Eventually, the young boy led the two men to the large cemetery. There was a large wall around it, which was strange for a place set up for a mere marty. A thick mist inside the cemetery was leaking through the metal gates. The group didn’t know what to make of it.
“Well, this is some party, but where is the DJ?” The group turned to see Kirouac and Pearl walking towards them.
“This must be the place?” Flash said. “Say Light.. where did our little friend go off too?”
“Raggy, I’m rot reeling rood about this race.” Light said as he was trying to hide his actual nervousness. “Raby he rent out for ice ream?”
“Light! Get in here!” Flash said as he tried to drag Light in, now also worrying about their missing friend.
Pearl rolled her eyes as she looked at it. “Please. This is hardly what I call scary. I’ve seen pimples scarier than this.” As she looked around the young pegasus watched as the ground began to fog up and the area around everypony got darker until she couldn't see more than an inch in front of her face. “Okay… this is a little better.” Her voice trembled a bit. “Kirouac? Are you there?”
“Yeah I’m here… Where are you?” The dragon said as he stumbled about walking nose first into the gate. “OUCH! I can’t see anything in this darkness.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth he noticed that his dragon’s night vision was completely gone. This shouldn’t be possible, how could I be completely blind right now.
“get out!!!” a screeching whisper echoed through the night. Causing everpony to turn toward the location of the voice. In the darkness they saw three emerald flames floating in mid air. The spheres of flame started to slowly circle around and around but soon got faster. the Flames soon started to form a shape of a decrepit and zombified Nightmare Moon.
The Nightmare Moon Zombie slowly sauntered back and forth as it moved forward toward Pearl. Whispering to her slowly. Ignoring the large blue dragon who literally flew right through it.
“I… want… you... I… must… feed…” The zombie’s mouth opened revealing a green smoke that slowly seeped out and toward the young filly.
“Zoinks! Let’s get out of here Scoob!” Flash yelled as both him and Light climbed up a dead tree frantically.
Pearl was frozen in place. Internally she pleaded for her legs or wings to move. to let her escape this vision that was coming for her. Looking about she couldn’t see anything but this nightmare. Not her dragon guide, or any other pony who had shown up. closing her eyes tight she tried to shut it all out.
“It’s not real. It’s not real.” She whispered over and over again. as she took in a long deep breath she felt a soft cold breath against her back and a single word whispered into her ear.
“Boo!” Kohaku said as softly as possible into his friend’s ear.
That was all that it took. Pearl let out a screeching scream that could shatter glass and leapt nearly twenty feet into the air. She was certain that she made a sonic rainboom at how fast she had moved. once in the air she saw that the darkness blew away faster then it had been created. Looking down she cursed out loud as right where she was standing only moments before. Was an all too familiar annoyance, rolling on the ground laughing. “KOHAKU!!!!”
Kohaku rolled on the ground laughing so hard that tears fell out of his eyes. his front legs clutching his chest. as his thrill came down he watched as Pearl flew down and landed almost on top of him.
“Darnit Kohaku, how could you do that. that was just… just…” Pearl stuttered trying to find the words to use.
“What? You insinuate that you wanted something scary. I just thought I’d oblige my friend.” He smirked and took a few slow breaths looking up at her.
Humphing loudly Pearl just stamped her hoof. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.” Looking up she watched as Kirouac gave Pearl a wink as he quietly moved up behind the fox. “So one good turn deserves another.” she had the unique pleasure to see his smirk turn to confusion. as she knew what was coming and he didn’t.
Flash groaned as he turned to the kids. “Come on guys. Let’s not go scaring each other and just have fun. Right Light? Light?”
The crystal pony turned to see his best friend clinging to the gate. “Um… I’ll stay here?” Light asked with a nervous grin.
Kirouac took a long deep breath and planted his claws into the ground. arching his head up he roared as hard and as loudly as he could.
Kohaku knew that roar. It was a roar that all his species knew by heart and instinct. This was the roar of a dragon, large and powerful. Leaping to his feet he looked about and saw the large yellow reptilian eyes. the spread wings and the front claws. his eyes went wide as he froze in place.
“I am the great dragon King.” Kirouac said in his bellowing voice. “and you dare to scare my wife!?” He asked the cowering fox.
