//------------------------------// // Blackjack // Story: Too Epic for Arrogance // by NetherWalker //------------------------------// “Hey!” Shining Armor was getting really tired of these kids, especially when they kept on running ahead of him. “I told you to stay with the- Oh forget it!” He rolled his eyes, as the little purple filly continued to recede into the distance, courtesy of his injured leg. He hadn’t even noticed it till he was well out of the palace. By then though, It was far too late to turn back, and if he did, what kind of Royal Guard would he be, Leaving a kid wandering around in this rubble? “Come again? I couldn’t hear you over your ridiculous expectations!” A sane one, He thought, pushing himself harder to catch up, tucking his head.   “What does that even mean!?” He called after her, but she’d already faded from sight when he brought his head up again, crap! “Kid? Where are you? Where’d you go!?” He skidded to a stop, twisting his head this way and that, looking for any sign of her. “Over here!” He turned around, seeing her head dip beneath a ridge of rubble. There… When he had finally stumbled over the edge, his legs gave out unexpectedly, and he collapsed, tumbling over the ridge like a ragdoll. Once he’d finally come to a stop he opened his eyes blearily, finding the face of the filly leaning over him, he sighed, heavily. “You okay?” She asked, barely giving him time to nod before she turned away, “Good, I need your help, she’s not moving!” Shining stood, giving himself a moment to gather his bearings before facing the duo. The purple one was trying her hardest to budge her forward facing friend, her hooves clattering against stone and kicking up ruble, her efforts proved futile however, as orange refused to be dislodged from her position. He cantered over, looking over her ridge, stone like form.  “Miss?” He came around, his expression changing from apprehension, to horror. What the-!? Her eyes!?  He took a step back, her pupil-less blue eyes never changing, never wavering, focused on something straight ahead. The battle. He realized her point of focus, binded strictly to the small flashing figures across the ruined city.  “She won’t move,” the purple one muttered, “and she’s only focusing on those two… things. What’s wrong with her?” The captain stared at her intently, as though she would suffer a similar fate, should he look away. “I-“ He said, straining to remember his training on the effects of magical creatures, what could she be ailing from? “I don’t-“ He began, looking back at orange. But a sharp gasp wrought his attention away, then, a scream. A blood red ball of energy was speeding its way toward them, almost faster than he could react. He knew it was over then, there was no way he could counter such a force, not now. He was done, they were done…  It had happened faster than he could blink, one moment, they were dead, the next… at least a mile away? On high ground with a good view of the smoking crater no less. How? No, he knew. Just before it hit, he’d seen the blue screen covering the orange one’s eyes peel away, as she flung herself over them… then, they were here, on a small outcropping overlooking the ruined city. What was this filly? “Y-you saved us.” The purple one sputtered, backing quickly away from the edge, “Unicorns are awesome… Thanks.” She smiled and extended her hoof. “Yeah.” Shining muttered in response, not taking the outstretched hoof. Instead staring intently at the little Pegasus, again gazing single mindedly into the distance. Just one problem with that, kid, he thought, I didn’t save you. Really, you should be thanking her. Though there’s a million bit question, how did she do it? His eyes widened, as his mind worked, Of course. He knew exactly where he’d seen that before… Could she be one of those? “Hey, um… what’s your name?” He blinked and responded to his self imposed charge’s question.  “Shining Armor, and yours?” The filly smiled brightly, only hesitating slightly before answering. “Diamond Tiara, and this block head of a blankflank is Scootaloo.”  I suppose she’s then in the dark. He concluded. I… I doubt their the same, otherwise “Diamond Tiara” would be comatose too… unless-   *DA-QZZOOOOUUU!* Both he and Diamond Tiara wiped their heads to the sky, only now noticing the massive cloud structure forming above the battle. It was gargantuan, spanning the entire berth of the sky. It swirled inward, with swells that were miles long, and at its center a sphere of electricity danced brilliantly as it gathered lightning from the restless sky.     