"Ladies and gentlemen, after much anticipation, the Invitational Duel Monsters Tournament has reached its final two competitors. The first is none other than Ms. Applejack!" said the MC as a portrait of Aj appeared. "And her opponent, beating Indigo Zap in the semi-final, is Ms. Rainbow Dash!"
"These two duelists have a long and bitter rivalry that can be traced back to their years in high school. And now the latest chapter in this feud is about to be written. Because the winner will earn the right to challenge the World Champion at our next Preimuem Live Event: Crown Jewel in just over a month!" said the female broadcaster.
Watching the broadcast from the school's workout room was Mario; the boy was currently leaning against a wall with a towel over his shoulder as he was hearing the latest news involving his father.
"Hey, lover boy, what's the hold-up?!" called out Zipp as she approached her training partner. She then saw the broadcast as she was drawn in.
"Ladies and World Champion. I want to thank you all for having this sit down," said Juniper as she stood beside her client.
A table was set up where Applejack and Rainbow sat on opposite ends, looking at each other, while Isaac was at the head of the table.
"Now then, as you know, you both have fought your way in this tournament and nearly at the end. However... there can only be one winner. And that winner will face my client for the title of World Champion." stated Juniper. "Now, please use this time to tell each other and everyone watching what you want to say to either your opponent or my client."
"Same old Dash. Even after all these years, you're still the same hot-tempered girl we were in high school."
"And you're the same old farmer that sells the same apples back then."
"At least sellin' apples ain't goin' out of style. Unlike you," snickered Aj as Rainbow growled.
"Girls, if I may," said Isaac as he chimed in. "We all know how important this upcoming match is. You two have been at each other's throats since we were teens. Back when I met you two, I could tell you both were competitive against each other. Wanting to see and prove who was the better duelist. And isn't it ironic that right now, we're in the same position we were in high school?"
"What do you mean?" asked Rainbow.
"I became the top duelist at our school. And every day following that, you or you tried to beat me. But I always managed to come out on top. And look at where we are now. History repeats itself." said Isaac.
"You're right, city slicker. History does repeat itself. And right now, me and Dash are lookin' to write the next chapter in our rivalry. But let's not forget about our rivalry, sugarcube." said Applejack as she looked at Isaac. "Since we graduated, how often have we hit each other as hard as possible? How often have people talked about how physical our duels have been?"
"Hold on! You're already looking ahead at Isaac like you're gonna run over me?!" said Rainbow as she got Aj's attention. "You're seriously underestimating me? Like I'm gonna let you disrespect me and my accolades!"
"You've never put my name on a jersey!" stated Applejack.
"You're right; you've never been on a jersey. But I can have one custom-made for your country ass any day of the week and hang in the rafters!" said Rainbow biting back at her rival. "You forget, Applejack. I am HER! And when I shoot, I don't miss!"
"Yeah... except when it's against Isaac," snickered Applejack as Isaac smiled smugly while Rainbow growled hearing the comment. "I mean, last time you took him on, you missed big time!"
Applejack's comments were ticking off Rainbow as she growled.
"And in front of the whole world!"
"Shut up, Aj! Shut up!" shouted Dash as she cut off her opponent. "Hey, at least I've been in a main event and not stuck on some apple-pickin farm selling fruit for two bits!"
Applejack was now offended by hearing that.
"Oh, you wanna go there, huh, Dash!"
"You already went there, Aj! I'm a main eventer; I'm not some undercard! The spotlight is on me, 24/7! I've had more duels here than you've had sellin' apples!" shouted Dash. "You don't know what being in the thunderdome is like! You don't know what it's like to be in the main event because you've never been there, bitch! The most eyes you've ever had on you was when you dressed as a banana."
While Applejack and Rainbow stared at each other with such intensity and fury, Isaac leaned back in his chair with a smile. He could see that the upcoming duel between Aj and Dash might start early, so he decided to step in.
"You both forget one thing," said Isaac as he got the attention of his challengers. "And that's who is sitting at the head of the table: Me. And it's because of me that I've evaluated this game and what it means to be a World Champion to new heights. Now, I'm willing to do anything to keep this title as World Champion; the question is... which one of you is willing to do the same? Who has that killer instinct to take it to the next level? Who among you two has enough ruthless aggression!" shouted Isaac as he hyped Rainbow and Applejack, who went back to staring at each other.
"Whoever has that will have the honor of being my opponent at Crown Jewel. But... girls, don't get your hopes up high. Because regardless of who it is, the result will be the same. I'm gonna retain and walk out as World Champion. Because... When you come for the Prince, you best not miss!"
With that final line by Isaac, Rainbow and Applejack stood up and stared each other down. Each put their hand out begrudgingly to shake the other.
"Gentleman and ladies. We look forward to tomorrow night's duel," said Juniper as the last shot was of the three duelists looking at each other while Aj and Dash kept their firm handshake. With that, the broadcast ended.
Mario just sighed after seeing the live feed end as he began to think about his father. He was so distracted that he didn't hear Zipp trying to get his attention until she shook his shoulder.
"Hey, Mario!"
"Hmm."
"I said, you ready to go?" asked the girl.
"Uh, yeah," said the boy as he followed her.
