Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Chapter 18: Let's Celebrate!

The whole kingdom seemed to gasp as the Evil Dragon collided with Hufanse and Faiya on the ground, sending a shock wave blasting down in every direction. Dust and smoke clouded the impact area.

"Hufanse! Faiya! No!" Cy cried, trying to rush forward, but Svrion held her back.

"Hold on…there's something…blue…"

"What?" The Kingdom's residents murmured as the Dragon screamed in agony, flying out of the smoke. At the very heart of the black cloud a blue light pulsed. Steadily, it grew bigger and bigger until it exploded. The people standing to watch felt nothing as it brushed past them, but the Dragon was squirming in the air. Screaming and flailing, the Dragon was wiped away into a streak of sickly black substance that slowly broke apart with the last of the blue power.

As soon as the smoke and the light had vanished, Cy, Svrion, Aundren, and Celton rushed forward. Hufanse was crouched next to Faiya, holding both her hands. As the foursome approached, Faiya's eyes fluttered open.

"What…what…what happened?" she asked, looking up at Hufanse. "I'm so… tired…and hungry, and thirsty. And I feel sleepy." She sat up, clutching her head. "And I have a headache. This hasn't happened ever."

"Quick!" Hufanse said. "Do something…make fire! Anything magic!" Faiya held out her hand. She stared at it with such intensity that her hand would have caught fire, but it didn't. She leaned back with a sigh.

"Oh Hufanse! My magic's gone! That means the Curse has lifted! No wonder I feel so tired." Hufanse grinned, got to his feet, and helped her up.

"I told you so!" he teased, and she promptly slapped him on the arm while the rest grinned as well.

"But however did you do it?" she asked. Hufanse blushed and the others chuckled.

"Oh…well…now…that's not important now is it?"

"Of course it is. Tell me."

"I don't want another slap, Faiya. And besides, it's over now!"

"Oh come on, please tell me!"

"Princess! You're alright!" Faiya glared at Hufanse before turning to her people. They all crowded around her. Equora grumbled as she fought her way to the center.

"My apprentice…" she said. Faiya shook her head.

"My magic's gone. I can't become a Dark Witch anymore."

"It matters not," Equora explained. "You're the princess. And since your parents have passed and this Kingdom obviously needs some repairing, you need to be queen. And you must marry to do so." Faiya glanced around the Kingdom. Indeed it was in ruins. The few buildings spared were the once under the Shields, and those devices had taken heavy damage. Street after street lay torn up as the buildings on either side were little but crumbled stone on the ground. Faiya turned to Hufanse for a second before turning back to Equora with a questioning glance.

"How was I saved?" Faiya asked her former teacher. Equora smiled.

"Your friend over there was very brave. He stood against the Dragon even though it was monstrous in size. While others were paralyzed in fear, he alone lay by your side and protected you." Faiya looked over at Hufanse, who nervously chuckled as he put a hand behind his shoulder and backed up.

"But the question is…how did he protect me?"

"Well…he kissed you."

"He…wha-?"

"It makes sense!" Cy cut in. "After all, whenever I had that sword to protect me…it was really my love for Svrion that helped give it power." Faiya blinked at her and then coughed.

"Okay then, to some other things." She put a hand to her face as if thinking seriously about the situation, but everyone close could see she was blushing like crazy.

"Like your new duties," Equora said. "For you will be crowned queen…when you marry…so you will have to choose a suitor soon…"

"Oh…no…" Faiya said. "Not the suitor business!"

"You could always marry me," Hufanse joked, and Faiya laughed. The others started laughing with her as well. No one seemed to notice when Faiya stopped abruptly with a blush on her face.

"Actually, I wouldn't mind…" she said softly. But Hufanse heard that, and he stopped. Cy, Svrion, and Celton noticed he stopped and caught the next giggle in their throats. Aundren and Equora paused to stare at the five of them, and soon the rest of the Kingdom caught the wave and stopped as well.

