If you thought Hell was where my misery ended, you were wrong. I got out of the fire and into the boneyard. But... What exactly am I saying? The answer is: I ended up in a not-so beautiful, spooky-ass place known as Zombie World.
Now, this is not related to my world in any way, so let me explain the whole method of 'The Three Trees'. The Trees are well, existence, and each branch of those trees is a different world, and each leaf represents a decision that is made or not. Let's take the Equestria branch as an example (from the Tree of Existence), these being some odd examples of leaves:
1. What if Twilight were a Batpony instead of Fluttershy? Well, that ended in Twilight being the Ruler of the Night after murdering Auntie Luna. We'll call it the Vampire Leaf.
2. What if Pinkie killed ponies and other beings to make cupcakes? We'll call it the Cupcake Leaf.
3. What if Twilight kept her power instead of keeping her friends? We'll call it the Tyrant Twilight Leaf.
There are many more examples, and no, we are not a world that is really a leaf: the tree is a metaphor, the most accurate way of describing the existence of our worlds. Now, Hell does not exist on this tree, in fact, there is a tree that consists on the many infernos that exist throughout space and time: Trenzalore, The Netherrealm, Space Sector 666, etc.
Back to Zombie World, I had ended up on the Tree of Purgatory, the tree where the sinners go (although I wasn't a sinner, so I suppose it was a trial. Did I mention that I massaged Death in what was Hell, which was connected by a gate to Equestria, and Tartarus being known as the prison located in hell where the baddest beings known are contained?).
As the name goes for Zombie World, zombies are the main men, and being the non-putrid being in a place where they eat said non-putrid beings is not so beautiful. I could take my time describing how I escaped, but I'll put some estimations: 15 platoons (about 540 soldiers, 15 Zombie Masters, 15 guides, 15 snipers, 15 cannoneers (snipers with cannons), 15 sergeants and 15 commanders). I then had to defeat a such Revived King Ha Des. The last guy was difficult to beat, but I did it (with an incredible amount of rage and Necrofire).
After escaping Spook World (let's call it like that, it makes things funnier), I ended up in the Tree of Paradise, which consisted on the connection of Utopias that existed. I'll name some: Skyworld, the Lightsworn Sanctuary, Paradiso, etc. I ended up in (Italian for Equestrian Heaven), where my grandparents resided. As I set foot, a mare saw me and smiled.
"Hello Solaris," she said. This mare had a red mane, white fur and a Cutie Mark that consisted on an ink jar with a quill. This mare was my grandmother Faust, the Goddess of Creation.
"Hey grandma," I said, walking towards her and wrapping my arms around her.
"How did you get here?" She asked, looking into my eyes.
"Well, I died, ended up in Hell, bribed Death into letting me form part of some resurrection program, escaped a zombie-filled world, and ended up here," I answered.
"It must have been an interesting adventure," a stallion said, appearing. This stallion, on the other hand, was of dark blue fur and a black mane, with the cutie mark of a music note. He was Ingram, my grandfather and also the God of Time.
"Well, if massaging Death is the highlight, then yes," I answered, chuckling as I walked beside them. They're nice to be around, to the degree that their last visit felt like it was yesterday, despite the fact that I'm the one visiting.
"I didn't know you'd bribe her that way," Ingram said, before laughing. I joined in, only to be interrupted by me grandmother.
"Now my grandson, let me show you the world you are destined to arrive at," she said, walking to a mirror. As I reached her, she began casting her magic, showing me a world I did not know of. I saw many valleys, monuments, people, and an island. Yes boys and girls, that was Duel Academy, something I didn't know back then.
"As my final set of paragraphs, I will say the following: what if there are more worlds out there than those you knew, such as Equestria?" She asked me.
"That could explain the whole zombie incident," I answered.
"Indeed, you are the chosen one to be the first of many who will be sent throughout space and time to learn about these worlds, and connect them to ours," she said, holding two gems. "You can consume the sapphire, which will take you back to Hell and you'll serve Death, or you can consume the ruby, where you will be taken to this new world. What will it be?" She asked.
Let's ponder this: I could go back to the fiery prison and visit Tirek and the others, OR... I could end up in a new world I was unfamiliar with, that looked nice, and I could get a new life. Let's face it, who wants to spend the rest of their 'lives' burning in the core of Equis?
"I'll take the ruby," I said, biting it. It was quite tasty, but then... Things got ugly. I fell down a hole, only to land in a dark room a bit later. As if on cue, a light turned on, revealing a room with a table and a chair. On said table was an odd device, a box, and a book. Out of curiosity, I grabbed the box, which had several cards I didn't understand back then.
That lead me to the book, which was titled 'The History and Guide to Duel Monsters'. As I saw the cover, memories came back to me, back when I was a hatchling. That was when I heard a voice, one that I hadn't heard in years.
"Hello Spike," she said. This woman had sickly-pink skin, large black wings, heterochromic eyes, a third vertically placed eye, and she was half-woman half-man.
"Yubel?" I asked.
"In the flesh," she answered, chuckling as we hugged each other. Let me explain why she was important to me: Back when I lived with Mom, I received a card for my birthday, along with a storybook. This storybook happened to be the book I now had. Why did I call it a storybook, you ask? Well, my mother would only read me the stories that came in it.
