Sunset Shimmer Life Points: 800
Sunset Shimmer’s field:
Monsters
-
Spells/Traps
-
Pendulum Zones
Dragonpulse Magician (Scale 1)
Dragonpit Magician (Scale 8)
Time Turner Life Points: 3800
Timer Turner’s field:
Monsters:
Time Thief Redoer (Rank 4, 2400/2000, 3 overlay units), attack position
Time Thief Perpetua (Rank 4, 1900/2500 2 overlay units), attack position
Spells/Traps
1 set
-
Turn 7: Sunset Shimmer (Hand: 1)
Sunset moved her hand until her fingers rested hesitantly to her topmost card of her deck; if she couldn’t draw Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, or something that could defend her from Turner’s next assault with his hectic time thieves, it was over, and by duelist’s oath, the man would owe her nothing. The notion of a government training any of their agents as duelists was very much absurd at this point, for Turner was probably one of the toughest opponents she’d crossed yet. Whoever this man was, he was certifiably potential pro material. It still gave no answer as to who he was and what he was doing at CHS.
She drew her next card. It wasn’t Odd-Eyes, nor a monster… But it could prove useful, unless...
“During your stand-by phase, Redoer shall appropriate your deck’s topmost card,” Turner said in reminding her, to which she was forced to take the next card from her deck, scan it, and place it in stand-by: The card stolen was Oafdragon Magician.
“I activate One Day of Peace from my hand,” Sunset inserted her card into her disk. “This card lets us both draw one card.” The card she drew wasn’t Odd-Eyes, but it would do. “Pendulum Summon! Come forth, my companions! Odd-Eyes Mirage Dragon (Level 3, 1200/600) and level seven ‘Dharma-Eye Magician’!”
The new magician was an unbelievable hulk of a male human: His rippling muscles contained within a skin-tight brown bodysuit, with a grand white and gold metallic kilt suspended from his waist covered his legs. Despite his grand physique, his face, or rather, the part not covered, anything below his striking blue eyes, exhibited an uncanny elegance with flowing platinum blonde hair. An asymmetrical golden crown adorned his head, a diagonal blue eye gazing forth near its front, with greater, similar eyes glowing on his hefty spaulders. Two decorative arcs with sharp protrusions adorned his back, and grasped in his hand was a grand golden cudgel, seemingly composed of four thick rings, each studded with a red and blue gem going down a line in a pattern. (Level 7, 2000/2500)
“To battle; Dharma-Eye Magician attacks Time Thief Perpetua!” Sunset ordered, pointing at the female Time Thief.
Dharma-Eye Magician’s cudgel’s gems lit up in sequence down its head (ATK: 2000), right before the muscular mage darted forth, as if he was gliding along the ground towards Perpetua (ATK: 1900), who could only reel back and cover her front with her arms.
“Well that’s not very nice,” quipped Turner, when a card from his hand was fed into his disk, “I activate Redoer’s effect; by detaching a Trap card overlay unit, I return your magician back into your hand.”
In the midst of his charge, one of Redoer’s time portals arose directly in front of him, being unable to stop as he dove straight through the clock face and disappearing. By her disk’s urging, she was forced to pick Dharma-Eye’s card from her tray.
Sunset frowned, Turner’s monsters once again eluding her attacks, “I end my turn…”
(Hand: 2)
Turn 8: Timer Turner (Hand: 5)
Turner drew his next card “A good man doesn’t leave his friends hanging, right?” he asked, but his tone implied it was anything but rhetorical. “I activate the continuous spell ‘Time Thief Hack’. Once per turn, I can increase the attack points of a ‘Time Thief’ Xyz monster by 300 times the number of overlay units. Redoer currently has three, so his attack increases to 3000. I will also switch Perpetua to defense position (DEF: 2500). Into my battle phase; I attack directly.”
With a cape-billowing twirl, Redoer (ATK: 3000) warped before Sunset, followed by him making a taunting motion that came a little too close to Sunset’s face. With a cocky shrug, the man warped back to Turner’s field.
