At night, the crescent moon shine brightly over Yuma's house. A small, grey-and-white cat walk on the tip of the slanting roof, as it turns and meows calling someone or something. The cat then darts away, as a human shadow appears on the roof, one with the pointy ears of a cat.
A bronze rooster-shaped weathervane creaks nearby in the breeze. The shadow leap down in front of the window over Yuma's loft hammock. Inside, Yuma is snoring, oblivious, muttering in his sleep.
"...Chocolate pancakes...!" He muttered in his sleep
The unknown shadowy figure has opened the bedroom window, the shining moonlight shine into the room. The cat burglar leaps to perch on the windowsill, dressed all in black, then darts into the room and flits around it, as though searching for something or rearranging things.
Unknown to her, Astral appear and silently watching her as Yuma still keep talking in his sleep.
" Put the biscuits in the pajamas and add some papaya juice!" It like he is ordering his breakfast in his sleep
The invader pauses in her step as she crouched down onto the floor, slightly tense to see if Yuma to wake up from his sleep. Her eyes glow green in the dark, like a cat's. Yuma stretches and resettles, never waking up from his slumber. She straighten up as a giggle escape her mouth
" Hmhm! Mission accomplished!"
_________________________________________________________
At Heartland Academy:
It was another sunny day at school. In Yuma, Bronk, and Tori's class, students sit at desks or socialize sometime before or after class.
"I'm tellin' ya, it doesn't make sense.Tori, we both know Yuma can't duel," Bronk recall the moment when Yuma won against Shark with Utopia. "But all of a sudden outta nowhere, he's rockin' his deck! He's winnin' duels left an' right!"
Another moment came to mind when Yuma win against Flip inside the shopping mall
"So-o-o, maybe he just got better." Tori repiled to him before he continue as he fold his arms
"The only thing that makes sense is that there really is an invisible ghost duelist from another universe following him around and giving him advice." Bronk said
"Hang on, you think that makes sense?" Tori asked him
"It's the only explanation where the logic actually adds up."
"You do realise that Astral, Yuma's partner have no memory of who he is or what his purpose here is. He only have his name. Unlike Anubis." Sakura said as she remind the pair
"Oh right......... I'm sorry " Bronk nervously apologise to her
"Who is your partner, Anubis?" Tori asked the aqua haired girl as Sakura turned her head away from Bronk to answer her. "He just like Astral, only Yuma and I can see him. He very annoying. Why?"
"Hmmm...." Tori repiled just before Yuma show up to class
"What's up, guys?" He greet them
"Huh? Morning, Yum....Ugh!" Tori yelled out, before she quickly turn around
"Ohh-hh-hh!" Bronk yell as he follow Tori lead as he also turn around, only until Sakura noticed the sight that both of her friend have quickly turn around to protect their sight
"What the....in the name of Ra! What the heck are you wearing?!" Sakura shout before placing her head on the desk to block her sight.
Yuma is standing in the doorway wearing spotted leather pants with a red swirl on one leg that was being held up by suspenders over his bare chest, his school tie, emperor key, and over it all, a fluffy, tiger-striped coat. He seems completely oblivious to how ridiculous he looks, but his classmates sure aren't.
"Look at Yuma!" One of their classmate commented on the way that Yuma dress up
"What's he doing?" Another asked
"Hey, what's everybody all worked up about, Tori?" Yuma asked, confuse on what is going on
"Uugghhh...!" Both Bronk and Sakura step back as Tori began to explode in anger. "I'll tell you what the 'what' is!!"
"Huh?"
"I don't like to criticize... but I'm sorry, Yuma, I can't not say anything anymore, I can no longer hold it in!! There was yesterday..." Tori said
Yesterday, Yuma's costume exist of a big black cape with big metal shoulder pads, black pants with big metal kneepads, and yet again, his bare chest. "Hey, everybody!"
"And the day before..."
The day before Yesterday, Yuma was wearing yellow spectacles, a round red cap and long-sleeved red shirt, and relatively normal pants. "What's up, people??"
"...And the day before that!"
Yuma was once more dressed up as a giant bee, complete with big fuzzy black armbands and legwarmers and a great big stuffed bee abdomen attached to his rear. "Who wants to duel!"
The entire class is having a good laugh, except for one grey-haired girl sitting alone at her desk in the corner.
"Do you not see everyone laughing?! Do you not hear them?!" Tori asked him, annoyed
"I figured someone told a joke."
"You're the joke!" Both Tori and Sakura said simultaneously as Tori grab a full-length mirror as she pull it in front of Yuma and said, "Look at yourself, Yuma! Look what you look like!"
Yuma stared at his reflection in the mirror, a sudden change of mood happen as he yelled out in shock at himself. He take the tiger-striped coat off as he throw it to the floor. "What'm I wearing?!?!"
