Latrose stood at the edge of the balcony.
“You’re kidding me, right?” he groaned, gripping a crystal in his hand as he glared at the female it projected. “Even Carnis failed?”
“Seems that way,” the woman replied. “You’re the only one left in Ponyville.”
“Why couldn’t that cult have sent their forces here? We’d have been able to deal with Yusei and the princess much more easily!”
“They’re still looking for the other targets, remember? In any case, the unicorn that was already there with you and your men for communication purposes already had an encounter with Princess Twilight.”
“And?”
“She was forced to retreat. She was no match for the magic the princess wielded. I recommend you do the same.”
“And lose my grip on the town?” Latrose shouted.
“It was already lost moments ago, Latrose. I wouldn’t challenge them if I were you,” the woman warned.
“Don’t tell me you forgot, Celena.”
“Hm?”
“We came here on a mission. To that end, I will put an end to their resistance.”
“Suit yourself,” Celena chuckled. “You know what’ll happen if you fail.”
“I won’t lose to the likes of them.”
“Famous last words.” The projection of Celena vanished.
Latrose scoffed as he stuffed the crystal into his pocket. He turned his head towards the large doors as they opened. The magenta aura on the handles faded. “I can’t believe you got this far.”
“I won’t let you control this town,” Twilight challenged as she and her friends stepped out onto the balcony.
“We’re here to put a stop to you,” Yusei added.
“It’s just the four of you?” Latrose raised his Duel Disk, as Big Macintosh and Steel Heart were bringing up the rear. “What a joke.”
“Be careful, everyone,” Yusei warned, raising his own Duel Disk.
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Twilight replied.
“I’ve had enough of your antics, so I’ll put an end to this now!” Latrose placed a card in his Monster Zone. The four looked on in surprise as a familiar armored canine appeared in front of him.
“That’s… the same kind of dog as the one we saw in the town square!” Twilight exclaimed. “How is this possible?”
“That’s… Rogue Captain?” Yusei noticed.
“You’ve seen it before?”
“Yeah. A few times. Around town, at Sweet Apple Acres, and here at the castle before I caught up to you. Both of the Duelists I met Summoned this monster.”
“You must be talking about my subordinates,” Latrose stated. “It’s too bad they lost to you, Yusei Fudo. This time, however, you won’t be so fortunate. I intend to crush you all here. Once that’s done, there will be no one left in our way.”
“Wait a second… you said you encountered this creature in a Duel. Now that you mention it, that human I ran into in town also had a Duel Disk. But then… how did he Summon it…?” Twilight asked.
“I can only think of one reason,” Yusei stepped towards Latrose.
“Yusei?”
“Tell us why you’re here, member of the Arcadia Movement!”
Silence filled the air.
“Arcadia… what?” Twilight spoke.
“You’ve figured out that much, huh?” Latrose responded.
“So it is them, after all,” Yusei mumbled.
“Yusei, was it?” Steel Heart said. “What’s this Arcadia Movement you’re talking about?”
“Sorry to interrupt your little chitchat, but you already know too much as it is. Go, Rogue Captain!” Latrose shouted.
The armored canine raised its mace and thrust it downward. The four quickly rolled away, avoiding the impact.
Latrose scoffed, placing two additional cards onto his Duel Disk. Two more Rogue Captains spawned beside the first. “Show them what happens when you defy the Arcadia Movement!”
Each of the canines leapt at a different pony.
Twilight raised a magic barrier with her horn, deflecting the oncoming mace.
Big Macintosh quickly stepped to the side, avoiding the mace before turning around and striking his attacker’s muzzle with his back hooves.
Steel Heart raised a metal rod, clashing with that of his opponent.
“Wait, when did you get that?” Twilight asked.
Steel Heart pushed the mace aside and, with a bright glow from his horn, the rod he carried became a hammer, bringing it down on the canine’s head.
“Metal transmutation?” the alicorn commented. “Not many unicorns are capable of casting that spell.”
“Special talent, Your Highness,” Steel Heart answered.
Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by the growls of the three canines as they charged forward once more.
“Get them!” Latrose shouted. Noticing the rapidly approaching footsteps, he stepped back to evade Yusei’s oncoming right fist.
Latrose staggered upon feeling Yusei’s other fist strike his gut. The latter spun clockwise to strike his opponent in the forehead with his boot. Latrose turned his back to Yusei as he stumbled.
“Not bad,” Latrose coughed. “I didn’t think you had it in you to break etiquette between duelists like this.”
“Call off your monsters and we can have that Duel,” Yusei remarked.
Latrose scoffed as he turned his glimpsed back towards Yusei. “No, I think I’d rather not.” After drawing a card and placing it in his Duel Disk, a small mace spawned at Latrose’s side. He quickly grabbed it with both hands and swung it towards Yusei, the latter jumping back to avoid being struck.
Latrose held the mace overhead and hopped forward as he brought the mace down. Yusei quickly rolled to the side, dodging the impact.
Big Macintosh ducked under the Rogue Captain’s lateral swing before spinning around kicking the canine in its gut with his back hooves. The creature fell backwards from the blow. The armored canine roared as it tried to recover, only to get struck by Big Mac’s hooves again. The Rogue Captain tumbled over once more and, to Big Mac’s shock, fell to pieces.
