Yu-Gi-Oh: Dark Crusaders

by RuinQueenofOblivion


Chapter 5: Dark Renewal

"Your majesty, we've come as you requested," Meanae said as she and Gagaga Girl knelt before the figure seated on the throne. "We've done as you requested so far."

"Very good," the figure on the throne said calmly in a female voice. "With everything that is happening in Manehattan, it is good that the chosen ones are willing to help."

"Yes, it is," G.G. said as she looked over at Meanae. "With the Light of Destruction's forces in the city though, are they going to be enough?"

"We will give them what assistance that is needed," the ruler said. "We still have several of our allies here and we'll be able to help handle things. The Society of Light's hold on Manehattan needs to be..."

She was cut off all of a sudden when a crystal ball she had been looking at started flashing red. She narrowed her eyes and waved her hand over the crystal ball as an image began to form in it.

"What's that, your majesty?" Meanae asked.

"We have a problem," she said simply. "Another player has entered our game, and I'm worried about who it is."

"Who is it?" G.G. asked, though she looked more terrified than anything else.

"A messenger of a much more dangerous force of darkness," the woman said as she waved her hand and the image changed to that of the Crusaders. "And he's gone after our chosen ones."

"What do you want us to do?" Meanae asked.

"Go to them, keep an eye on things, but he's too powerful for us to deal with, at least not yet," the ruler said and gave them a nod. "Get going, we have to deal with this now, before its too late."

The two monster spirits nodded and vanished into thin air.

The woman on the throne looked at the crystal ball again and frowned. She just hoped that the three girls that she had chosen to help stop the Society would be okay.

She sighed and watched it, knowing that they were in danger.

00000

It didn't take them long to finid the stash within the store. There was some food and water that could be easily transported in bags that were also included. They were also given a key belonging to the nearby Paramount Hotel.

Scootaloo found a note and opened it up and it read:

"Chosen Ones,

I know its not easy given everything that's going on with the Society, but know that you have friends in the city. But be careful, there is always a risk that other aspects of the Darkness will take interest in you and the city.

Always remember that light is not good and dark is not evil. The future of the world is in your hands, good luck.

A Friend."

"Things are getting weird, maybe we should try and get out of the city," Sweetie suggested as she started putting the food and drink away in the backpacks. "We're not soldiers or even duel monsters champions, we should get out of here and find help. What do you think?"

"Ah doubt its gonna be that easy," Apple Bloom pointed out as she shook her head a little. "Ah'll bet tha Society has somethin' that'll keep us from leavin'."

"Yeah, I agree," Scootaloo said as she checked everything. "Besides, we can't call out so that's kind of a bad sign really. If we get the chance, lets try and leave the city but I doubt it'll be that simple. Besides, if we are the only people in the city who can fight the Society, we can't leave them alone."

"Fine," Sweetie said with a sigh. "Alright, is that everything?"

"Yeah," Apple Bloom said as they slung their bags over their backs and headed out of the store and down the street.

None of them noticed that they were being followed.

00000

Up above the city in the Cloudcastle, Eternal Bliss watched the screen and frowned when it shut off unexpectedly.

That was never a good sign, they only couldn't see what was going on when there was a presence of great darkness. She had no idea what was happening now, especially with everything that was going on.

Did Morning Star come back and help them? Or was something else entirely going on? She didn't like it either way, and she felt compelled to draw another card.

As she drew it and set it down on the table in front of her she gasped at the sight. It was of a fiendish horned man sitting on a throne with two bound figures on either side of him.

The Devil.

00000

The Crusaders stopped in mid-stride when they realized that someone was standing in front of them. He didn't have the same markings as Slate, instead he was towering with short black hair with spikes in it. He was dressed in blood red sunglasses with a black and orange skintight outfit.

"What's up with this guy?" Scootaloo asked with a gulp as she looked at the strange man nervously.

"I don't know..." Sweetie said. They were getting a bad vibe from him already, and were looking for a way out. "What do you want?"

"I want you," he said in a cold voice that sent a shiver down their spines. "I have no name, but I am a man who speaks only the truth, I am Trueman."

"Why do you want us?" Scootaloo asked.

