//------------------------------// // Chapter 17: Secrets // Story: Dueling is Magic! Many Futures // by Wolfgang //------------------------------// Dueling is Magic! Many Futures Chapter Seventeen Secrets /*********************\ Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Spike were all lounging around in the room they had been given. They talked and laughed, sharing stories of their time helping the humans. “Patrol’s kinda boring, but at least I get to fly around a lot,” said Rainbow Dash from her cloud. She’d found that she could manipulate clouds in this world just as easily as in Equestria and brought two inside for herself and Fluttershy to sleep on. “But I still get to fight some Dark Troopers once in awhile, and that’s always tons of fun!” “I’m happy staying inside and helping Miss Aki,” said Fluttershy. “I think she’s the kind friend that Yusei was talking about when he first came to Ponyville, and we get along so well. She says all of her patients love me, too!” “That’s great to hear, Fluttershy!” said Twilight. “Well, you at least get to interact with others,” said Rarity. “I’m certainly happy to help, but I tend to be organizing their records by myself quite a bit. That young Luna comes to help now and again, but she’s usually busy with other things.” “Well, we gotta keep our own talents up,” said Applejack. “I’m gettin’ plenty o’ exercise haulin’ stuff across the base. You would not believe how much heavy liftin’ they hafta do around here!” “What about you, Pinkie?” Twilight asked. “How have you been helping the resistance?” “I keep morale up with desserts and parties!” said Pinkie. “I volunteered to help out in the kitchen and they asked if they could keep me when I made the best cakes they’ve ever had! And after every successful mission, I throw a party!” “The humans do seem a lot happier than when we first got here,” said Fluttershy. “Yeah, except for Jack,” said Dash. “He’s still upset about losing to that Crow character. Dunno why. But Leo’s pretty worried about him.” “I’m sure he’ll be fine,” said Twilight. “Listen, girls, I know it’s sudden to just change the subject, but Spike has something he needs to tell us. Spike?” Spike had been sitting on his and Twilight’s bed, completely quiet. He looked up from his thumbs. Everyone was looking expectantly at him. He sighed. “Well, while Twilight and I were at that secret library,” he began, “I found this weird book. It was completely blank at first, but...” “But what, Spike?” asked Twilight. “But then it started writing in itself,” said Spike. “It was kinda creepy. Then there was a light and the next thing I knew, I was someplace else... someplace barren.” “Spike disappeared during the mission,” said Twilight. “I think that book may have had something to do with it.” “Well, while I was... wherever I was, I met this guy dressed in a cloak. He showed me things... things about Duel Monsters... and about Nightshroud.” “Nightshroud?!” they all cried. Spike nodded. “He’s not what we think he is,” said Spike. “At least, that’s the feeling I got from what the cloaked guy showed me.” “Tell us, Spike. What did he show you?” Twilight asked. “Well, he showed me three things,” said Spike, “but I don’t really get how they’re connected. First, he showed me Nightshroud. He told me that Nightshroud tried to become more powerful, but was turned into what he is now. He told me he was ‘a being of immense power and light’.” “A being of light?” said Twilight. “What does that mean?” “I dunno,” said Spike. “He just told me that Nightshroud- or whatever he was before he became Nightshroud- tried to become even stronger, but he was corrupted and transformed into the Nightshroud that we know. But then we went somewhere else.” “What was it?” asked Fluttershy. “He called it the ‘Numeron Code’,” Spike said. “He said it was the first Duel Monsters card, and that it’s the source of existence. All of reality is written in that card.” “I’ve been studying human physics for the past few days,” said Twilight, “and if this card really does contain information about reality itself, then it really is a powerful card because it can even be used to decide fate.” “Maybe that’s why Nightshroud tried to get it,” said Spike. “Please go on, darling,” said Rarity. “You