//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 - Sisters Forever (1) // Story: My Little Duel Monsters // by supersaiyanmikito //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash slowly started to open her eyes but there was nothing to see. It was just darkness, darkness everywhere. “Where am I?” “You’re in my world now ‘friend’…” She looked up to see a dark figure walking towards her. “P… Pinkie?” The pink pony approached Rainbow Dash. Her hair was deflated and straight. “I’m disappointed in you Dash… You know that breaking a promise is the quickest way to lose a friend, don’t you?” Dash tried to move forward but found she was chained to a non-existent wall. She was standing on her hind legs with her front legs bound above her head. “You can’t escape Dash. You haven’t taken your punishment yet…” Pinkie leaned in close to Rainbow’s fast. “Do you know what that is? Do you know why are you being punished? You remember what you promised me?” “I promised I wouldn’t let Gilda lay a finger on you…” “And what happened...?” “I let you get banished to the Shadow Realm…” “You think I like it when my friends make promises they cannot keep? No, it means I can’t trust them anymore. You betrayed my trust, Rainbow.” “I know… I’m sorry… I would do anything to bring you back…” “Anything, huh?” Rainbow’s eye perked up. That was not Pinkie’s voice, no, she recognized that voice. She closed her eyes and reopened them to be greeted with a bright light. She was no longer in the darkness or being restrained. “Well, well, well, have a nice nap?” Rainbow turned her head to see a blurry figure in front of her. “I seriously thought you were better than this? You were always such a tough one back in the day. You have gone soft…” Her vision finally started to clear up. “Gilda…?” The griffon was sitting down on a chair with her arms crossed at the end of the hospital room. “Happy to see me?” “Screw you…” Gilda sighed. “Oh Dash... Even when you lose you still win. Despite me defeating you fair and square…” Dash growled at Gilda. “My Master was not all too pleased how easily you fell. The only way I can be rid of you once and for all is to defeat you in a duel and your currently in no state to fight… That is, without a motivation…” Rainbow froze for a second. “What did you do!?” Gilda simply lifted her claw and pointed at the other end of the room. Rainbow turned and was instantly horrified. In the corner lie three fillies. A yellow earth pony, a white unicorn and an orange pegasus. They were all unconscious with their front hooves bound behind their back. She quickly turned back to Gilda. “Let them go you monster!” “I figure you would come after me sooner or later but I can’t wait that long so instead I’m making an ultimatum…” She looked up at the clock. It was 3:00PM. “You have until 6 to meet me over at Ghastly Gorge. If you don’t show…” Gilda stood up out of her chair and approached the orange filly, grabbing her by the neck. “If you don’t show, the Eels will be having Pegasi for dinner…” “You’re sick!” “It’s too bad really. This poor filly will never achieve her lifelong dream of flying alongside her hero. You know who that is right? It’s you Dash… This filly idolizes you more than anyone in Equestria. ‘Oh, Rainbow Dash is so cool! Rainbow Dash is the fastest pony in Equestria!’ Too bad she will never even learn to fly…” Gilda reached behind Scootaloo’s back and plucked a single feather from one of her wings. “Take a look at this feather Dash, this will be the last you ever see of your precious fan if you don’t show.” Gilda set the feather on the bed right next to Rainbow’s head. Gilda stepped back over to the fillies and picked up all three with one claw. “Oh, before I go, I have little update about what’s happened just to motivate you a bit more. Fluttershy is long gone to the Shadow Realm.” Rainbow’s eye widened. “And the prince is dealing with that prissy unicorn as we speak.” Gilda leaped up onto the window’s ledge. “Remember, Ghastly Gorge by 6 or…” She slowly scrapped a claw over Scootaloo’s throat. Gilda gave one final farewell to Dash before flying out the window. “Gilda! Get back here!” Gilda didn’t respond. Rainbow slowly pulled herself out of bed. She slid off the side and impacted on the ground. She groaned in pain. “Must… Save… Scoots…” She crawled along the ground and came up to the door and slightly opened it. There were several employees walking up and down the halls. There was no way they were going to just let her leave. Rainbow turned back to the window Gilda had left out of. She