Festive music played as Canterlot City was decorated from top to bottom with vibrant colors of green and red. Wreaths hung on windows and doors as many people were moving about, preparing for the holidays. A giant skating ring was shown in the park, with many people skating about. Mario and Hitch were purchasing the skates for the group as the girls gathered near the benches; one of them was nervously fiddling with her fingers as she couldn't take her eyes off her best friend.
"So spill, girlfriend. What happened?" asked Roll as she slid closer to Sunny but kept it out of range for the others to hear them talk.
"Uh, happened?" said Sunny, as she didn't know what Roll was talking about.
"Please. You can't take your eyes off him, but you two don't talk like you normally do," said Roll as they looked at where Hitch was.
"I... I... I kissed him," whispered Sunny while nervously looking away with a blush.
"No way," responded Roll with a bit of hidden sarcasm, as she knew Sunny would say that but wanted to hear it from her own mouth. "Well, that's great then, right? What did he..."
"I don't know," said Sunny as she politely cut off Roll. "I just ran into my room and shut the door before he could say or do anything. And... he hasn't said a word, and I don't blame him." Sunny was looking away while holding herself.
Once the boys got everybody's sizes, they all began to put on their skates as they got to the entrance of the ice rink.
"Oh, I'm so excited!" exclaimed Sunny as she stood near the entrance to the ice rink. The girl cheered excitedly as she started skating on the rink, "I love skating!" She added.
"You're the pro on skating, Sunny." Roll said in amusement as she stood up from the bench after strapping on her skates, "Wait for us!" She cheered as she skated after Sunny.
"Try and keep up, sis!" Mario said playfully as he was the first one out and already effortlessly cruising.
"Oh, it is on!" Roll exclaimed as she started skating to one-up her big brother.
"Uh-oh!" Izzy said as she gave an uncertain look, "I'm not so sure about this," She said with a frown since she thought she might slip... again.
"Don't worry, Izzy. You'll do great!" Pipp assured her as she and the others joined in the skating. Pipp twirled around, "Wee! I could do this all day!" She cheered as Pipp twirled on the ice with one foot.
Zipp skates past her sister, "This is pretty awesome. Oh, yeah! Ha-ha!" She cheered as she moved around on the ice.
"I feel like I haven't skated in forever!" Sunny exclaimed as she skated around the ice, "I've missed it so much!" She cheered with a spin.
"When you're dealing with the drama of high school and the stress of exams, there are sometimes things you haven't done in a while!" Roll exclaimed as she skated around while spinning and twirling before landing, "But this is fun!" She cheered.
Hitch was holding his own as he skated about and did a few tricks. The boy smiled until he looked over at Sunny; the thought of what happened between them flooded his mind as he sighed. It was at that moment that Roll skated by his side.
"Still thinking about it?" said the girl, turning her position to skate backward while talking with her friend.
"That obvious," asked the boy.
"It's you, Hitch."
"Ouch, I don't know whether I should be offended by that," said the boy in response to his friend's comment. "It's just... we've barely said two words to each other since the you-know-what."
"Well, you got to say something. Otherwise, Sunny's going to think you have a grip or something," said Roll.
"If only I could talk to her," sighed the boy.
Roll looked at her friend as she got an idea. She skated away as she began picking up her momentum; the girl was purposely getting in Sunny's sight as she closed in on her.
"Look out, Sunny!" said Roll as she tried to warn the girl.
Sunny reacted quickly as she skated out of Roll's away, causing her to go in Hitch's direction. The boy saw his best friend coming at him as they bumped shoulders, which temporarily caused Sunny to wobble, only for Hitch to steady her.
"You good?" asked the boy as they stopped.
"Yeah, thanks for the save," smiled Sunny.
From afar, Roll also smiled as her plan worked, and she continued to skate.
"Isn't this amazing, Hitch! Remember when we went skating together when we were kids?" She asked with a smile.
"Do I!? It was you who taught me how!" Hitch cheered with a smile before he gave a sheepish one, "After the first few times when I fell, that is." He said.
Sunny chuckled at the memory, "But you still did great!" She said as Hitch blushed a bit as the two continued to skate alongside each other.
Izzy, however, looked nervous as she looked at the ice, "Okay. Come on, Izzy. You've got this! Just like you practiced," She said to herself as she slowly got one of her legs onto the ice, but then she started slipping as she screamed while waving her arms around, "I don't get this!" She cried out before she fell on her face and slid to the others as they watched her with her face planted down and her back up.
Mario was skating about when he saw Izzy coming toward him.
"Oh, you got to be kidding me!" said the boy as the girl wasn't stopping.
"Look out!" shouted Izzy.
What happened next amazed everyone; just as Izzy was about to collide with the boy to sweep him off his feet, Mario bent his legs and jumped straight up. The teen managed to hop over Izzy as she slid under him before he landed perfectly on the ice and continued to skate as his balance was impeccable.
Apart from their friends, a few other skaters were amazed to see the boy able to skate normally after a stint like that. Mario kept a straight look as he casually skated past the two sisters, with Pipp fanning herself as she blushed after seeing Mario's amazing feat.
"Nice moves, lover boy," said Zipp as she, too, was impressed by Mario's athleticism.
"Pfff," responded Mario, putting on a cocky expression while running a hand through his hair.
"Show off," said Roll, rolling her eyes at her big brother for impressing both sisters; he seemed to inherit their father's showmanship, whether he wanted to admit it or not. "You okay, Izzy?" Roll asked in concern, as did the others when they saw Izzy slip.
"I don't know. I can't even do it for a second!" Izzy said sadly as she lay there as Sunny and Roll skated around her.
"It's okay, Izzy," Sunny assured her with a smile, "It'll just take some getting used to." She said.
"Yeah. It takes practice to skate around, whether on wheels or ice," Roll added with a small smile, "Just go slowly," She advised.
Izzy slowly tried to stand but slipped and moved frantically, "Whoa!" She called out as she screamed and was about to fall before Sunny and Roll caught her.
"Okay, maybe not," Sunny said sheepishly with a chuckle.
Izzy frowned while her friends held her, "I'm no good at skating!" She cried out in discouragement.
"I'm sure you'll get there, Izzy. Right, everyone?" asked Pipp to the others as they all gave sounds of agreement, apart from Mario, who remained silent.
The group's attention was then caught as they noticed several other skates all gathering around a large tree at the far end of the ice rink. One of the employees plugged in the cables as the tree lit up with colorful lights and ornaments, getting a reaction from the crowd. Even the teens were smiling and awed at the sight of the majestic tree as it flourished with the many decorations.
"Alright. I'll admit, that's pretty cool," said Zipp as Pipp pulled her phone out to snap a pic and tweet about it.
The sight of the tree, shining with all its glory, sent a warm feeling throughout the crowd.
Nighttime had fallen as the Canterlot Arena filled with fans looking to see the Championship duel. The security guards tried to coral the massive crowd, as they couldn't wait to get in, and they all headed to their merchandise stands.
"We're finally here!" exclaimed Sunny as she entered a corridor and looked about the massive arena before her very eyes.
"Talk about a full house," said Izzy, taking in the many people trying to cram into this stadium.
"So, this is what a Championship duel is like?" wondered Zipp as they walked down the stairs to their seats.
"Not even one of my concerts has this many Pipsqueaks," said Pipp, as she could only imagine performing for this many people.
The group made their way to their section. They sat down in a row, with Hitch and Pipp on the ends and Izzy smacked in the middle.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Championship Duel will soon be underway. We want to take this moment to say that custom-made caps for the World Champion are now on sale at your nearby merch stand. Get them while they can." said the overhead P.A. system.
