Cont. from Applejack vs. Opponent
Applejacks Turn: Applejack attacks the opponent directly with X-Saber Souza (ATK: 2500 DEF: 1600).
Opponent’s Life Points: 1300 -> 0
Applejack wins.
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Applejack got a round of applause from the people watching, and even did her trademark cross-legged pose as a bow of sorts.
“Jesus,” grunted the opponent. “I can’t believe I just got beat by a friggin’ horse.” Applejack couldn’t believe the rudeness of this person.
“That’s a pony to you, sir,” said Applejack, trying to be as nice as possible.
“Pony. Horse. You’re still a stupid animal.”
“Why you little-” Applejack trotted over to the man with an angry scowl on her face, which seemed to amuse him, but someone stepped in front of Applejack, blocking her path. Applejack looked up and saw from the look he gave her that it was Claude.
“Excuse me,” said Claude to the opponent, “is there a problem here?”
“No problem,” said the man, “except this stupid horse cheated me.”
“Why I’d never,” protested Applejack, trying to get past Claude but to no avail.
“You know that talking to her like that can get you in serious trouble right?” asked Claude.
“Oh right,” scoffed the man, “and what are you going to do about it?”
“How about you just leave right now before I kick your ass? And not with my cards.”
“Oh ok-” said the man before he lunged at him with a punch. Claude grabbed him by the wrist with his left hand and made a powerful punch square in his face with his right.
“Oh my stars,” quietly exclaimed Applejack over the unconscious bully.
“Come on,” said Claude, motioning Applejack to him. From the look on everyone’s face, it was clear that they weren’t even thinking of messing with her.
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Applejack and Claude stopped by the baseball field in the park to take a breather after what had transpired.
“Thank you kindly for the save, Claude. That guy was a real jerk.”
“Yeah well,” began Claude, “not all humans are the nicest people.”
“Well, we have our share of nasty ponies back home too. From what I heard, somepony tried charging one of my friends twenty bits for a single cherry and then immediately sold it to some random mare for two bits.”
“Really? What a dick.” Applejack giggled.
“Yeah, he sure wasn’t too kind. Shame too, ‘cause I buy fruit from that shop all the time. Well, I should say ‘used’ to buy.”
“I heard that. Anyways, you should probably get back to dueling. You won’t have to worry about that guy again.”
“Wait a sec, why don’t I duel you?”
“Duel me?”
“Why not? You’re eligible to play, you’re right here, and we have this fancy-shmancy baseball field to duel on. Come on, Claude, it will be a hoot!”
“Mmm, alright. I guess one duel wouldn’t hurt.” Clade picked up the pony and hopped the fence, putting her back down on the other side.. Applejack galloped to home plate while Claude stood on second.
“Excuse me sir,” said an administrator, walking up to the gate, “you’re not allowed to be on the baseball field.”
“Hm,” exclaimed Claude with a smile. “So you’re telling me that we have all these duelists here and you’re going to restrict them of this space. There’s enough room here for at least four duels here.”
“…I’m sorry, but we can’t let anyone else see this, otherwise we’d have to let others in here.”
“Too late,” called a voice. Everyone looked to see Alex, followed by Twilight, Tom, and Rainbow Dash.
“Howdy y’all,” addressed Applejack. “You come to watch us duel?”
“In honesty, we were going to try and use the baseball as an arena too, but it seems you’ve beaten us to it.”
“No, no,” responded the admin. “They’re going to leave. We can’t let anyone duel here.”
“Alright then,” said Tom. “Have fun telling it to those guys. Tom waved his finger around the area of people who were gathered to watch the duel between Claude and Applejack.
“People, there’s nothing to see here. Go back to whatever you were doing!” It was evident that no one intended on moving a muscle. The admin tried to hop the fence to address them directly, but kept mysteriously tripping on his way down. “What’s going on?” he muttered.
Unbeknownst to him, Twilight’s horn was glowing around the admin's shirt, and she and Alex giggled at his failed attempts to stop them.
“Now that that’s settled,” said Claude, “let’s go!” Claude unsheathed his D-Pad, followed by Applejack. The two duelists drew five cards from their decks.
“DUEL!” they both yelled.
Claude vs. Applejack
Claude’s Turn: Claude summons Heroic Challenger – Double Lance (ATK: 1700 DEF: 900). When Heroic Challenger Double Lance is normal summoned, Claude can special summon another Heroic Challenger – Double Lance from his hand in defense position. Claude overlays both Heroic Challenger – Double Lances to xyz summon Heroic Champion – Gandiva (ATK: 2100 DEF: 1800).
