“I’m sorry, I’m a little high up here… did you say she NEGATED! THE ORICHALCOS!?”

“Yes, Milord. By Sunset Shimmer’s ‘Harmony Soul – Laughter’ monster.”

“Wait a sec, Sunset Shimmer!? That’s news to me!”

“Perhaps I should have prefaced with that seemingly innocuous fact.”

“Wait, was that SASS, AGG?”

“I am not programmed for ‘sass’.”

“… I’m proud of you. Anyway, did you say ‘Harmony Souls’ was the name of her archetype?”

“Yes, milord.”

“That’s no good. That could throw a serious wrench in our plans.”

“How so?”

“The Elements of Harmony. A powerful set of forces from another world capable of performing miracles. They could be a severe threat to both my plans, as well as the Master’s.”

“I shall add her to our list of high priority targets.”

“You’d better. That whole team’s turning out to be bad news. Becky was actively resisting the Seal’s influence. And that Siren’s an immortal with powerful manipulation magic.”

“A dangerous group, indeed. We shall double our efforts toward enhancing the Orichalcos effective immediately.”

“Good. And how goes the search for my binder?”

“A few cards have been procured. Our newest pawns can be given them to significantly enhance the power of their Dueling Decks.”

“That’s what I like to hear, AGG! It’s all coming together. Becky has activated the Orichalcos, and sooner or later, she’ll falter. If we play our cards right – and we WILL – then nothing will stop us!”

“I shall initiate my happiness algorithm for that, Milord. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“… You know what? Bring me a Duelist from the nearby city. I feel like contributing.”

Indigo Zap was NOT happy.

It had been three days since she came to Crossroads Academy, and in this short time, she had learned three things:

One: She was pretty darn good at Duel Monsters.

Two: Her Cutie Mark was still on her human form.

And three: Humans could be pretty darn cruel.

It was 7:00 in the morning when her alarm clock blared, and she went through her usual routine; fall out of bed, get on all fours, remember she was bipedal now, and then get dressed. She had her uniform ready on the door – a Ra Yellow jacket and shoes with black skorts and a bluish-grey t-shirt – and was getting much quicker at putting it on. Once she was dressed, she grabbed her goggles, ran a brush through her hair, put on her Duel Disk, and sprinted out the door.

Once she was out, she ran into someone. Literally.

Falling flat on her butt, she groaned in frustration, before hearing a light chuckling.

“Okay, let’s NOT make this a recurring thing, Indi.”

If there was one thing that could help her mood immensely, it was that.

Opening her eyes, she met the easygoing gaze of Wes Mizuhara, and that brought a bit of a smile to her face. They hadn’t talked much, but he was a pretty nice guy, from what she had found.

“Indi?” she joked. “And when did I agree to nicknames?”

“Oh what, you don’t like it?”

“Well, I never said THAT.”

In truth, Indigo was more than happy to accept this nickname – it was certainly nicer than some of the other things she’d been called lately…

“So, what brought you by, hotshot?” she asked, before noticing something. “And why aren’t you in your uniform?”

True enough, Wes wasn’t in dress code, at least not entirely. Sure, he had on the black undershirt, grey jeans, and yellow sneakers, but instead of the usual jacket, he had on a cyan hoodie she’d never seen on him before.

“You didn’t hear?” he asked, pulling himself up and offering her a hand. “They’re holding a memorial for Jack Grey today. They said we’ve got the day off and we get to dress casually.”

“Who’s ‘Jack Grey’?” asked Indigo.

“My sister’s ex.”

Confusion spread on Indigo’s face, and Wes had to stifle a chuckle.

“Nah, I’m just yankin’ ya; she did date a guy with the same name, but I am desperately hoping that’s just a coincidence. Anyway, you remember that statue out in front of the courtyard? The one of that long-haired duelist with Exodia standing behind him?”

For a couple of seconds, Zap contemplated his words, genuinely trying to remember that statue. She’d passed it a few times on the way to class, but had never bothered to ask about it.

Well, what better time than now?

“Come on, I’ll tell you on the way,” he said, turning around to head out of the building. “You can ask me anything, I’m an open book.”

She made note of that, and was certain she’d ask about various little things as they made their way out to the courtyard. Part of her wanted to ask about the Cutie Mark on the back of his jacket, knowing full well whose it was, but decided to stow it for later.

For now, she instead chose to join him as they headed to the event.

