The SOES were busy traversing the endless labyrinth, desperate to look for a way to delve further into the labyrinth.
"It's going to be pretty tough from here on out, we're going to need a map to be able to know our way through." Rarity stated
"I've got a map..." Sweetie volunteered "I am able to scan our surroundings and record them down. Should you need navigation to a certain location, you can speak to me."
"Roger." Soarin nodded.
"Incoming Shadows to your left!" Fluttershy alerted
"No sweat!" Applejack chuckled "ah could use some training after all!"
"Ugh..." Big Mac sighed as Applejack and Polyduces charged into the horde of Lying Hableries. With the alternative attacks of her fists and Zio attacks, the shadows collapsed into motes and dust, one by one. Unfortunately, there were more Hableries than that and as soon as they got the chance to strike, each casted Bufu straight towards Applejack dealing serious damage and leaving her on the ground.
"Ah-Ah need some help!" Applejack yelped.
"Arf! Arf!" Winona jumped next to Applejack and with a howl, summoned Cerberus, a three-headed black dog that had pitchforks as it's legs. Cerberus proceeded to summon a circle of purple fire, creating a diamond-like seal surrounding one of the hableries, when the seal exploded, the unlucky Hablerie disintegrated along with it.
"Why aren't you the special one Winona." Applejack petted Winona after getting up. "How could ah ever forget that Mudo?"
"Now is not the time for comfort." Sweetie warned "there are still many Hableries remaining." The long-tongue shadows viciously licked their lips at Winona and charged straight towards her.
"But I shall do something about that." Sweetie finished and leapt in front of the dog "Summoning Palladion!" She commanded, summoning a blue pony with a yellow tail. However, the head of this persona was replaced with a large contraption that comes with a helmet, top body armor, and a spinning electric stake pointing out. Only a mechanical mask of the mare's face can be seen surrounding part of the stake.
"Palladion, launch a single shot!" Sweetie commanded. In response, Palladion aimed her stake at a column of enemies and fired a sharp bolt that pierced two hableries which decomposed into sludge and dark motes.
"It's not over yet!" Big Mac glared as he drove his hammer through the a few more hableries and with one mighty swing from Castor's horse stick, crushed the remaining hableries until the coast was clear.
"Enemies are defeated. The room is clear for now." Fluttershy analysed
"Alright!!! We did it!" Applejack cheered in victory while at the same time, applied some medicine to her frozen wounds.
"Tsk... Don't be so reckless again..." Big Mac sternly spoke
"Arf! Arf!" Winona barked
"She says that if only Applebloom was here, then it would truly show the connection and love of the Apple Family." Sweetie translated
"But seriously." Applejack reasoned "we have to keep her out of this. It's to show how much we love and cherish her that we need to keep her out of danger. Besides, do you know how silly she'd look if the little gal started fighting with her persona? And don't get me started on what her persona's like."
"Haaaahhh!!!!!" In another room far away from the SOES, Applebloom furiously drove one of her front hooves downward on a Cowardly Maya, destroying it's mask and allowing it's sludgy form to crumble and melt into dust.
"Wow Applebloom!" Octavia complimented "you look spectacular!"
"Thanks Octy!" Applebloom blushed
"It's not over yet Miss Octavia and Miss Applebloom." Flash warned "there's still a bunch of shadows over there" and pointed to a group of Mayas.
"Ta!" Twilight yelled as she fired a few shots from her special revolver, managing to take out a few Mayas. More Mayas continued to urge on towards the Princess.
"It's come to this I guess." Twilight breathed and her Tarot card appeared above her. Aiming the gun at the card, she fired a single shot to break the card and summoned Sukuna-Hikona, a navy blue pegasus with a white tail that seems to have it's wings replaced by a hang-glider. It also dons a fully covered fencing-like helmet that only showed her yellow black eyes and had two yellow perpendicular leaf stalks on the helmet as an accessory. The pegasus wore a yellow tie and brandished a plasma sword which she held to 'attention'.
"Sukuna-Hikona." Twilight commanded "show them the boundaries of your power!" With a nod, her persona swiftly flew through the horde of enemies and slashed any Maya in her sight within a split second each. After flying past her row of shadows, the shadows burst into dust and sludge.
"Not bad!" Twilight complimented "think it's a new personal best?" Sukuna shrugged at that question before disappearing.
