't call it that. More like making sure he toes the line between stupid and informed. I think he's found a certain someone to be a better guy for though."

"Oh, lucky you, Jackie!" Hannah punched her son's shoulder enthusiastically.

"So who's the lucky person?"

"Uh…her name is…Carly…"

"So these are all your friends?" A brown-haired woman with green eyes asked, towing Crow along with her. She was tiny, but clearly very strong. "Tsubame Hogan."

Her husband, a tall redhead with gray eyes, patted his son's head. "Nice job, Crow, Sora Hogan."

"You must be Crow's parents," Lise acknowledged, feeling overwhelmed. Something was bugging her in the back of her mind, though. She wandered over to where the twins were shaking hands with a man that looked very similar to Yusei. He acknowledged Lise with a polite nod and a smile over Leo's head.

Luna caught a glance of Lise and quickly decided to move. She took her brother's hand and dragged him over to meet Hannah and Aaron Atlas.

"You must be Elizabeth Goodwin," the man said when Lise hesitantly approached.

Lise bit her lip. "Well actually I'm Elizabeth Kururugi, but I go by Lise. Nice to meet you, mister…?"

"Oh, you took your mother's name instead. My mistake, sorry about that. I'm Hakase Fudo."

"I figured, because until now I didn't know anybody else who's hair stuck up so much in the back."

Hakase tipped his head back and laughed. The uneasy feeling in Lise's stomach settled and she smiled at Yusei's father.

"Yusei hasn't been too much trouble I hope," Haruna asked, stepping beside her husband. "He doesn't get into fights?"

"Uh, well," Lise glanced over at Yusei who was talking quietly with Mayoko. She flushed deep red and hoped her mom wasn't telling him any embarrassing stories. "Actually I get into more fights than he does, and we fight with each other too. I mean I dunno if we're fighting right now or just-"

"Don't worry about it," Haruna said. She smiled and rested one hand on Lise's shoulder. "You're young and you're going to make mistakes. Make decisions that will make you happy in the long run, learn from the shit you crash into, and don't have regrets."

"Thank you," Lise said gratefully. "I'm uh…I actually... Thank you. You guys are really cool, ya know, for parents."

"I like her!" Hakase laughed again. "You're pretty and witty!"

"And you're cheesy," Haruna rolled her eyes and poked Hakase, making him jump. "Hello, Mayoko."

"Hi, and hello my sweet, smartass daughter," Mayoko wrapped her arms around Lise, tickling until she squealed. Mayoko giggled and kissed her daughter's hairline. "I love you, my little Lizzie."

"Love you too, mom," Lise smiled and allowed her mother to steer her back into the large group of people.

Off to the side, two women stood alone, observing. One was the Crimson Dragon. The other, a wizened old woman with a malicious glint in her eyes, scowled at the happy reunions.

"I've been meaning to thank you," the Crimson Dragon said.

"For what?" the old woman croaked.

"For siding with me, this time around. You haven't always done so in the past."

The old woman snorted. "It was hardly my choice. I just recited the prophecy."

"You chose your Host, though."

"Again, not entirely my choice. There are only a select few mortals in the world suitable to be my Host. I simply chose the best option."

The Crimson Dragon smiled knowingly. "Be that as it may, I am still grateful. We make a powerful duo, you and I."

"There is no 'we'. I sided with you because I was sick of losing. And the Dark Signers of this generation were pitiful."

"I take it you'll be leaving early, Oracle?"

"I wouldn't linger here for the world. Wake me when it's time for the next apocalypse."

The old woman vanished, but the Crimson Dragon remained, smiling to herself.

Alone, Roman wandered past the twins high-fiving Aaron Atlas, Haruna hugging Yusei for the fifth time, Crow and Mayoko being dorks, Akiza conversing with Crow's parents, and Hana Atlas parading Jack around with pride. Roman stopped by Hakase, who stared, bewildered, at his old colleague. "Hakase, I wanted to apologize," Roman said, dropping into a deep bow. "Because of my actions I ruined your work and condemned thousands to a sad life or a sad death."

Hakase sighed. "You did a terrible thing, Roman, and for the rest of your death you're going to be paying for it. The least I can do is forgive you. Just don't forget to love both Mayoko and Lise while you're at it."

