EPISODE SIXTEEN
The Prince Brothers had been observing the last duel. Rubeus was certainly intrigued by how enraged Raven was, which poured on so much power for them to absorb. “The more these beings duel, the more their emotions are stressed out.” he snickered.
He turned to look at the absorbers. “Every passing second, our goal comes closer to being in reach.”
Loki agreed, but one of his goals was nearing reaching-point too as he viewed Celestia. “It is time.” he said “Sending the rock creatures to duel was a good idea, even though I was hoping Celestia would duel. Nevertheless, this proves she is nearly ready.
Already the power I have given her is awakening, and the transformation is slowly commencing.”
He paused as he gazed at Celestia in a silent but obvious daze.
“I shall alert the trio for a new assignment. It is time to pick up and welcome my Future Queen.”
Raven was resting quietly; sitting upright against a rock, while Vic, had reclaimed his duel disk form her, and was now trying to scan Celestia with his wrist-com, to try and figure out what was wrong with her.
“Your cells are realigning, and your metabolisms are speeding up, but I can’t figure out why.”
Celestia looked down at her paling hands again. She still didn’t feel too tired or hungry after all that had transpired, but she was feeling really freaked out by now.
“Isn’t there anything we can do?” asked Sunset.
Vic hadn’t the slightest idea, for he had never seen anything like this before. “It’s probably something she contracted, but until we know what, I wouldn’t know what to try.”
Twilight felt really upset for her entrapment, really wishing she could be free to be of help, but all she could suggest was, “…All the more reason for us to find the others and find a way out of this world.”
The others agreed, but Celestia began to have another idea of what was causing her to change. “Those flowers I had…” she remembered during the tournament, the flowers that were sent to her suite on the airship. She remembered her passing out, and her dizzy spells…
“…It’s got to be those flowers! I don’t need any more proof now!”
Sunset was forced to agree with her, but it only led to more confusion. “Who would send you those flowers, and more importantly… why you?”
Celestia wasn’t so sure she wanted to find out. “We better get out of here before something else happens.”
Vic agreed, and was about to scoop Raven up again when she began to awaken.
“You okay?” he asked.
Raven clutched her head. “Apart from this massive headache, I’ll live.”
“You really had us worried there.” said Twilight “Are you sure you’re alright? You looked like you were really struggling with something.”
“It’s nothing.” Raven said, not wanting to say to what was making her so angry. She herself thought and knew it was silly, and she wanted to try and supress it all she could.
“Let’s just get out of here.”
Twilight and Sunset were unconvinced as they looked at one another. Still, it was only for the sake of Celestia’s growing situation that they decided to drop it, for the moment and continue searching for the others.
Vic took a look at his power cell after scanning Celestia. He was just fine, but still concerned for his supply as he hadn’t the materials to make a new generator to fix himself with.
Suddenly, he and the others could hear the sounds of a faint voice in the distance.
“Helloooooooo…!”
“Anybody else hearing that?” asked Vic.
Even the distant sounds echoing made Raven’s head throb slightly. “I think so.”
“Hey y’all…!” the voice called again, and the Equestrians instantly recognized all together, “…THAT’S APPLEJACK!”
Vic’s expression brightened.
Sunset then leapt up onto a small sand dune and took in a deep breath to shout out-- resulting in Raven quickly covering her ears and cringing!
“APPLEJACK-------!!”
Far down the plains, Applejack’s ears twitched. “…Sunset! It’s Sunset…!”
The rest of her group looked joyful, and Spike gave a cute and overjoyed howl.
“Where is she?” asked Cadance as she looked all around.
“Look there…!” Shining Armor cried while pointing across the plains.
Sunset was very far away, but recognizable.
“What are we waiting for?” chirped Terra.
“Nothing at all!” cried Twilight, and everyone began to dash along as fast as they could, until they reunited with their friends and allies.
“Vic… Raven…!” cried Terra.
She and Vic hugged warmly and he twirled her and gave her a playful head noogie.
She would have hugged Raven next, but Raven simply held up her hands and settled for a soft and quiet handshake instead, while the Equestrians all came together in a huge group hug… except for Celestial who kept well away from everyone.
Even when Cadance came up to hug her, she stepped back.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, but right then she noticed the paleness of her hands. “Are you alright?”
“I don’t know.” she replied.
Applejack looked around and then asked, “Wait a minute… where’s Luna?”
Expressions went silent and sad-looking, and Celestia, near-tears, held up her sister’s soul card from her pocket.
The other group gawked in complete and total devastation.
“No way!” cried Shining Armor.
“But how can that be?!” yelled Spike “I thought that only happens if you lose a duel?”
“Sort of…” Sunset replied, and she explained how it all happened-- Celestia was dueling Sapphire… she lost. Luna shoved her out of the way as the lightning struck and ended up losing her soul instead.
