//------------------------------// // Equal in skill // Story: I Prefer the Term Freedom Fighter // by One of the Crowd //------------------------------// Chapter 3: Equal in skill ***Inside the cloud*** Isaac was had just forced one of the Crystal buildings to crumble from his arcane gauntlet as he walked calmly through the streets of the Crystal empire. He was unimpressed by the guards attempt to stop their army to say the least considering that many of them surrendered after watching their commander become nothing more than a stain in mere seconds. The few who were brave enough to fight back were made short work of when the first wave of shadow ponies moved in, and with Isaac's help they were able to punch a hole right through granting them access to the city. "You'd expect them to at least have more stallions on guard. They should of guessed I'd be here" Isaac said to himself as he continued down the street with multiple stall burning around him which irritated his eyes slightly. He remembered back to when he first began this campaign with Sombra, and how their first target was ponyville the town that saw him as a monster. They wanted a monster after all so what better way to give it to them than by conquering them and ripping out a certain purple ponies wings. He chuckled to himself at the memory and screams of the one Isaac hated the most in this god forsaken world he found himself in. "What's so funny Isaac?" Sombra asked in a rather agitated way. Sombra was wearing bits of metal armor around his neck and barrel protecting him from any harm though it was unnecessary as nothing could actually hit him. "I'm remembering how they called me a monster. It's funny how they think I've always wanted to destroy them" "I suppose it is funny, seeing as you've become their worse nightmare" "It's what they wanted, I'm just giving it to them" As the two walked the black cloud followed them consuming more of the town in it's darkness. Luca and Silver were deeper in the city already searching for the princess and pitiful excuse for a unicorn to be brought before Sombra for judgement. ***Further in the city*** "GET THE CIVILIANS TO THE CASTLE" Shining armor yelled out to all the guards that were currently fighting off a wave of Shadow ponies to get them away from the citizens while they made their escape. Shining knew that as soon as Sombra escaped that they were screwed because now that cloud could replenish the shadow's numbers. "Would you look at that, a unicorn who actually looks fit" Luca said as she walked over to shining armor wiht a path of unconscious guards behind her. "That is a rare sight you know" "Stay back or else" "Or else, oh chrysalis that is grand. How about this you come with me and I don't remove that horn of yours, eh" "Buck you" "Sorry, but I'm off the table" with that she started to charge her horn up with a stunning spell before they heard a yell from the south. "YO LUCA I SAID I WOULD CHECK THE CASTLE" Isaac yelled toward his friend. Isaac and Luca had agreed to split up to cover more ground and to get more civilians to safety if they could so seeing Luca there baffled Isaac. Luca on the other hand was baffled by Isaac showing up without his swords or gauntlets on while yelling at her about checking the castle when he was supposed to be protecting Sombra. "Get back to Sombra Isaac, you're not taking credit for bringing shining in" "What are you talking about, as much as I'd love to knock his ass out we've got to help the civilians here" At this shining decided to cut in. "Yeah right, Isaac helping civilians that's a laugh" "Damn you really hate me, don't you" "I'd hate to cut in, but Isaac what are you trying to play at?" Luca asked genuinly confused as to why Sombra's personal guard was out here talking about saving civilians when they all heard her voice come call out from behind Isaac. "Hey Isaac I couldn't find anypony over there so I figured... Why is there another me?" Luca asked staring at herself. Everyone was kind of shocked to see the two in the same location and Isaac even rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't hallucinating or in one of Luca's weirder dreams. "There are two of you now" Shining said with in disbelief as he glared at both changeling watching them both drop into combat stances. "I don't know who you are, but I'm the impersonator here" "Your right, because I'm the real Luca bitch" The two started to charge up there horns to fire spells at one another when Isaac turned to shining and said, "I'm just as confused as you man" Shining just looked at this Isaac wondering exactly what the hell was going on here as he didn't seem to hold any type of anger or hate for him. Whatever the reason Shining saw a very big possibility here when he asked, "If you really want to help with Civilians the guards could use a hand over there" "Got it" Isaac said before pulling out his pistol and taking aim at a shadow pony that was getting really close to one of the guards. "This day just got interesting." The two Lucas took to the skies earlier and were currently fighting overhead alongside the various guards and shadow ponies that were also up there with them. ***Back to Sombra*** The city was crumbling faster than expected considering this was the ponies last hope in freedom so the sheer lack of guards trying to fight off their forces was rather disappointing to Isaac, however fighting that pink princess is going to be one of the highlights of Isaac's conquests. A few arrows had hit Isaac earlier but thanks to the magic of not giving a fuck