"Thank you, and I won't. You have my word."

"Good," Hakase smiled, and directed a sad, longing look at his son. "I just wish we got the chance to raise our kids..."

"All things considered, they turned out pretty great."

"Yes they did," Hakase agreed. He raised a curious eyebrow as he watched Lise and Yusei catch the other's eye and look away just as quickly. "Do you think they really fell in love with each other?"

Roman chuckled. "Oh yes. Yusei practically screamed it at me."

"No way, he did?"

"I was completely under Uru's control. I couldn't see my daughter as anything beyond a tool I had to possess to defeat the light. Apparently that made him angry enough to yell about his feelings."

Hakase laughed and shook his head. "I wish I could've seen that."

"I wish I could have seen Elizabeth's face when she let slip she loves him. I think they just need to work out a few things."

"I hope so."

"Wait a minute. How are you here? How are we all here?"

Goodwin stepped into the middle of the enormous group of people, halting all other conversations. "We are in the in between world, a place of peace." He sighed sadly and nodded his head respectfully at everyone. "The bonds we share with the people we care about are all that really matter in life. Thank you for showing me that. I cared more about my family than my power, but now it's time for us to go."

"What, go? But we just met!" Jack protested.

"I just found out I had a real family," Crow said quietly.

"But we were only allowed to see you all for a short time, because technically we're not…ya know," Crow's mother said, shuffling her feet awkwardly.

"Alive," Mayoko finished bluntly.

"Wait, does that mean we're dead too?!" Leo squeaked. "But I wanted to make it to twenty-one to try beer!"

"No, Leo, none of you are dead," Goodwin sighed again. "But we must go now, and you'll be glad to know all the Dark Signers will be returned to the world as they were meant to be."

"That's good." Jack nodded approvingly.

The Crimson Dragon smiled and, for the first time since the reunion began, spoke to the group at large. "I felt this was a fitting reward for saving the world. Excuse me if I overstepped any boundaries." She bowed deeply. "Thank you for sacrificing yourselves for the world. I chose its protectors well." The Crimson Dragon's lips parted in a motherly smile. "Something troubles you, Elizabeth?"

"Yeah. I'm not necessarily asking why you chose me, but why did you decide to be trapped as a human? Aren't you stronger as an all-powerful spirit?"

"You think being human a trap?"

"No! I just-"

"I am kidding," she smiled briefly and took a deep breath. "I had been watching over humanity for nearly five thousand years at the time of your birth. I grew to realize I did not understand humans, though I tirelessly protected them. I realized I must live amongst the humans to be more compassionate towards them. Through you I experienced sadness, rage, fear, love, heartbreak, and happiness. Thank you for helping me understand just how precious human life is."

Lise's cheeks flushed pink. Pleased and embarrassed, she grinned widely and nodded. "Sure. Anytime."

"Now we must go," Goodwin said sadly.

Crow's parents, Jack's, Yusei's and Lise's joined Goodwin. Golden light bloomed behind them. The light blinded the teenage heroes, but they were able to watch their families walk away.

"Hey, it's okay, Jack," Luna said comfortingly. She rubbed the highest part of Jack's back she could reach.

"It's nice to know we had real families that loved us," Crow's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Isn't it?" Yusei agreed quietly, rubbing his eyes. "But it makes it so much harder."

"Bye, mom!" Lise waved.

Suddenly the golden light faded. The stars and galaxies spiraling around the in between space vanished. The smell of saltwater reached everybody's noses and they seemed to be falling extremely fast. That is until all eight of them stopped as if suspended by wires from the sky. Next second, they had landed, unconscious, on the edge of Satellite.

Trudge pulled up to the coffee shop he'd promised to meet Meena at the following morning. He removed his helmet and sat down beside her. "Any luck?"

"No," Meena shook her head, making her earrings swing. Her brow furrowed with worry. "We've had the police out searching for hours, and we haven't found a thing!"

"I'm sure they're okay, though, I mean, eight people don't just up and vanish." Trudge scratched at his head thoughtfully. He remembered that weird hallucination he'd had about flying lions and talking dragons. "Do they?"

