It was 10:00 p.m. and the mysterious Sunset logged in her account. It’s been 47 hours, 15 minutes and 11 seconds and counting since she last spoke with her online friend, Fluttershy. She had an itch for a duel with her again, even if it was with random cards and with the Speed Duel format she considered mind-numbing and limiting. Fluttershy, the only person who has ever defeated her shouldn’t take long to appear.

The notification of the only person in her friend’s list turned green.

“Finally…” She whispered in triumph while drinking her last drops of her mug’s artisanal coffee.

Who should begin the battle was the thought that Sunset had. Who should begin the honor to start the duel she longed for a while? Not disappointing her, Fluttershy went first and sent her the invitation for a duel.

Sunset couldn’t have pressed a button faster.

No greetings at the start of the meeting. No empty words. Just straight to the business. Twenty random cards for each, two familiar people facing each other again. Fluttershy was the first to play with a Dragon Zombie, a 1600 ATK monster with an abhorrent defense of 0, then she put a card face down. Sunset drew a card and summoned Neo The Magic Swordsman with a power attack of 1700 and defense of 1000, destroying the dragon for good and reducing 100 points of her life.

Fluttershy then summoned Skull Red Bird with an attack power of 1550 and defense of 1200. Then she activated the spell card Yellow Luster Shield, increasing the defense of her monsters for 300 points. Then she activated the trap Snake Fang, reducing her opponent’s monster defense by 500. Finally, she used the spell Sword and Shield, exchanging the attack and defense of all monsters on the field.

She launched her attack and reduced Sunset’s life points by 1000 of 4000 by destroying her monster.

“Nice. Really nice.” Sunset slowly clapped with a satisfied smile.

It was her turn again and she put a set down monster and a card face down. Fluttershy attacked again with her monster back to his original attack points, revealing Blast Sphere, and Sunset activated its effect. When that monster is attacked in defense position and set down, she can use it as an equip spell card to Fluttershy’s attacking monster.

When her friend’s turn began, her Red Bird was destroyed by the effect of Sunset’s monster and his 1550 attack points were transferred as battle damage to Fluttershy, reducing her life points to 2450.

On the side chat window, Fluttershy was writing a message.

Fluttershy: Good move.

She then drew a card and put a monster and a card faced down.

“Oooh!?” Sunset expressed with fascination.

Did she ran out of powerful monsters or perhaps the card she set down was a tricky trap? But Sunset wasn’t scared of daring against the unknown and summoned a Gemini Elf with 1900 attack power, put a card face down and activated her previous set down card, Stop Defense, and used her on Fluttershy’s monster. The monster was revealed to be Big Shield Gardna, a monster with 100 ATK – 2600 DEF – 4 LVL monster in defense position and it had two effects.

If Shield Gardna is targeted by a spell card while faced down, he negates the effect, which he did with her Stop Defense. Then Sunset activated her other trap Call of the Haunted, resurrecting her Magic Swordsman and attacked Shield Gardna. Since Neo’s attack was 1200 points lower than Gardna’s natural defense plus the effect of Yellow Luster Shield bonus, Sunset received that amount as life points damage. But, it forced Gardna’s second effect into action and made him change to attack position. Then Sunset commanded her Gemini Elf to destroy her friend’s monster and inflict on her 1800 battle damage, reducing her life points to 650. Fluttershy drew a card and summoned nothing.

“You are mine…” Sunset expressed while smirking and attacked her directly, ending the duel.

Sunset: Bad cards?

Fluttershy: Terrible this time. High level monsters and an equip spell faced down.

Sunset: Then it was worth risking it all there.

Fluttershy: You are so mean! (⊙﹏⊙✿)

Sunset: I just happen to be a good drawer.

Fluttershy: I wish a rematch!

Sunset complied, and they had five more quick duels. She won again on the second, Fluttershy won the third, fourth, and fifth, and Sunset won the last. 203-203 was their current score now.

Sunset: This war of ours has no end.

Fluttershy: Perhaps my superior strategies scare yours? (￣。￣)

Sunset: I, intimidated? You are talking with the Great Sunset. Your words are but measly bubbles of ionized gas in the endless sea of fire from the Sun that it is I.

Fluttershy: The sun has bubbles?

Sunset: Yes. In the convection zone, a turbulent mass of material through which the radiation cannot pass as the temperature is too low. The energy pouring from the radiative zone gets trapped and cannot escape, so giant convection currents are set up with hot matter rising and the cooler matter sinking, creating bubbles of gas.

Fluttershy: You always say such fascinating stuff, you really must be one of the top of your class.