"Ooh, merch. I'm gonna get some," said Pipp as she exited her seat and hurried up the stairs.
"Wait up, sis!" said Zipp as she wanted to check out some merch.
"I'm gonna get some food," stated Hitch. "Um, you, uh, want anything, Sunny?"
"Just some popcorn is fine," smiled Sunny as she looked at her childhood friend.
"Right," said the boy with a smile; he stood up and hurried past Izzy and Sunny as he went to get them some snacks.
"Can you believe this, Izzy? We're going to see the World Champion duel!" squealed the girl as her excitement couldn't be contained. "I only wish Roll and Mario were here with us."
Little did the girl know the two siblings were closer than she thought. While most of their friends were sitting among the thousands in attendance, the two siblings were near the entrance as they began heading toward the restricted section. The two approached a part of the arena cut off as the security guard halted them. Mario just pulled the backstage pass out as the guard let the pair through. Once behind the curtain, the pair were in their element; they knew where everything was due to how often they were backstage to one of their father's duels. The refreshments, the wardrobe, the lounge area, even the dressing room of the competitors.
So after they passed by the catering section for all the crew members, with Roll grabbing a handful of mini cinnamon rolls, they began to head to their father's room. They came to a door with their father's nameplate on it as Roll knocked. A second later, it opened as Juniper peeked her head out.
"Hey, Juniper," said both kids to their father's agent.
"Mario, Roll. So nice to see you two," said Juniper as she bent over to hug the two kids.
"Is Dad in there?" asked Roll.
"Yup. Come on in," said the woman as she allowed her client's two kids to enter.
The two teens entered as the door closed behind them. All around the room, the dressing room of their father was like a living room. A comfy couch, a mini-fridge, a table with all their father's favorite foods and snacks, a private bathroom, and a flatscreen T.V. hanging. The pair looked on as they soon spotted their father. He sat in front of a mirror with his cards all scattered among him.
"Isaac?" said Juniper as she got her client's attention.
The World Champion looked at his agent before she stepped to the side and revealed his kids.
"Hey, Dad!"
"My little Roll," said Isaac as the girl approached her father.
He hugged his daughter as he lifted her to sit in his lap, just like when she was younger. Isaac smiled at his daughter before looking at Mario, who put his hands in his pockets.
"Mario."
"Pff, whatever," scoffed the boy, as he didn't care and just angrily walked to his father's buffet table to snack on a hotdog.
The World Champion sighed as he saw his son's demeanor remained unchanged.
"So, are you two packed and ready for our trip?" asked Isaac.
"All set, Dad," explained Roll before looking over at the many cards scattered on the table. "Are you ready to take on Auntie Applejack?"
"Ready as I'll ever be to take her on," chuckled the World Champion as Roll got off his lap and began picking up his cards. "By the way, are your friends in attendance?"
"Yeah, they're gonna be watching you," explained Roll.
"Maybe you should invite them after the duel. I'm sure they wouldn't mind, right," said Isaac.
"Isaac, it's time," stated Juniper.
"Right. Wish me luck," said Isaac as Roll hugged her father and kissed his cheek.
He then approached his son and lifted his fist; the teen looked at his father, who had a caring smile. Mario just turned to his right and spat before heading to the couch. Isaac sighed heavily as he looked at his rebellious son hopefully before following Juniper out of his dressing room.
"Bro!" said Roll as she looked at her older sibling.
"Don't you fucking start, sis!" exclaimed Mario, as he didn't want to hear his little sister speak or preach about their father.
The girl sighed while shaking her head at her elder sibling. She sat beside her brother as they began to watch the flat screen as it was broadcasting the duel. Out in the arena, their friends had all returned to their seats as Pipp and Zipp managed to score some sweet limited merch as they brought back a t-shirt for each of them. Hitch returned after giving Sunny her bag of popcorn as the girl smiled.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we thank you for your patience. And now... it's time... for the main event!" said the announcer as the crowd roared. "The following duel is for the title of WORLD... CHAMPIONNNNNNNNN!"
The crowd got even more excited as a spotlight shone on the main stage. Applejack stepped through the backstage curtain and out for all to see. The cowgirl tipped her hat to the crowd before she took a deep breath and stomped her right foot, causing fireworks and pyro to erupt around her as it got a reaction from the crowd. The country gal then began to walk down the ramp to the field as the crowd continued their cheer and applause. From his seat, Hitch kept his eye on Applejack as he recalled their conversation of trying to get her to teach him.
Applejack had made her way to the field as she stood in the center. The country gal took one last look around the arena as she soaked in being in the main event for the first time. She felt like tears were starting to form, but she held back her emotions as she raised her right hand to make a fist. She kissed it before Superman punched the ground, triggering the next pyro set to go off. Outside the arena's roof was a ring of fireworks, and the pyro went off to give the instance of her being so strong that it made the arena shake.
"I felt that!" exclaimed Zipp as she couldn't contain her inner excitement.
"Ready?" said Juniper as she had a headset on and looked at her client.
"Ready," smiled Isaac as he adjusted his cap; he was given something on his back and stepped onto something.
The lights started to dim in the arena before everything went black. The only light was from people's phones as the screen above the main stage began to make short-circuited sounds. Some static was heard before something came on the screen. A video of a castle was shown as it looked over a kingdom; a figure was then shown on top of the castle as they wore a crown. However, the revealed person was none other than the World Champion's wife. A recording of Twilight appeared, wearing a regal outfit as she wore her crown as it began to speak.
"All rise!" declared Twilight as several people in dark garments appeared on the main stage, holding shields and swords.
"Rise for the presence of a dominant ruler! Show your respect for your monarch! We are the providers and the protectors; we are the leaders and the generals who pave the way! We rule this kingdom! Now, show your respect and adoration for the ultimate duelist. Just as those who have fallen before him, they whisper the words: when you come for the Prince, you'd best not miss! And after tonight, only one can stand in this: The Coloseium of the Immortals! As the undisputed World Champion!" proclaimed Twilight. "Only one who takes the breath of their opponent with barbaric fortitude! Only one who wears the sharpened crown! Now... bow down! And grovel at his feet! He is the Prince! He is the World Champion! Isaac!"
"When did Mom have time to record this for Dad?" said Roll to her brother as they were surprised their mother did a special recording for their father's entrance.
Once the recording of Twilight finished, she disappeared from the screen as a spotlight shined down on the main stage as the people dressed as guards of the kingdom all stood facing each other. Rising from below the stage, there was smoke and a throne. It appeared as if many people were in awe at what they saw; they saw a figure dressed in a cape and crown helmet that covered their entire face apart from their eyes. Around the throne were women as they were dawned in gold servent outfits. Majestic, regal music played as the person on the throne remained seated as he let everybody in the arena take in his presence. He then began to move as he got up from his throne and stepped down; the servant women got up from the person's feet as they approached their master and put their hands all over his body to remove his cape and garments. Only the helmet crown remained as the figure shown reaching for it as the people dressed as guards marched off the stage; both hands were on the side of the helmet as the person inside took a deep breath. Then, in one swift motion, they pulled the helmet up, and everything went black.
Despite being in the dark, the crowd applauded as they enjoyed the special entrance. Soon, a familiar beat dropped. The bass kicked as the music began to play, and the lights came back on with that. Standing on the stage was Isaac, dressed in his usual outfit, lifting his head, and smiling. As always, the crowd began to sing along.
[Sunny and the others began joining the crowd as they sang the World Champion to the field.]
