As the tournament started, many players in day 1 were eliminated, but stayed for the ending results of the tournament. Though some of them enjoyed the fine dining of Canterlot and wanted to come here often to enjoy some peace and quiet from the loud and cheering of the tournament. As the first day of the tournament was ending only a few were in the finals and the rest was going to be held tomorrow and then the finals on day 3, the players, including Lakura Dusk, were anxious to get the day started again but when the matching began for tomorrow an Anonymous player was his first match up and he recognized that it was his Zooiecraft rival, though never met the player in life. Lukra turned to the pegasus and saw his expression on why this player that gave him so much trouble on the ladder and he barely won against the player, that has been out playing him in everyway which caused Lakura to play during the day, to avoid this player. Because something about this player made Lakura feel uncomfortable, that it made him feel like this player was watching him when Lakura started his gaming career, after his parents divorced and went their separate ways.
Lakura didn't think much about the player he was soon to face later that night, for he had to give the crowd a game that would change the way that players have seen Zooiecraft in years. Lakura stayed up way late, showing a lot of unique stuff to Lukra, which became interested in the way how Lakura was planning his strategy which lead to the point of him saying that he should try the builds out in the match tomorrow. Lakura took Lukra's advice and he went to bed with the strategies that he worked on for this match that will soon be going on in the morning. As for Naruna, she stayed up all night playing against players that were trying to get higher in their ladder matches, and keeping her voice down so her coltfriend can get some shut eye. The following morning came with no surprise to Lakura in a tournament, breakfast, check mail, and head out to the tournament area for the matches however for Naruna, she was in bed in which she stayed up to the crack of dawn to see her coltfriend off to the tournament, though she will be watching the games live when the tournament starts in the afternoon, which saves her time on that.
Lakura shook his head when he arrived and said, "today is gonna be a long day."
As the audience gathered at the castle, most of the ponies were talking about rumors of the famous grudge match between Lakura and this "Rival" of his. Many say that these 2 have been fighting for the top spot in Equestrian gaming for years, and this tournament will put a stop to that, others say that its to bury the past behind them and move on however, it didn't matter to Lakura at all, he will be triumph in anyway possible. As the 2nd day of the tournament started as schedule, the audience went crazy to see Lakura facing his rival, and while the casters were talking about these 2 players and the map veto, which became apparent that this match is a best of 3 and the games to come out of these games are gonna be crazy. Most of Allstar clan were there watching the games to make sure the rules were kept, otherwise there would be problems that would erupt into chaos.
As two legendary rivals of the game sat in their booths, their strategies mastered, gameplay on the verge for sheer dominance in the coming games, and winning the tournament. On the first map of the best of 5, Lakura's rival opened up with a very aggressive style in which Lakura lost immediately, though in the second game Lakura returned the favor in hurting not only his opponent's economy, but his opponent's production as well. Game 3 went to an over economy play to Lakura's rival, the same in Game 4 on Lakura's economy build that crushed his opponent which brought it to a Game 5 on "The Lost Sanctum". On the final map, both players were at each other's throat with harassment of all sorts and maintaining their play style for the late game scenario, though this is when Lakura's rival starts to lose his focus when he notices Lakura's play style is different from what he has seen and can't seem to identify on how to counter it and which cost him the game and in which it cost him the chance to beat Lakura, and typing out this in the chat, "I can't believe that after all these years, you truly beat me congrats Dusk, and good luck I know we won't see each other again" in which the crowd goes wild and the casters went crazy that Lakura won against his rival and it made him the gamer that he came to be. After Lakura exited his booth, he saw two pegasi that looked familiar to him, and which tears came to his eyes seeing his parents in the crowd to see him come this far. Though he saw them leaving the tournament with his rival, which looked younger than him.
Lukra approached the pegasus and helped him off the stage, in which he asked Lukra, "you knew they would be here?"
