//------------------------------// // The Darkness Within - vs Rarity (Part 1) // Story: Duelists of the Autumn Crown // by DrakeyC //------------------------------// Duelists of the Autumn Crown The Darkness Within - vs Rarity (Part 1)1) Twilight took a breath and reached to the table. She slowly gathered her cards up and slotted them into her duel disk, then looked at the other cards set aside with purple linings and did the same for them, placing them in her disk’s Extra Deck compartment. This is it. By the time the day ends, the odds are good one of us will be dueling Sunset Shimmer.   She’d eaten her breakfast with Fluttershy’s family and then gone to the backyard to face her in two practice duels. While she had won both times, Twilight privately considered them a failure. She had spent their duration trying to summon her magic to augment her deck, and failed. If I can master this magic I’ll have a much better chance of beating Sunset Shimmer. And if she really is using the same sort of magic, there may not be much choice in the matter. Twilight considered how her victory over Snips and Snails in her trance-like state had broken Sunset’s influence over them. Is there some way I could try to use my magic to cancel out Sunset’s? Counter-magic may not work in this world like it does in Equestria.   “Twilight?” The girl raised her head to see Fluttershy in the doorway of the room. “It’s time to go.” “Right.” Twilight stood up and looked down to see Spike jump from the sofa and nod at her. “Just give me a minute.” “Okay. I’ll go start the car.” Fluttershy left, and Twilight waited until she heard the door open and close. “Spike.” Twilight squatted down to talk to him. “If one of my friends duels Sunset today, she’ll probably use her magic against them.” “Yeah.” Spike frowned. “And she’s probably got way more control over it than you do.” “I know.” Twilight sighed. “We may need to tell them about, you know. Everything.” “You mean, the Element and Equestria?” Spike raised an eyebrow. “Do you think they’d believe you?” “Maybe. I mean, Sunset said that there is magic in this world.” “Sure, but magic is one thing. Do you really think they’d believe you and Sunset are from another dimension where the two of you are talking magical unicorns and the crown for the tournament is actually an ancient magical artifact used to weaponize the power of friendship against assorted evil monsters that regularly try to take over the world?” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Well when you put it like that, it sounds ridiculous.” “Any more ridiculous than Sunset Shimmer using Equestrian magic to get an unfair advantage in a card game?” “Fair enough on that point.” Twilight reached up to rub her head. “I wish we knew more about what this magic of ours can even do. Sunset seems to think my Element of Magic can enhance her powers, but why bother? She already runs the school with her powers as they are.” “I dunno.” Spike shook his head. “But if we can keep her from getting her hands on it, we don’t have to worry about that, right?” “I guess so.” Twilight looked down at her deck and breathed deeply. “I have to trust in my deck. It’s supposed to reflect my heart, right? And my heart is telling me that no matter what happens, we can beat Sunset Shimmer.” “You got that right.” Spike barked sharply, his tail wagging. She nodded firmly and lowered her arms. “Let’s not delay any longer. We have a tournament to win!” As Fluttershy pulled into the parking lot, Twilight finally dared to open her eyes when she felt the vehicle slow to a stop. Across the school she saw even more students than yesterday crowding the entrance. Twilight pursed her lip as she climbed out of the car and let Spike jump out before closing her door. “I would think the first round would get a better turnout.” “Only so far as students actually competing,” Fluttershy explained, locking the car. “Now that it’s the top eight, pretty much everyone in the school is here to see who’s going to be their next champion.” “Makes sense.” Twilight looked at the doors of the school. “I’m going to go check in. Can you see if you can find the others?” “Sure.” Twilight stepped towards the crowd, prepared to push her way through. To her surprise though, the nearest students turned to see who was approaching and quickly parted for her. Like ripples in water she heard whispers spread from her point of entry. More students were turning to look at her and stepping aside to let her through. Twilight blushed and waved. “Um, excuse me.” She carefully stepped through the crowd, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone – not an easy task with most of them watching her. “You can do it, Twilight!” She paused at the excited declaration from somewhere in the crowd. “Kick Sunset Shimmer’s butt!” Several murmured agreements came from the rest of the crowd. Twilight saw movement; one student came up to her, leaned into her, and raised their phone into the air in front of them. Twilight saw their finger move and the phone’s light flashed. “Thanks for the selfie, Twilight!” The figure vanished back into the crowd before Twilight could even get a good look at them. Well, this is a bit more attention than I’m used to. Twilight continued to weave her way to the front of the school and soon enough the crowd parted to show the doors. