The situation was as follows: The Friendship Games between Crystal Prep Academy and Canterlot High School or Canterlot High Academy was fast approaching. With the upcoming games and CHS's turn to host them, Crystal Prep sent its team of students and a small student body to support their fellow students. Upon arriving, their Principal, Sombra, had already staked their claim to both Celestia and Luna that they had already lost before the first card was drawn, so to speak. Sunny and her friends had all kinds of emotions when they saw their rivals; however, they were unprepared when the captain of Crystal Prep Academy not only knew Mario and Roll but was their cousin of all things.

"Hey, cousin," said Mario, looking at the girl before them.

"Cousin?!" said Sunny and the others as they looked at both siblings and then looked at the girl.

The girl wore the signature Crystal Prep Academy dress code as she flaunted her dress and hair. She had light opal eyes, her skin was light magentaish gray with tinges of pale, light grayish fuchsia, and her hair was light cerise to grayish violet with light arctic blue highlights. The girl approached Mario as she quickly pulled her cousin into a hug.

"How are you doing, primo?" asked the girl before releasing him.

"Fine," said Mario as he dusted himself off.

"Uh, Mario. No disrespect to you or your cousin… but um… she's hot," whispered Hitch to his buddy.

"Hitch!" shouted Sunny as she smacked her best friend in the back of his head for that comment to another girl.

"Thanks," Flurry Heart smiled as she blew a kiss to Hitch using her two fingers. The boy turned a bit red until he looked to see Sunny glaring at him, which he quickly got rid of.

"Uh, Roll, mind explaining to us!" said Zipp as she felt like they all owed some answers about how and why this girl was not only a Crystal Prep student but hugged Mario like it was nothing and called him her cousin.

"I had a feeling," snickered Sombra as he appeared before Roll could explain. "Allow me to introduce you to my #1 student at Crystal Prep. Flurry Heart. Who happens to be the daughter of the 2nd ranked duelist in the world."

"Our cousin," said Roll.

Sunny and every other student of CHS blinked and did several double-takes between the two siblings and Flurry Heart. They couldn't believe or wrap their heads around this sudden discovery, which made things even harder.

"So, these are your friends, huh? Did the lone wolf finally find a pack?" asked Flurry Heart to her cousin with a teasing tone.

"Don't kid yourself, prima. I'm not a part of this team," stated Mario as he told his cousin.

"Okay. And what about you, Roll?"

"Well…" stated the girl, looking at her friends momentarily and thinking about it. Knowing that Flurry would be on the opposite team meant that if she joined with Sunny, she'd have to fight her own family member. It was clear that Flurry Heart showing up was making her second guess, even wanting to be a part of the team.

"Uh, hi!" said Sunny as she approached the girl. "I'm Sunny Starscout, and it's nice to meet the cousin of Roll and Mario. These are my friends. Hitch, Zipp, Izzy, and Pipp." Sunny ran down the line and pointed to each of her friends as they had different expressions.

"I'm Flurry Heart. And let me just say it's an honor to beat you all."

"Uh, thanks. Wait a sec… did you say meet or beat?" Zipp asked, as she couldn't hear what Flurry Heart said with that line of dialogue.

"I think you heard me," snickered the girl with a devious smile as she turned around and made sure her hair smacked Zipp in the face; the heiress feeling her blood began to boil at the spoiled attitude she was getting from the girl.

"Well, if we're doing introductions. Let me introduce you all to your opponents!" snickered Sombra as he snapped his fingers.

One student stepped forward as she stood directly across from the CHS group.

"My name's Athena. And I'm known as the War Goddess!"

"My name is Shirai. And I'm known as the Genius of the Sky."

"The name's JD. And when you're betting, you never bet against an Ace."

"I'm the group's Architect, but you can call me Phin."

"I'm Roxanne. When it comes to shining bright like a diamond, I'm the brightest of them all! They call me the Sitri."

"You can't outrun destiny. You can only embrace it. And the Archer of Infamy never misses the bullseye. I'm Axiom!"

The six Crystal Prep students all stood in a line as they stared down their opponents.

"And Flurry Heart is known as the Princess of Crystal Prep," smiled Sombra proudly at his prized protege. "Together, she and her group are the top 1% of Crystal Prep Academy."

"We basically run the school," boasted Flurry Heart with such a bragging aura that it made some of the CHS students glare at her.

The two sides glared at each other as the line in the sand was clearly drawn.

"Well, Sombra. If you're done boasting, then perhaps I can show you around while Luna gets your students settled in."

"Of course, Tia," said Sombra as he offered a gentlemanly gesture to the woman. "Don't forget the plan," the Crystal Prep principal whispered to Flurry Heart.

"Noted," responded Flurry Heart with a smile.

Sombra smiled before following Celestia.

"Alright, guys, you heard'em. Food and drinks are on my cousins and their friends!" smiled Flurry Heart to her comrades. "Get to work," whispered the girl as her expression changed into a serious one.

The others all smiled as they understood their mission. To get as much info as possible about their opponents and exploit any faults/weaknesses to use against them in the Friendship Games. The student body of CHS then began to follow Vice-Principal Luna to the auditorium. The small student body of CPA followed them as the only ones left were the two teams of students. Both sides looking at the other as if sizing the other up for the upcoming clash.

