The Duel of a Lifetime!

The day after, Toshiko arrives to school, meeting Emi at the front gates. Toshiko smiles, waving towards her. "Emi-tan, you missed me that much? Didn't think you'd meet me outside!" Emi sighs. "I didn't come here for you! I'm a busy girl, I don't have TIME to sit around and wait!" She exclaims. 

"Mhm. Would a busy person have grass on their back. Or have a suspiciously Emi-shaped outline in the grass over there?" Toshiko retorts, pointing to the grass she was supposedly laying on. "A-ANYWAY! Today's a bit different. At Hakuryu Academy, the excellence of students like us matters a lot. That leads me into the Student Partner Program and-" Emi rambles on, being silenced by Toshiko putting his finger on her lips. 

"I mentally fell asleep like three words ago. In simpler words, please." He says. Emi's face flushes red, her heart pounding harder. She pushes his arm away from her and turns around. "You all good there? You kinda turned into a walking tomato." From Toshiko's point of view, he watches Emi make some sort of explosive gesture with her hands and kneel. "...Maybe I picked the wrong person to be friends with."

Emi stands up and walks back over, clearing her throat. "Continuing on. The short of it is Today's club day. We're forced to pick a club, so here we are." Emi explains. "You could've just said that, ya know. I swear, is that a Watanabe thing or a Hakuryu thing?" Toshiko asks. "...Follow me, I'll tell you while we get to the heart of the school." She starts making her way towards the school's center while Toshiko follows closely behind. Emi holds her hands while hanging her head down a bit. 

"The Watanabe Family are held in high regard. We trade back and forth between countries, try and advance humanity! Stuff like that. There's my Father, My Mother, My Brother, and my little sister.. Takashi wanted to be chef, instead of being some big international trader. So now all of his responsibility, the company, the trust of everyone... It's all mine to bear." Emi explains. "Sheesh. I know what's it like. You have so many people who need you to succeed, so many people depending on you. It's hard, I get that much at least." Toshiko responds. 

"How could you understand..? We're worlds apart. This is my destiny, I know this much." Emi retorts. Toshiko catches up and places his hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you can't change your destiny by yourself, but I think we can together!" He exclaims. Emi chuckles, before going back to a sad demeanor. "I don't think a positive attitude and the power of friendship will stop this from happening.. This is serious." Toshiko walks ahead of her and stares at her, eyes full of sincerity and somberness. "It doesn't have to be just that though. Do you know WHY I pulled that prank before? It's because I saw so many people who looked so uptight and serious actually laugh! In Matsukawa, we have a kind of saying... "Let the Kids play until it's time for growth" None of you ever got the chance to be teenagers, you know? Seeing all of you like this compared to how kids are from where I'm from hurts. I want to make a difference for this school and change EVERYONE'S lives! And now that you're my friend, your life matters to me first Emi!" Toshiko admits.

Emi stands there in the beige corridor as light seepes in through the windows, Tears welling in her eyes. "But.. is that possible? I'm just... the heir to the throne." She responds, rubbing her arm. "Not even! You're Emi Watanabe, Kinoko-chan's strongest warrior, and when you love something, you'll tell it to the WORLD! that's the kind of person you are, Emi!" He shouts. Tears stream down her face as she immediately embraces Toshiko. "Thank you.. seriously. I want to believe you so... make sure you don't go back on your word, okay?" She says. "Why would I? After all, I'm Toshiko Kimura, star child of Matsukawa!" He exclaims. "For legal reasons, I cannot disclose myself as their star child anymore. I can't get sued again.."

Emi laughs, stopping their hug. "You're so weird, Toshi-san." Suddenly realizing what she said, she furiously shakes her head while blushing prominently. "N-no wait! Don't get the wrong idea, I just..!" Toshiko smiles widely, extremely happy. "D-DON'T SMILE! Stop that! W-wait, I think we're here so let's get moving okay, how about that yeah alright? Alright!" She shouts before entering the middle of the school. Toshiko looks up at the massive atrium, the glowing chandeliers lighting up the area. In the center itself sits a fountain with plush sofas and armchairs scattered about. 

Around the center, multiple club booths are scatted about. Toshiko walks about, not really paying attention to the booths. Unexpectedly, he hears a loud stomp against some wood, causing him to turn his head to the side. A boy with wild orange hair and amber eyes points straight at him. "YOU! You're perfect! My name's Kazuki Tanaka! Welcome to the Creative Expressions Club newbie! we do important business here!" Kazuki shouts. 

