Interlude: Dark Soul
Kasumi/Luna tapped her tea cup with her index finger thinking of the attack on her Earth based home. It had now been a full month since the attack by Nightmare Moon, Akane Tendo in this world, and her Six Elements of Disharmony. Within a few weeks they had caused so much damage to the town, its citizens, and most of all… themselves. Sighing she took a sip of her herbal tea and thought everything over for yet the third time today. She decided to once again take it all one piece at a time. Starting with the owner of the Element of Dishonesty, Kodachi Rose, formerly of the well hated Kuno Clan.
Currently she was running for mayor and was doing quite well giving the other two candidates a good run for their money. As the town had a high dislike for mudslinging it was told by her sister and the former Mayor that doing so would instantly cause them to forfeit their right to become Mayor as the town had not done so for some time. It wasn’t an actual law but more of a verbal law that everyone in town agreed to stand by. If it was not there well there was a good chance that Kodachi wouldn’t be running. Yet this was not what she needed to think about at the time. What she needed to think about was her Dark Element.
In the past Kodachi would do anything underhanded to win in Martial Arts Gymnastics, even going so far as physically harm the opponent before the match just so her school would win and was the most dishonorable thing to do. She truly deserved her Dark Element yet… somehow, some way, Kodachi had fought it. Applejack had personally confirmed this as she was there in person to see such mental powers. Yet still… how did she do it? In all honesty she should have given into the Element of Dishonesty yet… didn’t. Well the answer for this was quite simple, her father’s behavior towards her and her brother.
Yes, Principal Kuno was not kind at all to his family, not at all and fully deserved the Element of Hatred and unlike Kodachi had easily given into it and the Darkness yet… he had fought it in his final moments due to the kindness of Fluttershy. Yet still in the end, Principal Kuno had paid the ultimate price for his power, death. This was the result of a mortal using such dark powers at full strength, as Ryoga’s injuries where proof of this. How had gotten such powers was through medicine that was given to him by Happosai, which she would to later. The Medicine was Dark Chi pills, medicine made from pure darkness and was used only to enhance one’s dark intentions. For Principal Kuno it was how he only cared about gaining a student that would truly respect him as a Principal. To be truthful had Principal Kuno actually dressed like a Principal and spoke like a Principal he would have had that respect but… his hatred was more than just not having respectable students, no, he wanted respect at his home as well.
Principal Kuno wanted his children to respect him as a proper father but sadly this was not so. He had caused his children strife and pain to the point they had no choice but not respect him but fear him. He was a proper owner for the Element of Hatred yet… he was able to go peacefully according to Fluttershy. She wished the man that was her human father could have been able to do the same.
Yes, Soun Tendo, her human father for some time had ended his own life due to his Dark Element. The Element of Sadness was known to feed off of one’s own sorrow and pain to the point it would either cause the owner to go insane or… Luna shook her head to clear it and to pour herself another cup of tea. Soun really did deserve his element. Always crying over the smallest things, always drowning his sorrows and just wallow in his loss of his wife, her beloved human mother. Luna dearly loved the woman and cried heavily after her death, actually they all did, Akane the most since she was the youngest. She didn’t know what death was and it had affected her greatly. It had caused her to begin lashing out at school and at home and because of their father nothing was done to prevent her growing anger issues. Was it the death and her anger that drew Nightmare Moon to Akane? It was possible but again she would come to that later as there was more to Soun’s sadness than the death of their mother and his wife.
Gaining yet another cup of tea and a bit of a snack she soon turned her attention to this addition to Soun’s sadness, Genma Saotome, owner of the Element of Greed. It was due to him that Soun’s sadness by constantly contributing to it. Since the beginning Genma had been a big influence on Soun’s life. He had trained with Soun under Happosai for many years till they had sealed him for some time and yet still there was more. After their mother and Soun’s wife’s death Genma had been keeping in contact with Soun by letters speaking of his son, her love, Ranma. She had seen the letters and frowned on each in secret yet it was so long ago she still couldn’t remember why she frowned on them. Still it wasn’t long till the letters stopped and she had forgotten about Genma Saotome till the day they had gained a postcard from him and their arrival.
