Pinkie places her index finger on top of her deck, slides her thumb upwards until she holds five cards and draws them with great fanfare. Spreading them with a flick of her wrist, Pinkie checks her options and picks two cards between her index and middle fingers, slapping them over her Duel Disk in a single motion. “Performapal Flip Hippo and Performapal Hip Hippo!”
Two cute hippos, a chocolate colored one and an strawberry colored one, materialize on the field. Standing on their hind legs, they tip their hats and bow together. Pinkie explains cheerfully, “When Performapal Flip Hippo is normal summoned, I can special summon a Performapal from my hand and then change them into defense position!” She winks and asks, “How do you like my Super Defense Two-Flavored Hippo Combo?”
Akhlys shakes his head. “It’s useless,” he states drily. “Every monster you summon will die in the same slow, painful way.”
Pinkie pouts. “You’re no fun, you know that?” She ends her turn with no further plays.
Akhlys draws his initial hand of five cards, plus one. “Your suffering begins now,” he states sinisterly as he places a card on the Field Spell zone. The ground under both duelists’ feet cracks and a thick, reddish water begins bubbling up, quickly covering the whole field.
Pinkie squeaks as the water rises up to her knees. “I-It’s cold!”
Akhlys places a card on his Monster Zone and a twin-headed, bright green snake emerges from below the water. The two heads hiss and bare their fangs at Pinkie. Akhlys commands, “Go, Venom Serpent!” The snake rears both heads back and sprays Performapal Hip Hippo on the face with a viscous substance. The poor hippo whines and rubs its eyes, its attack points going down to 300 points.
Akhlys follows with the attack of his monster on Performapal Flip Hippo. Venom Serpent dives underwater, emerging behind Performapal Flip Hippo and wrapping itself around the hippo’s body before biting down hard. Pinkie cringes as her monster is dragged down to a watery grave. Akhlys sets two cards. “My turn is over.” As soon as he says those words, Performapal Hip Hippo falls down, sinking into the swamp.
“Who—why—what!?” Pinkie frantically does a time out gesture. She begins tapping furiously on the screen of her Duel Disk, muttering under her breath as her eyes rapidly scan the words displayed. “Uhh…Venom Serpent…Venom Swamp…during each player’s End Phase: place one Venom Counter on each face-up monster, except Venom monsters. Monsters lose 500 attack points for each Venom Counter on them. Destroy a monster if its attack becomes zero by this effect.” She blinks twice and mutters, “Wow.”
Akhlys chuckles. “Do you see it now?” He asks. “The terror that awaits you?” Much to his surprise, however, Pinkie grins and nods rapidly. “Yup! Yup!” She pumps her fist and declares, “I’ll have to go all out against you!”
Ignoring the low growl coming from under Akhlys mask, Pinkie begins her turn by drawing a card, bringing her hand count to four. She smiles enthusiastically and declares, “With my Performapal Parrotrio and my Performapal Swincobra I set the Pendulum Scale!” Akhlys protests they both have a Pendulum Scale of two, but Pinkie points out she can change Performapal Parrotrio’s to seven if she controls a Performapal on her other Pendulum Zone. “Swing, swing! And trace an arc in the sky like a smile!” A single beam of light falls on her side of the field, revealing a big bear dressed in regal attire, complete with cape and a crown. Pinkie announces the monster’s name, “Performapal King Bear!” The monster’s stats appear at 2200/1000.
Pinkie immediately orders an attack on Venom Serpent. “Performapal King Bear gains an extra 100 attack points for each Performapal I control during the Battle Phase!” Venom Serpent is destroyed and Akhlys’ life points go down to 2700. Pinkie spins, striking a pose and says, “Hail to the king, baby!” Akhlys lets out a loud “hmph” and unveils his set cards. “Snake Whistle! Damage=Reptile!” A second Venom Serpent emerges from the swamp, as well as a darker colored rattlesnake.
“Jeepers!” Pinkie exclaims. She quickly points out that, since Performapal King Bear inflicted damage, Akhlys has to send the top card of his deck to the graveyard, thanks to Performapal Swincobra’s effect. He silently complies. Pinkie sets the last card in her hand. “Alright, it’s your turn!” she declares, pointing with her index finger forward. Performapal King Bear lets out a mournful growl and its attack points decrease to 1700.
