An alarm went off as a hand came down on it. A yawn was let out as a figure shifted their position to sit up. Upon getting up, Isaac grabbed his cap and made his way over to his wife. Meanwhile, Mario was also shown getting up as he changed into workout clothes before grabbing a small gym bag and slinging it across his body. Upon exiting his room, he was taken aback by Zipp as she was already dressed.
"How long have you been standing there?" asked the boy as he closed his door.
"Not long," responded the heiress as she adjusted the gym bag she slung across her shoulder.
"Whatever," responded Mario as he and the girl began to head to the elevator.
The two entered as they proceeded down to the gym. Inside, a few people were shown working out on the gym equipment. The two teens entered as they took in the sight before them. It wasn't long before Mario spotted his father as he was with his mother. Twilight was shown putting her hands on her husband's back as she helped him stretch.
"And breathe," said Twilight as Isaac did just that before she released and allowed him to ease up.
"Thanks, honey," said the World Champion as he began rotating his upper body side to side and stretching his arms out.
Twilight smiled before she turned and saw her son and friend approaching them. Her husband had told her what happened last night about them sneaking onto the casino floor after hours, and she almost wanted to wake her son up and scold him. Mario and Zipp approached the boy's parents as Twilight stood before her son.
"Hey, Mom."
"You're in big trouble, young man," said Twilight as he put his head down and looked away.
"Listen, Mrs. Sparkle. It's my fault," said Zipp, trying to cover for her friend.
"I admire you wanting to take the blame, Ms. Storm. But my son needs to be responsible for his actions!" said Twilight as she wasn't budging.
"But I was the one that dragged him along. I did it!" said Zipp.
"And he should've known right from wrong. I'm disappointed in you, Mario," said Twilight.
"Yeah, yeah," the boy responded as he walked away.
"Mario!" yelled Twilight as Isaac held his wife back.
"Hey, it's okay. Don't throw a fit, honey," said the World Champion as he calmed down his wife to avoid making a scene.
While Isaac dealt with his wife, Zipp turned and saw Mario going to the punching bag. He began to hit it as hard as he could. The girl approached her friend, as she could tell he was worked up and trying to get it out.
"You're not gonna stretch before you pull a muscle?" asked Zipp.
"Don't need it!" responded Mario as he focused on putting more power behind his punches.
"Being injured isn't fun. I should know," the heiress said as she recalled her injury.
"I said I'm fine!" stated the boy as he began to get even angrier.
He was now punching the bag as hard as he could, and the force from his punches returned. When his knuckles made contact, it caused the teen some pain. However, Mario wasn't in that state of mind; he ignored the pain and tried to hit it as hard as possible. Zipp grabbed the bag and held it back to hit it again. Mario stopped and stared down the girl, wondering why she interrupted his workout.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I got you in trouble with your parents," said the heiress.
"You heard my mother. It's my fault," scoffed Mario as he walked away.
"No, it's mine!" said Zipp as she went after her friend, who stopped just before a treadmill.
"Mario, look, I didn't mean for us to get caught, let alone get you in trouble with your parents. I'd never do that to you or any of the others. " said Zipp as she placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'll talk with your mother-"
"No. Just forget it, alright," said Mario as he turned to look at the girl.
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
Zipp looked at her friend as he decided not to push the subject anymore and just accepted it.
"Alright then, lover boy. Let's go work out," stated the heiress.
The four individuals began to sweat as Twilight was shown on a treadmill while her husband was on a bench press and began lifting the barbell up and down. The kids were close by as they began lifting some weights. Soon, the pair were side by side on the treadmill. The two teens were going at it as their sense of competition started coming out. As Mario was focused on pushing himself and trying to outlast Zipp, he couldn't help but look at the girl. Safe to say, seeing the girl's backside and her figure through her workout clothes did excite a part of him. Her figure and how her poster bounced almost distracted Mario as he nearly fell over but quickly grabbed onto the handles and got right back into the swing of things.
"Enjoying the view back there, lover boy," teased Zipp as she felt the boy staring at her backside.
Mario didn't answer, shaking his head and picking up his speed. As the boy tried to catch up, Zipp decided to take a glance at her friend. The boy wasn't the only one distracted by the other; the heiress had her own opinions when seeing Mario work out.
"Huh. Seeing him push himself is kinda hot," muttered the girl, turning red at seeing Mario work up a sweat. Now, she was distracted, losing some speed before regaining herself.