“Due to One Day of Peace, neither of us takes any form of damage. You saving Perpetua with that stunt wouldn’t have cost you even the hundred life points,” said Sunset. “That is unless you just didn’t want your monster destroyed…”
“That’s about the size of it, Miss Shimmer,” replied Turner. His focus turned to his two monsters standing side-by-side, to which Sunset thought he could gleam something in the man’s eyes. “You never leave a pal in trouble, no matter what. I play the equip spell ‘Time Thief Jumper Unit’, and I attach it to Perpetua.”
Around Perpetua’s upper body materialized what looked to be a small leather satchel slung across her shoulder, the satchel itself being marked with multiple lines akin to circuitry, all of them coalescing into the center where a glass dome was situated, arcs of energy like a plasma orb racing across its surface non-stop.
“I end my turn. During the end phase Time Thief Hack’s effect ends and Redoer’s attack points return to normal.”
(Hand: 5)
Turn 9: Sunset Shimmer (Hand: 1)
Sunset drew her next card, well aware what was to come next as Redoer’s effect reengaged. She took her topmost card of her deck for scanning, when the confirmation made a jolt run down her spine. Odd-Eyes?! Indeed; Redoer’s next spot of thievery was her ace, snatched from her deck so brazenly.
Before she could think of what to do next, she heard a sound. It was difficult to describe in words, but it sounded what could best be described as a rasping snarl, coming from… Where was it coming from?
-
Turner watched in confusion as Shimmer seemed to be looking about and around her. Surreptitiously raising his right hand to an ear, he tried to discern what the girl may have heard. He failed to pick up any immediate sound, aside from the occasional car, or several, driving past down below around the school.
That’s when his phone made distinct chime in his breast pocket. It was custom-built, for obvious reasons; those brand products all came with so many flaws one could rather do without, and more importantly, it could wirelessly interface with all his custom hardware. That specific tone; it was geared specifically to the Mr. E’s, one of which stood cleverly hidden behind the library’s ceiling dome, imperceptible through the glare of the sun from their current vantage point.
-
“What was…?” Sunset uttered, realizing her opponent, the one spying on her, was looking in her direction with intent curiosity. She sealed her lips before uttering anything else her duel disk’s communicator may pick up. What was that?... Whatever it was, she had to keep up appearances… And the card she’d drawn was just what she needed right then and there to boot! “I Pendulum Summon! Return to the field; Dharma-Eye Magician, and from my hand, I bring out the Level 7 ‘Dragoncaller Magician!’”|
From the Pendulum Gates returned Dharma-Eyes, as well as another new Magician: Tall and sleek in build, her body was covered in a skintight dark blue armor that aesthetically was meant to have the likeness of a robe, given the wide billowing hems around her legs, with decorative gold stubs mimicking buttons and a sash going around from her left shoulder. Her face was heavily obscured by a dark, bronze mask connected to a conical hat-like helm, the most distinct feature of which was a gap possessing golden teeth, and a single fiery orange gem in the likeness of an eye… A dragon’s eye. (Level 7, 2400/2000)
“And from my hand, I activate ‘Magic Gate of Miracles’, when I control two spellcasters; I change one monster on your side to defense mode and take control of-”
“Counter trap: ‘Time Thief Retrograde,’” Turner responded, unveiling a card he’d set many turns ago. “If a spell or trap targets a Time Thief Xyz monster, this negates the effect and destroys it.”
Sunset grunted in frustration, with her only hope of getting Odd-Eyes back gone with a red jolt over her last hope. Now all she had were Dragoncaller and Dharma-Eye Magicians, neither who could break past Time Thief Perpetua’s defense, and the moment she’d try to use Dragoncaller on a suicide run against Redoer, he would just banish himself from the field and come back, ready to steal more cards.
How the hell am I supposed to fight that-?! The same sound came again, only this time, the moment it did the word around her vanished the moment she so much as blinked. What the-?! Back here again?
Instead of the Tree of Harmony towering before her, she was met by three great ovals, each towering over her, and each one of them casting a soft glow over her: One of the three, the one connected to the root-like coil of purple and magenta, was… It was pulsing, vividly, complete with that same two-part beat filling whatever this void was; a heartbeat. The one exactly opposite of that, connected to the coil or orange and blue… What were those colors represented of again…? She could gleam something through the rounded surface: A great silhouette, hunched over, its own heartbeat just barely discernible from that of its… Sibling?
