The survival Duel has just passed the half way mark with over fifty of its competitors being eliminated. The Duellist with the highest points was still Sunset, as her Solar Flare Phoenix's ability continued to increase them whenever she summoned it.
We find Flash rushing through the Canyon Zone, hoping to make it to the Volcano Zone before Sunset got away. If she had Pendulum cards then she must have had ties to Cold Steel, meaning this could be his chance for answers.
Meanwhile back in the stands Tidal, Spike and Fluttershy were consoling the previously eliminated teen trio.
"This bites" Scootaloo moaned, "that girl humiliated us."
"It wasn't that bad" Fluttershy said, trying to get her to calm down.
"We got beat despite playing her three to one," Applebloom said, "how is it not that bad?"
"Plus our Duel barely dented her life points," Sweetie said.
"It could be worse," Spike told them.
"How?" they asked, only for him to point passed them. They all turned towards a sulking Rarity who was sitting between Sweetie and Pinkie.
"At least there was no way to stop your lose," Spike said, making them all remember just how the two had been defeated.
<Flashback>
Rarity: 1150
Berry: 600
"I summon Seiyaryu in ATK mode," Berry said as a pink dragon appeared on the field. (A2500/D2300/L7) "Next I activate Stop Defence, to switch your Gem-Knight Lapis to ATK mode.
As her monster stood up Rarity remained stoic but was suppressing a grin, since her face down was Draining Shield which would negate the attack and raise her life points.
"And now I attack," Rarity's focus suddenly shifted to the megascreen to see Sunset order Solar Flare Phoenix to attack Schuberta.
"Sweetie" she cried seeing her sister fall, but suddenly she remembered she was still in a Duel and looked back. Her eyes went wide seeing Seiyaryu was about to hit Lapis, "WAIT!" but it was to late and the attack landed
Rarity: 0
Berry: 600 (Winner)
Duellists: 65
<Flashforward>
"You should of been paying attention," Sweetie told her sister who growled in response.
Pinkie began to laugh hearing this, making Rarity turn to her. "You've got nothing to laugh at. At least I lost to an actual Duellist."
<Flashback>
Pinkie was skipping through the Forest Zone after her last Duel, which had left her with only nine hundred life points.
Suddenly her eyes caught sight of an Action Chest. "OOH" she said picking it up, "free points," she went to open it but remembered that there was a chance it could the Action Trap which would wipe out all her life points. After what felt like hours of soul searching, it was less then a second, she decided to open the box. The second she opened the catch it flung open revealing her fate. The card revealed itself, before transforming into a lightning bolt which struck Pinkie.
Pinkie: 0
Duellists: 47
<Flashforward>
"Who cares?" Pinkie said with a shrug. "Its no fun without a little risk."
"I guess," Spike said as they turned back to watch the rest of the tournament.
Rainbow was Duelling against a girl named Lemon Hearts
Rainbow: 1900
Lemon: 1300
Lemon Hearts currently had Destiny Hero Defender on her field while Rainbow's was empty.
"My turn," Rainbow said, "I draw and summon Rainbow Wing Red Kestrel." Her red bird appeared on the field. (A1500/D1200/L4) "And with Kestrel's ability I can summon another Rainbow Wing from my hand and raise its level by one," she summoned Green Hawk to the field before increasing its level. (A1400/D800/L4) "And now I'm using the effect of Rainbow Wing Pink Owl since I have at least one Rainbow Wing on my field, I can Special Summon it to the field and increase its level to match that of another." The pink owl appeared and landed next to Kestrel and Hawk. (A100/D100/L4)
"And now" Rainbow said as Kestrel and Owl transformed into lights and launched into the air, before flying into a black hole as it opened, "I'll use these two monsters to build the Overlay Network. "When birds of a feather flock together, an awesome power is unleashed." The black hole exploded in a burst of light. "I XYZ SUMMON!"