For the next hour, the two teens used the weight room as they were looking to get some exercise in. Mario was sitting on a bench, curling some weights as he was focused on setting a new record. The boy took his eyes off and saw Zipp running on a treadmill with some earphones plugged in. The girl was pushing herself to set a new record and increase her speed, the sweat flying off her and how she looked in her workout clothes. It was just impossible to look away from her. Her slender yet tight red shorts showed off her muscular legs, and the way that her shirt-covered breasts bounced up and down while she was running just captured Mario's attention in an unbreakable grip.
Soon, the girl pushed the button to get the treadmill to stop. It started to slow down as she did the same and began to breathe. Mario finally snapped out of his gaze of checking out the girl as he put the weight down, flexed his hand, and rotated his arms to let out any tense muscles. Zipp then approached him as the girl wiped her forehead with her towel.
"You good?" asked the girl as she stood over her friend.
"Yeah," responded the boy.
"Good, then spot me."
Mario stood up from the bench he was sitting on as he went to get Zipp's desired weights. Once he got what she wanted, Zipp laid herself on the bench while Mario took his position directly behind her. Her hands quickly reached up and gripped the bar before she let out a groan as she lifted the bar off of the support hooks. She slowly let the bar fall to just a few inches above her breasts before pushing it back up.
"One!" She grunts before repeating the process.
This continued until Zipp reached her set limit of 10 reps before she and Mario switched places. While adjusting the weights to his preference, he noticed she wasn't even breaking a sweat yet. The boy then took his spot on the bench before lying on his back. Just as he positioned himself, Zipp took her spot behind Mario. Now, whether she was meaning to or not, she had her shorts roughly inches from the top of his head. This meant that the boy would be staring completely up the front of Zipp's body for the duration of his set. This rare point of view was beginning to make him feel something.
Oh, you've got to be kidding me.
Putting whatever dirty thought was trying to form in his head, Mario raised his hands to the bar; Zipp bent herself forward, leaning over the bar.
Oh, come on!
Mario cried out in thought as she gave him a full view of her upper body, making the earlier dirty thought return.
"What's the matter, lover boy?" Zipp asked. "You haven't even lifted the bar and already sweating." She then chuckled while looking down at Mario. "Don't worry. I'll make sure that you're in the best shape possible."
Then stop trying to tease me.
Sighing internally, Mario lifted the bar off the hooks, letting it drop until it touched his chest, then pushing it back up.
"One!"
Mario grunted while staring at Zipp as she gave him a full view of her upper body. While he continued, the boy noticed her eyes drift down his body before suddenly jerking back to look down at him. His gym shorts were always a little loose while standing, so he'd been able to hide any "extensions." But now that he was lying on his back, the shorts were hanging to the sides of the bench, exposing his front to all who could see. After quickly getting through his set of reps, everything seemed to continue normally, though, with Mario and Zipp adjusting the weights to her preference before she laid herself down again.
Half an hour passed before the pair stopped and moved on to their next exercise.
"Alright, Mario," Zipp said, walking to the squat racks. "Since we've worked on our upper body strength. Now's the time to work on our leg strength. Just to get a balanced workout in."
"Oh, uh... right," Mario replies, following her to the rack she had selected. As they walked over, Mario watched as Zipp wiped her forehead off, clearly showing the signs of fatigue yet not wanting to call it a day. "You doing okay there, rich girl?"
"Yeah." She replies. "Just a little hot from the bench."
"You need some water?"
"Well..." She says, putting her hand up to her chin. "Yeah, I'll be back." Zipp then walked over to the water fountain in a weird way. She was swinging her hips back and forth in a... seductive sort of way.
Is she... trying to... Focus, Mario! There's no way she'd be purposefully trying to turn you on.
Deciding to wait until she got back before Mario began putting weights on the squat bar, he leaned against the rack and watched Zipp chug down the water for a good minute before stopping. She sighed with relief before slowly wiping her lips off any excess drops of water.
"That's a little bit better." She says while walking back over towards you. "But I know something that could make me feel a little cooler."
"What would that be?" You ask, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
"Well... it might be a little awkward for me to ask you this." She replies while rubbing the back of her head.
"Awkward?" Mario said. "What do you want to ask?"
"Well..." She replies before pausing, cheeks turning slightly red. "Would... you mind if I... took off my shirt?" Mario's pupils shrunk after hearing what she had just asked.
Okay, she's just messing with me at this point.
The boy shook his head as he looked at the girl with a raised eyebrow.
"What if someone walks in?"
"We'd be able to hear them coming before they get in here," Zipp replied. "And they don't have security cameras in here either. No one would know except us. Trust me on this!" smiled the girl.
"Oh, why do I have a feeling this is gonna bite me in the ass," muttered Mario to himself as he rambled quietly. "Fine, whatever suits you!"
"Thanks, bud!" Zipp replied before wrapping her fingers around the bottom of her shirt.
She slowly began pulling the shirt up over her head, exposing her well-toned abdomen. Mario turned to look away so Zipp wouldn't think he was being a pervert, even though she asked him for permission before taking her shirt off.
"Mario," Zipp said. "It's alright to look."
After hearing that, his head slowly turned to look at her, only to have his pupils shrink again as Zipp stood before the boy in a black training bra. The girl giggled at Mario's reaction and struck a pose. "What's the matter, lover boy?" She asked in a playful tone. "Am I too awesome for you?"
Oh, you have no idea what you're doing?
The boy struggled with his inner thoughts before responding to the girl.