Sunset found herself reach out and place a hand against it, trying to peer within to make out what this strange shape inside was. As if in response to her touch, a pair of golden orbs lit up through the semi-translucent shell, and the thing inside bellowed.
As if awakening from a trance, Sunset snapped her gaze to her field and held out a hand, “With the level seven Dharma-Eye Magician and level seven Dragoncaller Magician, I construct the Overlay Network!”
-
“What-?” Turner managed to utter when his phone chimed again, this time accented by a steady series of beeps. The Mr. E was picking something up, much stronger than before!
-
Sunset’s magicians devolved into swathes of light which shot up and dove down into the forming nebula that was the Overlay Network. Instead of a pillar of power erupting forth, the eye was overtaken, and in an instant the entire nebula, was covered in a violently expanding gaggle of something solid and blue; ice.
“Dragon of dichromatic eyes, underneath the arc of harmony: Arise from the cold depths to the light.”
“Xyz Summon! Rank 7, ‘Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon’!”
In a mighty roar, the gaggle of ice crystals shattered under the wake of a new dragon: Bipedal, like any Odd-Eyes: It’s leathery purple hide was similarly armored, only instead of scale or metallic, it was encased in shimmering blue crystals that incessantly wafted a chilly vapor around it: An armor of blue ice. Two pairs of wing-like extensions protruded from its back into an X-shape while a long tail snaked behind it as a means to maintain balance. Red and green eyes glimmered from underneath an ice crest affixed to its forehead. (Rank 7, 2800/2500)
“To battle! Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon; attacks Time Thief Perpetua!”
“I discard Time Escaper from my hand to banish Perpetua,” retorted Turner. A small, child-like humanoid in a green outfit, complete with a white cape and goggles, appeared beside Perpetua, taking her by the hand and pulling her along with him into a hole appearing in the air, saving Turner’s monster from Odd-Eyes’ assault.
“Alright then; I attack Time Thief Redoer with Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon: Spiral Absolute Burst!”
Drawing in a flurry of ice, Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon (ATK: 2800) shot out a concentrated burst of sheer cold in the form of a focused beam towards Redoer (ATK: 2400), the time traveling thief covering his front with his forearms crossed.
“I activate Redoer’s effect: I detach a spell card overlay units to draw one card.”
Without detaching a monster, Redoer’s arms became encased in ice, which began to grow and spread all over his body until he was completely encase in a thick crystal of blue ice. The formed structure subsequently shattered.
Time Turner Life Points: 3800 – 400 = 3400
Now there’s no threat of him stealing my cards… But why didn’t Turner just banish him? He’d still kept a thousand life points even if I hit him directly… But what was that card he gave Perpetua before he banished her? “I end my turn.”
(Hand: 0)
Turn 10: Time Turner (Hand: 4)
Turner drew a card. “During my stand-by phase, Time Escaper returns Perpetua to my field.” The female Time Thief leapt out of the reforming portal, holding her left hand backside forth, to which a transparent barrier was projected in front of her from the device atop it (Rank 4, 1900/2500). “And I then activate Time Thief Jumper Unit’s effect from the graveyard. When it was sent there while equipped to a ‘Time Thief’ Xyz monster, I can Special Summon one Time Thief Xyz monster from my graveyard, and make this an overlay unit for it. The hero of time just keeps coming back.”
Warping back to the field in a pillar of green light, Redoer stepping out and striking a pose with his hands to his hips in a nice blend of cocky and triumphant. The satchel that brought him back devolved into an orb that began revolving around his form as a new overlay unit. (Rank 4, 2400/2000)
“Next I activate the spell Overlay Regen: This spell becomes an overlay unit to a monster of my choice; in this case Redoer.” Another orb took its place revolving around Redoer. “Then I activate Time Thief Hack’s effect on Redoer, granting him 600 additional attack points. To this end I then attack your Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon!”
Time Thief Redoer (ATK: 3000) warped around the field, each energizing his glove further, before warping just underneath Odd-Eyes’s (2800) belly, revving for a punch.
