//------------------------------// // Thief of Time Pt 3: Shine Bright Like a...Lion? // Story: The Equestrian Omni-Knight // by Azure5555 //------------------------------// The group woke the next day and saw most of the chefs in the dining car. “Why are you here?” Zidane asked as he rubbed the sleep out of his eye's. “Well you're friend kicked us out and said ‘must cook'” One of the chef's said with his head on the table. “I heard cook!” I scream, popping my head from outside the window. Screams of abject fear filled the room from the sudden outburst. I crawled in and clothed myself with my Ultra Guardian robes. “Mornin’.” “Mornin.” Zidan said as he did some squats before setting down.”So what's the plan for today?” “Uh...we wait. Wait...check this out.” I say as I hand him the garnet. “Its nice looking.” Zidane said as he held it up to the light. “Where did you get it?” “One of the passengers had it. It may prove important to any summoner you come across…I think. Speaking of summoner’s, who’s in your party so far?” “Me, Quina, Sunset, and Cid Pollendina. Why?” “Thief, Blue mage, Engineer...what's Sunset’s job class?” “Red mage, but she is trying to learn how to summon.” “A Freelancer then? Heh, shouldn't be too hard for her. Give her these next time you see her,” I retrieve two spell scrolls from my inventory. “Don't worry about returning them, they're copies.” I was just about to hand them to Zidane, but Gilda had rushed into the room panting. “Black Knights! All hooves on deck!!” ‘Black...what…’ I felt my blood boil in ways I didn't think it could. Everypony rushed to the window to see Rainbow clashing her blade against three black armored dragoons. A carriage then pulled up to the window. “Ahem! Salutations young ponies. Fear not, the royal guard shall handle this! Charge!” “Oh my God they just flew in. Zidane, you and me on the roof. Gilda, keep those idiots safe. Elemental magic will harm them, but nothing can dent that metal!” “Ok. Gilda here.” Zidane though a yellow materia at her. “This should help.” He said as he flipped out the window onto the roof “Oh my various...why...Gilda, are they ponies or…” “Dash told me, yeah, they're ponies. Good luck dude, I’ll see you when they're dead.” She flew out to join her comrade as elemental magic filled the air. The speeding train threatened to push me off but I managed to keep stable balance as I began to aim. “Well, the only good thing about this is they aren't on the roof too, right Zidane!?” “I guess.” By Murphy's Law a squadron of Dragoon's landed on the roof. “Me and my big mouth…” I charge my magic, the back of my hand glowing with a lighting blue XI. “Numbered Beast! Thunder Stalker!” An etheric boar rushed through the Dragoons, eliciting pained and muffled screams. “Wow thats..” Zidane was awestruck. “Pfft, watch this!” My magic charged again, and an ice blue VIII appeared on my opposite hand. “Numbered Beast! Ice Beast Attack!” A large serpent like creature assaulted the group with tendrils and tossed them off the roof. “Feh, too easy.” ‘That's not what your heart beat says.’ I steal a glance at my arm and my HUD shows me my heart rate rose to caution. “Peachy…” “Is everything ok?” Zidane  asked ass he shot a Fireball out of his dagger with the red materia in the hilt pushing back a Dragoon. “Everything's A-OK! But I think it's time for more unorthodox methods,” ‘Gather your mind...gather your soul…’ I pull back, slamming my feet on the roof. Darkened energy gathered on my palms as I took aim at an airborne group assaulting the carriage. “Messatsu!” I hurl ball after ball of dark spiritual energy, only stopping when the disk on my arm appeared and kept blinking out the word “Empty”. A few managed to strike wings, but most either missed or had been dodged. “I really need better aim…” “Here take this it well help.” Zidane said as he haned him a Hi-Potion. “Now lets see what I can do.” He said as hee shot a mix of ice and fire balls hitting a few. “I guess I need more practice  with magic.” “I could probably teach you someday, but for now…” I pull another scroll, The destruction burst, and hand it to Zidane. “Most if not all the magic I use is pinpoint accurate, this one will lock onto an opponent and blast them with three consecutive bursts of Dark/Fire magic. Don't use it too much, it requires health to cast.” “Ok then.” Zidane said as he chugged his own Hi-potion before reading the Scroll. Dark Fireballs started to fly and hit the remanding Dragoon's out of the sky. “Huff. How did I do… I am soo not made for magic.” He said as he knelt down on one knee. “I’d say you did better than most. Just keep that one from Sunset, she’ll kill herself mastering it.” The carriage began to pull up to us, as well as a battle scarred Rainbow and Gilda. “Well met lads! The Pactagonal knights of the royal guard thank you for your aid!” Said one of the knights in the carriage. “The Pactagonal knight's!?” I shout. “I thought they were a myth!” “Well isn't that Sir Prizing!” Shouted one of the pegasi pulling the cart. “Pay no mind to Sir Cus. He’s off his meds again. Fare thee well lads and ladies!” Gilda tapped me on the shoulder and stopped me from destroying the carriage for their bad pun. “Griffonstone is up ahead. Let's get our gear and get some food, I’m starved.” -Breakfast- “Dig