Chapter 33

“Friendship Games part 5”

“Wolf, Lion, Unicorn”

A pensive silence fell as Twilight and Private looked on Spera, who was standing over his stepfather’s corpse as it laid, bleeding on the ground, staining the grass red. Spera looked at his hands, and just...grinned. “This is...wonderful…”

“He was a monster in human skin, he needed to be dealt with.” Spera said, simply, as if that alone was all that needed to be said.

“You...you can’t just kill people!” Twilight yelled, “As a guardian your supposed to protect humanity! Not blast holes in people!”

“What do you know?” Spera said, turning around to the pair of them. “We’re supposed to be protecting this filth? This filth who stole my life away? Who would hold my sister hostage, who would commit such heinous acts of evil?”

“Spera there could’ve been another way…” Private said, firmly. “We could’ve helped you.”

“As if you could’ve helped me,” Spera spat, “trying to claim the moral high road when you fail to see what you can do!”

“Think about it! That Witching Hour stops time! Can you imagine what can be done with one frozen hour?! We could easily save lives...or make sure accidents happen…”

“You mean kill people!” Twilight shot back. “We don’t kill people we’re trying to protect!”

“It’s not our job to be judge, jury, and executioner! You could’ve gone to the police! You could’ve just told me he had something on you! You could’ve reached out but instead you chose to use murder!” Private yelled.

“I’m getting real tired of you two telling me what to do! Of everyone trying to contain me!” Spera yelled, and his hands glowed bright green, he blasted towards the two guardians. They dodged quickly out of the way, the blast hitting some bleachers, blasting them to pieces.

Spera grinned as the dark magic flowed through him. “I’ll set you two as an example to the other Guardians, a new form of Guardian is in town, we will not only hunt monsters, but monsters in human skin. We will purge anybody who thinks they can get away with evil! And I’m afraid I’m going to have to borrow you two’s power!” Spera’s hands glowed and he aimed them at the ground, suddenly, black crystal began to form a barrier around all three of them, forming a dome of black, spiky crystal, preventing escape. “And I won’t tolerate interruptions…”

“Well you picked the wrong Guardians to mess with..” Private said, summoning his revolver.

“We’re not going to let you get away with cold-blooded murder,” Twilight said, summoning her staff.

“I’m tired of your meddling...get out of my way!” Spera yelled, and summoned his twin scimitars. He rushed towards them, Private summoned his sword as well, and blocked the scimitars, struggling against them.

Spera snarled at him, “Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you’re the weakest link Private Eye, I sense the darkness in you. I know you’ll fall first…”

“Getting real tired of the darkness bullshit…” Private said, struggling with the scimitars.

“Get your swords away from my boyfriend!” Twilight yelled, summoning some magic missiles that hit Spera in the side, sending the young man flying and crashing into the grass.

Spera got up, and spat blood that formed in his mouth as he looked at them. “So you hide behind a girl Private Eye?”

“Who’s hiding?” Private said, taking aim with his revolver, and firing two shots that hit Spera’s scimitars, sending the weapons flying and falling to the grass. Twilight fired more magic missiles and Private took shots towards Spera. Spera channeled more dark energy, summoning a barrier of dark crystals that blocked the magic and magic bullets.

Spera then channeled more dark energy, he slammed his hands into the ground, and a wave of dark crystals moved towards the pair. Private shoved Twilight out of the way and took the brunt of the attack, he fell back onto the grass, rolling around for a little bit before settling.

“Is this all you guardians have to offer? No wonder you’re about to become obsolete!” Spera gloated as Twilight stood between him and Private.

“We aren’t all out of tricks! Guardian beast! Unicorn!” Twilight shouted, stabbing her staff into the ground, calling forth a summoning circle, out of it came her unicorn guardian beast, it reared and trotted over to Twilight.

“Oh don’t think I haven’t figured out that trick too…” Spera said, his hands glowing with dark magic. “Guardian beast! LEO!” A summoning circle appeared in the air next to him and the massive lion came out, roaring loudly at the unicorn. But..the lion was now, pulsing with dark magic, it’s eyes glowing like Spera’s…

Twilight had small flashbacks to the fight with Sunset, about how that...thing came out of Salamander’s body…

“Kill the unicorn...I’ll deal with them…” Spera said coldly as Leo lunged towards Twilight’s unicorn. The unicorn fought and kicked at Leo, but the lion dodged and weaved around it’s kicks, swiping at the equine with teeth and claws.

Spera took this moment and held out his hands towards his scimitars, “I’ll look forward to taking your power, I already have your friends powers flowing through me! Soon this magic will make me unstoppable!”