"Come on, guys. Let's go to the party," said Sunny as she ushered the others away to not get into anything.

"You have an interesting group of allies, primo," said Flurry Heart to Mario as she watched her cousins' friends leave.

"Yeah, they are," responded Mario nonchalantly as he saw them leave.

Canterlot High's cafeteria had been turned into a social hub for the Friendship Games, with food and drinks lining the tray and tables set up. The two sides of the cafeteria, divided by the tiled path between the doors on either end of the room, were decorated with banners, flags, and posters for their respective schools, the letters "CHS" on one side in blue and "CPA" in purple letters on the other side. The little social gathering was full of tension. Both schools were separated as they were on opposite sides of the room. They would only cross paths when they went for refreshments and food at the table. On the stage, Celestia was speaking with Principal Sombra.

"Well, this is a party," said Zipp sarcastically.

"Talk about dead vibes," said Izzy as she held a plate of cookies.

"Come on, guys. We're supposed to be all friends here."

"I didn't know if you haven't noticed it, Sunny. But this is anything but friendly," responded Zipp.

"Okay. I'll admit. It could be better. Maybe some music will cheer people up. Pipp! Care to sing us a tune?" said the girl as she looked at her popstar friend.

"One lively party coming right up!" said the girl as she pulled out her special microphone and asked Hitch and Izzy to help her set up.

While the trio began to change the party's vibes, Mario and Roll gave their cousin the tour of their new school elsewhere on campus. The door to their dorm building opened, and the boy entered carrying a bag that belonged to their cousin.

"You sure you want to stay with us instead of one of the spare dorm rooms?" asked Roll, surprised that Flurry Heart had decided she wanted to bunk with them instead of any of the other dorm buildings like her teammates and other CPA students.

"I talked with Sombra, and he's fine with it. After all, we're family. Family sticks together, right," said Flurry Heart.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," said Mario as he walked up the stairs and went to one of the spare rooms their building had. He opened it and placed his cousin's stuff near the bed.

The girls followed him as Flurry Heart set her backpack down and looked at the space.

"You two are lucky to have a space like this," said the girl.

"Yeah, well, thank Dad for that," muttered Mario, as he knew the only reason he and Roll had a special dorm was because of who their father was and the special treatment they got because of who they were related to.

"So tell me, why did you two come here when you could have gone to Crystal Prep? Not discrediting his or Auntie Twily's decision, but you two are big fish in a small pond here. You're levels above everybody else, especially your friends." said Flurry Heart.

"Like I give a shit where Mom and Dad send me, prima," remarked Mario as he exited the room.

"Still an attitude, huh?"

"Yeah," responded Roll.

"What about you, Roll? Are you still considering joining your friends for the games?" asked Flurry Heart. "'Cause if you do, that means you and I will be enemies. Family against family. Isn't that funny?"

"Well… I… I…"

"It's a simple question, cousin. Are you with your friends… or are you with blood?" asked Flurry Heart with a smug smirk as she began to unpack her stuff.

Roll looked at her cousin and began to think about her words of whether or not she was on Sunny's side or her family's side. Back in the cafe, Hitch and Izzy had finished setting up some speakers as Pipp adjusted her diadem before tapping her microphone.

"Hello… everybody!" said the girl as she got the entire room's attention. "It's time to lively things up! Annnnd…. Five, six, seven, eight. Hit it!" instructed the pop star. The music was played as Izzy pulled a string. "Come on, people! Show'em what you got! I said show'em what you got! Here we go now! Here we go!"

Balloons and confetti fell from above as Izzy blew some noise makers that shot out the glitter. Pipp began to feel the rhythm of the music and belted one out. Instantly, the party's vibe changed as both sides got into it. Everybody started to lighten up and get in the groove of things as more conversations began to happen between the two schools. Principal Celestia smiled at seeing the two schools mingle as it reminded her of the purpose of these games apart from the competitive side.

"Leave it to Pipp to liven things up!" said Zipp.

The doors to the cafe opened as Mario, Roll, and Flurry Heart arrived where the others were and took a moment to see the giant party that was happening.

"What the hell did we miss?" asked the boy as he figured both sides would keep to themselves, yet they were talking as if there wasn't any bad blood.

"A hint. She's got a crush on you, bro," said Roll as she pointed to Pipp performing.

"Of course," groaned the boy, figuring the girl would take this opportunity to perform and get more exposure for her social media feeds.

Flurry Heart looked at where Pipp was and then at her cousin; hearing Roll say that the girl had a crush on Mario, she smirked. The Crystal Prep teen knew about her cousin's previous relationship, and hearing that made her smile. Especially given who her mother was and when it came to love endeavors. Before she could speak to her cousin, their attention was grabbed when a screeching sound was heard. It caused most students to cover their ears as Pipp stopped singing, with the music suddenly stopping. A cord was shown in Sombra's hand as he unplugged the speakers Pipp was using before tossing it to the floor; he adjusted his suit and walked forward with a dominant presence.

"Excellent performance, Ms. Petals. Now then… if you please," said the man as he looked at the teen.

