//------------------------------//
// Duel 13: Applejack vs Dark Ice 
// Story: Yu-Gi-Oh! EQG 6: Grand Tournament 
// by Bahamut0 
//------------------------------//

	Before anyone knew it, the next day had arrived and the Quarter Finals had begun. "Welcome to the Quarter Finals everyone! When the day is over, only four duelists will be left standing! Who will come out on top?", Luna announced. Ace met with Applejack as she was getting her duel disk ready.

"AJ, be careful if you're up against Dark Ice. I still have no clue what he's up to even after I confronted him yesterday."

"Y'know, Ah could just see what he's up to right now."

"Just try not to get spotted by him.", Ace cautioned. There were still a couple minutes before the duel started, so Applejack snuck around to the area Dark Ice and the girls from Crystal Prep were.

"Good luck in the next duel Ice!", Lemon Zest cheered for him.

"You're the only one of us left standing. So don't go out on the first round!", Zap said.

"Trust me. I've got no plans on losing.", Ice said with a smile.

'Well Ah'll be. He does actually look happy.', Applejack thought to herself. 'Still, Ah can't let my guard down. This could just be a cover.' Applejack then went back to Ace to report what she saw. Ace was still puzzled.

"This doesn't make sense. The Dark Ice I know would never be nice to anyone.", Ace said. "Regardless, be careful when dueling him." Luna then called out the next duel.

"The first round of the Quarter Finals will be Applejack against Dark Ice!"

"Wish me luck girls!", Ice said as he stepped onto the dueling field and activated his duel disk.

Applejack was next to arrive on the field and activated her duel disk. 

Applejack: 8000
Dark Ice: 8000

"I got the first move!", Ice said. "I summon Mad Archfiend in attack mode and set a card face-down. I end my turn."

"Ah draw! Ah summon Junk Synchron! And since he's a junk monster Ah can special summon Junk Servant from mah hand! Now I'll tune them to synchro summon Junk Archer! Ah activate his effect! I banish your monster until the end of this turn and attack you directly! Junk Arrow!" Junk Archer shot an arrow that struck Dark Ice square in the chest! "Ah'll set a card and end mah turn."

Applejack: 8000
Dark Ice: 5700

"Not bad. But now Mad Archfiend comes back! Now I summon The Fabled Rubyruda! I tune my monsters to synchro summon Red Dragon Archfiend! Next I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon to take care of your trap card! Applejack's trap card was soon blown away! "Scrap-Iron Scarecrow huh? Now Red Dragon! Destroy Junk Archer! Absolute Power Force!" Red Dragon let loose a powerful stream of flames that burned away Junk Archer! "I end my turn."

Applejack: 7300
Dark Ice: 5700

"I summon Junk Giant in defense mode and end my turn!"

"I draw! Perfect! I discard a card to activate Lightning Vortex to destroy all monsters on your field! Attack her directly Red Dragon Archfiend! Absolute Power Force!" Red Dragon unleashed another wave of flames that collided with Applejack's life points! "I end my turn."

Applejack: 4300
Dark Ice: 5700

"Ah'm not out yet! Ah set two cards face-down and end mah turn!"

"I draw! I play Scarlet Security! Since I control a Red Dragon Archfiend, I can destroy all spell and trap cards you control! Attack again Red Dragon!" Red Dragon charged forth and unleashed another wave of flames!

"Too hot to handle!", Red Dragon boasted.

"I end my turn."

Applejack: 1300
Dark Ice: 5700

"Ah play Book of Moon to put your monster in defense mode! Then Ah'll summon Gagaga Magician! And since he's level four Ah can special summon Kagetokage from mah hand! Now Ah overlay mah monsters to xyz summon Gagaga Cowboy in defense mode and activate his effect! Ah detach an overlay unit to inflict 800 points of damage to you! I end my turn."

Applejack: 1300
Dark Ice: 4900

"Time to end this. I switch Red Dragon Archfiend into attack mode! Now I'll attack your monster and activate my trap card! Strike Slash! Red Dragon gains 700 attack points and inflicts piercing damage! And last I checked, their difference equals the exact amount of life points you have left!" Red Dragon smashed through Gagaga Cowboy's defense and wiped out the last of Applejack's life points. Ice walked off and rejoined his friends. Applejack did the same and went back to Ace and the others.

"Well that's new. Normally he mocks duelists he beats.", Ace said. "But I still don't buy that he's become any nicer. At this rate, we're bound to face each other in the finals."