Invader of Darkness – Sunset vs Twilight (Part 2)
Duelists of the Friendship Cup
Invader of Darkness – Sunset vs Twilight (Part 2)
“What is this?” Indigo cried, looking across the field of dark clouds. “We can’t see anything!”
Tapping and swiping through her duel disk screen, Sugarcoat shook her head. “I can’t get a feed from inside, either.”
Lemon pouted. “Of all the times for bad weather to come around!”
A few feet away, Applejack shook her head. “This ain’t no bad weather. It’s a Shadow Game.”
Sunny Flare turned her head her way. “Shadow what?”
Pinkie grimly nodded. “It’s a showdown between magic duelists. Two duelists enter, one… well, two will leave, but it’s gonna be intense in there.”
“So they’re in their dueling with their magic?” Sour Sweet asked.
“Yup,” Rainbow said. She paused and looked closer at Sour Sweet. “Hang on, how do you guys know about that?”
“Twilight’s told us everything,” Indigo said, glaring back at her. “I may not remember, but she told me you guys have been using magic to cheat to win.”
“We have not!” Rainbow roared. She took a step forward but stopped when Applejack thrust her arm out in front of her.
“It don’t matter none now!” Applejack said, looking between Rainbow and Indigo. “We’ve both got a friend in there and Ah don’t like to think about what this means for either of them.”
Further behind them as the two groups began to talk, Rarity put an arm over Fluttershy’s shoulder.
“It was Twilight who initiated this game. Now who knows what kind of things she’s doing to Sunset?”
Fluttershy shivered. “I don’t even want to imagine…”
-Sunset Life Points: 1200-
-Twilight Life Points: 7000-
“My… turn.” Sunset swallowed and turned her drawn card over. Compassio… my card… She looked at the two cards in her other hand. Juniperus… Erysimum… who are you? I don’t know anyone who might represent you… or maybe I do and just can’t remember. But these cards… not good… She winced and stumbled, reaching to the side of her head. Focus. She raised her head and put her hand over her duel disk, placing her card on the tray. “I’m not going to lose.” She slapped her card on her duel disk. “I activate ‘Harmony Guardian Compassio’ in my Pendulum zone!”
Next to Sunset the ground cracked open and a pillar of red light shot into the sky. Within it rose a warrior in gleaming gold armor, a sword and shield in her hands and red and yellow hair blowing out from her head.
Sunset took a breath. “I activate Compassio’s Pendulum effect. Since my other Pendulum zone is empty, I can select a Harmony Guardian monster in my Graveyard or face-up in my Extra Deck, and place it in that Pendulum zone.”
Her duel disk display projected images of her potential cards, and Sunset looked over them. I have no idea what any of you are, but only one of them has the Pendulum Scale I need. “I choose Harmony Guardian Honestas.” A pillar of orange light came from the other side of Sunset, Honestas floating up inside it.
Sunset looked at her hand. I could Pendulum Summon Risus from the Extra Deck, but it’s the only one I have left with my other monsters so far banished. Her hand shook. I shouldn’t, these cards made me lose control before… but I’ve lost a lot more now. Her other hand clenched at her side. What if I can’t win this duel? What if I never get my memories back? What if I lose even more memories? What if Twilight stays like this and keeps abusing her magic?
“Come on, Sunset!” Twilight called. “Now you’re just stalling me!”
“S-shut up.”
“You’ve used that comeback already.” Twilight snorted. “If this is the best duel you can give me, I’m starting to wonder if it was even worth the effort. Maybe you should have just forfeited and saved yourself the pain of forgetting everything.”
Sunset narrowed her eyes. “Okay… since you put it that way.” She grabbed her two cards into her free hand. “You want a duel, Twilight? I’ll give you one!” She held her cards over her head. “I call on the power of my Pendulum Scales! Using the Scale 3 Compassio and the Scale 5 Honestas, I Pendulum Summon!”
Above her, Compassio and Honestas extended their hands towards each other. Trails of red and orange energy swirled between them, opening a portal. Sunset swung her hand down and grabbed a card as it emerged from her duel disk. She looked at the two cards on either side of it, steeled herself, and set them into place. “From my Extra Deck, I summon Harmony Guardian Risus, and from my hand, I summon ‘Harmony Guardian Infernal Juniperus’ and ‘Harmony Guardian Infernal Erysimum’!”
