Yu-Gi-Oh! Friendship is Magic: The Numeric War

by moviemaster8510

Chapter 8: Ryan's Complex

Tonight was the night of the EFDC Ball, and everyone was getting prepared, especially Rarity. Rarity was busy brushing off her new dress in her home inside the Carousel Boutique where she also worked. The doorbell rang signaling that a customer had walked in.

“Coming,” she called. Upon seeing the person who walked in, she discovered that it was Braeburn.

“Oh, hello Braeburn,” she said, tired from the touching up of her dress.

“Good day, Ms. Rarity,” he said. “Are you ready for the big ball tonight?”

“As a matter of fact, I was just touching up my dress.”

“Dress? I don’t think you need to get dressed up.”

“Well, if you read the brochure, it specifically states, ‘A ball will also be held the evening before the competition starts, so dress sharp.’”

Braeburn started blushing in embarrassment. “Must’ve skimmed over that part.”

“No matter,” said Rarity. “I can fix you up something nice and quick that will be sure to turn heads.”

“Aw, you don’t need to do that Ms. I can just rent a tux from one of the shops downtown.”

“Nonsense,” spat Rarity. “I have no qualms of doing this. I still owe you for breakfast yesterday.”

“Shucks, don’t mention it.”

Rarity then disappeared upstairs to work on Braeburn’s new outfit.

____________________________________

Not long after Rarity went upstairs to work on Braeburn’s clothes, Sammy, Maddie, Charley, Zelda, and Helena walked in.

“Oh, hey y’all,” said Braeburn to them on their sudden arrival.

“Braeburn darling, who is it?”

“It’s us!” called Maddie.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” said Rarity rushing down.

“Welcome darlings. Please, have a seat.” They all did as they were told. “Now, when I heard of your arrival in Ponyville, I had to make something for all of you for the ball tonight. Scott found some magazines to help give me clear idea on how you women dress in your world. So without further to do, your dresses.”

Rarity unveiled the curtain to show the women their dresses. Maddie’s dress was a slender icy blue strapless gown sparkling with baby blue sapphires and a pair of silver colored heels. Sammy had a fiery red silk gown adorned in rubies and amber with wide straps and a wide yellow and orange belt with a fiery design. She also had a pair of dark brown sandals. Charley’s dress was a lapis lazuli bejeweled gown with a V-neck design and a pair of light blue slippers. Zelda had a slick jet black one shoulder satin gown with a black belt decked with obsidian and a pair of black heels. Helena had a diamond and jade adorned sleeveless silk gown with slits in the chest to make way for the red horns protruding from her chest. There were also six flaps with short strings that would be tied onto the 6 white gown-like flaps of skin hanging from her waist so the dress could move along with the rest of her.

“Oh, Rarity,” said Maddie wide eyed. “These are absolutely beautiful.”

“I can’t believe this only took you last night,” said Sammy.

“Oh, come on,” said Rarity bashfully, “it’s just something that I threw together.”

“However long it took you,” said Charley, “you’ve really outdone yourself.”

Rarity then folded each dress up and boxed them individually using her magic. All of the girls hugged Rarity in appreciation for their new dresses. They then left with waves and goodbyes.

“Now that that’s taken care of,” said Rarity. “I just have to finish your duds.”

Braeburn was shocked. If she can make 5 beautiful dresses in one night, then he couldn’t wait to find out what he was going to be wearing.

____________________________________

Evening was here and it was about an hour before the ball would begin. Alex dressed up in a black dress shirt with his grey blazer and a pair of nice khaki pants, basically a more formal verson of his rock outfit. Lucas wore black dress pants, a black blazer, and a blue dress shirt with a black tie. Scott wore his usual all white suit with white shoes with his hair combed to the left. Orion wore a black suit with a white shirt. With his red horns in the center of his chest, a tie hanging off of them would look rather silly.

Eli borrowed some clothes from Alex, as he wore virtually the same sized clothes as Alex did, wearing a basic black blazer, white shirt, black pants and red tie. Eli had larger feet, but Lucas had an older pair of black shoes that fit Eli perfectly. Sammy wore her new dress with an amber necklace on gold chain with ruby studded earrings. Her hair was styled into a wavy flow that went down to her mid back. Maddie braided her hair into a ponytail and was wearing silver cuffs on each wrist and a silver necklace. Charley put her hair into a bun and wore a gold broach with a reflective mirror in the center styled into the Gishki Aquamirror. Zelda had her hair lengthened magically by Rarity about an hour prior and was also styled into a bun but left two locks waving down in front of her ears. She also sported a pair of black dreamcatcher style earrings with black feathers. Helena had silver dragon-wing shaped barrettes and a silver and diamond collar necklace.

