Scoot-A-Loo: Cruel Critters

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3

Chapter 1

An ear-splitting siren jolts Scootaloo's body to life as she launches out of her bed and sprawls onto the floor. Her blurry vision and disorientation sends her into a panic as she crawls under her bed for protection against whatever is making that horrid sound. Gathering her senses, she comes to realize this siren is the alarm she set the night before. Then it hits her: she made a promise to Twilight yesterday that she can't afford to break. She races to gather herself together and focus on getting herself out the door as quickly as possible. First the alarm clock, which is much faster to silence by unplugging the chord from the wall than searching for the right button. She checks herself in the mirror, and other than her mane being absolute mess, it's nothing she's concerned about. Perhaps the most important thing--her backpack--is what she's scouring her bedroom floor for. Not for any of the schoolbooks inside, but for something much more important than that--at least according to Scootaloo.

Scootaloo rockets down the stairs into the living room, where she's tempted to completely ignore the sweet scent of breakfast. She reasons that surely she can't fulfill the promise she made to Twilight on an empty stomach. So, she peers into the dining room to find a quick bite she can snatch before leaving.

"Ahh, good morning Scootaloo!" says her Aunt as she pours herself a glass of juice.

"Hey, Aunt Holiday! What'cha making?" Scootaloo inquires.

"Well, I know you have to be out of here early, so I got your breakfast right here in a bag for you. There's a cantaloupe slice, two pancakes, a juice pouch, and a little bottle of syrup. Can't have pancakes without syrup!"

"Thanks Aunt Holiday; you're always lookin' out for me! Be back later!"

"Have Fun!"

Scootaloo snatches the brown sack of food, and heads for the door. After that the only thing left is the stretch of road leading to Twilight's Castle of Friendship. She twists the knob, pulls open the door, and is greeted by yet another surprise: a roadblock that had to have been put there by fate.

"Uhh, hey Scoot!" says Apple Bloom with her hoof in position to knock on the door.

"Wow, you're up early," says Sweetie Belle. "Where are you going?"

Of course, it had to be her two closest friends whom she had hoped she wouldn't bump into today. Despite how desperately she wants to share what she knows, part two of Twilight's promise kicks in. Not only does she have to be there as early as possible, she's forbidden from telling anypony about it. She needs to come up with a fib and fast.

"I'm . . . on my way to school!" She proclaims.

"But it's the weekend," says Apple Bloom.

"Uhh, you see, I asked Miss Cheerilee for a catch-up study session!" She stammers.

"You? Study?"

"Yeah, since when do you of all ponies go to school on a weekend to learn?" Sweetie Belle adds.

"Well, Sweetie Belle, I figured it'd be a nice change to help bring my grades up," Scootaloo says through her clenched teeth.

"But don't you always say as long as you're passing you're passing?" Apple Bloom asks.

"If I don't make it then I'm going to end up below passing--so, sorry guys, but I really need to go!"

Scootaloo then squeezes through her two friends. She knows it's rude of her to do so, but as soon as the time comes, she'll tell them everything. Right now, she can't afford the risk of word spreading about what Twilight's made--and if it does--she'd rather not consider what consequences might follow. Such as any future involvement with Twilight's project as a reliable confidant.

"Wait, Scoot! We need your help!" Her friends beg in unison. Just like that, Scootaloo stops in her tracks. If her closest friends are in need of her help, she can't simply turn a blind eye to it. Surely even Twilight--the Princess of Friendship herself--wouldn't approve of such a thing. If she ends up a few minutes late she knows Twilight will understand given the circumstances.

"You guys know I'll help no matter what," Scootaloo affirms. "So, what do you need me to do."

"Alright!" They cheer.

"C'mon! This way!" says Apple Bloom as she leads the brigade in a full gallop through Ponyville.

Scootaloo considers the possibilities of what the emergency could be. Given the speed they're moving and the sense of urgency, it must be something important. She wonders if Apple Bloom's farm's been raided by an unknown apple thief who's stolen all the apples, or if Sweetie Belle's sister is having another one of her dramatic episodes--and how she'd be able to help with that is even in the realm of possibility. She fears that they've maybe gotten themselves into a situation with they're favorite school bully Diamond Tiara, that term used loosely of course. Scootaloo relishes the weekends as it's a two-day respite from Diamond Tiara and her fellow accomplice Silver Spoon. If they're causing trouble now, it might be the end of peaceful weekends from now on. Apple Bloom and Sweetie come to a screeching halt before the trunk of what has to be tallest tree in Ponyville.

Sweetie Belle desperately points up at the tree. "Up there! Look!"

Caught between some branches is a dark blue, plastic frisbee. Scootaloo, with her hoof pressed against her forehead, sighs a breath of both frustration and relief. Sure, it wasn't the world-shattering emergency she thought it was, but at least the weekends are still safe.

"We were just playin' like normal until a gust of wind up an' carried the frisbee all the way up into this tree!" Apple Bloom explains.

"Yeah, and since we know you're not afraid of heights, we figured you'd be able to climb up there no problem!" Sweetie Belle explains.

"Guys, it's really not that high," says Scootaloo.

"Says you! I can't even reach it with my magic!"

"Whaddya say, Scoot? Think you can get it down?" Apple Bloom asks.

Scootaloo smirks, "No biggie! I'll get that thing down in a flash."

Burning with confidence and still pressing for time, she drops her schoolbag and takes hold of the first branch. Her friends watch in excitement as she effortlessly hops from branch to branch inching closer to their lost toy. Scootaloo hadn't ever been afraid of heights once in her life, and she isn't planning on ever starting. She always considered it a perk of being a pegasus; her love of the air and flight never wavering. Within seconds the frisbee is at eye level with her. It's a little far from the trunk, but she knows she'll reach it if she stretches out far enough. She can feel the edge of the frisbee at the tip of her hoof, but the snap of a branch above her catches her attention. She looks up into the mesh of leaves and branches, and is puzzled by a strange shape inside. It's far too big to be a squirrel; even too big to be a hawk. Her heart starts to tremble as the thing in the tree starts to shift. As it moves, the sunlight glimmers off its body like how it would if it were made of metal. Scootaloo, wanting nothing more than to get down and escape, grabs the edge of the frisbee. The entire body of the tree quakes as the shiny creature launches itself into the air. Scootaloo panics, loses her balance, and plummets downward with a scream. Her little wings flap and flutter in a vain attempt to keep her afloat to no avail.

"Scoot!" Her friends yell as they position themselves under Scootaloo. They collectively grunt as she falls into the safety cushion that is her friends, followed by groans of pain.

"Th-Thanks guys," says Scootaloo as she gets to her hooves, and helps them get to theirs.

"Don't mention it,"--Apple Bloom dusts herself off--"But what happened up there?"

"Yeah, the tree just shook for no reason!" Sweetie Belle asks.

"There was this . . . thing!" Scootaloo stammers. "I saw it moving in the tree. I couldn't really tell what it was, but it was huge, and kinda shiny too. Next thing I know it takes off! Didn't you guys see it?"

"We didn't see anything."

"Yeah, once you fell the only thing we were lookin' at was you," Apple Bloom explains.

"Ugh, you're kidding!" Scootaloo stomps her hoof into the grass, but notices something glint from underneath it. She lifts up her hoof and finds a large feather beneath the blades of grass. "Guys. . . Look."

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle huddle next to Scootaloo hypnotized by the sleek, golden feather. Scootaloo picks it up, unsure if what she's seeing is even real. No words are spoken by the trio as they examine it. Scootaloo wonders if it's just a paint job, and carefully looks over every aspect of the feather for any sign of its true color. However, every part of the feather from between the vanes down to the quill are perfectly golden. Their dreamlike haze is interrupted by the loud chime of the town clock tower. Upon realizing the time, Scootaloo's heart races as she shoves the feather in her schoolbag.

"Sorry guys I really gotta go! We'll meet up later!" She shouts back to her friends as she vanishes from sight.

"Y-Yeah! See ya later!" says Apple Bloom. "Sweetie Belle, on a scale of one to ten, how weird was that?"

"It's hard to say, but I think it was a decent seven," says Sweetie Belle.

"Yeah, I'm right there with ya."

After dodging and weaving her way through to the other side of town, she finally reaches her destination: Twilight's Castle of Friendship. She had a fear of getting lost and forgetting where her castle exactly was, but it's difficult to miss a large, crystalline tree that doubles as a four story home complete with doors, windows and balconies. Out of breath and her hooves aching, she knocks on the tall, golden doors. Scootaloo can't keep but think back to that bizarre encounter. She's still unsure of what she even saw, or if the feather in her bag even came from what was in that tree. So many questions buzz around in her head like a swarm of parasprytes, and she can't come up with a single answer to any of them. She knows Twilight's very knowledgeable in just about everything, but wonders if she should even bother asking. It could just be a big misunderstanding; the feather might not be gold, and the creature could've been anything. That's if it was even a creature at all.

"Scootaloo! You made it!" Twilight happily greets from the doorway. Scootaloo hadn't noticed the door was open since she was staring down at the doorstep pondering to herself.

"Uhh-yeah! I told you I'd be here, and I meant it! There was no way I was gonna miss out on this," says Scootaloo taking a breath between every word.

"Are you okay? I hope I didn't make you rush. We could've scheduled for a later time if you wanted."

"No, no. That's okay. I wanted as much time as possible to help you with this."

"Well, I appreciate the dedication there, Scootaloo. Please, come in. I'll get you some water; you look parched."

Together they wander the halls of the castle as the sounds of their steps echo throughout. Twilight looks to Scootaloo as she guzzles down the glass of water she'd been given with such haste she's surprised she doesn't choke. She feels Scootaloo must've been inconvenienced by the time she chose to host this meeting, yet is grateful to have her volunteering for her project.

"Thank you again, Scootaloo, for helping me with this," says Twilight.

"Are you kidding?! This is like one of the coolest things ever! I should be thanking you for asking me."

"It's my pleasure. So, did you study them?"

"Oh yeah, I studied them all night!"

"All night?"

"Well, most of the night anyway. I did get sleep though. Honest."

"I won't lie; I didn't get much sleep either. I had to make sure that everything was in perfect, working order during our test."

"You mean it's working?! For real?!"

Twilight giggles at the sight of her excitement. "Just head through that door and you'll see!"

Like a child on Hearth's Warming, she darts through the door into a wide-open room with one large spotlight beaming down onto what appears to be an arena of sorts. Littered around the room are various tools and blueprints detailing the schematics of the rectangular platform in the center of the room. The platform itself appears to be made of glass where a slew of circuits, wires, and other technologic architecture can be seen underneath. The outer rim of the arena is protected by a shiny, metal boundary meant to contain every wire and circuit board inside. Scootaloo climbs up onto a podium that's built into one side of the arena; a small stepstool has been provided for her to get a clear view of the arena.

