//------------------------------//
// Canterlot Championship - Duel 2 
// Story: Po-Ny-Oh! - The Canterlot Championship 
// by The Baron 
//------------------------------//

Applause was still ringing round the stadium as Twilight trotted forwards in a daze, the last few moments of the duel still running through her mind. It was incredible! She'd taken on a seasoned professional and won, all these ponies were cheering for her performance!

"Your attention please," Luna's voice rang out, just cutting over the noise of the crowd. "There will now be a fifteen minute intermission before the next match. You are welcome to leave for refreshments or purchase them from the tray bearing folk doing rounds of the stands. And could Twilight Sparkle please report to the royal box."

Moving on, the noise around her began to bleed away as some of audience started to talk amongst themselves or swiftly depart to snag a takeaway crystal corn on the cob. Approaching the golden walled tent, Twilight made to pause before the two armored stallions guarding the entrance. However they both parted silently as she came within seven paces.

Stepping into the cool interior, Twilight could see the shimmering rainbow mane of her mentor falling over the back of the chaise lounge by the opening at the far end. To her left, Luna reclined in a similar comfortable fashion. Although, she noticed, the lady of the night was seated a good few feet from where the light of sunlight fell into the tent.

"You called for me, Princess?" She spoke politely, unsure suddenly as to which of them had actually wanted to see her.

The answer came forth as Celestia rose, a kindly smile on her lips. "Indeed, my little duelist. I just wanted to congratulate you on winning the first round, and in such an exciting manner as well. I'm proud of you Twilight."

"We also wish to exclaim our admiration, many bits will have been lost in the gambling pools after that show I'll wager." Luna chipped in, raising her glass.

"Thank you both. I don't know how much further I'll progress, but I plan to play the best moves I can and have fun along the way."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you." Celestia said pleasantly, pulling Twilight into a hug. "Now I'm sure your friends will want to praise you as well, you'll most likely find them in the pavilion next door. Tell them all that we will be rooting for them. Not that Luna and I pick sides of course..." She trailed off with a guilty smile Twilight couldn't help but return.

"Of course I will." Twilight said, gently removing herself from Celestia's hooves. "Will I get to spend anymore time with you Princess? It's been a while" She asked hopefully.

"No Twilight, you are to be staying in the castle for the duration of the competition, I sincerely doubt if you will see Celestia again." Luna deadpanned. An awkward silence fell.

"We were joking, was that not clear?" 

"I'm sure we'll get to talk more at dinner this evening Twilight. Now go find your friends."

With a nod and a bow, she turned and left the royal box. Glancing both ways, she clocked the large tent on the right bearing the royal seal on its door. Ducking under the canvas, it was surprisingly spacious inside. Tables and chairs sat in neat rows facing the transparent flaps that looked over the duel arena. 

A few well off looking sorts, all donned in top hats or tiaras chatted idly and sipped champagne. One noticed her enter and tipped his hat, Twilight flashed a polite smile back, her grin growing wider as she saw her friends lined up along the bar.

"Hiya Twilight!"

Pinkie nearly jumped out her seat at the sight of her friend, earning a chorus of "ssh" from the nearest table. She just pulled a face back, felt a slight itching in her elbow and bent down to retrieve a bit that had fallen to the floor. Narrowly missing being clocked round the ear-hole by Rarity.

"Hey girls, have you been in here all this time? You did see my match didn't you?"

"Don't you worry about it none suga'cube. We saw the whole thing from here, sorry we weren't ringside cheering you on. But once Rainbow found out that all competitors got free drinks, she hasn't moved from that spot. Rarity's been mingling with the upper crust most of the morning and you know how Flutters is in front of crowds. Still steeling herself aren't you sweetie?"

Fluttershy nodded, a pensive look on her face and chugged deeply from the cider mug in her hoof.

"Ah stayed with the girls and made sure that things didn't go pear shaped."

"And I'm just here for the food." Pinkie chipped in cheerfully, through a mouthful of sandwich.

"You played a right good game out there Twilight, told y'all that them professional weren't all that special."

"Indeed darling, and you taught Trixie not to be so big headed, yet again. Lets hope the lesson sticks this time."

"Hear hear!" Rainbow Dash croaked, raising her head off her legs for a second.

"Are you alright there Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked quietly.

"Never better, just nicely buzzed." She gave a lop sided smile and raised another mug to her mouth.

"Maybe you should slow down a bit, you don't want to miss your match after all." Twilight replied, sitting with them and waving over the bartender.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to mish it Twilight."

"Mish?" Rarity said quietly, looking at the others meaningfully.

"Two minutes left everypony!" Spike's voice echoed around them. "If you haven't got your flank back in a seat by now, I'd suggest you do it sharpish!"

