Yu-gi-oh/MLP Season 1 Chapter 10
The Hunt's Conclusion
Rainbow offered a glass of water to Scootaloo. "You okay, little guy?" The little girl smiled weakly before taking a drink. "Don't push yourself so hard. I only have the one of you." With that, Rainbow Dash kissed her on the forehead before getting off the bed to talk to Dr Faker, their father. "How long are you going to force her to do this?"
"Well, that depends." Dr Faker replied. He was a rather tall, emaciated man with scraggly hair and beady eyes. "How many number cards do you have left to collect?" Rainbow Dash lowered her head, knowing full well she wasn't even close to finished. "That's what I thought. She will continue her work, and you will do yours. Speaking of, there is a task I have for you regarding that one duelist you fought, Sparkle was it?"
...
Rainbow Dash snuck into the locker room with relative ease. She was frankly disappointed at how easy it was. This was supposed to be the best school in Heartland. Regardless, she began opening the lockers one by one. "And you're sure that she won't barge in, Orbital?" "Positive, Lady Dash! I picked the perfect time when she won't even notice until we're long gone."
...
"Jump, jump, jump!" the students chanted as Twilight neared the edge of the diving board. Looking over to Spike and Pinkie Pie for reassurance, she held her breath and dived, causing a large splash in the gym pool. Tempus, however, noticed the door to the girl's locker room was open, meaning that someone was in there despite how she could account for all the students. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she decided to investigate.
...
"Got it!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she pulled the Emperor's Key out of Twilight's locker. "You must be Rainbow Dash." Ruby Rose said. "I've heard a lot about you. If you're smart, you'll put that back where you found it." Ruby was really hoping that she took the bait, for in truth, her arm was broken after an accident at the pool, so she was in no position to duel. In fact, the only reason she had entered the locker room was to find the first aid kit.
"I don't have time for this." Rainbow complained. "Orbital, take care of her." "Yes, Lady Dash." As Rainbow Dash leapt out of the window, Orbital transformed into a more combat-ready form, complete with duel disk. "What is the meaning of all of this?" Tempus demanded. "Roughhousing is not tolerated on school grounds."
"Tempus, run!" Ruby pleaded. "Yeah, don't get involved, interloper!" Orbital snapped. "Ruby, I am afraid that I must intervene." Tempus insisted. "We both know your arm was broken before, so as student council president, it is my duty to protect you." With that, Tempus readied her duel disk and duel gazer.
"I draw!" Tempus declared. "I summon Aye-Iron from my hand." A metallic wind-up primate hops in. (Level 4/1600) "Once per turn, Aye-Iron can gain 400 attack, but it can't attack that same turn." The primate clashes the two cymbals it's carrying together. (Aye-Iron 1600-2000) "I set a card face-down and end my turn."
Orbital laughs at the audacity of Tempus. "You're brave, but that won't be enough for you. I draw! I activate the field spell Robo-Circus!" All around them, the locker room transforms into a circus tent. "I then normal summon Super Defense Robot Lio!" A metallic lion appears. (Level 4/1200) "Once per turn, when a player normal summons a machine, they can also summon a Super Defense Robot. So I summon Super Defense Robot Elephan!" A large metallic elephant appears. (Level 8/1400)
"If I control another Super Defense Robot, I can double the level of Lio!" (Super Defense Robot Lio Level 4-8) "I use my level 8 Super Defense Robot Lio and Elephan in order to build the overlay network! I xyz summon Googly-Eyes Drum Dragon!" A massive metallic dragon appears with a large drum for a belly. (Rank 8/3000)
"I activate the spell March of the Machines! This turn, when a machine I control attacks, you can't activate any spells or traps. Googly-Eyes, crush that little tin can with Garbage Barrage of Destruction!" Googly-Eyes pulls its arm back before pummeling Aye-Iron. (Tempus 4000-3000) "I then activate the spell Robo-Punch! When my machine destroys your monster in battle, you take damage equal to your monster's attack points." Googly-Eyes punches Tempus this time. (Tempus 3000-1000) "Ahaha! That's what you get for standing in our way. I end my turn."
