Twilight was already a bundle of nerves from today’s events, and then seeing Liam in such a terrible state, and NOW being the one to actually be the person battling to capture an illegal monster, all the while Adrian wasn’t here. Sunset was trying to encourage her friend from the stands, but Twilight’s pounding heart was thumping in her ear, canceling out all of Sunset’s words of encouragement. This was situation was nothing like the one at the friendship games, this was far more intense, and people can get hurt in this battle.
‘I…I…I don’t think I c-can do this.’ Twilight lamented internally as her breathing began to become unsteady. But then, something strong and firm was gently placed on her back, and when she looked behind her Twilight saw Mander behind her. “Mander.”
“Take a deep breath Twilight. You need to calm down.” The armor dragon said calmly, while giving a reassuring look on his broad face. Twilight began breathing in slowly before releasing it, before repeating it several more times. “I know this is a bit overwhelming for newcomers, but rest assured, I’ll be right by your side.”
“And I’ll be by your side as well.” Hearty said as she floated beside the violet skin girl, hand placed on her right shoulder.
Twilight seemed to have calmed down significantly, before looking at both monsters, and giving them her thanks. The trio then looked over to the other side of the arena, where the Dazzling’s and their buddy monster stood, all with confident smiles.
“The first move is yours.” Adagio said with an air of smugness. Twilight then looked over to the floating core gadget, and began performing her initial charge and draw phase.
“Mander what should I do first?” Twilight asked the dragon.
“I can only give you advise Twilight; I can’t make moves for you. The decisions you make is all dependent on your judgment.” Mander said to the teenager. “Just remember what Adrian showed you, and your friends when he showed you how the game works.”
“Alright.” Twilight then scanned over the cards in her hand. Remembering how Adrian showed her how to play the game, and chose from one of the two monsters in her hand. “Okay…I call to the center 57th Generation Great Magician Merlin, Unryu Togetsu.”
The card then flew out of Twilight’s hand, soaring over to the center position of her side of the field, while one of her 3 gauge cards turned into a star and merged into card, where it dispersed and became a summoning circle. The circle then vanished a second later, and a tall old man with a grey beard, dressed up in an extravagant robes and wielding a large wooden staff stood. The old man then turned to face Twilight, his wrinkled face and deep green eyes looked down at the girl.
“So you are my battler this day young lady.” The old man said, his voice strong, yet caring. “What do you wish me to do for you this day?”
“Umm…I want you to, attack Adagio. Please.” Twilight said meekly, still not one-hundred percent used to the situation she was in.
The magician just simply nodded, and turned to face the opposition, then with a quick incoherent chant the magician released a barrage of lightning that struck the Dazzling’s, causing them to give out girlish shrieks, while their 10 life were reduced to 6. Once the lightning had finished sparking around the girls, the disjointed voice of the arena declared that Twilight’s turn was over, and announced that it was Adagio’s turn. The pale orange skinned girl wasted no time in going through her turn.
“To the center I call Magic Drummer, Byakuren. And to my right I call Magic Guitarist, Hisui.”
As the cards were sent out, Twilight watched as two bonfire fires appeared on the designated areas, scaring her initially before Mander, and even Hearty steadied her. The flames died down and revealed two monsters that both Twilight and Sunset could mistake for humans, one being a rather bulky young man that was dressed like a punk rocker, drumming away on a set of drums. The other monster looked more like little boy dressed up as a rock and roller, holding a little bright green guitar which he was strumming away widely, as sparks of green fire flicked each time the pick struck the chord. Both monster continued to produce a low steady beat with their instruments, while they looked over at Twilight with the same cocky attitude as Adagio and her sisters. But Adagio wasn’t done yet.
“Next I cast Flame Quartet. I take the top two cards of my deck, and place them into my gauge—” said two cards were drawn, and were then tossed to the side where they became part of the Dazzling’s gauge, brining it up to 5. “Not only dose my gauge increase, but I also gain 2 lives.” Twilight then watched as Adagio’s 6 lives were brought back up to 8. “But I’m done yet, cause now I cast Trans-flame to deal 1 point of damage.”
