//------------------------------//
// Special Episode: Showdown with Shallor! - Both the Same 
// Story: My Little Pony: When Friendship Shimmers - Reboot 
// by RobtheMorpherPony 
//------------------------------//

Previously, Twilight agreed to Shallor's Final Exam; a final trial. This would be a battle consisting of the purple alicorn herself, Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Appljack, and Rarity all against the Shadow Lord himself, Shallor.

But if they really thought this was going to be a cakewalk, their world was about to get wrocked.

"...Shadow Rob..." Shallor suddenly reflected. "...No one's called me that name in exactly four hundred ninety-four months."

"...I knew it..." Rainbow Dash said.

"...That being said..." Shallor said as he suddenly snapped his fingers. Suddenly, purple flame began to surround a set part of the area.



Rainbow Dash suddenly looked around. "...Why do I hear boss music?" She asked.

As the flames began to fully circle the area, Shallor cast off his cape in a dramatic fashion before a giant purple tornado apeared to lift him up high. "I did warn you that I was not going to hold back in the slightest, and I meant it!" Shallor said.


The Shadow Lord - Shallor


The first thing that happened as the battle began was that smaller purple tornados covered the ground, preventing any of the earth ponies from getting close, though the high winds from the big one made it hard for Rainbow Dash to even get close, but she was able to quickly dispurse the big tornado as Shallor got comboed by the others, but he quickly teleported out of the combo before he summoned the giant purple tornado again.

"...Not bad. But I'm just getting warmed up." Shallor said. Suddenly he had a huge ball of purple fire that he was summing above his head, and it was launching small purple fire balls out like crazy.

Though Applejack and Pinkie Pie worked together to quickly disappaite the large purple tornado again, and sent Shallor into a second combo beat down, but he still teleported out of it and summoned another large purple tornado. "You really should realize the time for niceties are long over!" Shallor said before there were sudden purple explosions going off right left and center, keeping all seven ponies on their toes this time.

However, Rarity, Twilight, and Sunset still managed to dismantle the big tornado and sent Shallor into a third combo. But once again, he teleported out of it. "Play time is officially over; I'm done warming up." Shallor said now he was sending out flying purple Vs off his forhead.

As Rainbow Dash tried a second time to disappate the shadow tornado like the last three times, suddenly, she felt herself slow down for some reason as Shallor suddenly jumped above the shadow tornado. "YOU'LL HAVE TO DO BETTER THEN THAT!" Shallor said before he suddenly callpased the tornado himself, and Rainbow Dash's speed returned to normal.

"Wait, what just happened?" Rainbow Dash said before what seemed like a bizillion copies of Shallor just charging out of the fire that deditacted the areana started pelting all of the ponies within, and it was impossible to dodge them all.

The pelting went on for quite some time before Shallor suddenly emerged into the air, holding another large purple fire ball. "LET'S SEE YOU WITHSTAND THE LIKES OF THIS!" Shallor said before he suddenly came crashing down with the purple fire, causing a massive explosion that threw the ponies for a loop and caused them all to get quite injured from it.

"Oh come on, don't tell me your done already." Shallor said. "If this is really the extent you can muster against me, perhaps I'll have to take drastic measures." The Shadow Lord paused for dramatic effect. "...I'll have to remove your connection with the elements."

"Wh-what?!" Sunset suddenly exclaimed. "C-can you even do that?"

"Of course I can do that. It's my job to make sure those like the seven of you can stand up to the likes of the Storm King. And if this is really the extent at which you are capble of fighitng, it means your group is flawed. In that case, there is only one solution: Remove your connection with the elements so that they may find a new group to bound with!" Shallor said.

"Y-you can't do that! We've come so far." Sunset said.

"Wrong! If you really had come as far as you claim, you would actually stand up to me and start taking this seriously. Because if you can't defeat the likes of me, you don't get to call yourselves the chosen of the elements." Shallor said. "So, are you really going to let me take away your connections to the elements? Or are you going to do what you should do; and treat this seriously?"

