//------------------------------// // Arc 3 Chapter 4: Reunion // Story: Ring eyed Shinobi // by Seeker Of Knowledge //------------------------------// (Ponyville) (The Same day) The citizens were gathered and listening to Twilight talk about the smoke that had been blocking out the sun, many were afraid that the forest was on fire and that they would have to relocate. “I’ve received a letter form Princess Celestia that the smoke is not from a fire...” That caused them all to sigh and engage in minor conversation, relieved that they wouldn’t need to move away from their home. “It’s coming from a dragon.” This caused the crowd to gasp collectively and a certain yellow Pegasus to stop and repeat the last bit of information to herself. “A D-D-Dragon?” Fluttershy asked quietly. ============================== (Twilight’s house) (Minutes later) The Mane 6 was gathered in the library figuring out why a dragon was so close by. “What in the name of all things cinnamon swirl is a full grown dragon doin here in Equestria?” Applejack asked Twilight, who was perusing her books for information. “Sleeping.” She responded simply “Huuh?” Was their collective response since they were confused by the simple reason of why something so dangerous had moved in. “According to Princess he’s taking a nap and his snoring is creating all of the smoke.” Twilight explained further. “That doesn’t sound healthy. Maybe we should get him a doctor.” Pinkie added. Rarity chimed in and added a question that should have been gnawing at them from the beginning. “That aside, what are we meant to do about it?” “I’ll tell you what we’re meant to do! Give him the boot!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed and kicked an ornament on an end table before trying to rush it and missing due to Twilight moving it. “We need to encourage him to take a nap somewhere else.” She corrected her friend’s violent solution, knowing that they couldn’t beat a dragon. “Princess Celestia has given us this mission and we must not fail, if we do then Equestria will be covered in smoke for the next century.” A rumbling noise caught their attention and make them look at one spot on the floor where a bulge was forming. “What is that supposed to-“ Twilight was interrupted by Zeko breaking through the floor and pulling himself out of the hole. “Sounds like we’ve got a job to do. So let’s get ready to go.” They all stared at him because of his unorthodox entrance. “How in the- How did you get here?” Rainbow Dash asked. “What do you mean how? Through the hole in the floor obviously.” They all cocked eyebrows at him. “Just a joke, I used a jutsu that lets me burrow through the ground. I was on my own mission to stop what’s making the smoke but knowing that you six have to stop a dragon... I’m gonna tag along. So everyone get some supplies and meet me by the mountain.” “Alright!” They yelled and ran outside leaving Zeko with Fluttershy. “Um, do I have to go?” She asked shaking to which Zeko nodded. “If what I’ve been told about your ability to tame wild animals is true, then you’ll be the most important one on the mission.” She tried to interrupt him but he put a hand up. “I can tell you’re scared at the idea, but you’re a lot more capable than you think. I can tell that out of all of your friends you have the most strength because you’re scared of so many things but you still go with them and face these challenges.” She stopped her shaking, looked at him and nodded before running to the door and stopping. “Um... Zeko?” He turned back to her with a raised eyebrow. “Thank you.” He barely heard her because of her quiet tone but he knew what she said and smirked to himself as she ran out the door. “Here I go being inspirational. I wonder what the two I usually say this stuff to are doing right now...” Zeko thought as he jumped back into the hole he left in the floor. ============================== (?????) (?????) “Dumbass your left!” Kotetsu nearly shouted to his friend who was running ahead of him and was being flanked by a number of very large mares. “Take these ayeeh!” Nouka threw clay spiders which grew and blasted his attackers away. “Didja see that Kotetsu? they almost had me but I stopped them in their tracks.” Kotetsu responded by throwing his gibbering friend further ahead. “Not the time to gloat moron! We’re not away from danger yet!” He checked behind him and the horde of mares was still following. “Just had to be a dimension where the women are eight feet tall and in heat right when we show up here. Any other time I’d think this was a good place to be, hell even die in, but not now, not yet!” He thought as he made various hand signs and blew a giant fireball back to the oncoming horde, burning the ones in the lead horrifically and creating a form of barrier to keep the rest back. The duo stopped once they saw that their pursuers couldn’t maneuver around the flames. “Looks like they aren’t too smart in their current state. The ones with wings could just fly right over.” Nouka pointed out causing Kotetsu to kick his shin. “Ow! Why’d you do that?” “Just because they don’t see that now doesn’t mean that you should be pointing it out! We need to find a way to keep mov-“ His plan was interrupted by two Earth pony mares getting them both into full Nelsons and lifting them off of the ground. Kotetsu broke the hold his captor had and kicked her in the stomach, forcing her into a fetal position. Nouka’s captor started drooling once she got a hold onto him. “Oh sweet Celestia I’m on fire and you’re gonna put me out.” Nouka froze once he heard this. “I need an adult! Please!” Nouka said, not noticing his friend was free and focused on not losing his innocence. “Oh I’m an adult, and I’ll