"Huh? We were hopin' you could tell us?" Bronk asked him
"Rrrgghh! I have no idea! I'm always half-asleep in the morning....I just throw on whatever's on the floor and run out the door!" He exclaimed, clearly not happy with the situation at all
"It's not just the costumes... it's like, a lot of things have been different with you lately, Yuma. Think about it. Your lunches have been, like, little five-star restaurants. Also yesterday in the gym, where did you get the wire from?" Sakura said as she look at him. Yuma face began to lose it colour
"You're right. It's almost like someone's messing with me! I hadn't really thought about it before, but..."
He doesn't have a chance to finish his sentence as the his pendant light up as Astral appear before Yuma and said, "It seems you do not think about much"
"I think about lots a' things!" Yuma argue back at him
"Then think about this. For the past several nights, someone has been sneaking around in your room while you sleep." Astral explained as a tick mark appear on Yuma face just before he yelled
"Someone's been sneaking around in my room and you just keep it all to yourself?!"
"You never ask me to keep you informed. How was I to know that someone being in your room is an unusual occurrence?" Astral asked innocently
"Are you serious right now?! Of course it's an unusual occurrence!! Guh! That does it! I'm gonna get to the bottom of this!!" Yuma shouted annoyed
Tori is still unimpressed becauce so many of the girls in the class are still giggling, probably because Yuma is now completely shirtless. Sakura smirk at her friend behaviour
"Ya might wanna put on a decent outfit first..." Tori said
"I'm not dressed like this 'cause I wanna be!"
"Oh boy" Sakura mutter underneath her breath
"Yeah, you didn't even notice that you were dressed like that. Time to face facts, Yuma...you're oblivious when it comes to fashion." Tori stated as she place both of her hands on her hip
"Uh, what about you? It's not like you're a fashion model!" Yuma argue back at her, feeling offended at her comment
"Uh! I'm not the one dressed like a seventies has been!" Tori said
"Well, you're... you're wearing your school uniform!" He retaliate back
"That because we're at school. It the school policy for us to wear it, genius" Sakura said
"Please don't tell me you're taking Tori's side, Sakura!" Yuma yelled out
"No, unless you want to invoked the power of Satan then don't get me involved" Sakura said annoyed as she gave Yuma a death glare
"No thank" Yuma said with a frightened and scared tone in his voice, as both Bronk and Tori let out a sigh at the pair antic. Their classmates who was watching the commotion, all froze in fear, only to let a sigh out as Sakura managed to calm down
"Okay, let's put this to a test! Tomorrow afternoon we hit the mall. We each get one hour to pick out an outfit. We post pictures on Spacenook, and we let our class decide who's hot and who's not!" Tori suggested
"It is on!" Yuma declared
The whole entire class has been watching this exchange with amusement again, except for the grey-haired girl that sit alone by herself at a desk in the front right-hand corner of the classroom.
"City Center, three PM....don't be late!" Yuma told Tori. Unknown to them, the lone grey-haired girl stand up, but she doesn't turn in her spot
"Says the guy who's never on time!" Tori answer back
"Okay that it!" Sakura yelled out. "Do you two want to duel in a Shadow game" the aqua haired girl said with a dark gaze in her look as both Tori and Yuma shiver in fear at her threat
"No" both Tori and Yuma said simultaneously as Sakura relaxed as the older female began to walk away from the group
"Kura, where are you going?" Yuma asked her
"I don't know. Probably playing card games on motorcycle" Sakura answer
"Are you?"
"No. I'm helping Mr and Mrs Kang with the shop since their eldest son can't come because of a family emergency with their granddaughter." Sakura told her friend before leaving
What they didn't notice was the gray-haired girl that look over her shoulder toward the crowd, out of the corner of with one teal-green eye...
_________________________________________________________
Later that night:
The moon shone bright above a dark mansion with cat-shaped decorations perched atop its barred gate. A little grey-and-white cat leap from a tree onto thw balcony rail, as it then leaps to the tiled floor of the balcony. It has a golden ring wrap around the tip of its tail. It meow quietly at the door, that glass with a stained-glass fanlight above. The door opened for it to enter.
Loudly-meowing cats of all shapes, sizes, and colors follow it inside the mansion.
"My friends. You're the only ones who care about me..." The green-eyed girl from before stand before a entire quorum of cats, their eyes glowing yellow in the semi-dark of the mansion. She brandishes a handful of photographs.
"And now, I need your help. I need you to deal with two annoying little mouses!" She flings the photos down as the cats look down at them. The grey one meows back at her
"These two mouse has things I don't have..." The cats are looking at pictures of Tori, winking cheerfully and hanging out with other girls from her school, in PE class.
Whilst the others are looking at the pictures of Sakura, talking with a patient in the Hospital, and hanging out with Yuma and the others outside of school
The grey-haired girl continue to speak, she almost sound like she is about to cry.
"They has... friends. One friend in particular... It's not fair! Both of them make me a sad kitten; we don't like them, do we!" She let out a hiss in her throat as cats do, raising both of her hands like claws. The felines armada answer her back with their own assorted meows. She then repeated the hiss, as the cats began to meow again
"I want you to find these two little mouse!" She order as the long, clawlike fingernails of her gloves glint silver in the moonlight.