Steel Heart clashed his hammer with the mace of Rogue Captain he was facing, continuing to trade blows until he struck the canine in the head once more. The Rogue Captain flew and shattered as it hit the ground. “What the…?” he said, surprised.
Both stallions turned their eyes towards Twilight as she continued to focus on maintaining her shield as it absorbed the impact from the last Rogue Captain’s mace. Another swing pierced through the shield. Twilight jumped back as a burst of magic fired from her horn, knocking the armored canine over.
Yusei dodged a swing from Latrose’s mace before the latter attempted another overhead swing. Yusei intercepted the mace with his Duel Disk and threw his fist at Latrose’s stomach only to be caught by the latter’s palm. Latrose then kicked Yusei away towards the ponies.
“Give it up. You and your army of dogs are beaten!” Yusei stated.
“I wouldn’t say that,” Latrose chuckled.
“What?” Yusei then glanced at his opponent’s Duel Disk, noticing an oddity.
“I’m far from done!”
The doors to the room then opened loudly.
“Twilight!” Spike called.
“Spike? Fluttershy?” Twilight responded. “What are you two doing here? It’s too dangerous!”
“We were just looking for—”
“Oh, good,” Latrose interrupted. “The other remaining Element of Harmony has returned. Now I can crush you all at once!”
“Um, no thanks. We’d rather not be crushed… i-if you don’t mind, that is,” Fluttershy replied rapidly.
A small canine leapt from the shadows before Fluttershy and Spike, leaving them shrieking.
“Look out!” Yusei shouted, intercepting the canine’s claws.
“Yusei!” Twilight and Fluttershy shouted with worry.
Yusei collapsed onto the ground. The small creature jumped back next to the fallen Rogue Captain.
“Hey, you okay?” Spike asked, helping the human onto his knees.
“Didn’t think he would make it,” Latrose sneered. “I guess it’s only because he noticed the extra monster on my Duel Disk.”
“That’s enough! This is as far as you go!” Twilight glared at the hooded man.
“Hardly! I tune Level 4 Disharmony Shadowhound with Level 7 Rogue Captain!”
“What?!” Yusei exclaimed.
As the Rogue Captain stood up, it became surrounded by the four black rings the Disharmony Shadowhound transformed into. The large armored canine vanished, leaving behind seven black stars.
“Wait… isn’t this…?” Twilight spoke.
“You who rules over the darkest pits of the underworld, let your ferocity be known to the living!” Latrose continued. A pitch-black pillar engulfed the rings and stars. “Synchro Summon! Rise, Disharmony – Underrogue Cerberus!”
A large three-headed armored canine emerged from the pillar as it vanished. Latrose grinned maliciously as he stared at Twilight and her friends.
“Disharmony?” said Twilight.
“Underrogue… Cerberus?” Yusei mumbled.
“I’m afraid none of you will be escaping now,” Latrose stated, drawing another card. “I activate the Field Spell Diamond Prison!”
Large crystalline structures burst out of the floor surrounding the balcony and encasing it completely in a dome-like fashion.
“Your efforts to stop the Arcadia Movement end here,” said the hooded man.
Yusei scoffed.
“Whoa! Fluttershy, what’s wrong?” Spike asked.
Yusei turned to glimpse at the pegasus, whose face had gone pale, while Big Mac and Steel Heart approached.
“Th-those… those words… I remember them…” Fluttershy replied softly.
“What words?” Steel Heart questioned.
The pegasus laid down with her front hooves above her head. “These… humans… they said those words when…”
“Bring her to the center,” said a stallion.
“W-wait, what’s happening?!” Fluttershy cried. “What are you doing?”
“Congratulations, Element of Kindness. You get to be our guinea pig.”
“B-but… I-I’m a pegasus…” Several unicorn horns began to glow, holding Fluttershy in place. “Why are you doing this?!”
Two shadowy figures moved up beside her.
“Hey! Let her go!” Rainbow Dash shouted from behind.
“Y’all better stop right now if ya know what’s good for ya!” Applejack added.
“Cease this at once!” Rarity exclaimed.
“Can you please just stop what you’re doing? Pretty please?” Pinkie Pie asked.
The four ponies were also being held in place.
“Please… help me…” Fluttershy whimpered.
A hooded man stepped forward, raising his Duel Disk. “Is it time?” he asked.
“Yes,” the stallion replied. “Begin the ritual.”
“Then I shall tune my monsters together!”
One of the shadowy figures besides Fluttershy turned into several dark rings while the other simply became black stars.
The unicorns lifted Fluttershy into the air, holding her between the rings and stars.
“Watch, Elements of Harmony. This is the fate that shall befall you and your princesses!” the man stated.
“You remember what happened?” Yusei asked.
“Y-yes…” Fluttershy answered.
“Dissonance seeps into your heart, your resentment breaking through and tearing down the walls of harmony!” the man continued.
The ponies watched in horror as Fluttershy was engulfed by a pitch-black pillar.
Fluttershy spoke, “The words he said were…”
“Synchro Summon!”