//------------------------------// // Capitulo Treinta y Siete // Story: Kick about! Los Lobos! // by Dirty Bit //------------------------------// Capitulo Treinta y Siete The King Has Returned All of Ponyville looked up at the terrifying sight that cast a large shadow over Town Square with his menacing wings. The large stallion above continued to grin in dark amusement at their collective reactions. After having enough fun in the air, he slowly descended until he reached the ground next to Sparkler. As his hooves made contact, small dark crystals emerged from the soil. "Rejoice, peasants..." King Sombra said in a deep and powerful voice laced with arrogance "Your king has returned." The crowd's murmuring grew in volume along with their fear. Sombra, for his part, relished in their newfound terror as he felt his power grow. Meanwhile, Twilight and her friends stood their ground. "But it doesn't make sense! You were destroyed back in the Crystal Empire!" Sombra's eyes glowed bright red as he bared his fangs in a scowl at Twilight. "Believe me, I remember." He replied venomously "And ever since you disposed of me back then, I was trapped in Tartarus ever since." the tyrant's scowl gave way to a grin "But it's funny how I was even sent there with an inkling of my power intact. Possessing that worthless mutt you call a guardian was one of the only obstacles towards my return. Everything beyond that was merely improvisation from Yours Truly." "Well, reign in your success while you can, but we're ready to stop you this time!" Twilight declared gallantly before turning to her friends "Let's go, girls!" She shouted as the element bearers got into their places, with Spike clearing out of the way. "Oh, spare me the theatrics, Twilight Sparkle. The elements will not save you this time." Sombra rolled his eyes defiantly before his red horn glowed along with the Alicorn Amulet. A thin beam quickly shot towards the six until it landed on Rainbow Dash's head. She wasn't knocked back, but she slumped to the ground like that of Sparkler, sound asleep. "Rainbow Dash!" The other element bearers and Spike called before flocking over to her and inspecting her for any damage. Starrk and Lilynette felt uneasy themselves before they caught a glimpse of King Sombra chuckling at their concern. "Don't flatter yourselves, my little ponies." The dark tyrant quipped "If I wanted to destroy her, you would've known. I merely incapacitated her with a sleep spell so strong that she may as well spend the rest of her life in the dreamscape!" He heard the sound of murmuring next to him, and Sombra looked down at Sparkler stirring from her unconsciousness "Ah, and I can't forget the one who had made all of this possible..." His horn glowed as he lifted Sparkler in a red aura, surprising her as she was raised at eye level to gawk at Sombra and his form. "Wh-Who are you!?" Sparkler asked before realization dawned on her "Wait...you're-" "Correct." Sombra cut off the amethyst unicorn before she could continue "And as the future king of all Equestria, let me be the first to express my gratitude for your usefulness..." A small ball of red energy, crackling with static, was seen above Sombra and Sparkler, and the latter looked up at it with widened eyes. "What are you doing!?" Sparkler asked as she began to sweat bullets. "Giving you your reward." Sombra said coolly before his eyes narrowed to slits, his toothy grin widening "Your eternal reward..." He added darkly as the energy ball grew in size. Sparkler silently hoped that her family was okay as she was about to embrace what was her final moment. A pained groan escaped Sombra's lips as the energy ball dissipated and Sparkler fell to the ground. Sparkler's eyes widened when she saw Starrk shoot out a hoof with narrowed eyes towards Sombra's chest with plenty of strength behind his attack, although he only succeeded in making the dark king skid backwards a few feet as he kept his footing. Sombra sneered contemptibly at first, not happy with the familiar feeling of being touched by those he deemed commoners, but it turned into a smirk when he recognized his assailant. "Ah, yes, Coyote Starrk. Only you could manage to muster enough strength to possibly be considered my peer." He stated condescendingly "However, your chances have vanished entirely." A red aura was seen around Sombra as he grinned his sharp teeth menacingly "With my new and improved form, along with the Alicorn Amulet at my command, nopony will be able to match my ever-growing power." Starrk stood by with a serious glance. 