The sounds of screams and explosions could be heard in Manehatten. As a monstrous creature resembling a sludge rampaged through the streets, towering several stories tall, multiple eyes were scattered across its body. Its appendages acted as arms, tipped with talons large enough to capture creatures of all sizes. Its body was a mix of fur and feathers, creating an abomination similar to a deformed combination of a Griffon, Yak, Hippogriff, and Pony. As it bellowed out, it crushed a sizable chunk of a building's corner under its weight.
"Do-o-o y-y-you want a r-r-receipt??" The creature continues smashing its surroundings, causing a building to collapse.
The local police department, along with a few members of the Royal Guards, were doing their best to evacuate civilians while trying to keep the grotesque slime at bay. In doing so, their forces were spread thin to cover the extensive area the monster was attacking. Furthermore, those who could perform magic were busy tending to the wounded.
'Where's the Wonderbolts when you need them?' The guard thought,
The deafening sound of a chain of massive explosions reverberates through the area, shaking the ground and sending shockwaves through the air. Creatures freeze in fear, unsure of what to do as chaos ensues. Screams ring out in every direction as the full scope of the destruction becomes apparent. Smoke rises into the sky, obscuring the sun and casting a dark pall over the scene.
"Every creature, this way! Hurry!" Waved another guard. Trying to ensure escort to is smooth and efficient, but it is anything but. "No shoving, please!"
Another deafening boom went off. This time, closer to the guard's evacuation site, shaking the earth. Every creature close by felt their heart sink; now desperate to escape, they started doing everything they could to escape the fast-approaching monster. Shoving, pushing, and yelling to get away.
"My baby!" yelled a pegasus mare. The guard who had previously been escorting the escapees turned to the street. Only to be met with the horrifying sight of a young filly that had her hind legs crushed under a large section of a presumably thick section of wall that was once a part of one of the buildings nearby but broke off due to the level of havoc caused by the crazed slime. Blood was slowly seeping under the cracks of stone, and she looked to be knocked unconscious, tears flowing from her closed eyes.
What's worse. Was the monster now creeping itself over the crushed filly, towering over her, its eyes focused on the defenceless pegasus. The mare flared her wings, dead set on saving her child. Only to be intervened by the guard previously escorting the civilians out of harm's way. Tackling and holding her back from getting closer to the monster and her daughter.
"What are you doing!? Let me go!!"
"I'm sorry, miss! But I can't risk you going close to that thing! It's too dangerous!" He yelled back,
"But my child!" The pegasus cried, tears streaming down her face.
The monster reached down with a talon; the thick, sludging substance's vile sound sounded even louder to the mare as its talons were only mere inches off the filly.
"No!!"
In a flash, a blur of orange and blue smashed into the top of the slug, knocking it off balance and forcing it onto its back. The monster used the talon previously meant for the filly to grab onto a nearby building to catch itself from tumbling over completely. Still, it crumbled, trying to support its weight. Soon, a Yak, Earth Pony, Changeling, and Hippogriff joined the fray.
"Ambassadors?!" The guard spoke,
"Smolder and Gallus bought us some time! We should hurry!" Sandbar yelled.
"Don't worry! Yona the strongest! Yona will save hurt pony!" Yona said with pride, dashing over to the knocked-out filly.
"We should support Yona! C'mon, guys, let's go!!" Lead Silverstream, as Ocellus and Sandbar followed close behind.
Up in the sky, Smolder and Gallus levitate above the fallen beast. Confidence apparent from their features, their arms folded in an act to mock the thing.
"What's up, big guy? Two creatures too much for you to handle?" Smolder mocked,
"For all that yelling, you sure can't prove anything, huh? All bark, no bite." Gallus added, shrugging.
A burst of slimy tentacles shot out in the general direction of where the two flyers were; both dodged with a smirk on their face.
"C'mon, it's like you're not even trying!" The dragon laughed. In a moment of classic universal irony, the appendages that had previously missed Smolder suddenly changed their trajectory and flew back down with increased force, slamming the dragon into a nearby tower. The impact was so intense that it shook the ground beneath them. Gallus's expression instantly changed for the worse as he realised the gravity of the situation. He and Smoulder had clearly greatly underestimated the power and speed of the monster they were facing. Now, they were paying a grave price for their mistake.