show you a few things these schoolfillies can’t do.” Her voice dripped with lust. “I’m an adult too bitch!” Kotetsu rushed in and chopped one of her arms off, narrowly avoiding the clay user. “Come on!” He grabbed Nouka and transported them into the Kamui dimension narrowly evading the clutches of mares who got past the flames. “Well that didn’t go too well but now there’s only three more ripples so maybe one of them is his and we won’t need to go through anything like that again.” Nouka tried to cheer his friend up to seemingly no avail. “We come from an underground pool every time. It’s laced with Shukaku’s chakra, even his damn seals.” Kotetsu reminded himself of what the two experienced when they made it to these worlds. “One of these places sends some royal bitches after us and makes me break the horn on her head. What the hell could they have done to Zeko by now? The one we were just in was the best and worst at the same time... wouldn’t mind coming back when this is all done.” “That’s gross but let’s check this one next.” Nouka pointed to a ripple that had a slightly different coloration. “It kinda looks like there are tiny spines from Samehada on it.” Kotetsu came up and noticed that he was right, Samehada had to have been near this one meaning his cousin was guaranteed to be there. He smacked Nouka on the back. “You might’ve just proved you aren’t brain dead. You may kick your own ass when we get back home.” “Yay I’m smart a-glglglglglglgl!” Nouka did his typical sound of excitement but Kotetsu didn’t seem irritated. “I’ll let this one go.” He focused on the ripple and tore it open, forcing the duo inside. ============================== (Base of the Mountain) (15 minutes later) “Alright, we’ve got everything we need and the mission’s clear so let’s go before the dragon snores again.” Zeko reminded the group of the noise the dragon made as they approached and how much smoke was made at the time. “I’ll go up there and check it out!” Rainbow Dash flew upwards but was pulled back down by a lasso. “Hold it right there, we should all go up together. There’s safety in numbers.” Applejack suggested to her hothead friend who begrudgingly accepted. They began to hike up a nearly vertical part of a cliff with Zeko and Fluttershy trailing behind. “Remember that they’re all scared to be here, Rainbow Brash is probably intimidated by the thought of a dragon.” “Her name is Rainbow Dash.” “I know but Brash is more fitting because of her short fuse.” He responded. “You two lovebirds need a personal invitation to keep up? Because I might have one in my bag.” Pinkie reaches into her bag and pulled out an invitation along with some streamers and confetti. The others save Twilight, Zeko, and Fluttershy laughed at the nickname and prop. “This isn’t a laughing matter! Fluttershy you’re the expert on wild creatures what do you think the dragon will be like?” Before Fluttershy could answer the question the dragon snored once again causing her to freeze and nearly fall off of the cliff. “Ok we need to speed up, the more he snores before we get there the less sunlight we’re gonna see.” Zeko said as he used his sand to bring the Pegasus mare back up to the group. “I’ll lead the way.” The group walked for some time until they reached a point where the mountain split into a ravine and most of them jumped right over. “That looks really far down, I think I’ll just stay behind.” Fluttershy said making Rainbow Dash facepalm and the others sigh. “We don’t have time for that, you can just fly over.” Zeko reminded the Pegasus about her natural ability which made her begin to fly over until the another snore from the dragon paralyzed her and made her fall into the crevasse. “FLUTTERSHY!” The mares exclaimed before Rainbow Dash and Zeko jumped after her. “What are you doing?! You can’t fly!” Rainbow Dash questioned the falling shinobi who latched onto a side of the ravine and began to run down after Fluttershy. “Can’t fly but I can run!” He responded, catching up to the falling Pegasus and catching her in midair and to both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy’s surprise he was floating. “Still not flying, just floating.” He said to a jaw dropped Rainbow Dash as he ascended back up to the others. “What in tarnation? You can fly too?” Applejack asked Zeko who set Fluttershy down and made a platform of sand large enough for all of them to be on. “Flying is pushing it a bit far, more like resisting gravity. That’s something I explained earlier, just not too well.” Zeko answered. “Hold on why are you making that?” Twilight questioned his actions. “Well we’re barely halfway up the mountain and there’s only more obstacles to come, since not everyone can fly this is the next best thing to get us all to the top.” He got onto the sand and was followed by the others excluding Rainbow Dash and lifted them to the cave where the dragon was sleeping. “I’ll go take care of this.” Zeko jumped off the patch of sand but was caught in a purple magical grip. “Hold it right there, this was a mission given to us by Princess Celestia.” Twilight told him. “We can handle this just fine.” “This is an adult dragon who could eat, burn, or maim you. I’m not just gonna stand by and watch that happen.” His tone left no room for argument but the others weren’t concerned for their own safety as much as his. “He could eat you too! We know what we’re doing and we have Fluttershy to help us.” Rainbow Dash gestured to where the yellow Pegasus was but was surprised when she was no longer there. “She’s behind a rock, and did you ever consider that she doesn’t want to be near the dragon? I mean come on, when the damn thing snores she pretty much doesn’t breathe.” “Wait Fluttershy