The silver laser was just about to envelop Applebloom when Sweetie Belle dove in action. “I activate my trap card!” The white filly shouted as one of her set cards flipped up. “My Damage Sharer trap card halves the damage one player takes and then inflicts double that damage to my opponent!” A white veil flew from the trap card to block the blast heading toward Applebloom. The silver laser was reflected back at Silver Spoon. However, the gray filly didn’t even flinch. Her floating shield appeared in front of her to block the attack.
“Not a bad move,” Silver Spoon began. “But that was still a truly pathetic way to duel.”
“Sweetie Belle you saved me!” Applebloom shouted with joy.
“Of course I saved you,” Sweetie replied. “If we don’t all win this duel, then we can’t all get our cutie marks!”
“She’s right,” Scootaloo said. “We’ve got to step it up!”
Silver Spoon yawned. “You three really think you can actually beat us without losing anypony? That’s rich! Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon both laughed at the concept as Spoon set a card. “I place a card facedown to end my turn. There just try and fight back!” Applebloom’s Lifepoints: 1600>400
“Oh ah will,” Applebloom cut in. “It’s my turn draw!” The yellow filly like Scootaloo violently pulled out her card.
“I activated my trap card,” Silver Spoon said. Suddenly the same card she had just played flipped up. “My Silver Return trap lets me add one “Silver” monster from my graveyard to my hand. Take a guess what I’m bringing back.”
“That’s cheap,” Scootaloo yelled. “She’s trying to do that stupid cannon thing again!”
“Don’t worry Scout,” Applebloom jumped in. “I’ve got this! The filly shoved a card into her duel disk. “I play Mind Crush!” A blue card appeared with the image of a pony kneeling while a random hoof seemed to be frying its brain. “This card lets me guess a card in yer hand and if I’m right you lose it! Silver Spoon glared at her. “Hay Silver Spoon guess who’s gonna lose their Silver Spirit?”
As Applebloom said that the card in Silver Spoon’s hoof burst into flames. The gray filly clenched her shiny well maintained teeth. “Humph to even use such a garbage card,” She grunted.
Applebloom got excited. “Now I’ll play my Naturia Apple to the field! A huge smiling apple with arms and legs appeared on Applebloom’s field. Had it not been so silly looking one might recoil from the creature in pure terror. ATK: 1200 DEF: 500
“Is this really the best you losers can muster?” Diamond cut in.
“Calm down,” Applebloom said annoyed. “I’ll set two cards ta end mah turn.”
“Finally!” Diamond Tiara yelled. “I have a hoof-macure at 3 and I’m not gonna miss it wasting my time on you dregs! The crusaders each tensed up. Now what did the rulebook say about the duel devolving into a street fight again?
Diamond Tiara gently pulled her card before donning an evil grin. “I tribute both of my Diamond Knights to summon my Diamond Dragon!” The two knights both vanished as a new demon materialized on the field. The Diamond Dragon was huge. Its diamond ridden body flashed in the sun and its massive wings flapped so majestically that is almost seemed real. The crusaders stared in awe. The only dragon they had seen before this one was Spike and this dragon was a LOT bigger than him. ATK: 3000 DEF: 3000
“That’s… big,” Scootaloo said with an impossible to feign envy.
Diamond Tiara smirked. “And that’s not all,” Diamond Tiara laughed. “My Diamond Dragon gains 1000 attack points for each “Diamond” monster I sacrificed to summon it. The dragon began to shake as its muscles grew larger. It roared in pleasure as its diamonds turned into spikes all over its body. Some members of the audience closed their eyes in fear. The dragon, if not scary enough before, had now become terrifying. ATK: 5000
“That’s crazy,” Scootaloo yelled. “5000 attack points just like that?!”
“Yep,” Diamond Tiara said. “And it’s all coming your way Scootaloo!”
“Wait what?!” Scootaloo cried.
Diamond raised her hoof at the orange filly. “Go Diamond Dragon! Obliterate her Rainbow Wanderer with your Destructive Diamond Breath!” The dragon let out a blast of shining energy from its move at Scoot’s red rainbow pony. The orange filly didn’t bat an eye.
“Heh I activate my trap card!” Scootaloo said proudly. “Rainbow Armor!” Her set card flipped over to reveal a rainbow colored shield. “This card blocks an attack on a “Rainbow” monster and destroys the attacking monster! How do ya like that Diamond Tiara?!”
“It matters not,” The pink filly responded.
“Huh?” Scootalou said dumbstruck.
“My Diamond Dragon is immune to the effect of your little trap card,” Diamond Tiara said with the same evil grin. Diamond Dragon’s blast tore through Scootalou’s shield hitting the orange filly and her monster. A huge explosion occurred obscuring everyone’s vision. When this dust cleared Scootaloo was lying on the ground. Scootaloo’s Lifepoints: 4000>500
“Scootaloo!” Applebloom and Sweetie Belle screamed in unison.
“Are you okay?!” Applebloom shouted. The orange filly managed to stand.
“Yeah I’m fine,” Scootaloo said weakly. Her wings drooped as she looked down. The filly’s heart was wavering.
Sweetie Belle caught this feeling and sought to destroy it. “Hay Scoot remember were gonna get our dueling cutie marks from this?” Sweetie Belle chimed in. “You can’t give up now!”
The pegasus braced herself. “Your right Sweetie,” Scootaloo answered. “Thanks.”
The opposing team scoffed at the display of friendship. “Pathetic,” Diamond Tiara jumped in. “If you guys honestly think you still have a chance just watch this!” Diamond Tiara pushed another card into her duel disk. A spell card with a lightning bolt at the top appeared on the field. Applebloom wanted to ask how she played the spell card during her battlephase, but decided against it. She didn’t want Diamond Tiara to lecture her again.
The pink filly laughed as she saw the confusion on Applebloom’s face. “This quick play spell card is called Diamond Double Attack! By reducing my “Diamond” Dragon’s attack points by half, it can attack again!” The Diamond Dragon grew small though it was still much bigger than the schoolhouse. ATK: 2500
“No way!” Applebloom shouted.
“Yes way,” Diamond Tiara responded. “Now there’s only one question left. Which of you punks do I finish off first?”
Applebloom and Scootaloo each exchanged glances before gulping. Neither pony could take the attack from Diamond Tiara’s dragon. The pompous filly laughed as she contemplated her attack. Tiara spoke her thoughts aloud in an obnoxious and overly dramatic fashion. Maybe she too had read the rulebook.
“On the one hand I could finish off Scootaloser with one clean direct attack, but I could also wipe out Applebother by destroying that eyesore of a monster. Hmm decisions decisions. Oh I know! Hay Sweetie Belle which of your friends should I defeat first?”
Sweetie Belle glared at Diamond Tiara. “Just attack already,” Sweetie said angrily. Both of her fellow Crusaders grimaced. It was about to end. Their dreams of a dueling cutie mark were about to end just like that.
Diamond Tiara blinked before opening her eyes with what seemed like a sudden epiphany. She finally made her decision. “Well Scootaloser it’s been real.”