"Tempus, just hold on. I'll get some help." Ruby starts for the exit, but Tempus grabs her. "No. I don't need the help, and I want you to stay right here." Ruby is startled by Tempus's sudden cold voice. "I draw!" Tempus continues. "I activate the spell Upstart Goblin, drawing one card, but giving you 1000 life points." (Orbital 4000-5000)
"I then activate my face-down, Nonexistence!" Ruby gasps, recognizing the card. "The attack of all monsters I control becomes zero, but in exchange, if I control no monsters, I can summon level 10 or higher monsters without tribute. I summon Hailon the Timelord!" Tempus throws the card through the ring, causing the monster to appear. (Level 10/0)
Orbital laughs some more. "That's what you hope will save you? A monster with no attack points? You're joking!" "Hailon, attack his monster." The monster gathers bits of debris around itself. "When Hailon attacks, it isn't destroyed and I take no battle damage. Instead, after damage calculation, you take damage equal to the difference in our life points." Hailon pelts Googly-Eyes with the debris, most of it hitting Orbital in the crossfire. (Orbital 5000-1000)
"I then activate my spell card Time Shift, tributing one timelord in order to summon another. I choose Raphion!" The monster changes shape and color, from brown to green. (Level 10/0) "When Raphion attacks, your monster is returned to your hand and you take damage equal to its attack." Raphion gathers various streams of wind around itself before firing them at Googly-Eyes, tearing both it and Orbital apart. (Orbital 1000-0)
As the successful duelist walks towards the wrecked robot, Ruby starts trying to put her duel disk on, despite her injured arm. "Don't bother. If I wanted you dead, I wouldn't have saved you from that machine." "Who are you?" Ruby asked. "Really?"
"Believe it or not, Tempus was my real name." She gets up to face Ruby. "Before I became Zone. In fact, this was how my body looked when I was this age. I'm unsure why I was rejuvenated when we both arrived here, or why I arrived so much earlier than you. The intricacies of time travel, I suppose."
"Wait, you mean you know where we are?" Ruby asks. "Not exactly." Tempus answers. "I do know what happened. When you collided with the Divine Temple's core, it created a temporal rift, causing your intended effect of pulling the Divine Temple out of time. After that, we were sent adrift through the void until we hit this world. I suspect this is some alternate timeline, where any number of things are radically different from our world."
Ruby sat down on one of the benches, taking in what her former enemy had just said. "Does this mean that…" "No, I doubt that Penny is still alive. She and Coco were killed before the rift was created. But that is not the most pressing matter." Tempus kneels down to rip off Orbital's head. "I suspect that you'll wish to find out where they were taking Twilight's key."
Ruby stood back up. "Why do you want to help her? Why are you doing any of this?" Tempus moved to the wall, getting the first-aid kit out with one hand, the other carrying Orbital's head. "This world is different. It doesn't seem to be headed down the same path as Neo Domino City. I would like to keep it that way." She hands both objects she's carrying to Ruby. "Let's save the world together, Ruby Rose."
...
As Rainbow Dash hurried to the lab, she wasted no time, knowing that Twilight would soon be hot on her trail. She first activated the facility's security defenses before getting the lab's instruments ready to examine the key. After so much time spent stealing the key and then rushing back, the wait while the instruments did their work was agonizing.
Thankfully, Dash didn't have to wait too long as the results finally came in. As it turns out, there was a pocket dimension hidden inside the jewelry, and they only needed a way to access it to gain free reign to Twilight's numbers. Dash pulled out a spare Baria crystal from the vault and used it to enhance the power of the device working on the necklace. A portal appeared and she walked straight in.
The surroundings were pretty much what Rainbow Dash was expecting; a large physical representation of the external vessel, simply increased in size to match the apparent surroundings. She was also expecting the floating figure staring her down, as something like this was certain to have security. "You must be the guardian of this key." Rainbow Dash commented.
"In a sense." Starswirl answered. "I am Starswirl. Know this, Rainbow Dash; the Number cards are the pieces of my memories. Not only that, you must have seen the effects the number cards have on people who are unprepared. Please, if you have any sanity, surrender your number cards to me." Rainbow Dash smiled. "You're the source of the numbers, huh?" She quickly readied her duel disk and duel-gazer-like tattoo. "Then you'll be a fine prize for Doctor Faker." Starswirl sighed and conjured a duel disk for himself. "I was afraid of this. I draw! I set a monster and a card, then end my turn."