"My Master wants you to serve him, not the Benevolent Darkness," Trueman said and raised his arm. "Darkness has many aspects, and the force you serve is one of the weaker ones. If you want the true power to face the Light of Destruction, you should join him."

"Ah don't like this guy," Apple Bloom said with a shake of her head.

"We're not going to join you," Scootaloo said.

"We'll see, how about a wager?" Trueman asked with a wicked smirk. "I'll duel one of you, and if I win you will all join me."

"And if we win you'll leave us alone," Sweetie said.

"Fine, I'll duel... you Sweetie Belle," Trueman said and pointed at Sweetie as his arm morphed into a twisted bat like duel disk as he took a deck out and put it into the slot.

"Fine," Sweetie said as she activated her duel disk and put her deck into it. "Lets duel!"

(Sweetie Belle: 8000) --- (Trueman: 8000)

"I'll go first!" Sweetie said as she drew six cards and looked her hand over. "I'll set two cards face down and normal summon my Kozmo Tincan!"

The monster that appeared in front of her was rusty and looked like a short machine with wheels and two arms. It had a funnel for a head that let out a whistle and steam (0/0).

"Your monster isn't very strong," Trueman commented.

"I know, but he's got some surprises," Sweetie said with a nod as she crossed her arms. "And I'll move into my end phase, by paying 500 life points I can pick 3 of my Kozmos and you have to pick one at random. The card you picked is added to my hand and the rest go to my graveyard."

She took three cards out of her deck and showed them as Kozmoll Dark Lady, Kozmo Forerunner, and Kozmo Goodwitch. She then turned them around and shuffled them around before she held them up.

"Alright man who can tell no lies, go ahead and pick a card," she said with a smirk.

"I pick, the one on the right," Trueman said as he pointed at the card.

"Thanks, that was my Kozmoll Dark Lady!" Sweetie said as she picked the card and added it to her hand while she slid the other two cards into her graveyard. "And with that I end my turn."

(S: 7500) --- (T: 8000)

Trueman drew a card and looked at Sweetie calmly before slid one card into his disk. "I'll set this card face down and summon my Red-Eyes Baby Dragon!"

The monster that appeared resembled the Red-Eyes Black Dragon made famous by Joey Wheeler and Atticus Rhodes. This one however was smaller, more resembling a hatchling dragon that let out a cute roar (1200/700).

"A Red-Eyes monster?" Apple Bloom asked in surprise.

"Okay, I didn't expect that," Scootaloo admitted and blinked at the monster. "What do you think he's up to?"

"Ah have no idea," Apple Bloom said.

"Red-Eyes Baby Dragon, attack Tinman with Tiny Inferno!" Trueman said as the small dragon breathed fire at the robot.

"Go trap card, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!" Sweetie countered as the metalic scarecrow appeared in front of Tincan as it absorbed the attack.

"Fine, I end my turn there," Trueman finished as he crossed his arms. "This duel is far from over."

"Then its my turn!" Sweetie said as she drew her card and smiled a little. "I start out with my field spell, Kozmotown!"

The city around them changed into a green and more futurustic city with cars and spaceships flying overhead. Sweetie smiled as she folded her arms.

"Toto, I don't think we're in Manehattan anymore," Scootaloo said with a chuckle as Apple Bloom rolled her eyes.

"We've followed the yellow brick road and reached the Emerald City," Sweetie said with a smirk. "And I'll throw in my Future Glow spell card, by banishing my Goodwitch I can give all my psychic type monsters 800 attack points. And now I'll banish my Tincan, to special summon Kozmo Landwalker!"

The small robot vanished in a pillar of light as a massive insect-like machine with four long legs appeared (2400/1200).

"And I'm not done yet, I activate the effect of Kozmotown, by paying life points equal to the monster's level times 100 I can return my Tincan to my hand," Sweetie continued as she took the monster out of her pocket and returned it to her hand. "And I'm not done yet, I activate my trap card Brain Hazard, which lets me bring back one of my banished psychic monsters, so welcome back Goodwitch!"

The blonde woman with the tan and brown robes with green fairy wings appeared in front of her and drew her wand and activated the blade (1800/1000 + 800).