Streaks of pink, dark teal, and bright green shot out of the portal and landed in front of Sunset. The pink faded into Risus, arms crossed and crossbows dangling from her waist. The dark teal revealed Juniperus, clad in curved green and purple armor with teal patterns along the limbs, a helmet covering her head with a rounded visor and a flail in her hand (1300/500). The bright green brought Erysimum, armored in pale green and blue with an eye etched on the breastplate, and a thick club over her back (1500/1000).
Sunset looked up at the two unfamiliar monsters, her hand shaking slightly. So far, no problem...
Twilight scowled. “So, now you’re finally ready to go all out and stop pretending. A little late.”
“We’ll see,” Sunset muttered. “I activate Juniperus’ effect. During the turn I summon it, I can move a Harmony Guardian monster other than Juniperus from my deck to my Extra Deck, but I’m forbidden from Pendulum Summoning monsters with that name for the rest of the turn.” Sunset looked at her touch screen as it displayed potential targets. I have no idea what any of these cards are anymore. She looked at one and quickly read it over. Well, I may not know who you are, but I can use your card.
“I’ll take this, ‘Harmony Guardian Magia’.” Sunset’s card glowed red in her deck and dissolved, rematerializing in her Extra Deck slot.
My magic? Sunset tensed. It’s happening already. But I don’t feel like I’m losing control. She raised her eyes. “Next, I activate the effect of Erysimum. I can select a Level 4 Harmony Guardian monster face-up in the Extra Deck and summon it to the field, but it has its effects negated and will return to my hand at the end of the turn. Magia, come forth!”
Erysimum turned her torso and a beam of blue light shone from the eye on her chest. A flurry of purple orbs swirled through the beam, dispersing to reveal a warrior in dark purple armor with pink highlights and a gnarled wooden staff on her back with a pink gemstone embedded in the tip (1500/1300).
Sunset inhaled before continuing. “I activate Erysimum’s second effect. Once per turn, I can conduct the Xyz Summon of a Harmony Guardian monster using Erysimum and a Harmony Guardian in my Pendulum zone. I overlay Harmony Guardian Infernal Erysimum and Harmony Guardian Compassio! Using my two Level 4 monsters, I construct the overlay network!”
Compassio’s light pillar faded and the monster dropped to the ground. She glowed orange and slid to merge with Ersyimum, glowing green. Sunset’s eyes flashed red as her lips cracked open. “I unite the spirits of the guardian of compassion and the fallen guardian of memory, and open the dimensional gates to call on the liveliest of dark musicians!” Sunset’s card ejected from her duel disk in a flash of blue light, and she grabbed it and swung it onto her duel disk. “Xyz Summon! Awaken, Rank 4, ‘Harmony Guardian Infernal Sonare’!”
The combined form of Compassio and Erysimum flashed blue and exploded, revealing a monster in blue and pink armor kneeling on the ground, a lair of leathery blue wings emerging from her back. She stood, blue energy crackling along her limbs, and raised her head, eyes gleaming red. A red gemstone on her breastplate lit up and two orbs of blue light swirled around her. She thrust her hands forward and a pair of curved pink daggers appeared in her grasp. She twirled them and dropped her arms to the side with a smirk (1500/2400).
“Next, I activate the effect of Harmony Guardian Infernal Juniperus. I can perform a Synchro Summon using Juniperus as a Tuner monster and a Harmony Guardian in my Pendulum zone! I tune my Level 4 Juniperus with my Level 4 Honestas!”
Juniper flew out of its light column toward Honestas, glowing bright red. It split into four green rings that lowered around Honestas and began to spin, sparking red and lighting on fire. “I align the spirits of the guardian of honesty and the fallen guardian of inspiration, and open the dimensional gates to call on the harshest of dark musicians!” Sunset reached to her duel disk, and stilled her hand as her card flew through the air into her fingers, glowing bright violet. She set it on the duel disk. “Synchro Summon! Awaken, Level 8, ‘Harmony Guardian Infernal Ariette’!”
A pair of leathering purple wings spread from the inferno of Sunset’s summon, and the fire dispersed. A warrior in spiked violet and dark green armor stood up in front of her, a red gemstone glowing on her breastplate. She held her hand to the side and a silver trident appeared in her hand, crackling with silver and purple energy. She spun it over her head and snapped it forward to point across the field (2300/1300).