"You wouldn't mind?" Hufanse asked. "Is that a yes to a question I really wasn't asking but now am asking anyway cause you might say yes?" Faiya blinked.

"I suppose…"

"Suppose what?"

"I'm confused, what's going on!" Cy cried out. Equora smiled, patting the young Dark Magician Girl-to-be on the shoulder.

"Wedding bells!" the Dark Witch cried, clamping her hands on Faiya and Hufanse's shoulders as they stood blushing at each other. "The next king and queen of Dark Kingdom. Ra save us!" Aundren, Celton, and Svrion gaped.

"But…what…who…" Celton stuttered. "That was…quick. Er, congratulations?" Hufanse grinned and took Faiya's hand. Just then, five people fought their way through the crowd and burst into the circle. Cy didn't even have time to react before her mother and sister were upon her and nearly choking her with their hugs.

"Oh my child! What's happened to you! Oh your safe!" cried Mysti.

"Iumf…fuh!" Cy struggled to say from behind the Mystical Elf's shoulder.

"Well, we knew you would be found alive!" Clarrisa declared matter-of-factly, throwing her blonde hair over her shoulder and glancing around. At the same time, Aundren looked away from Hufanse and Faiya and saw the young healer. Their eyes met and neither moved.

"I told you!" whispered Celton to Svrion. "First you and then Cy. For goodness sakes, she didn't even get hurt. Why does no one ever make a fuss about me?"

"Cy said that someone would make a lot of fuss about you," Svrion replied. Before Celton could ask who that might be, a young Magician of Faith also burst in on the scene.

"Oh Celton! Darling!" The almost-Dark Magician didn't have time to react when the girl ran into his arms, sobbing her head off. "I thought you had died! Sweetheart! I can't believe you are still alive! Are you hurt! Are you okay! I'll never let you out of my sight again!" She was crying so loudly that everyone had stopped what he or she was doing to stare at the couple. Celton uneasily blushed and tried to shake out of Renalyn's embrace, but she became angry.

"Now, listen to me!" she scolded. "Don't go running off to some evil place without telling me first! You could have died!" This idea seemed to be too saddening for her to comprehend, so she once again dissolved into tears as she hugged her boyfriend. Celton looked over helplessly at Cy, who was snickering at him.

"Wow!" Hufanse gasped. He turned to Faiya with a grin on his face. "You better never do that to me!" Faiya chuckled, then turned to Aundren.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked. Hufanse turned to see his friend seemingly paralyzed and staring off into space.

"Aundren? Hello?" Hufanse snapped his fingers but Aundren did not move. He stood there, straight and tall with his feet together, eyes glued to some unknown object and his mouth open as if to speak. Hufanse followed the Knight's gaze to some girl he supposed to be Cy's sister – they looked so similar – and frowned. He looked between them several times before realization dawned on him. He couldn't contain his new discovery.

"Oh…my…gosh!" Hufanse burst out into peals of laughter, walking right between Aundren and Clarrisa. Everyone turned to him wondering what was going on. This broke the gaze between Aundren and Clarrisa. He shook his head as she lowered her eyes and blushed. Then his mind blanked. Luckily, Faiya was still there. She gave him a nudge.

"Go talk to her!" she said.

"What should I say?"

"Say something!" the princess hissed as she gave him a push. Aundren caught himself from stumbling as he neared the Magician of Faith.

"Why hello…" he started, then paused, looking up at the sky. "It is a pleasant day today, isn't it?" Clarrisa looked up, seeing all the Dragons lined up in the air.

"Of course, for a Dragon Master Knight." Aundren chuckled and looked down at her. She blushed again.

"So…well, I am Aundren. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"I'm Clarrisa. Same." She held out her hand, and he shook it. By this time, Hufanse had told Cy, Svrion, Celton, and Renalyn.

"Awwwwwwwwww," Cy cooed audibly, making Aundren and Clarrisa stare at her. "It's love at first sight!"

"It is not!" Clarrisa snapped in response to her sibling's snickers as she blushed furiously.

