My Little Pony: Friendship is Numerous

by Monty Eggman

RANK 50: Revving it Back to the Past:

Author's Note:

And here is the episode to close out the year, with an appropriate 5D's theme, considering that this is Rank 50 (actually, it was a coincidence that it ended up this way, but whatever ).

In addition, I'm also planning to start up another new series alongside this one just to keep things fresh. I won't say too much, but I hope this new series will be a brilliant idea and a shining example of what's to come from me in the future.

For now, enjoy the episode!

RANK 50: Revving it Back to the Past:
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THE STORY SO FAR...:
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In Canterlot High School, every student is wild over the world's most popular trading card game: Duel Monsters! Every day, players of the card game, known as "Duelists", go head-to-head to see who among them is the best around. Among the Duelists in attendance at CHS, one of the best is a young teenager named Sunset Shimmer, a girl from another world...

The Duel Monsters tournament taking place at Canterlot High's stadium has now entered its Quarterfinal rounds, where the eight Duelists that won the first series of Duels - Ember, Steel Shadows, Gilda, Fluttershy, Sonata Dusk, Bright Mind, Octavia Melody, and Sweetie Belle, were ready to face off against one another in more white-hot matches. First to compete were Ember - a Dragon Deck specialist from Bloodstone, and Steel Shadows - a nomadic Duelist that mastered a Six Samurai Deck..

As expected, a Duel involving the daughter of an ex-Pro Duelist verses a recognized champ of many tournaments across the country proved to be quite the matchup. The two combatants went back and forth, Summoning their best monsters and utilizing their most effective strategies. Eventually, Steel saw fit to unleash his secret weapon: Colossal Fighter, one of the first cards he had ever received during his life as a Duelist. Though the powerful monster had Ember backed into a corner, she came swinging back with an ace card of her own: the mighty Chaos Dragon Levianeer, whose effect allowed her to snatch an almost-impossible victory.

As the two incredible Duelists shook hands and bid each other good luck, they were suddenly approached by a mysterious pair of motorcycle riders... And they have their sights set on Steel for some reason...

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In Canterlot High's Stadium, the Duel between Ember and Steel Shadows had just concluded with Ember's victory. But even before the pair could leave the field, a strange pair of individuals - one male and one female each decked out in motorcycle riding gear, suddenly approached the two of them. No one seemed to know who they were or why they were here...

"Um...who are you two?" asked Meghan Williams, the MC for the tournament. "I wasn't informed of anyone other than us or the competing Duelists making an appearance in the tournament."

"That's cause we're not here for the tournament." said the unknown woman. "But we do have a very good reason for being here." She then used her finger to make a gesture towards the person that was with her, and they both walked over to Steel Shadows.

"Your name... It's Steel Shadows, correct?" asked the man.

"Um...yes it is." Steel replied. "May I ask why you wish to know...?"

The male didn't say anything at first, but then responded, saying, "There's something that we need to discuss... And it's very important."

"Well, whatever it is, I think we all should know who you two are." Sunset informed them. "I'm sorry, but as the official Judge for the event, I should inform you that I can't allow just ANYONE to walk out onto the field without permission."

"Huh? Are you saying you don't recognize me??" asked the man, seemingly a little shocked by Sunset's comment. He then put his hand to his head and felt the bike helmet that he was wearing. "Huh? Oh! I see..." he then said. "I guess wearing this silly thing WOULD make it hard to know who I am. Sorry 'bout that." He then pulled on his helmet to take it off, and after managing to do so, he revealed his face to everyone watching.

Gasping in shock, Sunset then said, "Wh-wh-wh-WHAT?! I-is that-?!?" She was so surprised by the man's face reveal, she couldn't help but to stutter.

"Oh my GOODNESS!!" exclaimed Rarity, sitting in the stands with Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Flash Sentry. "Could it possibly be HIM?!"

"Ah... Ah think it is!" Applejack replied.

"Yeah it is!!" shouted an excited Rainbow Dash. "It's SOARIN!!"

"What?! You mean Soarin from the Wonderbolts Turbo Duel team?!" asked Flash, surprised. "That's him?!"

"There's no mistaking it!" Dash told him. "I'd recognize that sky-blue face and that awesome dark-blue hair ANYWHERE!"

"And those LOVELY emerald-green eyes of his...!" said Rarity, gushing a little bit. "Just absoLUTEly stunning!!" Her comment was heard by Spike, who simply huffed a little in response.

"But wait... If Soarin's here," Applejack started to say, "Then that means the other one's-"

But before Applejack could finish her comment, the woman that was accompanying Soarin had now removed her helmet as well, revealing her face to be bright yellow. Like Soarin, her hair was cut short, and was colored in various shades of orange, making it look like a flame. Her eyes were a nice golden-brown in color, and had a fierce, yet mellow look to them. "Yeah, that's much better..." she then commented. "Too hot to be wearin' these things anyway." Turning to her companion, she said to him, "I TOLD you we should've taken our helmets off before going into the stadium, Soarin."

"Uh, yeah... Sorry, Spitfire." her friend replied. "I was in such a hurry, I guess I didn't think about it..." The other woman simply chuckled a little at her friend's reply, indicating that she really wasn't too miffed by his forgetfulness.

"So it's really true..." said Sunset, astounded by the revel of the other strange individual. "It's really Soarin, one of the top members of the Wonderbolts... And not only that, there's Spitfire, the team's leader...!"

"Si-simply AMAZING!!" cheered Meghan. "To think: The Wonderbolts - the top Turbo Duel team in the country, here at the Duel Monsters tournament that I'M MC-ing for!! This is like a dream come true!!"

"But, WHY are they here right now?" asked Ember. Turning over to Steel Shadows, she asked him, "They seemed like they wanted to talk to you, Steel...did you invite them or something?"

"I didn't." he answered. "Believe me, I am just as curious about this as you are." Deciding to figure out what was going on, Steel then asked Soarin, "Um...if I may speak for a moment... Why are you here? And what is it that you want from me?"

"Hm? Oh! Yes, of course!" the blue-haired Wonderbolt replied. "I guess we should explain why we came all the way out here." Clearing his throat a little and getting serious, Soarin then told Steel, "You see, the reason that Spitfire and I came here was to speak to you, specifically."

"Speak to me?" asked Steel.

"Yeah." Soarin continued. "Truth is, we've been watching you performing in the tournament as we came out here. Not only that, but before this competition she and I have been looking at a lot of your records in other tournaments that you've competed in, and I must say: We're both very impressed."

"Um, thank you." Steel simply replied. Now even more curious as to the whole nature of the conversation, he then inquired, "But...why have you been taking an interest in my dueling records?"

"Well, after we heard of just how well you've done in past competitions," Soarin told him, "we knew that we wanted to meet up with you."

"Problem is, everywhere that we went, we couldn't find you." Spitfire chimed in. "We looked around, asked around, but you were gone without a trace. Eventually, we had nearly given up hope of getting to meet with you. And that's when Soarin here turned on the live stream of this tournament and found out that you were one of the Duelists competing."

"Once we knew you would be sticking around for a while," Soarin continued to explain, "we wasted no time getting on our Duel Runners and hightailin' it over here. We managed to get here just as you brought out that Colossal Fighter guy. I gotta say, it was real awesome seein' him Summoned to the field like that; they just don't make cards as cool as that these days..."

"I see... So what is it that you wanted to say to me?" asked Steel. "What is so important that you went to all of this trouble just to find me?"

"Heh... I would tell you to sit down for this, as it's gonna really blow your mind once you hear it..." Soarin told him. "But since there's nowhere TO sit, you'll just have to stand for it instead."

"I...don't understand..." Steel replied, not sure what that meant exactly.

Chuckling a little, Spitfire then said, "I'll just get right to the point: Steel Shadows...we would like it if you could join us on our team!"

That sudden request caused a collective gasp to fall over the entire stadium. "Y-y-y-you're kidding me!!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash. "Did she just say that she wanted that guy to join the Wonderbolts?!"

"What a twist!!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie. She then held up an ice-cream cone that she was licking and added, "How did they get the chocolate and the vanilla so perfectly twisted?! It's amazing!" Apparently her comment was about her snack, not what Spitfire had just said.

Everyone was shocked by what they had just heard Spitfire say, most of all Steel Shadows. "You...you want me to join your team...??" he asked in disbelief. "You...can't be serious, can you?"

"Oh, we're serious, buddy." Soarin told him. "Like we told you; Spitfire and I've been watching all of your past duels and were pretty impressed with how you did. If we weren't serious about having you join the team, we wouldn'tve gone to all the trouble of driving out here just to talk to you."

Steel saw the logic in Soarin's words and realized that it wasn't all a joke when they asked him to join them. Still, he felt a bit confused and asked them, "But...are you sure that I would be good enough? Don't get me wrong; I am confident in my abilities, but how do you know if I can support the Wonderbolts effectively enough?"

"...I understand what you're saying." Soarin spoke to him. "I guess anybody - even someone as skilled as yourself, may not think they have what it takes to perform on the level of the Wonderbolts. I know that feeling myself: I had it when I first tried out for the team."

"Wait, seriously?" asked Sunset. "You're one of the team strongest members, and even YOU were nervous when you first got on?"

"Of course I was." Soarin answered. "Everybody gets that shaky feeling when they join a team, no matter what kind of team it is. They get so worried about how well they'd stack up compared to the others, and often try too hard to get up to their level. I had that same worry myself, especially when I came face-to-face with one of the Wonderbolts' best: Crimson Inferno."

"Wait! Did you say 'Crimson Inferno'?" asked a grungy-sounding British accent from the audience. The voice belonged to a student named Crimson Napalm, recognizable by his red mohawk and punk-rock attire. "That's the name of me older cousin!"

Turning to face Napalm, Soarin looked him over and said, "Oh yeah... yeah, I can see the family resemblance, especially with that accent of yours; sounds just like the guy." Getting back on-topic, he then told everyone, "But yeah, as I was sayin': Crimson Inferno was one of the strongest members of the entire team, right up there with Spitfire. And I met the guy back when I first started trying out for the Wonderbolts... I remember it like it was yesterday..."