"And when you do...I want you to pounce!"
_________________________________________________________
The next day:
It's another bright, wonderful sunny day in Heartland city as Tori was seen running down the sidewalk as she was dress nicely in a white ruffled white dress under a light blue shirt,with a light pink and brown backpack
"Who does this, Tori?!" She groan, "Who's late to a fashion-off because she couldn't decide what to wear?!" She watched as a nearby clock tower change from 3:09 to 3:10, until it stop short.
Out of nowhere, Tori is the subject of a whole army full of cat's undivided attention. They all surrounded her, meowing and hissing angrily at her, their tails waving ominously, including the grey one with the ring.
"Heheheheh." Tori laugh nervously at them. "Nice kitties..."
The grey one is the first one to pounce at her, as the rest follow a second behind it as Tori is being attacked from all directions from the felines armada
"Aaaaahhh!"
_________________________________________________________
Outside Kang family shop:
Sakura manage to finish the errands around Mr and Mrs Kang shop. She wore a white sleeveless shirt with a black vest over it, black pants with black shoes and a handbag. Her pendant wore loosely around her neck as her aqua hair is tied up in a high ponytail. Behind the counter, stood an elderly woman wearing a black and blue kimono, she have her grey hair tied-up in a bun. She also wore a pair of round glasses. She was going through her recipe book for her herbal remedies. This was Mrs.Kang
"Bye Mrs.Kang! Let me know when you and Mr Kang need any help!" Sakura told her
"Goodbye my dear. Don't do anything crazy and make sure you go straight home and don't take any shortcuts" Mrs Kang told the aqua haired girl
"I promise I won't" Sakura said as she left the store as she began to run all the way back to her home. She didn't make it that far as another legion of cats were all in front of her, making her stop at the sight of them
"Okay.....where do all of you guys come from?" She asked, only for armada of cats pounce at her from each direction ( like they did with Tori). Sakura let out a shriek from the attack
_________________________________________________________
At the mall:
"Man; and Tori says I'm never on time! Maybe she's forfeiting." Yuma commented as he was seen tapping his foot with impatience, with both of his arms cross, not before letting out a sigh
A few minutes later, Yuma heard a horde of meows as the latter find himself surrounded by a massive range of cats, his eyes widen at the sight. The grey one who is in the lead, was carrying something in its mouth.
"Wahh!" Yuma exclaimed as the pendant around his neck glow as Astral appear, looking every bit as startled at the sight of them
"What are these?" Astral asked as he look at the fluffy ball of furs in front of him. "That awful noise they are making is making my spine tingle. Ah! It is terrifying!" He said as the cats happily keep on meowing.
"Hang on a sec...are you tryin'da tell me that you're scared of cats?" Yuma asked amused, clearly happy that Astral is afraid of something
"They are simply not in my observation report." Astral respond to him that its only because he hasn't yet recorded them in his observations. Yet
"Well...let me tell ya 'bout 'em." Yuma grin as he makes big scary weird eyes, jokingly that cats are very sensitive to the supernatural entities, so they can definitely see Astral. He seems to be genuinely buying it, and lool horrified at the thought of it
"Cats prowl the earth looking for glowing ghosts they can gobble up for breakfast; that's why they're all staring at yo-o-o-o-ou!" Yuma speak in a sarcastic, spooky voice
"Actually, Yuma....these creatures appear to be staring at you" Astral told him as Yuma look at the legion of cats. "Huh? Ohh..." Yuma repiled as he spotted the grey one in front of the rest, it have a delivery in it mouth; it was a note with a red ribbon wrapped loosely around it.
"Ah..." Yuma exclaimedas he know who the red ribbon belong to. "That looks like the ribbon Tori wears in her hair...!" He thought as he take both the ribbon and note from the cat as he reads the note
"What's this? 'We have your friends. Follow us to get them back." The grey cat meow at him as itself and the others cats started to walk away from him; Yuma runs after them
"Yuma! Wait!" Astral yelled out but Yuma doesn't listen as he kept running
Overhead, the sun is obscured by the dark grey clouds, casting a bleak, overcast light over the mansion with the cat gate. Yuma bursted through the front door, letting the light pour into the room behind him.
" Tori! Sakura!" He call out to them, hoping that both of them have hear his call, hoping that it wasn't to later
The doorway illuminate a second-story gallery supported by white columns; with thick red drapes drawn back from windows that wasbfull of bleak overcast sky. Ornate black railings along the gallery and stair; unlit candelabras; fancy chairs and portraits of cats on the wall, one in a dignified suit.
