Zulu Final: Veni Vidi Versus
While the zebra horde panicked, Dan followed the real Zen Zeal through the mist, which was already starting to dissipate. He held his Pain Cane by the middle in his right hand, ready to lever it upon anyone he came across like the righteous cudgel it was. Pushing through the underbrush, he kept scanning the path in front of him, wary of any traps, while Phoenix followed close behind.
Dan didn't have a plan at the moment- not enough time to really make one. He smirked, recognizing the moment of his own uncertainty. "I haven't gone over a strategy with you."
"I figured you would when you got a chance. Best to just keep our wits about us, use general tactics right now."
Dan nodded. "You're learning well, Nicky."
"I guess you could say that." (And I hope, I REALLY hope I can teach you how to stay out of legal trouble.)
As they came to a clearing, the mist completely dispersed. The moon shown high overhead, moving on its own power, for the moment. Stars covered the sky and the light from the moon barely illuminated the grass. Ahead of them, as Dan came out of the forest, was the Peace Prevails Park. And between them and the ruined fountain was Zen Zeal, staring up into the night.
Snarling, Dan felt his blood boiling just beneath the surface of his skin. He was ready to jump on the unsuspecting zebra and rip him to pieces when he felt Phoenix's hand on his shoulder. "Dan," he said, "do the right thing."
He gripped his brother's hand. "I will, Nicky. You know I will."
"Of course." (Like *squee* I do.)
Making no effort to quiet his footsteps, Dan approached Zen Zeal. He held his cane at the ready still, just in case. "Zenny?"
"You beat me," Zen said. "I am undone again by a clever mind more cunning than my own. I admit defeat."
Dan did not holster his weapon. "Uh uh. Is that so? Well, how nice of you to notice."
"This is my first loss, my first defeat," he said, still looking up.
"In how lon-"
"Ever," Zen clarified. "Borleias was a victory that defeated me... as Antilles intended. But it was not true defeat. It was one battle, one move in a larger game, a larger war. I understand, now. She is using us both. She likes to watch."
"She?" Dan repeated. "You mean the Director? I thought that guy was a... well, I guess I don't know what he is. The creepy cloak guy, right?"
He shook his head. "I do not know who or what she is for certain. Only that it is a creature of unspeakable power, one that is able to control so many on a whim. It matters not- that is your concern now, not mine."
"But you could help us!" Dan protested. "If she's watching us both, we shouldn't keep playing into her and Vice's hands! We could work together... or something!"
Zen kept his back turned. "That is your fight, not mine. You, Antilles, Wright, the others... even the bird and the lizard, you have defeated me. By beating me on my own territory, you have convinced me of my own legend. You made me doubt myself, you made me believe my own myth, you changed my mind about war, battle and everything. I cannot express how happy I am... nor how grateful I am to have fought you."
Dan was stupefied for a long moment. His mouth hung open in disbelief. "I beat on a bunch of trees with a stick. It messed up your spell and then I scared the crap out of your troops and snapped them out of hypnosis. You're overcomplicating this."
The zebra finally turned around. And he was smiling. "Perhaps." He lowered his spear and shield at Dan. "What say you, captain? One last match, and the victor shall truly be the greatest Warmaster of the Equihaan Vong!"
"Okay," Dan said, gripping his cane, "but I have to tell you one thing."
"Yes, warrior?"
"I have the law on my side- and it's right behind you."
"Eh-OOOF!" Phoenix Wright, using the handle of his umbrella, yanked Zen Zeal's right leg off the ground. The zebra, holding both his shield and spear, was unable to maintain his balance and fell. "Haagh! Well-played, Dantilles!" He struggled to stand, even as Phoenix backed off.
But Dan was already standing over him. "Yeah. Guess you could say, I'm the real deal... Zeal."
The zebra looked up, questioning. "Is that a pu-*BLANG!*" Dan brought down the cane's horseshoe handle on top of the zebra's head. A solid, metal bash and the general was out cold.
Dan stood atop his fallen foe triumphantly. "Vini vidi... umm, and the other thing."
"Vici," Phoenix said, approaching. "I came, I saw, I conquered."
"That's right, we did. We came, we saw stuff, and then we kicked his ass," Dan said, putting his arm around the taller human.
Phoenix patted his shoulder and carefully removed Dan's arm. "Yeah... something like that."
"Eeyep. And you helped, Nicky."
"Yay. But for the record, you can take all the credit for finally beat him. You don't need to mention me."
"Nonsense! What would I be without my partner, ace attorney Phoenix "Nicky" Wright?"
"Uh... Phoenix is already a nickname, so-"
Dan hefted the unconscious zebra over his shoulder. "C'mon, Nicky, let's go tell Twilight and the others! I might be able to convince them to let us keep this guy as a trophy!"
"They'll never agree to- wait, let me talk to them first! Oh gawd, DON'T TELL THEM I'M AN ATTORNEY!!" Phoenix chased after Dan back into the forest. Behind them, the Director sat on the fountain, watching them both. She quietly applauded.
When Dan finally met up with Twilight and the others, she was busy freeing the other prisoners. The Gold Baron had actually swooped in to help Twilight, Chrys and Fluffle flee the zebras after they lost at Easy Junction, and now they were helping to get the other ponies freed. Despite the need to get the others released, Dan proudly tossed down the unconscious form of Zen Zeal for all to see right then and there.
He proudly proclaimed, "Do I deliver or what? Can I get a high-five from somepony?"
Fluffle Puff's fluff deployed a foam hand that tagged Dan's. She then gave a celebratory raspberry.