Since the day he arrived the house’s supply of food and income had taken a vastly disastrous hit. Genma would just eat and drink like it was no tomorrow and when there was something he wanted he just took it for himself, especially if it was for Ranma alone. She couldn’t believe the numerous times Ranma had nearly found a cure for himself and Genma ended up ruining that chance to have it. Also every battle Ranma had gotten into Genma would claim the victory stating it was due to his training that Ranma had won. Also if Ranma did something he didn’t like he would have Soun join him in ganging up on poor Ranma and lament over this so believed disrespect. Yet, let’s be honest, who would respect a father that tossed their own son in a pit of staving cats and call it training? Luna just shook her head at this as she put down her tea cup and began pacing. Unlike Principal Kuno the two had no influence of the Dark Chi but… they did give into their Dark Elements as Genma’s absolute and dangerous sense of greed and Soun’s death due to his sorrows confirmed this. Still… something about all this seemed… off to her.
Luna soon turned her mind’s attention to Tatewaki Kuno, the owner of the Element of Disloyalty. Somehow he had gotten the taint of Darkness in him but not the way Principal Kuno had and unlike Soun and Genma didn’t give into his Dark Element. It was as if he had become… possessed. Stopping she soon turned to the boxes holding the Dark items used on the group. Her sister, Cologne, Zecora, and herself had stored the items in a magically enchanted glass display case yet kept it out of public eyes by putting it in the hidden area under the school which she was in now. It was where everything important or far to magical was stored till their return to Equestria where they could be returned or more properly stored. Luna’s eyes traveled to the Element of Disloyalty and its companion item, the famous Dusk Blade. In it’s Earthen form it was a simple Kendo-ken but once it returned to Equestria it would take it’s true form.
In Equestria it would take on the form of a black sword made from the body of a Dark Dragon, a forbidden blade made from pure dark magic. Yet… why didn’t they give him the armor as well? The Dark Samurai or Dusk Knight armor as it was known in Equestria was a set, sword and armor. Was it because the sword alone could possess anyone just by touch if they were not true users of the Darkness? Or was it because of the Element of Disloyalty? She knew the legends of the armor and sword and just shivered. It was not a pleasant legend, let alone memory. The look on the pony’s face as he took so many lives was… Luna shook her head from the frightening memory. How they had gotten the sword from Equestria was now a concern or was it…
Luna turned away from the blade and opened the door from the Dark Element’s store room into the large hall that held many doors as well as magical or dangerous items behind each. Walking down the hall she soon stopped before a door marked Armory and stepped into the large room of armors. Each suit of armor was special and magical for a reason. As she walked she noted famous armors of Canterlot and Equestria’s past. There was Commander Hurricane’s armor which was forged from thunderhead clouds, a difficult process but it had made the armor magically resistant to powerful lightning storms and had even saved the Commander’s own life once. There was also the very first suits of Royal armor in the room, each specially designed for their respected guards. The Solar Guard’s armor was designed to enhance one’s endurance and strength why the Lunar Guard’s armor was designed to enhance one’s agility and personal skills such as flight or magic but was put in storage do to its power and it history with two captains of the guards, Solar Flare and Moon Glow. They had used the powers of the armor to hold back an entire armor of Griffons during the Griffalla and Equestria war. Yet the main armor she was looking she was unsure if it had came with them or not.
Nodding to two guards at one of three locked chambers to the room the Guard unlocked each one at a time to allow Luna to examine the dangerous armors within. The first was a suit of forbidden leather armor known only as Flesh Eater. The name itself spoke of its magic. Next came the armor they had now gained from their captive, Nightmare Moon’s personal armor. Only Luna and one other knew of the armor’s magical powers and left it at that. Lastly was the armor she had worried about, the Dusk Knight Armor. Nodding the door was sealed and she began her walk to the only place she could or wanted to go to now. The hidden dungeon containing Akane and Happosai.
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Nightmare slept on her wall mounted bed as she looked once again over the memories her body had without her, its soul. She still cursed the day that priest had sealed her soul in that accursed bottle. It was the only memories she had of the woman that would have been her mother. It was also the reason the poor woman had died. It was soon Nightmare woke up to a voice speaking to her. “Wake up, you have a guest.” Nightmare yawned and looked up to see one of the guards with none other than her family based sister Luna or Kasumi as she was known in this world. “So what do we owe this honor, sister?” Nightmare asked gaining a frown from Luna.
“I prefer you not call me that Nightmare. I see you still have not released the body you possess.” Luna said calmly. “As I said before Luna, it’s hard to give up a body you’re the soul of.” Nightmare responded sourly. “Yes, about that. What do you mean you’re the soul of Akane?” Luna asked looking right at her. “It is as I told you. I am Akane’s soul.” Nightmare said sitting up on her bed. “Explain.” Luna demanded. Nightmare only sighed. “Very well. The day you and your fellow ponies arrived here so did I, as a wondering soul. I did not know how or why but I did not care at the time. All I wanted was to find you Luna so I searched all over till I finally found you in that body along with a family. For some time I watched how you interacted with the humans and found that…” Nightmare looked to the ground, “I desired a family as well.”
