EPISODE TWO
The next day, while the girls helped prepare the school for closing for summer, Sunset suddenly got a message from Princess Twilight Sparkle, that made her squeal in the library, “Oh, my gosh!”
“Shhhh…!” hissed several voices, making her blush in embarrassment.
She ran from the library to find the others.
“What’s up?” asked Applejack.
“Princess Twilight Sparkle says she’s coming to visit us today!” answered Sunset.
You can bet the girls were overly excited to hear that, and Flash Sentry, who was passing by couldn’t help but overhear, and his heart gave a leap of joy, but he didn’t go too near the girls, letting them have their moment.
“When is coming?” asked Pinkie “When-When-When-When…?!”
“Tonight, at sundown, after school is closed.” answered Sunset “She says she has lots of free time, and she’d like to come and hang out with us over the weekend before summer starts.
Pinkie went positively crazy with delight, “This definitely calls for a party!”
“Totally!” agreed Rainbow.
“An all ladies night.” added Applejack.
Flash overheard and felt dismayed. Still, he hoped he’d get a chance to at least see Princess Twilight.
So, he went off.
Twilight and Spike we’re delighted, though Twilight still felt it would be a bit awkward to be around her magical counterpart.
“Don’t worry,” Fluttershy said “I know you two haven’t hung out much, but I’m sure you’ll really get along just fine.”
Twilight smiled.
“Maybe she’ll bring her Spike along with her too.” said Spike “I wouldn’t mind asking him what it’s like to be a dragon instead of a dog.”
Rarity only patted his little head, “Darling, I’m sure being a big, scary dragon is nothing compared to being a cute wittle puppy-wuppy… ooo-oooh!”
Spike blushed like crazy, and the girls giggled.
That night at sundown, long after everyone had gone home and the school was empty, the girls all met outside by the statue in front of the school.
Suddenly, the portal glowed, and Princess Twilight appeared-- without her own Spike, sadly, and unlike her human counterpart she let her hair fall down loose, and she wore no glasses.
“Hi, girls!” she cried with delight, and hugs were exchanged back and forth, and when it came to Human Twilight, the two figures stood before one another, both feeling extremely awkward.
One opened their mouth to speak and then stopped, and the other giggled nervously, but finally, they managed to at least shake hands.
“Oh, brother.” groaned Spike.
“Come on, girls,” called Pinkie “Let’s go PARTY!!”
A montage of flicks happened while a song played…
The girls first went to the skate park, Rarity and Fluttershy did ordinary rollerblading on the flat paths while Applejack and Pinkie hit the slopes and jumps.
Naturally, Rainbow enjoyed showing off her mad skating skills by zooming down the slope and doing incredible spins and flips.
Sunset and the two Twilights rolled their eyes as they sat on the sidelines.
Then they all went to a movie, Spike had to stay hidden in Human Twilight’s backpack, but he was slipped a few pieces of popcorn, it wasn’t bad for him.
After that, they all went out for pizza and toasted a cheer to being such good friends.
Then for their final stop, they hit the town arcade, where surprisingly Flash Sentry and his band were on the stage playing the song that was heard.
Flash took a look out at the crowd and could see Princess Twilight with the rest of the gang.
Their eyes met, and she gave him a small wave, and he smiled at her and continued playing the song with his group.
Human Twilight then had to excuse herself to walk Spike so he could go to the bathroom.
“Glad to see things haven’t really changed around here much.” said Princess Twilight.
Sunset agreed, “I bet a lot has gone on in Equestria. It almost makes me feel like visiting there again.”
Twilight placed her hand on her shoulder “You can come and visit whenever you want.”
Sunset smiled.
Just then, the many televisions placed along the walls of the arcade switched from the sports network to a commercial about the upcoming Friendship Cup.
“Friendship Cup?” asked Twilight.
“It’s a Duel Monster’s tournament.” said Sunset. She sounded rather annoyed due to everywhere she went there was talk and fuss about the tournament.
Then again, Twilight found it to be most amazing. She had heard the tales of the game from Sunset’s messages over the months and thought the game to be interesting, especially the use of spell cards.
The announcer even said, “The tournament is held at the Magic Land theme park in Canterlot City, and headed by the two executive owners of the park, Rubeus Prince and his younger brother Loki.”
The images then showed the two brothers. Olympus, being tall, skinny, with short black hair and wearing a pair of thick dark shades, and his younger brother, whom had shoulder length dark grey hair, and had bright blue eyes.
