Confessions of a Lone Vagabond

by Azure5555

Duel 01 Pt2

"VIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!" Pinkie Pie screamed as she bounced along the halls of Ancient Gear Castle. "VIIIINNIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!" 

I woke up too early… and now I have the Pink One causing a riot… might as well see what she wants.

"VINNY VIN VIN!!!!" Pinkie continued as she began bouncing on my prone body. "VIIIIIIIIIIIIN~ IT'S TERRIBLE!!" She cried.

"Whaaat… what's terrible…" I asked as I tried to paw her away, my mind still not having woken up after the morning.

"She's too early!!" The pink ball of hair finally shouted.

Early… early… oh yeah… "You mean that unicorn right?" I asked as Pinkie shoved her hooves into my chest.

"You saw her!? And you didn't tell me!!?" She cried in accusation, her nose hitting my nose as she got dangerously close to my face. She tipped my hat up as she stared me down, smiling after a solid ten seconds. "That's okay!" She exclaimed with a smile. "I forgive you… Now what to do…" 

With that, she jumped off my chest and started pacing around my bedroom. "I can't throw her a party in the library anymore, she'll see it coming and that's no fun!"

Groaning, I roll out of bed rather unceremoniously, causing a small thump on my way down. "Can you… maybe do this later?" I asked hopefully.

"But I won't have time later!!" She whined as she rolled me onto my back and pulled me up. "Come on, come on! Get serious!" She shouted as she now wore my cap.

With a raised eyebrow, I slipped my cap off her head and made my way out. As I walked the empty halls, the various Ancient Gear Soldiers I brought into existence saluted me and Pinkie.

"My lord!" The only Ancient Gear here that called me that was the Ancient Gear Knight, said knight running my way with a massive clipboard in his hands.

Well, massive to me since the AGs are all giants to begin with…

"I have today's schedule of events should you wish to partake." He said as he slowed down once he reached Pinks and me.

"KNIGHTY~~!!!" Pinkie shouted as A.G. Knight stood at attention.

"Yes, princess!" He shouted back, causing Pinkie to giggle like a little girl.

"Can we have a party here?" She asked the giant mechanoid sweetly.

"I do not see why not." He answered idly.

"My castle, my rules," I cut in as I stare down the Knight. "And I say no go on the party." 

"But VIIIIIIIIIIIIN~~~~" Pinkie whined as she moved her head in a rising arc. "Why not~?" She continued as she dropped her head on my stomach, her baby blue eyes glistening as she looked me dead in the eyes.

"Not today… I won't cave in…" I said that, but God. DAMN IT I can't deny those eyes forever. After a few more seconds of the stand off (which included her trembling her bottom lip as her eyes grew) I finally threw my arms up in defeat.

With an excited shout, Pinkie took the Knight by the hand… somehow… and lead him off, leaving me alone to sigh in my defeat.

"Twilight, we need to talk." Spike stated with a more than serious tone.

"Not now, Spike," The unicorn replied as she began to polish a blade her escort had left her. "Not when it's almost time."

"Twilight!" Spike had shouted. "You're acting crazy! Crazier than usual! It's just an old pony's tale!"

"You're wrong Spike," Twilight replied as she strapped the simple short sword to her back along with her device. "Tonight marks the end of a thousand year banishment, tonight… she returns."

The dragon only huffed as he began to massage his temples. "Twi, you're scaring me. I know you mean well but-" By the time he lifted his head back up to see her, she had already left the library. Groaning, the young Drake did his best to catch up to her.

"Twilight!! This isn't over!!" He shouted as he ran through a growing crowd of workers and tourists. Dusk had soon broken, snack stands and vendors now began to litter the streets and Spike was no closer to reaching his surrogate mother… at least until-

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE GUARDS!?" He heard her rather explosive voice. With renewed vigor, Spike began to squeeze his way through the clustered crowd until he finally found Twilight. The mare was staring down the mayor of the town with righteous fury.

"TWILIGHT!!" Spike shouted as he ran up to the now pacing unicorn. Said unicorn flinching upon hearing her name.

"Spike? When did you?"

The dragon collided into the unicorn in a tight hug, Twilight running a hoof along his scales in confusion. "Oh Spike…"

"Miss? You're… awfully armed for an overseer." The mayor stated calmly as she walked up to Twilight.

