Confessions of a Lone Vagabond

Chapters

Duel 00 Pt1: The Vagabond
Duel 00 Pt2: The Boomstick
Duel 00 Pt3: The Party Animal
Duel 00 Pt4: The Junkyard Fist
Duel 00 Pt5: The Cattleprod
Duel 00 Pt6: The Shy One
Duel 01 Pt2
Duel 01 Pt3
Duel 02: Count Your Blessings
Duel 03: A God and His Angels
Duel 04: Please Let Me In
Duel 01 Pt1: The Game Begins

Duel 00 Pt1: The Vagabond

-Whitetail Woods: Present Day-

What was it about that day? Was it something I did? Something I said? Someone I hurt? Just what was it?

Trees surrounded me as I walked my lone walk. Every four days it was the same walk. I went into that town, peddled my wares, and walked away with that week's produce.

The only difference was that every two weeks was a different walk. Not the path mind you… it was how I walked… or more specifically what I walked as.

I'm getting ahead of myself. The name's Vince Price. No relation to the actor I swear! I guess you could say I got here the way most of the others got here. Not by the same hands though. This man was playing a far more dangerous game… he didn't do this for fun. There was an endgame only hewould benefit from.

As to how I got here and as to where here is…

-AX: Some Time Ago-

“DUEL!” I shouted with as serious a shout I could shout. The snap of several cameras went wild as I maintained a fierce pose.

A blood red baseball cap sat upon my head, Neo Domino's emblem emblazoned on the front and a pair of goggles to go with it.

I was dressed in black boots, a red jacket with its sleeves rolled up, a white tee and clean jeans.

I heard good things, bad things, cringy things… but the comments all had one thing in common.

“Check out the dude in the Kamen Rider get up!”

“No way! He's obviously an extra from some Disney Channel show!”

“With THOSE goggles!? No way, totally from Digimon! Hey have you checked out my blog?”

Everyone got the costume wrong. Hmm? Oh right… why was I at AX dressed up?

Not for a photoshoot obviously. I showed up because word through the grapevine was that Konami was finally going to release actual Crystal Beast support and I wanted in on that.

Imagine my utter disappointment when the panel was canned… so I walked the premises in a slump. The stalls we're mostly the same things being sold at differing prices… except for that which shall not be named.

Asshole actually tried to get me to buy something too.

I happened upon him and his wares as if by chance. When those lurkers on the net said this guy had everything… they literally meant “everything”. Swords from various media, from the Z Saber to Supernatural’s The First Blade (With Mark of Cain Wristband), to accessories and apparel like Orion's Belt from Men in Black to Gon Fleek’s jacket (Jeez he even had a wig).

“Ohoh! Afternoon stranger, lots of good things to-” I put my hand up right quick and he clammed up immediately.

“No. I'm not dumb. Find some other victim.” I said as I began to walk away.

“I'd be careful out there if I were you Vagabond,” I heard him say. It was like ice upon my skin as the world started to spin… “I’ll only say this once stranger. Fate is a cruel mistress.”

The heat returned to my body and I found myself rushing for the door. I needed air…

-Ponyville Proper: Market-

“Howdy there fella! Don't think I've seen ya round these parts. Lookin’ to buy?” The familiar droll of the town apple farmer kicks me out of my day dream and back to my current state of affairs.

I take a second to clear my throat and steady my nerves. “Yes I suppose I could use a basket of your best, and maybe a smooth drink to ease this wretched throat.”

“Shucks, sounds like ya’ll had a heck of a day. Have a bit of cider, on me fella.” The mare hoofs a plastic cup my way and I empty its contents eagerly.

A gasp and sigh of relief leave me as I throw the empty cup into a waste basket. “You are far too kind to this wicked soul, mayhaps I could hear the name of my saving star?” 'Your name’s Applejack and we've been doing this song and dance for months now.’ I whisper in my mind.

The farm pony chuckles a bit as she drops a full basket of the shiniest apples you or any other living being will ever see.

“Name’s Applejack. Now ah don't mean nothing by this, but you sound awfully familiar. Care to give me yer name? Ease my thoughts.” She says with a knowing smile.

Today’s bi-weekly disguise was one Nordic Beast.

I smile and place my ten bits on the counter. “It's Garmr, my fair lady.” She leans in and whispers “Run”.

This was my sign to rush to my next place of business before I was caught by The Pink One. Everything was timed perfectly so as to let me slip in and out without so much as a mis step.

Funny how that all came to be…

-AX: Some Time Ago-

I found myself on a table, my face plopped down and staring at an untouched order of fried lobster balls, one of my many decks sitting just next to it.

“No shit, is that the Vagabond?” I jumped at the sound of the intruding voice and looked left and right in abject paranoia. Me eyes finally found their target when the sound of a deck box dropping made me flinch and turn. “Hm, someone seems jumpy today. You look like you've seen a ghost.”

My surprise visitor was a medium sized... someone… dressed in a black cloak and hood with ash gray metal vine like pauldrons kinda like Vanity's End.

“I'm sorry… who are you?” I ask the mysterious stranger.

He laughed a dark laugh, opened his box, and began to shuffle his deck. “Just someone looking for a challenge. Won't you humor me?” His tone switched and I felt my hairs stand on edge.

I gulped and took a bite of my lobster before shuffling my own deck. “Loser buys the winner a round of fried lobster.” I say with conviction.

My opponent only laughs. “Loser gets tossed through the void.” He says ominously.

'Riiigght’ “I play Sapphire Pegasus for a pony in the back row. Promise Pegasus for another pony in the back row and Promise that pony to get Carbuncle in the backrow. I set a card, play Rainbow Ruins, and overlay for 39. Your move.”

The mysterious stranger giggled madly as he casually dropped a dark hole from his hand.

I place my Sapphire Pegasus and Carbuncle into the back row and send Utopia to grave. “Kind of a waste isn't it?” I asked.

“Is it?” He asked with an amused tone as he played Trap Eater of all things, destroying my face down. He summoned Gene Warped War Wolf and synchroed for Stardust Dragon and threw down the remainder of his hand in the backrow.

“This may sting!” He cheers as a tiny Stardust flies from the card and whips me across the face with it's tail.

“SON OF A BITCH!!” I screamed as I held my face, blood running along my fingers.

VAGABOND: 6750

???: 8000

A stat screen popped up out of the corner of my eye… it was as if...

‘Fate is a cruel mistress’

My eyes went wide as the stranger just started cackling.

“Oh ho! Catching on!? Good good, you'll need that astute awareness where you're going!” He said as he began the most condescendingly slow clap in the history of slow claps.

“Ffffuck… I am not losing to some fucking space demon!! Draw!” Throwing all caution to the wind I jumped out of my seat and said fuck it as I went full anime.

I stared intently at the spell I drew and slammed it on the table, much to the amusement of my opponent.

“My my~ Such theatrics…” His tone became cold as his gaze bore into my soul. “Theatrics alone won't save you.”

“Shut up you bitch made freak! Rare Value! You know what it does, now pick!”

He scoffed and pointed at my pegasus. “You can at least read the effect can’t you?”

I drew my cards and stole a look at my life points. “You mean to remind the counter over there to factor in Rainbow Ruins second effect? I took twelve fifty from a twenty five hundred beatstick without having to explain shit.”

I took a look at my cards, Crystal Blessing and Rare Value. I played Blessing and put two of my ponies in the backrow.

“Interesting you call them ‘ponies’.” The Stranger said in a playful tone.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I asked as I played Rare Value and sent a pony to grave.

“There it is again~ My my, you'll so very much enjoy the world I send you to.”

I froze. “Have you been reading my mind?”

He slow clapped again. “YES! THAT INTUITION OF YOURS!”

I grit my teeth, placing Emerald Tortoise face down. At least it would tank the hit…

He laughed again.

He drew and summoned D.D. Warrior. A young man rose from the card, sword at the ready. “I activate torrential tribute!” He shouted happily.

Something about that play didn't seem right…

Until he flipped Starlight Road, essentially letting him summon a second Stardust Dragon. “Now then, ASSAULT MODE ACTIVATE!”

As soon as this new dragon materialized from gathering dust, an armored core slammed into it's chest. It roared as more armor began to decorate it's limbs.

“Warrior! Give me an opening!” He cried as D.D. Warrior kicked my turtle face up and stabbed itself and my turtle, removing both from play.

VAGABOND: 6750

???: 7200

“Stardust! Sonic Destruction Wave!” A cluster of spacial debris began to gather in the Assault Mode Dragon’s maw as it tore through my shoulder.

I screamed in pain as the second Stardust shoved it's claw into my sternum, gouging out the cartilage.

VAGABOND: 2750

???: 7200

He bowed his head, signaling the end of his turn. It was at this point, I had to hold back the blood from a grievous neck wound while trying to play with a barely responsive arm. I drew as best I could…

“Crystal Beacon!” I shouted in defiance as he just laughed and put Assault Mode Stardust Dragon in the grave, negating my one move.

I hung my head in defeat… I slumped back down to my seat and started to cry. It was BY far the worst way anyone could go…

“Oh come now… you'll like your new life!” He cheered, forcing me to look back up.

A crimson, rounded duel disk had appeared on my good arm, and the stranger was standing up. Standing next to him were both Stardusts, and swirling behind him was a violet vortex.

“Don’t screw it up.” He said in a drastically cold tone.

Before I knew it, both dragons let me have it.

-Ponyville: Present Day-

I hauled ass as quickly as I could, already feeling that sense of dread whenever The Pink One drew near. I ducked into the open door of the resident tinkerer.

“Rather early aren't you?” The tanned earth pony asked me.

“She's starting to catch wise, Turner.” I replied as I morphed back into my bipedal form, dropping a bag of scrap at my feet. “What does this get me?”

Time Turner began to ooh and ah as he carefully removed the contents of my sack. “How's ninety bits sound?” He asked with a warm and appreciative smile.

“Done, now hurry.” I whispered. Pocketing my spending money, I took a card from a box along my belt and placed it into an open slot along my Disk.

I was ushered out the back door just as The Pink One had entered the workshop. Thankfully, KagetoKage kept me invisible as I crawled away to safety…

-Ponyville Outskirts: Eight Months Prior-

I gasped for air as I shot up and awake, desperately gasping for air I didn't need as my hands ran along my body.

My shoulder had a distinct lack of a hole through it, my sternum was where it should be and I couldn't even feel the tell tale signs of scarring on my nose.

Hell, even my clothes looked and felt immaculate. I reached around and noticed I was sitting on a gravel path.

I steadily got up, dusted myself off and walked the rather shady road. It was like walking through a swamp… weeping willows flanked my right and a stream had been flowing alongside me.

I sighed in defeat, the very thing I thought I managed to escape ended up happening anyway. Could be worse I suppose, I could get mauled by a bear, but what are the chances of running into a bear in the swamps?

I bumped into a furry brown wall within seconds. I took a step back and stared at an upright grizzly bear staring back at me.

It roared as I screamed a manly and in no way high pitched scream of absolute terror as I turned around and started to get the heck out of dodge.

Unfortunately for me, the bear was quicker, so I did the first thing that came to mind. I stopped running and shoved a deck I pulled from God knows where straight into my brand spanking new Duel Disk.

The deck began to shuffle and the blue orb in the middle of the thing went white. When the light faded, the bear had skid to a stop, took one look, and ran the other way.

“Huh, that happened.” I flinched. My voice was not my voice. I put my hand on my throat and noticed that it was a bit… bony.

I looked back at my hand and screamed again. I stole a look into the running river and screamed again, and pulled away. Hand on my chest, I took several calming breaths and looked at the stream again.

My face was an ugly looking skull, I had horns, I was a lot taller now, and my flesh was exposed.

“Oh shit I'm the Summoned Skull.” The clip clopping of hooves shook me from my trance and I started to fiddle with my arm. A voice began to call out and I frantically spread my new wings and flew into the awaiting forrest...

Author's Note

My attempt at an actually comprehensive storyline using one of my most favorite of pastimes.

Duel 00 Pt2: The Boomstick

I took my chances in the deathly doom woods, happy with being able to fly at least. I would have been happier if I knew how I turned into one of the most iconic fiend types in YGO history, or if I could at least change ba-

In a blink of an eye, I was tumbling to the floor screaming bloody murder, arms flailing and legs kicking.

I landed face first and skid to a bumpy halt straight into an abandoned shack. I caused a bit of a mess if the shattering of bottles was anything to go by. A tribal mask fell on my face as I lifted myself up.

The place was… decrepit. Derelict, disheveled, destroyed and disastrous. Cobwebs and moss had overtaken the interior of the place and a thick layer of dust covered what I guess used to be someone's home.

“H-hello! Hello…”

-Present Day-

I guess after all that, I just sort of got into a sort of groove. I figured out that shoving a card into the disk turned me into the monster on it, or using a spell or trap would give me anything from a quick burst of strength to a Scrap Iron Scarecrow.

After two months of eating nothing but Mooyan Curry, I went into town and got to know Ponyville. After three months, I learned of The Pink One and grew to dread her existence. She hasn't found me out yet. After the fourth month, Applejack saw me turn back into a human after she trailed me back to my hut, saying something about an evil enchantress…

We squared that away thankfully… and that leads us here. Eight months in and the only ponies to know about me are Applejack and Time Turner. Thankfully, there was no way in Hell I would ever be-

“I'VE FINALLY FOUND YOU!!” I flinched, which was kinda weird since I was currently merged into the ground. I tried to run, but all I was able to move were my legs.

“You are not leaving until I've thrown you your party and introduced you to EVERY PONY IN TOWN!” I stole a look back, and lo and behold. The Pink One was staring at me with a crazed look in her eyes, her hair had gone flat and she had a hoof on my tail.

She should not have been able to pin me down, but I was told that she defied all general laws of existence, even magic shriveled under her presence.

Still, I squirmed and writhed until she peeled me from the ground, put her mouth around my tail, and blew me up like a balloon.

With a pop, I fell back onto the floor as human as I always am, turning back to see her jump into the air as her hair gained back all it's floof.

With an audible gasp, she was gone like a bullet and I pulled out Speed Warrior as I high tailed it back to my hut as a screaming metal death trap on legs.

“Sweet fucking Christ… okay. Calm down, she doesn't know where you live.” I flinched as I could hear her yelling and shouting echo through the the damn death woods.

Knowing my bacon was soon to be had I did the only thing I could do. I got up off my sorry ass and took out the most edgy deck I had.

This forest ain't big enough for the both of us…

I threw my desired pile of trading cards into my duel disk and chose the most badass synchro in the archetype. As I stepped out the now refurbished door of my hut, I hefted my mighty boomstick into the sky.

I held it mightily as I stared down The Pink One. She stood before me, hair floofed, eyes sharp, and a single bead of sweat fell from her chin as she licked her lips.

“Alright mister,” She said as she began to shorten the distance between us. “As the newest pony in town, it's your job to introduce yourself to everypony and I do mean EVERY pony. Now are ya gonna come quietly so you can have the greatest bestest most awesometastic party you've ever had, or do I have to get serio-”

Her words and her march were halted as I pulled back the trigger of my single barreled, bayonet equipped, pump action cannon of all things manly. Her eyes went as wide as saucers and her ears immediately flattened, the literal lightning clap of my firearm no doubt caused her pause.

“Or,” I lowered my righteous boomstick and pumped it, depositing the exhausted shell and replacing it. “You can turn around, you can forget I exist, and I can go back to living my life in secret. Good plan? Great plan!”

I started to turn around and walk back into my hut until a cupcake of all things went splat right on the edge of my doorway.

“Bad plan! You can't live out here alone! Especially not where the evil enchantress used to live!” Some weird ooh sound kinda echoed when she said ‘evil enchantress’.

“What are ya gonna do? Throw cake at my face!?” I shouted in retort.

“No!” She exclaimed as she shoved her foreleg into her hair floof and… pulled out a pink cupcake styled duel disk. The board kinda even looked like molded whipped cream… “I'm going to duel you! And then I'm gonna throw cake at your face!”

The blue orbs on our disks reacted, tethering to the other.

“Wha- but it's ju- HOW DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT IS!?” I cried as I put away my boomstick.

“Oh-that’s-really-a-great-story!-I-went-to-the-library-because-I-needed-a-new-recipe-book,-but-the-library-had-last-year’s-copy,-but-it-was-totally-okay-because-I-found-this-other-book-about-a-thousand-year-prophe-”

Another thunderclap rang throughout the forest, scaring away the wildlife and shutting up my would be opponent.

“Okay, I get it. Let's just… let's get this over with.” Our lifepoint counters materialized next to us.

VAGABOND: 8000

PINKAMENA DIANE PIE: 8000

“Pinkamena Diane Pie?” I whispered as i drew my five card hand.

She giggled as she covered a mouth with her hoof. “You can call me Pinkie! All my friends do!” She pulled her hand in that over the top YGO protagonist fashion and looked at her cards.

“We aren't friends, I'll take the first move!” I took a look at my hand, Delta Crow, Sirroco the Dawn, two Bora the Spears, and a Kalut the Moonshadow. “I end.”

This surprised Pinkie as she really didn't expect this. Gulping, she drew her card and threw down… oh fuck me blind…

The forest was soon turned into a sugar infested paradise of pastries and treats, a regal manor overlooking the confections.

“Um… field spell? No, right, field spell! I summon Mewfeuille in attack mode!” A cat plushy wearing a blue musketeers outfit popped from out of a river of cream, falling on its body as it looked up.

“Next I special summon Anjelly from my hoof!” She said excitedly.

“Hand,” I corrected, she stopped for a second and looked at me. “When referring to cards held, it's called hand.”

Pinkie smiles and nods, continuing her play and summoning a porcelain doll wearing a crown of pearls, ballet slippers and a white dress adorned with wings. I kinda started to space out of existence, but her whole play boiled down to getting a Leviair… for some reason and Tiramisu out on the field.

On her field was a pale skinned white haired woman wearing an eighteenth century styled dress holding a scepter and a light blue serpent like beast with wings.

“This is the part where-”

“ATTACK!” Pinkie screamed as she wore a world war two helmet and shovel, her totally not a dragon dragon throwing a fireball at my face and her queen wacking me on the knee.

VAGABOND: 4000

PINKAMENA DIANE PIE: 8000

“Are you sure you know how to play this game?” Pinkie asked me with actual worry in her eyes. I gave her a thumbs up which got her smiling as she let me take my turn after she played Madolche Ticket.

“Draw!” Gale the Hurricane, just what I needed… “Special summon!” I threw down Sirroco, both Bora’s, and Gale.

Literally dive bombing my field were three winged humanoids in bird masks followed by a rather angry eyed blue faced avian.

A massive whirlwind burst outward, signaling their landing. “Gale, cut Levi’s attack!” Doing just that, Gale sent out a heavy burst of wind at Leviair, halving its attack and defense. “NOW SYNCHRO!!”

Gale and one of my Boras jumped into the air, with Gale breaking apart and turning into stars and Bora flying straight into said stars.

“Ebony feathers dance upon the wind, fly upon the wings of a dream!!” I don't know why I shouted that, but something in me compelled it as I thrust my arm into the sky.

“Synchro summon, Blackwing ARMOR MASTER!!” From a piercing pillar of light, a bipedal armored warrior descended upon the field, his wings beating heavily upon the earth.

“Sirroco the Dawn, Buff that Armor!” Armor Master went from 2500 to 6200 as Bora and Sirroco encircled him with a shining white ribbon.

All the while, my opponent could not stop looking at Armor with widened eyes of awe.

“Knight takes Queen!” I shouted as I thrust a finger forward. With careful precision, Armor Master flew behind a surprised and flustered Tiramisu as he shoved his pointed fingers through her spine and out her abdomen.

VAGABOND: 4000

PINKAMENA DIANE PIE: 4000

Pinkie’s shocked expression kinda changed a bit from the rather gratuitous violence displayed.

“Wha… what was THAT!!?” She cried as she started to wave a hoof at Armor Master, whom had returned to his proper place beside Bora and Sirroco.

“That… was a lot more violent than I thought it would be… my bad.” I rubbed my arm in embarrassment. I don't know wby I felt bad watching her as she watched her monster bite the dust, but she just looked… torn. I set Delta Crow and offered my hand.

“Um… your move?” I cautiously offered.

Pinkie drew her card and summoned Mewfeuille and Anjelly again. She sacked her Anjelly for Hootcakes, her rather dapper owl hiding behind it's wings in defense. She huffed and put her Leviair in defense and threw down a card in the backrow, obviously really worried about her wide open cat plushy.

Still, even as she conceded her turn she never lost the hope she carried in her gaze.

Silently, I drew my card and found Blizzard the Far North staring back at me. “It ends now Pinks! Blizzard!” Upon normal summon, Blizzard digs out a level 4 Blackwing out of grave. Normally this is where I resummon Bora, but I had a clear shot for victory, so I summoned Gale instead.

“Here it comes…” I heard her whisper. Her hoof just hovering over her facedown.

“Gale, same target!” Screeching, Gale struck Leviair once again, cutting it's attack and defense.

“What!? But, but my Mewfeuille is wide open!” Pinkie shouted.

“Is it? Delta Crow!” Three bombs went off in her backrow, her trap having activated in response. Several blackened chains wrapped around Armor Master, cutting it's attack by 700.

“Victory!” Pinkie exclaimed with a wide grin, a hoof in the air.

“Synchro…”

Her eyes went wide and her pupils became pin pricks. “No…”

“Summon…”

She started to wave her hooves frantically. “No no no!! Noooo…”

“Vicious gale and unending squall, your wings sail along rending claw!” I ran forward and flew into the sky as I tossed my boomstick mightily through the clouds.

“SOAR! BLACKWING, ARMED WING!!” My wings flared as a second Armed Wing descended upon the field, shotgun already primed.

“Well, there's no way you can even beat me this turn so…” Pinkie wiped a bit of sweat from her brow as I chuckled.

“Are you sure about that?” I motioned for Sirroco to do his thing as Armor Master, Blizzard, and Sirroco wrapped their energy around Armed Wing, bumping him from 2300 to a whopping 7400.

“This… is my BOOMSTICK!!” Armed Wing held aloft his mighty lance, shooting the now defenseless Leviair in it's non dragon dragon face. The force of the blast struck with such force, that it even blew back Pinkie’s floof, increasing it's floof twofold.

The Chateaux fell, and Pinkie could only stare wide eyed at the now disappearing Armed wing. The end of the duel had also seen me revert back to my base human self, but whatevs.

“But… but how!?” She protested as she grabbed me by my collar.

“Armed wing does piercing damage.” I replied calmly, her wide blue eyes looking deep into mine for answers.

She pulled back and put her right foreleg over her face. “D’oh!” She huffed and let me go, slowly marching out of the forest.

I won, but the victory felt so… empty. I mean I hurt a pony for heaven’s sake! I just went from forest hermit to one hundred percent a dick! So, as much as i didn't want to, I called out to her.

“Pinkie, wait!” She stopped, her ears flicking in anticipation. I mentally kicked myself, but you know what, she's had a rough day. “What… what time?”

Her gasp was deafening, which was weird since it was an intake of air and not an exclamation of any kind. She latched onto me again and well… I felt better about victory.

Duel 00 Pt3: The Party Animal

Welp… party. I stared at my apparel which consisted of my jacket, my only tee shirt, my cap and goggles, my only pair of jeans, and my boots.

I gave a sigh and thought maybe I could summon some clothing instead, but I wasn't gonna try and fit myself into the Forbidden Dress and I wasn't gonna go as a monster as Pinkie expressly told me I'd be going as myself for this one…

A knock at my door shook me from my musings as I made for the door. “Speak of the devil…” I opened the door and Pinkie had this cabaret outfit on as she gave me a really big toothy smile. “Hey Diane, we uh… going dancing?”

She dropped her smile for a second as she blushed and tried to hide her face. “W-well Applejack said you usually wear clothes s-so I thought I might… um you know…” She kinda looked down to the side as she kicked the dirt.

Oh riiiiight… ponies don't clothing. “Look, Diane,” Her ears perked up and she huffed out a rather sizeable ball of steam. “You don't need to wear anything if you feel uncomfortable.”

Somehow she balanced herself on her hind legs and started to frantically wave her forelegs in objection. “Noooo… no no no no… tonight's all about you!” She dropped down and gave me that toothy smile again, though it looked like she was really uncomfortable in the outfit if her flushed and sweaty face was anything to go by.

Shrugging, I closed my door and set up my various house traps as I walked past my welcome wagon.

“So Diane,” I could see her visibly tense from the corner of my eye as she bit her lip… for some reason. “You plan every party in town, or am I a special case?”

She shakes her head from her daze and jumps forward to catch up to me, following my lead as we cut through the forest of death and darkness.

“Oh… well. It's kind of my job to throw parties,” She says as she looks up at me, her eyes going wide as she clings to my leg. “Not that you aren't special!” She lets go and her eyes shrink back to normalcy. “You're the first non-pony I've thrown a party for! I mean, that's pretty special right?”

She looked to me again, her features a lot less flushed as she beamed another smile at me. This small pony sure did like to smile. We finally reached the edge of the forest, the light of the night shining down upon us as if in greeting. Pinkie then sort of started to drag me away, almost as if she was afraid that being under the moon would cause her to burst into flames.

“Woah, slow down!” I cried as I tried to pull my arm away from her vice grip.

“But everypony’s waiting for you!” She said with fear in her voice. “Can't keep guests waiting right?”

She jumped and all of a sudden we were front in centre of a gingerbread house. I looked back to the edge of town, surprised to find that the edge of the forest was waaaaay out of sight and that we should not have arrived that fast.

“Uhh…” I stared at the seemingly abandoned confectionary with a bit of caution as I stepped back, only for Pinks to start nudging my butt with her head.

“Come on, don't be a scaredy pony. It'll be great!” She kept nudging til I was nose first on the chocolate brown door. Curious, I sniffed the door to find that it was really just heavily decorated wood.

Finally, I pushed against the finely lacquered door and walked into the awaiting darkness, a copy of Destiny Hero Defender already in my fingers.

The door closed and the lights were ignited, several ponies in various costumes and dresses and suits all yelling a single word.

“SURPRISE!”

Pinkie had shocked me from my daze via a party favor going off in front of my face. I shook my head just in time to get bombarded by several ponies looking to shake my hand or get me to open up.

I was maybe pulled through EVERY corner of the room as I was quite forcefully introduced to a large portion of the town populace. Before I knew it, I was finally sitting in a chair and catching my breath with a piece of cake in one hand and a cup of punch in the other.

“What… what just happened…” I asked to no one in particular as I felt the room spin.

Shutting my eyes, I took a quick swig of the liquid in my hand before biting off a piece of cake. That was my first mistake.

The world slowed to a crawl until it all just… stopped. I blinked. Then I blinked again. I kept blinking in the vain hope that maybe I wasn't hallucinating and that maybe I hadn't just been drugged, but then I blinked one too many times. This was my second mistake.

I wasn't looking at a stock still room filled with ponies anymore, instead what greeted my vision was a black screen and several gold colored lines of code. I never learned code, so this was completely foreign to me. Once the code finally stopped, my vision blinked back to the party and to a mint greenish unicorn staring me in the face.