Diamond could almost swear that she heard the guard say “Buck”, as he lit his horn, shaping  a walkway from his magic, and with his injury forgotten, galloped to the battlefield. “Wait-“ She began, before being cut off. “Stay there this time,” He said, eyeing her irritably, “I’ve warded the area, so if you leave, I’ll know!” So, with little else she could do, she watched him depart … Before rolling her eyes when his leg seized up and he tumbled off his construct. “Ahhhhhhhhh!-Ough!” “Moron.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpWjrfY7BXw) “Even after all that you can’t win Vegeta!” Kakarot shouted, “You should just give up!” That really was starting to bother me, why was he doing this!? He didn’t just want to kill me, did he want to humiliate me? Break me? He had to know that I was only made angrier by his taunts? No, he had to have a bigger goal. An endgame, but what was it!? I only felt farther from the answer as I was violently assaulted from every side. He’d picked up the pace, and I was struggling to keep up.  “What-arg! Do you want-ung! Kakarot!?” His fist promptly clipped my jaw, and I was sent sprawling to the ground… No, I wouldn’t endure this! I WAS VEGETA!! Prince of ALL Saiyans! And I would not… NOT let him achieve his goal! “K-kaKAROT!” He stopped, what is he thinking!? He just stood there stupidly staring at me! Then he grinned. I don’t think I’ve ever felt angrier than I did right then… I just broke. “AHHHHHHHHHHH!!”  All semblance of sapience was lost, as I wildly rushed him, both fists flailing. At this point, we both lost reason, our blows were pure instinct. I rammed both my knees into his gut, before he grabbed my hair, pulling my face into his bleeding knuckles. I reacted in-kind, slamming my shin into his jewels. “Ung!” He let go, and I brought both fists down on his crouched form, his face slamming into my knee on the way down. He was sent flying backwards, only to charge me, ramming both his fists into my collar bone *snap* “Arg!” and by that point, I’d gone even further beyond the edge. I slammed my palms into the sides of his head as we both flew forward. I pressed harder and harder, willing him to pass out, instead, I felt my back tear the ground apart, as he pressed me into the rubble, eventually forcing me to let go. Pulling both hands back before I forced them forward, I fired my ki into the idiot’s face, sending him soaring into the sky, and leaving me stuck in the ground. As I got up, he phased behind me, choking me with the crook of his arm. With one hand on his arm, and one elbow viciously smashing against Kakarot’s side, I continuously pulled and struggled. But my strength wasn't enough, her strength wasn’t enough…, I needed something! The edges of my vision started to darken, slowly at first, but then at an alarming rate. No, no, no, no! I thought, I can’t die here… I… can’t… I am… Veg- “Vegeta!” What was that? That wasn’t Kakarot, I didn’t recognize the soft feminine voice… “Damn it you, WAKE UP!” My eyes snapped open, and the burning in my lungs subsided, vigor returned to my muscles, and I threw one last elbow into Kakarot’s side. *Crack* “Ahhhhhh!” “You know what?” I wheezed, connecting the back of my skull with his face, “I’ve had enough!” I turned lodging my palm in his gut, “Ha!” and blasted him, the cone of light engulfing him completely. I rushed him again, as he struggled to right himself, “After all that, do you think,” I struck him, “I’ll just lie down,” blood flew from his mouth as I struck him again, “And take your bullshit!” and again, “This battle ends,” and again, “NOW!” Both my legs flew up to meet his face, sending his body flying up into the air, before I flew up to… Oh, five minutes are up then?   ZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAABARGGGGGGGGOUSHHHH! In my rage I’d forgotten what I’d been stalling for, and as the electrical projectile burst through Kakkarot’s gut, It spread into at least twenty singular bolts, most of them hitting me, the rest cutting jagged lines into the side of the mountain. I felt my muscles seize and my insides fry, and I remember wondering: Why is she so powerfullllllllll~~~ Then losing consciousness, the disembodied voice I’d heard earlier return briefly to say:  “Good job, she weakened him, but only slightly, the damage you took is far more severe, rest for now. This battle may only just be beginning.”  