Pearl smirked to herself, seeing the ponyville trickster scared so much. it did give her a thrill, maybe this is what he felt. If so she understood why he did it. it was fun. Perhaps she would find ways to prank him again in the future. “Thanks Kirouac. I’ll take it from here.” She chuckled watching him bow.
Walking along the side of the fox she leaned in “So. how do you like it Kohaku hmm?”
When he didn’t answer her smile vanished and looked a little closer. His eyes were wide and focused on one thing, the dragon Kirouac. While looking into those eyes she saw something she wasn’t prepared for, true terror.
“Um… are you okay?” She reached out and touched his shoulder. she watched as he flinched and looked about wildly. His mouth moved rapidly. she couldn’t catch everything he said but she did hear one phrase.
“please… not like them… i’m too young… not like them.” tears rolling down his face as all Kohaku could see was fire and darkness. Pushing his body up against the fence he pushed out his paws trying to keep the dragons away
And then Pearl remembered something she had read not too long ago. Eastern dragons and kitsunes were natural rivals, both trying to be the symbol of the east, and eastern dragons were the only ones capable of destroying a kitsune’s soul.
That was a good reason in and of itself, though Pearl doubted Kirouac would ever do that. But that wasn’t the real reason she feared Kohaku was acting like this. She wondered what could have happened to him that caused this. She had seen reactions to PTSD before. or at least read about it and surmised he was going through that now. Dropping her ears she reached out with a wing when something stopped her
“Good riddance then. That twerp deserves it for all he’s done to us,” an acid filled voice in Pearl’s ears whispered.
She blinked. Where had that come from?
“Let him wallow in his fear and despair.” said a second much colder voice
“B.. But he’s my friend.” She whispered to herself. her small body trembling.
“Why have we had to put up with him for so long? Let’s enjoy it,” another venomous voice in her other ear said.
And Pearl found herself agreeing with them. Why should she feel sorry for Kohaku? Didn’t he deserve it after all he had done to her.
“The Mother of All Dragons does not let his past insults go. If the little welp lets this shake him up, then he is a weak fool,” a fourth voice said in a sibilant whisper.
Pearl smiled in a way that would have horrified normal ponies as leaned in and whispered in Kohaku’s ear. “Maybe this will finally teach you, you little fox welp.” and with a swift swish of her front claw, kicked Kohaku through the gates and deep into the graveyard she gave a light chuckle as he slammed into the marble statue in the center.
“Hey. let’s just relax a little and calm down…” Kirouac suddenly stopped in place as he started to cough. At first it was rather soft and subtle, but it slowly started to become a bit more violent as he needed to sit down, suddenly feeling weak.
Flash started to look nervous at the scene that was unfolding as he looked up to Light. “Um, I suddenly remembered a dentist appointment in town.”
Light’s eyes perked up as he jumped into Flash’s hooves. “Reah! Me too!” He said as he started to wag his tail.
“Well, you all look like you have a lot to go through. We’ll send Book Knight your way and bid you adieu. Say hi to the wife and kids and..”
“You two wait right here!” Kirouac ordered the two ponies who were trying to walk away as he slowly got back up and walked towards the filly. “Now, you don’t go hitting other kids, no matter what they do, do you understand?”
Pearl looked at him, but there was none of the filly Kirouac had seen before there. “Stay out of this, you half breed mongrel. This is none of your business.”
“This little piece of fox trash has had this coming for a long time. I will not be denied this now,” a voice like thunder joined in with Pearl’s own rage filled voice. What worried everyone was that this voice came from the blue head of Pearl’s costume as she walked toward the stunned kitsune, her grin turning more and more evil by the second.
“Are you sure we shouldn’t…” Flash’s thoughts were interrupted as Light started frantically poking his shoulder. “Yes LightHeartDOO, I mean, Lighcooby-Doo.. Scooby-Doo. what?” Flash couldn’t say the name of his friend any more.
Light pointed to a shadow in the distance that had demon horns, and was walking into the cemetery. “Remon!!!” Light cried out as he looked extremely scared.
“AAAA!!!” Flash said, his mane getting straight up, lifting his hat that he had still been wearing, before both him and Light ran deeper into the Cemetery.
