//------------------------------// // Curses // Story: The Cursed Prodigy and The Three Special-Grades // by I Ate Appiness //------------------------------// "*Siggghhh.*" A deep exhale came from Sandbar. Friendship school has been as dull as ever. Or rather, when you and your friends helped aid in stopping the three incarnations of evil not too long ago, as well as receiving praise from the Mane Six as the new Ambassadors of Friendship. Everything after that pales in comparison. Especially friendship classes. It isn't like Sandbar was wishing for another war to be broken out or anything like that. Professor Fluttershy was in the front of the class, highlighting the importance of whatever it was; he wasn't paying attention. Leaning back into his chair, he balanced a pencil on his snout as a form of mini-entertainment to help pass the time. Looking around, he could see his friends weren't really coping any better. Smolder, Gallus, and Yona had their heads on their desk, snoring away. The only ones who were listening attentively were Ocellus and Silverstream. Sandbar cracked his hooves back, breaking out into a yawn. "Perhaps Sandbar would like to try and answer." Fluttershy prompted, Halting mid-yawn, Sandbar was wide-eyed. The class was now diverting all of their attention onto him. Realising that not listening in class does, in fact, not help in answering questions provided by Fluttershy. He turns to his friends, hoping that either Ocellus or Silverstream are listening enough to give him an answer. Quickly glancing over to Silverstream, his eyes showed a telepathic look that anybody could distinguish as the universal sign saying 'help me.'. Silverstream looked at Sandbar, looked over to their sleeping friends, and then turned to face him again. Giving him the most shit-eating grin Sandbar had seen in a while whilst tuning a quick "hehe.". As Silverstream nestled herself onto her desk. Snoring her worries away. "You. Can't. Be. Serious. You feathery winged piece of—" The class gasped in unison, "AHEM! Language Sandbar!" Fluttershy exclaimed. Her expression showed a mix of surprise and agitation in response to his comment, along with a tinge of disappointment that was hard to miss. "Oh no, no, no, Professor Fluttershy! It isn't directed at you! It's uh," Sandbar glances at Silverstream, her torso giggling from withdrawn laughter. Sandbar narrow-eyed her. "-just complicated." "Oh? The answer isn't really that complicated that it warrants swearing now. You should pay closer attention next time." Fluttershy retorts. "I know; I'm sorry, Professor. I will." The Pegasus gave an approving nod before carrying on with her lecture. As Fluttershy explained, Sandbar did his best to concentrate on her words. However, his mind soon began to wander, and he found himself again lost in thought. The first few words of her explanation were all he managed to comprehend before his attention faltered. Despite his efforts to remain engaged, Sandbar couldn't help but feel frustrated with himself for zoning out yet again. "S-c-c-c-h-h-h-o-o-o-o-o-o-l." "Huh?" Sandbar questioned, turning around. "What was that?" murmuring; he could've sworn he heard someone speaking or whispering with the tone they were talking in. It was so low that Sandbar almost missed it. Almost. Nevertheless, he was quick to turn back to the front. Not wanting to potentially upset The Professor anymore than needed. Yup, it definitely was boring. Despite that, a new phenomenon had recently emerged from seemingly nowhere. Monsters had recently started appearing. It was a new species, but most Ponykind had unanimously agreed to call it that. Since it tends to have no behavioural patterns other than to destroy whatever it's closest to. "So far, no creature has found a reason why they are suddenly popping out of nowhere. However, we do know that magic greatly harms them. Conversely, they are extremely toxic to any creature that comes into contact with them, so it's best to keep your distance from them or run away. On another note, they generally appear in densely populated areas." Ocellus raised her hoof. "Um, Professor Fluttershy? Why haven't you tried to talk to them? Ask them why they are attacking us. Or try to capture one and study them?" "Good question. The thing is, I did. But those monsters don't have a particularly high level of intelligence. Frankly, I don't even think they have any form of consciousness. They're more like robots than creatures. The only thing they could speak was a bunch of nonsense. They also seemingly don't need to feed on food and can phase through solid objects. So, every time we managed to haul one of those creatures back and put them into any form of confinement. They either phase through it and cause more havoc or dissipate from the magic that flows in the confine. I hope that satisfied your question." "Y-yes, it did! Thank you!" Ocellus responded, "You are very welcome." Fluttershy gave a smile. Suddenly, a Blair of a siren sounded from inside the classroom. This shook Smolder, Gallus, and Yona out of their sleep. "H-huh?" Gallus slurred. "W-woah!" Smolder