Rainbow Dash poked her head into the hospital room, trotting over to sit beside Fluttershy as Nurse Redheart continued her examination. “How is she?”

“She’s-”

Before Redheart could answer, Pinkie Pie burst into the room as dramatically as possible, grabbing and shaking Redheart. “How is she, doc!?”

“First,” said Redheart, “stop shaking me. Second, I’m a nurse, not a doctor. And third, calm down and let me go. She’s fine. We’ll just keep her overnight so she can rest, but she should be okay, if a little sore, tomorrow.”

“Oh, thank goodness!” smiled Pinkie, pulling Redheart into a tight hug.

“Please let go of me,” said Redheart.

Rainbow gave a sigh of relief, before looking Fluttershy right in the eye. “You scared me, Fluttershy! I nearly had a heart attack when I heard you were hospitalized!”

“Ah guess she’s even for when you got hospitalized a few years back, then” said Applejack.

Dash briefly glared at Applejack, before turning her attention to Fluttershy’s claw mark. “Can you explain what’s on her flank, though?” asked Rainbow, lightly prodding the mark that replaced the three butterflies.

“It appeared during her duel with Mayor Mare,” said Rarity. “I’m guessing duel related maladies are outside Miss Redheart’s scope of medical knowledge.”

“I take that as an insult, you know,” said Redheart, finally pushing Pinkie off of her.

“So you do know what it is?” asked Applejack.

“Well…” said Redheart, “no. It sort of reminds me of Cutie Pox, but that didn’t replace Cutie Marks, did it?”

“So it is a Cutie Mark?” asked Rarity. “It looked like it was glowing when it first appeared.”

Rainbow rubbed a hoof over the mark. “Doesn’t feel any different… Does that hurt?”

“No,” said Fluttershy, blushing slightly.

“It is a bit creepy, though,” said Pinkie. “Dashie, you can’t go around touching ponies without permission.”

“Says the pony that hugged me for a whole minute,” muttered Redheart. “Anyway, I’m afraid I can’t say what happened or what that is. It doesn’t seem to be affecting her condition. I could call a specialist from Canterlot, if you want. She’ll need to stay longer, if I do.”

“No, that’s okay,” said Twilight, looking up from her book at last. “I think I could figure it out.”

Redheart shrugged. “Suit yourself. Now, if you’ll excuse me, the cleaning staff left a spider web by the nurse’s station that I should take care of. Good evening, girls.”

Twilight closed the door after Redheart left, and turned towards the others. Fluttershy spoke up. “You can figure this out?”

“Of course she can!” said Pinkie. “She knows everything!”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” said Twilight. “But I do think I know a little about this.” She levitated the book towards the others. “Take a look.”

“Why, that looks like that dragon Fluttershy used,” said Rarity. “And those two look like Stardust and Red Demon’s!”

“Red Demon’s Dragon!?” asked Rainbow, yanking the book towards her to examine it. “So, what’s this mean exactly?”

“See the text below it?” asked Twilight. “It details a legend about the Signers.”

“And what exactly are Signers?” asked Applejack.

“They’re ponies chosen to bear the Mark of the Crimson Dragon, and wield its dragon servants,” said Twilight. “That’s the Crimson Dragon there in the background. And down in the text is an example of what the Marks look like.”

Rarity levitated the book towards her, and looked at the sketch in the book. She glanced back and forth between it, and the mark on Fluttershy. “Why, they’re the same! Her mark, and the front claw on this sketch!”

“So, Fluttershy’s a Signer?” asked Pinkie. “What does that mean?”

“It means that the Crimson Dragon, and I suppose Ancient Fairy Dragon, chose her to serve it, much like the Elements of Harmony chose us to represent them.”

“And who is this Crimson Dragon?” asked Rainbow.

“A god in the Spirit World, apparently,” said Twilight. “The legend seems pretty incomplete.”

“A god?” mumbled Rainbow. “A god chose Fluttershy? That’s awesome! And since you and I have Red Demon’s and Stardust, and they seem to be here in this book, are we Signers too?”

“I don’t know,” said Twilight. “Maybe.”

“Um, Twilight?” said Fluttershy. “Those purple flames, they’re like what Mayor Mare used. And the ones I saw in my nightmare.”

Twilight nodded. “I know. Wait, nightmare? What do you-”

“She called herself a Dark Signer,” interrupted Applejack. “Does the book mention that?”