The bright morning sun shone overhead, bathing the student body in its radiance, as everyone, students and faculty alike, were gathered around the statue in the center of the courtyard.

The statue of Jack Grey.

From what Wes had conveyed to Indigo, Jack was a student during the school’s first year of activity, a long 18 years ago, when Duel Monsters truly began to take off in this world. They called him a prodigy, a shoo-in for best of class.

But that all ended tragically, as one month before the end of the academic year, he sacrificed himself to protect the island and the city from a great evil. Most people outside of his closest friends did not know the true incident, and the version told by Academy staff seemed intentionally vague, but they knew of his courage. While he may never get the recognition of a World Champion, on the island, he was heralded as a hero.

Now, every year, on the day of his birth, a mere three days into the school year, the faculty allow the students a day off to honor him.

But before anything, there was always a moment of silence.

Once it had passed, Professor Atlas was the first to speak up, standing in front of the statue, and smiling at the students before him.

“The world of Dueling has had many shining stars,” he said, a small smile on his face. “But so few have ever been heroes to quite a degree as him. So, we take today to remember one of Dueling’s greatest unsung heroes, and to remember why we are here. To aspire to newer and greater heights, to achieve the insurmountable, and to form bonds that would last a lifetime, even if we are worlds apart.”

That last line hit a little too close to home for some, and Wes was certain that was done on purpose, given the cheeky grin on the Professor’s face.

“And so, I hope you all enjoy today to the fullest, students. Enjoy it, and come back tomorrow renewed, and ready for your next step forward!”

The crowd dispersed slowly, with various cliques forming and discussing things amongst themselves. Wes wasted no time finding Bulk and striking up a conversation, while Indigo herself was a bit hesitant to join in. She still felt rather uncomfortable around Bulk, though that was hardly his fault. Just knowing he had the same face as that one Pegasus she met messed with her far more than she cared to admit.

Eventually, she found the courage to step forward.

“So, I finally had a chance to look over your Duels,” Wes told him. “You know that Soulbuster Gauntlet of yours? You should try using its discard effect. You’ll get a lot bigger of a number than just equipping it.”

“Oh yeah?” he asked, taking the card out of his deck. “… Whoa! I must have missed that. Man, that’s like 7,000 with Big Benkei.”

“Yep. Always double check your cards, that’s my policy.”

“It’s a good policy to have, if ya ask me.”

Both boys looked over and seemed pleasantly surprised to see Indigo actually talking to them.

“So, how are things going with you guys?” she asked, trying to break the ice a bit. “Either of you hear anything from the Professor since your big Duel?”

Bulk nodded. “Yeah, he came and talked with me and Wes earlier. That’s how we found out about this big day off they do.”

“He’s also been trying to encourage us to meet more of the other students,” Wes said, picking up where his roommate left off. “But I’m not too keen. There’s still a lot I don’t know about this place. And I’m kind of worried I might say the wrong thing and get laughed out of the room.”

A sigh escaped Indigo’s lips, as she suddenly seemed more interested in her shoes. “Don’t I know it? Buncha jerks, gonna get on your case about every little buck-up.”

Wes chuckled. “Sounds like you know from experience?”

She nodded, never being one to hide her frustrations; much more practical to vent if the option was available. Wes gave her a gesture, as if telling her to continue on and explain, but as it would turn out...

“Well, if it isn’t little miss ‘Cutie Marks’!”

Someone would beat her to it.

Looking over, Indigo saw the most obnoxious girl she’d met thus far: a maroon-haired Obelisk Blue named Millie McCormick. While there had been many to poke fun at her for her little slip of the tongue in the changing room, none had been quite so irritating about it. And here she was, to pester her more.

“What’s a Cutie Mark?” Bulk asked, despite both Indigo and Wes making a ‘cut’ gesture at the neck. Unfortunately, they were too late, as Millie went in.

“Oh, you haven’t heard?” she asked haughtily. “Well, word to the wise, I’d stay away from this girl if you do not wish to be made fun of. Poor girl has deluded herself into thinking she’s a horse! And a horse with magical butt tattoos to boot!”

Anger overtook Indigo as she heard that, but it was directed more at herself. This whole fiasco was her own doing, and she knew it. A few too many slips of the tongue, a bit too much excitement when she rediscovered her Cutie Mark in the changing rooms, so on and so forth. And because of that she’d already developed a bit of a reputation as ‘that crazy girl who thinks she’s a winged horse’…

She wanted to lash out. And she knew she was going to.

