Tohru sat nervously on the lower branches of Audrey's form. The plant creature had expanded enough that he and Apple Bloom could both sit within its branches, and the last time Tohru had encountered it at this size he had thought he was going to become plant chow. Admittedly, at the time it was one of the better possible imagined outcomes, but it still made him nervous now.
The part that made him oddly overjoyed, however, was that Apple Bloom was sitting on his head. Apparently, this was important for the ritual that was being set up, but Tohru had more important things to focus on at the moment. The adorable pony sitting on his head where she rested perfectly comfortably, for one thing.
"Ow!" he cried out as yet another two finger strike from the old wizard struck his temple.
"Pay attention!" Uncle snapped out. "You want stop world from ending, yes? Then you listen to Uncle!"
Sighing, Tohru nodded, accepting that there were more important things at the moment than how wonderful it felt to have an adorable pony sitting on his head.
"One more thing!" Uncle continued as he explained the effects of the ritual. "When chi energies mix to infuse Audrey with power to meet magic beast, minds will mix too. Not conscious thought, since that is more controlled, but subconscious essence. Things that make you who you are will be felt by each other. Do not let it overwhelm you!"
Tohru nodded a little worriedly. After all, he wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of opening up the core of his being to someone he knew so little about. Feeling Apple Bloom shivering atop his head, he reached up and stroked her mane with one large finger to relax her. He supposed she had the same concerns.
"One more thing!" Uncle continued. "Once ritual complete, push conflict to bay! Creature may have battle advantage because Cthulhu is sea creature, but less things to destroy to complete its ritual."
Tohru nodded firmly. This he could accept easily. He was used to fighting, and this just meant the odds weren't entirely on his side this time.
Stepping back, Uncle began to chant. "Jiārù yīqǐ shēnghuó...Jiārù yīqǐ shēnghuó...Jiārù yīqǐ shēnghuó..."(1)
The circle drawn around the three of them glowed brightly, and Audrey's vines and branches began to close around Tohru and Apple Bloom. Tohru swallowed worriedly as he felt himself being enveloped.
Tohru felt his senses fade one by one as his mind opened. He felt the touch of Apple Bloom's consciousness. Her dedication to her family, her determination to master herself, her sense of self-sacrifice, her fun loving side, her youthful energy...he felt it connect to his own inner core. He knew she was perceiving his true nature as well. His dedication to honor and duty, his loyalty and love for his mother, his own inner good, gentle nature...he doubted he'd ever be able to intimidate her genuinely again.
And then he felt the mind of the plant. It was almost completely alien to him, perceiving the world in ways his mind simply couldn't comprehend. But as those were pushed aside, he found qualities that oddly resonated with him. Undying loyalty, the iron fist/velvet glove mindset of a gentle giant, the knowledge of an overwhelming power and the determination to control it...
It seemed the three of them were more similar than they were different, where it counted.
As this realization overwhelmed them all, Tohru's senses returned to him. They were different this time. He saw the world around him cast in green. Words on signs had no meaning, and vehicles were just moving rocks. Buildings were hollow trees with life running around inside them. And the creature was a blight, devouring the magic that gave the world life.
Tohru flexed his muscles, finding that he was now composed of vines and branches, shaped to his form but scaled to the size of Audrey at his largest. Bellowing a war cry, he charged the beast, feeling an endless mass of roots grasping the ground as he lunged forward, massive thorny fists slamming into The Blight as the charging tackle carried it straight into the bay.
As The Blight crashed into the bay, Tohru could see it drawing strength from the waters, but not the strength it needed to be complete. As it rose again, Tohru leapt. To his surprise, he flew up above The Blight, bringing the clenched plant fists down hard on its crown before lunging forward and opening his bulb head wide, chomping down on The Blight and tearing it open.
The Blight roared in agony, and lashed back at them. Its tendrils burned across their joined flesh, a searing agony lancing through them all. Tohru felt Apple Bloom and Audrey starting to withdraw, neither of them accustomed to pain. But he was, and he took the pain in its entirety into his own mind, the agony burning but controlled.