Rainbow Dash laughed at Starswirl. "Playing defense? What are you, chicken? I draw! I summon Reverse Buster!" A red and black devil carrying a large scythe appears. (Level 4/1500) "When Reverse Buster attacks a face-down monster, you can't activate any spells or traps, the face-down monster is automatically destroyed, and Reverse Buster gains 500 attack!" In a flash, Reverse Buster slices Starswirl's face-down in half, revealing it to be Force Magician. (Reverse Buster 1500-2000) "I set a card and end my turn. This time, try to actually put up a fight."
"I draw." Starswirl says. He had to admit, it was difficult to not fly away in terror, the memories of his and Twilight's near defeat at Rainbow Dash's hands still haunting him. It was all he could do to maintain his composure. "I summon Necromancer in defense mode." (Level 4/0) "Necromancer lets me revive a level 4 or lower monster from my graveyard. I bring back Force Magician, again in defense mode." The necromancer dances, and Force Magician crawls out of the ground.
"I set two cards and end my turn. Please, Rainbow Dash, listen to me." Starswirl pleaded. "Whatever reason you have to hunt numbers for this Doctor Faker, it won't bring you happiness." Rainbow's expression grimaced. "You know nothing about my reasons for hunting, and I don't take advice from alien freaks!"
Rainbow Dash drew her card with fury. "I activate my face-down Photon Hurricane, returning spells and traps you control to your hand, up to the number of cards in my hand." She proudly waves the five cards in her hand as all of Starswirl's face-downs are returned to his own hand. "I then tribute Reverse Buster to summon Photon Leo!" A luminescent lion with two extra claws on its back appears. (Level 6/2100)
"When Photon Leo is normal summoned, you have to shuffle your hand into the deck, then draw that many cards." Starswirl's cards glow as they fly back into his deck. He then draws five new cards. "I equip Photon Leo with Photon Spear!" A golden spear appears on one of the extra claws. "Now Photon Leo can deal piercing battle damage. Attack Necromancer with Photon Charge!"
Photon Leo strikes at the shaman, clawing at its guts. (Starswirl 4000-1900) "I think I get it now, why you haven't made a move on me." Dash realizes. "You were there, with that nerd from before, weren't you? So you saw how I thrashed her with Galaxy Eyes and now you're too scared to put up a real fight, aren't you?" Dash chuckles to herself. "Oh, that's disappointing. I set a card and end my turn."
...
It was a relatively short matter, hacking Orbital's systems to find the location of Rainbow Dash, especially after they recruited Miss Cheerilee. (Though it was more along the lines of blackmail, as Tempus threatened to report her for the time she nearly destroyed the city) After that, Tempus, Ruby, Miss Cheerilee, and Twilight raced to the building as fast as they could, which was closer than they were expecting, so they only needed to walk.
The building itself had a large imposing door that they rightfully assumed wouldn't open if they knocked politely, so Miss Cheerilee connected her duel disk to the door's keypad and, after a few minutes of hacking, managed to get the door open. "This is as far as I go." She proclaimed. "Hacking into a few devices is one thing, but running headfirst into deathtraps is quite another."
Thanking her, the three headed inside, running through the various hallways, trying to find the one with Twilight's key. After entering a particular hallway, they were greeted with two large robots similar in design to Orbital. "I guess we're on the right track, then." Ruby remarked. Twilight tried to get near the side, hoping to sneak past the mechanical guards, but the one closest to her shoved its fist into the ground in front of her, blocking her path.
"Leave this to us, Twilight." Tempus assured her as she readied her duel disk and stood next to Ruby, letting the latter play cards with her psychic power using only the one arm. Ruby summoned Crescent Rose and had it battle with the two robots, creating a chaotic battle with Twilight left waiting for the right moment to get in.
...