"Woah. . . You built this whole thing?" Scootaloo asks.

"Yep! Everything down to the smallest detail." Twilight walks over to the podium on the opposite side of the arena, and uses her magic to lift up a deck of cards to show to Scootaloo. "So, are you ready to get started?"

Reaching into her schoolbag, Scootaloo pulls out her own deck of cards like a warrior drawing her sword. "Oh, you know it!"

"Then in that case"--Twilight uses her magic to grab hold of a lever peeking out of a switchbox built into the side of the arena--"you're on." She throws the lever, activating the arena as the machinery hums. Lights illuminate the platform, as well as the podiums on which they stand. "Go ahead and set your deck in the appropriate space."

Scootaloo examines the glass grid laid out before her, recalling that the deck goes in the bottom far right space. She pulls exactly five cards from the top of the deck as her hoof trembles with both excitement and anxiety. She hadn't expected Twilight to have finished building the arena for her visit, but now that she'll actually get to see it in action, she wonders just how impressive it'll be once the first card is played.

"Since you say you've studied all night, let's see how much you know. I'll let you take the first turn," says Twilight.

Scootaloo swallows to help ease her dry throat as she does her best to recall everything she had learned. Every space on the grid is a space for a card, and the top row is going to be her main focus as of now. She looks at her drawn cards and is a bit overwhelmed by the amount of options she has, but she sets her eyes on the one card she wants to play. With the card in hoof, she places it onto one of the available spots on the grid.

"I play The Hooded Robin!" The space lights up around the card, and the corresponding space on the arena glows. Before her eyes, an image of the creature on the playing card begins to take shape. Within seconds, every aspect of the creature from its crimson feathers to the olive-green hood over its head are rendered in stunning realism. Even Twilight herself is impressed by the beauty and ferocity of the creature's appearance. "Woah. . . I-I played my first critter!"

"Good job!" Twilight cheers. "Don't get too carried away though. You're only allowed to play one critter per turn, at least in this fashion."

"Right! Then I think I'll end my turn there."

"So, you didn't send your critter on the offensive. I'm glad you remembered you can't do that on the first turn of the game."

"See? I know my stuff."

"Well, playing your critter in offensive mode might not have been the best idea."

"What do you mean? Look how tough she is!"

"You're right; her offensive points are fifteen hundred, which isn't bad at all. I'll draw one card to start my turn, and next I'll play my Friendship Fairy in offensive mode." Twilight places her card on the grid, and the image of a small, innocent critter with pink fur and a pair of butterfly wings digitizes on her side of the arena. Its wide, yellow eyes blink in wonder as it squeaks with glee.

"Is that it? I'm not scared of that little fuzzball! Its offense points are only one thousand two hundred!"

"For now, but not after I play this; I activate this mystic card: Circle of Friendship!" Once the card hits the grid, Twilight's side of the arena becomes surrounded by a heavenly, golden ring. "As long as this card remains in play, any critter I control with the word Friendship in its name gains five hundred offensive and defensive points!"

"Huh?! Then your fairy's at seventeen hundred!"

"That's right. Now, Friendship Fairy, use your blinding beam against Scootaloo's Hooded Robin!" The pink-haired critter pulls out a magic wand from its fur, and with one commanding point of the tip, a golden beam shoots toward Scootaloo's robin. The bird caws as an explosion erupts from the impact; Scootaloo shields her face from the incoming gust of smoke, and to her surprise it feels all too real. The strength of the blast, the shaking of the floor, and the painful sounds of her critter biting the dust are so frighteningly realistic that Scootaloo looks on in bewilderment as the smoke dissipates to reveal an empty space where her critter once was.

"Woah. . . That. Was. Awesome!" Scootaloo bounces on the stepstool. "I totally wasn't expecting anything like that!"

Twilight giggles. "I'm glad you like it, but pay attention to your life points! Since my fairy was two hundred points stronger than your robin, you take two hundred points of damage." Scootaloo watches as the digital number counter on her screen decrease from four thousand to three thousand eight hundred. Twilight's, however, gets to stay at a hefty four thousand as displayed at the front of her podium in big, white numbers. "Whenever one of your critters is defeated, it gets sent to the dungeon space above your deck. Along with any mystics cards and such that are played."

Scootaloo moves the card to the correct space. "I may have lost some life points, but that's your only attack this turn!"

"That's right. I can only attack once with each critter I control; in this case: one. Before ending my turn, I'll set one card facedown." An image of a large card appears on one space of the back row on Twilight's side, but only the back of the card is visible. "Remember, Scootaloo, you want to try and be one step ahead of your opponent. You want to make sure you have a plan in place for whatever I might do."

"You're right. I left my robin defenseless, but that won't happen again!"

"I like the confidence! Go ahead; your go."

"I'll draw for my turn."

Scootaloo, I can help you.

"Huh? What did you say, Twilight?"

"I didn't say anything. I'm just being patient; take all the time you need."

Scootaloo looks back over her shoulder as if expecting to see somepony there, but of course there isn't. She could've sword she'd heard a voice just now, but reasons that it must be the lack of sleep finally catching up to her. With a stronger critter in the arena, she needs to build back up some line of defense. She scans her drawn cards for something with a large defensive number, and luckily, she finds just the card she needs.

"I play my Dragon Hatchling in defensive mode!" She sets the card in a sideways position on the grid, and an image of a large, speckled egg forms on the arena. The egg wiggles and shakes until a big-eyed, baby dragon pops its head out from the top with the shell still on its head. It roars with its little voice and spits a tiny burst of flame from its mouth. "His offensive points may be zero, but his defense is what counts!"

"Hmm, you know you can only play a critter in defense if it's facedown, right?"

"Thanks to my dragon's ability, if I don't control any critters, I can play him from my hoof faceup!"

"Ooh, well done. Your dragon's got two thousand defensive points! That's going to be tough to deal with."

"You bet! But I'm not done yet." Scootaloo takes another card from her hoof and sets it on the grid. "I'm gonna play a mystic card of my own! I'll use Coat of Armor!" Suddenly, the young dragon's egg turns from white and speckled to silver and metal with a brilliant sheen. "This will give my little dragon a two-hundred-point boost to his defense! Since that's all I can really do right now, I'll end my turn there. Good luck getting past that!"

"You've made a nice wall of defense there, Scootaloo! But I don't think it's going to be much of a problem for me."

"What do you mean? Your fairy's not even close to being strong enough to get through my dragon!"

"She's not. Which is why her time here in the arena must sadly come to an end. I'll be using her as tribute to play a much more powerful critter." Twilight's Friendship Fairy vanishes from the arena as she removes the card from the grid in place of a new critter card. "I play Marigold The Protector of Friendship!" On the arena forms the figure of a unicorn mare dressed in antiquated, silver armor with gold linings, and a long, flowing mane of golden yellow given her namesake. She glares at the little dragon, scaring it back into its shell.

"Woah. It's almost like they're alive."

"Isn't it amazing? I've programmed the algorithm to have the critters interact slightly during standby. Not all of them will, but I'm glad we got to see it happen with these two. It's just one of those little details to immerse you even more so into the game."

"Yeah, in case I wasn't already! This is epic! Aw, but she's so powerful! She got two thousand offense points plus an extra five hundred thanks to your Circle of Friendship! Little guy won't stand a chance; I guess I'll be taking three hundred points of damage."

"Sorry, Scootaloo, but you'll be taking much more than that."

"Huh? How?"

"I'll show you by playing my facedown card! I play the hex card: Dazed and Confused!" The large hologram of the card lifts up to reveal the image of a derpy-eyed pony dressed in simple armor and stumbling about.

"A hex card?! Those are the cards that are like mystic cards except they're magenta instead of teal, right?"

"Sort of. These are the cards that need to be set facedown first before they can be played. Not only that, but they can be used during your turn or mine. What this card does is it switches one of your critter's battle positions!"

"Th-Then that means. . ."

"That's right. Your dragon's coming out of his shell with his zero offense points, and your life points will take the full twenty-five hundred points of damage! Marigold, attack her dragon with Friendship Blast!"

The unicorn soldier's horn begins to shine as particles of light gather at the tip. She stomps her hooves onto the floor and releases a powerful blast of golden light at the small dragon who's no longer protected by his shell. Scootaloo watches in terror until the intensity of the light and the deafening roar of the beam become too much for her to bear. She ducks under the podium to hide from the bombardment of the unicorn's magic, and notices a subtle glow creeping out from her schoolbag. Scootaloo's eyes become permanently affixed to it as it continues to brighten.

Scootaloo, let me take over. I'm here to help you.

"Who. . ? Who are you?" Scootaloo mutters.

The dragon and its egg are completely enveloped in the unicorn's blast, creating an even larger cloud of smoke compared to the destruction of the first critter. Twilight watches the life point counter on Scootaloo's podium drop significantly to thirteen hundred. "Sorry Scootaloo! I'm just trying to show you how important it is to think ahead! One turn can really do a number on your life points!"

"Thanks for the tip, Twilight," says a much more mature-voiced mare from behind the smoke. Caught off guard, Twilight takes a step back in bemusement as the smoke clears. An adult mare who bears a striking resemblance to Scootaloo now stands where the young filly once did. Twilight isn't sure if it's simply her eyes playing tricks on her, or this invention of hers is somehow inducing some sort of hallucinogenic affect that's altering her perception. Unless her ears are deceiving her as well, she believes that mare can only be Scootaloo. "I'll guarantee you I won't make that mistake again."

"Scootaloo? Is . . . Is that you?"

"Who else would it be? I'll draw for my next turn." Scootaloo draws her new card and instantly smirks upon seeing it. "It seems I don't have exactly what I need right now, but I'm looking to change that. I play the mystic card: Beggar's Plea!" The card materializes on the arena to show an image of a vagrant pony begging for bits. "If you control the strongest critter in the arena, I get to draw two extra cards from my deck."

"Smart choice. Hopefully you draw what you need, because my Marigold won't be going down that easy."

"Are you sure?"

"Huh?" Twilight winces at Scootaloo's stern confidence; the new look in her eyes with the smirk on her face is a formidable combo that's starting to put Twilight on edge.

"I play another mystic card: Anti-Magic Arrow!" A large bow and arrow materialize on Scootaloo's side of the arena; the tip burning with a greenish flame. "This card allows me to destroy one faceup mystic card on the arena, and I'll be choosing your Circle of Friendship!" The arrow fires into the golden ring of light surrounding Twilight's side of the arena, shattering it into pieces as if it were made of glass. "Now your critter's offense points drop back down to two thousand."