“Oh…!” Cadance sighed sadly “Luna…!”
“I can’t believe it!” added Applejack “Is there no length these creeps will do to bring misery to us all?”
“I’m afraid it gets worse.” replied Sunset, and she told them what Khaos had told her, that Rarity had been defeated as well.
Applejack looked ready to throw something sky-high, and Sci-Twi’s heart felt heavy.
“What next?!” she wondered miserably, and then she remembered and was about to warn the group about Karle…
…When she seemingly just appeared and scoffed “What next, indeed!”
Everyone turned, and Sunset’s group was very surprised.
“You?” exclaimed Sunset.
Vic looked back and forth between Sci-Twi and Karle.
“Long story short.” said Shining Armor. “She’s here, and she’s trying to cause trouble.”
Karle snickered, but then turned her back, “I was hoping to find Masquerade here. Instead I find more losers.”
Raven’s eyes narrowed at her. “…Excuse me?”
Terra felt insulted already, remembering how she nearly lost to her and she aborted.
Karle didn’t bother to explain things and prepared to leave. “I’m out of here.”
“Yo’ wait a minute!” snapped Vic. “What do you want with Gar? Do you know where he is?”
Karle refused to answer and continued to walk away.
Raven informed everyone, “We can stop her by challenging her to a duel using the Force Beam.”
She was still a little wiped from her previous duel, and Vic reclaimed his duel disk from her anyway.
“No, don’t!” said Twilight “You can’t beat her.”
Sunset stepped forth, “I can, I know can do it.”
“No, that’s not what she means!” called Spike. “Even if you win the duel, you won’t beat her.”
Sunset felt that sounded very familiar, back how Khaos warned her than neither he, nor his comrades could be turned into cards upon losing a duel.
“You would be wise to listen.” hissed Karle “The only one I’m interested in is Masquerade. I will find him, and I will destroy him.”
Raven growled softly and felt her own anger rising. “No you won’t, that’s my job now.” then she quickly realized “Wait… what am I thinking?”
Karle looked back and forth at all the duelists, noting how they didn’t approach her, and she blew them all a mocking kiss. “Later.” Then she walked deep into the shadows and vanished.
Sci-Twi felt tense with outrage and worry.
“Never mind her.” said Celestia “We’ve got to find the others and fast. Imagine if they run into her or other members of The Trio.”
With no arguments, the group all headed off deep into the darkness.
Later on, Karle continued to wander off looking around, still not succumbing to weariness and fatigue at all.
She figured that following the groups around any longer wouldn’t help her find Gar at all, and it would be best to search around for him on her own, and she had a new inkling of where to look.
She suddenly heard a loud explosion off in the distance, which was created by a large blast.
“I think I know what that is.” and she bounded across the land, coming to a large hillside, and she looked down…
There, deep within the plains was Exodia the Forbidden One, whom had just blasted three more Malefic creatures, and it didn’t take much to see who was behind it all.
Gar stood before the great creature as the image disappeared. That’s when the lightning came and turned the three Maleficans into cards.
Gar couldn’t help but shake his head in dismay, “…Too easy.”
Then he turned and prepared to leave to find more Malaficans to beat, still clinging to his belief that the more Maleficans he defeated, the sooner he would find the Prince Brothers in their hideout and escape from this dreadful nightmare.
He was completely unaware that Karle was watching and getting ready to slide down the hillside and force him into a duel… Except…
“Gar…!” called another voice.
Gar didn’t even have to turn around to recognize that voice came from Dick.
He and his group had been wandering around themselves-- having finally left their hollowed rock to seek out any of the other groups.
They saw the explosion and dashed over.
Karle aborted her plans to dive down there and cursed, “What beastly luck! They couldn’t wait just ten more seconds!”
Just as the group came dashing up, Gar began to walk away
“Wait…!” called Kori “Gar, don’t go.”
He didn’t even acknowledge her.
“Hey, we’re talking to you!” shouted Rainbow, but still he wouldn’t even stop and just kept on going.
“I don’t think he’s glad to see us.” said Fluttershy.
Pinkie Pie and Rainbow were both not willing to let him get away this time, and they both dashed up in front of his way, and he finally stopped.
“You stop right there.” snapped Pinkie. “I’m usually cheerful and joyous, but guys like you make me not so cheery and joyous.”
“…You don’t say.” Gar scoffed, and he proceeded to try and walk past her, but it was Rainbow who stood before her.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
“I’m warning you, don’t enrage me! Just get out of my sight.”
“Gar, stop it!” snapped Dick as he and Kori caught up with the group. Gar turned to face them, and his features went harder under his face covers.
“Please…” said Kori “Can’t we just talk with you, Gar?”
“Stop calling me that!” snapped Gar. “My name is “Masquerade,” and why would I want to talk with you guys?”
