//------------------------------//
// Chapter 10: The First Loss (E) 
// Story: Twilight's Duel School of Friendship: Sophomore Year 
// by k00l 
//------------------------------//

It's been around a week since the night Sandbar first faced Spike in the front of the school, unfortunately, it was not the last time they had to deal with a Shadow rider, Two more had tried to get the jump on them, but one had been dealt with by Professor Rainbow Dash, the other by Applejack. Just like Spike, the duel ended with the Shadow Riders losing their souls so they have also been kept in the infirmary. The Students were lounging around together in the student rec room, they were alone, allowing them to discuss the craziness that has transpired this week.

"Dude... School isn't even at midterms yet, and it's already getting just as dangerous as when the Dragon rulers appeared." Sandbar had a look of worry as he sat in a bean bag chair.

"Yeah, I knew it had to be eventful since, you know, we are element bearers now. But ponies are losing their souls. and it can happen to us if we do not win." Smolder was leaning against a wall with her arms crossed.

"It's like we are in a war, Light vs Darkness, Good vs Evil, Harmony vs Chaos." Ocellus peaks out of a pillow fort she made, her eyes trembling in fear.

"But we appear to be winning, we have beaten 3 of them so far." Silverstream had a nervouse smile as she clicked her claws together.

"Most of those by our Professors, and one by Sandbar." Gallus shrugs, seeming to be the calmest one out of all of them.

"Heh, you're just jealous I beat one and you haven't yet." Said Sandbar with a smirk, earning a glare from the blue griffon.

"Yona still confident! If Yona sees Shadow monster, Yona smash them!" Yona kicks over a stool behind her for emphasis.

"I'm more than willing to let our professors and the Pillars take them one first before us though." Ocellus shrinks back inside her pillow fort.

"Yeah, It's still incredibly dangerous." Smolder shakes her head. "Watching Sandbar's duel was... well it wasn't a great feeling watching them."

"Psssshhh, We have some of the best duelists on our side, What could go wrong?" Said Silverstream confidently. As if on cue, all the students could feel a creeping cold approach them, just like Sandbar experienced. They could see their breaths again. The hair and feathers stood up on the back of their necks. Sandbar and Smolder's eyes go wide.

"...Oh no..." Sandbar slowly sat up.

"Silverstream! You just had to say that!" Smolder scolded the bird horse, flaring her nostrils at her.

"Why!? What's going on? Why is it so cold!" Ocellus pokes her head out of her fort in a panic.

"This is exactly what happened when we found the first Shadow Rider! It got way cold really fast!" Said Sandbar.

"We gotta find the Professors!" Yelled Gallus. They all stood up and ran out, they ran down the hall to go to Headmare Twilight's office and they burst in without knocking. To their surprise, She, nor any of the professors were there either.

"Wh-Where are our Professors!?" Said Ocellus, approaching her desk.

"They had to of felt the coldness as well, maybe they are looking for the Shadow Rider?" Suggested Smolder shrugging.

"GUYS! Look! In the courtyard!" Yelled Silverstream looking out the window next to Twilight's desk. They all approach and look out, there, they see two dark pony like figures standing in the courtyard being confronted by the professors.

"TWO!? There's two this time!?" Yelled Yona looking out the window.

"Come on, we got to see this!" Yelled Sandbar as he and the others ran out to get to the courtyard. As they step out, they also see that the pillars are also there, as if they had been looking for the Shadow Riders as well.

"You six! Stand back!" Yelled Starswirl with his hoof outstretched to them.

"We are, we just wanna see what's happening" said Smolder. as she and the other students approach him and the others

"We know, but there are two of them this time, this time may get pretty hairy." Said Mistmane. The students nod and turn their attention to the two Shadow Riders. and their professors confronting them. They wore long black coats and had masks that look like the pony of Shadow, just like Spike did. Shadows spew out of their backs and one being a unicorn had shadows leaking from his horn. The other was a pegasus. The Unicorn had long dark gray hair, and the pegasus had short jet black hair.

"You two are not welcome here! leave now or face the consequences." Twilight huffs, her anger appearent in her face.

"As if we'd listen to you, We only listen to our master." Chuckled the pegasus.

"And we were told not to leave till we nabbed a few of your souls." The Unicorn spoke sophisticatedly.

"We'd love to see you try! We’ve already beaten 3 of you! And we'll keep beating you!" Rainbow Dash dug her hoof into the ground.