Akhlys draws. “Venom Serpent! Venom Snake!” Both monsters dive underwater and emerge a second later to bite Performapal King Bear on its rear legs, lowering its attack points to a mere 700. Performapal King Bear roars and thrashes, but the two vipers have already returned to Akhlys side. He sacrifices them both to summon Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes.
Pinkie watches with eyes like saucers as a massive humanoid snake emerges from the bottom of the swamp. The monster’s upper body is concealed by a robe and a golden crown in the shape of a cobra’s head. Two dozen snakes emerge from under its clothes, coiled around each other like arms.
Akhlys explains, “Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes gains 500 attack points for each Reptile monster in my graveyard!” The monster’s attack points calculate at 2000.
Pinkie does a quick count with her fingers and protests, “But you only sent three there!”
Akhlys chuckles. “Why yes…” He reveals Venom Boa in his graveyard. “You sent this one here.”
Pinkie’s face pales as she realizes it was due to the effect of her Performapal Swincobra. “Uh-oh…”
“Destroy it!” Akhlys suddenly shouts. “Venom Blow!” With astonishing speed, Vennominon raises its “arms” and every snake sprays Performapal King Bear simultaneously. Performapal King Bear falls unmoving into the depths of the swamp and Pinkie’s life points decrease to 2700. She lets out a scream of pain and doubles over, hugging her torso. “I-It hurts…”
Akhlys laughs thunderously. “And it will only get worse!” He spreads his arms and adds, “But by all means, don’t give up! I want to enjoy this more!”
Pinkie takes a deep breath before straightening herself. She holds the air, her puffed up cheeks becoming redder, until she suddenly slaps them both to let all the air out. “Alright!” She strikes a fighting pose and says, “Bring it on!”
Akhlys ends his turn. He grumbles softly and mutters, “Fool…”
“My turn!” Pinkie draws. Her newest card, Performapal Recasting, is useless by itself. She sets it aside, switches the Pendulum Scale of Performapal Parrotrio to seven and Pendulum Summons Performapal King Bear in attack position from her Extra Deck. “Go for it!” Performapal King Bear roars and knocks down Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes with a single strike of its mighty claws, lowering Akhlys’ life points to 2400. Unfazed, he removes Venom Boa from his graveyard and Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes emerges once again from the depths of the swamp, much to Pinkie’s shock and surprise.
“When Vennominon is destroyed in battle, I can special summon it right back by banishing a Reptile-Type monster in my graveyard,” Akhlys explains gleefully. Vennominon’s attack points recalculate at 1500.
Pinkie bites her lower lip. “That’s okay,” she reassures herself. “My Performapal King Bear still has the bigger attack!” She ends her turn and Venom Swamp lowers the attack points of Performapal King Bear down to 1700.
“Don’t be so sure,” Akhlys retorts. He draws and immediately plays the spell Venom Shot. “By sending a Reptile-Type monster from my deck to the graveyard I can place two Venom Counters on one of your face-up monsters!” He takes a second copy of Venom Snake and places it into his graveyard. Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes sprays Performapal King Bear, lowering its attack points to 700, while its own attack increases to 2000. Akhlys shouts, “Venom Blow!”
Pinkie braces herself, but the pain still sends her stumbling backwards and very nearly making her fall into the water of the swamp. Her life points decrease drastically, to 1400. As she rests her hands on her knees while gasping for air, she cannot help but make a comment, “Note…to self…check the…card text before…attacking next time…”
Akhlys sets a single card. “I end my turn.”
Pinkie’s breath stabilizes, but she still can feel her heart beating hard inside her chest. “How come you don’t even flinch when you get hit?” she asks with a slight frown of suspicion.
Akhlys tilts his head, a gesture that, coupled with his bird-like mask, results in an unsettling view. He asks back, “And why should I? The purpose of a Duel of Darkness is to cull the weak. It’s only natural they suffer for their weakness.” He pauses before adding, “Like you or that pathetic brat our Lady Nightmare punished herself…”
Pinkie frown deepens. For the first time, there’s no trace of her usual cheerfulness. “Hey! Don’t you say bad things about Spike! He did nothing to you guys!”