“No,” said Twilight. She stood up. “I think I need to write to Princess Celestia. She might have access to more information.”

“I’ll come, too!” said Rainbow. “If I’m a Signer, chosen by a god, I think I deserve to be there!”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Suit yourself. Anypony else coming?”

“I would,” said Pinkie, “because this all sounds exciting, even if I don’t understand any of it, but I need to babysit Pound and Pumpkin tonight.”

“Uh, Pinkie?” said Applejack. "It's already night."

“Holy smokes!” gasped Pinkie. “Gotta go! See ya, Flutters!”

“Bye, Pinkie,” said Fluttershy, as Pinkie ran out of the room. “Bye, Rainbow. Bye, Twilight.”

“We’ll see you tomorrow,” said Twilight.

“Hopefully with a Signer Mark to match yours!” smiled Rainbow.

“Uh, Rarity?” said Applejack. “Ah was wondering if you could watch Apple Bloom tonight. Ah wanted to stay the night with Flutters.”

“Certainly,” said Rarity. “But, why do you need me to? Can’t Big Macintosh or Granny Smith look out for her?”

“They’re both visitin’ cousin Apple Fritter this weekend,” said Applejack.

“Well, alright,” said Rarity. “Good night, Applejack. Good night, Fluttershy. Feel better, darling. Rest well.”

The three cloaked figures were sitting around a bare table, the only light a small candle in the middle. The spider mark on the right flank of the first began glowing. She turned back to look, seeing one of the missing legs return.

“It appears your idea of possessing the mayor revealed the first Signer,” said one of the figures.

“I told you Twilight’s friends were the ones, didn’t I?” asked the third.

The first grabbed at her heart, before muttering a response. “I’d prefer it if that yellow pipsqueak had perished instead, but whatever.”

“One of the legs is still missing from your mark,” said the second. “I take it that means you have one more spider loose to possess somepony?”

“Who’s the next target?” asked the third. “That fashionista? Or the annoying pink one?”

“As much as I would love to kill Pinkie,” said the third figure, “my pride is too hurt to let little Fluttershy off that easily.”

“We’ve already proven she’s a Signer,” said the second. “We have no further need to attack her at this time.”

“We’ll be facing the Signers sooner or later, anyway!” snapped the first. “Destiny says so! And I say I want Fluttershy out of the picture now! Imagine the pain that’ll cause the others. I’d love to see Pinkie try smiling. And Rainbow Dash might just die from the shock! Win-win for me!”

“You mean us?” asked the third. “Well, whatever you want to do. They’re your drones, not mine.”

“Fluttershy?” Applejack asked. “Uh, you mentioned you had a nightmare about this?”

“Not exactly about this,” said Fluttershy, “but I saw the dragons and purple flames the book showed.”

“Ah,” said Applejack.

“And some giant dark things,” said Fluttershy, beginning to shake. “Applejack, do you think something bad is about to happen?”

“No, no,” Applejack said quickly, trying to comfort her. “It’s going to be okay, you’ll see. Ah was just askin’ cause Ah found a card when cleanin’ the party yesterday, and was wonderin’ if you knew if it was a Signer Dragon.”

“Oh,” said Fluttershy, “um, I don’t know much, but…” Applejack passed the card over to her, and Fluttershy looked it over, squinting in thought. “It looks familiar, that’s for sure. I suppose it could be-”

“A Signer Dragon,” interrupted Redheart, speaking in a creepy monotone.

“Nurse Redheart?” asked Fluttershy.

“Wait,” said Applejack, narrowing her eyes. “Somethin’s wrong…”

Nurse Redheart turned to the side, showing off the same spider mark that had appeared on the mayor earlier.

“No!” gasped Applejack. “It can’t be!”

Fluttershy began trembling. “She mentioned a spider web at the nurse’s station. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it earlier…”

“Out of the way,” ordered Redheart. “I have unfinished business.”

“Not a chance,” said Applejack, snatching the card back from Fluttershy. “Ah don’t know much about you ‘Dark Signers’ but you seem to know about the Signers, that’s for sure! And if this card is a Signer Dragon, then that means Ah’m a worthy opponent, yes?”

“You’re smarter than you look,” said Redheart, as a ring of purple flames erupted from the floor, surrounding herself and Applejack. “Very well. I have no issue in dealing with you before finishing the Signer off.”