Kirouac and Pearl turned to see Mind Sight, fully dressed as Daredevil, walking towards them with her walking stick and a bucket for candy. “Trick or treat!”
“Um… I don’t have any candy right now, and we are dealing with a little problem.” Kirouac said as Pearl was shifting her focus.
Mind huffed a little as she adjusted her mask. “Fine. Frankly I think this is a lousy place for a party.” Mind said as she walked further into the cemetery. “Also, I smell something steaming off of you. May want to handle that..”
Pearl shook her head. “That filly is weird.”
Kohaku groaned loudly as he pushed himself up. his head was literally ringing. Swatting away all the fish swimming around it, Kohaku stood up and fell to the side. “Okay, she can hit rather hard. so hard my equilibrium is off.” Standing up on his hind paws he gripped the statue with one paw and looked about him. “Okay doesn’t look like anything’s broken, that's good. But somethings definaty off.”
Thrusting out one paw he tried to call on his foxfire but nothing showed. curiouser and curiouser my powers… oh please no..” placing his free paw on a vine he whistled loudly but nothing had happened. “no magic… oh sweet cheese and crackers. dropping his paw down to his hips he gasped. looking down and behind him the young boy whimpered. where there were once three tails, was now only one.
“oh no no no! My tails. what happened to my tails!” Spinning around frantically he patted his tailbone but still only found one tail.
“This is not good. not good at all.” he said watching his friend stroll toward him. his ears flattened at seeing just how evil that smile was becoming. “Oh pearl....”
Pearl sneered as four of her heads darted forward till they were eye to eye with Kohaku. “Don’t try to “Oh Pearl” me, Kohaku. You brought this on yourself,” the White head said in a voice that was Pearl’s own voice, but far more cold and ruthless than the Pegasus had ever been.
Nodding softy, the paw that was searching for his tails rested on his kunai pouch. his eyes lightly darting down he gripped the statue a bit harder. “Your right, I did. and I'm sorry Pearl. So what are you waiting for? just end it already.” closing his eyes he perked an ear up.
The Black head laughed. “Oh no. You’d like that wouldn’t you? No. I’m going to enjoy this.”
Letting go of the statue Kohaku dropped to all fours and started walking forward toward Pearl. his eyes opened again and rested on Pearls central head. “So what are you waiting for? an invitation. My magic is gone, my tails are missing. and i’m as wobbly as a newborn.”
Kohaku groaned a bit. his heart pounded harder than it had with the half dragon’s roar. his body trembling noticeably on the outside no matter how tough his talk was. “But i’m not going to run, that’s not who I am. Believe it!”
Pearl chuckled. “Good. You were never that smart anyway. I can kill you five different ways,” she lifted a claw and poked his chest. “I can rip your heart out and feed it to Fluttershy’s animals. Or I can break your bones. Take your pick.”
“Or you can stand down before getting hurt.” A dark voice called out from the shadows. “I’d hate to add arresting a power hungry child to my record.”
Kohaku closed his eyes and took a long deep breath. “I’m sorry Pearl, I hope you’ll find it in your heart to forgive for this one day.”
The Blue head turned and looked right where Book Knight was hiding. “Oh, look. The town idiot showed up.”
“I’m no idiot, and you are not sane right now.” Book called out. “Leave this place now while you have a chance, or I will make you leave.” He said coldly and darkly, without any sense of fear
This was the one moment Kohaku had waited for. if his years of hunting had taught him anything. all i took was a split second to go from hunter, to prey. Grabbing a hold of Pearl’s claw he twisted his body upward. Slamming both his hind paws into the central head, Kohaku gripped a real steel kunai from his pouch and flung it at the blue and black heads while slamming a fist into the white head.
Pearl roared out in rage as she stumbled backward from Kohaku’s physical assault on her heads. the two heads on either side of her central one dodged the Kunai easily. Swiping out she missed Kohaku by a hair’s length and stamping her claws in a childish frustration at temporarily losing her prey.
“not too smart. I’m top of the class pearl, and I grew up in the Everfree Forest. and no dragon can outfox a fox.” Leaping out he looked at the others. “Guys, RUN! those heads are real. and I’m willing to bet so are her breath weapons!”
