//------------------------------//
// Chapter Nine, The Divine God vs The Reaper of the Crystal Empire. 
// Story: The Displaced Tournament - Presented By Hetap 
// by Uncle Iroh 
//------------------------------//


Chapter Nine, The Divine God of Equestria vs The Reaper of the Crystal Empire.



Above the ring the Displaced combatants and their comrades began to voice the odds of the upcoming match,

“The two Displaced I fought are now fighting… Two of my friendly rivals too, the Equestra’s Divine God vs the Reaper of the Crystal Empire.” Thanos chuckled, “If Eric did not give me that fruit, I wouldn’t have fought Black to a draw.” 

“He’s a brilliant strategist,” Sombra said, giving the Titan a side glance. “He’s always thinking of a counter plan to every action he makes”

“So is Black, he can make Ki-mines, one step, boom. Eric is in the air, and the air is where Black shines, not to mention Black can multiply his power by turning Kaio=Ken

“Even still since he returned from his exile he has further improved his powers” Sombra said fully turning to the titan. “In the past even using a single Shadow Soul left him utterly exhausted”

Thanos looked at the Unicorn. “Shadow Souls vs Super Saiyan Transformations, I taught the Saiyan Haki, Armament Haki too.” Thanos informed Sombra.

“Any idea which one he’ll use Sombra?” Rainbow asked, turning her head to the unicorn. “I mean he has access to five of them”

“Correction Rainbow, Eric has access to four of them” Sombra stated turning back to the ring

“Also, different Shadow Souls? Describe them to me.” Thanos put a finger up to his mighty chin.

“Eric has five different forms,” Luna said to the group. “However he is only able to use four of them by himself” 

“Let me guess the last one he has to be in immense mental stress to unlock it?” Thanos asked the Princess of the Night.

“I’m afraid you’re wrong Thanos,” Sombra said, cutting the Titan off. “Upon Eric’s request, I placed a spell on him preventing him from using his final soul without my expressive sayso.”

“He told me that it was too dangerous to be used unless it was the only option”

“We’ve been with him since he and Sombra were arrested three years ago” Rainbow mentioned leaning back in her seat. “And not once has he ever used his final form”

“Black has one more last resort too, Ultra Instinct, I just wonder if Eric could even push him that far like I did. Especially after the immense Zenkai Boost, he’s probably double the strength then when I fought him.” Thanos commented.

“First form, Soul of the Reaper. Turns Eric into the exact image of the grim reaper much like his shadow reaper construct,” Sombra explained as the Leopard Man spoke over him

“Remember Thanos, this fight will decide your fate.” Lucci side-eyed the Titan, Thanos nodded, “Also isn’t that the construct he used against me?” 

“It was,” Thanos chuckled, “It was indeed but you still ended that fight in a draw.” Lucci remembered the fight like it happened yesterday.

“This form increases his speed to the point he could race Rainbow around the world and win five times before she could even finish once” 

“Isn’t that an exaggeration? I mean he has to go through water, forests, volcanoes…” Thanos dragged on.

“He explained that he simple walked over it like a skeleton warrior named B..something

“Hm, interesting, let’s see if he can keep up with Black?” Thanos said with a grin wider than it normally was, almost rivaling Pinkie’s.

Doom made his appearance sitting down. “Truth is the only thing I don’t properly have a counter to, is the Saiyan’s speed. Unlike you other Displaced I haven’t been active for very long so my power hasn’t increased beyond far from the Marvel comics Doctor Doom. Though I have improved my forcefields.” Hans his trusty butler stood at the ready right behind him.

“If speed doesn’t work he’ll just switch to strength and defence” Sombra stated. “Soul of the Knight focuses more on both offense and Defence

“You do not want to try to outpower a Saiyan. You do not. While his form probably decreases his speed and upgrades his strength, Black’s transformation upgrades all of that. So how will Eric hit him?” Thanos asked the three-sword-style man.

“Power alone doesn’t really mean anything if you can’t land your hit or be able to deal any damage.” Link said with a shake of his head. 

“I watched Trunks fight Perfect Cell and boy, that kid was getting his ass handed to him all because he went for strength, not speed.” Lucci chuckled.

“His third form is the Soul of the King,” Sombra continued. “This one gives him a minor strength and speed boost but boosts his shadow control, it allows him to do more with his shadow.” Sombra said to the group. “Truly a formidable form”

“Enhances his Devil Fruit ability, I do not see a way Black could outpower that in Ki, however… He does have his Ki Scythe, and his shards.” Thanos added, “However it all matters on who has the better control of their energy.”

“He has a chance to defeat it,” Sombra admitted to the Titan. “It has literally no base defence so one or two powerful hits dispel it immediately”

“No defense, so I’m guessing this form is to keep opponents away before the opponent could land a hit on the form?” Thanos quirked an eyebrow.

“Precisely, any opponent we’ve faced with that form hasn’t so much as caused it to move a single step” Luna said with a small grin. “But that doesn’t mean you’ll get the chance to get close to it,” Luna spoke, her expression returning to normal. “It’s able to create shadow out of nothing giving him an infinite amount of fuel.”

“I believe Black has the ability to make clones of himself, via the multiform technique, if Black could somehow occupy him at Black lands a lucky hit on Eric he might just have a shot.” Thanos thought off, snapping his non gauntlet finger.

“You forget Eric commands all shadow, which also allows him to sense shadow as well” Argued the unicorn

“..I remember that, doesn’t it cut the ki in half, even more so depending on how many you make?” Link asked as he does remember the multiform from Dragon Ball Z.

“However, if he transforms into a level that’s Super Saiyan Three and five little Goku’s fly at Eric… He could quite possibly get overwhelmed, with their yellow aura ready to light their way.”

“That would divide his max ki by five.” Link guessed.

“The multiplier of Super Saiyan Three is Four hundred so dividing that by five…” Thanos pulled out a calculator. “It enhances his strength by 80x for each clone. That’s barely even past Super Saiyan.” Thanos clutched his head in worry.

“Now his fourth form is the Soul of the Demon,”Sombra said, his gaze stealing on the ring. “This form terminates his intangibility”

“No Logia intangibility?” Thanos asked the Dark Prince.

“Correct this form takes all damage and converts it into power and strength”

“That’s new, like I said you should not try to outpower a Saiyan or a Titan, both of them were born for battle.” Thanos laughed, “I tried to outpower him and almost died.”

“You misunderstand Titan,” Sombra said, turning his glare at the Titan. “When I mean ‘take damage and converts it’ you lose power every time you attack him”

“I remember using that form of Tekkai, Saiyan’s are quite adaptable for instance when I used my Heat Man transformation, he used Ki Blasts.” Thanos recalled, before wincing at the final-big-bang-kamehameha

“Soul of the Demon is much worse than you realize,” Sombra said, softening his gaze. “All forms of attacks get drained from the user and Eric’s demon form has no limit on how much it can take”

“Honestly...” Link said as he shrugged his arms with a sigh. “Saiyans are like white blood cells, always getting stronger and adapting to take on stronger viruses and the like.”

“Like Perfect Cell, he has Vegeta, Gohan, Goku, all inside of him, pause on that.” Thanos said, “But… You have to watch out for the Perfected Super Saiyan Rose or even worse… Chō hon'nō” Thanos frowned.

“And if he gets enough he unleashes his ultimate attack” Luna said with a slight shudder. “He calls it Wrath of Gluttony”

“You people and your multiple super forms.” Link said with a frown.

“I’m with you there, Link. I wonder how a Saiyan would react to my Inhibitor Ray, it is more of a modified forcefield that reflects any kinetic attacks back at my attacker. Draw back is I personally can’t attack during the time it’s active and depending on how much force it reflects it can be a major power drain on my armor systems.” Doom motions for a drink and Hans hands him a glass of red wine. “I was going a bit soft on Kyle. Those sand claws were impressive but didn’t have the impact needed to disrupt the Inhibitor. If I had it on when he slammed me into the ground it would have reflected that same impact right at him.” 

“Agreed,” Shiva muttered, just now joining them. “Why can’t you keep it simple and with one form?” 

“Says the kid who transforms with masks,” Sombra said chuckling at Link

“Says the kid who turned into a damn woman!” Thanos seemingly shook with that last bit, grinning as well.

“Hey, each form isn’t stronger than the next, they all have their benefits and weaknesses. As for the woman part...” Link said, returning with his own grin. “Why not take a visit to Palutena’s world and see how you fare?” he said jokingly.

“How about no?” Thanos pointed at the Hylian, “Bitch, I- Wait let’s get back to the real topic. If you turned into a woman… Wouldn’t that make you a futa?” Thanos asked, seriously, peering at the Hylian. 

Shiva glanced at them both. “What’s… futa?” she asked.

“A futa is both.” Link said with a deadpan expression. “And besides, I rarely use the Linkle Mask.” 

“You call her Linkle…? I guess I would be Thanette, also… That can screw some people up, ima- Now we’re going too deep into this. Time to pull out, and I do not mean in that way!” Thanos groaned, slapping a hand to his mighty bald head. Shiva rolled her eyes, while Link bursted out laughing.

“Ah internet rule 63, I did a search of myself once… some of the female versions… Really you can’t call boob armor, armor if it just covers the nipples.” Doom grunted and took a drink. Hans tilted his head “I wonder if there's a female Slenderman, or slenderwoman in this case?” 

Doom turns his head. “Yes Hans, there is, and yes there is also a Rule 34 of it.” 

“Sorry I asked.” Hans muttered. 

Thanos smiled and slowly pulled out a gun, “Care to take a laugh again you son of a bitch?” Thanos’ smile did not falter.

“Really now.” Link began as he held his arms behind his head. “You do that and you might not get the gifts I plan to give you.” he said.

Thanos fell silent, “You better talk or you get the glock.” Thanos put up his gun with a pained expression on his face. Link remains neutral with the triforce of courage brightly glowing, such an annoying relic. 

“Ed did some sort of alchemy thing with ya and you blurted out how you didn’t want people hurt or killed, so I got to thinking you could use a bit of help. You mentioned you could learn some magic, so why not I give you some?” Link suggested.

“Alrighty then, but I remember specifically saying my friends, and I think of you as a friend,” Thanos smiled, his teeth reflecting the sunlight into others.

“You’ve got some loved ones as well back in your world, so the spells I’ll give you will be of great help.” Link said as he put his arms back. 

“Alright how are you going to give me the spells?” Thanos raised an eyebrow

“It’s as simple as a handshake as I transfer some of the void energy and knowledge over to you.” Link said as he held out his right hand; the triforce still radiating. Thanos took the hand and shook it. At that moment, energy was flowing from Link’s hand to Thanos in a chaotic pattern of the void. At first, Thanos felt a paradox rush of feeling strong and yet weak; slowly his mind started to gain knowledge of two new spells: Nayru’s Love and the Light Arrow spell, however it started to provide extra instructions on how to channel that into Thano’s weapons and projectiles. Soon, the glow faded, leaving Link feeling a little drained.

Shiva watched the whole thing in awe. “That’s just like my Pack Link,” she whispered.

“If anyone wants some easy magic I can give you Skyrim Tomes,” Ed offered, sticking his head out of a portal and dropping down into a seat.

“Okay, Ed. You need to stop giving out things like these, it can fall into the wrong hands.” Nappa lectured the alchemist.

“I don’t give them out like candy and I’m the only one who has access to the library where they’re stored so shove it,” Ed held up a hand.

“Speaking of dangerous uh… If you find my Token in your world, Thanos? Don’t try to use the Twili magic within unless you want to turn into a wolf.” Link warned.

“So… Twili magic turns people into wolves,” Shiva mused, rubbing her chin. “But can it do the reverse: turn wolves into people?”





