It's been a few hours since my duel with Applejack, and, with her help a little, actually, Twilight, Lone, and Chrysalis were progressing well. I had given Twilight a spell caster deck, Lone a warrior deck, and Chrysalis an insect deck. There was also a fourth pony, a green pegasus stallion with brown hair and tail with red highlights. He was a friend of Lone's, and a member of the guard. Him, I had given another warrior deck. His name was Zero Star, but Lone and the others all called him "Red".

"Remember," I say to each of them. "Even a card with no power in terms of attack can have value. Need I point out how I used Ancient gear cannon to reduce Chrysalis' life points in the last duel, then used Megamorph to weaken her monster, which allowed mine to destroy it?"

"No," Lone said. "That was the most recent one, after all."

"Good," I say. "Take a break, guys. You earned it."

"Thank Luna," Red said. "I thought we were gonna die from having to do this nonstop." Yeah, I guess I should also mention he and Luna were together. Only reason he wasn't around earlier was because he was out patrolling.

"Only in a shadow game," I say. "Seriously, though, you guys earned it. You've gotten everything down quickly, quicker than I did, actually."

"Same here," Applejack said.

"Though, you aren't ready to deal with the others," I say. "They would defeat you quickly. You need time to learn your deck, learn different uses for the cards."

"He is correct," Chrono said, appearing. "One time, he used the effect of a single Blue Thunder to bring three other monsters to the field on his side. It was quite devastating to his opponent."

"My point exactly," I say before walking away. "If I need to order you guys to take a break, I will."

Chrysalis scoffed. "Not like you could do anything, personally."

"She isn't wrong," Lone said. "Well, how long's the break?"

"Half an hour," I say. At Lone and Red's groan, I say, "Would you rather it be fifteen minutes?"

"Never mind," the both of them say.

"I thought so," I say with a chuckle. "Now, if you need me, which I hope you don't, I'll be taking a nap on the bench over there." With that,  I go to a nearby bench, and lay down on it. Unfortunately, I did not get a full half-hour nap.

About twenty minutes after I laid down, SK soke up, saying, "JOSH, Y and V got something." Given I call Summon Reactor SK, well, SK, take a guess at those two monters.

"What," I ask, sitting up, but before he could answer, a loud roar could be heard, and powerful flapping. "Never mind," I say just before two blurs, one white, the other black, speed up past the wall, and I turn to face them. "You guys gonna be alright if I change decks," I ask.

"Yeah," SK said. "Good luck."

"Thanks," I say. Warrior Magic ally, I think, and the deck changes, with SK disappearing just as the dragons, and those riding them, lower themselves to view.

Both are cards I doubt you have not yet heard of. One of them was large, and seemed majestic, royal, even, in a way. It had white scales that looked blue in the right angle, and blue eyes. Hello, Blue eyes white dragon. On it's back, between the wings, was, I assume, Rarity wearing the same color cloak as Applejack had when I defeated her. She had her horn missing, but I was able to see that her skin seemed more, for lack of a better word, reptilian, even her eyes.

The other one was much more viscous looking, with black scales, and red eyes of hatred. Hey, Red eyes. On it's back, in a riding position, was Rainbow, who had the same changes as Rarity, and the cloak too.

Aside from the fact they were more reptilian, another common trait the two Elements had was that they had leathery wings on their back. Going to attribute that to the spell. "There's our meal, Rares," Rainbow said. Looks like they became, at the least, omnivorous

"He's quite underwhelming," Rarity said. "I must say, I expected something much more. . . strapping and handsome," The white unidragon, best term I can think of right now, then grinned, revealing gleaming white, sharp teeth. "He will have to do though."

"Yeah, no," I say. "I'm not on the menu, and neither is anypony else."

"Oh, please, you think you can stop us," Rainbow said, laughing. "Nopony but lord Osiris can defeat the dragon sisters."

"Well, guess what," I say, spreading my arms. "I'm not anypony, I'm anyone, so come and get me, fuckers."

"You heard him, darling," Rarity said, sitting down. "Burst stream of destruction." Her blue eyes opened its mouth, and an orb of light began to grow, but I did not shrink from it. Once the orb reached critical mass, when the dragon's jaws couldn't stretch further, it released it's attack.