Akhlys laughs. “Did I hit a nerve?” he taunts. “Don’t worry, you’ll be following in his footsteps soon enough!”
Pinkie grits her teeth. “Draw!” She looks at her newest card and nods. “I switch Performapal Parrotrio’s Pendulum Scale to seven and Pendulum Summon!” Performapal King Bear appears back on the field, alongside Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer, both on defense position. Using the latter’s effect, Pinkie destroys Performapal Parrotrio and Performapal Swincobra, sending them face-up to the Extra Deck, to retrieve Performapal Springoose and Performapal Friendonkey from her deck. “Performapal Recasting!” Pinkie reveals her two Performapal monsters, shuffles them back into her deck and draws three cards. Her smile returns at seeing the contents of her new hand. She picks a card, holds it above her head and shouts, “Ultimate Spicy Flavored Combo of Victory! Performance Hurricane!” Pinkie slids the card into her Duel Disk and explains, “I can return a card you control to your hand for every one of my Performapals!”
Akhlys scoffs, “Predictable.” He unveils his set card, Snake Deity’s Command and reveals the remaining card in his hand, the third copy of Venom Snake. The holographic projection of Performance Hurricane darkens and sinks into the swamp.
Pinkie’s smile falters. She looks at her hand, containing Performapal Extra Slinger and Archfiend Eccentrick. I can’t make a Pendulum Summon like this, she thinks dismayed. Maybe I could use Archfiend Eccentrick to get rid of Venom Swamp? Suddenly, her eyes widen as a thought comes to her mind. Pinkie clicks her tongue and her smile returns in full force. “I end my turn!” she declares confidently. Venom Swamp lowers the attack points of Performapal King Bear and Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer to 1700 and 1000, respectively.
“My turn.” Akhlys draws and immediately sets his new card. “Venom Blow!” He waves his hand at Performapal King Bear and the monster is destroyed once again in a shower of poison. Akhlys ends his turn and the attack points of Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer go down further, to 500.
“My turn!” Pinkie draws, adding Performapal Drummerilla to her hand. She thinks she just needs to hold a bit longer. “I end my turn!” The attack points of Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer reach zero and the monster is swallowed by Venom Swamp.
“Idiot brat,” Akhlys hisses. “What are you trying to achieve?”
Pinkie grins cheerfully and winks. “It’s a surprise!”
Akhlys shakes his head. “Have you finally lost your mind?” He asks, tapping his mask at the side of his head. “How can you keep smiling like that even now?”
Pinkie rolls her eyes and sighs exaggeratedly. “Well, duh!” She points at her chest with her thumb and answers, “How can I make others smile if I don’t smile myself?” She puts the tip of her index fingers on the corners of her mouth and pushes up, making a comical smile to drive her point forward.
Akhlys draws fiercely. “Then fall into the darkness smiling!” He points forward and shouts, “Go, Vennominon! Venom Blow!” Pinkie swiftly answers with her set card. “Trap card! Performapal Pinch Helper!” The attack is negated and a cartoonish, yellow and red snake wearing a top hat jumps from under the water. It waves its tail, which has a glove attached at the tip.
Pinkie calls her monster’s name, “Performapal Partnaga!” She pumps her fist and declares, “I’m going to fight fire with fire! Snake with snake!”
Akhlys chuckles. “I see,” he mutters sinisterly. “So that’s your plan? Hold on until you can prepare a counterattack?” He slids a card into his Duel Disk. “You fool! I’ll dash your hopes with this spell! Snake Rain!” Akhlys discards Venom Snake, then picks four Reptile-Type monsters from his deck: three copies of Venom Cobra and one of Venom Boa. The attack points of Vennominon the King of Poisonous Snakes skyrocket to 4500. He finishes his turn and Venom Swamp claims the life of Performapal Partnaga.
“It’s my turn!” Pinkie shouts, drawing a card by tracing an arc over her head. “With my scale two Performapal Drummerilla and my scale seven Archfiend Eccentrick I set the Pendulum Scale!” Her two monsters ascend in pillars of light at her sides. “Swing, swing! And trace an arc in the sky like a smile! Pendulum Summon!” Multiple beams of light fall over her side of the field. “My friends!”
