//------------------------------//
// Rivalry of Warlords – Flash Sentry vs Shining Armor 
// Story: Duelists of the Friendship Cup 
// by DrakeyC 
//------------------------------//


Duelists of the Friendship Cup 


Rivalry of Warlords – Flash Sentry vs Shining Armor 


-Flash Life Points: 8000- 



-Shining Life Points: 8000- 


Flash’s portrait lit up on the display board. “Flash Sentry will take the first turn.” 

Flash’s duel disk ejected five cards; he picked them up, looked down at them, and reached for one. “I’ll start off big with this, the Spell card ‘Gem-Knight Fusion’. I use it to fuse ‘Gem-Knight Sapphire’ and ‘Gem-Knight Obsidian’.” Flash’s two monsters appeared above him, glowing blue and black, and swirled together, light shining from them. “I combine the powers of water and rock and crystallize the form of a chilling new fighter!” Flash grabbed his card and slapped it on his duel disk. “Fusion Summon! Ready for battle, Level 6, ‘Gem-Knight Aquamarine’, in defense mode!” 

A shard of ice crashed out of the fusion vortex and shattered to reveal Flash’s new knight. Clad entirely in bright blue armor with a pale brown cape and a shield encrusted with sapphires on its right arm, it knelt in front of Flash and wrapped its arm around its knee, positioning its shield forward (1400/2600).

Flash’s duel disk beeped. “Since Gem-Knight Obsidian was sent to the Graveyard from my hand, I’ll use its effect to revive Gem-Knight Sapphire, also in defense mode.”

A spray of water from the ground next to Aquamarine heralded the revival of Flash’s monster, armored in pale blue and arms crossed over its chest (0/2100).

“I’ll then banish Obsidian to activate the effect of Gem-Knight Fusion, returning it to my hand. Finally, I set a card and end my turn.”

On the Shadowbolt bench, Sugarcoat looked up at Twilight. “Is he using magic?”

“I don’t know.” Twilight shook her head.

“You don’t know?” Sunny Flare hissed.

“I haven’t tried to sense anything like that before!” Twilight replied, giving her a small glare.

A few feet away, Sunset watched the group out of the corner of her eye. Her fingernails dug into her palm. They know, she told them. She quietly kicked herself. This was a mistake.

“Good opener.” Shining smiled as he drew. “Don’t mind if I top it. Since you control a monster and I don’t, I can Special Summon ‘Heroic Challenger – Assault Halberd’ from my hand.”

The ground in front of Shining cracked apart, and a knight in silver and purple armor climbed up from the crevice, a three-bladed polearm on its back. It stood up and swung the weapon forward, twirling it and planting the end in the ground (1800/200).

“Next, I’ll Normal Summon ‘Heroic Challenger – Thousand Blades’.”

A knight in dark grey armor rose in front of Shining, dozens of sword blades emerging from its back and sticking into the air. It hefted a spear in both hands and grunted (1300/1100). 

“I’ll activate the effect of Thousand Blades. By discarding a Heroic card from my hand, I can summon a Heroic monster from my deck, and then Thousand Blades is changed into defense mode.” Shining flipped a card out from his hand. “I’ll discard my ‘Heroic Challenger – Double Lance’, and summon from the deck ‘Heroic Challenger – Clasp Sword’.”

Another knight rose in front of Shining, wearing silver armor with gold trim, and holding its right arm out towards Flash, a sword blade extending from a large golden gauntlet (300/100).

“Since Clasp Sword was summoned by the effect of a Heroic Challenger, its effect lets me add another copy of Heroic Challenger – Double Lance to my hand.” Shining thrust out his hand. “And now, I overlay Thousand Blades and Assault Halberd! Using my two Level 4 monsters, I construct the overlay network!”

The Crystal Prep bench cheered in tandem with the crowd. Shining smiled and held up his hand as his two monsters slid together, their shape shifting and growing. “By uniting the light of the arsenal and the light of the halberd, I illuminate a swift new warrior!” He held his duel disk up. “Xyz Summon! Ride forth, Rank 4, ‘Heroic Champion – Gandiva’!”