"Wise words from our commentator there, as the next contestants will now be decided." Behind Celestia's voice, the soft rattling of a bingo cage could be heard. "Would numbers 7 and 15 please report to the ring, you match begins shortly."

"That's ME!" Pinkie shouted with glee, oblivious to those around her cringing and covering their ears. With one "sproing" she was halfway to the door and proceeded to bounce her way out.

"Good luck." Her friends all called, more than a little shell shocked.





Bouncing out into the stadium, Pinkie's eyes went wide as saucers and she couldn't help but beam at what she saw. Ponies, ponies everywhere. But none of them bore the mark of sadness. Instead a thousand smiles and happy voices rained down on her. It was beautiful.

With a casual flip she landed in the box, both legs raised above her head like an athlete. Earning a score of cheers, her booth rose above the playing field. Waving to the crowd with one hoof, Pinkie slapped her deck down with the other.

"Well this is a first, seems our player is even more eager than you guys to get started! Put your hooves together for the pastry producing pink party pony who gives no parlay to preservatives, procrastination or pouting! The Mistress of Mirth, baker supreme and Element of Laughter. Pink-IE! PIE!"

"Awesome alliteration, you daringly delightful drake!" She called back with a wink.

"Here comes her opponent now, all the way from Las Pegasus! Veteran of the Bellagio Grand Tournament and the Mint 400. Show some love for the one, the only, Rifle Shuffle!"

As the crowd erupted again, an olive stallion walked calmly across to his box. Looking out from beneath the translucent green eye shade he sported atop a neat platinum blond mane, Rifle Shuffle gave a lazy smile and entered his booth. As it rose, he pulled a deck out of his pack with a wing, cut it a few times and placed it down on the table.

With a whir, the machine began to randomize their cards and a reclined shelf unfolded itself by each player. Seconds later five cards slid out onto it.

"OooH, fancy. Saves me holding the cards in my teeth."

"The contestants are ready and the field is set. Pinkie to play first, go!"

Without even glancing at her cards, Pinkie grabbed one and played it facedown. 

"I'm done." She beamed as a card back hologram lit up in her magic and trap zone.

"Well that was, an unexpectedly underwhelming opening move. Lets see how Rifle responds."

Drawing a card, he looked over his hand. "I'm sorry about this Miss Pie, but I can't bring anything less than my A game, even for some pony as charming as yourself. I'll start by playing,"

"I activate my trap card!"

Rifle's jaw dropped. "What? I haven't done anything yet‽"

"Exactly. That's the point of this card, Penalties of Prophecy!"

Her card flipped over, a large crystal ball rising out of it. The orb hovered there, dense white smoke curling in its center.

"With this trap sprung, I can guess what the first card you play each turn is going to be. If I'm right, you lose five hundred life points."

"And if you're wrong Miss Pie?" The stallion asked, leaning forward slightly.

"Then I lose the life points of course."

"Sounds like a risky move, not sure I like the odds on that gamble."

"Don't be silly, gambling means I might lose." She replied slyly, shaking out her leg. "I'm getting a predication, you were about to...play a monster card!"

To his credit, Rifle Shuffle's face didn't change at all as he laid a card down and watched his life points trickle down.

"Not bad, but that was the penny ante round, I'm going to raise the blinds. Starting by summoning Diamond Pegasi Nine!"

A pale, almost albino pegasus flickered into being before him. The crimson diamond on her flank matched nicely with her long following mane. Atk - 300 / Def - 700

"Next I'll play two cards face down, and end my turn by attacking you directly."

As two plain backs appeared, Diamond Pegasi took to the air. Hovering high above the playing field, she touched a hoof to her cutie mark, then pointed it straight at Pinkie Pie. Nine spears of red light erupted and shot towards her target, each one exploding on contact, small clear stones fragmenting out from the blasts.

Evidently Pinkie wasn't overly concerned about this, at least not at the moment. She was more preoccupied trying to scoop up an armful of gems from around her. As Diamond Pegasi landed again, the stones twinkled and faded back into nothing.

"First turn over, and Pinkie is leading by two hundred life points, but has nothing but a trap card on the field. The ball is still in any ponies court!"

"My turn again," Pinkie called out with a giggle. "First I'll draw, and then I'll,"

"Sorry to interrupt you Miss Pie, but I believe that it's time to activate a trap card of my own. The House Always Wins!"

"The house always wins? I didn't know that buildings could win, or that they have competitions. Is that where the term shoplifting comes from? What about street hockey, or,"

"I fear you've got the wrong end of the stick," Shuffle called back, an amused grin on his face. "It's a saying about casinos. More relevantly, it's a trap card that lets me summon a random monster with less than five hundred attack points from my deck at the start of your turn."

One of his facedowns rose, morphing as it did so into a slot machine. Diamond Pegasi sauntered over and pulled the lever. The reels began to spin, various symbols blurring into 3 black lines. Slowing down again, each reel settled onto a jackpot.