Performapal King Bear appears in attack position, flanked by Performapal Partnaga, Performapal Parrotrio, Performapal Swincobra and the newly drawn Performapal Guitartle, all of them in defense position. Performapal Partnaga stretches, encircling all of the other monsters together, and Performapal King Bear’s attack points go up to 3700. Pinkie explains, “When Performapal Partnaga is summoned, I can give one of my monsters 300 attack points for each one of my Performapals!” She spins her right arm and then punches forward. “Battle time!”
Performapal King Bear charges and its attack points increase further, to 4200. Pinkie points to her Performapal Drumerilla and shouts, “Drumming Beats!” Performapal King Bear’s attack increases one last time, to 4800, and it destroys Vennominon with a fierce slash. Akhlys’ life points decrease to 2100. Pinkie cheers, “Booyah!”
Akhlys shakes his head. “Useless.” He banishes Venom Cobra and Vennominon returns to the field with 4000 attack points.
Pinkie keeps her confident look as she declares the end of her turn. The swamp consumes every single one of her monsters with the exception of Performapal King Bear, which gets its attack points down to 1700.
Akhlys draws and immediately activates the spell Magic Planter, getting rid of his face-up Damage=Reptile trap to draw two cards. “I will teach you a lesson in futility.” He activates the spell Hammer Shot from his hand. “This will destroy the monster with the highest attack points on the field.” Pinkie blinks confused and points out that’s Vennominon. Akhlys laughs loudly. “Precisely!” A torrent of water disintegrates Vennominon and Akhlys waves his hand over his set card. “Trap card open! Rise of the Snake Deity!”
The water begins bubbling and a gigantic tail emerges surrounding both duelists. Akhlys spreads his arms and chants loudly, “Poison and devour those who would oppose our Lady Nightmare!” A massive humanoid snake with brilliant blue scales, twice the size of Vennominon, rises from behind Akhlys. The monster’s torso is that of a woman with eyes like rubies and snakes for hair. “Vennominaga the Deity of Poisonous Snakes!”
“Y-Yikes…” Pinkie mutters, fearfully taking a step backwards as Vennominaga raises its “arms”, both snakes large enough to swallow a cow whole.
Akhlys begins explaining gleefully, “Vennominaga gains 500 attack points for each Reptile-Type monster in my graveyard. It cannot be targeted or affected by the effect of Spells, Traps or other monsters and, if destroyed by battle, I can bring it back by banishing a Reptile.” He shouts proudly, “It is the strongest creature in my arsenal!” He follows with Burial from a Different Dimension to return his banished Venom Boa and Venom Cobra to the graveyard. Vennominaga’s attack points calculate at 5500. Akhlys orders the killing blow, “Destroy her, Vennominaga! Absolute Venom!”
Pinkie sends Performapal Pinch Helper to the graveyard. Performapal King Bear is destroyed, but she suffers no damage.
Akhlys scoffs, “You are a slippery little worm, but I’ll tell you something.” He raises his right hand, pointing at Vennominaga behind him. “When Vennominaga inflicts Battle Damage, it gains an Hyper-Venom Counter. Once it gains three of those, the duel will be over regardless of your life points!” He laughs triumpanthly before declaring the end of his turn.
Pinkie draws. She bows, spreads her arms and begins addressing an invisible audience, “Ladies and Gentlemen! Please give an applause to my friends, who fought bravely in this duel!” Akhlys looks baffled as Pinkie places her right hand over her chest and continues her speech, “It’s true we cannot defeat Vennominaga,” she raises her right hand and declares, “But we can still win this duel working together!”
“What are you talking about!?” Akhlys asks exasperated.
Pinkie activates the effect of Archfiend Eccentrick to destroy it along with Performapal Drummerilla on the opposing Pendulum Zone, effectively emptying her field. Taking a card from her hand, she sets it on her Pendulum Zone. “Performapal Extra Slinger!” A young boy dressed in a colorful attire with star prints ascends in a column of light to her side. Pinkie explains cheerfully, “Once per turn, I can inflict 300 points of damage to you for each face-up monster in my Extra Deck!”
There's a moment of silence before Akhlys realizes the meaning of her words and let’s out a pitiful squeal.