Claude places two cards face down and ends his turn.
Status: Hand-2 Life-4000 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-2
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I know your deck, Applejack, thought Claude. If you think you’re going to pull any punches on me, you’ve got another thing coming. Now come at me, Applejack. Come at me with all of your strength.
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Applejack’s Turn: Applejack activates Pot of Greed, drawing two cards. Next, Applejack summons XX-Saber Boggart Knight (ATK: 1900 DEF: 1000). When Boggart Knight is normal summoned, Applejack can special summon a level 4 or lower X-Saber monster from her hand, choosing X-Saber Airbellum, but Claude activates Heroic Champion – Gandiva’s effect. By detaching one xyz material from it when his opponent special summons a level 4 or lower monster to their side of the field, Claude can destroy that monster.
Applejack activates the field spell Saber Vault, having all Saber monsters gain 100 ATK times their level and lose 100 DEF times their level (ATK: 1900 -> 2300, DEF: 1000 -> 600).
Applejack attacks Heroic Champion – Gandiva with XX-Saber Boggart Knight.
Claude’s Life Points: 4000 -> 3800
Applejack places two cards face down and ends her turn.
Status: Hand-2 Life-4000 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-2
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“Yeehaw,” cheered Applejack whilst standing on her hind legs and spinning her arms forward. “How do you like them apples, Claude?”
“Not nearly as much as you’ll like these.”
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Claude’s Turn: Claude activates his face down Xyz Reborn, special summoning Heroic Champion – Gandiva from his graveyard and attaching Xyz Reborn as xyz material to it. Claude then activates The Warrior Returning Alive, adding a Warrior-type monster to his hand from the graveyard, choosing Heroic Challenger – Double Lance. Claude summons Heroic Challenger – Double Lance.
Claude activates Heroic Challenger – Double Lance’s effect again, special summoning another Heroic Challenger Double Lance from his graveyard in defense position. Claude overlays both Heroic Challenger – Double Lances to xyz summon Heroic Champion – Excalibur (ATK: 2000 DEF: 2000). Claude activates Heroic Champion – Excalibur’s effect. By detaching two xyz materials from it, Heroic Champion – Excalibur’s ATK becomes double its original ATK until his opponent’s end phase (ATK: 2000 -> 4000).
Claude attacks XX-Boggart Knight with Heroic Champion – Excalibur.
Applejack’s Life Points: 4000 -> 2300
Claude attacks Applejack directly with Heroic Champion – Gandiva.
Applejack’s Life Points: 2300 -> 200
Claude activates his face down Heroic Gift. When his opponent’s life points are 2000 or less, his opponent’s life points become 8000 and Claude can draw two cards.
Applejack’s Life Points: 200 -> 8000
Claude equips Heroic Champion – Excalibur with Xyz Jeweled Crown, making its rank its level (Rnk.: 4 -> Lvl.: 4).
Claude places one card face down and ends his turn.
Status: Hand-2 Life-3800 Monsters-2 Face Down Cards-1
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“What in Celestia’s name do you think you’re doing?” asked Applejack, annoyed.
“What?” Claude responded. “I needed some more cards.”
“Don’t try and sandbag me by giving me more life points. I ain’t no pushover.”
“I believe it. But I needed some cards, and plus, at this rate you aren’t going to survive much longer anyways. I’d like this duel to see some more turns.”
“I’ll show you who ain’t gonna survive much longer.”
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Applejack’s Turn: Applejack activates Graceful Charity, drawing three cards and discarding two. Next, she activates Space Cyclone, detaching an xyz material from Heroic Champion – Gandiva. Applejack summons XX-Saber Fulhelmknight (ATK: 1300 DEF: 1000). Applejack then activates her face down Gottoms’ Emergency Call, special summoning two X-Saber monsters from her graveyard when she controls an X-Saber monster, choosing X-Saber Airbellum (ATK: 1600 DEF: 200) and XX-Saber Boggart Knight.
When Applejack controls two or more X-Saber monsters, Applejack can special summon XX-Saber Faultroll from her hand (ATK: 2400 DEF: 1800). Once per turn, Applejack can special summon a level 4 or lower X-Saber monster from her graveyard, choosing another X-Saber Airbellum. Applejack tunes XX-Saber Faultroll with X-Saber Airbellum to synchro summon XX-Saber Gottoms (ATK: 3100 DEF: 2600).
