//------------------------------// // Episode Three: Kaisei Fights Back // Story: Bonds Beyond Species // by Yasahiro //------------------------------// “Are you crazy?!” “Possibly. Lyra, I nee-” “You promised me you won’t do anything so stupidly dangerous again!” “I know, that’s why I-” “Kaisei, I don’t want to lose you! You don’t have to do anything like th-” “I know! I know I promised, but I didn’t expect something like this!” I yelled out, cutting Lyra off. “But if they hurt you to make me come with them, I wouldn’t forgive myself. This is the only way.” “By putting your own life in danger?” “Never said it’s a good way.” We had few minutes left before the fight. After some quick thinking, I told Stump that if he is that confident that he’ll win, he should at least allow me a few minutes to say my goodbyes to Lyra. Naturally he agreed, after laughing in my face. “But look at him! Look at that sword! He might even kill you by accident in this fight! You barely managed to hold your own against three thugs and they were just average griffons, this one actually knows what he’s doing!” Lyra shot back at me. I could feel it in her voice, see it in her eyes, she was scared. Scared of what may happen, scared of the pirates. Scared that this was the last time we would ever see each other. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. This plan could easily backfire, as did most of my plans since I came to Equestria. It all rested on one idea. I knelt down and hugged Lyra, whispering something into her ear. “It will be okay, but I need your help for that. Just believe in me.” I released her from my arms and could see her blinking away tears, as a look of determination appeared on her face. “What should I do?” I smiled at her. “Remember when we talked about runes?” ----- Bonds Beyond Species A My Little Pony: FiM Fanfiction As presented by Yasahiro Disclaimer: This is a non-profit, fan based story. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is the property of Hasbro, reimagined by Lauren Faust. Please support the official release. ----- The sky was getting darker, the clouds were blocking the sun. I could hear the distant roar of thunder, luckily we still weren’t near it though. It was as if nature felt that what was going to happen would be epic and decided to help set the atmosphere. I put on my gloves and cracked my knuckles. Stump stood directly in front of me, grinning sickly as he twirled his sword in the air. I cocked my head to the side. “Say, why are you called Stump?” I could swear his grin got even wider, “‘Cause when I fight, that’s all my foes are left with.” I remained silent. He was trying to intimidate me and it was obvious. I didn’t let him get to me. He narrowed his eyes at me and held his sword steady. I took one look to my left. Lyra was staring at me, worry evident on her face. Next to her was Gilda, her expression unsure. I clenched my fists and breathed out, closing my eyes. I had to focus, no screwing around. Unless it turns out Stump is a pushover, of course. I opened my eyes. I glared at the Captain and regained my smirk. I could see the vein on Stump’s forehead pulse as he grit his teeth. I tried to appear unphased by this and I did it successfully. I was not scared of him, of a big pirate captain, and he did not like that. Not at all. He slammed his sword into the floor and opened his beak. A shrill cry, similar to that of an eagle, pierced the air around us. I spread my legs and lifted my arms, bent at elbow. I could feel that what I was planning would work. I concentrated and let out a short yet deep cry of my own, similar to a prolonged ‘hah’. The wind picked up around us both and blew outward. Stump stopped his cry as he stared at me, surprised. My hands and legs were glowing as I held the smirk on my face. I could swear that I could hear some sort of music, faint but still there. Like a guitar, but that was impossible in Equestria. Was it just my imagination or the way Equestria worked, I never understood. I rushed towards Stump, so fast that it seemed like my body flickered for a moment. With a spin, I used my left leg to kick out his own legs from under him, making him lose his balance and start falling to the side. I turned around and hit him in the side of his face with my right fist. Stump took three steps back, his head cocked back, his mouth and eyes wide open in shock before turning into expression of anger. Anyone that was still talking silenced themselves and focused on the fight. The pirates had their jaws hanging as they came to realize this fight was not going to be a joke. “Yer making a mistake. I’ll make ya dead...” Stump growled out. I narrowed my eyes and my smirk disappeared. I pursed my lips, my face showing my determination. No time to be fooling around. The glow around my legs increased as I jumped high towards the pirate captain and kicked him in the head. Stump slid backwards from the strength of the blow and lost his grip on his sword, leaving it on the floor of the ship. The griffon stopped, remaining frozen in that position as he grit his teeth in anger. I jumped above the captain and landed behind him, my back to his. “You. Stupid Human!” He growled out, the vein pulsing once more on his head. He turned around and, with a yell, aimed his right fist at me. I turned around and, as the glow around my legs faded, the one around my hands became more intense than before. I caught his fist with my right