“Applejack!” gasped Fluttershy, flinching back from the flames.

“Don’t worry, sugarcube,” said Applejack. “Ah’ll handle this.”

“Duel!”

Redheart: LP 4000. Applejack: LP 4000.

“I take the first move,” said Redheart. “My turn, draw! I summon Nurse Reficule the Fallen One!” A demonic, winged, biped wrapped in bandages shambled out in front of Redheart. [ATK1400. LV4] “I set three cards, and end my turn.”

“Mah turn,” said Applejack. “Draw!”

“Continuous-Trap,” interrupted Redheart. “Dark Cure! When my opponent summons a Monster, they gain Life Points equal to half of its ATK!”

“Why would she play a card to boost her opponent’s Life Points?” asked Fluttershy.

“Ah don’t know,” said Applejack. “But Ah doubt it’s an act of kindness. Ah summon Lonefire Blossom!” The bomb-flower blossomed, sprouting up from the floor in front of Applejack. [ATK500. LV3] "Thanks to Dark Cure, Ah gain 250 Life Points!”

“Nurse Reficule’s effect!” countered Redheart. “Any effect that would increase my opponent’s Life Points is negated! Instead, my opponent will take damage equal to the amount they would have gained!”

“What?” gasped Applejack, as she became enshrouded in a blood-red aura. “Gah!” [Applejack: LP 4000 –> 3750]

“Applejack!” gasped Fluttershy.

“Ah’m fine,” said Applejack. “Just surprised. Knew it would hurt, but ya never really expect it to.”

“Perhaps you aren’t up for a duel of darkness?” suggested Redheart.

“Right now, Ah’m more qualified than Fluttershy! Uh, no offense…”

“None taken,” said Fluttershy. “I don’t think I could handle two in one day.”

“Can’t handle two in a day? Well you had better hope Applejack can hold me off until midnight, then,” said Redheart, “because like it or not, I will be dueling you soon. Trap activate! Brutal Potion! This card equips itself onto Nurse Reficule! And, since you took effect damage, its effect activates! The Equipped Monster gains 1000 ATK until the End Phase!” [ATK2400]

“2400 ATK?” asked Applejack. “Ah know just the card that can beat that! Ah release Lonefire Blossom to Special Summon Tytannial, Princess of Camellias!” The half-plant creature sprouted up from the remnants of Lonefire Blossom, blooming to reveal the woman inside. [ATK2800. LV8]

“Take the combined effect of Nurse Reficule and Dark Cure!”

“Agh!” gasped Applejack, the aura enshrouding her again. [Applejack: LP 3750 –> 2350]

“Applejack!”

“Relax, Fluttershy,” said Applejack. “Ah’m about to pay her back. Tytannial, attack Nurse Reficule the Fallen One!” A whip of thorns lashed out, striking through Reficule and sending Redheart skidding back, the floor tiles shattering beneath her hooves.

“Gah!” [Redheart: LP 4000 –> 3600]

“Ah set a card,” said Applejack. “Turn end.”

“My turn,” said Redheart. “Draw! I summon Dark Tuner Witch Doctor!” A demonic, bipedal skeleton with a shaman mask for a face appeared, cackling to itself. [ATK0. LV4]

“A Dark Tuner!?” gasped Applejack.

“Careful, Applejack!” said Fluttershy.

“Witch Doctor’s effect!” said Redheart. “I banish one Monster from my Graveyard to target one monster my opponent controls! That Monster loses levels equal to the level of the banished Monster, and Witch Doctor gains levels equal to the number of levels your Monster loses!”

“Wait,” said Applejack, “could you run that by me again?”

“I banish Nurse Reficule to lower Tytannial’s level by 4!” said Redheart. Tytannial glowed, its levels being siphoned away by Witch Doctor. [LV4] “Then, since Tytannial lost 4 levels, Witch Doctor gains 4 levels!” [LV8]

“What good will that do you?” asked Applejack. “You still only have one Monster! You can’t Dark Synchro Summon with just one! …Uh, right?”

“That’s correct,” said Redheart. “Which is why I’m using yours. Trap activate! Synchro Material! I target one Monster my opponent controls. At the cost of this turn’s Battle Phase, I can use it as a Synchro Material Monster! I dark tune my level 8 Dark Tuner Witch Doctor to your level 4 Tytannial, Princess of Camellias!”