The combined form of Shining’s monsters melted away, revealing a black horse covered in bright red war armor. Mounted on its back was a warrior in black and gold armor, a large longbow in its hand. Two orbs of red light orbited the monster, trails behind them in the air (2100/1800).

Shining slid a card on his duel disk and then lowered his arms. “I set a card and end my turn.” The face-down materialized behind Gandiva.

“Not attacking yet?” Flash asked.

Shining shook his head. “I like to see what my opponents can do before I take them out.”

“Then get ready for a show.” Flash drew with a smirk and reached to his hand. “I activate Gem-Knight Fusion, and use it to fuse Sapphire and Aquamarine!” Flash’s two monsters swirled together in shades of blue. “I combine the powers of water and ice and invoke the wrath of a turbulent new monster! Fusion Summon! Ready for battle, Level 7, ‘Gem-Knight Amethyst!”

Flash’s new monster was heralded by a blast of water from the vortex. Wearing dark purple and blue armor with a matching cape, it held its arms out. Water swirled around its left arm to form a shield, and a spout of water shot from the back of its right arm, forming a sword blade (1950/2450).

“Since Aquamarine was sent to the Graveyard, its effect activates, returning a card on your side of the field to your hand.” Flash pointed. “I choose your Xyz monster, but since they can’t be added to the hand, it goes back to the Extra Deck!”

Aquamarine’s spirit appeared above Flash and shot a flurry of ice crystals out. Gandiva’s horse reared up as the monster dissolved.

“Not bad,” Shining said.

“I’m just getting started,” Flash replied. “I banish Gem-Knight Aquamarine from the Graveyard to add Gem-Knight Fusion back to my hand. Then I summon ‘Gem-Knight Alexandrite’.” A warrior in shining white armor with red gemstones materialized on the field, a clenched fist held out (1800/1200). “I use Alexandrite’s effect, and offer it as tribute to Special Summon a Gem-Knight Normal Monster from my deck. I’ll bring out ‘Gem-Knight Garnet’.” Alexandrite lit up in white light and changed form, the light fading to show a monster in bright red armor with a red jewel on its chestplate (1900/0).

Flash flipped over another card. “I once again activate Gem-Knight Fusion and use it to fuse Garnet with ‘Gem-Knight Lazuli’ in my hand.” The two swirled around each other in red and blue light. “I combine the powers of fire and rock and spark the spirit of a fiery new fighter! Fusion Summon! Ready for battle, Level 6, ‘Gem-Knight Ruby’!”

A plume of fire heralded the arrival of Flash’s monster, armored in bright red with a blue cape and holding a long, red spear that was slung over its shoulders (2500/1300).

“Since Gem-Knight Lazuli was sent to the Graveyard by a card effect, she lets me return Gem-Knight Garnet to my hand. Next, I’ll use Gem-Knight Ruby’s effect.” Flash looked up at Gem-Knight Amethyst. “By offering my Amethyst as a tribute, Ruby gains its attack power until the end of the turn.”

Ruby pointed its spear at Amethyst, and the monster turned into water and flowed around the weapon, blue and red light shining from it (2500 → 4450).

“Now, battle phase!” Flash thrust his hand out. “Gem-Knight Ruby, attack Heroic Challenger – Clasp Sword! Ruby Spear Strike!”

Ruby jumped in the air and swung its spear forward. It twirled the weapon in the air for a moment before hefting it back and hurling it to the ground. The tip pierced Clasp Sword and it shattered.

Flash pumped his fist. “By the way, when Ruby attacks a defending monster, it pierces its defenses and still deals damage to your Life Points.”

A blast of fire shot out of Ruby’s spear and around Shining Armor, who looked away and grunted.


-Shining Life Points: 3550-


“Gotcha.” Flash pumped his fist and smiled.

“Yeah, you did,” Shining replied. “And since you damaged me, the effect of Heroic Challenger – Thousand Blades activates, letting me revive it from the Graveyard.” Shining’s monster materialized in front of him, glaring at Flash.

Flash nodded. “Fine. I end my turn, and Ruby’s attack power returns to its original value.”