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were sitting on the steps and looked up at her. “Cutting it kind of close, the match-ups are announced in five minutes,” Rainbow said. “Ready for this?” “Yes.” Twilight held out her fist. “We stand united, right?” “You got that right.” Applejack and Rainbow put their fists in with hers and the three withdrew them as one. Twilight smiled at her friends and stepped up to the doors. She pulled them open and headed inside. The now-familiar human versions of Celestia and Luna looked up at her. “Ah, welcome, Twilight.” Celestia nodded and smiled. “I see you’ve been doing rather well for your introductory tournament.” “I’ve done my best.” Twilight nodded and reached to her duel disk to withdraw her deck. She held it out to Luna who set it in the deck sorter. Twilight waited to see if Luna’s system detected anything abnormal about her cards. Will it remember what my friends can’t, that I definitely have cards in it I didn’t yesterday? The computer beeped and Luna nodded. “You’ve made some changes since yesterday, I see.” “Um… yes?” “Very well. Any extra deck to register?” Twilight let out a breath. “Yes.” She held out her Fusion cards. Luna took them without reaction and put them in the sorter. “Registration complete. The same rules as yesterday apply to using unregistered cards.” “I know.” Like it matters at this point. Twilight took her deck back and turned to head outside. At the top of the stairs she looked down at the crowd. A girl in a yellow T-shirt with blue jeans sat on the steps, a blue and yellow duel disk on her arm. Twilight looked down from her two-toned orange hair and saw a tattoo of a flaming pair of wings on her bicep. Spitfire? The next finalist was a girl with blue-grey skin in a dark-grey hooded sweatshirt and yellow shorts. Her eyes were wide as she looked around excitedly and chatted with students at the front of the crowd. No idea who that is, though. Flash Sentry was at the front of the crowd too, talking with some students in a more reserved manner.   At the end of the stairs, Twilight finally found Sunset Shimmer. Leaning against one of the support pillars, she had her head low and her arms crossed. Her eyes trained on the ground, she didn’t acknowledge Twilight’s presence. Twilight watched her for a time. Should I confront her? No, nothing good can come of that. She doesn’t know the odds are against her. Counting Flash, it’s five on one, and— Twilight paused and looked around. “Where’s Rarity?” “Dunno.” Rainbow held up her hands. “We haven’t seen her yet. But she’s registered. We asked vice-principal Luna and she said Rarity had checked in.” “Sweetie Belle isn’t here, either.” Applejack shook her head. “She called Apple Bloom, said Rarity had left her at home. Pinkie went with the young’uns to pick ‘er up.”  “Right.” Twilight looked out at the crowd. Why would Rarity be late? A tone sounded from the loudspeakers and the crowd fell silent. “Students, welcome to the finals of the Autumn Crown Tournament!” The crowd cheered as Celestia paused. “You’ve all dueled long and hard, and there are only three rounds left for you before we crown a winner. In just three duels, one of our finalists will be the new Autumn Crown Champion, receiving a special seat on the student council, free admission and discounts at school events, and other privileges, in recognition of their well-fought victory. “In each round the opponents will be randomly chosen. The quarter-final matches will take place simultaneously around the school, while the semi-finals and finals will occur consecutively so that all may enjoy seeing the best of the best without missing a play. And now it is time to announce the match-ups for the finals!” A holographic emitter mounted on the Wondercolt statue on the school grounds lit up and projected the same image multiple times on the school walls. Eight squares showing the portraits of the finalists surrounded the central CHS emblem. Twilight groaned at the sight of her portrait as she recoiled from Pinkie’s unfamiliar camera-phone. The portraits began to shuffle, flitting too fast to make out distinct persons. Twilight bit her lip. This is it. She turned her head to see Sunset Shimmer watching another wall with another projection on it. I wonder if she’s secretly as tense as I am over this…   The portraits stopped and flashed in colored pairs, the match-ups chosen. Twilight gasped. “And we have our final duels! Rainbow Dash will face Spitfire Slipstream!”   