//------------------------------//
// Look Into The Future! Limit Break, Arkham and Noel! 
// Story: The Displaced Tournament of Power 
// by Uncle Iroh 
//------------------------------//


Look Into The Future! Limit Break, Arkham And Noel!


01:00:00


(At the exact moment Katakuri makes his announcement)


“Do you think we lost them?” Gleaming asked, horn lit, shield surrounding them.

Cloud looked over her shoulder and winced at the sandstorm slowly gaining ground on them. “Doesn’t look like it. They’re following. The prince will be able to keep at least one of them pinned, but…”

Gleaming nodded. “Right. Guard up. I’m signaling for more relief.” The shield dropped and Gleaming’s horn flashed brilliantly, shooting a bolt of energy into the air. It exploded in a shower of blue light, forming the shape of a crescent moon. “There.” Gleaming erected her shield again before turning to Coco. “How are you doing?”

Coco winced and clutched her head from atop Bambi’s back. “Not great. I’d be fine if we were allowed to heal, but…” She shook her head. “No! I’ll be fine. As long as I have my friends to help me, I’ll make it through.”

“Might wanna conjure up a few more of those friends,” Cloud muttered, glancing over her shoulder again. “They’ll be on us any second now.”

Coco readied her keyblade. “We’ll be ready.”

A trail of sand dug towards Team B, going under any rock or tree in the way. It dug all the way to the shield which they’d expect would halt it, instead, the sand went under the shield. “Desert Spada!” A massive wall of sand was made, hitting the roof of the shield, nearly piercing it too.

Gleaming grunted and let the shield drop. “Coco!” she cried as she lit her horn again.

“On it!” Twin flashes heralded two new summons. The first was a truly massive golden eagle, which screeched a mighty warcry. The second was an even more massive three-headed dog, coat as black as pitch and eyes glowing a hellish red. The former scooped up Coco in her talons and winged swiftly away while the latter stood protectively over Gleaming and Cloud.

Gleaming shot a glance up at the towering canine before shaking her head. “We really need to get a list of what she can summon.”

A blue portal was formed beside the three-headed dog, and out came the Arkham Knight, his fist coated in Armament Haki. “Fish Man Karate, One Tile Fist!” Arkham then slammed his fist into the body of the three-headed dog. Using his rocket elbow to increase the impact and knockback, “Get sent flying!” The blow made a massive hole in its side, not even the Knight expected this. Blood and other fluids flowed from the hole, though the dog seemed unperturbed.

Kyle made himself known by appearing before Coco, his bottom half was sand and rocketing out his body. “Missed me?” Kyle stretched a hand out to Coco, preparing to dehydrate her.

Marahute shrieked, maneuvering far more quickly than Kyle had expected from something of its size. Coco was out of Kyle’s line of sight before he could blink, and another instant saw a set of talons - each finger tipped with foot-long ebony blades - slashing at his chest as Marahute flew away.

Kyle had coated his chest in Armament Haki to try and lessen the damage, but his shirt was in ribbons because of it. He winced in pain, clenching his teeth. “Damn, it has sharp talons, however, I’m not one to quit.” Kyle shot after Coco, this time, aiming for Marahute. “Barjan!” Kyle swiped his arm in a crescent shape, unfortunately for him, it only covered Marahute and not Coco. The bird’s body shriveled up, so much that you could see it’s bones.

“Marahute!” Coco cried as the eagle began to fall. She turned back to glare at Kyle. “Why you-!” She pointed her keyblade right at him as Marahute neared the ground, desperately trying to cushion their landing. “That’s it! I’m done being nice!”

Another flash went off as Marahute touched down, dissipating into vapor. Replacing the eagle was another giant, this one a reptilian creature with dozens of serpentine necks, each ending in a hungry-looking head. The hydra glared at the approaching Kyle and hissed a chorus of death.

Kyle turned to the Readers, “See now that’s some bullshit.” Kyle then looked at the hydra and began to laugh, “Haha, Coco, was it? You don’t seem to understand, do you see what we’re standing on? Ground, I am a sand man, I ate the Suna Suna No Mi, giving me the ability to do this!” Kyle crouched down and placed his hands on the ground. “Ground-”

Cloud dropped from nowhere, slamming rear-hooves first into the back of Kyle’s skull. She followed up with two downward stabs with her wingblades, plunging the tips through his hands and pinning them to the ground. “Go!” she shouted, Bambi running up and scooping Coco once again into his antlers. Cloud smirked down at Kyle as stag and mare ran off. “Monologuing? Really? Gotta say, though, it’s nice having someone this big beneath me.”

“You know what?” Kyle, with his hands on the ground, began to grin. “Ground… DEATH!” The floor, the trees, and the rocks around them crumbled into sand. And the floor began to turn into sand as well, all around them the floor was being turned into sand. Arkham’s masked eyes opened wide and he leaped in the air to avoid what was going to happen. Taking his cue from him, Cerberus grabbed Gleaming in his right set of jaws and threw her on top of his back. Cloud’s eyes went wide and she yelped, retracting her blades and leaping into a hover.

The hydra, however, had no way to dodge and shriveled. Kyle stood up and made a portal next to him, “That summoner isn’t getting away, you will get your turn, hydra!” Kyle pointed a finger at the dehydrated hydra, Kyle leaped in said portal. Five heads snapped towards him, barely missing as the portal closed behind him.

Cloud stared from where Kyle had disappeared to the hydra. “Okay, I get that you’re some sort of freaky keyblade monster, but how are you still moving?”

Arkham was currently breathing a sigh of relief, “Jesus Christ, Kyle, warn me next time.”  Arkham then turned to Cloud and clenched his right fist. A blade sprouted from his armor’s forearm. “Kamisori.” Arkham vanished from sight and bounced on thin air, propelling himself in front of the hydra. “One Arm Blade Sword Style… Dragon’s Swipe!” Arkham does a spinning swipe, slashing the hydra across the chest. The skin split, a thick, blackish blood seeping out.

The hydra roared in rage and turned its attention to the Knight, trying to snatch him out of the air. Two dozen heads swerved and snapped, cutting off all routes of easy escape and forcing Arkham to keep moving lest he be swallowed whole.

Arkham opened his eyes wide and thought, “This is the perfect opportunity to train my Observation Haki!” Arkham analyzed how the hydra was viciously attacking, and he closed his eyes. Just how Fujitora and Lord Twigo taught him, floated there for a moment. Predict its movements before it makes them!

BASH!

Arkham was flung across the air and hit the sand, “Damn it!” Arkham slammed his blade on the sand and stopped himself. “This isn’t the time for this, I need to finish this!” Arkham sprouted a bomb from him, it was a Pumpkin Bomb. He then threw it at the hydra. “BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE!” The Pumpkin Bomb flashed green for a few seconds before lighting up in the hydra’s faces.

Half of the faces were burnt away, the stumps of their necks cauterized by the flame. The other half were simply blown off by the force. The hydra collapsed forward, bleeding slowly from half of its stumps.

Arkham crossed his arms, and scoffed, “Pathetic, can’t even take a Pumpkin Bomb that can vaporize human bone. I thought hydras were stronger.” Arkham turned around only to turn back, “Wait a minute, it isn’t turning into oblivion, which means…” Arkham realized.

The headless corpse of the hydra stumbled back to its feet, writhing. Suddenly, two dozen heads sprouted from a dozen stumps, each one roaring in triumph and rage. Without hesitation, they dove for Arkham again.

Arkham clenched his blade, and sighed, “I guess I have to do it with…” Arkham looked to the side of the hydra where the headless stumps were not sprouting up. They were roasted. 
Arkham chuckled, “Oh I have you figured out.” Arkham unsheathed his blade.



“Foxfire, One Sword Style: Karyu Issen!” Arkham leaped into the air, coating his blade in Armament Haki, his blade began to catch on fire. Arkham spun around and swiped all of their heads off in one swoop, the fire slash expanded and cut a boulder behind the hydra.

Dropping down, Arkham landed like a samurai. This time when the hydra fell, it dissipated into mist. “Ash to ash, dust to dust.” Arkham said as he turned to face Cloud, only to realize she wasn’t there and so was Gleaming and Cerberus.

“GOD FUCKING DAMN IT!”





Kyle resurfaced in front of Team B. “I SWEAR TO GOD! Why are you running? This is the second time!” Kyle asked, his hand turning into sand. “Desert Grande Espada!” Kyle slammed his fist down and a torrent of sharp sand shot to Bambi’s side to cut the deer in half.

A pink shield burst to life just in time to stop the blade, extending around and beneath the party, cutting their hooves off from the ground. “It’s called a tactical retreat,” Gleaming answered with a grunt. “Useful against powerful opponents.”

“You okay?” Cloud whispered to Coco while Gleaming kept Kyle distracted.

Coco was gasping for breath, her limbs shaking. “I… I’ll be… be fine. Just… can’t summon… for a bit.”

Cloud looked up at the three-headed dog that she was beginning to suspect wasn’t fully alive before nodding. “Okay. Backup should be here soon. Just leave this to me, Gleaming, and Spot.”

“His name is Cerberos.”

“...isn’t that Old Ponish for-”

“My question is,” Gleaming continued, “why are you three so determined to take us out? It’s not like we’re really priority targets, even among our team.”

Kyle began to coat his fists and forearms in Armament Haki as a shield and sword made out of Wakfu conjured themselves. “The answer is simple, your group was on the path to intercepting Herobrine, the 2nd Commander of Katakuri’s Army. He’s strong, but not enough to take all of you on.” Kyle then planted his feet on the ground, “Which is why we’re showing you to not even think about fighting we Commanders. Each of us- Wait, I’m monologuing again, I’ll finish this!” Kyle bounded forward preparing to slice them up.

“What do you know?” Cloud deadpanned as Gleaming poured more power into her shield. “He learns.”

“Shut up, you BRAT!” Kyle began to spin around and imbued the Wakfu made sword with Armament Haki, “I’m a thousand and five hundred years old, I’m not a kid!” Kyle barked and he slammed his sword into the shield, making a crack that covered the whole shield. Kyle blew on the shield and it shattered.

“Fifteen hundred. That’s adorable.”

Kyle felt a hoof on his shoulder for half a second before the weight of a moon crushed him into the ground. Luna stepped over his bruised and struggling body and nodded to Gleaming and Cloud. “You have done well to protect Mistress Pomell thus far. Retreat to the south; the route is relatively clear, and these will have no further reason to pursue you with such vigor. Allow Mistress Pomell time to recover before seeking out new targets.”

Gleaming snapped a salute, her professionalism all that kept her from sighing in relief. “Yes, Princess!”

“Th-thank you, Luna,” Coco wheezed from Bambi’s back.

Luna turned her attention back to Kyle as the group fled south. “Thy command of the earth is impressive, warrior. I commend thee.” With a tilt of her head, the crushing weight pushing down on Kyle vanished.

Kyle turned into sand, flopping on the ground, sand began to float two meters away from Luna. The sand began to reform into Kyle, who’s ribs were broken and blood dripped from his mouth. “I put up with too much to be beaten by the likes of you, I worked my ass off to get to this position. So, I’ll prove to everyone that I am much more than the 1st Commander!” Kyle revealed his palm to Luna and a small tornado of sand began to form. “Sables!” Kyle then threw the tornado and it grew into a sandstorm. The sandstorm raged and picked up trees and rocks.

Luna simply extended her wings slightly, the tips twitching. An area of calm surrounded her, the raging winds of the sandstorm flowing around her bubble. “‘The likes of us,’ Thou sayest? Knave, know ye with whom you speak? Thou claimest fifteen hundred years of life? We are more ancient by far.” Her horn glowed softly, and shadows began to flow up her body, solidifying into obsidian armor studded with diamonds. “We suggest thou not underestimate us.”

Kyle clenched his teeth, replacing the Luna before him with Eric’s Luna from the Displaced Tournament. Lightning twirling around her, eyes glowing white, Kyle shook his head to snap back into reality. Opening to see Eric’s Luna in his face, Kyle jumped back only for her to not be there. Luna was in the same spot, and there was no lightning to be found. “Damn… Where are you Arkham? I kinda need you.” 

Luna frowned, her imperious eyes gaining a touch of concern. “Art thou well? Thou seemest… troubled. Despite the airs we put on, this tournament is for the purpose of friendship and sportsmarelike conduct. Is ought amis?”