"Hmph, maybe so, but she's still the strongest."

"She is. For now. I'll be ending my turn there."

"What?! You didn't even play a critter or set any cards! How do you plan on making it through my next turn?"

Scootaloo smirks. "Must've slipped my mind. Go ahead and attack then. What have you got to lose?"

Twilight pauses, then smiles. "Well played, Scootaloo. You almost had me." Scootaloo's eyebrows lift, and her smirk disappears. "You've remembered some of your critters have special abilities that can actually activate after they're defeated. Like your Hooded Robin for example, it can deflect an attack directly back at me if I were to do so. After that, it's completely removed from play. I like the strategy there, Scootaloo; you've really studied your cards."

Scootaloo shrugs. "What can I say? I gave it a shot."

"It was a good attempt, but I'll be keeping control of this match with this!" Twilight pulls a card from her hoof, and confidently places it on the grid. "I play: Duplication Spell! I choose one critter on my side of the arena, and create a clone with the same name, offensive and defensive points!" The card materializes on the arena, showing an image of a fuzzy critter similar to Twilight's Friendship Fairy with a hazy copy of itself leaving its body. Twilight's Marigold is then split into two; one being the original, and the other being a semi-transparent clone beside it. "But that's not all. If you thought two Marigolds was enough, how about a third?!"

"What?!"

"I play another Duplication Spell to make yet another clone of Marigold! That makes three powerful critters on my side of the arena, and just in case you have any plans, I'll set one card facedown before ending my turn."

Scootaloo draws a new card. "I gotta say, you've really outdone yourself. Three powerful critters, and a hex card as a backup."

"How do you know it's a hex card? It could be either one."

"Good point! How about we find out?"

"What do you mean?"

"I play: Hex-Sealing Sword!" On Scootaloo's side of the arena, a giant sword with a green gemstone embedded in its crossguard materializes. Upon seeing the sleek, silver blade, Twilight's body tenses. "This card allows me to pick one of your facedown cards. If it's a mystic card, then you have to reveal it to me; if it's a hex card, then it must remain facedown for the rest of this turn." Twilight, speechless, is taken back by Scootaloo's play. "So, which is it?"

"It"--Twilight sighs--"It's a hex." The sword launches into the air, then arcs downward, piercing the hologram card.

"Now, how about we set the stage with this? I play: Thunderstorm!" Suddenly, the light in the room starts to dim. Above both their heads a mass of dark storm clouds begins to form. They roar as a loud crack of thunder causes Twilight to jolt from shock. She watches as small droplets of rain brew into a violent storm; her Marigold and clones all struggling to shield themselves from the winds. "As long as this card is in play, all wind and water critters gain a five hundred offense point boost! All other critters on the other hoof, lose five hundred. Looks like yours all drop down to fifteen hundred points.

"Heh, good work!" Twilight yells over the raging storm. "But where are you going to go from here?! You're only able to play one critter from your hoof! Say you defeat one of my Marigolds; that still leaves me with two! When my next turn starts, and my hex card is freed from your sword, this match will be tipping in my favor!"

"I'm sorry, Twilight, but there won't be a next turn!"

"W-What? How?!"

"Really it's all thanks to you. Since you didn't attack me so I can use my robin's ability, she's still in my dungeon. Which means I can play this!" Scootaloo shows Twilight one of the cards in her hoof. "I'll use the mystic card: Jailbreak! This card allows me to bring up to two critters from my dungeon back to the arena for one turn. However, they stay in defensive mode. Welcome back, Hooded Robin and Dragon Hatchling!" The two critters reappear onto the arena as Scootaloo readies another card in her hoof. "Now that I have two critters, I play this!" The card appears on the arena, depicting two fluffy yaks blowing into ivory horns with a bolt of lightning striking down between them. These same yaks materialize onto the arena, and blow into their horns to produce a haunting call that not even the sounds of the storm can overpower. "I activate Stormcaller's Beckon!"

"You mean. . ? Y-You can--!"

"It seems like you already know what's coming next. By using my two critters as tribute, I get to play the last card in my hoof! Come forth, Thunderbird: King of the Storm!"

Twilight, brimming with dread, reluctantly looks up into the clouds as the sounds of wing beats grow louder and louder. Something similar to an eagle's cry echoes throughout the chamber, and as the clouds part, Twilight's eyes widen with fear as a flash of lightning reveals a brief glance at the enormous creature.

Scootaloo raises her hoof to the sky. "With three thousand offensive points, plus an extra five hundred from the storm, your Marigolds stand no chance! And since you left them on the offensive, you'll be paying the price in life points! Thunderbird, use Sonic Shriek on her Marigold!" The silhouette of the giant beast rears its head, and unleashes a deafening screech that shatters Twilight's Marigold as her life point counter drops from four thousand to two thousand. "And that's not all! I'll use his special ability! By paying one thousand of my life points, he can make a second attack this turn!"

"What?! Then . . . that means. . !"

"That's right. This match is over. Now, my King, strike her Marigold clone with Lightning Barrage!"

From the clouds, an onslaught of lightning bolts rain onto Twilight's Marigold clone. The attack rattles the arena with a strength far beyond any that came before. She shields her face with her hoof whilst holding onto the podium with the other as to not lose her balance. The life point counter reaches zero, and the chaos dissipates. The winds calm, the clouds vanish, and the arena is left empty.

Twilight lowers her hoof to find everything has returned back to normal, along with little Scootaloo who's gleefully celebrating at her podium. Still in a state of shock, Twilight takes a brief moment to breathe. She hadn't expected such convincing realism from her invention, and most certainly didn't expect such skillful play from her opponent. The first two turns felt just as novice as she had expected; then it was as if a switch had been turned in Scootaloo's head to completely change her way of playing. To Twilight, it felt like facing somepony entirely different.

"Woohoo!" Scootaloo cheers. "I did it! I can't believe I did it! Did you see that, Twilight?! All that rain, and the wind, and all that lightning just came crashing down like: boooooom!"

Twilight knows it had to be another presence battling her during that match, yet there she is recalling events passed with childlike glee. No longer a mare with a stern tone of voice and commanding stare, but the restless filly who's head barely reaches up above the podium without a stepstool. Twilight deduces there must be some scientific reason for it, but whatever that reason is, it isn't as important as seeing Scootaloo in such a joyous state. She smiles, and walks over to Scootaloo's podium.

"Good game, Scootaloo. You made a really big comeback there."

"Thanks, Twilight! You weren't just going easy on me, were you?"

"Nope! I really was trying. You've really gotten a good grasp of your deck."

"Oh, yeah! I guess I should return it to you, huh? You did say it was just to borrow."

"Actually, I want you to keep it. Just a little thank you for helping me."

"You're kidding! Thank you! Thank you! Can we play again?!"

Twilight chuckles. "Of course we can, but I think we'll have to hold off on that for a bit. There's some tweaks and adjustments I need to make to the arena, but soon, everypony will be able to play!"

"Yes! I can't wait! I'm gonna get Sweetie Belle to play, and Apple Bloom, and if Rainbow Dash plays that'd just be insane! Wait, do I still have to keep this a secret?"

"I'm sure it must've been hard to keep it a secret for this long, and after seeing how excited you are now, I think it'll be okay if you told your friends--as long as they promise not to talk about it."

"They won't! I swear!"

"Alright, then go ahead."

"Sweet!" Scootaloo puts on her bag and gallops toward the door. "Thanks, Twilight! Your game is the best!"

The door closes behind Scootaloo, and Twilight looks back at the arena. She considers the entire test run to be a success. However, something about the machine is giving her a strong sense of uneasiness. Using her magic to grab hold of the control lever, she yanks it downward to shut down the arena. The electrical humming steadily comes to a stop, and Twilight prepares to get to work.

Epilogue

Three Days Later

Diamond Tiara sits near the crackling fireplace in her living room, the only light being that of the dancing flames. Periodically, she glances at one of the many family portraits strung up along the walls, but isn't able to stare for very long. The stiff, lifeless gaze of the painted ponies forces her to break eye-contact out of fear. She sits anxiously with the monotonous ticking of a clock being the only thing keeping her somewhat calm. The knob of the front door twists, and Dimaond Tiara rushes to meet her father as he hangs up his coat.

"Father!" She exclaims. "I need to talk to you."

"Of course, darling. As do I."

"I overheard some fillies at school talking about some new game that Twilight's making, and it sounds like it's going to be the next big thing!"

"Is that so? Well, we'll just have to make sure that when the game comes out that you'll be the best. Whatever it is you need I'll make sure you'll get it."

"Thank you, Father. I will be the best. So, how was your expedition?"

"Grueling." Her father groans as he sinks into the soft chair by the fireplace. "I was beginning to think there was nothing to be gained, but what we found was fascinating. In fact, I brought it with me."

Diamond Tiara curiously walks over to him as he reaches into his satchel. "What is it?"

"What we found in that area beneath the forest was incredible. Evidence of structures, ruins of a civilization long before ours. I don't even think there's anything in the history books about what the Everfree Forest was before it became what we know today. We're going to keep excavating to learn more, but I did stumble onto something that's probably worth hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions. I was thinking about getting it inspected by a jeweler; perhaps it can go into a museum, but I want you to see it first." Out of his satchel he reveals a tiara that appears to have been carved completely out of amethyst. The way the pulsing light of the fireplace graces it hypnotizes Diamond Tiara. Unlike the family portraits, her gaze is held onto the tiara as if it won't let her go.

"It's beautiful. . . I've never seen anything like it."

"Then it's yours. Go and try it on in the mirror."

The tiara is gently laid in her hooves, and in a burst of excitement she rushes to the nearest mirror. She closes the bathroom door behind her, rests the new tiara onto her head, and soaks in the new her in the reflection.

"Yes, this is perfect." The tiara glows as it exudes a shadowy mist, flooding the bathroom with an unnatural darkness. "Now, the real fun can begin."

Chapter 2

Scootaloo's eyelids are growing heavier with every word that leaves her teacher, Miss Cheerilee's, mouth. Her droning lecture about the settlers that built the first homestead in Ponyville serve as a cure for her inability to sleep, and the ticking clock is a metronome guiding her to dreamland. She lays her head gently into her textbook, and Cheerilee's words become a muffled mess. The moment her eyes close she is granted vivid recollections of her first match with Twilight. The roaring storm, the winged goliath that peered through the clouds, and the most mysterious element of it all--the voice she heard calling out to her.