"Hehehe. You haven't gone up against us before. We are the best of our fellow Shadow Riders, and The Pony of Shadows wishes us to dispatch the two that had been a thorn in his side." Said the Pegasus.

"The holders of Loyalty and Honesty!" Said the Unicorn.

"The Pony of Shadows wishes to see both of us dealt with first. I would be flattered, but y'all don't deserve mah flattery." Applejack scowled stepping forward. The two Shadow Riders say nothing but chuckle at Applejack's comment.

"Who are you two!? Reveal yourselves!" Twilight demanded loudly.

"I am Enigma." Said the Unicorn.

"And I am Eclipse." Said the Pegasus.

"I don't care who you are, If you came to duel me, then I'll give you a duel!" Said Rainbow Dash while activating her Duel Disk.

"Me too." Said Applejack, activating her own. Eclipse and Enigma chuckle to themselves as the shadows form a duel disk on both of them.

"Rainbow, A.J., I don't know about this. It makes me uneasy that these two were sent personally to take you two on." Twilight whsipered to her friends.

"We'll be fine Twilight. We promise." Applejack looks to Twilight to reassure her.

"Besides, we will have to take them on eventually if not today." Rainbow Dash said, still scowling at the Riders.

"I...I....Very well. You two better win this." Said Twilight. By now, the Courtyard has started filling up with some other students, oblivious to what was really at stake here

"DUEL!"

[Harmony 8000/ Shadows 8000]

"I Shall start this Duel, I draw." Said Eclipse. As he drew, the purple mist started to form around the four players, the Shadow game had begun. "I will start this duel off by placing two cards face down, and that will be my turn for now."

"Pfft, you were sent personally, and that was your first move!? give me a break!" Dash taunted as she drew. "I summon Harpie Lady 1 to the field! {1300atk 1400def. Lv4} But that's not all, she has an effect. While face up on the field, all WIND monsters get a 300 attack boost, including her. So she is at 1600 attack. Now I will equip her with Cyber shield, giving her an even bigger attack boost by 500, giving her a grand total of 2100! Harpie Lady 1, Attack Eclipse directly!"

"I activate the effect of Junk Defender in my hoof!" Eclipse yelled, holding up one of the cards in his hoof. "When you declare a direct attack, I can special summon him to the field, I special summon him in defense mode! {500atk. 1800def. Lv3} Not only that, once per turn he can gain 300 extra defense points, meaning he has 2100 defense. Our point equal out and no one takes damage!"

"Why you little! Gah, Fine I end my turn!" Said Dash obviously annoyed.

[Rainbow 4 cards, Eclipse 3 cards]

"My turn, I draw." Said Enigma. "I place only 2 cards face down, and I end."

"You are also going a turn without attacking!? Fine by me, I draw!" Applejack was unimpressed as she drew. "Hmm, I place one card face down, Then I summon the Unfriendly Amazon!" {2000atk. 1000def. Lv4} "She will attack you directly Enigma!"

"Not so fast element! I activate the effect of Gagaga Gardna in my hoof." Said Enigma. "When I am targeted for a direct attack, I can special summon him, I special summon him in defense!" {1500atk. 2000def. Lv4} "Since they have the same points, None of us take damage!" 

"Dude, both Shadow Riders just played the exact same move on both of our professors. They are in synch with each other."  Sandbar looked a bit worried by that fact.

"I hate to say it, but that scares me, this is going to be a tough duel." Ocellus had scared look on her face.

[Applejack 4 cards, Enigma 3 cards]

"You think what you did intimidates us!? Fat chance!" Dash huffs.

"Heheh, maybe that didn't but maybe this will. I draw." Said Eclipse. "I activate the spell, Level Tuning! This card allows me to reduce the level of one monster on my field by one, So now Junk defender is a level 2 monster. Now I activate the Spell Tuning! This allows me to bring one Synchron monster from my deck to my hoof, but the top card of my deck goes to the grave. The card I add is Junk Synchron, which I now Play! {1300atk. 500def. Lv3 Tuner.} Now, I tune for 5, with my two monsters on the field, I synchro Summon Junk Warrior! {2300atk. 1300def. Lv5 Synchro}" Dash grits her teeth as a bit of sweat leaks from her forehead. "Junk Warrior, destroy her Harpie Lady!" Junk Warrior darts towards her monster at impossible speed and plants a hard knee in her gut, destroying her. Dash and Applejack both groan as they lose life points. "HAHAHA! You are outmatched Elements! I end!"

