//------------------------------// // Chapter 13:Living World of Hell // Story: The 5th Great Ninja/Pony War // by Akasuna no Sasori //------------------------------// Chapter 13:Living World of Hell “Princesses,” said Pain, “the night is young; which means you are safe.” The Princesses looked confused. “What does thou mean? The night cannot hurt anypony, can it?” Celestia shrugged. “I don’t get it either; but this unicorn is no pushover. It must have some meaning. But enough talk, let’s go!” Celestia and Luna charged their horns and rushed at Pain. Konan stepped in front of Pain. “No, Konan. Back away for now. They have no chance against me; even in my weakest state.” Konan disagreed silently, but moved. The ponies got closer, and almost touched Pain. “Almighty Push!” A smaller shock wave than before struck both Princesses, knocking them back and off their feet. “Are you alright, sister?” Asked Luna as she stood back up. “I'm fine. But we must remember not to walk in front of that one again!” The Princesses, their horns still charged, flew towards Pain from different angles. “All the same, no matter what you try, you have no chance against a god.” - - - - - “Halt! Stop this foolish chase!” Said one of Twilight’s soldiers. “Hmm! Sasori my man, do you think we’re far enough?” “Yes, stop here.” Deidara nodded, and he redirected his owl towards the soldiers before he and Sasori jumpped off. The owl got within feet of the first soldier. “Katsu!” The owl exploded, but after the smoke dissipated, Twilight stood in it’s wake. She had created a shield at the last moment to save her troops! Deidara laughed. “Well Sasori. There’s not much more I can do unless you help.” “Right.” Sasori removed the white scroll with red accents from his robe and summoned the contents. The 3rd Kazekage reappeared around Sasori as it did earlier. “You know the iron claw won’t work with so many? So are you resorting to the puppet’s jutsu then?” “Of course.” Sasori put his hooves together. The puppet’s mouth opened, and a stream of black particles was loosed. “Princess!” Asked one of the soldiers. “What is that?” “I don’t know, but be cautious! These ponies have done so much damage; undoubtedly it’s some kind of weapon.” “Right you are, Princess!” Said Sasori. As he did so, the sand formed into small, diamond shaped clusters. “Princess? What is he going to-” “Too late! Iron Sand: Scattered Showers!” The clusters accelerated quickly towards the army. Because of their diamond shape, they had sharp points which easily pierced the soldiers’ armor and skin. Many of them cried out as they fell from the piercing sand clusters. “Hahaha, Sasori my man, I count 17 from that one shot! That’s got to be more kills from one jutsu than I’ve ever seen before, very nice!” Twilight faced the two Akatsuki. “What?! Is setting a record for you two?! You just killed ponies! How can you act like it’s a game?!” “Deidara, back away from this one. I want to show her my art is no game.” Sasori put his hooves together. “Iron Sand: Six-Inch Nail Cluster Attack!” The sand reformed into a large nail-shaped object and raced towards Twilight. She jumped over it, forcing it to plummet into the ground. ‘This is tense,’ she thought to herself, ‘and I’m sure it’s also only the beginning!” - - - - - “Kisame, this is far enough. We need to engage them, now.” Said Itachi. “I couldn’t agree more. I’m just dying to cut these five open. Besides, Shark Skin hasn’t fed in a while.” They stopped chasing the ponies. When they no longer heard hoofsteps behind them, they turned around to face their enemy. “I’m afraid this game of tag ends here, weaklings!” Said Kisame. “Who you calling ‘weaklings’?” Said Rainbow Dash. “The dirty little girl in front of me who thinks she can take on a man!” Itachi saw this was going to continue for a while, so he intervened. “Enough! Kisame, stop arguing. Just kill her and her friends so we can get back to Pain.” “Hehehe, sorry Itachi. I do get carried away sometimes. Now I will more than ever!” Without warning, he raced towards Rainbow Dash. “Die, you worm!” He swung his sword over and over again, but the little mare was just too quick for him. “I'm not there, stupid! I’m over here, now!” Said Rainbow, mocking him. He swung repeatedly, but finally he got tired of her little game. “That’s it!” Kisame put his hooves together. “Water Style: Water Shark Bomb Jutsu!” A shark, made entirely out of water, appeared and “swam” towards Rainbow Dash. “Yikes!” She said, flying away from it. “Hehehe! You can’t run from the shark, rainbow pony! It will stalk you till the end of time!” True to his word, the shark didn’t give up; it kept chasing Rainbow. While Kisame was focusing on Rainbow Dash, Applejack saw her chance and rushed in with Pinkie Pie towards him. “C’mon let’s get ‘im!”Said Applejack. “Yeah!” Said Pinkie. As they approached, they reared up; preparing to kick the grey pony. Kisame saw them coming and placed his sword in front of him to block the ponies’ kicks. “Hmph! I was dealing with your friend; but it seems now I must deal with you, as well!” “No,” said Itachi, “I will deal with them. You focus on the rainbow one. The yellow one and the white one over there don’t seem too intent on fighting for some reason. So just keep an eye on them for now.” Kisame nodded, and redirected his attention towards Rainbow Dash and the water shark. Applejack looked back towards Rarity and Fluttershy. They were both hiding under some rubble; watching the fight unfold. 'Worthless!' Thought Applejack. 