you’re scared of the dragon?” Twilight asked and got a nod in response. “But you walked up to a Manticore like he was nothing.” “Yes, because he wasn’t a dragon.” “My point exactly. Ok look, how about I just act as backup? Fluttershy can stay out here and you can try to convince the dragon to leave, but if anything goes wrong I’m jumping in.” He suggested and received positive responses. Twilight went in first and attempted to coax the dragon to leave but came out coughing smoke. “Don’t worry dear, I’ll convince him to leave and possibly part with some of his precious jewels.” Rarity said nearly salivating at the idea. “I’m not sure that trying to get some of his valuables is smart when you- and she’s gone.” Zeko said aloud but Rarity had gone into the cave before he could finish. “You know what I’m just gonna meditate and get some natural chakra just in case, nobody wants to listen.” “Well now it ain’t like she-“ Applejack was knocked over by Rarity bolting out of the cave and taking cover behind a rock. “And to think I was so close to getting that diamond.” “You mean you were so close to getting the dragon to leave?” Twilight corrected Rarity who didn’t acknowledge the question. “Alright I’ve got this.” Pinkie Pie said while wearing a costume that resembled a frog in a present box. “Sometimes you gotta use laughter and jokes.” She waddled in And came out almost instantly. “Turns out he doesn’t like jokes.” “Ok that’s enough!” Rainbow Dash said and flew in, moments later she barreled out and hit the others excluding Zeko and they crashed into the rock Fluttershy was behind. “How dare you? How dare you!” Fluttershy flew up and met the dragon eye to eye. “Listen here, just because you’re big doesn’t mean you get to be a bully! You may have huge teeth and sharp scales and snore smoke and breathe fire, but you do not- I repeat do not hurt my friends! Now what do you have to say for yourself?” “But that rainbow one hit me.” He said “I know and I’m sorry for that but-“ She was pulled from the sky by one of the sand arms Zeko used and barely missed the explosion. “What was that?!” Rainbow Dash questioned and her answer came in a strange white dragon with two boys on it. “N-No... NO DAMN WAY!” Zeko yelled in realization. “YES DAMN WAY! WE’RE HERE!” Kotetsu yelled back.”LOOK OUT!” The dragon recovered and swatted at the mares in fury but Zeko moved them with his sand. “MY EYE! I’LL EAT YOU ALL.” He yelled, flying up and breathing a torrent of flame towards everyone. “Oh no.” Fluttershy said as she was frozen again and was nearly scorched by the flames until the clay dragon flew by and Nouka grabbed her. “I got you miss, no need to worry.” He received a slap to the head from Kotetsu. “What have I told you about saving females?” “Something about money or sex?” Nouka nervously answered. “At least he remembers that.” Zeko said from behind the two with the rest of the Mane six in tow. “We leave them on the dragon, boys it’s time for our ultimate move.” The other shinobi brightened when Zeko said that. “You don’t mean...” Nouka started. “It’s finally time...” Kotetsu added. “The Collapsing Mausoleum!” The trio said in unison as they grabbed each other’s hands and their eyes changed, their pupils slitting to resemble that of a snake. “This is the one part I don’t like, but natural chakra isn’t something I like gathering.” Kotetsu muttered before the three jumped onto sand clouds Zeko made. “But this makes up for it. Wind Style: Gnashing Gale!” Multiple streams of wind rushed to the dragon and cut his wings off forcing him to fall from the air and be caught by sand that began to curl into a ball shape. “Nouka, you’re up.” Zeko said to his friend who was now circling the sphere. “Ok here we go.” Nouka said while putting clay into his mouth and chewing it. “Try this on for size!” He started to spit a continuous rope of clay at the dragon and bind it. “Seeing this years ago made me want to vomit, now I just wanna die.” Kotetsu gave his input into the graphic display. Nouka finished regurgitating the clay and the trio came back together. “WHAT IS THIS?!” The dragon shouted with clenched teeth due to the clay. “Nouka let’s do it.” Kotetsu said while making hand signs. Nouka formed a small bird of clay and flung it to the closing sand sphere. “Fire Style:Giant Fireball!” Kotetsu spat a giant ball of flame that went next to the bird and both went into the closing dome. What everyone witnessed next could only be described as an orchestra of destruction. “Detonating Sand Burial” Zeko said, closing his fist. The orb of sand turned red hot for a few seconds then burst quickly before it collapsed inwards and exploded leaving everyone flabbergasted at the display. The trio landed and high fived in celebration. “Why di- that was a...” Twilight tried to assess what she’d seen but was at a loss for words “Wait a second... KOTETSU!” Zeko yelled and punched his friend in the chest, knocking him into the cave. “That was a good one! ZEKO!” Kotetsu ran out and drop kicked Zeko off of the side of the mountain. “What are those two doing?” Rarity asked while she and her friends were floating on the clay dragon with Nouka. “They have to do this when they don’t see each other for a long time.” Nouka told the confused mares as they watched Zeko float back onto the mountain. “Kotetsu I’ve got an idea, let’s head to the capital and do the finale there.” Zeko suggested to his cousin who pondered the idea. “Are there children who’ll run scared? Or adults? Pretty much anything that’ll be scared really.” He got a nod and jumped over to his cousin. “Lead the way.” The duo floated up with sand and floated off leaving Twilight with her own thoughts. “Why did they kill the dragon?!”