“No chance kid! I am vengeance! I am the night! I am Batman!” Book said uncontrollably as he threw a batarang at the beast.
Landing on the ground Kohaku slid himself next to the others. He couldn’t fight this dragon. not like he was now anyway.
Pearl rolled all of her eyes as it bounced harmlessly off of her. “You really don’t know much about dragons do you? If a dragon can swim in lava with no trouble, what good is whatever you have? I’m only after that runt of a fox. Don’t stick your noses in where they don’t belong.”
“Zoinks, what’s wrong?” Flash tried to ask. coming around behind his new friends
“Well for a start Pearl is becoming a rather powerful dragon.” Kohaku said, noticing that his friend had grown twice her size. What was worse was that Pearl’s actual face was becoming more and more impossible to distinguish from the costume around her. It almost looked like she was being absorbed into it. “And to make matters worse. My magic is gone, like, all of it.” Looking at Pearl Kohaku painted a bit heavier.
“Zoinks!? like your magic!?” Flash said, his voice getting more and more Shaggy-like. He tilted his head to the side, looked down at his hoof before lifting it up and pointed to a rock. but nothing happened. “ZOINKS! Your right, like my magic.. is.. is… GONE!” He said before jumping into Light’s arms.
“Raggy! Look!” Light turned to where his wings were supposed to be, only to find them fuzed to his body.
“Zoinks, your wing and horn are gone!” Flash said. “And Zoinks, I can’t stop saying Zoinks.”
“Ru Ro!” Light said as he realized that he couldn’t leave the accent.
Both Flash and Light were now shaking in each other’s arms.
Pearl too felt her magic had vanished. But if there was one thing she had over the others, it was that dragons didn’t need magic. Their bodies were a weapon in and of themselves.
“And what will you do after me Pearl. All I've done is play harmless pranks. I’m no monster Pearl. But right now, you are.” Biting down on his lower lip he dropped his front half. Damn… that why am I like this right now. dragons left and right. I’m living my worst nightmare. if I had my powers this would be over now. That sells it. Next year I'm going to spend it under Fluttershy neesan’s bed with her.
Pearl tapped her chin. “You know? I don’t know what I'm going to do after you. Maybe I am a monster. But right now, I don’t really care. You could say I’m really getting into character.”
Kirouac shook his head. “That is not just any dragon she is becoming. Somehow, Pearl is becoming Tiamat, the Mother of Dragons herself. Take all you know about dragons. Now dial all of that up to 12. But she is normally not like this.”
The Green head sneered. “And what would a half breed mongrel know? I do as I please, and none can tell me otherwise.”
Pearl’s White head smiled. “And unlike you lot, I don’t need magic. Like I said, stay out of this, and you’ll live longer.”
The Black head nodded. “But please. Do feel free to stick your noses in. All this fun is making me hungry. And I’m a growing girl. I need to eat.”
All of Pearl’s heads giggled, even as she grew another foot.
“Say! Before you handle us, shouldn’t you handle the giant muffin monster behind you? Flash asked nervously as he pointed behind the mare.
The Green and Blue heads turned around to look. Pearl just gave him a flat look. “Really? That might work better if I only had one head.”
“It makes blinding you better.” Book said as a couple of smoke pellets hit her eyes before motioning to the others. “Run for it! Split up!”
Pearl coughed as she inhaled some of the smoke, while her other heads were blinded for the moment. “Oh that does it! I’ve told Twilight letting you run around like you do is a mistake. I might be doing her a favor.”
“SHE TOLD YOU MY SECRET?!?” Book yelled angrily as he threw another batarang at her, his mind being so enraged that he forgot about being the dark knight for a moment. “I’m telling Luna about this!!!”
Pearl looked around, but still couldn’t see him, even as the batarang bounced harmlessly off her chest. “I figured it out myself. Twilight knows I won’t tell ponies about it, so she never said anything about it.”
“Trust me when I say that I will be yelling at her once I break apart this cemetery mess, and then you are going to answer to me!” Book yelled before hearing Flash and Light scream out.
“GHOSTS!!!”
Sure enough, the two ponies turned to see that this mysterious cemetery was indeed haunted by some kinds of spirits, and they weren’t the only ponies trapped in this place. From a spy, to a samurai, to even a Twilight plushie of some kind. These ponies were running all over the place, looking scared and confused out of their minds.