On the sidelines, Applejack scrunched her face. “He took a heavy hit from that first attack, how come he didn’t have anything to protect himself?”

“Perhaps he made a misplay?” Rarity suggested.

Sunset narrowed her eyes. Or he wanted it to happen. She turned her gaze to Flash. Either way, Flash seems to be doing fine so far, no signs of magic and no signs of needing it to win. But that could change, now. She turned her head slightly to see Twilight watching the duel intently, biting her lip.

“My turn.” Shining reached past his deck to his duel disk screen. “Before I draw and begin my turn, I activate my Trap card ‘Reinforce Truth’. This lets me summon a Level 2 or lower Warrior from my deck. I’ll use it to summon ‘Heroic Challenger – Ambush Soldier’.” A small figure in camouflage fatigues and a green and yellow cloak appeared kneeling, a jagged sword in its hand (0/0).

“Now I draw,” Shining did so and reached to his screen again. “And now I’ll use Ambush Soldier’s effect, and offer it as tribute to summon two Level 4 Heroic monsters from my deck.” He tapped twice and two cards ejected. “I summon ‘Heroic Challenger – Spartan’ and another copy of Heroic Challenger – Assault Halberd.”

Ambush Soldier spread its arms and dissolved as a pair of portals opened behind it. From one stepped Assault Halberd again, polearm at the ready. From the other came a warrior with yellow and red armor, a spear in one hand and a massive shield in the other (1600/1000).

“Next I summon Heroic Challenger – Double Lance, and activate its effect; when I Normal Summon it, I can revive another copy of Double Lance from my Graveyard.”

Two more portals opened, one in the ground and one in the air. The same monster came from both, a knight in thick blue and white armor, both hands holding a long spear (1000/1000).

Rainbow gaped. “Five monsters!?”

“That’s right!” Sour Sweet stuck her tongue out from the Shadowbolt bench. “Don’t be so surprised. Your wanna-be champ has nothing on Shining Armor!”

“Wanna come a bit closer and say that?” Rainbow snapped. Sour Sweet began to step forward but an outstretched arm from Indigo stopped her.

Sunset looked across Shining’s field. He wanted Clasp Sword out of the way so he’d have room to play something better.

“Alright, let’s try this again.” Shining held out his hand. “I overlay my Heroic Challenger – Spartan with one of my Heroic Challenger – Double Lances. Using my two Level 4 monsters, I construct the overlay network!” The two cards slid together, forming an orb of red light that shifted into a familiar form. “By uniting the light of the shield and the light of the lance, I illuminate a swift new warrior!” Shining picked up his card. “Xyz Summon! Ride forth again, Rank 4, Heroic Challenger – Gandiva!” Shining’s horseback warrior rode onto the field again, bow in hand, twin orbs of red light circling it.

“Next, I overlay my Heroic Challengers Double Lance, Thousand Blades, and Assault Halberd. Using my three Level 4 monsters, I construct the overlay network!” The three monsters came together in a mass of orange light, the form crackling. “By uniting the light of the arsenal, the light of the short sword, and the light of the halberd, I illuminate a stalwart new warrior!” Shining’s duel disk lit up in orange light as his card emerged from the Extra Deck slot. “Xyz Summon!” He took the card and slid it on his card tray. “Raise your blade, Rank 4, ‘Heroic Challenger – Kusanagi’!”

Shining’s new monster erupted in a blast of fire. Clad in brown armor padding with orange metal plating over its shoulders and torso, it held up a hand and a blade of pure fire appeared within its grasp, glowing bright. Three orbs of orange light circled the monster as it swung its sword to point it at Flash (2500/2400).

“Next, I activate my Spell card ‘Heroic Chance’.” Gandiva lit up in red light, its horse whinnying. “For the rest of this turn, my Gandiva doubles its attack power, but it can’t attack you directly.” Shining pointed. “Not that that’s a problem! Heroic Champion – Gandiva, attack Gem-Knight Ruby!”

Gandiva (2100 → 4200) reared and charged forward. Its rider lifted its bow and drew it back, an arrow of pure red energy appearing on the string. The string snapped forward and the arrow pierced Ruby’s armor, Flash’s monster lighting up red before exploding.