"I...I draw!" Dash staggered a bit. "I place one card and one monster face down, and I end."

[Harmony 7800/ Shadows 8000]

[Rainbow 3 cards/ Eclipse 2 cards]

"You were so pumped at the beginning of this duel dearie, hehe, I love seeing a spirit crushed. My turn."  Enigma grins like a serpant as he belittled Rainbow. "Time for me to show you what I'm made of, I summon Gagaga Magician!" {1500atk. 1000def. Lv4} "With him and my Gardna, I build the Overlay Network! I Xyz summon Gagaga Cowboy! {1500atk. 2400def. Lv4 Xyz} "I detach one of his Xyz materials to activate his attack mode effect, He gains 1000 attack, and your monster loses 500 attack, but only during the damage step! Cowboy! Attack her Amazon!" Cowboy twirls his guns and aims them at the Amazon, the first shot hits her in the leg, causing her to take a knee, and the second shot is planted right between her eyes, destroying her. Dash and Applejack groan louder as they lose even more life points. "Truly Pathetic. I end."

"Gah...I...I draw..." Applejack groaned. Both she and Dash both looked to be in pain. "I summon Amazoness Swords Woman. {1500atk. 1600def. Lv4} And I end."

[Harmony 6900/ Shadows 8000]

[Applejack 4 cards/ Enigma 2 cards]

"This is not good! Our professors are losing!" Silverstream places her claws on her cheeks in panic.

"Don't lose hope! They will turn it all around!" Said Smolder trying to keep hope.

"My turn, Draw!" Said Eclipse. "I summon Speed Warrior! {900atk. 400def. Lv2} During the turn he is summoned, his attack is doubled, making him 1800 attack for this turn. And now Junk Warriors effect kicks in, he gains the attack of all my face up level 2 monsters, Speed Warrior is a level 2 monster, so he gains 900 attack, giving him a total of 3200! First Speed Warrior will attack your face down!" As speed Warrior darted over, he planted his foot right down on the card, it flips to reveal harpie Girl before she is destroyed. "Hahaha! now Junk Warrior, Go for the Amazoness Swords Woman!" Just like Harpie Lady, Junk Warrior moves at impressive speed and high knees her in the gut. Surprisingly, Both Eclipse and Enigma groan as they were the ones who lose life points. "Gah! Hey! What's the deal!?"

"Amazoness Swords Woman's effect, that's what! All damage involving her is dealt to you!" Applejack manages a smile.

"You are a lucky one! But you are not spared yet, Gagaga Cowboy will now attack you!" Eclipse said in a low tone as he narrows his eyes.

"I activate my face down! Amazoness Willpower! I Special Summon back My Amazoness Swords Woman from the grave, and she is forced into a counter attack. Now, you can activate your effect again and use your last Xyz material and destroy mah card, but you take the damage, or, you can allow both our monsters to destroy themselves. Your choice partner." Said Applejack with a smirk.

"GAH! You better activate my cowboy's effect Eclipse!" Said Enigma gritted his teeth as he looks to Eclipse.

"But we will take 1500 points of damage!  We will be losing!" Eclipse protested.

"I cannot afford to lose my Cowboy just yet because of your stupidity! ACTIVATE HIS EFFECT!" Shouted Enigma, the shadows on his back becoming aggitated.

"GRRR FINE! I activate Cowboy's Effect!" Said Eclipse. Detaching the last Xyz material, Cowboy gained 1000 attack and Swords Woman lost 500. As Cowboy shot and destroyed her, Eclipse and Enigma once again groan as they lose more life points.

"Alright professor Farm Pony!" Cheered Yona.

"You got this Honest Applejack and Loyal Rainbow Dash. Don't lose focus!" Shouted Rockhoof from the crowd.

