Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Babs Seed ran as fast they could, being led by the Royal Guard stallion who was tasked with getting the four fillies to the safety of the train station. All the while thunderous explosions and monstrous crackling of lightning could be heard raging from behind them. Scootaloo hated this, she wanted to stay behind and fight! But Twilight was vehement in her request, she wanted Scootaloo to be safe and she didn’t want to disappoint another mare she looked up to, and possible second guardian, to worry about her even more than she had already put the others through.
Suddenly, all was quiet. Scootaloo skidded to a halt and looked back towards where the battle was taking place. There were no bright lights, no lightning flashes, or sounds of thunder, nothing. It was too quiet, especially after such a fierce battle.
“Scoots what’s wrong?! We need to go!” Apple Bloom cried out.
“She’s right Scoots, the Princesses, Dash, cousin AJ, and the others will be alright, they can handle this,” said Babs.
I want to believe in them, I know they faced strong bad guys before…but, something tells me that Black Adam’s tougher than he looks…
“LOOK!” Sweetie Belle shouted.
Six beams of blue, yellow, white, orange, pink, and purple light shot down from the sky. Within the beams rose up six spheres with the silhouette of a pony inside each of them. The spheres broke apart and revealed six glowing ponies, sparkling like a rainbow. The older mares had told the young fillies about how the defeated Tirek, how the Tree of Harmony bestowed them with a powered up version of the Elements, Rainbow Power. This was the very same power that they used to defeat Dark Lord Tirek, and now, they were about to use it to defeat Black Adam.
Every Manehattan pony stopped and watched as the sparkling sphere shot out six beams that united into a single rainbow blast. A pillar of the same six colors shot up, indicating that they had hit their mark and that the battle would be over in just mere moments.
“Ha! I knew it! I knew they could do it!” Scootaloo shouted glee.
“What’dya expect, no way they weren’t,” said Babs as she playfully bumped Scootaloo’s shoulder.
“Guess we can head back now that –”
Sweetie Belle was cut off when multiple, column sized lightning blasts shout out from the rainbow pillar, scorching or destroying every building within range and shattering the pillar. Scootaloo felt a pit grow in her stomach, this wasn’t a good sign. She closed her eyes and concentrated, tapping into the feeling she had earlier right before Black Adam appeared. And sure enough, the feeling was still there, he was still there.
“It didn’t work,” said Scootaloo.
“What didn’t work?!” Apple Bloom asked.
“That rainbow blast thingy, it didn’t stop him! He’s still there!”
“B-But that’s impossible! Rarity and her friends’ Element powers always beat bad guys like that! Nightmare Moon, Discord, and Tirek! They all got beaten by that light!” Sweetie shouted.
“Trust me Sweetie, it didn’t work this time…” Scootaloo couldn’t afford to hesitate any longer.
Damn it if Twilight gets angry at me, she can be angry after I beat Black Adam into the ground!
“Young fillies we must move quickly, Princess Twilight ordered me to get you four to safety so we must hurry to the station,” said the Royal Guard stallion.
“OH MY GOSH WHAT’S THAT BEHIND YOU?!”
The Royal Guard stallion quickly did an about face, entering an attack stance. Scootaloo turned around and gave an apologetic look to the stallion behind her.
Sorry mister.
Scootaloo then balanced herself on her forelegs and tucked in her hind legs. She then thrust her rear legs forward and bucked the stallion right between his legs as hard as she could! The guard’s face contorted in pain as he let out a sharp, high pitched yell as he fell to the ground, curling into a ball as his privates continued to radiate pain.
“Scoots, have you lost yer mind?!” Apple Bloom shouted.
Scootaloo didn’t have time to answer, she quickly dashed away down the street, looking to and fro for somewhere, anywhere so she could transform. Her eyes locked onto an alleyway just few feet down the road. The pegasus filly made a sharp turn and ducked into the alley, running as far down it as she could till she reached the end. Scootaloo was about to speak the Word of Power, but stopped when she heard the voices of her friends calling out to her. Apple Bloom, Babs, and Sweetie stopped at the entrance to the alley, panting heavily from keeping up with the young pegasus filly.
“Okay, explain to us why the hay you went and kicked an RG right in his nuts and ran off like the wind?!” Babs demanded.
“He was just doing his job Scootaloo, why did you even run in the first place?!” Sweetie asked.
Scootaloo didn’t have time to go into a full explanation, none of them did. But from the looks on their faces, she knew they wouldn’t be satisfied with just an excuse or lie. Scootaloo gritted her teeth as she came to the realization that there was no avoiding this, she had planned to show her friends someday, but she was hoping under better circumstances than this.
“Listen you guys, just go back to that Guard, I’m going to go and help Twilight and the others!”
“Ah repeat: Have you lost yer mind?! Scoots, you saw how scary strong that alicorn was! If there’s anypony who can stop him –!”
“Apple Bloom, you guys, that rainbow thing didn’t work! Black Adam’s still kicking and I’m the only one who can stop him!”
“Scootaloo, no offense, we all know you’re tough, but you’re NOT AN ALICORN! Or an Element of Harmony! You can’t beat him,” said Sweetie.
“……I can, and I promise when this is over I’ll explain everything to you guys. But for now, keep what you’re about to see a secret. And stand back!”
The sudden harshness in Scootaloo’s last words made all three fillies jump back a couple of feet. Scootaloo then turned her gaze up to the cloudy sky and with a fierce expression, shouted out the Word of Power.
“SHAZAM!!!”