-Flash LP: 6300- 


Flash reached to his duel disk. “I activate my Trap card ‘Brilliant Spark’!” The hologram of the card flipped up, the image of Gem-Knight Ruby hovering in front of it. “Since a Gem-Knight monster was just destroyed, you take damage equal to its attack power!”

“No I won’t!” Shining called back. “Heroic Champion – Kusanagi’s special ability! By detaching an Xyz material from it, your Trap is negated and destroyed, and Kusanagi gains five hundred attack points!”

One of the orbs floating around Kusanagi flew into its sword and it lit up with orange light. Kusanagi swung the blade and sent a crescent of fire across the field. It struck Flash’s card and it burned up in an instant.

“Damn,” Flash muttered.

“Sorry.” Shining shrugged. “Heroic Challenger – Kusanagi, direct attack!”

Kusanagi (2500 → 3000) ran forward and slashed across Flash with its blade, the hologram passing through him.


-Flash LP: 3300-


“That ends my turn.” 

And evens up the score, Sunset thought.

Flash put a hand on his deck and took a breath. “I’m not out of this yet,” he whispered, drawing his card. He looked at it and set it on his duel disk. “I activate the Spell card ‘Painful Decision’. This lets me send a Level 4 or lower Normal Monster from my deck to the Graveyard; I’ll discard ‘Gem-Knight Tourmaline’. Then the second effect of Painful Decision adds another copy of Tourmaline to my hand.”

He reached to his Graveyard slot. “Next, I banish Gem-Knight Amethyst from the Graveyard to return Gem-Knight Fusion to my hand, and then I activate it to fuse Gem-Knights Garnet and Tourmaline in my hand.” Glowing orange and yellow, Flash’s two monsters appeared above him and spun together. “I combine the powers of fire and lightning and bring into clarity the form of a shining new fighter!” Flash smiled as his card ejected. “Fusion Summon! Ready for battle, Level 7, ‘Gem-Knight Prismaura’!”

A bolt of lightning struck down from the vortex, heralding the descent of Flash’s new monster. Clad in gleaming white and gold armor with a flowing red cape, white crystals emerged from its shoulders. It raised its arm and a lance of gleaming crystal appeared in its right hand, its left holding a round shield (2450/1400).

“I banish Gem-Knight Alexandrite from the Graveyard to return Gem-Knight Fusion to my hand, and discard it to activate Prismaura’s effect – I can destroy one card on the field! I choose your Heroic Champion – Kusanagi!”

Prismaura held its lance out and fired a shining bolt of light from the tip. The light hit Kusanagi and it shattered, dissolving as it fell toward the ground.

“And then, Gem-Knight Prismaura attacks Heroic Champion – Gandiva!”

Prismaura ran across the field, lance levelled at Gandiva. The lance struck it and pitched it back off its horse, the monster exploding in a shower of orange light particles.


-Shining Life Points: 3200-


Shining tapped his duel disk and a card ejected from his Graveyard. “Since I just took damage, I activate the effect of Heroic Challenger – Thousand Blades and revive it from the Graveyard.”

Flash let out a small huff as Shining’s monster appeared in front of his opponent. “I’m getting sick of that thing already. I end my turn.”

Shining drew and looked at his card. “I set one card face-down, and then summon ‘Heroic Challenger – Night Watchman’.”

A figure in black armor with a white mask and a dark purple cloak appeared in front of Shining in a burst of shadows. It brandished a sword in its right hand and held a lantern up in its left (1200/300).

“I overlay my Thousand Blades and my Night Watchman. Using my two Level 4 monsters, I construct the overlay network!” The two monsters turned black and came together, light shining from them. Shining’s duel disk gleamed as he held it up, his other hand over it. “By uniting the light of the arsenal and the light of the lantern, I illuminate a leader and warrior without peer!” He brought the card out of his duel disk with a flourish. “Xyz Summon! Reign over this battlefield, Rank 4, ‘Heroic Champion – Excalibur’!”

