//------------------------------// // Duels of Darkness (I) // Story: Let's Duel! // by Snake Staff //------------------------------// For Twilight, Pinkie’s party was a difficult experience. Pinkie Pie had no doubt put a great deal of effort into her welcoming party, but for Twilight the whole affair was an unwanted intrusion and rather awkward besides. She had all the friends she needed back home, and she wasn’t that interested in getting to know people she likely would never see again. Besides, loud noises were never exactly her thing. It surprised few when she ultimately opted to retire early. Spike, on the other hand, seemed to take to it well. He ate the food, played the games, and chatted up the newcomers. To his delight – and his mentor’s dismay – the party continued the whole night long, coming to a halt only with the sunrise. Twilight found Spike a couple of hours later, curled up in a chair with a lampshade atop his head. For the both of them, the following few days were best described as rather uneventful. Twilight chose to spend the majority of their time reorganizing thousands of books from the library’s shelf, making sure to assign her pupil plenty of reading material to take up the remainder of his days. The few outings she did countenance were mostly repeat visits to check up on the progress of various aspects of the solstice celebration. Spike did manage to squeeze in a duel or two along the way, but Twilight found them uneventful. Eventually, the day prior to the solstice arrived. As the sun slowly died away behind the horizon, Twilight and Spike made their way through Ponyville towards the town square and the grand dueling arena set up there. Or, more properly, arenas. There were eight mechanical dueling arenas arranged in one large circle, each allowing one duel to take place separately from the others. There were 64 contestants and one rule: lose, and you’re out. Win and you move on to the next round. Everything had looked to be in working order when Twilight had given the set-up her final look over that morning. A day of sleep had followed, and now the duo were making their way towards the town. Befitting a more upscale environment, Twilight wore the dress Rarity had given her and a purse, while Spike wore his black suit and tie. “I can’t believe,” Spike was saying. “That you of all people are going to show up late for something like this.” “Getting ready took slightly longer than anticipated. Besides, all we’ll miss is the first minute of the opening ceremonies or so. Not that big of a deal, all things considered.” “Can I use that the next time you assign me homework?” “You may not.” “Aw man.” As the two rounded a corner, Spike started to a squint ahead. “Hey, Twilight?” She looked down at him. “Yes?” “Who are those guys?” “What guys?” “Those,” he pointed. “The ones in the black robes and hoods. With their backs to us, over near town square.” Twilight put a hand to her forehead and squinted herself. “I’m… not sure.” “So, there’s not supposed to be anyone like that around?” “Not that I know of…” Twilight shook her head, considering. A second later, she halted, putting a hand over Spike’s chest. “Hold it.” “Huh?” he looked up at her. “This doesn’t feel quite right,” she said. “The schedule didn’t call for any performers and I wasn’t aware of anyone planning to show up in costume tonight. It’s probably nothing, but I’m not entirely sure of who these guys are. I don’t want any trouble, especially if you’re around.” “Oh come on, they’re probably just circus clowns or something! Are you seriously going to go into a fit of paranoia over some guys in black?” “I want you to wait here,” Twilight said firmly. “Just in case. I’ll go check in with the mayor about who these people are, and if it’s alright I’ll come and get you in just a bit.” “Seriously?” he rolled his eyes. “I’m being quite serious,” she knelt down to look him in the eye. “Your parents entrusted Princess Celestia with your welfare when they sent you here from your home country. Princess Celestia entrusted me with that for this trip. I take the responsibility very seriously.” “I’m sure they’re just fine folks, and I don’t wanna miss anything. So-” “Spike, listen to me. If everything’s alright, I’ll come and get you and you and you’ll miss nothing but a boring opening speech. If not, there could be real trouble. If I don’t come back in just a minute, I want to you to contact Princess Celestia, you understand me? And do whatever she says.” “I’m not a child,” he retorted. “I’m thirteen years old, for pete’s sake!” “Just listen to me. I’m only thinking about your safety. Alright?” Spike sighed. “If it’ll make you feel better… fine.” “Thank you,” Twilight smiled. “Excuse me,” Twilight strode almost directly towards the two caped figure, while maintaining a respectable distance. “Sirs, can you please-” The two men whipped around faster than she would have believed possible. From the front she could see that both were wearing nondescript black clothing and even gloves, despite the warm summer air. The hoods of their cloaks shrouded most of their faces. “Celestia’s brat!” said one of them. The other simply extended his right hand. Without warning Twilight felt herself being torn from her feet. Some invisible force seized her like some enormous hand and yanked her roughly towards the silent man. He grabbed her by both wrists in an instant, easily outclassing an un-athletic schoolgirl physically. But he wasn’t the only one who knew magic. Twilight’s eyes flashed, and the man’s grip was broken as he flew backwards