hand. Stump’s muscles strained as the veins on them became more pronounced. He was trying to break my hold on his fist and was doing a bad job at it. I smirked once more and kicked upwards with my right leg into his chin. His head shot upwards from the force of my strike. My left punch struck him in the stomach, forcing him to bend forward. Spit flew from his mouth. My stance relaxed as he covered the place where I struck him, trying to recover. He took few steps back, groaning from pain, his rage clearly visible on his face. “What’s wrong? I thought you said something about making me dead.” I stood there, just taunting Stump with my smug look. I saw him take a deep breath before another cry filled the air. He spread his wings and shot towards me, his right fist cocked back. I crossed my arms, thinking I could block it. He struck. Incredible pain shot through my body as I was blown back against one of the walls of the ship. Why did it hurt so much?! Didn’t Lyra... ----- I watched Lyra levitate a small piece of wood before her. She closed her eyes in concentration and the wood started burning, slowly turning to ash. Her green aura collected them before she started molding it together, green light filling any space in between. The result was an odd thick green paste. Did I mention it was glowing? I don’t think I did. She lifted another stick and dipped it in said paste. It floated towards one of my gloves and she started sketching out a symbol. “Like I said, I just know the basics. I know electricity, strength and speed. We don’t have much time so I will just make two runes for speed on your legs and two runes for strength on your gloves. Just remember, that’s all they give you. No armor, no protection.” I nodded at this. It would do me good to remember this. ---- Oh... I realized, I didn’t have any “protection” runes. Should’ve remembered that before I tried blocking a punch from an enraged, huge-ass, griffon pirate. I grit my teeth and got back up on my legs. I looked up and quickly leaned to the right. Just in time, as I barely avoided another punch from the enraged griffon. I heard the wood of the wall cracking, splintering beneath his fist. I moved behind him, staying out of his reach as he tried to turn around. I used this to elbow him in the gut just as he finally faced me. It had way less power behind it than I expected. As he grit his teeth in pain, but didn’t stop him from raising his left arm, I immediately jumped upwards to perform an uppercut to his chin. It held enough power to get him off his hind legs and into the air, forcing him backwards. Why aren’t my elbows powered up? The runes are on my gloves so.... Oh. Crap. Another punch from Stump going in my direction stopped my internal monologue. I raised my right hand and caught it. My feet dug into the deck of the ship as I tried to stop it from hitting me. Once more I realized, my hands were stronger, not my joints. And yet, my hands were still much, much stronger. I increased the strength of my grip on his fist, trying to crush it. The pain was enough to stop him from trying to continue with that attack. Instead, he smacked me in the side with his left wing, knocking me off my feet and to the floor. Okay, I forgot he has wings. Happens to everyone. ESPECIALLY WHEN FIGHTING A GODDAMN GRIFFON! I rolled to the side just before Stump’s claws slashed the place where I had been. WHY AM I NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE FIGHT?! I rolled over to lay on my back and placed my hands behind my head, using my legs to spring up into the air, once more barely avoiding griffon’s claws. I landed on my feet after I had performed half a flip in the air and moved backwards, away from Stump. I stared at him trying to predict his moves. He just stood there, not moving. A grin started forming on his face before he stood up. He rose his claws into the air and I noticed they were colored red. I checked myself to notice that his last slash got me in the side. It didn’t seem deep but my shirt was ripped. I didn’t think much of it before he spoke once more. “Yer not as fast as before now.” My eyes widened before slowly moving towards my legs. The runes still shone on my body, but their glow wasn’t as strong as before. Fear came over me as I realized what was happening. The runes... I used too much of their power! Why did I have to make myself look like a cool guy? I heard the sound of the wood grunting and straining. I looked up and noticed that Stump was trying to pull his sword from the floor and, with one more pull, it was free. He swung it over his shoulder before once more pointing it at me. “It’s been awhile since I had so much fun, kid, but this ends here. I don’t think ya need that pretty face of yours as one of my crew. Lemme fix it for ya.” He started flapping his wings before shooting towards me. He slashed at me from left to right, aiming for my face just like he said. I bent backwards to avoid having my pretty face messed up. I liked my pretty face the way it was, pretty, thank you very much! Another slash, aimed at my side. I dodged it without any harm to myself, except for another rip on my shirt. He thrust his sword forward, nicking me in the leg as I tried to sidestep. I hissed in pain, but I knew I couldn’t afford to worry about it, otherwise the next wound would be far worse. He once more aimed at my head, and he cut several strands of my hair that were in front of my face, along with making