The ground shook and then erupted outward. A warrior in bulky silver and dark red armor leapt up onto the field, a massive broadsword held in the air. It landed, light rippling off spikes on its shoulders and helmet, and gripped the blade with two hands, holding it steady. Twin orbs of purple light circled it, pulsing (2000/2000).

 Shining swept his hand through the air. “I activate Excalibur’s special ability! By detaching its Xyz materials from it, its attack points double until the end of your next turn!”

Flash stepped back. “No way!”

“Afraid so.”

The orbs of light around Excalibur lit up and slammed into its sword. It roared and held its blade higher, the steel glowing and growing larger (2000 → 4000).

Shining pointed across the field. “Heroic Champion – Excalibur, attack Gem-Knight Prismaura!”

Excalibur hefted its sword up and then slammed it into the ground. A shockwave rippled out, purple light shining from cracks in the earth. The tremor reached Prismaura and a blast of purple energy erupted over it, dissolving it.


-Flash LP: 1750-


“I end my turn.” Shining lowered his duel disk. “One more attack and it’s over.”

Flash tensed and put his hand over his deck. “That’s assuming you get one.”

“I will, unless you can win this duel this turn.” Shining looked closer at Flash’s hands. “But you don’t have any cards left on the field or in your hand.”

“Maybe.” Flash gave a weak grin. “But I know for a fact that there’s a card in my deck that can turn this around. I just have to draw it.”

“One card? Not good odds.”

“Nope. But they’re not zero. So as far as I’m concerned, I’m still in this!”

Sunset leaned forward, her eyes focused squarely on Flash. He seems fired up, and this is just what happened with Rarity and Rainbow. But… The tension in her shoulders lessened. I’m not sensing anything. He doesn’t have magic. She turned her head. “Twilight!” The other girl looked over at Sunset. Sunset smiled. “He’s safe.”

Twilight said nothing and looked back at the duel.

Flash gripped his card. “My turn! I draw!” He swung his card out. He turned his head to look and flipped it over between his fingers. His smile widened as he turned his eyes back to Shining Armor. “Looks like I just beat the odds.”

Shining hesitated. “What?”

Flash slapped the card on his duel disk. “I activate the Continuous Spell card ‘Brilliant Fusion’!” A vortex in rainbow colors burst into light above Flash, wind pulled up into it. “This lets me conduct a Fusion Summon of a Gem-Knight monster using monsters in my deck, but the monster summoned has its stats lowered to zero.” 

“Impossible!” Sunny Flare’s head whipped around to stare at Twilight. “That can’t be a legitimate draw!”

“If it wasn’t, we wouldn’t know it anyway,” Indigo muttered.

“No, she’s right.” Twilight nodded sharply. “That wasn’t magic. That was luck.”

Flash tapped on his duel disk and one by one his cards ejected; he grabbed them and held them out. “From my deck I fuse Gem-Knights Sapphire, Garnet, and Lazuli!” He slipped the cards into his Graveyard slot, and the Fusion portal flashed brighter. “I combine the powers of water, fire, and rock, and bring into focus a gleaming and graceful warrior!” Flash punched the air “Fusion Summon! Descend now, Level 10, ‘Gem-Knight Lady Brilliant Diamond’!”

The vortex widened and Flash’s monster lowered to the ground, arms crossed. Armored in pale gold and silver, a red cape fluttered below a crest of spikes emerging from its shoulders. It raised its head, light shining off a helmet and breastplate made of diamond, and shouted, thrusting a sword into the air (0/0).

“Since I sent Gem-Knight Lazuli to the Graveyard, its effect adds Gem-Knight Garnet to my hand. I’ll also banish Gem-Knight Prismaura from the Graveyard to return Gem-Knight Fusion to my hand.” Flash took his two cards back and quickly put one of them on his duel disk. “I summon Gem-Knight Garnet, and activate Lady Diamond’s effect. By offering another Gem-Knight as tribute, I can summon any Gem-Knight Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck!” Flash touched his duel disk screen and pulled his card out. “From the Extra Deck, come forth, ‘Gem-Knight Master Diamond’!”