“Pony, actually.”

But for the second time in only 5 minutes, someone beat her to it.

Wes looked to Millie with his hands in his hoodie pockets, while she raised an eyebrow at him.

“Excuse you?” she asked.

“Pony,” he repeated, like it should have been obvious. “If you’re gonna talk about it, get it right. You Obelisk snobs are supposed to be smart after all.”

To that, Millie scoffed. “Are you seriously going to feed this girl’s delusions? Surely you must know how unhealthy that is.”

“A lot healthier than mocking her for them, I’d imagine. But hey, whatever helps you sleep at night.”

While part of her was grateful to have someone else standing up for her, Indigo couldn’t help but feel a small bit of fury at her fellow ‘Special Case’. The implication of his line was loud and clear to her; he too thought it was a ‘delusion’.

‘He probably thinks I’m crazy, just like her,’ she lamented. ‘Bet he probably doesn’t even realize he’s got Rainbow Dash’s Cutie Mark on the back of his jacket. He’s just trying to be nice because the Professor saddled us all together.’

“Hmph. Perhaps if you didn’t spend so much time chasing fairy tales, you might have made it into Obelisk,” Millie said. “But then again, I don’t think any amount of studying would save the girl who thinks she has wings.”

“I DO have wings!”

Millie chuckled. “Then where ARE they?”

Indigo’s knuckles went white from how hard she clenched her fists.

“Oh, I bet you think you’re SO great,” she said, seething. “I oughta knock you off that pretty little pedestal you’re on!”

“Really? You think a Ra Yellow can beat an Obelisk Blue? Sure, you’re no Slifer Slacker, but there’s a reason I’m on top and you’re not.”

“Then what do you have to fear?” Indigo taunted, activating her Duel Disk. “If you’re as good as you say you are, this should be no sweat for you.”

Millie was silent for a second, before crossing her arms confidently.

“The funny thing is, you think you’re playing me,” she taunted right back. “But you’re right. Very well, I’ll take this opportunity to put an upstart like you in your place.”

“I’d like to see you try!”

Their little scuffle had already caught some attention thanks to the nearby onlookers, combined with Indigo’s own natural volume. A crowd began to gather, and the three Special Cases could hear the whispers among them.

“Yo, Horse Girl’s really challenging Millie?”

“Millie’s gonna knock some sense into that weirdo!”

“Man, this is gonna be hard to watch. Horse Girl’s gonna get creamed!”

Hearing this only furthered the conviction in Indigo’s mind. She’s show them.

She’d show them all…

DUEL!

Indigo Zap (4000 LP)

Vs

Millie McCormick (4000 LP)

[Turn 1, Millie, Hand: 5]

“I’ll blind you with my radiance!” boasted Millie, revealing a single spell card. “I activate Charge of the Light Brigade, allowing me to send the top 3 cards of my deck to the grave, in order to add Jain, Lightsworn Paladin to my hand!”

The three cards were sent to the graveyard, and by the time they had been, a burst of light shot out from Millie’s middle monster zone. Where it was, a towering bipedal wolf man appeared, carrying a giant axe and a set of claws on his hands.

(2100/300)

“And would you look at that?” Millie said with a smile. “Among the three cards I sent away was Wulf, the Lightsworn Beast! Because he was sent to the grave by a card effect, now he’s returned to the field! And next, I’ll Normal Summon Jain, the Lightsworn Paladin!”

Next to where Wulf stood, a lone woman appeared, her white hair perfectly complemented by armor of the same hue, accented by golden filigree and a red inner lining to her cape.

(1800/1200)

“With that, I’ll set one card face-down and end my turn. At the end phase, Jain sends two cards from my deck to the grave.”

[Turn End, Hand: 3]

[Turn 2, Indigo, Hand: 5]

“I dra-!”

Her declaration was cut short by a sudden jolt of energy through her right arm. It was like someone had shot a lightning bolt into it, though nowhere near as painful. Looking to the card she’d grabbed, it only confirmed what she knew. She’d felt it every other time this strange beast had been in her hand.

‘Worst part is, I can’t even use it, considering I don’t have the stupid Field Spell…’ she thought. ‘Oh well, I can still work with this.’

“First, I’ll play Crystal Bonds!” Indigo exclaimed, placing the Spell card for all to see. “I can add a Crystal Beast to my hand, and place one in my Spell Zone as a Continuous Spell! So, I’ll place Ruby Carbuncle in the Spell Zone, and add Sapphire Pegasus to my hand!”