“P… please… Don’t fear…” Kirouac collapsed to the ground as his body shrunk down to the size of a skinny and frail version of himself. He looked at his “claws” i horer seeing only normal, but yet scrawny hoofs, he looked onto his back finding no wings, he taped his forehead seeing that there was no horn.
Pearl looked at him with what could only be described as disgust. “You are a disgrace. Not only to pony kind. But dragons as well. How far they have fallen.”
But the voice wasn’t Pearl’s own voice. No one could say whose voice it was. Something though told Kirouac he should know who it was.
“Hey guys, keep running!” Book yelled as he threw a few more smoke pellets at her. “It’s not like I’m gonna beat her myself!”
Pearl blinked, seemingly coming back to reality. “You’re not even beating me as it is. Maybe that thousand years on the moon made her senile, if Luna thinks you’re good for anything.”
“I’m not breaking my back over you!” Book said as he started to make some distance from her. “It’s called strategy, the long game. I’ll show you how to play later.”
The Blue head rolled her eyes. “You can’t even be Batman right if you never shut up.”
“Not unless I throw my voice. Trust me, no one in this town knows Batman like me.” Book said as he made his way through the mist, trying to avoid the ghosts as much as possible.
“And no one is a bigger bookworm in this town than Twilight. Last I saw, she hasn’t brought every single issue here,” the Green head replied
“She doesn’t know me! She doesn’t know the meaning of the cause! If she knew who I was, she’d support Book’s cause. That’s why I am Batman. So no kid watches his parents get killed by some punk with a gun!” Book called out, now forgetting his pony side.
Flash looked at Light in concern. “Zoinks!, like I think your brother lost it, Scooby!”
Pearl growled, but didn’t say anything for a moment. “And what do you know of that? I’ve seen the worst Equestria has to offer. My dad broke his back for years to get where he did, so did mom. They saw ponies get killed to move up the chain. I saw too many of my friends killed for every stupid reason you can think of. That’s why we moved to Ponyville.”
Kohaku remained silent as he slipped away. his ears were focused on one individual, pearl. listening carefully to what she was saying
“Um… Why ron’t we rust ray a rame of reckers?” Light asked as he was starting to get panicky.
“Like, I said I !” Flash said before noticing that he was the only one that could understand Light now. “Checkers are a lot more fun than ghosts and dragons!”
“Pearl, what are you talking about?” Kirouac asked her walking trying to walk in his under-powered state.
Pearl looked at him, all of her heads not bothering to try and stop him. “I know Equestria isn’t the paradise ponies say it is. But I believe in what Twilight and her friends stand for. Everything they fight for. I would stand with them every day of the week if I have to. His way isn’t going to solve anything.”
“Like friendship caught kidnappers or murderers? If you knew who I was then you’d know the evil that lies in the darkness, the evil that Kirouac has long been ignorant against, that most ponies are ignorant against. Tell me, has Cryssalist been reformed? Terik? Cozy Glow? Flim and Flam. They have dealt with the monsters who fight in the light while I fight the criminals who fight in the darkness. I dedicated my life to protecting my people, and Twilight was fine until I became inspired to do more. Now, where is Twilight to fight you? To save us from you. She isn’t here. She has no clue what’s going on here. I do, and I fight. She fights for friendship. I fight for justice.” Book said coldly as Light spoke up again.
“Raby we ran ralk about this rater?” He offered with a rather timid tone.
Pearl shook all of her heads. “Friendship never dies. Even when they’re gone, what Twilight and the girls do will live on. You? I don’t see anypony lining up to join you. And I don’t need her. Not for this. In case you forgot, I still haven’t finished off that miserable fox, and then I’m going after you.”
“Then you are foolish. Come on! Attacking a defenseless child? A man with a crippling condition? Two cowards? Or the pony who is smart enough to beat you without them?” Book asked boastfully as he threw one more battarange at one of her heads, letting her see him. “Why don’t you focus on the real problems for once?”
“Because I’m only big enough to eat one of you at the moment. Wait your turn,” the Black head replied, licking her lips.
“And let the pony holds the knowledge of the smartest hero in the world? Come on. This mind has beaten superman. What makes you think that this league is better than me?”
