One day as passed and my body still hurts from both the act of carrying a unconscious Iron Lilly from my mound to Ponyville and vice versa and being punched in the face by a parasite infested Trixie, courtesy of Arga. The sunlight started to illuminate the room, but I preferred to rest for about seven hours. Although it calmed down with the pass of the time, is still present.
But that was the last of my problems. During my fight against Arga, unknown to me, someone photographed the whole thing, including me using my powers and killing her. As that wasn't enough, Iron Lilly had planned to transfer me somewhere else and commissioning me a job, not even giving me the time to looking for the photo and destroy them as they are under development.
Hopefully, Lilly decided to delay her plans for another day due to my injuries, much to her frustration. In the second hour, a medic from Canterlot came to visit me. He told me take some rest while lamenting about me living in this mound. I know is not pretty normal, but I found it. So I keep it.
At the seventh hour, my back is still hurting me, even for little. I wasn't desiring death or anything, but at least that medic could had gave me a better pain killer. That wasn't working so well, which is kind of a hassle since I couldn't go to the outside. I was thinking to exploit Lilly's delay to go looking for the photographer but I don't even where he is, so I don't even dare to waste my time into a possibly fruitless quest.
"Damn if that bitch was almost killing me. She wasn't this prepared the first time I met her."
Even without this problem, I was kinda bored. I can't do any kind of stylish acrobatics since I cannot afford exhausting myself. I don't had a Nintendo 3DS or even a Ipod to pass the time. And no, corrupting Lilly again or even altering her DNA and appearance through my powers doesn't count since I'm not a sadist. I don't want worsening the situation.
I wonder if the Videogame Logic was some kind of sentient entity who had orchestrated all the level up power up stuff and was watching my own misadventure just for pure sick amusement.
I continued my own mental trip of possibilities when the sound of hoof steps coming from the outside entered in my home. It looked like a visitor, but I could guess who he is.
"What now, Lilly?" I said with a tired tone. "I'm sorry the tone but I'm not in the mood for another lecture."
"Do I sound like a female pegasus to you?" A blunt, male voice said, which putted me on guard.
I didn't know who he was, but his voice was kind familiar. Not wanting to have any other surprise attack like yesterday, I rose up from the coffin to see who was while trying to ignore the lingering pain. That was another Royal Guard in front of me, being a red earth pony... Wait! Is the Royal Guard that I saw in Canterlot Castle.
"You are Photon Gladion, right?" I asked, unsure of his name.
"Correct, and for your information, I was sent to take Lilly's place," Photon replied before looking at me, perplexed. "You don't look well."
"Did Lilly told you about my me?" I asked.
"Yes. She said that you are a quiet a odd individual with a magical gauntlet," Photon said, not surprised. "You saved Twilight and other ponies twice, as far as I know."
"I had a fight against a crazy mare yesterday. I don't want to talking about." I said grumpily.
"Like this?" said Photon, suddenly making a devious grin as he pulled out various photos and showed them to me.
Wait... That cannot be, In the instant I glanced on them, I had my own reason to react in shocked horror upon seeing the subject. These are the photos I was about to looking for. This is me using the DNA Twister on the ponies and killing Arga after having frozen her! And not just that, there are also photos of me turning Owliscious into a earth pony and one in which I had corrupted Lilly!
"How did you had obtained these?" I demanded nervously.
"I had my own colleague with the habit of taking pictures during his free time." Photo informed me with a mocking tone. "And is also a unicorn with the uncanny ability to develop the photo in one day."
"One day?" I said, almost loudly.
"Pretty cool, huh?" Photon commented deviously.
Is really possible to develop the photos at a very short time with the magic!?... I know that magic is almost capable to do anything but that is bollocks for me. I should calm down because him acting like this may be part of his personality and way to deal with criminals, but I don't trust him. However...
"Are you seriously going to arrest me!?.... Well, maybe that would be so bad since I'm going to isolate myself. But wait! Is a very stupid idea of me since the Granite Daggers would be always be a threat for Equestria! Not just for me... Dammit!"
"What do you want?" I asked, half calmly.