Sunset was in reality within the Top 100 best students of the whole country, and third place in the world. But she never got cocky with Fluttershy. At least, not on mockery level or beyond like with her classmates and employees.

Sunset: I just study the minimum to pass my subjects. Which that reminds me, how was your Organic Chemistry’s test?

Fluttershy: Thanks to your online teachings, I managed to score a B+!

Sunset: Well done.

Fluttershy: (~￣▽￣)~

Sunset: I believe it is time for me to leave. I will see you again.

Fluttershy: Message me at the same inbox.

Before Sunset logged out, she noticed that Fluttershy started writing again. She was busy with an important experiment… but she couldn’t resist the need to read her final words, whether it was long or short.

Fluttershy: I want to meet you for real.

She had never read something more than one time.

Sunset: You already know me, Fluttershy.

She tried to sound detached and cool but in real life her heart was pounding faster, and faster. Her friend took a very long time to write the next message, and she couldn’t wait to read it. Sunset knew by know that she was shy when she defeated her for the first time on their fourth duel. Never before has Sunset received a defeat like the first three. She wasn’t focused and it was on the days were she was going to give up Duel Monsters for good, the game’s player population too weakened after the recession of the Duel Links’ world.

During her grandfather’s era, Duel Links was a virtual world where you could summon any monster and make it immensely powerful if the user’s brain waves, later called the Soul of the Duelist, were strong enough to make it so. If you summoned a random monster with a mere 100 attack points, but it turns out that you were strong enough with your Soul of the Duelist, that monster could increase to 10000 of power if you wished to.

At first, it bore a world of fierce competitors. But it wasn’t perfect, for only a few could accept a defeat and live on with it to try again. Eventually, the so-called strong fell in the poison of Spiritual Defeat, and with that, their Soul of the Duelist wavered, and duels became weak. So they came back to the traditional format of Dueling, but the new generation of duelist became too used on using only high attack monsters and reduced their strategies with spells and cards.

They became boring to Sunset’s eyes.

Kaiba Corporation then revived the Speed Duel format and made dueling interesting again, for a time. At least for her. The restriction of only using between 20 to 30 cards deprived the duelists with long term strategy, forcing them to rely more on quick assaults. Sunset tried the format after the inauguration of the free Online Duel Simulator… she never lost once in any mode, even against registered World Class Pro-Duelist. Sunset was bored.

Sunset… desired long, detailed strategy.

But then Fluttershy came to her life, and when she defeated her for the third time in a row, Sunset declared her an enemy and added her to her list of friends to duel her again. She was the only person on that list since then. As time flew by, and after many short but mind-numbing fun battles, Fluttershy broke the silence, and asked what she liked to do besides dueling. Sunset only answered that after her free time ended, she was busy on various personal projects on her job.

The only information she shared was that she was 17 years old at that time, a little more than one year older than her. Now she was 20 and in college, and she was 18 and still in high school. They slowly began to talk about random things like animal caring, and science research, cooking techniques, and science research, Pretty Warrior Pirate Moon’s anime show, and science research.

Sunset then realized that she only knew about science research and administration in a very humiliating manner to her pride, and began to read with more attention to her messages. Her genius could research all of her topics and understand it in a week or far less, but, one way or another, she wanted Fluttershy to write. She wanted Fluttershy to express herself. She being brave felt nice for her, even if it was through a screen, just for her.

Just for her and no one else.

Fluttershy: It’s just that I want to duel you with my real deck, even if it’s just for once. You and Alex-san are the only ones than know about my wish to have a duel like the Golden Era. I know you are busy, but I want to have a date with you in a local café too and know each other better.

Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date. Date.

“She wants a date… with me?” Sunset was serious, and perplexed.

Fluttershy: Somehow, from the bottom of my heart, I know that you can give me a real Duel of Monsters.

Sunset: I’ll give you the answer soon.

Fluttershy: You don’t have to agree if you are busy. Whatever you say, we still have each other here. ( ^▽^)

Sunset: I understand. See you next time.

Fluttershy: Bye-Bye!

And she logged out, and Sunset fully laid her back on her executive chair. Her sight looking out through the window, the shiny lights of the city barely diluting the glimmer of the stars.

Then, a firm grip on her shoulder was felt. “Rebecca-sama!” Sunset looked at her side and saw a young, familiar, serious face. “Rebecca-sama, it’s strange for you to ignore me like that for this long.” The woman activated an holographic document and gave it to her.

“I over-enjoyed my free time and lost track of reality.” Sunset said while reading her top scientist’s report. “Oh! So we are making good progress as I expected.” She made a soft grin.

