//------------------------------// // Duel #4: Revelations: The Power to Change the World // Story: Equestria Girls: Duel Monsters // by Night-Quill //------------------------------// As the afternoon transitioned into evening, Twilight let Apple Bloom and her friends turn to their own devices once it was decided best to no longer cause a ruckus with the sounds of their dueling. It was here when Applejack informed her that she would be rooming with her for the night. Like the rest of the house, Applejack’s room was equally rustic in its décor; simplistic and minimal with a bed, a drawered desk, a bookcase and a closet. The only contemporary elements being what looked to be a miniaturized variant of a computer with the screen attached to the component that Twilight had learned was referred to as a keyboard, along with the red and green duel disk settled on top of a shelf along with some trophies and ribbons hanging off the edge. As Applejack was busy rummaging through the closet, Twilight took note of a series of portraits hung up above her bed and nightstand. One was of Applejack as a child along with Big Macintosh and her holding onto a baby Apple Bloom. At the very top was a photo of a man whose physique matched that of Big Macintosh, with bright yellow skin and wearing what had to be the same Stetson as Applejack, and a smaller woman with dark cream skin and frizzled, bright orange hair with freckles similar once again to Applejack. It didn’t take much to come to the conclusion who those were. Twilight decided to not refrain from saying anything; the Applejack she knew back home did not like talking about it either. Applejack emerged out of the closet, a rolled up green sleeping bag clutched under one arm, “Found it!” she proclaimed, setting the rolled-up bedding beside the nightstand, “Took a while since Ah haven’t had a use for it for quite a while.” Twilight couldn’t help but smile at the hint of nostalgia, “It kind of reminds me of my first slumber party.” Applejack sat down on her bed, crossing her legs and leaning back, “Must be tough. Ah mean comin’ out on your own, new school and whatnot,” she remarked, “Just a shame it had to be durin’ the fall formal match fast approachin’.” Twilight looked over at the farm girl. She gingerly sat herself down at the foot of Applejack’s bed, to which Applejack sat up straight, leaning forward, looking as if she were expecting a question, “Applejack… If it’s not too much of a bother… That is, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you, if that’s alright.” “What’s up?” “Well, I had a talk with Apple Bloom and her friends out back.” “Yea; you lot seemingly took a shine to one another,” Applejack interjected, “Uh, sorry. You were sayin’?” “I heard… That is to say, the girls told me you and their sisters, or equivalent, used to be friends,” Twilight stated, “And that there’s something come between you and-” Applejack suddenly sprang up from the bed, “Ah gotta go check on the chicken coop!” she downright blurted out as she walked briskly out the room, leaving a staggered Twilight sitting on the bed. It was only a moment after when Spike entered the room, glancing behind him before hopping up next to Twilight. “What was she in a hurry for?” the dog inquired, idly scratching his head with a hind paw. “I… don’t know,” Twilight replied slowly, “Speaking of, what have you been doing this entire time?” Spike imitated what could best be interpreted as a shrug, “Couldn’t speak to anyone, so I was just talking to Winona.” Twilight looked down at the dragon turned dog in surprise, “Wait, you can actually talk to dogs now?” “Yea. I was just as surprised as you are!” he exclaimed in response, “Now I know what it’s like to be Fluttershy. Surprisingly, Winona was pretty eloquent and had a lot of interesting thoughts to share…” Twilight glanced to the side for no particular reason other than the further rising questions pertaining to inter-dimensional travel on top of the scores already in her mind, “So… What did the two of you talk about?” “I think the better question would be why Applejack nearly stormed outside,” Spike interjected, “Seriously, did something happen?” “I honestly don’t know,” Twilight shrugged, “I tried asking her about what’s happened between her and Rainbow Dash. Then she just storms off.” Twilight shook her head, “If there’s any doubt; that is definitely an Applejack. Stubborn and obstinate when she can be…” “Oh Twilight, I thought I knew you better than this…” Spike chortled as he leapt off the bed, “With someone as stubborn as Applejack, you gotta be more indirect…” “What are you on about?” Twilight asked, watching the purple dog look through a series of lined books at the bottom of Applejack’s nightstand. “You probably didn’t spot it from up there, but see, I saw this when I came in,” elaborated the dog, pushing his weight down on the upright row, toppling them on their other side, exposing something that looked much more out of place. It was a small picture frame nestled at the very back of the line of books. Twilight