“Gee, never heard that one before, not gonna happen!” Twilight said, calling forth a blast of magic, aiming it at Spera.

Spera’s scimitars glowed with dark magic, he then sliced at the magic, sending it flying to hit the dark crystal barrier, before lunging at Twilight. He tried to bring down the swords on her, but they were blocked by Private’s blade as he got between them.

“Get your paws away from my girlfriend.” Private said firmly as he held his ground against Spera.

“Back off, her power is mine!” Spera shouted, his eyes glowing brightly, he aimed a shot at Private, and blasted him with it. The blast sent Private flying back into Twilight, the two guardians tumbled a little, before Twilight regained her feet. She tried to aim her magic but suddenly she was gripped by a force around her neck. She dropped her staff and clung to her neck as she was being lifted off the ground by Spera.

“Let her go!” Private yelled, trying to get to his feet, before a blast from Spera knocked him back again, hitting the barrier hard.

“Weak and useless...the lot of you…” Spera said, and turned back to Leo, the lion lunged for Twilight’s unicorn, coming down on the guardian beast and biting it hard in the neck, the unicorn struggled and managed to get a horn into the beast’s eye, Leo roared in pain as the unicorn dissipated.

Twilight looked back at Private, one last time…”Private...please...don’t...fall….” She then closed her eyes as her air ran out, Spera then tapped her arm, and the magic came rushing into him.

“YES! YES! I can feel it! It will all be mine!” Spera yelled, tossing Twilight aside with his magic.

Twilight stumbled as Private ran over as best he could to her. He lifted her up, “Twilight..please be okay…”

Twilight opened her eyes a little bit, she smiled at Private, “I’m...okay…”

“I...I can’t do this...I can’t see you hurt again…” Private admitted to her as Spera was busy basking in his power. For a brief moment Private’s hand glowed green...he wanted to make Spera suffer for what he did, he wanted…

A hand fell on his shoulder, Twilight looked up at him and said, quietly, “Don’t...fall...you are...stronger than you...think…” She then fell into unconsciousness.

Private held her, looking down at the girl he cared about more than anything in the world. He’d do anything to keep her safe, but it was never enough...dark magic promised strength, but at a cost…

He couldn’t become like Spera, he couldn’t fall, Twilight wouldn’t want that...there had to be...there had to be…
________________________________________________________
Private opened his eyes, and found himself standing under a silver sky. He looked around, “This place, it’s just like…” He remembered coming here, and the others described a similar weird place.

You who have tasted dark magic, now must face it, you know you can claim victory by doing so...why do you hesitate in taking the power…?

“Because it isn’t right! What Spera is thinking of won’t bring peace! The killing won’t stop with just his stepfather! I could’ve helped him...I could’ve...done so much more…” He fell to his knees, looking down at the invisible ground he was standing on.

You believe there is another way? A way to stop him? A way that does not follow the dark path? In a world so filled with darkness and evil and despair? Why do you not give in?

Private thought long and hard about the answer, and then said to the voice. “Because we do live in a crappy world, a world of hatred, misunderstanding, of pain. But that’s only because we face our troubles alone! If we bottle up how we feel inside it will only be twisted into terrible despair and used as our own worst enemy! I’ve seen the other way though! A way that sees friends of all stripes come together to make the world a better place! Not just through power and control, but through empowering each other! Hope will always be strong! Even in my darkest hour, I never gave up hope that I could be rescued! I refuse to give in now! To take the easy way! To destroy the world because it screwed ‘em over! No! I want to make it better, by inspiring hope in others!”

A quiet pause fell, and then, Private looked on as his unicorn appeared before him. Private looked on the silver guardian beast before him.

Your heart has spoken Private, you have shown you seek a way to stop Spera without using dark magic. You have hoped for another way, and your Element...the Element of Hope...has rewarded you…

Suddenly...everything fell to a bright light…
_________________________________________________
Spera stood, basking in the power he had now, he laughed aloud. “Yes! Soon I will break free of all of this. Then, I will claim the other guardian’s magic! I will use it and the Witching Hour to make this world perfect! I will destroy any who will stand in my way…”

“WHAT!?” Spera turned and saw Private slowly but surely getting up. Spera sniffed, “Look at you, you can barely stand before me.”

Private grimaced at the soreness his body felt, but he stood as best he could nonetheless. “I just..figured something out, or, rather a new instinct...and I’m going to use it to take you down…” He took up his revolver again, and slowly aimed for the sky.

“You wish to call your beast? I will kill it before it can even do anything!” Spera said, his hands glowing again. “There is nothing that can stop my power!”

