Twilight's Duel School of Friendship: Sophomore Year

by k00l

Chapter 12: The Big City (E)

The six from team one are on the Ponyville train traveling to a random location. The train has stopped at Appleloosa and at Trottingham, but Starswirl instrucked all of them not to get off just yet. They were all passing the time their own way, Starswirl was reading an old tome. Rockhoof kept polishing and shining his duel disk as if it was a weapon. Somnambula was meditating. And Smolder, Sandbar, and Gallus were talking to each other.

"When do you think we'll get off this train? These seats are starting to get uncomfortable." Smolder spoke while shifting in her seat.

"Yeah, I would rather have flown to wherever we needed to go." Said Gallus rubbing a spot on his back.

"Not all of us can fly man. Besides, We don't even know where we need to go." Sandbar was lounging casually, seeming to be the only one who sat comfortably.

"We have stopped at two towns already, but Beardy keeps saying this isn't the place." Said Smolder. Starswirl is heard clearing his throat as if he heard her, still not liking that nickname.

"That's why we are taking the train. Wherever the Shadows are, We'll know it when we stop." Said Sandbar.

"HEEEEEEADS UP! We'll be arriving in Baltimare in 5 minutes!" Yelled the conductor, stepping out into the aisle

"Whoa! Baltimare? That's far from Ponyville. We must have been going pretty fast." Gallus quickly looked out the window, seeing the big city come into view.

"Yeah, man I hope this is our stop, I've always wanted to see a big city like Manehatten or Baltimare." Sandbar sat up, excited for the next stop. Slowly, the train pulls up to the Baltimare train station. As soon as the doors open, in unison, all six creatures' eyes quickly flash, and all of them have a feeling that this was their stop.

"Whoa... I... I think the elements want us to get off here." Smolder said while looking to her friends.

"Children, this is our stop. Come on." Said Starswirl, closing his tome and placing it in his saddlebag. Soon all six of them step off the train, all except for S tarswirl are in complete awe at the big city. Huge buildings, and all the ponies filling the streets.

"Whoa... So this is how the world evolves after 1000 years." Rockhoof was admiring all the tall skyscrappers.

"Everything is so...big." Said Gallus.

"It's way too crowded." Said Smolder crossing her arms.

"Focus you 5, we are not here on some sort of vacation. We are working." Said Starswirl as he steps away from the train station. The others quickly follow behind him.

"Where are we off to first old friend?" Asked Rockhoof, walking beside Starswirl.

"First we should find an inn, from there we will use at home base as we go out searching for the Shadow Rider, or Shadow Riders." Said Starswirl.

"Inn? You mean a hotel? A hotel like that one?" Asked Sandbar, pointing to a nice hotel across the street. Starswirl looks at the hotel, he strokes his beard as he thinks for a moment and then nods.

"Yes, that will do nicely, follow me." Said Starswirl. They enter the hotel and book two rooms that are directly across from each other. One for the students, the other for the pillars. First however, they all meet in the student's hotel room to discuss what they'll be doing.

"Alright, I hope you all get some rest and some sleep for tonight." Said Starswirl.

"Sleep??? But we just got here, and it's only noon." Gallus whined, sticking his head in the room's mini fridge.

"Yes, but we will be hunting well into the night. Nighttime is when the Shadows are most active." Said Somnambula.

"That's horsefeathers! When are we gonna eat?" Sandbar was laying on his back on the bed and places his hooves on his stomach.

"The lad's right. We need to eat something now. That way we aren't too full during the hunt. It could slow us down." said Rockhoof.

"Yeah! Can we get some room service or something?" asked Smolder.

"Very well, one meal then straight to bed. We will wake you around 9: o'clock tonight." Said Starswirl stroking his beard. The six order some room service and then quickly turn in till night time. When it became night time, Starswirl awoke the students and then all gathered in one room again.

"It's time, we finally bring the fight to the Pony of Shadows. We will split into teams of 2. One pillar and one student per team. You three will bring the crystal balls Twilight gave you so that we can stay in touch with each other, ok?" said Starswirl to the students.

"Yes sir." All three said.

"Ok, now, pick who you six want to go with." Said Starswirl.

"I want to go with the big guy, Rockhoof." Said Smolder as Rockhoof smirks at her and gives her a hoof/claw bump.

"I would like to go with Somnambula." Said Sandbar and Somnambula smiles at him warmly.