'Can't believe this is actually happening.' He thought to himself 'Can I actually beat this guy by myself, or will I need to activate my resurrección?' Sombra's grin only widened as he stared at Starrk. "I can only assume you're seeking a plan of attack? Normally, it would be poor form for one such as myself, but I invite you to try..." He said with grim amusement in his voice. "Guess I got no other option." Starrk replied as he unfurled his wings and got in a stance. "Give 'im hell, Starrk!" Lilynette cheered from a safe distance behind Starrk. Sparkler managed to pick herself up and stand by Lilynette's side as she glared at Sombra. "What she said! You got this!" Sparkler called out to the former espada. "Be careful, Starrk! The Alicorn Amulet is a dangerous artifact, especially in the hooves of King Sombra himself!" Twilight warned as she stood with her friends. Sombra saw fit to snort at her warning. "Who do you think managed to create such a 'dangerous artifact', Twilight Sparkle?" Sombra asked, waiting for the realization to sink in for the lavender unicorn "I won't deny that my loss millennia ago was indeed scathing, but it was only because my precious amulet was out of my reach." He gave a flap of his dragon wings, sending a mighty gust around him, causing the onlookers to shield themselves and hold their ground "Now I can use it and conquer Equestria proper." Starrk decidedly blurred out with his sonido, surrounding Sombra with several images of himself that faded in and out. Meanwhile, the former espada's opponent was all but phased as he stood by with only a smirk. "Your little speed trick? Adorable..." There was a flicker from Sombra's horn before a large dome shield began to form around him and instantly expand, causing all of the images to disappear. As the shield dissipated, Sombra looked around for any sign of Starrk, as did the rest of Ponyville, noticing that their hero was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, a hoof lodged itself into Sombra's muzzle as he let out a pained snarl and had skid again from the impact, albeit to a lesser extent than the last hit he received. Starrk was found in front of Sombra again, this time with a surprisingly embarrassed wince on his face. 'This feels so much weirder without my sword...' A chuckle snapped Starrk out of his thoughts as he saw that rather than anger, Sombra was seen with building laughter despite getting hit. "Your brute force may have helped you before, Coyote Starrk, but it's not going to help you now. Although..." Sombra trailed off before he brought up his left forehoof, laced with the amulet's red magic. He launched it into Starrk's chest, drawing out a pained grunt as Starrk's eyes widened from the pain he received before sending the former espada flying towards the Everfree Forest at bullet speed. "Starrk!" Lilynette called out as he flew away. "...perhaps I should show you just how powerless you are." Sombra quipped as his left forehoof was giving off smoke after the powerful attack. With another flap of his wings, he took flight after Starrk into the forest, which grew more ruined upon the pegasus' rough landing. Starrk laid amongst a pile of bark with a neutral look on his face, and some small scratches from his impact. He was silent for a moment until he spoke up before Sombra's arrival. "That actually hurt." The former espada picked himself up and brushed off the splinters that stuck onto his coat as Sombra descended from the sky. "So you still stand. Very interesting." Sombra said as he landed and created more dark crystals on the ground. He trotted towards Starrk as he carried himself out of the pile of wrecked trees "Care to try your luck against me once more?" "I really don't like arrogant folks like you." Starrk said as he shook off the pain from his last hit and stood his ground. "It's not arrogance if I've the power to back it up, simpleton." Sombra shot back before noticing some silhouettes approaching from the shadows, followed by growling noises. The timberwolves gathered and snarled at Sombra while gathering near Starrk. While endearing, Starrk realized what they were planning to do as he widened his eyes. Meanwhile, Sombra only sneered back at the timberwolves. "No. Stop." Starrk softly commanded, only for his words to fall on deaf ears. "Feh, impudent mongrels...I don't have time to deal with you all." Sombra muttered contempuously. He then noticed the