"Smolder!!" Gallus cried, diving to the crash site. Even though a giant wall of slime that previously was used to smack his friend from the air now acted as a barrier that denied him entry nor Smolder an exit, he clawed at the substance, hoping to open some sort of hole large enough to free his reptilian friend under the toxic weight. Amid Griffon's attempt to free Smolder, an unexpected and massive tentacle suddenly swung down from above, catching him off guard. The Griffon was forced to abandon his efforts momentarily and step back into the air, letting out a grunt of frustration. The tentacle was so massive that it caused a strong gust of wind as it passed, blowing him back even further than he had anticipated.
Earlier that day, a sudden burst of radiant light illuminated the sky, emanating from the rooftop of a towering structure. The light twisted and turned, taking on the shape of a ring before gracefully descending toward the building's surface. As it reached the rooftop, a human figure materialised along with some tables, chairs, and benches, creating an unexpected scene amidst the urban landscape.
"Oof!" Yuta landed on the concrete with an audible thud, soon followed by heavy metal, wood, and plastic clatters singing in a discordant, twisted melody. Almost laughing at how Yuta had fallen into this new, vibrant world.
"Yuta, Yuta. I'm sorry I couldn't get that finger in time." Rika cried apologetically.
Yuta spoke in a reassuring tone as Rika looked at him with a mix of concern and relief. "No, no. Don't worry, Rika. It's my fault for not stopping it sooner. But don't worry, I promise I'll find us a way back." Rika gave a timid yet happy nod, her eyes still scanning her surroundings as if unsure what to expect next. "Be careful, Yuta," she cautioned him before disappearing into the recesses of his shadow.
Yuta took a deep breath and picked up his sword and the case for his blade from the ground. As he stashed them away, he quickly looked around and realised he was in the middle of a cityscape. The sky was a bright blue, with fluffy white clouds hanging overhead, and the sun was shining down on him, making the surroundings feel warm and inviting.
Surprisingly, the atmosphere didn't reek of smoky gasoline, as he had expected. Instead, he could smell the scent of freshly bloomed flowers and the faint aroma of baked goods coming from a nearby bakery. As he took in his surroundings, Yuta made a mental note to be careful and keep his guard up, even though everything seemed peaceful and idyllic.
'Strange, where did that curse send me?' Pulling out his phone, he tried opening Google Maps, only to discover that he had no signal.
"No connection?" Yuta tried waving his hand higher in all directions in a measly attempt to strengthen any possibility of receiving a signal. To his dismay, it didn't work. Rolling his eyes, he tucked his phone back into his pocket while walking over to the rooftop's edge, hoping to see if he could make out any landmark that would give him an inkling of an idea of where he could be. Nope, just buildings, towers, everywhere. Except for a distinct skyscraper with a giant sculpture of a horse's head on top.
"New York? No, there wasn't a sculpture of a horse's head there, was it? No, it can't be. The air is too clean." His train of thought was cut short when the door connecting the rooftops to the rest of the building rattled and opened. Revealing to be a Griffon in editorial clothing walking out, the Griffon looked around and over to the collapsed chairs, benches, and tables. Giving a sigh. He turned his head back, yelling down the stairwell, calling out to somebody.
"Ay, Chief! Why didn't you tell me the new set of chairs would be delivered today!? And why did the movers decide to haul it all onto the rooftop?!... What do you mean? It's not supposed to show up until next week?! No, no, no! I'm not carrying all of this myself . Get your butt..." With that, the Griffon returned to the building.
Above him was Yuta, who had his head poking out the edge of the concrete box where the mythical creature once stood below; he was sitting cross-legged, trying to process the revelation of a talking mythical creature wearing editorial attire and speaking in perfect English.
"...A Griffon?... What? A curse, maybe? No, it can't be.." Standing up with his case, he jumped back onto the rooftop. Looking around, he decides he must learn more about this place. Standing at the rooftop's edge, he took a deep breath and crouched down, ready to take off. With a burst of energy, he launched himself forward, sprinting towards the edge with all his might. He leapt off the rooftop in one swift motion, soaring through the air.
As he landed gracefully on the next rooftop, he could feel the rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. A much better warm-up than his previous altercation with the curse back at the school. With each jump, he felt more invigorated, more alive. He hopped from one rooftop to another, each time covering a greater distance, until he finally spotted his destination - the tallest building in the city, with a magnificent horse sculpture perched atop it.
Undaunted, he continued his path, manoeuvring through rooftops and balconies with ease. The wind whipped past him, and the sun beat down on his back, but he remained focused on his goal. With each leap, he felt himself getting closer and closer to his destination.