"Scootaloo!" Miss Cheerilee shouts. Scootaloo springs to life from her lecture-induced coma. As she grips the edges of her desk; she realizes that she's still trapped in this prison of a classroom. "I'm assuming you were up all night again playing your card game?"

"Uhh, I mean--" Scootaloo sweats. "--Come on, Miss Cheerilee! You gotta practice as much as you can to succeed! Isn't that what you always say about school?"

"Yes, about school. Not cards. Now, I've also been up all night, but I spent that time grading papers. Speaking of which, I'll be giving you all back your assignments from yesterday." Miss Cheerilee grabs a stack of papers from her desk, and passes them out one by one to each student. She sets Scootaloo's down onto her desk with a disapproving look that Scootaloo responds with a nervous smile.

Scootaloo looks down at the 'C' grade written in red ink, and rejoices by throwing her hoof into the air. "Oh yeah! Still making it!"

The school bell rings, and all the students collectively gather their books and pens, and rush out the door in a stampede. The sweet sound of the bell is what Scootaloo's been waiting for all day. Despite the fact it's the sound she always looks forward to on any given day, this day will mark the beginning of Scootaloo's biggest challenge yet. Her two friends, pent up with energy, trot over to her desk unable to keep still.

"Come on, Scoot! We gotta git goin'!" Apple Bloom urges.

"Yeah, you don't want to be the last one to sign up, do you?" Sweetie Belle asks.

"No way!" Scootaloo sloppily scoops her textbook and pencil into her schoolbag, and leaves her desk, nudging it as its metal legs screech against the floor. Together, they make their way for the glorious exit. Bursting through the door, they trot through the schoolyard already homed in on their destination.

"Hey! Did you guys notice Diamond Tiara wasn't at school today?" Sweetie Belle asks.

"Who cares?!" says Apple Bloom.

"Yeah, all she does is flaunt that new tiara of hers around to everypony! I'm glad we got a break from it!" says Scootaloo.

As a group, they gallop onto the main road of Ponyville. All three of their hearts race as they hop over and dodge around any obstacle that stands in their way. Their destination: the new card shop that opened since Twilight debuted the card game to the public. Scootaloo's found it to be her new home away from home, and her one-stop-shop for just about anything she could want to enhance her skills and deck. However, a big announcement has been made by Twilight, and Scootaloo can see literal signs of such on the path leading to the shop. 'Tournament Sign-Up Today!' and 'Cruel Critters Championship!' are written across large wooden signs stood up in the road. The closer they get, the thicker the crowd of ponies who are all waiting for their chance to enter the shop appears. Once it becomes clearly impossible for them to squeeze through, they realize they've got a long wait ahead of them. Judging by the sheer size of the crowd they figure it could take over an hour before they can set hoof in the shop.

Apple Bloom sighs. "Well, what do we do now?"

"Hang on guys; I got a plan," says Scootaloo.

"What kind of plan?" Sweetie Belle asks.

"Just follow me." Scootaloo sneakily guides the gang around to the back of the shop, using the signs as cover to hide themselves from view. They make a dash for the garbage cans beside the back door, and after checking and confirming that they weren't spotted, Scootaloo leads them to a tall, metal door.

"Scoot, what're we doin'?" Apple Bloom asks nervously.

Scootaloo finds and drags a large cardboard box to the door. "Quick, get inside!"

"What?! Why?" Sweetie Belle asks.

"The shop has been getting deliveries for days now. If we hide in one of these, the manager will just think it's another one of those! Once he brings us in, we sneak out and beat the line."

"That's a pretty good plan," Apple Bloom compliments.

"No, that's a terrible plan!" Sweetie Belle retorts. "What happens if he opens the box?"

"With how busy it is in there? He's not going to even bother opening this up, because he'll be too busy dealing with the customers!" Scootaloo explains.

"Ugh, fine."

"Trust me; if we get caught, I'll have a backup plan."

The fillies jump inside the box with barely enough wiggle room. Scootaloo knocks on the door, sinks into the box, and folds the closures shut. She can hear the knob twist and the door push open. The box turns and shifts as whoever is inspecting the box tries to maneuver it inside. It's obvious that the pony outside is struggling to move the box, but they're moving nonetheless. Inside the box, the three fillies can barely find a comfortable way to sit without bumping or knocking into one another. For Scootaloo, the brief discomfort is a small price to pay for the opportunity of a lifetime. Sneaking into the store and cutting the line is obviously the wrong thing to do, but Scootaloo reasons that after seeing how huge that crowd was--combined with the knowledge that there's limited entries--she doesn't have much of a choice. The guilt doesn't last long however, as the excitement of writing her name on the signup sheet and being labeled as a competitor is just too exhilarating for her to not be excited. Just then, the box stops. The three fillies, holding their breath, are too afraid to make even the slightest move to blow their cover. They listen to the pony's hoofsteps as they fade until they are masked by the talkative customers inside the store.

Scootaloo peeks her head out to check that the coast is clear, and is relieved to see the manager of the store is absorbed in assisting a customer. The trio abandon the box to bask in the glory of the card shop. The isles are stocked with plenty of boxes containing metallic, plastic packs of cards with an assortment of designs to differentiate the sets from each other. Stacked in a wireframe stand are enough starter guides, rulebooks, and the official: 'Twilight's Cruel Critters Tips and Tricks' to get you into the game. Ponies chat as they peer into the many glass cases containing individual cards available for purchase. Plastered over the walls are posters depicting critters in action poses; some of which Scootaloo doesn't even recognize. However, something she does instantly recognize is the long sheet of paper full of names stuck to the wall with strips of sticky tape. A mare had just finished writing her name, and the next pony in line is about to step up to the sheet. Scootaloo makes a mad dash and dives in front of the stallion who retracts his hoof and reels back from her intervention. She grabs hold of the pen hanging by a thread tied around a pin stuck into the wall. With haste, she scribbles her name down, and turns to rejoice in her accomplishment.

"Woo! I'm in!" Scootaloo cheers, then notices the glare from the stallion behind her. "Uh, sorry."

"Alright, Scoot! You made it!" Apple Bloom congratulates.

"You bet! It's a good thing too; there weren't too many spots left."

"Guys, look at who was the first to sign up." says Sweetie Belle with a trembling throat.

Scootaloo reads the name at the very top of the list, and is stunned by what she sees. "Well, well, well, look who almost didn't make it." A familiar voice sends a shiver up Scootaloo's spine, and a sense of dread washes over her. Diamond Tiara approaches the trio with a grin so smug Scootaloo wishes she could make it disappear. "I will say, this tournament wouldn't be the same without you. That way I can trounce you myself."

"Back off, Diamond Tiara!" Apple Bloom asserts herself.

"Scootaloo would wipe the floor with you!" Sweetie Belle adds.

"Oh, I doubt it." Diamond Tiara walks passed them both, and circles Scootaloo like a wolf on the prowl. "What's the matter, Scootaloo? Need your friends to fight your battles for you? How sad. I can tell you won't be lasting long." Scootaloo wants to lash out, but doesn't know what to say or how to even say it. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle helplessly watch Scootaloo quiver as Diamond Tiara stares her down, hoping that they're friend will bite back. "This isn't going to be much fun if a cat's got your tongue, but whatever." Diamond Tiara turns her back to Scootaloo. "See you in the arena, loser." She walks away, leaving Scootaloo with clenched teeth and locked knees.

"You alright, Scoot?" Apple Bloom asks.

"Fine," Scootaloo says firmly.

"Don't pay any attention to her," Sweetie Belle consoles. "Just focus on the tournament."

"I didn't even know she played Cruel Critters," says Apple Bloom.

Scootaloo gradually calms with a sigh. "Neither did I."

"Attention, Everypony!" The store manager calls out to the patrons. "If you've signed up for the tournament, please come to the checkout counter for your gear!" Scootaloo and her friends being the closest are the first at the counter, stand up on their hind legs just to see over the top. The manager reaches under the counter and presents three important pieces of gear. "Alright young filly, you get your deck holder, two critter coins, and your competitor's jacket."

"Woah!" Scootaloo excitedly puts on the navy-blue jacket with its popped collar, and circles around to try and get a good look at herself. Wearing it makes her feel even more official than before, and the deck holder she straps to her leg simply tops it all off. With the entire ensemble, she feels as though she can take on just about anything. "So cool!" She whinnies with glee. "I don't think I'll ever take this off!"

"Now, that's the look of a competitor!" Apple Bloom compliments.

"I'll say!" Sweetie Belle agrees.

"Hey, so what are these coins for?" Scootaloo asks.

"Princess Twilight will explain everything in a few moments. Just wait outside and she'll be here soon," the manager advises.

With a nod in understanding, Scootaloo and her friends head through the exit and mend into the crowd of anxious ponies who are still waiting for their chance to enter. Some of which take notice of Scootaloo's new look with intrigue. As ponies slowly receive their gear and exit the shop, the three fillies have found a calm spot under the shade of a tree to chat amongst themselves in the meantime.

"Hey, how come you didn't sign up Apple Bloom?" Scootaloo asks. "I bet you'd do great!"

"I just don't feel like I'm ready for it," says Apple Bloom. "My sister's pretty good at the game though. I can't remember if she said she was gonna sign up."

"You bet Applejack signed up!" A shrill voice screams from behind the trio as they shriek from surprise. A friendly pink pony with a deeper pink, cottony mane pops out from behind the tree brimming with joy. "You girls ready to duel?!"

"Hey, Pinkie!" Scootaloo says, calming from the scare. "What do you mean 'duel'?"

"Play in the tournament, of course!" From behind her back, Pinkie whips out a competitor's jacket and puts it on with a single twirl.

"You're competing too?!" The fillies holler in confusion as their jaws drop.

"Uh, duh! Twilight's tournament sounded like fun, and I'm all about having fun, so I got some cards and told everypony else who likes having fun to have some fun and sign up for the fun!" Pinkie leans in closer. "Did I mention this is going to be fun?" She whispers.

"Wait, so who else do you know is singed up?" Scootaloo asks.

"Attention, everypony!" Twilight's voice erupts from a megaphone. "Please gather 'round! I will now go over the rules and requirements for the official Cruel Critters tournament!"

"Oh! That's our cue!" says Pinkie as she hops away. "Good luck, Scootaloo!"

"What does this mean, Scoot?" Apple Bloom asks.

"It just means the competition's gonna be tougher than I thought. If Pinkie and Applejack are signed up, anypony could be signed up. I just need to be ready for whoever and whatever comes my way."

"And we'll be right behind you!" Sweetie Belle says supportively.

"Yeah! No matter what!" Apple Bloom adds.

"Thanks, guys. Now, let's go see what Twilight has to say," says Scootaloo.