The violet girl watched as the card Adagio pulled out destroyed itself, before becoming a searing yellow and white fireball. The fireball then raced across the arena, whizzing past Twilight’s magician, and striking the violet girl in the chest, causing her to scream in fright. It was indeed hot, but it wasn’t anything to hot that it hurt, and while Twilight recovers from the shock Sunset watched as Twilight’s life was reduced to 9.
“And now Hisui, get rid of that old man~”
“Leave it to ME!” the guitarist shouted as he strummed a chord on his instrument, sending out a pulsing wave of green fire. As the guitarist unleashed his attack Twilight saw Sunset check the top card of her deck, before frowning in disappointment as she discards the card.
“Quick girl use a spell to defend your center!” Hearty said as she looked down at Twilight. Twilight frantically looked through her cards, and found one that could protect her magician.
“I-I cast, Magical Goodbye!”
The card then turned into a yellow version of the blue summoning circle, confused as to why nothing was happening, Hearty told the girl to throw the circle. Twilight threw the circle with everything she had, the circle flown through her magician, and started to absorb all of the green fire as it continued to soar over the arena. The magical circle then came crashing into Hisui, capturing him in a yellow ball, before the monster turned back into a card, and flown back to Adagio’s hand. Causing the girl to scowl at Twilight, making her flinch back a bit.
“Well played princess.” Adagio said with a tempered voice.
“I’m not princess Twilight!” Twilight shouted back, trying to convince the three sirens that she’s not her pony princess double ganger. But the sirens just seemed to ignore her words, as Adagio continues with her turn.
“Feigning ignorance is a little pathetic, when we know the truth. I cast—” the card in her hand glowed intensely as she plays it. “—Selector of SIN! I put the top two cards of my deck into our gauge, and for the rest of the turn all Mystic Knight monsters gain +3000 power and defense. And thanks to Byakuren’s ability, when his own power is 6000 or more he gets Penetrate.” The drummer began to be bathed in yellow flames, as his drumming got just a bit louder.
“Now do you’re thing Byakuren!”
“You got it!”
The drummer said as he tapped his sticks together, before unleashing a barrage of yellow flaming projectiles, soaring over to Twilight’s side. And this time she couldn’t defend herself, or protect her monster. The magician was bombarded by the flaming projectiles, causing his body to burst into orange cards, but the assault didn’t end until the barrage of fiery projectiles collided with Twilight, starling her and causing her to fall on her butt. Which caused the sirens and their buddy monster to laugh at her. as Twilight re-composed herself and got back onto her feet, the teenager saw her 9 life get knocked down to 7.
“This maybe an even easier battle than I thought.” Adagio said confidently, her sisters agreeing as Twilight begins her turn, or at least tries.
“I don’t know if I can do this, this is more intense than what happened at the Friendship Games.” She said to herself as drew her last card, Mander brushed up against Twilight, his mane brushing against the girls skin.
“It’s alright Twilight, just calm down and remember, you’re not alone in this you have me and, her, by your side.” Hearty seemed to ignore Mander’s little jab, and give Twilight a reassuring smile. Twilight seemed to have calmed back down before looking through her cards.
“I’ll call Dragowizard Medium to the left, and to the center I call…Herb Magician, Soichiro Tenjiku—” Twilight then felt Hearty gently tap her on her shoulder, causing the girl to look up at the witch.
“I recommend you play that card.” Twilight looked at the card that the witch pointed to, and read it.
“Alright. I then equip Gunrod, Stradivarius.”
Two of Twilight’s three gauge cards flown over to Twilight, and the third card she played materialized and turned into something that looked like a silver, and black sniper rifle. When Twilight held the weapon, it didn’t weigh all that much, but it did have some heft to it. as Twilight fumbles to hold the weapon, her two monsters materialized. The one on the left field appeared in a swirling sphere of crimson fire, before it was dispersed, revealing a rather tall red scaled bipedal dragon in grey armor, with several orbs of rubies embedded into the armor. The center monster simply just appeared in a split second flash of light, and appeared to be a man in his twenties, and looked like a scientist.
“How may we serve you today my dear?” Soichiro asked as he turned to face the girl.
