Chapter 23: Arcadia

I'm using the anime names of Numbers 101 and 102 and the anime effect of CXyz Barian. Number 100 belongs to Vile.

Hope wrapped her forelegs tightly around Galaxy-Eyes as they flew through the void. The second they entered the void, Hope shut her eyes tightly, but the image of pure nothingness burned itself into her mind. Galaxy-Eyes released Oblivion and the unholy beast began to try and grab ahold. Galaxy-Eyes pulled itself and Hope back into reality, leaving Oblivion in the void.

Hope opened her eyes and quickly inhaled. Then she checked her body and found that everything was normal, meaning her wings were gone. After a few minutes of checking herself she realized that she was completely alone in the Crystal Stadium.

"Where is everypony?" she asked aloud. She put a hoof to her face and realized that her glasses were gone, but she could see just fine.

Darkness appeared in its normal smoky form, but its red eyes were staring behind Hope, "Turn around."

Hope turned around and saw a sphere of dark energy suspended in the air near the Crystal Palace, "But that's-."

"Correct."

"But that means we've gone back in time nearly seventeen years."

"That explains so much."

Hope turned towards Darkness, "What do you mean? Have you seen me in the past?"

"No, but I could have sworn I fired your father into a fissure. He should have died. But it was like an outside force saved him."

Hope began to run in the direction of the exit, "If I'm supposed to be there I need to get there."

"But if you are seen by anypony you could disrupt the entire space-time continuum."

Hope stopped and tried to use magic. Her horn flickered a somewhat grey color before going out. Her own magic reserves were spent.

"I will help you meld with the shadows until your own magic returns."

Hope's body melted into the shadows. It felt strange to be a shadow. It was somewhat cold and her vision was more in auras than real sight. But it was nothing compared to her experience in the void.

"Where were we, exactly?"

"That was the void between universes. It is something mortals are never meant to see. Any more exposure and you could have died from exposure, or worse."

"What's worse than dying in the middle of a total void?"

Darkness was silent. Hope materialized in an alley and looked at the area under the orb of darkness. She could see Ditzy, Dinky, and Sparkler staring at the orb with wide eyes. If she looked hard enough, Hope could see a small pudge in Ditzy's belly. She smiled at the knowledge that she was in there.

Suddenly, the orb exploded and a human shape fell to the ground. Hope could see Darkness floating above the ground, which was covered in a cloud of smoke.

"I attack you directly!"

As the stream of energy was fired from Darkness' maw, Hope blindly ran into the smoke. She reached out with her magic and felt something. She pulled it towards her and the smoke cleared to reveal a younger (and human) Zach.

"Who are you?" Zach asked in confusion

"Repeat after me," a voice whispered to Hope, "Just trust me."

"You don't need to know that right now," Hope answered quickly, repeating the voice, "Just remember what Faust said to you."

Before Hope could see Zach's reaction the entire world faded from view. When she could see again she was in an enormous library.

"Have I died and gone to Twilight's version of heaven?"

"I assure you that you aren't dead," the voice said again. Hope looked around the library to see Faust sitting at a table, writing in a few scrolls.

"W-where am I?" Hope asked.

"You are in the center of your universe," Faust said, "It looks different to everyone who sees it, though your father saw it as a library too."

Hope raised an eyebrow, "When did Dad come here?"

"Just after his duel with Darkness."

A chair materialized behind Hope and she sat down. She looked down at her hooves, "I hope he's alright."

Faust smiled and said, "Both your father and your marefriend are fine. Your Zach's body has been healed and Timid Turvy's soul is returned to its rightful place."

"So the Element of Vice is gone and the damage with it, right?"

Faust nodded, "The power of your father's Element of Vice has been removed. There will be some remnants of it, though."

"What do you mean by remnants?"

Faust was about to answer when a cuckoo clock appeared and made the annoying noise.

"Woops," Faust said, "That's all the time we have. Back to Equestria with you."

Hope suddenly awoke in a hospital bed. A Crystal Pony Doctor was tending to her.

"How did I get here?" Hope asked.

"You were found in the main square about ten minutes after you disappeared," the doctor replied.

"Where's my family and friends?"

"Your family has been splitting time between seeing you and seeing your father. The last one on watch was your brother-in-law, the dragon. He left to get a snack."

Hope grinned. It was typical Spike.

Spike walked in while holding a candy bar and dropped it when he saw Hope, "Hope! You're awake!"

Hope nodded, "Has Dad or Turvy woken up yet?"

"Turvy woke up about the same time you disappeared. Zach woke up about half an hour ago. What the hay happened to you?"

"I'll explain later."

[Weeks Later]

Hope had explained most of what happened to everypony (she left out meeting a goddess for obvious reasons). For a few days Zach was a little bit depressed, but everypony was able to get him back to normal. Within time, the first day of school came.

After the first day of school was over, Hope and her friends were walking back to her house. The main topic of discussion was the beginning of Hope's senior year.

"How is it to only have one more year left?" Blitz asked.

"It's…making me nervous," Hope said, "I just hope everything ends up going well."

Cherry Pie pulled a slip of paper out of Hope's saddlebag, "You're taking some pretty advanced classes. I mean, Magic Physics?"