"Well, I guess that leaves you and me beardy." Said Gallus. Starswirl clears his throat at him again, starting to hate that nickname.

"We have our teams. Just comb the streets until you find something. If you are challenged, do not back down." Said Starswirl. They all leave the hotel and begin walking through the dark streets. Sandbar and Somnambula decided to take a quick search through the city's park to look.

"This place is nice, but Manehatten, I heard, has a much bigger city park." said Sandbar.

"Once our work with the Pony of Shadows is over, I would love to visit all over Equestria to see how much it has changed." Said Somnambula. Sandbar smiles and walks beside her.

"So, You represent the element of hope? Quick question, how does that relate to laughter at all?" Asked Sandbar quizzically.

"Young one, Hope can come in any shape and form. Your friends cheering for you in a duel, Seeing the light at the end of a long dark tunnel, and even the smiles on other pony's faces. Seeing a smiling face can raise even the lowest of spirits." Somnambula explained.

"Wow...I never thought of it that way." Said Sandbar. "I guess me and my friends have a lot of hope then, as we always have eachothers back while we are dueling."

"Yes, that is most definitely the case." Said Somnambula. As they were conversing, they both felt a sudden chill crawl up their spine, as the air got very very cold.

"Stay close young one, one of them is near." said Somnambula, as she stood in front of Sandbar. They both stay quiet as the sound of faint laughter is heard, getting closer. Eventually, a dark figure approaches them from the dark. A pony wearing a black cloak approaches them.

"So, The elements finally come out of hiding to seek us out for a challenge huh? Heh, good." Said the figure.

"Reveal yourself Shadow, we do not fear you." Said Somnambula.

"Very well, You may call me Freed." Said the figure pulling the cloak off his head. He appeared to be a Unicorn with long silver hair. He also had a bigger body than most stallions, and just like all shadow riders, he was wearing a mask. "Why waste our time with idle chit chat, I challenge the kid to a duel."

"Coward, I take his place, you will face me." Said Somnambula. Freed growls softly.

"Fine, I will get to him after I go through you!" Said Freed as he adjusted his cloak to resemble more like a cape. The shadows around him materialize on his wrist to form a duel disk. Somnambula activates her own.

"DUEL!"

[Somnambula vs Freed]

"My move. I draw." Said Somnambula. "I start us off by summoning the Gravekeeper's Recruiter! {1200ak. 1500def. Lv3} I place a single card face down and I end."

"I draw." Said Freed. "Heh, I place one card face down, then I summon Freed the Brave Wanderer! {1700atk. 1200def. Lv4}. As you can see, I have the superior monster, So Freed will attack your monster!" Freed the Brave Wanderer unsheathes his sword and slices the recruiter in half. As this is happening, Sandbar notices a strange force pulling him away from Somnambula.

"Whoa whoa WHOA!" Yelled Sandbar as he tries to fight it. He looks down and sees a purple mist pushing him away.

"Shadow Game." Sandbar narrowed his eyes before looking back up as Somnambula. She winces a bit as she loses her life points.

"Nngh. My recruiter's effect activates. A s he is sent to the grave, I add one gravekeeper monster from my deck to my hoof. I add Gravekeeper's Commandant!" Said Somnambula.

"You still lose life points, putting me in the lead. I will end." Said Freed.

[Somnambula 3500/ Freed 4000]

[Somnambula 5 cards, Freed 4 cards]

"I draw." Said Somnambula. "I now activate the effect of Gravekeeper's Commandant in my hoof. By discarding him, I add Necrovalley to my hoof, which I now play!" The area around them slowly changes from the city park of Baltimare, to the scorching deserts of Maregypt. "Now I summon Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier! {1500atk. 1000def. Lv4} With the effects of Necrovalley, He gets a 500 attack and defense boost, making him 2000!" The Shadow Rider snarled at her. "Spear Soldier, attack his pathetic monster!" The swiftness of Freed the Brave Wanderer wasn't quick enough for Spear Soldier who impails him through the chest and destroys him. "I now end my turn."

"Lucky move, I draw!" Said freed. "I use Monster Reborn to bring back my Freed, the Brave Wanderer from the grave!" As he places the card on his duel disk, nothing seems to happen. "What? I said I activated Monster Reborn!"

"You cannot activate such a card while Necrovalley is on my field. It prevents you from tampering with the graveyards, cards cannot be moved from the grave in any way, and their attributes cannot be changed. The dead must be respected, let the dead rest in peace." Said Somnambula. Freed growls at her. He looks back down at his hoof and thinks for a moment. Slowly, he starts to smile again.