Kyle crossed his arms in an X position, “I won’t lose to you again…” Kyle clenched his teeth.

“20 Trillion Volts Hydra!”

Kyle shivered in fear, his legs shaking.

“To me?” Luna’s eyes widened slightly, though she kept her imperious mask in place. “Or to a version of me?” Her horn began to glow again, and Kyle felt the slightest touch upon his mind before Luna flinched away, hissing in disgust. “Wh- what fell presence hath touched upon thee to leave that mark?!”

“N… NOTHING!” Kyle clenched his teeth, tears began to form out of fear, his legs began to wobble.

A large three headed serpent burnt through Kyle’s body burning it to a crisp, his eyes going completely white as he fell to the ground as a complete glass statue.

“Nothing happened…!” Kyle’s body began to glow and blue symbols began to appear on his body, they began to glow bright and a blue aura surrounded him. Flaring like an angry flame. “NOTHING HAPPENED! DESERT SPADA!” Kyle slammed his hand onto the ground and a row of sand rushed towards Luna. 

The alicorn sidestepped the attack easily, her eyes now full of concern. “Pray, cease! Thou art not well of spirit! Pray, let us help thee! Or at least allow us to arrange a different match-up!”

“SHUT UP!” Kyle roared, things began to transform into sand and a massive sandstorm was made, absorbing the sandstorm nearby. “I won’t lose to you again! I will become stronger, I won’t be turned into… Into…!” Kyle clenched his teeth, and leaped into the air. “Sables, PESADO!” A torrent of sand shot towards the alicorn, it hit the ground before her and knocked her back into the storm. 

Luna let herself tumble through the storm for a while before gradually extending her wings, letting the wild winds pull her deeper into the darkest depths of the mass. Once sand and shadow consumed her, she vanished.

“Wrath shall not avail thee.” Luna leapt out of Kyle’s shadow, quickly winging a few body-lengths away before settling down again. Her expression was full of pity, with a touch of condescension. “If thou art to defeat us, thou must calm thyself. Thou didst fight more dangerously against the others. As thou art now, we need not even strike thee to emerge victorious; thy rage shall rob thee of all energy ere we have broken so much as a sweat.”

“It’s not rage, it’s ANGUISH!” Kyle yelled, his hat began to be picked up in the wind, revealing tiny wings on his head. Kyle lunged towards Luna, clenching his fist in Armament Haki. As he was closing in on her, a certain Knight appeared.

“Soru!” Arkham appeared before Kyle, right in front of Luna, Arkham showed Kyle his palm. Kyle stopped in his tracks, skidding across the ground to a halt. “Kyle, what are you thinking? Even though I know that attacking someone while going berserk is foolish! You’re a Commander, and a great one! Ryker isn’t here, Eric isn’t here, and his Luna definitely isn’t! So wake the fuck up!” Arkham slammed his fist into Kyle’s face, making him fall down.

“But… She… G-glass…” Kyle looked at his hand, then the other, “I’m not glass… I’m not… Glass.” Kyle chuckled, “I’m not glass, I’m alive!”

“Yes, you are, now retreat, we accomplished our mission. Meet up with Noel, he should be done by now.” Arkham ordered, Kyle did a mock salute and flew off, he then turned to Luna. “Ahem, you’re… Probably wondering what just happened, huh?”

“Not particularly,” Luna lied easily. “His traumas are his own, and it is not our place to pry. Besides, we would not wish to hear of another version of us who has fallen to darkness.” She chuckled. “Apart from the typical Nightmare Moon folly, of course. We have heard that such is nigh universal across the multiverse.”

Arkham chuckled, “Well, the best way to explain what happened was with actions. You probably gathered another Luna, Eric’s Luna, turned Kyle into glass and shattered him. Killing him.” Arkham explained without hesitation.

Luna grimaced. “A cruel method.” She cocked her head to the side. “Though, credit where it is due, this other me did possess an exquisite taste in irony. Sand to glass.”

“She… Had a lightning logia, the Goro Goro no Mi, the ability to control and manipulate lightning. She shot lightning hydra’s into his body.” Arkham looked down, “I’ll never forgive her, but I know all Luna’s aren’t the same.”

“Ah. That would do it.” She eyed Arkham appraisingly. “So, are we to do combat, then? You do seem a powerful opponent. It would be an honor to pit our abilities against thine.” She smirked. “We warn thee, though. As thou hast not suffered such great agony at that dark mirror of ourself’s hooves, we will not restrain ourselves.”

Arkham chuckled and unsheathed his blade, Shisui. “Oh, I will enjoy this, not because you’re strong. But, I can grow strong too!” Arkham got in a fighting stance.

Luna chuckled, spreading her wings as twin blades of moonlight formed upon their leading edges. “I begin.”

Arkham’s mind was instantly assaulted. A thousand nightmares and a thousand horrors flooded his mind, raging and thrashing and striking at his most intimate and primal terrors. Fear and weakness flooded his psyche, assaulting his mind with eldritch terror even as his body was wracked with horrible tremblings. He fell to his hands and knees, seeming almost to bow before the Princess of Dreams.

A voice echoed in Arkham’s mind.

“What are you doing, my Commander?”  Ryker’s voice washed over Arkham, “Do I need to fix you again?”

Arkham clenched his teeth, he wasn’t like Kyle, he wouldn’t be taken over by anguish. He was strong, he was strong! Arkham stood up to his feet, grabbing his sword, breathing heavily as memories of parts of his body being torn apart and being replaced with robotic ones flashed in his mind. “N-not bad!” Arkham prepared a fighting stance before charging, Luna was replaced with the image of Kodo and Arkham slammed his blade into Kodo aka Luna.

“Most wonderful.” Arkham blinked, finding Luna standing a few feet away still, as if neither of them had moved. “Thou hast withstood terror quite excelently. We applaud thee. Tell us, we pray thee; is thy kind naturally resilient against psionic attacks, or hast thou trained specifically to overcome such assaults?”

“You would be correct on your second question, after encountering Kodo and Shiva, I prepared myself to be stronger with my mind! For it to be unbreakable!” Arkham shot forward, coating his sword in Armament Haki, he prepared an attack on the Lunar Princess.

Luna laughed in Delight, a joyful grin splitting her face as she reared back, clopping her forehooves together. “Oh, what fun! ‘Thas been far too long ere we met any who practiced mental fortitude such as this. we pray thee indulge us a little longer; it is rare that we have the opportunity to truly exercise our psionic abilities!”

“It would be my pleasure!” Arkham’s sword lit aflame, “Foxfire, One Sword Style: Blazing Inferno!” Arkham raised his sword high and a huge pillar of fire shot from Shisui. Arkham then slammed the blade down and the fire followed the blade, slamming into Luna. The forest behind her, bursting into flames.

Luna grit her teeth against the blow, but the flames seemed to flow right over her armor without effect. “Fire shall not avail thee, good sir; we spar against the sun itself!” She melted into a cloud of blue, star-filled energy which Arkham promptly fell through. She reformed a few feet behind him, her face set with a determined - if slightly troubled - grin. “Let us see how thou dost handle this, then.”

Where terror had shrieked through his mind before, Arkham’s mind was now flooded with absolute sorrow. A thousand mothers wept for their slain sons, a thousand daughters for their imprisoned fathers. Friends, lovers, and comrades wept the bitterest of tears. Heartbreak. Loss. Humiliation. Rivers of sorrow poured over Arkham, threatening to pull him down into a dark ocean of grief, the currents of crushing eternities tempting him to sink down into numb melancholy from which there was no escape, nor even desire nor will to do so. It would feel so good too, he knew, to sink beneath those waves and never have to feel again.

Arkham began to laugh, then cackle, “HAHA! Tis but a scratch!” Arkham said, he had already cried too much to feel any pity, to grieve over those who’ve long since died, it won’t hold him back. “GET OVER HERE!” Gravity began to pull on Luna towards Arkham, and she couldn’t help but go towards him. “5,000 Tile Brick Fist!” Water began to spurt from Arkham’s left fist as he slammed his fist into Luna’s gut, using Armament Haki and elbow rockets to further increase the damage.

Luna spat blood, but her horn lit immediately. The splatter of blood shaped itself into blades in midair, stabbing into Arkham’s mask (which thankfully didn’t do much to the mask). A flare of her horn, and Luna teleported back, rubbing her gut. Arkham prepared to strike again, but hesitated as he saw the ruined anguish plastered across Luna’s face, the tears streaming down her cheeks. Even now, she was shaking and gasping more from sobs than from her injury.

Arkham used Soru to appear before Luna, he coated his right leg in Armament Haki, using rockets from his knee and ankle to cause more damage. Arkham began to spin and light shone from his heels, “7,000 Tile Brick Roundhouse Kick!” Arkham attempted to slam his foot into Luna, but she erected a shield, causing a shockwave. Spider web crabs appeared on her shield, and he frowned. 

“BE STILL, WRETCH!” The volume of the Royal Canterlot Voice might have been enough to blow Arkham off his feet, but he wouldn’t know; the blast of moonlight from Luna’s horn had hit him at the same time. He was sent flying across exposed rock, tumbling and rolling before finally slamming to a halt against a large boulder. Luna stared after him with grief-wrought loathing.

In an instant, her expression changed to one of horrified concern. “Oh, yay it all.” She quickly teleported to Arkham’s side. “Art thou alright? We apologize! Thou didst recover so quickly from our assault of grief that we had no chance to recover from the backlash afore thou didst strike against us. We swear, we were not ourself.”

Arkham held his chest, “Yeah, you’re good.” Arkham said, his voice changing from deep and robotic to a normal voice, Arkham hit his head a few times. “There we go, it’s fine, I’ve had worse.” Arkham got up to his feet, he turned to face Luna and cleared his throat. “You totally did not just hear another voice, got that?” Arkham glared from beneath his mask.

“Another voice? Whatever couldst thou mean?” Luna’s tone and expression conveyed total innocence as she stepped back a few feet. “In any case, that was very well done. Grief is even more difficult to fight off than terror.” Her expression softened a touch. “That thou wert so well acquainted so as to be able to cast it off so easily…” She shook her head. “Nevermind. We have one more to test against thee. Though this one will be less unpleasant by far, it is yet the most difficult to resist.” She smirked. “Art thou prepared?”

Arkham steadied himself and got into a fighting stance, he closed his eyes and exhaled calmly.

“You must be absolutely calm to use Future Sight, Michael.” Lord Twigo’s and Fujitora’s voices echoed in Arkham’s mind.

“Yeah.” Arkham’s eyes were still closed, he was calm, so why wasn’t he unlocking Future Sight?

“Focus on what you want to see!” The duo’s voices lectured.

Arkham peered at Luna behind his closed eyes, and he asked himself. “What are you about to do?”

Flicker.

Arkham’s eyes opened, he saw a flicker of her silhouette!

This was it! He was ready. No matter what Luna threw at him, he’d see it coming a mile away. In fact, she wasn’t even moving. Probably scared to fight him. Or maybe her latest attack hadn’t even managed to get into his mind. Hah! Some Princess of the Night! Couldn’t even get into his steel-trap of a mind! Why, she probably wasn’t even strong enough to fight him at all.

Luna braced herself, her horn glowing and imbuing her body with power. Heh, probably casting evey buff, protection, and strengthening spell she could on herself. Not that it would do any good! His body was even stronger than his mind. He could see that she was going to charge straight at him; he’d be able to dodge easily. But why bother? He was one of the most powerful people in the world - no! - in the entire multiverse! He’d take her attack head-on without even bracing himself, and when she saw that she couldn’t even budge him, she’d be in such awe that she’d-

Arkham’s mind snapped back to rationality as Luna’s powerful buck all-but caved in his ribcage, sending him flying half-way across the massive arena. Luna smirked as she watched him fly. “Confidence,” she chuckled to herself, turning to seek another opponent. “Ah, the oldest tricks truly are the best.”

Arkham had his back on the ground, looking up to the sky, as quakes shook the arena from the fights. Arkham clenched his fists and got up, he then sheathed his blade. He knew what he must do. Arkham used everything in his arsenal to make him speed up, rockets, Rokushiki, anything to go back to Luna. Arkham placed his foot down and got in a running stance.