knelt to the floor and reached for it, the image having been hidden unveiling itself. Five familiar faces stared out towards her from the photo, sending a wash of fondness through Twilight’s very soul. It was a photo of five girls whom she instantly recognized. At the far left, slightly leaning, grasping a sports ball of some kind against her, a pair of goggles hanging loosely from her neck was Rainbow Dash. Her streaked hair was worn loose, unlike the flayed tail she’d seen the modern-day one at the gymnasium sport. A confident grin adorned her face. Next to her seated on a bench was definitely Pinkie Pie, even at a glance, her hair seeming even more frazzled than normal, sporting an impossibly wide grin accented with both hands held to the sides of her face, her fingers extended into a V at either side of her mouth. Nestled in between all five was Fluttershy, looking slightly nervous, both hands, with the fingers curved inwards below her face. Despite all of that, she seemed to have managed a slight smile, her eyes diverted in the direction of Pinkie, who’s arm had obstructed her just slightly. After her, the last one on the bench was a girl with alabaster white skin with a purple head of hair that was styled into a graceful curl at the front, her legs held to the side in a sultry, neat pose. It could be nonother than Rarity. What caught Twilight’s eye in particular was her holding onto a hand over on her right shoulder, belonging to Applejack who stood to Rarity’s left, very close to her in fact, as the farmgirl looked up at the camera with a wide, upbeat smile, her other hand holding over her Stetson. “It’s our friends,” Twilight said in a hushed tone, holding the frame in both hands, seeing them just as they were back home, of course herself missing from the group. Which begs the question: Shouldn’t there also be a “me” in this world as well? Or am I not at the stage where we were to meet… As Twilight’s mind wandered into the uncomfortable territory at the possibility of the deterministic universe, Spike crawled onto her lap from underneath, “So is there a Rarity in this world too… Is she holding hands with Applejack?” Twilight paid no mind to Spike’s question pertaining to his boyhood… puppyhood… whichever, crush as she perched the portrait onto the nightstand proper, “At least this proves that they were friends once…” That’s when Twilight noticed another, smaller picture frame behind the lamp on the nightstand, turned towards the wall, looking like it had been deliberately hidden. She stood up from her kneeling position and reached around to pick it up. Turning it around, she saw that it was a picture of Applejack, with the other half being covered by, surprisingly, a facedown Duel Monsters card. She slid the card off and examined it. The card bore the image of a beautiful woman with beautiful golden hair flowing in the breeze. The figure was turned away from the viewer, only the side of her face visible. Her garments consisted of a beautiful soft red, frilly dress, with rose décor lining said frills, the back largely exposed, while a golden tiara adorned her head. The background was a softly painted view of roses blowing in the breeze with her hair. Twilight also noticed the rather sizable obstructions on the woman’s chest, her mind for a moment going back to her attempts at understanding their reason for being, when she noticed something peculiar in the image. Should the woman’s hair be tied back near the end, and if the tiara was replaced with a specific kind of hat, she would look quite similar to a certain someone. “Rose Lover…” Twilight read aloud the name inscribed upon the card. She then looked at the photograph, now unobstructed. Her eyes widened upon beholding it entirety. The photo was of Applejack and Rarity, Applejack standing behind Rarity with the two of them at a slightly sideward angle, with her arms wrapped around Rarity’s stomach, all the while her head rested against the purple-haired girl’s left shoulder. Rarity’s left arm in turn was folded up so as to hold her hand against the side of Applejack’s head. The both of them were smiling happily in the photo, with Rarity looking a shade or two redder and looked close to a joyous laugh. Twilight’s attention was diverted at the sound of a disgruntled cough. Applejack stood just a few feet in from the door, arms crossed, her left brow raised much akin to the very expression her Equestrian counterpart would do. Twilight found herself at a loss for words from getting caught. Twilight stammered uncontrollably, the photo and Rose Lover still in her hands as Applejack approached, “Ah guess your folks didn’t teach you to not go prying into other people’s matters…” Frankly, all Twilight could do at this point was to just look apologetically at Applejack, handing her the photo, expecting the farmgirl to snatch it away in anger. To her surprise, she simply took it and slumped down, looking down at the photo, her expression quickly dissolving from anger to an expression of sadness. She looked almost longing as she