Adrenaline in my soul
Every fight out of control
Do it all to get them off their feet
Crowd is here, about to blow
Waitin' for me to start the show
Out the curtain, lights go up
I'm home (whoa)
"WHOA!," sang the crowd as loudly as they could, along with Isaac as he leaned back and fireworks went off.
My father said
"Boom!" said Isaac as he fistpumped the ground to set off the next pyro and continued walking toward the field.
[In his dressing room, Mario and Roll watched their father enter. For the boy, when he heard the line of his father's entrance song: "My father said," it triggered a small memory from his past. The following chorus of the song was emphasized as he often recalled how his father told him how hard work made someone a better individual.]
"When I was younger
Hard times breed better men"
(Better men)
You took it all away, I give it all away
Can't take my freedom
Here to change the game, a banner made of pain
I built my kingdom
Now you bow to me
You took my dreams but not my name
You'll follow me until the end
I am my kingdom
Lights go down, I'm ready now
Tear this roof off for the town
Gonna give 'em what they came to see
Hear the crowd, on their toes
Ready for me to start the show
Out the curtain, lights go up
I'm home (whoa)
"WHOA!" Isaac and the crowd let out another one, which triggered the fireworks and pyro atop the arena to go off for him.
[After he and the crowd sang "Whoa," Isaac looked straight at Applejack. The country gal looked at the entertainer, both with serious faces. Once more, the intensity from their confrontation over a month ago returned as both were ready to battle. Sunny and the others could feel the passion from their seats, as did Roll from their father's dressing room.]
And my father said
"When I was younger
Hard times breed better men"
(Better men)
You took it all away, I give it all away
Can't take my freedom
Here to change the game, a banner made of pain
I built my kingdom
Now you bow to me
You took my dreams but not my name
You'll follow me until the end
I am my kingdom
You tried to tell me what to do
I saw the door and kicked it down
I stepped right over and right through
And you can never stop me now
Bow, now
I am the king and you're the crown
Now watch me as I take my throne
And rule my kingdom
Applejack and Isaac now stood a few meters away as their eyes didn't dare move as if to avoid looking weak. The tension between the two duelists could be cut with a knife as the crowd began to chant. Half of the arena is cheering for Isaac, and the other half is cheering for Applejack.
"Listen to the crowd, folks. They can't wait to see this!" said the main commentator. "When you're the World Champ, you can make all the flashy entrances you want. But when that bell rings, it's go time!"
"Alright, you two. Break it up. Now, then, let's get this underway. You may shake hands if you wish." said the referee as he got between both duelists.
Isaac stuck his hand out first as he offered it to Applejack. The country gal kept her gaze on him as she slowly raised her hand to interlock it with his. The pair gave a firm shake as they pulled the other in closer to really stare them down. The ref tried to wiggle himself in between to separate the pair, which caused Isaac and Applejack to break apart. However, Aj took her shot. She instinctively reached her right arm over and slapped Isaac hard in the face, and the crowd reacted to it. It caused the World Champion to turn his head as he brought his hand up to his cheek to feel the slap from Applejack. The referee pushed Applejack back and warned her that he could have disqualified her for doing that, as Isaac merely chuckled after registering Aj slapping him.
"Oh, she messed up," said Roll at seeing Applejack slapping their father as she could tell he was letting his inner demon become unleashed.
With Applejack giving her warning, the two took their positions on the field. The slap from Aj meant that she forfeited the right to go first; therefore, Isaac would have the first move, which she wanted, as indicated by the smile on Aj's face. The duel disks on them are activated as a golden card tray projected for Isaac, while Applejack had a green card tray project.
"Opponent detected. Streaming data. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said their duel disks.
Applejack's Life Points: 8000-
Isaac's Life Points: 8000-
"Let's duel!" shouted both competitors as the crowd cheered to get this battle underway.
Turn 1: Isaac (Hand 5)
"My draw! And I'll start by summoning my Berry Magician Girl(400/400). Then, since I summoned her, I can now select a different 'Magician Girl' from my deck and add it to my hand." A tiny baby magician appeared as she flew over to her master's shoulder and sat on it, sucking her pacifier.
"Hey, Berry," said Isaac as he spoke to his tiny baby spellcaster, ticking her tummy as she giggled. "Alright, you know the deal. Which big sister do you want?"
To almost everyone in the crowd and watching at home, the monster of Isaac remained on the field, but to the World Champion himself, he was actually talking with his monster. He wasn't the only one; Mario and Roll could also see their father talking with the spirits of his monsters.
"He's doing his thing," said Mario as he got up to get another hot dog from the buffet table.
Isaac continued talking with his monster as one person in the crowd was paying attention to the World Champ.
"Sunny, Sunny!"
"Hmm," said the girl, looking at Hitch as he shook her shoulder.
"You okay?" asked Hitch, concerned for his childhood friend.
"Y-Yeah, I'm good," said the girl, trying not to worry her best friend. She put on a fake smile as Hitch seemed to buy it before turning back to the duel.
For the girl, she seemed intrigued by what Isaac was doing. To her, it almost felt like he was talking to his monsters, but... that wasn't possible, right? Monster spirits didn't exist, at least... to her knowledge.
Back on the field, Isaac's tiny magician had made her decision.
"Lemon," said Berry Magician Girl.
"Alright then," smiled Isaac before touching his duel disk screen as he began to search his deck for the card he wanted. Once he found it, he clicked confirm as the card slid out from his deck for him to grab. His tiny baby then flew back to her position as he continued his move. "I'll lay one card facedown and end my turn."
Turn 2: Applejack (Hand 5)
"That's all?!" shouted Applejack, expecting more from her challenger. "I should have slapped you harder. It's my turn! I draw!" exclaimed the country gal as she looked at what she drew before adding it to her hand and looking over her cards. "I'll start by summoning my Predaplant Moray Nepenthes(1600/1200)!" said the girl as her monster appeared. "And I'll also play this... my Rapid Seed Fire!"
"And we know what damage Applejack can do with that card. Rainbow found out firsthand how deadly Aj's plants can be!" said the commentator.
"Now... Moray Nepenthes, attack his Berry Magician Girl!"
"I activate my Berry Magician Girl's other special ability! Not only do I switch her into defense mode, but I can also special summon a different 'Magician Girl' from my deck. So I choose my Apple Magician Girl(1200/1000)!" stated Isaac as a floating apple appeared before it sprouted wings and then transformed into a girl wearing red garments.
"Either way, yer Berry Magician Girl is destroyed!" stated Applejack as she took out Isaac's baby magician. "And now mah monster's effect activates, so the monster it destroyed becomes an equipped card onto mah monster. Then I'll activate the effect of mah Rapid Seed Fire, so now ah send a 'Predaplant' monster from mah deck to not only lower yer monster's attack points by 600 but to deal you 300 points of damage!" stated the girl as some seeds fired from her spell as they landed near Isaac who covered up.
Isaac's Life Points: 7700-
"Then I play mah Foolish Burial so that I can send one card from mah deck to the graveyard," said the country girl as she selected another card to get rid of.
"What are you up to?" asked Isaac.
"You'll see soon, sugarcube. I end mah turn with a facedown."
Turn 3: Isaac (Hand 5)
"My turn, I'll summon my Magician's Valkyria(1600/1800). And then I'll play Dark Magical Circle to look at the top 3 cards of my deck and add 'Dark Magician' or a 'Dark Magician' related spell or trap card to my hand." Isaac's duel disk then ejected his cards as he looked at them. "I'll take my Dark Magic Curtain," said Isaac as his duel disk ejected his card, and he placed the other two cards on top of his deck in the order he wanted.