'Here we are fighting for our lives, and they're hiding'?' Applejack and Pinkie Pie faced their new opponent. “I have no desire to kill either of you. However, seeing as you will just become a problem in the future should I let you live, I can’t afford to give you any mercy.” Itachi put his hooves together. “Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!” A great ball of fire erupted from Itachi’s mouth and sailed towards the ponies. Applejack leaped out of the way, but couldn't’ see whether or not Pinkie had made it. “Pinkie! Are you alright?” Called Applejack. The smoke and fire faded to show a jumping Pinkie Pie. ‘Whew’ thought Applejack, ‘Pinkie’s not really a fighter; so I was afraid wouldn’t make it.’ “Yay!” Yelled Pinkie. “Again, again, again again! More fire!” Itachi looked surprised. ‘She wants me to shoot more fire at her? Unbelievable....’ “Very well. If fire is what you want, then I’ll make sure you don’t survive this next one.” Itachi put his hooves together, again. “Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!” Several smaller fireballs were released towards Applejack and Pinkie Pie. Applejack dodged most of them, but was slightly singed by one of them. Pinkie, again, dodged every one of them. Itachi was furious now. ‘How does she do it? She can avoid every last one of them like it’s nothing!’ “Come on! Again! I want to play with more fire!” “I usually don’t overreact like this; but it seems none of my lesser jutsus are getting it done. It’s time to end this, now!” Itachi’s dojutsu, or ocular ability, was the Sharingan. His eyes change colors from black, to a solid red sclera that had black curves around a dot in the center. “No, Itachi!” Said Kisame. “You can’t use that so soon!” Itachi couldn’t hear his partner, the jutsu was already under way. He looked into Applejack and Pinkie Pie’s eyes and they looked back into his. “The connection is complete.” Said Itachi. Suddenly, the two ponies felt their surroundings change. They were no longer on the street, they were now in some open area. Everything was red, even the clouds, trees, and grass. “What is this place?” Wondered Applejack. “I don’t know, but it sure is nifty looking!” Replied Pinkie. The longer they stood there, looking at their surroundings, the more dizzy they became. Finally, they both passed out. When the ponies awoke, they found they were strapped to some kind of table. “What’s going on here? Let us go!” The tables they were on straightened out, until they were facing Itachi. “AAAAHHHH!” They both screamed when they saw him. “Welcome to the Tsukuyomi. This is my world in which I control space and time itself. In this world, what will seem like days, will be mere seconds. You will be here for 2 hours as I torture you.” Itachi pulled a sword out of his robe and stabbed Applejack in the lower abdomen. “Ah! How does this hurt if we’re not in the world anymore?” “It hurts because it is my world. I make the rules here, and I say anyone here except myself suffers pain.” He stabbed her again and she cried out. “However, you I am not so interested in. I will have a clone take care of you.” A clone of Itachi walked from the red surroundings and began stabbing Applejack instead of the real Itachi. She kept screaming in agony as the blade pierced her again and again. “Scream all you want. It’s not even half over yet.” Itachi turned to Pinkie. “You I will torture even slower for mocking me the way you did.” And so, Itachi stabbed her the same way over and over again. As the red surroundings grew lighter then darker again, Applejack figured a few days had passed. “What the hay?! You said we would only be here for a few hours?!” “Do you now remember what I told you earlier? I control space and time here. Which reminds me, about something sad.” “What’s so sad, you evil pony?” “It’s sad that I only get 1 hour 59 minutes and 59 seconds left with you.” Applejack’s eyes grew huge. “WHAT?! It's only been one second?!” Itachi nodded. “Yes, quite a long time for how much you’ve been tortured. Of course, you’ve been tortured for only one second. Your friend here, on the other hand, has been here for three seconds.” “What?! I don’t get it! How did you slow down her torturing but not mine?” “I don’t need to explain anything to you. Just relax and suffer well.” Applejack continued to be tortured for what seemed like days, or was it seconds? She was too confused to care any more. At this point, her body felt numb to the pain. Every part of her except her head had been stabbed by that brutal sword. Itachi looked up towards a red moon hanging in the sky. “It’s time.” “Time for what?” Asked Applejack. Suddenly the red faded; and she and Pinkie were back in the real world. But Pinkie wasn’t moving at all. Applejack crawled over to her. “Pinkie? We made it! C’mon, now! Stand up and help me fight these scoundrels!” She didn’t respond. “What did you do to her?!” Screamed Applejack at Itachi. “What do you think?” ‘No, it can’t be,’ thought Applejack, ‘did he really....?’ Kisame broke her out of her thoughts. “He killed her in the Tsukuyomi! If you die there, you die in the real world, as well!” Applejack stood up, crying and faced Itachi. “You....you.....BASTARD!!!!” Itachi was emotionless. “Insulting me won’t bring your friends back.” “Frie- FRIENDS?!” Itachi looked at Kisame. Applejack followed his gaze to see Shark Skin sticking straight through Rainbow Dash. “While Itachi was taking care of you and the pink one, I killed this annoying little girl. She was a quick one; I almost thought I wouldn’t be able to get her. Of course, no one can outrun the water shark.” He threw her body off of his sword against a building; laughing. Itachi and Kisame then both advanced towards the frightened and crying Applejack. “What's your next move?” Itachi asked.