pulled herself up and out the window. Luckily, she was only on the first floor and there was a bush below her. It still hurt though. Rainbow pulled herself together and began limping down the road. Rainbow was still limping when she entered into the center of Ponyville. She was slowly sneaking through the alleyways as to not be seen. She continued forward until she saw an open window. Peeking through the window, she looked around for a clock. There was a small clock hanging on the wall, it read 5PM. She let go and rested herself up against a garbage can. “I failed… There is no way I can get there in 1 hour at this rate…” “And just what are you doing here?” Rainbow lifted her head up to see. A dark blue pegasus approached her, it was Kaiba. “I thought you were supposed to be in the hospital?” Tears were streaming from Rainbow’s eyes. “Gilda… She took her…” “I was on my way to the hospital to ask that Twilight a few questions only to see you sneaking around the back allies. Now tell me, what you are doing here?” “I… Have to save her… She will die if I don’t…” “Why should I care? You’re band of freaks is no better than Yugi’s little gang.” “Please… She is like a sister to me… I’ve already lost Fluttershy and Pinkie, I can’t lose Scoots…” “Sister…” Rainbow struggled to get up and took a battle stance. “I will not stop until I save her, even if I have to go through you…” Kaiba wrapped his hoof around his necklace. “I know you may not care about family or friends but she is only thing I have left. I will NOT let Gilda take her away from me. Now move out of my way!” Kaiba just stood there, almost unmoving. He closed his eyes for a moment before clicking down on the card hanging around his neck. The front opened to reveal a photo, a photo of his brother… ‘Mokuba…’ He snapped it shut and turned his gaze back to Rainbow Dash who was shaking. It was clearly painful just to stand up. “Rainbow Dash, let me tell you something… I may not care for my friends, especially self-proclaimed ones like Yugi and his gang but when you talk about my family like that, you’re making a grave error…” “What would you know about FAMILY? You’re nothing but a selfish, arrogant jerk!” Kaiba growled and grabbed Rainbow by the neck, lifting her into the air his wings. “Let me tell you something you little twerp, I couldn’t give a damn about my step-father. He deserved what he got and I hope he burns in Hell, but my brother… You never… EVER insult my brother or say I don’t care for him! I put my life on the line every day to make sure he is safe! I have been there for him and he has been there for me every day. Every day at the orphanage. Every day during my studies. Every day trying to run Kaiba Corp… Nobody lays a hair on him without feeling my full fury.” Kaiba pulled her in closer to his face. “Now, you have anything else to say?” Rainbow just gave a little smirk. “So, I guess you understand why I have to do this… Nopony lays a hoof on Scoots. She may not be my flesh and blood but she is the closest to a little sister I have and I will NOT… LOSE HER!” Rainbow pulled back her hoof and socked Kaiba straight in the face. She quickly regained balanced and landed directly on her feet. Kaiba landed back down in front of her and wiped a small bit of blood on his cheek. He looked at the blood on his hoof. “If this were any other situation you would be in serious trouble for assaulting me… But…” Kaiba approached Rainbow and passed behind her. “You have a sister who needs you.” He turned his head back and motioned towards his back. “Now get on, you’re in no condition to be wandering the streets alone. I’ll take you to the duel site.” Rainbow limped up onto Kaiba’s back and grabbed around his neck. “Just remember, this doesn’t make us friends. I’m only doing this so I can get out of this dumb world and back to Mokuba.” With that, Kaiba spread out his wings and they took off towards Ghastly Gorge. Gilda was sitting down on a rock with a nail file sharpening her claws. She heard the sound of wings flapping nearby and looked back towards Ponyville. Kaiba was approached quickly with Rainbow on his back. Gilda stood up and approached the edge of the gorge as Kaiba landed down on the other side. “10 minutes to 6… Cutting it a little close now, aren’t you?” Rainbow stepped down off of Kaiba. “Alright, I showed up. Now let Scootaloo and the rest of the crusaders go. They have done nothing to you.” “Sorry, but I have other plans.” Gilda lifted up into the air and flew down into the gorge. Rainbow and Kaiba followed her to 2 small ledges on