Sunset gripped her chest and winced. She breathed deep and swallowed. Power surged through her body, but she restrained it and forced it back. I can do this… I won’t lose… lose… She lowered her arm and raised her head
Twilight laughed. “Now this is more like it! I’m almost disappointed both of your monsters are too weak to do anything, it would have been fun to see you try to fight back properly before you lose.”
“Haven’t lost yet,” Sunset replied. “I end my turn.” She closed her eyes and licked her lips. She’s right, I can’t fight back quite yet. But I can survive a bit longer to try.
“Goodie.” Twilight drew, set her card in her hand, and swung her hand forward. “Let’s cut to the chase! Punishment Dragon, attack Harmony Guardian Risus!” Punishment Dragon opened its jaws and fired a stream of dark energy across the field.
“No you don’t!” Sunset called. “I activate Sonare’s special ability! By detaching an Xyz material from it when you declare an attack, I can negate your attack and end the battle phase!”
Sonare held one of its daggers out. One of the blue orbs of light around her flowed into the dagger and expanded into a barrier of blue energy around Ariette. Punishment Dragon’s attack struck it and fizzled out in slivers of darkness.
Twilight scowled. “Fine then, last a turn longer. I end my turn.”
Sunset put her hand on her deck. The longer I stall the more likely it is she’ll think of a way to use Michael’s effect. I have to get rid of him, at least. She drew and looked at her card. Her eyebrows raised. That’ll work. “I summon ‘Harmony Guardian Infernal Bellis’.” A warrior in curved dark green armor with deep red details rose in front of her. She grabbed a scythe with a teal blade strapped to her back and planted the end on the ground (1000/1000).
“I activate the effect of Bellis. Once per turn, I can add a Level 4 Harmony Guardian monster face-up in my Extra Deck to my hand. I’ll take back my Harmony Guardian Honestas.” Sunset grabbed her card, took another from her hand, and held them out. “Using the Scale 5 Harmony Guardian Honestas and Scale 5 Harmony Guardian Magia, I set the Pendulum Scales!” Honestas and Magia rose into the air beside Sunset, light pillars shining around them.
“That was a dumb move,” Twilight said. “Their Pendulum Scales are the same, you can’t use them to Pendulum Summon.”
“You’re right. But I can use their effects.” Sunset’s fingers moved across her duel disk screen. “I activate Magia’s effect, since there’s a Harmony Guardian in my other Pendulum zone. I can add a ‘Harmony’ Spell card from my Graveyard to my hand, but I can’t activate it until the next turn.” Sunset’s card slid out of her Graveyard into her fingers. “I’ll take back this, Harmony Sprout. Then I activate the effect of Honestas. I can select a monster on your side of the field and negate its effects for the rest of the turn.” Sunset pointed. “I choose Michael the Arch-Twilightsworn!”
In her pillar of light, Honestas drew her broadsword and swung it down, sending a wave of orange energy slicing through the air. It struck Michael and passed through him, the warrior and his dragon briefly lighting up with orange energy.
“Finally, I activate Bellis’ other effect! Once per turn, I can conduct a Fusion Summon using Bellis and a Harmony Guardian in my Pendulum zones. I fuse Bellis with my Honestas!”
A purple vortex opened above Sunset’s field. Honest floated out of her light pillar into it, Bellis rising after it. The vortex began to spin and spark. Sunset’s eyes lit up red as she spoke. “I combine the spirits of the guardian of honesty and the fallen guardian of nature, and open the dimensional gates to call on the greatest of dark musicians!” Sunset drew her card from her duel disk and held it up. “Fusion Summon! Awaken, Level 8, ‘Harmony Guardian Infernal Adagium’!”
The vortex shot a beam of orange light into the ground, a small crater in its wake. The light faded and Sunset’s monster stood up, clad in deep purple armor with spiked boots and gauntlets. Orange wings spread from her back and a red gem glowed on her chest. She reached to her waist and grabbed the handle of a large mace and swung it forward; spikes snapped out from the metal with sparks of orange energy (2100/1200).
Sunset gasped as the light in her eyes faded. She stumbled back and put a hand to her head. Keep it together… I can do this… She nodded to reassure herself and turned her head back to the duel.
“Special Summoning a Harmony Guardian monster activates the effect of Risus on the field. Until the end of your next turn, I don’t take any battle damage.” Risus giggled and flung its hands into the air, sending a shower of glowing pink confetti over Sunset.