apparent concern in Starrk's eyes in regard to the timberwolves before a wicken grin graced his features "And yet...Why not play with the one you hold dear for my amusement?" His horn, now emitting a black aura with red static, had let off a wave that passed through all the timberwolves present. There was a pause before the timberwolves were revealed to be more feral than before, their eyes glowing red, as opposed to their natural green as they turned around and closed in on Starrk in a predatory stride. "You didn't..." Starrk uttered, to which Sombra laughed in reply. "Entertain me, Coyote Starrk. No doubt, these mongrels care about you, and you them. Show me how far you're willing to go to get to me..." Starrk remained calm as the timberwolves advanced, but then he blurred out and appeared in front of Sombra, who was now found inside of another magical forcefield. "Ah ah ah...This drops when you have finished your 'task'." Sombra taunted as he pointed back at the timberwolves, who grew more vicious upon noticing Starrk's relocation. Starrk stared at each of the timberwolves before turning back to Sombra and his forcefield, decidedly thrashing at it with his forehooves, earning a bored look from the dark king. "Your ignorance is painful, Coyote Starrk. Destroy the timberwolves, then I'll bring my shield down. A simple task, if I do say so, myself." Sombra stated condescendingly. Starrk glared at Sombra for a moment until he looked back and noticed one of the timberwolves leaping at him with a snarl. He deftly avoided his attacker as the timberwolf slammed against the forcefield. If there were a time Starrk wished he was weak, this was not one of those times. This wasn't a circumstance where his own power inadvertently killed those around him. He was being forced to literally end the same timberwolves he befriended with his own hooves, despite the small amount of time he spent with them. Starrk mildly gritted his teeth as he noticed another one of the timberwolves leap up at him, their maw wide open and waiting to gnash upon the former espada's flesh. But before it could, Starrk threw a right hook that reduced his latest attacker to splinters. "Not bad, but you seem to be missing some more." He heard Sombra's taunting voice as he focused his attention on the advancing timberwolves. He was unable to notice how the splinters from the last one were glowing before they formed back into the same timberwolf Starrk had countered before. The former espada took a deep breath and tried to maintain his composure while acknowledging the fact that he was backed into a figurative corner; Sombra's shield wasn't wavering, and he couldn't bring himself to drag the others into his predicament. Starrk took one last look at what he thought was his own pack before diving down and making quick work of each one, all while feeling his heart gradually sink with each kill. Not even the splinters that he acquired amounted to his internal pain as he looked at the pile of sticks that used to be his pack. "Most impressive, Coyote Starrk." Starrk felt it prudent not to turn and face Sombra as he heard his voice "I expected no less from your remarkable speed to go with your strength, but the battle isn't over yet." Before he could look back at the dark king in confusion, Starrk noticed the many sticks that belonged to the timberwolfs glow and tremble profusely before floating and merging along with some of the wrecked trees in the forest to form a giant timberwolf with glowing red eyes, letting out a bestial roar. Starrk's eyes widened before he decidedly took to the skies while Sombra watched in idle amusement. Starrk knew what he had to do, and he didn't like it at all. Using his speed, he snatched one of the clouds that hung near the outskirts of Ponyville and brought it back before aiming at the wooden behemoth. He held back any more remorse before giving the cloud a mighty jab and activating his cero, engulfing the timberwolf and completely incinerating its body. When the dust settled, Starrk almost felt a lump in his neck when he saw where his pack once stood. The area below was covered with scorch marks on the ground and some newly formed clearings coated with burnt wood and grass. "Bravo!" A familiarly despised voice echoed around Starrk, making him perk up before Sombra appeared in front of him with a grin that oozed bloodlust. "A promise is a promise..." He uttered darkly before rearing back a forehoof. Starrk quickly reacted by blurring out of existence