I watched as the black cloud took on a physical form. It was the thing of my nightmares. The thing that made me do such terrible things. It was my fear, my sin. It was all that I stood against, and now it stood before me. As it's form settled, it looked different than it was described to me. It's body and limbs were thin and elongated, and it had four tendrils coming from it's back, two on each side.
“Holy fuck.” I said to myself, “I was possessed by fucking Slender Cat.”
This was not good. I wasn't sure if this thing was like the Nightmare and could possess others, or if it had other unknown abilities.
“Twi, get outta here. Find the girls and get your elements. I'm not sure I'll be able to beat this thing on my own.”
With that, she went to the others and flashed them away.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
“Flu... Kataya! That's going to take some getting use to.” Twilight said. She had teleported to the gate to Canterlot, “Come with me, we to...”
“I already got them.” Kataya said, “I dropped Midnight off with Jynx and told Applejack, Pinkie, and Rarity to meet us here. Rainbow Dash, I met on the way. They should be here soon... about now.”
As soon as she finished her sentence, an auto carriage pulled up and the three mares in question got out. Rainbow, who had been sitting on the wall, joined them.
“How did you know we would need them, and when they would show up?” Twilight asked her very different friend, “In fact you've been acting very strange. Are you alright?”
“Yes... no... I don't know.” Replied the dragony, “I feel so different... Grandmother's dead.” She received a collective gasp.
“Oh, I'm so sorry.” Twilight said, putting her hooves around her friend. The hug was soon joined by the others.
“Before she died, she did something to me.” Replied the mare formerly known as Fluttershy, “I think she gave me her sight. I've been seeing things that haven't even happened yet. That and I think she gave me some of her courage.”
“No she didn't silly.” Pinkie said, “You always had that. You just didn't use it much. Don't you remember the cockatrice, or that big meanie dragon?”
“That dragon wasn't mean, just a little grumpy from being woken up is all.” Kataya said, “You know, he suffers from insomnia and we woke him up when he finally got to sleep. I think most ponies would be grumpy.”
“Yeah, I suppose so.” Twilight said, “I have say though, I never thought you would be defending a dragon.”
“Well, I've decided to stop denying who I am.” She said before hiding behind her mane, “That and I kind of have a date with him.”
“Ah'm sorry there, sugar cube.” AJ said, “Did you just say 'date'? Like courtin?”
“He's actually very nice.” Said the yellow sun dragony.
“Girls, We're getting dangerously off topic here.” Twilight said, “Shiro is fighting the Black Beast while we sit here talking about dates. Before you ask, he turned when Midnight got shot with an arrow. He's fine, but Shiro flipped out. When Luna, Shining and I were trying to delay him, Midnight found his way back and called out to Shiro. I'm not sure what exactly happened but Shiro fought the Beast and won. He pushed it out in a black cloud, but the cloud reformed. Now the Black Beast is it's own being and Shiro's fighting it right now.”
The expressions were all those of utter shock, with the exception of Kataya. It was a lot to take in at once and proved too much for the ponies. They were snapped out of their stupor when Luna made it back to the group levitating a golden chest. She magically opened the box and passed out the five necklaces and tiara.
“OK girls.” Twilight said, “Let's go kick some Black Beast flank.”
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
“Fuck, that hurt.” I groaned as I pulled myself out of the ruble that use to be a boulder, “He's a strong bastard. Shit!”
I barely managed to avoid his tentacle thingy. All I could do was dodge his attacks, and shoot fire at him from a distance. Luckily my amulet absorbed his magic attacks, but that was a minor thing. He was still kicking my ass all over the place. I jumped out of the way of a double tentacle strike, and countered with a couple fireballs. He deflected one but the other flew true, hitting him in the side of the head. I pressed my advantage and launched into a devastating volley of repeated blasts. While he was stunned from the shots, I charged him. I drove my flaming fist into his chin, launching him into the air. I leaped after him, bringing my heel down on his back in an ax kick. The Beast hit the ground hard, making a small crater. I silently tanked Balder for the belt. Without it I doubted I would have been able to do anything to this guy. I threw my weight down and landed nearby. I tried charging again, but a black tendril wrapped around my ankle and threw me into a tree.