“I want you to attack that drummer.” Twilight said, sounding a bit more confidently. The scientist made a polite gesturing bow.
“Just leave it to me my dear.” Soichiro then levitated a few vials in front of himself, all of them trading various colored liquids for a few seconds, before on large flask filled with shimmering multi-colored liquid was tossed over to the drummer, which upon contact with the drummer exploded in a fireworks of color, causing the drummer to burst into orange cards. “The way is clear my dear.”
“Alright, next I tap my gunrod to deal 1 point of damage to your life Adagio, but I also get to give one of my monsters an additional 3000 power. so I’m powering up Dragowizard Medium.”
The dragon gave a rather dramatic cackle as everyone saw a red aura gloss over the monster, while Twilight holds up the rifle in her hands, before aiming down sight and firing a piercing narrow blue energy blast. Adagio guarded against the blast out of instinct, the blast just phasing through her while her 8 life shattered to 7. But Twilights turn wasn’t over just yet, as she had her other monster attack the Dazzling’s, by creating three fireballs the size of a small car, and then chucking them at the sirens who cried out in shock as the three flaming orbs, crashed into them and created a large fiery explosion furthering reducing their lives down to 5.
“Way to go Twilight!” Sunset cried out from the stands, where Twilight waved back to her with a more confident look on her face.
“Looks like she’s getting into the swing of things. I just hope she can win before things get to out of hand.” Sunset said as she looked over to the sirens, seeing Adagio starting her turn.
~~Earth~~
After returning back home, and everyone saw the state that Liam was in, she was immediately rushed to the hospital for medical treatment. Now that his friend was going to be fine, Adrian was about to return to the other world, but he was stopped by Sasha.
“Adrian what exactly happened to Liam?” the woman asked with concern in her voice.
“I’m not sure.” Adrian said. “All I know is that Liam found one of the illegal monsters, and it seemed to have partner.” Sasha then thought for a moment, presumably thinking about something.
“Adrian, I want you to go back and keep an eye on the situation. And IF you manage to capture this illegal monster, you are to return immediately. Do I make myself clear?”
Adrian noted the serious tone in Sasha’s voice, as well as her stern expression, and could only give her a resolute nod. After the machine was prepped and ready, the young man was sent back to the other world, and this time with the added overlook of the city that these illegal monsters seem to have settled in, the people were able to send Adrian directly to the parking lot, rather than the schools statue. Arriving back in the parking lot, Adrian expected to see everyone battling there, but instead all he was meet with was an empty lot. Except for what looked like a crystal sphere in the center. Walking over to the sphere Adrian saw that everyone was in the Buddyfight Arena.
“This has to be Hearty’s handiwork.” Adrian said as the image of the ball showed Twilight was putting up a good fight, but the young man could tell that the teenager was really nervous and anxious. “Wish I could be there to give Twilight a hand…but all I can do is just stand, watch, and wait for the outcome.”
~~Arena~~
After increasing her gauge to 6 Adagio resumed Hisui, but this time to center, and two new monsters appeared on the left and right side platform. The monster on the right was called Magic Keyboardist, Shion, who was playing a few notes on the keyboards he has in front of him, wisps of pale blue and pink flames. The other monster, which was called Magic Manipulator, Night, was gloomy dressed and had a real advance looking soundboard set up, as wisps of black fire floated around him. and to add more fuel to the fire, so to speak, Adagio then equipped herself with an item card called Magic Guitar, Kinari.
“Next I pay one gauge to activate Power Ray Maximum, to destroy all of your monsters that 6000 defense or less.” The card then dispersed into a collection of pale yellow orbs, that floated around Adagio before firing towards Twilight’s monsters with blinding speed, destroying both of her monsters.
“And now that you don’t have any bodyguards…oh Hisui dear.” Adagio cooed to the guitarist.
“It’s payback time for disrupting my performance!”
Hisui said as he began strumming his guitar, generating flecks of green flames. Adagio once again drew the top card of her deck, smiling before dropping it into her discard pile, sending out a small green fireball at Twilight to deal a point of damage, reducing the violet girls life to 6. After the blast of fire struck Twilight, the violet girl watched as Hisui unleashed a wave of green fire towards her, but before the flames got half-way across the arena, Twilight quickly drew one of her hand cards.