Pipp felt scared looking at the intimidating principal of Crystal Prep as she hurried off to get away from him. The principal of Crystal Prep stood before the student body as his presence held weight and made everyone look at him.

"I'd like to thank Principal Celestia for her unconventional welcome. As you all know, these Friendship Games happen every four years between our schools. Yet, in that time span, the saying fits the bill. The more things change, the more they stay the same. The Friendship Games are a cross-school tournament consisting of seeing which school reigns supreme. And yet Canterlot High picks its competitors in a popularity contest, and Crystal Prep continues to field its top students. I credit remaining committed to such an ideal, yet it is deeply misguided."

Sombra's claim had an effect on the students. His school smiled in agreeance with their principal, while the students of CHS had a range of emotions. Some felt a bit degraded, and some, like Zipp, had scowled at the statements being made by the man.

"However. I'd like to speak openly. Disregard your school's history in this tournament or our school's reputation. Each duel is a new opportunity to understand the game better, so this tournament, yours to lose or win, will show if you are good enough to be considered the best. There can be no doubts or hesitation moving forward. There is only what is to come and how we each, as schools and as individuals, handle it."

Surprisingly enough, the students from both schools agreed with what Principal Sombra was saying as they applauded him. He then turned it over to Celestia with a smirk as she put on a fake smile for her students, while deep inside, she was so looking forward to wiping his smug demeanors all over him.

"Thank you, Principal Sombra, for that… inspirational lecture," said Celestia, looking at her old flame while gritting her teeth so that only he saw it. Sombra took pride in getting a rise from the woman as he bowed, which nearly made a vein pop out of Celestia's forehead before she took a deep breath and turned to the crowd with a smile. "Now then, this year, we have decided to change things up. Usually, these Friendship Games consist of duels. However, seeing as this year will be our 30th time hosting these events, we've decided to make it something worthwhile. This is why, in addition to just dueling, both teams of students will compete in several subjects. Ranging from sports to academia to even trivia."

The sudden announcement from Celesita caught the attention of everyone, as this year's Friendship Games was going to be the biggest event for both schools of all time. Luna then handed a remote to her older sister as she pushed a button and made a screen descend behind her. She pushed another button, which came on as both school logos appeared.

"Now then, Celestia. While you scramble to put together your team last minute, like always," said Sombra with a sly sneer, which ticked off the woman even more. "Allow me to introduce you to students representing Crystal Prep in these games. First is the Sitri of Crystal Prep. Let me introduce you to Roxanne!"

When Sombra called her name, the girl came forth as she stood by her principal. As she spotted Sunny and her friends, the girl looked and sneered at them.

"Next, she's known as the Genius of the Sky, Shirai!"

"When it comes to formulating the plans and blueprints to take down our foes, look no further than Phin, for she's known as the Archiet."

"Athena is her name, but she's earned the nickname the War Goddess as she's ready for a fight at any given time."

"He fancies himself an Ace. JD is a bet you never go against."

"When the Archer of Infamy takes aim, there's no missing the mark. Axiom."

"And lastly, the captain of Crystal Prep and my personal protege. The Princess of Crystal Prep Academy. Flurry Heart!"

The girl smiled as that was her cue. She smiled at her cousins before walking forward to be with her comrades. All seven Crystal Prep students stood beside their principal, with Flurry Heart taking her spot in the middle and flipped her hair. Safe to say, Flurry Heart's actions got most of the CHS boys' attention. Sombra had a smug smile on his face as he looked at Celestia.

"Can you find a better variety and composition of duelists than this, Tia? And believe me when I say they won't break a sweat in defeating whatever make-shift team you assemble."

"For your information, Sombra. I have put together a team. A team that you shouldn't take so lightly. Let me welcome the students who will represent CHS. Ms. Starscout, please come up with your friends!" stated Celestia.

"That's our cue," said Zipp as she and the others began to head toward their principal.

"You guys coming?" asked Sunny as she stopped to look at Mario and Roll.

Mario just crossed his arms as that was his answer.

"Roll?"

Sunny looked at her friend, hoping she would come with them. But the girl looked at where her cousin was, who noticed her and Sunny talking. The girl looked hesitant about agreeing, given she'd had to fight against her own family member.

"Sunny!" shouted Hitch as they were waiting for her.

The girl sighed as she left the two siblings and went to where the others were. The main 5 stood beside Celestia as they stood across from Sombra and his crew.

"Well, Celestia, you managed to assemble a somewhat of a team. But you seem to have forgotten how to count with that pretty face of yours," snickered Sombra.

Celestia looked at Sunny and her friends and couldn't ignore that there were only five of them, not seven.

"I can assure you, Sombra, that even with these five, they can hold their own against you and your crew."

"Perhaps. However, the rules state that both sides must have seven participants. So…, it looks like you need to find your last two members. You still have time… just… not that much," smiled Sombra. "We thank you for your hospitality and await the coming events."

Sombra bowed before turning around with his students as he led them away.

"You have your targets?" whispered Sombra to his seven.

They all turned their heads to eye Sunny and her friends, and they smiled. Once Sombra and the rest of Crystal Prep left the cafe, all the students of CHS began to leave as well. Celestia sidestepped to Sunny and leaned over to speak to the girl.