The light faded revealing Rainbow's best monster soaring through the sky, before taking a battle stance infront of her. "Rainbow Assault Wing Gold." (A2300/D1700/R4) "Because I've got another Rainbow Wing on my field, my Assault Wing gains five hundred ATK points. (A2800/D1700/R4) "Assault Wing Gold attack" Rainbow ordered, as her Xyz Monster drew his katanna and flew at the rock monster and slashed it to rubble. "Next Rainbow Wing Green Hawk will attack you directly," the green bird of prey flew up high and took aim at Lemon before nose diving at her and hitting her dead on.
Rainbow: 1900 (Winner)
Lemon: 0
Duellists: 42
Luna: Winner, Rainbow Dash. Despite her victory she can't relax yet as her life points are growing dangerously low. Will she be able to remain in his tournament much longer?
Celestia: It wouldn't surprise me if some of the Duels end after only a few turns.
Luna: We'll have to wait and see.
Meanwhile Applejack was still in the Canyon Zone. She knew she would need to move on to another Zone soon, since opponents were growing slim. As she finally reached the peak of a cliff though.
"Well well well" a male voice caught her attention, "what do we have here brother of mine?"
"Looks like a lost little girl brother of mine," a similar male voice said.
Applejack looked over to see two tall men standing the other side of a ravine. They were dressed in the same cloths with a white and blue striped shirt, white pants and black bow ties. They both had red hair and the only difference was one of them had a moustache.
"Who are you guys? And who'd you think ya calling a little girl."
"The names Flim," the moustacheless one said.
"And I'm Flam," the other said.
"AND WE'RE THE FLIM-FLAM BROTHERS" they yelled in unison.
"Okay" Applejack said with a tilt of the head.
"So my dear" Flim said, "it seems this is where we eliminate you."
"Yeah" she replied with a smirk, "like that'll happen."
"Well let's see how you do once you have to face the two of us on your own," Flam said.
Applejack sweated, since Duelling them together might be to much. They'd probably have some stratagy for working together.
"She won't be on her own." They all looked up and saw Flash up on a higher cliff, before he leaped off and skipped down to a stop next to Applejack. "Mind if I join you?" he asked.
"Usually I'd say no," Applejack said, "but I get the feeling I'm gonna need it. Thanks"
"I was on my way to the Volcano Zone," Flash explained, "but seeing these two face off against you on your own I thought I'd lend a hand
"And I appreciate it," Applejack said.
"Then you lets do this" Flash said before turning to the Flim-Flam brothers, "you up for a Tag-Duel?"
"Please" Flim said
"You could be in the hundreds against us and we'd couldn't lose," Flam agreed.
Flash and Applejack didn't like the way they were so confident.
"We know who you are, Flash Sentry" Flim said.
"We saw you compete in the Shooting Star Micro Tournament," Flam continued.
"That means nothing," Flash said, "you may have seen me Duel then but I'm way better now then I was back then."
"And that's sayin somethin since he won the tournament," Applejack said.
"I matters not," Flim said.
"Against us you won't stand a chance," Flam said.
"The Flam-Flam Brothers a prepared for every contingency," they said together.
"Could it be?" Tidal said.
"What's wrong?" Fluttershy asked.
"I've heard of these two before," Tidal replied. "Their known as Tag-Duel legends who have a history for the occasional shifty Duel."
"You mean they cheat?" Scootaloo asked.
"Nothing was ever confirmed," Tidal said, "but there have been instances where they get just the card they need to win."
"So Flash and Applejack'll need to be careful," Rarity said.
"Si" Tidal replied looking worried
Celestia: Tag-Duel between the Flim-Flam Brothers and Flash and Applejack. To work with the Survival Duel you only take damage from battles involving your own monsters.
Luna: The Tag-Duel will end only when both members of one team are defeated. You cannot discuss stratagy or look at each others hand unless a card allows it, but you can use your partners monsters as sacrifices if they allow it.
Celestia: Finally, direct attacks cannot be waged on a Duellist if their partner has a monster on the field. Is that all understood?
The four nodded.
Celestia: Then Tag-Duel start.
Flim: 3000
Flash: 2700
Flam: 3000
Applejack: 2000
"I'll be taking the first move," Flim said, "and play the Spell Card Tag Force. This is card designed for Tag-Duels as it gives me and my brother access to each others hands, fields and graveyard."