Just before it reached me, there was a small blur in front of me, and the attack stopped, but a large dust cloud was kicked up, and I couldn't see. The dust settled eventually, and I saw what was in front of me. He was a soldier in dark blue armor with a black undersuit, and a weird helmet. His armor had yellow highlights, and he had a wicked sword in a blocking position. "What?" Rainbow said.

"Morons, I would like you to meet a friend of mine," I say as the soldier stands up. "Say hello to Buster Blader."

"Oh, he is quite strapping," Rarity said. "Alas, it is a shame he stands with you."

"You dare disrespect my sire, dragon beast," Blader said, pointing his sword at Rarity, who looked offended.

"Did you just call me a beast?"

"Aye."

"Well, for your information, I am now a noble dragon who fights for the light of Ra, and Rainbow and I have come to either kill you, or recruit you, duelist. So, what will it be?"

"Option C: I kick your ass, some kind of Dues Ex Machina comes in, and you return to our side," I say. Right, my friend, I ask the duel spirit I shall not name.

Correct, he said.

"Like that'll happen," Rainbow said. "Nothing can beat dragons."

"Wanna bet," I say, holding my arm up and activating my disk. "Since this is essentially a free for all, even though you two will gang up on me, rules are normal, except none of us can attack on our fist turn."

"You will only prolong the inevitable," Rarity said. "I suppose, though. I could use the fun."

"Same here," Rainbow said, holding her disk, which was the same model as Applejack's, but the color more resembled Rainbow and her Red Eyes, while Rarity's did the same for her and Blue Eyes.

It was at this point the others got here. "Josh what's-" Twiligh tsaid before she saw Rainbow, Rarity, and their dragons. "Oh. Nevermind."

"Hello, Twilight," Rarity said. "Don't worry, soon, you'll be freed."

"Just draw your cards," I say, having already drew my five, same with Rainbow.

"Oh, fine," she said, drawing her cards.

"I'll go first," Rainbow said, calmly drawing. She smiled. I don't like that smile.

"I summon Red Eyes black chick," she said, and a red egg shell with the upper part of a baby red eyes sticking out of it. "I then activate it's ability, which lets me send it to the graveyard to summon Red eyes black dragon." Said dragon appeared next to her mount, and, to my surprise, I saw the two nuzzle. Fuck. "I then lay three face downs, and end my turn."

"Which makes it my turn," Rarity said, drawing. "First, I lay a monster face down, then I activate Card Destruction, which means we send each of the cards in our hand to the graveyard, and then draw that same amount of cards," she said, putting four cards in her graveyard, and drawing four more, which was followed by Rainbow doing the same, and myself discarding then drawing five cards. "And, since it was sent to the graveyard, my White stone of legend activates, which allows be to bring one blue eyes to my hand from my deck." She drew another card and mixed her hand up, her disk reshuffling her deck. "I then lay down three face downs to end my turn."

"My draw," I say as I drew a card, and added it to my hand. Okay, got one part of what I need, just need two parts. Fortunately, I have something that can help me survive long enough. "I lay three cards face down, and then lay a monster face down to end my turn."

"Not off to a strong start," Rainbow said to me as she drew a card. "I send Red eyes out of play," she said, and her monster Red eyes vanished, "To summon Red Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon." A much more armored Red Eyes appeared. It didn't have front arms, so, in dragon types, it's what you'd call a wyvern, basically a dragon with all scales and without front legs. "I then activate its effect, which lets me summon a dragon from my hand or graveyard, and I choose to bring out Darkflare dragon. And now, take out his face down, Metal," she said. "Metal Claw."(1)

The metal dragon roared, and flew over my monster, raking it with its claws, but it didn't go. I smirked as Rainbow yelled, "How?! No level four monster can survive an attack from Metal."

"Unless it has an ability," I say as my monster revealed itself. "You see, Obnoxious Celtic Guardian can't be destroyed by a monster with 1900 or more attack points in battle, and both your monsters have more than that, so I'm safe from you this turn, Rainbow." And I happen to have a second in my hand. Thanks, Rarity.

Rainbow growled. "I end my turn."