An azure lightning bolt shot down from the heavens and struck Scootaloo, enveloping her in white smoke. Babs, Sweetie, and Apple Bloom stared with horror, seeing their friend getting struck by lightning and seeing her be vaporized before their eyes. They were almost on the verge of tears until a mighty wing beat blew the white smoke away and revealed Scootaloo in her alicorn alter ego, Shazam. The white hooded cape flapped from the crosswinds generated by the flapping of her wings, her hood was drawn back, showing her identity to the other CMC members. Their horrified looks changed to ones of disbelief and awe, Scootaloo’s hair was a little longer and spikier, covering part of her face, and her horn arced with lightning that traveled back and forth from her horn to her insignia.
Apple Bloom’s mouth was agape, remembering the filly she knew and now gazing at this older, taller, and…hotter version of her. “S-S-Scootaloo…?” She dared ask.
“Ya Apple Bloom, it’s me.”
“Yer…Yer voice is different, Ah mean, not in bad way, but it’s…uh, nice.”
Scootaloo couldn’t help but blush at the compliment.
“You’re Shazam…? The mare who saved Apple Bloom, me, and Fluttershy from the Chimera?!”
“Yes.”
“The Shazam that saved our flanks at the stadium?!”
“Same one.”
All three fillies fell onto their rears at the same time and let out a collective, “Whoa”.
“Listen guys, I’ll explain all this later. But like I said, I have to go and help them! Speed of Mercurius Zephyr! ”
In a flash of lightning Scootaloo vanished from sight as a trail of crashing thunder followed in her wake. All three fillies stared up into the sky as they followed the sounds and glow of lightning streak through the cloud ridden sky.
“Cuz…”
“Yeah Babs…?”
“I gotta move to Ponyville.”
“Not that Ah’m complainin’, but why?”
“Are you kiddin’?! Cool stuff seems to happen on daily bases with youse guys!”
Sweetie Belle silently groaned and face hoofed herself.
Harmony’s Rainbow had no effect on Black Adam, and what more, apparently the power they used was an offshoot of his own. Their powers basically cancelled each other out and left the ancient alicorn stallion unharmed. With their greatest attack rendered useless, all that stood between Equestria’s conquest were the six mares who stood before him.
“Well then, where does this leave us mares?” Black Adam asked smugly.
All six eyes shifted between each other before answer was given.
“It leaves us with this!” Applejack shouted.
The farmmare, still wielding her Rainbow Power, jumped off the steps of City Hall and punched the ground with her right hoof. The asphalt and cement rose up in a tidal wave of earthen power, towering over Black Adam. The alicorn stallion held his ground and let out a battle cry as he struck the wave with his own hoof, destroying the wave in one strike. But that was only a diversion.
From behind the wave, Rarity summoned forth large, extremely sharp, extremely dense, diamond shards. With a flick of her horn, the twelve dozen shards shot out like missiles. Black Adam was then bombarded with a steady stream of diamonds, some cutting at his armored suit and others grazing his more exposed neck and face.
Up above, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash gathered their Rainbow Power into their wings. With a mighty flap, Fluttershy unleashed a tornado made of butterflies, each one made of pure energy. Rainbow Dash released her own vortex, made of a spectrum of different colored lightning. The two attacks struck at the same time, slamming into Black Adam and forcing him down to the ground. He grunted in irritation as the dual attacks not only kept him down but were doing some damage at the same time.
Pinkie Pie, somehow gaining a mix between Filly-Flash’s and Twilight’s teleportation powers, zipped around a twenty foot radius of Black Adam. Setting up one party cannon after the other. When all fifty were set up, Pinkie lit the fuses and all the cannons fired simultaneously, all fifty energy rounds struck Black Adam at the same time, exploded like fireworks at a Wonderbolts airshow. A smoldering crater was left in the wake of the three way attack, but it was over yet.
Up above Twilight gathered her magical energy into a great sphere. The five mares channeled their remaining Rainbow Power to Twilight as she focused it all into one attack. With a fearsome look upon her face, Twilight tilted her horn down and let the sphere release into a torrent of magical power. The beam crashed onto the crater, detonating on impact and throwing whatever wasn’t nailed down or cemented into the air.
A giant dust cloud formed from where the blast hit. Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity were all enveloped in spheres of protective magic, bringing them all safely to a mostly undamaged portion of the street where Twilight joined them. Their Rainbow Power was spent, all six of them had reverted back to their normal forms, panting in exhaustion from using so much of the power of Harmony.
“Do you think that did it?” Rainbow asked.
“It had to, there’s no possible way anything could’ve survived that kind of onslaught,” said Rarity.
Twilight kept a close watch over the cloud, looking for any sign that Black Adam was still alive after all their attacks. Suddenly, her eyes caught sight of something blue flashing from within the cloud. Twilight quickly erected a barrier in time for a giant lightning bolt to cut through the dust cloud and smash itself right into her shield. The power and ferocity of the magical lightning was tremendous and overwhelming, Twilight had to pour all of her magical energy into the shield, lest it break. Cracks started to appear along the shield, spider webbing outwards with each passing second.
The energy of the shield and lightning finally gave way and exploded! The force of the blast buffeted the six mares and sent them slamming onto the sidewalks, streets, and sides of buildings. All of them laid upon the ground, motionless and in pain from being thrown like rag dolls. Twilight’s vision blurred as she tried to focus on the still bodies of her friends. She felt warm blood trickle down from her head, as well as the stings of various cuts, and the throbbing of the bruises. How could she fail like this? After everything they did to defeat Tirek, and every other challenge the six of them had faced, and the challenges she faced in the parallel world, was this the limit of everything she learned?
Get up…She egged herself on…Get up or he’ll hurt Scootaloo…
Twilight grunted in pain she lifted herself up from the ground, wobbling as the world spun around her. The alicorn mare heard the sounds of metal hooves walking against asphalt. She slowly turned and saw Black Adam, eyes gleaming with annoyance and anger at her and her friends. Twilight stood before him, wings spread as she mustered the best defiant expression she could.