Two crowds of cats, one to each side of the stairs forming a neat aisle as one more cat sit on the stairs halfway up. Yuma run in with Astral swooping after him
"Are you in here?! Whoa...!" Yuma was stop in his track as he look around his surrounding. There was another cat portrait depicts the fluffy white subject in a uniform with a thick ruff and carrying a spear in one prehensile paw. There's also a stuffed head on the wall - it was a domestic feline large enough to hunt raccoons. "It's like a cat mansion...!" He commented on the scene before him
One of the statue was in green stone depicts a cat with its paw raised, another in blue stone is a cat yawning from a pillow. Behind it, is a portrait of a hefty orange cat with trench coat, cap, and pipe.
"Everywhere you turn, it's cats, cats, cats! Huh?" He looked up as he saw someone descending down the stair towards him. She joins her ring-tailed grey, as it twines happily around her legs, covered up with knee-high striped black and white socks, a white tail hangs down by her knees.
"Thank you for coming, Yuma." She greeted him as he and Astral took a good look at her
Her dress is black, with a bell-shaped skirt and a thick white petticoat underneath, round shoulders, and a white button-up shirt visible through the low neckline. Around her neck is a black collar with a large bell, and black bands are buckled around her arms below the shoulders. Her long, red nails show through her tidy black gloves; one holds a fancy cat-eared half-mask to her face, framing her bright green eyes.
"I'm Cathy Catherine." She repiled to him
"Cathy Catherine?" Yuma said as he tries to figure out on where he have hear her name for before
"Yup..." Cathy remove the mask that was covering her face, revealing her grey hair matches her ears as her green eyes are framed by glasses. "But you can just call me 'Cat'!"
"W-whatever you say..."
"I believe that I recognize this girl. She attends your school. She's often alone, standing off to the side" Astral explained as he recalled her staring at Yuma from afar as Yuma look at her more closely
"Oh yeah, you're..." Yuma began to trail off as he tried to figure out who she was
"That's right, I'm..." Cathy repiled, eagerly
"Never seen ya before!" Yuma said honestly to her as Cathy hang her head, deeply let down at him, she also let out a small sob, before regaining her composure, holding her mask back into place.
"It's fine....I'm used to it." Cathy choked up as she was use to the feelings of being ignore by everyone
"Look, let's just get to the point here! What've you done with Tori and Sakura?" He asked her
"Tori, Tori, Tori'! Is she all you think about? Or is it Sakura?" Cathy said with an annoying tone in her voice as he clouds above the mansion that they was in begin to flash with lightning. Yuma quickly unconvincingly denies the accusation.
"No, I think about lotsa stuff, but... aaah!" Yuma lost it as he ended up hopping up and down in his spot, "Whatever! Just let them go!" He demanded as he doesn't want to face Sakura wraith
Cathy turn away from him, "Only if you defeat me in a duel." She said
"Uunngghh! A duel?!" Yuma moan at her suggestion as she turn back to face him.
"You're not a scaredy-cat, are you?" She said as she let out a girlish giggle at her feline pun before she stop as she meow instead
Yuma quickly turn to Astral and as he question the humanoid being, "Astral....ya think she's got a Number card?"
"If she does have a Number, then you have to win this duel." Astral responded. If Cathy do have a Number card in her grasp, they have no choice but to win.
"I was planning on winning either way! Let's do this!" Yuma said as outside of the mansion, the clouds rumble as a single blue-white lightning bolt crashes through. Inside of the building, Yuma have already activating his duel screen, unfolding his duel disk, putting on his gazer ready to duel, "Duel disk, go! Duel gazer, let's roll!"
On the opposite side, Cathy activated her bright purple gazer with a catty squeal to it. Green numerals pour themselves throughout the fancy hall. Yuma and Cathy stand on opposite galleries, the stairs directly between them.
"Duel interface, set!"
"Augmented Reality Vision Link established." A computer voice speak.Both duelists gazers glint brightly, as they both holds up a hand of five cards in their hanfield
"Let's duel!" Both of them call out
Outside, the lightning crashes again, lighting up the entire gallery's many large-paned windows that was spotlighting the duel. Both Yuma and Cathy each begin with 4000 lifepoint to their name
Yuma: 4000 / Cathy: 4000
"My claws are sharp, and I've got all my lives! So get ready! I draw!!" Cathy said as she draw a card from her deck as she continued on, "First, I'll activate the "Inviting Cat" card from my hand!"
"So she's kicking things off with a spell." Yuma commented on her strategy as he was surprised to see a spell card play on the first turn
"Thanks to Inviting Cat, I can add a Stray Cat to my hand. But that's not all! Next I'm activating the continuous spell "Cat Meeting!" Cathy said as a spell card appear on her side of the field
"A continuous spell...?!" Yuma asked, confused
"As long as she meets the conditions, she can activate that spell over and over." Astral explained to Yuma that all of her conditions for the activation have been met, there is no limit to the amount of Spells that she can use
"Here, kitty, kitty! First I summon Stray Cat in attack mode!" She call out as a white cat with a black spot on its back, with it tail turned to Yuma as it was waving, it face hidden in its paws
Stray Cat ATK:100 / DEF: 300 / Level 1
"And when I summon a cat monster, Cat Meeting activates, allowing me to summon another stray! After all.... no kitty likes to be alone." Cathy replied as she summon another Stray Cat onto the field olin attack position. This one fur was a solid grey colour
Stray Cat ATK:100 / DEF: 300 / Level 1
"Maybe not-- but those mangy alleycats only have a hundred attack points, they're totally harmless!" Yuma exclaimed as he wonder on why Cathy would summon two monsters on her field with lower attack points
"Ya think so?" She asked
"Huh?" Yuma become confused again
"You're probably right, I'm not sure what I was thinking, silly me! I'll just place a card facedown and end my turn." Cathy replied innocently as she place one of her card facedown as it materialize infront of her. She bats playfully at the air with a red-nailed, gloved hand. "Well? It's your move, Yuma."