Was that sarcasm? Suppose I won’t ever know. Not till he tells me. *^*^* That was it, nearly all of Canterlot was gone, obliterated by that lighting strike, what was Rainbow Dash going to tell Twilight? How was she going to become a wonderbolt with this on her record! Jeez’ Dash! A part of her said, did you have to put EVERYTHING you had into that one technique?! Master would smack you upside your wonderfully Technicolor head if he saw this! And he certainly would have, had he been around to see this. Dust and ash rose from the fiery mound of rubble that was once Canterlot, at least half of it had fallen to the base of the mountain. Though luckily, Rainbow knew her old martial arts instructor was FAR away, far enough away that he’d never be able to-  A small twinge told her that she’d soon regret her choice in words. This was not her biggest problem however. “H-How!?” She exclaimed, as Kakarot’s dust obscured form rose from the ashes of what was once a house, “How are you still- Still-“ *^*^*^* “Alive!?” Shining Armor watch the proceeding from across a fair distance, his eyes wide with shock, “Buck!” he exclaimed, his heart pounding in his ears, his fear rose and his legs stiffened. He smashed his head into what was left of a divider feeling slightly satisfied that he was at least able to knock over a brick wall. However, he still was furious, how was supposed to help when even a bearer of an element of harmony could barely scratch him! No, He thought, I don’t have time to spare, I need to move! I’ll figure it out when I get there! Even if I have to use… Arameir,  He began moving again, though he was sluggish at first, his speed increased with his urgency. So great was his urgency, that he did not see the colorful tail sticking slightly out from behind a rock, nor did he see the figure speedily following him through the rubble, trying her best to stay out of sight. “Good thing you aim as bad as you fight, you missed my vital organs.” Kakarot said, shivering a bit as he stood. “All of them!?” She backed up, flapping her wings aggressively while Vegeta muttered something angrily in his unconscious state, which brought something very important to her attention, she was now fighting alone, without backup, and worn to the point of exhaustion. Her instincts told her to run, but she stared stubbornly at Vegeta, I’m not going to leave you alone with that monster, no matter how much of a buckin’ idiot you are, she thought, she wouldn’t leave him when he’d helped her, getting beat to a pulp for her. Unfortunately, Kakarot seemed to pick up the implication of the fire in her eyes, and raised a palm towards the limp Saiyan. She made like her name and rushed him, trying her best to force him to stop his impending attack. She was unable to, however, a bolt of energy striking its target, Vegeta’s eyes flashed open, zipping about wildly. “What-? Arg!” She started, standing in horror, as her ally tried to move, then she howled in agony as Kakarot broke her leg with a swift stomp.   “You should not worry about him,” Kakarot said, his face taking on a countenance that sent Rainbow’s heart into overdrive. She could feel his fury radiating from his eyes, the glow whipping around him reflecting it into an immense wave of rage, and yet, she knew he was nowhere near his limit. His fury was endless, born from a hate that spared nothing, indiscriminate in its focus, and boundless in scope. “Yours are the bones yet to be broken!” He raised his fist, burying it in her face before grabbing her wings as she flew. There was a snap, and she was back on the ground, her face in the rumble, whimpering. “He made his mistakes, and one of them was not taking you out from the start, painlessly,” He grumbled, pulling tighter, and glancing over at Vegeta’s unreadable but wide eyes. “Because I will not!” He brought his head close to Dash’s whispering in a low voice, “Somewhere in that hollow head he cares for your health, I guess that’s a blessing in disguise for me,” Kakarot pulled just a little harder on her wings, and Vegeta shook now with rage, eyes unmistakably glowing with fury, “But for you, your story ends… Now.”  *RRRRIIIIIPPP*  The shout that followed echoed horridly crashing like thunder over the hills, bile rose to her throat as she let out a gasp, struggling for air against the pain and sickness. She’d always been told, some ponies just wanted to cause pain, she hadn’t believed it, but now… hearing the chuckle of Kakarot behind her, and the buzzing numbness in her wings, that it was true, No, she thought, he’s no pony.  