"Mayor Mare, I know this will sound crazy, but-"

"Let me stop you," The mayor said as she placed a hoof over Twilight's mouth. "I understand your concern, but really he's harmless." 

Twilight was rather taken aback by this. "He? No! She! The Mare in the Moon!"

Huffing and shaking her head, Mayor Mare dismissed the unicorn and turned the other way. "I'm sorry miss, but I really don't have time for this…" 

As the mayor left, the gathered ponies began to make their way to the not yet finished podium set up around Town Hall. 

"We're on our own, Spike." Twilight sighed as she made her way back to the library.

"I really… really hope you're wrong about this." He replied as they shared another hug.

"Me too, Spike, me too…" 

"Pinkie." I said calmly as I stood in front of a now hot pink Ancient Gear Knight, his shield having been decorated with Pinkie's Tramp Stamp.

"Yuhuh?" She asked as she popped her head out of a ball pit of all things.

"Why is my knight pink?" I asked, still very much calmly.

"I rather enjoy the tone, my lord." The giant stated. Wasn't gonna lie, Pinkie made him look a lot less… ancient. His lance, shield, armor, as well as exposed gears and joints had all been buffed out and shined, both of his eyes now glowed a soft blue as opposed to when it was just a single glowing red, and he genuinely sounded happy.

"See, he likes it!" Pinkie cheered. Sighing, I shake my head as I look across the rather large ballroom she decided to set up shop. Much like the rest of the castle, it was a bland dreary gray made from cobblestone and iron, but the party pony was rather quick in making it work to her advantage.

Banners brought color to the walls, balloons of all shapes and sizes gave the room a sense of depth, an elongated and antique iron dining table was decorated with candelabra, food trays, a massive cake that looked more like a jewel surrounded by rock candy adorned cupcakes, and a white unicorn with electric blue hair and tail and wearing sunglasses was setting up a sound system.

"When did she…" I asked as I point at the pony. The pony in question looked up from her mess of wires to stare at me before smiling and waving enthusiastically.

"Oh, that's Vinyl! But I'm supposed to call her DJ Pony…" Pinkie replied as she bounced on over with a pin the tail type of game banner.

"When did Vin-" A cough from the unicorn in question had cut me off, the mare lowering her shades and gaze so as to give me a look. "I am calling you Vinyl until the show starts." I reply to her non verbal show of displeasure. 

Blinking in surprise, she flicked her shades back on and gave a toothy grin as her head bobbed up and down.

Sighing, I started following Pinkie as she was bouncing off to who knows where. "As I was asking, when did Vinyl get here?"

The party pony bobbed her head side to side as if listening to an unknown beat. "Hmm… twenty minutes ago? The soldiers helped her."

"It's almost night fall, you should get back to Ponyville before you miss out." I say as I look out a random window, the pony stamped full moon staring back at me.

"Aww~ but There's still so much to do!" She whined as she dropped her head on my leg and looked up at me.

"You left a list, plus, your friends are probably missing you." I reply as I gently nudge her head, the pony only melting in my hand as she rubbed her cheek into my palm.

"You sure you don't want to come? We might even meet the princess!" She cheered as she hopped away.

"I've got your party to set up, plus Vinyl can keep me company."

With that, we waved our good-byes.

"No back up, little to no information… and only one card." Twilight muttered to herself as she placed around the living room of the library.

"Wait, card? I thought all your test cards burned." Spike wondered aloud. With a smile, Twilight urged him to sit next to her upon the couch. As the two settled, Twilight revealed the card that fell from the sky.

"I found this here after we spoke to the weather director," Twilight replied. "It's strange… but I haven't studied it much until now…"

"Junk Synchron?" Spike asked as he took note of the name of the card. "What's a tuner?" He asked as he began to read it's accompanied text.

"I don't know, I'm rather curious myself," She replied as she retrieved an old tome. After opening the book and reviewing the many pages, the unicorn furrowed her brow and sighed. "It's… not here. Not surprising actually."

"What's that book?" Spike asked as Twilight float the book over to him. His eyes widened as he began to read about ancient heroes and monsters, images of creatures and kinghts adorned every other page.

"This was one of Star Swirl's old compendiums, it's where I found the idea for the wizard card." Twilight stated solemnly.

"Huh… that's… wait. Twilight!" Spike shouted as he stood on the couch. "That creature at Fluttershy's cottage!"