“Come on Lyra, you can talk to him later! This is probably his first Pinkie Party!” A harsh female voice called as ‘Lyra’ was dragged off by her tail, whining about how she knew that humans existed or something.

“What… just happened?” I asked to no one in particular. Again.

“Howdy partner! Enjoying yerself fer once?” I snapped my head to the side and caught sight of Applejack. She was wearing this awkward denim vest with an accentuated collar and her Stetson.

“I don't really know…” I shakily plopped my empty cup and plate on the floor, wondering slightly how both had been emptied.

Applejack started to rub my face a little forcefully as I flinched. “Sorry, sugarcube. Had a little smudge round your face.” She licked at her napkin and applied it to my face again, flinching herself as I sort of pawed her away.

It was at this time I noticed Pinks behind her as well as three other ponies of whom I've yet to actually interact with.

“Oh right, lemme introduce y’all!” She slid Pinks over as the mare in question happily waved at me. “Heard bout how you two met, musta been a real doozy that one.”

“Oh no way! It was really fun! He was all,” Pinks put on a black feathered headdress and a hollowed out stick. “This, is my... BOOMSTICK! Then I was all,” She then removed her head dress and stick for a… pudding hat… and a cane. “Oh no! You ate my sweets! Then he gave me this really evil laugh!” She then got up on her hind legs, put one foreleg on her hip and used the other to twirl a mustache.

“Hahaha! Mine is an evil laugh!!” This actually garnered the attention of some of the other party goers, a few gave me worried looks. So, in an effort to run damage control I got off my seat and slung my arm around her neck casually.

“Ha! Ah haha… oh Diane, always a character.” This did nothing to mitigate the damage wrought. Instead they looked at me with increasingly reddening faces and audible gasps… I think I made them mad.

Pinks looked away with an equally reddining face. I gave a nervous chuckle and pulled my arm away, though it was kinda damp from sweat.

“Yes! Well…” A cough from the resident seamstress, garbed in an immense and bright white and violet princess dress, eased the growing tension as the gawking patrons dispersed. “My apologies for Miz Pie, she can be quite jarring when it comes to new arrivals."

Rarity was pushed to the side by a blue pegasus with rainbow colored hair and wearing a vest with a lightning bolt for a pin.

“Yeah yeah, look pal. If AJ wasn't vetting for you, I'dve kicked your sorry flanks outta Ponyville by now.” This caused Rarity to give an audible gasp of disbelief, Pinkie to lose a bit of her fluff, and Applejack to snort angrily.

“Rainbow!” Rarity shouted. “I shall not have such a…” She looked at me as she ran a hoof along my leg. “Wondrous and exotic visitor be talked down to as if he were no better than an animal!”

“I'm inclined to take Rare’s side on this one, sugarcube. Yeah I had mah share a misgivings with Vince too, but he's awful nice when he finally decides ta say mor an a few words!” Applejack added in my defense.

Rainbow scoffed and started to walk away. “Whatever, you can all come crying back to me once he’s eaten your families. I won't even say I told you so!”

She finally walked away, leaving the girls and a couple of the patrons more than a little stunned.

“Don't mind her none, Vince. RD’s real loyal, and she's just worried y’all might be more trouble than Timberwolves on Zap Apple season.” Applejack shot me an apologetic glance as she nudged another pony who had seemingly hid behind Pinks.

This new pony was also a pegasus, she was this… butter colored and pink haired ball of nerves and fear. She was wearing a pair of baggy blue pony pants, a red Chinese styled vest with those black rope like hooks to keep the thing on, and her hair was done up in a massive braid.

“Oh sweet Jesus she's adorable.” I whispered as I knelt down to meet her gaze. The scared thing started backing up, trying her best to hide behind the mass of fluff of her hair that wasn't tied down. “I'm Vincent, it's nice to meet you.” I put out my hand, palm up and close to my chest.

She looked to her friends, back to my hand and my smiling face, then back to her friends, and shook her head. Instead, she took a small step forward and did her best to look me in the eyes.

“Um… my name's Fluttershy…” She whispered in an inaudible tone, but I still managed to hear her.

“Fluttershy? That's a cute name, it's very you.” I replied with a gentle voice. The others started giving me looks, wondering how it was I even heard her. Of course the mare in question simply shrunk back in embarrassment, a mad blush on her face.

“Th-thank you? Um… well… mmm…” Fluttershy thusly started to hug the floor, whimpering an adorable whimper as she did so.

Nodding, I took out my deck and started going through it just to see if I had anything for this situation. Lo and behold, I had a copy of Rescue Cat and decided to load it into my disk. Much to everyone’s surprise, I turned into a tiny brown white cat wearing a yellow hard hat adorned with a cross.

When Shy finally opened her eyes to look at me, well it was like she was a whole other perso- er… pony. She quickly took me into a hug, running her hoof along my head and told me how cute I looked. Honestly, I couldn't help but purr.

“So that's how y’all do it,” Applejack commented. “Mighty fine light show iff’n ya ask me.”

"Yeah, and I have a thousand plus library of cards to choose from," I answered happily, Fluttershy having started to run her nose along my cheek. "I can adapt to any given situation on the fly."

"Oh, are you able to turn into more critters?" The shy mare asked.

Shrugging, I took off my cap and started licking my arm to clean my head. "Mmm… Yeah, I guess I am~" I mutter as more and more ponies crowd around me.

That was when the questions rolled in. Can you turn into a flower? Can you turn into an automaton? Can you make money? How big can you get? Heck, I think one of them asked me if I was a pony in disguise.

One thing lead to another, and three slices of cake later and I was showcasing as much as I could...

Author's Note

Well... how long has it been folks? Months? Years? No, seriously, I don't keep track of time anymore.

Duel 00 Pt4: The Junkyard Fist

The party was fun, but uh… shit.

I don't know how much time I wasted staying at Pinkie's, but it was apparently enough time for somebody to set my house on fire… okay that's not fair, it wasn't my house to begin with, but damn it if I didn't feel responsible. I trudged through the ash and debris in the hopes that maybe my bed was still useable, but it was pretty much just as dead.

I sighed as I conked my head on whatever was left of the only good wall and walked away from the wreckage. In my current state of abnormal calm, I did the only thing I could do. I started checking my traps. All of my traps were sprung, every Compulsory Evacuation Device, every Scrap Iron Scarecrow, even my Secret Barrels… oh… right.

“Fucking Barrels…” I’m guessing a barrel shot a flammable in the homestead and set fire to the property. At least I wasn't inside… of course now I was out of a home, but I had a back up. I overheard one of the ponies talk about an abandoned castle nestled somewhere deep in the forest.

I pulled out my deck and started looking for a suitable monster card and stopped at Sonic Chick. “It's either you or the Obnoxious Celtic Guardian…” Moving Chick to the front of the deck, I started to look for a suitable equip spell. “Axe of Despair, the tried and true.” I threw down the axe into my disk slot before doing the same with Chick.

The fleshy axe fell onto the ground blade first as I began to morph into a tiny pink avian with red running boots. Thankfully, despite the axe’s massive frame, it shrank to compensate my size once I touched it with my beak.

I kicked the dirt a few times before finally shooting through the foliage like a silver bullet. Could have been my imagination, but it kinda felt like I was being followed. Heck, in this forest I may as well have been… had to slice off a manticore’s stinger at some point as I had no idea what poison would do to me as a monster. I narrowly dodged a cockatrice as it attempted to stare me down, and for a moment I could have sworn I saw a ghost.

“Let’s see here… just passed the rickety old bridge… keep out of the raging river…” I found a toppled trunk and jumped it for some hang time and so’s I could just glide over the roarring rapids.

Despite it all, the journey wasn't all too stressful, I mean I did get eaten by a hydra, but the axe tore through it's stomach lining pretty easily. Poor thing, its not like I wanted to slice my way out of it… the whole affair was quick but messy.

Ya see, after one of the heads swept down, I tumbled through it's throat until I found myself kicking a broken log to stay afloat.

Once I got the hang of log running, I rammed into the hydra’s stomach lining and gave a few quick strikes and out came me. It didn't take much time after that to make it to the castle.

Boy… was it a hot mess. Ripped tapestries, broken walls, half the roof of the castle was just… my God this place was a shit show. Well, not for long anyway. All I had to do now that I was here was-

“Hey! You!!” I flinched and dropped my axe. Turning around I saw the disgruntled face of that Rainbow pony. Seriously, all she needed was a crystal horn and she was basically Sapphire Pegasus.

“What the hay do you think you're doing!?” She yelled.

“Well, I was jus abot-”

“Ah bup bup bup!” She mouthed as she cut me off. “Just marching back to Ponyville is what you're gonna do! Come on! Pinkie’s worried sick about you…”

I’m guessing she wanted me to follow her no questions asked, as she basically just turned around and started walking off. Of course, I kinda had enough of her bullshit and walked the opposite way. I mean, I just needed to get to the throne room and activate a few Castle Walls.

“Hey! Did you not hear a word I said!” Rainbow yelled back at me, causing me to flinch again and drop my disguise. I turned around and found her muzzle right on top of my nose as I had been in a crouch.

“I’m taking you back!” She reiterated.

I huffed and got to my feet, rising as the mare infront of me backed off slow and steady. “Yeah, I don't know if you noticed, but my house burned down,” Rainbow’s ears went flat as she seemed to bite back a curse.

“So I don't have all that much to go back to. Now iffin ya don't mind, I have some remodeling to do.” With that, I turned back and started to walk off again, only to stop for a third time at the sound of a duel disk going active.

“If I win, you come with me and Pinkie and Applejack can see where to put you!” Rainbow called out.

I turned back around and noticed the cupcake styled duel disk Pinks used in our duel. Chances are she was using the same deck… “If I win… you stay for a bit to watch the fireworks.” Activating my own disk, I threw in my deffensive build.

“DUEL!!”

VAGABOND:8000

RAINBOW “DANGER” DASH:8000

“Your middle name is Danger?” I asked.

“What can I say? My parents are awesome!!” She beamed with praise.

“I’ll give you the hand advantage!” I exclaimed as I drew my five card hand. One Destiny Hero Defender, two Terraforming, one Rod of Silence Kayest, and a Destruction Punch. “I set one monster, activate my copies of Terraforming, and set a card in my backrow.”

My opponent considered me for a moment as two cards were ejected from my deck. Two copies of Chorus of Sanctuary greeted me. “I activate Chorus of Sanctuary!” I threw down my field spell into it's slot and watched as the shattered visage of the castle was replaced by serene light, fluffy clouds, and several cherubs.

“Woah…” Rainbow went wide eyed as she saw the changes unfurl. “So… my turn right?” She asked as I nod in confirmation. She drew her six card hand and reviewed her cards diligently. “I set two cards and play Card Car D.” Two cards were ejected from the top of her deck as she ended her turn.

“That… that’s not a Dolche card.” I muttered as I drew, set another Defender, and ended my turn.

“Yeah,” Rainbow replied as she drew her card. “Pinkie gave me this one and said something about speed. I thought it sounded cool,” At this point, Rainbow had a seven card hand… “I play Tuning!” Her deck ejected a single card while inhaling the top two cards off the top of her deck.

Two dandelion seeds popped up on her field as she played another Tuning, adding one more card to her hand while inhaling another pair of cards off the top of her deck as the whole thing gave itself a good shuffle.

“Let's do this!” The mare cried as she threw a monster on the field face up. “Junk Synchron! Bring out my Atlantean Pikeman!

A small bipedal creature made from orange scrap iron and wearing a white scarf and orange pot atop it's head appeared from the aether as it dug it's hand through the hole it was summoned. The scrap iron warrior pulled a blue bipedal fish beast by it's arm. With a grand leap, the fish beast landed spear first upon the clouds.

“Next, I’ll activate Call of the Haunted!! Come on out, Atlantean Pikeman!” A gravestone with the image of a Pikeman jut from the clouds, a slimy blue hand bursting from the golden floor began to claw it's way up until a second Pikeman had jumped from the grave. “Let's do this, I tune both of my level one Dandylion tokens with the level three tuner monster Junk Synchron!!”

Wait… two fourteen hundred attack level two monsters are on field and she has Junk Synchron…

Rainbow spread her wings and beat them upon the ground, lifting into the air as she encircled her now flying Junk Synchron as it pulled at a now translucent jet motor. “SYNCHRO SUMMON!!”

“SYNCHRO WHAT!?” I cried as Rainbow and her monsters flew higher into the clouds until Rainbow came crashing into the floor at mach five.

From the rainbow mushroom cloud rose an armored silhouette, it began to float in midair as it scrunched in on itself before dispersing the cloud with a gust of wind produced by it's fist as it struck a pose.

Junk Warrior

Att: 5100

“Hah! Did you SEE that!? That was a sonic rainboom!! I haven't done one of those in years!” Rainbow cheered as she burst through the floor, right before turning to cough into her hoof. “Not like I couldn't do it if I wanted too…”

I rolled my eyes, only to widen them as Junk Warrior's body took on a rock like sheen and it's scarves became flowing rainbows.

“I equip Junk Warrior with Fairy Meteor Crush and one of the Atlantean’s with the Mark of Ambition!” The Pikeman not dancing on its own grave placed a five starred badge on its chest, a vicious eye opening on the badge. “Let's go! Atlantean Pikeman, take down his first face down!”

With a muffled battle cry, the fish beast flipped my first Defender up as it was met with a high speed fist. Pikeman’s base attack is 1400, add in Ambition's attack boost of 400 points and you have just over half of Defender’s boosted defense of 3200.

VAGABOND: 8000

RAINBOW DANGER DASH: 6600

The fish beast was sent flying past Rainbow, and straight through a set of golden gates. “You, you just killed my monster!” Rainbow cried in disbelief.

Defender brought back his smoking fist and gave it a good shake as I put the exhausted trap in the grave. “Yeah, Destruction Punch destroys attacking monsters that take battle damage from a monster in defense position. It's a personal favorite.”

Unfortunately for me though, unlike in the anime, Junk Warrior kept all his attack points after summon. “Junk Warrior, Scrap Fist!!” Rainbow threw down a quick play spell and doubled Junk Warrior's attack… this was gonna suuuuck.

“Wait, can't we talk about this!?” I yelled as I brought my hands up. Of course she was having none of it as her 10,200 attack point Junk slammed my Defender.

VAGABOND: 1000

RAINBOW DANGER DASH: 6600

Junk Warrior's fist impaled Defender's chest, the impact shockwave having hit me and nearly blew my hat off.

“That's how we do it in Ponyville!!” Rainbow shouted as she pumped a hoof in the air. “Aight, that about does it for me. I set two cards and end.”

“What… what gives!? Why didn't you attack with your Pikeman!?” I cried in disbelief. I mean I took her for a hot head…

“Just because I'm quick to pick a fight, doesn't mean I’m stupid. That's a monster with defense higher than 1400.” She said matter of factly.

“Are you kidding me!?” I yelled as I drew my card. Oh good, Swords of Revealing Light. “I play Swords of Revealing Light!”

“Dark Bribe!” Rainbow replied.

“Oh fuck you!” I shouted as I drew my new card, Swords having fizzled due to Dark Bribe’s negation. Lo and behold… another Destruction Punch.

“Please, you're not my type,” She said in retort much to my growing frustration. “Then again, not many ponies as straight up about that as you, I like that.”

I hid my face as best I could with my hat. “Just… just beat me already…”

She chuckled as she drew her card. “Battle! Junk Warrior, SCRAP FIST!!” Her Junk Warrior began to glow with rainbow energy, it's scarves billowing in non existent wind as it's thrusters fired up.

With a grand battle cry, Junk Warrior shot into the heavens and dive bombed my face down Defender. The resulting rainbow mushroom cloud took a while to disperse, but when it did so did everything else.

VAGABOND: 0

RAINBOW DANGER DASH: 6600

“Ha! No way! I actually won!?” Rainbow shouted in gleeful excitement, catching herself at the last second. “I mean… not that I wasn't gonna win, I’m just way too awesome to lose!”

Now, you'd think that as an honest and decent human being I would honor the holy rules of engagement that pertain to Duel Monsters. You could not be more wrong. While Rainbow was busy with her gloating, I was busy with heading to the throne room.

“Okay… should be just a bit further… aaaaand…” I finally found the double doors marked with the emblem of the sun and moon as foretold by that legend Dianne told me about. I kicked it in and found Rainbow floating in the middle of the room, hooves folded and slightly disgruntled.

“Alright, fun’s over. Let's get you to Ponyville.” The moon had risen, it's light shining brightly through the hole in the roof.

I walked in with my arms above my head, the traps I set up already primed for activation. “Alright, I’ll go. That was the deal after all…” I brought my arms up and gestured for a hug.

She squinted her eyes for a bit, but rolled her eyes and huffed as she grabbed me by my the crooks of my shoulders. Once I felt her grip tighten, I gave her a bear hug and activated Ancient Gear Castle and three copies of Castle Walls.

“Quick! Fly us out before the walls close up!” I shouted, getting my ride to rocket out of the building.

She cut it close, but I’d have a pretty good place to lay my head in all things considered.

Author's Note

Lets hope it doesn't take me another... however long... to type something out.

Duel 00 Pt5: The Cattleprod

Author's Note

Well... this is a long one. Uh... yeah. I guess this is an apology for being gone so long I guess. Enjoy!

Duel 00 Pt5: The Cattleprod

“You know, if you let me go, I can fly on my own.” I said as I dangled underneath my rainbow maned captor.

“Fat chance! You'd just fly off to that castle you made!” She replied.

“I mean, you're not wrong, but I did lose…” I relented.

“Yeah what's up with that?” Rainbow asked a little miffed. “Pinkie said you were gonna be crazy hard to beat, I mean I'm not complaining, but still.”

“I didn't think you'd have an actual deck, I honestly thought you were running Madolche. Why? Did you want an actual match?” I asked, still dangling.

I lurched as she stopped mid flight. “You mean you weren't even trying!?” She yelled into my face.

“I didn't think I had too, but that was my bad I guess. Sorry for not giving it my all.” I replied, I mean I felt a little bad.

She considered me for a moment until she huffed and looked away. “You better be, I’m not gonna let you give me a half baked fight again, hear me!?”

“Yeah…” She was surprisingly strong as she actually managed to fly us all the way to the apple orchard where AJ, Pinkie, and AJ’s brother… oh shit.

I touched down on land and immediately flinched under Applejack’s disapproving glare. “Just what in tarnation was goin’ through yer thick skull, Vincent?”

I stammered and tried to plead my case, but that glare she held just made me shrink. “Ah don't wanna hear it!” Shit, she can kill a man with that stare. Course, she seemed to regret it as she immediately flinched from the outburst. Her ears flattened backwards and her eyes started to shine with guilt.

“Aw shucks sugarcube, ah didn't mean nothin by that…” She stepped over to the side calmly and slowly. “It's just, we were all mighty scared for ya.”

“Eeyup.” Big Red replied.

I was a little put off and my mouth sort of hung open until Pinks slammed into me and toppled me into the ground. Her hair was flat and she was… crying.

“I… I-thought-I'd-never-see-you-again-because-you-just-left-and-I-thought-you-didn't-like-me-anymore-and-I-heard-you’re-house-burned-down-and-I-was-super-worried-and-”

“Diane,” Pinks flinched and looked up at me, her baby blue eyes wide, red, and glistening. “I’m okay. I have a castle now. I might need to break it in with a party?” She went wide eyed as I probably just opened the floodgates with this one, but her mane popped back into shape. Eh, I call it a win.

She gave me one last tear filled hug as she zoomed away at the speed of pink.

“What's that about a castle?” AJ asked, her curiosity and fear more than piqued.

“Huh, yeah… I kinda found that forbidden castle in the forest and made it my home.” I should not have said that.

“Y’ALL DID WHAT!?” Okay, back to being afraid now. “Iff’n ya think I’mma just let a friend a mine live in some haunted castle riddled with more holes an a wheel a swiss than y’all must not know me very much!” She proclaimed as she got very intimate with my face, her nose scrunched against mine and her eyes tried to burn holes through my own.

“I mean I fixed it, tell em Danger.” I looked back and found that Rainbow clocked out quite some time ago.

“No. A hundred times no. Tomorrow we’re goin down ta city hall and we are gonna have a nice conversation with Mayor Mare, am Ah clear?” Applejack seemed to insist as she invaded my personal space.

“I guess, but I need to get home-urp!” Two sets of rope wrapped around me as I was haphazardly man handled onto Big Red.

“Yer a real laugh riot, Vincent. Already told ya Ah ain’t lettin ya live in the Everfree all on your lonesome,” She started to walk back to her house, her brother following suit and with me in tow. “We can put ya in the guest room, Big Mac, don't go easy on the rope.”

“Eeyup.” Red replied.

“AMBER ALERT!! CITY AUTHORITIES!! BAD TOUCH, BAD TOUCH!!” I started to struggle against my bindings while yelling at the top of my lungs, my feet actually managing to kick at Big Red’s flanks. I was yelling so much, I guess Applejack found it necessary to gag me.

Huffing, I went limp and just resigned myself to fate. The house was a little dark, but they got me to wherever it was they wanted me. I got tucked in pretty tight, and by that I mean they wrapped me in a heavy blanket and tied me down with three more things of rope.

“We’ll be back for ya in tha mornin’. Sleep tight now.” I heard Applejack call as she closed the door to my room. I started to roll around and bend my knees as I struggled against my bindings.

The bed was tiny, I mean it was probably pretty big for a pony, but it wasn't all that much larger than a bed meant for a preteen. I just wish I could access my duel disk…

My vision went black and lines of code began to cascade. Finally, a prompt popped up. [Access Duel Core: Function:

Well… That happened. ‘So what if I wanted to transform into a monster card?’ I thought to myself.

The prompt faded and was replaced with a big red warning sign.

[Life Point Count: Zero. Transformation/ transmutation unavailable]

‘Well… that’s bullshit. Is there anything I can do?’ I mentally asked the code.

[Would you like to prepare tomorrow's decklist?]

‘Uh… sure. Give me eight monsters with attack above eighteen hundred, one copy of Bunilla, three copies of Axe of Despair…’

And so I spent the rest of that night building a deck… For some reason.

‘Are you sure I’m only allowed forty cards? Decks go up to sixty.’ It was getting to morning, and I finished the deck but…

[Affirmative. You are allowed a forty card deck meant for personal use for all day to day activities tailored to specification. Deck lists meant solely for dueling may go above forty, but must remain less than sixty.

All further questions can be redirected to the Iliastor Users Manual.]

‘Oh God damn it, not the Iliaster…’

“So, this is the monster your sister brought in?” I heard a little girl’s voice echo through the room.

“Eeyup, Ah saw ‘er wrangle the feller up last night.” An equally young female voice with a southern drawl replied.

“Hey… I saw Rainbow drop this thing off from the Everfree Forest!! You think he’s dangerous?” Yet another little girl with a chipper tone asked.

“Hey ah know! Let's bring em in for show an’ tell! We’ll be tha talk of tha town!” The southern belle said excitedly.

‘Okay, but can you not?’ I tried to say.

[Vocal functions inactive while in shut down state.]

‘What, why!? Wait… oh fuck. Am I a robot?’ Huh, how the Hell did it take me this long to ask that question? Then again, I only started to bug out when I ate that cake…

I heard a thunk and saw a prompt in the black take note that I just took twenty five points of damage.

[Warning, physical composition vulnerable while in shut down.]

“How are we going to get this thing past your sister?” The chipper of the voices asked.

‘Wait… wait wait wait. Are you telling me I can die like this? What are my life points at!?’

[7457 and rising]

“Don't worry, ah got a plan, jus get ‘im to tha barn.” Southern belle replied to Chip.

I’m pretty sure they have actual names, but they're kidnapping me, so they don't get my respect.

“Okay, but how?” The squeaky of the voices asked. “Your brother's outside working isn't he?”

“And your grandma and sister are in the kitchen.” Chip added.

“Just jump out the bathroom window, Ah do it all the time.” Southern belle replied calmly.

[I believe they plan on tossing you out the window.]

‘Yeah… I figured. How much damage am I gonna take from this?’ I heard another thunk as twenty five more points were subtracted from my LP.

[Projected loss: forty five hundred life points. Chances of resuscitation: twenty seven percent.]

‘So this is how I die… always thought there’d be more legal aged women involved.’

“Ready? Three… two… heave!” I heard Chip shout as she presumably shoved me out the window.

[Three life points lost.]

‘What? Just three? What happened?’

[You landed in a hay filled wheelbarrow.]

‘Oh… that’s… surprising.’

Things were kinda silent for a bit, the voices having come back after what felt like an eternity.

“Quick, barn.” Squeaky whispered.

[You are being moved.]

‘I don't need a constant play by play, but if I can read that user manual?’

[User Manual unavailable in shut down state.]

‘Are you kidding me!? What is available!?’

[Would you like to duel?]

‘Won't that kill me?’

[Training Simulacra will not drain life points.]

‘I mean, I guess if it gives me something to do.’

It was gonna be one of those days… I had a few practice rounds and nixed my defense deck as I had three other builds that did it's job better. Finally after what seemed like another eternity I heard a ding.

[Life points now at 8000, resuming all functions.]

My eyes shot open and I think one of the ponies I met at the party was staring at me. Her eyes went as wide as her smile as she looked back.

“He’s breathing, now how about giving Vincent some space.” The purple pony with pinkish mane called out.

“Yes miss Cherilee!” A group of children chorused.

I shook my head and pulled off some loose rope on my body.

“I’m so very sorry Vincent, I promise these girls will get a stern talking to about foalnapping.” Cheeri stated sternly.

I looked at the girls in question, one of them was Applejack’s sister, the other two were an orange pegasus with purple mane and tail and a white unicorn with a pink and lavender mane done up in a cute curl.

They all looked like they were caught with their hands- er… hooves… in the cookie jar. “Now hold on a minute,” I said as I got up, the entire class gasping at me as I dusted myself off.

“These three risked their hides trying to rescue me from the real kidnappers here.”

The trio looked at me, hope beaming from their faces. Cheeri wasn't buying it.

“Now I’m sure you're just covering for them-” I shut her up right quick by booping her nose.

“Applejack had me hogtied. Twice. She even locked me in her room. If that's not kidnapping I don't know what is.” AJ’s sister started sporting a blush as the entirety of the class gave a scandalous ‘ooh’.

Rolling my eyes, I fixed my cap and started to walk out when Cheeri grabbed me by the hand. “Wait, I erm… all misunderstanding aside, why not stay a while and show the class a bit of your special talent?” She blushed as she slowly slid her hoof out of my hand.

I took a look at the class and saw a room full of excited faces, and one bored looking pony with a tiara on her head, she sorta scoffed at me.

“Look… Cherilee, not to be rude but I gotta-” The trio who kidnapped me rushed my left leg, tugging at me as they gave me the puppy dog eyes.

I huffed and pulled out my day deck and started looking for Bunilla and Mist Body. “Alright, students!” I called out as the room looked even more excited.