looked down at the image. Her shoulder lowered in a sigh. “Well…” she began, her hand limping down, the picture hanging from her fingers, “Ah guess that answers at least some of your questions, at any rate…” she looked away, “Goddammit, Apple Bloom…” “So then… you were friends,” Twilight stated, “I just don’t understand-” “More than just friends, some of us,” Applejack interjected, looking back at the photo of her and Rarity, “Her name’s Rarity. We all knew each other way back from grade school. But her and me, we were always pretty close…” Applejack’s initial anger aside, it seemed being an impromptu sleuth had at least some results, what with the farmgirl openly spilling the beans now, awful as it made Twilight feel having ostensibly forced her. She watched as Applejack gripped the photo in both hands, leaning her elbows on her knees, “She’s all about fashion an’ designin’ things and lookin’ pretty, while Ah’m just a simple to-the-point, roughin’-it country gal. But we understood each other.” She looked up in reminiscence, Twilight being able to make out the tiniest hints of a smile, “Ah’ve relatives livin’ in Manehatten, the Oranges. Now, we don’t see ‘em very often, just on those few rare occasions. Anyway, they’re these very uptight, prim and proper, ya know? We don’t get along…” Twilight simply nodded. It was similar to the story behind the Equestrian Applejack and how she originally obtained her cutie mark. “Now Rarity; on the outside, she wants to be the definition of classy,” a chuckle escaped Applejack’s lips, looking back down at the phot, “But she also understood me, and Ah just couldn’t help but admire that about her… We always supported each other, helped one another when needin’ help…” “So you…” Applejack nodded solemnly, “Yea. Ah loved her…” Twilight largely ignored the sudden cringe she heard from Spike. She looked at the farmgirl, her entire form and being a clear indicator, that something happened between her and Rarity. Twilight scooted closer, placing a comforting hand on Applejack’s shoulder. “What happened?” Applejack glanced up, pointing at the group photo Twilight had propped up on the nightstand. “Ah found out she was cheatin’ on me… With Rainbow Dash,” she uttered the name in utter contempt. Twilight looked at the photo in disbelief. Perhaps it was presumptuous of her to assume these five people who looked like her friends and lead completely different lives from her friends, maybe even naïve, but Twilight simply could not believe it. The Fluttershy she met in the gymnasium that morning was similar to the shy and sweet mare from Ponyville. This Applejack was just as obstinate and stubborn as the farm-mare from Sweet Apple Acres, and just now in all honesty admitted her feelings. Even that short moment she’d spotted the alternate Pinkie Pie gave her vibes of the bouncy, completely random smiling pink mare. And there were the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ counterparts to consider. They seemed hurt too by this wedge driven between friends. Twilight remembered Apple Bloom having to note Granny Smith’s approval for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo staying over. Was their friendship so strained that it threatened to pull the trio apart too? “What makes you say-” Before Twilight could finish, Applejack held up a hand, “Twilight, just…” she sighed, “Ah know you’re tryin’ to help. Really, Ah do. But that’s just how it is. Sometimes people aren’t the way you thought you knew ‘em. Ah’ve accepted that, an’ so should you.” And with finality, she took both photos and shut them in the nightstand draw, out of sight and out of mind, “There’s a towel set out for you in the bathroom. Just… Ah need to be alone now.” Feeling dejected, Twilight said nothing in protest as Applejack went over to her desk and powered on the miniature computer for whatever activity. Twilight, deciding to give the girl her requested privacy, exited the room. She might as well get cleaned up since she had the chance, for she felt Applejack would not be so willing to extend this invitation further, should things go awry tomorrow. She noticed the card, Rose Lover, had been in her hand since Applejack had walked in on her and Spike sleuthing. Looking at the card, Twilight began to piece the puzzle in her mind. Applejack outwardly seemed made up in her mind that she no longer had her friends and… her girlfriend. But if so, why had she kept both pictures close? Particularly Rarity’s she had so poorly hidden behind a lamp. And this card. What did it mean? Walking into the bathroom, fumbling slightly with the lock, Twilight set the card on the sink countertop as far away from any water sources as possible before starting to undress. When she’d gotten her top unbuttoned, she’d uncovered that the obstructions on her chest were further covered by some form-fitting sling. “So that’s why it’s felt so tight constantly!” she blurted, trying to look for a means of removing the garment from her body. - Twilight lay on the floor, huddled up in the sleeping bag provided. After