Dueling is Magic!
Many Futures

Chapter 53

Counterattack! Rainbow and Arrow

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Rainbow Overdragon spread its wings and roared. Tech Genus Halberd Cannon spun its pole-arm and pointed it at the dragon.

"I wonder if Yusei knew you had this kind of potential?" said Antinomy. "I Set one card face-down and end my turn."

"My turn!" Paradox drew a card. He frowned. "I summon the Tuner monster 'Malefic Compass Gear' in Attack Mode." Paradox’s new monster emerged through a blue portal. It was another set of gears on a spindle, but with a large red and white compass needle spinning atop it.

"Sorry, Paradox, but I can't afford for you to summon anything else!" Antinomy interrupted. "Halberd Cannon's effect activates! When a monster would be summoned, I can negate that summon and destroy it. Close Summon!" Halberd Cannon jammed its weapon forward, pushing the mechanical monster back into its portal. Electricity arced around the portal and it exploded, vanishing from sight.

"That's one," Paradox muttered. "Rainbow Dash, Halberd Cannon can use that effect once for each monster used to summon it, so that means it can negate two more summons. I Set two cards and end my turn."

If it can negate summons, why didn't Antinomy stop me from summoning Rainbow Overdragon? thought Rainbow Dash.

"My turn," said Antinomy. "I remove four Speed Counters to activate the first effect of 'Speed World Two'. You take eight hundred damage for each 'Speed Spell' in my hand." Antinomy spun around and revealed one card from his hand. A bolt of lightning shot away from the nose of his D-Wheel, striking Rainbow Dash then turning to hit Paradox.

"Now I'll activate 'Speed Spell - Speed Energy'. This gives Halberd Cannon two hundred Attack Points for each of my Speed Counters."

Rainbow Dash scratched her head with her hoof. "I'm confused. Why not use Speed World Two's third effect? Or just play the Speed Spell while you had ten Speed Counters? Or both?'

"Either one would be overextending myself. Besides," Antinomy said with a smile, "I know what your dragon does. If I'd tried either of those options, it wouldn't end well for me. At least this way I still have Speed Counters I can use on my next turn. Now, let's battle! Halberd Cannon, attack Rainbow Overdragon!" A secondary handle swung down from the base of the halberd's pole. The robot gripped it and swung its halberd over its head, attaching it to the mechanism on its back. It pulled the assembly over its head, the halberd now forming the barrel of a cannon. An eyepiece slid back along the mechanism, fitting itself over the robot's face. The targeting system locked onto the dragon and a massive blast of energy rocketed out of the cannon. Rainbow Dash grit her teeth and started to shout something when Paradox swerved in front of her.

"I activate 'Malefic Wake Barrier'! By sending a monster and its 'Malefic' counterpart from my hand, deck or Extra Deck to the Graveyard, I can negate your attack and end the Battle Phase." Paradox slid two cards into the Graveyard slot of his console. A familiar cry echoed overhead. Rainbow Dash looked up.

"Stardust Dragon!" she said excitedly. Black and white armor appeared around it and attached itself to the dragon as it flew between Halberd Cannon's shot and Rainbow Overdragon. The blast struck the armored dragon and exploded. The smoke cleared and Malefic Stardust was gone, but Rainbow Overdragon remained. Halberd Cannon disassembled its cannon assembly and spun its halberd into a resting position on its shoulder.

"You're not the only one relying on Yusei's power, Antinomy," said Paradox. "I learned a lot from him about protecting others."

"I'll activate Rainbow Overdragon's effect. By removing a 'Crystal Beast' in my Graveyard from play, Overdragon gains its Attack Points until the end of this turn! I remove 'Sapphire Pegasus'! Wavelength Refraction!" Sapphire Pegasus appeared in transparent form and vanished into the sapphire orb inside of Overdragon's body. Overdragon roared as its Attack Points rose.

"Rainbow Overdragon, attack Halberd Cannon! Eternal Rainbow Stream!" Each orb inside the dragon's body lit up from bottom to top. It's eyes lit up and its horn crackled with rainbow electricity. It raised its head, then threw it forward as it spat a beam of blinding white light, rainbow shock waves spreading out from around it.

