Yu-Gi-Oh! Equus

by moviemaster8510

Chapter 22: Twilight

As Reese was driven to the hospital, the doctors did everything they could to try and keep Reese alive, but by their frantic conversations, it was apparent that Reese’s chances of survival were unlikely.

“There’s too much blood entering his brain,” said one of the doctors.

“Well, keep trying,” said another.

“At this rate, he’ll be dead before we can get him to the ER.”

Unbeknownst to them, Reese’s chest began glowing. The doctor’s only noticed when Reese's chest quickly brightened the inside of the vehicle.

“What’s happening to him?” asked a doctor.

Reese’s whole body began to light up until he faded away completely in a small wave of shiny golden dust.

“What… just happened?”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

"Well," called the announcer, "we hope the best for Reese, but as of now, let's get this competition going! Our final match is between the last two available duelists, Twilight Sparkle of Equestria, and John Terrence of Naperville Central!"

Twilight and John reluctantly entered the stage. They knew that they couldn't duel well knowing that one of their friends could have died, but they couldn't surrender or they'd allow Kyle into the finals. They were in between a rock and a hard place, neither option looking more enticing than the other.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Reese was floating in a black void. He regained consciousness but he felt an agonizingly throbbing pain in the back of his head. That’s when he remembered his duel with Kyle. The pain caused Reese to crawl into a fetal position. He whimpered with each second that passed. He figured that he had died and he was in some sort of limbo. He felt the back of his head to feel a sharper pain, but on top of that it felt weak, like a broken watermelon.

His eyes were clamped shut with tears until he felt a softness wrap itself around him. He looked to his left and his right to find two white wings wrap around him like blankets. He then felt something prod into the back of his head, but it didn’t feel painful. It actually felt warm and comfortable. This feeling went on for about a minute when he felt the probe exit his head and the wings unfurl from his body. He felt where the probe had been, and found out that his head was perfectly unscathed.

But that’s impossible, he thought. I just cracked my skull.

“Do not worry, Reese Miller,” said a calm motherly voice. Reese turned around to see the bright silhouette of an alicorn before him.

“Wha-” he stammered. “What are you? Who are you?”

“I will take you to a safe place, where nothing can harm you now.”

“So wait? I’m dead? Are you an angel?”

The alicorn giggled. “Of all my years of life, I’ve never been called an angel like that. I must say, I’m flattered.”

“Please, answer my question!”

“Well, which one?”

“Any of them… wait, you’re Princess Celestia, aren’t you?”

“That knocks one of them down. And to answer the other question. No, you are not dead, but I’m afraid whatever technology exists on Earth couldn’t save you from the injury you sustained.”

“So… you saved me?”

“Indeed I did. No thanks necessary. It’s the least I can do for you bravely standing up to Kyle.”

“So where do I go now?”

“Like I said,” said Celestia, her silhouette becoming a sheet of white that fully enveloped Reese, “a safe place.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________

As Reese adjusted to the light, he saw dozens of ponies similar to Twilight and her friends looking down on him. He got up off his back to see a large crowd of ponies gathered around him. Upon seeing the thatch roofed buildings and colorful ponies when he slowly sat up, he instantly recognized it as the town that he and Alex had arrived in on their first duel. The realization of where he was caused him to stand up. This quick, unexpected action made the ponies step back a bit.

“No, please,” he quietly begged. “I’m not dangerous.”

“They know that,” said a familiar voice.

Reese turned around to see the physical Princess Celestia standing at what must have been the town hall, as it was the biggest and most ornate building in a large plaza.

“Where am I?” asked Reese.

“You are in the town of Ponyville,” Celestia responded. “The ponies here are a lot more… hospitable than the ones in my home of Canterlot, so I thought sending you two here would be in your best intentions.”

“Wait, two?”

Another person walked up from behind Celestia, and Reese was delighted that it was Claude. Reese ran over and gave him a hug, but Claude stopped him before he could get further.

“Woah,” said Reese, “what happened to you.”

“That last attack Kyle did on me broke my rib,” said Claude. “Then, it punctured my lung. Celestia healed me, but I’m still a tad weak.”

“Damn,” said Reese. “I’m guessing you came up the same way I did too?”

“That’s right,” said Celestia. “You would have both died had I not intervened. I hope that you are well-”

Reese silenced her by giving her a hug around her neck. “Thank you for that, I’m very grateful.”

“You’re very welcome,” she answered while nuzzling his back with her chin.

“If only there was a way to tell them we’re alright.”