"Very well, I have my way around that." Said Freed. "First I activate the spell Summoner's Art. This allows me to add one level five or higher monster from my deck to my hoof, but before that happens I activate my face down, Armory call. This lets me add one equip spell from my deck to my hoof, and if I have a monster on the field, I can immediately equip them with it, since I don't this is ignored. Finally, before that spell is activated, I activate the quick play spell Chain Summoning! Since it is activated in a chain link of 3, I get 3 normal summons this turn."

"THREE!?" Yells Sandbar in shock.

"Now, I add Freed, the Matchless General to my hoof, as well as the Legendary Sword! Now, I summon Celtic Guardian, but he doesn't stay for long as I use him as tribute for my Freed, the Matchless General! {2300atk. 1700def. Lv5}" Said Freed.

"Not so fast, I activate my face down, the continuous trap Necrovalley Temple! As long as Necrovalley and a Gravekeeper is on my field, Your monster loses 500 attack and defense points! Making him 1800 attack and 1200 defense." Said Somnambula.

"Well it's a good thing I added the Legendary Sword to my hoof." Said Freed with a snicker. Somnambula only scowls at him. "I equip Freed with the Legendary Sword, giving him 300 attack and defense. giving him a total of 2100 and 1500! Freed, Attack her spear soldier!" Freed with his new sword slashes the tip off of the spear and then proceeds to bring the sword down on him hard, destroying him. "Ha! I am the superior duelist! I enter main phase 2 to set one more monster and then I end."

[Somnambula 3400/Freed 3700]

[Somnambula 4 cards/Freed 2 cards]

Somnambula winces when she loses her lifepoints, She narrows her eyes at Freed and scowls.

"You, I know why the pony of Shadows picked you." Said Somnambula.

"You know nothing element." Said Freed.

"I know more than you think. You are insecure, and the Pony of Shadows preyed upon that to corrupt you." Said Somnambula, pointing a goof at Freed.

"Insecure!? How am I insecure!?" Yelled Freed, placing a hoof to his chest in offense.

"This game has been childs play. Your strategy is just summoning beatsticks, it's the oldest and most beginner strategy in the game. You are definitely not the superior duelist." Said Somnambula with a chuckle. The eyes of the mask Freed was wearing turned a very bright red as the Shadows that surrounded him got extremely agitated.

"HOW DARE YOU, I MEAN HOW DARE YOU! You dare insult me!? I am a Shadow Rider, you should fear me! My companions took down two of you, and I can too! You're very life is at stake, you are to grovel before me!" Yelled Freed. Somnambula closes her eyes, this thirst for power reminds her of a friend she once knew. Because of this, she mustn't hold back.

"I truly pity you. The Pony of Shadows claws are sunk deep into you. Freeing you by defeating you is the merciful thing to do." Said Somnambula.

"Try it, Element!" Yelled Freed.

"Very well, I draw." Said Somnambula. I summon Gravekeeper's curse. {800 + 500atk. 800 + 500def. Lv3} When he is summoned, You take immediate damage of 500 life points." Freed is zapped for lifepoints, groaning as it happens. "And finally, I end my turn."

"That's it!? And you call me a beginner!" Yells Freed. "I draw, Freed, Attack her Monster!"

"I discard the card, Charm of Shabti! I discard this card to prevent the destruction of my gravekeeper." Said Somnambula.

"You still take the damage!" Said Freed as his monster brings his sword down on her monster. She winces again as her lifepoints drop.

[Somnambula 2600/ Freed 3200]

[Somnambula 3 cards/ Freed 3 cards]

"My turn once again, and now I offer my curse as tribute, to summon the patriarch of the Gravekeepers, Gravekeeper's Chief! {1900 + 500atk. 1200 + 500def. Lv5}." Chief's summon to the field was more dramatic as he appears on the field. He clutches his staff tightly and turns toward Somnambula.

"Ah...Somnambula, It is a pleasure to meet you once again. What evil are we bringing down this time?" Asked Chief.

"It's a Shadow Rider, can you handle him?" Asked Somnambula.

"Ha-Ha-Ha! Of course, I do not fear the shadows, the shadows fear me." Said Chief as he turned to face Freed. In turn, Freed appeared to be very nervous.

