Yuya thinned his lips as he sat atop the railing overlooking the lake on the side across from the arena. His favorite spot where he liked to be alone and think. He dangled his pendulum before his eyes while wearing his signature goggles.

His expression was pretty grim as he watched the pendulum swing back and forth rhythmically. Hypnotically. So many thoughts and ideas raced through his head.

Predictably, after a while of meditation his spirit companion materialized on his right, arms crossed as he leered at the aspiring dueltainer with a disapproving scowl.

"Your face is gonna get stuck like that, you know~..."

Yuya huffed quietly as his expression remained set, his free hand gripping the railing tightly.

"I'm not in the mood, Yuuri. There's a lot to think about."

The purple-clad boy rolled his eyes disdainfully as he scoffed in disgust.

"Oh, yes, I know... You're scared this is another trap by Akaba, and you're thinking of just turning this challenge down to be safe." The spirit darkly glared at the tomato-headed boy. "Coward."

Yuya scrunched his face in annoyance as he dutifully focused on the swinging pendulum. He didn't want to look Yuuri in the eyes right now, they always went round and round in circles whenever these arguments came up.

"I mean, Nico Smiley works with the Leo Institute? The Sledgehammer's the Champ right now. Of course Reiji's up to something. This isn't just a what-if, Yuuri. Reiji wants Pendulums. You know he does."

Yuuri sprawled out his arms as he shook his head dismissively.

"Yuya. I keep telling you to just forget about that envious loser."

At seeing Yuya was doing his damnedest to tune him out, Yuuri hovered more directly in front of his doppelganger as his expression hardened.

"Listen: You've been using Pendulums off-and-on how many years now? Two? Maybe three?"

"Pretty much three, yeah. Ever since...us." Yuya grunted in frustration as he kept his eyes locked on the swinging pendulum tenaciously.

Yuuri nodded tersely as he gestured blandly towards the stadium in the distance.

"You know Akaba's gotten so much data already. All the lies when he comes around, the pretending, the denials... None of it's mattered. Your duel disk was made by Leo Corp, they've got all your duels recorded! All this pussyfooting is useless!"

Yuya wrinkled his nose as his scowl deepened.

"You don't know that... Even if they 'could' spy on me, it doesn't mean they have been... Leo Corp prides itself on privacy... customer satisfaction... all that big company mumbo-jumbo. Reiji wouldn't come around if he already got all the information he needs."

Yuuri glared scornfully at the tomato-headed boy as he scoffed again.

"Except I do know that... Because it's Akaba. Akaba's know everything."

"Including the supposed other dimensions and that war you never talk about?" Yuya sarcastically fired back.

Yuuri's expression darkened as he practically willed the clown to melt on the spot with his narrowed eyes.

"Any day now, Yuya... You will be tasting that foot in your mouth. I'm shocked your home's still standing, too. Duel Academy never takes this long for anything. But yes, Akaba surely knows about all of that. I can tell when someone's gearing up for war. Akaba's have no need for subtlety. They just run the world. Take what they want."

Yuya shrugged flippantly.

"Yuzu's still here, and I haven't accepted any of Reiji's offers, so I guess there's an exception to everything. Maybe your 'Duel Academy' gave up? I mean, if they even exist."

"... Keep burying your head in the sand, Yuya. I'll have the last laugh when Obelisk Force gets off their asses and Maiami becomes a smoking crater." Yuuri acidly fired back.

Yuya arched an eyebrow curiously as he kept dangling his pendulum.

"Why do you even care what I do? I thought you were thrilled to 'see the look on Reiji's face' every time we refuse him?"

"Of course I'm ecstatic. It's Akaba's son, and he has to keep walking away empty-handed because of that stupid bullhead of yours!" Yuuri rolled his eyes and shook his head piteously. "But turning Akaba away and refusing his challenge are different matters entirely!! I want you to eviscerate this clod they call a 'Champ'. He nauseates me. This dimension's standards are truly abysmal if they find him entertaining... Fools."

"He's just a place-holder for dad..." Yuya grumbled sourly. "If dad hadn't disappeared, he'd have flattened Sledgehammer in a heartbeat."

The spirit shrugged uncaringly.

"Yeah? Well, boohoo. Your bum of a dad is still out there hiding his face in shame, and you should prepare to do the same if you actually turn this down! Seriously. This is a farce. Why are you even hesitating?! There is no downside at all!!"

Yuya's lips curled distastefully as he glared back at the contemptible boy.

"Stop talking bad about my dad!!!" He gestured towards himself emphatically with a deep scowl. "This is about more than just me, Yuuri!! I don't wanna embarrass You Show and make problems for Uncle and Yuzu! People aren't gonna understand Pendulums! Hell, I barely get them!! Everyone will think I'm a cheat and a fraud!"