“Because we have something important to tell you!” insisted Dick “There’s a lot of trouble going on out here, and it’s not safe to be alone, especially for you.”
Gar, stubborn and rude as ever, sneered at him, “I already said… I don’t need or want help; especially from you. I can look out for myself, which is more than anyone can say for all of you; still clinging to your friendship philosophies, and teamwork stupidity.”
Dick looked ready to tackle him to the ground and beat him senseless, even though he probably wouldn’t succeed.
Fluttershy’s eyes narrowed in anger as she stepped forth. “Why are you being so nasty to us? We just came to warn you about the danger out here.
The Prince Brothers have sent other warriors out for us.”
She then held up Rarity’s card “Look what they did to Rarity.”
Gar gawked at the card, but he remained silent and still.
“Don’t you have anything to say?” asked Kori.
Gar hesitated, and of all things he thought of to say it came out. “…Why don’t you try using friendship to get her back? You’re so good at that.”
The Equestrians all felt super struck by that burn, while Kori and Dick were outraged.
“How could you be so cruel?” Rainbow said trying not to choke on her own rage.
Pinkie and Fluttershy were near tears, and the two Titans were about to reprimand him, and even looked ready to duel him.
“…I wouldn’t if were you.” he cautioned them. “Even if you all faced me at once, I’d still crush you all, and you know it, and then how would you save your friend?”
Rainbow was starting to feel as if she didn’t have a care in the world and really wanted to crush him.
Absolutely none of them could see Karle creeping down the hillside trying to get in closer.
“Audience or not…” she said to herself “I’ll force that jerk into a duel, and I’ll beat him and he’ll be gone forever!”
The closer she got, the clearer she could hear the group squabbling.
As angry as Dick was, he knew getting angrier would only make things even more worse, which was not what everyone wanted.
He tried one more time to try to reason with Gar.
“Look, Gar… I know we’ve had our differences in the past, and many of which I regret…”
The Equestians suddenly softened, remembering the story Dick and the Titans had told about their falling out with Gar, when he was still Beast Boy.
Kori stood beside her husband, “Gar please… you were part of our team once before, and we learned to move on and let things go!”
Hearing those phrases, “Move on…” and “Let things go…” …Gar’s anger was really building up inside.
“Gar, look deep inside you. I’m sure there’s still a part of you that feels the same way we do.” Kori continued.
…But she was wrong, Gar could only see and feel nothing but horridness, pain, and a little voice telling him not to trust her, or Dick, or the Equestrians.
He shook his head at them all and said “…You don’t deserve my help, and even if you did, I still wouldn’t give it to the likes of you.
…Traitors!”
Everyone was taken back by that, especially the two Titans.
Gar then looked at three girls, and couldn’t help but jeer at them “…Friendship is for weak, and the weak-minded and you all are the perfect prime example.”
Something inside of Rainbow Dash snapped. “That’s it, let me at him!”
“Rainbow, don’t!” cried Pinkie as she Dick and Kori held her down. Fluttershy didn’t help, as she was all froze up with mixes of anger, disappointment, not to mention deeply wounded for having friendship scoffed upon.
“Let me go!” shouted Rainbow as she struggled to break free from the others. “Just one…! Let me take just one swing at him!”
“Rainbow, stop it! It won’t help.” Dick insisted, and he looked over at Gar with a mix of anger and hurt, but Gar was unmoved as usual.
Then, judging from his silence, Gar was able to deduce. “I see… you didn’t tell them everything, did you?”
Dick and Kori looked a bit nervous and sweat-dropped.
“That’s what I thought. I’ll bet the other Titans held back too. Why else would the girls still be clinging to you, to share in your failure?”
Pinkie and Fluttershy felt knives striking their hearts; to hurt to consider what he meant by “Telling Everything.”
Rainbow gave a nasty roar and tried every more to break free, but was still restrained by the others.
That’s when Fluttershy began to step forth. “Enough!” she growled softly. “You insult my friends! You treat us all like the dirt beneath your feet! And then your former allies try to reason with you and express their apologies, and you spit on them…!”
Gar, still having no qualms of his actions, merely sneered at her, “…If you knew the truth, you wouldn’t be icing me.”
“We know enough!” said Fluttershy “They told us all we needed to hear. They’re our friends, and we believe in them, and that’s why we help them… That’s what friends do.”
“Pathetic!” scoffed Gar “I’m out of here. Good luck trying to get your friend back, but like I said… I stand alone! Stay out of my way!”
He began to walk off leaving the group.
Rainbow finally settled down, but she was still mad enough to wish she were alone with him to do things her way.
“JERK!!” she shouted.
Just as Gar continued to walk away…
She sprung out from behind a rock, pointing her duel disk right at him.
Gar couldn’t believe his eyes, nor could any of the others.
“Is that…?” asked Pinkie
“…It can’t be.” said Kori.