Twilight growled. “So what? I can still attack and destroy your monsters!”
“You can, but first, that’s what I had in mind.” Sunset thrust her hand out. “Harmony Guardian Infernal Ariette, attack Michael the Arch-Twilightsworn!” Ariette flapped its wings and rose into the air, and dove down, its trident held out.
“Idiot,” Twilight muttered. “Your monster is too weak! Michael, destroy it!”
Ariette stabbed her trident at Michael. The dark warrior raised his sword and caught the weapon and swung to knock her back. Michael’s dragon raised its head and fired a stream of darkness at the falling Ariette, the monster exploding in a shower of purple light particles.
-Sunset Life Points: 900-
“Just what I needed,” Sunset said, giving a small smile. “See, Ariette is a Synchro and a Pendulum monster, and when she’s destroyed as a monster, I can place her in my Pendulum zone.” A pillar of purple light appeared beside Sunset, and energy clustered inside it to reform Ariette, her arms crossed as she glared down at Twilight. “Now that Ariette is in the Pendulum zone, her Pendulum effect is active. For each Harmony card on my side of the field, my Harmony Guardians gain two hundred attack points.”
Ariette held her trident up. Rays of purple light shone out of it, washing over Sunset’s monsters. “I have three Harmony monsters and two more in my Pendulum zones, for a total of a thousand points.” Sunset pointed across the field again. “Which is just enough for this! Harmony Guardian Infernal Adagium, attack Michael!”
Adagium (2100 → 3100) grinned and ran forward. It leapt into the air, spun its mace over its head, and brought it down in a two-handed swing. Michael held its sword up to attempt to block the blow, but the mace smashed through the sword and into his armor. With a convulsion and a burst of dark energy, Michael exploded, its dragon below it following soon after. Twilight grit her teeth and looked away.
-Twilight Life Points: 6500-
Sunset watched as the ghostly image of Sunny Flare rose from the smoke of Michael’s destruction and faded away. “There goes another of your teammates.”
“I don’t care!” Twilight snarled. The light in her eyes flared up.
“Then you won’t mind what comes next,” Sunset said evenly. “When Adagium destroys a monster in battle, you also take damage equal to the destroyed monster’s defense points!”
Twilight looked up at Adagium floating above her. The monster grinned and pointed her mace out, shooting a beam of orange energy. The beam struck Twilight and she stumbled back, clutching her chest.
-Twilight Life Points: 4500-
Sunset inhaled. I’m doing it. I’m controlling it. How? She paused as the image of Indigo Zap rose from behind Twilight and vanished. “That’s all six, now,” Sunset said. “And you don’t miss them?”
“No,” Twilight replied, standing up straight. “They didn’t believe in me before, they didn’t care about me at all until I offered a reason why they lost.” She snickered. “I don’t need friends to feel strong or to be confident, not anymore. I’m fine being alone.”
“Are you?” Sunset replied, her expression softening.
“Absolutely.” Twilight’s eyes flashed brighter for a moment. “I don’t have to worry about letting anyone down, or what they’ll think of me, or needing them to encourage me. I have everything I need right here.”
Sunset lowered her arms. “I think that’s just plain sad.”
“Sad?” Twilight barked. “Feel sad for yourself! Lonely, confused, no one believes in you, no one is here for you. Now you know how I felt looking at those Pendulum cards!”
“You felt that way yourself,” Sunset said. “I didn’t make you feel that way, or set out to do it.”
“Oh good, that makes me feel so much better.”
Sunset glared. “I end my turn.”
“About time.” Twilight drew with a low growl.
-Twilight’s deck: 4 cards-
She looked at her new card and placed it on her duel disk. “I activate the Spell card ‘Twilight Twin Dragons’!” Above Twilight, a glimmering band of dark light wove through the air, forming a circle around Punishment Dragon. “Since I control Punishment Dragon, I can send four cards from the top of my deck to the Graveyard, and then add a ‘Judgment Dragon’ from my Graveyard to my hand.” A glowing card shot out of Twilight’s duel disk and back into her outstretched hand.
“I then activate Punishment Dragon’s effect. By paying a thousand Life Points, all cards that are banished or in the Graveyards, except for Lightsworn monsters, are returned to the deck!” Punishment Dragon raised its head and roared. Twilight held up her duel disk as tendrils of darkness swirled around it, pulsing gently. “Since all my monsters are Lightsworn or Twilightsworn, I regain my Spell and Trap cards, fourteen in total.”