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Before I had even considered being a part of the team, I was their number-one fan: I knew anything and everything about the team, and any Wonderbolts-related product you could think of, I had at least five of it. Watching them in action spurred me into wanting to be as strong a Duelist as they were. I practiced my dueling skills nearly every day and got my Duel Runner license so that I could perfect my riding skills as well. For a while, that was pretty much my day-to-day hobby.

Then, sometime after I graduated from school, I was arbitrarily doing some browsing on the web - looking up new cards and strategies for my Deck, when I saw the most amazing thing ever; the announcement that would change my life forever...

"CALLING ALL TURBO DUELISTS!" it said. "This is the moment that you have all been waiting for: The Wonderbolts - top Turbo Dueling team in the nation, are now seeking potential new members to join up! If you think you can rev it up and really kick your game into overdrive, then don't hesitate to make your way here and see if you've got what it takes! Don't blink, or this opportunity will whiz past you faster than Speed Warrior!"

Under all of that, there was a location for the tryouts, as well as a date and time to arrive. Doing just what the ad said, I didn't hesitate. I grabbed my gear, my Deck, and my Runner and was ready to zip my way to the tryouts...only to realize that there was a whole week between now and the posted date. So I spent that time perfecting my skills at riding and dueling non-stop for the next few days, making sure that I would be at my best when I showed up.

Between all my training and the fact that I was so excited to get to the tryouts, I nearly overslept when that day finally came. I rushed to get there as fast as possible, making sure to take the fastest route to reach my destination. And then, I finally made it: The famous Cloudsdale Stadium, the premier arena of all of Canterlot City. This was where I had hoped to make a name for myself and become a member of one of the best Turbo Duel teams in the world.

Going through a special tunnel reserved for those taking part in vehicle-related sporting events (including, but not limited to, Turbo Duels) I drove into the stadium, where I saw several other hopeful people all seeking the same goal as I did. I'm willing to admit; I was a little nervous seeing just how many people were there 'cause I knew the competition would be stiff.

We waited there for a while, all of us parked in front of a large stage set up in the middle of the arena with the Wonderbolts logo printed on the front until about 10:00 a.m. - the listed time on the advertisement that brought me here. Soon after, the arena lights all blacked out at once.

"Whuh?! What happened to all the lights??" asked one guy.

"Yeah, what's goin' on?!" asked another.

I wasn't sure either, but then our eyes turned to the stage before us, where some cleverly-placed fog machines began blowing smoke everywhere around it. Several lights on the stage lit up in several different colors, and some triumphant-sounding music began to play in the background.

Yeah, those who know the Wonderbolts pretty well know that we have quite a flair for major theatrics.

As we all stared at the fog-covered stage, a person began walking up onto it. It was there that we all met in person, for the first time ever, the leader of the Wondebolts, Spitfire. That fire-colored hair matched her fierce and powerful look perfectly as she walked up to the front of the stage, decked out in a really sick-looking outfit that looked kinda like an airplane pilot's uniform, only a tad more extreme-looking.

Taking the nearby microphone from the stand it was attached to, Spitfire announced, "I welcome each every one of you to Cloudsdale Stadium for what may be the most incredible thing to happen to you! For once this event is over, one or more of you may become the newest members of the Wonderbolts!!"

Everyone cheered in response, myself included. I was excited to show what I had to offer the team.

"As you all should hopefully know, my name is Spitfire, leader and founder of the Wonderbolts!" she then said to us all. "And my dream is to take this team all the way to the top and become known as the greatest Turbo Duel team in the world! And in order to do that, we are constantly on the lookout for potential new talent that can help us to achieve that goal. So I want to see each and every one of you do your best out there and show what you've got!" And all of us cheered once more to say that we would do just that.

"Now," Spitfire started, "I'll explain just how these tryouts will work: All of you will be judged on your Duel Runner riding ability, as well as your skills in Dueling. Each of your scores and statistics in both categories will combine to create your final scores. Those of you who score the highest will get what they have come here for: a spot on the Wonderbolts!"

(And I'm gonna make sure that's me!) I thought to myself, clenching my fist and putting on a determined smile.

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"Wow...so back before now, you were just another hopeful Duelist like of us..." Ember commented to Soarin after she and others heard the story.

"I'll have to admit, it's kinda weird to think that you were just another regular guy at any point in time." Sunset then said to him.

"Aheheh, I guess so..." Soarin replied. "But you should all know: Each and every person out there that's an expert on Dueling or anything else started out as a novice. No one's born knowing all the skills they need to succeed."

"And yet," Spitfire chimed in, "there was someone on the team that seemed to feel that way about himself... Someone who thought he was the best and that he was all the Wonderbolts needed to be the greatest..."

"...Are you, perhaps, referring to this Crimson Inferno person that you mentioned earlier?" asked Steel Shadows.

"You've got it, buddy." she confirmed, nodding. "The guy was as conceited as he was skilled at dueling, maybe even more. He's toned down considerably nowadays, but back then he had so much pride, it might as well've been oozing out his ears."

"Eww...that's an image I didn't need in my head..." Spike said as he and Twilight decided to walk over and hear the conversation for themselves.

"Just...how conceited was he, Spitfire?" asked Twilight.

"I'll tell ya by picking up from where Soarin left off." Spitfire told her. "That is, if you don't mind?" she then asked her friend.

"Go for it." Soarin replied, giving her permission to continue the story. Spitfire then cleared her throat and began to tell everyone what happened next...

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After finishing my announcement, I informed Soarin and the others that they would have fifteen minutes to do some last-minute preparations before we kicked things off. I had taken a large gulp from my water bottle (since all that loud speaking gets my throat pretty scratchy), when who should show up but Crimson, atop his crimson-red Duel Runner. I knew it was him because his look is pretty much universally recognizable: His greyish-blue skin, his piercing golden-yellow eyes, short, red hair that looked like a raging flame, and his imposing outfit that made him look as powerful as he did fearsome. He usually went with a dark-purple overcoat with a black shirt underneath that bore his mean-looking skull emblem. Add the black pants and dark-grey boots, and you've got a Duelist who looks like he doesn't mess around.

When I saw him show up, I chuckled a bit and said to him, "Well, I didn't think you'd show up, Crimson. After all, you made it pretty clear that coming to the Wonderbolt Tryouts was a complete waste of time to you."

"The only reason that I'm here is because there's only one other thing that was more of a waste of time for me; and that's having these tryouts in the first place." he said back. "What's the point of allowing these greenhorns to have even the slightest illusion that they're good enough to be part of this team?"

"Because last I checked," I told him, "I believe the old phrase goes, 'There's no "I" in "team".' You're not the only skilled player in the Wonderbolts, Crimson, and I'd like it if you stopped acting like it. If we're going to grow as a team, we always need to be on the lookout for new talent. These tryouts are going to go on as scheduled, whether you like it or not."

Crimson didn't say anything at first, but it was clear that nothing I said was going to change his attitude towards the day's events. He then huffed and said to me, "Fine, do as you wish. It won't matter much to me either way. After all, you know deep down that I'm the whole reason our team is number one in the country, and I would like it if you would wake up and realize that." And with that he hopped off his Duel Runner and walked away, probably to go brooding off somewhere or something. I didn't know; I had more important things to do anyway.

So, ignoring Crimson and his comments, I went back to supervise the tryouts. I returned to the microphone set up on the podium and announced, "Alright, everyone! Let the Wonderbolt Tryouts officially begin!" As you might've guessed, everyone in the group cheered loudly, as they were ready to show off their skills, especially Soarin.

The first part of the tryouts was on expert Duel Runner handling. For the most part, it was simply a race between all of the contenders. But it wasn't quite THAT simple: It wasn't a mere, "get from Point A to Point B the fastest"; those in the race were also judged by their handling, acceleration, and technique. A lot of the participants tried going too fast and...well, wiped out pretty quick. Don't worry, we had a full team of medics on-site to handle any emergencies. But despite the difficult nature of this test, there were a few that managed to drive well, as well as drive fast, and ended up scoring pretty high.

After that came the dueling tests, where we pitted all of the possible new recruits against each other in a round-robin tournament. Each of them were tested on how well they dueled; not just winning their Duels, but also how effectively they used their Decks and strategies. By the time the tournament was over, we had put together the scores, singling out those with the highest scores in both the riding and dueling tests.

I then walked up to the person that had the highest scores overall and said to them, "Well, I gotta admit it; I'm really impressed with how well ya handled yourself out there. I think you might just have what it takes to become one of us. Your expert Duel Runner technique, your dueling... No doubt about it, you've got everything we're looking for." Since the list I had only showed everyone by an assigned number and not their names, I had to ask them, "What's your name?"

"Uh... S-Soarin. It's Soarin, ma'am." he replied.

"Hmmm, Soarin, eh?" I then looked at his score on my list again before saying, "Well, as I said, I think you've got the best chance out of everyone here in becoming part of the team."

"Uh, r-really? Thanks!" he then said. "That means a whole lot coming from you!"

"Don't get too high and mighty, kid." said a voice that made me groan in my mind. "Being the best out of a group of total amateurs is nothing to be proud of." As you probably guessed, it was Crimson Inferno who made that not-at-all-flattering comment.

Turning to face him, I then said with a bit of a smirk, "Heh, you actually bothered to come all the way out here just give us your two cents regarding this guy here? And you accuse ME of wasting MY time..."

Crimson just huffed at my comment and responded, saying, "I just wanted to let this 'guy' know what's in store for him should he even make it onto the team. This isn't some little kiddie skate park to have fun in; this is a place where the strong keep moving forward while leaving the weak ones behind!" Walking right up to Soarin, he then said to him, "Spitfire may find your so-called 'skills' acceptable, but I don't."

"Riiiiiiight, because compared to you, EVERYBODY'S inferior..." I said sarcastically. I then thought to myself, (I just wish Crimson dueled others just as well as he taunts them, then I wouldn't have had to hold these tryouts in the first-) But at that moment, I stopped my thoughts short; I had an idea, and quite a clever one, if I do say so myself. I then faced Crimson once more and told him, "Well, if THAT'S what you really think, then perhaps you'd be willing to put your money where your mouth is, and assist me in...well, one more test."