"You will pay for that Element! I am going to enjoy watching the soul being ripped from you forcefully!" Eclipse growled

[Harmony  6900/ Shadows 4800]

[Eclipse 2 cards]

"Heck Yes! Nice move Applejack! You almost depleted half their Lifepoints!" Said Dash as she drew. "I summon Harpie Channeler! {1400atk. 1300def. Lv4} Now, I will activate her effect, by discarding a 'Harpie' card from my hoof, In this case Harpie Perfumer, and I can special summon any 'Harpie' monster from my deck in defense mode. I special summon Harpie's Pet Dragon! {2000atk. 2500def. Lv7}. I'm not done with special summoning yet! Now I activate my face down, Call of the Haunted! Allowing me to special summon one card from the grave, I choose my Perfumer! {1300atk. 1400def. Lv4}. Now I can activate Her effect! When normal or special summoned, I can add one spell or trap card from my deck to my hoof that lists 'Harpie Lady Sisters in it's text. I chose the spell Harpie's Feather Rest! Heh, now her second effect kicks in. Since that effect was activated while I control a face up level 5 'Harpie' card,  I can add a second card to my hoof. this time I add the Trap Harpie Lady Elegance! While Channeler and Perfumer are face up on my field, their names are treated as Harpie Lady, meaning my Dragon's effect kicks in. it gains 300 attack and defense for each, so it has 2600 attack, and 3100 defense. Harpie Perfumer, Attack his speed Warrior!" Perfumer flies overhead and then darts down, planting her talons onto Speed Warrior's head, destroying him. The two Shadow Riders groan again. "Heh, Now I end."

"Bout time! I draw!" Said Enigma. "I summon the Zubaba Knight! {1600atk. 900def. Lv3} Now I play the spell Star Light, Star Bright! I target my Gagaga Cowboy and all face up monsters become that level. So Zubaba Knight is now a level 4 monster! Now I once again build the Overlay Network, with my two level 4s, I Xyz summon Zubaba General! {2000atk. 1000def. Lv4 Xyz}

[Harmony 6900/ Shadows 4300]

[Rainbow 5 cards/ Enigma 1 card]

"Your downfall starts with me elements!" Shouted Enigma. "I detach one of my Xyz's materials to activate my General's effect. I take the last card in my hoof, the Dododo Witch, and equip her to my general, he then gets an attack boost equal to her attack, which is 1200. Giving him a total of 3200! Since you foolishly left your Harpies in attack mode, I will attack your Perfumer!" The Zubaba General takes its giant Sword and cuts Perfumer in half. "While I'm at it, our Junk Warrior will take out your Channeler!" Junk Warrior does a roundhouse kick that destroys Channeler. The amount of Life points the both of them just lost is painful enough to knock both Dash and Applejack to their knees as they wince in pain. "No more games Eclipse. Upon your next turn you finish this!"

"It will be my Pleasure." Said Eclipse through gritted teeth, standing ominously and ready to finish the duel.

[Harmony 4000/Shadow 4300]

"if you think this is my last turm, then your nuts!" Said Applejack as she drew. "I Summon the Amazoness Paladin! {1700atk. 300def. Lv4}. She has an effect that gives her 100 extra attack for each Amazoness on the field, counting her. so she has 1800 attack! Not only that, I activate the spell, Amazoness Fighting Spirit! giving Amazoness Paladin 1000 attack points while she attacks a monster stronger than her, So Eclipse, I will attack your Junk Warrior, skyrocketing her attack to 2800!"

"Oh no you don't! I activate my face down, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow! Your attack is negated, and my card is flipped back face down!" yelled Eclipse.

"No! All I can do now is end." Applejack began to worry.

[Applejack 3 cards]

"Draw!" Said Eclipse. "Finally, get ready Enigma, it's time for the finishing blow!"

"I'm with you." Enigma gives him a nod.

"First, I activate De-Synchro! This splits my Junk Warrior back into the two monsters that were used to summon it, Junk Synchron and Junk Defender!" Said Eclipse. "Now, I summon Tuningware! {100atk 300def. Lv1} Despite being a level one monster, During a synchro Summon he is treated as a Level 2 monster, For a total of 7, Which I now tune for! Synchro Summoning Junk Berserker!" {2700atk. 1800def. Lv7 Synchro} Junk Berserker lets out a loud battle cry as it is summoned, intimidating Dash and Applejack a bit. "Hehehe... Now that Tuningware is in the grave because of a synchro summon, I draw a card. Now, I activate my partners first face down, Stop Defense. This forces your dragon into attack mode. Since you lack Harpies, it's attack is back down to 2000! But I activate Back up Rider, giving Junk berserker 1500 more attack points! All for a total of 4300 attack! Now for my second face down, Spell Purification! By discarding one card, I destroy one continuous spell, I destroy Amazoness Fighting Spirit!" The Card Shatters, Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash back up a bit, their eyes were wide as a feeling of dread washes over them as Eclipse's turn continues. "Now for my partner's last face down, Rush Recklessly! I target his Zubaba General and it gains 700 attack! Making him 3900! Do the math! That's a grand total of 8200 attack between our two monsters! After damage calculation you will lose 4400 life points!"