Karle snickered, “Please, I don’t want to have to explain all that again.” then she gazed squarely at Gar “Now I have you, and it’s time I finished what I started.”
She didn’t have to say much else.
Gar then scoffed, “I don’t know how it is you’re here, and frankly I don’t think I care, but I have no reason to duel you.”
Everyone, even Karle was shocked by refusing a challenge.
“I’m dueling to find a way to get out of this place, and you’re not one of those Malefic creeps. Dueling you would be a waste of my time and energy.
Besides, I already crushed you… or rather I crushed your other self.” he referred to Sci-Twi.
Karle only laughed, “That kid only held me back. She made the mistake, which I will now rectify… and exact vengeance on you once-and-for all, whether you want to or not.”
The rest of the group didn’t like the sound of this at all.
“Gar, get out of there!” Dick called to him.
“Be quiet!” he snapped back.
In his distraction, Karle activated the Challenge Beam, but Gar dodged it by jumping to the side.
“I already told you, I’m not dueling you. It would just result in your defeat again.”
Karle ignored him and shot another beam, which he dodged again.
“Sit still, coward!” she thundered as she kept on shooting at him, trying to get a good lock on his duel disk, but Gar kept up his athletic skills dodging her every shot.
He began to leap his way up the hillside.
“Oh, no you don’t!” shouted Karle, and she began to chase after him. “You won’t escape me!”
“Let’s go after her!” said Kori.
Dick agreed, and even the Equestrians complied.
“I can’t believe we’re actually going to help him.” groaned Rainbow.
“Me neither.” agreed Pinkie.
Fluttershy said exactly what Kori and Dick were thinking. “Even if he says he doesn’t want help, we can’t let Karle hurt him.”
The two Titans nodded and greed with her nobility.
“Really…? I could.” thought Rainbow, but even her own morals were too much for her to bear.
“Let’s take a shortcut.” she then suggested “If they headed this way, they’re headed for a ravine we passed through; we’ll cut them off.”
“Good idea.” said Dick “Let’s move.”
The group turned and bounded for another hillside they knew of.
“Come back here you…!” Karle shouted as she fired more challenge beams, which Gar continued to avoid.
But he was starting to grow tired, while Karle wasn’t the least bit.
“I don’t understand!” he said to himself “How can she keep going?”
Thanks to Karle’s artificial body, she could keep on perusing him forever, which gave her the advantage.
The others were rushing over the hills, and saw them.
“There they are.” called Pinkie.
Gar was still dashing away from Karle, and she was coming up close behind.
Kori then noticed Fluttershy wasn’t with them.
“Where is she?”
The others looked all around, and Pinkie goofily looked under her arms, behind herself, and then she stuck her head down looking between and through her legs… and she could see her rushing down the hillside.
“There she is!”
“Fluttershy!” shouted Dick.
Karle was gaining on Gar as he grew more and more tired and was slowing up. “I have you now.” she called, and aimed to take another shot at him.
Gar was already prepared to dodge again, despite his weariness, when Fluttershy came leaping in just as the shot was fired, and the beam struck her own duel disk and activated it.
“Ah!” cried Karle.
“What?” snapped Gar.
The others all gawked in extreme shock.
Fluttershy was panting heavily, in deep shock herself at what she had just done. “You’re not dueling him!” she called to Karle. “No matter what beef you have with him, you’re not dueling him!”
Karle was most outraged, while Gar was shocked beyond words, but far from grateful.
“I told you to stay out of my way! I could’ve lost her.”
Fluttershy ignored him and focused on Karle, whom snickered at her. “You really think you have me, don’t you?”
She raised her hand to forfeit the duel before it even began, knowing she would be spared, but then she decided. “On second thought: a little warmup duel won’t hurt. It’ll be a great way to show Masquerade what he’s in for.”
Gar clenched his fist, and as much as he would have taken this chance to flee, he couldn’t help but want to see Fluttershy duel… just to see if she really had improved her game, which he seriously doubted.
“Fluttershy, what are you thinking?!” called Rainbow.
“It’s too late,” said Dick “The duel’s already begun.”
Pinkie shrugged, “Well… only one thing to do for it now.” and she began to cheer and holler for Fluttershy. “Go, girl! Beat her cards to the ground!”
Fluttershy was already starting to feel shaky inside as her fears began to catch up. “I hope I’m doing the right thing.” she whimpered in thought. “If I lose this duel… I lose my soul! Oh, no… What have I gotten into?!”
Karle could see Fluttershy’s obvious timidity, and thought, “Beating her won’t be much of a challenge, but at least I get to test some new cards out. It’ll make things all the better when I take on Masquerade.
Besides, even if I lose, it won’t matter much. Too bad they don’t know.”
The two duelists, with their disks ready, drew their cards.
“LET’S DUEL!”