“No...We just happened to agree on something…” Private said, and his revolver slowly but surely began glowing brightly, an orb forming at the tip. Private felt it, a new power flowing through him, one of understanding, one of harmony, one of friendship made manifest…

“GUARDIAN BEAST FUSION!!!” Private yelled, and fired the revolver, the orb of light fired into the air, bounced off the top of the dome and ricocheted around all over the dome, Spera watched as the Bullet briefly formed into the shape of a unicorn running, it then flew around Private, circling him as he closed his eyes.

A silver light enveloped Private, consuming him, Spera shielded his eyes. “What is this?!” He yelled.

Soon...a figure stepped out of the light, clad in silver armor, with longer brown hair, a large sword on his back, and a body that looked, older and more mature. Private drew the sword, and said proudly, “I am the Silver Centurion! I stand as a beacon of Hope to all who know fear! In the name of the Guardians of Equestria! I will stop you here and now!” He then stabbed his sword into the ground, causing the very ground to shake from the power he was exuding.

“What...what is this?!” Spera yelled, looking on the figure. “What did you do?!”

“A neat little trick,” Private replied, smirking a little. “Whaddya think? We look good huh?”

“We?” Spera asked, “I don’t know how you fused with your Guardian beast, but I won’t let some cheap trick stop me from my goal of purging this world!”

“Cheap trick? No..you’re wrong…” Private said, “This is Private, all together.”

Private pointed at Spera, “And we’re never going down that path with the likes of you.” He then pointed to himself. “Because we’re so much better.”

The two circled each other, Private holding onto his sword as they sized each other up. “The two of us don’t need that power, but you’ll never see us cower.”

Private smirked, “So let’s go me and you” He then dodged one of Spera’s swords and said, “Let’s go just one on two…”

Private dodged and weaved around Spera’s blades, frustrating the young man to know end as Private kept on singing, “Go ahead try and get me if you’re able, Can’t you see what you’ve just enabled?” Private then knocked one of Spera’s scimitars out of his hand and caught it on the handle, throwing it aside. “I can see you hate the way we intermingled, but I think you’re just mad cause your single.”

“You’re not gonna stop us now forever,” Private sang as he knocked the other scimitar out of Spera’s hands with a well placed sword blow. “If you try to break us down we’ll just come back better.” He then put the blades on the ground, slamming his foot against them, causing the blades to shatter. “And we’ll always be twice the guardian you are!”

Private dodged and weaved as Spera began resorting to magic to blast at Private. Private held up his sword, knocking aside one blast of magic, before returning fire with his own, causing Spera to fall back from the force of a blast to the chest. Private suddenly realized Leo was still in the battle on account the Lion came right at him.

Private had just enough time to grab the lion’s jaws. His sword falling out of his hands. He held on as Lion pushed against him, trying hard to bite down on the guardian.

“Bad kitty! Down!” Private yelled, and used his magic to grab his sword, it floated in the air, and shot towards Leo, hitting the lion in the side. Leo gave one last grunt before disappearing, leaving the sword behind.

“You worm!” Spera yelled, blasting Private with the full force of his dark magic, sending the guardian flying, Private crashed into the barrier, coming down on the ground…

Spera grinned, and then watched as his magic slowly began to fly...towards Private again. “NO! My power!” Spera yelled.

Private stood as all the stolen magic from his friends flew into his hand, he held the lights as they twisted in his hands. Private then pushed the lights into his sword. “This is what we are…this is where I’ll stand…” Private sang as the lights encircled his blade, becoming one with it, causing the blade to glow. “And if you think you can stop us, you’ll need a new plan…” He held the sword to his face, as images of the guardian beasts swirled around it. “Cause I have a feeling, Our Friendships will not End, I won’t let you hurt with magic, or any of my friends.”

Spera unleashed torrent of dark magic as Private dodged and weaved around them, without the other guardians power, Spera’s blasts were a lot easier to dodge. “Go ahead try and get me if your able! Can’t you see what you’ve just enabled!” He blocked a blast with his sword, “If you think my strength is just a bluff, you’ll find out I’m made of better stuff!”

Private slashed his way through blasts until he raised his sword to the sky, a griffon, a wolf, a swan, a pair of unicorns, all lights danced around his blade as he gathered his magic into one blast. “Now your fight ends here! Now you’ll see our power loud and clear!”

Spera unleashed all he had left at Private, trying desperately, to stop them, but Private brought down the swords and slashed away at the blasts, knocking the magic away to harmlessly hit the crystal dome. “Cuz Hope is Strength! Harmony is Power! And Friendship is Magic, Bitch!”