“Absolute… Speed!” Arkham vanished from sight and bolted across the land and sky, racing towards Luna, his sight couldn’t match his speed, yet he maneuvered himself well. Well enough to catch Luna just as she was about to fly off. Arkham was horizontal, time stopped and he could see that she was surprised to see him. “Didn’t you say ‘we suggest thou not underestimate us’?! WELL I WON’T!” Arkham sent Luna back with a kick to the dome and landed on solid ground. “You underestimate me!”

Luna shook her head before staring up at Arkham, aghast. Her shock changed swiftly to irritation. “FOUL! How the bucking yay should I have expected you to get back so buysomeapples quickly?! Even Rainbow bucking Blitz couldn’t move like that, and she can pull off the Sonic bucking Rainboom! You have NO buysomeapples right to talk to me about underestimating you when you pull out BS like that!”

“Ayo, what did you say to me you motherfucker? Aren’t you supposed to be all Bri’sh, yeh? Let’s get some tea, yeh?” Arkham jokes, preparing a fighting stance.

“Oh, shove it!” Luna leapt to her hooves, pouting. “You expect me to be all prim and proper when you’re going to pull BS super speed like that out of your flankhole? Buck that!” She turned and shouted to the sky. “SOL! SORA! YOU’VE GOT BUCKING COMPETITION FOR THE TITLE OF ‘MOTHERBUCKING FLANKHOLE WHO CAN PISS ME OFF WITH HIS BS POWERS.’”

“HAH! REMIND ME TO GET A BEER WITH HIM LATER, SISTER!”

“Okay dude,” Arkham coated his arms and legs in Armament Haki, “Owari Da.” Arkham slammed a fist into Luna’s gut, “Fist of the Black Turtle!” Arkham’s leg lit aflame to red hot fire, “Kick of the Red Phoenix!” He slammed his boot into Luna’s forehead, “Dance of the White Tiger!” Arkham started wailing on Luna, punching and kicking her repeatedly without stopping. “Last stance: AZURE DRAGON!” A blue dragon appeared behind Arkham and went right through Luna as he did palm strike, his arms a top one another. 

Luna slowly turned her head to glare down at Arkham, a dribble of blood leaking out the corner of her mouth. “My turn.” Her horn lit up, and everything went black. Arkham could see himself, but nothing else. The feel of Luna’s coat under his hands vanished, leaving him in total isolation, an absolute zero of external sensation.

Arkham closed his eyes, he didn’t want to waste this opportunity to practice his Observation haki. And as he was clearing his mind, it was promptly interrupted.

Thousands of bolts of red energy appeared suddenly in the darkness, their harsh light nearly blinding him with their contrast to the previous state of darkness. He had only half-a-second, but it was long enough to realize what was about to happen. In an instant, he was bathed in a rain of laser-fire from all directions.

Arkham coated his fists in Armament Haki and began to block and punch the lasers away. Arkham dodged what he couldn’t and he clenched his teeth. It only got worse as he saw each bolt of energy that he dodged or blocked replaced immediately with another behind it. If only he had Future Sight, he could have been out of this mess, if only he wasn’t weak, he wouldn’t be having trouble, if only he was stronger.

“Come, Michael, let me fix you.” Ryker’s voice echoed again, Arkham clenched his teeth and he saw the Irish King in front of him. 

“Please, make me stronger!” Arkham shouted, however, a new voice bumped in.

“Michael!” Katakuri’s voice echoed across Arkham’s mind, “I’ve been reading your mind ever since you began this fight and you’ve had to wake up and realize something. You can only get stronger by learning, by progressing and not by cybernetic enhancements! Do you want to have your body torn apart and reassembled again? DO YOU?”!

“Oy!” Luna’s voice chimed in. “Stay out of this!”

Arkham dodged an attack aimed for his head and coated his foot in Haki to stomp down on a laser that was about to hit his heel. “But… I can’t surpass Zabuza as I am, I can’t surpass anyone!”

“It isn’t about surpassing, it’s about improving, stop focusing on others and focus on your battles! Focus on your dream, your goal! Stop worrying about what position you’re in and foxy on where you’re at now, focus on improving!”  Katakuri yelled, Arkham gasped at that realization. He got where he was now through his determination to beat the Commanders but at the rank he is now, he should focus on petty things like surpassing. But bettering himself!

Arkham closed his eyes and dropped his guard, he was putting his will on the line, his pride, if he gets hit, he’ll lose. He’ll fail everyone, he’ll fail- no! Stop worrying about others and focus, focus! Arkham inhaled and exhaled, time began to slow…

Flicker… Flicker… Flicker…

The lasers came closer.

Flicker… Flicker… Flicker…

Arkham’s mind focused.

Flicker… Flicker… Silhouette!

Right, left, lift your leg, side step, block, tilt your head to the right, turn left, move your foot right. Arkham began to dodge all of the attacks, closing his eyes, he then opened them and continued to dodge all of the lasers like it was nothing.

It was awakened… His Future Sight!






01:23:32


Sol chuckled at his sister’s shout. “Someone who’s managed to break through her facade? I’d like to meet him properly.” He turned his attention back to his own match. “Now then. What to do with you?”

“The fire still burns within the arena.” Noel said as he raised his claws. “The inferno may grow if the victor between us is not decided, meaning others will join us.”

“Well we can’t have that.” Sol took a deep breath, filling his lungs as he inhaled.

And inhaled.

And inhaled.

Noel quickly realized that it wasn’t air that Sol was gathering. The flames below them began to stream into Sol’s nostrils and down his throat, his neck beginning to glow brighter and brighter as an impossible amount of fire was sucked in. Eventually, Sol let out a great sigh. All of the fire that had previously raged below them was gone.

“...I’m unsure as to why you did that.” Noel asked with a curious expression toward Sol.

“One,” Sol answered, “I’d rather the collateral of our fight not interfere with others’ battles. Two, I’d rather not have anyone interfere in our battle in an attempt to quell the flames. Three, I am able to put this fire to good use.” He smirked. “Ordinarily I’d use a small portion of it to heal my wounds, but that isn’t allowed in this tournament. So instead, all of it must go to another purpose.”

Before Noel could ask what he meant, Sol exploded. Twice. The first time his body was vaporized in an expanding ball of fire. The second time was stranger, some force within the flames bursting out to surround the energy before it could dissipate. The force condensed slowly, drawing the fire closer together. Closer. Closer. Denser. Brighter. Noel shielded his eyes as the crackling roar of the fire increased. The crackles turned to cackles, the roar into billowing laughter. When Noel finally was able to uncover his eyes, he stared in shock.

Sol was changed. No longer was he a being of flesh and blood. His entire essence was fire and flame, red and golden to form his body and a rainbow of colors to replace his mane and tail. He had grown to twice his previous height, and his wings didn’t so much as flap to keep them aloft as they did flare, holding him in place in the sky.

“It has been some time,” Sol rumbled, his voice as the roar of a wildfire, “since I have taken this form. The ponies of my world sometimes mistake me and my sister for gods. But I am no god. I am so much more.” His horn, a spearlike spiral of white-hot flame, became surrounded in an aura of golden magic.

“I am the sun.”

A torrent of liquid-seeming fire shot from his horn like a geyser, barreling towards Noel. The Black Dragon had been quick on his feet, or in this case his own lips as he started mumbling up a spell; causing a shimmer of green to circle around his being just in time as the hot liquid magma collided against the barrier. “We both hide secrets then.” Noel said in amusement and a grin. In all honesty other than the tough fights in the past, Noel was never able to have a good fight since his world’s system would come up with restrictions, especially The Judge that’d come to watch and apply annoying laws and rules. 

“An impressive shield,” Sol admitted, shooting higher into the air. “Come! Let us do battle where others shall not be harmed!”

Noel wasn’t given a chance to refuse as the liquid fire still wrapping around his shield began to rise, lifting him higher into the sky. Noel noted with concern that Sol seemed to still possess complete control over the fire he had shot out. And that the inside of his shield was starting to feel very warm. Noel mumbled under his breath quickly to conjure up a spell, and before Sol could figure out what he was doing, Noel suddenly disappeared in a flash of green, then reappeared a distance away behind Sol. “Smart Alicorn.” he said with a snort as he began to inhale a mighty breath. Sol turned to face him, readying himself to react. Noel exhaled, unleashing a bright blue flaming beam straight at the Sun Prince. 

Sol smirked. As the flame was about to strike him, his body split down the middle. The shot blew through without resistance, and the flames which made up Sol’s body recondensed none the worse for wear. “I’m afraid ranged attacks won’t really work on me as I am now,” he taunted. “If I can see it coming, I can dodge it. Your only hope is to fight me close-in.” His smirk grew into an eager grin. “And that carries with it certain more… insidious perils.”

Noel snorted as he started chanting again, causing a flash of blue and green to twirl around him, manifesting into two layers of magical barriers. With a hard flap of his wings, Noel rocketed straight at Sol, aiming his wing toward his head. Sol ducked beneath the wing before his neck suddenly stretched, snakelike. His jaws clamped over the wing near the joint, a flash of sunfire turning his normally blunt equine teeth into fangs, fangs which ground and scraped over the surface of the wing, trying to find purchase or weakness. While Sol was biting into Noel’s wing, Noel took the opportunity to get right up on Sol’s face, maw glowing a fierce blue flame. Learning from his last experience with Noel’s not-fire, Sol released his grip and dove, barely escaping the blast. Noel started to chant under his breath as he aimed his hands toward Sol. There was a sudden strange disturbance around Sol and he recognized the strange, complex signature.

Time magic, he thought. Though not nearly so complex as that Centennial Messenger spell. A localized effect? He banked sharply, barely escaping the spell’s area before it activated. “I was not expecting time magic,” he admitted, turning his gaze up to Noel. “Though it seemed a minor effect. What was that spell?”

“I cannot reveal that, you’ll just have to learn about it through battle or after this fight.” Noel explained as his maw glowed fiery blue again, unleashing a blast of MegaFlare at Sol. 

“Pity,” Sol answered, dodging again. “We have little knowledge of time magic back in our Equestria. The only fool suicidal enough to experiment with it was the old coot Starswirl, and he only managed to complete a few spells. Certainly nothing that could be used conventionally.” He dodged another blast before shaking his head. “Ah well. I suppose you won’t tell me the name of your two defensive spells, either?”

“One question would lead to another, that question would lead to a tree of topics. Let’s just say my world has quite a lot of schools of magic verily different than that of simple unicorns.” Noel explained as he flapped his wings hard, rocketed into the air to gain some distance. “After this fight, I will explain more, perhaps even allow a trip to my world.” Noel said as he deeply inhaled. Aiming his head toward the sky, Noel exhaled an orange breath that split into multiple projectiles, causing the sky to be lit up due to the size. All ten non-elementall fireballs started to hone in on Sol. 

“Splendid!” Sol grinned happily as ten of his fiery feathers shot out, intercepting each fireball halfway between him and Noel. “I look forward to it!”

The fireballs exploded, particles shaking the arena. Noel cursed under his breath as the fires faded, seeing the Sun Prince charging straight at him, twin swords of sunfire at his sides.

“You are really trying my patience…” Noel said in minor annoyance. Noel has been holding back so much of his power as to avoid killing Sol, or worse harming the others outside of the arena. Noel charged straight at Sol as well, claws sheathed out and primed for physical combat.

“And I find it guilty as charged!”

Blade met claw in a clash that sent sparks flying. Sol and Noel engaged in a rapid series of strikes and parries, feeling out each others’ fighting styles and feints. Sol frowned as he found himself having to summon a third blade just to keep up. Every hit Sol’s fire sword hit along Noel’s claws, Sol would see that same steadily building aura within Noel, causing Sol to frown in thought. I see. Eventually, Sol disengaged, hovering back a few paces to stare Noel down.

“It builds,” he said. “With every strike against you, that aura builds. And when it grows large enough, you transform, growing stronger.”

“Now you’re catching on, prince!” Noel yelled as he threw his claw, aiming for Sol’s chest. Sol brought up a blade to parry and flapped hard, launching himself over Noel’s back.

“Most insidious,” Sol remarked, going on the defense. “In order to defeat you, I must strike you. But the more I strike you, the stronger you become. I must either defeat you in a final blow that takes you down before you have a chance to activate your transformation, or find some other way to incapacitate you.” He blocked another strike and smirked. “Incidentally, how are you feeling? No headaches, I hope. Maybe a hint of nausea?”