I...I can feel it... Sunset suddenly thought to herself. I can feel...Shallor's Emotions. He...he really only wants the best of the light. That's his job. Her thoughts continued. "...I was wrong about you. You can feel emotions." Sunset said. "But this isn't about what you feel right now. This is about how I feel. And I won't let you take away the path I've carved for myself; no matter what!"

"Heh...will admit you got us, but we ain't backing down. Not after that speech." Appplejack said.

For a moment, there was a smirk on Shallor's lips. "...Good..." Shallor said before he suddenly put a dark aura around himself. "I WAS HOPING YOU'D SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT!"

The music suddenly restarted as shots of both sides suddenly happened.

Shallor smirked again, and the ponies got ready to face his true potential, which involved all the tricks he used before.


Standing Here
I realize
You are just like me, trying to make history.

But who's to judge
The right from wrong?

When our guard is down, I think we'll both agree
That violence breeds violence!

But in the end
it has to be this way!!


The battle ranged on amongst the lyrics, as the ponies started to retaliate in much smarter and better ways.


I've carved my own path,
You followed your wrath;
But maybe we're both the same...

The world has turned,
And so many have burned;
But nobody is to blame.

Yet staring across this barren wasted land;
I feel new life will be born
Beneath the blood stained sand!!


The ponies were starting to use their own tactics to counter Shallor's various attacks, and even started parrying them back to the Shadow Victini in question.


Standing Here
I realize
You are just like me, trying to make history.

But who's to judge
The right from wrong?

When our guard is down, I think we'll both agree
That violence breeds violence;
But in the end,
it has to be this way!!


The battle was hitting it's climax now, the ponies had a plan they wanted to put in motion.


I've carved my own path,
You followed your wrath;
But maybe we're both the same...

The world has turned,
And so many have burned;
But nobody is to blame.

Yet staring across this barren wasted land;
I feel new life will be born
Beneath the blood stained sand!!


And as the music finally was hitting it's last beats, a final buck from Applejack sent Shallor right into the shadow fire barrier.

Shallor teleported into the center of the arena though before he hit the ground, he was clutching an arm. "Dang...you really got me good there. I'm not ashamed to admit it. You really left your mark on my physical form. No joke there. It'll take me several weeks to heal this up." Shallor said before he snapped his fingers. The shadow fire barrier was now gone.

"...Phase two?!" Sunset excalimed.

"...No. I admit defeat." Shallor said. "By the way, I don't really actually have the power to remove your connections to the elements. That was just something I said to get you to take the fight seriously."

"What? You mean you lied to us?!" Applejack exclaimed. "Ah don't know if ah should apploud you for being so creative with your lie, or embarrased that even I fell for it."

"There are several kinds of lies in this world Applejack; and one kind is one that's so convincing, that even your connection to the Element of honesty can't get you to spot it. Especially if such a lie is told in the heat of battle." Shallor said. "Such a lie, is so easy to believe, so capable of being true, that in that sort of scenario, you can really lose what's really true, and what's effectively false. Honestly, you shouldn't blame yourself for letting your own emotions get the better of you."

"...I had a feeling it had to be a lie." Sunset said. "The moment you said that lie, I could sense your true emotions and intentions clear as day. And it worked. You made us take this fight seriously, all so you could really tell how far we had come."

"But of course. After all..." Shallor said. "...The best defense Equestria can have, can be found in the seven of you. I only help where I can. And while I will certainly prepare you some sort of additional defenses, just remember how you fought with me here today. Because I can garentee you, the Storm King won't be as nice as I am."

"...That was the lesson you wanted to impart on us by doing this, isn't it? That was your goal along." Twilight said.

"Heh heh, what can I say?" Shallor asked. "I knew you could win from the outset, I just wanted you to believe that for yourselves."

"...You're a strange being Shallor..." Sunset said. "You may always be forever shrouded with alterative motives for everything you do, but one thing will always remain with you: You want what's best for our world, and that's something you can't stop yourself from exposing on your sleeve."

"...Hmph. That's one thing you could interrupt about my actions. We're all entitled to our own opinions, aren't we?" Shallor asked.

Sunset smiled. Try as he could to hid it, the smirk on his face gave away the pride he was feeling about knowing he had helped the seven friends who came together to defeat Nightmare Moon realize their full potential.