Chrys flew right up to Dan and nuzzled him. "Danny!"
"Chrissie! I brought you a present!" He said, holding her tight.
"Awww, the maniacal military genius leader of a renegade army of fanatics? You shouldn't have," she said, buzzing her wings gleefully.
And that was when Spike walked up with a microphone and asked, "So Dan, you just beat the bad guy, you've saved Equestria from tyranny and made the world safe for ponies everywhere. What are you going to do now?"
Dan smiled, looked right at the camera and said, "I'm going to the Fun Cave with my amazingly hot, black, girlfriend!"
Chrys' eyes lit up. "Yayyyyyy!" Dan lifted her up, somehow, and carried her off-screen.
Watching this, Twilight walked up to Phoenix and Tuxley. Dan and Chrys entered an oddly-placed pile of pillows that were built up like a fort and were, for whatever reason, located in the middle of this forest. With an expression of pure delight, Fluffle Puff slowly closed the door to the Fun Cave behind her.
Tuxley wiped his monocle. "I find myself a touch more perplexed than enlightened at this time."
Twilight looked over Zen Zeal. "It's amazing. Dan actually beat him."
"I know," Phoenix agreed. "Somehow, Dan won. He beat the legend."
Tuxley tapped his chin. "So which legend was true? Was Zen Zeal really invincible or was he an alien?"
"Was he using some kind of magic?" Blast Fuse asked.
"Or could he only be beaten in his own country?" Blast Powder asked.
"Was the enemy utilizing a previously-unknown variable that we were not statistically able to account for?" Knight asked, semi-repaired. They all looked at her. "I am a machine, I think in terms of logic. And cupcakes."
Twilight looked at Zeal. Right now, he didn't look like anything except a zebra, one of many, yet unique. Exactly the same as the others, yet entirely different. "I think they all might have been true."
And they all gasped. "What?!"
Stats
Page generated in 0.118 seconds
Total duration
1,021 users online
2,305,995 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Woo! Phoenix did something besides persuasion tactics!
Also, Twilight has quite a bit of explaining to do about what she just said.
Phoenix threw the opponent?
Where was Missile?
These anti-cheat trees are good.
Dans legal team was so good that Zeal,
:sunglasses:
Was left without a leg to stand on.
Isnt the argument for Pinkie not going Full Pink, like the old Gods Walking The Earth, is that would then allow The Director to do the same? No more messing with intermediates, just direct God level messing to get whatever they want immediately, at a planetary level and atomic detail?
A new chapter means it must be ~Sunday~
I gots my cuppa (that's a cup of tea to us average English folk Mr Tuxley) and I'm about to indulge in Dan and Friends' latest (mis)adventure. Let's see here:
Ohmaigawd-ohmaigawd-ohmaigawd!! FINALLY!!!
Zeal's arc wasn't nearly as long as Vice Grip's (let's be honest in terms of being revealed as the bad guy he hasn't been 'beaten' yet ergo is the longest villain arc to date),but damn this muthabucker held out on us! Someone hook Zecora up with a Hearts and Hooves app! Unless the 'real' Zeal is actually an okay guy ... Or is he still Invader Zeal even though his army is free? I dunno and I tell you what? I don't even care right now
Something I really loved about this final-final boss battle? Zen got double-teamed by Dan n' Ace! I'm sure the Boom-Boom Sisters would approve when they find out haha
Like always permit me to list my favourite lines of dialogue:
Bromance confirmed! Repeat: we have Bromance confirmed!!! Just go with it Nicky
(I'm ignoring the nickname line however true it might be though!)
Aww Dan bought his lady a present, if only all girls could be this lucky
Had to go there didn't you Dan? Wait-
What-the-what?! ... Well they did fight a long war, still are actually, so I'll amuse myself elsewhere ... Why did Fluffle close the door 'after herself'??? Don't even care, not gonna dwell on it! Where did Fluffle even find all the materials for the- ... FUN CAVE!!! Truly Mr Barro you spoil us, thank you 
Can I put in an order for my own Fun Cave, in a nice shade of royal blue? Don't look at me like that you pervs! My Fun Cave would be full of all my fun things: Pokémon games, Mew plush, my Dan vs DVDs (come on where are Season 2 and 3?!), my Hatchimal (too much work for his first owner), uh my Pokémon games ... I have a very one track mind so sue me!
We got Knighty back! Someone get her all the cupcakes she wants! All is right with the world again (till next chapter)
Darn it Twilight, couldn't you wait till next chapter? Right now time to ~party~
Haha this chapter made me grin like a Ghost Pokémon on Halloween, thank you for that Mr Barro! Oh I do believe I never thanked you for putting Windows 8 and 10 on Dan's list? As my dear Vista's support ends I appreciate this even more, curse these upgrades!
Like always thanks for my weekly dose of Dan-sanity and I shall be back next week!
Your Eternal Fan
^_^
P.S I got a lot of games and collectibles, can I order my Fun Cave in 'Extra Roomy'? Thank you
Hahaha, good going NIcky!
Hahahah, oooh this was good, very good,
Nicely done man!
another wonderful chapter! i can't wait to see what happens next.
Wibbely wimey legend stuff, I say. All of spacetime written on some ancient temple wall, and nobody can tell what it means.
Until after the fact, that is.
Dan should have gone to Disneyland!
Also, Grasp is totally going to steal Chryssie's new Zen Zeal. We need to see him interact with Scootaloo sometime.
Oh, KNIGHT's fine. Thank jeebuzz.