"I activate 'Three Strikes Barrier'!" A card flipped up behind Antinomy and a blue barrier appeared around Halberd Cannon.

"If you control exactly three cards, I can choose one of its three effects to activate. I choose the effect to prevent my monsters from being destroyed by battle this turn."

"You'll still take all the damage, though!" Dash jeered. Rainbow Overdragon's beam slammed into the barrier and energy slid off around it, hitting the ground around Antinomy's D-Wheel.

"How were you able to activate that card, Antinomy?" Paradox asked. "We only controlled two cards: Rainbow Overdragon and my Set card."

"We also have Speed World Two, Paradox," said Rainbow Dash. "We all control it, so it counts as a card on both fields."

"I end my turn," Dash said. "My turn's over, so Rainbow Overdragon's Attack Points return to normal."

"That's it?" Rainbow Dash was puzzled. "We've been really back-and-forth up until now, so I thought for sure he'd try something."

"He can't get past Rainbow Overdragon without losing Halberd Cannon, and he doesn't want that. He's making preparations for future turns," Paradox explained. He drew a card. "So let's see if we can throw him off balance!"

"I activate Speed World Two's third effect! By paying ten Speed Counters, I can target and destroy one card on the field. I choose Halberd Cannon!" Paradox pointed at the orange robot. The headlights of his D-Wheel lit up and fired bolts of energy at it.

"Trap Card, open! 'TGX1-Gauntlet'! This equips to one 'Tech Genus' monster I control. It gains five hundred Attack and Defense Points, and cannot be destroyed by my opponent's effects!" Halberd Cannon swung its spear behind it with the left hand, holding the right in front of it with the fingers spread wide. A crimson and gold gauntlet appeared around its arm, the "TG" insignia emblazoned on the back of the hand. The insignia lit up and Halberd Cannon, curled its fingers into a fist. A red circle of translucent light appeared around the gauntlet. Halberd Cannon swung its arm, deflecting the energy bolts with the gauntlet.

"As a matter of fact," Paradox took a card from his Graveyard. "I activate the effect of 'Malefic Compass Gear'! If this card is in my Graveyard while I control 'Malefic World' but no 'Malefic' monsters, I can Special Summon it, but it’s removed from play when it leaves the field."

"No, Rainbow Dash, and for the same reason he could not stop you from Fusion Summoning," explained Paradox. "When a card or effect activates, a chain is created with that effect as the first link, and each responding effect as a new link."

"And then the last card played is the first one to do it's thing, I know. What's this got to do with it?"

"Once a chain of effects, even just one effect, starts resolving, no other cards or effects can activate until the entire chain has been completed. Compass Gear's effect to revive itself started a Chain and the summon happens during resolution..."

"Which means Antinomy can't negate it!" Rainbow Dash smiled and her eyes widened. "So that's why he didn't stop me from calling Rainbow Overdragon! He couldn't!"

"If I use Compass Gear for a Synchro Summon, I can use a 'Malefic' monster in my hand as the only other Synchro Material," said Paradox as he grabbed a card from his hand. "My Level One 'Malefic Compass Gear' tunes the Level Seven 'Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon' in my hand!" A masked and armored Red-Eyes Black Dragon appeared above Paradox. Malefic Compass Gear's gears and cogs spun and it vanished, leaving a single star that drew a green Synchro ring around the dragon. It roared as it became an orange outline and then vanished, leaving seven stars behind. The formed a line and were engulfed in a column of light.

"Released at the dawn of space, show us the end and the beginning of all things! Synchro Summon, Level Eight! Fly ever forward, 'Malefic Arrow Dragon'!"

A shape began to form in the ray of light, a dark line with an arrowhead at the front. Wings spread out from the body and the light vanished. The new monster was a silver wyvern, dark gray lines streaking across its body and wings like circuits. Gold armor protected its knees and shoulders, and gold spikes encircled the end of its tail. Its head was a much darker shade of gray than the lines on its body, and shaped like an arrowhead ending in four tapered points at the back, and a single point at the front. It beat its wings and rose high in the air as it roared, a deep growl that rose into a whistling screech.

