//------------------------------//
// Fight for The Crystal: Part 2 
// Story: The Cursed Prodigy and The Three Special-Grades 
// by I Ate Appiness 
//------------------------------//

Discord evaded the intense barrage of pressurised beams unleashed by Usowamoto with remarkable agility. The beams came at him relentlessly, but he managed to twist and dodge each one with stunning precision, moving through the air with grace and fluidity. 

"Y'know you can never hit me with those, right?"

With a mischievous grin on his face, Discord lightly tapped his fingers on the table that popped out of nowhere, taunting the curse. He lifted the tiny teacup, relishing in the warmth of the liquid as he savoured each sip. Parting his lips, he let out a relaxed sigh instead of Usowamoto's feverish attitude.

Usowamoto's expression grew more intense as he continued to unleash his barrage of beams, but Discord remained unfazed. He knew it was only a matter of time before Usowamoto would tire themself out. Discord suddenly disappeared as the beams continued to rain down on him. Usowamoto paused momentarily, scanning the area for any sign of his opponent, but there was no trace of him. Suddenly, Discord reappeared behind Usowamoto, his hand poised with a finger flick. With a quick flick of his claw, he sent Usowamoto flying across the stage.

Usowamoto crashed into the wall with a loud thud, his body crumpling to the ground in a heap. Discord sauntered over to him as he struggled to get back to his feet, a smug look on his face.

In a sudden move, Usowamoto sprang up from their seat, their body taut with tension. With a swift motion of their hands, they opened a portal that shot towards Discord. Another one opened beside Usowamoto, ready to catch the Draconequus by the throat. The portal made contact with Discord's skin, and the curse was released with a hiss. Just as the curse hit Discord's throat, Usowamoto began to fall forward, their body weight pulling them down. But they didn't panic. They opened another portal at the last second, and the world around them shifted. In an instant, they were transported to the skies above the castle. The sudden change in momentum caused Usowamoto to spin and tumble wildly, their heart pounding. Gusts of wind blasted past their face, and for a moment, everything was a blur of motion and sound.

Usowamoto opened two more portals beneath them to catch the two falling, sending them back into the area where the Crystal Heart was held. Discord landed on the marbled floor with a resounding crack and a cough of spit; above him was the portal Usowamoto opened for themself to land feet first on the draconequus. Forcing him deeper into the ground. Small chunks of debris flew into the air as Usowamoto made contact. Gritting his teeth, Discord raised his hands and clasped them together. 

Outside of his peripheral vision, his hands disobeyed the laws of perspective as they wrapped around the curse, fully enveloping it within his hands.

"Ha! Gotcha!" Discord said with a smirk.

With bated breath, he slowly opened his hands, peeking with one eye to see if the curse was still in the ball of his hands. Only to see a filly with her horn broken off and her flank bloodied in the palm of his hands.

"Huh?" Discord questions.

"Um, can you let me out please? I surrender.." The filly pleaded. Discord couldn't sense any cursed energy oozing out of the filly, so he lowered his hands onto the floor to allow her to walk out on her own. Leaning in to apologise,

"I'm sorry dear, I-"

Right as her hoof touched the floor, a sudden glow behind her body caught Discord by surprise; his face cringed as a pressurised stream of water bisected the poor filly from the stomach up to her back, slicing her clean in half along with taking a good portion of Discord's face. The blood from the filly's opened wound sprayed maniacally over Discord, causing him to reel back from the pain and blood; his right cheek was gone, exposing his teeth, bloody gums, and fangs. Her blood also seeped into the corners of his right eye, clouding his vision with a thick sea of red.

Usowamoto opened a portal between the filly's separated bodies, jumping at him with full force. Opening another portal beside them and connecting it behind Discord's head, the curse pushed their hand through, forcibly shoving Discord's face forward towards Usowamoto, allowing her to knee Discord in the face.