“I activate Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon’s effect; by removing an overlay unit, I negate your attack!”
A harsh gust of snow and ice picked up around the roaring Odd-Eyes, forcing Redoer to warp back to Turner’s side of the field before landing his enhanced punch. The gust rose into a funnel around Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon, a golden ring forming near the top. Something else erupted from said ring, being shot up the funnel cloud until breaching the top, gliding around the immediate vicinity before settling on Sunset’s field: Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon (Level 7, 2500/3000)
“In addition, I can Special Summon one Odd-Eyes monster from my hand or graveyard. I may have underestimated your ability, with Vortex having to pay the price. I gotta do better; I can’t just use my monsters like some reckless kid and make them work in tandem. So I’m letting Vortex Dragon try this again.”
An eager grin formed on Turner’s face, the strange man giving an applauding clap of his hand, “Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! You continue to surprise again and again, Miss Shimmer! I haven’t seen display like this in ages, not since-” he seemed to hesitate in the midst of his enthusiasm.
“Since what?” asked Sunset. Turner’s reservedness had managed to ebb just now, maybe she could try prying something out of him. “What are you talking about?”
Turner retaliated with a wag of his finger and a series of tuts, “Spoilers, Miss Shimmer, spoilers. If you want the truth, you’re still going to have to defeat me. Duelist’s honor, right?”
Sunset couldn’t help smirking at the man’s deviousness, perhaps a slight smidgeon of her old self still there, applauding this persistent subterfuge. “If that’s how it is; then so be it: I activate Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon’s effect: When Special Summoned, and this accounts to other than Fusion Summoned, I return your attack position Redoer into your hand!”
“I discard another ‘Time Escaper’ to banish Redoer from the field, as well as activating his monster effect; removing one spell overlay unit to draw a card.”
The little humanoid in green appeared within the emerging portal, signaling Redoer to hurry inside, which the daring time traveler did, leaping in without hesitation.
Foiled again, thought Sunset at the persistence of Turner’s monsters.
“I set one card, then over to you, Miss Shimmer. What kind of trick will you pull off this time?”
(Hand: 3)
Turn 11: Sunset Shimmer (Hand: 0)
That’s going to be difficult to deliver, what with no hand… Thought Sunset, placing her hand to her deck in preparation to draw. I don’t fully understand what you meant by let them be my power, but… if it is what I think you mean, then the deck my friends helped me build… Alright, let’s see if I can work another miracle! In a powerful swipe she drew her next card. “I activate the spell ‘Pot of Riches’ from my hand.” To her field arose a large golden pot. Despite its illustrious sheen, it was quite detestable to look at, what with a wide, toothy, organic looking mouth curving up in a smile into obese cheeks, studded in rainbows of cut gems.
“With Pot of Riches, I shuffle three Pendulum monsters from my graveyard and/or Extra Deck to my deck, then draw twice. Since you previously stole so many of my cards, I return Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, Oafdragon Magician and Odd-Eyes Persona Dragon I discarded earlier.” With her cards being ejected one at a time in sequence from her graveyard slot, she placed the three atop her deck, then the automated shuffler did its function, before the device dinged with a green “draw” sign flaring on her screen, giving her two new cards.
-
Turner watched on in intrigue, that old jittery feeling he recalled back from the old days when he was Miss Shimmer’s age. Despite all the bad he’d heard of her; she was a genuinely fascinating individual. For the alleged “She-demon of CHS” the students tended to label her, so far, she seemed less a she-demon and more like… Like some else he knew, back from their days at Academia.
-
“Quick-play Spell; ‘Wavering Eyes’, activate!” Sunset swiped one of her two cards into her disk. “This spell lets me destroy as many cards in either players’ Pendulum Zones as possible and apply the appropriate effects in sequence. I destroy my Dragonpulse and Dragonpit Magicians.” The two pillars suspending her two magicians began to crack, the webs pinging from top to bottom until the solid slight structures shattered, the beings suspended within lowering down before fading, going to Sunset’s Extra Deck. “I destroyed two: First, I inflict 500 points of damage to you.”
