“Students, I am pleased to announce that your four finalists for the Autumn Crown Tournament have been decided! The final duels will begin in thirty minutes. We ask that our four finalists report to the back field by that time.”

Twilight listened as Celestia’s voice faded from the speakers. “So the duel is over now, I assume.”

Leaning against the wall by the door, Rarity held up her phone. “Applejack just replied that Rainbow’s duel has finished so they’re on their way.”

“Good.” Twilight took a breath. “I don’t want to repeat this. I want all five of you to be here.”

“Is it something bad?” Fluttershy asked, sitting on one of the desks.

“I hope it’s something cake!” Pinkie said, sitting on another desk swinging her legs in the air. “Or pie. Pie is fine too. Or cupcakes.”

“Not exactly.” Twilight looked down at her deck. This is going to be perhaps the most awkward conversation I’ve ever had.

The door to the room opened and Applejack led Rainbow Dash inside. “Meet your friend in the finals, Twi.”

“You got that right!” Rainbow grinned and whooped. “I am so pumped for this!”

Twilight nodded. “So that makes you, me, and Flash for sure. I don’t know about Sunset Shimmer yet but I think we can presume she’ll make it.” She took a breath. “That’s why I’ve called you all here. There’s something I need to tell you, about Sunset and myself.”

“What is it?” Rarity asked as the three came closer.

“Well… you see…”

Before Twilight could continue, Pinkie jumped to her feet.

“You’re from another dimension where there’s a duelist academy training duelists to be soldiers to invade other dimensions, and you were the star student of the academy’s leader who has some secret plans for you, but you wanted to prove yourself as a duelist so you came to our dimension to duel us, and now that you’ve made friends and seen other places you don’t want to conquer us and want us to help you stop the impending interdimensional war!” She stopped and grinned widely.

Twilight blinked, paused and scrunched her face. “Um, no.”

“Aaaaaw.” Pinkie sat back down and pouted.

“Well, it’s partly true. Surprisingly.” Twilight nodded. “I am from another dimension. So is Sunset Shimmer. She came to your world two and a half years ago, I’m not sure why. But she came back just a couple days ago and stole my crown, the Autumn Crown, for the magic it contains. I came here to win it back from her, but the portal closes tonight.” She stopped and let the information sink in.

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “There’s some part of this you’re not telling us still.”

“Yeah…” Twilight smiled sheepishly and held up her hands. “In the other world… I’m a pony. And Spike’s a dragon.”

Rainbow Dash burst out laughing. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard!”

Spike jumped up on the desk next to Twilight. “Really? Because she’s telling the truth.”

The five girls stopped and stared.

Twilight slapped a hand to her face. “I suppose that’s one way to convince them.”

“It was either that or show them your magic.” Spike paused to scratch his ear. “Just trying to help.”

Fluttershy, her eyes wide, pointed. “Did Spike just talk?”

Spike nodded. “Sure did.”

Pinkie tilted her head. “Normally I have to take something to hear dogs talk.”

Twilight coughed, regaining everyone’s attention. “Well, anyway, there’s something I have to be honest with you about.” Twilight took out her deck and began to flip through the cards, setting several of them on the desk. “This is the deck the portal created for me when I crossed over. And there’s something very odd about it you need to know.”

“Your Harmony Spirits?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes, they—” Twilight paused. “You remember?”

Fluttershy blinked and seemed to only just then register what she had said. “It’s strange. I feel like some sort of fog has lifted.”

“Me too.” Applejack nodded. “Ah remember seeing you and Rares duel, and Ah remember not rememberin’… wow. You’re really serious about this magic stuff?”

Twilight nodded. “Yes. I figured it was due to some mechanic of the magic Sunset and I used to manifest our decks.” She thought and looked away. “Maybe now that you five have been exposed to the same magic I use, you can remember?”

“Exposed to magic?” Rarity came closer and looked down at the cards Twilight had laid out. She gasped and picked up Harmony Spirit Magnanimity. “This is me!” The group crowded around her as Rarity examined the fairy spirit on the card. “Stylized, certainly, but…”

“It’s all of us!” Rainbow scooped Twilight’s deck from the desk and held out the cards one by one. The five looked down at the cards in their hands and saw their Harmony Spirit counterparts.