said there were three things this cloaked figure showed you?” “The last thing... look, you guys might not like the sound of this, but... he said that our world used to be a part of the Duel Monsters Spirit World.” Silence. Then... “No. Uh-uh, no way!” said Rainbow Dash. “You’re telling me that we’re Duel Monsters ourselves?” “That does seem rather far-fetched,” said Rarity. “That’s not the problem, Rarity! If we’re Duel Monsters, then me, Twilight and Spike have been using our kind as soldiers!” “I’m sure it’s not that bad-” Applejack started. “It IS that bad, AJ!” Dash shouted. “The whole gimmick with my Crystal Beasts is that they get destroyed! I’ve been marching them off to certain doom every time I duel!” “You’re not the only one that this is bothering, Rainbow Dash,” said Twilight. “Before we came here, the princesses put me through a test. They knew how to duel and I had to keep reviving Endymion, the Master Magician just to stay in the game. But he kept getting destroyed!” “Twilight gets it!” said Dash to Spike. “We’ve been- wait, the princesses can duel?” Twilight nodded. “And you took on both of them?” Twilight nodded again. “And you won?” “Yes, but it wasn’t easy. To beat both of them, it was like I had to stop the sun itself.” “Man, if we had both of them here, we could just march right into that tower and beat the Black King once and for all!” Dash said. “Then we could be back home and-” “It’s not that simple, Rainbow Dash,” said Twilight. “Princess Luna was... different during the duel. It was like she was turning back into Nightmare Moon. Princess Celestia said that it was because a dark force here was having an influence on her.” “The Black King, no doubt,” said Rarity. “But why in the world would his power be influencing our Princess Luna back home? Unless...” “Unless our worlds really are connected,” said Twilight. “Celestia told me after the duel. The human world and the Duel Monsters Spirit World are intricately linked. Which means we’re connected to them too.” “Wait, you knew?” said Applejack. “You knew this whole time and didn’t tell us?” “Twilight, why on earth would you keep something like this from us?” asked Rarity. Everypony looked at her expectantly. Even Pinkie Pie seemed unhappy about the revelation. “Because Celestia asked me not to say anything,” Twilight said. “She thought you might not take it too well.” “You’re darn right we’re not taking it well!” said Rainbow Dash. “I used the Crystal Beasts like they were just tools, but they’re the same as me! That’s like if everything Discord said about Rarity when Nightshroud broke him out was true! I used them, Twilight! If we’re Duel Monsters, then they have feelings just like us!” “Guys, it’s not that bad-” Spike started to say, but he was interrupted. “I abused my cards like that’s all they were!” Rainbow Dash continued shouting. “How could you keep this from us, Twilight? And how can you keep dueling with that knowledge?” “Do you think I had a choice?!” Twilight yelled. “Every adversary we’ve encountered here challenged us to duels. It’s that much easier if I accept! And you weren’t there when Aporia and Sherry ambushed me and Leo. Aporia punched through one of my force fields! He made a fist and broke right through it like it was glass! I may be good with magic, but even I can’t take on someone who can just break through it like it’s nothing. So when he challenged us to a duel, I HAD to accept!” “You could have kept running!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Twilight shouted back. “I certainly do,” came a deep voice. Everypony looked to the doorway. “Jack!” said Spike as he jumped to his feet. “Oh, great, maybe you can help me out here! I’m trying to tell them that it isn’t-” “Not now,” Jack growled. Spike gulped and sat down. Jack glared at Rainbow Dash and Twilight. “Rainbow Dash, Twilight is correct. Sunset was coming and there was no way for them to just run away. Dark Troopers prefer the night and they could easily have been overwhelmed. I was there toward the end of the duel.” “Thank you,” said Twilight. “You’re not any better,” said Jack. “Perhaps I can trust Rainbow Dash, but now I know I can’t trust you. You’ve been keeping secrets from your friends, but more importantly, from