"Which means I draw," Rarity said, drawing a card. "I summon Hunter Dragon." The dragon appeared. It had a long, lower jaw and short front legs. Its wings were closer to its hind legs, and the tail ended in a blade. "And last I checked, it has less than 1900 attack points, so Hunter Dragon, attack his Guardian with hunting slice." The dragon attacked , spinning its tail around, which sliced my Guardian in half, and I was surprised when blood came from it before it vanished. "Unfortunately, since it was in defense mode, you take no damage, so I end my turn."

"I draw, then," I say, drawing a card. Nice, one of the cards I need. Well, one that'll get me one I need. I put it in my hand, and drew another from my hand. "I summon Skilled Dark Magician from my hand," I say before putting the card on my disk, and the card, a man in dark robes that covered most of his face with a baton in his hands appeared. "Now, Magician, take out her Hunter Dragon. Dark Lightning."

He nodded before pointing his baton in the direction of the weaker dragon, and an arc of black lightning erupted from one end, and fried the dragon.

Rarity

7800

"With that, I end my turn."

"And I draw," Rainbow said. "Now, Metal, take out her Magician. Darkness blast."

I smirked. "Nice try, Rainbow, but I activate two quick play spells known as Book of Moon, which lets me flip one face up monster to face down a piece, and since you have two, I'll flip both of your monsters over."

"No!" Rainbow yelled as both her monsters disappeared, the back of a card appearing in their place.

"And, since I activated two spell cards, Skilled Dark Magician gets two spell counters." Said monster seemed to generate a dark aura around him.

"I guess I end my turn, then."

"Which means I draw," Rarity said. "I play Kaiser Sea Horse, and then play the spell Axe of Despair, and equip it onto my Sea Horse." With that, a giant axe appeared i front of her sea horse, which then grabbed it. Fuck. "And now, my dear Sea Horse, destroy his Magician with Axe strike." Her monster jumped, and sliced its axe downwards as it reached my monster, and destroyed it before jumping back.

Josh

7200

"Damn it," I mutter.

"I end my turn," Rarity said.

"I draw," I say, looking at mt card. Damn it, not what I need. But something I can use right now. "I lay one monster card face down with two cards, and end my turn."

"I draw, then," Rainbow said. "I flip my two monsters over, and attack with Darkflare. Darkflare, attack his face down with dark flame burst." Her dragon breathed fire with a slight black tint to it, which enveloped my card. When the flames died down, my card, the second Obnoxious Celtic Guardian, was unharmed.

"How do you like me now, bitch," I ask, spreading my arms wide, which got chuckles from Lone and Red behind me, and I think Applejack too. "My deck was meant to deal with dragons, and most are at the mark that prevents them from destroying my card."

"I end my turn, then," Rainbow growled.

"Which means its my go," Rarity said. "I activate my Sea Horse's effect, which lets it count as two tributes for a light monster, so I tribute it to summon my Blue Eyes." Damn it, fuck it, damn it all!

Anyway, the monster split into two, and both were enveloped in a column of light, which, when it faded, revealed her dragon, which, like Rainbow's Red Eyes, nuzzled the one its duelist was riding. "I then activate my spell card, Burst stream of destruction, which destroys each of your monsters on the field." FUUUUUUUUUCK!

The dragon opened its maw, and an orb of light appeared before it swept across my field, and my Guardian was destroyed. "I then send my Hunter Dragon and White Stone of Legend out of play to special summon Lightpulsar Dragon from my hand." Said monster appeared in a flash of light. LightPulsar was the opposite of Darkflare, as it had a more regal look to it. Like Darkflare, it had an orb in the middle of its chest, but this one was green as opposed to Darkflared red and orange. "Now, Lightpulsar, attack him directly with White flame!" The dragon opened its maw, and breathed white fire on to me, and it actually hurt. It didn't burn, but it hurt.

Josh

4500

"And in case your wondering," Rarity said. "We were ordered to make you suffer if you didn't join us, which is why you fell all the pain from a direct attack."

"Yeah, that may be the case," I say. "But you'll need to try harder before I surrender."

Rarity scoffed. "I end my turn then."

"I draw," I say, hoping the card I drew would be enough, as this would be my last turn. I looked at it, and smiled.

