Neon brought her claw down on Rainbow when she came in range, expecting her claws to tear through the cleaver just like it did to so many other things. She was slightly annoyed when the cleaver held together with barely a scratch.
Rainbow swung the blade around, striking Neon on the neck. She didn't think Neon's grin could spread wider than it already did, but it did anyway when the cleaver failed to cut her high-tech armor. In fact, there wasn't even a scratch. Rainbow quickly moved the blade into a defensive position as Neon clawed at her.
Sparks flew as the blades made contact. Rainbow spun the cleaver, twisting Neon's claws away and exposing her body. She jabbed forward, but Neon was faster and dodged the strike.
Then it was just a series of blindingly fast parries and blocks. Flashes and clangs, too close together to be told apart.
Rainbow brought the blade around in a wide arch. Neon used her claws in a specific manner, and twisted the cleaver from Rainbow's hooves. It spun through the air, and lodged itself high up on a metal wall, the broad side facing the ceiling.
Rainbow cursed, and was forced to roll sideways to avoid Neon's slashing claws. She jumped to her hooves, stopping Neon's claws from reaching her by grabbing hold of her wrist. Neon brought her other claw around, and Rainbow swung over it, using Neon's arm to launch herself up into the air. She dropped down, a punch prepared.
Neon lashed out, and Rainbow grabbed her wrist again, bringing her arm down to her side so the claws couldn't harm her. She closed a hoof around her other wrist, and lashed out a kick into Neon's chest, causing her to stumble back. Rainbow herself was launched back into the air, stretching her wings. She flew up to her cleaver, and landed on it.
Neon cocked her head to one side, looking up and studying the pegasus.
Rainbow grabbed the handle and front-flipped, yanking the cleaver out. She let go, flinging the hunk of metal at near sonic speed down at Neon.
Neon quickly jumped back, the cleaver hitting the ground and shattering the concrete, the barest hint of a rainbow still fading into the air.
Rainbow flew down from the above. Using the cleaver as a pole, she grabbed hold of the handle and swung herself around, lashing out a sonic-speed kick at Neon. Her hoof made contact with the back of Neon's claws, forcing her to take several steps back. Rainbow landed on the ground, yanked the cleaver out and brought it down in a wide arch. Neon crossed her claws, intercepting the cleaver.
Rainbow spun, pulling the blade away and then bringing it back from the side. Neon jumped over it, slashing a claw down at Rainbow.
Rainbow rolled forward, the slash missing her hat, but barely. Standing up as fast as she could, she brought the blade up in a huge uppercut. Neon blocked it with a claw, then pushed.
The cleaver flew from Rainbow's grip once again, but she didn't lose it. She cartwheeled backwards, catching the cleaver between her back hooves. Mustering all the energy she could get from her waist, she swung it back down.
Neon jumped back as the cleaver lodged itself into the ground, breaking concrete. Rainbow flipped again, pulling out the cleaver with her back hooves and flinging it up into the air.
Neon darted forward, ready to slice Rainbow in half. The cleaver fell back down and into Rainbow's front hooves, and she blocked the strike in the nick of time.
Neon lashed out from the side, and Rainbow brought the blade up to block it. Neon moved up, and they were nose to nose for a second, staring into each other's eyes with cold determination, although it was a little harder to tell with Neon's.
Rainbow suddenly backed out of the way, and Neon lost her balance, stumbling forward and exposing her back. Rainbow swung the cleaver down, but Neon knocked it away by kicking the broad side. She rolled onto the ground to add more distance between her and Rainbow, but also to stop herself from falling over.
She spun around, her claws slicing through the air. Rainbow leaped up and over the swipe, rolling in the air with her cleaver spinning with her. Neon blocked it, throwing Rainbow off-balance as she abruptly lost her momentum. She landed behind Neon, creating a small dust cloud.
She leaped up, the cleaver raised high. Neon only had enough time to spin around and meet it with her claws.
Rainbow brought the cleaver down with all her strength, and the blades clashed with a heavy metallic clang. The strike was so powerful that the ground around Neon's hooves cracked. Dust flew away from the two, settling somewhere else. Neon didn't seem to be harmed at all.
Rainbow backed away, and Neon dashed forward, bringing a claw around for a strike. Rainbow tilted her cleaver vertical, blocking the blow. Neon twirled around, hunching low, her right leg sweeping across the floor.
Rainbow was knocked off the floor, her hooves swept from underneath her. She hit the ground hard on her back, the air temporarily knocked from her lungs. Without waiting to catch her breath, she rolled to her side and onto her belly, Neon's claws digging into the concrete where she had been seconds before.
Pushing off with her front hooves, she launched both back hooves into Neon's chest apple-buck fashion, sending her stumbling back. Rainbow landed lightly on her hooves, spinning around to face her opponent.
Neon grinned. This was proving to be much more fun than she anticipated.