She's right, Starswirl laments. I have been disappointing. Ruby has been teaching Twilight and I how to conquer our fears, but here I am, cowering like a child hiding under the covers. It's time to honor my teacher and my friend. "I draw! I activate Monster Reborn to bring back Force Magician!" Force magician revives from the ground. "I then activate Star Point, which summons itself as a monster!" (Level 4/0)
"I overlay my level four Force Magician and Star Point! Appear, Number 25: Star Sparkle!" (Rank 4/2500) "Star Sparkle, destroy Photon Leo with Star Power!" Star Sparkle fires an energy beam that destroys Photon Leo. (Rainbow Dash 4000-3600) Rainbow smiles at Starswirl's newfound courage. "That's more like it! It'll make it more satisfying when I crush you! I activate my face-down Armored Back, reviving Photon Leo and Photon Spear, and protecting Leo from destruction by battle or card effects this turn!" Photon Leo's destruction reverses, leaving it just as it was.
"I set a card and end my turn." Starswirl declares, this time more proudly. "I draw!" Dash cries out with excitement. "I summon Photon Circle!" A luminescent being in robes appears. (Level 4/1000) "A monster equipped with Photon Spear counts as two tributes. So let's see if you've really conquered your fear." The same shuriken from before appears in Dash's hand, causing Starswirl to gasp.
"The galaxy that lurks in the darkness. Become the light of hope and my very servant." As before, Rainbow Dash throws the object into the sky, where it creates a multi-color explosion. "The embodiment of light, now descend! Appear now, Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon!" (Level 8/3000)
"Galaxy Eyes, attack Star Sparkle!" Galaxy Eyes flies in close to Star Sparkle, but before it can attack, Rainbow snaps her fingers, causing the two monsters to vanish. "Now, Photon Circle, attack him directly!" The robed figure creates a golden circle and throws it at Starswirl. (Starswirl 1900-900) "At the end of my battle phase, both our monsters come back, with things more in my favor, of course."
Sure enough, as the two monsters reappear, Star Sparkle's overlay units are absorbed into Galaxy Eyes. (Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon 3000-4000) "I expected that move." Starswirl taunts. "Let's see if you expected this!" Dash replies. "I activate Galaxy Storm, which destroys an xyz monster with no overlay units." Starswirl smirks as he activates his spell card. "I activate my face-down, Dimensional Return! Since Star Sparkle was summoned this turn, I can deal damage to you equal to its level or rank times 200, and it can't be destroyed by cards or effects this turn." Star Sparkle fires four golden balls of energy at Rainbow Dash. (Rainbow Dash 3600-2800)
...
As Crescent Rose stood over the destroyed robots, it let out a triumphant roar. The three students took no time to celebrate as they ran past the wreckage and into the laboratory, where the glowing portal was. "We'll stay here to guard the entrance." Ruby told Twilight. "Go and save Starswirl." Twilight nods as she enters the portal.
...
"Ooh, I bet you think you're so clever, huh?" The girl sarcastically remarks. "Well, Galaxy Eyes is still stronger! I end my turn." Starswirl closes his eyes and thinks of Twilight. "I draw! It's time to show you the power of my bond with Twilight! I use Number 39: Star Sparkle in order to rebuild the overlay network!"
Star Sparkle retracts into his sealed form and enters the overlay network. "Appear, Chaos Number 39: Star Sparkle Nova!" (Rank 4/2500) "A chaos number?" Rainbow repeats in disbelief. "I activate the effect of Star Sparkle Nova, spending an overlay unit to gain 1000 attack for every spell in my graveyard. Magical Potency!" Star Sparkle absorbed the overlay unit into his staff, causing it to be covered in electricity. (Star Sparkle Nova 2500-3500)
"Star Sparkle Nova, attack Photon Circle with Nova Power!" Star Sparkle directs his staff, and the electricity surrounding him flies towards Circle. "With Photon Circle's effect, any battle damage I take from battles involving it is halved." The figure creates another circle that shields Rainbow before it is destroyed by the electricity. (Rainbow Dash 2800-1550) "I set a card and end my turn." Starswirl says. "As I do, Star Sparkle Nova's effect wears off." (Number C39: Star Sparkle Nova 3500-2500)
Rainbow wipes off the dust from her coat. "Interesting. I'm sure Doctor Faker will love to see how he can force you to make new ones. I draw! Galaxy Eyes, attack Star Sparkle Nova with Photon Stream of Destruction!" Galaxy-Eyes breathes out a rainbow-colored stream at Star Sparkle. "I activate my face-down Stardust Void, reducing the battle damage from your attack on my spellcaster to zero and ending the battle phase!" The stream is absorbed into a black portal which disappears soon after.