The three fillies join the herd forming before Twilight, squeezing their way through the legs of the onlookers until they reach the front. With her fellow competitors on both sides, her friends close by, and the setting sun blanketing the town in a heavenly amber hue, the moment is almost dreamlike. Scootaloo can't help but smile as she readies herself for Twilight's speech. Twilight spots her in the crowd easily, and can't help but smile herself at the sight of her. For a moment Twilight wonders if this project of hers would've become what it is now if it weren't for her, and quickly settles on the idea that it surely couldn't have. She could've chosen anypony to assist in the trials of the game's creation, but she never could've guessed her decision would lead to having such a faithful student. Her level of interest and the speed at which she's learned has both impressed and honored Twilight to have been her teacher. She raises the megaphone up to her mouth, and calls out to the crowd.

"Everypony! During this tournament, you are required to wear the gear that was provided to you so that you may be easily distinguished as a competitor, and as proof that you are in fact on the list. You're all probably wondering why you've been given two golden critter coins as part of your kit. These are your wager coins, and they are what will be keeping you in this tournament. Upon declaring a match against your opponent, you both will wager any amount of coins you wish. However, should you lose all of your coins, you will then be disqualified. The first ponies to obtain ten coins will proceed into the semifinals. Now, you cannot play wherever you want. This is where anypony who is not a competitor may become a spectator." The crowd of competitors mumble and murmur amongst themselves in confusion. Twilight's horn glows as she directs their attention to the large, tarped object behind her. Using her magic, she rips the tarp off of the now completed gaming arena as the sunlight gleams off its metallic surface. The crowd collectively chatters with intrigue at the sight of it. "This is the arena where your games will take place. With its built-in, state-of-the-art hologram technology, your Cruel Critters experience will be enhanced to its fullest potential! Upon pulling the lever nearby, the machine will activate, and the game will commence. So, everypony return home and prepare! Tomorrow, the tournament will officially begin!" The crowd clamors as they stomp their hooves in excitement.

"Phew! Good thing it's tomorrow," says Sweetie Belle. "That gives us time to do our homework."

"You girls can do the homework. I've got a different kind of homework to do," says Scootaloo.

"Alright, Scoot. Then we'll see you first thing in the mornin'!" Apple Bloom waves goodbye as she breaks away from the group--Sweetie Belle included.

Scootaloo bids them farewell, and races back home. She bursts through the door, shouting at the top of her lungs to help release some of the tension built up inside her. "Aunt Holiday! I'm in the tournament!" She turns the corner into the living room to find her aunt sound asleep on the sofa, and decides it be best to leave her alone before marching up the stairs to her room. Dropping her schoolbag onto the floor with a thud, she can finally stretch out her back and relax her shoulders after carrying it for so long. She pulls open the drawer of her bedside table, and pulls out her deck that she keeps safely stashed inside. She takes a seat on her rug, and begins laying out each card to make sure she's nailed down her strategy. Every game she's played, and every card she's traded or purchased has led to this. She can't afford to make any mistake that could cost her spot in the tournament, so she needs to know she's prepared as the homework she's already forgotten about lies within her schoolbag.

The night has fully blanketed the town of Ponyville in darkness as the moonlight and twinkling stars are barely enough to pierce it. Yet through the dark an even brighter light shoots upward into the sky. A whistling rocket bursts into an explosion of color with a loud boom as several others follow in its stead. A crowd of ponies cheer at the lightshow, but little do they know, the real show is about to begin. Lying in wait behind a crimson-red curtain, a mare slides her deck of cards into the pouch attached to her leg, and adorns her signature cape over her new competitor's jacket. She uses her magic to tug at a rope that pulls apart the curtains to expose her to the crowd. An unplanned--yet conveniently cinematic--gust of wind causes her cape to lift and flap in the breeze, but it isn't strong enough to budge the pointed hat atop her head. The crowd whistles and cheers at the sight of her, the sound of which is nothing short of music to her ears.

"Everypony!" She exclaims. "Prepare to witness the first--and possibly the last--game of Cruel Critters for one of us here today! In a matter of moments the clock will strike midnight, and I, The Great and Powerful Trixie, will declare the first match of the tournament by wagering both of my critter coins!" The crowd gasps in disbelief. "It is a risk indeed, but how can you have excitement and thrills without risk?! So, prepare for a game of Cruel Critters you will never forget! A game where the stakes couldn't be higher! Who will be the one to accept and face off against The Great and Powerful Trixie!"

Rows of smaller fireworks shoot off from the edge of the wooden, makeshift stage at the sound of her name and extravagant title. The ponies in jackets look to each other with nervous eyes. Trixie scans the crowd for anypony brave enough to step forward, but it appears every pony is too intimidated to accept the challenge. She waits patiently, happy with the fear she's instilled in them. In her eyes, the only way to dominate this tournament is to do it with gusto. She knows that anypony that accepts will be far too nervous to concentrate with all eyes on them. Trixie, however, lives for the attention.

"I suppose I'll have to accept!" A small voice taunts from the middle of the crowd. The ponies separate as they search for the brave soul, revealing Diamond Tiara boasting a confident grin.

Trixie laughs. "You must be joking! Isn't it far passed your bedtime, little filly?"

"Oh, I'm not joking. In fact--" Diamond Tiara shows off the two critter coins in her hoof. "--I have two coins to prove it."

"Listen, kid. The Great and Powerful Trixie is kind enough not to take your only two coins away from you so early on in the tournament. Why don't you go and face somepony more your speed?"

"I'm not worried about that," Diamond Tiara smiles. "Because you won't be taking them even if you tried." The crowd murmurs as they feel the sting of Diamond Tiara's retort, quickly shortening Trixie's patience.

"Well, I refuse to be talked down to by a child, but don't say that Trixie didn't warn you."

"Then let's get started, shall we?"

The crowd parts to make way for Diamond Tiara as she walks toward the game arena set up in the grass. She kicks the lever into the on position, illuminating the arena as the machinery inside cranks and hums. Both she and Trixie step up to the podiums, and set their decks onto the appropriate grid space. The gawking ponies form a ring around the arena, eager for the match to begin.

"It's not too late to back out, kid," Trixie advises. "When this game starts, Trixie will not be holding back."

Diamond Tiara giggles. "You're just so confident. . ." A thick, violet fog begins to exude from her tiara, pouring over her head and down to her hooves. "It'll feel all the more sweeter when I defeat you." Mystified, Trixie watches as the fog continues to shroud Diamond Tiara's entire body. It grows in size, and a sudden breeze wisps away the fog to reveal her stunning transformation. Trixie takes a step back in shock as Diamond Tiara, now a fully grown mare, stares her down. Somehow, her competitor's jacket has grown to fit her new body, and her smile has become even more wicked than before. The crowd, believing it all to be a part of the show, is impressed with what they believe to be nothing more than special effects. However, Trixie knows otherwise, and looking into this mare's eyes is filling her with dread.

"What's the meaning of this? Who are you?" Trixie asks.

Diamond Tiara continues to smile as she tilts her head, amused by Trixie's curiosity. She chuckles and speaks in a voice that sounds nothing like the filly she spoke to just moments ago. "It's me: the child who didn't heed your warning. What a silly question to ask. Now, are we going to play, or are you going to sit there trembling in your hideous costume?"

Trixie's uneasiness is washed over with anger at her comment. "Trixie doesn't know what scheme you're pulling, but it won't matter! You'll lose all the same."

"Ooh, this will be amusing. Why don't you take the first move? Show this child how to start things off."

Diamond Tiara and Trixie draw their five cards, and the life point counters on their podiums alight with their base four thousand points. Trixie looks through the cards and is pleased by what she sees. She plucks one of the cards from her hoof, and sets it down onto the grid.

"Allow me to introduce you to: Abra The Magician's Assistant!" Trixie shouts as a hologram of a well-groomed mare in a fancy red dress appears on Trixie's side of the arena. The mare takes a bow, whips her long mane, and shows that her face is partially covered by half of a porcelain mask.

Diamond Tiara laughs. "What kind of critter is this? How is a measly fifteen hundred offense-point critter supposed to protect you?"

"That's not all. For her first trick, she'll allow me to add a very special card from my deck to my hoof. I won't spoil the surprise, but I will end my turn with this facedown card." A large image of a card forms behind Trixie's critter, and Diamond Tiara scoffs at her uneventful turn.

"I hope the rest of your turns aren't this much of a bore." Diamond Tiara draws a new card, and sets one on the grid. "I play Dolly the Toy Princess." The image of a rather harmless, yet slightly unsettling doll takes shape onto the arena. The toy mare in her royal getup stares lifelessly at Trixie, who stares back bafflingly at one of the most pathetic critters she's ever seen.

"Huh, toys hm? Trixie expected nothing less from a child's deck," Trixie mocks. "Since my critter is so weak, how exactly is your five hundred offense-point plaything supposed to stand a chance against my Abra?"

"Oh, I'm not foolish enough to attack with her. No, no, no, I'm merely playing her so that I can play this!" Diamond Tiara smacks a new card onto the grid, and a large wooden toybox with colorful lettering materializes onto the arena. "I activate: Toybox Terror! This card will allow me to automatically play another toy critter from my hoof each turn. I'll use it to play Stuffy the Toy Bear in defensive mode!" A huge teddy bear with black button eyes and pointed cloth teeth forms on the arena on all fours. It growls, and despite it having the appearance of an old toy, it worries Trixie with its hefty two thousand defense points. "And just like me, my toys like to have a little bit of fun."

"What do you mean, fun?" Trixie asks. The holograms of the bear and princess shoot up and fly over toward Trixie. They each steal two cards from the top of her deck just before Trixie can reach out to stop them, then laugh maniacally as they return back to their original positions. "What is this?! H-How could they--?"

Diamond Tiara chuckles at Trixie's bewilderment. "All of my toy critters have the special ability to take two cards from your deck each turn, as long as they're still in the arena of course. Your turn, Trixie."

Trixie draws to start her turn, and after understanding how much of a threat these critters actually pose to her deck, she thinks hard about what she needs to do to get around it. She looks down at the card she drew, and is happy with what she sees. Without a second thought, she plays a new critter to enter the arena.

"I play The Magical Rabbit in offensive mode." A rabbit critter appears on the arena dressed in a black, dapper suit and top hat. He stands on his hind legs and sniffs the air like any average rabbit would, but removes his hat briefly to perform a gentlecolt's bow to Diamond Tiara. "This little guy won't be getting pulled out of any hats, instead he has tricks of his own. But first, Abra, attack her Princess with Knife Barrage!" At Trixie's command, Abra twirls and throws a barrage of spinning knives at the doll. They shred through the toy and reduce it to pieces; they explode, and the life point counter on Diamond Tiara's podium drop to three thousand. The strength of the attack is translated through the wind as it roughly blows Diamond Tiara's long mane, yet she appears to be looking on with sinister pleasure.