Spinning in the air, Usowamoto generated momentum to kick Discord to the side, sending him flying to the floor. Discord, the ever-unpredictable mischievous spirit, snapped his fingers with a sly grin. The world lurched, reality twisting like taffy, swapping the position of the two. Usowamoto was propelled onto a colossal, billowing cloud of cotton candy. The sugary impact sent him sprawling, a whirlwind of white and pink fluff exploding around him. Discord flew forward as it struck them with chocolate thunder, snapping his finger yet again to summon more clouds to his side. 

Discord, now airborne by the swapped momentum, soared forward. He snapped his fingers once more, a mischievous glint in his eyes. In response, the air shimmered, conjuring a storm of swirling chocolate thunderclouds. They crackled with electric energy, aiming straight for Usowamoto, trapped beneath the sugary avalanche. 

Usowamoto grunts under the heavy weight of the cotton candy clouds, literally forcing them onto one knee, trying to rip the poofy confectionary away from their body, but it was futile, as the pink treats gripped onto the curse with killing intent, wrapping its soft to the touch swirls around their body.

As if having a mind of their own, the seemingly innocent cotton candy beneath Usowamoto writhed and convulsed. Strands of pink spun and twisted, coalescing into thick, sentient cotton candy tendrils. With a collective grunt that vibrated through the air, these sugary monstrosities slammed down around the already present curse, which glowed an ominous pink. They squeezed, pushing and compressing it deeper and deeper into a grotesque ball of sweets and confectionery. Usowamoto strained against the pressure, emitting muffled cries, grunts, and frustrated puffs into the sugary air. 

Discord raised his hand; his fingers curled into tight fists, not with the intent to fight but to command. They pulsed with an unseen force, and the cotton candy began to shrink as if obeying an unspoken order. It squeezed and compacted, the vibrant colours dulling under pressure. The once grotesque confectionery ball morphed into a glistening candy sphere, roughly the size of a jawbreaker.

Discord gave one last squeeze for good measure. Reaching out, the condensed mass levitated towards him. He grabbed it gingerly, inspecting it with a narrowed eye. The pink sheen of the curse flickered faintly beneath the sugary surface, trapped like a fly in amber. 

"Oh well."

Tossing it into his mouth. Chewing like it was bubblegum. The initial sweetness exploded on his tongue, quickly dissolving into a sickening cloyingness that made his stomach churn. 

"I can't tell if its the candy or you." Discord hummed between chews, "But you have a woody taste. Nah, who am I kidding. It's probably you."

A strange warmth radiated from within as the candy dissolved, spreading and attaching through his mangled cheek. The flesh twitched, the broken bone fragments grinding together. Discord stopped chewing, his clawed hand instinctively reaching up to touch his face. Where there was once a gaping wound, raw and jagged, smooth, pale skin was slowly reforming.

A couch, propelled by unseen forces, hurtled through the air like a runaway chariot. It connected with Discord's face in a bone-jarring collision, the impact echoing through the chamber and sending him reeling backwards. Snapping his fingers,  his head dissolved into a ball of squirming serpents. With a hiss and a slither, the snakes effortlessly navigated around the unsuspecting sofa before seamlessly reassembling into his usual face.

"A couch!?!?" Discord yelled in anger.

From the periphery, a blur of black materialised: Usowamoto, teleporting in with their fist fueled by cursed energy and the jump's momentum, smashed into Discord's face with a nasty crunch that momentarily drowned out the hiss, forming another portal. Through the gateway, the curse used the speed from the leap to disappear from his sight.

The punch stunned Discord long enough for Usowamoto to reappear behind him as powerful hands surfaced from the portal, grabbing him by the wings and yanking him backwards. Dragging him through the shimmering vortex, he spat into a nearby wall like a battering ram. 

The impact stole the breath from his lungs as he wheezed and sputtered, regaining his senses. Usowamoto charged up more of its portals to fire off more pressurised beams of water. Discord, in retaliation, snapped his fingers, conjuring a shimmering mirror the size of a doorway. It materialised between them, its surface as still and perfect as a frozen lake. As the first jet of water shot forth, propelled by physics and Usowamoto's Cursed Technique, it struck the mirror head-on. The impact unleashed a sonic boom that rattled the room. Instead of harmlessly dispersing, the water recoiled, reflecting fiercely back at its source.