"When Leo Corp gets their way, everyone will have Pendulums, you nitwit!" Yuuri swiped his arm ferally as he snarled in frustration. "Stop acting like this one duel is a game-changer!!! You have Pendulums. You have Fusions! You have NO EXCUSE!!!!! Stop overthinking every. little. THING!!!"

The spirit pointed back towards the arena darkly as he could tell Yuya still wasn't sold.

"You call yourself a Dueltainer? Prove it. Be there tomorrow, and crush that oaf in front of the whole city!!! We both know you'll win. The only one whose reputation will sour is that Chump. Who cares what the plebeians call you?! They already think so little of you. All you'll be doing is showing them who you really are!!! We know the power of Pendulums is real. That's all that matters."

Yuya sighed tiredly. Of course Yuuri still thought this way... Power, power, power. Winning, winning, winning. Crush. Destroy. Humiliate. All he wants is to show off Starving Venom to Maiami... That's the way Yuuri is.

He stared at his swinging pendulum with a pensive expression. Maybe Yuuri wasn't all wrong. He did vow to become a Dueltainer on the same level as his dad... If he turned down a challenge like this, one that wouldn't affect his official scores, one that could get You Show a brand new Arc system...

Would he really be able to call himself an entertainer, if he refused?

Yuya didn't like being reckless. Accepting every challenge when Reiji was clearly using this match for... something.

... But Uncle could really use the new Arc system. Their whole school could benefit. Yuya wanted to help Yuzu's dad out after everything the man did for him and his mom the past three years. Yuya can't even describe how much he owes Hiiragi-sensei...

"When things get tough, respond with a smile! It'll give you the strength to keep moving forward!"

Yuya swallowed thickly as his dad's voice echoed in his head. He'd lived his whole young life by that creed... It was time to put it to the test.

"... Okay, dad. I'm gonna try. No matter what people say about me... I'll get out there and make everyone happy! I'll win for all of us!!" He cracked a nervous, wobbly grin as his eyes remained glued on the dangling pendant.

Yuuri huffed bitterly one more time before shaking his head and fading from view. It was about time this numbskull stopped running away. Yuya had kept his new strategies as much of a secret as he could, these past three years. Only allowed You Show and Gong to see the full extent of them. His dueling average suffered because he was always so careful...

Finally. They could do away with these lies.

Time to show the world their might. Not Yuya's. Not Yuuri's. Theirs. They were one. And the world would tremble in their wake.

Yuuri couldn't wait.

~*~

Shuzo sheepishly scratched his cheek and cracked an anxious grin.

"... H-Hey, Yuzu-chan...?"

The pinkette twitched violently as she growled lowly, glaring daggers down at Yuya, who couldn't focus on her at the moment but he should know they would be having words once this was over.

"Yeah, dad?"

Shuzo chuckled nervously. Oh, dear. He could practically smell the steam radiating off of his adorable cutie-pie... She was seconds away from brandishing that fan of hers.

He needed to tread carefully. Carefully!

"N-Not that I'm complaining..." The hot-blooded man nervously poked his index fingers together as he really began to sweat. Yuzu wasn't looking his way, but she could at any moment. "Yuya's a big boy, a-and... and he probably needs to go all-out... But, uh... W-Weren't you guys going to... y-y'know... keep the F-Fusions under lock and key???"

To say nothing of Timegazer and Stargazer Magicians, who made their appearances within Yuya's first turn. But that was a whole 'nother kettle of fish entirely...! Shuzo was honestly terrified for his star pupil's sake, cuz Pendulums were so... so... new!

He wouldn't be surprised if Yuya got grilled after the duel for his new... technique. Could hear the wild, hasty accusations already.

Still, despite her dad's leery poking at the elephant in the room, Yuzu did not bite back at the man who raised her. She did not!!

... She was only a little ticked off.

Just a little!!

Her fists trembled at her sides as she gnashed her teeth.

"That was the plan...!" Yuzu hissed as she glared daggers at the backside of Yuya's head as he proudly introduced Starving Venom Fusion Dragon to the roaring crowd. The beast gaining Battleguard King's ATK points this turn since Starving Venom was fusion summoned. "Yuya was the one making such a big stink out of keeping it all hush-hush!!!"

For the past three years, ever since Yuya suddenly got a grasp of Fusions, he helped her learn how to use them. Even gave her a few Polymerization cards. Fusions weren't hard... You just needed the right monsters and spells. Why Leo Institute made them such a closely guarded secret like Xyz and Synchro summons, she'll never understand.

Yuzu didn't even mind treating it as top-secret training, keeping it away from Reiji Akaba whenever that know-it-all came snooping around You Show. It was their secret weapon to get one over on those privileged Leo Institute jerkwads.

... But... If you're gonna keep that skill hidden, DON'T whip it out during a public exhibition!!!!!!!! Wasn't the plan to reveal the fruits of their efforts during a huge tournament?!

The tomato-headed boy just had to rub it in by hopping and riding around on Starving Venom to woo the crowd.