The rest of the group felt like if Book could have beat her, he would have done it by now. The only thing that they could reason was that he was trying to protect the others by putting the focus on him. Kirouac was trying to step in, but he was stopped as he spat out blood.
“If you could beat me, then you would’ve by now. Name one thing that’s beaten the Dragon Queen. Those three aren’t even worth the time.“
“Um… where is the fox anyways?” Flash asked as he realized that he broke away from the group.
“Ru Ro.” Light said again as he realized that Book succeeded in one thing. Dragging the hunter from its prey.
Pearl roared in anger, stamping her feet in a childish display of annoyance. “Oh that really tears it now! No more miss nice Tiamat!”
“Yeah, now go handle the ghosts that you attracted while we take the opportunity to get out of here.” Book said before bolting.
“like, Zoinks, let’s unmask those ghouls.” Flash said before running in place with Light, before they both burst out in great speed.
Pearl watched them go with an annoyed sigh. “Oh sure. It’s my fault these things showed up. Blame the five headed dragon why don’t ya?”
“Hey everything was fine before you became evil.” Kirouac said while panting.
The Green head leaned down and glared at him. “I was done putting up with all of that from him! Maybe if he hadn’t pulled that prank earlier, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“We need to learn to forgive.” Kirouac said while leaning on a tombstone.
Pearl shook her head as she looked at him fully. “I tried that. I put up with it for months. Forgiveness only goes so far. Just ask some of Equestria’s biggest threats. They had their chances, and didn’t stop.”
“And you want to end up like them?” Kirouac asked while panning.
That stopped Pearl in her tracks, her mind wavering as her heads suddenly looked uncertain. Did she want to end up like them? She wasn’t like that.
“Am I?” the White head asked.
“Why am I even this angry? I’ve never been this mad at Kohaku before. No matter how annoying he got,” the Blue head asked.
“I’m not like them. I’ve never been like them,” the Green head said.
The Black head held her head in a claw. “This isn’t right. I’m not like this. Not for something like this. He doesn’t deserve it.”
“Pearl?” Kirouac asked while lifting his head up. “Is that you?”
Pearl looked at him, and for the first time in a while, the filly she was shown in her eyes. She clutched all of her heads, each one wincing at something only they felt. “I won’t do it. I won’t be that. I won’t be that weak.”
Kirouac slowly and softly walked to her. “Shh.. it’s ok.” He told her like she was a wild animal
The White head turned to look at him. “There’s a crystal in here that’s driving me mad. Destroying it will fix this.”
Kirouac nodded. “ok, what else?” He asked her softly.
“It should return everyone's magic. But I have no idea what’s causing the rest of this,” the Red head said, gesturing to the spirits around them.
“I wish I knew as well.” Kirouac said while looking at his pony hoof. “What can I do to help?” He asked her.
“Just get me to the crystal. I can smash it myself. You’re in no shape to be helping anyone,” the Green head replied. “I don’t know much about that manga, but I know All Might isn’t supposed to look like that if he intends to help.”
“Hey..” Kirouac frowned. “But.. ok.” He said while trying to put her on his back.
Kohaku sighed deeply as he pushed his back against the mausoleum. He kept himself hidden from view as he listened to everything Pearl had said. He did cause her a lot of grief, something he really didn’t intend. making a mental note to make things up to her later. Kohaku watched as Kirouac and Pearl moved on. With Book, Flash and Light gone it was just the three of them there.
She was changing into a mother dragon, Kirouac was being rather heroic and Book. hey even he read those comics and thought the guard pulled off a rather impressive batman. yet here he was, powerless. all he had was his athletics and some now, real, weapons. putting his head down he shut his eyes shaking his head back and forth.
Like Pearl he too had heard the crystal’s whispers as well. But he always heard whispers from the dark. Ever since that horrible day. He just put it off as a bad nightmare once again.
“Well, if they’re going after that Crystal, I'm joining them. I don’t abandon my friends. Believe it,” He said and then shook his head. “Okay, I’ll have to stop saying that eventually. it can get annoying.” With silent paws he walked in the shadows slightly behind Pearl and Kirouac, keeping himself hidden just in case those dragon heads were still out for his blood.