//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 Acceptence // Story: Both Sides of the Blade // by AverageMemory //------------------------------// “Alright, ladies.” I announced. “Once again, the princess insists we fight her own battles for her. So, because my previous attempt to bring down Orobas failed, I will be asking you five to use the elements of harmony to take him out for good.” “Five?” Applejack said, perplexed. “Ain’t there suppose ta’ be six of us?” “Well, is there?” I asked. “Uhg. Fluttershy isn’t here.” Rainbow Dash groaned. "Where does she live?” I asked. “A cabin on the edge of the woods, bu-“ Twilight said, but I walked right past her. “Does she live alone?” I asked. “Well, yes, but I don’t thi-“ twilight said, but again I didn’t allow her to finish. “No time for warnings. I’ll stay on my guard. I’ll be back.” I said, storming out the door. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As I walked down the empty, evacuated streets, something occurred to me. Celestia was trusting me to take him out. Did she really trust me? Or was she counting on my failure? I heard hoof steps. I stopped, and turned my head slightly. I saw Shining Armor out of the corner of my eye. “Hey, Majora!” He called out. “Lord… Lord Armor?” I said. “Yep.” He said. “Good to see you're alive after all these years.” “Likewise.” I said. We walked next to me. “So, Princess Celestia said you might need my help. I came as soon as she-“ I held up my hoof for him to stop. “I won’t need any help. If all goes according to plan, I will just need the elements of harmony, and myself.” “Are you sure?” “I’m positive.” He sighed. “Well, in any case, I have something for you.” He reached into his bag and pulled out a Royal Guard helmet. “This is yours.” My eyes widened. My helmet. “I found it at the foot of the mountain when we went looking for you. I kept it for all these years never believing for a second you were dead.” He said. “Tha- Thank you, my lord.” I stuttered. I took the helmet and slid it onto my head. It still fit perfectly. “You’re welcome, and you don’t need to call me ‘Lord’, you are my equal.” He said. “Indeed.” I said. I saw a small cottage at the edge of the forest. We walked up to the door. “Majora, we’re all counting you.” He said. I chuckled. “I suggest you go home now. This battle is between Orobas and I.” I said, knocking on the door. “Well, if you think you can handle it, I won’t step into your business.” He said. The door slowly opened to reveal a clamoring yellow Pegasus. “Fluttershy?” I asked. “Ye- Yes.” She stuttered. “I need you to come with me, ma’am.” I said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fluttershy walked very close as we went down the street. I was very wary now. I felt uneasy because I wanted to finish this quickly. “Mr- Mr. Majora? Where are we going?” She asked, quietly. “To your friends. I must get you to them before-” The ground began to shake violently. Black smoke rose from the ground, and swirled a bit. A tall, slender, ghostly alicorn stepped from the cloud. He was black, with a red and black spiked mane. His horn ended in a fine, intimidating point, and a wingspan that rivaled Celestia's. “What the-?” I said, but the ghost cut me off. “So, she lied.” It said. “What?” I asked, very confused. “She said if I lost the gem, I would die. I welcomed such a way to go, but she lied... again.” The alicorn’s face became painstakingly sad. “Why has she cursed me like this?” “...Orobas?” I wondered out loud. His ear twitched, and his expression changed to a wicked smile. “Precisely, sir.” I drew my sword, and dropped it into my hoof. “Put that thing away. Look at me! I’m a ghost.” Orobas said. Fluttershy began to whine, trying to hide herself. “Oh, am I scaring you?” He asked. His apparition split and moved around me reforming behind her. “GRAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!” He roared at her. Fluttershy screamed, and darted in the direction of the library. I glared at him. “Monster.” I spat. His eye twitched. “Such a nasty word. You know, my love called me that right before she left me. Then I became this. It was all for her, yet she never accepted my eternal devotion.” His face became sad again. “Why do you continue to walk the earth?” I asked. “Maybe it’s because I cannot yet accept that she doesn’t love me...” Orobas sighed. “Who? Why would you continue when she is dead...” I stopped and dreaded the thought. “You know her as an immortal princess. She gives you the land you love, and you praise for her greatness. All I see is the horrible she devil.” He said. “So why don’t you just accept the fact Celestia doesn’t love you?” I asked. He became enraged. “BECAUSE SHE IS THE DEVIL!” He yelled, stomping his ghostly hoof. The ground cracked and fire bursted into the air. I took cover. When I looked back up, he was gone. “Now I will finish what I started.” I heard him say. I looked behind me, and was immediately met by his eyes. He held out his hoof, and a not-so-ghostly scythe appeared. He took it back in both hooves and stood up on his hind legs. “Let’s continue where we left off.” He said. So I took my sword back in my hoof, and lunged at him. I swung my sword. He swung his scythe around with so much force, he knocked my sword back. He simply lurched his scythe forward and cut into my chest. I fell back. “You’re weak.” he said. “Not worth my time.” “Save the false confidence, Orobas.” Someone said. I glanced around, spotting no one. Then a large white alicorn landed directly in front of me. I jumped back. “You have defied death for so long. Why don’t you just leave?” Celestia asked. I stood up and collected myself. “Because, my purpose has changed. Instead of your forgiveness, I must have your blood.” He said darkly. “You won’t get the chance,” Celestia said, “perish.” She jumped up into the air, pointed her horn down, and shot a insanely bright beam of light down on Orobas. “GAA! WHAT... WHAT IS THIS?” He yelled. “Something I should’ve done a long time ago.” Celestia said. The amazing light enveloped the ghost, and continued to rain down. All I could hear was the squelch of magic, as I was slowly blinded by the light. I had seen this before in books. This was royalty’s way of ‘erasing’ the unwanted. The beam she was using completely wipes all that come in contact with it out of existence. The beam stopped, and Celestia dropped to her hooves. The smoke cleared, and Orobas was gone. “Is... is that it?” I asked. “I’m sorry I put you through all this.” She said, turning to me. “Yes, that is it.” I sighed in relief. “Well then.” She chuckled. “I must ask, princess, how did you meet him?” I said. She held a hoof up to her chin. “I don’t believe it’s your business.” I lowered my head. “Forgive me for-” “It’s fine.” she said. “He was... a friend.” She began to stare off into space. I heard a large explosion in the distance, and looked over. A mountain had completely shattered into pieces. “GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!” “What.... the.... hell....” I said, gaping at the explosion. Celestia’s trance broke. “Huh?” She glanced over. “Oh... my.” I extremely large black figure rose out of the mountain. It was half submerged in the ground. It had clawed hands, and a wicked spikey smile. One eye was just a large white ‘X’ while the other had a small red pupil in the center. Its body was pitch black, reflecting no light. It had two large pointy horns. “I WILL HAVE REVENGE!!!!” It yelled. I looked at the Princess, who had a single tear in her eye. “What have I created?” She asked indirectly. “P-Princess! What will we do?” I asked, frantic. “We must use the elements, he is solid now, so they should work. I fear he might be able to block the blast, though.” She said. “I’ll go, have the girls ready to fire on my signal!” I said. I spread my wings and took off for the gigantic monster. “What?” I heard her say. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~