Noel wiggled a fingered claw. “Any form of physical impact would just be an advantage, prince, even a form of sickness of whatever you’re aiming for. Besides, my barriers have been keeping most of the heat at bay. I’m also trying to not seriously harm you.” Noel explained as he gave a little bit of some distance from Sol.

“You cannot permanently harm me,” Sol answered. “Not as I am now.” He gestured at himself while summoning two additional blades. “Should this form sustain enough damage, I shall be forced to revert to my original, fleshy self, at which point the accumulated injury and strain would force me to retire from this combat. But until that happens…” Sol flared his wings, glowing brighter and brighter, “to face me is to face the sun itself. And sunburn is not the only danger the sun provides.” With that, he charged again. Noel swung his claw in a wide arc, putting all of his strength into his attack. 

“You’re taking quite a risk then!” Noel said as Sol brought up two blades to block his attack, grunting from the effort.

“Perhaps,” Sol huffed, “but it’s better than us flying a mile or two apart from each other and launching easily dodged spells and beams.” He grinned even as he ducked another swipe that almost took off his horn. “This way is more exciting.” And my only chance to beat you. Hurry up and succumb!

“You’ve been warned..” Noel whispered as his claw swoops started getting alot more stronger and faster, causing Sol to be concerned. Each hit would cause his blades to shake in reaction to the blows.

He’s upping the tempo too quickly. Sol began to duck and dodge more than block, each strike taking a significant amount of magic to parry. Drops of white fire trickled down his brow as an imitation of sweat. At this rate he’ll start landing solid blows before it even has a chance to affect him. If he would just show some sign… Every so often Noel would glance at something, and every time he did, his aggressiveness got worse and worse. Something was making Noel hit harder and faster, and before long he was giving it all he had. 

Something’s off, Sol thought, grunting as one of Noel’s strikes got through his guard and ripped a chunk of sunfire out of his shoulder. The wound sealed itself up quickly, but Sol decreased just a little in size. His fighting style is changing. It’s still controlled, but there’s a hint of desperation. Perhaps… He watched as Noel’s eyes flickered away and back again. His own eyes went wide before narrowing into a smirk.

“O-ho,” he chortled, even as another swipe removed his right foreleg. He regrew it swiftly, suppressing a wince as he shrunk again. “Just what are you seeing, friend? Perhaps a warning of impending doom?”

Suddenly, Noel slammed his claws into Sol’s chest, causing the prince to let out a gasp of pain. “Stop.” Noel said simply as the faces of transparent clocks rotated around Sol. Before the sun prince could question what had happened, Noel was rapidly punching Sol in succession, yet wasn’t budging from his frozen unexplained state. Noel finished with spin, whipping his tail around to hit Sol one last time. “Dispel.” Noel said, causing the clocks to be removed. Suddenly, Sol went flying toward the ground as if he was hit by a meteor.

The falling star struck the earth, blowing dust and debris high into the air: an extinction level event in miniature. Noel slowly hovered down, fighting off fatigue.

Eventually, the smoke cleared. An white alicorn of flesh and blood lay in a massive, glass crater in the ground, his mane and tail still aflame. The flame slowly dies down to its usual wavy mane, blowing in an eternal solar wind. The bruised and battered Sol groaned as he raised his head, smiling up at Noel.

“Well done,” he said. “I commend you for recognizing the danger that a long, drawn-out fight would render. Still, I have done my part. Acute Radiation Syndrome is not easily healed, and it will only grow worse the longer it festers within you. I pumped out enough rads to kill most anything in a week if they don’t receive treatment. You will find your battles going forward rather more difficult once the symptoms begin to show.” He chuckled. “Worry not; I will remove its effects myself when this battle royale is concluded. For obvious reasons, I have acquainted myself with the spells necessary for treating such ailments.”

“A very reckless move considering one of the rules is to not kill.” Noel said with a snort of annoyance as he allowed his barriers to lower. Noel has spent too much magic maintaining those things. 

“As I said, it would take a week.” Sol hesitated. “Probably. Four days, at least.” He bowed his head slightly. “In any case, I concede the match. Well fought, Sir Noel.”

“To you as well.” Noel said with a nod as he held up a finger. “Just be more wise about using that stuff? You’ll never know what it would do in other worlds, especially something akin to Fallout.” Noel said, remembering all of those mutants from that game.

Sol chuckled. “Young one, this was the first time I have used that form in well over a millenia. Special circumstances aside, the wisest course of action is to not use it at all. But I was glad to finally find an occasion.” His gaze turned distant as he looked out across the battlefield. “I will say, I am also glad not to bear personal witness to my sister’s equivalent form. When she changes…” A shiver ran down Sol’s spine. “Beware of Luna in this fight, Sir Noel; she will prove herself a far greater challenge than I.”

“I’ll be the judge of that if she forces me into Zero form, and it’ll be the first time too.” Noel said as he raised his claw to hold two fingers to the side of his head. “Arkham, Sol is down.” he’d whispered so that only the Knight could hear him. 

“...Good, Kyle is on his way to meet you, I’m dealing with Luna right now, I may need backup.” The voice of the Arkham Knight responded.

Noel took a glance at his status, seeing the limit break almost full, however due to him being inactive, it was slowly draining away. “I’m on my way.” Noel said as he descended into the air. “Until next time, Sol.” Noel said as he gave him a two clawed finger salute. Noel flew off in the direction of where he last saw Arkham. 





01:23:32


(At the exact moment Noel and Sol continued their fight.)


Arkham was avoiding all of the attacks unleashing themselves at him, using rockets to avoid them faster, and other techniques. Arkham showed no signs of tiring as he continued to avoid the attacks.

“Okay, this is getting boring.”

Suddenly, the attacks ceased. The bolts of energy vanished and the darkness fled, leaving Arkham blinking furiously at the sudden onslaught of sunlight. Luna stood a few yards distant, frowning irritably at him. “Much as I love watching people run around uselessly, you could have at least tried to escape that pocket dimension. It wasn’t very large.”

“It was practice,” Arkham explained, he looked down to his hand and clenched it. “I feel much more aware, much more stronger now. Thank you, without you, I could not have become stronger.” Arkham did a short bow before unsheathing his blade.

Luna rolled her eyes. “Oh, you’re welcome, I suppose.” Her gaze turned skyward and she frowned. “Hm. Most troubling. It would seem that my brother has opted to truly stretch his magic.” Her eyes narrowed at the bright light rising swiftly through the sky. “How garish. I hope his opponent has some sort of radiation shield, or that will be a very short fight.”

“You must be speaking of Noel, though I don’t know him well or his true fighting capabilities, I don’t know how he will fare against your brother. But…” Arkham inhaled, “I do have faith in my teammate’s ability, he will beat him, I’m sure of it.” Arkham said with a fire in his voice that rivaled the flames of her brother. He adopted a fighting stance and waited for Luna to make the first move.

“How confident.” Luna turned an eye and a small smirk on Arkham. “Beware of confidence; you saw what it did to you last time.” Ignoring his chagrin, she turned to face him fully, rolling her shoulders. “Still, if even my brother is going all-out, I suppose I should give this battle my best.” Her eyes turned suddenly cold and hard. “I warn you, this will be your last moment fighting me as I have been, full of levity and carelessness. Should you wish to continue, you shall face an entirely different opponent. Will you continue to do battle with me?”

Arkham clenched his sword, “Until I defeat you, I have no right calling myself a Commander!” Arkham said as he lunged towards Luna, “One Sword Style: Tiger Fang!” Arkham’s aura changed to look like a tiger as he swiped at Luna.

“So be it.”

The sword slashed straight through Luna’s form, a form which quivered but a moment before collapsing into a pool of inky blackness. The pool began to bubble like tar, spreading slowly in pseudopods of pitch, as if reaching for something. Slowly, a figure rose from the mess, blackness trailing off its form like streams of ash-clogged rain. Between sheets of ink Arkham caught hints of something fleshy squirming, and he felt as if a thousand eyes were staring out at him with malicious intent.

The figure finally ceased to rise, towering over Arkham at over twenty feet. The rivers of pitch coalesced to form a cloak of absolute darkness, ending an inch above the ground with no sign of supporting hooves beneath. The shade floated before him, silent. Quieter than silent, as if its mere presence were devouring nearby sounds. Two teal eyes stared down at Arkham, each one split in two by catlike pupils which seemed determined to draw his soul into their abyssal darkness.

“we are the night,” the figure hissed, “the sleepless horror, the watcher of dreams. we see your fears. feast upon your joy. come, and be consumed.”

Arkham laughed, “You know as they say, DYING IS THE DAY WORTH LIVING FOR!” Arkham jumped into the sky, looking down upon the dark figure, instead of cutting into the beast, twin rays of light shot from his feet and into the figure’s body. Arkham continued to shoot rays of pure light out of his boots and into the figure rapidly, like it was a meteor shower.

“foolish child.” To Arkham’s surprise, each ray that struck seemed ineffective. What’s more, the figure grew larger with each ray of light consumed. “hiding within your precious light. thinking that the night fears it. the closer you get to the light, the greater your shadow becomes. and the brighter the lights within the town, the darker the shadows of night without.” A tendril of some fleshy substance shot out of the figure’s cloak and wrapped around Arkham’s ankle. A wave ran through the tentacle, whipping the Knight high before slamming him into the ground. The tendril retreated, vanishing beneath the cloak. “to fight in the shadows of the night, one must embrace the darkness.”

“Darkness? Hehehehe… HAHAHAHA!” Arkham laughed and coated his sword in Armament Haki, “You can’t even imagine how much I embrace it, the darkness was there when I cried within it, the darkness was there when I needed to be alone! The darkness’ embrace is the only embrace I’ve felt in years!” Arkhma jumped higher, rockets coming from his boots, he then began to spin like a top and slashed Luna’s chest all the way up to her shoulder. “One Sword Style: Climbing Mountain!”

The figure hissed and retreated slightly. “you do not fear the dark? good. but can you fight it?” Twin obsidian blades, dripping with black ichor, melted out of the figure’s cloak. “can you wield the power of the deepest night and darkest shadows?” With that, the blades flew for Arkham, slicing at him with equal parts vigor and finesse.

“I’ve fought against the darkness once, I will not be defeated by my friend! And if I have to wield it, then so be it!” Arkham cried out, he went to swipe her legs, only to realize she doesn’t have feet. He growled and jumped in the air.  “I’ll knock your ass to the ground like you’re a damn Jenga tower!” Arkham spun around and slashed her torso with his sword.

Luna didn’t bother dodging, allowing the blade to cleave her cloak in twain. The top half hovered to the side, the tattered edge of the cloak stretching down until it was fully restored. The lower half, meanwhile, grew upwards, forming a new hood. Two eyes blinked open within that hood, glassy eyes of pure teal.

And then two more eyes joined them.

And five more. And fifty.

Soon enough, hundreds of dead eyes were staring out at Arkham from the new figure. Luna chuckled, circling around behind Arkham and twirling her blades defensively between them.

“let us see how you handle our child. feed, Tantabus.”

A line of white appeared, splitting the new figure from top to bottom. The line separated, revealing a sideways maw full of razor-sharp teeth, a single, mad, pulsing red eye trembling violently within. The creature let out an inequine shriek and charged Arkham.

Arkham planted his feet down and roared, “COME AT ME YA OVERSIZED HORSE!” Arkham leaped towards Tantabus and the two clashed. A shockwave was formed as Arkham’s sword dug into Tantabus’ face, yet it didn’t split the beast in two. The blade did slash through three of its eyes, which burst like overripe fruit, splattering the Knight with black ichor which burnt like acid Arkham huffed and jumped away for breathing room as the Tantabu screeched in agony. “Acidic blood, tough skin, and giant to top it off. Just how I like to spend my tournament doing!” Arkham squinted his eyes as Tantabus was recoiling from the attack. He thought of something… 

Arkham jumped to the skies, “Rankyaku Ran!” Arkham shot air slashes from his feet that went towards Tantabus. The air slashes hit all over its body, but most importantly, it’s eyes. Arkham roared as he shot more and more without giving up. 

Suddenly, he felt a blade at his throat. “how annoying,” Luna hissed in his ear, pressing the tip of her other blade into the small of his back. “but let us see how you fare without those pesky legs.”