Eric sat in his room his eyes closed as the shadows around him swirled around him like lava-lamp

“Keep cool Von Shadow,” Eric breathed out before inhaling deeply. “Keep calm and….” Eric’s eyes snapped open feeling the presence of someone’s shadow approaching his room

Immediately all the shadow turned to spears all trained on the door, a large orb of shadow formed at the Shadow Man’s side before popping revealing a sheathed sword. Reaching to his side Eric gripped the hilt as the presence knocked upon his door

“Who is it?” Eric said slowly unsheathing his blade

“It’s Ryker,” Ryker opened the door, “I felt that you were… Stressed, and what better way to clear your mind other than chess?” Ryker asked, summoning a portal that made a chess set and a coffee table appear.

“I’m not stressed,” Eric said, moving to the side with the black chess pieces. “This is the first time I’d ever had a scheduled fight.”

“Nerve Racking is it not? I’ve been in my fair share of fights.” Ryker summoned a chair over to Eric and Ryker sat down on mid-air.

“That’s one word to describe it” Eric said looking over the game then Ryker. “I know you didn’t just come here just to play chess with me before my match, so what do you want?”

“Last time I played chess with Phoenix was very close mind you, I just want to see what you can do, in all honesty.” Ryker put his hands up before moving one of his pawns, “Now I’m not good at chess, I’m decent, nor perfect or bad. Half Perfect.”

“Half Perfect?” Eric scoffed, moving a pawn himself. “When it comes to chess there is no ‘half perfect’ you’re either perfect or your not me”

Ryker pulled out a notebook and a pen and wrote down something in it. “Noted.”


Shit List




Eric



Nappa



George Washingmachine



Phoenix.



“Alright let us play.” Ryker said with a smile warmer than the sun itself.

Eric moved his queen’s pawn forward one space before looking at the king. “You and I both know, you didn’t start this tournament just for shits and giggles”

“You would be correct, it’s to save my daughter.” Ryker said before moving a pawn, “Not to mention for entertainment, and… I shouldn’t say the last part.”

Eric saw the king's eyes, they didn’t have the fires of desperation for one's family, they had the dark dead eyes of someone who wanted power.

“I’ll assume you already know what I did to Fujitora,” Eric commented moving his kings knight forward

“Oh I know, I made sure to. Also, I can tell you doubt me, I speak nothing but the truth, the Dark Ki I’m gathering is to go to another dimension to save my daughter. She found a spell in a book after we had an argument, she took the book with her and ran away.”  Ryker put a hand to his chess moving his bishop.

“So the source of us being at each other’s throats have been this Dark Ki, hasn’t it?” Eric asked castling his king

“Yes, when people who are infected with it fight, I collect it and you are no longer infected, I then store it… somewhere.” Ryker yawned, moving his knight.

“I suggest you stop while you’re ahead,” Eric warned moving his bishop

“Oh? And why is that? I already collected Thanos, Link, Phoenix, Shiva, Kyle, and finally… Dr. Doom.” Ryker inched his pawn close to Eric’s King.

“Take it from someone who has given everything up to bring a loved one back” Eric said, using his bishop to take Ryker’s pawn. “It would be better to leave them be, you’ll only be hurting yourself and the ones you care about”

“Well, she is the only one I ever loved with all me heart.” Ryker said, kicking in an Irish accent, moving his bishop to take down Eric’s.

“No need to go Irish on me; I’m just giving advice,” Eric said, moving his knight in front of Ryker’s bishop. “Check”

“I am Irish, lad.” Ryker looked at the Shadow Man, his emerald eyes glowed.

“I figured as much, you tried to hide it but that voice of yours had a subtle accent that would go unnoticed by some,” Eric said looking at the king. “But not by me”

“Alas, ye watchful eyes noticed it.” Ryker moved his king to evade Eric’s knight, “Quite impressive, I just visited Ireland, me home land. And by St. Patrick I missed it.” Ryker chuckled.

“From what I saw in Fujitora’s memories you had specific plans for some of us,” Eric said using his queen to take Ryker’s. “Check”

“Indeed, Dr. Doom will help me with my research to save me daughter, Thanos, to join me ranks…” Ryker slurred, moving his king.

“And what of me?” Eric asked the King. “How do I fit in this little game of yours?”

“Ye don’t.” Ryker looked up at shadow man, “Yer just here-”

“Then why bring me here?” Eric said using his second knight to take out Ryker’s rook

“I was gettin to that…'' Ryker grumbled, moving his other rook. “Yer here for entertainment, also who else would I invite? Such a troubled young man like yerself, you have some history with Thanos, yes?”

Eric couldn’t help but sense lies in the king’s words but he didn’t let it show in his words or his expression.

“I do,” Eric said, taking out Ryker’s knight. “He’s an asshole but he’s funny from time to time”

“I see, if you give me information about him and I shall give you information in return.” Ryker looked up at Eric before moving his pawn.

“I’d give it to you,” Eric said, using the same knight to take out Ryker’s remaining rook. “If I trusted you”

“Oh come on, information for something from me.” Ryker pleaded, moving his king to take down his knight.

“Sorry your majesty,” Eric said reaching for his remaining knight when the King spoke

“I will do anything for that damn info! Bitch, I will fucking suck your dick!” Ryker stood up shaking, triggered.

“Hard pass.” Eric said putting his fingers on his knight

Ryker frowned, and made a portal behind Eric before pushing him in and following him afterwards, they appeared at an archipelago, an empty plain island.

“So the king is finally showing his true colors.” Laughed the Shadow Man.

“No, ye just made me pissed off lad, I just want to blow off some steam, ye kinda put me on the spot like that.” Ryker shook his head before looking at the Shadow Man. 

“I planned on it,” Eric said pointing to the kings ankle

Looking down Ryker was met with the sight of a shadow tendril around his ankle, Immediately Ryker was lifted and slammed into the ground several times before Ryker freed himself

Ryker jumped into the air and landed onto his feet. "I want you to hit me, as hard as you can." Ryker frowned, crossing his arms.

“Really now,” Eric said. “Feeling pretty cocky there your-”

"Now hold on, I think you might have misheard me." Eric scoffed, "Not "half as hard", or some arbitrary percentage. I want you. To hit me. As hard. As. You. Can." Ryker glared at Eric.

“And if I don’t play along?” Eri asked his powers flaring over his body

“Well I guess Amber was wrong about you.” Ryker rubbed his nose cockily.

Without hesitation Eric vanished from view before reappearing in front of the king with his signature scythe coming down on the kings neck, only for it to stop at his neck

“Oough, considered that nerve touched.” Ryker grinned.

Eric jumped back, in pure shock the attack had no effect on the King. “H-how?” Eric asked the Eliatrope King.

“Well as a soon to be broken man once said… You’re either perfect… Or you’re not me.” Ryker covered his foot in Armament Haki and delivered a devastating blow to Eric’s gut, making the shadow man coughed an ungodly amount of blood and his wind knocked out of him. Eric was sent through rock formations and onto another island before Ryker appeared above him. Ryker put a hand on Eric’s chest.

“I know you won’t tell anyone if… You don’t want the same thing to happen to Luna like it did to Amber. Now, beating you doesn’t mean I’m evil… it just means that I really do not want you to do anything bad to me plans lad.”

This made Eric’s eyes grow wide, slowly Eric rose to his feet before looking to the King.

“Just send me back to my room,” Eric ordered Ryker. “I’ve a match to fight soon”

“Also, I’m not evil, just throwing that out there. Not. Evil. No malicious intent at all, just want me daughter.” Ryker grinned, making a portal next to Eric before throwing him a Senzi bean, “Heal up lad! “

“I don’t give a fuck,” Eric said as he caught the healing bean before walking through the portal.

Once the portal closed Eric made his way to the Arena only to stop at the game he and the king were playing, grabbing the knight Eric moved it a few spaces towards the king

“That’s checkmate,” Eric said, walking past the board revealing a single king surrounded by a rook, queen, a knight, and a bishop. “Asshole”

As Eric walked off a portal appeared behind him and it revealed Ryker giving Eric the bird. “Horsefucker.”

Ryker felt something around his ankle before looking down.

“Oh here we go again…” Ryker laughed.

Ryker was pulled into his shadow appearing all over the colosseum smashing into multiple walls before being spat out into his throne

“Heh, that’s convenient. Saved me the trouble, THANK’S ERIC!!!!” Ryker cried out.






Arena Stage.


“So Nightmare, any ideas on who is going to win?” Luffy asked the parasyte. 

The Nightmare hummed in thought, “I’ve only seen Black fight, I’ve got no idea what Eric can do. But I believe Black could land a guaranteed blow against him.” Nightmare looked to the straw hat pirate. “But that will be decided in the end.”

“Hm… My Belli is on Eric, he’s a Yonko!” Luffy shouted out.

“And Black is a Divine God.” Nappa countered, Luffy snapped his head to Nappa, his head spinning before looking at Nappa.

“Do you want a fight?!” Luffy growled, Nappa scoffed.

“Eric is no slouch either” Sombra stated with a smile. “He wasn’t known as the Reaper of the Crystal Empire for nothing”

“Black is not known as Equestria’s Divine God for nothing either, bitch.” Nappa countered.

“Hey how about you two sit down and watch the fight before we have another Eric and Thanos moment” Luna said getting in between the Saiyan and unicorn

“Agreed…” Nightmare growled.

“Thank you...um..Luna? or do I call you Nightmare?” Luna asked 

“I’m no longer connected to her, just call me Nightmare.” The Parasite said to the Alicorn.

“Very well...N-Nightmare” Luna said, slightly uncomfortable saying that name.

“Call her Nig-” Lucci slammed his fist into Nappa, covering it in Armament Haki, Nappa was sent up through the stands and into a wall.

“Don’t.” Lucci sat back down with his arms crossed.

“ALRIGHT!!!!” They all turned to Ryker, who sat on his throne, “I wasn’t able to incorporate this because the first match it was so RUDELY interrupted, the second match SOMEONE was impatient.” 

Ryker glared at Kodo, who snorted. 

“Don’t fault me for loving my mama!” Kodo shot back defiantly.

Shiva gripped his nape with a cautious, “Kodo, easy!”

“Don’t make me get the sheleighleigh, ye fokin son of a literal bitch,” Ryker said in his Irish accent before turning to the Alpha. “No offense, Shiva.”

"A fighter knows when to let his anger fuel him, pup," Ed advised.

Shiva glanced at Lucci. “Seriously though,” she muttered. “Why is that an insult?” 

“And I wasn’t there for the third match. We’re doing a count down system, to ten too. Now that we got that out of the way. In this corner we have The Captain of the Crystal Royal Guard, Reaper of the Crystal Empire, horsefucker, and One of the Four Emperors: Eric Von Shadow!” Ryker introduced the Yonko.

Shadow poured from the corner enveloping half the ring in a thick mist of shadow as a eerie voice spoke

When it comes time
for the Grim Reaper’s call.
Don’t mourn me at all.

No tear will you shed.
No sorrow will you feel.
When the Grim Reaper calls for me.

Your life is your own.
That, I will not disrupt.
No need to let you know,
when the Grim Reaper called for me.

You don’t know me in life.
Why know me in death?
Remain where you are.
No need to know
when the Grim Reaper called for me.

My one true love
is all who knows,
when the Grim Reaper called for me.

It is him,
and him alone,
who will set my ashes free.
After the Grim Reaper called for me.

My ashes are one
with Mother Earth.

They fly in her breeze,
nourishes her soil,
and swims in her seas.
All thanks,
to the Grim Reaper’s call for me.

Now my soul awaits
for the Grim Reaper’s call
for my one true love’s soul.

Until that day,
when the Grim Reaper
calls for him.
I will haunt you all.

My fiery rage,
you will know.
The damage,
the suffering,
will grow.

You may ignore me
in life,
but not
in death.

For when the Grim Reaper
comes a calling,
I will be the one
calling you.

From the middle of the shadow came Eric Von Shadow decked out in his royal armor, a black sword attached to his right and a gold sword attached to his left.

“Heh,” Sombra chuckled under his breath. “He always enjoys striking fear in others with his entrances” The unicorn turned to the audience who had fear filled expressions plastered on their face.

Except for Shiva. Her tail was wagging, and she howled a diamond dog’s call; a call of support. A call that said, “The Diamond Dogs stand with you!”