Luna gasped at this. “It is true Luna.” Nightmare responded continuing her tale. “From the moment I saw how happy you were with the Tendo’s I… I began to wait. Wait till I could gain a body of my own and… start over correctly.” Luna looked to Nightmare confused. “What do you mean?” Nightmare gave a small smile. “I had not just watched you Luna but your whole human family and found something I did not know. Your young human sister, Nabiki, was studying science and history at the same time and I found that had I succeeded in my plan for there to be Night forever in Equestria the citizens would have either froze to death or starve to death. Plants needed more than just air and water they needed sunlight as well and… I did not want that. I wanted to apologize to you as well Luna. It was due to my short sightedness that you and I were banished to the Moon. Please forgive me.” Nightmare looked up to Luna wit saddened eyes. “We will see Nightmare. You still have not explained the issue of you being Akane’s soul.”
Nightmare blinked and blushed at this, a first for Luna to see. “Oh, yes of course. Where was I? Oh yes the wait. Well I waited till the day your human mother became pregnant. I had entered her body and into the young body that would become your youngest sister. Yet it was on the day I was to be born that… disaster struck. Do you remember there being a priest there?” Luna thought back and nodded. There was a priest there that day her mother was to give birth. Her mother disproved of it as she felt it as a bad omen to have one in the house at the time but… her father had allowed it since there was no time to argue. “It was due to that priest that your sister had begun down the road of absolute anger and your mother’s death.” Nightmare said seriously. “What?!” Luna asked incredulously. “Tis true Luna. The priest was not as he seemed. Before I tell you more I ask you speak with Happy and hear his part in this tale. Ask him of the bottle and the Priest.” Nightmare said returning to laying down. “I believe I shall but when I return I demand answers.” Luna said turning and heading to the cell Happosai was in.
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Happosai sighed as he looked at his meal for the day. It wasn’t bad no, but the portion sizes where just wrong. A one teaspoon of corn and mashed potatoes, two dandelion and daisy sandwiches made from what looked to be crackers for bread, and for desert a single slice of apple cut in half. “You really expect someone to survive on just this while in a cell?” Happosai asked the guard as he looked at his meal. “Don’t complain, at least you’re getting to eat something.” The guard replied gaining a sad sigh from Happosai. It was then old Happy heard a door open and looked to see the guard saluting. “At ease good sir. I’m here to speak the prisoner Happosai.” A familiar female voice said from the possible doorway. “Yes ma’am. Hey you, you got a visitor so be respectful!” the guard said harshly toward Happosai. “Of course. Who came to see old Happy?” Happosai said friendly. “I did Happosai. I hope I am not interrupting your meal.” Luna said stepping into sight. “No, no ma’am.” Happosai said with much more respect than normal.
“Good. Guard this conversation is to be private. Wait outside till I signal you.” Luna said then commanded. The Guard saluted and did as told with the door clicking shut as Luna gave Happosai a serious look. “How may I be of service Lady Luna?” Happosai said sitting down to his tiny meal. “I was told my Nightmare to speak to you about a priest and a bottle.” Luna responded causing Happosai to stop before he bit into his half apple slice. “You don’t hold back do you?” Happosai quickly ate his meal before looking to Luna seriously. “As Nightmare had told you, that priest that was at your home the day of Akane’s birth was the day everything went wrong form your family. The day I had escaped from that cave your fool of a father you and Genma had put me into I began gathering information of the here and now. It was this day I came to a building where some kind of action was taking place. Curious I went to the building and saw to my horror that it was a soul auction. Yes, the priest that was there was a soul hunter, a man who steals souls from the living to sell to those who collect such items.”
Luna had heard of such doings in Equestria from the past. It was a form of necromancy and was highly illegal at that time but she had only thought it to be a foal’s tale meant to scare young foals into being good. “You’re saying this world has necromancers as well?” Happosai nodded to this sadly. “Yes. Nightmare was one of the souls to be auctioned off that day but I did not allow so. I may be a Dark Chi user my dear but I am no necromancer and I dare not allow necromancers to disgrace the Dark Chi Arts. Anyway I took out as many necromancers as I could and took as many soul filled bottles as I could carry and did as I was instructed by each soul and returned them to where they were meant to be. Not all the souls returned to the living my dear, it was a very sad day for me. I finally came to the bottle Nightmare was in and let’s just say we began a kind of friendship from there. Sadly one of the Necromancers had survived my raid and had placed an interesting curse on me. I believe you already know what that was.” Happosai said looking down.