Fuck, this guy's tough. How the hell can I hurt him?
He was a lot stronger than me, but I was a bit faster, and had magic. His real advantage, though, was endurance. Twilight told me exactly what she did to this thing. The kind of punishment it could endure was unreal. I just hoped the girls would get back with the elements, cause I already knew I couldn't beat it with just my fists, feet, and magic.
If I was going to have any chance, I was going to have to dig deep into my knowledge of magic for the answer. I knew a decent amount of crystal magic, but that requires constant chanting or crafting the crystal into runes. That option would take too long. Of course there was rune magic. I had a piece of enchanted chalk with me, but I would need time to draw them and then lure him into it. Possible, but not something to actively seek. If an opportunity arose for it, I would use it, but until then I needed another option. The only other options I had was sorcery (which I was not going to play host to an evil spirit), or a couple spells from the Book of Blood I remembered (I don't think I have to say why I didn't like that option). I rolled out of the way of the boulder he threw, and launched myself away from the follow up.
The benefit of being able to move bipedally and quadrupedally with equal ease is that I can utilize the benefits of either. I typically walk around every day on all four because not only does it make me less imposing to the ponies, but it's more stable. I usually fight standing upright because It gives me better mobility and use of my forepaws. That being said, there are good times to switch that rule around. A perfect example would be, oh let's just say... hauling ass from an evil psycho version of myself is much easier on four legs. Why do I run, you ask? Because when a thing that's much stronger than you picks up a fifty foot tree and starts swinging it around like the crazy cat it is, you run. It's common sense.
“Catch me if you can, futher mucker” I yelled out the challenge... to which he accepted, “Arg, fuck me!”
He had discarded his weapon and was pursuing me at a pace that matched mine. What was worse was I couldn't just stop and face him, cause if I did he would steam roll me. So I did the only thing I could think of at the moment. I started pushing fireballs out of my back paws with every kick. He dodged them easily seeing as I couldn't aim, but I did remember something. Instead of shooting the fire I wrapped myself in it. I felt myself picking up speed. Faster and faster I ran,until I felt something I only felt once before, On my way home after Discord freed me from stone. I had Guile's theme running though my head until...
“Sonic... Boom!” I erupted in a silvery explosion.
I took off like a bat outta hell, leaving my former dark side in the dust, literally. The distance between us quickly grew, until I swung around and charged at him head on. As soon as I Had him in my sights, another explosion rocked the world. A ring of fire as black as tar spread from the evil tiger. It was too late to turn away. I did the only thing I could, and braced for the inevitable impact.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
The elements were looking down from a safe distance, trying to determine a good opportunity to swoop down and hit the Black Beast with the elements.
“Ah'll be.” AJ said from Dash's back, “Shiro's holdin' his own.”
“I don't think so.” Kataya said, “He looks like he's struggling just to keep up.”
“Well what are we waiting for! Let's get down there and rainbow that big meanie head!” Pinkie said flailing her front hooves in the air for emphasis.
“Hay, Pinkie! Stop wiggling so much. You'll make me drop you.” Twilight said.
“Really, Pinkie.” Rarity said, “Our friends are nice enough to demean themselves for us. The least you can do is make it easier on her.”
“That's right Pinkie,” Kataya said, “You don't want to be a grease stain on the rocks.”
Rainbow gave a confused look at her yellow friend's strange behavior. She was about to say something when she heard a loud boom. She looked over to see a silver ring coming from what looked like a comet. The ponies' eyes widened and their jaws went slack.
“Did he just...” Dash tried to say.
“Yeah...” Replied Twilight.
“On foot?” Asked the cyan pegasus.