"No! I mean, yes! I mean..." Mario stuttered, only making Zipp chuckle some more.
"Ha, ha! I'm just messing with you, dude. Lighten up." said the girl as she playfully punched Mario's shoulder while winking at him with a flick of her tongue. "Now, how about we get started on our squats before we go."
After a few minutes of putting weights on the bar, Zipp took her position underneath it while Mario stood behind her.
"Don't think about it, Mario." The boy repeats to himself repeatedly as Zipp put the bar on her shoulders and went down before coming back up.
"One!" said the girl, interrupting Mario's thoughts.
Zipp repeated the process repeatedly as the boy kept spotting her. Trying his best to focus on her and not her firm, sexy butt that was going up and down. Eventually, it was his turn, and he did the same procedure as Zipp before finishing his reps. The girl then looked at the clock to notice the time.
"That late, already, huh? Guess we better get going!" stated the girl as Mario set the bar back on the rack after wiping it down.
"Yeah," replied the boy as the girl picked up her shirt before heading to her gym bag and putting it on her shoulder.
"See ya tomorrow, bud," said Zipp as she left.
Mario sighed as he just sat down on the floor and ran a hand through his hair. The boy was drenched in sweat and thoughts about what happened with the girl he was just with.
Okay, she has to have been messing with me, right? All those... movements. There's no way, right?
The arena hosting the final round of the Invitational Duel Monsters Tournament was packed to the rafters. The crowd was already placing their bets on who would walk out the winner between Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Multiple cameras were being operated as they broadcast the event to the homes and screens of everyone worldwide. Isaac watched from his private skybox as he and Juniper were interested in seeing who would win. At CHS, the gang had gathered in Roll and Mario's dorm as they saw the event from the sibling's living room.
Soon, the duel got underway as both Applejack and Rainbow were shown entering from opposite sides of the arena and walking forward on the walkway. The two rivals saw each other as they got closer and closer to the field; a million thoughts ran through their head as they prepared to battle. The two reached the field as they stood and looked at each other; they then glanced upward to see Isaac as they knew the richest prize was one duel away.
"Alright, if you're both ready. Return to your respective sides. You may shake hands if you wish!" said the official as Applejack and Rainbow just turned their backs on each other and walked to their side.
Once they reached their spot, they quickly turned around as they turned on their duel disks, and slotted in their decks. Applejack projected a green card tray while Rainbow projected a sky blue; the two long rivals looked ready to battle and find out which one would earn the right to become World Champion.
"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their devices.
Applejack's Life Points: 8000-
Rainbow Dash's Life Points: 8000-
"Let's duel!" shouted both Aj and Dash with intense looks as they fanned their cards out.
Turn 1: Rainbow (Hand 5)
"I'm starting this duel the way I like it, fast!" said Rainbow as she drew. "Since I control no cards, I activate my spell, Speedraw! Now, I can draw two more cards as long as I send a 'Speedroid' monster from my hand to my graveyard. So, I'm choosing to send my Speedroid Tri-Eyed Dice. Then I'm summoning my Speedroid Double Yoyo(1400/1400)!" A machine with two giant yoyos as wheels emerged as it zoomed into place. "Then I activate Double Yoyo's ability! It allows me to revive a Level 3 or lower 'Speedroid' in my graveyard. So welcome back, Speedroid Tri-Eyed Dice(300/1500)!" A dice pyramid appeared as it had an eye on all four sides.
"Fascinating," muttered Zipp as she had a pen and notepad with her as she silently wrote down something.
"What are you doing, Zipp?" asked Pipp as she saw her older sister writing on her notepad.
"Oh, just taking some notes," responded the girl, as she was studying Rainbow's tactics to implement for her own Speedroid deck.
"Now... I tune my Level 4 Double Yoyo with my Level 3 Tri-Eyed Dice!" shouted Dash as her die monster turned into three giant green rings that circled her other monster as a surge of light shot through. "Beat your wings to whip up a whirlwind of destruction! I Synchro Summon, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon(2500/2000)!" A dragon emerged from up above as it roared for all to hear.
"And right off the bat, Ms. Dash has summoned one of her most powerful monsters!" shouted the lead announcer, commentating for the people at home.
"That was fast!" said Sunny as she spat out her smoothie from seeing how quickly Rainbow pulled out the big guns for this duel.
"I set three cards facedown and end my turn!" declared Dash as she was ready for anything Applejack might throw her way.
Turn 2: Applejack (Hand 5)
You wanna play like that, Rainbow? Fine then!
"Mah turn!" shouted Applejack as she drew with the same passion as Rainbow. "I activate... Polymerization!"
"No way!" shouted Hitch loudly as he could tell what Applejack was planning to summon based on his duel with her.
"So I fuse my Predaplant Flytrap and Predaplant Moray Nepenthes! Your Synchro Dragon may look impressive, but I'm afraid it's no match for the toxic predator I'm callin' to the field!" shouted Applejack as her two monsters entered a swirling vortex as orange and purple lights shot out. "I Fusion Summon! The vicious, voracious, and venomous... Starving Venom Fusion Dragon(2800/2000)!"
The ground shook as a massive plant bud grew behind Applejack and rose into the air. It shone purple and burst apart, a dragon flying out of it and circling the field. Its body was lithe and green, armored in hardened purple growths with thorns emerging from them. Orbs of orange light lit up its claws, shoulders, and wings, pulsing with energy. The dragon stopped its flight above Applejack, a vine-like tail lashing the air, and roared.
