//------------------------------// // Banes of Evil // Story: The Samurai's End // by Onomonopia //------------------------------// Jack was not used to standing on the sidelines. For so long Jack was used to being the only one to battle, taking an army of darkness and evil by himself. Being the only one to fight. But now He stood off to the side, watching as his only daughter and a group of guards he had trained himself fought the evil. Fought the force of darkness that sought to take their land. For the foe that his daughter and the guards were facing...was Sombra. Who was back. Again. "He does not stay dead long, does he?" Jack asked his wife, who stood beside him as the pair of them watched the battle take place. Around him stood the other Ambassadors, along with the two princesses of the sun and moon. All of who had agreed to stay out of this fight unless absolutely necessary. Even though Jack's instincts screamed at him to go help his daughter. "Ugh, yer telling me. Out of all the foes we've fought, he's the most like a cockroach," Applejack agreed, but there was an edge to her voice. She wasn't happy with the situation either. "This is what, the third time we've had to face him? And the last time ya cut his head off. So how is he back?" "Technically, he blew himself up before i could cut his head off. Perhaps he was just biding his time?" Jack suggested. A roar from the dark pony brought Jack's attention back to the battle. Sombra was in his shadow form and was shooting blasts of magic towards Sakura and the guards that were with her. Yet despite the power of the spells, Sakura leapt and dodged out of the way with a grace and weightlessness that made Jack proud. She was only thirteen years old, and yet she was already the second best swordpony in the land. Just behind Jack. Her white kimono danced around her, making her look similar to a younger Jack. The other guards were dodging and moving out of the way as well, perhaps with less elegance, but getting the job done none the less. Blast of dark smoke ripped towards them, yet those with horns constructed magical barriers that stopped Sombra's smoke dead. Sombra let out an infuriated roar as none of his attacks worked, before he created blades of darkness that he plunged towards the group. In response, Sakura drew her blade, a katana with a deadly pink blade, and readied herself. The Guards drew similar swords and did the same. Everypony watching the battle held their breath. This was the moment of truth. Twilight was especially nervous, as this would show whether all of her hard work had paid off...or if Jack would need to get involved in the fight. Sakura let out a small sigh before she slashed at the oncoming blade...and cleaved it clean in two. The guards behind her mirrored her moves, slicing through the rest of the blades just as easily. Sombra roared in pain, switched back to his smoke form and lunged towards Sakura once more, his horn glowing with dark power as he approached her. Sakura closed her eyes, lifted her blade, and swung with all of her might. A flash of light erupted from her sword as the blade struck the shadow...and a moment later Sombra let out a bellow as his dark and shadowy form was sucked into the blade. Sakura glanced at her blade, where the eyes of the king could be seen darting back and forth, before she sheathed her sword. Then she looked up at her parents and threw up a hoof in victory. The ponies all around Jack let out a cheer at Sakura's victory, with Twilight celebrating hardest of all, yet all Jack and Applejack did was let out a simultaneous sigh. Jack trusted his daughter's skill, and Sombra was not much of a threat, but still, he was grateful it was over. But almost as impressive as his daughter's skill was the blade she had used. The blade that Twilight had made for her. The blade based off his own. "It seems that you are to be congratulated, Twilight," Jack said with a nod to the princess. Twilight stopped her celebrating and turned to look at Jack, her smiling rivaling the ones Pinkie would wear. "You have successfully managed to create a blade almost identical to mine. With the power to defeat any evil." "And not only that, but the sealing spell that I imbued the blade with worked as well!" Twilight exclaimed. "These blades can now seal evil and hold them until we find a suitable prison, instead of straight up killing them like yours did. Nothing against what you've done for us Jack, but I would prefer not to kill unless we had no other options." "I am in agreement with you. I am glad you found an alternate solution," Jack agreed as he turned to look at Sakura, who was celebrating with the rest of the guard, who were throwing her into the air. Jack smiled at the sight, glad that Sakura had not been forced to take Sombra's life. He had been the one who asked Twilight to find an alternative way to defeat the forces of evil when she had come close to duplicating his blade and she had come up with the sealing spell. Sombra would be released from the sword in a prison, most likely tartarus, and be trapped