"Well done," Diamond Tiara congratulates. "But all you have left to attack with is your rabbit, and he won't be touching one hair on my bear."

Trixie smirks. "Oh, I'm well aware of that. That's why he'll now perform his signature trick!" The rabbit pulls off his hat, and hurls it like a frisbee toward Diamond Tiara. The brim of the hat strikes her cheek, and like a boomerang, it comes right back into the rabbit's paw. "My rabbit's special ability allows him to attack your life points directly regardless of what you have in the arena. So, say goodbye to another eight hundred points!" The crowd excitedly cheers for Trixie's surprise attack, and she turns to savor their adoration. "Thank you all! The Great and Powerful Trixie promised you a show, did she not? It won't be much longer before we reach the grand finale!"

Diamond Tiara chuckles, which then grows into a joyous laughter. "You amuse me Trixie, you really do! For you to think you're in control of this game is both foolish and precious at the same time! But you are right about one thing, it really won't be long before this comes to an end." Diamond Tiara draws a new card to begin her turn. "First, I think I'll play somepony I'm sure you thought was gone for good. Please welcome another princess!" Trixie watches with displeasure as the exact same toy critter appears in the arena. "Don't pout; I know you missed her. She'll be in defensive position of course. Wouldn't want you touching any more of my life points. But what's this? Thanks to my toybox, I can play yet another toy critter from my hoof! I choose Jackie the Toy in The Box!" A cherry-red box with a metal crank appears beside the princess. "You can't quite see her right now since she's in defense, but don't worry, she's in there."

"You can play as many critters as you want in defense!" Trixie declares. "They won't keep your life points safe for long."

"You know what isn't safe?" Diamond Tiara asks. "Your deck! Now my toys, go and take what's yours!" The stuffed bear and toy princess shoot up, and the cherry-red box pops open as the torso of a plastic mare attached to a flexible metal spring in clown make-up and a cap with jingly bells rockets out. All three of the critters take turns snagging two cards from Trixie's deck who can only watch in discomfort. "There go six more cards, Trixie. I hope they weren't important to you. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm sure they were." Diamond Tiara giggles at her own maliciousness. "I'll end my turn with one card facedown."

Trixie draws. "You choosing not to attack will be the biggest mistake you've made! Trixie will now offer her rabbit as tribute for--!"

Diamond Tiara raises her hoof. "Sorry, but I'm afraid you won't. I activate my hex card: Puppet Strings!" The facedown card on the arena lifts up and reveals an image of a wooden marionette pony being hoisted up by strings. Through the image, a series of silky threads propel toward Trixie's rabbit. Trixie watches in horror as the tips of the strings are driven into the rabbit's limbs, and its body is converted from fur to painted wood. A wooden controller with which the strings are attached to pops out of the hex card, and is carried into the air to animate Trixie's rabbit. "As long as this card is in the arena, you no longer have control over your rabbit. He'll remain on your side of the arena, but only as a useless puppet. However--to me--he's the newest addition to my growing toy army! I think he's much cuter this way. Wouldn't you agree?"

With her plan foiled, Trixie stomps her hoof onto the floor. "You may have made a mockery of my rabbit, but my Abra is still free to attack your toy princess once again!" Just like before, Trixie's Abra sends an onslaught of knives slicing Diamond Tiara's princess into pieces. Even with her critter destroyed, Diamond Tiara continues to smile. With every passing turn Trixie has felt that she's been slowly losing control of the battle, and it's beginning to feel like victory is slipping too far out of reach. Unenthusiastically, she places another card down onto the grid. "I will set one critter in facedown defense, and end my turn."

Diamond Tiara draws. "What's the matter, Trixie? You don't sound as jolly as you did when we began. Aww, am I going to hard on you?"

"Trixie's only concerned for you, kid. You've only got two cards in your hoof, and it's just a matter of time before I tear down your defenses!"

"You're right, I need some more cards to play with. So, how about I play this nifty little mystic card I've been holding onto? I activate: Card of Sacrifice!" The card appears in the arena with the image of a stack of cards being slashed in half by a blade. "By discarding my entire hoof--which would just be one lonely card--I'll get to draw a whole new set of five cards!" Trixie, her throat too dry to even swallow, watches anxiously as Diamond Tiara gingerly draws her five cards. "And how lucky am I? I've got another familiar face for you!"

"Another dolly?" Trixie groans.

"I know you're dying to see her again, but no! It's another Stuffy!" Another hologram of the monstrous teddy bear joins the arena, and as the defense mounts, Trixie grows even more worried. "And thanks to my toybox, I'll play a critter you haven't seen yet! Please welcome, Knighty the Toy Soldier!" Beside the teddy bear, a stallion dressed from head to hoof in shiny, silver armor marches onto the arena in a very stiff and unnatural way as though the joints in his legs are fused together. "And now it's time for my toys to pillage more of your cards! Go my toy army!" As a collective unit, all of the toys fly over and take a huge chunk out of what remains of Trixie's deck. "Unfortunately for you, since your rabbit is under the influence of my Puppet Strings card, his special ability has been replaced with the same ability all of my delightful toys possess!"

"What?! This can't be!" Trixie refutes. The rabbit's wooden body knocks about as it is carried over to Trixie's deck, snickering as it takes two more cards from her nearly depleted deck.

"It hurts to have one of your own critters turn against you, doesn't it?" Diamond Tiara asks. "It doesn't look like you have very many cards left in your deck. Are you aware of what's going to happen once you aren't able to draw?"

Trixie's heart nearly skips a beat at the sudden realization. "Th-That's means. . ."

"That's right! You'll automatically lose! All it's going to take is just two more turns, and I will have won this game without even touching your life points! You'll lose both your critter coins, and be the first to be disqualified from this tournament!" Diamond Tiara fills the air with a maniacal cackle, the crowd watches with bated breath, and Trixie clenches her teeth out of both anger and fear. An opponent who she thought would be a complete pushover now has her back against the wall. Despite still having cards to draw for the moment, Trixie is unsure if victory is even possible. The shame of losing to a child would be too unbearable for her to accept, but it could be the only thing she leaves this game with.

Chapter 3

Scootaloo, sitting on her bed with only the soft glow of her lamp to brighten the room, finishes tying the golden feather she found with her friends to a string. She holds it up to the light, mesmerized by the soft reflection of the lamp's glow off the feather's sleek, golden surface. Since the very first day she discovered it, she's felt a strange connection to it after winning her very first match of Cruel Critters. She isn't sure if it should be chalked up to luck, or just a strange series of events, but whatever the reason; she feels this feather will serve as her good-luck charm throughout this tournament. She strives for the title of champion, and with the support of her friends, knowledge of her deck, and a little bit of added luck, Scootaloo's confidence couldn't be higher. Just then, a thunderous boom rattles the bedroom. Scootaloo's eyes are drawn to her window as an explosion of color fills the night sky. Frightened but excited by the fireworks, she jumps out of bed and leans against the window for a better look. In the distance, she can see a large, energetic crowd corralled around a stage that's dazzling with sparks; and in the center stands a pony with a familiar face and unforgettable getup.

"Trixie?" Scootaloo murmurs. "What's she doing here? Kinda weird she's here right before the tournament's about to start. I gotta see what she's up to."

Scootaloo hurriedly throws on her competitor's jacket and is about to make a hasty exit from her room until she stops dead in her tracks. She turns her head back to her bed where she dropped her feather charm. She knows it isn't important if she's just going out to investigate the commotion, but she's compelled to walk back to her bed regardless. She believes it would be safer to leave the feather here in her room while she goes out, but she can't stop herself from putting the necklace around her neck.

"Why not? A little good luck never hurt," Scootaloo reasons with herself before sneaking out of her bedroom.

Stealthily, she manuvers through the house, careful not to disturb her aunt who's fast asleep in the room across from Scootaloo's bedroom. She quietly climbs down the stairs and rockets out the front door once she knows she's in the clear. Scootaloo wonders if it would've been smarter to stay in bed and get as much sleep as possible for the tournament, but there's no way she'd miss out on whatever kind of magic act Trixie's performing on a night like this. For all she knows, this might not be a coincidence at all. She wonders if there's a chance Trixie's presence is somehow linked to Twilight's tournament. Following the sounds of cheering and clamoring ponies, she reaches the grand event, and is stunned by what she sees. The crowd is gathered around a Cruel Critters arena; standing on one podium is Trixie herself, and on the other, a pony she had not expected--nor wanted--to see: Diamond Tiara. To get the best view possible, she wiggles her way through the crowd to pop out in the front row on the side closest to Trixie's side of the arena.

"It's not too late to back out, kid," Trixie advises. "When this game starts, Trixie will not be holding back."

Scootaloo watches in horror as Diamond Tiara's body is shrouded in the strange fog. As the crowd smiles and whispers to one another in excitement, Scootaloo realizes these ponies must think this is part of Trixie's act. However, Scootaloo can feel in the pit of her stomach that it isn't. The inky smog dissipates, and Diamond Tiara's transformation is revealed. She appears to be older, her clothes have grown to fit, and her smile has somehow gotten even more wicked than before. Scootaloo trembles at the sight of her, a fear unlike anything she's ever experienced overwhelms her. One look at Trixie confirms Scootaloo's suspicions that this isn't part of the act, because the fear in her face echoes exactly what she's feeling now.

"What's the meaning of this? Who are you?" Trixie asks.

"Trixie doesn't know what scheme you're pulling, but it won't matter! You'll lose all the same."

"Ooh, this will be amusing. Why don't you take the first move? Show this child how to start things off."

For a brief moment, Scootaloo caught Diamond Tiara's gaze shift toward her at the mention of the word: child. Perhaps her eyes had deceived her, but now Scootaloo can't shake off the feeling that Diamond Tiara is watching both her and Trixie with two sets of eyes. The match between the two commences, and Scootaloo watches in the hopes that Trixie can defeat Diamond Tiara swiftly. However, what follows is a painstaking exchange of blows from both contenders. Trixie's first turn starts out promising, but as Diamond Tiara fills the arena with her obnoxious toy critters, Scootaloo's hope begins to diminish. Turn after turn, she helplessly watches as Trixie's deck is ripped away bit by painful bit as she's unable to play any critters that can topple Diamond Tiara's defenses that continue to mount without end.

