Ian listened as his name and the name of the duelist he would be up against rang over the crowd. "Alexander Nyne, let's see who you are," Ian spoke to himself as he looked up a face to go with the name. "Hmm, this should be a good time-killer. Come Azu, we have our duel now." The white-skinned boy ran back,excited that the moment had finally come. "Ready?" Ian asked his young partner. He got a cheerful nod in return. "Okay then, let's go."

Ian walked through the crowd to the doors that would lead him onto the duel stage. As he was about to walk through them, a hand grabbed his shoulder from behind, fingernails digging into his arm. Azu turned, but Ian just stopped. "Hey Bell. I was wondering if you'd send me off."

The hand pushed him and spun him around. Cybell Yvenstar looked up at him, on brow raised mockingly. "No, I'm just here to tell you not to lose before I get to kick your ass," she said simply. Behind her, Azu was getting assaulted by Bell's duel spirit, Maiden with Eyes of Blue, and once again Ian couldn't help but notice how similar the girl looked to her spirit. Azu laughed silently as the larger female spirit tickled him. 

Ian looked down into his second-in-command's eyes. "Don't worry, I won't lose," he said with confidence, turning and walking through the doors, his spirit following after him.

The girl growled at his back, "You say that, but you're never serious about it." May, her duel spirit, put her arms around the girl's neck and hummed a soft tune. "I bet you're already thinking about what you'll say if you lose," Cybell mumbled. Her duel spirit agreed; that was something he would do.