"All right, then get set to get decked!" Yuma declared as he draw a card from his deck. "I'm summoning, Achacha Archer!" A warrior archer with an bow and arrows appear on the field
Achacha Archer ATK:1200/ DEF:600 / Level 3
"And when Achacha Archer is successfully summoned, he can instantly dish out five hundred points of damage!" As he talked, Achacha let loose a fire arrow toward Cathy; she yelps in pain, as her lifepoints decrease to 3500.
Yuma: 4000 / Cathy: 3500
"And there's more where that came from!" Yuma declared as Astral tried to warn him. "Yuma, wait. Let us talk this through."
"What's there to talk about! Achacha Archer, attack!" Yuma commanded as Achacha nocks an arrow, setting his sighting on one Stray Cat, then the other and then back to the first.
"Well, what's the holdup, big guy! Just take out one a' the Stray Cats! That, white one over there! No, maybe the grey one!" Yuma shouted just before he clutch his head. "Daaahh, I can't decide!"
"My, my, my. I've just remembered, that when Stray Cat is in attack mode, you can't target any other monster." Cathy replied as her gazer gleam in the light
"So wait, but I mean, if..." Yuma said as he trailed off in confusion once more
"Interesting tactic. This poses a bit of a dilemma." Astral said, as he observe her strategy
"Huh?" Yuma stared at him
"Both of her monsters are Stray Cats." Astral answer for him
"Well....yeah. And?" Yuma asked him
"If you target one, then the other one will leap in and become the target of your attack. This cycle will go on and on and on." Astral explained
"So basically I can't attack! Rrgghh....this isn't good...Ugh, I don't know what to do here...!" Yuma began to panic in frustration at the situation that he is currently in as Achacha Archer hesitates between one Stray Cat and the other.
Cathy giggles to herself as she watched the scene infront of her as the lightning flashes through the window at her back.
"Yuma, I think I know a method that will get us out of this situation." Astral said, as he hope that his method would get Yuma out of the mess, but Yuma wasn't heard it at all
"Stop talking!! I'm trying to concentrate!" Yuma said as he take a few steps forward as he sit on the ground, legs folded, looking at his hand. "I know I can do this! I know I've got what it takes to save Tori and Sakura!"
Cathy hear about what he said as she looks hurt by his comment
"Maybe if... oh no-- 'cause then..."
"I bet you're thinking about them!" Cathy snapped angrily at him as her eyes glow red with fury
"Yeeaahh!! All right! I think I got it!" He rolls back as he jump into a backflip to land on both of his feet; he's back in the duel. "I've got a little Flip Flap spell card action for you and your strays! With this card, I can now change the battle mode of one monster on the field!"
"Aaaahh!" Cathy cried out in shock as the white Stray Cat on her field is now huddling inside a cardboard box.
"Let's go with the white one! All right, Archer-- you're up! Target that grey one!" Yuma commanded Achacha Archer as the grey Stray Cat lifts its face from its paws as it hissed at Yuma monster, showing ot very uncatlike giant glowing red eyes, with purple markings on its face, and huge sharp teeth. Achacha flinches at first, but fire away
"My kitty!" Cathy quails like a cat splashed with water as she watch one of her Stray Cat being destroyed as her lifepoints are reduced to 2400.
Yuma: 4000 / Cathy: 2400
"The Stray Cat's ability was dependent on it being in attack mode. So by forcing one of them into defense mode, Yuma made the other one vulnerable. That was the suggestion I was going to make... perhaps it is better that he came up with that move on his own. " Astral said as he think to himself
"Cat...you're gonna wish you hadn't messed with my friend Tori and Sakura! Just you wait!!"
"It's not fair! I'm standing here right in front of you," she said as she was about to cry, "and all you care about is Tori and Sakura instead? Just forget about them-- you're supposed to be focusing on me!!" Cathy yelled out with a jealous tone in her voice
"Ahh! What is with you?!" Yuma asked her as he flinches back
"Before you even think of making another move, I'm activating a spell card! Since you destroyed my cute little Stray Cat, I can use the "Mysterious Cat Transformation" spell card and summon Monster Cat!" Cathy said as she summon a new monster onto the field with the spell card
It's a big, ghostly cat that really looks more like a huge bear or a wolf, as it was standing on two legs, eyes glowing red
Monster Cat ATK: 0/ DEF: 0/ Level 1
"Whoa! That thing is freaky!" Yuma commented on it appearance
"When Monster Cat comes to the field, it comes raring to destroy all your weak monsters." Cathy explained as the Monster Cat roars, as it attack Achacha Archer, Yuma monster gets shattered in the progress
"And what makes this such a purr-fect combo, is that for every monster that Monster Cat destroys, you get hit for eight hundred points of damage!" Cathy said as Yuma get knocked to the ground, as his lifepoints reduce to 3200. Cathy appears on a cross-field screen.