“Ah'd say so.” Answered Applejack.
They watched him curve around and a similar boom and ring from the Black Beast. The two collided in a spectacular explosion of intermingling silver and black fire. The ponies barely managed to stay with there partner. Rarity actually fell off Kataya, but thanks to Twilight's magic was placed right back. Without needing a word, the six ponies went strait to Shiro's side.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
“Oh... my skull feels like it's split.” I grumbled.
“...iro!”
“Huh?” I said, still dazed by the collision, “Over here.”
“Oh my gosh, Shiro!” Twilight called as she ran up to me, “Thank goddess you're OK. Well mostly anyway. You look like crap.”
“Nice to see you too, Ahh!”I felt pain when I tried to sit up, “Where is he? If I survived that, so did he.”
As if to answer my question, the Beast stumbled up. It almost looked like he was drunk. That meant I hurt him, and that meant I could kill him.
“OK girls, form up.” Twilight said, “Let's take this guy down!”
The Elements started to glow as the six of them lifted from the ground. A light enveloped them, and when Twilight opened her pure white eyes, they fired. The rainbow beam arched through the sky on it's way toward the evil tiger. At the last moment, though, the Beast launched himself away and the rainbow hit nothing but dirt. They fired another blast only for the same thing to happen. He was too fast and the beam too slow. The demon had enough of that though and decided to charge the six. That was a mistake though as he got a face full of light beam courtesy of the Element of Kindness. The black cat was sent flying off.
“Whoa!” Rainbow said, “That was so cool.”
“Oh, thank you.” Replied the dragony.
“What are we going to do?” Twilight said, panic starting to take hold, “If the we cant use the Elements on him, what can we do?”
“Calm down, Twi.” I said, “We don't need you panicking.”
“Calm? Calm!?” Twilight was teetering on the edge, “How can I be calm. The Elements don't work, and even your not strong enough to really hurt that thing!”
“Oh, oh, Maybe we can super charge him.” Pinkie offered, “Like Celestia did with that Chronos meanie.”
“He did that with his fusion magic, Pinkie. He doesn't have that anymore.” Twilight said.
“No,” I said, “She's on to something. I need a super charge and I think I know just where to get it.”
Another flash came from Kataya, “I can't keep this up. Could you please hurry up with what ever you're doing... if you don't mind.”
“How are you going to get a super charge?” Twilight asked.
“Simple, y'all are gonna shot me with the Elements of Harmony.” I said with a grin.
“What!?” Six voices shouted at once.
“Are you crazy?!” Twilight asked.
“I thought we've established that I am a long time ago.” I replied sarcastically, “Please, just trust me.”
Another blast from Kataya and she said, “I can't... do any more.”
“Twilight, please trust me.” I pleaded.
“Girls!” The alicorn called.
The six of them got into formation and rose into the air once again. The light shot up in the familiar multicolor beam. The Black Beast was up again and rushing for us, but hesitated at the sight. The beam struck me perfectly. I wasn't sure what the Elements were trying to do to me, but my amulet was struggling to absorb it all. The thing was working so hard, it was starting to glow white hot. After what seemed like minutes, but was probably a few seconds, the last of the energy was absorbed. I began tugging at it, trying to pull as much out as I could. In the blink of an eye the amulet shattered into dust. All the energy it had stored was released, but I still had a hold on it. The power of the Elements of harmony in my palm.
The Black Beast charged me.
I held my ground.
He leaped.
The moment he left the ground I released the energy in a blast of multicolored chaos fire. It struck him right in the center of his chest. The fire didn't keep going, though. Instead it swirled around it in a prismatic globe. When the globe shattered, the Black Beast was nothing more than a cub about Razor's size. He opened his eyes and let out a tiny roar before evaporating back into a dark cloud. The cloud shot at me, entering my body through my eyes and mouth.
“It's over,” I managed to say before my exhaustion finally caught up with me.