and his arcane gauntlet allowing him to use healing spells on himself. "I was really hoping to freeze one of these ponies, you know go all sub-zero on there asses" Isaac said to Sombra who was still walking beside him. Though Isaac had used his arcane gauntlet so often this day he was getting rather impatient with the use of his elemental gauntlet. "At least we're almost done here" "Isaac Luca's encountered a problem near the castle" Sombra said then he faced Isaac and said "Fix it" Isaac gave a nod before walking ahead of Sombra leaving the cloud and army behind him. Slight bits of the cloud would be left wherever he would step a mark of someone who wasn't entirely in control. ***Back by the castle*** 'BANG' Isaac took aim as another shadow pony was getting closer to some of the civilians that were running from the destruction only a few blocks away from them all. When Isaac joined the guards ranks they were worried to say the least ,but Isaac rushing in to tackle one of the shadows about to grab one of the civilians made them reconsider stabbing him in the back. "I swear they better hurry up with that enchantment" Isaac said as he kicked one of the shadow ponies that was getting to close in the face stunning it long enough for one of the guards to shove a spear through it. As time went on more and more of these shadows were pouring in making it harder and harder to defend this castle, and without that Crystal they would surely be taken. A resounding boom was heard throughout the town when Isaac was rammed in the back by a pony sized freight train. "YOU BUCKING TRAITOR" Raibow dash yelled as she lifted Isaac high above the castle at break neck speeds. "WHAT? I"M HELPING YOU GUYS!" "NO YOU"RE HELPING SHINING! BY THE WAY RIDES OVER" After that dash let go of Isaac letting him fall toward the ground from at least a mile up. He started panicking as he searched for anyway to save himself, but sadly there was nothing that would slow his descent until he hit something on his way down. "GET OFF OF ME" Luca Cried as she started trying to buck Isaac off of her though this only served in making him tighten his grip on her neck. By the way she was acting Isaac could tell that this definitely wan't his Luca so he didn't feel bad for grabbing onto her wings forcing her to drop like a rock. "Sorry, but you're a bitch" Isaac said as they fell toward the ground at higher speeds when Isaac was lifted off of Luca by the version of her Isaac wanted to see giving him a cheeky smile as she set him down on the ground. The other Luca was able to right her flying just in time to prevent her from dying, however she couldn't correct her flight path as she went face first into a nearby building knocking her unconscious. "HEY, JACKASS" a very familiar voice called out to the duo who were heading off towards the castle to help with its defense. Turning around the two saw yet another copy of one of them, this one being Isaac. "I don't know what's going on, but I don't fucking care" "I don't either, but I'm not above destroying something so pretty as my own face" "Neither am I, now as a great ninja once said GET OVER HERE" An invisible force shoved Isaac toward this other version of him as it drew two swords. "God damn it, Why am I acting Like scorpion" "Because he had the best fatalities" With that Isaac threw a fire ball directly at Isaac's chest which Isaac avoided by ducking which left part of his hair singed. While ducked however the other Isaac ran toward him slashing his blades at him only to be thrown away but Luca who was standing next to Isaac. He quickly got up from the blast and charged up another fireball before being picked up and slammed into the ground by a blue type of aura. Looking up Isaac realized he had taken the notice of one alicorn who looked extremely pissed. Taking this moment of distraction Isaac tackled Isaac from behind and started wrestling with him which confused the alicorn as she only saw one Isaac a second ago. "Nice gloves" Isaac said as he grabbed onto one of his doppelgangers hands and slid one off which caused his other self to become really agitated. "Give me back my glove!" He roared as he levitated a nearby barrel before throwing it at Isaac's head which actually hit him launching him into a nearby building. "You might have my face but you have none of my skills" "Leave him alone!" Luca yelled as she galloped toward Isaac to see if he was alright only for her to be thrown aside by Isaac. He walked over toward his unconscious self before raising his sword to finish the job when it was pulled from his grip by the princess who finally realized that she still had a duty to perform which involves stopping evil if possible. Isaac grinned at the princess before using his magic to force her onto the ground which she struggled against with all her might, but no matter how much she struggled she couldn't get back up and she could only watch as her captor walked over toward her with his other sword at the ready. "Forgot about me? Big mistake mother fucker" Isaac said as he slashed the other him with it's own sword that Cadence had yanked out of his hands. This surprised Isaac but he quickly teleported away before Isaac could slash him again. Cadence was looking over at this other Isaac perplexed at the fact that he had just saved her when her thoughts were interrupted by him saying, "You going to sit there and stare or are you going to help me track him down" "Why did you save me" Cadence asked when she was finally able to form an actual sentence. "Who else is going to hire us?"