Gem-Knight Lady Diamond pointed her sword at Garnet; its armor began to crack apart, white light shining from within. The monster exploded out, an even larger warrior growing out of its remains. It towered over the field in silver and beige armor, a large sword on its back. It brought an arm back, gripped the handle, and swung it forward, seven colored gemstones on the sides of the blade lighting up (2900/2500).

Flash smiled and held up his duel disk. “Master Diamond gains a hundred attack points for every Gem-Knight in my Graveyard. I have nine – two copies each of Garnet, Sapphire, Lazuli, and Tourmaline, and also Ruby. That’s an extra nine hundred points. I’ll also use the second effect of Brilliant Fusion. By discarding my Gem-Knight Fusion from my hand, Lady Brilliant Diamond regains its original stats until the end of your turn.”

Lady Brilliant Diamond’s armor gleamed brighter and it stood up straighter, a white aura over its body (3400/2000). Beside it, Master Diamond’s sword lit up white and the gemstones on it gleamed (2900 → 3800).

Shining smiled. “Pretty impressive combo out of one card. But neither of them is strong enough to take on Excalibur.”

“Not yet,” Flash replied. “I activate Master Diamond’s second ability. By banishing a Gem-Knight Fusion Monster in the Graveyard, Master Diamond can gain its effects. I banish Gem-Knight Ruby, and then activate its effect as Master Diamond’s effect – I offer Gem-Knight Lady Brilliant Diamond as tribute, and all of her attack points transfer to Master Diamond!” 

Master Diamond held its sword up. Lady Brilliant Diamond turned into a shimmering field of glowing light and floated to surround the blade. The gemstones on it flared into a rainbow of light and Master Diamond bellowed (3800 → 7200).

Flash smirked. “And by my math, that makes Master Diamond just strong enough to end this duel.”

The Canterlot High students in the crowd cheered loudly. Rarity cupped her hands to her mouth. “I don’t believe it, he’s done it!”

“Yeah he has!” Rainbow laughed, throwing an arm over Applejack and Pinkie.

“No way!” Lemon Zest cried from the Shadowbolt bench. “You’ve gotta be kidding me!”

Sunset smiled. And he did it without magic, even if he did get lucky on his last draw. He did it by himself. looked over at Shining Armor, and her eyes fell on the hologram in front of him. Her smile vanished. Wait. It’s not over yet.

Flash pointed over the field. “Gem-Knight Master Diamond, attack Heroic Champion – Excalibur!”

Master Diamond lowered its blade to the side and charged, sparks and wisps of energy in its wake as it thundered across the field.

Shining smiled. “You’re a heck of a duelist, Flash.”

“You too,” Flash said. “I had to push my deck to its limit just to keep up with you.” He shook his head. “But there was no way I was gonna let my school down.”

“Same here,” Shining replied. “Which is why, even if I feel a bit bad doing this to you, I have no choice.”

Flash’s eyes widened. “What?”

“I can’t stop myself from losing, Flash!” Shining called. “But for the sake of my school, I can stop you from winning!” He reached to the screen of his duel disk and tapped, and the hologram of the face-down card in front of him turned over and rose up. “I activate my Trap card, ‘Heroic Retribution Sword’!” Excalibur’s sword pulsed and turned black, a red aura over it. “With this card active on my Excalibur, any battle damage I take from battles with it is also inflicted to my opponent!”

Flash gasped. “T-then…”

Master Diamond stopped in front of Excalibur and swung its blade. Excalibur brought its own sword forward to catch the strike. The two swords clanged loudly, silver and black sparking against each other. Excalibur’s sword cracked, and shortly after Master Diamond’s sword cut through it and into the knight holding it. As Excalibur was cut apart, the tip of its broken sword spun through the air and towards Flash. The knight exploded as the blade struck Flash.


-Flash LP: 0-



 -Shining LP: 0-


The students of both schools fell silent as the holograms flickered and deactivated. At the principal’s table, Radiant Hope blinked and slowly leaned towards the microphone.

“Students of Canterlot High and Crystal Prep… the final duel of the Autumn Crown Tournament has ended in a draw.”