“I will give you this, you mares certainly are fine warriors. And you lead them well, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Even taking the brunt of my attack to spare them, commendable. However – wait.”
Black Adam’s eyes looked upon Twilight, stripping away the physical and peering into her magical aura. A familiar symbol hovered about her, along with the familiar traces of a certain magical fortress. The alicorn stallion concentrated his telekinetic aura around Twilight’s neck, putting her in a near chokehold as he levitated her towards him.
“THE ROCK OF ETERNITY! You have a rune mark that grants you access! The only way you could’ve gotten such a thing was from the Champion! You know who it is don’t you?! Tell me where the Champion is and I’ll spare your miserable life!” Black Adam barked.
Twilight struggled against the aura wrapped around her throat, trying to claw at it with her hooves but to no avail. Black Adam then released her and let Twilight plop to the ground in a heap as she took in deep raspy gulps of air.
“My patience wears thin, mare. Where is the Champion?!”
Twilight looked up into the eyes of the former hero king and narrowed her gaze. “Buck…you!”
“So be it. Perhaps I should introduce you to the way uncooperative prisoners were treated in my era!”
Just then the sound of thunder roared across the sky, both Black Adam and Twilight looked in its direction, catching the tail end of a lightning strike descending to the ground. Black Adam could sense the familiar power of the ancient magic, its presence was close, and getting, surprisingly, closer.
A thunderous “BOOM” sounded as Scootaloo appeared out of the sky and smashed her right hoof into Black Adam’s face! The combined force of her speed and strength sent the alicorn stallion flying through three buildings, leaving behind a body sized hole. Scootaloo landed swiftly onto the ground, her eyes went wide at the state that all six mares were in, especially Twilight.
“S-Scootaloo…”
“I’m here Twilight, I just sent Black Adam flying. Let me heal you guys before –!”
Scootaloo’s advanced danger sense warned her of an impending attack. She turned around just in time to see Black Adam zooming right for her. Scootaloo took flight once again and went to intercept Black Adam in the sky. Her right hoof was coated in magical lightning, at the same time, so was Black Adam’s. The two alicorns thrust out their right hooves, weaving around their punches till Black Adam’s hoof met Scootaloo’s cheek, and Scootaloo’s hoof met Black Adam’s! The result was a mighty cross-counter, sending both the mare and stallion alicorns barreling into skyscrapers. Streaks of lightning shot out of the buildings and stopped in midair.
Scootaloo and Black Adam stared each other down as the clouds churned and released lightning and thunder, almost as if nature itself was frightened at the two superpowers that occupied the same airspace. Scootaloo felt something on her chin and wiped it off with her left hoof, it had a metallic taste to it, which didn’t come as much of a shock when she saw the gold of her horseshoe bracer had small blood stains on it. Black Adam, despite receiving two blows from Scootaloo, still held a confident smirk as he spat out some blood from his mouth.
“So here you are, the new Champion, chosen by the Rock of Eternity. At least you’re easy on the eyes,” said Black Adam.
“Thanks for making me feel gross. Well, I’m here, you still want my power?!”
“Humph, isn’t it obvious? Although, I’m surprised at you. Allowing so many to get hurt, and not once coming to their aid, I’m starting to wonder if the Living Lightning, the power of the Rock of Eternity, has chosen a suitable Champion.”
Scootaloo gritted her teeth as electrical energy sparked off her horn and body.
“This could’ve all been avoided if you had just appeared before me and given me the power.”
“What’s so special about my power?! You have the same power too, are you that power hungry that you still want more?!” Scootaloo asked.
“It’s not just about the power. The Rock of Eternity is my goal, if I wish to rule over this world once again, I need its power and knowledge to do so. I will reintroduce the ancient magic into this world, and bring it under one banner. But…only the current Champion may access the Rock of Eternity, and come and go as they please. Which is why I need your power.”
“The world’s fine! The Princesses have kept us safe for a long time, along with the Elements of Harmony, and now I’m here! The world is fine without you, and it’ll still be fine when you go!”
Black Adam narrowed his gaze at Scootaloo, his own aura flaring. “Such a childish argument. You have no idea the resolve it takes to make the world one, to end all strife with your bare hooves!”
“You conquered the world!”
“I made it one world!”
Black Adam dashed for Scootaloo, raising his hoof up to strike. But Scootaloo still had the speed and strength channeled at the same time, allowing her to dodge the former hero king. But then, Black Adam vanished yet again, and appeared behind her. Scootaloo brought up her forelegs to protect herself as the stallion punched forward, hitting her forelegs and sending her flying ten meters away. Scootaloo quickly opened her wings and stopped herself from going any farther. Black Adam was serious, so it was time she got serious too.
Her cape disappeared into electrical particles, freeing up more of her wings and body. “Power of Zeus Thunderer!”
Scootaloo’s body flared up with magical lightning energy, she channeled the tremendous power into her horn and fired a giant lightning bolt right at Black Adam! The alicorn stallion, who was flying towards her, stopped where he was and thrust out both of his hooves. The magical lightning crashed into him as he pushed against the attack. Black Adam gnashed his teeth as he forcibly redirected the blast away from him, throwing it off into the direction of the harbor. The lightning blast flew till it struck the Statue of Freedom, severing the foreleg that held the torch.
Having saw her attack diverted, Scootaloo opted for a more close range option. “Strength of Herakles! Courage of Achilles Heel! Speed of Mercurius Zephyr!”