“Indeed. If all goes well, this could mark a revolution to Duel Monsters as we know it!”

“Project Turbo will become a reality when the New Summoning System for monster summoning is revised and perfected. Soon the world will be blessed with a new Dueling, a new revolution surpassing the obsolete relic of Duel Links from Seto Kaiba himself!”

“Once again, your genius is unmatched, Rebecca-sama!”

“So, how is it going?”

“The new tournament that you are organizing? Perfect. Last week I sent the private battle invitation of the Online Duel Simulator System Selector to the chosen ones and various expert duelist and I battled the best Pro-Duelist in the world with the most powerful decks you devised for us, and only 8 managed to meet the minimum requirements you demanded to enter!”

“So they were indeed future sacrifices as I expected! Very well, send them the formal invitation to the tournament, and make public the System Selector to choose the other half of the participants! 8 normal duelist of the planet will be selected as well! 8 Pro-Duelists, 8 Duelists, one tournament! They are only test subjects and sacrifices for my vision!”

“It will be done!”

An hologram with the dueling data of the Scientist and her team versus the Pro-Duelists appeared before Sunset. Tactics, play-style, manners, everything was there. Then, something caught her eye. “Say…” She glared at her piercingly and with a shade of annoyance. “What kind of name is Twilight Sparkle?”

“You said I could choose any pseudonym I wanted and I took a liking to that one!” Twilight said with pride and arms crossed.

“Who in the world would choose a name like that to represent my company in an official Pro-Duel selection!?” Sunset’s glare darkened the room even more.

“Oh, please! There were ridiculous Dueling Names in the past like the famous Ryuzaki’s pseudonym, Rex Raptor! Not everyone can have a normal name like the famous, amazing, and legendary dancer Anzu Mazaki, better known as Fiery Dancer Magician Téa Gardner!”

“I forgot you like that lousy dancing.”

“At least I like something normal unlike your classical and obsolete acoustic music.” Twilight said with a deadpan expression.

“Remind me to lower your salary for next week for insulting your boss’ musical tastes.”

“In any case, Twilight Sparkle fits me!”

“Indeed, your blue hair is like the beautiful deep night without stars. If only you didn’t have those two ridiculous magenta and pink stripes on it.”

“Rebecca, you fool! Don’t dare insult my beautiful hair!! I was born with those, eh!!!”

“Remind me to lower your salary next month for rudely talking back to your boss.” Sunset said with closed eyes and a calm demeanor.

“YOU ARE SO MEAN!! I slave for you ever since we were children!!” Twilight lost her cool.

Sunset smirked with mockery and said, “Kaiba Corporations appreciates your noble efforts, Professor Tara Hopkins! In any case, when do I have a free day? I want to schedule a day of leisure outside my job and college hours!”

“You? A break? In the streets of Neo Domino City?” Twilight almost laughed.

“Do you want me to fire you!?” Sunset raised her voice menacingly.

“HA! Rebecca, I have known you since forever! You won’t survive in a normal social world! You barely know the layout of our school!”

“Says the woman who broke with three boyfriends in less than an hour each last month! That guy that looked like an Oompa Loompa was the worst!”

Twilight’s forehead veins pronounced with her anger. “At least I know about love and friendship!” She said between her teeth.

“The only living beings who can stand you is your dog, and me.” She said with a blatant glare. “You’re about as entertaining as a brick on a wall.”

“I HAVE MORE FRIENDS THAN YOU! And at least men are interested in me as well! You, on the other hand, scares them all away when you open your poisonous mouth!!”

“The ones I have met so far were weak and lacked wits. Besides, the ones that have chased you were only interested in your physical assets and not your spectacular mind.” She said stoically. “Your buttocks are picturesque, but if they only knew that your front pillows are tiny-!”

“THIS IS WHY YOU NEVER MADE FRIENDS DURING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND BEYOND, REBECCA!” Twilight grabbed Sunset’s shirt and began to shake her rudely with a mad face. “YOU ARE TOO BLUNT AND A PAIN IN THE BUTT, YOU STUPID CYNICAL WOMAN!”

“Remind me to lower your salary for the next two months for physically assaulting your boss. And I have a friend besides you.”

“The mythical Fluttershy again!? You have never seen her in flesh!” After finishing her sentence, Twilight’s gaze suddenly became impish. “Come to think of it, you even forbid me to look for her using Kaiba Corporation’s Security International System! Perhaps you already know who she is and you are too ashamed to make me discover that she is embarrassing to be with!!!” Twilight’s tongue drooled with poison.