Rarity couldn’t help but fall in love with him on sight.
After all, Loki was just about her age, he was handsome, and obviously very rich and a well-to-do person if he and his brother ran an amusement park.
Applejack snapped her fingers in front of Rarity’s face and waved her hand softly, and Rarity didn’t flinch.
“Eeyup, we’ve lost her.”
Rubeus announced that the tournament was expected to go really well, “We look forward to all those who will be attending, and there’s still time. So sign up while you can.”
Loki agreed, “Many will enter, but only one will win the One-Million Dollar prize. Wouldn’t that be nice?”
His teeth gave a shine, and Rarity positively melted, “It would be so nice…!” she murmured, completely thinking of something else.
She was already thinking reconsidering about entering the tournament if it meant she had a chance to meet Loki in person.
Sunset saw clear through this and sighed in annoyance.
Just then, Flash came by the table, “Um… Hi…” he said.
Twilight looked up at him. Their eyes met again and she felt herself blushing, “Flash, I… um… hi.”
A moment of silence followed, and the girls couldn’t help and want to give the two some alone time. So they left the table so they two could talk. Applejack had to drag the, still, dazed Rarity, and Sunset pulled Pinkie away when it was clear she wanted to pry on the couple.
“It’s been a while hasn’t it?” asked Twilight.
“Yeah, I guess.” Flash stammered “So… how have you been?”
While the two chatted, the others decided to go play a few games.
“What’s going on over there?” asked Fluttershy, and she motioned over to where a crowd of people we’re huddled around a race-car game.
The girls managed to squeeze their way to an opening and could see it was Rainbow Dash, obviously taking on challengers again to uphold her egotistical title of gaming.
The other guy tried as hard as he could but he couldn’t seem to catch up to Rainbow, and she crossed the finish line after five laps, setting a new speed-record on the games counter.
The crowd cheered and hollered for Rainbow’s umpteenth straight victory.
The other guy sighed, “Man, you’re good.”
Rainbow smirked and gloated, “Why shouldn’t I be, I’m the Queen of Games.”
“Rainbow, there’s no need to gloat over it.” said Fluttershy.
“Yeah, it’s just a game after all.” agreed Pinkie.
Sadly, the girls knew what Rainbow was like when her ego went to her head, and she was indeed unreasonable.
“This is how I roll. This is how I do my thing, and there’s only one word that can best describe me…!”
“Pathetic!” snapped a voice from way over in a corner, which made the crowds gasp and hush instantly.
Rainbow bolted upright and called, “Who said that?!”
She saw in the corner, a strange dude sitting at a table, and crushing his empty soda can in his hand.
He turned round on his stool to face her, and everyone gawked at him, while some gasped in shock.
“Who’s that?” wondered Pinkie.
This guy, whoever he was dressed rather strangely. He wore a dark shirt with a long turtleneck that completely hid every inch of his neck, with matching dark pants and a strong silver belt. A big black overcoat with silver trimmings and sharp edges, soft black gloves with silver, metal bands, slick looking black running shoes, and to top it all off, he wore a black sphere hood that completely covered his head, and a rather spooky looking mask, half black and half grey with odd streaks and circles on it that covered his entire face.
Some of the patrons joked.
“Is it Halloween already?”
“What a crazy getup.”
The young stood swiftly, making them all shut their mouths!
The girls began to feel like something ugly was about to begin as the stranger slowly approached Rainbow.
“The only reason you’re winning so much is because you keep playing against inept players who can barely understand the basics of a game.
That doesn’t make you a skilled gamer-- it makes you a coward.”
“Oh, yeah!” thundered Rainbow “Maybe you’d like to see just how much of a coward I really am?
Have a seat!”
Some of the people in the crowds didn’t cheer, if anything they urged her not to.
“No!”
“Don’t do it!”
Even her own friends tried to urge her to cease.
“Come on, Rainbow. It’s not worth it.” said Sunset, but Rainbow had made up her mind.
“Nobody calls Rainbow Dash a coward and then doesn’t go unpunished for it.” Then she turned to face the masked guy. “So, are you going to race me or what?”
The guy snickered, “Very well, it will be my pleasure to humiliate you.”
The two gamers sat down in the game seats, and started up the game.
Twilight and Flash came along, “What’s going on?” asked Twilight.
“Rainbow Dash is going to battle this strange guy.” answered Pinkie.