-Twilight’s deck: 14 cards-
-Twilight Life Points: 3500-
“Now that my deck is recharged, since I have four or more Lightsworn monsters in the Graveyard, I can Special Summon Judgment Dragon!” Twilight slapped her card on her duel disk and it lit up in faint white light. In front of her, light congregated to form into a large white dragon with feathered wings, its tail flicking in the air and coiling around Twilight (3000/2600).
“I think I know what comes next,” Sunset muttered.
“I’ll bet you do!” Twilight laughed. “I pay a thousand life points to activate Judgment Dragon’s effect! All other cards on the field are destroyed!”
Judgment Dragon opened its jaws and fired streams of light across the field. They pieced Sunset’s monsters and one by one they exploded. A light also hit Punishment Dragon and consumed it, the dragon dissolving.
-Twilight Life Points: 2500-
Sunset looked at her empty field as the light receded. “You gave up a lot of cards to clear my field.”
“Worth it to take you out!” Twilight snapped. “Judgment Dragon, direct attack!” Judgement Dragon roared and fired another blast of light towards Sunset. The wave washed over her for a second and then faded, revealing Sunset standing in the same position.
“Risus’ effect prevents me from taking battle damage,” Sunset said. “That did nothing.”
“Actually, it made me feel better.” Twilight rolled her neck and smiled. “I end my turn.”
Sunset frowned. “Attacking mindlessly and not trying to outplay me? That’s not like you.”
“It’s like the new me,” Twilight replied with a smile. “With this power, I’ve gotten everything I wanted in this tournament. I got to crush you in a duel, I got to understand your cards, and I’ve even become a card designer now.” She chuckled and put a hand over her deck, the cards glowing the same purple as her eyes. “Any card I can think up now is mine to have. I’ve become the best duelist in either of our schools. And soon everyone will know it.”
“And was it worth everything you’ve done to get it?” Sunset replied. “Look at yourself, Twilight. Violent, selfish, using magic to hurt people? This isn’t you!”
“Like you know anything about me!” Twilight snapped. “You only met me two days ago, so don’t lecture to me!”
“Maybe, but looking at you now, I know everything about you.” Sunset put a hand to her chest. “Like you said, I used to be just like this. That’s exactly how I know you don’t want to be that kind of person, and even if you did, it isn’t worth it.”
“You have no moral high ground here.” Twilight sneered. “You’re using the same cards now that you did before! At least I can admit what I am!”
“I am using these cards.” Sunset looked at her deck. “But I’m not using them to hurt you. I’m using them to try and stop you from doing something you’ll regret when this duel ends.” Her hand on her chest clenched. “When my magic awakened, I couldn’t control it, it turned me into someone dark and cruel. It was a part of me I thought I had left behind. But it was always still there.” She shook her head. “You’re right, Twilight. I was a coward. Afraid I’m still the same selfish, horrible person I was before. But I’m not afraid anymore. And you know why?”
She thrust her duel disk into the air. “Because of these! The cards in my deck symbolize the friends I’ve made, the people I’ve bonded with. I may not remember their faces, their voices, or their names, but they aren’t gone. A duelist’s deck reflects their heart, and that’s how I know that my friends are still with me, because even though I’ve forgotten them, they haven’t left me.”
She brought her arm back down, smiling at the cards on her disk. A single tear slid down her cheek. “I can’t deny that there’s still darkness inside of me. These cards had to come from somewhere, after all. But that darkness doesn’t control me, not like it does you. And if using my light and my darkness is what it takes to stop you, that’s a line I’m willing to walk. And now, I know I can walk it.”
Her hair fluttering around her shoulders, eyes flashing red, Sunset put a hand to her deck. “Harmony between light and shadow, uniting the power of two worlds. Balanced between the extremes of a pendulum. That’s who I am, Twilight, and that’s what my dueling is!” With a confident smile, she swung her arm out. “My turn!”
She looked at her card and then took another card from her hand. “I activate the Spell card Harmony Sprout, and use it to return Harmony Guardian Risus and Harmony Guardian Infernal Bellis to my hand. And then, using the Scale 3 Harmony Guardian Risus, and the Scale 9 Harmony Guardian Infernal Bellis, I set the Pendulum Scales!”
The ground on either side of Sunset cracked and split apart, rays of pink and green shooting into the dark clouds above. Risus and Bellis rose within them, glowing the same light.