The return volley caught Usowamoto with the cruel precision. The pressurised jet, meant to pulverise, slammed into their outstretched arm. A sickening crack echoed through the air, followed by a scream that curdled blood in Discord's veins. The arm becoming a crimson fountain spraying against the mirrored barrier.


Even with his mangled face, a grotesque mask of melted flesh and exposed bone, Discord could sense the raw panic radiating from Usowamoto. Their remaining arm flailed, scrambling to tear open another portal, a desperate bid for escape. A choked, terrified cry ripped from their throat as they stumbled through the shimmering gateway, leaving a trail of crimson tears on the cracked and dusty floor. 

Discord, spurred by a surge of adrenaline, laughed at the curse. "Running away now?" Discord gave an amused smile, but where he expected to see Usowamoto's terrified visage, further out, a different image filled the shimmering surface of the portal. On the other side, bathed in the warm glow of the afternoon sun, stood Fluttershy. His Fluttershy. His wife, lover, the very anchor of his chaotic soul. Her attention is elsewhere as she remains unaware of the portal opening.

For a single, heart-stopping beat, Discord's assault faltered. Panic clawing at his throat, squeezing the air from his lungs.

'Is this one of Usowamoto's tricks? A cruel illusion conjured to lure him into a trap? No, his technique is meant to open portals, that means...!!' The doubt was short-lived. 

With a guttural roar that echoed through the chamber, Discord launched himself toward the portal.

"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING!?!" 

Discord quickly gained on Usowamoto, and the distance between them dwindled. Discord could almost breathe down their neck. Right as the draconequus was about to snap his fingers and grab Usowamoto from behind, a blur erupted from Usowamoto's outstretched hand.

"Cursed Technique Amplification, Maximum Output: Egress."

A portal, a gaping maw of sparkling cursed energy, materialised behind them. Before Discord could react, the world warped, twisted by unseen forces. Sucking him through the shimmering gateway, a yell ripped from his throat as he tumbled into the unknown.

The portal snapped shut, leaving behind a wisp of lingering curse energy and the echoing cry of a disoriented draconequus. Where he had landed, what awaited him – it was anyone's guess. One thing was sure: the game had taken a sharp turn, and Discord, now separated from his quarry, found himself plunged into endless darkness, mercy to where the portal would take him.

A self-held laugh blew itself from Usowamoto before the cruel cackle erupted a series of taunting laughs, "So ridiculously predictable, Discord! So utterly STUPID!" they roared, their voice echoing off the walls of the cavernous chamber. With each word, the remaining arm grew quicker, pulsed with a sickly emerald light, until the wound knitted itself shut, leaving behind not even a scar, healing the arm with a pulse of cursed energy. 

"ALL IT TOOK WAS TO SHOW YOU POOR LITTLE FLUTTERSHY, AND YOU FELL FOR IT!! THAT'S YOUR DOWNFALL!! HAHAHA!!" The laughter abruptly subsided, replaced by a single, chilling giggle. Looking down at the fizzle of smoke left behind by the portal, they continued, "I almost couldn't believe it had I not watched the show. Now my plan can proceed smoothly."  The laughter returned, louder, wilder, echoing a victory that felt hollow and cruel, even in the absence of witnesses. A final flourish and another portal opened, swallowing the Crystal Heart whole. 

A smirk of cruel anticipation stretched across their burnt. Charcoal face. Their voice was chilling caress dripping with honeyed malice when it spoke.

"So, you've arrived."





Strayed on the other side of the portal, Discord watched the light fade, leaving behind only a wisp of smoke and the echo of his frustrated roar. The fury that had driven him forward settled into a cold, calculating anger. He had been played, a fool manipulated by the image of his greatest vulnerability. And he's not going to let that slide.