Flash took one look at the dude, and nearly jumped out of his skin in shock, but it was too late to warn Rainbow, the count was on and the race began.
Rainbow rammed on the pedal and steered her virtual car down the track. “Ah, yeah eat my dust you big-- Huh?”
She noticed the other guy was just sitting casually in his seat, with his arms folded. He didn’t even so much as make a reach for any of the controls, and his car remained perfectly still, right at the starting point. The game was even blaring at him “Press Gas Pedal.”
…But the dude just sat there.
He still didn’t reach for the controls even when Rainbow out-lapped him.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” snapped Rainbow “Aren’t you even going to move?”
“I will move when I’m good and ready, and not before.” sneered the dude.
Rainbow growled and poured on the gas, not about to let this guy taunt her.
Then, when she out-lapped him again, the guy uncrossed his arms and cracked his knuckles, “Here we go.” and he rammed his foot on the accelerator, making his car take off down the track.
His speed meter just kept going up, and up, and up past the 200s, which was higher than what most people could even get close to, and the speed just kept going up!
The patrons couldn’t believe their eyes, nor could Rainbow!
This guy skillfully steered his car round every bend, every corner with such ease, and his speed just kept increase… to the 300s!
The guy snickered softly as he gained ground, finishing his first lap while Rainbow finished her third, and leaving two laps to go, but the guy was still gaining on her, and he finished his second lap in a new record that most people could never reach!
“This can’t be happening!” cried Rainbow, and in her panic she lost control and her car spun out and crashed into a siding which slowed her down badly allowing the guy to pass her on this third lap.
The patrons could not believe their eyes.
“Who is this guy?”
“Where’d he learn to play like this?”
“Why does he wear a mask?”
The guy didn’t seem to take notice in all the chatter about him and just stayed as focussed on the game as ever.
Try as she would, Rainbow couldn’t keep her lead, and the guy’s car passed hers!
“No! I’ve been out-lapped!” Rainbow cried, and in almost no time the guy had finished his final lap making him the winner.
The girls were astounded and shocked, and Rainbow was a mix of angered and humiliated.
“Boom, winning.” the guy taunted.
Rainbow wasn’t willing to let this lie.
“Where did you learn to play like this?” she asked.
“What difference does it make?” said the guy “You’ve already lost, and I’ve proven you wrong.”
Rainbow clenched her fists “Okay then! What do you say we try some other game?”
“Rainbow!” snapped Rarity, but Rainbow refused to heed what she had to say.
“Fine by me.” answered the guy “If you insist on being further humiliated.”
In a montage of flicks, Rainbow and the guy played several other games.
-A combat fighter game
-A Dance simulator
-Air hockey
…Yet each and every one of them, the guy beat Rainbow and got perfect scores so easily as if Rainbow were an amateur.
Most of the patrons were now starting to cheer against Rainbow.
“Look at the “so-called” Queen of Games now?”
“No wonder I lost to her.”
Rainbow’s friends felt sorry for her, and even Twilight was starting to think Rainbow should cool it before she really went crazy.
“I can’t!” cried Rainbow “I can’t just let this creep walk all over me! I’m supposed to be good at all games!”
The guy chuckled softly, “Wow! You’re even more egotistical than I thought.”
Rainbow growled.
“Hey, come on now.” sneered Applejack “There’s no need to be such a sore winner.”
“Yeah, can’t we all just start over and be friends here?” asked Pinkie.
The guy only scoffed, “No thanks, I don’t need friends, and if I did, I certainly wouldn’t want it to be a bunch of kids like you.”
Now, all the girls and Flash gasped. Even Sunset was getting cross, “Look, I don’t know who you are, but you certainly have no right to speak to me or my friends this way.”
Though she could see, she could tell the guy was glaring angrily at her behind his mask.
Rainbow then noticed something peeking from out of his coat, “Is that a duel disk?”
The guy then noticed it and pulled it out for all to see. It was golden plated, with silver-linings, meaning this guy was obviously a duelist, and a pro at that.
Rainbow got that look in her eyes and pulled out her own duel disk, “Maybe you’d like to have one last bout.”
The guy only shook his head “Trust me, after everything that’s happened, the last you want is to duel me. Besides, I’d flatten you in an instant.”
Then he headed for the exit, while Rainbow turned bright red and her ears steamed.
“Rainbow, calm down!” said Fluttershy “You’re starting to scare me.”