____________________________________

About 5 minutes after they were completely ready to go, a knock was heard at the door. When Lucas opened it, he found Twilight Sparkle and her other equine friends (and Spike) waiting for them with carriages ready to escort them. Everyone was stunned to see how beautiful they looked. Twilight wore a pink skirt and a mare’s blue jacket styled similarly to the Dark Magician Girl’s and matching boots. Applejack refused to wear anything too frilly, so she stuck with her old Gala dress. Pinkie Pie wore a Latin style pink dress with puffy little balls hanging off then end of the skirt and a pair of pink slippers.

Rainbow Dash had a white gown with green circular thread-lines flowing throughout the dress. She was wearing her old gold sandals from the Gala with them. Her normally messy mane was brushed and straight. Fluttershy wore a dress that looked to be made of hunter green leaves. She also wore a beautiful ruby broach shaped like cherries and various flowers braided in her hair and brown slippers. Rarity wore a light blue gown with a necklace made from various gems that formed a rainbow like spectrum. Spike wore a tuxedo with a red tie and no pants. Braeburn stood next to Rarity in a brown western sport jacket and white dress shirt with a bolo tie with black strings and an apple for the clasp. His normally beaten-up hat was replaced with a brand new brown western style hat with a black band.

“Well,” said Rarity, “our chariot awaits.”

____________________________________

It was about a 50 minute drive to Canterlot in the carriages. When Alex looked upon Canterlot, he remembered it being just as beautiful 2 years ago. They all got out of their carriage and walked into the majestic castle together. They each greeted Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Eli then cupped a hand to Luna’s ear.

“You wouldn’t happen to know if four other humans came here did you?” whispered Eli.

“Yes, actually. The three gentlemen and the woman.”

“You should keep an eye on them. They’re into some shady business regarding the Numbers.”

“So I’ve heard, but don’t worry. I have my personal task force watching them in case they try anything. If they cause a panic or hurt anypony in any way, they will be cast out of the tournament.”

“Excellent. Thank you.”

Eli walked alongside Alex.

“What was that about,” asked Alex.

Eli responded. “The Vegas Bureau is here. Luna says they’re being watched in case something goes wrong.”

“We should monitor them too.”

“Way ahead of you.”

They made their way to the dancefloor where a waltz was in session. Alex partnered with Maddie, Lucas with Charley, Scott with Zelda, Orion with Helena, and Sammy (begrudgingly) with Eli. As they danced they scanned the room looking for any other humans. They switched partners, spreading throughout the room. When another switch was made, Sammy accidentally bumped into someone else who took her as his partner: Ryan. Sammy didn’t want to cause a scene, but saw this as an opportune time to get to know Ryan and his motives.

“So you’re the sister of Alex, I presume?”

“And you’re the asshole trying to wreck the livelihood of this land with your negligent hunting, I presume?”

“You misjudge me. And frankly, you’re being rather hypocritical.”

“What?”

“You are hunting Numbers too, are you not? In the long run, you and I are not so different.”

“You have no idea do you?”

“No idea of what?”

“The history of the Numbers. Their origins and their significance to this land.”

“No one knows that. They are powerful cards with unknown origin that were scattered throughout several worlds including this one.”

“You are so far from the truth that I can’t bring myself to laugh.”

“What do you mean?”

Sammy then explained to him about Princess Terra and Inverz. Ryan was a bit shocked at this revelation, but was still unconvinced.

“You’re lying,” said Ryan a bit annoyed.

“Really? So you’re saying that I planned this story out just so that when I just happen to bump into someone like you, I can tell you a cock-and-bull story explaining the origin of the Numbers just like that?”

“You are a good bassist. Isn’t it your job to be able to improvise?”

“Yeah, 12 notes on about 5 octaves, not epic mythology like that. I’m a rock and roll bassist, not Homer.”

Despite his forcing the thought that Sammy was a tough case to crack, he knew deep inside that she was telling the truth. He tried to escape out the back, but Sammy tugged his arm, causing him to bring himself back into dance position.

“One more thing:” said Sammy, “tell your buddies that we’ll be waiting.”

She then let him go to leave just as the music stopped. She then broke through the crowd to find her friends and tell them what happened. Alex spotted her wading through the crowd of ponies talking to each other while more music was going on

“Sammy, where’d you go?”