"But we only have 4000!" Cried Applejack, her eyes full of fear.

"Then your doom is sealed!" Shouted Enigma! The power of the shadows behind his cry.

"RAINBOW! APPLEJACK!" Twilight cried out,.

"Junk Berserker!" Yelled Eclipse.

"Zubaba General!" Yelled Enigma.

"Wipe out their monster and end this duel!" They both said in unison. Junk Defender Swings his massive Morning Star at Harpie's pet Dragon and clobbers him in the side of the head, while Zubaba General's massive Sword crushes Amazoness Paladin. Applejack and Rainbow yell out in agonizing pain as the rest of their life points hit zero.

[Winners: Eclipse & Enigma]

The Pillars, the Students, and the rest of the Mane 6 had the look of pure shock on their faces. Applejack and Rainbow fall to their knees as they lose.

"That was far more annoying than it should have been." Eclipse huffs.

"It matters not now, we did what our master wanted, and now their souls are forfeit." Enigma only eyes down the defeated bearers.

"NO! You can't do that!" Yelled Twilight as she runs towards her friends, but the purple mist of the shadows creates an invisible barrier that cannot be broken. "No! NONONO! Let me in! You can't do this!" By now Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy also quickly charge the mist trying to break free. Both Rarity and Twilight use their magic, but nothing gives way. They look through the mist to see some of the shadows start to surround Applejack and Rainbow Dash. They both try to fight it, but the mist snares them like a snake. The shadows then rises up, and then flows directly into their eyes, mouths, and nose violently as they both cry out in fear. "NOOOO! LET THEM GO!!!!" Enigma and Eclipse cackle like demons as they see the pathetic display of the others trying to save their friends. The Shadows finally let them go and both Rainbow Dash and Applejack collapse onto the ground as if they were lifeless. Tears swell up into the eyes of the four of the remaining mane 6 upon seeing the horror in front of them. "Please no... Please... this can't be happening."

"Believe it Element. Our job is done, and we have pleased our Master." Eclipse smirked a devilish smile. Starswirl steps forward to confront the two Shadow Riders as the others are inconsolable.

"You fiends! You will pay for this!" Starswirl declared loudly.

"Zip it Beardy! We don't want to hear your empty threats!" Hissed Eclipse.

"This is no EMPTY THREAT!" Shouted Starswirl, striking the barrier hard with his magic, hard enough to make the Shadows Riders flinch back. "By the power invested in me, I will not rest till I see you, and your master banished to the Shadow Realm where you will spend eternity!" Eclipse grits his teeth and stares angrily at Starswirl. Enigma keeps his cool and stares at Starswirl as well.

"This is not the last you have seen of us Starswirl. Your time will come as well. You and the rest of the elements will be consumed by the Shadows, and then we can shroud this world in darkness." Said Enigma. Slowly the Shadows grow and cover up both of their bodies. The shadows get so big it completely covers Eclipse and Enigma who are engulfed. The Shadows then slowly start to shrink until they are no more, and both Eclipse and Enigma are gone. By then the mist dissipates and the barriers are no more. Causing Twilight, Pinkie, Rarity, and Fluttershy to swarm their fallen friends. They hold them close as they remain unresponsive.

"Dude.... This totally didn't just happen." Said Sandbar as the moment still has left him in shock.

"I...I think it just did." Said Smolder. Then, there were some claps and some cheers coming from the other students who were drawn in by the action. They were oblivious to the severity of the situation.

"Nice play professors!" one Student said.

"That was great acting!" Said another.

"Is the school starting a drama club!? I'm totally signing up!" Said one more student.

"Enough, you all return to your dorms. This has been enough for today." said Starswirl, turning to look at the other students. They all look at eachother and shrug before leaving the courtyard to go to their dorms.

"We gotta get these two to the infirmary! Rockhoof, we need you to carry them!" Said Mistmane.

"Aye, say no more!" Said Rockhoof.


End of Chapter 10