A single large gemstone appeared in the backrow of Indigo’s field, deep red in color.

Millie chuckled. “Of course the horse-obsessed girl picks the horse to add to her hand.”

“Heh. You’ve never faced a Crystal Beast deck, have you?”

Indigo couldn’t hide her smile as the confidence her opponent had faltered just a little.

“Well, let’s keep going then,” she said, placing the monster on her Duel Disk. “I Normal Summon my Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus! And when he’s summoned, I use his effect to place my second Sapphire Pegasus in the Spell Zone!”

The first monster that Indigo actually summoned, and it lived up to its name, to be sure. A majestic horse with a pure white coat and golden feathers on his wings. Three sapphires adorned its body, two in its wings, and one forming a mighty horn atop its head.

And in the backrow, next to the large piece of ruby, a similarly sized piece of sapphire came to rest.

(1800/1200)

“Up next, I’m going to equip my Sapphire Pegasus with Crystal Release, raising his Attack Power by a fat 800!”

(ATK: 1800 + 800 = 2600)

“YEAH!”

Everyone’s attention was grabbed by that excited declaration behind Indigo. Looking back, she saw Bulk Biceps with that exact same grin she’d seen during his duel with Wes.

“Awesome move, Indigo!” he said excitedly. “Big beatsticks for LIFE!”

Indigo chuckled. ‘Wes was right, his enthusiasm’s infectious.’

“Damn straight,” she declared, looking back to her opponent. “Big beatsticks for life!”

“Well, it’s going to be a rather short life,” retorted Millie. “I activate Compulsory Evacuation Device, returning Sapphire Pegasus to your hand, and thereby sending Crystal Release to the grave!”

“Thanks for the free card. When Crystal Release is sent to the grave, I can set a Crystal Beast from my deck straight to my Spell Zone. I’ll pick Amethyst Cat!”

The third gem joined the little congregation that Indigo had going on, this one a massive slab of amethyst.

“Well, I’ll admit I’m not that well-versed with Crystal Beasts,” Millie said, her smirk never leaving her face. “But right now, all I’m seeing are three useless cards and a wasted Normal Summon. What else do you have?”

“Two words: Crystal Promise!”

The moment she activated this Spell, the ruby in her Spell Zone glowed intensely, as if being filled with life energy. Whispers began to form among the crowds, and to Indigo, she hadn’t heard a sweeter sound all morning.

‘Now I’ve got their attention for ALL the right reasons. Time to show them just what I’m made of!’

“I’ll Special Summon my Crystal Beast Ruby Carbuncle!”

In a burst of light, perhaps the most adorable little creature appeared, a strange blue-furred mix of a cat and a fennec fox, with massive red eyes and a ruby orb on its tail.

(300/300)

“And when he’s summoned, I can Special Summon as many Crystal Beasts as possible from my Spell Zone! So welcome back, Sapphire Pegasus and Amethyst Cat!”

In a brilliant red glow, both Crystal Beasts materialized on the battlefield, another Sapphire Pegasus, as well as a newcomer. This monster was a pink jungle cat, adorned with golden accessories on its legs and neck, as well as a massive chunk of amethyst in its necklace.

(1800/1200)

(1200/400)

The whispers turned to shocked gasps, as Indigo went from no monsters to three in a simple move. And as another massive piece of topaz appeared in her backrow, it became apparent that she had a 4th at the ready.

From the sidelines, Wes smiled. ‘Well, all eyes on you now. Better not waste it, Indi.’

“When Sapphire Pegasus is summoned, I’ll place my Topaz Tiger in the Spell Zone! And next, I’ll play Rainbow Bridge, which allows me to add any ‘Crystal’ Spell or Trap from my deck to my hand! I’ll add my SECOND Crystal Release to my hand! And once again, I’ll equip it to my Sapphire Pegasus!”

(1800 + 800 = 2600)

That was the last of Indigo’s spells and traps for the turn, it was more than enough to get her message across. She smirked as she looked to the monsters on the field, did a quick bit of mental math, and determined her best course of action.

“I’ll attack Jain, Lightsworn Paladin with Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus!”

The winged horse took off, first with his hooves, then with his wings, as it glided off the ground, skewering the paladin on his glowing sapphire horn. Millie winced, as the damage was applied.