"Test?" asked Crimson. "What test...?"

"A test to once and for all determine whether or not Soarin here has the necessary skills needed to support the Wonderbolts." I answered. "And once it's over with, we'll know for sure if he truly belongs here."

"Wh-what kinda test are we talking about, Ms. Spitfire?" Soarin asked me.

I smirked and pointed right at Soarin. "You..." I said to him before moving my pointer finger towards Crimson. "And you...will have a Turbo Duel!"

As you probably assumed, both Soarin and Crimson were startled when I proposed that they duel each other. "Wh-WHAT?! Me against him?!" asked Soarin in shock.

"You can't possibly be serious!!" Crimson shouted angrily at me.

"VERY serious." I responded calmly. "As Duelists, the best way to settle disputes such as this are in a Duel. If Soarin loses, I'll send him on his way. But if he wins, he joins the team without any further complaints."

"That's ridiculous!!" Crimson yelled. "I will not waste my time and talents on this pathetic Duelist when it's abundantly clear that he's not even close to my level!"

"Why do you sound so offended, Crimson?" I asked with another smirk. "I thought you'd jump at the chance to show this 'total amateur' his place... You've been against the idea of holding these tryouts since Day One, and when I finally give you a chance to prove that your opinion about it was right, you don't wanna take it... So what's wrong? Are you scared he'll beat you and make you look like a fool?"

That comment did it. Crimson couldn't handle the thought of anybody thinking that he was afraid of losing to anyone. He grumbled, but knew he had no choice. "Fine, have it your way, Spitfire." he said back. "I suppose I've gotten a bit bored just sitting around doing nothing; I might be able to take some pleasure in showing this wannabe his place." Huffing, he turned away and said, "I'll meet you on the track... That is, if you're not too scared at the thought of facing me."

To be honest, I did feel a little bad about pitting Soarin - a rookie at the time, against one of the strongest members of the team. I looked over to him and said, "Sorry about putting you on the spot like that... After all, Crimson does have quite a reputation..."

"That's okay, Ms. Spitfire. I'm okay with it." he replied. "I'll admit, I was surprised at first when you suddenly told us to duel each other, but I'll go along with it. To be honest, I'm kinda looking forward to showing that guy that I'm not a total loser!"

"So...does that mean that you're gonna go through with it?" I asked him.

"I sure am!" said Soarin with a look of determination that I hadn't seen on anyone else in a long time. "He may be really tough, but he's not the only guy with skills to show off! And I'm not about to let him call me a pathetic Duelist and get away with it! So I'm going out there, and win or lose, I know I'll make a big name for myself!"

I was both shocked and pleased by what I heard him say. He showed a great amount of confidence, but without any arrogance in his voice. If he had any fear going into that Duel, he wasn't showing it. It's qualities like those that are what I'm looking for the most in the members of the Wonderbolts. With a smile and a nod, I said to him, "Get out there and do your best!" Soarin smiled and head off towards his Duel Runner so that we could begin the Turbo Duel.

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Back in the stadium, as Spitfire was telling her part of the story, a girl sitting next Crimson Napalm in the stands said to him, "Yeesh...that Inferno guy really loves to hear himself talk. And he's got such a bad attitude, too... Is he really your cousin?"

"Sure is..." Napalm answered. "And yeah, he's always been a bit on the mean side... He used to pick on me a lot when we were li'l kids; luckily, he an' his folks didn't visit much, especially after he got caught teasing me one day." Groaning a bit, he then added, "Since then, the only thing I had heard about 'im was that he joined the Wonderbolts, and he didn't keep that a secret from anybody; he bragged about it for about a week..."

"So you really decided to go up against that guy?" Sunset then asked Soarin. "I mean, I probably would've done the same thing if he talked like that to me, but still... You didn't even hesitate?"

"It's all true." the male Wonderbolt answered her. "I can't lie, though; I was pretty nervous at the idea of fighting one of the best members of the Wonderbolts, but I was more determined to show him that I wasn't the third-rate Duelist he thought I was."

"With a fourth-rate Deck?" asked Pinkie from the audience. Then, seemingly to herself, she then added, "C'mon; you KNEW we had to use that quote at some point."

"So what happened next?" Twilight then asked Spitfire. "How did the Duel go?"

"I think I'll turn things back over to Soarin at this point:" the Wonderbolt leader responded. "He could tell you about it better than I could." She then turned towards Soarin and nodded to him, saying that he could continue the story.

"Well, after everything was prepared for the Turbo Duel to begin," he then told everyone, "Crimson Inferno and I drove our Duel Runners onto the racetrack..."

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...Spitfire went up to the podium and began to explain the rules to each of us. "Alright," she started, "we will now begin a special Turbo Duel involving veteran Wonderbolt member Crimson Inferno and possible new recruit, Soarin."

"Hmph...'possible'?" Crimson scoffed. "More like 'impossible'." I wasn't happy hearing that, but I kept my composure and ignored him for the moment.

"As you know, the additional rules for a Turbo Duel are as follows:" Spitfire continued. "If a player is in the lead in the race during their turn, they are permitted an extra Normal Summon or Set, but ONLY if they were in the lead before their turn started. When the Turbo Duel begins..." She then pointed outward, directing everyone's sight onto a bright red line stretching across the track a short distance away from the starting line. "...whichever Duelist crosses that line first is given the option of going first or second." She then added, "Finally, only the standard rules of winning a Duel will be in place: You must either reduce your opponent to zero Life Points, run their Deck out of cards, or activate a win condition effect."

"Ready to be put in your place, punk?" asked Crimson with a sneer.

But I simply said back, "Yeah, I am ready to be put in my place: FIRST place, that is."

"Hmph! We'll see how confident you are when I get through with you." Inferno huffed as he revved his engine.

Taking out a remote control of some sort, Spitfire then stated, "The Duel will begin on the green light. Duelists, start your engines!" On that instruction, we started up our Duel Runners and activated the Duel Mode function. We were both ready to rev it up, as the starting lights began to flash, first red...then a series of yellow lights...and then finally, the green light switched on.

"Duel!!" shouted both Crimson and me as we raced forward, trying to reach the red line first. Spitfire was watching our Duel very carefully, as were all of the other people that had shown up to the recruiting event.

At first, it seemed as though Crimson was able to back up all of his bragging, as he was ahead of me, nearing the red line and planning to cross it first. But, just as he was about to cross it, Crimson suddenly and without warning, slowed down at the last second... Enough for me to cross the red line before he did. "Huh?" I was confused, because I knew full well that Crimson's Runner was more advanced than mine was, so he should've been able to keep ahead of me. I then looked back and asked him, "I knew you did that on purpose, bud... What gives?"

"First off, I'm not your 'bud'." he replied. "And second, I let you have the first move simply out of boredom. It wouldn't be any fun for me if I went and trashed you right on the first turn..."

Even now, he didn't take me seriously; to him, I was just a minor inconvenience. But I wouldn't let him get to me; I was going to show him and everyone watching that I belonged in the Wonderbolts. And if I had to beat him in a Duel to do it, I would. "Have it your way then; I'll go first!" (Soarin: LP 4,000) (Crimson Inferno: LP 4,000) (Current Leader: Soarin)

I was too focused on the Duel to notice, but Spitfire had told me that she was paying attention to every little detail of our Duel, and wasn't about to miss even a second of it. She was watching me carefully...as well as Crimson.

Looking over my hand, I made my first move pretty quick. Since I was in the lead, I could start with more than one monster out on the field, so I took some cards from my hand and shouted, "I'll start with two monsters in Defense Mode, plus a card face-down. Your move!"

"Hmph...all the defenses in the world won't let you escape defeat at my hands!" Crimson taunted. "I draw!" Placing his card in his hand, he played another, saying, "I'll begin with Resonator Call! This allows me to add any Resonator monster from my Deck to my hand!" Making his choice, he then added, "I'll select Red Resonator!"

I knew the Resonator monsters were all Tuner Monsters, so I figured he was going for a Synchro Monster as soon as possible. I just hoped at that point that what I had on my field could weather his attack.

"Next," he continued, "I'll activate the Spell Card, Resonator Command! Now by discarding the Red Resonator that I just retrieved, I can take a Level 4 or below Fiend from my Deck!"

As he discarded for the cost of his card, I then asked myself, (Why'd he do that? Did he just use his first Spell Card to get the monster needed to pay the cost of the second one...?) I then immediately assumed that this was not so, and that he may have been setting up something bigger for later.

After making his choice Crimson then said to me, "I select Archfiend Heiress with my Spell Card's effect and Summon her in Attack Mode!" The card he Summoned to his field appeared to be a very young demon-girl of some sort with purple skin, wearing a skull helmet that covered her face that had several phantom-like tentacles coming out the back of it. She also had on a black and purple short-skirt dress with sinister metallic trims, small boots, and a red cape that looked like wings. In her hands was a short staff or wand of some sort with a skull on the end of it (Archfiend Heiress: Level 3 / ATK 1000 / DEF 0).

"And to power her up further," Crimson continued, "I'll activate a Field Spell! Archfiend Palabyrinth!!" In an instant, the entire field turned as dark as night, with massive black and purple clouds covering the sky above, shooting lighting at regular intervals. In the distance, I could see a massive city of some sort that looked even more imposing than the storm that had gathered around us.

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Archfiend Palabyrinth:
(Field Spell Card)

All Fiend monsters you control gain 500 ATK. You can target 1 "Archfiend" monster you control; banish 1 other Fiend monster you control, and if you do, Special Summon from your hand, Deck, or GY, 1 "Archfiend" monster with same Level as the targeted monster. You can only use this effect of "Archfiend Palabyrinth" once per turn.

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With that Field Spell active, his Archfiend monster gained more attack power as she charged up a light-blue energy sphere in her left hand (Archfiend Heiress: ATK 1000 + 500 = 1500). "That's not good..." I said to myself. "As if he needed to have another advantage over me..."