“No!” gasped Applejack, as Witch Doctor burst into eight stars, piercing into Tytannial and striking away the level stars within. Like when Fluttershy faced Mayor Mare, the remaining black stars exited, spiraling around in front of Redheart, black lighting coursing between them.

“When darkness overlaps with darkness the doors of the underworld will open to a world without light!” A pillar of dark energy rose up between the stars. “Dark Synchro! Plague Leech Pariah!” Emerging from the darkness was an ugly purple leech, with a mass of tentacles growing from behind its gaping mouth. [ATK2200. LV-4]

Pinkie gently closed the door to the twins’ room, and quietly trotted downstairs to clean up the kitchen, when her body began shaking uncontrollably.

“P-P-Piiiiinkie Seeennnnsssse?” she stuttered, before falling down the stairs. “Ouch! What was that? Something big is going down at the hospital?” She paused in thought, before it hit her. “The hospital! Fluttershy’s in danger!”

She darted out the door, galloping through the streets towards the hospital. “Hang on, Flutters! I’m coming!”

“Turn end,” said Redheart.

“Mah turn,” said Applejack. “Draw!” ‘A Dark Synchro Monster… Level -4…’

“Applejack?” Fluttershy asked. “Are you okay?”

“Huh?” asked Applejack. “Uh, yeah, Ah’m fine… Just… Actually being in a duel of darkness is different than watching one.”

“Just stay calm,” said Fluttershy. “You don’t have to do this.”

“But Ah do,” said Applejack. “Ah can’t let these ‘Dark Signers’ hurt ya just because you have a Signer Dragon… Signer Dragon? That’s it!”

“What’s it?” asked Fluttershy.

“Ah’ll win this!” declared Applejack. “Ah summon Twilight Rose Knight! Dark Cure’s effect now increases my Life Points by 500!” [ATK1000. LV3]

“Pariah’s effect!” said Redheart. “Any effect that would increase my opponent’s Life Points damages them for the same amount instead!” One of the tentacles flew out, latching onto Applejack, and sucking her life force away.

“Agh!” [Applejack: LP 2350 –> 1850]

“So it has the same effect as Reficule?” asked Fluttershy.

“No,” said Redheart. “It has another effect. When my opponent takes damage from an effect, Pariah’s ATK increases by an equal amount!” [ATK2700]

“Damn,” muttered Applejack. “Twilight Rose Knight’s effect! Ah Special Summon a level 4 or lower Plant-Type Monster from mah hoof! Ah Special Summon Botanical Lion!” A wooden lion, with flower petals for a mane, roared out at Redheart, standing in an aggressive stance in front of Applejack. [ATK1600. LV4]

“And you take another 800 points of damage!” smiled Redheart.

“Quick-Play Spell!” countered Applejack. “Spell of Pain! If Ah’m about to take damage from an effect, mah opponent takes the damage instead!”

“Gah!” gasped Redheart. [Redheart: LP 3600 –> 2800]

“Here we go,” said Applejack. “Ah’m tuning mah level 3 Twilight Rose Knight to mah level 4 Botanical Lion!” Twilight Rose Knight dissolved into the green Tuning Rings, while Botanical Lion burst into stars, channeling through the center of the rings. “Chilling flames engulf the whole world. Pitch dark flower, set into bloom!” A burst of violet light shot through the rings, shining behind Applejack. “Synchro Summon! Bloom, Black Rose Dragon!” A large, black and red dragon stretched out of the light, rose petals drifting through the air around it. Unusual for a dragon, it had no upper appendages aside from the wings which, along with the body, were covered in thick rose petals instead of scales. Tendrils covered in thorns trailed out in lieu of a tail. She roared aggressively at Redheart, knocking more tiles up from the floor. Her eyes, the sclera of which were red instead of white focused in a glare at Pariah, the yellow irises shrinking in the dark as her head took out the ceiling light. [ATK2400. LV7]

The three apples that made up Applejack’s Cutie Mark on her right flank vanished, replaced by the glowing red outline of a dragon’s claw.

“Applejack!” called Fluttershy. “That mark is like the hind claw from the sketch in Twilight’s book! You’re a Signer, too!”