"Sunny. You promised that you would have a team of seven by the time Crystal Prep came. Where are your other two members?!" said Celestia, raising her voice slightly.

"Well… I initially had seven I thought of…" said the girl nervously, tapping her fingers.

"Well, I'm making this clear now. You need to find your last two members before the Friendship Games start. Otherwise, CHS will forfeit before the events even begin. Am I understood?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Don't make me regret letting you choose your team. And the regret of everybody who chose you to be the leader!" said Celestia as she left.

Sunny felt like a massive weight was on her shoulders as she had a lot riding on this.

"That could have gone better," said Hitch, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Please, tell me Roll convinced Mario to rethink?" asked Zipp.

"I'm not sure if either of them is gonna join now," said Sunny, as it was clear that since Flurry Heart, their cousin, was on the opposite side, it would be even more difficult to get them to join the team.

"Well, we only have two options at this point! Either convince them to join or find replacements! And it seems like the second option might be the easier one!" responded the heiress.

"Yeah, but who's gonna want to join after seeing Crystal Prep?" said Pipp.

"There's plenty of people. We just gotta look for the best ones!" said Zipp, hoping they could find two more members for their team.

"Zipp's right. We can't lose faith. Even if we don't have Mario or Roll, we can still stand a chance against Crystal Prep. Right?"

The others had hesitant looks, making Sunny bite her hair nervously. She hoped that somehow both siblings would come around 'cause they really needed their help.

Once they left the cafe, Sombra had his team all gather in an empty classroom, gathered in a circle at a round table.

"The plan continues," said the principal. "Celestia is in shambles, as expected. Therefore, if she finds two other duelists, we'll take care of them then. For now, you all focus on the five she's selected. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" responded the students.

"Good, now!" Sombra then pulled out five separate files and tossed them onto the table. "Let's begin with dissecting our foes. First up… is Ms. Pipp Petals." The principal of Crystal Prep opened the first file on the pile; it showed a picture of the girl inside and all the info he pulled from the school database.

"Deck: Melodious. Singer/stylish/live streamer. The youngest daughter of Ms. Haven of Haven Enterprise. The biggest corporation/business in all of Zephyr Heights. She's a Fusion user."

"She must not be a very good one. Look at her win-loss ratio," snickered Roxanne as she saw the girl's record.

"Next up is her older sister. Ms. Zipp Storm. Deck: Speedroid. One of the top athletes here at CHS. A Synchro user. And apparently, she had a run-in with Ms. Dash a while back. And she's the future heiress to inherit her mother's company."

"So we got ourselves a princess, huh?" taunted Shirai.

"Well, this princess is gonna need more than just one duel with a pro to make her relevant," stated Axiom.

"Next up… another Synchro user. Izzy Moonbow. Deck: A combination of Scrap and Junk. She's a bit of a tinker of sorts. Plus, she's a very eccentric one. But is rather slow when it comes to things."

"I'm amazed she qualified, considering how stupid she looks," remarked Phin.

"CHS is desperate to let someone with her mentality on their team," snickered JD.

"Next is a boy named Hitch Trailblazer. Another Synchro user for the group. His deck consists mainly of Warrior types. Another newcomer with a fair win-loss ratio. His nickname given to him by his friends is Sheriff."

"Not bad of a looker. But he ain't no sheriff. If he wants to run around this school, think he's some protector; he's got another thing coming," said Athena.

"And lastly, the captain of this team. Ms. Sunny Starscout. She's an Xyz user; however, it seems she's got plenty of stuff. Her deck is Magistus, which can adapt to all summoning methods. She's considered highly praised by her peers. And she's had a meeting with the World Champion. So, if anything, he's probably given her advice."

"She's not gonna be an issue," said Flurry Heart as she looked at the picture of the girl.

"These five are formidable, but like always, they will fall to us. Now, there is another issue that I want to discuss. Flurry… your cousins?"

"I have my cousins on lock. I can take care of them, though it seems my presence has caused one of them to change their minds about participating."

"Still… keep tabs on them. One can never be too prepared. As for the rest of you, you'll be participating in their classes tomorrow. So, study them, watch them. Find their weakness and exploit them. Once we get all the necessary information, we devise a plan to defeat them." stated Sombra.

"No offense, sir, but you said so yourself. No matter what team they put together, we'll easily beat them."

"Overconfidence can be a weakness, Ms. Athena. Have too much of it, and you'll soon find yourself at the bottom of the barrel."

"Don't worry, sir. We know what to do," said Flurry Heart.

Following their meeting, Flurry Heart went to her cousins' dorm to prepare for tomorrow. The girl was in her room when she pulled out her phone and began to make a call.

"Hello."

"Hey, Mom."

"Nice to hear from my little girl. So, how are your cousins?"

"They're good. I'm gonna be staying with them while we're here."

"Lovely. Remember. You kids try to enjoy some family time, okay."

"I understand, Mom," said the girl as she ended her call.

A knock on her door was heard as Flurry Heart approached it. She opened the door and there was Mario.

"Hey, prima, me and Roll are gonna watch a movie. You want in?" asked the boy.

"Sure," smiled the girl.