Once they were done running, the two continued with different routines. Each one pushing the other to try to outdo the other and submit their dominance. Mario was leaning against a bench, lifting two weights up and down, as he had two weights in his hand. Zipp stood by as she was the boy's spotter to ensure he was okay and didn't go overboard. However, the girl's attention was slowly drawn to the boy's muscles as her eyes wandered to his abs, which showed through his drenched shirt.
"What are you staring at?" asked Mario as he paused mid-lift to look at the girl.
"Nothing," Zipp stuttered as she looked away to avoid making her friend think she was checking him out.
Mario just went back to working out, while Zipp tried not to let herself be distracted by her friend. Watching from his bench was Isaac, as the World Champion merely smiled at his son and the girl he was with. After a couple more reps, all four began to head out. Zipp was in the locker room when she grabbed her phone and opened it as she saw a voicemail from her mother. She hesitantly answered it and was welcome to some stern shouting. In short, Haven was mostly disappointed with her daughter almost getting in trouble and would let Isaac decide her punishment. The girl sighed as she knew it wouldn't be a nice reunion when she saw her mother.
"All good, rich girl," asked Mario as he entered the locker room to retrieve his stuff.
"Yeah, about that… looks like your dad is gonna be the one to assign my punishment. My mother just signed off on it," explained the heiress as hearing that his father would be the one to decide Zipp's fate caught his attention. "Is that good to know?"
"Depends."
"On what?"
"What my father is gonna cook up in his mind?" said Mario with a tiny smirk.
"I hate my life," groaned Zipp as she banged her head against the locker.
"It brings me so much joy to see you miserable," taunted the boy.
"You know, I can still back out of covering for you, lover boy. You know that right?" stated Zipp as she turned to her friend.
"Yeah, but I'm used to being lectured by my parents. You aren't," smirked the boy.
Zipp just growled as she hated Mario's smug demeanor. The boy just patted the girl's shoulder as he couldn't wait for her punishment. As the two teens entered their elevator to their floor, Isaac and Twilight had gotten off and proceeded to their room. Twilight stopped to knock on her daughter's door to see if she was awake as Isaac entered their suite. The World Champion set his bag down when he received a notification on his phone; the message was from Juniper, saying that the man would call her. He wondered what she wanted to say, given she managed to move all his media stuff to tomorrow to spend time with his kids and their friends.
Twilight entered their room after her daughter answered and told them to meet downstairs for breakfast. She noticed her husband on the phone; she could only assume it was Juniper telling him about something. The call soon ended as she approached her husband.
"Work?"
"Yes and no," answered Isaac, making Twilight raise an eyebrow.
After showering and dressing, Mario and Zipp joined the others in the buffet room, sitting at a reserved table. The smell of the many tasty foods immediately hit their faces upon opening the room door. Many waiters came and replaced dishes before taking them to the back to get more. So many hotel guests came to the long table as they filled their plates to the brim with delicious delicacies. The pair approached the table as their friends noticed the two.
"Hey, guys! Where were you?" asked Sunny.
"Mario's father invited me to work out with them," Zipp answered.
"Nice!" said Izzy as she returned to munching her pancakes.
Twilight then entered as she spotted the kids.
"Hey, Mom," said Roll.
"Morning, kids. Ms. Storm," said Twilight as she looked at the heiress. "The consequences of your actions will be dealt with later."
"Consequences? What does that mean?" asked Hitch as all five looked at their athletic friend.
"It's… a long story," Zipp said as she rubbed her arm.
"So, where's Dad?" asked Roll.
"About that," said Twilight as she began to talk to the kids about her husband's presence.
"This just in!"
The nearby TV echoed, catching the attention of nearly everybody in the room. All eyes were glued to the screen as a woman appeared before it, holding a microphone.
"With Super Showdown just around the corner, this PLE is set to be the biggest event in Las Vegas history. The duelists and matches that we'll see are sure to be ones you don't want to miss. But we just received some breaking news regarding the event."
The screen then transitioned to show portraits of Aj and Isaac.
"The main event of Super Showdown will feature World Champion Isaac, who will defend his status against the country gal Applejack. However… that won't be the only match these two will be involved in."
"What?" said Roll as she said what everyone thought.
"Up to this point, the team of duelists, Sugarcoat and Sour Sweet, are the current holders of the Tag Team Medallions. They were scheduled to compete against the number one contenders for their medals. However, the team facing them has pulled out due to disclosed reasons. Therefore, the Duel Monsters Committee has made the decision. Replacing the team and facing Sugarcoat and Sour Sweet for their Tag Team Medallions will be… Applejack and Isaac."