“I think I can be of some assistance,” called a boy’s voice.

Reese looked down behind him to see a tiny purple bipedal reptile-like creature there. It had green mohawk-style scales, a lighter green underbelly and what appeared to be some form of ears.

“Who is that?” asked Reese, sightly unnerved by the foreign creature before him.

“I’m Spike,” the creature answered, prompting Reese to kneel and shake its hand. “I’m a baby dragon and Twilight’s #1 assistant. I know you lost that fight and all…”

Reese’s face drooped a bit.

“…but you really look strong. Good job out there. Maybe you could teach me that game too.”

“Perhaps later,” Reese responded. “You said you can help us?”

“Hay yeah, I can! I just need Celestia to write a letter letting Twilight know that you two are okay.”

“Done,” confirmed Celestia, having already rolled and stamped the scroll.

“Now what?” asked Claude.

“I’m going to send Spike to Naperville where Twilight is so he can give the letter to her.”

“Wait,” interrupted Reese. “Why can’t you just send Claude and I back?”

“Your injuries are still too fragile to send you back in your state. It might be several hours before you can return.”

Reese rubbed the back of his head, only to find that it was ungodly sore.

“Okay, what about the letter? Can’t you just send it and not Spike?”

“Letters sent by magic must have a receiver to transfer to.”

“And I’m that receiver,” said Spike. “Watch.”

Celestia’s horn grew brightly, causing the letter to disappear. Seconds later, Spike belched a puff of green dragon fire, shocking Reese and Claude for seeing it for the first time. The dragon fire turned into the letter in its unscathed form.

“Pretty nifty, huh?” asked Spike

“Yeah,” agreed Reese, still dumbfounded.

“We’d better hurry though,” said Celestia, observing the viewing mirror in the outside of the town square. “They look to be getting restless.”

Reese watched the screen, amazed by its magical abilities, and unnerved by the reactions to people following Reese’s loss.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

“No,” protested Twilight on stage. “I refuse to duel until I know what happened to Reese.”

“Come on,” begged the announcer, “the duel has to start sometime or I have to disqualify you.”

“Then that makes two of us,” said John, onstage with Twilight as well. “Along with Reese’s wellbeing, I won’t accept a victory by default.”

“Well, this means that Kyle will go onto the finals.”

John began to start feeling pangs of guilt. He knew that if he surrendered, he’d make Kyle face either Alex or Tom. That wouldn’t have been fair to them, but all he could do was freeze up as the announcer declared their surrenders.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he called, “it is my displeasure to announce that because of the duelists Twilight Sparkle and John Terrence’s adamancy to not duel each other in this quarter finals match, I declare their dis-”

“WAIT!” called a voice that made Twilight’s ears perk up. She saw to the east as a familiar purple dragon ran to the stage to deliver Celestia’s letter.

“Spike!” she cried in jubilation.

“Wha-” stammered the announcer, “What is that?”

“He’s my friend,” said Twilight. “Don’t worry.”

Spike ran onstage next to Twilight and made another belch accompanied by a letter, much like he showed Reese. The crowd was slightly repulsed to heavily amazed.

“What did he just do?” asked the announcer.

“It’s a letter from the princess,” answered Twilight.

“That’s how you get your mail?”

“From the princess, yeah.”

“And now,” said the announcer on the microphone, ignoring the strangeness of the situation, “we have a letter written to us directly from Princess Celestia!” He held the microphone for Twilight as she dictated the letter.

“Dear residents of Naperville,

"You might be wondering about the safety and well being of Reese Miller, the duelist who suffered a serious blow to his head following his defeat.”

Emma, along with the other Stone of Equus bearers hand their hands cupped to their mouth while the ponies leaned inwards, awaiting the news. If it was being told by the princess herself, then it couldn’t have been good.

“I am pleased to inform you that Reese is alive and in good health.”

There was a huge sigh of relief amongst the crowd, especially from Emma.

“Had he not been rescued by me, however, he would have succumbed to his injuries. He is currently in Equestria resting, where he will be sent back to Earth in hopefully a couple of hours. I hope this news can allow the tournament to be resumed as planned. And a note for the Stone of Equus bearers, Claude is with me too, and he is also fine.

“From,
Princess Celestia.”

There was applause after the letter from the crowd, cheering on Reese’s well-being.

“So,” questioned the announcer, “are you two ready to duel now?”

“Mmhmm,” answered Twilight.

“More than ready,” replied John.