Standing up and brushing his shoulder with a flick of his wrist, his gaze swept across the alien landscape, taking in the oppressive hum of unseen energy, the acrid tang of sulfur and burnt sugar that clung to the air. The air crackled with a strange power, and an unsettling, constant sound of burning bark emanated everywhere. The shadows cast by skeletal black trees danced macabrely, their twisted branches clawing at the sky like bony fingers. In the distance, flames licked hungrily at the horizon, casting an eerie glow on the scene.

Above him, several eye-bats with glowing red pupils flitted through the inky blackness, their leathery wings whispering secrets on the wind. Below, the ground pulsed with the frantic energy of gnomes wreaking havoc, their manic laughter drowned out by the echoing boom of collapsing structures. It was a grotesquely surreal scene, a nightmare playground brought to horrifying life.

And above it all, a single, massive eye, wreathed in malevolent flames, blinked open in the inky expanse. Crimson skies complement the organ as its cold and uncaring gaze held Discord captive for a heart-stopping moment. This wasn't Equestria, not by a long shot.

Discord snarled at the foreign land; he thought that had he not been reformed, he would've taken Equestria to shape it in a manner similar to what had been shown before him. Snapping his fingers, he conjured a swirling portal, a gateway back to Equestria. But before he could step through, a monstrous hand, impossibly large and adorned with the telltale yellow triangles, slammed through the opening, blocking his escape. Discord stumbled back, thrown off balance by the sheer force of it. 

"Now, now, Discord," Bill's disembodied voice echoed from around, laced with amusement and a hint of sadistic glee. "Where are you going so soon? The party's just getting started!"

Discord snarled, baring his fangs and raising his hand at the talking triangle. "I don't have time for this, Cipher. I have a family to get back to."





A blinding flash of light erupted, momentarily replacing the collapsing skies of the Crystal Empire. Panic flooded their senses, cold and raw. They were falling, weightless and adrift, the wind a deafening roar in their ears. Violent winds whipped their manes, tails, and hair into a frenzy as screams came from Rarity and Fluttershy. They were falling from the height of the Crystal Empire. Below, the shattered cityscape receded like a miniature toy collection, the once majestic towers shrinking into tiny shards, and the horizon seemed to curve impossibly.

Twilight Sparkle, the embodiment of control, spread her wings into desperate paddles against gravity's relentless pull. One frantic glance revealed Pinkie’s face, screaming a happy "WEEE" and plummeting helplessly. Ignoring the roaring wind and her own terror, Twilight dove.

Wings straining, she sliced through the air, slowly closing the distance. Pinkie’s eyes, wide with surprise, seemed to widen further as Twilight reached her. In a clumsy, desperate manoeuvre, Twilight managed to wrap a wing around Pinkie's body, creating a fragile shield against the winds. Pinkie clung to her friend, giggling, her chirpy laughs muffled by Twilight's soft feathers.

Meanwhile, a blur of blue and rainbow zipped past them. Rainbow Dash, the daredevil, had reacted with trained precision. With hooves locked around Applejack's sturdy form, she acted as a living shield, her descent slowed by the additional weight. Applejack, ever practical, held onto Rainbow’s neck with grim determination, her face set in a mask of worry but her voice steady. "Don't you worry!" she shouted over the wind. "We'll be alright!"

Applejack found it weirdly ironic that she was the one comforting Rainbow Dash not so long ago. Now, she was on the receiving end of reassuring words. She couldn't help but laugh at the fact.

Above them, Fluttershy, overwhelmed by the sudden absolute terror, froze. Tears threatened to stream down her face, her eyes wide and unseeing. Seeing her friend's distress, Rarity, usually concerned with appearances, cast aside her own fear. She drew Fluttershy close with a whispered spell and a surge of magic, pulling them both into a tight embrace. 

"F-Fluttershy, darling," Rarity gasped, her voice barely audible over the roar of the wind. "Look at me, please." 

Fluttershy forced her eyes open, meeting Rarity's gaze. In them, she saw not fear but a pacifying look, a warmth that cut through the chill of her terror. 

"We're going to be okay," Rarity said, her voice firm yet tinged with concern. "I won't let you fall." Rarity squeezed her hoof gently. "We have each other, remember?"