Rainbow turned her head to Spitfire and the two shared a nod. “Flash Sentry will face Jacklyn Apple.”   “Well, shucks.” Applejack crossed her arms. “Guess that’s one ally we can’t rely on either way.” “Sunset Shimmer will face Gabriella Black.”   Twilight saw the chattering duelist in the crowd pale and gulp as Sunset stood and looked down at her. “And Twilight Sparkle will face Rarity Belle!” Twilight looked for Rarity but there was still no sign of her. “Duelists, please report to your designated dueling fields within thirty minutes. Let the quarter-finals begin!”     Twilight looked at the time display on her duel disk. Two minutes. Much like Trixie, Rarity was taking her time arriving at the dueling field, the eastern side of the school adjacent to the road. Sunset’s duel was in the parking lot, Rainbow’s on the front lot, and Applejack’s duel with Flash was in the rear soccer fields. I can beat her. This should be easy, though I hate to say it. I’ve beaten her before, and that was without my new cards and my improved knowledge of dueling. She felt a paw on her leg and knelt down. “Spike?” “Go easy on her?” Spike whispered. Twilight smiled and ruffled his head. “I’ll try. But if it comes down to it, I have to win. Especially if Sunset is using magic, I stand the best chance of beating her among us.” “I know, but still…” Spike whimpered and sat down. Twilight looked up at the familiar figure walking through the parted crowd across from her. There she is. She stood up and smiled. “Here we go, Rarity. I know we’re friends, but I’m not going to hold back, and I don’t want you to, either.” Across the field, Rarity was silent. Her face stern and eyes narrow, she raised her duel disk and reached down to activate it. “Let’s get this over with.”   Twilight blinked but didn’t have time to process the response properly before her duel disk beeped. “Opponent detected! Streaming data.” The display of their blank duel fields flashed into view. “Duel mode set, initiating. Commence duel?” She took a breath and reached to the button on her duel disk to accept the challenge.   “I’m sorry, Rarity.” As Twilight pressed her fingers down, Rarity’s eyes narrowed and her lips parted in a whisper. “You will be.” “Game start!”   -Twilight Life Points: 8000-   -Rarity Life Points: 8000-   Rarity’s portrait lit up on Twilight’s display. “Opponent takes first turn.”   Rarity’s six cards ejected from her duel disk and she picked them up and fanned them out. She lifted one and placed it on her duel disk. “I summon ‘Crystal Beast Emerald Tortoise’, in defense mode.” A large green and blue tortoise with a shell of massive green gems rose in front of Rarity in a portal of green light. (600/2000) “I activate the Continuous Spell card ‘Crystal Tree’.” Rarity slid her card into her duel disk as she kept her eyes on Twilight. A tree comprised of pale white crystal sprouted behind Rarity and spread its branches. “I set one card and end my turn.” Twilight frowned as her deck ejected her card for her turn. What’s gotten into her? “I draw.” Twilight looked at her new card and then at her hand. “I summon ‘Harmony Spirit Pietas’ and equip it with the Equip Spell ‘Harmony Crown’.” The winged blue fairy appeared in a shower of blue sparkles on Twilight’s field (1600/800) and lit up in pink light as a golden spiral crown manifested on its head. “Harmony Crown grants Pietas an additional 800 attack points!” Twilight pointed across the field. “Pietas, attack Emerald Tortoise!” Pietas (1600 → 2400) flew across the field and raised its fist, glowing with pink magic. It punched Emerald Tortoise in the head and sent it flying back. “I activate the ability of Emerald Tortoise and place it in my Spell and Trap zone as a Continuous Spell card.” Rarity moved her card on her duel disk as the hologram of her monster was encased in a cocoon of green crystal. “And I activate an effect of my own. When a monster equipped with Harmony Crown destroys a monster in battle, I can add any Harmony Spirit from my deck to my hand.” Twilight held her card out. “I add ‘Harmony Spirit Cantus’, but she won’t be here long. I discard Cantus to activate her effect, summoning a Harmony Spirit from my deck. I summon ‘Harmony Spirit Gracia’ in defense mode.” A swarm of butterflies heralded the arrival of Twilight’s monster as she rose onto the field, kneeling. (900/1800) “And since I just discarded a Harmony Spirit monster, the effect of Pietas activates too, letting it attack twice this turn. Pietas, direct attack!” Pietas flew up in front of Rarity and punched, sending a ripple of energy over her. Rarity merely narrowed her eyes as the attack struck.   -Rarity Life Points: 5600-   “I end my turn.” Twilight lowered her duel disk and smiled. “Good luck, Rarity!” The crowd booed at the sentiment but Twilight ignored them. Rarity scowled as she drew and held out her card. “I summon ‘Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus’!” Blue light shone on Rarity’s field as a white winged horse galloped out of a portal, blue gems gleaming on its wings. (1800/1200) “I activate Pegasus’ effect, letting me place a Crystal Beast monster from my deck into play as a Continuous Spell card. I choose ‘Crystal Beast Cobalt Eagle’.” A brown and white bird with a gem-encrusted collar appeared behind Rarity’s monster and raised its wings to cover itself as it was enveloped in dark blue crystal. “I activate the Spell card ‘Rare Value’, allowing you to send any crystallized Crystal Beast to my graveyard, then I can draw two cards.” She put a hand on her hip and waved a hand at the two gems in front of her. Twilight nodded. “I choose Cobalt Eagle.” “Very well.” The gem and the eagle inside it dissolved into gem dust as Rarity drew her cards. “Next I activate the Trap card ‘Crystal Raigeki’. By sending my crystallized Emerald Tortoise to the graveyard, I destroy Harmony Spirit Pietas!” Emerald Tortoise’s crystal lit up and crackled with lightning, the electricity focusing into an orb and firing across the field. Twilight looked away as the orb hit Pietas and her monster exploded in a spray of sparks. Rarity crossed her arms. “I end my turn.” Something’s wrong. Twilight looked down at her hand as she drew her card, then lower to her duel disk display. She’s just playing her cards but not saying anything else, and she’s getting rid of her crystallized monsters as fast as she can get them into play. But before she relied on getting lots of them to use her better cards. Is she trying a different strategy? Twilight bit her lip. Or is she trying to throw the duel to make sure I win and that’s why she doesn’t seem into the duel? She wasn’t sure if she found the thought heartwarming or insulting. Twilight reached to her hand. “I summon ‘Harmony Spirit Honestas’.” Next to Twilight an orange wave of light signaled the appearance of the fairy, its blond hair blowing out behind it. (1800/300) “Then from my hand I discard ‘Harmony Spirit Magnanimity’ to activate its effect.” The top card of Twilight’s deck stuck out and she flipped it over. “It’s a Spell card, ‘Harmony Fusion’. I add it to my hand but I can’t activate it until my next turn.” The crowd cheered as Twilight added her card to her hand and looked down at it. This won’t be like last time. If she pulls the same move as before I’ll be ready. But… She looked back up at Rarity to see her glaring at Twilight, her arms folded. I can’t even be sure that’s what she’s doing. “For now, I activate Honestas’ ability, increasing its attack power by 500 for this turn! Then I switch Gracia into attack mode.” Twilight nodded. “Honestas, attack Sapphire Pegasus!” Honestas (1800 → 2300) ran across the field and delivered a kick to Rarity’s monster. The force sent it flying back to lay in front of her as blue crystal rose around it and solidified. “Next, Gracia, direct attack!” Gracia held up her hands and beat up a gust of wind with her wings, the gale racing across the field. Rarity simply narrowed her eyes as the holographic attack reached her.   -Rarity Life Points: 4200- “I end my turn.” Twilight sighed. She’s down to half her life points in just two turns. At this rate even if she is playing the long game, she’s at a huge disadvantage.   “My turn.” Rarity drew and reached to her duel disk. “I activate the effect of Crystal Tree. Each time a Crystal Beast has been placed on the field as a Spell card, Crystal Tree gained a Crystal Counter. Now by sending Crystal Tree to the graveyard, I can place a Crystal Beast in the Spell and Trap zone for every Crystal Counter it had.” Rarity tapped on her disk’s display. “I’ve crystallized three Crystal Beasts, thus I can play three more.” Her cards ejected and she fanned them out, placing them in her duel disk slots one by one. “I play ‘Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger’, ‘Crystal Beast Amber Mammoth’, and ‘Crystal Beast Ruby Carbuncle’.” Twilight gasped as three colored gems condensed in line with Sapphire Pegasus’ in front of Rarity, colored yellow, orange, and red. That’s why she got rid of her other monsters, she didn’t even need them! Then next…   “Finally I play the Spell card ‘Crystal Promise’! This lets me release one of my crystallized monsters and summon it to the field.” The red gemstone in front of Rarity lit up and cracked apart. “I call ‘Crystal Beast Ruby Carbuncle’, in defense mode!” The ruby shattered and a familiar pale lavender cat-like being jumped out, a ruby set on its forehead and on the end of its tail. (300/300) Here we go. Twilight gritted her teeth and tensed. “Now that Ruby Carbuncle has been summoned, its effect activates, letting me summon all Crystal Beasts in my Spell and Trap zone. Go, Ruby Light!” Rarity flung out her hand. Ruby Carbuncle raised its tail and rays of red light shone