Yuma: 3200 / Cathy: 2300
"That's what'cha get for thinking about Tori or Sakura while we're dueling." Cathy sneered at him as Yuma get back up onto his feets
Yuma replied to her with a sarcastic voice, "Yeah, sure, lesson learned-- you've got my undivided attention!" Yuma quickly plays a facedown card. "I end my turn!" He declared
Cathy draw another card from her deck as she place it in her hand, "I hope ya like my kitties' tricks; 'cause Monster Cat's got another one! Once every turn, it can rescue one Stray Cat from my deck or my graveyard and place it in my hand!" As she said it, the eyes of Monster Cat's lite up again
"And once it's in my hand, I can summon it out to play!" Cathy summon another Stray Cat monster onto the field. The one that was summon was a grey one. It look like the one that Yuma destroyed earlier on in the duel
Stray Cat ATK:100 / DEF: 300 / Level 1
"She has three level-one monsters on her field. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Astral asked Yuma, only to get a nod for an answer
"She's busting out her Number card!"
"I overlay my two Stray Cats and my Monster Cat, to build the overlay network!!" She yelled as the two Stray Cats become gold streams as the monster cat become a dark purple. The trio swirl into a bright reddish spiral forming in the center of the foyer below. "I Xyz summon, Twin-Tail Cat Lady!"
Cathy Xyz monster backflips gracefully up to the chandelier as she then landed on Cathy's field. She's a female warrior in form-fitting red armor, with clawed gloves and catlike eyes.
Twin-Tail Cat Lady ATK: 1000/ DEF: 1000/ Rank 1
"Careful, she's a little testy!" Cathy replied as Cat Lady roar at her opponent. Both Yuma and Astral are stunned because she didn't use a Number card in the duel
"Why did she not use the Number card?" Astral asked
"I now activate Twin-Tail Cat's special ability! Once a turn, by using an overlay unit, she can increase her attack power by eight hundred points!" Cathy explained as Twin-Tail Cat's absorb one of the overlay units
Twin-Tail Cat Lady ATK: 1800/ DEF: 1000/ Rank 1
"Whoa! Are you serious?! You've got two more overlay units left, so, uh..." Yuma said as he began to count on his fingers. "If you use both a' those, we're talkin', uh..." He trailed off
"Sixteen-hundred more gives her thirty-four hundred." Astral responded to which Yuma glared at him
"Rrggh! I woulda gotten it!" Yuma replied, annoyed
"It's been fun, dueling with you." Cathy said as a giggle escape her mouth
"Perhaps she does not have a Number..." Astral think to himself. Yuma quicky turn back to the duel with a big smile on his face
"I don't know who you are-- but you're a great duelist!" Yuma said
Cathy let out a gasp as she was blushing madly at Yuma comment. "You think I'm... You haven't seen anything yet! Watch this!" She said enthusiastically as she play next spell card appears against a pastel backdrop of stars, moons, and happy cat faces.
"Stray cats shouldn't have to live in dirty alleys!" She wink at Yuma. "Meow!! I'm gonna activate the "Cat World" field spell!"
Yuma find himself and Astral standing on a grassy meadow with flowers and petals drifting through the air, with ethereal columns topped with cat statues. The robin's-egg-blue sky is bright with sunshine and puffy clouds.
"Whoa! Did we just teleport?!" Yuma exclaimed as he look around, only to see more cats lounge happily on the grass, around a giant pink stone statue of a cat.
"Welcome to Cat World, a world where cats can play in the grass and lie in the sun!" Cathy introduced as she and Yuma face one another across a sparkling lake, with the giant cat statue standing directly between them as cats of every different kind sprawled around on the grass.
"For them, it's a paradise; for you, it's a nightmare! Here in Cat World, all cats gain attack points equal to their original attack points!" Cathy explained as Twin-Tail Cat's Lady attackpoints now total to 2800.
Twin-Tail Cat Lady ATK: 2800/ DEF: 1000/ Rank 1
"That Cat Lady just keeps getting more powerful!" Yuma exclaimed
"I've got your attention now, don't I! Ha! Go, Twin-Tail Cat Lady! Attack Yuma directly!" Cathy commanded as Cat Lady roars as she lunged for Yuma with her claws, slashing him down to 400 lifepoints.