"I think she's the best as always." Flash replied
"Really?" Twilight blushed "I mean, she's got a pretty high magic stat but all she can learn are light and dark moves, I'm still trying to see how she could learn Megido..."
"A medium almighty attack." Flash chorused "that's pretty difficult..."
"Besides," Twilight continued "she always keeps on daydreaming."
"Daydreaming? Are telling me that Sukuna-Hikona daydreams?"
"Yeah, she's been daydreaming about something and I can't tell what it is."
"Interesting... Let's talk about it later, Spike's getting mauled by those shadow's claws." Flash reminded
"Oh come on!!!" Spike yelled as he swung his claws to the ground, attempting to strike a Maya, "can you stop moving around so much!?"
"Spike!" Flash yelled "use your persona!!!"
"Oh okay!" Spike remembered and shattered his tarot card to summon Kintoki-Douji.
"Let's send out a Mabufu Mr Douji!" Spike encouraged. As Kintoki spun around and around with increasing velocity, steam escaped from his sides against the surrounding Mayas. All the Mayas that came into contact were frozen on the spot. With a snap of Spike's fingers, the ice and shadows shattered into small ice fragments as well as the occasional remains of dust and sludge.
"Huh, now why haven't I thought of that before?" Spike asked Kintoki-Douji, who returned an unhappy somersault.
"Sorry I had been neglecting you lately, always trying to focus on using my claws. But you are a part of me, so I should also use you too." With Spike's apology, Kintoki-Douji bounced happily while materializing back to a card.
"We should provide back up to the others." Flash replied and the three set off.
"Wow!" BonBon replied amazed as the SOES trotted through the complex path-splitting hallways. "The entire hallway is decorated with cards!"
"Indeed." Rarity nodded as she inspected some of the paper flowers, cards and bushes. "This is indeed a representation of 'Alice in Wonderland'."
"Are there labyrinths involved in the book?" Rainbow asked
"yes" Fluttershy answered "the storybook says that Alice had to traverse the labyrinth in order to meet the queen of hearts."
"So at the end of the labyrinth, we'll confront into the queen..." Soarin said to himself
"What did you say leader?" Scootaloo asked, fear rising in her voice.
"It's nothing." Soarin replied, devoid of expression.
"Um... Everypony?" Fluttershy stuttered
"what's wrong Flutters?" Rainbow asked "you sound scared."
"There's some powerful shadow in the room next to you, it seems like it means business!"
"WOAH!!!" Pinkie gasped at a large bipedal card walking around.
"What in Celestia is that thing!?" Twilight asked
"Fysis Oikein Eidolon" the Doctor answered
"I beg your pardon?" Octavia replied
"Fysis Oikein Eidolon" the Doctor repeated
"Man! That's a mouthful to describe an enemy like that." Applebloom gulped "why don't we all call it something simpler?"
"Fysis Oikein Eidolon..." Flash repeated a few number of times... "F...O...E..."
"That doesn't sound bad!" Lyra overheard "why don't we call them FOE's for short?"
"FOE it is then!" Vinyl agreed over the Persona comm line.
"By the way..." Derpy replied. "Do you know where we are going?"
"Currently, I am trying to remember and recall the paths we have taken and the paths we have not. Unfortunately, I am not sure if I am able to record the entire maze."
"Then why don't we use this?" The Doctor asked and passed a notebook to Flash "I think you can use this as a map as a guide around the labyrinth."
"A splendid idea." Flash remarked as he quickly drew down the pathways that they came through. "Thank you very much."
"Hmm..." Twilight watched as the FOE was moving in a pattern. "I see..."
"What is it Twily?" Pinkie asked
"It seems the FOE has a pattern it follows while it doesn't pay any attention to us."
"But unless we block it's path." The Doctor finished "it will do battle with us."
"Then the obvious choice is to stay out of it's way." Lyra sighed, and making sure that they avoid getting in the FOE's way, they managed to enter the door to the next room.
"Phew!!!" Rainbow took in a breath of relief as the last shadow disintegrated after being skewered by her sword.
"Another shadow group down." Fluttershy noted "but there's still going to be more..."
"Hey..." Scootaloo noted "I think a few of the shadows dropped this." And showed the group 3 blank cards.
"Analysis complete." Sweetie inspected "they are nicely-framed cards that has nothing on the front, but a peculiar design of a half-black, half-white mask on the back."