Private then brought down the blade, and all the guardian beasts formed one unified blast towards Spera, he didn’t have the strength to dodge, Spera screamed as he was shot out of the crystal dome by the force of the magic, and sent flying into the distance.

“And it’s stronger than you…” Private said, falling one knee as the dome began collapsing around him, silver light fell on him, and soon, Private came back to normal, he began falling to the ground, when a pair of arms caught him.

“Just in time,” Voidera said, as he held Private, he looked over as Celestia picked up Twilight.

“She’s fine, but this place is collapsing.” Celestia said, as she dodged some crystal.

“Let’s get outta here!” Voidera said, taking Celestia’s hand, and all four teleported away, leaving Spera’s dome to collapse around them, burying Kalos under a mound of rubble…
____________________________________________________

Breaking news, Disaster has befallen the Friendship Games, the competition between schools Canterlot High and Crystal Preparatory Academy when one of the students of Crystal Prep, one Spera Imperictus brought a gun to the festivities and shot his stepfather in front a cacophony of witnesses. Spera has since disappeared from the scene following the mass panic that followed and is currently still at large. When asked about what happened, Celestia de Sol, the principal of Canterlot High had this to say.

“This is truly a tragedy, one of our students who has been suffering so long took his anger out at this event. An event meant to bring our schools together is now threatening to tear them apart. Hopefully students from both schools can come together in the face of what happened, and we can all be able to move forward.”

Headmistress Cinch refused to comment about what happened and several parents are now questioning whether the legendarily harsh curriculum at Crystal Prep is beneficial for the students involved. This couple, who had hoped to allow their daughter to transfer to Crystal Prep had this to say.

“If that Spera was suffering under this school Crystal Prep did a shoddy job at helping him. We were considering having Coco transfer there next fall, now we’re not so sure…”

Imperictus Industries is now meeting in the hopes of electing a successor and police are asking that any information about Spera Imperictus whereabouts be-

“I trust Celestia will be able to handle this, and the police are doing what they can.”

“With all due respect Madam President, we’re lucky everybody thought the kid had a gun, if they knew the truth…”

“I understand Agent Strong, but for right now we watch and wait. And trust that Celestia knows what she’s doing.”

“I’m hardly worried about Celestia Madam President...it’s the kids I’m not so sure about…”
____________________________________________________________

“Ow, geez for the last time I’m okay…” Private said as Rarity continued to dab at one of the cuts with a cuetip. The guardians, minus Sunset who Adagio decided to take home herself, had retreated to the warehouse to recover from their ordeal at the hands of Spera and his dark magic.

“Darling, you don’t want those nasty cuts to get infected, do you?” Rarity asked, looking at Private with no little frustration.

Around the warehouse the other guardians were lounging about, trying to recover from having their magic stolen, and restored in the course of a couple of days. Spike was looking down over Twilight as Aria ran her aquamancy over her. “She’s going to be okay right? I can’t believe I missed all this…”

“I was helping the Crusaders get a victory banner set up for when we..won the games…” Spike said, shaking his head. “I should’ve been there for you guys.

“Don’tcha worry none Spike,” Aj said firmly, “Ah just can’t believe that for all our effort, Spera still got away.”

“He is rather... sneaky.” Fluttershy said, and then looked over as Twilight groaned, blinking awake.

“Rise and shine seaweed brain,” Aria said with her typical level of tact, that is to say none. “Your boyfriend’s been waiting for you to come around.”

“That...Private...did something….” Twilight said as Private finally managed to get away from Rarity to come over.

“Hey, you okay?” Private asked, looking on Twilight worriedly, taking her hand.

“Well...it’s hard to explain…” Private said, and then tried as best he could to explain. Talking about the dream, the fusing…

“Fusing two beings together into one? Sounds familiar…” Pinkie said thoughtfully. “Hmm maybe I should get my friend Red Sugar on it.”

“So wait, you fused with your guardian beast? How?!” Rainbow asked. “That sounds so awesome!”

“Wait, didn’t...yes Celestia and Voidera did that too…” Twilight said, remembering. “Huh, guess you aren’t the ‘worst guardian’ after all.”

Private blushed at all of this, “Guys c’mon, all of us could do it...I think.”

“Me and Badass Griffon mixed together!” Rainbow said, looking pumped. “I gotta figure out how this works, it’ll be totally awesome!”

“For now though, I say you all get your rest.” Aria said, packing up. “I gotta run, Trixie has been asking me to be her assistant for a magic trick.” She then headed out, waving behind her. “Good luck with your guardian stuff.”

“Honestly Ah think her regular manner could use work.” Aj said, shaking her head.