"And since those were special summons, I normal summon my Kozmo Tincan!" Sweetie said as the small robot appeared again (0/0 + 800). "And I'll banish him again to special summon my Kozmoll Dark Lady!"

The monster that appeared this time was tall with long curled brown hair. She was wearing a long purple witch's robe with a pointed hat and a mask covering her face, she activated her wand and a purple blade hissed to life (2200/1800 + 800).

"Now, lets start things off, Kozmo Goodwitch attack the Baby Dragon!" Sweetie commanded as the monster rushed forward and slashed at the small dragon with her sword wand and it shattered. "And now Dark Lady..."

"Not so fast, when you destroyed my Red-Eyes Baby Dragon I get to activate his effect," Trueman said as he took a card out of his deck and put it on his disk as the full grown Red-Eyes Black Dragon appeared with a roar, breathing fire into the air (2400/2000 + 300). "I get to special summon one of my Red-Eyes cards and equip it with the Baby to raise its attack by 300."

"Alright, but its still too weak to destroy my Dark Lady, so I'll attack with her next," Sweetie said and pointed at her masked woman. "Dark Lady, attack Red-Eyes with Kozmo Blood Saber!"

The masked witch rushed forward and held her saber up high as she prepared to swing it at the dragon. Then Trueman's face-down card flipped up and two tornadoes flew out taking out Future Glow and Scrap-Iron Scarecrow.

"Red-Eyes, counter attack with Inferno Fire Blast," he said as he slid a card into his graveyard and the dragon breathed fire on the witch.

"I activate Landwalker's effect, so you destroy my Goodwitch instead..." Sweetie said as the fire flew around Dark Lady and shattered the Goodwitch and Brain Hazard.

"Fine, do you have anything else?" Trueman asked and Sweetie looked at her two monsters and shook her head.

"I end my turn," she said.

(S: 6900) --- (T: 6600)

Trueman drew his next card before he slid another card into his disk. "I activate Cards of the Red Stone, so I can discard one of my Red-Eyes monsters and draw two cards," he said and slipped one card into his graveyard before he drew two more cards.

"Why do you even want us to work for you?" Sweetie asked. "If you really tell the truth, then why don't you explain that?"

"My master knows things," Trueman said. "He may be weakened after what happened at Duel Academy, but he's gaining power. And if he has three Chosen of the Darkness, then it'll make him stronger. He knows how to defeat the Light of Destruction, an alliance with him could help save the world."

Sweetie paused a moment as she looked at Trueman before she shook her head. "I doubt it, but we weren't even asked if we wanted to do this," she said. "We're not sure what's going on yet, but we'll figure this out on our own or with help."

"Then I'll continue my turn, my Cards of the Red Stone lets me discard another Red-Eyes from my deck," Trueman said as he took another card out of his deck and put it in his graveyard. "I'll set one card face down, and set a monster in defense mode. Now, Red-Eyes Black Dragon attack her Kozmoll Dark Lady with Inferno Fire Blast!"

The dragon took a breath and started to breathe fire on the masked witch before Landwalker moved in front of the attack and took it.

"Thanks to my Landwalker my Dark Lady is safe," Sweetie said and took out Landwalker's effect. "And I can banish my Landwalker to special summon a level 5 or lower Kozmo monster, like my Farmgirl!"

The pistol wielding girl with the red braids appeared and gave her pistol a spin before she knelt in defense mode (1500/1000).

"Fine, I end my turn there," Trueman finished.

(S: 6400) --- (T: 6600)

Sweetie drew a card and shaked her head before she pointed at her face down card. "I activate my trap card Psychic Trigger, so by banishing Goodwitch and Wickedwitch I can draw two more cards," she said as the trap flipped up and she pocketed the two cards and drew two more.

"Did you get anything good?" Trueman asked.

"I'll set two cards face down, and activate the effect of Kozmotown!" Sweetie said as two cards appeared in front of her and she took a card out of her pocket. "So by paying 100 life points I can return my Tincan to my hand, and I'll summon it again!"

The small robot appeared in front of her again (0/0).

"And I get to banish him to special summon one of my spaceships, so welcome to the field Kozmo Forerunner!" She continued and a spaceship with a circular front with a long window and x shaped wings appeared (2800/1400).