"Hmm... Maybe we should hold on to it for now..." Rarity advised. Soarin nodded slowly and plopped the cards into their inventory.
"Yawn... All this travellin is making me tried." Applebloom moaned
"well, why don't we rest at a dead end of the labyrinth?" Octavia suggested
"that sounds pretty dangerous if you ask me." Twilight cringed
"Or what about that glowy spot over there?" Lyra suggested, pointing towards a circle of light. The light continued shining as the RID surrounded it.
"What is this?" Spike asked as he tried to inspect anything inside it.
"I don't know what it is..." Vinyl analysed "but it appears to draw forth power."
"Power?" The Doctor asked
"maybe if you enter it and take a look around, something good may pop out!"
"shall we call it a power spot then?" Twilight suggested "to simply put it in terms, it's some small area that seems to expel power."
"That would do." Flash nodded
"Then let's try it out!" Pinkie replied and jumped into the spot.
"Lady Pinkie!" Flash warned
"Oooh!" Pinkie gasped "I'm seeing a lot of special stuff in here! Check this out!" And pulled out a page with a picture of a cake.
"Wait... That's it?" Lyra inspected with disappointment.
"Hmm..." Vinyl analysed then muttered something away from the comm line before returning with an answer "apparently, Celestia can use these materials to build better weapons and sundries. So grab as much as you can."
"Alright!" Pinkie jumped with glee and landed back in the power spot. Rummaging for more.
In another area of the labyrinth, the SOES were busy looking at a mysterious pocket watch hanging on top of a wall segment.
"What is this?" Rainbow asked "this looks different than any other wall."
"It looks like a normal accessory, but it seems to be some sort of device..." Fluttershy analysed "try noting it down for later."
"Understood." Sweetie nodded. As the SOES continued travelling through the labyrinth, they came in contact with yet another pocket watch similar to the one they found from before.
"Another one?" Rarity wondered loudly
"It appears this wall is right opposite a path that we have recently traversed.
"Oh look! There's a button!" Rainbow noted and pressed it.
"H-Hey! Don't press random buttons for nothing!" BonBon warned before it was to late.
"Woah!" Big Mac noted after some shadow cape swiftly covered the view around them and when it lifted, they were in an entirely different area in the labyrinth!
"Rainbow!!!" Applejack scolded "what did you do!?"
"I-I didn't mean any harm!" Rainbow defended with fear, "a-all I just did was click a button on the clock. Look! There's the clock over there! We can click it and go back!"
"Or will it lead us to another area!?" BonBon glared
"Hold." Sweetie interrupted, "from my map's database, we are currently at a place that we have been before."
"Really?" Big Mac asked
"Now that you look at it" Rarity looked around "it does seem familiar..."
"If I may demonstrate" Sweetie instructed "there are two adjacent hallways that is separated by a wall. Now on a wall, there is that 'pocket watch' on one of the wall segments, but there is also another on the exact opposite side. This watch mechanism is to allow passage through these walls. However, in order to activate the secret passage, the mechanism on the furthest side must be activated. Then we can just hop between walls without having to walk for a long distance. I believe the single word to describe this mechanism is a 'shortcut'."
"Oh..." Applejack calmed down in shame "so all Rainbow did was to open up a short cut to minimise trotting distance."
"That is correct." Sweetie nodded
"Hah! Yes! One point to me for contributing to the team!" Rainbow cheered
"don't push it." BonBon sighed "you didn't even know what that thing did in the first place."
"Enough fighting guys." Soarin broke up "otherwise, this journey home will be over before it even starts."
"Arf Arf!" Winona barked
"Hey!" Scootaloo called "it seems that Winona found something!"
"It says that he sees a shadow that is in the form of a golden hand." Sweetie translated
"A golden hand?" Fluttershy gasped "that shadow is very rare! It's remains are worth a fortune!"
"Really?" Soarin replied "I wouldn't believe that such a walking hand would be so rare. Besides, what can it do--"
"Everypony attack!" Rarity commanded, but whatever the SOES threw at it, the Wealth Hand saw it all. It stepped away from Rarity's rapier lunge, jumped over Rainbow's broadsword, ducked under Sweetie's magic missiles and even made sure that BonBon's arrow was fired through it's fingers.