“I would never below myself to use such tactics unless it is for national security. She is clearly shy and for her to wish to meet me in person is a big step for her!”

“SO THAT’S WHY YOU WANT THE DAY OFF! … …Hmph! Very well!” Twilight arranged her glasses in a very professional and serious manner. “I’ll see what I can do to give you a free itinerary really soon! I don’t want to keep waiting your first outsider friend to meet you!” She then became dreamy all of the sudden. “If only your mother could see her dream becoming a reality, you skeptic brute! I know that your mother - may God have her forever in the Land of Eden - will help you make a new friend from the beyond!” She said with sweetness, respect, and purity to Sunset’s late mother while praying to the sky.

“I have a friend in my contact list that aren’t bothersome classmates and business contacts… unlike you” Sunset expressed coldly.

“Curse you.” Twilight spitted in mumble to the side with an annoyed face. “You aren’t like Lady Nicole.”

“At least you remember her name, you fourth-rate secretary and second-rate scientist.”

“WHAT DID YOU SAY, YOU RED-HEADED DEVIL!!?”

“Be gone. Do your job and make sure that I have a free day soon on my schedule before tomorrow evening. You are dismissed for today and you can go home, Tara.” Sunset walked away.

“…Where are you going?”

“Home.”

“You are in your home already.” Sunset suddenly stopped a bit at loss and looked at Twilight in the eye. “We live here together, in this suite of Kaiba Corporation, in the same bed, in this exact same bedroom, inside this space station, remember?” Twilight frowned and said with a small glimpse of irritation while turning on the lights with a strong clap of her hands, revealing a beautiful, well-equipped and tidy bedroom. The city projection banished from the windows, revealing the endless Sea of Stars, Earth’s blue oceans and atmosphere an spectacle in her irises. Behind Sunset, there was her office desk inside their private office-bedroom-whatever place.

A lively bark was heard approaching them, and soon a purple dog ran in circles around both young, world-tier genius, college women. Sunset looked down and saw Spike passing under her sight every 1.7 seconds.

“…?”

“…!”

“This is why I always tell you that you are too obsessed with your job!! You barely know about the world beside Neo Domino Canterlot College, Kaibaland, and Pizzas Gwendolyn down there! I really hope this Fluttershy makes you go out more frequently for good!”

“Shut your mouth.” Sunset walked to the bathroom to take a shower and Twilight followed besides her.

“For all your genius in science and being the President of the most powerful technological research center and gaming industry in the world, you are clumsy in these things. I worry you could get lost in a public bathroom.”

“Shut up.”

“I’ll have to design a plan for you to not ruin this opportunity to make contact with the normal world.”

“Quiet and go to sleep, Hopkins!”

“Not until we take a shower, Kaiba-sama.”

After their shower, they slept from midnight to sunrise rather peacefully.

Author's Note

I couldn't resist making the space station their home. I mean, it was super ridiculous for Kaiba in the movie to make freaking station of that magnitude just for reconstructing the Millennium Puzzle.

Speed Duel format is in fact beginners format used to introduce new players to Yu-Gi-Oh! But recently, it has been retrofitted to more aggressive and quick play styles, specially in the iOS and Android game Duel Links. With the right cards, the games are indeed faster than the normal one. (Unless you take special summoning engines in the meta into account, which is a nightmare for casuals like me.) For story purposes, Speed Duel is challenging, but not for the main characters.

The Duel Links worlds mentioned here is the one from the manga version, prequel to the latest movie.

Anyway, Sunset is a mix of the failed antagonist of the first movie with the immense potential of all the sequels. Smart, sharp, strong willed and athletic, only that I made her clumsy in other trivial things. Twilight is a stronger willed version of her Friendship Games source, only more volatile with Sunset’s antics.

Once again, curious facts for choosing her normal names:

-Tara is the name of the voice actress of Twilight Sparkle, and Professor Hopkins is a renown archaeologist in the series canon. Her descendant ending up as part of Kaiba Corporation is a little ironic considering that Hopkins was the best friend of Solomon Mutuou, Yugi’s grandfather.
-Rebecca is the name of the voice actress of Sunset Shimmer, and I made her the descendant of Seto Kaiba to respect the tradition of the old rivalry only with new circumstances. And give her many resources in which she can make ridiculous things spectacularly.
-Nicole is the name of the voice actress that gives life to Princess Celestia. So yeah, Nicole Kaiba has the physical appearance of human Celestia, and since Yu-Gi-Oh! has ridiculous hairstyles, I will leave her alone because she has a normal design in comparison.

As always, thanks for reading.