'YUYA, YOU JERK!!!!!! WHEN i GET MY HANDS ON YOU...!' Yuzu roared within her mind, a fierce aura blazing around her as her pupils disappeared in fury.

Shuzo shuddered as he wisely took refuge behind Gong's calm, composed form as he watched the duel play out with a proud expression.

"I... I'm sure Yuya had his reasons...?" He squeaked. ... Like a man.

Gong belted out a small, smooth chuckle.

"Aw, let Yuya have the limelight this once, guys! He's been holdin' back for so long, people think he's a joke! Leo Institute wanted to humiliate Yuya with this 'low stakes' duel, so he's showin' 'em what he's made of. They had this ass-whoopin' comin'."

... Just like that Yuzu felt her rage pop like a balloon and fizzle out of her. She blinked up slowly at Gong as her expression became blank.

"They really did want to humiliate him, didn't they? Springing this thing on us yesterday. Barely giving Yuya a chance to accept or back away. It was always just to rub salt in the wound, since we still don't know where Sakaki-sensei went..."

The modern-day samurai nodded sagely.

"S'why Yuya ran off after Smiley made that offer. He didn't need to be a mind-reader to know this whole thing stank to high heaven." He clenched a fist as he grinned smugly as Starving Venom smashed through Battleguard King, and Odd-Eyes dealt the final blow to Sledgehammer. "Gong couldn't be prouder Yuya chose to fight!!! He deserves this."

Yuzu looked from Gong to the final scoreboard as the crowd fell awkwardly silent before roaring with approval, then back to Gong. Slowly, a warm smile blossomed on her face as she nodded firmly in agreement.

"... Yeah. I'll let him have this one..." She sighed without any real heat to it. Yuya was always such a handful, but he deserved to one-up those jerks at Leo.

... Yuzu would just have to punish him later for not running this by her first~...

~*~

"Wow, just listen to that ovation~! Kudos to you, Yuya~!" Nico Smiley gushed as he ran up to the boy once the duel field faded away. ... He may have ran over the Sledgehammer in the process. "You have to let us all in on your secret! Give us the low-down on that amazing new summoning technique you unveiled in today's duel~!"

Yuya blinked slowly before it hit him like a freight train. His eyes bulged as his expression became one of pure horror and dread.

"O... Oh yeah...! Th-That...!" He'd gotten so carried away with the duel he'd forgotten there'd be an inquisition about the Pendulums... And he didn't even have a plausible cover story. He couldn't waste time with a cover story while he had a duel to win!!

Crap. If this raised hell for You Show... Crap!!!

Yuuri snickered in the back of his mind.

"Sucks to be you~...! I am completely satisfied~... Sludgehopper ate dirt, and Starving Venom demonstrated why he's the best. This is call for celebration~..."

Yuya moaned melodramatically within his mind.

'Yuuriiiiii...! You can't just bow out now! Help meee!!! And how many times do I have to tell you it's Sledgehammer?!'

Even without seeing him, Yuya just knew Yuuri was slinking away like a prissy cat.

"I don't care~... Throw out something random. Tell the truth. Lie your ass off. Your choice~! PR is your department~... I'm just here to win~..."

... Why did Yuya even consider this guy a friend? Were they even friends? Half the time Yuuri was just there to backseat drive. The other half he was there to whine about everything.

Not to mention criticize Yuya to hell and back. Criticize him for his ideals. Criticize him for his fashion sense. Criticize him for being a jokester. Bad-mouth his dad...

... Yuuri really was a cat. You can't convince Yuya otherwise.

Yuya heaved a quiet, depressed sigh as he wracked his brain for something. Anything. Smiley was leaning in expectantly, and Yuya was no closer to an answer...

The tomato-headed boy jolted as he felt a hand clap down on his shoulder. He whipped up to see Reiji suddenly standing there, facing Smiley with that stoic expression of his as his eyes gleamed with some unknown emotion.

"Yuya is the pioneer of Pendulum Summoning. He has been working to develop this technique with Leo Institute in secret, and we are very proud to unveil it now. In a matter of days, we will be distributing Pendulum cards to the whole world. You'll all have your answers then. Pendulums will revolutionize dueling."

Yuya's eyes bugged out as Reiji said all of that with a straight face and without a hint of deceit. His mouth floundered uselessly like a fish as his arms slumped at his sides.

... Yuuri had been right.

He'd been right about everything...

And Yuya couldn't even try contradicting this know-it-all jerk! Because at least most of that was true...! The only real lie had been their 'partnership'... It was pointless objecting to that. Yuya would only make it awkward for himself.

... Just great.

"Akaba..." Yuuri hissed in the back of his mind, all previous levity vaporized. "Like father, like son. All Akaba's take what they want!!!"

Yuya wished he could say a nice word in Reiji's defense...

But right now he just felt so lost as the crowd roared with eagerness and anticipation. The world was going to get Pendulums. The style he invented...

Whether Yuya liked it or not.