"I hate to use this method but... I had to take care of you," Photon said. "I cannot believe that Celestia and her protege are trusting somepony like you. They don't know nothing about your powers."
"Yeah, I'm dangerous and stuff," I commented and then sighed in resignation. "Fine. If you want to arrest me, you can do it."
Photon looked at me, slightly surprised.
"Really?... Not even trying to resist or use your powers against me?" Photon inquired.
"Seriously, I looked villainous enough to most of the ponies that I met," I said with a calm and a little deadpan tone. "Especially to Rarity, who tagged me as the Anti-style incarnated."
"Pfft!" Photon was about to burst in laughter but then repressed it. "S..Seriously?"
"The point is that I don't want to worse my situation any further," I precised. "So you are going to arrest me or what?"
I waited for his response, hoping that he could made up his mind and finally put me into jail. For me, there is no difference. That idea is stupid since, again, my enemies will probably be a menace for Equestria, even if they were just looking for me. I expected him to drop his devious attitude and act like a stern individual since the Royal Guards are still supposed to be stoic, in my opinion.
But instead Photon made another grin, this time even wider. "Not yet."
"Huh?"
"Instead you are going to collaborate, and for a valid reason," Photon said, pulling out another photo.
I took a look at it and... I froze up, more horrified than before. Photon just had to drop that bomb, isn't it? That photo is depicting, I cannot believe what I'm seeing, me operating Twilight Sparkle's corpse during the Corpse Remodeling surgery that I had done to her!
"Is your friend a stalker!?" I yelled, disturbed.
"You better lower your voice with me, kid," Photon said sternly. "And no, that doesn't belong to my colleague but rather to a anonymous source."
I'm starting to hate this new life even more. If Celestia, Luna and the Elements of Harmony sees that, they will probably going after me for my blood... That was exaggerated by me, but that is my definition of what they are going to do with me. But... I had to hear what this douchebag wants.
"What you want me to do, exactly?" I asked, distrusting his intentions.
"I want you to turn me and my subordinate into a squad of alicorns." Photon said bluntly as he putted away the photos.
I looked at him like he was a madman, or his case a mad stallion. "WHAT!?"
"How many times there are threats that we had sworn to prevent but failed miserably to stop?" Photon said. "How many times we are considered useless during a crisis? How many times we were humiliated? Celestia doesn't deserve to carry the burden of the responsibility to face said threats like Nightmare Moon and others all alone, and the same thing goes for the mares who are now the Elements of Harmony. Additionally, we won't stand being overshadowed, not even in the slightest."
"Tell me that I'm not hearing that." I whispered. "That sounds like trying to obtain alicorhood and weaponizing it after having weaponized me right after having made this speech... May Hideo Kojima have mercy of your soul."
"You are hearing that and how... But forget the 'being overshadowed part'. That is just a personal outburst of mine." Photon assured while clenching his teeth.
"You are not convincing me in this moment." I commented sarcastically.
"That aside, the ponies that we have sworn to protect must feel safe, secure and, you know, satisfied of the result," Photon added. "That would be a real improvement!"
"Are you sure that you won't became power hungry and trying to over-"
"I KNEW YOU WOULD SAID THAT!" Photon abruptly interrupted me, freaking me out and staring at me with a mad expression before quickly calming down and assuming a almost crest fallen one. "And not, is not my intention to overthrow Celestia. And besides, that wasn't the only thing that I want."
"Oh, great. Because there is another one?" I said without any sympathy for his reasons. "What else?".
"Well..." Photon looked at me while trying to hide his embarrassment, which for me is a bad signal. "Gain, at least in part... Luna's approval, comprehension and affection... If that is possible."
I stared at him dumbfounded while slowly raising my hoof and face hoofing, fearing the horrible implication behind his words. "Are you... Serious?... You want me to corru-"
"NO, no no." Photon interrupted me, this time almost calmly. "I just wanted to do that on my own, and if she and her sisters doesn't approve that, I want you show them at least my prospective with your powers. Especially since I fell in love with Luna's myth before her return and purification and I wanted her know. Don't get me wrong, I have respect for Celestia as well but Luna felt overshadowed by her , resulting her to become a menace because of her naivety."