“Using the cards in my Pendulum Scales, I can now Special Summon monsters from my hand or face-up in the Extra Deck, as long as their levels fall within the Scales!” Sunset thrust her hand into the air. “Pendulum Summon! Return to me from the Extra Deck!” A shining portal opened above her and five colored streaks shot out. “I Pendulum Summon Harmony Guardian Magia, Harmony Guardian Honestas, Harmony Guardian Infernal Ariette, Harmony Guardian Infernal Sonare, and Harmony Guardian Infernal Adagium!”
The streaks of light swirled in front of Sunset and grew into the kneeling silhouettes of her five monsters, their arms crossed as they stood up.
“I activate the Pendulum effect of Harmony Guardian Risus, and return it to my hand.” Sunset held her hand over her duel disk and Risus’ card rose into it. “And then, Harmony Guardian Infernal Ariette, attack Judgement Dragon!”
Ariette spun its trident and threw it across the field.
Twilight grimaced. “The same thing as before will happen!”
“Exactly the same.”
Judgement Dragon opened its mouth and fired a beam of light energy. The trident was washed around as the counter-attack washed over first it, then Ariette.
-Sunset Life Points: 200-
“Now that Ariette has been destroyed, she gets placed in my Pendulum Zone again, granting my Harmony Guardians an extra two hundred points for each of them, and this time there’s a total of six!”
Twilight stepped back. “This can’t be happening! I won’t watch it end like this!”
“Then you should look away.” Her eyes glowing a soft, humming red, Sunset held her hand out. “Harmony Guardian Infernal Adagium, destroy Judgment Dragon and end this duel!”
Adagium rose into the air, her mace held over her head (2100 → 3300). She then descended towards Judgment Dragon, her mace held out.
Sunset nodded. “And just as before, when Adagium destroys a monster in battle, you take damage equal to its defense points – twenty-six hundred!”
Judgment Dragon looked up as Adagium neared. The Fusion monster impacted, and its mace burst into a swirl of orange energy. The dragon roared as Adagium charged through it, mace still held out, and slammed into a staring, horrified Twilight. The weapon slammed into her chest.
“N-no!” Twilight stumbled, her hands flying to her chest. The light in her eyes flickered as she raised her head. “Judgment Dragon!”
With a long, low groan, Judgment Dragon collapsed to the field and exploded, rays of orange light shining from the smoke.
-Twilight Life Points: 0-
The images of Sunset’s monsters faded. “It’s over.” She gasped sharply as images filled her head, and she looked at her deck. “My friends…” She grabbed her cards and fanned them out, smiling at the once-again familiar names and images looking back at her. You really were with me all along. Thank you… She clutched the cards to her chest and took a deep breath.
Across the field, Twilight blinked. The light in her eyes faded, wisps of magic curling into the air. She collapsed forward, her cards scattering on the ground around her.
“Twilight!” Sunset ran up to her, pausing when she stood in front of her. On the grass, the Twilightsworn monsters lit up purple and dissolved away, leaving other Lightsworn cards where they had been. Sunset knelt and rolled Twilight onto her back. Her eyes were closed. “Twilight?” Sunset gently patted her cheek, and Twilight let out a weak moan, her eyelids fluttering.
Sunset let out a breath. “At least it’s over. We’re both safe now.” She looked up and turned her head from side to side. Frowning, she stood up again. “Wait a minute…” As she turned in place, the dark clouds of the Shadow Game continued to rumble and flash, filling her field of view with deep purple and black. “Why hasn’t the Shadow Game dispersed? The duel is over.”
A crackling sound reached her ears. The hair on the back of Sunset’s neck tingled, and she spun around.
A glowing green line appeared in the middle of the air and split into a circular portal.
Hands clasped behind his back, hair gently fluttering over his shoulders, eyes glowing bright green, Sombra stepped out and stood still as the portal closed behind him.
“You,” Sunset hissed.
The glow in his eyes faded and Sombra looked over at the collapsed Twilight. “Disappointing. But, I must admit, not surprising.” He raised his eyes to Sunset. “I granted her the benefit of the doubt, that with my aid her magic may surpass yours. A mistake on my part.”
“You did that to her?” Sunset asked. “You corrupted her mind with dark magic?!”