panicked as she tipped her chair over in surprise. "What wakes Yona!?" The Yak questioned. "Oh no, not again. it's the eleventh one this month!" Fluttershy worried. "Um, teach? Do they really have to go?" Voiced a concerned classmate. " *Sigh* Yes, they do, whenever the alarm sounds. It's a matter whereby it requires the help of the Ambassadors of Harmony." The Professor turns to the Young Six, "All of you should hurry." "Alright! Another monster to kickass and add to my resume!" Gallus stated. "Yona wants to show the monster who is strongest!" Yoga flexed, "I wonder what it'll look like? A sludge? A worm? A tree? All of the above?" Silver stream added. "Doesn't matter, I'll pummel it no sweat!" The Dragon boasted. "Um, guys, I think we should be going. We don't have time to waste." Sandbar collected. Excitement filled the air as the group worked together. They moved quickly, eager to face the unknown challenge that awaited them. Some were driven by the thrill of conquering a new obstacle, while others were simply happy to escape their boredom. Fluttershy stood quietly, taking a deep breath and letting out a contented sigh at seeing her friends working together. "Please return safely, everybody. Oh, and before I forget class. Remember to sign the consent forms for the upcoming Sports festival as soon as possible!" As all this was happening, in the darkest, most minor recess corner of the classroom, a voice still resisted, insisting that it was trying to prove it was alive, almost like a newborn. But not screaming. Rather, softly, yet straining. It shivered out a word. "S-s-s-s-s-c-c-c-h-h-h-h-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-l-l." Nairobi, the sprawling capital city of Kenya, is a unique and fascinating place where urban life and wildlife coexist in remarkable harmony. Despite the city's reputation for being constantly alive and buzzing with activity, the current scene on the streets is a stark contrast. As the night wears on, an eerie silence descends upon the cityscape, only punctuated by the occasional hum of the streetlights and the sound of a steady, rhythmic tapping echoing through the deserted streets. This hushed stillness is not unexpected, given the lateness of the hour. Still, it contrasts the usual hustle and bustle of Nairobi's vibrant daytime scene. As they walk down the dimly lit street, two sorcerers stride together, each with their unique style. The first sorcerer is dressed in a zipped short-sleeved jacket, dark pants, armless sunglasses, and a large puffy beret-style hat. On the other hand, the second sorcerer is wearing a loose white uniform jacket and slender blue jeans, with a katana case slung over his shoulder. A few flickering street lamps illuminate the pavement ahead of them, casting ominous shadows on the ground. "Miguel, why are we out in the street at 3 in the morning again?" Asked Yuta. "Haven't you heard? There's a powerful Special Grade curse in Kenya." Miguel answered. "Really? Any info on it?" "On The first of September, 2017. The Moi Girls School Burning incident was a tragic event whereby a troubled 14-year-old girl burned down the school to ashes due to her hatred for it. In her selfish act, 10 perished in the fire. The accumulation of negative emotions by those who held loathing for the girl and the lives lost surged. Like a beacon, it resonated throughout Kenya. Many wished to have found a way to pull them out of the fire. Meanwhile, the girls who have passed also probably wished for a way to escape. That's why this cursed spirit has a cursed technique unique and distinct from others. Although it is a newborn, it's still classified as " Special-Grade." Miguel and Yuta turned left upon reaching an intersection. A blast of ominous cursed energy filled the street like a heavy torrent crashing into walls of stone. On cue, the light on the street lamp beginning at the end of the street burst from pressure, and the rest of the lamppost leading up to Yuta and Miguel followed suit. Bursting in rhythm. This was enough for Yuta to take out his katana from his case. As Miguel continued. "Its technique is to open portals." Yuta looked back, confusion evident on his face. "Can't Gojo-sensei do that, too?" The boy questioned. Miguel's mood soured, and his brows furrowed at the mention of the Strongest. "Yes, but it's due to the extension of his Limitless Technique. This Cursed Spirit's Technique is more akin to that of opening wormholes. So be careful." Reaching their destination, Miguel raised his right hand, holding his index and middle finger upward while folding the rest in a fist. Releasing a technique, he spoke out, "Emerge from darkness, blacker than darkness. Purify that which is impure." Although it was in the dark of night, high up in the sky, liquid darkness could be seen swirling, flowing down in a dome shape before solidifying into a veil. "It's alright, Miguel. I'll be on guard. "Yuta said, giving Miguel a reassuring smile. "Alright, I'm off." Miguel smiled back, giving Yuta a thumbs up. "Be back quick." Walking through the empty hallway of the school's