The moon was rising high into the sky as Shaggy, Scooby and the Mane 6 rode the Green Dragon back to Tokyo, but meanwhile, the remaining gang members, Mr. Takagawa, Kenji and their pony pals had their own plan in place-- hopefully it would work enough to short out the ninjas and take the sword back.
As the moon reached its peak in the night sky, Miss Mirimoto and Paradise emerged from the building, faces firm. “Sojo, come!” Miss Mirimoto commanded firmly. “It is time.”
Sojo soon emerged, wearing the armor of the Black Samurai, and behind him emerged Gray Flyer and Miyumi, the former holding the sword in her grasp. Once both were beside her, Paradise pulled the Destiny Scroll from her saddlebag. “The Destiny Scroll still has one last secret.”
When Miss Mirimoto took the scroll from Paradise and lifted the scroll higher, words began to form on the backside, much to Gray's surprise. “Standing on the bridge of his defeat,” Miss Mirimoto read, “hold the Sword of Doom to the rising full moon. The spell will be broken, and the spirit of the Black Samurai shall be set free!”
Gray whimpered from that, but a piercing glare from Paradise told him that if he made any attempts to disobey, the consequences would be brutal. It was then that Paradise gave out the next set of orders. “Sojo, walk to the bridge.”
“Sojo walk to bridge,” Sojo nodded obediently and walked in that direction. “Miyumi, make sure you and Gray not fail me this night,” Miss Mirimoto spoke calmly to her students. “Your loyalty shall be rewarded in the coming new worlds.”
“Yes, sensei,” Miyumi bowed her head and walked after Sojo, with Gray following reluctantly. From the roof of the building, Fred, Daphne, Mr. Takagawa and Moon Blossom watched anxiously for the right moment to strike. “Okay, gang, get ready,” Fred whispered. “I can’t believe Miyumi’s really going through with this,” Daphne groaned. “With friends like her, who needs enemies?”
“Don’t be too harsh on her, Daphne,” Moon Blossom said gently. “She and Gray were only following orders. If they had disobeyed, they would have been severely punished. They clearly had no choice.”
At the same time, Sojo reached the middle of the bridge and put on the helmet. “Miyumi, sword.”
But when Miyumi wasn’t beside him, he looked down off the bridge to see Miyumi and Gray running off with the sword, the griffin behind Miyumi to protect her from any surprise attacks. “The treacherous little fool!” Miss Mirimoto groaned in frustration, making Daphne cheer from their position on the roof. “Way to go, Miyumi!” she exclaimed loudly. “I knew you were one of us!”
But, she accidentally gave away their locations, and the ninja robots sped right toward them. “Oops!” Daphne said-- that wasn’t part of the plan. “Now, Velma!” Moon Blossom cried, and Velma turned to Kenji and Dream Maker. “Hit it, Kenji!”
Kenji fired up the machine they made, and Dream Maker stood ready to do her part. “Magnetic pulse away!” she shouted and pressed the red button in front of her.
Soon, the magnetic pulse made all the robot ninjas short-circuit and fall to the ground, causing Kenji to cheer. “It worked!”
But suddenly, the machine went haywire, activating magnetic pulses that made all of Tokyo’s power go dark, causing many to panic over the city-wide blackout. “Hmmm… maybe it worked a little too well…” Velma hummed. “But at least our plan worked… somewhat,” Dream Maker shrugged. Gray let out a sigh, looking at all the robot ninjas on the ground in front of him and Miyumi-- that was way too close for comfort. But suddenly, he and Miyumi leapt out of the way of Miss Mirimoto's swords and Paradise's magic blast, the unicorn's face flaring with anger. “Ungrateful children!”
“I was blinded by my loyalty to you, but now, I can see clearly!” Miyumi shot back. “How dare you disobey me?” Miss Mirimoto and Paradise attacked them again and again, only for them to jump out of the way repeatedly. But suddenly, one sweeping blast caused both of them to stumble to the ground and caused Paradise to grab the sword from them.
Gray gasped, reaching out for the sword with his claws. “The sword!”
Paradise cackled as she tossed the sword to Sojo, who unfurled it from its holder and held it up to the full moon. Lightning shot out of it, causing everyone present to shield their eyes as the light got brighter, and the echoing laughter of the Black Samurai filled the air around them.
When the light was gone, Sojo was unconscious in his underwear, and the Black Samurai lowered himself down onto the bridge, chuckling triumphantly. “The Black Samurai lives again…”
But before Paradise could step forward, the headmistress of the academy pushed her aside, much to Paradise's shock. “No, samurai,” she said, causing the samurai to turn to her. “I am the master here. Bow before me, and I shall give you the world.”
To this remark, the Black Samurai chuckled and held out his hand. “Foolish one.”