getting out of the shower, Applejack had remained very much untalkative, only to inform her of the wakeup call. Twilight had thought of trying to approach the farmgirl in some alternative ways, but the most she’d get out of her was a curt “uh-huh”, if not just silence. Applejack had turned from initially friendly to passively resentful of her it seemed. Twilight simply pulled the loose flap of fabric over half her face, sighing exasperatedly, and longingly. It had only been a day in this new world, and she already felt very much homesick. Not just from the physical alterations to her being, but from the overall mood of this dimension. It felt as if this world felt much more distant in terms of its people’s interactions. Taking a look at Spike curled up beside her atop a cushion, Twilight resigned to try and get some rest; rolling to her side and closing her eyes. When she eventually felt to be on the cusp of sleep, she suddenly realized as if she could feel something out of place in the room. She saw Spike fast asleep beside her, to which she turned around and hefted herself up, seeing Applejack lying on her bed back facing towards her. Twilight sat up, when in an instant she noticed someone sitting on Applejack’s desk chair. It was a human woman, albeit much taller than any other she’d seen, to the point that she had one leg stretched out, whilst the other was bent up due to how low the chair seemed for her height alone. She was dressed entirely in white, composed of thigh-high boots, gloves that went well past her elbows, a bisected skirt and a top that seemed to reveal her belly and much of her upper chest and seemed to fold around her rather large chest obstructions, complete with a large pendant covering up the cleft that would be between them. A white pointed hat, albeit drooping at the top just slightly and having an almost impractically wide rim, adorned her back-length, striking pink head of hair. Several lengths of cloth hung off at various parts of her clothing bearing symbols Twilight could have sworn to have mistaken for magic sigils. She was quite casually looking down at an iridescent green book or tome grasped in one hand, to which Twilight realized her entire being was giving off a soft whitish glow. She glanced at Twilight, her striking emerald eyes looking towards the alicorn-turned-human, a small smile forming on her lips as she did so. Uncertain what to think of, Twilight tried reach for Applejack, when the woman slowly held up her hand. “You need not fear, Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria,” Twilight blinked in confusion when an ethereal voice sounded in her head, the tone sounding soft, and distinctly female. “I am communicating directly to your mind and soul,” the voice answered just when Twilight was thinking of the exact same, “It would be best if you were to follow suit, so as not to awaken your friends. Not many know of my kind’s existence, and for the time being, I feel it best it remain as such.” “Some form of telepathic communication?” Twilight wondered. Once more in direct response to her mind, the voice responded, “That would be the common denominator. I am speaking to you through my thoughts through what could best be described as a connection between our souls.” It was there that Twilight was not certain what to think, or feel, her mind drawing a blank. Although she was also uncertain if she felt comfortable with whomever this was hearing her thoughts. Twilight, a test of sorts, brought her hands to her temples and tried to focus her mind into a more straightforward form. “Who… Or what are you?” The woman simply smiled as she soundlessly shut the tome in her hand, “I have had many a name and title throughout the ages. Somewhere, somewhen, I was known as Hecate. Elsewhere I was called Isis. Or Anahita. But for now, in this incarnation, I am simply the Priestess. It is an honor to finally meet you proper, your Highness…” She bowed her head, as much as she could from her position for the time being. Twilight felt a tinge of awkwardness at being referred to as a highness, “If it’s alright, I feel prefer to just be called Twilight…” “As you wish.” “Then… How do you know who I am?” The Priestess in a casual display leaned her head against her hand, “I have been observing you since the moment you picked up my card.” Twilight quietly reached for her backpack, taking out the white deck box and out of that her, or rather, Sunset’s deck. True enough, there was High Priestess of Prophecy on top. “So then… This is the magic princess Luna warned me about?” “I am, in a way, a part of that, yes. I am what you may refer to as a spirit. I come from a world hidden from mortal perceptions, inhabiting the very space as this one, only in a different dimension. Myself and others like me can manifest ourselves in this world through various means. Including what you refer to as “Duel Monsters”.” Twilight contemplated on what the Priestess had just said, thinking that what she had beheld so far was just a highly advanced form of technology