“I cast Quick Summon!” the card in Twilight’s hand then dispersed into little particles, before a card from her hand flies out to the center area. “This spell allows me to summon a monster from hand when I’m attacked, and that monster get’s counter attack!”
Another Dragowizard Medium was summoned in a display of fiery explosions. The wizardly dragon then created a giant sphere of fire, using it to absorb Hisui’s own fiery wave, turning the sphere of fire into a blistering mass of red and green. Everyone from Twilight, Sunset and the Dazzling’s just watched as the massive ball of fire was then lifted over Medium’s head, a wicked grin on his scally face, before the dragon lobbed the sphere of fire across the arena. Hisui tried launching more waves of green fire at the ball of fire, but it just kept making it bigger, and bigger. And by the time it reached the siren’s side of the arena, the ball of fire detonated in a magnificent inferno of fire, destroying Hisui in the process.
“Excellent move dear, I’m very impressed.” Hearty said as she gently patted Twilight on the head.
“Ugh, thanks?” Twilight said as she rubbed the spot where the witch patted her.
“Don’t start puffing out your chest yet princess, this is far from over.” Adagio said as she pointed at the center medium. “Night, eliminate that dragon!”
The dj simply nodded, before scratching out tunes on his turntable, sending out pulsating waves of black fire, engulfing the dragon in the center, causing him to cry out in a panic. Before being turned into a flurry of orange cards. Once Twilight’s center was open, Adagio then start strumming on her guitar, sending out pulsating waves of white fire that caused Twilight to try and block the attack, but she just continued to bare the brunt of the heat that was actually starting to hurt. As Twilight continued to be assaulted by the waves of white fire, her 6 life was shattered into a 5. Once Adagio was done with her attack she then glared down at her other monster.
“I hope I don’t have to spell it out Shion?”
“Just leave this to me mistress.”
Shion said as he starts plays out a techno music on his keyboards, causing pillars of pink and pale blue fire to erupt all around the arena, as they made their way over to Twilight. The violet teenager then looked down as the platform she was standing on was glowing, before have a massive pillar of fire erupt from below her, causing her to scream in fright as her as her life was reduced to 4. The pillar of fire then dispersed, leaving Twilight shaking as her body was now starting to give off a small amount of steam.
“Twilight!” Mander said worriedly as he held the girl up, while Sunset covered her mouth with her hands, looking extremely worried for her friend. “Are you alright?!”
“It’s starting to hurt Mander…” Twilight said as she began to shake. “I…I don’t think I can keep going.”
Mander was about to say something, but the sound of Hearty’s staff clashing with the ground stopped the dragon, as he looked over to the witch and see her now standing proudly beside Twilight. The witch then snapped her fingers, which caused a small amount of some kind of blue mist to appear, which then swirled around Twilight. The teenager then felt like her body was starting to cool down, and the ache and pains she was feeling was, disappearing.
“Don’t loose heart Twilight Sparkle.” Hearty said as she looked down at Twilight, a small almost caring smile on her face. “This match will be ours, you just gotta be strong for a little bit longer.”
“I don’t know if I can.” Twilight lamented, her confidence from before reverting back to what it was before. Hearty then turned to face Twilight fully, she then turned to make the girl look at her. the smile a moment ago now gone, replaced instead by a more serious looking expression.
“…I know that this is very frightening child, but you must trust me…for without it, our defeat is almost guaranteed.” Hearty then knelt down slightly, looking Twilight dead in the eye. “Do you trust me Twilight Sparkle?”
Twilight thought about this question for a bit, should she really trust Hearty? She’s only had brief encounters with the witch, and only knew that the witch had some kind of interest in her, and Sunset for…whatever reason. But, at the moment, Twilight didn’t seem to have any other choice. The girl then looked up to the witch, and gave a small nod, smiling at Twilight’s answer the witch stood back up and prompted Twilight to begin her turn. After completing her charge and draw, Twilight then held out the two new cards she just drew.