Yuta's heart was pounding as he drew closer to the Crystaller Building, the tallest and most imposing structure in the entire city. With each step, he could feel his pulse quickening.
With a deep breath, Yuta directed cursed energy into his legs, feeling it surge through his body. He crouched down and leapt towards the glass, his feet making contact with the smooth surface. With just enough force, he began to run up the side of the building, his cursed energy articulately controlled as he scaled it without breaking a single pane.
"And you have a good day, sir." Said a Hippogriff, placing the phone back onto the holder. She slouched onto the chair she was sitting on while vigorously rubbing her eyes. Sighing, she turned over to stare at the window pane, allowing her thoughts to de-clutter and daydream a bit. Just to catch a blur of white and black human boy zooming past where she was looking. She sat there, stunned, in disbelief, and questioning reality.
Blinking once, twice, and thrice before she rubbed her eyes again to check if they were functioning correctly, her manager walked over.
"Something the matter?" The Changeling inquired. To which she scratched her mane in confusion.
"I think I'm gonna take the next few days off."
Reaching the top of the Crystaller Building, Yuta hopped onto the top of the sculpture's head and took in the view. The skyline was magnificent, with tall buildings jutting up into the sky like spears. In the far distance, he could make out what looked to be the Statue of Liberty, but to his surprise, it was in the form of a pony. As he continued surveying his surroundings, Yuta noticed the city had a familiar layout. It strongly resembled New York, with its towering skyscrapers, bustling streets, and even a central park.
"I'm actually in New York? No... An... Another world? Oh man, I'm so done for!" Yuta yelled, ruffling his head in idiocy for allowing himself to fall into that wormhole that cursed spirit made. Just as he was about to condemn himself more, however. An explosion nearby and a surge of curse energy caught his attention.
"Even in other Worlds, there's curses?" Clutching his sling case, he took off from the sculpture. Sliding down the side of the Crystaller Building. He jumped onto a rooftop nearby, pacing himself and making his way over to the location of the cursed spirit.
Getting closer and closer, he could see even from such a distance that the cursed spirit was going on an onslaught. Checking the streets under him, the curse had already done a significant amount of damage to the roads and stores. Some creatures he didn't even know existed were gunning for safety, while some were trapped under rubble and debris.
'A Grade 2? Judging by the Griffon earlier, they seemed to speak perfect English. If I want to find a way back, it'll be best if I work together with the sorcerers of this world. I should start by helping the civilians, showing that I'm not a threat, and then taking down that curse. That should be good enough in solidifying my innocence.'
"Yup!" Yuta said aloud in affirmation as he jumped to the streets, landing with a crash. He jogged past some burning shops and large rubble and over to a trapped and unconscious changeling; using his left hand, he easily flipped over the large debris, thanks to his immense reserves of cursed energy flowing throughout his body. Picking up the Changeling with his left arm, he was about to move to a safer location until the Changeling started to squirm in agony.
Yuta was taken aback by the response, 'Is it because I'm carrying this creature too tight? No, it can't be.' After putting in some thought, Yuta dampened his cursed energy. As he did so, the squirming from the Changeling slowly but surely subsided. Sighing a sigh of relief, the cursed prodigy quickly left the splash zone and headed towards safer grounds. Gently placing the injured Changeling down. Yuta shared positive energy around the wound, healing her enough to stop whatever internal or external bleeding it might have.
Satisfied, he was ready to move on to the next victim that needed his aid. A heavy rumble and another explosion made him reconsider; looking back toward the giant apparition, Yuta could make out two beings, one orange and one blue, trying to take down the massive beast. That soon became one when orange got swatted out of the sky. Unsheathing his blade, he allowed his cursed energy to flow freely into the weapon.
"Change of plans."
"Let me go, you freak!" Yelled Gallus, slamming his talons onto the tentacles holding him and the injured Smolder hostages.
"Dang it! If I wasn't so careless, you'd be toasted a long time ago, you disgusting slime!" exclaimed Smolder through a bleeding forehead. Soon enough, beams of magic were fired at the being. Puncturing holes into what seemed to be the torso of the curse, but it was quickly mended when said holes were being filled with more of itself. Basically, nullifying the damage done. Agitated, it tightened its hold on its captives with a roar. A few snaps could be heard even from where the rest of the Young Six were standing, making Smolder and Gallus cough up blood and forcing their veins to show on their foreheads.
This display of strength made all the Guards in the present area seize fire, not wanting to cause any more indirect harm to the two.
"How is it this strong!?" Yelled Sandbar.