She gestured with her head towards the others. Twilight and Pinkie were a blur of lilac and pink against the sky, Pinkie clinging to Twilight with wide, frightened eyes. Below them, Rainbow Dash and Applejack descended in a synchronised dance of blue and brown, a silent promise of support.

"See them?" Rarity continued, her voice filled with quiet strength. "We're a team, Fluttershy. And teams don't abandon each other, no matter how scary things get."

Fluttershy gave a meek nod, steeled her resolve and composed herself, clinging to Rarity. She spread her wings, battered but strong. They wouldn't slow their descent significantly, but every bit helped. "I won't let you fall, Rarity," she said, her voice surprisingly steady despite the wind whipping past her ears. 

Yuta, unlike the ponies, felt the freefall differently. It wasn't fear gripped him but a surge of cursed energy, a chaotic cocktail of emotions amplified by the fall itself. It prickled his skin and danced around his fingertips, urging him to panic, yet he stayed calm.

Suddenly, four different portals opened just below them. Rainbow braced herself, trying to move out of the portal's way, but it had a mind of its own, flying straight towards Rainbow and Applejack.

Twilight and Pinkie's eyes widened in surprise and trepidation; their heads turned to the side to see the portal swallowing the pair whole. A burst of speed, barely audible over the wind, came from another portal as Pinkie Pie and Twilight were swept away, their panicked screams morphing into excited shrieks.

Then, another portal swooped down, its edges crackling with an ominous energy. Instinctively, Rarity shifted, shielding Fluttershy with her own body. But it was too late. The portal engulfed them both. The last thing Fluttershy felt was Rarity's desperate squeeze and the chilling sensation of being pulled apart by unseen forces.

The final portal hung before Yuta, a shimmering maw threatening to swallow him whole. Unlike the panicked dives of the pony pairs, Yuta approached it with a studied gaze, an almost clinical curiosity flickering in his eyes.

He didn't fear it, not exactly. This uncertainty, this plunge into the unknown, that was his domain, he was used to it. Adjusting his balance, he crouched low, diving headfirst into the portal.





Rainbow and Applejack landed in the familiar streets of the Empire with acrobatic manoeuvres, cobblestones, and cheerful storefronts, which were replaced by scenes of utter devastation. Crumbling towers of crystal cast jagged shadows against a blood-red sky, and the air thrummed with an oppressive silence punctuated only by the distant screams of terrified ponies. 

"Whoa, Sugarcube," Applejack mumbled, her voice tight with disbelief. "Where… where are we?"

Rainbow Dash scanned the wreckage, her gaze sharp. "We're back in the Empire, alright," she said, her voice grim. "But… not the Empire we remember."

Suddenly, a deafening boom echoed through the ruined streets, shattering the unsettling calm. They whirled around to see a sight that filled them with confusion and dread. Towering atop a pile of broken crystal debris stood Rockhoof; his usually calm look seemed artificial.

"Rockhoof! Am ah glad to see you!" Applejack chimed, a recognised smile crossing her face as she trotted to Rockhoof. 

However, a fling of a giant boulder sent by the stallion forced Applejack back with a jump.

"What in tarnation!? What was that for!?"

Rockhoof didn't respond. This wasn't the friend they knew. His usually warm brown eyes now glowed with an eerie purple light devoid of warmth or recognition. He gripped his mighty shovel even tighter, the corners of his eyes oozing the same purple evil. A chill ran down Rainbow Dash's spine. She zoomed in with her super speed, her eyes trained on the unsettling glow. It was unmistakable – the same dark magic emanating from the shattered Crystal Heart, the same magic used by...

"Sombra!" she shouted, the realisation hitting her like a punch to the gut.

Applejack followed Rainbow's gaze and gasped. "Sombra's magic? But how? He's gone!"

Rockhoof remained silent, his expression eerily blank. He raised his shovel high, ready to strike. The air crackled with dark energy.





Twilight and Pinkie hurried through the wreckage on the other side of the fractured Empire. Twilight's horn glowed faintly as she used her magic to locate survivors and clear debris. The devastation weighed heavily on them, but seeing ponies working together – even amidst the chaos – kindled a spark of hope within them.

