//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Practice and The Siege // Story: Equestria Girls: Card Wars Kingdom - The Goddess Card // by Golden Flare //------------------------------// "Commence Card Wars." Jinn and Pip were on their Deploy Phase after the coin toss, which ended up allow the former to go first, Jinn deployed his usual Ultra Dog, then Pip deployed a Beach Mum. "My Creatures shall kick your ass, New Kid!" Pip declared. "Pip, you have to wait your turn, Jinn won the coin toss." Stalwart reprimanded. "Aww..." "Sorry Pip, but that's the rules. Go ahead and make your move, Jinn. Don't be shy." Jinn nodded and deployed Green Mermaid and Angel Heart with his only 2 Energy, just like in his last battle. Pip's turn came and because the Drag Attack cost for Beach Mum was too much right now, he played a Cactus Costume card and gave his Creature the Thorns buff for three turns. It was Jinn's turn again, but he knew what would happen if he attacked, so instead he used a Ghost Thief card on Green Mermaid to draw a card, then used a Toilet of Gloom card on Pip's Beach Mum, which gave it Attack Down for three turns. "Not bad, Jinn," Stalwart praised, "but Card Wars is more than just buffs and debuffs, wait for an opening once the Thorns buff wears off and strike!" Beach Mum Thorns: 3 > 2 Turns Attack Down: 3 > 2 Turns Pip's turn started and now he attacks Angel Heart with Beach Mum, but thanks to Attack Down, it barely did a thing. Since Pip used up all his Energy in that Drag Attack, he had no choice but to end his turn. Jinn now had 4 Energy and used two Toilet Token cards to poison Beach Mum by 20% in total, then used an Alien Abduction card to extend Attack Down by two more turns and add 10% more poison, ending his turn as he ran out of Energy. Beach Mum Attack Down: 2 + 2 = 4 Turns Beach Mum Thorns: 2 > 1 Turns Attack Down: 4 > 3 Turns Poison: 30% The moment it was Pip's turn, the poison did its job and dropped Beach Mum's HP by almost half its maximum, Pip had Beach Mum attack Angel Heart again, then he played Thorny Tome on Beach Mum, which allows Pip to draw a card, but if the Creature he used it on has the Thorns buff, he's allow to draw two cards instead of one, which he did before he ended his turn. Jinn decided that it was time to nip this battle in the bud, he used the last card in his hand, Abraca Amadeus, to have Ultra Dog use a Magic Attack on Beach Mum, severely weakening it, but using the card used up all of Jinn's Energy, so he had to end his turn. "Uh-oh..." Pip mumbled. Beach Mum Thorns: 1 > 0 Turns Attack Down: 3 > 2 Turns Poison: 30% Unfortunately for Pip, the poison finished the job and diminished the rest Beach Mum's HP, destroying it and making Jinn the victor. "Congratulations. You're the Cool Guy." "Very impressive." Stalwart complimented, "You beat Pip in less than five turns and you didn't even use a Drag Attack. You have proven yourself worthy to see the relic that brought on this conflict, meet us in the castle." The three princesses left and entered the makeshift castle as Jinn went to the card shop and gotten another Creature card, Snake Mint, before heading inside the castle. As Jinn entered, he noticed that the princesses were eagerly awaiting his arrival. Stalwart motioned behind her, "Here it is. The reason why people have been divided and locked into a never-ending war. The relic that Wondercolt and Servant are willing to die for..." Jinn saw the relic that sat behind her and the other princesses; a card that had the image of a female higher being surrounded by angels. "...The Goddess Card." Stalwart continued, "Two days ago, we took the Card back from the Servants of the Tiara. Our Kingdom was dying, but now it thrives. For whomever controls The Goddess Card, controls the fate of the world." Stalwart and the other princesses guided Jinn to the side, away from The Goddess Card, "Now that you have seen The Goddess Card, we must plan our next course of action. It's only a matter of time before--" Suddenly, an alarm started blaring out around the area, and Pip rushed in with a smartphone in his hand using an alarm app. "Pip?! What's going on?!" Speedaloo asked, surprised. "The Servants are attacking the Kingdom!" he said. "Shoot!" Stalwart cursed, "I didn't think they'd strike this soon! Quick everyone, defensive positions!" Jinn and the princesses