"Wait, everyone's missing?!" an old man wearing gray suddenly threw off all his clothing and beard to reveal Carly in her regular clothes and a camera slung over her shoulder. "How am I supposed to write a hard-hitting article if I can't interview any of the key participants?"

"Just interview yourself," Trudge suggested after getting over his initial shock. "You were there too, ya know."

"Yeah, but I don't remember one goddamn thing!" Carly cried, snapping the pen she'd been carrying in half. "It's so frustrating!"

"Well," Meena scowled grudgingly, "at least you're not a Dark Signer anymore."

"I was a what?!"

Lise awoke to the sound of waves lapping at the beach and the sight of a blue, cloudless sky. Sitting up, she brushed sand from her back and looked around. The other Signers and Leo were in similar states of awareness. Crow had appeared to be the most awake, and had at some point snagged Lise's backpack to use as a pillow for Fish, who was still out cold and deathly still.

"How is she?" Lise asked. She cleared her throat when she heard how raspy her voice was.

"I don't know. She was like this when I woke up, like, twenty minutes ago, and she hasn't moved since. But I checked her wrist and she's definitely got a pulse."

Lise bit her lip worriedly, then felt a hand fall on her shoulder.

"Don't worry," Yusei said, "I'm sure she'll be okay."

As if summoned by the words, Fish shot into an upright position, her eyes flying open. "What-where-when-the fuck? What're we doing on a beach?"

"Fish!" Lise cried. It took all her willpower not to tackle Fish with a hug.

"Did we...? I assume we won, 'cuz the world's not all fucked up and the bridge is finished and we're alive and shit, but the last thing I remember is falling. And I don't think there were any beaches where we fell. So I'm kind of lost."

"You totally missed out!" Leo spoke up. "Majestic Star Dragon carried us on his back all the way out here, and we got to see Yusei's and Crow's and Jack's and Lise's parents!"

"Wait, wait, hold up!" Crow said. "What did you say, Fish?"

"Uh, I'm kind of lost?"

"No, way before that. Did you say..."

Fish and Crow stared at each other, eyes wide. Then Crow whipped around.

"Holy shit, the bridge is finished!"

"Wow" Crow breathed. They were standing on the bridge, marveling at it. Crow kept jumping up and down, as if testing to make sure it was solid and not a dream. "I can't believe I'm seeing this. The Daedalus Bridge is actually, finally finished!"

"It's beautiful," Lise agreed softly.

"And I'm gonna be the first to walk on it!" Leo declared dramatically. He took off with Luna at his heels.

Jack opened his mouth to say something, but Akiza took Lise's and Fish's hands. "Let's go too. I have a feeling they're gonna be here forever and I don't really want to stick around."

"You read my mind," Lise smiled shortly. "Where's the nearest grocery store? I wanna swing by for some ice cream."

"I wanna pick the flavors!" Fish volunteered immediately. "We'll get chocolate, cookies 'n cream, vanilla, peppermint, and some mochi!"

"We'll explode before we eat all that!"

"Maybe we should ask Leo and Luna to come too so they can help us finish all the ice cream," Lise suggested.

"I heard ice cream!" Leo piped up. "I'm so in!"

"Me, too!"

"Sweet, ice cream party on the bridge!"

"There are plenty more bridges that need building," Jack said.

"Can't you just enjoy this victory?" Crow said, too hyped up to be brought down. "I mean, we did it! Things are gonna get better, maybe not today, maybe not this year, but someday, and we helped get the ball rolling!"

"Yeah, hey Lise what do you…" Yusei petered out when he realized she wasn't standing next to him anymore. "…think."

Crow smiled. "They decided to beat us to the bridge." He jabbed his thumb behind him and joined Jack at his runner. He whispered up to him. "Watch this. Ten…"

Yusei stared at Lise's back. He seemed to be fighting internally with himself. The more he waited the farther away she got though. He spoke up a split second after Crow reached one. "I've gotta go, guys." He took off at top speed.

"Fucking nailed it," Crow smirked proudly. He and Jack high-fived.

"But he still has to pull this off without being a total idiot."

"That's not going to happen. Hopefully Lise likes idiots."

"Wait! Wait!"