"And now, Ms. Applejack summons her beast!" shouted the second announcer.
"Two dragons?!" said the gang, minus Mario and Roll, as they just looked on with concentrated and serious expressions.
The two dragons summoned by Rainbow and Applejack looked at each other as they roared. Each tried to intimidate the other as they weren't backing down, matching the intense look on their mistress' faces.
"You want this, Aj!" shouted Rainbow.
"Let's go, Dash!" yelled Applejack as their dragons roared, each wanting to tear the other to shreds. "Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, attack!"
"Nice try, Applejack! I activate the trap card, Burning Sonic!" yelled Rainbow as one of her facedowns flipped up. "It not only stops your attack, but it powers up my Clear Wing Synchro Dragon by 500 attack points!"
"It'll take more than that to beat me! I place one card facedown and end mah turn!"
Turn 3: Rainbow Dash (Hand 2)
"My turn! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon, take out Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!" ordered Rainbow as her beast looked ready to take out its counterpart.
"Hold yer horses, Dash! I reveal mah facedown, Ridiculing World! With the power of this trap, it gives yer monster 100 extra attack points until the end of the turn. But also, any monster whose attack points are higher than their original can't attack!" snickered Applejack as Dash's monster backed down.
"Heh. You may have stopped my attack this turn, but my dragon is still stronger than yours!" declared Rainbow as her beast roared.
Turn 4: Applejack (Hand 2)
"My turn!" said the country gal as she drew. "I play the spell card, Ivy Bind Castle! With this card, I can negate the effect of all other faceup cards that you control. Also, your monsters can't attack!"
"Oh yeah! Well, I'm countering your spell with Burning Sonic!" shouted Rainbow as the card she had shined. "By sending this trap card straight to the graveyard, I can put a stop to your little spell card. So even though my Clear Wing loses the extra 500 attack points, it's still gonna remain on the field!"
"Sure, but now my dragon is stronger. Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, take out her dragon!" declared Applejack.
"I activate Speedroid Tri-Eyed Dice's ability! By banishing it from my graveyard, your attack fizzles out!" shouted Rainbow as she halted Aj's attempt to take out her mighty beast.
"What a fight! Neither side is giving an inch!" shouted the lead broadcaster as Aj and Dash ensured their dragons remained at all costs.
"I'll end my turn by summoning my Predaplant Byblisp(0/1900) in defense mode!" said Applejack as a small plant-like wasp appeared with its front legs having cavernous mouths with teeth.
Turn 5: Rainbow Dash (Hand 3)
"It's my move!"
"Hold on, Dash. My Ivy Bind Castle activates. During your Standby Phase, I can deal you 800 points of damage for every monster you control!" shouted Applejack as a vine emerged from her card and headed toward her opponent as she blocked the whip with her duel disk.
Rainbow Dash's Life Points: 7200-
"And Applejack has dealt the first blow of damage!" said the broadcaster as the crowd went wild.
Rainbow growled at how Applejack was smiling smugly that she got the first hit.
"I play the spell card Speed Recovery! So, my Speedroid Double Yoyo is back! Next... I reveal my facedown, Dragon's Bind! Thanks to the power of this trap, neither one of us can summon any monsters with fewer or equal attack points than my Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!" stated Rainbow. "So good luck summoning any monster once I dispose of your dragon!"
"You also bonded yerself!" retorted Applejack.
"I ain't worried 'cause nothing is gonna touch my Clear Wing. I end my turn with a facedown!"
Turn 6: Applejack (Hand 2)
"My turn. And in order to keep my Ivy Bind Castle in play, I have to sac one of my 'Predaplant' monsters. So I send my Predaplant Byblisp!" stated the farm girl as her little wasp on her field disappeared. "Now my Byblisp's ability activates! When it's sent to the graveyard, I can add a different 'Predaplant' monster from my deck to my hand."
"So what? You can't summon it because of my Dragon's Bind."
"Then I guess I just gotta weaken it, and I got the card to do so. I play the continuous spell card Rapid Seed Fire! By sending a Level 4 or lower 'Predaplant' monster from my deck, I can inflict 300 points of damage to you!" stated Applejack as a seed pod appeared before exploding and firing the spike thorns on it toward Dash, who covered up.
Dash's Life Points: 6900-
"And that's not all, because now all your monsters lose 600 attack points!" stated the farm girl as Dash's monster got weaker(2500 → 1900).
"I see. By lowering Clear Wing's attack, Ms. Applejack has more room to summon her monsters. Now, with Clear Wing having 1900 attack points, she can summon monsters with more than 2000." stated Sunny as she saw Aj's plan.
"And if she keeps activating her spell card's effect, once Clear Wing reaches 0 attack points, Dash's Dragon Bind won't do much since it'll be useless," commented Roll.
"I end my turn with a facedown!"
"Huh? Why didn't she attack?" wondered Hitch, as Applejack clearly had the stronger monster.
Turn 7: Rainbow Dash (Hand 1)
"My turn!"
"Don't forget, Dash. My Ivy Bind activates during your Standby Phase. Remember, you take 800 points of damage for every monster you control. And since you have two, you're losing 1600 Life Points!"
"Not this time, Aj! I activate my facedown, Speedroid Shuriken Hurricane! Thanks to this trap, it reflects the damage right back to you!" declared Rainbow as the vines coming at her turned direction and went toward Applejack, who covered up as she took her own attack.