"Woah! That's impressive." Soarin replied "I'll take back what I said about that hand." And drew his sword "but now it's my turn!" Soarin flew straight towards the enemy and successfully managed a cut on the hand.
"Well done leader!" Fluttershy commended "but that's only one damage dealt."
"WHAT!?"
"Don't worry! Hands like these have 5 HP only!"
"Oh okay." Soarin calmed. However, a snap from the shadow's fingers casted Mudo against Soarin.
"Oh no..." Soarin replied emotionless face until the dark energy exploded, leaving behind a lifeless pegasus.
"S-Sorry..." Was all Soarin could mutter before he died.
"Leader!" Rainbow yelled and rushed to his side "are you all right?"
"I... Can't read his vitals... His body temperature's very low..." Fluttershy reported, the sound of crying can be heard.
"Dammit Soarin! Don't give up on us!" Rainbow grabbed. "Use this!" And attached a revival bead to his neck. The bead disintegrates into magic energy and buries itself into Soarin's body. A moment later, Soarin's eyes opened again and regained consciousness as he stood back up.
"Did I die?" Soarin asked
"Not on our watch." Rainbow sighed with relief. As everypony was distracted with Soarin, the Wealth Hand made it's chance to escape.
"We'll get it next time." Rarity growled
In another area, Pinkie was happily pulling out every material that she can find in the power spot. A Cake Page, a Mushroom Page, and the rarest one that she could find, a Tart Page.
"Quite the number of materials you got." Twilight analysed
"I know right?" Pinkie replied with glee "if we sell this, we'll get a lot of bits and better equipment!"
"Wait!" Vinyl yelled "I feel like the power spot has just increased in power."
"Meaning?" Flash asked
"Two ways can either go from here. Either the spot will yield something very nice, which would probably be the Tart Page again."
"And the other way?" The Doctor asked
"I can feel the presence of shadows here. So if you go the other way, shadows WILL pop out of that spot and WILL get the jump on you. It won't be very pretty..."
"So?" Lyra replied, eager for a decision.
"Your move Pinkie." Octavia replied "if it turns out to be the path of shadows, we'll back you up."
"Thanks everypony!" Pinkie replied "because I'm going to do it one more time!" And continued delving into the power spot, unaware that the mist of shadows were lurking out of the spot.
"Look out!" Flash warned as the mist of shadows surrounded them. As the RID recovered from their coughing fits, they spot two tables wearing masks and levitating items. Although it's hard to see, but these table shadows are laughing at them.
"Damn... Laughing Tables!" Lyra growled.
"Look's like they've got the jump on us..." Vinyl informed
"Take cover!" Flash warned before the tables started tossing it's levitating items towards the party, dealing quite a lot of damage to the ponies, the worst being Twilight as she was stabbed in her hind leg by a machete.
"Argh!!!" Twilight grimaced over the pain as she returned a few shots from her magic pistol. One of the tables lost footing against the counter and fell flat on the floor.
"Princess! That hit was very dangerous!" Vinyl gasped "if you don't do anything soon, you'll die!"
"Here, let me help. Konohana Sakuya?" Octavia comforted while Konohana casted Dia. Blue shining motes of light. Fell from the Persona's wings onto Twilight's wound, which soon healed it's wound.
"Th-Thanks..." Twilight breathed with relief.
"Be careful." Vinyl warned. "But on the bright side, I've learnt that this enemy is weak to your piercing magic bolts!"
"Stab attacks huh?" Spike replied
"Unfortunately" Flash sighed "out of our weapons, Twilight is the only one that has basic stab attacks, while the majority of us are cut attacks."
"We've got to find another weakness..." Lyra stated.
"I won't forgive you for harming the Princess!" Octavia yelled and in response, Konohana sent an Agi attack on the second table, also knocking it down.
"Fire is another weakness!" Vinyl analysed
"I'm not done yet! Sukuna-Hikona, take them down with Hama and Mudo!" As Sukuna-Hikona was summoned, her perpendicular leaf stalks started glowing as she raised her sword to attention. 4 cards of light surrounded one while a diamond of darkness surrounded the other, as both light and dark seals disintegrated with a flash, only a few desk legs and pieces were left behind.
"Phew... That was close..." Pinkie sighed,
"Pinkie!!!" Twilight scolded "why did you--"
"It's not her fault princess." Flash interrupted with a death stare "it could happen to any of us, she didn't know and we didn't know there would be shadows coming out from the power spot."