“And in this corner we have the man who fought the fearsome Crimson Sage, the one who fought the Mad Titan to a draw, the one who has the body of the legendary Super Saiyan Goku, lover of his Princess Luna, we have Equestria’s… DIVIIIINNNEEEE GOOODDD!!!!!” Ryker introduced with greater hype than Eric’s.

Suddenly to everyone’s surprise, a thunderstorm with a sickly green aura to it rolled into the sky. It covered the sun as it casted a dark shadow over the arena. Lightning stuck all around, it hitting the borders of the shield. A swirling vortex formed as the wind began to pick up, forming a tornado as it stuck the ground. A silhouette formed, it had glowing red eyes. The Thunderstorm then seemingly vanished after a powerful shockwave pushed it away, revealing the Saiyan in dark clothing, Goku Black.

“Nice entrance, Black” Complimented the shadow man

“Gonna have to compliment you back,” Black said with a smirk.

“Now before we begin… I have news!” The Arena was suddenly teleported into an Archipelago, the same one where Ryker and Eric “fought.” Eric and Black appeared on an island. The arena was now a spaceship as a screen showing the two fighters. Ryker just grinned ear to ear.

“Sure. Add insult to injury,” Eric whispered under his breath

“Now the battle shall begin in three!”

“Two!

“One!”

“FIGHT!!!”

Eric placed both hands to the ground entangling Black in large thick tendrils made from his own shadow all the while covering the entire area in shadow

Black looked down to the tendrils holding him down, he scoffed. “If you think this will hold me, then you're sadly mistaken.” Black spat.

“They were never meant to hold you” Eric stated smiling. “I just need you in one place so I could prepare the field”

“Now rise Wolf Pack”

From the shadows came a bounty of large wolves with black fur and piercing red eyes all barked and snapped at the Saiyans general direction.

“Sic em” Eric said, throwing his wolves at the saiyan.

Black chuckled at this, he gripped his hands and threw them to the side, creating a devastating shockwave. It pushes back the wolves, “Wolves… that's cute…” Black laughed. The shockwave loosened the tendrils holding him down, but not enough for him to squirm free.

“Well they’re used for distractions” Eric said as Black was grabbed from behind by a giant Skeletal hand, Black was lifted up and was met with the sight of black skull with burning red eyes, eyes that begged for death.

“My Shadow Reaper” stated the Shadow man as his shadow continued to pour into the ground. “The strongest thing I’ve ever made before my exile”

The Reaper throws Black into the air before bringing it’s scythe down upon him knocking him into the ground with a cut over his chest.

Black looked down to see the cut had ripped straight through his gi, but not enough to draw any blood. The Saiyan laughed, “Did you really think that would be enough to injure me?” Black said as he stood up, dusting off any dirt on his gi.

“The king said nonlethal so I dulled my Reaper's scythe” Eric 

“True,” Black commented as he looked back up to the Shadow Reaper, “I will say, that has definitely got the blood pumping now.” Black said as he began to stretch. He stopped his stretching a moment later as he grinned. “My turn…” The Saiyan roared as a dark aura surrounded him. He aimed his hand at the shadow reaper, shooting a devastating ki blast towards it.

It struck the Shadow Reaper, vaporising it instantly as it’s form disappeared from sight. Black turned his gaze back to Eric, “I think it’s time to get past the warm up, don’t you think?” Black asks as he transforms into Super Saiyan, his power increasing exponentially. Black charges forward as he leaves a mini trench behind him as he flies towards the Shadow man.

“I couldn't agree more” Eric said slamming his hand onto the ground causing a shockwave that knocked Black off course. “I assume you’re familiar with this form”

Shadow Soul: Soul of the Reaper

Eric’s body melted away with the shadows around him causing him to disappear from the Saiyans view

Black grabbed the ground, sliding across it before correcting himself and coming to a stop, “This will be troublesome.” The Saiyan muttered under his breath. Black jumped to the sky, leaving the ground at an alarming rate. Black looked back down to the ground and threw his hands forward, sending out a ki barrage towards the ground. The blasts hit the ground as it left a massive explosion after.

“Surprise,” a chilling voice said behind the Saiyan

The moment Black spun around his body was met with the business end of Eric’s Reaper Scythe, only this time the slash drew blood from the Saiyan. Black staggered a bit in the air holding the wound inflicted by the Shadow man as he turned his gaze to Eric’s Reaper form

“Non lethal huh… well that's a bit of bullshit if I’ve ever heard,” Black chuckled as he inspected the wound.

“I said I dulled my Shadow Reaper Scythe” Eric said in a voice that sent chills through everyone’s spines. “However this Scythe, isn’t made from my shadows and it has never been dulled a single day since I’ve owned it”

“Well, I congratulate you… for injuring a ki clone…” Black chuckled as his form disappeared in a sparkle of yellow ki. Eric was interrupted when he felt a white boot make contact with his cheek, sending him down towards the islands. The real Goku Black looked down and smiled, “They really do come in handy.”

“Ah, clones in battle” Eric mused to himself as he floated from the ground. “Reminds me a fight where some fool cast a Gemini spell that went haywire.”

Immediately Eric vanished from the Saiyans view, causing his eyes to grow wide, what followed next was the sound barrier breaking twice

“But can you match my speed, Saiyan?” The Shadow Man asked as the sound barrier was broken a third time

Without warning Blacks arm was cut surprisingly deep. Black yelped in pain as he gripped his arm, he glared at the air, looking for the Shadow man. His attempts bore no fruit as another gash appeared on his left shin, then another on his right shoulder.

The Saiyan growled, before letting out a primal roar, his aura growing twice in size as it pushed Eric back and stopping his barrage of attacks. Taking this chance, Black charged to the Shadow man and threw a right hook into his gut. Eric soared into the air from the impact allowing the Saiyan to unleash a barrage of his own. “Two can play at that game, Von Shadow.” Black roared as he threw a kick across Eric's face, it being followed up by a Kamehameha. The blast made an impact, a large explosion shaking the lands and skies.

Eric lay at the end of a long and deep trench his Reaper form completely decimated, Black breathed a sigh of relief seeing how the Shadow Man didn’t get up. However Eric soon began to laugh, that laugh grew and volume and depth

“Of course that wouldn’t put you down…” Black mumbled. Getting ready for another attack as he got into a fighting stance similar to Vegeta’s.

“I must admit, this is going to be hard.” Laughed the Shadow Man as he arose from the trench and stared at the Saiyan with his burning red Eyes. 

“Well I knew this wasn’t gonna be easy, who knows what you can do.” Black said as he waited.

“I know right” Eric said, shadow began flooding from his body. “Do have any idea how hard it’s going to be to hold back and beat you”

“I’m just having a hard time figuring you out, once I’m done with that, the real fight will begin.” Black claimed as he activated his aura.

“You should feel proud, Black,” Eric said, cracking a few stiff bones before looking at him with hunger in his eyes. “Not many people can land a finger let alone a full punch on my Reaper Soul.”

Eric lowered his stance and placed a hand on the ground,

“Let’s see how you handle something with a little bit more… bite,” Eric said channeling the shadows around him

Black squinted at what Eric was playing, ‘Everything about him is shadowed based, what can I do to counter it…’ Black thought.

Shadow Soul: Soul of the Knight

Eric was immediately swarmed by the surrounding shadows, covering him in a cloud of darkness. Sensing a power stronger than the last form Black charged in only to be smack by what felt like a heavy shield, Black flew across the island and crashed into the same rock formation Eric hit hours prior.

Black layed in the rubble, “Huh… this is new…” Black commented as he stood back up, he looked to where Eric was, only to be surprised at the height of Von Shadow’s form. The Saiyan got brief flashbacks of him being crushed in Edwards' hands months ago. “Every time…” Black muttered as he started to pop his knuckles and his neck.

“Bring it, Saiyan.” Eric taunted in a now deeper and commanding voice as he raised his sword and shield

“If you say so,” Black chuckled as he gripped his hands, lightning now pulsating around him as his hair spiked up. With newfound speed, he charged forward and vanished from Eric’s sight. Von Shadow felt a strike against his chest, revealing Black with a grin. The blow made Eric stumble backwards a bit.

“Heh” Laughed Eric rearing his shield beck “Is that the Best you’ve got!!”

Eric backhanded the Saiyan with his shield, sending him right back into the rock formation’s rubble, Meanwhile up inside the stands...

“See, Eric’s knight form drastically increases both his strength and his defense” Sombra said crossing his arms watching his friend fight. “He would need something extremely powerful to get through Eric’s Armor.”

“Black definitely has a large arsenal of techniques that can get through his defense,” Nightmare commented as she watched Black being backhanded, “But he sure does like to take his time though…” Nightmare growled.

“Pfft-” Thanos held a hand to his mouth to stop himself from laughing at Sombra’s comment. 

“Something funny, Thanos?” Sombra asked turning his gaze to the Titan

“Indeed Sombra, you said something drastically powerful to harm him, let me put scaling logic in here, one Kamehameha wave from Master Roshi can destroy the moon, what do you think a Super Saiyan 2 with a 100x multiplier on him can do to a tanky D&D character with good armor?” Thanos raises an eyebrow.

“Well unless he uses it soon he will eventually become too exhausted” Sombra said, turning to the screen. “And Eric knows this. Which is why he’s waiting for the perfect opportunity” 

“Well good luck with waiting, he can hold those transformation’s of his for long periods of time.” Nightmare countered, “But the higher forms do take a strain on his body.”

“Too bad he doesn’t have whatever that thing Phoenix used on me,” Shiva grumbled. “It made using my own powers feel like I was tearing my muscles out.” 

Back to the island Black rubbed his cheek as it had left a bruise. “Why is it always the bigger guys that I have to resort to this…” Black commented as he stood back up. He soon shot high into the sky, leaving a trail of dust behind him.

“Shadow Slasher!” Eric swung his blade sending a razor edge wave of shadow towards the airborne Saiyan, to Von Shadow’s dismay, the Saiyan was able to dodge the attack.

Black looked down upon Eric with a scowl, he threw his hands forward, chanting. “Big Bang…” A blue ball of ki formed in front of his hands as it grew in size, “Ka Me, Ha Me…”

“Nice try,” Eric said as purple wisps of magic formed from his eyes. “Dark Press” Eric raised his shielded arm to the Saiyan which caused Black to plummet to the ground from the unbearable weight that was pressing against him

“By Din’s fiery arms, that is some serious magic there...” Link said in surprise at how it was giving Black so much hard time.

“Tch, Black better get serious.” Thanos looked at the screen, and deeply at Black, “Come on kid… Show ‘em what you can do.”

Kodo glanced at Thanos before keeping his eyes on Eric. “Keep it up, Von Shadow,” he whispered. “Show us what that devil fruit can really do.” 

“Dark Press…” Sombra stated slightly shaking his head. “It’s one of Umbra’s combat spells, it takes the weight of your sins and those around you and puts them all upon your shoulders” Sombra said, narrowing his eyes at the sheer level. “It is the very meaning of shouldering somebody's sins”

“So it's like San’s Gaster Blasters, but with gravity instead of damage over time.” Link said as he looked over at Sombra.

Black stood back up from the rubble with a dark haze covering his face. “Alright… I'm done playing around…” Black growled as his aura began to grow rapidly.

[Insert Berserk - My Brother (Extended) (Definitive Version)]

The Saiyan ripped off the top part of his gi and let out a primal roar. A sphere of yellow ki surrounded the Saiyan, letting off a power shockwave that sent Eric backwards. Moments later, the ki dispersed to reveal Black with a new look. Red fur covering his body for the exception of his hands, biceps, and abbs. His hair turned black and went down his back. His eyes had a red underline and his pupils turning yellow. His tail moved around him as the Saiyan stood there, fully transformed into Super Saiyan 4. “From here on out, things are gonna get ugly…” Blacks voice changed, it had a more grave effect to it.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Saiyan.” Eric said Raising his Shield. “Shield of Shade”.