Nearly everybody was stunned by what they heard. They weren't the only ones; everybody was surprised by this developing revelation all over Las Vegas and worldwide.
"That's right, folks. Not only will these two face each other in the main event for the World Champion status, but they will team up to potentially win those Tag Team Medallions. And it gets even better. That Tag Team duel will open the show."
"No way," said Pipp.
"Both Aj and Isaac will kick off the event, and then, approximately three hours later, they will close out the show. We could potentially see tag team partners facing each other in the main event for the first time ever in Super Showdown history. Ladies and gentlemen, again, this could be the biggest Super Showdown PLE in the history of Duel Monsters. You don't want to miss it!"
The sudden announcement and change to the match card lineup made nearly everybody speechless. Isaac was shown on their bed from their room, hunched over as he processed what was said. The World Champion had a hard time coming to grips with the fact that he would not only have to work double duty, but he would have to do it with the one person with whom he had a heated rivalry. If it was any other situation, he would have no problem with this decision by the committee, as since they lost an attraction match on the marque, they needed a substitute. And what better replacement than to have the two duelists in the main event spot compete to not only potentially become Tag Team Champs but also add more fuel to the fire in their title match? It was a smart business move, as the announcement alone would sell more tickets and get people talking about whether he and Aj could coexist just hours before their big title match.
"That's why he's not here, is he?" said Roll.
"I wanted to say that, but I got beat to the punch," said Twilight to her daughter. "It was a last-minute call that needed an emergency solution. Because of that, he has to do some media today to promote this sudden change. He really did what to spend time with you kids before the event."
"Sure," scoffed Mario as he didn't buy that his father actually wanted to spend time and instead focus on work.
"Mario," sighed Twilight as she lifted her glasses up due to her pinching her eyes as her son's attitude toward their father didn't help her stay calm.
"Lover boy, come on," said Zipp as she gently bumped her shoulder against his to ease off.
"You don't know anything," responded Mario as he decided to leave the buffet room, seemingly not in the mood to eat.
"Where did I go wrong with him? Am I… a bad mother?" muttered Twilight, feeling like her son's recent turn was partially her fault.
A massive party was being held in the banquet hall as many guests gathered for the Super Showdown party. Juniper was already attending to guests and answering some questions from some media as she waited for her client to show up. The entire room was nearly full of people who would be watching the massive event. Twilight was shown putting her dress strap over her shoulder in their hotel room as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her husband was in the bedroom, putting on his cufflinks; the door to the bathroom opened as Isaac turned, and his beloved wife stood there, wearing her evening dress for the night.
The pro-duelist approached his wife, and as she turned around, he moved her hair out of the way to reveal her neck. She left herself vulnerable as he kissed the back of it to excite a sound to escape her lips before his hands were shown around her neck as they put a necklace around it. Twilight looked at the piece of jewelry before turning around in her husband's arms as he pulled her in for a deep kiss. The pair soon separated as they looked each other in the eye. Twilight then raised her hands as she placed the fedora on her husband's head and adjusted it. The two left their hotel room and proceeded down the hall. The pair stopped before a door as Twilight gave it a knock. It opened as Roll stood before her parents.
"You look lovely, Mom."
"Thanks, sweetie," said Twilight as she bent over and hugged her daughter. "Remember. Stay out of trouble."
"I will, Mom. I invited everybody over to watch a movie," responded Roll.
"Don't stay up too late, alright?" Twilight said. The girl nodded before she kissed her daughter's forehead.
"Keep an eye on your brother," said Isaac
"Yes, Dad."
"We'll be back," said the World Champion as he grabbed his wife and proceeded to the elevator.
The pair arrived at their hotel lobby, getting into the car he rented before it drove out of the hotel and down the Strip to the banquet hall. They didn't take long to reach their destination, as many wore suits and evening dresses. Twilight wrapped her arm around her husband's as the pair began to walk up the stairs, with several reporters and media snapping pictures of the royal power couple. The two entered, seeing many people mingling as a small band played. Twilight had her AI glasses as she looked about, trying to spot Juniper. Her assistant soon located her husband's agent while talking with some folks.
"It's good to be here," said Juniper as she noticed Isaac and Twilight approaching her. "Everybody. As promised, my client."