"Fluttershy?" Twilight questioned with a tilted head before 'oh'-ing in understanding. "Creature… the one with the bat."

"His scarf! And the scarf on your card!" Spike immediately brought up the Junk Synchron to Twilight's eyes. "It's identical!"

The unicorn, puzzled, took the time to look at the scarf. "I… Can't say I see the similarities, but you might be onto something! Maybe a bit of research is in order?" She asked with an excited grin. 

With spirited nods, the two set their sights on Fluttershy, hoping to find some answers to this growing mystery.

Despite their hurriedness, they found no trace of the shy pegasus at the cottage, nor the creature that accompanied her. With night having well descended, the duo quickly made their way to town hall… with little time to spare.

"She's gone!" Twilight heard a pony cry the closer they got to the podium, a dark shadow beginning to form upon the balcony prepared for princess Celestia.

Wicked laughter filled the world as the shadows began to shape and twist into an armored pony. Her towering height, enlarged wings, and sleek spiraling horn gave those in attendance an idea of just what they were dealing with… an Alicorn.

"Nightmare Moon…" Twilight gasped as her eyes widened in fear. Spike holding back a curse as he curled his fist into a claw.

"Oh, my beloved subjects. It's been so long since I've seen your precious little sun-loving faces." Nightmare Moon taunted, Rainbow Dash being the first to respond.

"What did you do to our princess!?" She cried as she attempted to fly straight into the Alicorn… only for Applejack to snag her by the tail.

"Wooooahh Nelly!" The farm mare exclaimed as she pulled her friend in with a lasso.

"Why, am I not royal enough for you?" Nightmare Moon jeered. "Don't you know who I am?"

"Ooh, ooh, more guessing games!" Pinkie cheered excitedly.  "Um, Hokey Smokes! How about... Queen Meanie! No! Black Snooty, Black Snooty—" Rarity somehow managed to fit a large pastry into Pinkie's mouth so as to silence her.

Visibly hurt, Nightmare Moon began to scan the crowd. "Does my crown no longer count now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?"

"I did," Twilight stated, now brandishing her blade. "And I know who you are. You're the Mare in the Moon – Nightmare Moon!" As all the ponies gasped at this revelation, Nightmare only laughing wickedly.

"Well well well, somepony who remembers me. Then you also know why I'm here." She stated with a commanding tone.

"You're here to... to…"

With a chuckle, Nightmare spread her wings. "Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment for-"

A sonic boom shattered the podium and destroyed the decorations, Rainbow Dash having broken out of her bindings as she went on a collision course with Nightmare.

Though the impact was immense, Nightmare Moon had turned into a mass of shadows, escaping the pegasus' would be beat down.

"Stop!" Twilight shouted. "You can't beat her!!"

"Oh yeah!? Watch me!!" Rainbow shouted as she once more broke the sound barrier as well as the physical light spectrum as she aimed at Nightmare once more.

"To see a pegasus create a Sonic Rainboom twice in a row…" Nightmare muttered with a cold smile. "Such a shame to extinguish such potential!!" She shouted as she executed her own boom from her prone position.

The two began to collide and separate, their impacts causing wave after wave of excess force as the gathered crowd began to flee. As the two flyers kept their barrage, it began to look as though neither side would stop… at least until one last collision sent Rainbow careening to the ground.

"Now DIE!!" Nightmare cried as she began a vicious dive straight for Rainbow. It happened in an instant, much to the surprise of those still present. Before any could shout, a brass metal fist had collided with Nightmare's face, sending her careening into Town Hall.

"J-junk… Synchron!?" Rainbow shouted in confusion, the floating warrior holding its curled fist out as it looked back to Rainbow, determination in it's spirited eyes.

"A monster!?" Nightmare shouted as she dug herself out of the wreckage. "No… the summoning arts have long since been forgotten!! This can't…" Her eyes darted along the scene, finding six ponies and a dragon… the lavender unicorn having caught her attention.

"You… you have brought a monster into our world… You would raise an army against me!?" She questioned with righteous fury burning in her eyes. "Know this, summoner, you shall rue the day you were born!!" And with that, the Alicorn was gone.

Quickly shaking away her stupor, Twilight lifted Spike onto her back. "Spike, we need to go-" Stopping in her tracks as Rainbow slowly walked over to her.