I readied my duel disk and my desired cards. “Pay close attention, because I'm only doing this once and then I bounce.” Striking a pose, I threw the paired cards into the open slot and transformed.

I shrank pretty quickly, but hopefully this worked the way I wanted. Immediately I was met by several squeals of joy and surprise as the entire room of children descended on me. Smiling, I phased easily through the sea of hooves, the Mist Body equip spell doing it's job.

Before I knew it, I was out and home free. Next stop, Ancient Gear Castle.

“So that's where y’all went!!” I flinched at the harsh sound of AJ’s voice. “Ah came as soon as I heard and Ah’m mighty sorry bout all that!”

“Eh, it's fine. Welp, see ya.” I started to hop away as she waved me off.

“See ya later pardn- wait one apple pickin minute!” I started hopping faster as I heard her shouting at the top of her lungs. “Vincent! You two toed pot bellied varmint!!”

I hopped as fast and as far as I could, freaking out as I saw a lasso start to descend on me. “No no no no no!” The lasso had me in it's ring as it was pulled and it… Went right through me. “Ha! Suck it Jack! I have Mist Body!”

A bolt of lightning then shot into my body and poofed my disguise and equip card. A prompt came up telling me I was just dealt… three thousand points of damage!? What the fuck could have…

“Oops, Sorry mister Bunny!” A gray pegasus with blonde mane and tail apologized to me as she flew off.

‘Aw man… I just don't know what went wrong…’ I thought as I scrambled to my feet. I didn't have much time to pull a new card as this time, Applejack did actually manage to catch me in her lasso.

“Enough goofin ‘round Vince, you'll thank me when you've got a warm bed and a roof o’er yer head!” AJ called out as she dragged my squirming body to wherever it was she wanted to take me.

“I already told you, I don't want to do the thing with my tongue again! You're just too salty for me!” I cried. Man, if I didn't have the town’s attention before, I sure as Hell had it now…

The farm mare grew an obvious blush at the insinuation, but chose to keep quiet… which left me to raise hell with all the insinuations I could cook up.

“And I may enjoy a little pinch and squeal every now and again, but you didn't even give me a chance to use the sa- hurf!”

AJ dropped me spine first onto a patch of grass. “Alright that is IT!” She shouted. “What's it gonna take to get'cha to cooperate!?” She exclaimed as she threw a hoof at my face.

“Well, you could duel me.” I replied with a sly and cocky grin. She glared at me, but nodded her head as she took off her hat and took out Pinkie’s duel disk and a deck.

“Y’all are askin’ for it now, varmint.” She said calmly as she hooked her hoof into the disk which in turn caused my own to activate on it's own.

Nodding, I took out a deck that wouldn't get me killed like last time. The only problem was that I knew fuck all about how she dueled, or if she dueled… but with how fast Rainbow learned…

Apple "Jacqueline" Apple: 8000

VAGABOND: 5000

"Jacqueline? That's… a surprisingly beautiful name." I say mindlessly, which caused my opponent to blush madly.

Huffing, AJ drew her hand. "Don't think y'all can sweet talk yer way outta this one Vincent! Duel!" The farm girl starts to fiddle with her five card hand for a moment before looking up at me. "Hey! What's these pink ones do!?" She calls out.

Facepalming, I take a small breath. "Those are traps. Green are spells, brown and tan are effect and normal monsters! Four star monsters can be normal summoned face down in defense or face up in attack!"

"Thank ya kindly! Ah summon Big Shield Gardna!" She shouted with a smile. Slamming the card down, a tall muscular brown man with a long and wild head of hair was summoned to the field… in face up attack.

Big Shield Gardna: 100 Atk

"Did you seriously summon a monster with one hundred attack points… in face up attack position?" I asked incredulously.

"Eeyup. Just so Ah can do this!" The farm girl thusly threw down the equip spell Magna Shield, increasing BSG's attack by 2600.

Big Shield Gardna: 2700 Atk

And with that I was now in deep shit, and with a handicap of minus three thousand life points, I was in dire need of a half decent hand.

"Draw!!" Dramatically drawing my six card hand, I looked at one Marshmallon, two Fake Trap, one Magic Cylinder, one Bottomless Trap Hole, and a Dimensional Prison. "I set the entirety of my hand and end my turn!"

Nodding, Applejack casually drew her card. "Ah activate Mausoleom ah the Emperor!" With a 'yeehaw', the ground at our feet elevated as stone steps rose to our left. A sacrificial altar was lit up at the top of the steps. "By payin two thousand life points, I normal summon Battleguard King!" The ground shudders as a giant armored ogre wielding an equally giant steel studded club rises onto the field.

Apple "Jacqueline" Apple: 6000

Big Shield Gardna: 2700 Atk

Battleguard King: 3000 Atk

VAGABOND: 5000

"Gardna! Attack that face down monster!" The farm mare cried, the burly warrior running forward to shove his shield onto my monster.

"Trap open!" I shouted. "Dimensional Prison!" Much to AJ's surprise, Gardna was engulfed by a folding rift.

"What th- the buck was that!?" She shouted as she angrily waved her hat at me.

"Dimensional Prison banishes an attacking monster, negating it's attack and removing it from the field." I explained. With a nod and a huff, she gestured for her giant red ogre to slam its giant club on my monster.

As the club fell, Applejack found herself taking 3000 points of damage as the club was blasted back to strike her instead.

Apple "Jacqueline" Apple: 3000

VAGABOND: 5000

"My my how the tables have turned, farm girl." My teasing seemed to really bother my opponent as her face went cherry red with snarl.

"Ah play Barbaric Feast!" A small bonfire lit before her as a massive crimson shield lined with gold manifested from the quickly dying flame.

Millenium Shield: 3000 Def

With a huff, she tipped her hat. "Ah end…"

We both had an empty hand and our life points were damn near equal. Drawing, I found a smile creeping on my face as I looked at Card Car D. "I summon Card Car D! When normal summoned I can send it to the grave and draw two cards, ending my turn."

"Ya'd give up a turn for cards?" Applejack asked with a confused tilt of her head.

I looked at my new hand, Chain Energy and Widespread dud. "Yep. Your turn Jacqueline." Her eyes widened a little as she looked away and pawed her chest.

Applejack looked at her newly drawn card, then her life counter and sighed. "Go ahead, ain't got nothin'."

Nodding, I kept the tempo and drew. Double Cyclone. Not bad… throwing down my Dud and Cyclone, I took one quick look at Chain Energy and made my peace. "I play Chain Energy! Any card that hits the field from this point forward will cost us 500 life points each."

"Wait, what the hay's that s'posed to mean!?" The farm mare cried.

"It means you gotta pay to play!" I answered back with a smirk.

Worried, but not deterred, AJ drew her card and looked on with resolve. "I activate Mausoleum and summon Lava Battleguard!" A red skinned ogre wielding a basic wooden club enters the field, a crazed grin on it's face.

Apple "Jacqueline" Apple: 1500

Millenium Shield: 3000 Def

Battleguard King: 3000 Atk

Lava Battleguard: 1550 Atk

VAGABOND: 5000

With a rebel yell, the Lava Battleguard flies into a rage as Applejack enters the battlephase and targets my facedown...

Apple "Jacqueline" Apple: 500

VAGABOND: 5000

… Much to her detriment. "What in tarnation!?" She yells in horror as her red ogre had become a chew toy for my marshmallowed abomination.

Apple "Jacqueline" Apple: 500

Millenium Shield: 3000 Def

Lava Battleguard: 1550 Atk

Battleguard King: 3000 Atk

VAGABOND: 5000

Marshmallon: 500 Def

"How th- who the… Ah couldn't even land a scratch on ya… and y'all just…" To say she was surprised would be the understatement of a lifetime, shit, the girl was practically fish faced.

...and it was only going to get worse.

"I activate Widespread Dud! Equipping both your Battleguards!" I shout as the ogres have engraved drills shoved into their arms, all while a larger drill bit digs halfway into the ground behind me.

"What's that do?" Applejack asked, her face going pale.

"Right now? Nothing, but when either card on the field is removed from the field… everything else goes with it." No doubt my opponent was confused by this, so I decided to move things along. "I activate Double Cyclone!"

Two red and yellow vortexes fell from the sky, one engulfing the field, the other twisting my drill bit into the ground.

"WHAT THE HAY ARE YA PLANNIN'!!" Applejack shouted through the raging cyclone as she held her hat down.

"THIS!" As the yellow cyclone dismantled and destroyed the Mausoleum, the red cyclone pushed the Widespread trigger deeper until it clicked. The explosion was magnificent. The ogres burst into purple flames as their limbs were torn apart from the blast, the still exploding flames turned into a whirlwind as it was swept up along with what was left of the Mausoleum, and it all ended not with a bang… but with a poof.

Apple "Jacqueline" Apple: 500

Millenium Shield: 3000 Def

VAGABOND: 4500

Marshmallon: 500 Def

By this point, Applejack's eyes were a twitching mess, her mane was whipped out of it's braid, and her hat looked like it was chewed up by an angry bobcat. "Uh… Ah… end?"

Smiling, I took my turn. "I summon the Raging Flame Sprite!"

Raging Flame Sprite: 100 Atk

A small fairy like child with long ears, an ash black tunic, red sagging top hat with flame decorations, and a small wand topped with a flame painted egg popped out from a small flame.

Apple "Jacqueline" Apple: 500

Millenium Shield: 3000 Def

VAGABOND: 4000

Marshmallon: 500 Def

Raging Flame Sprite: 100 Atk

"What's a little critter like that gonna do?" Applejack asked with a bit of snark.

I simply raised a finger and pointed at her. "Poke." With a happy giggle, the Flame Sprite quickly flew past the Millennium Shield and tapped her on the nose.

Apple "Jacqueline" Apple: 400

Millenium Shield: 3000 Def

VAGABOND: 4000

Marshmallon: 500 Def

Raging Flame Sprite: 100 Atk

Snorting angrily as she wiped soot off her nose, Applejack kicked up a small dust cloud. "How the heck did it do that!?" She cried. "Ah had a darn monster on the field!"

I chuckled a bit as I began my explanation. "Well, Raging Flame Sprite has the ability to attack directly, and whenever he does so…"

Raging Flame Sprite: 1100

"He gains 1000 Attack Points."

Applejack quite nearly let her disk drop as she looked at the Flame Sprite holding a slightly larger wand. "So… any card I play…"

"You lose." I reply readily.

"And… if Ah don't play…" Her disk is now touching ground at this point.

"Yeah, Flame Sprite deals the finishing blow." I can see the shine in her eyes as tear bubbles form in those big emerald orbs of hers.

"Ah… Ah give up." The holograms disperse and she practically tosses the disk onto the ground. With a sigh, she covers her face and walks away.

Now, the asshole in me is more than happy to just walk away and pretend today never happened…

But the halfway decent human being in me…

Without a second thought, I scoop the disk deck, and lasso (surprised she left that behind) and immediately caught up with her. I lay the rope on her head as she flinches and turns to me.

"Hey farmgirl. You dropped this."

Duel 00 Pt6: The Shy One

Was I silently regretting my every decision? Yup.

"Now first thing's first Vince, we gotta getcha registered as a town resident 'for we can actually start gettin ya settled!" Applejack said excitedly.

I huffed as she lead me into Town Hall. The sound of typewriters and scratching quills echoed in a form of controlled chaos as AJ lead me up to a flight of spiral stairs. There were a few business types along the way that gave us (specifically me) looks.

"Don't mind em' none, the usuals here look down on everypony." Applejack explained.

"You come here often?" I asked, narrowly dodging a low hanging beam.

The farm girl shrugged. "Kinda hav' to. I handle the family's finances and such." After a bit of walking and actually hitting a doorframe, we finally made it to the main office.

With a firm knock, a voice echoed. "Come in!" As we gently made our way in, an aged and gray maned mare wearing half moon glasses dropped a quill she had in her mouth as she looked at us. "Miss Apple… what might I do for you?"

"Easy Mayor, just here to make some arrangements fer ma friend here." The farm mare said calmly as she took a seat.

The Mayor fixed her glasses and gave me a look… her gaze was a little predatory if I'm being honest.

"Yes, I believe I have heard the rumors of a shapeshifter living within the Everfree forest. Am I to assume you wish to change this arrangement?" The Mayor asked calmly.

"That's it exactly, ain't that right Vince?" Applejack asked me, a happy smile on her face.

Shrugging, I sorta kneel on the floor. "Eh, I doubt you have anything here me sized. So for now, let's just get my paperwork in order." I replied.

Applejack started glaring daggers at me, but huffed as Mayor Mare started stacking papers together and presented them to me as well as the quill she had in her mouth.

"Please fill out these pages and we'll get right to processing your documentation." The Mayor stated as stared me down again.

Shrugging again, I started filling out page after page of governmental red tape. Name, Age, Occupation, Income, Spousal Status, the basic stuff. After signing the last page, I slid the stack back as the Mayor placed her hoof on my hand before sliding it down to the documents and pulling them away.

Coughing, she began flipping through the info. "Yes, well… I assume you'll be staying for the Summer Sun Celebration?"

'The what and the who?' I thought. I gave AJ a quick look as she started laughing.

"Eeyup!" She stated happily. "Vin here's gonna volunteer with all the apple pickin'. Ain't that right Vin?"

"Sssuuuureee… yep. Definitely helping." I lied through my teeth. This was thankfully enough for the Mayor to hear as she gave a small chuckle.

"Well, I'll be sure to find you during the festivities," The Mayor said. "Now, if that's all, I do have work to do."

Me and AJ started to get up and walk away, but I felt a tug at my wrist. "Mr. Price? A quick word?" Mayor asked.

Applejack flinched and started to speak, but I raised my hand to silence her.

"It's cool Jacqueline, I'll be quick." I assured the farm mare, said farm mare looking at me with those bright worried eyes of hers before she nodded and left. As I turned back to look at the Mayor, she was leaning on her desk, her chin on her hooves and her tail swishing side to side.

"Jacqueline… Not many ponies use her middle name you know," She said with a smile and half lid eyes. "Are you two perhaps an item?"

"Weird question, but no. She's just an overly worried and nosy friend I made." I replied as I put my hands on my hips.

Giggling, the Mayor took her glasses off. "Is that so? Well, if you're ever looking for less nosy company, my door is always open for you."

And with that red flag raised, I nod and calmly walk out, close the door as gently as possible, and start walking as fast as I can.

"Vincent? What's the problem partner?" Applejack asks as she hustles to keep up.

"Hm? Me? Nah, it's nothing. Say, I may need new clothes and I have a boatload of bits to throw around. Know where a guy can get a change of clothes?" I hurriedly throw out as I'm practically skipping on the steps.

"Well, the only pony in town that can probably set ya up is Rarity and she might not have all that much time what with the Celebration right around the corner." Applejack replies as she shoots me a weird look.

"Oh I'm sure she'll make an exception…"

-Carousel Boutique-

"How many bits do I have to give you to let me go." I was practically tied up, half nude, and hanging from the ceiling as Rarity wrapped and unwrapped roll after roll of measuring tape.

"Oh no no no~" Rarity sang out as she began to furiously scribble notes into a booklet. "How can I charge you when you present me with such a… challenge?" She dreamily gasped out. "Think of it dear Vícent," She continued as she pronounced my name wrong. "An entirely new line of fashion all modeled and inspired by you! Why, there are so many ideas running about my mind I wouldn't know where to begin!"

"Putting me down would be a nice place to start." I say a little bitterly. Looking up at me, she blushes as she slowly rights my body, puts me in a chair, and starts dusting me off and returns my clothes with her magic.

"I am quite sorry, I get a little carried away when matters of fashion are presented to me," She said as she fluttered her eyes at me. "Surely you can find it in your heart to forgive me?" She was now leaning into me, her hooves on my left leg and her wide eyes getting dangerously close to my face.

Calmly, I place a finger on her nose and push her away ever so gently. "Yeah sure, just make me a suit exactly like this one in black and gold with a tie and vest to match and we'll call it even."

She had scrunched her nose from the contact, but made no action to stop me as she looked at my finger, then me. "Are you sure it needs to be… 'exact'? So many things I ca-" She closes her eyes tightly as I push my finger just a tad harder.

"Everything except the vest and tie need to be exact," I reply as I get up and walk for the door and look back. "And no rhinestones! I don't need people thinking I'm some posh asshole." And with that, I walked away.

The days following my meet with Rarity went as follows: Every morning I wake up, I test the extent of my powers, I make a minion (usually a basic Ancient Gear Golem), I get picked up by Skittles McGhee (Rainbow Dash), head to Applejack's farm, pick a few apples, head to Pinkie's shop, eat a muffin or two, and leave for my castle.

The days themselves felt kinda slow, but there was always something bugging me in the corner of my eye… a pale yellow and bright pink something…

"Somethin' on yer mind Vince?" Applejack asked me as I stared at seemingly nothing. A gloved hand on a tree.

I was currently a Speed Warrior as the mobility helped with apple picking. Dropping the guise, I took a look at Applejack. "It's nothing. At least I think it's nothing…"

Confused and worried, the farm girl put a hoof on my leg and gave it a rub. "If somethin' ain't sittin' right with ya, ya can tell me, alright?" She said with a sort of sad look.

Shrugging, I wave it off and finish up for the day. I always felt a little bad leaving, but as the Summer Sun Whatever came creeping closer and closer, more and more of her family started pouring in. Some of em freaked when they first saw me, others tried to wrangle me in, but once AJ intervened it was all squared away. Some of them even swoon when I drop by, but AJ makes sure to put them in their place.

As I left the farm, I had that strange feeling again. Just from the corner of my eye I spot a pink mass disappear into a bush, a dust trail following behind it. Shrugging, I decide to see what's up and wonder if it's Pinkie trying to prank me or something. I'm not even two feet away before the bush starts moving away the closer I get.

This goes on for a while as I followed the bush to a cottage near one of the only entrances to the Everfree. I think one of the ponies mentioned a cottage at the mouth of the woods, but I can't remember who. The bush strings me along for a few more minutes as it reaches the door, gently pushing the decorated slab of wood in as the blur from before exits the bush and flies into the cottage.

Shrugging… again… I boot the bush to the side and enter to find Fluttershy looking as if she'd just run a marathon and setting a teapot and cookies down. I give her door a single knock, causing her to yelp and hug the ceiling.

"Were you in that bush?" I ask the still shaking mare.

Stealing a glance at me, Shy puts on the best smile she can. "O-oh oh! He-hello Mr. Vincent… h-how nice of y-you to stop b-b-by." She stutters out. Shrugging, I walk and take a seat. One of the residents, a bunny of all things, gave me the stink eye as I made myself at home.

Once I finally settled and served myself some tea, my gracious and totally not a stalker of a host finally came down from the ceiling and sat in front of me, a coffee table being the only thing separating us.

"So, you let any random stranger into your house, or am I special?" I ask jokingly, though it probably came off as a little condescending.

The shy mare flinched at my question and started mumbling as she hid behind her massive mane. Rolling my eyes, I start going through my deck. Shy seemed to calm down as she saw me sift through my cards until I found one I think would help… It was an oldie, and people seemed to forget about it since Silver Fang was so popular…

Funny enough, this beast was literally just called Wolf. Slipping it into my disk, I quickly changed, much to the surprise of my host.

With wide eyes, Fluttershy did her best not to jump from her seat to pet me. "Oh my. You're so…"

"Fluffy?" I ask with a tilt of my head. The mare giggled as she slowly got up and got closer and closer.

"Um, you wouldn't mind if I…" She started to raise her hoof up to her chest, pawing at the air slightly. Smirking, I lean my furry head in. With a soft squee, Fluttershy starts running her hoof along my ears… and God… damn it did it feel like heaven. I will neither deny nor confirm that my hind leg started stomping the ground uncontrollably.

After what seemed like an eternity, Fluttershy finally pulled away, a content smile on her face… at least until she flinched and started to consider something.

"Um… I… don't want to seem rude…" She said quietly.

"Something wrong? I ask as I start to rub my muzzle across her face, causing her to giggle happily as she nuzzled back.

"Well… I wanted to ask you if maybe you could… teach me?" She asked with a bit more certainty.

Pulling away, I tilt my head as if to ask her to clarify. Slowly, she started to clear the table and roll out two decorated and hand knit play mats.

"The… game. I was hoping maybe… if it wasn't too much trouble?" She was now more than a little bashful as she rocked herself side to side.

"You have a deck?" I ask as I change back. With a shake of her head I raise my hand up and close my eyes.

[Duel Core Accessed: Function: Deck Creation:]

'Alright, I need something cutesy, but not overly useless. Something like…'

[Watch Dog located]

'Oh I have the perfect deck in mind.'

Opening my eyes to a confused Fluttershy, I lift a freshly made deck and lay it on her playmat. "Here, you might like this one." I say with a tiny smirk.

She blinks as she stared at my hand, then the deck, then back to my hand. "How… how did you do that?" She asks inquisitively.

I had to give this some thought. "I'm… magic. I used magic." I lied. She seemed to accept this if her nod was any indicator.

"So, how do we begin?" She asks as she pokes the top of her deck. Smiling, I place my own deck on my playmat. A simple stall deck meant to teach.

"These are really nice mats," I commented, getting a smile from my shy opponent. "Anyway, we both start off drawing five cards. This is our 'hand'." I explained.

With a nod, Fluttershy drew what was probably the first hand of cards she's probably ever held in her life… only to flinch and nearly drop them, a massive and surprised smile on her face.

"They… they're so…" She took a moment to look at her hand before setting them down. "Are all cards this cute?" She asked me.

"Unfortunately no," I reply, saddening my opponent. "But, they will be in your case. Now, this will be a little unorthodox as I'll be teaching you about the card types and everything they can and can't do," I say as I lay out my five card hand on the table face up. "So just this once, we'll be playing with our hands face up."

She nods again and flips her hand. A Watch Dog, two Fox Fire, an Inferno Reckless Summon, and a Nordic Relic Laevateinn. In mine are two copies of Dark Hole, a Cyber Dragon, an Evilswarm Mandragora and one Mystical Space Typhoon.

I lift MST and have her take a look, specifically the bolt insignia next to the words Spell Card. "These green cards are your spells. Normally, a spell can be set face down and still be played that turn, but you see this bolt? This signifies a Quick Play Spell. Quick spells once set, cannot be activated that same turn. Instead, they can be used on your opponents turn and any turn there after."

She nods again as I set my spell. "Since I went first, I can not draw a card from my deck. However, the second player will always be allowed a first draw. As such, I end." I explain as I motion my hand to her deck.

"Oh, so… I draw?" She says a little unsure as she takes the top card and reveals it. A Bottomless Trap Hole.

"Now, as you can see, you have two normal trap cards and a Quick Play spell card. Another thing to keep in mind about Quick Play spell is they can be played from your hand during your battlephase." I explain. "Now, you have three monsters; two of which are the same monster. Normally such weak monsters would be played in face down defense position like so,"

I take a card to show her the position. "But in your case, not only is it more beneficial to play either of these monsters face up in attack, you have traps to keep you safe. Go ahead and look over your monsters." With a nod, I watch as she sets her traps and takes a minute to pour over her monsters before summoning the Watch Dog.

"Right… umm… what are these stars?" She asks as she summons the dog. "Oh, and I send Inferno Reckless Summon to the grave."

As she goes through the deck, I show her Cyber Dragon and Mandragora. "The stars indicate levels. One through four can be normal summoned without problem unless specified otherwise. Levels five and six require a monster to be… used as a tribute to summon the monster. Think of it like a metamorphosis."

"Like a caterpillar to a butterfly," She offers as she looks at me with a bit of worry. "Um, I'm sorry, but… what counts as a continuous spell?" She asks.

"A Continuous Spell is marked with an infinity symbol. Your two Continuous Spells are Burning Land and Gravekeeper's Servant," I explain as she finds the cards in question before choosing Servant. "And to finalize the levels are monsters of levels seven and eight which require two monsters to be used as tribute.

"I activate Gravekeeper's Servant and end." Shy says with a nod. Taking my turn, I draw Counter Gate.

"I'll set my trap and activate the effect of my Cyber Dragon, special summoning it in attack mode," I say as I make my play. "Do you remember that Bottomless you set?" I ask as I gesture to her field.

She mouths out the word as she looks at her traps and flips Bottomless Trap Hole. Smiling, I remove my monster from the field. "Bottomless destroys and banishes summoned monsters with fifteen hundred attack points or higher. With that, I activate my Mystical Space Typhoon and destroy Gravekeeper's Servant."

The card was flipped and we made our respective movements. "Think you can handle it from here on in?" I ask with a raised and upturned palm. With a confident nod, she took her turn.

She swoons a little at Volcanic Rat, but normal summons a Fox Fire instead and puts Watch Dog in defense. "Oh! I forgot to ask, what are "phases"? Because I may have made a mistake with Watch Dog."

I raise a hand and smile. "The phases go, Stand-By, Draw, Mainphase One, Battle Phase, Mainphase Two, and End Phase. Main Phase one is used primarily to normal or special summon monsters to enter the Battle Phase. Main Phase Two is usually used to set and or activate spells and traps. Stand-By and Draw are self explanatory as is the End Phase. Don't worry about Watch Dog's effect as it was your only monster and you weren't going to attack with a zero attack monster."

She giggles a bit as she thinks for a second. "Can I enter the Battle Phase?" Nodding, she gestures to Fox Fire. "I attack."

"I activate the trap, Counter Gate. Your direct attack is negated and I draw. If the card is a monster, I'm allowed to normal summon it." Nope, Scrap Iron Scarecrow. Well, I can at least show her how reusable traps work.

Nodding, I take my turn. Forbidden Lance, nice. "I summon my Mandragora in attack," 'Mandragora has 1550 attack, and her Fox Fire only has 300. The only problem is, she has Laevateinn. I did just draw Lance…'

With my plan decided, I moved to the battlephase. "I attack Fox Fire." As she sends her monster to the grave, she flips Laevateinn. That was when I ran into a fatal flaw in my plan. Laevateinn once active ensures no effect can be activated in response. Sighing, I send Mandragora to the grave.

"Um, how do we know when one of us loses?" She asks with an inquisitive look.

I tap the side of my head and show a small holographic life counter.

Vin: 8000

Shy: 6750

"Don't worry, I'm keeping track. I end." Smiling, she takes her Fox Fire from the grave and places it back in attack mode.

Drawing a Spiritual Fire Art Kurenai, she sets it and summons her second Fox Fire. "Battle."

Nodding, I calculate the damage.

Vin: 7400

Shy: 6750

'My turn.' "Supply Squad… great. I play Supply Squad and activate Dark Hole. If you'd like, you can play Kurenai to inflict damage before both of your Fox Fire a sent to the grave."

"I can?" She asks as she eyes the trap. With a nod, she activated Kurenai in response to Dark Hole, dealing me another 300 points.

Vin: 7100

Shy: 6750

Ending, she drew Little Chimera. Honestly one of my favorites. "I summon Little Chimera in attack," She stated calmly. "Battle."