"A pleasure, gents," said Isaac as he shook the hands of the suits and began to do business.
Twilight and Isaac mingled with many guests throughout the night, who voiced their support for the World Champion in his upcoming duel. A few began to invest in Twilight's company and stock shares as she began to finalize deals. The party went well into the night, as it was close to one in the morning by the time it all ended. Twilight and Isaac returned to the hotel, where the World Champion was shown dropping off his wife.
"Honey, come to bed with me. Please," said Twilight.
"I'm sorry, Twi. But I need to go practice and finalize my entrance," said Isaac, as he had to meet with the crew and backstage staff to ensure that the entrance they had planned for him was set. "I promise… it won't be long."
The World Champion kissed his wife's forehead before bringing her in for a hug.
"I've put up with you so far. What's another night of work, right?" smiled Twilight.
"Once this is all done and Super Showdown ends, we can spend time with each other and the kids. I promise," Isaac stated, and she seemed to like that idea.
He then got back into the car as he drove toward the arena. Tons of staff and backstage crew were shown putting together the final moving pieces of the arena and the stage itself. Many steel beams and lights were wheeled as everybody worked around the clock to prepare them. For Isaac, he spent nearly two hours discussing with the staff and Juniper about the special entrance he would have. He did so many trial runs that he began to feel some exhaustion setting in. The World Champ was shown sitting in one of the stadium seats as he looked at the empty arena around him. A million thoughts raced through his mind as it was the calm before the storm. This place would soon be packed to the rafters and filled with screaming fans.
"And here I thought I was the only one who'd be here."
Isaac turned and saw someone on the stairs at the end of the row. That someone was none other than his brother-in-law and his most famed rival. The World Champion stood up, removed the hood of his hoodie, and approached him.
"Good to see you, Shining Armor," said the World Champ as he hugged him.
"Sup, bro," responded the duelist to his family member and archrival.
"So, when did you guys get here?" asked Isaac as he and Shining Armor sat down and faced each other.
"Just a few hours ago. So where's my sister?"
"She's at the hotel. I told her I had to come here to practice. But really, I wanted to get my mind straight. You know, it's funny. We've been at this for so long that we should be used to this, but I'm sitting here as if it's my first day as a rookie on the pro scene. Thinking, wondering how and what this place will look like when it's full. And when I'm performing, can I soak in the moment and feel that atmosphere."
"We're entertainers. Performers. Duelists. It's part of our job," Shining Armor said, understanding where his brother-in-law was coming from. "So… are you and Aj ready?"
"For our match, yeah. We've been building toward it for months. But… for the tag match. I'm not so sure." confessed Isaac as he leaned back and sighed deeply. "I'm just not so sure about putting me and Aj as a team before we face each other."
"Come on, Isaac. We've been in this business our whole lives. We know better than anybody the card is subject to change. Nothing we can do but accept it and move on with putting on the best show possible for our fans. It's our duty and responsibility to them."
"This will be my 12 Super Showdown PLE that I participate in. For you, it's your fourteen. I've been in this main event spot nine times, counting this one with Aj. I've opened the show once and been in the middle of the card twice. And out of those nine main event spots, I was the World Champion, going in seven times. Now, I'm gonna open and close the show with me potentially not only still being World Champion, but a potential Tag Team World Champion winner. It's just… this is a lot to process."
"I get it bud. You've done some incredible things in your own career compared to mine. I mean, your first reign as World Champion lasted five long years. Five years. Nobody could touch you. Nobody could beat you in that time, not even me. You ran through the competition and every challenge that was put before you. And I know that as much as you can give a good promo, you're also the bigger man. And I know that you can put aside your differences with Aj for one match as the bigger man."
"You're asking a lot from me, Shining? You know that?"
"Yeah, I do. Because you're my brother-in-law. And I know that Twilight wouldn't have chosen to spend the rest of her life with you if she didn't see what I saw."
Isaac just signed and leaned forward in his seat. He put his hands together and brought them close to his mouth while looking ahead. The World Champion now had more thoughts invade his mind as he considered the words spoken to him by his brother-in-law.
"Isaac. We're good to go," said Juniper as she appeared on the other side of the row and acknowledged her client.
"Just remember what I said, bud," Shining Armor said as he and Isaac stood up to exchange hands before giving each other a deep hug and pats on the back.
"Good luck in your match," said Isaac, wishing his rival support.