Black Adam unleashed a blinding barrage of punches at Scootaloo, equally so, Scootaloo counterattacked with the same speed and strength. Some she was able dodge, others struck her in the stomach or in the side. Thankfully her invulnerability was in full swing, keeping most of the damage to a minimum. But Scootaloo could feel something different about the way Black Adam was using his power, he seemed a little faster, a little stronger, and little more powerful than her for some reason. She definitely could tell when it came to speed and strength. But it made no sense, they had the same kind of powers, so the only real difference should be experience. Before she could inquire further, Scootaloo was struck with a lightning burst, sending her careening to the streets below. She struck the asphalt and continued skidding through the streets, plowing through and upheaving much of the dirt and concrete in her wake.
Scootaloo groaned from the pain of the impact fight she just had. The transformed mare dragged herself out of the crater and stood tall once again. Black Adam landed a couple of meters away, slowly stalking towards her.
“I see, you still need to call upon the names of the different gods in order to channel their powers.”
“What, and you don’t?!”
“Actually no, I do not. What they neglected to tell you was that, yes, calling out their names helps to direct the flow of your magic to that specific power. But the more powers you call upon, the more you split it up. Which is why it is meant only as a training crutch, meant to help you one day tap into all six powers at once, without speaking their names. So you see, that is why you are weaker than me, and now you can see, you have no chance of winning.”
Now it made sense, but now knowing this, Scootaloo was in a bind. Calling out the names was the only way she could use all their powers without losing control.
I-I can’t…If I make a mistake, I could end up destroying Manehattan! But…Black Adam has full control over all his powers, and the years he spent fighting and ruling to master them…NO! I’m not giving up! To Tartarus with what he said!
“I was chosen to be the Champion, I don’t need advice from a disgraced former Champion!”
Scootaloo took off right for Black Adam and dove in for a punch, unfortunately, the only thing she hit was his afterimage. Scootaloo then felt a powerful strike hit her midsection, causing all the air to leave her lungs as she gasped in pain. Black Adam then grabbed the mare by her tail and swung her around, tossing her right into Mom & Pop store. Before she had time to recover, Black Adam was already inside the store, using his telekinesis to grab her and throw her out of the store and back onto the streets. Scootaloo was starting to get angry, shooting Black Adam a defiant look as she rose to her hooves yet again.
“Is…Is that all you’ve got?!” Scootaloo shouted.
“You do not understand the kind of world I’m trying to bring back. A place with no war, no discrimination, and no slavery either! I created a kingdom, a paradise for all! But of course, there are always those who wish to cling to their old ideals and traditions, and shrug away the embrace of change. It is beings like them that cause rifts between races, between friends and family, and even nations! If I had to quash such elements by raising my hoof and striking them down then so be it! Such was the duty of a king! You can never understand what I went through!”
Scootaloo’s fury lessened a little upon hearing those words. “You’re wrong…I’m just like you.”
Black Adam scoffed. “In this modern era?! I was told there was no slavery.”
“I might as well have been…I suffered, just like the both of you did. I was…forced to do things I didn’t want to do, beaten, and hurt for the smallest things…” Scootaloo’s jaw tightened as she staved off a wanting to cry from the memories. “So don’t think we’re different, we’re basically the same!”
“Then you should know, more than anypony, that such things should not be tolerated! You deserve justice as much as anyone! That is the kind of world I will bring back!”
“But it’s gone alright! Your world’s gone! That was thousands of years ago! Sure, can things be better? Yes! But that doesn’t mean you have to conquer and rule over everypony to do so!”
“Work with a flawed system, instigated by two rulers?! You have no idea the kind of resolve needed to remake the world!” Black Adam appeared before Scootaloo and slammed both his hooves on either side of her head. “Let me show you!”
The magical lightning coursed through Scootaloo’s body, painful as it was, the power that surged through her recognized the other, allowing it to show Scootaloo the memories of Black Adam…
Alchemy and Adamant walked through the halls of the ruined palace, it was a fierce battle against the pharaoh’s magicians and mythic beasts, but in the end they were no match for their combined power. The two of them were cloaked in white capes with gold trimming, their faces hidden underneath the shadows of the hoods. As they approached the balcony from which the old king made his grand announcements, the brother and sister could see the ponies, griffons, and minotaurs celebrating in jubilation that the tyranny of the pharaoh was over. All of them chanting the name of their savior over and over again.
“We did it sister, the slaves are free, and the ones responsible for this corrupt monarchy are in the dungeons, free to rot for all eternity.”
Alchemy nuzzled against her elder brother, happy to see their dream of freedom for all finally coming true.
“We did brother, look how happy they all are. The children that will be born here will no longer have to fear the yoke of oppression, they shan’t face the same tribulations as we did.”
Adamant nodded firmly. Alchemy brought up her forelegs onto the rail of the balcony, resting her chin on top of them as she looked out into the night sky, and at the partying free slaves and citizens below.
“Sister.”
“Hmm?”
“The citizens have approached me about wanting us to rule in the stead of the last pharaoh. For us to be king and queen,” said Adamant.
Alchemy let out a sigh. “I know Adamant, a few have asked the same of me as well.”
“And?”
“I do not think it is the right path we should take, not with the powers we have been granted.”
“But we could do it, you and I dear sister! We can be better than the kings who have ruled over this land, for we have lived through the strife and pain of slavery, and we are heroes to the citizens! We can be the beacon of hope that this land deserves, that this world needs!”
Alchemy shook her head. “No big brother, we mustn’t. If we truly want to be better than those who ruled then we must give this land to the citizens. We must make it a republic.”
Adamant looked upon his sister incredulously. “A republic?”
“Yes, I think it’s time we abolished this land’s hierarchy of kings and queens, it’s time for the citizens to decide what they want.”
Adamant moved further into the throne and pointed at the large dual thrones. “The citizens want us to be their rulers, and rightly so, with the pharaoh out of power, there will be others who will seek to subjugate this kingdom! Foreign powers that will do worse than what he did.”