She didn’t want to look up, for fear of what she’d see, but some morbid curiosity lead to slowly look up behind her, past her shoulder blades and… to… her wings. Tears welled up, and the pain, the sorrow, every regret she ever had pressed against her head, she started to drift into unconsciousness, watching as the ball of swirling energy gathered above her head, lulling her into a deep, but restless sleep…  “No!” Shining Armor’s hooves beat the ground furiously, his fur glistened with sweat, and the throbbing in his leg shot spikes of pain up his body, though that did little to slow him down. He pushed every ounce of power into his horn, willing it to encircle the threatening hand of Kakarot, and the ball of energy enclosed within. A sphere void of color appeared in the instant of Kakarot’s attack, bouncing off the interior, much to the Saiyan’s surprise, before making contact with his hand and exploding. The shield shattered as a result, but the effects were clear once the red mist had settled. Kakarot’s hand was gone, replaced with a meaty stump. He whimpered, his other hand clutching the stump, before growling ferociously, jerkily turning towards Shining, face twisted with rage and fury, though the unicorn did not falter, flinch or blink. He simply stared at the animal in front of him, shifting his gaze slightly to check on the element barer. What he saw confirmed his fear, she had lost her wings, a limb for a limb, he thought, one more to go. He sighed, shifting his eyes back to Kakarot, he was gone. Shining’s eyes widened, as he heard a noise behind him, flipping around he cast the same shield spell as before, only to realize his error, the creature, was on top of him, and this shield was made entirely for reflecting mana, not physical attacks, he was right in the line of fire. “Crap bask-“ Kakarot’s swing made contact with the shield, shattering it without effort, and hitting Shining’s second shield, thrown up moments before. Luck favored the unicorn, as the shield took a good chuck out of Kakarot’s momentum, but certainly not all. He went flying, his back hitting the concrete and rubble at breakneck speeds. Time seemed to slow, every second was a minute, and Shining needed every second he had. He could feel the power of this monster, flying faster than a cannonball, and even in this adrenaline rushed state, he only had moments to decide on a plan. So, he went with plan D. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D62mEMSGVXc) “Arameir!” With a flash, the light from Shining’s horn overtook him and Kakarot, and the sound of a fist striking metal was heard. Kakarot clenched his jaw, his eyes red with rage. He looked stunned, almost lost, as the pain in his fist was unexpected, but logical, the panging in his jaw however… “How-!?” Kakarot’s eyes widened, his face grew pale. Every inch of Shining’s body was covered in armor, thickly plated, and radiating power, it was unexpected, and infuriating. Then he saw his blood on Shining’s gauntleted hoof, that shocked the rage right out of his system. I didn’t even sense that coming!? Strangely, it seemed that the little white unicorn was posing the most danger at the moment, it was… Inconceivable!  “I improvised.” Shining said, “Now let’s see what your kind is really made of, or are you just tough talk!?” enraged beyond the point of thought, Kakarot charged forward, he didn’t care about the Unicorn’s fancy magic trick, he didn’t care about the mistakes he might make, he was reduced to far less than an animal, he became the embodiment of rage itself. A mistake he would come to regret.   Shining braced for the impact, his silver armor shifting like liquid to his front, layering as Kakarot’s remaining fist struck the metallic substance. He smiled, as the fist ricocheted with a shock wave off Arameir, and the force behind it streamed into his muscles and bones, becoming strength for him to use. Then, retaliation.  Kakarot frantically forced himself out of his bloodcurdling rage, moving his arms as fast as he could to block the rapid strikes that began to push him back. It was insanity, this was madness! That the greatest threat he had encountered up to this point was not his “rival” Vegeta, nor the Gods that this planet relied upon for its very existence, no, it was this random ass unicorn wielding what would normally be parlor tricks to him.  He struck again, but to no avail. His fist struck a place that moments before had been lightly covered, but suddenly became heavily fortified. He had no choice but to leap back, knowing that he’d missed something. How had this unicorn surpassed even himself in power? … No, not power, it was not speed or strength or even purely intelligence that allowed this advantage, it was magic, clever magic, but damnable magic just the same. Strike after strike was parried, but it seemed that Kakarot only slowed, weakened, while his opponent continued on, growing stronger. “I’m going to kill you!” Shining shouted, “And when I do, I hope your spirit will be kind enough to stick around!” He smiled widely, laughing a little at his vulgarity, “That way you’ll get to see what I do to your corpse!” He continued attacking furiously, hoping to break the animal’s concentration, to throw him off and finish this, but he knew, even if Kakarot hit him with his strongest, his time was nearly up. He couldn’t afford to wait… He’d just have to make sure someone else desecrated the body.  