The following morning, Sunny and her friends worked hard trying to recruit some of their classmates for their team's final spots. However, it proved to be more difficult than it seemed as nearly everybody they approached declined as they saw how tough the Crystal Prep students were and didn't want any part of it. The Friendship Games were fast approaching, and time was slowly running out for Sunny as he desperately needed her final members.

"So, what's the plan, Flurry?" asked Phin as they were all gathered with their captain.

"Simple. JD, Phin, and Shirai. You three are going to the Synchro class. Keep tabs on the three. Athena, keep tabs on Sunny while you're in the Xyz course."

"What about your cousin?" asked the girl, referring to how Roll was also in the same course as Sunny.

"Like I said, I can handle my cousins. You focus on getting some dirt on this Sunny girl. I need to know everything about her: her skills, interests, and likes. Everything. Anything we can use to throw her off her game. We take advantage of it." said Flurry with a smile. "We play to win, remember that."

"Got it, boss," said Athena.

"Roxy and Axiom, you both will focus on Ms. Popteen in the Fusion course. Exploit her."

"Got it," responded the boy.

"At least we don't have to worry about your other cousin in there," said Roxanne, as even they could tell that Mario wasn't interested in helping his friends with this event.

"Trust me, when it comes time for the Friendship Games, my cousins will have to make a choice. They're either with their friends, or they're with family. And blood is thicker than water." said Flurry Heart. "Let's go to work, guys."

"Aye, aye, Captain!" said the other six as they broke apart and began to execute their plan. Flurry Heart watched her comrades work on their assignments as she smiled.

Mario and Pipp were entering their Fusion Course as Sunny instructed the girl to see if she could convince the boy to rethink her decision while she hopefully tackled Roll. The pair sat down at their usual spots, and more of their classmates filed in. Soon, a handful of Crystal Prep students entered, and among them were Roxanne and Axiom; they spotted their targets and took seats right at the table next to them, keeping their distance while examining the pair.

"Mario…"

"I know what you're gonna say, chica! And I'll say this once because I know Sunny put you up to this. I'm not joining the team!" stated the boy as he shut down any attempts that Pipp would make to convince.

The two Crystal Prep students overheard it and smiled; Flurry's assumptions about her cousin not wanting to be a part of this proved correct, as they could focus their true intentions on the girl sitting next to him. Soon, Sweetie Belle entered the classroom, and all the students focused on her.

"Hello, class. As you know, we have some visiting guests who'll be with us for the foreseeable future. Let me introduce myself. My name is Sweetie Belle, and I teach Fusion here at CHS. I had planned today's lesson, but given our special guests, I figured I'd change things up. So instead, we'll have an exhibition duel. One student from Crystal Prep against a student from Canterlot High. I'm sure this experience will help my students understand the grasp of Fusion Summon from another student outside of this school."

The CHS students all had worried looks on their faces as they feared what their rivals might do, given how highly advanced they were. Axiom and Crystal smiled as they planned to use this opportunity to complete the mission given to them by Flurry Heart.

"Now… are there any volunteers?" asked Sweetie Belle.

"I'll volunteer, Ms. Sweetie Belle."

"Thank you, Ms…"

"Roxanne," said the girl as she stood up with a smug smile.

"Well, thank you for setting an example. Now, is anybody willing to face Ms. Roxanne in this exhibition? I am awarding extra credit points for any volunteers." said Sweetie Belle, hoping that would entice her class to want to participate, but she could see they were hesitant and, in some cases, afraid of going against someone from Crystal Prep given the school's reputation.

A few moments passed, but nobody stood up, let alone raised their hand as Sweetie Belle sighed. To think they were making the woman look bad to their rivals as she rubbed her forehead, hoping one student would stand up not just for her but for their school.

"Well, it seems I have to pick," stated Sweetie Belle.

"Actually, I know who I want to duel," said Roxanne as her gaze shifted to Mario from the corner of her eyes.

The boy sensed the girl's gaze on him as he shifted his eyes out of the corner of his view to see the teen. The girl turned as she was now looking directly at Flurry Heart's cousin with a smile on her face. She then lifted an arm and pointed.

"You!"

Roxanne pointed, but it was directed at Pipp, who was beside Mario.

"M-M-Me?" said Pipp nervously at being selected by the Crystal Prep student.

"Well, Ms. Petals?" said Sweetie Belle, hoping she'd accept the challenge.

"S-Sure," responded the girl nervously to her professor.

"That was too easy. Phase 1 is complete. Onto Phase 2," said Axiom as Roxanne sat down.

"Flurry Heart said to exploit her. And I plan to do just that. Hope her singing career is a good fallback since her dueling career ain't. Not that she had much anyways." snickered the Crystal Prep girl as the pair were looking to humiliate Pipp and send a message to CHS for the upcoming Friendship Games.

The class was gathered outside on the soccer field as Pipp and Roxanne prepared for their duel. The pop star was speaking with Mario as she could feel the effects of this exhibition duel getting to her.

"Listen, chica. Just duel the way you always do, alright? This is just an exhibition duel. Think of it as practice for the Friendship Games. A way for you to study your opponent." said Mario as he placed his hands on Pipp's shoulders.

"Right. Just duel the way I always do, got it," said Pipp as she took a deep breath and worked up the courage for this fight.