in.” Pinkie said as her and Quina pushed a cart full of food. “Hey hero, you notice how none of them could speak or scream?” Asked Gilda as she swallowed a halibut whole. “Yeah...muffled. Why do you ask?” “Their mouths had been stitched,” Said Rainbow Dash. “You think…” “Don't know what to think. I'm sorry for dragging you into this Zidane.” “It’s ok, we have time before the field trip,” Zidane  said as he took a bite of the pancakes. “We were just training till then anyway.” “Well, I hope your group is up to some treasure hunting,” I say as I pull out a map. “Now our targets are located on the bottom of this gorge.” I point to the part of the map labeled impassable. “The Abysmal Abyss,” Stated Gilda. “The entrance is covered by a howling wind that pushes everything back.” “Count me in. Quina?” Zidane asked getting a shake from her/his head. “I guess this isn’t for everyone. You stay and make sure Choco doesn't do anything stupid.” “Kewwe.” Choco said as he lift his head from his bowl of Gysahl Greens “We may need Quina anyway. How good are you with pastries?” I ask the Qu. “Good, very good.” Quina  said “Excellent, you Pinkie and Gilda will be baking scones for the town.” “Do you know about my family’s recipe?” Asked Gilda. “Yup! Spoiler, you forgot to add flour! You ninny…” Pinkie started to guffaw while the others just gave me strange looks. The train had come to a halt and we began to exit the car. Everyone had left but Pinkie had held me back. “Um...I...had Quina prepare this one,” She gave me a glass of viscous red liquid. “Don't worry, it isn't from a pony or anything…” She scurried after the group, leaving me to down my drink. “Where the heck they find an otter?” -Griffonstone- The city was...in horrible condition. Houses were nothing more than shacks, griffon lay upon tattered blankets, beggars lined the streets. In the center of the city stood an elderly vulture. “Gather round and I shall tell you of the fall of this once great nation! That is if you have the bits!” Shouted the old bird. “I have bits!” Cried Pinkie, who I stopped before she could humor him. “Not interested.” I say soullessly as we walk past the annoyed bird. “Psst, how was my Cloud impression?” I ask in a whisper. “Cloud... Great.” Zidane whispered back The group stopped at what was another broken down shack, in front stood an old metal stove. “Well, welcome to my place. So we gonna rest first or-" Gilda would have finished her sentence had Pinkie not built three more, brightly decorated stoves next to the old one. “Eeerectin a dispenser!” Cried Pinkie. “I won't even ask how you know that reference.” I say dejectedly. “What reference?” Asked Pinkie. She had a pair of goggles and a hard hat on. “For the sake of everyone’s sanity, We’re just gonna leave you to it.” Our group once again split in two, Gilda, Pinkie and Quina taking care of fixing Griffonstone’s pastry problem and Rainbow Dash, Zidane and I left to find the Idol and the Staff of Awe!!. The Abysmal Abyss lay before us, the torrential wind's whipping at the loose debris that so much as grazed it. Rainbow flew head first into the howling winds. “Last one in’s a rotten-WAH!?” The poor mare was bounced back like a ball hitting jello. “Okay second time’s the charm!” “Rainbow wait!” my cries went unheard of course as she was once again jettisoned backwards. “Let me do this part,” I say as I switch into my Frostval Mercenary Garb. I wait...I wait some more…’Well that’s certainly unsettling. Guess Frost is asleep,’ I throw a few loose punches and build meter. Health:///100%/// Mana:///100%/// SP://27%  “Let’s rock!” I pull a thin and sharp kunai from the aether, a long rope attached to it. A quick spin and I launch the blade into the storm. “Wait for it...wait for it…*CHINK* NAILED IT!” ‘Oh God this is harder than I thought! Looks like I’ll have to break my limiter…’ I felt my muscles tense with each successive tug. Then I felt my muscles shift as my body changed beneath the armor. The suit stretched with each limiter, Werewolf, Vampire, Dragon. One final tug and the once torrential winds were ripped from the canyon it once defended, what remained of the barrier turned out to be a pure elemental orb of wind. ‘Nope, nopity nope nope nope.’ “Zidane catch!”  “So the thing is down there.” Zidane said as he held the rope. “Oh yeah, So, you wanna climb down or let Rainbow fly you down?” I ask. Zidane looked down. “I think I can climb this.” “Right, have fun. Look out for a statue made of gold and a wooden staff with feathers on it. Rainbow, let’s fly!” I waste no time in unfurling my wings and jumping into the abyss, a Rainbow blur shooting past me. ‘Poor guy should have taken that ride…’ Darkness, darkness as far as the eye could see, it almost felt like I was flying in circles. “Hey Azure, this place is kinda long isn’t it?” Asked Rainbow. “Yeah...or it could be playing with us. Fourth wall time.” Bringing up my HUD i noticed that we hadn’t at all progressed and that Zidane was farther along the trail than us. ‘Nope again. Time to break whatever barrier this may be.’  