"That's one rule out the window" Flash said.
"Next I play the Spell Card Cost Down, which will lower the level of every monster in my hand by two once I discard a card." Flim turned to Flam, "mind giving up a card brother of mine?"
"Of course brother of mine," Flam replied, "that's what their there for." He discarded a card from his hand.
"Is that allowed?" Flash asked.
"That Tag Force Spell means their basically Duelling with one hand," Applejack said. "And I'm guessing their decks are designed to work best together."
"Next I summon the Millennium Shield," Flim said as a giant red shield with gold on the edge appeared. (A0/D3000/L6)
"That's a whole lot of DEF points" Flash said with a gulp.
"I end my turn with a face down," Flim finished.
"Then it's my turn," Flash said as he drew and smiled at his opening hand. Just the thing he needed to get ride of that Shield. "I set the Pendulum Scale with Scale two Magna Fighter Lucidum and Scale eight Magna Caster Solaris," he said as the pillars of light appeared in the sky. "Cut through space time and carve the arc of victory," he chanted as the portal formed above his head. "I PENDULUM SUMMON!"
The portal opened and three lights shot out and hit the ground.
"Howl to the moon, Shine Crest Magna Wolf." (A1200/D1100/L3)
"To arms, Flash Knight." (A1800/D600/L4/P7)
"Shine your light of Victory, Flash Heart Dragon." (A2500/D2000/L7/P4)
"All right" the gang in the crowd cheered.
"With Flash Heart out this Duel is a shoe in for them," Scootaloo said.
"I wouldn't be so sure," Tidal said looking worried.
"What'd you mean?" Spike asked.
"Look at the Flim-Flam Brothers" Tidal replied. "They don't look worried."
"Flash Heart's skill," Flash said, "your Millennium Shield will be sent to the bottom of the deck."
"I think not," Flim said as his face down flipped up, "I activate the trap Divine Punishment. By discarding a card from the hand I can negate the effect of your dragon and...remove it from play."
"WAIT WHAT?" Flash screamed.
"Brother?"
"Of course?" Flam said, discarding another card.
"Now be gone Flash Heart Dragon."
Flash looked up in horror as a lightning bolt shot out of the sky and struck his best card, causing it to be destroyed and its fragments sucked into a rip the lightning bolt had opened. "Flash Heart..."
"I can't believe its gone" Scootaloo said. She knew how much that card meant to her brother.
"This is what they had planned," Tidal said, "they knew summoning a monster strong enough to break through that shield would be difficult. So they knew Flash and AJ would try and use a card effect to get rid of it and set a Trap for it."
"Why go to such lengths to protect a monster that can't even attack?" Sweetie Bell asked.
"They probably just need it to defend," Rarity guessed. "Their looking for something."
"And that's not all," Tidal said. "Not only have they neutralised Flash's best card but also his best strategies."
Everyone wondered what he meant until they realised that without Flash Heart..."
"Flash can't Fusion Summon," Sweetie realised.
"Or summon Flash Dragon Accel," Applebloom agreed.
"His best cards need Flash Heart to work," Scootaloo said getting even more worried.
"I told you we were prepared," Flim told Flash.
"We saw you use that ability tones of times in the micro tournament," Flam said.
Flash growled, having his best card be taken from him. "I may be down but I'm not out. I place one card face down and end my turn."
"Then I'll take a turn," Flam said drawing. "I'll play the Spell Card Deal with the Dealer."
"Now I can look at the top three cards of my deck, then I add one to my hand, send one back to the deck and discard the third." He did like he said discarding a card to his graveyard."
Applejack became suspicious at this. All they'd done so far is play defence and discard cards, why?
"Next I play Graceful Charity, so now I draw three cards and discard two." He turned to Flim, "mind giving up some cards brother?"
"Why of course" Flim replied discarding one card while Flam discarded another.
"I'm starting to think they want their cards in the graveyard," Applejack told Flash.