Mario smiled as Pipp leaned in and kissed his cheek before pulling back.

"Just something to motivate me," winked the girl with a flirt as she walked away.

"Are you done with your man?!" taunted Roxanne as she was getting impatient with Pipp.

"What's it to you?" said the stylish, as she didn't appreciate someone butting into her business.

"Plenty. But, believe it or not, my focus is on you. See, it wasn't a coincidence I chose you."

"You mean… you did it on purpose?" said Pipp.

"You catch on. Now, let's see if your dueling skills are up to par. 'Cause trust me when I say Crystal Preps's Fusion curriculum is miles above your pathetic school. And I'll give you a full demonstration." Roxanne said as she looked to intimidate and put Pipp in her place, along with making an example of the girl in front of her peers.

"Begin!" said Sweetie Belle as she gave the cue to start.

"Opponent detected. Streaming date. Duel mode set. Initiating. Commencing duel." said both girls' duel disks.

The pair strapped their devices on as they came online. Pipp's duel disk projected an aquamarine color card tray, while Roxanne's duel disk projected a citrine color card tray.

Crystal's Life Points: 8000-
Pipp's Life Points: 8000-

As the pair drew their opening hands, Pipp heard a snicker from her foe.

"Mind telling what's so funny?" asked the stylish.

"Obviously, it's you," said Roxanne. Pipp gave an expression as she took offense to the comment made by her rival. "You may see yourself as a shining diamond or sparkling little jewel, but we know better." said the girl as she looked at Axiom, who also had a smirk on his face as if he agreed with her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" stated Pipp, clearly not taking too kindly to her opponent's claim.

"You're a fake. You're a liar. Or should I put it in live streamer's terms so you can understand? You're a phony!"

"You don't know anything about me!" said Pipp defensively.

"Maybe, maybe not. But one thing I know a lot about is jewels and jewelry. You see, my family owns a jewelry store. So, as you can tell, I've spent a lot of time looking at priceless gems worth thousands of dollars. I also picked up certain things, like how to tell the quality of a gemstone, how they sparkle, but most importantly, their value and how much they're worth. And while you claim to shine like a diamond, you are far from anything like that."

Pipp's eyes widened a bit after hearing Roxanne's claim.

"You may fool your classmates, but you can't fool me or your boyfriend over there. He knows what I know, Pipp. I see it in your eyes. You're filled with doubt! And that's why you're the weakest of your friends. You don't belong on the dueling field, and you'll never be a true duelist like the rest of us!" proclaimed the Crystal Prep girl as Pipp's eyes widened even more from that statement.

"You can believe whatever you want to believe. As for me, the only way to really prove what's inside my heart is to stop talking and start dueling. And guess who told me that, my so-called 'boyfriend.' So let's get to it!" stated Pipp, as she tried not to let Roxanne's antics get inside her head.

Turn 1: Roxanne (Hand 5)

"Very well, I'll go first!" said the girl as she drew. "And I think I'll start things off by playing the spell card, Gem-Knight Fusion! It lets me fuse together two Gem-Knight monsters in my hand."

"A fusion summon already!" said Pipp, as she was unprepared for that.

"So she has a Gem-Knight deck. That's gonna be trouble for Pipp," muttered Mario to himself after seeing Roxanne's opening move.

"That's right, and now I choose to fuse my Gem-Knight Tourmaline and Gem-Knight Emerald!" stated Roxanne as she picked two cards from her hand and held them out. The spirits of her monsters appeared before her as a swirling vortex sucked them in. "Stone warrior in armor of lightning! Gleaming green knight of good fortune! Meld your might to make your light blinding bright! I Fusion Summon! Say hello to Gem-Knight Topaz(1800/1800)!" Roxanne's Extra deck of her duel disk opened up and ejected the card for her to grab. She slammed it onto her card tray as a monster clad in bright yellow armor appeared, wielding a twin-bladed tonfa.

"I can't believe she Fusion summoned on her first turn!" said Pipp.

"Well, here's something else you won't believe. You don't stand a chance of beating me. Not that you ever had one to begin with. Like I said, you're the weak link."

"That's a lot of talk coming from someone who brought out a monster that's not going to be very hard to beat!" said Pipp as she looked at Topaz's attack points.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," smiled Roxanne. "How you deal with this monster will make or break you like a lump of coal can turn into a sparkling diamond or rubble. All it takes is pressure. Pressure that you can't thrive under, little Miss Popstar. I place one card facedown and end my turn."

Turn 2: Pipp (Hand 5)

"Well, we'll just see who breaks!" said Pipp as she drew and looked at the card she picked up from the corner of her eye and smirked. "I'll start things off by activating the sweet-sounding spell, First Movement Solo! When there are no monsters on my field, I can summon a Level 4 or below 'Melodious' monster from my hand or deck. So I present to you, Aria the Melodious Diva(1600/1200)! And with a Melodious diva monster on stage, this seriously talented little songstress can make it a duet. Introducing Sonata the Melodious Diva(1200/1000)!" Pipp now had two monsters on her field as both divas began to sing harmoniously.