"Speaking of the power spot, It's readings are gone now. I think you depleted the spot." Vinyl, noted
"Aww..." Pinkie sighed,
"don't worry, it will appear the next time we enter the labyrinth!" Vinyl replied "but for now, we must continue forward--"
"Say, are those?" Octavia spotted two blank cards lying on the floor.
"More of these white cards?" Lyra continued "That means 2 cards plus 3 cards from what we picked up before makes 5 total."
"Oh cool! Look like you can do basic arithmetic after all!" Spike mocked
"Say that again, I dare you!" Lyra bellowed, anger rising in her voice.
"Hey Flash, can you show us the map?" Twilight asked
"yes milady." Flash nodded passing the notebook to the princess.
"Hmm..." Twilight inspected "It looks like you are keeping a sharp tab on our surroundings. A nicely drawn map, do you think we get something good if we managed to explore the entire labyrinth?"
"Well let's see... We've got a few ways to go and some shortcuts to uncover" Flash replied. "And apparently--" He pointed to an area where a large gate with a set of stairs going downwards further into the labyrinth. "There are some stairs!"
"So let's see what we've got. In this labyrinth, we saw 2 FOE's, a few shortcuts, some materials in the form of pictures. Three different types of shadows and blah blah blah..." Twilight's started rambling about all that they have seen in this labyrinth. Meanwhile, the rest of the RIB watched in horror as ample amounts of sludge and dust started forming in front of the stairs, revealing multiple Lying Hableries, Cowardly Mayas and Laughing Tables, guarding the way forward.
"Twilight?" Pinkie tried to get her attention but she continued on rambling about the appearance of the labyrinth.
"Twilight..." Octavia joined in but the Princess then started talking about the description and aesthetics of the materials found on the floor.
"Twilight?" Derpy called with fear in her voice, "th-the shadows are coming." But then Twilight began describing the shadows and FOE's seen on this floor.
"Twilght!" Spike and Lyra yelled
"Milday!" Flash yelled with them.
"Yes?" Twilight changed her attention.
"Can we discuss and evaluate this area after we advance down the stairs?" Flash asked
"But we can't now since there are shadows in the way." Twilight inspected until she gasped in horror "there are that many shadows in the way!? How did this happen?"
"To busy lecturing your own self!" Pinkie teased "that's what you get!"
"Unfortunately, what's done is done." Lyra sighed and levitated her folding chair, "now let's get fighting!"
"I've got a plan of attack." Flash informed "but it's going to need all of you."
"We are all in sir!" Applebloom saluted
"We trust you." Octavia remarked
"Right. Octavia? Milady? Can both of you fire an endless barrage of ranged fire, stab and ice attacks?"
"That shouldn't be hard." Octavia chuckled, Twilight loaded her magic pistol as a sign to show that she was ready.
"Can you help as well?" Flash asked the Doctor "your arrows and Fire Spray would assist greatly."
"My pleasure." The Doctor nodded and armed his bowguns.
"You can do it Doctor!" Derpy cheered
"On my mark. Open fire!" Flash commanded
"Konohana Sakuya!" Octavia summoned and the three ponies began firing at the shadow horde with magic bullets, fire balls and ammunition of different substances.
"Keep them back! Knock them down!" Flash instructed "when they're suppressed, the rest of us will initiate an all-out attack!"
"Stay down." The Doctor ordered, as the shadows began to crawl towards the group, while being pushed back by projectiles.
"Where do you think you're going?" Octavia asked as Konohana threw a fireball at a shadow attempting to get close. No matter how may shadows they push back, more joined the advance and the attacked shadows continued marching.
"They're not going down, and more of them are coming!" Vinyl assessed, as the three ponies fired as much as they can at the ever-approaching shadows. The remaining 5 RID members were ready to summon their personas if the shadow horde lunged at them, initiating the defence formation
"If we continue firing at single targets at this rate..." Twilight gasped "the shadows will be all over the front team!"
"Well thank goodness there is this 'boost state', otherwise, I'd already get tired." Octavia replied with boredom as she watched Konohana continually casting Agi's towards the shadows until all of a sudden, she stopped.