creating hollow images that did not have actual physical presence, “So then… What I’ve seen before: I thought they were just illusions.” “For the most part, they are,” the Priestess shrugged. “Many of these monsters you’ve witnessed are mere hollow imitations of the true thing, recreated by human hands different from how it was ages past.” Twilight pursed her lips, “Ages past? I’m sorry, my knowledge on this world’s history is very limited so far…” “There is no need to apologies, Twilight. What most people don’t understand, that what they think of as merely a game and pastime, goes back beyond even the very origins of their civilizations. To a time when the primal magics of this world reigned, which humans sought to harness for their own ends.” Twilight did not say, or rather, think, at least not directly, her mind focusing entirely on what the Priestess was telling her. “In their pride, many early civilizations, much like how they thought they can control fire, or the land, or beasts, they thought they could control the power of this very universe they inhabit. In their hubris they created the Games of Darkness…” “Games of Darkness?” Twilight felt a shiver crawl up her spine. “Yes. Humans would use the powers of the universe to break the barriers between worlds to summon beings much like myself, and use us for their trivial conquests or entertainment of haughty lords. By great fortune, humanity eventually fell away from their connection to the powers of the world, until not too long ago, when the Games of Darkness were rediscovered and made into its current incarnation.” Twilight looked at the deck from the dreadful realization of what the spirit was telling her, “So Duel Monsters is the Games of Darkness rediscovered… And people are actively marketing it to the masses?!” The Priestess shifted her position, crossing one leg over the other, “Quite so. In most cases it’s a mere imitation. Of course, in the wrong hands, someone could very much evoke the very powers of the Game of Darkness once again. Which is why I have been observing you.” Twilight had a strong inkling as to what the Priestess was telling her. Humans indeed had seemed to have no aptitude or true interest in magic, or even the ability to even harness it like very much everypony did in Equestria, where magic was just as much a part of them as it was of the land. Of course, there was one, or now two, beings Twilight knew of whom had understanding and aptitude in magic. Not the very same magic they were used to, but no doubt if they knew well enough what they had to work with, they could surely find a way to harness this otherworldly magic too. “You mean Sunset Shimmer.” Twilight flinched when the Priestess suddenly appeared sitting next to her, in a rather sultry pose with her legs sandwiched to the side, one arm supporting her upper body whilst the other levitated her tome. “Yes. My former charge, Sunset Shimmer, poses such a danger to this world…” to which her tome opened up, the pages unveiling an event earlier that day, across dimensions. “A former student of mine. She began her studies with me, not long before Twilight. But when she could not get what she desired, she turned down a path of darkness,” Celestia’s head lowered in regret, “I tried to help her, but during our last encounter, she fled in anger through the very mirror you spoke of.” Twilight was barely able to prevent herself from gasping at the vision as it played out before her and sounded in her very mind. Was Celestia aware of some of the machinations in the human world? But if so, what would Sunset need the Element of Magic for in the first place? “Did Sunset summon you like the sorcerers of old?” The Priestess shook her head as the tome closed, “Sunset did not bring me here. I came to her of my own volition.” “Why?” “Spirits are drawn to persons of greatness. Sunset Shimmer and you are not to only mortals to have us come to them. Many have come before you, drawn by many characteristics of their person; their personal power, their drives, virtues, vices. Sunset’s very nature as an anomaly to this world is what drew me to her initially. To us, the two of you are veritable flames in pitch blackness: You possess power unlike any mortal. Twilight could not help but look upon herself, another realization dawning on her, “So that’s what that was! You’re the one I sensed back in the library! I can still sense magic even here!” The Priestess nodded, in confirmation, but then her features appeared to sadden, “But… When I peered into Sunset Shimmer’s very soul; I saw loneliness and anger swelling within her. At first, I tried to help steer her in the right direction, just as your ruler Celestia tried. But over time the anger and hatred bloomed within her, and she could no longer hear me. I know not what she intends with the crown she stole from you. But I fear what might happen should she try to use the Element of Magic, something very alien to this world.” “It’s why I’m here. I’ve come to take back the Element of Magic to Equestria where it belongs!” The