“Well…while we’re on that matter. I think we should go out beyond our land, to the countries and nations that are out there. We can be an example to what the others can strive for! To be better, not with an iron hoof can we unite the world big brother.”
Adamant gritted his teeth as he gazed down at the floor. “But Alchemy, have you forgotten what we were put through, what they did you!”
Alchemy lowered her head, placing a hoof on her stomach in mourning as she did so. “True…what I have suffered, has left me unable to have children…I will never know the joy of giving birth to a new life. And Adam, I know what you have been through for my sake, the pain you endured to shield me numerous times, and how you sacrificed your life for mine, I will never forget that brother.”
The young earth pony mare walked over to her brother and nuzzled under his chin, prompting him to raise his head as her kind green eyes met his intense yellow.
“I love you Adam, and, despite what we’ve been through, I love this world.”
“How can you say that…?”
“Because, if I wasn’t born into this world, I would’ve never gotten to meet you. There are other places that I want go to, to help others and bring them hope. Show them that this world isn’t as cruel as they may think. Let Teth Adam be a bringer of peace, instead of a conqueror, the world has had enough of those kind!”
Alchemy spoke with such belief and conviction, and with a joyful tone in her voice. She had always kept high spirits, always smiling for him even when things were at their bleakest. It was that trait that Adamant loved about his little sister, but at the same time, it was her naïveté that was a problem some of the times. Her ideal world was a possible one, but not through the methods she wanted. War would come, and in its wake many would die or be sold, and Adamant wasn’t about to allow that to happen again. As sure as the cutie mark of a diamond shield upon his flank, it was clear what needed to be done.
Adamant smiled at his younger sister. “You’re right Alchemy, we must be more, and lead the world down a different route.”
Alchemy smiled happily and hugged her brother tightly. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, blushing all the while. A sharp whistling noise could be heard coming from outside, followed by explosions of multi-colored lights that lit up the night sky. Alchemy looked up and watched as the fireworks went off and painted the sky in various colors. At the same time, she could hear the citizens chanting the name of their hero.
“TETH A-DAM, TETH A-DAM, TETH A-DAM!!!”
“TETH A-DAM, TETH A-DAM, TETH A-DAM!!!”
“TETH A-DAM, TETH A-DAM, TETH A-DAM!!!”
“TETH A-DAM, TETH A-DAM, TETH A-DAM!!!”
Alchemy turned to her big brother. “They’re calling for us, let us show them their Champion.”
Alchemy stood at the center of the balcony, breathing in the cool night air as she took in the sight and sounds of the fireworks overhead. Adamant walked up behind her, and draped his forelegs over her shoulders, hugging her from behind, she didn’t mind, and the safest she felt was in her brother’s embrace.
“Let’s create a new world together, okay Adam?”
“Yes…a new world…because this world is too cruel for you my little sister, you shouldn’t have been born into it. Not one with as kind a heart as you.”
Alchemy felt Adamant’s hug. “Oh Adam, don’t worry. We’ll make it one…”
Adamant’s horn glowed as he weaved his magical aura around her neck and on the sides of her head, careful not to exert pressure.
“SHAZAM!!!”
“SHAZAM!!!”
Lightning thundered down from the sky, but at that moment, Adamant pressed his aura against the sides of Alchemy’s head and around her neck.
“I’m sorry…”
“Brother –?”
*CRACK!*
The lightning bolt struck and what appeared from the white smoke was Teth Adam, although, his cape was no longer white, it had turned black as night, and his kind green eyes were now intense yellow eyes.
Black Adam released Scootaloo and let her step away from him. She gazed upon the stallion, her eyes wide with horror at what she had seen. Tears fell as she came to grips with the memories of…Adamant Resolve.
“You…You killed your little sister?! Y-You bastard! How could you?!” Scootaloo screamed.
“It was necessary…”
“NECESSARY?! HOW WAS IT NECESSARY?!”
“She was right in saying the world didn’t need a conqueror, but neither did it need a bringer of peace. No, it needed a ruler, one with the sight, might, and power to keep the world from plunging into chaos, to keep it from destroying itself and harming the innocent. Alchemy did not have that drive, and I couldn’t let her suffer any longer in this world. So I freed her from her last bond, and now she is happy.”
Scootaloo couldn’t believe what she was hearing. And, as if to bear proof of what he had done, Black Adam used his magic to erase the illusion that kept his mark hidden, revealing the diamond shield that was Adamant Resolve’s cutie mark.
“And I will not let her sacrifice be in vain! Give me the power now, and I shall overlook your transgressions!”
“Like hay I’m going to give it to a murderer like you!!!”
Black Adam’s eyes flared with the power of the Living Lightning! His horn charged up with mana and fired a blindingly powerful lightning bolt right at Scootaloo! The resulting explosion threw Scootaloo into the air, semi-conscious as she flew careened toward a building.
I can’t beat him…He’s too strong…I’ll die if I keep this up…
“SHA…ZAM…!”
The magical bolt of lightning shot down from the sky and struck Scootaloo, changing her back to her filly form while still in midair. The bolt helped to slow her down, but she was still heading for the old condemned structure. Scootaloo flapped her wings as hard as she could, faster and faster to try and slow her pace down a bit. The young pegasus filly went right through the glassless window, disappearing from sight.
Black Adam appeared where the remnants of the white smoke were, he scanned the skies and rooftops, even the ground below, but he couldn’t sense Scootaloo at all.
“COWARD, YOU CHANGE TO HIDE FROM ME?!!!” Black Adam yelled.
He waited for an attack, maybe even a response, but there was nothing. In his anger, Black Adam released a burst of magic that burned away part of a skyscraper. It was then that an idea popped into his head.
Very well, if you won’t come out and fight then I shall make you!