"You too, bud. And hey, if you and Aj manage to shit the bed with your match. Don't worry, 'cause my match will make up for it and be the night's best match."
"Yeah, we'll see about that," taunted Isaac as the competition between the two rivals in wanting to outshine the other by having the better match was shown, with both giving smiles and light chuckles. "Take care."
Isaac then grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder as he exited the row of seats and walked up the stairs. Juniper smiled at Shining Armor before she gave chase to her client as they proceeded to leave the arena. Shining Armor smiled before going down to the main stage to begin work on his entrance for his match.
The morning came as the city was in full festive mode. News media covered every aspect of this important event, as tonight, it would be overrun by duel fever. The duelists competing arrived at the arena as there was a security gate set up with tons of screaming fans behind the fence as they had waited all day and night to see the celebrities. Tons of cameras were rolling, even backstage, as crewmen and staff ran about to get things ready for when the doors opened.
Mario was shown leaving the gym room when he bumped into someone.
"Hey, primo."
Mario blinked as, sure enough, there was Flurry standing before him. The boy removed his headphones as he saw his cousin.
"Hey, prima," the boy said as she hugged him. "When did you get here?"
"Last night. So, are you excited?"
"That depends," responded Mario as he began to walk with his cousin following him.
"Aw, come on, little Mario. Cheer up," said Flurry as she rubbed her cousin's head.
"Stop that, Flurry. I'm not little anymore!" stated Mario as he had grown out of his cousin calling him that just because he was smaller than her when they were growing up, and now it was vice versa.
Upstairs, Isaac was already up as he put on his signature attire. After putting on his cap and putting his deck inside his deck box on the side of his belt, he grabbed his hoodie, and instead of wearing it like normal, he flung it over his shoulders to wear it like a cape. Twilight sat on their bed as she watched her husband getting ready; he grabbed his duel disk and strapped the rectangle device on his wrist.
"I'll see you there," said Isaac as he approached his wife and kissed her before he started toward the door.
When he opened the door, Juniper was already outside as she waited for her client.
"Ready?"
"Ready," answered Isaac.
"Good. Oh, by the way, this is for you."
The agent pulled out a red envelope and gave it to her client. Isaac was curious about the item as he grabbed it and looked it over. It was a red envelope. He flipped it open, and nothing was inside.
"It arrived just like that—empty, nothing but a red envelope," said Juniper. "The only thing that arrived was a note that said it was for you."
"Strange," said Isaac, wondering who would send him an empty red envelope. "I'll worry about it later. Let's get going."
With that, the two left. Twilight started getting ready herself and was tasked with gathering the kids to take them to the arena.
"I am so excited right now!" said Sunny as they gathered in the hotel lobby.
"Save some of that energy for when we get there, Sunny," said Roll as she understood her friend's excitement and knew that it was best not to express it all, given they would be there for at least three hours of dueling.
"I hope there's some sweet merch I can snag for my gram," said Pipp as she scrolled on her phone, trying to figure out which design she would want to show her fans and which would get the most likes and clicks.
The elevator doors opened, and out came Twilight, who Mario slowly accompanied. She looked at the group of kids before her and could tell they were excited.
"It looks like you all are ready," smiled Twilight, as Sunny, with sparkles in her eyes and a hold on her face, smiled. "Let's go!"
All seven quickly entered her rented vehicle and began driving toward the arena. Seeing how she had access to the talent parking lot, Twilight arrived at the secret location as she drove past security and avoided the many fans circling the entire building to showcase how huge the line was.
"Hold on! Are we actually going backstage?" asked Zipp.
"Yup. Come on!" said Twilight upon getting out of the car.
"This is the best day of my life!" exclaimed the heiress as Mario sat beside her, looked up, and got out.
The kids immediately followed the card designer and her mother as she led them backstage, where they saw tons of duelists just chatting with the staff. They passed a few locker rooms in which the participants would get ready for their matches before they came to a curtain that had the words: Gorilla on it. Twilight smiled upon seeing Juniper at the table with the other producers and executives for the show. They were speaking into the headset while looking at the many production truck cameras around the entire arena, ensuring everything was up to snuff. Twilight continued to lead the kids past the table as they began to walk up at an angle before turning the corner to the right and then left before coming to another curtain. They walked past that and soon came out to see the entire arena from atop the stage. Sunny and the others all stopped and gasped as they took in the sight before them.