"That I outright villainous, you know." I said distrustful. "And besides, I only have the power to corrupt and twist any living beings DNA, not freaking mind control.... Though that I don't know if the Corrupter count as one."
"Really?" Photon said, facehoofing and shaking his head in irritation, which should be my job in this case. "Villanous is quiet a despicable word. I mean, I understood that it sounds quiet controversial but my motive is quiet noble."
Wow..... I'm definitively not buying this.
"Just get to the point already." I said impatiently, knowing that is not going be any good.
"If Harmony is sacred to Equestria," Photon said, giving emphasis to his speech as he spoke. "Then I want you to put their minds under my guide. I will do anything in my power to prevent anything that will threat Harmony or the Princesses going nightmare again, by any cost necessary. I'm sorry, but if they don't agree with me, then they are against Harmony!"
Noble motive my ass. That sounds like he's going to be a very dystopian overlord. Injustice Superman style. Which really disturbed me since I don't want to live in that kind of world.
"I won't consider that a noble motive... Since that is psychotic one."
"You had no choice but to collaborate or I will make everything in my power to make you being treated as a criminal scum and sent to the Tartarus by any means." Photon threatened.
That is probably the part that I never wanted to hear. I had previously told to Lilly that I would even being imprisoned to the Tartarus for what I care since, but knowing that it is the equestrian equivalent of Hell itself, maybe I should be careful for what I'm saying the next time. Because I don't want to be there as a living being. I didn't want to spend my new life imprisoned there and I won't die by my enemies' hands either.
Fortunately a idea caught my attention. I was thinking about the fact that when I said him to arrest him, he was surprised if I didn't used my powers on him. Which means that he had something in mind.
"If you expected me to use my powers on you to resist the arrest, that I had asked to you, that means that you came here prepared right?" I assumed.
"Very sharp of you," Photon said, confirming my theory. "I came with a amulet being inside my armor. Is powerful enough to protect me from your magic."
"Oh, yeah?" I said before promptly pointing his hoof at him and unleashed a flux of black lightnings on him to corrupt him, and this time is intentional.
As the electric stream struck his body, a magical barrier appeared around his body. So he has indeed a amulet that was protecting him from any kind of magic.
Too bad that it couldn't do shit against my powers as the lightnings ignored the barrier and electrocuted him, making him scream in pain as he fell on the ground. He was convulsing, gripping his head with both his hooves as his body started to transform along with his mind state, but I didn't even want to watch so I lay down on the futon and waited for it to be finished. I'm still not get used to this transformation sequence.
He continued to wiggling and moan for about thirty second while I spent that time whistling Rammstein's Du Hast. And shortly after, he stopped emitting any sound, indicating that the transformation is complete. I could heard him groaning softly and put his hooves on the ground I stopped whistling and slowly rose up, reluctantly.
As my eyes met his new appearance, I flinched in shock. Surprisingly, his appearance was a very terrifying one like that of Lilly's corrupted form, but was a very ridiculous one. His red coat became a orange one, the pupils of his eyes assumed the shapes of a trident, his hooves are covered with green crystals, his neck is wrapped in white flames, has a half halo shaped aoge and his face was a exaggeratedly angelic one. What remains was just adding a heavenly background music and his ridiculousness will be completed.
I was speechless, not believing that was possible. This corrupted Photon is something special since I mentally wished for something harmless when I was corrupting him.
"Do you need a help, master?" C. Photon said, talking like a Samaritan.
".................. Give me the photos." I said with a deadpan tone, having took three seconds respond.
"As you wish." C. Phonton gently replied as he was about to pull them out but then I stopped him.
"All of them." I added, knowing that he was hiding something else when he was in his real self.
Without complaining, C. Photon pulled out all of the photos that he had, including a new one that he never showed me. One that depicted me going apeshit with ninja acrobatics the day before the convocation in Canterlot Castle. In any case, I put my hooves in between the photos, ripped them into multiple pieces, put the said pieces on the border of my stone coffin and focused my mind to blast them off with a fire ball.
Destroy the proof of my powers and killing methods being employed against my enemies? Mission accomplished, and I didn't burned my futon and blanket during that flaming thing. But there's one thing that I couldn't understand.