Eric’s shield began absorbing the surrounding shadows increasing its strength as the Saiyan charged

“..With all this magic being thrown around, it’s making me wish I tried the Ultima Spell on you, Thanos.” Link said as he stroked along the blonde beard.

“That is no magic” Luna said, drawing the Hylian’s attention. “That is Eric’s Devil Fruit, It allows him to control, become, and manipulate all forms of shadow, even the ones he makes”

“...Damn it, Black you need to win this, I really do not want to fight Eric.” Thanos admitted.

Black charged forward, multiple afterimages splitting off of him as they began to charge Kamehameha’s. As the Saiyan drew near, he shot straight up into the sky with the after images following.

“3” Eric whispered under his breath

“Kamehame!!!” Black roared as the ball of ki began to grow in size, the after images splitting off while doing the same.

“2”

Much to Eric’s surprise, along with Black and his afterimages they all disappeared from sight.

“1”

They all appeared, but the afterimages were all there along with Black, charging real Kamehameha’s. “HHHAAAAAA!!!!” Black let out a primal roar with the rest, sending multiple blasts as they combined into one to the size of a mountain.

Eric almost failed in blocking the massive blast, but fortunately his shield did collide with the blast which exploded in a massive explosion of both Shadow and Ki, a massive dust cloud grew in size as it both engulfed Eric and Black.

“How ya holding up Saiyan?” Eric spoke through the dust

Watching the fight above Sombra noticed a brief flash of light which made him grin slightly. 'Heh, Clever' the unicorn thought as he watched the match

The dust then dissipated as it revealed Black charging at mach 3 towards Eric with a glowing yellow fist. “FIVE REN KUGI DRAGON FIST!” Black roared as a yellow dragon exploded from the Saiyan, charging forward.

“Oh shit” Eric said, casting a spell with haste. “Dark Pre….”

Black’s attack broke through the Shadow Man’s sword and armor forcing him back to normal, Eric stood tall before staggering to a single knee.

In the stands, Kodo’s ears flattened, as Shiva prepared to cover his eyes. “Come on, Von Shadow…” he muttered. 

“YES!!!! Black with the Five Ren Kugi Punch!” Thanos pumped his right fist, “You can do this Son Goku Black!”

“S..shit..” Eric said, almost collapsing to the ground. “Looks like you are stronger than they say.” 

Black said nothing as he hovered above Eric, staring him down.

“But I’m dying to know,” Eric said, magic coursing in his eyes. “Dark Bullet.”

Eric fired a bolt of lightning fast magic at the Saiyan which pierced his lower stomach

“How much longer can you stay in that form?” Eric asked as Black lowered himself to the ground, the Saiyan glared at Von Shadow as he held his stomach. He saw that his Stomach was cut deep into his gut.

Link softly cringed. “That’s gonna leave a mark...” he commented.

“You're just asking for me to kick your ass…” Black growled as he slowly stood back up.

“Hey it’s a nonlethal Shot” Chuckled the Shadow Man. “And besides I hit you in the one place that won’t kill you.”

“I can always heal you once We’re finished here” Offered Eric

Black smirked, ‘Thank you DW’, Tis but a flesh wound’, “Tis but a scratch.” Black jokes

“Sure whatever you say Monty” Eric swung his arm sending a wave of shadow at the Saiyan before bringing his hand to the ground again

Shadow Soul: Soul of the King

Eric’s form grew an addition five feet, his attire of shadows resemble that to a king in medieval times with a seven pointed crown atop his head

Black watched the growing man, but scowled as he looked to the side a spit a bit of blood. The saiyan popped his shoulder joint before creating a ki blade. He then plunged the blade into his hand, drawing a bit of blood before the Saiyan pulled it out. Molding it into a scythe as his power increased.

Eric’s King form said nothing as it raised it’s hand

“Come to me, My loyal Subjects” Eric ordered slightly confusing the Saiyan

The shadow covering the island began to rise and take the form of people, all pitch black and gazing at others with their dead red eyes. They all gathered around Eric who then closed his hand and pointed at the Saiyan

“Seize him” 

Each and every shadow turned towards the Saiyan before letting out ear splitting shrieks, the shadow’s ran at the Saiyan their arms turning to blades as they rushing Black

“What in Faust's name are those...things?” Rainbow asked shocked.

“Oh that’s right,” Sombra said looking at the Pegasus, “This is your first time seeing this form.”

“She’s not the only one,” Shiva noted, the fur on her back spiked and her ears flat and covered by her claws as the shadows shrieked. “They sound like the cursed souls of Tartarus!”

“Those are Eric’s Army of Shade,” Sombra explained to those not familiar with the Shadow Man’s transformations. “Creatures made from shadow, he has full control of what they do, just not how they do it.”

“Damn it, come on Black try and beat their asses!” Thanos said, tapping his feet anxiously, “Can someone please take Eric down, I seriously don’t want to fight him. Come on Black!” Thanos pleaded to whatever god that watched over them. 

“All he would have to do is order them to kill,” Sombra said, gripping his arms at the memories of that form. “And they would maime, dismember, tear limb from limb. Anything gruesome you can think of they will do it” Sombra shook his head and continued to watch the match. “As I said before a truly formidable Adversary

Black growled as he started to fly away, the shadows chasing him down as for every time they attack, he weaved out of the way before striking them with his scythe. The Saiyan continued to do this, blasting them left and right and slicing them apart. But a few had stuck the Saiyan as cuts split across his fur covered skin. Unfortunately for every one he killed two more took their place.

“They’re like damn hydra’s…” Black hissed, but a thought came to mind, “but their all shadows…” The Saiyan smirked as he increased his speed, flying high into the sky and stopping in front of the sun. He hooked the scythe onto his back and threw his hands to the side of his face. Black grinned before chanting,

“SOLAR FLARE X100,” Black yelled, a bright flash of light brighter than the sun grew.

“Son of a flying pot!” Link cringed as the holy mother of solar flare blinded him, forcing him to reach into his pouch and pull out the Lens Of Truth just to see through all that light. 

Kodo and Shiva barked as they shielded their own eyes, slightly more used to the light show due to Shiva’s power, but still overwhelmed. “What’s Celestia doing up there?” Shiva mumbled.

“Celestia?” Kodo asked. “That’s gotta be Day Breaker’s essence, at the very least!”

“MY EYES!!!!!!!” Thanos roared while looking directly at it, not shielding his eyes. 

Lucci looked at it with goggles before screaming, “THE GOGGLES!!!! THEY DON’T DO SHIT!!!!!” Lucci fell onto his back.

“Mother of Faust!” Sombra screamed as he and the others covered their pain filled eyes

Black opened his eyes to grab his scythe only to gaze ahead in horror to find the creatures were still there completely unharmed.

Black starred there with a pout on his face, “Well, this is a load of bullshit…” Black growled. Though the Saiyan took this opportunity to slice at the air, a blade of ki shot above the shadows before stopping in place. It opened wide to reveal streams of purple clouds coming out. The clouds forming into clones of Black, but almost drained of color. “You're not the only one who can do this.” Black called out.

“I’m afraid you are wrong” Eric said as his army retracted a little “This is not even the extent of my power in this form” 

“That’s not even his final form?” Link asked jokingly. 

“You bet your ass it isn’t!” Thanos laughed, “I can’t see, I’m legally blind not.”

“By the way, how’s your arm?” Eric asked causing the Saiyan to turn his gaze to his left arm

Without warning deep gashes appeared all over his arm, causing the Saiyan to roar in pain, feeling the limb losing all motor function. Turning his gaze forward the Saiyan was met with multiple blurs flying in the air before they all stopped behind the king, Behind Eric was ten of his Reaper forms each one wielding a shadow scythe.

Kodo gazed at the Reapers in awe. “Holy Mother…” he whispered.

“Damn it!” Thanos cried out, “For once in your goddamn life for fighting Displaced win for once! No draw! FUCKING WIN!!!!” Thanos bellowed, shaking the entire ship.

“Told ya power isn’t everything.” Link said with a shrug. 

“I know but Black needs to win! I need him to win.” Thanos pointed at the screen looking at Link with a desperate expression on his face.

Black laid on the ground, his gi in taters as his left arm was covered in blood. The Saiyan shakely stood up to his feet, almost falling over. To Eric’s surprise, Black went back to his base form, shocking Thanos. The Saiyan breathed heavily, a dark haze falling over him.

Shiva whimpered at the sight of a bloodied Black, resisting the urge to jump down and try to heal him.

“Why do you want him to win through?” Link asked curiously. 

“Because he fears what Eric will do,” Sombra said with no remorse. “And for good reason.”

Thanos breathed through his teeth, “It’s because…” Thanos swallowed his fear, “It’s because I’m afraid that if I fight him, we will both tear each other apart. Think about it, ever since we first met we kinda hated each other, I was some mysterious foe and he was a warrior that was better than me at the time. And now… Since he hates me, and I don’t really hate him I’m afraid this will divide our friendship further then it was once before. I don’t want to lose a damn friend!”

“..You built a friendship on power rivalry?” Link asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“We built a friendship because it all started with me completely owning Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and helping Eric teach them, Eric gave me the Netsu-Netsu No Mi in return.” Thanos held up his right palm and clenched it.

“To be fair,” Shiva noted diplomatically. “There are stranger ways to form bonds with others. And any friendship, once formed, is priceless.” 

“Indeed…” Thanos sighed, “Indeed, Shiva.”

Black had his eyes closed as he struggled to stand, “If you… think taking a… arm from me… is going to change the fate… of this fight.” Black whispered. He began to breathe softly, fully standing up without trouble.

“End this, Black,” Eric ordered, flaring his magic. “You don’t need to fight anymore, any more of this and it will kill you”

Black said nothing as he shakely looked towards Eric’s voice, “Don’t tell me… what I can… and cannot do…” Black whispered, a faint ocean like aura  began to surround him. “Never tell me that…”

“It’s over Black, I have the high ground” Eric said pointing his hand at the Saiyan “Dark Slumber” A purple orb of magic fired at the Saiyan, only for it to pass through him and hit a nearby island.

[insert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyBLPAHXSPo ]

“You underestimate my power…” Black whispered, opening his eyes as they shined with his pupils turning silver. A cylinder of heat rose around Black as his hair flowed up and pointed in different locations. Soon after, a burst of light surrounded him as he literally began to shine.

“Pity, you are a powerful adversary,” Eric complimented. “Not many can get me to use this form.”

Eric flicked his hand and the reapers behind him vanished.

Link looked around curiously. “..Am I going to be hearing an announcer talking in a deep voice here?” He said with a frown. So much display of power and yet the match was dragging on a bit too long.

“Damn it… Black’s losing, if only the damn bastard didn’t show off Super Saiyan Four, he would already be at Super Saiyan Rose.” Thanos clenched his fists.

“Not possible,” Sombra stated to the Titan. “You forget Eric still has one more available form.”

"Black can handle this," Ed added looking at Thanos. "You and I both know he is more than capable. He always plays his cards close to his chest."

“I… Know. I want the damn bastard to conserve his stamina and go into Super Saiyan God, to conserve his strength.” Thanos frowned, clenching his fists harder, as well as his teeth.

Black’s shining display vanished and it was replaced by a shirtless Saiyan. But his hair changed, turning silver along with his aura and power growing, it reaching the Displaced watching the fight. A red line soon formed on the side of his cheek as the reapers were upon him

“Maybe he’s trying to prove he can win without it? Either that, or he’s pulling a Goku and just taking advantage of the power boosts by allowing himself to be beaten just to get stronger..” Link said.

“Get him” Eric ordered as his army and reapers closed in

Faster than anyone had seen, Black appeared behind Von Shadow with his right arm lifted. Soon, a flurry of punches attacked Eric while Black remained in place. This sent Von Shadow flying into his reaper army, crashing through them and into an island.