Applejack's Life Points: 6400-
"Oh, talk about a backfire from Ms. Applejack. It seems Rainbow was prepared this time!" stated the lead broadcaster at how she turned Aj's attack on her.
"Interesting, she didn't activate the effect when Ms. Applejack played her Rapid Seed Fire spell card. 'Cause she knew she could deal even more damage on her turn. Huh, smart." muttered Zipp as she wrote down the name of Rainbow's card and the plays she could make with it if she added it to her deck.
"I'll then switch my Double Yoyo into defense mode. And call it there!" said Rainbow.
"Why, tho?" wondered Zipp as Rainbow just ended her turn without doing much.
Turn 8: Applejack (Hand 2)
What are you plannin', Dash?
"My turn, and since I have no 'Predaplant' monster to sacrifice, my Ivy Bind Castle is destroyed!" stated Applejack as she got rid of her spell. "I now activate the effect of my Rapid Seed Fire. So by sending a 'Predaplant' from my deck, I can dish out 300 points of damage to you!"
"Why would she do that? Rainbow still has her trap out!" said Sunny.
"Knew you weren't smart, Aj! Because with my Speedroid Shuriken Hurricane still out, you're taking that damage instead of me!" declared Rainbow as a wind blew over the field as Applejack covered up.
Applejack's Life Points: 6100-
"I may have taken damage, but I just made your dragon even weaker by another 600 attack points!" said Applejack as Rainbow's monster lost more strength(1900 → 1300).
"By making my monster weaker, you just hurt yourself! Because now you'll pay for that mistake with my Hurricane's second effect! Since my monster lost 600 attack points, you lost 600 Life Points!" declared Rainbow as Aj stood her ground as a second wind blew over.
Applejack's Life Points: 5500-
"Wow. She was able to turn a negative into a positive," commented Pipp at how Rainbow used Aj's card-weakening power to damage her.
"Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, make your move! Attack her Double Yoyo!" said Applejack over the wind. Her dragon whipped its vine-like tail and destroyed Rainbow's weaker monster in one shot.
"That means my Shuriken Hurrican will also be destroyed," said Rainbow with disdain, as she didn't have a Speedroid monster on her field to keep her trap active. "But I promise to do the same to you!"
"I now summon my Predaplant Spinodionaea(1800/0)." A large green lizard leaped onto the field with a growl. A mouth formed of plant leaves sprouted on its back and open, the maw quivering. "And when it's summoned, I can target one faceup monster you control and place a Predator Counter on it. And if it's Level 2 or higher, it becomes Level 1. So I target your Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!" stated the farm girl as a seed appeared above Rainbow's monster before embedding itself in it.
"I end my turn!"
Turn 9: Rainbow Dash (Hand 2)
"My draw! And thanks for making my monster weaker, Aj. 'Cause I now play the spell Hi-Speed Re-Level! By banishing my Double Yoyo from my graveyard, I can target one Synchro Monster I control. Then, until the end of the turn, its Level becomes the same as the monster I banished, and it gains 500 extra attack points for each Level. So since my Double Yoyo is Level 4, my Clear Wing becomes that same Level, and it gains 2000 extra attack points!" stated Rainbow as her dragon powered up(1300 → 3300).
"Now, Clear Wing, attack her Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!" shouted Rainbow as her dragon took to the air.
"I activate my facedown, Call of the Earthbound. So now your dragon's new target is my Predaplant Spinodionaea!" stated Applejack.
"Fine by me! Spin Storm Sky Strike!" shouted Dash as her dragon soared high and dove down as it spun. Seconds later, it collided, taking out Aj's smaller lizard as she covered up.
Applejack's Life Points: 4000-
"You may have survived, but I'll end your dragon next turn!" stated Rainbow.
"You wish!" retorted Applejack.
"I don't need to wish, I know!" yelled Dash.
"Then I guess it's time to prove you wrong." said the country gal.
"I end my turn!"
Turn 10: Applejack (Hand 2)
"My turn, and to begin, I'll activate my Rapid Seed Fire. So I'm sending another 'Predaplant' monster from my deck to dish out 300 points of damage and weaken your monster by another 600 attack points!" stated Applejack as another pod exploded and fired several thorns at Dash as they grazed her shirt(1300 → 700).
Rainbow Dash's Life Points: 6600-
"Now, Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, take out Clear Wing!" shouted Applejack. Her dragon roared before firing its vines at Rainbow's beast; it latched onto Clear Wing before opening its mouth and firing a green beam as it destroyed its foe.
Rainbow Dash's Life Points: 4500-
"What a hit!" said the lead broadcaster at how much of a blow Applejack dealt to Rainbow.
"She almost tied it up," commented Hitch as he looked on at Applejack.
"I end my turn," smiled the farm girl.
Turn 11: Rainbow Dash (Hand 2)
"It's my move!" said Rainbow as she drew her card and looked at it. "I summon Speedroid Maliciousmagnet(0/0)!" A small robotic magnet appeared on Dash's field. "And I activate its special ability! I can use one monster on your side of the field to Synchro Summon! So I'll use your dragon, Applejack. I tune Speedroid Maliciousmagnet with your Starving Venom Fusion Dragon to pave the way for an even mightier Dragon!" Dash's monster turned into a single green ring as it circled Applejack's monster, emitting a surge of light.