Rainbow charged forth, the cleaver down low by her side. She swiped up when Neon was in range. Claw and cleaver clashed, showering the owners with sparks that lit up the battle. Sliding the blade up and along Neon's claws, Rainbow used the cleaver's momentum- twirling it in her hooves and spinning at the same time. She stabbed behind her, the cleaver at waist height. Neon diverted the thrust somewhere else with her claws.
Rainbow turned the blade so the sharp edge that faced down earlier faced Neon. She shoved the cleaver sideways, knocking Neon back- but she still blocked it. Rainbow quickly flew away from Neon- time to use the one signature trick she didn't think she'd come to use.
She landed on the concrete meters away from Neon, and tightened her grip on the cleaver.
Rainbow swung it around in a wide arch as fast as she could, despite Neon being five meters away. The air around the blue pegasus rippled, a shockwave forming at the tip of the cleaver.
And then everything exploded into a rainbow colored bubble as the cleaver broke the sound barrier, exploding outwards in a huge multicolored flash.
Neon had a surprised expression on her face as the bubble struck her full on. She flew back, tumbling through the air and down the length of the large room- which was roughly thirty meters long.
There was a loud crack and clang as Neon crashed through the wall on the other side, taking a huge sheet of the metal with her.
Rainbow kept her cleaver right beside her as she walked towards the big hole in the wall, white moonlight pouring in. She reached an edge. The building seemed to be high up over something- down below was a mess of metal pipes and tubes. It was the kind of stuff you'd expect to find in oil rigs. The tubes and pipes slithered all over the area, some leaking white hot steam into the cold night air. Then there was the obvious trail of destruction Neon left behind when she crashed through the wall and into all the pipes.
Rainbow's ear twitched under her hat, hearing a noise. She turned around, bringing the cleaver up and meeting Neon's claws as she dropped from the ceiling. They fell through the air, still slashing at each other.
Neon broke away, landing and balancing on a wide pipe. Rainbow landed nearby on the same one. Neon charged, claws clinking against each other. Rainbow turned her cleaver so the broad side faced Neon, and blocked the strike with the broad side of the blade.
Rainbow let go, but before the blade or Neon could fall lashed out a kick into the flat side of the cleaver. The force of the kick traveled through the cleaver and into Neon, knocking her back and sending her flying. Dust shuddered off the pipe as the power from the impact rippled down its length. The cleaver stood where it was, and fell into Rainbow's waiting hooves.
Neon had landed on a different pipe. Rainbow flew over, bringing the cleaver down. Neon caught the cleaver between her claws, and twisted; flinging Rainbow away from the pipe and onto another series of them. She then jumped after her.
She slashed sideways, and Rainbow ducked under it. Her claws ripped through the side of a vertical pipe behind Rainbow, and white hot steam poured out. Neon was temporarily distracted, and Rainbow leaped forward and under the steam, tackling Neon's legs.
Neon fell forwards, her head clipping the metal pipe with a loud clang. Rainbow still didn't let go of her ankles, and spun Neon- ready to fling her away.
Neon dug her claws into a pipe, anchoring herself firmly. She then twisted her waist, flinging Rainbow instead out into the moonlight. She pulled her claws out, the steam not even causing her to flinch.
Rainbow crashed through an old rusted pipe, the metal chipping away and flying out with her. She spread her wings, flying up into the air.
Then there was a multicolored flash, and she was crashing through the air again. Neon had leapt out and tackled her.
Rainbow grabbed Neon's neck, spinning as to keep her opponent at the bottom. Neon did the same, trying to get Rainbow to hit the ground first. They spun through the air, each attempting to gain the advantage.
They crashed through a series of pipes, and both landed and cracked their shoulders against the concrete underneath; breaking them apart.
Neon rolled to her hooves, apparently unharmed.
Rainbow however, had blood seeping out of her lips and a dislocated shoulder. She picked up her cleaver slowly, not taking her eyes off Neon. She stabbed the cleaver into the ground, the handle within easy reach. Shaking on a mischievous smile, she hit her dislocated shoulder, forcing it back into place. She didn't groan with pain this time. Wiping the dribble of blood from the corner of her mouth, she pulled her cleaver from the ground.
Neon inclined her head, then darted forward, slashing downwards. Rainbow dodged to the side, and stabbed at Neon.
Neon diverted the stab behind her, and leaped up. Rainbow brought her cleaver over her head, using the broad side to protect herself as Neon kicked down.
Neon then jumped up from the cleaver, bringing an arm behind her ready to strike. Rainbow quickly rolled to the side as Neon's claws dug into the concrete, sending cracks scattering across the smooth surface and little pieces of rock jumping away.
Taking this chance, Rainbow slashed from the right at Neon, who used her spare claw and blocked the attack. Rainbow twirled, her coat fanning out as she spun, lashing out a roundhouse kick.
Her hoof connected with Neon's jaw, freeing Neon but also sending her tumbling across the floor for five meters. Sparks flew as she scraped along the floor like a metal statue. She slowly got up, her jaw at an odd angle. She wrenched it back into place with a loud crack; the ghostly grin appearing once again.
Why won't this thing just die? Rainbow thought.