Miss Mirimoto groaned in pain as she was forcefully brought before him. “It is you who should call me master,” the Black Samurai growled before flinging her back, causing her to hit the stairs and become unconscious also. “You’re right,” Paradise told the samurai, bowing to his will. “I am at your service, oh great samurai, and I merely ask for one thing in return.”
“Oh?”
“Yes… dub me with power from your sword,” Paradise said, rising to her hooves, “so I may take control of the land of Equestria as it’s true ruler… just as my mother would have been.”
Dream Maker shuddered from where she, Velma and Kenji watched everything. “If Opaline was as bad as her, I’d say ‘like mother, like daughter’.”
After a moment of silence, the Black Samurai burst into maniacal laughter. “Meddlesome pony! I give power to NO ONE!!” he exclaimed. “And since you seem like you aren’t going to give up without a fight…”
He held out his hand again, picking Paradise up against her will as she tried to fire magic blasts at him before flinging her toward the wall, and once close enough, chains wrapped around her hooves and neck, trapping her. “Let me go!!” Paradise shrieked, trying to break free. “QUEENS ARE NOT TO BE TREATED LIKE THIS!!!”
“Well… at least Paradise is out of the way,” Moon Blossom muttered, “but the battle doesn’t seem to be over yet.”
As soon as she said that, the Black Samurai focused his attention on the others. “Bow before me, mortals.”
The Sword of Doom shot out magic that grabbed onto everyone and floated them toward him, forcing them into a painful bowing position while the Black Samurai raised the sword to the sky. “All shall serve me… FOREVER!!”
XXXXXXXX
The Green Dragon was finally flying over Tokyo, and the group on his back were now scanning for any signs of their friends, Paradise or Miss Mirimoto’s ninjas. Just then, Scooby spotted something that alarmed him greatly. “Ponies, Shaggy, look!”
He pointed his paw down below and saw lightning emitting from the Sword of Doom, and the Black Samurai was the one in control, their friends under his influence and Paradise chained. “At last…” the samurai sneered. “Freedom is mine!”
“Oh no… like, we’re too late!” Shaggy cried worriedly. “Fear not!” the Green Dragon assured. “Unity Squad, Shogun Shaggy, Samurai Scooby, you must carry on the fight. Hold the pendants high and unsheathe the Sword of Fate… so that my spirit may enter the blade. I shall be with you always… guiding you and the sword… from within.”
None of the group liked this idea, but in their hearts, they had no choice. The ponies lifted their pendants high as Shaggy unsheathed the sword, which caused both the sword and pendants to glow brilliantly as the dragon entered the blade, causing Shaggy and Scooby to fly on their own, and the pendants seemed to allow the same thing to happen to them. Their screams from above caused the group to look up in alarm. “Guys!” Daphne exclaimed in surprise. “Look!”
“It’s the ponies, Shaggy and Scooby!” Gray beamed. “Ow… my neck!” Dream Maker yelped, feeling pain from it as they watched the group fly in for a landing. “Right on time!” Zipp shouted. “Late as usual!”
While the ponies managed to make a soft landing, Shaggy and Scooby crashed before the bridge, causing the Black Samurai to turn. When he did, he saw Scooby holding Shaggy on his shoulders, Shaggy wielding the sword, and the ponies stood right near their friends in case something happened.
The Black Samurai let out a snarl. “Who dares challenge the Black Samurai?”
“Zoinks! Like, here we go, Scoob,” Shaggy told the Great Dane while the group tensed. “Remember what they taught us in samurai school.”
“Uh… uh, I forgot!” Scooby panicked, causing Pipp to slap her face with a whimper. The Black Samurai suddenly charged, and while Scooby covered his eyes with his paws, Shaggy raised the Sword of Fate in defense, causing the Black Samurai to be propelled back a little ways before realizing what this sword was. “The Sword of Fate…” he realized as his eyes narrowed. “Impossible!”
This time, it was Shaggy’s turn to smirk. “Like, if you think that’s impossible,” he said, “try flying into Tokyo on a Green Dragon sometime.”
“Remember guys, since you wield the sword, you’re the only one that can take him in head-to-head combat,” Sunny reminded. “But we're gonna be right beside you in case you need it.”
“NO!!” Paradise screamed from where she was imprisoned. “Your foolish friends may be taking on the samurai, but you will not aid in their defeat of him!”
Her magic aura shot out shadows in the shape of ponies with glowing violet eyes, making Hitch gulp. “Shadow monsters…”
“Don’t worry. We can take ‘em,” Zipp smiled. “I say it’s time to get this fight started, don’t you?”
The shadow ponies tensed up, causing the Mane 6 to tense up with their cutie marks and pendants glowing. At the same time, the Black Samurai and Shaggy and Scooby readied their swords… before both sides charged, and the duel suddenly began.