"You've only got two more turns, Trixie," Diamond Tiara informs. "After that, you can ride your little stage wagon back to where you came from!" She laughs. "I knew it would play out this way. Just like how it always has."

Confused, Trixie begs for clarification. "What do you mean 'always'?"

"Don't think about it too hard, Trixie. If I were you, I'd focus on the match and draw your next card."

Trixie boils with rage on the inside, despising how a child would dare to talk down to her in such a manner. Frustrated and anxious, Trixie draws, then clenches her teeth from disappointment. Diamond Tiara, however, takes great pleasure from her reaction.

"Looks like I was right," says Diamond Tiara. "Face it, Trixie, this game just isn't for you. You may as well save yourself the trouble and surrender."

"Like I'd ever surrender to a child," Trixie dismisses.

"Come now, consider it this way: you can surrender, and we both walk away, or be remembered as the pony who lost to a filly who hadn't even touched her life points. Doesn't the first sound less humiliating? I know your public image must mean a lot to you. So, why not save what little you have left?"

Suddenly, the anger and frustration leaves Trixie's body as she considers Diamond Tiara's proposal. She turns to the crowd, all of whom watch with bated breath, awaiting Trixie's next move. Trixie rests her eyes, and sighs as she lowers her cards. In disbelief, Scootaloo can feel a knot twist in her stomach as Trixie's body language speaks for itself. She can feel Trixie's spirit is just about broken after the verbal and tactical thrashing she's taken throughout this entire match, and she's finally reached her limit. Scootaloo digs her hoof into the ground, furious with how low Diamond Tiara has gone to crush Trixie's dignity. Watching this school bully tear down somepony else awakens something within her: a fighting spirit like nothing she's felt before. The golden feather hung from Scootaloo's neck twinkles, and a subtle, golden light radiates from it. In Scootaloo's heart she knows she needs to do anything to reach Trixie and keep her in this game. Refusing to stand idle on the sidelines any longer, Scootaloo allows this newfound fire in her heart to take over. In a golden flash of light, the older alter ego of Scootaloo emerges, who Diamond Tiara resentfully takes notice of.

"Trixie! Do not give in!" Scootaloo demands in her new, matured voice. Trixie's eyes are thrust open, and are drawn to the mare in the competitor's jacket and strange piece of golden jewelry. "You mustn't let Diamond Tiara's words break you down!"

"Who even are you?" Trixie asks.

"A friend."

"Trixie has no need for friends. Look, if it's a match you're looking for, this one's just about over. There isn't much else I can do." Trixie says somberly.

"That's where you're wrong. You still have one more turn after this."

"There's no point in staying in this for one more turn! Perhaps Trixie should just take the kid's advice. . ."

Diamond Tiara smiles. "That's the first sensible thing you've said this whole match! Just put your hoof over your deck, and we can all go home--or rickety wagon in your case." A surge of anger shoots through Trixie at the insult, but she refrains from speaking out. Instead, she raises her hoof, ready to surrender.

"Trixie!" Scootaloo desperately exclaims. "Surrendering to this bully is not the answer! Just look around you! You're surrounded by countless fans who came to see you! How would it look if The Great and Powerful Trixie surrendered in the first match of the tournament? I believe I speak for all of us when I say I'd rather watch you fight your hardest until the very end! Win or lose."

Suddenly, a pony in the crowd begins to chant Trixie's name. In mere moments, one turns to some, and some into many. Trixie's ears quickly become overwhelmed with the support of every last pony gathered around the arena. To Trixie it feels like music, to Diamond Tiara, it's repulsive. Scootaloo shoots Diamond Tiara a smug grin, who growls and grinds her teeth at the sight of it.

Trixie stands up straight and puffs out her chest. "Trixie doesn't know who you are, but you're right!" she proclaims. "As the old saying goes: the show must go on!" The crowd stomps and cheers at Trixie's announcment, and Scootaloo smiles with pride.

"A foolish choice, but if that's what you want, then who am I to deny you the defeat of a lifetime?" says Diamond Tiara as she draws her next card. "You and your peanut gallery have wasted enough of my time with your sickening talk! Let's get this over with! Go my toys and snatch another chunk of Trixie's deck!" Diamond Tiara's toy critters fly from their positions and steal two more cards each, including Trixie's own rabbit who's still under the control of Diamond Tiara's hex card. With brooding eyes, Diamond Tiara ends her turn. "You've got one last card to draw. Remember: I gave you a chance. It's a shame you squandered my generosity."

Trixie looks down at the single card, afraid to draw it in fear of it being something completely useless. After realizing it's nigh impossible to turn this match around--let alone with a single card--she fears not drawing the ability to deliver her audience a grand finale. Scootaloo can see the hesitation in Trixie's eyes, and she decides it's time to try and teach Trixie one more lesson about this game.

"Trixie! Before you draw your card, you need to have faith in it!" Scootaloo advises.

"What good is faith going to do?" Trixie asks. "Believing in a card isn't going to change anything."

"Wrong again, Trixie. Every last card in your deck is like a soldier in your army--a weapon in your arsenal--and you are their leader. It's your faith and trust that fuels them. How do you expect them to fight for you if you can't even be bothered to believe in them?"

"You're talking like these cards have a mind of their own."

"Maybe not a mind, but every card has heart."

Trixie chuckles. "You can't be serious," she looks to Scootaloo expecting a punchline to what she knows has to be a joke, but the solemn look in Scootaloo's eyes is enough to quelch her preconceptions.

"Believe in your card, and you'll see."

Trixie doesn't know if this mare is simply over-obsessed with this card game, or if there's actually some truth to her words. Perhaps the stress from this match has finally taken its toll on Trixie's head as she struggles with the many conflicting thoughts firing off in her mind. First, she wonders if this mare is just spewing nonsensical jargon for her to believe and make her look like a fool in front of her audience. She knows it would be insane to consider that a card made of ink and paper could possibly feel anything, but this mare's unwavering belief in this philosophy seems far too convincing to be an act. Trixie would feel utterly ridiculous to put faith in a card, but with nothing left to lose, she finds it harmless to humor the mare's ideology. She places her hoof onto the last card and shuts her eyes to concentrate on her inner thoughts. The crowd holds their breath, hoping for the best. Proudly, Scootaloo smiles, knowing that Trixie will do the right thing.

The Great and Powerful Trixie can't believe that she's doing this, but here I am, I guess . . . reaching out to you . . . card. This freaky mare says I should put faith in you, and that's exactly what Trixie's going to do. What else have we go to lose, right? I've already lost this match, but Trixie plans on going out with a bang. Whatever card you are, I know we can wow the crowd.

"My draw!" Trixie declares as she snatches the card from the grid, and once it's revealed to her, it's as though a feeling of vertigo has fallen upon her. She can't blink; she can't breathe; and most of all, she can't believe the card she's holding is true. Speechless, she glances over to Scootaloo once again, who is still holding on to her prideful smile.

"Well? Play your card!" Diamond Tiara demands. "It's not like it'll help you anyway." Trixie, with her confidence restored, shoots Diamond Tiara the widest smile for the very first time. She throws her head back in joyous laughter, leaving Diamond Tiara bewildered by her sudden shift in tone.

"What you fail to understand, kid, is that a magician always has secrets. And I've been keeping a couple of them hidden on the arena already."

"As if two facedown cards are enough to change anything."

"Why don't we find out?"

"You're bluffing!"

"First I'll reveal my facedown critter!" The hologram of the card in the arena lifts up to reveal a black void underneath. Two long, insect legs outstretch, and eight bright, beady eyes light up from within the shadows. "My Trapdoor Spider!"

"Hmph, a disgusting bug. No different from you I suppose."

"My critter's special ability allows it to send one other critter in the arena straight to the card dungeon."

"Ha! It doesn't matter which one of my toys you take away! There's already too many for you to deal with."

"It's not one of your critters I'm planning on removing from the arena."

Dumbfounded, Diamond Tiara watches as an elastic webbing shoots out from the darkness and wraps around Trixie's own Magical Rabbit. The helpless critter is then dragged into the dark void; the card lowers back down before disappearing from the arena.

"You see, with my rabbit now gone, your Puppet Strings hex card has been rendered useless." Trixie informs. The holographic image of Diamond Tiara's card shatters into pieces like glass, however she takes the small setback in stride.

"So you got around my hex card. Am I supposed to be afraid?" Diamond Tiara asks.

"Not just yet. I have another card to play!" Trixie pulls a card from her hoof and plays it on the table grid. "It's a mystic card known as Curtain Call!" The card image generates onto the arena depicting a stage with a small number of ponies under a spotlight. "At the cost of a thousand life points, this card allows Trixie to bring back up to three critters from my card dungeon. However, since I only have one, I'll only be returning one to the stage! Now, a round of applause for my Magical Rabbit!" Trixie's rabbit returns to the arena, lifting up its hat to greet Diamond Tiara who is slowly becoming agitated at the length of Trixie's turn thus far. The crowd rumbles with excitement as Trixie's play continues. "And if you thought the show ends here, well, I'm happy to say that it doesn't! Since you no longer have anything to stop me, Trixie can finally reveal the star, the main attraction, the creme de la creme!"

Diamond Tiara growls. "I'm getting impatient with you, wizard! Get on with it already!"

"Funny you should use that term, because by sending off my Magical Rabbit, I can play a brand-new critter from my hoof!" With joyous glee, Trixie throws the card onto the grid, and a puff of pink smoke covers Trixie's side of the arena. "Fillies and gentlecolts, may I--The Great and Powerful Trixie--present to you: Kadabra The Grand Magician!" The smoke clears, revealing a tall unicorn stallion dressed in a glittery, black suit paired with a long, white cape. The magician gracefully throws out his cape, allowing it to flow with the wind as the crowd cheers on his arrival. He smirks as he locks eyes with Diamond Tiara who is now on the verge of losing her temper.

"All of what you're doing is meaningless! Do you realize that?!" Diamond Tiara shouts.

Trixie, ignoring Diamond Tiara's taunts, plays her next card. "Now, it's time to put your toybox away with this: Magician's Banishing Beam!" The magician's horn radiates with a reddish hue and fires a sharp beam of light through Diamond Tiara's wooden toybox causing it to splinter into hundreds of pieces. Her mane and jacket flap vigorously as the shards of wood fly passed her face whilst she maintains a rather uninterested expression. "I'll then place one card facedown."

"Are you quite finished?"

"You wish it was over, but there's another card Trixie has to play. This!" The image of a card depicting a well-dressed pony's outstretched leg holding a series of cards forms in the arena. "It's a fun mystic card called: Pick A Card Any Card! All you have to do is choose one card in my hoof. Whatever it is, I get to either play or set it right away! And since Trixie only has one card left, it shouldn't be a difficult decision."