The pegasus was bruised, battered, and bloody. Her every step threatening to drop her into the ground. Standing as rigid as she could, Rainbow looked first to Twilight, then to the glowing device strapped to the mare's hoof. With a quick swipe, Junk Synchron was removed from the ethereal board.

"Don't you ever… touch… my cards…" Rainbow whispered before collapsing, the girls shouting her name as they crowded around her.

"A'right partner. Start talking." Applejack demanded of Twilight, the girls sitting around the living room as Fluttershy tended to her fallen friend.

"Not after I get answers of my own first." Twilight replied in defiance.

"I must side with Applejack on this matter, dear," Rarity stated firmly as she sipped at a cup of tea that Spike had brought out. "As the outsider among us, you know more of what's going on than either of us."

"She's… she's a spy…" Rainbow eeked out as she struggled against her bandages, as well as Fluttershy. The shy mare doing her best to keep her friend from hurting herself.

"I am not a spy." Twilight replied calmly.

"Then how come y'all have a duel disk!?" Applejack shouted, pointing an accusatory hoof at the unicorn. "How come you were able to summon Junk Synchron like that!?"

"You know what that card is!?" Twilight asked in shock.

"Please answer the question." Fluttershy muttered, somehow sending a shiver down Twilight's spine.

"I found schematics to…" She lift the disk up to show the others. "This, along with a book of monsters. The ancients were able to summon monsters much like Junk Synchron to fight and wage wars against each other."

"But, they're only cards," Rarity said with disbelief. "It's all just a game, isn't it?"

"Spike?" Twilight called, the dragon nodding as he began to inhale. To everyone's surprise, a great plume of fire left the dragon's mouth as it began to shift and swirl…

"Long ago…" Twilight began cryptically. "And longer still, the world was governed by one law."

The fire began to form terrible beasts, monstrosities clawing and gnashing at each other.

"But there were those who sought to change this horrid existence…"

The beasts were soon driven back by a giant, a dragon, and an eagle. The monsters did all they could to fight back, though their efforts were in vain.

"These gods who took pity on this wasted world gave three individuals their blessings… their strength."

A bearded unicorn was given an orb locked by jaws from the dragon, a spry pegasus was given a soul encased in stone, and a fair unicorn was bestowed a jeweled eye.

"For a time, all was peace…"

The images changed to show an Earth Pony, a Unicorn, and a Pegasus banding together to drive back an encroaching cloud, followed by cities spiraling into the sky. Images of ponies living happy lives.

"Until that pegasus of old grew in power… and jealousy."

The pegasus who had now become an Alicorn, used her gift to fight against an equal, a mare who once was a unicorn. Her own sister.

"The two fought for hours until the Alicorn of the sun could take no more, using another gift given to them by the world, the Alicorn of the sun banished the Alicorn overcome by the darkness they once swore to destroy."

The image made one last shift, becoming the image of the moon…

As the fires faded, the girls all stared wide-eyed at Twilight and her dragon.

"So… yer tellin' me…" Applejack had sat herself on the floor, leaning her head on the couch. "Nightmare Moon has the powers of a god? Ah hear that right?"

"What is she after?" Fluttershy asked fearfully.

"The Elements of Harmony, said to be hidden within the abandoned castle of the two sisters." Twilight replied.

"BUT VINCE IS THERE!!" Rainbow shouted as she shot up to a sitting position, biting back her pain as she struggled against her bandages.

"Who's Vince?" Twilight asked.

"He's our duelist," Rarity replied. "He's very good at what he does… in fact, he may be just what we need to fight this Nightmare Moon."

"Um… I don't want to change the subject…" Fluttershy muttered as she hid behind her mane. "But… where's Pinkie?"

"FOR THEY MAY TAKE OUR LIVES!!!" Pinkie shouted, holding Salamandra and decorated in BraveHeart style paint as she stood upon a Warrior DNA converted Ancient Gear Beast. "BUT THEY'LL NEVER TAKE!!! OUR PARTIES!!!"

The roar from the various Soldiers, Engineers, Beasts, and Knights, were almost drowned out by the subsequent… blood curdling something from the encroaching mass of darkness that began an assault against the castle not to long ago.

The Rambo-esque soldiers fired at the blob, causing it to wrench and lurch… at least until it was close enough to enact whatever it was here for. 