Neon charged forth, aiming a claw from the side at Rainbow's waist. Rainbow blocked it, but the strike also forced the broad side of the cleaver against her hip, limiting her moving space. She saw Neon's other claw ready to strike her exposed side, so quickly stuck her cleaver into the ground and swung over it. Neon's claw missed and hit the cleaver instead.
Rainbow wrenched the cleaver from the ground, swinging it in an arch.
Neon still hadn't recovered yet, and the cleaver hit her square on the shoulder. The razor sharp blade once again failed to cut through the armor, but the force was still present.
Neon was knocked sideways, slamming through a metal pipe. Steam poured out, and Rainbow could feel the heat of it from here. Right now she was just fighting her opponent for the sake of it- she'll figure out a way to kill her later.
Neon jumped through the steam cloud, landing heavily on the concrete. She ran towards Rainbow, who had her cleaver waiting.
Rainbow slashed down, and felt the cleaver impact Neon's claws. Neon grabbed hold, and yanked it away from Rainbow's hooves, tossing it somewhere else and out of sight.
She slashed down, and Rainbow could only dodge to the side. No more blocking without her cleaver.
Grabbing Neon's outstretched arm, she spun and wrapped it around herself; effectively disabling the claw as well. She aimed an elbow at Neon's face, who tilted her head to the side and avoided the elbow.
Rainbow didn't take her arm back, she just flicked it to the side and into Neon's head. She forced Neon into an arm lock, her right hoof tugging on her arm while her left elbow pressed against her face. She thumped Neon to the ground, pulling on her arm- seeing just what it takes to break this thing.
Neon was surprisingly strong though, and pushed Rainbow onto the ground as she rolled. She didn't seem to feel pain at all- no wonder the armlock didn't do anything.
Grabbing Rainbow's collar, she threw the pegasus up and away. Rainbow's wings stretched out as she soared through the night sky, then curved back and dived down. The normal air disruption appeared around her as she approached sonic speed, then-
Neon had leaped up from the ground, and met Rainbow head on before she could create a sonic-rainboom. Despite this, the force was still tremendous and Neon was knocked back towards the floor. Rainbow had lost her balance and control, falling towards the ground at near sonic speed without being able to land properly.
Neon slammed down into the floor, creating a crater as she crashed through the concrete. Rainbow plowed through several pipes before landing hard on her back, every cubic micrometer of air gone from her lungs. Her mouth opened in an empty gesture for air, but her lungs couldn't draw any in. Some of her ribs have snapped, and she could feel one in particular jutting out her side. Finally her lungs got the cue to wake up and start working again, and she gulped down mouthfuls of cold night air.
Rainbow tried to get to her hooves, but fell back down again as her legs gave way. She knelt on the ground, defeated; clutching her side. Each breath stung and sent a wave of pain through her body, forcing her to flinch.
Neon's claws reached up from inside the crater she was in, took hold of the sides, and pulled herself out- pieces of concrete and dust sliding off her hunched back as she rose. She slowly turned her head to face rainbow, the grin gone, the mouth invisible as it was closed.
Rainbow's hat fell off her head, and thudded lightly onto the ground. Her rainbow mane drifted down, wavering gently in the night air. She had her left eye closed, as an injury on her head had blood pouring down into it. Her irregular breaths puffed out as steam in the cold air. Her coat was torn in several places, and her one-kneed kneeling position generally added to her defeated look. She hated failure, but she couldn't do anything about it right now but clench her jaw.
Suddenly Neon's eyes widened as she saw Rainbow's mane, then she fell to her knees, clutching her head in extreme pain and agony. Melony was fighting her way through, and it was evident in Neon's voice as she screamed- it was constantly switching between the robotic tone and Melony's normal voice.
Neon roared, pounding the floor. Rainbow watched, defeat turning to uncertainty.
The ghostly white light from Neon's right eye started fading away, revealing a normal eye underneath: a beautiful golden iris was staring back at Rainbow.
Melony's right eye.
The black armor around her right eye began breaking apart into pixels, revealing the light aqua skin underneath. The armor continued slowly breaking away, the pixels drifting into the cold night air and fading. The black armor retreated from Melony's mane, revealing the blonde hair beneath. Still the golden eye stared at Rainbow, remembering all those years ago back at the hospital.
There's still somepony who cares.
With one final roar, the entire right half of Neon's face broke away, revealing Melony underneath. But she wasn't in full control just yet.
Neon shook her head, growling angrily. She shakily stood up, her claw sharpening itself. She had to kill this pegasus now, or else Melony will take over.
She charged forward at Rainbow, who was too weak to move. Even as Neon charged, she could feel Melony taking more control by the millisecond. The sight in her left eye started to fade as Melony strained against her control. Everything was a blur now, but she could still see the rainbow maned pegasus.
Neon reached out with an arm, and felt the familiar sensation of her razor claws digging through flesh, slicing through bone, and rupturing organs. A triumphant grin spread onto her half face.
Rainbow gasped in shock as blood splattered onto her cheeks.