"I activate Scrap Iron Scarecrow," I reply, showing her the trap. "Now, Scrap Iron is interesting as instead of going to the grave after use, it resets itself allowing me to use it once more on the next turn."

She nods in understanding as she gestures for me to take my turn.

'Great, Jar of Avarice. Totally useless right now.' I think to myself. 'Unless…' "I set two cards and end." 'This'll hurt, but it'll be worth it.'

Lo and behold, another Chimera. "I summon Volcanic Rat and battle."

"I activate Scrap Iron Scarecrow in response to your rat's attack, and target your Chimera with Forbidden Lance."

Vin: 6800

Shy: 6750

"Oh! You can do that?" She asks in surprise.

"That I can. End?" I ask gently. With a smile and a nod, I drew Battle Fader. "End."

And with that, she drew into her final Little Chimera. "I normal summon Little Chimera in attack. Battle!" She says with a bit more excitement in her voice.

"I special Summon Battle Fader, it's effect ending the Battle Phase." She blinks a bit before giggling and nods in acceptance.

'Now or never.' Hello Photon Thrasher. "I activate Dark Hole, destroying all monsters on the field."

"Oh my!" She says with a bit of shock as she sweeps her field. I banish my Fader and gesture to Supply Squad.

"Due to Supply Squad, once per turn I'm allowed an extra draw whenever a card or cards on my field are destroyed." And it was another Thrasher… well, least I had a back-up. "I special summon Thrasher. Battle."

She gasps at the monsters attack and blinks as her counter lowers.

Vin: 6800

Shy: 5650

"End." Shy's eyes shine with a bit of excitement as she draws. Fox Fire, it'll hurt, but it'll keep her safe.

She calmly summons the monster in face up attack. "I summon Fox Fire and end."

I drew Night Beam, not all that useful… "Battle." I poke my Thrasher and slide it up as I shoot Shy a smile.

She giggles again as she graves her Fox before putting it back in face up defense.

Vin: 6800

Shy: 4950

Looks like she was almost at the halfway mark. She looks at me for a second before drawing. Ultimatel Baseball Kid, useful if she had another Fox Fire. Tilting her head with a smile as she looked at UBK before nodding. "I end." She says with a sure smile.

Drawing, I got a Dark Bribe, setting it as I finally activated Jar of Avarice. "I shuffle five cards from my grave except for any copies of Jar of Avarice and shuffle them into my deck, I then draw one card."

Swift Scarecrow, great. "I end."

She silently drew another Baseball Kid and ended.

Night Beam, my draws were getting me nowhere fast. Ending, I took a look at Fluttershy to see a… shadow had overtaken her eyes. Worried, I reached out only as a golden glint flashed in her eyes.

"Draw!" She called out as the top of her deck shined like gold! "I play One Day of Peace!" She called out as if in a trance… before she blinked and seemed to return to normal. "Um… I set and play Ultimate Baseball Kid…"

"Sh-Shy… are you okay?" I ask a little wigged out after drawing a Pot of Duality.

She gulped a bit before mouthing something. "Um… I-I think so…"

"Shy, that… that was a Destiny Draw. So far, you are the only one here to do have done that…" I explain a little shakily. I mean… shit, I don't even know if I could do that!

"Is… is that cheating?" She asks more than a little worried as I slowly shake my head.

"No, that just means you have what it takes. Let's keep playing. I draw."

Another Lance, the only problem is I'd be at a serious disadvantage anyway. "I play Pot of Duality," Two Book of Moon and a Supply Squad. Book of Moon it is. "I… oh. Wait… I have Night Beams. I play Night Beam and destroy your trap, now battle."

Due to One Day, neither of us will take damage until the end of Shy's next turn, but she still loses her Baseball Kid. Gulping, I let Shy take her turn. She drew a Bottomless and ended, she looked a little worried herself at this point.

Marshmallon… Nice. "I set a monster and two cards. End."

Drawing, she plays her field spell. "I play Molten Destruction."

"Dark Bribe. Negate and draw." I reply, flipping my trap.

"Umm… I play Burning Land?" Shit, she had me there.

Vin: 6300

Shy: 4950

"On each of our Stand-By phases, Burning Land will deal the player 500 points of damage," I state as I draw. Card Car D, not bad. "I play Night Beam, destroying your face down and play Card Car D."

I summon and send my Card Car as she graves a Bottomless. "CCD let's me draw two cards at the cost of my turn. End." I ended up with another Marshmallon and a Dark Bribe.

Vin: 6300

Shy: 4450

"Watch Dog…" She whispers as she gazes at the card with a smile. "I'll end."

Vin: 5800

Shy: 4450

And I drew into my final copy of Dark Bribe. "I set a card, monster, and end."

Vin: 5800

Shy: 4150

Shy drew into her last Watch Dog as her life points whittled down just a bit more… and mine weren't far behind.

Vin: 5300

Shy: 4150

My last Scarecrow, and I am officially nowhere…

Vin: 5300

Shy: 3650

Shy was having the same problem it seemed as she drew into her last Baseball Kid.

Vin: 4800

Shy: 3650

Counter Gate, not the game changer I wanted.

Vin: 4800

Shy: 3150

Her last copy of Bottomless… We acknowledged eachother silently, we both seemed bothered by the stagnation, but neither of us wanted to budge.

Vin: 4300

Shy: 3150

Another Dark Hole… couldn't play it since my field was full, and it's not like there was anything I could do besides kill my monsters along with Fox Fire… "Screw it," I said, cutting the silent tension as Shy shot her head up to look at me. "I play Forbidden Lance on Thrasher and Book of Moon on Fox Fire and why didn't I think of that sooner…"

With a relieved sigh I play Dark Hole, destroying my Marshmallons and Fox Fire, but not Thrasher. Supply Squad got me another Lance and I was finally able to break the stalemate.

Vin: 4300

Shy: 1850

Sighing… again… I set a Bribe and ended.

Shy seemed to gulp and gasp as she let go of a breath she didn't know she had. "That was…"

"Annoying?" I ask more than say, a smile on my face. She giggled as she took her turn.

Vin: 4300

Shy: 1350

"I set Spiritual Fire Art Kurenai and a monster." Shy states as she makes her moves.

"You know, just because I know what's in your hand, it doesn't mean you should tell me what you're going to play." I say as I tease her a little.

She blushes and smiles as I take my turn.

Vin: 3800

Shy: 1350

Compulsory Evacuation Device. Perfect. "I set a card and battle. End."

Vin: 3800

Shy: 850

She drew into a Laevateinn, normally I'd be worried, but I still had options. She set her monster and ended.

Vin: 3500

Shy: 850

Counter Gate again. Didn't matter… "I activate my Evacuation Device, sending your monster back to your hand."

"What!?" She gasps out in surprise. "Then that means…"

"Battle." I say simply as I poke my Thrasher.

Vin: 3500

Shy: 0

"That was amazing…" She whispered as she gathered her cards, a brightness to her eyes.

"I honestly can't complain," I reply as I gather my own deck and roll up her mat. "Well, it's been fun, but I gotta get home."

As I get up and wipe myself of any dust that may have built up, Shy grabs me by my b
jacket and looks up. "Um… maybe… if you aren't busy…" Her eyes… those damn puppy dog eyes…

Sighing, I shake my head and smile. "Sure, but next time… ditch the bush."

Author's Note

Welp, this marks the end of the 'Tutorial'. Next Chapter will kick off the story with Book Horse heself.

Duel 01 Pt2

-Vagabond-

"VIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!" Pinkie Pie screamed as she bounced along the halls of Ancient Gear Castle. "VIIIINNIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!"

I woke up too early… and now I have the Pink One causing a riot… might as well see what she wants.

"VINNY VIN VIN!!!!" Pinkie continued as she began bouncing on my prone body. "VIIIIIIIIIIIIN~ IT'S TERRIBLE!!" She cried.

"Whaaat… what's terrible…" I asked as I tried to paw her away, my mind still not having woken up after the morning.

"She's too early!!" The pink ball of hair finally shouted.

Early… early… oh yeah… "You mean that unicorn right?" I asked as Pinkie shoved her hooves into my chest.

"You saw her!? And you didn't tell me!!?" She cried in accusation, her nose hitting my nose as she got dangerously close to my face. She tipped my hat up as she stared me down, smiling after a solid ten seconds. "That's okay!" She exclaimed with a smile. "I forgive you… Now what to do…"

With that, she jumped off my chest and started pacing around my bedroom. "I can't throw her a party in the library anymore, she'll see it coming and that's no fun!"

Groaning, I roll out of bed rather unceremoniously, causing a small thump on my way down. "Can you… maybe do this later?" I asked hopefully.

"But I won't have time later!!" She whined as she rolled me onto my back and pulled me up. "Come on, come on! Get serious!" She shouted as she now wore my cap.

With a raised eyebrow, I slipped my cap off her head and made my way out. As I walked the empty halls, the various Ancient Gear Soldiers I brought into existence saluted me and Pinkie.

"My lord!" The only Ancient Gear here that called me that was the Ancient Gear Knight, said knight running my way with a massive clipboard in his hands.

Well, massive to me since the AGs are all giants to begin with…

"I have today's schedule of events should you wish to partake." He said as he slowed down once he reached Pinks and me.

"KNIGHTY~~!!!" Pinkie shouted as A.G. Knight stood at attention.

"Yes, princess!" He shouted back, causing Pinkie to giggle like a little girl.

"Can we have a party here?" She asked the giant mechanoid sweetly.

"I do not see why not." He answered idly.

"My castle, my rules," I cut in as I stare down the Knight. "And I say no go on the party."

"But VIIIIIIIIIIIIN~~~~" Pinkie whined as she moved her head in a rising arc. "Why not~?" She continued as she dropped her head on my stomach, her baby blue eyes glistening as she looked me dead in the eyes.

"Not today… I won't cave in…" I said that, but God. DAMN IT I can't deny those eyes forever. After a few more seconds of the stand off (which included her trembling her bottom lip as her eyes grew) I finally threw my arms up in defeat.

With an excited shout, Pinkie took the Knight by the hand… somehow… and lead him off, leaving me alone to sigh in my defeat.

-Golden Oaks Library: Twilight-

"Twilight, we need to talk." Spike stated with a more than serious tone.

"Not now, Spike," The unicorn replied as she began to polish a blade her escort had left her. "Not when it's almost time."

"Twilight!" Spike had shouted. "You're acting crazy! Crazier than usual! It's just an old pony's tale!"

"You're wrong Spike," Twilight replied as she strapped the simple short sword to her back along with her device. "Tonight marks the end of a thousand year banishment, tonight… she returns."

The dragon only huffed as he began to massage his temples. "Twi, you're scaring me. I know you mean well but-" By the time he lifted his head back up to see her, she had already left the library. Groaning, the young Drake did his best to catch up to her.

"Twilight!! This isn't over!!" He shouted as he ran through a growing crowd of workers and tourists. Dusk had soon broken, snack stands and vendors now began to litter the streets and Spike was no closer to reaching his surrogate mother… at least until-

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE GUARDS!?" He heard her rather explosive voice. With renewed vigor, Spike began to squeeze his way through the clustered crowd until he finally found Twilight. The mare was staring down the mayor of the town with righteous fury.

"TWILIGHT!!" Spike shouted as he ran up to the now pacing unicorn. Said unicorn flinching upon hearing her name.

"Spike? When did you?"

The dragon collided into the unicorn in a tight hug, Twilight running a hoof along his scales in confusion. "Oh Spike…"

"Miss? You're… awfully armed for an overseer." The mayor stated calmly as she walked up to Twilight.

"Mayor Mare, I know this will sound crazy, but-"

"Let me stop you," The mayor said as she placed a hoof over Twilight's mouth. "I understand your concern, but really he's harmless."

Twilight was rather taken aback by this. "He? No! She! The Mare in the Moon!"

Huffing and shaking her head, Mayor Mare dismissed the unicorn and turned the other way. "I'm sorry miss, but I really don't have time for this…"

As the mayor left, the gathered ponies began to make their way to the not yet finished podium set up around Town Hall.

"We're on our own, Spike." Twilight sighed as she made her way back to the library.

"I really… really hope you're wrong about this." He replied as they shared another hug.

"Me too, Spike, me too…"

-Vagabond-

"Pinkie." I said calmly as I stood in front of a now hot pink Ancient Gear Knight, his shield having been decorated with Pinkie's Tramp Stamp.

"Yuhuh?" She asked as she popped her head out of a ball pit of all things.

"Why is my knight pink?" I asked, still very much calmly.

"I rather enjoy the tone, my lord." The giant stated. Wasn't gonna lie, Pinkie made him look a lot less… ancient. His lance, shield, armor, as well as exposed gears and joints had all been buffed out and shined, both of his eyes now glowed a soft blue as opposed to when it was just a single glowing red, and he genuinely sounded happy.

"See, he likes it!" Pinkie cheered. Sighing, I shake my head as I look across the rather large ballroom she decided to set up shop. Much like the rest of the castle, it was a bland dreary gray made from cobblestone and iron, but the party pony was rather quick in making it work to her advantage.

Banners brought color to the walls, balloons of all shapes and sizes gave the room a sense of depth, an elongated and antique iron dining table was decorated with candelabra, food trays, a massive cake that looked more like a jewel surrounded by rock candy adorned cupcakes, and a white unicorn with electric blue hair and tail and wearing sunglasses was setting up a sound system.

"When did she…" I asked as I point at the pony. The pony in question looked up from her mess of wires to stare at me before smiling and waving enthusiastically.

"Oh, that's Vinyl! But I'm supposed to call her DJ Pony…" Pinkie replied as she bounced on over with a pin the tail type of game banner.

"When did Vin-" A cough from the unicorn in question had cut me off, the mare lowering her shades and gaze so as to give me a look. "I am calling you Vinyl until the show starts." I reply to her non verbal show of displeasure.

Blinking in surprise, she flicked her shades back on and gave a toothy grin as her head bobbed up and down.

Sighing, I started following Pinkie as she was bouncing off to who knows where. "As I was asking, when did Vinyl get here?"

The party pony bobbed her head side to side as if listening to an unknown beat. "Hmm… twenty minutes ago? The soldiers helped her."

"It's almost night fall, you should get back to Ponyville before you miss out." I say as I look out a random window, the pony stamped full moon staring back at me.

"Aww~ but There's still so much to do!" She whined as she dropped her head on my leg and looked up at me.

"You left a list, plus, your friends are probably missing you." I reply as I gently nudge her head, the pony only melting in my hand as she rubbed her cheek into my palm.

"You sure you don't want to come? We might even meet the princess!" She cheered as she hopped away.

"I've got your party to set up, plus Vinyl can keep me company."

With that, we waved our good-byes.

-Golden Oaks Library: Twilight-

"No back up, little to no information… and only one card." Twilight muttered to herself as she placed around the living room of the library.

"Wait, card? I thought all your test cards burned." Spike wondered aloud. With a smile, Twilight urged him to sit next to her upon the couch. As the two settled, Twilight revealed the card that fell from the sky.

"I found this here after we spoke to the weather director," Twilight replied. "It's strange… but I haven't studied it much until now…"

"Junk Synchron?" Spike asked as he took note of the name of the card. "What's a tuner?" He asked as he began to read it's accompanied text.

"I don't know, I'm rather curious myself," She replied as she retrieved an old tome. After opening the book and reviewing the many pages, the unicorn furrowed her brow and sighed. "It's… not here. Not surprising actually."

"What's that book?" Spike asked as Twilight float the book over to him. His eyes widened as he began to read about ancient heroes and monsters, images of creatures and kinghts adorned every other page.

"This was one of Star Swirl's old compendiums, it's where I found the idea for the wizard card." Twilight stated solemnly.

"Huh… that's… wait. Twilight!" Spike shouted as he stood on the couch. "That creature at Fluttershy's cottage!"

"Fluttershy?" Twilight questioned with a tilted head before 'oh'-ing in understanding. "Creature… the one with the bat."

"His scarf! And the scarf on your card!" Spike immediately brought up the Junk Synchron to Twilight's eyes. "It's identical!"

The unicorn, puzzled, took the time to look at the scarf. "I… Can't say I see the similarities, but you might be onto something! Maybe a bit of research is in order?" She asked with an excited grin.

With spirited nods, the two set their sights on Fluttershy, hoping to find some answers to this growing mystery.

-Townhall-

Despite their hurriedness, they found no trace of the shy pegasus at the cottage, nor the creature that accompanied her. With night having well descended, the duo quickly made their way to town hall… with little time to spare.

"She's gone!" Twilight heard a pony cry the closer they got to the podium, a dark shadow beginning to form upon the balcony prepared for princess Celestia.

Wicked laughter filled the world as the shadows began to shape and twist into an armored pony. Her towering height, enlarged wings, and sleek spiraling horn gave those in attendance an idea of just what they were dealing with… an Alicorn.

"Nightmare Moon…" Twilight gasped as her eyes widened in fear. Spike holding back a curse as he curled his fist into a claw.

"Oh, my beloved subjects. It's been so long since I've seen your precious little sun-loving faces." Nightmare Moon taunted, Rainbow Dash being the first to respond.

"What did you do to our princess!?" She cried as she attempted to fly straight into the Alicorn… only for Applejack to snag her by the tail.

"Wooooahh Nelly!" The farm mare exclaimed as she pulled her friend in with a lasso.

"Why, am I not royal enough for you?" Nightmare Moon jeered. "Don't you know who I am?"

"Ooh, ooh, more guessing games!" Pinkie cheered excitedly. "Um, Hokey Smokes! How about... Queen Meanie! No! Black Snooty, Black Snooty—" Rarity somehow managed to fit a large pastry into Pinkie's mouth so as to silence her.

Visibly hurt, Nightmare Moon began to scan the crowd. "Does my crown no longer count now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?"

"I did," Twilight stated, now brandishing her blade. "And I know who you are. You're the Mare in the Moon – Nightmare Moon!" As all the ponies gasped at this revelation, Nightmare only laughing wickedly.

"Well well well, somepony who remembers me. Then you also know why I'm here." She stated with a commanding tone.

"You're here to... to…"

With a chuckle, Nightmare spread her wings. "Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment for-"

A sonic boom shattered the podium and destroyed the decorations, Rainbow Dash having broken out of her bindings as she went on a collision course with Nightmare.

Though the impact was immense, Nightmare Moon had turned into a mass of shadows, escaping the pegasus' would be beat down.

"Stop!" Twilight shouted. "You can't beat her!!"

"Oh yeah!? Watch me!!" Rainbow shouted as she once more broke the sound barrier as well as the physical light spectrum as she aimed at Nightmare once more.

"To see a pegasus create a Sonic Rainboom twice in a row…" Nightmare muttered with a cold smile. "Such a shame to extinguish such potential!!" She shouted as she executed her own boom from her prone position.

The two began to collide and separate, their impacts causing wave after wave of excess force as the gathered crowd began to flee. As the two flyers kept their barrage, it began to look as though neither side would stop… at least until one last collision sent Rainbow careening to the ground.

"Now DIE!!" Nightmare cried as she began a vicious dive straight for Rainbow. It happened in an instant, much to the surprise of those still present. Before any could shout, a brass metal fist had collided with Nightmare's face, sending her careening into Town Hall.

"J-junk… Synchron!?" Rainbow shouted in confusion, the floating warrior holding its curled fist out as it looked back to Rainbow, determination in it's spirited eyes.

"A monster!?" Nightmare shouted as she dug herself out of the wreckage. "No… the summoning arts have long since been forgotten!! This can't…" Her eyes darted along the scene, finding six ponies and a dragon… the lavender unicorn having caught her attention.

"You… you have brought a monster into our world… You would raise an army against me!?" She questioned with righteous fury burning in her eyes. "Know this, summoner, you shall rue the day you were born!!" And with that, the Alicorn was gone.

Quickly shaking away her stupor, Twilight lifted Spike onto her back. "Spike, we need to go-" Stopping in her tracks as Rainbow slowly walked over to her.

The pegasus was bruised, battered, and bloody. Her every step threatening to drop her into the ground. Standing as rigid as she could, Rainbow looked first to Twilight, then to the glowing device strapped to the mare's hoof. With a quick swipe, Junk Synchron was removed from the ethereal board.

"Don't you ever… touch… my cards…" Rainbow whispered before collapsing, the girls shouting her name as they crowded around her.

-Golden Oaks Library-

"A'right partner. Start talking." Applejack demanded of Twilight, the girls sitting around the living room as Fluttershy tended to her fallen friend.

"Not after I get answers of my own first." Twilight replied in defiance.

"I must side with Applejack on this matter, dear," Rarity stated firmly as she sipped at a cup of tea that Spike had brought out. "As the outsider among us, you know more of what's going on than either of us."

"She's… she's a spy…" Rainbow eeked out as she struggled against her bandages, as well as Fluttershy. The shy mare doing her best to keep her friend from hurting herself.

"I am not a spy." Twilight replied calmly.

"Then how come y'all have a duel disk!?" Applejack shouted, pointing an accusatory hoof at the unicorn. "How come you were able to summon Junk Synchron like that!?"

"You know what that card is!?" Twilight asked in shock.

"Please answer the question." Fluttershy muttered, somehow sending a shiver down Twilight's spine.

"I found schematics to…" She lift the disk up to show the others. "This, along with a book of monsters. The ancients were able to summon monsters much like Junk Synchron to fight and wage wars against each other."

"But, they're only cards," Rarity said with disbelief. "It's all just a game, isn't it?"

"Spike?" Twilight called, the dragon nodding as he began to inhale. To everyone's surprise, a great plume of fire left the dragon's mouth as it began to shift and swirl…

"Long ago…" Twilight began cryptically. "And longer still, the world was governed by one law."

The fire began to form terrible beasts, monstrosities clawing and gnashing at each other.

"But there were those who sought to change this horrid existence…"

The beasts were soon driven back by a giant, a dragon, and an eagle. The monsters did all they could to fight back, though their efforts were in vain.

"These gods who took pity on this wasted world gave three individuals their blessings… their strength."

A bearded unicorn was given an orb locked by jaws from the dragon, a spry pegasus was given a soul encased in stone, and a fair unicorn was bestowed a jeweled eye.

"For a time, all was peace…"

The images changed to show an Earth Pony, a Unicorn, and a Pegasus banding together to drive back an encroaching cloud, followed by cities spiraling into the sky. Images of ponies living happy lives.

"Until that pegasus of old grew in power… and jealousy."

The pegasus who had now become an Alicorn, used her gift to fight against an equal, a mare who once was a unicorn. Her own sister.

"The two fought for hours until the Alicorn of the sun could take no more, using another gift given to them by the world, the Alicorn of the sun banished the Alicorn overcome by the darkness they once swore to destroy."

The image made one last shift, becoming the image of the moon…

As the fires faded, the girls all stared wide-eyed at Twilight and her dragon.

"So… yer tellin' me…" Applejack had sat herself on the floor, leaning her head on the couch. "Nightmare Moon has the powers of a god? Ah hear that right?"

"What is she after?" Fluttershy asked fearfully.

"The Elements of Harmony, said to be hidden within the abandoned castle of the two sisters." Twilight replied.

"BUT VINCE IS THERE!!" Rainbow shouted as she shot up to a sitting position, biting back her pain as she struggled against her bandages.

"Who's Vince?" Twilight asked.

"He's our duelist," Rarity replied. "He's very good at what he does… in fact, he may be just what we need to fight this Nightmare Moon."

"Um… I don't want to change the subject…" Fluttershy muttered as she hid behind her mane. "But… where's Pinkie?"

-Ancient Gear Castle: Vagabond-

"FOR THEY MAY TAKE OUR LIVES!!!" Pinkie shouted, holding Salamandra and decorated in BraveHeart style paint as she stood upon a Warrior DNA converted Ancient Gear Beast. "BUT THEY'LL NEVER TAKE!!! OUR PARTIES!!!"

The roar from the various Soldiers, Engineers, Beasts, and Knights, were almost drowned out by the subsequent… blood curdling something from the encroaching mass of darkness that began an assault against the castle not to long ago.

The Rambo-esque soldiers fired at the blob, causing it to wrench and lurch… at least until it was close enough to enact whatever it was here for.

"Alright folks! It's go time!! I shout as I looked at my duel disk. DNA Surgery was already active and set to Warrior, the A. Forces was active as well to compliment the twenty plus monsters. That just meant that I needed deterrents…

"I'm setting Stumbling, Rivalry of Warlords, and I'm activating a Banner of Courage!"

"But those are all of your available slots!" I heard an Engineer shout.

"Oh come on, what's the worst that can happen." I replied, causing everyone to groan and face palm, a few of them even crying out 'Damn it, Murphy'.

The blob had started to lurch as several bodies were deposited onto the ground covered in black goo. As the bodies got to their feet, I took note of the blood red eyes, the blackened leather armor, and the wicked smiling teeth of three Dark Grephers.

Thankfully, the once human monstrosities fell incredibly quickly to my soldiers gun fire. The only problem was that when one died, four more took it's place.

"Arthurian Unit! To. ARMS!!!!!" The pink AG Knight exclaimed, eight soldiers crying havoc.

As a group of twelve Grephers crawled out of the blob, four Manticores of Darkness flew out to strike at the now encroaching Soldiers.

Those unprepared had their guts torn out and their bodies rend by the vicious winged lions. The only consolation was that once they were torn open, the went back to being machines…

"WITNESS ME!!!!!" A crazed and hysterical Ancient Gear Soldier shouted as he flew off a ramp on a high speed Ancient Gear Tank, the aerial soldier gunning down one manticore while crashing and exploding into another.

As the beasts fell, ten more began to fly out of the blob accompanied by three Dark Diabolos, a Dark Ruler HaDes, five Newdoria, and a Dark Creator of all things.

"Send in the golems!!" I shouted with an outstretched hand, the ground groaning and rumbling as two massive giants broke through the earth. One had grasped a Diabolos By it's neck, breaking it easily while the other had head butt the Dark Creator on it's way up.

Staggered, but not deterred, The Dark Creator opened it's arms as several Archfiends had started to flow into reality.

"Trap open!!" I shouted with an outstretched arm as the field began to glow. "Rivalry of Warlords!!"

Soon, the Grephers and Manticores, as well as the Diabolos and Creator all started to vanish. The only monsters left were the Archfiend archetype monsters and the HaDes.

With a savage warcry, the Archfiends descended upon the castle, some even tearing apart a few soldiers and knights. The trippy part was watching as the blood and gore quickly turned into oil and cogs as the dead Ancient Gears stopped being affected by DNA Surgery.

Though… through all the chaos and confusion, I couldn't really see Pinkie anywhere…

"DEFILERS!!" I heard a woman scream. "THIS INSULT TO MY HOME SHALL NOT GO UNPUNISHED!!!"

The blob started to convulse and squirm as it imploded, an… Alicorn I think they're called had started walking from the dispersed darkness, two Archfiend Generals walking beside her.

"My lord!" Pinkie's AG Knight called out. "I believe her to be the source of the attack!"

"Shit, her? Is that all?" I asked a little condescending and with crossed arms.