(Millie’s LP: 4000 – 800 = 3200)

“And next, I’ll direct attack you with Amethyst Cat!”

With incredible speed, Amethyst Cat zipped past Wulf, who attempted to catch her with his claws. Once she was within range, she pounced on the Lightsworn’s Duelist, not putting her full strength behind the attack, but enough to leave a mark.

(Millie’s LP: 3200 – 600 = 2600)

“With that, I’ll end my turn, right then and there!”

[Turn End, Hand: 3]

[Turn 3, Millie, Hand: 3]

Millie too could hear the whispers among the crowd. People were genuinely impressed by that play and making no attempts to hide it. Mentions of some of them never having seen a Crystal Beast deck at full strength, others wishing their archetype of choice had searching power like that ‘Rainbow Bridge’ card, and so on. She still heard mutters of ‘Horse Girl’ here and there, but it genuinely seemed to be dying down.

Indigo Zap was winning them over.

‘Hmph. No matter,’ she thought, ‘Even if they’re impressed now, she’s not going to win this Duel. I’ll blow them all away with my next move!’

“I draw!”

She looked to the card in her hand, and smiled. “And immediately, I’ll discard the card I drew for the effect of Solar Recharge! By doing so, I draw 2 cards, and then send 2 from the top of my deck to the grave!”

As soon as she finished milling the cards, a second monster materialized. This one was more humanoid – though still retaining a set of cat ears and a tail – adorned in robes meant for mobility rather than protection. In her hands, she held a white and gold bow, an arrow notched and at the ready.

(1100/2000)

“And would you look at that? Sending away those cards granted me my Felis, Lightsworn Archer! Now the stage is set perfectly, as I can play this! Double Summon! With this, I can Tribute Summon twice! Now, my first Tribute Summon…”

Wulf seemed to smirk, as his body was engulfed in a light so bright that everyone in the crowd had to shield their eyes. When it finally cleared, in Wulf’s place was a new Lightsworn Monster; a massive European-style dragon, with angelic wings, a white coat of fur, and a mane of golden hair. It let out a mighty roar, causing Indigo’s monsters to falter at the sound.

(2000/1600)

“Behold! Gragonith, Lightsworn Dragon! And accompanying him to this soiree…”

Felis too was engulfed in a similar show of radiance, this one bearing a very different result once all was said and done. Instead of the great beast replacing another, from on high descended a majestic angel, clad in the signature Lightsworn colors, her massive wings fluttering as she landed on the battlefield.

(2300/200)

“Celestia, Lightsworn Angel! Show them oblivion!”

Before Indigo could respond, the Angel began to fiercely glow, her body alight with divine energy. Soon after, it all pooled into her wings, which she extended to full length, two beams of light shooting out from them, and shattering both Sapphire Pegasus and Amethyst Cat instantly.

Indigo was stunned, but ultimately undeterred.

“So, wanna enlighten me?” she asked, crossing her arms. “What the heck did that Angel of yours do?”

Millie smirked. “I’m glad you asked. By sending the top 4 cards of my deck to the grave, I can target up to 2 cards you control and destroy them. So, I’ll be doing so with two of your Monsters. And if I had to guess, you’ll be sending them to the Spell Zone, correct?”

“Only Pegasus and Cat,” Indigo answered. “I can go without Crystal Release’s effect this turn.”

“Ah, so I see you’re smart enough not to leave your back row completely occupied,” Millie taunted. “But still, it won’t matter. For every differently named Lightsworn in my grave, Gragonith gains 300 Attack! Currently, there are 7!”

(Gragonith’s ATK: 2000 + 2100 = 4100)

“And to add icing onto the cake, when Gragonith attacks, he inflicts Piercing Damage on his opponent! With your Ruby Carbuncle’s measly 300 Defense, you’ll take 3800 damage from this! Gragonith! Attack!”

The crowd went silent, as the dragon let out a second mighty roar, a burst of light shooting from its mouth toward Ruby Carbuncle. It had no chance to dodge this strike, which pierced through its body at such incredible speed and force that it almost stabbed into the ground itself. Carbuncle shattered, and everyone waited with bated breath for the resulting blowback that Indigo would suffer…

A blowback that would never come, as she revealed a single card in her hand.

“I’m going to discard Kuriboh for this battle, reducing all the damage I would have taken to 0!”