Priestess looked at Twilight, her smile returning, “And right the wrongs my former master has wrought upon the students of CHS?” Twilight watched as the Priestess looked over at the sleeping form of Applejack. Twilight followed her gaze. “Sunset was… She was responsible?” “I can hear its heartbreak…” “‘It’s’?” Twilight looked confusedly at the spirit. “The card she had hidden along with the image of her beloved. I can hear its anguish.” “But… How can that be? How can this thing too have a spirit? Or are you saying Apple Bloom’s Naturia Pineapple is a spirit too?!” The spirit seemed to stifle a giggle at Twilight’s befuddlement, “It possibly can, or will. That is how many a spirit has come to existence before. Have you ever wondered how a god attains its power?” Twilight turned her deck around, having placed the Rose Lover card on the other side of it so as not to get it mixed up. The Priestess looked down upon the card with a subtle sadness in her eyes, “This card was a present from the one who loved Applejack. So strong was that love, that the sheer emotion poured into this card birthed a fledgling spirit tied to those very emotions. It may not have the enormity of a people’s adoration, or fear, for a god, but it still carries with it the love, and sadness, of who first bore those feelings.” Twilight looked at the card with a newfound fascination, and all the same, she too began to feel a strange ache inside. Maybe a side-effect of this mental channel between her and a spirit being, but she did exhibit a sense of melancholy all the same. “This… is a whole lot to take in… So in this world a person’s emotional resonance can affect an object?” “Such is the nature of the Games of Darkness. It can be used to destroy, but, as a part of the primordial energies of this world, it can be used to create. It’s not that much different when a sculptor puts their heart and soul into their craft, or a poet to their words, or a storyteller to their tales.” Twilight looked at the dosing Applejack, her eyes trailing in the direction of her nightstand draw. Twilight place a hand over Rose Lover, like placing a comforting hand upon someone’s form. “I understand what I need to do now.” She looked up at the spirit of the Priestess, “Thank you, for trusting me to reveal yourself to me.” The spirit smiled, standing up with her emerald tome in one hand, “I had a good feeling about you being the one who could stop my former charge. When the times comes, I will stand by your side.” Twilight smiled at the spirit in gratitude, “Thank you. And hopefully, by the time the day is up tomorrow, I’ll have others willing to stand by my side too.” The Priestess gave a quizzical smile, “What do you intend to do?” “I intend to use the most powerful magic of them all to make things right…” Twilight stated, quietly edging the nightstand draw open. - A soft nudging to her shoulder, made Twilight groan in protest. Her eyes strained from the discomfort of light peering through her lids, the scent of old wood and varnish being the first thing she could address in her mind. “Hey, Twi,” a familiar southern twang softly spoke, “Rise and shine there.” At such gentle urging, Twilight managed herself to sit up, feeling and hearing the joints in her body creak from the less than ideal cushioning provided by the sleeping back. Clambering on all fours, her hands balled into first, she stretched her back, stifling a yawn as her body addressed the notion that she still possessed fingers. She rubbed the crust coagulated at the rims of her eyes, “Morning, Applejack.” Applejack seemed somewhat amused by the odd wake-up pose before Twilight properly stood up on two feet, a shudder running down her form as her body was newly acclimated to the pose, “Floor wasn’t too hard on ya, was it?” “No, I’m fine,” Twilight muttered, craning her neck. She looked at the farmgirl, who seemed already fully dressed instead of in the crinkled top and shorts she’d last seen her in, “You’re looking bright.” “Oh, Ah woke up hours ago,” Applejack declared with a subtle pride in her tone. “When your family owns a farm, it comes natural.” “So I noticed,” Twilight muttered, yawning into her hand. Applejack, seemingly less upset than she was last night, looked over at something, “You know, Ah could’a sworn I’d put that thing away proper last night…” she noted regarding her chair, which had been left pulled out from under her desk and swiveled sideways. Twilight’s eyes widened from slight surprise. She’d almost thought that what she witnessed last night had been in her head, until upon further introspection. “Hey, Applejack,” Twilight spoke, looking at the farmgirl, “I’m sorry about last night. I realize I overstepped my boundaries. I was simply concerned over what Applebloom had said to me.” Applejack gave a lax wave of a hand, “Aw, that’s alright. Just, uh, maybe not make a habit out of it in the future. Alright?” Twilight simply nodded, again feeling quite uncertain in regards to everything that happened, and what would happen, if everything went according to plan.