the resistance!” “I was only doing what Princess Celestia asked!” Twilight said. “I do not know this Princess Celestia,” said Jack. “She holds no dominion in this world. Wars aren’t just fought on the battlefield, especially not this one. This is an information war, and the less we have, the worse off we are! But clearly you know better than the people who have been fighting to save Neo Domino City for months on end, don’t you?” “I never said-” “You didn’t need to!” Jack roared. He turned around to leave. “I expect you to answer to Yeager and the others tomorrow!” With that, he slammed the door behind him. “There’s something wrong with him,” said Twilight. “I’ve never known anyone so... paranoid.” “Don’t go blamin’ Jack,” said Applejack. “He’s right. You were keepin’ secrets from us. If’n you’d told us right from the start, none o’ this woulda happened!” “I quite agree with Applejack,” said Rarity. “Keeping a secret is a terrible thing, especially when the secret itself is terrible.” “I’m going to bed,” said Rainbow Dash. She flapped her wings and floated up to her cloud. “Rainbow Dash, I-” “Save your breath, Twilight,” said the pegasus. The other ponies got up and started heading toward their beds. “Applejack-” “Yer gonna ask the Element o’ Honesty for comfort?” said Applejack over her shoulder. “Forget it, Twilight. Ya shouldn’t have kept this from us.” “Rarity-” “Absolutely not,” Rarity huffed. “I had even considered asking you to help me build a Duel Disk! I wanted to fight just as badly as everypony else, but clearly I must find some other way to do that. Maybe I can keep secrets from the Black King.” “Fluttershy-” “I’m sorry, Twilight,” said Fluttershy. “I... I need to think about this.” “Pinkie Pie?” Twilight asked tentatively. “I understand, Twilight,” said the pink mare. “You were asked to keep a secret. Maybe you shouldn’t have kept it, but at least you didn’t go back on your word to the Princess.” “Thanks, Pinkie Pie,” said Twilight. She sniffed. Tears were welling up in her eyes. “Um... maybe we should get some sleep too,” said Pinkie. “I’ll see you in the morning, okay?” “Okay,” said Twilight. Pinkie patted Twilight on the back and then went to her bed. Twilight climbed into her own bed and used her magic to flip the light switch next to the door. “It’ll be okay, Twilight,” said Spike. “The robed guy told me that it’s not as bad as everypony thinks it is.” “I don’t see how it couldn’t be this bad,” said Twilight. “Let’s just get some sleep, okay?” ***** Twilight woke up late the next morning. Everyone was gone, save for Pinkie Pie and Spike. “Feeling better, Twilight?” Pinkie asked. “Not really,” Twilight answered. There was a knock on the door. Almost immediately after, it swung open. Jack stood on the other side, his hand clasped firmly on the handle. “It’s time to tell the council,” he said. “Let’s go.” Twilight gulped. “Wish me luck, Pinkie Pie,” said Twilight. “Good luck!” said Pinkie. “I’m coming too!” said Spike. “Twilight is the only one who has to answer for what she did,” said Jack. “I’ve got information that has to do with what Princess Celestia told her,” said the baby dragon. “If the council needs to hear what she has to say, then they should hear what I’ve got to say too.” Jack sighed. “Fine. Let’s go.” /*********************\ Next time on Dueling is Magic! Many Futures Twilight and Spike stand before the resistance council and recount everything they’ve learned about the Duel Monsters’ Spirit World. But even after the explanation, Jack still doesn’t trust Twilight. On top of that, Twilight has lost most of her friends in the argument they had the night before. But hope remains when Spike reveals that not everything is as bad as they think... Chapter 18 Before the Council /*********************\ Featured Card Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus WIND Level 4 Beast/Effect When this card is Summoned: You can place 1 "Crystal Beast" monster from your hand, Deck, or Graveyard face-up in your Spell & Trap Card Zone as a Continuous Spell Card. If this face-up card is destroyed while it is in a Monster Card Zone, you can place it face-up in your Spell & Trap Card Zone as a Continuous Spell Card, instead of sending it to the Graveyard. ATK/1800 DEF/1200