"I call upon the ancients of old…" The dark horse whispered as she pulled out a blue rock like cube with a blue pulsing light within it. "Here my plea… lay waste to all who opposed me…"

The blue light within the cube began to pulse and spin, it's rotation becoming faster and faster as the stone began to crumble. "Bring upon death to my enemies, and may you bring torment upon their souls!!!"

The box had now broken apart as the two generals were engulfed in dark blue fire.

"Ultimate Golems!!! Ultimate Ancient Gear Golems, NOW!!!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs as I desperately began searching my deck for a set of cards.

With a wordless order, three skyscraper sized centaur like Ancient Gear monsters had jumped into the field… only to be blown back to pieces along with ninety nine percent of our strike force.

Well, at least Pinkie's Knight survived…

"Into the castle now! Into the castle NOW!" I commanded as I turned tail, narrowly dodging a stone blue giant's fist.

"My lord! What shall we do!?" The Pink Knight asked as he ran beside me.

"I activate Stumbling!" Without looking back, I threw the card open with just enough time to feel the earth quake as something heavy no doubt toppled over its feet. "That should buy me time! Get to Vinyl and jump ship!"

"What shall you do!?" The Knight asked as he began jogging in place.

"I'm destroying the castle…"

Duel 01 Pt3

-Twilight & Co-

"Did y'all hear that!?" Applejack had cried out as she steadied herself.

"I felt that!" Rainbow had shouted, her hovering having been disturbed from the force of whatever impacted the earth.

"Vincent…" Fluttershy whispered in fear, her forehooves gently tightening around her new Manticore friend.

"We need to hurry!" Twilight shouted. "If Nightmare Moon finds the Elements before we do, she'll do more than just plunge the world into eternal night!"

"More!? What more can she already do!?" Rarity cried, clearly frazzled and frustrated.

Before Twilight could answer, a mechanical beast had jumped at the group from the dense and dead forestation… Pinkie sitting upon its head.

"Get on! Vin needs us!" She shouted, though her giant, filthy, and ancient mechanical mount had started to growl at Fluttershy's Manticore.

The two beasts had started a small growling match for all of two seconds… long enough for Fluttershy to apparently pacify both with nothing but a stare.

"There may not be enough room for everypony," Twilight stated matter of factly. "Rarity, go with Fluttershy on the Manticore. Applejack, you're with Pinkie and me! Rainbow, scout ahead!"

"You got it!" Rainbow declared with a salute as she sped off, followed soon by the Manticore and Pinkie's beast.

"Where have you been?" Twilight asked Pinkie, doing her best not to get her mane and tail caught in loose gears.

"I was with Vinny!" The mare said happily.

"How is he!?" Applejack cried out in worry. "Is he hurt!? Did he say anything!? What's goin on!?"

"Weeeellll…" The war painted party pony thusly began a spirited rant about the small scale assault, the many monsters, Nightmare Moon, something about marshmallows… and the blue stone bodied giant that utterly disintegrated all but one of Vincent's soldiers.

"No…" Twilight whispered. "No it can't… WE NEED TO GET THERE NOW!!"

"Whoa Nelly! Y'all look like you've seen-"

"We'll be seeing ghosts if we don't stop that god!!" Twilight cried.

Without warning, an eagle's cry pierced the world as a great fire engulfed the sky. With that, the beast doubled it's pace and outran both Fluttershy's Manticore and Rainbow.

"Hey! What's the rush!?" The rainbow maned flier shouted.

"No time! Nightmare has summoned her god!" Twilight shouted back.

With that, the three groups doubled their speed.

-Vincent-

"YOU ARE UNWORTHY OF THAT FORM!!" The night horse shouted from atop Obelisk's shoulder, narrowly dodging a stray burst of flame from one of my wingbeats.

"Lady! I can take whatever form I want, when I want!" I shouted as I gathered my breath, exhaling a plume of golden fire as Obelisk blocked with his arms. "This is getting me nowhere…"

"I SHALL SEE YOU DIE!!!" My opponent cried as Obelisk threw his fist back and forward, the knuckle catching fire as it slammed into my wing.

With an annoyed grunt, I said fuck all as I body slammed Obelisk into the ground, charged up another plume of fire, and burried my beak into it's chest. The Divine Beast screamed as it started punching my face… at least until it started to glow red…

"Fool." Was all my opponent had said as Obelisk had pulled a pair of Vilepawn Archfiends from out of nowhere, sapping their power.

"Oh fuck a du-" The world went white… and then it all went black…

-Twilight & Co: 10 minutes earlier-

"Iiiiisss this what we're looking for?" Pinkie asked the lavender unicorn, her face covered by the remains of an Ancient Gear helmet.

Actually taking the time to giggle, Twilight looked back at the path before the group of six, thankful that Pinkie apparently knew the layout to the castle, though it looked rather different than her history books led her to believe.

"If I'm right, the Elements should be housed somewhere within the throne room…" Twilight mumbled, flinching in surprise as a wall had opened up to reveal a staircase.

"Open sesame!" Pinkie exclaimed happily, having traded her helmet for a fez. The group found their smiles in their trying time and quickly scaled to staircase, a blinding light engulfing the world.

"EVERYPONY GET DOWN!!!" Twilight cried as she erected a barrier, her magic shaking and threatening to break from the intense wave of destructive energy.

As the light faded, the girls gasped as Nightmare Moon slowly descended through the destroyed and exposed castle walls… right into the throne room.

"And there isn't any other worm to stop me from achieving my des-" As Nightmare Moon slowly trot along the ruined cobblestone in the midst of a monologue, a massive mallet slammed her bodily into the floor.

"NEVER HAVE I EVER BEEN SO UTTERLY PISSED!!" A shrill and squeaky voice roared, the voice belonging to what Twilight could only deduce was a small and armored monster…

'But where is it's summoner?' She thought to herself.

The monster was roughly the same size as the Junk Synchron, but was garbed in olden day leather armor, a tiny cape, and horned helmet. A lightning bolt shaped dagger hung loosely on it's hip, no doubt a side arm if it ever lost it's hammer.

"More of these pitiful monsters!?" Nightmare Moon cried. "I will mount yo-" For a second time, Nightmare Moon was interrupted from her monologuing as mallet met chin.

Shaking away her fear and doubt Twilight jumped for the top of the stairs. "Come on girls! We won't ever get another opportunity like this!"

Without so much as a second opinion, the group of six rushed forth into the fray, thankful that Nightmare Moon was being kept at bay.

"Switch… switch switch switch…" Twilight mumbled as she and the others had started scratching at the stone floor.

"HEY VIN!" Pinkie shouted as she gained the monster's attention.

"Whaddya want Pinks!? I'm a little BUSY!!" The monster shouted, shouting in pain as Nightmare Moon had managed to blast his hammer out of his hands… and straight towards Pinkie Pie's hooves.

"Nevermind! Thank you!" The pink pony exclaimed happily.

"Pinkie, not to question your methods…" Rarity said as she cautiously backed away.

"Y'all be careful with that hammer now!" Applejack added with much more worry.

"And who is Vin!?" Twilight questioned.

Of course, she would get her answer… but not in the way she would expect. As Pinkie reared back and readied her mallet, Nightmare Moon had blast her opponent into the only throne not destroyed in the siege.

"VINCENT!!" Applejack, Rainbow, and Fluttershy cried.

Conflicted, Twilight chose to direct her attention to the monster… who slowly began to morph into a taller, broken, machine like bipedal creature wearing torn clothing where metal limbs and circuitry was exposed and sparking.

"Sweet Celestia…" The lavender unicorn found herself whispering, only for a loud slam to shake her from her revery.

"Huh, coulda sworn that would work…" Pinkie mused as she looked at the spider-webbed stone floor.

It wasn't long before a wicked laugh caught the attention of all those still standing, Nightmare Moon walking calmly and reassured of whatever victory she sought.

"This night may not have gone the way I imagined it would," the lunar tyrant chuckled. "But my oh my does it fill my heart with joy to see my loyal subjects bow before me to witness my moment of glory."

"We'll never bow to you," Twilight stated as she took a battle stance, her blade blinking into existence and her duel disk energizing. "Not so long as we can fight!"

"Fight? You mean with these?" Nightmare Moon smiled teasingly as she stepped on a switch, the floor opening to reveal a five horned pedestal adorned with five stones. Each marked with the image of a gemstone… and each sporting webbed cracks.

"Oohhh… did I do that?" Pinkie asked sheepishly as she hugged her hammer.

"Really, I must thank you," Nightmare taunted condescendingly as she began to circle the stones. "You've saved me the trouble of destroying them myself~"

With a flick of her ethereal tail, the stones had turned to dust… along with any hope of victory.

"And now you all have two choices," Nightmare Moon stated as she beat her wings and ascended into the sky, her body shrouded in darkness by the light of the moon. "BOW TO ME, OR DIE!"

"No deal!!" Pinkie shouted as she attempted to level her hammer at the Alicorn, only for her friends to pull her back to keep her from whatever assured death awaited her.

Laughing maniacally, Nightmare Moon stared at the group with mirth. "So long has it been since I've had a proper fight. Mayhaps you will satisfy my wants and needs?" She asked with a wicked smile, her slit eyes sharpening to accentuate her growing battle lust.

"SATISFY THIS!!!" Rainbow had cried, ramming into Nightmare Moon with all the force of a hundred pound cannonball.

"Can't that girl stay still for just a minute!!?" Applejack cried out as she made a mad dash into the fray.

"Stick to the plan! Stick to the plan!" Pinkie exclaimed, valiantly rushing in to join her allies.

"Ohh… Stay with Vincent, join the fight, stay with Vincent, join the fight…" Rarity muttered to herself as she paced about. "Ohhh… I'M JOINING THE FIGHT!" She finally shouted, holding her head up high as if her horn were a blade.

"Then let's get in there and fight," Twilight stated. "I have a plan, but we need to stay together. Can I ask you to trust me?" She asked of the alabaster unicorn.

With conviction in her eyes, Rarity gave a solemn nod as she looked about the room for Fluttershy. The shy pegasus having found her way to Vincent's broken body.

"Go…" He managed to say to the pegasus putting his loose parts and scrap in order. "Kick her ass for me…"

With that, the girls were gone to face the oncoming Nightmare.

"Welp…" Vincent said to no one. "Time for a nap."

"WARNING, STRUCTURAL DAMAGE DETECTED. SHUT DOWN STATE INACCESSIBLE."

"SO I'M STUCK LIKE THIS!?" Vincent cried, silence his only answer.

"WATCH YOUR LEFT!" Rainbow shouted as she dodged a beam of energy.

"WHO'S LEFT!?" Pinkie cried as a slab of stone pinned her to a wall. After a second, her head popped out from a tiny crevice between the slab and the wall. "Ohhh… my left…"

With a crazed gaze, Nightmare leveled a massive Ballista at the pinned pony in hopes of piercing through her.

With one swift motion, Applejack had roped Nightmare's torso and pulled her down just enough so that the spiked ballista only pierced Pinkie's tail… much to the party pony's now growing ire.

"That… was. MY. TAIL!!!" Pinkie bellowed as she burst through the slab of stone pinning her to the wall. With flattened mane, tail, and darkened colors, Pinkie slammed her hind hooves onto Nightmare's head.

Somehow, instead of being planted into the floor, the Alicorn had bounced off of the ground as Pinkie pounced her through a wall.

"Did… did that just happen?" Rainbow asked an equally befuddled Applejack. Thankfully, before any could answer, Twilight had ran in followed closely by Rarity and Fluttershy.

"Girls! I have a plan!" Twilight shouted as she slid to a halt.

"Plan?" Pinkie asked as she happily stuck her head out from the hole she made. Her body had regained its color and her mane and tail had regained their volume… much to Rainbow and Applejack's ever growing confusion.

"I can beat Nightmare with this," Twilight said as she raised her duel disk. "But I'll need your help. Everypony's help."

"What about that sword?" Rainbow asked, pointing to Twilight's blade.

"What this? It's actually not a sword, it's condensed Mana stone. I wouldn't actually swing this at anything." Twilight replied a little bashfully.

"Condensed what-now?" Applejack now reiterated.

"Mana- wait, it'll be easier to just show you. In case the elements were complete duds, my next best bet was to hopefully encapsulate the spirits they embody… Huh, it's all starting to make sense now…" The unicorn mused as she started pacing about, going on a self contained rant about something.

"Twilight, dear," Rarity interjected as she stopped the girl dead in her tracks. "Your plan?"

"What- OH yes of course! Everypony, place your hooves on the disk. We're summoning a monster." Twilight proclaimed as she held out the duel disk once more.

"Oh no! You are not using my card again! Not gonna happen!" Rainbow shouted as she shook her head in denial.

"Wait! I have a card!" Pinkie cheered as she began to reach into her mane, pulling out various objects which she unintentionally threw at the somewhat dazed and confused Nightmare Moon as the Alicorn attempted to pull herself out of the hole Pinkie had put her in.

The objects varied drastically, the first few were small like loose pastries, accordions, drums, rock candies, and a snow globe. It wasn't until Pinkie had started throwing out larger items, ending with a grand Piano pinning Nightmare Moon to the floor, did she actually stop.

"Huh, coulda sworn I packed my deck." The party pony relented as she rubbed her chin.

"Left ma cards at the barn." Applejack added, the girls looking to Fluttershy, the shy mare only shrinking at their gaze.

"I-I'm sorry, Angel bunny wanted them to play with Watch Dog." She whispered.

"Well, I came prepared for this too," Twilight stated calmly. "Whenever you're ready."

One by one the five placed their hooves upon the machine, it's core glowing ever brighter with each. Once all had a hoof upon the disk, Twilight plunged her blade into the disk's core, a grand rainbow light engulfing the room.

"THIS IS CORE TEST NUMBER ONE!" Twilight shouted as she and the five mares began to glow. "ACTIVATING MONSTER RECALL... NOW!!!"

Before any one could blink, the world was engulfed in great light, the only thing visible was the silhouette of a robed Spellcaster, their staff pointed forward… and then…

Nothing

-Vagabond-

"UNKNOWN HARMONIC ENERGY LEVELS SKYROCKETING!" I heard my inbuilt computer yell.

"What the hell does that mean!?" I shouted back, pissed off that I really couldn't do anything.

"ATTEMPTING TO GATHER RESIDUAL ENERGY… Processing… Error, failure to process energy. Life Point count two thousand three hundred and forty one."

"Huh? Can you make sense yet?" I asked my useless AI.

"An attempt was made to collect harmonic energy, only a small percentage was successfully retrieved and processed."

"And the Life count?"

"Raised from three hundred and sixty six."

Oh… shit. I was waaaay more beat up than I thought I was. Brightside, I'm not dying as badly.

"So… why is shut down so important anyway?" I asked idly.

"Once in Shut-Down state, your body can begin to regenerate Life Points at a fixed pace."

"Right, and what about now?"

"Bodily damage exceeds normal parameters. Attempting to contact Ark Cradle to send repair bots."

"Repair bots? Wait… You mean I'm stuck like this!?" I shouted in annoyance.

"Unfortunately."

"All the better to possess you." I heard an echoey voice whisper.

"Oh for fucks sake…"

"Now now my little annoyance… that's no way to treat your new master…" A pool of blackened shadows started to form in front of me, a horses head slowly rising from the floor.

After about two agonizingly long minutes, the puddle had coagulated and morphed into a black horse with crimson eyes. "Much better…" The shadowed horse said, her obviously female voice sounded like it was being filtered through mud. "I hope I didn't keep you while I formed a new body."

"Me? Nah, I ain't got nowhere else to be." I snarked, much to my guest's growing amusement.

"Such a mouth on you, don't worry…" She pawed the ground gently, a new puddle forming as it summoned an Archfiend Soldier, it's green cape billowing in an unknown wind. "I'll soon shut it for you."

"Are you… challenging me to a duel?" I ask, trying rather desperately to raise my left arm. "Cause if you are… you'll regret it."

"A duel? The ancients would wage wars with these beasts!" She cackled. "And you call it a duel? How… novel." With a small motion of her hoof, the Soldier took a step forward as two puddles formed behind it.

Growling, I felt something pulsate inside me as tiny claws and appendages burst from my arm as my duel disk assumed the position. "I may be half dead, in pieces, and at a massive deficit of Life Points…" As the tiny grabbers set my deck, a stone scoreboard rose from the fractured ground. "But BITCH! I AM STILL KING OF THIS CASTLE!!!"

"DUEL!!"

NIGHTMARE: 8000

Archfiend Soldier: 1900 Atk

VAGABOND: 2341

"King of this castle?" Nightmare mocked. "Half dead and broken? How deliciously delusional~"

Growling, I drew my hand. One Gear Town, two Ancient Gear Castles, Ancient Gear Beast, Magic Cylinder and a Double Cyclone… "I play two copies of Ancient Gear Castle!"

As my grabbers set the continuous spells and quick play spell, the broken walls of the castle quickly rose back up and we were once again hidden from the cold night. "Next! I activate the field spell, Gear Town!!" Clockwork gears began to decorate the walls, steam engine pipes crawled along the masonry, and the windows took on a golden yellow hue.

"What… is all this?" She asked as she stared at the changes, a sense of wonder in the firepits that made up her eyes.

"By the effect of Gear Town, I can normal summon any Ancient Gear monster with one less summon. I normal summon the level five Ancient Gear Beast!" With that, the mechanical armored lion pounced onto the field and roared. "Battle!!"

"Were it so easy!!" Nightmare cried as she stomped her hooves on the ground… only to blink in confusion. "Why… aren't my traps activating?"

"The effect of most Ancient Gear monsters stops traps from activating during the battle phase." I replied idly as the Beast tore into the Archfiend Soldier.

NIGHTMARE: 7500

VAGABOND: 2341

Ancient Gear Beast: 2400 Atk

"AUGH!" My opponent cried as she reeled quite a bit, rubbing her head into the floor. "You will not be so lucky again…"

"Turn end." With that, Nightmare took a look around once more before stomping her hooves on the stone. Red and orange lightning began to arc along the walls and gears, stone monuments rose from the ground and demonic beasts began to crawl or skulk around the room.

"Impossible!" Nightmare shouted. "Pandemonium should have overtaken this… Gear Town." She complained.

"Huh? Oh, right. Yeah… the rulings for a lot of things have changed, shared fields being one of them. Two field spells can now occupy the board." I explained casually.

"TWO!? Preposterous!" She yelled with righteous fury. "It is no matter, you will soon fall, and it will be of no consequence." With that, her left back row puddle geysered as she threw her head back in pain once more.

NIGHTMARE: 7000

Archfiend Soldier: 1900 Atk

"I can… handle this much…" She gasped as a new puddle began to form at her Soldier's feet. "ARISE!" As the Soldier was engulfed and seemingly eaten, a new, bulkier, flesh filled horned skeletal beast rose from the black ooze.

NIGHTMARE: 7000

Skull Archfiend of Lightning: 2500 Atk

"Now… come to me." Soon, another puddle began to form at Ancient Gear Beast's paws.

"Falling Down?" I asked, my vision seemingly catching the equip spell in use. Now I could just pop the spell now… but I wanted to press my luck.

NIGHTMARE: 7000

Skull Archfiend of Lightning: 2500 Atk

Ancient Gear Beast: 2400 Atk

VAGABOND: 2341

As the puddle swallowed my monster whole and spat it back out at Nightmare's side, the shadow horse began to cackle. "And here I thought you'd actually pose a challenge~" She mocked. "NOW DIE!"

"SPELL OPEN!" I shouted as the blue fire surrounding my Beast was blown away… along with Gear Town. The Beast thusly rushes to my side and slid to a cartoonish halt before looking at me while acting like a puppy.

I could see Nightmare's left eye twitch at the act. "You… but… YOU SAID TRAPS-"

"DID YOU HONESTLY THINK I WAS GOING TO LET YOU DECLARE AN ATTACK!?" I shouted with righteous indignation. "Double Cyclone lets me destroy two spell and or traps on the field so long as I own one of those targets!"

"Hmph, that explains the lack of metal." My opponent huffed.

"And due to Gear Town's effect…" A piercing screech resounded in the now Pandemonium controlled field, a mechanical avian descending upon the field. "I special summon from the deck, Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon!"

NIGHTMARE: 7000

Skull Archfiend of Lightning: 2500 Atk

VAGABOND: 2341

Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon: 3400 Atk

Ancient Gear Beast: 2400 Atk

"Oh… well. My Archfiend of Lightning is still stronger than your beast!" Nightmare shouted. "STRIKE TRUE!"

With a shrill cry, the Archfiend gathered lightning in it's claws and fired.

"Trap open! Magic Cylinder!!" I shouted in response. As the magical barrel formed, a giant dark blue die had fallen from the sky, causing a loud thump as it landed. As a shining "3" appeared over the cast die, the Archfiend's lightning pierced through the barrel, striking my Beast and destroying it…

And causing me untold amounts of ungodly pain…

NIGHTMARE: 7000

Skull Archfiend of Lightning: 2500 Atk

VAGABOND: 2241

Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon: 3400 Atk

As I screamed bloody murder at the top of my lungs, my opponent could only laugh like a hysterical hyena.

"It hurts, doesn't it!?" She mocked as a puddle appeared behind her Archfiend and another swallowed what looked like an Imprisoned Queen Archfiend. That, and I got a prompt saying Dark World Dealings was just activated. A Terraforming appearing and disappearing from my hand.

"Oh you wanna see hurt?" With that, I drew my card. 'Ancient Gear Golem…'

"Now I may have failed to mention this, but whenever a monster is normal summoned, Ancient Gear Castle gains a Gear Counter," I start to explain.

"Your point?" Nightmare asked with impatience.

"I have two Ancient Gear Castles, each with two counters. I send one to the grave to normal summon the Ancient Gear Golem!" The ground began to rumble and quake, an iron hand clasping onto the broken wall as the giant rose from just outside the fractured castle.

NIGHTMARE: 7000

Skull Archfiend of Lightning: 2500 Atk

VAGABOND: 2241

Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon: 3200 Atk

Ancient Gear Golem: 3200 Atk

"Oh… that looks like it could hurt me." Nightmare muttered as she stared at the giant.

"Golem! Snap that Archfiend in two!" I exclaimed as the Golem roared a mechanical roar. With ever widening eyes, Nightmare flinched as the Summoned Skull reskin was grasped, and then she screamed when it's spine was snapped like a twig.

NIGHTMARE: 6300

VAGABOND: 2241

Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon: 3200 Atk

Ancient Gear Golem: 3200 Atk

"I… I am not…" Panting, she roared in pain once more as her Imprisoned Queen Archfiend rose from the earlier formed puddle. "I shall not fall!"

NIGHTMARE: 5500

Imprisoned Queen Archfiend: 2600 Atk

VAGABOND: 2241

Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon: 3200 Atk

Ancient Gear Golem: 3200 Atk

"Gadjiltron!!" With an ear piercing cry, the mechanical winged beast flew into the air before slamming the Queen Archfiend into the floor, ripping it apart piece by piece.

As the mechanical chop shop bird tore into the Queen, Nightmare's cries of pain and torment filled the world.

NIGHTMARE: 4900

VAGABOND: 2241

Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon: 3200 Atk

Ancient Gear Golem: 3200 Atk

"EVEN THIS… Won't stop me…" Nightmare whimpered weakly. As she desperately kept herself steady.

"Just take your turn." I say, more than a little tired of this whole thing.

"Come forth my Queen!" She exclaimed as an Infernalqueen Archfiend rose from the ground, an Axe of Despair in its hands.

NIGHTMARE: 4900

Infernalqueen Archfiend: 1900 Atk

VAGABOND: 2241

Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon: 3200 Atk

Ancient Gear Golem: 3200 Atk

With grit teeth and a curse to the wind, Nightmare had ended her turn.

"Draw!" Hmm… Ancient Gear Engineer… Why do I even run this!? Shaking away that thought, I looked to my opponent's practically bare field. One monster, one equip spell, one field spell, and one spell or trap. She probably has Obelisk in her hand, but with no monsters to summon it with, she was practically dead on arrival.

"NIGHTMARE MUST DIE!" And with that exclamation, my monsters prepared themselves as I entered the battle phase.

I could see the fear beginning to creep along Nightmare's face, even her Archfiend tried to hide herself behind her Axe of Despair.

Before anyone could blink, the Gadjiltron had swiped the Infernalqueen in one of its talons before biting into it bit by bit, Nightmare falling flat on her face, eyes bulging and mouth agape.

NIGHTMARE: 3600

VAGABOND: 2241

Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon: 3200 Atk

Ancient Gear Golem: 3200 Atk

"Please… no…" Nightmare whimpered pitifully as her form writhed and faded. "Please…"

"Golem…" I whispered without remorse. "Direct attack." With an ungodly roar, the Golem reared his fist back… and struck.

Her cry pierced the hall for what seemed like an eternity, the shadows of Archfiends watched in silence, and a somber atmosphere fell upon the field.

NIGHTMARE: 3600

VAGABOND: 2241

Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon: 3200 Atk

Ancient Gear Golem: 3200 Atk

"Wha… why…?" She asked as she looked up, the Golem's fist having stopped only inches from her head.

"Get out." Was all I said, the monsters fading as well as Pandemonium.

"What?" She asked once more.

"Get. Out."

As the light of the moon fell upon the open skyline, Nightmare had melted into the stone floor, flying off along the ground and out of the castle. Just as the last of her slithered away into the night, the double doors of the throne room were kicked open.

"VINCENT! CON SARNIT WE'VE BEEN TRYINNA BREAK THAT DOOR DOWN FOREVER NOW!!" Applejack shouted as she rushed in. "Landsakes… what happened to ya…"

"I'm not gonna lie, I'm probably gonna be stuck like this for a few… years. Decades… who really knows." I replied as she got closer and closer.

"Halt, Honesty!" A younger, unfamiliar voice called out. "What business have you with an automaton?"

"He's mah friend and I will not tolerate you talkin' down to 'im! Even if ya are a princess!"

Applejack's snap seemed to cause just about everyone to gasp, but her look of righteous indignation told everyone that she wouldn't back down.

"Tensions are rather high this night," A more mature and almost kind and patient commanding voice called out. The two voices started to move closer into my undamaged reticle.

The younger voice probably belonged to the small baby blue Alicorn with the star filled mane, the older voice no doubt belonged to the incredibly tall and off white Alicorn who had an off colored rainbow mane that seemed to blow in a non existent wind.

"Are you responsible for all that's happened tonight?" She asked of me.

I cleared my throat for a bit and thought about my eye glowing as I talked. "Beep beep, does not compute." I replied sarcastically.

Apparently my thought actually worked as I saw a faint red glow shine off of some necklace AJ was wearing.

"Vincent Price!" Applejack chastised. "Ah now I was a little rude, but that's cause y'all was being made fun of!"

The white Alicorn only chuckled at this as she looked at me more closely. "You have quite the sense of humor," She said happily. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Princess Celestia… co-ruler of Equestria, and this," She then pushed the younger Alicorn along from behind her. "Is my sister, Princess Luna. You may not know this, but you helped save her from a waking nightmare."

"I… We are indebted to you, machine." Luna mumbled as she looked away.