At the far end was a screen with a countdown that said how long it would be until the doors opened to let the fans in. The five teens were a sight to behold as they would be sitting among the thousands of fans in just over an hour. But right here, at this moment, they were looking through the eyes of what Isaac would be seeing when he made his entrance.
"Wow! It's so big!" said Izzy as she looked around. "Echo!" the girl shouted, and the arena's size allowed her voice to travel and give a faint response.
"Can I walk down the ramp?" asked Zipp.
"Sure," smiled Twilight.
The heiress smiled before slowly walking down, stopping and looking about. Pipp was next to her, vlogging the whole thing. She turned her camera around nonstop to get a full 360-degree view to post for her fans later.
"Holy shit! This is incredible!" smiled Zipp, almost chuckling. "It feels amazing. I can't imagine being on this stage and performing like this." It was all so much for the girl that she did dream of what it was like to have Isaac's profession, as this small sample was so overwhelming that she couldn't form words to describe it.
Sunny and Hitch were down by the field as they stepped onto it, directly in the center of the arena. The two best friends were taking it all in. Growing up, they often saw duelists like Isaac competing in places like this, and to be literally standing here… blew their minds. It was a childhood fantasy that came true.
"We used to imagine what it would be like to be here… I'm… I'm speechless," said Hitch as he bent down and touched the arena floor as if it were some scared holy ground.
"I wish my dad could see this. He'd lose his mind," said Sunny.
The sound of a lock being opened was heard. The doors to the arena's gates were pushed to the side, and almost immediately, security jumped to the side to avoid being trampled by the many fans who rushed toward the doors. The excitement told it all; they wanted to get in there as quickly as possible. Within seconds, the merch stands, and concessions were hard at work, giving out the orders and requests that people wanted. People were already beginning to find their seats as a few sat down while others began to take pictures of the decorative stage and other parts of the arena. Sunny and the gang were already in the front row in their seats as Hitch and Zipp went to get some merch for their friends.
Backstage, everybody was doing some final checks as they were moments away from starting the show. The event commentators made their way out to the stage and down the ramp to the booth as they got a pop from the crowd. In Isaac's private locker room, the World Champion was with his wife, and they had someone in there with them.
"So, darling, which outfit do you want to wear?" asked Rarity as she was at the event due to the many outfits she had requested from the duelists competing. She had already delivered Aj's and Dash's new outfits they were going to wear as she stopped by Isaac's dresser to discuss which of the many designs she made he would like.
"I'll take this one," said Isaac, taking the outfit from the rack and looking it over.
"That's a splendid choice, darling. So, will you wear it for your tag duel with Aj or save it for when you're against her?" asked Rarity.
"I think I'll save it. I'll stick to what I'm wearing for our tag duel. It's a similar design," said Isaac as he went to put away Rarity's chosen attire, which she had made for him.
"Twilight, darling. Have you had any luck with those two?" asked Rarity, knowing how tense the situation was between Aj and her husband.
"I tried. At this point, the only way to settle things is with a duel," said the card designer to her fashionista friend.
"So it seems. Well, tell him I said good luck."
"I will. Thanks again, Rarity," said Twilight as she hugged her friend before leaving to watch the show from a private viewing room where many of the staff would watch.
Twilight looked back at her husband, who was preparing for his tag team match with Aj. At that moment, she heard a noise in her ear as she touched the headset mic and spoke.
"Yes?"
"We're ready for you, Twilight."
"Alright," said the woman as she knew it was her signal to start officially. "Honey, it's time."
"I'll see you out there," said Isaac as Twilight left his room.
"Oh, we're about to start!" Sunny said as she struggled to stay still in her seat.
"We made it!" shouted Hitch as he and Zipp ran furiously back to their seats just as the lights dimmed down. "Barely…"
"The line was to the bathroom!" shouted Zipp as she and the boy were out of breath, just trying to get back to avoid missing the show's opening.
Everybody began to cheer as the two sat down and began to watch with their friends the opening ceremonies of the PLE. Everyone looked at the massive stage with the titration playing music and a video package playing. The voice that narrated it was familiar to the seven teens as they knew who it belonged to.
(Opening video package)
The Super Showdown sign logo was shown as it was illuminated by many small spotlights moving back and forth. Soon it rushed forward and welcomed everybody watching it into darkness. Then, several screens showed fans from past Super Showdowns all entering the place, cheering their hearts out and waving posters, flags, and merch.