Apple Bloom's scream of anger echoed into the sea. The kelp grew at an alarming rate, wrapping around The Blight from beneath and locking it in place as it struggled to break free. Audrey bellowed, lunging in and lashing The Blight with vines, thorns, and fangs.
Tohru grasped The Blight and began to tear it apart. He heard Apple Bloom chanting in their shared mind. "Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao...Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao..."
Audrey began singing, channeling magic into the spell with his song. "This is the mash...this is the Monster Mash..."(2)
Torhu felt a chant of his own rise up in his mind. "...Ōse rareta kodai no waru...Ōse rareta kodai no waru..."(3)
The magic gathered in the three of them, from the world and from their own souls...and blasted into The Blight.
Everything went white...
Tohru groaned as he sat up in the flatbed of a truck, driving back to Dark Hand headquarters. "What...happened?"
"You won, big T!" Finn praised excitedly. "You and that pony and plant thing ripped an Elder God a new one!"
"It was so awesome!" Ratso cheered happily. "It was the biggest geyser I've ever seen."
Chao leaned out the back window of the truck to talk. "After the explosion, the three of you washed up on the shore, carried there by a whole bunch of kelp. No sign of the Talisman, though. So we just loaded you up, and we're heading back to base."
Tohru remembered the Talisman bursting out of the shreds of the book. He remembered it being...in his mouth? Then he remembered the spell holding them together failing. He remembered none of them wanting to let go of each other...
"So...what was it like?" Chao asked curiously. "Being even larger than life than you normally are, and having a pony and a plant in your head?"
Tohru lay back thoughtfully. "It was...an enlightening experience..."
(1) According to Google Translate, "Join Life Together".
(2) My Mom suggested this song reference for this situation.
(3) Japanese, "Begone Ancient Evil".
Well, there's a sense of halloween in the air then xD
7622818 Imagine what'll happen when we get closer.
Despite it being 6:30 PM it felt like a Midnight and Graveyard Smash that ended... in a Flash.
Tohru should really watch Kamen Rider Ghost or Den-o
Chapter Fifty Two
"Aiyah!"
Chapter Count: 0
Total Count: 32
"One More Thing!"
\
\\
Chapter Count: 2
Total Count: 60
Between the Joining of Minds, and the fact that they were essentially fighting a Kaiju, I am very much reminded of Pacific Rim.., even though the "Jäger" in this case was Audrey III boosted to massive size.
One More Thing! This is a Massive breach of the secrecy surrounding the existence of magic in this would, considering that pretty much all of San Fran saw what happened in the bay, and a few news crews probably caught the whole thing on camera...
I wonder how they're going to "Explain" away this one?
Ha-cha! False Cthulhu is defeated!
One more thing! Tohru makes for GOOD Kaiju!
Something tells me Tohru and Applebloom are going to have one of those special relationships. Not quite romantic, but not quite friendship either. The in between. Platonic love taken to its absolute greatest without actually stepping into romance.
I'm also beginning to see a lot of similarities between Tohru and Rainbow Dash. Loyalty is part of his core, right next to his honor. But would I call him a potential bearer of the Element of Loyalty? No... no, not quite. I think he could substitute rather well in the event that a true bearer is unavailable, but the full power of the Element likely would be beyond him.
If anything, I think he'd make a rather good Element of Honesty, as Honesty is a core aspect of honor.
that was AWESOME!!!
That was fun, may I have another? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the great work. Deus tecum.
Yu Mo Gui Gwai fai Di Zao . I remember this from the show. Loosely translated = Bibbity Bobbity Boo.
Well, that'll certainly come into play later.
Not quite as much singing as I wanted, but I'll take it.
Very nice. I can't wait for Tohru's Heel-Face Turn
7622894
Simple. Just let Section 13 launch a large disinformation campaign. Remove any online video, release statements about how a movie's promotional stunt blew up due to a gas leak, and something about the same gas leak causing either hallucinations or people to become very susceptible to suggestions. Soon even people who saw it will begin to doubt their own memories. Oh, and replace any footage with computer generated versions of the same thing, so it looks like a well done clip from a movie, rather than an actual event.
