Chapter 5: Envy

Dinky and Hope spent the next week training her control over her newfound shadow magic abilities. Hope discovered her abilities when she woke up and found crystals hanging from her bedroom ceiling. It took some time (and two fire extinguishers) but Hope was able to keep her powers in check and keep from randomly creating crystals or blowing stuff up when stressed or dueling. When it was time for Dinky and Pip to return to the Crystal Empire, Dinky told her that if she needed any help to contact her.

"Going fast, makes me feel alive. My heart beats in hyper drive," Hope sang as she rode her duel runner around the track. No pony was ever there early in the morning and it gave Hope a place to think and practice her driving. It was three days after Dinky left and the last day in Ponyville until she left to see Sweetie Belle's concert in Manehatten.

Celestia, I love moving this fast."

When Hope was on her duel runner she felt like she was flying. The only thing she ever envied about her friends was that she couldn't have was a pair of wings. While being a unicorn was awesome, Hope wanted to feel the wind through her mane.

Rainbow Blitz flew out in front of Hope and she came to a stop. Hope pulled off her helmet with her hooves and asked, "What's up?"

"Crown went nuts," Blitz yelled, "She's looking for you and is dueling anypony she can find! Last I saw Cherry and Cinnamon were keeping her busy."

"Not quite," Crown said as she pulled up beside Hope on her duel runner, "I challenge you to a duel."

Hope looked at Crown. She had an infinity with a slash through it on her side a few inches in front of her cutie mark.

Weird. I should beat her so I can figure out what's going on.

Hope put her helmet back on, "Fine, I'm in."

Hope's turbo duel deck was more based around her Photons. She did include Dark Leviathan and Apophis, though they were nearly impossible to summon.

Hope and Crown activated their Speed World 2 field spells and took off.

Hope's Light: 8000

Ruby Crow: 8000

Hope glided past the first turn on the track, "I'm going first. Draw! I activate Speed Spell – Overboost. This gives me six spell counters (SPC 6). I now activate the speed spell Speed Fusion. I fuse the Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon and Photon Caesar in my hand to summon Twin Photon Lizard (ATK 2400). I activate the effect of my monster; I can tribute it to bring back the monsters used to summon it." Hope's monster split into Galaxy-Eyes (ATK 3000) and Photon Caesar (ATK 2000). "I overlay my monsters and xyz summon Number 62: Galaxy-Eyes Prime Photon Dragon (ATK 4000). I end my turn, reducing my speed counters to one (SPC 1)."

Crown drew (Hope SPC 2) (Crown SPC 1), "I set a monster and one card and end my turn."

Hope drew (Hope SPC 3) (Crown SPC 2), "I set a card and attack your face-down."

The face-down was Pandaborg. Crown pulled a card from her deck, "When Pandaborg is destroyed I can summon a level four monster from my deck. Here comes Psychic Snail (ATK 1900)."

"I end my turn."

Crown drew (H SPC 4) (C SPC 3), "I summon Krebons (ATK 1200). I tune Krebons and Psychic Snail and synchro summon Psychic Nightmare (ATK 2400)."

I just realized, this is the first time Crown has used the same deck twice. Strange.

"Since I have more than two speed counters I can activate Speed Spell – Double Summon. While I control a psychic monster I can summon Armored Axon Kicker without tributing (ATK 2200). I overlay my monsters and xyz summon Psycho-Kinetic Cannon (ATK 2800)."

A winged robot appeared. Its right arm was some sort of cannon while its left was an energy blade.

"I activate the effect of my Cannon, I can use an overlay unit and banish a psychic monster from my graveyard to destroy a monster you control. Go, Psychic Bombardment!"

Crown's monster raised its cannon arm and fired at Galaxy-Eyes, destroying it.

"I attack you directly."

As the monster raised its blade arm and came towards Hope, her face-down raised, "I activate Call of the Haunted to bring back Galaxy-Eyes Prime Photon Dragon."

"I call off my attack. But I do use the trap Galaxy Warping. This keeps xyz monsters from attacking. And I end my turn."

Hope drew (H SPC 5) (C SPC 4), "I activate Speed Spell – Photon Sanctuary. I have to pay two speed counters, but I get two Photon Tokens (H SPC 4) (DEF 0 x2)." Hope's duel runner slowed down until it was even with Crowns. "I end my turn."

Crown drew (Both SPC 5), "I pay four speed counters to activate Speed Spell – Card of Sanctity (C SPC 1). Now I summon another Armored Axon Kicker (ATK 2200). Now I overlay my three monsters."