A gust blew over the field towards Turner, accented with what looked like dried petals billowing past him.
Time Turner Life Points: 3400 – 500 = 2900
“And I get to add one Pendulum monster from my deck to my hand. I then take the scale one Odd-Eyes Persona Dragon, and scale four Odd-Eyes Phantom Dragon to set the Pendulum Scale!” In one deft swipe of her hand, she set both cards to the ends of the cleft of her tray, her two dragons replacing the previous spellcaster tenants. “Pendulum Summon! Return; Odd-Eyes Mirage Dragon!” (Level 3, 1200/600)
“I switch Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon to attack mode. Then to battle! Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon attacks Time Thief Perpetua! At this point I activate Odd-Eyes Phantom Dragon’s Pendulum effect: Increasing Vortex Dragon’s attack by 1200! Spiral Vortex Strike!”
Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon (ATK: 2500 -> 3700) craned back its long neck, drawing in power, before unleashing a concentrated funnel of air that weaved in the direction of Perpetua, who’s hair and skirt started to billow and waft uncontrollably, despite the shield projected in front of her.
“Trap card activate: ‘Time Thief Escape’! When a ‘Time Thief’ monster is attacked, I can banish that monster and take no battle damage from this one attack. The monster returns to the field during my end phase. Since Perpatua left the field, I activate the effect of my second Chronocorder in my graveyard and Special Summon it in defense mode.” One of the butterfly drones arose from the graveyard portal to the field, its wings folded forward, projecting a transparent barrier before itself. (Level 4 1000/1000)
“Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon’s effect: By returning a Pendulum monster from my Extra Deck to my deck, I negate Chronocorder’s effect and destroy it!”
Turner flinched when his monster seemed to blow something inside before falling back into the graveyard portal. He was now completely defenseless.
Now! “Odd-Eyes Mirage Dragon, attack him directly!”
The small green Odd-Eyes (ATK: 1200) dashed forth, whipping its heavy-headed spiked tail about before launching it like a mace towards turner, the strike glancing off his forcefield.
Time Turner Life Points: 2900 – 1200 = 1700
“Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon, finish this! Spiral Absolute Burst!”
-
“Vylon Omega attacks you directly! Final Purification!”
-
A focused beam of absolute cold shot out of Absolute Dragon’s maw, striking pin-point on the center of the unveiling segmented forcefield, a thick coating of ice beginning to grow around the spot before it all came to encase him, able to only barely see outside the projections, before it erupted and shattered all around him, leaving chunks and shards scattered all around the roof of CHS.
Time Turner Life Points: 1700 – 2800 = -1100
Sunset Shimmer victory!
Once more victorious, the holo-projections faded away with the dying whirr of the duel disk’s internal workings, and her tray split and folded away to their stand-by placements, while she saw Turner’s disk needed little since any monster placement not occupied was folded down. She’d never heard of such a model before, which only added to the strangeness of the man. With firm and deliberate stride, Sunset approached, purposefully locking eyes with him; she was going to get her answers, duelists’ honor or not.
The strange man posing as a teacher met her eyes with a stoic reservation. Both of them stood there in silence, with only the wind and traffic to break the monotony… Turner was the first to crack with a sputtering snicker, the man raising a hand to her mouth, learning forward with the other arm over his belly. Sunset thought she could make it; remain taciturn. She couldn’t. Through some infectious endearment, she started snickering herself, and before she knew it, she was joining in a vocal laugh with him. They did so for quite a moment, before Turner was the first to compose himself, straightening out his suit and readjusting his tie.
“You do realize a student challenging a teacher at a duel school is against the code of conduct, right? Only permitted in the reverse for evaluation and similar circumstances?” he asked, his abrupt mirthfulness switching to a more severe tone in a heartbeat.
“So you did know!” Sunset retorted, snapping back to her previous mindset also. “Then why did you not pull rank the moment I challenged you?”
Turner crossed his arms, a small smirk forming on his lips, “I may be a doctor, but I know the same excitement of a facing a worthy challenger as much as you do, Miss Shimmer. I was faking not knowing the duel academia rules to make sure you gave it your all, and let me tell you, that was a brilliant display!”