"Whatever," I replied coldly. "Well, my name is Vincent Price, and you two are in my castle. So if you don't mind-"

"Your castle!?" Luna shouted as if she was just sucker punched. "This has been Our home since time immemorial, and thou would have the audacity to lay cla-" She flinched in surprise as Celestia had draped a wing over her head.

"Now now, this house… has not been a home for a thousand years," She whispered. "Now is not the time to reminisce on the old, but to let go and look towards a tomorrow that can be brighter than yester year."

Her sister mulled the words over for a while before huffing. "We suppose we can… allow this vagabond to inhabit our fallen home."

"Great, now get out. I'm tired and half dead." I said maybe a bit too coldly.

Before Luna could say anything bratty, Celestia simply chuckled as she hid her smile behind a wing. "Of course, of course. It wouldn't be prudent to intrude on your time. I only hope that we can help you with your… healing."

"Should probably get back to the barn. Folks are probably worried sick." Applejack said with a laugh.

"I'll see ya around, Jacqueline." I say as she smiles and walks away.

The princesses soon follow, but Celestia stops for a second as she craned her head down as she picked something up. "Hello… what are you doing out here?" I heard her say.

"Sister, that's…" Luna muttered before hushing her voice.

"I see… well. It's a good thing to have this back." Celestia replied happily, the two flying away.

Out of the clear path of my vision, I could see five blurred and multicolored images, four seemed like they were holding something back as the mass of color started to leave.

"So… looks like I'm stuck like this." I said to no one.

"Oh I don't know about that…"

Duel 02: Count Your Blessings

"Oh I don't know about that." An ethereal voice said, the sound feeling as if it was ringing directly into my brain.

"What the fuck…" I whispered with worry.

"Ah, vulgarity! You're going to be a fun one!" The voice said jovially.

"Who the hell is talking to me?"

"Not important," The male voice replied. "You know what is? Celestia just ran off with your copy of The Winged Dragon of Ra."

"She did- THAT BITCH!!!" I shouted.

"Hah! Yes, that's it!" He cheered. "NOW! I SHALL BATHE YOU IN GLORIOUS FIRE!!"

"I'm sorry what was that?" Of course, before the strange voice could elaborate, I started screaming bloody murder as I was engulfed in golden fire… that… didn't actually hurt.

Little by little, the scrap metal that was my body began to melt and clump together, slowly rebuilding me from the ground up.

Before I knew it, I was sitting comfortably and complete on my throne.

[Blessing of Ra added] I heard my AI call out.

"Wait, Ra?" I asked for clarification.

"That's right, my boy! The Winged Dragon, at your service" The ethereal voice echoed. "To you, I grant my blessing! That is… so long as you do something for me."

"Oh sure… work for a god, that won't bite me in the ass." I said as I started testing my limbs.

"Play your cards right, and I do mean that literally, and you'll be glad to have me in your corner." Ra replied.

Rolling my eyes and getting to my feet, I took a languid stretch and grunted. "Alright, I'll bite. The fuck do you need me to do?"

"Oh it's easy, easiest thing in the world!" He said cheerily. "But first, exposition," A great golden cloud covered the throne room as images began to form. "FOR YOU SEE! THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO-"

"No."

"Okay, so my brothers and I gave our blessings and gifts to three mortals, two unicorns and a pegasus,"Ra explained as the cloud faded.

"Yada yada, war, yada yada, monsters, yada yada, you get the point. Now, MY gift was locked away at the bottom of this castle because Celestia couldn't get her horn out of her flank. YOU'RE JOB is to get it back."

"Mmhm. So… traps?" I asked as I crossed my legs and rest my chin on my palm.

"Probably."

"Undead guardians?"

"It would be a pretty bad holding cell if it didn't have guards."

"Let me guess… I'm gonna have to duel somebody once I get there."

"There will be a Summoner guarding the gift, yes."

"Faaan fucking tastic. Lead the way, Ra."

"BY MY POWER! I REVEAL TO YOU THE PATH ONCE HIDDEN FOR A MILLENNIA!!" The Disembodied Dragon of Ra exclaimed as the stone floors began to glow gold. With a rumbling from beneath, the stone parted, revealing a staircase leading down into the depths of… wherever it went.

"Now, I may or may not have used what was left of my power to open the catacombs so you'll probably want to take a flashlight." Ra had explained.

"Wait what?" I asked, already halfway through the floor. "The hell do you mean?"

"I have been stuck asleep on this mortal plane for a thousand years! You're lucky your outburst sent enough energy to wake me up! And don't get me started on having to fix you…"

"Alright alright, I get it! I'll get you out of there… God!" I shouted in annoyance.

"Yes? Oh, and you have a visitor."

At that moment, the Pink Gear Knight had stumbled through the open throne room entrance, a lampshade on his head and an equally pink Ancient Gear Beast slung over his shoulder.

"My lord! You're on your feet!!" He cheered once he took the lampshade off, dropping the beast onto the ground. The animalistic machine didn't even care that he was dropped…

"Pinkie?" I asked as I took a seat on the stairs.

"Why, yes. How did you know?" He asked as he took a seat on the ledge of the floor opening.

"Is Vinyl okay?" I asked as I started fixing a deck.

"Why yes, yes she is. She seemed distressed when she noticed you weren't at the feast, but the girls and I put her worries to rest… we did however leave out the part where you were… Well…" He looked like he was trying to find the right words to not be rude as he prodded his index fingers together.

"It's fine, it's not every day you get turned into scrap metal," I said as I got to my feet. "Hey, hold down the fort, I'm going for a walk."

"You don't require company, sir? I could fetch Miss Pie?"

"It's cool!" I shouted now knee deep in the dark. "I got this!"

Well… I hoped at least.

The entrance to the catacombs was, as Ra said, dark. Thankfully, I was a flashlight, my eyes pretty much glowing like high beams as I stared at the shadowed and glyph inscribed walls.

"Right… he said this place had traps…" Remembering all I knew about classic tomb raiding tropes, I hugged the walls as softly as I could, every step made with care as my hands slid along the walls.

I actually sighed in relief when one of my fingers went past what I guessed was a blow dart hole. It was going to be slow, but so long as I took care not to trigger any traps, I would be just fine…

...which is when the floor gave out from under me for no discernible reason.

Yelling to know one, I prepared a card and hoped to God the bottom wasn't a spike trap.

-Meanwhile-

"Miss Pie, the others gave strict orders that no one was to return to the castle." The Pink Gear Knight chastised, Pinkie Pie having snuck her way not only into the castle, but into a room housing a massive and intricate Organ Pipe.

"Oh bah!!" Pinkie replied happily, the Pink Gear Beast rolling around within the massive music hall as the party pony played a rag time.

Trying to compute the internal conflict raging within him, the Knight only sighed as he placed the lampshade back over his head. "Oh to hell with it all, let's dance!"

-Vagabond-

I slid along a smooth half pipe for what seemed like an eternity until I was dropped into a large square room, five closed and upright stone coffins lining the walls along with twelve closed stone doors.

"Okay, ancient tombs… stone doors…" I wiped the dust off my current unbreakable form, the robes of the Spirit Reaper were apparently really good at collecting dust. Hefting the scythe over my shoulder, I began to make way for a door.

"Alright, that bottomless floor took me by surprise, but so long as I watch my back from here on in, I should be just fi-"

Before I knew it, all five tomb doors had fallen to the floor, aged hands starting to claw their way out. Two Pharaonic Protectors, two Pharaoh's Servants, and a Royal Keeper.

Well… shit. Reverting to my normal form, I quickly went to a door and started slamming my hands on it, the Egyptian zombies slowly getting themselves out of their coffins. Totally not freaked out and scared shitless of the situation, I pulled out a Getsu Fuhma and summoned her.

"Keep those Zombies off my back!" I yelled as I equipped her with a Fighting Spirit.

Surprised by the urgency and random equip spell, Getsu shrieked a little before setting her sights on the encroaching zombies.

Breathing a totally not sigh of relief, I started to calmly run my hands along one of the doors, trying to find a secret switch or something…

Of course, as I searched, I could hear the war cries of my zombie slayer as she hacked and slashed through her five opponents. With one final yell, and a surprising amount of blood splatter, Getsu Fuhma gently tapped me on the shoulder and dropped a servant at my feet.

"Fuhma Unit, Hikaru Shidou, reporting!" The Getsu Fuhma shouted with a salute. Actually, now that I was getting a better look at her, she was… smaller and younger than the artwork led me to believe. She was also covered head to toe in zombie gunk and chunks of flesh were stuck in her incredibly short and crimson hair and she had a longsword with a regal styled crimson hilt and guard.

"Uhh… good job soldier?" I replied a little weirded out.

"Hai!" Shidou exclaimed as she bounced slightly.

Nodding, I went back to looking at the door. "Hm… how the hell am I supposed to open this?" I asked aloud as I knocked on the door… which soon began to glow. Looking back, I saw that the Fuhma girl had a gold key in her hand which broke after a second.

As the key split in two and faded, the door behind me started to creep open.

"Where did you-"

"The Pharaoh's guards had them in their possession, sir!" Shidou replied as she bounced again. The act not at all connecting with her serious expression.

"Any more keys?" I asked as I took a peek behind the door.

"Only three, it would seem only the Pharaoh's trusted guards hold these keys." She explained calmly.

Nodding, I took a few steps into the darkened room which lit up once I stepped inside. Once the flashing on my eyes settled, I lowered my arms to take in what looked like a modern day child's playroom. Blinking, I looked back to see that the crypt was still there.

"What the…"

"My sentiments exactly, sir!" Shidou replied as she stepped inside.

"Any ideas on what this room is?" I asked as I took a look at a few building blocks.

"No, sir. You're guess is as good as mine."

"Right, well, let's go back and try another door."

With a nod, the Fuhma girl led the way and chose a door at random. The same thing happened like with the other door, she pulled out a key, it glowed, it broke and the door opened slowly.

Not really expecting another trap, I walked in only to nearly fall into an endless void. Thankfully, Shidou was stronger than she looked and pulled me back in.

After a while, the room gained just enough light to show an entire labyrinthian maze crawling all over the place from floor to ceiling.

"Okay, what the shit." I muttered as I got my bearings.

"Should we proceed, sir?" Shidou asked as she peered down the staircase going down.

"Hell no! What if we get lost!" I shouted as I went back to the crypt.

"Astute observation, sir! I shall try another door!"

That said, she did just that. If the first door had me confused, the third door was really surprising. Once the shadows lifted, we were inside what looked like a desert themed bar. Standing behind the counter was a young man with short cut dirty blonde hair, a burgundy bowtie, a navy blue dress vest, navy blue dress slacks, and a white dress shirt. He was currently cleaning a wine cup before he looked at us.

"Isn't this a surprise," He said with an easy smile. "What brings you beautiful people to my humble abode?"

"Sir, this could be a trap!" Shidou exclaimed as she put herself in front of me and placed a hand on my chest while she drew her sword.

"Wait… aren't you the Sand Gambler?" I asked as I gently moved Shidou's arm out of the way.

"Got it one, how may I help you?" He asked with a smile as he put away the glass.

"You know anything about the place behind us?" I ask while pointing my thumb over a shoulder.

"The Pharaoh's tomb. Navigation has been rather iffy these days, may I offer you a drink?"

Shidou began to hum her discomfort of the situation and pulled me out. "We are on official business! As such we mustn't delay!"

"Should you require my services, I'll be here." The Sand Gambler said cheerfully.

With one last key, Shidou had practically slammed it onto a door. Once open, she calmed down a bit and made her way in. With nothing to lose I followed… This was a mistake.

Once we were both inside, the door slammed closed behind us, red eyes glowing in the darkness.

"Sir, I sense great evil within this room…" Shidou whispered.

"Any suggestions?"

"If you could, summon the other members of the Fuhma Unit." Shidou replied as she readied her blade.

"The other members?" Looking down at my disk, I saw that my deck was glowing blue and green. Shrugging I pulled at the lights and found two more Getsu Fuhma. As the shadows seemed to encroach, I threw the monsters down and equipped them with my last two Fighting Spirit.

A great light flooded the room to show several giant fiends, zombie fiends, zombie dragons, and several small mummies… but there were also two new Getsu Fuhma.

One had flowing blue hair and held a thin Spanish saber, the other had short blonde hair and wielded a zweihander. Despite their hair styles and choice of sword, their armor was still the same samurai styled Fuhma suit.

"Fuhma Unit, Umi Ryuzaki!"

"Fuu Hououji!"

Just as they finished with their roll call, a Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon had swooped down to try and grab one of the girls, only to have their claw sliced off as Fuu backflipped onto its neck, decapitating it.

As the girls decapitated and dismembered fiend after fiend after zombie, I felt a gentle tap on my shoulders. Turning around, I was met with a pair of bright ethereal horns, and a playfully wicked smile.

"Dark Ruler HaDes, at your service," The fiend overlord said whimsically as he handed me a business card. "Me, I can make all your dreams come true…" He then waved his hand and with a small burst of fire, a contract and pen had appeared in his veiny hands, "Whadda ya say?"

I looked at the contract for all of two seconds before a thin blade pierced through HaDes chest, hand, and contract.

"We don't negotiate with Archfiends." Ryuzaki said calmly as she cleanly removed her blade from the now trembling demon king.

As the demon king fell, Ryuzaki began giving me a rather intrusive once over. "Are you hurt? How many fingers am I holding? How many fingers do you own? If a train traveling at-"

"Shouldn't you be killing my enemies?" I asked while shooing her hands away from my face. Her response to this was to slice down two armored zombies without even bothering to look at them.

"Your well being is my main concern, captain," Ryuzaki stated calmly, "But as you seem perfectly healthy, I shall return to the battle as per your requested."

As she spun around and jumped onto a Summoned Skull, I felt a chill run down my spine as smoke began to cover HaDes' body. With a groan, the fallen demon king began to claw the ground at his side as he rose.

"If I can't claim your soul the easy way…" He muttered as he took a shaky step forward. "I'll just take it the hard way!!!" With a violent roar, he rushed forward, several skeletal creatures forming at his every step.

"NOT ON MY WATCH!!" Hououji cried as she held her ludicrously large blade in front of her, the moment the Revived King touched the gear shaped hilt of the blade, a vicious wind struck him, ripping him to pieces and blowing away the many skeletal beasts he had brought with him.

"Master! That was foolish!" Hououji had shouted… only to smile worriedly before giving me a hug of all things. "Please, stand back as we finish these monsters." Dumbfounded, I blinked and walked away, content with letting the girls handle the zombies.

Well… I say that, but the same mist that revived HaDes had started to envelope the fiends. Before they knew it, the Fuhma girls were slowly getting swarmed and overwhelmed.

"Sir! Assistance, please!" Shidou shouted as she just barely managed to keep a group of zombified fiends off of her.

"Pay her no mind!" Ryuzaki called out, dismembering an Archfiend-Zombie Skull.

I said fuck it when I noticed that Hououji was practically swimming in zombies. Rushing in, I pulled out a Mirror Force and waited until someone threw hands at me. With a flash of light, every zombie was blown away, hell, even the room seemed to light up a bit more.

"Sir! Thank you, sir!" Shidou exclaimed with a salute.

"We had it handled, captain!" Ryuzaki shouted with a salute, but slumped a little. "But… thank you."

I had the feeling Houoji wanted to say something, but was a bit preoccupied with spitting out and pulling out various chunks of zombie from her mouth and hair.

"Right, Shidou!" I called out, the Fuhma girl in question saluting, "We out of keys?"

"Sir! We no longer have any keys!"

Facepalming, I looked to Ryuzaki, "You know anything about this place?"

"I'm afraid not," The blue Fuhma girl replied, "As we we're not originally stationed at this outpost, we have next to no information regarding it."

Sighing, I slowly walked out of the now empty room and back to the entrance of the labyrinth, "Alright, let's see what we can do…" With a quick deck shuffle, I drew a card, "Cosmo Queen, huh, maybe I can fathom something from the secrets of the universe."

"Sir! I don't believe that is such a wise idea, sir!" Shidou shouted.

"Yeah yeah, I know what I'm doing…" With that, I took on the form of the queen of galaxies. With a heavy sigh, I closed my eyes and brought my rather thin hands together as if in prayer…

...It was as if the universe exploded within my mind…

My thoughts, senses, perception… it all seemed so lost. Like I was being thrown through a Kubrik wormhole while trying to solve a gelatinous rubix cube… and yet, just as quickly as it started, it all came to an abrupt end.

"SIR!" Shidou shouted at me, her nose practically pushing down on my own, "He's awake!" She cheered as she pulled away, the other two Fuhma girls having crowded around me.

"What… what happened?" I asked as I found myself on the floor.

"You collapsed after transforming." Houoji said calmly, no longer covered in zombie gunk.

"What? How long was I out?"

"A minute, surprisingly," Ryuzaki stated as she helped me to my feet, "Though I must ask that you refrain from using that form in the foreseeable future."

"Yeah, yeah… I didn't even learn anything anyway…" Sighing, I shook off the stupor and looked back to the maze, "Alright, who wants to go with me?"

"By your orders, sir!"
"I would be honored, captain!"
"I shall escort you, my master!"

Groaning, I pinched the bridge of my nose before staring at the three zombie slayers. Shidou, though the smallest of the group was rather spirited, almost like she had something to prove. Ryuzaki was only slightly taller than Shidou and it looked like she was the most serious of the three. Houoji was practically an Amazon, but she had this motherly aura about her if her ever present calm smile was any indicator.

My only problem here was that I couldn't take them all with me…

"Ryuzaki!" I exclaimed, causing the blue haired Fuhma girl to stand at attention, "You're with me," Nodding, she slowly walked forward much to the disappointment of Shidou, though Houoji seemed fine with the decision, her smile never falling, "Shidou, Hououji, you two guard the entrance, we'll be back."

With a salute, the two slayers positioned themselves on either side of the entrance as Ryuzaki and I made our descent into the labyrinth. The staircase leading down seemed to go on for eternity, I half wanted to turn around to see if my mind was playing any tricks on me…

"Captain, is everything alright?" Ryuzaki asked as she gave me a stern, but worried expression.

"How long have we been going down?" I asked finally letting the paranoia get the better of me.

As I looked back, I saw an endless staircase ascending into pure darkness, "We have been walking for about ten minutes now, captain."

I may have felt a little worried by that, I mean the drop looked pretty quick… Turning back to look at Ryuzaki, I flinched and almost fell back as we weren't even on the stairs anymore, but smack dab in the middle of the labyrinth.

She must have caught on as her expression softened, "Captain? Is something wro-" As she turned her head to see what I saw, she did flinch and fall backwards, "GYAH!?" She cried as she fell into my arms, "What happened to the stairs!?"

"Yeah, I'm wondering that too…" I looked about as I slowly let her get back on her feet, taking in the sights of the brown stone walls and shadow covered corridors.

Clearing her throat and trying to calm down an embarrassed blush, Ryuzaki began to carve a marker on the wall, "There, this should aid our passage."

Nodding, I let her lead the way, idly watching as she would stop every five minutes or every three turns to carve another marker. Thankfully, no two were made the same.

Of course this meant nothing as we ran into our first marker.

"Strange, but not unexpected," Ryuzaki said calmly, "Come, we press forward."

It felt like another eternity had passed by, the paranoia setting in more and more as we seemed to pass by the same markers more and more. What was worse was that it started to look like the markers started appearing next to each other.

"Ryuzaki… I don't like this…" My escort seemed to agree with me as she looked just about ready to start throwing hands.

Speaking of, she quickly grabbed hold of mine as she started to run, slashing the walls as we ran through as fast as we could… until we hit a dead end.

Turning around, I went a little wide eyed as we were in a large and somewhat circular room with neither exit nor entrance. Biting back a curse, I drew a card from the deck.

"Total Defense Shogun? Yeah this should be good…" Before I knew it, I was garbed in heavy steel plated armor wielding a massive shield, a heavy and wide broadsword on my hips and two more swords on my back.

Back to back, Ryuzaki and I began to spiral within the middle of the sixteen massive slabs of stone that locked us in. It wasn't long before a black shadowy blob began to form along one of the walls, red dots shining from the inky black as green claws lashed out and clawed at nothing before grasping the edges of the shadows.

"It can't be…" Ryuzaki whispered.

"Oh shit… don't tell me…" As the claws pushed back against the stone, the shine of the red dots grew in intensity as the sickly green body they were connected to had halfway emerged from the blob of darkness, the Wall Shadow now locking it's sixteen red eyes at us.

It pulled it's head out to screech at us, the intense sound threatening to blow out our eardrums… before it started to yawn.

"Ugh…" It groaned as it started cracking it's limbs while scratching it's back, "A ghoul finally get visitors in what's probably a good thousand years, and the first thing they do is scratch you up…" The Wall Shadow muttered in a grumbly gravely tone as he yawned again, "Now how can I help you?"

Actually wanting to press my luck, I cancelled the form change and walked up, much to my guide's complaints, "Got a name, or should we just call you Shadow Ghoul?"

The Shadow Ghoul craned it's head and tapped it's chin, "Well, my name's in a pretty archaic language…" He then proceeded to roar and growl something pretty incomprehensible, I got a prompt around my left eye saying that there was a translation problem, "But, everyone else calls me Greg."

"Alright, Greg, I need help getting somewhere."

The Wall Shadow sunk back into the blob, I watched as it slunk down into the floor as the walls began to spin, "You'll need to be specific." He said as he once more popped out of the wall.

"We seek the resting place of Ra's Eye." Ryuzaki stated, Greg flinching a little at this.

"Ra's Eye? The very treasure his champion sealed within the Pharaoh's sarcophagus? Oh no, I can't do that, Celestia would have my head…"

Crossing my arms, I stared the Wall Shadow down. "Yeah, well Celestia stole something that belongs to me, so tell me where to go or-" I then transformed into D.D Warrior and brandished the scimitar rather menacingly, "We can both figure out how to escape the Different Dimension."

If ghouls could sweat… well, Greg actually was sweating… "Alright, alright! I'll open the path, but don't come crying to me when you're burned alive!"

Throwing his arms up, the stone walls began to shift and slide, locking into place as a singular path was lined out. Before we even moved, a stone slab rose to block our path.

"One condition though," Greg growled out, "The lady goes back the way she came." He pointed at the Fuhma Girl, much to her ever growing distrust.

"I shall do no such thing, fiend!" Ryuzaki exclaimed as she readied her saber.

"Stand down, Ryuzaki," I said calmly, shocking the Fuhma Girl to attention, "Trust me enough to be able to take care of myself."

She gave a small sigh before nodding her head, "I shall return, but…" She ran up to me and placed a hand on my duel disk, removing all three Getsu Fuhma, "Here, may they serve you well." With that, she had walked away, somehow without fading… but what did she mean by that?

Shaking my head I glanced at the cards to find they had… changed, she was already blocked off from the labyrinth before I could ask.

"Welp, best get going," Greg mumbled as he sank back down as he started repeating: "Dead man walking! Dead man walking!"

Author's Note

What's this? A chapter and no duel? I must be mad! Well, yes and no. This wasn't originally supposed to be this long, but there were just so many ideas I had (and ideas were also given to me) that I didn't not want to leave anything out. Uh... Just between you and me, LIGHTSWORNS SUCK!

Duel 03: A God and His Angels

-Topside-

"Knighty?" Pinkie piped up as she kept attempting to press down on the organ's keys, "Why can't I play anymore?"

"Quite the question, princess. We're I to fathom a guess, I would say that an outside force has seized control of the pipes." The Knight suggested.

"Oohhh… is that why it's playing randomly?"

As the party pony asked this, the piano had begun playing an incredibly ominous and foreboding song on its own…

-Vagabond-

As I walked through what I presumed to be the entrance to the main chamber, I could hear the sound of grinding stone within the walls, several spear traps activating halfway only to lock, blow darts slowly being pushed out of their chambers instead of being fired… it sounded like whatever traps that were waiting for me were all being undone.

"At least I don't have to watch my step any-" I flinched, took a step back, and started examining the floor, "Solid… just checking…"

It wasn't long until I came upon a stereotypically designed Egyptian style doorway, the blues and golds of the entrance enhancing the sight of the massive winged scarab. Sighing, I took the time to review the cards Ryuzaki had given to me…

"Fuhma Girl?" The cards had an archetype effect similar to the numbered Harpy Lady making it so they were all still technically Getsu Fuhma though luckily only on the field and graveyard, but the cards were all named after the girls, they all had varying stats and attributes, and they each had personal effects.

Thinking it over, I decided to rework a Different Dimension deck, thinking it would be my best bet against a zombie deck. Though, it's honestly pretty good against a lot of things...

The Pharaoh's main chamber was probably far more massive than the crossroads room I had found myself in at the start of this mess. Statues of gold stood at either side of a jeweled sarcophagus and massive fire pits were blazing along the staircase leading to the upright sarcophagus.

I didn't take more than two steps before the massive sarcophagus began to creak open, a bandaged claw hooking onto the side of the coffin. Disk at the ready, I made my ascent as the Pharaoh pushed their way out.

"Who dares defile these ancient halls?" The ancient Pharaoh growled out.

"Vincent Price!" I shouted as I threw my arm up, my disk locking into dueling position, "I'm here for the eye!"

"You will die trying…" After the Pharaoh said this there was a polite cough from behind him making him freeze.

“Excuse me… What do you think you’re doing?” Said what sounded like a woman that if I had to guess was around forty five years old. The Pharaoh turned slowly, letting me see a woman in purple armor with red orbs decorating it, a purple hat, straight black hair that went down to her shoulders, and a dark red staff with what might have been a bat at the top. Tapping her foot she calmly looked up at the Pharaoh, “Well?”

"I-I was only trying to intimidate him, that is my job after all…" The Pharaoh said sheepishly.

"Hey, I'd ask what the hell's going on, but I'm kinda busy here, so either one of you duel me, or I pull out Envoy of the Beginning!" I shouted.

The woman took a step to the side, letting me see her pointed ears, “One moment please,” Looking back at the Pharaoh said said, “It was your job. However if you remember, you were fired four hundred years ago for letting HaDes and his ilk inside the tomb.”

“But...but you let Sand Gambler and his bar in!” The Pharaoh whined, “What makes him so special?!”

“Simple. We gave him strict guidelines when he rented that area of the tomb. Guidelines he’s followed to the letter and has paid rent on time every year. HaDes on the other hand has never and will never follow any rules but his own. At least my partner and I managed to lock him and his ilk in a single room until Vampire Hunter’s available to take care of them,” The Elf said evenly.

"Beat you to it, Fuhma unit. Who knew?" I said with a bit of snark while folding my arms.

"Oh come on! A Getsu Fuhma wouldn't have lasted more than three seconds in that room!" The Pharaoh shouted with righteous indignation, claws clenched and smoke seething from his bandaged mouth.

"What can I say, mine are special."

“Indeed,” The elf said with a smile, “Thank you for dealing with them. However before we can get to our business, I’m afraid I need to deal with him,” With that she pointed her staff to the ground under the Pharaoh and a large crack appeared under him.