the moment Sombra could throw his punch. A small growl escaped the tyrant's lips when he missed, and he then turned around to see Starrk holding a cloud and laying a mighty strike onto it. Sombra snarled as he was engulfed by Starrk's Cero. Meanwhile, Starrk watched impassively as his attack petered out. His eyes widened when he saw Sombra shielding himself once again. There was a brief sneer on the evil alicorn's face before it turned into a smug grin. "You never cease to amaze me with your skill. But it's still not enough." As he dropped his shield, Sombra's horn charged a ball of red magic above its tip "This is true magic!!" He exclaimed before firing a massive red beam, to which Starrk quickly moved out of the way as he watched it raze even more of the Everfree forest and part of Ponyville's meadows. Starrk gritted his teeth at the sight. 'Anymore damage and there won't be anything left to defend...' He looked back over at Sombra, who wasn't there, alarming Starrk as he darted his head around. He then looked down to see him flying upward with speed similar to Rainbow Dash, to which he was about to dodge, until Sombra turned into smog and seeped into Starrk's cloud, making it go from a pristine white to jet black as a set of red eyes opened on it. Starrk distanced himself as the cloud transformed into Sombra once more, who relished in the former espada's morale diminishing with each attack. "You're very reliant on clouds, I see. But do you think they will even save you now?" Sombra asked rhetorically. Starrk only stared back at Sombra before he decided to blur out with his Sonido once more, surrounding his opponent with more images of himself, much to Sombra's chagrin. "This again? Have your mistakes taught you nothing?" Sombra asked irritably as he formed another forcefield around himself and making it expand, causing the many images to cease. He then noticed that once again, Starrk was nowhere to be seen as Sombra's shield dissipated. "Honestly, this is nothing short of an embarrassment to rely on previously futile tactics if it means gaining the upper hoof in this fight!" Sombra darted his head around in annoyance, trying to spot Starrk. A whistling noise was then heard from above, causing Sombra to look up and see an amber blur travelling down at him with tremendous speed and force, impacting against his back and drawing out a roar of pain from the dark king as both Sombra and Starrk hurtled into the ground, making a small crater. Starrk quickly carried himself out of the crater and let out a deep sigh as he shook off some of the dirt that got onto his coat and looked back at the crater. Even he knew that the battle was far from over despite getting a lucky shot in. He slowly turned around and braced himself for his opponent's recovery. There was silence before a minor quake, followed by a large pillar of red energy prompted Starrk to jump back into the air as Sombra slowly ascended from the now-widened crater with an expression of tranquil fury on his face. "Commendable, Coyote Starrk. Very commendable." He said in an even tone before his horn flashed, and Starrk soon found himself immobilized as he was trapped in a red aura. A bead of sweat rolled down his head when he tested his restrained movement, and then noticed how Sombra was now in front of him, his malevolent eyes boring into the former espada. "As I've said before this futile struggle began: I'm going to show you just how powerless you are..." He uttered darkly as his forehooves lit up with red energy and static. _____ Twilight and her friends still stood over the unconscious Rainbow Dash, silently hoping that Starrk would be triumphant in his battle with Sombra and that their friend would possibly wake up from ther forced slumber. Meanwhile, the rest of the town were torn between running around in a panic or retreating back into their homes. There were many loud sounds and flashing lights outside of town that caught their attention, but they stayed in Town Square for their own safety despite their curiosity. "Oh, goodness. Whatever shall we do, everypony?" Rarity asked her friends. "I'm not sure." Twilight replied instantly as she looked down at Rainbow Dash "If it weren't for our situation, I'd hurry back to the library and find a counterspell for this." She then heaved a sigh "Then again, Sombra casted his spell using the Alicorn Amulet. The last time I tried reversing a spell used by the amulet, it backfired on me." "Oh yeah, back when Trixie wore