//------------------------------// // The Final Judgement // Story: Cardcaptor Twilight // by Yukito //------------------------------// “H-Hold on! What’s going on here?” Twilight asked Kero, her eyes still locked on the pony before her who looked so much like Fluttershy, but who had a different aura around him. “Why is Fluttershy here?” “Yue, the Moon Guardian, created by Clow Reed to watch over the Clow Cards, just like me,” Kero explained. “It seems that that mare, Fluttershy, was nothing but a faux body he created whilst he slept.” “Y-You’re kidding,” Twilight said in shocked tone. “Well, I wouldn’t quite go that far,” the cloaked pony said, drawing the groups’ attention. “Although she was created by Yue, she, just like the two of you, has her own body and soul. She is still the same Fluttershy as before… but right now, it is Yue standing before us.” “W-What’s this that Trixie is feeling?” Trixie asked as she tried to stop her legs from shaking. “Yue is aligned with the moon,” the cloaked pony said. “And so are you, Miss Lulamoon. What you’re feeling now is Yue’s magic.” “That explains her sudden infatuation with Fluttershy, then,” Kero said, putting a paw to his chin. “I thought something was off about that mare. To think that she, of all ponies, was actually Yue.” “The final judgement shall now begin,” Yue said, his wings extending and his body lifting up into the air. “There are three of you that have Clow Cards. Now, which of you shall go first?” “The ‘final judgement’?” Twilight asked. “The final test, to determine who shall be worthy of succeeding Clow Reed’s legacy, and becoming the new master of the Clow Cards.” “Wait! I thought we just had to collect them! I never said anything about becoming their master!” “Then don’t,” Trixie said with a grin. “The Great and Powerful Trixie, however, will be more than happy to take up this challenge.” “Twilight,” Kero began, “If the cards have no master, then, it doesn’t matter if you’ve collected them or not. They’ll scatter again, and the catastrophe will still happen.” “The catastrophe…” Yue looked between the three ponies that held Clow Cards. “I will ask again: which of you shall go first.” “Um, about that,” the cloaked pony stared, “I have no intention of taking part. I simply captured these cards to help these two out. Therefore, I’ll let these two mares take up your challenge.” “You wish to withdraw from the final judgment?” Yue asked for confirmation. “It will mean relinquishing the cards that you have captured so far.” “I understand.” The cloaked pony pulled out their two cards, Maze and Loop, and offered them up to Yue. A blue glow enveloped the cards, and they moved towards the stallion. “Well then, I’ll leave it up to you two. Good luck, my little ponies.” “What the hell?” Trixie asked. “If you didn’t want them, you could have just given them to Trixie.” “Who are you, anyway?” Twilight asked. “You feel familiar, but…” “If either of you can pass this trial, I shall reveal myself to you.” Trixie huffed, and turned back to face Yue. “Well then, the Great and Powerful Trixie shall sake the stage first.” “What?!” Kero shouted. “It’s okay, Kero,” Twilight told him, before turning back to Trixie. “Are you sure? It could be dangerous.” “Twilight, after everything we’ve been through, do you really think a little danger will stop Trixie now?” “… Yeah, good point. Well, good luck, then.” “Are you ready?” Yue asked. “The test is a simple one. Defeat me in combat. That is all. You may use whatever abilities you wish, including the Clow Cards that you have captured.” “Is that all? Very well then! When do we begin?” “First, I want you to follow me into the ruins behind you. That will be our battleground. The others must stay outside. I will ensure that there is no interference by setting up a barrier.” Trixie nodded, and turned around to enter the battlefield. Twilight stopped her by grabbing her hoof. “Trixie… good luck. Come back safe.” Trixie sighed and shook her head. “Silly Twilight. You should be more sad. After all, Trixie is going to beat you in this competition to capture all of the Clow Cards.” “I’m just glad the others aren’t here to see this. Especially Rainbow Dash. She’d be freaking out so much if she saw Fluttershy looking like that.” The two shared a quick laugh together, before Twilight let Trixie go, and wished her luck one final time as the showmare approached Yue. “Sorry to keep you waiting,” she announced as she entered the ruins. Around the two, a shimmer of light indicated that the barrier was up. “So, is there going to be a signal to start, or can Trixie just go whenever she pleases?” “Such an arrogant master of the Clow Cards… shall never exist,” Yue said. “You may start now. And I won’t hold back.” “Neither shall