"If you think that's bad, then this move will be thoroughly devastating..." Crimson then said to me as he took another card out of his hand. "I activate the Spell Card Night Beam! This card can destroy any face-down Spell or Trap Card you have out! And you can't activate the card I target in response!"

I gasped as a bright, yellow beam shot from out of nowhere and blasted away my face-down Scrap-Iron Scarecrow. I sweat a little, as I was hoping to use that card to keep him from damaging me or my monsters while I got my strategy going, but now there was nothing in way between him and me...except my two Defense Mode monsters.

"Now that that's settled, it's time for to start picking away at your pathetic monsters, one by one!" Crimson announced. "Archfiend Heiress, attack his rightmost monster!" The demon-girl grinned as she launched the energy sphere in her hands at struck her target: my Rush Warrior (Rush Warrior: Level 2 / ATK 300 / DEF 1200). Thanks to his Field Spell, she had enough attack points to wipe it out, leaving me with just one monster on my field. His attack also slowed me down enough so that Crimson got ahead of me.

"Still standing, I see... Luckily for you, that's all I can do this turn." said Crimson as he set a card face-down. "But don't expect any more mercy from me in the upcoming turns to follow!"

Right away, I could see why he was so confident, as he managed to get ahead of me pretty quickly. But I wasn't about to let him leave me in the dust. "Not bad," I said to him as I drew my next card, "but I'm only getting started, Crimson!" Playing the card I drew, I shouted, "I activate Tuning from my hand! This card allows me to search my Deck for any Tuner monster that has 'Synchron' in its name. After that, I have to mill the top card of my Deck." Taking my chosen card, I then added, "I'll add my favorite Tuner, Junk Synchron, to my hand!" Afterwards, I shuffled my Deck and sent the top card to the Graveyard.

"Not bad, I guess..." said Crimson in his usual condescending tone. "You just better hope that you didn't lose one of the few valuable cards you had in that Deck."

I chuckled as his comment and told him, "Actually, the card that got sent there was something I WANTED in there. Check this out!" At that moment, the card that I lost suddenly appeared on the field.

"What?! Where did that come from??" asked my opponent.

"I activate the effect of the card that went to the Graveyard: Limiter Overload!" I said in response. "After it gets sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon Speed Warrior to the field!" And that's exactly what happened as my super-fast monster in greyish-green armor raced onto the field in Attack Mode from out of my Deck (Speed Warrior: Level 2 / ATK 900 / DEF 400).

"Hmph! A lucky move; that's all it is...!" huffed Crimson.

"If you say so, buddy..." I replied, placing the card I got from Tuning into play. "Now I'll Normal Summon Junk Synchron in Attack Mode!" My orange-colored Tuner monster then appeared on the field, ready to do his thing (Junk Synchron: Level 3 / ATK 1300 / DEF 500). "And now it's time for his effect! When Normal Summoned, Junk Synchron brings back any Level 2 or below monster back from my Graveyard in Defense Mode with its effects negated! And I'll choose my Rush Warrior!" After that, the monster that Crimson took out earlier was back on the field. "And then, I'll Flip Summon Tuningware!" My face-down monster then revealed itself as a small little robot wearing a handheld pot as a hat (Tuningware: Level 1 / ATK 100 / DEF 300).

"So...I see that you're a Synchro user, too...?" muttered my opponent. Looking over my field, he then said, "You have a Level 3 Tuner... a Level 1 non-Tuner, and two Level 2 non-Tuners; a total Level of eight. I suppose you'll be playing your ace card immediately? Or at least what YOU think constitutes as an ace card?"

And I responded, saying, "Not quite yet, Crimson. I have a different idea in mind." Raising my hand in the air (and keeping the other one on steering controls, of course) I shouted, "I tune Junk Synchron, Level 3, to Tuningware, Level 2!" At that moment, my Junk Synchron pulled the cord on its armor, transformed into three lights that flew into the sky, and came back as three green rings that surrounded Tuningware.

"Level TWO?!" exclaimed Crimson in surprise. "Don't you know how to count?! It's only Level 1!!"

"You're ALMOST right." I explained. "But when Tuningware is used for a Synchro Summon, I can make its Level become 2 instead!" And to confirm this, Tuningware then transformed into a pair of small lights within the green rings, which were then swallowed up by a large pillar of light (Level 3 + Level 2 = Level 5).

"So he's only going to Summon a Level 5 Synchro Monster...?" Crimson asked himself. "But why?"

"Gathering stars will call upon a new force!" I began to chant. "Emerge and prove you're more than the sum of your parts! Become the path its light shines upon!! Synchro Summon!! Show yourself, Level 5! Junk Warrior!!" After the chant was completed, the light vanished and revealed my powerful, purple armored Synchro Monster in all his glory (Junk Warrior: Level 5 / ATK 2300 / DEF 1300).

"Hmph...so what?" asked Crimson, unimpressed by my move. "I have more than enough monsters in my Deck that can chew up your warrior and spit him out!"

"We'll see about that after I use Junk Warrior's effect!" I told him. "After he's Synchro Summoned, he absorbs the attack points of all of the Level 2 or lower monster I've got out!"

"He does WHAT?!?" the so-called expert shouted in surprise. He could only watch as my Junk Warrior gained the strength of both my Speed Warrior and Rush Warrior and became more powerful (Junk Warrior: ATK 2300 + 900 + 300 = 3500).

"As if that wasn't enough," I continued, "thanks to Tuningware's second effect, I get to draw another card!" And I did just that. "Now it's time for me to take back control of this Duel! Junk Warrior, attack his Archfiend Heiress with your Scrap Fist!" And with that order, my Synchro Monster delivered a mighty punch to Crimson's only monster, destroying her and taking out exactly half of his Life Points in the process (Crimson Inferno: LP 4,000 - 2,000 = 2,000). My attack also knocked him far behind me in the race, letting me take the lead. "So, still think I'm a total amateur?" I asked him with a smirk.

"I do..." he grumbled. "By destroying Archfiend Heiress in combat, I can trigger her effect! I use it to take another Archfiend card from my Deck! And I select Archfiend Cavalry!" After taking his card, he said to me, "I was prepared to let you destroy my weaker monster so that I could use her effect!"

"I suppose that's true." I replied. "But I know for a fact that you weren't expecting to take this much damage so soon. And speaking of damage... Speed Warrior, attack him directly!" And with that order, my other monster that was in Attack Mode raced back towards Crimson and delivered a powerful kick that chipped away more of his score (Crimson Inferno: LP 2,000 - 900 = 1,100). I then decided to wrap up my turn and said to my opponent, "I'll end things by setting this card face-down in my back row."

As you probably guessed, Crimson wasn't too happy that I managed to wipe out so much of his Life Points in one turn. In fact, he was as angry as you would expect him to be. "No one...and I mean, NO ONE, damages MY Life Points this much and gets away with it! Especially not some scrub like you!" he yelled. "I promise you this: I won't just simply defeat you... I'll make sure you never forget your loss to me as long as you live!"

I'll have to admit, I was a bit worried... With him that angry, I was expecting him to do almost anything to get revenge on me for the last turn.

"It's my turn! I draw!!" Crimson shouted as he drew his next card. "And I activate Allure of Darkness! I now draw two cards, then banish a DARK monster from my hand!" He then did that, choosing to get rid of the Archfiend Cavalry he got from his Heiress card earlier. Snickering wickedly, he then asked to me, "Did you honestly think that you could damage me this much that easily? To tell you the truth, I LET you reduce my Life Points to this low to lull you into a false sense of security! I could have easily won the Duel much sooner, but I have a penchant for letting weaker fools think they've gotten ahead, so it would be that much more crushing when I trash them!"

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"That comment of Crimson's was a total load of bologna." Spitfire suddenly interrupted. "The guy was sweating after he got hit so hard, but he wasn't about to admit it in front of us."

"Really?" asked Spike. "How could you tell?"

"Just by being around the guy for so long, I've gotten good at reading his non-verbal thoughts." the Wonderbolt leader answered. "He wouldn't say it, but before he drew those cards with Allure of Darkness, he was silently panicking." Turning back to Soarin, she then said to him, "Uh, sorry 'bout that. Go ahead and continue." Soarin nodded and continued telling the story...

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Crimson then continued his move by flipping over the face-down card in his back row, saying, "Now I activate Archfiend's Roar! At the mere cost of 500 of my Life Points (Crimson Inferno: LP 1,100 - 500 = 600), this card allows me to bring back an Archfiend from the Graveyard! And I will revive my Archfiend Heiress!" And instantly, the little monster that I took out during the last turn came back, giggling wickedly as she did so (Archfiend Heiress: ATK 1000 + 500 = 1500).

"Now you're just down to 600 points, buddy..." I informed the guy. "And not only that, your monster will only stay on the field until the End Phase; after that, she'll be destroyed."

"First off," Crimson began to tell me, "to repeat what I told you before: I am NOT your 'bud', 'buddy', 'friend', or 'amigo'... And second, my Archfiend Heiress won't be around by the time the End Phase comes, because she is merely a stepping stone to call forth an even greater creature!" Holding up a card from his hand, he then added, "If you think you're the only one in this Duel that can Synchro Summon, think again! I Summon the Tuner Monster, Dark Resonator!"

The monster he brought out next was some sort of imp-like creature carrying a large tuning fork and mallet. A pair of glowing red eyes and mischievous grin peered out of a silvery-gray helmet with red frills, overtop a tattered, dark-blue cloak, with a flap of orange cloth on the front of it. On his back were five cymbals, each one a different size (Dark Resonator: Level 3 / ATK 1300 + 500 = 1800 / DEF 300).

(So now he's gonna Synchro Summon...) I thought to myself.

"And now it's time for you to repay the damage you gave me, with interest!" shouted my opponent as he made his next big move. "I tune Dark Resonator, Level 3...to Archfiend Heiress, also Level 3!" His Tuner Monster used its mallet to tap its tuning fork, becoming cloaked in a violet energy as it did so. That energy split the little guy into three small orbs that flew into the sky, coming back down as three rings that surrounded his other monster, transforming her into a trio lights as well (Level 3 + Level 3 = Level 6).