"I play the spell card Emblem of Dragon Destroyer!" I say, and the card appears on my field. "This card allows me to bring one Buster Blader to my hand." I draw said card, and my deck reshuffles. "I then play my trap, Jar of Greed, which lets me draw one card," I say, drawing again. "I then play the spell card Polymerization, which lets me fuse two monsters together, and I choose to combine my Buster Blader and My Dark Magician in my hand to summon the ultimate Dragon slayer: DARK PALADIN!" Both Blader and Dark Magician appeared behind me and nodded to one another before they jumped up, getting everyone but me to look at them, before they vanished in a flash of light. When it faded, a warrior in a style of armor resembling Dark Magician came floating down. He had light blue skin, his armor was a dark blue with green orbs at the knees, elbows, and center of the chest, with a dual bladed spear staff in his right hand.

"I then play the spell card Monster Reborn, which lets me bring one monster from my graveyard back onto the field, and I choose Blader." A portal appeared next to Paladin, and Blader leaped out, holding his sword behind him like the dragon killing badass he is. Then I play the trap Birthright to bring back Dark Magician." Another portal appeared, and Dark Magician flew out, staff across his chest and arms crossed. "I the activate the trap card DNA Surgery, which lets me choose one monster type, and every monster becomes that type, and I choose dragon."

All three of my monsters began to change, taking on a more dragon like look. "I then play Mage Power, which I equip onto my Magician, which gives him a boost of five hundred attack points for every spell and trap card on my field. Since I have two, including Mage power, that's a boost of one thousand, but I add three cards down, raising that boost to two thousand and five hundred, which doubles Magician's attack."

An arua grows around Magician, which seeped into his staff. "I then play my two face downs, which are United we Stand, which gives a boost of eight hundred attack and defense points the equipped monster for every face up monster I have, and I put it on Paladin, which gives him a boost of 2400, which brings his attack to 5300, and Fairy meteor crush, which allows for piercing damage." I smirked. "But that's not all. You see for every dragon type monster in play, Paladin gains five hundred attack. Let's see, each of you have two, so four times five hundred, that's two thousand plus fifteen hundred from me, so that's a boost of thirty five hundred, bringing him to 8800. And keep in mind, I said every, including those in the graveyard. So, we have Red Eyes chick and Dragon, so another thousand, and he cards you sent from card destruction, which equal a total five, so twenty five thousand. That puts Paladin at 12300 attack!"

"Oh, shit," both of my opponents say at the same time.

"You're right, 'Oh, shit,'," I say. "Paladin, attack Darkflare with dark magic slice!"

"No, no, no, no, NO!" Rainbow yelled as Paladin flew up, with Darkflare firing off bursts of flame to stop it, but Paladin dodging them or blocking them with his staff. He eventually landed on Darkflare's back, and drove his staff down through the back, making Darkflare roar in pain before the spellcaster jumped off, and flew back to my side and the dragon exploding, black flames enveloping its owner.

Rainbow Dash

0000

She was knocked out by the blast, and fell off her dragon. "Magician, catch her!"

"On it," he said before flying off to catch Rainbow. He flew over the wall, and vanished from sight, Rainbow's apparently physical Red Eyes following him close behind.

"I end my turn," I say, a single card in my hand.

"Then I draw," Rarity said before grinning. "I play Burst Stream of destruction," she yelled before her duel monster Blue Eyes opened its mouth and unleashed its attack, kicking up a large cloud of dust. When it cleared, my side could be seen. With all my monsters, excluding Magician because of was going after Rainbow, still there, no card in my hand. "How?" she asked in shock.

"Paladin's other effect," I say. "By discarding one card, I can negate any spell cards. And you were seriously going to let Rainbow die?"

Rarity scoffed. "She failed the Light of Ra, and must pay for it. I switch my monsters to defense mode, and end my turn."

"I draw, then," I say, drawing just as Magician come flying back over the wall with Red Eyes close behind, Rainbow in his arms. He flew to where the others were at and laid her down before hovering back next to Paladin. "Now, Blader attack Blue Eyes with blade slice."

"Of course, sire," he said before he ran to where Blue eyes was at in the air. The duel monster one, not the one Rarity was riding. It roared at him, and fired off a burst stream but Blader, holding his sword down by his side, dodged it, and, when he closed in, he jumped and raised his sword. Blue Eyes roared in challenge, and moved to eat him, but, just as his mouth was about to envelop the warrior, he vaulted over the dragon's snout onto its head, avoiding the mouth, and then slammed his blade down into the dragon's brain. He sliced forward, cutting the head in half, which revealed the brains and bones before he jumped off, and the dragon exploded. Damn, talk about brutal.