Applejack tunes XX-Saber Boggart Knight with X-Saber Airbellum to synchro summon X-Saber Souza (ATK: 2500 DEF: 1600). Saber Vault's effect increases her monsters’ ATKs and decreases their DEFs (ATK: 3100 -> 4000, DEF: 2600 -> 1700) (ATK: 2500 -> 3200, DEF: 1600 -> 900) (ATK: 1300 -> 1600, DEF: 1000 -> 700).
Applejack attacks Heroic Champion – Gandiva with X-Saber Souza, but Claude activates Heroic Advance. When a Heroic monster he controls is targeted for attack, he can switch the attack to a level 4 or lower Heroic monster he controls and double the Heroic monster’s ATK until the end phase, choosing Heroic Champion – Excalibur (ATK: 4000 -> 8000). No monsters are destroyed by battle with this effect.
Applejack’s Life Points: 8000 -> 3200
During her end phase, Heroic Champion – Excalibur’s ATK is reduced to normal by both Heroic Advance’s effect and its own effect (ATK: 8000 -> 2000).
Applejack ends her turn.
Status: Hand-0 Life-3200 Monsters-3 Face Down Cards-1
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Applejack scowled at the heavy loss in her life points, leading Claude to merely shrug as if saying, “I told you so.” There was no denying it. Claude using Heroic Gift made perfect sense. He set up a fantastic combo for himself that could wipe away the vast number of life points given by the card’s effect.
“You really are an incredible duelist,” calmly complimented Applejack. “To think you would make such a tricky move to not only protect your monster, but deal a bunch of damage to me too.”
“Of course,” flatly responded Claude. “I protect my monsters because they’re my allies, just like you and your friends are. It’s my obligation to protect them, just like I have an obligation to protect you. It’s the Heroic way.”
“Heroic way?”
“What is he talking about?” said Tom out loud. Claude then turned to face Tom, acknowledging that he heard him.
“You know that I was hired by the government to watch over Twilight, her friends, and the holders of the Stones of Equus, right?”
Not many people watching knew what he was talking about when he mentioned the latter of the three things, but they still listened to Claude anyways.
“I never consider the protection of the innocent a labor or a job. I regard it as a purpose.”
“A purpose?” Applejack asked.
“I’ve spent most of my adolescent life watching as thugs and bullies would have their way with the weak and helpless. Once I finally reached the end of my patience, I saw to it that I would see the end to pain and suffering around me. I would duel in the school playgrounds for the protection of kids whom would be normally picked on; I would become their hero. I gained a lot of respect from both my peers and elders for my bravery, and it was that bravery that got me assigned here after I joined the military after school.
“Right now, I have a beautiful wife who’s eight months pregnant. I intend to be my child’s hero too, and I intend to make this a brighter world for my child to grow up in.”
“Claude…” sighed Alex, touched by Claude’s story. Applejack’s eyes were even a bit misty.
“Claude,” she said. “With your Heroic ways, I think you’d be a great dad. And for what it’s worth, I consider you my hero too.”
Claude smiled and nodded at Applejack’s words.
“Oh, and sugar, its your move.” Claude shook his head, as if he was waking from a trance.
“Right.”
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Claude’s Turn: Claude activates Xyz Jeweled Crown’s effect, having a monster equipped with it be treated as two materials for an xyz summon. Claude overlays Heroic Champion – Excalibur to xyz summon another Heroic Champion – Excalibur. Claude then activates Overlay Regenerate, attaching itself as an xyz material to Heroic Champion – Excalibur. Claude activates Heroic Champion – Excalibur’s effect, detaching two xyz materials from it to have Heroic Champion – Excalibur’s ATK becomes double its original ATK until his opponent’s end phase (ATK: 2000 -> 4000).
Claude attacks XX-Saber Fulhelmknight with Heroic Champion – Gandiva, but Applejack activates XX-Saber Fulhelmknight’s effect, negating the attack. Claude then attacks X-Saber Souza with Heroic Champion – Excalibur.
Applejack’s Life Points: 3200 -> 2400
Claude sets one monster.
Claude places one card face down and ends his turn.
Status: Hand-0 Life-3800 Monsters-3 Face Down Cards-1
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“You may be my friend,” said Applejack, “but that ain’t gonna stop me from taking a chunk out of your life points.”
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Applejack’s Turn: Applejack activates her face down Burning Strike, giving a monster of hers the effect of piercing damage, choosing XX-Saber Fulhelmknight. Applejack attacks Claude’s face down monster with XX-Saber Fulhelmknight, which was a Morping Jar (ATK: 700 DEF: 600).