dormitory, Yuta surveyed his surroundings. Since entering the school, the air felt heavy, though it didn't sway him much. His blade gleamed softly under the dimly lit moonlight. Turning the corner, he sees a little girl standing in the middle of the corridor, back turned to him. She looked homeless, as far as Yuta could tell. "Little girl? What are you doing in a place like this?" Yuta asked, trying to sound as pleasant as possible so he doesn't scare her away. The little girl didn't answer, though. Opting to act as if she hadn't heard him. "Are you alright?" Yuta tried again as he approached, reaching out a hand to get her attention. But in an instant, Yuta quickly switched and swung his katana into where the girl once stood, and a thunderous boom reverberated throughout the school. As the clouds of dust spread out and cleared, the girl under attack from Yuta disappeared. Now, standing on the ceiling upside down behind him. "You.." said the boy in white as he stood up, slowly turning around to face the enigma child. "...are the Special-Grade curse apparition, aren't you?" The answer was clear on her face. As it revealed the muscles on her face, her skin burnt off with ambers lit at the edges of her features. Her yellow set of teeth was fully exposed, along with her lidless eyes. Almost seemingly staring directly into Yuta's soul. She opened her mouth. "H-h-h-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-t-t-t" Within a blink of an eye, Yuta dashed towards the faceless child. Swinging his sword with swift, murderous intent. However, Yuta had to halt his assault as what looked like his katana suddenly appeared before him. Attacking him with the same ferocity he had for the cursed spirit. Twisting his body, he managed to dodge the slice. While avoiding the attack, he could see his right arm was not where it was supposed to be, as it was detached from his person. Jumping back, he glanced to check on his arm again, now seeing it was back in place. Waving his arm up and down to check for possible damages, he saw it was perfectly fine. 'There are no harmful effects on my arm. So, it has to be opening portals to reflect on-coming attacks.' Yuta thought. "S-s-e-a-r-i-n-n-n-g-g-g-g." The cursed spirit echoed, "B-u-r-r-n-i-i-i-n-n-g-g-g-g." Looking at the Special Grade apparition, Yuta could see it was holding something. Something colourful. Pink in colour. "A horse toy?" He asked out loud, but he hadn't expected the curse to actually correct him. "P-p-p-o-o-n-n-n-i-i-e-s!" The cursed stomped furiously. "Huh?" Yuta questioned with an innocent look. "PONIES." On command, tables imbued with cursed energy flew at mock speeds at Yuta. With quick thinking and his inhuman agility, he easily avoided the large projectiles. Throwing his katana towards the curse, Yuta slid to dodge more of the flying tables and chairs. Only to be greeted by the same weapon he had thrown moments earlier, striking the side of his face with the Special Grade now up close and personal. Thankfully, an entity emerged from the darkness; a pair of large, ghostly, pale hands grabbed the spirit. Immobilising her. Of course, the cursed spirit struggled, but it was futile. "Who's this, Yuta?" Grabbing the sword lodged into the ground, Yuta walked towards the two curses. "Don't worry, Rika. It's just a curse. Hold her still for me." With imminent death approaching, the unregistered Special-Grade curse pooled out all her curse energy. Wanting more time, wanting more power. The faceless child opened a portal that spanned distances on Earth to reach the insurmountable well of cursed energy she needed. A cursed object had answered her call. A decaying, wrinkled finger. Realising what the curse had pulled out, Yuta rushed to her in an attempt to stop it. "Stop her! Rika!" On command, Rika tried to grab the cursed object. But it was too late, as the curse swallowed the finger whole. Bursting with newfound strength, it sent Rika and Yuta flying back. A hole appeared in the curse's throat where the finger now resides. With a wave of her hands, light glowed from her eyes, distorting the fabric of space below them as the floor started to bend in unnatural ways, swirling into a vortex before opening up a wormhole. 'A Domain Expansion? No, a Maximum Technique!' Yuta thought, jabbing his katana into the nearby wall to use as leverage to keep him from falling into the wormhole. Although he doesn't know where the portal led, it could never be good if it was opened by a curse. However, even more sets of tables, chairs, and benches dropped down from above Yuta, clearly by the curse, intending to get him to lose his grip and fall. "Rika!" As per his instructions, the partially summoned Rika, tried her best to deflect the falling furniture pieces. But her limited power made it difficult for her to control the situation, and she ended up slapping away only a couple of pieces before her powers caved in. This slip-up proved costly, as a series of tables and chairs fell on Yuta with a loud thud. The impact caused him to lose his grip and fall hopelessly into the portal, disappearing from sight.