"Yes, I knew they were here, but you got here by who you are and don't let it go of what you have become Dusk," Lukra answered
Lakura sighed and put his head down in exhaustion, though it was short because he was hugged by Naruna, and congratulating him on his victory, which brought him to smile more on what has to be done for the rest of the tournament. As the second day drew to a close only four players were left in the bracket, though Lakura barely made it through to the quarterfinals due to his extreme gameplay in front of the crowd, in which he became determined to beat these players and take home the trophy. That night Lakura studied on the builds he had done and watching the games of the players he may be facing.
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On the final day of the tournament, only four players remained to battle for the trophy and the mystery prize that Allstar was giving out during the tournament. Lakura prepared for the matches to come but he would only face two of the three players that were in the quarterfinals with him. Match pairings completed, casters started talking about a lot of strategy with the matches to come, and much more the audience became more excited than ever. Lakura became the noticed one in which he steamrolled his way through every player that stood in his way, in which it has made him stronger in finishing the tournament that today is his time to shine. Lakura stepped into the booth and the game has begun in the best of 1 in the quarterfinals because the best players tend to go all out in the game in which they need to survive until the end.
"Well we got our hooves full here don't we?" one of the casters asked while Luna was drinking her coffee to stay awake a little bit longer, again.
Lakura pulled off a strategy that worked and in which it cost his opponent the series, and in the last of the quarterfinals he pulled off another game build that has become unknown to the player in which the game went to Lakura, in which got Allstar's attention seeing that this pegasi is unstoppable, though Lukra knew that what he said is true however another player stood in Lakura's way. As soon as the final series came a player of unknown origin, invited by Lukra, to face the challenger that stood between him and the trophy. Lakura approached the figure as Lukra was finished talking to this creature, for the unknown creature turned around and it looked like one of those Zooies Lakura heard about, but it wasn't. The creature extended his hand to Lakura a waiting a shake.
"Name's Zakovia, I heard a lot of you though I know you haven't seen the other race that is in the game have you," Zakovia said
Lakura shook Zakovia's hand with his hand, "its a pleasure to meet you, and there was another race?"
Lukra stepped in between them and gave the all clear for a best of 3 match. The maps were selected and the games have begun, Lakura noticed something different about this player seeing that the race that he uses is unknown to him, though outside his booth Lukra announced the new race to Zooiecraft, to clearly balance the overpowering of the Zooie race in everyway.
"Recently we decided to add the mythical Hybrid race, due to the players that didn't have a play style with the Humans and Zooie race, in which the Hybrid race will be keeping the game balanced and I asked my friend to test out the Hybrid race, in which after today the patch will have the Hybrid race in its update," Lukra explained to the crowd as they grew in excitement.
As the last match started, many new strategies were made with the new race in the Zooiecraft game, while Lakura was facing an opponent that he has no clue about though maintaining his ground in the game for the first match. Zakovia, on the other hand, was already gaining the upper hand in the second match with very aggressive style of play that caused the set to go 1 to 1, however Lakura knew that he will beat this player no matter what and when they came to the map; "Driagant", the last fight had begun. On this map Lukra explained to everyone that this map is the newest in every way with a greedy play, a balanced play, and an agressive play, though the players won't know what to do on this map so they did what was best; which was to beat the living stuff out of each other and become victorious. As the game came to the late game, Lakura BARELY pulled off a win with the mighty Zooie Armada fleet, still a late game winning strategy, and Zakovia smiled and typed, "good game, young Dusk", and the crowd went wild with excitement with Lakura's first victory of his actual real tournament facing real hard players and becoming the best in Equestria and countless more.
Lukra bowed his head to the young pegasi and to the Princess of the Night, saying that he was destined to win, and handing Lakura the trophy, which looked like a ZR-5000, Z-Wing, in flight across the universe and an enclosed letter to the champion. Lukra told Lakura to open it when he got home safe and sound, and with that Lukra took his leave with his clan after the crowd left seeing the epic games that came from the new champion. Lakura looked at the trophy showing how remarkable it is, but he felt something was missing still, so he traveled back to Ponyville to relax after a great tournament. Lakura went to buy something while he was on his way back home in Ponyville.