“Alright!” cheered the announcer finally. “With that settled, we can finally cap off the quarter-finals with the duel between Equestria’s Twilight Sparkle and Naperville Central’s John Terrence. Who will be the duelist to face Kyle in the semi-finals, lets see…”

Twilight and John wasted no time in unsheathing their D-Pads and drawing five cards from their decks.

“I’m going to beat you,” said John, “and then I’m going to beat Kyle for all of us.”

“Not if I beat you first,” responded Twilight.

“DUEL!” they both yelled.

John vs. Twilight Sparkle

John’s Turn: John activates Graceful Charity, drawing three cards and discarding two. John special summons Blackwing – Breeze the Zephyr from his hand, as it was added from his deck to his hand by a card’s effect (ATK: 1100 DEF: 300). John then normal summons Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner (ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000). John activates Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner’s effect. By discarding one card, he can special summon a level 4 or lower Lightsworn monster from his graveyard, choosing Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid (ATK: 1200 DEF: 1800).

John overlays Blackwing – Breeze the Zephyr, Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner, and Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid to xyz summon Lapis Lazuli Roc (ATK: 2200 DEF: 1300). John activates Lapis Lazuli Roc’s effect. By detaching one xyz material from it, John can send the top card of his deck to the graveyard, which is the trap Vanquishing Light. When a trap card is sent to the graveyard by this effect, John can set a trap card from his graveyard to his field.

John ends his turn.

Status: Hand-3 Life-4000 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-1
***************************************************

Reese looked on from the viewing mirror and smiled at John’s ability to summon his Stone of Equus card so quickly. He then felt a tug at his pant leg.

“Wow,” said a small yellow filly with a red mane and tail and a large pink bow, “you’re that guy we just saw on the mirror.”

“You mean the guy who lost?” asked an orange pegasus filly with purple mane and tail.

“Quiet, Scootaloo,” hushed the yellow filly.

“I’m sorry about what happened to you,” spoke a white filly with a purple and pink mane. “Maybe if you sat by us, you could feel better.” Reese smiled at the fillies’ hospitality. He turned to face Claude and motioned him over to join them.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

“So,” said Twilight. “Stone of Equus card on your first turn?”

“That’s right,” answered John. “My deck is chocked full of great cards to suit my Stone of Equus card. And to stop anyone who gets in my way.”

“Hmph,” exclaimed Twilight, “if Alex’s deck can break it apart, then so can mine!”

***************************************************
Twilight’s Turn: Twilight special summons High Priestess of Prophecy by revealing three Spellbook cards in her hand (ATK: 2500 DEF: 2100). Next, Twilight activates Double Spell, discarding a spell card in her hand to activate a spell card in her opponent’s graveyard, choosing Graceful Charity, drawing three cards and discarding two.

Twilight attacks Lapis Lazuli Roc with High Priestess of Prophecy, but John activates Scrap-Iron Scarecrow, negating the attack and setting Scrap-Iron Scarecrow back onto the field.

Twilight places two cards face down and ends her turn.

Status: Hand-2 Life-4000 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-2
***************************************************

“You don’t expect that trap to save you forever, do you?” asked Twilight.

“Just as long as I get some more monsters out,” said John. And with my deck, "that’s going to be all but certain.”

***************************************************
John’s Turn: John activates Lapis Lazuli Roc’s effect, detaching an xyz material from it to send the top card of his deck to the graveyard, which is a Wulf, Lightsworn Beast. With Lapis Lazuli Roc’s effect, if the card sent from the deck to the graveyard was a monster card, John can special summon a monster from his graveyard with a level equal to or lower than the monster sent to the graveyard, choosing Blackwing – Breeze the Zephyr.

When Wulf Lightsworn Beast is sent from the deck to the graveyard, John can special summon it (ATK: 2100 DEF: 300). John then normal summons Blackwing – Jetstream the Blue Sky (ATK: 100 DEF: 800). John tunes Lightsworn Beast and Blackwing – Jetstream the Blue Sky with Blackwing – Breeze the Zephyr to synchro summon Black Winged Dragon (ATK: 2800 DEF: 1600). John then special summons Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning by banishing a LIGHT (Wulf, Lightsworn Beast) and DARK (Blackwing – Jetstream the Blue Sky) attribute monster in his graveyard (ATK: 3000 DEF: 2500).

John attacks High Priestess of Prophecy with Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning.

Twilight’s Life Points: 4000 -> 3500

Twilight activates Card of Last Will, drawing five cards when a monster she controls was destroyed by battle. With Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning’s effect, it can attack once more if it destroyed a monster by battle. John attacks Twilight directly with Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, but Twilight activates The High Priestess’ Staff from her hand, negating the attack, ending the battle phase, and inflicting 500 points of damage on John.