"I now activate the effect of Gravekeeper's Chief! When he is summoned, I can Special summon one monster from my Graveyard." Said Somnambula

"AH! HEY! You can't! Your Necrovalley field spell prevents you from moving any card in the graveyard!" Yelled Freed.

"You would be correct in any other case." Said Somnambula. "However, The second effect from my chief negates the graveyard effect of Necrovalley, for my side of the field only."

"Oh heck yeah!" Yelled Sandbar.

"What!? That's not fair! That's cheating!" Yelled Freed.

"It is not. Now, I summon from the grave, Gravekeeper's Curse! That's another 500 points of damage dealt to you!" Said Somnambula. Freed is zapped once again, and now cries out in pain. "Now my Chief, destroy his Matchless General!" Chief lifts up his staff up high and unleashes a battle cry. He then point's his staff at the general, and as if on command, a large lightning bolt strikes him. The general is then defeated.

"My General!" Yelled Freed.

"Now curse, attack his face down monster!" Curse opens his hands and a dark aura leaks from his hands and darts towards the card. However, it is flipped to show a knight and she shrugs off the curse as if it was nothing.

"Fool! Command Knight has 1900 defense! You cannot destroy her!" Yelled Freed.

"Very well, then I end my turn." Said Somnambula.

[Somnambula 2000/ Freed 1400]

[Somnambula 4 cards]

"You destroyed my General! I will make you pay!" Yelled Freed.

"How? With Necrovalley on the field, he will stay in the grave, resting in peace." Said Somnambula.

"Peace? PEACE!? HA-HA-HA!!! Don't make me laugh! What will happen to him will be anything but peaceful!" Yelled Freed as he grabs his card from the duel disk.

"What are you doing?" Asked Somnambula as Freed held his card in the air.

"NO! He is going to corrupt it with the shadows like Spike did!" Yelled Sandbar. Somnambula looks back at Sandbar, her eyes go wide as she turns back towards Freed. Slowly the card begins to glow red, just like what Spike's did. The shadows surrounding Freed then darted towards the card, as a Male's voice was heard screaming in pain, eminating from the card itself.

"No...The card is in pain! Freed Stop it!" Yelled Somnambula. Freed only chuckles as he continues. Eventually he brings the card down and he looks at it with a sinister grin. "You snake! What did you do!?"

"Prepare yourself element, I tribute my command knight to tribute Summon Dark General Freed {2300 - 500atk. 1700 - 500def. Lv5.}!" The Dark Freed is summoned, he has a devilish smile filled with razor sharp teeth. His skin stained gray, and claws at the end of his fingers. A total disgrace to the original monster.

"You monster! You will pay for what you have done!" Yelled Somnambula.

"I don't think so, I believe it is you who shall pay!" Said Freed. Since your temple trap card is targeting my Dark General Freed, his effect kicks in. Any card that targets a dark Monster, is instantly destroyed." The temple card is destroyed, restoring the general's attack and defense points. "Now, the dark general needs a dark replacement for his sword, I equip him with the Sword of Dark Destruction! This gives him 400 extra attack, but lowers his defense by 200. Making his total attack 2700!" The General throws away his sword and a new one manifests in it. It surrounds the general in a dark miasma like aura to signal his power up. He smirks at both of the gravekeeper monsters who both look at the general with a nervous expression.

"I'm not finished, I activate the spell Double Attack! I discard a monster card, that being the Illegal Knight, who has a higher level than Freed. Now Freed can attack twice this turn. Dark Freed! Shroud them in Shadows!" Commanded Freed. Dark General leaps into the air and lands in between Chief and Curse. First, Freed turns towards Curse and slashes him, cutting him in half and destroying him. Chief goes to hit him with his staff, but Freed blocks it. He turns toward Chief, his toothy grin leaks drool. He knocks the staff away and stabs the chief.

"NO! Chief!" Yells Somnambula.

"Somnambula...I... failed you..." Said the chief right before he was destroyed. Somnambula wails loudly as she loses a ton of lifepoints.

"HA-HA-HA! I told you, I AM the superior duelist! Your soul will be mine!!!" Yelled Freed.

[Somnambula 300/ Freed 1400]

[Freed 1 card]

Somnambula slowly drops to her knees, she was in a lot of pain from that last attack. She breathes heavily as she tries to regain herself.

"Now you grovel before me. Go ahead, beg for your life, it will make this all so much sweeter." Said Freed with a devilish grin.

"...I ...will... NOT!" Yelled Somnambula as a bright flash is emitted from her.