"Alright folks! It's go time!! I shout as I looked at my duel disk. DNA Surgery was already active and set to Warrior, the A. Forces was active as well to compliment the twenty plus monsters. That just meant that I needed deterrents…

"I'm setting Stumbling, Rivalry of Warlords, and I'm activating a Banner of Courage!" 

"But those are all of your available slots!" I heard an Engineer shout. 

"Oh come on, what's the worst that can happen." I replied, causing everyone to groan and face palm, a few of them even crying out 'Damn it, Murphy'.

The blob had started to lurch as several bodies were deposited onto the ground covered in black goo. As the bodies got to their feet, I took note of the blood red eyes, the blackened leather armor, and the wicked smiling teeth of three Dark Grephers.

Thankfully, the once human monstrosities fell incredibly quickly to my soldiers gun fire. The only problem was that when one died, four more took it's place.

"Arthurian Unit! To. ARMS!!!!!" The pink AG Knight exclaimed, eight soldiers crying havoc. 

As a group of twelve Grephers crawled out of the blob, four Manticores of Darkness flew out to strike at the now encroaching Soldiers.

Those unprepared had their guts torn out and their bodies rend by the vicious winged lions. The only consolation was that once they were torn open, the went back to being machines…

"WITNESS ME!!!!!" A crazed and hysterical Ancient Gear Soldier shouted as he flew off a ramp on a high speed Ancient Gear Tank, the aerial soldier gunning down one manticore while crashing and exploding into another.

As the beasts fell, ten more began to fly out of the blob accompanied by three Dark Diabolos, a Dark Ruler HaDes, five Newdoria, and a Dark Creator of all things.

"Send in the golems!!" I shouted with an outstretched hand, the ground groaning and rumbling as two massive giants broke through the earth. One had grasped a Diabolos By it's neck, breaking it easily while the other had head butt the Dark Creator on it's way up.

Staggered, but not deterred, The Dark Creator opened it's arms as several Archfiends had started to flow into reality.

"Trap open!!" I shouted with an outstretched arm as the field began to glow. "Rivalry of Warlords!!" 

Soon, the Grephers and Manticores, as well as the Diabolos and Creator all started to vanish. The only monsters left were the Archfiend archetype monsters and the HaDes.

With a savage warcry, the Archfiends descended upon the castle, some even tearing apart a few soldiers and knights. The trippy part was watching as the blood and gore quickly turned into oil and cogs as the dead Ancient Gears stopped being affected by DNA Surgery.

Though… through all the chaos and confusion, I couldn't really see Pinkie anywhere…

"DEFILERS!!" I heard a woman scream. "THIS INSULT TO MY HOME SHALL NOT GO UNPUNISHED!!!"

The blob started to convulse and squirm as it imploded, an… Alicorn I think they're called had started walking from the dispersed darkness, two Archfiend Generals walking beside her.

"My lord!" Pinkie's AG Knight called out. "I believe her to be the source of the attack!" 

"Shit, her? Is that all?" I asked a little condescending and with crossed arms.

"I call upon the ancients of old…" The dark horse whispered as she pulled out a blue rock like cube with a blue pulsing light within it. "Here my plea… lay waste to all who opposed me…"

The blue light within the cube began to pulse and spin, it's rotation becoming faster and faster as the stone began to crumble. "Bring upon death to my enemies, and may you bring torment upon their souls!!!" 

The box had now broken apart as the two generals were engulfed in dark blue fire.

"Ultimate Golems!!! Ultimate Ancient Gear Golems, NOW!!!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs as I desperately began searching my deck for a set of cards.

With a wordless order, three skyscraper sized centaur like Ancient Gear monsters had jumped into the field… only to be blown back to pieces along with ninety nine percent of our strike force.

Well, at least Pinkie's Knight survived…

"Into the castle now! Into the castle NOW!" I commanded as I turned tail, narrowly dodging a stone blue giant's fist.

"My lord! What shall we do!?" The Pink Knight asked as he ran beside me.

"I activate Stumbling!" Without looking back, I threw the card open with just enough time to feel the earth quake as something heavy no doubt toppled over its feet. "That should buy me time! Get to Vinyl and jump ship!"

"What shall you do!?" The Knight asked as he began jogging in place.

"I'm destroying the castle…"