“Yes. Yet this does not answer how or why you had her this entire time.” Luna said looking at him. “Ah yes I was getting to that.” Happosai said standing up and began pacing. “Nightmare desperately wanted to return to Akane but I could not unleash her from the bottle till I was sure of what she told me, that Akane had no soul and why she was running wild. Normally a soulless body would have died by the next day but Akane did not, it was why your mother passed instead of Akane. You could say it was Kami’s way of making a fair trade. One life for another as it were, anyway I watched Akane till the day Ranma left. Yes I was angered at Ranma’s departure and at what I had told Nightmare of that failed wedding but sigh. Just how was I supposed to know that keg was Ranma’s cure? I wanted to find Ranma to beg for his forgiveness and teach him properly but it seems he had taught himself a much better style for himself. Yet after I had informed Nightmare of the happenings in the house that she felt the need to make some… adjustments. First she needed protection so she could do what was needed without being harmed.”
Luna’s eyes widened at this. “Hence the reason for the Dark Elements!” Happosai nodded as he continued pacing. “Yes but there was more. Nightmare needed me to teach the current Akane the way of the Dark Chi Arts so that Akane, the body, would not reject or become harmed by Nightmare returning to it. So I began her training and once completed I returned Nightmare to her human body.” It was then Happosai frowned and shook his head. “We should have never used the Dark Elements then after. Things had already started to go good for the two of us but… we just couldn’t leave it at that.” Happosai soon looked to Luna. “Please, Princess, do not punish us for what we could not control.”
Luna looked to Happosai and thought over what he had told her. “Who was the first to use the Elements of Disharmony?” she soon asked. “Principal Kuno. Somehow he had all six of them in his possession from the start. Said that they were family heirlooms yet didn’t know how they worked however he had been able to open the container for one of them and touch it from time to time. I believe it was the Element of Hatred.” Happosai replied. “This explains much. Yet how was it three of you were able to fight or not become effected by the Elements?” Luna said then asked. “My life has always been chaotic Princess so knowing how to keep Chaos in line was how I kept from being taken over. Tatewaki sadly had looked into Nightmares soul bottle and had been touched by the Darkness. I had seen this and began training him in the true Dark Chi Arts. Not necromancy my dear Princess but Ninjitsu or Ninja Arts. It is what I truly teach my dear. We use the Dark Chi Arts in a more Positive way by respecting nature and it’s incredible powers along with the powers gained from the moon itself.” Happosai explained then turned saddened. “Poor Kodachi had been fighting lies all her life but due her father had to hide it and hide it well. The poor girl.”
Luna looked to Happosai and thought. “You and Nightmare said something before. Something about wishing to adapt to a new life and gaining an excellent student such as Akane. You also said that you were pleased to finally have a second chance at life as well. You also wished to go to Equestria correct?” Happosai nodded to this. “I will speak to my sister on this Happosai. If we agree to this we will allow the two of you to return to Equestria with us.” Happosai smiled at this. “But, only if we allow you to. For now I will speak with the guards about granting you more proper meals. I do apologies for your current treatment.” Luna finished before leaving. “Thank you Princess. Please, tell your sister I am sorry for my uncontrolled actions.” Happosai said smiling. “I will do so.” Luna responded before she left.
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Nightmare woke yet again to the door to the outside of her cell opening. “Have you spoken to Happy yet? Is he doing well?” Luna was surprised at the concern Nightmare showed for the old man but did respect it. “I have and he is well though I did have to lecture a few of the guards about food preparations.” Luna replied smiling. Nightmare blinked at this and smiled as well. “I used my powers to see if what I was told was the truth and found it was. For now you’ll be held here till my sister and I can decided on what to do with you. However I do wish to know one thing before I leave. Why did you give Tatewaki the Dusk Blade?”
Nightmare sighed at this. “Because we had hoped that Tatewaki would be able to cleansed the Necromancy from it and make it the honorable blade I had hoped it to be. He’s an amazing warrior when he’s focused and I wanted him to become another of my warriors should we return to Equestria. Oh yes I hope you don’t mind that I ask we be allowed to stay and repair the old castle in the Everfree Forest. If not that is fine.” Luna thought and nodded on this. “I see. If he wishes he may become your personal guard, if and only if my sister and I believe you to be a Princess like ourselves. As for the castle… I will bring it to my sister’s attention. For now I have other matter to attend to. Good day Nightmare.” Luna soon turned and walked away as Nightmare smiled to the leaving Night Princess. “Good day… sister.”
To be continued