"Gah! What the...no..." Said Freed, his grin disappearing. "Your element! It's activating!" Somnambula gets back to her hooves and stares down Freed.

"Darkness will not prevail this day! Hope will guide the light! Hope is all I need to win, I draw!" Yelled Somnambula as she glows brightly. I summon the Gravekeeper's Spiritualist! {1500 + 500atk. 1500 + 500def. Lv5}. I now activate her effect, by tributing her, and one monster in my hoof, I can fusion summon one Spellcaster Monster! I tribute her, and Gravekeeper's Guard in my hoof to fusion summon Gravekeeper's Supernaturalist! {2000 + 500atk. 2000 + 500def. Lv7 Fusion}."

"Ha! My monster is still the strongest! You have no power over me!" Said Freed

"Not Yet, But I will, as her effect kicks in, she takes the combined levels of the monster used to summon her and multiples them by 100, and that number is added to her attack. Count them, I count 8, meaning that is 800 extra attack, making her 3300!" Said Somnambula.

"WHAT!?" Yelled Freed.

"Supernaturalist, destroy his abomination!" Commanded Somnambula. Supernaturalist scowls at the general who lets out a fiendish battle cry. He rushes the supernaturalist and brings his sword up high, and then crashes it down. The supernaturalists blocks it with her staff and places her hand on his chest. A bright glow is seen emanating from her hand. The general wails in pain before the light burns a hole in his chest, he then explodes violently, and Freed lets out a pained moan.

[Somnambula 300/ Freed 800]

[Somnambula 2 cards]

"I end, and my supernaturalist effect kicks in, allowing me to add one gravekeeper monster, or Necrovalley spell or trap to my hoof. I add the spell Necrovalley Throne!"

"GAH! What do I do, what do I do!?" Panicked Freed. "I draw! NO!!! GRRR! I can at least wait you out. I set one monster and I end."

"I Draw." Said Somnambula. "I activate the spell Gravekeeper's Stele! I add two gravekeeper's monsters from my hoof from the grave, This effect is not negated by Necrovalley! I add back my Curse, and my Chief! Now I play the spell, Necrovalley Throne! This card has two effects. I can either add a gravekeeper from my deck to my hoof, or special summon a gravekeeper from my hoof. I choose this second effect to special summon my Chief!" Chief Reappears on the field and looks angry.

"You will pay for destroying me!" Said the chief. "Somnambula, finish off this Pathetic Shadow Rider!"

"I plan too! First my supernaturalist will destroy your face down!" Said Somnambula. She raises her hand and casts a spell on the card which shatters, revealing a poor Queen's Knight before she is destroyed. "Now my Chief, deal the final blow and attack him directly!"

"HAVE MERCY!" Yelled Freed, but it was too late. Chief points his staff at him and another lightning bolt strikes freed, who yells out in agony as his lifepoints hit zero.

[Somnambula vs Freed: Winner Somnambula]

Supernaturalist fades, but chief stays on the field. Somnambula attempts to approach Freed but Chief holds up his staff to block her way.

"No, there isn't anything we can do. The Shadows must have a soul." Said Chief.

"GAH!!!! NOOO!!! MASTER PLEASE!" Yelled Freed as he collapses on the ground.

"I can't just do anything. He is still a pony who can be saved." Said Somnambula.

"He can be saved, but not now. You can save him by venturing the umbral plains." Said Chief.

"AHHHH!!!! PLEASE MASTER!!! I HAD HER! I ALMOST HAD HEEEEEEAAAAAAAUUUUGGHHHHH!!!!!" Yelled Freed in mid sentence as the Shadows penetrate his eyes, mouth, and nose. He yells in torment as his soul is ripped from him by the shadows. He goes limp and falls to the ground as the shadows dissipate. Chief goes from being solid to transparent.

"Goodbye Somnambula, for now." Said Chief before completely disappearing. She and Sandbar then quickly rush over to Freed's body.

"Is he...?" asked Sandbar.

"Yes, his soul is gone." Said Somnambula gently placing her hoof on Freed's shoulder and rubbing it tenderly.

"Chief said that he can still be saved, What did he mean?" Asked Sandbar.

"I do not know just yet. But first, we must see who this pony is." Said Somnambula. She reaches for his mask and slowly pulls it off. Who it was underneath shocked them both to their core.

"No way..." Said Sandbar.

End of Chapter 12

Comments

[TherealNightblader]

Hope we find out who this was soon