“Rainbow, you should stop.” said Twilight “There’s no shame in losing a few simple games.”
Rainbow, again, refused to listen, not wanting to let that guy get away with humiliating her that night. So she ran out the doors after him.
“Oh, dear…” said Rarity “I have a feeling this is not going to end well.”
“It’s worse than you think.” said Flash “I think I know who that guy is.”
He got out his cell-phone and showed the girls a website that showed who he was, which made the girls gasp.
“Rainbow…!” Sunset called, forgetting that she had already gone out the doors. “Come on, let’s go find her.”
The gang agreed and rushed outside, only to find Rainbow and the guy were already facing each other and about to duel.
“I honestly don’t see the point to all this,” the guy said “But if it’ll get you off my back, then I’ll duel you.”
Rainbow smirked “That’s better, and here I thought you were just scared of losing.”
“Rainbow Dash!” called Twilight as she and the others came onto the scene, and found several other by-passers were stopping by to watch the duel.
“Rainbow Dash?” said the guy “What kind of a name is that for a girl?”
Rainbow only scoffed “It’s the name of the girls who’s going to kick your can in this match.”
“Rainbow, wait…!” called Flash.
“Keep out of this!” Rainbow called to him, making her friends wince-- the way she was acting so spoiled and angered, it really wasn’t like her.
The disks were ready and the virtual field was set. “…DUEL!!”
Rainbow LP: 8000
????? LP: 8000
“Why don’t you go first,” Rainbow offered “Since you claim to be so good and all that.”
“Are you sure?” asked the guy “You’re going to regret it if I go first, not that it will matter much anyway.”
“I said you go!” yelled Rainbow “What do you want, a written invitation?!”
Fluttershy hid behind her friends feeling frightened at Rainbow’s behaviour. “What’s happening to her?” she whimpered.
“She’s really lost her mind now.” said Sunset.
The guy drew his first five cards, “Well then, here we go.
My first card will be, FOOLISH BURIAL.
…This spell allows me--”
“I know what it does!” sneered Rainbow “It lets you send one monster from your Deck to the Graveyard. I mean, seriously, it’s one of the oldest cards known.”
The guy snickered “If you knew what was coming, you wouldn’t be acting so brash!”
He took a card form his deck and threw it in the graveyard.
“Now, I’ll put another spell in play-- CARD OF SAFE RETURN!
…I trust you know what this does?”
“Yeah, yeah,” scoffed Rainbow “It lets you draw one card every time a monster is summoned from the Graveyard.
Will you just end your turn already?!”
The guy agreed and entered his End Phase.
“That’s weird.” said Sunset “He didn’t play a single monster. Why end his turn now?”
“I think I know why…” said Flash.
The girls all gawked at him, and then turned back to the duel when the guy’s Graveyard began to glow.
“What’s going on?” asked Rainbow.
“What’s going on is the beginning of your defeat!” snapped the guy.
“The monster I discarded was MANTICORE OF DARKNESS.
During the End Phase of the turn he was sent to my graveyard, I’m allowed to discard another monster from my hand, which then allows me to summon the Manticore straight to the field.”
The monster appeared in a blazing flame, spread its wings, and roared!
(Atk: 2300)
Twilight couldn’t believe her eyes, “That monster! It looks so real!”
Sunset assured her “It’s just a hologram. That’s that what those duels disks do to each card.”
“I can’t believe he got a monster that strong on the field already.” said Applejack.
The guy grunted, “Since Manticore came back from the grave, as you pointed out, Card of Safe Return lets me draw one card.”
“Fine.” said Rainbow “Now it’s my move!” but as she prepared to draw her card, the Manticore began to blaze and it just disappeared.
The guy snickered, “You see, I discarded another Manticore from my hand to summon that one, which means I can now send the one on my field and summon the one that’s in my graveyard!”
The Manticore then reappeared.
“Well then, I guess that means I’ll just draw another card.”
He did so.
“Now I think I’ll swap my monsters, so I can draw again…
And again!
…And again!”
He just kept swapping the Manticores and drawing more and more cards.
Rainbow couldn’t believe what was happening, “What are you doing? You’ll run out of cards to draw!”
“That’s a good thing.” said Pinkie “If he runs out of cards to draw, he’ll automatically lose the duel.”
The others however were not convinced, fearing they knew what the guy was up to.