"Alright, I need to understand this world," I said, taking in my new appearance as I looked at myself in a mirror: I was about 5' 9" in height, a bit less muscular mass than when I trained Ninjitsu (which was enough to attract a few mares back in the days, nor lanky nor having muscles like Bulk Biceps), and short green hair. As for my clothing, I wore a black shirt, a purple hoodie, jeans and green sneakers.
"In this world, you use cards to solve your everyday problems. Welcome, to the Duel Monsters' version of Earth," she said.
"Alright, is there any difference between this place and Equestria?"
"Besides the fact that here they are not pastel-colored humans and that Duel Monsters is important, no," she said, bluntly.
"Excellent, just need to shake the rust off my skills as a masseur and a chef," I said. "Also, what is that for?" I asked, pointing at the artifact.
"That is a Duel Disk, you're supposed to put it on," she said.
"Could you teach me? I really need to learn how to use it."
"Alright, you put it on the arm you do not use to write, the long part on the outside of your arm, not the inside." I got to putting it on, and it was a bit difficult at first, but I managed to put it on.
"Now, you extend your arm, and you'll activate it," she said. I extended my arm, and as if it were by magic, the disk turned on, joining the two plates to make a plate with five squares on top and five slots under each square.
"Good, better give it a whirl," I said, putting a pinkish card on a square, only to discover that it didn't work.
"The green and purple cards go in the slots," she said, laughing, before she turned into a card that appeared in my hand. "Try putting me on the disk." I did as she said, and she appeared.
"Cool," I said.
"You'll learn on how to use a Duel Disk properly as time goes on, for now, we must go and practice, there will be an exam in a week," she said. I followed an address that she gave me, which lead me to a small shop. However, there were the letters that spelled 'GAME' in front of the shop. I then entered and saw an old man, one with a black bandanna and green overalls.
"Hello young child, how may I help you?" He asked.
"I'm looking for a such 'Solomon Muto'. Do you know who he is?" I asked.
"It is me," he answered, before continuing. "Now, why do you seek me?" He asked.
"I was sent here to train in the field of Duel Monsters," I said.
"Very well then, you may start by separating the cards of that box," he said, pointing at a big box before continuing, "into Spells, Traps and Monsters."
"Um, ok then," I said, getting to work. It took me eight hours at a non-stop pace to finish organizing, but I managed to do it. As I looked at him tired, he said:
"You may rest in the guest room, it's at the end of the hall," he said, before going up the stairs. I followed him, and then went to the room I was temporarily residing in. It was simple, nor luxurious nor lacking, just enough for the time being. Now, my days were spent organizing cards in multiple orders: names, levels, card frames, etc.
When it wasn't spent like that, I would be dueling him, and boy was I terrible. However, it was nothing a week's training did. Now, you may think a week is too little, but it was enough.
When I asked him in what way organizing cards would help me, he'd show me some cards, and I'd say their names and effects. It was then that I understood his method: the cards that I'd organize were always the same, and due to the different methods of organization, I learned about each card. I still made some mistakes, but then again, who doesn't?
"This morning, you will go over to the Kaiba Tower and show them your skills. Once you are finished, just return, okay?" He asked.
"Okay," I said, checking my Duel Disk and the deck he gave me. As I walked out of the Game Shop, I looked at the tower and smiled, walking towards the tower.
The Dreamscape
Vinyl and Octavia were wandering through their dreamscape, given that they were connected for some reason. However, they saw me dragging a huge knife, but the unique part was the steel pyramid on my head.
"Who're you?" Vinyl asked, before the I dropped the knife, only to remove the pyramid, and I looked at them with a smile..
"Good ol' Scale Head, Vinny," I said, smiling as he addressed her by the nickname he gave him when he was alive.
"Spike, how are you... alive?" Octavia asked.
"Well, I have resurrected, but I was sent to another world. However, you are two of five ponies I'm visiting," I said.
"Why can't you come back?" Vinny asked.
"If I return, I'd be repeating the past events, or I'd just reside in Hell. Now... How about one last song?" I asked, spawning a guitar. I also spawned a sound system for Vinyl and a cello for Octavia. As Octavia began, I followed a few seconds later, singing the lyrics to one of my personal favorites.
Where do bad folks go when they die?
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
They go to the lake of fire and fry
Won't see them again 'till the fourth of July
I knew a lady who came from Duluth
She got bit by a dog with a rabid tooth
She went to her grave just a little too soon
And she flew away howling on the yellow moon
Where do bad folks go when they die?
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
They go down to the lake of fire and fry
Won't see them again 'till the fourth of July
Now the people cry and the people moan
And they look for a dry place to call their home
And try to find some place to rest their bones
While the angels and the devils try to make them their own
Where do bad folks go when they die?
They don't go to heaven where the angels fly
They go down to the lake of fire and fry
Won't see them again 'till the fourth of July
"Just like old times," I said, smiling as I de-spawned the guitar.
"Yes indeed," Octavia said, smiling softly.
"Well, it was nice being with you Scale Head," Vinny said.
"Yeah. Well, I must go, time's running out," I said, smiling as I walked out of the dreamscape. "Also, you're two of the six I'm visiting," I finished, before vanishing.