"Konohana?" Octavia asked "is something the matter?" The large pegasus knelt down beside Octavia and whispered something that was inaudible to everypony but the Cellist.
"Is that so? Well that is an excellent idea!" Octavia beamed with excitement. As the pony and her persona faced the unfaltering horde of shadows. Determination flared in the grey mare's eyes.
"Enough with the single targets. I will burn you all!" Octavia threatened and yelled "Maragi!" Konohana Sakuya immediately flew high in to the air and changing her wings to her glider form in order to absorb and charge up her fire. When there was enough energy, Konohana flew over the shadow horde, dropping the endless and numerous amounts of Agi projectiles that make up Maragi onto the entire shadow group. Nearly all of the shadows were stunned or knocked down, though a few remain stable to continue on approaching.
"There is a moment of opportunity there! Take the attack!" Vinyl spotted
"Understood! Is everypony ready?" Flash asked
"Born ready!" Pinkie replied, grasping her knives and kunais.
"Let me at em!" Applebloom growled, bumping her hooves together, eager for a beatdown.
"Bring it!" Lyra bellowed, swinging her folding chair
"It's time to rock the dragon!" Spike posed, reflecting his claw weapopn against the shadows.
"All together now! All-out attack!" Flash commanded
"Raaahhhh!!!" Lyra yelled as the 4 ponies and dragon charged straight into the horde and with all the excessive slashing, bashing and NOT stabbing, since Twilight and the Doctor were already occupied. The ruckus created immense clouds of dust which increase in volume with every minute. In the end, large skull-shaped cloud took form before disappearing along with the decimated shadow horde.
"Yes! Victory!!!" Twilight smiled
"Here comes the EXP!!!" Pinkie cheered
"I guess with every encounter, we would understand more about the enemy and how to fight them." Octavia tried to understand Pinkie's comment "I guess it can also train and power up the moves of our Personas. Just like how Konohana learnt Maragi." She turned to her Persona "thank you Konohana, you saved us all." Konohana replied with a bow of appreciation before disappearing.
"Do you think she'd be a good musician?" Applebloom asked
"I'm not sure" Octavia giggled "but I know she's a great dancer!"
"That much is true." Flash nodded
"Anyway, should we continue onwards? I mean, before those things show up again." Lyra suggested
"Yes." The Doctor nodded "I think its the best plan for now."
"B-But Doctor..." Derpy pulled with her trembling hooves.
"Don't be afraid Derpy, stay by my side. I'll protect you." The Doctor comforted.
"Everypony, march onward." Flash commanded and the RID traversed into a new floor.
"Are you sure that's everything?" BonBon asked as they approached the stairs leading downwards.
"That is correct." Sweetie answered "we have nearly explored the entire area now. All we need is to step on that space, and exploration of this area will be complete."
"But it appears that there is another labyrinth down there." Rarity pointed towards the stairs. "It's going to be another maze."
"Hey everypony!" Rainbow called out, the SOES turned so see Rainbow land on the spot that Aigis mentioned. As if the labyrinth knew that the entire labyrinth was complete, a large treasure box magically appeared next to the stairs.
"Hey!" Scootaloo called "do you think that treasure box is our reward for finishing the entire maze on this floor?"
"Since Rainbow has stepped on the last unexplored spot, this seems to make the treasure box appear. The evidence shown holds some truth to Scootaloo's theory." Sweetie analysed
"Well, shall we open it? I wonder what spoils we get for hard work!" Applejack grinned
"Maybe it's a trap." Big Mac warned
"There's no traps in there." Fluttershy comforted "I've checked inside, there's no hostile readings. Just some item."
"Then it's probably a rare one." Soarin sighed "I'll open it." And as light streams out of the treasure box, lo and behold, Soarin comes out with a heal stone.
"What a convenient item!" Fluttershy gasped "this item can heal a small amount of HP, but it's non-consumable!"
"Meaning?" Rarity asked
"You can use it as much as you want!"
"That's actually good, at least I can save my healing skills." BonBon sighed with relief
"But I can't sense the power of the heal stone..." Fluttershy said "we can't use it normally."
"So how can we charge it up?" Rainbow Dash
"From what I can analyse, this stone only receives it's power when in the presence of shadows. So when you're fighting shadows, this is the only time it can activate." Fluttershy
"Aww..." Scootaloo sighed
"But that's not all..." Fluttershy replied "it seems a fight just broke out here."