"Huh, I wonder if it finished the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs," Scootaloo said with a chuckle.

"Ah think yah watch too many movies," Apple Bloom said with a shake of her head.

"Hey, Sweetie's the one who's using the Star Wars deck," Scootaloo said with a chuckle. "Who even thought of that at I2 anyway?"

"Ah... have no idea," Apple Bloom admitted.

"Forerunner, attack his Red-Eyes with Strafing Strike!" Sweetie ordered as the spaceship flew overhead and fired lasers down at the dragon and shattered it. "Your dragons are no match for my spaceships."

"We'll see, I get to add one level 1 Dragon to my hand because that destroyed my Baby Dragon," Trueman said as he took a card out of his deck.

"But that's not going to protect you from my other monsters, Dark Lady, attack him directly!" Sweetie said as the masked witch ran forward and prepared to strike Trueman before Red-Eyes appeared in front of him again. "What? How?"

"I activated my trap card Red-Eyes Spirits, which brought it back," Trueman said. "Is there any other pathetic moves you want to make?"

"I... end my turn," Sweetie finished.

(S: 6300) --- (T: 6500)

Trueman drew his next card and put it into the disk without thinking about it. "I activate my Red-Eyes Insight, I'll discard this card, and I get to add my Red-Eyes Fusion to my hand," he said as he slipped a card into his graveyard and took a card out of his deck.

"Great, that means he's going to Fusion summon," Scootaloo said and flinched a little. "What kind of monster is he going to summon?"

"Ah don't know, but Ah don't think we're gonna like it," Apple Bloom said as Trueman's deck shuffled. "Somethin' big Ah'll bet."

"Now, I'll activate Red-Eyes Fusion, I'll send my Red-Eyes Black Dragon and the Summoned Skull in my deck to the graveyard," Trueman said and smirked a little as the monsters flew into the vortex.

"Wait, is he summoning Black Skull Dragon?" Scootaloo asked.

"Sure looks like it," Apple Bloom added.

"Not quite," Trueman said as the monster descended. It certainly looked like a dragon with red scales and bones that were visible, it had large wings and let out a roar as fire around its mouth flared up (3200/2500). "I summon, Archfiend Black Skull Dragon!"

Sweetie gulped as she backed away as she looked up at the massive dragon who just looked down at her with a wicked smile.

"Now, Archfiend Black Skull Dragon, attack her Kozmo Farmgirl, Molten Inferno!" Trueman ordered as the dragon started to shoot fireballs at the Farmgirl. The attack was about to hit when suddenly it and the dragon vanished as Sweetie's trap flipped up. "What?"

"I activated my trap card Past Image," Sweetie said as she nodded at her trap. "Since I have a psychic-type your monster is banished until the next standby phase."

Trueman just scowled as he looked at his hand. "I end my turn."

Sweetie drew her next card and frowned, this was a good card but not right now.

"Sweetie, you really need to work on your poker face, you know that right?" Scootaloo asked with a facepalm.

"Your dragon come back now," Sweetie said as the dragon re-appeared. "But now I get the effect of my Forerunner, so I get 1000 life points!"

Light started to fall around her as she switched her monsters to defense mode. "I'll simply switch my monsters to defense mode and end my turn."

"Its my draw," Trueman said as he drew his next card. "I normal summon, Gearfried the Red-Eyes Iron Knight!"

The monster that appeared was a warrior dressed in full body plate armor that was mostly black with some red. He held up his arms which had blades on them and sneered a little (1800/1600).

"Now, Archfiend Black Skull Dragon, attack Kozmo Forerunner, Molten Inferno!" Trueman commanded as the dragon fired several fireballs into the ship and it exploded. "And I get his effect, by shuffling one of my Red-Eyes monsters back into my deck and deal damage equal to its attack points."

He took a card that he showed as Red-Eyes Black Dragon as the Black Skull Dragon breathed fire and hit Sweetie, singing her and her clothes a little bit as she screamed.

"Now, Gearfried, attack Kozmo Farmgirl!" Trueman continued and the knight slashed through the farmgirl.

"I end my turn there," Trueman said with a smirk as he looked at Sweetie.