7622894 time for Agent Black to call in a favor from J and K.
7622954 And given the amount of Effort that would go into such a campaign, there are sure to be things that slip through the cracks. People keep backup copies of home videos (given that this looks to be set in the late 90's/early 2k's, both hard copies on VHS, and digital on external HDD's), not to mention every tourist with a camera that took pictures (again, both film and digital), we're talking Thousands of records that would be next to impossible to track down and destroy. On top of that, convincing Everyone that they were hallucinating, especially the people who were on the opposite side of the Bay from where the alleged "Gas Leak" happened...?
7622967 That might work, though it may be pushing the crossover a bit, not even considering that Section 13 basically Is an MIB-type agency itself...
7622914 I think it'll be more of a brother/sister relation. That, or Tohru will eventually just assign himself as AB's guardian.
Hom gallech ne'allay fray natila... Hom gallech ne'allay fray natila...Hom gallech ne'allay fray natila...
Ha, suck it, uncle. I can do magic spells, too.
You should let your mom write these stories instead. She sounds like a hilarious person.
7622950
it might even happen early too!
FUCK YEAH,
punchingchomping out Cthulhu!7622950 7623056
I missed the episode where it happens in canon, but I think it would be best for Tohru to call his mom and...
...about his employer.
7623009 well, MIB did have a cartoon series that, I think, came on the same network.
Magic Jaeger-Kaiju
7623128 I missed it as well, but boy, was I happy as a child when Tohru became an ally.
I do love those Heel-Face turns in shows. Especially when done right.
Uh... Did Audrey ate the Rat Talisman or Tohru has it?
.emosewa saw tahT
I imagine that last blast went a little something like this:
[youtube=gRPT4W1MxsQ]
7623271
Season 1 Episode 13, the season finale. Turns out the "Heal Face Turn" was played for laughs, so I suspect the "Mother" angle is an invention of the author.
7623290 Audrey probably ate it in which case he won't need applebloom anymore to stay sentient
I can imagine myself watching that battle within the recesses of my mind.
I read through each comment searching for it.
I can safely say none of you mentioned it at the time I typed this.
PACIFIC RIM WAS HERE!
7623548 Void Runner already beat you and tdnpony called them a Jaeger which is the robots from Pacific Rim
7622946 "Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao" = "Spirits, demons, ghosts, monsters, quickly leave."
7623050 Assuming a sibling-like bond forms, perhaps AB for some reason suggests he starts wearing lots of red... and maybe a horse yoke around his neck... Eeyup...
7623597 And considering Tohru's personality, he'd probably go along with it to humor his little sister.
Fake Cthulhu seemed quite thirsty, good thing Tohru gave him some punch.
Guess Tohru won't have mixed feelings about what just happened.
At least they kept the end of the world at bay eh?
The Chinese translation was kinda weird, but considering Google's usual translation shenanigans, it's still okay. (Though, if I translated that translation back into English, it would be "Add together lives" or "Join into each other's lives".)
So now that's over, how exactly are they going to cover up a kaiju fight in San Francisco? After all this takes place 14 years before Godzilla so it's not something that happens often. It can't be some half ass lame excuse.
7623746
...it was Japanese.
7623771 ... I meant Uncle's spell words.
7623873
Oh, that one.
I went with Google Translate.
I'm just going to leave this here...
Tohru: Now officially awesome.
Most awesome Kaiju battle ever. Still, I can see Valmont and Shendu noticing Tohru is hesitant to hurt the Crusaders, especially Apple Bloom. But when Tohru joins the Chans, will Apple Bloom reclaim her seat on his head???
Dagnabbit, out of new chapters once again.
7623590 Let me have this okay?
7625388 just pointing out the facts
7623290 That's what I want to know!!!
7625853 Samll achievements can mean a lot.
troll.me/images/you-shall-not-pass-gandalf/that-blasphemous-comment-shall-not-pass.jpg
Nice chapter, good work.