"Then why are you still holding his hand?" Svrion asked. Clarrisa looked back at his hand.

"Err…" she calmly withdrew her arm. "For…no…reason…"

"Let us not be bothered by them," Aundren said, giving 'them' a glance. This immediately made Cy, Svrion, Celton, and Hufanse burst into giggles. "I would be very happy if we could meet some other time, without my bothersome friends. Perhaps we could?"

"You mean like a…like a date?" Clarrisa asked, too startled to word it any other way. Aundren shrugged.

"Yes." Clarrisa stared at him.

"Well…yeah…of course…um…yeah!"

"Oh no!" Mysti moaned as soon as she heard that, clutching her husband Neo. "My children! They're growing up so fast!"

"Snap out of it, Mysti. We still have Cyrrielle. That is, if she hasn't found someone as well." The two looked over at Cy and she smiled, resting her head on Svrion's shoulder. "Then again…maybe we can go on a second honeymoon when these kids are gone!"

"NEO!" Dark Sage Morlen cried out as he went over to his friend and gave him a pat on the back.

"Why hello, Sage Morlen…"

"It seems my great-great-great-great-great-grandchild has taken a fancy to your daughter."

"So I have seen."

"I was under the impression that when you first arrested Svrion, you and Cyrrielle weren't on very good terms with each other…"

"Yes. I never did want her to be different."

"You can't avoid that now. She's more different than the rest of us than she can ever be. She's a hero!"

………

A few days later, Cy awoke in her own soft bed, covered in her own soft mattress with her head resting on her own soft pillow. She had never felt happier to be home. Unfortunately, she could not rest long. She had been given a few days break, along with Svrion, for her whole adventure. But now, it was Monday and it was time to start school…again.

After a quick shower – in which Cy thanked the Gods for warm water and soap – the teenager donned her new outfit, since the old one was in no condition to parade around the streets in. This one was the same design as the old one, but pink and purple instead. Mysti had told her daughter that it would go along great with Svrion's outfit. Later, Cy would agree that it did.

Gloves, helmet, boot, necklace. Cy raced downstairs in full gear once again. This time, Celton and Clarrisa did not greet her in their normal way. Celton grinned at her and gave her a thumbs-up. Clarrisa smiled and twirled her spoon in her cereal absent-mindedly. She didn't even look at Cy.

Aundren, Cy mentally sighed as she rushed past her sister to get some breakfast.

"Good morning!" Mysti greeted as she glided into the kitchen. "Stop eating like a maniac, Celton. Clarrisa, get your mind off of that boy! Cy, my darling, what would you like to eat? Neo…fix your hair!"

The Magic Swordsman walked in fully dressed but not fully groomed, reading a newspaper and biting into a bagel at the same time. He grinned at his daughter.

"Want to look?" He turned the paper around to show the front page. Cy gasped. Her picture was pasted smack dab in the middle of the page, taking up most of the space. Headlines read 'Girl Magician Saves Realm'. The blonde snatched the paper out of her father's hand.

"No way!" she cried. "I'm…I'm famous!" She turned the page.

"Look! It's Hufanse and Faiya!" Celton pointed out, peering over Cy's head. "The King and Queen to be! Wow, amazing! Where am I in all of this?" Cy turned a few pages.

"Here you are!" she said. She pointed to a group picture where she, Hufanse, Aundren, Celton, Svrion, and Faiya stood posing for the camera. "And look, here's Clarrisa and Aundren!"

"What?" Clarrisa cried, dropping her spoon with a clang as she snatched the paper. Sure enough, she found her picture amongst four at the bottom. Clarrisa remembered that picture. It was by Randren's insistence. Next to it was a picture of Cy and Svrion, Celton and Renalyn, followed by Hufanse and Faiya. Four Happy Couples.

"Come on, you three!" Mysti interrupted. "You all are going to be late to school! Finish your breakfast and get out of here!"