“I shared with her a sample of my power to awaken her own.” His other arm still behind his back, Sombra gestured a hand at Twilight. “That it so easily overwhelmed and consumed her thoughts is proof of her inadequacies. I overestimated her capabilities and underestimated yours. My sincere apologies for that.” Sombra lowered his arm and chuckled. “You are indeed something special, Sunset Shimmer. A duelist with abilities like nothing I’ve ever seen.”
“Here to try and recruit me again?” Sunset spat. “Forget it. If this is what you do to make a duelist meet your expectations, then I want no part of it.”
“I did expect as much.” He tilted his head forward. “I regret that it has come to this. I had very high hopes for you. But, if that is your decision, I will honor it. Even so, I cannot allow things to end this way.”
“Too late. She lost, the tournament is over.”
Sombra smirked. “Did I not explain before that this tournament’s results are of no consequence to me? My interest is in acquiring duelists with magic to serve at Crystal Prep.” His smirk faded, his eyes glowing green again. “But, if I must, I will settle for just the latter.”
He drew his arms forward and brought one up to his chest.
Sunset lowered her eyes from his face.
A Crystal Prep duel disk was strapped to Sombra’s forearm.
“This Shadow Game shall continue, under new stipulations.” Sombra’s duel disk lit up and projected a green card tray as he spoke. “The rules are simple – the loser shall forfeit their magic to the winner.”
“No way.” Sunset clenched her fist and stepped back. “I refuse.”
“Look around you, you have no choice,” Sombra replied. “I am sincere in saying your magic is unlike any other I have encountered. And I cannot allow such a gift to stagnate at Canterlot. I will explore the limits of its potential on my own. And perhaps it shall be gifted to another of my students, one with ambition enough to use it properly.”
Sunset looked at the clouds around her, and her gaze fell on Twilight. She snapped her head back to glare at Sombra. “Fine.” She walked a few steps away from Twilight and raised her duel disk. She pressed a button on her duel disk, and her cards in the other slots retracted and emerged on her deck, which reshuffled. “You want to see what my magic can do? I’ll show you more than you ever wanted to know.”
“Good. It will be helpful to know the full extent of its capabilities for when it is mine.”
Sunset’s duel disk beeped and she looked at the prompt to begin the duel, the button flashing beneath portraits of her and Sombra. Raising her head to look back at him, she lifted her hand and extended a finger.
Sombra frowned and turned his head away. Sunset heard movement and looked at what he was watching.
Twilight pushed herself onto her hands and knees, her arms shaking. She cried softly and fell onto her heels, her eyes wide.
“Twilight!” Sunset called out.
Twilight slowly climbed to her feet, her head low. Sunset saw her hands shaking at her sides. She raised her head and looked across the field at Sombra. “You... that was your magic?” she whispered. “You did that to me?”
“Yes.” Sombra looked back at her without flinching.
“Why?" Twilight swallowed and tried to catch her breath. “I told you everything I knew, did everything you wanted. I would have dueled Sunset on my own.”
“And you would have lost even worse than you have now,” Sombra said. “Know your limits, Twilight. This duel has reached a point beyond what you are able to grasp. I gave you a push to see if you could handle it, to allow you a chance to redeem yourself, but you were still not capable enough. There was no choice but for me to intervene.”
Twilight’s eyes darted between the two. “You’re dueling Sunset?”
“I will finish what you could not. Power like hers will be mine to control one way or the other.”
“Her power?” Twilight asked bitterly. “Is that all you care about? Was I just a pawn you could use to get to her?” Twilight lowered her head, her hands shaking and gripping the cards in them tighter.
“Yes, and now you have reached the end of the board and can go no further.” Sombra turned his attention back to Sunset. “We will discuss your future at Crystal Prep later. For the moment, you may watch and observe a further demonstration of what magic can achieve in the hands of those able to wield it properly.”
Sunset growled and looked at Sombra. “Stop it, you’ve done enough to her today. I’m ready when you are.”
“No…” Twilight raised her arms in front of her, folded up her cards, and slid them into her duel disk. “You’re ready… I’m not.” She reached to the screen of her duel disk and pressed her finger onto an icon.
Sunset’s duel disk beeped and a digital voice came from it.
“Tag duel invitation detected!” Sunset’s eyes snapped down to the screen. On her display, Sombra’s and her portrait shifted and Twilight’s slit in next to theirs. “Fourth duelist not detected. Initiating handicap duel, awaiting opponent confirmation.” Again the portraits shifted, positioning Sombra on one side of the screen and Sunset and Twilight on the other.