Sunset continued to eye the man warily, “You planned this from the start?”
“Well to be fair I didn’t expect you to come forth and challenge me so readily,” said Turner, pocketing his hands, idly stepping to the side, gazing over the horizon solemnly. “I suspected that someone was, well, suspicious, given that one of my Mr.-, that is to say, MRE scanners was uncovered.”
“MRE?”
“Magic Residual Emissions.” Turner seemed mildly amused looking her way, no doubt from the utter shock Sunset felt over the literal magic word being said out loud. “I call them Mr.E’s for fun.”
“You know about magic?!” asked Sunset incredulously. It was a safe, but not unfeasible, bet that whoever he was, he likely wasn’t aware of Equestrian magic, by Celestia how she hoped so, but human magic. “How?”
“Are you familiar with the West Tower incident on Eilean gu Ifrinn?” Turner asked, turning to fully face her. “Better known today as Academia Island.”
Sunset’s eyes widened at the revelation. “You were at Academia? But if you know about this, you’d have to be… You’re the third survivor!”
“Exactly,” Turner nodded with a deliberate smirk. “I was studying the Grimoire Obscure before it all went down; bit of a mysticism nut I suppose,” he remarked, idly scratching at the side of his nose.
At the revelation of his true identity, it was simple to put two and two together as to the man’s presence, “Principal Celestia put you up to this, didn’t she?”
“She and Lu- that is; Vice-principal Luna,” Turned confirmed. “Now I know this scenario undoubtedly sounds incredibly wrong, and you’re perfectly right in being angry at all three of us…” He paused, probably anticipating some form of outburst.
Sunset did not know what to say: Ever since the Mid-term duel and earning the ire of all students of CHS, the sibling heads of the institution were one of the few beacons of hope: Both offering guidance and kindness in the wake of Sunset’s liberation from the parasitizing spirit ingrained in her mind. Loathe as she was to think it, Sunset had reservations that perhaps even the principals didn’t fully trust her. And why would they? Sure, the feeling of anger and betrayal were at the forefront of her thoughts, but she had to at least hope there was more to it.
“I ask that you don’t be angry with them, Miss Sunset,” said Turner when no response came. “I understand you might feel like this was a betrayal of trust… And you’d be right, but Celestia and Luna meant no ill will towards you. They’re just concerned for everyone’s safety. And that also includes your own. You’re quite the special case; I’d dare say more so than the West Tower incident.”
“So, they told you what I am?” asked Sunset, obvious as the answer was.
“I was told that you are, in fact, a semi-anthropomorphic horse from an alternate dimension, yes.”
Sunset frowned, “Pony, Mr. Turner. Referring to us as horses is very much offensive.”
“Sorry about that,” the man grimaced awkwardly. “But, since you now know the truth; as per the duelist’s oath: No more hiding. I’ll answer any and all questions you have.”
Sunset looked at the man in bafflement at his sudden forthcomingness over the predicament. Trusting him was still up in the air, but if he really did know the principals on a more personal level, and the two were so readily willing to disclose such information to him. Perhaps she could try.
“Alright, Mr. Turner,” said Sunset, keeping to her stern tone. “You seem a tad overqualified to be a high school teacher,” the next part came out more laxly, a deliberate show of no ill will, for now, “why would you undercover as one?”
Her first question seemed to strike a nerve, judging by the indignant grimace forming on his face, “You really know how to pick ‘em…” He sighed. “I was once a Doctor of quantum physics at Stancolt. But all that flew out the proverbial window when I presented a theory pertaining to phenomena that those of a more skeptical outlook would deem as the supernatural. When I happened to accidentally slip the literal magic word, and I lost all credibility.”
Sunset nodded, bringing a contemplative hand to her chin, “So you were literally researching into magic, much like what happened at Academia?”
Turner stepped to look over the world below, hands behind his back as he peered over the landscape, “That night when the incident happened; I witnessed something that any other person would deem impossible. I saw how one of my best friends was being used as the sacrificial lamb to some madness beyond the realms of objective logic and reasoning. Watched how another leapt through fire to save her. And when the victims of an “unfortunate, but avoidable accident” were dragged down to who knows where.”