(S: 4900) --- (T: 6500)

"I draw!" Sweetie said and drew her card, she flinched when she saw what it was and looked up at the city around them. "I'm activating the effect of Kozmotown, I can shuffle these two cards back into my deck and draw the same amount."

She shuffled the two cards in her hand into her deck and quickly drew two more cards.

"Not that it'll do you any good," Trueman said.

"We'll see, I'm activating the other effect of Kozmotown, which lets me add Tincan back to my hand!" Sweetie said as she took the card out of her pocket and added it to her hand. "And I'll normal summon it again!"

The tin robot appeared in front of her a third time (0/0).

"That's still not..."

"Yeah, I know, I know, which is why I'm activating its effect, I can banish it again to special summon my Kozmo Delta Shuttle!" Sweetie said and Tincan vanished again and this time a triangular ship with two wings and a large bottom fin appeared above them (2000/2000). "And I'll switch Kozmoll Dark Lady back to attack mode."

"Okay, Ah think Sweetie has a plan," Apple Bloom said as Sweetie smirked.

"I activate Delta Shuttle's effect, by discarding my Dark Destroyer from my deck, your monster loses 800 attack points!" She said and took a card from her deck as the shuttle's cannons fired up and hit the Dragon, lowering its attack to 2400.

"That's still not..."

"I'm adding this spell card, the Psychic Sword, since you have 1700 more life points than I do, my Dark Lady gains that many attack points!" Sweetie said as a sword appeared in Dark Lady's other hand and her attack jumped up to 3900. "Now who's monster isn't strong enough?"

Trueman just narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

"Yeah, go Sweetie!" Scootaloo said excitedly. "You can beat this guy!"

"Kozmoll Dark Lady, attack Archfiend Black Skull Dragon with Twin Saber Slash!" Sweetie commanded as the masked witch ran forward and slashed at the dragon with both her swords as it shattered and her attack fell to 2300. "Now its your turn Delta Shuttle, attack his Gearfried with Bombardment!"

The shuttle pointed its cannons down and opened fire on the knight before it shattered. Sweetie smiled as her friends cheered.

"I end my turn there," she finished.

(S: 4800) --- (T: 4700)

Trueman drew his next card and slid it into his disk. "I activate Allure of Darkness, so I can draw two cards as long as I banish one Dark type monster," he said and drew two cards before he pocketed another. "I'll set one card face down and summon Black Metal Dragon in attack mode."

A small monster appeared in front of him, it was a black colored dragon with metallic spines that let out a small roar (600/600).

"But he won't be staying long, I banish it to special summon my Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon!" Trueman said as the small dragon vanished and was replaced with a large metallic dragon that looked like Red-Eyes if it had a metal overhaul with red lines running through its body (2800/2400).

"That's bad," Apple Bloom said. "He can special summon one dragon from his hand or graveyard every turn!"

"Well yeah, but Sweetie can negate it," Scootaloo pointed out as she nodded to Kozmoll Dark Lady. "He's going to have to attack if he wants to do that."

"That's right, and I'll do that now, Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon take out her Kozmoll Dark Witch!" Trueman said as the dragon breathed fire and took out the masked witch, the fire hitting Sweetie and burning her a bit. "And now I can bring back one of my dragons so welcome back, Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

The black dragon with its red eyes appeared again with a roar as he looked at Sweetie and grinned.

"And I end my turn there," he finished.

(S: 4200) --- (T: 4700)

00000

"So, what do we do if she loses?" Meanae asked as she looked over at G.G. "A lot of what the Queen has planned is hinged on those three and if we lose them to Nightshrowd..."

"That's not going to happen," G.G. said with more confidence than she really felt. "These three were picked because they had the most potential for good."

"Yeah, but they're still human," Meanae said with a shake of her head.

"Don't worry about them, they'll be fine," G.G. said. "Have you finished your part of the operation?"

"Yeah, but I don't get why you needed me to do that, dimension hopping isn't my specialty," Meanae said as she reached into her pouch and took out a flash drive. "But still, if you ask me to get into a major corporation's computer systems and get information for you, I'll do it."

"Good," G.G. said.