Eric’s form faltered slightly as he got to his feet

“Unbelievable,” Sombra said utterly shocked. “He actually managed to move Eric” Sombra returned to normal before frowning. “But it’s too late”

Black was hit in his side by a large object which sent him flying, looking ahead he saw he was flying right towards a group of Eric’s Knight forms. Black collided with one of their shields before being knocked back and forth, finally one swung at Black with his shield and sent him fight into the knight’s sword. The shadow sword trapped him inside the blade, raising the weapon Many of the other knights crossed their swords forming a prison for the Saiyan before burying it into the ground

But the Saiyan let out a roar, it being multiplied in size and it began to bend the sword. His power growing as the swords gave way as a massive explosion blew the island away. The reapers being vaporized and Black standing in the massive creator

“Farore’s wind..” Link said in shock as he could practically feel Black’s ki vibrating from here. 

“Quite impressive to say the least” Complimented Luna

“Wait, where is Entity going to la-” Entity fell from the clouds and into water, Nappa blinked and saw bubbles from where Entity landed.

The Saiyan appeared behind Eric without a second thought, it was too late for the Shadow Man as Black threw a flurry of punches into Eric. Each punch got stronger as Black continued to improve his Ultra Instinct. This was followed by Black kneeing Eric in the gut and a massive blast of his impacting the man.

Eric was blown back into the remains of the island, his King form vanishing as he dug a trench on impact. Eric however laughed as the Saiyan approached him, his body close to failing him

“By far, the most fun” Eric began still laughing. “I’ve ever had in a fight”

“What are you waiting for?” Eric asked the Saiyan as Black just stared at him. “Go on. Finish me”

To everyone, and I mean everyone’s surprise, Black turned away from Eric and began to walk away.

“SON OF A BITCH!!!!” Thanos cried out so loud enough Black and Eric heard him.

“His mistake is turning away from Eric,” Sombra said shaking his head as he watched the shadow around his friend 

“You keep underestimating me,” Black said, a second voice overlapping his. “You should never underestimate your opponent,” Black turned his head to face Eric, but a grin formed.

“I never do” Eric argued. “I always assume my opponent is stronger than me, and I plan ahead for that case scenario.”

“True, but did you ever stop to think about where I was?” Black asked, his form starting to shimmer.

“Are you referring to the real you that you’ve been hiding during the majority of the match?” Eric asked smiling

“Nope, but gathering energy for one final attack, but where?” Black asked with a laugh as he completely disappeared.

“..Don’t tell me its a spirit bomb…” Link said as he slapped his forehead. He’s seen so much of DBZ to the point it’s become almost predictable

“SPIRIT BOMB YES!!!!!” Thanos threw his hands into the air with a grin.

“Spirit bomb?” Shiva stammered.

Eric looked up to see the Saiyan in Perfected Super Saiyan Rose, topped with a Kaio-ken x50 charging a blast the side of a fucking mountain with one arm.

“Well now I feel like less of an ass now,” Eric said calmly

“FINAL BIG BANG-” Black disappeared from sight, reappearing right in front of Eric with a look of rage.

“KAMEHAMEHAAAAAAA!!!!!!” Black roared as he threw his one arm forward, engulfing Eric in the largest blast seen. It soared past the audience as it flew straight into space.

“Oh, I was wrong. It was a warp kamehameha, but with a bang.” Link said. 

“I had to take the full brunt of that you know…” Thanos pointed out, pointing a finger at the blast. “Hurt like a mother fucker.” 

“Of course you can, meanwhile I’d be nothing but the remains of my triforce if I took that without Nayru’s love protecting me.” Link said with a frown. The hylian was not used to being near so much goddess-damned power.

“You’re not alone in that, Link,” Shiva noted, her own ears flat. “I’ve absorbed dragon’s fire and unicorn or alicorn blasts before, but trying to absorb a blast like that?” She shook her head, equally unused to the high power levels all around her.

Black hovered, seeing the trench go on for miles as water from the ocean split into it. He huffed and fell into his base form, shaking before falling to the ground and onto his back. Still somewhat conscious as he groaned in pain.

Footsteps approach the downed Saiyan as Eric came into view Umbra magic flaring in his hands

“Dark Slumber” Eric said, hitting the Saiyan in the Chest causing him to slowly lose consciousness. “You aren’t the only one who can create clones.”

Black struggled to stay awake, feeling the effects of Eric’s spell taking hold. But fell unconscious as his body went limp and his pupils disappeared. But no one could hear it, but Black’s heartbeat slowed down..

Shiva watched Black pass out, before glancing at Thanos with a nervous swallow. 

“...I’m going to take a walk.” Thanos went to his feet and walked away, punching a wall on his way out, shattering it like glass before vanishing.

“So I’m a little lost here.” Rainbow began scratching at the back of her head. “How did Eric survive that blast and what more have fewer injuries?”

“Dark Copy,” Sombra explained. “it’s one of Umbra’s spells, it happened when both were hidden by the dust cloud but there was a brief flash of light.”

"I don't follow," Rainbow said tilting her head

"It's simple if you understand the spell," Sombra said, explaining the dark spell to the pegasus. "Dark copy allows one to make a perfect replica of a living or nonliving thing. Copy a person and their strength, speed, durability, and endurance are all perfectly copied right down to the littlest detail"

“I CALL BULLSHIT!!!!” Ryker shouted out, “HOWW?!?!?!? HOW DID THE COPY SURVIVE THE ATTACKS FROM SSJ FOUR!???!? HHHOOOWWWWWW?!?!??!?!?” Ryker cried out looking at Eric.

“My Shadows are stronger than many think they are your majesty.”

“Two Devil Fruits?! Do you have another being inside of you!?” Ryker asked, his eyes turning a flashing red.

“I’m afraid you are mistaken, Ryker,” Eric said, dropping into his shadow and appearing from the shadow of Ryker’s throne.

“....I… Get off.” Ryker ordered the shadow man, “Get off my throne. Go to bed.” 

Jumping off as ordered Eric explains to the King his fruit

“Take it like this if you condense energy you get a more powerful blast” Eric began “Well My shadows can be condensed to form a powerful shield or barrier and I usually have that.” Eric said, showing the extremely cracked shadow under his shirt. “Under my clothes at all times.”

“You know what? Get over here.” Eric was brought to Ryker, “No magic, no being who is not divine can candle that type of blast, who the fuck are you?” Ryker demanded.

During the rising arguments between Eric and Ryker, Nightmare had noticed something about Black’s body. His chest had not been rising at all, showing no signs of breathing. “Oh no…” Nightmare ran off the ship, and flew at high speed to the Saiyans body. Upon reaching it, she placed an ear against his chest, her eyes widened in fear before facing the stands. “HIS HEART ISN'T BEATING!!!!!” Nightmare cried out, the argument stopping.

[insert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZdscrNmalM]

“Hang on!” Shiva yelled, leaping into the arena with the aid of her pack link wings. Skidding to Black’s side, she hovered a claw over him, sensing the dark magic within him. “Let me siphon off the effects of that ‘Dark Slumber,’” she said, wrapping a pack link around his eyes. She shuddered as the dark magic oozed into her link, turning it a sickly black, but condensed it into a small ball in her other hand.

Milliseconds later, Nappa immediately teleported to his side, “BLACK!!!! GET A MEDIC!!!!” Nappa roared, “Hold on I got a doctor’s degree!” Shiva backed up to a safe distance, her link still siphoning off the magic, while Nappa charged his hands with ki and put it on Black’s chest. 

“CLEAR!!!” Nappa fired a Ki pulse into Black’s body.

“Move Imbecile,” Sombra barked, teleporting in. “Let the real doctor handle this.”

“His heart isn’t what?!” Link screamed out as he leaped over the stands to get over to Black’s body. 

Sombra looked over the Saiyans body for any reason his heart would have stopped, his injuries were not that severe compared to his copies

“He literally used everything…” Nightmare muttered, “He used any drop of energy in that attack… even his life force…” Nightmare started to shed tears as she placed a hand over her muzzle.

“Nightmare,” Shiva said assuringly, the black spell of Dark Slumber becoming the size of a baseball in her claw. “He’s going to pull through. We’re going to do everything we can.”

Nappa fired off another pulse of Ki, tears welled up in Nappa’s eyes. “I’m not letting another Saiyan die!” Nappa fired another one off.

“It’s not just that,” Sombra said, closing his eyes and flaring his horn before his eyes grow wide. “His body is reacting violently to Eric’s spell.” Sombra said, looking to Shiva. “Shiva, get that magic out of him as fast as you can.” He turned to the stands. “Luna! Down Here! Now!”

Nightmare looked to Eric with daggers, walking up to him and holding him up by his neck. “Your spell is killing him… Undo it… NOW!!!” Nightmare roared as Eric struggled to breathe.

“I had no idea,” Eric said, trying to ease the former Alicorn.

“Both of you, enough!” Shiva barked, as the last of the spell oozed out of Black’s body and into her link. “I’m siphoning the spell off him right now.”

Eric was dropped when Nightmare’s hands were separated from her wrists

“This is no time to blame people,” Sombra said, his sword unsheathed and his powers flared. “And reversing it will only make it worse right now.”

“Go away Umbra! I’m saving one of my people, WITHOUT YOUR DAMN HELP!!!” Nappa went Super Saiyan Two and sent more Ki into Black to try and revive him.

“This is probably going to kill me, but fuck it.” Link said as he placed his hand on Nappa’s shoulder. “I need you to trust me on this and allow my magic through.” Link said.

“Please do whatever you can, Link, please!” Nappa stepped aside.

“First we need to extract the dark magic,” Sombra said.

Shiva offered the purple orb. “Already done,” she said.

“Destroy that,” Sombra ordered

Shiva gingerly handed it to Nappa, who crushed it into energy dust. “Link, do your thing!”

“Luna,” Sombra looked to the alicorn. “Think you can restart his heart?”

“I’ll try,” Luna said, her lightning sparking in her hand

“Low voltage Luna,” Sombra reminded her. “We want to restart; not fry.”

“Right, sorry” Luna said lowering the intensity on her lightning

“Hit em,” Sombra ordered as Luna put her hands to the Saiyans chest causing him to jump

Sombra put his fingers to his neck and found no pulse

“Again” Sombra ordered, causing Luna to repeat.

As they continued, Shiva sent pulses of her own through the link. “You’re not dying, Black,” she said. “Eric may have saved my life, but I didn’t want him to win like this…” 

After three pulses, Shiva’s ears perked as she felt his mind flutter with life. “He’s coming back!” she called. 

At the same time, Sombra began to feel the Saiyans pulse. “We got him!” Sombra said in excitement. “His heart’s beating again!”

Link let out a breath of relief as Black was now alive to a certain degree. 

Nappa dropped out of Super Saiyan 2 and picked up Black before glaring at Eric and his group. Shiva wisely dissipated her link to the unconscious Saiyan.

“We still need to wake him up,” Sombra said to the group. “He’s still under the effects of the spell and as we’ve seen we can’t use dark magic to wake him.”

“I could still try talking to him through the link,” Shiva offered. 

“No,” Nappa said firmly. “I’ll do that myself. thank you very much.” Nappa turned away from Sombra, “You guys have already done enough.”

“Nappa, don’t shake him awake.” Sombra warned.

“What the hell do you think I’m going to do? I’m going to wake him up, Ghost Nappa style,” Nappa turned into a ghost and went into Black.

Link facepalmed. “Goddess damnit, Nappa…” he groaned under his leather gauntlet. 

Shiva blinked at him before sniffing at Black’s body. “Ghost Nappa style?” she muttered, before cautiously linking with him again. Leading her to see… 





Black heard something tapping a microphone, “Ahem, is this thing on? Oh, I’m glad to hear your conscience is active. You must be questioning what happened. Well, Zarbon appeared…” 

Black grunted in confusion.

“Yeah… He got you in the healing chamber, and you were naked. You now must be asking… What he did while you were naked.” Nappa chuckled darkly, “Have fun with that…”





Black jolted awake, his eyes widening as he felt a sudden surge of pain across his body. 

Shiva jumped back, her link shredding as dark purple lightning arched and crackled along his body before exploding a lightshow, Black screamed in pain as it felt his body was being torn apart. A moment later, it stopped as Black fell face first, barely being caught by the diamond dog Alpha. Immediately Sombra checked his vitals with the aid of a spell and breathed a sigh of relief. 