Two minutes went by as Sammy told her story out by the table of hors d'oeuvres.

“So that’s his justification for hunting Numbers?” asked Eli.

“No,” said Sammy. “I firmly believe that he really didn’t know. Or maybe someone misled him. I really don’t know which.”

“Where is he now?”

“Last I saw, he went outside for some fresh air.”

Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but overhear the conversation, and knew that this was her chance to get to talk to him.

____________________________________

Ryan leaned up against the balcony banister looking down at the large drop from the cliff that the castle was perched on. He then took out his wallet from his pants pocket, and looked at the picture section with him taking his picture next to a young boy about 10 years old. The young boy had short, curly black hair, and he was wearing a blue tank top with white pants and a black vest. He sighed upon looking at the photo. Suddenly, a strong wind unexpectedly picked up and blew the wallet out of Ryan’s hand.

“NO!” he yelled as he tried to grab it back but to no avail.

Suddenly, a rainbow colored blur swooped down over the balcony. After a few seconds, Rainbow Dash ascended again with the wallet in her hooves.

“Thank you so much,” he said reaching for the wallet.

“Oh, no you don’t,” said Rainbow Dash scornfully. “I want to know what you’re doing in Equestria trying to steal the Numbers.”

“Listen,” said Ryan. “I had no idea that the Numbers were from your world. I know it doesn’t answer your question, but I need the Numbers.”

“Oh yeah? What for?”

“Please come down so I can tell you,” said Ryan quietly.

Rainbow saw this as a sign of having a civil conversation, so she did as she was asked. He then reached his hand for his wallet, prompting Rainbow Dash to hand it to him. He flipped back to the page with the picture of him and the boy on it and showed it to Rainbow Dash.

“Do you know what it’s like to lose a loved one?” asked Ryan.

“I dunno,” said Rainbow Dash. “My parents divorced at a young age, does that count?”

“No, I mean losing somebody that you can never ever get back.”

“No then.” He then pointed to the boy in the picture. “This is a picture of my son, Joel. He was an aspiring duelist who wanted to be a Duel Champion. One day, he was hit by a car and put into a coma from which he still has yet to recover. I didn’t have the means to continue funding his life-support in the job I was working, so I sold my soul to the Vegas Bureau to help them find Numbers so I could pay the hospitals to keep my son alive and eventually harness the Numbers’ true powers to bring my son back. In fact, the Alien deck I use isn’t really mine. It’s Joel’s. I just use it to help remind me what I’m fighting for.”

Rainbow Dash was heartbroken at his revelation.

“And then… I got a call about 15 days ago from the hospital,” said Ryan sadly. “They said that they couldn’t keep Joel in the hospital much longer, as he wasn’t making any significant signs of recovery. They said in a month’s time, they’d pull the plug on him. It was only nothing short of a miracle that other than the Numbers that we have gathered through our travels, the remaining ones exist in this world. I’m so close to saving my son now. If I win that tournament, I’m going to wish that he’d be saved, so that the hell that I’ve been living through for 2 years can come to an end.”

Rainbow Dash was shedding a few tears listening to his story.

“Why don’t you just join us?” she asked. “If you win that tournament, you can just wish for your son to get better. You don’t need the Numbers for that.”

“It’s much more complicated than that.”

“What’s so complicated about leaving?”

“Please, understand that I don’t want to harm anybody in my hunting, I just want my son back.”

“I don’t think I understand,” said Rainbow Dash sympathetically, “but I certainly forgive you.”

Ryan let out a small smirk. “Thank you for hearing me out,” he said.

He then patted her on the head softly and stroked her mane. He then put the wallet back into his pocket and went inside.

____________________________________

Ryan found Mark, Chase, and Diana sipping sparkling wine and watching the night’s festivities. Like him, they were dressed in suits.

“Hey,” said Mark calling him. “Where’ve you been?”

Ryan then explained to him what Sammy told him.

“What? You’re going to believe their bullshit?”

“It’s not bullshit, Mark. She was telling the truth.”

“Did it occur to you that she was lying?”

“Mark, as a Vegas agent, I’m required to know when someone is lying through their involuntary body language, and all signs pointed that she wasn’t lying.”

“Then you’re slipping up, kid. We have come too far for you to come and fuck this up because of some sob story that some stupid bimbo told you.” Mark then got very close to Ryan; uncomfortably close. “Do you not care about your son? Do you want to go back to the hospital 15 days from now and watch as your son’s heart monitor flatlines?”

“No sir.”