The symbol on Crown's side disappeared and reappeared on her forehead, "I give into my envy. Come forth servant of Oblivion, Element of Vice – Envious Archfiend (ATK 3200)." As Crown spoke her monsters turned into overlay units and flew into a spiral portal in the air. The monster that came from the portal was a white creature with purplish

"What do you know about Oblivion?" Hope yelled.

"Oblivion is the one who gave me this card. This is the physical form of my envy."

"Who do you envy?"

Crown stopped and Hope lapped around to meet up with her. Crown began to speak, "I envy you. You have everything I can't. You have friends, a family that's there for you. You've even got a marefriend. All I've got is a father that won't pay me the time of day."

Hope had no idea that Crown was so sad, "I'm sorry Crown. If you had just told me that you wanted to be my friend I would have agreed."

"Well now I have something that wants to be my friend." Crown sped off and Hope drove to catch up with her. Crown continued to speak, "My Element is my friend now. And my friend wants to feed on envy. I activate the speed spell Overboost (C SPC 7). Now I pay two speed counters to activate the speed spell Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy my Galaxy Warping (C SPC 5). Now I activate the speed spell Silver Contrails. I pay two speed counters and this gives my Element 1000 more attack points (C SPC 3)(ATK 3200-4200). Envious Archfiend, attack Galaxy-Eyes."

The monster flew towards Galaxy-Eyes and punched it, but it wasn't destroyed. Hope looked at the life point screen and saw that it was actually Crown's points that dropped.

Ruby Crown: 8000-7800

"Why are your points lower?" Hope asked.

"When Envious Archfiend attacks, I use an overlay unit and pay life points to keep you and your monster safe from harm. But now, your monster goes to my side," as Crown spoke Galaxy-Eyes went to her side of the field. "Now my Galaxy-Eyes attacks you directly. I use your monster's effect (ATK 4000-6800)"

Hope was hit with a blast of light and her duel runner rocked from the force of the blast. Hope started to spin, but regained control.

Hope's Light: 8000-1200

"I set two cards and end my turn and your monster returns to you (ATK 4200-3200) (C SPC 1)."

Hope drew (H SPC 6) (C SPC 2).

That monster of hers is so powerful. I have to get it away from her so I can figure out what's going on.

"I activate the speed spell Negative Reflex. I need to pay all six speed counters for this card (H SPC 0). I when alight synchro or xyz monster is on the field I can summon a dark one from my extra deck. So come forth, Shadow Beast Dark Leviathan (ATK 4000)." Dark Leviathan appeared and Hope could feel its dark power beginning to emerge."

Do not hurt her.

"I will try, but she is using the spawn of Oblivion."

"I attack your monster with Galaxy-Eyes and use his effect (ATK 4000-8400). Go Eternity Photon Stream!"

Ruby Crown: 7800-2600

"Dark Leviathan. End this with Total Darkness Destroyer!"

"I activate Nutrient Z. the damage I take from this attack is evened out."

"I set two cards and end my turn."

Crown drew (H SPC 7) (C SPC 3), "I activate my Xyz Reborn to bring back Envious Archfiend (ATK 3200). I activate the effect of my monster; by using an overlay unit I can take a spell or trap you control and set it on my side. Now I end my turn."

Great, she set my Photon Shock. If I attack I'm going to go down. But perhaps a tie will knock this out of her.

Hope drew (H SPC 8) (C SPC 4), "I overlay Galaxy-Eyes and Dark Leviathan. I combine the forces of Dark and Light. Alone they are powerful, but together they are unstoppable. Come forth, Apophis the Chaos Snake (ATK 3000). I use two overlay units and attack you directly."

"I activate my face-down. Oh look, it's Photon Shock. Now both of us take the damage*."

Apophis shot a burst of energy at the Photon Shock and the card exploded.

Hope's Light: 1200-0

Ruby Crown: 2600-0

Cool exhaust shot out of Hope and Crown's duel runners as they slowed to a stop. Hope got off of her runner and ran towards Crown. Just before she got there she was thrown back by a blast of black energy. A cloaked figure appeared out of the blast.

Turvy teleported over to Hope and helped her up as the others ran over from the sidelines. Zach looked at the figure and asked, "Who are you?"

The figure lowered its hood, revealing the head of a black dragon with piercing red eyes, "I am the Herald of Oblivion, but you may call me Dagger."

Dagger placed his hand on Crown's duel runner and she freaked out, "Keep away from my runner you beast!"

The dark dragon looked at Crown and her eyes began to glow red as well. She fell unconscious and Dagger grabbed her and her deck.

"Since you tied my master can still use her," Dagger said. A ring of black and red energy appeared around him and he disappeared.

"I'm going to write letters to Celestia and Cadence," Spike said.

*I changed to effect of Photon Shock to During a battle that involves a light monster. Apophis is treated as light and dark.