The Tantabus leapt at the opportunity. Literally. It sprang forward, clamping its massive jaws around Arkham’s right leg. He felt a strange wave of sensation from the bite. Pain, of course, as if the leg had been amputated. Except he could still vaguely feel it. The Tantabus pulled away, a disturbing slurping sound accompanying it. Sure enough, Arkham’s leg was still attached. But it was devoid of color, drained to a dull gray. What’s more, he found it impossible to move it.

Luna released him, allowing him to drop. “worry not,” she crooned. “your leg is not permanently lost. but it shall sleep within the realm of dreams until this tournament is through.”

Arkham inhaled and clenched his fists, “Give… MY LEG BACK!” Arkham yelled, despite his mask, Luna could see the glare coming from his mask. “I need that after I kick your ass!” Arkham said as he went to his working foot. He saw the two giants and sighed. “Looks like I have no other option.”

Arkham looked to Luna, and took out a capsule with the initials A.A.S, he looked to Luna. “You won’t… Be able to do anything!” Arkham threw the capsule into the air and it exploded into smoke, smoke raining down towards Arkham and blocked both Luna’s and Tantabus’ view of him. They began to hear a bunch of clanking sounds and sounds of wheels turning, from the smoke a fist came out. It was colossal, easily at least two meters big in height and length, the fist went back inside. More clanking and wheel sounds later, they see a giant figure from the smoke, rivaling the size of Luna herself. From it, the figure’s stomach and head glowed yellow and the figure marched out of the cloud. There stood at an impressive height, the Arkham Knight. “Introducing the Anti-Admiral Suit!” 

Luna stares impassively at Arkham. After a moment, she turned to Tantabus. “we think we are meant to be impressed.” The Tantabus merely shrugged before shuddering, its maw opening wide once again. 

“Shut up…” Arkham’s right fist began to condense like a spring, his voice echoed, “You won’t…” Arkham’s fist completely went inside his own arm. “Be able to do anything!” Arkham flew towards Luna at a rapid speed, faster than she would think someone of Arkham’s size could move. Arkham then threw his fist at Luna who blocked the attack, however, she was shaking from the force. “Kong…!” Luna began to be pushed back. “...GUN!” The fist shot out and Luna was flung across the arena, crashing through the forest and debris and into the time tower. Arkham then turned to Tantabus and revealed a palm to them, Tantabus was dragged to Arkham’s hand and the Knight slammed the beast down. Arkham then flew towards where he launched Luna, dragging Tantabus across the ground, grinding it into paste so he could slam Tantabus into Luna.

Luna slowly rose back into the air, Tantabus staggering after her. “so, you grow in brute strength and think it enough to defeat us? how foalish. the strongest of bullies still cowers beneath his blankets ere the night approaches and the winds howl.” At her words, a powerful wind began to pick up, howling through the trees, a storm of ghostly fiends. “if it be strength you desire, then face the might of the Wild Hunt.”

At her words, the ghosts ceased to be a metaphor. A swarm of phantoms galloped from between the trees, armed with bows and blades and blowing hunting horns. Packs of dogs raced about their hooves as they eagerly sought their latest prey: Arkham.

They were on him in a second. Dogs harried him, nipping at his heels and darting at his face, only to retreat beyond his reach at  the last second. Swordsponies galloped by for a quick strike before riding on to encircle him clockwise. Archers galloped counterclockwise behind them, peppering Arkham with stinging arrows, some barbed, some tipped with poison. All the while the knights of the hunt blew their horns, urging the Wild Hunt on.

Despite their assault, none of the attacks made a dent in Arkham’s suit. Arkham growled in annoyance and his hands had a blue aura to them, he then began to spin around and waves of frost shot from his hands. As he spun around, the area, the soldiers, Tantabus, and even Luna herself turned into ice. Arkham sighed, as he saw Luna break out of the eyes with relative ease. “I needed the power, if I had continued to fight in my normal form, I would be overwhelmed and eventually I would lose. But now… I can kick your ass without being held back.” Arkham lunged forward, his fists coated in Armament Haki, Arkham slammed his fist into Luna’s snout. Arkham then grabbed her by the neck and choke slammed her into the ground and began the freezing process once more.

A shriek was Arkham’s only warning before a half-frozen Tantabus tackled him off of Luna. The creature lunged for his head, and it took all of Arkham’s strength to keep its surprisingly powerful jaws from snapping closed around his neck.

“a poor match indeed,” Luna intoned, rising again. “but I will congratulate you. that was the first time since we AWOKE that you have managed to so much as harm us. your strength will not avail you, no matter how great. or do you think that you can ‘punch out’ the night?” Her cloak rippled slightly, as if she were waving a hoof beneath. The remaining ice shattered, the wild hunt howling back to full strength. They swarmed Arkham again, aiming their strikes more carefully, seeking gaps in his armor and concentrating on the joints. All the while, Tantabus struggled to consume his head and put him to sleep for good.

The ground trembled, the sound of a distant explosion reaching their ears. A voice rang out in Arkham’s ear. “Arkham, Sol is down.” Noel’s voice said.

Arkham stifled a chuckle. “...Good, Kyle is on his way to meet you, I’m dealing with Luna right now, I may need backup.” Arkham sighed, “I realize something, I can’t beat you. No matter how hard I try, your summons will overcome me, I have to focus on Tantabus, you, and your soldiers. There’s no way I can beat you alone.” Arkham shrunk back to normal size, slipping out of Tantabus’ grasp. “Just knock me out already, I already shamed myself enough.”

Luna observed him silently for a moment. “a pity. we’d hoped you would-”

Arkham then jumped up to Luna, in his hand was a shell, “IMPACT DIAL!” All of the force that he had been taking, all the pain he’d been dealt throughout the fight with Team Horny and Luna, all of it, slammed into Luna’s face. Arkham then turned to the others and spun in a circle. “RANKYAKU AMANE DACHI!” A huge donut shaped slash shot forth and cut everything around him, but the time tower, in two. Those that were cut in half include Tantabus and the soldiers. “DO YOU THINK ME A FOOL LUNA?! I AM A COMMANDER!” The Anti Admiral Suit reintroduced itself and he was back to his bulking form.

“and I am the night.”

Luna appeared suddenly before Arkham’s face. Two hooves, ghostly white - almost transparent - reached out from beneath her cloak. They reached right through his masks, cupping his face gently. Luna leaned forward, the hood of her cloak covering his faceplate. Within, he could see her face, ghostly, pale, and beautiful. She leaned forward, through his masks, and clasped her ethereal lips to his physical ones. She inhaled, and Arkham felt his consciousness leave him.

Luna floated back as Arkham collapsed, snoring, to the ground. “how troublesome,” she muttered, gazing over at the demolished Wild Hunt. “and here we had hoped to use them in further matches.” She shook her head and hovered over to Tantabus, who lay on the ground, cleft in twain and twitching sporadically. “rest now, in the land of dreams. we will be well enough off for now.” With a final shudder, the Tantabus faded into shadow. Luna cast one more look at the unconscious Arkham before drifting away into the trees, vanishing into the darkness.

Arkham’s suit reverted to its capsule state and rolled off his chest. Arkham laid there asleep, pissed, embarrassed, and full of unyielding rage. A blue portal revealed itself and out came Noel and Kyle.

“Arkham! Where are you?” Kyle looked around, only to notice Arkham lying on the ground. “Mic- I mean, Arkham!” Kyle ran to Arkham.

Noel made his way over to Arkham and placed his claw onto his chest, allowing a screen to appear in Noel’s vision on Arkham’s status. He had fallen asleep and was damaged with acid, his armor was damaged and some bones were broken.

Kyle clenched his fists and pushed Arkham, “Hey, hey! Wake up! You’re our Captain, the Leader of the Tournament Commanders! Wake up!” Kyle yelled, yet Arkham didn’t move.

“It’s no use, he’s out cold. I’ve no clue what Luna may have done.” Noel said as he glanced around, wondering what happens when a fighter can no longer fight.

Kyle clenched his fists, “Luna… That damned Luna…” Kyle then put two fingers to his ears. “Attention, all Commanders, Arkham Knight has been rendered asleep by an equine Luna. If you see a Luna, tear them a FUCKING new one. That is all, Kyle out.” The 1st Commander stood to his feet and clenched his fists in anger. “We can’t just leave him alone, what do we do?” 

“Perhaps I can answer that?” Kyle and Noel’s heads whipped around. A ghostly unicorn stood nearby, a broken hunting horn hanging from her neck. “I have a message for you, Sir Kyle. From Lady Luna of the Night. Will you hear it?”

“Go ahead,” Kyle said, turning to face the ghostly unicorn, his eyes being concealed by the shadows that his hat had made.

The phantom nodded. “Lady Luna, Queen of the Wild Hunt, The Night, has taken hold of Sir Arkham’s consciousness. He shall not awaken until she relinquishes him, which she will do under one of two conditions. First: that the tournament has reached its conclusion. Second: that she is defeated. However, she intends to hide herself away for the remainder of this tournament, unless a single demand is met.” The ghostly mare looked Kyle in the eyes. “She wishes to do battle with you. Alone. One on one. Agree to this, and at the end of your battle she will cease to hide herself away. If she is defeated, she will release Sir Arkham to continue the tournament. If she is victorious, then she will continue to fight until the tournament’s end, or until another defeats her.

“Lady Luna awaits you by the Crater of the Fallen Sun.” With a bow, the ghost vanished into mist.

Kyle walked forward, past Noel, “Don’t bother trying to stop me, I must do this. Arkham is our leader, every single one of the teams out there still has their Captains in the mission. What will a sleeping leader say about us?” Kyle began to turn into sand and flew off to the skies.

Kyle’s fight was about to begin.

While Kyle was well on their way, Noel had to lay around near Arkham’s body. Overtime, Noel’s limit break wears off, returning him to his normal black scaled self.






01:37:19


Far above the raging battlefield, Sora hovered in the midst of a small whirlwind. He held Ponderer extended, two disks of clear ice standing upright along its edge. The disks grew, shrank, and moved at his will, acting as a telescope so he could observe the battles down below.

“Looks like Sol’s out of the fight,” he muttered before turning his gaze to the retreating Luna. “And Luna’s taken down her first opponent. She’ll be ribbing him about that for years.” He chuckled before turning his attention to his two teams.

“Team Menagerie is doing well, considering how battered they are. If Coco weren’t an Earth Pony, a few of those hits might have knocked her out. Gleaming and Cloud are doing alright, too. Still, can’t believe Coco’s already had to break out the undead summons.” His gaze turned again. “And the Party has barely encountered anything. Looks like something might be headed in their direction, though. Maybe I should…”

“You shouldn’t be so confident.” A voice said as a corridor of darkness opens up and out walks a man in an organization jacket. “We have been looking for you.” He said with his arms behind his back.

“Well, I haven’t been hiding,” Sora quipped. “So, is this a royal ‘we,’ or should I be expecting more company up here?”

“Not up here, but I am just here to give you a chance to ring yourself out, boy.” The man said while he kept a calm appearance, as much of an appearance as someone with a hood hiding their face can.

“How generous of you.” Sora finally lifted his gaze, allowing the ice lenses to fall from his blade as he turned to face the hooded man fully. “And what if I want to fight up here?”

“Then I take you down!” A second, more familiar, voice said from behind him, as someone jumped up and slammed a keyblade into his back, knocking Sora to the forest floor. Once on the ground he found himself surrounded by four hooded individuals and someone looking exactly like him but with black and red clothing and a grin on his face. “And here I thought fighting another me would be hard.”

Sora raised a dubious eyebrow, twitching Ponderer and forming another whirlwind around himself, though he stayed on the ground this time. “I’ll admit,” he summoned Mysterious Stalker into his other hand, “I didn’t expect this. I didn’t think there were other Kingdom Hearts Displaced in this tournament.”

“Oh I am not a displaced, my name is Sora.” The boy said then took a fighting stance. “We have been sent to knock you out of the tournament.”

“Yes, and the one who sent us felt we could get the job done if we worked together.” the first man said before snapping his fingers and a large heartless with a white X over his mouth appeared behind him. 

“So don’t expect to get away.” A third person said while he held out his hands as two red blades of energy extend out of his palms.

“Because you're not going anywhere.” A fourth voice said as the fourth person summons a different key blade, the tip of the keyblade is modeled after a stopwatch, while the teeth are diamond-shaped spikes that are connected by a blue and black web structure.