each side halfway down into the gorge. Gilda landed on one side while Rainbow landed on the other. Kaiba landed a separate ledge nearby Rainbow. “Take a look over there.” Gilda pointed over at a small tree protruding from the wall. A simple pulley system with rope appeared to be installed on the tree. One end of the rope was connected to small box on the wall of the gorge with the number 4000 on a little screen. The rope looped through the pulley and came down where the crusaders hung below. “Just what have you done with them!?” “I decided I would make this game a little more interesting. As you can see, the three of them are suspended over the gorge. That box is directly connected to your duel disk.” Rainbow looked down at the duel disk on her arm. “I made some ‘adjustments’ while were you were resting. As your life points decrease, the pulley system will lower them further into the gorge to their doom below.” A couple giant eels suddenly popped out of the side of the gorge and attempted to chomp down the crusaders but were way too low to reach them. Rainbow held her head low and shook back and forth. “What happened to you Gilda? The Gilda I knew may have been a jerk but you…” She lifted her head back up. Her eyes were now red and watery. “You are just heartless… I don’t know what you did with her but I want the old Gilda back. You’re not her; you’re not the griffon I grew up with.” Gilda started snickering before breaking out into a full crazed laughter. This continued for about 20 seconds. Finally, she stopped. “The Gilda you knew is long gone. She was weak, you did nothing but hold her back.” She looked down at her claws. “I was alone and confused, then I met Master. She promised me power, she promised to awaken to griffon bloodlust inside me… And boy did if feel good… It feels so nice not being held back by emotions.” She looked back up at Dash. “I want to see you suffer ‘old friend’. When this duel is over, you’ll be out of my life once and for all along with your precious little fan over there!” Gilda held her left arm up and her duel disk snapped into position. Dash did the same with hers. “It’s time Rainbow Dash… PREPARE TO SPEND THE REST OF ETERNITY ALONE IN THE SHADOW REALM!!!” “I’ll admit I am impressed; Gilda has put on quite a display.” The dark figure was watching the duel through the reflection pool. “However, she is foolish. I have a feeling this duel will not go according to plan. Rainbow Dash seems… Different… I can’t exactly put my hoof on it but I don’t like it. If this duel turns another disaster like Blueblood’s, I may actually have to step in…” “Let me make you a little deal, I’m not even going to put up a barrier for this battle. You can leave whenever you feel like it. Of course, by leaving you are also forfeiting the lives of those three fillies over there.” Gilda turns to look at Kaiba. “And don’t even think about trying anything funny. If you try to interfere and rescue the crusaders, I will release the pulley dropping them straight into the gorge.” She turns back to Dash. “Now, let’s this game underway…” Gilda < LP: 4000 > “I’ll make you pay you heartless monster…” Dash drew her first card. Rainbow Dash < LP: 4000 > “I’ll start off with this, Sanctuary in the Sky!” Dash opens the slider on the side of the disk and inserts her card before being retracted. “As I am sure you are aware, as long as this card is on the field, you cannot hurt my life points in any battle containing a fairy. Now I set this monster face-down in defense mode. I’ll also place another card face down and I end my turn.” Gilda began to snicker again. “Is that really all? Didn’t you’re parents ever teach you if something doesn’t work once then don’t try it again?” Gilda drew her card. “Hmm… I summon Fane the Steel Chain!” Blackwing – Fane the Steal Chain < Level 2 / ATK: 500 > “I’m not done yet, if I control a Blackwing monster, I can automatically summon both Gale the Whirlwind and Bora the Spear to the field!” 2 More monsters appeared. Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind < Level 3 / ATK: 1300 > Blackwing – Bora the Sharp < Level 4 / ATK: 1700 > Kaiba was carefully watching the duel from a distance. ‘These birds of hers are unbelievable. She was able to summon 3 monsters in one turn just for having one on the field.’ “Now get ready to taste my wrath, Rainbow Dash! I am tuning-” Suddenly, Gilda looked up to see a barrage of spikes falling from the sky. She braced herself but her monsters were not so lucky. They were all but swiss cheese to the spikes before exploding into many shards. She looked up to see her whole field was cleared of monster. “What did you do!?” Rainbow Dash had her hoof on one of the activation buttons. “When you summoned your Gale and Bora you triggered my trap card, Needle Ceiling! When there are 4 or more monster on the field, it destroys all face-up in play. While destroying your own monsters it left mine in the clear as it only hits face up monsters.” Gilda clearly had a look of frustration on her face. “I knew you’re strategy was to summon a large army of monster so you could tune into one of your more powerful monsters so I set a trap to prevent you from swarming the field… Now what did you tell me about not using the same strategy twice?” “Curse you, Dash! I’ll make you pay for that…” To her disappointment, Gilda just placed one card face-down. “I’ll set and end my turn…” “Fine!” Rainbow drew and examined her card closely. “I reveal my face-down monster, Cloudian Sheep Cloud!” Rainbow was suddenly surrounded by hordes of small clouds with a pair of eyes. Cloudian Sheep Cloud < Level 1 / ATK: 0 > “Man Dash, you always have your head in the clouds now, don’t you?” “You won’t be making jokes after this! Now I summon Cloudian Turbulence!” Rainbow’s monster materialized as a large green tornado with arms and eyeholes. Cloudian Turbulence < Level 4 / ATK: 800 > “When Cloudian Turbulence is summoned to the field, he gains 2 fog counters for every Cloudian on the field and I count 2. Now I will sacrifice those 2 counters in order to summon 2 Smoke Balls from my deck straight to the field!” Rainbow pulled out her deck and searched for 2 cards and placed both of them on the disk. The Smoke Clouds looked like small yellow babies with large eyes. Before Rainbow could do anything, she looked up and saw a familiar sight, large spikes raining down cutting through her clouds destroying them all. “What did you do!?” “I activated my Fake Feather trap card. By removing a Blackwing card from my hand, I can copy any trap from your graveyard and use it like my own so I copied your Needle Ceiling! Looks like we are back to square one…” “Wrong…” Gilda gasped. “I had a backup plan… You see, by destroying my monsters you gave me just what I needed to summon one of the most powerful cards in my deck.” “You lie!” “If there are exactly 4 fairy monsters in my graveyard, I can special summon this new monster! BEHOLD, ARCHLORD KRISTYA!” Rainbow slammed her card on her duel disk. The card erupted in a blinding light shooting up and piercing through the clouds. The clouds appeared to open a large hole in a sky as a beautiful new creature came down. She had bright silver armor and large red phoenix-like wings. Part of a red cloak appeared to be hanging out form the bottom of her armor. Archlord Kristya < Level 8 / ATK: 2800 > ‘I have to admit I am impressed.’ Kaiba thought to himself. ‘Not only did she destroy all of Gilda’s monsters but she managed to recover from losing 4 monsters AND summoned a monster with 2800 attack points all in the span of 2 turns. This is going to be fun.’ “I activate Archlord Kristya’s special ability! When she is summoned, I can bring back 1 fairy monster from my graveyard to my hand.” Rainbow ejected a card from her graveyard. “I bring back my Sheep Cloud. Not only that, but as long as Archlord Kristya remains on the field, no player can special summon. That means you can’t swarm the field next turn.” Rainbow looked up from her head and stared at Gilda. Gilda was actually somewhat intimidated. She had never seen Rainbow so serious before. “Now that you’re wide open, Archlord Kristya, attack Gilda’s life points DIRECTLY!” Kristya materialize a pure white word into her hand with a red flared hilt. She dashed forward and slashed Gilda right down the center. “Had enough?” Gilda < LP: 4000 → 1200 > Gilda quickly shook it off. “I won’t go down that easily…” “I have you beaten Gilda, you exhausted all you’re resources in your first turn. Give up.” “What, give up like you did on me? No thanks. I got enough of that already.” “What are you talking about; you abandoned me because you didn’t think my friends were cool enough. You have nobody to blame but yourself.” “I’ll admit, I was rather upset when you left me for those dweebs but I eventually got over it. I returned to Cloudsdale and continued with regular life but of course it didn’t last. After you won the Young Fliers Competition, I started slipping away again. You were always a great flier, probably even better than me, but after I was gone to seemed to skyrocket passed me. I could never