Pinkie makes a show of counting with her fingers and enumerating, “There’s King Bear, Partnaga, Guitartle, Parrotrio, Swincobra, Drummerilla and Archfiend Eccentrick.” She nods and confirms, “That’s makes seven of them!” Performapal Extra Slinger prepares to fire a small ball of energy with a toy sling. Pinkie points at Akhlys with her index finger and thumb raised upwards in the shape of a gun. She winks and says, “Boom, baby!”
Akhlys keeps waving his hands and shouting to no avail. Performapal Extra Slinger opens fire, hitting him right on his face, shattering his mask and lowering his life points to zero. Akhlys’ body vanishes in a puff of black smoke and the mist barrier around them immediately explodes upwards like a tornado. Pinkie squeaks and shields his face as the Venom Swamp, Vennominaga and her Extra Slinger are vacuumed, leaving her alone in the middle of the woods.
Pinkie giggles exhausted. She asks to no one, “Did you enjoy the show?”
The sound of running water reaches the ears of Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Rarity, making them hasten their pace, until they arrive to the edge of a raging river. “I take it we have to cross to the other side in order to continue?” Rarity asks, eyeing the water with concern.
Twilight replies in affirmative. The three girls begin looking around for a bridge, or at least a fallen log large enough to function as one. Rainbow Dash even takes into the sky, looking around for a while before descending and shaking her head dejectedly.
As the girls ponder their options, Rarity comments about having heard once that rivers like this one were created from the tears of rage cried by ancient, sea dragons. Rainbow Dash snorts and comments that’s one of the dumbest things she’s ever heard.
Twilight turns to Rainbow Dash and asks, “Do you think you could carry us across one at a time?”
Rainbow Dash grins. “Is that a challenge?” Before Twilight can answer, Rainbow Dash picks her up bridal-style, making her squeak in surprise. Rainbow Dash spreads her wings, crouches and then shoots upwards and forward; once she reaches the middle of the river, she glides down gracefully and lands on the opposite shore.
Twilight hops down and lets out a small breath. “Thank you,” she says. “I have to admit that was quite skillful from your part; putting all your strenght on the first flap and then gliding to better handle the weight.”
Rainbow Dash shrugs casually. “Eh, it was nothing, really.” Her grin turns mischieveous. “Speaking about weight, you may want to check yours; you’re a bit on the heavy side.”
Twilight blushes furiously. “W-Why you! I’ll let you know that I control my diet exte--” She doesn’t even get to finish before Rainbow Dash takes into the sky again.
Suddenly, a column of water shoots upwards from the middle of the river, blocking Rainbow Dash’s path and and making her beat her wings hastily to stay airborne. “W-What the--!?” She protests bewildered.
On the top of the water column stands a hooded figure, cape spread in the shape of bat-like wings. Unlike the previous foes, this one is clearly a woman; her tight-fitting black clothes heightening her voluptuous figure. Resting her right hand on her waist, she smiles smugly and says chidingly, “Foolish child, did you think I would let you cross this river without paying the toll?” She daintily extends her left hand, unveling a piece of armor from which extends a silver blade of pure magical energy, her Duel Disk. “I am Stygere. Faithful servant of Lady Nightmare Moon.”
“Oh yeah?” Rainbow Dash asks as she prepares to ignite her Duel Disk. “I’ve got your toll right here, you witch!”
A pure white piece of cloth suddenly wraps around Stygere’s neck swiftly and tightly like a snake. “W-Wha--” She turns around to see Rarity holding the other end of the cloth as it manifests from the Forbidden Dress card placed on her Duel Disk. “Didn’t they teach you the proper etiquette for group conversations?” Rarity asks in the same chiding tone Stygere used. “You shouldn’t focus on a single person and leave others dangling on the periphery, darling.”
Rainbow Dash looks at Rarity, who winks at her. Getting the message, Rainbow Dash nods and flies back next to Twilight, who kept watching the scene with trepidation. The two of them do not need to exchange words. Looking at Rarity one last time, they quickly head deeper into the Everfree Forest.
With a low growl of frustration, Stygere rips the cloth from around her neck. She descends to the ground, facing Rarity with a hateful smile and hisses, “I’ll make you regret taking your friend’s place…”
Rarity flicks her hair with a confident smile and retorts, “Words are redundant; let your duel do the talking.”