Wide eyes and a look of horrified resignation were all that Millie could offer as she heard those words, and saw the famous brown furball show up to shield Indigo from all damage. The blunette even had the audacity to pet the creature before it vanished, as if it was just showing up to show up!

“Kuriboh!?” she sputtered incredulously. “That useless old hand trap!?”

“Seems pretty useful right now, Millie,” Indigo taunted. “Seriously, you overextend so hard and what do you THINK I’m gonna do?”

“Nice one, Indi!” Wes called out. “Show her she can’t push you around!”

“Yeah, Indigo!” Bulk chimed in. “Knock her off her high horse!”

Millie chuckled. “High horse… quite the interesting choice of words. But then again, I suppose it’s only fitting.”

The Ra Yellow girl rolled her eyes. “You really wanna keep talking smack when you’ve gotten shut down at every play?”

“At least I have no delusions about what I am!”

Indigo’s scowl was only a small comfort to Millie, as the words to escape her opponent’s lips hit hard and true. Thus far, nothing she’d done on her turn or on Indigo’s turn had been more than a minor setback, and she hated that more than she could ever articulate.

‘How could this girl be so skilled?’ she asked herself. ‘She barely has a grasp on reality, and yet here she is, showing up ME? An Obelisk Blue?’

She shook her head and looked to Indigo with visible frustration. ‘No… no, no, this has to be a fluke. She’s just gotten lucky with her starting hand. And skill ALWAYS beats luck.’

“Hmph… very well,” she continued her move, putting on a practiced grin. “But now all your monsters are in your Spell Zone! Celestia, attack Indigo Zap directly!”

The Angel did as commanded, aiming her staff right at Indigo, from which a beam of divine energy shot forth, and hit the girl dead on. She skidded back as the force behind the attack caused her to stumble, nearly knocking her off balance.

(Indigo’s LP: 4000 – 2300 = 1700)

“And on that note, I’ll set one card face-down, and end my turn! During the End Phase, I mill 3 cards for Gragonith!”

[Turn End, Hand: 0]

[Turn 4, Indigo, Hand: 2]

Indigo drew for turn, finding one of her key spell cards once again. It wasn’t the most important one in her arsenal, but she knew it would get the job done.

‘Or at least, I hope it will,’ she mused. ‘But then again, my draws have been exceptionally good. Like beyond all reasonable probability sometimes. Maybe it’ll be the same this time?’

She could only hope so.

“I’ll play Rare Value!” Indi exclaimed. “First, choose a Crystal Beast in my Backrow! I send it to the graveyard and get 2 cards!”

Millie did not hesitate. “It’s not even a question, I’ll be sending away your Ruby Carbuncle.”

Part of her knew that Millie would, given how much work the little guy put in last round. So, she sent it away, and began her draw, hoping that whatever she got would be worth it.

“I draw!”

And upon seeing her first card, she knew it was.

“Yes! Alright, here’s how this is gonna go down!” Indigo said, revealing her monster. “I’ll Summon the Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus you sent back to my hand earlier! And with his effect, I can add Amber Mammoth from my deck to the Spell Zone!

And now, with 4 Crystal Beasts in my Spell Zone, the stage is set! I play Crystal Abundance!”

The four crystals in Indigo’s spell zone flashed brightly, their multiple colors bathing the battlefield in a dazzling display. Everyone watched, many expecting a world-shattering explosion or a beam of rainbow-colored excellence.

And as the crystals reached the peak of their brilliance, suddenly…

Everything was gone.

No explosions, no rainbows, no giant lasers. Just suddenly, everything’s gone.

“… Wh-what!?” Millie asked, genuinely perplexed. “What just happened!? Where did my monsters go!?”

“Straight to the grave,” Indigo said. “Crystal Abundance sends all cards on the field to the grave. No destruction, no targeting, just poof, they’re all gone! And you want to know the best part? Take a wild guess, I bet you’ll never get it!”

“… Dare I ask?”

The former Pegasus smirked. “For every card on YOUR side of the field that got sent away, I can Special Summon a Crystal Beast from MY grave, including the ones I just sent! So, your two Lightsworns means I’ll be summoning back my two Sapphire Pegasi!”

(1800 ATK x2)

In an instant, two more horses joined her on the battlefield again, staring down Millie with intention to strike. Millie, for her part, did her best to put on a strong visage, but it was clear to everyone that she knew it was over. Indigo made no attempts at small talk. No final jab, just commanded her monsters to attack Millie directly, which they did. The girl was promptly knocked off her feet, and back onto the ground, as the last of her life points were depleted.