"Nice trick." Rainbow admits. "But you can't hold on forever. I end my turn." As she does, a bright flash of light alerts the two to Twilight's arrival. "Starswirl!" Twilight cries out as she rushes to him. "Twilight!" He replies. "Aw, how sweet." Dash says with fake sincerity. "But if you don't mind, I'm in the middle of dueling him!"
"You're wrong about that, Rainbow Dash." Twilight responds. "You're dueling the both of us, just as you did before. We're never being separated like that again!" Suddenly, Twilight's surroundings are replaced with a narrow stone bridge and a large door. Twilight recognized it as the same door she opened before all of this began. Twilight Sparkle, it whispered in her head. You will gain a new power, but lose something in exchange. Are you willing to make this sacrifice?
Twilight nods promptly, having no hesitation. The door opens, with a bright light pouring through. Back in the Emperor's Key, Twilight and Starswirl gain a purple and golden aura, respectively. The two then fly towards each other, creating a blinding light that causes Rainbow Dash to shield her eyes. Once the light fades, what is left standing seems to be Twilight, but she is now covered in a golden armor.
"This is our new power," the new form declares. "The power of Zexal! It's our turn, Shining Draw!" As Zexal draws, the card shines a gleaming glow. "I summon Zexal Weapon Unicorn Spear!" A unicorn in golden armor appears. (Level 4/1900) "It can equip itself to Star Sparkle Nova as an equip spell." Unicorn Spear transforms itself into a spear which Star Sparkle picks up. (Star Sparkle Nova 2500-4400)
"Star Sparkle Nova, attack Galaxy Eyes with Nova Spear Power!" Star Sparkle charges towards Galaxy Eyes, spear in hand. "And when it attacks, Galaxy Eye's effects are negated." The light from Galaxy Eye's body fades away as it battles Star Sparkle. (Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon 4000-3000) This turn of events pulls Rainbow out of her shock. "I activate my face-down Photon Shock! When my Photon monster battles, you take any battle damage I would take!" As Star Sparkle stabs Galaxy Eyes through the chest, the dragon leaks light through the wound before exploding. "I activate the quick-play spell Interference Punishment!" Zexal counters. "Since you activated a card or effect during my battle phase, you take 500 damage!" Star Sparkle fires a shot at Rainbow Dash before being caught in the blast (Rainbow Dash 1550-1050-0) (Zexal 900-0)
As Rainbow is sent back by the shot, she angles herself so that she can then jump through the portal and escape. Zexal doesn't chase after, splitting back into Starswirl and Twilight instead. "We did it!" Twilight exclaims. "Now, let's head back home." Starswirl comments.
...
The next day…
Twilight, Ruby, Spike and Pinkie Pie were walking down the street, having their usual conversations, when everyone but Twilight suddenly stopped dead in their tracks. "Is Rainbow around?" Twilight asked, ready for another fight. "I don't believe it is her." Starswirl answers as he points upward. Twilight looks up and sees three suns in the sky.
"What is that?" Twilight wonders. "It's the converging of the three worlds." Twilight jumps at the sudden appearance of Rainbow Dash. "Relax. I've learned my lesson about trying to hunt you. Like I said, this is the convergence of three worlds; Earth, Astral World, and Barian World." Something in Starswirl recognizes the name of the third world.
"Oh, that's right." Twilight realizes. "When I was in Zexal with Starswirl, I was able to see his current memories. The one from Number 87: Crimson Rose Dragon mentioned a world called Barian World." Dash nodded. "The two worlds are at war, and this is the result of one of their battles. Don't worry, it'll pass like nothing happened soon enough. I came here to tell you that the conflict between those two worlds is pouring into here, and has been for years, so you two had better be ready." With that, the former nemesis left the two to contemplate this while waiting for time to return.