Another boy at his side with black neatly styled hair and a small section at the crown of his hair is spiky and disheveled stands by Kazuki's side. "Are you gonna tell him we just made this club so we could read manga?" The boy asks. "H-hey! Not so loud! We'll be caught Hiroshi!" Kazuki retorts. "Perfect, I'd love to join!" Toshiko retorts. "Hmm... Not ANYONE can just join us. I'll need to test your mettle.. ON THE BATTLEFIELD!" Kazuki yells. Toshiko cracks his knuckles. "Heh, sure! I know a thing or two!" Hiroshi sighs. "Oh, you poor poor soul."

The two stand in wild clothing, amongst a cybernetic field. "Come on, Toshiko. Draw whatever pathetic cards you have to! You won't win regardless!" Kazuki exclaims. "Don't be so sure about that, I have my heart to guide me! Draw!" Toshiko shouts, as they draw their cards to their hands. "I set two cards down in my back row, before summoning Shadow Magician to the field! Your turn, Kazuki!" He continues. Kazuki laughs to himself.

 "1,500 Attack?! Once I play my ultimate card, you won't be able to do anything about it! I draw and play Azure Dragon Knight and upon summoning this card, I can flip my Celestial Scale and boost my Dragon Monsters attack up 500! Your turn, you pathetic duelist!" He taunts. "What could his plan be?! Kazuki doesn't have a dragon monster on the field, and that's the only way they'll could be affected.. what's he plotting?!" Hiroshi exclaims. 

"Too bad, moron! I can activate my Shadow Magician's effect which allows me to discard two cards to draw two more! And I continue this chain by flipping INVINCIBLE SOUL! SUMMONING MY FAITHFUL COMPANION, NIGHT ENCHANTRESS!" Toshiko shouts. "I-Impossible?! I didn't think you'd get her out so early! What's your game plan here, Toshiko?!" Kazuki yells. "It's simple, Kazuki. Win this duel!" Toshiko retorts. Night Enchantress attacks, dealing a 1,000 damage to Kazuki. "Thanks for the help, you pathetic whelp!" Kazuki shouts. Hiroshi and Toshiko gasp loudly.

"Sending my Azure Dragon Knight to the graveyard means I can now summon my staple, the strongest monster alive, AZURE EYES ELEMENTAL GUARDIAN!" He yells. "Night Enchantress is 1,000 life points behind, unless Toshiko drew that card... The duel might be over!" Hiroshi interjects. "I'll let you go again, since you were gracious to let me summon my monster." Kazuki boasts. "Your mistake, fool! Watch this! I fuse my Night Enchantress with my Shadow Magician from the graveyard to summon Lunar Empress! And I'll set Future Vision in the back! Enough to counter your Azure-Eyes! I'll shatter your card and finish this duel next turn!" Toshiko reveals. 

Hiroshi gasps. "Sorry, but I can't allow that! I flip Azure Barrier, which negates your attack!" Kazuki reveals. "Damn! He's good, he knows every aspect of the game..." Toshiko whispers. "Go Azure-Eyes, annihilate his pathetic Lunar Empress!" Kazuki yells, the two monsters clashing and destroying each other. "Then I use Dragon's Revival, which allows me to bring back Azure-Eyes from the graveyard!" He continues. "AHAHAHA! Try and get over this one, FOOL!"

Toshiko smirks to himself. Hiroshi and Kazuki fall silent. "This duel.. is over. But not for me. You didn't notice, but I flipped Future Vision and discarded 6 spellcasters! Not stopping that was your DOWNFALL!" Toshiko draws a card and lifts it in the air dramatically. "GO! I SUMMON MY STRONGEST MONSTER, QUINTUPLE SPELLCASTER!" The multi-armed monster lands on the field. "I-Impossible?! How could I make such an oversight?!" Kazuki shouts. "Because my deck has no pathetic cards! Go, my monster! ERASE HIM!"

"I-I flip my second Azure Barrier!" Kazuki desperately responds. "Too bad, he isn't affected by those! You LOSE!" Toshiko retorts. "NOOOOOOOOOO!" Kazuki yells, him and his monster being blasted as his Health Points hit 0. "I won! That's what I means to believe in your cards!" Toshiko exclaims. Suddenly, he feels a flick to the side of his head as he's pulled back to reality. He snaps his head to the side to be greeted by Emi. He looks around to see an empty cafeteria "There's no way you were so engrossed in your card game you couldn't hear me. I've been shouting for like 30 minutes." Emi says.

"My bad, I was just in the ZONE you know. Still undefeated baby, up top!" Toshiko responds, trying to high-five her. She looks at him with a tired expression and ignores it. "Okay, we'll work on that.."

Kazuki slowly stands, wobbling a little. "Y-you're a formidable foe.. You aren't bad.." he says. "What he means to say is, welcome to the club. We'd be glad to have you." Hiroshi adds. "Oh, great. He found people almost as bad as he is. God, please save me." Emi whispers. Toshiko and Kazuki shake hands, beginning a new bond.

Chapter 4 - The End.