The ponies kicked, blasted magic and plants and flung the shadow monsters around, the pendants around their necks increasing their strength while the swords of those fighting on the bridge clashed repeatedly for a few moments, before Scooby got the idea, since he was the bottom half, to tickle the Black Samurai, causing him to laugh before Zipp flung a shadow monster into the Black Samurai, tossing him back a good ways.
Now THAT felt good in her eyes.
After regaining himself, the Black Samurai slashed the bridge, allowing Scooby to take his position with the sword on the top half, also taking the fight into mid air for a few minutes before all three of them splashed down into the water. “The water!” Misty realized. “That can be a shadow monster's weakness! Izzy, we gotta push them back toward the water!”
“On it, Misty-Twisty!” Izzy saluted as she and Misty fired multiple blasts that eventually pushed the shadow monsters into the water, watching them sink into the water. The other shadow monsters, realizing they couldn’t get close to the water, leapt upon the ponies, sending them rolling toward some trees.
At the same time, while trying to get free, they saw Shaggy, Scooby and the Black Samurai battling on top of the water before Shaggy and Scooby were pushed to the opposite side, and flew out of harm’s way before they were crushed by trees that the samurai slashed. “Fools!” he shouted. “You are no match for me!”
Scooby giggled intimidatingly, but one slash from the Sword of Doom caused Shaggy and Scooby to drop to the ground, luckily unharmed, but a little bit woozy. Sunny saw this and unleashed her alicorn form, making her wings shine increasingly bright. “Leave… our friends… ALONE!!”
The bright light from her wings was enough to blind the shadow creatures and allow them to fall into the river, never to be seen again. After making sure the shadow creatures were gone, the ponies leapt and flew to the other side of the river to check on their friends. “Are you guys okay?” Pipp asked them. “That’s quite the fight they were putting you through.”
“Yeah, we’re good,” Shaggy panted. “But I’m not sure how else we can beat that dude!”
“A samurai must overcome his fear,” came the voice of Matsuhiro from nearby, causing the ponies to glance around. “When fear is gone… the mind will be empty.”
“Did-- did you hear that, Scoob?” Misty looked up at the Great Dane on top of Shaggy’s shoulders. “Yeah… I did,” Scooby nodded. “It’s that sushi sword master Matsuhiro,” Shaggy said. “He’s in my head!”
“No I’m not! I’m over here!” Matsuhiro called, calling to them from nearby through a megaphone, with Queen Etheria standing beside him in all her glory. “The samurai acts without anger. He fights without mind.”
Suddenly, to Misty… what Matsuhiro was saying was finally making some sense. And this gave her an idea that was sure to help Shaggy and Scooby finally defeat the samurai!
But before she could tell them her idea, Paradise released a blast that knocked all the ponies backwards, and the Black Samurai kicked Shaggy out from underneath Scooby as the samurai charged their way with a cackle. “Yikes!” Scooby yelped in panic, unsure of what to do. “It’s okay, Scooby!” Misty assured. “You can do this! Just let all thoughts leave your mind!”
“What?!” Hitch cried. “Misty, how’s that supposed to help?!”
“Remember what Matsuhiro kept saying?” Misty asked. “The samurai doesn’t think-- he isn’t even angry! If Scooby erases all thoughts from his mind, he’ll react to the attacks more clearly! And there’s one more thing-- we can’t interfere. Scooby is wielder of the sword, and what he does next is his decision alone. All we can do is believe in him, and give him courage!”
The ponies and Shaggy looked at each other with worry, but eventually decided that Misty had somewhat of a point.
Scooby was in control here, and if Misty thought he could do it by clearing his mind… then he should do it. “Misty is right!” Sunny said. “Don’t think, Scoob! Just let it go!”
“Like, no mind!” Shaggy reminded. “Oh, yeah,” Scooby nodded and closed his eyes, staying perfectly still as the samurai charged their way. “The Sword of Doom… shall be your destroyer!”
Scooby remained silent and still as the ponies, Shaggy and their imprisoned friends watched with anticipation, and as the Black Samurai got closer, Scooby's eyes snapped open as he leapt into the air, the sword raised above his head.
Then, when Scooby came down, he slammed the Sword of Fate down before hitting the Sword of Doom at full force, causing a bright flash of light.
When the flash faded all the way, the group looked to see the Black Samurai holding the two seperate pieces of the Sword of Doom. “Scooby, you did it!” Misty cheered as the ponies came over to him. “The Sword of Doom is useless now, and the samurai’s spells are broken!”
“NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!” the Black Samurai shouted in anguish as lightning shot into the sky, leaving Scooby and the ponies to shield themselves before the samurai fell limp on the ground.
And with the samurai gone, his spell over the others broke, and the group was free from his control.
Shaggy laughed as he came closer to the six ponies and their dog friend, picking up the Sword of Fate. “Like, that psychotic samurai forgot one thing,” he said. “When it comes to no mind, we've got everybody beat. Like, our minds are always empty.”