So, He lashed out, striking Kakarot so hard in the gut, the clouds above parted. As his opponent bent down, Shining brought his hooves up, again uppercutting the Saiyan with his own stolen strength. Hard enough to send a plume of superheated air miles into the atmosphere, the energy lashing out into the sky just above Kakarot’s backside.  But it wasn’t enough. The Saiyan lifted his head, Shining’s hooves still lodged in his stomach, painfully smiled, and spat his blood into his enemy’s face. “I’ve figured you out,” He said, much to the Captain’s horror, “Just another gimmick, another parlor trick!” Kakarot clutched his opponent’s legs, twisting them out from under his gut and into his iron grip. Even in his handless arm Shining struggled to remove himself from the lock. “Is that all your people are made of!?” He said Dodging Shining’s legs as he tried to strike him, “Underhanded slights, clever mimicry of true strength?” Kakarot’s smile grew crueler, his eyes glinting with malice, “And when your meager stamina runs out, what then? Your tricks will be gone, you’ll have nothing else to hide your cowardice behind… So what will you do then!?” Shining looked deep into him, straight into his smug face, little face, cruel little eyes… He thought this was cowardice? He thought this was a cheap trick? Something to cover up his own lack of strength, protect him from risks? Shining steeled himself, he knew what he had to do… show this animal just how wrong he WAS! “Mi-!”  Shing!!!  Dead, it’s what he should have been. He could feel it even if he couldn’t see it. No, he could see it too, a violent violet, vile in its construction and intention. For now, the blade stayed as it was, navel to diaphragm to… Spine.  Shining pushed down, with the strength provided by this technique and… transformation!? With wide eyes, he used what little time he’d bought muttering under his short and halted breaths, bearing his teeth at the golden abomination before him. “What?” It said, cold blue eyes alive with delight. “Didn’t see this coming, magi?” The smile. The Captain almost lost the whole battle right there. But will and duty kept him coming back, one heartbeat at a time. One love at a time. Equestria, family, his sister, her little Dragon… and Mi Amore… “muttering? Well, what do you have to say, bemoaning your mortal failures?” He released pressure on the blade, inflicting as much pain as he possibly could have as he did. “Speak up worm! I’m a little hard of hearing after all the screaming today.” Shining smiled so wide he split his lips. “Should… have gone… for the head…” *^*^*   Witness if you will, the plight of Vegeta. Not the boy who took his name, but the ONE. A Prince In name and conduct. Self-Sacrificed upon the altar of his pride, love, and actions. He was satisfied with that, not in the least bit happy, but satisfied to justly dealt his final blows in the name of someone other than himself. He did not expect rest, nor mercy in the afterlife. But this? Little Kakarot… kind Kakarot… Vegeta was witness to a monster bearing his face. Briefly, he wondered if… if Goku had felt the same when he saw that stupid emblem stamped upon his head.  No, this wasn’t even comparable.  He was startled by the sudden influx of memory. No. Not his own. A double? An imposter!?  One with whom he now shared his body.  This was not ideal. But, he felt the Other move, his rage at the tragedy he was unable prevent, while petulant, was startlingly familiar. It was his rage… And it would be the catalyst for their salvation! His body began to rise from the rubble, hardly noticed by “Kakarot”, but duly noted by the creature grappling him. A simple look at his face told Vegeta that holding back on this next shot was pointless. He was going all the way. How could he be judged for that? So, he would too.  His muscles tensed, the earth beneath him cracked and split. Energy arced across his body. The sudden burst of Ki finally grabbing the cruel mockery of his rival’s total attention, eyes wide with fear. True fear. Some words were screamed, curses? Pleas? Vegeta couldn’t hear, he refused to. He let the golden light envelope him, the power of the Super Saiyan. “Final… Flash!!!” *^* And in this moment, Equestria would never be the same.