"Quick, we need to notify The Professors!" Silverstream suggested with haste.
"I heard one of the Pillars is already coming here!" Piped a Guard.
"We don't have time! Our friends are going to die!!" cried Ocellus.
"Stop hurting Yona's friends!" Yona screamed with anger as she charged head-first into the scene.
"Don't, Yona!" Sandbar warned, racing behind her. The curse swung one of its arms at Yona, pushing her back easily. She flew back with tremendous force, so much so that Sandbar couldn't move out of the way fast enough, allowing her body to smash into Sandbar. At the same time, the poor Earth Pony acted as a cushion to soften her fall. Sandbar could physically feel the impact of the Yak's weight on his body as he bore the brunt of the fall. His internal organs shifted slightly, and he felt the wind being knocked out of him as he acted as a cushion to soften her landing.
'How did it come to this? We were just studying friendship in class not too long ago.' Sandbar thought it wasn't long before his mind scrunched, processing a sudden, sharp pain in his body.
Crack.
Something definitely broke. Sandbar doesn't know if it was the force, Yona, or a combination of the two that led to him fracturing his ribs, but it sure as hell hurts all the same. Crashing into a street lamp was what finally stopped the fall.
'N-now we have to deal with that thing?' The Earth Pony didn't even think it was possible to stutter when thinking to yourself. Yet, here he is now. Nevertheless, as the dust settles, Yona is able to collect herself enough to utter a few words.
"S-sorry Sandbar..." She murmured through pained teeth.
"I-it's alright, Yona. *Hrghh* " Sandbar falsely reassures, doubling over with the Yak still on top of him.
As the curse gained momentum, a twisted and malevolent grin contorted its form. It seemed to revel in the anticipation of impending victory. Like a child drunk on excitement, the curse began to wreak havoc on everything in its vicinity, unable to contain the sadistic pleasure it felt. The sounds of destruction echoed through the air as the curse continued to revel in its sadistic nature.
"How are these things s-so strong?" The injured pony coughed.
In an instant, an unknown figure slammed itself relentlessly into the cursed spirit with such force that it collapsed and buckled under the weight of the blow. Forming a small crater in the street, the earth beneath needing to bend to accommodate.
In that fleeting moment, every creature within sight held their breath in anticipation. Every creature had thought that either The Pillars or The Elements had arrived to finally vanquish this evil being back to whatever hell spawn it came from. That moment of hope didn't last long. As the wicked presence of the curse diminishes, a newfound evil can be felt filling the immediate area, and silence quickly follows. It was as if the void left by the departing curse had been quickly filled by something even more sinister.
The atmosphere was suffocating, as if a heavy blanket had been draped over the world, smothering all life beneath it. Breathing became a laborious task, even for those not physically exerting themselves. The air was so thin that it felt as if one had to climb a mountain just to draw a single breath. Yet, despite the thinness of the air, it was thick with an unnameable, almost tangible dread. The kind of fear could make one's hair stand on end and turn the blood to ice in one's veins. Every creature felt its grip, and the instinctual terror was absolute, irrevocable, and all-encompassing.
Silverstream had never felt such fear aside from Stormterror, but this feeling pales compared to him. Ocellus was in a similar situation; sure, she was scared for a time when she was under the rule of Chrysalis. However, she'd instead attempt stealing love from the Crystal Empire than be forced to face whatever stood behind that wall of smoke. Even Sandbar and Yona, who are losing consciousness, could feel the raw negativity emanating from the human. "It's worse than Tirek..." The pony noted.
As the dust clouds finally subside, it reveals to the crowd who had just exorcised the curse. A young human teen crouches down, his blade deeply impaling the curse. The ghostly sludge slowly disintegrates from Yuta's raw cursed energy flowing throughout its body. Overwhelming the curse with his own.
It felt as though the sky had turned red when the young man slowly stood up, a smile plastered on his face with a few stains of purple blood adorning his cheeks. On his left were Gallus and Smolder, his left arm clamping the two secure to his body.
They seemed to have it the worst of everybody there. Pupils shrunk to pinpricks while their beak and snout are slightly agape. Sweat beaded down their foreheads and necks; all the while, they were shivering uncontrollably, and their face was as pale as the moon. They hadn't dared to move nor stare at the boy, afraid of what the human might do. And honestly? They looked to be one spook away from soiling themselves. Of course, Yuta doesn't see any of this. Giving a quick huff, he spoke his first words to the residents of Equestria.
"Sorry! Did I startle you guys?"