“I first cast Key of Solomon, First Volume. This increases my gauge to two.” Two cards flew from the core gadget and took their spots in Twilight’s gauge.
“Then I cast Key of Solomon, Second Volume. This increases my life by 1—” Twilight’s life was bumped back up to 5. “And if I have Key of Solomon, First Volume in my discard pile, I get to draw an additional card.”
Right now Twilight doesn’t have any monsters in her small hand, so if she doesn’t get something good on this draw, Twilight was done for. closing her eyes, Twilight then drew from her core gadget, then as she held the card in front of her she opened her eyes slowly, and when she saw the card she was holding a shocked look took over her face. Twilight looked up to Hearty who just smiled back before nodding.
“To my center I Buddy call Witch of Destruction, Hearty the Devestator.” Twirling her staff around Hearty then floated to the center platform, where she stood proud and tall, as Twilight’s 5 was restored to a 6. “Hearty, attack Adagio!”
Brushing some of her long silvery hair out of the way, Hearty twirled her staff a few times before holding it straight, the head piece aimed at Adagio where the central barrel of the contraption affixed to it glowed. Then in a split second the staff fired two glowing blue energy blasts, both bolts racing across the arena and striking Adagio square in the chest. Adagio gave out a rather startled squawk, nearly dropping her guitar, while her 5 lives were reduced to a messily little 1 thanks to the witch’s double attack.
“Excellent work ladies.” Mander said to both Twilight and Hearty.
“Hang in there Twilight!” Sunset shouted from the stands. “You almost got this match in the bag!”
“Don’t celebrate to soon.” Asagi said as Twilight’s turn came to a close. “I think it’s time for us to try and end this game, don’t you agree?” Adagio nodded with a confident smile.
“My partners turn is not quite over yet.”
Hearty said with an air of smugness in her voice, as she stepped off to the side slightly…where Adagio, her sisters and Asagi saw Twilight holding up her gunrod. The barrel glowing! Adagio was about to shout some kind of swear, but it was drowned out by the blaster fire. The neon blue energy bolt continued to sail through the air, striking Adagio directly causing her to be knocked flat on her butt, while her final life dropped to 0. Once Adagio’s final life was taken the ambiguous voice declared Twilight the winner, before everyone was returned back to the parking lot. With Adrian standing nearby…and the capture device already primed and ready!
Asagi tried to use her power to try and escape, but Adrian was to quick on the draw. The capture device was already activated, and began transforming Asagi into her card form, all the while the monster tried to resist the change. But ultimately, Asagi was reverted back to card form.
“This isn’t over princess!” Adagio screamed at the group. “One way or another, we will get you back!” the sirens then took off to a nearby van, jumped in, and drove off with great speed. As the van disappeared Sunset rushed over to Twilight, who looked ready to pass out from exhaustion.
“Is she okay!” Adrian asked as he approached the two girls.
“She’ll be fine, she’s just drained from all the excitement.” Hearty said as she hovered by the group. She then looked at Adrian with a small grin, and questioning look. “So officer, will you be taking me in?” Adrian just looked at Hearty for a moment, before shaking his head as he stood up.
“Unfortunately I was ordered to return to my world once I got the illegal monster that hurt Liam.”
“Seriously Adrian?” Mander asked as he looked at his partner.
“Sasha’s orders. But…she never said anything about the both of us returning.” Adrian said walked over to Mander, so he could talk more quietly to the dragon.
“I want you to stick around with the girls, keep an eye on them. especially if Hearty or those three girls try anything.” Adrian then reached into his vest and pulled out the plainest white deck case, before pulling out his own deck out of its own case, and slipping it into the plain one. “I’m going to leave my deck and a spare core gadget here, so they’ll be able to battle if the need arise.”
Mander seemed to catch on to what Adrian was planning, and agreed to the plan. As the armored dragon reverted to his min form, the plain deck case in his mouth, Adrian used his own deck case to teleport himself back to Earth, while Sunset helped Twilight to her feet. Hopefully he would be back soon to finish the assignment that he was entrusted with, but with that look Sasha gave him before he came back to this world, something tells Adrian that is going to take some time.