Pinkie sat down on one of the boxes and said thoughtfully, “So..Spera’s still out there huh...I hope he’s okay…”

“Yeah, of course I’m worried, nobody does something like that unless they are either really really mean, or just pushed to doing something they don’t wanna do.” Pinkie said, firmly.

“I hope for all of our sakes it’s the latter…” Private said, “Because something tells me this is only the beginning of our troubles.”
_____________________________________________________

Sunset meanwhile was slowly opening her eyes, finding herself laying on a soft, comfortable bed. She looked around, seeing the pictures of the ocean, the soft oranges on the walls, and the various bits of jewelry the siren made as a hobby, Sunset relaxed...she was in Adagio’s room.

“Nnnng… Did somebody get the number of that semi?” she groaned as she sat up.

“Don’t push yourself, you had a pretty troubling ordeal, my love…” The door opened and Adagio stood in the doorway, smiling brightly at the sight of Sunset. “How are you feeling?”

“Well, a gallant, brave woman came to my rescue, burning the monster tentacle in a brilliant display of magical fire.” Adagio said, almost sauntering to the bed before coming to sit on it, she moved over and gave Sunset a little kiss on the cheek. “So, I’d say I’m feeling rather, wonderfully in love at the moment.”

Sunset blushed, looking sheepishly at Adagio. “You… were really affected by my coming to your rescue, huh?”

“Well, you have been coming to my rescue in more ways than one since the moment I met you…” Adagio said, taking Sunset’s hand. “So, as far as I’m concerned, hail the conquering Heroine.”

“So… I’m… going to get a reward from my fair maiden?” Sunset asked with a smile.

“Well, for one thing you’re going to rest right here and let this maiden look after you for a while.” She said, smirking and gently pushing Sunset back down on the bed. “I’ve already called your mother and told her you were in a little accident. She was, happy to have us together. Says it will make good practice if I’m the one caring for you.” Adagio gave a small wink, and got up, heading out of the room.

Sunset watched Adagio leave the room, and sighed. “Adagio Dazzle,” she murmured to herself, “I’m going to so marry you someday.”

“No word from Cinch? At all?” Celestia said as she sat in the principal's office, looking at her sister and fiance sitting on the other side of the desk.

“She’s practically in denial about the whole thing, keeps trying to call you for rematches.” Luna said, shaking her head. “That woman, being more concerned about the fact the games ended the way they did instead of what happened with Spera.”

“She’s probably trying to hang onto whatever bit of control she has over the situation.” Voidera suggested, leaning back in the chair. “She’s not asking questions about Spera or the magic, so I think that’s good.”

“Speaking of magic,” Celestia said, “it would seem that Private was the first Guardian to achieve Fusion.”

“I was surprised too. I told you guys the kid was worth watching.” Voidera said with a smirk.

“Now we can eliminate doubt about his placement on the Guardians,” Luna said, letting a small hint of a smile come to her features. “He has truly turned away from the path of dark magic.”

“But in his place another has stepped in, fully embracing it.” Celestia said, seriously. “I did my research, and indeed...it is him.”

“Don’t want her to doubt herself huh?” Voidera asked. “So with that matter apparently settled, there’s still the matter of the kids training. With this Spera kid running around, we’ll need all the training we can get.”

Celestia shook her head, “They already have their hands full, it falls to us to continue the training, but...there is one who can help.”

“Yes, she is a good guardian trainer, and by far the most qualified to handle them. They could use her insight, wisdom and firm hand.” Celestia answered.

“From what I heard it’s not so much a firm hand as a wrecking ball.” Voidera commented. “Are you sure they can handle it?”

“They’re going to have to, our enemies won’t slow down in growing stronger so neither should we..I’ll make the call. You two see to it that the guardians are taken home safely.”

“Don’t stay up too long babe, I still gotta show you that warm hands massage I’ve been coming up with.” Voidera said with a smirk and a wink.

Celestia let a little blush come to her cheeks. “Keep this up scoundrel, and you may find you’ve bit off more than you can chew.” She said with a small laugh.

Voidera smiled and followed Luna outside. Celestia then pulled out her cell phone, dialed a series of numbers...and then waited for the answer.

“Zebracan secure line, Code 1145….yes...this is she...I’m looking for...yes is she available? Good, put her on...I’m sorry to disturb you, I know you are busy...yes...yes...yes I’m calling because I want you to aid them. They need your guidance and training to hone themselves into warriors for harmony...yes...yes I will arrange transportation...you can be there in a week? That will suffice...yes...yes...no...no but that is related...yes...Alright, I will see you then and thank you again so much...Zecora.”

Equestria Guardians

by Jacoboby1

Chapter 33 "Friendship Games Part 5"