"Watch as the essence of that monster takes shape! Watch as it is forged by raw power! I Synchro Summon! Take flight, Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon(3000/2500)!" As it roared, a more powerful and crystalized version of her previous monster appeared on Rainbow's field.
"Crystal Wing, attack Applejack directly with Crystal Cataclysmic Strike!" directed Rainbow as her dragon flew toward the country gal and made contact. Applejack did her best to stand her ground before dropping to a knee.
Applejack's Life Points: 1000-
"I end my turn with a facedown!" chuckled Rainbow as she had the lead.
Turn 12: Applejack (Hand 3)
"My turn, I draw. And I'll start by playing the spell card Fusion Recovery, so now I get back my Polymerization and Predaplant Moray Nepenthes!" said Applejack as her duel disk ejected both cards for her to grab. "I then play Monster Reborn to bring back my Starving Venom Fusion Dragon. But it won't be on the field for long because I'm using Polymerization to combine it with my Predaplant Moray Nepenthes! When you combine the viciously, voracious venom of a dragon with the cunningness of a carnivorous plant, the result is toxically terrifyin'!" Both of Applejack's monsters appeared as they were sucked into a swirling vortex as lights shot out.
"I Fusion Summon! Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon(3300/2500)!" A massive dragon appeared. Its serpentine body was glowing blue, purple, and yellow, with streaks of light along its limbs. Wings like the growths of a plant spread behind it, crackling with energy. It circled to float in front of Applejack, roaring down at Rainbow Dash.
"I activate Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon's special ability! It erases one monster's special abilities and attack points!"
"In that case, I activate Clear Wing's ability! It not only stops Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon's special ability, but it eradicates your dragon as well!" said Rainbow. "And to put the icing on the cake, Crystal Wing gains Greedy Venom's attack points until the end of this turn!"
"Thanks for the assist, Dash," smiled Applejack as her monster vanished. "When my monster is gone, your monster is also destroyed, and you take damage equal to its attack points!" Within the blink of an eye, Rainbow's mighty beast was gone as she held on and fell to a knee.
Rainbow Dash's Life Points: 1500-
"Even though you destroyed mah dragon, Dash. I ain't out of this duel just yet! Now, by banishing my Starving Venom Fusion Dragon from my graveyard, I can revive it!" said Applejack as her monster reemerged. "I end my turn with a facedown!"
Turn 13: Rainbow Dash (Hand 1)
"It's my move. And I activate the trap Extra Shave Reborn!" said Rainbow as her facedown flipped up. "When my Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon is destroyed, I can resurrect a lower-level monster from my graveyard. Welcome back, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!"
"Folks, this duel has been a battle for the ages! Back and forth, neither duelist is giving an inch!" said the lead broadcaster as the crowd roared for Applejack and Rainbow.
"And next up, I'm going to summon Speedroid Rubberband Plane(1800/0)!" said Rainbow as a toy airplane appeared with a face on it. "Speedroid Rubberband Plane's special ability blasts away 600 of Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon's attack points!" A barrage of bullets fired from the plane as it landed around Aj's monster and weakened it(3300 → 2700).
"Since Speedroid Rubberband Plane used its special ability, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon automatically destroys it!" said Rainbow as she got rid of her own monster, and Aj's dragon had its attack strength return to normal(2700 →3300). "Now Clear Wing Synchro Dragon gains the attack points of the monster it destroyed," stated Dash(2500 → 4300).
"Now Clear Wing is stronger than Applejack's Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon!" said Izzy.
"Clear Wing Synchro Dragon, take out Greedy Venom with Spin Storm Sky Strike!" said Rainbow as her monster soared high and spun toward its target.
"I activate the ability of my Predaplant Drosophyllum Hydra from my graveyard. It swaps a Predaplant in my graveyard with another banished monster to cut the damage I take in half!" shouted Applejack just as Rainbow's monster took out her monster.
Applejack's Life Points: 500-
"Close, but not close enough. And now... I activate my own Extra Shave Reborn!" shouted Applejack as she had her facedown flip up. "And I use it to bring back the vicious and voracious Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!"
"Grr. I end my turn. So Clear Wing's attack points return to normal. But we're ready for anything you send our way, Aj!" said Rainbow(4300 → 2500)
Turn 14: Applejack (Hand 1)
"I draw!" said the country gal. "Starving Venom, let's do a little landscapin', shall we? Steal Clear Wing Synchro Dragon's special abilities so you can use them yerself!" stated Applejack as the vines of her monster latched onto Dash's and began to suck its power away.
"I then play the equip spell card, Predapruning! I can summon one 'Predaplant' from mah graveyard and equip Predapruning onto it. And I'll use Predaplant Drosophyllum Hydra's special ability to banish a Predaplant from my graveyard."
"Why?" asked Pipp, confused about Aj's play.
"Remember, Starving Venom Fusion Dragon has Clear Wing's abilities!" said Zipp as she put together Applejack's plan.
"Now your Clear Wing loses 500 attack points!" said the country gal as she weakened Dash's monster(2500 → 2000).
"Now... my dragon uses the ability it took from Clear Wing to destroy my Drosophyllum Hydra! And then Starving Venom Fusion Dragon gains Hydra's 800 attack points!" The tiny plant on Aj's field disappeared as her dragon felt the strength of its comrade and empowered itself(2800 → 3600).