“Why not save us the trouble and jump off the ring child.” An older voice said as the last hooded person summons yet another keyblade. This keyblade has a spiky, black guard resembling demonic wings, a horned, demonic head just above the handle, two barbed shafts, and teeth resembling a battle axe split into three almost claw-like protrusions.

Sora looked casually from one opponent to the next, weighing his options. “So let’s see. We’ve got Not-me, Summoner, Xemmy, Stopwatch, and Emo-blade. Got it.” He turned to Stopwatch. “First of all, if I really wanted to, I could get away in an instant.” Then to Emo-blade. “Second, I’m over three millenia old, so cut the ‘child’ crap.” And finally, Not-me. “Third, who exactly sent you.” He smirked. “I’d like to know which of my opponents is such a coward that he sends his goons to fight me instead of facing me himself.”

“Heh, like we would tell you.” The fake Sora said before spinning his keyblade. “You may be able to handle each of us by ourselves but all of us at once? Not even I could do that, and I’m me!” 


Sora chuckled. “You assume I’m alone.” He tossed Ponderer into the air where it began to orbit around him. Three flashes of light heralded Reaper and Biter in orbit while Ultima Weapon replaced Ponderer in his hand. In another flash, the three orbiting keyblades had changed. Reaper had taken its scythe form while Ponderer now resembled a rifle and Biter lost all key-like elements to form a heavy blade. “I didn’t want to do this so early,” Sora claimed, flashing into Valor Form, “but if you’re going to come at me five-on-one, then I’m calling in my old teammates. Pansy. Clover. Cookie. Give ‘em Tartarus.”

The three orbiting weapons shot out, each seeking a different target. Reaper began slashing at Stopwatch, forcing him back under its constant, vicious assault. Biter swung at Emo-blade and - though he managed to block it - the force of the bowl sent him flying, Biter in hot pursuit. Ponderer focused its efforts on Xemmy, firing off a stream of rapid-fire spells, forcing him on the defense.

Sora turned his full attention to his remaining unengaged opponents. “And then there were two. So, Not-me. Summoner.” He twirled Mysterious Stalker behind himself and leveled Ultima Weapon at them. “Have at ye.”

Not-me switched his keyblade to a red ultima keyblade and Summoner grunts as the heartless shoots forward after Sora. “This is gonna be fun, wish he summoned Donald and Goofy.” Not-me said before he swung his keyblade at Sora.

Sora blocked the strike easily, frowning at Not-me. “Donald and Goofy had no reason to be effective against the heartless,” he said, backing up as he studied Not-me’s fighting style. “They didn’t have keyblades, so the heartless they destroyed should have just reformed. As for summoning, I have no particular talent for it; I’ll leave that to Coco.” He dodged another swipe and vanished.

Ultima Weapon slammed into Not-me’s back, sending him flying. Sora smirked at the copy before twirling Mysterious Stalker again. “Got this baby from a Slenderman Displaced. Slenderwalking in a fight might be cheap, but hey, you’re the ones who attacked me five-on-one.”

Not-me got up and ran before jumping onto a tree spinning around it and launching himself at sora. “Hey it is a cool keyblade, wish I had it when I had to fight the organization.” Not-me said before he started attacking with ferocity and speed keyblades clashing and making sparks. “But I have some tricks of my own.” His keyblade starts to glow slowly.

“I’m sure you do,” Sora drawled, ducking and weaving as much as parrying and blocking. All the while, he kept track of Summoner and his heartless out the corner of his eye. “But here’s the thing about tricks.” He suddenly brought his blades together, trapping Not-me’s keyblades between them. He leapt up, delivering a two-legged kick to Not-me’s head and launching himself backwards, flipping through the air a few times before landing lightly on his feet. “After three-thousand years as High General of the Equestrian Keyblade Army, I’ve seen enough to know how to adapt to just about anything. Go ahead. Show me what you’ve got up your sleeve.”

Not-me rubs his face. “Ugh that hurt!” He held his keyblade up and it split into multiple blades as his clothes changed to more black and white. He moves faster and pushes Sora back as the blades all start to cut the ground and Sora as he blocks the attack.

“Annoying,” Sora noted, taking a blow across the chest and letting it force him back. “But not unmanageable.” He pointed Ultima Weapon at Not-me. “Magnera!” A ring of yellow energy formed around Not-me’s chest, and his blades turned as one to him, flying straight at his chest.

“Aw man.” He said before he starts to glitch a bit then cracks up like glass and shatters. 

Suddenly the giant heartless punches sora from behind. “Impressive, even I was not able to defeat him.”

Sora rolled with the punch, flipping to his feet and turning to face Summoner and his heartless. “Really?” he quipped, hiding the pain in his back. “Because that really wasn’t that hard. Are you sure your boss is really that great? More to the point,” he leveled Ultima Weapon at the heartless, “if you couldn’t even beat him, then how do you expect to beat me? I guarantee that my friends will keep your companions busy at least long enough for me to wipe the floor with your pet.”

“Most likely but even in our defeat, the one who sent us will learn more from you.” He said before Summoner and the heartless both charged Sora, attacking him from two angles.

Sora vanished again, appearing behind Summoner and slamming Ultima Weapon into his back. He turned the blade on the heartless. “Fira! Thundara! Blizara!” The heartless burst into flame and became wracked with electricity before freezing solid, the two energies still coursing within the icy prison. Sora slenderwalked again, appearing before Summoner and bringing Ultima Weapon up between his legs.

Summoner groans in pain as he falls over holding his crotch. “That…was…uncalled for.” He said in a higher pitch.

“All’s fair in love and war,” Sora answered, bringing Mysterious Stalker to his neck. “And I’ve had extensive experience with both. Now, am I correct in assuming that the five of you are summons, and thus exempt from the ‘do not kill’ rule?”

“Yes, you would be correct.” Summoner said as he slowly sat up while trying to summon his heartless to him again.

“Cool.” Another slenderwalk saw Sora behind Summoner. Mysterious Stalker sang as it sliced through his neck. “Two down, then.” With a quick thought, Ponderer returned to his side and vanished. “So, Xemmy!” he called. “I guess you’re next! How’d you like Clover the Clever’s all-but-patented Spell Storm?”

“It was quite impressive, if I hazard a guess I would say that you are a keyblade master at this point.” His voice came from all around Sora.

Sora shrugged, casually hefting his blades onto his shoulders. “I guess. I only got as far as Kingdom Hearts 2 and 358 Over 2 Days, and I never played Birth by Sleep, so the distinction between ‘wielder’ and ‘master’ is lost on me. I’ve been using my own definitions since I arrived in Equestria, since things there don’t seem to keep strictly to game logic anyway.” He smirked. “But yeah, ‘Master Sora’ sounds right.”

Xemmy chuckles a bit before walking out from behind a tree. “Then you are not a keyblade master yet, for one has to take the Mark of mastery exam to earn the title master. If you truly wish to become ‘Master Sora’ then I suggest you find one of the surviving keyblade masters, if my plan has failed, and ask for a mark of mastery exam.” He said while walking up to Sora with a smug grin. “But I shall tell you this boy, if you fail the exam you could lose most of your power.”

Sora shook his head and readied his blades. “Not interested, then. I couldn’t care less if I’m technically a master or not, so long as I can protect my home. Whatever this ‘Mark of Mastery’ stuff is, I don’t need it to fight the heartless attacking Equestria. Now then,” he spun Mysterious Stalker behind his back again, “come at me.”

“So be it.” Xemmy said before he thrust his hand forward while summoning his keyblade, almost stabbing Sora if he hadn't moved, only receiving a cut to his side.

He’s fast! Sora spun Ultima Weapon before him, parrying Xemmy’s attacks as he retreated. Very fast. Almost like fighting Pansy. Sore smiled fondly at the memory as he ducked under one swipe, pointing Ultima Weapon at Xemmy’s chest. Almost. “Firaga!” A massive fireball shot from the tip of his blade, impacting Xemmy and sending him flying. Sora stood and pointed Ultima Weapon again. “Blizaga! Thundaga! Firaga! Blizaga!”

He kept up the stream of spells, halting only after the smoke and dust became too thick to see through. He frowned into the obscuring cloud. “Xemmy? You still there?”

His answer was to suddenly appear behind Sora and strike him with his keyblade, knocking him into a tree and then firing multiple fire spells at him. “Indeed I am, boy. You are fighting a master.” He then aims the keyblade at Sora. “Dark firaga!” 

Sora slenderwalked away, watching as the fireball exploded against the remains of the tree. “Buysomeapples, that packs a punch. Reflera.” A barrier of shimmering energy flashed around Sora before shrinking and conforming to his body. “That should take care of any more projectile spells. Glad my Aero is still up.” He slenderwalked again, appearing to Xemmy’s side and striking out with both Ultima Weapon and Mysterious Stalker in a series of slashes.

Xemmy blocks each attack as an expert. “You are very good, if I were real I would be tempted to make you a master.” Then grabbed Sora’s head and freezes his body. “But you still have a few things to learn.” Then Xemmy threw Sora at a tree breaking the ice. 

Emo-blade ran through the area and swung his blades at Sora as he passed him.

Sora staggered to his feet, glaring up at Emo-blade and Xemmy as Biter hovered over to orbit him again. “Okay,” he said, spitting out a small bit of blood, “now I’m peeved.”

He vanished, appearing at Xemmy’s side and pressing Ultima Weapon against his ribs. “Blizara!” Before the spell had even finished encasing him, Sora had vanished again, appearing behind Emo-Blade while Biter whirled around to his front. Ultima and Biter sang through the air as they pounded Emo-Blade from either side, Sora occasionally slenderwalking away for a second to encase Xemmy in another layer of ice. After almost a minute of constant assault, Sora dropped Ultima Weapon, grabbed Biter, and shoved the blade through Emo-Blade’s back.

Sora slowly withdrew Biter as Emo-blade started to fade away, throwing it at Xemmy’s ice prison and shattering it. He tucked his foot under Ultima Weapon, kicking it back into his hand as Biter vanished. “Done yet?”

“Not quite.” Stopwatch’s voice called out as he walked out of the forest holding onto a keyblade struggling to break free of his grip. “But I know when I am out matched. He should have sent someone other than myself. The rules against time magic have limited me.” 

Sora snorted, jerking his head at Reaper and causing it to vanish and appear orbiting around him. “Yeah, the rules against healing are the ones that are annoying me. My MO when facing unusual opponents is to let them hit me a few times so I can figure out how they fight and then cure myself up. With these rules, I have to focus on actually, ugh, blocking.” Reaper ceased its orbit and turned to face Stopwatch. “So do I have to take you out, or are you just going to run back to whoever sent you to report?”

“That is being taken care of, don’t worry about that.” Stopwatch takes a fighting stance. “I will do my best to be interesting at least.” He then rushed Sora and knocked the floating keyblade away and punched Sora’s jaw.

Sora spun with the blow, using the momentum to bring Ultima around, slamming it into Stopwatch’s back. “Good luck with that,” he said, banishing Ultima and grabbing Reaper out of the air. He spun his two scythe-like keyblades around him before grinning at his opponent. “Because Private Pansy’s out for blood, and I’m not sure I can hold her blade back from tearing you to shreds.”

Stopwatch groans before sending fire spells at Sora. “If you can not control your keyblade, perhaps it was not meant for you.”

Sora spun Reaper before him, batting the fireballs aside. “Well, it isn’t mine originally.” He shook his head. “But I exaggerate. If I wanted to, I could bend Reaper totally to my will and fighting style.” He smiled nostalgically. Sadly. “But that would be an insult to its original wielder. I couldn’t face Pansy in the world beyond if I didn’t wield her precious blade ‘properly.’” He chuckled and focused on Stopwatch again, his grin filled with determination. “So violent reaping it is. It’s an homage.”

“Then so be it.” Stopwatch said before disappearing and reappearing in front of Sora while bringing his keyblade down digging into Sora’s shoulder.

Sora grunted in pain, but didn’t back down. Instead, he brought Reaper flying up, burying its blade deep in Stopwatch’s chest. “Tell your master,” Sora grunted, an eager gleam in his eyes, “that he’d best not underestimate me again. I’ve barely shown you all a fraction of my power.”

“That…isn’t…my job.” Stopwatch said before he yelled. “Firaga!” Burning Sora’s shoulder before Stopwatch shattered and disappeared.

 “Oh crud, he kicked all their assed, Del he is too strong to deal with on your own.”  A tiny voice was heard from one of the trees.