Trixie!” Trixie shouted as she pulled a card out from her cape. “Fi-” Trixie stopped, and then jumped back to avoid Yue’s incoming attack of magical arrows. “Why did you hesitate? Firey is a good card to use.” “… Trixie almost forgot. That’s Fluttershy’s body. Taking a hostage… how despicable!” “A pony who hesitates in battle, has no right to be master of the Clow Cards!” Yue reared his front legs, preparing to attack again. “Watery!” Trixie shouted, slamming her wand against said card. ‘This way, I won’t harm her! I’ll just trap him, and then-’ “That won’t work,” Yue said, holding out his hoof and stopping the torrent of water rushing towards him dead in its tracks. The water then turned around, and rushed back towards Trixie. “What?!” Trixie shouted as she pulled out another card. “Shield!” The shield formed just in time, and managed to deflect the incoming attack. “Watery falls under the moon’s jurisdiction. My jurisdiction. You cannot harm me with that card.” “Well then, in that case…” Trixie pulled out her Time card. She wasn’t sure about using it, considering she had recently drained herself with it to save Twilight from Return, but… “No choice. Time!” “Also won’t work,” Yue said as he suddenly appeared behind Trixie. “Time is also under my jurisdiction.” Trixie turned around, only to freeze up suddenly as she felt the magical energy from Time wrapping itself around her body. “You fail.” Twilight and Kero watched as the battle unfolded before them. Trixie pulled a card out, and activated it. “Time!” “No good,” Kero said, his brow furrowed as he watched Trixie standing perfectly still whilst Yue slowly descended behind her. “Time can’t be used against Yue. Not to mention, she’s still drained from earlier. She ain’t gonna win.” “Let’s not count her out just yet,” Twilight said. “No, it’s as he says,” a voice behind them suddenly announced. They both turned around, and found Yue floating in the air, with Trixie on the ground beneath him, panting heavily as she struggled to rise to her hooves. “Trixie Lulamoon has lost.” “Trixie!” Twilight rushed to the blue mare’s side, and helped her to steady herself. “Are you okay?!” “I’m fine,” Trixie said, wincing as she finally got up on all four legs again. “Your Clow Cards will now be confiscated, and you will not become the new master of the Clow Cards.” As Yue said that, he raised a forehoof into the air, revealing all of the cards that Trixie had collected. “Next up, is Twilight Sparkle. The final candidate to become the new master of the Clow Cards.” “Hold on! Trixie needs treatment, fast!” “She will be fine. I did not severely damage her. Now, stop stalling, and enter the battlefield.” Kero float over to Trixie, and was joined by the cloaked pony. “We’ll take care of Trixie,” the cloaked pony said. “Twilight, you must face this trail. And you must win. Otherwise, a terrible catastrophe will befall this world.” “She’s right, Twilight. You have to do this,” Kero added. “… A-Alright then. I don’t know if I can do it, but… I’ll try. As long as I have my friends with me in here-” Twilight held a hoof over her chest, “-then I’ll be fine.” “Twilight,” Trixie said. “… Good luck. Kick his flank.” Twilight smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Trixie.” After taking a deep breath to ready herself, Twilight turned around, and approached the battlefield, where Yue was already waiting for her. “Final candidate to become the new master of the Clow Cards, Twilight Sparkle. You may begin when ready. Or if you wish, I will make the first move.” Twilight furrowed her brow, and examined her opponent closely. “I don’t want to hurt Fluttershy. In that case…” Twilight out a card. “Windy!” “Fool.” Yue held out a forehoof, stopping the incoming wind dead in its tracks. “Just like that other mare. Had you used Earthy, or Sword, you may have stood a chance, but… I give no second chances.” The wind turned around, and rushed towards Twilight, who quickly tried to use Jump to get away. However, although the card activated, the result was her legs feeling heavier, rather than lighter, and she found herself unable to move as Windy trapped her within a cage of wind. “What?! Why can’t I move?!” “Because Windy falls under my jurisdiction,” Yue explained. “And Jump is aligned under Windy. You lost your chance to win because of your softness, and now, the Clow Cards shall be released once more. And a terrible catastrophe will befall this world.” Twilight gulped as she watched Yue raising his forehoof into the air. “… W-What kind of catastrophe? The end of the world?” “No. Nothing quite so severe.” Yue’s eyes met Twilight’s, and the purple Unicorn flinched as she felt his cold gaze piercing her soul. “The catastrophe that will occur… is a world without love.”