Sunset stepped up beside the man, looking over the thoroughly grim look on the man’s face as he continued looking into the distance, towards the inner city of Canterlot, a steely determination in his eyes. Eyes of dedication.
“This is something people all over the world treat as a simple game,” he continued, his expression unflinching. “In this city alone, we have hundreds, no thousands of duelists, all of them unwittingly taking part in something they couldn’t fathom the truth behind. Even now, who knows how many children are playing it as we speak. Imagine if what happened at Academia-”
“Or what happened here,” Sunset added.
“Imagine if that suddenly occurred somewhere out there, during what might as well be an innocent game of cards. If Duel Monsters really are just a recreation of the dark games; and someone ends up triggering it like that. It’s like playing with fire. I want to find out for certain that the West Tower incident never happens again, whether by accident or deliberate. That’s why I’m here, at the behest of a friend who’s concerned for everyone in this school.” He turned to look at Sunset, “I hope you’ll understand that I am not blaming you. I don’t know why it happened on your part, but I truly believe you’re not some monster your peers call you.”
Sunset met Turner’s eyes with her own. Whatever her thoughts about the man she’d held previously, if he spoke the truth; he posed a noble goal behind his blatant intrusion of personal privacy. Someday soon she had to confront the principals about this subterfuge being played right in front of her, but it stood to reason that the two would be worried with one of their own students bringing the Dark Games as she had. And Turner was right: What if someone out there did unlock the powers much like the two errant students of Academia? Or much like she had during that night at the Ghouls’ base…?
“Perhaps I can shed some light on any questions you might have?” she inquired, it now being her turn to offer confidence.
Turned seemed to consider her offer for a moment. His response came in seating himself down atop the parapet. “Maybe start at the beginning?”
Sunset remained standing, “On the condition that nothing leaves this school. I’m already taking a great risk trusting you as is. Don’t make me regret it.”
“I gave you duelist’s honor, Miss Shimmer,” replied Turner steadfastly. “Whatever you disclose remains between us and Principal Celestia and Vice-principal Luna.”
Sunset considered the options. Tell him the full truth, from Equestria and onwards, or only snippets here and there. The thought the principals ostensibly had someone spying on her still stung, and despite her previous reservations pertaining to the Doctor, something about his demeanor, on top of his protective streak shown during their duel…? Perhaps she could trust him, although some secrets she thought best should remain hidden… All while unbeknownst to them, someone was watching them from the cover of the entryway to the roof, a pair of slitted eyes like a skulking feline observing the two of them intently, while perfectly tuned ears picked up every exchange between the good Mr. Turner and Sunset Shimmer…
-
Under the dimming evening sky, enough so that the grid to the streetlamps had engaged, Night Quill strolled down the path of the local park for his and Frosty’s daily walk. Coming across an unoccupied park bench, at the base of a lamppost, he took the opportunity to sit, Frosty looking back at him in confusion. Oh, he wasn’t weary, not physically, in any case, more over the stress of not only an unsatisfactory grade from his last exam, but an equally unsatisfactory performance in his latest duel, despite all the odds being in his favor.
The puffy white canine groaned, peering up at him from her spot on the ground, eliciting a round of scratches behind her ear as Night thought long and hard at the event. By all accounts, Sunset in her weakened state would have been easy for someone like him to ram through: Spitfire proved adequately the frailties in whatever defenses the she-demon of CHS had. The predicament was perfect, absolutely perfect if not for that new dragon Fusion she unveiled at the most opportune moment. Worst of all; the condescension.
“Legacy?” he asked, muttering. “What legacy? I’m just a lout who couldn’t even enroll at a school…” Despite the dark clouds looming in his mind, the continued companionship and approval from Frosty always cheered him up. “You think I did right by going at her like I did, girl?” he asked.
Not that Frosty would know; she mostly just cared that he was around with her for walkies at the moment, though the look from her black button eyes always felt like she might know more than her canine form let on. “Aww, you don’t care do you?” He spoke to the white Samoyed in a babying manner, rubbing at the side of her fluffy head. “You got everything in life sorted, don’t you girl?” When she turned to look down their usual evening path down the park, it was obvious that it was time to continue on. “Alright-alright. Let’s converse more back home.” The notion was appealing, as the nights had begun to grow colder.