"You've come from all around the world, from all walks of life, all in search of that feeling, that emotion, that one thing that takes your breath away and leaves an impression that lasts forever. The time has come once again to gather, for that universal rush. Now… buckle up and let yourself go. Give yourself up and let the moments take you where you least expect—in a worldwide conversion… on the ultimate thrill ride."
The screen showed people getting on a roller coaster as they buckled up, and it changed POVs to show what they were seeing. They were looking at the tracks now zooming past them as the coaster they were in began to move and ascend a cliff. Inch by inch, it was climbing to the top of the hill, for which it would shoot down. As they climbed, on the side of the tracks was footage of past Super Showdown moments and matches as voices from the past rang out.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are all part of history in the making…"
"This is a Super Showdown moment…"
"Welcome to the emotion…!"
"Welcome to Super Showdown!"
The coaster was coming to the top as it stood, and a digital rendering of Isaac appeared as he spoke.
"Brace yourself. This is gonna be one hell of a ride!" smiled the World Champion as he saluted and stepped to the side as the coaster POV went full throttle down the hill.
The coaster zoomed down the track as more images, like the World Champion's, appeared as they spoke.
"I am Apple freakin' Jack!" said the country gal as she appeared, stomping her foot.
"I am… HER!" said Rainbow as she appeared, stretching her arms and flexing her aura.
"These medallions are staying right where they are. With the best Tag Team in all of Duel Monsters!" said Sugarcoat as she and Sour Sweet appeared, holding out their medals.
"I am coming for you, Rainbow! I'm coming to take your title!" shouted Lightning Dust as she screamed with a war cry.
The coaster passed, and more renders of the duelists appeared as Shining Armor was displayed as he said his piece against his opponent for his match. The coaster was coming to a loop-de-loop as it came to several tunnels to another image of Isaac.
"This is my yard! When you come for the Prince, you best not miss!" shouted Isaac as he superman punched the ground.
"This is what Super Showdown is all about!"
The coaster ended as the POV zoomed toward the logo before it faded to black. At that moment, the arena lit up with pyro and fireworks, signaling the event's start as the crowd roared. Drones flew out and streamed live shots as the crowd waved and cheered even more.
"WOOOOOOOOOO!" shouted Sunny and the gang, apart from Mario.
A drone flew by their section, and they cheered even louder as at home, people watching them saw the kids. Especially the girl's father as she smiled upon seeing his daughter being live and in front to watch the event. As the cameras were flying out, Twilight came out on the stage after narrating the opening package, and the crowd went nuts for the card designer's appearance.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the head of Sparkle Innovative Industries. Twilight Sparkle!" said the event announcer as he introduced the woman.
The crowd cheered for Twilight's appearance as she tried to keep her smile and not get overwhelmed with emotion. She then cleared her throat before some music began to play. Twilight then began to sing the opening song for the event, and her angelic voice echoed clearly throughout the arena. Twilight's singing moved everybody, and her voice seemed magical. When she wrapped up her song, the entire crowd applauded her. They stood up and showed appreciation as Twilight soaked it in and bowed.
"And now… welcome to… Super Showdown!" said Twilight as she welcomed everybody, getting more of a reaction.
Isaac was backstage, walking toward the gorilla. He immediately stopped as Aj stood before him. The pair had a serious expression but were moments away from kicking off the show and having to team up. The two stared the other down as the tension could be cut with a knife.
"The following is the Tag Team Duel, and it's for the Tag Team Medallions!" said the announcer, and both Isaac and Applejack heard the announcement from behind the curtain.
"I want to win! So I'm willing to work together for one match!" said Isaac, with a scowl as he and Aj kept staring the other down.
"I don't need your help in winning those medals. I can do it myself!" scoffed Aj as she turned.
The country gal then pushed past the curtain, wanting to prove to everybody that she didn't need the help of the World Champion and would get the respect she wanted. Isaac sighed as he adjusted his cap before he stepped through the curtain, ready to kick off the event.
To be continued…
Author's Note: Talk about an unexpected twist. We've finally arrived at the Super Showdown PLE and we already know that Isaac will take on Aj in the main event. But as stated, due to the card being changed at the last second, they now are being forced to work together as a team in an effort to potentially become Tag Team Champions. The question is: Can they coexist? Applejack seems like she doesn't need Isaac's help and can do it on her own. And if hypothetically, Applejack and Isaac do win, then how will that affect their main event match later in the night. One thing's for sure, this is gonna be a can't miss Duel and you'll need to see how it plays out.