"I wonder who was this anonymous source."
"Photon, could you please follow me?" I demanded as I went out of my coffin.
"Sure." C. Photon replied cordially.
We went out of my mound and stopped in front of the woods. I looked around to see if there was anypony around to possibly photograph me again. I would had patrolled this place but I don't have the time to do so. Now is time to finish the job, but first... I wanted to know the background of this demented fool.
"Photon, can I ask you something?" I asked.
"What is it?" C. Photon said, curious.
"What is the reason behind trying to convince me to create a squad of alicorn Royal Guards and override Celestia's and Luna's minds?" I demanded.
"I was frustrated by the conception of the Royal Guards being useless during a crisis. I worked really hard to be promoted, because I wanted my colleagues and subordinates to be really prepared to any situation but I was overshadowed by others, which I hoped they were diligent and competent but failed miserably, much to my anger. But I didn't gave up, having comfort into know one pony who felt exactly like me but for different circumstances. And that pony was Luna."
I fell silent. I saw that lurking behind the corner but I refused to believe that was really his case.
"You are not meaning that, right?" I said, almost freaked out.
"Why not? I was obscured by incompetent ponies who took the promotion in my place and Luna was obscured by her sister. I read a file about their fallout that happened one thousand years ago and I found myself identify with her. To the point to sympathize with her and even falling in love with her before her return. I won't blame Celestia for not having understood her feelings but his naivety is quiet a issue as well. Which is why I asked you this. I wanted to improve the sisters and-"
"Stoooop." I stopped him. "Stop..... No more words
"I'm not finished but if you insist, I will stop here, master." C. Photon said without any complain.
I looked down, trying to not looking at him, totally disturbed by this. I was experiencing some weird vertigo right now, and is not a good one. What he said regarding his feelings and his love toward Luna was genuine, but the real worst part was that showed me how warped the real Photon Gladion can be with that distorted desire of his.
Inferiority complex combined with personal delusions couldn't even describe it. I know that he felt underappreciated and useless due to his circumstances, but they barely excuse his stupid plans. Especially if that involved trying to convince Celestia, Luna and his colleagues to see his way or even go so far as force me to brainwash them as his last resort.
And there's no Persona 5's medicine that can cure this.
"I think I'm going to puke." I whispered.
"I want to apologize to you for my follies," C. Photon said apologetically, which I what expected from this santified version. "What was I even thinking upon accepting the proposal of that stranger."
Upon hearing that, I hastily returned my attention to him and said, "What stranger?"
"I didn't had mentioned that to you but he's the one who gave me all of the photos."
"Could be the stranger be that unicorn Royal Guard with the hobby of the photography?"
"I lied. The stranger is a earth pony and is the real photographer. The unicorn I had talked about forsaken photography when his camera got crushed by a dragon."
Holy shit. I think I found a hint about who could be this anonymous source. I had also discovered that there are corrupted authorities in Equestria. And I thought that they were at least slightly saint in my opinion..... I shrugged my arms because that was the only response I can give about that.
"Well, no world is perfect... Not that will justify his perjury anyway. At least he had the courtesy to no quote Commando."
I pointed my hoof at him while glaring at him. I would had left him in his saintfied form but I preferred him being his own self just to not lure any suspect to me. And even if he knows my secret, he has no proof since I had destroyed the photos.
I have nothing personal against him, but... Let's just said that he need a lesson that he really deserve.
"Sorry, but you had to return to normal." I informed.
"Wait, I don't necessarily need to return back to normal." C. Photon said alarmed.
"Yeah, but I need the other you." I replied bluntly as I unleashed another flux of black lightnings on him, this time in trying to return him back to normal.
Struck by that, C. Photon fell on the grass as the barrier created by his amulet was, again, being bypassed. I took a few steps back as he was convulsing on the ground. The green crystal, the flames and the half halo like aoge disappeared, his pupils returned to be normal ones and his orange coat returned to be a red one.
Once back to normal, Photon slowly stood up, trying to regain his focus and composure. A frustrated groan escaped from his throat and his teeth were clenched with fury. I was a little scared but remained calm despite that dangerous aura that he was emanating. Since he remember what happened, he was obviously furious at me. He death glared at me with all of his passion.