He had nearly depleted his entire deck, when he finally stopped swapping the Manticores.
“And now…!” he sneered “Prepare yourself…!
I summon EXODIA THE FORBIDDEN ONE!”
“WHAAA-AAAT--?!!” screamed Rainbow.
The others all gasped, except for Twilight, as she didn’t really know too much about the game. “What’s going on?” she asked.
“It’s over!” cried Sunset “Rainbow’s lost this!”
Everyone watched as images of the five special cards created the big portal gateway, allowing the giant beast to come forth, hissing and glassing at Rainbow.
“I can’t believe this! I didn’t get to make a single move!” she cried.
Exodia powered up, and the guy ordered, “Exodia… Obliterate!”
WHAAM!! The huge beast fired a massive holographic blast of power that struck Rainbow hard and knocked her down and wiping out all her life points!
Rainbow LP: 8000 -----> 0
All the spectators covered their eyes, groaning and screaming in the light and the shaking!
Then the light and the images all faded, and Rainbow slowly got up, but she was still horribly shocked, while the guy looked at her and said “I told you you’d regret it if I went first, but it wouldn’t have mattered anyway.
If this is all I have to contend with, then the Friendship Cup should be a snap.”
“What?” asked Rainbow “You’re entering the Friendship Cup?”
The guy nodded, “That’s the whole reason I came here, but little word of advice for you and anyone else who’s thinking of entering…
…Go home now, because there’s no way you’ll beat me.
That million dollar prize money is as good as mine.”
Then he turned on his heel and headed down the street, passing by Human Twilight and Spike on their walk, which made Twilight stop dead in her tracks.
Spike would have asked her what’s wrong, but he knew he had to keep quiet in public. He didn’t have to speak anyway as he took a good look at the guy who passed them.
Twilight began to tremble, “It can’t be him!” she muttered.
Spike growled softly.
As for the guy, he turned to look at the two, and then just turned and kept on going thinking, “I think I know that kid from somewhere.”
Twilight felt her stomach turn, and she felt her head as it ached with tons of silent memories from a while back. “I can’t believe he’s really here!”
Then he shock faded to anger and outrage, and Spike could tell exactly what she was thinking. “Do you think you should tell the gang?” he whispered to her.
“No,” she whispered back “This is personal.”
Meanwhile, Flash showed Rainbow the website on his phone of the top ranked pro-gamers in the world, and at the top of the list was the same guy she had just faced-- “Masquerade”
This only made Rainbow feel even more shocked and humiliated, “You mean I just got schooled by the top-ranked gamer in the country?!”
Flash nodded sadly, and Rainbow felt really dizzy with loss and woe.
“Who is he, really?” asked Twilight.
“No one knows.” answered Flash “I’ve heard the stories from other gamers.
Masquerade only appeared five years ago. Nobody knows who he really is, or what his real name is, or why he hides behind a mask, but as you just saw… the guy is a total beast!
In the five years he’s been around he hasn’t lost a game.
He just travels the world competing in gaming tournaments, which is how he makes his earnings, but he’s also rather cold and nasty to people, preferring to keep to himself and alienate others around him.
But like I said, when it comes to games, this guy strikes fear at the very mention of his name. Most people say it’s best to quit and run or he’ll do to you exactly what he did to Rainbow-- leave you wallowing in defeat and humiliation.”
The girls were all so captivated and stunned by such a story.
“Sounds like the guy’s got one heck of a prideful ego.” said Applejack.
“He could also use a better sense of fashion.” added Rarity “That outfit he wore, it simply screamed woe and bleakness!”
Some of the others glared at her telling her to cool it with the fashion talk!
Rainbow was still down in the dumps over the humiliation she had suffered, until Pinkie Pie helped her up. “Come on, let’s all head back to my place for the Slumber Party.”
The girls all agreed, and Rainbow smiled slightly.
Flash had to head home. He didn’t feel right going to an all-girls slumber party, and he wanted to do some serious preparing for the tournament now.
“I’m not going to let Masquerade intimidate me that easily.”
Then he bid the girls goodnight, especially Twilight, and he waved to her as he began to walk away, and she kept staring at him until he was out of sight.
The girls couldn’t help but tease her,
“Flash and Twilight, Sitting in a tree
…K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”
Twilight felt most embarrassed.
As the girls walked down the street, heading for Pinkie’s place, they were being watched from a car parked on the road by those same two men, and they were planning to follow the girls!