"You really are going to milk this for as long as you possibly can. I guess I have no choice but to play along with your pathetic game. Play your card then!"

"The card you chose is: Painful Cost!" Trixie flips the card around to reveal the image of a pony in distress weighing two options in her hooves. "Normally a hex card would need to be placed facedown for a turn first, but my Pick A Card Any Card allows me to get around that little inconvenience. Now, you must make a choice! Either send every card in your hoof to the card dungeon, or receive five hundred points of damage to your life points for each card! Since you have five, you'd lose two thousand five hundred points!"

"Yes, and therefore I'd lose the match. I'm quite familiar with the card, so I'll gladly send every card in my hoof to the dungeon." Diamond Tiara stacks her cards onto the appropriate space on the table grid, never breaking eye contact with Trixie.

"Now, my magician, make her Knighty The Toy Soldier disappear with Grand Illusion Assault!"

At her command, particles of light gather together at Kadabra's horn until the light emanating from it illuminates almost the entire crowd. They all watch in splendor as the magician rears up, then lands back down to send a beam of harsh, blueish light that decimates Diamond Tiara's toy soldier. The power of the attack sends a shockwave through the air that can be felt by every pony gathered around the arena. Without even a flinch, Diamond Tiara watches in displeasure. Once the air is settled and Diamond Tiara's critter is nowhere in sight, the crowd cheers and whistles at the loss of one of her assets.

"Since you foolishly left your critter in offensive position, you'll be paying for it in life points," says Trixie as the number on Diamond Tiara's life point counter drop down to fourteen hundred.

Diamond Tiara shrugs. "But since your magician's little assistant is too weak to attack any of my other toys, it looks like your turn is finished."

"Unfortunately, it is," Trixie somberly agrees as the crowd gasps in dejection.

"That's right!" Diamond Tiara draws a new card. "And since there's no reason for me to play anything, all I have to do is end my turn and this is all over!"

"I know you'd like to, but The Great and Powerful Trixie has one final trick for you."

"Nonsense! How could you possibly have more?"

"I play my facedown hex: Ruthless Attack!" The card flips up, and it depicts a squad of critters charging headfirst toward a target. "This forces all of your critters to switch to offensive position, and they all must attack my life points directly once this card is activated."

Diamond Tiara laughs. "What a terrible card! You really are a glutton for punishment, aren't you?"

"Not quite. Once Trixie reveals her next hex card, perhaps you'll get a clearer picture of what's about to happen! I reveal my Magician's Trick Mirror! As long as there's a unicorn-type critter on my side of the arena, any and all attacks are deflected right back at the attacking critters sending them straight to the card dungeon!"

Diamond Tiara's two Stuffy Bears and one Jackie Toy in The Box all move into offensive positions, and prime for an attack. Diamond Tiara grinds her teeth with disdain as she watches her critters leap toward Trixie's life point counter, but are repelled by the hologram of Trixie's ornamental trick mirror. A shockwave sends each of them flying backward onto the ground before bursting from destruction. Trixie, with no further plays left to make, cracks a smile as she meets Diamond Tiara's hateful gaze.

"With your critters gone along with the rest of your troublesome cards, you wouldn't survive an attack from both of my showstopping critters on my next turn." Trixie informs.

Diamond Tiara stomps her hoof onto the podium. "None of that matters because there won't be a next turn! You've prolonged this match long enough, wizard! I end my turn, and since you have no card to draw, you lose!" Trixie's life point counter drops all the way down to zero. "Ha! Looks like the only show stopping is yours, Trixie. I'll be taking your two critter coins, and you can kiss this tournament goodbye. I hope the effort was worth it."

With the brim of her hat shielding half her face, Trixie steps down from the podium hoping it's enough to conceal her shame. She fulfilled her promise to the crowd, but the sting of defeat is too strong for her to just push aside. The crowd of ponies congratulate Trixie for putting up the best fight she could, but she can't find it in herself to face them. Trixie keeps her head low, wanting only to pack up her things and leave as soon as possible. The crowd disperses, returning to their homes as Trixie waits for Diamond Tiara to come and retrieve her winnings. Until a sudden tug at her cape captures her attention.

"Hey, Trixie!" Scootaloo greets. "That was amazing! If you had one more turn you could've stolen that game easy!"

"Thanks, kid, but--" Trixie recognizes the young filly, but is unsure of herself. "Hey, weren't you the one cheering me on back there? Huh, I thought you were a grownup."

"Me? Oh, no, no. My name's Scootaloo, it's an honor to meet you!"

Trixie can't help but smile at Scootaloo's respectfulness. "Well, it was nice knowing you too, but Trixie's time here is pretty much done."

"You can say that again," Diamond Tiara mocks as she approaches them, befuddling Trixie with how she seems to have returned to her childlike appearance.

"Trixie's eyes must be playing tricks on her, because I'm certain you looked very different too."

"Well, maybe you should get your eyes checked after you give me my two critter coins!"

"Right. Here you go, kid."

"I would tell you to pick your battles a bit more carefully next time, but there won't be one for you." Diamond Tiara pouts her lip. "Now make like a real magician and make yourself disappear!"

Trixie scoffs. "Way ahead of you."

"That's enough!" Scootaloo intervenes. "You can talk to me any way you want to, but you won't talk to one of my friends that way!"

"Aw, how precious," Diamond Tiara says sassily. "A loser standing up for another loser. What are you even going to do about it?" Diamond Tiara walks up to Scootaloo, challenging her. "Did you want to face me next? Or are you too afraid?" Scootaloo struggles to hide her fear behind her furrowed brow, as a bead of sweat is enough to make Diamond Tiara laugh. "Of course you are! And who could blame you? Don't worry; when the time is right, I'll stomp you out of this tournament too." Diamond Tiara leaves without another word, intent on leaving Scootaloo time to boil over her threats.

"She a bully of yours?" Trixie asks.

"You have no idea," says Scootaloo.

After taking notice of the bitter rivalry between the two, Trixie reaches into her pocket and pulls out her deck of cards. "Here, take these. Trixie no longer has a need for them, but maybe you can find some use for them."

"What? No way!" Scootaloo vehemently refuses. "Those cards are too special for you to just give them away. You're keeping them, and you're going to make it to the top of this tournament!"

"Scootaloo, I've already lost both of my coins."

"And that's why I want you to have this!" Scootaloo hurriedly digs into her pocket, and with an outstretched foreleg, holds out one of her gold critter coins for Trixie to take. Although Trixie is stunned by her offer, she declines.

"I can't accept. You only have two of those and you'll need both of them to make it through the tournament. Besides, I couldn't take something away from a kid."

"But I want you to! No pony deserves to be pushed around by Diamond Tiara, and as my new friend I won't let her kick you out of this tournament!"

Trixie sighs, looking for the right words. "If you really want to give your coin away, then you should give it to somepony who deserves it."

"I am." Scootaloo grabs hold of Trixie's hoof, and firmly presses the coin into it. "You're staying, and that's that."

Trixie looks at the coin as the moonlight glistens off of it, impressed by Scootaloo's persistence. She stows the coin in the pocket of her competitor's jacket and expresses her gratitude. "I have to say, I can't remember the last time somepony showed me a kindness like this. Thank you, Scootaloo." Trixie bows to Scootaloo, who's face lights up with glee. "How can The Great and Powerful Trixie repay you for this?"

"How about we hang out tomorrow?!" She excitedly suggests. "There's an awesome card shop just down the street! We can see what cards they got for sale, play a match or two for fun, we might even be able to size up the competition if we can catch a tournament match!"

"A day with The Great and Powerful Trixie, eh? Normally, Trixie would never agree to such a thing--not even backstage passes. The last thing Trixie needs is an obsessive fan invading her personal space, but your clearly not one of those. Plus, it's the least I can do to say thank you. So, Trixie will see you in the morning. I will keep my wagon parked here; just knock when you arrive."

"You got it! Thanks, Trixie!" Scootaloo waves goodbye as Trixie takes the stairs back onto her stage before disappearing behind the curtains. She watches in awe as the stage folds back onto itself, transforming back into a purple and yellow painted wagon decorated with stars as the wood knocks and metal mechanisms inside clank and twist. Eager for tomorrow to come, but exhausted from today's events, Scootaloo sluggishly scampers back home. She sneakily enters the house, careful not to make a sound that could stir her aunt. After climbing the stairs back to her bedroom and nestling herself under her sheets, she finds herself drifting off to sleep instantly.

A mere hour passes by, and a dark figure peers through Scootaloo's window. The lock keeping it shut twists on its own, allowing the figure entry into the bedroom. A violet glow gently illuminates the room, allowing Diamond Tiara to find what she's looking for more easily. She thinks to herself where Scootaloo could possibly hide her cards, but surely it shouldn't take too long to figure out. Something as precious as her deck would certainly be kept close by, and after pulling open the drawer of her bedside table, she discovers it immediately. She skims through the cards and stops once she finds the card she wants.

"You won't be needing this anymore," Diamond Tiara mutters with a devious smile.

But why stop there?

Diamond Tiara freezes, lending an ear to the mysterious, internal voice.

She has something else that we must take. Then she'll be completely powerless.

"What else could she have?" She asks.

It's around her neck; the talisman I spoke of. Take it, and nothing will stop us.

Obeying the voice's command, Diamond Tiara looms over Scootaloo searching for what the voice could be talking about. Then a glint of light draws her attention to the golden feather tied around Scootaloo's neck. Without a moment's hesitation, she reaches for the necklace. Just before the tip of her hoof can make contact, the feather emits a burst of golden, blinding light. Diamond Tiara shields her eyes, crying out from the sheer intensity of it. The light dissipates, and Scootaloo awakens. She finds that the air has gotten cold, and quickly realizes that it's due to the wind coming in from the window that she could've sworn she locked. Too weary and unable to bring herself to leave the comforting warmth of the blanket, she rests her head back against the pillow to doze off once again. Diamond Tiara steps out from the dark corner she hid herself in, frustrated by her failure.

Worry not; you did well. Since we can't steal it, we'll just have to make her give it up.

"But how?" Diamond Tiara asks.

I have the perfect plan. But first, we'll need to do a little recruitment. Do you know of any pony even remotely skilled in Cruel Critters? One that could pose a challenge?

"Most of the ponies in the tournament are chumps, but there is one pony I can think of. Her name's Twilight Sparkle; she's the one who made this game in the first place."

You don't say. . . Then I believe we should pay her a visit at once, don't you?

"Indeed I do," she agrees dubiously.

Splendid. I knew you and I would get along just fine.