"Though I've never heard of this "Leo Corporation" before, or what they were working on," Meanae said with a shake of her head. "Are you sure this is what we need? I think they're doing fine on their own."

"If we want to match what Morning Star has, yes," G.G. replied. "As for the company, don't worry about that. They're not within our perview at the moment and they have bigger problems to worry about than a Duel Spirit stealing information."

"I hope you're right, the last thing we need is more enemies," Meanae said.

"Don't worry, they're about to have their hands very full with the Fusion Dimension from what I understand," G.G. Said with a shrug. "Come on, lets watch the duel."

00000

"Its my draw!" Sweetie said and flinched when she drew her card which was a spell card. "I'll, just activate Soul Absorption, then switch my Delta Shuttle to defense mode and end my turn."

Trueman drew a card. "I activate Inferno Fire Blast!" He said and Red-Eyes' eyes blazed as it breathed fire on Sweetie and she screamed as it burned at her.

"Sweetie!" Scootaloo said and started to run forward before Apple Bloom grabbed her arm.

"Scoots, yah can't go doin' that, she'll be disqualified!" Apple Bloom said and Scootaloo stopped. "She's gonna be okay, Ah promise."

"Yeah Scoots, don't worry about me," Sweetie said and looked back to give them a smile, Scootaloo blushed a little when she realized that the fire had burned away a bit more than they had expected. "What?"

"Umm..." Scootaloo said and blushed deeper as she tried not to stare at the exposed cleavage..

"You two lovebirds can flirt later," Trueman said as he took another card out of his graveyard.

"WE'RE NOT DATING!" Sweetie protested but the two blushed deeper.

"I can now special summon another Dragon, so welcome back my Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon," Trueman said as he ignored the two's protests and a new dragon appeared in front of him, this one was blazing as if it was on fire and let out a roar. "Now, I overlay both of them to Xyz summon."

The vortex appeared in front of him as the two dragons flew into it. The monster that came out was large with a long metal body and tail with two red wings extended from either side (2800/2400).

"My Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon, and I'll have Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon attack your Delta Shuttle!" Trueman said and the Dragon breathed fire and the shuttle exploded. "Its over!"

"Not yet, I get to banish my Delta Shuttle and special summon my Kozmo Soartroopers from my deck!" Sweetie said as the armored monsters appeared again in defense mode (1000/1000). "And since I banished a monster, I gain 500 life points!"

"But you lose 1000 because you activated two effects," Trueman said and true to his word Flare Metal Dragon sent two fireballs into Sweetie as her life points dropped again. "Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon, destroy her Soartroopers."

The metal dragon breathed fire and the troopers shattered.

"This is your last turn, make it count," Trueman said as he crossed his arms.

(S: 1300) --- (T: 4700)

"Come on deck, don't let me down," Sweetie said as she drew a card. "I activate my Spellbooks Inside the Pot, so we can both draw three cards."

She cringed as the dragon breathed fire at her again before they both drew three cards.

"Was it worth the 500 life points?" Trueman asked as Sweetie looked at her cards.

"Yep, I activate Kozmo Hyperspace Lane!" Sweetie said and flinched as she was hit again. "Now I can banish these two monsters and get another one back!"

She banished the two cards as she took a card out and light fell around her before she was hit again.

"Now, I can banish three more monsters..." she said as more energy flew into her. "To special summon the most powerful Kozmo monster in my deck, Kozmo Dark Planet!"

A shadow fell over the duelists and they looked up to see a massive sphere with a ring around it floating above them. On either side it had tall black spires as it hovered there above the city streets (4000/4000).

"That's no planet, its a space station!" Apple bloom said.

"Now who's making the references?" Scootaloo said with a smirk as Sweetie's life points went up again.

"Now, I'm activating the effect of Kozmotown again!" She said as the dragon sent another fireball at her and she took a card out of her graveyard. "And I'll normal summon the monster I just added, she should look familiar."

Kozmo Farmgirl appeared and gave her gun a spin as she looked back at Sweetie Belle and winked.

"Now, I'll attack your Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon with Superlaser Precision Strike!" Sweetie commanded as a powerful laser fired down at the dragon and it exploded.