"The star of doom comes to judge all living things!" he chanted. "My crimson dragon shines upon the infernal path! Synchro Summon! Fly, Level 6! Red Rising Dragon!!" After he was finished, the rings were engulfed by a pillar of light that quickly transformed into a blazing tower of fire. The flames spread around as they morphed into the shape of a massive dragon with massive devil-like horns, massive wings, and long limbs that ended in razor-sharp claws (Red Rising Dragon: Level 6 / ATK 2100 / DEF 1600).

"Woah...that's big..." I said to myself. But I wasn't worried at first; after all, that monster was weaker than Junk Warrior, even without his effect to increase his attack points. Of course, I had a feeling that Crimson wasn't quite done with his turn.

"Before you even say it, yes: My Synchro Monster's attack power pales in comparison to yours..." he said, making sure I knew that he was aware of the power gap. "However, even this dragon is merely but ANOTHER step towards reaching my ultimate goal! I activate Red Rising Dragon's effect! After it is Synchro Summoned, I can bring back a Resonator monster from my Graveyard! And I'll choose my Red Resonator!"

The card that he had discarded on his first turn was now on the field in Attack Mode. This guy looked identical to the first one, except that his mallet was red on the end, he had wing-like protrusions on his back instead of cymbals, the cloth flap on the front of him was purple instead of orange, and oh yeah; he looked like was on fire (Red Resonator: Level 2 / ATK 600 + 500 = 1,100 / DEF 200)!

"I see... That's why you discarded that monster earlier." I stated, figuring out what his plan was.

"Exactly. I discarded Red Resonator on my first turn so that I could prepare to use it on this turn!" Crimson confirmed. Chuckling, he then added, "Oh, but it gets better... When Red Resonator is Special Summoned, I can select any monster on the field, and absorb its attack points in the form of Life Points!"

"You can WHAT?!?" I exclaimed in surprise.

"And of course, I choose to absorb the attack points of your Junk Warrior! So thanks for pumping its attack power up for me!" he laughed as his monster did its dirty work, healing my opponent (Crimson Inferno: LP 600 + 3,500 = 4,100). "Now I've effectively undid all of the damage you caused me last turn! I hope this teaches you that any effort you make against me is a total waste of time!" I grumbled a little at his comment, and from what Spitfire told me, she hummed a little in concern after Crimson made that move.

"Still, for a greenhorn Duelist, you didn't do TOO bad..." he then stated, though his "compliment" sounded very condescending in tone, "so I think you should have the honor of being wiped out by my Deck's ULTIMATE monster..." Putting his hand into the air, he shouted, "I now tune Red Resonator, Level 2...to Red Rising Dragon, Level 6!" His Tuner Monster then struck his tuning fork, became engulfed in flames and transforming into a pair of small lights. Like before, they flew into the air and came back down as rings that surrounded Crimson's other monster, turning it into six smaller lights (Level 2 + Level 6 = Level 8). However, the rings weren't green like they usually were; instead they were red. All I knew was that I might have been in major trouble...

"The ruler's heartbeats will now file through here!" Crimson began chanting. "Mountains will crumble as the land is engulfed in flames! Take witness to its creation-shaking power!" As he made the chant, a pillar of red light shot down from above, drawing the rings and the light orbs within them into the sky, where a large, snake-like dragon shape began to form. Suddenly, a portal formed within the image, and everyone watching saw something emerging from it as Crimson completed the chant. "Synchro Summon! My very soul, Level 8! Red Dragon Archfiend!"

The monster that emerged from the portal was another dragon: One that was much bigger, much stronger, much nastier-looking than the previous dragon. That thing looked like it came right out of Tartarus itself. Its black and red scales, muscular limbs, viciously-sharp claws, massive wings, and its piercing red eyes gave it the imposing and intimidating appearance you'd expect a monster with its name to have. Once it entered the battlefield, the dragon let out a mighty roar to show its dominance.

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Red Dragon Archfiend:
(Synchro-Effect Monster/Dragon/DARK/Level 8/ATK 3000/DEF 2000)

1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
After damage calculation, if this card attacks a Defense Position monster your opponent controls: Destroy all Defense Position monsters your opponent controls. During your End Phase: Destroy all other monsters you control that did not declare an attack this turn. This card must be face-up on the field to activate and to resolve this effect.

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His move didn't surprise me too much, other than the fact that he managed to get it out so fast. I had studied the Wonderbolts' Duels for a while and knew that he had this rare and powerful Synchro Monster as his ace. "I had a feeling you'd play that card..." I said, not sure what I would do next...or if I could do anything at all.

"Then I suppose you know what's going to happen next:" Crimson then told me. "You're going to fall down in disgrace before my all-powerful dragon! And I plan to make your defeat slow and agonizing..." Pointing forward, he then shouted, "Go, Red Dragon Archfiend! Exterminate his puny Speed Warrior first! Crimson Fire!!" The mighty dragon then readied its attack against me, building up a flame in its mouth. At the same time, Crimson and his Duel Runner were charged up with energy as well: Sense energy. He and his runner were now bathed in a bright red light as he accelerated faster, managing to catch up with me. "Get ready to be incinerated by my all-powerful Sense Inferno!!"

Then the guy LITERALLY blazes past me, just as his big, bad dragon blasts my Speed Warrior with a massive stream of flames. Needless to say, he didn't survive it, and I barely did. The blast to knocked off a huge portion of my Life Points (Soarin: LP 4,000 - 2,100 = 1,900), and not only that, I could even see some small scorched marks on my riding suit. Luckily, I wasn't physically harmed, but now I was getting a little concerned. At this point, it would be an accomplishment just surviving the rest of the Duel, much less winning it.

"I see you're still going, punk..." Crimson scoffed at me. "But now I've knocked you back so far, you'll NEVER catch up to me! Not that that's your biggest concern at the moment. If you're smart, you'll forfeit now and spare yourself more pain and humiliation."

"Rrrgh...! That's not gonna happen...!" I told him back. "Last I checked, this Duel didn't end, and I'm going to keep playing 'til it's over!"

"Hmph...I suppose that IS what you'll be doing. But if you think you have any chance at winning this, you're even more of an imbecile than I thought." he said insultingly. "I'll set a face-down card and end my turn."

"My turn! I draw!" I said as I drew my next card. I knew I had to wrap this Duel up fast before I took any more damage - both to my Life Points AND for real. In fact, I was so concerned about what might happen if this Duel dragged on, that I guess I might've rushed things. Wasting no time with my turn, I shouted, "I'll set a card face-down, and attack your Red Dragon with Junk Warrior!" And instantly, my Synchro Monster leapt forward, ready to battle his.

"A trash monster like that dares to even touch my Red Dragon Archfiend?!" he asked. "That is something I will NOT allow!! I activate Red Cocoon!"

"Oh no...!" I gasped, realizing my mistake. "I attacked before checking his field...!"

"And that's the blunder that will end your career as a Wonderbolt before it even starts!" he said haughtily to me. "That's the difference between you and me: I NEVER make blunders!" According to what Spitfire told me later on, she groaned a little after she heard that comment of Crimson's.

"Now...as for my Red Cocoon's effect," Crimson continued, "I can only activate it by equipping to any Dragon Synchro Monster on the field. Now, whenever it battles your monster - regardless of whomever initiates the battle, this card will negate the effects of all the monsters you have on the field!"

I gulped, knowing what that meant: It meant that, since Junk Warrior's effect gave it all those extra attack points, it would lose them as it lost its effect, reverting his attack power to what it started out with (Junk Warrior: ATK 3,500 > 2,300).

"Now, Red Dragon!! Counterattack with your Crimson Fire!!" my opponent then shouted. His Dragon then did just that, blasting my Junk Warrior away and adding it to its list of victims (Soarin: LP 1,900 - 700 = 1,200). "Peh...! I knew you'd make some foolish mistakes during this Duel, but that was probably the worst one I've ever seen yet! Just give it up: You don't belong in the big leagues, kid!"

(He's right about one thing...) I said to myself, (I did make a mistake...but I'm not going to let it get in the way of my dream... I need to find a way to recover from this before it's too late... I just hope what I have out right now will be enough to recover from...) That's when I glanced at one my set cards, and after checking what it was again, I came up with what I hoped would be a plan to bounce back. I then set one of the monsters in my hand in Defense Mode to protect me before saying, "Go and do your worst, Crimson!"

"...If that's what you want, so be it." he replied. "I'll be more than happy to send you down the hard way! I draw!" Looking at it and smirking wickedly, he then said, "And this is where the Duel ends... I Summon Archfiend Cavalry in Attack Mode!!" His new monster was another demon-like creature wearing red armor and carrying a sharp lance in his left hand. He rode atop a jet-black armored horse that looked as nasty as its rider (Archfiend Cavalry: Level 4 / ATK 1900 + 500 = 2400 / DEF 0). "Now, as much as I would dearly enjoy allowing my Red Dragon to deal the finishing blow," he said to me, "that won't be so. But I'm certain he'll appreciate the opportunity to annihilate the last of your pathetic defenses!"

"What do you mean by that??" I asked.

"You're about to see..." Crimson replied. Turning to his all-powerful monster, he commanded, "Red Dragon Archfiend, attack Rush Warrior!!' Once more, his Dragon fired a powerful flame from its mouth, destroying Rush Warrior. Then, he said to it, "Now! Activate your effect and wipe his other monster! Absolute Powerforce!!"

I gasped when his monster seemed to attack me again, this time slashing its claws on my face-down monster, Junk Servant. Just like before, it was wiped out as well.

"Surprised?" asked Crimson in a smug tone. "When my Red Dragon destroys a monster in Defense Mode, its effect allows it to destroy all of the other defensive monsters you've got on the field as well! Of course, I'm certain you had no idea; otherwise, you wouldn't have bothered playing another defense monster." I grumbled a bit, but kept my cool despite my current situation. "And now that they ARE gone," my opponent continued, "Your Life Points are now open to a direct attack! Archfiend Cavalry, attack him directly and end this Duel!" His second monster then rode his horse towards me, ready to deliver the finishing blow...