"Go! Starving Venom, attack Clear Wing Synchro Dragon and finish Rainbow off!" said Applejack as she looked to end the duel.
Starving Venom Fusion Dragon swooped down and flew forward. The orbs covering its body sent energy streams curling into its mouth, assembling into a large fireball. The fireball launched and engulfed Rainbow's monster, a plume of smoke shooting into the air. The girl looked away, teeth gritted, as her monster exploded.
Rainbow Dash's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Applejack
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!" said the lead broadcaster. "Ms. Applejack overcomes all odds to defeat Ms. Rainbow Dash. And now she secures herself as the tournament winner and has a guaranteed championship match against the World Champion at Crown Jewel!"
Applejack was kneeling when she noticed her hat on the floor beside her. She let out a sigh before grabbing it as she stood up. The cowgirl dusted her hat off before placing it on her head and straightening it as the crowd cheered. Applejack smiled as she took in the applause and cheer from everyone as she waved. Still on a knee, Rainbow looked at her rival as she punched the ground, knowing her shot at challenging Isaac was gone. She stood up and merely looked at Aj to give a nod. The farmer returned the gesture before Dash walked away; at that moment, a stagehand approached Applejack and handed her a folder. The cowgirl opened the cloth folder; inside was the contract for her championship match.
Isaac had applauded Applejack in his skybox when she won, as did Juniper. The woman pulled her tablet out to begin the marketing for her client's next challenge, and Isaac stood up from his seat and looked to leave. Just as he left, he heard something.
"Is this thing on?!" said Applejack as she tapped into the mic feed, and her voice echoed around the arena.
"What's going on?" asked Zipp as they expected the live feed to cut off when the duel ended, but it was still rolling as Applejack was looking at the skybox where Isaac was.
"Hey, city slicker! I got the contract for our match! But I ain't waiting for you to sign it on yer sweet time. We're both here; let's do it right now!" shouted Applejack as she wanted to have a face-to-face with her opponent.
Isaac merely looked out to see the cowgirl as he glared at her.
"Come on, champ. Get yer ass down here and sign the contract!" stated Aj, continuing to taunt the World Champion.
At that point, Isaac couldn't take it as he pulled the door open hard.
"Isaac, no, wait!" shouted Juniper as she went after her client, who was rushing into things.
"Hey! Hey!" shouted Isaac as he approached a camera crew. "Turn that damn thing on and follow me!"
The two men nodded as the one holding the camera lifted it to his shoulder while the other held the line. Isaac held his glare as he continued to head down to the arena floor with the camera following him. The live feed was patched for all to see in the arena. As they saw Isaac heading toward Aj and they started to cheer. Juniper finally caught up with her client as she tried to push him back to stop.
"Isaac, just please listen to me. Let me handle this. I'll organize a press meeting for this contract signing. Don't rush into this!" said Juniper, trying to do this face-to-face by the book instead of going rogue.
The World Champion ignored his agent's pleas as he pushed past the curtain to the gorilla area and exited the stage. The crowd saw him as they roared with praise. He continued walking toward the field with Juniper and the camera crew following him. Applejack stood in the middle of the field as one of the stagehands had brought a table for them, and on it was the contract she had received. The cowgirl held her defiant smirk as Isaac approached the table to look her in the eyes.
For a moment, the two duelists stared the other down before Isaac furiously grabbed one of the mics on the table and spoke.
"Hey, Aj. You real close to me just flipping this table over and starting our duel right now. You better chill!" shouted Isaac.
Applejack just smirked as Isaac kept his pissed-off look.
"I don't know what that means. But I don't really know much about your lifestyle nowadays, huh? You know, private jets, sitting on the beach..."
"Alright, you know what I'm stop you right there!" said Isaac as he cut off Applejack to look her in the eyes. "That's the problem. See, everybody thinks because I'm the World Champion, it's so luxurious. Yeah, it comes with perks! But with perks comes responsibilities, Applejack. And look, there's no doubt in my mind you're one of the toughest duelists ever to grace this game. Absolutely!"
The crowd seemed to agree with that declaration as Applejack nodded and smiled.
"But until you step out of those cowboy boots and walk a mile in my $3,000 sneakers, don't talk to me about how easy you have it, Aj. Because you take a couple L's, you face a little adversity, and you start to fold like chair on the boardwalk. Let's talk about it!" stated the World Champ as the crowd responded with some "Ohs."
"So, Applejack. At Crown Jewel, it's your moment. Your shot to become World Champion. But I'm not convinced you can be IT!"
"Can't be IT?!" repeated Applejack as she stared down her old friend. "Sugarcube, what makes you think I want to be IT? Do you know how many times in my life I've been told that I can't do something?! See, when you first got here, you were one of the chosen ones."
"You know damn well I'm not a Chosen One!" yelled Isaac. "The Chosen One! Oh, the Chosen One. What everybody says. After we graduated high school, I spent nine months on the pro scene, scratching and clawing my way just to get recognized. And even then, it wasn't until two months later that I finally got my chance. I finally got my opportunity to compete to be World Champion. But even then, no one gave me the time of day. I worked my ass to get to where I am; I'm a five-time World Champion because I worked my ass off! So, don't you dare stand there and look me in the eye and pull that bullshit ever again!"
The intensity and anger of Isaac's voice could be heard as it seemed Applejack hit a personal chord with the World Champion as she smiled.