“I don’t believe it…” Fluttershy slowly shook her head as she looked at Gracia. “This isn’t possible. Is it?”

“Ah’ve never seen cards like this before. But… that’s us!” The group looked up at Twilight. Applejack flipped the Honestas card in her hand over. “Twi? Mind explainin’?”

“I’ve never met the five of you in this world. But in the other world, we’re close friends, and more than that. Your counterparts in Equestria, and myself, wield the Elements of Harmony, ancient relics that hold great magic in them. The crown Sunset Shimmer stole is my Element, the Element of Magic, and the most powerful of all. Without it my friends and I can’t use the Elements and our world is vulnerable to potentially anything.” She took a breath. “A duelist’s deck is supposed to reflect their heart, so I’m told. I think that this deck manifested my friends – or, you five, whichever – as my cards to show what’s in my heart, so I can have the support of my friends to help me defeat her.”

Twilight put a hand on her chest. “And I think the magic that connects me and my friends is starting to appear in this world, too. During my duel with Rarity, when my Magia spirit was destroyed, I felt the pain of the attack. Fluttershy.” The girl eeped and perked up as Twilight looked at her. “I saw you on the ground during the duel. What happened?”

“Um, well, I was watching the duel, and then when one of your monsters was destroyed, I got this really bad pain in my chest.” She shrank down in her seat. “It felt like someone had punched me, but it was more like a burning.”

“Me too!” Rainbow looked at Twilight. “I was dueling Spitfire, and then all of a sudden, ow, pain. And when I put my hand on the ground it was burning.”

“My dragon’s fire attacks…” Rarity whispered.

“My friends and I are bound by the Elements of Harmony. And now the six of us are bound by my deck.” Twilight took a deep breath. “That’s why I chose to tell you this. As my magic has grown stronger, it seems Sunset is using more of hers to try and defeat me. We may all be in danger in the finals now, especially when she and I duel.” She looked around the circle. “All this may be hard to believe, but it’s the truth.”

“Let’s take this from the top.” Applejack counted off on her fingers. “Your deck symbolizes the six of us and magically connects us so we feel the pain of your monsters being destroyed. You and Sunset Shimmer come from an alternate dimension of talking ponies. And that crown she stole has magical powers in it.”

“Also, in the other world, I’m a dragon,” Spike reminded.

“Uh-huh.”

Twilight looked sheepish. “It sounds silly, I know.”

“Ah buy it.” Applejack held up her hands. “Some of the things that go on in duel tournaments in this world? This seems kinda tame.”

“Hang on.” Rainbow Dash held up a hand. “So in your world, I’m a pony?”

“Yes. Well, a pegasus to be specific.”

“So I can fly?”

“Yes, in fact you’re proud of your speed. And your pegasus magic lets you control clouds and the weather.”

Rainbow grinned. “That is so awesome!”

“Why did I know she’d say that?” Spike muttered.

Twilight rolled her eyes and smiled. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier, I wasn’t sure how involved I should get the five of you. But now there’s no denying it. My magic definitely connects the six of us, and if Sunset is willing to use her magic like she did on Rarity, we need to be united against her.”

“Absolutely.” Rarity nodded. “We’re all behind you, Twilight.”

“What about me?” Rainbow Dash cried. “I’m in the finals, too!”

“Yes, but if you duel Sunset, would you have a way to counter her magic?” Twilight asked. Rainbow opened her mouth but said nothing. “Exactly. I’m not asking you to bow out or anything, but at this point there’s no telling what Sunset might do to win. Not to mention the possibility she could use her magic to cause real harm with her cards. Anyone who duels her is in danger.”

“So, what do we do?” Fluttershy bit her lip. “Could we ask Principal Celestia to cancel the tournament? If we tell her the students are in danger…”

“I’m not sure that’ll work.” Twilight sighed. “Sunset thinks she has to win this tournament in order to use my crown’s powers. As long as she intends to stick to that plan, we can keep this contained and eventually one of us can face her in a duel. But if the tournament is cancelled, there’s no telling what she’d do. She could steal the crown, she might turn her magic on others directly, or worse.”

Rarity nodded. “Fair points. But then what do we do? Free dueling is forbidden during the tournament, and you said the portal back to your world closes tonight. We can’t challenge her, not if we have to beat her in time to let you go home.”