Yuma: 400 / Cathy: 2300
"Yaaah! I was hoping you would do that, so I could do this! I can activate "Pixie Gong" when I take a direct attack, and its sound wakes up a pixie in my deck, and summons it in attack mode! Joe the Pixie, report to the front line!" A small man with a set of pixie wing, wearing an solider outfit appear on Yuma field
Joe the Pixie ATK: 100/ DEF: 300 / Level 1
"Aww, he's precious! Let's see what he can do! Your move!" Cathy said
"Man! This is a great duel! You're awesome"! Yuma complaint her
"Yeah? Ya think so?" Cathy asked, blushing
"You bet!"
"It's just... it's just so nice to hear you say that, because well... in the real world, there's this boy... he doesn't even know I exist.We see each other all the time, but, he just looks right through me." Cathy told him in a sad tone as she quickly look away from Yuma
"This guy sounds like kind of a jerk." Yuma said sadly as he felt bad for her because of one guy
"I tried playing all sorts of little tricks on him, just to get 'im to say something to me, but it didn't work. I'm just so shy; I wish I could walk right up to him and tell him that I like him."
"You should!" He encourage her
"Huh?"
"He'll never know how you feel if you keep it to yourself! Just go for it! Put it out there for the world to see!"
"You're right, Yuma!" Cathy said blushing. Once, again she let out a giggle as Yuma smiling face reflected in her green eyes. "I'm gonna do it! I'm gonna go for it! Okay, here goes! Yuma, I think you're really...." she was about to said something,only for Yuma to interrupt her
"Okay, it's my turn! I draw!" He draw a card from his deck
"O-oh?" Cathy was startled by his interruption
"It's time to bring out Acorno! See, by sending Pinecono to my graveyard, I can bring this little guy to the field!" A small man with a acorn for his body appear on the field
Acorno ATK: 200 / DEF: 400 / Level 1
"And now, Pinecono's special ability can activate! When he gets sent to the graveyard, I can summon him straight out!" A fairy with pinecone hair and for his lower half of his body also appear on the field beside Acorno and Joe the Pixie Gong
Pinecono ATK: 400/ DEF: 200 / Level 1
"Hang on a second, don't..." Cathy wanted to say something, but once more she was interrupted by Yuma again
"All righty! Here we go! Now I can Xyz-summon too! I overlay my three level-one monsters in order to build the overlay network!" Yuma three monsters turned into three golden-orange streaks as pour themselves into a bright red galaxy toward Yuma's shore of the lake
"Say hello to Baby Tiragon!" Yuma said as the tiny cat monster that he gain from his duel with Flip appear on the field
Baby Tiragon ATK: 900/ DEF: 900 / Rank 1
"For my next move, I'll be summoning..... Gagaga Magician!" Yuma said as he summon his most trusted sorcerer to the field
Gagaga Magician ATK: 1500/ DEF: 1000 / Level 4
"I activate Gagaga Magician's special ability, so now he's a level-one! And next, I activate Baby Tiragon's ability,by using one overlay unit, Baby Tiragon empowers a level-one monster to attack you directly!" He exclaimed as Baby Tiragon swallows one of it overlay unit, as it glows gold.
"Yuma, wait, I wanted to say that..." Cathy said with a blush on her cheek, she really wanted to say something to him, but she was interrupted yet again
"Gagaga Magician, attack! Go, Gagaga Magic!" Yuma commanded as Baby Tiragon sit on Gagaga's shoulder, giving him the power to attack her. Cathy's lifepoints directly as they slammed down to 900.
"Aaaaaaahhhh!" Cathy scream in agony
Yuma: 400 / Cathy: 900
"I'm on a roll! Baby Tiragon, attack Twin-Tailed Cat Lady!"
Baby Tiragon has only 900 attack points, whilst Twin-Tail Cat Lady have 2800 attack points. Astral is understandably concerned by this
"Do what? It does not have enough attack points!" Astral rreminded him
"I got that covered, don't you worry! 'Cause from my hand, I'm activating the "Ego Boost" spell!" As he activate the spell, a bigger shadow of Baby Tiragon appears around Baby Tiragon itself. "It gives my monster a thousand attack points during battle; so Baby Tiragon's gettin' a power-up!" Baby Tiragon's attackpoints rise up to 1900.
Baby Tiragon ATK: 1900 / DEF: 900 / Rank 1
"Yuma, wait! I just wanna say..."
"But-- the fun doesn't stop there! 'Cause Ego Boost lowers Cat Lady's attack points back to their original total!" As he said this, Twin-Tail Cat Lady attackpoints reduced to 1000, making Baby Tiragon the strongest monster on the field
Twin-Tail Cat Lady ATK: 1000 / DEF: 1000 / Rank 1
"Yuma, I think that I-- oh..." Cathy was interrupted again
"I am seriously feelin' the flow!! Go, Baby Tiragon! Time to bring us home! Baby Stream!!" He commanded as his pendant glow as Baby Tiragon breathe our a bright stream of gold fire. Cat Lady shrieks as she is shatters being destroyed. Due to this, Cathy gets knocked off her feet.