[Duel Over! Victory: Indigo Zap!]

The crowd cheered for Indigo’s victory, as Millie picked herself up off the ground, seething at her loss. Hearing the roar of the crowd was certainly a large comfort, but the blunette knew it would not last. Even if they were impressed right now, she knew there was still a bigger issue at play.

But now, she had a chance to rectify it.

“LISTEN UP!”

Roars turned to murmurs as others began to wonder what Indigo had to say. She’d earned their attention, she knew, and there was no way she’d waste it now.

“You saw what I did to little miss Obelisk Blue here,” she told the crowd. “I hear ANY of you badmouthing me again, and it’ll be your ass on the chopping block next! Got it!?”

There were a few fearful whispers, a few worried nods, and a few scoffs among the crowd; about the reaction she might have expected. But in the end, her point had been made, and it seemed some people were actually taking it seriously.

As the crowd dispersed once again, Wes and Bulk were the first to approach her after the whole ordeal. But where their presence had previously brought her joy, now her mind was stuck on what had been said, and left her only annoyed.

So, when Wes tried to make small talk, she ignored him instead, and walked off. She didn’t look back and continued back toward the dorms.

Had she chosen to look back, she might have saw the shocked expression on her fellow ‘Special Case’s’ face.

Several hours had passed since that Duel, and despite wanting to explore the island initially, most of Indigo’s day had been spent inside, going out only for food. It wasn’t like her, or at least like the ‘her’ that the world mostly saw. Most days, she was outside, flying about, having fun when she was off shift, doing something active.

Today, she was huddled up on her bed, with a good book in hand.

Her little hobby had never been something she hid – no point in hiding something you love – but it was something she usually did alone. After a bad day, it was easy for her to escape into a world of fiction, or find herself engrossed in whatever new facts she might find in a textbook.

But again, it was more of a ‘bad day’ hobby, and she knew it.

‘Honestly, why am I so bothered by it?’ she asked herself. ‘I mean, I know all of it’s true, they’re not gonna have me second-guessing myself. But then again… they don’t know. They just hear something that sounds crazy, and they can’t understand it.

And the people who DO understand what I’m going through still think it sounds like lunacy…’

A light tapping on her door caught her attention, as she placed her bookmark, got up, and answered the door.

It was Wes.

“What do you want?” She asked tersely.

“I just wanted to check up on you,” he answered. “I haven’t seen you since the Duel.”

“That’s the idea, genius. I’m not exactly in the mood to see other people.”

“So I noticed. You seemed really upset when you left. Even at me…”

His tone made Indigo wince slightly, but she steeled herself to it. She didn’t want to talk about it.

Unfortunately, he pressed on.

“Indi, are you okay?” He asked. “Did I do something to upset you?”

“Wh- you really don’t know!?”

He shook his head, and Indigo felt something in her snap at that. Did he really not remember what he said?

Fine then.

“‘Much healthier to feed her delusions than to mock her for them’,” she paraphrased, a scowl on her features. “Remember those words, Mr. Special Case?”

For a few moments, he was silent, looking at her with a mix of shock and hurt. Part of her wondered if maybe she was overreacting, or maybe she’d took it too far. It wouldn’t have been the first time in her life that she had. But that fact just made her feel worse.

“Indi… that’s what this is about?” Wes asked incredulously. “Listen, that was just bad phrasing on my part. I didn’t mean to imply that I don’t believe you.”

“Yeah, well… it still hurt,” she admitted, crossing her arms, but unable to look him in the eye. “I thought we were supposed to be in the same boat. But when you said that, it made me seem like the odd one out. Like I wasn’t like you, and you thought so too.”

Initially, the boy said nothing, making her wonder if she’d said too much. However, he eventually took a step forward, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Indigo… I do believe you. And I’m sorry if I made you feel like I didn’t.”

That got her attention, as she looked to Wes with wide eyes. “You do?”

He nodded. “Come on, I’m sure you’ve seen the back of my jacket by now.”

“I did! I just… started to doubt it after you said that. Like, maybe your home had a symbol that’s too close for comfort.”

“Nope. It’s Rainbow Dash’s, no two ways about it.”

A wave of relief washed over Indigo upon hearing those words, but was soon replaced by a sense of uncertainty and dread. That left her with one more question on her mind:

“But wait, you said you’re not from Equestria. Or from Bulk’s equivalent to Equestria for that matter. How do you know about Rainbow Dash?”