th' dang thing." Applejack shook her head "This is a mess Ah never thought we'd be in, y'all. Unless Starrk comes out on top o' this, we could be in fer one hay of a battle ourselves." "Of course he'll come out on top!" The mares and Spike looked over at Lilynette, who was seen with a glare "Starrk's not one to go down easily, and you all know it!" She kept her glare on the group before it wavered as she hung her head "I know, at least..." Spike stared before smiling at Lilynette. "You know, Lilynette's right! We shouldn't be feeling so down just yet. Starrk saved us twice, didn't he? Then third time's the charm!" He said encouragingly. "Where is Starrk?" came a slightly withered voice. The group, as well as some of the townsfolk, looked over to see Derpy and Dinky approaching the massive crowd. Derpy was seen with some bags in her eyes; a clear indicator that she shed many tears back in her home. Dinky looked less worn, although frowned in worry herself. Lilynette instinctively dashed over and comforted Dinky with a brief nuzzle, which was eagerly returned. "Is Starrk okay?" Derpy asked, looking around "Where is he?" "Long story short:" Pinkie piped up "Sparkler was possessed by King Sombra, who managed to not only take the Alicorn Amulet from her, but made a monstrous form of his own, and now him and Starrk are duking it out outside of Ponyville." She summarized with a smile. "I really hope Coyote's okay." Fluttershy whimpered "King Sombra can be very scary..." A pillar of red light was seen outside of Ponyville, which brought everypony present to silence. With the faint sounds of strikes, anxiety began building up within the crowd, especially Lilynette. There was a brief moment of pause before a red light expanded in the middle of Town Square, startling those that were close and driving them to backpedal away as Sombra reappeared with a terrible sight. Starrk was seen floating in his magical grasp in a battered and prone form, much to the shock of his friends as he weakly glanced with an open eye. Sombra scowled before a toothy smirk graced his features. "Take a good look, peasants! Bar your precious Elements of Harmony, this is your last sliver of hope you've so desperately clung to! Let this be a reminder to you all not to challenge me or my power!" He bellowed to all of Ponyville before dropping Starrk to the ground. He relished in the sight of terror seen by everypony around him. Sombra spared one more glance at the many cowering faces surrounding him before noticing the distant image of Canterlot in the mountains. His eyes widened before he grinned maliciously. "First, I shall make those princesses writhe for my imprisonment. Then I shall make haste to the Crystal Empire and reclaim my throne from those two meddlesome usurpers!" Sombra flapped his wings as he ascended into the sky, looking down at the ponies below "Let it be known that I shall make my dominion known throughout all of Equestria! You shall all bear witness to a new age!" He announced before he took off towards Canterlot, leaving Ponyville behind. After his image gradually shrunk from view, the townsfolk looked over at Starrk's prone form, feeling saddened by his injuries. Derpy felt more tears welling up in her eyes while she, Sparkler, Dinky, and Lilynette approached him. "Hey." Lilynette said quietly "Get up. You're better than this and you know it, Starrk." When she got no response, she growled in frustration "I said get up!" "Starrk, no..." Derpy whimpered as she looked down. "Mr. Starrk?" Dinky called out as she gently nudged the pegasus. She almost felt like crying with her mother when she was met with silence. "C'mon, Starrk. You can't go out like this." Sparkler urged as she looked down at Starrk with her family "Everypony's worried about you. I'm worried about you!" Twilight and her friends looked at Starrk from a distance, and the lavender unicorn hung her head. "It really can't be the end, can it?" She asked "Are we really about to enter an age of darkness?" "This battle of ours is not yet through! There is still plenty for all of us to do!" Twilight perked up at the sound of Zecora's voice, and she and the other ponies noticed Zecora galloping with saddlebags full of red potions. "Zecora! Thank Celestia you're still around." Twilight said in relief before looking over at her saddlebags "What are those potions for exactly?" Zecora caught her breath before donning a serious expression. "I felt the calamity that shook up my hut And knew that I could