at an alarming pace. He slammed into the wall of a nearby building, flesh meeting brick with a very unpleasant thud. The cloaked man slumped down, collapsing into the dirt with a low grunt and a weak moan. Before Twilight had a chance to process what she had just done, another powerful arm wrapped itself around her chest. An instant later she felt something thin and sharp pressed up against the underside of her neck. “You try anything else,” a voice hissed into her ear. “And it’ll be the last thing you do in this world.” “What is this?!” Twilight demanded as best she could with a knife to her throat. “Who are you?! What are you doing?!” “Shut up and walk!” the man barked, pressing the blade a little tighter. Left with little choice, Twilight did as she was bidden. The two quickly rounded the street’s corner and emerged into the town square. To her surprise, it looked almost… normal. Sure, there were more of the cloaked figures standing in the aisles between the seats, but all of those seats were full. Practically the entire small town had turned out for the event, and in spite of the strangers among them were sitting quietly and still, with no visible signs of alarm. It wasn’t until her captor pressed her closer and more robed figures converged on them that Twilight got a better look. The town’s citizens were sitting there, quiet and still. Completely still. Unnaturally still. Magic, Twilight realized. Some kind of spell is holding the whole lot of them in place! But who on earth could even cast something like that?! To hold hundreds of people in place simultaneously… The only one I know strong enough to even try that is Celestia and she would never… “Ah,” a female voice boomed out of the speakers. “We have a straggler.” Twilight looked up. Another robed figure stood behind a podium, microphone at the ready. Apart from being visibly female and having light skin, her clothing concealed any noticeable features. “And look who it is, folks. Twilight Sparkle, our beloved princess’ prized pupil, joins us lowly commoners at last.” The men and women in dark robes chuckled a little. More of them seized her by the arms, though the blade to her throat never let up as they led her through the seats. “As I was saying,” the woman turned back to the crowd. “You’ve probably all noticed that you’re rather glued to your seats tonight. I’m sorry to announce the cancellation of your regularly scheduled tournament, but in its place we’ll be offering you something quite unique.” She paused for a moment before continuing. “Tonight, with the stars aligned, you will all be contributing to the liberation of the Queen of Nightmares and rightful ruler of this land from her unjust imprisonment. Soon she will take up her place as this nation’s mistress, and we will be at her side. However, for that to happen we will be needing some very special duels to take place. So we’ve borrowed your arena. Hope you don’t mind.” No one said a word. Twilight was unceremoniously forced down into a seat, though to her mild surprise she didn’t freeze up. “Tonight a select few of you with certain traits will dueling against some of our number. The mystic energies generated will help to breach the last feeble seals on our Queen’s prison and release her into the world once more. Now, before any of you tries anything so foolish as refusing to duel, know that you will offer her your dueling spirit or your life’s blood,” she held up a curved dagger. “Your choice.” “Further, we require that this duel be conducted with all of your might. As an incentive to this, all safeguards on the arena’s holograms will be removed. This means that serious injury is a real possibility for you… or your opponent.” What kind of lunatics are these? Twilight wondered. Not only are they threatening innocents, but they’re risking themselves as well! And for what? Who is the Queen of Nightmares? I’ve never heard of anyone like that, much less anyone who could be broken out of jail by dueling. “So, chosen and honored duelists, prepare yourselves for a match unlike anything you’ve ever seen!” the woman raised both hands high, as if in worship. “May the Queen smile upon your offerings, and may the best duelist win!” Another figure stepped up onto the podium as the woman backed off. “Our first honored duelist,” his finger rose, shimmering with a deep blue aura.The digit jerked about, seemingly of its own accord, for almost half a minute. At last, it settled on one figure from the crowd. “Is Pinkamina Diane Pie!” Pinkie and her black-cloaked opponent stepped onto platforms at either end of the massive arena. Both rose almost immediately, putting their occupants high above the mechanical field. From where she was held, Twilight could see the cloaked woman’s back, and make out Pinkie on the other side. To her astonishment, the pink-haired girl didn’t appear to be that frightened at all. She wasn’t smiling or anything as both duelists plugged their disks into the arena’s system, but she wasn’t quaking in her pink boots either. “This is the Queen’s night, so her servants shall go first,” the cloaked woman declared almost as soon as the both of them had drawn their opening hands. “Ah, I see that she favors me already. I play my Ancient Rules, which allows me to Special Summon one monster with five stars or more straight from my hand. And I choose my Summoned Skull!” A tall, bone-white winged fiend with a horned head and black wings appeared on her side of the field. “Next I’ll play my Polymerization to fuse Summoned Skull with The Dark – Hex-Sealed Fusion in my hand