“Then get your game face on and do your job.”

He then walked away. Ryan then grabbed Chase’s glass of sparkling wine and downed it. “Hey, asshole!” said Chase.

“Just pour yourself another glass,” said Ryan emotionlessly.

____________________________________

Gilda was talking with Charley. Gilda was wearing a tuxedo, being that almost anything remotely girly on her would look downright embarrassing. Rainbow Dash approached them and told them what Ryan said.

“He could be using that as an excuse,” said Charley.

“I don’t know,” said Rainbow Dash uncertainly. “He was looking at the picture before he even noticed me, so he obviously couldn’t make something like that up on the fly like that.”

“Well, if that is true, I still don’t see why he can’t just quit.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” said Gilda. “Just like I felt forced to ally with Trixie two years ago for fear of incarceration, there must be something chaining him to those three bozos that he hangs with.”

“But what is it?” asked Charley.

“I don’t know,” said Rainbow Dash. “All I know is what he told me, but I have no reason anymore to distrust him. He’s not a bad guy, he’s just a tortured soul forced to do horrible things to save someone he loves.”

____________________________________

It was around midnight when the ball ended, and everyone was going home to get a nice long sleep to gain stamina for the competition which would start 24 hours. The Lamss members, along with Eli, Zelda, Orion, and Helena got into the same large carriage together as they made their way back to Ponyville. Rarity and Braeburn were the first to walk out of the castle with Twilight and her other friends right behind her.

“I say, Rarity,” said Braeburn, “I still can’t thank you enough for the new duds you fashioned for me.”

Rarity was too concerned about tomorrow to properly acknowledge her date’s thanks.

Braeburn still continued. “I mean, you were right, people were turning heads. And who knew a simple apple farmer from Appleloosa would be able to talk to the Canterlot elite like that? And-”

Rarity couldn’t take anymore of his incessant talking, causing her to shove her hoof to his mouth.

“Listen, Braeburn, I had fun too, but I’m worried about the tournament tomorrow, and it’s causing me a lot of stress.”

“Stress? What for? Aren’t we doing this just for fun?”

Rarity just picked up that Braeburn had no idea what was happening with the Numbers hunters, and seeing that he was her partner and that she was in control of Numbers while he wasn’t, he wouldn’t stand a chance against a hunter if they caught and challenged them.

“No Braeburn. This just got a lot more serious than a fun little tournament. There are other humans in this world, but they aren’t nice. They’re trying to take the Numbers away from us for their own selfish reasons.”

“Numbers? Wait, you mean like those cards Alex and Orion had when they beat Princess Celestia and Princess Luna?”

“Exactly.”

“Those fiends. But don’t you worry Rarity. I won’t let any of those guys do anything to harm you. As long as we’re together, we’ll beat those thievin’ good-fer-nothin’s-”

“Braeburn, you’re touching my hoof.”

Braeburn looked to see both of his hooves holding Rarity’s. “Oh. Sorry about that.”

“If you’re going to fight these guys,” said Rarity, “we’re going to need to make a stop at my place.”

____________________________________

Rarity had the carriage carrying herself and Braeburn drop them off at Carousel Boutique momentarily. Rarity ran upstairs and grabbed her deck.

“Listen, I don’t know what kind of deck you have, but it would be fair for you to better prepare yourself.”

She gave him three cards from her deck and handed them to Braeburn. “Aw, Rarity, I couldn’t possibly-”

“This isn’t a gift,” said Rarity. “It’s your insurance.”

“Insurance?”

He looked down and saw that he was carrying 3 Numbers cards of his very own.

Needless to say, he was shocked. “Rarity! Are you sure-”

“Positive. If you don’t have any of these cards on you by tomorrow, we’re as good as done. Those hunters will use their Numbers against us harder than you can imagine. Like I said, it would be fair if you have just as much of an opportunity to defend yourself from them as anyone else.”

“Okay,” said Braeburn calmly. “I hear ya.”

Braeburn then re-entered the carriage to carry him off to Sweet Apple Acres where he’d be staying.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” said Braeburn through the window.

“Yeah,” sighed Rarity exhausted. “See you tomorrow.”

She watched the carriage move away until it was out of sight. Now that Rarity had to partner with Braeburn, partly by her own fault, but now she felt responsible for his well being now that he was officially an owner of three of her Numbers cards.

“Rarity?” called her sister Sweetie Belle from the top of the stairs. “Is everything okay?”

“I hope so,” said Rarity under her breath, walking upstairs to bed.