As soon as the train entered Ponyville, many colts and fillies were already swarming him with smiles and questions on how he won, though Lakura wouldn't tell them, he just walked with a smile till he got home. As he entered his home, Naruna was already home after the tournament ended watching the streams as usual, while Lakura put the trophy on a shelf and opened the letter that he was given. When Lakura opened the envelope, it contained a photo of his parents when they were kind before they went into chaos, and a note which read:
"Our dearest son,
Your mother and I love you so much that we lost each other in our fights while missing you become the stallion you are to this day. We know that you have questions for us, but as soon as your reading this you already have answered your questions, and if not well Lukra told you to look at the trophy carefully and see what you have become. May your future in what your dreams carry and good luck our son, one day we will meet again.....
Love,
Mother and Father"
Lakura was already in tears after reading this letter and he put it by the trophy and the photo of a family that he used to have, and with a smile he remembered the good days before it went to chaos, though they still loved him after all these years which made him happy and that having a marefriend made him happier than ever. Naruna entered the room looking at Lakura all puzzled and he turned around to face her and gave his marefriend a smile that knows everything is gonna be okay. The next day was usually the same, though Lakura became head overseer in the game admin area of Equestria, because Lukra was already busy updating the game to make it playable to all in the Universe leaving Lakura to monitor the game online. While Naruna was co-captain of the Night clan, she did her best to check recruits that wanted to join their clan, she finally got to the spot on the game where she is noticed and winning her first tournament made both of them happy with her accomplishment.
Months after the tournament, the two pegasi enjoyed a relaxing weekend talking about a lot of stuff on what they could do, though marriage never came to their mind. After that they start to make their way back though Lakura stopped in front of the door with Naruna behind him, in which he turned around and presented her with an engagement necklace, for her hoof in marriage. Naruna went silent and blushed greatly and couldn't help to say 'yes' to Lakura and which he put the necklace on her, gave her a kiss, and entered the house with her behind him to enjoy a night together. The following morning came a note for them in which it read:
"I, Lukra, would like to say congrats on both of your success. You two pegasi are what this game needs and I urge you to look at the new update with extreme caution though you will like what I put on the game. Now onto the serious business, the tournament that used to be held at the castle in Canterlot, won't be happening because Celestia wants me to host it somewhere else and in 5 years time I will announce the location of it only to you, Dusk and Light. The reason why, is because I am leaving you in charge of it, meaning you are gonna work together in preparing the next tournament location and letting me know where it is. This isn't the big problem, I know you can do this I have faith in you all.
Sincerly
Lukra, head admin and King of the Zooies
P.S. I heard about the engagement and good luck to you both."
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Two years later after Lakura and Naruna got married, their life went easier in ways of planning new tournaments and doing analyse videos and helping many players with problems and watching the game carefully to prevent cheaters. And with twin pegasi children, they became the popular ones around school even to the day they graduate. They are told legends of how their father beat the mythical AllStar clan, which the clan doesn't show itself much after the big tournament, which got them to wonder if the clan actually existed. Asking their father which in turn he showed them the trophy and the photo of the clan they asked that is nothing but a myth to the new generation of gamers. A letter came in the mail for Lakura saying that he was gonna play one last time before he retires to take care of his family, though they will be clan leaders no matter what, but this letter had the royal crest of a familiar clan that only they know who to pick.
Lakura packed his bags and went to show all that the legendary Dusk has one last game in him to prove that he is no longer the Lonely One, but that he will show all that he means what he has become. Naruna watched in the distant with their children seeing her husband go and prove himself all the new tactics that they came up with in that he had to prove it all to the world and the universe that he has a heart, and he will never surrender.
"Live life to the fullest, we aren't certain on where it leads though we all know where we will be, when we get there."
- Lukra