Lise actually started walking faster. She didn't care if it was Yusei, Jack, or Crow. At that moment, she didn't want to talk with any of them if she could avoid it.

Akiza had other plans. She looked over hers and Lise's shoulders and smiled mischievously. She detached herself from Lise and forcefully dragged Fish along with her. "Come on, Fish, let's go on ahead. You too, Leo and Luna."

"Wait what? Huh?" Fish was too bewildered to do much more than shoot Lise a confused glance while Akiza led her away.

"Wait!" Yusei shouted again, reaching for Lise's arm. "Wait…" he whispered, a bit out of breath and at a loss for words now that he and Lise were face to face.

Lise's heart sank. She had hoped to avoid talking to Yusei as long as possible. Apparently that wasn't going to happen because he insisted on making things harder.

She decided to speak first. Yusei was winded anyway. She pulled away from him and wrapped her arms around herself as if she wanted some sort of protection no matter how flimsy. "Look, I don't know what it is you want from me at this point. I get it, I really do, and I'm not blaming you or hating you for not reciprocating at all. It hurts right now, but I think we can still be friends. I just need time to get over you…" Lise stopped, realizing meeting Yusei's eyes was too hard for her at the time. Don't cry. You already did your crying.

Yusei mulled over her words carefully. "Friends…get over – No!"

"No?" Lise looked up in confusion.

"No, I don't want to be friends anymore!" Yusei said in a panic, grabbing Lise's shoulders. The look of nonplussed hurt on her face nearly killed him. He quickly let go of Lise and smacked himself in the forehead. "Stupid, why the hell did I say it like that?! I-I meant I made a mistake and I want to fix it. You can hit me or hurt me as much as you want when I'm done, or just walk away. I won't stop you."

"Talk." Lise's expression was unreadable for once, but she was staying.

Yusei went with it. "I-I've never been very good with how I feel. I didn't understand why I felt so lonely when you weren't around, why it was so hard to talk to you, or why the slightest little touch made me unbelievably happy. Eventually I figured out why I felt so crazy around you, but I lied to you. I was selfish, scared, and stupid and I hurt you. I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you, but I know that can't change the fact that I did, and I'm so sorry. I lied to you then, but I want to tell you the truth now." He swallowed nervously and took a deep breath. This was more than he'd spoken in one sitting for something that wasn't a duel. "When we – wh-when I kissed you it did mean something to me b-because you mean something to me. You're beautiful, and funny, and smart, and stubborn, and you always have to be right about everything, and it takes forever for you to trust people. But you mean something to me because…because…I…" He looked down and mumbled something indiscernible.

"What?" Lise leaned forward a little to listen better. "I can't hear you."

"I-I said," Yusei clenched his hands into fists they were shaking so hard. He opened his mouth before he lost his nerve. "I said I love you."

This took a second to register with Lise. Her eyes widened and then narrowed like she was suspicious. "You love me?" her words were barely above a whisper, as if she dared not believe them.

Yusei nodded.

"Say it again," Lise said a little louder, as if challenging the statement. She stared searchingly at his face.

"I love you," Yusei repeated earnestly. His heartbeat roared in his ears a mile a minute.

The gears started grinding madly in Lise's mind, trying to comprehend this information.

Yusei had asked her to come to New Domino City with him. He'd always defended her from Trudge (and his annoying habit of being a stalker). He hadn't rejected her when she told him she hated herself. He'd carried her back to Blister's place after the Fortune Cup. He'd wanted her company whilst recovering at Martha's. He'd been right beside her during the duel with Akiza. He'd punched Goodwin in the face when they'd discovered he was behind the incident two years ago. He'd helped her break free from Roman (twice). He'd taken her place in the duel against Roman. He'd carried her a second time out of the Old Reactor when she'd been injured. She was the only person he'd told about seeing his father in the Old Reactor. He hadn't tried to stop her from joining the duel against Goodwin. Most of all was the way he'd held her so tightly after the Crimson Dragon had brought her back to life.

Yusei started rocking back and forth on his heels awkwardly. He was afraid silence meant he should leave, but he didn't want to pass up a single word no matter how much it would hurt.

Lise shook her head, sighing. "It had to be you."