...And it was time for ME to start smirking. "I had a feeling that you'd do that, buddy." I said to him.

"What?? What are you talking about?" Crimson asked, bewildered a bit by my sudden comment.

"I'm saying, that I knew your monster could defeat both of my defense monsters without a problem, and that you couldn't resist the temptation and destroy them like that." I answered. "But just like I did last turn, you got so caught up in ending this Duel quickly, that you forgot about my face-down cards."

"What about them?" Crimson asked further, still not feeling threatened.

"They're ABOUT to save my skin this turn!" I replied. "I activate Reject Reborn!"

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Reject Reborn:
(Normal Trap Card)

When an opponent's monster declares a direct attack: End the Battle Phase, then you can Special Summon 1 Tuner and 1 Synchro Monster from your GY, but they have their effects negated.

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"Oh no...!" gasped Crimson, completely taken by surprise.

"Now your Battle Phase ends, which means my Life Points are safe!" I informed him, "And not only that, I can now bring back both Junk Synchron AND Junk Warrior to my field in Defense Mode!" And just as I had told him, both my monsters were back on the field.

"Which means that next turn, he has the opportunity to Synchro Summon using both of them..." Crimson muttered. Grumbling a little, he then told me, "Go ahead and make your move! It won't matter to me at all!"

I then drew my next card and played it right away. "I activate Pot of Desires! I banish ten cards from the top of my Deck and draw two more!" After ditching a quarter of my Deck, I then drew my next cards, and I was pleased with what I managed to get. But before worrying about that, I had one other pressing matter to attend to. I then said to my opponent, "Y'know Crimson...I've seen a lot of Duelists in my past that were just like you..."

"Like me?" asked Crimson. "Impossible! No one's as powerful as I am, or even remotely close!"

"That's not what I meant by that." I corrected him. "I meant that I faced a lot of Duelists that were cocky, arrogant, and overall just plain rude. They thought they were better than everyone else, and they thought that didn't have a single flaw. I should warn you, Crimson: I've dueled against many overconfident people like that, and I've beaten every single one of them."

"Hmph...and you honestly think that I'll fall like all of the others?" he asked me.

"Maybe." I answered. "Either way, if you keep acting the way you're acting, it's gonna bite you in the butt sooner or later. I got to where I am because, even though I and everyone else thought that I was powerful, I didn't let it go to my head. I always knew that even the most skilled of Duelists aren't perfect; everyone can learn something new about dueling - or even something about themselves, that they didn't know before. But if you close yourself off from doing that, then you might end getting left in the dust one day. I'm telling you this as a warning, Crimson: Unless you get rid of that overconfident attitude of yours, it's only going to do you harm."

"Oh really?" he asked me. "Well you can take your 'warning' and tell it to someone who cares! No one can beat me, and especially not you!"

I sighed sadly, even though I expected him not to listen to me. "Have it your way, buddy." I said to him. "If you won't listen to my words, then I'll have my cards talk for me: If saving you from yourself means I have to beat you, then so be it!" Thrusting my hand into the air, I shouted, "I tune Junk Synchron, Level 3...to Junk Warrior, Level 5!" Instantly, my monster pulled it cord and transformed into a trio of small lights that flew into the sky. Now I was ready to reveal my Deck's secret weapon: One that I hoped would really catch Crimson Inferno off-guard.

Crimson wasn't perturbed at first...until he saw that, when the lights came back down as a trio of rings surrounding Junk Warrior, he noticed something different about them. "Hold on...those rings are...red?" he asked himself. He then gasped and said, "No... No it can't be...! He couldn't possibly have...!!"

As Crimson began to realize what was about to happen, I began my summoning chant. "Gathering stars will become a new shining star!" I said proudly. "Behold the wings guided by the great winds! Become the path its light shines upon! Let's rev it up!! Synchro Summon!!"

Junk Warrior then transformed into five small energy spheres that were soon engulfed by a pillar of red light that drew them up into the sky. Once more, the snake-like dragon shape appeared in the sky and created a portal in its center. Everyone (including the once arrogant Crimson Inferno) gasped when another dragon flew out of the portal. This dragon - the ace of my Deck, was covered in brilliant silvery-white scales, massive sparkling wings, and a head that was shaped like a starship. Despite its imposing appearance, it seemed to also display an aura of benevolence as well as one of great power.

"Take flight, Level 8! Stardust Dragon!"

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Stardust Dragon:
(Synchro-Effect Monster/Dragon/WIND/Level 8/ATK 2500/DEF 2000)

1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
When a card or effect is activated that would destroy a card(s) on the field (Quick Effect): You can Tribute this card; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it. During the End Phase, if this effect was activated this turn (and was not negated): You can Special Summon this card from your GY.

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Everyone was amazed and astounded by the fact that another of the legendary Signer Dragons had now appeared on the field...especially Crimson, who did not expect to see me use that card at all. "This...this can't be...!" he said, trying to deny the obvious. "You couldn't possibly have a Signer Dragon like I do! There's just no way!!"

"Well, given the fact that I just played one, I'd say it's very much possible!" I was quick to respond. And I would never forget the day that I got my Stardust Dragon: Back when I was still in grade school, I had entered a Dragon Duel League tournament hosted by Industrial Illusions and managed to win the whole thing. And as one my prizes for winning, I had received a special alternate art version of Stardust Dragon; the first one of its kind that was ever printed. And ever since, I treasured it and treated it with the utmost respect. And now I was pinning my hopes on it to help me get into the Wonderbolts.

"You might think you're hot stuff, Crimson," I then said to him, "but you're not the only one here that's got skills! I got my Stardust Dragon because I dedicated all my free time to practicing my gameplay, fine-tuning my Deck, and doing everything else needed to be a True Duelist! And whether you like it or not, I'm gonna win this and make my dreams come true!"

Scoffing again, Crimson simply replied, "Are you done with your turn or not?"

I wasn't done, of course. I then took another card out of my hand and said, "Now I activate Twin Twisters! I'll discard a card from my hand, and then destroy both your Red Cocoon and Archfiend Palabyrinth!" And after I ditched one of my cards, I sent a pair of massive tornadoes aimed right at both of those cards, blowing them sky high. This also caused the field around us to revert back to the way it was when the Duel began. "Now that your Field Spell's gone, your Fiend monsters don't get a power boost any more!" I immediately informed Crimson (Archfiend Cavalry: ATK 2400 - 500 = 1900).

"Ask me if I care!" he replied with a hint of frustration in his voice.

"Well you ought to," I replied, "because since the card I sent to the Graveyard was my Scrap-Iron Statue, I get to use its Graveyard effect! Now I can bring back any Junk monster from my Graveyard in Defense Mode! And I choose Junk Warrior!" And just like that, my first Synchro Monster appeared out of a violet portal and took a defensive stance. "And now it's time for me to take out some of your Life Points!" I then shouted. "Stardust Dragon, attack his Archfiend Cavalry with Cosmic Flare!!" My dragon then fired a steam of brilliant and shining energy straight at his horse-riding Fiend, evaporating it into a puff of smoke.

The remaining energy from the attack then hit Crimson, damaging him (Crimson Inferno: LP 4,100 - 600 = 3,500) and causing him to slow down a little. Unfortunately, he still managed to stay ahead of me. He then turned back and asked angrily, "You DARE to damage me again, you scrub?! You'll pay for that insult with your defeat!"

"Just try it, buddy." I replied, not intimidated in the slightest. "I end this turn by placing a face-down card on the field."

Just from the tone of his voice, I could tell that Crimson was beginning to get desperate. He wasn't expecting me to be of any challenge to him, and that assumption was starting to bite him back. Still, I knew that he wasn't planning to allow the Duel to drag on any longer; one way or another, this game was about to end.

"It's my turn! I draw!!" Crimson shouted as he pulled his next card. And after he looked at it, he began to chuckle menacingly towards me. "I must admit; I never expected you to have Stardust Dragon in your Deck... But just because you have that card doesn't mean you're even close to equal terms with me! I know a way to get around your little pet and end this Duel right here and now!" Playing the card he had drawn this turn, he shouted, "I activate the Spell Card...Raigeki!!"

I gasped when I saw him play that card. Right away, I knew what he trying to do.

"Say goodbye to BOTH of your monsters!!" yelled Crimson as a pair of massive lightning bolts shot down from above.

"I chain the effect of Stardust Dragon!" I quickly responded. "I release it to negate Raigeki and destroy it!" And just like that, my Stardust Dragon became bathed in a bright light that filled the whole stadium, causing most of the people watching (expect Spitfire, because she's Spitfire) to shield their eyes. "Go!! Victim Sanctuary!!" And with that, my dragon vanished from sight, using all of its energy to form a light barrier around Junk Warrior that repulsed the lightning bolts right back onto the card that brought them out.

"Hmph, just as I thought you would do..." Crimson stated. "I knew you would counter with Stardust Dragon's effect to protect your other monster, even though your Junk Warrior is too weak to be of any use. And since you decided to protect that useless card, you no longer have your Dragon for the rest of this turn! I hope this blunder you made teaches you that the weak deserve to be left behind and that only the strong should remain!" I wasn't fond of that selfish comment of his, but I decided it wasn't worth responding to.

"Not going to speak, eh?" asked Crimson. "Fine! This Duel's almost done anyway! I'll Summon Red Familiar to the field in Attack Mode!" His next monster was a human-like being made out of fire, decked out in king-like clothing, including a crown (Red Familiar: Level 4 / ATK 1600 / DEF 0). "Now, it's time for me to end this farce!! Red Dragon Archfiend, destroy his Junk Warrior!!"

Just as it had done several times before, his Dragon monster wiped out mine with a stream of flames. I then asked Crimson, "Hey, buddy... why'd you attack with that monster first? What happened to the whole, 'Red Dragon to deal the finishing blow' thing you were going on about earlier?"