“He’ll live, He’s going to be asleep for a few days - which will give me plenty of time to repair any damage he sustained from their fight,” Sombra said, turning to Eric. “Eric...” only to find the Shadow Man gone.

“I guess we’ll talk to him later,” Shiva noted.

Sombra nodded, reattaching Nightmare’s hands. “Once he’s finished beating himself up over this,” he said solemnly.

Nappa popped out of Black and looked at Black with a grin, “You guys must be asking what did I do to wake him up. One word, Zarbon.” Nappa started to laugh chaotically.

Link waved his hand. “Yea, yea, yea. Most of us have seen the abridged version.” he said before looking at Nappa. 

Shiva tilted her head. “I haven’t,” she noted. “I have no idea what this ‘Zarbon’ is, but it sounds like it was effective.”

“Both of you shut up,” Nightmare growled, walking up to the Saiyan with daggers in her eyes, “You just caused more damage to him then helping…”

“I didn’t mean to! He was my comrade. Also it is my requirement to say; Oh? You’re approaching me?” Nappa went into the DIO pose.

“Well I won’t know what kind of damage he caused until we get back to the Arena,” Sombra said.

But Nightmare didn’t care. She stood in front of Nappa, looking into his eyes as a dark aura surrounded the Alicorn. Giving them a cautious look, Shiva handed Black’s body to Sombra before cautiously approaching the two.

“Nightmare, don’t,” Shiva began.

“Mom?” Kodo whispered, creeping after her as his devil fruit started to act up.

“Dark Ki…” Nappa muttered under his breath, “Listen, I don’t want any trouble. I’m tired, he’s tired, you’re tired, we’re all tired!” Nappa cried out, “Let’s all take a nap and call it a day.”

“I agree,” Shiva said, stepping between the two, even as her son watched with worry. “Nightmare, Black’s still alive, and he’s going to be okay. Nappa helped with that.” 

Nightmare ignored her, continuing to stare into Nappa’s soul, even creating a scythe out of dark ki in her right hand. Shiva’s tendrils began to spiral out, forming a wall between the two.

“You don’t want to tango with the rango, Nightmare…” Nappa peered down at the Nightmare.

“Okay, enough of this,” Shiva growled. Lashing her links, she seized both of them, and channeled her magic. “See as they see; feel as they feel!”

Instantly, emotions flooded the Saiyan and the parasite; their combined fear for Black, combined with their own mixed feelings of desperation, fear and anger. However, before they could act on the new emotions... 

"SHUT UP!!!" Ed roared his voice echoing from everywhere, the force dispelling everyone's powers. "You're all acting worse than brats!" 

Shiva blinked in alarm. “I wasn’t…” she tried to protest.

But Ed ignored her. He walked over to the Saiyan and held his hands over his Black. A  green glow covered Ed’s hands and then Black'’s form. 

"You're all stupider than I thought,” Ed growled. “I said I wouldn't let anything happen to my family and I meant it." Black's injuries were almost all gone. "Nightmare, have him eat this when he wakes up," Ed gave the alicorn a bean after he finished his work. "Before anyone asks, I am going to have a few chats with the others." Ed scowled walking out of the room via a portal.

Shiva watched him go with confusion. Kodo crept up next to her. 

“Um… did we do something wrong?” he asked. 

Shiva’s eyes widened in horror. “I’m probably about to,” she admitted, racing after Ed. “Kodo, stay with Sombra; make sure Black’s okay!”

“But…!” Kodo protested, only for Shiva to disappear with a flash of light.

Meanwhile, a flash of dark purple light covered Eric’s room, once the light faded Eric looked at himself in the mirror as saw someone with a look of pure regret on his face.

“This isn’t who you are,” Eric said, closing his eyes as his magic faded. “Next fight, I want you and your magic to stay out of it” 

Eric opened his eyes and was met with a shadow resembling Umbra looking at him from behind his shoulder. The shadow just laughed at Eric.

“You forget, this isn’t my magic anymore,” Laughed Umbra. “It’s yours, Shadow Man”

Anger welled in Eric as he screamed in anger and punched the mirror. Breathing heavily, Eric saw the shattered reflection no longer had the image of Umbra in it. Pulling his fist back Eric formed a bubble of shadow. The bubble popped and dropped a dagger in his hands. Gripping the blade in his hand, Eric plunged it into his shoulder. Grunting from the pain Eric pulled the blade from his body before doing it again. 

‘I almost separated Nightmare from Black. I deserve worse’ 

After several stabbings, Eric dropped the blade to the floor before leaving his room.

What he walked into wasn't the hallway, however, but an all consuming blackness that radiated anger. "I ought to do the same to you!" Ed's voice came from everywhere as millions of eyes looked at Eric seething in rage. "Retaliate, kid. I welcome it! Black and Nightmare are my family. Albeit extended, but still my family. And what you did has thoroughly pissed me off beyond REASON!"

You could hear the faint screaming and smashing of Thanos, “FUCKING DAMN IIIITTT!!!!” They heard the Titan cry out. Thanos kicked down a wall appearing in front of Eric.

“The. Fuck. Was. That Eric?!” Thanos rubbed his eyes. “You made a clone fight for you and not to mention, you literally… exploited a weakness. You kicked Black while he was down!”

"I use clones, but I make sure the real me is there," Ed remarked as the shadow dropped down and formed into the Alchemist next to Thanos. "I won't stand for the shit you pulled, though."

“Same here, don’t you think you couldn't have thought twice about that?” Thanos crossed his arms, “Did you think how… Pathetic Black would feel all because he was fighting a clone, not you?”

Nightmare teleported next to the Titan, glaring at Eric, “You’re nothing but a coward.” The parasyte hissed. “Were you also having a snack as well, as you watched others do the dirty work for yourself?!”

“That’s awfully dirty, wait… Could you get disqualified for that? Oh, oh! I remember when you made Black sleep while he was down, is that exploiting a weakness I saw?” Thanos asked, venom oozing down the Titan’s body.

“If you’re here to punish me then do it,” Eric ordered the group, slightly surprising them. “I know what I did was wrong, but Black also fought me with a clone.”

At that moment, Shiva had run into the room, desperate to try and stop a fight from occurring… only to skid to a stop as she heard Eric’s words.

“But it doesn’t excuse my actions, I almost crossed the line and nearly killed someone I had considered a friend,” Eric said, pushing past the others. “Do what you want with me, just know that after that, you won’t be seeing me again.” Eric looked back. “I’m withdrawing from the Tournament.”

“That’s not allowed,” Ed growled. “You put my friend through Hell, and now you chicken out cause we call you out on it? That’s even more of an insult to Black than fighting with a clone!”

“I don’t care!” Eric snapped back. “I nearly crossed a unforgivable line today, and right now I have no right to even face anyone!” Eric began walking away. “Not even Luna. To hell with the reward, I just want to go home.”

Ed was suddenly in front of Eric looking at him with death in his eyes. “You wanna leave? I can oblige with that.” Ed cracked his knuckles, “Just know it’ll be in pieces.”

“No!” Shiva yelled, jumping into view just as Ryker appeared from a nearby portal. 

“Now Ed, ya don’t have to be outrageous,” Ryker noted. “If it makes you feel better, you can have a sparring match with me.” Ryker chuckled.

“I’m serious,” Eric insisted. “I've already caused enough problems for everyone.” He left the group. “They’ve suffered enough at my expense.” 

“Not everyone’s suffered from you, Eric,” Shiva called after him. “Don’t forget you saved my life in Fujitora’s mind! You gave Sombra a chance, when any of us would’ve just dismissed him as Umbra’s pawn! You’re a good man, even if it’s hard to see that right now!” 

Eric paused, contemplating her words. But he ultimately continued to walk away, leaving Shiva in the dust.

“Alrighty… Well Eric is being the edgy bastard that he is.” Ryker rolled his eyes before looking at Ed, “Wanna take me up on that offer?”

As Eric walked away, everyone took notice of the blood dripping profusely from his arm leaving behind a trail behind him

“You punishing yourself isn’t enough,” Ed called out.

Shiva turned back to him, her claws clenching and lighting up with her link. “Ed, I get that you’re upset,” she began. “Really, I do! Family’s beyond important, and what happened to Black was scary. But…” 

“Excuse me, Shiva, but please don’t aggravate him,” Ryker recommended before turning to Ed. “Now, Ed, please-” Ryker was then cut off by Ed.

“Both of you. Shut your face holes,” Ed glared at Ryker. “And you!” his attention was back on Eric. “You stabbed yourself in the shoulder and now you think you can pussy foot out of this? No! You do NOT get to take the easy way out!”

“I know,” Eric said to the Alchemist. “Nothing I do will help.” The Shadow Man then stopped in his tracks before speaking to the group. “But if it’ll make you feel better... meet me in the infirmary in ten minutes.”

“You aren’t going anywhere until you hear me out, asshole,” Ed grabbed Eric and slammed him into the wall, forming spiderweb cracks. 

“Ed!” Shiva protested, only for Ryker to hold her back as Ed growled at Eric. 

“I don’t let cowards walk away, ever,” Ed snapped. “The only way you set this right is by finishing what you started. You stay, you fight, you win the right way until you can’t. You fight until you're completely broken and then, you fight more!”

Without warning cuts and bruises began to litter the Shadow Man’s body, his face contorting in pain and agony. Eric let out a scream as the damage from his clone was inflicted onto him.

“I don’t really care what the toll you pay is,” Ed said as he flooded Eric’s body with the same green energy he used on Black. “I can manipulate your void energy, kid, and turn back your personal time to undo everything done to you. But I won’t. Suffer in agony!” Ed threw him off to the side, cracking the wall. “You’re not backing out of this tournament. After what you did to my friend and my family, I won't let you!” 

“FEEL AS HE FEELS!” Shiva bellowed, before a pack link ricocheted off Eric and hit Ed square in the chest. 

Aside from knocking the wind out of it and pushing him back from Eric, it did little damage. However, it also caused Ed to get a brief glimpse into Eric’s mind. More specifically, the pain, sorrow and regret he was going through. 

Not just from the wounds that continued to spring across Eric’s body as he fell to his knees. But also the agony in his heart, which he was clutching as he hit the ground. The sorrow. The self-hatred. The desire to take it all back. All of it filled Ed’s soul, weighing him down like lead anvils.

Blinking out of the haze of emotions, Ed found Shiva standing between him and Eric, her teeth bared to the gums and her pack links flared like a mother wolf defending her cubs.

Ed’s fists clenched, as he glared her down. However, the appearance of Katakuri gave them both pause.

“That is enough, Ed,” he declared in a M A N L Y voice. “Stop with the verbal abuse. It is not welcome.”

Ed narrowed his eyes at Katakuri before waving his comment off. “I don’t really care what’s welcome or not.” He returned his glare at Shiva. “You care so much about shadow boy?” He pointed at Eric, still clutching his chest. “Then do something about him before he K.O.s himself.”

Shiva didn’t turn around, keeping a consistent glare on Ed, but her pack link’s dove down and into Eric, drawing away some of his pain as she stood guard over him. 

“Here, Shiva,” Katakuri threw a senzu bean at Eric’s head, “Senzu bean!”

“Oh god I think you made it worse!” Thanos and Ed screamed at the same time.

Katakuri held up a paper to Ed, “Can you sign this, please, please, please, please?” Katakuri asked the Sage.

“No,” Ed said flatly.

“IT DIDN’T WORK!!!!” Katakuri shouted out.

“God fucking damn it!” Ryker responds in the background.

“That’s it!” Ed scowled reaching into a portal then pulled out Ryker and threw his ass across the way in an open arena . “You want to mess with me fine, you got me.” Ed jumped down into the empty arena. “You wanted to fight, we'll fight. Once everyone is awake.”

Ryker caught himself, and leaned on a wall. “Alrighty… But first would you mind taking a sip of calming Jasmine tea?” Ryker teleported next to him with a smile, tea in his hand, offering it to the Dweller.