"Time to face the music, Roxanne. Now, I'll tribute this duet and combine their melodies to summon a whole new monster. She'll blow you away with her musical talent. Mozarta the Melodious Maestra(2600/2000)!" stated the stylish as she summoned one of the most powerful singers of her deck. "And that's just the opening act. Once per turn, Mozarta lets me summon a 'Melodious' monster that's Level 4 or below from my hand. Give it up for the chart-topping melody maker, Canon the Melodious Diva(1400/2000)!"

Once again, Pipp had two monsters on her field, outnumbering Roxanne's lone monster.

"Let's do this. Mozarta the Melodious Maestra, attack her Gem-Knight Topaz with Graceful Waves!" instructed Pipp. Mozarta flew into the air using her piano-like fairy wings and waved her conductor wand about. It made an infinity symbol that caused a wind to blow over the field as it headed for Gem-Knight Topaz and exploded upon impact. Roxanne covered up as her monster was gone.
Roxanne's Life Points: 7200-

"So, how'd you like that performance? Ready for more!" taunted Pipp. The girl looked at her foe, who put her arm down and revealed her face. Her smirk confused the stylish before focusing on her next attack. "All right, Canon. You're in the spotlight now. It's time to belt one out and attack Roxanne directly with Singing Strike!" Pipp's diva opened her mouth, and a soundwave was shot toward the Crystal Prep girl, who covered up with both arms across her chest, keeping her head down, and took the hit.
Roxanne's Life Points: 5800-

"Not bad, chica," muttered Mario to himself at how Pipp dealt massive damage on her first turn.

"I'll admit that you may have a little bit of skill, but nowhere enough to beat me!" stated Roxanne as she dusted off her shoulder before straightening up to address Pipp.

"I wouldn't be so sure," remarked the stylish.

"You would be if you knew what I know about what's going to happen on my next turn."

"Then I'm gonna change my tune and activate my Canon's ability. Once per turn, I can switch a 'Melodious' monster's battle position. So I'm switching her into defense mode!" stated Pipp as she turned the card on her tray sideways as her monster before she bent down and put her arms into an X-formation.

Turn 3: Roxanne (Hand 2)

"My turn now!" said the Crystal Prep student as she drew her card and smirked when she saw it. "I activate the continuous spell card, Scatter Fusion! Since you control a monster, this spell lets me Fusion Summon one 'Non-Rock' Gem-Knight monster from my Extra Deck by using monsters in my deck. So I combine my Gem-Knight Garnet and Gem-Knight Lapis to bring forth a beast that will have you frightened to your core. I Fusion Summon, First of the Dragons(2700/2000)!"

"First of the, what?" repeated Pipp as she then saw Roxanne's latest monster; it was a purple dragon that had horns sticking out along its face and let out a roar.

"That's not good," said Mario after seeing the beast.

"I then summon this gem of a monster, Gem-Knight Alexandrite(1800/1200)!" A warrior in shining white armor with red gemstones materialized on the field; a clenched fist held out. "Now, I activate Alexandrite's special ability! I can summon one 'Gem-Knight' Normal monster from my deck by sending this card to the graveyard. So I'm bringing out Gem-Knight Crystal(2450/1950)!" Alexandrite glowed with a bright light before it disappeared and was replaced by another knight as bits of crystal were on its shoulder pads.

"I hate to break it to you, Roxanne. But you can't beat my Mozarta with that!" stated Pipp.

"Whoever said I was going to," the Crystal Prep student smirked. "I activate the trap card, Fragment Fusion! By banishing monsters in my graveyard, I can Fusion Summon one Gem-Knight. I banish Gem-Knight Alexandrite, Emerald, and Tourmaline!" The three monsters appeared as spirits before they were sucked into a swirling vortex that emitted all kinds of light. "Magical rock of dark and light! Gleaming green knight of good fortune! Stone warrior in armor of lightning! Combine your brilliance to forge a blinding new brightness! I Fusion Summon! The mighty Gem-Knight Master Diamond(2900/2500)!" A large warrior burst onto the scene. It towered over the field in silver and beige armor, a large sword on its back. It brought an arm back, gripped the handle, and swung it forward, seven colored gemstones on the sides of the blade lighting up.

"My Gem-Knight Master Diamond is a cut above the rest," stated Roxanne with a smile as Pipp felt she was in danger. "Now I'll use Gem-Knight Master Diamond's special ability to banish Gem-Knight Topaz from the graveyard."

"I don't understand," said Pipp, as to why Roxanne would remove one of her own cards from play.

"Gem-Knight Crystal, use your brilliance and blast Pipp's Canon the Melodious Diva. Crystal Barrage!" instructed the girl as her monster bent its upper body to point its shoulders at the diva and pelted it with crystal shards. "I'm just getting warmed up! Gem-Knight Master Diamond, shine bright and take out her Melodious Maestra!" The giant warrior swung its blade down and delivered a slash across Mozarta as she exploded and forced Pipp to cover up.
Pipp's Life Points: 7700-

"You may think you're safe with how many Life Points you have, but think again."

"Wait, what do you mean?" said Pipp.

"I'm sure you recall how I activated Gem-Knight Master Diamond's special ability earlier in the duel, don't you? Well, unfortunately for you, Pipp. By banishing my precious Gem-Knight Topaz, my Gem-Knight Master Diamond gained its special abilities to become even more brilliant."