"WHAT WAIT NO-" As he fell into the hole in the ground, he gave a comical scream,"YEEEEE HOO HOO HOOEY!!!"

Once the fissure in the ground closed the Elf looked at me again, “Well then. Down to business. You said you were after Ra’s Eye? I can lead you there, but first… perhaps you could help me with something,” Placing her staff on her right arm it morphed into a Duel Disk “DUEL!”

"And now we've reached the important part of the program…" I mumbled as I drew my hand, "So, much like Greg, something tells me you have a name too."

“Correct. You may call me Sally. An Ancient Elf and one of the two Guardians of Ra’s tomb,” she said with a small bow of her head, “however as I am the one who challenged you it is only right for you to go first.”

Sally, the Ancient Elf: 8000 LP

Hand Count: 5

VAGABOND: 8000 LP

Hand Count: 5

"Welp, guess I'll go first!" Dimensional Prison, Mystical Space Typhoon, Necro Face, D.D Warrior Lady, and D.D Assailant… would have liked Gold Sarcophagus, but I'll have to make it work.

"I set a monster and two cards, turn end!"

“My turn then,” Sally said calmly, “I’ll start by activating the field spell Realm of Light,” Upon activation, the roof had turned into a cloudy sky with streams of light peeking out, the two of us standing before a gate to a large stone city and in a large wooded park with a few fountains dotted around the area,

“With this, every time a card is sent from my deck to the graveyard a Shine Counter is added to it, and all my Lightsworn monsters gain 100 attack points for each counter.”

"Bull… shit…" I couldn't really help but go a little wide eyed, a vanilla Spellcaster using Lightsworns? "No, no.. that's fine…"

“Now I activate Solar Recharge, by sending one Lightsworn monster to the graveyard I draw two cards. However the top two cards of my deck are also sent to the graveyard…. Now I activate Foolish Burial to send Wulf, Lightsworn Beast from my deck to the graveyard which activates Wulf’s effect letting me special summon him,”

Jumping from the city’s wall was a tall shirtless humanoid with the head of a white wolf adorned with white and gold shoulder guards, a large axe slung over his shoulder, a golden belt keeping his white robes in place along with his green pants and he had white and golden greaves.

As he looked at me he cricked his neck and smirked. As this happened, beads of light started to appear around us to represent each of the Shine Counters. (Wulf ATK 2100-2400

“Now I summon Raiden, Hand of the Lightsworn,” From behind me a figure lept from the trees and landed next to Wulf. He came up to Wulf’s shoulder and had dark skin a purple scarf… no shirt… again, golden swords with light blue edges held in reverse grips, purple pants with some armor strapped to his legs and greaves similar to Wulf’s.

“Now I’ll place one card and activate Raiden’s effect sending two cards from my deck to the grave.” (Wulf ATK 2100-2400, Def 300. Raiden Atk 1700-2000, Def 1000)

“Now then, Raiden, destroy his face down monster,” With that order Raiden readied his blades, the blue edges started glowing as they gathered power. Jumping into the air he used Wulf’s shoulders as a springboard to jump even higher in the air his blades raised high to strike down my monster.

As blades met card, the image of a blonde woman in tight black leather materialized, Raiden's swords through her chest… With a pained grin, D.D Warrior Lady shoved her royalty free lightsaber into the floor, a rift opening below them that sucked them both into the Different Dimension.

“Wulf direct attack,” Growling, Wulf grabbed his axe with both arms and charged at me, fury in his eyes… and ran directly into a rip in space to the Different Dimension, “D. Prison... How annoying. Well with that I end my turn.”

Sally, the Ancient Elf: 8000

Hand Count: 2

Realm of Light Shine Counter: 3

Vincent: 8000

Hand Count 2

On her end phase, I flipped MST destroying her one trap. "Okay… how the fuuuuck do you have LIGHTSWORNS!?" I uh… may have lost my cool a little… "No, nevermind, DRAW!" I drew a Magic Cylinder, that might be useful… "I set one monster and a backrow, I end." With an Assailant on the field, I would be just fine… I hope.

“My turn… I activate another Solar Recharge and send Celestia Lightsworn Angel to the graveyard…” Sally said.

“Now I activate Charge of the Light Brigade! By sending the top three cards of my deck to the graveyard, I can add any level four or lower Lightsworn monster to my hand. So I’m adding another Raiden to my hand.”

"Cause that worked out really well the last time…" I whispered to myself.

“I now summon Raiden to the field, and activate his special effect… oh look. Felis, Lightsworn Archer was sent to the grave. That activates the second part of Raiden’s effect and Felis’ graveyard effect. First Raiden gains 200 ATK till the end of your next turn on top of what my Field Spell gives him, second, Felis is summoned to the field.”

In a beam of light, a woman with light green hair along with light blue cat ears and tail in simple leather armor with an ornate golden bow appeared in a kneeling position with a hand on her quiver, ready to draw an arrow.

(Raiden ATK 1700-2300. Felis ATK 1100-1500. Def 2000)

“Now I activate Felis’ special effect. I sacrifice her to destroy your face down monster,” Pulling back her arrow which began to glow with a radiant power, she released it as she jumped backwards the force of her magic arrow sending her into the trees and out of sight as her arrow shot forward so fast I could just barely see it. My D.D. Assailant appeared only to get shot through the heart and vanish again.

One of the walls had opened up to reveal a trio of Pharaonic Protectors as they shouted, "SHOT THROUGH THE HEART!"

Eye twitching, I said nothing as I was now left wide fucking open…

“And since I activated Felis’ attack I send three more cards to the graveyard,” Sally said… before a small smirk appeared on her face.

(Raiden ATK 2300-2600)

"Oh balls…" If robots could pale… well I was probably that robot.

“Raiden, attack him directly,” Once more Raiden readied his blade and slashed the air sending two arcs of pure light magic. Once the arcs were about halfway across the field a Magic Cylinder appeared and sucked up the attack.

"Holy SHIT that was close!" I shouted as I actually started to hyperventilate a little, even put my hand on my chest to calm my non existent heart beat. Moments later the attack shot out of the cylinder and shot past Sally.

Frowning Sally said, “I activate Pot of Avarice to move five monsters in my graveyard to the deck, then I draw two cards.”

Sally, the Ancient Elf: 5400

Hand Count: 3

Realm of Light Shine Counters: 7

VAGABOND: 8000

Hand count: 1

“Then I’ll set two cards and end my turn and due to Raiden’s effect I send two cards to the graveyard…. Well looks like Felis is coming back along.” Felis leapt out of the forest and retook her place on the field.

(Raiden ATK 2100-2200. Shine Counters 8)

Alright… heart of the cards… Heart of the fucking cards! "Draw!" With the tried and true over dramatic draw, I slowly tilt my card to find… D.D Warrior… well… fuck my life, "I… set one monster and end."

“My turn then,” Sally replied.

Sally, the Ancient Elf: 5400

Hand Count: 4

Realm of Light Shine Counter: 8

VAGABOND:8000

Hand Count: 1

“I activate Solar Recharge to send Jain, Lightsworn Paladin to the grave… and it looks like Wulf is making a return,” Sally said with a smirk as Wulf walked out of the forest behind her and growled at me, “I activate the spell, Reserve of the Lightsworn, this card lets me take one monster on my field and swap them for another Lightsworn monster in my hand, but in return, I send three more cards to the graveyard. So, I’m bringing Felis back and summoning Minerva, Lightsworn Maiden.

"Reserve of what!?" Okay… now there are new world only archetype cards… Can this shit get any worse?

“Now tune level three Minerva to level four Wulf to Synchro Summon in order to summon Michael, the Arch-Lightsworn!” The gates to the city slowly opened up, revealing a tall man in golden armor with golden wings and a greatsword made of pure light as he slowly walked down the stairs to stand before Sally, a calm look on his elderly face.

“Time for me to activate Raiden’s effect… and once more the return of an old friend,” Wulf walked out of the forest, a large smirk on his muzzle this time instead of a growl… and that really worried me, “Now, since I have so many Lightsworn in the graveyard, I can special summon Judgment Dragon,”

Did she just say… "You're fucking with me…" I dropped my one card as my eyes became glued to the sky.

A loud roar shook the area and heavy wing beats summoned a strong wind making the trees scrape against each other seconds before a giant dragon covered in pure white feathers with blood red claws landed behind Sally, not caring that it was destroying the trees. Michael spread his wings and took to the air only to land on Judgment Dragon’s head.

“I activate Michael’s ability. By paying 1000 Life points I can banish any card you control,” A beam of pure light shot from the Arch-Lightsworn’s blade, disintegrating my face down, “I do believe this is my victory… New Champion of Ra!”

Wulf, Raiden and Micheal raised their weapons as beams of light all connected to the same spot before the Dragon’s maw, creating a blue, white and golden orb. The Dragon then ate the orb took a deep breath and breathed pure golden fire which created a blinding light.

Sally, the Ancient Elf: 4400

Hand Count: 1

Realm of Light Shine Counter: 10

VAGABOND: 0

Hand Count: 1

As the blinding light faded… and my overloaded eyesight stopped going hazy… I found myself plopped onto the floor on both knees, "Well… shit," Moments later a light rain filled the room giving me 1000 life points back... well, at least I wouldn’t pass out…

Gulping, I shakily got back to my feet. "That could have gone worse…"

“Rain of Mercy,” Sally said simply, “Now then, Champion of Ra, please follow me,”

Did she say… "Uh… yeah, sure…"

Turning, Sally then started to walk away, “Oh and thank you for helping me to alleviate my boredom. With my partner away on business and so few people here I can truly talk to… well you get my point.”

For some reason my feet seemed to stop working… "You… Challenged me out of boredom? I feel like I should be mad."

“Probably,” came the reply, "but at least I didn't cause an Equestria wide incident in my boredom."

"Riiiight… anyway, I know that Ra says he's been down here for a while, but how long is a while?" I ask, my feet finally deciding to work again as I followed my guide.

“For… About five to six hundread years longer than Luna was sealed on the moon I believe,” Sally said.

"Enough time to make a man go crazy… god or not…" I actually felt kinda sorry for Ra, "Welp, guess that's why I'm down here."

Sally them hummed something, straining my ears I heard something that sounded like “Who can know what secrets a God can hold~ Man and Woman from times of old~”

"Hm? Yeah… guess there are female gods too…" A short walk later and we found ourselves in a smaller room filled with golden light, a massive stone eagle head looking down at the floor from the ceiling, "Looks like this is it."

"And about time too!" Ra's voice echoed, an ethereal image of the golden eagle appearing in the room, "I see you've met Sally."

"She beat my ass, so… yeah."

“Borrowing Celestia’s deck too,” Sally said, “Small bet between the two of us, to see if we can use each other’s decks.”

“Yes… where did that Lightsworn Angel go again?” Ra asked and I could hear the frown in his voice… wait, there’s a Celestia here too?!

“She got called by the Lightsworns to attend a meeting, I believe,” Sally said calmly.

"Wait! Wait wait wait wait!" I shouted, getting their attention, "The Celestia Greg mentioned… she's…"

“The Lightsworn Angel, yes,” Sally replied, “and the one the Pony Celestia is named after… but personally I think that’s become more of an insult than compliment of late,”

"Oh? Trouble with the royalty?" I asked snarkily, a hand on my hip.

"Ahem, Vincent? My eye?"

“I never understood why you called it that,” Sally said her face never changing from it’s neutral expression, “If it’s your eye… why don’t you have an eyepatch?”

Ra only rolled his eyes as he pointed at the eagle head. Shrugging, I went up to the stone head, placing a hand on it's closed beak. In a flash of golden light, the stone broke away to reveal that the statue was made from gold itself, a sapphire gemstone held within one of the eye sockets. The gem itself was encrusted into a golden eye of Horus.

"This is it huh, it just looks like a normal jewel…" Reaching for it, I had to pull back a bit as another flash of light hit me, this one turning the eye into a card… "And there it is…" THIS time, there were no lights and the card itself seemed rather simple, a lot like a Normal Monster card, only it's flavor text was in Egyptian hieroglyphics and the image of Ra… it was surprisingly awe inspiring for only being the normal artwork.

"Sooo… how do you like your replacement card?" Ra asked excitedly.

"You know this isn't tournament legal, right?" I joked with a sly smile, though I did drop the smile, "You're still giving this to me even after I lost?"

“Whether you won or lost… it never really mattered,” Sally replied, “You’re the Champion of Ra, so it belongs to you. I just wanted to see if I could use Celestia’s deck and fight off some boredom.”

"Plus, you're a muuuch better pick than my last Champion…"

Shrugging, but smiling, I slipped the card into my disk pretty much blacking out as a mass of data hit me like a ton of bricks…

"Give him room! He's coming too!" I heard a voice call out.

"But! Vinny!" Another voice shouted.

"Consarn it, Pinkie, if the lady says make way, we make way!" Hard to mistake that accent…

Blinking, I took in the sight of Shidou hovering over me, the smiling Fuhma girl was then dropped to the ground by Pinkie and AJ.

"What… just happened?" I ask as the ponies got me on my feet.

"Sally brought you here when you passed out." Houoji stated as she helped Shidou to her feet.

"And… where are we?"

"My bar of course! No safer place in the underground." The Sand Gambler commented, "It's… a shame she couldn't stay longer…" He looked rather forlorn, sighing sadly as he looked away.

"Uh huh… when did…" I looked at AJ and Pinkie, the ponies smiling before tackling my legs, "They get here?"

"You're welcome." Ryuzaki said rather coldly.

"Right… I guess we head home?"

Author's Note

WOO! Here it is folks! The BANE OF MY EXISTENCE!

Shout-out to my good friend Mattchilly (https://www.fimfiction.net/user/112950/mattchilly)! This chapter would not exist without his help!

Note: For those of you who want to know what the three Fuhma Girl card descriptions are,

Fuhma Girl Shidou- Attribute Fire, Type Warrior LV4 Atk: 1300 Def:1300 Status: Limited
This card's name is always treated as Getsu Fuhma. While your opponent controls a Fiend and or Zombie type monster, double this card's original Atk and Def.

Fuhma Girl Ryuzaki- Attribute Water, Type Warrior LV4 Atk: 1900 Def: 1600 Status: Limited
This card's name is always treated as Getsu Fuhma. While this card is on the field, Getsu Fuhma you control cannot be destroyed by battle and cannot be targeted by the effects of Fiend or Zombie type monsters your opponent controls.

Fuhma Girl Hououji- Attribute Wind, Type Warrior LV4 Atk 2600 Def: 1000 Status: Semi-Limited
This card's name is always treated as Getsu Fuhma. If there are no Fiend or Zombie type monsters on the field, halve this cards Atk and Def. If this card is removed from the field, inflict 200 points of effect damage for each Fiend and Zombie type monster in either players GY.

Originally, the duel was supposed to be against a zombie deck and so the Fuhma Girls were written to be Anti Zombie cards and so their effects reflected their personalities. Will we see the Fuhma Unit in play at some point in the future? Maybe...

Matt here… sorry about giving up on the ATK/DEF thing towards the end… I legit just gave up at that point because trying to keep count of how many Lightsworns were in the grave… the counters on the field. It just got a bit too much… doubly so because this is the first time I’ve really seen the Lightsworn in action. I knew they’d be technical but I honestly wasn’t expecting them to be this technical.

Duel 04: Please Let Me In

-Twilight-

It hadn't been more than a day… really it hadn't been more than a night when Twilight had seen and found something that had completely captured her attention.

"Twi?" Spike asked, a blanket in one claw and a mug in the other, "It's three A.M, you need to sleep," He pleaded, "Here, I brought you some Tiger Lily tea, I know how much you like it."

"I'm sorry Spike, but I finally understand why Celestia sent me here," Twilight replied, not even glancing at the drake as she took hold of the blanket with her magic, "Well, really it was several reasons… but this..."

She levitated the shattered remains of her trial disk, tearing away and replacing the broken metal where she saw fit and marking other areas with a red dot for future repairs, "This is just the tip of an even bigger iceberg, and I haven't even begun to scratch the surface!"

Sighing, Spike placed the mug on a side table and started massaging Twilight's shoulders, "Twilight… mom, please. You're scaring me. Again."

The unicorn sighed, shaking her head as she craned her head back far enough to nuzzle the drakeling, "I'm so sorry… No… you're right, we could have died last night. Hey, how about we head over to the farm again, I know how much you liked those pastries."

"Really!?" Spike cheered happily, "Then, does that mean we're-"

"That's right, the princess was right, I need to make friends…" Of course, in the back of her mind, this was but a secondary objective to her true goal.

As the new moon fell from the waking world, a rooster's cry heralded the dawn, the studious mare yawning as she gently left the warmth of her bed. Despite her change of venue, her daily rituals had failed to change:

Step 1 of the Morning Routine, clean, iron, and set the bed. Step 2, brush the bed head out of your mane (Now doubly important so as not to incur the wrath of the Fashionista). Step 3, plant a kiss on Spike's forehead. Step 4, make coffee.

It was a bad habit if there ever was one, but ever since her twelfth birthday, Twilight couldn't help but crave the bitter bean. Really, it was Celestia's fault for enabling her habits, especially once she introduced her to java.

As the unicorn brought the brew to a boil, a knock at her door shocked her from her silent bliss. Taking the time to make sure she was presentable, Twilight made way for the door, coffee mug in hoof.

"It's only six A.M, what pony in their right mind is actually awa-" Before her hoof had even touched the door, it had been kicked open as Pinkie Pie rather happily bounced inside.

"HIIII TWILIGHT!~" The party pony exclaimed, much to the worry and horror of the unicorn.

"This is a library! You shouldn't be making so much noise!" Twilight shouted as she ran up to the energetic ball of pink, failing to get her to stop bouncing.

"Hm? But this is your home now," Pinkie pointed out, stopping to smell the coffee, "You should want to make noise in your home, also, is that coffee?"

"Miss… um… Pie, right?" Pinkie happily nodded when Twilight managed to remember her name, "I don't mind your company, but it is still a little too early in the morning to be causing a ruckus… also my son is still asleep so if you could maybe…" Twilight thusly began to make a rewinding motion with a hoof as if telling Pinkie to settle down.

Blinking in confusion, Pinkie only tilt her head, "You have a foal? I didn't see you with a baby."

"Spike? The dragon?" Twilight pointed out as she took a seat and brought out her coffee pot.

"Ooohhh… wow! You really laid an egg that big!?" Pinkie asked with awed excitement, much to Twilight's embarrassment.

"What!?" The unicorn cried, "NO! Not at all!"

The gears in Pinkie's head began to grind as she audibly gasped while rising into the air, "You're not his mommy! You're his daddy!"

"Excuse me!!?" Twilight shouted, pale and mortified.

"I mean, it isn't everyday you meet a pony who's gotten busy with a dragon!" Pinkie continued, blissfully unaware of the yawning drakeling coming down the steps.

"Pinkie! I hatched Spike from a donated egg!" Twilight shouted, "How would I even be able to… well… you know…"

"Magic?" Spike asked as he walked in between the two mares, groggily reaching for the coffee pot, "Guess I always wondered though… you know, if you were my mom or my dad," As Twilight wrestled with the growing inner turmoil of what her child had just said, Spike flashed Pinkie a grin and a wink before serving himself a still hot cup of coffee.

Finally clearing her throat, Twilight regained her composure, "Miss Pie."

"Call me Pinkie!" The party pony chimed.

"Pinkie… I'm actually glad you're here." Twilight stated calmly, slowly nursing her cup with closed eyes.

"Really? Why's that?"

"Twilight wants to start over with everypony and make friends!" Spike said happily, Pinkie audibly gasping again from the declaration.

"W-well… I mean I feel like I got off on the wrong hoof, and maybe I-" Before she could finish, Twilight found herself nose to nose with Pinkie Pie.

"You. Won't. REGRET IT!" As Pinkie popped a party favor, showering Twilight in confetti, the unicorn only gulped as she wondered just what it was she resigned herself to.

"And of course we need to take a visit to Berry's! Her fruit drinks are awesome!" Pinkie cheered as she bounced along. Twilight however was more than a little detached from the conversation, her eyes constantly staring into the empty of the Everfree.

"That's not to say she's the only fruit vendor in Ponyville," Pinkie continued, completely oblivious to Twilight's own obliviousness, "And watch out for that tree!"

"Tree?" Before Twilight actually had time to process this, she was met face first with tree bark, "Oof! Who put that… tree?" Blinking, the unicorn actually found herself before the entrance of the forest. She hesitantly began to paw at the air of the forest.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Pinkie had said, practically into Twilight's ear, causing the unicorn to jump up in shock before falling onto her back, "Need a hoof?"

Blinking away the mildly growing confusion, Twilight took Pinkie's hoof, the party mare helping her to her hooves, "What… what do you know about him?" Twilight asked, eyes still fixed on the forest before her.

"Oh we're super duper bestest friends!" Pinkie cheered, practically throwing her fore hooves up as another confetti shower pelted the area.

"So, you could… take me to him?" Twilight asked with a hopeful smile.

"Oh I don't know… that's kinda not a good id-" With a small yelp, Pinkie found herself being unceremoniously dragged by the tail and into the forest.

"Oh come on, I'm sure he'd love to accommodate me!" Twilight replied cheerily.

"You mean like how you accommodated Spike's mom?" Pinkie asked rather aloof, the innocent tone only causing greater embarrassment for Twilight.

For as cherry red as she was, Twilight refused to dignify Pinkie's question with a response. Coughing into a hoof, Twilight continued her way into the forest, "So, has he always been here? In Ponyville I mean."

"For about nine months? Applejack wanted to keep him for herself, so I decided to follow him one day!" Pinkie stated cheerfully as she hopped along.

Confused, Twilight cocked her head to the side, "What do you mean by keep him? Was his existence a secret before you met?" Pinkie gave a nod, thoughts running wild in Twilight's mind, "And it's only been recently that he's had an active role… This only makes me want to study him more…" Twilight whispered.

"Study?" Pinkie asked, now very close to Twilight's face.

"What? No no no! See! I really need to see him!" Twilight answered quickly and with a nervous chuckle, "No studying here!"

Aloof, Pinkie's left ear flicked, her right eye twitched, and her tail snapped straight before settling, "Okay! I believe you! Come on, it's this way!"

It wasn't long before Pinkie led Twilight to the castle, the unicorn's eyes widening in awe… before her eyes shrunk to pin pricks as gun fire drew a line into the ground.

"Halt! State your business!!" A giant, mechanical and centuries old automaton shouted, a strange arm cannon now leveled at Twilight.

"Excuse my partner," A second giant stated, his own arm pointed at the floor, "His gears haven't been oiled today…"

"They don't need to know that!" The first giant shouted.

"Uh… can I go in?" Twilight finally asked, the shock of almost being ripped apart having faded.

Though the giants both answered simultaneously, their answers were vastly different, the first giant proudly yelling "NO!" as the second shrugged and said "Sure."

"Okay, why doesn't she just knock?" The second giant asked.

"The master is not to be disturbed!" The first giant countered.

"Boys, boys!" Pinkie cheered as she sauntered up, the giants immediately standing at attention, "May I go in?" She asked sweetly, the two stepping to the side as the gate opened.

Twilight was more than a little flummoxed, eye twitching at the level of control Pinkie seemed to hold, "So… can I go-"

"NONE SHALL PASS!" The first one shouted before in a more normal voice he said, “Besides Miss Pie.”

"HOW IS THAT FAIR!?" Twilight shouted, her mane now on fire.

"Look, you wanna go in?" The second asked, Twilight now calm and vigorously nodding, "Alright, go in. We'll send a message to the big guy, if he says you're good, you're good, if not-"

The first giant dropped a guillotine from seemingly nowhere, cleanly slicing a watermelon in half.

"Yeah… that…"

With one last gulp, Twilight made her way in, eyes sparkling in excitement.

-Ten minutes later-

"KyaaaaaaAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!" Twilight cried as she flew over the Everfree and onto the balcony of her current home.

"Shouldn'ta done that~" Pinkie cooed, somehow having been on the balcony before Twilight.

"But! But but! Science!!" Twilight shouted, holding an aged gear… which Pinkie plucked from her grasp.

"I'll make sure this goes back to the Box." The party pony said as she started hopping away.

"Wait! What do I do!?" Twilight cried, doing nothing to get herself out of her wooden, leafy prison.

"Don't know, maybe start by making a friend?" She replied slyly before hopping off the balcony.

-Sweet Apple Acres: Twenty minutes earlier-

"Howdy partner!" Applejack cheered as she welcomed Spike to her orchard, "Here alone today?"

"Yep!" The drakeling replied happily, Twilight was supposed to come with me, but she sent me ahead!"

Chuckling, Applejack placed a hoof on Spike's shoulder and urged him forward, "Ya hungry?" She had to stifle a laugh as the drakeling's stomach groaned like a whale, the young dragon smiling bashfully, "Ah'll take that as a yes."

-Twenty Minutes Later-

"So she's an Egghead, I get that right?" Applejack asked, the two having set up a rather large meal for the Apple Family as well.

"Yeah, she can get a little 'Research Crazy', but she's really nice!" Spike said happily, a half eaten bear claw in his grasp.

"Bah! Can't trust them bean counters!" Granny Apple Smith shouted spiritedly, waving a cane around, "No good crooks always tryin' ta take the land from under ya!"

"Granny, that's a tax collector," Applebloom replied, "Plus, she can't be that bad if she raised a dragon all by her lonesome!"

Big Macintosh only nodded at this, his ears perking up as the sound of someone screaming through the air caught his attention… followed by an unearthly thunk.

"Summ'in wrong, Macintosh?" Applejack asked.

The crimson pony only shook his head, the others shrugging as they seemed not to have noticed the noise. Everyone satisfied, Spike started to collect the dishes only for Applejack to stop him.

"Woah there, y'all got enough on yer plate!" Applejack shouted as she took the dishes.

"But I always help Twi with the dishes." Spike replied.

"And that's all good, but ya gotta unwind every now and again," Applejack explained with a smile, "When's the last time ya had fun?"

The dragon began to poke his chin, "I… don't know. Most of my fun came from reading and helping Twi with her experiments. We do go to the park every once in a while, we even go get donuts on my birthday!"

"Ain't ya a little young for donuts?" Granny asked questioningly.

"Ah what's the harm," Spike replied with the wave of a claw and a smile, "I'm a dragon! I'll be fine."

Applebloom then took Spike by the claw, "Hey, me and a couple gals are headin' to Rarity's! Wanna come with?" Spike's face seemed to glow with excitement.

"What are we waiting for!? Let's go!"

-Twilight-

The unicorn had finally gotten the last of the leaves out of her mane, just in time as she had made her way to Sweet Apple Acres' gate, "I hope I'm not too late…"

Child like giggling began to fill the air, Spike and a red haired filly running to the gate.

"Spike?" Twilight asked under her breath, a smile on her lips as she looked upon the scene.

The dragon finally caught sight of the unicorn, smiling brightly as he urged Applebloom along, "Mom!" He shouted, "I made a friend!"

"Name's Applebloom m'am!" The filly stated, holding her head up high, causing Twilight to giggle.