"I activate Halberd Cannon's effect! Close Summon!" The robot pushed its chest forward and fired a red beam at the dragon. Its eyes flashed and the beam struck the pointed tip of its head, sliding off in different directions. "What?!"

"Malefic Arrow Dragon's Synchro Summon cannot be negated. The arrow of time cannot be stopped once it's launched, Antinomy! I learned this in the ponies' dimension, and now it's time to show you too! Battle! Malefic Arrow Dragon, attack Tech Genus Halberd Cannon with Time's Arrow!"

"Paradox, what are you doing? This is suicide!" Antinomy shouted over his shoulder. Halberd Cannon twirled lifted its halberd, ready to strike the approaching dragon. Antinomy caught a glimpse of Paradox's eyes and his own widened. "Trap Card, open: 'Synchro Strike!' Halberd Cannon gains five hundred Attack Points for each monster used as its Synchro Material until the End Phase!"

"Trap Card, open: 'Malefic EMP Charge'! If a monster effect or a Spell or Trap Card is activated in the Battle Phase while 'Malefic World' is in play, the Battle Phase ends immediately." Paradox slowed down and his dragon allowed air to fill its wings as it fell away from Halberd Cannon.

"Antinomy figured out what I was aiming for, or at least that I wouldn't have lost that battle. Because of Arrow Dragon's effect, Halberd Cannon would lose five hundred Attack Points for each 'Malefic' monster in my Graveyard during this battle. There are six 'Malefic' monsters in my Graveyard, so Halberd Cannon would have lost three thousand Attack Points."

"Putting it at fifteen hundred," Dash finished. "So he used his Trap to give it an extra fifteen hundred Attack Points. Since you couldn't weaken it enough, you used your Trap to stop the battle, right?"

"Let's battle, Rainbow Dash! Halberd Cannon, attack Rainbow Overdragon! GO! Delta Halberd Plasma!" Halberd Cannon formed its cannon apparatus and fired a stream of bright orange energy at Rainbow's dragon.

"I use Rainbow Overdragon's effect!" shouted the Pegasus. "During either player's turn, if it was Fusion Summoned, I can Release it to shuffle all cards on the field into our decks! Return to the Rainbow!"

Rainbow Overdragon roared as the seven gems in its chest lit up, beams of light radiating out and turning upward in sequence. The dragon flapped its wings and soared into the sky. It began flying in a circle over the Duelists, moving faster and faster until it became a spinning rainbow ring. The ring grew wider as it descended onto the field. Halberd Cannon and Malefic Arrow Dragon turned their heads upward and saw the purest white light. Rainbow Dash smirked. So did Antinomy.

"Halberd Cannon's effect activates." The robot's red eyes flashed and it swung its halberd over its head before swinging it down, the blade slicing through the rainbow ring. The robot shot forward and grabbed Malefic Arrow Dragon by the neck, then slammed it into the ground. The dragon roared as it was dragged along the highway's pavement.

"Whenever your monsters would leave the field because of your card effect, I can negate that effect and your monsters lose 800 Attack Points." Halberd Cannon released Malefic Arrow Dragon and changed its halberd into its cannon form. "Since the number of monsters on your field has changed during battle, a replay occurs. Halberd Cannon, attack Malefic Arrow Dragon! Delta Halberd Plasma!"

“I use Malefic EMP Charge’s effect in the Graveyard!” Paradox shouted. “By removing it and Malefic Red-Eyes from play, I can negate Arrow Dragon’s destruction!”

A bright orange energy beam burst forth and raced toward Paradox's weakened monster, but slammed into a pale blue barrier surrounding the dragon. Some of the beam managed to slip through, striking Malefic Arrow Dragon and hitting the highway around Paradox. One beam also clipped Rainbow Dash on the wing, causing her to falter in the air and lose altitude. She regained her balance and control, and flew beside Paradox, a grim look on her face.

"The only thing we can do, my little pony," Paradox replied. "We hold on and wait for an opening... or create one."

"Finding openings is my specialty! I draw!" Rainbow Dash swiped her hoof over her deck, a card following it. "I Set two cards face-down and end my turn!"