"It's necessary for the school I want to go to," Hope said, taking her schedule back.

"What school is that?"

"I-I'll let you know whenever I get accepted, not before."

Everypony decided to drop it. After a few minutes the friends stopped at Hope's house, where they were greeted by Ditzy, Hope, and a hot plate of muffins. Muffin eating ensued.

After a few minutes Zach went upstairs and brought back down a packet of cards, "Hope, I don't know if you feel the same way, but I don't accept you being the world champion. It's nothing against you, but I wasn't able to duel how I wanted. I was under the control of something else."

Hope smiled, "I was thinking the same thing. How about we settle this now?"

Zach tossed Hope the packet, "I want you to put these in your deck. They're some old cards and some new cards that haven't been publically released yet, but you might like them."

Hope looked at the cards and smiled, "Give me ten minutes."

Twelve minutes later Hope had her deck remade and was standing across from Zach outside of their house. Strangely, Zach didn't have a duel disk.

"I've been practicing this," Zach said. His eyes glowed red for a second and a duel disk appeared. It was similar to the ZeXal duel disk, but pure red. "Wrath left enough energy in me that I can create a duel disk without an Element of Harmony. I'm still as normal as ever, though."

"Well," Hope shrugged, "If you don't try to kill me I'm fine."

Hope's Light: 8000

Zach: 8000

"Age before beauty," Zach stated, "My draw! I'll start out with a new field spell; I activate Sphere Field."

A yellow orb that appeared to be made up of cards appeared high in the air. Hope and Zach floated into the sphere and stayed inside.

"This is so weird," Hope said, spinning upside down, "What kind of card is this?"

Zach grinned, "It took me forever to get this right. First off, we can special summon a random Number from our extra decks by using two monsters with the same level in our hooves as overlay units. If a Number special summoned by this effect has no overlay units, it's destroyed. Now I overlay the Gagaga Magician and ZeXal Weapon Unicorn Spear in my hoof!"

A card flew out of the back of Zach's duel disk and he caught it with a hoof, "I xyz summon Number 13: Paradise (ATK 2400). I set a card and end my turn."

Hope drew, "You've got some nice cards, but I've also got some. I reveal Rank-Up-Magic The Seventh One! Now I activate it and summon Number 107: Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon (ATK 3000)." Tachyon appeared and roared. "Now I rebuild the overlay network with Tachyon Dragon. Go, Chaos Xyz Evolution! Appear, Chaos Number 107: Neo Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon (ATK 4500). Now I'll use your own field spell against you; I overlay Photon Thrasher and Galaxy Wizard."

A card flew out of Hope's extra deck and orbited her once before she caught it, "Appear, Number 101: Silent Honors Ark Knight (ATK 2100)."

"When did she get that card?" Cinnamon asked.

"It must have been one of the cards Zach gave her," Dusk answered.

"I activate the effect of Tachyon Dragon," Hope declared, "By using an overlay unit I can negate the effects of all other cards on the field and prevent you from using that face-down. Go, Time Tyrant! Now I attack with Tachyon Dragon." Tachyon fired right through Paradise."

Zach: 8000-5900

"Ark Knight," Hope continued, "Attack him directly!"

"I activate the effect of Gagaga Gardna," Zach countered, "Tachyon's effect doesn't extend to my hand, so I can bring out this guy (DEF 2000)."

"I still continue my attack!"

"I discard my last card to negate the attack."

Hope looked at her hoof, "I set a card and end my turn."

Zach drew, "I summon Tasuke Knight (ATK 1700). I overlay my two level four monsters and xyz summon Number 39: Utopia (ATK 2500). Utopia, attack Ark Knight!"

"I use the effect of Number 101; I can use an overlay unit to stop its destruction!"

Hope: 8000-7600

"I'll end my turn there."

Hope drew, "I activate Xyz Treasure. This allows me to draw a card for each xyz monster on the field; there are three." Hope pulled the top three cards of her deck. "Now I use the effect of Sphere Field again. I overlay the two Galaxy Knights on my hoof and xyz summon another Number." A card flew from Hope's extra deck and she caught it. "I xyz summon Chaos Number 104: Umbral Horror Masquerade (ATK 3000). When this monster's special summoned I can destroy a spell or trap on the field. I think that I'll destroy the Sphere Field!"

The sphere began to fall apart. Discord quickly teleported the duelists to the ground before they fell.

"Why would you destroy the Sphere Field?" Zach asked, "You were benefiting from it more than me."

"I know that the first chance you get you'll spam the field with Utopia's," Hope replied, "Right now I'm gonna focus on one. Masquerade, attack Utopia!"

"I activate Utopia's effect; go, Light-Wing Shield!" The attack was blocked

"Well, take the next attack is going be by Tachyon. Go, Ultimate Tachyon Spiral!"

"Utopia, negate the attack!"

"Next I attack with Ark Knight. You know what Utopia's effect does."

Ark Knight's blast fired right through Utopia. Some stray shots also hit Zach.

Zach: 5900-3800

"That's it for my turn."