not sit in a rut. Beneath all the strife, I worked unafraid, To brew many potions to lend you all aid!" "You really are a sight for sore eyes!" Spike said in a slightly reinvigorated tone "Do you think a potion or two will be enough for Starrk?" The zebra looked over at the battered pegasus evenly before smiling. "Without a doubt, they shall take effect. He has a pack that he must protect." Zecora approached Starrk alongside Derpy's family and inspected his injuries, wincing at each bruise and scar. She then felt two of her potions leave her saddlebag and noticed Sparkler grabbing them with her magic. "I'm very sorry about this." Sparkler apologized with a concerned look on her face "It's just that he's done so much for my family and Ponyville, that it's just bad to see him like this." Zecora gave a curt nod with a knowing smile before Sparkler opened the potions. Applejack and Big Macintosh carefully lifted Starrk up as he gave a light moan of pain. "Don't worry, sugarcube. Help is on th' way!" She said with a smile. "Eeyup." Big Macintosh chimed in. Sparkler carefully poured the first bottle's contents in Starrk's mouth, making sure that he didn't miss a drop. When it was emptied, there was a pause before a sigh escaped Starrk's lips. "I think it's working." Twilight said as she watched intently "Now let's give him the second one." Sparkler nodded before preparing the second bottle and feeding it to Starrk with the same care as before. While the scars were still there, the bruises had lessened as Starrk's breathing became more normal. Before long, the former espada tried touching the ground with his legs, prompting Applejack and Big Macintosh to gently set him down. The townsfolk watched as Starrk picked himself up and unfurled his wings, shaking his head a bit as he took a deep breath. He then brought his head up and opened his eyes at the ponies surrounding him. "That's weird. I feel a little better." Starrk said calmly. He then noticed the jubilant faces on Derpy, Sparkler, and Dinky before they swarmed him with a group hug. "You're okay!" They chorused. Starrk's eyes widened as they tightened their grip on him. "I'm so glad you're alright!" Derpy as her tears rolled down her cheeks "We thought we lost you forever!" "Please don't leave us, Mr. Starrk!" Dinky added as she nuzzled his chest. Sparkler broke the hug before she smiled as well. "It really is good to have you back with us again, Starrk. I never got to thank you for saving my flank back there." She said before looking down and pawing at the ground "You really do come through for everypony in the end." While Starrk acknowledged Sparkler's gratitude, he looked around before asking a question. "Where did he go?" His question prompted Derpy and Dinky to break the hug themselves. "He said he was going to Canterlot." Lilynette said as she approached Starrk and looked up at him "The other princesses are gonna be toast if we don't get there in time." Starrk went silent before hanging his head, mulling over his first loss since his battle with Shunsui Kyoraku in his past life. He then proceeded to trot away from Derpy's family, as well as passing the element bearers and Spike. After he distanced himself, he stood for a moment. "LILYNETTE!!" He shouted for the first time, startling everypony around him, namely the one he called as she dashed over at his side. "I was nearby the whole time, idiot! You don't have to shout!" The red filly shot back at Starrk before noticing the serious look on his face. It reminded her of the last time the former espada abandoned his reluctant nature and was ready to fight the good fight. She then found herself smiling before hopping onto his back. "If he thought the you from before was weak, he's gonna be quaking in his shoes when he sees what we can do!" She boasted as she waited for Starrk to use his sonido. Starrk gave a thin smile at Lilynette before looking back at the rest of Ponyville. "I'm gonna be gone for a while. I might return if things don't get too hairy, but I can't really make promises like this." Starrk said to everypony present. "You're getting the party of a lifetime when you come back! I hope you know that, Starrky!" Pinkie called out with a grin. Starrk grimaced slightly before a ghost of a chuckle escaped his lips. He then turned around before Starrk and Lilynette blurred out of existence. The two hollows-turned-ponies were now racing towards the fight of their life. This time, however, they were ready. To be continued...