"You got lucky, I'll finish you..." Trueman started when Sweetie's trap card flipped up. "Battle Teleportation?"

"That's right, since I only have the one psychic type monster, Farmgirl can attack you directly!" Sweetie said and the Farmgirl fired a shot into Trueman and he fell back. "And that lets me activate her effect, so for the price of 500 life points I can add another Kozmo to my hand."

She took a card out of her deck and smiled.

"Why are you smiling? You have to give me your monster at the end of your battle phase," Trueman pointed out.

"Not if she's not here, I banish her to special summon the monster I just added!" Sweetie said as Farmgirl waved and vanished as Kozmo Dark Eclipser appeared above them (3000/2600). "Now Dark Eclipser, take out his Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon with Turbolaser Barrage!"

The spaceship aimed its cannons down at the Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon and fired at it, shattering it.

"And I end my turn there," Sweetie finished.

(S: 1400) --- (T: 1800)

Trueman drew his next card and slid it into his disk. "I'll set one card face down and one monster in defense mode," he said. "But this duel will be over on my next turn."

"You won't get one," Sweetie said as she drew her next card. "Just for some insurance, I'm summoning Kozmo Scaredy Lion!"

The monster that appeared looked like a lion on its hind legs only brown and with a wild mane. He was dressed in black with a bandoleer oveer his front and shuddered (1200/500).

"And now I'll pay 500 life points and return three banished monster to my graveyard, and then deal 500 points to you," Sweetie said as she took out three cards and returned them to her graveyard slot before the lion fired a shot and hit Trueman. "Kozmo Dark Eclipser, take out his face down card."

The spaceship charged up its cannons again and fired down at the face down monster.

"Go trap card, Mirror Force!" Trueman countered.

"I activate the effect of my Dark Eclipser, I banish my Kozmo Soartroopers and negate your trap!" Sweetie countered as she took a card out and the monster vanished, briefly appearing as an egg with a stone in it. "Now, time to end this, Kozmo Dark Planet, attack him directly!"

The massive space station above them charged up its laser again and fired down at Trueman.

(S: 1400) --- (T: 0)

When the smoke from the attack faded Trueman had vanished and left his cards scattered. Scootaloo bent down and picked them up as she looked at the Red-Eyes deck.

"What are we going to do with it?" Sweetie asked.

"I don't know..." Scootaloo said and blushed again when she looked back at Sweetie. "Umm... Sweetie, uh... here!"

She removed the jacket she was wearing and gave it to Sweetie who blinked in surprise as she slipped it on.

"Thanks," Sweetie said and blushed a little. "So, what now?"

"Lets get our stuff out of the hotel and head for the Paramount," Scootaloo said as she put the Red-Eyes deck away. "Its getting late anyway."

Her friends nodded and they headed off to their hotel together.

00000

"Wow, this place is nice!" Apple Bloom said as they opened the door to the suite that the key lead to.

"Yeah," Scootaloo said as she sat down on the couch and Sweetie went to look in the other rooms. "So what do we have here?"

"Looks like two bedrooms," Sweetie said. "And a pull-out bed couch, so we're going to be just fine."

"I'll take the pull-out," Scootaloo said as she removed the cushions to pull out the bed.

"Are you sure?" Sweetie asked. "I mean you kind of always take the couch or whatever when we're at hotels."

"I'm fine," Scootaloo said and gave her a smile. "Don't worry about it, I've probably slept on worse."

"Okay," Sweetie said and gave Scootaloo a quick hug.

They ate dinner and spent the rest of the night going over their decks and strategies alone. Scootaloo snuck a few looks over at Sweetie Belle and blushed a little.

Maybe she really was starting to feel something for the girl, she wasn't sure really. Given that she didn't know if Sweetie felt the same, she wasn't sure what to think right now.

She sighed and went back to working on her Shiranui deck, thinking about the machine decks she still carried in her packs. Hopefully this would do the trick, but she did at least have back-up.

She just hoped everything would be okay.

00000

Kozmo Hyperspace Lane

Normal Spell Card.

If you have no monsters on the field, you can banish two "Kozmo" monsters from your graveyard and add one banished "Kozmo" monster from your banished slot to your hand that's an equal level or lower.