Sombra’s eyebrows lifted. “You would betray me to aid her in this endeavor?”
“You said it yourself,” Twilight whispered. “You gave me a chance to redeem myself…” She glanced at Sunset. “I may as well try.”
Holding her gaze, Sunset nodded.
“As you wish.” Sombra chuckled and put his hand over his duel disk, his eyes lighting up green. “You shall both bear witness to power unparalleled!”
“Bring it on!” Sunset shouted back. “It’s time to duel, Sombra!”
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So, the final battle has begun….may the heart of the card guide Sunset and Twilight in this duel.
Pretty sure there is a mix up here.
Huh. I would've expected Wallflower's card to be Mnemosyne. Or Lethe.
(Coughs awkwardly in Friendship is Card Games.)
Let's see... Friends, memories, hearts, light, darkness... I'm pretty sure Sunset drifted from Yu-Gi-Oh to Kingdom Hearts in that speech. Still, great rationale for what the pendulum means to her.
Sunset crossed her arms. "I do. I choose no."
"I will not release us until you agree."
Sunset sat. "I can wait. We've got to eat sometime."
In all seriousness, eagerly looking forward to the 2 vs. 1 duel against Sombra. This should be very fun.
9890842
No
9890854
Oh, sorry. Guess I mathed wrong.
9890853
Ah, but he planned ahead and brought a sandwich! Which he won't share! Because he's EVIL!
9890858
Oh, you mean the levels? That was wrong yes, all of Sunset's main monsters are level 4.
9890863
Yeah, I thought I saw something wrong.
9890853
True story, on Sunset's "I'll walk the line between light and shadow", I cracked the joke in the GDoc "and that's when Sunset received her Keyblade"
And I was very pleased I found a place to fit the pendulum symbolism in.
Wow... what a way to turn things around!
That...was a close one. Sunset may have won, but she's facing a much stronger duelist now, even with Twilight's help. And she still lost the memories of her friends.
9891017
No, she got them back when she won the duel.
With that whole chess analogy, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say he's got Chess Archfiends
9891036
Did Twilight as well regained them or not? Also at the final attack she should've not forget one more person (cough, Shining)? Just to be sure.
Final boss fight incoming!
9891126
She would have regained hers too, yes. There was the intent for her to lose Shining as she took the battle damage, but she then would have lost the duel and got him back. It flowed better to leave it out.
That was a pretty cool way the duel ended. And now it's Sunset and Sci-Twi vs Sombra. I can't wait to see how this goes.
9891132
Ok. Thanks.
That was a great duel. Now Sunset and Twilight vs Sombra! This is going to be so much karma hitting him.
Ha, I suppose it was too much to hope Twilight wold lose by Deck Out. After all, Lightsworn decks (and Twilightsworn too I suppose) do have countermeasures against this given how quickly they mill cards. Like many, by this point I was just rolling with all Sunset's new cards as keeping up with them was becoming something of a headache due to how quickly they keep being introduced. An unavoidable problem.
Anyway, there's nothing in Yu-Gi-Oh quite like two rivals teaming up to Tag Team against the Big Bad. Let's just hope this is more Yugi and Kaiba Vs Dartz then Yugi and Kaiba Vs Diva, quality-wise. I'm assuming the handicap is either Sombra starts with double the LP, or, more likely, the turn order alternates between him and one of his opponents. Haven't watched enough Yu-Gi-Oh anime past GX to know the standard for 2-on-1 duels like these.
Oh this is gooooood. This is getting real good.
9891409
The infernal extra deck are the sirens. Ariette is Aria. I didn't realise it until this chapter. I still don't know the other infernals but I recognise Juniper as one of the lesser villains of EG so I assume the others follow a similar pattern.
not bad; also:
Erysimum? wait a second: I think I've seen or heard this in one of my science classes; hold on a moment
one internet search later...
...the symbolism is a bit on the nose perhaps, but I'm strangely okay with it
Damn, he getting a custom deck or we going Meta? Perhaps new Earthbound OP support?
I wonder if anyone outside the duel noticed Sombra dissapearing?
9905224
Erysimum is probably a play on words of the Greek afterlife in which only the best in their life get to go. Then you could try for rebirth. And if you get Elysium three times, you get Isles of The Blessed, the best possible place in the afterlife.
10028045
(shrugs) fair enough