But he won't do anything since I have a nasty surprise for him.
"You are so... DEAD!!" Photon shout, throwing away any pretense of stoicism as he charged toward me.
"Nope." I said nonchalantly as I had unleashed a vortex made of a thick red liquid that engulfed him with it.
I planned a transformation that is kind of appropriate from him. Before Photon could reach me, he was suddenly stopped by something pulling his legs back... Or I could say that his legs became roots and instantly implanted themselves into the ground, blocking him in the same spot. Photon was about to scream something but his mouth completely disappeared from his face as gills started to appear on his neck.
Photon tried to free himself, but is completely for naught. I looked at him in annoyance as he tried to insult me with only his eyes. His animosity, however, slowly faded away until his mouthless expression became a very frightened one. Unable to talk, Photon was looking at me like to ask what I'm going to do with him.
I cleared my throat and then spoke.
"Good job, Photonic Psychopath. Maybe when you're done shoving that dreadful, crazy ego of yours up in your ass, you'll try some of that disdain coming from not just from the two sisters, but also from that hypothetical, dangerous pony you're trying to bribe while being all hyped up about being loved by Luna. Clearly you need to calm the fuck down to the extreme." I paused. "Not just a bit."
After that, I had unleashed the vortex on him once again. What I had to do was just waiting for him to return back to normal. After some seconds, I heard him breathing heavily and panting, indicating that he had recovered his mouth.
I was about to go away when, without any warning, the earth beneath me opened, forming a square shaped abyss. I saw Photon Gladion running away like a coward one second before falling into the void.
"WHOOOOOOOOAAAA!!"
My scream echoed through the abyss, but I won't have any hope since nopony will heard that. With my gaze being directed upward, I could see the opening getting smaller very quickly. Not just for my fall but for the opening closing by itself, sinking me in the dark. I don't even know if there is a end, but after while, I felt a sharp pain in the stomach. My abdomen should had probably crashed upon something. I thought It was a rock at first.
A theory that was instantly being tossed aside by that something violently slamming me on the ground. My consciousness was fading away very quickly. I couldn't see a thing but could hear some kind of a music, like that coming from a Ipod. Before I could even realize I suddenly passed out.
A familiar silhouette was standing in front of me. But I could tell that this was a dream. Because I'm seeing Aunt Death playing poker with the Deaths from other universes. That must be the most longest game in history... Which will bore me to death. No pun intended.
"And that is how Mr. T survived his encounter with Thanos despite the him having the Infinity Gauntlet," Death said as she put a revealed a black colored Royal Straight Flush hand on the table.
Some of the grim reapers just gave up and politely leaved the game, almost en mass. Seeing the others remaining, I was wondering if there are others with the black Royal Straight Flush among this myriad of players, skeletal or not.
"No wonder this game is longer. Eternity can be a hassle if it wanted." Death added as she shuffled her cards into a seemingly infinite deck, followed by others doing the same. Then Death looked at me.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" Death asked confused.
I was suddenly woke up by a violent punch. I yelled in pain as my head fell down. Now it hurts even more, as being punched by Trixie wasn't enough... Except this time is like being hit by pure granite.... Wait, granite?
I couldn't see almost a thing. There was a light filtering from a fissure above me and a darkened figured was standing in front of me, probably being the one who punched me this hard. My sight was blurry and I couldn't distinguish any trait of his form. I tried to move but I found myself being bound on the rocky wall behind me with pure granite restrains blocking my limbs but not my neck. I guess that this guy want to enjoy beat the crap out of me.
"You are finally awake, bastard." A male voice said coldly.
"What the..."
"Hmpf. Don't expect me to give you some explanation and playing fair," He continued. "Not after what you had done to us. Should you had stayed dead, you wouldn't had dragged this world in your mess."
I know that voice.... A that is the problem. Other than his voice, I heard a low volume music. I barely lifted my head toward the speaker. My sight was blurry but as it stabilized itself, I could see his form. He was a orange maned silver pony with, much to my confusion, a Iphone attached to a collar on his neck and headphones on his ears. And has granite made claws instead of his forelegs.