Sora swore as he dismissed his keyblades, grabbing his shoulder. “Cheap shot,” he grumbled before looking up. “So, this ‘Del’ guy is the one who sent all of you, huh?” he shouted to the trees. “How about you tell me where he’s hiding?”

 “Oh crud, he heard me. I gotta go boss.” The tiny voice said before Sora saw something small moving in the tree branches.

“Oh no you don’t!” Sora dismissed Valor Form and Quick Ran over, snatching the small creature out of the air. He resummoned Biter and brought the blade to bear.

It was a tiny version of himself, toy-sized with an overall doll-like appearance. Sora glared at the being as it struggled in his fist. “Another summon?” he asked.

Toy Box Sora struggled before summoning his keyblade and hit Sora’s hand. “Yeah so what? Let me go!”

Sora raised an eyebrow, barely registering the tiny toy-him’s blows. “Yeah, that’s not happening.” His grip tightened significantly. “Now, who is this ‘Del,’ and where can I find him?”

The toy Sora lets out a squeak like a dog toy. “I’ll never tell you!”

Sora shrugged. “Eh, worth a shot.” With that, he turned and smashed the summon’s head into a tree, repeating the process over and over until it vanished. He dismissed Biter again and placed his hands behind his head, strolling off into the trees. I wonder how the Party is doing…






01:40:00


In the crater that resulted from the Fallen Star sand began to float inside of it. The sand began to form Kyle, the 1st Commander of Katakuri’s Army. He stood there with a blank expression on his face, devoid of any emotion.

“you have arrived.” Luna glid out from the shadows between the trees, a towering ebony cloak with two staring teal eyes. She paused for a moment, a shiver running through her being. She lowered to the ground, and Kyle heard the clop of hooves. The cloak turned into a swarm of bats which flew away, revealing Luna as she’d first appeared in the arena. “I wasn’t certain you would come,” she admitted. “Your first reaction to me was… distraught.”

Kyle said nothing in response and stood there in silence, he then performed some stretches, cracking his knuckles and popping his neck. Kyle turned his hand into sand before turning back to normal, he then flexed his Wakfu in the other hand. Kyle adopted a fighting stance. No words were spoken during this, no quip, no remark, not even a chuckle. Nothing.

“Well, at least you are not flying into a screaming rage,” Luna muttered, summoning twin blades of moonlight. “I must commend your Commander on his strength. As far as brute force goes, he easily eclipses me and my brother. A pity that magic would have been the more effective weapon against me.” She began to circle along the edge of the crater, staring down at Kyle.

Wakfu began to pulse throughout his shirtless body, blue tribal symbols appeared throughout his body. Kyle showed a palm to Luna, a portal appeared in front of him, another portal appeared behind her head. Kyle reached into the portal and shot a bolt of Wakfu directly into the back of her head. “That was for causing me grief.”

Luna rubbed at the back of her head with a wing and glared down at Kyle. “By my mere presence, as I recall. It is not my fault that you have unresolved issues with Lunas.” Her expression softened to one of compassion. “But I would like to help you with them, if you would let me.”

Kyle chuckled and walked to Luna, he looked down and shook his head. “Hehe, well, this isn’t a therapy session is it? You gave me an offer, I took it, therapy wasn’t the offer.” Kyle’s fists clenched and pulsed with Wakfu. “Now, I’m going to fight you, and we’re not going to talk about feelings, alright?” Kyle tilted his head with a grin that wreaked venom.

Luna sighed and shook her head. “Do you not understand the reason I extended the offer? Are you so stubborn that you refuse to receive aid when it is offered to you? If you truly wish to fight and nothing more, then I will resume the Veil of Night and render you to the Realm of Dreams as I have done to your Commander. But I implore you, take a moment to think. To calm yourself. To consider what I am offering.” She looked up at Kyle, her face showing nothing but compassion and motherly kindness. “Please, let me help you.”

“Calm myself?” Kyle laughed, holding his head and turning to the skies and to the stands where he saw his fellow Eliatropes. “Calm?! I’m perfectly calm, I couldn’t be more calm then I am right FUCKING now! I will agree to your bullshit on one condition! Release my Captain when we’re through, Pinkie Promise it!” Kyle turned back to Luna, sticking a pinkie finger out. “The verses AND the pinkie shake!”

Luna’s face went blank. “...okay, I want to help, but I have no yaying clue what the buck a Pinkie Promise is.”

“A Pinkie Promise is a promise between two people, if someone breaks it, it’s the fastest way to lose a friend forever.” Kyle said.

“Forever…” The voice of Pinkie Pie rang throughout Luna’s ear.

“Recite the verses, ‘Cross my heart, hope to fly, and stick a cupcake in my eye’ less you want Pinkie Pie to curb stomp your fucking skull. Okay, maybe that was a bit much, but say it if you want to have a therapy session goddamn it!” Kyle still had his pinkie finger out.

Luna nodded slowly. “I… see. That’s right. Sora did say that the female Berry Bubble was named ‘Pinkie Pie.’ I suppose that makes… as much sense as that one ever makes.” She shook her head. “There is still the fundamental issue that I lack a pinkie finger, or any other finger for that matter. Also, am I expected to release your Commander regardless of what happens, or am I to release him only if you emerge victorious from the combat which follows our… therapy session? My victory over him was fair.”

“Oh ho ho! Yeah, you are, we can either do the therapy session that you prefer or we can go the route where we throw hands and you don’t get to see what goes behind the scenes. The choice is yours.” Kyle said, “Recite the verses and we’ll talk, or do you want to fight.” Kyle said with a crooked smile.

Luna sighed, frustration creeping into her tone. “We most assuredly shall fight; that is the entire point of this tournament. I do not understand why I cannot both help you and do battle with you!”

“If you fight me, I won’t tell you shit.” Kyle chuckled victoriously.

“You are being unreasonable.” Luna huffed and took a few steps away, her guard coming up. “Very well. I wanted to help, but you refuse to be an adult about this. I shall leave your issues for another to deal with.” Her blades vanished, and darkness began to pool at her hooves.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!” Kyle put his hands up, “Fine, fine, we can do this therapy shit, ask me anything I fucking give up!” Kyle sat down and huffed.

Luna nodded and sat as well, the shadows dissipating. “Good. To begin, your distress began at the sight of me. Your Commander gave a very basic overview of your confrontation with the other version of me, but I would hear of the experience from you.” She tilted her head slightly. “As the object of your distress is me, would it be easier on you if I were to take on a different form?”

“No, stay your princy ass self, I want to tell my story to the copy of the one who turned me into shards on the ground.” Kyle clenched his fists, shaking with rage. “Sorry.” Kyle calmed himself.

“It is fine.” Luna gave him another smile. “This is a difficult thing to talk about, and the trauma undoubtedly runs deep. I will not blame you for becoming angry, so long as you are able to restrain yourself and calm yourself afterwards. By all means, vent your spleen if you need to.” She nodded encouragingly. “Start from the beginning.”

“Eons ago, there was once a man called Ryker, an Irish man with incredible power. He is the one who made the Commanders, he brought us here in Equestria and gave us a new home. I wasn’t even born then, he had taken over the entire Equestrian Kingdom, no alicorn in sight. And he started making these tournaments, like the one you’re in now, he invited Displaced and killed them for their energy. He started collecting the energy behind everyone’s backs, and kept on building the energy to make a portal to his long lost daughter that someone took away from him. During Ryker’s tournaments, I desperately wanted to fight and walked on stage. Ryker admired my wits and made me his advisor. Me and Ryker became like father and son, he was the best dad I asked for. And then… The Tournament of the Emerald Eye happened.” Kyle looked down and sighed.

“And that is where things went wrong,” Luna surmised.

“Yup, eight, well, seven really, seven Displaced showed up. Thanos, Eric Von Shadow, Son Goku Black, Dr. Doom, Shiva, Phoenix, and Link. A displaced vanished from sight, but I know Ryker killed him, Ryker ordered me to fight Dr. Doom and I got absolutely fucked. I lost, never had a chance. After that I woke up in the infirmary and things went normal, until… Ryker possessed me, he made me corrupt and fight the tournament participants. I was interrupting a fight between Eric and Phoenix and had no control over my body, I just raged, all of the tournament participants readied to fight me, and that was where Luna came along. That fucking cunt, fuck her blue fur, she has to be adopted there is no fucking shot that she isn’t adopted. Celestia and her have different fur, adopted.” Kyle crossed his arms. 

Luna raised an eyebrow. “You do know that coat coloration often varies amongst ponies, don’t you? Gleaming Shield and Twilight Sparkle are entirely different colors, and neither of them resembles-”

“Adopted!” Kyle said, “Gleaming is built like a fucking donut, so are you, you’re fucking donut. Fuck your eyes, and your shoes, your shoes look like they control their own form of government, meanwhile you look like a sack of dogshit.” Kyle snapped, “Fucking donut.”

Luna raised an eyebrow as she endured his rant. Her face betrayed no expression, though it wasn’t a purposeful stoicism; she simply had no idea whether to frown in irritation or smirk in amusement. When he finally finished ranting and had had a moment to calm down, she asked “Are you quite finished denying reality?”

“No, let me get my fucking point across, what the hell is diarchy? Who fucking makes that? The elder sister has to be the queen and their younger sister, the princess. ‘Fifteen hundred years is so young, I am-’ fuck you! That was a cheap shot your variation did to me, and as GOD as my witness you ungrateful fucks, I will have my REVEEEEENGE!!!” Kyle shouted only to hear Lord Twigo’s voice in the background.

“KYLE! SHUT THE FUCK UP!” 

“Sorry Lord Twigo.” Kyle said with a sigh. “A-anyway, I died, she punched me and I turned into shards on the floor. I was then revived by Ryker and was apologized to, Ryker wanted to kill everyone now but he didn’t. Instead he waited, and waited until he enacted his plan, he killed all of the Displaced comrades and left only them to fight. But he ultimately lost after completing his goal and finding out his daughter died a long time ago.” Kyle explained, “So there you have it, my trauma from start to finish.”

Luna nodded. “I see. There is certainly much to unpack there.” She considered the case for a moment. “Let us begin with this other Luna, then. Obviously, you resent her for the physical agony she inflicted upon you. Was it simply that, or was she of a… particularly craven personality? I know that I have great capacity to inflict grievous mental wounds should I choose to do so, even without my psionics.”

“Oh no, no, she wasn’t cowardly, but while I wasn’t looking BLAM! Glass. SLAM! Broken.” Kyle explained.

“You misunderstand.” Luna clarified. “Did she insult you? Belittle you? Attack your deepest self-doubts? Things of that nature. Only, your vitriol towards her - and towards me, by extension - seems to have more than physical agony backing it.”

“No, she humiliated me in front of everyone, I turned into glass and I couldn’t breath, but I could talk. I couldn’t feel my heartbeat, I couldn’t feel anything but I could talk. After being ROASTED ALIVE I survived, I wanted to cry but I couldn’t. Do you know how scary that is? Unable to do anything but speak? Trapped in your own body? That left a MENTAL scar, as well as my own father figure putting me up to this shit!” Kyle said, frowning deeply.

For the first time, Kyle saw true unease in Luna’s expression. She looked down and away, taking a deep breath before replying. “I have… some experience with such tortures. Petrification is…” She took another deep breath before looking back up, her expression schooled to neutrality once again. “It is a mere compounding, then. Not that she in particular was cruel, but that the cruelty inflicted upon you was by her hoof. You associate this form,” she gestured at herself, “with the agony, humiliation, and mental strain you suffered. Is it possible that you have tied your father figure’s betrayal to this agony as well? Or are you able to separate them in your mind?”

“Ryker… Wasn’t that bad to me, he was nice, he apologized, he offered me gifts and therapy. But the way that she didn’t hesitate, she saw that I was suffering and needed help but she killed me and didn’t save me from the TORTURE that I was going through when I was possessed. She went ‘oh well, he’s evil so I have to kill him’.” Kyle said with a sigh of frustration.

“I see.” Luna nodded. “Then her cruelty was more akin to neglect.” Luna pondered another moment. “Can you tell me more of your actions while possessed? I am sorry if such memories are painful, but I am trying to build a mental picture of her options and motivations.”

“Any other questions?” Kyle asked, “Anything else?”

Luna shook her head. “Just that. I have a good idea of your trauma, now. But I still need a little more to put together a solution.”