to create the all-powerful Archfiend Black Skull Dragon!” Summoned Skull vanished into a swirling vortex, as did a bizarre purple ball of waving tendrils and mouths. A moment later the portal exploded into whirling dark energies and orange flames. From these arose a vast, spiked, black demonic dragon. Eyes glowing red and flames dancing about its head, the monster stared across the field at Pinkie, flexing its long talons. “This creature was a gift from our Queen!” the woman boasted, hands on hips. “And it’s the most powerful card in my deck! Not only does it have 3200 attack points, but it also boasts a variety of powerful special abilities! Are you starting to realize just what you’re in for, little girl?” For her part, the girl across the field simply covered her mouth with her cards and appeared to be coughing. “Hmph. If you’re not going to admit to your fears then I’ll simply have to force them on you. I place two cards face-down and end my turn.” “Oh weird robed cultist lady,” said Pinkie as she drew a card. “You’re such a funny bunny.” “Funny?! I am a servant of the Queen of all Nightmares and a future mistress of this land! You dare laugh at me?!” “Well,” Pinkie shrugged. “Granny always said that you should deal with your fears by laughing at them. ‘Giggle at the ghosty’, she told me, and then they won’t be so scary anymore! And I think my deck agrees!” “You and your pathetic deck will be singing a very different tune once this duel is over, little girl.” “Well, speaking of tunes, I’ll start off with the card I just drew, Toon Table of Contents!” A green book appeared on her side of the field, opening up to an oversized and ridiculously colorful index page. “This handy Spell Card lets me search my deck for any card with Toon in its name in my deck, and add it to my hand.” Pinkie flipped through her cards and slipped one into her hand, reshuffling the rest. “And if we’re using our most powerful cards, here comes mine. Welcome one and all to Toon Kingdom!” Another book appeared on her side of the field, this one a bluish-green with a crowned moose on the cover. It twirled and then popped open in a puff of pink smoke, revealing a pop-up castle inside. The wild music Twilight remembered arrived again in force, enveloping the arena in its upbeat tones. “By simply banishing the top three cards from my deck, this Field Spell counts as Toon World,” Pinkie explained. “But that’s not even half of it! As long as it remains face-up, my cute little Toons can’t be targeted by any card effects or destroyed by any means! And speaking of Toons, here comes one now! Meet my Toon Cyber Dragon!” The metallic, serpentine little creature Twilight remembered from her duel leaped from the pages of Toon Kingdom to settle in the arena. It promptly started making faces at the Archfiend Black Skull Dragon. “That little runt is no match for my creature!” her opponent barked. “My dragon will easily send your childish cartoon packing!” “Don’t you know that Toons have feelings?!” Pinkie scolded. Toon Cyber Dragon’s eyes grew three times bigger and glistened with fat tears. It stuck its lower lip around a foot out in front of its face and whimpered pitifully. “But he won’t be around for long. Since you have a monster and I didn’t, I got to summon him for free. So I can trade him in right away for my Toon Dark Magician Girl!” The dragon sprang back into the book just as quickly as it had come. A second monster leaped from the pages of Toon Kingdom, this one the infernal little blonde-haired girl that made Twilight’s head ache with her mere presence. “And next up I’ll activate a handy-dandy little Spell Card called Toon Rollback,” Pinkie smiled as an old-fashioned reel of film popped out of her floating book. “This card lets my Toon Dark Magician Girl attack twice this turn! And she’s going to go straight for your life points!” Her monster spun its magic wand nimbly in one hand before pointing one end across the field. A pink charge began to build on the end of it. “Not quite! Reveal face-down card, Sakuretsu Armor! This destroys your monster before it can touch me! So much for your little girl’s dolly!” “Unh unh uh!” Pinkie wagged one finger at her. “Weren’t you listening? I said Toon Kingdom prevents your cards from targeting my Toons! That includes Sakuretsu Armor!” The robed woman reeled back as her card shuddered and exploded into fragments without effect. “Now, where were we?” Pinkie considered. “Oh yeah! Toon Dark Magician Girl, show this lady what we think of her and her nightmare! Double direct attack now!” The little toon smiled as the end of her wand shone a bright pink. With one flourish she sent a swirling stream of magic across the field, over the dragon’s head, and back down into the other woman’s chest. She screamed as the force of the attack blew her from the platform and sent her cards flying in all directions. The cultist hit the ground with an audible snapping of bone. Cultist 0 “Hey, lady?” Pinkie called. “Are you alright?” The only answer was a low moan. “Huh,” Pinkie shrugged a little as her platform began to descend. “Guess she wasn’t so scary after all.” Two more of the cloaked cultists were waiting to grab the girl by both arms the moment she came within reach, perhaps a little harder than was strictly necessary. Both were giving her looks of unease. Pinkie looked totally nonplussed by them. “Get that woman medical attention,” One woman ordered two other robed figures, pointed to their downed sister. “And get someone else up there! There’s still plenty of dueling left to be done!”