“Yuh-huh,” Scooby giggled happily, feeling nothing but pride in the feat he had just accomplished, just as the others came forward. “Ponies, Scooby, Shaggy!” Gray exclaimed. “That was amazing!” Dream Maker happily spoke. “Thanks,” said Misty. “But it was mostly Scooby. We just helped.”
Just then, the group heard a quiet groan coming from… inside the armor?
Scooby quietly whimpered at the sound of it, placing his paws on the face part of the helmet and removing it, and everyone gasped as an old man with white hair was underneath it. “Like, it’s just a little old man,” Shaggy spoke. “...whoa,” Zipp blinked in surprise. “That sure was anticlimactic.”
“Thank you… most honored friends,” the old man wheezed. “You have released my spirit from the evil power of that cursed sword… and saved your world. I shall be… eternally… grateful. You are indeed… samurai… and your legend… shall be told… forever...”
And once he was done speaking, he closed his eyes before he vanished into thin air. “Whoa,” Fred said with wide eyes. “He disappeared.”
“Well, you gotta hand it to him. He went out in real samurai style,” Hitch said sadly, listening to Scooby’s sad whimpers. “Congratulations, samurai,” Matsuhiro called from the rooftop. “The last chapter of the legend has finally been written… by you.”
The ponies sat beaming with pride, but Shaggy and Scooby's smiles were the biggest of them all by that point. “You guys were amazing!” Moon Blossom said after a few moments. “How did you learn to do all that?”
“Thinking without mind, to wrap it up quickly,” Izzy shrugged casually, and even though the others didn’t understand it, they nodded slowly. “And, we had some help from the Green Dragon and the alicorn Queen Etheria,” Sunny added. “Wait… the Green Dragon? And an alicorn queen?” Moon Blossom put her hooves against Sunny's shoulders, eyes widening. “You saw the Green Dragon and an alicorn queen?!”
“The dragon is in here,” Scooby pointed to the sword’s blade. “Yeah,” Shaggy nodded. “Like, he went into the blade to guide us in fighting the samurai dude.”
“And he and the queen gave us these dragon pendants that increased our strength,” Zipp said. “That’s how we defeated the shadow monsters so it seemed effortless.”
“But… since the fight’s over, w-what do we do now?” Gray asked. “Gee… I don’t know,” Misty frowned. “The dragon never told us that.”
“We can take the sword back to where it belongs,” Queen Etheria said with Matsuhiro on her back, prompting Scooby to put the sword back in its holder, and the queen smiled at all of them. “Thank you all for your bravery. The dragon pendants are now yours. And… with them, the cutie mark crystal may be closer than you think.”
With this advice being given, the queen flapped out of sight, leaving the others to wave goodbye. “Hey… this is a pretty epic quest we’ve been on,” Hitch said before humming. “But I can’t help but feel we’ve forgotten something.”
“Really?” Velma asked. “What?”
“ME!!”
Everyone turned to see Paradise breaking out of her chains, horn lit up in rage and causing many to gasp. “Oooh… right,” Hitch grimaced. “She’s what we forgot.”
“Remember, everypony,” Sunny said. “Clear your thoughts and believe in yourself. That’s the way to confront evil.”
The group took a deep breath before letting it out, staring at the angry unicorn with disdain… but made no movements toward her. “What? Chickening out?” Paradise mocked. “Ready for me to BLAST YOU FROM EXISTENCE?!!”
“No,” Misty said firmly. “We’re not gonna do anything. And you can’t touch us if we don’t do anything. We're going to defeat you, Mom... but in due time.”
“I suggest you leave,” Miyumi said. “Before we call the authorities and have you, Miss Mirimoto and Sojo get taken away.”
“And,” Moon Blossom agreed, “we better not catch you in Tokyo or any part of Japan again.”
Paradise let out an audible growl at this before relenting. “Fine… but without that cutie mark crystal, Equestria is one step closer for me to take it over! You just remember that.”
And just like that, she galloped away and into the brush. “Phew… good work, everyone,” Daphne said before frowning. “I’m just sorry we couldn’t find the cutie mark crystal.”
“Actually… I think we already found it,” said Sunny, tossing Scooby a mirror. “Scooby, use the mirror to reflect a little bit of moonlight onto the pendants!”
Scooby did as asked, and when the pendants were held together, it revealed fragments of the cutie mark crystal inside each one, making Pipp gasp. “The crystal was in the pendants all along! Man, we are getting good at this!”
“Should… we be getting ready to go home?” Hitch asked. “I can say that we deserve a little celebration first,” said Sunny. “Especially for a particular big-hearted Great Dane hero.”
Scooby giggled bashfully, and it was all agreed-- in the next coming days, the party would most definitely begin!