"Well, I've come to a decision:" he began to say. "And that decision was that I don't think even you deserve the honor of having my Dragon end your so-called dreams! Even my weaker monster is more than a loser like you deserves for having me waste my time today! But since I want this to be over and done with, I suppose I'll attack you with it anyway, so I hope you appreciate it!" Pointing towards me, he then ordered, "Go, Red Familiar!! Wipe him out for good!!" His monster then began creating a large fireball in its hands, ready to attack me...

"...So...you went and did exactly what I hoped you'd do." I suddenly told Crimson.

"Wh-what...??" he then asked. "What are you talking about...?"

"Knowing just how pompous and overly prideful you were, I figured you wouldn't use your Dragon to finish me off for whatever reason." I explained to him. Smirking, I then added, "You are right about one thing: I DO appreciate the fact that you decided to attack with your other monster last...because now I have a chance to win this Duel!"

"You're lying!!" exclaimed Crimson in surprise.

"Just take a look at this card and see if I'm telling the truth or not!" I said, activating one of my set cards. "I activate Call of the Haunted to bring Junk Warrior back in Attack Mode!" And just like that, my little Synchro Monster that could returned to the field, standing between me and his Red Familiar.

"No!!" shouted Crimson. "That can't be!!"

"It is, Crimson!" I told him right back. "And because I brought him back in the middle of your Red Familiar's attack, that triggers a Replay. So...do you want to attack me now? Even though my Junk Warrior is way stronger than your other monster?"

Crimson growled, but knew that he couldn't use his second monster to attack my more-powerful Junk Warrior. Grumbling, he said in a low voice, "I...cancel Red Familiar's attack." And with that order, his monster dispelled the fireball in its hands. Glaring at me with those murderous eyes of his, he then said to me, "So you bought yourself another turn, so what?! It won't matter in the slightest!!"

"That's where you're wrong, buddy." I informed him. "Because one turn is all I need to end this Duel!"

"That's impossible!" shouted my opponent. "You have nothing that can get through me at this point!"

"I've got plenty!" I shouted back. "Before your turn ends, I activate Stardust Wish! This card allows me to bring back any Stardust monster in my Graveyard that Tributed itself to use its own effect! And you can't chain an effect in response to this card!"

"What?! Does that mean-"

"You've got it, Crimson!" I said, confirming his suspicions. "Stardust Dragon, return to the field!" And just like that, my beloved Synchro Monster was back in action. "Of course, Stardust's effect would have brought it back at the end of the turn, but since I used Stardust Wish to revive it, it's immune to destruction in battle as long as it's in Attack Mode!"

"Fine then," scoffed Crimson. "I'll just chip away at your Life Points by having Red Dragon attack it each turn!"

I then drew my next card and told him with a chuckle, "Sorry, but you won't get the chance to do that." Taking a card from my Duel Runner's Graveyard slot, I announced, "I now use Rush Warrior's effect from the Graveyard! By banishing it, I can take any Synchron monster in the Graveyard and put it back in my hand. And I'll pick Junk Synchron!"

"Junk Synchron?!" asked Crimson. "Does this mean that you're going for another Synchro Summon?!"

"Now you're getting it." I answered. "I'll Summon Junk Synchron and use its effect to bring back Tuningware!" And just like that, both monsters had returned to the field. "But they won't stay out for long: I'll Tune Junk Synchron - Level 3, to Tuningware, Level 1!" Junk Synchron then pulled its cord once again, transforming into three lights that flew up into the air and returned as three rings surrounding Tuningware, transforming it into a single, small light.

"Gathering stars, become the weapon that forms true bonds between comrades!" I began to chant. "Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon!! Level 4, Armory Arm!!" And after the chant and light show was complete, a small arm-like device with red claw-like fingers and a black sleeve appeared on my field (Armory Arm: Level 4 / ATK 1800 / DEF 1200).

"Oh no...! Not Armory Arm!!" said Crimson, finally starting to sweat in fear.

"Based on that panicked response, I guess even you know what's coming next!" I said to him, drawing a card from my Deck using Tuningware's effect as I spoke. "I now activate Armory Arm's effect and equip onto Stardust Dragon!" My dragon then put out its right arm, allowing my new Synchro Monster to equip itself to it. "And now that Stardust has Armory Arm equipped, he gains another 1,000 attack points!" (Stardust Dragon: ATK 2500 + 1000 = 3500)

"No...!! That's more than my Red Dragon!!" said Crimson, knowing that he was about to take a big hit.

"That's right, Crimson!" I said to him. "And I hope this next move teaches YOU this: Even though my cards don't start out as strong as yours at the beginning, they can still pool together and create something much more powerful! As corny as it might sound, that's how teamwork makes a team WORK!!" And yeah, Spitfire did tell me that my comment WAS a little corny, even if it was totally true.

"Go Stardust Dragon!" I then ordered. "Attack Red Dragon Archfiend!! Cosmic Gear Fist!!" My Dragon then used its power to cloak the arm that Armory Arm was equipped with a cosmic energy in order to increase the impact of its next attack. Crimson could only watch as my beast flew towards his and delivered a mighty punch with its new weapon. Red Dragon Archfiend roared in pain before it exploded in a flash of light.

"This...this can't be happening!!" protested Crimson. "My Red Dragon was defeated?!?" (Crimson Inferno: LP 3,500 - 500 = 3,000)

"And you're going down with it!" I then told him. "Thanks to Armory Arm's effect, you now take damage equal to the attack power of Red Dragon in the Graveyard! Which means this Duel is over!"

Crimson Inferno looked towards me, and saw a massive meteor shower trailing behind me. Thanks to the impact of the last attack, I managed to not only catch up to the guy, but I was even able to pass right by him...which meant that all those Sense-generated meteors crossed his path and struck him, knocking off his last few Life Points and knocking HIM off of his Duel Runner. "AHHHHHH!!!!" And with that blow, it was all over (Crimson Inferno: LP 3,000 - 3,000 = 0) (WINNER: Soarin).

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"Aw, YEAH!!" cheered Rainbow Dash. "That's so awesome! So THAT'S how Soarin got into the Wonderbolts!"

"Remarkable, I must say..." Rarity spoke up. "To be able to defeat one of their strongest team members on his first attempt is most certainly incredible!"

Many of the others thought the same as well, including Steel Shadows, who had remained mostly silent up until now to hear Soarin's story. "I have to admit it:" he started to say to Soarin. "That's very impressive. To have played such a fantastic Duel as that... And all before joining the team, even."

"Yeah, totally." agreed Ember. "I read about Crimson Inferno's dueling history, and I knew that he was a particularly strong Pro Duelist. To think that you managed to beat him like that is almost unbelievable."

"Well, to be honest," said Soarin, rubbing the back of his head, "it really could've just as easily gone the other way. If Crimson had been playing at his best, he might've trashed me pretty quickly."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Sunset.

"I'd be happy to answer that for ya." Spitfire suddenly spoke up. "If you don't mind, Soarin."

"Nah, go ahead, Spitfire. You can tell 'em." the male Wonderbolt replied. With his permission, Spitfire began to tell everyone the ending to Soarin's story...

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After the Duel ended, everyone watching was cheering super-loud for Soarin, excited and happy that he had won. I was happy that he had won, too. And figuring that I had seen all I needed to see, I began walking over to the track, to where he and Crimson were; I had a few things to say to both of them that needed to be said...

Crimson was on his hands and knees, his face showing total disbelief at what had happened. "I...I lost...??" he stuttered. "Th-this can't be...! I...I've never lost before! What could have gone wrong?!"

Soarin, bein' the thoughtful guy that I have come to know later on, stopped his Duel Runner and ran over to Crimson, offering his help despite knowing how the guy treated him like trash earlier. "Here...lemme help you up." he said to him.

Of course, as you probably guessed, Crimson wasn't in the mood to accept Soarin's assistance. "...I can get myself up." he grumbled. "I don't need your pity..."

"Yeesh...calm down, buddy..." Soarin responded. "I was just tryin' to help you; you took a nasty spill."

"Yeah, well unlike YOU, I don't need help from anyone!" Crimson snapped back. "Especially not you!"

"I think you need his help a lot more than you think, Crimson." I spoke up, making my way over to where they were.

"Hmph...and what, dare I say, do you mean by that?" Crimson asked me.

"Enough with the 'tough-guy' attitude, Crimson; it's getting old." I said, chastising him a bit. "For once, could you try to make an effort to listen to what I have to say without being a grouch about it? You may not realize it, but this is something you need to hear." Crimson wasn't happy to hear me say that, but in the state he was currently in, he didn't have anything better to do. He simply nodded, allowing me to tell him what I needed to say.

"To be honest, Crimson�I'm disappointed in you." I began to tell him. "You've lost your way as a Duelist."

"Lost my way??" he asked me. "What is that supposed to mean??"

I replied, asking him, "...Do you understand why you lost that Duel? It's because of this attitude you've picked up: Ever since you got onto the Wonderbolts, you've gotten cocky and overconfident. And while you may not have noticed it, it's been affecting your game. In fact, we actually almost lost it all during our last tournament before today because you made a misplay that nearly cost you the Duel! Of course, you never even noticed it with your head so far up in the clouds..."

"Even if that were true..." Crimson began to tell me, "we still won that match, didn't we?!"

"Barely." I answered. "Crimson, you have to realize that, when you're part of a team, it's not all about you out there. Even if you're the strongest member, that doesn't mean that there won't be anyone out there that might be even stronger. Just look what happened today with Soarin here."

"He only won that Duel because of a fluke..." he said, trying to deny his loss.

"A fluke that you allowed to happen." I told him. "You had a chance to win that Duel, but you let it slip by because you underestimated your opponent right from the beginning. A true Wonderbolt needs to be confident, but not arrogant. They must help one another, and they must always respect their opponents in or out of a Duel. And that means respecting whatever their strength is as well. You can't always assume that your opponents will always be easy to beat, or you might start making mistakes that will cost you a victory at the end." I then finished, saying, "Crimson, if you had played that Duel the same way you did back when you joined the team, you probably could've won. And I know deep down, you know it yourself. So do yourself a favor and swallow away all of that pride you have. It's like Soarin said: Even the best Duelists can always try to improve themselves."