I remove my fourth wall vision and expand it, the world began to shift, gears and clocks began to appear throughout the void. “What’s going on?” Asked Rainbow, fear present across her face. Laughter, filled the clockwork world. Purple spikes began to fire from an unknown location. “Behind me!” I raise my Taladosian Ward, a psionic barrier dissolving the projectiles. “If I remember my Dissidia, then that can only be…” The laughter began to focus as a woman garbed in a black and crimson cloak began to walk toward us. “My my what do we have here?” The woman said. “A pony who’s gonna kick your flanks into next week!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she charged at the sorceress, her blade held firmly in her mouth. “Rainbow don’t!” I scream. She laughs as Rainbow stood still mid-flight. “A feisty one.” she said as she walked away  from the Motionless Rainbow before she snapped her fingers. “Huh!? Where’d she…” In Rainbow’s confusion, she failed to notice the several spikes about to turn her into a living pin cushion. Thankfully I did, and with a quick cast, Rainbow was bubbled in an orb of light. The sound of the spikes making contact with her barrier putting her back on edge. “Ultimecia...what’s the famed chronomancer doing here in a world that doesn’t belong to her?” I ask. “What? A girl can't travel?” “Never said that, I asked why. I won’t repeat myself.” I say, pointing my tuning blade at her. “Well...Chaos sent me to spread a little *chuckle* chaos around.” “Pfft, you wouldn’t know chaos if it snapped your shoulder, right Dash?” Ultimecia Snapped backwards only to see the pegasus in question still bubbled, giving me the perfect opportunity to ram the flat of my blade on her shoulder. Only to miss entirely… The sorceress reappeared further away, no doubt anticipating another fake out. I release my partner, whom began asking me questions about our opponent. “What is she!?” “A Chronomancer, an Archmage, and she has a sick summon. Her fights are long range and she’s only vulnerable when casting. When push comes to shove though, a total pushover.” “Any weaknesses?” Rainbow asked. “Can you move faster than the speed of light?” I ask. “Pfft, don’t believe me? Just watch!!” Rainbow’s body began to shift wildly, rainbow streaks of lightning danced upon her. Looked like she was ready for round two… “Go! Fight with the heart of a lion!!” “Trying this again.” she said as she snapped her fingers..But Rainbow kept moving. Axes began to fly through the endless space, blades clashed, and orbs of magic tried to find their mark, but the rainbow blur  proved too agile and too quick as if she moved against time itself. In a split second, a bolt of lightning had shot right through the sorceress, staggering her as the many gears began to turn in the clockwork realm. “Nice shot.” She said “Now then..Griever take care of her. I have other things to take care of.”  She said as walked away, a giant black lion with wings and red spike's came flying down. “Rainbow, let me handle this.” I say as the beast sized us up. “Oh come on!” The mare protested. “Hey you got your fight with Ultimecia, what did I get? Bupkis that’s what!” “She ran away! How is that fair to me!?” “You shot her through the-” *ROAR* “Don’t you start! All I wanted was to get my shit and leave! What do I get instead!? I get stuck in tim-” *ROAR* “Yell at me one more time, I dare you, I double dare you motherfucker, yell at me one more God damn time!!” … … … “Right, as I was saying, you basically shot her through th-” *ROAR* *YIP* The beast had the gall to shove it’s muzzle in my face and do the thing. So I snapped it’s jaw shut, and looked it straight in it’s eyes. “I...tried. To be civil.” I shove my teeth down on it’s neck and start to draw blood amongst other things. The Guardian Force struggled as I felt a strange magic wash over me. I rip my teeth out and see fear in it’s eyes. “I...tried. To be patient.” A pulse of volatile green magic burst and surrounded the beast. As the blast pushed it back, I was upon it before it could correct its flight, ramming it into a spinning gear. Roars of pain and fear filled the arena. “I know your God damn weakness! Without Squall here to cower in fear of “The greatest Guardian Force” you’re just a dog! A dog whose teeth had been ground into dust when it’s master left you here to DIE! Whereas I...Well, Maybe I’m a lion…” {Skill ready: Pulse Shot} ‘You don’t have to tell me twice,’ My maw opens before the beast, several charges of plasma begin to form at the back of my throat…’Irvine Kinneas eat your heart out.’ The first shot ripped through the GF’s shoulder, the second shot goes right through it’s  abdomen. I fire three more shots before the husk is nothing more than swiss cheese. I let the body drop as it dissolves and disappears. I stare blankly at Rainbow, who seemed very frightened herself. “What?” I say with a rather growly voice. “Oh wow, what happened to my voice?” “Forget that! What happened to you!?” Cried the pegasus. “The frig you talkin bout?” I look over my form and notice that my suit had stretched even farther than what it had been a moment ago. Grasping the armor, I pull and reveal that my form had changed drastically. I was of course still a Dracopyre...but… “Oh shit, maybe I AM a lion…Okay, let’s just get out of here.” My body had been overlain with Griever’s form. My arms shifted, to the same emerald claws I used to rip through back to my own world. A hole was ripped through time and space and the bones of a fallen demon reside past the portal. “Let’s go home.”