“Fuck your damn tea,” Ed walked away. “I need ale and bourbon!” He walked through a portal.

“...Irish Whiskey it is.” Ryker followed.

The group left the Shadow Man to his suffering. Except for Shiva. She slowly helped Eric to his feet. As they walked for the infirmary, he looked at her, silently questioning her loyalty.

“I owe you my life, Eric Von Shadow,” she whispered to him. “We fought as a pack to save Link, and we fought as a pack in Fujitora’s mind. You were there for me… now let me be there for you.” 

Despite her link siphoning away some of the pain, the injuries still had to go somewhere. And as they walked, Eric realized that the pain and injuries were transferring to Shiva. He tried to pull the injuries back, but it only resulted in every step the two made causing their hearts and bodies to scream in mutual pain and agony. Eventually, they made their way to the infirmary where they saw Sombra and Nappa tending to Black, Kodo standing guard. Immediately, Eric withdrew from Shiva, staying out of sight from the pair.

“Now you’re positive this is the natural vitals for a Saiyan?” Sombra asked looking over the vitals of Goku Black

“Yup! Every time a Saiyan is closer to death they get stronger. They also heal a bit faster than ponies and humans as well.” Nappa informed the dark prince. “However you said it will take a while for him to go to the next level because he is unconscious. How many days until he wakes up? Because the next match is tomorrow.” 

“I’m not sure,” Sombra admitted. “With the mental trauma you caused him... probably not tomorrow.”

“Sounds like the Zarbon thing was too effective,” Kodo noted, the mere mention of the name causing the unconscious Black to shiver.

“Zarbon? You know what, nevermind,” Sombra said as he glanced towards the door. He exhaled softly. “I know you’re there Eric, you don’t need to hide from me. I’m not angry with you like the others are.”

“Um… that’s great and all,” Shiva replied, wincing as Sombra spun to her in shock. “But… one problem with my link? It can only transfer wounds, not heal them. And, uh...” 

Right on cue, Eric’s body gave out, and nearly brought Shiva to the ground. 

“Mom!” Kodo barked, helping Shiva stabilize the Shadow Man.

“Nappa!” Sombra yelled, rushing to join them.

Nappa easily walked in and lifted the Shadow Man from the diamond dog’s claws.

"Gotcha ya horsefucker," Nappa said, putting Eric on one of the beds while Kodo tended to Shiva. Briefly, Sombra gave Shiva a look-over, but she waved him off.

“I’m fine,” she said. “That stubborn fool insisted on keeping his injuries; he’s the one you need to worry about.” 

Not questioning her word, Sombra ran over to Eric and began to dress and care for Eric’s injuries, however, Sombra soon found himself looking at the Shadow Man in slight confusion.

“...Odd,” Sombra said, stopping his treatment.

“What’s odd now?” Nappa turned to the Prince.

“Well Eric is obviously experiencing the side effects of his Dark Copy Spell,” Sombra said examining the wounds on his friend. “However he only has the wounds from his knight form.”

Shiva grimaced, catching Kodo’s attention, but not the others.

“I like your funny words, magic man.” Nappa said with a grin, “Put it in a dumb way and maybe I will understand.” Nappa said flatly.

“Simpleton, Eric wounds mirror that his clone had after his clone returned to normal,” Sombra said, before realizing his words still meant nothing to the Saiyan. “Copy got hurt, now Eric gets hurt.”

“Oooohhh, why didn’t you say that the first time?” Nappa asked Sombra before shaking his head, “Anyways back to the topic at hand, these two need help, I’m not a doctor. I only got a Child Psychology Degree, this is not my field.”

“Yes but you are the closest source reference to Saiyan Biology that I have,” Sombra said as he noticed another cut forming. “But something isn’t right. His wounds are slowly surfacing, one by one.”

“The clone is still active, isn’t it?” Nappa groaned before walking to the door, “I’ll go handle that.” Nappa cracked his knuckles, grinning evilly.

“No. His clone was obliterated by Blacks final attack” Sombra said as multiple injuries start forming

“You mean the final-big-bang-kamehameha that had a 100,000,000 multiplier that could destroy the Solar System?” Nappa asked the prince.

“Something is causing a delay in the effects” Sombra said quickly dressing the appearing wounds. “All damage is supposed to happen all at once.”

Shiva keened, wanting to reveal what Ed had done, but unsure how Sombra would take it. 

“Meh, I don’t know why, in any case I’m going to get some rest.” Nappa walked out of the infirmary, before Zabuza appeared in the shadows… Menacingly. Zabuza started to sip his calming jasmine tea… Silently.

But not silently enough to avoid Shiva and Kodo’s senses. The dark diamond dog pup turned to Zabuza with a growl, only for Zabuza to wave his caution aside.

“Calm. I come for Black.” Zabuza walked out of the shadows looking at the Saiyan.

“He’s in no condition to be moved,” Sombra said using his magic to set a monitor to Eric

“Alright. Going inside his head, then.” Zabuza put a finger to his head and onto Black’s.

“Don’t. His mental stability is already shot to hell because of that moron,” Sombra said referring to the bald Saiyan.

“Imma do it.” Zabuza threatened, “If you don’t tell me all you know about Thanos.” Zabuza turned to Sombra.

“I don’t know anything other than his connection to Eric,” Sombra said 

“Do tell, what is his greatest fear?” Zabuza inquired, looking at the swordsman.

“His fear is losing his friends in death,” Sombra answered as his attention went to the rapid beeping of Eric’s monitor.

Zabuza unsheathed his blade, before chuckling darkly as he began to walk out of the room, “I may be a pacifist… But I’m going to be hunting tonight…” 

“Wait, what do you mean?” Sombra said before turning back to the monitor as the beeping increased.

“Dream magic my friend, that’s all I’m going to say.” He said before mist filled the room. The mist then faded and Zabuza was gone.

Before Sombra could utter a word his eyes grow wide hearing the single monotone beep.

“Sweet Faust no,” Sombra began doing chest compressions upon Eric’s body.

“Eric?” Shiva demanded, lightning up her pack link again. 

“Mom, no!” Kodo protested. “You’re already drained from carrying him here!”

“I owe him my life, Kodo,” Shiva insisted. “On my honor as a canine, I will see the debt repaid.” She raced to Sombra’s side, and with her pack link once again trying to sustain Eric’s life with her own, she began aiding Sombra with CPR.

Both Sombra and Shiva continued to restart the Shadow Man's heart only to be responded with the one sound of Eric’s monitor flatlining

“No! Dammit, Eric,” Sombra said pushing harder to save his friend. “You’re stronger than this! Don’t let a stupid spell kill you!”

Shiva linked to Eric. “Eric, I know you can hear me,” she growled. “You do not get to die while I still owe you. Not when I’m angry myself at what happened to Black! Wake up!”

“Cold Scale, Blueblood, Ronin, King Minos, Queen Carapace, Queen Chrysalis, King Umbra?” Sombra yelled, doing everything to bring Eric from death's cold grip. “You’re a strong, stubborn son of a bitch, You say you want death but your own body refuses to give in.” 

Unknown to Sombra his magic covered his horn, Both in a grey and purple magic auras covered the stallion's horn. Wisps of magic flowed from his eyes, on his left eye came a grey wisp while his right eye flowed his usual purple wisp.

“I refuse to let you die like this,” Sombra said, his magic fueling his hands. “You are my bodyguard and I am your king, I am ordering you to return to the living!”

A sudden rush of weakness overcame Sombra, and he collapsed to the ground. 

“I can’t lose you too.” Sombra whispered tears forming in his eyes. “You’re the only family I have left.”

Yet even Shiva was fading, her link the only thing keeping Eric’s heart going. She was slowly falling to her knees as well, the link from before taking a toll on her. Kodo gripped her, supplying her with energy, but even he was growing pale.

“Mom…” he whispered. “I don’t think we can keep this up.”

“We have to,” Shiva insisted. “Please, Eric… don’t do this…” 

On the verge of breaking down Sombra’s eyes grow wide remembering the one spell to save the Shadow Man

“I could...I could use Umbra’s Resurrection Spell,” Sombra said, quickly jumping to his feet as he began to laugh like the villian he once was. “I could..cast the resurrection spell, give Eric life for a life.” A desperate grin fell upon the unicorn's face.

Shiva’s ears perked up, and she gazed at him. “Life for a life?” she asked.

“There is no such thing as a resurrection spell,” Sombra said, cackling as his magic flared. “It is basically trading one’s life for another.”

Shiva looked down at Eric. Her ears flattened, and she grit her teeth. “Curse it all,” she growled, before standing up. “Okay… take me.”

“NO!” Kodo barked.

“My life is his,” Shiva insisted. “I can’t let him die if there’s a way.” 

“It’ll cost the life of an innocent, but I’m willing to make that sacrifice,” Sombra said

Kodo gripped his mother’s shoulder. “No,” he said. “You’re his best friend, Sombra.” He looked down. “I’m not welcome in my own world anyway…”

Shiva spun to him. “Kodo, don’t you dare say another word!” she snarled.

“Heh… it doesn’t matter which one of you dies,” Sombra looked at the pair, his eyes mirroring the dark king’s with increasing magic. “So long as my brother lives that’s all that matters,” his hand glowed a vile red as he aimed it at the two, his grin mirroring the Sombra from their world.

Shiva’s ears flattened, while Kodo’s eyes widened in horror. “Umbra…” he mumbled, before trying to move forward. Shiva tried to sweep him back.

“Kodo,” she warned. “Stay. Back.”

Kodo seethed, before glaring down at Eric. He slammed his fists into Eric’s chest, his pack link bursting in a shower of lightning. “DAMN YOU, VON SHADOW!” he roared, his voice turning demonic. “IF MY MOTHER DIES FOR YOU, I’LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!” Kodo forced his mother back, staring down Sombra with a snarl. “Not this time…” 

Before Sombra could fire the spell his arm was grabbed in a tight grip before being tossed upward, soon rhythmic beeping was heard as the injured Eric stood next to Sombra. His magic syphoned Sombra’s until the unicorn passed out. Gently setting Sombra upon the bed he once lay Eric turned to the Diamond Dog with pure concern on his face.

“Are you guys okay?” Eric asked, slightly staggering.

Kodo seethed, wanting to claw the shadow man, but recognizing he was already hurt. “You…” he whispered, before he was swept aside by Shiva.

Careful not to touch him, Shiva sniffed him over with equal concern, before resting her head with a sigh. “I… was worried you weren’t going to make it,” she said. 

“She almost gave up her life for you,” Kodo whispered, struggling not to cry. “Diamond Dog honor…”

“You have my thanks for that,” Eric said, kneeling to the canine’s eye level. “But never do that again. I’ve already have enough blood on my hands from the ones I’ve looked out for, I’d never forgive myself if either of you were killed on my behalf”

“Agreed,” Kodo said, turning to Shiva. “You hear him, Mother? You may owe him, but you also owe Celine, Skippy, Dad and everyone back in our Equestria. An Alpha without their pack may be nothing, but a pack without their Alpha is lost. You can’t do that to them.”

Shame gripped Shiva as she looked down. “I know,” she whispered. “But… Sombra made the offer, and…” 

“I honestly do apologize for Sombra’s behavior” Eric said slowly getting to his feet. “His mental health hasn’t exactly been perfect since he became Umbra.”

Kodo nodded. “I can see that,” he noted.

“It’s probably why out of everyone here he’s the most calm,” Eric commented with a chuckle. “He must remain calm until I can find a way to help him.”

Eric backed up and rested himself on one of the empty beds. At the same time, Kodo guided an exhausted Shiva over to another one of the beds. For a moment, they were silent. 

“Have you ever done something you regretted?” Eric asked, turning to the canines.

Kodo chuckled humorlessly. “Am I gonna get slapped again if I say ‘being born?’” Kodo asked. 

“Kodo; yes you are,” Shiva snapped, clawing at him before he dodged out of the way.

“Not what I meant pup,” Eric said, his voice more serious. “What I mean is have you, yourself being of sound mind ever done something you truly regret?”