hope to be better than you.” “THAT’S ALL THIS IS ABOUT!? JELOUSY THAT I WAS BETTER THEN YOU!?” “Not even close. Sure, I was quite heartbroken to find out that you had become so much better than me but I was still happy for you. Not too long after I came back to Ponyville to talk things over. I had just discovered you’re location and when I found you, you were talking to those three fillies. You were telling them about the story of how you got you’re cutie mark.” Gilda shook her head in anger. “You know what I learned that day? You were never meant to be my friend; it was you’re destiny to dump me for those losers since the day you were born. You know what that feels like, to know you we were NEVER meant to be together? It made me feel worthless, like I had WASTED several years of my life.” “Gilda, just because I was destined to meet them does NOT mean we were never meant to be friends. You and my friends don’t have keep up this stupid rivalry. All ponies will eventually make new friends, there is no reason to think that you have to abandon you’re old friends to make new ones. We can all live together.” “You’re one to talk. You were the one who said that we couldn’t be friends anymore.” “Because you thought my new friends were lame. You even went as far as to blame Pinkie Pie for something you had no proof of.” “Shut up…” Gilda growled. “SHUT UP! This conversation is over; let’s get back to the duel. Those eels are getting hungry.” “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. I am not playing around this time.” She slid a card into one of the spell and trap slots. “I activate my spell; Lucky Cloud. If I summoned 2 monsters with the same name during the duration of this turn, I get to draw 2 cards and if you remember, I used the fog counters earlier in order to summon 2 Smoke Balls. Now I get to draw 2 cards… That’s it for my turn.” Gilda grew her card and looked down at the ground. “What’s wrong, realize that you cannot win?” Gilda looked back up with a huge smirk. “No, I just had an interesting revelation. The fact is you’re more like me then you realize.” Rainbow gave her a look of displeasure. “Think about it now, first I summon a bunch of monsters in one turn and you destroy them all with a trap card. Then when you summon a bunch of monsters, I destroy with all with a trap.” “What’s your point?” “Last turn you were able to summon a monster with 2800 attack points because my trap happened to send ‘just’ the right amount of monsters to the graveyard.” Gilda held up a card close to her face. “Well guess what; you just so happened to send ‘just’ the right amount of monsters to the graveyard so I can summon THIS monster, and look at that, it ALSO has 2800 attack points…” “Sorry to tell you Gilda but that won’t work. As long as my Archlord Kristya is on my field, neither of us can special summon monsters.” “And that is why I’m playing this, my Breakthrough Summon spell card! Until the end of my turn, all effects that prevent me from summoning are negated and you can’t activate any cards in response to my summon, however, I am not allowed to attack this turn but it makes no difference, your monster is going to the graveyard weather you want it or not!” Gilda threw her card down onto her duel disk. Her disk became shrouded in black lightning. “Hahaha, can’t stop me now Dash!” Below them within the gorge, a giant black vortex had started to open. A single black claw popped out of the hole and soon a whole creature emerged. It was a fierce looking black dragon with spikes and blades covering almost his entire body. “Behold one of the deadliest cards in my arsenal! DARK ARMED DRAGON!” The creature roared in the face of Rainbow Dash who was starting to get a bit nervous. Dark Armed Dragon < Level 7 / ATK: 2800 > ‘It’s almost like watching someone duel themselves in the mirror.’ Kaiba thought. ‘They have matched each other move for move almost exactly.’ “Now let me show you Dark Armed Dragon’s special ability. I can remove from play 1 dark monster from my graveyard which allows him to destroy 1 card on the field and I destroy you’re Kristya!” She ejected a monster from her graveyard and her dragon a power red energy ball in its mouth blasting Rainbow monster. “Don’t get excited yet, when Kristya is send to the graveyard from the field, she is instead sent to the top of my deck meaning I will draw her again next turn.” “Lucky break but it won’t save you for you see, I can activate Dark Armed Dragons effect again in the same turn! Say goodbye to your face down card!” Once again, the dragon fired a blast impacting the card. The card flipped itself up before exploding leaving behind a bunch of golden dust in the air. “Not so in the lead anymore.” “Look again…” Gilda looked around. The whole battlefield was covered in golden dust. “What is going on?” “That trap you destroyed was not an ordinary trap. Its effect can only be triggered when it’s destroyed and by destroying my Angel’s Judgment trap card, you’re Dark Armed Dragon is at my mercy. When my card is destroyed by a monster effect, it leaves behind fairy dust. This dust takes over you’re monster and destroys it.” Dark Armed Dragon began to struggle but soon exploded in a golden light. “Not only that, but when Angel’s Judgment destroys a monster, it’s attack is added to my life points…” Rainbow Dash < LP: 4000 → 6800 > Gilda suddenly collapsed to the ground in defeat. ‘I can’t do it… I can’t win… She has responded to everything I throw at her. This is not the same Dash I battled last time.’ Gilda looked back up at Dash. Her face was still just as serious as before. ‘What happened to Dash? Why is she suddenly so strong?’ ‘It’s because she is determined to not fail this time you fool!’ A sudden voice came to her. “Huh? Master?” ‘Don’t you get it? Clearly, she understands the gravity of the situation and is determined to not lose this time. This is not the same Rainbow dash you fought before. She is much more powerful now.’ “What do I do? I’m finished if I don’t make a move.” ‘Don’t worry, I foresaw this outcome and made a backup plan… Release the Crusaders…’ Gilda was shocked. “What? Release them? Why?” ‘Just do it you fool! Release them and hand them over to Rainbow Dash but don’t forfeit. This match will continue soon enough.’ “Whatever you say Master…” Gilda stared over at Dash for several seconds before lifting off into the air. “Hey, where are you going!?” Gilda flew over to where the crusaders were hanging and cut the rope, grabbing them before they fell into the gorge. “Gilda?” Gilda flew back over to Rainbow Dash and dropped the 3 fillies in front of her. “Think of this as a little gift before I destroy you…” Rainbow Dash rushed in and checked on the crusaders. Both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were completely out cold however Scootaloo appeared to be regaining consciousness. “Squirt? Are you feeling okay?” Scootaloo slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Rainbow Dash looking down at her. Rainbow Dash suddenly broke into tears and hugged her. “Oh squirt, thank Celestia you’re ok! I don’t know what I would do without you…” Scootaloo looked up and down Rainbow as she hugged her… *CHOMP* Rainbow recoiled back to see a large bite mark on her shoulder. “Squirt, what did you do that for?” “Scootaloo is not here element of loyalty…” Rainbow looked back up to Scootaloo who was now standing up perfectly. The top half of her face was covered in shadow and eyes and her eyes were blank and soulless. “So, we finally meet Rainbow Dash.” Her voice was completely different. It was like she had a second voice overlapping her normal one. “What did you do with Scootaloo!?” “I knew Gilda was not going to win this fight so while the duel went on, I decided to do a little remote work on Scootaloo. This whole time I’ve been using my magic to get into her head and take over her mind. She was quite a feisty one but she fell just as easily as I expected. She doesn’t belong to you anymore; she belongs to me. A mind slave with no free will of her own!” ‘Scootaloo’ broke into a maniacal laughter. Gilda was also grinning quite a bit. Kaiba was just watching from above at the situation taking place. ‘Now where have I seen this before?’ “Welcome…” “Joey!” “Not exactly… Joey is not present, he’s gone away…” “It’s Marik.” “That’s correct, and if you want your friends then you will listen to me…” ‘This is just like the time Marik used his mind tricks to force Yugi into dueling Wheeler back at battle city. This is about to get ugly…’ “Let her go, NOW!” Rainbow yelled. “Sorry, but you’re little squirt here is too valuable to just release.” “Scootaloo! Please listen! You have to break free!” “I told you she is not here anymore. She is my mind slave. Hahaha!” “You coward… Hiding behind my friends, using them as you’re meat shield. You make me sick…” ‘Scootaloo’ laughed again. “Well, it seems I have turned the tables on you. You’re greatest fan is now you’re greatest enemy! You can’t hope to defeating me now, not with you’re so called ‘sister’s’ life in my hands! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA!”