John’s Life Points: 4000 -> 3500

Twilight activates Miracle’s Wake, special summoning a monster that was destroyed by battle this turn, choosing High Priestess of Prophecy.

John places one card face down and ends his turn.

Status: Hand-1 Life-3500 Monsters-3 Face Down Cards-2
***************************************************

“Holy cow,” said the yellow filly, whom introduced herself to Reese and Claude as Apple Bloom, “this game looks really difficult. I don’t know how you manage it.”

“It takes some time to fully learn,” said Reese, “but it’s cake once you get used to it.”

“I could really use some cake right now,” thought Scootaloo aloud.

“You just ate,” said the white filly, who was named Sweetie Belle.

“Shh,” hushed Scootaloo, “Twilight’s turn is starting.”

Scootaloo nestled into Reese’s lap and Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle snuggled into Claude’s, all five of who intently watched the duel.

***************************************************
Twilight’s Turn: Twilight activates Swing of Memories, special summoning a normal monster from her graveyard, choosing Dark Magician (ATK: 2500 DEF: 2100). Twilight overlays High Priestess of Prophecy and Dark Magician to xyz summon Hierophant of Prophecy (ATK: 2800 DEF: 2600).

Twilight activates Hierophant of Prophecy’s effect. By detaching one xyz material from it, Twilight can destroy spell and trap cards that the opponent controls up to the number of Spellbook cards in her graveyard (2), destroying John’s two face down cards. With Lapis Lazuli Roc’s effect, if a trap card set by its effect was removed from the field, it is removed from play. Twilight then activates Spellbook of Power, increasing Hierophant of Prophecy’s ATK by 1000 until the end phase (ATK: 2800 -> 3800).

Twilight attacks Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning with Hierophant of Prophecy.

John’s Life Points: 3500 -> 2700

When a monster affected with Spellbook of Power destroys a monster by battle, Twilight can add a Spellbook card from her deck to her hand.

During the end phase, Hierophant of Prophecy’s ATK returns to normal (ATK: 3800 -> 2800).

Twilight places two cards face down and ends her turn.

Status: Hand-5 Life-3500 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-2
***************************************************

“Tricky,” commented John playfully.

“Not tricky,” corrected Twilight, “just skillful.”

“I’ll admit Twilight, you certainly have some skill behind you, and it’s true what they say about seeing the true prowess in a duelist only when you’ve actually dueled them. How’s about another taste of my prowess?”

***************************************************
John’s Turn: John activates Lapis Lazuli Roc’s effect, detaching its last xyz material to send the top card on his deck to the graveyard, which is a Delta Crow – Anti Reverse. Since Delta Crow – Anti Reverse is a trap card, John sets a trap card from his graveyard to his field. John equips Black-Winged Dragon with Big Bang Shot, increasing its ATK by 400 and giving it the effect of piercing damage (ATK: 2800 -> 3200). John then activates Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying one of Twilight’s face down cards.

John attacks Hierophant of Prophecy with Black-Winged Dragon, but Twilight activates Magical Cylinder, negating the attack and inflicting damage equal to Black-Winged Dragon’s effect, but John activates Black-Winged Dragon’s effect. Whenever John would take damage from a card effect, he can place a Black Feather counter on it (BFC: 0 -> 1). Black-Winged Dragon loses 700 ATK for each Black Feather counter on it (ATK: 2800 -> 2100).

John activates Black-Winged Dragon’s other effect, removing all Black Feather counters from Black-Winged Dragon and having a monster his opponent controls lose 700 ATK for each counter removed and inflicting damage equal to the ATK lost by this effect, choosing (1) (ATK: 2800 -> 2100).

Twilight’s Life Points: 3500 -> 2800

John attacks Hierophant of Prophecy with Lapis Lazuli Roc.

Twilight’s Life Points: 2800 -> 2700

John ends his turn.

Status: Hand-0 Life-2700 Monsters-2 Face Down Cards-1
***************************************************

Twilight was getting a little worried. John certainly had the upper hand now. Despite her large hand, she had nothing in it that could aid her. She needed a good card and fast.