Black Adam took off towards City Hall, where he fought against the Princesses and Elements of Harmony, he remembered how quickly she came to the aid of the purple alicorn, so, he thought, using her as a bargaining chip would be a good way to bring her out and hopefully attain her power quicker. When he arrived the place was still in shambles, just as if left it, but below, five of the six mares were still unconscious. Black Adam gazed over the battlefield and found what he was looking for, plus a bonus.
Scootaloo lied on the dusty floor of the abandoned building. Coughing as she slowly rose up and winced from the pain radiating from her right shoulder. A bruise had started to form, a bad one from what she could tell, having crash landed shoulder first into the unforgiving wooden floor. She dragged herself over to a wall, panting in pain as she did so. Finally she slumped her back up against the wall and took a moment to regain her bearings. Just then, through her somewhat blurry vision, Scootaloo saw a flash of pink light. She blinked a few times to bring her eyes into focus and saw that the pink light was actually a pink butterfly made of light.
The butterfly landed on a chunk of drywall next to Scootaloo and looked up at her. “Mistress Scootaloo, thank the gods you’re alright!”
“M-Murmur, that you?”
“Yes my Champion it is! When I sensed Black Adam’s power I feared for your life! I saw you and your allies fighting bravely against him, I’m sorry, I should’ve warned you about the division of your powers when in use…forgive me.”
“It’s not your fault…I didn’t think he’d be this crazy strong…! Murmur, did you know what happened? Did you know that Black Adam is actually Adamant Resolve?! Alchemy’s older brother!”
The light butterfly shook its little head in surprise. “No my Champion, the Council couldn’t ascertain how or why Black Adam became the way he is. Often the mark of one’s destiny would switch between them during their transformations, so they knew not that only a single being had all the power…this makes more sense now…”
Scootaloo winced as she tried to get more comfortable where she sat. “Well…glad I could – ouch! Clear that up…! I can’t beat him Murmur…he’s going to kill me and take control of the Rock of Eternity…”
“Mistress, please, you can defeat him! You were chosen by Master Quick Silver, the ancient magic – the Living Lightning – chose you to be Magic’s Champion!”
1“WELL WHAT IF IT CHOSE WRONG?!!!” Scootaloo yelled. “I’m no ‘Champion’ Murmur! I’m a coward, just like he said!”
“Mistress you are not a coward.”
“AM I? When I was with my Mother, there many times when I could’ve stopped it…A teacher, a Royal Guard, one of my friends, I could’ve told them all about her and ended it all! But I was too afraid, afraid that nopony would believe me! Afraid that she would find out and hurt me more than she did, or worse, make me do more of those disgusting things! I ran away, that’s what cowards do Murmur, they run away! And when I found out I was going to be adopted, I was afraid that it was going to be her! If I had stayed I would’ve found out that it was Cheerilee who was going to adopt me, but stupid me, I ran all the way to Manehattan! MANE-HATTAN!!!”
Scootaloo turned away from the butterfly as tears flowed down her face. Murmur wished she wasn’t in her astral projected form, else she’d comfort her mistress in her time of doubt, but all she could do was try and convince her of the opposite.
“I know all of that Mistress…I know exactly of what has befallen you in your young life…”
Scootaloo snapped her head back to Murmur’s astral form. “But…you said that you weren’t there when the Wizard saw my memories!”
“As the steward of the Rock of Eternity, I am also made privy to the selection of new Champions. I see what Master Quick Silver sees in you Scootaloo, and you are not a coward, not by any means.”
Scootaloo sniffled. “You saw, so how can you still say that?!”
“Because it was in those memories, past and present, that I too saw the greatest source of your power. It is from this that the ancient magic flows strongly within you, and sets you apart from Black Adam in every aspect. It surrounds you, keeps you safe, and is something that you forged on your own and are willing to give your life to protect.”
“Equestria…? My wanting to fly? What?”
“Think Mistress Scootaloo, the answer is there…I must away, lest Black Adam sense my presence and locate you…”
The butterfly rose up into the air and began changing into particles of pink light that drifted into the wind. Scootaloo watched all this till she was gone, alone again. She hit the back of her head on the wall in frustration, Scootaloo had still doubted the Wizard choosing her. As much as she tried, she wasn’t like Rainbow Dash, she wasn’t smart like Twilight Sparkle, not wise like Princess Celestia. If there was anypony she thought would’ve made a better Champion it might’ve been Apple Bloom or even Sweetie Belle…
Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Princess Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Miss Cheerilee, Princess Luna…Aura, Alula, Mrs. Milano…Ponyville…Wait…could that be it…?
“CHAMPION!!! I GIVE YOU THIS ULTIMATUM!!! COME OUT NOW AND RELINQUISH YOUR POWER TO ME, OR I WILL EXECUTE THE ONE KNOWN AS PRINCESS TWILIGHT SPARKLE!!!”
“PRINCESS TWILIGHT!!!” Scootaloo shouted.
The pegasus filly, although with some difficulty and pain, made it to the window where she heard Black Adam’s voice boom from. She looked down at the streets below and gasped when she saw that Princess Twilight was indeed with Black Adam, thrown to the ground before his hooves, being suppressed by his powerful telekinetic aura.
“IF THIS IS NOT ENOUGH INCENTIVE, THEN I PRESENT YOU WITH THESE THREE!!!”
Black Adam brought up from behind him three spheres of transparent energy. In each one was housed Babs, Sweetie, and Apple Bloom, desperately pounding at their spheres to try and get loose.
“THIS PRINCESS ALONG WITH THE BLOOD OF THESE INNOCENT FILLIES WILL BE ON YOUR HOOVES CHAMPION!!! SHOW YOURSELF AND PRESERVE WHAT HONOR YOU HAVE LEFT!!!”
