//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 Big Business Part 2 Duel 1 // Story: MLP Duel Academy // by Twistedphoenix1 //------------------------------// “Are you sure you want to do this darling?” Rarity asked concerned as Applejack was readying her duel disk. Everyone including Applebloom’s friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. were standing in a small clearing in the forest on the island, wanting to keep this duel private. “I have to Rarity,” AJ said as she looked over at her sister who was readying her own duel disk. “My parents entrusted our branch of the family business to me. I need to protect it...but can’t let the rest of my family lose their jobs either.” “No sweat!” Rainbow declared. “You’ll totally show these losers what for.” “Yeah! No doubt!” Pinkie grinned. “We all know how good a duelist you are Applejack,” Sunset said. “You just need to have confidence in yourself and your sister,” Twilight added. Fluttershy, who had nothing else to add just gave a reassuring smile and nodded. “Why didn’t you tell us about your family’s business?” Micro asked Sugar. “Yeah!” Spike continued. “We thought you just worked at your family’s store part time.” “I do work at a store that belongs to my family’s company,” Sugar sighed. “As for why I never mentioned it...it’s because whenever I do, it always leads back to the reason I own the shares.” His two friends grew silent as they remembered that Sugar only owns the shares because his parents passed away. “Are you sure you’re ok with risking those shares on this duel?” Spike asked. Sugar gave a sad smile. “I’m not about to let Applejack’s family be ruined by my uncles if there’s something I can do to help.” “Isn’t that sweet brother?” Flim’s voice said from behind the group. “It seems our little nephew has a crush.” The boys turned to see the two brothers grinning at them. “Too bad that such sentiment won’t be enough to save either of your businesses,” Flam said twisting his mustache. “How about we let our cards decide that?” Applejack said walking up. “Yeah!” Applebloom added. “We’ll send you two home with your tails between your legs!” “You tell them Applebloom!” Scootaloo shouted. “Teach them a lesson!” Sweetie added. “Very well,” Flim said as he and his brother activated their duel disks. “Shall we begin?” Flam continued. The sisters scowled at their opponent as they readied their disks. “LET’S DUEL!” AJ,AB 8000 Hands 5,5 F, F 8000 Hands 5,5 “I’ll start this duel off!” Applejack declared as she drew. “And I activate the field spell Amazoness Village!” The ground beneath their feet turned to dirt. Wooden huts sprouted up around the duelists and the surrounding trees seemed to change to palm trees. “Next I summon Amazoness Paladin in attack mode! (Lv4 1700/300)” A tanned skinned woman appeared in the doorway of one of the huts before jumping and taking her place in front of AJ. Her clothing was white cloth that formed a skirt and covered her breasts and head. Gold bracers adorned her arms and legs and she held a sword in her hand. “Next she gains 200 attack from fighting in her village, and 100 for each Amazoness I have on the field! (1700-2000). Next since I summoned an Amazoness, I get to special summon Amazoness Baby Tiger from my hand in defense mode! (Lv2 500/500)” A cute little baby tiger with a meal collar appeared on the field. (2000-2100) (500-700). “And with a facedown I end my turn.” AJ,AB 8000 Hands 2,5 F, F 8000 Hands 5,5 “I’ll take next turn,” Flim said. “Next I summon the Ruffian Railcar (Lv4 1800/1000).” In the distance, a train whistle could be heard. Trees fell as a hut was blasted to splinters as a red and yellow train car with an angry looking face appeared next to Flim. “Now I’ll start this duel off right! Ruffian Railcar! Slam that farm girl with 500 points of damage!” The train car blew its whistle and two lasers shot from the lights on its front. One missed but the other hit AJ’s shoulder. “GAH!” She cried out. Flim just smirked. “And with that I end with a facedown.” AJ, AB 7500 Hands 2,5 F, F 8000 Hands 4,5 As Applebloom drew her card, AJ held her shoulder. ‘What was that just now?’ She thought. ‘That...that actually hurt...They aren’t psychic duelists, Sugar would’ve said something.’ Everyone else’s attention was focused on Applebloom, but Sugar saw what she was doing. ‘What the…’ “My move!” Applebloom cried. “And I start by summoning Naturia Pumpkin! (Lv4 1400/800) And with his effect, since he was normal summoned, I can bring out another Naturia like my Naturia Horneedle! (Lv4 1800/100) And finally, when a Naturia monster activates its effect, I can special summon Naturia Hydrangea (Lv4 1900/2000)” A green pumpkin, leaf winged bumblebee, and blue hydrangea plant all rose sprouted from the ground in front of the young red head. “And with one face down I end!” “Way to go AB!” Scootaloo cheered. “AJ’s sister is pretty impressive,” Sunset said with Twilight nodding. Rarity huffed. “Well you just wait until you see Sweetie duel.” Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes but blushed all the same. AJ, AB 7500 Hands 2,3 F, F 8000 Hands 4,5 Flam drew his card and smirked when he saw it. Giving his brother a look he nodded and they shared a devious smirk. “First I activate the spell card Twin Twisters! So I discard my Orichalcos Shunoros in order to destroy your Amazoness Village and Applejack’s face down!” “Not so fast!” Applebloom called out. “Since I have at least one Naturia on the field, I can activate my face down, Exterio’s Fang to negate you Twisters. And all it costs is one card from my hand, so I discard Naturia Pineapple!” A glowing white fang appeared as two whirlwinds whipped up. The girls were forced to hold down their skirts, but the boys were standing in front so they didn’t get a peek (a realization that would annoy them to no end when things settled down). The fang shot a beam of light at the twisters which caused them to slow down before eventually dispelling. When the dust settled down, they were shocked to see the two brothers grinning. “Well at least that’s one trap out of the way,” Flam said, feigning disappointment. “Well I guess I’ll activate the effect of my brother’s Railcar. Time for 500 points of damage!” The railcar glowed again as it shot it’s beams towards Applebloom this time. The girl cried out in pain as the one beam caught her ankle. She fell to her knees and began rubbing her ankle. “What in tarnation!” Applejack shouted as she went to run to her sister, only for another train to rush between them, blocking her path. It had a red engine and a series of blue coal cars. “Sorry, did my Express Train Trolley Olley interrupt you (Lv4 1800/1000),” Flam said as the train took its place on his field. “Well, it is against the rules to look at your teammate’s hand in the middle of the duel so, I guess it was just trying to prevent you from cheating.” Sugar growled. “Flim! Flam! What the heck is going on here! Applebloom’s in real pain!” “Sorry dear nephew,” Flim said mockingly. “But sometimes in business, you have to step over the competition...and other times, you have to stomp them into the ground.” A dark shadowy energy formed up around the two brothers. “And thanks to our latest benefactor...that’s easier now than ever…” The younger girls of the group didn’t understand what was going on, but the rest of the group realized instantly. “DISCORD!” they shouted. A mad cackling sounded around the holographic village. The shadowy form of the chaos spirit appeared between the two brothers. “AAAHHH!” Sweetie Belle screamed as Rarity pulled her into a protective hug. Scootaloo was backing away from the creature as Rainbow stood in front of her. “What are you doing to my uncles!” Sugar demanded. Discord chuckled and conjured a recliner to lean back in. “You see, your uncles felt such a desire to beat the apple dumplings over there, that they practically radiated with negative and hateful energy. I simply gave them the means to achieve what they wanted.” Sugar narrowed his eyes. “And you get them as vessels so you can escape out into the rest of the world,” he spat. He didn’t like his uncles. Not because of what happened to his parents. He knew that was an accident. Their business practices afterwards as they tried to build their own business is what bothered him. They were willing to lie and manipulate anyone. Even so... “Don’t you two see! You won’t get anything out of this! He’s using you!” The two brothers acted like they didn’t hear him. “Good luck talking to them kid,” Discord said, munching a handful of popcorn he pulled from ....somewhere. “They are blind and deaf to anything but their own desires right now.” “This duel is over!” Applejack declared. “I won’t continue with my sister in danger!” “Ah ah ah,” Discord said as he snapped his fingers. Suddenly, bracers appeared on all four duelists ankles, Applebloom hissing in pain as it clamped to her injured one. “So long as you wear those Chaos Anklets, no one can leave this duel.” Applejack growled as Applebloom struggled to her feet. “Now that everyone understands the rules set in place,” Discord declared, changing his recliner and outfit into that of an old Roman emperor at his colliseum, his popcorn changing into a bowl of grapes. “On with the duel!” “And on with the instrument of you destruction!” Flam said. “I activate (original card) The Chaotic Machine-Dissonance!” The ground rumbled as behind the two brothers, the village began rumbling. Suddenly a large machine made of black metal shot from the ground, tearing the huts apart and ripping up trees. Pipes and wires sprouted at odd angles, connected to nothing as the smoke stacks pumped dark clouds of smog into the air, turning the sky dark. The school goers looked up at the terrible contraption as Discord’s cackling roared around them.