With her tail wagging eagerly, Frosty led on whilst Night kept a steady pace behind her, with an occasional glance back from her to make sure he was following…
As the two were around the centermost area of the public park, as they usually did, something began to feel strangely off. But what it was eluded him. Even Frosty seemed to slow down, eventually coming to a halt, her ears perking as if she’d heard something. Night glanced around; there was no-one else there but him and Frosty.
“What is it, girl?” he asked warily when Frosty seemed to become focused on something up ahead.
The both of them continued on at a quicker pace, but it seemed the further they went the more wrong everything felt. It was almost as if… As if one could put it to a sound…? A sound! It was a sound. Night could hear it too, somewhere near, off the path, which he began to stray away from. But why? Every instinct within him was screaming at him to get him and Frosty away, yet he was being drawn to whatever this sound was. It was almost, beautiful, in a way; a haunting melody reverberating through the vicinity, and yet so faint that it couldn’t have been louder but a whisper. He almost failed to realize Frosty tugging against her leash, an apprehensive whine emanating from her, but even his faithful companion’s cries couldn’t stop him.
Nearing the edge of the little thicket of trees and shrubbery, the song grew ever slightly more audible, yet still carried the volume of nary a hush. The lack of illumination this far off the path did not help with the sense of dread, yet his conscious thought could not sway his body to let the adrenaline kick in and run. Was he being hypnotized by this… harmony was it?
As suddenly as it’d come, the melody seemed to cease… Or did it? Maybe the dark or his ears were playing tricks on him, for it was as if he couldn’t hear anything further physically, unless it was the gust of the autumn wind, but he thought he could still feel the sound as if it was inside his head. A tingling chill raced down his spine, all the while he heard Frosty continue tugging against her leash as she growled at something.
“Did you like my song?”
That’s when his addled mind realized the faint hue of blue and red, only a few feet away, beside a tree. Someone was there. Peering into the dark, he thought he could make out a figure leaning against a trunk. Even in the dimness, he thought he could make out the outlines of a figure, just enough to stir his memories.
“Wait… Aren’t you…? You’re one of the new girls,” he muttered, recognizing her as she straightened herself from the trunk of the willow. “What do you want?”
The girl with the high ponytail proceeded to giggle, “I just asked you, silly. Did you like my song?” She seemed to purse her lips in a moment of contemplation, “Mm, though then again, I could just make you like it if I wanted to. So, I guess that was kinda rhetorical, huh?” She proceeded to giggle.
Night stared at the girl in befuddlement. “What the hell are you…?” The sounds of Frosty’s growling behind him drew his attention: The white Samoyed was standing as far as her leash let her, all the while hunched down on all four paws, baring her teeth at the arctic blue girl, as if indecisive on whether to attack or flee. That should have been enough proof for Night to take off, but somehow his flight response wouldn’t take over.
Sonata appeared as if she were scrutinizing him, bringing a finger to her lower lips as she seemed to almost appraise him. “Oh, yea: The reason you’re not running: My song does that. Convenient really when it keeps my prey from escaping.”
Prey?! “W-who the hell are you…?” Night shuddered; his inherent fear of the unknown clawed its way to the surface. Not since that hellish night during the mid-term duel had he felt fear as close as this moment.
“Silly hat guy,” Sonata giggled, getting close enough to drag a finger across his cheek. “I’m just Sonata. I mean unless you’re asking maybe what I am, ‘cuz let me tell you, your fragile little mind would get wrecked!” She emphasized with a loud, energized smack of her hands against one another, all the while she kept up that most innocent of smiles. She tilted her head coyly when it was evident that Night’s fear had taken hold, “Scared, aren’t ya? Well I suppose I could just let you go… But only on one condition…” She smirked darkly as her duel disk deployed, the glow of the screen accented by a haze of red in her eyes. “Duel me and win. And don’t even try to decline. Until you accept, you’re under my power, tidbit…”