Seeing Princess Twilight battered and bruised, her friends held captive within the spheres of magical energy, somehow made whatever doubts Scootaloo had about herself
vanish in an instant as they were replaced by a fervent need to come to their aid. It was then that it clicked in Scootaloo’s mind, the reason why she was chosen, it was right in front of her the whole time. With new found determination, Scootaloo looked towards the heavens, feeling the ancient magic well up inside her.
This is why you chose me, right Wizard? This feeling in my heart whenever I’m with them, whenever I see them in danger! I won’t hesitate anymore, I won’t be afraid!
“SHAZAM!!!!!!!”
A lightning bolt, shining more brilliantly than its predecessors, shot down from the sky and struck Scootaloo! The strike was so powerful that it blew away the portion of the building where she was looking out the window, sending chunks of brick and cement falling to the ground. At the epicenter of the destruction was Scootaloo, her wings flared out, body shining with the power of the Living Lightning and eyes glowing brightly. Upon her suit, around her flanks, was a mark, the symbol of Shazam! Although that hardly registered in Scootaloo’s mind, she had only one concern, and that was to kick Black Adam’s ass!
With blinding speed, Scootaloo sped away till she was right in front of the alicorn stallion, the dramatic increase in her speed did not go unnoticed by Black Adam, if his shocked expression was anything to go by. Scootaloo delivered and uppercut to the stallion’s jaw, sending him flying straight into the air! The attack made him lose control over the spheres as they popped and released the three fillies. Scootaloo quickly grasped them in her telekinetic aura and set them down beside Twilight. Without saying a word, Scootaloo took off into the air after Black Adam, kicking up a whirlwind from her sudden ascension.
Black Adam stopped himself from going any higher into the sky. His jaw ached from the strike, tasting a bit of his blood. Something was off, she was stronger, that much he was certain of, and faster as well. Sensing the approaching presence of the Champion, Black Adam decided he wasn’t going to hold back anymore. His own electrical aura ignited as he let out a fierce battle cry! The alicorn stallion shot towards Scootaloo, fast as lightning! The two superpowers cocked back their right hooves, channeling their mystic might into them. At the moment before they met they thrust out, both punches hitting each other dead on at the same time! An explosion of crackling electrical energy boomed in the air, blasting away most of the clouds in the area.
The two broke off, becoming streaks of blue and red lightning, and blue and black lightning. The streaks continuously intercepted each other, creating a sonic boom with each impact. Multiple concussive booms could be heard raging across the sky as both lightning strikes dueled in the air above Manehattan! Scootaloo broke off from another interception, concentrated her power into her horn, and fired a massive blast of magical lightning! Black Adam saw this and raised his hooves to stop the attack and divert it. He was surprised to find out that when the blast hit his hooves, it hurt. The power raging from the blast shot through his forelegs and through his body, threatening to tear it apart! He tried to divert it, but found that the energy blast wasn’t going to be swayed so easily.
“Damn it! Why can’t I throw it like last time?!!!” Black Adam shouted.
In the end, the alicorn stallion defended himself the best he could and let the energy blast hit him. The lightning washed over him like a raging river, the energy coalesced right around him and detonated spectacularly, surrounding the blast zone in a gray dust cloud with sparkling blue particles.
Scootaloo awaited Black Adam’s response, knowing that that wasn’t going to be enough. But she wasn’t scared, she was ready. The smoke cleared, showing some of the damage done by her attack, his armor-suit had scratches and was burned in some places, and small chunks had been eroded away from the lightning blast in different parts of the armor. Black Adam lowered his forelegs from their protective formation and glared angrily at Scootaloo. His horn lit up and fired a volley of lightning strikes! Scootaloo took flight, dodging as many as she could with agility that would’ve made Rainbow Dash jealous. Black Adam then conjured spheres of electrical magic and fired them off like missiles!
Scootaloo continued her aerial acrobatics, barrel rolling, looping, diving, and accelerating out of harm’s way. But the with the frequency of the lightning bolts coming from Black Adam’s horn, and now the electro spheres chasing her, Scootaloo was starting to feel the heat. Just then she saw ten of the spheres appear in the direction she was going. Ten more were about to hit her from every direction, and the bolts were about to hit their mark. Thinking quickly, Scootaloo erected a barrier and braced for the impact of the attacks.
All of them hit at once, exploding mightily! Scootaloo’s shield fell from the onslaught, her eyes immediately scanning the skies for Black Adam. But she didn’t have to look far as the former Champion struck her in the barrel, making her let out a pain filled gasp as some blood spat from her mouth. Scootaloo gritted her teeth and rolled off Black Adam’s punch and delivered one of her own right across his left cheek! The stallion was stunned for a mere moment before returning with a punch to her right cheek. Scootaloo returned with an uppercut! Black Adam elbowed her in the chest! Both titans of magic traded blows one right after the other, the sky roaring with thunder from each blow!
To the two of them, they were fighting at normal speed, but to everypony else, they were moving at a blindingly fast speed that they were mere blurs, wrapped in an orb of electrical energy. The two warring powers grappled with each other in the sphere, shooting straight down to the ground and hitting the street, releasing a concussive wave that put the three fillies, and Twilight on their backsides. A large dust plume covered the area where both magical warriors landed, Twilight and the CMC held their breath, wondering who was going to emerge when the dust settled. Astonishingly enough, both alicorns were standing!
Scootaloo panted hard from her long battle with Black Adam, and so too was the former Champion. Black Adam couldn’t believe this, moments ago he had the mare on the ropes and now she was matching him blow for blow, with power equal to his. That’s when he realized something, during the whole fight, the alicorn mare had not spoken the names of the gods.
Impossible! Did she somehow manage to figure out how to unite all six powers at once?! Black Adam thought.