That half aloof attitude and act of superiority of his didn't took a eternity to remind me of his identity.
"Melkior... I never thought your power would get even stronger." I said while narrowing my eyes.
"Maybe you would had got your rest... In death," Melkior said bluntly. "Too bad that you are still living. Because... Is a good opportunity to test my now enhanced ability."
Enhanced was the word. The original was a powerful member with the ability to cause quakes and at least craft the any earth related material at his will, but thinking of this pony version being able to literally open the earth like that surely gave a bad prediction about him. Although wasn't that strong, Melkior was still dreaded.
"Did Arga told you I was living inside a mound?" I asked.
"A legit question.... No," Melkior replied bluntly.
"What?"
"When I came in this world under this... Unusual form, I stole a camera from a pegasus and entered into a town. And that was the starting point for me. But now tell me one thing. You remember my own specialty, right?"
Shit... I had remembered something, and damn if I had forgot about that. Due to his powers, he was three things for the organization: Infiltrator, spy and a bulldozer combined in one. He also said that he stole a camera.
"You were present during the fight." I said half surprised.
"As you can have understood, it was I that I had photographed your fight against Arga," Melkior said with cold confidence. "Since I didn't know where you were living, I had in fact gave the photos to that armored pony and used him to get closer to you."
"I hope you had enjoyed following a underappreciated pony with a obsession for a mare that embodies the night itself." I mocked him.
"Does that even matter?" Melkior replied sternly.
No, it doesn't but that count as the second time that I had to act as a psychologist wannabe after that with Nightmare Moon. And that one with Photon was even worse than the Mare of the Moon herself.
Too bad that I couldn't corrupt him as well.
"But more importantly, are you taking that facade of yours seriously?" Melkiore asked.
"Ah?" I looked at him puzzled.
"Don't even pretend is not real. These princesses asked you about your origins and our organization, and you lied. All because you don't want to have anymore problems outside us. And you were calling us murderously psychotic hypocrites. I'm sorry, but you are not different from us, especially since you killed and had also resurrected someone as a zombie."
He seriously intended to brought this up!?
"Hey, Twilight's death was unintentional! Beside, I had to resurrect her since she's one of the freaking Elements of Harmony! But why I should even tell that to this asshole!?"
"Whatever. I think is time to finish the job. After all you could nothing against me. And even if you are free, don't even think to corrupt me or twisting my DNA," Melkior warned. "Granite Dagger's members are immune to anything that could affect them, remember? We have a very horrifying soul to adapt ourselves to anything."
Thanks for the reminder, headphone wearing prick.
"Also, we are inside a mountain in a very particular place," Melkior informed me. "What these ponies used to call?.... Badlands?"
"What!? BADLANDS YOU SAID!?" I had screamed, knowing what that means.
Melkior nodded as he looked ready to make his move.
"Is the perfect isolated area of this apparent pacific world to kill you since no one is going to hear you... And besides, torture is not in my style. Oh, and just to obtain some prize..." Melkior showed me my own bag, being in his possession. "I took your stuff."
"What the fuck, dude!? Since then you are kleptomaniac!?" I muttered.
"Who said that I will take it," Melkior said as he let my bag slip toward me one. "You will take it in your afterlife, because I don't want anyone to use them"
"Or maybe you don't want anyone take my place." I guessed.
"That too." Melkior responded with a grim tone before punching the ground so hard that everything around me started to tremble in a very strong earthquake.
Before I could even think about anything, the granite restrains cracked and crumbled after a few seconds, making me fall on the ground. I was free at least, but that wasn't consolatory since I saw the the shadows of the huge plate of rock being detached by the wall was falling upon me. As I attempted to stood up, everything was darkened by the that and the other falling rocks covering my surrounding as the earth was still trembling.
I lay down with closed my eyes as I felt pieces of rocks where hitting my head or my back, which were hurting me even more. But felt like smallest or medium fragments, which made me consider that the plate, much to my surprise, didn't crushed my body and was instead just leaning against the wall. But that doesn't change the fact that I was about to being buried... Again.