"I now end my turn."
Turn 4: Applejack (Hand 2)
"It's my move! And I'm gonna summon Predaplant Spinodionaea(1800/0). Then, when he's summoned, I can place a Predaplant Counter on one of yer monsters, so I choose yer Magician's Valkyria!" stated Applejack as her monster fired a seed attached to the girl's staff. "Now her level drops to one. Next up, I place Mystical Space Typhoon. So yer Dark Magical Circle ain't gonna be banishin' any of mah critters anytime soon." A giant wind now blew over as it destroyed Isaac's card.
"So much for that plan," muttered Isaac as the wind died.
"I've known you long enough, city slicker. I know what you were thinking!" proclaimed Applejack. "Now, I activate my Rapid Seed Fire. So I send another one of my Predaplants from my deck to the graveyard. Now both of yer monsters lose 600 attack points, and you lose another 300 Life Points." stated Aj as more seeds bombarded Isaac's field(600 → 0, 1600 → 1000).
Isaac's Life Points: 7400-
"I end my turn."
Turn 5: Isaac (Hand 5)
"My turn, and I'll summon my Magician's Robes(700/2000) in defense mode," stated Isaac as a translucent magical robe appeared. "I'll also switch my Apple Magician Girl into defense mode and end my turn."
Turn 6: Applejack (Hand 1)
"Come on, what are you waitin' for?!" shouted Applejack at her opponent. "Are you gonna attack me!"
"You're one to talk, Aj! You haven't launched an attack, either. All you've been doing is chipping away at my life points bit by bit." stated Isaac. "Where's that country gal that I knew like to get down and dirty?" mocked the boy.
You want me to get down and dirty?" stated Applejack as she cracked her neck a bit. "Sugar, you're gonna regret that. I draw! I now activate the effect of my Predaplant Cordyceps by banishin' it from my graveyard; I can summon 2 Level 4 or lower 'Predaplant' monsters from my graveyard. So welcome my Predaplant Lilizard(1200/1200) and Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra(1000/1500)." Aj now had two monsters appear as a lizard and snake-like plants appeared.
"Now two things happen. I can draw an extra card when my Lilizard is summoned from the graveyard. Then, since the effect of another Predaplant monster summoned Darlingtonia Cobra, I can add a 'Polymerization' or 'Fusion' spell to my hand." A snake with a body like a plant vine slithered in front of Applejack, its jaws patterned like flower petals. It opened the petals, and there was the card she wanted as she grabbed it.
"Then I'm gonna activate mah Rapid Seed Fire once again, so I send another Predaplant to my graveyard to make yer monsters lose another 600 attack points and you another 300 points." stated the cowgirl as more seeds bombarded Isaac's field(700 → 100, 1000 → 400).
Isaac's Life Points: 7100-
"The monster I sent to my graveyard was my Predaplant Bibrisup. And when it's sent to the graveyard, I can add a 'Preda' monster to my hand from my deck." said the country gal as she had another card eject from her duel disk. "Next... I play Polymerization! So I fuse my Predaplant Lilizard and Darlingtonia Cobra!" Applejack's two monsters swirled together in a vortex of green light. "I combine my carnivorous reptile and venomous predator and let a vicious new plant bloom!" Applejack took the card her duel disk ejected as she held it up high. "I Fusion Summon Predaplant Chimerafflesia(2500/2000)!" A large coil of vines burst from the chasm and splayed out on the field. A large circular mouth ringed with teeth and surrounded by plump pink petals was at the end of the largest of the vines, and two smaller mouths rose beside it on smaller vines.
"Now I activate my Chimerafflesia's special ability; once per turn, I can banish a monster on the field with a level equal to or less than it. So yer Apple Magician Girl is gone, which means you won't be triggering her effect!" stated Applejack as her Chimerafflesia lashed out its two-mouthed vines towards Apple Magician Girl and destroyed her.
"Now, I reveal my facedown, Plant Food Chain. This trap gives my Predaplant Moray Nepenthes an extra 500 attack points. So now, I'll have it take out yer Magician's Valkyria!" stated the girl as her other monster took out Isaac's magician(1600 → 2100).
"Like before, when my Moray Nepenthes destroys a monster, it becomes an equip card to my monster. And now to attack yer Magician's Robe with my Chimerafflesia!"
"I activate the effect of my Magician's Robe. During your turn, I can send one spell or trap card from my hand to summon my Dark Magician from my deck. So I'm discarding my Dark Magic Curtain!" Isaac's duel disk then shined brightly as out came his partner as he descended onto the field.
"Like it changes anything. Because now I'm gonna take him out instead! And my Chimerafflesia's other effect allows my monster to gain 1000 attack points while yers lose 1000." stated Applejack(2500 → 1500, 2500 → 3500).
"Now quite, 'cause I reveal my trap card, Shift! So now your attack is redirected to my Magician's Robe!" said Isaac as his other monster took the hit and was destroyed.
"You can't protect your magician forever, sugar. Sooner or later, he's gonna fall. I end my turn, and now our monsters' attack points return to normal!" stated Applejack.
Turn 7: Isaac (Hand 5)
"My turn, and to start... I'll play my spell, Thousand Knives. Now I can destroy your Chimerafflesia!" shouted the World Champion as the small magical daggers appeared and flew toward Aj's monster, which was shredded to pieces. "Now, you can't banish any of my monsters with your ability."
"Keep smirking, city slicker," grumbled Applejack.
"Next, I'll play Dark Magic Inheritance. So by banishing two spells from my graveyard, I can add a spell or trap that lists 'Dark Magician' or 'Dark Magician Girl' in its text." Isaac's duel disk then slid out his Thousand Knives and Dark Magic Curtain for him to grab and moved them into the banished compartment of the device; he touched his screen to make his choice as it slid out the card for him to grab.
"I'll then have my Dark Magician attack your Moray Nepenthes!" said Isaac.
"Before your monster destroys mine, I'm gonna activate its special ability. I can remove one of the monsters attached to it and gain Life Points equal to its original attack. So I'm choosing yer Magician's Valkyria!" said Applejack as she braced herself for her opponent's attack.
Applejack's Life Points: 9600-
A giant ball of energy impacted her field as it destroyed her monster.
Applejack's Life Points: 9200-
"I now end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 8: Applejack (Hand 4)
"It's my move. I draw," said the country gal as she looked at her hand. "And I use the effect of Chimerafflesia in the graveyard. The turn after it gets destroyed, I can add a Fusion card from my deck to my hand." She then touched her screen, searched for the card she wanted from her deck, and clicked on it as it slid out for her to grab. "I'll take Fusion Recovery and activate it immediately to get Polymerization and Predaplant Spinodionaea back into my hand," said the girl as two more cards slid out for her to grab.
"I'll then summon Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio(1200/800)!" A black scorpion appeared before Applejack, roots on its back running up to a plant sprout behind its stinger tail. "Now the effect of my Scorpio activates; when he's summoned, I can send one monster from my hand to the grave, and in exchange, I can special summon one 'Predaplant' monster from my deck. So I send Rose Lover to the grave and special summon Predaplant Flytrap(400/800)!" The ground in front of Applejack cracked open. A small spindly vine with hand-like leaves and a pair of jaws formed from two large leaves grew up from the crack.
"I then use Flytrap's ability and place a Predator Counter on yer monster!"
"Not gonna happen, 'cause now, since you target a spellcaster on my field, I can summon Palladium Oracle Mana(2000/1700) from my hand." Isaac had a female magician appear wearing Egyptian garments. "And with Palladium Oracle Mana on my field, all my Level 7 or higher spellcasters can't be destroyed by card effects. So your Predaplant Flytrap can't destroy it using its special ability."