No bits poured into the winnings tray, instead another pale pony jumped out of the machine.

"Say hello to Heart Seven."

Raising a hoof, the earth pony waved to the crowd. A stallion, he was nearly identical to the pegasi next to him, only with a crimson heart for a cutie mark. Atk - 400 / Def - 600.

"Two monsters already? I'd better pick up the pace then." Pinkie called back, smiling almost too sweetly. "I'll play this monster in attack, then these two cards face down."

True to her word, a pair of plain backs appeared, along with, a plate. The silver cover lifted to reveal a large croissant, topped with a cube of butter and a small jar next to it. There came an odd, squelchy noise from the crowd as most of them took a surprised blink in unison.

"Now my Carnivorous Croissant, polish off Diamond Pegsi Nine!"

To the amazement of those watching, the croissant stood up. A cracked line split across the middle, flakes of pastry falling to the floor. Opening up, a row of teeth glittered within as two more cracks above slid up into eyes. Standing over three feet tall, it suddenly looked a lot more intimidating. Atk - 1200 / Def - 1000

Tilting forwards Croissant put its lips to the jar and took several deep gulps. Leaning back again with cheeks bulging, it spasmed and let fly a glob of red goo towards Diamond Pegasi. Striking her head on, her hologram shattered, leaving only a comically pony shaped gap in the mess of jam.

"I'll think you'll agree that was a, pretty tasty move. Your turn."

Groans came from the audience, Pinkie could barely contain some giggles. Riffle just took his next card. looked over his hand and then singled one out. Delicately picking it up with a wing tip, he hovered it above the playing area.

"Care to place another bet Miss Pie?" He asked, giving her a cocksure look.

"Hmm, lets see now. You've already played a monster and a trap card, so its probably a spell card. But then what if you knew I'd guess like that, and it is actually another trap card? But then what if you knew that I'd know that you know...too many variables! Hang on a second."

Reaching a hoof to her mane, she delved into the fizzy pink depths and moments later pulled out a small alligator. It looked out at the stadium as Pinkie put him down, his blank stare mirrored by the stunned crowd.

"So what do you recon Gummy?" she asked, leaning down to his level.

"Is this, tournament legal?" Spike asked in amazement.

"Technically, yes." Luna came across the tannoy. "The beast shows no sign of physic or magically abilities, so its not cheating. Just an, unusual way to make a choice."

"Aha, yes, I see. Thanks Gummy." Lifting the gator, she placed him on top of her mane where he began slowly sinking back in. "You were going to play another monster card and hoped to slip it by me."

"Right again, I've heard of some in Las Pegasus keeping a rabbit close for luck, but never an alligator. You are an extraordinary mare Miss Pie."

"Thanks!"

"However the game is still in my favor. As you predicted, I summon a monster to the field. Club Unicorn Nine."

A surly looking unicorn materialized onto the field. His pale coat clashed with the black of his mane and tail. Sure enough, a dark club adorned his flank. Atk - 400 / Def - 600

"Next I'll activate my facedown card, a spell called Nothing Up My Sleeve. With this I can return a card type monster from the graveyard."

An oriental looking screen unfolded in front of Heart Seven and vanished seconds later. Now sporting a waistcoat and bow-tie, Seven pulled a pack of cards out and began vigorously shuffling them. With a tap to the bottom of the deck, one card sprang out and fluttered down to the floor. It exploded in a puff of smoke and there stood Diamond Pegasi Nine fully restored.

"Now to show you the special abilities of my card monsters. On their own, they are easily beaten. But together? They become so much more. I believe you and your friends are familiar with this principle Miss Pie.

Club Nine and Diamond Nine, One Pair Attack!"

Both monsters looked at each other and nodded in agreement. In a flurry of feathers, Diamond Nine was airborne. Below Club Nine had already touched a hoof to his cutie mark, a nimbus starting to build round his horn.

Firing a stream of dark orbs into the sky, Diamond swatted them with her hoof towards the other side of the field, her own ruby light releasing. Detonations flared all around Pinkie as her life points trickled down.

"And lastly, I play Crystal Force-field, to defend my monsters till next turn."

The air between them seem to grow thicker, little glimmers of light appeared and disappeared at random.

"All right! This is what you paid for right here folks. New comer Pinkie has a lead at three thousand life points after Riffle Shuffle's last direct attack, compared to his twenty-one hundred. But with three interacting monsters to compete with and another on the way, how is she going to respond now?"

"Well I'll start by drawing silly, then I'll see what Shuffle gets to summon."

As she spoke, the slot machine came to life. Moments later another pegasus tumbled out.

"Excellent, Diamond Pegasi Seven."

"Now I'll..."

What am I going to do? She thought to herself. I can't attack, can't defend from those special attacks and nothing in my hand to help. Ok Pinkie, play it cool. Lets tries and psyche him out...