a small cut on my cheek. I definitely couldn’t catch the blade and he had far greater range with it. Combined with the fact that my runes were slowly losing power, I had to think of something. And I did. The griffon pirate lifted his sword into the air and slashed downward. I backflipped, helping myself with my hands. The blade cut into the deck. Stump tried to lift it back into the air and would have done it, haven’t I interrupted. I jumped forward, my left fist cocked back as I struck with all of my power into the side of his face. He turned to the left from the blow, and I immediately followed with a kick to his knee, forcing him to kneel. I was not planning on being screwed up further by the sword and grabbed its handle, using the fact that Stump has not recovered yet. I lifted it, struggling to even keep it from touching the ground as the sword was far too unwieldy for me. I spun around... and threw it towards the griffon. He stepped to the side to dodge it, yet it still nicked him in the arm, drawing his blood. He followed the sword with his eyes as it flew off the ship. He stood there, frozen in shock. He was injured by his own weapon. A weapon that had been thrown out like trash. I could hear Lyra trying to cheer for me and, as I looked towards her, I noticed that I could notice fear on the faces of the pirates. It didn’t seem like they feared I would defeat the captain. They were scared of something else. I moved my eyes back to Stump and realized what it was. He was looking downward, towards the floor of the ship we were on. He was gritting his teeth. I heard a deep guttural growl come from him. He clenched his claws, muscles bulging out of his arms. I felt the tension, I felt the rage literally coming off his body. I took look at the runes for a second to check on how much power they may have left. I realized I may have made a mistake. A shrill scream, far louder than the previous ones filled the air. It forced everyone to cover their ears, I stood there shocked, watching the mad griffon. He stomped and the floor cracked underneath him. He stared at me, his glare making me fear for my life as it pierced through my soul. The eagle scream stopped just before he yelled out in a madman’s voice. He spoke in perfect English, yet it only made it scarier. “You’re going to see what happens to those I hate. Yes, you will pay for everything you’ve done to me!” He started laughing. ----- Lyra stared at the raging pirate captain, fearing for Kaisei’s life, yet she knew there was nothing she could do. If only they didn’t take the airship. If only they continued traveling on the ground. “I’ve never seen Captain Stump act like this...” She was forced out of her thoughts by Gilda’s voice. They were standing next to each other this entire fight, yet they have not spoken to each other until now. “You friend won’t even be lucky enough to come with us now. Even as part of the crew, Stump would have punished him severely. Now he’s just going to kill him...” She said, despair clear in her voice. Losing Kaisei. Living proof of her research... No, her friend. It would crush her and she knew it. She tried to use her magic just to attempt to aid him in the fight. Her horn only released a few sparks. She felt raindrops falling onto her head. The airship was near the storm now, the rain was starting. She could feel her tears forming, yet they would not be seen through the rain. ‘Believe in me’ She blinked and looked up towards Kaisei. Just before the fight, he asked her to believe in him, and even though the situation looked bleak, she did. Her eyes turned towards the fight as she spoke. “Kaisei is not going to lose.” Gilda’s eyes widened as she heard Lyra’s voice. The green unicorn did not seem scared anymore. She seemed confident. “No matter what, I believe in him. Your captain is not going to defeat him.” she spoke again, her eyes were burning with determination. Gilda’s eyes turned towards the mad captain and she spoke, “I joined Captain Stump... because I had nowhere to go. Even though now I know it was a mistake, I can’t just leave him, he wouldn’t let me.” She took a deep breath and spoke again. “If your human is as strong as you believe... Then this may be my chance.” Lyra nodded. “He is.” They heard the sound of bodies colliding and turned back towards the fight. Stump decided to make the first move. ---- Stump rushed towards me, flying much faster than before. He rammed into me, seizing me by my stomach, and we started flying into the air. “Let’s go for a fly!” He yelled out before once more starting to cackle madly. I tried to punch him to make him release his grip on my body. He held on as we circled around the blimp of the airship. We were now on top of it and he finally let go. I fell, landing on my back, the air escaping my lungs. I grit my teeth and stood up. Stump landed just in front of me and cracked his knuckles. “You don’t know how much I will enjoy this!” He gave me a right hook to the face, just before I recovered. It felt as if my jaw cracked, yet it could be my imagination. I started falling to my right side, but the griffon hit me from my left. I could feel my teeth shake in their gums, my vision turned to black for a moment before I felt the surface of the blimp meet my face. The glow of my runes was barely visible as the cold of the raindrops seeped through my body. I thought that was the end of it. Stump kicked me with his right hind leg, hitting me in the stomach. The food I ate before the pirates attacked left my body, staining surface of the blimp. It hurt so much. I didn’t want to die, but the pain was overwhelming. As my eyelids got heavier, I felt pain shoot through my ribs. The captain was trying to crush them as he put one of his hind legs on them. I screamed. I’ve never felt such pain in my life, never experienced broken bones. It was too much. I could just feel my ribs starting to give in. The griffon lifted his hind leg. “What’s wrong, boy? Not so cocky now?!” He growled as he grabbed my arm, his claws leaving deep marks on it as he threw me away. My body slid across the blimp and I laid there. I felt my eyelids grow heavier. I wanted it to end. ‘We need to get to Griffon Mountains!’ I blinked. ‘A real human! I finally found one!’ I remembered... ‘No, we don’t eat grass. At least not when we don’t have to. It tastes disgusting!’ I travelled with her, I laughed with her, I learned with her... ‘Kaisei?’ Lyra... ‘I don’t want to lose you!’ I was not going to leave her. I was not going to give up! I supported myself with one hand as I rose up. I spit blood on the surface of the blimp. I could feel the pain, yet it didn’t matter. I put my hand in my pocket and took out the butterfly knife. I flipped it open in front of me, spinning it in my hand. I started running towards the captain, my knife in hand. The rune on my legs lost their glow, yet I kept going. He took a swipe at me with his claws, I made the tiniest move just to ensure it didn’t stop me from reaching my goal. Three deep marks were left in my shoulder, but I paid no heed to it as I slashed at his chest. Blood spurted from his wound as I left a deep mark. Stump tried to punch my head once more with his left arm, I decided to counter his attack. I crouched and lifted my knife up as his fist flew above my head, my knife cutting in deep and going further up the length of his arm, as he didn’t stop his punch in time. I took out my knife as another punch from Stump’s other arm hit me in the chin, lifting me in the air. I felt my jaw crack. I didn’t imagine it, it happened. I landed with my back on the blimp and, once again, tried to rise. I have to keep going... Stump flew at me, insanity visible in his eyes. I ducked under his next swipe and turned around to grab one of his wings. He kept flying, my hands gripping tight as I tried to pull myself up. I raised the butterfly knife with my other hand and slashed at his other wing. Stump’s cry of pain was drowned out by the sound of thunder. He tried to spin around, to throw me off himself. I thrust the knife into his back and released my grip.  I fell as the griffon crashed a few meters away from me. I got onto my knees and closed my eyes. I lifted my right hand in front of my face and focused on the rune on it. The paste that made it was close to being washed off. I placed the fingers of my left hand on one of the glowing lines on the right rune. The rune that still held some power. I wiped off the line. ‘A small change in the runes already placed can change the spell’s effect...’ The rune’s glow stopped for just a moment as I clenched my fist. I looked up. Stump was unable to reach the knife in his back and turned towards me. He was foaming at his mouth, blood falling off his body from the wounds I made on him. I could see the flash of lightning throughout the clouds as the sound of thunder got closer. He grit his teeth and started running towards me. I could barely move, yet I stood there, ready to finish this. He cocked his right fist back, ready to throw it at me. As he got closer, I locked the crook of my elbow against his, stopping his punch. I grit my own teeth and punched his left side with my free hand. And again. and again. I kept punching before he broke my hold on his arm and aimed another punch at me. I leaned my head to the left, narrowly avoiding it as I took a step forward, slamming my right palm onto his chest. I focused on the rune. ‘Such as this, changing this rune of strength into a rune of lighting.’ I activated it. Electricity shot through Stump’s body. The rune did not give me the protection, yet the power of it concentrated on Stump as it was drawn towards the steel knife in his back. The pain I felt alone was tremendous, yet I could still see Stump trying to raise his other arm, slowly placing it above my head. The sky races of Equestria are capable of controlling the weather, or at least influencing it. It made sense that griffon bodies would have some resistance to something like this, but I did not give up. Putting all I had into the rune, I hoped for a miracle. A miracle happened. I felt as if my eardrums ruptured from the sudden noise, my eyes were blinded from a bright flash. The electricity coursing through my body and Stump’s was overwhelming, stopping even the pirate captain from what he was going to do. I could smell that particular smell when you burn hair. My hand was being burned, the material of the glove igniting and starting to melt in some places. My clothes caught fire, yet my grip on my opponent never wavered. And then it was over. My vision returned just to let me see the body of the griffon captain falling backwards. I won. I could feel a smile forming on my lips before darkness started covering my vision. My eyelids were getting heavier. I don’t think Lyra would mind if I slept in... I noticed a white and yellow blur carrying a green one, and then all was darkness.