out from it. The other three gemstones glowed and shattered. Sapphire Pegasus flew out alongside a mammoth with an orange gemstone on its forehead, and a white tiger with yellow gems on its neck. “I summon Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger (1600/1000), Crystal Beast Amber Mammoth (1700/1600), and Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus!” The crowd began to cheer again as Rarity’s three monsters lined up in front of her. She smirked and reached to her duel disk again. “Since Sapphire Pegasus has been summoned again, I place ‘Crystal Beast Amethyst Cat’ in my Spell and Trap zone.” She pointed across the field. “And now, time to rid myself of those harmonious eyesores!” Twilight recoiled. She’s getting into it but not like I expected!   “Topaz Tiger, destroy Honestas!” Topaz Tiger roared and began to run across the field. “When Topaz Tiger battles he gains 400 attack points, enough to overpower your precious spirit!” The tiger (1600 → 2000) leapt and extended its claws. “I activate from my hand ‘Harmony Spirit Ventus’!” An orange fairy with purple hair appeared in front of Twilight and beat up a tornado surrounding it. “By discarding Ventus I revive my Harmony Spirit Pietas’!” The tornado dispersed to reveal Pietas standing tall. “But that’s not all. Discarding Ventus activates the effect of Gracia, preventing my Harmony Spirits from being destroyed in battle this turn!” Gracia held up its hands and wisps of yellow light flowed out of its palms. Honestas lit up in a pale yellow aura and caught Topaz Tiger’s claws in its hands, pushing the cat back. Rarity snorted. “Fine. I’ll settle for damaging your Life Points! Sapphire Pegasus, Amber Mammoth, punish that annoying defender!” The two Crystal Beasts flew and stomped across the field towards Gracia. Sapphire Pegasus made a flying tackle while Amber Mammoth struck it with its trunk. Gracia was thrown through the air and flapped its wings to land safely.   -Twilight Life Points: 6100- “I set one card and end my turn.” Twilight frowned. Why is she suddenly so mean and vicious? Her eyes widened. No, she couldn’t have… Twilight took a breath. I have to end this duel as quick as I can! She drew and nodded, then looked at Rarity. “I activate ‘Harmony Fusion’!” The crowd began to cheer again as Twilight held up her card. “I fuse Pietas and Gracia to Fusion Summon ‘Harmony Spirit Pietas Fulmen’!” A pillar of light shot down from the clouds to reveal Twilight’s monster clad in a blue uniform with gloves and boots. Her hands crackled with lightning in tandem with the ring of storm clouds floating behind her as she stood up. (2300/1500) “I activate the effect of Harmony Fusion in the graveyard, and shuffle Gracia into the deck to return Harmony Fusion to my hand.” Twilight held out the card. “Then I activate Harmony Fusion once more, fusing ‘Harmony Spirit Draco’ in my hand with Honestas on the field!” A flurry of leaves flung up in front of Twilight, whirling away to reveal a muscular orange fairy in a red dress with a growth of tree branches on her back and vines winding along her arms. “I Fusion Summon ‘Harmony Spirit Honestas Silva’! (2500/800)” Twilight nodded. “Since I discarded Draco from my hand during the Fusion Summon, the effect of Pietas triggers. Now it can attack all monsters on your side of the field once each this turn!” The crowd roared as Pietas Fulmen lit up in blue light. “Finally, I activate the effect of Ventus in the graveyard, and shuffle it into the deck to increase the attack of Pietas Fulmen by 800. And now Pietas Fulmen, attack!” The fairy (2300 → 3100) held up its hands and a spray of lightning bolts shot across the field. “I activate my face-down card, the Trap ‘Rainbow Path’!” A barrier of rainbow energy shimmered into place around Amber Mammoth. “By the effect of Amber Mammoth, I can force you to attack it first, and then my Trap negates the attack by sending my crystallized Amethyst Cat to the graveyard!” Pietas’ lightning fizzled out against the barrier. “Further, I can add a monster card from my deck to my hand.” Rarity’s card ejected into her waiting fingers aside her deck. Twilight nodded. “Then I’ll have Honestas Silva clear the way first! Attack Amber Mammoth!” Honestas Silva sprinted across the field and rammed its shoulder into the mammoth, sending it rearing up and falling over. “With your mammoth gone, Pietas Fulmen can wipe out your other monsters!” Pietas Fulmen fired another blast of lightning. Rarity watched as her monsters lit up and were thrown back.   -Rarity Life Points: 600- Rarity gathered her cards from her duel disk. “I choose not to activate the crystallizing effects of my Crystal Beasts. They are destroyed and sent to the graveyard.” The collapsed monsters shattered into pixelated shards and faded away. What? Why would she do that? Twilight looked at her display. She has nothing left, now. Her field is totally empty. “I end my turn.” “You suck, Rarity!” Rarity scowled at the anonymous call from the crowd. Several jeers and boos sounded in agreement. “Go back to sewing!” “Shut up, you ignorant cretins!” Rarity snapped, whipping her head around to glare at the crown. “Enough!” Rarity turned back to Twilight as she shouted, “What’s gotten into you?” “What’s gotten into me!?” Rarity gnashed her teeth. “I was about to seal my victory, and one discarded monster foils it for me! Well, this duel isn’t over yet, not as long as I still have Life Points! I’ll wipe the field of every last one of those pathetic fairies you call monsters!” “Why are you talking like that?” Twilight shook her head. “We agreed it doesn’t matter which of us wins, as long as the best duelist advances!” “Don’t give me that tripe,” Rarity sneered. “I joined this tournament to prove I’m the best and crush Sunset Shimmer, and it’s not going to happen losing to some nobody new student!” “How can you say that?” Twilight peered closer, watching her eyes. “We all agreed to fight for the same cause, united. Your friends, Rarity. Remember?”   “Yes. I remember the insults, the defeats! Well, not anymore.” Rarity put her hand on her deck. “I’ve gotten this far on my own without any of you to help me. I don’t need friends. I have all that I need right here!” She lifted her card and flung her arm out to draw it into the air, a gust of wind in the wake of her arm. She turned the card over and her eyes widened. “At last,” she whispered. She drew her arm back. On her other arm the Field Spell slot on her duel disk snapped open. A vortex of dark light began to swirl around Rarity’s feet. Twilight gasped sharply as she felt a pulse in the air. What’s happening? “I activate the Field Spell ‘Advanced Dark’!” Rarity brought her arm down and slid the card into her duel disk. The card lit up in the tray and a shimmer of red light washed over the length of the device. At Rarity’s feet the dark vortex flared up and began to grow, snapping and crackling. In its wake a deep purple mist covered the ground, expanding with the circle. The barrier passed Twilight and she cried out as it knocked her to the ground. “Twilight!” Spike howled as the barrier reached him, flinging him back. The circle now large enough to fully encompass the duel, it flashed and stopped its expansion. Twilight rolled onto her stomach and looked out. A dark haze obscured her vision but she could see Spike being picked up by Fluttershy. Twilight saw the barrier’s end in front of her, the edge a pulsing tide of shining darkness. This is no hologram… She reached out her hand. The barrier sparked at her touch and she sharply pulled back. Magic, at once familiar and unfamiliar, twisted and dark. She pushed herself to her feet and turned. The field was now blanketed in a cloying purple fog that rolled against the edges of the barrier. Twilight raised her eyes from the ground to her opponent. “Rarity…” On the other end of the field, Rarity had a manic leer on her face. An aura of shadows surrounded her body, her skin and clothing turned to a darker color. Her eyes were lit up with blue magic and her hair was a shimmering, glowing mass of dark blue and purple, light shining in the strands as they waved in air behind her. The diamonds on her outfit lit up and turned black and silver. Rarity’s voice echoed as she spoke. “As long as my Field Spell is in play now, all Crystal Beast monsters in the graveyard and on the field are treated as Dark-attribute.” She reached to her hand and took hold of a card. “Thus I have everything in place for this.” She thrust her card into the air and an orb of dark magic appeared over it. Seven smaller orbs of light emerged from Rarity’s duel disk and swirled up to her hand. “Ruby Carbuncle, Amber Mammoth, Topaz Tiger, Emerald Tortoise, Sapphire Pegasus, Cobalt Eagle, Amethyst Cat! I banish seven Dark monsters of different names in my graveyard, to call forth my ultimate beast!” The orb flashed and shot up into the clouds. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed within them. Twilight took a step back and watched as a massive shadowed form lowered out of the clouds. A long serpentine body slithered through the air leading up to an indistinct shielded form. In a flash of lightning Twilight saw they were a pair of crossed wings. Then the wings snapped out into the air and the creature’s body lit up. The monster was a dragon, pitch black with gold linings along its wings and body. Gemstones in seven colors were embedded in its scales, set in a line leading up to its head, a large set of jaws and four red eyes glaring out from a golden helmet crested with swept back horns. Its wings, large and covered in black feathers, flapped as the dragon lowered behind Rarity. Twilight’s jaw hung open as Rarity laughed, her eyes blazing with light. “I Special Summon ‘Rainbow Dark Dragon’ (4000/0)!”