Applejack gritted her teeth as Isaac stopped what she was thinking.
"That's not all. Since I activated an effect during your turn, I can summon back my Magician's Robe," said Isaac as he had another monster on his field.
"I end my turn with a facedown," said the country gal.
Turn 9: Isaac (Hand 3)
"It's my turn, I draw. And I'll play the Card of Sanctity spell card. Now we both draw till we're holding six cards in our hands," stated Isaac as he and Applejack refilled their hands and prepared to hit reset on their duel.
"Ready?" asked the World Champion.
"Are you ready!" barked back Applejack after looking at what she drew.
"Dark Magician, attack her Flytrap!" commanded Isaac.
"I reveal my facedown, Dark Seed Planter! So now all yer monsters become Dark-types, and then none of yer Dark-type monsters can attack my Dark-type monsters," said Applejack as she avoided Isaac's attack.
"Mmm. I set two cards facedown."
Turn 10: Applejack (Hand 6)
"Time for me to win!" declared Applejack as she drew her card. "I play Polymerization, and this time, I'm gonna combine my Flytrap and Ophrys Scorpio!" A purple vortex with tendrils of green energy appeared behind Applejack and drew in her two monsters. The vortex spun and flashed, its light growing. "By craftin' these ravenous plants together, I'll create a botanical nightmare! I Fusion Summon! Arise, Starving Venom Fusion Dragon(2800/2000)!" She slammed her card on her duel disk, the card tray lighting up purple.
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 on 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 there it is! Applejack has summoned her dragon!" said the commentator as it roared, getting the crowd to cheer.
"Now I activate my dragon's ability! When fusion summoned, it gains the attack points of all yer special summoned monsters!" An aura of purple energy lit up Isaac's field, and trails swirled into Applejack's dragon. The orbs on its wings grew brighter as the power surged through(2800 → 8000).
"Oh shit!" mumbled Isaac at seeing how strong Aj boosted her monster's strength.
"Oh, believe me, sugarcube. I ain't done!" exclaimed Applejack, holding a card. "I play Predapruning to bring back my Predaplant Chimerafflesia!" The farmer's monster appeared as it roared. "Next, I'll activate its special ability to remove yer Magician's Robes." The vines shot out and wrapped around the monster before crushing it.
"Next... I play this. Super Polymerization!"
"Super Polymerization?" echoed Pipp as she never heard of that card, nor had Ms. Sweetie Belle mentioned a card like that existed.
"With the power of this spell, I can conduct a fusion summon using one of yer monsters!" stated Applejack as she pointed at Isaac's field.
"She can do that?" said Sunny.
"There's a card that allows you to use your opponent's monster for a fusion summon?" said Hitch, interested in seeing what move Applejack was planning to make.
"I combine yer Dark Magician with my Chimerafflesia!" Both monsters then turned into lights and were sucked into a vortex. "I Fusion Summon, Predaplant Dragostapelia(2700/1900)!" Out emerged a monster; it let out a vicious roar as it unfurled its wings and showed off its claws as it hovered in the air next to its mistress.
"Incredible..." said Izzy as she tossed several handfuls of popcorn into her mouth and chewed loudly before reclining in her chair.
"Izzy!" exclaimed Zipp at the girl for getting popcorn on her.
"Now I activate my monster's special ability, which means I can place a Predaplant Counter on one of yer monsters." Applejack's monster then opened its mouth and fired a seed. It landed on Isaac's magician. It soon began to wrap around his monster as the vines were zapping away its power. "Then, since yer monster has a Predaplant Counter, my monster can negate the effects of yer monster since it has the counter. And its Level drops to one. Now... Predaplant Dragostapelia attack his Palladium Oracle Mana!"
Isaac's Life Points: 6600-
Applejack's monster removed Isaac's only remaining monster as the World Champion was now defenseless. And the thing was... Applejack still had her dragon, who had yet to attack and could wipe out all his Life Points in one attack. The crowd was silent as they were on the edge of their seat to see if Applejack would do the impossible.
"No... way," said Mario as he leaned forward and looked at the T.V. "He's... going to lose. Ha! He's going to lose. Yes!"
While Mario was feeling a sort of pride and joy that his father was about to lose his title, it made him smile. Roll looked at her big brother, and seeing the happiness of their father's downfall made her concerned for her older sibling. Out in the arena, everybody waited for Applejack to call her move. Yet, she didn't. Instead, she looked at Isaac and the cards on his field.
"Well. What are you waiting for, Aj?" asked Isaac.
The cowgirl took a moment of hesitation as she continued to look at his facedowns.
"Come on! Are you scared of my facedowns or what?" taunted the World Champion.
"You know I ain't stupid, city slicker."
"Then why don't you attack? Your dragon is only gonna all its extra attack points till the end of the turn. So why waste them?" responded Isaac. "You got the balls to end this duel and be World Champion, 'cause I don't think you do! I was right. You CAN'T beat me!"
At that moment, hearing Isaac's word "can't" triggered Applejack.
"You're done!" exclaimed Applejack, deciding to go for it and win. "Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, end this duel!"
The dragon opened its mouth and prepared a green fireball of energy as it looked to fire it at its target.
"Nice," smiled Isaac. "I reveal my facedown, Spellbinding Circle! Thanks to this trap, your dragon can't attack, and it loses 700 attack points!" shouted Isaac as a magical circle ensnared Aj's monster.
"Figures," snarled Applejack.
"Whew. Talk about a close call!" said Izzy as she wiped her forehead and leaned back in her seat.
"I end my turn," growled the farmer as her dragon's strength returned to normal.
Turn 11: Isaac (Hand 4)
"My turn, and I'll play the spell card, Graceful Charity. So I draw three cards and discard two," informed Isaac as he picked up some more cards to add to his hand before selecting the ones he wanted to get rid of as he sent them away. "I'll then activate the effect of my Magicians' Souls. By sending it from my hand along with my Apprentice Illusion Magician from my deck, I can summon my Dark Magician Girl from my graveyard!"
A female spellcaster wearing an outfit similar to his Dark Magician appeared. But instead of purple, it mainly consisted of blue and pink with a few touches of yellow. The female wore a skirt, had blond hair and green eyes, and wielded a wand that matched her outfit. She opened her eyes and flashed a wink before landing on Isaac's side of the field.
"Ladies and gentlemen, there she is! One of Isaac's star monsters of his deck!" said the commentator as the World Champion brought out one of his most powerful cards.
"This can't be good," muttered Applejack, knowing how powerful of a card Isaac's Dark Magician Girl was.
"I then play... Dark Burning Attack. Since I control Dark Magician Girl, this spell gives her the power to destroy every monster on your side of the field!" The girl held her wand high up before aiming at Aj's field, and in the blink of an eye, she nuked everything as she was left with nothing.
"Next, I'm summoning my Breaker the Magical Warrior(1600/1000)!" said Isaac as a warrior wielding a sword and shield appeared. "And when Breaker is summoned, he gains a Spell Counter that increases his attack points by 300. But I'll immediately remove that Spell Counter to trigger his effect. Allowing me to destroy one spell or trap on your field. And I choose your Dark Seed Planter!" The warrior had his sword shine as he threw out a slash that took out Aj's trap.
"He may lose the extra attack points, but he still has enough to damage you. And now... It's time I did a little fusion summoning of my own! I play... the Eye of Timaeus! Come forth, Timaeus!" shouted Isaac over the gallant wind that began to blow over the field. A large dragon with a scar over its left eye appeared as it spread its wings for all in the arena to see its size.