forever. "It seems that your daughter has inherited your skill, Jack," Celestia said to Jack. "I have only seen one other pony fight with such skill and grace and that pony is you. And she is so young. Once she is older she might just be the greatest force of good that Equestria has ever seen. Thank goodness those blades Twilight made can only harm those with evil intent." Jack nodded, glad that Twilight had managed to duplicate that feature as well. The blade could judge a pony's intent and heart, telling how evil they truly were and deal out damage appropriately. The more evil a pony's intent and heart, the stronger the blade would become, until it would straight up destroy true evil. Yet it would only seal away those who were almost completely evil. Twilight had added that feature because Equestria was a land of chances, of helping others to change. Something Jack had not been too sure about, but after hearing Discord, Starlight and Sunset's story, he realized that everypony deserved a chance to change. And for a moment he regretted ending some of the lives he had taken. Except for Aku. That victory still brought a smile to his face now and then. Sakura and the guards walked up the hill to where the rest of the ponies were, huge smiles on their faces. Celestia and the others began to thank the guards, with Twilight grilling them over how the blades felt, while Sakura walked up to her mother and father, bowing her head slightly as she approached. "I hope that I did not dishonor you with my performance, father," Sakura said. "My dear, there is nothing you could ever do to dishonor me. You are my pride and joy. Not to mention, now my equal in skill," Jack revealed. Sakura raised her eyes with some surprise, only for a smile to break out across her face a moment later. "I could not have fought Sombra any better. In some cases, I may have done worse. You have all of my skill and all of your mother's strength and heart. And you showed that today." "T-thank you, father," Sakura said with another bow of her head. AJ then wrapped a hoof around her daughter's shoulder and pulled her into a bone crunching hug. "Come on, Sakura, no need to act all embarrassed. Hold yer head high and celebrate. Ya stopped a great evil today! Ya should be proud," Applejack praised. Sakura smiled weakly as her face turned red, but from embarrassment or the blood being forced into her head by the hug, Jack could not tell. "Come on everypony, we're going back to Ponyville to celebrate! Today we beat Sombra, proved Twilight's swords work and got to see Sakura take down her first bad guy! That's three parties for the price of one! Drinks on me!" Pinkie exclaimed. The guards, ponies and Sakura let out cheers, Sakura then smiling nervously when her mother flashed her a look, before they started to follow after Pinkie. Jack placed a hoof on his daughter's shoulder, halting her. "My dear, may I see your blade for a moment?" Jack asked. Sakura drew her blade and hoofed it to her father, who took it with a smile. Sakura followed after her mother and the others, leaving Jack alone with the blade...and who was in it. "Sombra. I am surprised to see that you are alive." "Damn you samurai. Did you really think that I would lose to you so easily?" Sombra snarled, slamming his shadow form against the blade. "And do not think for a moment that your spawn's weapon will hold me. I have escaped from far better prisons before! Her mercy will be her downfall!" "You should be grateful that you faced my daughter instead of me," Jack warned. "For had you faced me, you may not have left the battlefield alive. But thanks to Twilight and Sakura, you will only spend the rest of your life in a prison. Instead of mocking their mercy, perhaps you should show gratitude." "Bah, you fool. Your mercy will only be the death of you," Sombra warned. Jack narrowed his eyes before he grabbed with both hooves and aimed the blade at the ground. "W-wait, what are you doing?! If you do that, it will-" "Kill you. That is correct," Jack finished. "Perhaps you are right, perhaps you will never change. Perhaps I should be rid of you the same way I rid myself of Aku. By ending your evil once and for all." "W-wait! I'll change! I'll try to be good! At the very least, I won't swear vengeance upon the land until after you and your daughter are long dead!" Sombra begged. Jack fought hard to keep himself from breaking a smile at Sombra's fear. Jack would not kill him in such a defenseless state. "Then heed my words, Sombra. If you ever free yourself from that prison and come after my family again, you will not merely be sealed. You will be sent to the next life...and the hands of my blade," Jack warned. Sombra let out a small whimper and Jack fought back another smile. Jack would not kill him. The Jack that would was left on Earth all those years ago. After Aku's death, he swore to be more like the ponies. To try to show more mercy and helping others to be better. But his enemies didn't need to know that. "Then get comfortable, Sombra. I foresee you will be there for a long time," Jack laughed.