"I still don't take any damage," Rarity said.

"I still have two monsters," I say. "Magician, take out Lightpulsar with Dark Magic attack."

He nodded before he pointed his staff at Lightpulsar, the green orb facing it, and unleashed a large orb of black and violet magic that made its way to Lightpulsar, and enveloped the dragon, vaporizing it.

The pressure wave made Rarity shield her face, during which time, Paladin made his way to her face face down, the Blue Eyes not doing anything.

When she looked up, a look of fear was on her face. "Finish this, Paladin."

"Understood," he said before bringing his blade up, and slicing, destroying her card, which was Dandylion. The card was destroyed, and a orange, etheric blade slice made its way to Rarity.

Rarity

0000

She became unconscious like Rainbow and Applejack before her, and began to slide off her mount, but, just his card being on my disk allowed Paladin to catch her.

Okay, do you have something to do with them being physical?

Perhaps.

I hate you right now.

Not like you can get rid of me.

I rolled my eyes, and turned back to the others, putting the cards in my graveyard and the spells and traps on the field back in my deck and turning to face the others.

"And that is an example of the right card can change everything," I say to the ones I was teaching, Applejack, and the alicorns. As Rarity is set next to Rainbow, a familiar orb of yellow light left my deck and made its way to hover over the two, a yellow aura appearing around the two, and it was absorbed by the orb, which disappeared soon after.

"Okay, we need to get them to the medical wing," I say.

"That's not needed," Dark Magician said. "I am versed in healing magic slightly." With that, he walked over, and knelt down to the two, orbs of purple magic in his palms. He touched the orbs to their foreheads, and closed his eyes in concentration. "What ever it is that aura was, it seems to erase some part of their memory. Of what I can tell, nearly four months ago."

"That's when the Order defeated them," Twilight said with a gasp.

"It also seems that parts of later memories are clouded, focused on one individual. Unfortunately, it was able to complete its work before I or the other could to intervene."

"Other," Celestia asked.

"That orb," I said. "The one that absorbed the aura off of Applejack and these two." I turned back to Magician. "What else?"

"That the changes to their bodies are permanent, and only the one who cast it, I imagine the one that is clouded, can reverse it. And, as for the one known as Rarity, she may no longer have her horn, but she still has her unicorn abilities," he said. "Another thing to note: There is still a seed of what converted them that I can not remove, and I imagine, if the caster wished, would re-enthrall them into the Order."

"And without knowing who, we can't do anything to stop it," I say.

"Indeed," Magician said, getting up. "They will awaken shortly," he said.

I nodded. "Right. Thanks."

"Of course," Magician said, bowing.

With that, I removed his card, as well as Blader's and Paladin's, and the three became translucent.

Who do you think Magician was talking about?

No idea, Josh. But, given Cyber, I would wager it is someone we know.

Agreed, I think, looking to the royals, but who?

Osiris watched the duel between Rainbow and Rarity, the dragon sisters, as the lower members of the Order and their friends called them, and the duelist the royals summoned. He was, well, angry that the dragon sisters had lost, but, in all honesty, he planned for this contingency.

"Your drink, my lord," a servant said from behind as he bowed and presented Osiris' drink.

"Thank you," Osiris said, lighting his horn in yellow magic to bring the drink to his hand. "Contact our agents in Canterlot. The palace, especially. I want that duelist monitored at all times. If we are to prevail, we must discover his strategies, and counter them."

"Yes, my lord," the servant said. "Though, if I may offer, he seems to play aggressively, like Lady Fluttershy."

"That he does," Osiris said. "But it is obvious he has more than one deck. If we are to defeat him, we must find out all of his strategies so that we may bring Ra's truth upon him."

"Understood, my lord," the servant said, backing away. "I shall send the message." With that, the servant left.

Once the servant had left, Osiris pulled a card out of his robes. "Do not worry, Lord Ra. We shall bring your truth to this planet, and free you of your bonds." The card seemed to glow at these words. "Patience, my lord,"  Osiris said. "Everything is according to plan. Only five more until you can be freed."