Zach drew, "I activate Rank-Up-Magic Admiration of the Thousands! This card allows me to rank-up a Number in my graveyard. I rank-up my Utopia. Go, Chaos Xyz Evolution! Icombine the force of two worlds into one form…"

"So he's coming" Hope thought, recognizing the chant.

"Appear, Chaos Number 39: Utopia Ray V (ATK 2600)." Ray V appeared and raised its swords. "I use Ray V's only overlay unit to target and destroy Tachyon! Go, V-Blade Shoot!" Tachyon was obliterated, hitting Hope with some of the shrapnel from the metallic dragon.

Hope: 7600-3100

"Now I attack Ark Knight!"

"I negate his destruction!"

Hope: 3100-2600

Zach smirked, "Since Sphere Field is gone your monster stays around for one more turn."

"That's not all," Hope replied, "I activate The Greatest Duo of the Seven Emperors. Since I took battle damage from a Chaos Number you control, I get to bring out two new numbers. Appear, Chaos Numbers 102 and 103: Unholy Lightning - Noble Daemon and Ragnafinity (ATK 2900 & 2800)."

"Nice. I end my turn."

Hope drew, "This is the last turn Dad. I activate the spell Over-Hundred Nova. This allows me to put all The Over-Hundred Chaos Numbers in my extra deck and grave into my spell and trap card zone." All of the Chaos Number's appeared behind Hope."

"I activate my face-down card, Hope Overlimit! This allows me to xyz summon a Utopia monster from my extra deck using one on the field. I overlay Utopia Ray V and xyz summon Number 99: Utopia Dragun (ATK 4000)!"

"Well, I overlay all seven of my monsters to build the overlay network. I xyz summon Chaos Xyz Barian Hope (ATK 0)! His attack points become equal to the number of overlay units it has times a hundred, and it has seven (ATK 7000). Barian, attack Utopia Dragon!"

Zach: 3100-100

"I set a card and end my turn."

"Then the second effect of Hope Overlimit activates," Zach stated, "Both our life points becomes equal to half the difference between our current points."

Hope: 2600-1250

Zach: 100-1250

By this point both duelists are smiling, but covered in scrapes. Everypony wanted to stop the duel, but they knew neither one would give up now.

"I draw!" Zach declared, "I activate Pot of Greed to draw two more cards. Now I summon Goblindburgh and Gagaga Magician. Hope, you are about to see a monster that you've never seen me play and probably never will again. With these two monsters I build the overlay network. Being born of Hope and Love, descend to unleash a bright future. Appear, Number 100: Arcadia (ATK 2200)."

The monster that appeared was similar to Utopia, but was closer to a teenager. Also, it didn't have the faceplate.

"Now I use the effect of Arcadia-."

"I pay four hundred points to negate your monster's effect," Hope quickly countered.

Hope: 1250-850

Zach smirked, "I knew you would be too quick on the draw. I use Arcadia's other effect; I negate that effect of Barian and all other effects (ATK 7000-0)."

"Barian," Hope whispered.

"This card is the child of Numbers 39 and 13 and is able to stop all of their effects. Now I use the fist effect of Arcadia; it gains a hundred points for each xyz summon performed this duel, except its own (ATK 2200-3100). Arcadia, attack Barian with Future Blade."

"I activate Draw Reset Battle," Hope countered, "This card negates your attack and forces us to draw a card. If we don't use the card this turn, we lose."

"So everything rides on this battle?"

"Yep."

Both Zach and Hope's decks began to glow golden. Zach's duel disk began to change back into his Harmony Disk while Hope's began to morph into a yin-yang.

"I-I have my Element back," Zach said in amazement.

"Then use it," Hope demanded with a smile, "GO, Chaos Draw!"

Zach pulled his top card, "Go, Harmony Draw! I activate Double or Nothing! This card doubles my monster's attack and allows me to attack again (ATK 3100-6200)."

Hope placed the card she drew on her duel disk, "I activate Glorious Seven! This prevents my monster's destruction and makes you take the same damage as me!"

Hope: 850-0

Zach: 1250-0

"So," Turvy said, "It's a tie?"

"No," Zach said, "Right Hope?"

Hope nodded, "After the battle, Glorious Seven makes my life points equal to the change in my opponent's*."

"Wait," Dusk said, "That means…"

"I lose," Zach finished.

Hope: 0-1250

Zach and Hope walked over to each other and collapsed to the ground.

"After all these years," Hope breathed, "I finally beat you."

"Yep," Zach whispered back, "You're truly the best. I'm proud of you."

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In an empty room, a cloaked figure watched the ending of Hope and Oblivion's duel.

"You were incorrect about the outcome of that duel," a voice said from the shadows.

The figure nodded, "I believed that Oblivion would have destroyed us all. But I am a stallion of my word."

"Good."

A card materialized from the shadows. On the artwork was a black mask designed to be worn over the top half of the face. The figure grasped the card in a pale magic aura.

"Soon," the figure whispered, "The pain will be gone."

The card transformed into the mask it portrayed and the figure put it on his face.

The shadows seemed to grow darker and whispered one word.

"Nightshroud."

Yes, I changed the final effect of Glorious Seven. Just wait, for the final story in the trilogy.