"But what would be the reason?" Flash replied.
"Not sure."
"Finally I place one card face down in DEF mode, set a card and end my turn there."
"Then I'll go," Applejack said drawing. She went over everything on the field. If they were still playing defence then that face down card could be a Flip monster, so she'd need to find a card to negate its effect and she knew just what to do.
"I'm activating the Spell Card Reseeding, which will let me discard a Plant Type monster and in return I can summon monsters from my deck that have a combined level equal that of my discard monster. So I'll be discarding Astilbe Archer to summon Apple Knight, and Apple Kid" a knight in silver armour with a red apple shaped crest on its sword, chest and top of its helmet appeared alongside the boy in apple clothing. (A300/D300/L3), (A200/D300/L2) "And when Apple Kid is Special summoned its level increases by one." (A200/D300/L3) "Next I summon Sylvan Marshalleaf in ATK mode," a leaf creature appeared holding a purple fruit. (A1500/D1200/L3) "Next its ability lets me take a card from the top of my deck and if its a Plant I discard it."
"What's the point in all this?" Flim asked.
"The point," Applejack said as her monsters glowed, "is that with these three monsters I build the Overlay Network." The monsters shot into the air and then flew into the black hole as it appeared below her. "As the seasons bring fourth new growth, it can also bring fourth a new power," the black hole exploded in a burst of light. "I XYZ SUMMON!"
The light faded revealing AJ's Xyz monster. "Orchard Cowboy." (A2100/D600/R3)
"Xyz huh," Flam said.
"Orchard Cowboy attack Flam's face down," she ordered as her monster drew one of its revolvers and fired at the face down. The face down revealed itself to be some kind of arm before it was destroyed. "No Flip Effect?" Applejack asked, "then why play it face down?"
Flash was more concerned about the monster itself. He could swear he'd seen it somewhere but where? Suddenly he remembered the time at the museum and called out. "Exodia."
"What?" Applejack asked.
"That card was Exodia's Right Arm," Flash said, "I saw it once at the museum."
"But why have it on the field?" she asked. "Exodia only works in the hand."
"Maybe we don't intend to use the power of Exodia," Flim said.
"Maybe we intend to use a monster even stronger then Exodia," Flam said.
"A monster more powerful the Exodia?" Applejack asked. Wasn't Exodia the most powerful card in existence?
"You done?" Flim asked.
Applejack sighed and placed a card face down and ended her turn.
"Back to me then" Flim said smiling, "and I activate the Spell Card Unfair exchange. This Spell lets me sacrifice a monster on my field and in exchange, I can add a monster from my deck to my hand." Millennium Shield disappeared as Flim's deck shuffled out a card.
Flim drew the card and smiled as he said, "It's time. I should thank you little lady for destroying my brother's face down, as with it we can now activate the Spell Card Contract with Exodia." Five purple beams of light appeared infront of them, which changed into five purple dots before being covered in a dark shroud that soon took shape. "With all five pieces of Exodia in the graveyard, we can summon Exodia's ultimate form."
"A monster so powerful it can't be destroyed by battle," Flam said, "or by the effects of Spells or Traps."
Applejack didn't like the sound of that, but it didn't matter. "I activate the effect of my Orchard Cowboy," she said as one of her monster's Overlay Units flew into its revolver. "By removing an Overlay Unit my monster can negate your Spells Effect."
"Wrong again" Flam said, "as I activate my Trap Breakthrough Skill. This card negates your monster's effect until the End Phase."
Applejack growled as she watched the shroud began to disappear, as the Flim-Flam Brothers chanted.
"FROM THE DARKEST DEEPEST ABYSS WE CALL ON THE ULTIMATE INCARNATION OF FEAR AND DREAD. WE SUMMON THE MIGHTY EXODIA NECROSS!" The last of the shroud vanished revealing their new monster. It looked just like Exodia except its skin was black and its skirt and chains were red.
The two Duellists looked over the powerful monster and both gulped.
"Are you getting a 'we're totally screwed' vibe too?" Flash asked.
"To quote my brother," Applejack replied, "eyup."