"That's a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig dragon!" said Izzy as she leaned way back to take in all of Timaeus.
"Using the power of Timaeus, I combine him with my Dark Magician Girl... to form... Dark Magician the Dragon Knight(2600/1700)!" Isaac's female spellcaster appeared before Timaeus as they shined in a flash of light; when it died down, she was now riding on Timaeus' back as her outfit had changed to a suit of armor, and she wielded a magical sword instead of a wand.
"Breaker, attack!" commanded Isaac as he instructed his warrior to launch his assault; he let out a way battle cry and fired another sword slash that sailed toward Applejack, who covered up.
Applejack's Life Points: 7600-
"Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight, attack with Dark Energy Burst!" shouted Isaac as she powered up her sword as Timaeus opened his mouth to charge his attack. Once charged, she pointed her sword outward as Timaeus fired his attack; the two began to combine into one powerful attack as it headed straight at Applejack, who put her arms up to protect herself but was pushed back as she tumbled to the ground.
Applejack's Life Points: 5000-
"What a turnabout! From being on the defensive, in just one short move, the World Champion has swung the momentum of this duel back into his favor!" said the lead commentator.
"You're not a five-time World Champion if you don't learn to adapt and learn new tricks. Isaac showing just why he's at the top of the food chain in this jungle. And right, he's got Applejack in his sights as his next meal to conquer!" added the other commentator at the broadcast table.
"You son of a bitch!" shouted Mario as he got up from the couch and kicked over a chair as it crashed on the floor, which frightened Roll. "You stupid son of a bitch, Dad!"
The boy looked at the screen as he saw his father; he growled at the fact that his father was moments away from losing but now turned it around and was winning. The anger deep inside the teen started boiling his blood as he saw his father survive his disdain for the man he was related to. Looking on, Roll was concerned for her big brother; she could tell that this duel was affecting her older sibling, but she was helpless. The only thing she could do was hug one of the couch pillows and pray things worked out.
"I wish you were here, Mom. I could really use your help with Dad and Mario," muttered the girl to herself.
"I'm not done yet, Aj. Next, I play Spider Web! Now, I can take one card from your graveyard sent during your turn and add it to my hand." A spider string shot out as it attached itself to Aj's duel disk. "And the card I choose... is your Polymerization!" He pulled back his arm as the spider string broke, but not before taking the card from Aj's graveyard as it flicked toward Isaac, who caught it between his fingers.
"I now end my turn."
Turn 12: Applejack (Hand 4)
"It's my turn!" said Applejack as she wasn't backing down after Isaac's latest attack. "I activate the effect of my Chimerafflesia, so now I can add a 'Fusion' spell to my hand." Applejack's duel disk then ejected the card she wanted. "I then summon my Predaplant Squid Drosera(800/400) in defense mode." said the girl as a tiny plant-like squid came out and planted its roots on the ground.
"I end my turn."
Turn 13: Isaac (Hand 2)
"My turn. Breaker, take out her Squid Drosera!" stated Isaac as his warrior took out Aj's small monster with ease.
"Now my Squid Drosera's effect activates, so now all of yer special summoned monsters gain a Predaplant Counter." said the girl as a seed attached to Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight.
"Now, Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight... attack!" Another combined attack from Isaac's monster was fired, and Applejack took another powerful hit as she breathed heavily.
Applejack's Life Points: 3400-
"I end my turn."
Turn 14: Applejack (Hand 5)
"Folks, I hate to say it, but Applejack might be nearing her end. If she doesn't pull something soon, her dreams of being World Champion go up in flames!" said the commentator as Aj looked at the scoreboard with their portraits and saw the Life Point total between them.
The farmer was taking some deep breaths as she clutched her side; she wanted Isaac to give her a fight, and he was giving her that and then some. She turned her attention back to her opponent as he stood there with his collected look.
"You should've heeded my advice, Aj. Don't go chasing waterfalls; stick to the rivers and lakes you're used to, cowgirl!" said Isaac as he echoed what he said to the farmer during their contract-signing debate.
Hearing those exact words being said again by Isaac really sent Applejack off the deep end as she growled. The disrespect in that statement motivated her to keep going as she placed her hand on her deck and drew.
"My turn!" yelled the country gal. "I play Plant Herbal Combination! Thanks to this spell, I can conduct a fusion summoning using monsters in my graveyard. So I fuse Squid Drosera, Flytrap, and Lilizard." Aj's three monsters then turned into purple lights as they were sucked into a vortex. "I Fusion Summon, Predaplant Triphyoverutum(3000/3000)!" Applejack's monster descended. It had three heads, stood on its hind legs, and let out a triple roar while spreading its massive wings.
"Okay, now that's BIG!" exclaimed Izzy at Applejack's new monster looking as big as a kaiju.
"Now, to activate its special ability. Since yer monster has a Predaplant Counter, my Predaplant Triphyoverutum gains all its attack points!" stated Applejack(3000 → 5600). "Next, I'm activating my Rapid Seed Fire. So I send another 'Predaplant' from my deck to my graveyard, and I can deal you 300 points of damage. And yer monsters lose 600 attack points!" said the country gal(2600 → 2000, 1600 → 1000).
Isaac's Life Points: 6300-
"Predaplant Triphyoverutum, attack his Breaker the Magical Warrior!" instructed Applejack as her triple-headed beast opened all its mouth to fire its attack.
"I reveal my facedown, Magicians' Defense! The damage I take is cut in half!" shouted Isaac just as Aj launched her attack; his lone warrior was turned into dust by the single attack as he held on before falling to the ground.
Isaac's Life Points: 4000-
"I end my turn," smiled Applejack as her kaiju-like beast roared.
Turn 15: Isaac (Hand 3)
"My turn, and I'll play Pot of Greed to draw two cards. Then I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy one spell or trap card on the field. And I'm choosing to destroy my Magicians' Defense!" declared Isaac as he got rid of his own card.
"What's the point of destroying his own card?" wondered Zipp.
"Now, when my Magicians' Defense is destroyed, I can bring back one spellcaster from my graveyard. So I'm bringing back my Dark Magician!" said Isaac as his star magician appeared. "Then I'm gonna use the Polymerization that I took from you and combine it with my Curse of Dragon so that I can fusion summon my Amulet Dragon!" The two monsters appeared as the outline of Isaac's monster was shown.
"I don't think so, city slicker! I activate the effect of my Predaplant Triphyoverutum! Whenever you try to special summon from your Extra Deck, while I have my monster out, I can negate and destroy it!" stated Applejack as she halted Isaac's attempt to bring out his monster.
"Just great," muttered the World Champion. He began to look at his hand as he pondered what he could do to deal with Aj's monster.
"So, what's next, sugar?" taunted Applejack as she shifted the momentum back in her favor in just one turn.
"First it was Applejack, then Isaac managed to turn it around, and now she's back in control," said Hitch.
"That's why they're pro-duelists. They can manipulate the duel to work in their favor at any given time," commented Sunny, as she was studying the tactics of Isaac and Applejack with a close eye to pick up some tips.
"I play Dark Magic Veil. So by paying 1000 Life Points, I can summon a Dark spellcaster from hand or graveyard. So I summon my Dark Magician of Chaos(2800/2500)! And by summoning my magician, I can add a spell card from my graveyard to my hand!" stated Isaac. "And the card I choose is my Card of Sanctity. Which I'll then play, making us draw till we're holding six cards in our hands."