ran out of the castle to see what the commotion is. "Man the gate! Nothing and nobody gets in!" Stalwart commanded. "Give us the Card, Wondercolts!" one of the Servants ordered. "Screw that noise, Servant! Take it if you can!" Speedaloo said back, then turned to Snips and Snails, "I can't believe I'm saying this...Snips! Snails! Guard The Goddess Card while our troops defend the Kingdom!" "Righty-o, boss!" they both saluted and ran into the castle. Speedaloo sighed, "Why did we let them play with us again...?" she turns to Jinn, "Jinn, this is your chance to prove that you can truly hold your own. Push back the enemy forces at any cost!" Jinn nods and rushes into Card Wars battle. Meanwhile... Three lone girls wearing hoodies and sweatpants were watching the commotion at the Apple's Farm; the leader had big, poofy orange hair with yellow streaks, yellow skin, and rose eyes, the second in command had long purple pigtails with aquamarine streaks, pink skin, and purple eyes, and the last one had light blue hair with mulberry streaks, blue skin, and rose eyes. "Ugh...!" the pigtailed girl groaned, "Why are we even spying on these kids, Adagio? The Rain-blooms, or whatever they're called, have been at some camp for the whole week. So why are we watching these kids run around like idiots?" "Because, Aria," Adagio began, "I'm hoping to see where the Rainbooms get their power from, but...I think I have another plan. Sonata, bust out the emergency savings and buy us some Card Wars cards and those War Wrist things." Sonata gasped loudly, "We're gonna finally play Card Wars?! For realizes?!" "But why, Adagio?" Aria asked. "Let's just say I..." she started as she gazed at a certain boy with malicious smirk on her face, "...have a hunch." Back with Jinn and the Wondercolt Kingdom, he was pushing back all of the Servants forces with relative ease, he assumed that the Servants he's facing must be the grunts. "Congratulations. You're the Cool Guy." With last battle fought and won, the Servant grunts began to stand up after being knocked down by Jinn and his Creatures. "Servants! Fall back! Fall back I say!" the leader of the grunts shouted as the enemy troops ran off. "We did it! We protected The Goddess Card!" Stalwart declared. "Huzzah!" the Wondercolt army cheered. Just then, a guilty looking Snips and Snails walked up to the princesses, "It's gone." Snips said. The princesses looked shocked, then Speedaloo deadpanned, "...What." "The Goddess Card. The Servants took it." Snails said. A tense silence followed his words, then Speedaloo exploded. "THAT WAS YOUR ONE STINKING JOB, YOU TWO!! TO GUARD THE STINKING GODDESS CARD!!" Stalwart groaned in exasperation. Fair spoke next, "Right, just for that, we're kicking you two out of the game." "What?!" Snips yelped. "You can't do that! We like this game!" Snails protested. "We created this game, so we call the shots!" Speedaloo countered, "And we say you two are out of the game!" "Yeah! Go home guys!" Pip jeered. Dejectedly, Snips and Snails left the Kingdom and the farm altogether as Stalwart addressed Jinn, "You fought courageously on the battlefield, Jinn." "Yeah, I agree," Twist spoke with a lisp, "And might I add, he's also easy on the eyes..." "True, but we're not at that point in the game yet. Anyways, we now have a massive problem! The Goddess Card has been taken from us and we must assemble our entire army to retrieve it." "But milady, three of our best players still haven't reported for duty yet!" Pip interjected. "Our newest soldier can take care of that! Jinn, we want you to go out into the Canterlot neighborhood and gather our best players; Tender Taps, Zipporwhill, and Babs Seed. Here's their character sheets with their pictures on them." Stalwart handed Jinn the sheets as he looked them over and nodded, "But beware...the roads are full of dangers, from Servants all the way down to Crystal Preppers, don't ask. Make sure you are well equipped with good cards. Now go! And bring our fellow comrades!" Jinn nods in confirmation. "Pip, go with him in case there are more opponents than one and even the odds." Pip bows, "At once, milady." Pip is now Jinn's partner in battle. With his path set, Jinn, along with his friend, head out to gather the remaining members of the Crusading Wondercolts, completely unaware that they are being followed by three figures...