Claude's Life Points: 3800 -> 2800
When Morphing Jar is flip summoned, all players discard their hands and draw five cards from their decks. When XX-Saber Fulhelmknight destroys a defense position monster by battle, Applejack can special summon a level 4 or lower X-Saber monster from her graveyard, choosing XX-Saber Darksoul (ATK: 100 DEF: 100). Applejack attacks Heroic Champion – Gandiva with XX-Saber Gottoms, but Claude activates Invincible Hero, preventing his monster’s destruction by battle. Damage is still calculated.
Claude’s Life Points: 2800 -> 900
Applejack normal summons XX-Saber Emmersblade (ATK: 1300 DEF: 800). Applejack tunes XX-Saber Darksoul and XX-Saber Emmersblade with XX-Saber Fulhelmknight to synchro summon another XX-Saber Gottoms, its ATK increasing and DEF decreasing due to Saber Vault (ATK: 3100 -> 4000, DEF: 2600 -> 1700).
During Applejack’s end phase, Heroic Champion – Excalibur’s ATK goes back to normal due to its effect (ATK: 4000 -> 2000).
Applejack places one card face down and ends her turn.
Status: Hand-3 Life-2400 Monsters-2 Face Down Cards-1
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Applejack’s friends cheered at her sudden comeback. But that didn’t seem to keep Claude from smiling too.
“In order for anyone to be a hero,” Claude said, “they have to be strong or cunning enough to take down whatever enemy is in their way. Are you ready to see the unbridled strength and cunning of my deck?”
“Do your worst,” cheered Applejack.
“With pleasure.”
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Claude’s Turn: Claude activates Pot of Greed, drawing two cards. Claude places one card face down. Claude then activates Heroic Call, special summoning a Heroic Challenger monster from his hand, choosing Heroic Challenger – War Hammer (ATK: 2100 DEF: 1300). Next, Claude activates Hidden Armory, adding an equip spell card from his graveyard to his hand, choosing Xyz Jeweled Crown. Claude equips Heroic Champion – Gandiva with Xyz Jeweled Crown, making its rank its level (Rnk.: 4 -> Lvl.: 4).
Claude then activates Gift of the Martyr, sending a monster that he controls to the graveyard to have another monster he controls gain the attack of the sent monster until the end phase, sending Heroic Champion – Excalibur to the graveyard to have Heroic Champion – Gandiva gain its ATK (ATK: 2100 -> 4100). Lastly, Claude activates Double Attack, discarding a monster card from his hand and having a monster with a lower level that he controls attack twice this turn, discarding another Heroic Challenger – War Hammer to have Heroic Champion – Gandiva attack twice this turn.
Claude attacks one of Applejack’s XX-Saber Gottoms with Heroic Champion – Gandiva.
Applejack’s Life Points: 2400 -> 2300
Claude attacks the other XX-Saber Gottoms with Heroic Champion – Gandiva.
Applejack’s Life Points: 2300 -> 2200
Claude attacks Applejack directly with Heroic Challenger – War Hammer.
Applejack’s Life Points: 2200 -> 100
During the end phase, Heroic Champion – Gandiva’s ATK returns to normal (ATK: 4100 -> 2100).
Claude ends his turn.
Status: Hand-0 Life-900 Monsters-2 Face Down Cards-1
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Alright, thought Claude. It’s obvious that her trap card has nothing to do with battles. If I can keep my advantage on the field right now, this duel is as good as won for me.
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Applejack’s Turn: Applejack activates Monster Reborn, special summoning XX-Saber Gottoms from her graveyard (ATK: 3100 -> 4000, DEF: 2600 -> 1700).
Applejack attacks Heroic Champion – Gandiva with XX-Saber Gottoms. Claude tries to activate Battle Break, but Applejack activates Trap Jammer, negating and destroying Battle Break. The attack goes through.
Claude’s Life Points: 900 -> 0
Applejack wins.
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Claude, being the strong person that he was, quickly sat up to see Applejack standing right in front of him.
“You alright, partner?” asked Applejack.
“Never better,” answered Claude. Applejack gave Claude a hearty, warm hug, which Claude gently returned.
“Hey,” called the admin. “You had your duel, now get out of here before I disqualify you from the competition altogether.”
“Alright fine,” sighed Claude, getting up. He and Applejack hopped the fence to the outside of the fenced area. “Just have fun telling it to those guys.”
Claude pointed at the multiple duelists hopping the fences to the inside of the ball park to duel each other.
The admin tried to tell people to get away, but there were too many for him to do anything about it. Applejack and Claude walked up next to Alex, Tom, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash. All six friends laughed as the admin's miserably failed to keep the duelists off the baseball field.