"Another reset?" said Pipp as they looked on.
"I then activate the effect of my Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight. By sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, I can destroy one faceup card you control. So say goodbye to your Predaplant Triphyoverutum!" said Isaac as his monster raised her sword and pointed it outward as it shot toward Aj's monster and exploded.
"Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight, attack her directly!" said Isaac as his monster delivered another attack; Aj covered up from the latest hit as she was one attack away from losing.
Applejack's Life Points: 1400-
"It's over, Aj. Dark Magician of Chaos, finish her off with Sceptor Chaos Blast!" commanded Isaac as his magician held his hand up high to twirl his staff before slamming it on the ground as a dark magical energy ball appeared and traveled toward the country gal.
"NO!" yelled Applejack, as she wasn't going to lose. "Since you declared a direct attack from my hand, I can summon my Predaplant Sarraceniant(100/600)." A small grasshopper-like monster with a giant weed sprouting out on its back appeared as it jumped in front of the farmer and collided with the dark energy ball.
"Since your monster destroyed my monster, your magician is also destroyed!" declared Applejack as Isaac's monster vanished.
"When my Dark Magician of Chaos is destroyed, he's banished from the duel," said Isaac as he moved his card to the banished compartment of his duel disk, unable to use it anymore.
"And that's not all. My Sarraceniant has another ability. I can add a 'Preda' card from my deck to my hand," said Applejack as her duel disk ejected the card she wanted.
"I end my turn," sighed Isaac.
Turn 16: Applejack (Hand 5)
"My turn, and now... because your Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight still has a Predaplant Counter on it, I can revive my Predaplant Triphyoverutum from my graveyard in defense mode!" A rumble was heard as Aj's kaiju-like plant monster appeared. All three heads looked at Isaac, intending to rip him to pieces.
"Not this again," groaned the World Champion at seeing the monster staring him down.
"I now play Dragon's Mirror!" A large mirror appeared in the air, the wings, claws, and tail of a dragon carved from its frame. "This lets me banish the Fusion parts needed to summon a Dragon-type Fusion monster from my graveyard. I banish Predaplant Flytrap and Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!" The mirror pulsed and glowed purple, its surface cloudy. Applejack reached to her duel disk, fingers poised.
"I combine my botanical nightmare and carnivorous predator to bring out a toxic terror like no other!" The mirror cracked down the center, the image of glowing purple eyes appearing in either half. "I Fusion Summon, Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon(3300/2500)!" The mirror shattered, and a massive dragon flew out of the frame. Its serpentine body was glowing blue, purple, and yellow, with streaks of light along with 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 Isaac.
"And I thought one fusion was bad enough," stated the World Champion as he looked at Aj's latest monster.
"Now, since you control a monster with a Predaplant Counter, I can summon my Predaplant Helimaphorhynchus(1200/2400) in defense mode!" Applejack now had a dino-like monster appear on her field as it roared.
"She has three monsters!" said Pipp as Applejack was poised to win.
"I activate my Rapid Seed Fire to send a 'Predaplant' monster from my deck to my graveyard to make your Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight lose another 600 attack points and deal you 300 more points of damage!" stated Applejack(2000 → 1400).
A seed pod appeared and exploded as the quills shot toward Isaac, who covered up and began to breathe heavily like Applejack.
Isaac's Life Points: 3700-
"And don't forget, my Predaplant Triphyoverutum gains the original attack points of your monster since it still has a Predator Counter on it!" explained Applejack as her monster's strength rose(3000 → 5600).
"Now, I'll switch it to attack mode and have it attack your monster! Finish him!"
"It's over," smiled Mario as Applejack was looking to end this duel.
"I discard Kuriboh from my hand. Now, I take no battle damage from this attack!" said Isaac as he sent his tiny monster away. The little furball appeared as he quickly saw the attack coming and went headfirst into the attack without thinking. To everyone's surprise, the small creature held off the attack, which soon ended with Isaac's monster vanishing from sight.
"Thank you, Kuriboh. Your sacrifice means everything," said Isaac as he looked at his duel disk to see the spirit of his monster appear. The small furball gave a happy sound as he appreciated his master, thanking him for the save.
"How... what... that small thing can do that?" said Pipp, amazed to see a monster as weak and small as Kuriboh hold off an attack from Aj's stronger and bigger monster.
"Guess big things come in small packages after all," said Zipp.
"I ain't done! Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon, attack!" yelled Applejack as her dragon moved its head while charging up its attack and fired.
"I reveal my facedown. Negate Attack! So the battle phase ends!" shouted Isaac as the attack split into two around him as he managed to survive.
"Sugar, I hate you," growled Applejack at how he managed to survive every single time by the skin of his teeth.
"I ain't going anywhere," responded Isaac as he and Applejack reached their limit. He took off his cap momentarily as he wiped his forehead to see how sweaty he was from this duel. The country gal wiped her forehead with her hand as she was in the same state.
The country gal looked at her hand as she prepared for what would come next. "I set two cards facedown!"
Turn 17: Isaac (Hand 4)
"Are you ready, Aj?" asked Isaac as he looked at her.
"Yee-haw... bitch!" said the farmer as she breathed heavily.
Isaac was also breathing, and his hand started to shake. His vision started to get blurry as his fatigue kicked in. The duel with Applejack had pushed him to his limit as he started running out of gas. He squinted his eyes and rubbed them with his fingers as he tried to stay awake to finish his turn. Everyone watching could see both duelists were tired, but their pride and fighting spirit were the only things keeping them up.
"It's... over," said Isaac as he drew. "I play Monster Reborn to bring back my Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight!"
"What good is that going to do? Predaplant Triphyoverutum has 5600 attack points," said Hitch.
"I now play the equip spell, Excalibur! To double the attack points of my Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight!" stated Isaac as his monster had her sword replaced by the more powerful one; its power coursed through her body as she had a fierce look(2600 → 5200).
"Now, she's stronger than Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon. And he can win!" said Sunny.
"Attack Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon!" commanded Isaac as his monster aimed her celestial sword as she prepared to fire the attack from her weapon.
"I reveal my facedown, Battle Fusion!" said Applejack as she revealed her facedown. "Now my Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon gains attack points equal to your monster!"(3300 → 8500).
"What?!" said the teens, shocked at how strong Aj's monster was.
"Nice move, but it's all for naught, cowgirl! I use my own Battle Fusion!" said Isaac, holding the same card that Applejack just played. "So now, my monster gains attack points equal to yours!" exclaimed the World Champion(5200 → 13,700).
"13,700 attack points?!" said the teens.
"It's OVER!" said the commentator as Isaac had won.
"I told you, Aj. You can't beat me!" said the World Champion to his challenger as the girl just looked on.
"No," muttered Applejack as she lifted her head. "NO! I activate... the trap... Final Fusion!"
"Wha?" said Isaac as he was caught off guard by her move.
"If this card is played, we both take damage to our Life Points equal to our monsters' combined attack points. You know what that means!" growled Applejack.
Isaac didn't say anything as a massive explosion occurred. The crowd all looked away from the bright light as Applejack and Isaac stood there, trying to handle it. But the momentum from the explosion was too much and took both off their feet as they fell hard to the ground; their hats were blown off their heads as they lay there.
"Who... won?" said Izzy over the explosion while trying to look, but the light was too bright.
The blinding light remained for quite a while before it began to die. When it died down, everybody looked at the field. There on the ground were Applejack and Isaac as they lay on their stomachs, not moving. The two seemed out of it, as there was no movement. The scoreboard above showed their portraits blinking red as their Life Point totals flashed red.