Suddenly, a surge of unfamiliar magic pulsed through the air, sending shivers down Twilight's spine and triggering a jolt of Pinkie Sense. Whipping their heads around, they were met with a sight that defied comprehension. There, amidst the shattered remnants of what was once a glorious plaza, stood Flash Magnus and Starswirl the Bearded. Starswirl using his magic to disrupt Twilight's concentration.

As Twilight and Pinkie stepped forward, Starswirl's horn erupted in a torrent of magical energy, shattering the nearby windows. His eyes, no longer pools of wisdom, glowed with an emerald fire. He points his horn forward with a snarl ripped through the silence, crackling with power.

Flash mirrored Starswirl's transformation. His spear, usually held with controlled strength, trembled in his grip, pulsating with the same eerie green magic. His noble features were contorted in a grimace, his voice replaced by a guttural growl as he lunged towards Pinkie.

"Flash? Starswirl?!" Pinkie cried, her voice laced with desperation. "Don't you recognise us?"





Rarity and Fluttershy tumbled through the swirling portal, the world dissolving into a kaleidoscope of colours and nausea. Then, with a bone-jarring impact, they landed sprawled on the ground, limbs tangled and senses reeling. Despite the pain radiating from her rump, Rarity cracked open one eye and managed a brave smile.

"Ow, ow, ow… Deary, are you alright?" she whispered, concern lacing her voice.

Fluttershy, trembling like a leaf in a storm, lifted her head. "I… I think so, Rarity," she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.

Taking a shaky breath, Rarity pushed herself up, offering a hoof to her friend. As Fluttershy took it, their eyes met, and a silent understanding passed between them. A certain unease gripped their hearts.

The sudden sound of crystal cracking caught their attention, turning to face the source of the nouse, their hooves rooted to the spot. Standing amidst the twisted ruins of what looked like a once-majestic garden stood two figures cloaked in darkness. A swirling mist obscured their features, but a pulsating purple energy emanating from their eyes painted a chilling picture.

As their eyes adjusted, panic clawed at their throats. Mage Meadowbrook stood at the corner of the growing plantation, a soft gaze staring at them. Next to Meadowbrook was Somnambula, her posture confident yet relaxed.

"M-Meadowbrook? Somnambula?" Fluttershy stammered, her voice barely a whisper. "What… what's wrong with them?"

In response, Meadowbrook tossed a potion to the ground. Unleashing a violent eruption of flora gone haywire. Thick and gnarled vines shot out like emerald vipers, their tendrils lashing towards them with a murderous intent. Patches of ground erupted, spitting out dense blades of grass that surged upwards, threatening to engulf them whole. The air itself seemed to crackle with the magic, oppressive and suffocating.





Yuta landed through the portal with a boom, surveying the scene with practised calmness. His hand instinctively went to the cursed blade strapped to his back, fingers brushing the hilt reassuringly.

We got separated,' he thought, the realisation cold and heavy. This wasn't the plan. The plan was for them to arrive at the Crystal Castle, huddle, and discuss the next course of action.

Moving with wary grace, he approached a cluster of shattered houses, his sharp eyes scanning for any sign of his companions or whatever force had pulled them through the portal. A glint of cursed energy, faint but unmistakable, caught his attention. It clung to the cracked pavement and the splintered timbers like cobwebs, a chilling whisper of darkness in the fading light.

His lips tightened into a grim line. The cursed blade hummed softly against his touch, eager to sing its dark song. With a practised movement, he untied the carrier slung across his shoulder, revealing the worn scabbard of his weapon. He let it hang openly, a challenge issued to any lurking shadows.

And as if summoned by his defiance, the silence cracked. Several dark portals shimmered into existence around him, spitting forth twisted creatures of pure malice. Curses materialised with snarls and growls, a grotesque tapestry of claws, fangs, and malice.

"Deal with them quickly, Rika," Yuta muttered, his voice low and laced with dark anticipation.