“Ah’m a Signer!?” gasped Applejack. “Yee-haw! That’s what Ah’m talking about. Hear that, ‘Dark Signer’? As a Signer of the Crimson Dragon… thingy… Uh, point Ah’m trying to make is Ah’ll never let you hurt mah friends!”

“Damn,” muttered Redheart. “Another Signer. Expected, but by no means welcome…”

“Black Rose Dragon’s effect!” said Applejack. “When she’s Synchro Summoned, all cards on the field are destroyed!”

“Unfortunately, your Synchro Monster’s Trigger Effect activates before my cards,” said Redheart. “Unfortunately for you, that is. Dark Cure and Pariah’s effects chain to it, and resolve first! Take 1200 points of damage!”

“Gah!” winced Applejack, as Pariah's tentacle latched on once again, sucking more life energy from her body. [Applejack: LP 1850 –> 650] “Wipe out that damn Dark Synchro! Black Rose Gale!” Black Rose Dragon let lose a roar, stretching her wings and sending out hurricane force winds throughout the room. Razor sharp rose petals sliced into all other cards on the field, destroying them before Black Rose herself burst into a gentle breeze of petals.

“You may have defeated my Dark Synchro Monster,” laughed Redheart, “but you’ve left yourself wide open! Next turn, it will be my victory!”

“Ah activate Monster Reborn,” said Applejack. “Ah Special Summon Tytannial back to the field!” The rose blossomed up, opening once more to reveal Tytannial inside. [ATK2800]

“W-what?” stuttered Redheart.

“Direct attack!” said Applejack.

“Agh!” gasped Redheart, getting flung back into the wall by Tytannial’s whip of thorns. The flames dissipated, and the spider on her right flank vanished, her original Cutie Mark returning.

“Ah did it…” said Applejack, sighing in relief.

“Applejack!” gasped Fluttershy. “The walls are crumbling!”

“What!?” gasped Applejack, looking around. “Shoot, Black Rose Dragon’s effect must’ve-”

“Look out!” gasped Fluttershy, tackling Applejack, and pulling her under the bed as the ceiling of the room caved in.

Pinkie had just reached the exterior of the hospital, when she saw Fluttershy’s room collapse. “Fluttershy!” She galloped over to the wreckage, and began sorting through. “Fluttershy, are you in there? Can you hear me?”

“Pinkie?” a faint voice responded. “I’m here. I’m okay…”

“Hold on,” another faint voice said. “Pinkie, stand clear!”

“Applejack?” asked Pinkie as she stepped back.

Applejack bucked the rubble and bed off, clearing a path out of the room. “Hey, Pinkie Pie.”

“What happened?” asked Pinkie, helping to pull them out. “And, whoa! Is that one of those Signer Mark things that Twilight was talking about? Like Fluttershy’s?”

“Yeah,” said Applejack, wincing in pain. “It’s quite a story.”

“We’ll tell you what happened in the morning,” said Fluttershy. “If you don’t mind waiting, of course.”

“I don’t mind,” said Pinkie. “I should probably go get Twilight and the others anyway. I still don’t get this whole Signer thing.”

“Meet us at Sweet Apple Acres,” Applejack called, as Pinkie galloped off towards Ponyville. “Come on, Flutters. Let’s head on home.”

“Agh!” screamed the cloaked figure, grasping her heart again as the other missing leg of her spider mark returned.

“I take it your other drone failed?” asked the second figure.

“At least a second Signer has been awakened,” said the third.

“Shut it!” spat the first, slamming her clenched talons into the table. After a pause, she gave a slight chuckle. before taking deep breaths to calm herself. “No, it’s okay. So what if Redheart failed? It's not over.”

“Going to send out another spider?” asked the third. “Third time’s the charm, as they say.”

“No,” muttered the first. “It’s taking too much of a toll on me. Instead, I have a much more fun idea.” Shee stood up, stretching her wings, and flexing her talons.

“Where are you going?” asked the second.

“Isn’t it obvious?” asked the first, heading towards the door. “I’m going to take on the Signers myself.”

Author's Notes:

You'll recall that in the Author's Notes of Chapter 2 I said I'd try to limit the number of fic-exclusive cards. I never said I was any good at limiting them. I think it's fine, though. After all, who's to say Equestria has the exact same cards as the anime? Or as us? If you have a problem with it though, let me know, and I'll work to reduce them again.