As soon as Elisabeth was dressed again she and Kathy headed downstairs for dinner. Elisabeth was glad that she was with her family again even with the circumstances. As they passed her old room she couldn't help but take a look. Her bed and dresser were gone replaced by a desk and filing cabinet. Her computer desk was still there but she noticed that it wasn't her gaming computer on it. "Where did Mom put my stuff?" she asked.
"Well... it's in storage" Kathy said hesitating slightly. "She figured that you might not be coming home. We were lucky that we were able to buy you."
"Well she should sell most of it now" Elisabeth said. "I won't need most of it after all. I do want my computer though."
"Mom thought you would" Kathy said. "She had to talk herself into changing your room into an office. She said that it would be all she'd have left of you, like you had died."
"I can understand that" Elisabeth said. "In a sense I did die. I'm not the same person I was before. If someone else had bought me my stuff would have been all Mom would have had to remember me."
"Well we did buy you" Kathy said. "I'm your Owner but I won't treat you bad. I like the thought of having a sister."
"Thanks Kathy" Elisabeth said.
They entered the dining room and Elisabeth was greeted by her father, brother, sister-in-law, eight year old niece, and Tom and his Fighter. Looking at Tom's Fighter Elizabeth felt her heart flutter and a warmth spread from her crotch. She was staring and must have been blushing since her mother said "Well well well, looks like someone has a crush on someone. I think Elisabeth and Marcus will become really good friends."
"So this is the boy you were thinking about before?" Kathy asked.
"Uh... ya" Elisabeth said a little embarrassed.
"What are you doing here Tom?" Kathy asked changing the subject. "Tonight is supposed to be for family."
"Your mom invited me over" Tom said. "She said that I was like family and so should be here. She also wanted Marcus to be here."
"Oh" Kathy said. "Well I'm glad that you're here."
"Alright everyone" Elisabeth's mother said. "It's time for dinner so sit down." Everyone did as she said and she brought out the home made lasagna and garlic bread.
Once everyone was served Elisabeth's niece, Megan, asked "Are you really Uncle Ricky?"
"Well I was" Elisabeth said. "Now I'm your Aunt Elisabeth."
"Ok Aunt Lizzy" Megan said.
"That's not nice Megan" Elisabeth's sister-in-law Marla said.
"I don't mind that Marla" Elisabeth said. "You can call me Aunt Lizzy if you want Megan."
"So are you going to fight?" Megan asked eagerly.
"I guess I'll have to" Elisabeth said. "I'm a Fighter now after all."
"I want to see you fight" Megan said.
"She's not going to be fighting" David said. "She doesn't know how and neither does Kathy. We don't want to lose them."
"Well that's part of the reason I invited Tom and Marcus over tonight" Elisabeth's mother said. "I thought that they could teach them how. They will come across people who will want to fight them."
"That is part of being an Owner and Fighter" Tom said.
"I lost my brother!" David shouted. "I don't want to lose my sisters!"
"They'll have to fight at some point" Tom said. "When you buy a Fighter or a Capture Card you are registered with the Fighter's Commission. Kathy can turn down challenges but if she turns down too many of them in a row the commission will take Elisabeth away and Kathy will never be allowed to be an Owner again."
"That's insane!" David shouted again.
"Those are the rules" Kathy said.
"I see you've read up on Card Fighters" Tom said. "So you know that the challenger names what the winner gets."
"I know" Kathy said. "Like if I challenged you I could say that I get Marcus if I won and you get Elisabeth if you won. You could then accept or decline the challenge."
"Exactly" Tom said.
"How many times does she have to decline a challenge before the commission takes Elisabeth away?" David asked in a defeated tone.
"It varies" Tom said. "The commission may take Elisabeth away if Kathy declines ten challenges in a row or they could wait. I think it has to do with whether the think the Owner is serious about the game or not."
"How do they know if she declines or not?" David asked.
"It's part of the magic" Kathy said. "When a challenge is issued the magic records it, the terms, who was challenged, who issued the challenge, and whether the challenge was accepted or not."
"So there's no way to get out of it now" David said hanging his head. "I don't want to lose my sisters though."
"That's why Tom and Marcus are here" Elisabeth's mother said. "They can teach them so they won't lose that often."
"Besides, I won't risk myself or Elisabeth" Kathy said.
"Well since we're done eating we might as well start" Tom said. "Kathy, I challenge you to a Card Fight. If I win, I get one of your magic cards of my choosing. If you win, you get one of my magic cards of your choosing. Do you accept?"
"I accept your challenge" Kathy said.
"Now that that's done let's move outside" Tom said. "There really isn't enough room in here for a Card Fight."
Everyone went out to the back yard. Kathy and Elisabeth went to one side while Tom and Marcus went to the other. Everyone else stood on the back porch.
Tom looked at Kathy and said "We can skip the summoning since our fighters are already summoned. Now pick three cards to augment Elisabeth."