"See, that's what I'm talking about. When we were in high school, Celestia and Luna said they wanted to shape you into the diamond you were meant to be. They would put all their investments into you. And it paid off because look at where you're at now. Now I'm not saying you didn't work your ass off to be here, Isaac. I know you. I know you! We've been friends for nearly 15 years, damnnit!" shouted Applejack with passion in her voice. "But you had IT! You had that spark that would elevate you to success. And you did! But you didn't do it with a thumb up your ass; you actually went out and busted your ass to become the top duelist!"
Isaac mouthed the words, "That's right," to Applejack as the crowd applauded the cowgirl's statement.
"But that wasn't the same for me!" said the farm girl as she took a deep breath before speaking her mind.
"After we graduated high school, and my family found out about me wanting to try out in the pro scene, they took one look at me and said not a chance. Not just because of having to take care of the farm or the job itself but because they took one look at me and said that I couldn't! Fast forward a couple of years, and now I'm out here blazing my own trail, trying to prove my worth. And again, here come the doubters saying: "You can't"! It was a hell of a ride to get here, but damnnit, I set up shop. Became the fifth-ranked duelist in the entire world! And again, the doubters spoke. "Applejack, you will never make it. Applejack, you don't have what it takes to be Champion. You can't do this! You can't do that!" But Applejack did!"
The crowd cheered and applauded Aj's passionate speech as Isaac nodded in agreeance.
"I entered this tournament, and now I got a chance at the main event. Did anybody else have this on their bingo card a couple of years ago? If you did, good job checkin' it off because I sure as hell didn't." said Applejack to the crowd and camera before turning back to Isaac. "But as a matter of fact, you know what's ironic. You mentioned how you spent all that time before you got your first crack at being World Champion. And what did all your doubters say: "Oh, you can't! You can't! You can't!" And what did you respond, you said, the hell with I can't! I CAN, and I WILL!... And you did. And now... it's my turn to do the same."
"Look, Aj, this isn't about doubters saying we can't. This is all about being World Champion. MY World Champion. And though I agree with 90% of what you're saying, I feel you. I really do. But at Crown Jewel, you won't... you CAN'T beat me."
"See, there you go with the 'can't' again," growled Applejack at the disrespect she got from Isaac. "Can't, can't, can't. City slicker, do you know how many years I've turned doubters into believers? You aren't even my biggest doubter. Neither of these fans here or the people watching us right now. It's me. Because every single time someone said that I couldn't do anything, it resonated within me! It sat deep inside mah brain, but no more."
Applejack slammed her hand on the folder as she opened it up to reveal the contract before turning it around to face her and grabbing the pen with one hand.
"I will not fail anymore. Now sign the damn contract!" stated Applejack as she put her signature down and turned the contract to face Isaac before sliding it over to him.
Isaac kept his gaze on Applejack as he opened it and grabbed the pen before addressing the farmer.
"Glady, Applejack. Because everybody knows you've earned this. It was only a matter of time before you had this opportunity. But let me tell you one thing, Jackyln." spoke Isaac as he addressed Aj by her birth name; he knew she hated being called that and got her full attention so he could relay what he was about to say.
"Don't go chasing waterfalls. Stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to, cowgirl. Because at Crown Jewel, it's not Isaac, don't miss. It's Isaac, CAN'T miss."
With the final line dropped by Isaac, Applejack began to let what was said resonated with her. The World Champ signed the contract and then shoved it into Juniper so that she could get as much attention as possible while staring down Aj. The two duelists stared eye to eye, with Isaac having a cocky smile. Just then, Applejack did something amazing. She raised her fist so fast and brought it down on the table that it literally broke in half with one punch. Everyone watching was surprised by what Applejack did, as was Isaac, who momentarily was taken aback by what the farmer did as she stepped onto the broken table to get closer to him while keeping her eyes on her opponent.
"I'll see you at Crown Jewel, cowboy," said Applejack before tossing her mic.
The two duelists kept their stares as the crowd roared in anticipation of this upcoming match.
"Well, I cannot wait for Crown Jewel. You want to be at the top? You wanna be immortal? You do that by being the best. Who's the better duelist? Who's gonna walk out of Crown Jewel as World Champion?!"
The broadcaster spoke some closing lines of dialogue to further excite the matchup of Isaac vs. Applejack as the feed cut off, and everything went black.
Author's Notes: Okay first things first, I have seen all of Chapter 6 for Make your Mark and despite any problems people had with it, I enjoyed it as a finale. And hope that this isn't the end of G5 in terms of 3-D animation. Hope we get some more in 2024 or sometime in the future. And on that similar note, even if we don't get anymore, that doesn't mean this story is ending anytime soon. I've got tons more stuff prepared for this story.
Now, onto the chapter itself, a rivalrythat literally speaks for itself. One that even after all these years, still stands the test of time. And in the end, Applejack has earned her shot at taking on Isaac for the title of World Champion. And it seems this duel has a lot fo heat behind it based on the back and forth smack that was said between the two at the end. One thing's for sure, this upcoming duel is going to be a banger and most importantly, just brutal in terms of how hard the two are going to hit each other both figuratively and literally. Plus, a small tease it seems that Zipp was doing to mess with Mario during their "intense" workout. Let's not forget he still has to honor the bet he made with Pipp and Zipp in the last chapter where he does one thing of whatever each sister wants.