Kodo sighed. “Yes,” he said in a more solemn tone. “When Umbra first started talking to me, I knew there was something… off… about him. I didn’t fully understand, but he always made me feel strange.” His eyes closed. “Then he kidnapped Shiva. And he held her location over my head; telling me that he’d tell me where she was if I helped him conquer Equestria.”

Shiva winced and looked away.

“I could’ve asked Twilight for help,” Kodo admitted. “Asked Celestia… they knew something was off about me too. And they were more than willing to help.” Kodo shook his head. “Instead I listened to Umbra. And just like the Sombra before me… I hurt so many ponies… led my dad and countless diamond dogs to their demise.” He hung his head. “It’s fuzzy how much was Umbra and how much was me… but I know that he wouldn’t have gotten as far as he did if I hadn’t made the conscious decision to listen to him.” 

“Have either of you killed an innocent pony?” Eric asked before looking down. “Who only wanted to use their powers to help others?”

Shiva whimpered, an old memory calling to her. “Before I had Kodo and Celine,” she admitted. “Shortly after joining my pack… Chrysalis tried to recruit me. Tried to turn me against the ponies of Canterlot. I wasn’t interested, but several of the ponies thought I was going to agree with Chrysalis. They sent royal guards to try and take me out. A fight broke out. And I just… lost patience.” She clenched her claws. “I stormed Canterlot right as the changelings attacked it. I took out pony and changeling alike. Fluttershy just barely managed to calm me down, but even then…” Shiva hung her head. “I saw one of the ponies that hated me get dragged off by changelings. And I did nothing to stop it. I could have… but I let hatred and anger blind me.” 

“Do you know a pony by the name of Doctor Whooves?” Eric asked with regret

Shiva and Kodo glanced at each other. Kodo shrugged, and Shiva shook her head. “Never met him,” she admitted.

“Well in my Equestria he holds the power of the Time-Time Fruit, it allowed him to travel through time,” Eric Explained to the Diamond Dogs. “He used his powers to save ponies from horrible accidents and even evade their deaths.”

Shiva’s ears flattened. “Oh, no…” she whispered, already sensing where this story would go.

Eric’s face showed one of horror when he looked up. “I tracked him down, and forced him to take me to the past, on the day I lost Her. I used my sword to rend my best friends head from his body before he could kill Amber, my past self was erased and a new future was written.” Eric looked back to the ground, his body trembling at the memory. “But The Doctor came back. And I… I……”

“Eric, easy,” Shiva said, noticing his powers start to fluctuate. “You don’t have to…”

“I ran my blade through his heart,” Eric said, his powers growing unstabling in his emotional state. “I killed an innocent man just to be with my wife!” Eric then stood and slammed his fist into the wall causing cracks to cover the entire wall.

“Eric, easy,” Shiva insisted, trying to get up before Kodo forced her back down. Desperate, she gripped Kodo’s arm, a pack link sending a memory to him, while Eric exhaled slowly before retracting his fist.

“Luckily the one I killed was one from a future timeline,” Eric said plopping back to the bed. “I was pulled from my death bed along with a scarred Rainbow Dash and a one armed Celestia, the three of us were informed what would happen if the timeline was left as it was it would lead to the destruction of Harmony”

Shiva nodded. “I know your pain,” she said. 

“Know my Pain?” Eric asked, turning to the dogs. “I learned from not only my future self but the Rainbow and Celestia that my selfish actions led to more than the death of my friends.”

“My bloodline, who all had the powers of MY Devil Fruit sought to conquer the entire world” Eric said standing to his feet approached the canines. “Can you fathom the pain I felt knowing that my actions led to the death of millions? 

“Compared to the latest descendant King Shade Von Shadow makes Umbra seem like a tantrum-throwing child,” Eric said continuing his rant. “He would rape and impregnate any female he saw and would kill them just for shits and giggles.”

Shiva gazed patiently at the Shadow Man, before offering up a link. In the link, her own memories shined forth.

“Though I never met Doctor Hooves,” she said. “There was a pony in my Equestria who messed with time. She was called Starlight Glimmer, and she put me into a future where the Mane Six never formed. Where Celestia was weak. Where I beat her, and Chrysalis and every pony and creature that stood in my way to conquer Equestria.” She looked up at the ceiling, a conflicted gaze of wistfulness on her face. “I united the world. But it was not full Harmony. Anyone who questioned my rule… died.” 

Her head lowered. “Not imprisoned. Not put on trial… I killed them. Not one of my descendants, but me. I killed anyone that didn’t get with my program. I programmed Kodo and Celine to think that such acts were good and just. And when Twilight and Spike from the original timeline came to try and fix it… I killed Twilight.” She looked up at Eric. “Not injured, not imprisoned. I. KILLED. Her.” She gripped her trembling wrist. “It’s only thanks to Spike that she still lives in my world. But if he hadn’t been able to fix Starlight’s spell…” She lowered her head. “I told you before that I didn’t want my memories messed with. Because I have seen first hand what I could become… if I didn’t become the wolf I am today.” 

“Time travel is a shit show,” Eric exhaled out. “In the end I made a deal with the Doctor.”

“What kind of deal?” Kodo asked.

“I told him that I would never seek him out again. If… he would show me what my child would look like,” Eric said a smile creeping on his face.

Shiva offered her link again. “What did they look like?” she asked.

“Well turns out she was pregnant with twins. They looked more human than pony but still had the hooves and fur of a pony,” Eric mused with a warm smile. “The boy was named after my father, as funny as that is.”

Shiva hummed. “Odd choice,” she noted.

“Maybe. But the name Tiberius Von Shadow did have a nice ring to it. He took after me: my blue eyes, my black hair with just a few strands of amber” Eric said smiling. “Somehow I just knew he would be a ladies’ man. My daughter looked almost identical to Amber, same fur color, hair, even the beauty mark just behind her ear. However she had my eyes.”

“It was like looking in a mirror with her. Her name was Crystal, Crystal Von Shadow.” Eric said laughing slightly. “Somehow I have a feeling I would have been the scary protective father with her, scaring away any colt that even looked at her.”

Eric's expression turned to sadness as he regaled the next part.

“But every deal has a two way agreement,” Eric said, regaining his serious tone.

Shiva nodded sadly. “As all deals do,” she agreed.

“In exchange for seeing my children,” Eric said, his eyes taking on a more menacing look. “I had to kill Shade Von Shadow.”

Kodo’s eyes widened, and he glanced at Shiva, who’s grip on his claw tightened. 

“And?” Shiva asked.

“I was sent to the future to save Celestia and Rainbow so the doctor could use them to convince me to not kill Sombra,” Eric said, shaking his head. “Then I fought and killed my blood descendant,” Eric then turned and sat back on the bed. “It was here when I made a promise to myself.”

“I will never kill my friends,” Eric said resting his hands on his knees. “And I almost broke that promise with Black.”

“But you didn’t,” Shiva said firmly. “Yeah, you scared everyone, but Black’s going to live. He’s going to pull through. And while the others have the right to be angry, you didn’t know that he was going to react to the spell that way, right?” 

“No,” Eric said. “I had no idea he would react like that to one of my more harmless spells,”

Shiva nodded. “You know what you did was wrong,” she said. “You regret it, and Ed’s told you how you make it right with him: you continue this tournament, and you fight for Black’s sake just as much as your own.” 

“But I can’t,” Eric said, slightly raising his voice. “My powers and spells are lethal. I’ve only ever used them to kill. I can’t fight seriously if I have to hold back.”

“You mentioned that you had tournaments back in your Equestria,” she noted. “Did you fight in those?”

“No, I was always just a spectator,” Eric said looking down. “I made it a rule after acquiring my Shadow Souls that I would never participate in a tournament. I only accepted this tournament cause I thought there would be someone stronger than me, someone that wouldn’t die if I went all out

Shiva twined her claws, and lowered her head in thought. She shut her eyes with a hum. 

“And…?” she asked cautiously. “Phoenix, Thanos, and Doom aren’t stronger than you?”

“No-one can survive if I go all out,” Eric said, pulling away some of the dressings. “It’s why I had that formed sealed”

Shiva nodded solemnly. She glanced around, her nose twitching and her ears flicking as she looked for any possible eavesdroppers. She lifted her claw, and a purple ball flickered to life in her claws. 

“Then you give them one final show,” her thoughts whispered through the link. She indicated her spell. “This is a Play Dead Spell; a magic of my own design. It allowed me to get out of the fight with Phoenix without him beating me into unconsciousness.” 

The images flickered in her link. “You don’t have to go all out against your next opponent; just give them some flashy moves - some entertainment for Ryker - and then use the spell on yourself when they use a particularly powerful attack. You appear knocked out, they appear to win, and you leave with your honor intact.”

“Understood, however I’m the type who doesn’t take with giving something in return” Eric said cupping his arms together as multiple Devil Fruits emerge from his body. “Which do you want in return, Logia, Paramecia, or Zoan?”

Shiva carefully looked over the fruits, before carefully taking a brown Kiwi shaped fruit with black swirls from the Shadow Man. The Shadow Man laughed as he pushed the Fruits back into his body.

Shiva looked up at him in innocent confusion. “Something funny about this one?” she asked.

“Kinda ironic isn’t it?” Eric laughed, further confusing the Diamond Dog.

“I… guess?” Shiva asked. Kodo glanced between them.

“Do you know what Devil Fruit you hold in your hand?” Eric asked smiling 

Shiva shook her head. “I’m still new to the different elements of your worlds,” she admitted.

“What you hold is called the Diamond-Diamond Fruit.” Eric said, snickering. “Kinda fitting isn’t?”

Kodo’s ears perked, and the irony came to him. He began laughing as well, leaving a very confused Shiva looking between them as she slowly connected the dots. 

“So, that means…” Shiva gasped in realization. “Oh!” 

“Do it, Mom,” Kodo said eagerly. “Let’s see a ‘diamond’ dog.” 

Shiva chuckled at Kodo’s eagerness. “Alright-alright,” she said, biting into the fruit… and promptly giving a whimper of regret.

“Oh, sorry,” Kodo whimpered. “The taste isn’t that good. But the power?”

Right on cue, diamonds began to creep up along Shiva’s arms, turning them into solid gems. Shiva gazed in awe at the transformation. 

“It covers the user in a strong and powerful Diamond,” Eric said, putting his hands into his pockets. “Which makes you great for both offense and defense.”

Shiva nodded, only half listening as the diamonds crept up to her shoulders. Luckily, Kodo quickly grabbed her claws, making her look at him.

“Don’t panic,” he assured her. “It’s a little strange at first, but I’ll help you through it.” He chuckled. “We’re gonna have some training ahead, but it’ll be worth it.” 

Shiva smiled softly at her son, his assurance helping her turn the diamond armor back into flesh. She gazed up gratefully at Eric. 

“Thank you,” she said.

“No problem,” Eric said as Sombra bolted up. “Ah good you’re awake,” the Shadow Man made his way to the unicorn.

Eric pulled his hands from his clothes and grabbed Sombra by his collar, rearing a haki covered fist back Eric punched Sombra across his face sending him to the floor. The punch caused Shiva’s diamond form to pop back up, but Kodo soothed her back to normal.

“Never...and I mean ‘never’ take another's life just to save mine” Eric said glaring at the unicorn who placed a hand on his reddening cheek. “If you do I will slit my own throat in front of you and make you watch every second.”

Eric turned away from the unicorn magic flaring in his hands as he cast his healing spell, leaving the unicorn alone with his sorrow.

“It’s not a threat Brother. It’s a goddamn promise,” Eric said, leaving the room with his wounds healed.

Kodo gave Eric a minute, before giving Sombra a glare. He silently led Shiva out of the room, his fur bristled and his tail tucked. Before he left, he gave one last look back to Sombra.

“Eric told us you were different,” Kodo noted. “But you sounded exactly like the Sombra from my world when he took Mother from me.”

Sombra winced, not facing the diamond dogs. Without waiting for his response, Kodo and Shiva left the room.