"...Improve myself?" Crimson then asked, sounding a bit softer this time.

"You're nowhere near a perfect Duelist, Crimson." I said, which might've sounded harsh, if I didn't follow it up properly. I smiled and added, "But that only means that you CAN get better and better... And like it or not, we're all here to help you do just that. After all, we're a team aren't we? That's what teammates do."

Crimson said nothing at first, thinking about everything I said to him. Yeah, I wasn't sugar-coating most of what I told him, but it was my way of showing that I cared; a little "tough love" you could call it. In any case, I could see that my words had an effect on him, especially when he admitted to us, "...Perhaps I have been a bit lax in my Dueling lately..." Turning over to Soarin, he then told him, "And perhaps I was a bit hasty in dismissing your talents as well."

"So...are we cool, then?" Soarin asked, unsure how Crimson would respond.

Sighing, Crimson said to him, "I suppose we are." Putting out his hand and - with a small smile, told him, "You played well, Soarin, and I truly consider you to be a worthy opponent."

Shaking his hand, Soarin said to him, "Thanks, Crimson. You too."

"But know this:" Crimson then began to say. "While there are no more hard feelings between us, I won't take this defeat lightly. I'll continue to improve my skills and train harder than ever... And once I feel that I'm ready, I want to face you on the track once more."

Soarin nodded and said, "I'll be there." And with that, Crimson got his Duel Runner back up and wheeled it out of the stadium to do some minor repairs.

Satisfied, I then told Soarin, "Well, after all that, there's no doubt in my mind: You have proven yourself to be quite the strong Duelist, and you played with honor, integrity, and all that other jazz. So I, Spitfire - Captain of the Wonderbolts, accept you as our newest member!"

"R-really...?!" he exclaimed, almost not believing his ears. "Th-thank you! Thank you so much! This is a dream come true!!"

"Hey, you earned it." I told him. "I know you'll help the Wonderbolts become even better than before! With all of us working together so closely, we'll achieve our dream of becoming number one in the world!" And as Soarin pumped his fist into the air in triumph, everyone watching congratulated him with a round of a applause... Even Crimson clapped for him a little as well, though if you asked him, he'd deny it.

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"And that's pretty much the whole story." Soarin said after Spitfire had wrapped things up. "I joined the Wonderbolts and with both Spitfire and Crimson, we won tournament after tournament across the country. And yes, Crimson and I still spar with each other to this day, but only to improve each other's game; no more grudge matches for either of us."

"Wow...that's so incredible!" said Spike, impressed by the story.

"I think so too." Twilight added. "To have started so humbly and risen to the top in what seemed like such a short time is positively inspiring!"

Soarin smiled and turned to Steel Shadows, telling him, "At first, I thought that I wasn't Wonderbolts material myself, especially going up against Crimson Inferno. But even so, I saw my challenge through to the end and made my dream come true. I dueled with not just strength and intelligence, but also with great respect towards my opponent, even when they didn't respect me back. And I know you have that same kind of quality in you as well."

"You think so...?" asked Steel.

"I know it." Soarin replied. "From watching you in all those tournaments, I saw that you always remained calm, even when the odds were against you. You never disrespected or underestimated your opponents, and I'm sure that's how you were able to overcome so many of them. And I'm sure that, in the times you've lost, you were never salty about it; instead I'll bet you instead worked on improving to overcome your weaknesses and come out stronger than before, am I right?"

Steel Shadows nodded to say that was true.

"That's why I feel that you're more than qualified to join the team." he continued to tell him. "Sure yes, we're looking for the strongest Duelists to join the team, but most of all, we're looking for Duelists that play with as much with their heart as they do with their strength..." Putting his hand out, Soarin then said, "So, I'll ask you again: Steel Shadows, would you like to join the Wonderbolts?"

Steel thought about everything for a short while, still unsure at first. He then looked at everyone around him. Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Spike, and Ember were all nodding, telling him that he should accept their offer. And the rest of the audience seemed to feel the same way. After deliberating over the matter for a short while, Steel reached out and shook Soarin's hand, saying, "...I accept."

Immediately afterwards, the audience roared with excitement, having witnessed such a rare event. "Most unexpected, ladies and gentlemen!!" shouted Meghan Williams. "Steel Shadows has just been accepted into the top Turbo Dueling team in the country, the Wonderbolts!! Isn't this amazing, everyone!!"

Ending their handshake, Soarin smiled and told the team's newest member, "Welcome to the family, Steel Shadows. I can safely say that you won't regret this decision."

Steel smiled a bit and nodded, saying, "Thank you for giving me such an opportunity. I will do my best to assist you and the rest of the team." He then asked, "What about Crimson Inferno? Is he okay with this?"

"Surprisingly enough, he is." Spitfire assured him. "Though I think it's because he sees new recruits as sparring partners just as much as he sees them as teammates. You'd better be ready for him when we get back."

"I-I see..." Steel replied, unsure how to feel about that.

"Congrats, dude." said Ember, shaking Steel's hand. "Great job on making into the Wonderbolts. A part of me wishes I was the one they asked for instead." Sighing, she then added, "But...I've got my own dreams to follow and make come true, just like you and Soarin. I'm going to be a Pro Duelist, just like my dad. And when I do, we'll Duel each other again!"

Nodding, Steel told her, "I'm looking forward to it, Ember. For now, I wish you luck in the rest of the tournament."

"Thanks." she said. "Just get ready to watch me win it all!"

"That's what we're planning on doing, actually." Soarin chimed in. "Spitfire n' me are hanging around for a little while so we can watch the rest of competition in person, if that's okay with everyone here."

"I think Mr. Dunstan wouldn't mind letting you come and watch the tournament." Sunset Shimmer told him. "Besides, I'm sure everyone here would love to meet with you and Spitfire."

"I figured that." Spitfire replied. "Don't worry, we won't charge for autographs." Turning to Soarin and Steel, she told them, "Alright, we'd better go and find us some seats. I'm not missin' another minute of this!" The others nodded and followed their Captain into the stands.

"And now," Meghan started again, "let's continue the WCQ Qualification Tournament! Ember will now be moving onto the Semifinals, after her victory over the newly-appointed Wonderbolt, Steel Shadows. But who will be her opponent? That's what we're gonna find out next! For our next Quarterfinal Duel will answer that question! And competing in this Duel are none other than...Gilda and Fluttershy!!"

"Oh...oh my...!" said Fluttershy, trembling a little. Some of it from fear, but also some of it from excitement.

"Alright...you ready to do this, Fluttershy?" Gilda asked her. "You know this is what we've been waitin' for."

Summoning up her courage, knowing that she wanted this Duel just as much as Gilda did, she replied, saying, "I am. Let's go...!" And with that, the pair walked out into the arena, ready to have their long-awaited rematch at last...

-- To Be Continued...

Comments

[ButtonMash]

As someone who once looked for crossovers with YGO and didn’t find anything interesting, imagine my confusion as I now discover this nearing 1 million words.

Damn. I got some reading ahead of me.

[nightshroud96]

And so we reached the 50th mark. \ovo/
Too bad we could have reached that many months earlier and more but this blasted pandemic really goofted things up(doesn't help that the damn pandemic is still going).

I wonder what will this new series be about? Any hints?

[LunarChaos88]

The 50th chapter and one that includes a duel that builds excitement. Yusei and Jack would be proud.

[Monty Eggman]

11099669
And I hope you enjoy every single word of it.

11099690
Not many; I just hope that the new story will catch everyone's attention.

11100269
Glad you liked it.

[nightshroud96]

11100714
I wonder who is in it?

[SuperSonicHeroes]

Wow, this was a cool milestone chapter! The Wonderbolts showing up was a complete surprise to me, and that they wanted to recruit Steel Shadows. I admit, it is a bit weird to have a chapter focusing on the Wonderbolts that doesn't have Rainbow involved as a focus in some way, but I guess that helps make it unique.

I remember how much of a badass Soarin was back in RANK 12 when he had a One-Turn Kill against Chet. Cool to see his origin from humble beginnings, and that his duel against Crimson Inferno was essentially Yusei vs Jack of a new generation.

Although I always look forward to seeing this story update, I am also looking forward to your new story now too.

[Mr-Astounding]

So Crimson has an Archfiend/Resonator deck, eh? Neat! 😅 Nice work, as always, Monty Eggman: have yourself a cookie
i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--m7Vr5Vwg--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_900,q_80,w_1600/18812zkwqft2fjpg.jpg

[Monty Eggman]

11101106
Glad you liked it.

[ArcanaMaverick7]

A very nice chapter to end the year with. Loved that whole duel between Soarin' and Crimson Inferno. Now we move onto Gilda VS Fluttershy.

[TCGnRPGfanJ]

I'll be honest, this Chapter totally lost me. I know Yu-gi-oh is full of contrivances melodrama, but seriously, having the Wonderbolts break into the tournament to recruit the loser then delve into a lengthy backstory in the middle of the arena just so the main six could react to it and have Crimson Inferno's relative could overhear felt so dumb and contrived I could not enjoy it.

[Monty Eggman]

11102523
Glad you enjoyed it

[Aerodragon2]

Happy new year, this was an excellent chapter. I can tell you were definitely going for a Yusei vs. Jack dynamic with that duel and it worked out in spades, it was fantastic. Really excited to see what 2022 brings for this story. And perhaps I'll see Gale at long last

[Monty Eggman]

11104945

I'm glad you enjoyed it. And I hope to make the next Duel - the long-awaited rematch with Fluttershy and Gilda, even better.

[Rhino23]

Any update on the next chapter I’m excited

[Monty Eggman]

11181470
As of writing this comment, I am working on it as we speak.

[Rhino23]

11181558
Ok
I’m just excited
Sound like it could be a long chapter for as long it’s been

[Brian Sheil]

Crimson sure learned a lesson alright. I like that Soarin' Skies has the same deck as Yusei Fudo. Down to the Stardust Dragon.