"Gem-Knight Master Diamond has Topaz's special abilities?!" said Pipp in disbelief.

"Touch luck, girl. Ready for the bad news? Since Master Diamond destroyed Mozarta, you take damage equal to Mozarta's attack points!" shouted Roxanne with a smile. Her monster stuck its hand out and delivered an attack that knocked Pipp off her feet and to the ground.
Pipp's Life Points: 5100-

"Oh, I forgot to mention. Master Diamond can attack twice this turn!" said Roxanne with devious intent.

"T-Twice…" muttered Pipp.

"But before that, First of the Dragons, chip away some more of her Life Points!" shouted the Crystal Prep girl as her beast let loose and delivered another attack to Pipp as the girl was knocked around some more.
Pipp's Life Points: 2400-

"It's no use. One more attack, and it's over. There's nothing I can do." said the girl to herself as she was on her hands and knees, looking up at her rival as she was at her mercy.

"Ready for your swan song, little Pipp?" taunted Roxanne with a cackle as she toyed with the stylish. "Thanks to Topaz's ability, Gem-Knight Master Diamond attacks again. So say goodbye, little songbird!" shouted Roxanne as her monster reeled back its massive sword and swung forward. Pipp saw the blade tip in her pupil as seconds later, she was blasted by the monster's attack and sent tumbling back with a fading cry of defeat.
Pipp's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Roxanne

"That was no surprise," snickered Axiom, as he knew his comrade would have such an easy time with someone like Pipp.

The duel ended as Roxanne's monster disappeared. The girl snickered as she looked at Pipp's body that lay on the floor. The stylish struggled to get up as she took a rather convincing beating by her foe. Her classmates were all stunned at seeing one of their own getting completely victimized by a student of Crystal Prep, adding more to their fear. Roxanne eyed the popstar as she knew Flurry Heart would be happy with her report; she turned and made her way to her classmates as they congratulated her on defeating an inferior duelist like Pipp.

"Pipp, Pipp!" said Mario as he bent down by the girl's side to check on her.

The stylish heard the boy's cry as she slowly opened her eyes and blinked as light entered her field of vision. She saw Mario's face as the boy grabbed her hands to bring her to her feet.

"I lost, didn't I," said the girl in a sad tone.

"Yeah," responded the boy bluntly. That was all he could get out before Pipp got to her feet and started to fall forward as he caught her in his arms.

Pipp buried her head into Mario's right shoulder as he held the girl. As he was about to ask if she was okay, he heard some sniffles. Pipp couldn't contain her tears anymore and began to cry. Mario sensed the girl's disappointment with herself as he brought one of his hands and placed it on her back to rub it gently.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

"Hey, hey. It's okay, chica. It's okay."

"I'm so sorry… I tried… but I wasn't good enough… I let you down…"

Pipp just let out a storm of tears as she cried into the boy's shoulder. The defeat she suffered right now did a number on herself and her confidence. She felt like not only did she let her classmates down, but she also let Sweetie Belle down and embarrassed her in front of their rivals, as she was supposed to showcase her teacher's lessons in action, and she failed to do that. It only took three turns before she lost, as it told everything about Pipp's skills.

"Pipp… it's okay. You did your best… it's not your fault," said Mario as he spoke softly into the girl's ear to ease her emotions. He then began to stroke her hair with his other hand as he tried to get the girl to settle down, but she just cried and cried. The boy looked over at Crystal Prep as he eyed Axiom and Roxanne before both gave a quick glance in his direction.

"Sombra was right. If they duel like little Miss Popstar over there, we'll barely break a sweat with them."

"Perhaps she should stick to livestreaming. That's the only way she'll ever be relevant," snickered Axiom, as did Roxanne, as they took pride in seeing Pipp being humiliated in front of her peers as an example of what's to come in the Friendship Games.

"With how badly I beat her, she might just drop out of this event altogether unless she wants to be humiliated even more in front of the entire school. Seems I just secured our win." mocked Roxanne. "Flurry will be pleased to hear as well as Principal Sombra."

"Crystal Prep always produces winners, and we win no matter what," said the boy as he and their classmates began to leave.

Pipp still buried her head on Mario's shoulder as she felt sad. The boy just remained there, offering his shoulder to the girl to let her emotions out. He knew then that Pipp needed him and was willing to stay with her no matter how long it took. Watching from afar was Flurry Heart as the girl smiled upon seeing her cousin and the state of Pipp. She then turned as it appeared their plan was a success.

Author's Note: Boy, have things drastically risen. As many of you guessed, Mario and Roll's cousin, Flurry Heart is the captain for Crystal Prep and considered Sombra's prized pupil, much like her father was back then. And with the appearance of Flurry Heart, she not only has her own crew that runs Crystal Prep, but has remade Roll think about wanting to be a part of Sunny and the others. Not to mention, the plan that Sombra and Crystal Prep have as it seems to be working based on how Pipp suffered a heartbreaking loss. It's clear the duels in the Friendship Games are going to be next level compared to the ones we've been seeing. Now the question is... can Sunny and Team CHS find two replaces if Mario and Roll aren't going to join?