"Wait... What?"
"In this spot, I sensed the waves that Shadows emit before they die. This one was pretty big, and was released recently. I can say that a fight actually broke out here."
"Do you think it's..." BonBon started
"The Doctor." Applejack nodded "clearly, he wanted to go. So he and Derpy probably went off on their own."
"But..." Fluttershy protested "even if he did, how would he take out that number of shadows. At least 10 of them were here!"
"Hmm... That's a good question, but then again, he was familiar with the shadows!" Rainbow replied
"We can't rule it out though..." Rarity pondered loudly "are the two still there?" She asked. Fluttershy went silent for a moment then came back with a short but solid response.
"No."
"Then we'll need to find them. Before things get ugly." Soarin replied "shall we move on?"
"Alright. Time for some more shadow clobberin!" Applejack smiled
"Oh dear..." Big Mac sighed
"Be careful though. The shadows down there seem to be different and stronger." Fluttershy warned
"Let's go." Soarin replied with a yawn as the SOES unknowingly followed suit with the RID.
Character Database: Flash Sentry
Race: Pegasus
Character Role: P4 Hero/Yu Narukami/Souji Seta
Main Persona: Izanagi (Fool)
Not a lot is known about this blue haired orange pegasus. He had been serving in the Crystal Empire under Shining Armor until after the events of Tirek's return, where his post had been transferred to Ponyville under the Princesses' request. Before officially starting guard duty in Ponyville, he requested that he stayed in the house of his late parents with his younger brother and sister, something that he cares more than his duty as a soldier. During his service in Ponyville, apart from meeting and greeting the inhabitants of Ponyville, he has heard the recent cases of foggy disappearances, which eventually became murder cases. Much to the dismay of the Mayor (who was also the caretaker of his siblings) on trying to find the killer, Flash continued to follow orders on guard duty as he was not appointed or enlisted to interfere with the matters of civilian ponies of Ponyville unless for a special occasion. One late night, he stumbled on to the Ponyville theatre due to volunteering for cleaning duty. Midnight struck during his cleaning in the theatre, revealing a white blurry screen of a pony silhouette as Flash could do nothing but look. As he was watching however, some voice started speaking in his mind, tormenting him to "open the door". With that, Flash applied pressure on to the screen with his hoof and discovered the most mysterious yet horrifying experience in his life. He tried to tell ponies about the theatre, but was disregarded. However, Pinkie Pie, Spike and Applebloom wanted to see if it was possible, even though they were laughing on how preposterous and impossible it sounded. When Flash stuck his hoof in the theatre screen one more time, the mares' (and dragon's) laughs of disbelief changed into screams of terror, while Pinkie decides to express her surprise in the most eloquent way possible... Anyway, with an accidental trip, the 3 ponies had their first taste of the theatre world and the existence of Shadows. Managing to find the way out through 3 stacked theatre screens, they left the theatre world alone for the time being. After another foggy day, another pony died, the same pony that Flash saw in the theatre screen at midnight. As Pinkie was so close to that pony, she decided to investigate with Spike and Flash, leaving Applebloom behind. As they finally began to make a battle with shadows, Flash had the same voice speaking in his mind to "open your eyes and call forth what is within" this is how his persona, Izanagi was born. Using Izanagi to fight back the shadows, he rescued Pinkie from her own shadow, and thus she got her Persona by accepting her dark and embarrassing side. In the end, Flash promised Pinkie and Spike that they will find the culprit and his or her reason behind these murders. Thus, he sent a request to Celestia and Shining Armor for permission to initiate the Royal Investigation Division.
Special Tips: Flash's stats are supremely balanced. Flash may not have distinct stats like Soarin's Magic and Agility, but all of his stats are tight between each other, making him the better all-rounder for any type of battle encounter. With a close difference of 2, Strength ranks at the top, followed by Magic and Endurance. Although his Agility and Luck is the lowest, they are about equal in number. The most defining characteristic of Flash Sentry, is that he has no character. He learns Electric skills and is best suited in the front row with his longsword/katana (melee cut). His special status skill is Dekunda. This skill removes any stat penalties against the party, restoring anypony's stats to normal. Unlike Soarin, Flash has elemental resistance against Electricity and can nullify Darkness. Unfortunately, he has weakness against Wind, even if it's only one weakness.