Wes winced a bit and started rubbing the back of his neck.

“Wes?” Indigo pressed. “How do you know about Rainbow Dash?”

“… You want the real answer?” He finally asked. “Because something tells me you’re not gonna like it.”

She scoffed at that. “I’m a tough pony, Wes. If I can handle becoming a completely different species, I’m sure whatever your explanation is will be nothing.”

“Alright, if you’re sure. Lemme in and we’ll talk it over.”

No more words needed to be exchanged, as Indigo made the small gesture of moving out of his way, and let Wes in. He was quick to sit on the bed, and gesture for her to sit next to him.

That was never good, as she’d found throughout her life. But still, she wasn’t about to back down.

She was Indigo Zap, after all.

Meanwhile, across campus, Professor Atlas sat alone in his office, idly looking through his cards as he waited for Bulk Biceps to show up. He had initially intended to call all three of them in, but Bulk said Wes had taken off, and Indigo had not answered his call.

So, this impromptu meeting would have to take place between him and only one of his new students.

He sighed, thinking of how it had only been three days, and they were already making waves. It reminded him of better days…

“You cannot dwell on the past anymore.”

Atlas rolled his eyes, looking to the card that stared back at him. “I’m well aware, old friend. You only say it every time I reminisce.”

“Sometimes, it seems you need to be reminded of the path you’ve travelled.”

“Never. I know what I gave up. That’s why I want to help them.”

“And you know you have more power to do it than you have been.”

“Oh sure, because being able to call upon your strength is totally going to help them.”

“That is not what I meant, and you are well aware of that.”

Atlas sighed. “I know. I just… well…”

“You are fearful of what might happen?”

“More than you could ever know…”

A loud knock on the door signaled that Bulk was most likely here, meaning that Atlas’ lovely little conversation would have to be saved for another time.

“Door’s open!” He called out.

Bulk entered the room, visibly nervous. Upon seeing the cracks in the wood, he realized why. Making a mental note to have that door repaired, he motioned for Bulk to approach.

“Hail, Mr. Biceps,” he said. “How has your day been?”

“Well, it’s been okay, I guess,” Bulk answered, sitting down in the seat across from Professor Atlas’ desk. “I’ve been kind of homesick, though.”

“That’s completely understandable. Every student goes through that once in a while. I know I can’t exactly invite your family here… but if you ever feel that, I want you to know you can come talk to me. Alright?”

Bulk smiled. “Wow. Thanks, Professor.”

Atlas nodded. “It’s what I’m here for. But enough about me, let’s get to why I called you for this meeting. As you know, you, Mr. Mizuhara, and Ms. Zap are here due to your… shall we say, unique circumstances.”

“Well yeah,” Bulk said hesitantly. “Why? Is something wrong?”

“Not for you three specifically. However, as it would turn out… I’ve found a fourth.”

Taking that as her cue to step out of the lonely little corner she’d been, the girl in question made her presence known. Bulk could feel his body tense as he saw the smirk the girl wore, and the look in her raspberry eyes.

She wasn’t much taller than Indigo, her skin having a light yellowish tint to it, and her hair a large poofy mass of orange, as well as a few streaks of yellow. While still dressed in the traditional Ra Yellow uniform, she’d managed to make it her own, adding a studded hair tie which she used to tie her hair back, and a choker around her neck.

A choker adorned on the end by a single red crystal.

“I’d been wanting to introduce all three of you to the newest ‘special case’,” Atlas told him. “But as it turns out, neither of your friends were available at the moment. So, I suppose they’ll just have to learn about her later. For now…”

He gestured to the girl, but not before giving her an unreadable look.

“Bulk Biceps… meet Adagio Dazzle.”

Author's Note

So, I tried something new with this chapter's formatting, and I'm hoping to get the other two chapters updated as well to fit it. This was also my big chance to play around with someone other than Wes on his side. This will be a regular thing, for the record, me going into the side characters just as much as my OCs. So, I went heavy with Indigo here.

Speaking of, I hope you guys like my interpretation of Indigo Zap. I tried to think of how to make her distinct from Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust, despite them sharing some obvious traits (competitive, brash, cocky). It was honestly kind of fun, filling in the gaps of this character we only really got to see once.

For now, I hope you guys like this chapter. I'll see you all at the next update.