***************************************************
Twilight’s Turn: Twilight activates Reload, adding her hand to her deck, shuffling it, and drawing cards equal to the amount of cards she sent to the deck. Twilight activates Monster Reborn, special summoning Hierophant of Prophecy. Next, Twilight equips Hierophant of Prophecy with Xyz Jeweled Crown, making its rank its level (Rnk.: 7 -> Lvl.:7). A monster equipped with Xyz Jeweled Crown can be treated as two xyz materials for an xyz summon. Twilight then activates Spell Shattering Arrow, destroying all face up spell cards that her opponent controls and inflicting 500 points of damage for each spell destroyed.

John’s Life Points: 2700 -> 2200

When Big Bang Shot leaves the field, the monster it was equipped to is removed from play. Twilight normal summons Gagaga Magician (ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000). Twilight activates Gagaga Magician’s effect, making its level anything between 1 and 8, making it 7 (Lvl.: 4 -> 7). Twilight overlays Hierophant of Prophecy and Gagaga Magician to xyz summon Number 7: Lucky Straight (ATK: 700 DEF: 700).

Twilight activates Number 7: Lucky Straight’s effect. By detaching one xyz material from it, she can roll a die twice. The highest result will become its ATK times 700. She rolls a 2 and a 3 (3 x 700 = 2100, ATK: 700 -> 2100). Twilight detaches Number 7: Lucky Straight’s last xyz material to activate its effect once more. The result is a 2 and a 6 (6 x 700 = 4200, ATK: 2800 -> 4200).

Twilight attacks Lapis Lazuli Roc with Number 7: Lucky Straight.

John’s Life Points: 2200 -> 200

John activates Trap Reborn, paying half of his life points to activate a trap card from his opponent’s graveyard, choosing Card of Last Will, drawing five cards when a monster he controls was destroyed by battle this turn.

John’s Life Points: 200 -> 100

Twilight places one card face down and ends her turn.

Status: Hand-0 Life-2700 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-1
***************************************************

John looked at his hand. His smile told Twilight everything.

“I guess you’ll see me in the semi-finals,” he quipped.

***************************************************
John’s Turn: John activates Magical Stone Excavation, discarding two cards to add a spell card in his graveyard to his hand, choosing Graceful Charity. John activates Graceful Charity, drawing three cards and discarding two. John then activates Dian Keto the Cure Master, increasing his life points by 1000.

John’s Life Points: 100 -> 1100

John then special summons Judgment Dragon, as he has at least four different Lightsworn monsters (Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner, Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid, a discarded Rinyan, Lightsworn Rogue, and a discarded Shire, Lightsworn Spirit) in his graveyard (ATK: 3000 DEF: 2600). John activates Judgment Dragon’s effect. By paying 1000 life points, John can destroy all other cards on the field.

John’s Life Points: 1100 -> 100

John attacks Twilight directly with Judgment Dragon.

Twilight’s Life Points: 2700 -> 0

John wins.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

“And it’s decided!” cried the announcer in jubilation. “Naperville Central’s John Terrence will face Kyle Penn in the semi-final match. That concludes the quarter-final set. Before we continue on to the semi final matches, let’s take a short intermission. Who will be the two duelists to face each other in the final match? We’ll see…”

Twilight was incredibly frustrated with herself. She came all that way just to lose to John like that. John approached her, knelt down, and comfortingly stroked her mane.

“Twilight,” cooed John, “you have no reason to feel ashamed. You dueled wonderfully.”

“But,” she sobbed, “I don’t want to see any of you get hurt anymore. I wanted to be the one to go against Kyle.”

“I’m sorry, Twilight. But this is how things turned out. If it’s any consolation, I will not let Kyle past the semi-finals. I promise you that.”

“Okay.”

Twilight ran to John and hugged him. Spike, who stayed to observe, ran to Twilight on stage and hugged her from behind. Alex observed from his seat, feeling comfortable that John was going up against Kyle instead of her. She was a good duelist, no doubt, but she wasn’t nearly on the level Kyle was, not yet at least.

Then he looked at Tom, his next competitor. He still couldn’t believe that he would be dueling the one he thought of as “brother” after all these years.

Comments

[JustForgetMe]

Interesting: Lose in Yu-Gi-Oh, Gx, and 5Ds you go to a smoky dark place where you're tortured, lose in Yu-Gi-Oh Equus you go to a bright and colorful land where you eat cake with cuddly ponies.

[LegalTroll]

949048
XD

[shuffleking113]

wow, really? You have Twilight facing off against a twilight deck and named the chapter Twilight
cdn.memegenerator.net/images/80x80/108785.jpg
Well, it could be worse.
encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSxiot_FB1IHZm3V3IBIcySOoRMn8Qdbhp3MYsral_GB0wMU-prBg
IT BURNS!