"I'll play this one card facedown and end my turn. Trump that if you dare!"

"We'll see who comes away with the pot here Miss Pie. First things first though, time for your prophecy."

"Obviously going to be a spell card this time, need to work on that poker face Rifle old son."

"Seems you're not omnipotent after all. I told you this game was tilting in my favor, and I'll prove it by summoning Spade Seven."

Rifle couldn't help but let a smile slide onto his face. Across from him Pinkie looked a little crestfallen as her life points trickled down.

"Time to cash in. I'll set this facedown and call on my monsters. Combine your forces for a Full House Attack, nines full of sevens!"

Club Nine reared back on his hooves and fired three rings of gold into the air. Orbiting round each other, they made a rough sphere as the others raised their hooves. Streams of red and black collided together and left a haze of multicolored mist in between the rings. 

Slowly the sphere moved across the field, going off like a bomb above Pinkie. Every pony blinked as strobing light blared out, accompanied by the gentle patter of casino chips bouncing around the stadium floor.

"Words fail me folks! First he gets the best of Pinkie's trap, then gets in a direct attack for two, that's two thousand points! Leaving her on just five hundred, but you know what they say about cornered bakers. Are we due a repeat of the last match or is Rifle Shuffle moving onto the quarter finals? Don't blink, that's for sure!"

In her box, Pinkie's face had settled into a pensive look.

"Hey, no need for the frumpy face Miss Pie." Riffle called to her gently after she'd been like that for nearly a minute. "You given them quite the show and me a game to remember, no shame in losing now."

"It's not that," Pinkie looked over at him, a smile returning. "I'm just taking it all in. All these ponies are so happy, so hyped because of what we're doing here. How often do you get to bask in something like that? 

But you were right, one pony can fall, together we're like crystal rock candy. I know all my friends are down there cheering me on, and I don't plan to disappoint them today. My turn!"

Without even looking at her hand, she reached down and flipped over a card.

"First I'll equip my croissant with Marzipan Mortar to raise it's attack by one thousand points."

On the field, a large metal tube appeared, tilting on its base towards Rifle Shuffle. Behind it Carnivorous Croissant stood to attention as a green tin hat and bandolier materialized on him.

"Next I'll play The Baker's Dozen."

Laying down another spell card, thirteen cupcakes came into being.

"Choose a treat, but choose wisely. Two of those will make my monster attack me directly, one will affect you the same way and the rest are random monsters on the field. It can even make my monster attack itself."

"Keeping me guessing to the end? Ok then, lets find out where this is going, I choose the one of the far left."

The confectionery vanished as the mortar began rotating slowly. Croissant pulled a slice of batten berg off its bandolier and stuffed it into the breach, idly chewing a cigar as he did so.

Grinding to a halt, it pointed firmly at Pinkie. With a cough, smoke billowed out as a round launched high into the sky. Seconds later, an impending whistling noise crept into hearing.

"Ouch! It's all over for her when that lands, a well fought game brought to an end by luck of the draw, how art imitates life." Spike lamented.

"I wouldn't say that." Pinkie said under her breath, gently turning a card over.

A flaming piece of sugary doom surged down, drawing a bead on Pinkie's box. Already some fans were getting up, some about to leave the stadium when gasps of surprise made them turn back. The attack had come square on Pinkie's head, and hit something. It was struggling to penetrate some invisible barrier.

"My final trap card, Celestial Blessings. It stops any attack at me in its tracks and sends it back at my opponent." She called to the astonished crowd.

At her words, the cake above ceased struggling to get at her and bounded toward Rifle Shuffle. He had just enough time for a surprised blink before getting covered in icing. All around them, ponies starting clapping loud enough to drown the noise of his life points hitting zero.

"They thought it was all over, it is now! Pinkie pulls one out of her hat and will move onto the next round! I don't believe it!..."

As Spike kept the crowd happy, Pinkie bounced out of her descending box and made her way over to Rifle Shuffle. He meet her eyes with a wide smile.

"Well played, that was quite an act you put on. I really thought that I'd won there, although," He paused, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Why didn't you play that trap when I used the Full House attack? Why that final gamble?"

"Because your facedown would have dealt with it then, I needed to make sure that I had another ace in the hole."

"Ah, my little bluff worked out then. Just another spell card to pull monsters back from the grave."

"Wait, that really was bluff? I thought for sure that you'd put a trap down, so you can't read minds then?"

Shuffle thought a few different responses to this, before giving into the manic charm of the pink party pony and laughing.

"You truly are one of kind. No I can't read minds, not yet anyways. Thank you again for an excellent match." He moved to leave, then turned back again. "By the way, would you care for a drink before the next match starts Miss Pie?"

"Call me Pinkie." She smiled back.

End Duel 2