“I know.” Twilight sat down and looked down at her duel disk. “At this point I don’t think we have a lot of options beyond going along with the finals and beating Sunset. But I’m not sure how we can counter her magic. I know my magic broke her hold on Rarity, but I don’t know if it’s something we can rely on. And if you duel her, Rainbow, there’s no telling what could happen.”

“Can’t you transfer some magic to me, like Sunset did with Rarity?”

Twilight paused and thought. “I… that makes sense.” She rubbed her chin. “It’s a sound theory, but I have no idea how to do it. Or if it’s even safe.”

Rainbow held up her hands. “What’s the worst that could happen? I sprout wings or gain super speed or something?”

“I doubt it. More likely you could turn into some freakish deformed pony-human hybrid.”

Rainbow scrunched her face. “Point taken.”

“This is a type of magic I don’t fully understand. I can barely control it already, nevermind trying to imbue someone else with the same sorts of powers.” She sighed. “I think the best I could do is, if Sunset tries to use her powers against you, maybe I could cancel them out. Otherwise, I think we just have to be careful.” Twilight looked up at them, meeting each of their eyes in turn. “I know this is a lot to take in. And I’m sorry I don’t have much advice or protection to offer. But you needed to know what’s at stake here.”

“No problem.” Rainbow grinned and pumped her fist. “This changes nothing! I was heading for the top before, I’m not gonna stop now! Okay, so it turns out that Sunset Shimmer is a crazed magical pony from another dimension. But that doesn’t mean I can’t beat her.”

“I wish I shared your confidence. I haven’t even seen her duel yet.”

Rarity pursed her lip. “I recall your deck, darling, but I’m still drawing a blank on hers. Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I’ll just… improvise.” Twilight smiled crookedly. “Right?”

“It’s like you said, sugarcube.” Applejack held the card in her hand out to Twilight. “We’re all in this with you. Together.” The others all nodded or vocalized agreements and held their cards back too.

“Thank you.” Twilight took the cards back and slipped them into her deck. “I wish I shared your confidence. But I’ve only made it this far with my magic augmenting my deck and my skills. I didn’t even know this game existed a few days ago.”

“At this point, Ah say it don’t matter how you got this far. This isn’t just some tournament after all, you’ve got the fate of another world at stake. So you go out there and use all the magic you’ve got to whoop Sunset’s butt.”

Twilight burst out laughing. “I’ll try.”

Rainbow Dash stepped up to her and put her hand out. “Whichever of us faces Sunset, we’re all in it together.”

“Right.” Twilight put her hand over Rainbow’s and it was quickly joined by four others.

Rainbow grinned. “Now girls, let’s go win us a tournament!”

The six stepped out on the back fields of Canterlot High, and Twilight paused. Collapsible bleachers had been dragged out onto the grass and set up to create rows of seats on which much of the student body now sat. More were clustered on the outskirts and even on the sidewalk on the edge of the school grounds.

By the side of the asphalt basketball court a table had been placed with some sort of appliance Twilight didn’t recognize. Celestia and Luna sat there talking. At the ends of the court two workers were slowly lowering one of the basketball nets and carrying it away. It was then that Twilight noticed the other net had already been removed, only a metal bracket in the ground hinting to where it would go.

Sunset Shimmer stood at the edge of the court, her back to Twilight. Flash sat on the steps down to the field not far away. At the sound of Twilight’s approach he turned his head and stood. “Hey, Twilight, Rainbow.”

“Ready to do this, Flash?” Rainbow smirked and raised her duel disk.

Flash returned the gesture. “You know it.”

Twilight saw Sunset turn her head, and slipped between her friends. She stepped up to the edge of the court and looked over at Sunset. Sunset, though, turned to face forward and didn’t acknowledge her. Feeling emboldened by the dismissal, Twilight turned fully towards her.

“This is it, Sunset. I’m going to beat you, and take my crown back.”

Sunset didn’t look her way and just smiled.

“Now that all of our finalists are here, we can begin.” Twilight saw Celestia speaking into a microphone connected to the appliance on the table. As she spoke, Luna stood and crossed the basketball court to a metal box with a padlock on it. The crowd’s murmurs grew into cheers as Luna pulled out her keys and unlocked it.