"Huh?" Yusei stopped rocking. That was not one of the responses he had been expecting.

Lise threw her arms around Yusei. Her ear rested on his chest, listening to his pounding heartbeat. "I love you too, you stupid fucking idiot," she said, turning red.

Yusei's whole face turned pink and he grinned like an idiot. It was too good to believe as he wrapped his arms around Lise and rested his forehead on her head. "Do me a favor and pinch me or something to make sure this isn't a dream."

"It's not a dream," Lise pulled back, her forehead wrinkled in thought. "Right?"

"I don't think I can dream up this," Yusei said softly, squeezing Lise's hands.

"HEY!"

Both Lise and Yusei jumped.

Crow had his hands cupped over his mouth like a megaphone. He and Jack were grinning ridiculously wide. "Are you two gonna kiss or not?"

"Uh…" Yusei turned just as red as Lise. "C-Can I? Kiss you, I mean."

Lise nodded. Words failed her and she figured it was safer to nod.

Yusei broke into a broad smile and dropped one of Lise's hands to brush his knuckles gently across Lise's cheek. "Are you scared?"

"Yeah," she breathed as his fingers stretched over her ear. "You?" she mouthed when there was maybe an inch between them.

"Terrified," Yusei uttered and then there wasn't any space left to cross.

For a split second they stared at each other like they couldn't believe it. Almost as one, Lise and Yusei closed their eyes and tilted their heads. Lise's hands migrated to Yusei's shoulder and the back of his head. He'd moved his hands down to Lise's back and held her so tightly he lifted her off her feet.

Just two people learning how to kiss.

"Yuck." Leo curled his lip in disgust.

"Oh be quiet, I think it's sweet," Luna said.

Fish sniffled in frustration. "I can't!" she wailed, and collapsed.

Akiza laughed so hard she clutched at a stitch in her side. Jack and Crow joined them, exchanging high-fives with Luna.

"They're together!"

"Finally!"

"I know, I've been waiting two years for this!"

"Is Fish dead?" Jack suddenly asked.

"You wish, assface," Fish declared, raising a pointed finger from where she lay. The words came out muffled since her face was still pressed against the bridge.

Crow, Akiza, Leo, and Luna broke into hysterical giggles at Jack's disappointment.

Lise and Yusei ignored them. In fact, it was probably safe to assume they couldn't hear the others. They stopped only when they couldn't breathe anymore. They leaned their foreheads together, breathing heavily.

"You do know," Lise said in between breathes, her face red, "that we're going to drive each other crazy right?"

"As long as I've got two tickets to crazy town I want you to have one."

"I hear there's plenty of room on the crazy train," Crow interrupted. "So how about we all hit the road?"

"I'm up for it," Jack said.

Fish sighed, her eyes disapprovingly glancing at Lise and Yusei holding hands. "And I guess I'll allow," she gestured at their hands like they were repulsive creatures fornicating. "That, but I will come for you if you hurt her."

"That goes double for me," Akiza said.

"Wait, but you guys are my friends too. Why would you think I want to hurt her?"

"Ew, I'm so not your friend."

"I can live with that," Yusei acknowledged, kissing Lise's head.

"Me too," she smiled, her heartbeat racing. Lise rose into the air. "So last one across the bridge is the biggest loser of the century?"

"You're on!" Leo pumped his fist into the air.

"What he said!" Crow, Jack, and Yusei hopped on their runners and took off.

"Hey, wait for us!" Luna protested, running for the bridge with her brother. "You guys, that's cheating!"

"No way!" Akiza laughed, riding on the back of her Black Rose Dragon.

"Oh, come on!" Fish shouted after everyone. "Morons, I can't fly anymore." She kicked a rock with her shoe and resigned herself to walking alone.

The roar of a motor grew louder and louder, and Crow pulled up beside her. "Sorry, forgot. You want a ride?"

Fish grinned. "If you've got a spare helmet, then hell yeah!"

She hopped on, accepted the extra helmet, and let out a whoop as Crow gunned the engine, ready to catch up with the others.

"This is the best day ever! Whoohoo!" Lise soared high into the sky and dive-bombed at top speed across the bridge.

"YEAH!"