Isaac's Life Points: 0-
Applejack's Life Points: 0-
Draw
"Hurry up!" shouted Juniper to a nearby medic as she quickly ran out onto the field to her client to check up on him. Another medic also got on the field to check on Aj as both duelists still hadn't moved.
"So... what happens now?" asked Pipp, wanting to know who won.
The teens and everybody waited for the referee to decide as he approached the announcer and whispered into her ear. Upon hearing the referee's ruling, she nodded before clearing her throat and speaking into the microphone to address the audience.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have been informed of the referee's decision. This duel is, in fact, a draw. In the event of the draw, the title of World Champion does not change hands. Therefore... STILL the World Champion... Isaac!" said the woman as she put some energy into her announcement.
After the announcement was heard, silence followed. Soon, one person stood up, then another, then another. One by one, every person in attendance stood up from their seat and began to applaud. The crowd respected both duelists for putting one not just a duel but a physical, brutal, hard-hitting affair. The teens saw everybody around them standing up and clapping as they joined in to show their respect for the show they just witnessed.
"Ladies and gentlemen, that was the most incredible fight! I repeat, a FIGHT! That I have ever witnessed! Every World Championship duel should be like this. Just two duelists slapping each other as hard as they could!" said the lead commentator as he stood up and applauded while continuing to speak into his headset.
"It was a brawl. Whatever you want to call it. That was no ordinary duel; that was a street fight and then some! Two of the toughest sons of guns walking this green earth! My word, they are both going to feel this in the morning! We need more duels like this one!" said the other commentator as he was doing the same thing as his broadcast partner.
"Take nothing away from either of them. They put on a show for us. They put their bodies through pain for our entertainment. But at the end of the day, Isaac was willing to go through an unholy war, and the Prince still runs this kingdom and sits on his sacred throne!"
On the field, Isaac was shaken by Juniper as she tried calling out to her friend. She was trying to wake him up as she was concerned; soon, a sound was heard. The World Champion began to stir as he slowly opened his eyes. He blinked a few times as he registered seeing Juniper's face; the woman was relieved to see her client was alright as he tried to get up. Juniper bent by his side to help Isaac up as Applejack was doing the same. She had finally awoken and was ignoring the medic's pleas not to get up to check her health. Both got to a knee and took a deep breath before pushing up to stand as they clutched their sides. The pair looked at each other while breathing heavily; their intense stares remained locked on the other.
When each tried to step forward, they collapsed onto the floor as they couldn't move. Juniper immediately called for some medics to take her client away to get checked up as two individuals pulled Isaac up and had his arms over their shoulders. The same was being done with Applejack as she had to be carried out; the two were being led in opposite directions as some of the crowd was concerned for the health of the two duelists.
"This... isn't over... city slicker," mumbled Aj as she was carried away.
While Isaac was mostly out of it, he had enough consciousness to see a few people he was being carried by as he lifted a hand up and shakily gave a thumbs up to show the crowd he was all right. The crowd's applause got even bigger as they had more respect for the two duelists, showing they were right despite beating the hell out of each other.
"Careful with him," said the head medic as his assistants brought Isaac into a room and helped lean him against a bed. "Isaac, can you hear me? Are you okay?"
"Y-Yeah," said the World Champion as he still clutched his side.
"We're gonna get you checked out. It's gonna be okay," said the medic as he left to get his things.
"Juniper..." said Isaac, taking deep breaths and panting heavily. "I... gotta give... it to Aj... She... gave it to me."
"You two did trade stiff shots. I'm amazed that either of you can still walk after a brutal duel like that," smiled the woman as she leaned against the wall.
A knocking was heard as the door opened to reveal Roll peeking her head in.
"Dad?" said the girl as she opened the door some more as Mario was behind her.
"R-Roll," said Isaac as he tried to chuckle, only for his side to hurt as he clutched it.
"Is he gonna be okay?" asked Roll to Juniper.
"He's gonna be fine, Roll," assured the woman to the girl, as all Isaac needed was some rest to recover from his intense duel with Applejack. "He's been in worst before."
Mario, who was watching from afar, just stood there. When he saw his father lying on the ground after Applejack played her final card, a part of him was concerned for his old man. He may not like his father, but he didn't want anything bad to happen. Mostly because he didn't want Roll to get emotional, as he knew how much she loved their father. The boy silently sighed in relief, knowing his father was alright.
The arena was starting to empty as most of the people were leaving. Sunny and the others were still in their seats as they wore their winter clothing and prepared to leave.
"Man, what a duel," said Sunny as she put on her scarf.
"I'll say. That was a banger and a half," said Zipp, putting on her hat.
"Hey, guys," said Roll as the group turned to look behind Pipp; the girl with her brother was standing in the aisleway stairs.
"What are you two doing here?" asked Pipp, as they figured the pair wouldn't be here, given Mario's demeanor toward his father.
"You think we wouldn't miss our father's duel?" said Roll. "So... how would you guys like to meet him backstage?"
The five were stunned as they all looked at each other, trying to process what was said. After seeing the World Champion perform and then finding out that their friends were, in fact, here and watching their father, they were asked if they wanted to meet him.
"I'm not dreaming, right?" said Hitch as he soon felt a pinch. "Ow!"
"Nope, you're awake," said Izzy as she pinched Hitch's arm again.
"Izzy!" yelled the boy to get her to stop pinching.
"Hold on, you're not messing with us, right lover boy?" asked Zipp.
"Does it look like it?!" growled Mario as he began to walk away.
"I... can't believe this," said Pipp.
Soon, the five followed the two siblings to where their father was. They came to the curtain as they walked past it. Upon going through the secret curtain, their friends were amazed by what they saw. The private area for the World Champion was all so much to take in. They followed the two siblings as they came to their father's dressing room. Roll knocked on the door as Juniper peeked her head out.
"Juniper, is my dad inside?" asked Roll.
"He is. I'll let him know," said the woman as she closed the door to tell her client about his kids bringing their friends to meet him.
"Okay, just let me level with you guys. My dad is just like anybody else, so be yourselves, okay?"
"What do you think we're gonna do, Roll? Worship him like a god?" said Zipp.
"You'd be surprised how often that happens," muttered Mario, as his father was indeed a big-time celebrity that many would kill to meet.
"Okay, he's ready. Come on in, kids," said Juniper as she opened the door and allowed the teens to enter.
The group entered immediately; Sunny and the others were amazed by the World Champion's private dressing room. It was like a private lounge that they couldn't take their eyes off it. Roll and Mario approached a couch, and the girl sat on it while the boy ate some donuts at the buffet table. Soon, a sound was heard as the World Champion stepped out from a closed door. His sneaker was shown before it panned upward to reveal Isaac as he adjusted his cap and saw his kids before looking toward where their friends were. They all had open mouths and eyes widened, even Sunny, as despite meeting the World Champion before, she still found it to be fangirling like crazy.
"Guys, meet our father," said Roll as she introduced her friends to her dad.
"Hey," said Isaac, tipping his cap to the group.
Author's Note: What A Banger! A duel that was just hard-hitting nonstop from beginning to end. However, it seems based on the outcome of this duel, Applejack isn't done with Isaac just yet. And no doubt, both will be wanting a rematch in the near future. And some other things, Roll trying to convince Hitch to make a move in telling Sunny about what went down between them, and even seeing some slight concern from Mario about his father. It's clear that he doesn't hate his father to the point that he wants him hurt or worse, just that he doesn't like what he views him as. So he does have some sympathy for his dad. And the ending scene of taking their friends to meet their father, just as the group is about to split up for their winter vacation.