Twilight turned to Flash as he and Rainbow joined her. “What’s she doing?”

Flash winked. “You may wanna watch your step.”

Twilight looked down at her shoes, her toes against the edge of the grass where the asphalt ended. Looking down she now noticed a distinct strip of metal about an inch wide running along the perimeter of the court. She looked back up at Luna. The vice-principal unlocked the box and opened it to reveal a number pad and a row of switches. Luna flicked all but one switch and then keyed in a code on the number pad.

A loud, mechanical creak made Twilight jump. It came from her feet. She stepped back.

The basketball court slowly lowered into the ground, revealing metal walls in the pit surrounding it. When it was almost a foot down, it pulled to the side. With the entire asphalt surface pulled back, a shadowed form rose from the massive pit in front of them. Twilight began to make out distinct shapes and colors as the form rose up into the light.

A massive dueling field came from the pit. Sleek white siding was arranged in a rectangle save for the ends, which were colored red and blue. At the ends were two raised booths with railings along the edge. Twilight glimpsed a card field and screen on the booth before it rose out of her field of view. On the far side of the arena came a pair of large display screens that rose higher until it towered over even the raised duelist booths.

A crunch and more creaking signaled the stop of the arena’s rise, and a final mechanical click echoed through the air. Luna flicked one more switch and the arena powered on, lights on the sides blaring to life and the display screens flickered to show the portraits of the four finalists.

Luna walked back to Celestia as the latter began to speak again. “We will now choose the match-ups for the final duels. Good luck to all of our finalists in this, the last three duels of the Autumn Crown Tournament!” The crowd’s cheers grew to new heights as the four portraits began to flash back and forth.

Twilight watched intently, biting her lip. If I can face Sunset now, I can put her out of this tournament and everyone will be safe… but what if she duels Flash, or Rainbow? What if I duel Flash, can I beat him? She looked at the other finalists and saw them watching with similar anticipation.

At last, the portraits stopped, one pair blue and one red. Twilight gasped sharply.

“We have our final duels! First, Flash Sentry will face Sunset Shimmer, and then Twilight Sparkle will face Rainbow Dash!” The crowd applauded. Twilight turned as Sunset began to walk down the field to the opposite end.

“Well, I’m up.” Flash unstrapped his duel disk from his arm and knelt to set it on the ground, withdrawing his deck from it. “Wish me luck, ladies.” He smiled at Twilight and approached the arena to the blue booth. He pressed a button on a control panel at the side and the booth descended. When it reached the ground the left side of the railing clicked open and swung in. Flash stepped inside and pushed the bar shut, then pressed a second button on the panel. The booth rose back into place. On the other end of the field Sunset Shimmer rose in control of the red booth.

“Will the duelists please place their decks into the auto-shuffler.”

Flash held his deck out and put it on the playing field out of Twilight’s view. The display screen changed to show his and Sunset’s field, their portraits above their Life Point total.

I have to warn him. Twilight ran up to the edge of the arena. “Flash!” Flash turned his head and leaned over. “Be careful! Sunset Shimmer might—”

“Finalists are advised that there is to be no discussion of strategies or advice with each other, on penalty of handicap or disqualification.” Twilight stopped at Celestia’s voice and looked in her direction to catch a disapproving stare.

“Um…” Twilight looked up at Flash and then back to Celestia. She swallowed a lump in her throat and forced a smile. “Good luck.”

“Thanks.” Flash gave her a thumbs up.

Twilight stepped back to her friends. “Do you think Flash will be okay?”

“Tough call.” Applejack shook her head. “He’s one of the best duelists this school has ever seen. But he hasn’t beaten Sunset yet, not in years.”

I’m not worried about if he’ll win. Twilight looked up at him as he turned back to the duel. I’m worried about what’ll happen when he loses.

“I’ve been waiting for this duel for months, Sunset.” Flash smiled and nodded at her. “Better bring your A-game, because I’m bringing nothing less than mine.”

“Cute.” Sunset Shimmer crossed her arms. “Bring all the game you like. I’ll crush you now the same as every other year. You’re just a distraction from the main event.” She turned her head to look down at Twilight and grinned. “Let’s get this over with.”

“And now, without further delay, let the first match of the finals begin!”