………

There was a definite change of atmosphere in Cy's school. When the young blonde entered the room, everyone clapped and cheered. Cy skipped down the aisle, drinking in the attention. She stopped by Svrion's desk and dropped him a quick kiss on his lips, earning whistles from the rest of the class. Then she sat down, crossed her legs, and smiled at the rest of the room.

Dear mental diary…it's over, it's over. And now look at this! I'm famous, and I have a hot boyfriend. Now if I can just keep my head a normal size, everything will be fine!

"Good morning class!" Dark Sage Morlen greeted, entering the room. He gave a special grin to Cy. "I'm sure everyone's read the papers this morning…" Everyone turned to Cy and cheered once again. She smiled.

"I didn't do it alone you know," she said. "I had all my friends help me! And it was pretty fun."

"Minus the part where I got thrown against the wall," Svrion added. "That hurt."

"And I'm sure Celton didn't enjoy his torture with the Dragons," Cy said, her smile dropping a little. "He told me about it last night."

"Well…it's all over now," Dark Sage said. "Now we can actually begin lessons… you two didn't miss a thing, trust me. Both of you managed to acquire a lot more power than will probably be learned in the first year. I'm very proud." Cy beamed.

"In fact…you two have skills that are…rather strange…and I'm sure your brains are confused because you've learned them all out of order. Therefore, every Saturday, you two will have special private lessons…by me…to help." Cy and Svrion nodded and the rest of the class murmured about the honor of having such lessons. "Now let us begin…I will quickly check the seating chart to make sure everyone's here."

"Juoro's missing," one student pointed out. He motioned to the empty desk and everyone but Cy and Svrion looked at it.

"Ah, yes, Juoro," Dark Sage explained. "Well, apparently I have to clear up some things. Juoro, before the spell was broken, was actually a spy for the Dark Kingdom."

"That's not possible," another student piped up. "He was saying that he hated the Dark Kingdom and all of the evil warriors should be captured."

"It was only to keep us from thinking he was a spy," Cy informed, having heard this conversation between Morlen and Neo yesterday. "If we believed he hated the Dark Kingdom warriors so much, what are the chances we would suspect him of spying for them?"

"That makes sense," the first student said. "But the curse is lifted, so where is he now?"

"He is Randren's new assistant. It seems he has loved Dragons from early childhood and would love to get to know one. I do not think he was meant to be a Dark Magician at all."

"Juoro, a Dragon Master Knight," the second student said. "Interesting…" Dark Sage smiled.

"Shall we continue with our lesson?"

………

"I now pronounce you man and wife!" The entire Realm seemed to explode with the cheers of all the residents. Confetti rained upon the large crowd as they clapped and whistled. It was two months after the entire adventure, and it was Faiya's bride-day. The newly wed queen blushed as she walked down the white marble steps of the palace; her long and elegantly decorated gown flowed out in all directions. Hufanse followed, looking ridiculous in a tuxedo. He gave a grin to Aundren, Clarrisa, Cy, Svrion, Celton, and Renalyn as they stood at the sides, waving.

"Congratulations!" Dark Sage bellowed as he raised his staff and cast fireworks into the sky.

"Thank you!" Faiya gushed as she threw her arms around him. Hufanse walked up to the others.

"Congratulations," Aundren said, then added with a smirk, "your Highness…"

"Very funny, Aundren. You look good with that tie!" It was Aundren's turned to frown, but Clarrisa quickly cut it.

"I know! Doesn't he look so handsome?" Cy and Svrion giggled. Aundren was usually a very calm, patient, and polite man. But when Clarrisa forced him into a tuxedo and bright pink tie, he pretty much went nuts. But it did turn out for the better, because Clarrisa's dress was the same shade of pink and seemed to be even frillier than the bride's apparel. Her hair was done up and fixed with pretty lace bows. She looked very pretty, in contrast to Cy. The young teenager refused to don the lacy gown her mother had for her. But in the end, it was forced on her anyway. It was a really light pink, with sequins and embroidery everywhere. Cy complained that it was too long and she tripped…a lot! Svrion, however, was looking quite fine in his suit. Cy remembered the Witty Phantom clothes and giggled. All Svrion needed was a hat. Renalyn and Celton were pretty much Clarrisa and Aundren's twin – minus the tie, to Celton's relief.

