//------------------------------// // Park Fight // Story: Spike of the Talismans // by Wildcard25 //------------------------------// One afternoon Spike and the girls exited the Maneway station in Manehattan and looked around at the busy but beautiful city. “Oh, Manehattan. It feels like it's been so long since I've been here.” Rarity said in joy. “Uh, Rarity, it's only been a couple months since we came here.” Applejack reminded her of their Friendship mission to the city. “Really? Well, it feels like it's been a lot longer than that.” Rarity replied. “I'm just glad we had the chance to come back here.” Rainbow said. “Especially if it's to have a nice picnic in the park.” Fluttershy admitted. “Even though we could always do that in Ponyville.” Twilight reminded them. “Yeah, Twilight, but Manehattan's got one of the biggest parks in Equestria.” Spike countered. “Ok, you got me there.” Twilight admitted sheepishly. “Plus this also gives me a good opportunity to look into finding a place to open up a shop here.” Rarity put in. “Ya just built a shop in Canterlot, Rarity. Why do you need to suddenly look for another place to open a shop?” Applejack asked. “It's called 'expanding' Applejack,” the fashion pony answered, “With two shops I'll be making twice as much as usual which will help me in finding an affordable place to open up shop here.” Applejack rolled her eyes, “If you say so.” “Come on, girls. Let's not talk business here.” Spike suggested, as they all agreed and headed for the park. Meanwhile in Shendu's cave, the dragon was able to sense the location of his talismans and knew exactly where to send his minions. “I think for this task I will need real muscle.” Shendu's eyes glowed as Shadowkhan emerged from the shadows. These Shadowkhan were twice as tall and five times as wide as regular ponies, while looking incredibly muscular. “My minions, go to the city of Manehattan and bring me the dragon whelp Spike.” the dragon ordered, as the Shadowkhan took their leave. Back in the city, the group entered the park while admiring it's beauty and noting several other ponies relaxing in their own way, from having picnics themselves, playing, and sailing swan boats in the river. As the group walked they stopped at a clearing, “This looks like a good spot,” Twilight inspected. “Then let's set up here.” Applejack said. “All over it.” Pinkie said, as she set the picnic up just like that. “Now this is awesome.” Rainbow said, as she dawned some sunglasses and proceeded to kick back. “After dealing with nothing but Shadowkhan for awhile it's nice to finally take a break.” Rarity said in relief. “Tell me about it.” Spike agreed, as he tossed a sapphire up before it landed in his mouth and ate it. “So as long as we're here in Manehattan, and while Rarity decides on where she'd like to set up another shop anything else we should do?” Twilight asked opened for suggestions. “Well, I heard there's a new comic shop here in the city,” Spike spoke up, “I could use the chance to see what they have to offer compared to the comic shops in Canterlot.” “As long as it's not a magically enchanted comic.” Twilight squinted at Spike. “You're never gonna let it go, are you?” Spike scowled. Their moment of tranquility was suddenly interrupted by the sounds of ponies screaming in a panic. They saw the other ponies in the park running for cover, while some mares were keeping their children close. “And here I thought today was going to be a time to relax.” Rarity whined. “Well, what can ya do?” Applejack shrugged. “Let's check it out.” Rainbow said, as the group hurried to find the source of the commotion. They stopped and saw the Sumo sized Shadowkhan were pushing down trees and breaking gazebos, all while the ponies were taking cover and running in fear. “Shadowkhan?” Twilight asked. "Big Shadowkhan.” Spike said in shock. “Those boys must've really been hittin' the gym.” Applejack said in equal shock. The Sumo Khan noticed the appearance of Spike and the girls, and immediately turned their attention towards them. “Well, guys, you know what they say,” Rainbow began, “The bigger they are...” she flew right at one of the Sumo Khan only to crash right into its stomach and fall to the ground with the Shadowkhan not even budging from her tackle. “Ooh!” the ponies groaned at how that had to hurt, “The more bones they break!” Pinkie finished. As the Sumo Khan was about to stomp on Rainbow Dash, the pegasus rolled to the side and flew back to her friends, “That thing was hard as a wall.” “I'm surprised ya needed to crash into it to know that.” Applejack noted. “Yeah, I mean you see the size of these guys?” Pinkie asked rhetorically. “Criticize later,”Twilight replied, “Let's take care of these guys before they do more damage.” “I'll stall them,” Spike said, as he zipped at one of the other Sumo Khan and punched it in the chest, but it didn't even recoil, “I put all I had into that punch!” he said in shock, before dodging a punch from the one he attacked. Spike dodged more punches before he met with the Sumo Khan in a grapple with both of them looking evenly matched. “Even with the Ox talisman's strength, Spike is still evenly matched.” Twilight gasped. “Probably compared to that Shadowkhan Spike just feels like a very strong mouse.” Pinkie added. “Please no animal puns.” Fluttershy said feeling uncomfortable. “Let's take 'em!” Rainbow called, as they went on the attack with Rainbow flying circles around the Sumo Khan who tried to grab her but was too slow. “They may be strong, but they're not fast.” Rainbow said, as she continued to fly circles around the Sumo Khan making it dizzy enough to fall over leaving behind a body imprint on the ground. Twilight blasted one Sumo Khan with her magic and while it made it stumble back it still wasn't strong enough to make it go poof. Rarity tried the same, but it didn't matter either. “Not even our magic can subdue them.” Rarity told Twilight. Spike managed to break his grapple with the one Sumo Khan and tried to use his levitation to pick it up, but was proving difficult for the talisman powered young dragon, “These guys weigh a ton!” he strained before eventually dropping it to the ground once again putting a small crater in the grass. Applejack and Pinkie galloped or in Pinkie's case hopped around the Sumo Khan making them try to grab them but ended up toppling into each other. The group watched as the Sumo Khan struggled to pick themselves up, as Fluttershy spoke, “It's no good. Nothing seems to work on them.” “Well, we gotta do something.” Applejack replied. “If only they were something lighter.” Pinkie said. “Something lighter?” Spike asked, as he got an idea, “Of course!” “You got something, Spike?” Rainbow asked. “Yeah. Don't know why I didn't think of it before.” “Well, whatever you have planned, ya better do it now.” Applejack warned him as the Sumo Khan finally got back up. Spike stared the Sumo Khan down before extending his palm at them with the image of the Monkey Talisman glowing in his eyes. Suddenly he blasted at the Sumo Khan who all suddenly transformed into cute cuddly helpless little bunnies. The former Shadowkhan now bunnies looked around in perplex and sniffed around. Fluttershy's eyes lit up, as she flew over and scooped the bunnies up and hugged them, “They're so cute now!” “Well, that's one way to get rid of them.” Applejack admitted. “Good thinking, Spike.” Twilight commended him. “Thanks. Since it was nearly impossible to make them go poof and not even my super strength could overpower them, I simply changed them into something that couldn't fight us.” “And you picked a winner.” Pinkie added, while hugging a bunny. “As much as I'd hate to admit it, but those were the toughest Shadowkhan ever.” Rainbow confessed. “No kidding. We were all lucky this time.” Twilight added. Spike nodded, “I know. But no matter what kind of Shadowkhan Shendu sends our way, I'm not going to back down.” The girls smiled, as Applejack spoke, “And we won't either, Sugarcube.” “I suggest we put this whole thing behind us and continue to enjoy our trip.” Rarity suggested. “Sounds good to me.” Spike said, as the rest of the girls agree and decided to pick up where they left off. At Shendu's cave, the dragon growled, “Not even Shadowkhan with ten times the strength as an army of earth ponies could get the job done! Well, I'm not beaten yet, Spike. I will have my powers back, mark my words!”