"My turn again," Antinomy said. "Time to end this. I activate the third effect of 'Speed World Two'! By paying ten Speed Counters, I can target and destroy one card on the field. Paradox, I'm destroying your face-down card!"

Antinomy raced ahead of his opponents and spun once in a full circle. As he did, lightning arced from the headlights of his D-Wheel. Paradox's face-down card appeared in front of him and stood on its bottom edge as the lightning slashed through it, destroying the card before dissipating into fading sparks.

"'Malefic Flash Strike' could've destroyed Halberd Cannon and a face-up Spell or Trap on the field." Antinomy accelerated again. "Let's battle! Halberd Cannon, attack Malefic Arrow Dragon!"

"I did not. I activate 'TG-EM Lockdown'." Antinomy's face-down card flipped up. "I target one 'Tech Genus' monster on my field and one monster on yours and negate their effects during this turn!" The large metal plate with Tech Genus emblem appeared on Halberd Cannon’s and Arrow Dragon’s chests, held in place by crimson clasps around their shoulders and waists.

"I play the Trap 'Mirror Mail'!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "When one of our monsters is attacked, its Attack Points become the same as the monster attacking it!" Arrow Dragon oriented itself vertically in the air and spread its wings. Round mirrors appeared on its body and in the air around it, each one glowing with a brilliant white light.

"You won't destroy Halberd Cannon so easily! During the Damage Step, I activate 'TGX1-Overclock'! It's original Attack Points are doubled until the end of the turn!"

"I've got another Trap for ya: 'Crystal Slicer'! I send a Crystal Beast from my deck to the Graveyard to cut your monster's original Attack Points in half!"

Antinomy grit his teeth. The console screen in front of him flashed and caught his attention. He smiled. "Your Trap has one other effect, Rainbow Dash," he said. "I get to draw a card!" Antinomy drew and placed the new card into the holder on his wrist dealer. He looked at it for several moments. The final showdown is next turn, he thought.

"Our monsters' Attack Points are the same, Antinomy," Paradox said. "Go, Malefic Arrow Dragon! Time's Arrow!"

Halberd Cannon swung its pole-arm into the frame on its shoulders and pulled it down. It took aim and fired. Malefic Arrow Dragon roared and beat its wings furiously, picking up speed. An energy field appeared around it and the beam from the cannon clashed against it, splitting and sliding off in all directions. The dragon pushed forward through the beam until it reached its enemy. There was an explosion and both monsters were consumed. As the smoke cleared, two new monsters appeared.

"When Halberd Cannon leaves the field, I can Special Summon another 'Tech Genus' monster from my Extra Deck. C'mon! 'Tech Genus Blade Blaster'!" called Antinomy.

"When Malefic Arrow Dragon is destroyed, I can Special Summon a 'Malefic' monster with a higher Level from my Extra Deck, and treat it as a Synchro Summon," Paradox stated. "Descend! 'Malefic Paradox Dragon'!"

"That's not all, Antinomy!" Rainbow Dash chimed in. "When Malefic Paradox Dragon is Synchro Summoned, it can bring out any Synchro Monster from Paradox's Graveyard!"

"Fly once more, Malefic Arrow Dragon!" Malefic Arrow Dragon flew through a portal that appeared over the ground in front of Paradox's D-Wheel. It roared and spread its wings, glaring down at Antinomy. "And now Blade Blaster suffers Paradox Dragon's other effect: It lowers the Attack Points of your monsters by the total attack strength of all other Synchros I control!"

"If there's one thing I learned from you ponies and Yusei," Paradox replied, "it's that I'm not really alone. We came this far together, Rainbow Dash." He turned his attention back to the Duel. "Let's end this, Antinomy! Battle! Malefic Paradox Dragon, attack Tech Genus Blade Blaster! Paradox Stream!"

Malefic Paradox Dragon opened its mouth and spat out a stream of sparkling dark blue energy. Blade Blaster aimed its gun and fired several rounds as it flew around the beam.