In the middle of this quake and the dark surrounding me, I couldn't even see where Melkior was but I could hear a bit of the music coming from his headphones and his last words.
"That is you obtain for having opposed the Granite Dagger and is your punishment for having thought that I wasn't more powerful than the original. You won't survive this time. And won't even get a funeral or a goodbye either. There's only hell for you."
After that, the earth stopped it's trembling after a while and I was buried under a pile of rocks that. I could hear his clopping sounds and the music getting weaker. He probably leaved me for dead or to rot, probably not knowing if I was killed for real by this quake or not. Well, at least I purposely remained silent, just to make him believe that he had won.
The only problem was how to get out of here. The fissure above me was completely closed and the air here is completely devoid of oxygen. I will certainly die by asphyxiation.
I'm very pissed.... Because I'm buried again.
Buried! As fighting my way out of my supposed grave wasn't enough!
I started to panicking and getting infuriated at the same time. I don't know If I'm going to die by the eventual lack of oxygen or being victim of a cerebral aneurysm caused by these mixed feelings. Before I could descent into this madness, I head the 8-bit sound ringing out and text box appeared on my right, which barely illuminated the area in front of me. That wasn't very bright but a least I could see my bag. I took a look at what the level up cooked for me this time.
What I saw was pretty much extreme that I don't know if consider a good thing or a very ridiculous one.
Plasma Cannon: A plasma shooting gun so devastating that is unpractical in closed spaces.
"Is that for real?" I whispered in disbelieve.
The text box disappeared after a few second and the sight in front of me went dark again. Knowing that wasn't the time to thinking about it, I stood up and hastily walked toward the bag, remembering where it was. Despite the darkness, I managed pull out the freezing gauntlet from it and put it on. The I rummaged again to find that weapon. I felt something cold, like metal. I pulled it out carefully and took it up. I could feel the trigger and it's weight.
That was indeed a plasma cannon. I will use it to escape but since the space was very narrow, I didn't know if that will end up kill me instead. I leaned myself on the wall behind me I aimed forward and pulled the trigger. I instinctively started to regret that as a violet sphere of plasma whizzed forward until collided against the wall in front of me and exploded, blasting a huge hole that allowed the light to enter and causing the rocks above me to crumble. I promptly shot some freezing bullets from my gauntlet repeatedly to freeze everything all of the rocks, blocking the fall.
For a second a felt the shocking energy slightly burning part of my coat. That explosion was so near that is a fucking miracle that I wasn't overwhelmed by that as well.
Without wasting anymore time, I went out of that rocky cage and galloped inside a tunnel. I continued forward while following a light coming from afar, being probably the exit. I got closer and closer to it until I came out and end up being on the top of the mountain. And there I found Melkior, who wasn't even looking at me.
"Yo, Melkior." I said as I aimed the plasma cannon toward him, startling him.
"That can't be," Melkior replied in disbelieve before turning toward me. "How did you-"
"KNEEL DEEP IN THE DEAD, BASTARD!" I shouted as I pulled the trigger, blowing him up into rocky pieces... Rocky pieces!?
That was a real stress relief. Seriously, I couldn't even take my proper rest. I was first blackmailed by a Royal Guard fanatic, kidnapped and almost killed by another member of the Granite Daggers and the pain of both my face and back returned to hurt me even more.
Full. Fucking. Force.
"Another Granite Dagger member bite his dust." I said as I putted away the plasma cannon. "Now... How did I get back home?"
Before I could answering that, a horrendous roar echoed through the Badlands, along with the sound of huge wings flapping. I looked upward and... I cannot believe that. For a second I thought I was seeing things, but is actually true. Above me there's a giant stone dragon flying above me, and on it's back there was someone.
"Is that a orange maned.... You gotta be FUCKING KIDDING!"
"MELKIOR!?" I screamed in disbelieve.
"I knew you couldn't die this easily!" Melkior declared. "The body you had destroyed it was actually a hollow vessel that I had briefly possessed."
"You can do this!?"
"You cannot that I can also create this giant stone dragon that I'm going to use against you?"
"Is your power being amplified?"