Scootaloo took a moment to survey the area, much of Manehattan’s tall buildings, shops, and streets were either badly damaged or on the verge of collapsing from the prolonged battle.
At this rate, we’ll destroy Manehattan before either one of us falls…There’s only one other option, I have to bet everything on this!
“Black Adam!” Scootaloo shouted. “We’re not going to end this fight any time soon.”
“Oh it will end, when you are beneath my hoof and begging me for mercy!”
“I think you’ve realized that I can control the powers within me now, I’m as fast, as strong, and as powerful as you! We can fight for an eternity without any real winner. But I have solution.”
“Proceed,” said Black Adam, dubious of what the solution might be.
“A real fight, pony to pony! No super powers, no magic, just our bare hooves. You win, you get my power, I win, well, I don’t care where you go, just so long as you never threaten anypony again!”
Black Adam scoffed in indignation. “You expect me to become mortal and let you deliver a killing blow while I am vulnerable?!”
“No, that’s something I’d expect you to do. SHAZAM!”
The magical lightning bolt struck Scootaloo, changing her back to her filly form before Black Adam. The stallion gawked at the true identity of the Champion he had been dueling against this whole time.
“A FILLY?! I’ve been fighting a filly! The Rock of Eternity chose another child?!”
“Like I said before, we’re not so different. Now, are you going to pony up and fight me?!”
Black Adam laughed at the absurdity of it all. His horn glowed as he wrapped his telekinetic aura around Scootaloo’s neck, hoisting her into the air and bringing her to eye level.
“You expect me to do that, now when I can so easily take your power?!”
“Go ahead, do it! Show everypony how much of a coward you really are!”
“What?!”
Scootaloo stared down Black Adam, unafraid of him as she spoke. “You killed your little sister, from behind! You didn’t have the nerve to look her in the eye, or give her a chance to fight back! You call yourself a ‘hero king’, you call yourself a Champion?! You’re no Champion, you’re just a disgrace! A cowardly disgrace who can’t even face down a twelve-year-old filly without his super powers! Why don’t you be a real stallion and fight me!”
Black Adam’s eyes narrowed with anger, his grip around her throat intensifying and making Scootaloo squirm and writhe in pain. With an infuriated roar, Black Adam tossed Scootaloo away.
“SHAZAM!!!”
The transforming magic lightning shot down from the sky and struck Black Adam. White smoke swirled around him and quickly dispersed, revealing a violet unicorn colt, glaring down at the orange pegasus filly.
“I am no coward! Have it your way, all this means is that you’re suffering will be prolonged!” Adamant shouted.
Scootaloo looked upon the teenage stallion in surprise, this wasn’t what she was expecting him to look like.
“You…You haven’t aged? I don’t get it, the Wizard was old, and he lived for hundreds of years, why aren’t you old and gray?!”
“What does it matter?! Now get up so we may – GACK!”
Adamant’s body suddenly started to grow, his mane and tail grew at an accelerated rate and continued to get longer, his body grew muscular and bigger, making him look like a stallion in his thirties, but it didn’t stop.
“WHAT’S HAPPENING TO ME?! WHAT DID YOU DO?!”
“I…I didn’t do anything!”
“You have no one to blame but yourself Black Adam.”
Scootaloo looked up and saw the pink butterfly that was Murmur’s astral projection hover over them.
“Whaaaaaaat…doooo you me…an?!” Adamant asked, his voice becoming raspy.
“You’ve spent thousands of years in that form, not once have you changed back since the day you murdered your sibling. Now time has caught up with you, no longer protected by your magical form, the ravages of time are passing you by. Years are flying by in mere seconds, soon, you will become dust.”
Scootaloo had no idea that was possible, but here it was before her. In the time she had spent looking and listening to Murmur, Adamant had become an old stallion, wrinkled and graying. He looked three times older than Granny Smith, and the aging wasn’t stopping. Scootaloo stood boldly before the aging Adamant, glaring at him through narrowed eyes.
“I have to thank you Adamant Resolve. Because of you, I realized where my magic draws its power from. It was the biggest difference between you and me, why the Wizard chose me despite seeing that we were alike. Unlike you, you are willing to destroy and kill anypony, even your own flesh and blood, to get what you want. For me, it’s the opposite. I ran away from my old home town and wound up in Ponyville, I thought I’d never get back the family that was lost to me when I was a littler filly. But there, with all my friends, and the ponies I look up to, I realized I had a family all along. And that I’d do all I could do make sure that they were safe. Seeing what you did to Princess Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and the others, and what you were going to do to my friends. I knew that I wanted to protect them, and this world we live in! That’s the reason I was chosen…”
Adamant, now a decrepit mummy of a pony, let out a shrieking roar as he ran for Scootaloo, his withered body leaving behind a trail of dust as he did so.
“…Because I am…”
Adamant dived for Scootaloo, trying to get to her magic to keep from dying such a pitiful death.
“SHAZAM!!!!!”
The azure lightning once again stuck Scootaloo, the force of the transformational blast completely blew away Adamant, breaking him apart and disintegrating his dust into nothingness. Scootaloo stood there, in her alicorn form, letting out a sigh of relief, the battle was over, she had won. The pink butterfly that was Murmur fluttered down to her, Scootaloo raised her left hoof and let the ping construct land on the tip of her horseshoe bracer.
“Well done, Champion of Magic.”
Scootaloo smiled at Murmur, but then sensed something strange. She looked back up and stared wide eyed at the ghostly image of Alchemy. She looked as she did in Scootaloo’s vision, an earth pony filly, with kind green eyes, a brown coat and a black mane with a streak of white in it. The specter smiled at Scootaloo and bowed her head before disappearing into the ether. Scootaloo couldn’t help but cry and smile back.
“You’re welcome.”