“Time to end this, Paradox! I activate the effect of ‘Tech Genus Titanium Wolf’ from my hand! When an attack is declared involving my ‘Tech Genus’ Synchro, I can send Titanium Wolf from my hand to the Graveyard to double its original Attack Points during damage calculation. Blade Blaster’s Attack Points rise to forty-six hundred!”

“It won’t matter, Antinomy,” Paradox said calmly. “Malefic Arrow Dragon’s effect will still activate for this battle.”

“I thought it could only activate if Arrow Dragon itself battles!” said Rainbow Dash.

“No,” Paradox replied. “It can activate when any ‘Malefic’ Synchro Monster battles! There are five ‘Malefic’ monsters in my Graveyard, which means Blade Blaster will lose twenty-five hundred Attack Points.”

Antinomy grit his teeth. “The past can never conquer the future, Paradox! I activate the second effect of ‘TGX1-Gauntlet’, chaining it to my Titanium Wolf’s effect! It’s equipped from the Graveyard to Halberd Cannon, increasing its Attack Points by one thousand and reflecting all battle damage back to you. It will be destroyed at the end of the turn, but this duel will be over before then!”

“Yes, it will be over,” said Paradox as he played the last card in his hand. “I activate a Counter Trap: ‘Malefic Reboot’! When you activate a Trap Card or effect, I can negate that effect and return that card to your hand. You can set a Spell or Trap from your hand after, but if you do, you can’t activate Trap Cards for the rest of the turn.”

“Paradox, how are you playing a Counter Trap from your hand?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“I can play this card from my hand by paying half of our Life Points if my only monsters are at least two ‘Malefic’ Synchros,” Paradox explained. “The downsides to doing this are that I can’t use Spells or Traps for the rest of the turn, and I can only play Malefic Reboot once per Duel, but once is all I need.”

Paradox turned his attention back to the battle. “The past is not irrelevant to the future! The past is what creates the future! Launch the arrow of time! Paradox Dragon, Arrow Dragon, go! Paradox Arrow Stream!” Malefic Arrow Dragon raced toward Blade Blaster and grabbed it with its claws and teeth. It spun the robot around and threw it high into the sky, then raced after it. Paradox Dragon fired another stream, the beam widening until it surrounded Arrow Dragon’s body. Arrow Dragon folded in its wings as the energy from its ally’s beam swirled around it. The point of its head crashed into the robot’s body and pierced its armor. The dragon flew straight through and spread its wings as the beam vanished and Blade Blaster exploded.

Antinomy cried out as the explosion struck him, sending him spinning down the road. Steam erupted from his D-Wheel as he finally came to a stop.

Paradox pulled up next to Antinomy and Rainbow Dash landed close by. Antinomy smiled. “You’ve grown stronger, Paradox.”

“I’ve learned a lot since Yusei saved me,” said Paradox. “I learned that power is not what matters, but rather what is done with it. I learned that forgiveness is just as much for oneself as those being forgiven. And there’s one other thing.”

“What’s that, Paradox?” Antinomy raised the visor on his helmet and looked at Paradox.

Two D-Wheels and a cyan Pegasus raced back to the center of Neo Domino City. The sun was beginning to set.

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Next time on Dueling is Magic! Many Futures

Applejack has found herself alone in a world of darkness. Ambushed by Trueman, she will find her own honesty put to the test in her very first Duel! Can she stay true to herself, or will Trueman’s tricks make her crumble?

Chapter 54

Heavy Truth

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Featured Card

Malefic Arrow Dragon
DARK
Level 8
Dragon/Synchro/Effect
1 "Malefic Tuner" + 1 non-Tuner "Malefic" monster
If "Malefic World" is not face-up on the field, destroy this card. Cannot be destroyed by other cards' effects. This card's Synchro Summon cannot be negated. When a "Malefic" Synchro Monster you control battles an opponent's monster, during damage calculation: That opponent's monster loses 500 ATK for each "Malefic" monster in your Graveyard. When this card is destroyed: You can Special Summon 1 "Malefic" Synchro Monster with a higher Level than this card from your Extra Deck. (This Special Summon is treated as a Synchro Summon.)
ATK/2000
DEF/2000

Dueling is Magic! Many Futures

by Wolfgang

Chapter 53: Counterattack! Rainbow and Arrow