"Is your sister in? I'd like a few words." The unicorn had asked, Applebloom nodding quickly.

"We'll be at Rarity's," Spike said excitedly, "Don't worry, we'll probably be there a while."

The two shared a hug, Twilight watching as the two ran off.

"Quite a sight ain't it?"

Twilight shouted in shock, jumping up slightly and falling on her back, looking up to see Applejack laughing into a hoof.

"Well ain't you flightier than a fruit bat! Lemme help ya up," Twilight sighed, thankful that Applejack was there to get her up, "Yer kin just left, gonna catch up to em?"

Twilight shook her head with a smile and closed eyes, "No, he's in good hooves, actually, I was hoping maybe we could… start over? We didn't exactly hit it off when we first met."

Applejack chuckled at this, turning around and motioning for the unicorn to follow, "Come on, ya any good with yer hooves?"

"My hooves?" Twilight asked with confusion, clicking said hooves on the dirt path, "I mean… I'm good with metal? Not manual labor if that's what you were alluding to."

Applejack chuckled as she placed a hoof on Twilight's shoulder, "Ah don't worry none, but Ah could use some help with a bit a' metal."

Blinking, Twilight only smiled as the farm mare strung her along.

-One Hour Later-

"I don't know how I did it… but I did." Twilight commented, wiping sweat from her brow and marveling at her four wheeled and armored contraption. A shining, sharpened, and well buffed plow jutting proudly from the hoof powered cart.

"Landsakes…" Applejack gasped as she started to walk rings around the beast, "So, all a pony has to do is… what?"

Twilight jumped onto the cart, raising mirrors with her magic as she began to show the farm mare the various levers and cranks, "It's all fairly simple, these pedals in front dictate movement of all four wheels, the lever in the back manipulates between left, right, and straight, and the levers to the side lock the vehicle in place."

Nodding, Applejack then clicked her hoof on the polished steel, "What about this here? How's that work?"

"This crank right up front releases and raises the plow," Twilight threw a wheel, the sharpened heavy steel digging into the earth with a thud, "Now if you want to raise it…" Dropping her showcase mirrors and struggling a little, Twilight focused her magic to turn the wheel clockwise, Applejack watching in awe as the unicorn both raised and locked the plow in place.

"Hoowee, Sugarcube! Yer a lot stronger an' ya look! I ever tell ya that?" The farm pony cheered as she slapped her knee with her Stetson.

Visibly sweating, Twilight managed a smile as she slumped out, landing on her chin, "I… just give me a moment…"

Chuckling, Applejack helped her to her hooves, "After what y'all just did? I think ya deserve a treat."

"A… treat?" The unicorn gasped out, the farm mare only smiling.

-Thirty Minutes Later: Fluttershy's Cottage-

"Oh… my…" Twilight gasped as she sank into the heated pond behind Fluttershy's home, The Ultimate Baseball Kid periodically heating the body of water with his hands every now and again, "When you said treat, this was not what I was expecting…"

"Yep, I come out here every once in a while…" Applejack muttered as she settled into the pond, an easy smile on her face.

"And… the monster? How long has he been here?" Twilight asked, eyes now focused on the Baseball Kid.

"What? Him? Hasn't been here long, Fluttershy said she woke up to see him tendin' ta the critters round here. Had help too."

The unicorn only tilted her head in confusion at this. "Help?"

A quiet howl alerted the mare, Twilight looking back to see Fluttershy carrying a small platter of cheese, flowers, and bread slices… followed closely by the Watch Dog, the tattooed hound stringing along a wagon carrying a rather large jug of lemonade and several glass cups.

"Um… H-how is the water?" The buttery pegasus asked hesitantly, "Is it w-warm enough?"

"The water is perfect~" Twilight replied dreamily, "Thanks to your… uh…" She motioned to the Baseball Kid, the tiny warrior rubbing his nose as he gave a wild smile.

"Ah, just call me B.K," the baseball themed warrior replied, "Shy tells me that you're new in town. Where ya hail from, lass?"

"Oh! I'm from Canterlot," Twilight replied happily, "I'm here with my baby dragon."

"Ya laid an egg that big?" B.K replied, eyes growing with awe… only to burst out laughing at the now cherry faced and flustered unicorn, "Just messin' with ya, lass! A lady needs ta handle herself in a tough situation ya know."

Fluttershy giggled softly at this, the Watch Dog rolled his eyes and Applejack only stared at B.K with a critical look.

"A-anyway…" Clearing her throat, Twilight collected her thoughts before looking back to B.K, his hands once again wrist deep in the water so as to maintain its temperature, "I'm sure Miss Shy has already told you of the night's events?"

"Hm? Ah, yeah. Heard ya gave that oversized Nightmare Horse a good pounding," The Baseball Kid replied, "Wish I coulda seen it with me own eyes."

"Well, things did get a little exciting once Obelisk was summoned…"

"Heard Vincent managed to turn into Ra," BK pointed out, "How'd that go? Poorly I'm guessin'?"

"The resulting energies seemed to cancel out Obelisk's summoning… that or Nightmare Moon could have recalled Obelisk herself…"

BK pulled at his scarf nervously, "Eesh, she had ya right where she wanted ya."

"Well," Fluttershy mumbled as she joined everyone at the pool, "If it wasn't for Twilight's help, we may not be here to… talk about it." It was quite apparent the event still haunted the shy mare.

"We only survived because I had made certain precautions," Twilight added, "Everything about that duel disk was experimental though, so there was just as large of a chance that everything could have gone terribly wrong as well."

"Don't think we needed ta know that, lass." BK pointed out, motioning to the now shivering Fluttershy.

"But it's great that we made it out alive!" Twilight hurriedly said as she gave a nervous laugh.

"Smooth partner…" Applejack teased with a sly smirk.

Twilight only sunk into the pool, red from embarrassment.

It wasn't but another ten minutes until the trio of Applejack, Twilight, and Fluttershy made their way to Rarity's. Though, Applejack had to hurry at this point as Twilight had started to bombard the Ultimate Baseball Kid with some rather personal questions…

"Come on Sugarcube…" The farm mare grunted as she dragged Twilight away by the tail, "Places to be and all that…"

"Oh my…" Fluttershy commented as she watched the unicorn paw at the dirt to no avail.

"But there's still so much I need to know! So much I still have to ask!" Twilight shouted, causing BK to laugh hysterically.

"I'll be here all week, lass!" BK called out as he waved.

Whimpering, Twilight allowed herself to be dragged away by her tail.

Once the trio was a good ways out, Twilight was helped to her hooves so as not to collect anymore dirt.

"So… could you two tell me more about this town's history?" Twilight asked once she built up enough nerve, "Maybe even something about the castle in the Everfree?"

"Castle of tha' Two Sister's, right?" Applejack responded, "Can't tell ya much, Granny drilled it into us that the whole story 'round it was a big ol' horror story."

"You mean because of Nightmare Moon?" The unicorn asked as she tilt her head, "Does it have anything to do with it's new resident?"

Applejack raised an eyebrow at this, "What? Ya mean, Vincent? Nah…" Focusing back on the path, the farm mare kicked a loose pebble away before continuing, "Nightmare was 'fore he came round. Used ta think tha whole place was haunted… hay, might still be."

"Um, girls?" Fluttershy had spoken up softly, "We're here…"

Twilight had gulped as she stared at the carousel themed parlor, thoughts of being constrained by a corset saddle still haunting her thoughts.

"Ya feelin' alright, Sugarcube?" Applejack asked as she nudged Twilight's shoulder.

"Just flash backs…" Twilight muttered as she rubbed her barrel, "Well, shall we?"

And with that, Applejack had walked to the doorframe to knock, only to stop as she heard what sounded like a struggle coming from inside. With a determined nod, the farm mare kicked the door in to the sight of Rarity, Applebloom, the filly's two friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, and Spike all tangled in a mess of yarn and ribbons.

"Is… something the matter, Applejack?" Rarity asked, wide eyed with surprise.

"Ah heard fightin'," The farm mare replied carefully, "Thought some pony might a broken in."

"Oh no no no, dear!" Rarity shouted jovially, "We were only having a bit of fun."

"Spike?" Twilight asked as she peeked inside, smiling in amusement as she watched as the dragon laughed with his new friends.

Maybe… just maybe. This is what Celestia wanted her to see.

Author's Note

Hey hey! It's a uh... Been a while, hasn't it? To the... (Checks count) twenty people who read this: You're probably wondering where I've been.

To answer that: Fanfiction

That's the short answer though. The long answer is complicated and stupid and... Cowardly.

I don't know if I'm back or not. I understand that I have a fairly niche story here and I haven't updated anything on my page in what feels like an eternity. What I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry. I'll see what happens.

Duel 01 Pt1: The Game Begins

Author's Note

WELP! This uh... This took a while. Real talk tho, to everyone who still reads this, I love you, your face, and may you find prosperity in all that you do. Merry Incredibly Oh My God Where Have I been I'm late Christmas, New Year, and Insert Random Winter Holiday Here.

ON WITH THE SHOW!

Duel 01 Pt1: The Game Begins

-Canterlot Observatory-

Sparks... Fire… Magic. The sound of metal upon metal echoed in the bulbous interior of Canterlot's only observatory. For years it had been the research hub of the prized student of the land's prime ruler, and for years it was used as a makeshift forge.

No weapons were cast within these halls. No armor molded… no, instead… something far greater was being made here.

In a sense, it was an armament unlike any other, but it many ways it was a shield. Hardened and smoothed amethyst housed a fragile yet powerful crystalline core. The core empowered wires and circuits far beyond the advancements of the modern day, and a gentle hum filled the air around it with a grand serenity.

If only the same could be said of it's architect.

"SPIIIIKE!!!" A shrill voice yelled. "Do you remember where I placed the treated cardboard!!"

"Can't say that I do Twi!" A younger voice replied.

Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia's protege and star pupil. A unicorn who's intellect is matched only by her persistence. A persistence which lead her to one of her world's greatest mysteries.

"Spike please! If I don't perfect this technology in the next twenty seven hours, thirteen minutes and eight seconds then it could spell the end of all life on the planet!" The lavender unicorn cried. Her eyes glistened behind reinforced goggles and sweat dropped gingerly from her chin.

"Come on Twi," Her companion complained. "The Princess said you needed to get ready for the Summer Sun Celebration!"

Spike Sparkle, dragon and surrogate son of Twilight Sparkle herself. Hatched from an outburst of magic, he has stood diligently by his mother's side.

The two have shared a world of knowledge with one another and soon, their fates would be tied with all of existence.

"I'm sure Princess Celestia means well and all, but if I don't do this, then there won't be a Summer Sun Celebration!" Twilight argued as she affixed her new mechanism to her arm. "Now then, Spike, the test piece." She stated as she held out a hoof.

With a smile and a roll of his eyes, Spike gave Twilight a slim piece of decorated cardboard. The image was of a pony garbed in armored amethyst wizard robes holding a green pointed staff. Beneath the image were the numbers 2500 and 2100, and beneath the ink itself lay an intricate spell matrix.

With a click, her device came to life as a board of the purest magic manifested along the armored core. With a huff, Twilight calmly lay her card down. Magic sparked as an ethereal image of the wizard began to manifest… only to fade completely as her card caught fire.

With a sigh, the card was removed. As it's fire was snuffed out, a small wisp escaped the dying ember. "Test number eight hundred and four has also ended in failure…" Twilight whispered as she recorded the test results. "I'm close, but still so very far."

As the unicorn sighed and powered down her equipment for the night, a small mystic fire burned into star dust where her card once was…

-Ponyville-

As Dawn broke upon the land, Twilight had been well on her way to Ponyville… way ahead of schedule.

"Thanks again for flying us out here!" Twilight yelled over the sound of the whipping wind. Her single pegasus charioteer laughing heartily.

"Aye! I owed yer brother a favor!" The aged pegasus shouted back. "Figure this is payment enough, though yer gonna have ta be the one to tell him!"

"Twi!" Spike shouted as he desperately clung to his surrogate mother. "We really should have taken the train!!"

"There's no time!" The unicorn replied excitedly. "We have a world to save!!"

Laughing once more, the pegasus looked back at the pair settled inside the tiny and unprotected chariot. "Hang on to yer flanks!! It's gonna be a wild fall!!!" And with that, the pegasus took a nosedive.

As the dragon screamed bloody murder, Twilight could only holler at the exhilaration of the descent. Just as fast as the trio descended, so too did they land; Spike falling onto the floor as he kissed the ground.

Rolling her eyes, Twilight stepped off gently and bowed to her impromptu pilot. With another booming laugh, the pegasus was up and gone. With a determined smile, Twilight began to take in the still sleeping town around her as day had yet to fully break.

"Come on Spike, we need to get to the library." The lavender unicorn stated as she began to walk through the sleepy hamlet.

Groaning, the young drake pulled himself from off the ground as he slumped along. "Twiiii…" He muttered as he lazily caught up to her. "We aren't even supposed to be here yet… can't we at least get coffee first?"

"I'm sure there's coffee in th- huh?" Twilight had paused as she spied a curious scene of a fairly tall white coated pegasus with yellow winged hooves, yellow feathers, two massive blue orbs decorating it's wing joints, short cut white mane, a lion like tail topped with yellow fur, and a forward jutting blue crystal horn.

The pegasus considered her for all of three seconds before trotting away, wholly uninterested.

Sputtering incoherences, Twilight ran up to the tall and rather brilliant pony. "Wait! Wait please!" She finally managed to cry as she slid in front of him.

Sighing, the pegasus pinched the bridge of his nose as he stared down the annoyance before him. "I am a busy stallion with a tight schedule," He stated bluntly. "If your first question is about my horn, then you will be disappointed to find that, no, it isn't magical and I am not related to the princess or any royalty," With a huff, he turned his head and began to walk away. "Now I bid you good day."

Slack jawed and blinking, Twilight shook her head of the mental daze. "But it's literally jutting from your head!"

"I said good day!" The pegasus shouted without so much as looking back before flying away.

Whining softly, Twilight flinched as Spike walked out from the now open library. "This place is really well furnished!" The drake cheered, a metal pot and an empty mug in his claw. "Coffee?"

It was not long until the sun had finally settled in the sky, the town's hustle and bustle now shaking the library proper.

"Ugh, can't they keep it down!" Twilight shouted as she turned the page of a notebook with one hoof, scrawl out notes with her magic, and tinker with her device with her other hoof.

"Twilight, we need to make sure preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration are going as planned!" Spike whined as he held his stomach. "I'm also really hungry and the pantry isn't stocked!"

Sighing in defeat, Twilight craned her neck upwards as she stretched away the aches accumulated from her prolonged position. "You're right, lunch sounds good right now."

Smiling, Spike made his way for the door. "Great! I'm starving!" He cheered happily. As he opened the door to the outside world, he was greeted by a mass of ponies going to and fro along the streets. With childlike awe, Spike had run out much to Twilight's mild annoyance.

Sighing, Twilight slowly caught up to the drakeling with an unfurled scroll in her magic. "Well, you're in luck Spike," Twilight muttered as began a slow trot. "The local apple farm is in charge of the celebration's banquet."

"Hey… I've heard about that farm." Spike commented happily. "Their apples are supposed to be the best in Equestria!"

Shaking her head, Twilight focused her eyes back unto the crowded dirt road… until she felt something soft gently collide into her. Gasping, she quickly took a look to her left to find a pink Earth pony balancing several bags and caskets on her barrel. The pony also seemed to take note of the small bump as she turned around to face Twilight…

Only to audibly gasp as she rose several feet in the air… and zoomed off.

"Twilight… Twilight don't do it…" Spike whispered gently as he began to stroke his caretaker's mane with practiced precision.

Twilight for the most part went from immediate mental break to annoyed lucidity rather quickly. "This town is insane…" The unicorn muttered to herself as she continued her march.

As the two finally managed to make their way to the front of the farm, the same morning hustle and bustle greeted the pair. Twilight only sighed as she resigned herself to fate and flagged down a mare wearing a rancher's hat.

"Let's get this over with... Good afternoon. My name is Twilight Sparkle-" Before she could get another word in, a slightly bronzed yellow Earth pony with golden mane and tied tail took her by the hoof.

"Well, howdy-doo, Miss Twilight, a pleasure makin' your acquaintance," She said enthusiastically. "A'm Applejack. We here at Sweet Apple Acres sure do like makin' new friends!"

Twilight flinched at this as she struggled in the farm mare's hold. "Friends? Actually, I-"

"So, what can Ah do you for?" Applejack quickly asked, Spike snickering at the rather obvious double entendre.

Twilight, oblivious to this, cleared her throat. "Well, I am in fact here to supervise preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. And you're in charge of the food?"

"Sure as sugar am!" Applejack replied happily. "Would you care to sample some?"

Before she could even answer, Twilight's stomach had answered for her.

"We skipped breakfast." Spike stated, Twilight blushing all the while.

Chuckling, the farm mare lead the two along. "Now normally Ah'd introduce ya to the family, but what with the mornin having just started we're all a little occupied."

Twilight gave a relieved sigh, thankful that this trip would go along just a little faster than she thought.

As the farm mare lead the duo to a prep table of sorts, she placed her hat down as she took a seat. "Beggin yer pardon, but uh, would you two happen ta be the ones stayin in the library?" Applejack had asked as she piled a platter with various apple related foodstuffs.

"That is correct," Twilight replied eagerly. "I'm slated to stay for a week at most, but I highly doubt that amount of time will be necessary."

"Not plannin' on stayin' long?" Applejack asked with a disheartened stare. "Bit of a shame, Ponyville's probably the nicest, quietest place in Equestria any one pony could live."

Twilight only stared back as she bit into her pastry, a look of pure bliss washing over her face as she choked back a sigh of relief. Now only choking, Applejack shook her head with a smile as she passed the unicorn a mug of milk.

Once Twilight was well over her near death experience, she took a few steady breaths as she tried to hide her embarrassment. "I'm sure that sounds nice and all," She coughed out. "But I left behind rather important research at home."

"Aw shucks, ain't gotta explain nothin' to me," Applejack replied as she took a few pieces off the platter and stored them in a tied up cloth. "Here, something for the road."

"Awesome! Seconds!" Spike shouted as he grabbed the sack, much to the farm mare's delight.

Shaking her head, Twilight took out her Overseer's list and crossed off the banquet preparations. "One down, thank you for the meal I'm sure the princess will love it." And with that, the duo left Applejack to her remaining duties.

"So, what next?" Spike asked as he looked at the unfurled scroll in Twilight's magical grip.

Twilight thusly looked at the incredibly clear sky… save for a single cloud. "Weather, Rainbow Dash being the pony in charge."

The single cloud seemed to shake slightly as a rainbow colored tail swished back and forth from just above the cloud. "Huh!? Somepony looking for me!?" A brash female voice echoed from above the cloud.

With a wingbeat, the cloud had dispersed as a sky blue pegasus with rainbow mane and tail descended slowly before the pair. "Let me guess, Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked.

Chuckling, Rainbow rubbed a hoof on her chest. "What gave me away? My awesome cool looks, my award winning smile?" She asked with a cocky grin.

Twilight sighed ruefully as she slowly shook her head. "Well, it looks like clear skies at least."

Rainbow gave the unicorn a curious sideways glance. "Give it a minute." The pegasus muttered cryptically, much to the worry of the unicorn and drake. Within moments, the pegasus launched upwards into a somersault, kicking a forming cloud into vapor.

As Twilight shook away the small bit of condensation, she looked at the now alert pegasus with a bit of awe. For nary five minutes, clouds would randomly begin to form in different parts of the sky, only to be kicked into oblivion not two seconds after forming.

Of course the last cloud had for some reason formed just above Twilight's head… and was especially large in mass and density.

The explosion of water had drenched the unicorn completely, but had somehow missed Spike entirely much to his and Rainbows delight.

Snickering, Rainbow started to float next to the drenched unicorn. "Here, lemme get that…" She muttered through barely constrained chuckles as she began to fly around Twilight, a small cyclone enveloping her.

When Rainbow had slowed down, Twilight looked rather dizzy and frayed if her updraft mane was any indicator. Still choking back a laugh, Rainbow settled next to the unicorn. "Pfft, no no… don't thank me…"

Unamused, Twilight sighed as she crossed off "Weather Control" off the list. "WELL!" Twilight shouted in annoyance, causing the pegasus to flinch in confusion. "I can happily say that you have the weather fully under control…"

"Awesome right?" Rainbow replied before spinning her hooves around, a cloud forming before her. "Aight, I'm gonna get back to napping, see ya!" She shouted as she casually flew into the sky, cloud in her grasp.

Twilight let go of a small huff as she turned to walk away… only to stop as she noticed a card fall from the sky. "What the…" Gently taking the card in her magic, she took note of the small bipedal creature garbed in brass armor and cooking pot on its head. It had glass like goggles and wore an uncharacteristically beautiful white scarf that seemed to blow in the wind.

"Twilight?" Spike called out, causing the unicorn to gasp and hide the card within her satchel. "Looks like it's decorations up next!"

Twilight only nodded as she absent mindedly followed along her dragon's steps, her thoughts occupied by why a card much like the one she attempted to create would just fall from the sky…

"Beautiful…" Spike had said in reverence, snapping Twilight from her daze. Looking around Town Hall, Twilight took in the rather gaudy decorations.

"The décor does seem to be coming along nicely…" Twilight muttered.

"Not the décor!" Spike had shouted as he pointed to an alabaster unicorn with an expertly styled deep purple mane and tail. "Her…" He quickly began rubbing his scales to a shine as he slicked his spines back. "How are my spines, are they straight?" He asked.

Sighing, Twilight shook her head ruefully as she made her way forward to the frantic mare. "No, no, no oh Heaven's no…" The fabulous unicorn said to no one.

"Good afternoon," Twilight said rather loudly "Are yo-"

"Just a moment, please! I'm 'in the zone', as it were," The unicorn replied as she added the finishing touches to a banner. "Oh, yes! Sparkle always does the trick, does it not? Why, Rarity, you are a talent. Now, um, how can I help yo-" The moment 'Rarity' had turned to look at Twilight she had reflexively flinched in horror. "Oh my stars, darling! Whatever happened to your coiffure?!" She cried.

Confused and worried, Twilight took note of her blown back and frazzled mane. "You mean my mane?" She questioned. "Well that's actually a long story and I'd rather just check on the decorations so I can get out of your hair."

With an apalled gasp, Rarity had taken Twilight in her magical grip, said grip being surprisingly strong. "My hair!?" She shouted in surprise. "What about yours dear!?"

"Wait where are we going!? Help!!" As Twilight struggled, her assistant Spike only followed as if he himself were floating upon a magical stream.

It wasn't long before Twilight had managed to escape the clutches of the fashionista, her mane having been properly groomed.

"Augh, that corset really hurt…" Twilight grunted as she steadied her breathing.

"Couldn't we have stayed just a little longer?" Spike groaned wistfully, his mind still thinking of the alabaster unicorn.

Rolling her eyes, Twilight simply unfurled her to do list as she walked farther and farther from Ponyville proper. "Our next stop is with somepony named Fluttershy, she's in charge of music."

The darker and more foreboding the path became, the more Spike began to huddle closer to Twilight. "Are you sure we're going the right way?" He asked with a hint of fear.

Twilight would have answered him had it not been for the rather haunting sound of a flute followed by the synchronized chirping of birds and the howling of a dog… all of which was accompanied by what both Spike and Twilight believed to be the voice of an angel.

As the two came closer to the voice, they took note of a well kept and well hidden cottage nestled neatly in front of the town's massive forest. The choir sounded as if it came from just behind the cottage, so the two steeled their nerves as they prepared themselves for what they would find…

As the cacophony of birds reached a fever pitch, the pair were treated to a beautiful and rather explosive dance of feathers. In the midst of the song birds dance was another small bipedal creature garbed in red and white clothes, a red baseball cap, and a fairly tiny yellow scarf. Next to it was a chestnut brown and tan coated one eyed dog and a butter yellow pegasus with a fairly large pink mane and tail who they believed to be Fluttershy.

The trio seemed to not only be dancing, but leading the entire flock in their rather captivating show. The clothed creature played a wooden flute, the dog's low octave howls and growls added a surprisingly peaceful haunting tone all while the pegasus kept track of everything as a conducter… at least until a blue jay took note of Twilight and Spike.

With a shrill screech and an abrupt aerial hault, several more birds began to crash into the blue jay before righting themselves and flying off. In the chaos, the creature had switched it's flute for an iron bat, the dog had taken a defensive stance as it bared it's teeth, and the pegasus hid behind the pair, shivering.

"Spike, get behind me…" Twilight whispered as her horn began to glow. Of course as Spike began to do as his guardian bid, the pegasus had come alive in a sense.

With an audible gasp, the pegasus jumped over to Spike. "Are you a dragon?" She asked with awe.

With blinking eyes, Spike began rubbing a knuckle on his chest as he smiled. "Well, I am just a baby."

"Ohh… I've never met a baby dragon before." The pegasus cooed. Once the birds had settled, the creature and dog had turned their attention to other matters as the pegasus fawned over Spike.

Sighing, but thankful the situation had been diffused, Twilight calmly walked up to the pegasus who took in Spike's form denoting as much about his as she could.

"Excuse me, are you Fluttershy?" Twilight finally asked, much to the pegasus' surprise.

"O-oh! Um… y-yes. I am." The now timid mare replied, now hiding behind Spike.

Chuckling, Spike began running a claw along Fluttershy's mane, smiling now that the pegasus was calming down. "Oh don't worry, Twilight won't bite."

"She won't?" Fluttershy asked cutely, much to Twilight's growing annoyance.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Twilight started to lift Spike into the air. "Well! You seem to have everything under control here so we'll just be making our way home."

"Aw come on Twi!" Spike shouted in protest. "Can't we stay just a little longer?"

"But Spike~" Twilight cooed with an almost sickly sweet chime. "It's almost time for your nap~"

"Oh!" The pegasus shouted with excitement. "Is it time for his nap? I have a few beds that would do wonders for him." She offered with genuine sweetness.

"But I'm not tired!" Spike shouted quickly as Twilight started rocking him in her magic.

"That's awfully kind of you, but really, we need to get home. Don't let me keep you, bye!" Twilight exclaimed as she hastened her steps, much to the diminishing protests of the shy pegasus.

Once the duo was well out of sight of Fluttershy's home, Twilight had set Spike upon her back as she began the long trot home.

"Come on Twilight, it's only mid-day!" Spike exclaimed in protest.

"I'm sorry Spike, but we don't have time! Unless we prepare for what's to come, everypony the world over will be in danger!" Twilight retorted.

"You're also supposed to be making friends." Spike added

Twilight actually snorted at this. "That's just a suggestion the princess gave me," She replied. "Besides, I have friends."

"Family doesn't count Twi," Twilight pouted for all of a second before holding her head up high. "And neither does Pony Joe." Spike stated, shooting Twilight down.

"Look, I know the princess means well, but I just don't have time for friends. Not when I have much more important research that needs tending to."

The two continued on their way in silence, the town still loud and alive as preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration began reaching completion.