Faiya came over to them and hugged each one in turn. "Thank you all so much! Without you, I'd still be in some underground organization plotting against my own parents."

"Instead you're getting married to a crazy guy," Svrion teased. "I don't see how that's much better!" Hufanse grinned.

"Well, I'm glad I don't have a klutzy blonde for a girlfriend!" he retorted.

"Let's not forget, however," Aundren pointed out. "You did have a crush on her!" Hufanse shut up and muttered about Clarrisa being 'equally blonde'.

"Oh, no," Svrion said. "I actually think I'm quite happy with Cy. She's a hero."

"Well, Faiya's a queen. And I'm a king!"

"You don't look like one, and Ra's granted us a miracle if you act like one!"

"Hey!" Everyone but Hufanse chuckled, and he eventually gave in and laughed along when Faiya wrapped her arms around his waist. Or rather, Queen Faiya.

"So, what are we waiting for?" Celton asked when everyone had calmed down. "The dances are starting! Let's go down and partay!"

"Hm…you actually made a good decision," Renalyn said. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go!"

"Ladies first!" Hufanse declared, taking Faiya's hand and letting her walk in front.

"That would be you, right?" she joked. He gave a stern look, but her serene one made him melt instantly. She pulled him down by his collar and gave him a passionate kiss. When he pulled back, she grinned.

"Let's see if you can dance…"

"Let's see if you can keep up…" The two made their way down to the middle of the Kingdom. Aundren extended his hand and Clarrisa wrapped her arms around it.

"I fear that I may not be quite the dancer you might expect."

"Oh don't worry, I'll show you how to get it on!"

"Get what on?"

"Oh, forget it!"

"I apologize, did I miss something?" Clarrisa dragged the confused Aundren and followed the others. Soon, Dark Sage – mysteriously quiet for the past few minutes – Cy and Svrion were the only ones left.

"Well," Morlen said, turning to the two. "It seems you have answered the question I asked you the very first day of school, Cyrrielle."

"About Svrion? Yeah, did I get it right?"

"An A plus for excellent work." He winked and joined the rest of the residents. Cy looked up at Svrion. He grinned at her.

"We still have to finish what we started…remember, back at the castle…you stopped in the middle when the sword started glowing red," he said.

"Oh right…or else it won't truly being a happily ever after ending for you, will it?"

"Nope…" Cy sighed, and Svrion leaned forward and captured her lips with his own. She wrapped her arms around his neck and lost herself in the moment. After all, she had him, the respect of her father, the most worthy of friends – two of who were now royalty, and a class that saw who she truly was. She had risen to the top.

THE END!

……………………………………………………………………………………………

At last, the day has come! This story is finally finished, after totally straying from the original plot and ending. Faiya was originally supposed to be some insignificant character that just leads them to the Dragon Chamber, but no…I made her into something much bigger. I'm sure Hufanse is happy about that.

Hufanse: (nods and grins)

Well…that's it. Things happen. It's called inspiration. Anyway, thank you to all who read and reviewed till the very end. I know that's like a small number since my updating was often delayed…(understatement). But thank you all, it's to you I owe the success of completing this story.

(Cy, Svrion, Celton, Renalyn, Clarrisa, Aundren, Hufanse, Faiya, Randren, Harsh, Juoro, Equora, Mysti, Neo, Morlen, Cosmo Queen – whose real name is Lithia – Jinzo, Sinth, Mitirk, Erkth, random residents, and the Dragons all take a bow)

And of course, I couldn't have done it without my characters either! (Blows kisses to all of them)

So thank you everybody! These characters might appear in random spots in future stories (especially Cy, Svrion, Aundren, and Hufanse, they are my favorite foursome). And until I write in the Yu-Gi-Oh! category again, farewell. Please review this final chapter! Thank you all, once again!