"Unfortunately for you, I can now craft the every mineral thing into a new life and buildthe circumstance of your death. The real burial starts now!"
The dragon charged his breath. I was expecting it to breath fire, but instead it breathed a storm of stone spikes. I high jumped backward at a great speed, avoiding being shredded by that tempest, courtesy of my ninja abilities. As I landed, I saw a furious Melkior preparing his next move.
I didn't have the time to pull out my cannon, but I have other plans as I pointed my hoof at him.
"You seriously had forgot that you cannot corrupt me!?" Melkior asked as he created a granite whip sword.
"Nah, I'm going to corrupt something else," I said as I aimed at the dragon and unleashed the black lightnings at it.
They reached their target. That thing was made of stone, but wasn't immune to the effect of that electric stream. And after a brief time, it started to convulse in mid air and roaring in pain.
"NOOO!" Melkior screamed as he was almost falling from the dragon's back.
The stone dragon fell backward, starting his own slow descent toward the ground as the dragon's rocky scales were slowly turning into metallic ones, spikes were protruding almost every part of it's body and the bones of it's wings became sharpened blades.
Melkior jumped away from his former creation and flew toward me. As he was landing in front of me, he stood up two legged and turned his forelegs into stone blades. Angered, Melkior tried to slice me but I dodged them without any problem. Before he could attack me any further, three metallic spikes struck him from behind, piercing his body and arms while making him falling on the ground. Another one whizzed past his collar and cut it. It feel on the ground with the Ipod.
I exploited this moment to pull out my plasma cannon and pointed at him.
For a second I thought he died, but then he move... Barely. Melkior tried to get up but was then brought down by the unbearable pain and dizziness. He was bleeding, which make feel a little sick about that. But I won't empathize with him. His original and his own organization screwed with my previous life and killed innocent people for the sake of their plans. So why should I do that with this counterpart?
Before one of us could try to do something, flaps of the dragon's wings were echoing. Both I and Melkior turned our attention at the dragon that flew above us in his metallic glory. I preferred it stayed in his stone form, but I don't mind that change. The same thing couldn't be said with Melkior who looked at him in horror while suffering his blood loss.
At this point, I approached Melkior's Ipod and took it away, along with his earphones, much to his anger. I then took a few steps back and took my aim.
"Surely you enjoy turning my creature into a twisted parody," Melkior said coldly before turning his face toward me with a grin. "You won't survive for too long! If not me, there will be someone else who will shred you up, Allen!"
"Give me a break." I said with a tired tone as I shot the plasma sphere at him, blowing body away, and this time is for real.
The explosion also took away a chunk of the terrain in which Melkior was bleeding , leaving only a empty crater in his place. I'm not get used to this weapon's destructive quality. I putted the weapon away, hoping to not have to use it again.
I looked at the dragon who was staring at me, seemingly waiting a instruction from me. It still scared me a little but at least I found a way to go back to home. But wait, how could I justify the fact that now I'm owning a dragon to Twilight, Lilly or even to Celestia?
Yes, I used the word owning. Because, unlike with Lilly and Photon, there's no way I would revert the dragon back to his original personality. Now is mine, and so is his Ipod.... But how the hell can he use it with only his hooves?
"Ah, screw it," I said in laziness. "I will figure that out later. Not now. But in the meantime... I will take my time."
Without nothing else to do, I ordered the dragon to let me jump on his back and landing at the lowest part of the mountain. I would had used the now metallic dragon to go back home but since is evening and I don't want being find out, I decided to pass the night there. Is not better than my futon inside my stone coffin but always better than nothing.
I wonder if there is someone else in the Badlands who could see the dragon... Probably not.
Wait... Photon still knows about my powers. I let him go because he has no proof now but what if will trying to get revenge against me?
"And I don't have any food with me... Fuck me."
Next Level Up:
1)Book of Healing: A tome who allow the user to heal any wounds or disease but has still to master one spell to make the text of the next page to appear, which is why only the first page is available.
2)Gambit Grenade Launcher: It can shoot any type of grenades, but the type of projectile that it shot s really random..
3)Whip Chainsaw: A weapon that acted like a whip sword except that is capable of sawing shenanigans.