“Well… To answer your question about me being possessed, I was wreaking havoc and attacking anyone and anything in sight. I was lunging for Eric, Luna’s boyfriend, and she KNOWS that that man could beat me in an instant. Yet she came in and attacked me, I had no control over who I was attacking.” Kyle yawned, laying down.

“Hm. That, I can sympathize with.” She turned her gaze towards the woods. “Even after three millenia, I still do not like to think of Sora wandering the world, constantly beset by foes on all sides, relying on those I do not know well to keep him safe. Whene'er I see him under attack before me, even if it be by the most paltry of foes, I still desire to step in and protect him. Such is the nature of love.” Her eyes narrowed. “And if his foe were particularly powerful, I would indeed feel little reservation with regards to my methods.” She shook her head and turned back to Kyle. “I do hope you can understand her perspective, at least. The desire to protect those you love is powerful and - at times - blinding.”

Kyle stared at her, “We’re done.” Kyle stood up, “This was a waste of time, who cares about the young man that was brutally murdered. It was all for love! Ryker killed BILLIONS for love, he ended families, you should understand his perspective, huh?” Kyle tilted his head, a tinge of insanity revealing itself.

“I am not excusing her actions,” Luna answered calmly, remaining seated. “I am simply asking whether you can understand her motivation.”

“I SEE IT! I can see why she would want to turn a man into glass, effectively making him unable to do more harm than SHATTERING HIM! I can see why she would attack when one is already defeated!” Kyle shouted, Wakfu pulsing throughout his body.

“Then you understand,” Luna continued calmly, “that her actions were born from the extremity of the situation, not from particular malice towards you or cruelty of character?”

“BUT THE SHATTERING THOUGH?! She knows I can’t produce more sand if I’m glass! SO TELL ME! Why did she shatter me? WHY DID SHE KILL ME LUNA?! TELL ME!” Kyle yelled, Wakfu and sand beginning to rage from his body.

Luna was silent for a moment before smiling kindly. “Thank goodness. When last you were this enraged, you would have asked why I shattered you. You would not have made the distinction between me and her.”

“Shut the fuck up.” Kyle snarled, pulling his hat to muffle his snarling of pure wrath., “Shut the ever loving fuck up.”

“Do you not see the significance?” Luna asked calmly. “I realize that you are frustrated with me right now, but try to see through it. When first we met, you associated me indivisibly with the one who caused you trauma. Now you are able to look me in the eye and speak of her as the separate being that she is. Do you not see this as progress?”

“DIE!” Kyle shouted, lunging towards Luna with his hand out. “DESERT ENCIERRO!” He reached to deplete Luna of the water in her body. “I’m tired of your shit!”

Luna’s horn flared and she teleported to a point several yards behind him. “Apparently not.” She stood and stretched, keeping a watchful eye on Kyle as she kept another teleport ready to fire. “No matter. Once you are calm, you will be able to see it. Hopefully we will have time for another session before this tournament is concluded.”

A shadow appeared over Luna.

[embedhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9YydoGTt0s&t=37s

Fujitora, the 8th Commander towered over Luna, the blind man looked down upon Luna. “You promised to fight him after this, did you not?” Fujitora raised an eyebrow.

Luna waved off the towering figure, not even bothering to look up at him - or rather, refusing to take her eyes off of Kyle. “Yes yes, and I shall. I have no intention of teleporting far. Just far enough to remain beyond his reach fro a while.” She smirked at Kyle as he turned back to her. “It is a truly infuriating tactic, and angry opponents make the most beautifully exploitable mistakes.”

“Hm, I see,” Fujitora tapped his cane on the ground and took a step forth, he continued to do that and Kyle stopped in his tracks as Fujitora walked past him. “Remember your training, Kyle, and why you were chosen Commander. But as a parting gift…” Fujitora crouched down and purple rings shot out of his back and to the sky, but nothing happened. Fujitora continued to walk away, “Goodbye, Kyle, goodbye, Luna.” 

And just like that, Fujitora left, leaving Kyle and Luna. Kyle placed his hands on the ground, “Ground Death!” The whole area around them collapsed into sand, and was reaching Luna. The alicorn hopped into the air, spreading her wings to maintain a hover. In a much quicker transformation than she’d gone through before, Kyle found himself once again facing a towering, black-cloaked figure with piercing teal eyes.

“fight well, Commander Kyle. make this enjoyable for us.”

Kyle began to be surrounded in Wakfu and tribal symbols glowing blue appeared on his body and a sword and shield of Wakfu were made. Kyle began to pulse Wakfu like he was a Super Saiyan, his eyes glowing white. Kyle took off his hat and stuffed it into his body, his sand stomach absorbing it. Kyle’s dragon wings appeared on his head and Kyle shot forth. “Take this, asshole!” Kyle spun around like a beyblade and slashed Luna across the chest with his Wakfu blade.

Luna gasped in surprise and pain, the sound not unlike the creaking of an old house. She swiftly floated backwards, the gash in her cloak slowly mending as something writhed in the darkness within. “blades of pure magic,” she hissed. “unexpected. we shall have to match you blade for blade, then.” Two blades of moonlight appeared at either side and began to spin around her. One of them - thin, like a rapier - darted towards Kyle, jabbing at his joints to test his defenses. The other, thicker blade remained before her, rotating slowly.

Kyle parried one of the attacks with his shield and flew at Luna, making a portal in front of her. A portal appeared behind her and she turned around, she saw no one there. Kyle slashed Luna behind her back, “You got juked mothafucka!” Kyle threw her shield at the back of her head and it went back to him like Captain America’s shield. Kyle slammed his blade into his shield as if saying ‘bring it’.

Luna hissed in irritation. “Remember this, young upstart: you asked for this.” With a toss of her head, the hood was removed.

Beneath lay a visage of horrors. Flesh and bone twisted and contorted into a face that could almost be called equine, oozing black ichor between strands of dark, crimson muscle. A mane of writhing shadows reached in every direction, each strand ending in a clawed, emaciated hand that grasped for things to devour. Seams split along bones and between muscles, opening to reveal cat-slitted eyes staring in all directions and howling maws that chorused profane and eldritch hymns.

The sight was grotesque, but far worse was the overwhelming aura that now exuded from Luna’s being. Primal terror gripped at Kyle’s heart, his head filling with all the fears of a thousand nightmares, his heart turning to ice and his vision swimming with half-formed illusions of monstrous beings he could barely begin to comprehend.

Luna didn’t give him a chance to adjust to the psychic assault, summoning several more blades to punish Kyle from every angle, shields of moonlight appearing around her.

Something stared back at Luna, and it wasn’t from Kyle, a silhouette of a tall man with brown hair and green eyes appeared behind Kyle. Putting his hand on Kyle’s shoulder, the man grinned up at Luna. His eyes flashing red for a brief moment. And like that, he vanished, Kyle closed his eyes and began to use Observation Haki to be aware of his surroundings.

“If I can’t see it, I can’t be scared, if I can’t see it, I can’t be scared, if I can’t see it…” Kyle repeated this to himself over and over again and made a portal below him, Kyle fell through to the portal. Kyle appeared behind Luna and opened his eyes, he immediately backed away and shivered. 

Unyielding rage…

Kyle clenched his teeth, “No… I won’t be scared by some long horned fucking twat! You’re a discount Pennywise! YOU’RE A CLOWN!”

Laughter…

Kyle began to laugh, “Discount Pennywise? I- I’m sorry, I just- Haha! HAHAHA!” Kyle stopped his assault and clenched his stomach, “Clow-ahahahaha! HAHAHA!”

Luna didn’t bother turning around; she literally had eyes in the back of her head. Her main jaw creaked open and, although Kyle could not see it, three tongues lashed within as she spoke. “in truth, we would rather have avoided showing this form to you. however, the combat advantage of three-hundred and sixty degree vision is impossible to argue against.” Her blades swarmed to Kyle again as Luna drifted away, slowly turning back towards him. “and do not think my psionic attacks so pitiful as to depend on something so unreliable as sight; so long as you have sense to perceive me at all, magical or mundane, you will be filled with this terror.” She leveled her horn at him - a gnarled spire of cracked bone - as her blades penned him in. She fired a blast of moonlight as tall as Kyle was.

Kyle opened a portal in front of the blast and another beside Luna, the blast slammed into Luna and Kyle went through his portal to cut Luna to bits. Kyle began to assault Luna with all his might parrying things that were near him, slashing when he had an opening. “HYOOO!” Kyle cried out as he slashed and bashed Luna and began to push her back.

Luna gave a growl-like huff as she was forced back, her shields barely managing to block the assault of blades. Well, we did say ourselves that that teleportation trick was irritating. Her own blades soon caught up to them and began attacking Kyle once more, forcing him to split his attention. Very well. Time to pull out the cheap shots.

Luna teleported out of the melee, firing a small, quick bolt of moonlight at Kyle’s back. Before he could turn fully to face her, she teleported again, launching another small, quick attack. She kept up her assault like this, constantly moving and changing up her teleportation pattern.

Kyle frowned and began to use Observation Haki and his portals to keep up with Luna, he clashed with Luna here and there but nothing special. Kyle groaned, “Alrighty then, Sables!” Kyle conjured a sandstorm, “Sables!” He conjured another. “Sables!” He conjured another, he continued to make sandstorms until Luna couldn’t see him and he couldn’t see her. But he had something she didn't, Observation Haki. Kyle made portals all around Luna and went in, when he dove past her he struck her, then he came out another portal randomly and attacked her. Each time he sped up and became harder and harder to predict, hitting her all around. “Eliatrope Sword Style: Draconic Swirl!” Kyle's voice came behind her, only to appear by his side, he began to cut into her while circling her body. “ATATATATA!” Kyle then stopped his assault and the sandstorm, appearing a safe - enough - distance away. 

“it would seem we possess similar techniques, if different processes.”

The world went black around Kyle. He looked around but couldn’t see his hand in front of his face. Even his Wakfu didn’t light the darkness. Realization dawned right before Luna began her assault, launching herself through the darkness from every direction in a similitude of his mid-sandstorm assault on her a moment ago. After a minute or so, the assault stopped and the darkness faded, leaving Kyle blinking in the sunlight. Luna stook a few yards before him, battered but still standing. “as we said,” she rasped, “similar techniques. Truly, this battle is becoming irksome. we think us a poor match for each other.”

“Yeah, I agree, which is why…” Kyle wheezed out, his hand began to become a tornado, Wakfu and purple lightning surrounded it. “I’LL END IT!” Kyle began to charge up his final attack, “Furieuse tempête de sable tonitruante: PESO PESADO!” Kyle shot a massive bolt of sand, lightning, and Wakfu at Luna

Luna merely raised a twisted eyebrow, her horn lighting and summoning a plane of shadow before her. The shadows beneath Kyle turned solid black, and he looked down in horrified realization. Luna’s face twisted into a smirk. “payback’s a-”

“BOOOOMMM!!!!”

A huge explosion of Wakfu, sand, and lighting slammed into Kyle and into Luna as well. The two of them were sent flying, Kyle desperately tried to prevent himself to go off the edge but to no avail. Luna ragdolled across the arena, her cloak tearing itself to shreds as she slammed through the forest.

“Woah! Careful there!”

Luna grunted as she felt herself slam into someone and a pair of familiar arms wrapped around her. She groaned as her body shifted and shrank, bone and muscle shifting into their proper shape as skin and fur grew over her. By the time she looked up into Sora’s concerned eyes, she was back to her beautiful - if thoroughly bruised - self. “Sora?”

“Easy there, Lu,” Sora whispered, stroking her mane. “You did well. Time to rest, now.”

Luna sighed contentedly and nuzzled Sora’s chest. “Yes… rest sounds… good…” In seconds, she was asleep.

Sora smiled and brushed a bit of mane out of her face before leaning down to kiss the base of her horn. “Well fought, Guardian of the Night.” He stood, hefting Luna in his arms. “Well, better go find the edge of the arena and drop you off. Don’t want anyone mistaking your unconsciousness for a more mundane rest.”





Arkham woke up, “GYAH! BLEH! YUCK! DISGUSTING! GIRL GERMS!” 







WHOA! Delto and Jackson are now finishing their fight! But wait, what's this? What are they doing?! Find out NEXT TIME ON THE DISPLACED TOURNAMENT OF POWER!