"Huh? Aaahh?" She let out a high-pitched scream. " Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!"
The cross-field screen indicate that Yuma have won the duel. Baby Tiragon shatters as it disappears into it respective card, as the Cat World field spell begin to dissolve.
Yuma: 400 / Cathy: 0
Winner: Yuma
"All right! I did it!!" He cheered proudly at his victory
With the field spell gone, both duelists (including Astral ) were back inside the main hall of the cat mansion, and golden, the late-afternoon sunlight is streaming through the windows.
Astral somberly extends a hand to absorb the Number card from her, but she doesn't twitch as no card appears from her as Cathy lie on the floor motionless with her flung-off gazer beside her. Astral pull his hand back
"She did not possess a Number card." Astral muttered as he realized that she did not have one in her grasp
The grey cat with the ring on its tail approached Cathy slowly, meowing with concern for her. Cathy come around as she propped herself up on one of her elbow, looking disappointed at the result. A shadow falls over her. It was Yuma, he has walked over to join her.
"You okay?" He asked her, worried. Cathy look up as she seen he's offering her his hand, to help her stand up, smiling.
"A deal's a deal" he said, "This is the part where you tell me where Tori and Sakura is... Cat."
Cathy cheeks turn a slightly pink; even if he managed to not hear her big secret, he still calls her by her nickname, more like a friend.
"All right, Yuma."
_________________________________________________________
With Tori and Sakura:
It was late in the afternoon as the colour of the sun is bright golden overhead, and the clock tower reads 5:05. It was nearly twilight as inside the park, Tori was playing the elementary school game - Red light, Green light with the cats armada that attack her earlier on in the day
Sakura was petting a turquoise kitten, which make the small feline purr in delight with affection. There was another kitten, a fluffy white one with a black patch around it left eye, was sleeping inside her handbag
"Green light... green light..." Tori said as the cat keep advanced toward her, meowing. "Red light!" Tori shout as she turn around as all the cats stop walking, Tori let out a giggle. "You guys're great!" She saod
Tori turns away again, continuing to play the game with them again. "Green light..." once again the cats start walking to forward. "Green light... red light!" Tori then look over her shoulder from hiding her eyes against the clock tower, toward the crowd of cats that surrounding it
"You're so adorable, aren't you?" Sakura spoke softly as the turquoise kitten turn to face the aqua haired girl as it meowed tiny at her. It run and jump into her arms, purring happily at the contact. Sakura let a small smile out as she began to stroke it fur as Sakura cast her gaze to where Tori is playing with the others
"Tori!? Sakura?!" Both of the girls heard their name being called out, they both turned around to see Yuma run up to them.
"Yuma!" Both girls exclaimed
"Well I'm glad to see you two not in any trouble." Yuma said as Tori laugh awkwardly at the situation as she blush a bit. Sakura smirk at the pair in front of her
_________________________________________________________
Next day, at school:
The quartet consist of Yuma, Bronk, Sakura and Tori walk through the quad
"The cats wanted me to play with them, and they were so cute, I couldn't refuse!" Tori recall her day from yesterdays. "Just lost track of time. Yuma, how long are you going to stay mad at me?" She asked
"I am not mad!" Yuma quickly denied her accusation, as he insisted that he's not angry with her at all
"Well, you coulda fooled us" Sakura told him as the tone of his voice and attitude prove that he "is" angry at Tori
"Mmm...!" Yuma grumpily mumble underneath his breath
Out of nowhere, a shy grey-haired girl in a school uniform tentatively approaches Yuma and the gang, she was blushing slightly pink.
"Um..."
"Do you need something?" Tori asked her as the grey-haired girl looks up at them as she smiles shyly at them.
"Just, um, good morning." Cathy replied shyly
Yuma wave at her gregariously. "What's up!" He call out to her. Cathy ended up running away, feeling embarrassed, as she was giggling as she talked to Yuma. The latter watch her go, smiling at her action.
"O...kay, who was that?" Bronk asked confused
"Don't be rude, Bronk! That girl's in our class, her name's, uh... think it's, uh..." Tori repiled as she try to remember her name
"It's Cathy; she goes by Cat. She and I dueled the other day!" Yuma told them both
"Oh I remember her. We accidentally bump into each other last week at school" Sakura said
Tori gasps with indignation, blushing slightly. "You did? You... you didn't tell me."
" By the way... did you ever find out who was pulling those pranks on you?" Bronk asked Yuma
"Nope!" Yuma repiled before he continue, " That trail has officially gone cold."
Tori have a manner of walking away falls just short before she storm off, away from Yuma. "So it's a hopeless case, just like you!" She said
"Hey....what's that supposed to mean?" Yuma asked her, feeling offended by her comment as he began walk after her. Both Bronk and Sakura let out a sigh as they follow Tori and Yuma to class, unaware that Astral is floating in the bright blue sky above their heads
"Observation number eleven; it seems that Yuma is totally and utterly incapable of understanding the females of his species." He commented